A little of this; a little of that...

Cooked a really yummy dinner today. Had company for dinner after church. Baked pork loin chops in mushroom and onion sauce,garlic mashed potatoes, green beans seasoned with onion bits and chopped red peppers, carrot and turnip strips glazed with maple syrup and orange marmalade. Oh yeah and hot flaky rolls and cherry almond coffee cake with fresh whipped cream. I meant to take a few pics, but got busy with trying to make sure everything was piping hot at the same time...this is the best I could do...after the fact.

I made a few fabric purchases

I also purchased this 12" square piece of fabric. It was so cute and I couldn't resist.

 One never knows when one might need a small piece of Norman Rockwell fabric. 

Have added a few new books to my library. One was a birthday gift, one was a friendship/thank you gift, and one was in my goody bag at retreat. Some lovely patterns in them...I am going to have to concentrate on finishing my huge UFO pile so I can move on to a couple new projects!

Another friend was out shopping and happened across this little item and thought of me immediately. She said it looked like it belonged on my computer desk. I wonder why...

While our son was home last month he introduced us to Netflix. It is an on-line movie library. The first month is free and $7.99 each month afterwards. Lots and lots of movies to watch, all separated by genre. Mr O and I do not have television and occasionally rent movies, but that can be quite pricey. Netflix is a far better deal for us.

Saturday night I sat back in my comfy chair with my knitting and watched a couple of old classics. "Yours Mine and Ours" starring Lucille Ball and Henry Fonda; and this one...do you recognize these scenes?

Take a guess... and I'll let you know the name of the movie on my next post...

I am told we have another batch of snow coming tonight/tomorrow. I don't know about you, but I think we have enough in our neighbourhood. These shots were taken AFTER the snowplow and blower were by to cut down the banks in anticipation of this weekends storm.

Good thing they cut down the banks eh?

Ponder this for awhile...

Where does the white go when the snow melts?

Whirrr and B-rrr (warning* long post!)

I know you hear it all the time, but really...where do the days go? It seems like one day you are booking a date for a retreat and Wh-irrr! ...now it history!
It was a good weekend though. We had another big storm
( B-rrr) but all were safe and cozy in the retreat center so all was well.

Even though it is a good bit of work and planning, the ladies are all so appreciative and such good sports, it really is a pleasure to plan.


The last couple of years we have sort of decided on a theme and planned around that. You might remember I posted here  that we had a "Green" theme last year, with recycling being a big part of our demos.


This year we were inspired by our "Easy" buttons to have a "That was Easy" retreat. All of the demos, and make and takes were very simple but clever ideas.


We did fat quarter aprons...super easy! These babies do up in no time and they are reversible!
http://stashmanicure.blogspot.com/2010/07/210-apron-tutorial.html


Here's mine...

I made another one at retreat that you will catch a glimpse of in a later photo. Makes a great gift by itself or paired up with a cookbook.

We did sausage pillow cases...also super easy!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLnrC9yo8tY

We made ridiculously easy sewing machine covers.

http://www.marthastewart.com/article/sewing-machine-cover

Here's mine gussied up with a few cast off doilies. (We provided each of the ladies with a basic kit to make their own)

We also showed another easy tea towel project.

http://www.marthastewart.com/article/gadget-travel-tote

you will see that in a group pic later as well.

We demoed quick and easy tv table ironing boards.

http://www.ohfransson.com/oh_fransson/2010/01/a-woman-a-plan-an-inexpensive-tv-tray-new-pressing-board.html

Some of you may have odd sized ironing boards, like the little travel ones or the big wide boards. It isn't so easy to find new ironing board covers for those sizes, but we gave a demo for making an easy replacement version.

http://thecozyquilter.blogspot.com/2010/11/job-i-have-been-avoiding.html

http://u-handbag.typepad.com/uhandblog/2008/01/super-easy-iron.html

Some super easy wall art for your sewing space and beyond.

http://team-t-adventures.blogspot.com/2009/08/simple-cute-wall-art.html

A charm pack table topper with ric-rac (each gal received a spool of ric-rac in her goody bag)

http://www.aquiltinglife.com/2009/03/charm-pack-table-topper.html

We also demoed a super easy way to sew charm squares in straight rows and with 3 strategically placed cuts and a little shuffle, end up with a quilt on point!

http://lynbrown.com/?p=721

I asked my friend if she minded me taking her pic and she jokingly (I think) said "yes she minded" so I sort of cropped her out, but you can see what she was demonstrating to us.

We had our regular Friday night Bingo...

...you buy your cards with a spool of 100% cotton thread and yup, you guessed it, the prize is a basket of thread. 

