Flowers That Rise Above the Weeds!

I’ve been very negligent in my gardening this year… Am I being lazy…? Or am I just distracted?

(Perhaps a little of both!)

So I’m thankful for tall flowers that rise above the weeds.

Also for colourful weed flowers!

I had to pull out tall weeds that were hiding the yellow day lilies.

Lesson learned: I should plant only VERY TALL flowers!

Tornado Warning?

Wind warnings aren’t new in our area. 

Like this warning from last week…

I used to give them little thought… until a devastating storm downed trees in our neighbourhood a few weeks ago.

These warnings have my full attention now!

Horsey Memories

My mother and father grew up on farms - so both were familiar with horses. My father talked of plowing fields using horses in Alberta, when he first arrived as an immigrant from Poland. My mother rode a horse to school near Edmonton, as it was too far to walk.

I find it hard to believe, but horse and buggy were their normal mode of transportation until a decade before I was born!

For me - and now my children and grandchildren - horses are simply for fun. I always wanted to have a horse as a pet. But I never did. 

Like my granddaughter, I took riding lessons - but horses were so big, so intimidating! Before long, I lost interest.

My own children expressed little interest in horses. But as children they enjoyed pony rides. One summer our while family went white water rafting and took a memorable trail ride on horseback. It was so much fun - and so scary - that the experience was etched in our memories! We still laugh about it from time to time.

Knitting Dilemma

I’m almost finished knitting my sweater.

But I’m being challenged by the final step: adding the button band.

The instructions say to cast on two stitches for every three rows down the front. The first time I did that, the band shortened the front by at least 6”. I don’t want to shorten the front at all.

I added more stitches to the band this second time - but first the button holes weren’t the same distance apart. Now the ribbing (knit 1, purl 1) creates an elasticity that still shortens the front.

I probably have no choice but to take it apart again - for the third time!

It Takes a Lots of Hands….

I had to smile when I saw my grandkids wanting to help put the chairs together after their dining room furniture arrived - some assembly required.

Over the years, a lot of our furniture - especially things from IKEA - required assembly. This desire to help is continuing in the next - and the next - generations.

I wonder how long they’ll remember that they “helped” put it together…

I don’t remember if any of our kids volunteered to assemble IKEA furniture. But our older son has never forgotten how - one Spring break - he helped me reupholster this hide-a-bed sofa. 

(Was this our “before” picture?! If so, I can’t find a the corresponding “after.” Or did his team win a championship?) 

Years later, he was heartbroken when Terry and I finally threw that sofa out: “But I helped you reupholster it!!”

(I had totally forgotten that he had been my right hand helper!)

Warning: Years from now, this little guy may never want to let these table or chairs go!

Succulent Envy

This interesting display of succulents made me envious. I wish mine were doing better…

They haven’t died, but there hasn’t been much growth or change either. 

My daughter has managed to grow new plants when plant leaves developed roots. I haven’t noticed any roots forming on mine. She sprays hers to keep the soil moist. Maybe that’s the secret.

I think it’s time for me to read some gardening books and discover what I’m doing wrong.

(Slightly) Competitive

Am I competitive?!

I don’t usually think of myself as competitive…

But I admit I’m secretly satisfied when I have the same “Wordle” score as my daughter. 

( I can’t remember ever beating her…!)

Today we both got the mystery word in 4 tries.

We both do the online word puzzle daily - and share our scores with each other…

I don’t need to beat her. I’m just happy that I can still keep up with the younger generation!

Searching for the “Perfect” (Affordable) Apartment

I really have no idea where my daughter will end up living if she moves back to Ottawa later this summer - but, as Terry and I check out potential apartment homes for her, we are getting an education in modern day apartment living.

The apartment we lived in when we first moved to the city was in a low-rise building on a quiet street, not a downtown high rise like this one.

It had a spare bedroom that served as a quiet study space for Terry - who was then a student. Later that room became a baby nursery…

We didn’t concern ourselves with cute coffee shops around the corner…

We looked for bright rooms - but didn’t have to worry about the speed of the internet connection.

Things have certainly changed!

