Last working Day of 2016

Praise the LORD, SWEET JESUS alleluia !!!

All I did today at work was write letters....Sorry you can't surrender your policy right now....Sorry you can't have a loan, you have reportable gain....etc....

I wished it would've been a super slow day....but they were still plenty of cases to take care of before year end.

and I found myself thinking about what I told my doctor yesterday

When Dad died, I inherited a crown of some sort and every now and then , I will need to go out with my crown and mingle.

I know human nature and I am positive people will say these things...

oh that's his daughter? I thought she would be slimmer! She's fat,she's chunky....

Who's her mother again? She looks like her father, how come she didn't go in the trade...

Her Dad had money, how come she's dressed that way?

To this I answer:

I am who I am. I am middled aged, proudly tacky and I don't care if you think I am not up to your
artsy standards.

I am artsy,vintage, tacky, fun, crafty, thirfty, genuine,loving and one hell of a good cook and I don't have anything to prove to you!

So talk to the hand!

I'm all that and a bag of chips, in fact I'm the whole party mix!!!

Here I am visiting the new company building...

I sure hope I will move there in 2017!!!

 

Life goes on

The ballet evening was a great success! We had a lot of fun.

 However the representation honoring my father was not on the 27 but the 28....

A bureaucratic mixup! Oh well...

Yesterday was the 11th month anniversary of my Dad's passing ....Of course I was sad and nostalgic but it is expected.

Dad's cat; Meaghan is slowly but surely getting used to life with us and the other cats....

She's quite the princess and talks a lot!

I am positive that in 2017 she will cuddle more and maybe even sleep

in the bed with us.....

Fingers crossed!

Even if 2016 has been traumatic and strange I can't say that I'm waiting eagerly for it 

to be over.

Time is just passing, it is the circle of life....

Happy, sad, birth, death...

And in between laughter, tears,joy, thrifts, pets, food and friends!

Sleep tight! 

The Nutcracker blues

Back in 1987, for the 30th anniversary of Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, my Dad designed

the Nutcracker's costumes. Every year since then, in October, the costumes were pulled out of storage, refurbished and repaired for the new dancers.

Dad would attend all the fittings to make sure everything was up to his standards.

Here is a clip:

I saw this wonderful Holiday ballet, a lot of times....

But with Dad's passing I was sad at the thought of not seeing it EVER again.

To my great surprise, I was contacted by my Dad's agent earlier this month and it seems that as part of his contract I am entitled to tickets....and they are planning a special evening to honor his work....

So we are going to the ballet !

I'll tell you all about it!

Boxing Day

will I go shopping on Boxing Day?

NO a big N-O NO. I don't like crowds and I don't need anything! How nice is that!

I have enough food in the fridge and freezer for a couple of days....

Besides I'm just interested in getting reduced wrapping paper.

The good stuff is expensive! I like the hallmark one with the lines on the back for easier cutting.

I was able to drag my butt out for an hour long walk....

I was thankful I chose my warmest coat because it windy and cold- Minus 11 celsius or 12.2 Fahrenheit.

After my walk.....I just vegged out , like this!

I did't buy wrapping paper....I bought lemons and veggies.

We had a lot of freezing rain....the sidewalks are skating rinks!

The sofa beckons again....Have a great evening!

Merry Xmas!

First of all, I want to wish the merriest and brightest Xmas ever to you and all your loved ones.

Isn

Like baking gingerbread....and wrapping presents..... 

 Under the watchful eye of the blowmolds....

And I was able to put the finishing touches on my 'buffet'.

I also took the time to reflect on 2016.

This was an extremely difficult year.

As many of you know my father passed in last January.

There was a lot of sorrow, tears and uncertainty.

But there was a lot of joy and laughter as well....

 I learned a lot about myself. I learned that I am very 

resilient, I might stumble but I will get back up stronger than ever.

What's planned for today?

longing in our pjs, watching tv and eating leftovers.....

Have a great day everyone!

Slowly but Surely

In some ways Xmas is like a marathon.....

and it certainly feels that way this year!

Tree? check

Xmas candies? check

Xmas cards? check

Caramel corn? check

Meat pie? check

Meatball stew? check

Shopping? DONE!!!!

 2 large meat pies in flamingo utility Pyrex pie dish.

what is really cray-cray is that I didn't buy any aluminum 

pie plates...REALLY???

So that is when creativity helps you!

Meat pie turnovers!

A bit blurry, but really delicious and really easier than a regular

meat pies!

Even if I am a bit behind...I'm feeling great!

Right now I am watching SNL Christmas Special!

Funny!

Winter Art

On my lunchtime walk....

I had to go Xmas shopping....on my way, I was taken aback by this whimsical art installation.

It is at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts.

Don't you think they look like cattails ?

Would like to drive by at night to see what they look like.....

 So these are the things I picked up at the thrift shop...

