A SUPER DUPER KIND OF DAY!

Yesterday was an interesting day.  We had to be on the highway and on our way to Winnipeg  by 8:30 am, so we were up earlier than usual. We were ahead of our planned departure by 15 minutes, already in the car, just about to pull out of the driveway, when a friend parked his car behind us and came to our car for a visit.

His visit turned out to be an inquiry as to whether or not I would be interested in a job.  The job being to ride on the handi-van as a patient escort.  I have ridden on the van with this friend before, and he thought perhaps I would be interested in doing so on a more regular basis.

So I said yes - give them my name and we will talk.

And we were off.  My vision was nice and clear, so I decided to do the 2.5 hr drive into the city - the first time I have driven anywhere except around town in months.

It was a nice sunny day, great driving, and we made great time and arrived in Winnipeg around 11am.  We were famished, so decided to stop for lunch.

During lunch, my phone must have gone off, but I didn't hear it.  When we were done eating I took my phone out of my purse and saw it had rang twice from a home town number.  So I dialed the number and waited.

Remember the Post-Office Job I applied for?  It was from the Postmaster, telling me she wanted to see me asap.  I explained where I was, and we made plans to meet the next day.

I started to laugh - in fact I was rather giddy - I was barely out of bed, and I had already been contacted about 2 different jobs?  Really?

We had just enough time to make a very quick stop at Walmart for underwear, and then we headed downtown to see the eye specialist.

For once there wasn't 1000 people in the waiting room - but still in all he was busy.  It took over two hours of drops, tests, poking and prodding, bright lights, and some pain, and it was all over, I was set free to go home, with the assurance that there would be no further issues happening with my eye, and all was well with my eye.

Whew!

I left there well frozen and dilated in both eyes with a pounding headache to boot - but happy that there would not have to be a return visit in my future.

Home we sailed (Gary driving this time).  Another beautiful drive home, I couldn't see a thing, but it seemed beautiful to me!

We stopped for supper about 30 minutes from home, and arrived home with plenty of time to spare before the sun set behind the mountain.

All in all a really positive day... 2 job offers, my vision restored, and a beautiful day for a road trip with the best partner a woman could have.

 More happy to be happy about!


Postscript:

I had that meeting today with the Postmaster - it's very positive, just a few little things to haggle over tomorrow, and of course a final okay from Headquarters before I know anything for sure.

The other job is also pending further discussion, but very positive as well.

I see some home Reno's in my future, if this all works out to our favour!


to be continued:

CHOOSE HAPPY!

I have come to the realization that I really do have the best life!  If I didn't know it before, I do now. 

There is not one of us, who have not suffered somewhere along life's journey, but I truly believe those moments of hurt, pain, suffering and heartache, help shape us into the people we become.  It's how you handle those moments, that determine the course your life takes.

I love the course my life has taken.  I have always had to work hard for each step along my journey, but that hard work has not hurt me.  It has shown me what I am capable of... it has taught me to push myself just a little harder to get the absolute best result in life.

I am in no way suggesting that my journey hasn't been shaped and helped by many people in my life - because none of us can complete this journey on our own.

I had wonderful caring parents, and my growing up years were surrounded by family - siblings, Aunts and Uncles, Cousins, Nieces, Nephews - every one of them in some way contributing to my growth.  Wonderful friends - some who have been with me my whole life, and others just as caring who are with me now.  My own family, my Gary, and our son Jon.... and now a new branch of our family... Sasha, Zhanna and Azaria.

So what is the great realization that has struck me about having the best life?

Simply this:

I have lost so many Dear loved ones - but I'm still here, and I am happy!

I have had siblings turn their lives away from mine - but I'm still here, and I'm happy!

I have worked very hard - But I'm still here, still working hard - and I'm happy!

I have had cancer and felt the fear of my own mortality - But I'm still here - and I'm happy!


Now here I am - not yet 63, retired from my job at 59, not because I was rich and had enough money to retire, but because I chose happiness over prosperity... and I'm still here - and I'm happy!

If that's not the best life - I don't know what is!

What I do know is that life, keeps on taking, and keeps on giving.  No matter where you are in your journey - that is guaranteed. 

It's our choice how we work it...

Myself - I choose Happy - each and every time!

GET THE WEEK ROLLING!

Easter week is now past... we should be having spring thawing but this past week has been anything but warm.

Even though the weather is not co-operating,  I have really been in the cleaning and de-cluttering mood.

The doll/ little girls room is almost completed.  All that is left to do is make the canopy for the bed, and hang things on the wall.  By things I mean - pretty vintage dresses; The Three Bears and Goldilocks ( as old as I); pretty decorated bonnets, and a shelf of tiny dolls and miniatures.

Likewise my new and improved studio/ office space is almost completed.  The nook now holds all the supplies,  the south window is where my plant nursery will be, the very open middle has my long work table, and the north end of the room is where my office is now... and I can see it all from my desk without having to turn around.

