Muddy Boots

Wow it's the last day of February and we are onto March and thoughts of Spring! The weather was a balmy 12C (54F) yesterday although it is supposed to get colder by tomorrow.

Last Sunday I left church and was on my way to meet my friend S for coffee.  The weather was milder and I debated whether to take the shorter route to our meeting spot.  Well, it was the muddier route and I proceeded to get the soles of my boots caked thickly in wet mud, oozing slightly up the sides.  It bothered me so much, when I got to drier land I started trying to scrape the mud off onto the grass as best I could.  Friend S must've been wondering why I was taking so long, I saw her eventually walking up to me.  She pointed to some puddles of  water on the road and it helped to step into them for a little while.  Yes, I did feel like a bit of a child.

On the way home after our meeting, I noticed there were still patches of snow here and there on the sidewalks and I proceeded to brush/grind my boots into the snow every time I came upon a patch of the icy stuff until eventually my boots were cleaned!

And that is my 'muddy boot' story, next time I will choose the drier if longer route to my destination.

Sunday Sketches - Pelican

Welcome to Alexandra's Sunday Sketches! Just a quick Pelican sketch in watercolour crayon in my sketchbook (9" x 12"). Thanks to Icy for letting me reference her photo!

A movie and a song

The movie Woman in Gold starring Helen Mirren, Ryan Reynolds and Katie Holmes was playing on TV recently and I was able to watch it.  It had been recommended by a blogger and was on my list.  It did not disappoint I really enjoyed the movie.  It is a true story of a long struggle to reclaim art stolen from a woman's family by the Nazis during the war.  This is a 2015 British drama, so a very recent movie.

And you must listen to 'Part of Your World 'by 3 year old Claire.  It is magical, if you want a lift to your day!

Paint Party Friday - Cat

Welcome to Paint Party Friday! Thanks to Kristin and Eva for always hosting. This piece is called 'Cat', is done in watercolour crayon in my sketchbook (9" x 12").

A Reunion

I saw this pretty skirt at the mall and took a photo for you:

This article talks about a new Alzheimer treatment using ultrasound waves that is curing memory loss in mice.  The best thing is that human trials start in 2017!  This article is a year old, but it sounds like a cure is finally becoming a real possibility.

In other news, I had a reunion with a co-worker from my former workplace.  We had not seen each other for some sixteen years which was when I last worked at my job.  We met for coffee and caught up on news of some of the people I had lost touch with.   I think we will keep in touch as we both enjoyed the meeting.  This co-worker is now retired.

Clearance Chocolates

I was in Walmart shortly after Valentine's day and noticed these fine chocolates on clearance.  Well there was one bar that was just on sale but I got it as well.  Daughter L likes milk chocolate and nuts are fine, son K likes milk chocolate and I got dark chocolate for myself because it is supposedly very healthy.  Husband M will eat bite sized pieces on occasion.

The Fish

I was visiting my mom the other day and she was looking at this fish tank next to her and commented 'is the fish dead?'  My mom has some memory loss/dementia and that was her perception.  On closer inspection I think they were just sleeping, do you agree?

Broken Adapter

I happened to notice by accident that Daughter L was using this broken adapter to charge her computer. It didn't look safe, a fire hazard in fact, although it still does the job. Can you see the torn wire?

For $99 (not including tax) I decided to get her this new one, safety first!  After doing some googling I decided this is a more long term solution to the problem.  We will keep the torn adapter and patch with white electrical tape for use as a backup.

Sunday Sketches - Still Life

Welcome to Sunday Sketches!  This is a still life done in watercolour crayons and fine point marker on a (3" x 3") memo sheet.

A Treat

I didn't have much chocolate left at home so I got this new bar of dark milk chocolate from Ikea!

'My Secret Mother', a book by Phyllis Whitsell was featured in the newspaper last weekend with this caption:  'A daughter given up for adoption later nursed her dying mother without revealing her identity'.  You can read this article here, I found it interesting.

Paint Party Friday - Woman in Black

Welcome to Paint Party Friday.  I did a 'woman in black' today on a memo pad sheet (3" x 5") in watercolour pencil.  I sketched her from a photo I saw when I was flipping through a magazine at the doctor's office.

