Happy Happy Happy!

Wow where has the time gone? It seems like only a few short weeks ago I could be found sitting out on the deck catching some warm sun and now that said deck is covered in leaves! Thanksgiving (for Canadians) and Halloween have passed and now the stores are filled with the sights and sounds of Christmas and our city’s annual Christmas Parade is in 3 weeks! We have escaped the early snowfalls that have occurred in Ontario so for that I am thankful. This year has certainly been filled with its fair share of highs and lows. Unfortunately it’s been filled with more lows with the passing of more than a few family members. I will be glad when 2013 makes its exit and a new year begins.

A long time ago I posted a blog about being a grandmother………………….to 2 very cute but slobbery English bull dogs. Yes I am the proud grandmother to Ava and Toot (a name well chosen). With great pleasure and lots of excitement I can now say that those slobbery, snorting bundles of joy will have to share their domain with a baby. Yes, around the date of May 3rd I am going to be a real Nana!!!!!! I have to give my daughter much credit for the way she informed me of my impending Nana-hood, she really does have a very creative mind. A few weeks ago she and her soon to be hubby came into town for a dinner get together. During the dinner she produced 3 pictures. The first one was of her, her soon to be hubby and the 2 grand-doggies. Her and hubby were holding a sign saying “and then there was 3”. I smiled that polite smile and said “ oh joy you are getting another dog.” Neither said anything as I looked at the second picture. In this picture they were both holding a sign near her belly and it said coming Mayish 2014. I looked at the picture for a minute and then up at both of them with a puzzled look. I’ll be honest, the thought did cross my mind that she was pregnant, but that vanished pretty quickly since this is the daughter that said she did not want kids, but I was also grappling with the thought that it does NOT take that long for puppies to be born. The third and final picture was the one that brought tears to my eyes. It was of her and hubby hugging with her holding baby booties! I’m never one to be left speechless but I found myself not being able to say anything for what seemed like forever. Of course once I found my voice again I did nothing but cry and congratulate them both. So yes dear Blogging friends in the early part of May 2014…I am going to be a Nana! (Can you tell I am happy?????  J)

A Great Long Weekend!!

I hope everyone enjoyed their long weekend, whether you are Canadian and celebrated Thanksgiving or American and was able to relax and enjoy your Columbus Day celebrations whatever they may have been. We had our Thanksgiving Dinner on the Sunday and since it was kind of damp with the odd fall shower it was the perfect day. Even though I’m not really one for turkey I have to admit it turned out perfect. My youngest daughter was in charge of bringing deserts and bless her heart she baked up a storm making personal Pumpkin Pie and Apple Pie Tarts. The dinner table talk was filled with memories of past holiday experiences with lots of giggles and the odd tear of missing the loved ones that have passed.

                                                               

 

Thanksgiving Day Monday this year was greeted by wonderful sunny and warm temperatures. Mother Nature must have been in a good mood for a change making it a good day to take a walk through Apps Mill. We used to take the kids there every year on Thanksgiving Day and since it had been more than a few years since I have been there I had a wonderful time. The colours were amazing and the smell of autumn leaves filled the air. I guess I wasn’t the only one who decided to walk the trails since the parking lot was full and the sounds of children and dogs could be heard. We took our time going through the trails and even did some off trail walking which wasn’t the best idea I ever had. I had forgotten how damn hard it is to get burrs out of clothing not to mention getting them off of Bentley!

 

 
 

 

