IT'S STILL WINTER!!!

AND ONE OF THE THINGS I LIKE TO DO WHEN IT IS COLD OUT IS PUZZLE.

A & A - THANKS - GOT ALL 1500 PIECES PUT IN THEIR PLACE IN UNDER 4 DAYS!

RON WAS NOT MUCH HELP!

HE HAS BEEN TOO BUSY FINISHING AN OFFICE RENO AND MOVING

ON TO FIXING AND PAINTING A HOUSE TO GET IT READY FOR SALE.

WE HAVE HAD EXTREMELY COLD WEATHER (-50 WITH THE WIND CHILL). 

AS SOON AS IT GETS A LITTLE MILDER WE HAVE SNOW AND BLIZZARD

CONDITIONS. OUR TEMPORARY PATIO TABLE HAS QUITE AN

ACCUMULATION OF SNOW. THE DIFFERENCE IS VERY NOTICEABLE FROM

ONE WEEK TO THE NEXT.

 OUR CHRISTMAS WAS A QUIET ONE WITH ONLY THE 7 OF US.

MICHAYLA PUT AN END TO HER RINGETTE GAMES WITH A 

BROKEN COLLAR BONE. SHE WAS IN A LOT OF PAIN FOR QUITE A

WHILE BUT IT IS HEALING NICELY!

ON HER CHRISTMAS WISH LIST WAS A TOOL SET

 - NOT JUST ANY SET - 

PINK

WE DID FINE A REALLY NEAT ONE!

I AM SURE SHE WILL GET A LOT OF USE OUT OF IT

ONCE HER SHOULDER MENDS.

THE BOYS EACH GOT A SNAP MODEL THAT THEY COULD DO

WITH GRANDPA DURING THE DAY.

AS THE SATURDAY WE HAD OUR CHRISTMAS WAS STORMY,

WE ENJOYED STAYING INSIDE AND WORKING ON THE MODEL

AND USING THE RAINBOW LOOM.

 READING TIME!

JANUARY ARRIVED WITH EXTREME COLD, 

A BIT OF A MILD SPELL

AND MORE SNOW!

I HAVE STARTED DOING SOME ARM CHAIR GARDENING.

ALREADY THINKING ABOUT CHANGES TO MAKE ON THE YARD.

RON IS NOT SURE ABOUT SOME OF MY IDEAS SO WE

WILL SEE WHAT COMES OF THEM. HE IS ALWAYS THE

ONE WHO GETS TO BUILD, TEAR DOWN, DIG OUT, PLANT/PRUNE!

OUR GAZEBO HAS MADE IT THROUGH ANOTHER SUMMER. WILL 

IT LAST ANOTHER?

HAPPY NEW YEAR

WE ARE IN A DEEP FREEZE.

THE TEMPERATURES HAVE SETTLED IN AT -30 DEGREES.

AND WE ARE GOING TO RING IN THE NEW YEAR 

IN THE COLD!!!

THE WIND IS LIGHT BUT THE WIND CHILL

IS DIPPING THE TEMPERATURES TO -40 AND LOWER!

HAVE A WONDERFUL 2014!

MORE POSTS TO FOLLOW

ONE WEEK TILL CHRISTMAS

ARE YOU READY?

WE ARE NOT BUT OUR CHRISTMAS WILL BE DIFFERENT

THIS YEAR.  FEWER GIFTS, SMALLER GATHERINGS

AND OVER A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME!

BUT LOOKING FORWARD TO IT!

WE HAVE SNOW THIS YEAR. 

RON HAS BEEN BUSY SHOVELING.

BUT IT DOES FEEL LIKE CHRISTMAS.

TOO BAD THAT WE ALSO SIT IN A DEEP FREEZE FOR SO

MUCH OF THE TIME. WHEN THE WIND CHILL REACHED

INTO THE -40'S WE REALLY WANT TO STAY HOME!

BUT THE SNOW IS BEAUTIFUL, AS LONG AS IT IS NOT BLOWING AROUND.

LIGHTS ARE COVERED AND CREATE AN INTERESTING  GLOW AT NIGHT.

