A Very Special Birthday, Hopping to It with Help

The Ridge

On Friday, Sept. 30^th the birthday boy was up before his alarm. I was also awake, running things through my head. Will the hall be clean? When can I get the keys? Will I have enough food? Will Bill be surprised with his guests? Etc. etc. etc. One thing I won’t be concerned about is the weather.

No pictures today, so let's look back over the last 5 years
2017 Sept. 30th

It’s a gorgeous morning with a forecasted temperature of 17C/63F and tomorrow is supposed to be the same. Not sure if the sun will be with us but as long as it is fry and warm, I’m a happy camper. 😊 After Bill left for work at 7:30, I left at 7:45 for town. The Mat needed attention today, the floors in particular were messy and dirty. I was happy to clean it up and leave it spic and span, as it kept my mind occupied.

Sept. 30th, 2018
 watching his Grandson's play hockey

A stop at I.D.A. for a couple of things, a stop at Rob and Pat’s to pick a container up and then I scooted home. The rest of the morning was just prepping, things I won’t mention because the birthday boy is my most dedicated reader. ♥ This afternoon, Donna came out to help with some food prep and that helped me considerably.

Supper out on Sept. 30th, 2019

When we finished, Gibbs wanted us to go out with him so we did. 😊 We sat in the sun on the patio and discussed fall flowers and changes we want to make to our gardens. Gibbs ran around entertaining himself and when he started barking and running for the laneway, we saw that Bill was home early. We finished just in time! Yes, the little guy still barks some but I believe he stops sooner at least.

A rainbow for his birthday, 
Sept. 30th, 2020

Things are under control – as long as that hall is clean!! I’ll be decorating in the morning and tomorrow will be a full day with too many pictures, I assume. Bill and I went up the road to pick up the hall key and a coffee maker from Gloria and we drove directly to the hall. I needed help to set up the heavy tables and he obliged. Oh, Gibbs came along and by the way, the hall was clean! 😊

That is Bill's boss, Mike, but this is the job
they were working on Sept. 30th, 2021

It wasn’t a very nice birthday supper but in Bill’s words “If you made it, sweetie, it’s a nice supper”. ♥ I’m going to leave this post there and relax for the evening.

Bill's birthday supper
Well, this is my plate but he had his on toast
I really splurged tonight!
Good night!

Thank you for stopping around and Happy 70^th Birthday to my sweet, caring man!

Changing Colours, Weather and More Party Prepping

The Ridge

Thursday, Sept. 29^th was a pleasant change to the day. The morning was dry and although cool at 3C/37F, no wind to make it feel any colder than that. Bill said at 6 that the sky was clear with stars but at 7:00 some clouds had passed over the Ridge. He left for work in Black Beauty at 7:30 and called me later, telling me the lower fuel price in Hanover. Ptooties was at ½ tank.

The sky to the East provided us with a morning show
when the sun prepared to arrive

Bill has been taking the truck because his morning commute is only 20 minutes and he also knows that I need the car with all my running around. 😉 I finished my tea and my games while sitting with Leroy Jethro Gibbs and hopped in the shower. I couldn’t even tell you what time I left the Suite but arrived in Hanover myself for just a few things this time. First stop was the Pioneer gas station where I filled up at $1.39.3/litre. In Durham, the price had increased to $1.53.9 so I'm glad Bill called.

From the east hill, the view across the pond is pretty

Like I said, a beautiful morning.

The list has grown 98% smaller with all purchases crossed off now so I’m happy about that. Now just the ‘doing’ stuff and that’s why Friday is important! I was back home within an hour and a half quite pleased with myself. I can’t tell you how great it feels to have a sunny day. I had my jacket off within half hour and my plan was to get outside with Gibbs a few times this afternoon.

a nice drive to town
with a few pretty trees

I didn’t plan much for lunch and when I warmed up some leftover cream of chicken soup, it was gross. It was Campbells but one of those no salt added ones. Blech! I couldn’t finish it so dumped it and had cheese, avocado and pepperoni instead. That would get me through to supper. I can’t say what I did for the rest of the day but it was all focused on Saturday’s party. 😉

Even the bushes in the ditch are hanging
colour
This is gorgeous!

My favourite North Line tree is starting to change

It was a great day to be out in the Bunky finishing things up. Gibbs ran around as if he too was free for the first time. He’s also been cooped up through all the rainy days. He had fun and stayed close to me without having to be coerced back. ♥ We walked down to the mailbox and on to the corner around 3:30. Bill was home just after 4 today and after having a brief shut-eye, we went out together to dump the black tank.

