Wednesday Medley: Let 'er fly

It's been a strange day so far!  I got up early to do my workout, as usual, and it was just in time for an early morning storm that rolled in.  The power went out once, but otherwise I was able to complete my workout amidst the thunder and lightening.  I got myself ready and was just heading downstairs to grab my lunch when I got a text from my boss saying the power was out at the office, no point in coming in until it was back on.  Hydro was estimating 10:30.  So I went to my mom's for a longer-than-usual breakfast before returning home to wait for a text.  I settled in with my book and read for about an hour, when I got the text to say the power was back on.  So I'm here at my desk, and it feels so strange to be doing my normal routine an hour later!

In any case... I'm going to squeeze in a quick Wednesday Medley post today!

1. Tell us about the first airplane ride you took and do you like to fly?

My first time on a plane was in January 2011, when I went to Cuba with friends for Kerry-Lynn & Jeff's wedding.  I was very nervous being my first time flying, and my first time going south, but after losing two of my cousins suddenly the summer before, it was very much a "life is short, seize the moment, live each day to the fullest" time in my life.  I remember sitting beside Brittany and holding her hand (kind of funny that I was taking comfort and consolation in the flying experience of a kid who was much younger than me lol!), and she kept reassuring me that every bump and movement was normal. 

I have flown several times since (once to Florida, twice to Nova Scotia) and while the flights have been mostly uneventful, I am always very happy when we land safely and I can move on to my destination.  I'm not a fan of the airport rigmarole or flying in general, but I take it as a necessary step to get me somewhere fun & exciting (or back home again, which I'm usually very happy to return to!)

2. Have you ever gone hang gliding and was it on the beach with a power boat, or from a mountain with only the wind and your body?

That would be a hard no on the hang gliding. lol!  If  I was to do it, I'd be more tempted to try the behind-the-boat style.  I've watched them gliding off the Gatineau Hills near where my sister lives, and I think I'd be panicking.  I'd be so worried about where I'd land!!  (Maybe they have more control over that than I realize?)

3. Have you ever gone kite flying and with whom?

I can't say kite flying memories are rushing to me.  I'm sure I did it as a kid, but the few times I tried, I don't feel it was very successful.

4. Experimental aircraft is quite popular as a hobby.  Have you or anyone you know ever constructed a flying machine and did you ride in it?

I definitely don't know anyone who has constructed a flying machine lol.  I have an uncle who owns an airplane, but I have never been up in it (and I don't think I would want to, either!!)

5. Another big hobby is Radio Controlled Airplanes.  Have you ever seen them flying or tried your hand at it?

Nope! BUT - there is a guy who usually shows up at our office every summer asking if he and his friends can fly their radio controlled planes in one of our fields.  I have never witnessed them at it, though.  I have never even seen a drone.  I apparently don't have much experience in this department! lol!!

6.  Tell us something about your week.

This was supposed to be Crochet Week.  I told anyone that would listen that I planned to devote every evening and all weekend to crocheting items to enter in the Shawville Fair.  I was supposed to be doing this all summer, but... here we are, a week away from the Fair, and hardly anything to show for it.  And so far this week?  Much of the same.  I am working on a baby blanket, but I haven't spent much time on it. I'm hoping that maybe I can get it done tonight, then move on to a dish cloth & towel set, maybe another toddler sunhat, and possibly a women's scarf (all smaller projects that I thought I might be able to get done in a short amount of time).  Here's hoping I get hit with some cro-jo soon!!!

The Weekend Rundown

This past weekend was one of those weekends when I wished I had a weekend to get over my weekend...  But oh, the fun I had!!  

Friday I got off work a little bit early and took advantage of an hour out on the deck reading.  I'm so enjoying the book Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane but I'm struggling to find time to actually read.  So it was nice to get that hour on the deck while the sun was shining.

As 5 o'clock rolled around, I went in and got ready as I was heading out to a trivia night at the Little Red Wagon, a lovely little winery just up the road in Shawville.  My friend Lolly had recruited a bunch of us to join her for the fun, and I was quick to jump at the opportunity.  Not only did we laugh a lot (as I knew we would!!), we enjoyed an amazing meal (seriously, drool-worthy), delicious pitchers of wine spritzers, and we were pretty darn good at the trivia too... riiiight up until the last question lol.  We were in first place going into the final question, which was a two-parter worth 5 points each.  We got both wrong, and dropped to second-last place. Whoops. LOL!  Overall, it was a fabulous evening and I'm hoping there will be another one in our future!

