It's acting like March....

First we have the sun rising noticeably earlier each day, not to mention eating supper in full daylight!

Then we have the usual snow at 10 AM, sun and melting at 2 PM, snow again at 5 PM and perhaps a tad bit of rain in between....the same day, of course.

The wind is picking up...considerably!

Folks are walking outside without mitts or toques.

Vehicles look like they've just come from back-roading:)

People seem to smile a bit more than a month ago when it was minus 38 C.

Pot holes have swallowed up half the population...I'm one of the few left to tell the tale!

And on and on it goes...until we see a crow...then we know, for certain, spring has arrived...not to mention the crocuses soon to flaunt their silvery blue shawls on those first warm days out on the prairie.

Yes, I'm gearing up for a weather change...oh shoot, just read the weather forecast.

Fifteen cm. of snow are heading this way on Sunday.  But, hey, that's March, right?

So, dress in layers for those sudden balmy afternoons of plus 3 or so.  And keep in the middle of the streets, if you're driving.  Sure, it may cause a head-on collision but at least you won't disappear into the endless depths of pothole hell.

Enjoy your winter/spring/whatnot kind of day out there.

I love these short months and long icicles!

Family Day...

Today, being a holiday and all, we decided to take Shannon out for her birthday supper today, rather than her actual day tomorrow, February 19, as it will be a work day for her. We went to Sopranos.

We couldn't eat fast enough!

All the guests in the restaurant had their coats on, eating their expensive meals.  None of us could enjoy the lovely cuisine as we were dealing with frost bite and lowering blood pressure due to hypothermia.

A slight exaggeration but you get the picture.

You would think that in a country where well below freezing temperatures are a daily occurrence,  establishments would see to it that guests didn't have to endure that inside as well.  I wouldn't mind paying close to a hundred bucks in say....Jamaica...or Cuba...or some other hot place...but here in Saskatchewan?  It shouldn't happen!  Who wants to pay big bucks to eat in a refrigerator...other than those ice hotels in Scandinavia?  And even then, you'd have to pay ME to go there!

So, next time you eat out at Sopranos this winter...wear your toque, muck-lucks, mitts and fur coat.

Rant complete!

After that we came home to our apartment to thaw out and eat birthday cake.  It was a good time.

She simply becomes more and more lovely with every passing year..lovely in every way...

Happy Birthday, Shannon!

A Valentine's Day update...

I woke up this morning....next to my man.  That, in itself, is a lovely gift.

Had a phone conversation with a friend....by accident. I had wanted to reply to her text but instead ended up pressing her phone number....you know, on this stupid, new cell phone that I'm failing miserably at in learning about. So when I saw my cell was making a call to her...I quickly ended the call.  Five seconds later she phoned me back on my cell.  I had never yet answered a phone call on my new phone!  After fumbling and talking loudly into the screen, forgetting to put it up to my ear to hear who was calling, I managed to get the dang thing where it should be...screen in my ear and the end of it by my mouth.  Just typing that makes it sound totally ridiculous. Anyway, the conversation ensued without too many more problems. Technology is not going to get the better of me!

As the day progressed, Brittney came over for lunch where she, Ken and I exchanged Valentines.... then it was grocery shopping...being Thursday and all:)  I won't go into details on that project...

In between, we took some Tim Hortons heart donuts to Brittney at her work and dropped off a few dozen at Shannon's dental office work place.

After the groceries were purchased, we had a cup of tea at McDonalds.

Came home and put groceries away.

Had a headache all day so took some Tylenol.

Ordered pizza.

Ate pizza...and Brittney came over for a few slices after work.

Now we wait to Skype with Matt.

And while we wait, we are entertained by the international dog show on the telly.

See.  Valentine's Day is not always the romantic, exciting day that all the ads make it out to be.

It can also be a regular day of simply living life...with those you love.

Love week...

Lots of love a goin' around
Pullin' at the heart strings
So I've found
Ya, lots of love a goin' around.

Shannon's chocolate drizzled pumpkin hearts complete with candy!

Even pastors get into the act!

Love shows itself in all kinds of ways...

in nature...and in people...people you care about a great deal.  Hey, I could post pictures 'til the cows come home here of folks I care about, but thought I'd stick with my family for today.

And then there's husband...

who, in his own unique way, shows a great deal of love to me and his family.

So, Happy Valentine's Day to all of you.  A simple smile to someone who may not deserve it, in your estimation, is a great way to show love and all we need to do is curl our lips upwards...not difficult for the most part:)

And so the Season of Lent begins...

Wowzers....

Now THAT was some worship practice!!!!!!!

Church now has a new sound system.  Husband has worked diligently in getting everything organized for this to happen...many, many hours of planning with Spectrum Sound and Church Council and the Worship Team, not to mention the pastors.  Not sure if folks really realize how much work he has done on this, but I know!

Music practice this evening was the proof in the pudding!  We could actually hear ourselves sing (which, at my age, can be a scary thing!!) and the music was profound!  Guitar with Dave A. and piano with Janet L. rocked!  The organ brought up the rear!

And husband sat in the sound booth getting everything sounding just right (as much as he can with a hearing impediment!) But he was blown away by the excellent sound coming from those long, lanky, beautiful, unassuming Bose speakers.  All of us were!

But as I said, with my throat still stinging from my last cold, the notes aren't rolling from my throat as they normally would...allowing any squeaks, squawks, yowls and hisses to be clearly heard.  As I previously mentioned, that's scary!

Not to repeat myself but the new sound system is most excellent and we are all gratefully appreciative of it.



See, she doesn't look like much but she sure packs a heavy sound.  Now, put two of those babies on either side of the platform and you've got class.

One will be in the space where the drums are on the right in this picture and the other is by the chair on the left.  Poor drums have been temporarily banned to the back of the sanctuary as we don't presently have a drummer.  They said they didn't mind, but they did miss Dixie!

So, if you want to hear some cool sound, drop by Gateway on Sunday around 10.  Your ears will hopefully be glad you did:)

Side-tracked...

Well, now that cataract surgery #2 is out of the way for Ken and my cold is on its way south, perhaps we can once again begin our fitness program in earnest.  We'll be able to begin again next week!  Although, after his hip X-ray today, not sure what that will reveal.  A new hip may be in the offing...we shall see.

I hadn't planned on retirement being quite this way but I suppose you simply take each day as it comes and deal with it.  No one said it was a guaranteed fun time!!!

Had a terrific birthday supper last evening at Shannon's place for Brittney...who turned 19 today!  She began her new job too, at Rod's Decorating, so of course, I had to phone her up to sing the "Birthday Song".  She took what was left of her birthday cake to share with everyone too...and they had a card all ready to give her when she arrived....had something to do with "plumbers crack"...so I guess she has won their favour very quickly!!!:)  HAPPY BIRTHDAY BEAUTIFUL BRITTNEY!!!

Here she is at Grad with her favorite teacher, Mr. Bowden.

And the snow continues to pile up...and up...and up...and up.  For those of you in southern climes, good on ya!  Smart move!  Well planned!  Don't come home!  We love you...but if you can enjoy warm sun and fun, just do it!  I can't recall this much snow for quite some time....perhaps since I was a child, you know, back in the good old days of the fifties.

Ooops...have to answer this Skype call from Matt......

Ahhhh....that was some good conversation with my son.  I always come away refreshed, encouraged and renewed after speaking with him.  His path is taking him places where he has and is becoming a new and improved Matthew Kent!  I thank God for this!!!

So, off to bed now to sleep...perchance to dream....and hopefully, to sleep better than last night at least!