980 - Prince Ali is home, Happy New Years eve all

Day 980 the royal  PITA dog was up at 7:30 but this time it was to make the service workers at the well in adjacent field know he was on guard. Again I got a bit more sleep in after letting him back in but soon it was time to get up and wait for the text from Prince as to his departure up north.

The girls were of course still sleeping as I left after 11. I picked up the sleepy Prince and drove right back to Strathmore while he dozed. A quick bank deposit from furniture sales, grab a booster juice for lunch then off to meet Britt at the tanning studio. Prince continued his nap stating taking off his clothes for 5 minutes in the "sunshine" was not up his alley today.

It was then off to home where he immediately crawled into bed and was fast asleep. Shaina had gone to town to visit with Emily and work out. After a nice shower I did a bit of marketing and waxed the mirror while Britt hung out downstairs :-) It was a quiet relaxing afternoon before Shaina arrived home at 5 and preparations began for New Years Eve!

The snow started to fall big fluffy flakes causing not so nice driving conditions but lovely accumulation. Ada had a late sleep getting the Paetz's out here around 8 just as Britt's friends started to arrive as well. Shaina was chomping at the bit to get card game going or be on her way so after a quick visit and photo op she was off to celebrate that last day of 2013.

 opening a birthday present early

 and a few presents from Kaylin and Aaron

Britt and her 4 girl friends celebrated downstairs while the rest of us enjoyed yummy snacks and a few canasta games well into the late or should I say early morning shutting it down at 3:30 and Paetz's staying the night too. Shaina spent the night at Paetz's.

 Craig and Asher mingling

 Asher enjoyed spying on the girls dancing

 in his "wort"

camp out moves closer to the card table but they both make midnight!!

Happy New Years Eve friends and family, enjoy and cheers!!!

979 - Sandra gets stuck

Day 979, another note to self .. giving even a wee bit of bacon grease to large dog requires an earlier letting out.. at say 6 am which stinks when you go to sleep after 2:30 reading! Luckily I did manage to get a bit more sleep before getting up. Time to stage a few more photos of the frame and then wax the jewel box and stage.

I had much interest in mirrors and got a custom color ordered for one I had. So time to get busy on it. I also worked on more dresser repairs and painted the drawer fronts.

 repair in progress

the ponies cruising.. look how high the snow is as they get water at the waterer

Britt had Brooke come out around 2 but Sandra misjudged the road and plowed into a snow bank. Seeing she was dressed in capris and slippers it was up to the girls and I to dig her out. And at -15 it was chilly to start. Eventually after removing as much snow as we could I got the tow truck AKA Buick and tugged her out! I also spent about 1/2 hour scrubbing Diego's bowl, man does corso slime ever become like glue! Then I worked at plunging the drain as with all the horse and dog blankets I think there is always a good clog.

Britt and Brooke called Grady to join them but it was not long before they snapped the belt on the Panther with the 3 of them on it. So they came in and visited over hot chocolate. Shaina arrived home after running to the gym and visited too.

The "outsiders" went to play pool while I created turkey stroganoff and visited with Shaina. We all ate, visited a bit more before Brooke and Grady went home around 8. Shaina, Britt and I watched Percy Jackson; Sea of Monsters. They watched another movie after but I headed to bed after a tiring day.

978 - back to the workshop I go!

Day 978 found Shaina up and off for double shifts today starting at 10. I worked on accounting for the morning :-( ...Britt stumbled upstairs at noon :-)

She and I ran to town at 2 to set her up for her first tanning experience. I know, I am torn as well but seems the lesser of two evils. She has gorgeous fair skin but it burns when she roasts in the sun too long so hope this helps slowly give her a base. I treated her to a candy cane hot chocolate then we grabbed an air popper I got off the online garage sale before venturing home.

Back at the ranch, Britt headed to the TV room but eventually refilled the salt/mineral tubs and cleaned the cat litter by force while I enjoyed time in my happy place after a long break.

Starting with a custom job for a nursery. As usual it was disassembled, hardware removed, scrubbed down then all repairs made and wood filler and sanding.

 then I started another mirror, this one is 11X23 painting it green blue then distressing

 and a sweet jewelry box got a coat of blue green too

Britt made perogies while I made the bacon and after adding salad to the meal we were both off. Her to TV room and me to the garage where I did more painting on the jewel box & distressing, tried to find short screws for the drawer runners, took apart another mirror to paint and black waxed the rectangular mirror. A few staging photos then it was time to market my wares on my facebook page. Shaina got home before ten after her long day so hit a hot bath and bed.

