Spring cleaning

Good morning everyone and happy Sunday! Although we woke up to some rain, the sun is now shining through the clouds. Yesterday afternoon, we had a brief snow shower followed by a huge thunder boomer.  More Spring like weather on the way this week.

This past week was good. On Tuesday, I woke up feeling energetic with a spring in my step so I decided to get some Spring cleaning done. I tackled the kitchen...fridge, pantry, cupboards. Then I washed some of the dog blankets and Spicy's favorite bed. This week, I will tackle the bathrooms.

We had a number of walks by the lake. More and more grass is showing, it's mucky but it feels really nice to walk on grass! The picture of the lake below was taken on Monday. The ice on the lake is now all gone.The snow in our backyard is also melting fast. We actually noticed a change since yesterday when we went out this morning. Russell figures that the snow will be all gone by the time we leave for Italy (4 weeks).

We are getting excited about our trip. Russell watches various webcams from Rome every morning. Italy is full of tourists and the weather looks very nice. I crossed off a few items on my "to do list". We're in good shape.

Cooper went to the vet on Wednesday. Russell had been noticing some discharge on his eyelids. He appears to have what is called Blepharitis, a fancy name for inflammation of the eyelid. Fluorescein stain was also done to rule out any possible scratches or abrasions on the eyes. All good. He was prescribed an antibiotic/steroid gel that we apply twice a day. We're already noticing a big difference. Russell also gives the Coop a nice warm compress, morning and night, which he seems to really enjoy. He goes back for a follow up on Wednesday. I have to say that Russell gets an A+++ for grooming and all that it entails. Nothing gets past him 👏The pooches and I are lucky to have him 💗

I'm getting my blog done early today. I have some cooking to do. I will be making a Coq au Vin for dinner. I haven't made that in years. It's the perfect day for cooking and prepping meals for the week.

Not much on the go this week. Tomorrow, Russell will have lunch with a high school friend which he hasn't seen for about 30 years. Friday, our pooches go to the vet for their Lyme/Heartworm test.  I leave you with some random pics taken in the past few days. Have a wonderful week!

Did somebody say 'pill time'? This duo lines up
for their evening meds, what a treat!

Spicy on her pink workout mat...my faithful
workout buddy!

Cooper exploring the snow melt and looking
for rabbits.

Spicy tries to stick to walking on snow...good luck 
with that over the coming days.

Cooper loves the warm compress
as part of his eye treatment.

Cooper says, hey what's up?

The ice is now all gone on Lake St. Louis and
there is lots of grass to walk on.

Goodbye Mr. Winter!

Hello everyone and happy last Sunday of Winter! Russell and I were reflecting this morning on how quickly the past few months went. We might have had more snow than last year but it seemed like an easy Winter somehow. Happy that it's over just the same and we welcome Spring with open arms 🌷🌸🌼 

Today is a mainly cloudy day and we just had a brief snow squall mixed with sun. We were getting ready to go for a walk when the snow flakes started flying. A good excuse to stay home and enjoy a totally relaxing day. 

This past week was good. Russell met with his orthopedic surgeon and ended up getting a Cingal shot in his knee. So far so good. My knee is still responding very well to the Glucosamine & Chondroitin that I take three times a day. I'm pretty happy about that. As for my jaw, that too seems to have resolved itself after some physio treatments. 

I had lunch with my brother on Thursday to celebrate his birthday. It was nice to see him and take the time to chat. On Friday, Paul & Marie came over for a wee St-Paddy's celebration. We had a great time and some good laughs were had by all.

Our snow is melting rapidly. It is the time of year though where the backyard paths are down to a thin layer of snow and it gets quite icy overnight. Thank goodness for our crampons. We had some grass showing last week...Miss Spicy wasn't happy about that so Russell threw some snow over the grass patches. The things we do to please our little princess. Cooper is happy no matter what the conditions are as long as he can sniff around and look for rabbit M&Ms 😂

Yesterday, I made my yearly Dublin Coddle for Russell (Irish stew with sausages, onions and potatoes) . It cooked in the oven for 5 hours at low heat. Russell said it was the best ever. I froze some this morning and he will have more tomorrow night. I made myself some salmon 😋

That's about it for our little news. Not much on the go this coming week. Have a great one everyone!

Spicy and Cooper loving me up
in the TV room last night,
who can resist!

A quiet moment with Spicy,
she is such a sweetheart

Cooper watching something boring on TV

Spicy basking in the afternoon sunshine.

Cooper always has a smile and 
wants to know... how are you all doing?

Spring forward time!

Happy Sunday everyone! It's a beautiful morning in Beaconsfield. I love it when the time change happens on a sunny day...it makes for an even brighter evening. Longer and brighter days are here to say 🌞

This past week was good. Our weather was perfect, mild and not a snow flake fell. Our snow is rapidly melting and yesterday we saw grass in our backyard. On our walks, we also noticed how much the maple tree buds have grown since last week. It's happening, Spring is around the corner, literally.

