Wow, lots of excitement going on! First of all, a huge sigh of grateful relief that Lin is safe. Those storms are so powerful and dangerous. There are times I wonder if there is any safe place to hide.

Next a birthday wish for Sandy and wishing you a safe delightful holiday with your family. I know you have been looking forward to this for months. All my best wishes and I hope you bring us lots of photos of a fun-filled vacation.

Anne: how wonderful to see little Jilly hugging one of her favorite human beings. Your right! Michael is a very nice looking man. And with a kind and loving heart. He loves his mom and that adorable little fur baby.

Jackie: we are still into that leafless gray soggy landscape. Not too pretty! I often think we share your weather and plant life; we are alike but a bit different. Spring is far away at this point. I know it isn’t, but right this minute it seems months and months until we see green leaflets and tiny flowers. Your photos are always fun and say so much.

Barbie: hello and hope your walk was safe and that your doggies accompany you. Some doggies are like us…lazy and need encouragement to do the healthy thing!
Stay safe dear sneakers,
Patsy☘️🦮

I was going to post Marks photo but lost him. Try again tomorrow. Anne.

Very little going on here besides rain turning to snow. I think we could all do and deserve a romp on the sand and a dip in a warm sea. At least one of us managed it.
Must count our many blessings though when we watch the poor folk in Europe.
Its 20 years since I had a proper vacation. That was on Vancouver Island in BC. But there again every day is vacation day warm and snug and retired in Ontario.
A day for turning to hobbies and communicating with friends,
A pleasant day if news less.
Enjoy friends,
Anne.

Oh, now I see your post Jackie!

Lovely yard! What’s growing in that beautiful blue container? George seems unimpressed. 😁

Yes, I have caught up with Dan and his family. Celebrating with Cognac after arriving at Lviv. So amazing that they seem to have connections everywhere they go. I heard the city is 100% at capacity now with so many people who have been streaming in. I wonder if the Bakers will stay an additional day to rest up a bit and to mull over where they will head next?

Sad afternoon here, 3 teenagers were shot outside their high school and all are in critical condition. 🤦🏼‍♀️ I need to watch something funny on television. Or maybe I can watch the squirrel run along the to of my fence, knocking the snow down as he scampers.

Later.

Lin

What an incredible teapot Lin, like some sort of fungus growing on a branch! Was there a description?

We had a nice potter for our walk and also stopped just round the corner from our entrance when Jamie I used to see walking during lockdown, drove past, stopped and got out to show me his new puppy! A gorgeous black Labrador he and his wife only adopted last week that is the sweetest of dogs. The only name they could agree on was Cooper so as Jamie said, Cooper it is! Grumpy George hates puppies, no doubt because he was removed from his siblings too soon, and made us laugh as he winced and curled his lip even from a long way away!
The rain hasn't arrived yet so I could have left the car seat covers hanging outside. Change that because looking out I can see spots of rain on the windows now! Guessing the window cleaner won't arrive today.

Jackie

We had a huge shopping weekend and now we feel prosperous with shelves and freezer full. We went to Costco on Saturday (first time since October) and stocked up on all the things we buy there including TP and boneless skinless chicken breasts and thighs. On Sunday we went for curbside pickup of groceries from QFC. There were only a few things on our list that they didn't have. I get a text from the store early in the morning to tell me what's not available and what possible substitutions there are. Sometimes I accept the substitutions and sometimes not. When we get to the store and phone that we are there, the shopper goes over the substitutions again.

I made turkey soup yesterday with the turkey thigh bones I had in the freezer along with one of the packs of chicken thighs from Costco and veggies from QFC.

The landscaper comes today to talk about how much bark we want him to deliver, how much we want him to spread and how much to leave for me and a few other tiny chores we need done.

Yesterday our neighbor who does computer repair free for the neighborhood came over and solved two problems for me. We are so lucky to have him.

After a few days of sun and slightly warmer weather, it is is drizzling this morning which will keep me from any yard work, but have no dent on dog walking.

Barbie

Misty and cold today. We were cheated out of our predicted sunny day yesterday. We had a stubborn marine layer that kept us under cloudy skies and a bitter cold breeze. Thursday and Friday are supposed to be sunny. We will see…..

