Its Beginning to Look Alot Like Christmas!!!!!

As you can see Glen has found a wonderful spot to display the Santa collection. This corner of the recreation room accommodatesthem very well.
We decided that the tree definitely belonged by the fireplace. I think it misses its prime location in the entry in Halifax. The boys always put up the tree...so we are still challenged
by this awesome task. I fluffed the branches and assembled. Glen and I put the lights on as a team. Glen was in charge of ornament placement! He did it in quadrants. We are pleased with the results. Yes, Marie the "Cape Breton Pickle" is hidden in the branches waiting
to be discovered.
The nativity scenes are spread throughout the house. I can't believe we have so many.
We are as ready as we will be for the big day.
The Christmas Eve service is at 4:00 in Foam Lake. My brother Greg is hoping to drive up from Regina to spend the day with us. The downstairs bathroom received a new coat of paint in honour of his arrival. He has requested the "downstairs" guest room and ensuite. What he does not know is that the Grandfather Clock is now fully operational and marks each quarter hour.
We have found several people in Theodore to share in Christmas dinner. Tomorrow we are dipping the shortbread and pretzels in chocolate and Glen is making the cheeseballs.



 

The Blooming Cactus

To Glen's delight the Christmas Cactus
has indeed bloomed. The colour of the
blossoms is intriguing. We were expecting a bright hot pink and these are an orangey reddy pink!!!! It has definitely put us in the Christmas mood. We think of Ruth Hudson each time we gaze upon it.  

Christmas Cactus

Last June when we left Halifax our back seat was full of plants. The Christmas Cactus a gift from Ruth Hudson was among them. As you can see it survived the journey and has thrived in sunny Saskatchewan. A few weeks ago Glen noticed a pink tinge on the edges of the leaves and today we decided that they are definitely buds. Glen is thrilled with the prospect that it will indeed bloom for Christmas.
The wardrobe and cupboard that sat in pieces for several weeks are now assembled thanks to some help from our neighbor Jerrold. Andrew, our son, reminds us that the many pages of directions that come with all these bags of bits and pieces are merely someone's 'opinion' of how it should eventually go together.
On Sunday we were all ready to make the trek to Foam Lake for service...Glen started the car and backed it out of the garage and the driver's door would not close. We tried various types of heat on it thinking it was frozen but it would not budge. On Monday Jerrold again came to our rescue and he and Glen were able to unjam it.
The storage room is an ongoing project. We have put together four sets of shelves to house the contents. Yesterday Glen created a high rack on which to hang his vestments. They are very long and won't get nearly as wrinkled hanging from on high!!!!!

 

The Ongoing Saga of the Sump Pump

There is an irony to our "sump pump" saga. During our married life Glen's Mom would come to visit us. She loved to travel but after a few days the novelty of being away would wear off and she would become a little homesick. We always knew when this occurred because she would tell us that she needed to get home to check on her "pump". The water for her farm home was supplied by a well on the property and she was indeed in difficulty if the pump lost its prime. I think the "pump" issue has come back to haunt us. Remember the sump pump was the cause of our damp carpet and soggy drywall back in early July. We have tried various scenarios in the past few months to rectify the problem. Initially the pump was suspended in the hole by binder twine. When it "pumped' the force of the water caused it to twist about in the sump hole and the float would get caught. Then the pump would run and run. We tried various positions but same story. So using our "cathedral kneelers" we found wood bits and made a platform on which the pump can rest. We slowed down the water with a length of hose and it now drains with less "power". For the moment it seems to be a viable solution.  

From the Estate of Ernie Winter

Earlier in the fall as we were in the unpacking state we received a phone call from the niece of Ernie Winter informing Glen that he had been left a water colour in Ernie's will. She had it packaged and a few days later it did indeed arrive. We were very surprised and pleased to find that it was the mate for the water colour that Ernie had given to us years ago. They are the perfect pictures to hang above our sofa in the living room. Mind you it was a challenge to ensure that theu were hanging level...lots of measuring and calculating to make this happen!!!
I have tried on numerous occasions to take a photo of them...but the sun always cast shadows. Yesterday seemed the perfect opportunity as I had the camera out at the right time of day. We smile every time we catch a glimpse of them.  

