Trails of Hats'n Hospitalitea

I have to admit Friday’s come and go and it seems to be faster and faster all the time.  That is one way to deal with Winter, that I’m thankful for.

Susanne at Living to Tell the Story has encouraged us to look into our week and pick 5 things to be thankful for, blessings as they are called. So join us in a weekly FFF as we express ourselves for what we are blessed.

1. Early to bed.  These days I wake up way to early.  I don’t need to get up this early.  No one else is up this early.  I can’ t even make noise this early.  Each day it has been about 12 minutes earlier that I wake up, this causes me to go to bed way to early.  Last night I guess I started snoring and the tv got turned up way to loud so I’d get the message.

2. Dead lines.  I always said that deadlines have a way of making things happen and they do, each week I manage to pull together another small accomplishment.  This week the tedious Anne braids are done and bagged.

3. Clean sidewalks.  I will be blessed that we can get to our mail and I’ll also be thankful that walking will be easier once the sidewalks are clear again.  Seems the city has encouraged the snowmobile club from the exit of the trail to the Irving gas bar by not keeping the sidewalks clean so the sleds can access the sidewalk up to the garage to get gas, cigarettes, coffee, and other important items.  I checked yesterday and there is 17 inches of snow and the streets, sidewalks around are all clean straight to the pavement.

4. FFF. I’m going to take a leave without pay.

5. Finishing up started jobs.  Perhaps I’m not the only one who has a project on the go, a room half painted, steps with the vacuum still on them, and odd socks on my feet.  The pressure of life has been placed upon me and I’m giving it to it.  I notice I was a blog a day person, now I’m lucky if it is a blog a week, and I push myself to be here on Friday.  I got one job finished in the gift shop this week and over the next following weeks I plan to continue finishing up started jobs and I can accomplish this the least amount of distractions.  I painted a mural on the wall where we are hanging the gridwall and product on, sort of a back drop so to speak.

The finished wall

I’ll miss my FFF each week and I’ll think of you and perhaps stop by for a visit once in awhile. Until then I have to get on track and that means less computer time.  It has been fun and rewarding and if you want to see what I’ve been up to, just drop by, ta ta for now.

xo~ cindy

I have five this week that are special to me, that I’m thankful for, and that I have been blessed with and they belong on Grandma’s knee.

Susanne at Living to Tell the Story has encouraged us to look into our week and pick 5 things to be thankful for, blessings as they are called. So join us in a weekly FFF as we express ourselves for what we are blessed.

Friday’s favourite five #33

This week has gone by way too fast. I wake early morning and have time to think about how fast the years have gone by.  I remember being a teenager and wishing away the years until I was 18 a mere mile stone age. Here I am 30 years later trying to hang on to every moment, and wishing I had more.  Yes, I have 6 grandchildren and I’m 48, one grandchild came to us through unity her name is Hannah. Grandma needs another picture of Hannah. I’m blessed to have two of them near and the other four I have to admire from afar.

1. Makayla Lynn. The kind of child everyone wants for the first born. Never upset, eats well and signals when she wanted to go to bed. Today Makayla is our fashion statement, not for the clothes she wears but how she parades circles around you, not a moment in her day is spent not in conversation and movement.  I remember a day when you came to Grandma’s house and we made rice krispy squares, your eyes widened when you found out that rice krispy squares can be homemade not always from the grocery store.  Oh, I laughed that day, and I have lots more to teach you. Grandma thinks she will be contributing to the arts when she grows up, but for now I want you to please stay young.

Grandma teaches tea etiquette

2. Anna-Grace. As a baby Anna-Grace would entertain you with the faces she made, full of expression she was.  Impatient at the best of times and that is in a good way because I see things come to her when it is difficult to acquire  she will always find a way.  Very determined and strong willed yet dainty and gentle in her voice.  I’ll never forget on one of our trips to North Carolina to see you, you came up to me with your arms spread wide and I hugged you and couldn’t let go, I think you were about 3 years old.  It was a special time for me, as I know you don’t like to be held.  Your birthday is this month and I’ll need a recent picture of you soon.

