Saturday Snapshot...

Happy Birthday to my sweet niece, it was actually yesterday, but I'll "feature her today.  She doesn't like her picture out on the WWW, so this is probably 35years ago.  She was a glorious 36 years old.  She was born at a difficult time in our lives, and brought joy and happiness, and continues to do so.  We (Handy Andy and my boys) wish her all the best.  WE LOVE YOU.

Birthday Girl's photo completely stolen from Barbara Iannuzzi, without permission, what the H she knows where I live.

Sunday Salon...

A delicious burger, with sweet potato fries

Sunday Salon finds me waiting anxiously for a new grand niece.  All this waiting reminds me of that song She'll be comin' round the mountain when she comes...". Her poor mom, she's exhausted I'm sure.

Today after church, I'm hitting the library with returns, and it'll be reading off my shelf this week.

the prep

after this scene was added it went downhill

I'm hoping to prep a canvas or two this afternoon, and tomorrow will be a prep of the computer desk.  I washed walls yesterday and today my hands remember.  I started and finished a sunflower painting and then got it home and hated it.  So off came the paint and the canvas is dry today, so back to the beginning.  I must write myself notes someplace where I can remember where they are,notes about what colours I chose.   I did a companion piece, and didn't do that and then they weren't friends, when hanging together, and yes I could have hung them separately, but when I think I want something someplace I just can't adjust.  It's an age thing, and I might add it's getting worse.

I finished reading First Grave on the Right yesterday, that was a little bit of excitement.  Not sure I should have read that at this time in my life, but nonetheless... it was entertaining.  I need a little King Arthur, so I may continue my trilogy by Persia Wooly (love that name) or maybe, This Cake is for the Party.  Other than that the week will be quite ordinary.

Happy Birthday to my sweet niece Jenny Lee, I won't see her, so I hope she has a great day.

Happy Birthday Dude!

Well it's that time of year again, yup it's Danorama, you see Dan is having a birthday (I hate calling him Dan, he's Daniel to me, and I only let him get away with calling himself Dan because of a certain Dan that I loved, not romantically, just a nice man).  Dan works at the Ram thus Dan O Ram a.  All his friends or anyone who can get to the appropriate Ram comes for a party.  Will Dan be able to pay his rent this month?And since I've been lurking on facebook, I see Dan has taken the week off work. Some party huh! Anyway... this is my Daniel turning 25 today.  We as a family, celebrated on Wednesday last week, before we all had the flu.  Good thing.  I'd planned on meeting DANiel on Wednesday of this week for a little mother- son celebration, but just as the day he was born, we are suppose to get a whole lot of snow.  Maybe I'll be stuck at the train station and have to stay at the Royal York Hotel.  (wouldn't that be neat.) DANiel's parties have always been extravagant, they've always been themed.  The one pictured here was a 007 theme, obviously.

I had to post the lego guy, once when trying to avoid going to sleep, and it was late for a little guy, we got into a discussion about heaven.  Our personal heaven.  Daniel's idea was that the room would be large and would hold unlimited lego pieces.  Wonder if he still thinks that, probably, he always wanted to be a lego designer, until I took him to a very large lego exhibit.  He thought it would spoil the fun if you had to actually finish it. 

words of wisdom?

Over the last week I've been getting these kinds of words of wisdom, the first one, one I did not post came from my supervisor, a couple from e mailing friends and this one came today from my partner in volunteering. Am I sending out signals of discontent or something?  Anyway it's worth a read, or click out if you've already read this. It was apparently written my a 90year old woman. My mother will be 91 in January, and I'm quite sure she hasn't learned too many of these lessons. She would have written something, but when she had the skills to do so, she chose to sew a dress for someone, we are each blessed in a different way...

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.

5. Pay off your credit cards every month.

6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone

8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.

9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.

10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.

13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.

15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.

16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.

19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.

20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.

21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.

23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.

24. The most important sex organ is the brain.

25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'

27. Always choose life.

28. Forgive everyone everything.

29 What other people think of you is none of your business.

30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.

31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

33. Believe in miracles.

34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.

35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now..

36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.

37. Your children get only one childhood.

38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.

41. Envy is a waste of time.. You already have all you need.

42. The best is yet to come...

43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

44. Yield.

45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift."

Its estimated 93% won't forward this. If you are one of the 7% who will,
forward this with the title '7%'.

Happy Birthday Sasha

Here's my little boy! Sasha is celebrating his 21st Birthday today. Where did the time go. This is one of my favorite pictures of him as a toddler. My sister Donna had that smocked outfit done for him and that's his bear Radar. And then he grew up!




I'm proud to say he's in his 4th year at York University. He's kind, caring and thoughtful, not so generous, remember the sharing bit. (not much progress in that department) They love him in his part time job. And we LOVE him. Happy Birthday Sash.


