Where's Tom Sawyer when you need him?

Brad and I decided to be productive and check something off our list of home renos/imrpovements this weekend. We painted the fence between us and the neighbours. (Too bad it wasn't soundproof paint). On Sunday we laid down landscaping fabric and poured some gravel between the deck and the fence to finish it off and stop the incessent weeds from returning.

Tell me that doesn't lookl ike the sort of place you'd like to sit down and have a beer!

Hello, Kobo!

Brad, best husband ever, bought me a Kobo for an early birthday prezzie! He gave it to me when he came back from UFC in Vancouver. I was totally delighted and so excited to get started (I had already purchased a couple of books online in anticipation). So I plugged the little marvelous ereader devise into my computer to charge it as the instructions told me to do. But the little red light that indicates a charge never came on. This was distressing and I read a number of reviews online. I started to become even more distressed with the truobleshooting reveiws I read saying it was certainly not responding as it should. I emailed the Kobo customer service team and received a response within two hours "It sounds like you have a glitchy devise. If it has been less than 14 days since you bought it, please return it to the store where you purchased it". Brad bought it in Vancouver...I can't imagine I'll be able to zip on down to Metrotown to exchange my little ereader, so I contacted Coles in town and they called Regina's Chapters on my behalf and arranged to have a unit set aside for me as I was going to be heading to the city anyway. So, with a new Kobo in hand (and a new orange coloured case which I also purchased in Regina at Chapters), I must say I am still delighted! Even having experienced a "glitchy" unit, I'm still impressed and happy with my ereader. I've heard people complain about them, saying it doesn't have a text-to-speech function, and it doesn't have a backlit screen...well, to those people I say "neither do books. It's not a computer, it's a book". I Love it! Happy early Birthday to me!!

Happy Birfday!!

Yup, that about sums it up! Happy Birthday, love!

FINALLY

Sunday was such a beautiful day that Brad and I were actually able to put plants in our garden! We went camping on Friday and Saturday and upon our return to town we went to the greenhouse, picked up some bedding plants and spent the afternoon in the sun (being eaten by mosquitos).

The middle marigold is the little one I grew from seed!
~

Our front flower bed. The teeny tiny plants in the front row (spaced every two or three) are the pansies I tried growing from seeds. Frankly, it will be a miracle if they make it!
~

The Big Bike

Last Wednesday was the Big Bike Ride for the Heart and Stroke foundation. The Regional Office went up against the Hospital team in a fundraising battle. The losing team had to wear "ugly hats" that had been made to mortify people on their birthdays. The Regional Office Taj Mahaulers lost. We raised just over 1500 and the hospital was closer to 2500...though in all fairness they have a MUCH bigger building and staff compliment. Regardless, we wore the hats.

Janet (brought a helmet of her own), Me, Shari, Carolynn, Norma
I just don't see how this is a punishment. :)

Afterwards most of us donated our hats to the Big Bike...so teams everywhere may enjoy them.