Wednesday, March 13, 2024
This and That on a Mid-March Day
Sunday, January 7, 2024
A Slow Start
I found a series on Netflix called Wild Wild Country which was very interesting. It's about the Rajneeshpuram, a international religious community headed by it's guru, Rajneesh from India who later changed his name to Osho. I recommend it if you are at all curious. The other film I watched was a documentary on Warren Buffet called Becoming Warren Buffet. I really enjoyed learning more about him and his family.
Thursday, September 7, 2023
One Thursday in September
I watch the cooking show Mary Makes it Easy and saw this chicken pot pie hand pie recipe being made. I decided to try it out because the hand pies appealed to me as a 'grab and go' snack or an easy meal served with a side salad. I also made some chicken pasta soup so I don't have to cook tomorrow. I usually give myself a day or two off from cooking on a Friday or a Saturday. (Click on any photo to enlarge).
I have to fast for an abdominal ultrasound in the morning but have already tried the hand pies and they are delicious. I still have some filling and will make more very soon but have to buy more ready made pastry or make some.
I try to get in a short walk every other day or so. These are some photos I took around 8 p.m. last night just as the sun was setting.
Thursday, August 3, 2023
A Little Update
Hello friends and fellow bloggers,
This is a brief post to update those of you who have been wondering what happened to me.
Since my last post, I have continued to be busy catching up on house projects and major cleaning.
I was able to vacuum and wash the carpet in the living room, clean the windows and window sills, dust the cobwebs from the corners and move a cabinet from the entry way to a corner of the living room I usually try to wash the carpets twice per year and will likely do it again just before Christmas.
(Sesame beef) Dinner one day
Since being released from hospital I've eaten out a bit more than usual. I haven't felt up to cooking much though today I made spaghettini and meat sauce. On other days I made cauliflower-vegetable soup, rice and BBQ chicken.
Friday's Bento Box dinner |
Spaghettini and meat sauce with shredded Parmesan Cheese |
Sunday, July 9, 2023
Summary of What's Keeping me Busy & Why I Haven't Been on Line Much
I started projects way back in August 2022 and kept a record then (see the link) for my own interest and review. I don't actually enjoy doing many of these projects and I don't go about it very methodically. It often takes me many weeks, even months to do a small project. It's taking me forever to do all the little jobs I have on my list. I find that it takes much longer in a smaller home to do the work because there is no where to put anything when you are trying to do a project and you constantly have to move and remove things. It can be quite a challenge at times and also physically tiring because a lot of the items are heavy. There were also many weeks where I was very tired, or in pain, or both, due to several long term health issues.
But at long last I'm starting to see and feel, the positive results of the changes I've been making and I'm happy with them. I still have a ways to go before I'm finished. There are projects in several rooms: living room (put up curtain rods), dining room (install the light fixture), main bathroom (do something about the toilet). I've decluttered a lot and I've got lots of items in bags which need to be dropped off at a charity. I'm collecting as much as possible so it can be dropped off at one time rather than here and there. I also still have a lot of paper to shred though it's mostly sorted and put in different piles. These are the main outstanding jobs. I have other job ideas in my August 2022 list but they could be considered 'nice to complete' rather than strictly necessary.
I plan to look into getting the master bathroom tub replaced with a walk in shower once I've completed the above items. The tub replacement would have to be done by the professionals. I also plan to undertake 2 reupholstery projects myself. It will be my first time doing this type of work and I've studied one of the jobs on Youtube before deciding to tackle it. The other job I can figure out myself and I've starting collecting what I need for it.
Here is a list of projects I've completed so far in 2023.
- Painted kitchen backsplash (May 2023)
- Installed 2 shelves in kitchen (May 2023)
- Cleaned and reorganized under kitchen sink, food cabinet & standing shelf unit where dried goods are stored (April, May & June 2023)
- Cleaned tile grout in kitchen and both bathrooms (June 2023)
- Repaired and painted walls and cabinets in 2 bathrooms (April/May/June 2023)
- New shower curtain in master bathroom (May 2023)
- Installed new cabinet knobs in master bathroom (June 2023)
- Replaced toilet fill valve and flapper in master bathroom (May 2023)
- Replaced towels in master bathroom (May 2023)
- Replaced shower curtain liners in both bathrooms (April & July 2023)
- Replaced laundry baskets in master bathroom (July 2023)
- Installed towel shelf in master bathroom (July 2023)
- Replaced door knob in master bedroom (June 2023) still need to replace 2nd bedroom knob
- Installed new wall sconces in living room (March 2023) and master bedroom (April 2023)
- New floor lamp for living room (July 2023)
- Decluttered hundreds of small items (Jan - ongoing)
- Decluttered hundreds of papers (Jan - ongoing)
- Decluttered most of the cracked pots and other items from patio
- Replaced wall clocks in dining room (February 2023) and master bedroom (January 2023)
- Decluttered dozens of items from patio and garden (May - ongoing)
- Lots of paperwork relating to income taxes, property taxes, city government forms completion requirements, retirement requirements, banking etc.
