Take Three Thursday - Winter

In an effort to notice more of the ordinary in my life, I have decided to share what I have noticed this week in Take Three Thursday.   The idea is to take photos that are linked some how; by theme, by colour, by date, by moment,  by points of view. There is no formal link in but please feel free to join in. What have you noticed this week?  

This week, I & everyone in southern Ontario could not but help to notice that Ms Winter indeed arrived & she shared her bounty with us on Christmas Eve & Christmas Day.  Temperatures have dipped as low as -22 (c) with a wind chill factor of making in more like -35 (c).  Day time highs have only risen to -14(c) with a wind chill of -21 (c).  Boxing day the sun shone very brightly all day & was very welcomed indeed.

So this is what winter is currently looking like in my area - snow, bitter cold & very strong winds.  

Pay attention. Cultivate awareness. Life cannot be lived fully or joyfully if our thoughts are focused on regretting the past,
preoccupied with anticipating the future, or lost in the mind-fog of unconscious habitual behavior. - Jonathan Lockwood Huie

 

   

 

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas

 

Memo, Mail & Me: It's Monday December 18th

Good Morning. I actually wrote this post last night, Sunday when it was still 8 days before Christmas!  All your Christmas shopping done?  All the food stocked & in the cupboards?  Me, not so much, the previous week was one of many unexpected things.

I'm writing a memo to the manufacturer of our washing machine &  topping that memo is why isn't there an online manual?  Mr Man spent most of Saturday repairing it; a drive belt had slipped off the fly wheel thingy.  It's all good now & I have done several loads of laundry - yeah!  I don't jest, often on my gratitude list is thanks for my own washer & dryer, along with having a very handy husband!

The other very annoying thing that happened, was my point & shoot camera took it's final beating & broke.  Thankfully the card inside was retrievable.  Mr Man was once again to the repair rescue & it's all put back together & functioning.  I've let Santa know that a new pocket point & shoot is now on the top of my list.  I like this one:  (photo from Nikon's web site).

I think this is my new favourite quote/sign:

I shall be working every day at the clinic this week, not what I had planned but once again not much goes according to plan.  I need to do some serious thinking about my own continuation at this place!  I'll say no more for now for fear of being put on the naughty list!

So while I may not be totally prepared for Christmas with things & food, I am most prepared in my heart & mind - bring it on.

I will not be posting this week in Take Three Thursday as work & final Christmas prep is going to be taking any & all of my spare time & I'll not be posting next Monday as it is Christmas day.  So I want to take this moment to wish you all the Happiest & Merriest of Christmas - may it be exactly as you hoped it would be.   

From The Internet

Take Three Thursday = A Christmas Themed Throw Back

In an effort to notice more of the ordinary in my life, I have decided to share what I have noticed this week in Take Three Thursday.   The idea is to take photos that are linked some how; by theme, by colour, by date, by moment,  by points of view. There is no formal link in but please feel free to join in. What have you noticed this week?  
 
Have a peek at what others have found this week: 
Karen at Random Reflections
Maggie at: FarmersWifeDayByDay    
Ruth at: This West London Life 

This week's TTT is a throw back with a Christmas theme & maybe a little tribute to our friends in the southern hemisphere as it has been bitterly cold around here.  At Christmas time many if not most of us decorate with red, green & white with a touch of gold.  This week my throwback is to thinking of much warmer & prettier days.  I hope you enjoy my Christmas themed throwback & have some wonderful warm thoughts.
 

Red

 

Green

White

And to push on my own tradition of three on Thursday, a fourth, because isn't that what the season is about, sharing more:
 

Gold

Yes I must admit, I'm dreaming not so much of a white Christmas, but an entirely different season.

December Daily - I Have A Start

I thought it was time I showed you some of my start to December Daily.  In the end I decided I wanted to do & be part of "that" community.  It really is a fun way to document the season & even a better way to reflect back on previous years in what worked & didn't work so well.

My DD is a combination of pocket pages; these particular pages I got from Becky Higgins & were suppose to be full 12X12" pages but when they arrived, there was a note saying sorry, not quite up to 12X12" size.  I kept them with the idea of one day using.  2017 has been about simplifying things & using what I have.

This year rather than "My Reasons Why" or a "Christmas Manifesto", I have gone with a welcome to Christmas 2017, stating some of my/our intentions for the season.  I have had this big plaid bow sheet for at least 10 years & decided, yes it's time to use it.  Took a few tries to get the page to fit within the bow.  Simple & I like.

My full page about our favourite Christmas movies isn't quite complete because I just couldn't work on it with any embellishment pieces out - one or both cats decided they should help.  I'll say no more about feline scrapping help.  There are many movie page ideas on the December Daily FaceBook pages, this year everyone seemed to be making round look like a movie real  ... remember I said simple was my 2017 theme.  I thought the popcorn bag was a great an ok way to showcase the movies.  I have a couple of stickers that are drink with straw & candy box that I will place in the left hand corner with a die cut scalloped circle behind them.  This page looks better in my head than it is shaping up to be.

