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Archived At Home with Ailsa

More Archived Updates!

November 9th - November 3rd, 2003.

Sunday, November 9th. Hi, Honey! You're Home!! And I'm soooo happy to see you! How do you like my Outfit? I made it out of Saran Wrap, just for you, and twenty of your closest friends... ha,ha,ha,ha! No, no, no. I'm kidding... just 15 of your friends,... and your Boss!! har, har!

Well, Dwight has finally agreed on a Date for our Annual Holiday Party -- November 30th. He kept saying he wanted to call everybody to see when they were available, so I had to tell him that either we set a definite date, or the party is off... so now we have a Date!! And I better get to the Liquor Store!! Not too soon before the party, though, or there won't be any left, then I'll have to go back over and over and over again...that's just too much driving, and it might snow between now and then! yuff, yuff!

Hey, you know what Drink I love to Serve at a 'Winter Party'? Hot Apple Cider with Spiced Rum and Cinnamon Sticks. It's incredibly easy, makes the house smell like Apple Pie (yum!!), and everybody loves it! I mix up a giant batch of Apple Cider (Apple Juice with about 3/4 the amount of water asked for, if it's from the Frozen Concentrate...) in my Electric Wok, which I looove (very useful kitchen tool ... which reminds me of Dwight... now, that wasn't very nice, was it?? I must stop being so very bad!! Perhaps tomorrow!! I'll see how my time goes! har, har!). I toss in a few Cinnamon Sticks, and leave the heat on Low all Day. I always leave the Spiced Rum beside the Hot Apple Cider, so guests can choose whether to have alcohol in their Drinks. I leave a container of Cinnamon Sticks beside the Cups so people can add one to the Drink if they like. It's Serve It Yourself, so if you've had a few 'nips' yourself, your guests can still 'imbibe'!

And of course I always have a huge amount of other Drinks... and Treats!! I'll have to think about what else I want to serve. It's all about the comraderie, though, so my Motto is to 'Keep It Simple, Keep It Fun'! The most complicated part of it might be adding a 'Toy Collection' of sorts -- where guests can bring a toy for a needy child and put it under our Chistmas Tree. I'd love to see a wave of Holiday Parties with a 'Giving Tree' -- just think of all the toys we could collect for all the kids who could really use a new toy to brighten up their lives... Think about it, and maybe you can have a Holiday Party like that,too! Of course, we all want to know about Your Parties, and how we can get there....ha,ha,ha! We could have some sort of 'Party Club' -- now that sounds like a lot of fun!! Anyway, drop me a line and let us all know how you're going to Celebrate the Holidays -- and if you have a great Tip (or Drink!!), tell us about that, too!

Tip of the Day: I rearranged Aidan's Bedroom, again, the other day (in a desperate attempt to get him to stay in his own bed!!), and I don't think I've told you how I keep his million and one 'guys' relatively tidy... I use Laundry Baskets. Tons and tons of Laundry Baskets. They're great, because Aidan can see what's in them at a glance, and can put his own toys away pretty much by himself. He's 4, so no matter how high his energy level is when he's playing, the second I say to him to start tidying up (generally, right before Dwight gets home, since he hates toys on the floor... really, I should tell Dwight sometime that Aidan is four, and happens to like playing with said toys...), Aidan throws himself on the couch/bed/floor and proclaims that he's "exhausted"! Now where does he get this trait to exagerate from, hmmmm??

Yesterday, Aidan says to me (late at night, right after I told him that he couldn't have any Coke before bed...), "Mummy, I hate listening to all of your rules..." He was very calm and serene about it -- simply stating a fact! My rules are stringent, all right... 'No Pop Before Bed', 'All Business and Widdles Must Be Done in the Bathroom', 'Don't bother your Father'... that's about it! It's a pretty tight set of rules!! Ah, well. He seems to be a fairly well adjusted wee boy!

Hey, if you're looking for some great Parenting Ideas (great for Teachers, too!), have a look at Barbara Colorasso's work. I saw her Speak when I was in my early twenties, and she had a profound affect on me. I modelled my Teaching and Parenting Styles after her. She's kind, moderate and smart. Good qualities to emulate. I also really love Steve Martin, so much of the rest of my life is modelled after him!! ha,ha!!

And now for your 'Daily Pics Fix'!!

Here's our sweet little girl, Tia, on her way to the Groomers -- 'Tia's Spa Day', I call it!!

