Weekend with Clemson

Well, that was a different weekend for sure! It wasn’t bad, it wasn’t great but it was fine.

It wasn’t great simply because Clemson and I were without our man around the house. Yes, we can all survive quite nicely without our partners for short periods of time, but it doesn’t mean we have to like it. Some couples, married or not, crave all the alone time they can get after being together a number of years. This isn't us. Bill and I don’t spend every waking minute of every day together, but we do like being together for the most part.

A day here and there to putter around at our own thing and at our own pace is good for us and enjoyed but I personally like having my husband home at night to curl up with. I don’t like the worry that comes along with him travelling on Ontario’s busy highways without me.

Bill and I have volunteered many times for the London and Toronto RV Shows, and some of you know this. We both like the fellowship involved with Can Am staff as well as meeting new rv’ers and talking about our own lifestyle. This year, no longer living in London meant not having Bill’s daughter, Jess, to look after the pooch. Hmm, no regrets by the way about not living in the city!!

All this fuss about me?

We tossed around the idea of leaving him with my sister, here in Hanover, but he isn’t a young pup anymore and he gets upset or nervous when he isn’t with us. They don’t have a pet and to have one as a responsibility in their home is an upset for them too. I would feel terrible if he was sick and had accidents throughout the weekend. Not just for them, but for our little guy.

So, I offered to forgo the show and stay home with him. You can all call me a ‘chicken-shit’ if you wish, I have broad shoulders, but as much as during the daytime I can stay here on The Ridge by myself, it is a whole different story after dark. When I say dark…………………. I mean dark, pitch black, no street lights etc. My sister invited us to sleep over at their place from Friday night to Sunday night, which I readily accepted.

Bill left at 7 am on Fri. Oct. 14 with his suitcase in tow. Once I received his text that he arrived safely in Toronto around 9 I spent the beautiful day here puttering around. I had my own agenda of what I could do to help get ready for our trip south in less than 10 days. My garden needed to be attended to, snipping hostas and irises and pulling the weeds for the last time. I have little ornaments that needed to be packed away in the shed for the winter months. 

Our spruce tree is covered

I have a few ‘new-born’ Rose of Sharon’s that may not survive the harsh winters up here on the hill, so they needed to be protected with burlap as well as our baby spruce “Goose”. He was a gift from a co-worker so we’d like to help him make it through. 

Burlap protection up on the hill

So I had many little outdoorsy things to do during the daylight. 

An ashy prospect

All done!

Our fire pit up here had been used numerous times over the summer so I needed to clean it out and dump the 3 pails of ashes in the composter.

Bonus about the drive back and forth

Are the amazing fall colours

I can't stop taking pictures of the breathtaking views

Friday and Saturday, we had great October weather and I took full advantage of each day. Clemson and I would drive home each day have our supper meal here and then head in to Hanover for the night. Being in Hanover gave us an opportunity to pick up some bread and buns at the Bread Place as well as stop in and visit Mom on Saturday before coming home.

A bit blurry but a cute shot

She was very happy to see us, especially Clemson. She remembers him because he was in our lives before her memory loss began. He loves cuddling so was quite at home with her attentions during our visit. Each time we visit, Donna or I, we broach the subject of her upcoming move to a Long Term Care Home. Sometimes it is received with more distaste than others but mostly she is agreeable that ‘I don’t need all this space!”

Donna and Gerry were gracious hosts and never once made us feel unwelcome even though I know that you are never quite as comfortable when someone else is in your home. It is no different for us as visitors, we are never as comfortable in someone else’s place as we are in our own home. Human nature.

Clemson and I stopped at the Durham dam

Bright light looks like a flame in the distance

Sunday promised to be a wet dull day so even though it was warm, I stayed in Hanover all day and overnight. My work was done at The Ridge and it wasn’t nice enough to sit outside. 

My winter garden can hibernate until I return in the spring

By this time, I was missing Bill a lot so happy to have someone to eat dinner with and to talk to. A phone call each night from my sweetie helped me to sleep better, knowing he was also safe and sound for the evening.

By the time Monday morning rolled around, Donna and I had managed two 2 ½ mile walks together in the early mornings and discussed the situation with Mom many times. We are both feeling much better with the whole decision and hope it won’t be too long before she can be moved. A quick stop at Holst’s Office Pro for a printer cartridge and then I headed home to wait for Bill.

Clemson was glad to be home and wandered around the Suite making sure things were all exactly as he’d left them. Funny little guy with his routines. I guess he could say the same about me.

By 4 pm we were a family together again and even though Bill was exhausted from all the driving from London to Toronto and London again returning rv’s he was very pleased to be home. We tried our best to be a perfect welcome committee!

That was our weekend and hopefully we can work something else out for next year so I can participate in the show and be with Clemson at the same time. We’re working on it!!

Thanks for stopping in. Feel free to comment if you wish.