Saturday, July 31, 2010

I'm Hot

Hello my friends, hope you all had a wonderful week.

Our weather has been very hot.....yeah that is the only way I can mention my name in the same sentence when using the word hot....lol We have had beautiful sunny days and horrendous thunder/lightening storms during the evenings and throughout the nights. Their were times my whole house lit up and the noise deafening as the storm was right over my house. My plants and flowers have a touch of root rot. I drain the pots each morning and the water pours out, the soil is saturated, not sure how much longer I can keep them looking nice let alone alive. I have to say I have been enjoying these lovely days, even the nightly electrical storms and basically have had a great week which I enjoyed tremendously.

My friend, Pat invited me to join her and her granddaughter Maddie for High Tea at Fort Edmonton. Fort Edmonton is a town within a city and will take you back to the early 1900's. All the buildings and businesses come from that era. Fort Edmonton includes homes, drugstores, hardware stores, bakers, seamstress, doctors offices, churches, post office, jail, blacksmith and shoe makers etc. All shops are the original buildings that have been restored and moved there from downtown Edmonton. Each building have refurbished furniture, stoves, pictures and carpets. It is like time has stood still. A train runs throughout the town dropping people off at their requested stops, also horses are tied outside of saloons and barber shops. The sidewalks are made of wood and the streets are dusty. There are horses pulling carriages and all the workers are dressed in clothing of that era. It is fun seeing the young ladies baking bread in old ovens using the same recipes our ancestors used. There were ladies making cheese, soaps and candles. Blacksmith's putting new shoes on horses and even the original land office had an employee there explaining how people purchased and registered their parcels of land. He was considered to have a well paid job being employed by the government. He made $1200. each year.

We began our day having High Tea at the Selkird Hotel, another original building from 1901. Our tea was served on fine porcelain dishes again from the same time period. The table cloths, napkins and even our servers dressed in the fashions of that time. To start we were each given a choice of tea, which was served in huge individual teapots. We had freshly baked scones with our choice of strawberry butter, raspberry jam or clotted cream. These scones would melt in your mouth. Then came the tiny sandwiches, again we had many choices of cucumber, egg salad, salmon, chicken salad and finally desserts. There were brownies, cakes, cookies, tarts and pies. We were told all food was prepared in the huge old fashion kitchens, and was prepared daily so that everything was fresh. One needs reservations and to my amazement the dining area was full, not an empty table available. The people there were from all over the world and it was such a pleasure not only being with dear friends but meeting families from so many different places. I absolutely loved it.

After tea we began walking about the town and visited many of the homes and businesses of that time. We didn't have time to see everything. Apparently the hotel prepares picnic baskets if you ask so that you can spend the whole day visiting each and every home, church and business of that time. You then could sit in the shade of a wonderful old oak tree by the river which runs through the town and munch on all the goodies in your picnic basket for lunch. It would take at least a full day to see all the sites, read all the plaques and listen to each period dressed host/hostess explaining the history of where you were. The men wore bowlers or top hats depending where they worked, their shirts and collars were sparkling white and heavily starched. The women wore bonets, large aprons and long dresses or skirts. Even their hairdo's suited the time, for example the Gibson look for women and hair parted in the middle for men. It was not uncommon to see the men in the stables, blacksmiths or carpentars wearing denim and cowboy hats. In fact Fort Edmonton has been used to shoot several movies.

Needless to say being a history buff I was like a sponge soaking in all the stories and history of a time long ago. I am still convinced I was a chamber maid in England in a former life.....lol

I took many pictures but am unable to upload them to my post. I would of loved sharing with you what I was fortunate enough to experience but alas I am still fumbling around with blogger who has yet to co-operate fully with me. I will say I am understanding all the new additions a bit better and feel it won't be long before I will make my way around this new set up as I did the tried and true blogger I knew so well. I hope my next week's post will include pictures.

I also enjoyed a BBQ with my neighbours, saw the movie It's Complicated and had lunch and went shopping with an old friend one afternoon. All in all a good week.

Wishing you all a great week and may August be your best month ever. (Did I say August....oh my where has the time gone) Sending you all big hugs and much love............God Bless......:-)


Saturday, July 24, 2010

Problems With Blogger.......Anyone?

