Betty - thank you. You just confirmed what my sister (Alice) just said "don't send the email, just wait it out". She's the middle of my 3 older sisters.
Making you hungry, am I? oh well!!........ LOL
What's Happening in your neck of the woods?
Y'all are making me WANT some kind of lighted outdoor display .. would think the deer might like it, as they would be the only ones seeing it besides us LoL
I was SO tempted to buy 2 Penguins at Crappy Tire the other day .. on sale no less .. I may have another boo tomorrow
Our neighbour to the east has gone BESERK with lawn ornaments etc .. .. her front gates have the lighted wreathes with snowmen perched on top .. here's hoping the gates don't close too quickly and cause the snowmen to fall and be crushed !!!
Susan .. I guess waiting is a good thing, you could use the premis that you were concerned the email was not rec'd?
I sent my letter to the CEO of Sears .. now I am feeling ... hmmmmmmmm .. I don;t know .. nervous, pensive, mean .. I am so NOT a HAWK !!!
Off to work a culinary miracle
~M~
Marilyn the Hawk...... hmmmmmm well, I think now and then that the look is good for you!! "Still waters run deep" they say.......
I'm glad you sent the letter - it's about time!!
"M" nothing says Christmas more than yards glowing with lights/light art and soft snow, I'll settle for that on Christmas Eve though and not before..At the liquidation nation just down the road from work I was browsing yesterday at lunch hour and notice they had one of the sound/light systems that plays Christmas tunes while making the lights flicker to the music, I have one, think I paid $150.00 and there were 2 at $50.00 each..if I knew my DIL would want one I'd pick it up..maybe I'll call Greg today and ask his thoughts on it..know they have some grumpy neighbors and they may complain big time..maybe I'll not create problems for them and leave them in the store..lol
OMG heavy rains all during the night and still going, might need a kayak to make my way to work..will leave early, drive slower as you never know if there is an icy patch somewhere.
Best I get ready, gab later
Love the rain, will take that over snow anyday. Those xmas tunes to lights are so annoying and am sure neighbours might not find it amusing every night
Good Morning, everyone - coffee's on, and I have some blueberry muffins for you!!
Some of those lights can be put on a timer you set up, right? Maybe you could play them like.... 1/2 hour 2x a night?
I play mine in December in the evenings at a level that the neighbors don't find it a problem, I make sure though I ask and tell them to please/please let me know if it does..of course the way I'm situated across from a field helps..
yes, I can see where that would be a "plus" LOL
SOMEONE let me in on the 'time management' secret !!! Lordie .. my days simply FLYyyyyyyyyyyy by .. and I am sure Esso, Shell and whoever else is SO happy I drive hither thither and yon !!
My Hospice client thinks it's quite novel, says he wishes he had been more of a 'dasher' .. LoL .. I asked him if he thought I resembled a reindeer !!!
Back to town for dental appts tomorrow, will stop and see if those lawn ornaments are still available at Cdn Tire.
I kinda think the deer might find them quite entertaining ^_^
Snow clouds are gathering in the west .. am thinking we could be in for anotherdusting (or more) of the white stuff ..
Off to throw another log into the woodstove.
~M~
Rain in Ottawa last night and early this morning, we are suppose to get snow on Sunday :-) Can we start seeing pics of people's xmas decorations on here please? Perhaps someone can start another thread on that
Mick
I don't have any decorations up yet.... my DH doesn't want to put lights up, and frankly I'm not in the mood yet - concentrating on sewing, and getting a job.......
Maybe later I'll get in the mood, but it just seems too early for me yet. I have all my sisters and brother with birthdays this month!! (Evelyn - 6th, Ruth - 20th, Alice - 22nd, Stan - 27th, and my ex on the 4th!!!)
More than welcome to put them on this thread, nice to see how friends have decorated..must wait until the weekend for mine..
That rain outside almost looks chunky..please keep the snow in your neck of the woods as I'm not ready yet..
Hope they have the lighted decorations "M" for you
Oh maybe we could start a new thread for our Canadian Xmas decorations!
When they happen! I do have journals on my Xmas decorations-inside and out from past years in my blog here.
I have a couple of dog beds and a wire crate in my bedroom. Bailey originally slept in the crate and then Fancy took it over but since she died it has been unused. I have not removed it because the surface is a handy place to put clothes ( and a nice place to put an antique quilt)! Last week when Montana came to visit I put his quilt in the crate and when we went up to bed tried to persuade him to go in and he would not. I got down to see what was wrong and guess who was in the crate! Jazz thats who! And he has been in the crate every day since then instead of on his bed in the bathroom or on my bed!
