Monday, August 31, 2009

MiSH mASh

Just a bunch of odds 'n'sods ...
* Nothing dead under the rug this week = good week.
* We have 5 cords of UNcut-up wood in our driveway so it is completely full. It even overflows onto the retaining wall and over the steps to get up to the doorstep. That means that we have a plank from the ground to the top of the wall that we walk up every night and down every morning. We carry our groceries UP the plank, balancing all the way . I AM A FREAKIN' PIRATE "WALKIN' THE PLANK" everyday !!! But it is romantic because the other pirate in the house holds my hand so I don't fall ... so I guess it's pretty good.
* Oh, yeah, that 5 cords will have to be piled when it's cut to make way for the 10 more coming ... I will be a MUSCLEY PIRATE by fall !!!
* I am loving this weather ... warm but fresh ... makes me want to plan a gazillion things ...
* I made chutney and blueberry/concord grape jelly this week.
* I am working on a party for this weekend ... and I am so excited . I LOVE PARTIES !!! Love to cook for people, love to make things to give away & decorate with , love to just BE with people . Sweet as sweet can be !
* I am having HESTER WITHDRAWAL. Hester (the hearse) has been gone most of the month and I miss her so. First she had to have the air conditioning fixed, then off for her make-over. That has taken longer than anticipated because of paint drying times, etc .. But ...oh ... it will be soooo soon. And then we will all celebrate at the Hester Hearse Party. WAHOO !!!
* Back-to-school ... doesn't matter how old you are or how long you have been out of school, it seems you feel that same "new-bookbag, fresh-looseleaf" thing. It is a time to make lists, make plans, start projects, plan trips & dreams, bake, cook, tidy, just fill the glorious days with progress & fun. It really is a great time of year !!
* We bought a 3 foot rat ... not real ... Charlie has named him "Hugh Dirty" as in "Hugh Dirty Rat". Get it ?
* Our niece flies out today to Norway for a semester. Have a great time Kari !! We think you are amazing !!
I think that's all ... lots to do ... have to get started & rock this week !! See you !!

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Hey Bill !! What a gentleman !!

So ... I won't lie ... I was a bit excited about a hurricane. Not a huge one, but maybe a few hours without power ( Scrabble games, hotdogs...). We had gathered up everything that was loose outside, bought a few "storm food" items, and were ready. .... waited ... went to bed ... waited ... woke up ... waited .... NOTHING !!! Just a gentle rain. No wind. No puffs of wind. No downpours. But my garden was mighty grateful for the gentle rain. Thanks Bill !
But then ... later in the afternoon, I had to go look out the window . It seemed ... LOUD out there. And it was the tide !! It was high, high, high, and GLORIOUS !! I grabbed the camera and walked up the road to Cottage Cove. I sat at the picnic park for probably an hour just soaking up the FAB sunshine, fresh air, and beautiful waves. The seals were floating & bobbing, the birds were coming back to the water, ... it was heaven !! So thanks Bill. You were sweet !!
Where do all the birds go when it is supposed to storm ?
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Apparently they had a Jamboree scheduled because they all wound up at the Jamboree Grounds !!
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Here is a pix of the roaring-smashing-crashing-white-crested-GLORIOUS waves. Photobucket
What a day !!

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I HEART BILL !!!!

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

NAME that TOOL !!!

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(By the way ... the gook on the edge is from the recycling bin NOT what is about to be described !!!)
Can you name that tool ? What ?? You think it is half a plastic lid ? NO WAY !!!
It is a gen-u-ine flat mole scraper. Let me explain.
Last week we came home from work to see the area rug in the kitchen all balled up. The cats had been playing. Charlie flattened it out. I did see a clump of cat hair but my hands were full and the rug was spread before I thought of it again. Then the next night I felt a lump. Hmmm ... I flipped up the corner but saw nothing. I continued to walk on it thinking it was probably just a thicker spot in the rug. ...DUN DUN DUN (foreshadowing)
Yesterday in the 1000 degree heat I contemplated scrubbing the really quite sticky floor. ( you know how people say you could eat off someone's floor ? Well ... you could mine ... for about a week, especially if you went under the cupboards....) I decide just to shake the rug out & scrub later. I grabbed the rug to go out & saw the clump of hair again. WAIT ... that looks strange ... OH MY GOD !!! It was not hair ... it was a FLAT DEAD MOLE. And wait ... the "thicker spot in the rug" ... that was another one. That one was undoubtedly flat because of *GULP* my stepping on it , REPEATEDLY for 2 days. EWWWWW. ( It must have been (eww) stuck to the back of the rug when I checked earlier.) Apparently the cats weren't playing ... they were burying !!
So now the scene is set. There is no way I can't wash the floor, 1000 degrees or not. SO I then realize they need to come up off the floor. I naively think I can flick them up with the dust pan. NOPE. Oh, dear, I need a mole scraper. So I cut a lid in half and quite professionally flick the first one up. (this is a big deal as I can't even clean up the litter box or cat throw up without being sick ... actually "run to the bathroom sick". YUCK )So I am feeling pretty cocky. This is easy. Mole number 2. Oh, not so good. It is really stuck to the floor. I give a hefty scrape and part of the body flops up but it is STILL STUCK. Well, this is where the gagging & running to the bathroom sets in. After I lean against the sink, completely in a sweat. Oh, god, how am I ever going to get that off ? Can I really bear to leave it for 4 hours until Charlie comes home ?
SO I put on my big girl panties, take a deep breath, try to settle my stomach, and give it two mighty scrapes, stomach retching the whole time. Finally Flat Moley pops off the floor. I deposit the paper thin carcasses in the green bin and scrub the floor.
Disgusting.
On to better things !!! This is my latest venture.
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I picked this kit up this weekend. Now I just need to stop at Home Hardware tonight for safety glasses & a small fire extinguisher ... and then I AM GOOD TO GO !!
Yesterday was hot, hot , hot (can I say it again ?) HOT ! But the day ended beautifully. Deedee & Stephen stopped by and we sat , in the dark, up on the hill in the secret garden, watching the stars, eating watermelon, throwing the rinds back over our heads into the bushes, and listening to the water. *SIGH* It was heavenly.
Have a great day & take some time to lay out under the stars - you'll feel part of something REALLY BIG !!

