On the Brink of a Long Weekend, Working Hard Today

The Ridge

On Friday, June 30^th, not only did we rise to the last day of this month, we also find ourselves on the brink of our long Canada Day weekend. It was warm overnight but with the windows open and just a sheet over us, I slept well. Bill, not so much, but it wasn’t because of his injury, he just isn’t a good sleeper most times. I had to clean so I left the boys in bed, although Gibbs came down to ‘bark’ me off. 😊

The morning sky was interesting

The Mat was in need of attention but not terribly so. There were no customers in until I was just closing up at 8:30. With nothing else to do at that time, I headed home. It was already incredibly muggy but it was nice in the laundromat because of the a/c. Thank you Sandy! When I got home, our original plans had changed a bit but it made sense.

It doesn't look like much but a lot
of the smaller things were underneath
for safe travel

Bill left before 9 and drove to Murray’s to pick up his 14’ flat bed trailer. I was going to go along but there was really no need for that. Bill stopped in Hanover to pick up the lumber he needs for our new gate and I helped him unload. They are heavy! We left Gibbs at home and went down to the end of the lane to load up all the scrap metal from the old gate plus anything else that has been accumulating over the years.

At the Flesherton scrap yard, 15 – 20 minutes away, we weighed the load, off-loaded it and weighed the empty trailer. Surprising to me, it was 600 lb.! Bill wasn’t too surprised since he had an idea how heavy those gates and metal posts were. It felt good to get rid of it all and the $60 in our pocket was welcome and would help pay for the new addition. 😊 He dropped me at home and took the trailer back.

I sat outside for a while with Gibbs,
and got into this cute story

The bird feeders are almost empty
but I'm amazed that it was almost a full week
since I've filled them!

M had asked if I could run him into town and I needed a few groceries and fuel so we left around 12:30. It was crazy busy in Durham. Weekends in the summer are always a constant flow of traffic but with the long weekend, it was nuts! Taking an extra 10 minutes to pull out of any venue but we were home by 1:30. Bill returned within 10 minutes after me.

I can't recall the name of this flower
in my garden, but it is so dainty and so pretty

We were pretty hot and tired so relaxed inside where it was a bit cooler. It was a nice surprise, for Bill especially, when Mike and Billy stopped by on the way home from checking out a possible job further north. We had a nice visit with a cold beer in the shade of the patio. I watered my vegetables and went to finish the puzzle.

I finished the puzzle (woops, forgot a picture!) and 
came indoors to start supper prep
What we have in this picture is a failure to communicate.
Me: 'come inside with Mom' 'come get your supper'
Gibbs: 'But, Daddy is still out here' 'I'm not coming'

It was around 5 when Bill told me about thunderstorms, with strong winds and possible tornadoes later. Oh, great. ☹ here we go again. We had grilled sausages on buns with the last of the Jello for dessert. It all tasted quite good but our minds were a bit preoccupied with what to pack up ‘just in case’.

It looks a bit crispy but it was delicious!
These D'Italiano buns are my favourite!

It is still quite warm up here on the Ridge but the breeze in the shade is lovely. We reached 29C/84F today but now resting at a comfortable 24C/75F. Bill and Gibbs are outside enjoying that while I am inside writing this. 

Aren't you coming out, Mom?

He sat there without moving for a long time
and finally, I gave in and joined him

Poor Gibbs is waiting and watching for me to join them so I might have to do that. Bill decided to do some weed trimming at the front and down the lane so Gibbs and I sat out and waited until I had to come in. I have prepped a salad for tomorrow, our Canada Day barbecue, and have everything else planned for an early morning start.

It appears that the first storms have missed us 💓

there could be more storms around midnight
but at least we had a lovely red sunset.

This has been a very productive day, we feel good about what we got done. I texted Sandy from the Mat and gave him my hours for June and I got word that Robin is back to look after her plants now. 😃 That means a bit of cash coming my way. 

