Reporter Jen ( gorgeous daughter inlaw and mother of my grandbabies) has done an interview with me. I'll do my best to answer well!

1) When you get an evening alone to relax at home, what is your favorite thing to do?

My favorite thing to do is sit on my balcony with a good book. It's kinda hard in minus 20 weather and a balcony full of snow. So in the winter I love to come home and sit and watch my favorite T.V. shows or read a good book or do word puzzles. I look so forward to spring!

2) Besides your grandbabies and ME, of course, what are your greatest sources of joy?

My kids are pretty much my greatest joy. Honestly, my face lights up and I get a wonderful feeling seeing and being around my kids. I now know how my dad feels. He's the same! Some other simpler things that bring me joy are, candles and sunsets and warm summer days. Cliche I know, but those things do truly bring me joy.

3) You've been dabbling in sewing lately, making cute jammies and dress up clothes. Is this something you'd like to take up as a hobby? You could set up a nice little corner in your suite and whip off cute matching summer dresses for the girls. :)

A seamstress I am not. I had help from auntie Peggy (the real seamstress). I guess I could try doing matching dresses for our little honeys. I would need auntie by my side though. Plus I would need the use of her sewing machine. I did enjoy making the jammies and silly dress up clothes. Don't look too close at the seams. Like I said. A seamstress I am not.

4) Awhile ago you posted about a book you were enjoying called Fantastic After Forty. What is something you've learned either from that book or from living it in your own life that you wish you could teach young women? Something that they shouldn't bother wasting their time on or some piece of wise advice that would help them along the way.

Our ladies group , "seasoned sisters" is still working on the book.What I have learned from the book so far is, that we need each other. Friends are so important! We all need to lean on and relate to each other. It's great to know that what I am going through, I am not alone. Others are going through the same thing. I also learned that having a sense of humor is so important. We all age and some not too gracefully.(Me) It's so nice to be able to laugh at myself and try not to be so hard on myself. That's the advice I would give. Humor, friends, and forgive yourself! Also don't sweat the small stuff! Things always seem to work out!

5) I know you've always wanted to take a trip to Italy. Do you think that's in the cards for you some day? Who would that ideal trip be with?

I would love to go to Italy some day. Some day when I am out of debt! I think that I would be very fine going by myself. I have been on my own for quite a few years now, and I'm quite comfortable just being on my own. At times it might be lonely, but it would be great to meet new friends.

Thanks for the questions Jen. xoxo

Happy Valentines Day to every one out there. One might look at me and say that I do not have a valentine! Well I do not have a significant other, but I do have many loves in my life!!! My 2 beautiful children and their spouses. Plus my gorgeous granddaughters are the loves of my life ! They bring me unconditional love and joy. So I feel like the luckiest girl in the world.

Dan was a single guy living at home with his father and working in the
family business.
When he found out he was going to inherit a fortune when his sickly
father died, he decided he needed a wife with which to share his
fortune.
One evening at an investment meeting he spotted the most beautiful
woman he had ever seen.
Her natural beauty took his breath away. 'I may look like just an
ordinary man,' he said to her, but in just a few years, my father will
die, and I'll inherit $20 million.'
Impressed, the woman obtained his business card and three days later,
she became his stepmother.
Poor Dan!

Women are so much better at financial planning than men.
No offense guys out there. It's just a joke!

My heart is so heavy right now. I feel like it is about to break. It's breaking for 2 of my co workers. 3 weeks ago one of my co workers buried her husband. He was very sick and died of kidney failure. He was only 58 years old. Today I found out that another co workers husband has been diagnosed with cancer of the liver. Doctors have only given him maybe 6 months. He is in his early 40s. He has 3 young sons. So very sad. When I was told this news today it made me STOP!!!!! I STOPPED what I was doing, to say many prayers for my friend and her family! I STOPPED to thank God for my family! I STOPPED ..... complaining about the stupid crappy stuff that goes on at work! Somehow it did not matter any more. I just STOPPED............. and CRIED! It seemed that there was nothing else I could do but that!