Russell and I are still in prep mode for our Italian vacation. I now have my "to do list" on paper, rather than in my head...progress! Little things like ordering Euros, getting our travel insurance, etc. Russell booked our Rome airport transfer. He also booked our transfer from Rome to Sorrento and Sorrento to Rome with lunch at a winery on the way back. It's all coming together. Six weeks tomorrow.

I am also getting everything ready for Cooper & Spicy's getaway at Talemaker Camp. There is lots to think about. I have to renew all their meds, order food. I updated the "Feeding and Meds Instruction" sheet that we have for them. Packing for the pooches is almost as extensive as for us 😂We're also coming up to mid-March which means Fleas/Ticks meds start this week. 

On Friday, I dropped off our tax receipts and all that good stuff at our accountant's office. Now we wait for the good or bad news LOL!

This coming week will be busy. On Tuesday, Russell is getting another cortisone shot in his knee. The last one lasted six months and worked well. His doctor said go for it 👍He will also have a Spa pedicure on Wednesday. I will have lunch with my brother on Thursday for his birthday. Then Friday, we celebrate St-Patrick's Day. Our neighbours, Paul & Marie, will come over for our third annual whisky/wine tasting. It will be fun 🍀

That's about it for this week's blog. It is bath day for Cooper & Spicy. Russell will get started soon. I have a few things to do around the house. We're not into watching the Oscars but we may watch the red carpet. It's always fun to see how the stars dress!

I wish you all a great week!

Cooper and Spicy saw Errol's bench and figured
why not jump up and wait for him. Spring
is around the corner and those visits will be soon!

The maple buds have doubled in size
since last week.

Lovely blue sky and fast fading snow.

Spicy loves nothing better than a lazy
chew in her bed.

Just hanging out on the sofa.

Cooper leading the way to the downstairs
play zone.

Remembering my Mom

Happy Sunday everyone! We are enjoying a beautiful sunny and relatively mild day. 

Today, we remember my mom who left us five years ago on this day, five weeks after my dad's passing. She was surrounded by her children and grandchildren until the very end. A day we cannot forget. My mom was a fine lady. She liked all things beautiful, enjoyed her jazz and was a wonderful cook although she ate like a bird. I smile when I say this because, as much as she liked very small portions of food, she could devour a whole plate of chicken wings! 

When she passed, the palliative care staff gave each of us a hand knitted butterfly, a symbol of freedom that comes with death. That butterfly hangs on the table lamp on my side of the bed and I look at it every night before I go to sleep. I miss my mom every day 😘

This past week was very productive for me. For those who read my blog last Sunday, I mentioned that I had no clue as to what clothes I will bring on our trip to Italy. A few of you also encouraged me to go and buy that second maxi frilly cute dress that I liked so much. Well, that gave me the push I needed so thank you! I went back to the store and, not only did I buy the dress,  I also bought a few other items, actually more than a few.  Literally a one stop shop, a cute boutique (for women only) in Pointe-Claire Village called Artizan. They have an amazing website and many from other provinces order online. For someone who hates shopping, it is simply perfect! I can now proudly say that I am packed....as in I know what to bring, just like Russell. Tick. Done. And what a relief to know that I don't have to go to a mall and roam around trying to find clothes!

Not much else is new. We had a few nice walks with the pooches before the storm. We will resume walking tomorrow. We have a lot of snow but it will be gone before we know it. 

Cooper & Spicy are doing well. Yesterday, I created another maze for the Coop. It is getting harder for me to be creative but I persevere.... it's all about making it difficult for Cooper to get to the treat LOL! As for Spicy, she loves her snuffling mat so she gets it every day. We have noticed that she seems to have lost most, if not all, of her hearing in the right ear. We are adjusting how we talk to her accordingly. No big deal. Just like us, our pooches are aging. As long as they are happy and healthy, that's what matters. Russell is also doing well although he seems to have a hearing issue also. He will be seeing his doctor in a week or so.

I leave you with a few photos of my mom. Beautiful memories of her. 

Have a great week everyone! 

My Mom and I - a cherished memory of the last
Mother's Day with us, May 2017.

My Mom in her finest, basking in 
sunshine before the celebration of 
her 60th wedding anniversary
with my Dad, August 2017.

Easter 2017, with my Mom, Dad
and those cute bunny ears!

The freedom of a butterfly,
in memory of my mom

A birds eye view of Cooper's newest maze.
 He sees it at his eye level and that is what
makes it so challenging.

Snow banks are very tall after the 
last snowfall and my shovelling.

The 'snow-dogs' in the wintery kingdom. We
cannot find them once they enter the snowy
maze.