View from our Living Room

This is the view that we see each morning as we enjoy our coffee in the living room. We know that the school bus picks up Maria and Michael at exactly 8:10 and that Irene passes by our window on her way to work at the Credit Union at 8:17. I think we are adjusting well to small town Saskatchewan. We have to make a conscious effort to remember to collect the mail each day.  

St. Francis in the Snow

Brr! St. Francis is finding it a might brisk these days. We have had an inordinate amount of snow for November. Seems these unusual weather disturbances follow us around. Remember Hurricane Juan and White Juan both descended upon Halifax during our residency.
Michael shoveled us out this morning...all three bays of driveway. I spent the morning reorganizing the garage so that we can use the door closest to the house. This will really cut down on the shovelling. It is soft light snow...there is just a whole lot of it.
We were planning to go to Yorkton yesterday as Glen had an appointment with the eye doctor. When we saw the blowing snow and the state of our driveway we changed our minds. We have rescheduled the appointment for Friday so we are hoping that the snow will hold off until we return home.
Last Friday we went to Sacred Heart High School's fall musical performance of Anne of Green Gables. Michael's sister Maria had a part in it. It was very well done and brought back memories of the summer we took my sister to Prince Edward Island and went to a matinee at the Confederation Theatre and then to Green Gables.  

The Regina Adventure

We started our morning early...and should have had an inkling of the day that lay before us by our icey driveway and frozen garage door. Glen's workshop was to begin at ten o'clock...so we were confident that by leaving at seven o'clock we would be able to make the two hour drive and have time to spare. The next 140 km were like driving on a skating rink. Needless to say the school buses were cancelled that day. We perservered in the hope that the road conditions would improve. There were six transports off the road and one completely turned over in the ditch and a car accident on a side road. By the time we reached Fort Qu'Appelle a thick fog had settled in so we didn't make up for any lost time in the valley either. We arrived in Regina at All Saints about ten thirty......it was indeed a harrowing drive.
A great friend from my growing up days in Regina picked me up at the church and we spent the day together. Marian and Trevor have recently retired so there was lots of catching up to do. We had lunch with Marian's Mom....she is an amazing lady for her 87 years...it was such a treat to touch base with her again. She was like a second Mom to me whilst I was attending the University of Saskatchewan in Regina and my parents were in Ottawa. Marian and I did some power shopping for the Christmas parcels...and talked!!!
Glen and I met my sister Rhonda and Reg for dinner at Joey's Seafood for all you can eat fish. My niece Anna and her family joined us so we got to chatter with three year old Mahalia and admire five month old Ezekiel....he is a healthy, happy boy!!!
Following dinner we made a quick stop at Cosco! We found Christmas cards and wrapping paper...it was a very productive tweny minutes!!!!!
Reg and Rhonda offered us over night hospitality. They have a great home off Prince of Wales Drive. It has a huge yard with a wonderful deck. We hope it is the first of many visits.
On Wednesday we had a quick visit with Jean [Grandma Jean] before striking out....this time we encountered blowing snow on top of the already icey roads for the last leg of our journey. We are definitely considering hibernating for the winter.
Saturday we wended our way to the Recreation Complex where we partook of a great fall supper...cabbage rolls, perogis, turkey, turnips, mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing, and pie for dessert. It was a delicious feast. The complex is very impressive...they have a very modern kitchen, a steam table for serving....we met many community members. There is a skating arena as well as curling rinks....very well maintained.

The Fireplace

Thanks to a generous parting gift from the Gordon Group, some birthday gift certificates and some Canadian Tire money...we were able to purchase this elegant addition to our recreation room. It makes the room warm and cozy. It is electric and the fire box is very realistic. We love it!!!!
This last week has been somewhat uneventful. Trying to find a place for everything captures it all. I took on the challenge of the kitchen desk which has been an open the drawer and shove it in receptacle for all our bits and pieces for the past four months. The contents now reside in a series of ziploc bags each labelled and organized alphabetically in a basket. Glen has been working on his space downstairs.
Emil has injured his back so the garage door opener is not yet installed...nor is our new side door. We still have to put together the wardrobes we purchased for the downstairs workspace and bedroom.
Tomorrow we are off to Regina. It is about a two hour drive. Glen is attending a workshop at All Saints Church and I hope to do some visiting and shopping. December will soon be upon us!!!!! We will stay with my sister Rhonda and her husband Reg overnight. It will be an adventure!!!!  

