Days 237-243....from hail and snow to 19 degrees.

Happy Tuesday folks.

It's beautiful here in sunny Toronto today but we did have some colder weather last week with both hail and snow on Wednesday. The overnight temps were below zero again but the good news is that there are only 'plus' numbers forecast from here on in.
I love the Spring here. The temperature, although only in mid- teens, feels like a Scottish summers day. The breeze can be strong, pulling the temp down a bit but if you are shaded from it. It's fab.
We will all be little brown berries by the time we arrive in Edinburgh.
I shall have to watch my hair as it is getting blonder by the day-eek.
Alison go a bit of sunburn on her back-ouch. Only a little bit of peeling-thank goodness.
My problem with a weekly blog is that I can't remember half the stuff that's happened-lol.
On Wednesday evening, I went to see a property which was a combined apartment and store. It was fab although the apartment would take adjusting to because we are used to so much space. But the property as a whole has huge potential for using some of the downstairs space as living space or rentable space and there is space for me doing teaching, meditation classes and my therapies:-)
I took Andrew along to see it again, last night and he liked it too. The lady selling is lovely and she has given me loads of advice already about things you need to be aware of in buying a business or property in general. She has run the place as a picture framing business but also makes/sells jewellery and other gift pieces. she is giving Andrew a good deal on framing the print we gave him at Christmas and we were glad of her advice on needing to put a special film between the glass and the print so that they don't stick together. I didn't know there was such a thing and have had many a photo stick to the glass.
Perhaps by next weeks Blog, I will be able to tell you that we are going to buy the place?
On Thursday vera came for coffee and chat and measuring of spaces. She and Goran still are undecided about moving in here but they have now sold their home so will need to decide soon.
On Friday, Jen got her haircut and it is still looking fab. She will have to wash it today but it's looking healthy and much happier. Oh. This reminds me that I need to get Alison an appointment. Whilst Jen was having her hair done, I sat on a park bench watching squirrels and bird enjoying themselves. Did you know that squirrels build nests in trees? I sat and watched one running up and down, chewing off branches and adding them to the pile already forming a nest. Who knew?
When Jen was finished, we headed along to the Eaton centre because she wanted to get some sports pants, which she did find, in Gap. She may take them back tho' because she has now found another cheaper pair
We met Andrew, whilst he had his break from work and the we headed home. Jen went an extra stop on the subway, to order the pizza and I nipped home to collect the bags and to drop off the two foldable chairs we had bought for less than $10 each, for the garden. 60% off-nae bad and as we don't have garden furniture to bring from Edinburgh, they will be well used.
I hurried along to the pizza shop and arrived just before the pizza was ready-perfect.
On Saturday, Jen and I went to a big 'flea market' (so called because of tiny prices, me thinks and not because everything contains fleas) and we got some great stuff for the sum total of $20. A couple of the items would have cost that each so the fact that I got 15 items was fab. All little stuff except for a Xmas tree stand which I couldn't resist for a dollar. We'll need one for this Christmas unless Bill fancies the Pizza boxes variety that we had this past one.
I got two Angels. Jen found them. One is Willow tree and the other has only one wing so I felt I needed to give her a home.
Christmas tree lights, books, a basket, small ikea drawers and a tiny USB xmas tree were my other bargains and I was dead chuffed with them, as we walked home in the sunshine. There was tons of clothes and masses of women trying them on but Jen and I weren't really in the mood for being squished and so we took our trinkets and left.
On Sunday, we all went across town for Alisons drama class. Jen and I were disappointed by the cool temperature but went for a wee wander after Bill went off to work (I chat with him in Tim Hortons for a half hour or so)
We were stopped by two young guys who asked if they could take our pictures and ask some questions, for an article for Toronto Life magazine. It was about the impact of the Pan Am games on residents, this summer. Jen didn't want her pic' taken but I smiled and thought 'cheese'
Alison wants new runners. In fact, she just wants runners-she doesn't have a pair so we went to Adidas to see what size she is. She didn't really fancy any of the shoes but at least we now know her size. Andrew is going to a sale next weekend so he may be able to pick up some very discounted ones for her.
I dropped the girls off at the Dufferin Mall and went North in the bus, to look at a furnished apt that may suit us, if we don't buy and don't stay here. Really great space and lovely couple but the lease would be 4-6 months and it may be just a tad long. Other downside is that it'd be a 40 min's commute for Ali and it would be furnished with not a lot of space for ours so we would need to put stuff into storage. I told them I'd get back to them this week once I had talked with Bill. Andrew came for dinner and we had what is likely the canadian version of a mince round. I liked it, as did Andrew. Ali was okay with it and Jen said Nah-no thanks. Oh well. It was less than half of it's usual price so it was not wasted. That reminds me that Jen's piece is still in the fridge. Mmm leftovers for me tonight?
And then we were back to Monday and I was up at Ross'. He had a sizeable skin flap slice on the back of his hand. He had put a large plaster on it but it was soaking through so we went to see the nurse and she dressed it. I think that I could have done a better job myself but they needed to see it.
My walk home only took an hour and eight min's because I didn't take any detours this week
Seeing Andrew again last night made it three times in the same week-yahoo. We do like to see him. He's off to Montreal to play rugby this weekend so it'll likely be a couple of weeks before we next see him.
And that's our week folks.
Other things of interest may be that Ali got 22.5 out of 25 for her 2 min' Stand-Up routine-she must take after her dad
I ordered some pens and blank cards to make some Angel Doodle greeting cards
Jen and Alisons fitness routine is now up to three times/night and they are doing great
I am still eating Jalapeno Cheetos and drinking wine....maybe next week?
And that's all folks.
Have a great week,
Much Love,
Lxxx

