'Black' Fog Covers the Land, A Bit of Work, Clemson Sees the Vet, Birthday

The Ridge

I had my alarm set for 6 on Friday, May 24^th and typically so, woke up about 30 minutes earlier. That’s okay. If I don’t set it, sure enough I’d sleep in. It is really REALLY nice that I’m not on anyone’s work schedule but my own. It wouldn’t matter if I slept in and didn’t get to my job until 10. I’m on my own clock and that was something that was an important element in me working again.

Thick fog to the east as i turned right on #4 highway

And dead ahead to the south

Bill was still sleeping, after he and Clemson were up at 4 for a piddle. I tiptoed out after getting dressed and washed. My plan was to slip out around 6:15 and get done cleaning early. Daddy’s ‘black’ fog jiggled that Jello. It was thick as pea soup so I bided my time reading blogs from yesterday. Bill came down soon after and made his coffee. He’s the one who should be sleeping in after a full work day and long drive yesterday!

The air is calm out there, not a titch of a breeze this morning as is evident in our flag. By 6:40 the fog wasn’t much better but Bill said to take my time and I would be fine once I reached the highway. I put the fog lights on (or so I thought!) and headed into town. The place was quiet the whole time I was there so I was able to zip through without any slowdowns. Next time, I might try and do the front big windows, they are pretty dirty. There was one washer that had a note in the door so I took a picture to text it to Jamie.

I'm sure we've all seen this type of note in campground
laundromats
Never before have I been concerned with them, until now
(To Jamie and I, this should happen.......door open, water leaks?)

Back home, I made my tea and sat and relaxed until I cooled down. Even with a fan running in the Mat and the door propped, it is warm in there when you are cleaning steady. Bill was on his rider in the front field as the grass is growing like crazy. Clemson just got up again around 9 so when I took him out, I pulled my battery mower out of the shed. I need to cut my area of grass today too. I'm hoping to get it all cut today.

I followed a couple of gravel trucks home
and at 8:45 the fog was just starting to lift

At 9:30, I made breakfast as I saw Bill coming up the lane. Bacon and eggs on toast for him and a zucchini bagel with mine. These are pretty good! Not crunchy like a bagel even after toasting it but I’ll try toasting the next one longer. I had a call from Jamie and we discussed the washer and the client who seems to be making a habit of this same complaint. After dishes, we went out to get to work. Well, first I swept the floors inside, they needed it badly. Then I joined Bill.

Bill hopped on the rider again and did around our parking area, up on the berm and in the corral. There are some places he can’t get to up on the berm that need to be whipper-snipped or done with my mower – or both, actually. I put the battery in the mower and thankfully, it was fully charged from the last time Bill charged it. We carry it south with us so it doesn’t lose its charge completely. We were both covered from head to toe in clothing and our hats. A necessary evil with the black flies. They were on our screened faces, on our dark clothing and never relented.

Oscar, the greeter at the vets

I was exhausted by the time I finished and extremely hot (and bothered by the persistent flies). Being fully clothed and exerting the energy required to cut grass (walking) is not a comfortable feeling. When I put the mower away, I retreated to the Bunky to do a certain amount of disrobing. The gloves, screened tilly style hat, the windbreaker and shoes. It was nice and cool in there so I laid down on the futon until my body cooled considerably.

Back inside the Suite, I hopped in the shower and enjoyed both cool water and then hot. As I was finishing Bill came in and had his. We had 20 minutes or so to be ready for Clemson’s vet appointment in town. We arrived on time and then had to wait about 20 minutes before we were called in. I recognized the doctor as I’d just seen him at Rockwood, on their weekly Pet Day. He’d brought a beautiful collie in to see the residents, Mom and I included.

Why are we here again, Daddy?
Clemson seems to be watching Oscar

Clemson went through the regular checkup, weight, temperature, heart and liver checks. All checking out as very good. His ears were clear, his eyes clouded and his teeth deteriorating in the manner we already were aware of. Then came the tough part. Drawing the vet’s attention to the two lumps on Clemson’s underbelly and front leg. One was soft which turned out to be just fatty tissue. Bill and I saw it through a microscope and that was interesting.

The second one was double in size from last summer and it had formed a hard core. This sample was harder to retrieve and our little boy didn’t like it at all. We all agreed to have this one sent away to Guelph for a determination. The last thing we drew his attention to was a small pea size mass. Just a poke with a sterile needle burst the ‘bubble’ and it disappeared – for now. Just a cyst. So, a couple of things cleared up and the third we’ll hear about next week.