 

OUR CHRISTMAS CAKES HAVE BEEN DONE.

NOT MUCH BAKING HAPPENING THIS YEAR BUT

WE DID BREAK DOWN AND STIR UP A BATCH OF

WHITE COCONUT CHRISTMAS CAKE.

IT WAS MY DAD'S FAVOURITE!

 WE HAD A BUSY SUNDAY IN LDB.

MICHAYLA IS PLAYING RINGETTE THIS YEAR

AND IT WAS GOOD TO TAKE IN A GAME.

GETTING INSTRUCTIONS IN GOAL.

PINK STICK AND BLUE GLOVES. THAT IS THE WAY TO IDENTIFY #16.

AFTER THE GAME WE HEADED TO THE HOUSE TO CELEBRATE JAYDEN'S 11TH.

HARD TO BELIEVE HE IS 11. HOW TIME FLIES. SO MANY YEARS SINCE WE

TRUCKED UP TO THOMPSON TO SEE A LITTLE 3 WEEK OLD AT CHRISTMAS!

 WORKING ON ENJOYING HIS GIFTS WHILE MICHAYLA & DECLAN 

PRACTICE FOR THE RECITAL.

 RECITAL TIME

 MICHAYLA HAS TAKEN LESSONS SINCE SEPTEMBER BUT

SHE PLAYS BY EAR AND DOES IT WELL.

DECLAN & JAYDEN HAVE HAD LESSONS SINCE THE BEGINNING OF

THE YEAR AND ARE COMING ALONG WELL. GOOD TO HEAR THE

IMPROVEMENTS THEY ARE MAKING PLAYING WITH BOTH HANDS.

AND BACK TO OUR LIFE - RON IS BUSY DOING A SMALL OFFICE

RENO, HOPING TO FINISH BY THE END OF THE YEAR SO HE

CAN CONCENTRATE ON PAINTING AND REPAIRING A HOUSE

FOR ONE OF HIS LONG TIME CLIENTS. SHE IS HOPING TO PUT IT

UP FOR SALE IN LATE WINTER. 

 SO TIME TO INVEST IN SOME NEW TOOLS (TOYS???)

TIME TO ENTERTAIN & BE ENTERTAINED.

A LUNCHEON WITH LONG TIME FRIENDS.

READY FOR A SOUP SUPPER - WE DID ONE 2 NIGHTS RUNNING SO

WE COULD ENTERTAIN A SMALLER GROUP EACH NIGHT.

A NICE WAY TO CONNECT WITH FRIENDS AT CHRISTMAS.

 AND OUR FEATHERED FRIENDS ARE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF A 

BREAK IN THE EXTREME COLD. BUT I DO NOT APPRECIATE THE

RABBITS CHEWING ON MY ROSE BUSHES OR THE SQUIRRELS

STEALING THE SUET OUT OF THE FEEDERS.

IT WAS INTERESTING TO WATCH THE WOODPECKER

LAY CLAIM TO A SUET FEEDER, FIGHTING OFF THE SPARROWS.

DID NOT GET MY CAMERA IN TIME.

HOPE YOU ENJOY YOUR CHRISTMAS PREPARATIONS!

 

MAKING PROGRESS

THINGS ARE STARTING TO FALL INTO PLACE.

ALTHOUGH I GUESS I SHOULD SAY THINGS ARE BEING PLACED, 

NOT MUCH FALLING HAPPENING.

ONLY DROPPED AND BROKE 1 ORNAMENT SO FAR!!!

WOKE UP THIS MORNING TO OUR FIRST SNOW FALL!

I COULD HAVE WAITED A LITTLE LONGER.

THE CHRISTMAS CACTUS HAS OPENED UP BEAUTIFULLY

ALTHOUGH THE WHITE FLOWER IS TAKING ON MORE

PINK THAN IT USED TO HAVE.

MAYBE THE BRIGHT PINK IS RUBBING OFF ON IT!  

NOTICE THE SNOW ON THE GROUND OUTSIDE THE WINDOW?

THIS IS THE BACK YARD EARLY THIS MORNING.

 

ON SATURDAY THE GRANDCHILDREN HELPED WITH SET UP 

OF MY CHRISTMAS TRAIN.

