Brrr...again

This says it all!

Straight from the source HERE

Active Weather Information

After a weak warm up at the end of last week, Prairie temperatures plummeted again over the weekend reaching an all-time low in Edmonton.

At one point on Saturday night, Edmonton had the dubious distinction of being the coldest place on Earth. The record low temperature of -46 degrees was measured at the Edmonton International Airport. With the Wind Chill, it felt colder than -50. The city itself was a balmy -35 degrees before factoring the Wind Chill.
Edmonton's frigid temperature was exceeded by a station in Siberia where the lowest temperature measured on Saturday night was -48 degrees. Edmonton's -46 degrees was 2 degrees off the coldest temperature ever recorded for the Airport. Set back on January 26, 1972, the coldest temperature recorded is -48.3 degrees. Saturday also saw the coldest low ever recorded at the Airport in December. Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights also saw record low temperatures for Edmonton Airport.
Temperatures will continue to be frigid for the next couple of days before warming up mid-week. On Thursday, Edmonton is currently expected to reach a high of 2 degrees!

Snow day

This is my dear Joe out back blowing the snow drift off the deck last night.  We have garden doors that open outward, so it's important to keep the snow cleared so our aging dog Cody can get outside.  In the big picture it wasn't a ton of white stuff but when you think that a mere 12 hours prior, I was looking out at a very brown backyard.  I'm going to move our garbage cans around a bit and see if that helps divert the drifts back from the house.  Nothing to lose by trying.

This is my new Advent calendar I just finished...a bit late but it's done now!  My daughter Lesley helped me quite a bit.  She cut all the squares, the scalloped circles and even took me shopping for the tins (Michael's in the wedding favour aisle).  The one thing I had some trouble with was the numbers and the title lettering.  Not having acess to a Cuttlebug or Cricut, I has to resort to my computer and some card stock.  The hardest part being the font size.  It was only then that I realized I didn't have the right size circle punch...so I hand cut each round.  Guess what will be on my birthday wish list next?!  It's a great project Lesley learned last year at a Stampin Up gathering.  She has posted directions on her stamping blog  Towne Stamper.  Check it out!  BTW - each tin is large enough for 4 small treats...I'm using Hersey Kisses!  Yum! Thanks for the help Lesley!

Fantastic few days

I don't know where to start!  lol I guess at the beginning - silly me!

Tuesday our SIL Jeff arrived on his last business trip.I would have loved it if Heather and Jonathan could have accompanied him but Heather is busy at her new job and Jonathan is still settling into the new home.   Heather is operator of an older MWWH outlet and has a mini renovation underway...new fixtures, carpet, etc as well as hiring her temp staff and try to increase sales.  Jeff & I had a nice chat and caught up.  As Joe was coming into the house, I headed out for my quilting guild meeting.

The meeting was quiet to say the least...only 4 members in attendance.   But we had the best chance to chat amongst each other, see their projects, and best of all...exchange ideas!   Kim has suggested a sampler idea for a BOM for the new year.  We'll all do the same block but with our choice of fabric, block size etc.  I'm excited about this.  Kim has wonderful visions from her many skilled years of quilting.

Well didn't Kim surprise me last night!  She showed up on my front porch with a lovely bundle of dotty fabric from her stash!   We had been talking about a few gorgeous quilts made entirely of dotted fabrics! Kim so kindly started my stash toward my very own dotty creation!

Last night Joe mad a sumptuous cheese fondue...a nice white wine and 2 different cheeses, veggies of all types, and some of my homemade bread - YUM! I was a bit hesitant jumping on the scales this morning after such a treat but I was pleased to see I didn't derail myself.  Tuesday was Day 1 of our family version of The Biggest Loser.  It's so nice to have the family support along the way.  I feel their love as I struggle with my eating demons.  I tend to snack when I'm a) bored or b) tired.  Now I now that, it's easier to address the cause.

We are having our first snow storm of the season, all the brown grass is covered with 15 cm of white fluffy snow.  Tonight we are decorating our tree...and I feel so happy cuz...

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas!

The real truth!

Heather spilled the beans...we goofed big time! I was so worried about forgetting the cake topper, we forgot our dress clothes! We were just outside Calgary when the light bulb went on...so turn around, go back, and do it all over. Of course we were dragging the cake this whole time! And, did we mention it was snowing from Lacombe to Innisfail? Went through it 3 times Friday! But as the saying goes...A crisis is only a crisis if we make it one! And we didn't! It was nice that we can laugh about it. Thanks for holding supper for us Heather,Jeff, Jonathan & Bob!

Shades of grey

Highs & Lows

Dinner with our company went very well last night. I think because it wasn't planned to death and we just let things happen, we were all more relaxed.

Today we completed a Freecycle give away. I had posted for pick up only, but I'm a real softie at heart. She has 3 little ones and trying to coordinate that and a trip to our place wasn't going to be easy. I don't like going back on my word so once I found out the area she lives in, I asked DH to take the 4 poster double bed to work with him so she could meet there. Made her commute almost minutes long/short!, and it really wasn't out of our way. To top it off, I got a lovely email thank you from her...her 4 year old son has just moved into a big bed with his younger brother...ahhh....I'm so glad I didn't brush her off and move to the next applicant. I passed the thank you on to DH so he could feel the love!

I just learned this morning that our worse fears were realized...our SIL's father does have cancer, and its aggressive. Unfortunately the family isn't one of those lovey-dovey ones like ours - we talk about EVERYTHING...they talk about nothing....so we'll wait and just be ready to be there when the call comes. He'll be in our thoughts and prayers more than ever.

Today is simply fabulous weather wise...but those mean weather people are still calling for that white stuff to come out of the sky over the next few days. Good thing I had a chance to go out and enjoy myself. Guess what...my freckles are starting to re-appear! Now that's a sign of spring!

I'm going to try and get back into my stitching/crafting in May. the rest of this month is pretty hectic, Dad's taxes are proving to be difficult...mostly with his disability credit etc...and then we have that silly wedding cake to make for May 5!

My May wish list may include Frederick, and a LeMoyne Star quilt for Jonathan. Will keep you posted as to my progress or regression....hopefully the former. Thanks for stopping by!

So this is what spring looks like!

This was the sight out our back door April 3, 2007.

Kinda cool for spring, don't you think?

Come on inside and you'll feel the difference!

These radishes don't know the calendar date or the outside temperatures!

Smiling Now

I found a ladybug crawling across my kitchen counter! It wasn't there when I wiped it down after breakfast dishes. Maybe she came in on Cody!

I let her crawl onto a flyer and I took her out to the greenhouse, which is a balmy 27.4'C inside. Our temp outside is just on the plus side of zero, no melting yet today.

Fingers crossed that my little friend isn't with "child" and overtakes my greenhouse!!!!

Mute Monday

Brrr!

I wish I was commenting on my stitching progress instead of the weather. We had a blizzard yesrterday and it seemed to consume my whole day. Listening to the latest reports...60 cars in the ditch along the stretch of highway DH travels...watching out the front window to see the snow drifts slowly start to cover the first three steps. I knew it would be a great day for homemade soup, so I put on a batch of beef barley. DH was starved by the time he got home from work and snowblowed the driveway. Since my back surgery, I don't push myself too hard when it comes to that sort of thing. I did manage to keep the sidewalks, steps and porch cleared.

This morning, the snow was died down but the winds continue to be a problem as the temperatures plummet to minus 30. Maybe today I'll curl up with a hot cup of tea and stitch myself into a warm fuzzy spot.