Happy New Year 2025

 

Happy Nee Year!

I started 2025 the right way with my now traditional Oyster Shooter. Spicy hot and a bit vile and lot crazy. I laughed hysterically for 5 minutes afterwards at the photographs and am still smiling every time I think of it. I recommend this silliness lol!

*obviously ignoring the fact that I have not blogged since September!! Truth be told I actually thought it was July and was relieved when I saw September. Absolutely no reason for not recording events - all is good, just simply fell of the habit ugh. But I am back now and intend continuing for 2025! 

Hello Fresh

 Hello September!

What is wrong with me that I am unable to blog these days??  Here we are, in September already.

We recently tried out "Hello Fresh" and it sure is an intriguing service. Imagine, sending food all the way down to the Southernmost city of the Southernmost state. And it arrives promptly on time and just perfect.

I liked it a lot! It definitely is "cooking" - Patrick was worried it would be a little "tv dinneresue" but on first bite his fears were put to bed.  

I thought the price was very good too. We may not do a weekly order but will assuredly do it again in the future.

Contact paper wrapping

I blogged previously about the repair job that I carried out on the murphy bed. Looking back on it now, I am not too impressed with my work lol.  But this!  Look at this!

I purchased some contact paper/wrap on amazon and I am impressed how easy it was to use and the results!

I just hope I don't look back on this in a week or two and think it looks awful!

Next up, is our first visitor to use the bed!  Patrick's friend Vic is coming for his yearly(ish) visit for some fishing and fun.

Jeep Makeover

Check out this guy!

New wheels and tires looking great.

And what you can't see is that the underneath has been completely overhauled and replaced too. 

Current reading list

Jonathan Rosen, The Best Minds (recommended by Isabelle)

Johann Hari, Magic Pill (recommended by Cillian)

Jonathan Haidt, The Anxious Generation (recommended by Ger)

July round up

I still have a bit of the bronchitis/breathlessness left. I added in a new inhaler (an over the counter for asthma) and that is really making a difference.  I think I am 98% there now!

A beautiful fan from Seville - sent in the post to me from Enid in Spain

Nice little mahi day - hit a school and must have pulled in 20 between us.  A lot of throwbacks (juveniles) but brought these two 20 inchers home

Am in love with my new Kate Spade earrings!

Our two new Ikea adirondacks

They are made from eucalyptus wood, will need to be oiled every 6 months.  Let's see how they do in the tropical climes!

Met up with a longtime family friend/old swimming coach who was in town.

Held our annual Canada Day party and it was lovely! Moosehead beer and Labatts Blue, and this year the addition of cute little baby cans of Canada Dry for fun lol!

Attended a Bloomsday event in Key West and read as Molly Bloom

DIY repair job

 In my previous post, I noted how much I love the new murphy bed.  It was a big job getting to and into the house (had to come in a back door) and while it arrived relatively intact, it did suffer a small injury along the way.

Part of the side panel bent and broke off as it was being rolled in over gravel on two dollies

The injury from a different angle

Patrick and I went to Home Depot on Sunday morning but we were really struggling find the correct wood piece to use.  And while we bought something, we ended up bringing it back and returning it.

What to do?? When suddenly Patrick remembered a piece of scrap wood we had left over from my table project in the shed.   I got some help from a work colleague in cutting it to size (thank you!) and Voila!!

Stained with wood paint/stain!

It is not looking bad, I have to say!

I feel the colour is slightly "off".  I have ordered some mahogany wood effect Contact Paper from Amazon and am going to try wrapping it to really finish it off.