B12

I got a call from my doctor the other day that my B12 was really low and I am to take 1000mcg each now.

I went to the drugstore and the pharmacist recommended Jamieson's. Has anyone had any experience with B12 deficiency .

My Birthday Pie

Here is a picture of the luscious strawberry pie my Mom made me for my birthday. I prepared the remainder of the meal, which consisted of  Filet Mignon, Lobster tails, Garlic Shrimp, Mushrooms, Caesar Salad and rolls. Oh and the pie was topped with whipped creammmmmmmmmmmmmm!

They Say It's Your Birthday!!!

Yes, yesterday was my birthday. I am officially a senior, 55. Although my Mom says I am not a senior until I start to collect old age pension so on that basis I guess I have a another 10 years to go. As of tomorrow I will be officially retired from work. I have been using up banked vacation for some time now because I had to wait until my birthday, well now that I am 55 I can retire.

My birthday was a lovely quiet day. It was miserable weather, damp rainy and muggy all day. So we went to the farmers market in the morning and got a few fresh things and then came home and had a lazy afternoon reading and dozing.  In the afternoon I received a lovely bouquet of flowers and gift from my dear friend Kelly. Hubby bought me a new laptop and my mother got me a bunch of new tops, towels and a few other little trinkets. I am really am so lucky and spoiled.

Mom took Hubby and I out for dinner because she said I should not have to cook on my birthday. We went to a very nice restaurant and had a real feast. Mom and I shared baked brie with toasted almonds served with fresh fruit and baguette. I had Chicken Alfredo with fresh spring veggies, and for desert New York Cheesecake with Pecans and warm Caramel Jack Daniels sauce. It was all luscious.  

I think I have told you about our dog Shadow and how she likes to rest her head on anything well here is her latest pose, "I am resting my head on the foot stool" photo. I know I am her mother but isn't she adorable.

Kelly was down to visit me a couple of weeks ago and we had a great time.She brought 2 Elly Sienkiewicz DVD and we watched both of them while we stitched.

I am still working on getting the house sorted and somehow I cam barely bring myself to sew anything lately but I have loads of idea's. I am reading the new Jennifer Chiaverini book, The Aloha Quilt. So far not bad.

Best Friend is coming to Visit

Lots of things going  on in the last few weeks. Both of my quilt groups finished for the Summer. At Kawartha Quiltmakers we had a lovely catered lunch. All of the table were covered with lovely dresden plate table toppers and pretty floral centrepieces. Our lunch was sliced turkey and ham. salads fresh fruit and an amazing assortment of pies.

Trent Evening quilters had a fabulous evening Pot Luck which was great. I have never seen such an array of lovely home made foods. I have even picked up a few recipes for things to try.

I have been busy helping Mom with the gardening and we have had the remaining "dirt" covered with sod and It has been marathon of keeping the sprinkler on the grass. However it is looking very green around here, so we must be doing something right.

This weekend I am so looking forward to my dear friend Kelly who is going to come to me for a visit. I have to plan my menus and and clean house etc.

I have one final picture for you, the front of our house. The picture is a couple of years old but the front hasn't changed at all. 

 
I can't promise but I will try to keep my blog a little more current.

Finally at Long Last

With the exception of my sewing room/ office my home is mostly complete and I have some photos for you. All except for the outside of the house and Hubby's Sports Den. I guess because it is not my room I didn't think to take any pictures. Next time I'll get those pictures.

The original house had four bedrooms. We knocked down the wall of  the forth bedroom and turn it into a dining room which overlooks the kitchen. Boy does it sure open up the house.

Dining Room

Living Room from Upstairs Hall

Sewing/Office Mess

Our Wedding Photo in the Dining Room

Shadow hanging out in the hall

Master Bedroom

Living Room Oversize fireplace I could not talk Hubby out of

Living Room my chair

Hubby's Chair Living room

Spare Bedroom

Living Room

Kitchen directly below the Dining Room

Looking down on the Kitchen from Dining Room

Dining Room

View from Kitchen, Dining and Spare Bedroom

Helen Fujiki

Helen Fujiki, came to speak at our guild meeting yesterday and her quilts were breathtaking. Please go to her web site to see more of her quilts.

I saw her work at Quilt Canada in St. John's NF and  she won an award . Her husband is Japanese and she has made two trips. She has her own distinct style.

