Our Little Man's 3rd Birthday

Yes I am still bloody sore... and yes I am going back to the doctor to get something more then what I am taking now because I am not getting through the night at all... but that is about it with me...
Yesterday Rebecca and Matthew celebrated Phoenix's birthday at the Bowlarama if that is spelled right... and here are a few of my favorite photos... the rest can be seen on my facebook account...

Phoenix and Dad... look at those lips ...

he he caught him in a mid suck LOL

Son and Dad enjoying a moment... with Uncle Chris...

Of course Mom and Son...

they always take such great photos..

And I would like to introduce you to a cousin of ours and I didn't know that until the second time I met her... she is a great friend of Rebecca's... and is becoming Phoenix's god mother...
Meg McLean is the daughter of Nancy Kenny who is the daughter of Paul Kenny who is dad's nephew... lol figure that one out ... very small world...

Well I am off to do Project 2009... have a good one.. come back sometimes today or tomorrow and get photos of our celebration of Pat's birthday.. that is happening this afternoon at lunch...
Joanne

Snapping Away

Early Saturday morning and I am up... not sure why because there is not all that much going on today that I have to be up at this hour of the morning.... Yesterday morning was one of those perfect days at the kitchen window... the birds were coming, we had not only one but three Mr. Nutty around the yard... and though we have only see one up on the new feeder this is still one that can manage to get on the smaller feeders... I am sure that the peanuts that are on top of the roof have been driving all three of them crazy because they can't get at them.... Chickadees are the ones that are here the most...every once in a while we have a couple of Gross Beaks show up... a moose bird was here but we were eating lunch and didn't get a snap off.... though there are only a few kinds showing up it is always interesting to take photos of them... I found Carl at the table yesterday morning... and couldn't resist I had to go get mine... to join him... so this is what we came up with....a few little problems though one they should have been taken outside instead of through the window and secondly the windows need a good cleaning and not sure if that will happen soon with the cold weather but hoping ...Hint Hint Carl LOL.... the snow looked like it was filled with diamonds... and the icicles were just as beautiful as ever... I love icicles as the shine when the sun shines on them....

It was not the only thing we did yesterday but it was the nicest thing we did together...

Have a wonderful Saturday people.... Joanne

INTERVIEW ME

The rules:

1. Leave me a comment saying, "Interview me."
2. I will respond by emailing you five questions. I get to pick the questions.
3. You will update your blog with the answers to the questions.
4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.

Here are my questions from Earth to Danie (Not as bad as I excepted)

1) What types of crafts do you do and what are you working on now?

Crafts I do … knitting, scrap booking, sewing, and crocheting
Usually when I get into the knitting mood I basically make cotton dishcloths but this year I didn’t want to and started making scarves… actually the first one I made was for Rebecca for Christmas…..I now have 10 others on my table where I sit and watch television…. I thought of making mitts for Craig’s little ones well the first pair turned out the other one didn’t… so that got undone… socks I only got ½ a pair done… then I went looking for another pattern for socks and came across chemo caps... and thought what a great idea to use up the yard that I keep buying and never use… so that is what I am working on now… if this works out I will make several others… we have a new oncology department at our hospital which I go to every month with mom to get her port a calf done so hopefully when I take her in February I will have several caps done to give to them…. …

2) What’s your favorite book and why?
My favorite book is by Erma Bombeck called Motherhood: The Second Oldest Profession…because she had things in this book that made me laugh, “I was one of the luckier women who came to motherhood with some experience. I owned a Yorkshire terrier for three years” “There will be other Mother’s Days and a parade of gifts that will astound and amaze you, but not one of them will ever measure up to the sound of your children in the kitchen on Mother’s Day whispering, “Don’t you dare bleed on Mom’s Breakfast.”… cry “When God Created Mothers” and do a heck of a lot of thinking… “God Choose A Mom for a Disable Child”…throughout my years with my boys so young there were many times I went back to this book and read it over again…to give myself a kick to keep going… being thankful for the health of my children and appreciate the little things that I will one day come to smile about of them which I do now…the book was lost for a while Harold had given it away but I found it at the barber shop where he had taken it… and was return back to the house…is now stored away with its cover missing never to be lost again… It was given to me by Annie after saying that I would like to have a book or two on motherhood when I found out that I was having Robin… so the book is 28 years old this year… (I put links to these stories instead of printing them out... I know I am long winded but not that long LOL)

3) What is the worse food on earth?

