Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Spring 2013

Stealing sunshine in the cold wake of a Spring afternoon




It's SPRING! Well, technically that is. You sure wouldn't know that April has arrived. We had flurries yesterday. Snow is not in my list of favourite things this time of the year. Clover's neither. The prolonged winter weather has gotten to all of us. We should be basking in the warm glow of the sun wearing cardigans around the neighbourhood, instead we all adorn down-filled fleecy coats and boots most days. I'm longing for flowers, vegetable gardens and days on the patio lounging with my beast.

Apart from the crazy unseasonable temperatures, we've been renovating again. This time due to an unfortunate horribly graphic death of a living room floor and kitchen cabinets by dishwasher drowning. The positive side is that we are fast tracking some other upgrades we were putting off. Clover is still my foredog and security guard for any tradesmen that passes through and attempts an escape un-slobbered.

Cabinet damage

Floor damage
All the soft comforts of home don't compare to that warm furnace spot on the barren floor.



We had a lovely Easter too.  Its a big deal over here on both personal and religious grounds. My parents always hosted this holiday, and I have carried on the tradition. Clover was our resident rabbit for the annual egg hunt.










February-March 2013










Uhm, what is with ALL this SNOW?

Maybe there's something good hiding in here...


Then again you can just run in it!

Snowflake pointing


We picked up a new fleecy kennel liner to warm her after trudging through the cold wet snow. She dove right in to test it out!



This is what she is will do to feel tucked in just right. Goodnight Clove!



Monday, January 21, 2013

Clover is TWO

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PUPPY GIRL


I found this warm fuzzy bed at Homesense over the weekend.  I knew Clover was about to turn two years old and any excuse really is a chance to spoil our beloved four-legged friend. I think she likes it! 





I also picked up a filtered water dispenser. I'm always refilling bowls and cleaning up spills because both the cat and dog drag their dishes around the room until they've secured the perfect location.




November/December 2012

Time to catch my breath, for the last couple of months have been like jumping hurdles through a blizzard of emotion and activity. I can't believe the end of another year has come and gone. Just a week after my previous post, I lost a cat of 18½ years. She was a big part of my life. We shared my first apartment, made it through college, university, finding a career (or three!), working long hours and crazy shifts, moving in with new animals and a husband, then becoming a mom.  She was my cuddler, slept in baskets, loved yogurt. She amazingly endured countless medical exams, pilling and injections with excellent compliance. Pepper struggled with her immune system since she was a kitten, and in elder years, her kidneys began to fail. With every minute of her last twenty-four hours spent next to me, she slept peacefully in my arms as I softly whispered how much I loved her.  I still long for her presence, but I am so thankful she was my cat and constant friend.



William and Pepper on our last morning together.

My sweet friends sent cards and Halo's mum brought beautiful flowers in her memory.

November quickly drew to a close. I enthusiastically began preparing for Christmas. I love holidays. I'm inspired by all the decorating, baking treats and comfort foods, listening to inspiring hymns, best of all is entertaining our loved ones. Those festive activities bring out the kid in me. Our house can often resemble a department store display. I have several themed trees and 6000 lights.  Yes, I give Lampoon's Christmas Vacation a good run! This year we visited Toronto's Black Creek Pioneer Village Lamplight event and had the best victorian experience ever.  William adored watching a live fiddle performance for the first time. I watched my dear cousin dance in The National Ballet of Canada's production of "Nutcracker".  We hosted several dinner parties and Clover loved every second of the excitement. Needless to say, we managed to enjoy a lot of chaos.







Santa and his helpers haven't forgotten about our sweet girl.  She was spoiled with a lovely basket of puppy toys, treats and a new coat. Her very favourite presents were the reindeer antlers. They keep her busy! She wore her Christmas collar and enjoyed a plaid sweater from Grammie too. In fact, for the first few days, Clover didn't seem to want to take it off.  She'd snuggle it like a blanket or run away when we tried to unfasten the velcro.  Silly dog, but it made my mum beam with pride!


Grammie ventured into the canine department of a pet store for the first time in decades to pick out a gift for her grand-dog