rainy day fun

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yesterday was a rainy day.  I was reminded of the dr. Seuss book "the Cat in the Hat'  when our mother went out of the house for the day.....  Well if you read the book you know the kids got bored, let in a cat and the rest is history.  Well I wasn't out of the house for the day but it was raining and I was looking for something fun for Nevada and her friend.  A couple weeks ago I had picked up this free craft booklet at a garage sale.  I love old magazines and books and the cover on this one I absolutely loved.  Well yesterday we decided to give a go at making the choker on the front cover.  the pattern was way harder then anything I had done in the 70's  I think that is.  Parts of that history are a blur if you know what I mean.  Well the end results I though were pretty good.

On an earlier note, earlier in the day that is...I went for my yearly mamogram.  Just inserting that so everyone remembers to have their's done.  It's not something to just ignore....

chow baby's

frugality gone on too long

 

I'm not sure that frugality is even a word.  But if it isn't I hear-by declare it one of Carol-ism's.   Most of you have probably heard of how frugal I can be.  Not to be mistaken with cheapness as I think of cheapness as stingy and mean.  I have been known to save and bargain with the best of them.  In my mind why would you pay more for something you can get for less.  Half the fun is in the thrill of the chase.  Sometimes being frugal is taken too far.  Check out my poor barbeque and brush.   Poor little things have been putting in double time for over 5 years.  We even grill in the winter here when the weather is nice.  I can even grill a mean pizza on that sucker.  Well the other day I was looking at the said equipment with a fresh eye and realized that is one ugly sucking eyesore.  In fact a couple weeks ago I had the burgers keeping warm on the top rack when the lid fell back and dumped the little guys with melted cheese into the lid.  Yesterday they had a sale on brushes at the liquidation store  so I bought not just one but two.  Yes I did,  I actually splurged and paid 2 bucks instead of 1.  Well it came to 2.26 with the tax.  I figure that covers brushes for the next 10 years based on the life span of the previous one.   Next step for me is a new grill.  Gasp! yep that's right I think I am due for a new  barbeque (notice that rhymed).   I will however wait till the end of summer when they go on sale.  I might be in a spendy mood but I'm not crazy.

Highway to Hell

love that song.  Started to sing it this morning to get "deep in the heart of Texas'  off my mind from Stonegirl's blog.   Now I am crossing the lyrics...thinking of driving into Texas very fast with AC/DC blasting in the background.

Tonite's the big night for Nevada.  Last night she woke with a tummy ache, I think the pressure is getting to her.  Maybe I shouldn't have her practicing 8 hours a day.  With only tiny breaks for sips of water and finger exercises.  Kids these days have no work ethic. 

Last shift of the early morning drive.  I like being up when the rest of the world sleeps its so peaceful and quiet.  Did you know birds start chirping when it is still dark out? I think they are trying to find each other in the dark.  Hey honey chirp chirp where are you chirp chirp.  I think I heard a worm over by the plum tree chirp chirp.  Make sure you clean the nest before you leave chirp chirp. Watch out for the cat chirp chirp....

Ok, enough of that nonsense. On to the more serious issue of my coffee maker is dripping much too slow.  I did the vinegar thing over and over and it still takes an eternity to finish dripping.  Is there a life span on coffeemakers?  This one is about 2 1/2 years old.  Do they make a high speed coffee dripper?

Well must get dressed, don't want to drive the prince to work in my jammies.  Happy Weekend to all.

Thursday thirteen

questions, thoughts, various observations.

1. Do you go to bed with dirty dishes in the sink? 

In the past I wouldn't go to bed unless the kitchen was spotless.  Now, usually I am the first to bed and everyone eats more snacks and I wake up to a sink full of dishes.

2.Have you ever brushed your teeth in the shower?

I tried it once and somehow felt my teeth weren't quite so clean.  I actually walk around the house when I am brushing my teeth.

3.How many people live in your household?

There are 5 of us.

4.Why is it when you have to wake up early the next morning you just can't get to sleep the night before.  You lay there and think and think.  I always check and recheck the alarm.