The reason I like the first picture is because you can easily see the Pop-Up Floor Vent. These things are great for distributing Hot or Cold Air, as the case may have it... If you haven't got them, yet, go get a few and see what a difference they make. Tia's has on her Purple Leash, so she knows she's going for a Car Ride and is ludicrously excited!!

That's Tia heading off with Dwight -- nice View out the Front Entry, huh?? And there's our sweet baby in the front seat of Dwight's Truck -- she loves going for a ride! Isn't she cute?? No wonder we all love her so very much!!

Thanks for Stopping By for a Wee Visit!! See you tomorrow!!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!

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Saturday, November 8th -- a great day to make a lot of money, if you happen to believe anything tho do with Numerology or Eastern 'Numbers'!! ha,ha! Let's hope it's all true for all of us! Hello, Baby-cakes!! You're sure cute, today!! And I mean that sincerely, too!! 'Baby-cakes' reminds me, of course, of my Apple Crumble Mixture that I ran out of, yesterday. I really need to make up a new batch, this morning, before I eat any more tiny Hallowe'en Chocolates -- those crazy little chocolates are delicious!! But hey, guess what?? I was shopping with Cara and Aidan at Walmart, yesterday, and I found a nice little number (a slinky black dress -- yes, at Walmart!!), and I got it in MEDIUM!! YaaaaHoooo! So I was soooo excited, I "YaaHoo'd" all night, and I did the "I bought a Medium' dance, which is required by Law, as far as I know!! ha,ha,ha!

Hey, speaking of 'yaahooing all night', I'm 40, now, and clearly at my sexual peak -- and wouldn't you know it -- I'm married!! (ba-dum-bum!!) Now, what's a girl to do?? I do have an outlet, though -- writing. I'm sure that's a big surprise, right?? ha,ha! I used to write a lot of pretty racey stuff, including a whole Romance Novel that was intended for the Harlequin 'Hot' Series... yep! That's the sort of thing I like to do in my spare time!! yuff, yuff!

So I was thinking in the Shower, this morning (I do some of my best work, in there!! ha,ha!) about how I can really, truly make a solid living on the Internet through my Site (or Sites, if I were to start a new one...), and I was thinking about a Site Cara told me about, yesterday. It's a Site where this guy asks his 'audience' to send him a buck. Just like that. So, of course, that started meee thinking, "How can I get someone to pay a buck??" That, of course, lead to the idea (by now I'm shampooing my hair...!) that I could put my Steamy Romance on a Site, then have some sort of annual Login Fee or some system where you could start to read it, then just at the good part ("He slid his hand..."), Whammo! You'd say, "To read more, Click Here..." I don't know. Could work!!

Then I came across this eHarlequin Site that does that exact thing!! Who knew?? So here are the Links! You would be shocked, amazed and greatly (albeit secretly!! ha,ha,ha!) entertained by what's in a Harlequin, these days. Not much of the old,"Can I call you by your first name, yet, Mr. Jones?", says the damsel in distress. "No? You'd prefer to keep it formal? Okay, but after the Wedding, maybe I could find out your first initial..."

And if you think you'd like to try your own hand at Writing a Romance, or just get some good info on the whole thing, just follow these Links. Quizzes are always fun -- finally, you can find out what you're really like! ha,ha,ha,ha! I think that just goes back to the 'everyone wants to hear good things about themselves' human trait!! Hey, why not? Give yourself a wee 'personal boost'!! Let me know what you think about my 'Writing Site' idea! Could be a winner! (As opposed to a 'weiner'!!) (Sorry, an old joke, but one I am compelled to make everytime I happen to say 'winner'!!ha,ha,ha!)

Tip of the Day: Be Creative and Think Way, Way, Waaaaay Out the Box, if you want to make a big pile of Dough -- and not just for Cookies, neither!! Seriously, let your mind wander around all sorts of ideas -- you'll be amazed at all the cool stuff you can come up with. The trick is to write them down immediately -- funny how you can have a life-changing idea, stop to grab a snack, then Poof! It's gone! Then you're left thinking,"Now what was that great idea I just had?? Oh,yeah. Take out the Trash... (makes me think of a Trashy Blonde, sitting at the Kitchen Table ... on her way out the door! But that's just how my mind works!! ha,ha,ha,ha! You can see how I write this just to amuse myself, sometimes!! har, har!!) (And just so's you know -- I'm Blonde -- by choice! ha,ha! So it's okay for me to make a Blonde joke -- I just don't want to BE one!! ha,ha,ha!)