oh and the garden is beginning to show some colour. X

Days 229-236....Happy Birthday to me.

Days 229-236....Happy Birthday to me.

3 Girls and 4 Suitcases. Happy Tuesday Folks.

This past week was filled with lots of love and laughter and of course, my 53rd birthday. They all went hand in hand.
The day before my birthday, I headed out to Hamilton to visit with my friend Krys. From my door to being picked up by her at the Burlington Go station was just over an hour. I do love travelling and so it never feels like a chore to get there and I stay for a few hours to make the commute worthwhile.

The Go trains are double/triple decker trains and are green and white (Go Hibees) They run from Toronto Union Station and stop at lots of places to help commuters get back and forth. Sometimes there is only five minutes between stops and as I travelled I was thinking 'Perhaps we don't need to be right in Toronto' with so many places in reach of Ali's school.
We shall see.
The first thing Krys and I did, after she picked me up, was to check out loungers at both Ikea and another store which I can't remember the name of. The sun was shining last week and I thought it would be nice for the girls to have something to lie on, once the sun moves away from the deck and down the garden. Our weather has since changed and we're having lots of rain, wind and single figure temp's and so the loungers are on-hold for now.
After the quick nip around the stores we went for a beautiful walk through one of Hamiltons Botanic Gardens. We didn't go to the flowers and trees bit but instead wandered around the nature trails. Lots of squirrels and chipmunks were to be seen and we were scolded by a Canadian Goose for going to close by its nest. They don't call them Canadian Geese here-just geese.
From there, we went to find a Second Cup coffee shop to get some Hazelnut Latte. It wasn't till we got there that Krys informed me that she didn't drink coffee after noon and so I had to drink alone. I bought a couple of scones and well, to say that my suspicions about being allergic to scones was confirmed would be accurate. I took them home with me (Krys had better goodies on offer) and had one with a late dinner and I had a very uncomfortable night with my burping frown emoticon
Krys and I have been friends since I lived here in the mid-late 80s and we are very comfortable in conversation and in each others company. So much so that, when she told me that she was going to make Gnocci for our lunch, I told her I didn't like Gnocci. We feasted on leftover meatloaf sanwiches instead, whilst laughing about my gnocci dislike. It actually turns out that the recipe sounded lovely so she says that she'll make it next time but have a back up in case I say YUK.
She has a beautiful home and her next door neighbours looks even better. Perhaps we'll just buy a place beside her and drive Ali in to school.....or perhaps not.
When I got home around 8pm the girls were out shopping for my birthday presents. Jen had taken down the banner and balloons that had been up since her birthday, so that she could put them up in the morning for my birthday. It did make me smile. They had been up a couple of months smile emoticonMaybe I shall just leave them up for Andrew birthday in June.
My birthday got off to a quiet start. Jen overslept till almost noon but I had a lovely chat with several folk online, so I did not feel lonely or neglected at all. I normally meet my sister for breakfast at Lucas in Musselburgh and so I was delighted when she popped up online to say Happy Birthday. Not quite as good but good enough.
I spoke with Bill several times throughout the day and we skyped before the kids took me round the corner for a chinese meal which was yummy. I managed to have pretty much a full second meal, the next night because, when the chicken balls arrived, they were covered with swet and sour sauce. Jen does not like sweet and sour sauce and Ali wasn't keen and so we ordered another portion without the sauce. I munched my way through the saucy ones which meant that my Satay chicken came home in a doggy bag. YUM.
It was lovely to spend a few hours with the three kids, They were all very generous in their gifts and in paying for the meal. All grown up they are.Jen gave me a lovely pale grey cardigan and some beautiful pink tulips, Ali gave me a gift card for Second cup(YUM) and Andrew gave me a pair of fab Vans and spectacular Adidas runners. He also bought my a wacky Vans rucksack that I was going to buy for myself a few weeks ago.
Bill and my sis are treating me to something in the summertime but Bill did instruct Jen to take me for coffee, which she did. We went out for a walk and stopped in at one where I got my usual Hazelnut latte and the most delicious pecan square that I have EVER tasted. Probably contained a million calories but it was my birthday after all.
What else.
On Saturday, the girls and I walked around the local streets looking for Open houses and we found a couple that we went in to. They were lovely but above budget being over a million dollars but it is good to get a sense of what you get for your $ and in this area-not a lot. There was one huge house, having an Open house, that had a sign at its front door saying that ID was required for entry. Being in our trainers and walking gear, we reckoned we had to give that one a miss-lol.
Sunday saw Jen chum Ali and I across town to Ali's drama. She and I attempted to sit in my wee sunny shady spot but it was just too cold and windy despite the sunshine. After Alison was finished, we headed along to the Eaton Centre (Downtown huge mall).to do a little shopping. The girls wanted sports gear but ended up not finding any but I got myself a Fabby wee cross-body handbag. It's red and Calvin Klien and was half price. My father-in-law gave Bill money for me to buy myself something and that was it and I LOVE it. It's not often I 'fall for' a handbag but I di with this one. Maybe I will post a pic.
Andrew was at the baseball (collecting a bobblehead for his father) and so we organised to meet him at Five Guys for dinner. Yum again and great to see Andrew for the second time in a few days. Sometimes he's busy so we go two or thre weeks but that's still way better than seeing him every few months.
And so we were back around to Monday again, yesterday. I decided to walk home from Ross and took a detour, as is my want, only to find myself in an area that I haven't sussed out before. The houses in it were magnificent and secluded and well, when I am a rich, successful, published author, I may just have to go buy one.
Oh, and I got home two and a half hours after leaving Ross. Apart from a quick shop for rolls and fruit, that time was all spent walking and 'wowing'
Last night, I was very late in getting to bed. Reason? I was looking online at properties for sale and I kep telling myself 'just one more page'...........oh dear-that didn't work.
And on that note...Ta ta for now.
Wishing you all a wonderful week,
Much Love,
Lxxx

Days 221-228.......and the heating is OFF.

Days 221-228.......and the heating is OFF.

