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Here I am !

Um ... well , I haven't posted for a while. It's all Christmas' fault !!! Not how you think though ... I don't like Christmas very much and since I am trying to adhere to the adage "if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything" ... I opted out of posting. I was afraid it would SLIP OUT !!! So, here I am back & totally delighted to be done with Christmas !!
But New Year's ... I love you !! Not the late parties or kissing strangers or silly hats & barfing drunks ... no, I like the promise of a whole new year ... another chance to realize my dreams, to build on what I did last year, to get things right, to meet new people, make new friends, learn new things, try whatever. Can't you just feel the possibilities ? I can and I can't wait !!!
HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone !!!!

Give PEACE a Chance ... All I am saying ...

Back in 1969 John Lennon & Yoko Ono held a "bed-in" to promote peace. I'm thinking they had something there. Our new sheets may hold the key ...

ThINGs I NeVeR GeT TiREd of ...

* MAMA MIA ..."here we go again. How can I resist ya ? " I can't . Simple. Loved it again !! Amazing. Uplifting. JOYOUS !!!!
* Spaghetti & Meatballs ... what's not to love ???
* Walter the kitty snuggled up to my back every night ... never get tired of that little puff of warmth !!
* Cheese ... just because.
* Bryan Adams new CD "Bare Bones" ... hit replay ... and again.
* Minute to Win It - back on starting tomorrow night. I am an absolute junkie !!
* Anticipating snow ... glorious snow ... please !!
* Kind of ignoring Christmas ... we do and I like it !! We don't decorate or send cards or carol or put up a tree. And I like it !! I do bake, make treats for those I love, try to find one nice gift for each special person, and buy cat presents. And I like it !! And when Boxing Day rolls around , we are done. And I like it !!
* Tea ... glorious tea ... how do I love thee ? ... BIG LOVE Baby !!!
* Facebook ... yep, I'll admit it ! I like it ! I like knowing what friends & family are doing. I like having a quick morning message with those near & dear. Much more than I like a phone call ... I don't like those much at all !!
* Having help at work ... this makes me giddy. And on task. And productive. And much happier to be there pricing pricing pricing. I even clean bead trays because I have help. Not tired of that for sure !!
* It's a Wonderful Life ... never ever get tired of that one !! I watch it every time I see it on the guide. I always gasp at them dancing/falling into the pool. I always get all heart gooey at the "lasso the moon" line. Never tired of that movie.
* Paper, beads, glitter, glue , paint, fabric ... all those lovely elements.
* Laughing. I do it a lot. And I like it. (heehee)
* The smell of soap.
* Magazines ... and their crisp promise that soon I will have caught up all my To-Dos and SOON I will be able to sit & flip their beautiful pages !
* The Annual Craft Swap ... the amazing women that participate, their wonderful projects, yummy food, creativity at it's best, laughter & great companionship. I will NEVER tire of this, my favourite holiday tradition ... almost my only one !!
* The promise of tomorrow and all it may bring ! Good night all ! Sweet dreams ... and cross your fingers that I don't snore as much tonight for poor Charlie's sake ... !!!

welllllll ... it was *quite* a week ...

Gee, you know ... I try to keep it positive, try not to whine or complain, kvetch & carry on (on my blog ... in real life , I can hold a pity party as well as the next guy !!) ...and sometimes I slip , but I try. But then this week came along ... and OH it was a doozy !!! I could say a few positive things like ... I am alive. There are still undiscovered species in the world. ummm .... but that is nothing like my week !!!
I have an ongoing hand/arm problem that was dealt with about 5 years ago ... involved 2 surgeries and 3 bouts of phsyio. And then finally some DEEP bruising physio that fixed it. I made radical work & career changes and then happily carried on ... thinking it would never return.
Sloooowly over the last few years ...DUN DUN DUN ... it did return. So I ignored it until I couldn't and decided to bite the bullet and start deep tissue massage therapy ( and literally bite the bullet ... or my lip... or anything ...) . Found a great therapist and off I go. OWWWWWWW!!!! It was brutal as I expected but what I didn't bargain on was an allergic reaction to the soothing balm ... irony ... My arms turned bright eat-my-flesh-off-the-bones red with the whole arm being a raised welt. Both arms. Nothing could touch them. Then came the blisters. ooey yucky blisters. As the therapist said ... if it wasn't for bad luck, I'd have none. Yep. I agree sometimes. This is after 2 weeks of constant hives because I was pretending to myself to have no worries about this whole problem. "Me ? I'm not worried . Nah. " POP POP POP HIVE HIVE HIVE . SO I have been one sweet BLOTCH for all of this week too. Yesterday I had such a big hive on my foot, I couldn't wear my shoe the last half of the day !!
But ... it is getting much better. Skin is white again (except for the hives) and I can touch my arms !! WAHOO !!! And this may be an honour ... "Worst Arms Ever" was my diagnosis. Like human bubble wrap to massage. Pretty sweet huh ??! I'm so making a badge to wear to my next session !!
But there is a bright spot ... I am going to tell you what my secret fear was ... when the yellowy globs started appearing on my arms, I had no idea they were blisters. I was horrified. I thought the fat in my arms had all globbed together into these hideous masses ... I was terrified it would stay that way !!! (now it may have been all the Benadryl ... let's say it was ... but that was my honest to god fear ...) I was DELIGHTED to find out they were blisters !! So silver lining to every cloud ... hey ! I did end up saying something positive after all !!
Have a great week !!!