Visitors Be Forewarned!!!!

Happy All Saints Day!!!
It is so hard to believe that it is the first of November. Our October snow has left us but November snow is trying to make its presence known. It is cold and blustery today and we are glad to be inside.
Last week we had guests. On Tuesday Aunt Lu and Uncle Murray from Kindersley...about a five hour drive....arrived. Much busyness preceded their visit. We were anxious to have the recreation room in an inhabitable state. It truly is a comfortable room. The fireplace makes it very cozy....and our gold corduroy sofa is so comfy. Great place to curl up and watch television or read. I think it will be a room that we really enjoy.
Glen has made great progress on his workspace. The computer is now hooked up and operational. It required several cables and some deliberation on Glen's part...plus a conversation with our nephew in Peterborough...but both of us can be on line at the same time. The printer now lives in the office downstairs and the good news is that we can open the closet door in the guest room!!!!!This is indeed a bonus as that is where all my warm clothes are and I am soon going to abandon the layers and switch over to WARM clothes.
Aunt Lu and Uncle Murray took on the project of scraping the wallpaper off from behind the kitchen cupboards in preparation for the installation of the lino as a back splash. So even guests get involved in the renovations. This past week Emil has been busy in the garage installing two new garage doors. The former doors were wooden, old, very worn and very heavy. The sheer weight of them contributed to their frequently jumping from the tracks. So we decided to bite the bullet and get new doors. The one closest to the house will be fitted with a door controller.
Friday mid day Aunt Lu and Uncle Murray departed for Kindersley and that evening my sister Rhonda and Reg arrived from Regina. Of course the Friday ritual is Steak Night at the Pub....a great meal was enjoyed by all. Rhonda and I never cease to have things to talk about...and it has been a while...it gave Reg and Glen an opportunity to get to know one another!!!! [Rhonda and Reg were married a year ago in July]
The house is feeling more and more like ours.
 

Unpacking Continues

The unpacking continues....this will be Glen's workspace....look familiar. He has theme groupings...a First Nation's wall...a Mary area...churches I have served section....it is coming together.
I spent hours in the downstairs bathroom shower scraping away the old caulking. Emil called it Jennifer's Confessional!!!! However it is looking great as it has brand new silicone and the soap scum and build up are gone. The water softener really helps in that department.
The acid test will be....does it leak!!!! We had to let the silicone set...so stay tuned!!!!! We put in a new light fixture, moved the vanity over so we can get at the side of the shower and turned the mirror on its side. All it needs is a fresh coat of paint!!!!!
We unrolled the rug in the recreation room last night...so it has taken on
a cozy feel. The store room is finally empty so we can begin filling it back up. Glen's cold is much better since his visit to the doctor. It has certainly taken its toll on his energy levels.

 

Check Out the Steps....

I do wish we had a before picture of the steps...the walls were uneven on either side...three different kinds of wood, the steps were raw, rough wood with a smattering of white paint that made them look dirty and grundgy all the time. SO these are a tremendous improvement. Emil drywalled, we put on the primer and Emil walked the tightrope and gave the walls and ceiling two coats of paint. He can do amazing things with a ladder and a plank. We have two handrails stained in golden oak thanks to Glen. Emil has been varnishing them twice a day for the past two days. I painted the steps grey...and Emil installed the runner. It was indeed a team effort and we are so pleased with the results!!!!!We now have a classy entrance into our recreation room.
On Sunday Glen decided we should move the cable outlet from one room to the other....which necessitated drilling a hole and feeding the cable down the wall. My job was to look through the little hole and catch the cord as it came down. Picture me laying on my stomach, small flashlight in hand peering with one eye through a hole....after several unsuccessful attempts Glen decides I should put my finger in the hole...a bit like the boy who put his finger in the dyke. It was sheer fluke but I did find the cable. Then I couldn't get my finger out of the hole without letting go of the cord. My knuckles were skinned BUT I was able to position the cable such that I could grab it with the needle nose pliers. The miracle is that when everything was hooked up....IT WORKED!!!
Glen went to the doctor today as his cold was not getting any better. He has a sinus infection and it has settled in his chest...he is now on antibiotics and has decided to rest and get better.  

