Deals at First Choice, Relaxing Day, Fireplaces, Black and White Spotted but Not on Camera

When we woke up on Wednesday, Aug. 30^th, it was 6 and Bill let Clemson out for a piddle. The little bum joined me back in bed and curled up under the covers. He is probably feeling a little cool with the loss of his long hair! I’m talking about Clemson here, not Bill. I remained in bed until about 7:15 and got up for my shower. Bill curled back in with Clem until I was finished.

Now this is a beautiful day for an early morning walk

 After showering and while the boys were still sleeping I went out for a walk down the road to the church lot. What a beautiful morning! We had our morning drinks, read blog posts and then left Clemson to look after the house. We drove to Hanover to see what the line ups were like at First Choice Haircutters. I needed a trim and so did Bill. 

I had company on my walk

It would be a 45-minute wait so we left our names and did some about town shopping.

Picking up bread and buns at the Bread Depot and Bill went to Rona for some drawer pulls for his cargo trailer. We went back to F.C. with 5 minutes to spare and both got called for our turn. I decided to go a bit shorter this time, knowing it will grow quick enough. Feels good to have it off my neck and I can still ponytail it if I want. For $36 including a tip we did awesome and walked away happy.

The drive shed in the distance that was built last fall or was it this spring?

Before leaving town, we drove around to see Gerry and Donna. Being a real estate agent doesn’t always allow for down time and for Gerry it is no different. He has house deals in the works that need to be dealt with. Not always are the other agents able to handle things in his absence. Donna has done some errands for him, taking signs down, removing or adding lock boxes etc.

What a place to obey the signs.........but I did
I entered this way

Cute little country church

 Today, he was told of an issue about a gas fireplace in a SOLD house not working. He was in no position to hop in the car and go check it out so Bill offered to take a peek for him. Three heads are better than one female agent, and we (Bill mostly) was able to get it started after checking a few things. Gerry was very pleased and appreciative.

Signs, signs, everywhere a sign
These are our signs

We aimed for home and it was just after 12:30. On the way, I asked Bill to pull into the Sunflower field for me so I could cut a small handful. Arriving home, it was time for lunch so Bill made himself a sandwich. I had cereal with banana and cream so wasn’t feeling the need to eat. I’m pleased with my weight especially after visiting the doc and although there is a roll that I hope to lose, I’m trying to either maintain where I am or take care of that by eating less bread/carbs. It makes for challenging lunches/snacks so I need more time to think about what to eat when I’m feeling hungry.

Bill and Clemson went up to the bedroom and I took another walk. I gathered some ripe grape tomatoes from my garden and placed the sunflowers in a vase in the Restroom. They are almost done for the year so I wanted to add a special touch before company arrives tomorrow evening. Once more my mind is spinning on breakfasts, lunches and dinner for our guests.

So, the reason for the hair cut
Lots of wispyness going on here

I dished myself up some Liberte yogourt and cut a few pieces of cheese. It is the middle of the afternoon, after all, so just something to tie me over until dinner. I read more of my book and didn’t move until I finished the last few chapters. I recommend The Lincoln Lawyer if you like a gripping story right until the last page. While sitting here, the rain started lightly around 4 pm. But it didn’t amount to much and the sun was out once more.

3 stylists working today

 While Bill fed Clemson, I went outside for another walk down the lane to pick some wildflowers. Whoa! Bill had mentioned seeing a skunk last night between our neighbours lane and ours around 9:30. Well, he found his way to our lane this afternoon and was meandering back and forth. I quickly turned around and told Bill. We walked down to the dock but the little ‘stinker’ (ha ha) managed to hide himself. Do skunks swim? Hmmm, Google!

Quite a difference

Back inside my stomach was gurgling so started to prepare supper. Tonight, it will be sausage on a bun for Bill and sausage and salad for me. We also have corn on the cob to eat up tonight. We enjoyed the meal and cleaned up the days dishes before sitting down to watch some tv. We had many things on our PVR to watch so started with Still Standing with Johnny Harris.

The sky has cleared completely of clouds for a nice evening. The temperature has hovered around 20 – 22C all day with a light breeze. Pretty nice day. As I watch the sun drop below the horizon, I feel like another great day is soon over. We are looking forward to more company tomorrow so I need to make sure the bunky is guest-ready.

