by Tish MacWebber | Sep 24, 2017 | Weekend Warrior
Hello everyone! I am kicking back and putting my feet up in a hotel in Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada. I have just finished a weekend of helping my friend out at a craft show, with her knitting and her daughter’s crocheting. It is an annual show, called Windfall Fine Art & Handcraft Market. I have worked at other craft shows myself, and I have to tell you, this one was a little different.
The show is hosted at the St. F. X. Campus in Antigonish, in a section of the arena. There is an admission fee for the customers, and that is donated to the local Charity that donates part of the proceeds to the local hospital. The part that really stands out for me was that there was a place for vendors to go and take a break. Not so big of a deal by itself, until you find out that there is a snack table with hot and cold drinks, biscuits and cheese, and sweets there for the vendors to take as they wish. It is also run by donation, and all of the proceeds from this and the raffle go to the same charity. There are donated gifts from the vendors that they sell tickets on, which is what the raffle is for. I did not win a prize.
We left on Friday. I took a 4 day weekend, and am using up 2 vacation days to be able to be here. We booked a room in a local hotel. I wasn’t sure about it, but it has been a pleasant stay. The hotel is under new management, so there are things that could be improved upon, but these things did not make the stay unbearable. The bed was good, there are enough pillows and towels. It is clean. I have been comfortable here.
We got some groceries to have food during the weekend at the show and at the hotel. I am getting ready to make some microwave popcorn to enjoy while watching the brand new Star Trek Series Discovery. I am looking forward to the show.
We ate at a local favourite restaurant tonight. It is called The Snow Queen. I knew there was one near Mother Webb’s Restaurant, but I was not aware that there was one in the town of Antigonish.
I was impressed by the food. I got the pan fried haddock in lemon butter, garlic mashed potatoes, and a small house salad. I was in the mood for a treat, so I had a chocolate milkshake with it. I really enjoyed it. The piece of fish was large, the potatoes and salad were tasty, and the milkshake filled the glass twice. I felt like I had a haddock Thanksgiving dinner. It was very good.
One of the highlights for me was seeing a few relatives today. They didn’t realize I was in town so it was a bit of a surprise for them. I was happy to see them and to have a few minutes to catch up. If I come back again next year we may plan more than a short visit. The
The other nice memory I have was of a little girl this afternoon. She was about 3. Her mother had picked up a mandala vest, and I told her that I was impressed that she knew what it was. She did because she had previously bought one for her daughter, who had outgrown it and it was time to get her another one in a larger size. She got her daughter to try some on and then was deciding on colours. Her daughter was spinning and hugging it and just looked so thrilled to be getting a new vest. The whole event was simply adorable.
Well, it is time to pop the popcorn and enjoy the new series opening shows. We are going to get to see episode 1 &2. I did buy 2 bottles of wine today, to bring home. It was a fine way to finish the weekend.
What did you do this weekend?
by Tish MacWebber | Feb 12, 2017 | His & Hers
We are both home this weekend. He works one in three weekends, and this is his favourite, the three-day weekend. He has been off since Friday. I have every weekend off, and rarely go in for overtime on the weekend unless there is a need for extra cash or to make up for missed time.
I am on a mission this year to clean my house, so I can be guilt free when I settle in to write my book, and work on various craft projects. So I am working on a cleaning challenge, and an organizing challenge. I also have a plan for maintenance cleaning after the main cleaning is done. They say it goes quicker every year, and this is the year I plan to finish it.
I am not a hoarder (except when it comes to craft supplies; I am dreading the necessary purge of them), and I know how to clean. Laziness is my issue. Combine that with a poor sense of time management and a healthy dose of procrastination, and you get the mess my house is in. It is lived in, I can find what I need almost every time I need something, and I do enough to get by. I don’t feel comfortable with guests seeing the disaster zone. So I have taken it upon myself to get this place clean and tidy before I dive into my next creative projects.
I also go in circles, and am finding this is creeping into the cleaning and organizing schedule. Yesterday I just could not bring myself to continue the projects started on Friday after work. I am procrastinating the dreaded craft supply purge, even though I have decided that I will donate the items to the annual Relay For Life Yard Sale in support of my team from work in their fund-raising. I will be joining the team again this year. I am moving my craft supplies into my bedroom, out of the guest room. I have the cutest shelf that I bought for this project. Last weekend we got it assembled. Friday the old mattress was removed from the master bedroom, so we could get the new shelving unit in place. I bought plastic bins for it, and it really is pretty to look at. Now I am over thinking how to organize it. So I have stopped that project.
He went to work on the man cave yesterday. He put his new bookshelf in place Friday night, but needed bolts to complete his project. Yesterday he went out to get what he needed, and today the man cave looks a lot more organized and there is room to move in there. We can even sit on the fold down couch that doubles as a guest bed to watch movies in there if we want to. It hasn’t been cleaned the way I intend to clean in my challenges, but one thing at a time. I do not plan to clean it for him. He will have to do that room himself. I will make sure he knows what needs to be done for spring cleaning in there, and leave it to him.
