Busy Morning, Sliding to the Long Weekend

The Ridge

On Thursday, May 16^th I was up and downstairs with Bill by 7. I had a couple of things to do this morning so made my tea-to-go and left the Suite at 7:15, ahead of Bill. The Mat was empty when I arrived and remained that way for the whole period of time I was there.  Another note was left on a machine but it was fine when I tested it, I think they put it on the wrong dryer.

Good morning!
'When I'm wrong, I say I'm wrong' (what movie?)
There WAS a pretty sunset last night and
I almost missed it!

This is the sky this morning
as I left for the Mat

With a bit of extra time in my hour, I wiped the inside of the two big front windows and door before closing up and heading home. I couldn’t remember for sure when M needed me to pick him up so left home at 9:50. He needed to go to his bank in Hanover, scammers even get those who can’t afford to lose anything. I guess none of us can, but you know what I mean. They issued him a new bank card since that is what was hacked.

I tried to find something filling for lunch
and this gave me good fats and filled me.
I had some almonds and cheddar mid morning
thanks to Donna for the tips.

He’d asked if I minded a few stops in Durham to which my reply was no and we stopped at the Beer Store, the hardware, Foodland and the drug store. It was noon when I dropped him off at his place around the corner. He paid me for my time and for some fuel, which makes it worthwhile. I know he appreciates the help. I made myself a chicken ‘cutter’ from some of the leftover chicken, cheese and a keto dinner roll. It was good with a small bacon, chicken salad on the side. 😊

When Gibbs doesn't want to come in,
I no longer worry where he is.
He stays right around the patio area. 💕
Although, I do check on him - a lot.

I haven’t been doing much all morning but boy was I feeling tired after cleaning up my dishes. Gibbs and I sat in my recliner and I know I dropped off again. I’d like to be outside filling my garden bags but the flies are too discouraging so other than walking around with Gibbs and painting a couple more rocks with a base colour, I came indoors. Gibbs doesn’t seem to mind the flies as much as I do so he remained on the steps or patio mat. ♥

What a jambalaya mess my Bunky is!
Eventually, things will get moved to better positions.

I can see him at all times and he doesn’t wander anymore. That’s a blessing. Of course, if Chippy dares run along the fence line, Gibbs is right there showing him who’s boss around here! Bill was home at 5 and since there is no rest for the wicked (just kidding, sweetie!) he had to head right out again to get us water from the Acreage. ☹ 

Gibbs waits for Bill's return

When he was gone, I noticed a big toy hauler being backed into the house next door. Our new neighbours are finally starting to make an appearance.

It will be interesting to meet even MORE new neighbours.
Such a turnaround next door.

They can't be too bad if they are rv'ers, right? 😂😂

While waiting for the water to transfer from the bladder, Bill lit the Weber Q and I prepared potatoes and vegetables inside. We each had a bone-in rib pork chop with a veggie of choice and he had some potato. It was all very good but no way could I eat the whole chop.

Clouds moving in, bringing us a warmer night of 13C/55F

The chops didn't take too long.
Weber still works great.

I cleaned up dishes and he went out to put stuff away and then hop in the shower. After making his lunch, he went to the Hangar for some ‘fun’ stuff. 😊 If he sits, he’ll be asleep. ♥

Even this was too much supper for me.

Last night I sat to find the new series Justified City Primeval with Timothy Olyphant. I could only find it using Sue’s suggestion of the Cinema search. Thank you, Sue!! It was tricky but I found it – for now. Tonight, I hope I can get it again. This has been a nice day but I just wish I could be outside more. The black flies will be around (according to Google) until the heat boots them off. That means 4 or 5 days of 15C in a row. I do believe that is happening very soon!

Nice to see our weather warming up.
We reached a high of 23C/74F today. Yay!
Good night y'all!

Thank you for the visit.

For Love and For Money, Gorgeous Day!

The Ridge

On Wednesday, May 15^th it was 7:15 when I heard Gibbs barking. He does that when Bill or I get near each other…..heck, he barks for a lot of reasons. Anyway, Bill was coming across the bed to say goodbye. We were both up late, tossing and turning, until I think I saw 1 am before it was lights out for me. Poor guy, he had to get up at 6! He left and I thought I’d go back to sleep but didn’t so got up at 7:45.

Good morning!
A nice morning for a walk - or two.

Lazy bones only went so far.
He prefers running around free up on the Ridge. 

I had nothing on my schedule today, nothing at all, so it was going to be a ‘do what I want day’. 😊 The sky was overcast but no rain so first things first was a cup of tea. Gibbs and I went for a walk to the corner (almost) and he wasn’t too keen to walk, so we turned for home. I put him inside and after changing my shoes, went back out for my own walk.

That little spec across the field is Gibbs
running towards me before running up the lane.