Supper tonight

And the sun sets

I hope you have had a wonderful day. Thank you for stopping in. If you wish to leave a comment, I would love to read it.

Another Day of Work, Clem Gets a Haircut, Mom Visit, Lazy Afternoon

Tuesday, Aug. 29^th I heard the alarm go off but Bill immediately shut it off so I was back in sleep land without a twitch. Next thing I recall was at 6 when he turned on one of the softer bedroom lights to get dressed. He kissed me goodbye, loaded his stuff, made his coffee for the road and was gone. I snuggled down in the covers, Clem had already deserted the bed, and dozed until 7 when I got up too.

I see these bushes all over the place and this time I was close enough and snapped a photo

  It is a cloudy sky but a warm start to the day at 15C. We didn’t get any of the overnight rain and that is when it would be totally welcome! I made my tea and went online to see my LifeLab results from yesterday’s bloodwork. A lot of it doesn’t make sense but I can understand some at least. I wanted to compare it to my last one from October 2015.

Rockwood Terrace

I was pleased to see that even though there were no issues at that time with a couple of HI flags in the urinalysis section, things had improved even more. I then went to an explanation page to research what some of the other results mean. I love this capability of being able to see our results instead of never hearing unless it was bad news.

Fall is around the corner as seen in this maple tree

At 9:15 Clemson and I went into Durham to the Bath & Biscuit on Main St. (Garafraxa) for his appointment at 9:30. She said ‘come back at 11’ so I put his leash in the truck, parked on the south shady side, and got my purse. From there I walked the 15 minutes to Rockwood Terrace on Saddler St. to see Mom. She was in her room reading through one of the family books that my sister Wendy made.

Our little guy with a new haircut

Pleased to see me and in a good mood, we had a nice visit. She had a few articles of clothing on her bed which gave me the indication she didn’t know what to wear this morning. I hung them up on hangers and moved the really heavy sweaters to one end so she doesn’t just grab them out of habit. I know she likes her sweaters, no matter how warm her room is to us, so left her new blue cardigan out for her when she goes for lunch.

At 10:40 as I was preparing to leave the fire alarm went off and a staff came and closed our door telling us it was a test only. I hoped it didn’t take too long as I’d wanted to leave to walk back and get Clemmy. The goodbye, after they came and opened the door, was rushed to say the least but Mom walked me to the elevators with multiple kisses and hugs.

Mom finds these new 'cell phone things'fascinating

She has a kitty cat that purrs and lifts a paw, rubs its face and moves
its head. She loves it!

She spent about 15 minutes talking to it
almost oblivious to me in the room

I put the walk into a higher gear so I wouldn’t be late and stopped in at the bank to get cash out for the groomer. As last time, Clemson looked great with his new ‘do’ and we are so grateful to have Kate taking care of him when he needs her. Bill has already booked his last appointment in October a week before we leave. I’m next on the list and probably Bill, for haircuts I mean. I was planning on tomorrow at First Choice so Bill and I can drive to Hanover together.

Mr. Snapper coming up the hill

I made myself another tea and marveled at the beautiful day this is turning into. It is not even 12 noon yet and it is already boasting 20C with mostly sun. Perfect! At 12:30 I thought I should eat something more sustaining than a banana so made up a chicken salad with cottage cheese and olives on the side…….well, in the bowl. It seems filling so I hope it stays with me for the afternoon.

I recognize this one from a while ago

And then this guy in the laneway at the same time

I look out the window and see another Mr. Snapper up on the grass hill. I don’t know what they think when they come up that far from the water but I won’t bother him and hopefully he’ll soon find his way home. I really felt like taking it easy this afternoon so I pulled my lounger chair out to the sunshine, retrieved my quilt from the bunky, set up a table and settled in with my book. I may as well catch some rays while reading.

My lunch - salad and Kombucha

There was a nice breeze so the sun, although very warm, didn’t seem hot. I’m surprised that I didn’t doze off. Clemson decided that he wanted out so he joined me on my chair for a while and then up on his stool against the pillow. That lasted about half hour and he was ready to go inside. I took him in and started to walk down the lane just as Bill called. I’m glad he checks in periodically.

