Merry Christmas 2021

Brr Christmas 2021 is a cold one with -25 start. Harley is def not a fan of this weather. Coffee was enjoyed while relaxing in bed. S and I exchanged gifts then got the brunch going after starting a fire and put the roast in the slow cooker. I whipped up a coleslaw dressing then refilled all the diffusers I have running around the house to help kill airborne germs :0) before jumping in the shower. Britt and Dave joined us for brunch and of course roomie virtually from her room. I called Dad before Mom, Dale and Vance arrived for a visit this afternoon.

Roo got a snow blanket for Christmas :)

breakfast tray for Dude

Jenkins was sent down to give Shaina some company which he loved. 

J loving life video

Games began which were the theme of the day. Dave taught us a new game called Tar Bish; a PEI exclusive. We also played more racetrack rummy he taught us last night. Of course we had many other usual card games too. 

B took a break to feed the horses in the bitter cold but says without the wind the bitter -25 seemed warmer then yesterday. Beibs entertained us finding Harleys soccer ball. 

watch how funny he is with the ball

Kaylin arrived around 3 with Lexi in her cone after her eye surgery. Cards included Shaina virtually as well. She had Lexi with her for a short visit too. I took a break to prep and get the veggies in and S carved the roast. Supper was delicious eve though simple. Dessert brownies and ice cream followed it up.

Then it was back to the games with K, S and I playing a board game while B and D went to play some ping pong then back to the cards for us all. Shaina joined in for dice too. We even fit a virtual visit with us all with Grama and Papa ;)

Kaylin loaded up Lexi and ended back to the city at 10:30. We loved having them both for driving out to join us for the day. It seems though S missed a text from her having tire issues on the way home in the extreme cold but she did arrive safely after stopping to fill with air in Langdon. B and D then handed us a butt whooping at canasta not once but twice! They were off for home at 1:40! I started the new season of Emily in Paris. What a great day even with all the challenges with weather and illness.

Xmas Eve

Harley is back to her 5:20 bathroom outing for the last week; brrr. However she then does stay in the kennel till breakfast at 9. S got the coffee on and a fire started later in the morning. I did my rapid covid test and it was negative!!  The quarantined roomie had her coffee and hot oatmeal requested today and by the sounds of it some room cleaning when she requested a cleaning rag ;) It is a Christmas miracle!

I got my first delivery tip today too :)

B and Coop were out before lunch, she and I went out and tried the new blanket again on KD but when done up it was too small. It was packaged up when back in the house for her to return on way home. I swapped a blanket on Switch to a more waterproof one. B picked feet and once the other 2 finished some got the remaining food and we hustled back in from the -19 with a wind. She and Coop were off.

Shaina making good use of her snack spa items :)

Lunch was leftovers followed by a rousting game of smear and sequence in front of the fire. A snack tray was delivered to roomie too. Kaylin sent a picture of the Grinch tree won on Instagram that was delivered after lunch, how cute it that!!

B called to say she got called into work for emergency surgery on a draft horse. I did some last minute gift bagging while S went and pulled the truck into the garage at 3:30 to put in the new batteries. I wrote a growth ruler tutorial and shared in a few spots. B did not get finished surgery till 6 with the horse not surviving ;( Wings were prepped and snack trays made for our evening of appetizers.

just a few of the snacky foods for tonight

When I suggested he change out of his stained clothes this was the Xmas look he chose, cold weather don't bother this hot guy!

snack delivery for the roomie

S and I played cards in front of the fire.

Britt, Dave and Cooper arrived after 8 with hot butternut squash soup and Dave’s most delicious taco dip. We all enjoyed a snack feast and an evening of cards in front of the fire. We did move to the table to learn a new rummy game and other cards. They headed home around 1 am. I watched a couple Netflix before taking a sleeping pill at 2, Happy Xmas eve all!

Cold sets in and snow

I awoke after 8 to Britts text wanting me to do shopping in town for her today if I went, sorry no plans to B. Shaina facetimed soon after to order a coffee and we chatted about this darn virus. It is all foggy and hoar frosty outside and -9. I fed H (who went out at 5:15 again) and put a pot of coffee on delivering S a tray outside her door with blueberries, cheese, coffee and orange juice. I wonder who might be my maid if I was to get this?? S slept in but did get up for coffee as I was chatting with Ma K. Marketing underway for me next. 

