When the bough breaks

This is our sun room door - the snow is about a quarter of the way up it

It looks like we had about three or four inches of snow last night. The Juniper bush, next to the front door, collapsed under the weight of the snow yesterday and then sometime during the night, a huge part of the tree that sits between us and Otto, fell on top of Huffle's car.

The branch that fell off

Gorgeous snow laden tree

We don't know what damage it has done yet as the car was under so much snow it's hard to see. I helped Huffle move the branch as it was really heavy. He went off to work. Today he is challenging his boss over some issues which made his day horrible and ruined his birthday!

Poor little bird

The boys played on the computer before the bus came and then had a snowball fight outside waiting for the bus. Smallest got stuck under MrCash's car becuase he was being silly. I ended up going out in the snow with my Pj's on. Oh well, I didn't look out of place, everyone does it here!

The men turned up and carried on with the floor. Smallest said "they are doing the floor without me?" They said not to worry, they would save him some for when he got home from school.

I cleared up, put some washing on, had a shower and started painting the kitchen cupboards again. It's been a long time since I painted these and I really should have finished it by now.

I spent all morning and more painting.

Then I cleared up, had lunch, made a pot of tea for the men mid afternoon and finished my sock and my slippers.

5 months - that's how long it took me to make this solitary sock.

I went out for an hour or so and cleared some of the drive. It was even heavier today and very wet. It was hard going. The boys came home and Smallest went instantly up to the loft to do some work, he hadn't forgotten what the men had said. He helped by picking up the small pieces of wood and shouting out the window to Small and I.

Small tried to build a snow fort but ended up helping me. He came in to do his homework.............

.......Smallest showed me his ribbon for reading. I started dinner and Smallest showed me the progress in the loft. The floor is down on one side completely, only the other side of the stairs to do now. The floor is also done at the bottom of the stairs.

Huffle came home. He has sorted things at work and is happier. We all had dinner. I'm not feeling so good, my stomach feels off!

Huffle and I watched our third episode of Mad Men, we like it now (Thanks AA).

 

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Happy Birthday Huffle

Last night Smallest had a bad dream. *Lego Men were attacking Grandma*. Smallest was very upset and climbed into bed with us, had a cuddle and a warm and then went back to his bed. We rang Grandma first thing just to check on her. She was fine and no Lego men had attacked her.

 

Happy Birthday to him

The snow's up to his chin

He had to dig his car out

But it's better than the gym!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HUFFLE

it snowed through the night and was very very windy. One of our trees has snapped (juniper). The snow blew onto the windows. Huffle did indeed have to dig himself out of the drive. The school bus was cancelled and Smallest and I had to walk Small to school. We had to walk on the road because the paths were too thick and deep.

The boys waiting to ambush me with their incredibly large snowballs.

It's a long road when you have to walk in the snow and takes a long time when you have to dive off the road everytime a car comes past!

Just over half way there, my neighbour stopped and offered us a lift. I let her take Small to school and Smallest and I walked back slowly. She passed us on the way back and checked we were okay walking. We were, but it was nice of her to ask.

When we got back, the men were outside and Smallest started snowballing them. The snow is very good for snowballs and snowmen.

I had breakfast and Smallest played on the computer. Then we did a World Animal Puzzle, Pirate Game and looked for words with the sounds er, ur, and ir in them for Smallest's homework. We did well. We found Monster, Dinosaur and Chirp (a magazine for kids that Drew gave us). Smallest practised his letter writing and then we started on Huffle's Birthday Cake. Yesterday I bought myself a new Canadian Cake Book. I chose the recipe and followed it precisely.

 

Smallest said the mixture was yummy. Well he did help to make it! We also made a few small cakes as the recipe was for a three tiered cake and I only had two pans the same size.

By lunchtime, the snow had settled well, so I made lunch for Smallest and he ate it in front of the TV and I went out for an hour and a half (he was supposed to join me) and cleared the drive. I didn't manage it all as it was so wet and heavy. I cleared a path for Mr Cash to get back in and for Huffle to drive in and I cleared a path for MrDuck to get out. My arms and legs were killing me.

The part of the drive I cleared.