I just watched the movie " Mama Mia". It's a musical of all the songs written and sung by the musical group Abba. It brought back many memories of when I was a teenager in the seventies. I heard the songs on the radio played over and over. So many songs are popular to this day . I loved singing along to all the songs! One song however struck a deep chord in my heart ( I don't remember it to be a popular Abba song). It is the song called " Slipping through my fingers". When I saw this song performed I broke down and cried. It is a song about a mother and her letting go of her daughter who is growing up and moving on in her life. This song truly depicts how I have felt with my lovely daughter Tiffany. My precious girl whom I loved in the womb and right on through first grade, to high school, and her own marriage until this very day. I remember her first day of school. Her first broken arm, her first boyfriend, her graduation, first true love, ( Brian) and her wedding day. I truly have felt that the life I have had with my girl has slipped through my fingers. I am so reminded that life does go so fast and that we need to cherish every moment of it. I just want to say that I am so grateful for the gift of my daughter! Parents out there that read this, let this be a challenge to you to enjoy your time with your precious wee ones, cuz time with them does slip through the fingers like sand. It seems like only yesterday that mine were babes.

This beautiful woman is my daughter inlaw. I'm so proud of her. She just landed a job as a free lance journalist for the leader post. That is our local city news paper. She is a great writer and I have always loved reading her writings. She is also getting her training to be a Doula. That is someone who is a coach to expectant moms during the pregnancy and right through child birth. The most fantastic part is that she does not have to go to an office ( and be away from her babies) but can do her job from home. I'm so proud of you Jen girl. You are an awesome mom to my grandbabies and an incredible wife to my son Jordan. Love you so much. I'm so thankful that she is a part of our family!

It's my momma and daddy's 50th wedding anniversary. I should say it was on the 12th of January. ( yesterday) . We are going to have a celebration in the summer when they get back to Canada. My sister and I are planning a dinner for them. We will be inviting many people to this. Family and friends that were involved in their wedding 50 years ago. Many couples don't last that long. Especially in Hollywood. I think the only couple I have heard of making it to 50 years in Hollywood (at least lately) is Paul Newman and his wife Joanne Woodward. So my hat is off to you my momma and daddy. I salute you. Way to persevere ! 50 years is a long time. God Bless you and I pray for 50 more years of wedded bliss.

Here is a photo of my wonderful momma and daddy. This is the 2nd full year that they have spent down south in warmer climates. I'm so happy that they are away from the frigid ......Cold, cold, cold............. Brrrrrr.


The New Year started out with a big old bang here in Saskatchewan! It has been - 35 and - 40 here for several days. Although it is much warmer these last few days, the snow has started to fall. I'm sitting watching the snow fall for the umpteenth time this winter. I am so looking forward to spring but I'm trying to take one day at a time cuz I know that spring is such a long way off. The snow on my balcony is getting higher and higher. I am very close to shoveling the snow from my balcony onto the ground 3 floors below. Snow is very heavy and I would not want to have my balcony fall down due to the weight of the heavy snow. Maybe tomorrow I will get out the snow shovel and start to heave ho on the heavy snow. I sure could be a bear right now. Hibernation looks so appealing. If I were a bear, I could sleep all day and night until spring. How sweet!!

Happy New Year from my family to yours!





I want to take this time to wish all a very happy and prosperous new year. I spent my New Years eve looking after my( princess) granddaughters! How lucky for me! Christmas and New years with royalty! Can't get much better than that! It was a wonderful time for me. Although by 9 pm they both were fast asleep, and the rest of the time was spent flipping through channels on the T.V.( what I would have done at home by myself any way). The time from 6 to 9 was wonderful. Playing with the girls and snuggling them and tucking them into bed made my night. I was in heaven! I have to mention that it is also a blizzard out side . So I was happy to stay inside where it was warm and cozy. After the girls were fast asleep, I curled up with a nice hot cup of coffee, and happily flipped through the channels on the T.V. I can't think of a better, or nicer way to ring in the new year. Happy New Year Everyone! What did you do to ring in 2009?

Are they not the cutest Christmas presents you have ever seen. Abigail just turned 4 and Josie is 15 months and still a bit wobbly on her own 2 legs. I am so thankful for my 2 little granddaughters. They are the best Christmas present ever.

Princess Josephine


Princess Abigail



My Christmas was spent with royalty this year. Princess Abby and princess Josephine! Don't they look so precious in their tiaras! It was wonderful. Even though the poor little ones were sick with bad colds and runny noses. I felt honored to spend time with these lovely little princesses! I had a wonderful time loving on these precious little ones. So now Christmas is done and the new year is soon upon us. I want to take this time to wish a very happy new year to all of my friends and family from my little princesses and I. God Bless you all!

The weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful!
And since we've no place to go, let it snow, let it snow' let it snow!
It is darn cold here tonight. Minus 45 degrees! I hate winter!!! It is expected to last right through the week. Brrrrr. I worked today and even though I got home feeling like a frozen icicle, I was so thankful that I had a warm home to go to. I am thinking of the poor folk in some parts of the States who have just had an ice storm and power has been knocked out. So besides the temp being frigid outside, they also have no heat inside. I pray they get it back soon. I also think of my parents who are way down south in Texas, very near the Mexican border. I'm thankful that they are there where temps are warmer. Maybe not as warm as the seasonal norm, but warmer than many other places. Every time I step outside, I wish I was way down south, and I also wish I was a bear. I could very easily hybernate in temps like these!

THE THREE STOOGES!!

This may be mean and offensive to some of my fellow Canadians, but I just had to post it because I thought it was very funny. Someone else sent it to me. For those of you who are outside of Canada and don't know our politics, I will try to briefly explain. In October there was an election to decide who should be Canada's prime minister. Well Canada voted and a man by the name of Stephen Harper was elected prime minister.
Since that decision, the leaders of the opposing parties ( photo above) have decided to form a coalition against the elected prime minister and take over running our country. Many people are in an uproar. After all, the vote was that Stephen Harper be our prime minister. There are also many people who are in favor of the coalition ( non Harper supporters). Meanwhile the Governor general has decided to close Parliament until January when the budget is brought forth. Are you confused? You're not alone! It seems to be a big mess of fighting children calling each other names and hurling insults.The children involved are not children but grown men and women. It's sad really. When I watch politics on T.V. I get so annoyed because all I hear is yelling and name calling. It just makes me want to send everyone to their rooms for a time out. I guess if you think about it , that is what the Governor general has done. She has given every one a time out until January. Stay tuned! It will be interesting to see what happens. Anyway, the photo above is just a humorous way of relieving stress during a stressful time.

This is my daughter Tiffany and her husband Brian.


My son Jordan and his wife Jen and daughters Abby and Josie.

Today was a very hard day for me! How many times does a person have to hear "you're not wanted " before they get the message? That is the message that I have heard more than once over the last 25 years. I've heard it from my ex and I've heard it from my work, and frankly I'm so tired of hearing it. After awhile a person can't help but start to take that message to heart and really believe it's true. Today I was given that message from work and it made me feel so disheartened ! I came home shattered and in tears. I mustered up the courage to call my kids , and they rallied around me. My daughter and son inlaw came over and brought me a lovely gift. The other day my micro wave zapped and gave up the ghost. Died as in dead, never to pop micro popcorn ever again. Tonight as I was crying on my daughters shoulders about my boss and her harsh words , I blurted out that my micro wave had died and it was just another thing added to my list of things gone wrong. Next thing I know there she and her hubby were at my door with a new micro wave. They knew that they could not do anything about my work situation , but they encouraged me by bringing me such a kind hearted gift. Shortly after they left, my son called and he too was so encouraging to me. We talked for a long time. I am so thankful to God for my kids. When I say kids this means their spouses , and grand babies too. They are all a blessing to me and help me to keep on going.

Why do people have to be such jerks and why do I have to be so sensitive?


