Family

 Well, it was my mom and sister's birthday. Kinda different celebration during covid. My Mom and sister have birthdays on the same day. My niece has her's the following week. My dad is at home recovering from his stroke he had in May 2020. He is doing quite well for being paralyzed on his entire right half. He is recovering and has a very strong will. He lives about 3 hours from me so makes visiting difficult (about once a month). But phone conversations work well too. I miss him dearly and feel like it might be the last time I see him after every visit. Man, you are never prepared for your parent to pass on. Life is very short, my dad and I have always been close. Now that he almost lost his life, he is very sweet and loving. Makes my cry to know how much love he has for me. I hope he lives a few more years, he travels to Mexico but since this virus in upon us he won't be going. He can't now anyhow due to Covid 

It's now September, raining and always damp, so it seems. It is Labour Day today, so I am off work and just taking it easy and going to a friend's for dinner. Well, I don't like the fall much, I find the weather to be depressing watching everything die and the wet weather. If the sun comes out that is what I like, but the wet drizzle isn't warming. I like the sun and the warmth. When the leaves change colour and walking in the forest with the crunchy leaves on a warm sunny day! 

Time to end our conversation for today.

Have a great week!

Hot Humid Weather = Major Rain Thunder Storm

How is everyone? Been a crazy busy week and trying to catch up on the weekend. Where does the time go? Well, it's been a hot humid weekend. Went to get my groceries and when I was backing into my parking spot, all hell broke loose outside, wind, flash flooding, wicked rain and thunder and lighting. My poor scared dog was inside the house,  so when there seemed like a break in the storm, I took my sandals off, ran back to my trunk grabbed my groceries and ran up the stairs. I was completely soaked! Dog was okay! Not a nice way to start my Sunday, mopping up the floor. Drying my drenched self off. And putting away, drying groceries. 

Work has been crazy busy, thinking of making a change. Also thinking of moving to a condo with a garage!  Lol... will keep you posted. My sister came over Saturday night we had pizza and some bevies, reminiscing of pizza with dad. I think I told you he was in the hospital. We used to visit dad and bring pizza for lunch. I miss him, hopefully he recovers and we can have pizza lunches. With this virus, keeps everyone apart.

Well, enough with the negativity! At least I have a job, dad is alive and storms are good for the water.

Take care! 

Full Moon!

Full Moon

Good evening,

I hope everyone had a good weekend! The weather was perfect sunny hot!! Summer is here and tonight a full moon! No wonder work has been wacky this week. Well, I spoke with my dad today, not sure if I mentioned but he was travelling back from Mexico and had a massive stroke, back in May. He is getting stronger everyday and it is nice to reconnect with my step-sister, who saved the day and went down to get him and her mom. When you get older and your parents get older the roles kinda reverse. Which is fine I was talking to my mom earlier on today and found out she was in the hospital for the day because of some stupid diabetic diet she was trying. Oh my gosh, my parents do at least on silly thing a year and I hope this is it for this year.

Well, I hope everyone has a good work week. Going to be hot weather this week in Collingwood. The people from Toronto are up and the beaches get packed and with this covid thing makes it uncomfortable to go to the beach. I keep telling myself, this is temporary. I wish I could say the same thing about my job!

On that note, time to find something constructive to do.

Until next time! 😎

Sunday June 28th

Good afternoon,

Hope everyone is enjoying the weather outside today. Well, it has been an interesting 2 weeks, sorry I haven't been on here but went to see my dad last Sunday as it was father's day. It was good to see him as this covid has kept us apart from seeing one another.

So, the week before last I got woken up by coyotes yipping. I live near the woods in Collingwood and with the windows open at night you can hear them in the early hours 3am. 

Coyote

And then this week I had a bat flying around my condo. Oh man, things you put up with living in the woods. I guess things could be worse.

Bat

So I am back to work and busy with getting people called and scheduling from 3 months of being closed. Well time to go walk my dog and decide what to have for dinner. Hope to get on here a little more regularly. As like begins to get back to the new normal.