Hello my friends,

What a time I am having with all the changes in Blogger.........errrrrrrrrrrr! I am so frustrated. Perhaps because I don't know what is going on..........with anything. Uploading pictures, changing wallpaper, adding a links......I am about ready to ......well you know.

How about you? Any problems?  I always thought a young person would work this out in a minute but I'm not so sure. I have e-mailed blogger friends and they have tried to help me but I think I am computer challenged when it comes to these changes, did I mention I don't like change......my young neighbour tried to help but God Love him he was no better than I was.

I have decided I am just going to do what I can as best I can and move on. I have been working on these changes for a couple of weeks now, I would try different things, get frustrated with it and shut it down for a couple of days before coming back to it with a fresh outlook.....guess what! It didn't do me a bit of good. Sooooooo, what you see is what you get well for now anyway. I know I will keep trying. Any information on uploading photos to a post or copy and pasting a new wallpaper from another site, well it would be appreciated. It is not necessary though as my world is going to move forward anyway, but guess who is looking for a computer course to take this Fall......Yup, that would be me.

The one thing that has bothered me very much is that Reader is not showing me when everyone has posted. I happen to think "I haven't heard from so and so" and I go and check on them and they had posted. So forgive me if I have missed commenting on your post, I am sure that all these kinks will be worked out soon. (Be it Bloggers fault......my fault.....not so sure when I can be up to par)

We have lost another blogger friend this week, Barry, from An Explorers View of Life. Barry was an exceptional writer with a keen wit and a great outlook. I loved visiting him and wish to send my condolences to his wife Linda and his daughters. Rest In Peace my dear friend, you will be missed.

It is really hot here today, so I am off to see if I can mess up more things on my blog because this heat is not bothering me at all......LOL

Stay well my friends, sending you all many, many hugs.........:-)





Thursday, July 15, 2010

Thank You - Old Who Me



Bernie, yes we share the same name, has honored me with "A Blog of Substance Award". I so appreciate it but I know my blog is limited with substance. I am not a creative person nor do I write great stories or poems and no I don't take very good pictures either.

I am honest with myself and know my limitations but I also know my strengths. I was so pleased that Bernie recognized what I try to do and that is encourage those who need a kind word especially those who are sick, worried or troubled. I am a people person and more than anything I care about people and their families. I also know many of my blogging friends are very encouraging to others as well, that is why I love all of you so much.

I find it easier to smile than to frown and I love to give a hand up to those in need. I have been blessed with much love and kindness in my life, I only try to pay it forward.

I think all of my followers deserve a blog of substance award, you share your special gifts with all of us and I thank you for it. I offer all of you this award for I am unable to just pick a few. Please take it and place it on your blogs.

Thank you dear lady for seeing and understanding my heart, you are one in a million.
Bernie is 86 years old and her blog is so much fun and filled with life lessons and experiences. It is a wonderful read and I encourage you all to visit her and say hello, you will be better for it.

Have a great weekend.....God Bless and many, many hugs.....:-)


Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Busy Bernie - But Happy



Hello my friends, I hope you are all enjoying your summer. We have been having heavy rain and many thunder and lightening storms the past few days and between storms we have glorious sunshine. It is hard to explain, but I don't mind the rain or the hot sun.

Since blogger has changed their templates I have been trying to find a wallpaper I like. You all know how much I like pink and I have found one I really like but am still working on making it fit to the new templates. I was spoiled as I really like the wallpaper I had thanks to Cindy of Who, What, Where and When.....but I have no choice but to change it so change it I will. She tried to help me again this evening but we were forced from the phone when another thunder/lightening storm began.

A few weeks ago Holly, from Banner Haus News did posts of the alphabet. Her letters were so pretty that I saved them to my computer so I have put my initial up and will leave it this way for a while. I knew I would use these beautiful letters sometime. My eyes and "brain" are burning trying to figure all this out. I was spoiled as I really liked my blog the way it was thanks to Cindy, I have found another pink wallpaper I really like though and.....eventually I will have it the way I want it.....I hope! Thanks to Wanda I was able to remove the tag, honestly Wanda I just kept removing gadgets until the tag disappeared.......I am so blessed with friends who don't mind helping a slow learning blogger.

