Bunches of Memories Musical Review

oN ThE hOOk~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Project # 25 Crochet vest for Shirley

Project #'s 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 knitted coffee sleeves Christmas gifts

Project # 34 crochet vest for 10 year old

My yarn addiction and attempts at other crafts have made me set a goal for myself. From September 2009 to September 2010 I want to make 100 things. By Hook , or by crook, needles I will satisfy my addiction

High Tech peek from the cameras at home and letters from granddaughters

This Friday

we start our

drive

back home

to be

with our

family

for Christmas

I wouldn't have

it any other way

Step Right Up to Leo's Barbershop and Bakery

This afternoon we went

to visit

Leo and Fran

Linda told us that it

was Leo's Birthday

which it was NOT.

We celebrated

anyway

and made today Leo's

unofficial Birthday

You may wonder

what hair-cutting

has to do with

Birthdays..

Well, Leo insisted on cutting

some hair

saying he "just needs the experience, putting

in his hours"....

So with that said

Terry and Bryan

got their hair cut

and when we left

we had Leo's homemade bread

and his fresh picked oranges!

Welcome TO OUR WORLD

IN YUMA

HANG YOUR HAT

and get your hair cut.

(wink wink)!

Wintering with lemons , fields of cotton and a sprinkling of rain

Semi of lemons in the rain

This is a picture of cotton fields. Sorry it is not very clear but I had to take it out the window of the car whilst going at least warp speed (those who know Jimmie)!

Guess who turned 60 (sixty)?

Lucky guy

celebrating 60 in the warmth

with friends in Yuma

Thanks everyone for

all the gifts and cards.

Delena especially likes

the "turtles".

Hotel Calfornia

Lori daughter came for the weekend. First of all her flight here was almost cancelled as there was a horrendous snow storm back home. Over 20 flights were cancelled but not hers. It was 26 below.

Now where the song Hotel California comes into play

"you can check out but you can never leave".

The saga began when we drove her to Palm Springs on Monday to go home. She was there in plenty of time, got her ticket and we left. Back to Yuma and then back again to Palm Springs. Her flight had been cancelled as the plane would not land in the fog and rain. They told her she wouldn't get a flight out until Wed. Of course you know how you do anything for your kids, we drove back to get our stranded daughter. When we got there they told her it would now be Tuesday and not Wednesday. They gave her a hotel room and we drove back to Yuma through wind and a sand storm that left me speechless.

Tuesday came and they said they had no seats for her as she was stand by . A plane arrived everyone got on but her and everyone got off in 10 min. The plane needed maintenance. Upon "repair" all of sudden there was openings for her. Now Jim, her dad who hates planes aged by the minute with worry until she safely landed. He aged so much he actually turned 60 today.!

I loved Lori's visit, we went shopping and shopping and shopping some more. The weather was somewhat crappy but nevertheless it was fun. We went to Bingo and she was the youngest one there. In fact the door guy asked if she was 18. Apparently we were told by the gals at Bingo the older they get the younger everyone looks.

Now I am looking forward to going home for Christmas and I will be packing all the extra things that Lori couldn't fit into her suitcase.

Winter Wonderland Back Home In Alberta

Back Home it looks alot like Christmas!

HOTCold off the presses

Room with a View

Vegas is flashing lights

slot machines

crowds of people

and this room

of ours

with a view!

It amused us that our room had a window

facing a brick wall....

So much for the razzle and dazzle

of it all !

We went to Vegas for three days with friends of ours. Any trip to Vegas is fun despite not winning anything substantial. We did get a sweatshirt, a pink snuggie and two cases of coke for signing up for those player cards that hang on idiot strings attached to you and the machines!

We had a good drive back to Yuma and Friday we are off to Palm Springs to pick up Lori who is visiting for the weekend. I wished it was for longer but I will take what I can get.

Enjoying Our Life~~

We are so blessed, Thanksgiving at home (Canada) and today Thanksgiving in Yuma.

Jim cooked the turkey

beside his beloved

tomato plant

in this awesome

outdoor oven

roaster.

Our guests arrived

with more food

and

wine

Under the sunny sky

wearing our summer clothes

listening to the hummingbirds squeek

in the trees

not having to swat a single bug..

All those years we went to our jobs

day in and day out

we never imagined

where life would take us

when the job was over.

This is as good as it gets

and I am thankful!

