| Nibbs Posted on Friday, February 29, 2008 - 02:40 pm: |   |
The 'boys' are 8 years old today, born on February 29, 2000. 'Kuna had originally gone to our daughter's home but it just didn't work out for either 'Kuna, Val or her cat, Shamie. So 'Kuna came to stay with us for a couple of weeks, and has been here since.
'kuna absolutely adores Wayne. He won't sit on Wayne, but will snuggle up to me and, if he hears Wayne move his feet or clear his throat, anything, 'Kuna almost gives himself whiplash to check and see if Wayne is going to pay any attention to him. He 'talks' to Wayne all the time, often with his little pink tongue showing. He had a few issues that we've now resolved and he's a happy little guy!
Solomen has a totally different personality. He's a very smart cat, one that understands verbal commands. He understands when I'm upset and will sit close to me with one paw touching me. His best pal is Nibbs, and they often sleep together, after Nibbs has given Sol's head a good cleaning. Solomen has a digestive disorder and so all the cats are on special food. Thank goodness there is a product that does not have the enzymes that cause Sol all his trouble, and the rest of the cats will eat it. So Solomen is now 8 years old as well.
From the time they came home, I trained them to be groomed every day, and I also trained them to come when they're called. Yes, I bribed them with food, but the conditioning worked. No matter where they are, even if they've gone as far as the creek, they will come running now if they hear me call their name or 'Boys!'. I get much more from them than they do from me, I'm sure.
And we have Nibbs as well. She is 6 months older, the big sister. She is very close to Solomen, but seems to have a problem with 'Kuna as well. The two pretty much ignore each other until dinner time, and then 'Kuna has to make a dash for his cat ledge (he eats up high while the other two eat at floor level). Once he makes it to safety, then they carry on ignoring each other. Odd ... but that's what makes having the cats so interesting. They're a fair bit of work, but well worth it.
Must carry on with my morning work. I'm having a few problems with this auto-immune disease today and so I have to do a bit and rest, then a bit more. Aaargh! However, other than my muscles, I'm feeling great!
Wayne and I talked last night about travelling by train on our next holiday. I'd love to see those fall colors back east, and if we time it so that we can wait and catch the colors at their best, then I would finally be satisfied. We saw them when we met up with Derek, but missed the full glory by about a week. Guess it's time to get our passports updated.
Must go!
Oh yes, ... The Boys!
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| Nibbs Posted on Monday, March 03, 2008 - 12:52 am: | |
We had such a good weekend. I love to see my grand children!! And these two that stayed for the weekend are such interesting and well-behaved children, I'd love them to stay longer. They didn't have enough time to finish their art work. They were using my water color pencils, having graduated from the 'smelly felts'. These felts smell like fruits, and we've had them for years. The girls look forward to using them each time they come.
And our oldest daughter came up and stayed for the night. She had a nice get together with her friend, Brent and his partner. Great!
We drove the girls back to Nanaimo today, at the very end of the fire fighters exercise weekend, so they were dropped off at the fire hall. They were delighted. And then we met our son later for dinner. We had deep-fried ice cream for dessert. I can say that I had it now. (The girls made their gingerbread house this weekend. I think we had our fill of sweets with that!)
I've photos to upload. Tomorrow. I'm so tired. We shopped a lot between dropping the girls off and meeting Barry. And we drove home in the rain.
Tomorrow, swimming and I really, really hope to make some progress on the painting. I can also put all my dishes away now! Yah! |
| Nibbs Posted on Monday, March 03, 2008 - 09:54 pm: | |
We're expecting nice weather this week so I plan to get out in the garden and deal with a few lush buttercups!! I think the chickens will enjoy them!
Today I put my dishes away, but had an upsetting experience with the laundry. I should have listened to Nibbs and Solomen. They kept indicating that not all was well in the pantry. They woke up when they heard a noise and Sol ran part way to the pantry and then stopped. They both sat there looking at me, and so I decided to see what was wrong. I thought I'd find a mouse or something. When I had brought my art supplies down for the girls, I moved my sketch pad and I'm supposing it moved off the dryer, where I left it because I'd be putting the art supplies away again, and it fell into the laundry tub. By the time I checked it out ... it was soaked. Pages and pages of sketches and paintings .. gone.
