Balancing the books to-day is not easy!

 This was me this morning---  pouring over the bank statement on the computer.---  It used to all fit --I mean the amount coming in was ok----  It covered the amount that had to go out--  NOT ANYMORE! ----  You see, I paid what we owed Revenue Canada--- for both Himself and myself---but, it seems with the high cost of driving a car, and what we pay at the grocery store--plus hydro (the electric bill)-the amount left---well, is not what it used to be--Even the savings is  not looking good--!--Something might have to change!--I need to become more creative with "life" I guess!

We survived quite well , until now, on a fixed income----with a little help from what we put away years ago---Are we alone  with this problem??--It is something that no-one usually talks about-----It is embarrassing  to say the least!---

I did spend a bit of time at the nursery this spring-- I love flowers !--  I did note however that even their stock is not what it used to be----Same as our local clothing store--- They don't seem to be as full of outfits as other years--Are people "making do"-- with what is in their closet this year?-

You know, maybe this isn't much a bad idea--!!!  ---------Perhaps I should start making bread---- and making more soup--- 

So, how are you all doing  , handling this problem?---or---is there a problem at your house? Lord love a duck! I shuda been a Queen!--I bet she is not trying to balance the books! 

Yu will never believe all this--

Everything looks peaceful in the above picture-- BUT-----It has been a crazy morning! --First of all, 2 long "V" formations of geese flew over the house--I could hear them honking  before I saw them----  Then, when I came into the house, Himself said that the furnace light was flashing in the basement----  

"Oh no", I thought---  It only flashes when it doesn't work.--- So, I tried to turn it up--I mean, the heat in the house--nothing happened--  "Well. it's hot outside, so , I'll try the AC-" I said to myself.--It is the same thermostat--nothing--- The furnace was not working-- so, I called our trusty furnace man, who called me back, to say he was out of town and to call someone else--I had just paid this guy $100 to change a fuse in the furnace , maybe a week ago--So, what to do?--Himself does not do well when things break-- He began to tell me to call all the sons-----plus, he then called 2-3 furnace people , and all were busy--told him they might find time next week--I called the guy in the next town--the people who installed the AC unit, 17 years ago ---Himself never liked these people, but---they said they would send out a repairman as soon as possible--AND THEY DID---  AND THE SERVICE MAN, fixed the problem--something about he changed the contact on the AC unit--  and then the fuse worked in the furnace--=and all is well--and when I asked what we owed them, he said, they would send a bill.-So, we now have the AC on and it is very comfortable in the house.--- You see?  A woman  can get things done---  Praise be to God! 

And my reward for doing all this? I was out in the garden, weeding, and low and behold, there was the cutest little black turtle--a baby snapper-- I knew that because his little tail was curled-- His shell was about the size of a 50 cent piece---  very tiny! ---  he was the colour of the black soil in my garden--I picked him up, in the palm of my hand---brought him in to show Himself----then put him back out in the garden. How on earth did he ever get way up here--  about100 ft from the lake?---  He must've just hatched not too long ago--so, his Mom mustve had the eggs up here somewhere around the house-.

The rototiller man was here yesterday to help me with the gardens--  He is 80 yrs --and quite a good fella--I asked him what I owed him and he told me $20 -----  (I gave him more!)--

So----  stay strong ---- and enjoy this day---  Hugs to you all--and let me know about snapping turtle babies-- Should I have put this wee little turtle in the lake?--  I didn't --He hightailed it across the lawn to the gully------ Bug suit wear in in vogue here!--Lord love a Duck!

 

Hope your Sunday is the best ever!

