How Did We Get so Lucky?

Holy heavens! Someone pinch me, on the other hand, no don’t because if this is a dream I don’t want to wake up! I don’t want to jinx anything but I am feeling so very blessed right now, so lucky with this life, this location, this weather.

When I listen to the weather as we come to the end of a long weekend, especially ‘this’ long weekend before a busy start up for anyone related to the field of Education as Bill and I were, I can’t help but smile and whisper a silent “thank you” to the heavens.

We’ve had some extremely hot and humid days, some wet, foggy and even cooler days but all boils down to the fact that we still choose to do what matters to us for each hour of every day. In the evening, I still am blown away by the beautiful sunsets up here and can't stop myself from capturing them on camera.

Sunset over an evening fire

Bill has been very dedicated to our project of transforming the 9’x 12’ shed into an overnight bunkhouse for guests. I offer the same input and assistance I did at the beginning but mostly only when asked. I know how to stay out of the way also. This little shack called the Ridge Roost is beautiful but I’ll let Bill update you on his progress in his blog On Our Way. www.clembillpat.blogspot.com  Give him a few days though!

Bunkhouse windows stained

With one more addition of a futon of some sort, we will be done that job. We are trying to curb the spending so looking at a used one on Kijiji tomorrow. 

I have contributed by choosing the paneling, the flooring, a desk for the tv and I have made 3 curtains for the windows. I smile when I walk in, Bill did a great job. While he has been devoting his time to the 'bunky' I've taken on the role of breakfast chef so our little Weber Q has been treating me well.

Home setup featuring Weber Q 200

I’ve created a little sitting area just off the driveway, something I make claim to so that tells you it was fun and easy to do because I don’t take on anything too challenging that I know I can’t do on my own.

I've made a few adjustments since this pic and planted
some chives and black eyed susans in this area too

We have one or two or more resident chipmunks that have a few holes around the property and I never tire of watching them. 

this Chippy keeps going down the dead end pipe

this look is "what happened to the exit?"

and then realizes there is no where to go

They are all called by the same name, ‘Chippy’, and I’m sure they are thinking to themselves “No, Chippy is my  brother, I’m Simon” or “I’m Theodore!” We also have visits from a couple of hummers so I was able to capture them.

Patience is rewarded

Sleeping in is new to this lifestyle for us, as I’ve mentioned before, but it seems when 11 pm rolls around if I am still up, I can count on 8 am for my morning rising. Really, it doesn’t matter, we make the best of the day no matter what even though we say, “wow, the morning is almost gone!” Bill, especially, is surprised that he is still in bed past 7 am most mornings.

I try to head into Durham laundromat on Saturday mornings, as early as I can, and can get back home to hang the laundry by 10. This time it was Sunday since we were away Saturday to a family reunion in Inverhuron. I've included some pictures of Bill's cousins throughout the post.

Cleared area they call Fern Gully

Cousin Kelly coaxing away shyness

Our oldest family member, Aunt Ruthie and Bill
It looks like they are singing together!

Just missed the sunset by a hair but this lone rower was
picturesque all the same

Not a soul was at the laundromat when I was there at 9 so I did my 3 loads and slipped out almost completely unnoticed. They dried in no time on such a beautiful day.

We have enough towels and sheets and clothes that once every two weeks to do laundry is working for us. I like that a lot. I was never one to need to do a wash 2 or 3 times a week so this transition was easy.

Also Hanover is a little town to the west of us which is about a 25 minutes drive. We buy our milk, cream, butter at Walmart and bread at the Bread Depot as the prices are better than the Foodland in Durham and obviously the big box stores are a treat to visit on occasion. I take advantage on my Hanover trips to stop in and see Mom so it makes the trip more worthwhile!

2nd cousins at this table mostly

room to sit for most of the gang in the shade

We even drove the hour and a half into Guelph a week ago to stock up on our basics at Costco. We have room to store things so are happy we have one closer than the 3 hr. drive to London. We'll use it while we can before heading south.

The days are long even though we can feel them shortening and now that the heat has returned to our area, they are glorious days from beginning to end. 

Saying that, we’ve had to put the furnace on before bed for a few nights and set it at 65F, just enough to take the morning chill off. It is so quiet through the night that we seldom hear it kick on the few times it is needed. 
Turning the air conditioner on today, in this 84F heat makes it seem silly that only a few days ago we were heating the Suite!

Enjoying dinner together

Bill and I are down to 57 days also for departure to the southwest so are tossing around different scenarios. The main thing for us is to have a park booked for over the Christmas period so have marked the calendar for the date to do that, just firming up where that will be. 

We are getting close to choosing a couple of parks for the trip down, just need to book them. It is exciting!

Thanks for stopping, thought I should get on here and let you know we are still around and enjoying life to the fullest. Please feel free to drop a comment below.