LOL sneaky Jazz! knew that Montana might go in it, eh?
I like the idea of a Christmas Decoration thread... it would put me in the mood, I think ^_^
I remember, Carol, that you had some humongous balls in your tree in the yard - very pretty and striking! I know your tree isn't an evergreen, so it really "punched it up" to have colour there, instead of grey branches.
As usual, you're all busy with great things, and I'm just stewing because I reparged the basement wall - or had it done, rather, but part of it didn't stick, so I have to knock all that off again. Cement dust everywhere!! Need to get this finished so I can get a cleaning crew in here before Christmas. I tried cleaning up myself, but unless you can get the whole house done in a few hours the dust is so fine it just seems to move away from you and settle somewhere else. I've HEPA vacuumed and am washing every stick of fabric in the house. What a chore!
Welcome Mick.
A while back someone was talking about freezing meals, and when I was raising my kids, working full-time and going to school, I always had a freezer full. Was really the only way to cope and get decent nutrition. Every Sunday I'd make a huge pot of something - thick soup, stew, spaghetti sauce with meat , and stick at least 4 meals for all of us in the freezer plus have a good dinner that night. Soon you've got a build up of stuff you can pull out for those days when you need the time for other things than cooking.
These days I have continued the practice. Hallelujah for slow-cookers!! Makes it so much easier to have an interesting meal when you're living alone as cooking for one can be boring and expensive. I've currently got chicken with rice, beef stew, peaches and spaghetti sauce in the freezer
Hope all the pups are doing well and that the Smurfette continues to thrive.
Marilynne, I hope you did send that letter, and I too wonder why you didn't send the laundry pair back and get them somewhere else. Sears appliances used to be so good, and I bought all mine there, until I got a stove where the touch panel for all the settings kept breaking down. Each replacement panel was about half the cost of the stove, and I've had 5 so far. Sears refused any compensation, replacement or and though the problem seems to be finally solved, I'm SO p.o.'d that I'll never buy there again.
We've had frost every night for a while now, but the nasturtiums in boxes on the porch rail and the little pink flowers in the pot on the steps are all still blooming, and I intend to leave them until they wilt.
All you out west - keep warm and safe. I've heard that it's pretty bad in some areas.
Hiya Crone - LTNS! Yeah, it's pretty socked in with snow here in Calgary..... about 6" I guess.
Yes - rain here. Maybe not so bad today. Looks like the balmy weather is gone. Our Christmas lights are up but won't be turned on until Advent.
Want to share this .. too important NOT to ..
Enjoy
_________________________________________________________
Friendship means knowing when to hold 'em … and when to walk away
By Rosally Saltsman
The art of re-connecting
The other night, while driving back with neighbors from a celebration, the conversation in the car turned to the bar mitzvah the couple will soon be hosting at a hotel. Extended family and closest friends will be invited. I am grateful to be counted among the latter. But, the mother lamented, many of these friends are no longer on good terms with each other. The situation, she said, is like having members of your own family not talking to each other.
About twenty-five years ago, and for the better part of a decade, we were all part of a group of friends not unlike those in television sitcoms. We got together as a group and shared our plans, our dreams and our free time. In time we married, had children. As we shared the milestones of our growing up, we also grew apart as each of us faced our own challenges, grew, changed, moved away and got caught up in the triumphs and vicissitudes of life; many of which we shared with each other but many of which we couldn't.
Now, about to celebrate a milestone in their own lives, my neighbors are faced with trying to get these disparate people together to share a Sabbath and sing in harmony the way we used to. The truth is though, we are all singing our own life songs in altogether different keys.
But since we begin the month of reckoning and forgiveness, of self-examination and rectification, I would like to offer the opinion that all that has happened is not a bad thing. And not all is lost.
Firstly, all life is a process of growth which necessitates change and a parting of ways at its crossroads. The fact that we don't all walk the same path anymore only illustrates that we have made different choices not rejected our former friends. Everyone has to forge their own path in life and that means giving up older ones. We have not rejected our old lives, only embraced other initiatives.