Snow Comes to Theodore

The first snow of the season. We were a bit taken by surprise as the forecast had been for snow showers...not staying snow as it were!!!! We will have to go digging in the garage for boots and our warm Nova Scotia Tartan scarves and gloves. We are hoping that the sunshine today might melt it away.
We are making progress!!! On Sunday we started unloading the storeroom downstairs and indeed it is just like Christmas. Glen now gets to carefully unwrap all those items he so meticulously packed SEVERAL months ago. I am in recycling mode gathering up the flying papers and cutting down the boxes. Needless to say most of the pictures are hung!!!! I think we will have to add GALLERY underneath the BURGOMASTER on the side of the house. Chaos reigns!!!!! Unfortunately Glen has managed to come down with a horrific cold.  

It is all Coming Together....

Emil has been working on the Recreation Room all week.
The baseboards are installed and painted. The suspended ceiling gives the room a finished look. As I tap he is installing the overhead lighting. The stairwell is painted and we are going to have a handrail on either side.
The weather has turned quite cool. Today was bright and sunny. The sunshine brightens up the kitchen.
My Dad always enjoyed woodworking projects. He built recreation rooms in all our family homes and finished off one or two in our rectories. This is a clock that he made a few years back. My brother brought it out to us on Thanksgiving weekend. It already looks at home in a corner of the recreation room.
 

Renovations Continue....

Happy Thanksgiving...
Weatherwise we had a mix of rain and sun on the weekend. Glen's knee seems to be growing less painful with each passing day. Saturday it decided to pour forth with rain BUT only after we had planted the nine "red" Lily bulbs that had arrived in the mail. We decided to head for Yorkton and bought a few groceries and checked out Canadian Tire and Timber Mart...where else do we shop these days.
My brother Greg arrived on Sunday morning and we enjoyed a turkey dinner that evening. Greg brought with him my Dad's barbecue that hooks right into the gas line.
Monday Emil came to measure for baseboards
and materials for the suspended ceiling.
Today he began work downstairs installing the
baseboards. So progress is being made!!!!!
 

The Laying of the Lino

We are into Day Three of the linoleum laying marathon. We have learned all sorts of "techie" language that only lino layers use. This is Pearl on her hands and knees sanding the floor. She put down the first coat, sands it and then puts down a second...this is the leveller. By evening we should have lino in the kitchen!!!! My chore was to remove the baseboards and scrape all the guck. The house is in chaos. All the kitchen stuff is piled in the livingroom and bedrooms. There is a little path to the computer desk!
I finally got my cabbage rolls made...I have not made them for many years but it is sort of like riding a bike...it does come back to you. I used to make them alot when we lived in Wadena. One year someone gave us a great quantity of cabbage and told Glen that they could be frozen. He neglected to mention that one should wrap them in plastic wrap or bag them first. So Glen threw them all in the freezer. The outer leaves stuck to the side of the freezer and disintegrated. What a mess come Spring when I decided the freezer had to be cleaned.
The bottom photo is the lino on the roll...in case anyone was curious as to what it looked like.
Glen has been laid low with a gibbled knee. The usual cure is to rest it...so at present the house is such an obstacle course he has no choice. He is literally confined to quarters.
 

Waiting for the Vinyl!!!!

The downstairs is freshly painted...all of it!!! It is very white!!! There are FIVE gallons of primer on the walls followed by about THREE of semi-gloss top coat. It was alot of painting but it does look fresh and clean. The cement floor has been swept, vacuumed and washed with bleach and it is ready for the vinyl. Pearl, the installer, was out on Sunday afternoon and took the final measurements so she could do some precutting. We were all geared up for installation yesterday BUT....you know we always have to have a glitch....the supplier sent the wrong glue. It is to be couried from Regina. We hope that by the end of next week we will have new vinyl INSTALLED. They estimate that it will take four days to prep the surfaces and actually install the linoleum. The rooms will take on an entirely different appearance.
Then we will be able to unpack the Recreation Room boxes and set up Glen's workspace. You can't imagine what is behind that far door...the storage room is jammed full of boxes, paintings and furniture.
The rain of late has brought on new growth outside. The grass Glen planted has takenand is doing well. The trees that were so brutally cut back are also growing. Today Glen is trimming so they will grow in an orderly fashion.
It is hard to believe that it is the end of September. We have invited another couple to join us for the Beef and Barley Special at the pub tonight. Soon the round of fall suppers will begin. I love the cabbage rolls and perogis that are served along with the traditional turkey.
I have all the makings for cabbage rolls so have been searching the net for a "recipe"...there are as many different ways to make them as there are people who produce them!!! I used to make them many years ago with my cousin...so I am thinking I will go with what I remember and see how they turn out.  