CORSAGES! XMAS CORSAGES!

WOOHOO!

 They were originally sold at Shopper's Drugmart a big drugstore chain in Canada

The owner before me had put some tie wraps to hang them in the tree...

 The green one isn't a corsage but an ornament....

 So 

take makes 3 corsages and one ornament. sweet for $2.00

 I am really happy with those finds since 2016 has been dismal in the 

thrifting area!

Be well my thrifty friends

Seen Around

Every year ,when I go to see the lung doctor,

I make a point of stopping at the Saint Vinnie thrift shop ,you know just for kicks!

The pickings are usually pretty slim. It is situated in a very poor neighborhood.

Here's what I saw:

 A vintage nativity, I'm guessing 60's or 70's.

 This I've never seen! A 12 days of Xmas glass set!

I nearly bought it, but I could hear my better (or not) half say:

What? we don't have enough glasses????

 This one looked like a cross between DIY and a vintage liquor bottle.

Last but not least a Pyrex Flameware without its handle.

Just what happened to it? I guess will never know!

Stay tuned for pictures of the tacky stuff I got!

Sooooo Cool!

Just a quick post!

there is a wee park near my house....

Last week as I'm walking by I see this..... 

 Did Santa actually park his sleight here?

Well, maybe not because there was only 1 reindeer!

and some wind chimes, lovely but not ALL THE REINDEERS!

I'll be on the lookout for them and Santa as well!

Sleep tight!

Christmas Decor

Just a couple of blocks from where I live,

there is a tiny tyny Xmas market.

You have Adirondack chairs, Xmas trees and open air fires.

 I love the smell of a wood fire.

There's also a heart with a rocking chair, but no Santa.

It seems everyone can be Santa....

NO! I

Xmas is Xmas! I want Santas, stars, baby Jesus, the virgin Mary

and the whole kit and caboodle!

 What is wrong with people?

You want to celebrate Hannukah? Kwanzaa? or Diwali?

GO AHEAD, BUT JUST LET ME CELEBRATE XMAS

THE WAY I LIKE IT!!!

For some reason, here in Montreal there is a lot of tension over Holiday

Decor....

Some town halls decided to take down their nativity scenes to avoid controversy and

some libraries took down their menorahs.

How about we just celebrate our own holidays in peace?

I prefer the melting pot and all its flavors!

After all variety is the spice of life!

On the thrifting front here are some pics of

tackylicious things I left behind!

 I left them behind because there were kind of cruddy

 And broken and sad.

And that is too bad because they had a lot of 

tackylicious potential!

And here is my 2015 Xmas tree!

The 2016 tree is taller.

I started decorating it today.

Picture to follow!

Sleep tight!

Christmas Flea Market

Sunday December 4th there was a christmas flea market held in church basement not too far from my house.

I saw great displays!

 Every glassware fanatic will swoon over this pic!

 Must buy vintage brooch !

 The huge fur boa really reminds me of my mother

 Super cute display!

 I am thinking I should start collecting piggy banks!!!

 Or maybe Tiki glasses and cups!

 I wish I had room to bring all these treasures home!

Lovely Barware! 

I picked up this little guy. He's seen a lot of Christmases!

He's missing some paint but he still lights up and he is CUTE!

I will leave you with this picture of vintage and antique

ornaments that belonged to Dad.

Have a great day!

Hope to blog soon!

Such Finesse

While I was researching things to do in New York , I came upon a YouTube video of the Best

Thai restaurant in Manhattan....

Oh my, I thought, this would be a great thing to try! So I made a reservation.

The only thing I didn't plan was the distance, we had an hour walk to get there!

On our way we saw great brownstones, buildings and bottegas.

We even walked under an overpass ....It was pretty dark

But we got safely there!

The restaurant is named the Nuaa. You can find several videos on YouTube for it.

The decor is nice, the atmosphere is peaceful and the service is very professional .

We opted for a meal of appetizers

 Tom Yum soup , amazing shrimp!

 Tom Ka soup- This was one of the best things I have EVER eaten! 

It is a coconut chicken soup with pieces of fish and mushrooms

The fusion of flavors was amazing. Silky!

Tuna Tacos. This is one of the spiciest things I have ever

put in my mouth!

 These purple dumplings were one of the reasons I wanted to visit this restaurant.

They are shape like flowers, the chef makes only 12 orders each day and these

were served to the Thai emperor.

They are made of peanuts and chicken and something else I forget...

They were good but not extraordinary....But I am so glad I had the opportunity

to taste them!

 Up next, wild mushrooms spring rolls

those were AMAZING! If I was rich and had a plane,

I would you to that restaurant for the Tom Ka and the mushroom spring rolls!!!

and for the salt and pepper calamari! served with a ginger yuzu

sauce, OMG my only complaint is I wanted more!

Sauce and calamari!

Until next time! I hope when I go back that place will still be opened!

Have a great night!