It was about 4 o’clock and he was finished work for the day so had some time to kill before his appointment at 6. London had been getting rain off and on so he ate his supper in the car and was going to catch a couple of winks. I read some more and then fed Clemson at 5. One happy puppy. While walking down the lane, I saw a second snapping turtle. It was the same one we saw when Megan and Neil were here.

All the way up the hill to our patio table - LOL

This guy fell asleep on the fence

I don’t know where they’re headed but they seem to drop and sleep in the strangest places. It just means keeping an eye on Clem when they get so close. I don’t want his nose to get snapped. With his fancy new hair cut he hadn’t wanted to go outside much today but when the turtles disappeared back into the pond, I convinced him to go for a walk down the laneway.

This was a nice sky to read under

Or snooze under

After the news started I fried up some leftover potatoes with zucchini, tomatoes and a hamburger patty for my supper. It was very good and I finished my meal off with a banana split. I’m lovin’ the strawberry ice cream, only Chapman’s, of course!

Here comes Pokey Clemson, waaaay far behind me

The sky was gorgeous tonight and I got carried away

Even though it was still 20C the sun was hiding behind clouds and the air felt cool. Bill called at 7:20 and was on his way home. Yay! That is sooner than we both expected! He will be home by 10. I finished my post and curled up in my chair with Clem to wait for him with my book. I’m getting close to the end and it has me in suspense.

Looks like smoke signals to me

This has been a great day. The morning was busy enough and then the afternoon was one of those nice easy ways to finish a day. I hope that your day was just as good.

Good beautiful night from The Ridge

Thank you for checking my post out today. I love reading your comments!

Doctor Checkup, Day in London, Visit with Former Co-Workers

Monday, Aug. 28^th we were up at the crack of dawn, literally. Since bedtime for both of us was early we were awake and mobile at 6:15. The plan was to get ready and on the road by 8 am. Bill had breakfast and a coffee while I showered and then I read posts while he did. This was my doctor’s checkup in London and because of the usual bloodwork, I drank a glass of water in lieu of my tea.

Good morning!

I watched the beautiful sunrise and snapped some photos still in my housecoat. Checking the weather forecast for that area, we chose appropriate attire. Nothing like being 3 hours from home and you are dressed too warm or too cold. Today it would be 23C in London so not too hot and not too cold. We decided last night to bring Clemson along for the ride since it could be a long day for him.

By 8 am we were ready to roll. We had a gas coupon for .04 cents/litre off at a Shell station and the gas meter was hovering between the quarter and the half tank mark. We knew we would make it to our destination and there would be a Shell station on Fanshawe Park Rd. We made good time since the traffic was pretty light and pulled in for gas at 10:15.

New sign on the building

We’re too cheap to pay to park at the doctor’s office, so we park next door at the Starbuck’s on the corner. Bill would be in the car with Clemson so if he was challenged, he could move. We never have a problem. So, in I went and Dr. Persaud saw me right on time at 11 o’clock. It has been almost 2 years since I saw him last so we had a nice bit of catch up. He is always very pleased with my health and when he says goodbye always says ‘don’t change a thing!’

Bill and Clemson in the Cataloguing Department

I went downstairs to LifeLabs and fulfilled the bloodwork requisition before meeting Bill in the car. Oh, before I slipped out of the office Dr. Persaud called me and asked when I had had my last tetanus shot. Since I couldn’t recall, it meant more than enough time had passed so he gave me one. Last thing I need when south of the border is to cut myself and wonder.

My girl, Saira, always smiling, always positive
I miss her the most, we connected so well

We left there and drove to Wonderland Road for something to eat. A & W has been our fast food choice as of late, so that is where we went. While Bill took Clem for a walk and a drink I went in and got our Teen Burgers and Fries, with of course, root beer. We were both pleased with his weigh scales so I’m not going to cry over the extra carbs tonight. I was hungry!

Saira, Joanne, Catharine and Alison

Bill drove to Princess Auto and I waited in the car while he went in looking for something on special. I haven’t been to see our former co-workers since we came home in April so that is where we went. It was great to see Deb, Kim, Joanne and especially Saira. She was so excited and took Bill and I out to see her new car, just a couple of days old. I can say one thing, it is SO Saira. We loved it.