- Lots of medical tests, management of blood glucose, sleep & body work (physio, massage, reflexology, exercise), dental crowns and cleanings
- Participated in several webinars relating to health and exercise
- Crocheted a blanket (February 2023)
- Crocheted a Pineapple doily (June 2023)
- Sewed a summer top out of double gauze cotton (July 2023). I'm hoping to make another one in white soon along with pull on trousers or a dress.
- Sewed a navy light knit summer top (July 2023)
- Shortened a wide leg pair of trousers I bought in 2022 (July 2023)
- Sewed pillowcases with Star Wars theme for my niece (July 2023)
- Hemmed various trousers (July 2023). I've got lots more to do, mostly trousers requiring hemming and other items requiring small repairs.
This post summarizes my projects so I can look back later and see what I've done and when I did them. It also serves to show why I haven't been on line very much.
I'm sorry I haven't had the time or energy to keep up with blogs but now and then I try to read your posts. I don't seem to be able to do my work and blog at the same time. The projects weigh me down and interfere with other plans. If I go ahead with other plans, the projects don't get done.
I think once I've cleared away the 'stuff' and finished a few of the next projects, I'll feel a sense of 'freedom' and a weight lifted off my shoulders. There are lots of things I want to do besides decluttering, reorganizing and DIYs and I'm looking forward to the day....hopefully sooner rather than later if my energy holds.
If you have time, I'd love to hear how you cope with DIYs and projects and whether you too find they interfere with your social media activities, and blogging in particular.
Friday, February 24, 2023
Another Month is Almost Over
Hello friends and fellow bloggers,
I hope all is well with you. I have been super busy and not able to blog much or visit your blogs very often. I continue to have issues leaving comments on many blogs but when I can leave one without difficulty, I do. I'm not sure if you too are having problems leaving a comment for me because I have noticed that there are very few comments left on the majority of my blogs in this new year. It's quite possible that it is simply because I haven't been able to leave comments for you. If you have been experiencing any difficulties leaving a comment for me, please do send me an email and let me know. Follow the link at the Blogger Profile page (you may need to click on the 3 lines/dots at top left of the blog).
The weather here has been frightful. I've been anticipating an early Spring but instead we seem to be having winter over and over. The forecast was for snow on Saturday and quite a lot of it (up to 1 foot or 30 centimetres depending on where one lives in the city). I was very surprised to go for late afternoon walk on Wednesday and find myself under snowfall. It was also quite chilly. Fortunately I recently purchased a puffer coat to keep my legs warm in cold weather and I was able to use it. It's already paid for itself in the 2 weeks I had it after buying it on sale. I do have a faux fur coat which is very warm too but I cannot wear it when it's raining so I bought the puffer coat for those occasions. I took these photos after it stopped snowing and on my way back from the library.
As I write this post I'm getting very annoyed at yet another blogger problem I've been experiencing lately. Whenever I go to edit and tonight, when I go to add photos, a new page comes up called "Post Edit" and it doesn't have any buttons and from that page I can do absolutely nothing except read what I've already written. Is anyone else having this experience or know what to do about it? In the last 6 months I've had so many problems with Blogger compared to all the previous years of blogging with absolutely no issues whatsoever. I didn't figure out the issue but I found a way to work around it. I have to use Google Chrome rather than Safari and that is helping the site to do what it is supposed to do. Sometimes I can leave comments too when I use Google Chrome.
I'm beginning to think it may be time to move onto another platform. Alas, it won't be anytime soon because there are a lot of other things competing for attention: garden plans, family needs, household organizations and do it yourself projects, technology needs and health management. There is never a dull moment these days, is there? I know everyone else is dealing with most of the same things.
My cousin was visiting from Alberta and we had been planning for long to get together to celebrate her birthday. I haven't seen her since before Covid. Unfortunately she came down with a bad cold and the next day I did too. So she and her sister dropped by and we had a very quick visit and exchanged gifts. We're hoping to have a proper visit in the summer.
While I have been convalescing I started a new crochet afghan. This one is very large as it's meant to be a proper blanket for someone tall to snuggle up in. I found some of the ones I was making were simply not long enough even for me, a shortie. I like them to cover the feet and all the way up to the neck.
This is about 75% complete. The yarn colour is variegated and sold as you see it. |
In the month of February I've been working away at getting rid of more things and have decluttered numerous items every day. Mostly these are small items because I have already gotten rid of the larger stuff during all my other decluttering projects. I was surprised to see how much 'trash' I've been storing. The items are small so you don't really notice them until you start collecting in a pile.
An example of small bits I've been storing - 22 items now in trash. |
A Few Days in March ~ Skywatch Friday
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