I’m Off!

A little later than planned but I AM off!  Forgot it was green bin/recycle day so had to race around collecting all the old food stuff out of the fridge and freezer….don’t want that lurking around for a week!

I will have a good time…..I don’t have a choice so will make the best of it.

The weather doesn’t look like it’s going to cooperate either….but I’m kind of getting used to that after the summer, such as it was, that we had.  I’m packing a coat….argh.

I’m thinking positive thoughts as I head out the door….happy positive thoughts…really 🙂

Golfing was lots of fun yesterday.  My brother joined us so an even better day.  The course was really nice, lots of water so lots of lost balls.  One of the highlights was find the huge bear paw tracks in a sand trap!!  I didn’t have my phone with me to take a picture…..but they were BIG!!  and pretty new…only his prints and mine in that trap!  A good dinner after and then home to pack.

Calgary, here we come!

L.

L.

Packing…After Golf!

I probably should not be going golfing today….a little bit of me was even hoping for rain so I could use that as an excuse to not go…..but I hate to miss golfing and especially today because I’m going with my son!

We don’t go very often, maybe once every couple of years we manage a game and my brother is joining us too which will make for a fun day.  We’re doing “twilight” (2:30PM) so I’ll have all morning to do whatever needs doing around here.

Not much has gotten accomplished the last few days.  That funky mood and a bit of a migraine headache (weather change??) hasn’t helped.  I did manage to get some stuff done yesterday…..I’ll at least have clean clothes to pack but that is about it.

I’m still beating myself up a little over this Calgary trip….but it is what it is and no use whining about it.  It’s a lesson learned…..I will do things for me or at least things that I like or want to do.  I’ll definitely make the best of it and I know I’ll enjoy part of the drive through the Rockies….they’re pretty magnificent and of course my long and much awaited visit with Bonny!  But just such bad timing for me.  When my exSIL was no longer going to move there…..I should have just said “no…I’ll fly out for the weekend” but I didn’t.  She wanted to still drive there and somehow 4 days morphed into 6.  How did I let that happen?  I know part of it was because I would feel guilty…..this might be her last trip and all that.

I feel terrible for feeling terrible about it…….that just doesn’t seem right but I can’t help it!

L..

 

 

France!

We decided at least that last night!  Exactly where though we’re not sure yet.  My theory is to stay as far south as possible for the weather.  We’re talking about going May/June, no specific dates yet.  There are no guarantees of course what the weather will be like but your chances of having more sun than rain are much better in the south of France.

Potentially one other couple could join us now, so back to “4” couples….or 3 couples and ME!  My friend Connie said she may be interested, which would be nice but if not I’m fine.

Dinner was great!  This porchetta turned out better than the one the other night but it was still a little dry to me….everyone had seconds so maybe it’s just my taste buds.  Rae did appies and huge dish of roasted veggies, Brenda did a cold French potato salad, which was so light and delicious.  Lots of leftovers which I made everyone take home since I’m not going to be here.

Stuffed and ready to go in the oven. I forgot to take a pic after!! Basted in a mix of olive oil, pinot grigio and garlic!

A shower today for Bev’s daughter that just had the baby…..she’s having it for mostly family.  I’m going to head over a little earlier to see what I can help her with.

Then I HAVE TO GET MY OIL CHANGED!!  I’ve somehow managed to not get that done over the last week and now I’m running out of time.  In the back of my mind I still think that this is what Ken should be doing while I’m at that shower……

And laundry.  Not sure why but regardless of how long I’m going away for I have this need to get my laundry done….there is usually something in that pile of clothes that I want to take with me and having it all done makes packing a lot easier….as opposed to getting half packed only to find that tee shirt or pair of capris are at the bottom of the dirty laundry basket!!

I have lots to do but now that we’ve narrowed down our vacation to a country…..I want to spend hours online looking for places to rent for a month.  This is not good and really have to make myself get up and get cracking with everything else I have to do.