3 Girls and 4 Suitcases

Happy Tuesday, Folks.
I am so glad that I remembered to write this, this first week of the Blog being officially weekly.
The biggest thing to report (because it has been a quiet week) is that the temperature is finally, consistently above Zero and my heating is now OFF. The house is maintaining above 60 during the day and I believe that it will stay at or above 65 in the next few days. I have even had my window open in my bedroom and all I can say to that is YAHOO for fresh air.
The electric shocks have stopped (we were all getting them from the dry air) and we now don't need the lights on till after 8pm. Jen opens the blinds before she heads to bed so we don't even need lights on first thing.
Is it sad that I felt this was all very exciting?
The next thing on my list is to put the clothes dryer outside in the sunshine next weekend
Simple pleasures.
What else?
On Thursday, I went out for lunch with Mary and Ross, after chumming Mary when she took Ross for a dental appt. She and I had 45 mins to chat and have coffee during his appt and all-in-all it was a lovely visit with them. I sort of repeated the exercise yesterday when I went with them to a hospital app't. Just like our hospitals at home, getting parked is a nightmare and so it made the visit easier on both of them, to have me along.
I haven't been in the Toronto Western since I sliced open my finger, just after I became Marys mothers helper. Its Atrium was astonishing with the amount of stores it had in it. HUGE.
Their appointment proved to be much longer than expected but I had my book to read so the time was not wasted.
With the nicer weather, Jen and I have been walking a bit more and we plan to step-it-up. The girls are still doing their 7 minute intense daily exercise routine and my much gentler one gets done at the same time. I put a pair of my linen trousers on yesterday and the good news is that they still fit
We didn't go to a shopping mall on the weekend and that was a little strange. The girls are planning not to buy clothes until their exercise kicks in so we may have some spending-free weeks. I am planning to restart the explorations though because we stopped it over the winter. There are still many subway stops that I haven't jumped off at.
I treated myself to a wee pot of daffodils because I was missing the ones in Mountcastles garden. They have really sprouted and look wonderful. I shall have to go find a Magnolia tree to oggle. My garden here is still brown but there is signs of life here and there. My Easter Lily continues to bloom.
I haven't begun seeing clients around the corner but I hope to be doing a little intro-talk at the end of the month. Janice is busy selling her home so I am not pressing her. It will all happen in its own sweet time.
Bill has been getting bits and pieces done at Mountcastle, in preparation of selling. It's keeping him very busy. A little part of me wonders what he's getting up to, over there but I trust him and know that he'll not toss out anything that may upset us.
I may have to do a car-boot sale when I am home-lol.
I was hoping to do a PINK night but my hubbie has informed me that it's not happening in our house. SO, any offers Ladies? I am happy to do the actual auction but not the organising or hosting. It would be a great way to have everyone together and who knows, it may still be possible for me to attend a yearly one as I hope to be home each year to do some teaching etc.
Back to Etobicoke and our upstairs bathroom lights have gone off again and Ali showered by candlelight last night. It was a lovely scented candle so it still smells great up there this morning.
My coffee maker hasn't been on since my sickness. I have been drinking instant stuff. It's not quite as much fun as coming downstairs to a ready-pot but I haven't felt much like real coffee (with the exception of Hazelnut Lattes from Second cup)
Right, I think that's it. It doesn't seem a lot or very exciting but....that's life this past week.
Love to all,
Lxxx

Day 220..........Good to feel like writing again but the Blog will now be weekly.

Day 220..........Good to feel like writing again but the Blog will now be weekly.