Now, let me go get you some new pictures before any tears start to flow!!

And now for your 'Daily Pics Fix"!

These are some pictures from our Trip to California in the summer!

The first picture is my one of my favorite bit of roads -- you know when you're driving along and you find a stretch that you just love?? Well, I used to live in Santa Monica, California, and I just loved the bit of the road where HWY 10 goes under a Tunnel and when you pop out from the Tunnel, there's the Ocean! It's gorgeous!

The Second shot is of Aidan at the Park outside of the Cheescake Factory in the Marina Del Ray. Now, really... why wouldn't I want to live there, again??

The next picture is the type of View I would really love to have out the Windows of my Dream House. I actually have a whole pile of 'Dream Houses', because there are so many gorgeous Homes to be built, but you get the idea!!

And the last picture is of Cara and Aidan on the Beach just up from Carmel. It's sooo very pretty there. A little chilly, though, so I would definitely head further South...!! ha,ha!

Oh, you know what I just remembered? I actually wrote that Steamy Little Romance years ago, but even then, I was heavily into Construction, so there's a whole bit where the Two Main Characters Renovate an Apartment Building -- no kidding! I must have thought about knocking down the walls of two apartments to create one huuuge one... oh, the stuff I think about, eh?? ha,ha,ha!

Thanks for swingin' by! See you, tomorrow!
Later, Baby!! Ailsa!

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Friday, November 7th. Hey there, Baby! Did you check out Survivor?? Rats, they voted off Andrew Savage, Mr. Armani... and I really liked him, too. Dwight said ,"He was nice for a lawyer", which I think was a compliment!! But at least Burton is back, and he makes me rethink the whole thing about dating younger men, although Dwightie hates the mere mention of me dating outside of marriage! ha,ha,ha!

And then John Cleese had a guest spot on Will & Grace -- very funny! I'm a long time Monty Python Fan, and he fit perfectly into that amazing Cast! Some great Thursday night TV, which we are really thankful for in our cold, dark climate!! ha,ha!

Cara has five days off this weekend -- I wish we'd had more advance notice, and we could have planned a little trip... ah, well. We never did make it out to the Mountains for a 'Weenie Roast', so maybe we can get that in...

What do you make of this big thing about Martha Stewart? I can't stand the idea of someone who is not a physical threat to the public up for that amount of Time. That's ridiculous... especially when you see really bad criminals walking away scot-free every day. A great big Fine would be in order, if that is what is decided, but jail time would be crazy. I think because it's such a grey area, and it's hard not to think they're going after her because of her status and her personality, which is what made her so successful in the first place... I hope the right decision is made.

Dwight hired a new guy, today, so it looks like we'll be able to get some more work done around here, this weekend. I'd like to finish Grouting the Sunroom, and I'd really like to do the Finish Painting on the Interior Doors. I need help getting the Colonial Doors out to the Garage, so if there's another fellow here, that'll work. I told Dwight that I'm definitely going to need another set of Saw Horses so that I can do two doors at once... someone took my extra set of saw horses to work a while ago, so I need them replaced. Yep, that's the kind of riveting conversation Dwight and I have! I know, know... you're jealous! Have another drink and you'll soon forget! ha,ha,ha!

Tip of the Day: When you're Painting Trim or Doors, use a Small Fine Sponge Roller, when you're doing them by hand. The roller leaves a nice finish, and you can use the Tip of the Roller to get into all the little nooks and crannies of the Trim or the Doors. It's a lot of fun to Paint -- it gives you plenty of time to think about your life... I've made many a decision while I'm out painting!

Look! You can see right through the Bedroom to the Sunroom, then out to the New Hot Tub Deck -- thanks to the Enormous Mirror and the Interior Window! Cool, eh? I looove Interior Windows -- a very nice Architectural Feature!

I just got a beautiful new Framed Mirror for the Opposite Wall in the Bathroom, and a gorgeous Framed Print of Tulips in muted Green and Tan Shades. Now I just need Dwight to help me hang them up, because they're heavy, so they'll need to be anchored to the Wall. I'll let you know how that goes!!

This is the Giant Mirror we had installed in our Master Ensuite. Nice, huh? The funny thing about taking pictures of a Mirror is that you can't really see it, especially if the Mirror happens to cover the entire wall! See those circular Black things on the Bottom of the Mirror before it was installed? Those are cool suction cups to lift it up, safely. Installing a Large Mirror can be precarious, so always Hire that job out!

