Home Sweet Home ~ Tuesday 4

Hello!  Welcome back to Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4 where each week we are asked to consider 4 questions on various subjects.    The goal is to get us thinking, considering, talking and getting to know ourselves and other bloggers.

1.  In some places people name their homes or properties. What would you name your home and why?

I haven't named my home and I have no plans to name it.

If you would not name it, why wouldn't you?

I'm just not the type of person to name things.

2.  Are you more of a romantic or a pragmatist when it comes to your home or apartment's decor and color?

I'm a pragmatist.  I've always tended to buy things I like at an affordable price point. These days I still do that though I often have to restrain myself from spending more.  I have basically everything I need and things are mostly functional.  I do need to purchase some larger ticket items like appliances and possibly furnishings in the next few years.  I like to 'soften up' all the practical items with all kinds of textiles and plants but the plants don't last long in my home due to heating issues and lack of natural light. I confess that I would probably spend far more money on higher end, sometimes higher quality furnishings but I simply don't feel good about spending because there are just too many other good 'causes' that are more worthy.  I think it's important to be a good steward of what we have and that includes our income.

3.   Do you have enough room in your home? Storage space, kitchen cabinets?  What would you add or subtract from your home?

I like space. A lot of space.  I've always liked a lot of space though I don't really, really need it. I live in the heart of the city where space is at a premium.  My home, though on the smaller side (not quite 1000 sq. ft.), is actually quite a lot larger and has more storage than a lot of the condos on the market in my city and surrounding areas today.  Even so, I'd like far more cabinet and closet space and a bigger outdoor space with a shed to keep gardening implements and furnishings when not in use.

We do have a storage locker in the basement.  This is where I keep things I don't need to access very often and things I need to deal with at some point.  For example, I have a lot of the photos my mother had. She had many and a lot of them are ones I gave her. Before I can whittle them down I need to have a lot of time to just focus on them. Thankfully I've already whittled down a lot of my own.  In the storage unit I also have things that belong to a brother and one of my nephew's. We also keep things like a moving dolly and tires which need changing out a few times a year.

Indoors, the closet spaces have to keep hats, coats, boots, shoes and clothing.  Since I have no linen or other closets, I also keep extra things in the closet spaces including all my hobby items, extra blankets, linens, suitcases and so on.

Little by little I'm getting rid of excess and to make sure it doesn't build up again I have also reduced what I purchase.  Once these tasks are more or less done, I'll look into purchasing a storage sofa and/or a storage bed.  This would really help to keep all the extra pillows, sheets, blankets and let me get rid of a blow up bed.  My DH believes that what we have now, is better quality than most of what can be purchased these days and he's right. It's more challenging to find what we want in good quality without also spending a lot more money.  In any case, I've really been restraining myself from both major and minor purchases. It's probably wiser to complete my decluttering and downsizing to see what is left before I spend more on storing things.

4.  Is your place really home sweet home ?  Would it be hard to leave it ?   Are you firmly rooted in your abode or would you move if a better opportunity came your way?   

My home is comfortable and cosy enough.  Whenever I've had people over for a meal or to stay they've told me that. I've also been told that my home is very peaceful and this makes me happy because I strive for comfortable, cosy and peaceful.  I usually have a patio garden as well but didn't have one last year. The garden gives me a lot of joy though I do find it a lot of work since I don't consider myself a true gardener. I do it because I have a decent garden space and I do love colour in the garden in the summer. It's a wonderful place to enjoy during the growing months.

I will enjoy my home more after I've sorted and decluttered many items I'm currently storing in the living areas.  I keep them there to remind me of what needs doing and when I get the time I will deal with it.  Until then it remains as visual clutter and causes me discomfort.  I'm very slow about doing what needs to be done because I'm juggling a lot of other things at the same time.  I keep plugging because I am making progress.

I am quite firmly rooted in my abode.  I live in the heart of the city. I have a beautiful view from my patio and front rooms.  I life within easy driving, walking or public transit to virtually everything I need.  I also have storage space and a parking space which in this city are premium amenities.  However I always keep my eyes open for something else that may appeal to me at the right price.  

