Sold

Son K took these used video games to the EB Games video store at the mall. They will buy your used games. Unfortunately, they would only give him $10 for both. He felt they were worth a lot more, so he decided to list them on Kijiji, the free classified website. Within a week he found a buyer and got $30 for both. The only trouble is that sometimes you have to go a little out of your way to find a meeting site that is convenient to both parties. He was able to do the swap at a mall that wasn't too far away.

Have you sold anything on Kijiji or Craiglist classified websites?

Soofa Bench

My friend S told me to try these mini cucumbers, used for making pickles. She is right, they are so crunchy, fresh and delicious! Have you ever tried them, other than in pickles?

And have you heard about these soofa benches?  The first one is being rolled out in our province of Ontario.  They are benches equipped with solar powered charging stations for phones, tablets and such.

Creative Tuesdays - Little Body of Water

Welcome to Creative Tuesdays! The current theme is 'Little Body of Water'. My piece was done in my art journal (8 1/2" x 11") in watercolour pencil and crayon. This could also be my 'Happiness Pond', I decided to snap a photo of the clouds to use as a reflection in the pond. It was neat that the sun was also captured within the photo so I decided to use it as well. The sun was more white, but I used artistic licence to make it a pale yellow!

Poor Bird(s)

Can you see the poor bird in the photo? He crashed into my patio door. At this point, he had righted himself and sat there stunned and recovering for quite awhile. Then we noticed he had relocated under some hosta plants. Eventually, he moved on so I am happy to think he survived. I have stickers on my patio door but maybe I need bigger ones.

Then, several days later, husband M heard a thud against the bathroom window upstairs. The curtains were drawn. So he went downstairs, certain there would be a bird lying on the patio. Here he is, he sat stunned for a short while then he was okay.

Husband M decided to put a plate of water out, and this bird immediately started bathing and fluttering around it. It was a day when the squirrels were again looking quite exhausted from the heat.  I used to have a bird bath then I got rid of it at the time the west nile mosquito virus was scaring everyone and they were warning us against standing water in our gardens.

Sunday Sketches - Just Relaxin'

Welcome to Sunday Sketches! Today's piece is done in watercolour pencil and crayon in my art journal (8 1/2" x 11"). It's called 'Just Relaxin'...by the beach, in this case!

At the Hairdresser

neighbourhood flowers

I was at my hairdresser last week, I've been seeing him for what must be over 30 years by now.  He told me his wife passed away last month, it was a bit of a shock.  She had been ill the past year from a lung ailment.  He took her to the hospital on a Saturday and she died the following Tuesday.  Fortunately she did not suffer.  I think they are in their mid-sixties.  He told me to take a couple of his Chatelaine magazines home, they were new issues and that his wife always told him to give them to me because I like that magazine.  I was touched and made sure to take them home this time.  When I got home I ordered a fruit basket to be delivered to his store as a token of my sympathy.  He called me as soon as the basket arrived to tell me it was much appreciated.

His Syrian assistant had been working that day.  She is a pretty young woman who left Syria with her young family about a year ago under a refugee intake program.  She was able to move in with her sister.  She told me she had 2 children when I asked, ages 6 and 9.  They love it in school and they have learned English very quickly.  In fact, she is worried they will forget their mother tongue.  Her mother in Syria is also concerned because soon they won't be able to communicate with her.  They just want to speak English now.

Paint Party Friday - Cute Baby

This was supposed to be a greeting card, then after sketching it out, I realized I had drawn on the envelope! Oh well, here it is anyway. Happy Paint Party Friday!  The envelope will hold a (4 1/4" x 5 1/2") card and I used watercolour pencils for the piece.