The weather has changed, overnight!  Yesterday was incredibly hot but made sitting outside until midnight very comfortable….no sweaters in site!  This morning it’s cloudy and looks like it could rain.  But it’s not cold, so that’s a good thing.

L.

 

Good Dinner!

The porchetta turned out pretty good….a little dry to me but Connie really enjoyed it and took the leftovers home with her.  Completely forgot to take pictures. Making ANOTHER one for dinner tonight….on a bigger scale for more people.  I hope it turns out good too.

I haven’t done anything around the house or yard……too hot and just too darn busy.

Kind of in one of those moods these days…..not really a funk type mood but I seem to spend a lot of time pondering things.  Not stressing, maybe a little “fretting” over this Calgary trip, just thinking.  A mishmash of stuff….things I want to do, places I want to go, how it takes FOREVER to get stuff done by yourself, what I need to get ready for my next trip….it just seems to be going on.  Kind of like those nights when you wake up overwhelmed by everything that is going through your head, but not quite with the same amount of anxiety.

Maybe it’s that “unsettled” thing.  I’m happy but I’m not!!  Probably doesn’t make a lot of sense.  I wonder if this is still “grief”?  And why now?  I’m busy, which I like but need to spread my busy-ness out a little more.  Just not sure.  I don’t think I’ve found my “new normal” yet.

I didn’t get my car in for detailing yesterday because I spent so much time in the grocery store…..sort of a comedy of errors type thing.  Should have been in there 5 or 10 minutes at most but ended up taking an hour and half!!  The highlite might have been the lady in front of me at the checkout trying to bag her groceries with gardening gloves on!!!!  And this wasn’t even at Walmart!!

Back at the car all I could do was laugh….to myself.  If, if, if…….the car could have been detailed, I would have been at home doing something…..if, if, if.

Definitely need to snap out of this….and I will hopefully sooner than later today because I’m really looking forward to dinner tonight and the trip planning we’re going to do…..and the food and the wine of course!

L.

 

Great Couple of Days

Lots of food, wine, yakking and all that goes with a visit up there.  This time even included driving the lawnmower…

The ferry ride over was good and the one back even better because we were treated to a pod of orcas.  That whole area is pretty spectacular at any time of the year but summer is really the best to me.

I think Bev had a pretty good time too!

Today my friend Connie (from work/trips…..two cooking school ones!) is coming for dinner and a sleepover.  She’s arriving early so we can start cooking!  I’m going to get everything to make a “porchetta”, for our version of one….for the real Italian one we’d need a suckling pig….using a pork loin that is butterflied, stuffed with sausage and herbs and wrapped in pancetta.  This is what it should look like!!

I’ve made it a few times before and it’s turned out really good.  We had the real version in Italy on market days…..usually a big slice or two served on a crusty roll.  The crackling on it the best part but not something that’s easy to get hold of around here so the pancetta or even bacon has to do.

Tomorrow I have to get my car in for detailing and an oil change for the Calgary trip and get all the goodies for dinner on Friday with the friends that are planning the month long trip somewhere next year….we’re each making a dish from a different country.  I might make another porchetta since I’m doing Italian!

Have to fit in Bard on Beach (The Merry Wives of Windsor) one night too before I leave for Italy…..I think I have the 7th of September free!!   It’s this Calgary trip that is throwing my life off…..so glad I’m finally going to get to share that glass of wine with Bonny….but why I ever agreed to do this road trip, still has me shaking my head!  Maybe I am more compassionate than I though….

Ah well….lots to do!

L.

 

 

 

 

Off Again

For 3 fun filled nights with some of my “besties”.

The weather is great which makes the short ferry trip over wonderful.  Whales have been spotted in the strait so maybe we’ll get lucky and see a few too.

Yesterday was a busy day.  Picking up things and getting my hair cut….argh.   New hairdresser so not quite right yet but we’ll get it eventually.  Last night in the restaurant a lady next to us had the perfect style…..one that my hair won’t quite ever be like but the cut was right and I can work wonders….sometimes…with my pokey rolly brush.  We were all leaving at the same time so I asked her if I could take a picture of the back of her head!!  She laughed and said I wasn’t the first person to ask her that.  I just hope my hair grows enough in the next couple of weeks to have a “repair” job done before I leave for Italy.

