House of my dreams? Nope I'll pass....

I enjoy looking at houses.  I think it's a great place to get ideas for your own home.  Got this link as part of a newsletter I get every week and it features this house  I got ZERO ideas from this place......actually that's a lie, I did actually like the stair carpet.  However if I had $900,000 I certainly wouldn't be buying that place, however each to their own I guess, as the price does reflect the location.....

Another book review: "The Blessed," by Ann H. Gabhart

Trapped by obligation, one woman longs for the freedom of true love.

It is 1844 and Lacey Bishop's life is a tangled mess. When circumstances move Lacey to a nearby Shaker village, she is not prepared for the new life that awaits her. In the midst of her deep loneliness, Lacey works to fit in with this odd group. But everything shifts when she finds herself drawn to a Shaker man in a village where such relationships are forbidden.

Can Lacey ever find true happiness in this mysterious place?

This book was sort of interesting from the Shaker religion point of view, I learned things I didn't know about them.  However, boy was it long winded, I felt as though we went round the block and back again to get anywhere.  Mind you the last book I read by the author here, I didn't really have anything good to say either, so maybe I should leave this poor author alone and avoid her books.

If you are at all interested in the Shaker's then I would suggest you read this book for that and that alone, otherwise, don't say I didn't warn you.

Stars out of 5: 2.5 sorry it wasn't really my cup of tea.

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.  Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group".

Here is a link to a group of Shakers living in Maine, if you want to read more.  Also here is another link to the history of the Shaker religion.   Must say I love the Shaker style of furniture!!

A book that I couldn't put down.......

"Lion of Babylon," by Davis Bunn

Marc Royce has been a State Department agent involved in covert operations--that is, until personal issues lead to his dismissal.

When Alex Baird goes missing in war-torn Baghdad, State comes calling again. Alex is a CIA agent--and a close friend of Royce. Three others have also dropped out of sight--a nurse, an aid worker, a wealthy young Iraqi. Are these cases linked? Rumors circulate about a kidnapping conspiracy, yet both American and local officials refuse to pursue it.

Blocked at every turn, Royce eventually unearths a trail of secret encounters between sworn enemies. What he discovers could transform the course of rivalry and reconciliation throughout the Mideast. As the human and political drama escalates, can one man summon the courage to make a difference?

First let me say this isn't my usual type of book I read, but I am really glad I did, as it was one of those books I couldn't put down until I had read the last page.  Why, well it's set in an age we all remember, post Saddam Hussein.  It gives an insight into both sides of that country from an American point of view and an Iraqi point of view.  It also makes you realize everything isn't want it looks to be at face value.  It mixes religion in amongst the book so its not a typical war book.  The mystery element is one which I never did solve prior to the author telling us.  The story was so fast paced you were hooked from the very first chapter.


However, and there is always a however, I did find it sort of typical that the hero was an American who stepped in to save the day and make friends with more Iraqi's in a short period of time than the whole American force put together.

Stars out of 5: A very solid 5 a book I would tell everyone to read......

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.
Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group". 

Feeling a bit better, but my stomach still isn't right.  I guess this is one way of finally losing some weight!!!

"A banana a day keeps the doctor away!"

I am not feeling well at the moment and have not felt like eating..........so yes I must be sick!!!  As I have to take some medication in the morning, and don't like taking it with an empty stomach I have been having a banana to put something in my stomach.   I discovered banana's are actually pretty good for you:

Depression. Banana contains “tryptophan” that helps the body to produce serotonin—which has a calming effect on the brain that makes you feel relaxed and calm. It can also help people suffering from “Seasonal Affective Disorder” or “Winter Depression”. Depressive symptoms can be reduced by just eating banana. Can you believe that?

Constipation. Banana in your diet can help restore normal bowel movement.

Premenstrual syndrome (PMT). Don't take supplemental drugs, just take banana. Banana is full of vitamin B6, which can regulate blood sugar levels, and helps normalize premenstrual syndrome.

Stress. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing potassium levels. Potassium plays a big role in normalizing the heartbeat and oxygen to the brain, and in regulating water fluid in the body. Thus, potassium taken from banana can help rebalance these problems.

Anemia. Banana is high in iron, which can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and prevent anemia.

Hangover. One of the easiest ways to relieve from hangover symptoms is to make a banana milk shake, sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach and, with a drop of honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and rehydrates your system.

Smoking. It is hard for chain-smokers to stop smoking. When you stop and give up smoking, try the banana diet. Vitamin B6 and B12 as well as potassium and magnesium contents of banana can help the body recover from bad effects of nicotine withdrawal.

Heartburn. Banana has a natural antacid effect in the body, thus eating banana can sooth and relieves heartburn.

Morning Sickness. Snack on banana between every meal. This will help keep blood sugar levels up and prevent morning sickness.

Ulcer. Banana is served for ulcer patients in many hospitals. It is because of its soft texture and smoothness that makes it good for intestinal disorders. Banana can neutralize over-acidity and reduces irritation by means of coating the lining of the stomach.

Temperature Control. Banana can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of the body. In fact, in tropical countries, some doctors recommend pregnant women to eat bananas to make sure their baby is born with a cool temperature.

Insect Bites. Rub the affected area with the inside of the banana peel to reduce swelling and irritation.