Storm ?

What if there was a REALLY BIG storm ... and you missed it ?? That's what happened to us ! Over on our little shore, we are a world away from the Valley ... or 10 minutes., whichever ! Many times in the winter , we hear all the cancellations because of snow. We look out the window ... "Whaaat ? There's no snow !!" We leave the house, turn the corner ... SNOW !!! So we are never really sure what lies beyond the curve of the road. So imagine our surprise this morning !! We had no power but we also had no power the night before. (go figure !) There were some gusty winds and flashes of lightening but really ... the house didn't shake, the windows didn't rattle, nothing serious. The gargoyles were still sitting on the step. Even the plant pots and other things not gathered up yet were all where we left them. It was far less the the regular nor'easters that we get all winter. So we were shocked to hear of all the trees down, wires fallen, trucks blown over ... wow. We navigated the mountain road, avoiding the LARGE trees and wires down, we looked in amazement at all the toppled signs and trees. Feed Man's sign was ripped from the building and the steel was peeling off the roof ... Crazy ! It must have been quite a night in the Annapolis Valley !
Here's a little note ... Sunday DECEMBER 12... picked tiny red cabbages from my garden in a t-shirt, the brussel sprouts are still growing. Monday DECEMBER 13 ...we let the fire burn out in the furnace in the a.m. ...midnight ...17 degrees. Can you believe it ???

CHOMP chomp CHOMP

Hi !! Did you forget about me ... or think that I forgot about you ??! NEVER !! I have been super busy and also had the flu followed by a 25 day cold. It seems to really like me - won't leave me. Ah, but someday, it will tire of me .
This post is all about ... er ... eating and taking bites. Shocking that I would be so keen on such a topic ... I hear you snickering ... And its also a bit strange as a lot of it was almost a month ago but it seemed pretty great at the time. And still does !
One Saturday after work, we set out for lunch. We ended up - after a long story that I will spare you - at the Tin Pan in Port Williams. Cool place. The tables are covered in hundreds of business cards, tickets, and bits of odd money. Lots to keep you exploring while you wait. the wait was long but WORTH IT !! We had a breakfast and oh my. Buttery scrambled eggs - and I mean scrambled, not overcooked and then chopped up ...a pet peeve of mine ... The sausage were crispy, the bacon was just plain darn bacony, and the ham ... well I gave that to Charlie. (My desire to be Jewish has made me really not like ham ...) But the toast ... I don't really like toast. But this ! Well, it was thick slabs of fluffy crispy buttery goodness. Pillowy really. Yes, pillowy. You could sleep on it ... except you'd have butter in your hair ... And it came with 3 pots of HOMEMADE jam !! Strawberry, raspberry and spiced apple. HOMEMADE !!! Ahhh my.

And see that glass at the far right ? Charlie ordered that ... and I coveted it. It was a milkshake that came in a tall-filled-to-the-top glass and the metal container too and it was ... CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER. I have never tasted anything like it. It is incredible. ... leave me with my thoughts for a second ..
Ah, okay. Then we went away the next day too. And , again, we ate. We really are good at that ... sadly. But this time it was German. It was AWESOME. Schnitzel so crispy, spaetzle, even the veggies on the side were amazing. Oh so good. I totally recommend a stop here if you are on the way from Lunenburg to Mahone Bay.

Then we went on to Peggy's Cove.

I had never been before ! I always thought, "I have beautiful rocky shores and a lighthouse right outside my front door. I don't need Peggy's cove". Okay... here's the eating part ... I EAT MY WORDS !!!! It is MAGNIFICENT !!! WOW !!! A glorious day !

And since then ... what have we done ? Worked , played, slept a tiny bit , played and worked some more. We have been to a sweet boy's birthday party, had a Nerf war, had our Friday night dates, been to the city, made hundreds of kits for work, picked loads of tomatoes, laughed a lot. Pretty much good.
Now I am taking a bite out of fall. I had decided last year that I was NOT having our annual pumpkin party. Too much work. Then I had family talk about how they were looking forward to it. Some already had pumpkin plans. So I waffled and debated and waffled some more. And at the last minute, I changed my mind and said "okay" . But not before I made some big changes. I had to cut it down. It was so big last year and just too much. I didn't even have a chance to have fun !! So I had to cut the list back to family and family friends as well as the folks who have come from the very beginning ... and I am really sorry that some will be left out but I just couldn't do that again. Bigger isn't always better. Back to basics !! So I have just finished making 8 big batches of chili and soup comes later this week. We'll eat well anyway!!
So, the Purolator lady just brought me a big box ... I must go take a look and start in on it . Have a great one !!!
CHOMP CHOMP !!