Liver, diet pop and Becel

4) Tell me about the flora and fauna in your backyard.

My backyard is the place I go to get some sanity back in my life…now you know why I am this way in the winter… no backyard to work in…. I have two sections of three level of flower beds…on the side of the house all made by Carl and I which start at the front of the house and goes to the back yard… in them are mostly perennials…I have bleeding hearts, climatic, burning bushes, rose bush which is part of my Grandmother Melanson’s…. so Danie if you are doing a flower bed at your place make sure your mom gives you a piece, Columbines which is another plant that I took from Nanny and Papa’s place that Grandmother Melanson planted years ago… and anything else in there I would have to look up… because I can’t remember all the names of them…. three sides of the house also have flower beds…Daisy, a white bleeding heart, etc. I have another three in the back yard…the one closest to the house has my Daily Lilies, hens and chicks, and a lot of annual flowers for color… We started a pathway through the wooded area which Carl has been cleaning since he came here… we put most of our hostas through out the path and continue to look for more as we expend the pathway…. There is another bed by the garage and a climb rose bush close to the pathway…

The yard though out the year has some kind of birds (Bird Jays, chickadees, Gross beaks, mourning doves, woodpeckers) coming and going from the feeders we have out in the yard… of course several Mr. Nuttys, In the winter time we have our feeders in front of the kitchen window but come spring and summer they are moved closer to the woods… every once in a while I catch sight of a deer or two, a fox or a rabbit crossing out path as they continue on their journey through out the woods…. We have had a grey owl come looking for a snack… and an hawk land onto the feeders…

5) What’s your favorite recipe? That means you have to share it with us ;)

In all honesty there isn’t one that is a favorite any more because I don’t bake any more… baking means I am going to eat it which everyone knows I am not allow… The most favorite one of all times when the boys were growing up I called Whatever Casserole…. Why you would wonder I would name a casserole that… well it was whatever I had in the house at the time to make it… left over roast beef or pork, chicken, turkey or the couple of burgers that didn’t get eaten the night before… some macaroni or rice, tomato or cream chicken, celery or mushroom soup, a handful of frozen peas or corn….some carrots or cabbage, peppers, mushrooms and onions if they were on hand… topped with cheese (which was always on hand) and cracker crumbs… bake in the oven serve with rolls, garlic bread or just plain bread…. (actually I still make it every now and then)

Just Another Thursday

Come evening in this house it is almost as quiet as getting up.... once in a while as I move around the house you will hear a cuss or ouch out of me when the leg gives me a problem ...

Maggie is trying to find a comfortable spot on the bed only take off in a minute or two when she hears Carl coming back into the house... he is taking the bin to the road I think... Kodak is standing at the door guarding it... while he watches me type away at the computer... wondering what is so wonderful in this thing that I am on it several times a day....

Today I thought I would try my hand once again at sock making... I bombed got ticked and tore the whole thing apart instead of just the part I messed up... I think I will stick to the scarf making... they are easier though I seen some chemo caps online last night ... I may try my hand at them... I am sure the department here in Bathurst would appreciate a few of them....they don't look all that hard to do... and they call for circular needles... so it really can't be all that bad....

A stop at mom and dad's a trip to the mall for a walk that almost killed me today... can't do the whole mall yet with this leg of mine... have to do 1/2 tomorrow... and back home to watch the snow come down...