At one point we used to pay with fat quarters, but have since changed it to thread and that seems to be a big hit. I mean what quilter wouldn't want to win a basket of cotton thread? We play for one line and the winner gets 20 spools of thread; then we continue on the same card to get the outside border of the card for I think 30 spools, and then continue further for a full card and the winner gets about 80 spools.  I may have the numbers wrong, but you get the idea. It is always a lot of fun and it is self funded, so a great hit with the planners as well as the retreaters.

Even with all that going on I still had time to work on my own quilted project

It's amazing what you can pack into a weekend with just a little bit of time a some extra caffein!

You know you are drinking too much coffee when you can thread a sewing machine while it's running!

Sieze the day!

I read a quote in an old Home Companion magazine the other day and it stopped me dead in my tracks. "If only we knew when a magical moment was taking place for the last time...we rarely ever know until we look back...take note of this experience. Enjoy. It won't happen again."

They don't have to be celebrations, or star studded moments, just the ordinary day today experiences that exit without the opportunity for farewell.

Since my last post we have said goodbye to the senior Mrs. O.

Rose passed away on Jan. 25th very quietly with just Mr. O and I by her side. No chance now for unsaid words, thoughts or deeds. Only our memories to keep her with us.

It is hard to say goodbye to someone who has been such a part of your life for so many years.

Rose Anna Ouellette nee Boutet

November 19, 1914  January 25, 2011

Rest In Peace

After the funeral we made plans to go to visit a few dear dear friends in Newfoundland. 

One of those friends is in the latter stages of ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease). A kind and gentle, fun loving man who has been a part of our lives for over 35 years. 

It was a very emotional visit. We were reliving old memories and got to looking at photos. His wife shared with me that she missed having his arm around her; not a hug but just an arm around her. Such a simple gesture that we probably take for granted every time we get a photo taken, but that is gone for her.

Reinforcement to me to stop and enjoy and appreciate all the small things that make up my day. 

Have a good day my friends.

Baby it's cold outside!

I thought I would go for a little walk yesterday morning before Church. I was only gone for about 10 minutes and came home to redress...actually I came back for something for my head and ears, but I should have put on warmer clothes as well. It was a bit frosty... -15 with a breeze. Not unbearable but cool! Now I grew up in Northern Ontario where the thermometer dropped to -50 quite frequently. It was a dry, snappy, crunchy cold. I usually can handle the cold not to badly...but in the Maritimes    -50 would be unbearable!  The humidity with the frigid temps is so much harder to take. I brought my camera with me, and in the space of 30 - 40 minutes I killed the battery from the cold temps. I tried keeping it inside my jacket, but that was a nuisance. There was not too much exciting to photograph but I did manage a few nice shots.

Love the old abandoned barn hiding in the trees. It is such a pretty property in the spring with all the apple trees in blossom, but at this time of the year I just drive by and hardly ever notice it. Things look so much different when you pass by at 5 km per hour instead of 70 - 80 km per hour...

After going to the hospital at noon to feed Mrs. O her lunch I raced home and packed a simple lunch to take with us in the car, and Mr. O and I drove to Tabusintac to check on summer place. Well as I suspected; it looked nothing like summer there either!

Doesn't look deep when you are walking on top of the snow with snowshoes, but I wasn't taking any chances! I stayed in the car with the heated seats a few snacks and a couple of home decor magazines...I mean he really didn't need my help anyways...after all he only brought one shovel!

Looking out over the water icy and snowy beach.

I think it will be awhile before we open up at the cottage.

Stay warm!

Thank you's are in order...

Thank you to all of you who were so kind in your comments lately. I know in my mind that I did what I could, but you always wonder if you could have done more, or better. However that is behind me and I am moving on.

Thank you also to my dear dear friends who were so kind and helpful with calls, words of encouragement and meals during a very busy and trying couple of months. It meant a lot...

I have still not gotten any actual sewing done this week with running to the hospital twice a day, but I did manage to get a very time consuming project done for retreat, so that is one thing checked off my list. Hope to get another done tomorrow...or maybe even tonight.

I took Mr. O's vehicle in to the garage for a service...oil change and brake maintenance. Later in the day I came across a timely cartoon while browsing the net. I thought I would share it with you...

What will people think...?

Oh dear, oh dear, What will people think of me?

I went back to bed after Mr. O went to work. Had a very long leisurely shower...nearly used the whole 40 gallons of hot water!

Yakked on the phone and then dressed and went to town for the day. The only housework I did was a few dishes and made our bed.

My only excuse is; I did it because I could.

