Today & tomorrow left!

Then it's DECEMBER!!!!!! I'M NOT READY!!!!!

Oh well, I had all year to prepare so it's my own fault. I still need to get the grandkids ornaments...this always take a looong time because a certain someone likes to try them all out - yes...the motorized ones!...and the we have to match the ornie to the child. Once we get them home, we unpack them all and try them again in case something happened in the past 20 minutes!

Oh well it wouldn't be Christmas without this ritual along with the snatching of the advent chocolate! I guess I should see about getting those, shouldn't I? Our house rules are if you miss a day, the others get a chance to steal! The exception to this rule is if the person has been physically away from the calendar...then they get and first day back to get caught up. The best year I had I got 4 of Joe's - they were so sweet!

Also, you can tell folks are traveling more these days. Amanda & Rob have a trip planned for today...and wouldn't you know it...grey dog has increased fares!!!! Now that's not very festive of them, but they are just following the airlines/ gas stations and so forth.

Make someone's day and pay it forward, be it at Timmy's, plugging a parking meter or gifting someone with your shopping cart when you are done with it! Spread the joy every chance you can!

Happy Birthday Joey!

6 years ago today we became grandparents to this little cutie.
Hope you have a great day dear!

Old friends!

I just got the notification that Mike D left a comment on Ciao's passing...seems it pays to have settings for such things, otherwise I would have missed it. So I start this week with a pleasant and totally unexpected surprise. Does it get any better than this! Mike, hope all is well with you and your family!

How we spent Grey Cup Sunday ...







Santa was a hit. He was a bit nervous, not ever having done this before, with kids.He practiced the evening before with the adults but the kids' were the true challenge. Santa made his grand entrance and walked through the tables where the kids and their families were enjoying pizza and mandarin oranges. You should have seen the faces light up, especially the ones who got to help Santa ring his jingle bells. It was truly a magically time, devoid of the hustle and bustle of commercialism. Some kids just ran up to see Santa, others hung back, a bit shy about this strange person. You could see who believed and who didn't, but in the end, it was smiles all around and that's what is important.

Side note...I can see this becoming an annual affair and possibility a future semi retirement position...as a mall Santa!

Team Crockett update

I received another pledge which I have sent off snail mail. So to date $80 raised. Thanks Rob!

Are you sure there's only 2 days this weekend?

Initially we had planned on zipping down for Joey's birthday, coming back in time for the company party @ 6....take a breath and then zip to Sherwood Park for the kid's Christmas party Sunday.

Then it happened.

If you read Lesley's blog, you know that she had some nasty stomach bug go throughout the whole day home. Well it seemed to follow me home! Friday I was feeling off. Saturday was a whole new story! Thank goodness for some OTC goodies. It soothed things down long enough for me to go to the party...good thing as I was DD...and help Santa in and out of his outfit.


Then, once we got safely home, guess who said..."I don't feel so good!"? Yup...the main attraction for Sunday's kids' party!!!! Santa can't be sick, not at this time of year....pop a couple of my little helpers, and he was able to sleep through the night.

Santa is still sleeping, resting his knee for today. All the winners of door prizes last night got to sit on his knee and have a picture taken. Thank you Larry Chow! What a sweetheart, never goes anywhere without his trusty camera. I'll post a photo or tow once they get downloaded.

Hopefully we'll be back to catch the last half of the Grey Cup...I have the Blue Bombers...Joe's risking one of his 2 pizza dinners from last weeks wins....he won't go double or nothing because he likes his pizza and he wants to know he has at least 1 in the bank for a night of his choosing. Smart man!

Not a laughing matter

I love Marketplace, watch it every chance I have. Last night's episode was an education. Internet speed tests....check it out for yourself and be prepared to be upset!

I have done the speed test 4 times, none of them are even close to what Telus is charging me for. Seems the most likely source of the slowness is the fact that the closest server is in ...duh...Calgary! As the provincial capital of a very prosperous province, shouldn't there be another...in say... EDMONTON?

As soon as my blood pressure gets back to normal, I'm calling!

A laugh from W*l M*rt!

Keep in mind this actually really did happen!!!!

This is someone who was moving from an insurance claims office.

Okay so this is how I imagine this conversation went:

Walmart Employee: "Hello 'dis Walmarts, how can I help you?"

Customer: " I would like to order a cake for a going away party this week."

Walmart Employee: "What you want on the cake?"

Customer: "Best Wishes Suzanne" and underneath that "We will miss you".

Fair Winds and Following Seas

Our dear friends Marsha & Rob along with Duke & Magoo, headed out on the next leg of their great adventure...building a new homestead in northern BC. We wish them well and hope to see them in their new home next camping season. There is plenty of room to park the camper!

