Paint Party Friday - The Model

I drew this model in watercolour pencils in my journal (7"h x 5"w). It is based on a photo I saw in the newspaper and I was attracted to its simplicity.  The real skirt had more fluffy details.  Happy Paint Party Friday!

Good Deal

I bought  this artifical arrangement at Winners/Homesense recently. It was clearing at $3! Not that I need any arrangements, but who can resist a good deal?  I will display in the house in the winter season.

At the Hairdressers

I was at the hairdresser's last week reading Regal gifts catalogue.  It  sells unique items.

Here are a few interesting things I found among the hundreds of items, let me know what you think of them!


Brown sugar discs, I think it said terracotta teddy bears to keep brown sugar soft.

An ergonomic pen to reduce hand fatigue

When I'm Gone...practical notes for those you leave behind (pin numbers, location of keys, etc.)

Bunion Toe Spreader

Eye Doctor

Lots of snow here, this is in a local plaza. They have to make space for cars to park!

I was at my eye doctor (opthalmologist) last week for my annual checkup.  I have a small cataract in my right eye but it has been stable over the years so I don't need surgery for now.  He monitors it and I have been asking him to check my eye pressure (which was normal).  I mentioned I have a 50 year old friend who just developed glaucoma.  He said it's not common, but he has a few teenage patients with glaucoma.  It really can happen at any age.

It seems I have been seeing him since 1999.  I had a stressful job in the computer industry and developed an eye inflammation in that right eye.  I had to take corticosteroid eye drops to tame the inflammation and it was a troublesome condition to get rid of.  It makes me wonder if that medication caused the cataract.  The other thing is that I left my job the next year to stay home and since then I have never had a recurrence (knock on wood)!  It must have been caused by stress.

Lots of Snow

It snowed a lot all day Saturday, well it's February after all.  Daughter L was home for the weekend with her boyfriend.  It was lovely to see them. They attended an exciting Maple Leaf Hockey game where a player scored a 'hat-trick'.  Then people started tossing their hats onto the ice as per tradition.  And the Maple Leafs won.  It was also Canadian Forces night, which made it even more special.

I walked to church yesterday as the weather was a mild -1C (30F). Well, I just picked up our tax receipts, I didn't go to mass.  It was a beautiful winter wonderland with lots of fresh fallen snow.
We all went to a delicious sushi all-you-can-eat lunch later on.

After dropping the kids off at the train station, husband M went to a Superbowl party.  He said it wasn't a good game.  Son K had a lot of schoolwork, so I was helping him with that.  I called an aunt who is having major surgery, I don't speak to her often but it was as if we talk every day.  Isn't it strange how that can be?  Hope it goes well for her.

Hope you had a good weekend!

Sunday Sketches - Vignette

This is just a quick 'vignette' captured on a memo pad sheet in watercolour pencil. It was inspired by a photo I saw in the newspaper.  Happy Sunday Sketches!

Stevia

Welcome to February!

One of my sisters has been looking at Stevia, a new artificial sweetener.  I found this relevant article in one of our national newspapers.  We have diabetes running in the family (I don't have it yet)  and thus have an interest in artifical sweeteners.

Stevia is from a plant.  It is being marketed in the U.S. as Truvia and PurVia.  It is being introduced slowly into Canada.  Pepsico and Coco-cola plan to introduce vitamin-infused water sweetened with PurVia and Truvia.  Truvia and PurVia are allowed as table sweeteners in Canada.

According to the article, stevia 'can lead to male reproductive problems, interfere with metabolism and cause genetic mutations.'  Then it reminds us saccarin and cyclamate were banned as unsafe many years ago.  Sucralose and aspartame have also been linked with health problems.

It's scary, you almost want to just have a little real sugar every now and then.  I have cut down on my diet soda consumption but still drink it.  What are your feelings on artificial sweeteners, do you use them?  My son K has been drinking vitamin water recently saying it is good.  Fortunately the brand he has been drinking uses real sugar.  It's about 130 calories.