Teaser Tuesday...

 Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of A Daily Rhythm. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Here's my teaser:

"Well I have to go.  It's almost four thirty, so my mother might drive up.'(little girl)
"what time will you be here tomorrow? (old man)
School's out at two forty.  so about quarter after three. (little girl)
Where do you go to school? (old man)
Gatzert.  (little girl)
Isn't that a long walk? (old man)

O.K. so I'm reading along, thinking "too much information" little girl and my heart is pounding.

Now just to be clear this is very early in the book, but still... scary.

Sunday Salon...A Change of Climate

Sunday Salon finds me frustrated.  My lap top has had issues, so I'm forced to wait till one of the guys is not using their computers to do "anything" .  My husband has some weird program on that keeps asking me if I'm him.  Way too much security, wait till he sees I've "fixed that".  It's been an unusual week, other than I'm still waiting for workmen to get to me and do things they have been paid for.  I told my husband that it was his job to wait, but then again I can't exactly have him staying home from work to wait.  So it's me... that means I'll be missing my watercolour workshop tomorrow.  DANG! The inside job is very SLOW! and there are no inside fairies at work.  A dear friend is not doing well, and I suspect she'll give up.  SAD, all around story.  Why do some people just have it so hard? 

The rest of the week I imagine will be a bit of this and a bit of that.  It is suppose to cool down, so I'm hoping to use "pesticides" on my lillies, imagine a bug eating my beautiful lillies, one day they were there and then they weren't. 

I try really hard not to use pesticides, but this did it, between the red spider bite, and no I'm not radioactive, but I still have a hard unhealed spot in the area where I was bitten, so pesticides it is.  We here in the GTA are not permitted to use harsh chemicals so I'm not sure what I bought will be very effective, but dish liquid just didn't do it.

On the reading front,  I finished Change of Climate, Hilary Mantel,  a good story, which I enjoyed reading, even if it left me very sad.  I can't remember who reviewed it, but thank you for suggesting it.  It was well worth the trip to the library. 
from amazon.ca

Ralph and Anna Eldred are an exemplary couple, devoting themselves to doing good. Thirty years ago as missionaries in Africa, the worst that could happen did. Shattered by their encounter with inexplicable evil, they returned to England, never to speak of it again. But when Ralph falls into an affair, Anna finds no forgiveness in her heart, and thirty years of repressed rage and grief explode, destroying not only a marriage but also their love, their faith, and everything they thought they were.

My young niece is a missionary, and we worry. 

up next,  The Wives of Los Alamos, Tarashea Nesbit.  I'm not quite half way through, but so far all I can say is "we've come a long way baby..." or have we?

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Sunday Salon...Tell the Wolves I'm Home...

I just finished this book.  WOW! it's definitely going on the list for the top ten reads of the year.

 description from Amazon.ca
 1987. There’s only one person who has ever truly understood fourteen-year-old June Elbus, and that’s her uncle, the renowned painter Finn Weiss. Shy at school and distant from her older sister, June can only be herself in Finn’s company; he is her godfather, confidant, and best friend. So when he dies, far too young, of a mysterious illness her mother can barely speak about, June’s world is turned upside down. But Finn’s death brings a surprise acquaintance into June’s life—someone who will help her to heal, and to question what she thinks she knows about Finn, her family, and even her own heart.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, even though it took me way too long to finish it.  I laughed and cried, not necessarily at the same time.  I have Nise to thank for suggesting this wonderful read, Russian Teapot and all...

 Sunday Salon finds me in a reflective mood, if only because, my body is aching from gardening, and the usual household tasks.  I don't normally do gardening or any real gardening until July 1st.  Canada Day.  Historically it's been the first opportunity I've had to get at it, consequently I had planted perennials to show their blooms before then, making it look like I've been slaving away, when in fact I've been busy elsewhere.  But, the weeds didn't get the memo.  So Saturday is a good day to begin the weedin'.And what a lot of weeds have survived this harsh winter.  the plants not so much.  I've lost all my water lilies, and couple of roses and the evergreens look tired.  I managed to clear off the patio weeds, and only dropped one stone on one finger, I won't be flipping anyone off for awhile, it hurts too much.  Today it's on to the rose garden, what's left of it.  Apparently my nursery is open on Canada Day so I'll be heading out to get a few things.  I do have to say that about 5 minutes into the weedin' a red spider bit me, and it hurt like the dickens,  I though I might be radioactive and you could call me Spider Woman, even today it's still a hard spot.  After our major house improvement, (which has only just begun with the roof replacement) I think I may call someone to level my patio, I've already paid Dan for this job, but it's taking too long to get it finished.  NEVER HIRE A RELATIVE.  I'd like to get rid of the ugly pavers and put in some flat field stone,  more my style, it would also blend in quite nicely with the pond surround.  But for today... Let get those weeds out,  I may even crash and read a bit.  

