Sunday, March 18, 2012

March Break + Summer Weather =

no posting by this happy vacationer!  My list of "things to do inside" over March break turned into a list of "things to do OUTSIDE" instead due to sunshine and temperatures in the low 20's celsius (70+F)! We spent another day at the trailer on Wed. and on the way there explored a thrift store in Ailsa Craig & bought 4 bags of firewood. Does that sound like we bought the wood at the thrift store?? Oops...see, I can't remember how to write!!  We spent some time walking on the beach - BARE FEET!! - but Lake Huron water is still FRIGID!!
 The crocuses are in bloom!
 On our walk down to the beach.
I really need a pedicure!
Looks inviting but almost as cold as ice still!
 Just listening to the waves.
Oops, shoulda turned this one - sneaky little beggar was out to pinch me!
I like to play with fire: )

On Tuesday we spent the afternoon exploring the new Goodwill store in downtown London and scored some great deals - Michael spent WAY MORE than me but now has all new clothes for summer. I found 3 new long skirts, 3 long dresses and a long nightie plus two pairs of pj pants. LONG is part of my new strategy for fighting back against mosquitoes and flies this summer!! Clever huh? So glad the MAXI length is back in style! Next I need to look for a few light coloured long sleeve shirts to wear when I'm outside digging in the dirt.
My favourite purchase - a large canvas Gap bag - it's huge! Packed all my stuff for a day at the trailer in it!

March Break + Summer Weather = sore thighs and butt!! I got my real bike out from under its plastic wrapping, walked it over to the nearest gas station to pump up the tires a bit and then went  for long bike rides on Friday and Saturday - hence the sore thighs and butt! Which just goes to show me that my stationary bike is not as good of a workout as the real deal.

Me and my bike in Victoria Park.

We also cleaned up our patio area, set up the table and lawn chairs and fired up the BBQ. Thursday evening we had our first meal out in the back yard. BBQ'd pork chops - YUM!!
Bon appetit!


I did accomplish one inside job, yes, just one, and it wasn't even one that was on my list!! Bad Jane! However, since it will result in saving me $240 a year I count that as a major success. A while back I had opened a Thrive chequing account with ING that has NO fees. So I finally got busy this week changing my banking info with all of the companies that automatically debit my account: London Hydro, Union Gas, the city of London for my property taxes, insurance company, Rogers, condo corp for my condo fees, etc etc. It feels really good to get that done finally. Once those all start to be debited from ING I can close the other account and.....NO MORE FEES!!


On another financial note I received my tax refund yesterday :p  I made an extra payment of $500 on my line of credit, put $300 into one of my savings accounts and left the rest in my chequing account til the end of this month. If I have money left over at the end of the month I'll tuck it into my Sealed Pot!


So that about sums up my week - last night we celebrated St. Patrick's day with a few friends. We managed to stay away from the huge crowds of university and college students who took over the downtown area - the police closed the main street to cars as thousands of kids were running amok. My poor bar tender of a daughter put in a 15 hour shift at Jacks starting at 1:30 in the afternoon. Jacks is right smack dab in the middle of the bar area of Richmond Row. I don't imagine I'll see her emerge from her room til mid afternoon!
And no spring summer break would be complete without a visit to Merla Mae's icecream store: raspberry frozen yogurt for me and that's Michael's maple walnut icecream cone slightly out of focus there. So that's me caught up - now I need to catch up with you!

30 comments:

  1. Where is the new Goodwill, Jane? In the east end? Or more central? I'd like to check it out if it's not too far out there... Sounds like you got some great finds! I tucked $2K of my EF into my main account to save bank fee's... now i'll be saving $112/year! yay!! I thought about switching accounts, but it's SUCH a pain to move everything... so, I just upped my balance. Anyways, have a great Sunday! It's another gorgeous day! 

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  2. What a lovely day you had! Ice cream, paddling, eating, playing with fire! How nice that you have spring flowers, too. It really makes a difference in how people feel, doesn't it? Lovely! :)

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  3. Hi Jane, 
    What an awesome break you had and the temperatures were great. We are on our break this week and I too have a huge list of things to do. Just got in from walking the beach at Cavendish with my friend Donna. We had a lovely lunch at the beach. Alot of sand in my hummus ~ windy on PEI.
    Enjoy your Sunday!!!
    Island hugs Kendra

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  4. One of these days I want to come hang out with the 2 of you, you always seam to have lots of fun!

