Merry Christmas !

It may be not politically correct to say that but it is what I believe in , how I was raised and what the season is about ! The ground is covered with snow , the tree is decorated , the gifts are bought and wrapped and it just feels like Christmas ! Memories of Christmas' past as a child , as an adult and as a parent to three and now a grandparent of 5 bring joy and hope for the future . It brings love and memories and a few tears for those who have touched our lives and passed on . We reflect on what this year has brought us , the friendships we have made and those friends that have stood beside us for moral support to get us through some rough patches with health issues . We thank all of you , family and friends , Know you are loved though it may never be said !

Here are a few Christmas cards I did manage to do pre-injury and a few just this past few weeks .... though they took awhile as I had to keep stopping and resting the thumb ! Each one was made with love and thanks !

 Enjoy the Season , embrace life and make memories !

Merry Christmas everybody !

Not up to Par but crafting .......

And it feels so GOOD !!!! Here is a cute little card I made with Bandage Edwin and Bandage Tilda from Little Stamp Shoppe .

I can't thank the staff at Victoria Sports Physio ( I cut up a business card from there for the sign ! ) for helping get my thumb moving again so I play with my stamps and my Copics ! Still having trouble manuevering a pair of scissors though but it is coming along ! This was a simple card as I have a kazillion things to do between now and next week . Still have a few presents to buy , gifts to wrap and DH is whining because I have done no baking ......... I am ignoring that though as he doesn't need it and I gain weight just thinking about it !!! LOL ! All I really want to do is get in my room and play though !!!!

I am So Happy

I am so happy to be back creating after a 7 week lull with my sore thumb ! I am so far behind on my Christmas cards but they are coming along . This one is for my granddaughter as she loves lime green ..... and she wears glasses ! I am submitting it to Just Magnolia for their December 11th challenge ....... submit a Christmas card ! I love the challenges ! Well time to get busy and do a few more cards ...

 Have a good week ladies , happy creating and remeber to take some down time for yourself at this busy time !

Much tado about nothin'

Life here has been quiet for the past week or so since DH got home from his " Big White Hunting Trip " with our " boys " . This is the first year they got " skunked " and came home empty handed . I don't know whether they were upset about it as they still had a great time . It was the first time I could honestly say I could hardly wait for them to come home too ! I don't do " BORED " well ! Besides the fact we had a few very wet snowfalls that I could not shovel so it piled up , froze and then melted and created a whole lot of ice .............. on our driveway ! For those of you that don't know , our driveway has an incline on it so when it is icy , it is a BITCH to say the least !!!! I hate ice , I hate the fear of falling and most of all , I hate my driveway at any time of the year !!!! 

 Anyways , DH arrived home safe and sound so we spent one day doing laundry and he was a big help being I couldn't fold nor do any ironing ( yes , I am blessed with a man that likes to have his bluejeans and his shirts pressed ! Lucky ME ..... NOT ! ) . When all was said and done by Monday morning he wasn't well and never made it back to his office until Thursday . No he didn't have piggy flu but other problems related to the Crohn's disease . Wednesday morning found him in the X-ray department as the specialist was checking for a blockage ! By early evening we found out that wasn't the problem which was a HUGE relief as he would have been in surgery immediately !!!! Fortunately some added meds helped him feel more human and he did manage to go back to work for Thursday and Friday . He feels so guilty when he doesn't make it in and that just creates more of a problem for him healthwise ........ it is a vicious cycle !

 I am still taking physio for my thumb .... it is slowly starting to feel better and I am actually able to move it some now . Hopefully by the end of next week it will feel even better ! I did go spend an afternoon trying to make a birthday card but it was slow going and I was in pain come evening .... but it is liveable now and the light is at the end of the tunnel !!!

 I am off to see 3 of the Grandkids tomorrow for a few days . #2 granddaughter is celebrating her 13th birthday on Tuesday ! Seems like just yesterday she was fighting to come into this world and now she is becoming  a teenager * snicker * .................... I think she will give her Mother a run for her money the same as her Mother gave us ! LOL !  I am hoping the weather will stay fairly nice for my visit as we hope to get some shopping in .... still have Christmas presents to  buy !

Have a great week and hope everybody finds time to relax and enjoy life !!!

thanks Lisa !

 my friend LISA posted this cute little Blogger award on her blog ( click her name  and it will take you there ! ) and asked that in order for us to claim the award that we post 7 things about us that you may not know and to link on 7 MORE bloggers ( sounds like a chain letter ! LOL ) .......... well I am good to go on the 7 things you may not know about me but I don't know 7 bloggers ( I read many though ! ) other then a few she already linked .... so go read her post and visit them through her ! So here goes ..... 7 things you may not know about me !

1.......  I am a terrible klutz !!!! This year as been a trial with falls and silly things happening to me !

2.....   Have been married to the same guy for 36 years after only knowing him for less then 6 months . I was 18 !

3...... I wear mustard well ....... it finds me whereever I am in a room ! ( that is also saying I wear my food well ! LOL )

4.....  I was the clinging child that never left my Mother when I was little . I was the one that has moved the farthest away and traveled the furthest on holidays though .

5. ....  I started sewing when I was 6 years old .... and now never touch my sewing machine .