LEt'S TWisT AGaiN~~~~

I have been very busy crocheting my 63 square afghan with every square having a different pattern. I feel like I am participating in the "Twister Game". I have never done so many front double and triple posts around half doubles to the right, to the left and down two rows. Oh yeah add in a criss cross or two. For those of you who crochet you will know exactly what I am talking about. For those of you who don't you just have to appreciate me working into the still of the night twisting and turning this yarn!

And.........................

I went to a craft class and made this Christmas card for my dad.

No"twisting " here just cutting, playing with double sided scotch tape

and embossing

with gold and silver dust.

This is project number 22

From the earth to the harvest to the box then shipped to you

I love this picture and all it shows. Yuma with its sunny hot climate yields crops of vegetables and fruits every month of the year.

Our fridge runneth over with fresh asparagus, onions, cauliflower, oranges, grapefruits, lemons and tomatoes and beer carrots!

Some days I feel like we dropped in here from the moon. We live in Canada but you can't buy a 15 pound turkey for $6.76! Butter is 2 pounds for $3.00 and I love the way they package it. It comes in a box and is individually wrapped in 1/4 pound sections. The milk here is sealed under the lid. It's those little touches to packaging that is wonderful. Hot sauce is on the tables at restaurants and packages of it available at fast food establishments. No vinegar though....

Being from the moon Canada we know it is of utmost important for us to pack Kraft Cheese Whiz, Kraft Salad Dressings, Tuna and HP sauce. If there was room for a 100 lb. bag of flour we would bring that too because the bread here just sucks. Sorry I have to be honest it tastes like glue and the color of the brown bread is just grey. Any suggestions of a bread brand would be welcome. When I go home for Christmas I am going to bring back my bread maker.

The week ahead is happily busy with Dominoes for the girls, cards for the guys, Christmas card making, water volleyball, Bingo (becoming addicted...) US Thanksgiving dinner, Black Friday shopping for the other girls (I hate line ups in stores) and Sunday we are off to Vegas again for a few days. I will update Bingo Chronicles because I know I pretty much have a captive audience on that subject LOL and my camera will capture many pictures of the Thanksgiving Dinner and our Vegas winnings! (always the optimist)!

Grateful Friday

My 100 project mission is sailing along. This scarf was knitted on our trip to Yuma. Knit one- purl one- keeping me sane and awake on the highways through Montana and Idaho. GRATEFUL to have something to do.

Project # 20 and #21
Two more fabric Christmas Balls made yesterday with Linda. GRATEFUL that Linda was there to assist me in placing those little squares of fabric.



Lately I have had this thing about taking food pictures. GRATEFUL for the fresh asparagus and being able to eat outside in November!

Hot Dog Bingo Lingo

These bingo nights are really providing me with material for my blog. Last night we grabbed our daubers and sprinted walked over to the Bingo palace hall. Thinking we knew the drill we were confident that we could follow these patterns with no problem whatsoever. Surprise....... they changed the patterns. The fly swatter was replaced with the Hot Dog! I didn't win last night but everyone all around us did. By the end of the season we will be Bingo experts and the patterns and bingo lingo will just be old hat.

p.s. does anyone have one of those good luck trolls to put on top of my cards!

Craft OvEr DrIVe

One thing I do know I could never ever be bored.

Right now I am on craft overdrive . Pictured here are two projects.

A crochet afghan that will be 63 different pattern squares

I am doing it in Ecru 100 percent cotton

The other project is

a pine needle basket

with dyed brown needles

a walnut centre

and deep blue thread

I have another sweater to complete

with a button

and my yo yo's are

also

crying out to be done.

My trouble is my mind is always

ahead of my fingers

and tonght

until at least

nine pm

the crafts will be neglected

because I am

going to

BINGO..

P.s.

I actually stay up until 12 or 1 am

to work on all these

projects

Have you had your porridge today?

In Yuma

Eating Porridge (not instant)

for Breakfast

Outside

It doesn't get better than this!

Diapering the Date palms and swatting the fly

A few days ago we went exploring around Yuma and came across these date palm trees.

They are so majestic .We didn't know why cloth like diapers were covering the fruit. Googling it I

found out that the diapers shade the fruit from the sun. They are removed when the

temperatures average out. Fruit is harvested from September to December. A couple of years

ago we treated ourselves to a Date shake. Extremely rich but delicious. I think they must add

chocolate to the concoction. Yum!

Last night we went to Bingo (no not the men) and I won $20.00.

The games are so strange. How about a fly swatter hitting a fly.

The fly is under the O in the bottom right hand corner.