    Check out the new post i just finished writing after you comment on my Spending... I would love to know what you think about the topic and Michael too! 

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  5. Jane,
    I'm so jealous of your week off. I'm also very glad you had a great time. The weather here will lets just say it has been very wacky. Warm temp's thrown in with what I hope was just the end of a Winter storm. So sick of Winter. Today it's plus 13 and it's all melting YAAAAAA. It must have been so nice to go for a bike ride and that ice cream and yogurt cone looks delicious.

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  6. How awesome is that. I'm so glad you had such perfect weather for your break. We are getting that weather now and for the next few days. I might book a couple days off just to get out and enjoy it .
     Hope the going back to work tomorrow is not too much of a shock to the system :)

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  7. Glad to hear you're enjoying such a wonderful break.  We hit 9 degrees here today and it was divine.  Also took a walk to the beach but no bare toes here.  never mind the short shorts (nice legs lady!)  take care, M

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  8. Hi Jane, you are having a wonderful time. Can't wait for my spring break from school to start on Thursday. Last Easter we had amazing weather so I'm praying for the same this year.

    And I too want an outside break.

    Love the photos. 

    The crocus'. The lake.

    Thanks for sharing.

    Sft x

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  9. Looks like you are enjoying your spring break!! Perfect weather, warm days cool nights, AWW. I think we jumped from a warm winter right into summer, UGH

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  10. We're in line for some very nice weather this week on the east coast! ( 20 degrees on Wednseday). I'm glad you had a wonderful break! How much longer until PEI? 100 days or so?

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  11. YOU LOOK GREAT! And yes, I may have yelled that a bit.
    We are having great weather too. I'm a bit worried what the summer will bring, though. I love HOT but it looks like it might get a bit too warm around here. 

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  12. The ice cream cone picture of you is BEAUTIFUL!  Thanks for updating your weekend with the great pictures :)

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  13. No wonder you hav'nt been blogging much you are way to busy. Love your gorgeous photos, did you know that Ailsa Craig is a large rock in Scotland........

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  14. No I didn't know that about Ailsa Craig but it makes sense! Every town, village, city, river etc is named after something in the UK. I grew up in a village called Norwich which was near the villages of Paris and Scotland!

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  15. Thanks Lisa! I think I look like the cat who swallowed the canary!!

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  16. Thanks SonyaAnn - you made my day!

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  17. Yes, our nice weather is coming your way! You're welcome :) Days until PEI? Let's see, just over 100! Yippee!

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  18. I know! I'm enjoying the weather now but I know we're going to pay for it somehow!

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  19. Yes, well, bare toes was pushing it a bit but so much fun! It was 20c - 22c all week!

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  20. It was a bit of a shock to the system but I survived intact and then went for a bike ride after school, sat in the park for a while and read the paper. All in all, a good day!

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  21. That warm week was just a gift from the gods! I know it's not going to last so we just made the most of it which of course includes ice cream!

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  22. I will check out your post today Sarah!! I've been spending the last two days getting caught up. Anytime you come to London let me know!!

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  23. Mmmmmm crunchy hummus lol!  Still sounds wonderful though, sand and all!

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  24. Definitely a mood booster!  I was a bit down about going back to work, getting back into the daily routine but had a great bike ride after school yesterday plus a walk on my lunch time, so did get to enjoy some of the nice weather.

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  25. The new goodwill store is on Horton where the old one used to be - they must have torn it down. It's nice and big - we had a great time sorting through everything!

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  26. looks like you have had an amazing time!!!!!  Looks relaxing! 

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  27. I can't believe the weather we are having this time of year........I hope we don't get any nasty surprises before Summer officially arrives?

    Gill

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  28. We just might - "they" say bugs will be 3 x worse than usual this year!

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  29. sounds awesome! it's raining here - I always read your blog and Judy's - sometimes more if I have time- but a lot of times it's at work when I'm between jobs or waiting a few minutes for results to come up - and the connection there is strange -sometimes I can't post or I'll get a post written then wham! it won't post! such are the obstacles of life!

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  30. I appreciate the fact you've been with me since the beginning :) I love reading Judy's blog too - she really makes me laugh and I wish I was a tough with my family as she has been with hers!

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