6. ..... I still have my wisdom teeth ! Pretty rare for this day and age !

7....... I do NOT drive  ( unless you consider that I drive my husband crazy ! )

So there you have it ....

Coffee KiKi

When I saw this stamp in Peggy's online store Stamp Paper Glue  I knew I just had to have it ! Then I came across this paper on her site by Making Memories " MISTLETOE " and I KNEW I had to have it too . It is beautiful in real life with all it's sparkly , glittery circles but it didn't say Christmas paper to me , it said  PAJAMAS !!!! LOL ! So C.C.Design Coffee Kiki La Rue is now sporting a pair of spotted pj bottoms to match the paper ..... a perfect card for a birthday !

 So for the lucky Birthday Girl that will get this on her birthday .... Have a SPARKLY FUN Birthday !

BORING !!!!!!!!!!!!!

 Well sitting on my hinny for this past few days not playing in my crappy room with all my paper , ink and stamps is definitely NOT how I had planned spending my " holiday " of free time ! I do not do " hand rest " well ! My friend Lisa just sent me an envelope full of Magnolia images to color too .... not to be mean but because we have been exchanging stamped images to color . It keeps the cost down that way as we can be a bit more selective of which stamps we are buying ( Yeah , do you believe that ? More like then we know which ones we REALLY need to buy ! LOL ) . Now I have LOTS of new images to color when I am able but for now they are sitting on my desk WAITING for me ........

 DH and our boys ( well guys as they are 35 and 29 ! ) have headed up North for 10 days on their yearly guy bonding / hunting trip . They don't rough it as they are staying in the back country with a friend of DH's . They have their own sleeping quarters , cooking facilities , showers , TV and satellite and access to a whole camp for that matter ! They are treated like kings with no roughing it involved . Their cell phones work great where they are too so IF they turn them on , then they can be reached .

  I usually love my time away from the routine of cooking and cleaning but being I am unable to play right now am finding this BORING ! I have sat on my hinny way more then I should reading or watching TV and movies . I am not one to watch a lot of TV .... it is on more for background noise while I play . The neighbor has been great taking me to therapy and then for coffee but the days still are long ........ I don't know that I am even going to get my Christmas cards made now or signed if they were made as I still can not hold a pen for any length of time  so I know I can not use my Copics either ....... Maybe I will just make New Year's cards and send them in January !

This is what I see from the doorway ......... an older photo as  I have cleaned up , purged and changed the layout on the top of my desk . I actually have a new lamp too which will work So much better  as it is an OTT desk lamp ...... great light and it doesn't colapse like this one does ! LOL !

This is what is calling me every time I walk down my hallway !!! I store my Copic markers in 2  Quickut Magpie Storage units that I bought of Overstock.com ..... shipping was almost as much as the units but so worth it ! My desk , paper tray and storage units come from Best Craft Organizer Scrapbook Shelf and I LOVE these units ... as does DH as he says for the first time my room looks neat and organized ( well most of the time ! LOL )

The Stickles containers are just sitting to fill up empty holes .... the compartments are not full of them .... seriously  though I DO love my Stickles ! ( Glitter glue for those of you that don't paper craft ! )

 Not sure how this next week will play out here but I hope you all have a great week .... play  how you will and enjoy life ! I am sure I can dig through my HUGE stack of pocketbooks ( yes I " collect " those too ! ) and watch a few more movies and I will relax ..... and dream of my crappy room ! I may even post a card that is finished on my desk at some point over the next day or two ....... nd it isn't a Magnolia stamp so stay tuned !

I Remember

I remember standing in the cold at as a child watching the Canadian Legion members placed wreaths at the base of the cenitaph ( I never could spell the name properly ! ) in our small town . I am a child of the '50's so we had many hometown vets and I probably knew everyone of them . I don't know what they saw or what they experienced ... some were heroes that fought more then one war on far away lands and others never left Canada  . Every story was unique , some to be told over and over and some never to be mentioned . Some people were mear shells of themselves that were haunted by dreams of times past , some were war brides brought from far countries to a home they knew nothing about and they mourned for the families they lost or left behind and the country that was their homelands . We were raised with Germans , Italians , Japanese , Chinese , the Polish , the Jews and others ... we lived in our small town without prejudism ( or we never knew there was any ! ) and accepted everybody as neighbours  .

 Our small town lost more then one brother , husband , son  and daughter during the wars of the past and we honored them every year on November 11th . We wore our red poppies with pride that the ladies of the Legion came into our classrooms and gave us every year . We were taught to respect our vets and cherish the life we had been gived because of these vets that kept our land free .

 I thank each of the members of the military past and present that have given so much of themselves to keep us free and protect what a great country we have ....


" Least we forget "

Ta Da !!!!

Okay , maybe not the greatest title but if I don't get enough sleep , I get goofy ! As you can see , I got my BLOG back .... with a few changes and still a few quirks to work out ! Change is good and at least I have color and my BLINKIE to Little Stamp Shoppe back on ! Just click on it and you will be taken to Heidi's online store for the greatest Magnolia stamps ! As a matter of fact , she got in her Christmas 2009 shipment and has just uploaded them to her site . All I will say is .... SO ADDICTIVE !!!! LOL !

