It's Cold!

What did I tell you?
Almost -30C here this morning!
This is ice fog from Thursday afternoon.
It rained Thursday night, then froze & snowed, so my vehicle was a Popsicle in the morning!
I went to open the sliding door behind the drivers door, and it opened enough to pop the latch, and turn on the interior light!
I went & got a jug of water to thaw it out, and close it properly!
Those doors are froze up til Spring, or the weather warms up, whichever comes first!

Remember, quite a few posts ago(and if I wasn't so lazy this morning I'd find it for you!), I said that Ray would be late for his own funeral?!

Yesterday, I went to a funeral (second one this week kids!?).

Ray was reading the eulogy.

I sat with a friend, and one of the funeral directors comes & asks me where my husband is, as he's also one of the honorary pallbearer.

Me; "I don't know, he left home before me!?"

See, people, that's why we take separate vehicles!

I'm going to make Butter Tarts this afternoon!

Before you ask, here's the recipe, and these are TO.DIE.FOR!

1 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup butter or margarine

1/2 cup walnuts (chopped) I use pecans

1 egg

1 cup raisins

Melt butter, add sugar & egg.

Then add raisins & nuts.

(I toss this all in my mixer, and mix it up!)

Fill 3" pastry shells. (Costco has good ones)

Just fill until even with the top, and bake at 350F for 20 minutes to 1/2 an hour.

It might be a little longer if your tart shells are frozen!

We're picking up the tread mill from my SIL this afternoon.

I CAN NOT walk with all the wildlife around!

You ever been chased by a moose?

It's not fun, and Shadow either barks like a rabid dog, or runs away!

Just so you know I AM doin stuff, here's a picture of my desk!

When I'm done scrap booking the pictures from Christmas, I might clean it off!

Gotta run!

Ta ta for now!

We're Gonna Pay!

This is the 5th day in a ROW that the temperatures have been on the + side of 0 degrees Celsius!

It's sooooo nice out!

Here in northern Alberta, we're not fooled!
We are in for a couple blizzards, and some -40 before Spring comes along....for sure!

I came to get my Criminal Minds fix, it'll be on at 7:00 pm, so I'm listening to Ellen's Birthday party!

I'm sending V her Valentine this week; I've got a photo radar ticket that needs to be sent to her!
Won't she be surprised!?

I had Stamp Club last night, and I was the hostess!
I had awesome Hostess benefits, I'll take a picture of all the goodies I get when it comes!
Oh, and I DID order the Big Shot.........embosser! I'm so excited!

Alrighty, here are the cards we made last night!

This was a faux silk technique.....I'll be trying it at home.....It was pretty cool.
First I had to promptly stick my tissue paper to my work pad!
hahahaha! I got another piece and tried again!

 This was a fun technique too.
We used stamp pads, but you can use reinkers, and paper towel.....I forget if this has a name!
I'm going to try this at home too!

Our instructor liked grey and green, so we had to make a card out of it.

Me.....not so much!

This next one, we used bleach.........I wasn't very enthusiastic about it.

It's all right though!

Better go!

Ta ta for now!

And Now For My Next Trick...............

OMG! There's NO end!

Saturday, I picked up my friend P from town and off we went to PR.
I had the van booked in for warranty; we left early cause it was -20, and the highways were icy with blowing snow.
Shopped til we dropped, and came home in slush and +4!
There's another 'Ya know ya live in Alberta when' tale for ya!

Told Ray I didn't think the sewer was pumping out, cause it smelt really 'bad' on the north side of the house AGAIN!
 I'm thinking too bad I have raised gardens, I'd never need to fertilize! eeewwwwww!

I walk out to the back 40, and Ray's yelling at me from the tank by the house.
The wind is howling like a freight train, (I did buy him walkie talkie's one year just for that), I can't hear anything, so I make my way back to the house!
Ray: "Is it froze up?"
Me: "I don't know, but I picked the hose up off the ground."
Ray said a few words, that, if I hadn't waited tables & cooked in a truck stop at one time, might have been new to me!
Apparently, in the last unthawing of the sewer, he cut the hose off, thinking it was too long.
It didn't know it was supposed to sit nicely in the little Y thingy!

He gets some wire to tie it up, sticks the wire in the hose, and says a few more choice words when it doesn't go in very far!

We got it unthawed again, and always the glass half full kinda girl, I say, "Least it was warmer today and not -30 like Monday when you did it the first time!"
I'm sure he appreciated that!

Hopefully we're done unthawing! If it does it again, I think he'll have to haul the pump up and give it a scrub....and what a shitty job that will be!
Literally!

