Feb Photo A Day - Day 29 "something you're listening to"

 

The last two pics have been a challenge. Yesterday's topic was 'money' and I obviously wasn't remotely motivated to complete it. Today's topic sees me repeating a pic from Day 7.

My Ipod plays a very big role in my daily life. Working from home, it would be a very boring day without it. Ipod also accompanies me on my (almost) daily walks. For the walks, I listen to music but during the day, I choose either audiobooks or podcasts. I have a membership with Audible.com and get a book per month but can always purchase more if I want to. I find this to be an incredibly good investment. I can't think of a single book on my list (mostly fantasy novels, but also lots of autobiographies and the classics) which I haven't listened to at least twice. And when insomnia strikes (many times a week) I put myself back to sleep listening to Mr Fry's wonderful rendition of the Harry Potter novels. Very restful and preferable to Temazepam...

And then there's the podcasts. You're best bet for a good variety of listening (which you can listen to via your computer, you don't need to download them) is the BBC.  There's a heap of them to choose from, but I particularly like Desert Island Discs and Kermode and Mayo's Film Review (and the kids' stuff is good too). Aussie Dr Karl's science show is also available online and you can google any topic you like, most likely a podcast will turn up. Craftypod is another favourite of mine...

I'm going to skip the March photos as I have a tonne of work to do. Just finishing up an enormous wholesale order and then I will get onto opening up the Etsy store and doing a giveaway on the blog. Over 20000 hits on the blog calls for a celebration. No?

 

Feb Photo A Day - Day 27 "something you ate"

Last night saw the return of the homemade pizza to our house. I haven't made the dough since we moved. Thankfully, I haven't lost my 'knack' so I'll share the recipe with y'all one of these days...

Feb Photo A Day - Day 26 "night"

I'm re-visiting this photo from December. I love the look of wonder on my daughter's face as she watches people ice skating for the first time...

Feb Photo A Day - Day 25 "green"

This one is more about being green. Green with envy that I never had a Wonder Woman costume as cool as this. I think I had a showbag once...

 

Here's to living vicariously through ones' children.

Feb Photo A Day - Day 24 "inside your bathroom cabinet"

Not much to say about this one. But you may notice the sunblock (the blue and yellow bottle) is front and centre. There are so many benefits to using sunblock, anti-aging for one thing. But surely the most important one is the not-contracting-melanoma-and-dying-early one! If you are in Australia, please please please remember that the UV rating is sooo much higher there. Put it on, and put it on again. If it had been readily available back in the 'day', my Dad would still be around to share a gin and tonic with me. And I wouldn't be having skin checks every six months.

Slip Slop Slap y'all! 

Make it a habit.

Feb Photo A Day - Day 23 "your shoes"

Well, we haven't seen that much snow this winter but it's still been pretty cold for one's toes. This is the pair of shoes that has seen the most action over the past three months...

Muskoka Mini-Break

On the weekend we went to Muskoka.  It's about a 2 1/2 hour drive from Toronto and a little colder and snowier than the city. We used to visit this region a lot and were keen to go back. On the way we stopped at the McMichael Gallery, which features Canadian artists and is really something. Poppet is finally of an age to do galleries properly, she particularly like the Inuit section and all the big sculptures outside in the grounds.

Our hotel of choice was Rawley Resort. A proper grownup place to stay and just perfect for one night. We were welcomed with butter tarts and classical music playing in our room. The restaurant downstairs only has real glass and cutlery and cloth napkins. We discussed table manners and keeping one's elbows off the table. There was even a cheesy piano player who managed a few Disney classics to Poppet's delight. 

Not much else to say (I'm meant to be sewing!) but a lot of pictures instead. Here you go..

 

 

And then we went to the farmers' market on our street and stocked up. A restful overnighter and now I don't need to cook for a few days. Bliss! 

Feb Photo A Day - Day 22 "where you work"

I sat in the winter sun and did some stitching today. It was nice...

Feb Photo A Day - Day 21 "a fave photo of you" (language alert!)

Well, my fave photo of me is on the blog already. But a friend shared this with me on Facebook the other day and it really IS a photo of me. If you know me, or have followed me on Facebook through any particular summer, you will agree...

Feb Photo A Day - Day 20 "handwriting"

My kid is funny. Sometimes she leaves notes lying around for us...

Feb Photo A Day - Day 19 "something you hate to do"

I hate picking the skin around my nails, but I seem to do it anyway....

 

This isn't a new photograph but my hands only look slightly better at the moment. 

I will say, though, that this isn't indicative of how today went. We had a beautiful day walking in the sun, visiting the farmers markets and enjoying the 'warm' 1 degree. Canadians were out in force, lots of lacross equipment floating around....

Pinball!

Today was fun. We met up with some new Canadian pals to try out The Pinball Cafe which has just opened in our 'hood. It has a strictly no alcohol/family friendly policy, favouring shakes and floats (spiders if you're Aussie) over beer. They even make great coffee, no mean feat in Canada!

Poppet had some lessons and then happily mucked about on the machines with her friend, surrounded by all the 'hipsters' hanging out down the back while we enjoyed a coffee. For a family focused cafe, it was funny to find that ours were the only kids in the place. But the owners (and other patrons) were welcoming and so happy to have a new generation to convert that we felt really comfortable. One of them even showed the kids some tricks with his yoyo. We'll definitely go back, it's a great place to hang out after school. Plus, the free jukebox is full to the brim with 80s tunes, we even heard some Icehouse today.

The day started out looking like this...

 

And then the snow was gone, just like that...