Time Keeps on Ticking

Here we are, nearing thr end of February already. This has been a very mild winter with very little snow. Billy has only had to shovel twice all winter. He has been able to pick up hours at Canada Green as well as he went back to the town clean up job already!

Eric arrived the middle of January and went back home February 18th. I'm sure he will be back again before too long. We are both anxious to start work on my "She Shed".

I've kept busy with some painting,  sold my dandelion fairy painting to Bev Hartsell, a highland cow to Lynn Szymezko and another highland cow will be delivered to Dawn Misner in April. I'm hoping to open a little shop of sorts in the shed this summer. I've made some postcards from 6 of my paintings that I think people will like and picked up some old shutters to use for displaying paintings and other things I may decide to sell.

Brit is still enjoying swimming and spending time at Kristies. Brooke quit her daycare job in Scotland and starts her new job with the board of education next week as an education assistant. Brad made his first sale as a real-estate agent this month as well. Everybody is doing well and moving forward!

Now I'm looking forward to Eric's return in a few more weeks and then we will drive back to Ontario together. Thankful for my blessed life!

Tis the Season

It's been a long time since I posted and lots has been going on. Summer vacations to Ontario with Britni and Billy,  Dawn Mclaughlin and Cindy Comeau. Even one 3 week vacation to Eric's all by myself! Eric has been down here lots this year as well and as always, kept busy doing jobs around the house. How blessed am I to have a handsome AND handy man 😃😍! We took some trips to PEI and Nova Scotia as well as long drives down back roads for picnics.

Pat and Dave were in the area for their vacation again this year which is always great. 

Britni's dream goal came true the end of September.  She got to go to Montreal to see a live Montreal Canadians hockey game!! She was on top of the world and still talks about it.

Billy has been busy working for the town as usual and also picked up another job at Canada Green.

My friend Sherri Lafleur came for a visit this summer and brought her cousin,  Trevor Mayor, from England, with her. It was a great visit with lots of laughs and little adventures!

I've been busy this Christmas season with paintings and baking. Billy's favorite part of Christmas is delivering plates of treats around town which we did yesterday. 

Britni is enjoying Special Olympics swimming again this year.

Brooke moved back to Ontario in September.  Sad to see her go, but glad she is following her dreams.

Putting lights over the sink

Sherri Lafleur

Trevor Mayor

Picnic at the pines

Picnic with Dawn

Driving around Nova Scotia 

Handsome man in PEI ❤️

Eric's first time crossing the bridge to PEI

Frankie and Raven showing Pat some love lol

Brit's room getting a makeover

Amy LeBlanc and I painted the ding room and living room 

Made Eric some snowmen

Paintings for Jackie Young

Paintings for Susan Young 

Brits trip to see the Montreal Canadians!

Another Year in the Books

New Year's Eve, a good time to look back and reflect I suppose. What a year 2022 has turned out to be. 

My mom passed away in June, so mother's day was my last visit with her. The sadness that came with that door closing was eased by another door opening.  A chance meeting of someone very special on May 6th has turned out to be the biggest surprise of 2022 for me. Mom always told me someone would come along when I least expected it, and in true mother fashion, she was right.  Eric Young has brought a spark back to my life that I didn't even know I was missing.  Living 16 hours apart hasn't stopped the relationship from growing, perhaps it has even helped it along but I know I look forward to what 2023 brings our way.

I have enjoyed a full year of having both my daughters here and am so proud of all the progress they have made these past 365 days.

I turned 60 this year and was blessed to hear from so many of the great friends I have.

We had vacations and parties, had a new deck and fence built, paid off my mortgage and Pico found a new, loving home, I  got my new woodstove and enjoyed extra time with my sister, Pat. Eric visited in November and painted my bathroom, spoiled us with seafood chowder and his delicious fish and chips. He really is a gem ❤️ and I cant wait to see him in January!

It seems that since I turned 60, my health decided to take a turn. One thing after another has tried to set me back, but I have overcome them all and will be back to traveling again in January. 

Overall, 2022 has been good to me, my world is steady and my heart is full. 