Thanks to this site for the info

What is wrong with me I do not know, I have had an awful bad stomach (with diarrhea), feeling of nausea, lack of appetite and just plain not feeling good.  I made myself have some lentil soup last night, otherwise I am eating arrowroot cookies, flat ginger ale, water and I did have two cups of tea yesterday with a little milk in them, oh and my banana.  I am trying to avoid dairy, dried toast just doesn't appeal to me.  I missed work yesterday but am going in today.

This looks icky.........

I have these on my pears trees, no idea what they are but thought I'd enlarge the photos so you got a good look!!

They are not on my apple trees, but the leaves are all rusty and chewed on both the pear and the apple trees.

I took a sample of the leaf and the black things to the garden centre and they told me to spray them with this:

Now I am not one to use chemical on my garden, but the guy said I could drink this stuff if I so desired........I don't......as it doesn't contain pesticides as our Provincial Government doesn't allow it.

Molly started barking up a storm the other night, as this daft turkey went wandering by.......and then it came back for another look....crazy bird..........not sure what Molly would have done if we had let her out?

Found a new site called "What's Cooking Grandma"  I was looking for recipes for blackcurrant jam and stumbled accross this site.  My blackcurrants are starting to darken and ripen, so I reckon in another week I will make a start on picking them.  We don't like blackcurrants but I wanted to do a few pots as favours for the wedding along with the raspberry jam.  The rasps are still a couple of weeks away from being ready.

The story behind the 26,000 emails.........

Back in July of 2009 I set up a Gmail account, where I have been sending and receiving emails.  Unbeknown to me although I have been deleting them from my inbox etc, I hadn't been deleting them from the server, and that is where I am trying to delete them from.  So in two years I have sent and have received over 26,000 emails........


30 years today me and dh went out on our first date.  I would think we went to the pub, can't really remember anything else about it.  It is also one of my niece's birthday's today she is 15 years of age, just seems like yesterday when she was born.  Time is certainly flying by fast.

I have just read the book, "Jesus, My Father, The CIA, and Me, A memoir of sorts," by Ian Morgan Cron

 “When I first discovered the grainy picture in my mother’s desk—me as a towheaded two year old sitting in what I remember was a salmon-orange-stained lifeboat—I was overwhelmed by the feeling that the boy in the boat was not waving and laughing at the person snapping the photo as much as he was frantically trying to get the attention of the man I am today. The boy was beckoning me to join him on a voyage through the harrowing straits of memory. He was gambling that if we survived the passage, we might discover an ocean where the past would become the wind at our back rather than a driving gale to the nose of our boat. This book is the record of that voyage.”

Reading the excerpt of the book, I must admit I didn't know what to expect exactly, but the title intrigued me so I thought I would give it a go.  Will admit to it being slow going at first but once you get into it you will be pleasantly surprised. 

You go through an array of emotions, from laughing out loud at the funny stories he tells you, to being sad and angry at the way his alcoholic father treats the author.  He also takes you through the ups and downs of his love/hate relationship with the church and God.

Its well worth the read and not overly hard.

Stars out of 5: 3.5 it wasn't the best book out there but a pretty interesting read, which will make you appreciate what you have in life.

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. 

Available at your favourite bookseller from Thomas Nelson". 

Didn't have a chance to post this morning....

been busy all day, but now as the temperatures are in the low 40's with the humidity I am now hibernating in the house with the a/c on.

Dh was busy yesterday in the new basement, which has resulted in this:

We now have to bring in the new stairs from the garage and install them.  We were out on Saturday afternoon looking for ceramic floor tiles for the new laundry room.  Dh thinks I am picky; come to think about it I am picky.  I have an idea in my head how I want it too look and have seen a couple of tiles I like, but they are $3.49 a tile so that is going to cost nearly $300 + taxes for the tiles.  I of course don't want to pay that much so dh has decided I should get on with it myself looking for these tiles!!!

All over the place the canola crop is in flower and it looks just lovely:

That is what my header photo is of as well, they make canola oil out of it.

I am now going to be busy for the rest of the night deleting emails from my Gmail account, as I haven't deleted them from the server.  I have over 26,000 emails to delete and can only delete 50 at a time!!!  Guess I am going to be stuck on my laptop all night doing that, as dh wants me to accomplish this before we install the new hard drive in the desktop.......{{{SIGH}}}

Happy Canada Day!

It's Canada Day here in Canada.

Canada Day (French: Fête du Canada), formerly Dominion Day (French: Le Jour de la Confédération), is the national day of Canada, a federal statutory holiday celebrating the anniversary of the July 1, 1867, enactment of the British North America Act (today called the Constitution Act, 1867), which united three British colonies into a single country, called Canada, within the British Empire.^[1][2][3] Originally called Dominion Day, the name was changed in 1982, the year that Canada gained full independence from the United Kingdom. Canada Day observances take place throughout Canada as well as internationally.

Thanks to Wikepedia for the info.

Dh has the day off which is good.  Our plan for the day is to do some regular jobs around the house, but dh is going to be working down the new basement doing some structural work.  We are pulling out the old stairs and moving the position of them slightly and putting in new beams and walls down there.  We have a guy coming in to give us a quote on tiling the floor in the laundry room we are putting in there as well.  There is a lot of prep work as well sorting the floor out, so it's not a straight forward simple job.

We are not planning on working all weekend, but do hope to get a lot of work done.

For all the Canadians out there enjoy your Canada Day whatever you decide to do.