Aaargh! Okay, must move on!
Yes, the gingerbread houses!
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| Nibbs Posted on Monday, March 03, 2008 - 09:58 pm: | |
And this is Socks, the cat that seems to have taken up residence at our house. She gets along well with our house cats (wonderful) and is becoming quite friendly with us. I'm hoping we will reach a point where we can check her out more by feel, and eventually take her to the vet's to have her shots done. If she's going to be here with our cats, then I want to make sure she doesn't cause them any health problems. She's been here when we still had Purrt, but now she seems to have become our outside cat!!
Socks
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| Nibbs Posted on Monday, March 03, 2008 - 09:59 pm: | |
We had email this weekend with new photos of Liam. Here's one of our great grand-son, showing off his teeth! What a cutey!
Liam
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| Nibbs Posted on Monday, March 03, 2008 - 10:05 pm: | |
And a couple of photos of Sierra and Rebekah! We took lots, but these two are my favorites!
Sierra, with her Dad behind her, at the firehall. He's an officer there.
And Rebekah .. this is not the greatest photo, but I love it!
Back with Daddy ..
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| Nibbs Posted on Monday, March 10, 2008 - 04:50 am: | |
I pick up the plant catalogue and try to focus, but usually end up looking at my new Paula Deen Cookbook! I must concentrate and make some serious decisions here about my gardens. I've been busy with clean up, and have enjoyed getting everything ship shape, but I haven't found that gardening zest quite yet.
We're still working on the inside of the house, and it's feeling so much better. I'm ready to start painting in the kitchen and all our new blinds have arrived. We don't have one 'normal' size window in the house so all the blinds had to be custom made. Now they're here and we have to sort them out. But what a difference it will make. I'm sure I'll love it (I hope I'll love it because we have to live with it!!!)
Socks is so comfortable with us now she comes in the house. That was not quite the plan I had for her. So far so good, though. There are two other neighbours besides us who had considered feeding her, so they are glad to hear that we're putting food out for her and making friends. What a neighbourhood. It certainly helps that we're an 'old' neighbourhood, established and we talk with each other, and help each other.
I'm up late. Having trouble adjusting to the time change. So it goes ...
I have swimming tomorrow .. well, perhaps not swimming, but I'll be in the water. The last few days I didn't do much more than let the coolness of the water take the heat out of my body, but it helps. It gets me out, and I really enjoy my swim buddies. Our pool is shutting down for 2 months through the summer so I'm going to have to find an alternative. My options are so inconvenient, but I don't know what I'll be like if I don't get my swimming in for two months. Will have to check out the pool on the east coast. Hmm ... that may be fun too!
Tired now. Think I will sleep.
My weather widget says rain tomorrow, but a high of C11º. Feel so sorry for buddies in the east with all that snow. I can't imagine what that is like. Tuesday we have a low of C-1º but it will be rain we get, not snow. I know the ground is warming up. We have crocus blooming and primroses. Everything is beginning to bud. My daffodils are halfway up!
The birds are singing first thing in the morning! I love it!
Okay ... bedtime. I'll be dragging myself out of bed tomorrow. This is the rough part ... getting used to the change in time. |
| Nibbs Posted on Thursday, March 20, 2008 - 01:25 pm: | |
We have snow in our forecast although it is raining quite heavy at the moment. We're into that interesting Spring type weather now, with rain in the front yard, sunshine in the back. And snow is not far from us at the moment. It snowed on the Beaufort Range just yesterday so we get quite a cold wind. (Just thinking about it makes my feet feel so cold.)
Not swimming today. Yesterday started off well. Wayne was home so he came with me and he was 'bragging' as we entered the facility that he is so organized. I went into the ladies change room, put everything in my locker and headed for the pool. A few minutes later one of the lifeguards caught my attention to tell me that Wayne had to go home to get his swim trunks. (giggle)(snort)
I planted my little baby buggy planter so it's very nice to go outside and see the pansies, violets, irises and primroses blooming away. I must remember to take a photo.