When I came in Smallest had forgotten he was supposed to help me. I sat and ate lunch and he decorated some small cakes. He took two up to the men and then went and helped them. He was sweeper upper. The floor was going down well, it looks lovely.

I finished the cake.....

Then I went and fetched Small from school. I left Smallest working with the men, apparantly he was passing them the next floor piece, so if it looks wrong, its his fault.

Sweeper

Workman Smallest

On the way I popped in to see Smallest's friend's mum (she is expecting very soon). Her mum was there and she said she was resting so I didn't bother her, just wanted to check she was okay. We said we would get together in March Break. I walked to school and chatted to the Secretary who said that the school very rarely closes. Small and I started to walk home. He was very slow and said his feet were wet (we later found two holes in his boots - so new boots tomorrow). Once we had crossed all roads, I walked on ahead of him because I felt guilty for leaving Smallest (though he was fine and being looked after). A car stopped (someone from Smallest's class) and asked if we wanted a lift. I asked if they could take Small and I walked. Lots of nice helpful people today.

I passed this lovely snowman

When I got home the men were outside. I think they were waiting for me to come back. They said they had told Smallest to change his pants (trousers) as they were all dusty. When Small arrived they helped him off with his boots and took the inserts out and put them on the heater to dry. Bless them, they really did look after them.

The loft is looking splendid. One third of the floor has been done, one wall of skirting boards done (base boards).

The boys played on the computer when Small finished his homework. I made pizza for dinner. Huffle came home (he had had a terrible day at work). We ate pizza in front of the end of a film we had watched another day and then lit the candles on the cake. Grandma tried to Skype but we couldn't see her, then Aunt Pear skyped and we had a brief chat till Grandad tried to Skype but it was a dodgy signal. We managed to ring Grandma who had gone to bed and speak to Grandad. It was a very confusing few minutes. Huffle chatted to Grandad and then cut his cake and we ate it with a cup of tea. It was lovely. I used a Canadian Recipe and followed it very closely. It was called a Yellow Golden Cake. Yay, she's back. She can bake again. Wahoooooo.

38 or 83?

We finished one film and started to watch Hugo (from the book Hugo Cabret). The boys went to bed (we will have to finish it another time)

Our road was finally ploughed at 7pm. Why so late?

Yesterday and today I had terrible problems with adding photos to my blogs. As usual, the team at Blogsy were amazing. They answered my emails instantly, and then sorted my problem almost instantly. It seems there is a problem with Picasa. Anyway, thank you (Lance) Blogsy again for helping me.

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Where's Wally's Pants?

Our sleep was interrupted by a noise that made Huffle get up and investigate. We still don't know what it was. It took us ages to get back off to sleep.

Huffle went to work. Both boys went to school, Small took his medicine. Smallest slid on the icy drive till he fell over.

After breakfast I got myself ready and went off shopping in a Mall. My mission for the day was to get Huffle a birthday present. This was supposed to be easy but it wasn't. He wants some sturdy snow boots but he needs to be there to buy them so I just wanted to get something from the boys and a little something from me.

I didn't go in that many shops but I had had enough by lunchtime when I stopped for a bagel and an orange juice. I was disappointed but at least I got a few things. I stopped off to post some letters and get some wrapping paper.

The men were doing a grand job. They had completed the stairs (but for a bit of sanding and filling) .......

.......and were just clearing up before starting on the floor. They said it was like a jigsaw puzzle. Each box had different sizes of wood in it and it had to be put together before putting on the floor. Each piece of wood cannot end six inches before the other one starts. Sounds very complicated. It is all nailed down by the underneath edge so you can't see the nails.

The covers were put on the heaters - it seems we chose exactly the same colour for the walls. I told them it was intentional!!! Also the pot light covers are on now so the lights are directional - which will be helpful when I craft up there. I wrapped Huffle's presents. I dusted and swept the kitchen, living room and hall. I attempted to clean the stairs and landing but it's a waste of time. I did a bit - just enough to stop it being trod through the house.

They left not long after the boys got home and I started shouting - ha, don't blame them! Small did some of his homework and Smallest sorted through some books, then they played on the computer while I made dinner.

