"Excellence is not a skill, it's an attitude." —Ralph Marston

It's that time of year!
I have not done all the baking I wanted to!
I have decided to go see the kids in the spring, so am saving it for then.
They'll get a really big care package!
I have made some Christmas cards!
I'll show them to you so you can get on with your day!

 I pilfered a Santa image off the internet(Kalen said the internet police will be knocking on my door), because that's what Bryson wanted on his Christmas card!

He loves excavators, so I messaged my friend up in Manning, whose dad does amazing woodwork!

An e-transfer later, it was delivered to Vanessa's work!

Apparently it was a hit with the 'BIG' boys at her work!

Here's the tag I made to go on it.

 Sorry about the hot pink background, but my signs for next summers Family Reunion are done!

 This next card, I made for Kalen.

Then loved them so much I made a bunch of them for my Tai Chi people, and am making Bryson's Valentine card similar!

 Mom's card came out of the box, it's probably been posted a year or two ago!

I forgot to take a picture of Vanessa's, as I was hurrying to get it in the mail.

And it was awesome!

She said she'd take a pic & send it!

This is Bryson & I watching the Grinch last time we Face timed!

This picture is right up there with the story telling picture, and the ride I got on his truck in this post!

He's so proud!

The angle I was at I could only see pixels, but did recognize Cindy Lou Who!

Still picking up branches in the yard from Windsday! 

I found this in the flower bed!

Made me smile!

I had another piece of stitchery done!
The kids' initials, my friend Helen made, 2 lifetimes ago, when I sent her a picture!

 

I am trying to figure out where to hang it!

It WILL go up somewhere!
 

It will be a quiet Christmas.

We might even just go out!

My brother & his son will be here on the 26th, I'll cook then!

That's all I got.

If I don't get back on here before Christmas, please have a great one!

With too much food, laughter, family & friends!

Hope you're all well!

Talk to ya later!

Great things never come from comfort zones.

Good evening!
I have had a week!
No cards to show today!
My Instagram this morning went something like this! 

On WINDSDAY I came home to this!

 Knocked the power out, front & back, tore the meter off the pole!

Tore my wires off that come into the house!

It was rotten!

 

Fortis guy got stuck up there in his bucket. Told me not to worry, he had a rope! Haha

Electrician got him down using the controls on the truck.

 

Clean up committee came yesterday!

A friend of Kalen's brought friends.

 

 Came back today to finish!

All the wood is gone.

They figure it was a cord & a half.

Told me to burn the stump where it is.

I will think about it, because where it is, is pretty close to the house!

Now I'm trying to get a hold of a tree removal service, because those trees in the front yard, are coming down, before they come down!

The company everyone recommends is called The Widowmaker!

How do you know when your trees are rotten!?

There's a few piles of branches & the tipped over stump left.

Only 2 of the crew could stay, so I gave them hot chocolate & goodies I picked up at the bakery yesterday!

I was very lucky, there was a lot it could have hit, like the house!

 Was pretty scary!

I'm grateful for the help and to have power!

Hope you are well!

Talk to ya later!

 

“Be brave to stand for what you believe in even if you stand alone.” —Roy T. Bennett

Good evening!
Or morning/afternoon, depending on where you are in the world!

I'm sure you're tired of hearing how busy I am!
I've been making cards; & mom & I have tickets for almost everything between now & Christmas!

Today we took in the Christmas craft fair, and had Turkey Supper at Holy Cross church! 
Tomorrow is the Music Teachers Association Fundraiser.
Monday is Wild Site Photography at the theatre.
Friday is the Footlighters play. This year they are doing Irving Berlins White Christmas.
Saturday is a Christmas craft fair at Wynndel; it's just down the road. Apparently we're not going!
Mom & her friend Dorothy want to go to The Mennonite Craft Sale & lunch in Idaho. If the weather's good, I'll take them!
We have tickets for the Blossom Valley Singers in December!
All this fun can be had for less than $20 a ticket!

I made my aunt some Christmas cards so I could include them in the package with the quilt cards.

I made 10 & kept them simple and flat so postage isn't a fortune!
These were dies I cut out when I went to the Scrapbook retreat last fall.

I have made a few Christmas cards of my own.

