Hello folks!

Sorry its been so long since my last post. It feels like there are never enough hours in the day! I'm sure you all share that sentiment!

I got busy spring cleaning my apartment yesterday... My kitchen and living room got an overhaul. I have tons of stuff for charity plus stuff that belongs to other people. It'll be good to get rid of all of it. The bathroom is next on my to-do list. So far today I've had tea with my cousin Mark and then cleaned up my patio and planted my 'garden'. Because I live in an apartment I have oodles of planters on my patio. I took before and after pics just for you guys!

Before:
The weeds had taken over and I had oodles of broken pots and a random assortment of loaned pots that needed to be give back.



After:
I cleaned up all those weeds and used up the dirt that was in the bags. I'm giving back all the pots that don't belong to me... less is more, I think!

I planted two planters each of beans and carrots and a one planter of dill and garlic, and one planter of green onions. I didn't plant any potatoes this year yet. When I go to the greenhouse later today I'll see if they have any on sale. I just need a few for the blue planters.



So things are more orderly. Its nice to look out there and not be overwhelmed... and really, its such a little job anyway. Now I just need to remember to water them every day! They get the sun steady all day long so the dirt dries up really fast! I managed to kill my carrots last year because I didn't water them enough during our heat waves in August when it got up to 40 degrees. Yick. I decided to stay inside my air conditioned apartment. It was very neglectful of me!!

It was my birthday last Friday. It was great to see/hang out with Cor - a real treat to have her here on my birthday! I worked a bit with A in the morning - she was having her teacher over for supper that night so she and I put together a chicken and rice casserole to impress her teacher with. I'm sure it worked - its a fail-proof recipe. Yum. Mom picked me up from there and we went out for supper, the four of us plus Cor. A good time was had by all. Mom and dad got me a beautiful wallet and Jill bought me a new pair of really nice sneakers. I was totally spoiled!


Tonight is my family birthday party with all my aunts and uncles and cousins. Its a ritual we do every time one of us has a birthday (and there's quite a few of us!!). I love getting together with everyone. My cousin Mark came over with a gift this morning - he has to work tonight and can't make it to the party. We had a cuppa tea and chocolate Amish bread. I sent him home with the rest of the loaf.

Well, I should get a move on and clean my bathroom.

Moving forward with Joy!

Hello!

Oh my gosh, its been quite a weekend.

I had the work phones from Friday at 5pm til this morning (Monday) at 9. It was a long haul but I'm so pleased to report that when it came time to sink or swim, I swam! I was a bit of an anxiety case on Saturday - there were far more phone calls than I've ever taken... but the drivers were all incredible and answered all my "newbie" questions graciously. I learned a hell of a lot, that's for sure! It was sometime in the evening on Saturday that I prayed for peace (not sure why it took me so long to ask!!). My stomach was a knot - I was afraid that I'd fail and make the company look bad but I was so thankful for the peace God gave me. I realized that yes, the phone will ring and I have the capacity and resources to deal with everything the caller throws at me. Sunday was quiet in the morning but got busy in the afternoon/evening. I didn't stress at all on Sunday. There were a few moments where I wasn't sure what direction to take but the drivers helped me out - it was a case of who should do which tow - and the drivers know their stuff and provided much needed direction.

So, I learned how to manage multiple calls and multiple trucks... and how to manage it all without throwing up from anxiety! I'm thankful to my boss and the other gals who work dispatch for giving me the chance to work a weekend as preparation for some of our busier nights with the RCMP. I won't be working this rotation with the RCMP (because, even with this weekend under my belt, I'm still pretty green)... but in six weeks when we work with the police again, I'll be better prepared.

Everything else is good. I slept a bit this morning and then went to work with Jill while she did three trims up Ryder Lake. We got lunch and did a little shopping (dollar store and staples). Wednesday, Jill and I are going to buy me new sneakers. Mine are two years old and have are almost worn right out - holes along the stitching, no tread left, etc. I'm looking forward to a new pair. I also house sit this weekend for my aunt and cousin... plus Cor is coming down for a visit - haven't seen her in a dog's age. She's spending Friday night with me at my aunt's 'cause its my birthday. It'll be a good time!!

Well, I should go. I'm pretty tired and will be hitting the hay after a shower.

Moving forward with incredible Joy!

I've been creating again!

This time, its crocheting.

First up is a bunny friend for my bff Jenny's youngest daughter. Rowan turned one last week and I've been busily working on this. I started a few months ago - bought the yarn and got about three quarters finished but stopped short of completion for a variety of reasons. I'm pleased to say its done. There are two things I want to change - one is the ears, the other is the whiskers.

As you can see, Rowan's bunny is modeled after a much older, well-loved bunny of my own. 'Bugs' was a gift to me from my Great-Grandma Nowlin (mom's mom's mom)... mine is made of acrylic scraps and was packed away in my mom and dad's attic until a few months ago when I cleaned out a bunch of stuff. I decided that Bugs needed to come home with me to my apartment. I can guarantee that my Great-Grandma didn't think she was making an age-less keepsake when she fashioned him for me! He's made of scraps of different yarn (the backs of the legs are pink, the fronts are yellow, etc) but now that I can crochet, I look at everything my Great-Grandma did with new eyes and appreciation.

