Sunday Night – My Favorite Night

Posted on 20th May 2013 in Around Here, Friends, Fun, Movies and TV

Last night was so nice – not only was my favorite TV show on, but I had a great long conversation with one of my besties, Haley.Sunday night is my favorite night for TV and a great way to wind down from the weekend and relax at home.

Turns out that both Hailey and I love the show on HBO, Game of Thrones. On Sunday nights, the new Game of thrones episode comes on at 8:00, then at 9:00 they run two 30 minute shows, and then they run the same Game of Thrones episode a second time. So, Haley and I watched the 8:00 show, and then she called me at 9:00 and we talked for an hour, then we hung up so we could watch the second showing again. LOL!

The kids don’t watch Game of Thrones – it is way too grownup for them. But they know how much I like it, so they find a way to amuse themselves and get ready for bed on their own now, and pretty much don’t bother me from 8:00 until 9:00. I so appreciate that and am so glad that they are getting older and more responsible for themselves that I have the luxury of watching my favorite show on Sunday nights without a lot of interruptions or hassles.

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Would You Move to Calgary?

Posted on 19th May 2013 in Around Here, House and Home, On the Road

As much as I love Vancouver, I have never seriously considered moving there. My ex and his new wife live there, so it would be nice for my kids to see their dad more often. But I don’t really like the weather in the Northwest and I LOVE living in Nashville, so Canada is never been someplace for me to consider moving and living there full time.

On the other hand, I love Alberta and even though is gets bitterly cold, the cities of Calgary and Edmonton are like California’s Silicon Valley. Calgary especially is very high tech and modern yet diverse. They still embrace the Wild West and have their annual Stampede in July. I do think I could live there, if I had the right job opportunity.

This morning I was poking around the internet and found a site with houses for sale in Calgary. So, just for giggles, I ran a couple of searches for a house to see how expensive housing is in Calgary and whether the houses in my price range are nice or shabby. The home page lets you search by the standard price range, number of bedrooms and baths, and whether you want a single family home or a condo. An nice special feature is the price range slider bar – you can grab a button and move it to peg a close range of home prices.

There really is not that much difference in residential real estate in Canada from what we do in the United states. There is a central computerized database of all the properties listed for sale throughout Canada, just like in America. The Calgary MLS listings works just like the Nashville MLS listings. On this site you can search for a specific MLS listing number and get all the property details. Or search by neighborhood and see the results displayed on a map. I liked that feature the most!

 

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Shopping for Garden Additions

Posted on 16th May 2013 in Around Here, Environment, Garden

We just got back from a long visit to the garden center a little while ago. I can spend hours there, poking around every aisle and daydreaming about incorporating new ideas into my yard and garden.The kids love to smell the different flowers and I always let them pick out a couple of plants to plant and tend to as their own.

We don’t need any new tools this year, and I started a lot of seeds myself. But there is always something new to look at and I just like walking around the store and talking to other gardeners. I bought two tomato plants and the kids each bought strawberry plants.

I have three raised bed gardens in the side yard and I am adding some new containers, too. I saw a new hydroponic system at Home Depot and did some research on the internet. There are different sizes available from what Home Depot carries, so I ordered them online and am waiting for them to be delivered.

In the meantime, I started quite a few vegetables from seed that are doing quite well and are about ready to plant outside. If the containers arrive tomorrow, the kids and I will be playing in the dirt this weekend and maybe I can get some photos to share.

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Not Quite Ready to Trade in the BMW

Posted on 14th May 2013 in Around Here, On the Road

The car you drive is often more than just transportation. It can be an indication of your status, your lifestyle and your daily use/needs for a particular vehicle or your budget. If you drive a luxury car, you project financial success, whereas driving a modest SUV or van you project the importance of family or small groups in your life. Personally, I want to get a nice pickup truck with extended cab for a second vehicle. I’m hoping that my end of year bonus will be big enough to get one next year.

A car that you love can be a personal thrill every time you open the door and take a seat. Or it might be all that you can afford right now while you take care of other financial obligations. For people who commute a long distance into a downtown office, good gas mileage and being able to park easily are the most important considerations. For me, reliability and comfort or the most important. And, with my job, status is part of the equation, too. When I do site inspections or meet with other professionals, it is nice to arrive in a nice ride.

I’m on my way to new tires for my Beemer. That is going to put a dent in my wallet, but my dad always said that good tires and good brakes are the most important parts of the car to keep maintained. So, I consider the expense an investment in not only my car but in the safety of my family when we are riding together.

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Best Wishes to Mothers Everywhere

Posted on 12th May 2013 in Around Here, Eating Out, Family

Happy Mother’s Day! I am enjoying a day at home with my children and being lazy for a change. We made blueberry waffles with sausage patties for breakfast. The kids love to help with the waffles and I let them each drop the blueberries onto the batter before closing the lid.

My mother is out of town with my dad, so I called her cell phone and talked for a few minutes. I thought she was going to be home and had mailed her gift and card to their house in New York. Oh well, she will get it when they return home next week.

For dinner, the kids want to take me to a restaurant so I don’t have to cook. I have not decided on which restaurant. Not too fancy – I want the kids to have fun, too. I see that O’Charley’s is giving moms free dessert tonight – that might seal the deal for where we go.

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