Another one near the corner

In front of our neighbour's property

With the mower down the road at the repair shop, it meant pulling the blue boy by hand so I went to help. It was a good thing because I think I truly got the process today. Next time, I will go out again and do more so it sinks in. 😊 I’d like to be a better rv’ing partner and that will help. We also put the hammock and the umbrella away in the storage shed for the winter.

Gibbs was waiting for his Daddy
and only issued very few barks

Grilled sausages and leftovers fried on the stove was our supper. We finished off the keto crumble, cleaned up the dishes and then relaxed for the evening. My blog may or may not get finished tonight. I hope so, tomorrow is a busy day.

Supper was easy to prepare and delicious
Good night!

This was a good day and I thank you for stopping around! Your comments are always appreciated.

Short Post on Hump Day

The Ridge

Wednesday, Sept. 28^th brought almost an exact duplicate of the last two days. That meant also that Bill was up and gone to Hanover for his job at 7:30 and I left soon after to Durham to clean. We both drove in the drizzle, on and off. It was chilly too, around 7C/45F so I layered up a bit more than usual. 😊 Fall is here, all the signs are around us.

Last Sept. 28, 2021

The drive down Baptist Church Road is changing, the tree leaves are taking on a different hue. They aren’t brilliant yet so not quite worth a picture  but very similar to last year on this day. Soon, though. The Mat was quite clean, which was odd since Sage hadn’t been in since Monday afternoon. It was probably clean for her too since I’d been in that morning. I think Kaitlyn needs to switch her days around and maybe it was me that messed that up but………no point in us both going in on the same day.

Lunch

For lunch, I made a breakfast quesadilla and then because I just couldn’t get warm, Gibbs and I sat together in my chair with my afghan. The new book I’m reading, J. A. Jance’s Sins of the Fathers, is very good so I was quite happy to be lazy today. When Bill got home around 5, he replaced the propane tank that he’d had filled on his way home and then we watched The Walton’s before supper.

Supper

For supper, I fried two cheeseburgers. It is messy but it wasn’t a bbq kind of day and they still tasted great. We had the rhubarb berry crisp with ice cream for dessert and called it a day. We watched all of our recorded shows last night so I’ll probably read tonight. This was a good day and I made progress on the ‘plans’. 😊

Look at this little guy last year
drinking out of the rain pail
Now he does it without jumping up 💓💓
Good night

Thank you for stopping by.

Another Wet Fall Day, A Sweet Visit from ‘Our’ Youngest Child and Grandchild♥ (collage overload)

The Ridge

On Tuesday, Sept. 27^th we woke to the same kind of morning that we’ve had for a few days. It wasn’t cold though, just dampness that gets into your bones if you let it. So, we don’t let it! 😊 Bill left around 7:30 and Gibbs sat around in our pj’s for another hour. I had my tea, some cereal and yogourt while I played my Wordle games online.

A stop before leaving town at the dam
for a few pictures
Someone took advantage of the dry period
and created Innukshuks

At 9, I was cleaned up and drove into town to check for something at the Vendor’s Market as well as a couple of other things. Unfortunately, it wasn’t open and no sign was posted as to when she’d open so I first walked to the Bank and cashed in my rolled coins. It adds up! Then I walked down the block to Shopper’s Drug Mart to see if I could find any decent gifts for our little visitor and her older brother, who is back home with his Dad. 😊 Success! The Vendor’s Market was open when I walked back but I didn’t need them anymore.

A variety of weather again today
sunshine, rain, heavy clouds
At least it was mild

I drove from my prime parking spot to the south end of town to get my library card renewed for another year. These are both things I’ve been meaning to do for over a month but they weren’t open when I went in early and the forgot. :0 Then, back home to Gibbs. Bill is only working until noon today so he can be home to visit with his youngest daughter, Jess. She has flown back to London with her sweet Hadley for a week long (?) visit.

Gibbs and I walked to the corner
and around the property
My first and perhaps only Rose of Sharon bud (!!)
My Sedum is changing to a deeper shade of pink
A Hibiscus in bloom

Because she was coming after lunch and staying for supper, I needed to do some planning. Our freezer stock isn’t always conducive to anyone other than us, for example – a two-person meal, but I found pork shish kabobs aplenty and that would work just fine. I will do them in the oven. I’m so glad I bought potatoes yesterday although I didn’t know about Jess staying for supper so didn’t buy any meat.