I've started scrap booking the pictures we were sent at Christmas.
That will take a minute!

It's stamp club tomorrow night, and I've already made the cheese ball.
Gonna put it with crackers, and do fruit & dip.
I'll let you know what we make!

Gotta go...ta ta for now!

Blue Friday...........

I heard this morning that an aquaintance of mine had died.
I've known her for a long time.
We have children the same age.
We worked together at at the Bakery, and at the lodge.
She's the woman who'd tell you in the restraunt that she was praying for you.
Or give you a hug in the Post Office, just because.
I saw her earlier this week on the street.
She told me she was on a mission, but that she loved me.
Who on the street is gonna tell me they love me now, cept maybe some psycho!?
She was found this morning in her driveway, maybe a heart attack from shoveling snow.
The girls that had coffee with me this afternoon and I, have decided we're not shoveling snow again.
EVER!

K texted me this morning.
He's going to a Flames & Canucks hockey game tomorrow night.
Box seats...for free.
He has a friend from Calgary works at some company, invited him.
He's very excited.

V called, she's loving her new job.
Same place, different department.
She's on the MET at Home Depot.
Steady hours, Monday-Friday, only she's sleeping by 8:30 every night.
She's going to a hockey game tonight in GP.
She's hoping to stay awake until at least 10:00 pm!

On a lighter note.........we cleaned the yard out totally on Sunday!
I fired up the snow blower last night, cause I got my boots full yesterday morning, going to the shed to have my coffee & my smoke.

I just came in from the shed, and it's a good thing I tied a rope to the house, or I'da never made it back!
It's not windy, just snowing really hard!
Shadow beat me up the steps to come in!
I think she's getting spoiled!

I took these pictures last night.
The full moon was Wednesday, but it was too freakin cold to stand outside!

I'm also using up stuff on my desk.

Scraps of this and that.

I had this stamped sentiment just sitting around.

And those small pieces of cardstock..........nope, can't throw anything away!

My ribbon looks linty in the picture, I'll have to take care of that!

I'll try again tomorrow to take the van for some warranty work in PR tomorrow. Have to see what the weather's like when I get up!

Had to cancel 2 weeks ago!

Gotta go, getting a parcel ready to mail Monday for my mom!

Ta ta for now!

The Weatherman's a LIAR!

It was supposed to be up to -7 yesterday.
It's about -30 and it says it will be -8 tomorrow!
Ha, we'll see!

Oh well, knock on wood, it's the second day without snow!
We're fine with the white stuff, we need the moisture, it's the cold that's ugly!

I've filled the stove, burnt the garbage, got everything ready for morning, had a hot dog for supper!
I just popped in to show you the pics from the Stampin' Up workshop!

Here's Ray & Ian toiling over their cards!

Here's the rest of the party crowd! Not including me!

And here's the card Ray made....I'm so proud!

It was fun, and it kept Ray from falling asleep in his chair with the TV on!

Gotta run, finish some cards for my mom. Gonna get her parcel sent!

Ta ta for now!

3 WORDS.......................

Sewer pump quit!

Oh the joys of country living!
It's been a year since we had to 'fix' anything.
I say 'we', but I mean 'me'!

I had it all figured out.
I would get a new pump when I ran to town for the mail at work.
I'd come home at 4:00 pm, pull the other one up, install the new one....1/2 hour tops, "how hard could it be" is what I asked Ray.
He took the day off to get it done, and I'm hoping it gets 'done'.....I have a party tonight!

I started this post on Sunday night!

I've got 3 more words.
Sewer Froze Up!?
Oh the joys of country living!

Ray's BIL has actually had to deal with THAT problem, so spent the day helping him out!

All was working by party time!
Of course it was blizzarding for most of the day yesterday.
So I called my neighbor and told her to bring her husband, cause I was making Ray play with us!
2 of my friends from town came and WE DID HAVE A PARTY!
My friend Lana who did the workshop, said, "that's a first, having guys participate!"
I told her that I made N bring her husband, and I told Ray not to get comfortable in his chair in front of the TV cause he had to play too!
I took pictures!

All was well!
I'm the hostess next week for stamp club, so am hoping to get the Big Shot!
Of course I NEED it!
Then I won't work up a sweat embossing by hand!

Better go, Ray's cross shift called at 4:00 am WTH, so I'm gonna get some stuff done before I go to work!

Have a great day!

Ta ta for now!

I am sooooo Ready!