Life here is reduced to managing various tasks and trying to find help for the others. We do enjoy our evening meals and evening chats with one glass of vino. That happens after some tv or a movie. It makes us laugh how entrenched we are in our routines. When we must deviate, we both enjoy the break and love getting back to the familiar. Old age? Hummmmm

Today is a boring task of cleaning bathrooms and mopping kitchen floor. I also want to start waxing and conditioning the wood furniture. The winter furnace use dries them and the wood really sufferes.

I am finishing my family newsletter that I mail our on St. Patrick’s day. We usually include a sort of portrait-snapshot of us both. Just to let our family know we are still chugging along. However! Getting John and Katie to cooperate is almost impossible. Katie first of all tried to eat her new green kerchief with the shamrock designs. John will not wear his really nice green sweater…”it is too itchy!” I am not great with the camera. You can see this is a failing enterprise.

Tonight I am to make chicken with capers and mushrooms. Plus A little side salad. John might like it but maybe not, I can never be sure.

I ordered a new kind of bra and must return. Seriously…who designs these things? Horrible uncomfortable and no support at all. Need to find a new company.

In a moment of pure crazy insanity, I put glue-on gems on my blue jeans. They all came loose in the washing machine. Never trust that promise of washable accessories. The diamonds come off and the lace shrinks. Oh drat!

Well, in looking at my post, I sound very grumpy and frustrated. Actually I am not. Having fun making my hippy outfits. Writing our newsletter with photos included, playing ball with Katie, repotting my houseplants, cooking indigestible dinners for John. How great is that? Ordered my rapid test Covid test.gov. Do it? Use them if you need to check.

Vacations? Wow! What’s that?
Patsy☘️🦮🌧

Wow Sandy!! Look at that beautiful group!! ❤️❤️

Hey! Look at that! Sandy with her family and they all look so beautiful carefree and happy to together. So glad you are enjoying that special time together. You all are a lovely family.

We have a partly cloudy day. Tomorrow and Friday is to be clear and sunny. Friday John and I are planning a little car picnic with Katie (riding shotgun, as John calls it ) we will go to the marina and hopefully watch a fishing boat unload. Lots of seagulls and cormorants calling for a welcome bid bit or two. Katie goes over the top crazy at the activity.

Confession time….I have not been faithful to my exercises. I am really paying for my neglect. In my case, I really need the daily PT or things go bad very quickly. So there you go, kiddos! I must schedule a scant 35 to 45 minutes a day in the dungeon doing my thing to old rock and roll or old doowop music. Do you remember “sweating to the oldies?” That’s me. An oldie sweatin to the oldies.

Lin: bedazzler? You know I think that is a great idea Lin. One thing has become very clear to me. It is very important to go for fun activities or at least do things that please you at this age. If not now….when?

Anne: hope you are still on the mend? I believe one can overcome most things with rest and a nice nutritious soup. It is my personal prescription for all things. Might add a med or two along the way also.

Jackie: black labs are the most popular dog here in the U.S. it seems everyone has one or two. They are sweet (chewy) doggies. Everyone i know who has one tells of interesting holes or something that was been rearranged, so to speak, by their labs. Katie did not chew up anything but she has an enormous collection of interesting toys. Some of the toys have holes and the stuffing removed in tuffs….all over the house and back yard.

Barbie: it does feel comfortable to have a well stocked pantry. I Don’t mind cooking for John and me. I even like to send a pot of soup or chili over to our daughters house upon occasion. Think I remember you saying Jake is also a good cook. John doesn’t shine in that regard. It is interesting how he cannot cook without a recipe. He wants all the instructions right down to temps and how much spices are to be added and when. I just start cooking. It sometimes tastes good, sometimes NOT.
Thinking of you all,
Patsy☘️🦮🎾🥎

Sandy you and your family look very happy

Good evening. It is sunny here today but very cold and windy! I did go to the store to do my own shopping for groceries. I got there at the opening of the door for the day. Most of the people in the store were employees shopping for customers. Boy, they know their way around! Returned home, put away my provisions and then watched the Facebook Live video of additional information for the Friday/Saturday event. Good grief, I have stacks and stacks of papers, instructions and supplies. Overload! They warned again to have everything well organized with a basket or box for each project and a chart for supplies, inks, etc. so you can see in a quick view which additional things to grab as we move from project to project. Good grief. I am nowhere near that organized. Guess I need to ramp it up.

