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Tired of winter already

January 6, 2009 by Tricia

Is it sad that I’m tired of winter already and it’s only just started? Probably eh?

Later this evening we’re going to get some snow and then during the night there will be a mix of freezing rain, ice pellets and snow, with more snow to follow during the day on Wednesday. No wonder I’m tired of winter – we’ve already had several major snow storms.

What happened to our winters here in Toronto that were pretty much snowless? For years we had barely any snow during the winter and then once every ten years or so we’d have a really snowy winter, but last year and this year seem to be snow filled.

I wonder if spring plungers are some magical objects that instantly propel people like me who are tired of winter into spring? Ha … wouldn’t that be nice!

Are you starting to get tired of the snow too, or are you making the best of it and taking the kids out tobogganing, skiing or perhaps skating?

Ornamental pepper isn’t happy indoors

January 4, 2009 by Tricia

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My ornamental peppers aren’t looking too good these days. I seem to go through this every year.

I keep my ornamental peppers outside in the summer and when it begins to get cool outdoors (October or so) I bring the Ornamental peppers indoors along with several tropical plants and vines to spend winter indoors.

I think my ornamental pepper is still alive, but barely. They should look like this:

I took that photo two years ago during the summer when I had the plant outside.

Oh well … if the pepper dies I can always plant some of the seeds from the dried peppers that I save. I’ve done that before and it always works to create a new plant. Cheating, I know!

Do you grow Ornamental peppers? If they are indoors how do you keep them alive during the winter? I think our problem is that our house faces north and I have so many plants to put in the south facing windows that the pepper might still not get enough light.

I forgot how good Subs were

January 3, 2009 by Tricia

The other day Chris and I were busy running around, I think it was Christmas Eve, so we decided to get some takeout food for dinner as it was beginning to get late.

Can you believe the only place we could find open was a Subway? Even McDonald’s was closed. We got our subs and ate them at home. I hadn’t had a sub for ages and even though I’m not a big fan of eating a “sandwich” for dinner I thoroughly enjoyed it. Maybe instead of starting a jewelery business (15 years ago) I should have put my money into a Subway franchise. The business is certainly going strong!

What kind of take out food do you get when you decide you want something quick and easy? Hamburgers? Chicken? A sub?

I’m glad the holidays are over!

January 2, 2009 by Tricia

So … How did the Holidays treat you? Did you have a nice time with friends and relatives? A big turkey dinner at Christmas? Get at least one present you really wanted? Party too much at New Years?

Chris and I had a nice Christmas and New Years. We went to his parents on Christmas day for a meal. No, it wasn’t a turkey dinner. Darn! My Mother in Law isn’t the best cook. She made mashed turnip, carrots, mashed potatoes, stuffing and uhm cooked up those pressed chicken breasts that you get from M & M’s.

The meal was OK, but for me it didn’t seem like a true Christmas dinner. So this weekend Chris and I are going to either get a small turkey or some turkey breasts and I’ll make us up a tasty New Years dinner either tomorrow or Sunday. Hey, it’s not the holidays to me if you don’t have some leftover turkey kicking around.

Chris’ older brother was visiting from Chicago and he brought his youngest son, 14 years old, with him. So on Christmas evening we drove from Chris’ parents home in Brantford back to our house in Toronto and all the guys ended up going to the park down the street from us to play hockey on the hockey rink. They actually did that twice a day for four days. So the guys got their exercise!

Unfortunately when they were in the house they watched hockey game after hockey game – old classics and the World Junior Hockey tournament pre-games so needless to say I’m hockeyed out. Chris’ cousin brought his two sons over for one of the days as well, so I think I’m “guyed” out as well. There was way too much testosterone around here last weekend!

Chris’ brother left on Monday and I’ve been recovering from the holidays and enjoying the peace and quite ever since.

Unfortunately for my nephew, I happened to go into the basement one day during the week and I discovered that he’d left a piece of his Samsonite luggage and a pair of jeans behind! I guess things like that happen to 14 year olds! Now I need to find out if we should ship the luggage and jeans to Chicago or just keep them until they come back for another visit.

It was really cold here at New Years so instead of going downtown to see the live show that they put on here in Toronto we stayed in and cuddled on the couch watching TV. We ended up watching the Niagara Falls New Years show and saw Roger Hodgson of Supertramp and Kim Mitchell perform. It was a great show!

Overall I’d say the holidays were great, but I’m tired out. I’ve been so sleepy this week. Maybe I’m fighting something or maybe it’s the Vitamin D supplements that I started taking (just found out I’m vitamin D deficient) that are making me tired. Either way I could sleep all day and night. Not good when you work from home!

I hope that the holidays were good to you and that you’re ready to get a good start in 2009! Happy New year and thank you for being loyal readers! I appreciate your visits and comments.

Getting extra exercise this week

December 21, 2008 by Tricia

I can’t believe all the snow we’re getting. Apparently, we’re getting enough snow this week to equal half the amount we normally get all winter. Last year we had a lot more snow than we normally get in Toronto too. It kind of makes it hard to believe we’re experiencing Global Warming when our city, that normally has a light snow fall that melts within a day or two of falling, is now getting snow that lasts the whole winter. In large quantities.

Well at least this week there’s no need to take diet pills or even go to work out in a gym as we’re getting enough exercise shoveling and pushing snow around. Even walking in the stuff must burn extra calories as it’s much harder to walk over an un-shoveled sidewalk than it is to walk over a snow free one!

It’s also been terribly cold here this week. -20 Celsius (-4 F) with the windchill! I’m sure that’s bound to increase the metabolism as we struggle to stay warm when we’re taking our dog for a walk or shoveling, shoveling, shoveling.

How’s your first day of winter going?