Finally Feeling Warm!

OK I had to attend my last Craving Change seminar (dealing with food cravings) and a couple of errands.  Since they all were like a 10 minute drive I decided to dress appropriately and walk instead.  Well maybe neither option was great but dang that wind did a number on my face even with a scarf.  Down right cold earlier even with the sun out!  I agree with you today Barb and Linda!

Great Day!

Morning walked the Red and Assiniboine River trails with winter offshoot group of the Prairie Pathfinders.  A chilly walk but the sun was nice and the trail was good.  Only bad part is the path down to Raw Ice restaurant where a few slipped and I just about fell and strained my lower back and both knees.  That was at the beginning and it went away during the walk.  Not sure about tomorrow!  Ohhh and once again my winter boots gave me a raw blister - that's it those fairly new boots are gonners!

Warming hut outside has funny mirrors.

This is neat.  Huge river ice blocks cut out

and laid out as pieces of interest.

Someone must have scattered food as they

returned again before we disturbed again.

After lunch Edna and I travelled to South Beach Casino and Resort to meet my sister et al there.  It was awesome that we met up with Sylvia and Len when we arrived coming out of the casino.  Visited briefly then left so they can relax and I went to gamble and Edna kept me company.  We met up with Florence and Roy at the machines.  So far I'm ahead.  Now we're at happy hour before a rib supper with all!  I'm celebrating my first CPP monthly pension.

My newest jewelley piece plus a lovely red cardigan, both 25% off.  Well went and spent $20 gambling and cashed out at $22.15 - BIG SPENDER AND WINNER - NOT!!!  😁

A Friendship Rekindled!

I spotted a Great Grey Owl on the road heading to Great Falls today!  You can just see it flying into the bush.

It's awesome to once again visit with Brucene and Herb too in their lovely home!  It's probably been 15 plus years from our first meeting on a flight to Toronto, with sporadic Christmas card updates between their Germany/Canada stays.  It felt like we visited just last month!

The first couple hours we chatted with Brucene while she prepared an early supper while Herb worked.  Then he joined us and prepared the pork schnitzel and she seared/baked them up.  So 3ish we had this AWESOME meal together of schnitzel pork chops, roasted tiny potatoes, carrots/peas in white sauce with nutmeg, parsnips, chopped cucs/onions/tomatoes/parsley in white wine vinegar/walnut oil type of dressing and finished with a light n fluffy cheesecake with warm raspberry sauce!!!!  OH MY DELICIOUSNESS!!!!  And I'm asking for recipes for the veggies and dessert!  AND BOTH OF US received schnitzel to take home too!  What gracious friends and hosts!  I can't wait for when they're back here for the summer and we can visit once again.

I enjoyed this chuckle!

This fireplace is all granite stone from their property which were incorporated in the remodelling after the recent fire that gutted the interior.

Winnipeg River out front - very deep here! 

Edna, Brucene and I - thanks Herb for taking the picture. 

Great Falls Power Dam Generating Station. 

Curling & ASL

It was just awesome to see and sign with my ASL teacher Sylvia tonight!  It naturally brought back many funny learning stories.  Plus she complimented me on how much I do remember!  Made me feel taller than my 5'2" height!!!!  AND she agreed that John G teased me LOTS!!!!!  Also recognized Carol who also worked for the Province and we conversed some with ASL.  I got quite the work out today!

Ohhhh phooie John and Team Comte lost 8-3 tonight - the semi-finals.  Thhhhaaaaaattttttt's it for this spiel!  😕

2018 Year of Stitches - Weeks 1, 2 and 3

This is not my two projects - revisted from 2017 - for this year BUT I was stitching daily, well more exactly tatting.  I'm working on another part of tatting then they all can be all can be mailed off and I can return to my stitching once again.  In the second photo the top is the three components for three palm trees.  The hearts were my membership fee to the Canadian Fringe Element Tatters group.  The blue endings and more tatting are part of the Palmetto Tatters Guild 2018 scholarship Chinese Coins quilt adorned with members tatting.

Purging!

Oh boy did cleaning out my 30+ years of spices make me feel good!!!  Now the newer ones I had bought fit in with room to spare and I only need to buy cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and paprika.  Then I moved onto my dry goods and pitched 90% out as they were years out of date.  Did the same with my fridge condiments too.  Surprisingly I only have a dozen items to replace.  The rest I hadn't used and won't buy unless needed in future.  Then I went through my medicine cabinet and have a small bag to drop off at the pharmacy next Dr visit!  WOW!!!!!