Getting the hang of this going away business and now have a toiletry bag that is always packed and ready to go…..duplicates of everything, hair products in smaller containers, toothbrush/paste, cream, deodorant etc.  Definitely handy and save time too….I just have to remember to refill /replace things in it as they get used up.

Packing for one is much easier…….

L.

 

It’s Good For My Arms….

That is what I told myself yesterday…..often!

First the landscape place delivers my pavers…..they were on a palate on the back of the truck but no lift thingie to take the palate off!!  The guy started stacking them on the side of the truck, 2 at a time so I started to move them inside the gate.  I really did think he would have been a little quicker than he was which meant that I was pretty much keeping up with his piling of pavers.  I was only 4 piles behind him by the time he had finished, at which point he started helping me pile them up in the yard.  I took the two at a time, which I’m assuming was probably close to 50lbs a pop.

I did start working on the walkway, doing more leveling, raking, digging etc. but by 10:30 it was sooooo hot I had to stop.  The sun went behind the big maple around 2 so I was back out there and worked until after 7 last night.  I know I didn’t lift all those things correctly and can feel it today but I did manage to get almost half of it done, only reorganizing the pavers once along the way.  They said they weigh approximately 25lbs each and I believe it!!  I can heft a 20kl back of kitty litter so figured this was going to be easy peasy.  Yes and no….if I only had a few of them it would have been but I figure I moved all 70 of them just about twice yesterday.  I’m not sure when I’ll get it finished though, so much going on over the next few days.  Definitely before I leave for Calgary….I hope!

it’s a little wibbly but I carefully measured to make sure each stone was 25″ from the wall for that first row….the second is 38″. The load of topsoil will get them level with the ground.

Only this many more to go!! I think I’ve under estimated how many I need…argh.

Today I won’t be working on it…..too hot and too many other things to do.  Bev and I are going to the Sunshine Coast for a few days to visit N & S.  I’m really looking forward to this little mini vacay.  Bev has not been away for years, so I’m excited to be going with her.  I know we’ll have a great time and it looks like we’re going to have awesome weather the entire 3/4 days.

I’m also still planning this Calgary trip and to save some money have offered by exSIL some options for hotels.  I hope she gets back to me today because everything is booking up pretty quickly for the long weekend.  She wanted us to have our own rooms, but at almost $200 a night for one place, that just isn’t going to happen.  I did find some at $79 a night…..I don’t need big and fancy but I do want something with more then a 5.6 rating on trip advisor!!

L.

 

Walkway Day

The dustbowl at the side of the garage…..I still need to dig or rake down another inch or two

That is my plan….all day!!

Yesterday I went to get my 1×2 pavers…..of course they didn’t have them!  I knew I should have gotten then weeks ago when I was there but oh well….that is just how things go.

I talked to the guy and he suggested the 1×1’s instead.  Since I’m going a very “rustic-ish” walkway there is a good chance that over the next few months and through winter the stones would settle and move around a bit….much easier to deal with reorganizing 1×1’s that 1×2’s….fair enough.  For $69 I decided to have them delivered.   I would have had to make two trips, the second only after I’d unloaded the first.  I will save my back for that price.  They should be here sometime this morning.

 

I had a bear!!  I didn’t see him but pretty obvious that he was in my backyard at some point over the last few nights.  I’d been pretty busy over the weekend and hadn’t been out there to water the new grass, which is pretty much dead grass now, and thought maybe the kids had been digging out there or maybe a mole….sort of a mound.  I started to hose it away and noticed the cherry pits….tons of them!  I don’t have a cherry tree (yet!).  He had to have climbed over the fence to get in the yard….so very glad I had the new ones done because that old one would not have held a bear.  That’s the first sign of one this year.  Everyone is very good about keeping their garbage and green bins inside or locked up so very slim pickings around our neighbourhood for them.