He's not stubborn at all!
He wouldn't come in until Bill was finished. LOL
Good night!

Thank you for the visit!

Surprisingly Beautiful Day! Bill Stressed?

The Ridge

On Thursday, June 29^th we weren’t in a rush to get up, although I wanted to nip in as far as Robin’s to water her plants. Most of them are in full sun and I sure don’t want to lose any! I was up and out the door by 7:20, leaving the boys in bed. Good thing I went, a couple of the pots were pretty dry and I needed to dead head all of them. They’re looking good now but will check once more in the morning. She’ll be home tomorrow evening.

Starting with last night's sunset

It has been a while since we've had one that
was camera worthy.
This one was. 💖

I meant to do this the other day but
this was the Bunnesan school house
before it was bought and remodelled.
Robin and Andrew have done a great job.

Bill was in the shower when I returned and had his cereal and orange juice. No coffee for him this morning as he was scheduled for a stress test. When his Dad had his heart attack(s) back in 1996(7), it was recommended because of his family history that Bill should start paying attention. He had a stress test every year, I believe, while we were working, right up until we retired and left the area. There was never an issue but at least we knew.

My hill garden is coming alive

The bucket garden
Evening primrose at the back
Dahlias in the middle
Gladiolas in front

When we saw our new doctor in London last fall, he recommended that Bill get one done up here this spring. Okay, so now it is summer and he goes this morning. It is a quick trip to the Durham hospital but I went with him for support. It was a short wait time and once in, it was a mere 20 minutes and he was back out. It went well so we are happy with the result. We are concentrating on his upcoming physio and getting his arm better. 😊

While I took pictures,
Gibbs ran across the field.
If this is as far as he goes when off leash,
we have no worries. It is still our property.
With his colouring, he is easy to find.

Back home, Bill used the pressure washer and cleaned off the Cub Cadet mower so he could get a better look at the problem with the belt. I worked on the puzzle and Gibbs supervised both by sitting serenely in the shade. After a sandwich for lunch, Bill rode the mower up North Line to the repair shop and Gibbs and I followed in Ptooties to bring him home. Hopefully, it won’t be too long but we know it is a busy time so are not expecting a quick return.

Stalking, er, I mean following my hubby
down the road

Where, hopefully, it won't take too long nor
be too costly. Dreamers! ha!
Love the chainsaw on their mailbox.

The puzzle just needs the sky finished.
Won't take long now!

The rest of the afternoon was a bit of this and that. Bill got my battery mower out and cut the grass, which we call our front yard, and I did a bit of garden weeding and watered my vegetables. They seem to be doing well. When he went to the Hangar, I worked on my puzzle until we got a phone call from our good friend, Jim, to see how Bill is doing. For someone who has many of his own health issues, he sure has a kind heart and it means so much to Bill (us) that he takes the time to call. ♥

Hammock time

When he disappeared, I found him underneath me ♥

I love looking up at the sky from the hammock.
I watched a lot of jets floating overhead before
I fell asleep.

I finished all but the sky parts of the puzzle and since Gibbs was inside, I thought I’d stop there for today and sit with the little bum in our hammock. We found a suitable sun/shade spot and relaxed. Once he jumped off to sleep underneath, I actually dozed off for half hour! I never do that! When Bill came up around 5, it was his turn and he had a nice snooze out there too.

I moved to the step so Bill could snooze
Once Gibbs got down, he dropped off.

My Sweeties.

The day is a beautiful one. It was a surprise because although the forecasters said hot, 27C/80F, it was supposed to be cloudy. We had sun for 90% of the time and managed to reach 25C/76F feeling hotter with the humidex factor. 😉 After bacon cheeseburgers for supper, Bill went to the Hangar and I closed the Bunky for the evening. I doubt we’ll get rain but it is usually wise to make sure the windows are closed anyway. 

What a great day! I started a new book today. A fun read called Joint Custody. The Border Collie is telling the story so you can just imagine! 