Not swimming today. I have a little trouble with my lower right leg. Will give it a day to feel better.
Well, that's hail outside now. Lovely.
I'm looking for energy to make a large pot of Italian Wedding Soup tonight and a loaf of bread.
And then it's back to painting. I need to get as much done inside as I can so I can work on the gardens when the weather is better. Must look for a load of top soil as well. (Where in the world does the soil go? It seems that I add soil to my garden every year!)
My plan is to have a great day! |
| Nibbs Posted on Monday, April 07, 2008 - 12:25 am: | |
We have some Spring flowers starting to bloom! They were knocked about by some huge hail! All the birds had to find cover and the hail turned the ground white in no time.
I can see hellebores blooming now, and the Trilliums are looking so good, all white just now. My favorite primroses are just starting to open. But there's growth on the roses and clematis.
Wayne phoned around to see about getting some good topsoil with compost mixed in it. We will have to wait a bit but we'll get the 'good stuff'.
I hope my back feels somewhat better by then. Today was one of those days I just managed to get through. My new doctor is quite willing to give me a little relief shot in my back and I may have to take him up on it for a few visits. Frustrating ... to say the least. And I know it could be worse. I also know I'm not alone.
We had a woodpecker in the fir tree along the driveway yesterday. I wondered if he would return today, and hoped he would not. He was so noisy! Cute! But, oh my, rat-a-tat-a-tat-a-tat. How they do not scramble their little brains is beyond me.
I'm off for my bath but will post the photo of the Trillium. I just loved the way he seems to be facing the sun, just soaking up those rays.
And I'll go back out tomorrow and check the hellebores in the back garden. They're just starting to bloom for the first time and they're all from Boni, so it's kind of exciting to see what they look like.
Mr. Bubble is calling ... off for my soak.
'nite all |
| Nibbs Posted on Wednesday, April 09, 2008 - 01:58 am: | |
I'm seriously thinking about upgrading my photo-editing program. What I have needs to be upgraded, but I'm thinking about going all out and getting just what I want. I've seen a few things I'd love to be able to do, and can't. And I know spend so much time with the computer, why not make good use of that time?
I'm working on a couple of knitting projects. With twins coming, a boy and a girl, I have the advantage of knowing what color combinations I can use. So I'm working on a brand new pattern, and quite enjoying it.
We're off to Victoria again tomorrow. Well, it's the plan for now, and I'm hoping it works out. (How did I manage to end up with such trust issues!) But I'm taking my camera this time just in case. Spring is so much farther ahead there.
And today I took a photo of the snow on the Beaufort Range, just north of us. The mountain range divides us from the east coast of the Island, and the snow level is very low. It's somewhat unusual.
I didn't take photos of the hellebores. Perhaps tomorrow.
Actually, I'm having a hard time getting around at the moment, and am hoping that this improves soon. I have been, in the past, stuck in a wheelchair when I was going any distance, and was doing so much better.
And I'm back to the hospital next month for my six month check up. The doctors will talk to me again about surgery. I put it off last time. (Why? Maybe I thought things would improve ... )
So this year .. is not going quite the way I had planned. But I do get myself in so much trouble when I plan how things will go and then they don't. When I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis I was told the best thing to do was be educated. I read everything I could, watched videos, talked with the rheumatologist ... and I understood that there could be a remission. So I planned to have one that September! Why not? Well, it didn't happen. And then I had to deal with that. Turns out I'm not the only one in the family who does this.
Well, that was a while ago, and I'm conquered that behavior somewhat.
But I can still do some gardening. It just means pacing myself, taking breaks. The breaks end up being longer than the working, but I eventually get everything done. I used to end up with just enough energy left to drag myself into the house. Now I quit before that. If I'm in that state when I get inside, I can hardly stand myself later on.
