Welcome to my April 2021 Great and Powerful Blogging from A to Z Challenge!

I’ve revealed my theme (Photos and Stories), and once again, in spite of the best laid plans (who am I kidding, there were no plans, only aspirations) I am going to be blogging my theme letters on the fly.  So, here goes nothing!

Today, L is for Lamp, Grandma’s. Here’s a short one for you. I can’t remember when I got this lamp, but it was my mother’s mother’s lamp, an oil lamp she used to use to study by. That’s all I know about it. But I think it’s cool and while I don’t usually have a lot of sentimentality about objects, this is one I like to have out and will not hide or get rid of.

Note that I am NOT posting a picture of it lit.  The thought of lighting this lamp scares me more than you know…

Thanks for visiting my 2021 A to Z Challenge – Letter L.  You can find links to more blogs participating in this challenge at A to Z 2021 Challenge Master List (Google Docs).

Welcome to my April 2021 Great and Powerful Blogging from A to Z Challenge!

I’ve revealed my theme (Photos and Stories), and once again, in spite of the best laid plans (who am I kidding, there were no plans, only aspirations) I am going to be blogging my theme letters on the fly.  So, here goes nothing!

Today, M is for Meditation Bowl. Otherwise known as a Tibetan Singing Bowl.

Nothing sentimental here. Just your average run of the mill meditation/singing bowl complete with the wooden implement you can either use to strike it for a melodious bong or run around the rim for that singing bowl effect. I don’t use it often as I tend to meditate with an app that includes the bong as part of its package. But it has a place of honor on our mantle in the living room.

Thanks for visiting my 2021 A to Z Challenge – Letter M.  You can find links to more blogs participating in this challenge at A to Z 2021 Challenge Master List (Google Docs).

Welcome to my April 2021 Great and Powerful Blogging from A to Z Challenge!

I’ve revealed my theme (Photos and Stories), and once again, in spite of the best laid plans (who am I kidding, there were no plans, only aspirations) I am going to be blogging my theme letters on the fly.  So, here goes nothing!

Today, N is for Nordic Track. And at least, unlike so many during the past year, it does not occupy our main bedroom.  No.  The spare bedroom has become the exercise room.  I do have to say, however, this is one time I wish for a hideabed because that spare bed takes up a lot of my exercise space!!
Sometimes when you buy exercise equipment , well let’s be honest, how many of you have a treadmill clothes rack, or an elliptical stuffed in the basement or in a closet? This, however, is a classic Nordic track. The only electronics on it are the timer/mileage indicator. Everything else is manual, including amazing wooden skis. Kevin had to fix it a month or two ago as the ski treads, or something or other, broke or wore out. But you know what? There is a guy that sells fix-it-yourself parts for these things, and he was able to order them to be sent to Canada, I know. Sounds like a no brainer, but some companies in the states act like Canada is in another planet.  Anyway he sent them to us, and using some instructions Kevin was able to replace the parts and the thing works as good as new. Which is better for us since we did not by it new. It was another one of Kevin’s used Victoria purchases. But, unlike the elliptical squashed in our basement, it is something he, and occasionally me, actually uses. Here’s to Nordic track!

Thanks for visiting my 2021 A to Z Challenge – Letter N.  You can find links to more blogs participating in this challenge at A to Z 2021 Challenge Master List (Google Docs).

Welcome to my April 2021 Great and Powerful Blogging from A to Z Challenge!

I’ve revealed my theme (Photos and Stories), and once again, in spite of the best laid plans (who am I kidding, there were no plans, only aspirations) I am going to be blogging my theme letters on the fly.  So, here goes nothing!

Today, K is for Kitchen. I know, this is a little different from my other stories. A while room, but what a room. When we first moved into this house, I hated the kitchen. None of the cupboards had doors, and there were no drawers at all. Who has a kitchen with no drawers? Friend Judy and I spent a day cleaning it out. There wasn’t anything stinky, but there were a lot of suspect things in it, and it all needed to go. And everything needed to be scoured. Kevin and up got rid of all the old appliances and updated them all, hired someone to create some drawers and doors, and finally a couple of summers ago we replaced the old aluminum window with amazing wood double hung beauties.

I should also mention that the kitchen has an old house slant. Knowing that the back corner of the house was separated from the foundation, that is no surprise. That is fixed now, but the slant remains. Because the true fix is to bring in engineers and well, we don’t want to be opening up that Pandora’s box. I can tell you, the slant caused some major issues with the window replacements and the ceiling. But we have a brilliant carpenter who created some smoke and mirrors for us, and it actually looks straight now!

Some day I want to replace the cupboards and the counter tops, but for now this works for us.

I was lazy today, so here are some before pictures from 9 years ago, followed by today taken, lazily because I don’t feel like editing photos, with the emPhone.  Back to the big girl camera tomorrow!

Thanks for visiting my 2021 A to Z Challenge – Letter K.  You can find links to more blogs participating in this challenge at A to Z 2021 Challenge Master List (Google Docs).

Welcome to my April 2021 Great and Powerful Blogging from A to Z Challenge!

I’ve revealed my theme (Photos and Stories), and once again, in spite of the best laid plans (who am I kidding, there were no plans, only aspirations) I am going to be blogging my theme letters on the fly.  So, here goes nothing!

Today, J is for Java Machine Extraordinaire! We do love our fancy coffees. This is the second espresso machine we’ve owned. The first one we had for about ten years I think, and used it every day, except for the few times it had to stay overnight at the coffee maker repair place.  It was our friend. But then came the day we decided it was time to upgrade. We had no trouble finding our old friend a home, and this new one is fabulous. Automatic everything. Kevin can have easy lattes every day, and me, well I confess I pretty much stick to the Americano that just fits my favourite mug, as I related in my C is for post.

But occasionally I venture into the unknown and try one of the sixteen or so different options, well maybe not that many, but there are many and each one allows for different coffee strengths, different amounts of water, and different temperatures. The sky’s the limit if you aren’t afraid to fly!

Frothy goodness…

Thanks for visiting my 2021 A to Z Challenge – Letter J.  You can find links to more blogs participating in this challenge at A to Z 2021 Challenge Master List (Google Docs).