Well off to the shower if Carl got the chair in it for me...so I can put some heat and cold on the leg... maybe it will help it a bit.... have a good night... catch you Later... Joanne

Nerves and Chicken

There are times when you think you are doing good for things that happen to you but later on you find out that you are actually making a mess of things.... and that is the case for my sciatica nerve....

Two weeks ago I sneezed and did something to my sciatica nerve... and tonight when I got up around midnight quite wide awoke because I have slept most of the afternoon and evening I thought it was time for me to look up what this was all about since I didn't get a lot of information from my doctor... so what did I learn...well this can go on for a few days (which is well passed that) or several months...(which I really don't want at all).... on this site that I went to it showed me a simple exercise to do to help with this problem... very easy and simple as I said before... cross your leg over your other leg and bend from the waist as far as you can... the lower you go the more pull...hmmmm now that I can do since I love crossing my legs ...besides that the anti-inflammatory that the doctor gave me and of course the pain killers will work ... but the one thing that I didn't know was the less I do the more this sucker is going to act up....so going to bed for the day is not something I should be doing because I can tell you it is painful as heck when I try to get out of bed... it seems that the less I move usually make the pain worse... because the regular movement is necessary to get it back to where it was before the sneeze...so in the next days I will be exercising and stretching a little more then normal so it will not take months to get over this...

Though we are not really dieting we try to stay away from greasy foods namely deep fried ... but for the last few days Carl has been wanting some deep fry chicken that we sometimes go get upshore...tonight since he was making dinner while I was in bed he thought a trip up to get his chicken would be a good idea ....which I thought it was until about 30 minutes after eating it ...I thought I was going to die for a while ... guess someone is going to finish up the chicken on his own because I am not going near it again....he is on his own for the next craving...

So now I am going to try and get my butt back to bed because it is way too early to be up for the day... have a great one all... Joanne

9 Layers of Me: Layer 5

9 Layers of Me: Layer 5
A meme to peel away the layers of me.
-- Smoke: Yes
-- Cuss: Like a trooper especially when I am ticked
-- Sing: use to not any more
-- Take a shower everyday: I am getting old the skin is drying up… shower every second day
-- Do you think you've been in love: Oh yes very much so still am
-- Want to go to college: Yes
-- Liked high school: first part no….left went back second part very much so
-- Want to get married: hmmm not really sure … but as a wish person said one day…. why try and fix something that is not broken
-- Believe in yourself: No
-- Get motion sickness: Yes
-- Think you're attractive: not really but do like parts of me…like my eyes…smile when I do….
-- Think you're a health freak: Never the big question is should I be… hmmmmm Yes….
-- Get along with your parent(s): Yes
-- Like thunderstorms: No unless the one I love is with me… I get to cuddle close to him…
-- Play an instrument: no unless you think a keyboard is an instrument… keyboard of a computer that is he he…
Now you...

Note: I wait for Danie to post these layers of me and wonder if it will be one that I really want to answer the questions… so far so good they are not all that hard…

Mr. Nutty Has To Be A Little Nervous

It seems that while we are away Mr. Nutty is not playing as much as he wants as we found out as we drove into the yard and found Mr. Owl sitting on the power line looking towards the feeders... I am sure Mr. Nutty was already dug in deep waiting for Mr Owl to disappear....

To those who has not been able to get a hold of me in the last while you will all be happy to know that I actually went out and got myself an answering machine...this morning....so at least now I will know that you have called me and I will return your call when I get back home...

As I was coming upstairs this even Carl got a call... it seems that in the next day or so he will be heading out to work once again... this time to a place I wish I was going with him but only in the summer... Newfoundland a place I have been wanting to see for some time now... he will only be gone for two- three weeks... so in the next day or so I will be once again a working man's widow as I call it...

Today I guess was a good time to have done what we did... we were over to his parent's place and got the snow rake out and cleaning up the built up snow that was on his aunt's roof... I got to spend some time with Oma... which was some time since I did that... it is always nice once in a while...