Saturday morning I awoke to a drizzly, dreary day.  To most, this would signify a crappy summer Saturday, but as I have mentioned a few times, I was kind of hoping for a rainy weekend day so that I could have a summer movie marathon.  (It always seems a waste of a beautiful day to sit inside and watch movies, hence why I hope for a rainy one!!)  The rain held off long enough for me to take another hour on the deck late morning to read, and then I settled in for the afternoon with my crocheting, a bowl of cheese popcorn, and the movies Rookie of the Year and The Sandlot.  I hung in for the first one, but fell asleep during the second lol.  That was OK, though, because I needed a nap before heading out for another fun evening out!!

This time, I joined friends Lolly and Missy as we headed to Cobden to the Whitewater Brewing Co. for dinner, and then we found an ice cream spot for dessert as well.  After dinner and ice cream, we scooted back over to the Quebec side to Campbell's Bay, where Summerfest was being held.  The reason?  The band Little Bones was playing that night, and when there's a Hip tribute band playing in my vicinity, you can bet I'm going to be there!!  My expectations were low - I've been a Hip fan for a long time, and three years after seeing them perform live for the final time, I didn't really think this band would measure up.  Gord Downie is irreplaceable.  But I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised.  This dude really did sound like Gord.  And his band was just as good.  They played every Hip song under the sun throughout their two sets and encore, even a few that The Hip themselves never played live (like 38 Years Old), and if I closed my eyes, I could almost pretend it was really them.

The only downfall of Little Bones?  They started late, which meant a much later night than I expected.  And yes, I am an old lady who doesn't like staying up past 11 PM anymore.  lol!  I feel hungover the next day when I'm tired, even if I've had little to nothing to drink.  (This time, I had 3 Michelob Ultras... so no, not enough to even feel a buzz.  They were not my reason for feeling blech,)

Regardless, I got up Sunday morning and went to church, then headed to Mom's for lunch afterwards.  My brother and his kids were there, so we hung out for a bit before Neve and I decided to go in for a nap.  Noah joined us, and while he never fell asleep, he played quietly with his toys while the girls snoozed.  It was much needed for me!!  Man, I can't handle late nights anymore!!  When I woke up, we had supper and then went for ice cream.  After that, I went home and started watching a doc on Netflix about Woodstock but I was falling asleep again so I packed 'er in for the night very early.

I was totally out of sorts yesterday.  I had a naggy little headache that bugged me all day, and spent the afternoon yawning my head off.  (I HATE yawning at work, it feels so rude.)  I had big ideas of making stuffed pasta shells for supper, but when my brother texted and said they were picking up corn for supper, I decided to forfeit my pasta plans for a night when I felt more like it.  I went to Mom's for corn and sausage on a bun, and then back home to do laundry and finish that Woodstock documentary.  It was another early night.

Today - back to normal!  My head's still been achey but it's better than yesterday, and the hungover feeling is finally gone.  The rest of this week is going to be all about the crochet!!  I would like to submit some entries in Shawville Fair this year, but I am not as prepared as I had hoped to be.  So I'm going to see what I can get done during the next week.  We shall see!

What I'm Loving Wednesday: Summer Loves

I've been thinking the past week or so of some of the things I've been LOVING lately, and this summer in general.  Here's a little list of them!

• My shades - I never buy expensive sunglasses, because they usually get scratched or broken or lost.  So every spring, I get a new pair from Walmart or the pharmacy or whatever.  This year, I happened upon discounted sunnies on the Rickis website and bought a few pairs on a whim.  I had low expectations without seeing them in person, but they've been great!  And so far in good shape, so maybe I won't even need to buy new ones next year!!
  
  
• Jean shorts & luxe swing tops from Old Navy - I admit, as last winter started to fade and spring sprung, I was dreading getting into summer clothing.  I'm just so much more comfortable in leggings and sweaters, being completely covered up and hidden.  But I bought a few pairs of jean shorts from Old Navy that ended up fitting perfectly, and I love their luxe swing tank tops for being loose, cool, and hiding my unflattering very large muffin top.  I have two pairs of the shorts and the top in four different colours, and I have worn all of them a lot.  
• Pineapple earrings from Newborn Feathers - My friend Sharon had a Facebook jewelry party back early in the summer, and I ordered a few pairs of the earrings.  I have loved them so much that I've ordered twice more since then, and I am now currently hosting my own online party!  I've loved all of the earrings I've bought so far, but my rose gold pineapples have been the ones I've worn the most. They are so much fun for the summer!
  
• Coconut Body Butter from The Body Shop - This was a birthday gift from my sister, and oh, how I've been enjoying it.  I love the smell of summer, and I've realized that mostly means I love the smell of sunscreen lol.  The coconutty scent of the body butter is delicious, and I love how it's helping to moisturizer my tanned skin.  
  
