New Year's Eve 2025

 Well it's been a long time since I've made a post and I've no excuses other than life got in the way and of course my own procrastination!

This year has been one of moving forward to the future for ourselves and others in our community with the construction of the four town-homes. They're on track with the move in date for February 2026 and wow did we ever go over budget with this one, creating a very  happy outcome. 

Come on, I'll take you for a tour but remember it's still one month before completion! 

The front view upon driving in, the asphalting will take place in the spring and the outdoor sheds behind will also be built in the spring, winter is upon us now.

From right to left it goes...2 bedroom with garage, 2 bedroom no garage, 2 bedroom with garage, 2 bedroom no garage.

The mudroom with garage entry.

The front foyer closet, you'll notice the colour scheme is light, bright, & neutral, making the tenants colour scheme the dominate one.

The mudroom/laundry room, the side by side washer/dryer will be installed after the second coat of painting is done.

The kitchen's custom cabinets have the framework done & cupboard doors are in the making. The hardware that is installed here is excellent quality, making me jealous but happy for the tenants daily use with their kitchens.

This is the granite we chose for the counter top, back splash, and island. Once installed I'll show you how that turned out. Fingers crossed, this will start in early January!
 

The front bedroom off the foyer, the one's with garage have an small bathroom with toilet & sink behind a pocket door.

The four piece bathroom is the same in all four units with a one piece tub installation.

These are the photos for now & I will take more this week and we'll have another visit in the town-homes.

Bill had his surgery done on our youngest son Nick's birthday, a day we'll all remember as Nick was the one to drive him to the Fredericton Everett Chambers Hospital and home all in the same day!

The surgery took longer than expected as the Dr said to Nick 'Ratty and torn to hell.'

What was to be three pins, turned into eight pins and the rebuilding of his bicep muscle.

Bill after is surgery & on strong drugs!

The bandages were & did stay on for three weeks until his return to Fredericton. Surprisingly those bandages stayed on even after his daily showering!

His smile is on on drugs & the next day would let him know how involved the surgery was as the bruising  & drugs came out of his system. He slept in that chair for three nights as instructed.

He healed well and is starting his physiotherapy in the new year. He's also put on the list to have the other shoulder done in the new year or early 2027.

Prior to the surgery day we picked up a Dairy Queen log cake for Nick's 36th birthday to celebrate!

The following week we had a visit from Bill's stepbrother Mike & his wife Deb, Bill was still on the mend but we all had a relaxing, much needed weekend.

Bill and Mike, Bill's right arm should've been in a sling!

Deb, Mike, me, & Bill, we had a great visit and I'd not seen Mike since our wedding July 4th 1987 & the first time meeting his lovely wife Deb. They drove from Ontario, a 18 hour trip to spend a long weekend with us, a special visit as Mike brought memorable belongs of their dad Ernie, who passed away this year.

Christmas has come & gone.

Here's some photos of that special time of year. I fell ill with my stomach pills & very strong iron pills as my leaves are low and not rising much on the pills so Bill said 'stop' you're going down hill fast with them. So I did an starting feeling better when I threw my back out! I was in bed motionless for three days. I'm well now and taking food with iron, like my cream of rice, its 39% daily intake with just one cup and Shreddies cereal is 39% but I think too much wheat/barley in that but good.lol

So we did three little trees this year.

Remember the lite trees Jocelyn & I found on the side of the highway? Bill cemented them into their pots to make them sturdy & not tipping(could be why the owners didn't want another year of them falling over).

One tree went by Baxter & Bridget's crates with all things Boston Terrier's, mostly made & gifted to me over the years. With the white lights Bill installed coloured lights that would glow on a timer at night, bringing back memories for us of our Christmas's past with coloured lights. 

 

The other tree was placed in an old crock & had Jim Shore Santa's that Nick & Leslie have gifted me over the years & hand made ornaments that I made this year.

Bill gifted me fabric for my birthday last September, it was Tilda's Merry Little Christmas & I cut out figures & made them into ornaments for me and a couple of girlfriends for Christmas.

 

 And the flocked white tree that I placed the ornaments with red/white ornaments.

 

We had picked up Butterball's turkey breast for our Christmas dinner but when I saw how cheap the turkey was this year I wanted the traditional Christmas bird with stuffing and Bill put a turkey bacon jacket on it as my diet doesn't allow pork anymore.
 

I made cranberry sauce to go with the dinner, as well as potatoes, gravy, turnip with apples(cousin Ann's recipe), carrots. Finished with tea/coffee & the chocolate log cake.

The night before, Christmas Eve, Nick & Leslie hosted us for our fish dinner and of course, Nick's favourite, the Dairy Queen ice cream cake.

A festive cake it was too, and very delicious!!

 

Liam on Santa's lap, I love the look of Santa! LOL Next year may bring a smile to both of them...or not.

 

Santa's not as scary on mom's lap. Nicole, Liam, Santa, & Mitch. The Alberta kid's enjoying their Christmas.

Nicole, Liam, and Mitch, Liam is growing so fast. Bill & I enjoy the face-time watching him play and now running around being a busy boy. Mitch sure was a busy boy...

 

I saw this Mary Maxim knitted pattern for Mrs Claus clothesline and it made me laugh out loud, so I had to entertain the idea & make it!

There was also Santa's clothesline so I made it and they both fit beautifully on the pantry window. 

I also made the elf's clothesline & put it in the laundry room at the apartment to amuse the tenants. lol

I've been trying to get more organized and this room is high on my list since the Christmas season is over and the thoughts will turn to spring soon.

This is my 'organized chaos' aka sewing room but I do so much more than sewing, with different types of sewing from clothes, to decor, and everything in-between. It is my happy place, my kyrotime, a place when I create for myself or for others, time is suspended and my mind is clear for creating. 

Winter is a lovely season but the cold & ice are not comforting to me, the firebox in the great-room is my happy place in the winter. There i hand sew, knit, crotchet,  or work on a puzzle.

Thank you Stefani and Leslie for completing the Ugly Sweater puzzle the other night. Well done!

I saw this tote & loved the pattern, it's a free download!

I modified it to a granny square pattern with the use of my Dollar store cotton yarns, I made this colour version with spring/summer in mind.

I lined it with a William Morris fabric design and will make a zippy bag for the inside as I didn't do pockets with the stress it could do on the yarns. I'll post the zippy when I get the idea out of my head and make it. lol

Well, the bay is frozen the the smelt fishing has begun, it's such a tradition here to have your feed of smelt dinners. The rain has brought a lot of frozen puddles as the ground cannot absorb it right now so there's ice rinks everywhere. Scary.

I asked Bill for a hand railing for the basement & he has installed it. I can go down stairs but I cannot come up them easily, the railing is going to really help! I go up the stairs like a two year old with one step at a time as my right hip is not good to support my weight. The x-ray showed it is my spin not my hip that is weak, the L3,4,5, are deteriorating.

Many things are stored in the basement & during Christmas the stair travel is frequent, now to put all Christmas away has been made easier!
 

 Oh the joys of senior life. I think of what I can do these days not what I use to do. It's frustrating when your mind does not match your body.

I want to wish you a very happy New Year, filled with health and happiness.

Thank you for taking the time to stop by for a visit & I hope to see you sooner than later in 2026.

I've a good feeling about 2026 and I am look forward to it!

Hugs,

Cynthia xXx