The house is so quiet. After Mr. O leaves for work it is just me here and it hasn't been that way in quite some time. I almost feel guilty for enjoying it. We made the decision after much mental struggling to place Mrs O in hospital. It was getting very difficult to continue to care for her here at home and all she really wanted was to be in bed all day. It was a struggle to keep her up long enough for meals. Of course with that decision came all the guilt...could I have done more? ...could I have done a better job? I should have been more patient...

Why do we do that to ourselves?

Still pecking away at things...

Not too much exciting going on at The "O" residence. I spend a lot of my time tending on Mrs. O so I haven't been quilting. Actually since this photo was taken Mrs. O spends most of her time in bed. The pneumonia seems to have really taken it's toll

(Gracious!!! I look so serious, but feeding is a serious thing when the patient chokes so easily)

Let me correct that; there is not much sewing or piecing being done, but I am still pecking away at the hand quilting on my sampler quilt.

Our back yard friends are enjoying the smorgasbord of treats we offer up.

This little guy has a maze of tunnels in the fresh snow and pops up when we least expect it. It is so much watching him.

I have done a bit of sewing, and planning for the retreat coming up in February. I am not at liberty to write about it yet, but I will "tell all" after our annual retreat. Our planning committee of three has so much fun planning things and putting together treat bags for the girls, but I have to say it is a challenge to come up with fresh new ideas. I think we are doing ok though because we are filled to capacity and have a number of names on the waiting list for this year.  If you are reading this and have any retreat ideas you would like to share, I am all ears...

I have just finished reading The Help

What a great read! It is coming out in movie format soon. I sure hope they do it justice. For a first book Kathryn Stockett sure did a great job!

Right now I am reading a book by Marie Bostwick. It is called Fields of Gold...a  light read; some romance, some history, some quilting...nothing earth shattering, but it is easy to pick up and put down every time I am needed for "nursing duty". You may remember her from the series of books that started with "A Single Thread". They are much like the Jennifer Chiaverini series.

Picked up a few audio books this weekend from the library, so I hope to bar myself in the room with my sewing machine and get a few things accomplished this week. Wish me luck!

The best laid plans...

I have been told that plans were made to be changed and I guess that must be an accurate assumption. Mr. O had Friday, Dec. 31st off and we had planned a day out together. Breakfast at a local restaurant, a little shopping, lunch out, a drive down to check on our cottage and maybe a quick visit with friends.  We have been quite house bound with looking after Rose. Truth be told we have only been out once together in 9 weeks.

 Well we had a quick breakfast at home but we did indeed spend the day out...we spent 8 hours at the hospital emergency department  with the elder Mrs. O. ( having lunch from the hospital cafeteria) It would seem she has pneumonia. We have opted to bring her home to care for her; at 96 change is very hard to take and we felt we could care for her better here at home...one on one treatment is usually much better for the patient.(not so sure about the caregivers though)

All was not lost though...between propping up and covering said patient and accompanying her to the Xray dept., feeding her supper and running to the cafeteria for lunch I did manage to do a bit of knitting. I made not one BUT two scarves while waiting for a diagnosis.

We have had a few sunny days here and it has caused the snowy overhang at our front door to be cause for wonder...each morning I wonder just how much lower it can droop before actually falling...

The suspense came to an end yesterday with a forecast of fog, mild temps and freezing rain. 

Mr O had to go up on the roof to do some shovelling. With the amount of snow we had on the roof and freezing rain forecasted it would have made too much weight for the roof; so that brought an end to the snowy overhang at our front door. Sure made for a lot of shovelling once it all came down!

Our backyard guests continue to entertain us while feasting at the four feeders we have made available to them.

I leave you with this...I am not sure how I forgot to mention one of the gifts we received from our oldest grand daughter. She is fourteen and did a self portrait for art class. This is the photo she used as inspiration.

This photo was taken the day she was discharged from Sick Kid's Hosp. in Halifax.  She is about 6 months old and is being held by her big brother Keith.

This is the pencil sketch she gave us...

Keep in mind she is only 14. Bravo Savannah! Thank you so much!

Happy New Year! 2011

There is never a New Year that I don't recall these few lines. I don't know the author, but it obviously made some kind of an impression because I have remembered and quoted it since I was a young girl.

"Your future lies before you like a field of fallen snow. Be careful how you tread on it, for every mark will show."

                                                    author unknown

May peace break into your home

And may thieves come to steal your debts.

May the pockets of your coat become a magnet for $50 bills.

May love stick to your face like Vaseline.

May laughter assault your lips.

May your clothes smell of success.

May happiness slap your face 

and your tears be that of joy.

May the problems you had, forget your home address.

In simple words, may 2011 be the best year of your life.

Happy New year from me to you.