Thursday, August 13, 2009

i am BoRIng BOriNG bORiNG ....

I just looked back at the last few posts. They go something like this ...
I baked ________.
I made ________ jam.
I picked __________ from the garden and it was the best ever.
I piled _____ (insert #) of cord of wood.
I made ______ of paper/beads ...
WOW !!! It might be important to me but I think it is a bit boring !! Like a form letter. That really sucks !!
You see I am on a quest to be the next Martha Stewart/Pioneer Woman of Port George so my week is pretty busy with all the above. And then we work 6 days a week. But we do actually do other things. Just can't think of any ...
No I'm kidding !! This past week we went to see that great Canadian folk icon STOMPIN' TOM !!
It was really fun ... felt like I was 12 belting out "Bud the Spud" and my personal favourite "Ketchup loves Potatoes". He was funny as was his Country Cowboy co-host. I was a bit less than enthralled by the country cowboy songs but that is just my NON LOVE for country music. Tom I consider to be folk not country. Anyway, it was great fun. And watching the somewhat rowdy ( yep, rowdy !) crowd was pretty funny too - a really odd assortment of people !
Then this past weekend we went camping at a nudist beach. it was pretty hot ... OKAY !! I AM KIDDING !!! I HATE CAMPING !!!
Here are the necklaces I have been working on ...
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Yesterday Hester the Hearse went to be painted. I am SO EXCITED !!! Next week I will have GREAT PICTURES !!
Anyway... in the future I will keep it more interesting ...
Have a super week ... and do something exciting ... or make it up if you don't (that's what I plan to do ...)

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Another Blurry Week !!! and Visualization = Reality

They all seem to be flying by in a BLUR. I cannot believe that it is the 3rd week of August already. I try to think what I did each week ... and sometimes I can't think of anything ... but in actual fact it has been VERY BUSY !! There is so much every week that it all blends together in a big state of busy & satisfying & fun & adventure filled & jam packed ... and sometimes packed with jam ...
So this past week :
* I made MORE jam ... another batch of wild cherry and then - my own concoction -
CHERRY CHERRY BERRY GRAPE. I had 1 cup of wild cherry juice, and 1 cup of chokecherry juice. Hmm... not quite enough. So I checked the fridge ( threw away the moldy cherries ...) and found Corinth mini grapes. Threw them in the pot. But I needed more ... ah ! the 1/2 pint of raspberries. So in they went to. I boiled & dripped , then added it to the double cherry juice. It is the most beautiful scarlet colour jelly with a fabulous flavour ... have to write that one down !!
* Last week's baking : Chocolate Buttermilk cake with Whipped 7 Minute Fluffy Frosting. Pretty yummy.
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more garden stuff. Picked my last broccoli which my little cat Vern tried to devour in the sink. He also eats all the tops of the radishes , yes, the tops. UGH!
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Also ... my peaches !!! We just planted this tree in the late spring ... (after they were marked down because we are bargain hunters !!) And look at the peaches !! And they are super sweet and delicious !!! Oh my ... peach heaven ... too bad there are only 20 but not bad for Year One !!
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* made cards
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You can see more at www.classichobbies.blogspot.com
* we built "something" out of metal, used a bender, it's big, ... can't say much more because it is a SURPRISE !!
* took our poor Emma cat to the vet. She was feeling a bit "poopy" but seems to be better after the healing touch of dear Dr. Teresa.
* AND ... I have been visualizing the kind of jewelry that I really want to make. I have seen it in my head for a year or more ... yet, it never makes it out of that very head. Yesterday I DID IT !!! I made the jewelry that I have been wanting to make. And I LOVE it !! I am so glad I finally decided to give it a try. Do you ever do that ... just carry an "art dream" in your head, never letting it out ? Well, I can tell you, LET IT OUT !!! It feels so darn good !! I still have some clasps to add etc... but will post pictures of the finished product soon. Now on to my next "dream jewelry" idea !!

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Zoom ZOOM ZOOM ... that's the time ZOOMING by !

Wow ... another busy week ... lots accomplished and so much more to do. It's great !!
So far this week I have :
* piled 8 cord of wood with Charlie ... yup... 8 cord. I have the shin & knee bruises to prove it. Only 7 more cord to go ... Talk about cardio !!
* Baked my cookie of the week. Not only did I bake it but I made up the recipe myself !! Vanilla Toffee Pecan Cookies. YUMMY if I do say so myself !!
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* finished my recipe holder & have started adding the cards.
* made wild cherry jelly and have boiled & dripped enough for 2 more batches. I also have chokecherries ready for the same treatment !
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* made a Apple of My Eye book. Check out the store's project blog for more photos.
www.classichobbies.blogspot.com
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* made a few cards
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* hmmm... what else ? We bought a new washer (HOORAY !!), fixed the air conditioning in Hester the Hearse ( no more smelly bodies ...), gardened, visited, played, read, ...lots !
Tonight we are off to see STOMPIN' TOM !! Then we have to start planning our annual summer bash, a bonfire with old friends from BC, and whatever else comes our way.
Rockin' life every day !!

... a few of my favourite things ...