Well I started physio on my thumb and I sure hope it starts working really quick as I have projects I really wanted to get done over the next couple of weeks . The physiotherapist figures I have done damage to the tendon and ligament in my right thumb because of using it too much for something ( shhhh , we wouldn't tell about the 200 circles I punched out ! OOPS ! )and it just keeps irritating it . He described it as a piece of thread with a knot in it trying to go through a small hole ..... and fraying as it does .... which in turn is causing the knuckle to " hinge " ( not the proper term but you get the idea ! ) Sooooo , I am supposed to rest the silly thing .... but can you here my Copics and stamps calling to me ? Where is the duct tape ?

DH got home tonight from a business trip and has been away all week . busy weekend ahead so I will sign off for now and hope over the next few days I can get the glitches off of here so I can post photos again ( yes , I just realized that and my easy link buttons are missing ! )


Have a great weekend everybody .... and stay healthy ! H1N1 is starting to rear it's ugly head in our area so I hope it stays out of our house and yours !

Please bear with me ......

 I have been fiddling with my BLOG  .... and being I am NOT computer sauvy ..... have screwed something ( okay , a lot ) up with it ! I lost my BLINKY for  Little Stamp Shoppe but as soon as I figure out HOW to get it back , how to get my background back ( or changed ! ) it will all be good ! So bear with me ( especially Heidi after I told her I HAD posted said BLINKIE !!! ) .......................... hopefully I will get this all changed back before I turn 80 !!!!!

Monthy challenge for Little Stamp Shoppe

Heidi from Little Stamp Shoppe  issued a November challenge with a great stamp giveaway at the end of the month . The challenge is to use a Magnolia image and make a Christmas card with not typical colors ( no red nor green ) and then link it to her store blog for a double entry this month if you add her blinkie in your side bar ! She also has requested that you don't your use entries with other store or blog challenges which works well for me .... I just think it is only fair ! LOL !

 So here is my non-typical colored card using Tilda & the Magnolia Christmas ornament

 I used a fancy embossed card I had sitting in my stash for this one and then handcut the inside out and then mounted some OLD WORLD patterned carstock underneath before mounting  Tilda in Christmas stockings and the Christmas ornament . The ornament was colored with my Copic markers and then sprayed with Tattered Angles Glimmer Mist to make it sparkly ( not that it shows here ! ) . Tilda was colored with Copic markers and highlighted with Atyou Spica glitter pens !

 Sorry for the horrible cutting job on all of my card this time but I am having a flare-up of arthritis in my right thumb which is not helping any for cuttting ! I am not quitting though ..... just working through the pain !!! LOL !

Happy creating and hope that we see some fabulous cards this round as we do every month on Little Stamp Shoppe

Just Magnolia ....... Monochrome challenge

 I just love that this blog  Just Magnolia  is giving me some great inspiration . This weeks challenge was MONOCHROME which had some leighway given as you could use white as well . Monochromatic is shades of one color ...... fun to work with this one for sure  and I actually had to really stretch my brain to do this !

Tilda and Edwin skating were the perfect choice for this card !


 I also love looking at all the entries for inspiration . too bad that some people don't follow directions properly as they have been asked to use just Magnolia stamps for their main image . Beautiful cards by everybody but I have also seen some images that definately are not Magnolia !

Have another wonderful week of creating people !

Time for some creating for me !

I figured it was time I did some cards for my stash so  here are my latest creations !

These are the Copic colors I used for this cute  Magnolia card with Styling Tilda !

This cute Penny Black card was made from a sketch on PaperWorks company Blog . This card is big enough that it can be a money holder although I may use mine as a gift card holder with a few modifications on the inside .

This cute stamped image is from Little Loud Stamps from PaperWorks Company online store . They are so stinking cute that I think I know a few people that may be putting in an order for them ! Glad to be an enabler for a change ! LOL ! My Copic markers are getting a great workout !

 Also , check out this new online store owned by Peggy ! She is adding new stock daily and already is getting a great clientel built up Stamp Paper Glue as she is going to be carring some different stamp companies .... stay tuned for more fun images from her store when I get my first order .... which should be as soon as I finish shopping there ( just waiting for her to get an order in with something I know is coming ! LOL )

Happy creating this week for those of you that love to get inky fingers and love the feel of paper under your fingers ... yes it is a sickness sometimes but OH SO MUCH FUN !!!!

Just Magnolia ... Week 28

 I finally managed to sit and play a bit this weekend and completed another challenge on Just Magnolia . This week it was a sketch by Martine and was another fun card to make .

At the rate I am doing these challenges , I should have enough of my Christmas cards done before I have to start mailing them away ! Thanks to the DT on Just Magnolia for such  awesome challenges every week !

A card for week 27 ... Bright and Zippy

 This week on Just Magnolia the challenge was to use a Magnolia stamp and bright and zippy paper ! Well I think Edwin fits the  image just perfectly as he is a bright and zippy kinda fella ! LOL !

This was a fun challenge and a little outside the box of what I usually do ! Although most of it doesn't show , I actually wove the strips of paper .... the promptly put my tag there !  I did use one of my Atyou Spica pens ( a beautiful red ) on my tag !