So I separate my head from my body, and focus on something else like television, the computer, knitting, reading .. even petting a cat, and it gives my body a chance to recover before I re-connect.
It's amazing what our minds can do.
Well, this mind needs some sleep. I spent a little time reading the latest book I got from Boni, but want to be more awake when I continue. I'm enjoying the book so much! Debbie Macomber ... have read the series ..
Am off. 'Night all |
| Nibbs Posted on Saturday, April 12, 2008 - 04:03 am: | |
We're back from Victoria again and have two grand girls with us for the weekend. I think we're swimming tomorrow .. well, today. I'm up. Can't sleep. Wish I could just turn my mind off.
It's still cold here. The girls were surprised at the snow level on Mt. Arrowsmith and I'm still amazed at how low the snow is on the Beaufort. This is what we see from our deck.
But this was what we saw in a parking lot in downtown Victoria. It was splendid!!
Uploading photos is a bit of a chore tonight. Hmmm...
Anyway, must get some shut eye so I can try to keep up with the girls! |
| Seil Posted on Saturday, April 12, 2008 - 10:22 am: | |
Gorgeous pics, Nibbs! Enjoy the girls. |
| Nibbs Posted on Tuesday, April 15, 2008 - 04:12 pm: | |
We had grandgirls here this last weekend and they are so much fun! I wish we'd had time to stop in Cathedral Grove on our way to or from the east coast so I could take a photo of the Trilliums in their nature setting. The ones in my garden are in full bloom and will soon be turning from white to pink.
Saturday was so very warm. It was lovely! We took the girls to the pool for a romp in the water. I think they tired Poppa Wayne right out! And their Dad phoned them from Florida that evening so they could say goodnight. He said he'd had a very warm day too! For him I think it was more difficult because he went from our high of maybe 12ºC to 32ºC, where we were only 23ºC. And then it cooled down again.
The girls did some wonderful art that I'll scan and post. I love it when they are creative. It's inspiring.
I went out today and managed to get a few things done. Shopping and walking around the garden have done me in.
It's Wayne's birthday today and he's working all day and has a meeting tonight, but we're off to the east coast for lunch tomorrow! We have such good friends there who we enjoy so much. (My weather widget says it will be sunny tomorrow, so maybe I can get that photo in the grove!)
Here's a candid photo of the girls. They get along so well!
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| Nibbs Posted on Thursday, April 24, 2008 - 12:02 pm: | |
So Liam, our little great grand son is one year old (April 14). Isn't he the sweetest!!
His Mommy and Daddy are getting married soon at a winery! It's going to be so much fun!! |
| Nibbs Posted on Thursday, April 24, 2008 - 12:08 pm: | |
And our son and his wife have been in Florida. Part of this trip has been a 'dream come true' for Barry. I had thought he would be a pilot when he developed a career because he's always been so interested in flight. (It started with bee strings ... )
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| Nibbs Posted on Thursday, April 24, 2008 - 12:10 pm: | |
And so he and Anna Lee have been having a great time. Warm weather, fun places to see, fun things to do, and then a cruise for a week. Wow!
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| Nibbs Posted on Thursday, April 24, 2008 - 12:36 pm: | |
Such good news this morning.
I had a phone call from Wayne's fishing partner. Joe has decided to not put the boat in the water at the marina this year. Moorage is almost a thousand dollars a month, and there is no salmon fishing. What's the point? Joe said it would just collect bugs on the hull that would have to be scraped off, and the three days in August when he could go fishing, they have a family reunion. So they'll just do day trips, putting the boat in the water and taking it out the same day. He said that he'll look at this again next year. That's one of the things I love about Joe and Margaret. He's 94 and she's 90 and they are such positive thinkers and have such a zest for life!
And so I phoned Wayne to let him know (he's stuck at the office). And that's where the good news came from. He's been caught up in litigation and this morning he had a phone call that all that has come to an end. And he's about to lose his job, which is wonderful!!
