Good Bye, Thanks & Welcome

A Happy New Year

Grant That I May

Bring No Tear To Any Eye

When This New Year

In Time Shall End,

Let It Be Said I've

Played The Friend, Have

Lived & Loved & Laboured Here,

And Made Of It A Happy Year.

... Edgar Guest     

          
Good bye 2016, thanks for everything.

One Photo, 6 Words: Merry - Dec 30th

The idea is to take one photo & write six words which include the word of the week.  Linking in with Miriam & the other short story tellers at:  Miriam.   While my list still has one word left on it, I believe this is the last week ...(?)

This week's word is Merry.

Time all the merry making ends!

SNAP - Thankful Thoughts

Linking in with the SNAP Community along with our hostess Helena at:  SNAP.    Have a peek at what everyone else has found as a two to four photo collection this week & then please join in. 

My collection this week is in keeping with many of my thoughts as we wind down 2016 &  to Helena for SNAP - Thankful.

  

 

Helena this final SNAP collection is for you, Thank You for creating & managing this delightful meme.  I hope that your trip to New Zealand is a wonderful time for you & I look forward to seeing all your photos as you share with us on your blog.  Safe & happy adventures!

Memorandum Monday - Dec 26th

Good Morning &  a wave to all that are about.  Hope Christmas was what you wanted it to be.  There is no link in today as our hostess, Sian, is taking a bit of a break.

New from the patio?  

Nothing much, Christmas is over in the blink of an eye.  Lots of leftovers in the frig, wrapping paper has been shredded by two happy kitties, & I am already anxious to start putting Christmas away.  Mr Man likes to leave all the decorations up for as long as possible, he is trying to convince me to leave the tree up until 12th night.  Maybe ... 

New push for New Year's Eve is on everywhere.  New day timers are being primed with important dates transferred over.  New journals, new gratitude journals all at the ready.  Even a new book for writing all the To Do's in the new year.  I am not a big New Year's Resolutions kind of person, but I do spend some time reflecting on the year as it is about to go into the history books.

 
The Fur Girls want to wish everyone a very happy Boxing Day.

 

Merry Merry

Merry Christmas / Joyeux Noel 

 

One Photo, 6 Words: Feast - Dec 23rd

The idea is to take one photo & write six words which include the word of the week.  Linking in with Miriam & the other short story tellers at:  Miriam.   This week's word is Feast.    

These ornaments, made with seeds hang on a tree made for a competition for best community design/idea.  A winner in my books.

 Santa's feast for the little birds 

 Side Note:  thank you all for your well wishes & concerns for Mr Man's eye.  We saw the surgeon yesterday & he is very pleased & happy with the progress of Mr Man's eye.  Drops for another week but only twice a day.  Next scheduled visit end of January.  (phew). Now to find my Christmas pause button & get on with the to do list.

SNAP - Take It Outside Ho Ho

Linking in with the SNAP Community along with our hostess Helena at:  SNAP.    Have a peek at what everyone else has found as a two to four photo collection this week & then please join in. After this week, we have only 1 SNAP left!

In continuation with my Christmas themed SNAP collections.  I give you the outdoors big guy, second in the Christmas hubbub.  
 

Flat - Wood Cut Out

Fabric

Blow Up

 

Real One ! (?)

Memorandum Monday - Dec 19th

Hello & good morning to everyone.  Linking in with our hostess, Sian at:  From High In The Sky

New from the patio this week?

The gorgeous crochet tree was made by my blogging coach & inspiration, Lady Ella.

Toronto skyline

At the scheduled 1 month Tuesday appointment for Mr Man's eye it was determined that further surgery was required immediately (immediate was a loose term).  When the gas bubble that was inserted into the eye after the last surgery, finally disappeared (Saturday) there was nothing holding back the over zealous healing from the 1st surgery & it pulled the retina away.  Mr Man did not previously have a detached retina but now he did.  Immediate surgery was scheduled for Thursday morning; we had to be there at the hospital for 7:00am & they would slot him in when they could.  Thankfully that was 9:00am.  This go around he does not have to keep his head down for 7 days because they put in a new stronger denser gas bubble to sit at the top of the eye where the detachment is.  Our drive home from Toronto (I was the driver) was during the start of the first of 2 storms that hit Thursday.  It was a scary horrible drive. So many white outs, which is like driving blinded by a bag of flour someone just dumped on your windscreen.  Anyway once home I gave many thanks for a safe passage.  We were up the next morning at 4am for another 7:00am appointment in Toronto.  The drive was less than great but not as bad as the day before.  So another 6-7 weeks off work to heal & recover.   The one week follow up appointment is Thursday, so another early rising & hopefully no more snow!

Speaking of new fresh fallen snow, on Saturday we got another 20cm of snow & it meant we needed to get the driveway cleared but Mr Man is not allowed to do this kind of activity & I certainly couldn't handle all of two storm's snow.  So new for us, we had to hire someone to push/blow the snow off the driveway & onto the lawn area.  A new type of entry into the accounting books. 

As a fund raiser our local cat rescue, Cats Anonymous,  offers in-home kitty nail clipping, which we gladly booked. The ladies make it look so easy to do.  While it does not hurt them, the idea of being held tightly by a stranger has Sooty & Smokey now spending the last two days spitting & growling at each other.  Tish & Julie brought them little cat nip stockings as an introduction & bribe.

To try & cheer up Mr Man, Sunday I made eggnog pancakes & cut them into stars ...

I hope everyone has a stress free week in the run up to Christmas Day.  Happy Christmas to all.

Source From The Internet

One Photo, 6 Words: Time - Dec. 16th

The idea is to take one photo & write six words which include the word of the week.  Linking in with Miriam & the other short story tellers at:  Miriam.   This week's word is Time.



