Well I'd like to say it's old age..you know, how they say you are to ponder things more...but I was like this as a little kid. I treasure special moments. I like to take it all in, to so saturate my being in those little moments that you can catch fleeing in and out of time.  If you ask your mind to hold it long enough for your heart to absorb it....it becomes one of those memories that stay stored in a special place.  I like to think that this is layers of your soul. You gather images of that which you treasure,that which thrills you and those moments that are just too perfect to go any where else but into your deepest being.

It was Earth hour.  Because of all that happened I decided to do the only thing that is a fall back position for me. I cook. So mister turkey and stuffing,gravy,mashed potatoes,you know all the trimmings,was the chance to get everyone together!  I set the table with a new white table cloth and set it in soft blues. We ate well even though we had to hold a cooked dinner two hours for the new parents and Baby to arrive.  Hope they figure out the timing thing soon!!  The table talk was lively as we  told stories and laughed and retired to the fire place to lite all our candles about the room. That was my special hour. Hot fresh coffees and tea and my try at a black forest cake was served in the dark. Talk of DIL's passed Mother,what everyone has been up to and it felt like just a closeness that was so like a warm snuggy hug around everyone.  I looked around at the faces that reflected the candle light ,gently talking about this and that and really and truely felt blessed. Blessed that this new Mother who has just lost her Mother felt comfort in being nestled in our group. Blessed that my son was with us and his lovely wife feels like my child too. That my daugther that is an artist and has the most beautiful soul was laughing. It was the most warming sight to see her holding Sean. Sean we are so greatful for,of course,he is the star of the whole circle with exhausted new parents that are so,so,funny!  I say nothing,I think a lot...haaa,haaa,but it is their journey,their adventure and I will not voice opinions...well much!!! LOL! Funny how you forget the exhaustion and the feeling you will never sleep again....well you won't!  Pregnacy,little sleep due to discomfort,new baby so what is sleep? Then bedtime routines for toddlers,great lack of sleep! Then littles ones,you wake at the slightest noise,usually someone needing something,the teen years will bring you no sleep,believe me... nothing like waiting for the door to open so you know they are home safe and sound.  Seems being a partent brings a new value to sleep. They are finding this out!  But what a thrill to see them start on this learning curve,hope little Sean goes easy on them...for at least the next little while. But it is all so worth it when you veiw these special people in your life. Comfortable together,easy to laugh and speak ,sitting round in the candle light and each so different and yet all tied into our family unit,each so special and wonderful. Blessings are odd things,there if you want to see how blessed you are and each has to find their own  but we all have them,not even too far away to find.

Well just when you think ...well what does it matter what you think or don't ... life does what you least expect. After this week of it being so very hard for the new parents in our family,dear DIL's Mother passed away yesterday morning. Daughter in Law is devastated of course but she is so upset because her Mother didn't see the Baby. Why does life bring regret when you don't deserve it???  Now this poor girl has to deal with a funeral and the feelings that she didn't do right by her Mother.

Her Mother was here for the Baby shower,I could tell it took all her strength. She was older than I am by 20 years and had many health issues. She said nothing but gave frail energies. I got the very,very strong feeling that she knew this was coming.  It was important to her to talk to me.  I felt she was passing on knowledge of DIL as a newborn for a reason and I made a promise to oversee the Baby.  I said well yes,we would both do that of course.  She became aggitated and it settled her to know I would be there for the new parents and Baby.  Now I know my reading of the situation was correct. She was passing her duties to me and I will do my best to honour that for her. She was a small tiny woman but had an inner power. She knew she was near the end and it seemed O.K. with her. I acknowledge the passing of DIL's Mother but she will not be mourned as she was at peace,I will mourn for DIL who will carry this until time allows it's passage.

Yes,I have to do it...heeee,heee,I have to!!! Sean is adorable. I'm a Grandma!!! I have met the little guy and even though it has been a week today I can report good news!!!