The only thing was that I didn't go visit mom and dad after that... well to tell the truth... I over did the last few days with making the meat sauce and lasagna
then doing some shopping today my leg is actually back to where it was before I went to the doctor's... so I guess there will be very little being done for the next few days so I can get it back to where it was before I took for granted that it was so much better then what it actually was...

The two things that have to be done tomorrow are... going to visit mom and dad for a long one and mail out a Valentine's Box for the new aquired grandchildren... I hit a few stores this weekend as well for a few things for them... hmmmm maybe I did a little more then I thought I did... but tomorrow will be more resting then anything else...

Joanne

Warmer but Snowing...

I was all smiles this morning when I got on the computer to see that it was only -7 out.... but of course with this comes the white stuff... thought I would go down and take some pictures of it only be told by the camera that I couldn't because the battery was low...

When I bought this new camera I made sure I had a second battery so that this wouldn't happen... but duh me didn't recharge the other one so now I have battery and no photos for any one to see... will have to get back to it later in the morning.... maybe by then I will have some of Carl working (sure, right) really hard out in the snow getting the yard cleaned up since we do have to go to his parents today to have dinner...

The weekend was filled with cold weather and very little going on.... even the puppies didn't want to go outside for any length of time... it was a perfect time to just let them out without their ropes... a sure thing that Miss Maggie wouldn't be taking off into the woods for a run... she had a hard time to get 5 feet from the door before she did her thing...

So the weekend was filled with movies....Appaloosa... which was an ok movie for a western... but it was too long... well I thought it was any way.... Without a Paddle was almost like the first one that was out but watchable... Ghost Town though I thought was not going to be something I was going to watch turned out to be the best of the three of them... we still have Pineapple Express but just by reading about the movie it is one that Carl will be watching alone...of course with all these movies I did do some knitting... I am trying my hand on a zig zag scarf again... the first one had a few extra zags in it... I was not reading the pattern right I guess... I started on mitts last week and got the first pair done knowing that they would fit Craig's youngest but when the second pair came out fitting me... instead of Kiera I tore it apart and started making another scarf... what can I say I am taking the easier road ....I am actually looking for a pattern for no keel socks... that would be so much easier to do... I was never one to get the keel right.... would be a change from scarves since I have 10 of them on the table...

Saturday was out picking up supplies for meat sauce to make a lasagna...which I am planning on making today for dinner at Carl's parents.... glad I went out then because today would be a bust for picking anything up with the snow falling like it is...

Well I can finally say what is going on here today... well actually it is all over now since I am only get back to my blog this evening.... On Thursday night we got call from Dan who is Susan's husband... and Susan if anyone doesn't know is Carl's sister... ok the family tree thing is done... oh way... Dan is Danny Kenny our cousin who is married to Carl's sister... ohhh had to add that... any way Dan called asked us to get Susan over to Opa and Oma's place tonight since it was her birthday and then Carl go up to the airport because he was coming in for it...

Well we decided that Susan deserved a lot more then just a cake so we made lasagna for dinner... the only thing was we had to put dinner off until 5:30 - 6 so Dan can be there as well... well that was easy to do in a way ... we lied well kind of... we said that Carl had a doctor's appointment at 4:30 this afternoon so dinner would not be the normal time ... 4:30 - 5:00....so 6 comes around no Carl no Dan... 6:30 comes around and still no Carl and Dan... there have been calls in between this... trying to figure out what other lie I can say to keep this now hungry people at bay... there is two more people ahead of him at 6:15 and at 6:45 there was still no one coming in...

The Birthday Girl...

I normally don't go out for a smoke when I am there because I get dumped on but I had to have some excuse to get out of the house... so by the time I walked over to the store to get a lighter... I called Carl for the last time to hear that he is on the way... thinking that Dan was actually with him... but when he came in NO DAN... the flight was in but he had to get his luggage .... he finally got in at 7 pm... and boy was Susan surprised.... and I can't believe I didn't blow this one out of the water because I was about to say okay this is what is going on.... I hate secrets because I am terrible when it is this kind of secret.... Any way Susan if you are reading this... Happy Birthday again... I hope you had a wonderful day....