I am SOOOO excited !!

Wow !!! I am sooooo excited !!! Life is cracking along and bringing joy with it every day ! I have so many things coming up that I am THRILLED about ... I can't contain it !!!! WOOT WOOT !!!

Mama Mia - as a big happy fun family outing - in Halifax in 11 sleeps. I cannot wait !! Charlie & I saw it in Toronto and were OVERWHELMED ... have always wished I could see it again !! Sooo... we are ... and with a whole crowd of people that we love & adore. All heading into the city in a van full of excitement . (Too bad it wasn't like a Partridge Family van ... that would be so cool !!)Should be an amazing night !!

Birthday parties galore this weekend ... what's not to love about that ?? Cake, good meals, great company, presents given, laughter & excitement. MARVELOUS !!

A Craft Swap ... in (gulp) 2 1/2 weeks ... this may be my favourite part of the holidays !! Ten of us gather to swap handmade items - like a cookie exchange but it is all manner of crafted items ... cards, candles, jams, ornaments, ... anything. We laugh, we "TA DA" our goodies, we eat, we have a great evening. And then we get together in a year's time to do it all again. It really is great fun !

Busy Busy Busy plans for work ... and I have a partner in crime so I am really excited. Together I think we can realize all the dreams & plans I have and then come up with more. We work together well and are ready to take the world by storm ... EXCITED !!!

And then there will be the caramel corn making marathon, the hot pepper jelly day, bits'n'bites, baking, crafting, making Christmas gifts, hunting down the perfect Christmas gifts, visits, dinners, Friday night date nights, a fun promised baby sitting evening , crafty crafty things, ... oh so much !!! Soooooo excited !!!!
( I am pinching myself ... is this all real ?? Hot damn !! It is !!!)

my so-so life ...

Yes, my life is so-so ... SO SO SO GREAT !!! Haha !

You know I have spent too much time despairing about how busy I am and feeling overwhelmed but underneath the fuss I always feel a great current of gratitude. So here's a little recap of why I am so busy and so freakin' lucky !!!



* I have been working HARD everyday and most nights until fairly late on stuff for work - I am LUCKY to have a good busy business that I ENJOY.

* I was making pies at 12:30 at night for the community supper - I am HAPPY to LIVE in such a nice community. And I got home late that night because I was ENJOYING myself out with family at dinner. And I am THANKFUL that Charlie got to have along visit with his brother .

* I was party planning late the night before the event ... fussing and stewing over details. And this was because I was HONOURED to have a SURPRISE birthday party thrown by some of my favourite people in the whole world. They were worried that it would be hard to get me there because I had so much to do ...but family dinner ? I always MAKE TIME for fun , family, friends. That's what life is really all about. Who cares if you have to stay up later to finish other things ?!

* Presents from two super excited children. I was SO TOUCHED by their thoughtfulness & excitement. They had made me a beautiful coat hanger decorated with drawings that were really special to me, had chosen a gift at the store that is SO me, and illustrated a card with all things that mean a lot to me. The fact that they put so much love & care into what they did and their excitement really overwhelmed me. I am so FORTUNATE !

* A set of measuring cups ... made by a dear niece who spent several days at the Clay Cafe painting them BY HAND with wonderful Hallowe'en images ... I loved them but when I realized that she MADE them, I had to stop talking. The lump in my throat made it impossible. The LOVE I felt was incredible.

* The excitement level at this party as described by my other beautiful niece as "5 year old birthday party excitement" was PERFECT !!! The cards, the dinner, the amazing & so delicious cake, the fun and FAB presents, ... it all added up to a wonderful evening. Won't forget it !!!

* A good crowd of family & friends to carve pumpkins. Special people who, due to health reasons have to pick & choose what they can do in a day , chose to come there ! Their participation meant so much to me. The chance to feed all my friends & loved ones was WONDERFUL. The help and participation of everyone - THRILLING.
And SO MUCH chili ... YIKES !!

* Tons of Facebook birthday messages, cards, visits, calls, presents, dinners, ... all make me feel SPECIAL and that feels GREAT !!

* The wonderful support and help of a special niece ... helping me plow through all the kits for Christmas , and doing it to PERFECTION. So GRATEFUL !

* A great GIRLS' ROAD TRIP to the city - fun, laughter, serious talk, food, shopping, tea, ... all wonderful.

* The only sad thing was my birthday evening ... for years & years, my Grandmother always called me after supper. I looked forward to it ... even waited for the phone to ring. This is the third year with no call ... I miss her so much. But I am GRATEFUL that I had such a wonderful relationship with her and that I had such an amazing Gramma. She will always be a big part of me.