I know that Jenny and Rowan will both love this as-yet-to-be-named bunny. She's made of 100% wool with clean carded wool batting as stuffing - totally crunchy and hippie (that's the way Jenny's rolls!).

I've got ideas for gifts for Jenny's other two kids... I want to crochet a dump truck for Eli and either a horse for Shea or else a dress. She actually asked me for a dress so I'm inclined to make that for her for her birthday. We shall see. Might make the dress for Christmas instead... who knows since that's a ways off yet.


My other creation has been three headbands. I was on my favourite site ever the other day www.craftster.com and saw a post a gal did with similar headbands and I totally fell in love. I made this one and wore it to church this morning. Its a little quirky but then again, so am I! I've since made two more!


Mom and dad went to the wedding yesterday and had a hoot. They loved being there to witness Nathan and Jill's big day and said they took tons of pictures. Mom and dad are visiting Aunt Sharron and Uncle Tim (dad's sister and husband) for the next couple days and will then move on to various other extended family members. They said they'll be back for my birthday at the end of the month.

We have a big church meeting tomorrow. Presbytery has come to a few decisions about our congregation after consulting with us, the Session, our Minister and all offended parties. Not sure what those decisions will be but there was definitely a level of tension at church this morning. Still, we had 10 kids in Sunday School. Thank goodness Marg offered to help me out. I would have borrowed one of the Minister's teenage sons to help me if she hadn't offered... it was more like containing the chaos than teaching a lesson (the days of creation) but still, we got quite a bit accomplished and I think the kids had a good time! I don't know what the future of Cooke's Presbyterian is but I can only pray that the Presbytery has been open to the Holy Spirit. I hope we can all accept the Presbytery's decisions with a modicum of grace.

Bed time is come!

Moving Forward with Joy.

Hello folks!

Things here continue to truck along.

I'm on the phones tonight... there's a tow in progress and that's it. Hopefully its a quiet night although its nice when its busy, too.

Mom and dad left this morning for Alberta. My cousin Nathan is marrying his long-term girlfriend Jill on Saturday. We're all really happy for them! Mom and dad are driving straight there and will visit with family in Edmonton before they head to Calgary later this week for the wedding. I'm bummed I'm missing out on seeing those relatives but I have a job now that keeps me home (and that's a good thing!!).

Ooooh. I just downloaded some Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir and are they ever good. Kinda gospel-ish but fun to listen to as I *groove to the music*.

Yesterday was a full day. I house sat for my aunt and cousin all weekend and was finished yesterday morning. I took mom out to lunch afterwards - chefs salad at Homers (Mmmm!) - and then we headed to Penningtons to meet Jill and pick out an outfit for mom to wear to this wedding. Then Jill and I went and picked up Michelle and we took her out to the 'farm'. She got to hang out with the horses and Jill did an amazing and rare thing - she saddled Brandy and Michelle got to ride. When they were tired of that, dad suggested that Michelle and I rip around the property on the quad, and we did! Gosh that was fun!

Today has been good, too. I ran errands on my bike... it felt great to get out riding again even if the busier roads still scare me. I dropped off some eggs at Nancy's and then hit up Liquidation World to pick up some Ocean Spray juice that they had on sale for $2.50 a jug. Picked up a few other things and then headed home (they had a deal on canned diced tomatoes, too). After I got home, Janet and Aunt Aileen (who I was house sitting for) popped over to pay me and drop off a gift - beautiful seashell beads. That was very nice of them!

Dad and I didn't get around to grouting my buffet top so we'll do that after they get back. By the time they're home the handles we ordered from Lee Valley will be ready for pick up. They're just plain oak handles that I'm not sure if I'll stain it the same colour as the trim or if I'll paint it the same white as the buffet. Its a hard decision. I'm leaning towards staining them, honestly. Dad wanted to have my buffet in my house before they left for Alberta but it just didn't work out that way - he hurt his finger really badly while loading a TV for a friend who lives in Alberta. An "incomplete amputation" It cut the flesh away to the bone. Poor guy. The doctor has stitched it together and *hopefully* it'll heal fine.

I should get going...

Moving forward with joy!

Hey there folks!

I'm at mom and dad's right now. Dad and I have been busy making my buffet. Its coming along really well! We just finished our very first tiling adventure and I think we succeeded! Well, so far anyway. We mixed the thin-set and set the tile. At first we didn't get the spacing right but we quickly fixed that.

A pic of me, dad and our tile challenge.


There are twelve drawers in this unit... and we'll put a nice trim around the tile. Dad said he'd cut the trim down to size tonight. We're putting drawer pulls on at a later date (mom and dad are going away on holidays on Tuesday for two weeks so it'll have to wait til they get back.


The nearly-finished project. Its on wheels to make cleaning behind it easier.

We've got a few good ideas for the hutch. The more I look at Welsh huts, the more I love them. I found one that's kind of mennonite/amish inspired. Dad said its totally old school. Here's a link to the one we're planning to copy. http://liwfurniture.com/images/pine_slant_hutch.JPG My buffet counter top is higher then this one but I like the basic design of this one. We're going to trim it in the same stained fir that we're using to trim the buffet.

I'll take more pics when the handles are on and the trim is finished/tile is grouted... and of course when the hutch is built.

Hope you like it - I know I love it!

Moving Forward with Joy.