SOLD! to the lady in the back row....

There's no better entertainment than spending a few hours at an auction sale. Sometimes there are bargains to be found, and sometimes prices soar out of reach. Every Saturday, and occasionally on Sundays, you can find crowds of hopeful bidders at a local Community Hall. It's too dangerous to scratch your nose, or wave at a friend you haven't seen for a while.... you may find you've bought something you didn't really want.

This Saturday was no different. The contents of a Century Home were offered for sale. The sale started at 10:30a.m. and continued until 3:30p.m. .... lots of nicknacks, glass and crockery...

... furniture and fur coats...

.... assorted linens and quilts....

Of course, I can't resist bidding, and this is my prize for today. My old large place mats are starting to peel and disintegrate so 2 boxes of almost new Pimpernel mats for $30.... a bargain in my opinion.

BTW, Happy St Patrick's Day everyone! We're all a bit Irish on March 17 aren't we?

Happy Pi Day!

Today is March 14 .... 3.14 ..... in other words, Pi Day!
(It's also Albert Einstein's birthday!)

The Greek letter Pi is the symbol for the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter. It is approximately 22/7 and is usually calculated to 3 digits, 3.14, and is the most revered mathematical constant in the known universe.
Remember your Grade 9 math class?

With the use of computers, Pi has been calculated to over 1 trillion digits past the decimal. That's a whole lot of numbers!

So celebrate Pi Day with nerds worldwide by singing this little song, to the tune of "O Christmas Tree", all together now:

Oh, number Pi
Oh, number Pi
Your digits are unending,
Oh, number Pi
Oh, number Pi
No pattern are you sending.
You're three point one four one five nine,
And even more if we had time,
Oh, number Pi
Oh, number Pi
For circle lengths unbending.

Oh, number Pi
Oh, number Pi
You are a number very sweet,
Oh, number Pi
Oh, number Pi
Your uses are so very neat.
There's 2 Pi r and Pi r squared,
A half a circle and you're there,
Oh, number Pi
Oh, number Pi
We know that Pi's a tasty treat.

(Lyrics by LaVern Christianson, math teacher Windom, MN, USA)

Costume Creation

My 40 year old sewing machine has been pressed into service again, this time to sew my chorus costume for our annual Variety Show that will take place off-off-off Broadway at the end of April. We've been rehearsing since January.

Chorus members will be dressed in black pants, white shirt and a reversible torquoise/black vest... it sounds pretty tame compared to the glittery outfits we have worn in previous years. I really hope there will be some sparkles to sew on.... what's a Variety Show without sparkles?

Here's the 2006 chorus... I'm second row, third from the left.

Smart Meter

My Smart Meter was installed a few days ago.

By 2010, all households in Ontario will have one of these hi-tech babies attached to the wall, measuring electricity use.

Currently, this new digital meter measures energy at a set cost per kWh, just like the old mechanical meter that it has replaced, but when it's activated in 3 years time, it will measure the time of day that the energy is used.

When demand for energy is high, the cost per kWh will also be high, and vice versa. So I'll have to get used to doing my laundry and washing my dishes between 10pm and 7am, or on weekends, or pay the price.

This is supposed to help build a conservation culture in Ontario, but I wonder if it's just another subtle way of making us pay more for electricity, hoping that we won't notice.

Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend

In this case, diamonds definitely are a girl AND a boy's best friend. I've made this glass panel to be a prize at No2Son and his Beloved's Jack'n'Jill party.

This will be a pre-wedding fundraiser in September.... a sort of wedding shower plus party featuring yummy food and drink, dancing to a DJ, prezzies, raffles, games, maybe a silent auction. Everyone is invited from both the groom's and the bride's families, plus next door neighbours, school and Uni friends, quite possibly anyone they have come in contact with in the past 25 years!. Party Time!!

Shelter from the Storm

One of the many Mourning Doves that live in my back yard.

The bird feeder is filled up regularly, but the mixture I have at present contains a lot of corn, not the most popular food with local birds. However, the squirrels readily eat up any extra that falls to the ground.

March ... In like a Lion

They say that if March comes in like a Lion, it goes out like a Lamb. I hope that's the case.
Snow, wind, and freezing rain today caused hundreds of accidents and horrible traffic tie-ups...

... and those who ran out of gas in the heavy snowbound traffic couldn't fill their cars due to so many gas stations being closed having run out of fuel.....

... and to top it all off, a freight train derailed just outside the city causing havoc to the commuter trains.

Luckily I left work early so I'm at home in the warm.

Photos taken from: Tony Bock/Toronto Star