So ... it has been an amazing week ! I am busy but busy being HAPPY !!! I'm sure if you were a hermit & no one loved you, you would never have to worry about how & when you would get things done !!! Ain't life grand ?!!

THeSe aRe A FeW of My FaVouRiTe ThiNgS ... !!

I am NOT A MINIMALIST.
I LOVE STUFF.
*** A few years ago we did address the issue of hoarding ... let's just say it involved renting - and filling - a dumpster. AND discovering AMAZING things that had been squirreled away. It did show me the importance of a tiny bit of restraint and more organization but it did not squelch my love of stuff ... nothing could do that, I'm sure !! ***
So this year I am going to share from time to time some photos of my favourite things ... and there are many !!
In honour of the New Year ... fresh start, clean page , standing on the precipice of the sparkling New Year ready to dive in ... I have these faves for you !!

This is my clock in my workroom. I ADORE it ! It makes me smile every time I look at it !! I fully live by the concept ... DO IT NOW !!! Don't wait ! (Oh, I only apply this to fun stuff ... I can easily put off vaccuuming or other icky tasks... this may explain why I have lots of fun but a messy house ... but, really, who cares !!)
This hangs on the wall ... actually near the clock ... just in case I have a pang of responsible conscience ... a second opinion !!
And last but not least ...

My Damned Dollies !! I love these dolls. They are made by a girl in Toronto and I buy one each time I go to the One of a Kind Craft Fair. They are so fun ... and saucy !! I love their rebellious nature . How fun is a doll with an eye patch and a knife ?! I gave them a CN Tower so they wouldn't get homesick ...
Have a great week !!

Time ... Busy ... Time

I am busy these days. But this is not a post to whine or complain about it. Or list off what I have done or what I need to do. It is just a statement. I am busy. And that makes me happy.
I feel that I need to pack as much into my day as I can. I like to fall asleep (often on the couch ...) knowing that I have spent my time wisely and done what I could that day. Now I don't mean that I worked all day or changed the world. I just mean that I did some work, created, played, loved, laughed, and enjoyed every minute. I don't get everything done that I want nor do I see everyone that I would have liked. But I come close. And that makes me happy.
Use your time wisely ... use it do your work well but use it to read, to hug your family, to cuddle your cat, to treat yourself, to make something, to bake cookies , to garden, to be silly, to visit loved ones, to throw your head back and laugh, to sit by a bonfire ... whatever will bring you and those you love the most happiness. Be good to yourself. Be content.
Here is my favourite quote ... I have it in a frame over my sink so I can read it while I wash the dishes. I love it. It makes me TRY to stop saying that I don't have enough time ... I do. It's just how I chose to use it.
Don't say that you don't have enough time.
You have exactly the same number of hours
that were given to Helen Keller, Michelangelo,
Mother Teresa, Leonardo daVinci, Thomas
Jefferson, and Albert Einstein.
H. Jackson Brown

The Story of the "Blues" ...

It was a very hot Sunday. Too hot for the Bash for Cash ... we would fry. So ... let's go in search of peaches.
So ...
Blueberry Girl
and Blueberry Boy headed out. There were no peaches so they decided to drive aimlessly along - that's the best way anyway ! They came to this place .
And loved the awesome 3 dimensional berries on the sign. As they approached, they were chased by this wild (fake) bird !! (I know it looks like an eagle but it was ... giant ... and really scary ...)

YIKES !! RUN !!!
So they ran into this place ...

And they rejoiced !!! It was a restaurant ! So they had a beautiful lunch beside the indoor fish pond ... and drank delicious Blueberry Breezers. (yum)
Then they bought these ...
(ohhh ... so good !!)
And then Blueberry Girl made this ...

Yum again !!! (pecans in the topping make so much difference !!)
And they lived happily ever after ! (soon to be a major motion picture ...)
And a few days later , they got their car back !!!

Happily ever after I say !!

In the Moment ... not "Outside the Moment"