Dan walking in the door you think Susan was happy to see him...

Now I am going to relax have a good one all.... Joanne..................

Just A Little Update....

Friday...16th of the month... -20 C feeling like -28.... Flo went up North to work for a month... and is being missed.... Yvette and Hubert are over in Nova Scotia visiting the youngest one of the family and smiling I am sure on both parts... Pat is up for the weekend with meetings and speaking at the English Masses this weekend... about what I am not sure... Mom and dad are doing good... nothing has changed much with them which is always good...

As for me I am knitting mitts for my new accorded Grandchildren... was out shopping for Valentines for them as well... was to the doctor today got some anti inflammatory which with some hopes this will help my back... maybe I will be better soon to get to the gym some times this month.... was up to visit mom and dad for lunch... Roger was a sweetie if that is possible he he and made lunch for all of us...

Carl got the bird feeder a little active this morning when he started to throw peanuts in the shell... one blue jay clean them out while we were away from the house... and I didn't get one photo of them...

And that is it for the Melanson News of the day and week... Have a great Weekend... Joanne

The 13th Day of 2009

Tuesday and one more day before the drill will be ringing in my ear and I not caring one bit about it....he he for now it is he he god only knows what I am going to be like when the time comes...
The day was filled with sun which is such a rare thing to see these days but as I type away I see the little red lightening come across my weather thingy at the bottom of my screen telling me there is a storm warning of some kind or another... there goes the sun... but today while the sun was shining I got to have a short but pleasant visit with mom and dad... and most of all Yvette and Hubert... they came up for an afternoon visit but was returning tonight because Hubert was curling... but it was nice to see them any way since it had been since Christmas they had not come up....
This evening we went to dinner at Carl's parents as it was Opa's birthday... snap snap away of course... a good meal and great company what else do you ask for on your day of the year.... we even took the puppies with us and they were so good while we ate... lying in the front entrance... not moving until the meal was done... an early return home since someone who is totally forgetful forgot to take her pills with her and the memory of her sore back was not just a memory but a true fact....
And that was the day I had.... looking forward to a little TV and a good night sleep... enjoy all... Joanne
P.S. didn't know what to title the blog thought that would be a good one LOL...

Another Day ...

Monday morning and the day started in the same way as it ended last night in pain from the stupidity of myself.... thanks to dad and Tylenol 3 it is not as bad until it is just about the time I have to take it again....which is soon....

While I was at Walmart yesterday ...I dropped off a prescription for Wednesday's visit to my least favorite place in the world... the dentist... I get to take some happy pills so I would take up too much of his time with all the shaking that goes on when the drill starts .... yes I am finally getting some work done on my teeth... it takes a long time for me to do this and it has been a way too long of a time this time....

Like most Sundays at the Walmart it is busy and like usual the manager of the store thinks that we have all the time in the world to stand around for the day waiting to be served on... well yesterday I wasn't going to wait for 15 people to go through the cash... there was nothing in my cart that I needed right away... and walked out...I actually seen several people doing the same thing... but I am sure the manager didn't really care... they were making enough money that a few lost customers didn't matter to him...
Today was portacalf day for mom and we found them in a different part of the hospital ... in a larger area and as the nurse said a newer area, larger space only means that they will have more coming... the 5 chairs were filled yesterday and more waiting in the waiting room to fill the chair that will be empty soon... but am thankful that they are there because so many that use to travel hours for their treatment have a closer place to go to... and the girls there are wonderful, always pleasant and a smile on their faces...
Another trip to walmart to pick up my pills for Wednesday but this time I was smart.. I picked up what I wanted to get and took it with me... no line ups at the pharmacy and was out of there within several minutes... my way of shopping... I even had mom in with me today...
I came home to a surprise... a box from Craig's family... a mini Christmas was had... I like those kinds of surprises... in my life...
And the end of the day of watching a little tv and doing some knitting... decided that the scarves were starting to bore me and changed to knitting mitts... on my second pair .... I keep looking around at my scrap booking shelf and know that soon I will be getting in to continuing my garden album...actually I do believe that I will be looking for another book soon since this one is almost filled once again...
Well that ends yet another day in my life... LOL
Joanne

Our New Birdfeeder......