Small had a good day at school though he had a couple of tests and got kicked in the nose (accidental). Smallest has found out today that his friend (there were only three boys in the class) is moving to the other class which means he won't see him at all at school. I asked him if it bothered him and he said "No, it's okay, because when we are in Grade 1, I will see him everyday except Saturday and Sunday". Bless, he still has his other friend in that class and MissK. I told him that they were the Kings in there now. He liked that.

Huffle came home, we ate dinner and then Huffle decided to open his presents as tomorrow morning would be difficult to get us all together. He had a couple of shirts, some tee-shirts (yes Moo you did wrap mine!), chocolate, football top, book and an IOU for his boots (I did take some photos of some in the shops!).

In Grandmas package to him there were presents for all. The boys like to have matching underwear (well smallest does anyway and when he asks Small to put on the same ones, he does!). What a pair of Wally's.

Huffle took Small to Cubs. Tonight they were at one of the leaders houses with an outdoor ice rink and sledge slope. They had a great time sledging over jumps, which had to be reduced because they were getting 'too much air'. Huffle said the house was very nice.

Smallest, Huffle and I played Lego Creationery - though we actually just built things and said what they were!

It has just started snowing, we are expecting a fair bit overnight.

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Stairs and a Spider

Small came down again in the night, he couldn't sleep. So I made him sit and watch Larkrise to Candleford (now that made him sleepy). Hopefully he won't keep coming down if he realises we watch rubbish. Not that I think Larkrise is rubbish but he does!

Huffle went to work. The boys got up at their normal 7am ish. I got up and the men arrived. Off they disappeared into the loft. I thought they were doing floor and under the stairs today but they didn't. They worked on the stairs. Now I said to them that if I hadn't seen them painstakingly measuring, cutting and putting in each spindle, I'd have thought they'd have brought it in whole and just secured it. When Huffle came home the other day he thought the windows were all made like that. It was only because I'd seen them make them that I knew they were handmade in pieces. I think they are earning their money.

The boys played on the computer, wrote a letter each,

........did some jigsaw, skyped Moo,

...........read books, tidied their bedrooms and sorted through their hundreds of books. Small made a huge pile of books he doesn't look at or read anymore and Smallest decided which of them he wanted as well as putting away the ones he doesn't want anymore. While Small was emptying his bookshelf, I noticed the back was falling off and the shelves were lopsided. So I decided to mend them, I pulled them out and they collapsed like a concertina. I dragged all the pieces of wood downstairs to see if I could fix it back together. The men came down and looked at it and advised that the bits needed gluing and clamping and they said they could do that for me, I feel a bit guilty because they have enough to do but they obviously know what they are doing. For now I have taken out all the screws and stuff and piled it in the hall. Everywhere is starting to look and feel all dusty and messy. It is driving me mad because I cant keep on top of it, and its not really worth it because there is more dust and mess the next day. Won't be long now!

The boys both had baths and we had a a Roast Chicken Dinner at lunchtime. We were supposed to have it on Sunday but didn't bother as Small was ill and not really eating. Then we said we would have it this evening but Huffle got taken out to lunch for his birthday at work so we had it for lunch instead and it means Huffle can have Chicken Sandwiches for his tea.

Grandma skyped briefly to check on Small. Honestly, I can't believe how quickly the antibiotics have kicked in. They seemed to work instantly on his first 10ml!

Huffle's secretary sent me some photos of their birthday lunch.

The boys are not very happy that they didn't take us.

Huffle came home and perused the work done today. He is very happy.

Smallest went to Beavers, but he was disappointd because it want on. W obviously didn't read our emails properly.

Smallest making the balloon levitate

We sat and did a bit more jigsaw and played Dino Trumps. The boys went to bed. Small is definitely going to school tomorrow! Smallest made Huffle come and rescue him from a spider who had made a web and he couldn't get through his door. We expected something huge but it was tiny. He said he wasn't scared of the spider, just the web he was making!

 

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Everything hurts now!

Small struggled to get to sleep last night and ended up sitting watching Phil Spencer Secret Agent with us. We had an uninterrupted nights sleep. This morning, Small was still not well but didn't feel sick. He talked to Grandma on Skype and got some sympathy. After breakfast I took him to the doctors. Not our doctors, but the walk-in we used to go to.