Happy New Year everyone!

Never a Dull Moment

Another year is slipping by and so much has happened. 

I had my final visit with my mom on Mother's day,  she was in good spirits and happy. My friend Cindy Comeau traveled with me to Ontario for the week and mom commented how much she liked it that I brought my friends to see her too. She loves them all!! She had asked me to come visit while she was still well enough to enjoy it and that I shouldn't travel back for her funeral so that's what I did. She passed away on Saturday,  June 25th quietly with Pat and Terry by her side. I miss her every day, our many chats every week when we always found something to laugh about. I think in her honour my goal in life will just be to continue to find the humor in life and to have as much fun with the people I love as possible.

While I was in Ontario with Cindy in May,  she introduced me to a family acquaintance of hers, Eric Young. He took us out for supper at Yins in Waterford. I was really nervous about going with a virtual stranger but figured if Cindy knew him he must be on the up and up. We had a great time, lots of laughs and way too much food! Since that time he has been out here and I have been back to Ontario. I've enjoyed time hanging out with him driving around,  visiting and laughing.

Being in Ontario twice this summer also allowed me to see my grand babies. They are growing so fast and it was great to spend time with them as well as Brad and Sam. Visits with great friends, Christi Patterson and Chrysann Markgraf were also part of the fun. Billy had a great time in Ontario as well.

As always though, it's good to be home again and am now just waiting for the tomato crops to be ready and I will be busy canning again. Hopefully in the next couple weeks so I can have my work done before Pat, Dave and Eric return in September.

I have to say I live a very blessed life. My girls living so close, great friends and neighbours, and the chance every day I wake up for a new adventure to begin. ❤️

Where Did the Year Go?

 I see the last time I posted here was the end of January!  In the 13 years since I have been writing my blog I have never been so slack on updates. Better get back on track for next year.

I went over a year without painting  but finally managed to paint a few wood slices and a couple paintings just for fun.  It's been a long road back out of depression and anxiety but the last few months have been more back to normal. 

The best news of the year is that Kristie and Greg moved down here to their new home in Beaver Harbour!   Kristie has wanted to move down for quite awhile and I was so happy to see that dream come true for her (and me lol). October was a very busy but exciting time and now things have settled into place and life is great! 

We were able to enjoy a few days at the cottage in Windsor this summer and then Billy, Brit and I took off for a week in Ontario for Thanksgiving and my birthday. My friend Cindy came with us and we had a great time.   My new favorite place to stop is the Big Apple Factory just off the 401. Such delicious treats there!

Brit was able to come off one of her meds that was giving her hand tremors. She was doing so well, was happier, more alert and lost some weight. Then out of the blue the two clients that had been living with Brooke moved out within a week of each other. This devastated Britni and sent her into a tailspin. She had to go back on the medication to get herself back under control  and after a couple rough weeks at the beginning of the month she is now feeling better and is back to her writing.  When she was going through her rough time,  Kristie was here every day to support us which was a godsend. Kristie is now her full time support and respite worker and Brit loves it.

Billy is done work for the winter but keeps busy shoveling snow when we get it, and is enjoying the Roku in the living room. Maybe Santa will bring him one for his room...wink, wink!

Everything is almost ready for Christmas.  We are having brunch and gift opening at my house Christmas morning, then our Christmas dinner at Kristies on boxing day.  Brit and Billy are both hoping to spend some time with their families over the holidays which I'm sure will happen. I still have a bit of baking to do for the tins we like to hand out but other than that I'm ready. Since I started shopping and wrapping so early this year,  I'm excited for Christmas morning to see what I bought everyone, can't remember what's in half the packages...ha ha ha!

Guess that's it for tonight. Merry Christmas everyone! 

2021 A Rough Start

 Well 2020 is behind us but so far 2021 isn't looking much better.