 Wonder what the next challenge holds ? I am loving this as I am actually getting something done and not under time pressure because I HAVE to get a card in the mail . My ready made box is starting to fill up too !

October challenge

for Little Stamp Shoppehere . October is Breast Cancer awareness month so the challenge is to do a pink card . I love my little Magnolia Tilda stamp as she is just too sweet ! Not sure WHY she is called 60's Tilda though !

So here is my card . I photoed her with and without her white spots as I was curious as to what you think . Does she look unfinished without her white spot ?

  I think I have already found a home for this card as a friend rolled her truck on the Columbia Icefields early Saturday morning and walked away though her truck is toast ! She is one lucky lady with a guardian angel looking out for her . Her last accident was 40 years ago when she hit a train ...................... and spent 6 months in the hospital ! I hope her aches and bruised leave quickly and she feels 100 % soon !

 And being it October ladies , perhaps it is time to schedule a full exam with your Dr and a mammogram ! Pays to be safe especially when it may save your life !

Just Magnolia challenge week 26

I have decide to join in the fun on JUST MAGNOLIA http://justmagnolia.blogspot.com/ again this week with  their sketch challenge for week 26 .I just love these cute stamps ( it has been said I am addicted to them and the Copics that I used to color Tilda and puppy with ! Who Me .... addicted ? LOL )

So grab your Magnolia stamps and your coloring tools ( doesn't have to be Copic markers ) and come join the fun ... you never know when you will get picked to win a prize ! Of course , I am always hoping I win it too .... so GAME ON !!!

 By the way , I used Tilda and puppy Magnolia stamp , Copics , Prima flowers and leaves , Martha Stewart lace punch , SU patterned paper , Bazzill cardstock , Peggy's Pretties and Stickles on my card !

Happy Thanksgiving !

 This year has definately been a year of blessing for us and I find myself reflecting over the memories , good and bad . The biggest blessing is my Dh's health is slowly restoring itself so we can move on with our lives together and enjoy everything .......  yes we still argue but nothing serious ! LOL !

 Yesterday I cooked a huge meal of turkey and ham plus the trimmings . For some reason I didn't feel stressed about it either which is really odd ! Family and a friend joined us for the meal and today I have a yummy pot of split pea soup on the stove to go with all the leftovers ( which really wasn't much considering what I had cooked ! ) . Nice to be able to kick back for the rest of the weekend and not have to wonder what to cook ! Total relaxation ~

 Now I hope to get in my craft area and do some fun stuff . I am sure DH will find a football or a hockey game ( or two or three ! ) to watch or his eyelids as it may be ! LOL !

 Thank you to my family and my friends that have supported us emotionally through the past year .... you truly are a blessing !

Happy Thanksgiving everybody !

Mom's birthday card

A cute Magnolia Tilda with flowers and a home made flower adorn my my Mom's birthday card . The flower was fun to make as I airbrushed the back of the punched flower shapes with my Copic marker as the paper was white on the back then I sprayed front and back with Angel Glittermist , let dry then put it all together ! It is actually very sparkly to see ! Here are the Copic markers I used to color Tilda with ....... though I may have forgot one or two ! I also used a glaze pen on the yellow roses and the leaves of the bouquet .

 Now I really have to go get her parcel wrapped and ready to send if it is going to get there in time for her birthday !

Fall is officially here !

Fall 2009 is officiallly here with cool mornings and fog ! Our little Delaney and Leah maple tree ( the girls gave it to us out of their yard ) has grown quite a bit this year and is slowly starting to fill out  . The leaves are really starting to change colors too .... so pretty but I wish it was a bit bigger !  Oh well , give it 10 more years and I doubt I will be saying that ! October is also our wedding anniversary . 36 years !Amazing to say the least and after the year we have had , I am grateful that we are able to celebrte it . We went out for dinner with good friends and had a great evening . The motorhome is now officially under cover and put to rest for the winter . Sad that the camping season has come to an end but it was a long one for us and we got to enjoy the unit much more then  we thought at the start of the year . hopefully next season we will actually be able to travel in it as DH should be feeling a whole lot better ! Here is hoping ! today we have a very warm day here as it is 16 C ! Odd for here but we will take each warm , sunny day as winter is not that far away !

How true this is

Thanks Sandi for sharing this with me ...... yes , growing up was fun and dangerous . We raided her Mother's fridge on a regular basis for cheddar cheese and crackers , drank a ton of Kool-aid , ate eggs right from her Mom's chickens .... climbed Giant's Head Mountain without supervision .... before we were even near being teenagers and were even known to go tobogganing on things that were metal ( like an old truck hood ! OOPS ) ........................... and we lived to tell the tale ! LOL !


Here's to US!!!!

No matter what our kids and the new generation think about us,

WE ARE AWESOME !!!!

OUR LIFE IS LIVING PROOF !!!!









To Those of Us Born

1930 - 1979









At the end of this email is a quote of the month by Jay Leno.. If you don't read anything else, please





read what he said..





Very well stated, Mr. Leno.









TO ALL THE KIDS WHO SURVIVED THE

1930's, 40's, 50's,

60's and 70's!!





First, we survived being born to mothers who smoked and/or drank while they were pregnant.









They took aspirin, ate blue cheese dressing, tuna from a can and didn't get tested for diabetes.