• My sandals - This was another online purchase in the spring that worked out SO well.  But I didn't think so initially.  I used to have a pair of black Nike sports sandals that were my most comfy sandals.  A few years ago they broke, and I never replaced them.  I decided for work this year I'd like to find another pair that I could wear comfortably all day long.  I ordered a pair of Under Armour sandals through Amazon, and at first I thought they were a mistake.  The straps were so tight on the top of my feet that they dug in and left painful marks.  But I persevered in the hopes that the straps would stretch a little, and they DID!  A week later they were perfectly comfy and now, several months later, they still look brand new and haven't worn down hardly at all.  Pretty impressive for sandals I've worn literally EVERY day since June!
  
• My summer reads - I wanted to immerse myself in good summer books, and I have had a great few months of reading!  So far, I have read Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan, The Mister by EL James, Bossypants by Tina Fey, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid, and I'm now well into Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane.  I have read all of these relatively quickly (for someone who considers herself a slow reader, this is a victory!) and I've very much enjoyed them.  Nothing I love better than sitting in the sun on the back deck reading on a beautiful summer's day!
  
• Big Brother - As I mentioned yesterday, it is my summer guilty pleasure.  I usually backlog the episodes and watch the whole week's worth on Saturday morning.  It took me a while to get "into" this summer's cast, but as usual, I eventually got caught up in their drama!  (And I'm a Michie fan. Even though he seems to have fallen from grace in there, I'm still rooting for him.)
  
• My summer jams - Every summer needs a soundtrack, and here's a few that make up mine!  
• One Thing Right - Marshmello & Kane Brown
• The soundtrack for the movie Yesterday
• Ed Sheeran's No. 6 Collaborations album (especially South of the Border ft. Camilla Cabello and Cardi B)
• You Need to Calm Down - Taylor Swift
• Beer Never Broke My Heart - Luke Combs
• Greatest Love Story - LANCO
• Knockin' Boots - Luke Bryan
• Somebody's Daughter - Tenille Townes
• Down to the Honky Tonk - Jake Owens
• And honourable mention to Old Town Road by Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus, because my 4-year-old nephew asks me to play it on my phone every weekend and asks, "Do you got the 10 hour version, Jilly?"  And none of us knows what he's talking about, but no, buddy, I definitely do not have the 10 hour version. LOL!
• My glider - I mentioned it yesterday, and I've only had it a few weeks, but it has been a wonderful addition to my deck and I am so grateful to my friend Lindsay and her family for gifting it to me.  I just love gliding and reading on my deck!
  
• Chipstand & Ice cream dates - My waistline is waiting for the day when these places close, but my gosh there's nothing I love better than a summer evening spent either at Robert's chipstand or at Marcotte's ice cream (or sometimes both.)  
  

What are YOU loving about summer??

Summering Hard

Anyone else feel like this summer is flying by like a streak of lightening?  I know I'm not alone in that feeling!!  A late start following a particularly crappy spring has led to me trying to cling to these summer days for dear life.  And yes, I do still love fall, and winter is still my favourite season, but I'm just not ready for that yet. 

Here's a quick bullet point list of what's been going down this summer:

• Pool days, and lots of 'em!
  
  
  
  
• Beach days.  Several!  Every summer I swear I'm going to spend more time at the beach, and this year I can say I've been successful.  I've had two of them at Aunt Marion & Uncle Eric's, and an evening and a day in Norway Bay.  And I'm hoping I'm not done yet.
  
  
• Reading on the deck.  And most recently, in my new GLIDER!!  A surprise birthday gift from the Woermkes that has become my new favourite spot to settle in with a good book. :)
• Side-note: I started reading The Tonight Show Summer Reads book club choice (if Jimmy Fallon starts a book club, you know I'm in!!) - the fans voted for "Ask Again, Yes" by Mary Beth Keane.  I am about half way through it and I CANNOT put this book down.  I'm so hooked.  And I can't even pinpoint why.  I just can't wait to get home to read each night.  SO good.
  
• Speaking of birthday... I celebrated my birthday! First at the Tractor & Truck pull the day before, then with a BBQ and cake with the fam on the day of, and lots of celebrating on my week off.
  
  
  
  
• Speaking of my week off... it was marvelous!!  Filled with fun activities, yet relaxing all the same.  It needs several bullet points of its own to cover it all. lol!  So here we go:
• An unexpected day out with my sister and her family.  I had planned to just veg at home that first day, but instead we went glow-in-the-dark mini putting, then went down to Landsdowne (I had never been!)  We had dinner at place called "Local" (best fish tacos I've ever haaaad), strolled around, bought chocolate at the Lindt store ($25 worth in fact lol), ate gourmet cinnamon buns at Cinnaholic, played in a park, and just had a fun casual afternoon/evening.  
  