Hi !!
What a week its been !! Full of activity, cake, and fun !
We had a big ol' bash at our place on the weekend ... lots of family and all the offspring family that comes from generations growing up and adding more delightful people to the family. The cats ran for cover or hid on shelves as the crowds arrived - so they went into lockdown in a safe place upstairs ! We threw open the back doors, built a sand & boardwalk path, lit up a UFO runway for night ... and started the party !! We ate tons of food, gnoshed at the Candy Bar, played ladder ball and washer toss, tried to play Beanbag Toss the EXTREME PEYTON version ( okay, close your eyes, throw it over Mommy, it's cheating if you stand up. What ? You got 6 bags out of 8 in ? No points for you - you need ALL 8. Who wants to win next ??) We had a bonfire & big fat "MARMALLOWS '. We wore glow necklaces & twirled sparklers ... and only a few people got burnt and only a few cried. So I have to say it was a success !! It was a happy night filled with love, friendship, and good family. Once again, there was no where else I would have wanted to be.
But where are the pictures, you ask ? In my head and in my heart. At one point, I thought about going for the camera . And then I thought "no, you'll miss being here in the midst of all this happiness" . I would rather be in the moment, enjoying that very moment, than be on the fringe watching through my lens. So no pictures.
We have spent a few nights at CAPS building walls ... in this case it is sort of the Royal "WE" ... I simply hold the end of the board & measuring tape. Quite humbling after the carpentry excellence that I showed on the deck ....
I have been baking my buns off ... haha ! hardly !! But I have been baking up a storm - for the party & CAPS - this week alone I have baked Whoopie Pies, 2 cheesecakes, "Better Than Crack Brownies" , and "Big Blonde Caramel Bars". And it is all gone . The CAPS baking sold out the first day ... but luckily a sweet niece ( or maybe an angel !!) emailed to ask if she could bake for me on Friday.(Thanks kari!! XOXO) HALLELUJAH may have been secretly what my response was !!! So last night I spent the nicest evening watching HER bake, drinking tea, laughing hard, and watching & listening to great music ... a great way to pass a few hours ! Here is my favourite from the night ... I love the words, love the pictures, love the heartfelt sentiment. Celine Dion, eat your heart out ! THIS is a love song !!!

another week, another 50 projects, and another 1000 laughs

Another week ... gone ... GONE !!! I am in shock that it is almost September ( happy happy, mind you) but hard to believe !!!
We have KICKED ASS this week !!! Charlie & I built a new step & deck on our house. And, this time, I am actually not using the "Royal WE" ... it really was "we", honest !! I screwed down all the deck boards, stair treads, and spindles. I think I'll soon have my own show on HGTV ...haha!! It was really fun though ( power tools !!!) and I was really happy to be able to do more than pass things and hold the end of the measuring tape. AWESOME !!! ( oh yeah, and I didn't even hurt myself once !!)

MY HANDS, MY FEET, MY CARPENTRY WORK ... check out those safety shoes !!!
Then I suggested we beef up the top rail into a chunky shelf so now it can hold many things ... beers ( for that once very 2 years we drink them !!), gargoyles (now those we actually do have in abundance !!), and lovely flowers - just to name a few ... I LOOOOOOVE it !!!
Now we are on to clearing a path through the overgrown backyard so we can easily come & go from the Secret Garden ... I think this may be a scythe action thriller !!!dundudndundudn ...

We went to the EX on Monday so Charlie could present some trophies that he sponsors. Our young friend Brandon was waiting for us - he always helps Charlie present them each year and then we spend the evening together. Now this kid is highly entertaining. I could care less if I went to the Ex but I love his company !! I call him Little Prince because he somehow, with charm & grace, gets us to do his every bidding ... amazing talent !! And he just smiles this big "you know it's true" smile when I address him as such. Here are a few snippets of our conversations & activities ...
* after having several wrong handed attempts at shaking the trophy recipient's hand .."now that wasn't AWKWARD !!"
* "I am having such a cupcake craving" ... and so the hunt was on ... and we found one !!
* "Pam, can you help me build a website - I want to invent games & post some cartoons I drew."
* " You know that car Charlie was going to help me build (actually it was a BIKE !!)... well I think it should be an automatic so I just have to SAY "turn left" and it will."
* "This year, you know how we come to your house for Thanksgiving - its a tradition - well my parents can go home after we eat & I'll stay and Charlie can help me with the website. Then you can take me home."
* "I'm almost out of quarters. Let's go over to that game where you put the quarters on the colours so I can get some more." We went with me doubting very much that the Colour Game was much of a banking/investment opportunity. He filled his pockets with quarters , winning almost every time, and then announced "I have enough, let's go back to the bowling game." If you believe it, I guess it does happen !!
* "okay, let's go see the alpacas - you can name them."
* "I want to invent Chocolate River Pie ... you know, when you cut into it, chocolate sauce runs out." Now that's a thought !!!
Anyway, it was a great evening because it was spent in the wonderful company of the Little Prince and his older brother who is also under his spell.

This weekend we are getting ready for a big BBQ party - I can't wait !! I have bought POUNDS of candy for a "Candy Bar' . The food lists are made, the fridge is full of loads of various meats, the propane tank is full, the biggest marshmallows I have ever seen are sitting in the pantry just waiting for TOASTING , the big glass drink dispenser is scrubbed and waiting for iced tea, the cooler is ready for ice & drinks, the games have been arranged, chairs set up, tables ready,baking lists prepared, grocery lists in hand, ... I CAN'T WAIT !!!! We are having appetizers (Trailer Park Boy Wieners , stuffed mushrooms, and mini quiches) , then powering up the BBQ for beer can chicken, sausages, burgers, and chili dogs. Then dessert - Whoopie Pies ( my current obsession), cheesecake, and "Better than Crack" Brownies. Then after we have stuffed ourselves, we will start the ladder ball & washer toss tourneys. And then, when we have played our hearts out, we will settle in for a bonfire, sparklers, s'mores, and a beautiful sunset. SIGH ... I am happy all over already !!
Oh yeah ! I also picked my very first fully ripe tomatoes !!! AWESOME !!!