Anna-Grace enjoying her little tea party

3. Emily-Elizabeth. “Oh sweet”  I can hear the little whispers come from your lips.  Emily you are a gift to us all.  Your smile brightens a room when you walk in.  Over time you have come to be the helpful little one.  Although you speak very few words grandma knows you are the best listener in the world, taking in everything. Each time I looked around there you were watching and listening.  This is a good trait, as a good listener makes a great friend.  Your good friend Miss Laura is teaching you to be “her” Grandma thinks a teacher is what you will become.  When grandma thinks of you, I see you standing in front of me and while you try to gather the words your little fingers play itsy bitsy spider as if it will help conjure the thoughts.

Wow, this watermelon is almost your size

4. Sydney-Sophia. Sydney as a baby we wished your hair would grow at age 2 you still only had strands but now the head of curls you have is overwhelmingly cute.  Mom always said, “a slow start is a good finish.”  You have developed attitude and this will be helpful in your days to come.  You are strong but dainty, clumsy but cautious, I’ll always remember your princess shoes as when I sleep at night I hear click, click, click on the floor long after you have gone to sleep.  I’ll never forget the time we made cookies and I reached to help you with the cup of flour when you went to dump it in the bowl and it landed on the floor.   The expression was priceless, the words embedded in my mind “oh, grandma made a mess.”  Grandma knows you love story time and Miss Spider’s Tea Party was your favorite.  You are always with a book in your hand and that is why Grandma thinks you might be a writer some day.

Grandma tells a story about a tea cup

5. Anastasia-Rae. Child we waited on you forever. If you taught us anything it was patience.  You and Grandma spent a lot of days together in your first year and I think you are the reason I feel so young.  I never told anyone but I always wanted another baby and you filled that void.  You are coming up to your second birthday already and so far we see your mom in your every step, the trucks, the hats, cowboy boots, to eating crayons and rearranging furniture and everything in your tracks.  I have more pictures of the back of your head as you are always on the move.  Once you slow down a bit Grandma will see what you will be, for now it is you.  I hear your little voice when you enter a room so excited to see everyone always, but calling Grandpa, by your pet name, “Crapa” will stick forever.

Curious Anastasia and the big yellow hat

Hannah, Makayla, Anna-Grace and Emily Elizabeth all live in the US and we get to visit between busy times on the Island.  I’ll have to update all my pictures soon.  Sydney and Anastasia are here at home on Prince Edward Island and visit Grandma often.  Grandma thinks that perhaps Makayla is going to join her for part of the summer this year, I’m making plans.  Grandma will have to get a picture of Hannah and write just about her soon.

xoxo~Grandma

If the Heavens gave everyone a gift this week it must have been snow.  Everywhere I went on the internet I saw beautiful Winter scenes, it’s amazing what a photo looks like without contrast.

Susanne at Living to Tell the Story has encouraged us to look into our week and pick 5 things to be thankful for, blessings as they are called. So join us in a weekly FFF as we express ourselves for what we are blessed.

Friday’s favourite five #32

Seeing I forgot it was Friday until 10am this morning I’ll have to get caught up by slowing down a little.

1. Memory. I’m looking for one, do you know where I might be able to purchase just a small one.  Have you ever used a bread machine without the paddle? Where is the blessing? I realized from the sound and added it like extra ingredients later, perhaps it will tour out after all, then if it didn’t it would be unleaven bread anyway, unleaven the paddle the next time.

2. Late nights. This past week I have not gone to bed before 12 midnight, perhaps I think I might miss out on something. Seems to me the later I stay up the earlier I wake up.