As soon as someone dabbed the fly in the corner they swatted the table with their bingo dabber.

(don't you love that word "dabber) anyway

all I could think of was

Lori and Celeste saying, "mom it's not too late, leave the park"!

Although I am not quite there yet, slapping an imaginary fly

who knows what

little idiosyncrasies I may be par taking in when I am old!

Space Shuttle Viewing

Time 6:58 pm

Location: Over the park

Date: November 6th

Space Shuttle zooming across the sky

Here we are returning from the "viewing" and back to our dinner

Sun going down over the desert

Christmas is coming.....

Linda, pictured here, and I just can't sit around in the HEAT. We have to be crafting! This is the new craft she showed me. I made a fabric Christmas ball ornament.

We ate dinner outside and at 7 pm it was still 78 degrees. You have to love that!

Grateful Friday

Tomato plant Update

Jim has two tomatoes on his and I have one so far. All this in a week. So grateful~~

Hot weather

Learning new craft today

Jim is a wizard fixing techy nerdy things.

All our friends are arriving day by day and such LOYAL friends they are!

The lights in Vegas are still shining brightly!

The lights in Vegas are shining much brighter

because our wallets are much lighter

We bowed down to the keno gods

but lost all our wads!

The picture I posted was at the Silverton Casino. The massive fish aquarium is breath-taking and calming. We visited Lance and Debi and had lots of laughs and good times. We will be going back at the end of November with Don and Shirley. Hopefully our luck will change to the better.....

Crafty Critter I am I am

100 handmade item goal starting Oct 1 /2009

Have done 5 sweaters now these freshly made dish cloths brings me to #11

Saturday Sights

Captured this photo of a military helicopter flying low over us. I don't know what kind of helicopter it is because we don't have these in Canada.

Happy Halloween everyone!

Thursday thoughts

Just reading one of my favorite blogs Reyln at Come Sit By My Fire and she steered me onto another blog to which I added as a favorite.

A fellow Canadian named Lori has a delightful blog and is now doing a give away for her 100th post. You just have to treat yourself and look at her blog!

Today as well as the past two days is windy and slightly chilly. The temperatures however are going to rise by the weekend.

I am crocheting and knitting up a storm and my goal is to make 100 items this year. I already have 7 items done. 5 sweaters, a winter scarf and a pullover sweater ( I will take a picture today). Now I am making a bunch of knitted dish cloths. Nothing like a fresh pile of cloths!

Jim went golfing last Sunday and what a bargain. I just have to show you another Canadian/American comparison

Golf course near our house in Alberta Canada

$65.00 for 18 holes of golf

$20.00 more if you want a cart

$6.50 for one beer

$19.00 for a jug of beer

No food

Golf course near Yuma Arizona

$29.00 for 18 holes of golf

Cart Free

$10.00 coupon for the restaurant

$2.50 for a bottle of beer

$5.00 for a jug of beer

Snack type food and free beer delivered to the golfers on different holes around the course.

And to top it off a Golf Course manager who remember their names after not being here for 6 months. Talk about customer service~~~

It SAVES us money coming here!

MY tomato VERSUS HIS tomato

MINE
HIS

We bought two cherry patio tomato plants. Now we are going to have this "my tomato plant will grow faster than your tomato plant contest".

As I started with the larger plant I am sure if mine gets tomatoes first that will be the reason why... at least in his mind.

Let me Tell you this bar-b-que lettuce recipe~~

Last night Shirley made us this wonderful delicious appetizer. None of us had ever ate this before let alone even heard about it. It was absolutely yummy.

First of all make sure your romaine lettuce leafs are dry. Put some olive oil on the lettuce leafs and put them on the on the bar-b-que on low heat for approximately 3 minutes.
Each person then drizzles the sauce (recipe below) on top of their lettuce with boursin cheese.

Romaine lettuce
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons rice wine or dry sherry
3/4 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable or peanut oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 1/2 teaspoons minced ginger
1/8 – 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt
dash of Tabasco sauce

Boursin cheese crumbled on top of lettuce leaf after bar b qued.

Cheers!

Out with the old, In with the New!

Jim put in a new kitchen sink. The old one was so small I could hardly put a dish in it. It was also that horrid plastic that becomes stained and yucky in a minute. This sink is HUGE with the added bonus of a soap dispenser. I told Jim it was so beautiful I can't stop looking at it!

What's missing in this picture???

What's missing??

Why, it's Wally and Linda's motorhome!