I created a 2 page spread about Elf Surveillance warnings, both of which I got as freebies online & I am using two printed photos from last year's DD that I did not use, one of the Elves & one of Teddies.  Simple although I still need to write in my little darlings mis-deeds in, which I am sure I will have choice between now & Christmas Day.

My last example is one of the actual pocket pages; the opposite incomplete pocket page has the journaling about making & mailing cards, along with the cost of stamps & my hesitation in mailing from the community mailboxes.

Please check in with these lovely ladies, they are masters at  creating simple, artful & complete December Daily pages.  They are my she-roes in the scrapping world, especially for December Daily. 

Ruth at:  This West London Life 
Mel at: My Silvery Moon

Mail, Memo, Me - It's Monday's Musings Dec 11th

Greetings & salutations to all.  Happy Monday!

Another Advent Counter - Easy & Pinterest For The Win

The Christmas countdown continues will lots of seasonal events.  Locally all the farmers are busy preparing for the upcoming Farmers' Parade of Lights; churches are all busy preparing for the pre-parade chili dinners.  This year our church is adding hot dogs to the menu, it seems many people requested this last year.  I have been asked to make a vegetarian chili.  Good thing I kept the comment "what about veggie dogs?" to myself!

We had some light snow, just about 5 cm which I am sure is helping everyone get in the Christmas mood.  "THEY" say people spend more in Christmas shopping if there's snow about.  

Our residential squirrel, Charlie, doesn't send a memo about his predication for the upcoming winter, but has grown quite a thick winter coat, which tells me that it's going to be cold, along with lots of fur between his toes, which indicates a lot of snow.  

Charlie with his feast of peanuts

Currently I am reading, I am enjoying.  Cannot remember who recommended.  It is a love story, with a bit of back & forth in present time & memory time, but not that you get confused as to which time we are in. 

In the shopping cart this week was a find I have been searching for, for  years now.  My local grocery store use to carry.  Found Baxter's French Onion - Vegetarian - Soup at the newest gourmet grocery store, Longo's , just opened in the city closest to us.  Score.

I attended a 1 hour workshop at the library, using their Cricut Air machine to cut these three cards.  The little starlight village didn't cut out as well as it should have, but I can rescue it, with some bling gemstones & maybe some stickers from the stash.

As Christmas is in full swing so are the never ending emails for new online courses, preparing to review your 2017 & make ready for a fabulous 2018.  A blog I read regularly posted the link for an article about things every woman should write about.  It listed some very thought provoking questions.  The original post by Amy Shearn was in Oprah's magazine. Link: 11 Things-Every-Woman-Should-Write-Down  The prompts:

1. What younger you would think about older you
2. The watched/read it list
3. The mistake you never want to make
4. Your ideal outfit
5. A deep dark secret
6. The most unexpected complement you’ve received
7. That one quote
8. The best surprise you’ve ever had
9. Your true happiness
10. Your favourite failure
11. An amendment to your bucket list 

I don't currently have a bucket list to update, I don't even have a Santa Wish List written.  I also have several mistakes I wish I hadn't made & therefore provide many (favourite) failure(s)!   But I do have a quote,  one that I have made a small poster of & keep on my desk.

Beware of the people in your circle that aren't in your corner. Deb Owen
 
On with the week, which I hope for everyone is showering you with seasonal blessings & spirit.

Take Three Thursday - One Last Cuddle

In an effort to notice more of the ordinary in my life, I have decided to share what I have noticed this week in Take Three Thursday.   The idea is to take photos that are linked some how; by theme, by colour, by date, by moment,  by points of view. There is no formal link in but please feel free to join in. What have you noticed this week?  
 
Have a peek at what others have found this week:  
Karen at Random Reflections
Maggie at: FarmersWifeDayByDay  
Ruth at: This West London Life 

This week what I have noticed is within my Christmas decorations & Mr Man's request that I cut down our Christmas decorations by one box.  It's really hard to decide what needs to go & bring joy to someone's celebrations.  Three of the things that I have decided to let go are 3 of my soft decorations.  I am going to enjoy them this year but at the end, I will not be putting them back with our stuff. 

The Elves I do remember came about from my two previous cats that were SO good participating in my staged Santa photo shoot (or any photo) that I thought they should have an Elf too.   I think the moose family are from a burger chain & I'm not sure I purchased but was given the collection of 4, they are really old.  The two teddy Santas were a Sears Canada fund raiser left over clearance item from a long time ago.   Now as my decorating is maturing, it's time for one last cuddle & then a wave goodbye & thanks for sharing in Christmas memories.

