Friday, March 30, 2012

Hello There


After our furniture was delivered on Wednesday and the pile of boxes seemed daunting, our doorbell rang. Standing there behind a huge bouquet of flowers was our "across-the-street-neighbour" welcoming us back into town. We've talked with him in the past few months, but he told me that he knew we didn't have our stuff and was waiting until it arrived to properly welcome us back. We live in a great neighbourhood. 


The flowers, now in a crystal vase, brighten up the dining room, in spite of the lingering boxes.



Here's a corner of the dining room. You'll notice the china cabinet is not in place, and the space has been usurped by pictures. The cabinet is in the garage. I'm planning to paint it and decided that if I didn't have it available for my dishes, I'd be more likely to get the job done sooner. The boxes of china are stacked in the opposite corner, waiting patiently for their time.


The first piece of furniture that the movers carried in was the dining room table. When they set it in place under the light fixture, my face broke into an involuntary grin. All of a sudden, I felt at home. So much life occurs around that table - dinners filled with laughter or tears, games, puzzles, crafts, sewing - and I'm happy to have it available once again.


Tim's birthday was Wednesday as well. He was traveling that day and didn't get home until late. I had sort of planned a semi-festive dinner, but in the end, exhausted by unpacking, I ordered in Chinese food. We're planning a family brunch on Sunday which will be much more festive.



Little Miss is here with me today, currently napping. She arrived with a brand new bonnet. Picture taking is serious business and I couldn't get her to smile for the camera. She found my Ecuadorian doll in a box and has been carrying it around the house, being very good about all the tempting dangling beads.



It's a glorious sunny day here and out in the yard spring is rising from the ground. These grape hyacinths are a surprise for me from our Traveling Adventurers. When they moved out of the basement suite last summer, Ashley planted the bulbs from her pots into my raised flower beds. I came home from Mexico and saw beautiful blue blooms from my kitchen window. Soon there will be daffodils, too. What a sweet gift, Owen and Ashley.



In the meantime, there's a bit of yellow from the dandelions - and lots of green weeds. After the house is in order (which is going to take awhile), I'll tackle the garden.



Rhubarb! My mouth is watering already. Rhubarb cake, rhubarb fool, stewed rhubarb - I can hardly wait.



The day before I left for Mexico a small parcel arrived in the mail - from Vee. She made this, and many other magnets and sent them all around. I love the little girl reaching high into the sky. Thank you, Vee.


And to close - a couple of questions. 


1.  I read my blogs via Google Reader. I have it set so that each blog has a line with the blog name and the title of the post. But lately, when I view All Items the lines are so scrunched that only the top half of the letters show - making it a little bit difficult to read. I click into the individual blogs to read the entire post, but choose which to read by the titles. Is anyone else having this problem?


2.  The other thing I noticed is that my blog address now has .ca at the end in place of .com. Which is fine, but when I read anyone else's blog, their address comes up as .ca too. Is that weird? Does it mean anything? What happens when I copy and paste it into a link? 


Whew, that was a lot to cram into one post. Now it's back to the unpacking!



19 comments:

  1. I love settling into a new house and making it home. You have rhubarb! Lucky!!

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  2. Glad things are returning slowly to home sweet home! What a sweet neighbor for sure. Love that photo of little miss serious in the bonnet! So cute. Have a great weekend.

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  3. Your little grand is so cute... Wonderful bonnet and what little girl doesn't know how to find a doll?!

    Can't wait to see what color you're painting your china cupboard.

    Your description of getting your table in place makes me smile. So glad that you are home again.

    Have a great celebration of Tim's birthday this weekend. Good times!

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  4. My goodness you keep busy Lorrie! One week you're in Mexico doing electrical work and the unpacking and painting furniture. The spring flowers are beautiful even if the weather is unpredictable!

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  5. Oh Lorrie
    such a sweet photo of your grandaughter in her new bonnet - is it an easter bonnet?!

    I've had blogger probs too, in fact I lost all the blogs I was following, and I'm gradually re-adding them to my blog lists...
    I've found my blog address has changed too to .co.nz and like you all blogs I visit come up with .co.nz too.
    It's a nuisance when I'm crediting someone or introducing my new followers as I have to change their blog address...grr

    What wonderful people you are - I'm in awe of your VSA work in Mexico, and it re-affirms to me that the world is all the better for people like you who DO something about helping the poor and needy - Thank you Lorrie.
    xox
    Shane

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  6. Oh dear, Lorrie...we are reversed! I am packing things into boxes, not taking them out. You will soon be settled I'm sure.

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  7. Glad things are starting to get settled. Can't wait to see what colour you paint the cupboard. My dashboard on Blogger has completely changed, not sure about my address with have to check that. Take care and have a wonderful weekend.

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  8. Hi Lorrie....I am so far behind in reading blogs or even getting a post done. Darrell and I are starting off on a new adventure.....we bought 1/4 of land just 8 minutes outside of Medicine Hat! We are looking forward to being closer to family, and whatever god has in store for us. No packing yet though, we have to sell our acreage here....the listing goes up this week end..yikes! Glad you are getting settled. :). Love your pictures

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  9. When I see your blog address it ends with .com So I wonder what is up.

    Your granddaughter is adorable in that bonnet! (and otherwise too!) I know what you mean about the table in place. That's where the community in our homes takes place. Happy unpacking!

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  10. Your posts always make me want to take photography classes to improve my own shots!
    As for the non-smiler (gorgeous photo), we have a photo of our now 35-year old daughter, then about 10 months, looking stolidly at the camera. We've always called it her "Russian baby photo" as it evoked images of Cold War implacability. The steely edge has persevered enough to serve our daughter well, although she's otherwise a sweetheart. . .

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  11. What a lovely neighbour to have but I'm sure you are a very lovely neighbour to have in return.

    Little Miss doesn't trust your camera, does she?

    I receive my comments in my email; when I click on the sender's name the post comes up; I have no problems that way.

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  12. Little Miss may not want to smile...but she sure made me smile. Such a cute pic of her!

    How sweet of your neighbour to celebrate your 'homecoming'!

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  13. I love rhubarb, too! Reminds me of my grandmother! The flowers are absolutely beautiful!

    Hope you have an amazing weekend!
    blessings,
    karianne

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  14. Oh that little Miss. She is just adorable.

    What lovely neighbors you have.

    The Marie Antoinette book is a bit risque, so be warned. But such was palace life.

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  15. You must be so happy to be home and I agree with you Lorrie - the table that you share with family and friends is really a memory maker when you think back to all the meals that have been shared around it. Have a wonderful week unpacking - it will feel so good to have things back in their proper places!

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  16. That yellow crysanth certainly said 'hello'.

    Little Miss looks good in grandma's lovely bonnet.

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