(As an aside, we did go back to our old apartment building, hoping to see a “for rent” sign - but found none…  The “perfect” apartment is never easy to find!)

A New Style?!

I’m often puzzled by fashion…

Torn, frayed jeans have been in style for over 30 years - and I still do’t understand their appeal…

So when I stopped to admire this green blouse - and noticed that it was buttoned up unevenly, I was curious: Was this a mistake? Or new style?

“Hard to say,” my daughter replied when I asked her. “I’d say mistake - but there’d be less fabric to tuck into a waistband if one side were shorter and just hung over the top.”

Sounds logical … but what about the top buttons?! 

I guess I’ll have to wait and see if I come across an unevenly buttoned shirt again.

Oh-oh! Just came across this on Pinterest! 

Maybe uneven buttoning is now “in”!.

Love the Ambiance!

My daughter is thinking about moving back to Ottawa.

Terry and I are trying to help her by checking out apartments in different parts of town. 

My favorite, so far, is this cute building in the ByWard Market area, right downtown.

We didn’t see any of the actual apartments - but I love the courtyard in front of the building…

It reminds me of Europe!!

Living here, I’d feel that I was living abroad!

Rabbits Live Here, Too!

 I have no idea how many rabbits live on our street or even in our yard.

We see them daily in summer… but rarely more than one at a time.

To my untrained eye, they all look like adults. I have no idea where their “rabbit holes” are - or if they have nests… I have no idea where their young are born.

They’re among the quietest neighbors we have. They nibble on grass. I wish they’d eat ALL the dandelions!

Remembering Coffee… and More!!

Lots of memories come to mind when I pass this McDonald’s restaurant - a short walk from our home.

So many personal events associated with this place!

My older son was among the first crew to work here when the structure was first built. He was a high school student at the time. He had a part time job at another McDonald’s near his school, but when this one was about to open, he transferred here. In fact, he became part of the construction clean up crew that prepared the place to open.

Another memory: a few years later, this same son had a Russian coworker here - Roman. One day at break Roman mentioned that he and his girlfriend were planning a short vacation to Russia.

When my son expressed enthusiasm for travel, Roman invited him to come along. 

Without Roman’s invitation, he may never have had that unforgettable experience, the year he turned 21.

A third memory relates to my son’s years as a student at the college near the restaurant, when he was dividing his time between studies and earning money. One day he mentioned with a smile that he had served one of his professors. The instructor had told him that if he spent as much time on his schoolwork as he did at McDonald’s, he would be a stellar student.

(What could I say? We both knew that the only reason he had enrolled in college was to appease me: I had burst into tears after hearing that he didn’t want to continue his education after high school - he just wanted to get a job…)

But… all this is past history! 

I now have my own McDonald’s memory…

Whenever I pass this particular restaurant, my mind now goes back a few weeks to our recent storm and power outage. Those four days that we were without electricity, I left the house in the early dawn to come here for my morning coffee …and breakfast egg McMuffin. I wanted to beat the crowd. This restaurant was my haven. 

Not only that - the restaurant has a quiet study room where I could plug in my cell phone, check emails and surf the net. I didn’t rush home. Every evening I returned for my evening meal - and to recharge my phone for the night.

Terry, too, would head over several times a day with his computer to surf the net, watch the news, and get caught up with sports scores.

So thanks - Baseline Road McDonald’s - for your food, your internet, and for all the memories!

In Our Old Neighborhood

As Terry and I search for a potentially suitable Ottawa apartment for our daughter, we head over to our old neighborhood - called Lindenlea or New Edinburgh.

We lived in an apartment several blocks from this newly renovated building at that time.

As Terry chats with the rental agent, I show my daughter each room via FaceTime.

I find it charming - with interesting potential.

But our daughter feels it’s not for her… “Too small to live and work in.”

It’s also on the lower level…

So the search continues!

Happy Birthday!

Today is our daughter’s birthday. I found two photos I really like - from a few years back...

Age 6, at the Toronto zoo... posing with an eagle...

Then a few years later - a teenager - with a younger-looking dad. 

How time flies!! Hope you have a really great day!