Well, gotta run ... we are off for our Friday night dinner date ! Have a great weekend !!

How SWEET it is !!

EDIT ... WOW !! I am the Queen of Blurry photos ...

LIFE, that is ! My, it has been a great ride the last few weeks ... everyday is a whole new fun adventure with more people to laugh with and enjoy.


We have been "crack-a-lackin" at renos & cleaning up the house ... and with that work comes great rewards. (Damn, I would have cleaned up sooner had I known !!) A new TALL upright gleaming white COLD freezer ... and I am in love with it !! No more falling in on my head for a pork chop !! It is like a giant door to cold food heaven ... open it, and TA DA !!! ... ice cream, Eggos, my ice cream maker, ice cubes ... (that's all so far) ... wonderful !!! And the ice cubes ... don't be thinking that they are little square cubes ... PERISH THE THOUGHT !! ... No Way !! ... puzzle pieces , skulls, and ... the best yet ... are you ready ? ... dentures !!! We are scheming how to make them pink & white so they will look like REAL TEETH in someone's drink !!! ( I am giggling in anticipation ... mature huh ?!!)

And what else ? Well, space, organization, somewhat cat-hairless floors, clean dishes, books & magazines neatly stacked or shelved, organized cupboards, folded laundry, nothing expired, .... can this really be our house ??? Today it is !!!


A new ring ... I love it ... sparkly and so pretty. I feel so GLAM !! Happy happy !

A visit from a DEAR DEAR friend. We visit every year and it's just like I might have seen her last week at the grocery store. We don't miss a beat. It is a friendship that has endured more than 20 years, marriages, big moves, gaps in communication, and thousands of miles between us. It is a friendship that is so special and so important. Yet ... low maintenance. We are simply happy to see one another & sit in one another's company. We had planned to meet for dinner but at the last minute, we decided to BBQ at our place ( hmmm ... maybe it was that clean house effect again ?!) so it was spontaneous & without planning ... I usually plan & try to "huge-up" everything so this was a change. I bought a few chickens on the way home, shoved their poor little bums on to beer cans, & threw them on the BBQ ... sorry chickens ! Made a pan of Trailer Park Boy Weiner Appetizers, a Caesar salad, and put the beers on ice to chill ... and then just waited for them to arrive. We grilled up some steaks & potatoes, loaded the *new* picnic table, and settled in ... eating, talking, laughing, just enjoying the moment. Then we loaded in the hearse, down to the beach, and then back to our secret garden for a bonfire and star gazing. And the heavens obliged ... falling stars were our reward. It was the most wonderful evening and I knew there was no where else I would rather have been.



Last night was our Friday Night Dinner Date with Charlie's brother & wife. We look forward to this all week ! It's great when family is family AND friends ! Tonight we are off to a bonfire & washer toss match. Next weekend we are hosting a family BBQ Bonanza ... yeah, I'm already trying to "huge-up" the event ... can't help it ... "go big or go home" is my motto !! ( Or, "damn Martha Stewart, I can do it too !!" ) And then we have a list of house reno things ...new door, new step, clearing out brush, clean closets, tick, tick, tick ... But it's all great and I am ready to tackle all this stuff ... the "after" is so worth the effort !!

On the Hester front ... ready for painting !!! So in the next few weeks she should get re-flamed and be already to go once again. YAY !!!


I think that's it ... I'll try to do something exciting so I can have a SUPER EXCITING POST next week ... but in the meantime I'll just keep living this sweet sweet life !!

See ya !

What A WoNDerFuL Day/Week/Life !!

Oh what a great ride it's been !! This week has been amazing !
Dinner Friday night with family in our standing Friday Night Date ... laughed so hard I thought I might need medical attention ... or a bathroom !!! (you know how it is ...)
We got up early & went to the Port George Jamboree Yard Sale before work on Saturday morning. GREAT IDEA !!! Look what I found !!
I LOVE monkeys and S&Ps ... so perfect find !!! Look at their funny expressions ... not your AVERAGE monkey S&Ps !!!
I found this from the same man ... all there, no chips, wonderful. Not that chips usually stop me ... if I love it I don't care if there are chips. I figure we all get a little chipped by life and people still love us !

And then these little SPRITES !!! They just make you happy !!! Love them !!