 

It's time I used these papers

Today with this post I celebrate my 300th blog post!!!!!

SNAP - Pretty Boughs Potted

Linking in with the SNAP Community along with our hostess Helena at:  SNAP.    Have a peek at what everyone else has found as a two to four photo collection this week & then please join in.

This week in keeping with my Christmas themed SNAPS, in town I found several pretty boughs all in a pot.

Memorandum Monday - Dec. 12th

Good Morning & a quick wave outside of my mittens to all the lovely Monday Memo writers.  Linking in with our hostess, Sian at : From High In The Sky

New from the patio this week?  A new snow storm for the end of the weekend - I made sure my bird feeders were full as I have a new visiting couple - Mr & Mrs Cardinal.  Normally the noisy Blue Jays keep the delicate Cardinals at bay.  These birds are just so red against the snow.  I took this photo from inside.
 

Saturday snow was a warning amount of about 5cm, then Sunday the bigger heavier laden storm arrived leaving behind a new amount ... to which kept me indoors & at my  attempts of a new round of Christmas card making.  I am not a stamper so I used paper, punches, Washi tape, gemstones, glue, &Word.  I had The Piano Guys & Pentatonix Christmas CDs playing loudly.

I truly suck at this card making deal.   Label this as #anotherepicpinterestfail. But no blood was spilled, so that in itself is a bonus.  I will not post photos as I do not want to scare,  warn, lessen the surprise for any of the intended recipients. 

Sooty Paws did unspeakable things to her Elf on The Shelf.

 

Smokey plays coy & shy with Santa.

 

I am missing Poldark!

New, Mr Man is having some troubles developing with the healing of the eye.  We have an appointment Tuesday in Toronto with the eye surgeon. He has not been a jolly elf this weekend - I will say no more.

I will leave you with my wishes for a joyful week & this thought about snow ...

As the snow fell in a milky haze, making everything quieter as it fell, so that winter seemed to partake of religion in a way no other season did, hushed & solemn.

One Photo, 6 Words: Fresh - Dec 9th

The idea is to take one photo & write six words which include the word of the week.  Linking in with Miriam & the other short story tellers at:  Miriam.   This week's word is:  Fresh .
 

Scents of the season include fresh

SNAP - Cup Size Matters

Linking in with the SNAP Community along with our hostess Helena at:  SNAP.    Have a peek at what everyone else has found as a two to four photo collection this week & then please join in.

This week my SNAPs are a kick off of a month of Christmas related SNAPs with some of the different Christmasy disposable cups that we get at our local coffee/tea shops when we get take out.

SMALL

MEDIUM

LARGE

The Other Place's Medium

McMedium

Only 3 SNAPs To Go

Five In Five On The 5th - December

Linking in with Sandie at: Sandie & the other Fivers at : Itchifingers

The idea is to take five photos in five minutes on the 5th of the month. 

I'm all about Christmas right now, so my 5 in 5 is related to my recent baking marathon - 5 different baked goods.  All for making up treat trays to take to work & friends.

 

Christmas Shortbread Bars (Squares)

Merry Berry Bars (Squares) 

 

  Christmas Jewels (Cookies)

 Choco Coco Brownies

Grinch Pistachio/Cranberry (Cookies)

 

Memorandum Monday - December 5th

Good morning to all the Monday Memo writers & linking in with our hostess, Sian at her blog:  From High In The Sky

What's new from the patio?  Most of our activities have been inside, although there were a few final moments out there on Sunday.  A few last minute things to get stuffed into the garden shed before the snow comes blowing in.  Oh I ache to be out there again, sitting on the patio with my tea & a good book (insert heavy sigh here).
 

Thursday saw me with a new big decision to make.  Let me give you some background to that decision.  I was preparing to send off my few homemade Christmas cards for December 1st - my attempts are/were nothing like some of those gorgeous stamped cards I see being created on "your" blog ... anyway, I was licking the envelopes shut when I noticed red on the envelopes,  then I noticed that there was some sort of red drool from me!  I had cut my tongue on an envelope & now I was bleeding all over the cards I had made.  My decision - do you think anyone would notice or care about a streak of red on the card/envelope?  In the end I had to toss.  Tongues bleed easily & a lot plus it hurts when you get a paper cut on it.

Card Before Attempts To Send

A new way to count down the season - I made this little clipboard Advent Countdown which I am keeping on the mantel in the bedroom, so every  new morning I can remember to change.

This weekend saw us attending a new to us live Christmas concert Saturday night, The Barra MacNeils - a Canadian Celtic group.  We enjoyed the old world carols sung in Scottish Gaelic along with a few jigs.  While I could not understand the words to those sung in Gaelic, several of the carols are favourites so I know the jest of the song & the music, ah the music takes me to that place of Christmas anticipated magic.  
 

from their F/B page

I spent most of Sunday afternoon baking squares (bars) & cookies; 3 types of squares (bars) & 2 types of cookies.  This is definitely a hygge activity - the house smelt amazingly & I felt all domestic.

I have a new pair of Christmas socks.   I personally do not think there is any such thing as an ugly Christmas sweater, but these socks pay homage to that belief. 
 

I will see you later with 5 in 5 on the 5th.   I hope everyone has a great week - my Christmas cards are going to be late this year.

One Photo, 6 Words: Short - Dec 2nd

The idea is to take one photo & write six words which include the word of the week.  Linking in with Miriam & the other short story tellers at:  Miriam.   This week's word is:  Short . 

Short holiday message; Drink? Don't drive.

SOAP BOX MOMENT:   This week the police's holiday R.I.D.E. campaign kicked off & in a 24 hour time frame, over 150 impaired drive charges were laid - what don't people get about no driving when you have been drinking (or taking drugs).  R.I.D.E. = reduce impaired driving everywhere.