Spring! Nice Sunshine!

We've had a few days of nice weather and I managed to put my plants outside for a couple of days.  They sure are thriving in the milder temperatures and sunshine.  Hope they'll be okay while I'm away.

Flowers at the nursery!

Went for a drive today to Kananaskis Country...and YES there is still snow in the mountains.  The water is rising but everyone is hoping there won't be repeat floods like last year.

High Country with the mountains!

Kananaskis Country, AB May 24, 2014

Snow on the peaks! May 24, 2014

The road ahead!

We stopped at Black Diamond Gallery on our drive....

The Black Diamond Gallery hosts a unique collection of teak furniture and art that is imported from Indonesia and art gathered from local artists in southern Alberta. The teak art we sell is carved by hand in Bali and neighbouring countries and ranges from the image of the hand carved last supper shown below to teak bowls. All of the wood is from the roots of the teak trees which allows for unique pieces with every carving made.  Here is the website if you want to check it out.  We met the proprietor, Rusty Davidson.
http://www.blackdiamondgallery.com

Here are some cool pics....the one of the last supper, the owner told us it took a year to carve.  I didn't ask the price but it was beautiful. Everything in the store was beautiful so thought I'd share some of the pics here.

The Last Supper...stunning detail!

Motorcycle that doesn't need gas!

So many horses!

Off to Las Vegas on Friday afternoon....attending LightFair (largest lighting trade show in North America).  Philips Lighting is paying for us to attend...how nice of them.  Guess they see the value in this where our company doesn't.  Alan & I are both thinking of taking our LC this year....could open a lot of doors!

Paris!  Had a birthday drink here with Jackie, John and Alan!  December 2013

Was concerned about our friends Bill & Carol as she hadn't blogged since Tuesday....went on her website today and there she is! Glad things are ok.  

Finally, have a kitchen table...still short a chair but we have a table! Looks nice in our dining area, we got so used to a little two seater that I had brought with us and have on our deck.  Alan said if we get another defect and have to have it replaced, we are experts at putting together so the next one would only take us 5 minutes.  NO, I don't want to do this again...just hope this is the end of this story.

Alan has all the flights booked for the "Lighting Champions" to go to Atlanta, GA in June.  I wanted to go and then fly on to Florida but there is no way I could get the time off.  Funny thing is I STILL have 18 days vacation to book that I have to use by the end of the year.  Getting approval is a different story!

December 2013 with Jackie
Freemont Street Las Vegas

Murial on Building on our drive today!

Other side of the building!

Water and the spring melt in the mountains.

Standing where the road was!

The damages of water!

Showing the devastation of last years flood!

Everyone have a great week....catch you later!

Quite the week indeed!

Well, it has been quite the week at work.  The door on the facility has been swinging wide this week.  The Projects Group that I work in has lost two people (they quit) and the warehouse lost people as well.  One has to wonder what's going on with this company...the smart ones are leaving...and rumour has it the company is in BIG Trouble!  No raises, bonus or cost of living and there won't be anything next year either...we've been told!  Now that's good for motivation and employee retention!

We were hoping to do something "fun" this weekend but it is going to rain all weekend...just hope it doesn't snow.  Temperatures are in the single digits...AGAIN!

Sunset City of Calgary

Was thinking about getting flowers and planting some baskets but think it will be too cold!  I bought some last year and it snowed and I lost those ones....and that was end of May!

Thinking about updating the ensuite off the master...new paint and trim, lighting and accents...(one never knows when we can sell and get out of here)!  I am the type of person that wants to be ready...given the chance, I would have this place on the market tomorrow and we'd be out of here.  Housing prices here continue to rise since the floods last year...the availability of homes is almost NIL!  We ran into the real estate agent Derrick yeterday, he said that homes under 420K is almost unheard of here now which puts us in a great opportunity.

The move here! 2013

The move 2013

Where do I start?

The kitchen!

YES...I still have all the boxes, paper, bubble wrap...I am ready to go on a moments notice!

Broke down and got some plants on Friday night and they are all in their new pots, hopefully they will grow nicely.  We managed to get out water fountains up and running as well.  The back deck (off the kitchen) now has all the furniture back and things are sort of looking ready for a "short" summer.  It can snow every month here so you just never know!


Jackie & John visit July 2013 (51 Millrose)



The Mountains

Lake Louise, AB July 2013 Jackie & John

At a store in Banff, AB...two jokers!  I think I know them!

Supposed to rain and thunder storms today and tomorrow but Tuesday through Friday is to be beautiful sunshine in the mid to high 20's.....(and why wouldn't it be...we are back to work)!  As a matter of fact, we just finished some wicked thunder, hail, wind and heavy rain!

Flowers at  Banff Springs Hotel

I started this post on Friday evening and just getting around to finishing it now....Hope everyone has a great long weekend....I have 9 working days then off to Las Vegas for Lightfair.  We get back from LV and my better half is off to Georgia for a few days...Acuity Lighting Training!

High Roller

Have a great week everyone.....Summer (or spring) might have finally arrived!

We had spring & summer on Friday! It was a 1 day event!

First would like to wish all the Mothers out there a very Happy Mothers Day.  Sent a beautiful bouquet to Mum in Fenelon Falls, miss her and the family terribly.

Mum at CN Tower

Another cold, dreary day...feels more like snow than anything but it is raining.  WAIT...just checked outside, it is SNOWING!  We were at  Home Depot today getting some trem clad paint and I checked out the flowers...they looked terrible.  Too darn cold here for flowers!  Came back home and turned the fireplace on and watched NASCAR, Sprint series.  Way to go!  My guy won!  24 Jeff Gordon!

Win at Kansas 2014 Jeff Gordon 24

Have to work at income tax this week and try and get it filed.  With the weeks that we`ve been having at work, just too darned tired and worn out when I get home to even look at a computer.

My task today!  YUK!

Flights are books for Las Vegas.....we are attending the LightFair Trade show.  At least it will be warm there!  I am still wearing my winter coat and probably will be for a while yet! June 1-6, 2014

LightFair 2014 Las Vegas

Oh YES!  Love this place!

We bought a table and charis from Leons....well first the screws wouldn`t stay in the chairs and they kept falling apart.  Service man had to come and put longer screws in them.  Next I was cleaning one day and noticed one of the chairs had a crack up one of the legs.  I continued on my ìnvestigation`and found that one of the actual table legs had a crack as well up the entire leg.  A call to Leons and 4 weeks later a new table and chair was delivered.  We opened the box and this table is broke and the chair has dents and scratches in it. We have called Leons, service tech came and took pics and we are waiting to hear back.  To make a long story short....we have NO table.  We are using the little two piece that we had on our balcony, not very convenience but it`s a temporary fix.  We`ll probably we without a table for another month or so!  Note to self...don`t buy from Leons again. :)

The table!

At the moment the sun is shining but I believe it will be short lived. The temp may get to 8 C today...and there is wind...(windhcill is who knows what).  Off to specialist tomorrow so hope all goes well there.  Appointment is at 9:10 so will go to work after that.  Or NOT!  lol

Lake Louise