I Love a Rainy Day

Ohhhh it was difficult to roll myself out of bed this morning.  It's been hard the last few weeks, waking up to the dark, but add to it this morning the gentle patter of raindrops hitting my window, and it was damn near impossible to get myself up for my little morning workout.  I had to dig deep to get 'er done.

While it's difficult to get up and motivated, I really do love a dreary, rainy day.  Even when I have to come to work, I love being inside, when the phones are quiet, looking out the big office windows at the rain falling, when it's so grey outside that the computer screens seem extra bright inside.  There's something quite cozy and calming about it.

However, IDEALLY, I'd spend this grey, rainy day, enjoying it at home.  I even confessed to Lindsay this morning that it was very tempting to suddenly "feel sick" this morning.  *cough*cough* LOL! 

The rainy day daydream goes something like this:

I'd lie in bed for a while just listening to the rain falling outside.  I wouldn't sleep in or lounge in bed all day, by any means, but I'd just take some extra time lying there listening to one of the most relaxing sounds in the world.

Just as the sky is brightening a little, I'd get up and throw a warm sweater on over my pj's, then head downstairs to sip my coffee curled up on the couch.  If I felt really ambitious, I'd make pancakes for breakfast, but today, I don't really feel that ambitious.  I think I'd just settle for the coffee. Maybe a piece of toast with Map-O-Spread.  Light up the Scentsy warmers and my candles.  Then settle in to watch last night's Jimmy Fallon, Big Brother finale, and Survivor premiere.

Once all caught up on my shows, I'd get dressed, something cozy.  Leggings and a sweater.  Maybe today I'd put on fuzzy socks for the first time this season.  (Here at work... still barefoot. lol)  Then I'd grab my book (The Widow by Fiona Barton) and cuddle up in my big armchair to read for a while.  It's kind of a dark, mystery novel, so just perfect for this kind of day.

Then, I'd start the Movie Marathon.  As I always mention this time of year, I've reached the stage where I'm wanting to watch spooky stuff.  And it's always easier to watch that kind of stuff during daylight, so perfect timing!  I'd pull some of my favourites from my DVD shelf:  The Sixth Sense, The Shining, The Amityville Horror, Stir of Echoes, Pet Sematary.  Sticking with what I know, because it's less scary, but still chilling nonetheless.  I'd take a break to make lunch - probably a pot of macaroni, tomato soup & cheese whiz, my favourite rainy day/snow day lunch - and then I might also pause to whip up some pumpkin bread.  For the rest of the afternoon, I'd make a big bowl of buttery popcorn to snack on while continuing on with the movies.  And I'd definitely make sure to watch the old Disney version of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, it's perfect for a day like this!

Oh, and I'd be crocheting too!  Remember I said I was excited to make more pumpkins?  Well, this week has not allowed for much crocheting.  Last night I went to Eric's last Spirit Cafe where he talked about his trip to Egypt, and tonight I have another church meeting, so I haven't had much evening time to spend crafting.  I'd definitely take advantage of a whole rainy day to do so!!

There might be a nap, mid-afternoon.  One of those really great, satisfying, not-too-long naps that you wake from feeling so good, so refreshed, so perfectly content.  There would probably be more reading.  A mug of tea or hot chocolate.  There would likely even be a break in there to watch The Price Is Right, because what weekday off is complete without The Price Is Right?  OH! And ALSO!!  I haven't been listening to any podcasts lately, which I love to do while I'm crocheting, so I might try to squeeze some of that in there too!

I might be trying to squeeze too much into my lazy rainy day off.  In fact, I'm quite certain there are not enough hours in the day to do everything I've fantasized about above.

But the thoughts of this day?  This wonderful rainy day?  It makes me so happy.  So cozy.  So content.

Do you love a rainy day, or do you find them depressing?  What would you do if you were home on a rainy, dreary day?

Happy Rain Day, friends! :)

My time of year is here!

Ahhhh!  I cannot tell you guys how HAPPY I am that Fall is here!  Some days are still a little too warm for my liking, but otherwise, I am happily sinking in to my favourite time of year.  I'm absolutely giddy thinking of all the fun things this season brings!!

