Sunday, September 4, 2022

Tuesday 4 - September 2022

Hello and welcome back to Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4  hosted by the lovely Annie at Cottage by the Sea.

The "Ber" months have begun: September, October, November and December.   Let's talk about  September okay?

1. When you were in school or university, did you look forward to returning? Why or why not?

Yes, I was always excited to return to school or university. As a child it was a bit exciting to go with mom and other siblings to find what was on our annual list of things to buy for school supplies. It was also the time of year when we got new clothes. Back then one didn't buy new clothing that often like we do today. As I moved out of the house and on to university it was still exciting returning to campus and dorm life or looking for an apartment in the city. There was always a lot to do with selecting classes, finding an apartment, furnishing it and so on. I never had enough money to live in one place all year long so did a lot of moving in those days from dorm to home, home to dorm or home to apartment and back and so on. Fall is my favourite season so it was always nice to do my university preparations in the cooler weather. Of course, back to school also meant a chance to reconnect with dear friends.




2. September has  Labor Day, which, for many is the signal of summer's end and fall's grand entrance.  Do you celebrate Labor Day in any way or is it just a day off for you?

I don't do anything special for Labour Day. It is basically a time for me to stay put and get organized for the change of season and whatever is coming.  I especially avoid travel on Labour Day or any other holiday as it is far too chaotic. 



3. September's birthstone is the Sapphire which is 2nd only to a diamond in hardness. (Ruby is a red sapphire by the way) It comes in many colors.  Do you know your birthstone and do you like it?

I absolutely love the sapphire stone. It is the birthstone of both of my brothers. I like the deep blue colour of sapphire and prefer it to my birthstone which is emerald.  Years and years ago I purchased a classic 3 stone sapphire ring surrounded by small diamonds. I never removed it from my finger and over the years I couldn't remove it because I'd gained a lot of weight. From time to time I thought about getting the ring cut off but I didn't want to ruin it so I kept it on. One day, not too many months ago, I finally was able to get it off. My was I surprised and relieved. Even though that was many months ago my finger still has an indentation around it where the ring used to be. I find that odd because it wasn't so tight and would turn around and around. I just couldn't get it over my now enlarged knuckle. I've kept the ring and perhaps one day will wear it again.

4. September's birth flower is the Astor. What is yours ?

My birth flower is Lily of the Valley. I don't think I've ever seen a Lily of the Valley in real life though I've read that it doesn't thrive or survive in hot weather but can live for decades in a cooler climate. That sounds like me! I also discovered that the Lily of the Valley is a poisonous plant but it symbolizes absolute purity, youth, sincerity, and discretion. But most importantly, it symbolizes happiness. That sounds pretty good! I remember when I was a tween, I would find soaps and perfumes in shops with this scent. It smells lovely and apparently in France they celebrate La Fête du Muguet (Lily of the Valley Day) on May 1st.


Thanks for visiting. All my scenic photos were taken in September over the past 4 years.

Thursday, September 1, 2022

Hello September

 

Hello friends and fellow bloggers,

Happy September!

It seems the main part of summer is over.  For me the best part of summer is in September because the weather cools down quite noticeably.  There are only 22 days left before summer ends and fall arrives.  Fall is one of my favourite seasons because of it's beauty and crisp, fresh air but unfortunately is such a brief time before heavy rains arrive and we prepare for winter.

Summer arrived somewhat late in BC this year. It rained a lot for the first part of the season but made up for it in July and August. On the last day of the month of August it was still blazing hot. My garden has been pretty much done for the last week.  I probably didn't water it enough at some critical moments of the season.  It's always a challenge for me and I can sometimes miss a day here and there when it is critical to give the earth some sustenance through watering. I'm still pleased that the blooms lasted up until about a week ago and some of the container blossoms are still hanging in there.

Instead of gardening my main focus in the early part of summer was helping Jonah get situated to his new life and our life together in this city and country which is new for him.  There was a lot for him to do and we also tried to have a little outing here and there for relaxation. Then came August and I decided it was time for me do as much as I could to catch up with much needed DIY's around the house and continue with the major decluttering I've been working on for some time.

The DIYs have mostly been a learning experience.To be honest I don't have much patience for it.  I made a mess of a few things which had to be undone and then re-done. I'm not finished yet and will continue working until at least the official end of summer. Even simple things can be a bit confusing if you've never done them before.  I've been relying on You Tube for tutorials for almost everything. Thank goodness I can turn to You Tube.

On the last day of August, I remembered my dear late mom who would have turned 89. I miss her but know I will see her again one day. Also on this day I received a card from a friend in Colorado. I couldn't believe it when I opened the envelope to discover a Christmas card written back in December. I understood from the note that my friend and her husband have been temporarily living in another state so they can look after her mom.  I'm hoping by the time I write back she will still be at the temporary address. 

I have the sense that I'm turning the corner on the long list of DIYs I've been working on.  Today I received a shower curtain and the new doorknob for the master bathroom.  I didn't waste any time in steaming the wrinkles out of the shower curtain and putting it up. I absolutely love and I intend to keep it.  It means I'll be returning the creamy white waffle weave curtain I bought last week. The off-white colour was too 'yellow' and clashed with the natural white paint colour on the bathroom walls.  Later in the day I'll return the items to the stores and on Saturday I hope to repair the small holes I made in the door and touch up paint before I install the new door knob.  The rest of the weekend I'll give the bathroom a thorough cleaning and see what else I can declutter before moving on to other projects. If you are interested in seeing what else has been accomplished you can click here.  

Until we meet again on blogger, stay safe. 💗

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