Then after that trauma, we were put to sleep on our tummies in baby cribs covered

with bright colored lead-base paints.









We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, locks on doors or cabinets and when we rode our bikes,

we had baseball caps

not helmets on our heads.









As infants & children, we would ride in cars with no car seats, no booster seats, no seat belts, no air bags, bald tires and sometimes no brakes.









Riding in the back of a pick- up truck on a warm day was always a special treat.





We drank water from the garden hose and not from a bottle.









We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle and no one actually died from this.









We ate cupcakes, white bread, real butter and bacon. We drank Kool-Aid made with real white sugar. And, we weren't overweight.. WHY?





Because we were always outside playing...that's why!





We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the streetlights came on..





No one was able to reach us all day. And, we were OKAY.









We would spend hours building our go-carts out of scraps

and then ride them down the hill,

only to find out we forgot the brakes. After running into the bushes a few times, we learned to solve the problem.









We did not have Play stations, Nintendo's and X-boxes. There were no video games, no 150 channels on cable, no video movies or DVD's,

no surround-sound or CD's,

no cell phones,

no personal computers,

no Internet and no chat rooms.









WE HAD FRIENDS and we went outside and found them!









We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth and there were no lawsuits from these accidents.



We would get spankings with wooden spoons, switches, ping pong paddles, or just a bare hand and no one would call child services to report abuse.





We ate worms and mud pies

made from dirt, and

the worms did not live in us forever.





We were given BB guns for our 10th birthdays, made up games with sticks and tennis balls and, although we were told it would happen, we did not put out very many eyes..









We rode bikes or walked to a friend's house and knocked on the door or rang the bell, or just walked in and talked to them.









Little League had tryouts and not everyone made the team.

Those who didn't had to learn

to deal with disappointment.

Imagine that!!

The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law was unheard of. They actually sided with the law!





These generations have produced some of the best

risk-takers, problem solvers and inventors ever.





The past 50 years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas.





We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned how to deal with it all..









If YOU are one of them, CONGRATULATIONS!





You might want to share this with others who have had the luck to grow up as kids, before the lawyers and the government regulated so much of our lives for our own good.









While you are at it, forward it to your kids so they will know how brave and lucky their parents were.









Kind of makes you want to run through the house with scissors, doesn't it ?





~

The quote of the month is by

Jay Leno:





'With hurricanes, tornados, fires out of control, mud slides, flooding, severe thunderstorms tearing up the country from one end to another, and with the threat of bird flu and terrorist attacks, are we sure this is a good time to take God out of the Pledge of Allegiance?'





For those that prefer to think that God is not watching over us...go ahead and delete this.

For the rest of us...pass this on.



Thanks for the memories !!!!

September Magnolia challenge

I am just getting in under the wire for this months challenge on Little Stamp Shoppe  http://stampshoppe.wordpress.com/ . I LOVE this site as it is Canadian and the Magnolia stamps are carried by Heidi ! Great customer service too :-)

My card was made with one of the 3 layouts on the challenge that were supplied by Page Maps ... a great way to get the mojo flowing after being stagnate for so long ! This is the EDWIN in a Cap Stamp with Edwin's Town though I cut out just one stamp from the three house image !Peggy's Pretty's , Memento ink , Copics , Bazzill edges and Bazzill paper were used to create my card . The stamped images are on Neenah paper .... also carried by Little Stamp Shoppe .

Holiday .......... continued !

Our second week of our September holiday went well . Having all the problems with the RV repaired made for a much more relaxing week . We changed plans and didn't go with our original holiday but headed back south to see DD & her family for a couple of days . We stayed in a campground as the RV wouldn't fit in their driveway . Was a good relaxing few days ... even if the camp spots are tight ( after camping at CCC all summer where the spots are HUGE ! ) . Was great to see the kids . Aiden has grown so much maybe not in height but he is so funny ! He did an impression of Grandpa that had us all in stitches ! What a little clown ! The weather was AMAZING !!! On Wednesday it hit 30 C ! Unheard of for this area .... the bad thing was it was super windy all day so we couldn't leave our awning out and we had no shade where we were camping ! Did end up using the AC though ! LOL !

 Thursday we headed back up the highway to Hixon to camp in our favorite campsite ... it felt like we were going home ! LOL ! This time we decided to try another spot instead of #1 ...... LOVE the spot we were in .... #4 ! It was HUGE and the dogs couldn't see everything that was happening in the park so they didn't bark as much ! The campground owners Merv & Kim brought supper over to our RV on Thursday night ! How sweet was that ? We had a great visit  ! Friday Dh & I walked the creek and  all that had happened there since early Spring . Amazing what nature can do .....and I forgot my camera in the RV !

Friday evening our good friends came in with their unit so we spent Friday evening enjoying our campsite with them . Saturday we went to the local pub for lunch ( it is right across from the campground ! ) . Always some colorful local characters there ! Saturday evening we ended up having a potluck supper with Merv , Kim , Denis & Kathleen ........ was a lot of fun and there were a few that REALLY enjoyed the wine a bit more then the others ! LOL ! The weather has changed to Fall , cool , crisp evenings and mornings .... -4 C on Sunday .... oh joy !!!