Early in December I was diagnosed with C Diff and since then my health took a bit of a nose dive. Major panic attacks plagued me for weeks sending me to emergency more times than I care to count. Each time I was given nothing but more.meds to take, some which were so strong I slept for 24 hours and had to have friends come in to help out. I don't know what I would have done without Brooke and Joe being close by. Joe taking me to emergency and waiting for  8 hours in the van refusing to go home until he knew I was ok and not going to be admitted. Elsie coming to look after Billy and Brit while I stumbled around the house like a drunken sailor and Carrie supplying suppers two nights, as well as my neighbor Sandy taking me to Dr appointments because I couldn't drive. Some of that time I don't even remember and one thing this ordeal has proven is that I could never be a drug addict. It was terrifying not to be in control of my body and my thoughts. There has still been no reason given for the sudden onset of panic or anxiety attacks but the meds I finally got calmed them down thank goodness. 

I think the saddest part of this whole experience for me, was the day at emergency when the doctor said there is nothing we can do for you, you will just have to go home and learn to deal with the anxiety. I was devastated because there was no light at the end of the tunnel for me at that point and I realized this must be the reason so many people with mental health issues commit suicide.

I spoke with a lady from mental health a week later, once I was feeling better, and voiced my concern about how this Dr. sent me away feeling like that. She said the doctor should have had a mental health worker come in to see me before sending me home. It was scary being sent home with yet another prescription for meds that I had no idea how they would affect me. 

My neighbor suggested I call the pharmacy which I did. The pharmacist I spoke with was awesome. He was very compassionate and concerned for the state I was in. He made calls to diabetic specialists, colonoscopy specialist, mental health and before I knew it I had phone calls from all of them. He also told me some of the meds I had been given were too strong and to cut them in half. He was a real life saver in my opinion.

So, now that the worst seems to be behind me at this point I am finally starting to feel like my old self. 

Brit has started connecting with a pen pal from Cayuga, Ontario.  His name is Jesse and she looks forward to his letters. This month she helped make him a pillow to send him for Valentine's day. 

Billy was happy to wake up to a bit of snow this morning and spent most of the day out shoveling around town for people and businesses. 

Every other weekend we have someone take all four of our guys (Billy, Brit, Mel and Nicki) to Brooke's house for the weekend and then Brooke and Joe come hang out here with me. We had a great time even though I was still a bit under the weather, playing games, watching movies and playing video games. Can't wait to do it again next weekend!

As for Covid, our area has still been blessed with no cases that I know of. The cities such as Fredericton,  Saint John,  Moncton and Edmundston seem to be taking the brunt of it.  My life hasn't really changed due to Covid. We still get out for our drives and are not house bound, friends have still been able to visit 90% of the time and my job was not affected.  We have been very lucky compared to other parts of the country. 

Thats it for the update. Hopefully with the vaccines being distributed 2021 will be better by the summer. 

Covid Fall

 Summer is behind us and fall is holding on by a thread.  We have made it this far in the pandemic with no casualties to our family and friends which we are grateful for.

Tomatoes and apples have been put up for winter as well as some squash and turnip to be enjoyed at Christmas. 

The Christmas tree and decorations were put up the week before Rememberance Day this year which is unusual but fitting for the year we are in. 

My heat pump died in October and I am in line to have a new one installed on December 3rd. Rather than purchase a new one I have decided to rent one through St John Energy and not have to worry about the maintenance.  Its a pretty high end item to have to be replacing every seven years or so,  therefore I thought it more financially secure to rent like a hot water heater.

Brit had her 35th birthday supper at the Pub on Main as did Billy for his 60th. A few neighbours and close friends were able to attend and a good time was had by all.

My mom is doing well at Anson Place. They had a few bumps along the way with crappy, cold meals being served but a letter to the manager and a visit from public health seems to have straightened that out. Ontario struggles with increased cases of the virus putting them back into the orange stage at this time. While in the orange stage mom is not allowed to leave or have any visitors, except Pat who is considered her essential worker. Luckily Pat had mom up for supper Sunday night before the new restrictions were put in place.

Still no word on my side of beef. It was delayed due to butchers being busy, probably because of hunting season. The cow is now scheduled to be butchered November 25th, has to hang for two weeks then cut and packaged. So hopefully we will have our beef in the first few weeks of December.

