odds and ends

lots of odds and ends lately. i've got loose ends flying all around, so i will tie them all together in one post. are you ready??!!

i was able to fly to provo recently to help joanna get ready for her big move to denmark. in spite of a horrible cold/sinus thingy, i think i was able to get alot done while she was at work. the check list from the apartments where she lived was unbelievable- i've never seen anything like it in my entire life. there was a full page of requirements including: washing all the walls with pinesol (what?), polishing all cupboards, moving the frige and stove, cleaning all light fixtures (take them apart), washing all mini blinds and windows inside and out (she lived on the 2nd floor!), washing insides of all closets, dishwasher, stove, frige and freezer- all floors, outside light and stoop, all doors-inside and out- and i also spotted the rug (which wasn't on the list). now, i still haven't heard if she got her deposit back...:oI .



i never really got to enjoy the beautiful mountains until i had been there for a few days- here's a picture from her kitchen window--(the room with the stove, frige, cupboards-you get the picture!)

nella came on the weekend and we had a good time- went to dinner- spaghetti place, shopping and a movie. jo treated me to a pedicure/manicure which was out of this world, and then nella gave me a massage when we got back to the very clean apartment! those gifts were all for my birthday--yay! we had dinner with my friend, val , and were able to catch up on time away from each other. we then we went to church together on sunday, before nella took me back to her place north of salt lake. i was so happy to see and spend time with both girls.

nella and i drove to ogden on sunday and surprised norma, my friend and missionary who taught me 41 years ago in alaska. she gave nella some needed advice. i left the next am and on the way home was able to get a $300.00 voucher from the airlines for taking a later flight out of minn. i love that stuff!! and seth didn't mind picking me up later in the night.


one of the activities that went on when i got home was what i call the " 2 day chicken extravaganza". i had bought 70 pounds of chicken breasts before my trip but because of certain circumstances (snowy weather and then my getting sick), i had to put it in the freezer and postpone our church canning class. soooo- when i returned from utah, i rescheduled the 10 girls for canning class. here's carol working" hard"!







we managed to can 51 quarts and 12 pints (i did a few by myself at night) and also make 3 casseroles . the prep. for this stuff was easy- it was just time consuming- each batch needed to be processed 1 hour and 15 mins. so, needless to say, we had a lot of down time. i did enjoy helping with this project and seeing the sense of accomplishment from the sisters who took part.




this is a photo i took of a fix-it project that was done a few weeks ago. i had asked paul to fix the broken end of the downspout (since last summer). it's supposed to go under the little sidewalk and drain into the garden and hill. i'm not sure what the heck this is- but it now drains unto the sidewalk. hhmmmm. that's all i'm saying about this one!


another event was my" birthday shopping and fun" day a few weeks ago. 2 friends and i went to a huge antiques/collectibles place in verona.




we spent hours roaming the 4 floors- looking for treasures. i found a beautiful barkcloth bedspread that i am now using for a cover on my couch. i love barkcloth and this one booth in that store had oodles of it - remnants, curtains, etc. this photo doesn't do the beautiful deep pink color justice...


we went to lunch and then to:

the most magnificant bakery i've ever seen!

..the oakmont bakery.

cases and cases of cakes, cookies, and goodies that i have never heard of.

it was packed with people- we had to take a number and wait about 15 mins.



we ended up across the driveway looking in the window at the actual bakery section- cake decorating -mass production! i would be 300 lbs. if i worked there!




after we left that area, we went to tarentum to a favorite collectibles shop. good prices and great stuff.

i bought quite a bit for my shop- some of which i have already sold. all in all it was a fun day.



conference was this weekend- totally awesome and so needed. i learned much and am so grateful for those who spoke and sang. i tend to fall asleep when i sit down in my own house on the couch so i made potholders throughout the sessions (good way to stay awake in- between note taking). i'm looking forward to putting my notes together with the written words in the ensign.


gosh, this has been a long drawn out post- hope i didn't lose too many of you, but i wanted to get all of this down before i lost it. thanks to katie for your help with this...:o) - also -, i enjoyed the quacking tea party with josie over speaker phone while her mom (my loving daughter) worked out this thing .