A Beautiful Autumn Day ~ Skywatch Friday October 9, 2026

Hello friends and fellow bloggers,

Welcome to another Friday and start to the weekend and sharing beautiful skies on Skywatch Friday.

We've had some spectacular weather this week and the temperatures have reached warmer temperatures on one or two days.  I took the occasion to walk to various errands in the neighbourhood and to share a few photos of the neighbourhood. The autumn colours are in full display and one can really enjoy the colours when the sun shines. I find the light so beautiful at this time of year.

     

 

Thank you for stopping by and sharing a part of your day with me. I hope you have a wonderful weekend.

Routines ~ Tuesday 4

 Howdy! 

Welcome back to Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4.  They say having routines in your life keeps you mentally healthier than living a disorganized or haphazard life. Schedules have a profound effect on our well being. Belonging to clubs, organizations is good for us.  

According to research from UCLA  Health, "  a predictable daily routine supports mental health by reducing stress, lowering cognitive load, and creating a steady sense of personal control. "

It keeps sickness away too. People with good daily routines and habits live longer and decidedly healthier lives.  It promotes a feeling of productiveness and purpose.

Boredom contributes to sickness and cognitive decline in the elderly.

1. Do you have a daily routine for yourself and for your home?

Yes I do.  There are routine things to do every day and on a weekly basis which revolve around housekeeping and shopping.  I try to keep up with it all and I loosely follow the Fly Lady System in this regard which helps with having a schedule that works without being overly onerous.

2. What is your morning routine? How about your bedtime routine?

The morning routine includes washing my face, brushing teeth and sometimes doing the facial care after I've put the coffee pot on.  It takes me a long while to ease into the day and begin to feel that I can tackle whatever is on the list for the day.  I go out for appointments or errands several times a week.  In between having coffee, and perhaps a bite to eat, I will do any number of things before I shower, make the bed and get on with the day.  

After dinner and dishes are done it's time to wind down, pray, read, check email and socials & watch a variety of YT videos and other things on television before going to sleep.

3. Do you have a routine get together for a family meal or game/movie or pizza night?

No we don't have any of those routines for a variety of reasons. We go with the flow but each evening DH and I watch the late news together and share about our days.  Sometimes we watch You Tube videos about things of interest, including current happenings in Kenya.  He has very little free time at the moment so it's special to share this time together.

4. Any TV programs, clubs, organizational routines you never want to miss? Do you attend town meetings, choir practice?

We are not in any clubs. I'm only watching Y & R on a regular basis as I've done for several decades. If I don't watch it one day I go back and watch it within the 24 hour limit. If I miss more than one day I don't fret. It's easy enough to get back in the flow of the show once you have more time.  These days when I do watch movies or news shows they tend to be on You Tube or one of the streaming services.

I'm not sure what is meant by organizational routines and I don't attend any town halls or choir practice. In any case, I don't think we have many town halls here.

To be honest, I don't have a lot of free time or energy for activities that require attendance on specific dates and times on a weekly basis.  I already keep more than busy with all the things I currently do. Lest it sound like I don't do anything of interest, I'll share that my city always has something of interest on offer and I participate in as much of it as I can.  There are free things and paid things and I keep on a regular look out for all of it.  

The things I like to participate in include special events, library talks, classes at the local community centre and so on.  The kinds of things I enjoy and have participated in include talks by authors at the local library, special presentations at various community centers, festivals featuring different ethnic groups, free classes on cooking healthy, beading class, soap making class, gardening seminars, attending Christmas events like the annual Van Dusen Garden Light Display and so on. There is a lot that I've participated in over the years.  I've participated in an older ladies group where we did a great variety of things. Ladies would host an event and members would sign up. It was difficult to attend a lot of things because of overwhelming interest by others. Eventually I got 'booted' from the group for lack of attendance, lol.

I've also participated in the church Missions group from time to time because missions is a special interest of mine.  My specific interest is Africa but few of the churches here seem to focus on Africa,  instead they tend to focus on work in Asia because my city is considered a gateway to the Pacific and Asian countries.

We've been having some spectacular weather the last couple of days and the autumn light has been wonderful.

I captured these scenes on my walk to the local hospital for a visit to the ER.

All ended well. I'm being treated with ear drops and daily IV antibiotics for an ear infection. I haven't had one in years and years but all of a sudden I've had two of them a week apart. Not sure what that's all about but will follow up with the ENT specialist soon.

How is it October Already? ~ Skywatch Friday

Hello friends and fellow bloggers,

Welcome to my blog post.  I can't believe we're already into the month of October. Summer's warmth and sunshine are pretty much history and we've had some cooler temperatures and rain.  But we've also had some sunny days with an autumn chill and some beautiful skies.

Have a wonderful weekend and thank you for visiting my Skywatch Friday post.

The Cozy Pastime of Reading ~ Tuesday 4

 Welcome back to Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4 where we give you 4 questions to think about each week.People make reading lists for the various seasons and many mention how cozy it can be to cuddle up in a favorite spot to read.