I'm having a Stampin' Up Workshop tomorrow night.
Don't tell the Princess House lady...I haven't had any sort of party in over a year!
And especially don't tell this guy over at Deadbeat Designs, who you should really check out....he's not much of a Stampin' Up fan, but he's funny! And here's another one! Heck, read all his posts! If they don't make you laugh out loud there's something wrong!

The laundry's done, the floors are vacumed & scrubbed, I fired up the snow blower, and cleaned all the paths, and got Ray to clean the driveway & parking lot! It's STILL snowing!

I made a dip, and a spread, and toast cups, and OMG, my favorite cracker in the whole wide world right now has to be Triscuits Cracked Pepper & Olive Oil! No;  I'm not getting paid for that endorsment! I'm doing it for free! You have to try them! Although, hey Kraft people, a lifetime supply of Triscuits would be awesome!

I also made this!
For supper tonight, not for tomorrow!

Rigatoni Broccoli Bake

Let me just say that you can use any pasta....I used penne tonight.

8 oz. of pasta (I never know what that is; I cooked a 450 gram bag!)
Boiling water & salt.

1/3 cup margarine or butter
1/3 cup flour
3 cups milk

3/4 cup parmesan cheese - grated
1 tsp salt
about 3 cloves of garlic
1 1/2 cups grated sharp or old Cheddar cheese

Fresh broccoli cut up/cooked/2 bunches
3/4 cup grated swiss cheese

You can substitute the cheeses. I think I used Asaigo for the Parmesan, and I used mozzarella for the swiss.


Cook pasta. Drain

Melt butter in saucepan. Mix in flour. Stir in milk until it boils & thickens.
Shut off & leave on burner.

Add parmesan cheese, salt, garlic, & cheddar cheese.

Dump all into pasta pot, the sauce, the pasta, the cooked broccoli.
Mix well, & pour into greased 9 X 13 pan.
Glass works best.

Sprinkle with swiss cheese.
Bake uncovered in 350F oven about 20 minutes or until bubbly & brown!

Told ya.........every pot in the house, but sooooo worth it!
I also cook chicken breasts and cut them up into bite size pieces to throw in too (If we're not having steak or something), and then serve a salad, and garlic toast! MMmmmmmmm!
You can also put some green onions in the sauce too.

So I'd better go, read, see if Criminal Minds are on, get my stuff ready for morning....you know!

Ta ta for now!

A Day in The Life.................

Oh grrrreat, you're thinking, but wait...........
I received another e-mail today about not writing a letter to put in with my Christmas card.
There's those (e-mails), and a few of Rays family have actually phoned!

I just sent a cousin here today.
Hey Crystal!

I'm down to one job and loving it.
I couldn't believe how much pressure stress of a relief it was after one week....of only going to 1 job!?

I go to work in the dark, very slowly, because I think from all the tracks on the road, that all the creatures in the forest have a block party while us humans are asleep!
And yesterday, a white (of course they're white...it's winter) rabbit zipped across in front of me!
Too fast to get a picture/ sorry!
I haven't seen a rabbit since we did the fencing!
But I digress!
I'm at work by 8:00 am.

I come home at 4:00 or 4:30 or 5:00 pm, ok, so not everything is worked out yet!
I haul everything in, mail, water, groceries etc.; change clothes, and dress up to go back out depending on how cold it is.
It was this cold this morning! With a windchill! And not much warmer when I came home!

I clean off the roof, because of the skylight.............and I'd like to know where the damn snow is coming from!

It was like summer last night, you know, when it's pouring rain and the sun is shining!

Well, it was snowing and the moon was out & I could see the stars!

 I go fill the outdoor wood furnace.

I haven't seen Ray for a week, well since Sunday, and he hasn't been filling it this week.

I don't mind; depending how cold it is, and how warm I keep the house, it takes a humungous wheelbarrel full daily. Here's a picture I took on the way home from work, all the smoke is from the furnace.

It has a fan, and when the thermostat calls for heat it kicks in.

Otherwise the fire just smolders.

I sometimes go check the cat food, they have 2 feeders, so it's not  a daily thing, and I check Shadows food and the water.

It's a heated water bowl, the cats drink there too.

I think they have to sneak up for a drink though, cause I've seen Shadow put the run on them!

I come in, get stuff ready for the next day, bake, do what housework I want need to do, read the mail, answer phone messages, etc.

Then I come to my craft room!

I e-mail, read blogs, make cards, scrapbook, etc.

When I made this room into a craft room, I had to promise to spend an hour a day in here, Monday to Friday, whether I wanted to or not.

You know, to justify having a WHOLE craft room!

And I love it too.

I don't have to put everything away when I'm working on stuff.

Before; I'd have to clean off the kitchen table, or clean up cause someone was coming to stay.