I did have a near mishap that put many onlookers in stitches as they watched my youngest daughter cry out and save me from a fate worse than…well…humiliation??? My daughter is one that loves to take pictures and so she decided that having me posed sitting on a very low rickety bridge would make for an excellent shot. I’m not one to have my picture taken but it was such a gorgeous day and I was in a wonderful mood so I figured what the heck, I’ll do it. I ever so carefully stepped onto the low bridge to make sure it would hold me. Last thing I wanted to have happen was me plopping my ass down on that old weather beaten piece of wood and have it collapse on me. It seemed strong enough and I even bounced on it a few times just to be certain and all was ok. The bridge was very low and me being well…it’s hard to gracefully sit down on a few planks of wood that is maybe 12 inches from the running water going under it, that I thought of a good idea. I stepped back off the bridge and gingerly stepped down on a log that seemed firmly embedded into the creek bed and then all hell broke loose! It seemed the log was NOT firmly embedded and as soon as my weight went on it…the damn thing moved and then rolled causing me to lose my balance. Have you ever had that dreaded feeling like “O.M.G. I’m going down and it isn’t going to be pretty? Well I did and it wasn’t pretty. Yes my ass landed with a hard thump onto the wood, but then gravity decided my weight should be more distributed causing me to lie back as I landed and that in turn lead to my one hand grabbing at anything it could find to stop this impending doom. It turns out that gravity won. I was semi laying/sitting on these low planks of wood with my one hand submerged in the cold creek while my legs went upwards at a 90 degree angle and began flailing helplessly making my ass rock back and forth threating to send me ass over tea-kettle into the creek. We all know what tunnel vision is but I had tunnel hearing. I could hear low slow motion laughter and then a long pronounced MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM coming from my daughter. Her words were distorted but I heard her call out “grab my hand!” I never seen my life flash before me, but everything seemed to be going in slow motion as I struggled to lift my hand out of the creek while balancing on my tail bone with my feet in the air. It seemed like hours when in fact it was less than 30 seconds as my daughter rescued me from ending up laying in the creek with my feet in the air. There were more than a few chuckles as I gracefully sat back up and then “crawled” across the bridge to get to the other side. I cleared my throat stood up and faced everyone. I smiled and said, “Damn that was close” and turned and walked down the trail. An older gentleman off to the side smiled and winked at me and then said as he held out his hand carved walking stick “maybe I should make one for you?”  I politely smiled and replied “walk calmly and carry a big stick?” He laughed as I winked at him and continued on down the trail. There will definitely be NO MORE picture posing for me!

 

 

Happy Thanksgiving weekend to all my Canadian Blogger Friends

 

 

We Canadians celebrate our Thanksgiving Day on the second Monday in October. The tradition of Thanksgiving started here even before the Pilgrims started in Plymouth. During the earlier times, the Canadian farmers used to fill a curved goat's horn, known as the Horn of Plenty or Cornucopia with fruits and grain to thanks for their bountiful harvest.

In 1578, an English navigator named Martin Frobisher held a feast to give thanks for surviving his long journey. He was settled in Newfoundland and as the other settlers arrived they continued this tradition. Around 1750, the American settlers in Canada, continued to celebrate the day in Nova Scotia. Simultaneously, the French settlers started arriving in Canada with their explorer Samuel de Champlain and held a grand feast of Thanksgiving where the settlers even invited the Indians. The citizens of Halifax, also held a special day for Thanksgiving after the sever years of war ended in 1763.

The Canadian Parliament declared 6^th November in 1879 as the Thanksgiving Day and a national holiday. With time the date changed to the third Monday in October but ultimately in 1957 on January 31^st the parliament proclaimed second Monday in October will be held as the Thanksgiving Day.

Out with the old season in with a new one

 

 

Well, it has been a bit since I sat down and actually blogged, but here I am. I’m not sure what Mother Nature is trying to prove here, but she does not have a very good sense of humour. One day it is sweltering heat with the humidity up to 42 Celsius (107 Fahrenheit) and a few days later we are switching from the cool A/C to mumbling as we adjust the heat from the furnace. Maybe I’m just getting old and can’t take the cold mornings like I used to be able to, but damn, waking up to a house that is 12 Celsius (54 degrees Fahrenheit) is not fun. Even the dog had snuggled under the blankets with me to get warm. Actually I do love the fall season, in fact it’s my favourite season, but hells bells Mother Nature, let my body slowly adjust to the temperature changes before throwing hints of frost at me, besides fall doesn’t officially start until the 21^st.

The end of the summer fish fry went very well and damn it did taste good. This year instead of holding it at the house, we decided to go camping at the camp ground that was more like a summer home in the earlier years and invited the people out to the camp ground for the fish fry. What can I say? I was feeling nostalgic and wanted to relive my earlier years of Labour Day camping and fish fry. There was certainly enough fish, salad and fresh corn on the cob to go around with plenty enough for a second helping if you wanted. I did take a few walks down the trails with Bentley in the lead and wow, did my mind go back in time. It was refreshing to remember, but also kind of sad. Where the hell did the time go??

Over the course of the last few years I have worked in a few places, but nothing really seemed to fit me. I tried on a couple of positions as I went to work at a taxation place to becoming a tele- recruiter for the Heart and Stroke Foundation and a few odd jobs in between. I noticed I was slowly entering the position of a “Couch Potato”. This job requires no thinking skills and you definitely do not need experience as I was finding out. It’s a very “cushy” job and the pay really sucks, but the benefits were hard to decline. Where else can you sit all day curled up on the couch with your beverage of choice and wait with baited breath to watch Steve Wilkos throw chairs across the stage trying to intimidate the “guests” he INVITES onto his show. If you are not familiar with this Steve Wilkos, he was once employed by Jerry Springer as his body guard on the Jerry Springer show. He was the big burly baldheaded body guard (try and say THAT 3 times fast) that broke up the majority of fights. He also ran to Jerry’s aid a few times when Springer crossed the line and almost ended up squashed on the floor when certain interviewee’s lost their temper. I justified the “Couch Potato” position as trying to figure out who was more screwed up on the day time talk shows. Was it the interviewer or the interviewee? I have come to the realization that they all rate the same on the intelligent scale. That’s when I thought to myself O.M.G is this what my life has turned into? Waiting to see Steve Wilkos intimidate people by getting in their face and throwing chairs across the room?? I THINK NOT! So it was back to the real world and earning a living.