1. Do you have a list of books you'd like to read? 

Yes, I keep a list of books I might want to read in future. It's very long so I'll never run out of books in my lifetime.

2. Where do you get ideas for books you want to read?  What kind of books catch your interest?

I get ideas everywhere. When I read blogs or watch vlogs, I keep a note of what people are reading if it sounds of interest to me. I also get ideas from television, social media, library websites, bookstores, people I know and so on. If I've read a book by an author and really loved it, I will start reading other books they've written.

3. What have you read lately?

Currently on my reading list is a Jane Austen book, Mansfield Park which I've read before. I'm also reading The Lost Roses by Martha Hall Kelly. Prior to that I read Daughters of the Sun and Moon by Lisa See and The Paris Daughter by Kristen Harmel. I've read other Jane Austen books before and enjoy them as well as movies based on her books. I've also read all of Lisa See's book which I love and I'm working my way through the novels written by Kristen Harmel, some of which are better than others.

4. How do you find time to read and where do you make yourself cozy and comfy to read?

I read several days a week unless I'm really sick. When I was struck this year with Shingles, I found I couldn't read anything for several months until I started feeling well again.  I cannot read in bed like many people seem to. Some days I read only for a short time.  Other days I'll read for a few hours. I like to sit in a corner of the sofa under a wall lamp with my tea and snack and read.  My issue isn't finding the time to read.  It's stopping to do other things, including sleep once I'm settled and enjoying a book.

Saturday Relaxation

I've been wanting to go to the movies for several months but couldn't land on a movie I wanted to see.  But at last, there are a few releases I now want to see.

Today was the day.  I almost didn't make it because everyone and his dog was out and about.  It was a sunny day after a few days of rain and I don't think anyone wanted to miss out on it.  City traffic was heavy and buses were very slow with people getting on and off at every stop.  What adds to the time is strollers and wheelchairs because they take more time to enter and exit the bus. But hey, everyone needs to get somewhere.

I didn't buy a movie ticket in advance.  Besides the price of the movie ticket they also charge you a service fee when you buy on line. I knew the movie wasn't going to be too busy because I previewd the available seating in advance.  I also wanted to make sure I didn't miss too much of the movie before buying my ticket given how slow the traffic was moving.  Fortunately I only missed about 5 minutes of the movie when I checked in.  But by the time I ordered a coffee it was a longer delay.  Unbeknownst to me they made a fresh pot of coffee which added to the delay in getting into my seat.  On the other hand it was lovely to get a nice, fresh cup of Starbucks coffee.

The movie I went to is called Heart of the Beast. It's an adventure survival movie with Brad Pitt and a beautiful German Shepard who goes by the name Odin in the movie. The story is sad and poignant.  I won't say more as I don't want to spoil it for you.  But in case you'd like to know more,  here the official trailer if you want to check it out.

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I stopped at Winners after the movie. I spent a lot of time browsing before finally purchasing 3 small items including a rechargeable lamp for the entryway.  The lamp is meant for  a small cabinet but there's no available outlet nearby so a rechargeable lamp is a good option. 

Even though I made an early dinner before I left the house, I didn't have time to eat it.  By the time I'd finished at Winners it was 7:45 p.m. and I was famished. T & T Supermarket was nearby so I headed there for a few grocery items and some ready to eat snacks.

My snack/light dinner consisted of some unknown to me version of Vietnamese Salad rolls. The filling was mostly vermicelli noodles.  Whatever they added to the lettuce was quite tasty even though there wasn't much of it. I also had a small seaweed salad and a Strawberry Milk Tea with Pearls. It was all good.  I bought a few vegetables and some strawberries at the supermarket before heading home.

I mentioned that it rained for several days.  The temperature also really dropped and now I'm fighting a cold. Thankfully my little garden is still blooming and I am still going outside to smell the beautiful fragrance of the roses.  I don't have to go far so it's not a hardship.

I've spent a lot of time this month researching and buying supplies and items for some DIY renovations we're doing. It's taken a lot more time than I thought it would so I really needed a break from it.  Renovations will be ongoing for awhile by the look of things but I'm pleased with how things are going so far.  Despite the very small spaces being renovated they come with a large amount of challenges most of which were created by the workers who did the previous work. Maybe the solutions would be more evident for a skilled and experienced construction worker but we're first time DIYers so we have to carefully think about each challenge.  Of course, budget also comes into play.

What has occupied your time in September?

Skywatch in Late September (2026) ~ Skywatch Friday

Hello friends  and fellow bloggers,

Skywatch Friday is here again & it's time to share and see more beautiful skies from around the world.

Our week has been very busy with running to and from the home improvement stores looking for this and that.  We're making changes to both the primary and master bathrooms and there sure seems to be an enormous amount of supplies and tools required to do the various improvements.  

Anyway, time was getting on when we made a recent visit visit to the home improvement store, Home Depot.  While I was making my way back to the car, the birds were making their flight to their nightly resting spot.  It's always a thrill to see so many birds at one time and I quickly snapped a few photos to share in this space.