Things I'm looking for: a unit that isn't up too high (I have to be able to get out if there is a fire), and has access all on one level, easy access to shops especially food shopping, access to public transit and services, a nice patio, not too close to other buildings such that another home owner can readily see into my unit, car parking, lots of indoor space, good storage and not in need of renovations.  It would likely have to be in an older building that already has a renovated suite since the newer units are very small with even less storage space than I have now.  So far I haven't found a place that comes close without it costing a whole lot more.  If I do find something to consider, my DH would of course have a look at it and see what he thinks. He is pretty easy going about most things and he often has an interesting perspective that helps when it comes to making final decisions about household and other matters.

In closing, I'm very interested in reading what others have to say about their spaces.  Thank you for stopping by.

It's a Spectacular Day

Hello friends and fellow bloggers,

I hope you are all well this fine Friday. It's a beautiful sunny day where I live. It's the kind of day where you feel that spring is just around the corner. I can't wait.

Joining in with Skywatch Friday.

Thank you for stopping by.

Duty of Delight ~ Tuesday 4

Here we are coming up on another of Toni's Tuesday 4.  Annie of Cottage by the Sea took over for Toni when Toni passed and she has now been hosting Tuesday 4 for 4 years!  Well done and thank you to dear Annie. 

Here are this week's questions.

1. What do you do on a typical weekend?    Saturday? Sunday?  How do you make them delightful or joyous?

I live a simple life and my weekends are typically full of work and a little relaxation.  I am busy running errands, usually buying food and other necessities, going to the library and post office, cleaning and doing other household tasks.  I have to spread out my work over 7 days because I can't seem to get it all done in 5 days! 

For relaxation I like to read or do other hobbies, meet up with friends, sometimes eat out and see the odd movie or concert.  I also enjoy taking walks and photographing what I see when I'm out and about. I also like to attend church.

I don't consciously try to make things delightful or joyous because over time I've cultivated an attitude of gratitude (pardon the phrase) and learned to be content in all things. This contentment brings joy, not a momentary, fleeting feeling, but something deeper and ingrained.

2.   What sources of joy do you find in your days?

I find a lot of small things give me joy.  It takes very little to make me happy and being mindful of all the wonderful small things in life brings me contentment.  Some of the small things that bring joy include: getting a lot of chores or tasks done in 1 day than the usual, reading more than a few pages in a good book, folding and putting away laundry right after it's done, finding a bargain at the grocery store or in another store, making something with my hands, hearing from or spending time with a beloved family member or a good friend, baking, seeing a good play or concert and so many other things.  I also find joy in learning. I watch a lot of You Tube videos to learn a lot of what is going on in the world, issues of the day, history, travel information, tips and tricks for household matters, 'how to' videos for crafting and DIYs, cooking new dishes and so on. I also like to listen to Christian pastors, teachers and gospel singers on You Tube and to read and study my Bible or hear from Christian & secular thought leaders about a variety of subjects. I almost forgot though I shouldn't, I get a lot of joy when I'm spending time with the Lord in worship and in his Word and also when I hear wonderful testimonies of God's goodness or I see his answers to prayers. It really is amazing to have these blessings in life.

 

3. What's for dinner tonight?  How will you make it  a delight and a joy?

We had a simple dinner tonight of baked (packaged) fish and chips with green salad. Last night we had cabbage and beef soup.  Tomorrow I think we'll have ham and cheese quiche which I will make tonight.

Yes, I will make it a delight because I'm always delighted when I'm able to prepare food at home to avoid food waste and to save money. This month and next month, I'm going to experiment with making more meals from a meal plan, using less meat and using more beans and pulses. I've been wanting to do this for a long time and so it begins. I won't completely cut out meat and chicken but will reduce it considerably.  For example, I'll be making lentil, bean and chicken burritos and vegetable pot pie instead of the usual chicken or turkey pot pie.

4.  How are you doing personally and how can we add to the joy and delight in your days?

I'm doing well personally though since the rain started back in force a few days ago, I'm in a lot of pain and my body is quite stiff during the day. I didn't experience these symptoms when it was very cold but no rain over the past few weeks. 

Which is better? Rain and warmer temperatures, but a stiff, aching body or cold and windy or snowy weather but a body with less aches and pains? Well I prefer warmer temperatures these days. Soon it will be spring and I can't wait because the green things start growing, the days warm up and the sun comes out more often. 