Clemson looks to me for help?
He looks a tad freaked out, no?

We left a sizable donation which also included his heart worm and flea medication to begin June 1^st for the next 6 months. Back home, Bill and I felt worn out and Clemson never refuses a snooze with the family. I went up to bed with the little guy and Bill soon followed. We were obviously in need of a sleep as it was an hour and a half later when we got up. Time for a tea and some cheddar. Clemson didn’t get up until a few minutes after his supper hour of 5 o’clock. Today's ordeal tired him out too.

The flag isn't blowing - It is wrapped around the pole from
yesterday's winds

We sat and read some. Yes, it would be nice to be outside but I didn’t want to cover up on such a warm day. That would be necessary with the black flies that are temporarily invading our space. So, we stayed inside and were quite fine with that. Just after 6, I warmed up the beef stew I made yesterday and we had a quick and easy supper together. For dessert, we had a dish of yummy custard. Gosh, I love that stuff!

With dishes done, the sun was brilliant out there where all day it was playing tag with the clouds. At least we had no rain and we had beautiful temperatures in the mid 60F/18C range. This is great for the veggies I’ve planted. It was a quiet evening with some tv and more reading. My book is very good.

I hope you have enjoyed this warm day in your neighbourhood too.

Happy Birthday to a beautiful young lady!
Bill's first daughter, Yvonne.

My section of the lawn responsibility is looking good again
No turtle pictures today, I didn't need a walk with over 5 miles walked already
Good night y'all!

Thank you for stopping in!

The Kind of Mornings We’ve Waited For, Water Fill, Clemson Gets Drugs, Daughter Visit, Laundry, Garage Sales, Brief Storm

On Friday, May 25^th I woke up at 5:30 and tossed and turned a few times trying to go back to sleep. It feels like the ‘gator roll’ we see on Swamp People because I go from side to back to other side to front to side again before giving it up altogether. I got up at 7 and Bill followed soon after. Windows were open and the duvet was up and down a few times through the night. It was a great night for sleeping.

This is a cute depiction in a Vet's office

We made our tea and coffee and read comments and blog posts from our friends. Nice to catch up with what they are up to, kind of like a ‘Good morning’ called across the campground. I stepped outside in my skivvies, as Daddy would say, (my pjs) to retrieve more bottles of water from the basement. This is the kind of morning I’ve been longing for! Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous and 60F/15C. The slight breeze feels refreshing.

Clemson waits his turn

At 8 we ‘let sleeping dogs lie’ and drove over to the Acreage to fill our water bladder. Bill drove to the back with Gerry and Donna and I sat at the front and enjoyed the sun in their King’s chairs. We visited for half hour and headed home. Bill transferred water while I cooked breakfast and then cleaned up dishes after he was finished. We also needed propane so he loaded the tank in the bed of the truck for our later trip into town.

and these dogs waited patiently too

Clemson had an appointment with the vet at 11 am to get his distemper/hepatitis and 2 things I can’t pronounce shot and a blood test for heart worm. He was very good but naturally fidgety with all the poking and prodding. He has lost a bit of weight so we both are curious how we can follow his diet. Hmmm. We also picked up his Revolution solution for fleas and ticks. He came out of there with a bandage on his ‘arm’ , feeling proud of his bragging rights and we came out with emptier wallets.

"I'm okay and pretty 'cool' in my bandaid"

Back home, I changed and continued with my rock/stone clearing project. It is quite warm out there at 82F already at noon hour so I took lots of breaks and drank lots of water. With the small rocks spread on the laneway and the big rocks dumped by the Restroom, I came inside with Clemson. He needed a bath, his backside tends to get dirty at certain times so into the sink he went. One of us can do this but two makes it easier. It's a family affair, usually.

Hard at it

Before I went out to work on the smaller rocky areas, I made us each an ice cream cone. Breakfast was early and supper would be as well, so an early afternoon snack was in order to tide us over until 4:30. We shared the last inch of each of our cones with Mr. Mooch and then I went back outside to dig more rocks. Bit by bit it is looking more promising. I’ll need to get some top soil to spread over the area and then sprinkle it with grass seed. After that, it will be up to nature.

Pretty little Chevy in town for sale

Bill was out working on the generator. When in town, we filled the gas can and also refilled our 40-lb propane tank. There is still an unknown problem, the Champion doesn’t run with what should be normal power. He hasn’t given up yet but if Bill can’t figure it out, he’ll take it up the road to North Line Repair Service. This guy is a neighbour, 2 lanes up and we hear he is pretty good at what he does.