So when I went to 'Capture' my latest pictures, today, there was a screw up with my Photo thingee, so I hope I get all these little problems with the computer sorted out before Steve leaves! I'll need to find a new 'computer guy' (I was going to say 'geek', but they get sooo defensive! ha,ha,ha,ha!) to help me when I get stuck!

Well, thanks for dropping by for a wee visit! It's always fun to have visitors!!

See you tomorrow!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!

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Thursday, November 6th. Hello Sweet Thing!! Man, you're lookin' fantastic, today! (I should get some sort of 'Ailsa Cam', much like David Letterman's 'Monkey Cam' -- now that would be fun!!And now Dave will need to get a 'Baby Cam'!!) I just sent Tia off for her 'Spa Day'! -- it's her day to go to the Groomers! She gets soooo excited when she sees her Purple Leash -- that's a sure sign that she's going for a car ride! Funny, eh?? I took some cute pictures of her, so I'll get them for you.

Now here's a weird thing -- my 'Tool Bars' are not on my Site, this morning -- hmmmm, must try to figure this out!

Hey, you know what I forgot to tell you that I saw on my way home from the Hockey Game the other night? I saw TWO Shooting Stars! Of course, I immediately made a couple of 'Big Wishes' -- hope they come true! I love making wishes -- it's a huuuge part of Scottish Culture -- that and Fairies! And Sweeties... often Fairies living in wee Sweetie 'Hooses'... You're to wish on everything...an eyelash on your cheek goes immediately to the back of your hand, then you blow it off, give your hand a wee kiss, then make a wish. All very involved, but I'm sure it's well worth it! ha,ha,ha! At least you'll be clear about what you really wish for, since you do it all day!

I'll have to keep this short so I can try to figure out what the problem is with my Site! Man, that's annoyink!!

Tip of the Day: Compliment everyone you come into contact with, today. Then do it again, tomorrow, and 'thusly' for the next month. Just see where it gets you -- I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. There's not a soul on this earth who doesn't like to hear good things about themselves -- funny how you can clear your schedule for someone who is nice to you, right??

It's a real 'people skill' to be able to give and receive compliments. And no need to lie....that's just uncomfortable for everybody. "You are the smartest person I've ever met" to someone with their tongue hangin' out and a couple of flies flying in and out just ain't gonna come off well (not that they'll notice, but still...and that would be very amusing for you...but you get the point! ha,ha,ha!). You don't really want to seem disingenuine, although that's fun, too... but try to find something good about everyone you meet, then say something nice about that feature. It's easier than you might think, and before you know it, it'll become a very positve habit, and I think you'll see lots of good things coming your way!

Now, I have had a handful of people in my life that I just couldn't compliment, mostly because I was soooo repulsed by them (physically or emotionally...), so it won't work then, and who the hell cares, right? Horrid people can easily be excluded -- they're an annoyance in your life and you're better off either cutting them out of your life completely, or keeping your contact with them at an absolute minimum, which precludes compliments! You might want to keep a handy insult up your sleeve just for them, although I can never bring myself to say any insults out loud -- I just save them for later, then make fun of the person in private, but that's just my little way of dealing with the yucks of the world!! ha,ha,ha!

Okay, gotta go solve this crazy 'puter problem!! Wish me Luck!

YaaHooo! Steve is still in Town (he's on his way to Toronto next week to pursue his Comedy Career...), so he was able to talk me through the computer problem -- Steve's my old Webmaster! Man, it's funny how you can become so dependent on color and italics to help express yourself!!

So now I can get you some pictures!!

And now for your 'Daily Pics Fix'!! (Finally!)

So this is the View down the Hall in the Lower Walk-Out Level. We made the Hallways extra-wide, because it just feels better (plus, we had lots of room to play with...). What you want to do when you're designing a Lower Level is to avoid a 'Tunnel Effect', which ain't good! Creating Rooms with a Corner Door at a 45 Degree Angle always looks good, and opens the area up.

That's My Glassed-In Office, which I love, then at the End of the 'Horse Shoe Hallway' is my Gift Wrapping Room. Believe me, that room's gettin' more play for gift wrapping than it did as an Exercise Room -- that's why I moved almost all of my Exercise Equipment out of that room and into the Lower Living Room. It was lonely exercising in there, and now I can exercise in front of the TV -- works for me!!