Rest assured there will be lots of cake and ice cream happening today, he is his mother's son after all.

A Knight in Shinning Armour

I'm not sure my mom thought of my dad as a Knight in Shinning Armour, but this is the stuff of fairy tales. He does look like he's come to her rescue doesn't he? I don't think this was my mothers horse Zigmund either, but then again I might be wrong. Well this Knight would have been 96 years old today.

How do you know it's been a good B Day?

By the crumbs on the plate.

Two fun years

Two years ago my niece and god daughter & her husband had their first child. A lovely little girl. She just turned two, she's the life of our family gettogethers. Check out the shoes. I know when my nieces were born, I had no children at the time, life changed. Christmas, Easter Halloween and just regular visits became more fun. Kids do that to grown-up families. So here's wishing our little girl Happy Birthday.

No matter...

This is the photo I tried desperately to put on canvas.I used my Creative Memories tearing tool for the edges.The transfer was successful, however, my sentiment stamp slid. I threw the first one out and thought o.k., I'll use Stazon and wait till the canvas is completely dry. Well it happened again, so the result was some mushed up vintage looking background o.k. for now, but I'm still trying to get the words just so. My idea was to have the sentiment "No matter how busy I seem to be, you always mean the world to me." and it didn't work. I'll be emailing Suzanne Cannon for help on this one. Anyway, My mothers 89th birthday celebration was quite lovely. My little canvas pieces, (one for each flower arrangement was o.k., just o.k.) No photos, not worth photoing try again for Valentine's Day.


I'm putting in a video clip with the Spice Girls, I don't know if she remembers them, they were quite a controversial subject at my mothers house, but that's another blog.

You Look Ma vellous

Well Well, Today is a special day. My sister Alice celebrates another year. She looks marvelous doesn't she? She's a good friend, a great sister, a loving mother/grandmother and a very caring daughter and then in her spare time she's a great professor. Way to go lady!

Where does time go indeed!

A Million years ago this was me, and my assigned partner was my now brother-in-law Rick. As I recall this was a performance of the Polonaise at some Mayor's gala, Mayor Victor Copps (father of Sheila Copps) at the Connaught Hotel in Hamilton. Well Victor Copps is now long dead, Sheila is a retired MP, and the Connaught is a dump. I'm 55 years old and my brother in law, although he still has brown hair (ha, ha )is also in his 50's. We are both much, much heavier, and I'm sure we wouldn't remember how to do the Polonaise if we tried. Yes it's my birthday today. If I could freeze time, I think this is the age I would like to freeze my appearance at, I would love to wear those gowns daily, and I most certainly would like to continue to dance the Polonaise, even if it were just occasionally. Those were good times. My dad would drive us around from practice to performance, my mom sewed all the costumes,my friend Mary did our hair. As I passed through the decades(don't I sound old) I'd have loved to freeze time when my boys were younger, my husband happier and me with more energy. Alas it is not my gift to freeze time. So I shall delight in the fact that I'm healthy enough to eat a lot of cake on my Birthday, even if I have to bake it myself, I'll play in my studio, while the wash is being done, and I'll eat out with my favorite men, even if I'm related to them. I'll go to bed when I feel like it, with an nice nightcap of course. Listen to my favorite music and reminisce. So happy birthday to me.

Belated Birthday Wishes

Not really belated, October 2nd is my mother-in-laws birthday. I don't remember why I could not get to blog about it, must of been something depressing in the rest of the day to cause that, however, I did wish her a great day and more importantly a great year. She's the lady you see in the photo with my husband, her eldest son. I won't tell you how old she was this year, suffice it to say that the photo was taken when my husband had a full head of brown hair, which is not the case now. Gaida, is the mother of seven children, six of them boys. That should get her into heaven without any questions asked, and I know St. Peter is at the gates, but I'm sure he has a female assistant since you know things would not be organized otherwise, and she will certainly put in a good word for Gaida. It's been a rough ride for Gaida, and she does it all without a single complaint, and all with a smile, or a joke, or a laugh. She's only too willing to help anyone if she can. She's a great gardener, a loving mother and an all around good person. I'd like to wish her STO LAT, but I don't know that anyone wants to live to be a hundred years old. I do wish her pleasure from each flower she plants, and that's a lot, a kind word from her children, and grandchildren and great grandchildren and a healthy future. Happy Birthday MOM

Birthday Beauty

Some 32 years ago this lovely lady came into my life. It was for sure my first love. I know it must sound weird, but there is a presence around baby's that makes us different people. This baby sure did. I had the pleasure of looking after her sometime and watch her grow up to be the beauty and brilliant young lady she is today. I'm thinking of a song...

