Friday, March 31, 2023

A new jewelry box & bowl on the go

Yet another fogged in morning but this time it burned off fairly quickly. The sun was out after our coffee and such. I headed to the garage to dark wax the dining table base and put another coat of stain oil on the top. S took H for a walk.



Harley load up in the car and we were off to town before 12:30. A lady was meeting me at the massage place to buy an item but turned out to be a no show. For the second time! ;( S waited for a bit after I went in for my 12:45 massage then he was off to fill car with petrol. He grabbed a few groceries then back to pick me up in the hour.

We grabbed an iced drink at Tim's on the way home. Now to get busy on more paint projects. I scrubbed up and vacuumed a new jewelry box. I then painted it plum. S went out for a hot tub then in to read a bit.


I started another project; a large monkey pod bowl I started years ago. The wood oils came thru the paint so I just had left it in a cupboard. I saw a great idea to decoupage the inside and I had the perfect new paper to try. Doing an inside of a round bowl with flat paper was a challenge and took allot more time then I thought. 



S took H for a ride to the mail and finally received his retirement package info he has been waiting for since Jan 31. This consumed him for the next while. I eventually got the inside conformed and left to dry. Supper was next cooking up stuffed salmon and veggies. S did take a loop with the vacuum as it seems our shedding dog also now brings in mud with the melting temps. I had trimmed her toenails only to find dry dirt everywhere. While supper cooked I put another coat of paint on the jewelry chest.


Supper was delicious. After supper I started adding gold stencils to the jewelry chest. This was a challenge with the first product not working. Once I found the right one to use each area had to have the wee stencil washed and dried before moving on. The Flames were now playing so S was off to the big TV. 




The edges of the bowl were now dry so I sanded off the excess. Back inside I caught up the blog. Then I wrote a quick Hometalk post for the mandala plant pot. Cleaning up photos was my next task. Then it was time to go finish Spare! In short order I was done it. I then moved on to the new library book. Another by Jay Shetty. After the Flames win and sports news S was up to read a bit too.


Thursday, March 30, 2023

Foggy morning

All fogged in again today on wake up. After coffee, meditation and H fed I did my usual marketing then spent time accounting as it is month end. S relaxed in bed then moved to island for breakfast and news peruse. He headed out before 10:30 to hook up the slip tank on the trailer. Seems fuel and booze prices going up April 1st yet again.

I was off to the garage to work on the dining table. The legs were all sanded as were the apron edges. S mashed eggs for a sandwich for lunch. I popped in to eat mine then back out to start the paint process on the table base. I went with a medium grey color.

The fog burned off and the sun was now out. S took off for town after 12:30. He will get fuel after shinny as well as a few groceries and perhaps some beer before the prices go up. After painting the legs and apron edges I put another coat of stain on the top. 


While this all dried I took H for a walk. We went down the lane then did our leg building trudge thru the snow south then east thru the paddocks. Man we still have loads of snow. Below poor H is falling thru the snow as much as me walking across.


I popped in for a cold drink and snack then back out to sand the surfaces. The floor/stairs were swept and scraped under the door mat. It is starting to feel like spring. The painted surfaces were then clear waxed.


Time to catch up the blog and update paint spreadsheet. As I moved the desk glass downstairs I saw the tea cup planter and realized it was not listed on Etsy. Time to write the add up for it and get a shipping box/cost. S was back at 6 with a couple groceries and the fuel tank full at $1.135/lt.

I cooked up the shrimp and sautéed spinach to go with the mango chili salad I had made. Perfect delicious supper. S made cocktails and we headed out for a hot tub. It was a bit blustery but we toughed it out. It is golden hour right? Back in a shower and S was on couch watching hockey and I caught up the blog. Time to go read for me. I could not finish the book getting dozy. Tomorrow night I will finish Spare.

Wednesday, March 29, 2023

Other dining table progress

Our semi retirement mornings are getting pretty rote. Coffee made, meditation, H fed, marketing for me and news peruse for S. We had our 10 am zoom meet then it was time for a walk in the sunshine. It still was a bit chilly on the ears being blow zero. We finished up pizza and wings for lunch.


this is the jewelry box I picked up yesterday

I got the accent table tutorial published then shared to all the sites and email addys. S took H for a ride to the mail before 2. The temperature was now up above zero at 3. I did accounting balancing credit card with a beer. S enjoyed his cold beer sitting in the sunshine in big brown.