We decided to heck with my sons idea that we met Sean in ideal situations. I wrote and told him perfect is what you make it. I believe that. You can face whatever if you go about it the right way and that is positive,a positive attitude gets you through a lot and if meeting my Grandson was based on some idea of perfect situation...good grief...meeting him was the perfect situation. And that I did. Actually Grandpaw moved with unexpected stealth and grabbed the little guy first!!! I was shocked. Grandpaw was silly grins,ear to ear and we saw the little guy for the first time. Is there anything in this world like cuddling a newborn?  Does anything give you hope for a perfect world more than a tiny life nestled against your chest?

I knew it would be a special day as we headed out in the van. I secretly prayed that it had forgiven us for setting it on fire and understood the importance of this trip.  Never leave anything to chance so I whispered,dear van...be good and I'll give you a little gas. Bribery is not beneath me. So van started up and I felt a little uneasy during the trip as fire is hard to forgive. But as we chugged along I saw robins!! Then I knew!  I knew that the day would go well.  We headed west across Toronto out along the 401 to the 403 and soon we were near the hospital,a huge complex that costs a fortune to park at.  Once parked and in we read sign after sign to locate their area until I asked,then our quest for the room grew serious and finding them was such a great pay off.

We stayed and son and dil left us with Sean as she needed more tests. I sat on the bed and Grandpaw was still snuggling Sean in the one chair in the area.   The new nurse looked so puzzled when she rounded the curtain!! Haaaa,haaa was so funny to see her mind struggle with the words!   Well...how are you doing?? Well I was fine!!!  Hummm,her mind was thinking these oldsters have a newborn?  I was just grinning,waiting to see what way she would get round to the question of is this your baby!! Haaa,haaa so funny!  Grandpaw let her off the hook,the one I was enjoying so much with saying this is our Grandson. Darn,the next question would have been good!

We all got to their home,us first then son,dil and other son showed up. We helped hooked up the new washer and dryer as theirs died the week before and then youngest son got us dinner in! What fun,busy and lifely and everyone holding Sean and getting to know him. My son,the new Daddy has spent the last week in the hospitals too,no sleep,just worry and no place to rest other than chairs. He was hitting the wall.

The moments I need to tell you about are the ones when I gave Sean a bottle of pumped milk as he needs to be topped up so to speak. They haven't been able to get him to feed but he took the whole bottle, just a matter of repeated skills.  I held him and my heart was so,so full,I thought it would brust. That was the moment,the moment when I bonded with this little guy. Lay down my live for his I would do in a moment but that was the moment when I felt his spirit and I know he felt mine. That was the tie,the moment that happens once and fills your soul,your being and makes you look at the world with different eyes,eyes that inclued this little guys future.  Love flows in those moments,love so pure that it hurts,it fill you to the point that you know the heavens and earth are moving in that one sparce instant for your love to flow. That is the perfect moment that all life pivots on.  My tears of total joy were so hard to hold in.

The other was as we were packing up to go my exhausted son took Sean and he started to laugh at the little scrunched up faces the Baby was making as he stretched. Son looked at me and said,this probably isn't that funny I'm just so tired. When Sean heard son's voice the little wobbly arm reached for my son's face.  Seeing the look that my son gave Sean as his hand reached his face will always been in my mind. Daddy would lay his life down for this tiny little person. Their bond is complete.

So!!!  I had a couple hours of sleep with stressful dreams and now I am looking at my tree. There are little finches and chick-a-dees hopping around in the branches. It snowed last night and everything is catching the sun. So am I. This will be a positive day and I will move forward. I am making a big lunch to take in.  The one sent yesterday was beef sandwiches on toasted buns...today will be chicken,the salads I sent yesterday will be replaced by the beautiful cake my daughter left to take in. I am all for that as it is a Black Forest chocolate on chocolate thing and oozing sweet stuff and that's what we need!! Well I do!! Nothing lifts the spirits and gets you back into fighting form than chocolate!!! It is good for fixing anything!  I will not be upset or down ..I WILL handle everything and stay calm. That's what mum's are there for and suppose to do so I am off to get this ship in shape. Wish me strength because I really feel like crying.

