Friday 23 February 2024

Friday, February 23,2024

 It's been a crazy busy week. Had a doctor's appointment to get some preliminary memory testing done. He's referring me to the senior's clinic, they have lots of specialists. I have to imagine the wait list is going to be ridiculous, after all this is British Columbia.

My husband is here for a week's visit. We finally scattered my mother's & my step-Dad's ashes (she passed on February 14, 2022, he passed I don't remember exactly, maybe 10 years ago) yesterday. We had a nice lunch with my sister, her boyfriend, 1 of my nephews & my brother.

I made some PepperJack Velveeta earlier in the week & some Pillsbury apple turnovers. I think they've changed something in the recipe, they do not taste as yummy as I remember. And I finally made the Ding Dong cake that I have been wanting to make since my birthday in December. It turned out wonderfully! I have to admit that I was a little surprised when I opened the package of what I thought was a Bundt pan, but actually turned out to be an angel food pan. Still worked out well.

They're having an amazing sale at Big Box outlet (formerly MTF), jeans are only $8.95 a pair! I got 4 pairs today, with both taxes only $40! I even got a pair of lined ones that will be great next winter. I had no idea they still made these, I haven't seen a pair in over 4 decades. My ex-stepfather called them hunter's pants.





I'm going to be getting my new knee supports next week, I am so excited. It means replacing some of my wardrobe, they're a bit bigger, thicker & bulkier than my old ones.

Oh yeah, a computer/vlogging update. I got a really cool new keyboard.



It's kind of ironic that I started out refusing to use our 1st computer. Our deal (my ex & I) was that I would write things on paper & he was to do all the "techie" stuff. But he got me hooked on screensavers & the rest, as they say, is history. I practically live on the damn thing now.

And I have to say, this keyboard lifts my mood, makes using the computer quite delightful. When I first saw it I was skeptical, how good could a $5 keyboard be? But then I did my due diligence, checked out reviews & decided to get it. I went back to my local Dollarama here in Mission & they were all out! 

I checked several here & then broadened my search to Abbotsford. After 3 tries I finally found one. I also got another one today for Robert's computer. All in all, an interesting week.

Thursday 15 February 2024

 February 15, 2023


I hope everyone had a happy Valentine's day. I made steak for dinner & we watched a romantic movie together. 

After breakfast Robert was looking out the bedroom window & saw that it was snowing. I am still working the learning curve of this new camera. I deliberately made the decision to leave my old Sony at home, to push me into reading the instruction book (which is missing a lot of useful information) & learning to use the new camera that my wonderful husband bought me for my birthday in December.

This video was taken outside of Robert's new apartment in Bellingham. I edited 2 videos & several photographs together, using Movie Maker, which is a free download from Microsoft's store.



Thursday 25 January 2024

Thursday, January 25, 2024



To start off, Happy New Year, everyone! I've been meaning to post something sooner, but it's been a crazy busy month for me.

I've been dealing with health related issues, & moving stuff so my heater could get fixed. And my husband has just gotten into low cost housing in Bellingham,  so I helped a bit with packing & now unpacking, organizing, etc.

I remember reading an article in Summer 2022, on how they were anticipating an uptick in cancer diagnoses because of COVID. I actually missed my 2022 mammogram, because of my TBI (traumatic brain injury) related memory issues. And since I've been lucky enough to have a  regular doctor for the last 3 years, it hadn't really occurred to me how people who don't have one might not be getting all the tests & checkups that they might need. I used to write all that stuff on my calendar, in case I moved or switched doctors. And I guess I also assumed that the doctors at the drop in clinics would routinely ask if they needed them. Well, here's an article that offers a solution:

https://www.cbc.ca/radio/whitecoat/virtual-cancer-screening-programs-bc-1.7087693

Monday 25 December 2023


It's been a bit of a crazy year, so my Christmas card videos are a little different this year. I made these at my husband's place & therefore had to use MovieMaker, since I don't have Photostory 3 on this computer. Also, since I haven't replaced my horrible camera yet, we haven't been doing as many pictures as usual. 

Anyway, hope that 2023 was good to you & that 2024 is even better. 
Here's a little video that we shot in Vancouver on December 9th.

Here's our Christmas card videos, which I posted on my YouTube channel.






Weather & health permitting, we'll be getting some pictures & videos of Sumas's Christmas lights tonight & will post them here & on YouTube.


 

Saturday 9 December 2023

December 09, 2023

We took the West Coast express Christmas train into Vancouver today. Had a lovely, exhausting time. Here's a video I made.



December 09, 2023

A short video about my new webcam, which will make making Vlog posts much easier. 


Friday 24 November 2023

Friday, November 24, 2023

  Its the day after Thanksgiving in the US, so it's time for me to post my annual list of Christmas shows available on YouTube (& other places) for those of us who do not have cable but do have internet.