• I decorated for fall last Saturday morning, and I just love the cozy feel and the colours.  I didn't plan to do it that day - especially since it was extremely hot that day, and sure didn't feel like fall - but I was so glad once it was done.  
• I crochet year-round, but I sure do enjoy it more in the fall and winter.  I thought it might be neat to incorporate some fall crocheted items to my home decor, so I looked up some patterns for crocheted pumpkins.  I finished my first one last night, and now I'm excited to make more!!  
  
• I know this is going against everything most people believe in, but I just LOVE that it gets dark earlier this time of year.  Cozying up to crochet, watch TV, read... so much easier to do all of that when it's dark out!  I just feel this obligation in the summer to get out and enjoy the sun.  So when the sun goes to bed earlier, I don't have to. lol
• Cooking/baking fall foods is also one of my favourite things to do!  After a hot summer of throwing together easy suppers that don't involve real cooking, I am DYING to make real things.  Fall comfort foods.  This week alone, I've done tomato soup & grilled cheese, and spaghetti.  I want to make meatballs and sloppy joes and big pots of soup and chili.  I want to bake pumpkin bread and beer bread and scones.  I want to eat ALL THE FALL FOODS!
  
• As I mentioned, it's still been kind of warm out, but I've had days where I could dig out the leggings and cozy sweaters.  I'm still going bare foot as much as possible, but I can't wait until I can pull on those slippers and fuzzy socks, too.  Bring me all the HYGGE!!!!  
• I am literally DAYDREAMING about Thanksgiving dinner.  It is so long between Christmas and Thanskgiving. lol  We've had a lot of family BBQ's this summer, so I've had my fill of burgers and dogs and summer fun stuff like that.  I'm ready for the turkey and stuffing and mashed potatoes and gravy!!!
  
• It's a small thing, but I love replacing all the Scentsy warmers in my house with season-appropriate scents.  All of mine are still filled with summer smells, but I plan to change that this weekend.  Pumpkin Roll and Honey Pear Cider will be coming out!
• The crunch of the leaves under my feet.  I'm JUST starting to get a bit of that on my lunch time walks.  Isn't it just one of life's greatest little pleasures?!?
  
• CAR RALLY!!! Easily, the best fall event EVER!!!  It's set for October 19th, and we have our time booked.  And I can't wait!!
• It's also that time of year when I decide it's "fun" to spook myself.  Why?  WHY??  I don't know.  It's not even October yet, and I am combating the urge to watch scary stuff.  I burnt myself out on it last year big-time, so I promised myself that this year I would be more careful.  Not too much.  And stick to what I know.   It's why I chose Arachnaphobia for Scary Movie Marathon - because I remember it from my childhood, and I don't think it's THAT scary. But then my friend Caryl sent me something on FB about Freddy Krueger, and I said, "Would you believe I've never seen The Nightmare on Elm Street OR Friday the 13th?" And she couldn't believe it.  So that resulted in me ordering both of those DVD's from Amazon.  Also, I keep thinking I want to watch The Cabin in the Woods on Amazon (it's leaving in October, so it will probably be one of the first scary movies I watch).  And I ALSO have this weird desire to re-watch The Haunting of Hill House, the Netflix series that scared the bejesus out of me last year and had me fearing the bent-neck lady for months.  Why? WHY?????
  
• I'm also resisting the urge to buy Halloween candy.  It started appearing in the stores about a month ago, and every time I shop, I'm tempted.  I keep reminding myself to wait until at least October.  So hard to resist those little chocolate bars!
  
• And oh, how I look forward to Halloween!  And I even have my costume ready to roll!!  This is a record for me.  I'm usually scrambling last-minute to cobble something together, so I'm proud of myself for getting my act together early.  Now I can just sit back and get excited!!! :)
  

September, as I've mentioned before, is not one of my favourite months of the year, and this one especially has felt long and has been a bit of a struggle.  For that reason, I'm certainly celebrating the turn of the seasons, rejoicing in the cold-weather things that I love, and anxiously looking forward to turning the page on the calendar.  Bring on OCTOBER!! :)