Brad and Sam are still awaiting g the arrival of their new baby, just a few days past the due date at this point. Good things come to those who wait!

Kristie had talked about moving out here back in September.  We looked at a few houses for her but it is now up to her if and when she decides to move forward with that idea.

All of my Christmas shopping is done and with the exception of things that have not been delivered yet, everything is wrapped. If our area remains clear of Covid at Christmas,  Billy and Brit will spend some time with their families as usual. Since there is an outbreak in Calais this may change. If there are cases in St Stephen we will all make the best of it and enjoy Christmas together here at home. 

Unfortunately I have not been motivated to paint my wood slices yet. Not sure what it is going to take to be inspired but hopefully I can get at least a few done in the coming weeks. I think the underlying worry of Covid and all the disruption in the states has an impact on our mental state that we don't realize is affecting us. 

Maybe taking the time to update this blog is enough to help get me out of the rut and on with the things that need to be done.

Hoping everyone stays safe where they are and finds joy in the upcoming Christmas season. 

Summer of 2020 with Covid

 Well here we are, nearing the end of August. The summer of 2020 hasn't been that bad. Billy and Britni have been enjoying lots of time out and about  with their support workers. Brit has been going swimming at Lake Utopia with friends, and bowling in St John as well as day trips and activities with her friend BJ. Billy has been cutting lots of lawns with Joe which he loves, continues to do his town cleanup job, and when he's not busy has been enjoying bowling and bike riding. 

I have kept busy enough I guess, or as busy as I like to be LOL. I taught Joe how to make freezer jam and freezer pickles this year. I also found farmers in Sussex to provide us with homegrown meat and vegetables. I picked up 10 chickens for the freezer 3 weeks ago as well as cucumbers for making the pickles. Hopefully next week the Roma tomatoes will be ripe and we will begin canning our stewed tomatoes for the winter. Then in October I have a half a beef coming for the freezer so we should be well-stocked food-wise. 

I also had a bunch of trees that have been cut down last summer and put in my backyard cut, and split. It has now been put into the basement to burn this winter keeping us warm and toasty. 

Brooke had a new lady move into her house last week. Her name is Nicole and she fits in wonderfully with our family unit. 

I was able to get away for a week with my friend Dawn and her two sisters. We rented a cottage which was really renovated house, in chance Harbor New Brunswick. It was close to home which is where we wanted to be during the pandemic. Our area has been pretty much covid-19 free so we felt comfortable staying here rather than venturing into other zones or provinces. The borders to PEI and Nova Scotia have opened up for the Atlantic bubble. You still have to have some paperwork to prove where you are going and to say that you have not been travelling or  around anyone that has had covid-19. Rather than bother with the paperwork my thoughts are stay in New Brunswick this year and enjoy going to places we haven't ventured to yet. So far we have found Noah's Ark in Florenceville, the Bony Pony in Sussex, and a few Farm stands with fresh vegetables which I have been missing. So I guess that's it for the summer, I know it's not as exciting as our usual adventures but I am hopeful that next summer the pandemic will be well controlled and we will be able to travel back to Ontario for a good visit with family and friends. I know Billy and Brit are looking very forward to that!

Three Months In

Well here we are over three months into the covid-19 virus. Throughout these three months New Brunswick had fared fairly well with very few cases and no deaths. 

A few weeks ago a health worker crossed over into Quebec to pick up his daughter and came right back. He did not isolate for 14 days after he went into Quebec and went back to work unknowingly carrying the virus causing an outbreak. Unfortunately a nursing home became infected and two people there have now passed away. There are also about 20 other cases active now because of one person.

Borders to this province are all closed and have been since the beginning of the outbreak. You can leave the province but you have to isolate for 14 days when you return. I am sure it is the same rules in other provinces therefore I'm sure I won't be having any visitors from away this summer.

