It's here!!

My 2013 Passat is here. Picked it up at Auto Haus today. I love the colour - opera red, which is really a wine colour. Unfortunately, the colour doesn't show up very well in the photos.

Gorgeous interior as well. Corn silk beige leather with suede on the seating surfaces so it is very comfy. Of course the heated seat options were in use today.

All season tires seem to be gripping well. Just have to see how much traction they have on snow and ice.

Last night in Ottawa

In a Scottish pub for our last evening in Ottawa after seeing the new movie, Life of Pi. Excellent. And my Alexander Keith's was good too. Krista is day dreaming.

Fun day in Ottawa

Today Don had a free day; no meetings. We began the day by shopping on Bank Street. I went to a knitting shop and Don went to a camera shop.

Lunch at Eggstraveganza. Don went with his favorite - Belgian Waffles, and I chose a savory crepe. Yummy!!

We went to a matinee at the Nation Arts Centre to see live theatre. Pride and Prejudice from Calgary was playing. It was very good. Minimalistic set that minimized scene changes kept the play moving. Too bad a cell phone rang out loud at the end just as Mr Darcy and Elizabeth kiss.

In keeping with the occasion we went to an Irish Pub, D'Arcy McGee's, for a draft. We decided the night was still young so went to the cinema to see Life of Pi. Sitting here watching the trailers.

Yummy breakfast - Belgian Waffles with Strawberries 

and Savory Crepe with baby greens salad.

Quilty Pleasures

Merle and I went by bus out east of Ottawa to the suburb of Orleans to a quilt store called Quilty Pleasures. We had a great time. Very nice store with wonderful fabric. Took this photo of a sample quilt that Beth may like!

Had lunch next door at a cooking school. Yummy leek soup with a piece of feta and sun-dried tomato quiche.

Gorgeous walking day

Gorgeous day in Ottawa today! Sunny and double digits (10-15c) temperature. Astounding for November!!

Caught a taxi to a strip mall at the corner of Alta Vista Dr and Bank St with Ellen. There we checked out Dragonfly Fabrics. The hot item there for us were antique buttons. Wide variety of gorgeous buttons. We each bought a few cards of celluloid buttons.

We began our walk back to the National Hotel were we are staying. It was a very long walk, over the river, over the canal and then through an area called the Glebe, before getting to the downtown area.

The Glebe area reminds me of Osborne Village in Winnipeg. Unique shops and gorgeously renovated historic building.

Another great day in Ottawa!!

Question Period

Got into question period without any trouble. Members heckling, pounding desks and all that jazz. Discussion regarding generic OxyContin, robo calls, unemployment, government closed doors policy, etc. as topics. Nothing too new!! Did not see JT. :(

Did see the mace get carried in with the speaker following. Did see an example of what not to wear (as it doesn't cover the bulging hairy tummy!)

Stopped at the Currency Museum after QP. Small location but full of old and new currency, from shells, beads and early coins to bank notes, paper currency from around the world and exhibits featuring technology of the new polymer bills. The foyer is relaxing with a conservatory housing various trees, plants and water. Babbling sounds and humid air - ahhh!

Tour of Parliament Buildings

Gorgeous sunny day in Ottawa. Went on a tour of the Parliament Buildings. I was one of about 40 people on the tour, of which only a half a dozen of us were Canadian, others from US, England, Australia, India and Korea. We Began in the House of the Senate.

We also toured the Parliamentary Library, a first for me. It is very Victorian, ornately carved wood balustrades and wooden inlaid floors. Gorgeous, unfortunately no photos allowed! Darn. It smelled of dry cellulose glue. A definitely old books smell!

Then I went up the Peace Tower. The elevator stopped on the 7th floor to let the carillon player out. I really wanted to see the keyboard for the bells, but that isn't open to the public. Instead I later sat outside on a park bench in the sun and listened to her play for 15 minutes. Glorious!!

While up in the Peace Tower I was able to see all over Ottawa. Check out the photo of the roof of the library, another towards the National Art Gallery with Notre Dame Cathedral and Rideau Hall in the distance. It was great to get an overhead view of the places I walk.