 

Caught the young man

Just an update that the police arrested a 14 year old for starting the fire. He is being held without bail for another couple of weeks before another hearing. I am sure that he must have used gasoline or something like that  because the flames were spectacularly high.

It sounds at thought they are planning to rebuild/repair the bridge, but it sure has cause a lot of extra work and inconvenience for a lot of people.

Big Fire Behind our House

There is a small old wooden bridge about 5 houses up the street and behind our house. It gives people access to about 80 homes which we call "The Point". About 4:30 this afternoon there was a huge fire it appears that someone may have set a fire and the bridge was up in flames in a matter of minutes. 
By the time I got there most of the flames were out, but fire and police will be here investigating overnight.

I am so Mad at myself!!!

As you know I have just moved to town a couple of months ago. Last month I attended my first "new" Quilt Guild meeting and was so looking forward to this months. I had organized myself for tomorrow, packed my lunch to stay after the meeting sew for the afternoon, got my library books organized etc. Thinking that meeting was thursday.

What did I do you say.................!

The meeting was today and I got the day wrong. !

I am so mad at myself I could scream. On the up side hubby and I have begun attending the Wellness centre so while I was should have been at the meeitng I was attending an Aquafit class.Grrrrrrrrr.

OH I FORGOT TO TELL YOU ABOUT SHADOW! Last week we took her to Doggy Daycare. When we went to get her they told us every time she tried to pee she would cry. So we stopped on the way home at the Vet's and was told to get a sample and bring her back at 4 pm. Don't think that isn't fun following your dog around with a tin foil pie plate trying to place it under quick when she squats. But Halleluah I got one. Vet said the PH level in her urine was quite high so we had to change her to distilled water and a course of antibiotics and then follow up with them. So far the worst thing has been trying to get the pills into her.   

Has anyone had a similar experience?

New Car? or Truck

Hubby and I are having an small battle he is calling it a car and I am calling it a truck, either way we both love it. We traded my little red Accent on this nice new Kia Sportage.

It beautiful black with tan leather interior, moonroof, cruise, air etc, etc, etc. I am busy making backseat covers for it so that the dog can ride in style and comfort without putting her nails through my nice upholstery.

I attended the Trent Quilters Evening group last thursday and really enjoyed it. Special thanks to Trish who emailed me to tell me about it and then nicely met me and introduced herself  to me at the meeting. It sure made me feel more welcome. What a great group of ladies and one gentleman.

My Bedroom and other Stuff

Did you think I was ever coming back......... I think I have mentioned that I am a procrastinator. Well in the last few days I have finally pulled my finger out and got one of the rooms in our new home completed.  My husband says that in terms of the bedroom we moved from the a bowling alley to a single lane. The room is very small but here it is redone. First the room was painted pale grey. I recovered our  headboard  using a black and white print that was purchased for a quilt back. Then I made a pillow cover  by wrapping a pillow form with the remainder of  the fabric and using and old brooch to close it.  On our new small window, I hung white sheers on an black rod and as you can see my darling sweet Shadow has her own little bed right next to ours. Lest you think she is stuck in a very cramped space, Shadow loves to be in a small space and especially in the dark. I am surprised that she let me take her picture with the light on. Once she is in her bed the lights must be out.   The "Dream" Script, stick on was something I picked up at Walmart and I love it. I will add a small one over Shadows bed.  

The group of "art" on the wall of our bedroom is a combination of a number of things that I had, all of them handmade.  In the upper left is a doll face brooch that handmade. Each person who attended Quilt Canada in Ottawa received a different doll at the gala dinner. Each one is a beautiful work of art and worthy of framing. Below that is a small silk ribbon piece that I made. Below that is a very old floral picture made of shells on black velvet. The middle picture is a cross stitch done by my great grandmother, and the two cross stitches to the right were done by me. 

The quilt below is not one that I can take credit for, but it is a donation quilt that my new guild makes. I took it home last month to put on the label and binding which I have done and have prepared it to return at our next guild meeting . I attend a small quilt show on the weekend with my neighbour Lori. It was put on by the Trent Quilters which is an evening group. They have a meeting this week in the evening that I may attend. We also bought a new car this past week and are piking it up on Thursday. However I think that I will keep that news until next Blog. 

 

First Guild meeting - Kawartha Quiltmakers

I went to my first "new" guild meeting last week and really enjoyed it. It is a very large guild. Well over 100 members. I jumped in with both feet and volunteered to be on the executive as a "greeter". I thought that sounded like a job that wouldn't require to much, while it would give me a chance to meet some new people.

