This was supposed to be a post linking up to a party yesterday, but the link-up hasn't appeared on that site, so I'm rewriting this to be a Five on Friday post with Amy. Thanks again Amy for hosting!
The clouds finally lifted here in southern Ontario. It's been a very gloomy January, so let's hope the sunshine will be with us a little more in February. Yesterday was Groundhog Day, and for those who care, the groundhog declares there will be six more weeks of winter since he saw his shadow. Who started this tradition anyway?!
One: I took the kids for a walk in the woods on Monday as soon as I saw that sunshine. It was brisk, but nice to get out in the fresh air in our tiny woods at the end of the road. I saw a large gathering of cedar waxwings in the trees alongside the road when we arrived. Unfortunately, my phone camera is useless for bird photos. Someone has put a binder inside a wooden box in the middle of the woods to encourage people to write down the wildlife (mostly birds) they see in the woods. It's interesting to read, and lots of people have seen the great horned owl and the long eared owl. I'd love to see the long eared owl!
 |
 |
| my tiny companions |
 |
| chickadees forever looking for handouts |
Two: In my own backyard, we received a bit of snow overnight on Tuesday. It was enough to allow us to toboggan down the hill beside my driveway yesterday. A nice break from the usual routine.
It's not a huge hill, but enough for a bit of outdoor entertainment for two active two-year olds and Cody!
The snow had melted away in the sunshine by the end of the day, which made me glad we got out there when we did. Snow has been scarce for us here this winter. Now it has turned a bit colder at -10C this morning with a windchill of -17C. Not too bad yet, although the weather network is predicting a messy February with fluctuating temperatures. Sounds like fun, right? This morning I've been singing (in my head) "Sunshine on My Shoulder". This tune always springs to mind on a sunny day in winter for some reason. If it's sunny in the afternoon, I like to sit in my favourite chair to read or knit with the sunshine pouring in the front windows .... ah ... bliss!
Three: On Saturday we're getting a new furnace and water heater installed. It seems like just a couple of years ago that we had our last furnace installed. "And then one day you find, ten years have got behind you; No one told you when to run; You missed the starting gun ..." (I'm a Pink Floyd fan). We are going to rent our furnace (the water heater was already a rental). I like this option better than dishing out over $4,000 for a new furnace every 17 - 20 years. It's going to cost just a little bit more each month than it was to pay for our service contract. The new furnace will be high efficiency, and I'm hoping it will distribute the heat better like everyone tells us it will. For a small bungalow, there are a lot of cold spots in our house.
Four: This morning is "Fireside Storytime" at the library. I hope they have the fire going! I'm going to take the two toddlers and one baby, and hope it all goes well. Two of these kids are a challenge and have high energy (the boy and the baby). Wish me luck because I really don't want to buckle three kids in car seats with snowsuits on and control their behaviour for the half hour we are in the library ... and then get them all buckled into their seats again for the five-minute drive home.
Five: Although I don't discuss ageing much, I am getting closer and closer to being a senior. This past year I let my hair turn completely grey rather than colour it every two or three weeks. I guess I am "prematurely" grey like my mother. Neither of my older sisters or my younger brother have grey hair (as far as I know!). My hair stylist said "it will age you" when I told her my plans. Whatever. Life will age me too. I'm still rather shocked to see how grey I am when I look in the mirror. Last week I went to the drug store to buy some hearing aid batteries (I'm sounding older with each line I write!!). I'm always depressed at the cost of batteries, but I didn't voice my opinion to the clerk. When I got home I was looking at the receipt and noticed I was given a "senior's discount" of $4. I was a bit hurt that I was viewed as a senior by a 16-year old kid, but a $4 discount on batteries is good, right?! To be honest, I would rather they just give me the discount rather than ask me "are you a senior" when I'm in line with a lot of other people. I guess the hair stylist was right. It doesn't seem that long ago that I was carded to get into clubs ... then I was annoyed that I still looked like a 16-year old when I was well into my 20s.
Well, that's it for me. I'm looking forward to the weekend as the kids have been wearing me out this week! I want to work hard on the blanket I'm knitting for my dad and maybe start the drawings for my canoe paddle too. I have a pretty good idea of what I'm going to do, but now I want to see it on paper.
Thanks for stopping by
and enjoy your weekend!
Wendy
I love little chickadees, they always make me smile. I color my hair and I guess I always will, too depressing when I see it looking grayish.
ReplyDeleteLike fine wine, better with age! I color my hair, sometimes, just the home stuff and it actually works quite well and doesn't break the bank.
ReplyDeleteAs for any 'senior discount' just go for it. It's still extra change in your pocket.
Your chickadee photo is amazing. Likewise the forest walk with the toddlers. The binder in the box would be a great read. Oh to see an owl!
I didn't know that you could rent a furnace......interesting.
Have a great weekend!
Hey Sweetie! You are such fun to your "little companions" - walks in woods, sledding, library time. I think I'd be almost tempted to offer to watch Littles again just for the fun of doing all of those things I did with my kiddos. I think that keeps ya young right there. ;)
ReplyDeleteWhen my Mom was going really gray (she had dark hair her whole life) - she started dying it lighter and lighter (still some color - but blonder). It still didn't look like she had gray hair and yet she didn't need to color so often either. Just a suggestion if you decide you wanted to go back to coloring. I think a really good colorist helps and then it can last 2 to 3 months! But I also get it if it doesn't really bother you too. I truly believe you're only as old as you let yourself feel. And you're one active energetic Lady! So keep that active time and your youthful fun soul and you're all set. Lol!