3. Live Chat. The French Gardener and I have been setting up a live chat on our web site so people from away will be able to ask questions about Prince Edward Island, Bed and Breakfasts and just stay in touch after they have left.  We got it installed last night and it passed the first test.  I think my icon is cute have a look on the right side bar.  http://besidethetrail.ca/

4. Braxton. Although he has been trained not to bark this week he has been upset by a black cat that sits on the snowbank and tempts him.  It is cute, I trained him not to bark and if he does he is to go to my room.  So he jumps up on the couch barks at the cat, then heads straight for the bedroom door and sits there until I open it for him, so he can hid (from the guests we don’t have right now)

5. I always get to 5 and get stuck. Think think think…. oh, I know.  I can build my own web site and I did the link in #3 however when it comes to this blog, the placement of side bar, and page set up I am lost like in a corn maze.  I’m so, so, so blessed to have a handy husband who can be a Mr. fix’it all the time.  Glad your shoulder is much better as well

So I can’t believe I forgot it was Friday.  Everyone has left the building and I have a couple of hours to myself… SCRAPBOOKING HERE I COME

xo~cindy

This week has come and gone and I have worked hard at exercise, thought, menu, then got on the scale to see it had gone up one more pound. Winter can be a tough depending on who you are, for me weight gain is my rough spot as I turn into a hibernating state.

Susanne at Living to Tell the Story has encouraged us to look into our week and pick 5 things to be thankful for, blessings as they are called. So join us in a weekly FFF as we express ourselves for what we are blessed.

Friday’s favourite five #29

1. Skidooing. My daughter Victoria and I were told if we could get the sled started we could take it out.  Guess what? before I was a Grandma I use to do things like skidoo. I had fun and it took me back to a time in my life I thought I wouldn’t get back again, glad I was able to get it started.

2. Lighting. The French Gardener did a little extra for me this week in the form of lighting.  He installed a wall light over my bed.

3. Fresh Snow. Last night we had an ever so lightly falling powdery snow coming down as we drove home from game night. It was a little on the cold side but nothing mattered as these little flakes landed on my eye lashes while I was tempting the key into the door.

4. Organized. I have been moving a lot of you from a bookmark on my computer to a google readet feed and this has been a bit of a challenge but in the end I know it will be better organized and I’ll stay caught up on blogs I like to visit and read.

5. Soul reading. Each week I have been adding a good for me to my list of things to do. Like week one drink more water, week two the dvd of Jillian Michael’s, anyway this is week three and I’m going to add soul reading to my list and you know where to get that.

I struggle in the Winter months a bit too much and giving an effort sometimes is a lot for me. Even coming up with 5 today, not that I can’t put 5 favourites into my week and I am sure there is loads, but when your brain is tired your body exhausted, shut down is so easy to say. So my 5 were also an accomplishment.

I’m privileged to be here, to share and read. I’m thankful to Susanne for hosting Living to Tell the Story and I’m going to see her right now, you can too.

xo, cindy

This week has been one I’d like to pass on, forget it I may, and just remove it from the calendar all together.
But I’m sure many have had a great week and I know I can find a reason to smile through my teeth so I’ll try for the sake of not being a party pooper.

Susanne at Living to Tell the Story has encouraged us to look into our week and pick 5 things to be thankful for, blessings as they are called. So join us in a weekly FFF as we express ourselves for what we are blessed.

Friday’s favourite five #28

1.Twitter and on line chat. I love technology, I pop over to twitter then see a sales rep from my favourite beading store in Freeport maine is on live chat. Ok, this is my opportunity to send her a pic and ask her about the beads I ran out of, or should I say I’m hoarding and don’t want to share. She has a look and tells me when they order them she will send them to me. Easy or what – Staples I don’t need your easy button it takes batteries.

2. Family get togethers. Every once in a while we all land in one place at one time and it is nice. Although Jennifer my oldest can’t be here as she lives away in NC (I miss her so much) glad I saved those tears for now. I have a pic of her on the wall and I feel like I have here with me when we all get together.

