It's OK to be alone!

Yes -- it's OK to be a Pollyanna. It'll drive those negative Nellies to weep, and that's OK. It's nice to be positive, and I must keep the gentle critique in my back pocket for the next time! So many people are unaware of how they converse and are perceived, and some do NOT come up for air! 

Oh my—I have two of the three presentations ready, and the third won't take long. But the timing is tight! I've got to try a little harder next month so that it doesn't come to this tight timeline! 

It's Happy to Fly Your Canadian Flag Day!!! Here's my little flag clipped (with a bulldog clip) to the light on the garage! I have a larger Canadian flag but need a flagpole slot installed on the garage. 

Happy Fly Your Canada Flag Day! 

I finished my last "day job" presentation for the week at 4:30 yesterday. The area surrounding the cameras, etc., is a mess. As usual, I am so tired at the end that I turn everything off, leave the mess on the tables and the floor, and go back the next day to clean it up! I'll be doing that later this morning. 

The area after a presentation

So what does one do for dinner on Friday, February 14th? First, it's Friday, and I haven't been to the restaurant in several weeks; it's just how the scheduling worked. It's also Valentine's Day, and I'm on my own until later tonight - provided the weather permits planes to land. We expect more snow, but I think the worst comes tomorrow. 

I decided to go out for dinner myself! However, I was too lazy to get the car out of the garage because I would have to park it back in there when I got home, so I walked! It was a twenty-minute walk, which was nothing for me, and I walked back home after dinner. It was a beautiful evening for a walk, and the sidewalks were very doable. 

Of course, the manager (Serge) was there - it was pretty busy because of the day, although there weren't many couples at the restaurant. I got a high five from the manager because I came alone! He even gave me a heart-shaped chocolate! We've known him for quite a while, and he is a very nice person. And I had our usual server, so all was good! 

I started with hot chocolate and whipped cream! 

Hot chocolate with whipped cream

I then had a yummy heart-shaped pizza. I only ate half and brought the other half home for lunch today. 

Heart-shaped pizza

There was a time in my life when I would have been horrified to sit in a restaurant on my own. Then, many years ago, I gave myself a shake and said, "Who cares if I eat in a restaurant alone." And on Valentine's Day? I love myself enough to celebrate by myself for myself. If I waited for someone to be available when I wanted to do things, I would NEVER get to do most of the things I do. Don't wait - don't have regrets - just get out there and do it. Like everything, the more you do, the easier it becomes. I'm almost at the point where I would prefer to do things alone (especially vacations) or, at most, with one other person. It is so much less hassle. I can't handle group decision-making. That's a nightmare. 

OK - so I lied. I'm not almost at that point. I AM at the point where I prefer solitary vacations and am happy to walk, shop, or sew by myself. I'm good company!! And I'm always positive! And when no one is around, I chat to myself and the girls, and well, there isn't room for anyone else to get a word in edgewise! 

It was a great evening out, and I walked over 15 KM yesterday! I had to walk to the bank earlier in the day. 

As if shoveling the windrow in the morning wasn't enough, the plow returned and shoved some of the snow my neighbor left in the street into my driveway. It's not much, but it will be a mess if it freezes there. That looks like a two-minute shoveling job. OK—give me five, and I can get that cleared up! 

More snow in my clean driveway

When I got home, Miss Lexi went outside, curled up into a ball, and was quite happy to sit outside. 

Mom - you must curl up to preserve body heat

Look at this picture my future SIL posted. The bald-headed eagles even celebrated Valentine's Day. 

Two bald-headed eagles

This is the mound of snow in the restaurant parking lot. Good grief - soon, there will be no places to park! But since I walk, I couldn't care less. 

Mounds of snow in a parking lot

I finished clearing out the windrow in the morning (a 15-minute job), and the weak sun melted everything down to the pavement in the afternoon. And now, as I said, the darn plow has partially filled that in again, but it's not bad. 