So many birds

An airplane even got in on the flight action

We've been spending a lot of time here

Thank you for your visit! Enjoy your weekend.

September So Far ~ Tuesday 4

Welcome once again to Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4.   

1. How has your September been so far?

September has flown by and it will be over soon. It's hard to believe. I was hoping to travel by the end of the month for a brief break but it doesn't look like it's going to happen.

2. What events are coming up next on your calendar or have there been any special days so far for you?

I had 2 special days when cousins from the Northwest Territories and the Province of Alberta came to the city to visit.  They were both very brief visits but it was so nice to see both of them as I haven't seen one of them since my late mother's funeral services in 2017.  She lives so far away and the cost to get there is quite prohibitive.  The other cousin I see sometimes once a year or every other year when she comes this way to visit another sister.  Last, but not least, I was hoping for a visit from my nephew who had to pass through the city on his way to a work engagement.  It hasn't happened yet and I'm not sure if it will because his time is very limited.

Other than that it's been a super busy month with lots of back and forth travel to home improvement stores and searching and buying building supplies on line too.  We're doing some home renovation projects.  Right now we're working on the master bathroom.  Next up will be the main bathroom.  I've also been very busy with medical tests and dental appointments.

3.  How's the weather been in your neck of the woods? 

The weather has been mostly sunny and dry with a cooling trend.  I noticed the cooler temperatures in the last week of August.  Many people are still walking around in summer clothing but personally I need to dress a little more warmly.

4. How can we be praying for you or sending our good thoughts your way?

I've had an MRI very recently. Pray for a good outcome. I'd rather not mention the why's and wherefores of the test at this time but it's an ongoing issue I've been dealing with and so have had all kinds of tests in the past 2 years or so.  If you offer some prayers on my behalf, I thank you so much for your time.  May God bless you for it.

A Beautiful Sunset Scene - Skywatch Friday

Hello friends and fellow bloggers, 

Welcome to my Skywatch Friday post.  I trust you are all doing well and that you have some fun or restful plans for the weekend.

Recently I had to go to the downtown hospital for a medical test. We took a quick drive along the waterfront so I could share some new scenes with you.
 

The sun was setting and we noticed just how quickly it went down!

I noticed much cooler temperatures about 3 weeks ago but we do have alternately cooler days and then we'll have a warmer day thrown in.  Many people are still walking around in sleeveless shirts and tops or short sleeves and shorts. These kinds of people are either oblivious to the cold or they want to hang on to summer for as long as possible.  Personally I find it a little too cool for summer clothes especially if the wind blows a little. I think the summer is well and truly over here.

On yesterday's news I heard that we'll likely be having a milder winter than usual in Canada.  I was puzzled because not terribly long ago the weather experts were saying the exact opposite and that we could expect a colder winter this year. I guess I'll have to wait to experience whatever comes.  But personally I'm hoping for a warmer winter.

Thank you for stopping by!

What Are You Going to Do? ~ Tuesday 4

Welcome to Tuesday 4 continued in the memory of Toni Taddeo, its original author.

Here are a few questions for you to consider.

1.   What things do you enjoy doing when you have time on your hands?

Reading, sewing, knitting, crocheting, various other handicrafts, going for a walk, having lunch & get togethers with family and friends, going on a day trip to see something new and outside of the neighbourhood.

Currently reading

Newest hobby

2.   Last minute company coming tonight for dinner!   What do you cook?

In cooler months, chili with cornbread.  In warmer months, baked salmon with rice and salad.  Maybe some corn on the cob.  It's been a long while since I've cooked for company.

3.   You've got a day to do anything and the weather is perfect outside, how are you going to spend the day?

I'd go for a walk, preferably by the waterfront.

Village of Steveston

4.   It's morning and you are asked out for breakfast.  What are you ordering?

Probably bacon, eggs, hash browns and toast with coffee and orange juice. If it's a Dutch pancake house I'll have a ham and cheese pancake.

Favourite breakfast

I made this breakfast. I don't often make or eat breakfast but if I do, it's often bacon and eggs or a variation of it.

That's all for today. I hope you'll visit again soon.

End of Summer 2026 - Skywatch Friday

Hello friends and fellow bloggers,

The end of the first long weekend of September signals the end of summer and back to school and regular schedules.  

It also coincides with the end of the annual Pacific National Exhibition (PNE).  I try to visit once a year or at least every other year.

I didn't forget to Skywatch but mostly was there to soak up the atmosphere, people watch and eat. 

I had the Bannock Burger because they were out of Indian Tacos.  The fry bread used in the burger was absolutely delicious.

I also took in the concert featuring award winning singer, Crystal Shawanda and her family.  The price was included in the ticket.  

There were many singers I would have liked to see, The Guess Who, Barenaked Ladies, Blue Rodeo, Earth, Wind & Fire & Sarah MacLaughlin among them.  You had to pay separately for these performances and tge tickets were sold out well before the event unless you didn't mind standing at the back somewhere.

And just like that, another summer was over.

All in all, I enjoyed my visit.

Thank you for stopping by my Skywatch Friday