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.