Tuesday 29 December 2009

Someone has a New Project

The Geek received a xylophone kit for Christmas and has been busy putting it together.



And testing the tuning.

Monday 28 December 2009

Signs of my Good Fortune

Since the weather on Christmas day was not conducive to travel, we celebrated Christmas on Dec 27.I am so lucky to have dishes to wash. It shows I have people in my life who trust me enough to eat my cooking.

Sunday 27 December 2009

A Be-lated Family Christmas

The boys check out the Christmas stocking...

Supper.
Snacks.
Being mellow.

Friday 25 December 2009

We'll Have A White Christmas

We really didn't have any snow until yesterday. Now we have lots.


My family has declined to visit until the road conditions improve. I am relieved; I don't have to worry about anyone ending up in the ditch.

Wednesday 23 December 2009

Givin' Us the Gears

Today in the mail we received a Christmas package from Ruzter and K and the boys.

The Geek is usually opposed to opening Christmas presents before December 25, but the view through the little window on the box intrigued her.

These are the trivets and gears he has been working on with his CNC. And we were the lucky recipients!
Very Cool!


Thank you!

Monday 21 December 2009

What Made Me Laugh

My sister C. was having a conversation with N2 giving him the option of two things for supper. He said he didn't want either. She said then you don't get anything. He asked "why do I always not get anything". C said "because you are fussy."
He said "I'm not fussy, I'm just complicated."

Ti and La's oldest son, S., now four, went to an Eid ceremony with his grandfather. It was therefore quite a surprise for La and Ti, who I have never heard declare a preference for any religion to have S., when he returned home, tell them he was now Jewish.

Shelley told us this story when we were visiting a few weeks ago. She enjoys going to Lebanese restaurants and wanted to thank the proprietors in Arabic. So she asked a couple of her Lebanese guy friends how she could express her appreciation for their hospitality. They taught her a phrase which she promptly started to use.
She said several of the owners were quite surprised by what she said, but Shelley attributed it to her poor pronunciation. It was quite some time later when someone told her that instead of thanking her hosts for the meal, she was really saying, "My breasts are as big as watermelons. Would you like to see them?"

Sunday 20 December 2009

Sunday 13 December 2009

More Up


The bevelled glass window from the old house on the farm.

What's Gone Up

A few months ago the Geek bought this print because she thought the puppy looked very peaceful napping on the bed. She has been looking for a frame, and found one at ReStore, the same place we bought the lumber to fix the futon.

Today she put the frame on the picture and hung it above the bed.

The futon has been fixed and it is now in the sunroom.

And we discovered that when it is very cold outside, the futon mattress, which we had resting on the floor while we fixed the frame, has exceptional negative insulating properties.

That's frost on the floor and along the baseboard.

Saturday 12 December 2009

Just Close Enough

When I back through the gap in the fence, I try to get as close to the fence as I can so the Geek can back her car into the corner. I have visions tho', of hiting the gas at an inopportune time and smashing the fence to smithereens. Other than the cost, this wouldn't upset the Geek much, since the fence had developed a rather alarming lean toward the lane.

This morning I found the truck was touching the fence, with very little clearance for the door. I hadn't put the parking brake on last night, thinking the truck was set in its spot. Evidently I was wrong, but at least it was a slow roll, and nothing was damaged.

In fact, the fence doesn't lean toward the lane anymore. I hope that stays even after the thaw.

Tuesday 8 December 2009

A Conjoined Onion

It's been a slow week.

Sunday 6 December 2009

Back in the State of Mayhem

We must like it here; we visit a lot.


We are still trying to make room for the industrial sewing machine in the sewing room. The futon has to go somewhere, but it is half an inch too big for the sunroom, where we would like it to go. We have taken out the papasan chairs to make room for the futon-they are now in the living room. The shelves are in the hallway, as are the plants. We have to find some lumber to modify the futon frame, so it is still downstairs but the mattress has made it to its final destination.
At least we have a time limit. We are hosting Christmas dinner.

Saturday 5 December 2009

Out of Sequence

Last Saturday, when we still had no snow, I thought I should finally cover the flowerbeds with leaves so the plants wouldn't die when it gets cold. Up to that point it hadn't been below -10. When I looked at the plants in the beds, they were still alive, so I raked out the existing leaves and left the plants to go into dormancy.

The weather forecast is for a low of -26 on Wednesday, and we still have very little snow, so today I went and used the leaves I had been re-arranging last week to cover the perennials.

Even the backyard was raked a little more than it had been before, just to cover that perenniel bed.

Monday 30 November 2009

Grass Seed and Snowflakes

I've never planted grass seed this late in the year before, but with Environment Canada insisting on snow tonight, this may be my last chance for the season.
Hopefully, when the snow melts, this grass can get a jump on that wretched Creeping Charlie stuff that is all over the yard.

Wednesday 25 November 2009

Snow is a Four-Letter Word

But I guess I'll be saying it a lot in the next little while. Thankfully, this was only a skiff.

Sunday 22 November 2009

Prairie Girls in The Big Smoke


We went to Toronto for the weekend to visit friends and do some shopping. We spent Saturday walking around the downtown area to see what there was to see.














These shoes are NOT made for walking. I bought a much more sensible pair. And the clothes upstairs made the colours in these shoes look dull.












I barely speak English, and now there are people who speak human? Wow!














A beautiful end grain cutting board.

















Lovely old neighbourhoods. This one is north of the Kensington Market.












And, be still my beating heart. A whole store dedicated to buttons. I hadn't planned on coming here so didn't bring any fabric swatches. Next time.
















And of course, one has to sample to outdoor artwork.

Thursday 19 November 2009

Red Sky in the Morning...

sailors' take warning.Red sky at night, sailors' delight.

Sunday 15 November 2009

Finished Edges

The space between the linoleum and the door and the linoleum and the stairs has been finished and primed.

Friday 13 November 2009

What'cha Hidin' Under There?


Wouldn't it be cheaper to buy a new one?

Wednesday 11 November 2009

The Eleventh Hour of the Eleventh Day of the Eleventh Month

In Flanders Fields

by John McCrae, May 1915

Poppies (©greatwar.co.uk)

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.


Tuesday 10 November 2009

Following a Current Trend

The in thing right now is to have a home theatre. We always follow the trends but the only place we found that it might fit was in the crawlspace.

It'll have hardwood floors.

Now that it has been vacuumed out, eet ees cozy, non?
Well, perhas not, but at least we did get an electrical outlet in the sunroom.
And I don't have to worry about turning my ankle on the heavy electrical cord that was running in there as a temporary solution.

Monday 9 November 2009

How Illuminating

Last night The Geek installed two more lights in the sewing room; one over the cutting table and one over each of the two sewing machine tables.

She also installed a proper plug. She said the iron was two 'heavy' to have on a non-grounded extension cord.I don't know what she is talking about. The irons don't weigh very much at all!

Sunday 8 November 2009

An Odd Fall Indeed



You don't often see someone combining in November.
I keep commenting on the strange and lovely weather this year. It sure beats what happened last year at this time. If the picture is a bit fuzzy, it is because I took it from the truck on the way back from the farm this afternoon.

Wednesday 4 November 2009

What Season is This?


Whatever it is, I'll take it!

Monday 2 November 2009

More 'Hair'

The Geek's friends enjoy hamming it up with her wig.

And this is how I looked the next day. I've seen women who have hair that looks like this. Which now make me wonder, do they do this on purpose, or is it left over from a night out the day before.

Saturday 31 October 2009

Staying Away From Open Flames

The Geek and I celebrate Hallowe'en.