Gardening, prettying up the patio, saving money, eating frugally, enjoying hobbies and making time for friends and loved ones is how I'll continue adding joy and delight to my days. Who knows, I might even be able to start planning for a holiday but I'll have to wait and see what other big (expensive) household and building repairs are coming up first.

What about you dear reader? How are you doing and what is bringing you joy? 

Skywatch Friday - February 21, 2025

Hello friends and fellow bloggers,

Thank you for joining my submission to this week's Skywatch Friday. 

We've returned to rain which has melted all the snow and warmed temperatures considerably. I couldn't be happier.

You can see from the photos that the clouds look pretty dramatic this week so a lot more rain is on the way. 

Take care and stay safe.

Trying a New Thing with Produce

Hi friends and fellow bloggers,

Recently I did something new.  I joined a subscription box for the delivery of fruits and vegetables weekly. I started last week with a box for 2 for just under $40.  It included the delivery and was the price after a promotional discount. 

The contents included a good variety of vegetables such as potatoes, cauliflower, green peppers, onions, 2 ears of corn, grape tomatoes, cucumbers and lettuce.  The fruit included 2 grapefruits, 3 oranges, 3 apples, 2 avocados, 2 lemons and 1 bunch of green grapes. The oranges and apples barely lasted more than a day. We also go through more fruits and more variety of them every week. 

I managed to create meals for most of the week with the vegetables provided.

This week I changed my order to mixed vegetables and fruits for $20.  In the box will be cauliflower, broccoli, spinach, beets, lettuce, peppers, oranges, apples, berries and a mystery item.

Carrots, potatoes and onions were missing from the box's contents. I can't go without any of these though I have cut down on all three items due to price and weight. I go everywhere on foot on public transit and everything has to fit in my shopping trolley.  I'm running low on several items so I decided to go out and see what I could find.  

I bought navy beans, red lentils, 1 red pepper, 1 zucchini, 2 pounds onions, 1 medium cabbage, 3 giant carrots, 5 pounds of russet potatoes, 5 mandarins, 2 pounds of Fuji apples, 1 bunch of red grapes, 1 bunch of bananas, 2 pounds plain yogurt & 2 litres milk. This shopping cost me just over $51. Canadian dollars and was purchased at 3 different shops. I haven't bought any meat, chicken or fish and I'm trying to see if I can make do until the end of the month. I could change my mind if I come across any great sales. In the meantime I've got several kinds of beans, lentils, rice and pasta to combine with the good variety of vegetables I'll have on hand.

Here are some meals from last week using the vegetables I ordered and the meat we had on hand.

Coleslaw, pickled beets, macaroni & cheese, hamburger patty

Kielbasa sausage with vegetables, tortellini & grape tomatoes

Fried chicken with onions and pasta with mixed vegetables

Homemade buns

BBQ Pork ribs, roasted potato & garlic, green salad

Green salad, corn on cob, seasoned rice and hamburger patty

Besides cooking at home I did eat out a couple of times. I enjoyed the Bento Box I had because I had been craving sashimi. 

Everything was wonderful!

I also enjoyed a Vietnamese dish.

Update:  This is the 2nd box of produce delivered on Thursday. I was pleased with the contents because it was more than I was expecting plus they added a honey dew melon. I think I'll be making creamy broccoli, spinach or cauliflower soup this week.

I've used up much of my freezer meats so this week our meals will be more bean and legume based.  I've been wanting to try fewer meat meals on a more regular basis both for health and pocket book reasons. Now is as good a time as any.

What about you dear reader? Have you changed your way of cooking due to the higher cost of living? Have you ever subscribed to a produce or meat box?

A Few Pics From a Night Walk

Hello friends and fellow bloggers,

I went for a walk to do some errands on Sunday early evening. I photographed a few little interesting things along the way.

I was headed to a small mall located to the west of where I live. As I neared my destination, I captured the skyline of the downtown core and the lights of one of the ski slopes.

 

At more or less the same corner, I captured the clock tower of our current City Hall.

I took a photo of the signage at this intersection.  I wanted to remember it as the corner where I found 3 homes that were in a foreclosure sale. I've never seen even one sign of a foreclosure sale in all the years I've lived here so this was a bit startling though not entirely surprising.

This old house looked in disrepair and is one of the homes under foreclosure proceedings.

Two other homes under foreclosure are on the other side of the signage.

Across the street is a beautiful, old Victorian home that I've long admired. Most of these large old homes are subdivided into numerous suites.