Many times we go through our own pains and problems and that makes us be insensitive to others. It doesn't even have anything to do with them. On a recent visit to some old friends out of town, a friend told me that his daughter had been offended by me a few visits previously. Apparently she had come to hug me after not seeing me for a few years and I had shrunk back without being aware of it. When he told me this, I had cried, not only because I had insulted her, when no insult had been intended. I was happy to see her and perhaps not ready for her effusive greeting, but because I had obviously become so skittish as a result of being hurt by others that I recoiled at a true show of affection. I didn't mean to hurt her but it was an unconscious defense mechanism. While I mourn the loss of my ingenuousness, it had absolutely nothing at all to do with my desire for closeness with her.
When others hurt us, it is usually a manifestation of their own pain. People are generally not malicious, they are vulnerable and most insensitivity comes out of their own vulnerability and our misunderstanding of it. Do you really think your friends want to hurt you? Of course not. A moment of insensitivity is usually the result of a moment of inattentiveness. What cements the rift however, is the person then not taking pains to alleviate the hurt. Sometimes this is because they don't realize it because the person hasn't told them and often when they finally do, too much time has elapsed to allow the person to extricate themselves graciously from the gaff.
Another thing is that people generally want to be good. When we are different from them, often their only way of acknowledging their basic goodness is to attack our version of what is right to justify their behavior and beliefs. All fights and arguments about existential truth is the result of our wanting to do what's right and having others' beliefs and opinions threaten that. Many of us are not good at live and let live. I happen to be one of those people.
In our fight for the right, some of our friends become casualties. We must always be careful to differentiate between the other person who is our brother or sister and their value system which we don't accept. We can be true to ourselves while disagreeing with others. Also, many times our concern with the way others live their lives and truths is true concern. We don't want others to agree with us out of a selfish desire to control them but because we really truly want what's best for them. Think of your parents.
A couple of months ago, I reconnected with an old friend. I had been hurt when she had chosen to stop being in touch but by her own admission this wasn't deliberate. It just happened because she was involved with her own life, and I was admittedly with mine. Now that we have reconnected we are closer than ever and moreover what we have experienced separately over the years is enriching the relationship and making our contribution to each other's lives that much more valuable. Some relationships require us to detour away from one another only to help guide each other on our paths once we have returned. We don't ultimately part from one other until we have left the confines of this world. Relationships don't actually end they become redefined.
I don't believe that any act of reconciliation is going to make us best of friends when we reconnoiter at our friend's bar mitzvah. I do believe with a hundred percent certainty that we are going to be civil to one another and friendly even and draw on our once mutual affection to get along at least for the sake of our friends. I further believe without a doubt that we will be sharing something more important than mutual history or memories. We will be sharing the unmitigated joy of our friends' simchas and naches and we will all be under the umbrella of the love that they extended to us in inviting us to celebrate with them. Whatever storms may have raged between us, we will be sheltered from them for one weekend. And we will serve as each other's umbrellas.
In this month of introspection and retrospection, let us be grateful for the people who have shared our pasts even if they are not the most salient part of our present. I have reason to be grateful to everyone of those aforementioned if erstwhile friends because each one has shared with me a joyous time, a momentous occasion and supported me in a difficult one in ways that only your close friends can.
In this journey that we take we are each other's companions, guides and guards and when we part ways we can do so even in the most inconstant of circumstances with a wish for peace and that when our paths cross again, we acknowledge each other with a warm smile of recognition and humility not one of loss and bitterness. The road is both too short and too long to carry a grudge along with us.
As always, I hope that those with whose lives I've intersected this past year will forgive me any unintentional (or in a moment of weakness intentional) slight or indiscretion; That we will all be blessed with the best in the coming year and that as we ready ourselves spiritually emotionally and physically for the days of judgment, awe and hope, that we are blessed with peace among the nations, within ourselves and most, most importantly with one another.
K .. the above done .. if we are voting on a Xmas Dec forum .. I am totally saying 'WOO HOO' fer sure ...
I am not much at doing lots of decorating .. have a few old standbys passed down from my Mom that I do put out, but, we have pretty much 'downsized, from the gigantic tree and tons of ornamentation. Am enjoying the 2 'fiber optic trees' we have, no lights to string, just plug'em in, and, voila, XMAS TREE ^_^
~M~
~M~ - that is a beautiful message, and rings home for me. Unfortunately I don't have a group, or even one friend, from growing up - they were simply school friends and that was IT. I've often envied people who grew up together through "thick & thin" but I never had that......
Beautiful post "M", will certainly share it..
