Granddaughter Arrives!!

Our granddaughter has arrived and she is beautiful with lots of dark hair. My daughter is dealing with all the new mother adjustments of a fussy baby and little sleep but is overjoyed as well. I wish I were there to hold the baby and help my daughter but maybe a visit will happen soon. She has her husband and lots of supportive friends so I know she will be fine. The joy of her arrival was overshadowed by a difficult birth and tests on the baby, but all are well and healthy now. The joys of grandmotherhood have not hit me yet. I do tell everyone that I have a beautiful grandbaby and show her picture but I am sure it will be more evident when I get to hold her. I have always loved babies, mine and others. Just the sweet faces and cuddliness of the small bodies, the lovely baby smell and soft cooing. Of course dirty diapers and persistent crying are not so pleasant but you soon forget that when your baby is sleeping like an angel in your arms. I am happy to share via emails and phone calls the experience of motherhood with my daughter. It is something no one should miss out on.

Becoming a Grandmother!

In less than three months, I will be a grandmother! My eldest daughter is having a baby in the winter and we are all very excited. Becoming a grandparent is certainly different than becoming a mother. I was excited to become a mother but also hesitant that I would do a good job. Now as an experienced mother, I feel like I will be a great grandmother. I can't wait to hold the little one. I have been busy knitting and sewing and buying secondhand baby clothes to send to my daughter.

The only drawback is that my daughter is on the other side of Canada. It would be easier if they were here or at least closer, but for now they need to be where the jobs are. A summer visit is in the future plans. But I know that this baby will be very loved with grandparents, great grandparents and aunts to spoil him or her! And the good part is you can give them back when they are fussy! I know that I will have lots of love for this new member of our family. It should be a great experience!

Back to School

School has started and soon we will be busy with homework and activities. It is hard to get used to when it still feels like summer. We are eating veggies from our garden and heading to the cottage for the weekend so it is still summer to me. I wish this would last for a while yet. It is stressful to go back to the routine so abruptly. I will hold on as long as the sun still shines. It is time to make relish and bring in the squash as well. I love this time of year, warm but not as humid as August and not as many bugs!! Viva la septembre!

Dog Days of Summer

We have been spending lots of time at the cottage as the mercury has soared over 30 degrees Celsius in the last week!! I like warm weather but it is too hot to do anything but swim and relax. We have been eating local corn and our beans, peas and carrots in hodge podge. Yum! It is a marvelous thing to go to your own backyard and bringing back vegetables for supper. Everything is getting a bit dry in this hot weather though. The cucumbers are huge and very prolific. I have made one batch of pickles, given them away, made sandwiches and salads and they still keep growing!! Since we have had bad weather for most of the summer, I guess we should just enjoy the heat!! This is the time I wish I had air conditioning!! I will be cooling off in front of the fan with a good book!!

New Projects

I have recently started something that I haven't done in years. Knitting. I started a project years ago and finished it last week. It is a surprise for my daughter's baby that will arrive in the winter. I have two more parts to finish and then it is off to sewing. I am also teaching my youngest child to knit at the same time. We are all making gifts for the baby who will be born all the way across the country.I look forward to being a grandmother but I wish they were closer. Knitting is like any other challenge, tricky at first but it is all coming back to me. It is relaxing and can be done while reading or watching TV. I am also working on some cross-stitching, future Christmas gifts.

I have also decided to learn some new recipes so I ordering cookbooks from the library to try some new things. I am always on the lookout for new experiences and things to learn. Hopefully the new recipes will make us all healthier too. Now if I only had time for all these things once school and work start again!

Summer!!

Summer is in full swing and the sun is shining. My garden is growing rapidly and as usual I planted everything too close so my tomatoes look like a forest of green. Oh well, they look happy and healthy. I see a few tiny tomatoes already. The strawberries are almost finished and the beans and peas are growing fast. I love harvesting the veggies and will soon be getting some peas and beans from our small crop. My husband has plans to expand next year.

Even though summer is supposed to be more relaxed, I find some aspects a bit tense, such as job hunting. I have been sending out resumes and going to some interviews in between relaxing in the yard with a book or digging in the garden. Hopefully my efforts will be fruitful in both areas,a job and the garden. Perhaps a swim in the pool or a walk in the woods will help to ease the tensions. It is easier to relax when the sun is warm and everything is calm and quiet. Nowhere to rush off to and no schedule to follow. I think I will go back to the hammock for a while and read. Ah, summer!

School's Out!

I finished teaching on Friday so now I can devote my time and energy to all the projects around the house like gardening, organizing cupboards,housecleaning and exercising more! The weather is beautiful and I am feeling summer is finally here. The children are swimming and the plants are all coming up in the garden! I also look forward to some "ME time" , reading, doing yoga, relaxing and contemplating life. Summer is a great time to renew even if you are still working at a job. The long days and sunshine make everyone feel less stressed and happier. Lots of things are changing in our lives these last few months, some stressful, some wonderful. Now I have time to look back at those events and see where I am going in the future.