Airport Express

On our way to the Autoshow in downtown Toronto last week, we passed by the new Union Station Airport express. It is a new service that goes directly to the Toronto Pearson International Airport from Union Station downtown. It hasn't been doing that well, likely due to the price.  However they had a free promotion this past Family Day weekend and it was well attended because it was free!   Here are some photos I took for you:

Purchase Tickets

Boarding Platform

Train access

Autoshow 2016

Husband M, son K and I went to the Canadian International Autoshow 2016 and had a great time this past weekend. It wasn't too crowded on opening day, maybe everyone was going to the NBA all star basketball events that weekend.  I took these photos for you:

Lotus

Audi E-tron plug-in hybrid

Pretty Flowers

Conscientious Recycling

Recycling in French on one side

Nice Sitting Area

Creative Tuesdays - Fuzzie

Welcome to Creative Tuesdays' 'Fuzzie' theme! I did a fuzzie chick in watercolour crayon in my sketchbook (8 1/2" x 11").

The Physical

Watch Disney's The Jungle Book trailer here.  I think I would like to see this one, scheduled for an April 2016 release.

Son K had a physical last week, it had been a couple of years.  His doctor is such a good looking woman, he doesn't mind going there in the least!  He did say he was given the most flimsy gown with which to cover himself and it managed to get torn as he waited for the doctor to enter the room.  She couldn't help laughing at his predicament and gave him another one.  She counseled him on healthy eating, exercise, drugs.  They had a conversation about school and work.  He told her he was looking for a full time job now that he is finished school.  She advised him to find something he enjoys.  K asked her if she enjoyed her job.  He was surprised that she hesitated and said only that 'it's ok'.  It's interesting how K always picks up on people's reactions, enough to relate his story to me.  I suspect there are not that many people who can just say 'I love my job' with some amount of enthusiasm.

Sunday Sketches - On Valentine's Day

Welcome to Sunday Sketches 'On Valentine's Day'! This piece is done on a (3" x 3") memo sheet in watercolour pencil.

Here is a Disney Love Medley in honour of Valentine's Day! 

You know, I don't have much chocolate in the house today and maybe that's a good thing!

At the eye doctor

I was at my opthalmologist this past week for my annual checkup, the small cataract in my right eye is thankfully stable, as it has been for many years.  He checked my eyes for any signs of glaucoma as my grandmother had that, and he also examined my retina, all is good.  It seems English is getting more simple these days, I noticed he calls himself 'eye physician and surgeon' as opposed to 'opthalmologist'.  The kids used to have a pediatric dentist when they were little and after awhile they changed the sign to say 'dentistry for children'.

I noticed the doctor had a photo of his family on a desk.  They had really become grown up since the last photo I saw.  I mentioned this to him.  He asked how old mine were and I told him 20 and 23, remarking on how the years had flown by.  He said his were 15, 20, 23 and 25 and agreed with me.

It seemed strange to get my next appointment for February 2017 but that is a year from now.

Paint Party Friday - Avocado

Welcome to Paint Party Friday!  I did some avocados for you today in watercolour crayon done in my art journal (8 1/2" x 11").

Enjoyed this Movie

I watched the movie 'The Intern' the other night starring Anne Hathaway and Robert DeNiro and LOVED it!  I especially loved the positive message at the end.  It's a comedy and I thought the acting was great.

Then I was watching Jamie's Super Food and he was doing an episode in Costa Rica and discussed cashews.  You can learn more about them here, and see a photo of the cashew fruit. The cashew grows on a tree.  The accessory fruit is called the cashew apple and is juicy and edible.  The kidney-shaped true fruit grows at the end of the cashew apple.  Inside this fruit is a seed (or nut) coated with a poisonous layer.  Cashews have to be roasted outdoors because of this poison. 

I found this 4 minute video that shows you how to extract the cashew nuts from the fruit.

I like cashews do you?

A Welcome Diversion

On the weekend I was waiting to meet my friend S at a meeting spot along the road.  It was about 1C (34F) and promised to get warmer throughout the day.   I saw this pretty young woman running towards me, I wondered if she was trying to catch a bus or something.  She stopped as she approached me and started talking to me in English with a slight accent.  I asked her if she was Chinese and she said she was.  She told me she was coming from a Chinese class at the local high school.  It turned out to be a boring event so she just decided to leave.  She was running for the exercise but thought better of it (why risk leg pain, she gestured toward her legs), and decided to walk instead.  She wasn't overweight, average height, slim in fact.  She asked me what I was doing at the side of the road.  I told her I was waiting for my friend who is sometimes late.  She suggested I should start arriving later then.  I asked her if she was finished high school and she nodded her head (yes) and mentioned she was thinking of taking some sort of course now.  She bid me goodbye and thought she should go home and have something to eat.