I guess I'm into red this year.
I LOVED the background paper of the second one, and of course had new dies (I needed)!
My ornaments didn't show up!
So I went over them with Stickles.
Does anyone still use Stickles?
It's what I had; I am a million miles away from any craft store.
However, I have heard that you can shop online at Michaels.
I digress.
This poor card was painful to make!
It took forever; was trial & error.
I then tried to emboss my greeting directly onto the card.
Epic fail!
Oh well, they're done!

I got new bird feeders this year, as the darn squirrels wrecked the ones last year. They had plastic feeding holes. 
Between the squirrels chewing them u[, and the raccoons dumping them on the ground, they were pretty sad, so I got rid of them!

These are a little more challenging!
The little birds can get the seeds easily.
The bigger birds wait on the ground for spillage.
I will be saving on birdseed this winter, as the seed doesn't just run out!
I still take them in at night, as I don't want them dumped out, cause they might break. 

Kalen was home for a few days, as he worked extra.
Hydrant isn't fixed, water is still off at the back.
I think we'll have to replace the whole thing!
He'll be home again at the end of the week!

Better go, I have had the most horrible headache today.
I haven't had a migraine forever, and no medication! 
I do have a doctors appointment, so might have to ask for some!
10 pills last me years; and if I don't take them quick enough, I can be stoned & still have a headache!
I only say that because, I always think it will go away!
So really do use them sparingly!

Hope you're all well!
Talk to ya later!



 

Sometimes later becomes never. Do it now.

Hello!

This will probably be picture heavy!
I really need to be on here more!

Kalen just left for his next 10  on 10 off!
We got a lot accomplished!
He also planted a bunch of seedlings, made different types of compost, tried to fix a hydrant in the back 40. Water is off to the back, it will have to wait for his next days off!

We got snow & cold on the darn weekend!
I have turned into a wuss! It's too early!
I have joined Tai Chi!
I love it!
I leave work early on Wednesdays!
I tried to get mom to join, as it's good for balance etc.
She wouldn't! 

Kalen's Halloween card.

 Vanessa & Harley's card.

Mom got one I made last fall when I went to the scrapbook retreat!

My aunt makes quilts for people with cancer.
I make her cards to include. They're blank on the inside.
I got some new quilt dies, so should have a ton whipped up in a short time!

We'll start with 4 because she likes Christmas cards that say Merry Christmas, and she says you can't buy them.
Making her some Christmas cards is next on the list!

We had a big windstorm that knocked the walnuts out of the tree.

Then the leaves fell off, and I played a game similar to where's Waldo!

Haha!
Of course ALL the leaves didn't fall off, I had to do this twice!
Only because it kept raining, and the walnuts were trying to get moldy under the leaves!

But anyhoo, the yardwork is slowly getting done.
It was a lot warmer this time last year! 

I am happy to report that the sump pump has been installed, and I am loving turning up the thermostat for heat!
Washer & dryer are working fabulously in the basement!

We wrapped the cedars one chilly afternoon.
The deer will have to eat someone else's this winter!

I guess you can't really see it!
It's a plastic mesh that's 7 ft tall, the deer can't get their noses in.
We had 4 different sections to wrap! 

I'd better go.
Kalen left this morning so bedding needs washed, and my floors really need a vacuum & wash! 

Hope you're all well!
Talk to ya later!
 

“More smiling, less worrying. More compassion, less judgment. More blessed, less stressed. More love, less hate.” ― Roy T. Bennett

Hello!

I really should be doing a million little things.

I am, however, learning to relax take things slower.
So far today, I've did dishes, made pie dough, cleaned the back house (which is permitted for a shop).
Hauled some books to shelves, rearranged the stuff on the counter tops, cleaned the pantry....... 

What I should be doing, is cutting insulation for the basement, and/or picking up the walnuts, and finishing the windows on the outside!
The walnuts are going to win, as I gave away all the walnuts I had and they're pretty costly in the store!
I AM going to make my famous double layer pumpkin pie sometime today! The pie dough is for apple pies, tomorrow, or Monday.

Happy Canadian Thanksgiving! 
Mom and I have a reservation for tomorrow at the golf course!
I've never ate there, and they're having a Thanksgiving buffet.  
I figured it would be cheaper than me cooking the full meal deal for me and mom!