Love her new little SUV
it is the perfect colour for my bright friend

Even the name is cute

We headed home by 2:30 and after taking turns driving, we drove up our lane at 15 to 5, just in time for Clemson’s supper. After our big lunch meal, we weren’t too hungry so after I relaxed on the couch, we decided on a simple toasted tomato sandwich would do nicely. I had mine with peanut butter, mayo and lettuce. Yum.

From the left, is my wood cardinal and little pink volkswagon
I left these with Joanne on my last day

Caught these guys finishing up their lunch
John on the left, the Manager of the building
Tim on the right always the clown

 I downloaded my few pictures from today and finished my post. Bill is heading back into the city tomorrow to work the day and to take a couple more lessons at the Truck Driving School. He has been studying the ins and outs over the past few days and has a better idea now of what to focus on. He will return home tomorrow evening.

Very odd to be in the old work place - not a tinge of sadness

I hope your day was a good one. Ours was a lot of driving but some visiting as well as a necessary checkup. Another thing to cross off our list of things to do before heading south.

Not much of a sky tonight but pretty all the same

Thank you for taking the time to read today. Your comments are appreciated.

Puurrfect Day! Laundry Washed and Dried before Company Arrived, Two for One Post Again.

On Saturday, Aug. 26^th we all woke up shortly after 7 am and I hopped out of bed, let Clemson out and had my shower. I wanted to get into town with the clothes so they would be dry by midafternoon and put away. Today we are expecting Megan and Neil and their pooch, Ribsy but not until late afternoon.

company arrives around 3:30

 Megan is a workaholic, and she won’t deny that, so can’t get away until after lunch. They may be bringing their tent trailer or they may decide it is more trouble than necessary and just sleep in the bunky. They will only be staying one night. We are a bit disappointed in the shortened stay but at least they are coming to see us and The Ridge.

Getting direction from Bill 

I sorted laundry, got too lazy last night to do it, grabbed my tea and book and left around 8:00. I was the only one at the laundromat for the whole time. In and out, two loads finished and in the back of the car. Our car can be heard a mile away now since we have muffler issues. What the heck else can go? LOL We aren’t rushing into getting it fixed right now, so it is noisy, I will pretend we wanted a hot rod!

From the laundromat, I drover further west on #6/Garafraxa St. to Foodland. Taking my time, I wandered up and down every aisle so I didn’t miss anything. Got everything on my list and headed home. Bill was trimming the weeds around the storage shed where we park our car so it looked neat again. While I was gone, he also went over to the Acreage to get water for our tank.

So easy for Neil to turnaround in our space

With Gerry in the hospital Bill decided to cut some grass over there as he was waiting. The only mower he could use was the gas push mower so cut an area in front of their Prairie fifth wheel. It looked better but we doubt they will be out for a while anyway. We got the news this morning that Donna was on her way to pick him up, just getting the discharge notice at 9. Yay! He will be home tonight.

Clemson and Ribsy meet again

 With my clothes on the line and the sun as gorgeous as it can be, we decided that even 16C in the sun was exactly where the temperature could stay. It was perfect! We each had another hot drink and I started making up a dessert for tonight’s supper. Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie is a no-bake dessert and the last time I made it, it was awesome. Today, I screwed up on one of the instructions so who knows what it will taste like! 

Home Sweet Home

Clothes dried really fast and got them put away and dishes cleaned up from breakfast with half hour to spare before Bill announced “here they are with tent trailer in tow!” I snapped a picture of them coming up the lane, it is always nice to have a scheduled visitor arrive after weeks of planning for it. Neil pulled in and turned around in the back corner of our lot, not needing hydro.

"Hey guys, what is in here? Open the door so I can check it out!"

Megan and Neil are the ones who host Scone Sunday on the 2^nd Sunday of each month and usually they have multiple drop-ins on those days. This was an opportunity for us to visit with ‘just’ the two of them. Ribsy truly enjoyed the freedom of the large space and under the watchful eye, he scouted out all of the small wildlife. this little pup is only 3 1/2 year old poodle so very active and playful.

