Show and Tell

A short while ago I entered a giveaway on the blog Painting the Roses White and I actually won! ME!  I never win anything.  Ask Pioneer Woman.  Anyway, this is what I won:

Here is #1 modeling it for me:

So pretty and Rebecca makes them herself.  Of course my mother guilt kicked in and I gave the hair accessory to #1.  She loves these things and wears them a lot.  Much to her husband's chagrin. Thanks Rebecca!

In other news, remember the huge branch that fell on our lawn a while back?  A long while back?  Well the hubby got out the sawsall (sp?)  yesterday and chopped her up for firewood.

Yeah, I don't think that is going to do us for the winter but do you see those tarps in the background?  There are a few cords of wood there so I think we'll make it.  Does anyone like to stack wood?  Come on over. Please. I'm begging.

I showed you a photo of some of my hydrangea the other day.  Here you can see why I said our other horses used to eat them:

Good girl Sassy.


I inherited this rose from my mother's garden.  It is named after the founder of the Women's Instiute, Adelaide Hoodless. My mum was a member of this  venerable society of women.  Hands up if you know what the WI is. I'll even send you a prize of you can recite the Mary Stewart Collect and name the movie made from a true story from the WI. And no,Googling does not count.

Alas, I failed to capture a photo of the rose in its full glory.  This rose is not hardy for our climate so I baby it dreadfully and hope it comes back again every spring.  So far, so good.

It's been a slow week at the LC.  The heat and humidity are still bad, so we really just stay indoors, read a lot, and sleep.  It's a hard life, I know.

I Believe She's Amazing Flash Mob - Toronto Eaton Centre

I found this video on The Lettered Cottage this morning. The link is on my sidebar.  I'm posting this in honour of my dear Mother and my sister-in-law especially, but also for all of my other family and friends who have suffered or are coping with this terrible affliction.

A Little Help From My Friends

Gentle Readers,
I could use some prayers for my hubby's sister-in-law.  She has coped with breast cancer for about four years now.  It spread to her shoulder  a year ago and she has had three surgeries since then.  She just found out that it is now in her spine.  She is having a lot of pain.  Her spirit has been wonderful throughout this ordeal and remains so.  She trusts in the Lord and has a great peace.  The doctor figured she had had the cancer in her breast for about five years.  She had put off her mammogram for those five years because she was starting her own business and didn't have the time.  So ladies, please get your regular mammograms.  Don't put it off.

Thanks everyone.

This Weekend I...

Watched this movie with my hubby on date night...

Was a horse widow all day Saturday.

Met daughter #2 at Michael's and bought this...

  heavily discounted of course!




Started a new book The Girls by Lori Lansens.


Went to church and heard the most encouraging message.

Visited hubby's sister and admired her lovely kitchen makeover.

Made waffles with raspberries and whipped cream for supper on Sunday.

Link up with The Keys to the Cottage and share your weekend!

True Romance part Deux

Yesterday I shared with you the lovely gift of a door that hubby bought for me.  The project is not totally finished because nothing ever gets totally done around here but here she is. Voila.....

Can you tell, yet?  It is a headboard!!!  I saw this in Canadian House and Home many years ago and in many other places since then.  I have been scouting for the proper old door for years and then hubby pops home with a new one.  Who would have thought you could buy a brand new interior door for just $9.99?

We were thinking of finishing it off with a piece of molding across the top, but now I'm not too sure.  This is probably the only picture you will see of this hot mess room.  The walls are painted white so do I paint the headboard a different colour or not?

Finally, I just wanted to show off my beautiful hydrangeas.  The horses we used to have ate them every year but thankfully Sassy does not.  She knows what's good for her.

True Romance

This week I have been suffering from earaches every. single. day.  So much for humidity.  Last night I pulled a muscle in my lower back.  The good thing about it is that it hurts so much I can't tell if I have earaches anymore.  This morning my husband had to go to the hardware store to pick up a few things whilst I remained flat on my back.  An hour or so later he comes storming into the bedroom telling me he bought me something at the hardware store.  My heart leapt!  What could it be?  A pound of nails?  A new paint brush perhaps?  Here is what he bought for me:

Only mine is brand new and he only paid $9.99 !  I'll show you what he did with it tomorrow.

This Weekend I...

Watched this with hubby for date night:

My hubby has a crush on Sandy.

Met daughter #2 at Costco and spent too much money.