Jess and Hadley arrive and she wasn't shy at all

I love the look, watching Grandpa
while they played blocks
Gibbs had to be right in there too

With rhubarb and raspberries in the freezer, I made a rhubarb berry crisp and all was ready for company! Well, I did have to dry and damp mop the floors and do a bit of dusting so took care of that. Gibbs and I went for a couple of walks in between the rain showers although we still got wet running back to the Suite around 12:30. Bill returned just before 1 and hopped in the shower.

She just took my sunglasses off so has squinty eyes
Notice Gibbs on Dad's lap - remember me too, Daddy!

We decided on an early supper since Jess will have a long drive after we eat and it gets dark so early. Before 2, they drove in and it was wonderful to see them. Hadley has grown so much, she is already 19 months old! She is a sweet little charmer and very smart. We had a fun afternoon although I don’t know that Gibbs would say the same thing. He was confused over the little girl in ‘his’ house, not a lot of experience with children.

She's very good at block building

Jess and Hadley watching the Blue Jays
Gibbs watching the girls

At times, he was afraid of her and tried to nip at her fingers at other times. It kept Bill and I on our toes, understanding that Gibbs was jealous. We had supper around 5 and it turned out quite good. Jess wasn’t keen on the dessert, not ever having tasted rhubarb before (what???) but Bill and I enjoyed it with ice cream. She had ice cream by itself so didn’t go away hungry. 😊

Gibbs checks the tires on her rental

A couple of kids on the couch together
Where'sthe cowgirl, Hadley? Ah, there she is!

A cool day supper

Hadley has her cheese snack and then cleans up
during her supper
She's the perfect age to copy what you do
with the right encouragement 💖

We took the prerequisite pictures, thank you Jess for the reminder, and they left shortly after 6. It wasn’t dark yet but it was raining. She wouldn’t have a very nice ride home. Play the music loud, Jess! We loaded the dishwasher and settled in for the night by watching some of our pre-recorded programs. This was a nice day with Jess and Hadley’s visit being the highlight. ♥

Between getting Hadley and Gibbs together
at the same time, we got a few good shots

Dad and daughter
Good night!

Thank you for your visit too.

Can you Say “Miserable”? A Busy Morning Regardless

The Ridge

On Monday, Sept. 26^th things were back to a normal work week for Bill. Almost. He didn’t have to leave the house quite so early, as he only had to drive to Hanover to meet Billy. They will be working there for a while, re-doing 3 bathrooms. At least it is nice and close to home. I asked if he could take Black Beauty as I wanted to do some running around and Ptooties was just easier.

This is what we got today
so it is what you get in pictures
I was looking for the sun

He left around 7:30 and at 7:45, I headed in to the laundromat. It was a cool start to the day but mostly damp and gray. By the time I’d finished, the skies had opened up and seemingly didn’t stop much all day long. The winds picked up a bit but it was just plain miserable because of so much rain. I was in and out of 3 stores in Hanover, getting groceries for the household plus a few other things for the weekend. With no thought to take an umbrella and no available hand to do it anyway, I got showered on three times. Oh well. It was a long morning but I feel I accomplished a lot. 😊

There it is!

Back home, Gibbs helped me unload the car – well, he jumped into the car, back seat, then front seat, peeking over the seats to watch all that I was doing. I wish I had had my phone at the ready, it was so darn cute! ♥ I put some things into the Bunky and remembered later to tell Bill that it was off limits to him for the time being. Gibbs and I came inside and that was where we stayed for the rest of the day.

I had to stop at the corner to wait
for the clouds to move over it

I had some chicken broth from the ribs for lunch with crackers and avocado. Surprisingly, it was filling enough to keep me sated until supper. Bill was home before 5 and at 5:30 I started supper while he dozed. This afternoon, I was able to finish the last couple of chapters of my book. It was good, written in a future setting, 2060, so it began with some wording I had to get used to. However, it ended up being a page turner for the last half. Good story. J.D. Robbs ‘Indulgence in Death’.

Supper was hamburger gravy with mushrooms and onions and carrots. I reheated the leftovers from a previous night and it was a great meal for a wet rainy evening. We topped it off with Chapman’s caramel praline ice cream. Yum, we haven’t had any in the house for a while. Bill is only working half day tomorrow so he didn’t need to make a lunch. He loaded the dishwasher and we sat together for a busy evening of tv watching. 

Our Tuesday nights have changed to Monday nights again this season and between recording some and watching others, it kept Bill hopping. On his way home today, he stopped at our Priceville post office to get our mail-forwarding set up and paid for. Again, during the winter while we're away, the mailbox will be put away and Donna and Gerry will accept our mail. This was a miserable ‘weather’ day but otherwise, a fine Monday.