Elves In The Sleigh

Moose Foursome

Twin Teddy Santa

 Like snowflakes my childhood Christmas memories gather & dance, each beautiful, unique & gone too soon.  D. Whipp (somewhat reworded on my part)

Five In Five On The 5th - December

Five in Five On The 5th -

Joining in with Sandie's Five in Five On The Fifth at: Sandie At Itchifingers

As it is pouring rain outside with accompanying thunder & lightening I dare not venture outside. Hard to believe it's rain on December 5th but no worries, tomorrow the temperature drops dramatically & rain turns to snow! 

SO my 5 in 5 on the 5th are taken inside & in spite of lights & flash on, things are still quite dark, but no matter, my 5 are of the happy & light kind.

Five Santas from my collection with 5 accompanying Christmas quotes I like. I made the first & third Santas.

 

 Christmas waves a magic wand over the world & behold, everything is softer & more beautiful (Norman Vincent Peale)

It's not what's under the tree that matters, but who's around it.

Christmas, my child is love in action ( Dale Evans)

The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree: the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other (Burton Hills)

Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love (Hamilton Wright Mabie)


 
 

Memo, Mail & Me: Monday Dec 4th

We are now posting in one of the merriest months.  So many types of celebrations, festivals & feasts, which many feature light as a theme.  It certainly does feel that the world is ending with all the hours of darkness.  Let us celebrate the light.

My Advent Candle Ring

This is my Advent wreath, week 1 & 2 candles are purple, week 3 candle is pink & the 4th & final week the candle is again purple.  My heritage tradition, of which I continue with, is that on Christmas day all the candles are changed to white.  I know some place a white candle in the centre to represent the Christ child.
 
On the memo front, Mr Man received good news that the injections have made improvement & reduced the bleeding & swelling behind the eye - yeah!  Next injection is not scheduled until mid-January.

On the mail front - this year my hand made Christmas cards were done without a lot of frustration & for the most part I am rather pleased satisfied with my efforts.  Although those very talented card markers out there have nothing to fear from me! Stamping is still a skill I need to develop, it's such commitment.  We will post our cards later today from the main postal station.  I no longer trust pick up of outgoing mail at our community mail box, as two earlier experiences saw mail I posted from there, take 4-6 weeks to deliver.  I delayed posting a few days from my usual December 1st date because I needed to have an activity to record for my December Daily.  Ah the lengths we scrapbookers go to.

Our church held their annual Christmas bazaar on Saturday of which I choose this year to contribute not with baking, but with financial; a crisp new $5 note for the money tree & a bottle of wine for the wine tree.  Both of these are big hits & earn lots of raffle dollars.  The only thing I purchased was a tea Advent calendar, which I will give as a gift later this week.  Thankfully the lady that made these calendars listed all the types of teas & I was able to grab a photo of it before packaging up with the boxes.  

Tea Sampler Advent Calendar

All of my Christmas decorating is done & yes yet again it looks like Christmas threw up at my house.  Under instructions from the Minister of Exteriors, aka Mr Man, I was successful in reducing Christmas stuff by one box.  As Minister of Interiors, it was a very hard task to decide what stays, what goes.  It's all so pretty.

I was supervised with most of my decisions & decorating by Miss Smokey Puss, who seemed to be having a chat with Santa.  Sooty Paws was too busy being naughty to have her photo taken!

We kicked off December with watching Miracle on 34th Street & later Sunday evening we watched Love Actually. 

I still believe in Santa Claus.  He may not be the one that puts the presents under the tree, but his spirit works through us each time we give freely without expectation & each time we spread joy, love, & light.   ... Meadow Linn

Take Three Thursday - Ugly?

In an effort to notice more of the ordinary in my life, I have decided to share what I have noticed this week in Take Three Thursday.   The idea is to take photos that are linked some how; by theme, by colour, by date, by moment,  by points of view. There is no formal link in but please feel free to join in. What have you noticed this week?  
 
Have a peek at what others have found this week:
Karen at Random Reflections
Maggie at: FarmersWifeDayByDay 

I'm kicking off the Christmas season of Take Three with something I think is fun.  It's the Ugly Christmas Sweater. This theme is everywhere.   I don't think of them as really ugly, there are some that are rather rude, but overall I think the Christmas sweaters are fun.  Many years ago a friend made me a Christmas sweatshirt with a panel of what could have been a photo of the three cats I had at the time.  I wear this "ugly" sweater every year, along with my Santa hat on the last day at work. 
 

For this year's clinic's Winter Comfort draw, I got to make all the purchases & I went with fun; an Ugly Christmas Sweater cookie making kit, an Ugly Christmas Sweater mug with hot chocolate (same as the one I bought my friend AJ) & a Tim Horton's $10 gift certificate.  The Tim's mugs this year are made to look like knitted wear so the gift cards are reflecting the same knitted wear.

