Blue sky in the middle of January !

I have to say that January is NOT my favourite month! However, the sun did come out and shone in a brilliant blue sky, not once but 'twice' this week, so I can't really justify whinging, it was just the medicine we all needed to zap any SAD symptoms in the bud.

Trying very hard to kick myself into gear, I have been mostly locked away in my sewing room, busy cutting out endless pairs of wings, feet and other fiddly bits for my hand made animals. This will save time later on when I am too busy to do so, 'fingers crossed' (fingers which gradually go numb sending me running downstairs to put another log on the fire).

My etsy shop is the quietest it has been for a long time, but I never know when a large order may come in, so I am getting prepared :) Motivation is somewhat lacking right now strangely enough. I look forward to my computer time on facebook early in the morning and just before bed, keeping in regular contact with my friends so far away makes me feel less isolated.

With quite a few heavy snowfalls over the past 3 weeks or so it has not always been possible to drive anywhere until I have been 'plowed out' by the local blueberry farmer. Craig takes my Rav4 to work as it is much safer on the icy roads and the girls have been happy to have the odd surprise snow day off school.

Craig is much calmer this week following a nasty case of work politics between the company shareholders that has been brewing for a number of weeks now. He got dragged into the whole fiasco as 'piggy in the middle' being the financial advisor . It seems to have been resolved now without the costly court case that was looking likely at one point. (a very long and complicated story) Thus avoiding the worst agricultural hiccup in the valley for the past 10 years!

Jemma is on cloud nine now that she has a new male friend in her life. A Japanese exchange student called Tak (shortened from Takuto). They have been spending every lunch time together at school and he has been over to visit a few times. On Friday he brought along his guitar and sang a few songs which impressed us all, along with his good manners and stylish dress sense :) (this paragraph may well get edited out by a certain someone I suspect if she reads it!)

Jemma getting to wear shades yesterday with her new trench coat in Port Williams

Amber is smiling a lot these days too, with her new set of pearly whites and is generally enjoying school, where it is warm and she does have a great teacher this year. We are all longing for the Spring weather of course and will once again (after our 3rd winter here) appreciate it when it does arrive. Oh to wake up to it being light outside!
The laundry/mud room/woodstove room is stacked very high with logs thanks to a joint effort between Craig and I yesterday, it should keep us going for at least a week! Craig is flying off on a business trip to Atlanta next week which will make a nice change for him even if it is only to attend an agricultural expo.
Not such a newsy report this time, but perhaps February will be a little more exciting :D

Thank you for taking the time to read my 'ramblings'

Hazel xx