Finally I took some time at the kitchen window and took some photos of the new bird feeder Carl made this week... it is big... like 4 x 3 with a bin inside filled with seeds inside... and it seems that our little feather friends are taking their time to come and feast....

So Carl went out yesterday and hooked up almost all of the little feeders that he really doesn't like to fill every day or so... but his way of thinking is fill them get the birds to find the big one and then when the little ones are emptied with some luck they will continue with the big one...

In the mean while there is one no two Mr. Nuttys that came a visiting...

and found that it was not all that easy to get to this one like the other ones....

the pole is a larger one... their little legs would not go around the pole to hold on it to climb to the top of the pole and then the bottom of it is too wide for them to just jump in and have a feast...

But after a few tries one of them got to one of the hanging feeders...
it didn't get to the grand prize of it all... the bin filled with seeds... maybe one day but not today ....
The other Mr. Nutty got a little ticked and when over to the old bird feeder and sat and pouted for a while before going back and picking up some of the seeds that were dropped to the ground...

In the meanwhile our little Chickadees started to travel back and forward to the larger feeder...
And I sat there not so patient waiting for them to come along to see what there was in this big thing that appeared out of no where .... and I am sure they were quite a surprised when they discovered what was in it...

And even a blue jay came over to see what was going on but didn't adventure into too close to actually see what was going on....

We Are Quitting

Carl has been wanting to quit smoking for some time now and it has been me that has not been willing to take on the task with him...when I agreed to do this with him he was very happy... which I don't blame him ... it is a project that you need to do together or don't do it at all....I am a weak person and will not try things on my own because I have already defended myself into doing it before I even start...(I do believe that is called lack of self confidence) so when Carl and I decided to use Champix we were doing it together....last night it was decided that it was time to stop this medication....being heart sick, sleeping too much, or not sleeping at all, headaches, dreaming, panic attacks.... being cranky both of us .... were all okay and we were handling them quite well though I did complain (but then that is me)... but when the heart flutters started with Carl that is when I said enough is enough....I spent the last few days making sure he was okay... panic when he was sleeping and not sure if he was breathing....
We are going to have to find another way to do this...just not with Champix.... and that is the end of that part of our quitting for us... Joanne

Busy Friday all Around

It seems that Carl and I spent the same kind of night last night.... getting up a lot and continual dreams... I know for me it was like watching a really bad movie running to the fridge and coming back to pick up from where it left off... this stuff we are on is really terrible stuff when it comes to sleeping or lack of... so while we sat and the kitchen table this morning we decided that there was no napping today... no matter how tired we got.... we needed to be tired for the night to sleep.... and no 10 pm bed time either.... which is really hard for Carl because at the moment I left him downstairs watching flashpoint telling him that he couldn't come upstairs and watch it because I know him all too well.... two minutes in bed and he will be in la la land...

As for today... we didn't nap... he went out to the garage and when he came out several hours later he had a new bird feeder made.... and a monster of one at that... he said he was fed up filling all the little feeders every few days so he thought he would make this one... and no I didn't get any pictures of it yet.... well do that in the morning when the bird hopefully find it...