This is Magoo, a 4 year old Goffin cockatoo...he has quite the vocabulary. Among the usual Pretty Boy is 'Good night Boo Boo', 'Whatcha doing?' 'Roooobbbbert' and yes the F bomb! We eventually made friends, he would allow e to stroke his head - but strictly on his terms! And yes you have to watch out for that beak! The house no doubt will seem quiet over the next few days.

Renos? I'm not sure!

He says they are re-doing the offices...I think they just put him in jail! You decide!

What a slacker I am

No stitching this week! I'm feeling withdrawal pangs! Hopefully this afternoon I will remedy that situation, even for a half hour.

We returned from our weekend away after picking up our house guest from her friend's home. She was catching up on her sleep Tuesday morning when the phone rang with the job offer she had been hoping for. The rest of the day was a wash with hectic activity to get all her laundry done and a quick trip into the city to pick up supplies for the 3 weeks in the remote camp. Wednesday morning DH drove her in and she was off with a big smile on her face.

Wednesday I spent a lot of time doing more laundry prepping for more house guests. It's nice that we can help our friends as they tidy up affairs here before heading to BC and a new life. It'll be sad to see they go but I know we'll stay in touch and see them again.

They arrived yesterday! The movers had left with their furniture, and all that remains is that last clean up before handing the keys over to the new owners. I wish the previous owners of our house were as considerate...they left 4 trucks full of garbage in, and around the house. We called the Realtor to hold the last money...but that's a whole other story!

Duke the dog gets along with ours, they know each other from past visits. Mr Magoo the cockatoo is new to us. Cody spent a lot of time just sitting and watching this stranger! It was funny...the bird would say something and the dog's head would tilt as if she were listening to a conversation.

I won a raffle at the garden club meeting last night...a glass vase with some paperwhites started! I was so surprised...up until that moment my thoughts were more with our house guests than the presentation...I had to get some clarification after the fact. Oops.

Today is grocery day...Mother Hubbard's cupboard is quite bare. With that, I'm off to check the flyers for bargains. Have a great weekend!

Burp! Excuse me!

I'm still full from supper! Joe had a hectic day and I surprised him with Chicken Parmigiana and spaghetti! I was quite pleased with myself. I was guided by a Bobby Flay recipe. I used what I had on hand....regular white fluff bread, and leftover mozza cheese from Amanda's night of poutine. The hardest part of the whole recipe was a) making the bread crumbs and b) timing everything so the noodles were el dente and the chicken still crisp. Somehow I pulled it off and got some nice comments from Joe! Something new for my recipe stash. try it and let me know how you make out with it.

Great weekend!

Joe & Joseph looked great in their co-ordinating blue hats for the museum visit over the weekend. I stayed back with Alex who was still suffering with his bout of tummy flu.

Supper out was awesome...I don't think I've ever eaten that much meat in 1 sitting. It just kept coming and coming! The collards greens were yummy too, although the others weren't filling up as much with the side dishes! Also tried the couscous salad...mmm!

The drive home was wind swept to say the least, but not like this morning! WOW! My greenhouse doors were banging about in the breeze...I'll check for damage once daylight arrives. A section of downspout was in the neighbour's yard. Our fence is upright, but a section of the neighbour across the road is down. Looks like it just came unattached, not broken like our fence 3 years ago! Rebuilding a fence in the cold isn't fun! If I see them out once the wind dies down, I'll go and offer some help. With 2 women on either end of the section, Al should be able to do the hammering!

But in the meantime, I'll catch up on my blogs, email & scrabulous games! Have a great Tuesday everyone! Another short week!

Lest We Forget

I've always loved these and finally did something about it! Can't wait to get started, but will show some restraint and get Santa's jacket done...pants are the perfect fit! I think it's the black on white with just a flash of colour that appeals to me...and of course, the great cat humour!

Boot Camp

Faxinating

Green Paw

Check Up

We are heading south for the long weekend. We'll drop our house guest off at her girlfriend's house and continue down to see our girls and their family. Our eldest grandson will observe his first Remembrance Day as a uniformed Beaver alongside his Papa who will be proudly wearing his UN Blue Beret and medals. Another generation of handsome men in uniform!

IN FLANDERS FIELDS

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

John McCrae

Tough decision but it had to be made

I thought I had it all planned out....not see Blue Rodeo, but try for Red Deer tickets for Tom Cochrane and John Mellencamp. Then the newspaper announced what I had heard quiet rumors of....

CELINE DION is coming to EDMONTON!!!!!
October 28, 2008!

Tickets go on sale November 16...no prices announced yet, but there may be a chance of a lifetime. We never got to Vegas to see her show...I think it's kizmit!

Everybody works!