Sadly, the new-to-me Sketchers are not the best for walking. They are slip-on but I know why they were donated, I think. The elastic around the heel is stretched enough that they want to slip with each step. They’ll be fine up on the Ridge for working around outside, just not for my walks. Good thing I only paid $4.99! So, in my other shoes, I walked to Turbine Lane and beyond through the woods area. I’d remembered to tuck a bag in my pocket today.

After Bill trimmed, things look so much better.

This corral garden will improve once
the primrose flower.
It is the bane of the Ridge.

Just to clarify my title; I walk for the love of it. It’s good for my bones, my flexibility, my muscles, the fresh air and my all-around attitude to start the day. I also walk for the money. The bag is to take advantage of those who drink while they drive. ☹ I know, it’s not good, but the silly thing is that instead of saving their empties to put towards their next case, they toss them. I collect them.

I walk for the wild flowers
although there aren't many yet.

Mostly dandelions, some even gone to seed already.
Make a wish and blow!

I’m not too proud to dip down into the ditch to retrieve that .05¢ or .10¢ from each can or bottle. 😊 I don’t even mind if someone sees me. I walked 2 miles total and collected a grocery bag full. It will go towards my next bottle of whatever. Yes, on occasion, I will pick up the pop cans and containers that are not worth anything, just not as often since we do have to pay for garbage pickup. A whole $2/bag (Nancy is cringing)!

A pretty decent haul for a short walk.
I'll add it to last fall's gatherings before taking them
to the Beer Store.

Back home, I came inside with Gibbs and played my online Wordle games. Not surprisingly, I felt tired and a cat nap slipped in there somewhere. For lunch, I had a chicken salad and it was quite tasty for a change but it’s not my everyday go to meal. Gibbs and I went out and had high hopes of enjoying the sunshine. By the time, I got to where I wanted to do some gardening, the black flies were already sharpening their utensils for a meal! Gaacckk!!

I filled the bird feeders on the left today.
It was time.

I chatted with Bill on text for a while and then went and put on his netted hat since mine has holes in it. That stopped them at least from getting to me, but the day was warm and I was quite uncomfortable all covered from head to toe. I managed to get done what I wanted and that chore will make things a little easier for Bill when he does the weed trimming. Now, he can see better where to avoid because of my new plantings. 😊

This is beside our wood pile.
Moon flower on the left beside the Kokopelli
Evening primrose on the right of the post.

East side of the Bunky, more Moonflower
and Primrose. I planted a dahlia bulb beside my
painted rock.

The phlox and periwinkle compete
but so does the grass that grows up amidst them.

When we came in, I couldn’t wait to get the dirty, hot clothes off and hop into the shower. I can’t wait for the flies to evacuate so we can enjoy the outdoors again. We reached a lovely high temperature today of 19C/66F and the sky was mostly cloud free by mid-afternoon. I went out to the Bunky around 3:30 to do a bit of rock painting. Gibbs stayed inside, the flies like him too.

My Sedum is looking healthy.

I love the colour of my irises but they are already
starting to die off. 

After my shower, we walked to get the mail and then returned inside. I had a tea while we waited for Bill who came up the lane at 4:45. Gibbs gets so excited and once Ptooties has stopped, he runs out with guns blazing to greet Daddy. ♥ 9 hours is a long time to a puppy dog. 😊  For supper, I’d planned pork shish kabobs but we didn’t eat until 6, giving Bill time to shower and relax.

Daddy's home, Daddy's home!
He runs over for pets and tummy rubs
and then has to grab a toy and come tell me. 💘

Supper was good. Bill had fries with his and I had broccoli and a keto roll. I thought I’d be hungry enough to eat the leftover chicken but that was ridiculous. I put it back in the fridge for a salad another day. 

His kabobs are almost gone.

We cleaned up the pots used and Bill went to the Hangar while I finished my blog. What a lovely evening! It will be dropping 10 10C/49F overnight but that works for us without any heat on until morning. Sometimes we like the furnace to run through a couple of cycles.

A clear sky tonight so no special sunset.
Good night!

Thank you for stopping by! It was a great day.

Some Success! A Damp Cool Day

The Ridge

As is usual, after a lovely warm couple of days, the temperature drops and the sky opens up. Today, Tuesday, May 14^th, the rain is what greeted us. The rain showers last evening did not seem to have satisfied themselves enough to leave us alone. Bill was up and, on his way, to work by 7:30. I followed within a few minutes after he pulled out of the lane.

The day didn't change much.

I drove to the Mat for cleaning with the intent to carry on to Williamsford to clean the Air bnb for Robin. Only one customer came in as I was near finished and Robin also contacted me to cancel that cleaning. She has another lady who helps when I’m not around or not available and because she took the spare sheets home to wash, it made sense for her to go today instead. That’s okay, saves me a drive this morning.