Now I am sitting in line waiting to get in to Question Period. Wednesdays are a good day to attend, as most delegations are here then and the most MPs and Prime Minister attend. Hope I get in.

Monday in Ottawa

Don had today off so we decided to do some sight seeing. We walked to the statue of Champlain and looked over the city of Ottawa and across to Hull. Some interesting sculptures on this hill - a metal lightning bolt of sorts and some rocks that were doodled on with a jack hammer?

We went on a tour of the Canadian Mint located on Sussex Drive beside the National Art Gallery. They make collector and investment coins there. We were fortunate because we saw them making gold coins yesterday and that is rare. One roll of gold metal that the coins were being punched from was worth $27m!!

We walked down Sussex Drive passed Lester Pierson and John Dieffenbaker buildings. Stopped to read a war memorial to the Hong Kong vets. Read Ken McCulley's name on the list. (Thinking of Val and Donna and all the rest of the family as I read this.)

After a draft at the Heart and Crown we completed our journey passed the Parliament Buildings. They looked gorgeous lit up at night.

Guess where?

Do you know where we are? Check the background of the photos.

Olympian Sami Jo Small

Don got to hear Sami Jo Small speak today at the Manitoba Executives Forum in Winnipeg. What a great inspirational story. Her message was that in life you can not always control what your role will be but you can control how you perform that role.

Sami's stats:
3 time Olympian (2 time member of gold medal winning team)
5 time World Champion
2 time World Championship MVP
3 time National Champion – Toronto Aeros / Mississauga Chiefs
Co-Founder of the CWHL (Canadian Women’s Hockey League)
Currently plays for the Toronto Furies of the CWHL
Stanford University PAC-10 (Conference) MVP (Men’s Hockey)
Stanford University Track Scholarship (Discus and Javelin)
Stanford University Graduate (Mechanical Engineering)
First Woman to play in the MMJHL (Manitoba Major Junior Hockey League)
First (and only) Female Goaltender to score a goal (NWHL 1999)
Played minor hockey for the St Vital Victorias (AA) and Winnipeg Warriors (AAA)
Represented Manitoba at the Canada Games 1991 (Hockey) 1993, 1997 (Track and Field)

Inn at the Forks

Looking out my hotel room window this morning I see that the Museum of Human Rights is nearing completion. Wow! It looks amazing up close and really adds to the Winnipeg skyline.

Hand Appliqué with Karen Kay Buckly

Manitoba Prairie Quilters sponsored quilting workshops with Pennsylvanian quilter Karen Kay Buckly. Annette, Yvonne and I registered for a one day class on hand appliqué. I was actually rather hesitant about going, as I do not usually do finicky quilting, but thought I could add it to my repertoire of techniques.

Karen is an amazing instructor! She provides very clear instructions with an overhead camera to show her hand work up close to the entire class. She is extremely positive and gracious with compliments. Also, she sells many of her selected tools that are sometimes hard to find.

What a wonderful day we had!

Charity quilting

Oh the weather outside was frightful, but the quilting was so delightful!

Half the registered quilters for the charity quilting event sponsored by the JR&FQ2 quilting guild and THAA went on despite the storm. All of us were able to each make one full quilt top, begin on a second, and take a few home. All 50 quilt kits were taken by the end of the next quilt guild gathering. I'm sure I can get one or ten for you if you are interested!

Security Blanket Providers is a charitable organization facilitated by Connie Harvey of Brandon. They provide quilts to women's shelters throughout southern Manitoba. They have made over 1000 quilts!! Just google to check them out!

Beading with Nolan

Here is our sweetheart beading guy. He is working at his job while we bead. Sorry, no photos of beading, again. You can see where my attention is!?!

Cheyenne & Dalton

We had Cheyenne & Dalton Z. over for Halloween treats. We do not get many living out on the farm. Mom & Dad Z. In Holland used to get 130 kids on Halloween.