Wally hurry and bring us your shade

and your neighbourly

selves!

Welcome back Don and Shirley

Christine invited us over for chicken fajitas. Good company, lots of laughs and looking forward to the months ahead!

Grateful Friday according to Jimmie

Fridge shot...

30 Bud in United States........................ $19.95

30 Bud in Canada............................. $ 59.95

Grateful Friday

Hummingbirds hovering

Temperature of 93 degrees

Knowing that today is Friday

But everyday is Saturday

Schwans was just here

delivering

icecream

Hurry Linda or it will be

all gone!

p.s.

fast internet

it takes me sometimes 2 hours at home to load

a blog picture

I have the patience

of a saint or I need

a life

one or the other!

And the wheels go round and round

One of my favorite pictures from this summer.

Beautiful sunset closing a "Do Nothing Day"

Today we did nothing. The highlight of the day was eating outside and I went to water volleyball. It was such a treat after working so hard at our place all summer.

Surprise More lawn chair pictures!

LOOK: new poolside deck chairs My kids back home really tease me about taking lawn chair pictures so I just had to take pictures of these ones! They can see what there is to look forward to when they are retired!........

Just me and one other lady enjoying the pool yesterday.

Yuma Winter has now begun!

Isn't this pretty? Yes it is pretty but...

This is prettierWarmer!

We are now in Yuma!

The first day (last Thursday) we didn't get away until noon and only made it to Dillon Montana. The roads were free of ice and snow. We at one point were driving on fumes, as hubby likes to challenge the mileage...We stopped at Robert Montana and Robert is a blink of an eye town with one service station. With maybe two gallons left, Mr Murphy's law kicked in and the pumps at this one service station were covered with plastic as they were out of gas. We motored on and made it to Idaho Falls with a hope and a prayer that my little car would make it. It did!

We stopped at Jackpot Nevada for a leg stretch and gees there happened to be a casino there. Who would have guessed that! Jim won 200.00 on his 6th quarter. We were then on our way thankful we needed that leg stretch!

A little past Ely we came as close to a head on as anyone would want to experience. A fool decided to pass a semi going up a hill on a double sided yellow line. It was so close I didn't even have time to scream. Jim made eye contact with the guy and immediately took evasive action driving two wheels into the ditch as there was no road shoulder. We were so glad the guy didn't panic and take the same ditch we did. I guess it wasn't our "time"!

We planned on staying overnight at Primm Nevada but there was no rooms at the inn.

After 13 hours of driving we finally stopped at Laughlin Nevada for the night. I did my gambling fix and had no luck. Our luck and Jim's driving skills earlier in the day saved us from a horrific crash.

We arrived in Yuma on Saturday around lunch time. The temperature was 105 degrees F.

A few things inside the RV suffered with the heat but over all it wasn't bad.



1. Wood kitchen table 3 cracks across the top. Apparently we should have put a tub of water underneath the table before we left for home last year.



2. All the roof vents inside are yellow. Discoloration from the heat.



3. The temperature thermometer yellowed (picture below).



4. The fridge in the shed had some yellowing to the trim that was nearest the shed door.



5. Our fridge handle to the freezer in the RV fell off.



6. The tires on our bicycle were flat.



The dust was minimal and there was no crawly bugs anywhere inside the RV. Tha is a good thing!

Thinking of summer on this cold day in October

these pictures were taken by Jenny

one of my granddaughters

She took these pictures in Duncan BC

this summer

I am going to get them printed

and framed

for my

craft studio

Bobbing for apples, puddng eating contest, all in the snow

Before the party started, empty room waiting for the family.

Fire pit blazing
spider hangingpumpkin waiting to be foundchildren looking for the little white creaturesBraden showing Grampa is I pod touch Everyone just chit chattingblindfolded pudding eating contestcard gameapple bobbing in minus temperatures, kids don't care!

turkey dinner outside

Thanksgiving Day started out with temperatures of minus 20 cel.

Early morning I scampered around the forest and hid the pumpkins.

I placed all the clues where they belonged and I froze! Jim got the wood stove going in the cabin and we prepared the turkey and all the fixings.

Grandchildren arrived and the games began. They loved running around on the frozen ground through the yard and collected most everything I had hid. There may be some creatures still out there but come Spring they will appear, even (Rhianna's missing gloves)!

The kids bobbed for apples with full on enthusiasm, putting their heads right under the water to grab the apple with their teeth. I did fill the pail with warm water and you could see the steam.