It was a welcome diversion as I waited for my friend, who arrived within 5 minutes of my waiting.

Instant Rice

I got this 'buy one get one free' coupon in the mail.  I decided to try this new instant rice product.  I was amazed that all you have to do is tear a 5cm hole in the top and microwave for 90 seconds!  It tasted pretty good considering the effort it took!  Seeds of change is a certified organic seed company and the ready to heat rice comes in a bunch of flavours.  Do you like rice?

A Good Father

Husband M and I were in McDonald's restaurant one morning.  I mentioned to one of the employees that is was a Professional Development Day at the schools that day.  We laughed that it meant a peaceful morning as the place is usually very busy with school kids during the week.   She started telling us of the hour and a half bus rides (each way?) she endured as a child going to school.  It seems she grew up in Northern Ontario.  As a result she really appreciated Professional Days off school but maybe not so much her mother as there were 4 kids in the family.  It must have been tiring for the kids, those long bus rides. 

I asked if she would consider retiring up north one day, back to where she grew up, you know.  She said she had 6 properties out east in Newfoundland and that is where she would retire.  She said her dad had bought the properties thinking of his 4 kids and I thought, what a good father!  She really appreciated her dad too.  Apparently the 4 kids will share in these properties.

Of course Newfoundland gets a LOT of snow, but it is peaceful and the summers must be wonderful.

Sunday Sketches - Watercolour Sunset

This is my 'watercolour sunset' (8 1/2" x 11") that I did for Sunday Sketches on watercolour paper!

Salted Caramel Milk Chocolate Bar

Daughter L bought me this Godiva Salted Caramel chocolate bar.  It is delicious milk chocolate.   My nephew told me he likes the dark chocolate one and then a cousin said she likes the Lindt dark chocolate salted caramel so I will have to try these other suggestions!  What are your favourite chocolate bars if you are a chocolate lover?

Paint Party Friday - Trees in Snow

Welcome to Paint Party Friday! This piece is called 'Trees in Snow' based on a photo I took. It's done in watercolour, outlined with a fine point marker (5" x 7") on watercolour paper.

A bit of excitement

We had a bit of excitement this past weekend.  We woke up and looked out the front window and saw a firetruck parked on the road, blocking our driveway in fact.  There were a couple of police cars parked on either side of the road and an ambulance parked up ahead of that.  Then another ambulance pulled into the next door neighbour's driveway and two more police cars arrived.  Meanwhile the odd pedestrian continues walking by, one with her little dog.  Then the neighbour across the street cautiously pulls out of her driveway and goes on her way. 

Husband M and I were going out for a walk, so I went over to one of the cars and spoke to a cop.  He told me it was a level 3 (medical) emergency, hence all the vehicles.  I asked if it was an older woman.  He said it was, so I am guessing it was the neighbour's mother.

Never a dull moment!

Carrot and Daikon Pickle

I decided to try this recipe for Carrot and Daikon pickle Vietnamese style. It is quite close to the dish you find in the Vietnamese restaurants so I was very happy.  It is also quite simple compared to some other more complicated ones you will find.  Daikon is a type of radish used in Asian cooking.  After about a week the flavours have really been absorbed and it is even more delicious!

Creative Tuesdays - Box of Chocolates

This is my 'Box of Chocolates' for Creative Tuesdays.  It's done on a (3" x 3") memo sheet in watercolour pencil, outlined with a fine point black marker.

Fun

I know some of you like puzzles, here is a fun one for you today!  And welcome to February.

Well a friend just told me that her credit card was recently compromised.  She found out when one of the retailers called her for credit card verification.  Fortunately the retailer suspected something and did not process the over 500 dollars charge.  However there was another charge for a couple of thousand dollars that slipped through from the week before.  The scary part is that my friend uses that card infrequently and has no idea how this could have happened. My other friend S says she should track down where she made her last purchase on that card and inform the establishment of the occurrence.  It is a good suggestion.