I have been busy since Fallon left. I hear from her every day either by text or e-mail. She is having a wonderful time. She says Taylor Swift rocks......I am so happy for her but I miss her and am looking forward to her coming home. She is growing up so fast. I had my hair cut and streaked, lunch with friends, doctor's appointment, test, and visits from good friends. I think that is my favorite thing about summer, people stop in more often than through the winter months. I love sharing a cup of coffee with friends, I smile each time the door bell rings as I wonder who may be on the other side of the door. The surprise is nice but oh the company is better as we sit on the deck catching up on each others news. (My nephew offered to fix my deck next summer).... ..yay!

My friend Avinash and I had lunch at Red Lobster on Thursday. She is an old friend from GE days. She looks absolutely wonderful, I realized how much I missed her great smile as we laughed through lunch.

My meeting with Dr. John's patient went well, in fact she stopped in this afternoon with a page full of questions she had written down. Somehow today she seemed stronger, more in control and even better she seemed eager to begin treatment and fight this horrible disease. I was so pleased with her attitude, although I know from experience it is so easy to be up one day and down the next. Keeping a balance is a real challenge. Somehow I think she will do very well with the hand she has been dealt. She has good doctors and the love and support of family and friends.

Tomorrow I am babysitting a friends 10 month old baby. I am so looking forward to having her, she is beautiful and nothing brings me calm and happiness faster than a baby. They are unconditional love and it is impossible not to smile and enjoy the moment while holding a baby. I plan on taking her for a walk to the park if it is nice outside, if it rains then we'll just play with my tupperwear on a blanket on the carpet in the livingroom. I do keep a bag of toys for the little ones when they visit so I have lots of toys and stuffed animals for her to play with.

Have a great week my friends..........God Bless and many, many hugs :-)


Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Finally..........I'm Baaaaaaaaaaack!

Hello my friends, It has been 7 days since the modem went on my computers, it was last Wednesday night. July 1st is our National Holiday so trying to get someone here before today was impossible. The modem has now been replaced by a new up to date modern version and the Internet is working wonderful on both computers......only one problem now, the phone lines are showing "in use" and I have no dial tone. The repair man is arriving tomorrow afternoon to repair the phone lines. I have been using my cell phone tonight. My life is so exciting, it seems to be one thing after another and when it gets this bad I just have to laugh. When I opened my e-mail late this afternoon I had over 200 waiting for me, some were junk mail but many needed answers. I have been trying to catch up on e-mails and post comments since the repair, but it has been several hours and I am still not finished. I think I will start fresh tomorrow.

As you know Fallon has been with me these past several days. I wanted to help her get ready for her trip down home. She left this morning at 6 and text me off and on all day beginning at the airport, then her stopover in Ottawa and finally when she landed in Halifax. In fact I just received another one from her just now.

We had a great time, we had our spa day, visited a farmers market, shopped all day Saturday, out to dinner twice and also went and seen the movie Grown Ups.....go and see it people, it was so funny. Fallon said I laughed the hardest in the theatre and she laughed at me laughing. I know she will be home the end of August but I still was very lonesome when she left......she is just so little to travel so far on her own. I know she will be welcomed and loved when she gets there, she needs that right now ......got to learn to let go, she has a wonderful father who will protect her and love her unconditionally.

Today I received a wonderful necklace from Holly at Banner Haus News. Holly had drawn names from her comment boxes and I was the name chosen. It is adorable, thank you Holly so very much. With Fallon leaving this morning and the Internet and phones giving me a problem, it was a real pick me up to receive such a lovely gift from a lovely blog friend.

Our weather has been lovely, but we did have a lot of rain yesterday. Today began damp but turned sunny and warm this afternoon. It is suppose to be nice all week, actually they are saying it is going to be very "hot". Good, we in Alberta need the heat......we should store it for our winters.

I am sorry for being away so long, but this time "not my fault." I hope you are all doing well and I missed hearing from all of you. Will be around to each of you as you publish your next post.

Sending you all much love and many, many hugs.....:-)