Thoughts on Thursday

• I have come to the realization that I'm anxious for September to be over.  Because September makes me anxious.  It starts out with the back-to-school icks, and I don't like this in-between time when it's not really summer anymore but not quite fall yet.  Add to that, our student minister at our church is done his time with us at the end of the month, and I'm dreading the farewell.  I'm not a fan of wishing time away, but I would really like to fast-forward to October right now.
• It's going to be 28 degrees out this weekend.  I think I whined about this earlier this week, but like, seriously.  Get the F out of here.  I had kind of anticipated a "warm fall" since our summer started late and didn't seem to last very long, but man.  I'm ready to wear all the cozy things and pumpkin spice it up.  I can't do that in shorts and a tank top!
• Despite the warm forecast ahead of us this weekend, I'm absolutely delighting in seeing the trees start to turn.  Not a lot yet - but there's just this burnished reddish glow that's starting to seep in here and there.  The promise that "the big show" is just around the corner.  Nothing brings me greater joy than the beauty of fall colours!
• Okay, that's not true.  My greatest joy is a thick, fresh, untouched blanket of sparkling white snow. But I can't be wishing for that yet, so for now, the fall foliage will keep me satisfied.
• I think I have to put myself on another spending freeze.  It will be time for Christmas shopping again before we know it, and I here I am with no cushion built up in the bank account.  AGAIN.  Lately, it's been everything from jewelry (see yesterday's post), Tupperware, fall items for my wardrobe, yarn, and a Halloween costume.  My goal for next month is no credit card, no online shopping.  We'll see if I can tough it out.
• So, as I mentioned the other day, I am currently watching the Netflix limited series "Unbelievable".  I'm still in the early stages, because when I sit down to watch it at night, I keep falling asleep.  (Not because it's not interesting, that's just what I do when I watch TV at night).  In any case, this series is only 8 episodes, so it won't be long until I am ready for a new show to watch.  Any recommendations?  Here are the candidates I've been thinking of:
• Peaky Blinders
• The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
• Brooklyn Nine-Nine
• The Ranch
• I might also have to stall these plans for watching a new show, though, because I just found out that Season 4 of Outlander is hitting Netflix in October.  Hellooooo Jamie!!
• I'm struggling lately to maintain the few healthy habits I have.  I don't know if it's because it's darker in the mornings, but man oh man, I'm having a hard time dragging my ass out of bed to do my little half-hour workout in the mornings.  I've started giving myself a "pass" on Mondays, because, well, Mondays suck.  But the past two weeks I've also come up with excuses for Tuesday too.  ergh.  Add to that, I am CONSTANTLY craving junk food these days.  Cheeseburgers.  Pizza.  Subway.  Shawarma. Onion Rings.  Poutine.  Chips & dip.  Chocolate chip cookies.  McDonalds.  Thoughts of any or all of the above swirl through my head constantly.  Lord love a duck.
• Can someone please explain to me why, as fall settles in, I get this crazy desire to watch scary stuff?  I DON'T LIKE SCARY STUFF.  And yet, here I am, on the brink of October, and starting to get that urge again.  I promised myself that this year I wouldn't do the scary, at least not as much as last year.  Last year, I burnt myself out on it and by the end of October I was literally frazzled and frayed from all of it.  So why am I compiling lists of scary things I want to watch in the coming weeks?  Don't do it, Jill.  DON'T DO IT.

That's all I've got for today, folks. It's almost the weekend!! Hooray!! :)

My Newborn Feathers Obsession

Let me start off by saying this:  Nobody asked me to write a review, or offered me anything in return for writing a review.  I'm just writing this because I have clearly become obsessed with a company and their products, and that's content for a blog post dudes!!

Early in the summer, a friend of mine invited me to an online party featuring the company Newborn Feathers.  They are a Canadian company that sells jewelry, specializing in geode earrings, but also offering designer earrings, necklaces, bracelets, etc., all at reasonable prices.  I confess, when I first got the invite, my initial reaction was, "I don't NEED any new jewelry".  I planned to make a minimal purchase just to support my friend's party.  Then I checked the website and started jotting down a wish list.  It wasn't long before I had a list as long as my arm!  I was also lured in by their promo that if you spend $35, you receive a surprise pair of earrings 100% free.  How cool is that, fun surprise earrings for free?  So cool!!

(Free pair, which I think are 12mm bubblegum, 12mm Canada Day earrings, and two pairs of rose gold pineapples - one for me, one for my niece!)

After that initial order, I discovered their "Free Pair" promotion.  They offer all customers a free pair of earrings by using the code FREEPAIR, and all you have to pay is shipping & taxes.  That worked out to a pair of earrings for approx. $5.