5.Guess what?  I cleaned the fish tank the other day and didn't kill the fish.  Nevada came into the kitchen and seen the tank in the sink and said "what did you do"?  I let the tank sit a couple days before putting the fish back in.  For some strange reason in the mean time the bulb had to be replaced on the light.

6.Our summer nights have been really cool here.  It's kind of nice having the warm sunny days and cooler nights makes for a much better sleep.

7. Two posts on sleeping, must be because I am tired.  This morning I dumped the grounds in the garbage and the filter in the compost.

8.Next week I go for my yearly mammogram.  Thought I would post this as a reminder to everyone not to neglect this very important thing.  I know its not the most pleasant experience but the alternative is I'm sure alot worse.  We have free mamo's here in Canada, so there is no excuse.

9.Tomorrow night is the finale for the Guitar Hero III contest.  Nevada hasn't been practicing too much and I don't want to push her.  They still haven't posted the video on line so I'm not sure what's up with that.

10.I'm trying to think up a new yard project that will work on tightening my abs.  I swear by yard work for exercise.

11.We have a liquidation store here in town that had Gekkos (crok knockoffs) for $2.99 a pair.  I went down there and bought everyone a few pairs. These shoes are so comfortable.  I don't normally wear them in public, but the other day went to the grocery store and looked down and gasp I had a pair on.  Lucky they were the olive green pair and not the fluorescent blue ones.  Tell the truth do you own crocs and do you wear them in public?

12.  Still dealing with the problem I mentioned a few posts ago.  I didn't actually say what the problem is but it's still there.  It's putting alot of stress in my life. sigh

13.One more day til the weekend.  I'm lucky that everyday is a weekend for me but at least I won't have to get up at 5:30 to drive oldest son to work.  Next week his shift is changed and he doesn't get off till 11PM which is hours past my bedtime.  I think I will relegate that pick-up to the hairball.

 

getting buff

 

I have been doing alot of heavy yard work these past few weeks and I must say my arms are getting very toned.  In fact I can even feel a muscle there.  All this working out has me thinking about the use of exercise equipment.  I have always done a few weights and worked out moderately mostly doing cardio workouts with fast walking and stuff.  Well nothing has toned as well as good old fashioned shoveling and digging.  I have a great idea for a new gym.  The people pay you to join and then you make them do yard work for other people.  Those people would be paying you also.  You would double end the income and everyone would be happy.  So what do you think?

friends, friends and internet friends

 I myself am quite a friend collector.  Once I get you into my web I tend to keep in touch and try not to let you go.  I still wonder and ponder about long lost acquaintances from the past.  Hoping their lives and dreams have followed the path of their desire.  I try to keep in touch with all of my past friends and acquaintances.  For some strange reason I have a real memory for someones birth-date.  Tell me once and it sticks in my mind.  I might not see or hear from you for years but on that date I will have a feeling and rack my brain why the date rings a bell.  I find the hardest part about internet friends is if they disappear you have no way of knowing what has happened.  I think of myself as a friendly person.  Every once in awhile I do meet someone that I find doesn't warm to me and I think what did I do wrong? why don't they like me?  I don't find myself lacking in self esteem but wonder what I am that doesn't appeal to them.

Question for anyone that chooses to answer:

do you find it easier to talk with people when your online and not face to face?

what do you think of people that you don't hit it off with?

I'm back

 

 

and feeling much better.  I think getting away was just what the doctor ordered.  The weather was fantastic and we had a great time.  One night we sat around the fire and had a laughing contest.  Everyone had to laugh as loud as they could and change their laugh.  You have to try this sometime.  The laughter is so contagious pretty soon everyone is laughing so hard you get tears in your eyes.  My guts even hurt from laughing so much.  We went for lots of hikes and did alot of swimming.  I didn't even mind sleeping in the tent this time as I had about a 6 inch thick airmattress.   Just me and two gf's and the kids came so I think it was much more relaxin then normal.

my guitar hero and stuff

 

 

Seems like I get nagged everywhere I go even here.  You haven't blogged for a week...where is your blog???lalalalala  What can I say I am under alot of time restraints right now.  Also I'm kind of in a bad place, don't really want to go into details but I am not my usual chirpy self.