  Well , Sunday found us wandering back home and the RV is being emptied , winterized and getting ready for storage this weekend ! The 2009 camping season is definitely over for us but it was a great one all things considered ! We couldn't have asked for better weather either .... even with those horrible storms at the start !!!

Looking forward to Camping 2010 !!!!!

A quick stop at home

We made a mad dash out of here on Monday afternoon as we had to take the RV down to the Valley so it could get some warranty work done . We stayed with MIL while the Taj was in the hospital ..... for 2 1/2  LONG days !!! I did get to go out with my cousin Lorraine and her daughter ( my second cousin )  Shellie and her daughter ( my 3rd cousin ) . Was great to see all of them and finally meet Miss Savannah . She definitely has a twinkle in her eye and is she going to give her parents a run for their money in about 13 years ( she is 3 ! ) . I think it is about 11 years since I have seen them but I sure enjoyed visiting them ! I promise next time will be a lot sooner then 11 years ! Friday afternoon found us wandering up the road in the Taj as she was given a clean bill of health ... and we we were a few dollars lighter !

 Our next stop was in Salmon Arm where my friend Lisa met us later in the day with her son Brayden . We had a short visit then went out for some fabulous Greek food ..............  YUMMY !!! Saturday Lisa came by and played tour guide for us . She drove us all over the Shuswap Lake area so we could check out camp spots ! Thanks Lisa for a fabulous time ! Later that evening Lisa , her hubby and son came for a visit ...... all I can say is two men are up the " 40 Creek " and both were feeling NO PAIN when the night ended ! We had such an enjoyable evening ! I can hardly wait for the next meeting as I will be sure to have the Tylenol ready for the next morning ! LOL !

 We headed out on Sunday morning and went up the Yellowhead Highway rather then Highway 97 which is riddled with construction zones , dirt and bumps ! Valemount was our stop for the day and it was sunny and warm there .... unusual as we usually have it very cold and windy there . It definitely cooled off during the night though . We did get some rain today though and it was just as we hit home ! Fall is definitely here as the trees are turning color  but we had to get passed McBride before we really noticed it . Fall colors are late this year !

 Tomorrow we are heading out again but we are heading down to see the grandkids ( well 3 of them ) as we decided that a quick jaunt to Prince Rupert just really wasn't how we wanted to see that country  ....... another trip to plan for a later time !


On the road again ........................... to be continued !

How confused is this !

This is my lilac bush that is in my backyard .... the crazy thing is BLOOMING again !! Doesn`t it know it is September and not June ? We have had a great summer so maybe it is confused as it hasn't cooled down yet nor have we had frost ( Whoopy !!! )And these are the " kids " one morning last week when it did get down to 2 C ........ they were all laying in the bed in front of the fireplace .... which was on !!!

Totally crazy !!!!

Fun Blog Candy

 I was  blog hopping and they are giving away some great blog candy ..... that isn't fattening ! Squiggle Stamps has the cutest stamps too :-)

http://squigglestamps.blogspot.com/2009/09/squiggle-candy.html

Getting organized

and a whole lot spoiled ! I finally found a system that is going to work well for my room that will keep it fairly neat and organized !  3 years ago I bought a desk from Best Scrapbook Shelf .com . What started out as desk purchase has turned into a work in progress for my tiny room . I have since added a paper tower ( they have been changed in design since I bought mine ) and a great double tower that houses my stamps and some other goodies ! still , I found my room was in total disarray and I couldn't find my desktop most of the time with paper , stamps and ink caddy and my tool caddy ! I finally ordered the hutch for my desk last month ( bare ) and added my own setup of drawers and shelves . I just bought 6 3.5" drawers with the hutch then rearranged my setup ! I am so pleased with the whole setup but still was having trouble accessing my markers  and pens . I found this great storage system by Quickutz called a Magpie Storage System and it works perfect to store my Copic markers within reach !!! I have my SU markers in a CTMH marker tower and my Glitter pens , Souffle pens and other fun pens in a SU marker holder !!! Nothing like mixing up brands but hey it works ! LOL !  I also have a Clip-It up that is loaded to hilt to hold my rubons , glittery things and anything else I could get on it ! Too bad I am about an inch too short for reaching the top tier comfortably and spend a lot of time standing on a stool ! I also have an ancient wall unit section that houses more stamps , my albums and my pocketbooks that are waiting to be read !!! 

So this is my CRAPPY ROOM where I can hide from the sports and I get to do my own thing .......

By the way , the desk has been rearranged again since these photos were taken ........................ it is ano ongoing process ......... like the buying and stashing of my " goodies " ...............

More Magnolia Stamp Cards

How cute are these Magnolia stamps ? I find that I can't seem to get enough of them and am having so much fun creating with them ! Are you getting tired of them yet ?

 Ribbon , lace , Prima flowers and leaves , some brads and Peggy's Pretties along with my Copic markers are getting a good workout lately !!!

You never know what I am going to play with next !!!

I WON !!!

 A set of stamps and a gift certicate from PaperWorks Company http://paperworksco.com/ for posting their BLINKIE is my side panel that was to introduce their newest stamp set ! Go visit their site to see it !

 Now I am off to some retail therapy on their site as I wouldn't want that GC to go stale !!!!!!! LOL ! Look out Copics , here I come !!!!