Well we are going in to the hospital in a few hours. Today Dil was admitted as she started bleeding. Son put out an sos at that point as he needed to be with his wife and needed someone to care for the new little guy in the other wing of the hospital. My daughter went in as did the other kids. My heart is pumping so. We had my other son here and his wife,the one that was so ill,as it is his birthday and his wife gave me some bad news.  My son is still very ill.  His system is too weak and he is still fighting the effects of the infection but the good news is his leg will be O.K.. It hit me really hard. They left without supper and his gift when the news came that DIL was in trouble. It's past midnight  here and everyone is still at the hospital awaiting news on the Baby and now my DIL. Knowing that what I expected about my son is true has floored me. My daughter thinks she has found a new apartment to rent so we will move her in a week and she will be rid of that guy I hope.  We sent in a big supper with my daughter and will take food as I know the new Daddy has not slept or eatten much in the past week.  Everything will work out.

I am so sorry that I haven't been about as much as I would like to wish everyone a wonderful time at Easter.  I just read Kathryn's beautiful note and I just have to let the million things in my heart out.   I haven't seen my Grandson and my heart is full to the point it wants to break.  I want to get this little guy in my arms.  It so important to my world that he feels me,feels the love,feels safe and loved. We got note early that the day after he got home,the day we were to see him that he had gone back to the hospital.  So that's were he is now.  Poor little guy.  I was reeling with the news then I find that a dear friend had problems.  A phone call made me feel better to find out how the friend was doing and to hear the voice.  So this Easter,the time that I love to go nuts and bake and cook is rather flat.  My turkey is still in the frig and I haven't baked a thing.  We were headed in with tons of food,we had made a roast and salads and planned a huge feast,every one was to met and share time with the baby and get to know him.  The party was for my one son too as it is his birthday and we were going to have a joyous occasion.,with presents and cake and love.   I was so sad unpacking everything as we got a text message to not come in.  Our son who has the newborn told us not to come.  Why??  Should we not be there?  This is stupid,so stupid and wrong.  My heart wants to be there,my Hubby and I are dying here.  We have close,very close ties  with our kids and we can't understand.  We need to see him and be there.  The evening was good as the kiddies that had come in are here but I am so worried about my daughter.  I was on the phone with her for quite a while.  The guy that threatened her has been trying to contact her and is bothering her.  She needs to move and that is causing her finacial worries and time she doesn't have because she's behind at school because of the trama and being away when this all happened but she needed to be home.  So I am not a haapy little bunny and I tend to retreat and pull away,I figure if I have nothing positive to add I shouldn't be here on Minti, so  apologies for a down,upset and depressing blog. It's Easter after all and we should be glad and happy and I should stop this and look for that darn robin who my neighbour told me she saw!  She also wondered why I was digging snow in my side yard!!!! Darn robin!!!

Today I became a Grandma,a new experience but not a fully realized one.  Today the Lady that I admire so threw a ice storm in my path.   So if Mother Nature can turn that to rain or even snow I will see the new lad tomorrow!  I hope.  They are in a downtown Toronto hospital and that involves a wee bit of travel.  It seems that the new Mother and new Baby are hospitalized for a while as they are both on I.V.'s and antibiotics.  I  don't know what's up but hope all is well.  So until I get my arms around him he doesn't seem real.  I can hardly wait to see him.  I want so to feel him,feel his little being and whisper to him all my hopes and dreams.  I want to see those little eyes that will see so much as the world grows and changes around him.  I want to be there to make sure they see the wonder all around!  I want to touch those little hands that will do so much in his life!!  I want to get those little ears use to my voice to whisper sweet nothings and to tell him he is so beautiful.  I want to be in his life and have a special spot for this boy,this wonderous little being,my first Grandchild.  I want to welcome him to this big crazy world and hope he sees the sweetness of it all and hope he learns to handle that which is not.  I most of all just want to love him to bits and thank the powers that be that grant him this time on earth to be gentle and kind and allow him to touch other lives. I love you so much my little Grandchild,I will always hold you close to my heart.