Supper was yummy and yet so simple!
No sunset tonight, it has completely clouded over.
Good night!

Thank you for stopping by!

A Very Full Day and a Very Full Pantry/Fridge/Freezer!

The Ridge

On Wednesday, June 28^th I was up and in the shower at 6:30. After making my tea-to-go and having some yogourt, I headed in to town. I was alone at the Mat until I was ready to wash the floors and a regular customer came in. She complimented me on how clean everything looked so that brightened up my day.

Good morning

Speaking of brightening, the sun was out when I left the Ridge but it was a hazy, smoky sun again. This was the worst I’ve smelled the smoke, very strong as soon as I stepped out of the Suite. Looking like billowing fog across the fields, we’ve never experienced anything like this before. Once more, friends in the areas closer to the fires come to mind and I have empathy for them.

It isn't the sun we're used to seeing.
The bright clear golden ball is now rimmed in red
from the smoke drifting across from the fires.😔

I scooted home at 8:30 with no other stops and after a brief rest with Bill and Gibbs, I made my thermos of coffee and drove over to M’s for 9:30. We did a town run for him and then I worked until 12:30. Today, I taped and hand sanded a VW Jetta. It gets a full paint job so I put my best efforts into it while M did his own thing in the other bay and his ‘office’. 😊 It’s his sitting/office kind of room and wouldn’t win any awards! Sssh. He's a single senior, he's quite happy with his home.

I didn't notice my Moonflower first thing
By noon hour, it was starting to fade.
Good thing I have 6 more buds!

Bill had the back field grass cut and was working on the front when I drove in. He came up a few minutes later reporting that the blade belt keeps coming off so he would have to work at that later. ☹ If it isn’t one thing, it’s another and it is very frustrating. Pickings in the fridge for lunch were pretty pathetic, so we each had toasted sandwiches, changed and drove to Hanover. Our government pensions were in, so were everyone elses, so Walmart was busy with shoppers.

My tomato plants seem happy.
Blossoms and then a teeny little tomato!

Bill dropped me off and drove to my cousins to drop off an old laptop and visit Canadian Tire before returning to help out with the grocery list. It was a full cart so I’m glad he was back on time to help pack and load the car. I forgot a few things and had to run back in for eggs, which are very important. Not sure how my fuddled brain missed seeing them on the list. LOL

I have a guard at my Bunky door
Oh, okay, he's just enjoying the shade. 💘

We made one stop on the way home and then it was time to put things away. We have a full ‘larder’ (does that mean fridge, pantry and freezer?) now and should do us for a while. 😊 Feels good to have things stocked up again. I’ll get the few things I missed at Foodland in town. Bill went to work on the mower and after I finished separating the sausages, chicken thighs and cutting the pork loin into roasts, I finally was able to relax.

The puzzle is coming along.
The pieces for the lower picture are very similar
colours.
I have the sky pieces separated on a side table, that helps.

I went out to the Bunky to work on the puzzle that I’ve been neglecting for a few days. Bill had no luck getting the belt to stay on so put the mower away. More $$ to have that taken care of, isn’t it all fun? I lost track of time so supper of pork chops, spuds and vegetables was quite late. Bill was okay with it as he needed to close his eyes for a bit anyway. Gibbs has had fun today, running around outside in between cuddles with Mom and Dad.

Our London rose bush is very happy this year
which makes me very happy.

The birds are happy, so many grackles, and there is still a fair bit of food in the feeders. The smoky air cleared out around 11:30 this morning and it has been a beautiful afternoon. 

As I sat here writing, I admired
our hutch display.
I haven't killed the cacti yet, Deb D!

We reached a pleasant high of 22C/71F today and it is warming up even more tomorrow after a cool 9C/48F night. I’m done work at M’s until after holiday Monday and that makes me happy for the break. This has been a good day and will be a quiet evening with my book. Yes, I'm finally enjoying the story. It's a mystery so what's not to like?