I will have pictures in a few days time.

While I have been shuffling rooms, I have also been taking note of all the stuff I have accumulated over the years.  I have a huge pile of things that I am donating to the recycle shop, and I have pitched a lot of stuff in black garbage bags for the dump.

The rest is in the process of sorting  - some of it will be sold online, some used for my crafts, and the rest I will keep for my own personal collections.

Some of the things I will be selling are my vintage baby dresses.  I acquired these a few years ago, along with some dolls I purchased.  These dresses are from the 40's and 50's - the very frilly, pretty dresses that little baby girls used to wear for Easter, Baptism, portraits, or Sunday visiting.  I also have quite a few Baptismal gowns from that same era and some beautiful handmade bonnets as well. 

I also will be selling some of my own creations online, and some of my vintage dolls as well.

I just have to figure out - where online I want my shop to be... I might make it here on my blog, or use a place like Etsy or EBay - but I will let you all know in due course.

In the meantime, it's off to the Retinal Specialist I go tomorrow, to see about the "hole" in my Retina ( I'm trying not to think about it too much).  I also sent a Tender in for another caretaker position - this time at the Post Office...so perhaps I will hear something on that soon.

And later this week I will be sewing my vegetable seeds, to get a jump start on some nice plants for my vegetable garden - I just can't wait to get my hands in some dirt!

So lets get this week rolling....  maybe if we keep really busy - spring will show it's warmer side!

Till later...

A BLESSED EASTER!

Nothing says spring and Easter like new baby lambs.   Lambs have long been an animal associated with Easter and Spring.

Back in our childhood, the Easter cake was often made in the image of a lamb.  Gary tells me every Easter about the Lamb cake that decorated his family's Easter table, made by his Uncle Joe who was a baker and owned his own Bakery for many years.

You don't see Lamb cakes anymore, I guess just one more sign of an ever changing society from traditional to nothing- resembling -traditional- any more.

Lucky for me, I have the wonderful opportunity to see new born lambs about 4 miles down the road from my home.

My friend Diana and her family raise sheep - for meat production, and for wool... and lambing season is in full swing.

She has been sharing some pictures of the new arrivals on social media with her friends, and I have managed to snag an invitation to take my camera for a visit one day, very soon.

I love her posts about her "renegade sheep", her "good sheep", her "ladies in waiting" and her two huge sheep guardian dogs.  All her sheep have names, and she loves them like they are family...

My friend shares her sheep in wonderful detail  - like the day she not only told us, but showed us about Lyla still being pregnant...

and then just days later her heart was broken after Lyla's labour not only took her two unborn lambs' lives, but Lyla's as well.

And then there is Juno - this adorable lamb...

Juno had a great future, until his mother met with a very freak fatal accident with an implement.  But shortly after there was a Mom who had lost her lamb, so Juno's future once again is bright, as he and his new Mom are well on their way towards a perfect bond.

Brown lambs and tiny little white lambs - 

The life of a farmer is never easy, there is joy, there is heartbreak... there is life, and there is death.

Very much like the true meaning of Easter itself - Life, and Death, and Life after Death!

I can't wait to be at Diana's farm seeing these wonderful little animals, and hopefully catching some

 of their beauty and personalities with my camera.

But for now

I wish you all

 A Blessed Easter.

THE REVEAL!

It's a beautiful sunny warm spring day here in western Manitoba.  Our snow is all but gone at the front of the house, but the back yard is still covered with deep snow, so I haven't been able to get a glimpse of my big gardens yet - but we are getting closer.

It's been a very slow melt here, which is what the farmers want, I believe.  But I am wanting to hurry spring along so I can get outside and get my hands in some dirt!

Today is a sad Anniversary for me.  It is 34 years that my Mother passed away today.  You would think that 34 years would dull the pain and sorrow of losing her, but it has not.  It never goes away, really.  Not a day goes by without her popping into my memory.  Something she did or said will be right there, as if it was yesterday.  She was younger than I am now when she died, and so she is forever young in my memories.  I miss her, and even though I know we will meet again someday, I can't help thinking about all that we have missed these 34 years.

I snatched this from Face book.... it is exactly how I feel today - and everyday.

And Now - 

I believe I promised you a Reveal.

Here is the before and after pictures of my Shaker cabinet.

I am very happy with the way it turned out.

Now I am moving on to the second cabinet, which is not going to be as much work as this one was, because I am only chalk painting the sides and the top, and leaving the glass doors at the front natural.

In the meantime I can start moving some dolls down into this nice pretty cabinet, and the drawers will hold their outfits.

Enjoy this day, my friends - and hug your loved ones...

 

CHALK IT UP TO ...