Yes.I have thought of a plan!  It should have come right to mind but it didn't.  Now all is clear.  Tomorrow,when it is light,cause to head out in the dark is just plain crazy, I will head to the side yard.  With shovel in hand I will dig out a nice yard or two patch.   Not that I miss shovelling the snow falls,well  actually I  do,Jess got one and we didn't, but I need to clear a bit where the robins always like to be.  There has been a robin close and that is driving me crazy!!   Sort of explains the shovel in the side yard plan,sort of!!!  LOL!!!   Here in Canada after a long and heavily snowed winter,we see the first robin as a sign of spring.  Now usually that would be a matter of looking at the calendar and knowing spring was a week away.  But that isn't the case this year.    We still have tons of snow and I figure that spring has to come,or at least look like it's coming because Steve and Janice can't arrive to winter conditions,something about Steve's knees???   Puzzling really but seems he thinks the knees might suffer if they have to land in banks of snow.   So to lay claim to knowledge of spring really coming one must be able to say... yes! I saw a robin!   I,at the moment, can say yes I heard a robin but that does nothing to assure the arrival of spring.  Hence the plan!!!   The robin must be at a feeder because the area is either cleared sidewalks or paved roads the rest is snow!!!   I always love to see the first robin,the male all dark and beautiful with their full red breasts.  I bugged Kathryn and being the wonderful Mother she is provided me with the info!!!  Aren't Mother's great???  They see the need and fullfill it selflessly!   Brit robins are different than ours,smaller with red and white on their breasts.   So I think if I clear an area and the sun heats the bare ground the earth and worms will attract the birds and I will sucessfully be able to say I saw a robin and start spring here. A powerful position to have but who ever has been seeing that robin has not announced it or spring would be starting.  I must be sucessful in order to assure Steve that the Canada leg of the trip will be worth it!!!  Without snow as high as the ....dare I say it??? Knees!!!

I know I tend to go on (and on,and on!!!) about nature and my total admiration and deep love of Mother Nature ...but!!!  Looking out today how could you not love this???   It is a beautiful and unusual sight.   We had an other storm that started yesterday and went on through the night into the wee hours of this morning.   When I got up it was still very dark and I could see the snow falling.   As the sky lightened a tiny bit it seemed very light out so I peeked outside to see that everything is covered white!   The moisture was high enough to make the ice and snow stick.   The blue spruces here that normally carry inches of snow on the top of their branches are almost entirely white.   The bottom that usually gives contrast is covered too.   The trees that loose their leaves are covered in a thick layer of snow that circles each and every little branch.    It looks like an enchanted forest,a dreamy special place were wishes might come true.  Every detail such as wires and lines are thick fuzzy white things!!   The cars are outlined and the antennas are not slim and silver,they are thick and soft looking!!!   This Is so, so very pretty,the things dreams are made of.    I wonder if wishes wished hard enough would come true today??   I wish that the world be the best it can be and that people everywhere are happy and secure enough to love equally.

Breaks my heart to write about this but I use my blog now to voice what I use to hold inside.   I never use to "talk" about my thoughts and I find this helps to straighten things out.  The wonderful people that stop to make comments give of themselves and often point out different views and thoughts which I appreciate.  But this is just tragic.   A young man who I don't even know has passed away.  He leaves two young sons and a wife,so sad.   The boys are 7 and 10,you need a Dad then,well you always need loving parents.   He had felt off for a week so they finally got him to go to the hospital Sunday afternoon.  passed away at two am.  Monday morning.   He is tied to our family in that he is uncle to my dear DIL.   She is in shock and so sad for her Mom who lost a brother and for the wife and children.   Me too,I can't imagine.   So we made a full meal and took it up to the Mom of my DIL.   The family lives three hours to the north of us or it would have been nice to do that for them.   The funeral will be on Thursday.   You want to do something anything to help...but what?   He was 45 years old and he had not been ill.   He felt off and died of complete organ failure.   I guess it hits close to home in many ways.   He died of the very same thing my son was in the hospital for.  If I could ask,send a little thought that they will be O.K.,I don't know how but vibes for compassion and love to them and peace and healing with time is what I'm sending.  So sad.