977 - great white north

Day 977 the storm still was strong at 6 am but nothing by 8:30, it was off to the great white north for Sheldon. The extreme weather change had Shaina in bed with us crying with a headache and vomiting thru the night ;-(  We decided to leave a little bit early (9:40) and good thing as the gate was snowed in. Luckily Matt had arrived home from his storm stayed night at a neighbors and brought his little tractor over and dug a path for us to get out. Hiway # 1 was littered with over 40 cars, trucks, semis and even a large tow truck filling the ditches.

We made it to the airport in great time (10:30) but it seemed the airline had issues, the toilet was frozen so Sheldon who was to depart at 11:50 did not get to take off until 1!! By that time I had hit value Village, 2 thrift stores and was at Costco. A few more stops at Home sense, Booster Juice and the Restore store were made before I made my way home.

Since I was near town, I stopped quick to start my vacation pre tanning before heading to the ranch. The girls were just getting up at 3!! Shaina helped me lift a heavy buffet into the garage before getting ready for work at 5. She still felt terrible so not sure how the shift will go.

Britt and I had a relaxing afternoon playing games then after eating she and I watched Percy Jackson : Lightening Thief. Shaina was home after 8, had hot bath while Britt watched Diary of a Wimpy Kid and I played a few more hours of my game before bed.

976 - last warm day ending with ice storm

Day 976 seems I have an internal alarm clock waking at 8:30 again. Shaina was up bustling around the kitchen eating breakfast at 9 and off to work soon after. Grama and Papa joined us for coffee and banana bread breakfast before they packed up to leave just before 11. Britt was dropped off just after 11 from her sleep over toboggan night.

She ran to town at noon to do some tidying at the Paetz house as they have a showing tomorrow at 1 and are staying in Oyen till the 30th. Sheldon followed her in taking the Buick in to the shop to have the blower motor replaced. It seems this in an inherent issue that happened in others that had a water leak in the past. It was fixed in no time and he was back to chip ice and put out another bale.

I had put on turkey bones for soup and started the cleaning up after the festive week. They are forecasting a brutal freezing rain storm to roll in tonight with wind chills of -30 but hard to imagine when all night and day it sits at plus 4 hitting high of plus 6.

 a cute card the girls made me

trying a few shots with my new camera and 40 mm lens, above a beautiful jar from Kaylin and below poinsettia from Lamberts

 and one of my favorite ornaments

As Sheldon was coming in from outside he noticed water leaks in the garage roof!! WTH so after quite an ordeal trying to get a ladder set up in the house and then in the garage he climbed up to find a vent not quite working right.

 yikes! there are 2 of these bad boys

Sheldon, Britt and I enjoyed the delicious soup and just after I ladled it into containers Shaina arrived home just before 7 to enjoy a bowl too. She arrived just as the wind picked up and the temperatures dropped and soon a full fledged wind storm ensued. It raged through the night dropping to -16 by 8 I think. What a crazy freezing rain storm to say the least.

Luckily we all hunkered down and finished Despicable Me followed up by Despicable Me 2. It was then time to shower and get ready for bed while Sheldon packed up to head north for a few days.

975 - boxing day

Day 975 is boxing day.. is it sale shopping, packing up or relaxing? I was awake at 8:30 so let sleeping beauty AKA Prince Ali sleep in taking him his coffee and baileys at 9:45 am! Once up he started a nice fire which we relaxed in front of with our hot coffees before switching to a nice cold beer and clam!

I chatted with Mom catching up on the Oyen Christmas. A simple lunch then Sheldon went out to start the skidoo while I updated the blog and downloaded pictures.

Shaina's curl job from yesterday

The girls arrived home with bags in hand around 2. I worked on the blog while Sheldon napped then we all started despicable me. Grama and papa arrived at 4 where more gift opening was had in front of the fire. Shaina had to head off to work for a shift at 5.

We all enjoyed a repeat turkey dinner before Britt was packed up by Kyra and they were off to Rockyford. Amber is hosting a toboggan party and sleepover for the girls. Grama, Papa, Sheldon and myself spent the evening playing canasta.

974 - Merry Christmas

Day 974 is Christmas! We all enjoyed a nice sleep in before Britt began the task of waking all. In front of a blazing fire with baileys and coffee we all opened presents. Shaina made egg muffins for all, thanks dude!

 gift excitement

 breakfast and a snack

 Grandma Walker's angel candles

It then was time to get ready and put the turkey in. Lucky for me having 3 daughters resulted in Britt giving me a pedicure, Shaina curling up my hair and Kaylin applying pretty Christmas eye makeup, thanks girls. Feel pretty lucky. The day was another great weather day hitting plus 4.

Sadly Kaylin and Aaron were off to the next family just after 230 but we were very glad to have them for the time we did xoxoxo. The games continued for the four of us until again we stopped to feast. More games then a relax in front of Monsters University in the theater room. Shaina and Britt left around 10 to go stay in the city with Kaylin to get in some boxing bay shopping in the morning.

Merry Christmas dear family and friends!! XOXOXO