 It is Sunday--with sunshine!--(and bugs!)---You can't ask for too much more when you have sunshine and warm temperatures! --- The Rototiller man just called and will be here around 11am to try  to help the bushes in that garden have more room to grow than the weeds---and----  Ms. Robin  is sitting on the nest she built last year--just in the rafters above the sunroom, outside the kitchen window. I am not saying anything to Himself as he will pull the nest down. I will probably regret leaving Ms Robin there  as she is going to cook as the temperatures rise---

Wee little Lopez, who eats grass like there is no to-morrow, has been ill-----diarrhea and a bit of vomiting-- we have been feeding him "people food" with his kibble, which has come to an abrupt stop-and now he is eating nothing--Lord love a Duck! --I called the  vet and she told me to half a pill that Beau gets when he has a diarrhea problem---    (It's the weekend so it is difficult to get a vet)_

So, that's my story  for to-day--If I ever get this house   vacuumed , I hope to get outside , in my bug suit to weed a garden that I never got to in the Spring-  You know, there is something about going to church on a Sunday--  sitting on the cold pew, singing hymns----I would not be vacuuming , nor would I be in the buggy garden---As a kid, we were in church most Sundays-- Do you all get to church?---  I used to love singing  the hymns-- It was the one place that my questionable singing voice did not matter--  just sing as loud as you feel like!---

Happy Sunday to you all, where ever you live!---  And are there mosquitoes this time of year in your area?--

I saw the above picture--- It really looks like Beau and  Lopez--the size difference of the dogs-What on earth were we thinking?

And, remember this old vehicle?-- And the gasoline pump?--I remember seeing both , as a kid, on a corner station in Port Stanley , ON.

--Hugs  to all----  and hope your Sunday is the best ever! 

Just keep believing--

I cannot imagine ever "giving up"---Can you?---We have sunshine , with bugs to-day--lotza bugs! 

There are so many reasons  to have a good day ---- --#1. I am not as fat as I used to be  (and that is important )--$2.---There is no snow falling--------#3.----  I am not ill-------#4. We live  in Northern Ontario where we can access  nature- easily and --not as many cars on the roads----

-Lord love a Duck!---  There are probably a hundred more reasons to not ever give up--

I watched Ms Robin this AM, from the window over the kitchen sink---  She was at her nest, above the front porch--THE NEST SHE BUILT LAST YEAR---Mr Robin was with her---  Do Robins return  to the same nest if it is still there? All winter Himself and I said, "We must take that nest down."-----but, we never did! --  It was over 100 degrees up there last summer and poor Ms Robin , sat on her eggs, as she panted in the heat. Her nest was raided twice by squirrels---one of her babies was eaten--- but, she raised one huge fat baby robin, which survived and hopefully went South with her. It really was "survival of the fittest " as Mom used to say--and, she never gave up! 

Right now, Himself is vacuuming the main level so I best get moving here--get ready to go to town--He was supposed to go have a CT scan of his head, but has refused it----  What to do--What got do--with him?

So, I am still waiting and hoping the Queen will  call and  ask me for tea---I guess I will just have to keep believing this might happen , and never give up--

Remember to be kind to your pets and your friends--You never know what is happening in their lives!  They might be waiting for the Queen too call them too! 

 

Yes you Can!

 The above always makes me smile---  Does the weather of yer day, affect your mood?--- And how?---  To-day, here, it is cloudy with huge mosquitoes. It is a good day to garden, in the bug suit---  but Beau and Lopez are getting "eaten alive"--I can put bug stuff on them, but Lopez licks it off which isn't good for him.------ 

Yesterday was Son #4's daughter's Birthday and there was a party at their house-- Finally I was able to get Himself to go-- Really it was his first time out since Covid-- I think he enjoyed it!-- 

Hopefully this afternoon I can finish repairing the brown spots on the front lawn-- We finally have green grass---I never put fertilizer on a lawn before, but I listened to my hairdresser who does it herself and she explained that it wasn't such a big deal--and it wasn't---  I think the secret is to not spread it over the lawn too much--adjust the holes.  --  And I have found a man with a machine , that can dig up the garden--the earth around the shrubs in the garden-- He will probably help me out on the weekend--

So, things get done-- sometimes it takes a bit of ingenuity ----Enjoy this day--- It will never come again--

 