  
  
  
• We went to see The Lion King (and LOVED it!!), then had dinner at the Chelsea Pub and ice cream at La Cigale.  (This was my one birthday wish, and it was delightful!)
  
  
  
  
• A relaxing day at the pool at Donna & Eric's with Kara, Chris & the kids, including a picnic lunch of snacks.
  
• My mom and I went on a road trip with my Aunt Marion to Newboro and Westport.  We shopped, had lunch at The Stagecoach Inn (NOT the best fish tacos I've ever had), shopped some more, then ended the day in beautiful Almonte where we dined at Cafe Postino... it was absolutely delicious!!  
  
  
  
  
• On the Friday, we had a beach day at Aunt Marion & Uncle Eric's.  All the fam-jam gathered, my cousin Dave roasted a pork loin, and we had a wonderful dinner of pork on a bun with a wide array of salads. Yum!  Beach days are the best days!!
  
• I attended a Celebration of Life for my friend's uncle.  This might sound like a "downer" thing to have to do on vacation, but despite it being a sad occasion, I actually had a great time.  It was held at the local Legion, and it was nice to visit with all of the friends and family that were gathered there.  Casey was also playing music which I really enjoyed, and it was just a really good afternoon and evening with friends.
• On Sunday, the church was closed for the long weekend but instead the Sunday School hosted a walk/bike-a-thon to raise money for their new program being implemented this fall.  It was a gorgeous morning, and I had a great time walking with family and friends.  It was a not only a very successful fundraiser, but also probably the only time I've had close to 10K steps before noon on a Sunday! haha!
  
  
  
  
• The Civic Holiday Monday was my last day off, and I spent it at the beach with friends.  We were a smaller group that we originally thought, but had such a nice relaxing day.  Not even a snake sighting scared me off! ;)
  
  
  
  
• A trip to the Carp Farmer's Market.  This trip yielded me: a delicious box of scones, a jar of pepper jelly, a basket of fresh strawberries, bath bombs, and butter tarts.  We also had lunch - homemade perogies, a falafel wrap, and gelato.  So good!
  
  
  
  
• Summertime Book Club... which we just had this past Friday at Jenna's, which was lovely.  Sitting out on her screened-in porch, enjoying snacks, drinks, and lots of laughs.  I missed the one in June so I was glad to be there with the girls for this one.
• MVT Golf Day!!
  
• I sunburned half of my face.
  
• Watching Big Brother.  My summer guilty pleasure!!  
• Trips for Ice Cream - more than I can count!!  
  
• Banana Popsicles... another of my summer favourites!
• Easy summer suppers on hot days... I've been enjoying these simple no-oven-necessary suppers on hot nights quite often. Nachos (in the mircowave), or plates of crackers and cheese, veggies and dip, and a handful of nuts.  
• One night at the ball field!  And I admit I almost didn't go, but I'm glad I did.  It was a fun evening, and I can check that one off the ol' summer bucket list.

It feels like "back to school" time is creeping up FAR too quickly, but I'm trying not think about that yet.  It gives me that icky feeling and I'm not ready yet.  There's still a few summery things I'd like to do in the next few weeks before Shawville Fair and school time.  

• At least one more evening at the beach... Danica is at my mom's this week, so maybe we can get there one of these nights!  And I'll make sure I have enough cash on me this time to get us some of the cool ice cream they have in the Bay!  lol!
• Hike to the Carbide Ruins.  Truthfully, this may become a fall adventure, but we'll see.
• Dinner at Red Lobster... My mom has never been and we've been talking about it all summer, so I hope we can plan a date in the coming weeks.
• Summer Movie Marathon - I have the movies The Sandlot and Rookie of the Year lined up to watch, but so far I haven't found a rainy, dreary, free Saturday (and that is a good thing!)
• See Little Bones (Hip tribute band) play at Summerfest in Campbell's Bay - plans in the works for this Saturday!
• Cottage day?  There's been talk of us going up to my friend Brenda's family's cottage on Otter Lake but no solid plans in place yet.  If it works out, I'll be a happy kid... I so enjoyed our day up there last summer!
• Camp day?  We didn't go to the Draper Camp this summer because the floods this spring left the property in a bit of a mess.  However, my cousin is there this week and might get a chance to do some clean-up.  My aunt has hinted that if he's successful, we might squeeze in a night at the Camp before the summer closes out.  That would just be a cherry on top!

I hope you have all been having a fab summer!!  Hang on tight, don't let these summer days slip away yet!!