I thought it would be fairly empty but it was full. We were in there for a few hours. Small had to wear a face mask, as did most of the people in there. If I don't get any virus, disease or something from there, I will be very surprised. Everyone coughing, spluttering, sneezing. A nurse saw us first and checked Small's throat, asked his weight, checked his high temperature and then we sat there for ages listening to very loud women talking about their precious babies who sounded like sea lions! Eventually we saw a lovely lady doctor (with the smallest feet on an adult I've ever seen!) she said he had bad Strep Throat and prescribed him adult dose antibiotics. He also needs to rest a lot and stay off school for 48 hours. I also managed to get my prescription too so that saves me another trip to the docs.

We went next door and picked up our prescriptions and some painkiller for Small and some ice-cream for his poorly throat. When we got home, Small went straight to bed after having his medicine. We had lunch.

It has been snowing in the night and is still snowing now. Huffle and I did some more painting and Smallest played on Huffle's phone.

We worked very hard. I painted the ceiling and Huffle painted the whole of one side.

We stopped for a drinks break and a quick play with the kids and then we started again. We only had a bit of paint left. Huffle started at one end of the wall and I started at the other and we met in the middle. Our arms were aching and our backs hurting. We still had a tiny bit of paint left and one side of a slanted ceiling, so we attacked it. We just finished it using the last of the paint. We need to get some more because we want to do below the stairs (computer room) the same colour and its best if we have some spare for the men to use to touch up bits.

The new window making a lovely picture frame of our barn and garden. (I leaned out too much and knocked the fly screen off onto the roof - whoops.

It was snowing really hard but it's hard to see on here.

The view through the other side - oh dear we really need to mend that screen!

We cleaned up - ourselves and the paintbrushes and played Carcasonne with the boys. Small was feeling a bit better and looked a little brighter. The antibiotics were kicking in quick. Plus he had a small bite to eat.

The boys and I did a bit of our jigsaw while Huffle got us some soup for dinner. We ate and then the boys watched TV while Huffle beat me at Table Tennis. My arms don't work properly now! The boys and Huffle played on the computer and I watched TV. Both are in bed now. Hopefully Small will feel better after a good nights sleep. I have them both at home tomorrow. Huffle's birthday is Wednesday and I was planning on going out on Tuesday to buy his presents. Can't now, as Small will be home! Oh oh!

Cog's mum just rang to see if Small wanted to go round for a birthday lunch tomorrow. What a shame. Cubs are going ice skating and fort building on Tuesday - I wonder if he will be better by then?

 

 

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Cheered by a Pig

3am and Small came in to us feeling poorly with a sore throat. Huffle went and got him some medicine and he went back to bed. This morning he was still feeling bad so he had a nice hot bath and watched the Muppets while the rest of us, after breakfast, started painting the loft. When we first opened the paint tin, the colour looked really light, but after it had dried on the walls, it was lovely and creamy. Just like Natural Wicker (it's name). Smallest helped for a while with his small roller.

Until he got bored and went and played on the computer. Small spent his day doing a bit of painting, playing on the computer, lying in front of the TV, going to bed, doing a bit of homework. Poor Small, we considered taking him to the doctors but thought they would just say "how long have you had this?" Ahhh not long - right!

We skyped Moo and she checked out the loft and showed us her new purchases and then chatted to boys.

Mid-morning and we ran out of paint so I popped back to the shop and bought two more tins. The people in the shop were lovely. The lady in there said "I could listen to you talking all day". I said "and I could talk all day". She said we should get together and have tea! The boys (and Huffle played Pictureka).

I came home with choc chip muffins and we ate them and started on the painting again. The boys played on the computer again and Smallest had a bath. Small came downstairs and put the heating on to 23*. it was like a sauna - he said he was cold! The boys made their own lunch while we were still painting. Smallest made a cheese sandwich. It was a cob ripped open, no butter and three big chunks of cheese. Small started crying because his throat hurt and Smallest put a picture of pig he had drawn in font of him. It didn't help, Smallest could not understand how he couldnt be cheered by a pig!

Huffle and I stopped briefly for lunch and then carried on. We spent the next hour or so touching up the bits we had missed, then we packed up everything and went and played with the boys. We started to pay Ticket to Ride but Smallest went back to bed. Smallest, Huffle and I played instead.