I start physio tomorrow, but will go back to the pool today. Our instructor, I think, is a little uncomfortable with me being there, but I have not been joining in the exercise program, so there is no liability. I missed swimming, and don't think it makes my problem ligaments any worse. It's the medial collateral ligament on each knee, but worse on the right, and all the problems with me are soft tissue. This just happens to be where the worse problem is at the moment (as well as the usual d.i.s.h. think in my back). Life goes on! And I like the group thing. You just never know how much fun it will be and there are so many interesting people there. We have a few characters as well.
I've had so much trouble with nightmares lately. Horrible dreams that stay with me all day. Although .. the dream this morning had to do with 'raiding' a friend's garden .. picking grapefruit and the most beautiful apples. And we were arrested! This was my older sister's best friend's place and she had invited us to help ourselves. It was a beautiful farm. And I was just putting in time before I met Barry back at the place this friend had gone, because he was waiting for me to take his photo. I was waiting for his friend's to stop goofing off so I could take it.
Who knows why we have such dreams ... I actually 'lipped off' to the lady officer who arrested me. She asked me about my dreams .. and I said it was to have a build like her's, only I would be nicer. (I know, not much of a lip off.)
It's still cold here. Wayne tilled the garden but I'm behind on weeding and fertilizing. And we haven't started the renovation to the house. Everything seems to be on hold.
But the family is fine. For me, that's most important. I just want everyone happy and healthy.
Now I must run. Wayne wants Italian Wedding Soup for dinner tonight and I have some frozen in the outside freezer. Must get that out before I head to the pool. It's kind of nice to not have to be cooking late afternoon when the pain in my knee is about the worse.
Must run! |
| Nibbs Posted on Saturday, April 26, 2008 - 02:21 am: | |
I didn't sleep well last night. This must stop! My muscles pay for it and by the following evening I'm suffering the heeby-jebbys! Everything bothers me.
However .. the day kind of helped.
I had physio at 9:20 a.m., found out I have to pay because we're retired now and our medical plan doesn't pay. So, money up front. Okay. Then I sat in a cubicle and watched the therapists walk back and forth between patients, while I sat on an uncomfortable chair in a tiny room. I opened the curtain, much to her surprise, and I told her I was claustrophobic. Part of that has to due with pain level.
But she had excellent advice for me, for exercising at home and in the pool. The ultra sound treatment didn't do much today, but I didn't really expect much.
From there I went to Safeway, and realized I needed the washroom. I struggled with the key for I don't know how long and ended up flagging down Brian, one of the employees, and he fiddled with the key until he succeeded in opening the bathroom door.
Got my groceries, and I had remembered my nylon bags so that was good. I opened the hatch window on the back of my car and one of the struts broke off, and I couldn't put it back on. I put the bags in the car and drove to the car dealership, with my car telling me I had a 'door ajar', and was pleased that a mechanic came out right away. Now I have the little part ordered, and it will be here tomorrow.
I headed home to unload groceries and run over to Boni's. But a cat had been sick through the living room, so I had to stop and clean that up. I changed to cooler clothes .. for some reason I was now hot ... and dashed off. Caught Boni just before she left for Victoria.
Came home, had some lunch and plugged in the vacuum cleaner. It works fine, but I can't shut it off. I've been unhappy with it for a while .. so I think I'll check consumer reports and invest in something better.
Dinner was delicious. I cooked a pot roast with veggies .. and we even had an apple crisp for dessert. Wayne had come home from work early (oh yes, I thought they had a replacement for that job and Wayne could go back to being retired, but I seem to have counted chickens before they hatched .. and I talked about it, too ... aargh) so he mowed the grass and was so pleased to have such a good meal when he was done.
The weekend is here.
Our weather has caused some problems with the plants. It freezes at night and then is incredibly warm and sunny during the day. Some plants just cannot handle this. We're having to turn our sprinkler system on, even with a forecast for rain. I don't know how much we'll get and the ground is dry!
We watched 'The Replacement' tonight, a Martin Scorcese movie. We were spell bound, and shocked, but found the movie captivating. I don't think I'd sit through it again, but the actors were brilliant ... Leonardo, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, Mark Wahlberg, Martin Sheen. The directing was awesome. Just lighting let us know who was a 'good guy' and who was 'bad', but it was almost abstract. Wonderful.