Yesterday I asked him what he wanted to accomplish this weekend. He was going to putter in the man cave. I was OK with that. This morning, we are taking a bit of time to relax before diving back into the weekend projects. I asked him what his plans were for today. As expected, he wants to rearrange furniture for the new fish tank we bought a couple of weeks ago. The next question was to define my role in his project. I have been drafted to help lift and move furniture around. That is fair. So I am left to figure out what I am going to tackle today, when I am not moving the sofa and chair.
This is the progress in the man cave so far:
The bookcase on the right, and the shelf between the two bookcases that the TV is on are new. We both have a long way to go in finishing our projects, but progress is progress.
Last night I started cleaning and organizing around my desk. I wanted to just watch TV, and needed to feel like I was being productive. So I started. My office is in the living room, and I need to work on purging paper, and cleaning and organizing the desk and office corner. All areas of the house need this, so I am not wrong to find something that I can do from my desk. However, it is not getting the kitchen or the craft supply project finished, either.
This is where my creative mind needs to be put on the back burner for a bit. I NEED to finish in the kitchen. It is the first project in my larger, more in-depth challenge. I am also going to have to delegate some chores for my husband, or I will never get to write my books. He is going to get the list for the living room. He will be exempted from my office area, as I am not going to tackle the man cave. So he will get the responsibility of 3/4 of the living room. He doesn’t mind some chores, so if I pick the ones I don’t feel like I need to be in charge of myself, he is fine with pulling his weight in maintaining the household. Thank goodness! We both work outside of the home, so we need to team up to tackle things around here. Sometimes we growl at each other if we are in each other’s way while working on the same tasks, so we work better alone for some chores. Depending on what it is. I am fine helping move furniture around. He is fine pitching in when I need help. We do work well together, and can count on each other to get things done.
I am going to head back into the kitchen today. I really need to be puttering at it all week. I sent out a message that I may be needing help next weekend, as I grew up with sisters, and I am used to sharing the workload. My husband was an only child, and he is fine going at his own pace on chores by himself. He will be working next weekend. I don’t expect my friends to clean my messy house for me, not at all. An extra pair of hands is appreciated, but even more importantly, someone to chat with while I work, and help keep me from wandering off to procrastinate is what I really need. Sometimes, the music isn’t enough. When I feel like I am OK having a friend over, even if they bring their own craft project to work on while I am cleaning; it helps me stay on track. It also keeps me from starting ten projects at once; as I wander through the house. Yes, I find a way to go in circles, even though I live in a mini home. It is how my brain is wired.
by Tish MacWebber | Jan 13, 2017 | Weekend Warrior
There are some things that it is prudent to be superstitious about. Until today, I never really worried about Friday the 13th. Then again, today was not like any other that I have experienced.
Once in a blue moon, I have issues with my digestive tract. Today was one of those days. From when I woke up this morning before the alarm, and even now, the tummy has been off all day. It is usually related to something I ate, or a virus. I am hoping for the first one, because it will work its way out faster. So this morning set the tone for an unlucky day.
Made it to work, safely. Many years ago, my husband was driving us somewhere on another Friday the 13th, and the wet pavement caused a minor fender bender with a taxi. Nobody was hurt, just our budget. Things like this happen, but they tend to stick out in your memory a little further when they happen on a Friday the 13th.
I knock on wood to scare away bad luck. I don’t walk under ladders. Some people have routines. Growing up, there were lots of superstitions in Cape Breton. Someone was always doing some little thing or blaming the spooks and running the other way throwing salt over their shoulder.
So the tummy trouble was not unusual in and of itself. Then I made it to my break time. Normally, I make a trip to the ladies room on every break, so I don’t have to take extra breaks for that reason alone. Some days this works. Other days, I need the extra trip. If it’s worse than that I usually stay home. Today, I decided to go to work, and tough it out.
Don’t be scared, it is not a messy story.
As I was preparing to use the facilities, POP! There went the button on another pair of jeans. The place it used to be now has a big hole where it was. So I am thinking that I have 2 pairs of jeans for the next clothing donation day. Good for my friend, again, not so good for my budget.
In the list of all the things to go wrong in your work day, this is not an optimal situation to be in. Not the end of the world, in any way, but a small pickle to find oneself in, nonetheless. I did what anybody in this situation would do. I blamed the date, and found a paperclip. I twisted the paperclip in such a way that I needed scissors to break out of it when I got home. The pants are not too tight, normally, but today I found myself a little more bloated than normal, with the tummy troubles, and it caused this wardrobe malfunction.
So there you have it. On a positive note, I survived. The jeans were not so lucky.
