So Much Fun This Weekend

 

I had so much fun this past weekend. My dear friend Kelly came down from Barrie for a visit  It was my 33th wedding Anniversary, so my husband took Kelly and I out for dinner to a great Pizza place here in town called The Pizza factory. He also brought me a dozen roses. Saturday Kelly and I went to the Buckhorn Quilt Show which was fabulous. The show was excellent but they also had an exhibit from the Hoffman Challenge 2009. Those quilts and dolls were absolutely dazzling. Helen Fujiki was the featured Quilter there and her work is gorgeous. They also had a huge merchant for that little bit of retail therapy always needed when your at the show. 

I have so many more pictures, I will have to share them next time.

Heart Health

Today I am wearing a holter monitor. It is part of my cardiology work up. After this and one more test I go back to the Cardiologist to find out how the old ticker and pipes are fairing. It is really not obtrusive or uncomfortable and it is only for two days.

Now about the Cpap machine. I am very pleased with how well it is working. I must admit it does take some getting used to but it is worth it and when you think that your body and brain is being deprived of air, what choice do you have.  I sleep better through the night, I don't wake up as often and not nearly as many trips to the loo, in the night. I really do have more energy, however I still have to have a wee nap in the afternoon. That of course is just habit because if I am out in the afternoon,  I don't think about it at all.
Wednesday is my day guild meeting, after our summer break and I have looked at the program for the fall and see that Renske Helmuth is going to come and teach a two day class on Sashiko and Orchids. I am sooooo thrilled. 

 Here us a picture from her web site http://www.renskehelmuth.blogspot.com/
Her work is exquisite and she has won so many awards.

Today is Shadow's birthday she is seven. She got two new toys for her birthday and as an extra treat some Salmon in her dinner bowl. She is a love and so affectionate.

Shadow

A Sock, One down and one to go

Lately I have not done any been sewing by machine but have done some hand work and knitting.

Here is my "almost" first attempt at a sock. I did make one other pair a while ago but didn't get around to taking pictures of those.

I know the sock may look rather short but I am knitting them for my Mom for bed socks and she said that the last pair I made were a bit to long. Anyway this is my attempt at knitting on 3 needles. I think I will try knitting them on circular needles next. I am told it is easier.

I am still attending aquafit classes at the wellness centre and getting geared up for the return of Guild in another week or so.

I just received the Canadian Quilters Assoc. Newsletter Magazine with lots of info on the next Quilt Ontario, to be held in Ottawa next May. I am so looking forward to that I am pouring over the classes trying to decide what to pick as my first second and third choices for the classes.

I just picked up my SUV from the dealer today for a repair. It has been squeaking for the last 2-3 months and driving me crazy. First is was difficult for them to diagnose because it would never squeak when I took it into them. Next I had to wait almost two months for the brake part to come from Korea. It was finally fixed today, so I hope I don't have to take it back for while. I can tell you it has sure taken all the fun out of own a new vehicle.  

Sleepless in Peterborough

Hubby and I went for our Bi-annual Physical with the Doctor last week. She is such a lovely girl, we both like her very much but wish we didn't have to travel two hours to see her.

However, the doctor has sent me for a bunch of tests and one of them was a sleep test.

Oh What Fun!

You arrive at 8:30 and after donning your PJ's you sit in a waiting room full of strangers (they too are wearing their nightwear) and one by one you are called into another room to have electrodes cemented to your scalp (fun to pick out in the morning) and also on your legs and chest. After, you all emerge looking like Frankensteins, you are sent to your own rooms to sleep.

There is a tech who is positioned out in the hallway with a row of monitors in front of her and she can watch and listen to your sleeping (or most cases snoring) while watching the monitors for brain wave activity.
So about 2 in the morning after I had been asleep on and off about three or four times, My young tech enters my room and tells me that she has seen several episodes of sleep apnea so she is going to put a CPAP mask on me and see if it will help my sleep.  I slept soundly through the remainder of the night and at 5:30 am
they wake you to tell you it is time to get up and go home. Needless to say I slept most of the next day.

No this is not a picture of me but I am sure the facial mask is something similar to the one I had on my face. I will update you later.

On a Quilty note I treated myself to a copy of Electric Quilt 7, I have just loaded it and am starting the tutorials, so not much to tell you yet .

Fabulous Family Weekend

Mom and I spent the weekend with family. My mom had one brother who had very large family, nine children. They are mostly all married now with kids of there own and some of the kids are married and have kids of there own. You get the idea. It has now a huge family who get together a couple of time a year, usually, summer and Christmas. 

My cousin Rick lives in Fonthill, ON (near Welland). He owns a very successful business called The Country Corner Market. He sells top quality meat and makes pork and poultry sausages in huge variety of flavours. Rick is following a family tradition as our Grandfather and Rick's father were also butchers.

(Here is a picture of Rick (on the left) with one of his staff. On the left is an enlarged picture of our grandfathers store, called The New Center Meat Market, which was in Peterborough, ON many years ago) 

Needless to say the food at the family party was fabulous. Rick and his wife Robin prepared 2 humongous prime rib roasts on the bar-b-que, served with a huge pan of  sauteed mushrooms, mashed potatoes, a beef stock and Merlot reduction ( sumptuous) along with salads galore. Other members of the family brought their own specialty dishes, Terri her homemade Perogies and Trifle, Jane her salads and cheese spread, and on and on and on. There was food fun and family and it made for a wonderful weekend.

If you get down to the Welland, ON area please drop into Rick's store you won't be disappointed.

Heat Wave

Looks like we are having a heatwave. It has been blistering hot,  (high humidity) here for the last few days and it looks like we have a few more to come. Almost to hot to do anything outside. I've been staying cool inside fixing a pair of curtains.

My Nieces Engagement Party

Yesterday hubby and I went to an engagement for my niece. The weather was very warm but there were two large canvas covers up for shade and the house was conditioned. The food was great and there was so much of it.

However the cake my sister-in-law bought was awesome. Have a look.

  Here are the newly engaged, Andrea and Jim.

The Day After Canada Day

Yesterday that Mom and I went to the Multi-Cultural Canada celebrations. It was great. We had Thai food for lunch and Caribbean homemade ice cream (Coconut Mango). There was great entertainment from tots to adults with the sun shining and a lovely cool breeze off the lake. The festivities were started by three ladies who sang O Canada in English and Ojibwa.

 The next two pictures are of the lake (right next to the park) including the centennial fountain, and my Mom's beautiful smiling face.

As promised here is one picture of the crocheted baby blanket that I have finished.

Happy Canada Day / Completed Binding

Happy Canada Day !! to all and Happy Independence Day to our friends from the south. Today there will be a parade and a Multi-Cultural fair in the park, in which all of the multi-cultural groups get together. There is food from all countries and performances on stage by a number of groups. I am looking forward to enjoying this here in Peterborough for the first time. Mom and I are going and hubby is spending the day at home and watching the "games" on the tube.


I have completed the binding on a donation quilt. It one of the quilt that our guild makes  " Helping Hands", They make them to give to a number of groups. I also need to get a wiggle on making a few pillowcases to donate to a new local Women's shelter. This is something our evening guild wants to do and make a donation in the fall of all of the pillowcases that we have make over the summer.

I have also been doing some crocheting lately and I will have some picture of those for you next time.

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.