For those of you following my craft projects I did finish up the granddaughter's green bedspread and she was pleased with it. I've almost completed the red and white sparkly pinafore for her to wear for Christmas and have begun work on the zebra for the expected grandchild - well if one leg can be considered a start that is. I managed to crochet a scarf for myself and one of my buddies I visited last week (as well as a dishcloth for both of my hostesses). Just so many WIPs (works in progress) in various bags with only the usual number of hours in the day. As well, I also put together a photobook and with 150 pictures, that's a good sized project. Especially as the uploading of the photos needed to be done with decent internet so I multi tasked and did that at the library during knitting group - such is the life of a rural broadband user. Sigh.
Last week was a road trip to visit New Brunswick to visit two nurse colleagues who were wonderful hostesses. It was a long but lovely drive with the autumn foliage to entertain me. I stopped off in Dartmouth in both directions which broke up the travel nicely and allowed for additional visiting of friends and family. So a busy five days but lots of catching up which was lovely, a stop at Frenchys in Moncton (best I've shopped at yet) and some great craft shops + Briggs & Little yarn mill in Harvey Station with my buddy. Home to find the daughter and granddaughter here for the weekend. Had a nice video chat with the oldest daughter on Saturday and the granddaughter was the entertainment as she pretended to be a cat on top of the couch, showed off her crocheted play food, threw treats for the kitties and more. By the auntie's Christmas visit she will be great fun! Sunday was a meet and greet for the newest great grandchild in the shore captain's family who had travelled from northern BC to meet us all. I made brownies for the event and as suggested by the granddaughter added sprinkles to the frosting....very festive.
This week has been a series of appointments - car servicing with knitting group/catch up with friend while I waited, spa appointment as I'm heading to the warm, haircut and then Dr appointment today and tomorrow is physio. In addition we entertained our German neighbours (plus our German chef/wife friends to translate) for supper so a total of eight of us. Lovely evening of food and visiting. They fly back across the pond this evening and likely will not return until spring.
The shore captain has been exceedingly busy, so busy in fact he hasn't even gotten duck hunting yet. Talked about it a few times, but the boat sits on the bank as hunters bang away with shotguns on the water. He attended whale meetings with the Minister of Fisheries the first of the week and this morning was up at 4:30am and 'helped out' at the plant as they packed a transport with fish landed yesterday. Apparently a repeat performance tomorrow am despite having promised to 'work around it' when I asked about availability for keeping an eye on the grandson. To put it plainly there is no working around it when you leave the house at 5:30am. I am having a deja vu moment of decades of
this which to quote Shania Twain 'don't impress me much'. Not to mention that the man who whines about my Dodge Dart being small and inaccessible, travelling in it only when absolutely necessary has purchased this yellow beauty on the right... from his widowed sister. Although it could be considered a mid life crisis he swears he's just doing her a favour to get it out of the garage. I suggested it should be the granddaughter's as it is a perfect match for the playhouse. Seriously looking forward to my solo travel jaunt.
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| 1994 Corvette |
I fly early Monday morning up through Toronto and on to Holguin Cuba arriving by 1:20pm. My daughter/son-in-law have arranged for a taxi to meet me at the airport and drop me at the bus station for my 5pm trip to Santiago de Cuba (I've purchased the ticket online). My travel guides have also arranged for a casa particular (a B&B) with air conditioning, fridge, hot water, sitting room available and option of additional meals, located near the university, parks (with wifi), shops and restaurants for the equivalent of $23.50 Cdn per night. Apparently the host speaks Spanish clearly and slowly for tourists and there is limited English on site so a total immersion, which is a good thing. The Cuban professor they have engaged will come to my casa for Spanish lessons 2-5pm Mon to Fri for under $600 Cdn total. I have been asked to choose between intense or slow and those who know me understand that I'm pretty intense but at my age kind of slow :) There's been discussion of the course being shared with PowerPoint, the professor having taught foreign students for the university and previously tutored at this casa, so a fair bit of planning. The last message was that she would be at the house at 2pm on Oct 30th ready to give classes so I am thinking I'd best be on my game. Having the firm arrangement is the motivation I need to add grammar to my list of Spanish nouns, hand gestures and translator on my phone as is my present communication style. I can do the month for under $2000 (transportation, accommodation, meals, course etc) including a couple of trips down to Chivirico to visit my friend Elena and enjoying meals out with my son-in-law. Hard pressed to find a resort for that and the cultural experience cannot be compared.
I packed my backpack earlier this week and am awaiting the assistance of the shore captain this weekend to climb into the closet and source a non returning suitcase for my 'stack' awaiting packing. Household goods, fishing supplies, study materials (pens, paper, texts) and various goodies will stuff my 'free' bag with WestJet. Starting to get excited to head to the warm. Have also packed a few warm weather clothes to stash in the car should the anticipated grandchild make an early appearance arriving before I return and I remain in the city. I am as usual a bag lady.
Had hoped to have a date for a January TB contract in Baffin but HR is still staffing for Nov/Dec so I shall be forced to check emails next month a bit more regularly than I'd usually do in Cuba but at least in Santiago de Cuba the parks are closer. Hasta en noviembre.....