A confession as to why I was a late blogger yesterday-

 I might as well confess eh?-- Yesterday was  a silly crazy day---but, in the end, it all turned out well--Yu see, I'm trying to figure out  how to work in the gardening --"Greta" the gardener  sits at the gate now (who is really me!)_ longingly wondering if any day she can come in and  get the grass fertilized and some flowers planted--and it seems that every day Sadie, the cleaning Lady is inside here-(who is really me again!)_So, I try to allow them both to do their jobs , and before I know it, the day is nearly over!-

and, that is not all that happened yesterday--- Himself and I drove into town to get some $$$ at the bank-- with LOPEZ riding in the back seat. I opened my purse to take out my wallet and--no wallet-- In fact the zipper was open to my purse. Lord love a Duck! Instant panic!  You see, Himself rides side saddle , in the passenger seat beside me-- so, he puts my big purse, somewhere , out of his way--AND THE BIG PURSE WAS NOT ZIPPERED!--

I drove all the way back home thinking the wallet must be on the computer table-which it wasn't--INSTANT PANIC---- I just had a feeling however--  a wee voice was sorta screaming saying, "Go look in the car"--  thinking of himself, always trying to figure out where to put my purse so it is out of his way-- well!---  It was on his seat, scrunched down on the edge-

This is a lesson for me! --#1. Always do up the zipper of your purse-#2. Do I really need to carry so many cards in my wallet?-- If this bag is lost, these cards are so difficult to replace. I have removed several--such as , a Birth certificate--a Health car--etc etc 

after all that ruckus, we drove to McDonald's and bought 2 coffee----So, that's my story and I'm sticking to it!--

I keep getting calls from agencies , telling me that they will provide various services to help people taking care of Dementia people--- but-- they always want me to go to them to sign up--and--it is so hard to get to these places with himself at home alone-What to do?--What to do?---

=-------my thought for to-day--"Work Hard and Be Nice to People "---  It says it all eh?---  and---  hugs to yu all for looking for me yesterday--Lord love a Duck! --I am always here--You are the high light of my day! 

VERY SHORT LATE BLOG!

I finally am on here, posting-- I haven't forgotten-just trying to do too much-----BUT----  I AM HERE! 

I took Himself into town, to go to the bank---and, flying right across our path were geese-- in a "V" formation!   They are FINALLY arriving! --I believe they are a bit late too! ----I had to tell you--

So, Himself  has been acting up  a bit--poor fella-- He really isn't a happy camper some days-I try to ignore  his comments as I know it isn't really him --

Everything outside is so green--I love it! -Spring is such a wonderful time of year.  We have Robins, Humming Birds, Mosquitoes, black flies , and now Canada Geese.

Last evening I watched CNN and saw another shooting--  It is so sad !----so many young children-- What  is a solution to all this?--so so many guns--- 

I promised a short blog--so, before I get carried away on another tangent, I'll say good evening, where ever you are--  Hugs---- stay safe --and love one another-- Lord love a Duck! It's the right thing to do! 

--my motto with Himself---I can do this! 

 

Long romantic walks to the frig--???

Spring Flowers-- I had to cover the flowers I planted yesterday, out at the gate-- Frost was predicted but I believe , living by the lake, it moderates our temperature somewhat.  I believe we were maybe 2 degrees above zero-

I walked Lopez early--  sorta 6am--and the birds were chirping--singing--just like in the jungle--  They were very loud! I enjoy hearing them. In the winter, we never hear that! We live very close to the Boreal forest-- where deciduous trees disappear and evergreens take over.---There is a Provincial Park just as you enter the Boreal Forest--The Mississaugi Provincial Park--a very large park with over 100 camping sites on 4 lakes-- 

I have no idea how I got onto all this---Can you tell that I used to be a "Tour Guide" for our city?--

To-day I hope to get out and cut the lawn over the septic bed--Strange how I do all these chores now!-- I never remember my Mom ever cutting a lawn!--I never remember who did it either!-- Do any of you have life changing chores now as you age?--It seems that we women  should be cutting back, but, instead, -more chores come our way.----I take the garbage to the dumpster--  If I left it to Himself, we would have garbage to the roof top--S*---weed whacking -----oil changes, car washes, groceries-----  a never ending list- Mom used to say, "There is no rest for the wicked"--- I could hear her voice drift thru my head just now! 

The weight loss is at a stand still----  I must resume  a healthier eating plan!---

Those walks must stop!---People who love to eat  healthy , are always good people!-- Enjoy the day--- Lord love Duck! We will never have this day again yu know!