Even though the virus has affected many people and their daily lives, mine remains very much the same as normal. My work was not affected so I still receive my regular pay. The only real difference is that Billy and Britni are not going to the program as usual which turns out is a good thing. Without having to endure the stress and tension inside the building, Brit has had 0 behaviour issues in 3 months. She is happy and more social. When I have company over she comes down to visit for a few minutes and then says I will let you enjoy your visit with your friend Peggy, and then heads off to do her own thing upstairs. Billy got called back to work as usual and keeps himself busy cleaning up the town of St George as well as cutting grass as part of a business with Joe.

One thing I have been doing to try to help others during this time is sharing meals and baking. A few of my neighbours who are seniors enjoy the treats that Billy delivers, just as much as Billy enjoys delivering them. Here are just a few of the samples:

Now that the good weather is here I have been working on my front porch area. Last fall I had Derrick Wells come and put a fence around my porch giving the dogs a little yard area to run around in the grass. Now that this area is much more private I enjoy sitting out there. Before the fence went up it was like being on display for every car coming up the road!

As for Mom, she has fully recovered from having had the covid-19 virus. She was very sick for quite some time, over a month, but now that she has recovered she remembers nothing about being sick. I will take that as a blessing as she seems very happy now. It was difficult in the beginning for her being so sick and not being able to have a family member come in to see to her needs. She couldn't understand why someone wasn't taking her to the hospital when she was so sick. It was difficult from our perspective having to sit back and not be able to do a thing to help her and to rely on the staff at Anson Place to keep us informed on her condition. Just these past two week she has finally been able to get out of her room and take walks down the hallway with a PSW while wearing a gown, mask and gloves. With the nice weather she can also take walks outside the building and sit down to visit with some other residents while maintaining physical distancing.

 

Overall I would say our family has done okay during the time of crisis. Everyone has had a roof over their head and food to eat, internet and telephone to keep in touch with family and friends.  I have to say as a bonus, this time where everyone has had to stay home for so long seems to have brought people together from a distance. I feel blessed to have reconnected with extended family that I haven't been in touch with for years. It's been great to see that even after so much time it's easy to fall back into conversation and have some laughs together again.

Ma,ma,ma MY CORONA!!

Crazy time in the world right now. The Corona virus that started in China reached New Brunswick two weeks ago. Today ends our first full week of being home from the program and our usual lives. All businesses have closed with the exception of grocery stores, pharmacies, liquor and pot stores. All restaurant dining rooms are closed, take out only. Phrases like social distancing and leveling the curve are all over the news and social media.
Anyone returning from travel are expected to self isolate in their homes, however not everyone has been heeding these directions which I find disturbing.  Some people continue to be self involved and thoughtless while the majority follow protocols and reach out to help others.
Everyone has been asked to stay home other than to get food and other necessities.  Stores have a limit on the number of customers allowed in stores to ensure social distances of 6 feet.
It is a scary time but as of today I believe there are only a handful of confirmed cases in New Brunswick and none in St George that we are aware of.
Here's hoping people heed the warnings, stay inside and isolated for as long as it takes for this to pass. When it's over we are sure to be living in a different world than before, just not sure whether it will be for the better or worst.

Slacker

My monthly posts have dwindled to every three to six months. I think living with pain dulls my creative inclinations and tends to dampen my usual positive attitude.
I saw my Dr. In November for back pain, he referred me for an MRI but gave me nothing to deal with pain in the meantime. My MRI was set for January 14th so about 7 weeks between Dr. Appt and MRI.  After the MRI I contacted my Dr. to make a follow up appointment to get the results. It would be over a month before they were able to fit me in, so another month of dealing with the pain, and some days the inability to walk further than my bathroom. Pain is depressing and honestly just wears me out. Tomorrow is my Dr. appointment so hope to get some relief.

Despite the pain I have managed to get a couple paintings done and have even helped Brooke out by instructing some cooking, baking and cake decorating classes.  Next week is an acrylic painting class...can't wait!!

