From the Back Porch to the Patio 2017 - 2018

Oh my gosh! Is this freezing temps what it's like in Canada all winter? Weatherman said this happened back in 2015. I don't remember that. Thank goodness February is a short month. Just too bad March is so long and dreary. I think we've had more sunshine these past few weeks than we've had all winter.
Keep warm all of you who are affected by this arctic experience. Those of you who aren't affected by it, I want your address so can come visit. Just kidding. Have relatives in CA , AZ, & GA.

It's really cold today, but tomorrow the temperature starts rising to a balmy 8C (47F) by Wednesday. Time for some flooding.

Baby it's cold outside... what an understatement!
Happily I am a hermit and do not go out into the cold.
Others are not so fortunate. I am in the same general weather region as @Merrywiddow just a mere hundred or so miles south in Ohio. Law enforcement,  first responders,  utility workers and others like them must be outdoors to do their jobs.
The homeless and strays do not have much choice either.

We were right in the middle of all that freezing weather. Thank goodness it is almost done. They are calling for a freezing fog this morning but then a warm up to near 40 fahrenheit this afternoon. It will be close to 60 on Wednesday.

Our heater decided to quit working last evening. Hubby did all the regular things he does to check it and we made sure the LP gas had not gotten too low. I guess we will be calling the heating an cooling guy later this morning. At least we got through the deep freeze before it pooped out on us. It's always something.

Everyone is doing fine. No terrible cold/flu this season. I and my son did get flu shots and I really think it has helped.

I've been knitting and playing sims.

Hope you all are well.

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Our heater decided to quit working last evening. Hubby did all the regular things he does to check it and we made sure the LP gas had not gotten too low. I guess we will be calling the heating an cooling guy later this morning. At least we got through the deep freeze before it pooped out on us. It's always something.

That is what scares me ... being without heat even indoors would be a horrible experience. Hopefully your heat will be restored before another cold snap.

My furnace did quit working a few winters ago. On a Friday night, of course. Thought I'd be getting a new furnace but he repaired it with a few expensive parts.  Evidently the humidifier shorted  things out. Cost was close to half a new furnace and I was back to having a large pan of water simmering on the stove to keep dry air at bay.  When my son and granddaughter were visiting from GA  they bought a little humidifier/mister for me and it seems to do the trick.
     This cold weather has been mostly keeping me inside.   Doing an oil painting class one morning a week for 3 weeks this month. The old jeep has been holding up just fine. The first time I took it out in the frigid below 0 weather I had to stop at the mechanics on the way home to get air in my tires.  Very relieved it's been OK since.  
      I'm having trouble with shoveling snow as it's got a lot of ice in it and very heavy to move.  My son with the plow blade has had to come over a few times to clear the drive, especially the snowfort that gets built up at the bottom.  
      I'm really looking forward to Spring.  Hoping to get a flowering shrub or two for the back garden and hoping my son will help. I didn't plant or dry enough herbs last fall and ran out 'fresh' thyme and dill and Basil.  Gotta see that that doesn't happen again.  
         Keep warm and stay healthy.

We did get the furnace fixed the next day and it is still working, thank goodness!

@Gramcrackers  Snow removal is such a pain. I have been battling our long lane (with a steep hill) all winter. It's either icy or mushy.

My son and I went to see a couple movies today. They have recently refurbished one of our local theaters with cozy reclining seats and table trays. Pretty snazzy.

I've been working on knitting a shawl this winter. It is slow going since it is a fingerling yarn and a fairly small needle. If I am lucky, it will be ready to wear by spring. Well, most likely in the fall. Maybe next winter.

Wishing everyone well

Long time no see! I was happy I had wrote down my password for here because I totally forgot it.

Hope all is well for you ladies! I have been on the down side of life the past few months but I am trying to take control of my life again.

Thought I'd come here and check out some of EQ's challenges to get back into my sims and also to say a "howdy". So, Howdy!

Here's hoping for warm sunny skies in our future!

@Pallystyle
Very happy to see you here! Sending positivity to you and your family.

Hi, everyone.   Good to hear that everyone is well.
           I've been busy but  not accomplishing much.    It's been hard to feel like painting on a regular basis but did get two small paintings (10" by 8") yesterday and last month another small one.  Have some more small paintings and some large ones and will be so relieved when I can get them finished.  Have already picked out my next project.
    Have been playing Sims again with the new Strangetown.  Found lack of information to do some tasks frustrating but 'Carl's Sims' site  saved the day and I think I'm on the last leg of the tasks now.  Watching all those pink pollen's float  around town make me want to sneeze!

Hi Gram
Your painting hobby sounds relaxing. I hope you will share some of your work.
StrangerVille is a fun town and I enjoyed playing thru the mystery.
I did find lack of tool tips (hints) on how to complete tasks a bit frustrating.

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Watching all those pink pollen's float around town make me want to sneeze!

SAME!

I'd love to see some of your artwork too Gram! I don't have the eyesight anymore to finish the paint by numbers I started many moons ago.

Welcome back @PallyStyle ! I hope things continue to improve for you and your family.

I hope you share your paintings too Gram. I love to paint but never seem to have time.

Thank you, @Buttonsginger! It's a work in progress, but we will get there.....I hope.

I had considered taking up painting. I may still give it a whirl if we get to move this year.

I too, would love to see what you have done, @Gramcrackers.

I would be glad to share some of my 'better' art work. I am still 'growing' my skill. When I have more time I will attack that problem I have uploading photos.