Rang a bell big time in many instances....
Here's a little taste of Christmas (I took these pics at work)
Tropical Combos
A customer order in prep.
Here's a pic of how big the 12" are
You work in a greenhouse Joanna? must be a wonderful way to put in a day..lovely..
I go running the back concessions on Saturday cutting greenery but will go to the big Garden Gallery greenhouse to purchase different types that I'm unable to cut..maybe tomorrow aft. as I get off early I'll take a run over...much the size as what you've shown in the photo..my downfall is they've about 8 rooms fully decorated christmas items which are also for sale...yikes, hide the wallet..thanks for sharring
Must be bigger than 12" for sure..want some...bit early for me though as they surely would be dead by Christmas..usually buy my real ones lets see, ah yes, Christmas Eve...
Few snowflakes falling, you didn't send me snow did you..
Yes, I work at a wholesale grower. We do spring annuals & poinsettias.
The 12" is in relation to pot size. The plant is well over 2 feet
Well, still snowing here. I am working(sorta) from home today. I have a bit of a mess outside since I didn't get my yard clean up done. Hopefully it warms up next week so I can put things away.
Poinsettia Care
Light - Place it near a sunny window. South, east or west facing windows are preferable to a north facing window. Poinsettias are tropical plants and will appreciate as much direct sunlight as you can provide.
Heat - To keep the poinsettia in bloom as long as possible, maintain a temperature of 65 to 70° F or 18 - 21°C during the day. Dropping the temperature to about 60°F or 16°C at night will not hurt the plant and will add to the life of the plant (keeps the colours brighter). However, cold drafts or allowing the leaves to touch a cold window can injure the leaves and cause premature leaf drop. Also, do not place near a heating vent (warm draft).
Water - Water the plant whenever the surface feels dry to the touch. Water until it drains out the bottom, but don’t let the plant sit in water (inside the decorative pot cover). Wilting is another common cause of leaf drop.
Humidity - Lack of humidity during dry seasons, in particular winter, is an ongoing houseplant problem. If your home tends to be dry and your poinsettia is in direct light, you will find yourself watering frequently. Check soil moisture before watering.
Well thank you, think I did some of the 'not to' no wonder the poor things didn't survive..going to print your instructions and put near the plant..
Holly wow, that's a lot of snow so early in the season..
Drats, called this morning a kayak store, said they had the micro camper stove my son wanted for Christmas, talked about it, asked them to put one at the counter so I could run in and purchase it while on my lunch, said ok. asked if I wanted fuel to go with it, said yes..get there, and she says, I'm terribly sorry there has been a recall on the Optinum and highly unlikely we'll have them back for Christmas..so there goes that idea!
M, enjoyed your reflections.....
Joanne, I am jealous of where you can spend some of your winter!
Ok now with the snow falling here I am feeling more like Christmas and someone better warn my Cedars that I will be out with the pruners soon, Ha Ha Ha
Ann
Thanks Marilyn! - I do a morning email at work everyday, a joke, a poem, anything that strikes my fancy - I will certainly share this.
Oh Joanna, how wonderful to be working in a greenhouse, but look at the snow you see when you get out.
Lots of rain in NB but flurries forecast for the weekend.
I don't do Christmas decorations but it is wreaths in NB. Lots of businesses making them, you can make at the factory or in your own home. They are all made from Balsalm Fir, people go to the wood to gather the fir, called tipping because you only take the tips off the branches (maybe 12" - 14"). The factory buys the tips from people, there is a way to stack them on a pole so you can carry them. The factories usually pay around 23 - 25 cents a pound for them or you gather your own and do the wreathes at home, factories supply you with wire and rings to tie the wreathes then paid between $3 -$4 for the finished product depending on the size you make. They would pay less at the factories as you would be using their tips. Big business at this time of the year and good way to make some extra money. This paid for Christmas for me for many years when the kids where growing up. Used to tie 1000 every year. Hard work though, hard on the hands, long hours picking the tips during the day and tying wreaths half the night. Season lasts for about a month. Used to tie them in the basement - what a wonderful smell in the house!
Yikes My hands are aching just thinking about the abuse and I can imagine the scent in the air..... Maybe I need more than the Cedars, Hmmmmmm.
Ann
You want Christmas smells in the air: Here's a recipe for you.....
Noel Smells
4 c water
2 Tbsp ginger powder
1 Tbsp allspice
4 cinnamon sticks or 1/2 c cinnamon
10-12 whole cloves
Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer. Add water as necessary.