Tonight there was an opening at the laundry room to do laundry. In my apartment there is free laundry but we have times that each unit has to do it. It's a courtesy thing. Tonight I saw that unit 22 had booked a time from 5-8. It was 7 o'clock and I really needed to get some washing done. I knocked on apartment 22 door to ask if they would be doing laundry and if not could I sneak in. There was no answer so I decided to put a load of clothes in since it was near the end of the apartment 22 time and all.At 7:20, I went to get my laundry out of the washer to put in the dryer and who was there to great me? Apartment 22. He was grumpy and mad. He said to me" so your the one cutting in on my laundry time?" I said" I'm so sorry, I did knock on your door to ask if you would be doing laundry, but no one answered!" He did not respond back. I looked around the laundry room in search of my laundry as he was already filling the washer with his dirty clothes. I reached for the dryer , thinking that maybe this man was not so grumpy after all and decided to start my clean clothes a drying. No such luck. As I reached for the dryer, he grumpily grunted at me, " I put them in there" gesturing to the yucky laundry sink. I will not tell you the thoughts that were going through my head at this point. This grumpy man was so ticked I had taken his laundry time that he pulled out my panties from the dryer and plunked them into the laundry sink. I wanted to say " did you have a bad day, or are you always this grumpy?" I did not. Instead, I once again apologized and waited for him to clear off so I could humbly take my clean unmentionables out of the nasty laundry sink and slink back to my apartment and hang them up to air dry all over every piece of furniture that I own. I started to fume, and became upset to the point of tears. How could this guy treat me and my undies like this? What did I ever do to him? There has been many times that others have over lapsed on my laundry time, but I did not sweat it. So why did this guy have to be such a jerk to me? I hope it's because he had a bad day and not that he is a grumpy old man. My human nature wants to go take out his laundry and throw it in the nasty laundry sink. But I will not. Maybe I should get him something nice for Christmas and leave it on his door step. Maybe a free coupon saying that he can borrow some of my laundry time if he feels a need! What do you think?

I just saw a cool ad on T.V. tonight. The scene was of a riot about to break out. There were many police in riot gear, and of course the rioters. It looked like a news clip after a major sporting event only worse! All of a sudden, just when you think there is going to be major warfare..... A pillow fight breaks out. Before you know it there are feathers everywhere. Every one is fighting with pillows. It struck my funny bone. The advert just happened to be promoting Absolut vodka. I just loved it. If only all major conflicts could be solved with a good old fashioned pillow fight. The world might be better off huh! I think that is the message that Absolut vodka company was trying to get out. Then again I think it's so wrong. Just give everyone a good stiff drink and all will be well with the world. If only! The ad was cool though. Like I said If only major world problems could be solved with a good old fashioned pillow fight.

I just want to say a congrats to the new president of the United States. History was made last night, that is for sure. There is a huge task ahead of this young new president and I do truly pray for him as I do for all our world leaders. I am feeling some what indifferent to his win. I am happy that a black president was elected. But I agreed with many of John McCains issues as well. We shall see what happens. I'm also happy that I can sit back and watch some T.V. without the yucky smear campaigns. As you heard from my last post, that kinda stuff was getting to me.

I don't know about you , but I am so ready to have the U.S. presidential vote to be over! I'm not even from the U.S. and I'm so sick of hearing the adds that slam, slander and totally put down the other guy or gal! By now I'm sure people know who they are voting for. Why is it necessary to run the same old campaign smears over and over until the very last day? It makes me want to scream. For the last year or more we have heard nothing but " vote for so and so" and I approve this message". I look forward to next week when we hear who is the president of the united states and move on! I know I'm not alone in this opinion. Don't read anything into this because McCain's photo is first! It's just the way it worked out on this page.

I must share something that happened last night that touched my heart. I looked after my granddaughters last night while there mom and dad went to see David Copperfield. Before they left, baby Josie was not feeling very well and she was clingy to her mommy. ( She is a mommies girl for sure) . I had also not seen her for quite some time. As my son and daughter were about to leave , my son passed baby Josie to me and of course she was crying and wanted her mom and dad. I stood holding a crying baby, while her mom and dad stood at the door waving goodbye. When Josie realized that her mommy and daddy were not coming to her rescue she immediately reached out for her 3 year old big sister to come and take her and comfort her! I did not take offense but just giggled. Little Josephine just showed me that if her mommy and daddy were not going to bail her out then she was going to turn to her big sis whom she adores. Abby and Josie have a wonderful sweet relationship that began when Josie was born and has grown and will continue to grow. Sweet sisters! I have a sister like that. I adore my sister so much. She is always there for me (even though I am 16 months older)! My sister has always been my good friend.. my best friend.. my kindred spirit. So when I saw how Josie reached for her sister to comfort her , it touched my heart. I know that Abby and Josie are going to be close like that even as they grow old. What a treasure they are! What a treasure sisters are!

Here is my baby( Jordan) , holding his baby( Josie). She just turned 1 not too long ago. There was a sweet little tea party in the garden, with tea and little sandwiches that my daughter inlaw made , as well as a yummy carrot cake. Josie loved it very much. The day was nice and warm and the little ones had cake and played in the sand box. I still can't believe that my baby has babies. You know what they say, time flies when your having fun. I say time just flies.