Early Birds, (not us)Shopping Spree and Work Around Home

The Ridge

On Monday, Apr. 19^th we were up before 8. It was a sleep-in day with no alarms to wake us up any earlier. We had our first coffee and tea while catching up on our friends’ blogs. With that done, we decided to go to Hanover to get the groceries on our list. I could have done it Tuesday but Bill wanted to pick up the insulation he needs to finish the underbelly damage and we could get both things done in one day. I also wanted black mulch and Bill's help to lug the bags is a bonus.

It was a beautiful morning!

It was around 9 when we headed into town. It feels like Sunday with both of us home, not working. Bill’s boss needed today to get the information regarding the continuation of their construction work. It is in a vacant cottage and the job has been started, leaving a bathroom without a floor. Probably not a good idea to leave it sit like that but it has to be approved before they go back.

We were barely up when we had the first visitor

Then his brother arrived

I love the finch feeder

Someone looks a little chubby

He dropped me at Walmart to get the groceries and drove down the road to Rona first where the insulation price set him back on his heels. Whoa! He drove to the Home Hardware and was able to get a better price for what he needed. He hopes it is enough. Everyone is gouging with the excuse of Covid-19 and not being able to get product. Funny though, when you see lots on the shop’s shelves. ☹

We drove home and made a stop at the repair shop that used to be Pletch’s just outside of Durham. The new owners of Grey Bruce Fleet Service seem to be doing a great job, according to other customers. Bill set up an appointment to get an oil change, fuel, air and cabin filters and we left with a booking in our calendar. I will take Black Beauty over and Bill will take the car to work that day.

along comes Mr. Jay

Back home, it was around 11:00 when we had some lunch. Bill puttered outside adding DEF to the truck while I got it ready. The forecast today was for a high of 14C/60F, some sun this morning and a 84% chance of rain this afternoon. The sun was warm and already at 10, it was warming up nicely. 

I'm happy that Walmart is still selling their landscape materials

One of the spots, on the hill

One down by the corral

After I did the dishes, I went out to plant my flowering raspberry bushes. There were enough for 4 separate plots so I set about digging in this ‘often difficult’ Ridge ground. One spot was hardest as it was on the corral hill, still trying to fill spots we can't easily cut. 

the messy garden and the pathetic looking
Rose of Sharon

Remember my little trilliums?

We don't have good dirt on the Ridge
so I hopped the fence to the farmer's field
and scooped some from the sidelines

Joanne said that once it took off, it would spread so be sure to plant it where you don’t care how far it goes. It can always be cut back as well as thinned out and moved so I’ll try 3 different areas. After planting them, I felt like staying outside with my hands in the dirt, so I went up the hill to ‘baby’ my Rose of Sharon. It has never really taken off with flowers and I was ready to give up on it.

So, on the left, my edging is pretty straight
but the right hasn't been touched yet

Donna suggested that I be even more patient and add cattle manure to the earth around it. Hers flowers beautifully every year so I’ll give it one more summer before tossing it out. I told her the real estate in that patch of garden is pricey so it has to prove itself in order to stay there! 😊 I have never been happy with the way this small garden looks, no straight lines in the edges so that was my task today.

I was ready to quit and you can see that
I'm still not done straightening it
The grass on the left is where we are tilling
over to the rise

I worked away while Bill worked on his own project. The sky changed various times from sun to clouds but with constant wind gusts. I hoped the rain would hold off until I was done but by 3, Bill was done for the day and the air felt infinitely cooler. Time for me to go inside too. I didn't think the rain was far behind. I’d finish it another day. My fingers were feeling crampy from digging with my trowel and gripping and pulling up clumps of grass.

She couldn't hand me my parcel, left it on the step

It looks much better but I had to keep standing up at the end of the row to view from that angle, trying to get it straight. Geesh! The garden will be wider by about 8”, 4” on each side, so that should give the hostas and primrose room to spread out. Bill and I have agreed to extend it even further since there is an area of grass behind it that no mower will fit into. With the tiller, it will make an even larger flower garden for planting. I’m always picking up extra plants so now I'm happy with the new plan. Last year, I pooh-poohed the idea.

 I love the size of it and I bought a case so it will slip easily
into any pocket
Now, to just figure it out

Inside, I made a tea and Bill had his snooze. The mail lady drove up and delivered my new MP3 player when we were outside and boy is it every tiny! It’s called a mini so what did I expect? I read through the instructions and it seems pretty basic BUT I can’t figure out how to download music from my laptop to it. I’ve followed the directions and nothing is happening. I was getting frustrated so put it away and started my blog instead. I’ll figure it out, one day. I would like to take it on my walks so won’t give up.

The clouds moved in but
the rain took a while coming

I added a spice rub to some pork ribs and put them in Madame IP for supper at 5:15. With 4 small potatoes in there as well, that would be a good start on the meal. I’ll cook vegetables separately. Still feels like a Sunday, even more so with a big meal like this! 😊 We were eating by 6:15 and wow it was great! Dishes were done by 7. Bill hadn’t heard yet about work tomorrow but being one step ahead of the game, he made his lunch sandwich anyway.

A Sunday dinner on Monday

We had a program to watch later so in the meantime I worked on my blog and we watched NCIS reruns together. This was a good day. We were busy for the better part and accomplished a few things. Now the rain is falling steadily but gently and it will do wonders for my new plantings. We’ve got some cold days and nights ahead of us but we’ll get through it and everything will come up roses by the weekend!

I had ice cream with my pie today

Update: By 7:30, he got the word that they are able to continue working at the cottage. 

Our brother in law cleaned out our driveway
on Apr. 19, 2018 
This was the day before we came home to the Ridge
from CanAm
Now that's a memory!!

Good night!

Thank you for stopping in. Your comments are always appreciated.