I would like to say that my house is all in order and there is nothing left to do but sit back and enjoy my retirement. But alas that is not to be. I am the worlds biggest procrastinator. I will find almost any excuse to do something else, other than hang curtains or put away clutter.

Having said that we are getting there slowly. I spent yesterday reorganizing my linen closet, and sent Hubby down to the Humane Society with a load of old towels and blankets.

My sewing room is coming along, good thing too because there is still no sewing happening. I bought a new computer table and I want to have the thing put together before the end of the weekend.

It was on sale and although I have put it together it is just the right size for my tiny sewing room. Hubby has no patience for putting together so I am sure that my Mom will have to help.

I have done very little sewing lately however I have been listening to Jennifer Chiaverini's, The Lost Quilter.

Hubby like to watch hockey at night so I have been sitting with him and crocheting while listening to my book. It is wonderful being so close to my Mom, but I do miss my friends in Barrie.

Well I am going to read some blogs now perhaps that will get me in the mood to sew or decorate this place.
 

Up to my Nose in Boxes

I has been a busy few week and yes I did find my Camera.

In this first shot, my sewing has not been unpacked. In the second picture it has! Notice the subtle difference. Yes I see it is still a mess but I need everything out of the boxes so that I can see what needs to go where.

I only have one bit of advise to give on moving give away or sell everything you possibly can let go of beofre you move and once you have it all pared down, give away another 50% because you still have too much.

You can see that I have my priorities straight I have the TV hooked in my room so I can watch Olympics while I unpack.

Hubby took Mom and I out for Valentines day dinner at a lovely steak house. It is Hobarts in Peterborough,  Mom and I shared the Sweetheart special.

You shared an appetizer (bacon wrapped scallops) and a desert (Baileys Creme Brulee) and we each had an entree mine was steak and Lobster tail and Mom has steak and shrimp. Then we shared our lobster and shrimp. It also came with a lovely salad and oddles of veggies, mushrooms and a twice baked potato.

The meal was luscious and after each of us was presented with a rose. What a delightful evening.

Then we came home to watch Canada win there first Gold Medal of the Olympic games.

I'll be back when I can see the bottom of another couple of boxes.

The Move is Over

My post here will be short and sweet. The move is over and it went well but now comes the fun part of the putting away and finding places for all of those things that I didn't have room for in a larger house. I now have less room for in my new place. In the move my Camera went MIA, no doubt lurking in a box. 

McWilliams are the worlds best Movers, I highly recommend them. Perhaps

I will have my boxes unpacked, find the camera, hook up my computer (I am using Mom's) by next week and my next post.

Visit with Kelly

Kelly came over yesterday later on in the afternoon. We had a nice visit, surfed the web checking out our favorite blogs and adding yet more projects to an ever growing list of, "I'd like to try that". We ordered a pizza amidst the mess of boxes, and proceeded to enjoy.
After supper we sat and stitched ( isn't it relaxing, the gentle movement of the needle sliding in and out of the fabric in even stitches) Well! theoretically anyway.
Once we had more room in our tummies Kelly whipped open a box of Apple Blossoms, which we baked and served with whipped cream. Yum !!
We always have fun together. I sure will miss our regular visits.
I will be to busy too blog for a few days during the move but will be back as soon as possible with more stories.
 

My Goodbye Party

My kindred group "Friends In Stitches" had a party for me this past Saturday. We had a lovely pot luck lunch and then we sat down in Margarets lovely Living room  and I was presented with Large Gift Bag of Presents. Many of them were hand made and all of them were beautiful and just perfect. I can not thank the my friends enough.

 My BFF, Kelly gave me a handmade "Biscornu" pincushion. We are so alike. I laughed when I opened it because I had wanted to make one for her for Christmas but never got to it.

Brenda gave me this lovely handmade bag in a sewing motif.

Sandra gave me this pretty Pashmina and a Clover Bobbin keeper, one that will get lots of use.

Margaret gave this beautiful handmade sewing box adorned with her lovely wired ribbon flowers.

Elizabeth gave me this exquisite handmade Picture, wall hanging made of silk, entitled "Going Home".

It is a true art quilt and will cherish it and treat it like the original piece of  Art that it is.   

We had a fabulous day, the food was great. The chat was fun and the gifts were "Over the Top" but mainly the friendship was irreplaceable.

Here we all are in very stages in FUN.