Can't wait! Call the Midwife

I can't wait to see the new (on this side of the pond) series "Call the Midwife" which starts in 2 weeks.  Love me a period drama!  And since the 3rd season of "Downton Abbey" doesn't start until January...this will suit me just fine!

It's based on the memoirs of a real midwife Jennifer Worth.  The plot follows newly-qualified midwife Jenny Lee and the work of midwives and the nuns of Nonnatus House, a nursing convent, coping with the medical problems in a deprived area of East London in the 1950s.  Of course I want to read the book first (actually, it's a trilogy). I checked with the public library first, but in the end I had to order the book from a local independent book store.  I should have it by the end of the week!

Happy Birthday Itty Bitty!

Has it really been three months since I last blogged?  Yeeesh!

First, this little guy.  I happened to stop at a yard sale today -- I KNOW!  On a SUNDAY!  In SEPTEMBER!!!  He is actually an old planter, that probably held a lovely tropical plant once upon a time - but I think he's going to go to work with me and hold pencils or something.  I was happy to pay 50¢ for him.  Seems we are seeing owls EVERYWHERE these days.  I clearly remember when owls were a hot 'motif' back in the 70's - so I guess this is some proof that styles become fashionable again.  Wouldn't he be cute on a teacher's desk full of #2 HB's?

So Itty Bitty has turned 19 today.  He is back at university, already hard at work on his second year.  He's sharing a cute little house with three other boys (2 he roomed with last year, and one more who was on the same floor).  I asked him this morning if he would like us to come down to visit today for "cake & steak" - - he declined, saying he needed to "study & sleep".  Have I taught this boy nothing???  Read the glossary, and you're good!

Sailor Boy remains in Halifax.  I haven't seen him in 14 months!!!!  We Skype, and Facebook, but  it would be nice to see him for a few days.  I mention this because there is a chance that he is reading this....

Work is incredible.  And incredibly busy!  I have a couple of huge projects on the go, plus a student social worker who has recently joined us for the next 8 months, plus all of the regular stuff that keeps me hopping.

I will be taking a bit of a break next month.  My sister has organized a girly-getaway - 3 days in a cottage with 11 other women.  They will be scrapbooking - - I'll probably be doing NOTHING!  Reading novels, maybe a little cross-border shopping, and if the weather remains mild - sitting outside relaxing.  Looking forward to it!  I've taken the whole week off, so I'll have a couple of days at home too.

Ah ... I seem to remember that I used to quilt.  Haven't done that in AGES!  Of course, with Itty Bitty here for the summer, taking up my sewing room, and his computer set up on my sewing table - it wasn't exactly going to be easy to do anything too crafty.  Now that he's gone, I need to clean up the mess that's in there - it looks like a fabric bomb went off!  

I've become addicted to Pinterest recently - I really want to make one of these!

It was 'pinned' from here: http://www.texasfreckles.com/2010/04/random-friday.html  but I've now seen a couple of different ones on Pinterest.

That's about it - nothing much changes around here!

Walk Along the Speed River

Itty Bitty and I went for a walk along the river tonight.  It was drizzling a bit, but not enough to keep us from a stroll down to feed the geese.  Both of us were stunned to see a couple of these little guys swimming along the bank of the river.  At first, Itty Bitty though they were some kind of otter, but then we saw that big flat tail come up out of the water, and we knew we were looking at a pair of beavers!



Most of the baby geese are now awkward adolescents (and ugly!)  But they were the mostly likely to eat right out of my hand - absolutely fearless.

Went to a Quilt Store

Today's goal was to find a Dr. Scholl's Custom Orthotics kiosk for Hubby. I've been bugging him for years to have orthotics made, but his doctor refused to give him a referral.  Standing all day in a kitchen causes him lots of foot pain.  We had to go to Kitchener (where we always get lost).



Pretty soon we found ourselves in Waterloo - might as well go to St. Jacob's right? We had the very yummy brunch buffet at the Stone Crock.  Well worth the drive!



I remember hearing that Reichard's from Elmira had moved St. Jacob's, and decided if I saw it, I would stop in to check it out. It's not on the main street, but I turned a corner to get turned around, and there it was!  The air conditioning was fantastic!  Hubby and I just stood under the vent - ahhhh!  I have to say that I didn't like this store as much as the old one.  It's cramped, and the staff asked Hubby if he needed help...what the?????  I didn't see anything on the walls that inspired me.

On the way home (the return trip was back roads - I'd had quite enough of Kitchener-Waterloo roads for one afternoon) we listened to "Tapestry" (you can listen online) on CBC Radio, which featured an interview with Jeanette Winterson talking about her memoir "Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal".  It sounded so interesting, we went directly to Chapters to pick up a copy.



I believe today is day 3 of Black Cohosh.  I think it is helping.  I slept like a LOG last night - even slept in!  I didn't get out of bed until 10:30 this morning.

Back to work in the morning.  I forgot to mention that my funding has been extended, so I have another year in Guelph. YAY!!!!  We are thrilled!

My Favourite Neighbourhood Personality

My favourite neighbourhood personality no longer believes that I emigrated from Roma with him. He's also learned my name.  Isn't that sweet?

Except he comes into the office and yells for me.  (He knows I keep pudding cups and cookies in my desk.)

I've tried to talk to him about it. I told him he can't keep doing that or I'm going to get FIRED!  He told me that his brother would take care of me if that happened, and that I don't need a boss when I have a brother like his. I'm not sure what that means....but said in a very thick Italian accent??? Should I warn my employer that she may soon hear of an offer she can't refuse?

I was out of the office yesterday attending a meeting.  Seems my buddy came in looking for me.  Our new admin guy told him that I wasn't in.

"Heh. Mebbe she dead."

My Inner Child is Playing with Matches!

I've had the air conditioning on since March.

I fantasize about paddling around the North Atlantic on an iceberg.

My colleagues threatened to turn on the furnace last week.  I threatened to take my clothes off.

I'm hot.

So hot.  

Very very hot.

And recently?  You can add grumpy, mean, short-tempered, and bitter.  But mostly hot. I snapped off the head of a co-worker today who whined about the chilliness of 72 Frickin' Degrees Farenheit!!!!!  That is the DEFINITION OF ROOM TEMPERATURE PEOPLE!!!!

I met with a woman this morning (she works at another agency up the street from my office) and expressed my dissatisfaction with the temperature of HER office.  She recommended Black Cohosh and sent me to the health food store.  She swears it did her a world of good.  Not surprisingly, my colleagues are cheered up by the thought that I'm taking some action.

Doors Open

Have you heard about Doors Open?  Nothing like a Sunday drive - to leisurely learn more about the places and people around us.

A few weeks ago, Hubby and I went to Doors Open Hamilton.

 Hamilton Harbour

 Love the tiled floor at Dundurn Castle!  It looks like a Bonnie Hunter quilt!

 I'm always charmed by these schoolgirl samplers -disappointed that anti-glare glass is not in the frame.

 We spent a long while in this Serbian church.  It was like taking a trip to Europe! 

The frescos that covered the entire interior were painted by one man, and took him five years to complete.  There are no pews in this church - the congregation stands during mass (although there are benches around the perimeter for those who may need a bit of a rest).  And the burning of incense is not reserved for special occasions - spicy smoke filled the church.

 Smokestack at the Museum of Steam and Technology

 Baby chicks hide under the skirts of a 'pioneer girl' at Westfield Heritage Village

Also at Westfield Heritage Village