3 Girls and 4 Suitcases.

Sometimes the Universe gives you signs and this full week off from the Blog-writing has made me feel that it's now supposed to be a weekly Blog. There isn't a lot of folk who read it every day, anyways and it feels like my daily-writing needs to be penned into another form...probably into that book of mine.
The risk of doing a weekly Blog will be that I may make the posts far too long for anyone to be bothered reading them but I will just have to take that risk :-)
It was always meant to be a way to keep folk connected to me and it will still be here, should anyone need to connect with what's going on with the Toronto Denhams. It will just be a Tuesday read and not a daily one.
This past week has found me doing not a lot of anything. Even my daily inspirational readings didn't happen because my head didn't feel up to the task. Physically, I was pretty much over the food poisoning (we will just call it that, for want of a diagnosis of my symptoms) in a few days. I spent a lot of the first three days in bed, doing nothing but dozing in and out of sleep. After the awful 'ickys' had settled, my back began to ache in a way that it hasn't for years. It was like a gnawing pain that I couldn't escape from and in the middle of Friday night, on getting back into bed, I lost it completely to panic and pain and pretty much begged that all of the wonderful things that I believe in, with my whole heart, would help me and take away the pain and let me sleep...........and they did. And my back has been great since.
I have a renewed sense of trust in my Reiki, Angels, Bach and Mindfulness (even if I did reach breaking point because of doubt) and I know that this past week of rest, reflection and renewal was meant to happen and to happen on the run up to Easter.
Easter Sunday found me in church. The first time in church since we moved here and the first Easter Service for many years. I used to go to church every Sunday until I chose to back away from formal religion, in all its 'shady' forms.
I was born on Good Friday and it was no co-incidence that my meltdown happened on that night. Think me bonkers all you like (Billy Denham) but I know that the spirituality of Easter and all that it stands for (HOPE) played a big part in my week of sickness. As I typed that last sentence I was smiling and thinking 'Thank God that I only had to suffer a bad back and some food poisoning and not the hanging-up-on-a-cross-to-die-thing'
Trust and Hope and Faith can be difficult things to hold on to when we are struggling with our health, our relationships, our finances or any other thing that puts us under pressure. I consider myself hugely lucky to have all the tools that I have, to help me through any situation that comes up for me (including illness)
The Sermon was lovely, on Sunday morning. The church was full and the minister wryly brought that fact into his words as he spoke about the falling numbers attending weekly worship. He spoke about how we don't have to feel hopeless despite all the conflict and injustice in the world and it struck a chord with me because I NEVER feel hopeless. I always know that I can do something to help the world, even if to many it seems pointless and of no use.
I pray.
I have since I was a child, every single night (unless I have had too much vino) and sometimes several times during the day. I now am able to also 'send' Reiki out into the world (it's not really sent, just drawn by whoever I bring my love and attention to, if they wish it) and it makes me feel like I am always able to do something to help. So there is never any sense of hopelessness.
Now, Trust and Faith are a whole different ball-game but as this Blog is already probably too philosophical, I will refrain from expanding on my need for the Bach Flower Remedies, Gentian (helps you be positive)  Mimulus and Aspen (for Fear)