 

Morning y'all!

We have sun--  It is a tad coolish, but that is OK--It was supposed to freeze last night--I think it got to 4 degrees --just above zero, so my  plants, I hope are OK--

The storm that tore thru Southern Ontario  did a great deal of damage. It will be days before their power will be  restored. Up here in the North, we are OK --no storm here! ---  So, we are VERY fortunate.  It reminds me of a power outage in London, Ontario, when I was in Public School. I believe the power, in that storm, was out for about 3 days.  Our house had a fireplace, so a few families came to our home, to sleep, around the fireplace. I loved it! It was like camping in our living room. There were no cell phones then--nor did families have computers--  the biggest thing was that the phone lines were down, which in those days was not a big thing. Times have changed! ---  

My positive thought this AM., is that "I have enough dog hair vacuumed up---I have fed 3 animals, and I can get to the nursery now  for Peat Moss--When one has animals in the house, vacuuming is a big deal---I finally took big Beau, the German outside and brushed him with tons of fur flying all over the yard.--

To-day is the 24th of May Holiday in Canada--and--"if we don't get a holiday, we'll all run away"-- Queen Victoria's Birthday--  It must pay to be a Queen eh?--  YU get a holiday named after you!--Lord Love a Duck! 

 

Lotza this and that ---

Laughing is so good for us! 

 We have "the power"--- but--we live in the North-- I hear that Southern Ontario still have not had their power restored, after a tornado  ripped thru there--- and it might take up to 3 days for them to get their power back-- It really looks like a mess  there with trees down and wires everywhere. 

We do have rain falling tho--and because it is a Holiday weekend (the 24th of May)- and it is Sunday, our stores are closed.

This morning I filled the Hummingbird feeders --all 3 of them.  I notice that every feeder has one very bossy Hummingbird who  only allows who he likes , to use a feeder--I see Hummingbird wars if some one dares to go to the wrong feeder. Have you noticed that too?

Hopefully, to-morrow , I will be able to fill some pots with flowers and get them out by the road. I need a bag of peat moss before I begin.--- And finally, I see that the grass is green and will need cutting soon.

Springtime is such a busy time!  ---I changed our bed sheets to-day and once again, put them in the dryer-- It is time I guess to get them out into the sunshine and fresh air. I think I am the only person along our road who has a clothes line.  Do you use a clothes line?-- Some communities don't allow  clothes lines--  kinda crazy ! I remember hanging out lines and lines of cloth diapers when the kids were babies--Now that was a lot of work! 

Life has changed so much hadn't it?----I still love to see sheets, and laundry,  blowing in the wind--

I hope that you make  Sunday  the best day ever! --- It is all in our attitude isn't it?--have a great day-- remember your roots---  and family members who are not with us anymore--  

Remember these desks?-- 

 

Have an awesome weekend!

A long weekend-- Dad used to say, "Wake Up and smell the roses"----Are you going away?--- Does the price of gas make yu  stay around home?- It is a Holiday weekend, and are you content to have a "Staycation" at home?

We had a terrible thunderstorm roar thru here, last evening--It was pitch black at 5pm-- I heard that  Michigan  has a tornado go thru there--so it was close. My Mom used to love thunder storms. Our cottage was in Port Stanley, right on Lake Erie, and there were very bad storms go up and down the lake, always at night. Mom would sit in her rocker, looking over the lake   with all the inside lights out, and watch them. She would say that the storm cleared the air! 

We went to turn on the furnace yesterday afternoon, and it would not go on. I called Rusty, our very good furnace repair guy, and he came about 5pm. It was a tiny fuse inside the furnace which he replaced.-- One never knows what each day will bring does one?

With everything that can happen in a day, I find I must remember that every day can be the best day of the year!---It could always get worse!-- 👍👍----

I am going for bananas soon! One can never have enough bananas--- Oh---yesterday I did get the fertilizer on all the grass-- It was a race against the storm--but the rain was welcome , to soak it into the soil--That was a big job but I am happy it is done! --You know, I never remember my Mom doing all this----spreading fertilizer!--  Life sure has changed hasn't it?