 I’m trying on another job position starting next week. This is a bit out of my comfort level but I passed the interview with flying colours so that must mean something. I’ll be working in a small rather popular shop as a “Sales Associate”. The manager is super nice and this place has to be my all-time favourite store, sorry Value Village, this store rated even better than you did. When asked by the manager why I wanted to work there I simply told her because I love the atmosphere of the small stores and boutiques over the hustle and bustle of the larger department stores. At first I thought this might have blown my chance at the job, but she smiled and said “that’s the best answer I have heard in a very long while. At that point I really felt this job was for me and I was very happy when 3 days later she called and said the job was mine if I wanted. Of course I want this job so come Tuesday I go in for a day of training and then Thursday I will be working on the floor! So all in all, my life is back on track. Accessing Steve Wilkos and his guests I.Q’s will be better left in someone else’s hand. I’m needed back in the real world now!

I'm checking another item off my Bucket List

I hope everyone has been enjoying what’s left of the summer of 2013. The weather has been so unpredictable, one week being damn chilly…almost fall like and then the next week the humidity is back with a vengeance. I have to admit I do love the cool nights since it has been very good for sleeping. The mornings are another story since one morning the house was registering 61F when I got up. I hate to admit it, but I was out the other day and I saw a few trees’ that have already started to turn colour at the very top. Autumn is my favorite time of year but August is way too soon to see signs of it, at least for me it is.

Well after months of saying that I was going to do it, and never going through with it, I have now completed another Bucket List Item. Yes, that’s right I finally did the zip lining and tree top canopy tour. After going down the first two zip lines with my heart almost falling out of my chest and landing with a rather huge thud on the platform at the other end I finally got my zip lining legs so to speak. The third zip line I attacked with more confidence than I knew I had and with a huge cry of excitement I cried out “holy hell that was freaking awesome!” as I landed on the platform. Simon the lead guide broke out in a fit of laughter but patted me on the back and told me I was a natural. Now I know he was inflating my ego but damn it felt good! There were a total of 8 zip lines, 2 suspension sky bridges, 14 tree topping canopy platforms and a 40-foot rappel. That was the scariest of all, lowering yourself down 40 feet of rope. I didn’t conquer my fear of heights and my legs almost gave out once I hit the ground, but I did it! My whole body was shaking but damn it I went outside my comfort zone to complete the one item on my bucket list that was holding me back! I can honestly say with all the confidence of the world…I AM WOMAN……HEAR ME ROAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!The course takes a total of 2.5 hours to complete and in my opinion well worth the money!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This coming weekend is just going to be a lazy one. I don’t have anything planned as of yet, but who knows what might arise. The next weekend I’ll be off camping for the long weekend. To me, that’s the perfect way to end of the summer of 2013!

Have a wonderful week ahead my fellow bloggers and keep smiling.

Just checking in

 I hope everyone is enjoying their summer. I know I am....and in fact a bucket list item of mine will be tackled on the 17th. I'll be sure to post about it as soon as it's completed!!!

Here are a few pictures that caught my eye.

Exploring on a Saturday

Saturday I traveled to Welland Ontario for a nice leisurely drive. It takes a little over an hour to get there, but it’s been eons since I had visited the city known for the ginormous boat locks of Welland Canal. It was hot and humid, but with the truck a/c blowing and music pumping the drive was a good one.

 

 

 





I have to admit once you get into the Niagara on the Lake the scenery is really nice. Traffic wasn’t too bad either so it really was a relaxing drive.

 



 

Once I had toured Welland, it was onto Niagara Falls and battling mega traffic. Once I got off Lundy’s Lane (the main tourist street) I was fine. It was then a long but easy drive towards the Butterfly Conservatory, then onto The Floral Clock and The Brock Monument Statue.

 

 

 

 

 

I sat in the park for a bit and then made my way to the boat launch on the Niagara River. There I sat until sunset just relaxing and watching the water. The peace and serenity was something I really needed to clear my mind.

 

 
 

 

 

I hope everyone had a great weekend and I wish everyone a good week ahead!!!