Sharon popped out at 3:30. I was making Bird's food. She ate while Sharon fed and brushed Timba. The others got veggie peels but really wanted to be in the treat line. We visited in the sunshine. She headed home before 5 with S passing us to head to the shop for a bit. I went and fed H.

Back inside I continued my work on the nightstand tutorial. I put cabbage rolls in the oven for supper; compliments of Ma K XOXO. We had salad to start while watching Masked Singer then the delicious rolls. S hit the couch to watch hockey. I got back to my nightstand tutorial and finished it before 8.

I then went out to the garage and applied a coat of driftwood grey to the other dining table top. The edges did not thrill me soaking more of the stain and looking greyer so I removed some with mineral spirits. I left it to dry over night. I was back in at 9. S was reading now on the couch with his hockey game in the background. Made us a yogurt bowl and headed to bed. Not long after S came in to read in bed as well.

Tuesday, March 28, 2023

Dad visit and hockey


We started the day as per usual. I saw 2 more ranunculas poking thru in one of the flower pots when feeding H. S helped me carry in the desk so I could stage some pics. With and without the glass top.

I tried gluing my broken glasses while S tested the fire alarms. He then took H for a walk in the sunshine. I hauled in the glass top and got it cleaned up. S was back and hit big brown to peruse his laptop. I worked on finishing the accent side table tutorial to post tomorrow.

We were off for town at 12:30. S hopped out at the arena early. Shinny was not till 1:30. I was off to help Dad with lunch. He was cruising around so headed to the dining room. He ate all his lunch. The pedicure lady arrived and did his pedicure right in the same chair. Right in the dining room. But it was now empty. Once she was done I moved him to a comfier chair as he was nodding off. However this seemed to get his feet ready to move. We headed back down his wing to circle the birthday party. Seeing the table was full we went to his room. I brought he pumpkin pie in there for him. Yum, my favorite! He really enjoyed it and ate it up lickety split. We then walked more eventually coming back to his room. I helped him into bed and covered up. Once he was relaxed and ready to nap I headed off at 3.

Next was a quick pick up of a huge jewelry box I won in an online auction. I drove thru Tims to get S and I an iced coffee then went and picked him up at the arena. On our route home we picked up pizza S had ordered at Smiley's. This is our late lunch early supper AKA lupper :)

Back home we ate pizza. S hit the couch. I did some accounting before moving to travel plans. I got a car rented, more rooms booked and have a few details left. I did more staging on the desk bringing the computer up. S took H for another walk. Once back from the quick walk, it was computer time for him again.


I headed out to feed Bird in the sunshine at 5:30. She did a record time at just over 15 minute. I popped in the barn to check on Stella. Seems we are watchful of her these days. I chatted with Mom a few times helping her with family tree technology.

S had more pizza and chicken wings throughout his hockey viewing night. We did go for a sunset hot tub before 8. My favorite time of night. After a rinse I did some marketing then moved to bed to watch some Netflix and read. Before doing so I made us yogurt bowls delivering one to the prince. S put cats away during a quick sports break around 10. He was up around the usual 11:30 following hockey to hit the sheets.




Monday, March 27, 2023

Stella is BACK!!

Winter has returned. It was snowing when I awoke after 7. H went out in the again snow covered yard. She went in kennel and I to bed to do a crossword. Once awake S made coffee and brought us a cup to bed. We did our relaxation. I moved on to marketing while S did crosswords and porridge.


I got things together to do my touchup things on the jewelry box in town. S went to let J out before we left. He returned with a trap and a cat in it. It was Stella!!! What the heck! I brought her to the garage and gave her soft food and left her in the garage. This is a big mystery. S swears he looked in there during our search. He heard her meowing yet we did not hear this yesterday when trimming feet. 

I sent pics to the girls and Mom. Mom text back she saw her last night on the road when leaving. And she jumped the snow over to horses. HMMMM more mystery. She could not have been in the trap for a week no. But where was she for most of it?

At Sagewood Dad was napping and Mom on her phone. She had brought the jewelry box in, thanks. I got it painted one coat on the inside of the door. I added the paint sticker and care instructions. We visited and gave Dad a facial spa. A therapist stopped to assess his wheel chair fit. S and I then headed off before noon so Mom could get him to his hair wash.