And lets hear it for .....

 Johnny Reid and Victoria Banks !   Not the greats photos but my camera battery died right after I snapped these photos .... and we were sitting a fair distance away ! Johnny Reid put on a very energetic show and his music is wondeful ...... He had the crowd eating out of his hands immediately as he actually went into the crowd the first song ..... something you don't see here very darn often . My biggest complaint of the evening was that the evening was way too short ! With Johnny's Scottish accent and such a very exuberant crowd it was a fun evening ......................... I think I had his song " Dance With Me " in my head for days after !!!!

 Victoria Banks was a great opening act and she did the whole 1/2 hr accoustically ! She put on a great show as well !

Shall we try AGAIN ......

to get a new card or two posted ! These little Magnolia stamp images are just so addictive as are the Sugar Nellies ! Got to love an evening of sitting and relaxing with stamps , the smell of ink and the radio blaring some GOOD music !

Isn't Edwin just the cutest like guy ?

TGIF ..................

 Just a cute Magnolia stamp to start today ! It is another Friday and I haven't a clue where the past couple weeks have gone ! DH is back into the swing of work and has been on his first 3 day road trip up North on business . He survived quite well as did I ! ( Did I say how much I enjoy my " Me " time ? ) . He is off with a friend to go salmon fishing off the west coast tonight so I may head to the RV as it is going to be 30 C here all weekend ! May as well enjoy our last HOT blast of summer while I can .

This week found me decluttering my scrappy room . It was such a mess and I have to find a little better organization for in there so I can actually move ! Seems that the darn room keeps shrinking .... something like my pants !!! I think we both need a diet of some sort ! LOL ! Next week may find some changes in that room . I was almost able to lose the PC out of there as it had died .... again ..... but DH insisted on getting it repaired ( I have my laptop so didn't care ! ) so that is some space I can not utilize ! Whaaaaaa  !

Have a GREAT WEEKEND and enjoy the last rays of summer !!

Reality week !

DH has gone back to work after 9 weeks of being off . It has been a good week for both of us with more structure to our days . .... more housework , dirty laundry and more noise ! We have some road construction going on behind our house on one of the busiest intersections ( and one with a high crash zone ! ) that is going on 24/7 !!!

But the best part of the week is I got to sit in my crappy room and actually play with some of the cutest stamps I have ever bought ! They are Magnolia stamps and I bought them at an online Canadian store called Little Stamp Shop at http://www.stampshoppe.ca/ .... Great service and a great collection of Magnolia stamps and Copic markers ....... another of my addictions ! LOL ! I have discovered that you can not have too many Magnolia stamps or Copic markers as there is always just one or two more you HAVE to have ! LOL ! But SHHHHHHHHHH ..... that is mine and your secret and DH doesn't need to know that one !

It is also hard to believe that summer is coming to an end so quickly . We are heading off to the RV tomorrow afternoon for the weekend . Hopefully the rain holds off as we are expecting company on Saturday and they are planning on tenting . Our RV is nice but crowded with extras staying in it . We will do what we have to though !

Enjoy your weekend and Happy crafting for those of you that are " HOOKED "

Timing is everything ......................

Thanks to Louise for this one ..... the timing couldn't be better .......... now we can laugh about the last few months !


ABOUT THE WRITER Dave Barry is a Pulitzer Prize-winning humor columnist for the Miami Herald.