Back in the Saddle Again!

On Sunday, the 24th of September, The Right Reverend Rodney Andrews presented Glen with a License to Officiate as a priest within the Diocese of Saskatoon. In this picture Father Charles Irish reads the document. The Bishop is smiling and Glen (sporting his salt and pepper beard) looks like an Orthodox priest. Obviously the cultural mix of Theodore is having an influence.
Glen "cleaned up well" for the Eucharist. The day before he was in old clothes and covered with paint spots. The good news however is that the basement is ready for the installation of the ceiling and new flooring. (Picture by Shirley Baker) 

St. Francis likes his new home....

We have tried St. Francis in several locations and he seems to like the front entrance the best. Andrew and Chantelle gave us the Harmony Stepping Stone that carries the symbols of sun and moon. He has been overseeing the planting of the beds. Glen scrounged orange lilies and holly hock seeds and we actually purchased some iris for the side bed. We were not thrilled with the three days of rain but the plants were thirsty and really perked up.
On Saturday we went to Holy Trinity's garage sale in Yorkton. It was the second day of their sale so it was $1.00 a bag. Interesting the items that were in the bag when we got home...little brass candle sticks...coasters from Wales...its always fun to see what treasures can be found.
We have spent alot of time in the basement priming. I think we are suffering from snow blindness and it is not the weather. White on white...and then it is white again. It is already for the top coat. Just a small hall way to prime...we used five gallons of primer and Glen went to Yorkton to get more primer late yesterday afternoon. The top coat should go on a little easier....we are hoping anyway.  

Clever Glen....

The laundry room is very small...a washer and dryer just fit. We have taken the closet beside the side entrance and put a little deep freeze in there...so I lost a space for the broom, and mops. So Glen came up with the perfect solution. Behind the door in the laundry room he installed a board with fittings to hold the clutter. Works like a charm.
Today the counter tops in the kitchen are being installed. It is a lot more complicated than I anticipated. Emil has it all under control and by days end we can put everything back into the kitchen. Not that we will remember where it all goes.
It is rather wet and dreary today. Glen planted some Iris this morning...and they love the cool and the drizzle. Yesterday he went to a garage sale and came home with a little wheel barrel and a rain barrel. We pried up a cement block for it to sit on and installed the rain barrel in the flower bed at the side of the house.
 

More Dirt.....

Glen of late has this fascination with dirt. The yard at this end of the house seemed to be sinking...so the plan is to build it up so that any moisture will not run into the foundation but away from it!!!! Yesterday the front end loader brought fill from the town and today it brought "soil" from our garden across the street. We have arranged with the neighbor to bring in "aged manure" to fertilize the garden plot. The plot is so large that we hope to plant some fruit trees as well as vegetables and flowers next year. At present we are in yard mode. However on the weekend it will be back to priming and painting as the drywall will be sanded and ready!!!!!
 

Use Your Imagination...

We are into Day Four of Operation Basment!!! Emil is taping and mudding the final coat. This is the big room that will be our Recreation Room. The stairwell leads right into this area. In behind is a smaller bedroom and a bathroom with shower. The former recreation room has been repaired and will become the Workspace where Glen will set up the computer and his research materials. I am hoping for a corner to sort pictures and create MANY photo albums. The next step is the suspended ceiling and then we will prime and paint. We went to the dollar store and bought paint trays on the weekend. The vinyl linoleum that we chose looks like ceramic tile...it is ordered and should be in by month's end. We are making progress!!!!
I am still scraping glue which held the carpet off the cement. It can only be done in small intervals. Glen is focusing his attention on grass and the planting of bulbs....tulips, hyacinths, daffodils anenomes and lilies. We should have
a beautiful showing come Spring!!!!