Pumpkins Awaiting Judgement
Friday, October 31, 2008
at
5:27 PM
Here they are, the contestants. (see my earlier blog on the Pumpkin Contest here) There were only 8 entries this year. Results will be announced early next week.
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Friday Five: Hallowe'en
at
2:11 AM
I can't believe that I can remember my very first Halloween. I can't find my keys, can't remember what I ate for lunch yesterday but I can remember my first Halloween. I think I was four years old. As my mom got me ready I didn't understand but it was fun. She put lipstick on me, that I didn't like the feel of but she showed me how I looked in the mirror. I wore her Sunday hat and her jacket, I know now it was a swing jacket. So I went out my first Halloween as a fancy lady in lipstick and grown up lady clothes. Halloween costumes for the next few years were similar but then my sister and I wanted real store bought costumes. Store bought wasn't as realistic as it is these days, the costumes were made of crepe paper and often didn't last the evening but we didn't care--they came from a store, were brightly coloured and lasted us long enough to get some good treats. As our bags grew heavy we didn't mind that the costume was in tatters..it had served its purpose.
Our bags were paper shopping bags or if we were lucky an old pillowcase. Pillow cases were better because they were stronger but Mom didn't always have one for us and we couldn't convince her to give us a good one from the linens. There didn't seem to be any plastic bags, just paper shopping bags and although large, these things had their perils. You couldn't put the bag down to rest or it would pick up moisture in the night air and develop a hole which quickly grew large.
It must have been a safer world in the 1950s, my mom took us out for a few years but then I took my sister out while mom stayed home and shelled out treats. We stayed in groups with our friends who were also alone, and the only thing we had to watch out for was bad boys who would try to steal our candy.
The treats we used to get were mostly sticky molasses kisses, Tire St Catherine, and I remember my favourite was peanut butter kisses. We got the occasional red candy apple too, a good tooth rotting treat! We never ate the apple part.
Many people gave plain old apples which I didn't like, they made the bag heavy and who wanted apples anyway, you can get those at home. One year, my mom began to search the apples for razor blades and pins. I wondered why people would bothe r to hide bad things in apples. If they wanted to harm children, the best place to hide that st uff was in the candy. We had to sort the candy when we got home, unwrapped was thrown away, coins were counted, apples were taken to the kitchen for inspection and baking into apple pies.
Peanuts in the shell ususally filled a large mixing bowl. Children didn't have peanut allergies in those days, we ate the peanuts. Not too many bags of chips or chocolate bars while I was young but we would find penny candy and gum balls. They went in the miscelaneous bowl. Candy sorted, we were allowed to enjoy it for a while and then were sent off to bed. That candy disappeared quickly, as a yougster I didn't figure out that my parents ate most of it.
Ok, I took license with the theme. I was supposed to talk about 5 costumes I had but couldn't remember 5...it was a very long time ago...so I told you 5 things about my early Halloweens.
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The Pumpkin Contest
Thursday, October 30, 2008
at
6:09 PM
Last year we had our first annual pumpkin contest at the office. I convinced the girls to join me in a team effort and we chose to immortalize our Director of Corporate Accounts in our pumpkin entry. I took his picture, changed it to b&w, enlarged it on the photo copier and we were off to a good start. We worked for hours planning and carving...and we were so pleased with our results, we were convinced we would and should win. Some of you thought so also. Unfortunately, we didn`t win! A giant hamburger won the prize, I can`t remember what the prize was. We went home knowing we did a great job and our director loved it so much he used the photo as his facebook profile photo.
Sore loosers we are NOT! But this year we decided to take an easier route. Lynda and I locked ourselves in a boardroom this morning at 11:00 AM and were finished and cleaned up at noon. We are pretty happy with the effort, and who knows, maybe our simple pumpkin will do well tomorrow at the judging. Wish us luck!
Here is our Grim Reaper lit up in the dark.
Happy trick or treating everyone!
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The Voice of Style
Thursday, October 23, 2008
at
3:19 PM
I spent over an hour browsing in this shop, touching things, exotic and unusual. I felt like Alice in Wonderland. Rich vibrant colours, sumptuous textures, bedding, lighting, window treatments, unique clothing, home and fashion accessories, paintings, one of a kind furniture...it was sensory overload, I loved it all. The store is Jane Hall, The Voice of Style. The shop is a destination for people who love colour, texture and style.
Deep in the shop, I came across a sister of the lady in the window...just as elegant.
Hand painted chairs, beautiful and durable.
My very favourite chair in the shop, it was expensive but I would have bought it if I had a place to put it. Wouldn't you love this in your bedroom?
