Thursdays at the Park

Good Thursday to all of our benchers,

It's a little different this Thursday, Sunshine is not here today as her niece is graduating from high school today. I am not at Louise's house but at home. I am sick (no voice, cough, and very sore throat). As far as I know Cathy and Louise are together. Just got of the phone with Louise and No, Cathy is not there. So we are going to try something a little different.

I hope that you feel better Carolin. The service for my niece was this morning and the actual ceremony is this afternoon. My daughter as well as Louise's daughter both graduated last night and it was a great night. Lots of fun and some tears too. My sister and her boyfriend slept over last night as we have this double graduation back to back so I don't have much time as I need to entertain and I guess that I should have already cooked them breakfast but seeing as last night was such a late night, they are still just getting up. I am actually surprised that my girls made it to school this morning (5 minutes late but they made it).

So whas new with me, besides being sick both girls are finished school for the summer. The teenager's boyfriend is over today as this is there last day together before she goes to camp for a month. We hope to leave tomorrow in the afternoon to try and avoid the traffic on the 401. I have myself and the little one packed, all of the family is staying for the weekend with about another 110 people from our church. The teenager has been hired to lifeguard for the weekend and then Sunday night we leave and camp officially starts. The other counselor's and staff arrive Sunday at around dinner time. I am somewhat looking forward to her going, number one cause I get my phone back! and number two I plan to clean her room from top to bottom. I can't take the mess any longer. I also will do the same with the little ones room.

I have nothing new on the job front, went for a interview last Monday but didn't get that one either. Last night I went and saw the Sandra Bullock movie 'The Proposal'. It was not bad had a few funny moments. I didn't find there was much chemistry between Sandra and Ryan Reynolds but I did like house the movies was set in.

My roses have all started blooming but I did notice that they are covered in aphids. :( In the past I have bought ladybugs and had them do there thing. Looks like I might have to do that again. Last time I bought them it was $20.00 for either 1000 or 10 000 ladybugs. If you keep them in the fridge they stay dormant but as soon as they are in warm weather they wake up. Last time they started crawling all over me instead of the roses and freaked me out, so I would rather not do that again. Also I remember that I had way more then I needed. So benchers if I order ladybugs does anyone else wants some for there gardens?

I just got of the phone with the garden centre and ordered one case of ladybugs. I will get between 3000 - 5000 little ladies for $30.00. So anyone out there wants some cause I dont think I need that many. They should be here Monday or Tuesday of next week. Perhaps the bloggers can come on over and help (or laugh at) me trying to get the ladies on my roses and not on me. Might even take a picture for all you bencher to laugh at aswell.

Plant chives by your roses and they will keep the aphids away! Ladybugs are a good idea, but what if you set them free and they fly off to someone else's garden??? I have chives in the same garden but still lots of aphids, I am going to call the garden centre today see how much $ for ladybugs. Cause the roses' are right in front of my kitchen window and I don't want the aphids in the house as well.

The description of the ladybugs crawling all over you made me laugh and freaked me out a little too so, no thanks, I am good without them crawling on me. I also don't have any roses at all in my garden. I just realized how strange that is because I love roses and my last garden had many of them. I don't even know where I would put them in this garden and I guess I don't really miss them if I haven't thought of them in 3 summers.
Not even our Dawn Rose climber???

I made an amazing cheese cake last night for my daughters graduation. It is a no bake cheese cake and tastes very similar to the Keg type of cheese cake and guess what, I can put fresh strawberries on it. It was a real hit. I have been baking cookies (over 30 dozen) for camp this weekend. I was asked to make the Saturday night snack. How does cookies and watermelon sound. I made apricot crunch cookie, chocolate chip, and Louise remember when you gave me two bags of cookie mix a few years ago for our cookie exchange. While I just found them and made them up as well.

I am looking forward to seeing the high school graduation today as I have never seen one before. Our graduation for the elementary school was only about 54 kids but the high school is about 500 kids. I can't even imagine.

I just got a phone call from my husband who called and said that they were awarded a new account today which I know he been working hard for and anxiously awaiting the response. I couldn't understand why he was acting so sad about the whole thing. Isn't it a good thing? Well its a great thing but he had promised me all year that he would take a day of while the girls were in school and we would spend it together and that day was finally suppose to be tomorrow the last day of school. I was looking forward to it but what can you do. He was upset at disappointing me and one of his closest friends who he had arranged to golf with today who was excitedly on his way to meet Mr. Sunshine at the golf coarse when Mr Sunshine had to cancel the day. This big account opens on Monday and they only have these next four days to get it all organized. I wonder what they will bring for our weekend plans. Oh, well that's life sometimes.

I guess I had better go and make breakfast of brunch or lunch or something. Keep smiling and enjoy the first week of summer vacation with the kids finally being off!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OK , are we living in Calgary or what??? I know they said rain today, but this is not Toronto rain! We just had some big thunder boomers and some lightning and then the hail came! Rain followed and now it's done! Just like Calgary, I think this planet has shifted its axis!!

So, this is different! Thursdays on the bench brought to you from 4 different homes. Well, when life gives you lemons.......make lemonade!!!!! I actually think I have some lemons too....mmmmm!

I'm wondering if my fellow bloggers are still sticking to a menu plan.... Hey Louise....this means you too!!! I'm making hoisin shrimp and rice for our dinner tonight, by request!

I just read in our local paper that the yard waste collection is dropping to every other week! I have three composters and they are all full! I own a chipper shredder and it works great! I can take a 4 foot pile of yard waste , ( not including grass) and reduce it to a 1 foot pile! I tend to have a lot of yard waste. We have been in our new home, (resale) for 2 1/2 years now. This home has a fully mature yard. A little too mature! All of the shrubs and trees and perennials need thinning and pruning and basic rejuvenating! This produces a lot of waste! However, it's also great exercise, especially for my arms!!!

O.k., the sun is now shinning???? Just like in Calgary, wait two minutes.....

Two minutes have past and now the wind is blowing the trees sideways....

So should I hang the laundry outside or what?

I thought I was suppose to be blue!!!!
So the school year is coming to an end!!! I'm SO not good with change........That's probably why my life has been falling apart these last few months. Today is the last day driving my one school, I'm a bus driver and the public schools are finished today. I hope I don't shed too many tears saying good bye to them, they are a great bunch of kids, and I will miss them.
Tomorrows the last day of school and my daughters last day at her school, the school she's been at since kindergarden. It gives me a lump in my throat just thinking about it!!!!
I promise I will try to hold it together, I've been such a mess this week..........I know, I know big shock! I hate change!
I'm trying very hard to just look ahead........no more looking back, just ahead at all the new adventure's me and my kids will be going through. This will be one very different, new and unchartered summer holiday. I'll keep you all updated!
So I'm off to say good bye to my afternoon kids and I will try my hardest not to use too much tissue and not make a complete fool of myself.