Had sleepover with #1's doggy Lucy:

Sweltered in the heat on Saturday.

Did not sleep at all Saturday night:

Sweltered in the heat again on Sunday.

Went to supper with #1 and her hubby Sunday evening:

They dressed for the weather.

Hook up with Keys to the Cottage and share your weekend.

A Dog's Life

Last weekend we hosted another puppy sleepover.  This time it was a different member of Sophie's progeny.  His name is Oreo.

He is the big bruiser that hubby is holding on the right.  The mother of all these rascals is Sophie.  Hubby has her on the left.  Daughter #2 is holding her dog Bmer on the left and our Emma on the right.  These dogs come from the three litters that Sophie had.  Do you notice how small mummy Sophie is?  She is tinier than all her babies.  How did this come to be?  How do doggy mummies lose all their extra puppy weight at birth?  It just fell off the minute those puppies arrived.  I submit that this is unfair animal kingdom behaviour.  Human mothers have a lifetime of child maintenance and deserve to be fat free and beautiful for all their sacrifice.

Moving on.  This was Oreo's first sleepover with us and his first visit in a very long time.  He was very sad the first night and sat by the door.  The next day he decided we were okay and picked me to follow around and be sooky with.  Then I found this was going on behind my back:

Oreo is the biggest sook you will ever meet.  When his mummy and daddy returned after four nights, he promptly turned his back on us and all our lovin's.  He was a happy boy!

Those Were the Days

Today would have been my parents' 66th wedding anniversary.  Because they married at such a young age, they could have been still alive to celebrate it.  Twenty-nine years of marriage seems like a long time to me.

Aren't they just the cutest couple?

This Weekend I...

How do the days fly by so quickly?  I can't believe the weekend is over.  It just got here!

We went here for date night:

I know, we are so classy.

Then we watched this:

Finished up John Grisham's book The Last Juror as I was a horse widow again.

Had strawberry shortcake for supper on Saturday.

Played hooky and didn't go to church.

Had strawberry shortcake again for supper.

Watched this movie Sunday night:

All weekend the weather has been hot, rainy, and energy sapping.  Hope you all had a nice one.  Link up with Keys to the Cottage to share your adventures.

Law and Order

Gentle Readers, it has come to this.  I have told my husband that anything he says can and will be used against him on this blog.I  have testified in a previous post that upon returning from work one day when hubby went upstairs to change he hollered down the stairs to me, "Miracles still happen,  I found five freshly ironed shirts in my closet."

After several days of nasty humidity in which I am unable to function,  today I revved up the vacuum for some necessary activity.  From his dozing position on his comfy chair he questioned, "What is that noise?"  "The vacuum", I replied innocently.  "Oh, I forgot what it sounded like."

Do we have the three strikes rule in Canada? Is it only the first week of his summer vacation?  More importantly, can I make it through to September?

Running on Empty

Gentle readers, it must be the heat and humidity, but I've nothing today.  I just wilt in this kind of weather.  So, I guess it will  be a random post.

We picked up our new mattress today.  Comfy!  Our old one was only 30 years old.  We bought it second hand from my cousin 29 years ago.  She only had it for a year and then got divorced so she said it didn't get much use.  hmm....

I made potato salad for supper.  Nearly gave my hubby a heart attack.  He loves it and I never make it.

Strawberry season is well underway here.  I always make freezer jam but this year I have no freezer.  What to do?

Thankfully, hubby has not started his summer work list so I have been doing lots of light reading.  The local dollar store is selling used books for $3.50. Score!

Our big tree branch that fell is still in the same place. Hasn't moved. Nope.


I will leave you with a pic of a pretty bouquet that daughter #2 gave me a few weeks ago.

My peonies are finished.  I miss them.
  Hope you're having an exciting week.

This Weekend I...

Watched "Wall street" with my date.

Went grocery shopping with my husband. Very rare occurrence.

Had hot dogs and corn on the cob for supper on Saturday.

Watched "Proof".

Went to church.

Had sinus headache.

Made waffles with strawberries for supper. again

Watched Independence Day.

What did you do this weekend?  Link up with Keys to the Cottage and share your weekend adventures.

Total Eclipse of the Heart

Yesterday, Daughter #1 and I went to see this:

Upon looking around the theatre, my daughter kindly remarked, "Mum you are the oldest person here."  She is now out of the will.

Happy Canada Day!