3. Pizza night. Last night Vic and Dewar came over and brought her home made pizza dough, cheese and oh sausage. I added the rest, green pepper, onion, ham, pineapple, mushrooms, pepperoni, and there must have been something else. Anyway we all worked on build a pizza, our own half of the pizza and then dug in.

4. Automatic washing machines. When the kids were small I had a wringer washer, it was by choice as I needed to have that extra time to have wash cycles. But today I sure am blessed to have an automatic washer. Oh, the yum that reminded me, I purchased a bottle of tide with downy in it just for doing bed sheets and last night I slept on a dreamy downy set of sheets.

5. think think think. Snow. We got some this past week, ya.

I think a funny movie is in order. Maybe a little exercise might make me feel like dancing again.

Everyone enjoy their weekend and the many blessings you bring to everyone.

xo,

cindy

This week has gone by way to fast.  One minute it was Sunday afternoon movie time and the next minute it is Friday morning.  Here we are one week past my FFF-Resolutions and already #4 has been broken, I found more chocolate.

Susanne at Living to Tell the Story has encouraged us to look into our week and pick 5 things to be thankful for, blessings as they are called.  So join us in a weekly FFF as we  express ourselves for what we are blessed.

Friday’s favourite five #27

1. My Husband. This week he has been tortured from morning to night. We have been doing updates, paper work and html code on the web site.  All week I have each and every day been so difficult to deal with but he managed, I should bake him a cake.

2. My Mom. The things she did, sayings, and just how she did them are memories.  I had to say good bye to mom on this day in 2006 when she gave in to her battle with cancer.

3. My grandchildren. I know I shouldn’t laugh at them, but they do things that you just can’t help from laughing.  I can’t manage to hold it back until I’m not in front of them.

4. The car. I know this just doesn’t fit but in the last 10 years nothing major has gone wrong.  When we were away on holidays we/I got stuck driving off the road and had to back down an incline to get out of the ditch. I busted the tail pipe off, got to get that fixed.

5. A Scrapbooking web site. Although I worked hard at it yesterday and I thought I would have it uploaded, no it will take another few days.  I’m so excited, maybe to get it finished and out of the way.  It has and still is a learning experience and I don’t know where my shopping bag will end up but we are almost there.  We have been working at it for a week,  yesterday after running a syntax check it only found 336 errors.  Lucky for me 333 of them were simple fixes.

So really my week has been sitting in front of the computer working.  I have not seen the outside of my house in a week. Maybe today I’ll go out and just leave it all behind for a few hours, I need groceries and I don’t shop on Saturday and the stores in PEI are not open on Sunday anymore (good thing)

Everyone enjoy their weekend and the many blessings you bring to everyone.

xo,

cindy

It was about five years ago I stopped staying up late at night watching the countdown on television and making that all time New Year’s Resolutions that you (I) never stick to past the first week.   Imagine that, I would make one resolution and not be able to stick to it and today I’m prepared to make 5 for the new year and see how I do.

Skip over to see Susanne at Living to Tell the Story and join in her FFF as she has so helped us  express ourselves for what we are blessed.

Friday’s favourite five #26

1. The couch. Between the hours of 9pm and 11pm the right hand side of the couch is my favourite spot.  My New Year’s Resolution #1 is to get up on every commercial and walk to the kitchen and back once without anything in my hand.

2. The Pill. As hard as it has been for me to admit to a low dose of estrogen and the fact that everyone around me has become cranky… I will continue to take it because it seems to me everyone is less cranky when I do.

3. Exercise. My intentions on this will never change so my resolution to not exercise more than I have been should suffice.

4. Chocolate. Boy this one is going to be hard as I never enjoyed the indulgence of chocolate as much as I have in the past week and I don’t think I have ever gotten that much either… Here goes, now that it is all gone, I intend to eat way less chocolate and go back to my diabetic diet.