There's my Gift Wrapping Area with a giant basket for all the Paper in the Corner. I wanted to get some great big Cupboards for this room, but Dwight said, "No", so that was the end of that! Ah, well... must make my own money!! I don't care for the whole thing where I only have 'influence' over what can be done and when. That sucks! If only Dwight got that!!

That's my Serger Sewing Machine in the opposite Corner that I designed specifically for a Sewing Machine. I've only used the Serger a few times -- I insisted on getting it when I was pregnant with Aidan, and just the teensiest bit crazy!! ha,ha,ha! I was sure I was going to start a 'Dog Clothes Business'! I made some really cute little Christmas Outfits for Tia to wear on Christmas Morning -- that was, of course, before Aidan was born! And then along came Aidan, and he's a more than a handful, then the House Building began and that was the last of the Serger. I made an outfit for Cara's School Play, last year, but that's it. Maybe I'll get back to that -- soon as I have a few extra hours!!

Must Decorate my Wrapping Room!! Now, what should I put in there?? We'll have to start with some Trim, but Dwight has to go buy a new Radial Arm Saw, first... and I need to paint some more Trim!!

Thanks for stopping by! I love to see you, everyday! Say, I'd like to meet a few hundred of your closest friends, so bring them along, too! The more the merrier -- and hopefully someone will click on my ads -- you gotta pay the bills!!

Later Baby! Ailsa

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Wednesday, November 5th. Yo, yo, yo...What up, Ba-aby??!! I'm all excited, today! Guess what I did, last night?? I actually left the house! I know, it's hard to believe!! And in the snow, 'n all! Dwight got a couple of Complimentary Passes to the Hockey Game, and it was the Detroit Red Wings Vs. the Calgary Flames -- two of my favorite Teams, so that was enough incentive to get me to brave the roads! Plus, one of my favorite Students (back from my Teaching Days!) plays for the Red Wings -- #25, Darren McCarty. And when he scored a goal, I, of course, jumped up and shouted 'YaaHooo!', then immediately remembered that I was amongst a Calgary Flames crowd! Ah, well! It's fun to watch someone you know -- especially when they Score a Goal!!

And, hey! Guess who we were sitting beside? The 'old' Calgary Flames Goalie, Mike Vernon (yes, we had great seats!)...Dwight was pretty excited about that... Every time he goes to a Game, he ends up sitting beside a Player, so-to-speak! He was there with his Buddies, who seemed really nice. And I think I might have offered a little entertainment of my own for the fellows in our Row -- I finally had somewhere to wear a nice little 'low-cut' number out in Public! And wouldn't you know I'm lookin' pretty svelte, these days!! ha,ha,ha,ha!

And Ladies, there were a LOT of really good looking guys at the Game -- I'm tellin' ya, head to any Sports Event if you're looking for a nice guy! It's worth a shot, right?? Maybe you'll meet a 'Playah'!! ha,ha,ha!

Tip of the Day: This Tip is one that will make your 'intimate' life much, much better, and it'll make you healthier, too (or maintain good health...). Okay, if you're a little prudish, here's your early warning, so you can turn your head away for a minute. Avert your eyes, if you must!! ha,ha! So the Tip is to use Baking Soda every time you shower, and then whenever you're lucky enough to 'get together' with your partner... Hey, if it can clean your Car Battery, think of what it can do for your love life! ha,ha,ha,ha! (My parents are out of the Country, so it's safe for me to write this, today! yuff, yuff!)

Let me go get your Pictures for today! Be right back!

And now for your 'Daily Pics Fix'!!

This is the New Shower Fixture... And this is the whole Shower!

It's an oversized (to match the house -- ha,ha!)Shower Base (42" Diagonal), so it's a really good size. Everything is Custom in this size range, but it's worth it because it's gorgeous and very functional!

So go buy a bunch of Baking Soda, and get yourself a good Waterproof Container for the Shower (I use an old Kool Aid Container -- an old Icing Container will work, too, if you're poking around the house looking for a little container... I have a very pretty Glass and Steel container on the Bathroom Counter for Baking Soda -- it makes a gentle 'Face Scrub' mixed with Liquid Soap, and of course, I use it on my teeth, too -- with Toothpaste, not liquid soap! har, har!

Check out more of my Tips on my Tips & Recipes Page, if you have a minute! And please, oh, please go ahead and click on any advertisements that might appeal to you -- that's how I get paid from my Site!!