Back at home S shoveled the walks and went to look for tracks into the shed. More mystery with the cat hole blocked over. This meant she had to climb the shed wall up thru the eve. There were no tracks outside the shed but it is snowing. I made an egg sandwich for lunch. S had his favorite sausage & KD leftovers and salad.

I was off to the garage to decide how to finish the desk top. I originally was going to put a lace transfer on but changed my mind. I narrowed my choices for stencil and paint color. A retro pattern in silver was the winner. Of course stenciling never goes as easy as planned. Touchup were required.




S came out from his couch relaxation to check out my progress. Seeing the snow had stopped and the sun was out full force we took H for a walk. J came along as well but Stella stayed on the deck and watched.


Back inside S hot the couch again with his book this time. I got busy going thru a folder of family tree stuff Mom gave me. I added photos and the new details I sifted out. For supper I prepped a tray of veggies to roast. S prepped chicken wings and half hour later we were enjoying them. Of course more hockey was on. I got back to my family tree. S moved to the TV room but took a break at 9 to put cats away for the night. I started a new Netflix series then moved to reading. S was up before 11:30 to read a bit too.

Sunday, March 26, 2023

Switch trimmed

Sunday am coffee with morning meditation. I was then on to watering all my plants after a quick marketing. . It seems I have lots of plants to tend too with watering and misting. S had porridge after he got up to start his day.

I then got to work on the desk. Power sanding proved a bad idea so it was hand sanded then wiped clean. A coat of grey went on. S washed up his hockey equipment in the garage washer. He then did some sewing on his elbow pads. I vacuumed and scrubbed the main floor. This was muchly needed. Then it was on to spot washing walls/baseboards which Harley has left her marks on. I also got the nebulizers going to get a real clean small happening.


B and Coop arrived just after 1. She and I went out and caught Switch and Roo and trimmed their feet. S took the dogs then brought us a cold pop as we were finished. B fed Bird and I came in to put a second coat on the desk. B finished up and she and Coop headed home after 3.

We hit the hot tub in the fabulous sunshine. What a beauty day out. I had reached out to find a rescue cat and chatted up a lady with one that sounded great. He is in Airdrie so will see about when we might go see him. Supper was BBQ burgers and a salad. Tasty and very spring like meal. S had gotten is book out to read for the afternoon and after supper.

I worked on the ancestry charts. Mom arrived after 7 bringing us a tea, thank you! We visited and worked on ancestry stuff while S kept reading. She was off to Paetz's after 9 taking my custom jewelry box along to deliver on the way home tomorrow. THANKS!

I did a bit more family tree then to bed to read. S stayed in big brown reading but did come to bed to work on crosswords. After lights out I could to sleep thinking of a few things I forgot on the custom jewelry box but plan to fix in am. Especially after she paid me more then I asked for.

Saturday, March 25, 2023

Custom project complete

Fogged in again but no wind at least. It was about -7. I fed H, watered my pots (another ranuncula popped thru) then delivered a coffee to the prince in bed. We did our relaxation listen then I had a nice video chat with Deb. S relaxed in bed. I did marketing then moved on to the ancestry details which filled my morning. S let J out then built 3 new pegs for the coat rack seeing 1 snapped off soon after.



The sun popped thru at noon. Another egg bun for me while S made a full fledged BST. I went out and did the graphics on the jewelry box door. S painted the pegs charcoal then back to his hockey game on TV. 

My paint package winner arrived at 1 to get her goody bag. Seeing it was so nice S, H and I went for a walk. Back at the house I scooped some poop in the muddy yard. S took the skidoo for a few loops scaring a HUGE owl from the trees. This most likely is the demise of our sweet Stella :(

I put the jewelry box door back on. It was brought in to stage. S painted the tree pegs another coat of charcoal. He then hit big brown to look for skates then a nap. I worked on marketing getting my month invoice in etc. As S was trying to nap he remembered his Flames played so on went the TV.



While watching he cooked sausage and of course KD. I made coleslaw dressing and salad. After supper I was back to computer work and S had many more hockey games to watch. 15 games today. The Flames did win though. I put the dining table on sale and posted more photos in hopes of selling it ASAP. I headed to bed to finish the You season then read Spare. S was up after sports was over to read a bit as well.