5. Growing older. Now that another year is approaching I’m convinced that growing older is the thing to do so I will continue to use beauty in a box (hair colour) however I will gracefully grow older and stop scotch taping my wrinkled face to the back of my ears.

I leave you with this glistening snow shot this morning.

Happy New Year Everyone.

Thank you for stopping by, reading and commenting, I enjoy reading your comments as they give me a kick start to yet another day.

xo,

cindy

The weeks are going by fast soon it will be Christmas and then and then….For now I want to slow down and reflect on just this past week.  I’ve not had a great week, but managed to outweigh the bad. This week my favourite five consist of memories as well as happenings, come have a look.

Friday’s favourite five #23

1. My French Gardener.  A day doesn’t pass without kind jesters, helpful hints, a pair of working hands and a wonderful knowledge of almost everything.  These past few weeks he has been working about the yard with pain in his shoulder, has been for an x-ray but I think it is rotator cup problems and he will be a long time healing.  I think a secret Santa might might include a gift certificate to a masseuse in his stocking this year.

2.  My daughter Jennifer.  She sure can pick’em and her timing is always bang right on.  I posted a memory yesterday from years ago and she included a story (first one at the bottom of the post) I had forgotten about.  When I read her comment, I started to cry then laugh and then cry again.  I needed that laugh this week and she didn’t even know it.

3. My dad.  Finally on his Birthday the girls in the nursing home remembered to call and pass him the phone.  I wished him a Happy Birthday and he said, “oh is it my birthday?”   I have to laugh because I put a Hershey’s chocolate bar in a card and send it to him.  When he gets mail the girls put it on his table and everyone comments, “Ralph you have mail today.”  He desn’t open it at the table thinking no one will know.  He is diabetic but a treat once in awhile is ok.

4. My brother. Ya,  nuf said.

5. My Nephew Ralphie.  This week he got his brown belt in Karate.  He is remarkable, when he came for a visit he wanted me to show him how to wire wrap sea glass.  I did and he has been taking them to school and selling them.  When I went to Ottawa for a visit I had all my supplies with me as I had been beading on our road trip.  I had made rings beaded with “sterling silver” wire.  Ralphie took  5 rings to school and sold them for $3 and was so excited, I didn’t have the heart to tell him they were sterling silver.

5a. Yarn I got for a craft on sale this week.

This is it the good the bad and the ugly.  My family made it to my five this week, without them or the memory of I’d not have had a few laughs.  Please read and join in and link up with us and visit Susanne at Living to Tell the Story

I love to hear from you and enjoy your comments.

http://besidethetrail.ca/hatsnhospitalitea/2010/12/fridays-fave-five-family/

x0,

cindy

Walk with us for awhile and join in each week as Susanne has introduced us to focus on reflecting five favourite things, be them large or small, blessings obvious and gratefulness we dug into our hearts to share with others.

Friday’s favourite five #17

Here are my five.

1. Good health over the summer. It is a fact that our little Island comes alive with tourists during the summer months. At this time of year we are slowing down and it is now that I get a sore throat, coughing, sneezing and oh I just don’t feel good all over.  We are to be on the road by Tuesday starting our road trip but if I’m not feeling better I’m going to put it off.

2. A good comfy bed to sleep in. Funny, day in day out we follow routine and only when we think of how many homeless people there are do we realize how much we appreciate a good comfy bed.

3.

4. A good book. I have a book in the car that I read when we are driving, well not when I’m driving.  It is ok, good but I want to read a book that is way out there good.  The French Gardener doesn’t speak when he drives and so some of these trips have been long ones. I have a e-book and today I’m going looking for a few downloads of really good books.

5. Some good help, not too hard to find. This is a take off of good health because when I’m not feeling well I can count on my hubby to gett’er done.  We have bed and breakfast guests in this morning for breakfast and he knows how I feel about cooking or handling food if I’m sick.  So he just takes over on this day and I watch from my computer and he really is doing a great job.  I’m confident if I weren’t here he could do this all by himself. I’m also thinking I might take a few more sick days, only thing  is my sick days aren’t paid for.