Huffle and Smallest went and got us a pizza but Small couldn't eat any and went back to bed after just a couple of spoons of soup. Smallest, Huffle and I ate our pizza and watched a film that was rubbish so we started another just in time for Small to join us. Small was very very sick, we continued with the film and then they went to bed.

Huffle is feeling a bit wibbly in his tummy. Small is feeling sick and has a sore throat and is hot and cold. I still have a headache and a feel a bit coldy. So far Smallest is fine. In fact he is running around with far too much energy!

The loft is looking splendiferous. We love the colour. Not going to look at it again until tomorrow. Hopefully it won't need another coat. Think we might have to take Small to the doctors.

 

 

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How do you drink a cigarette?*

I got up with a headache. Huffle went to work. Small went to school. Smallest and I drove to school and watched some presentations about Bullying that Small's class had done. They were very good. We left there and popped back home very briefly.

Smallest playing on the school field on our way home - his hood and hat makes him look like a pirate or Nelson.

We went to Dollarama to buy some paint rollers and trays and something for Smallest to eat but when we got to the checkout, I realised I hadn't got my purse. So we had to leave the things and carry on to Knitting. Smallest sat and played on the IPad for two hours while I knitted. He said "it's very loud and everyone is talking at the same time, I can't tell who is talking!" Yes exactly!

I had to undo my sock again but this time the knitting lady put me right and set me off again. I am very close to finishing it. Just a few more rows and then I will have to follow a video tutorial that was kindly sent to me.

We came home, had lunch and the men asked Smallest if he wanted to help them. He did! He used a staple gun, helped to cut the wood, carried the wood and picked up all the off cuts. Apparently he was very useful and he earned himself $1.

*While Smallest was upstairs being an apprentice, the men went out for a cigarette break. Smallest said he was getting his coat so he could join them. I said, No, they are going for a cigarette and he asked "how do you drink a cigarette?".

I kept on checking he wasn't getting in the way, and that he hadn't been sawn in two or stapled someone's hand to the wall and I studied the colour charts.

Today the walls have been primed, the stair fronts have been added, the window surrounds have been put on - and both were handmade to measure - they look lovely. Some pieces of wood have been put near the stairs ready for the floor being put down on Monday. Everything has had plastic put over it to protect it from our paint splatterings. I moved everything from under the stairs so that they can drywall to make it finished.

The colour charts made my head hurt even more. I decided on a colour, took it up to the loft, checked it in the daylight and against the wooden windows, changed my mind, picked a different colour, checked against the wood floor, changed my mind. Rang Huffle and he was so very sensible and told me to go with our first choice. So when Small came home, they got their swimming gear together and we went off to the Paint Shop. I got a discount because I mentioned MrDucks name. I ordered what I wanted and tried not to ponder on the colour too much. We chose Natural Wicker.

We popped back into Dollarama and picked up our purchases and went back and paid for our paint. Then headed off to swimming. I spoke to Bucket's mum and asked her what her son's name was. Duncan. I spoke to him and now him and Smallest are friends. Well partly, Bucket (I like that name better) speaks to Smallest and says to him "Good Job" "See you later" "C'mon Smallest", And Smallest just laughs or nods or smiles.

The kids swam well and enjoyed their lessons. Small is swimming past on his back and smiling at me as usual. I think that is Smallest hanging onto the side and Bucket swimming with his teacher.

We came home. The weather was awful as it always is on a friday evening. Huge snow flakes, blizzardy, skiddy roads, no lines, Yukky yuk yuk. So when we got home, why did I then decide to drive 30 mins North to go to the doctors to pick up a prescription? Who knows? It was worse conditions, I was sliding all over the place and the visibility was minimal. I was holding up loads of cars that probably just wanted to get home for the weekend but I just couldn't drive in it. I finally got to the doctors and it was closed. Arrrggghhhhh. So I drove home even slower, worrying I was going to die or a least be in an accident. It was horrible. However, I did get home and I was safe and nothing terrible happened.

Huffle had made our dinner, the kids were playing on the computer. We ate and then played Table tennis. Then when the kids went to bed, we sat and drank tea and watched Elementary. I have now had my headache all day and I still have it now.

 

 

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