Keto dinner rolls

I dropped down to Foodland, then the Dollar Store for some wrapping paper for a special gift and then scooted home. What a miserable damp day. It isn’t raining too hard at all, but the steady drops are enough to keep us indoors all day. I would be happy finding indoor things to do. 😊 I made myself eggs for lunch and then proceeded, once more, to make some form of keto bread that I would enjoy eating. In this case, dinner rolls. My last attempt of crescent rolls was blech. The almond and coconut flour is a take it or leave it taste.

I'm quite pleased and call this a success!

However, today was different. Maybe it was the quantity called for in this recipe, but when I cut into a warm roll, I was duly impressed! Success! It is true, ‘if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again’. After washing my baking/mixing dishes, I knew the gray water tank was full so slipped out between drops to pull the handle. The rest of my day was cuddled in my chair with Gibbs and my book. It was cool inside so I turned the blue flame heater on to warm things (us) up for a while.

Someone knows how to tell time.
Where's my Daddy? This was at 4:45.

I dust mopped the floors before making my tea. Soon enough, I was sitting back down, feeling kind of lazy. It was within the hour after that when my doctor’s office called. Don’t you sometimes feel that when things are going good you should forgo messing with life? I know, I know, wrong attitude. Doc has requested that I get more blood tests in a couple of months because of an abnormal count so immediately the blood pressure rises. LOL

Mr. Grosbeak visits again.
Isn't he handsome?

Bill was later getting home and I could tell from the looks of him that it was a hard day. Drywall dust covered him from head to foot. Into the shower he goes! 😊 No wonder we’re filling the tank quicker these days, he’s showering daily now. Bill had taken burgers out of the freezer yesterday before he knew how late I’d be getting home, so we’ll have them tonight. Hopefully, the rain holds off to barbecue. Sticking to my regime, I’m skipping the bun.

Mmmm, that smells good!

Perfect solution!
Delicious!

Supper was yummy! Bill was able to bbq after all. Gibbs longingly looking at Weber Q, "what are you guys having?" ♥ The rain has stopped – for now. Dare I say Yay!? This was a pretty good day, even though house bound. We didn't get any warmer than 13C/56F today. This is May, isn't it?

Good night!

Thank you for the visit.

A Full Day in the City

The Ridge

On Monday, May 13^th the day presented something totally different. First off, I woke up just before 7 and Bill was coming back up to lay down. With his co-worker unable to report to work, they decided to take the day off. The job they are doing now requires all three employees. It was supposed to be a decent day until late afternoon so he didn’t mind so much. Because I was driving for a lot of the day, pictures are minimal.

My day was also a change from the norm. I had my shower and at 9:30 left Bill and Gibbs to drive to Hanover to pick up my sister, Donna. I had a doctor’s appointment in London, 2 ½ hours away, and she kindly accepted my offer to ride along and keep me company. 😊 Things work out well, sometimes, that meant Gibbs didn’t have to be left alone for an 8-hour stretch. He could spend it with Daddy.

Bill had things to do at home, weed trimming being one and cutting branches being two. I hope he has time to do some of his own stuff too. Donna and I had a good drive only hitting construction when we got to our destination. We left ourselves plenty of time so we were able to grab lunch at Tim Horton’s when we arrived in the city at 12:15. We each had the farmers sausage wrap and a steeped tea. They were good! I was happy to be able to pay for it all on a prepaid card from my former boss, Jamie. Remember Jamie? ♥

The tops are fine..........

From there, we located where the doctor’s office was and nipped down the street to my favourite London thrift store, Talize. We didn’t have more than 20 minutes but we each lucked out with one purchase each. Being over 65, a discount of 10% added to our smiles. 😊 My running shoes, that I’ve worn daily for one thing or another for a couple of years are finally showing wear. The tops look great but a hole in the sole and worn tread is making them uncomfortable.

Not so for the under side.

These have added support with an 'air' sole
and I love that they are slip-ons

A steal at Talize merited me a new-to-me pair of Sketcher’s for less than $5! I removed the laces and insoles from the old pair and tossed them out, tout suite. After my appointment, to which I was pleased with – especially the weigh scales! – we drove through some construction. London is always a mess but I am fairly familiar with the main streets and we drove to our friend, Brenda’s, home in an older community. The homes are so interesting, hers included.

My hair was done, Donna's turn.

Brenda obliged both of us with a hair cut on her day off which included a wonderful 2 hour visit at the same time. 😊 Brenda and I have been friends for about 15 years and it is a beautiful relationship, even though we see each other only once or twice a year.♥ 

Homes in this part of the city are very close but Brenda and Randy's
back yard is a beautiful private space that they've made their own.