A good supper
Good night!

Thank you for stopping by.

A Dull No Nothing Sunday

The Ridge

On Sunday, Sept. 25^th all 3 of us slept in. It was 10 minutes before 7 when we got up for the first time so that was so nice on a weekend. We had no commitments today which was nice too. Bill made his coffee and drove over to the Acreage to get our water bladder filled while Gibbs and I stayed inside.

Our walk was a bit later today and it
was in between the rain

It wasn’t windy or rainy when he left but it was only around 10C so I didn’t envy his job. I do give him lots of credit for looking after those outside things. 😊 That’s the kind of day we’ve had. I have a couple of things to do for the weekend but hope to accomplish them this week once I find out if I’m working at the auto shop.

It has been many years since I've picked
a milkweed pod
This is a really chubby one

And remember what they're like inside?
As a child, I used to think they were mermaid scales

We phoned Marilynne around 9 to catch up on things and then contacted our friends in Dryden. They are still without a fridge but trying really hard to be positive that things will happen this week. I’ll continue to keep them in my thoughts and prayers. ☹ I can’t even imagine being that long without a resolve. I know now that they have a ‘substitute’ rv, but to be without their ‘home’ for so long is infuriating.

Look who else is walking down the road today

I sat with Gibbs and read my book, the plot has thickened, so to speak, so it is getting hard to put it down. We had toasted tomato sandwiches for lunch and I’ve got ribs out for supper. Darn! Still no potatoes, talk about getting creative! I’ll put my thinking cap on. After our lunch, we called our friends in Alberta to catch up with them on their plans. Fingers crossed that our paths will cross with them again too. ♥

This sky didn't last 

Around 1:30, Gibbs and I went out for our walk. When the sun was beating down, in between the cloud breaks, it actually felt hot! It was 15C/59F by now.There is still no wind so it was very pleasant even when the clouds ruled. We walked on the semi-muddy tracks on North Line to the corner until we heard the big shepherd barking his annoyance at us. That’s where we turned around. I don’t quite trust their fence security when he is jumping up on it. I don’t believe in taking chances like that.

Gibbs watched Bill put the windows back in
The time for screens has past, at least here in Ontario

Gibbs was ever the performer on the way back, running in the ditches, hopping like a rabbit and snorting like a little piggy with his nose rooting in the ground. I got my laughs and only wish I could share the videos I took with you. 😊 We got back up the lane just in time as big gentle rain drops began dropping. That walk felt good and got me up off my butt too!

Lunch

The blueJays are still hanging around

I had thought that I’d go back down the lane and pull the dead flower stalks from my tiger lilies but the rain changed that. It is early, maybe I’ll get out later. The Jays are flitting back and forth at the suet feeder, their colours so vibrant against the greenery which is brilliant from the rains. The boys had a snooze, Gibbs was on and off his Daddy like a yo-yo so I don’t think he got much sleep. Maybe neither of them!

An interesting drink
Strawberry Key Lime Margarita

By 2:30, it wasn’t looking like I’d be getting outside so I opened a bottle of a drink Patty left with me. She didn’t like the flavour and although I don’t have the recommended Tequila, Vodka is what I added. It’s very sweet tasting even though it is sugar-free but I like it. Next bottle, I will add sugar (salt?) on the rim and blend with the ice. I read more with Gibbs scrunched up either on me, over me on the back of the chair or beside me. Nice and cozy. The rain has returned off and on.

This chickadee is an acrobat

Bill went to the Hangar to putter. 😊 I texted M about work tomorrow, thinking it would be nice to know before I get up in the morning. Since I clean, I wanted to know what kind of time line I’ll be on. The truck is still in the shop because the paint isn’t drying. This damp weather doesn’t help even with the heat he has running inside. Therefore, no work tomorrow. He’ll let me know when I’m needed. I like the $$ flow but I’m happy, especially this week with a busy weekend.

I started prepping the pork ribs with the rub I’d made ahead of time and had Madame IP do her stuff. I then cooked some long grain white rice on the stove and with 5 minutes left, I cooked the mixed veggies in the microwave. I added cream of chicken soup to the rice for added flavour. Supper was ready around 6:15 and even though I couldn’t finish the ribs on the Weber, they were still very good with sweet & sour sauce.

Supper was good

Blended Jell-o for dessert

We watched the second episode of The Voice that was pre-recorded and enjoyed the remainder of the day together. This was a good day. 

This is the kind of day we had
Good night

Thank you for checking us out.