WE HAPPENED TO PICK ONE UP FOR A DOLLAR AT A

GARAGE SALE THIS SUMMER AND WITH A LITTLE

TLC, IT IS WORKING.

NOT SURE WHICH TREE WILL HAVE ROOM FOR IT.

IN THE MEANTIME THE KIDS HAD FUN PLAYING WITH IT.

 GETTING IT SET ON THE TRACK JUST RIGHT!

MICHAYLA HELPING WITH SOME DECORATING.

SHE HELPED GET SOME PINE CONES READY FOR THE TREES.

 POSITIONING SOME OF THE TREES.

THAT MEANS MY GRANDMA'S TABLE WILL NEED TO BE MOVED.

MY SEWING ROOM BECAME MY 'STAGING' AREA.

I DID TRY TO KEEP THE MESS BEHIND CLOSED DOORS

BUT IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO DO THAT EFFICIENTLY!

 RON GETTING READY TO HANG THE WREATH ABOVE THE FIRE PLACE.

 SOME OF MY VINTAGE ORNAMENTS.

I HAVE ENOUGH TO DECORATE A LARGER TREE THIS YEAR.

 STILL STRUGGLING WITH WHAT KIND OF A TREE TOP I SHOULD ADD.

 A FEW OF THE OLD ORNAMENTS IN PLACE.

 MY GROUPING IN THE OPPOSITE CORNER FROM THE VINTAGE TREE.

 I TRIED TO CHANGE UP THE COLOURS A BIT.

ONE IN THE BROWNS/CHOCOLATES,

ONE IN GOLDS

AND ONE SILVER.

NOT SURE HOW I FEEL ABOUT THE FINISHED RESULT.

 THE HALLWAY MIRROR IS A REPEAT FROM LAST YEAR

AT RON'S REQUEST. HE LIKES THE BRONZE/AMBER EFFECT.

 THE TREE AGAINST THE WALL IS A HALF TREE

IT GOT A GOLD AND RED TREATMENT THIS YEAR.

I HAVE NOT HAD MANY TREES DECORATED IN REDS

OVER MY MANY YEARS OF DECORATING!

BUT WITH MANY OF MY VINTAGE ORNAMENTS BEING

RED AND BRIGHT PRIMARY COLOURS, WHY NOT?

 I STARTED MY PATIO TREE WITH THE TREE TOP.

THE SNOWY OWL GOT THE PLACE OF HONOUR ON THIS TREE.

I AM STILL FILLING IN SPACES AS I FIND A FEW MORE ORNAMENTS

IN MY MANY BOXES.

 THE MILK GLASS LIGHT FIXTURE HAS A FEW OF MY MERCURY GLASS

ORNAMENTS AND PINE CONES.

LAST YEAR I CUT A WREATH SO I COULD SLIP IT ONTO THE CHANDELIER.

SO MUCH EASIER THAN TRYING TO PLACE SOME GARLAND.

 THE TOPS OF THE CABINETS HAVE A COLLECTION OF MILK GLASS.

AT THIS TIME OF THE YEAR THEY GET PUSHED TOGETHER A LITTLE 

AND SOME GREENS AND LIGHTS ADDED.

NEED TO TRY FOR A BETTER PICTURE.

SO AS THE SNOW CONTINUES TO FALL TONIGHT I CAN ONLY

DREAM ABOUT WARMER DAYS TO COME.

 TO HELP ME THROUGH THE WINTER, I HAVE TRIED TO DEHYDRATE

A FEW DIFFERENT KINDS OF FRUIT.

I HAVE REALLY ENJOYED THE PERSIMMONS AS WELL AS SOME PINEAPPLE.

THE TRAYS OF FRUIT READY TO BE DEHYDRATED.

A GREAT ADDITION TO MY NUT AND DRIED FRUIT TRAYS FOR 

CHRISTMAS ENTERTAINING.

ANOTHER WEEK OF SORTING, ORGANISING AND DECORATING AHEAD.

THEN TIME TO DO SOME BAKING AND HAVE FRIENDS BY TO ENJOY

THE CHRISTMAS SEASON!