I love the stained glass and the big veranda.

After I stopped at the mall, I made my way to Broadway Avenue. I was on my way to Michael's Craft Store but they were closed.  I missed out by about 15 minutes.

After that I hopped on a bus heading further west. I was going to a particular location of London Drugs. Before I got there I spotted this cute little tea shop with its name taken from Alice in Wonderland. It looks amazing but oddly I couldn't find it on google. I'll have to look again another day but Sunday night they were preparing for an event, setting up tables, checking menus and so on.

The street had a very hyggelieg feel about it with the lights around the trees and extra lights in the 'air'.

It turns out that London Drugs didn't have the items I was looking to buy although their website said they had one item in stock. I was told that the website stock information is not that accurate especially if it only says one item remaining. I expected this because I have experienced the same issue before.  It was too bad but not the end of the world. At least I got my steps in.

Sunday the air was much, much warmer than it's been in weeks. I was actually overheating so took my time going about. I'm happy the weather is back to our usual moderate temperatures. I hope you are keeping warm where you are. I know much of Canada has had a significant amount of snow.  Keep safe.

Baby It's Cold Outside - Skywatch Friday

Hello friends and fellow bloggers,

We're at the tail end of our winter snow and very cold temperatures if we can believe the weather forecast.

I had to go out yesterday and today to deal with a malfunctioning cell phone. I bundled up as if I was in minus 40 degree weather with long johns and double layers on top, winter books, a neck scarf and gloves. My upper legs and toes were still very cold. I'll chalk it up to poor circulation because I'm usually always cold some people aren't bothered by the weather at all. 

In fact, I saw 3 people out yesterday with bare legs and improper footwear. One person didn't even have a winter jacket on. Today I saw 2 more people who weren't adequately dressed but today felt much warmer than yesterday.

I'm looking forward to rain this weekend because it will bring warmer temperatures.  Right now, the temperature is 1 Celsius and the day's high was 3 Celsius. Last night someone told me we broke a weather record for the day at - 6 Celsius. I tell you it felt much, much colder. Probably because we have damp air.

The above photos were all taken on a walk to the cellular service provider.

Today I took one photo on West Broadway Street looking north towards downtown. You can see some towers in the background.  These are part of a massive rental development project led by the local area First Nations. Once completed there will be new homes for 6000 people and they are sorely needed.

I'm joining in with Skywatch Friday.  Thank you for stopping by! 

First Friday in February 2025

 Happy new month of February to you all. 

Snow was in the forecast for a week or two before it finally fell about 1 week ago.  It's actually stayed longer and been colder than I was expecting.  Those who are used to getting snow and cold temperatures all winter long would call us wimps, lol.  The cold snap doesn't stop us from getting out and about and I always enjoy watching the sky whether it's day or night.

Thank you for joining me on Skywatch Friday. Have a wonderful weekend wherever you are in the world.

Weekends ~ Tuesday 4

Welcome back to Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4.

It seems that everyone loves the weekend.

What about you?

1.  Do you feel happier as the weekend approaches?  Just how do you feel about weekends?

I feel happier as the weekend approaches even though I'm retired now and technically my time is my own.  I think I feel happier for two reasons.  Firstly, I'm habituated to looking forward to the weekend from the days when I was working and offices were closed.  Secondly, now that I'm retired the days from Monday to Friday are interrupted by many things because businesses, offices, including medical offices are open then. Once Friday rolls around I breathe a sigh of relief, lol.

2. What are your weekends usually like and do you do anything special?   Do you attend a church/synagogue?

My weekends have not changed much since I was working. Weekends are always a time for catching up with various things, running errands that take more time and relaxing (meeting friends, reading books, going for dinner/theatre, etc.). I do attend church but meet at night rather than the morning.

3. Do you sleep later on the weekend or do you stay up later at all?  Are weekends for catching up on sleep?

I'm a night owl and have always been so I stay up later than most people.  This is usually when I get my reading done or watch programs I didn't have time for earlier in the day.

4. Do you read or watch more movies/TV on the weekends or catch up on things missed during the week?

Yes, I do watch more movies on the weekend. I watch TV during the week but tend to watch movies (television, streaming on the internet, in theatre) on Saturdays. I also use the weekend to catch up on many things that I didn't have time for during the business week.