I have a few plants to put in the ground, a couple more pasques (I love them), some parsley, etc. I hadn't planned to put in much of a vegetable garden, but am reconsidering now that the cost of food is going up so much. Huge rice crisis at the moment. But the cost of fuel has to greatly affect the cost of groceries ... The beat goes on. So, we are changing how and what we eat. Going back to the old ways, sort of.
I have to make a decision about growing my own potatoes again. It's so easy, but the last two years they were scabby. Tasted good. I'd have to plant them where we've never had potatoes before and hope for the best.
Okay .. I'm sleepy now. Very tired. Am hoping for a good night's sleep and then I can make more progress on the painting tomorrow. Wayne has some running around town .. picking up the part for my car, and a universal joint for his truck (yes, he had a problem today too ... and it wasn't so much that his truck needs a new universal, but he wants a new truck!! We need a pot of gold!!) For now his truck is just fine, with a new part.
Am off to bed.
Am hoping everyone has a good weekend!
'night ... |
| Nibbs Posted on Tuesday, June 03, 2008 - 02:29 am: | |
The gardens are done! Hooray! Put the last plants in today, right before the rain started! And we put fencing around the tomatoes. This is the first year the deer have munched them. Their taste buds seem to be changing and they're eating plants here that they never touched before.
Wayne couldn't get his weed whacker working today, so I think he may spend a little time shopping tomorrow ... you know, just casually strolling to where the machines are .. and finding such a deal that he just can't pass it up. He's actually looking for one that's easier to carry, like the one at work. So well see.
I want to find a mat to put at the bottom of the deck stairs and maybe that will cut down on the scrubbing I have to do. We're the culprits who bring dirty shoes from the garden right up to the porch. If we could wipe our feet at the bottom stair it just might help keep the deck clean.
Our weather has changed. Now we have rain for the next week. So we'll be on slug watch. What we've seen so far are just little ones. I have an awful feeling they will grow into monsters who can wipe out my irises with one chomp!
We had to put the heat on in the house. Amazing!
Tired now. I've been browsing here and seeing all kinds of blooms I wish I had in my garden! It never ends. I fall in love with the blooms and put the photos on my desk top so that I can have them at my fingertips. Somehow I think I'm just tormenting myself!!
Yes, the pillow is calling my head. Eyes are closing. Night all! |
| Nibbs Posted on Sunday, June 08, 2008 - 10:15 am: | |
Rain and rain and more rain. And cold. We broke a record this week for the coldest temperature for this time of year. We had a high of 9ºC. Imagine! This time of year the beaches are open. As it turns out, it snowed on Mt. Washington. Bizarre.
And, after several tries to fix his machine, Wayne did get his weed whacker! This one should be more comfortable for him as well.
Got my mat. Haven't put it out because .. it's rained every day. I want to scrub the deck. And will. I cleaned the driveway instead. Shortly after I finished it started to rain again and you couldn't see that I had done anything. The drain is clean as well though ... perhaps temporarily too.
The pink dogwood is gone. It died. And something is damaging the viburnum sargenti but I have investigated twice and can't find anything.
We didn't go to our grand daughter's wedding this weekend, but I'm sure it was lovely. She was married at a winery (in the Interior of the Province). We would have enjoyed that so much. Just couldn't do it. Work. Health.
We have another cat coming to eat at our house, besides Socks. This one has no ears. And she's looking much healthier now too. But she's not as friendly. There's also a big grey tabby tom that comes around, but he doesn't get along with anyone and we shoo him away. He obviously belongs to someone and is definitely being fed.
I see there's no food in the bird feeder. The baby finches are 'feeding' themselves and they scatter the seed everywhere! We also have young Towhees this year at the feeder. And little Juncos, but they are much better mannered at the feeders!
Okay .. I"m going to get a little more sleep before starting my day in earnest. It's a Sunday.......... No job today, no appointments. Nice ... |
