Punked, Porch & Puppies!

On Monday morning, I turned on the radio to CBC Moncton & put the coffe maker on. The announcer, announced that it was June 13?!! What that was the date of the puppies procedure, how did I miss that?! Again the news announcer said June 13th... I was at church the day before & I 'thought' my church missile was on June 11? I've been wrong before.
I went into my purse to find the appointment card, yes it is June 13th, so I turned off the coffee, was thankful that I had not fed the pups their breakfast, gave them a bath as they smelt like 'ditch dogs' form cooling off in the side ditch, disinfected their crates & washed all their bedding so it would be fresh upon their return. I went to the clinic, to have the secretary tell me that I was scheduled  for tomorrow. I told her I thought so too but I looked at the appointment card & it said June 13th. She replied 'Yes, but today is June 12th.' OMGoodness, if I was computer or telephone dependent, I would have seen that in all reality, it was June 12th & it was a blip for the CBC announcers that morning. I tried to email them but to no avail finding an address, but I was listening to them, such a one way street that day. I can laugh now...  & I know to check with my technology next time!
I felt like I had been CBC style,  punked! lol

This is Baxter & Bridget on the rehearsal run, June 12th. They were very clean puppies indeed!

On Tuesday both Baxter & Bridget under went the neutering & spaying process. They are doing well & Baxter has way too much energy to keep quiet & completely rested for the 10 days of healing!
They are back in their fenced area, it's the only way to stop the jumping up on furniture & chasing the cats. Quiet time it is not with all the whining going on! lol

Tuesday morning was also the day that the post digger guy, Mario, came to dig the foundation posts for the new wrap around deck that is being installed. Mario said, "I was here to fix under that porch." Oh I know I told him, no rebar put in the posts that held up the porch & the columns are cracked & were crumbling. Those were the 'Mike Holmes Episode Days!! So much was wrong with the existing house but we were determined to keep it!

 This is the first of many poles that ould be driven into the ground. The porch will not be attached to the new deck, it will be a stand alone. I'm hoping that we will not be taxed on that, as it is not attached to the house. The contractor took me, good luck, they tax you on fencing & that's not attached!

                                                   The deck will wrap around the sunporch.

                            The white Russian Lilac is now in bloom & smells so nice!

 Mario installing the first corner post. The deck will have no movement with this technique.

 The view from the porch is going to be beautiful! The mosquitoes are a real problem though.

 The Anniversary Garden is at the end of the deck & the lilacs scent will be heavenly.

                                              Those very long poles are now outlining the decks foundation.

This is the view from under the evergreen, see the Anniversary Garden to the right?

 This is where it got tricky. The septic line runs from the house...somewhere close to the digging line.
After much hand digging & calculation, Mario installed the pole. This is where the other end of the deck will be. Bill will do his barbecuing, on this part of the  deck.

 It will be interesting to see the snow drifts, that will begin in about another 6 months!!

 Bill had built a temporary step, from the sunporch. It will have a 5-6 foot opening of stairs to the shore. I can't wait to see the finished deck!

                                   Very few lavender made it threw the harsh winter this year.

                    The peonies are going to have many blooms, the budding is spectacular!

                                    The Russian Lilacs are looking very hardy this year too!

 The white bleeding hearts are hardy too. At the plant sale I picked up some pink ones. Gardening is so hard here as you have to wear netting from head to toe! So many mosquitoes & black flies in this area. Well I guess they're everywhere, from what I'm hearing!

 This is the new garden area, it is viewed from the front porch, I've called it The Gnome Garden & will built on whimsical features in it.

 Two cast iron gnomes live in the garden right now & some fencing was put up to stop Baxter from lifting his leg on the plants... it's not working.

 Some of the plants from the garden sale in Miramichi. I'm still waiting on the top soil to come in & then I'll set them in their place. The two at the back are Forsythia aka For Cynthia! lol

 It will be awhile for the asphalt, North Shore Contracting has some very large contracts & will be very busy this summer. So long as it's done weeks, before the frost.

Baxter & Bridget are adjusting...

 Baxter is to wear his collar for a few days, to stop him from licking the stitches. Poor Puppy!

 As you can see with this food driven pup, he can clean a bowl of food out & take advantage of Bridget's too. I only will have one of them out at a time , till their ten days of complete rest are up.