Take Care and Thanks for popping by! See you tomorrow!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!

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Tuesday, November 4th. Hey, Good Lookin'!! Say, can you point the way to the Bathroom... I mean, 'Powder room'? yuff, yuff! Are you getting yourself all ready to schmooze your way through the Holiday Parties?? You know what happened to me at a Holiday Party, last year? A lovely, brilliant woman asked me how many children I had, so I said,"2"...with a brief description. And then she poked me in the stomach and said, in a big loud voice, "And one on the way!" Hmmmm. I was standing there with a glass of wine in my hand, and had clearly already had another...so I said to her, "Noooo, it's baby fat..." So that's NOT how to schmooze!! And I'm not going to wear that Princess Cut Dress Style, anymore... and I really loved that dress, too. Must figure out a way to remodel it... And I've successfully 'remodeled' my body (Thanks, yummy little Apple Crumble!!), so hopefully no one will be poking my stomach, this holiday season!! ha,ha,ha!

You know how I was telling you about that Cholesterol thing, yesterday, because Wayne Brady was discussing it on his fabulous morning Show (just in case you haven't seen it!!) after he discovered his Cholesterol was too high? Well, I was thinking about the big things we did about lowering our Cholesterol and maintaining it at a healthy level, and one of the key things to add to your diet is Oatmeal. Now, I'm Scottish, so porridge is a staple in our diets, and I happen to be very fond of it. The old-fashioned way to have your porrigde is with heavy cream, but that has to go, so you can enjoy it with 1% or 2% Milk, and you'll be better off.

Not a big fan of porridge?? Maybe try it the Scottish way -- just add plenty of salt -- that's the 'secret ingredient' in much of the Scottish 'Cuisine'! ha,ha,ha! You gotta cut back on the salt, but not in the porridge. Oatmeal is pretty bland all on it's own! Follow the regular recipe on the Oatmeal Bag, but add about 3/4 tsp. salt for every 3 Cups of Water. I measure with my hand, so I think that's right. Dwight likes his porridge with Cinnamon and Brown Sugar, so you can go that way, too.

Even easier is to make up a big batch of the Apple Crumble Recipe -- it's really easy to make, and has lots of Oatmeal and Bran in it, and tastes delicious! You'll lose weight, too, and that'll help your Cholesterol! Scoooore!!

Tip of the Day: Put a Water Alarm in Your Furnace Room. We had a 'Water Alarm' issue right after we got back from Vacation in the summer, and I didn't even know that we had a Water Alarm... We'd been in the house for about a year, and hadn't had the Septic Drained (you should do it every year, or so, depending on the size of your house...), and Dwight was upstairs in the Giant Tub, and I was watching television Downstairs... Anyway, I could hear some beeping, and thought an Alarm Clock had been left on in one of the Guest Rooms, so I poked around looking for the Beeping. It turned out that the Septic Alarm went off in the Furnace Room.

Of course, I ran upstairs to tell Dwight the Alarm was going off, so he immediately put the plug in the Bath, so no more water could go down the Drain, then I ran around the house putting a stopper in all the Sinks, while Dwight went down and Shut off the Main Valve for the Water Supply. We have a Fully Developed Lower Level, so flooding would have cost a fortune and been a major hassle... lucky we had the Alarm!

Now, there are two different types of Water Alarms -- one to detect water that is leaking from your Water Heater, and one to detect water leakage from the Septic System (just for the country folk!!). The one for the Water Heater usually just goes on the floor beside the Water Heater. They are both an inexpensive way to save you a lot of time and money.

I did a whole page on Home Safety, if you want to go and check it out. It's good for everyone in the house to understand the Basic Home Emergncy Stuff, so everyone will be very confident about what they can do in an Emergency.

Okay, let me go get you some pictures!!

I'm baaaack!! And here's your 'Daily Pics Fix'!!

Here's Tia on the newly Grouted Dining Room Floor! How do you like my Curtains -- pretty, eh? I love them! All from

Linens 'N Things -- that's why I love that store so much. I popped outside to the Dining Room Deck to get a shot of the Dining Room leading into the Great Room -- looks great! So nice to finally get the Grouting done!!

Thanks for coming in for a wee visit!! See you tomorrow!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!