Sunday Salon...

 Sunday Salon finds me with a sore hip today, I've been ripping up sod/or what's left of it.  Handy Andy used excessive amounts of Killex on the "weeds" lawn, and thought lovely grass would sprout back.  Well it didn't, and I didn't really want to replace the lawn while I had workers digging and throwing dirt on it, so now the work is done, and reconstruction of the yard can begin.  It's a perfect day, cool no sun, but it looks like it might rain.

I'm almost finished the Postmistress, and I must say I'm feeling like Frankie Bard, with all that is happening in Syria.  My parents lived through WWII, my father was POW in Majdanek, and they were transported in one of those cattle train cars to Siberia.  Have we learned nothing? I guess not.   I'm reading this book for my Postal Reading Challenge.

It's back to school for my boys this week, (men) so it's a good thing.  I NEED to bake a cake today, something with chocolate.  I always feel like my hard work is rewarded if I can come in, make a pot of tea and enjoy a slice of something that's not so healthy for me.

I’m going…

To be sore, I'm sure, so going someplace may not play into the schedule. Although I feel I need to go to the High Park Area.

A favorite quote…

You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life.

Winston Churchill 

Wendy's rocker, that I stripped and began a re-upholstery on, Wendy will finish it!

I dropped off some items,  Handy Andy has outgrown, to the Goodwill yesterday, and saw one of those gigantic rockers being donated.  I've dying to buy one just so I could rock on... but I always think of Edith Ann (Lilly Tomlin).

An unusual Monday night...or my heart goes pitter patter.

You can tell when the Christmas season is over, my son's retail hours get cut and he's home some evenings.  On Monday's I usually read, while waiting form Sasha to return from his job.  He has quite a walk, and it's usually 10:30 ish.  But tonight he's home so we are watching Chuck. Chuck is some kinda spy story, but never mind that, guess who the evil villain was?  None other than Dr. Kildare. My sister's had Dr. Kildare trading cards,(wonder if they'd be worth anything today?) he was big, my mom had a LP of his singing.  Didn't you love the way Drs. and Nurses looked cleaner, and you could tell them apart from the custodians in a hospital.  We think we've progressed but have we?  I'll never forget when Dr. Gilesppe gave one of the nurses a proper scolding for wearing stockings, yes stockings that were not white.  Well now they are traipsing around in those CROCS. When my niece had her baby the nurse that came in to remove her stitches had chipped nail polish and her hair hanging in her face and had I not suggested that she wash her hands I'm not sure she would have.  Oh I sound like  I like the good ole days don't I.  I'm leaving you with our heart throb.

I'm posting this song in honour of my mother's birthday, she loved this song, and a little brat came over, with her mom for a fitting and got into the stereo cabinet and trashed all our L.P. and this one in particular.  Our mother is 91 years old today.   Not a great picture of my sister's and I but our mother look Marvelous. P.S. we enjoyed those little triangles, with our Celeric and Pear soup, and Garlic Polenta with Roast Vegetables. Opps and Mango Mouse cake and tea.

Something New

I stopped by Just Joni's site and saw Brenda's photo challenge and just had to participate. WE'RE HAVING A BABY! My lovely niece Andrea and her hubby Patrick are expecting their first baby. HOW EXCITING. That is definetly something new. And I think this is so naive about Ricky, things don't happen like this too often do they?

What's the best advice you have ever gotten?

This was a question from one of Carmi's beading friends I thought it was worth a post. By my mentioning my kids so often you must think I like them. I'm guilty. If I could choose between doing my house work and watching cartoons or other crap with my kids I would. So it stands to reason that advice in that regard would be something I would have heeded. When my first baby was born I was bombarded with advice from every woman who had ever had a baby and crossed my path. I think the one that sticks in my mind the most is "enjoy them now, because they grow up so fast." I did and do enjoy my kids. But, I always thought I would actually get to relax and enjoy them as well. Well they've grown up, and they don't really want to go to the movies with their mom. They'd rather have a date with them. They don't really want to go shopping with me, they'd rather go with their friends. They don't really want to go on vacation with me either, they want to do the white water rapid thing, instead. They always complained that I made them learn things even on vacation, limited as they were. So Aren't I glad I did what I could afford with them when they still wanted me.