Sunny Sunday!

Good afternoon,

How is everyone today? It's sunny on a Sunday, temperature isn't very high for this time of year in Collingwood. Although the sun is out so that makes a world of difference. What did everyone get up to today? Well, I walked my dog for an hour, then talked to my sister to see if we could get together and call our father as he is still in the hospital in Woodstock, and due to the covid we are unable to go and see him. Honestly this really sucks, not being able to see our dad! Well I did some cooking today. I like Sunday's they are usually my relaxing catch up days. Oh, I also gave myself a pedicure! I am still quite afraid of going to a restaurant or going to have a manicure or pedicure. Even getting my hair cut, I do it myself with the clippers, I bought some attachments from amazon and do it myself. I stopped coloring my hair over a year ago and it's money in my pocket instead of paying a hairdresser. 

Well, that's it for today, I hope everyone is having a good day and enjoying themselves.😎

Back to work part-time

Good Afternoon,

Hope everyone is doing well! I am back to work, just part-time for now as the dentist college and hygiene college can't seem to agree on or even speaking to each other about the conditions to return to work. As of now only the dentist is working, I don't mind having a few days off a week. So today I am home, cleaned and disinfected my condo. Kinda cool day but the sun is trying to come out. 

So when I was off work due to the virus, I love to cook and try new recipes, I made some Pad Thai, a couple of times so I think that is what I will make for dinner tonight. Most restaurants are still closed and patios are allowed to open, although I am a little hesitant to go to a restaurant. I don't mind doing take-out, this virus is pretty scary.

I live in a resort town, when were in self-isolation for the first part, there was absolutely no essential travel people were advised if they had a second home (here in Collingwood) not to go as it would stress our hospital and other essential services. 

I really wish things would go back to normal but I don't think it will for some time. My dad had a stroke on his way home from Mexico and is in the Woodstock Hospital now in rehabilitation, not able to go see him due to the covid virus or phone him as he has requested that we do not call him as talking causes him to be to exhausted. I miss him terribly and I hope a pray he recovers.

This is Pad Thai recipe I made from Pinterest, I love that site. I have made so many things from there and most projects or recipes turned out quite well. 

Well I had better get back to chores. Til next time!! 😋

Pad Thai 

INGREDIENTS

Kosher salt

8 oz. wide rice noodles

2 tbsp. lime juice

2 tbsp. brown sugar

1 tbsp. fish sauce

1 tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

2 tbsp. vegetable oil

1 bell pepper, thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 eggs, lightly whisked

1 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined, or chicken

Freshly ground black pepper

2 green onions, thinly sliced

1/4 c. roasted peanuts, chopped

 

DIRECTIONS

In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook noodles until al dente. Drain.

In a small bowl, whisk together lime juice, brown sugar, fish sauce, soy sauce, and cayenne pepper. Set aside.

In a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat, heat oil. Add bell pepper and cook until tender, about 4 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute more. Add the shrimp and season with salt and pepper. Cook until pink, about 2 minutes per side.

Push the shrimp and vegetables to one side of the pan and pour in the egg. Scramble until just set then mix with the shrimp mixture. Add the cooked noodles and toss until combined. Pour in the lime juice mixture and toss until the noodles are coated.

Garnish with green onions and roasted peanuts before serving.

Gardening (small space no maintenance)

Good afternoon,

Another fine day in Collingwood! Just wanted to drop in and show you one of my projects that I did this week, with a little help from my friend. Small space and wanted it to be maintenance free. Well this is the before and after photos.

After

Before

We moved the BBQ to the other side of the yard. My friend had some plants that needed to be divided and he had a tree cut down so we had some mulch which needed to be used up. So, my sister was in desperate need of a  backyard face-lift to her small backyard and front yard. (We will get to the front yard another day) So in a few hours we dug up the yard put in a few plants ideal for the location, mulched and transformation Added a few chairs to the space. Was quite the improvement let me tell you! Now I can go over for a social distance visit without going through her house!! Whoop...