Weather this winter has been awesome in my opinion. I haven't had to burn much wood, the heat pump has only shut down for a few hours one night due to the drop in temperature.  Billy on the other hand, isn't as impressed with the lack of snow. He has only had to shovel a handful.of times.  When we did get some snow he shovelled the drive way, the back deck, the dog's yard area and the front yard!  I have never known anyone who loves shovelling more than Billy!!  Next weekend is his yearly camp weekend at Hampton Bible camp. He always looks forward to this, a weekend of unlimited coffee and hanging out with his camp friends. 😁

Brit doesn't enjoy camp but she is looking forward to spending the weekend with Brooke and is hoping they will be going to the movies.

I guess not much has happened since my last post. Winter is a more sedate time, saving energy for the nice weather when there will be more comings and goings.  So that's it for now, I will try to rustle up some excitement between now and my next post hahaha!

The Summer of 2019 Nutshell Version

The summer seems to have come and gone without a post since April.
May was a stressful month for me. Dads' health declined after the decision to have no more blood transfusions. I wanted to be back there with him for his final days but there was no way of telling how long his heart would hold up without the transfusions so it was a wait and see scenario for a month.  Finally on June 20th I headed back after dad fell and was taken to the hospital. We knew he would not be leaving the hospital after that. I arrived on the 21st and was able to have one final really good visit with dad. He was happy to see me and managed to joke around with Kristie and I while the doctor talked to mom and Pat. Every day after that was a bit worse losing the ability to feed himself, then only able to eat pudding, two days later only thickened juice. At some point during the night on the 4th day he had a stroke and could no longer talk or move his right arm. He died quietly Saturday June 29th early in the morning.  His funeral was on Wednesday, July 3rd. He was finally where he had wanted to be for the past year or more no longer sick, no longer tired.

After returning home from a sad and stressful two weeks it was time to throw myself back into the routine of life. Pickles were put up, 57 quarts of dills. We had a small party on the deck the night of the fireworks here in St George. My neighbour Sandy and my friend Fred provided the entertainment singing, playing guitar and banjo. If felt good to laugh and enjoy the company of friends.
The summer also brought visitors! Cousins Christine and Gary Bartlett and then more cousins Wanda and Ken Crozier. My sister Catharine and her bf Darren were here for a few days and most recently my sister Pat and hubby Dave have been in St George for 2 weeks. I have had so many laughs and I hope they will all be back to visit again in the future.
A vacation for Brit was in Auguast as well. Three nights in PEI with friends Carrie and Amy as well as Brooke and Melody. A great time was had by all.
Hurricane Dorion came and went but luckily missed our town!
Today was apple picking day in preparation for apple dumpling season.
So there is the short version of what's been going on since April.
Must try to update more often moving forward.

Here it is the middle of April, hopefully the last of the snow had fallen and the final little bits are disappearing quickly beneath a beautiful sunny sky.
The past month since my visit to Ontario has had its challenges for my folks. As dad's strength declines the decision to move to a retirement/nursing home had to be made. They were so fortunate that within a few days of making the decision,  a room became available and they will make the move next weekend. It feels like this will be a positive move for them in a place with higher standards of care than their current place at Leisure Living in Jarvis.
Brooke has been in Ontario visiting this week so all 4 of our clients have been with me. We have had a great week, lots of laughs, some baking and taking turns making breakfast for everyone. We are planning to celebrate George's birthday on Sunday at the Pub on Main with a few friends. Sadly this will be the last birthday we get to share with George as he will be moving back to Newfoundland sometime this summer.
My friends Carrie and Amy came over yesterday to help decorate cookies for the towns Easter breakfast on Saturday for the children around St George. It was a great time visiting, laughing and soaking up sun on the deck between batches.

I have managed to get a number of paintings done while the weather has been less than agreeable.

I still have quite a few orders to get to over the next month but have to say with the warmer weather and nicer days on the horizon it will be difficult to stay in and focus on painting lol.
Frankie's daughter,  Pico is growing quickly, hard to tell them apart when they are curled up sleeping. It didn't take her long to steal our hearts and I have a feeling she is going to be a force to be reckoned with for Copper and Frankie!

 Little Miss sweet and innocent!

Flip side...Miss Sassy Pants!