I was also busy today... getting things back in order around the house.... the extra table from the dining room was taken upstairs since the bar one that was up here is staying in the kitchen since Carl cut the 7 inches off... Calendars finally got hung up... Hubert made me a frame for my calendar last Christmas and I have always had a hard time getting the calendar and the frame together to hang it up and by the middle of last year the frame was taken down and the calendar stayed on the wall.... but it was always in the back of my mind and today I finally tried out my idea to get the two things lined up and hung without the problems I was always having.... I took some scrap booking wire and a button... thread the wire through it... made a hook out of the wire and there you go... one calender that can be changed every month without a problem... God I am good when I want to be... he he

I also hung some of the picture that were not put back where they belonged... and then decided to try my hand at making my own dog food... yes you hear me dog food but not that dry stuff.... I was looking in the freezer this morning and came across some chicken that had a touch of freezer burn on it and thought why not try to make some of that beneful makes in the little bowel... if they can make it I could, couldn't I... well I got the meat cooked... some veggies chopped up and then realized I didn't have any rice or barley to add to it.... so I picked that up this evening so I am going to finish it off tomorrow morning before heading out to the market.... but when I went into the store tonight the young fellow that works there also told me to put a little olive oil in it as well really does good for their coats...so going to try that as well... well let you know how the puppies like it... I hope they do it turned out to be one heck of a potful...

News wise with mom and dad... they were to the doctor's today..... all went good with that... the doctor finally took mom off the 1/2 pill twice a week for cholesterol and put her on a multi vitamin which I think she needs since she is not getting all the vitamins in the foods she is eating... so it was good news today... that is always nice to hear...

Well that is it for a Friday... not a lot excitement going on around here ... but there is always something....

Have a great weekend family and friends
Joanne

No Brainer Week....

The last couple of days have been really rough ones... A lot of sleeping, being heart sick 24 hours a day , headaches, hives but not enough to stop what I am doing,and the lack or desire to do anything has been my world....

Carl and I started Champix 8-9 days ago... Carl started the day before I did... I was not sure if I wanted to start this at all but decided to give it a try... now if anyone doesn't know Champix is a aid to quit smoking.... the first 3 days you are to take .5 mg of this once a day... your 4-7 day you take .5 mg twice daily then after that it is 1 mg twice a day... that is where I am today... starting of the 1 mg... between the 8th and 14th day you stop smoking... but the way the .5mgs have been working on me it is not going to be long for that decision to be made...

I have always claimed that I am slow at time getting things... and this is no exception... I have been heart sick like crazy and couldn't understand why... before I ate and after was the worst... it had nothing to do with what I am eating because the majority of it has been healthy stuff.... trying to keep the weight where it is, is a major concern for me... but couldn't understand why I have been so sick when I was eating.... then it hit me like a ton of bricks last night... what do I do most times before I eat and of course right after... have a smoke... it was not the food that was making me sick it is the bloody smoking... so if the .5 mg dose is doing this to me I can imagine what my day is going to be like when I take the 1 mg.....after breakfast this morning....

Today when I got up after a night of semi good sleep which is kind of hard when you have already slept 10 or more hours during the day... I decided that today I was getting off duff and actually get a few things done around the house... the second table is still sitting in the dining room.... most laundry is to be done though there has not been all that much clothes being worn since I have been spenting most of my time in bed... clean up around the house a bit... and maybe if I am really nice today I will go out and help Carl with the snow since it has been snowing since last night and there is a bit of it around the yard...

The one good thing about all of this I have been getting some reading in which is something I don't get to do very often...and at night I am knitting.... ohhh yes anyone in the family looking for a scarf let me know if I have the color I will make one for you... that is what I have been into recently... and I found a really cool pattern for a zig zag one.. on my second one actually.... I have a whole bin of yarn that I have been picking up and not using so thought this would be a no brain project after Christmas...

Joanne

A Little of This and A Little of That

Every year after the holidays I see people out shopping like crazy...and wonder where in the heck do they get the money to do this after Christmas... but then I never really one that goes out after the holidays because there is just as many people if not more out shopping and it is not my cup of tea... I call myself the left over woman... I go in after everyone has picked over everything and they are not interested in the things that are left on the shelves...