Happy New Year

Well tonight is the night. As I'm preparing my body for a night of dancing and dining, I know I'll be so great looking that my husband will feel a song coming on. Perhaps this one

Have a Happy New Year. I plan on having a great one.

Advent Wreath

Awhile back I wrote about not being able to find my Advent Wreath. Well it seems it doesn't live here anymore. I never found it, only the candles survived. So I'm making one tonight. Now if you could see my house you'd laugh. Over the past week, we closed up my mothers home and I was not able to part with many of the old pieces of furniture. So they are all here piled up with not a square inch to move. I'm so grateful for my kids and my husband not minding the mess, (I've trained them well). So in amongst these OLD things we will have a great Christmas, and I can tell them stories about everything, They think I'm exaggerating. I'm not. For example the kitchen cupboards downstairs have no handles (now this is easily 30yrs., in my mothers house) because my parents couldn't agree on what kind. I'm thinking I must be my mother's daughter, since there is still about 3 feet of baseboard missing in my kitchen, because I want it a certain way and my husband doesn't "feel" like doing it. So I'll have to lasso my son. He loves to bang things around. So that's today's adventure. I've done almost NO Christmas shopping and I don't plan on doing any. Imagine that.

On my bucket list ...

At this time of the year my kids are always asking what I want as a gift. Yesterday, my son and I missed our bus by seconds, so we HAD to wait at Chapters. While looking around, I said to him "you can buy me anything in this aisle of books. Now that's really easy, I think. There was a Ikebana book that caught my eye. I had taken a number of classes at the Japanese Cultural Center before I was a mom and in order to complete my certificate I would have had to do a few months in Japan. Well then I had Daniel and I got slightly distracted, pleasantly so, but distracted nonetheless. With all this on my mind, I got to thinking about The Paper Place.Check out the fabulous contest on at present. What could we do with all that paper. I can imagine... Who needs to go to Japan, when we could just enjoy all that lovely paper without leaving the comfort of our studios. Enjoy the web site and don't bother entering the contest I plan on winning.

Look what I got ....

Well the Holly Jolly Christmas Show was great! I couldn't decide what to buy. The photo insert is a creation by Sharon Ginsberg. It's a lovely little box/bag for a journal. Remember how I said I was going to leave little surprises for people packing up my house when I no longer live here, well this one is for someone special I'm sure it will be obvious who should read the journal inside. I wish I could figure out how to upload the opposite side of the box so you could see the fabulous fish swimming by. Sharon did a great many little surprises in this creation, the picture does not do it justice. I'll be posting the other goodies other days this week. You see you go to shop for gifts and then can't part with your purchases. But that's how it is. And it seems I've even won something, how exciting.

O.k I've got my dancing shoes on...

Well since my post a couple of days ago, I can't stop dancing. I'm earnestly pursuing someplace to dance on New Years Eve. New Years Eve use to be a "for sure" with my husband, sister and brother-in-law. We haven't done it for a few years for some reason or other. But this year might be different. So stay tuned. Or I might be dancing in Janice's kitchen again. We've done that more than once. I think Janice decorates with this in mind. Isn't she the best.

The first Sunday of Advent...

When my boys were little Advent was such an exciting time for them. I think it was the lighting of the candles that made it so. There is something warm and wonderful about eating by candlelight. Well now I'm HOME ALONE on the first Sunday of Advent, can't find my advent wreath. I turned my usual hiding spots upside down, and I'll be dining by electric light tonight. The challenge I always gave my boys was that they were to come up with an advent prayer each week, (new one) self composed. Wish I had kept them all. I did keep ones they tried to pass off as their own, ones they brought home from school. Daniel at one point really got into it (pyromaniac that he is) and we lite candles everyday. I will not rest tonight until I find my wreath. Take time to enjoy the little video below.

I think I need a bigger house...

I was out in Roosters Retreat yesterday,(the garden shed). Originally my husband(Rooster) wanted a shed so he could get a snow blower. Well that was probably 5years ago, no snow blower to date. My husband is frugal. So the shed was designated as a storage space for garden things. Of course this was when Daniel was still doing pond related things. Now that the pond is well established and the garden is perennial I only need a few tools to maintain. Still no snow blower. So the shed was slowly becoming a further car parts storage. Well yesterday I needed to move some things around and Roosters Retreat has the large tools in it now. But what to do with everything else. Well.... My friend Leslie has been looking for a child's wooden hanger for a project she's working on. I offered to help her look in the antique stores on my life's route. So, I've come across some interesting items, but dare not even think about it since I have a full house and some items coming from our family home that I cannot part with. Today I saw a most interesting rocker that would look great someplace. But where? I've already moved all those things people keep in the garage into the retreat, all those things people keep in the basement into the garage. And I'm still struggling for space. Maybe it's time to move. I'd really like a house with a conservatory. I think I might need another husband then as well. We all know how well a Rooster does in a conservatory.