My "extended" driveway is now clear and dry

On our walk yesterday, we found some nice, clear sidewalks. But look how deep the snow is along the edges. I haven't seen snow like that in a while, and the forecast says we will have another significant storm tomorrow. 

Clear sidewalks

Then we cut through the park on the way home, and the path was clear until it wasn't. The plow veered left, and we went right. Nothing we tough Canadians can't handle. 

MOM - I need a sled to pull!

The one thing about me and winter is that I rarely wear boots. I only wear boots if the snow is deep and I have to walk through it. I mostly wear my running shoes. And yesterday I had ankle height socks. But it's no big deal. The socks are wool, and my feet were toasty warm in my HOKAS. The snow was gone from my socks as soon as I got out of the snow. Trudging on a sidewalk in boots? Just the thought of walking in boots, never mind walking in them, is exhausting! 

I know I've shared dozens of photos of how different the girls are, and here are two more. Murphy is happy to spread out on the snow as she likes to cool off. 

MOM - this is so refreshing!

Lexi curls into a ball to conserve body heat. 

Mom - conserving body heat is smart! 

But which one attempted to get to the pond? 

Did someone fall in? 

The pond is frozen, so it would not be pretty if they fell in. My guess is that it was Murphy. 

The other thing about shoveling snow is that most people use a scraper like this. This works like a charm if the snow is loose and not too deep. Filling it and lifting it can be very heavy and will kill your back in an instant. Hence, the snow spreads outward, not upward. As in the case of my neighbor, who uses an even bigger scoop to shove the snow into the street, and the plow then puts it into my driveway. Yes - I need a new one as the edge is getting a little worn, but it still works, as you can see by my driveway. 

I need a new scraper

When the snow is deep, you need a shovel. You can be quick and fast, and the load is not heavy, meaning you can lift the snow higher. So you need a scraper and a shovel for the winter! 

There is one minor issue in Studio B at the moment. The filming area needs a lot of power, so both my power towers are in use. There are cameras, switch boxes, lights, and machines there. 

I'm even using a third extension cord. I could be more compact, but I don't want cords in the way. I should look at the situation and see if I can get back one of the power towers for the other set of tables. Now that I've got everything down to a science, I should check that out. 

So I'm running this extension cord on the floor. I plug my iron into it, but to do that, I have to unplug a camera or the iPad. And if I want to use the serger, I need to use this plug. It's a nuisance. Perhaps I can figure something out later today during the virtual retreat. I do NOT like running these little cords across the floor, as they are a tripping hazard!!!! So far, so good. 

A tripping hazard

AHA -- found this section in the organizing magazine. I learned a few things, but I've got a system down pat. OK -- so it's far from perfect. I'll share more of the ideas another day. Because we all know that paper is probably one of the worst culprits for clutter. It's just everywhere. 

Tips for busting paper

Don't forget we have a virtual retreat tonight. I can't wait as I have a lot of handwork stuff set aside. And I'll be using the filming area, where there is lots of open space to work. It's going to be a good night - I can tell. Be sure to stop by and say hello if you get a chance. You don't have to stay. Perhaps we can set a record - the most significant amount of new people dropping in to say HI. My Zoom account can handle 100 people. We've never been that large, but wouldn't it be fun if we were? 

Saturday, February 15th - starts at 6 PM

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82693702241?pwd=QpQkm8Ppppy1XwCPOqva1bcgJCWKdP.1

Meeting ID: 826 9370 2241
Passcode: 795071


Sunday, February 16th - starts at NOON

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81073536036?pwd=uxRqMnK1aSKrmrcSO78w8QQs5g44eA.1

Meeting ID: 810 7353 6036
Passcode: 596838

How is the decluttering going? What is your worst area? Do you need help? Do you need motivation? We are all in this huge mess together, and if we can help each other, it's a win-win for everyone. 

And on that happy note, I'm out of here! 

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!!!

PROUD Canadian!