Overall this winter hasn't been too bad in my opinion.  I had a few vacations,  made some new friends, learned important lessons about myself, (and my heart on sleeve approach to life lol) no major illnesses so no complaints here!
There you have it, the end of winter and the beginning of spring. Let's celebrate it and be HAPPY!! 😁😎

On the Road Again

Happy 90th birthday dad!! As promised I returned to Ontario for dads birthday celebration.  It was a great day visiting with many people I haven't seen in years and dad was in good spirits, he'd been waiting a long time for this milestone!!

Once again Debra and Randy Vincze opened their hearts and home to me during my stay. Unfortunately my back had been out for a few weeks so didn't get much chance to sit up visiting but the time I did get to spend with them was fun filled as always.
On my last day I got to spend time with my grandbabies Jaxx and Scarlett...so adorable and funny.

As always the week flew by. So happy that I was able to hang out with Mom, Kristie, Brad and Sam, Doug Donovan, Pat, Rick, Vicki, Terry, Fran and Pat Pettitt. It's always a struggle to see everyone I want to but always try my best. Luckily I saw Catharine, Kim and Sandy at the birthday party!!
So now I am home again, working on getting my back fixed up so I can get to work on all the paintings I have to do.
Dad has been in the hospital since Tuesday, running lots of tests. So far the prescription is more movement to relieve some of the arthritic pain. More test results will be back on Monday and hopefully he will be up walking soon and able to return to Leisure Living with mom. Time and his motivation will tell.

So that's it for March...happy Spring to all! Soon be time for coffees on the deck!!

New Year, New Friends!

Happy New Year!
So far I'm having a great start to the new year. 2018 ended well having made a new friend. His name is Fred, and we have a lot in common. When I returned back to Ontario for a visit last week he was able to come along with me. We had a great week meeting up with the family and a few friends. The weather was great, no snow at all in Ontario and fairly mild temperatures. The drives there and back went very smoothly with clear roads, no construction and very little traffic. It was a great trip overall and I'm happy I got to spend that time getting to know more about my new friend. It was also great to spend time with Kristie, Brad and Sam, Scarlett and Jaxx . It was also great to see Mom and Dad doing well and to have a few minutes to visit with Catharine, Pat and Terry. As always there is never enough time to see everyone but we'll catch up with more family on my next trip.
I made it back in plenty of time before our first big winter storm was scheduled to hit. As expected the storm started last night and has continued on today changing from snow this morning to freezing rain this afternoon. As usual, we did not get the amount of snow that was predicted. No more than a few inches before the freezing rain started which is supposed to change to rain tonight.
My little dog Frankie is scheduled to be a father next weekend. He got my friend Dawn's Chiweenie named Maggie in the family way LOL! I am hoping all goes well next weekend for Maggie as this will be her first litter.
So that is my quick update for January. Dad will be celebrating his 90th birthday in March and Mom is hoping I will be able to make it back for that. Time off and weather will determine if I can make the trip again so soon, but as always everything happens for a reason and when it's supposed to so I will just wait and see.
See you back here next month!

Winter is Here

November12th, first fire in the woodstove of the season! We had a real cold snap for a week, got some snow and now it has been mild for a week and the snow is almost gone.

This month has been fairly busy for me with a few short get aways and made a couple new acquaintances.  Yesterday I went shopping and got the majority of my Christmas shopping done. Today I am working on a few saws that need to be painted. I have procrastinated long enough! Once my paintings are caught up I will be able to focus on Christmas baking.

Next Saturday my friend Carrie is coming over to make sugar cookies, a new tradition we started last year, so much fun baking with friends!

Billy did his usual house decorating and tree set up on the afternoon of Remembrance Day. It's so nice to sit in the living room at night with the woodstove going and only the Christmas lights on with some music playing...very cozy and relaxing.

I am looking forward to another trip to Nova Scotia in December to deliver some baking and gifts to a great friend. As always nice to get away and even better to have a nice face to face visit with people I don't get to see very often.

Everyone here is happy and healthy, looking forward to the holiday season. Even Copper and Frankie!

Frankie met a girlfriend on the 24th too! Her name is Maggie and they had a very active first date.