When I came inside, I was so hot that I hopped in the shower right away and kept the water temperature at cool. That felt so nice! I sorted the dirty clothes for an early morning trip to the Durham Laundromat. Hoping soon after I get up, I’ll get in there since it opens at 7. The weather will determine if I dry them there or bring them home to hang. Fingers crossed!

Love lasagna

At 4:30 Bill plugged us into power so I could run the microwave for 10 minutes to reheat our lasagna. We’d invited ourselves to Bill’s oldest daughter, Yvonne’s (the birthday girl) for a visit since we hadn’t seen Dennis and the 4 boys since we’d returned home in April. We have gifts for them and we were happy to hear they would be home tonight. It is so hard to pin these kids and grandkids down with all of the things going on in their lives.

A pleasant evening drive

 With dishes cleaned up, we put Clemson in charge with a couple of treats at 5:30 and drove to Tavistock. This weather is something else. Sitting at 84F/29C and that makes the decision of what to wear easy. I doubt it will cool down too much but I’ll take a sweater along just in case. The Suite is warm but there is a lovely breeze coming in the windows. The little bum will sleep most of the time while we’re away so we'll hardly be missed.

I'm never sure if this is a business or residential home

It is an hour and a half and the sky remained blue the whole way so it was a pleasant drive. Their neighbor had just backed a 37.7’ Grand Design Solitude into the driveway so Bill, of course, had to chit chat with them for a couple of minutes. Our friends own a Solitude and we know they are very happy with it. Somebody is doing something right when a young couple in their 30’s can afford such a large, new, house, truck and rv. Good for them! However, because it 'just' barely fits in the drive, it is a bit of an eyesore in a new sub-division, blocking the view from Yvonne's house up the street. There may be some complaints registered from a few residents.

through the smudges on the windshield, two mature Mennonites are heading out for the evening

Dennis and Yvonne were inside and we moved outside onto the beautiful sitting area on their deck. They have been in this place in Tavi for 10 years and that just doesn’t seem possible. They have done a lot of work to the property as it was newly built when they bought. We had a couple of drinks together, caught up, talked about Dad/her Grandpa and soon Carter, Zach, Connor and finally the 16 yr. old heart throb, Braeden came home to greet us. He'd blush at that but soon his brothers will be called the same thing.

It's hard to catch the boys together and sometimes individually
this is young, Zach, one of the twins

Enjoying a drink together
Bill, Yvonne and Dennis

 They liked their t-shirts and Yvonne really liked her funky Arizona/Mexico purse. The time went by easily and at one-point Connor and Dennis started a fire in the back yard at their fire pit. Ten-year-old Bella sauntered around the property, sad to see our dogs age, she is a sweetheart and has calmed down considerably since we first met her, as they naturally do.

They have a lovely backyard

And I was amazed at the size of her hostas

Bella poses for me but I had to be persistent

Connor on the left, trying to play shy

It was around 9:30 when we said our goodbyes and drove home. I could hardly keep my eyes open so relaxed with my seat back for a bit. I can’t sleep in a car anyway but rested. I sat up in Teviotdale when Bill commented on fireworks going off. Someone was celebrating the American Memorial Day and a beautiful night to set them off. I knew Bill was getting droopy eyes too so we talked a bit and soon enough, we reached Durham.

It's blurry but Connor enjoys the fire

After letting Clemson out, Bill followed me to bed and I know I was gone in a very few minutes. There was no need for the duvet tonight so we covered in a sheet only and with a few windows wide open, had a peaceful night’s sleep. This was a busy day and we enjoyed it very much.

Sunset over the rooftops in Tavistock

Saturday, May 26^th began with us waking and rising around 6:30. Another wonderful sleep for me, my body felt that it needed it after all the digging yesterday. Bill made our coffee and tea ‘to go’ as I was heading directly into Durham and he was heading out to the riding mower to cut grass.

I was the first one in the laundromat and loaded 3 machines before taking my laptop to the bench outside to catch up on my blog. I’m getting lackadaisical in not finishing my daily posts but life is moving quickly and that is more important. I know you have all been there and totally understand where I’m coming from.

Woohoo! My first iris!

