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Aren't you impressed with all the blogging coming along here lately?
Actually, for the most part, there's plenty to say about having "draft posts" awaiting final editing, ready to go within a few moments final completion. Yay me for getting them from draft to published! :)
Here's to the number "ten", yes, only another ten things for today's post, none which might make perfect sense to another, just ten personal things in no random order whatsoever. It okay though if I post more than ten photos, right? Yes? I completely agree with you there.
So, here's to today's TEN!
- 1 - Merry Christmas to US! Yes, two weeks before Christmas, my good old Maytag washing machine literally came to a grinding halt. The Maytag washer/dryer set we've owned, just happened to have been included with this home, the previous brand new set I owned was sold upon our move here. I figured it would be a great set, after all doesn't Maytag offer those commercials of less busy repair men?
Last summer when our front loading washer machine was making loud noises, I did have a repair man in. His diagnosis was not good, though hopeful to keep on using it. He suggested I run it right down, that the barrel motor was on its way out, and that it would continue to make much louder noises that it would one day sound like it was taking off like a jet plane. That it did. No more laundry in the late evening, or baby woke up. One of the great things about front load washers, is once they go, never will water leak from the barrel drum onto the floor. That was comforting. Sort of anyway. So, of course, it decided to leave us just before Christmas, and a lovely family bonding trip to the laundry mat was in good order.
I'm a little odd I suppose because I actually don't mind laundry mats. Imagine getting five super large (sheets/towels, etc.) loads rolling all at one time, wow, so fast. And then, within half an hour, off for home we went to use our working still dryer for the duration of the day. It worked for us to complete the laundry this way, and I was willing to wait for after Christmas specials before shopping, but my husband trumped me and decided we should do it right away, you know - "window shop". Ever window shop with a husband? They buy, not shop, because they just want it over and done with. There's that word again; D-O-N-E!
Mr. Fix-it day. Notice a roof shingle laying here, one that had blown from our roof!
Our new washer/dryer set (!) were delivered here, placed in the laundry room (you know, after all that spring cleaning one has to perform when the previous washer/dryer gets moved out), and then my husband proceeded to reverse the dryer door around the other way for me. Yay! How wonderfully quiet these both are! It's so great to be able to perform all laundry tasks later in the evening again, specially when the gas and hydro pricing is lower.
Merry Christmas to us!
- 2 - I'm thankful for brighter colored (monopoly kind of) money now in Canada. Seriously, what's with all these security changes? There are just too many people out there who have nothing else better to do than to make counterfeit money?
And, we are losing our penny this year, with our nickel to follow shortly afterward. Soon, we will be a cashless society no doubt, and life will be filled with even more identity theft than ever before, or something else futuristic perhaps. But, in the meanwhile, I actually like our polymer plastic money. It doesn't rip or tear, and crinkle the way our paper bills do. So, tell me, are you saving one of the older type of bills, or a few pennies, just for fun?
Dead battery discoveries
- 3 - I'm thankful for bulk battery purchases one can make at Costco when having to repurchase many at once. I'm beginning to despise having to budget so much money all of the time for battery bulk buys. Really!
- First there's the smoke detectors which require a new 9volt square battery yearly.
- There's the AAA batteries to replace the headsets for the vehicle's DVD player, and other assorted gadgets.
- There's the very large battery to replace in our security alarm system for use as back up.
- There's all those bundles of AA batteries for "everything", even though we have rechargeable ones galore to use here instead, I'm finding their shelf life not as long as I had hoped.
- There are those "C" and "D" sized ones for the odd things like exercise bike panel, baby's music on her crib, flashlights, stereos, etc..
- And lest we forget, there are those wee little round ones for watches. Whew.
Thank you to Costco for saving the day every time with huge savings on these must-have items.
- 4 - I'm thankful for having a baker in the family who insists all of her final products are decorated for proper presentation factors.
She keeps us smiling because we never know what her next little sign will be to greet us in the kitchen after her baking sessions are complete.
- 5 - I'm thankful for family assembly moments when everyone pitches in to make breakfast freezer foods for another day.
Yes, we are into breakfast sandwiches here these days. With shift workers, and ski slope days, let alone packed lunches for work, there is plenty of goodness in preparing ahead so anyone has a nutritious food fare to grab and go when necessary.
Whipping up entire meals ahead of time saves time, effort, and makes everyone less grumpy when looking at a (full) fridge, only to announce - there's nothing to eat in this house! (translated into there's nothing edible in a fast food two seconds flat).
Crustless mini bacon/veggie/egg quiches, great snacks anytime. They freeze beautifully, and can be grabbed while heading out the door to eat cold.
(they actually taste really good hot or cold)
Well, we're changing all of that here now. I have pages and pages of make ahead breakfast/brunch ideas on the go in my kitchen, such a great idea all of the time to continue planning.
- 6 - I'm thankful for out of town visitors who come to have a wonderful time together.
Whether these boys (who live within a span of 2 hours in distance) are using the outdoor ice skating rink, playing hockey to their hearts content, or on the slopes snowboarding, or playing the latest and greatest NHL hockey on a video game system, they are always great to have over. These visits happen so seldom, an entire weekend is devoted to ensuring they have lots ot time together.
This particular weekend, it was just easier to have them arrive on a Friday, and then bring them all to our church with us, so their parents could pick them up there at Sunday's morning mass.
- 7 - I'm thankful for scarves! Yes, I've grown accustomed while living in colder climate areas to wear scarves quite a lot.
This particular one was gifted to me from my mother four years ago, a pashima that's soft and so neutral to wear inside my coat collars. I'm rather loving it again this winter.
Baby and Bunny Love
From her first surprised glance when noticing our daughter's sweet little Floppy bunny, to her following and chasing him about the bar stool area, what squeals came from her mouth, just delighted with him in her company.
Thawing out these ones a few weeks back, all I was hoping for is that they'd fall off gracefully. They did. Bonus! The rack was cleaned while thawed at the same time.
- 10 - I'm thankful for casual dinners with a priest at our table. Yes, these regular evenings have become very casual, when our priest visits to give catechism lessons to our future son in law, in the privacy of our home, and then knows he's always included at our dinner table later in the evening.
A perfect end to the day is having his priestly blessing on our family shortly before leaving out the door.
I'm also thankful for evenings when all are home for dinner,
I mean all are actually eating at the same time, at the same table, yes, all at the same time! My husband and I weren't ready to eat yet, so all of these wonderful people in our home decided to serve themselves and begin early. As I was sitting not too far away, it hit me hard. It won't be long until two more birdies leave our family nest.
Yes, a mother knows when the time has come for them to try to fly using their own young wings, to fly onward in the direction their own lives are going to take them. I pray daily for them, that with God's graces, they will be able to make good decisions, offering smooth passages towards their lifelong goals and dreams.
It's coming. Am I ready?
Ready to go from 8-7-6-5-4-3- to 2??? at home?
Nope. But, it's going to soon become a reality, so I'm preparing my heart for these days ahead.
Okay, another ten, ten good things to dwell on, personal things that is for me to share here with everyone.
Skipping through photos, it was great to finally load all the ones hidden on my iphone, about 600 of them in fact.
As I sifted through the bunches there, a few obviously stood out, a few above, and definitely the one below I was able to snap while driving.
Um....I know, but I promise I was looking straight ahead, wasn't distracted, just hoping I pressed the right button on my phone. I did. At least I found out when I got all the way home.
How beautiful this evening sky was! A real blessing to be sure...
Be blessed friends...and now, go write down your ten things for today...