I’m hoping I can finish getting the side yard ready for these pavers and at least get started putting them down.  My time is tight over the next couple of weeks so really have to stick with getting this done.  I have to get that side of the garage painted before winter or when the rain starts in the fall.  I’d like to have a guy out before I leave for Italy but that might be pushing it a little too much.  That’s 3 weeks away but I’ve got two mini vacays using up some of those days…..really just how long can it take to put down 70 or so paving stones???  We’ll see!

L.

No Sleepover :(

For my grandson….which is too bad but OK.  He has summer camp in the morning and a special play-date this afternoon.  If I didn’t see them all the time I probably wouldn’t be too happy.  We’ll get one in soon enough.

So much fun golfing yesterday!  We did not do very well, losing soooo many balls.  No water on this course but mega gullies.  Managed to actually get over them thinking my ball was good, then once on the other side, absolutely no sign of the ball!!  Lots of hills, so lots of rolling happened and in these cases, probably right back into the damn gully.  We came across a man in a cart that seemed to be looking for lost golf balls…not sure if he worked for the course or what…..but he handed us a dozen or so to replace all the lost ones.  We thanked him and he laughed, saying we’d more than likely need them before we were finished.  And right he was!!

This course is way up the local mountain in the bush…..lots of bear sighting signs on all the paths.  We didn’t see any but did see a deer or two.  It’s a 12 hole course!!  Perfect for a late afternoon start, which is what we did yesterday.  http://www.westwoodplateaugolf.com/academy/course-information/introduction/  One day we may get good enough to play on the big course…..and rich enough!!

I still have Ken’s golf clubs.  I should probably sell them.  They’re fairly good and only used a handful of times.  Maybe one day I’ll get around to doing that…….

Today I’m off to get those damn paving stones.  I think I’ll probably have to make two trips.  My truck, according to the little book, will hold up to 1200lbs.  If I need about 30 of them, each at around 50lbs. that will put me over the limit.  Not terribly convenient, the place is only a few minutes away, but I’ll have to unload the first bunch before I can go and get the rest…..not a speedy process for one person.  At least I should have nice toned arms by the end of this project!

I’m hoping to get the kitchen all cleaned up so I can take some “after” pics.  The new granite isn’t here yet but even with out that, it looks so nice.  I just love it!

L.

 

 

A Half Day Off!

Just so much happening the last week it’s nice to have a morning of doing nothing!

I’ve spent it drinking coffee and doing a Sudoku puzzle…..now I’d wished I’d gotten my butt up a little sooner.

Friday was dinner and overnight at a friends.  Saturday afternoon was a “girls” day, then dinner at the friends and home to sleep in my own bed after a not so good night sleep on Friday.  Sunday was a clean up day, with the kids visiting and then the CDS “happy hour” (until 8:30!!)  Friends from Sunshine coast were here for that and then stayed overnight here!  Is it possible to have too much fun?  I certainly now it’s possible to have too much wine!

Monday those friends and I went to Walmart, Costco, Canadian Tire, Pier 1, Winners and I can’t think of where else!!  I didn’t have to go of course but I wanted to and I did have a good time.  They stock up when they come over here because they don’t have the big box stores over there and a lot of the products that they like.  Their car was loaded…trunk and back seat….by the time they left.  I have some stuff to take over for them next weekend when Bev and I go because they just ran out of room!

My kitchen is pretty much done.  I can get everything put away, which I’ve been slowly doing between being out, visiting, shopping and just plain old having fun!  This morning I’m hoping I can get the rest of it put away.  I did manage to fill another box of stuff to give away…..which I’ve got to get rid of soon but just what day that will be, I don’t know.

I was going to get my paving stones this morning but that didn’t happen and probably won’t now until Thursday, which I think is a free day, depending on when my grandson goes home…..it’s his turn for a sleepover tomorrow night!

This is a little crazy but I do quite enjoy it.  I know I can’t do everything that I want too, which I think I’ve accepted….most of the time.

We’re finally getting summer!  Supposed to be HOT and sunny for the next week or so….I am so looking forward to that.