Good morning! I have my new router and am back in business again. I tried to log on yesterday morning, only to discover that my router went out, and Verizon couldn't send me a new one until Monday. Um, no. So I tracked down a Verizon store that had routers in stock. It's a shame, because there's a Verizon headquarters right up the street from me, but it's corporate, only. And yet, when they are sending me one, that's where it's coming from.

It's looking like rain today, which we do need badly, and I want to get out and plant my carrot and beet seeds before it starts. I planted some snapdragons yesterday, and Jake fertilized the lawn, so everything should get off to a good start.

I stepped outside and could have sworn I detected the aroma of maple syrup when I faced north, so I guess Ruth is gearing up for the Festival.

How's everyone else's weekend looking?

Good morning My DD is on her way this afternoon, that will be nice. Karen,she loves that white bean and rice soup so I'm putting a pot on this morning

Anyone ever heard of an herb spiral? I just signed up for a workshop to learn to make them. Looks like a nice feature for my crazy lawn.

Cottage, so nice to see you back online. We are hoping for rain here too. Everything is so dusty and dirty after Irene and it some rain and new growth would be nice.

Ruth - Good luck today! Hope all goes well and you have time for a hot bath and some scotch on the porch at the end of the day.

I have a bizarre urge to go on a run before I don't want to anymore...so I'm off. I'll check in later!

Good morning, Cottage.

It's raining which we need but the Festival has gone on since 1967 - that's 49 years - and it's still going to happen. You may also be sniffing other kinds of good smells as we have a huge amount of baking ready to sell from the Old Town Hall near the Mill. Our charming mayor has made us twelve dozen maple syrup tarts which he'll bring in for eight this morning. My 22 packets of cookies are already there and I have four pineapple cakes on the counter here right now, waiting for their cream cheese icing.

My legs are pretty sore and tired this morning for an extra hard workout yesterday plus a day of standing and baking. Aleve is my friend and I will try to sit down as much as possible today.

I'd rather be gardening,of course. The poor pansies I bought on Tuesday are sitting on the side step looking wistful. I guess they'll have to wait until Monday. I do have a lovely bunch of yellow and white daffodils on the kitchen table which brighten the kitchen on rainy days. A black, gray and white kitchen needs splashes of colour, especially on rainy days.

Gotta crank up the day and get those cakes iced and over to the sale. I need "staff"!!!

Edited: Whoops! Got to yakking and missed the arrival of Cyndi and Twynn.

Yes, Cyndi, I do know herb spirals and have seen a few. They look pretty nice but are a bit of work to build. My herbs are planted willy nilly although I did have them in a big metal tire rim at one time. It was from a huge farm machine wheel and looked quite nice with each segment a different herb.

Twynn, enjoy the run. My legs ache just thinking of it. MY PT says I am NOT to run because of the artificial knee and I'm sort of glad she said that! She has me doing interval training on the treadmill and that feels like running at the high speeds.

Now I really HAVE to go if I'm to do the cakes, get dressed and be at the Hall for 8!

Good Morning

Linda, glad you're up and running again! I hope you get your seeds planted!

Cyndi, I have not heard of an herb spiral but will google later...it sounds interesting. I have books pulled out upstairs because I want to pull out an area of lawn/weeds and do something different. Unfortunately, it's near a giant spruce and I think the soil will always be pretty poor. BTW-thx...I found the book at the library. I haven't perused but if I want a perm copy I'll let you know.

Ruth, happy maple syrup festival!

Twynn, glad you got your run in.

Me, off to work very soon. I did get the kitchen cleaned up but spend all evening working on the details of the therapy dog board meeting next week AND talking with our tenant in length about our house in Alaska. All I wanted to do was knit. Maybe I'll get off work early today...I'm the early girl in.

Have a great day everyone!

Ruth, if I left now I still wouldn't be there in time to help ice those cakes, but I'd sure like to help.

Cyndi, do you and your DD have anything special planned for the day? I haven't made that soup recipe yet, but it does sound good for this rainy day. I've never heard of an herb spiral, but now I'll have to Google it.

Twynn, have a good run. I heard on the weather that you guys may get 6" of snow tomorrow!

Debbie, good morning! I hope you're feeling better.

Cottage - I think we will just go through all the prints and choose the ones we will put up for Julie's PI show in May. I've made the soup with baby limas and navy beans. So far baby limas are my favorite. Maybe I'll try great northern this time.

Good morning!

Linda - Sounds frustrating; glad you are back in business. Funny how dependent we are on technology we didn't even have not all that long ago.

Cyndi - Enjoy your visit. Glad she likes it; I'll have to make it again when DH buys more spinach at Costco.

Twynn - Happy running!

Ruth - Oooh - smells delicious. Aleve is what I've been trying for my aching back too; just had to buy more.

Debbie - I'm working today too but I'm the "last girl out." Which means I get to clean

I kept thinking yesterday was Saturday so have no idea what day it will feel like for me here. I work 4:30-9:30 and expect it will be quite slow. I got a lot of errands done yesterday then started my first book in weeks, since the Hunger Games three. I'm looking forward to reading more today.

Have a great weekend!

Whoa. I should've looked at the map better....that hill went on and on and on and on. 5.5 miles, and I'm wiped!

Ruth - have lots of fun with the festival today. Aleve is a great friend to have!

Cottage - did you just write the "s" word?!?

Debbie - hope you get out early!

Karen - all the talk about Hunger Games, I might have to read them. They were right about Harry Potter after all!

Cyndi - the herb spiral sounds intriguing!

Now for breakfast (STARVING!), and then maybe a bit of garage sailing. I guess I should clean my house up a wee bit anyway before friends come over for a barbeque tonight.

Ta ta!

good morning,

Ruth - hope the festival goes well and I'm sure your baking will fly off the table.

Cottage - wow, your gardening season is so far ahead of ours. Love snapdragons.

Debbie - have a nice day at work and hope you get your knitting done. Are you still knitting those headbands?

Karen - Hunger Games, I haven't read it but my daughter loves them.

Cyndi - have a nice day with your DD and I will have to look that soup up.

Twynn - that is a long run to do with out food. Have a great bbq

me - DH and I have been enjoying long walks with our Nordic Walking Poles, I think we might be getting addicted. The trails have been lovely and the trilliums are coming up. Staying OP. I have my physical this week.
Have a nice weekend everyone
take care
Sophie

Morning Chicks!

They're mentioning that damn s*** word around here too. That just might send me over the edge! Quiet day today which is much appreciated after the week I've had!

Have a great day everyone!

Hello everyone! Hope you're all having a good weekend!

It's taken a few weeks for my body to get on board with the Dukan to SB transition but I finally seem to be on track! Exercise has really been helpful. I'm taking aqua cardio 3 days a week now and I'm in love with it.

Going dancing with friends tonight and anniversary dinner with the DB tomorrow. He even researched restaurants that would allow me to stay OP.

We went to a party tonight and I stayed on plan! I am very proud of that fact. And I had a bean brownie when we got home as dessert

Shhhhhh. Only Jake and I are up so far this morning, and it's heavenly. Quiet mornings are a rarity around this house anymore.

Lots and lots of rain are on it's way for the day, so it will be an indoor day. I'm glad I got my carrots and beets planted yesterday, and I moved around a few azalea to a new home to make room for a huge rhododendren my DS brought home from a landscaping job for me, so they'll all get a good start with this rain.

Ruth, how did the first day of the festival go yesterday?

off to cook pancakes at 8:30 and still have sandwiches to make for the workers! This afternoon is all mine and then I get to do the money balancing this evening. Lucky me!

Enjoy your Sunday, chickies.