I can't believe it....

I can't believe I've published over 100 posts. I know I always have too much to say, but I've actually taken the time to say it in writing. Today is no exception. My sisters and I did a scrapping session at my mother seniors residence, she was terribly uninterested. All she wanted to do is complain about the very small desserts she was getting. She told me that she told them they could keep their little cookies, she has boxes in her room. But, I got some serious sorting done. I should be working a little harder at that and today seem like it got me on track again. I have this fear of not living long enough to finish scrapping my photos. I'm off again on a cleaning and sorting binge tomorrow. How sad. Hope I find some treasures to tell you about.

I never went to kindergarten...

I never went to kindergarten. In Canada, Hamilton, Ontario to be exact the kindergarten program did not become part of the educational system until after I was four by December 31st. So consequently I did miss out on a lot of things my nieces baby will soon enjoy. But that doesn't stop me from spreading a few words of wisdom that I read about in Annette's blog this morning.

1. You don't need a financial planner to help manage your milk money.

2. Napping isn't a luxury... It was mandatory!

3. Forget working out... you had recess.

4. Two words: SNOW DAYS!

5. Coming out top meant getting picked first for kickball.

6. You knew your work was a hit when it made the refrigerator.

And every bodies favorite...

7. Even the toughest day ended with milk and cookies.

And now in English...

I know for me regular readers you know I'm a research junky, and family history is something I've been trying to gather for years. Unfortunately neither of my parents ever wanted to talk about details. So it's been a long and winding road, not many records available after the war. But I'm still trying. So a salute to my mother country today in Rememberence. When I was in grade two in Polish school our wonderful teacher told us this legend of why this melody us unfinished, it intrigued me so much that when I went to Poland I'm sure my cousins were not too happy with me as I insisted we go to Krakow and listen, they were wanting to shop. I did hear it for my own ears. Apparently legend has it that the bugler was shot with an arrow in the throat and was therefore unable to finish his tune.

Lest we forget...

It's a particularly emotional day for me today. I'm not sure why? You know all those soldier marching past. I think there was even a fly by in Hamilton today. I just happened to be there in time for the parade and placement of the wreath. It makes me think of my dad and my uncle, and how they must have looked in their uniforms. Just thought I would give you all a glimpse. In Polish.

Oooo my aching body...

Having blitzed my garden clean-up yesterday, my body is aching. I had planned to clean the car parts today, but my hands and butt will not permit. So when all else fails, go shopping. I thought I might get started on Christmas shopping. Well I'm so glad I'm not Santa. I'd do o.k. if all the kids were little. But it's those big ones. Well my big one will probably get gift certificates for Sobeys or Fido, but the little one ?????????. My husband?????I'm thinking a long trip, oh there you go I've just got myself something too. I'll have to compose a wish list. I'll be putting an Anvil on that, and a butane torch, maybe a fire extinguisher. Well happy shopping.

Getting sorted

When my husband retired he brought home 30 odd years of stuff. I set him up in the garage with folders and filing cabinets and lockers. And what did he do? He just threw a bunch of stuff into the drawers and locker, boxes and all. Well when we needed to get to something or when we needed to find space for car parts, I sat in the garage, with my boys and sorted and made my husband discard things. Well we were down to just a few drawers in a filing cabinet and the rest was SORTED. Imagine putting your whole career into a few drawers. Well that's what I'm doing to my mom's career, and mine too. We worked together for a few years. I can remember most times when she would talk about her fabric as if it were an extension of her family. I think my sister and I did the right thing with the things that were left. Some young lady will be learning to sew with the tools provided from this retiree. I wish I could be in the classroom with her. I could tell her some of those scary stories my mother use to tell us to keep us awake, when working to a deadline. So my advice to all of you, don't pack up too much, leave something for your kids to pack, just to remind them what you use to do. My kids didn't know their father played volleyball and water polo and was at the Olympics with the water polo team in 1972 when terrorism happened in Germany, he was in the army at the time, but I'm sure he would have preferred to be playing in the water with the team if only... They only know about him now, in his large form, displacing water in the pool. I can tell you we are discovering a secret life my mother had too. I have plans for my kids already, I'm sure they will be shocked. So get sorted but not too much.