Jake and his new toy

So, I am standing at the checkout Friday night at Zeller's when suddenly I am startled by this loud quacking sound right behind me. Who else would it be but your's truly holding a stuffed duck-like toy for his baby (Jake, not San or Trish). So we bring it home and because it makes a loud noise you know Mr. Scaredy Cat wouldn't bother with it at first. Now he has decided that it is harmless enough and Ralph got this picture of him with it last night.

In other news Ralph is going curling this afternoon and I have to finish writing a paper for class tomorrow night. We went to San's clinic grand opening yesterday afternoon. It seemed to be going great.

Well must go. Did everyone remember to set their clocks back last night?

Getting Slack in Updating

I know, I know. I haven't been writing on this blog like I did when I first started. I always wait for something exciting to happen that will be interesting to put on here then I realize that this is my life, nothing too exciting or out of the way is going to happen here in Hammonds Plains. That is certainly a good thing when you think of all the bad things happening in other parts of the world.

Ralph has been doing a lot of traveling lately but when he goes San has been coming out and staying with me to help with Jake. It is really great to have one of my two children living in the same province again. Speaking of San we are going to the grand opening of her clinic today. She is doing really well for only being in practice for a month. She loves it and beleives in Naturapathic medicine so it will only be a matter of time until she will have a full slate of patients I'm sure.

I am sitting here at the computer with background Christmas music playing. Never mind all of you out there laughing and saying it is too early. Velvet and Tricia will understand. They have been known to be sneaking Christmas CD's on the IPod or in the car, isn't that right Girls.

I hear Ralph and Jake coming back from their walk so will close now. Take care everyone and don't forget to set the clocks back tonight.

"Oh Canada"

So Ralph and I and Flo and Fred get this magazine called "Oh Canada". Each issue has a picture of a loonie hidden within it. The great race in our house is to see who can find it first. Well this month's issue came and we could not find it. Then Flo called from P.E.I. to say that she could not find it either- and she always finds it. Well, then the race was on to find it before Flo and Fred. Ralph even took the magazine to bed one night to try and find it. All to no avail. No one could find it so today I took it in to work, threw it on the front counter and told them to go at it. After a few go throughs my boss finally found it. It was hilarious because he was so excited that he finally found it. I am giving no hints in case some of you out there have not found it yet.

The magazine has provided a lot of entertainment this month to say the least. Hi to Ethel who is at home now and hopefully able to get on her computer and check this blog out and her email etc.

Happy Friday everyone, hope you all have a good weekend.

Making someone's day

I told San this story and she thought it would be something cute to post on this blog so here goes.

Ralph and I were in Sobey's on Saturday and I was standing in line to buy a lotto ticket behind a young woman and her young son. She had finished her shopping as there were grocery bags already in the cart that she had in front of her. Her young son was doing a bit of exploring of the area, nothing disruptive, just looking around while waiting for Mom. Mom however was getting a tad annoyed that he would not stand still beside her and so she kept after him to stop - stop what I don't know as he really wasn't doing anything. I tapped her on the shoulder and whispered "You know, he is really not being bad at all". She kind of ruefully smiled and said "I know, but it's just being a single parent with him 24/7 is really getting to me." She went on to say that Nannie was coming for a visit soon from Newfoundland and both of them could hardly wait. I then started speaking to the young lad while Mom did her business at the counter and found out that his Dad was away - military,I think, and that he would be back just before Christmas. The little guy was excited to tell me that he had a Kinder egg in the grocery bags that he would get when he got home and he loved Kinder eggs and had I ever gotten one etc. etc.

I found out from him that it was his 5th birthday soon and he would be having a bowling birthday party. As they were leaving I called out to him that I hoped he had a wonderful birthday party and it had been nice talking to him. He stopped and whispered something to his Mom and she said " I don't know, you'll have to ask her" so he proceeds to turn and say to me "Would you like to come to my bowling party?' I told him that I didn't think I could but thanked him very much for asking.

Just a sweet little encounter. Made my day. I hope that it made his Mom feel better too knowing that she should appreciate every day with her little one. God, I can't wait to be a grandmother. No pressure though on anyone who may be reading this.

New Christmas Lights

No, I am not totally crazy talking about Christmas lights in October. Those who know me well know that I love Christmas and everything about it. I love the lights, the songs, the decorations, the food, the good company, as I said, everything to do with it. I will not start playing the music until November 1st and am so excited that we have an artificial tree this year so I can put it up on December 1st.

I went into Costco on the way home yesterday only to pick up a box of mini pizzas and ended up buying new Christmas tree lights. This picture doesn't really show what they are like but you will get the gist of what I am trying to show you. They are called LED lights and they stay cold when lit and are plastic. The box says that they last forever and don't have to be replaced. I hung them on my plant so that I could see what they will look like. Ralph and Jake are looking at me funny like. HaHa.

Another Friday

It is getting so crazy at our house now. It always does in the Fall. I start classes at university along with working full-time and Ralph starts travelling a lot and curling two nights a week. It seems that we just pass each other going out the door most of the time. Some of this will stop come May as I will finally graduate from Mount Saint Vincent University with my B.A. degree and will no longer have to go to classes at night.

It was a really different experience yesterday to watch Sandra be interviewed on a t.v. show. The host kept referring to Dr. Murphy and everytime that she did I would kind of go "No, that is not Dr. Murphy, that is my baby girl, Sandra". Hard to let them go. The weather has turned cold here.

My boss's son works for the station where Sandra did her show so he is going to get me a copy. Maybe I will be able to somehow get it out so everyone can see it. I taped it but did not get it all. Don't ask. Me and VCRs have a real love-hate relationship. They can put a man on the moon so why do they have to make it so difficult to set your VCR to tape a program.

Here's a picture for you. This is my nephew Marty at home in Jordan Falls, Nova Scotia with his cute little seven year old Kyle. I had stopped in to see them the Saturday of Thanksgiving weekend while I was down home at Mom's .

Have a great weekend everyone, be good to yourself and to those you love. Love to Ethel who is still in the hospital in Toronto. I know a lot of you are calling her and letting her know you are thinking of her. Keep it up. She needs all of our best wishes.

To Kill A Mockingbird

I was sitting in the Neptune Theatre Thursday night watching the inovative staging of a favorite book when the young Scout came on stage. I instantly felt like I knew the young actress, sadly Neptune had run out of programs and I couldn't look at her Bio. Throughout the play I stared at her like I knew her and then I figured it out. The young actress (Arielle Leger) playing Scout is exactly what Patricia and my Mom looked like at a young age. (See Trish & Mom on the left) It was powerful to watch how my mother may have moved through space at that age and to remember how Trish did. Besides being a powerful play by its message and language it was powerful for me to remember and honour two of the most important women in my life.
Love you both,
Sandra

I'm Back

To all my faithful readers....all three of you, ha ha....I must apologize for not updating lately. Things have been going on and seemed to keep me away from the computer. Also, I was waiting to get the attached picture from Sandra. It is a picture of her office door. Makes me so proud just to see it. Remember everyone in the Maritimes to set your VCR or watch San on Global at noon with Duane Lowe on Thursday, October 13th. She will be talking about migraines and also the upcoming Health show here in Halifax that she is a part of.

I am going to Baccaro this weekend. I will go down on Friday and come back on Sunday night. San is going to stay here with Jake as Ralph will be in Red Deer, Alberta. San and Sarah (her roommate) are going to be here for the gobble gobble dinner on Monday.

Again I would just like to say on here that our thoughts are with Ethel and we hope that she will soon start feeling better.

Bye for now.