Have a wonderfully blessed weekend Wendy! xoxo
Love the snowy scenes both in the woods and your garden. Such a good idea to leave somehwere for people to write down their sightings. I'm grey and have been for ages. My Mum went grey in her 40s and me in my fifties, sometimes when I see myself in photos my hair looks so white it comes as quite a shock. Have a good weekend:)
ReplyDeleteI think you have a ways to go before 'official senior' as I will achieve this month. However, take all the discounts you can get - which seemed to start at 60, particularly in Florida. lol
ReplyDeleteI'm just starting to get the odd little silver hair at the temples and continuing with highlights a few times a year will help with the transition. Like you, I plan to go au natural when the time comes which will eliminate having to worry about root touchups every couple of weeks. I have friends who do this and it doesn't appeal to me at all.
We paid for a new high efficiency furnace to be installed before hubby retired, hope it lasts until we move on. I would love to go to the 'hot water on demand' system our daughter in North Bay has, eliminates a bulky water tank and they never seem to run out.
Have a good weekend Wendy, stay warm!
I figure it's okay to get older -- beats the alternative! Ha! I enjoy my silver/red hair. I earned each and everyone of the silver threads. Besides, being a Crone has it's advantages ... like Judith said ... take advantage of the senior discounts! Good luck with the furnace. In my part of the world, it's high efficiency AC. Happy Friday!
ReplyDeleteGood luck at library time! I've let my hair go natural instead of coloring and don't regret it. I'm also a year into the Medicare club. It's amazing how time flies when you have to dish out money to replace things. Hope your new items work well for years to come. I enjoyed your photos. Have a good weekend. ~The Happy Wonderer
ReplyDeleteMy dad's had hearing aids for years now, and he knows the cost of those batteries, particularly for how short a time they last, can be a nuisance. Since he's alone now after my mother passed, he tends to leave the hearing aids out when he's alone.
ReplyDeleteCute little birdie to finish out the set.
It sounds like you had a wonderful week! I love reading the prior guest notebook when we rent cabins at state parks. It is so interesting. I'm so happy that you are joining in the Favorite Color Swap! Thanks for stopping by :)
ReplyDeleteColletta
Let's hope that groundhog got it wrong! I'm truly fed up with seeing dyed hair, you can see it a mile off, everyone the same! Grey hair has a lot of different colours in it. If it gets a bit dry or wiry, just put a bit of wax on it.
ReplyDeleteCool panoramic shots! I heard on the radio that we had fewer sunny days than average in January, hence the gloomy month. Hope the new furnace and water heater installation goes well. In some stores, the seniors discount is offered a decade earlier...
ReplyDeleteWhat fun for the littlies. It always amazes me the differences in temperatures from one side of the world to the other - we are heading into another week of 40+ celsius here - hope your house is a lot warmer!!
ReplyDeleteAge is just a number. I'm sure all the running around you do after your little charges keeps you young! I've decided to go grey this year, too. I'm just beginning and hope I can hold out. That a sweet photo of the bird.
ReplyDeleteLove taking these woodland walks with you, Wendy. I think it's great that there is a binder for recording the sightings! I always get so sick of winter about now. We had to replace our hot water tank this past year. What a pain. I keep debating whether I want to let my hair grow out. I have been dying it since I was in my 30's (I was going gray by then) and am getting so tired of doing it. My kids are horrified every time I suggest that I might. It makes me laugh. They will be there soon enough. I guess we should consider ourselves lucky that we have made it this far, right?! Hope you get some sunshine for the weekend. xx K
ReplyDeleteI love the snowy scenes Wendy but those temperatures sound scary to me you need a good heater so I hope that your new one does the job, I die my hair myself every 6 weeks or so and it doesn't really bother me, I don't want to be grey I think I must take after my grandmother she died her's right into her 80's. We are lucky here it's not long since I had my hearing aids upgraded and they are brilliant plus we get free batteries too, I think we tend to take things for granted in this Country. Here's another sign of ageing for you Wendy I have a cataract and I can tell it's getting worse seeing the ophthalmologist on Thursday haha happy days, have a great weekend. xx
ReplyDeleteHello, Wendy! Looks like a wonderful walk. The sledding looks like fun for the kiddies. I did not know you could rent a furnace, they are expensive. We may need a new in our Maryland home soon. I agree with Lorrie above, age is just a number. Love the cute chickadee. Happy Saturday, enjoy your weekend!
ReplyDeleteDon't be disturbed about being called a senior. Soon enough you'll be bragging about your age. Remember when we were young and we were 5-1/2 or 6-1/2? When you get a little older, you'll be saying 64-1/2 or 59-1/2. Age becomes a badge of honor.
ReplyDeleteOh my dear! I am having an eyesight crisis today and feeling every one of my years which I know isn't that much different than your number of years so I know how you feel! The grey isn't too bad, but I don't want to start dyeing it and have been living with grey for about the last 8 to 10 years I guess, not all over though, but enough. I feel like a right croc so I know what you mean. I guess that looking on the bright side, take the discount and run with it hey! We have to take what we can get don't we. On a cheerier note I love the idea of a book in the woods to record bird sightings, how great is that. Hope you enjoy the snow and that your weather is not to ornery in the next few weeks!
ReplyDeleteLove your snow pics and the walks in the woods. Chickadees always make me smile :)
ReplyDeleteYou must have so much energy, running after those children. I continue to colour my hair, which has been gray since forever, although have lightened it in recent times. HB doesn't want me to have it go white! At least he is still looking...
A great spot for a hike. I wish we had some snow around here, it is practically spring already.
ReplyDeleteAmalia
xo