I finished addressing and preparing cards to be mailed. That is most of the St. Patrick’s Day cards. Six remaining to address and prepare for the mail.

I was on Instagram Live with Dan and the family. Tried to make it through to the end but left a bit early. Then I went to the post office to mail my cards. Luckily they were not too thick or too heavy so no extra postage.

Home again and I stuck all the sentiments I made recently into the Easter cards. I noted though that the pierced plate piece on the front of the cards is not holding on to the card well. Each of the pieces after being run through the die cutting machine, curled up a bit. I had put them under a heavy pile of books and I thought they were okay but alas, they are lifting up from the cards as they are still warped. I will need to go back and use some wet glue on a each spot that is coming loose. The tape was not strong enough to hold them in place. I will work on that another day.

So tomorrow will be my attempt to get organized. I doubt I will try everything other people are doing. Many are doing prep work on all of the projects, hot foiling, stamping, etc. I am torn, I think I would like to watch and do things later but I also understand if you don’t do a lot of the work, the early steps in the process will not be dry or ready until much later.

Jackie, sorry about the continued rain. I am happy that you had a walk early this morning and that both George and Betty had time for Zoomies. It would be lovely if I could still zoom, even a little! I am sorry your friend Linda is still suffering from Covid symptoms. I hope she sees improvement soon and if she needs oxygen, I trust she will receive it quickly. My friends had a lovely black Lab some years ago. He liked to go for walks but otherwise was a pretty quiet dog who wanted to be with his humans all the time. And he loved treats and snacks. 😄

Patsy, your post is on the previous page but I think you said you have been skipping your daily exercises and will get back to them. And you and John and Katie are going on a car picnic later this week. Now, that sounds like fun! I hope you have some nice weather for your excursion.

Anne, are you okay? I didn’t see that you had much to say. I must have missed something. Which is not unusual!

Barbie, waving hello🙋🏼‍♀️

Hello to vacationing Sandy 🌴🌴

Take care everyone.

Lin🙋🏼‍♀️
❤️❤️

A black cat teapot? Woooo.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SANDY. HUGS FROM THE FROZEN NORTH! Anne.

Yes I was a bit quiet yesterday LIN. Had to hang around for a parcel which as you might guess turned up late in the day. It's time I got back to hobbies. AND exercises PATSY. In my case a half hour walk.
I envy your patience LIN! Reminds me of drying and pressing flowers between sheets of paper and heavy books. I guess you could do that for greeting cards?

Today is that red letter day Grocery Delivery the highlight of the week with its finding of substitutes. Joking of course, not exactly the highlight but close in my quiet life. Today I am going to try and contact Flo which is always hit and miss, and one or two cousins in the UK.

Rain JACKIE. I am getting emails from Cousin Helen in Australia who is not used to much rain but is now heartily sick of it as well. Much flooding in her area. I tried to cheer her up by telling her it should remind her of her country of origin. I don't think that impressed her too much although she did say she expects they will be all moaning about the usual parched summer. I do hope your friend Linda shows signs of improvement soon Jackie. Whatever they say about vaccine shots lightening symptoms, it is still a deadly disease. Everything will be back to normal here on the 22nd, no more masks, no restrictions anywhere, but I don't know. Our hospital stays are going down, but deaths are going up which questions why are hospital stays going down and why are restrictions easing.

Well, must shower in case the grocery man turns up early as is his wont.

Hi Barbie, are you still weeding? I wish!

We expect yet more snow by tomorrow through the weekend so old worry wart here is worrying about Michael driving back home from his dads. Maybe they will have to stay until Sunday.

Anne.

Sandy!

The landscaper came yesterday to talk about how we would need him this year. He will deliver and spread some fine dark bark on the flat shady empty side of our house and leave me a huge pile in the driveway to spread elsewhere. We decided that the oldest lavender plants in the front of the house are past their prime and need to be removed so yesterday I began digging them out,. It would be faster for the landscape crew to do that but it would be expensive and I have many bulbs planted near the lavender and I want them saved, so I will clear out the lavender a little at a time. It's the kind of work I love to do. The new bark will arrive in April and I'll go back to weeding and spreading bark on the cleared spaces. Daytime temps here are below 50F/10C in the afternoon so it's not yet warm gardening time.

Happy Birthday Sandy