Colonoscopy Journal: I called my friend Andy Sable, a gastroenterologist, to make an appointment for a colonoscopy.
A few days later, in his office, Andy showed me a color diagram of the colon, a lengthy organ that appears to go all over the place, at one point passing briefly through Minneapolis.
Then Andy explained the colonoscopy procedure to me in a thorough, reassuring and patient manner..
I nodded thoughtfully, but I didn't really hear anything he said, because my brain was shrieking, 'HE'S GOING TO STICK A TUBE 17,000 FEET UP YOUR BEHIND!'
I left Andy's office with some written instructions, and a prescription for a product called 'MoviPrep,' which comes in a box large enough to hold a microwave oven. I will discuss MoviPrep in detail later; for now suffice it to say that we must never allow it to fall into the hands of America's enemies.
I spent the next several days productively sitting around being nervous.
Then, on the day before my colonoscopy, I began my preparation. In accordance with my instructions, I didn't eat any solid food that day; all I had was chicken broth, which is basically water, only with less flavor.
Then, in the evening, I took the MoviPrep. You mix two packets of powder together in a one-liter plastic jug, then you fill it with lukewarm water. (For those unfamiliar with the metric system, a liter is about 32 gallons). Then you have to drink the whole jug. This takes about an hour, because MoviPrep tastes - and here I am being kind - like a mixture of goat spit and urinal cleanser, with just a hint of lemon.
The instructions for MoviPrep, clearly written by somebody with a great sense of humor, state that after you drink it, 'a loose, watery bowel movement may result.'
This is kind of like saying that after you jump off your roof, you may experience contact with the ground.
MoviPrep is a nuclear laxative. I don't want to be too graphic, here, but, have you ever seen a space-shuttle launch? This is pretty much the MoviPrep experience, with you as the shuttle. There are times when you wish the commode had a seat belt. You spend several hours pretty much confined to the bathroom, spurting violently. You eliminate everything. And then, when you figure you must be totally empty, you have to drink another liter of MoviPrep, at which point, as far as I can tell, your bowels travel into the future and start eliminating food that you have not even eaten yet.
After an action-packed evening, I finally got to sleep.
The next morning my wife drove me to the clinic. I was very nervous. Not only was I worried about the procedure, but I had been experiencing occasional return bouts of MoviPrep spurtage. I was thinking, 'What if I spurt on Andy?' How do you apologize to a friend for something like that? Flowers would not be enough.
At the clinic I had to sign many forms acknowledging that I understood and totally agreed with whatever the heck the forms said. Then they led me to a room full of other colonoscopy people, where I went inside a little curtained space and took off my clothes and put on one of those hospital garments designed by sadist perverts, the kind that, when you put it on, makes you feel even more naked than when you are actually naked..
Then a nurse named Eddie put a little needle in a vein in my left hand. Ordinarily I would have fainted, but Eddie was very good, and I was already lying down. Eddie also told me that some people put vodka in their MoviPrep. At first I was ticked off that I hadn't thought of this, but then I pondered what would happen if you got yourself too tipsy to make it to the bathroom, so you were staggering around in full Fire Hose Mode. You would have no choice but to burn your house.
When everything was ready, Eddie wheeled me into the procedure room, where Andy was waiting with a nurse and an anesthesiologist. I did not see the 17,000-foot tube, but I knew Andy had it hidden around there somewhere. I was seriously nervous at this point.
Andy had me roll over on my left side, and the anesthesiologist began hooking something up to the needle in my hand.
There was music playing in the room, and I realized that the song was 'Dancing Queen' by ABBA. I remarked to Andy that, of all the songs that could be playing during this particular procedure, 'Dancing Queen' had to be the least appropriate.
'You want me to turn it up?' said Andy, from somewhere behind me.
'Ha ha,' I said. And then it was time, the moment I had been dreading for more than a decade. If you are squeamish, prepare yourself, because I am going to tell you, in explicit detail, exactly what it was like.
I have no idea. Really. I slept through it. One moment, ABBA was yelling 'Dancing Queen, feel the beat of the tambourine,' and the next moment, I was back in the other room, waking up in a very mellow mood.
Andy was looking down at me and asking me how I felt. I felt excellent.. I felt even more excellent when Andy told me that It was all over, and that my colon had passed with flying colors. I have never been prouder of an internal organ.
On the subject of Colonoscopies... Colonoscopies are no joke, but these comments during the exam were quite humorous..... A physician claimed that the following are actual comments made by his patients (predominately male) while he was performing their colonoscopies:
1. 'Take it easy, Doc. You're boldly going where no man has gone before!'
2. 'Find Amelia Earhart yet?'
3. 'Can you hear me NOW?'
4. 'Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet?'
5. 'You know, in Arkansas , we're now legally married.'
6. 'Any sign of the trapped miners, Chief?'
7. 'You put your left hand in, you take your left hand out...'
8. 'Hey! Now I know how a Muppet feels!'
9. 'If your hand doesn't fit, you must quit!'
10. 'Hey Doc, let me know if you find my dignity.'
11. 'You used to be an executive at Enron, didn't you?'

And the best one of all:

12. 'Could you write a note for my wife saying that my head is not up there?'


Now really , isn't it time to have your checkup ! Colon cancer is no laughing matter !!!!!

August already ?

I am not sure how this happened but August is here already ! Crazy !!!! Well after that crazy rainstorm we had in July and windstorm that went through a week later that knocked a few trees over in the campround ( thank heavens not on anything but the side of the highway and over a few paths and nobody was hurt ! ) summer arrived with a vengence ! Not since the 1880's has the North seen temperatures like we have seen for the past few weeks ..... + 30 C and higher ! No rain either so everything is tinder dry ! Scary if we get a thunder and lightening storm go through ! We are on a no campfire ban all over the province . As we just had a long weekend here , the campground was full all weekend . Only one idiot tried to have a " small " fire and got a blast from a fire extinquisher and evicted from the campground ! He didn't even plead that he was " ignorant " to the fact but said he figured it was a " small " fire so what did it it matter !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Bet those people that have lost homes and businesses to a forest fire could give him a lecture ! SHEESH ! STUPID !

One thing about DH still being off recouperating , we have got to use the AC in the motorhome and be comfortable .... at least for a couple hours a day when the shade was almost non-existent around here . DH is recovering and is actually looking forward to returning to work on August 17th ......... and holidays soon after ! LOL ! ( Though I am sure those may get changed after the guilt sets in about all the work on his desk ! ) . Lots of changes happening with the company he works for as well so there may be some major changes happening there as well ........... we will roll with the changes whichever way they may go ! We have been through this 3 or 4 times already with the company over the past 30 years . What will happen , will happen !

Not sure when life will return to " normal " but we plan on relaxing here until the 16th of August then I may or may not stay on until after Labour Day . I may need some " ME " time ! LOL ! We have had a few trips in to home but not in any hurry to return for good either ! Winter was far too long and not that far away so we will just play this out as long as we can !

Enjoy the sun , play safe , travel safe and relax as summer is moving far to quickly !