A special hello to all my regular followers, I love knowing that you always stick around for my posts.  Some of you have been with me from the very beginning, and I honestly and truly appreciate your support.  Much love to you all!

So - I mentioned a chalk paint project I was going to tackle this past week - tackle it - I did!

Until I moved here, I didn't know such thing as a chalk paint finish even existed, but thanks to my dear friend, Lou - who owns and runs our local Uniques and Antiques shop here in town - and if you haven't been to visit - you are missing a true GEM....  thanks to Lou - I have learned all about chalk paint.

Lou re-purposes many different things for her shop, and many times she uses the chalk paint technique.  She inspired me - she even presented me with some Plaster of Paris to get me kick started!

So what is chalk paint?

It is a mixture of acrylic paint, Plaster of Paris and water.  You can buy it in any store that sells paint, but be prepared to pay up.   A tiny pint of this specialty paint can cost you as much as a gallon of any other paint.

I am cheap - and the projects I want to work on are large, so I decided to brave my fears and mix my own.

There are many recipes on the Internet for this, but I chose this one, only because it makes a larger batch than some of the others.

2 cups acrylic paint ( colour of your choice).
1/3 Cup Plaster of Paris ( can be found in most hardware stores)
2 tablespoons of water.

Mix well until smooth.  I thought it would be gritty, but surprisingly, it's not!

I found a very inexpensive gallon of already already coloured paint ( Glidden) in Walmart.  It was half the price of the paint that I usually use, but I actually have used Glidden a lot in the past, and have always like the finish.  Speaking of finishes - this gallon was Eggshell.

So my first project is a shaker TV cabinet that we have had since the 90's.  Its been in every room in our former house, and quite a few in this one as well.
Here it is in the kitchen 2 years ago, before I changed the kitchen and moved it into the basement family room.

We haven't used it as a TV cabinet since the wide flat screen TVs have been the thing, but it is a great storage cabinet, and I plan to use it in my doll/ little girl room.

Here is my before picture (missing the 2 drawers)- it is sitting in the newly painted doll room...

After taking the doors off, I lightly sanded the cabinet and then wiped it down with a damp cloth.


First coat:

When you do a chalk paint you are supposed to lightly sand between coats, but my first coat was so thin that I waited until after the second coat.

Here the cabinet is finished, now I am working on the doors.  As you can see I removed the panels from the doors.  I am going to do something chic with the panels, I am also painting the wooden knobs the same colour as the wall.

Next post I will reveal the finished project - I think you will be surprised!

So I'm off to finish my first Chalk Paint Project....

Until later - 

HAPPY FIRST DAY OF SPRING!

Happy First Day of Spring!

It's been quite awhile since I have felt like writing, I apologize for abandoning you, but sometimes it is a good thing to disconnect from our normal for a little while.

Looking out my window as I write this, it looks nothing like spring - it is actually snowing here, and its cloudy and gloomy - not what one wants to see at all on the first day of spring - however the calendar says warmer weather is around the corner, so we should be thankful that winter is mostly behind us now!

Winter - well, for me it was a challenge this year!  I usually embrace winter, but this one was brutally cold, and I think what really made it overly long and tedious for me was the inability to get out of the house.

I had a very nasty flare up of Plantar Fascists, and pretty much from early December until just recently, I have been unable to walk.  It made me so miserable and grumpy.  I couldn't get upstairs to craft, or write blogs... I couldn't go for walks with my camera on nice sunny days - it really affected me a lot.

I also have been stressing about my eye.  I have a retina thing going on, and have had to change my specialist appointment twice, once due to weather and once to a nasty flu bug, that still has me coughing 4 weeks later.

But this is all behind me now, I hope.  I seem to be having more energy, the days are longer, and the snow is melting. 

You know my mind is on what lies beneath the snow in the back yard.  I have started a few perennial seeds - I have some nice Shasta Daisy's growing, and a few Cheyenne Spirit Echinacea growing in pots, some herbs and a few other plants, and in a week or so, I will start my vegetable seedlings for my garden.

But my big project, came as a surprise one day, when Gary announced he wanted to move out of his little theater room into the big family room.  I jumped at the opportunity to seize another spare room, and along with it a new project!

He had painted the walls a cranberry red, which was really nice for a theater room, but way too dark for what I want, so I have painted it a soft grey-green colour.  It is going to be the new doll room, but also I am making it a special room for our two new soon to be little grand-daughters.  I will put a bed in there, and I am going to even make a canopy for it using a hula hoop and some sheers.  The room will be theirs to play in, to sleep in - whatever they want to do.  I have cabinets for my collectible dolls, so they will be safe from little fingers, but still they are dolls - if little girls want to play with them - they will be able to.

So the room is painted - I shampooed the carpet, and now I am going to try my hand a some chalk painting projects. 

More on that next time....

Gosh it's good to be writing again....

Happy Spring everyone!