Apr 2009
Teeny tiny shoe
Thursday, April 30, 2009
I’m storing a bike for someone until the new owner can pick it up and today I got the key for the lock that is on the bike. The key was given to me loose, so I put it on one of my old keychains that I can part with. It’s real leather, tiny stitching, truly a miniature Reebok running shoe.
Kick these puppies to the curb
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
I love my Hush Puppies. I have many pair; one of my faves is bright purple. I keep looking for a red suede pair — found one shoe at Value Village a couple of years ago but couldn’t locate the mate. I picked up this pair at the Sally Ann I think. They were fine for walking around the store a couple of times, but the right shoe just rubs the wrong way. Not good for walking around town. Back they go. After I clean the dirt off the soles.
Bye bye to some money
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
No time for looking around and taking a photo today. I spent most of the past three days entering receipts and bills into my accounting program, and making a push to finish today and fill out my tax return using QuickTax. I finally printed it out and hand delivered it to the corner of death and taxes. That is the name for an intersection in town with a Revenue Canada building on one corner and a funeral home on the corner across the street. It was satisfying to hear the thump of the envelope as it hit the bottom of the drop box at Rev Can. And I’m two days before deadline! That’s almost a record.
My prince has come (and gone)
Monday, April 27, 2009
Thrifty Foods, a grocery chain in my city will soon no longer provide plastic bags. Paper bags will cost 10 cents each. I’ve been using my own cloth shopping bags and re-using plastic bags for years, so I applaud this decision. I think we should all use re-usable containers as much as possible (though I’m hoarding plastic bags to dispose of kitty litter because I can’t quite think of what else to use for that task). As such, I don’t like to get rid of metal containers that could be used to store things, but I have enough little tins. I will just have to find something else if the day comes when I think “Ah, shouldn’t have let that Prince of Wales tea tin slip away....”
Jar jar
Sunday, April 26, 2009
My neighbour made some delicious blackberry jelly last year from the blackberries in her yard. Gave me a jar. I have already given her back the empty jar to re-use and might as well give her some of the other jars I’ve been saving. I think she puts up quite a few different fruits. I helped out with a lot of canning when I was little. My grandmother would can blackberries. I remember my parents canning peaches. Then we got a freezer and we’d set up a production line in the kitchen to freeze peaches. Now I freeze about 80lbs of blueberries every year and dehydrate a few hundred apples from the three trees in our backyard. Reminds me, I still have lots of dried ones to eat up. The blossoms will be out soon and the August harvest will be here again faster than I can believe possible.
No more ugly plants
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Fostering struggling plants is no longer on my list of what I want to do. They look too sad. I’ve changed my mind about trying to save them, trying to root all the stems that fall off — if I don’t like the way it looks, out it goes. I was given three or four African violets last year, so this ancient one has been replaced anyway.
The plant not the dog
Friday, April 24, 2009
So I bought a tree peony, hoping the blooms would be like the ones on my neighbour’s tree peony. I waited six years for it to bloom. Not at all what I expected. Lovely blossoms in their own way, but not the floppy spectacular ones I thought I was getting. Anyway, I gave the peony a couple more years, but I’d rather replace it with something I’m really excited about. I dropped the plant off at my friend’s this morning. One of the pruned branches from my climbing hydrangea had rooted over the winter, so I stuck that in the pot too. The leaves on the peony are just starting to come out. I had fun throwing the ball for Kyro.
Squeezed out
Thursday, April 23, 2009
I used to bake. Lemon loaf, banana bread. Sugar cookies in pretty shapes, with white icing. At one point I was searching for the perfect shortbread cookie recipe for a cookie press. I think I did find it, but there’s so much more cleanup with gadgets compared with just dropping batter from a spoon or rolling out soft dough and using a drinking glass as a cookie cutter. I think I used this set once. I don’t bake any more.
The sweater not the cat
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
One of my husband’s sweaters. It has been in an upstairs closet, in a stack of four sweaters, for the past couple of years. He hasn’t worn it once in that time. He agreed to let me take it o the Sally Ann. One of the other sweaters in the pile was the one he was wearing the first time we kissed, so even though he hasn’t put that one on in years either, he said it has too many memories for him to give it away. (Bear showed up to sniff as I was taking the photo. Now just have to catch Mika in a picture and all four cats will have been posted to the site.)
Whirl away
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
I was maid of honour at my dear friend’s wedding (hmmm, more than 13 years ago). She got this blender as a present, didn’t need it, and gave it to me. I used it for years to make smoothies. I bought a hand blender about three years ago and haven’t used this one since. I have a “backup” mentality. Always keep an extra around if I have it, just in case. But this takes up a lot of room in a kitchen cupboard. So long.
Back to the clutter!
Monday, April 20, 2009
Had a few days of internet hosting issues. Hoping all is resolved now, with a new host, and I’ll be back to daily (or near daily) entries.