After work we headed off to New Minas for a reason I can no longer remember ... it doesn't matter though because LOOK WHAT I FOUND !!!
I love it !! I put it right in my work room (in the last few remaining inches of space ...!!) and it is perfection !!!
Then Sunday we decided to have a family picnic supper before the guys went haying. I was making sandwiches & Whoopie Pies when the phone rang. Someone asked for me ... actually a VERY FAMILIAR voice asked for me ... OH MY GOD ... it was my dearest university friend that I haven't seen or talked with for 25 years !!! I plopped right down in a chair in shock & talked & talked & talked & talked ... and forgot all about the sandwiches I was making ... ( sorry guys if they were a bit dry ...). It was the most wonderful thing !!! I lost track of her after I graduated. The last time I saw her was at our wedding. A few years ago I saw her brother's obituary in the paper and an email for condolences. I sent a note to her but never heard back. Turns out the email link to me hadn't worked ! She had 411'ed me but no luck. So since she was in the province, she checked the phone books. I was thrilled !!! Afterwards, I realized that every story I have ever told about university includes Katherine. She was such a fun and fantastic friend ... I am so lucky to be back in touch with her !! HALLELUJAH !!!
Then I found a friend from high school that I so admired and always enjoyed on facebook. Reconnected there too !!! Wonderful again !!
And ... sweet friends come in threes ... my wonderful "half of my life" pal has arrived in Nova Scotia and we will soon have our annual visit. Super !!!
Hmmm ... what else ... weeded my amazing garden .. ready to pick lettuces & watercress, broccoli rabe is almost ready , and the eggplants have purple flowers on them. Rockin' the veg world !! WOOT WOOT !!
I started working on my Twelve Weeks of Christmas Kit Series for the store ... sat in my lovely room, with my lovely cats, glancing at my FAB new shelf and those sweet little sprites, sipping tea, and I CREATED my brains out. It was FABULOUS !!! Can't wait for next week.
I also drove this week ... shocking if you know me ...
We have also been at CAPS drywalling ... finished the ceiling in the main part and stood up a wall last night. Exciting !!! I say "we" but I usually just hold things, hand things, help lift things, and ask (too many) questions ... "Why?" "Why do you put that there ?" ... a girl's gotta learn !! BUT, last night I got to NAIL !!! Just once but I was PUMPED. I have to admit I took about 20 poundings to get it in but I let out a big old WAHOO and arm pumped after ... it was AWESOME !!!!
Anyway, the thunder is scaring the POOP out of me, So I have to go !!
Enjoy the week and ROCK WHATEVER YOU ARE DOING !!!

Is it really almost August ????!! YIKES!

Time sure has been flying by ... or melting & dripping by !! The last few days have been much better. But it has been a SUPER BUSY month regardless of the heat.
We have been planning some renos at home and were waiting for it to be cooler ... but that day wasn't coming so we jumped in !! My kitchen has had the old pantry counter ripped out and new stainless steel shelving added. Baskets & bins will make it all more organized. A new cookbook shelf is rapidly being filled ... yikes , another obsession ... and a baking shelf has been organized with lovely sparkling jars full of ingredients. I've filled totes with my ever expanding collection of cupcake papers, Hallowe'en candy EYEBALLS, coloured sugars, and all things yummy. It is all starting to come together ... now if only I could get the "temporary" table covered in all the odd pans, jars, ... out of the living room. Soon. Soon.
I have several boxes filled for the CAPS yardsale and more to come, I'm pretty sure. But I also had an email about 700 salt & pepper shakers ... I just put 2 sets in the yardsale box and was feeling pretty IN CONTROL OF MY LIFE .... now I feel all that absolute non hoarder control SLIPPING AWAY !!!
We went to Halifax on Saturday and scored some great new "Jack" things ... that's "Jack" from Nightmare before Christmas ... I love him and all the fab art that goes with him. We both now have great mugs to drink from and a great skeleton car antennae thingy. Pretty sweet ... might give us our skull fix until THE HESTER RIDES AGAIN !!! And, on that note, she is coming along really well. It will be a while before she can be painted but it is looking very FALL POSITIVE !!!
I picked up the new "Whoopie Pies" cookbook ... last night was sample run night ... tried out the Classic Whoopies with Marshmallow Filling ... so far so yum !!! Another flavour might be in the works as well as another batch of the originals for tomorrow's CAPS baked treat.
The other book ... okay - ONE of the other books (BOOK JUNKIES !!) was the Ultimate Guide to Root Cellars ... riveting reading I suspect ... but I am excited about having a root cellar ... I can then store all the bounty from my amazing little garden. Tonight I have to weed and then stake my tomatoes ... I have 31 tomato plants ... anyone wanting to attend a tomato festival ... ???? Anyway, I planted it 3 weeks ago and it is growing LIKE CRAZY !!! I have turnips (thousands!!), sugar peas, sunflowers, beets, black radishes, regular radishes, yellow squash/zucchini, green zucchini, 3 kinds of potatoes, basil, corn, ornamental corn, birdhouse gourds, broccoli, broccoli rabe, Brussels sprouts, red & green cabbage, cauliflower, parsnips, WATERCRESS !!, spinach, leaf lettuce,onions, mesclun, red peppers, jalapeno, tomatoes of all colours & shapes, tomatillos, eggplant, and melons. PHEW !!! That was a lot to remember !!! I love it out there in my little patch ... patches .
I also spent a few days doing a MAJOR CLEAN-UP and ORGANIZATION of my work space ... studio ??? like they say in all the mags !! .... and I LOVE IT !!! My table is bigger and everything is all around me. I look out at the water and over at my sweet cats, all sprawled on their new bench. This is happiness !!
Next on the agenda is finishing the kitchen ... getting rid of that table in the living room ... and starting on the upstairs room that will be the laundry room after some shifting. Exciting times !! (wink wink !!) But in between all this we are planning a few big ol' BBQ parties, building some ladder ball games for the ULTIMATE TOURNAMENT, and just plain kicking back. Someone said on her blog to be sure to pause and enjoy summer and while that is a good idea ... I have to say ... PAUSE and ENJOY IT ALL !!! Everyone looks forward to summer to have fun but WE CAN HAVE FUN EVERY SEASON !!! Kick it up, plan something every month. LIVE IT LARGE !!!