Now I can just shut the door!

And I'm wired....computer, phone, TV, DVD and VHS!

There you have it!

That's my routine on weekdays, and it doesn't change; unless I'm going out with the girls, going to stamp club, a party etc.

These next pictures came in the mail from one of Ray's sisters, and made me laugh out loud!

They're from a fishing trip this summer to Slave Lake.

This is Ray, he's winding new line on my fishing rod.

WHY!? You ask.

When we were fishing, everytime I caught a fish it busted my line!

The guys got sick of me saying how HUGE the fish must have been!

Actually it didn't take long for the captain of our boat to realize my line was rotten!

I'm on the other end holding the line on a nail or screwdriver or something so Ray can wind it on!

I doubt that I'm this comfortable about it though!

And here's the captain himself giving me a lesson in tying on my hook.

By the look on my face I'm getting a lecture while he's doing it,

so I'm probably thinking, 'yeah whatever, like I'm gonna remember that'!

There you have it.........I am working on stuff, I just can't show you, cause those people come here!
Talk to ya later, have a great weekend!

Ta ta for now!

I Should Be .............

Getting stuff ready for morning!

I've had quite the day!

Updated all the computer stuff at work yesterday, mangaed to save it even....twice, got there this morning, and couldn't open the program!
About twice a year I think that Simply Accounting really isn't all that SIMPLE!?

Hauled the computer to the computer store, and 1 & 1/2 hours later I was good to go......forgot to mention that there's more than one company on there.............oh well, next time I need a couple free hours.......

Came home today, cleaned off the roof, filled the wood furnace, came in, took my stuff off, and realized we needed a loaf of bread in here!
Seriously, did I think one was goin to run across the yard!?
My friend H was horrified when I put the freezer in a shed across the yard.
She said and I quote, "I whine if I have to go downstairs for something out of the freezer; and you're going to walk all the way across the yard!"
Got dressed back up, It's VERY COLD with the wind, and fetched a loaf of bread!

Yesterday this guy was napping by the driveway.

I screeched to a halt, ok it's winter, I slid to a halt, and took some pics before he escaped over the neighbors fence! He's not very big, so he's either a runt, or someone shot his mom.

I made the following card up last night.

What do ya think?!

A guy Valentine?

Cause I made it for K.

Hopefully he'll let me know when he starts reading this, and I won't post stuff til after he gets them!

It's an easel card. I made it 5" X 5".

As you can see, I'm a little out of practice with my Iris Folding!

I glue instead of tape (not so bulky), so I couldn't fix it without doing the whole thing again!

He'll never know!

I whipped up another card (iris folded), not a heart, tonight. That one I screwed up near the end, but I managed to fix it!

Can't show you that one, it's a birthday card and H actually reads this once in a while!

This is the stamp my mom gave me when we got together at the Family Rebellion this year.

I always try to remember to stamp every envelope!

I think she had to order it from somewhere!

I sent her on a mission next time she crosses the line. (Border)

She's looking for an ATC stamp for me.

I've been looking in Michaels, but you know how it goes.

When I'm on to making something else, they'll show up all over!

I stopped for coffee at the $ Store yesterday, and H told me that a guy that came in earlier was pretty excited. Bouncing off the walls!
S got my job at the OFH!
He's so excited. He'll be great, he's very outgoing, a real people person!
I congratulated him, and told him not to let me down!

Better go.

Ta ta for now!

Well done is better than well said. -Unknown

Hellooooo people!

I hurried home from work today, so I could get my Lemon Loaf made, and yes, before you groan, without further ado, here's the recipe! :)

Lemon Loaf

1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 cup sugar
2 Eggs
1/2 cup milk

1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
Grated rind of 1 lemon
Don't chuck the lemon, you're gonna need it later!

Cream butter, sugar & eggs.
Add milk.
Add flour, baking powder, salt & lemon rind.
Stir to moisten. (I put mine in the mixer, and beat the crap out of it......it doesn't matter!)
Put into greased loaf pan 9 X 5 X 3 inch.
Bake at 350F for 1 hour, or until done.
Remove from oven and glaze.
Cool 10 minutes in pan, and remove.
Cool & wrap.

Glaze
Juice of 1 lemon, and 1/4 cup sugar.
Heat the lemon juice up in the microwave, add the sugar & stir until sugar is dissolved.
Spoon evenly over loaf.

I use parchment paper........A LOT!
Don't need to grease the pan, and it can stay in the pan to cool, and all the glaze soaks in.
This cuts better after it's been cooled and refridgerated overnight or so!

