Hello ED, that is sad about Terance Stamp ending up with dementia. I am catching up with my laundry and also preparing my home for Shannon, Amira and Jesse's arrival next Monday. Putting all my knitting and art materials out of Jesse's reach. He is such an inquisitive little boy and prone to mischief when he stays here. I think that is due to the fact that at home they have childproof gates enclosing him. I have been told that is a Chinese thing? I love the little look that he gives to me as he escapes over the rerranged furniture at my place. He knows that I ignore the escaping. I actually do not approve of his confinement. All my other Grandchildren enjoy  freedom and adventure in my house and garden. Poor Jesse. One day he will rebel. Shannon goes along with the overprotective parenting. I suspect chiefly for peace in the household. He certainly hd a much freer childhood. I often wonder what he thinks about it all. Don't get me wrong I love Amira and perhaps after losing 2 babies before Jesse, well I cannot even imagine. Enjoy your day. I will close your gate quietly as I leave.

Morning splash-- We are sunny and -12 here but not any more snow. I think by the look of things they had staff working all weekend so it must be something important going on and maybe we are all getting our feathers ruffled for nothing. The lockers will be all clean and tidy at least but apparently so were in need of repair. Will maybe see if someone is in the office today and I can ask. When I took my garbage down yesterday it was a total mess around the dumpster and they were piled sky high but one of the guys said he would help me and tossed my bags up onto the top. Now I have to buckle down here and get all the presents dealt with--I did cut a few corners by buying gift cards but still have to do small presents. I would not be the most popular person if the boys never got their new socks,jess has had her bottle of olives since she was a little thing and ryley,besides the socks he has to have his own jar of peanut butter. I am sure it was a nice change for you to be able to help Sausage and come home with some treats(always good to butter up people you may need down the line. Have a good day.

Pygmy ty

Hello Ed, responding to an earlier meesage from you. Amira tells me that she was not sad never having experienced Christmas. She grew up in a Chinese / Lebanese family as did all of her friends. She was just so happy that her parents closed their restuarant for a few days and actually had family time together. Shannon and I are slowly teaching her about the wonder of Christmas for children. Have a great day.

Hello ED, TY for sending me a photo of the cake stall. It looks beautiful.I hve enjoyed my usual busy Monday starting with the Monday Morning Coffee Club. The Americn couple were the first to arrive so I guess that they enjoyed our group and will continue. Haha we may have  to put out reserved signs on the outside seats in future. Lots of holiday people turning up. A few hours at home and then off to the Op shop. I forgot to look for an Elf. The usual happy chatter in the back rooms. Not many book donations so I worked on the shelved Jigsaws and Games. Putting all the games together on one shelf and Jigsaws on the one below. The bottom shelf is still a mixture and we have many in the back room waiting to be shelved. So many games of Trivial Pursuit. I am now home and sitting outside listening to the surf as I write to you. Enjoy your day.

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Morning splash--mallard ty. I slept in this morning--yesterday just about did me in--got pretty well all the presents done(just a few little add ons) got all the stuff to do my backing,got some groceries ahead of what I need( split with Kevin but a 10lb bag of carrots was the same price as 5 lbs and same with the onions. Kevin put my tree up and everything lit up first try. Now I have all these boxes and no locker I can get into.I don't have keys to get in but they moved all my stuff to a locker on the next floor--office is not open on the weekends) so get the keys and then all the extra Christmas stuff can go away.We were never informed that the clear out would occur but maybe it is just temperary so they can do ,clean out and possible some repar work as a lot of water pipes come up through there. But we also hada good half hour fire alarm going off about 7 last night--Kevin was just about to leave but delayed as he didn't want to walk down 12 flights of stairs, Happy Sunday to you--off to tackle something as if I don't start nothing gets done.

Hello Ed, TY for the White Mouse. Tracey is right about finding the Elf On the Shelf everywhere. It is just another fun thing to do during the build up to Christmas. We had some elaborate ones in the Op shop last week. Too easy to spot. Almost by bed time. Wishing you a great day.

Hello ED, TY for the Golden Dragon and PD. Re. the Elf, here we call it Elf on a Shelf. The idea is to place the Elf in a different position each day and the children have to find it. My Sarah has been doing it for some years. The local Supermarket here do this for children. When a child spots it and tells the Cashier the get a sweet for finding it. Home from visiting Mum today. I had planned to go yesterday and join her at her Art group but the heavens opened up and poured rain. I don't like driving in pouring rain. Mum has a colouring in book and last time I was there I taught her to use the side of the lead rather than the point. She told me that she shared this with the group and that they were happy. It seems that they all colour in. One lady draws and Mum thinks that she is quite good. No one paints. I took my Art Group bag with me and showed mum 2 of my paintings. Naturally she was impressed with her talented daughter. HaHa. Mum then showed me her almost completed colouring in project. Then I had an idea. I wondered if my water colour pencils would work on the paper of her colouring book. I only use special paper for water paints. So we experimented. I found a page in the bo

Sprinkles