When they first arrived, we sat down under the awning and Neil mixed us up one of his specialty caesars. He was a little concerned when I was taking my time drinking mine, thought I didn’t like it. No problem! It was delish and I was savouring it to the fullest! Bill and Neil set up their tent trailer while Megan and I watched the pooches. Neil brought us a nice plant of bright yellow flowers. I should know what they are but not sure of their name. They are beautiful and much appreciated!

Neil comes prepared with his own 'bar' in a bin

Dinner began around 6 with Bill lighting the Weber for grilled potatoes, corn and chops. Megan and Neil provided a nice garden salad and a red wine so we had lots of food and drink. We ate inside and I thoroughly enjoyed my smoked pork chop. We sat at the table and thought we were smart avoiding the flies outside. Ha! Fooled us! Because of the cooler nights, the critters slipped inside with each time the door opened. They were a nuisance! By the way, my peanut butter and chocolate pie was a hit!

And a different snapper was spied up on the grass hill

Love the 'prehistoric' tail

We like the opportunity to use our dishwasher in the Suite every so often and today was one of those days. We loaded it up with just enough room for breakfast dishes tomorrow and we gathered around the campfire Bill had going. It was going to be a cool night, we could tell from the way the clouds cleared out. Boy, there were a lot of stars and I actually caught sight of a shooting star for the first time this year!

Bill was in mid-sentence when I took this but approved of the addition to my post

We enjoyed the warmth of the fire Bill kept going but by 11 pm it was cool enough for us all to pack it in for the night. Megan and Neil disappeared inside their trailer with Ribsy. We hoped they had lots of blankets since it was dropping down to 10C overnight. Bill and I were fortunate to be able to light the Blue Flame heater before crawling into bed.

The dogs were worn out and behaved well inside

On Sunday morning, Aug. 27^th we woke at 7:30 to a sun filled sky. Our camping neighbours were outside when we went out and reported a cooler but good sleep. They were warm enough. We promised a bacon and egg breakfast so got that started on the Weber around 8:45. Our company had indicated that they wanted to be in London for a parent’s anniversary by 1.

Playing ball with Ribsy

It was a short visit, but we felt blessed that they took the time to come and stay with us. Megan works 12-14-hour days in her new job and was at least able to relax for a short period, letting the stress fall off her shoulders. They love The Ridge and she particularly enjoyed the numerous birds that frequent our area. I’m pleased that a couple of hummers visited while they were here.

The Ridge Campground was in business again

After a hearty breakfast, Neil packed up the tent trailer and the rest of us watched Ribsy exploring the grounds, fence to fence, chipmunk hole to chipmunk hole. He is such a live wire, it was exhausting but fun watching him. They pulled out around 10:30 after hugs all around. We hope they can come back another time.

Bye for now!

Bill and I wanted to go into Hanover to visit Gerry and see how he was settling in at home after his hospital stay last week. We had loaded the dishwasher to its max and waited until it was finished the wash cycle before heading off in the car. He was looking much better in his recliner and apparently had a pretty good sleep last night. When his brother, John, arrived we said our goodbyes and headed home.

There wasn’t much going on but I could feel the late night slipping in on me. When you open a book, and can’t keep your eyes focused, you may as well give in to it. So, we did. We all laid down for about a 45-minute snooze and when we woke up light clouds were skirting the sky. Darn! I was hoping to get some outside reading done in that sunshine. Bill had a plan for his cargo trailer, another one, so off he went and Clemson and I settled in our chair on the patio mat.

Bill working on his project

The sun made many appearances and it was lovely and warm on my skin at 20C. I poured myself a glass of wine and opened The Lincoln Lawyer. It is such a good story, hard to put down. By 5:30 it was time to bbq our burgers so we prepped those and I set the table inside. I found a movie with Denzil Washington, Out of Time, so we watched that while eating supper.

Clemson watching the door of the Suite at 5:15 pm
Bill was inside getting his supper ready

There wasn’t much on tv so we then found Diana-Her Story on a PBS channel. Missing the first 30 minutes of it, we soon got caught up in the tragedy of her life. No one should live in that kind of a marriage and it is a shame that her chance to improve things was cut so short.

With a couple of snapshots of the setting sun, I feel we have had a very nice couple of days. I hope yours have been just as good.

Good night from The Ridge

Thank you for stopping around today. I love reading your comments if you wish to leave one.