I also have a zester from Lee Valley Tools, my mom gets the coolest stuff!

Wheeeeeoooooooo..............got that out of the way!

I was busy this weekend in the craft room.
Made my cards for the CCAYR January Challenge!

I made my mom & DD their Valentine cards.

They turned out how I wanted them too......I DID try a few different colors of pink, but the neon won out!

Remember I told you I got the idea here!?

I played a lot of the weekend, because it snowed most of the weekend!

Here's the fire pit!

And the frog guarding the outhouse, and the 'get in line' bench' are almost under the snow!

I've got to get an envelope to get my 'Thank You' swap cards on their way!

I'm working on a Valentine for K, but it hasn't came together yet!
I'm sure it will.

Hope you all had a wonderful day!

Ta ta for now!

CCAYR January Challenge

January Challenge - We're going to make it easy this month because we just want people to play along, so the challenge is...



Anything goes!


Yes, you heard it right - anything! Get out those scraps or the new stash you had to have this year, but never got the chance to use. Just start creating!

Oy, I've had a Long Day! TGIF!

Alrighty then!
Not slowing down at my job yet!
Have to get the T-4's done, and am learning the online invoicing....oh yay!

I DID get my "I Hear A Symphony" atc's done and on their way!

I'll show you what I get back!

I turned this mess:

Into these Valentine treats for my stamp class this month.

You'd think I need brownie points for something cause I'm also the hostess!?

They hold about 10 Hershey Kisses!

I also finished my Thank You cards for a swap; that are going to Shirley, so I'm not showing you them until they get there! Sorry!

I'm going to get busy and make some Valentine cards, and I got a great idea from here!
Of course I'm NOT telling you, you'll steal the idea!
Hope it will turn out!
I hate when I get something in my head, and it doesn't turn out!

It's been a long week, it's blizzarding out, and I have an appointment in PR tomorrow for the van.
They're going to replace the seals they missed the 1st time!
On account of the dust problem!
I'll rethink that if it's still snowing in the morning.

Shadow got mail from her doctor, it's time for her shots, so we'll have to make another trip, and that's always fun!
I have to find somesuckerone to come with me!
Shadow likes to ride on my lap!
And she's really not a lap dog!

Better go. Probably have to clean the skylight off sometime tonight!

Ta ta for now!

I've Got A Minute........

OK, maybe I have a few Curt!

I got back at 3:00 pm this afternoon, from taking the O/S to the plane yesterday in GP.
Then I spent 1 hour and 15 minutes at Service Canada, who need your first born in order to do anything for you!!!???!!!
BEL had filled out papers, and wrote a letter stating that I could do stuff for them online.
In November, Service Canada called & said I actually had to GO to a Service Canada office with 2 pieces of ID before we could do anything. The closest one is in GP.
D: "When do you wanna go?"
Me: "I've just been there about 5 times in the last 2 months, I'll go when I'm working for you!"
That was today!
With the 6 hour drive and over 1 hour I spent there, it's just about an 8 hour day shot.......and I had to take K to the plane yesterday anyway!
(I worked Friday for yesterday, in case anyone's keeping track!)

I did a little side trip into PR to get groceries, and forgot milk!WTH
Yeah, I had a list!

It has taken me til now to haul everything in, put it away, wash the bedding, from one bed, and the couch; cause I have a craft room, and only one spare room.

I gotta quit going to Michaels!
Yowsers! That stuff in those $1.50 bins really add up!

Alrighty then.

Paralyzers (The drink, not a UFC move)

We use really BIG drink glasses so we probably double this!

Ice
1 oz. Kahlua
1/2 oz. Vodka
1 oz Coke
Fill glass with milk.
Enjoy!

Bartenders Root Beer
(Same big glasses! I'm not getting up any more than I have to.
And just so ya know, we DO take the crystal out to the fire pit!Probably another reason I get called Martha)

Ice (I like ice!)
1 oz. Kahlua
1/2 oz. Galliano (it's a liqueur)
3 oz. Coke or Pepsi
2 oz. Soda Water

mmmmmmm....that's all I got to say!

Ok, here are some pictures I promised.
This first one is the Christmas card from my mom!
It comes flat in an envelope.....cool huh!?

This is what I got from my GF, who's K's godmother, and my nephews mother.

Did ya get that?!

I tell ya, our family puts the 'FUN' in dysfunctional!

It's a fish bowl filled with Salt Water Taffy, and a bouquet of lottery scratch tickets! oh, and a glass angel!
She does the coolest stuff!

Gotta run, I'm hoping GLEE is on!

Ta ta for now!