Another awesome perk of this company is that if you create an account, you can earn points on all of your orders, for writing reviews, etc. and those points work out to a dollar amount which you can apply to any future order (cannot be combined with any other promo code).  It doesn't take long for these rewards to add up!!  I have already placed one order for free swag (paying only shipping & tax), and I already have another $20+ saved up!

So, needless to say, after partaking in several parties and placing several orders on my own, I finally took the plunge back in August and hosted an online party of my own.  After my initial request for a party, they set me up with an amazing rep named Jenn who put everything together for me; all I had to do was invite my friends.  After a week-long party where Jenn posted info on all of their different products and promos, my family and friends had placed enough orders to earn me ELEVEN FREE PAIRS of geode and crystal ball earrings!  I was FLOORED!!

(All of my FREE earrings!!)

You would think by now, I have enough jewelry to last me a lifetime, yet here I am, still - STILL - placing orders.  A few weeks ago I jumped on their back-to-school sale and ordered two more pairs of geodes.  Another friend had a party and I ordered again from her too.  And now another friend is having a party, and I'm eyeing a tennis bracelet... Also, on every order I've earned free earrings, so between the free pairs and the ones I ordered through my party, I also now have a growing stash to use as gifts.  How nice is it to have a little collection of earrings to have on hand to gift someone with whenever I feel like it? 

(12mm Mint for St. Pat's! - free pair that I think are 12mm Island - 8mm blue and 8mm saffron)

The 8mm geodes have been my preferred size, and I wear them almost daily.  I also have several pairs of the designer earrings - pineapples, dragonflies, and moon & star ear climbers are some of my favourites - that often get compliments.  They also have geode pendant necklaces, which are a beautiful way to complete a set as they have them to match almost all of the geode earrings!

(8mm Arctic, dragonflies, and free pair - I think 8mm turquoise, and the blush geode necklace)

If I wasn't already completely won over, here's a remarkable story from just this week:  Back in late July while I was on holidays, I spent a night at my aunt & uncle's.  I had packed my silver moon & star ear climbers in a travel case to have to wear the next day.  When I took them out, I had accidentally bent one of them in half.  (Easy to do - they are very delicate and dainty!)  I bent them back into shape, but obviously it was weakened, and then just this past weekend, when I took them out of my ears, the one that had been bent snapped in half.  I had heard that Newborn Feathers has amazing customer service, so I reached out on the off-chance that they might replace them for me.  In my email, I fully explained that it was my fault, so if it wasn't eligible for replacement, I would understand.  Less than five minutes later, I had a response telling me they were sending me a new pair free of charge!  How awesome is THAT?!?!

So obviously, without a doubt, I think this company and their products are AMAZING and I would recommend them to anyone.  My Newborn Feathers collection has grown ridiculously large, and yet, I am always finding more that I want to order!  I just found out last night that I won ANOTHER free pair through a friend's party, and I selected the 8mm Ruby geodes - my birthstone - because I think they'll be pretty to have for the holiday season.  I pretty much have a different colour and style to wear for every day for two weeks!  I just LOVE them!!

(Free pair - I think maybe 12mm Iridescent in rose gold, pearl flowers, and infinity bracelet)

So that's what I'm loving this Wednesday - and have been loving for the past several months!!  Do you have a Newborn Feathers collection?  If so, what are your favourites??

Random Tuesday: Another "Life Lately" Post

I don't mean to let these long breaks drag on between posts, but it just... keeps happening.  Here, in no particular order, is what's been going on in my world over the past few weeks:

• We've said good-bye to summer and started edging towards fall, for the most part.  I've gone through my "icky back to school time" and come out on the other side unscathed.  I'm not 100% sure why, but it didn't bother me as much this year as it has in past years.  I was preparing to enter crocheted items in the Shawville Fair for the first time during "back to school week", and I think my focus being on that helped distract me.
• Speaking of Shawville Fair... it was a wonderful Fair, indeed!  Definitely got the worth out of my pass this year.  My niece Danica stayed with my mom and I that weekend while the rest of her family went to Trois-Rivieres for Caden's final ball tournament.  Dan and I hit up the fair every day, and spent time with various family and friends throughout the weekend.  I think she had a blast, and so did I.  Although I was totally ready for it to be over by the Labour Day Monday lol!
• As for the crocheted items:  Most of you already know, but I entered 5 items (an afghan, a lap afghan, a baby blanket, a child's stuffy, and a crown ear warmer) for judging - and ALL 5 won first place in their classes!  Granted, three of them were the lone entries, so I didn't really think they counted, but people keep telling me that even if it's the only entry, the judges can still rank it in a lower position if they don't believe it is first-place quality.  So I was pretty tickled, I have to say. I'm already excited to get some new items done up to enter next year.\
• By the last day of the fair, I realized I had somehow developed an "injury".  My tailbone was aching, especially when I was sitting.  The only thing I could think of that might have caused this problem was bouncing around on the rides at the Fair.  (The Himalaya, in particular, I found to be extremely herky-jerky).  For a few days, I was worried it would never heal, but thankfully, it did and I seem to be back to normal now.  Just another sign of getting old, I suppose!
• The cooler weather had started to creep in, which had me super-excited for fall, but now the Indian Summer is upon us, it appears.  Hot temps coming up for the whole weekend. So much for the cozy sweaters and leggings.  I had kind of anticipated it, though.  Last Saturday I thought about digging out my fall decorations, and decided against it.  I think I'll probably be glad when I'm sweating my buns off this weekend that I don't have pumpkins and leaves everywhere.
• The colder weather has also been rustling up that side of me that wants to hunker down, get cozy, and make fall foods.  I'm itching to get a pot of chili on the stove, a loaf of homemade bread in the breadmaker, and a pan of pumpkin bread in the oven.  But again, I think I have to stall those plans because... who wants to be "fall-ish" when it's 28 degrees out.  Blech.
• Last Saturday probably would have been the perfect day to do a little fall cooking or baking.  While it wasn't super cold out, it was kind of dark and dreary and very windy for most of the day.  And yet, instead, I did absolutely nothing.  I read and I crocheted and caught up on Big Brother and watched episodes of 13 Reasons Why.  I also had a big long nap in the afternoon.  Nothing really productive to show for the day, but maybe, just maybe, I needed a day like that.
• That day was followed by an outing to a retirement party for a family friend at the local Legion, and I admit, I didn't really feel like going.  I kept saying I was just going for one drink, and then coming home again.  As it turned out... the evening was such a blast!!  I definitely had more than one drink lol.  I had an awesome night visiting with friends and just hanging out, laughing and having fun.  I was so glad I went (and stayed!)
• Headaches. ugh.  The past week has been TERRIBLE for my head.  I don't know if it's a weather thing or an air pressure thing or what, but my sinusy headaches have been off and on since last Monday. They are nagging, not migraines, nothing that puts me right out, but so so annoying.  They come and they go, and just when I think they are "gone for good", I get another one (like this morning).  Be gone with you, headaches!!
• What I'm reading:  I finished Megan Miranda's "The Last House Guest" on Friday night, and just felt "meh" about it.  I LOVED her book "All The Missing Girls", which spurred me into picking up her second offering, "The Perfect Stranger", which I was only lukewarm about.  And now this one, I was even LESS enthused.  I was disappointed.  But then I started into "The Widow" by Fiona Barton and was instantly hooked.  I have no idea where this book is going, but I can easily blow through multiple chapters in a sitting, I love the author's writing style and I am thoroughly intrigued!!
• What I'm watching:  As mentioned above, I had been watching the third season of 13 Reasons Why.  I was deeply disturbed by events towards the end of the second season (lets face it, the whole show is pretty disturbing), so I was interested to see how that would be handled in Season 3.  I finished it up on Sunday, and I was more than relieved there was no big catastrophic event like at the end of Season 2.  Last night, I started into the limited series "Unbelievable" that I keep hearing about, but I fell asleep before the first episode was over.  I'l give it another shot tonight.  Oh, and also, of course, I am caught up in the tail-end of this season of Big Brother.  I've been a Michie fan since Day 1, but felt really disappointed in some of his actions over recent episodes.  It's down to the crunch, and I can't wait to see who wins!
• What I'm listening to:  There have been a few albums out lately that I've downloaded and enjoyed... Lizzo, Taylor Swift, but most of all, the country supergroup The Highwomen.  It's been a while since I last enjoyed an album from start to finish without wanting to skip over songs, but this one is amazing.  I definitely recommend you check them out!!

Well, I think that's all I have for today!  I hope you are all doing well & having a great day! :)

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!!