Seems there are job coming out of the woodwork! Both kids are employed as of today. Hopefully they will have a better idea of which direction they want to go. Rob even has a back up job offer here in town @ a warehouse. At noon, I got a call saying that another warehouse finally got approval for some part time time...but he was already gone north! Oh well. then I check my email and find out my nephew Kevin has a job working at McDonald's!

We are so blessed to have the opportunities and job selection we have. Now if only the housing situation improves. I seen 2 notices for townhouse for rent locally...$1400 & $1500/month! That is way too high no matter how you look at it.

But overall, things are looking pretty good from where I sit. Hope things are good with you!

Played tourists

While Joe was out hunting - never seen anything but beautiful scenery...still too warm for the elk to be moving - I took the kids for a little drive into the city to IKEA. I figured that the catalogue would make more sense once Amanda experienced IKEA in the flesh. Well we looked at everything, Amanda was smiling from time to time but Rob was super quiet...I think he thinks this is going to cost him in the future!

Sunday we all headed to WEM to do some Christmas shopping/looking. We met up with the kids at the pet shop by the designated entrance at the right time. Again, I think they are a bit overwhelmed by the sheer size of the WEM offerings.

I started Santa's pants yesterday. Drove Amanda to her job interview...yes she landed it!...then dropped off the recyclables and library books. Then I walked into town to meet Joe at the DR's office...yes the kidney stones are on the move again. Over for blood tests and now to wait for the ultrasound later this month. November just got busier!

The new year is looking good for concerts. Blue Rodeo is returning in January but not the Tom Cochrane/John Mellancamp show....only going to Red Deer & Calgary in February. What to do....tix for BR do on sale tomorrow....so I or do I chance waiting for an Edmonton Date for Tom & John. We've seen them all but boy, does John put on a show! Stay tuned for updates!

Hope the week goes well for you. The kids have a job fair in town today and then Rob has an interview in the city tomorrow at the same time Amanda starts training. Things are starting to com together!

What are you doing with your extra hour?

I'll be sewing or preparing to sew or searching for fabric.

Late spring Joe was asked to be Santa for the kids Christmas party. I bought the pattern for the suit - Joe wanted his very own, really nice one. After summer vacation, Joe startede to beard and it was looking really good when it happened.

Joe found out that the guy who played the part last year really enjoyed it and was looking forward to a repeat performance. I didn't got the fabric yet - it wasn't in the shoppes - so not much lost, just some expectations.

Well Tuesday we found out the first fellow doesn't want to do it anymore!!!! So now Joe has no time to grow a real beard, I'm scrambling to find 7 metres of nice plush red fabric and some white fur trim. And the real kicker...this is how it will all come down...

November 23 after Joe is done work, we drive 4 hours to Calgary for Joey's 6th birthday. We missed it last year because of a snow storm and closed highways.
November 24 after we do birthday breakfast etc, we leave Calgary for home to get dolled up for the office Christmas party...we are the designated driver(s). We drive our friends home, go to sleep.
November 25 - Grey Cup Day - we go and play Santa at the company kid's party. We do home and collapse!

Excuse me...I think I'll go, claim my extra hour now and just lay down....I have a headache starting!!!!

IKEA news

I just heard they aren't waiting until January to roll back prices (GST)...they are doing it now! COOL!

What to do today?

Oh the choices...do I do my walkie first or last? I'd rather craft than pay bills! I'd rather read than clean house....but let's be adult about these things! Surf the net and catch up on all my favorite blogs!

Seriously, I do have a load of laundry in, urgent emails attended to, bills lined up to be paid after the mail lady delivers this morning. Chicken thawing for supper tonight. And weekend plans sketched out.

Joe is off elk hunting with his co-workers Saturday. If the kids aren't working yet, we'll head into the city and check out Disneyland for the young at heart aka IKEA! I passed the catalogue over to Amanda to get the general idea on how the Swede think out the box. Should be fun.

Sunday, Joe & I will have a movie date at WEM and Amanda & Rob can wander around the mall in amazement. So many shops, so many attractions and oh so many shoppers!!!! It's not my favorite place to be this close to Christmas! Give me Londonderry...more my size & speed & price point!

Have a great TGIF!

Is this me, REALLY?

CAPRICORN - The Passionate Lover

Love to bust. Nice. Sassy. Intelligent. Sexy. Grouchy at times and annoying to some. Lazy and love to take it easy. But when they find a job or something they like to do they put their all into it. Proud, understanding and sweet.
Irresistible. Loves being in long relationships. Great talker. Always
gets what he or she wants. Cool. Loves to win against other signs especially Gemini's in sports. Likes to cook but would rather go out to eat at good restaurants.
Extremely fun. Loves to joke. Smart. 24 years of bad luck if you do not forward.

I got this via email from Deb...did she know that Joe is a Gemini?????? Me, competitive...NAHHHH! Tee Hee!