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Happy Birthday

This cutie is my niece Jennifer, Lee. Jennifer has a birthday today. I remember when Jennifer was born and my parents were discussing her name. It's not exactly Polish, and they were trying hard to make it that. They made it work. Jennifer was the first grandchild for my parents. She was a active child, a figure skater, and a brownie. She is now a very creative writer, and independent career woman. She loves animals and gives them all a good home. Hope you're having a wonderful Birthday and have a great year as well.

Well August to date has been another month of celebrations. On August 9th and 11th we celebrated the 25th birthdays of Joanne, and Christopher Makarewicz. On the 13th Our Dave turned 19. And Today is the 5th anniversary of Michelle and Mike. When we think back to the wedding days, well. We dealt with the blackout on Thurs. the night of rehearsal, still no lights on Fri. when we tried to get things going at the hall for the reception, but fortunately on Sat. we only had a down pour for a few minutes. We managed to get hair done with generators, dinner by candle light if necessary and everything went great. Janice was right, she dealt with unforseen things on her wedding day now her life will be perfect and it pretty much is. Happy Anniversary you two.

A labour of love

A few weeks ago my niece celebrated her 30th birthday. I've been working hard on a piece of art that I hope she will enjoy. She's a tea drinker. I thought and thought and thought some more of something wonderful that I could give her that will let her know that I love her every time she looks at it. I don't really care if she doesn't have it on display in her home, because quite possibly it will not match her decor. I know that perhaps she would have liked it to be a bit more contemporary but then it would not have my style or signature reflected. So here is a work in progress. I hope it looks great when I'm finished and I hope that I'll be able to put some sentiment on the inside that will give her a smile when she reads it. It's not ready to gift yet, but soon.

So why am I posting so prematurely. Well I need some help in choosing teas to put into it, and of course I'd like a "tea" sentiment to print on the inside. Any ideas?

Heaven must be missing an angel...

This beauty is my niece Andrea. She is thoughtful, smart, organized, kind, a mother's right hand. (Many mothers are grateful). A great wife, granddaughter, daughter, sister, neice, aunt, cousin and friend. Well you get the idea. She will never disappoint you. She will never say no, if you ask for help. She will always do her best. She will always make you smile and she will always do the right thing. She makes us very proud.
Happy Birthday .

I'm adding these guys, because when she ran for class president her hair was styled just like the guys in this line up.

It's in the genes

As this blog was intended to be research for my novel, I'm finding it hard to not look around at the characters in my life. One such character is my brother-in-law. He is a most reliable guy. I could easily drop the in-law part. But , only if brothers could be fictitious. I don't know of anyone who has a brother that they get along with as well. Actually maybe I'll keep the in-law, it might keep the relationship where it's been. Well because of the relationship with my brother-in-law, we have sort of also adopted his mom. Well Babcia Annie has a birthday today. She's an unusually quiet lady, in some of her old pictures she was quite a looker, always in style. She's had quite a life, WWII was the reason she too came to Canada, but by a different route than my parents. I find that quite interesting. (I'm still thinking historical fiction here). And because I'd like to think mothers have something to do with the way their son's turn out, as I have two, I'd like to say Happy Birthday and Thank You to a lovely lady.

Weekly Challenges

Over the past several months I have become aware of many of the sites I visit having weekly artistic challenges. I have not had the guts to take one of these challenges on. I wish I was that creative. My biggest challenge is actually acting on some of the ideas I have. I try really hard to be creative in my gifts to my family and friends. For example my niece just graduated I'd love to create something so special that she'll want to keep it forever. My other niece is turning 30, again I'd love to create something unique to match her personality. My enemy is time. It use to be money and then I sent my husband out to get another job. But here I sit thinking of what to do, my body is exhausted, my mind is flat and my house full of ideas I didn't get to. So how will I say congratulations grad , or happy birthday. I keep thinking and thinking and just when I get a scathingly brilliant idea I am reluctant to act on it, just in case the recipient does not like it. I know, I know I should be creating instead of blogging, but that's all I have the energy to do. Thank God for laptops. How do you feel when you receive a hand crafted gift. I like to think I'm a little more professional and achieved as an artist to say it's a piece of art, not crafts. I'm not talking macaroni art. I always say "if you don't like it you don't have to keep it" but I somehow think they do and just hide it someplace in a drawer and eventually it goes to that special place all unwanted gifts go. Help! Express yourself, do you like getting these kinds of gifts.

I've had to edit this post, on Tues. as I think I will not get any comments from my family. They are terrified they'll get stuff as gifts and not store bought items.

OH! Donna

When my parents came to Canada some 60 years ago, they tried very hard to become part of the communities they lived in. But no matter how hard you try it's hard not to remember your homeland. As more and more immigrants from Poland came to the Hamilton area a real sense of Polish Community