The other day I was in at Super Value and ended up coming home with my Christmas cards for next year for $1.24 a box...a little less then the 50% off that it is after Christmas... and then yesterday I was in Kent and picked up my little treat bags for the table next year for .29 each.... and several Secret Santa things for next year.... for really dirt cheap...also rubber stamps which I have no idea why I picked them up for .50 a piece....now I am wondering if Monique is still stamping.... there was still wrapping paper and ribbon around but I have two containers of this stuff didn't think I really needed any more of it.... that was the extend of after Christmas bargains I picked up this year...

Not a lot going on around here at the moment... trying to survive Champix... I am not sure which one of us is winning at the moment... but going to continue trying for now any way... it is upsetting my stomach, giving me hives, headaches, making me so tired that I actually nap in the afternoon, I am having the most amazing dreams which are waking me up at night... and the worst of them all the desire to eat is 24 hours a day... I have discovered that the most popular breakfast on my menu is something I actually don't really care for.... most mornings I have a peanut butter and banana sandwich... well peanut butter is not all that great at the moment....

The other day I was out and went to get my debit card to find it a little melted...it took me a few minutes to realize that I put my purse on the kitchen chair right by the rad...when I went looking at the other cards in my purse my visa was in the same condition as well so it will have to be replaced... as well... guess who is not putting her purse near the kitchen cards again.... lol

Well folks that is about it... I really am not doing all that much... but knitting scarves when I am in the sitting position....

Celebrating The New Year

New Years Day ... well actually it was New Year's Eve when it all started... with the preparing of the bird... the great big bird... it got cleaned, stuffed, poked, and wrapped... come morning it was a golden brown...

Click on me to see what Happened....

Joanne

The First Blog of 2009

Before I start my first blog of 2009 I would like to put a comment that Craig but in my blog... knowing not a lot of people come back looking at comments from past blogs

Craig wrote:Thank you to my family for the warm welcome to my new family into our home ! love you all and cant wait to see everyone soon! craig simone and the kids!

The first blog of a new year and I have been thinking about it ... and really didn't come up with anything earth moving as I worked around the kitchen once again this morning as I get ready for once again more company...(not a complaint here just a comment).....The turkey has been cooked.. all 34 pounds of it... cut and in the fridge until I take part of it out to heat up a bit before serving it... the veggie except for the potatoes are ready to go.. that is Carl's job once again.. the table is set once again but without the Christmas dishes back to the ordinary ones....the wine is chilling, the beer is cooling and everything else should be ready by the time the first guest comes through the door ... and I may even be dressed by that time...

Looking back over last year... there is not a lot that I can say about it... there has been a lot of changes in the family.... Danie and family moved back to Canada from India... I am sure if you ask Yvette she is not upset with that move one bit... Roger and Flo moved back home from up north... Pat took a job here in Bathurst for 2 years .... Rebecca and Matthew got married.... Craig and Simone as well... Our Matthew moved back home then decided that there was nothing here for him so he moved back to Edmonton... Robin and Amanda bought a home...and thinking here I can't remember much more... would not be good with yearly news letters would I because I don't get track of things all that much...

As for me well I am still where I was last year... Carl has been moving around with his work... and will probably continue to when work gets back... I keep the home front in tack...

I would like at this time wish everyone a very Happy New Year... hope all will go great with you through out the year but there is always some bumps in the road and we will all manage to get of them I am sure...

To those who are far way I miss you and wish you are close by so we could see each other more often... actually those who are close I wish the same thing... we don't seem to see each other all that much .... maybe that will be my promise this year to myself...to see everyone more often ...

Have a good one all.... and keep smiling

Hugs always

JoJo

Oh yes I forgot to add a few photos that Pat took of Roger and Flo opening their gifts when they came home on Boxing Day... I will include them with the ones I will post this week of new years... I know I am slow...