Two years ago at the clinic we made a day for all the staff & patients to wear their best Ugly Christmas Sweaters & to those that did, we gave chocolates to them.   I think this year we could certainly do with some Christmas fun & levity so maybe I'll "ask" the boss if we can do again!

Winter Photo Scavenger Hunt Links

 Winter 2017/2018 Photo Scavenger Hunt

Eileen at: Bracelet of Days & her good friend Joy  are co-hosting another Winter Photographic Scavenger Hunt this year, and they would love you to join in with all of us. The only "rule" is that all photos should be taken during the duration of the hunt, which is 1st December 2017 to 21st March 2018. There will be a monthly linky on both Eileen's & Joy's blogs, and also a Facebook page is already up and running, so please feel free to join us either way, or both.

Good luck capturing all or some - it's a good way not to hibernate the winter away!

  The list.

1. Men at work
2. Luggage
3. Domestic trivia
4. A Winter's Tale (or tail)
5. Passengers
6. Wrapping paper
7. On the water
8. Silver
9. In the making
10. Having fun
11. Library/Book shop
12. Stationery
13. A line of ...
14. Stones
15. Bow
16. A sense of history
17. Many
18. Signpost
19. A pair of ...
20. Detail
21. Handle
22. Symmetry
23. A heart
24. Steam/smoke/mist
25. A peek inside

Memo, Mail & Me: It's Monday November 27th

It's the (cyber) Monday after the wild in person shopping frieze of Black Friday!   Is Black Friday a big deal outside of North America?  In Canada we only took on this day as to keep Canadians from crossing the border & spending their holiday dollars south of the border.  With so much online shopping now, I don't think it matters much, but it's over powering.  There are now sales leading up to Black Friday, the week before Black Friday sales; pre-Black Friday & on & on.  Too much!

Locally the school boards timed one of their many PD*days (professional development days for the teachers) to be on Black Friday.  The malls were packed with kids having nothing to do but hang out & adults shopping for more stuff. There were warnings to stay away from the mall on several F/B groups. After a short shift at the clinic,  I stayed home, had tea & read a little of my latest from the library; Origins by Dan Brown.  Not sure yet if I like.

On the weekend I attended a workshop for Christmas card making.  I made 16 (2 of 8 designs) cards.  It was a time of stamping, embossing, glittering, gluing & working with sequins (which apparently distresses environmental scientists, glitter that is). I don't like working with individual sequins, they cause me to swear.   I won a door prize of a set of retired Christmas stamps.  We also all received a package of retired 6X8" Christmas paper.  So all in all a  nice haul.

The mail has been sparse, not even a lot of flyers.  I am hoping to finish off any card making this week as I like to mail my Christmas cards on December 1st.

Thank you everyone from last week for the support to my continued hiring dilemmas, which I think are quieting down.  A memo was sent to everyone as I did hire back the young lady who quit without notice.  We had a chat about that & what my expectations of commitment are for this role.  I also made some switches to our day time (other than me) front desk person, she is/was really struggling on the 3 therapist Tuesdays, plus two of the therapists made a complaint about her seemingly inability to multi task.  I had a chat with this person & said it is not punishment but support to her to move her shift  to the quieter Monday as she can gain more experience during a quieter, one therapist shift.  So I am hoping that all things are settled for the remainder of the year.

One of our previous students from the clinic has graduated from her masters program,  who with her partner, he graduated with a PHD,  are taking the next 9 months to travel.  She sent me this photo from her  first lag of the travels as she knows, trees, mountains & water are my favourite places to be - this is in the Canadian Rockies.  I would never grow tired of this view.  They will be spending Christmas with family & then January 2nd leave for travels in South America.

Mr Man & I are off today for his 3rd eye injection with the new local doctor.  What a relief not to have to drive to Toronto.  So many new rules in place about driving on a particular street there, I would surely receive a ticket for not turning right after one block. Yes that's it, you can only travel north for one block at a time, after a block you must turn right, zig zag up & over to get back on the street & again for only one block at a time.  Too much!

 And that as they say is a wrap for the day.  Happy week everyone, see you Thursday with my threesome. 

Take Three Thursday - It's Beginning

In an effort to notice more of the ordinary in my life, I have decided to share what I have noticed this week in Take Three Thursday.   The idea is to take photos that are linked some how; by theme, by colour, by date, by moment,  by points of view. There is no formal link in but please feel free to join in. What have you noticed this week? 

Have a peek at what others have found this week:
Maggie at: FarmersWifeDayByDay 


Christmas outdoor arrangements appearing in all the stores either in the pieces you need to make yourself or already put together.  These were at a local grocery store ...