Wind chimes and many personal touches give the
feeling of serenity

From the back deck, this is the walkway to the street

We left her place at 5 for the long drive home. Through the heart of the city and plenty more construction, we returned home following the route Bill and I take. The drive down was following Donna’s route which may have been a tad shorter. We were on no time limit, which made it nice.

A professional cut after my winter hack jobs. 😁
Hey, that's who I am!

What a lovely visit.
Thank you Brenda! 💖

It was 8 o’clock when I returned home to my boys, after dropping Donna off, and he had not eaten. ☹ An easy late supper was a couple of eggs on toast and that fit the bill. We watched some tv together and I was falling asleep before 10 so Gibbs and I went to bed. It was an awesome day! The weather for us all day was 25C/77F with sunshine until we were about 40 minutes from home, when it started raining. 

A late simple but tasty supper.
Good night!

Thank you for popping in.

Laundry & Shopping, But Still Enjoying Mother’s Day

The Ridge

On Sunday, May 12^th we slept in. That is, after Bill and Gibbs got up at 6, they both came back to bed until 7. I washed, dressed and made my tea-to-go. Bill sorted the dirty clothes into two bundles and carried the basket out to Ptooties for me. Bill texted me as I approached Durham to tell me I forgot my tea. Darn!

Good morning!
I wonder what that sky is going to do.

So, I went through the Tim Horton’s drive through and got a medium steeped tea. Yummy! That was my own Mother’s Day treat, I guess. 😊 The Mat had 3 regular customers; one I’d forgotten about. The fellow from Cape Breton with the reeeaaallly strong accent. Of course, he had to tell me a few jokes.

Clothes on the line and the sun is coming
through for me.

Once I finished cleaning, our laundry was ready. The sky outside was still covered in clouds but I knew rain was not expected. What to do, what to do? While debating, Bridgette called to wish me Happy Mother’s Day and we chatted for another 15 or 20 minutes. ♥ I made a decision when the sun began poking through and put the blue jeans and Bill’s work shirts in the dryer and folded the lighter things to take home for the line.

I didn't show you the peanut butter cookies
from yesterday
3 ingredients: 1 egg, 1 cup of p.b., 1/4 cup sweetener (I used Splenda)

Before I came home, I nipped across the highway into the Ultramar and topped Ptooties up with fuel. She was mine tomorrow. 😊 In case you are curious, here are the fuel prices in Durham. Diesel $1.52.9/litre and Regular Gas $1.62.9/litre. One U.S. gallon = 3.78 litres. You do the math, but we are saying “diesel is down, go top up!”  When we returned home it was more than that. Hurts the pocket book.

My fudge turned out amazing!
It is just what I need to conquer my sweet tooth
without the guilt.

Back home, I hung the clothes and we all went outside together. Bill took the Rub Cadet and wagon down to pick up branches from the front field and I walked down with a pail of dahlia bulbs, evening primrose and tiger lilies. I used a forked trowel to loosen up the gate garden bed and planted some of each. I may move them around later, but for right now, it puts some greenery out there. When they flower, I can decide what is too tall, too short or just altogether not a good spot.

You may not be able to see them now,
but it will be interesting to see how things
look when they grow. 

The black flies were all around me though as I finished up and pulled grass from the lilies and winter geraniums along the fence line. Eeeek! Time to go in. Bill wasn’t finished, so Gibbs and I settled in and around the Bunky until he was done. I repainted a couple of garden rocks and then we all came in for lunch. I’m using my last keto bread slice for a chicken salad sandwich. I’m ticked that Walmart here doesn’t carry anything along the line.

My supper

We’d decided we needed quite a few groceries so took a drive to Hanover’s Walmart to stock up. We took Black Beauty as Bill will be taking her to his work tomorrow and likes to start on a full tank. We found what we needed in the food line and a couple of other things that we needed. We were back home before 3 and there is this day almost gone. Bill dozed and I went out to bring the dry clothes in. There was just enough breeze today, along with the sporadic sunshine, to dry them.

Not much to show for a sunset tonight but
we had a nice day.
Get ready, more rain tomorrow! LOL

Bill did some weed trimming for the hour before supper and I relaxed with my book. I think I even dozed in my recliner with Gibbs beside me. ♥ Supper was good and filling. I baked a chicken breast in Rosy, my AF and a pork chop for Bill in the oven. He had mixed veggies and I had ¼ of a pepper squash. I could only eat half of the chicken breast; they are so plump and filling. Bill loaded the dishwasher and made his lunch. Back to work tomorrow already. Where did the weekend go?

Today, I thought of this special lady.
At 84, she swung those horseshoes with the best of us!
Miss you Mom. 💘

This has been a good day. Some chores needed to be done but there was still time to enjoy this Mother’s Day. 😊 I hope that is true for all you Mom’s out there!

To all you Moms out there!
Good night!

Thank you for popping in.