Did yu know, it is "World Bee Day"?

 To-day is "World Bee Day"-- something I never heard of before. CBC radio just announced it--Have you ever heard of that?--The bees as  you probably know, are dying-- and they are so necessary for our food chain-- They pollinate our gardens, helping plants produce our foods. 

I went online and learned of 6 things about a  Bee-

#1. Bees waggle dance --It advertises to other bees in the area, that a Bee just found a great site  to gather pollen ---It attracts other bees to that site. I have seen bees waggle! 

#2.Bees use tools to repel predatory  hornets to the entrance of their hive. They do this by collecting animal faces which they smear around their entrance.

#3. Bees probably nearly caused a cold war with Cambodia  as they leave behind yellow splotches which look like chemical weapons.

#4.When pollen is scarce, in the Spring, before the flowers are blooming, and in climate change with fewer plants blooming early. Bumble bees  will use damaged tomato plants and mustard plants as food. 

#5. Humans exploit honeybees as sometimes humans collect their honey to use as  antibiotic resistance.

#6. Some Bees eat meat, using dead animal carcasses-

Well, everyday, we should learn something, so that is what I learned this AM.

--I have also learned to keep my mouth shut and walk away with Himself being quick to accuse me of anything that goes wrong in the house.--  This morning, I tried to turn up the furnace to take the chill out of the air, and-- the poor furnace would not go on- You never really know what each day will being eh?-- I called Rusty, the great "Furnace Repair man", who told me he will be here this afternoon. You gotta love Rusty! Our furnace is not old, so it can't be too much of a problem.

And it is a good day to have a great day---  I am going out to fertilize the lawn--  "busy as a Bee" I guess! I shall think of the Bees as  I plant the flowers!

I just love Weekends!

Grateful that I am alive---and not hurting---AND--not crying-- LOLOL----  I suppose too, that I am grateful that yesterday and this morning, I made the time to get out to walk/jog--about 30 minutes--with my music!  The funny thing is, the sciatica that goes down my rt. leg as I crawl into bed at night, was not there last night, and it is not  in my leg this morning--The walking couldn't have helped so soon---- but---who knows?--maybe! ----I think it's attitude--- A wee walk does improve one's attitude--or mine, anyway. And it is even raining! 

It is "Hair Day"---Right now, I feel like I resemble the woman in the picture.---The Hair Lady will help to make me feel better-

This is the May 24 weekend--- the weekend campers used to go camping--With the price of gas, I wonder how many people will be forced to stay home. Do you go camping?-- It would be fun to hear your stories.

 We used to have a 17ft. "Prowler" trailer--and we had 4 children, plus I was very pregnant for son #4 .That was the last summer we dragged it to a Provincial Park.-I remember it had a set off bunk beds at the front of the trailer, and a set of bunks at the rear and whoever was the youngest at the time, used to always fall out of the top bunk in his sleep--Himself began to put all kinds of things  beside him, to block his fall, but, whoever  it was,  always came crashing down in the night. 

Himself, being a Doctor, and from Jamaica, where I assumed there were no trailers, was not good at backing up the 17 ft  thing--Nor was he good at hooking up the septic system to the dump station in the park--Eventually sons #1 and #2., took over the backing up---and the dumping ---The last time we used the trailer, I was quite sure that Son#4  was going to enter the world in a park somewhere south of Sudbury--

I hope where ever you are, whatever the weather, in your area, that you can  remember to laugh--- We don't always have happy memories , but they are our memories that we store away somewhere and pull them out when we need to laugh--  summer is wonderful--  Just think?--No shovelling! 

Staying strong can be difficult sometimes !

Aging , as we all know , is not for the faint of heart-- I think we have all have heard this expression-- and when you live with a husband who has always worshiped the ground you walk on--and then, he changes, through no fault of his  own, ---all he has done, is age--- His hearing has gone--and  his mind is confused  at times----  He can't help it-- and we all may be that way someday----He is not the same person about 40% of the time.   He becomes frustrated--he cannot remember where he has placed things, and is sure I threw out whatever he cannot find.-He is not able to walk as steady as he used to. I now  take over the outside work, and the groceries and the cleaning-- He becomes cold at night, and  turns up the furnace to 75 degrees . I have to figure out how to keep him warm and  still live and sleep in this house without cooking to death--

 Life here has drastically changed, and it is not his fault-  Our children find it hard to accept that this is happening  to their Father. 