The washer & dryer got  into the basement a week ago yesterday!
By the time the washer was done the first load, I had the dryer hooked up!
My sewer stack was plugged.
No one knows for how long. It was plugged 4-6 feet up the stack!
What should have been a 2-3 hour job for the poor plumber, turned into an all day event!

Garage electrical is safe! The lights I got look amazing!
We should be able to play cards outside now, after dark!

Kalen was home for about 2 weeks between his summer job, and his winter job!
One day he said, 'There's a lot of work to do here!'
I said, 'I know!' 
He left Thursday to start his 10 on, 10 off.
He should be here for 8 days at a time! 

Waiting for my sump pump to be hooked up so I can use my furnace that was installed in July!
Garage door guy was here, and that's it for projects this year!

I think we only have a deck, and front step for me on the list for next year!

I made this dumpling a Birthday card!
Hard to believe he will be 3 in a couple weeks!

He's holding his package of tattoos, and a frog book mark I sent!
He loves books! 
He was also real excited about the 'John Deere' tractor on the card. I found the card on Pinterest.
I asked him if his mom read him the letter, and did he know what it said.
He said, "Bryson David I love you. Love gramma Gail!"
I said, that's exactly what it said!

He also requested his Halloween card have a spider on it, so I did my best!
Made a side step card.

That's all I got!
It's been really chilly this October!
I have not got the inside of my vehicle cleaned! 
I did it last year when I moved here!

I am trying to get around to read your blogs!

Thanks for being here!

Hope you're all well!
Talk to ya later!


 

Act as if what you do makes a difference. IT DOES. ~William James

Hello!
It's been a while!
I have a picture heavy post which will hopefully tell you why I can't visit like I want to!!

I make this cutie cards & send tattoos like I promised.
It looks like he needs several on at one time, and he's sharing with his dad!

 I work full time (ughh);  I also have an acreage with fruit trees etc!
I have made copious amounts of jam!
Apricot, blueberry, cherry, plum, pear & strawberry! 
Most made on my new toy.

The blueberries and strawberries were purchased, the rest I have!

All sorts of liqueurs & pies have been made!

  

I pulled my cucumbers out of the garden when I couldn't keep up anymore with the gazillion pickles I made!

And the salsa.......

There's been the projects!

I call them 'the scuzzy project of the day!'

This window had irritated me from the moment I moved in.

The paint was peeling!

It took a weekend, but it's lovely!

 It needs another coat of paint; may be waiting until next year!

I have a gallon of paint for my front entry that's been sitting there for a couple months! 

3 days sitting in the shed, cleaning garlic!

This was the help!

Mom's 80th birthday!

Company; who's house was bigger than mine!

Enjoying the garden produce!

Enjoying the odd!

One of the solar  lights on my rickety deck(next years project) tipped over.

I'm leaving it!

There you have it!

Today's 'scuzzy project' is cleaning out the hole in the basement the old sump pump is in, and putting in the new one!

It's also been raining; my sheets have been hanging out since yesterday.

I need to get my laundry done; I don't have a working dryer!

I need to get all the fruit on the ground cleaned up.

It will go to Kalen's friend for pigs.

There will be lots of pears, apples and plums, so I'm sure I'll get what I want/need!

I've got an electrician coming Friday.

To wire for the dryer downstairs, and to make my garage 'safe'!

I bought some lights to be installed on the garage too!

Then hopefully that's it for electrical this year!

Plumber is supposed to be coming, to hook up my vent stack (so I don't die from sewer gas), and plumb for a washing machine downstairs.

I will be getting a new washer and dryer within a month!

Also, the guys that hooked up my furnace, and duct work, didn't put the insulation back behind the ducts in the basement!

I emailed & told them I wasn't thin enough to get it up there!

OI!

Hopefully when all that's done, I'm dun for this year with plumbing and electrical!

I cleaned all the boards and wood out of my garage yesterday.

Sold the bottles.

I still take mom lunch or supper every 2,3 or 4 days.

Just so she doesn't eat ice cream for every meal!

I get that she's 80, and can do what she wants; I just try to keep a healthy mix in there!

I also stay for a game or 2 of SkipBo!

Better go, it's trying to be cloudy, and I have clothes to hang out!!!

Talk to ya later!

Hope you're well!