I have a cast iron tea pot on the top of the woodstove, I usually have whole cloves in it along with water and cinnamon sticks, hadn't thought of adding ginger and allspice ..
Have done lemon and orange peels .. that was nice .. thing is .. the woodstove has to be rip roaring to get the teapot hot and working .. usually January .. but .. the house usually does smell 'clovey' .. luv it.
On the look out for a handmade wreath .. sometimes one of the local high schools will have them .. i COULD go outside and cut branches, but, after that, I;d be lost !!! Besides .. my hands are not what they used to be for strength ..
SNOWED here again, but, it's mild .. please, please MELT LoL
TGIF
~M~
Had bit of a storm heading home last night, you know the type that flakes comes towards you and you feel you have to dodge them and can't see a thing? by this morning the ground is covered in my neck of the woods but likely will not stay..
OMG, tie'ing about 1,000, your poor hands..think in order to get the house smelling nicely I'd purchase pine spray, no I wouldn't..lol..do the same..when I was at the Christmas store in Buffalo a few weeks ago I purchased bags of Christmas smells, empty into pot of water and the entire house smells lovely BUT, no can find so alternative will be to do Susan's recipe.. The native center is teaching wreath making next weekend in Midland but I've already signed up for a workshop to make jewelery so no can go..DIL makes stringers of cedar for her place, beautiful, keep asking for her to make some for me but she's always on the go and doesn't have a lot of extra time, maybe I'll find some somewhere..
Keep watching the clock, have a few things to do when I leave at 3:00 like go to the Garden Gallery and pick up unusual greenery to put with the ones I'll pick tomorrow, fabric shop, wool shop (started the snowmobile dickies with deer hide on front for the grandchildren) and then homeward bound..
Between sewing I'll take boxes out of storage and start setting things out..just too excited about that..
I have some spray I bought at a candle party - "Merry Cranberry" and have had it for 3 years, and only remembered to use it One year LOL Now that I've remembered it this year, I guess I'll have to spray it.
Y'know...... Christmas has always been my fav time of year - the snow blankets the earth and makes everything peaceful and quiet, people seem to slow down (except in the houses where they go Wild with preparations) and it's generally a gentler time of year (from my perspective anyway - IMHO). We'll be having a Blue Christmas on Dec 19th which is a service for those who are remembering those who have passed on and also those who may not have anyone to spend Christmas with...... I don't know if it's because there aren't that many in our community without someone, or if they're just too depressed about it to come, but I hope it's the first option.......
I'm part of a committee that's making a Newsletter for the church (3 of us) and I'm trying to format it so it's from a legal sized page, folded in 1/2 and then it would show pages 1, 2, 3, 4. I guess the only way I'm going to be able to print it is to do 2 columns (4 & 1 on the 1st page, and 2 & 3 as the 2nd page so it prints properly. For some reason it's not printing correctly and the back prints upside down.......... ah well, I'll just do it in 2 passes....... gotta get busy on it this weekend after I finish with the Poinsettia Tea tomorrow......
How in the world Susan do you think you can go to work? Not enough hours in the day as it is now for you to do all you have to do..good luck on the Newsletter, as Recreation Co-ordinator for so many years I had to do a monthly one and lordy it took much of my time and $$ resources..
Betty - I'm filling my time with this stuff, otherwise I may not leave the house.... I spoke to a friend about that - how I've asked people over for coffee (told 'em to call and drop in - I'd love the company) but I don't think they believed me. So I sit at home by myself and dwell on stuff......
I also feel that if I get stuff done now, for the church, I won't feel so bad when I don't have time for it later (when I'm working).
To be honest, I only have my DH and the church IRL, otherwise, you're IT - all my online friends........ Everyone one else IRL is either in Winnipeg, or my cousin and her DH in Calgary and they never communicate with me except her sending me emails......
I'm feeling better now for having spoken to my church friend, and she invited me to a card party today - had to beg off cuz of the preparation for tomorrow's Tea and the fact I don't have $3 in my pocket. Not to say I don't have it, just not here!
Certainly Susan keeping busy is the answer, to find oneself in the grasps of depression (not saying you are) but know I easily find myself there if I do nothing, start feeling sorry for myself, so keep busy, sometimes to busy but I'm blessed with great friends on-line and off-line so rarely have time to go visit that darkness...
The work you are doing is wonderful..