Loonie tunes
Saturday, April 18, 2009
I’m putting up two items today, since I didn’t post yesterday. The loon went to Wendy last night as an addition to her avian avenue. Carved by Vancouver folk artist Gunnar Gormsen. I gave the book to a friend who is taking a trip to the Galapagos Islands this summer. It’s a book my mother gave me, but I’ve never read it. It’s called Floreana: A Woman’s Pilgrimage to the Galapagos.
Magazines
Thursday, April 16, 2009
My friend gave me a subscription to Saltscapes, which I enjoyed reading. I spent many childhood summers in Nova Scotia and this was a lovely reminder of the Maritimes. My inclination is to save magazines, but I am learning to resist. These have now been passed on to my mom (who I hope doesn’t keep them when she’s finished with them).
Hot stuff
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
I lusted after this pepper grinder. Bought it on a trip to Seattle, at Nordstroms. Someone gave me a matching salt and pepper set a few years later though, and that’s what we use now. This is a spare. But who needs a spare pepper grinder? I still like the sleek design of this model.
Turn these pages
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
My weekly book giveaway. These went to a friend. I read Nearlyweds: quick and light, a bit of froth. Haven’t read the other one yet, but somehow I ended up with two copies, so I still have one waiting for me on the shelf. 
Losing these keys
Monday, April 13, 2009
The junk that accumulates. Got a new door last year, with a new lockset. These keys are useless to me now. Why am I reluctant to get rid of them? I’ve got quite a collection of antique keys, but these certainly don’t qualify. Just toss ’em.
Organize this
Sunday, April 12, 2009
These pull-out wire drawers have been in storage. I think they were part of a closet organizing system that was in the house when we moved in, or they might have been on someone’s lawn as free stuff, which I have a hard time resisting (I’m getting better at it though). Either way, this unit is out on my lawn now, hoping that someone will find it useful and take it away. It’s been a day and a half so far though, and no nibbles.
Clear all
Sunday, April 12, 2009
I remember my dad took a trip to the States in the early seventies and came home with one of the first Texas Instruments calculators — costing more than $100! Now they are free in cereal boxes. This Canon is an older model; it runs on a battery that needs replacing every couple of years. I haven’t replaced it in a long time and now I have to find somewhere to recycle that battery. All these years later my main calculator is coincidentally a Texas Instruments one, but solar-powered. It should last the rest of my life.
The vase not the cat
Friday, April 10, 2009
I’m getting tough with myself now and going through my vases again. I really like the frosted glass on this one, it’s heavy and holds a single big flower very well. Oh well. I know I can’t just get rid of obsolete and useless things, I’m going to have to get rid of things I like too. Things I have enjoyed using. (Barger always gets curious when I take out the camera and goes to sniff whatever I’m setting up.)
Animorphous
Thursday, April 09, 2009
Whew! This stack of Animorphs is finally on its way to a young boy. Now I have to keep track of which ones I’ve sent him and which ones he still needs. There are more than 50 books in this series. I carry a list in my purse so when I’m at a thrift store and see an Animorphs on the shelf I can check if it’s one I’m looking for. I have already found more than 30 for another kid. So I guess I have two lists on the go now. I suppose it’s like me and my favourite crime writers — kids have their favourites too.
Ratty mouse
Wednesday, April 08, 2009
Always bringing home new cat toys to see if I can stimulate the aging felines into a bit of play. This mouse is splitting a seam. And it has ordinary stuffing, no tempting catnip inside. There are dozens of other toys lying around -- I’m sure one gets sucked up into the vacuum every time I clean house.
Free shine
Tuesday, April 07, 2009
Clean, never been used. Genuine leather handles, made in Italy. I believe this is for buffing shoes. I picked it up at a thrift store thinking I could thread my seatbelt through it to give me a soft edge where the belt rubbed the side of my neck. The mechanics of it just didn’t work and I didn’t want to cut the buffer up to slide it on. Anyone out there still shine shoes? I have a whole kit I use about once a year. But I prefer a good old-fashioned brush to this sort of buffer.
Stir crazy
Monday, April 06, 2009
More cocktail paraphernalia. I prefer my alcohol straight up, though I won’t say no to a vodka gimlet. Since I’ve never even taken these out of the box, I’d say it’s likely I’ll never use them. Pretty glass daisy stir sticks.
Hitting the books
Sunday, April 05, 2009
I was off my blog for several days. Spent some time with my parents. Went through a couple of the bookshelves in my mom’s office. Convinced her to get rid of some books. Remember The Celestine Prophecy? I know my my parents didn’t buy it; trying to figure out who might have given it to them. I haven’t read it, just like I haven’t read The Secret. Convinced her that two knick knacks should go too. I think she’s going to put the turtle and the mushroom in the garden, but at least they’ll be out of the house and one step closer to the trunk of the car (and a trip to the thrift store donation box). Keep it up mom! And send me a progress report on that stack of books you said you can’t get rid of yet because you are definitely going to read them.