This morning, after I walked wee little Lopez the Chihuahua, I decided that I must  get back to my walk/run,--or as Dad used to say, I need to "hoof" it up the highway---  blow the cobwebs out of the mind, help keep the sciatica away---  and help myself to stay strong ----  I was the only one on the road  except the street cleaner--- but--it felt good  to do something for me and to remain positive thru such a complicated and weird situation. Sometimes it is very lonely.

I wonder how many other women are going thru this same  thing-- trying to make the best of  difficult situations .  People seem afraid to talk too much about this--  Is this just a normal part of aging?-- Perhaps--  maybe not too!---  In any event, I do the very best I can do---  try to not dwell on  the craziness too much, because in 5 minutes, life kinda returns to normal in time! 

Deep thoughts eh?---  And we must stay strong---

A good day to have a great day!

 How was your weekend??--  Was it exciting--relaxing--happy--crazy busy?--I'd like to know---This next weekend, is a holiday weekend in Canada--- the 24th of May weekend--  As kids, we used to sing, "The 24th of May is the Queen's Birthday, and if we don't get a holiday, we'll all run away "---It was the first weekend Mom and Dad used to take us to the cottage, in Port Stanley.

This was our cottage and to my older sister and I, it meant freedom---  We could take off after dinner, and go to the main beach, and meet all the boys! ---Our cottage was small--one bathroom-- but--we kids, absolutely loved it!  We could ride our bikes too all over the village--like "Hooligans"--and "Skip the Drip"( as Dad used to call him,) would pretty soon come up the beach, skipping stones into Lake Erie hoping I would see him and head off to a few blissful hours with him, around , maybe a bonfire on the beach.

This AM., I took Himself for blood work  at the hospital-- We got there at 7am and just returned home--3 hrs of waiting before the technician got around to himself. When I got back home, there was big Beau, sitting in front of Lopez' crate---Beau has become the dog sitter when we have to leave Lopez and it works out well.

I was thinking this morning that we are so fortunate to  live where we do--all of us! I believe we should try so hard to just accept life as it happens--be happy as we can, and content with what we have--This day will never be repeated-- 

I am holding on tight--- closing my eyes---  and-- now I must believe that all will turn out right, in the end--It always does you know!  

I love you a lottle--It's like a little--but , it's a lot!

To-day I thought, I'll never accomplish all I want to --I had booked a seamstress to come out here to help me try on clothes which are way too large---They need to be taken in!  Himself needs blood work also---I thought, "How can I do both?--"-----  but, the seamstress has been here--just the blood work needs to get done,, now which we can go to this afternoon. "Limits exist only in my mind-"-for sure! 

We have lots of black flies--  They bite the dogs ears. They are early this year, which means they just might disappear early---Usually by the end of June, the worst of them are gone.--

Yesterday I cleaned the sunroom and it really looks good -- The sunroom sits empty all winter and just collects dust and dirt, so it took me a whole morning-now I must find the time to sit out there  and read, or, just admire my handiwork. 

I stepped onto the scales this  AM. --AND------the weight is 180.5--- I really would love to be 175--so, I shall try harder in that easy chair in the evenings.  When I began to lose the weight , I was 217---never dreaming that  37 pounds would depart from my ol' body---It has taken years and years and years--but, 10 minutes daily of walking-- eating more fruits---  not  eating as much white bread--( "The whiter the bread, the sooner you're dead"-)-  and a lot of "mind over matter" -- 

While I am jabbering  away here--Son #2 is winging his way back from Seoul , Korea- -He took a picture of the toilet in his hotel room--Not too often does one receive a picture of a toilet does one?--It looked like a very complicated toilet--I'll post a closer look at the instructions of how to use it.

 I hope your weekend was good! --  Isn't it wonderful to not have snow?-