The Girls were wonderful, when I was unwell. Jen even ran downstairs, when she heard my 'puking', to hold my hair back, rub my back and give me loo roll to wipe the snot. I am proud to say that I did not cry for my mum (I did that later, in the middle of Friday night) and Bill will attest to that being my usual wailing when I am sick
They were pretty much self-service for a couple of days and they just got on with it.
Alisons school show was on, on Wednesday evening and so I steeled myself and managed to sit through it without having to belch loudly (as I did for several days and am still slightly prone to, even this week) and it was great. Really funny and titled 50 shades of Black (Black being their drama teachers name) it was made up of loads of little short skits that they had written themselves. It was nice to finally put faces to some of the names we hear at home.
You may be wondering what caused the food poisoning (or not) and I cannot definitively say. My guess would go as follows:
I ate a scone which had been in the freezer and it had been in the freezer because I had decided that those particular very yummy scones made me have a huge problem with burping. Why did I eat it? Well, I had defrosted them when Hol and Em were here and it felt a shame to waste it.
The burping began a few hours after the scones consumption and carried on all afternoon . For a very late lunch, I had a salmon/cream cheese bagel which I wolfed down and I wasn't really very hungry at all at dinner-time so I tried a little pasta and a cup of tea but they didn't really want to go down and so I stopped trying to make them.
By that time I was feeling pretty uncomfortable and was cursing the scone big-time. Wandering around, burping for Scotland, I decided to head downstairs to lie down. I know that lying down doesn't really help but it can sometimes make sitting up again dislodge lots of trapped air. It did just that but I didn't feel any better.
I had a couple of false starts when I had to race to the bathroom, thinking I was going to vomit. Those of you who know me well know that I hate being sick and I'm sure that I have a built in defense mechanism against allowing myself to throw-up but on the third visit........well, you don't need the details.
Suffice to say, I haven't been able to face a cup of black tea or a salmon/cream cheese bagel since and I don't see them in my foreseeable future.
Was the salmon off? Who knows.
I had left-over chinese the previous night so was it that? I dinnae ken.
Perhaps it was a combination of those two and the burp-causing scone?
Ah, who cares........I feel better now and the silver lining is probably that I lost a few pounds because I also haven't had any wine in 10 days.
My eyes are beginning to resume normality. Not sure why my eyes get affected but the last time I had food poisoning was when the tsunami hit Japan and my eyes went really wonky then, too. I am glad to report that my recovery was far, far quicker this time.
And anything going on apart from my illness?
Andrew is due back from the Bahamas today. Us girls have been a tad jealous because we were greeted by snow on Easter morning.
I have yet to restart my search for our new home.
My hair was highlighted last Tuesday before the sickness. I love it.
The girls and I went to the movies last night to see Insurgence which we all enjoyed. It was a last minute decision to go because we had a Day pass for the TTC. They issue them on holidays and it made it cheaper to go there last night (without transport costs) than adding in transport costs to go tonight for $5 Tuesday. The lovely wee theatre we go to is only $7 regular for the girls and $10 for me. Ali had already gone to work, when Jen and I decided we'd go and so she was surprised to find us sitting at the crossroads waiting for her after work. I had made her lasagne and boxed it for her to eat on the subway ride. A mini-surprise-adventure indeed.
And that's about that.
See you next Tuesday.....unless I change my mind and write again tomorrow :-)
Much Love,
Lxxx

