Tuesday, April 30, 2013

My Week So Far

Since I returned late Friday from visiting my mom, I've been very busy. I'm planning a far away trip for the summer and have been busy looking at travel routes, checking points for air travel and hotels, reactivating points programs, checking costs & making bookings where I can.

Sweater & top for mom
I've also received a few more things for mom's wardrobe which I have to label, pack and ship to her as they didn't arrive in time for my travels to visit her.

Purple top for mom

Before I went for my short trip, a friend asked for help with his taxes due to the high cost of hiring a tax preparer.  The base cost at one local preparer is $70 Canadian and at another it is $100 (charges for a very simple return and the price goes up substantially if you have more than 2 receipts).  Some of you will remember that I don't really like doing taxes but I was willing to help this friend so he can learn to do it himself. Since I also needed help with my garden and he is a very good gardener, I asked him to at least pluck up the garden weeds. He said he was happy to do it and he did a great job. He is much faster at this sort of thing than most people are.  His taxes are now filed and he stands to get a good refund so he is very happy.  Today I thought the garden could do with some fertilizing but it was so windy here (and cold too) and this task will have to wait for a calmer day. Maybe tomorrow.  My Solomon's seal is almost fully grown and yet nothing new has been planted due to inclement weather. The hosta bulbs I ordered a month ago finally arrived today.  I'm happy I have something to plant in the shaded parts of the garden.



I have an unfinished simple quilt to make for my niece. It's been sitting in my dining room, cum sewing room, since November and I need to finish it soon.  I want it ready for her visit to me this summer for her birthday.  I finally cut out the binding today and hope to sew it up tomorrow.  I will attach it in a day or two and finish up the quilt.  I've also been searching the internet for some beautiful quilt fabrics and trying to decide whether to order them to add to my fabric stash. I've already got several "WIPs" and no more room for it all.  But I do plan on sewing more now that I've made several skirts for mom this week and gotten the quilting underway again.  Perhaps I can go ahead and order the fabric which I'm sure won't be available later and I would really hate to miss out on it.  On my recent out of town trip, my nephew reminded me again that he is waiting for his lap blanket.  He wants one similar to the one I made his grandmother.  I've been planning to surprise him for his birthday but haven't actually gotten started yet. Time is running out as his birthday is in about a month.

Today I felt like having home made pizza for dinner.  I tried a "new to me" pizza dough recipe from Wolfgang Puck, renowned celebrity chef and restauranteur. The dough was far less sticky to work with than other recipes I've made so I will likely use it again. If you'd like to try it,you can find the recipe here.


Other than these few things I haven't been so terribly busy this past few days.  I've had a bit of a cold and have a fuzzy head as well as a headache every day. I hope it all goes away soon.  I did do a bit of reading but not much. I can't concentrate that long.  Currently I'm reading Tess of the d'Urbervilles on my Blackberry Playbook, and Holman Quicksource Guide to the Dead Sea Scrolls in a paperbook.

I have lots of tasks to accomplish this week. None of them are large in and of themselves but require my focus and attention. If I don't get to visit your blog this week, please do forgive me. I will be by to repay your visit as soon as I am able.

I'm linking up with Our World Tuesday today. Do drop by and see what other people around the world are doing this Tuesday.

Our World Tuesday Graphic

Have a wonderful week!

10 comments:

Vores have said...

Hello Jofyl
It sounds exciting to you are planning a vacation.
It is tiresome to have headaches - hope that you will soon get rid of it.
A good advice is to try to avoid stressing / relax and drink a lot of water, but these tips do you know for sure.
Take care of yourself Joyful. Wish you a good dg / good week :) Hugs Hanne Bente

Carver said...

Sounds like you are very busy. I hope you have a great vacation when the time arrives.

Saucy Siciliana said...

I can imagine how exciting it must be to plan a vacation. You must be so busy. Your friend is right...drink lots of water, at least 1.5 to 2 liters a day. It's funny you had pizza today...we did too, we went to a pizzeria and took out pizzas.

Karen said...

You sound very busy, have a great trip and hope the cold gets better.

Cindy said...

It sounds to me like you've been busy. I have had a headache pretty much every day over two weeks. I woke up today without it, though, so perhaps it will stay gone for good.
My Soloman's Seal will be up very soon now that the snow is ALL gone!!! And so will my hostas.
Have a good week my friend.
Hugs, Cindy

Denise said...

I love the clothes for your mom, very nice. It was nice of you to help your friend with his taxes. Hope you feel better soon, love you.

Diane said...

Taxes are such a pain. We have to have ours in by the end of May here in France, and we are away from the 13th. The forms are still not out!! We went to the tax office Monday and they just shrugged their shoulders. Previous payers have their forms, but ones who are new to France like us, are unable to get them yet. Madness. N is very stressed out about it as being in French they are not so easy for us to fill in either!!! Just hope they appear this week as next week has tow days which are public holidays!

Love the clothes. Keep well Diane

Anonymous said...

Oh, Tess is a wonderful book. And I do love home-made pizza.

My name is Riet said...

It sounds like a very busy week for you. Good that you could do the taxes and the other one do your garden, so both are happy

Pearl said...

ah, taxes. next year for sure I'll be more than a sporadic back of envelope accountant and actually record and store things properly. a service couldn't help unless they also do house cleaning.

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