S found his truck dead again so ran to town to pick up some rapid tests, lunch and truck batteries while I bundled up and went to feed horses and put blankets on all except Roo. It was -9 but the wind made it seem brisker but it is going to bottom out over the next week. I called Dad to see how his week was going. S was back at noon with Opa, hot teas and the hardware for B's dresser. I dropped Shaina's at her door and we ate ours watching the news.

I put the hardware on the dresser and it looks great. S ran back to town as it seems in the last 365 days he has left my gift until today which seems to be his usual MO so not sure why I am surprised. Why he could not have got it when in earlier I dont know either. It started to actually snow around 1:30. After a quick tidy I tried to rest on the bed while watching my iPad but I get ants in my pants during the day and can't just laydown so back to computer to work on blog and tutorials.

S was home at 3 then into big brown for a nap. I returned to lay on the bed to finish Twentysomething season. I was taking Shaina cold coke zero when I got the text I won an Instagram giveaway; a grinch tree. Yeah my one and only win this festive season. The flower shop is in Calgary and depending on the test results tomorrow Kaylin may not be coming to join us so I had the tree delivered and gifted to her. As I was chatting with the store owner she said a big storm was happening in the city and sure enough not long after it blew in here causing a whiteout. Sheldon was up and charging the new batteries to put in later. The storm lasted about an hour but had now dropped to -15. We enjoyed a video chat with Deb and Chuck.

S started a fire as I made spaghetti for supper. I also made him a rum nogalizer which he very much enjoyed, have you tried one? Covid kid had her supper delivered. B was out bringing a load of groceries Shaina had ordered including a $13 bag of grapes! LOL We visited with her via facetime. B and Cooper were off by 8 leaving us to catch up on 2 Yellowstone.

Shaina test positive for covid

H requested out at 5:15 then to her kennel till I got up at 9 to feed her and make coffee. I have a headache which was what Shaina complained about a few days back, yikes! I got started on blended blueberries for the kombucha rousting the party animal to join me for coffee. I took the sick one a cup then called to see about getting her tested at Siksika. They have a drive-in clinic open 10-2 where as 811 finally returned her call and said they could book her in the 26th in Calgary, WTH!

S got dressed, let cats out and drove Shaina to the clinic both wearing masks before 11. I made the blueberry orange kombucha then prepped veggies to blend the scraps and freeze for H. They were back by noon with Shaina off to her quarantine room. I made lunch again delivering hers to her with fruit and orange juice to get that immunity up. I did some homeopathic treatments with oregano oil and got the diffusers going with germ killers then did the same in her room.

A self care gift was sent via courier (who was afraid of Harley) from my milk paint company, how lovely! S tried my suggestion of replacing the rope with thin baler twine on Harleys ball handle then gave it a test before hitting big brown for a nap. It is now warmed to -2, yeah but very gloomy. I packed up the vacuum to return then sorted the last few gifts.

S moved from big brown to the couch as I threw in some laundry. I headed out to feed the horses at 3:30 with a high of -1 but still gloomy. When I got back in S had moved to soak in the tub ;) I jumped in the shower seeing we are going to Paetz's tonight. S had moved to the bed and of course fell asleep not long after. I had taken fish out for supper last night but never made with the events changing so cooked it up tonight along with peas and rice. I delivered Shaina hers to her door then got things cleaned up.

Both vehicles were started, we headed to town to do errands before heading to Paetz's for a Christmas visit and Shaina ran to town to pick up a rapid test after putting cat away. The Paetz visit was entertaining as usual with Britt and Cooper joining us.

snapchat fun

what the boys will look like at 16 :)

Shaina called saying her test showed positive ;( booo We headed home where I had to watch a couple Netflix episodes before lights out at almost 2 texting with coughing roomie downstairs and Kaylin who is concerned about Xmas plans now with covid in the house. I actually needed a sleeping pill with my head thinking about the virus and Christmas.