Oh....the photo is of a wee Angel who appears on my kitchen wall. x

Day 218..........too much effort on my eyes, to type words, so all the news will have to wait.

Day 218..........too much effort on my eyes, to type words, so all the news will have to wait.

3 Girls and 4 Suitcases.

Happy Easter. Lxx

Day 217.........still not up to posting as my eyes are all fuzzy wuzzy.

Day 217.........still not up to posting as my eyes are all fuzzy wuzzy.

3 Girls and 4 Suitcases.

Title tells it all. Today (Saturday) finds me feeling much better otherwise, though.
Happy Easter.
Lxx

Days 214-16............VERY unwell.

Days 214-16............VERY unwell.

3 Girls nd 4 Suitcases.

The last three days are a bit of a fog because my brain is still not focusing 100%. My eyes are also a bit blurry so there may be a few mistakes. Not sure what I have but it's likely food poisoning because the girls are fine. Whilst this bout of whatever it is, isn't as severe as the one I had a few years back, it has taken the wind right out of my sails and I know it will take me another couple of days to feel like doing much of anything. I don't feel like writing so will simply aim to catch you up on this weeks goings on, when I feel up to it.
Lxx

Day 213...........goodbye Holly and Emily..

Day 213...........goodbye Holly and Emily..

3 Girls and 4 Suitcases.

Yesterday was Monday.....again. I found it hard to believe that Holly and Emily had been with us a full week and were heading back to Vancouver on a 6.30 flight.
I went up to see Ross, as usual because I knew that the girls would be up late and then getting packed. I made sure that I headed home on time so that I was back home by 12.20.
Andrew was coming over for lunch and bringing the Vans that he had bought his wee cousins. Before he arrived, the girls had me take a tone of photos of them both inside and outside. I took more pictures of them with Andrew, after lunch and before the airport run.
Alison had taken the afternoon off, to spend with her cousins but had to go to work at 4pm so we set off for the airport at the same time as she left.
It took less than an hour to get to the airport and so there was lots of time for Hol' and Em' to get their bag checked in and go through. Jen and I were home before Alison got in from work. Andrew at stayed at 921 and watched some rugby games that I had recorded for him. He was on a 7-12pm shift and headed to work after a quick bite of Lasagne, to tide him through.
It was all quiet, in the evening. Jen and I caught up on some Greys whilst Ali did some Math revision. We are still hopeful that she will pass this years course 
Ali has enjoyed sleeping in Jens room so much that she decided to use my mattress on the floor again (Hol' and Em" were sleeping on it) and I stayed in the basement.
We shall see what transpires next.
And that was our Monday.
Lxx