BTW does anyone in Winnipeg want glass spice jars?  I've washed them to remove labels and hopefully smells and a few I'll save in case I buy packaged replacements.  Otherwise they'll go to recycle.

Next is the bathroom!!!  👍😁👐

Manitoba Open Bonspiel

Watching John and Team Comte curl and brushing up with my ASL with Andrew.
Congrats Team Comte - won 5-4.  Hopefully see you at 3pm at Fort Rouge Curling Club!

John's boys watching too!

Awesome DAY to Walk for Exercise!

A slight change of plans this morning and I was just going to veg then changed my mind.  So I picked up Edna 1ish and headed out to Assiniboine Park for a walk.  It was a beautiful day and we totally enjoyed our 8.4 km walk around the Park and along the boundary of Assiniboine Forest (no deer nor birds today at all - weird) before stopping at Folios for borscht and Chai latte before finishing the walk.  Totally awesome.  Stopped and picked up some groceries too!

Feeling Accomplished!

Well I've been still in slow mode this week but I did get some tatting accomplished.  The hearts are my fee to the Fringe Element Tatters group based in southern Ontario, a Canadian group.  One day I'll hope to attend their conference.

The two edges are part of my contribution for the Palmetto Tatters Guild 2018 tatting scholarship fundraiser quilt.  I've offered to dress up two 5x7 inch Chinese Coin blocks.  I was sent pictures of the two blocks and now I'm tatting edges and small pieces to ship off by March.  They too have a fair sized conference along with tatting being in with the bobbin lacemakers conference - one day I'll get down to joining my friends at one of these!

It's a Cold Cold Monday!

Oh my it's cold out, but my car started so Edna and I are walking in the Outlet Mall.  But this is what we saw from Polo Park.  I've never seen three sun dogs!  WOW!!!!!  Look at the beauty of nature that we saw - wouldn't get that if it was warmer.

Then we walked 6.9 km, shopped a wee bit and enjoyed a Mango Chicken at Shanghai in the food court before venturing out again.

Here's a blurb on sun dogs from Global:
https://globalnews.ca/news/3965469/the-science-of-sun-dogs-seen-over-southern-manitoba/

Feeling Good!

Like the kids - it's one more sleep and I'm back home for a while!  My last supper here and talk about grocery shopping that was perfect in type and quantity!  I'll miss this guy and the fireplace too!

I'm Disappointed!

I strolled over to see the bids today at C2 and am shocked that they are so LOW and/or NOT BID ON AS YET!  The minimum bid is only $30 (for an awesome red and white fabric art wall hanging and even a large lap quilt there too) and these would make lovely gifts for someone you know.  So if you've time and want to check them out they will stay on display till the 20th.  Yep it's extended a week so get up and go over there and maybe place a bid!  The following are Melissa Marginet's pictures.

I couldn't figure out how to link just this exhibit from C2's site so I just screenshot it. 

 

Feeling Relaxed!

Today was my hi-lites n cut day so off I went this morning and got these pics on the way.  Then a very relaxing and uplifting appointment with Adele.  Thank you for the beginnings of my new do hopefully springtime.  Now back to the condo for some feet up time with Hamish.

Now I'll remember Hamish as we both love the fireplace!

Waiting for supper and noticed the traffic. 

Talk about a busy street especially rush hours! 

Ice Castles

Out with friends to the Forks to see the man created Ice Castles.  I was enjoying myself immensely but walking in the loose snow crystal slush played havoc with my right ankle but I stayed upright with only one slight slip but no falls.  We then walked around checking the lights before venturing inside to pick up pizza and wine for a snack.  Gosh they sure are sprucing up the Forks with better food choices.  On our way back to the condo poor Marilyn took a hockey puck slapshot on the top of her foot that even we heard it connect with her boot.  SHEESH we were on the pathway and there were many small kids out and about!  The guy came over and said sorry!  Hope it's OK tomorrow as she's supposed to go XC skiing.  Anyways we walked back safely after that and I made some Brie Cranberry Bites with Scoops, salsa n nachos and this awesome stone fired pizza and Italian organic wine.  They were very impressed with my temporary digs but left early as we've all had too much fresh air!

A perfect end to a perfect day with friends!