This is my journey and I’m so blessed with the top five this week, happy as a clam.

Please join in and link up with us and visit Susanne at Living to Tell the Story.  Where you can link up and share.

xo,

cindy

Walk with us for awhile and join in each week as Susanne has introduced us to focus on reflecting five favourite things, be them large or small, blessings obvious and gratefulness we dug into our hearts to share with others.

Friday’s favourite five #16

Here are my five.

1. Staying focused and on track. This week as last I got real as Dr. Phil might have said when I use to watch him.  I devote Thursdays blog to a weigh in, holding my breath while I hit the publish button to post my weight.  I think by putting it out there I made a commitment to myself to stay focused and on track. More than anything I make sure to stay true to Thursdays and post true, feelings, efforts, challenges, changes, weight and worries.

2.  I’m blessed to have a pair of sore legs this week. Some may think this isnt’ a blessing, but not me.  I’m not a person who jumps off the couch to exercise it just was never in my bucket list of things I have to do.  Well part of#1 is for me to exercise and after 5 days of looking at Jillian Michael’s dvd on the shelf I took it down and plugged it into the vcr and spent 30 minutes of vigorous exercising.  I’m still in True to Thursday mode and so my legs being as sore as they are I’m not hardly able to move and have an excuse not to exercise.  My legs are a little better than four days ago and yes, I did go for a bike ride each day I just can’t do the exercise video.  I’m not lazy I am just very good at making excuses when it comes to exercise.

3. Potato harvesting in PEI. Here in PEI we have 3 major economic incomes these are fishing, farming and tourism.  Tourism holds strong for 9 weeks giving a great deal of people employment. Come the Labour Day weekend tourism starts to dwindle down and visitors have returned home. After that potato harvesting starts and a great deal of people who have been laid off their jobs start working in the fields.  My daughter is one of them and this week while on the harvester a horse shoe old and covered in clay almost came off the tips of her fingers until she knew what it was.  The farmers wife stands across from her on the harvester working day after day and she shared with Vicki just how lucky it is to have found a horse shoe. The strength and energy wells up in me as she explains the significances of this fee horse shoe that she almost threw away.  I can’t think of anyone I would wish a little luck, blessing or break in life upon.

4. Fall decorations and door wreaths. The horse shoe finder has decided that Thanksgiving will take place at her house this year and we will all gather on Sunday.  It isn’t a small thing to get this off the ground and I ‘m glad to help. Yesterday Vicki came over and collected a couple of items for Sunday, chairs, serving bowls, table cloth, placemats, turkey baster, roasting pan, dinner plates, side plates and napkins.  She said yesterday that she doesn’t have one Fall decoration at home so I spent most of the not able to exercise day making table center pieces and a door wreath that I’ll post about this week.

click on image twice for full size.

5. Recognizing and rewarding who is inspiring in your life. For many years I followed an inspirational speaker around to focus groups, tourism meetings, and school guest speakers. I was always inspired by his energy, way of thinking, and by the amount he gives to others. Yesterday we went for breakfast at the Preserve Company, his restaurant and I had a little something for him that I gave to a waitress. It wasn’t much but it was a handmade card of thanks, that I cut a giraffe onto the front and just told him that he is inspirational for sticking his neck out for others. I thought it was cute and I know he appreciated it because he came looking for me in the restaurant.

double click on image for larger size.

6. Vacation. Like everything else it is a work in progress, actually I forgot to include it in my five so forgive me for six I didn’t want a rewrite with only one coffee in me this morning.

This is my journey and I’m so blessed with the top five this week, happy as a clam.

Please join in and link up with us and visit Susanne at Living to Tell the Story.  Where you can link up and share.

xo,

cindy