 He was happy to get his McDonald's  'Happy Meal' toy to suck on. Jocelyne & I had our lunch in town last week & she gave me her toy for them. So they each got their toy, the day after their operation. Baxter loved his, Bridget is taking things very slow.

 I was pleased to see that the designer of the cone, that's around Baxter's head, is now clear & see through. When Boris was neutered 11 years ago, it was a solid white plastic, making it hard to view where he was going & what he was seeing.

                                          Baxter using it as a scoop, to pick up things! lol

 Bridget is moving very slowly is is the easiest to walk on the leash, Baxter has so much energy to him. I can't wait to watch them run free again. These 10 days will end next weekend.

Bridget-Loree is not happy with these arrangements.  This too will pass for them & me!
Till then, I've been doing some sewing. I needed to do some hand sewing & got some in this week!

Sewing & Gardening  ... Those are my therapy's!!

This is a 2006 McCall's pattern design from Cheryl Haynes. Took me long enough to do it! lol
I just thought it was so appropriate with summer finally upon us. And watermelons, just the taste of summer! It's a small piece, finished measures 19" x 21"w. I need to find a branch piece to tie it to, I've tied it to the two knobs on the dresser unit. lol

 Procrastination - The thief of time!  How very true, it took at least 10 years to do this pattern & 4 days to finish it!!  And I had fun doing it too!

 I needed some needle work, somehow, the rhythm & sound of a needle & thread, soothes me.

         And with the June full moon, 5 days ago, everyone is in the dirt & planting seeds!
I'll be getting my fruits & vegetables from neighbours stands & local farmers markets.

Re-purposing!

 I took a man's short sleeved shirt & made it into a woman's top. I was surprised at how little waste there was! I re-positioned the front pocket to shirts back, which is now my front!

The raglan sleeve, from the pattern, was altered to be a cap summer, capped sleeve. I gathered it with elastic but if I had not, it would have been a flutter sleeve. I thought with such structured fabric as the stripe, the gathering would look nice with the gathered neckline.

The buttoned down back, was the front of the shirt. I liked the styling of the English company called Cabbage & Roses & they use this technique often & leave a pocket on the back! I don't find that very functional & questionable too. It was a fun afternoon making this last week. I forgot that I made it!
I have several other men's cotton  shirts, that I really like the blues in. I'll be transforming/re-purposing them too.  Since I did not sew the side seams & used the shirt 'as it was'. the body is a bit too big but bigger is more comfortable than tighter. It is also 100% polyester & boasts no wrinkling, so it may be a travel top!

Talented Knitter!!

Jocelyne's aunt, at the age of 92, is knitting dish clothes & gifted her with many. She asked if I would like a few, well when I saw this, my heart sung! This is just the perfect size to be a pillow in the child's rocking chair! I'm going to customize a pillow & hand stitch it to the front. What a talent women at 92 yrs old! I just love the lighthouse pattern & the colour. Thank you for sharing Jocelyne!

Oh Canada!

 I purchased these stones at the Dollarstore in Chatham NB. Even if the pups get them they will not be able to shred them! lol

I placed them on the dining room table, I counted 6, I purchased, you know the odd number, pleases the eye with balance. I went to the table, #7 is under the Canada with heart stone. It's the cool Canadian one, the one with the hockey stick! lol Sometimes I think I'm loosing my mind! lol

                                    I also made the pups reversible neck scarves for Canada Day!

                        They are going to look so dressy in these! There will be photos for sure!

 

                 To make Bridget-Loree look more feminine , I added small ruffles around her edging.

Well that's it for this week. I have the ironing board cover torn apart for the pattern. I have used it so much that there are two holes worn in the popular spots. I was patching them but the fabric is too worn now. I need a change of colour & texture. So I'm going to use the fabric Mitchell brought me from the IKEA Calgary store. It's blue & white & will be so fresh summery right now.
I've also pulled out the Flower of the Month table topper of the violet - it's February's flower & my province flower! Very summery too!

I'm going to savor anything summer. As the saying goes... 'This too will pass.' But till the passing of summer I'm going to enjoy this bug infested place! LOL

Have a great day, wherever you are! And remember not to procrastinate, 'Procrastination, is the thief of time!'

Take Care,
Cynthia