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Monday, November 3rd. Hey, Baby-Cakes! I know -- It's a little early to be thinkin' about 'cakes', but that seems crazy to me -- anytime is cake time, right?? ha,ha,ha! And that's why I had to come up with my functional weight loss plan (no screaming involved -- just Tasty Apple Crumble! Now that's an easy way to 'diet'! ha,ha!) It really does work, though, so try it if you'd like to drop a few pounds and get nice and healthy. Always worth a try!

It's snowing, again, this morning! Aaaah! And it's only the beginning of November! I think we're in for a very cold and snowy winter, but Dwight firmly believes that it'll be 'mild with very little snow' ... he's like a weather forcaster with their head stuck firmly in a snow bank! ha,ha,ha! When I first moved here to Calgary, I would say to Dwight, "What's the temperture like outside?", because he was typically the first one out. "Oh, it's balmy...You don't even need a jacket", so I would stroll out with a sweater and it's be -12 Degrees, which is apparently 'hot' to Dwight! Now I know the truth so I always just put on my gigantic coat and go! This crappy weather makes me do a little 'California Dreamin' ...

What's going on with all the people who have been displaced from their homes from the Fires, I wonder? Drop me a line if you're a Contractor down there, and we'll get you on the Site. One of the hardest things to do after a disaster is get the help to rebuild, since all of a sudden there's a massive demand for the same work. This can add to the frustration of the whole thing, and sometimes make it feel like it's insurmountable, but once you get started on any project, it always ends up better than before, and your life will be back to normal before you know it!

Hey, you know how I always watch Ellen and Wayne Brady while I'm working on my site (thanks to my wonderful Windowed Office!!)? Well, Wayne (Ellen and Wayne are like your new bestest friends, but you don't have to share any cookies with them...) was just saying that his Cholesterol is too high. We started dealing with this as a family about 20 years, ago, because we have a history of High Cholesterol. I studied it a great deal, and adapted my diet way back then (I was about 21), and have come up with lots of great recipes over the years that people actually want to eat.

You don't have to give up flavor to keep your Cholesterol down, that's for sure. Pretty much everything on my Recipes Page is fine, as long as everything you eat is in moderation. The Pie Crust was the first thing I adapted, since you 'got to get the lard out', so to speak!! The key to all those 'Diet Changes' is to find good alternatives to your current 'fare' that you love, otherwise, it's too hard to stick to, and you'll make a conscious or 'semi-conscious' decision that you'd rather have fun now, pay later... Now, you don't really want to do that, because it's surprising how quickly 'Later' comes along, then you'll be mad that you let yourself off the hook!

Better to make little adjustments you can easily live with, then add more as you go. I'm a real believer in 'A wee bit at a time goes a long way', except for some things, when I just want a whole lot! ha,ha,ha! But you get the point, right??

Tip of the Day: This is kind of a health tip for you and your family -- I always keep a bottle of Rubbing Alcohol beside the computer, so that I can wipe the key board off every so often with a paper hankie or little cloth. It's handy to have for people who don't want to leave the computer for 2 seconds to wash their hands after they've sneezed or, God Forbid, blow their nose... yick! So keep that alcohol handy (Rum for you, rubbing alcohol for the kids! ha,ha,ha!), and keep the germs to a minimum!

And now for your 'Daily Pics Fix'!

Here's Tia to look at while I go 'get' the new pictures! That's the cute face she uses to distract me from working on my Site! I always have to stop what I'm doing to give her a wee tickle! Wouldn't it be great if we could all get a wee tickle during our work-day?? ha,ha,ha!

And now here's what we woke up to, this morning! Cara gets the School Bus at the Far corner of our Lot!

I was trying to get the shot so you could actually see the snow falling, because that's so pretty ... I don't know...can you see that?? And that's our poor little Hot Tub all covered in Snow!

Oh, hey! The O.C. is on tonight -- if you haven't seen it, yet, it's fun to watch -- pluas, you can study their houses to see if you can build one, too!! That's what I do!! ha,ha!

Thanks for swingin' in! See you tomorrow (feel free to bring a friend!)!

Later, Baby! Ailsa!

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Recipes -- Cheesecake ,Cinnamon Buns, Salsa Chicken , Macaroni Salad ,Chicken Noodle Soup, Taco Spaghetti , Easy Pie Crust , Creamy Peach Pie , Great BBQ Marinade , 'Pass da' Pasta, Rosemary Steak, Onion Barley (an Aphrodisiac!), Stuffed Green Peppers, Fruit Puffs , BBQ Veggies, Apple Crumble for One , Barbequed Meatballs, Everything Else!!

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