As I have been referred to many times as the older one on minti,geeesss why can't we just be experienced or mature...there mature sounds like you have accomplished something,done something of value..were old just is,you've managed only to hang around enough to age...cheese does that. Anyhoo ...point is... I know spring is coming. Partly because of maturity and the signs! Us old timers(mature) see the signs each year and it gives you hope of the seasons turning. I see that the dear little squirrels are nesting. Even though the landscape here could pass for some where high in the alps, they are toteing nesting material here and there. Our resident third generation squirrel is back in the shed.  I guess by now he does have squatting rights. As much as we have tried to encourage him to go else where he loves to chew up the sheds things into a big sloppy ball and nest there. They are rats you know,just with furry tales. So there is that activity to note that spring is coming!  Also the chipmunks are busy,so that's a good sign too. The chipmunk asked me for a shovel the other day,could figure no other way down four feet through the snow to the ground.  The smart ones are tunneling through the sides of the shovelled areas to reclaim their hidden nuts. They are also rodents but are darn cute!  The bunny now has the top of bushes and trees to eat,all while standing on top of the snow. He had chewed everything from the bottom and now he gets to eat from the top. Geeesss there is an other rodent!!!  It won't be too long until the spring birds appear,I spotted a few a couple of days ago. Their songs are so beautiful. So I know spring is there,just around the corner. Too bad you can't see the corner for the rodents and snow!

Oh the past few days have been wonderful.  Wild storms and snow whipping the house.  We had a period of hail and the ground was already covered in snow,so you could see it imbedding and boucing on the snow.  The winds were so high that the snow was being carried up! It rode the winds until it came down to earth in even heavier waves.   It raced around in tornadoes of snow,quite the sight. The air has been white for several days now and the sun is a welcome sight.  As we look out we can clearly see what the world here looks like.  The view has been shortened due to the heavy snow.  So as you look out down the street you see a soft effect. All the details are under waves of snow. The bright sun is chasing colours across the waves,prisims of ice on the snow top send colours bouncing!  It is so clean and so pristine,it takes your breath away.  To wake this morning and to look out was like the beauty was holding it's breath too,waiting to show its wonders , waiting to be admired. Trying to stay in that perfect moment to show the world that this beauty is perfect,that Mother Earth can still reach perfection if allowed to.  To see the over hanging waves of snow suspended feet out off the roof tops,to see the branches weighted with inches deep snow...so beautiful. The vechicles are all mounds hidden away and clearing the snowscape of their metal harshness,to return to a gentler scene,one that you know earth has seen so many times. Earth has renewed it's self from these prue snows.  I think to have been hundreds of years ago in this would have meant that your fields would be good for the spring plant,your water replentished. Now the plows have geared up and broken the prue white blanket. They ripped a wide path and threw up the dirt and salt so the vehicles are passing through now. The noise of the plows and cars are joined by the harsh whine of the snow blowers. Ah Mother Earth...thank you for that moment you gave to us.  Thank you for your prue sweet beauty. How I wish I could forever stay in that perfect moment,in your wonderful gift of snow.

The snow is still coming and coming. This winter has been so wonderful,so winter like!! I know it depresses some hearty Canuks but I love it! It's so beautiful and gives me such hope that the water levels will be back up a bit for the spring.  I just love winter,the pure clean snow and the looks of the trees and all the wonder of the fields and frozen streams. I have not been out as much as I normally would and our last trip to the north was far too long ago. I want to be up there,it would be awesome right now. As much snow as we have here would be tripled up there. The ground here is hip deep in snow and this current storm is to last a couple of days. It is coming down really heavily,adding up on the ground fast.