I hope things are better for you Pallystyle. Rough times are the Pitts.

I am sorry about your eyes, MW. I hope they won't get worse. Seems a lot of my choir members are having problems. and have had cataract surgery. I haven't yet. One member has Matricula Degeneration so they enlarge his music for him.

I did like the challenge of Strangerville. Found it a little stressful at first. Got tired of the dreary music and atmosphere. I just don't like dark worlds.

Spring is coming!

Hej hej!

Nice to hear everyone is doing well.
As for the greeting: my new hobby is learning another language: Swedish.
Since Johannes for sure will stay there I have to adjust. I found a group of six that learn the language too, we have a lot of fun, but learning goes slow. On the other hand the slower one progresses, the better the memory. Oh well I think I could travel to Sweden now, find a hotel room and not starve.  That's something!
My cat's are well and growing. The tomcat has over about 15 ponds right now, the cat about 12.



Gram, I'm so with you that the music and the darkness of strangeville get's to the nerves. I wish we had a switch to toggle the story play on or off. The world is so nice and I would like to play it 'normally'.

I'm looking forward to seeing your art work Gram. My eyes are actually improving with treatment. I just need a lot more light now than I used to when younger.

Your cats are adorable Le. Good for you, learning another language.

Pretty kitty, Lionpaws.
I beat the Mother plant in Strangerville ( I'm sure I told that my Sims died the first time he battled the plant )and there was an option after the battle to reset the game for another brave Sims to try the challenge. I didn't take the option and since it was many weeks ago don't remember how to find that option again. Sorry.

I've been awfully busy. Never have I had so many 'things' to see to, fix, take care of, etc. I believe it's going to be calmer. Hope so. Had a vacation last month. Visited cousin my age in AZ for a few days, went to two concerts she was in which were awesome, then flew to San Diego to visit my youngest brother and his wife. Great time and it was so good to see everyone again. Been years! Got a few extra days there because my flight out was canceled due to snowstorm in Chicago.
Couldn't get a flight back to Chicago until Wednesday because of the mess all the storms around the country were causing flight problems. SD is a nice place to be stranded though. During my extended stay, saw a Red Diamondback rattlesnake crawl through my brother's backyard. He chased it back through the fence into the canyon. It looked to be over a yard long and was pathetically skinny. Wondered if it was a fire refugee.
Taking an oil painting class this month. It's only one morning a week for 3 weeks. Actually, I signed up for classes the next two months too. Hadn't been doing much painting and wanted a boost.
Got the vegetables and flowers in my patio pot but have a few more things to put in before they're done.
I'm taking a shut-in friend to the movies this afternoon. 'Poms' which is a comedy.

Where have I been? Evidently not to this thread in a while. Or maybe I was here and just forgot to post a reply. Forgot? No ... I never forget .... now what was I saying? (quizzical look of forgetfullness)
@Pallystyle
Happy to see you popping back in when you are able. Looking forward to more of your Murky stories soon.
@MerryWiddow
Good to see your comments as well. Wishing you some fun times in game and real life.
@lionpaws The furbabies Indy & Soleil are looking positivly regal and very much pampered
Learning a new language would certainly be a fun challenge. Sounds like some new adventures may be in store.
@Gramcrackers You have been one very active traveler! The only traveling I do is in my game in my imagination.
Not afraid of snakes but do want to keep my distance. LOL
The 'Poms' movie looks like good crazy fun. I am sure you and your friend will enjoy it.

Big Hugs and a Royal Wave to all!

Looks like everyone is keeping busy!

I am so glad to hear your eyesight is improving @MerryWiddow

I'd love to see your art work @Gramcrackers


Beautiful kitties @lionpaws I love studying languages. My son will start Spanish studies next school year, so I'd better brush up on what I've learned.  

Work is keeping me pretty busy.

I've been knitting. I finished a pair of socks


My current wip A two color brioche scarf


3 repeats of the pattern so far

Light Side


Dark side

I've had some time to play lately and hoping for more as work starts to settle down.

Love those socks! Your scarf pattern looks so pretty.

@Buttonsginger Lovely scarf and the socks are great. They made me smile.

Thank you ladies!

I just dropped several stitches off my needle. Not a happy knitter

OH, I hated dropping stitches. Don't remember which was worse dropped stitches in knitting or missed stitches in crocheting.

BG
The socks are lovely as is the scarf. Looks hard to do!

Have never been so busy, I swear. Always something needed to do, errand to run, etc., quite tired me out. Had appointment this morning and got another for pain management procedure. When I got back from trip last April didn't have any headaches nor neck problems for some days but of course things can't remain calm around here for long. Some neighbors at this corner of the lake (pond) like to gather around a burn pit and drink themselves silly. Last time they gathered someone got very obnoxious & foul & loud. That was over a week ago and they haven't gathered since. Been nice & quiet.
sadly when I opened a window in my loft upstairs a few Tuesdays ago, the screen wasn't fitting right, completely out of it's track. Now these screens can only be put in inside the house and I finished up the last of the rescreenings last fall and know they were all fitted snugly in their trac's with the spring pins fitted in the appropriate holes at the top of the frame. I have gotten very good at this having also removed them to wash every few years. Cannot figure out how the screen got out unless someone tried to remove it from the outside. Quite the mystery. No, a storm couldn't do that.
Got flowers & veggies ( tomatoes, green peppers, zucchini, herbs ) in the patio pots and with all the rain they are already looking good.
Still have a great deal of weeding to do. Too much. lol