Jane Hall, The Voice of Style is located at 2156 Queen Street East, in Toronto, right in the heart of the Beaches.
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Glenn's Convocation
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
at
4:03 PM
Glenn is finished school, for now...he graduated from York University with his Master's degree in Sociology; convocation was last Saturday morning. I found out Friday afternoon. That's Glenn! Fortunately, I was in town, where else would I be?
Glenn is now looking for a job. He needs a good one quick! He is getting married next May and wants to buy a house right away.
Here are a few photos of the day but it was difficult to get good ones. The sun shone very brightly outside, which doesn't make photography easy, and inside there was very little light...and my camera is not that good.
Glenn had to be there by 8:30 AM, we went in one car and sat in a cold tent, with cold feet and running noses until 10:30 AM when the ceremony began. Oh, the things you do for love!
Below: Pomp and Circumstance, the Grads file in to their seats
Below: Faculty enters
Our National Anthem
Dave Broadfoot, Writer, Radio Personality, Creator of Royal Canadian Air Farce, Humorist, was given an Honorary Doctorate of Laws. Everyone enjoyed his address to the graduates...warm and very funny!
Degrees conferred, the graduates don their hoods.
That is Glenn about middle at the top. Really terrible photo but they were all moving and it wasn't very well lit and my camera just couldn't do the job!
Grace and Glenn
The Graduate!
Boy with the Hood!
Below: While Glenn peeked in the envelope at his degree, Glenn's Dad had popped the cap on his own head. A woman walking by congratulated him! Too funny! "No, No, it isn't my convocation....it's my son's" Glenn looks not too impressed.
Below: We all went to Oliver and Bonnacini for lunch.
Congratulations Glenn. You have worked hard and achieved so much in the past 6 years. I know you will succeed in everything that lies ahead...I know you will make it all happen. BRAVO! I am very proud of you!
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Her Pilot?
at
7:13 AM
A few cars turned ahead of me. At the other side of the lot, we turn left on to a busy street, doing it this way spreads out the traffic, there are two other places to turn out here and spreading out reduces the line up at each stop sign.
From the corner of my eye I saw a little black Mazda speeding diagonally across the lot, apparently the line up was too long where she had been first. She cut me off and pulled up to the stop sign.
The sticker on her bumper amused me. 
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Feng Shui Fix
Friday, October 10, 2008
at
7:39 AM
Wow, who isn't worrying about the economy these days? I am loosing huge amounts of money daily and can't do a thing about it. I was planning to retire in two years but I will not be able to do so now unless there is a miraculous recovery in the market.
With the crumbling stocks causing me so much stress that I can do nothing about except maybe bite my nails, I am making my home as calm and stress free as possible. I try to decorate using feng shui principles and have been uncomfortable with the prosperity corner of my home; it was dark and lifeless.
Last night I bought a waterfall for that corner of the room and woo hoo...I just love it! I can change the light colour to blue, green, yellow or clear and the sound of the water is pleasing, relaxing and happy. I feel energy in the room. I don't know if this fix will turn my finances around but I sure love looking at it.
How do you like it?
Wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving Weekend. Drive Safely!
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Filching from the field
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
at
2:20 AM
I saw these along the roadside while driving last Sunday. They were so pretty in the sunlight, white and silky, I thought they might look good in a vase in my hallway. I had to stop the car and get some.
They were on someone's property so all I could do was snap a photo. But I just had to have some. Soon I came along to a bunch growing in a ditch near the road. Not as plentiful as the other ones but legal!
I had to vaccuum the car when I got them home, there was dandelion-like fluff and bits of grass all over the back seat.
And here they are in my hallway...not a brilliantly white as they were with the sunlight shining on them in the field but they look so nice when the natural light catches them in the afternoon.
They were on someone's property so all I could do was snap a photo. But I just had to have some. Soon I came along to a bunch growing in a ditch near the road. Not as plentiful as the other ones but legal!
I had to vaccuum the car when I got them home, there was dandelion-like fluff and bits of grass all over the back seat.
And here they are in my hallway...not a brilliantly white as they were with the sunlight shining on them in the field but they look so nice when the natural light catches them in the afternoon.
I found this flat vase some months ago at Winners, it is about 3/4 of an inch thick and very nice for arranging flowers, it keeps them in place.
Below, a shot in the evening with a flash. I am so pleased with these pretty things--it was time for a little change in this hallway.
Below, a shot in the evening with a flash. I am so pleased with these pretty things--it was time for a little change in this hallway.
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