Well daughter has left and I am thankful her trip took her home this morning before the snow hit. She has regained some of herself.  She holds no ill towards the fellow and understands were it came from. Extremely gracious of her I think. She will not allow him back into her life.  She is even allowing him to remove his stuff but she will have no contact with him. Father offered to be there to stand guard and she laughed. I think she doesn't trust Dad or I not to take him down. O.K. well actually I'd like to be there to make sure the thought of how it is to be threatened in that manner stays with him. I'm evil. There..now you know. Secretly I'd like to wring his neck. But then I look out at the snow swirling around the street lamp and I know my daughter is right. It all came from the hell he was raised in. As a person I disliked him from the start as he was not just a person,he was a person around my daughter. I wish as a parent I could protect her forever. I will always be there for her and I think she should be proud of the gift she gave him of her care and what she tried to do for him. But you must always protect yourself. Sad but the truth is just that. I would rest easier if we knew what the guy was up to and where he is right now.

Well ... what can I say? First is to thank  all the wonderful Ladies. You are fantastic. There when you need to tell and always there to help and listen. I have a special spot in my heart that is kept so warm by the special ones here. You need to just think of the words said and it gives you that warmth that only care can,I appreciate it so much.

My daughter....well we have gone through the mill so to speak. Her emotional state was not what I wanted it to be ,blaming herself and taking so much responsiblity for an others state,you can't do that. She did what she did for this young man as she felt for him and she understood for him and she wept for what he didn't have. She included him in our family and he did appreciate that and did see for the firt time how people that care and love each other act. But...mental illness is tricky. It needs a firm hand that cares and corrects and is a friend only to a point. It needs to be watched by an experienced eye that can sort out need and control,help and dependence. Mental illness does not just go away. Not if it doesn't have to. It gets comfortable and roots. You as a person close may not see this. It then starts to take over,control and feed itself.

Mental illness will feed itself at the cost of all close to it. Not only will it eat and devour the person so afflicted, it will ruin and try control over anyone not wise in the ways of spotting the signs. The signs are there. But the ways of mental illness are extremely savy. It uses guilt,it uses compassion and it depends on it to trick and weave itself into a secure and comfortable place. When that comfort is threatened it rages. It accuses and thrashs about trying to regain control. Scary it can be to deal with an out of control illness. You need a strength that few have. You have no strength against it if you have been groomed and controlled. You have only one way to survive and that is to get away.

I thank the powers that be that my daughter did reach that state and made the break. I am going through a time with her when due to the high emotions of what happened she is being shocked into seeing things very clearly.  I love her so very much and hate to see her going through this but she needs to take the steps to understand and clear herself of this. And to never allow this type of danger so near again. She is a wonderful and giving person and I don't want that to change but to hear and listen to  that inner little voice. We all have that. She turned it off because she thought his need more important than her own and that's what needs to alter slightly,be adjusted and tuned a little finer. People can only take so much and givers can only give so much and if the life is being sucked out of you,the joy drained and taken away then leave. You deserve to be treated well,you deserve to be happy and you do not surrender these things for anyone or anything.

I see good people doing this until they are drained and bitter. Drugs can do this,drink can too,any extreme is not good. Staying with anyone that is poisonous is not right no matter what your reasoning. Live goes by too fast and far too quickly you find you have given up too much,crossed that line that keeps you sane,lost yourself.  I want those I care about to be happy and I care about so many here that I thought I'd ramble my thoughts out in the same manner I did to my daughter. Here it is for what it's worth. You deserve to be happy.

My dear daughter who is head strong and so,so big hearted did something the start of school year that we all talked to her about. Now it has so blown up. She felt very strongly about helping this young man so she moved him in and they shared her apartment. Her best Buddy had moved out  to move to were her boyfriend lived,  She couldn't handle the rent without the second bedroom rented. They were friends only,thank heavens but today has been a very draining and emotional day.  This young man has severe emotional problems and has regressed to the point of depending on daughter completely and refusing to leave the apartment,never going outside and refusing to get help. We had him here over Christmas to try to help and it has just gotten worse and worse. He is controlling,demanding and is relentless in his verbal attacks on her. She was home before the shower and didn't want to talk about it but it but it all came pouring out after the shower. Family meeting said move quick. Her sister stopped in and they offered to help her at her home.She lives about two hours away. Well he has been getting worse,following her around for hours screaming and trying to control everything and today she broke. He crept into her room last night and threatened to kill her and everyone she knew.