Wow ... I have babbled on like a waterfall ... have a great week !!!
Pictures next week !!

Hmmm ... what's new ?

Not much new, I'm afraid ... it's been TOO HOT to be out there creating adventure & controversy. But here's a few snaps of the last few days ...
we had to take Emma to the Vet last week for a limpy leg ... now, she weighs about 20lbs and isn't keen on new places ... I had her at the store & she disappeared ... WHERE ARE YOU EMMA ????

Here I am !!!
hidden in a cupboard of plastic bags !!
Now what was DILLEE doing at home while Miss Emma LouLou was at the Vet ?

Just chillin' thanks !!!
Then our next big event was a NEW BED !!!
Emma had to check it out ...

Hmmm ... stomp around, check it all out ...

Yep, it's good !!!
How about a second opinion ...

Earl says "TWO PAWS UP !"
By now they have all had a turn on it and I see more of the Cleopatra beds in our future !!
And, on a totally different note, this is my funnel ... I love it !!!

I just realized the other night how much I like it so I snapped a photo. I bought it in Toronto several years ago and it is just like Bob Blummer's when he had the Toastermobile. Cool huh ?!!
And here's our latest adventure ... a new travel trailer !!!

No, a DUMPSTER !!! I LOVE LOVE LOVE having a dumpster ... very therapeutic ... a big ol' clean up is coming and I am pumped !!! It just needs to get a bit cooler ... and my ANNOYING COLD needs to disappear !!
And lastly ... look what I saw from my front step last night ... I LOVE WHERE I LIVE !!!

Have a great weekend !!!

CRABBY !!!

I gotta tell ya ... I'm crabby . No actually - CRABBY. There , BIG letters seem to express it better. I am really crabby. My cameras are not working to do my blog post for the store - I've wasted the last hour & half with them. I am HOT ... and not in a Paris Hilton kind of way. I hate summer ....... wow, there I said it. I do. I really do. It's not popular to hate summer but I don't care - I do. I LOVE fall and I LOVE winter . But summer ... I fail to see the beauty. HOT, sticky, thunder & lightening (terrified) , frizzy hair, maggots in my green cart, stink from the green cart, fruit flies, sinus headaches from the weather, coolers for groceries, sleepless nights, ... what is there to love ??? Where are the sweaters, cozy blankets, non-stinky green carts, apples, cool breezes, pretty snow ... ???
I am a NON SUMMER PERSON. So I am trying to convince myself that summer is not as bad as I think ... here goes .... ummmm .... I do have one BIG thing ...I have my garden. That is all I can think of ... but it does mean a lot to me. But you know, I could build a greenhouse and garden all year. Wipes that one out.
Do you have any great reasons why summer is good ??? Please share !!!

Yep, REALLY up to my ...

Well ... I haven't blogged for a few days because LIFE was in the way !!! My, it's been a week . I can really only give it a 5 out of 10. That's low for me.
On the PLUS side, we did get the garden planted and added a book shelf to the kitchen. I did enjoy a piece of my niece's FAB cake . I saw people I love and enjoyed that. I watched my Queen. I snuggled cats. I spent time with Charlie. All PLUSES.
BUT we did get our car ( our beloved Hester car) smashed up to the point that it is pretty bad , had the skull that we loved explode into a million pieces, get mixed up for a birthday party only to arrive at the end instead of the beginning, spent the last few days in insurance matters and giving police statements , watched the horrific riots in the city I love, and my chest is green and yellow from bruising ... and the bruises are only starting. SO the week LACKED a bit ...
BUT ... again ... that's all over and we are facing a DAY OFF and it is CANADA DAY ... one of the best days ... so , I think I am feeling a definite improvement in the future !!
HAPPY CANADA DAY !!!