One of my favourites, a Muppet family Christmas:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bi9qSKZuvC4

Christmas Eve on Sesame street: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EF4XRQwzls8&t=4s

I still have this on VHS, copied to my computer. I remember watching Santa & the 3 bears with my kids more than 30 years ago!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLXyceT_j7M

Christopher the Christmas tree: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s51ne_Pis-I

The pink panther in "a very pink Christmas"  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDrAKCf6_Sg

The Snowman (with David Bowie intro!): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGmOiccZFJM

The snowman & the snow dog: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypY03WjDsOA

An awesome Christmas show, with music by Valdy: BlueToes  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKHp1g4qXSQ

The bears who saved Christmas (originally known as Christopher & Holly):  

the Berenstain Bear's Christmas tree: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8rGpKNRrQ14

the Smurf's Christmas:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDYXVPVvcFY&t=17s

Mole's Christmas is adapted from the TV show Wind in the Willows: 

Father Christmas:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jc-FI2zGsAs

Frosty the snowman: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6p6LRtQ2WY&t=30s

Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVxyW4MjnzU

A Garfield Christmas:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbL-uxd4ZVw

The Christmas Dinosaur:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxydrJeB4Mk

Thomas saves Santa's sleigh: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkV4L6yfd_g

Olive the other reindeer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s54sLlRNmHc&t=9s

Santa Claus is coming to town (1969):  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WEUeJcAI4uM



And while this isn't exactly holiday themed, I still think it fits here as being somewhat winter-y. Do you remember watching the Woody Woodpecker show & there was cute 5 minute short in between Woody's episodes, called "Chilly Willy", a little penguin? Well, you can check them out again, here: https://www.chillywillyfan.com/video.php

I have found that some companies make some pretty amazing holiday commercials, so I decided to post some of these as well. John Lewis has a number of delightful ones, starting here in 2013, the bear & the hare: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCmvz8rDYVU

And Ellie Gould signing Elton John's classic "Your song": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0zZScVSMEw

And their 2015 ad, with one of my favourite songs!! https://www.youtube.com/watchv=DShEAPKV0EU


John Lewis's 2018 advert, starring Elton John: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DShEAPKV0EU

And the 2019 ad with John Lewis & Waitrose featuring Edgar the Dragon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xGW_M0O4xI

And their 2020 advert, on kindness: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2sE2YuheK0

John Lewis's 2021 Christmas ad, the unexpected guest: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTttgc0DPA4

Snapper the perfect Christmas tree (2023): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uu_RmUMhIlg

M & S (2016) Christmas with love from Mrs. Claus: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5QPXhStb5I

M & S Christmas  2017 (with Paddington Bear!): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfaSxIkLslE


Heathrow Bears Christmas ad (2023): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqIdYbLRkRM

And who can ever forget Sainsbury's 2015 Christmas ad, Mog's Christmas calamity: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuRn2S7iPNU&t=13s

One of my personal favourites, Lily & the snowman: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZC9vB5AUU2M

A new one from Posten, the Norwegian postal service:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDLumk_rQQw&t=1s

Amazon Christmas ad (2023): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYXfgfKfHig

I searched all over YouTube, no Charlie Brown Christmas specials this year. But, I heard somewhere that they will be coming back to TV this year, on Apple TV+   For a limited time during the holiday season, Apple TV+ will make three of the iconic “Peanuts” specials free to watch. “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” (Oct. 21-22) “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving” (Nov. 18-19) & “A Charlie Brown Christmas” (Dec. 16-17) available for free to everyone.  During that time, anyone wanting to watch these shows can download the Apple TV+ app on their smartphone or smart TV device. Once on the Apple TV+ streaming platform, viewers can watch their favorite “Peanuts” holiday special as often as they’d like during the free-weekend event.

It just occurred to me that I should also post here, how to watch TV without cable.

Speaking of saving money, have you ever considered giving up cable? I did & it ain't that bad. If you are in Canada, CBC, CTV, Global & CITV all have shows online that you can watch for free the day after they come out on TV. Links are here:

https://www.globaltv.com/shows/

https://www.citytv.com/shows/

https://www.ctv.ca/shows/all-shows#/

CTV also has a list of older shows available free online, as well as movies: 

https://www.ctv.ca/throwback

https://www.ctv.ca/Movies

For CBC, go here: https://gem.cbc.ca/  & create a login account. They will of course, try to sell you a premium membership, you can just ignore it. You'll need to do some digging after that, but they have some interesting shows, including Coroner & Endlings. 

In the US, CBS, & NBC also do this. ABC has something similar, but you have to wait a week after the broadcast date. Fox gives you a free hour, I think. Netflix is still under $10 a month I think, & in the US, Hulu is $7.99 a month & it also has a free trial & optional add-ons for HBO, Showtime & Cinemax (at an extra cost, of course). You can also watch Crackle free online, but it is no longer available in Canada, sorry. 

Slice TV is available online for free:  https://www.slice.ca/video/

Another interesting free site, lots of nature shows & documentaries: www.waterbear.com

A really wonderful free streaming site, is PlutoTV:  https://pluto.tv/

Another free online streaming site, is TubiTV:  https://tubitv.com/home
Both PlutoTV & Tubi are wonderful. But alas, the selection of shows is much more limited on Tubi in Canada, just like Netflix is.

The NFB (the Canadian National Film Board) has over 4,000 free films online, here:  https://www.nfb.ca/films/

Plus there's a lot of interesting content available on YouTube.  I even have a channel there: https://www.youtube.com/user/MichaelannDahlman/videos 
I am planning on doing a lot more videos there, including book reviews & other vlogs.

And here's a helpful article, lots of streaming services are offering steep discounts &/or free trials: https://www.tvguide.com/news/streaming-services-for-free-discounts-coronavirus/?fbclid=IwAR0fEld_iePx8_6gJwleVySUWWHZDhgHio8wGnaswM0bngSBb0GbJrEecqA
(This article is over 1 year old, some links may no longer work& some offers may be expired).