So after calming her down the short story is she left and took what she could carry. She feels aweful for him. She is torn as how to handle it. She wants to do what's best for him but after living in fear the past months she needs to look at it reasonably by giving herself some time to readjust. Good grief and OMG!!!  So with the help of son and dear sil she went to the police which we all saw as the only way to handle it. He was taken out of the home but that was it. She fears for her friends and is scared to go to her home. Great! This should really help her school year!!! The man has been here and at my other children's homes and he is very unstable. When I met him I called it right. Many,many years ago I worked with challenged people and you are taught to never let your guard down. She offered this guy someone that cared and was willing to take a risk on supporting and helping him. He took advantage and became dependent. He was clever when dealing with the cops and that has me very worried.

Let's see,let's see!!! LOL!!! I had such fun!!! Where to begin. Well first I went a little crazy. Surprise there! LOL!!! The weeks ahead I got into my little head to start cleaning! Usually I run the vacumm through and really don't stress about the house but..I have very important guests arriving soon and I thought why not start spring cleaning,rearranging and prep for the shower??? Why indeed! As before mentioned I went crazy.

The efforts were huge! I stripped and cleaned the upstairs top to bottom. I pulled beds from this room to that and got it set up so I am waiting for Janice...oh yes and the knee guy,her infamous side kick! Rather pleased with the outcome and the total clean effect I worked onward!!! Needless to say I achieved the desired clean state all the way through!!!  I chased down dust bunnies,I clean the ceiling,the extra was pulled and culled ,sent to Goodwill. The windows cleaned as well as one can in minus 20 and onward and upward!!! All the floors and walls were washed and I was so excited to get it clean.  The machine was kept busy running everything washable through.

So I stopped my mad efforts just in time to start baking. I baked the day before from 12 noon until 12 midnight. I got 4 dozen butter tarts made,4 dozen cinnamon whirls,6 dozen cupcakes and 4 dozen deviled eggs made! Stored all and put the makings for a punch outside to cool overnight. The daughter and SIl went and bought buns,meats for sandwiches and fruit and vegatables,dips and all was brought back in the morning. I cut and perpared 5 pounds of carrots,two celery stalks and then we got the cheese platters and everything else ready. Daughter made several loads of brownies and I  had made ninimo bars ahead. We got the breads ready and in all we worked away with the prep until we were staisfied that nothing was overlooked and all was ready.

Time to make the punch. Hummmm stupid bleep bleep dog had run off with the two litre bottles and used them as play toys. WELL!!! What fun for him!  So off I go to see what else we have and the punch got altered a bit but was still hugely liked anyway,poor ignored puppy!!! You didn't even put a dent in the plans!!! Haaaa,haaa!

My extended huge table was overflowing so daughter suggested a great fix and out came my little table to become the dessert table. It is a big table and it was packed. To say we had enough food was an understatement.  Then the fun began,I spotted the first person!!! Weeee,what a time we had!!! We loaded up fast and the fun was trying to squeeze through the house,we were packed but it was fun and everyone so enjoyed themselves and people were comfortable to help themselves to extra foods. The presents were unwrapped and the fun went on until kiddies had to be picked up and people had to leave. I got such joy listening to the young moms talk about their kiddies and compare experiences.  I got to hug and extend our home and for a while we had over 40 people to share with. It was great.  My decorations were a huge hit and I got asked who did it for me,some of these people come from a much different background than me!!! I'm a doer...heee,heee,some are hirers of doers!!! They brought some food from very high end bakeries in Toronto. I appreciated it very much,Hubby and I tried it all last night and it was very,very good! But people didn't touch it...or as I found out the vegetable trays! Everything else was gone!! What fun,I can hardly wait till the next excuse to have a great,wonderful  time.