On the plus side my little Nevy advanced to the finals and will be completing on the 25th in front of a live audience.  Not sure what she will wear second time around but something along the same theme.  She only hit 2 wrong notes on the first night so we made her practice for four hours straight till her fingers were blistered and bleeding then sent her to bed without supper.

Tomorrow, Nevada, Kaikoa and I are going camping.  Our friends aren't meeting us till Wed. nite.  We are heading up early hoping to secure a site.  We would have reserved, but last year it poured rain the whole time.  You don't get any refund here if you cancel.  I guess it's just another cash grab by our Provincial government.  I still am driving Harry's mom to physio and she is doing very well.  Hairball will have to drive her on Thursday as I won't be here.  Harrison is enjoying his new job, but alas can't come camping which is a drag.  I am going to try to go again in August when he has a couple days off.

Well I probably bored you enough.  The video of Nevada isn't posted online yet but will share when I get it.

 

Guitar Hero III contest

Start:

Jul 8, '08 12:00p

Nevada gets filmed at the recording studio and preliminary competition.

thursday thirteen #2

*%$#  I was finished and spell checking and the whole *%#in thing disappeared...

1.The weather here has been hot hot hot.  It went from cold and wet to record temps.  I know I can't complain about the heat because that is what I was wishing for.

2. Been looking after two households as Harry's mom had Knee replacement surgery last week. I don't mind helping her out as she has always been good and kind to me.  I think alot of Harry's sisters are ticked that she want me instead of them.

3.Percy and Dick are doing well and have moved into the ground together.  They are happy to be living in a place that allows for that sort of thing.  You will go have to check them out in my photos and drop them a comment as they love visitors.

4.Fishies in all the ponds and house are doing great.  We hang a bug zapper over Chum run and watch them feed at night.  There are some really big goldies so they must be last years survivors.

5.Speaking of those blood sucking mosquito's.  It is so bad for them this year I had to go purchase another jug of that horrible 'OFF' crap.  I hate putting that stuff on but haven't a choice.

6.Swim club is going along fine. Nevada and Kaikoa both swim for an hour three nights a week. Friday the kids have to do a mile swim.  Nevada probably won't be able to complete the mile but kaikoa will have no problem  In the past 3 years he has posted a bronze time.  I am hoping this year he can get to silver.

7.For some unexplained reason I have gained 5 pounds.   I don't' know what caused it but I hope it isn't here to stay.

8.Last Sunday I bought 45 pounds of strawberries.  I made an ice-cream pail of strawberry margaritas with some of them.  Now when I want a refreshing drink I can just scoop it right out of the freezer into a glass.  I also made strawberry smoothies popsicles.  The rest of the berries I just froze for making jam in the fall when the weather is cooler.  I love berry time of year.

9.Went to the accountant yesterday in Vancouver.  Man was the traffic bad on the way in and going home.  I sure glad I don't have to do that commute everyday.  Our premier here in BC figured we don't pay enough for gas here so he added on a carbon tax and the price per litre went up about 4 cents over night.

10. A cat attacked our pool and left numerous holes in the top blue ring and some on the heavy vinly liner.  It took Hairball and I forever to patch them all.  There still is a slight leak in the top ring which requires adding air everyday but I can live with that.

11.  Hagrid the hogweed is still thriving in the yard.  He is almost like one of the family and he fits in good.  He doesn't like to be hugged and neither do I.  We warn people about him and they stay away.

12.Harrison starts a full time job next week.  He is working at a call centre for HP.  That should keep him busy till he starts college in the fall.  I hope they are going to work around his school schedule so he can continue to make a bit of cash.

13.Hope everyone is enjoying their summers.  I will try to catch up on the blogs but am afraid I am way too far behind.