Hopefully we are going to see the results of that meeting on or near January 25th. Grandpuppies!!!

My friend Andrea came up for a coffee one afternoon and together we did a painting of a snowman...I had done this one a couple years ago but gave it away so this one I am keeping.

That's all my tidbits for November.  See you back here closer to Christmas!!

The Long and Winding Road

October is proving to be a a month full of surprises! Usually Spring is when I feel the most energized, like everything is new and full of unlimited possibilities. This year though, October and the beauty of Fall captured my heart and my imagination.  With having had such a busy summer, vacations, visiting old friends, making new ones and keeping everyone happy on the home front by the time October got here I was exhausted.  A much needed escape was at hand and so I took full advantage leaving everyone behind for the first time in a very long time.  Years ago I used to make a point of driving north in Ontario to take in the beautiful colours but since moving here, and it's been 10 years already, that tradition fell by the wayside.I had 3 days to myself, a new playlist on my phone and no real destination in mind.  I ended up in Nova Scotia the first night, stopping in Truro for a good night sleep.  After a slow and lazy awakening, I packed up and headed out for the day.  The colours and scenery were breath taking even though the day was overcast.  Have you ever noticed that the colours are more vibrant on an overcast day than on a sunny one? Passing by all the farms, cows out to pasture, tractors meandering across fields and people out doing what people do in the fall; raking leaves, decorating their doorsteps, visiting their neighbour at the mailbox probably talking about the weather, it was a peaceful drive.

I headed west on highway 101 passing by Windsor and then stopping off in Wolfville to check out the farmers market. Then on past Kentville, Berwick, Middleton, right on down along the coast to Digby.  The sun had popped out for a short time but being down there by the water was a little on the brisk side so I ventured into a few of the stores searching for accessories for my beach theme bedroom but nothing struck my fancy. After continuing down to Metaghan,  I turned around and headed back to Halifax for the night.  What should have been a four hour drive the next day from Halifax to St George turned into an 8 hour trip down every back road I could find.

After returning home from my mini vacation I received the sad news that Brooks Grandpa Bacher had passed away. She wanted so badly to go back for the funeral but did not want to drive by herself so I washed up my laundry, repacked my bag and before long we were on the highway again heading for Ontario.  Being such a quick and unexpected trip, Facebook helped me connect with family and a few great friends for a laugh filled visit at Kelseys for dinner and a couple drinks before having to drive back home the next morning!

CHEERS!!!!!

So that's my post for October...there will still be more happening, hopefully all good and maybe a few surprises thrown in to keep life exciting.  I will fill y'all in next month...here's to good times!!!!

Visitors, Friends and Apples

Its nearing the end of September and less than a week away from Brit's 33rd birthday.
Pat and Dave made it down for their vacation. They stayed for a week in PEI then a week here at Greens Point lighthouse cottage. They enjoyed it so much they booked this cottage for their entire two weeks vacation next summer! I stopped by the cottage for a visit and it really is an amazing place. Perched right on the cliff beside the lighthouse overlooking the Bay of Fundy. The sunsets are beautiful and dolphins and whales were spotted while watching the Deer Island Ferry passing by in the distance. We enjoyed some nice meals together and lots of laughs.

Brit, Billy,  George, Melody and I went apple picking st Mackays orchard on Kingston Peninsula. It was a beautiful day and everyone enjoyed the trip while listening to some great bluegrass music on the drive.

The following week we put those fresh picked apples to good use making our traditional apple dumplings and caramel sauce. With the help of our new friend Amy Leblanc, Melody,  George and myself made 85 dumplings. So much fun working together, sharing the experience and making memories.
I also managed to squeeze in some time to make some new friends, spent another afternoon on the trails with Carrie and Jeff where we had so many laughs listening to my new friend tell jokes. We all need friends that make us laugh like that!!!
Next month is my busy month. Brit, Billy and I all celebrate birthdays in October as well as Thanksgiving and Halloween.
I am trying my best to sneak in a mini vacation for myself to reset and reenergize before the Christmas season is upon us.
So that's it for September. Enjoy your Fall everyone💖