The pudding eating contest was a blast. As much fun for us watching and laughing. One child was blindfolded and had to feed their partner pudding. The pictures speak for themselves.

The turkey and ham was gobbled up and some chose to eat outside. Brrrr not for me, I stayed in where it was warm.

Feedback tells us it was the best party yet and I look forward to next years!

Halloween Party Tomorrow

Spent the day cleaning and re-arranging the cabin so we can entertain our troops tomorrow. I think I may be as excited as the kids.

Turkey and ham,

yams and mashed potatoes,

tons of stuffing,

cranberries,

buns, salad, vegetables

and dessert.

I will keep the kids busy before dinner with games and a scavenger hunt. I hope Sarah will participate this year in the apple bobbing. She was a little leery of it last year and chose not to get wet!

With temperatures in the minus and the snow on the ground, it will be a bit of a challenge hiding the pumpkins in the forest and getting the scavenger hunt set up.

We then finish the last minute stuff on Tuesday which is a ton of last minute stuff and then we should be ready to go south on Wednesday!

LoOk hE CoOkS tOO

The snow is falling

and it is so cold

however..

our cabin is deliciously cozy and

warm. We have the wood stove stuffed with firewood

and Jim is cooking us supper on my new stove.

A mother deer and her two fawns meandered through the yard tonight .

I love collecting these moments of joy.

Happy Thanksgiving!

All five done and on to the next project.

Green for my daughter and the red one for another granddaughter. I just took a baby sweater pattern and increased it for the bigger sizes. Now I want to make some winter toques for the boys and bring them back at Christmas. Yes, I said Christmas! At first we had not planned coming back but the plans have changed and we will be driving back. I really am happy about that as I have never been away from home for Christmas. We have always driven back. It gives me a grandchildren and children fix and breaks up the six months so I don't get too many stomach pains from missing everyone. I love getting away for the winter to the sun and fun but it all comes down to family. What can I say....

Halloween Party At our Place on Monday~~~

Filling this bucket with games and prizes and instructions for a halloween scavenger hunt in our spookey ole forest. The scavenger hunt details came to me at 4 am and I couldn't wait to get up and start putting it altogether. If this doesn't make fun memories for my grandchildren nothing will.

Wind bringing down the trees once again!

Just when I was wishing we had more fire wood...

Alvin and Christine came to visit yesterday and thank god they parked their truck further up the driveway. As it was, when the huge tree came down in the wind they were trapped. Alvin and Jim had to get out the chainsaw and clear a path so they could drive home. Another tree fell right behind our carriage house. As soon as the wind comes up I seek shelter.

So with going down south and so much preparation to do that, we now have two trees to split and stack. No rest for the wicked.....

Alberta? British Columbia? Baddest spiders. BC wins!

Thanks Garry and Sharon for sharing these yucky spider photos. With warmer temperatures you get bigger and badder spiders!!

Three done two to go

CROCHET BY GRANDMA DEL

Strange Happenings here in the Forest

I used to be an non-believer in the paranormal but we have had past and present experience with ghosts as told in one of my previous posts . I am not talking about scary events just strange unexplainable, almost mischievous pranks. Yesterday when I was not home Jim went to the cabin early in the morning to get the stove going. He made several trips back and forth from the cabin to the house. He then decided to make breakfast in the cabin. He never leaves the house without his keys. As relayed to me he said he looked at his keys laying on the counter and was going to put them in his pocket but then dismissed it and went out to the cabin with his breakfast supplies. After making breakfast he gathered up his dishes and headed back to the house. Much to his absolute surprise the door was locked. He actually looked up the driveway thinking I had come home went in the house and locked the door. He emailed me from the cabin and told me he was locked out. All the way home I thought how the heck did he lock himself out. I could see myself doing that but not Jim. We talked at length about this and he really believes there is a ghost presence here. I can't logically explain any of these past and present occurrences, they just are what they are. A little creepy but ironically I don't feel threatened or scared by any of this. It is just weird......

Six word Saturday

1. 
   
   A


2. 
   
   Ghost


3. 
   
   Lives


4. 
   
   here.


5. 
   
   story


6. 
   
   tomorrow

If you want to get in on the fun click here

Grandchildren and their racing weekend!

Emma racing her little quad



Sarah proudly showing her trophy that she won on her dirt bike.

Fall into October

~~Until three years ago I never realized how beautiful Alberta is. We live in a valley with a forest , river and the Rocky Mountains to the West all in our daily view~~