Supper was very good. The chops could have
been in for about 5 minutes less but still tasty and edible!
Jello and yogourt for dessert.

Today, I reflect on Daddy. It has been 28 years since he passed at the tender age of 70. That is just around the corner for me so he has missed a lot of our life. Never forgotten, always loved. Some times the feeling of his absence is so profound, I miss him a lot.💔

Daddy, a young man of 37.

An old family photo mid 60's
A family that misses him very much.
Good night!

Thank you for the visit. Your comments are always welcome!

Worked, Favour, Rain, Gibbs Pedicure, Cooler

The Ridge

On Tuesday, June 27^th we were all up around 7:30. Bill had taken Gibbs out as usual around 6:30 and came back to bed. I had a rough beginning to my night/morning sleep. Doing the branch trimming seems not to be a good thing for me to do, although having a dull *>!*@!!! pair of clippers makes it even harder. I need to get them to the hardware for sharpening – and soon.

Many in town thought it was fog
until they stepped out and could smell smoke

My chest muscles were really sore last night again from Sunday’s work and I found it hard to take a deep breath, yawn and even lay on my side. That was after taking a couple of Tylenol. ☹ I tossed and turned from 10 until Bill came up at midnight when I finally managed to get comfortable and drop off until morning. It was MUCH improved this morning, hardly noticeable.

Our afternoon nap
Bill was sound asleep on the right
and I was on the left
Gibbs is as close as he can be to both of us.💓

This morning, it was a wet and what appeared to be foggy start to our day. Not necessarily cold, 14C/58F, but damp and yeuchy. Bill wanted to go to Varney, a small drive-through blink of a town on the highway, for a piece of metal and to check out a couple of other spots so he left home around 9:30. At 9:55, I drove over to M’s to put in a few hours on sanding the white van. Today, it was hand sanding for me while M worked in the other bay on a PT Cruiser's rocker panels. I got a break from the power tools.

We stopped at Robin's schoolhouse home.

I finished around the sanded front wheel wells by taping paper into the areas not being painted. It was 1 when I returned home to my family. 😊 Bill was just finishing up transferring water into our tank and we had lunch together. Good timing! Then, we all crashed upstairs for an hour. I dozed for about 15 minutes and that was it for me. I’ll sleep tonight. At 3, we took Gibbs in to see Kate for a pedicure. Well, he needed his nails trimmed and they couldn’t wait until his next appointment. 

This is the only indoor picture I took of their
front foyer.
What else should it have but antique school desks? 
The rest of the house is their private domain
but trust me, it's gorgeous and tastefully done.

On the way home, we stopped at Robin's. She needed me to go into her house, through to the garage and retrieve one of her yard sale items for a customer. What an interesting walk through their gorgeous remodelled schoolhouse! Original floors and ceiling beams, even a loft area at the front where the bell tower is. 💖 Not a lot of 'stuff', she says she lives like she just moved in, but that's a circumstance when your Mom is a hoarder. Her words. I set the item out on her porch for pick up, watered a few of the plants that don't get the rain and we left. 

The birds are continuing their
parties but the seed is lasting a long time, surprisingly.

Back home, we just relaxed. Bill in the Hangar and Gibbs and I up here. I eventually closed the windows as it was cooling off. It isn’t fog we’ve been seeing all day, it is smoke from Northern Ontario’s fires. That’s the first time it was so noticeable around here and I really feel for those living closer to it. Warnings for people with health issues were being broadcast all day. For supper, we had fish and chips and the evening went as most do. With some reading and tv. It was a good day.

Oh and Chippy was invited, of course.

Finally, Bill was able to snag an appointment for physio so he looks forward to starting that a week from Friday. Everyone was booking later than July 20, a lot later so he got lucky with this reference. We should get a reprieve from the rain tomorrow and Thursday and I have a busy day ahead of me. I hope you’ve had a good day.

Supper was good.
Good night!

Thank you for stopping in.