I had a nice conversation with a young lady also doing her laundry and we parted ways after the wash loads. I went in search of a garage sale. I’m looking for a couple of large outdoor flower pots for 2 tomato plants. The only sale I found was that of a British lady, Dawn, "like the morning" who stole my heart. Her idea of garage sale is exactly what I love. Low, low prices ‘just so things won’t go to a landfill’ and a nice variety of smalls. Things that you have to hunt through to see what treasures are within.

Hardly a breeze but lots of heat to dry them today
Notice the dead tree in the background, now that is personality!

 I found a couple of perfect aptly designed (for rv cupboards) containers and pair of dripless teapot clips. 

These are great storage containers with seal-tight lids and slim designs for my narrow pantry

I never knew there were such things but you can bet they will go in my purse for those silly China made stainless steel teapots in restaurants that drip all over the table when pouring. For $1? Are you kidding me? SOLD!

Bill just about finished the grass cutting

Before I left I was politely informed of the 5 boxes of candles that she had marked ‘free’. I kindly informed her, no thank you to the boxes but did choose about 10 that would be good to melt down for my homemade firestarters. She said I was welcome back later to pick up the boxes.  Such a card. We had a fun connection and I drove home and relayed my whereabouts to Bill, who was wondering if I was okay, being later than expected.

He is getting to be a pro on the slopes

I hung the clothes but had to put on a long sleeve top to do so, the little black flies were up on the hill trying to snack on my exposed flesh again. Bill told me that perhaps I should go back and pick up her candles and it would be another project for me, making a batch of the starters. Hmm. He hopped on the mower to finish cutting the back field and the berm behind us. When I saw he was about finished, I lit the Weber and fried up breakfast. The timing was perfect!

the eggs are bunched together to keep warm while waiting for Bill

Once I’d cleaned up dishes, I drove back into town to snafu more candles. She was, of course, delighted and tickled to see me back again and offered to help load them in my car. I told you she was a lovely lady. Unfortunately, when I sorted through the boxes, many of them were in containers and that was more trouble that it was worth for me to take them. I took any candles without painted decorations and glass, metal, plastic pots and she was quite happy about that.

Lilac Burst

Surprising to me, I found some almost new scented candles in glass jars that will go into my cupboard to burn in the Suite. Lilac, buttered rum and cranberry to name a few that will bring hours of fragrance.  

A few of the many candles I brought home

Of course, one more thing caught my eye and I picked up a Brita water jug for .50, just perfect for my Beer Margaritas, taking up less fridge space. Oh Deb D. what have you done? 😊

Beer margarita, yum

When I left there, I was still on a mission for finding pots and now to find a metal pan to melt the candles on the bbq. I drove to another recommended yard sale. No luck with my search but I met the most beautiful greyhound while there. His name is Parker and because I know Bill is fond of these dogs, I asked for a photo. He took to me and instantly while petting him, he leaned up against me. So gentle, just loving the attention.

Parker and his Daddy, a pretty tiger striped beauty

Posing for the picture

Back home, Bill was putting together some well-thought words for a short speech he’ll be making at Dad’s memorial service on Monday. When he finished, I typed them up for him and once plugged in we can print them off. Bill has no trouble speaking in front of people and often can ad-lib better than most. I love that about him and always have. This will no doubt be one of the hardest he’ll ever have to recite.

Our own little beauty sits under the awning with me

The skies darken

 The skies began darkening around 2:30 so we brought the dried clothes in off the line and I settled under the awning with my book until the spatters of rain blew in, chasing me inside. It grumbled, rained steady for about an hour before at 4 the sky once more calmed and let some blue through again. Just like the weather people said it would. Imagine that!

And thunder and rain make an appearance for about an hour

Supper tonight will either be bbq’d hamburgers or the last serving of lasagna. Either one will be fine by me. Whatever is left will be eaten tomorrow. Donna and Gerry have been enjoying their time at the Acreage since Thursday night, only interrupted by a work trip into Hanover this morning. I’m so happy that they are spending time out there with their new 5^th wheel and that the weather is co-operating.

A picture of our summer home
The brown area is almost 'rock-free' and hopefully will soon
be green

This has been a great couple of days and it feels good to be slowing down a bit. We still have things to do, more rocks to dig, top soil and grass seed to spread but the in-between times are used well too with hobbies and happy hours. I hope your days have been enjoyable too.

And the blue sky returns
By the time I posted this at 5:30, the clouds were completely gone again

Thanks for peeking in to see what we’re up to! Leave a comment if you wish, I love hearing from you.