Hot Enough for Ya? A Sister Visit, Storm Reaction

The Ridge

On Tuesday, June 29^th, we are almost touching the tail of the month. Like Gibbs chases his own tail, we too are anxiously reaching for June’s, indicating another step forward in unleashing the famed ‘Ontario Lockdown’. Enough already, just get on with it! I want to eat in a restaurant! I want large gatherings again.

Bill hooked up the trailer

Gibbs watches Daddy leave for work

Bill slept through his alarm but not by much, a few minutes, I think. Gibbs took him around the yard and then extended the morning walk up the berm and down again. I credit his patience, Bill’s. 😊 He brought Gibbs up with my permission onto the bed at 6:15. Changes in the little guy are noticeable every week. We went out to say goodbye to ‘Daddy’ as he hooked up the cargo trailer to Black Beauty today. They were meeting close to Hanover to work at the cottage on the lake.

The Meaford pizza shop wasn’t finished but other things were going on there that they needed to wait for. He left around 7ish and I fed Gibbs his breakfast early. Once he’d been out, he went in his crate so I could go into town to do my little job. I was alone today so puttered around at my own speed with no need for a ‘Covid’ mask and no distractions. I left the place in good condition with a wet floor and headed home by 8:30.

I like how the primrose flowers close overnight

The Coneflower is ready to pop

The heat was already moving in with a force so I closed the two windows when I got in so the a/c could do its thing. I took my tea outside with Gibbs and it was around 9:00 that Donna texted asking if I was up for a visit. Of course! We haven’t seen each other for a couple of weeks and that is rare, so she took the time to come for a couple of hours. We caught up on things and got a chuckle out of Gibbs digging for China. Goodness, that little boy makes a mess trying to find cooler ground! 😊

digging in the dirt for a cool spot to lay
Look at that dark stripe down his back

When Donna was ready to leave, she said “We’ll have to do this again” and I agree. She couldn’t get over how big Gibbs is after 2 weeks absence. I chatted on text with our buddy, Pat, as well who is currently at their ‘island retreat’ in northern Ontario. We try and keep in touch every couple or three days and it is always good to hear how they are doing. We came inside where it was cooler and I made a coffee and a grilled breakfast wrap of meat, cheese, onion and bacon.

An interesting dandelion??
First stage

Stage 2

My favourite, stage 3

Last night, I finished my Glynis Peters book and it was so good. I’m sure my sister, Gayle, will enjoy it as I did so I’ll keep it for sharing with her. I checked online to see where one of my deliveries were and almost expected it to arrive today by Canada Post. It was after 1:30 so I’m assuming not but since it was in Kitchener, most likely tomorrow. Also, tomorrow I will be receiving my large FedEx parcel from Norwex. Yay! 😊 Cathy’s and Pat’s orders will be in that parcel as well.

My beautiful sister, Donna visits

Kim and I had been talking about our last daughter’s wedding in November when they were here so I wanted to pull out the dress I’d picked up. Second hand, of course, always second hand if possible. I wanted to consider what else I would need with it so I can keep my eyes open over the next few shopping trips. I’m pleased with it, a lot, but will watch for decent shoes and a hand clutch to match. Gosh, remember those heels we used to wear? They look great but after a few hours they had to come off!

See ya, sis!

Satisfied with that, I started a new book. This one by Louise Penny called A Great Reckoning with characters I’ve read before. It got me hooked right away so I read a couple of chapters to get a good start. I’d also pulled my ‘never-ending’ cross stitch out from under the bed yesterday and decided to work on that for a bit. See Kim, how you inspire me? I know I need an upgrade in glasses so we’ll see how far along I get today.

A confused sky this morning
but a pretty one

As it turned out, I got along quite well! I’m doing a lot of ad-libbing with my picture, no one will know and already there are too many errors to count. I’m working in an area of flowers and shrubbery so it is acceptable. Says me! 😉 Bill came home around 4, which was nice, and he brought the trailer back with him. They will be working in Meaford tomorrow so it is closer and B B doesn’t have to work as hard pulling it as Mike’s F150 does.

Inspired by our weekend conversation
I got my cross stitch (needlepoint) out

One of the first things Bill said was “I need you to cut my hair again”. It was a hot, humid day (the hottest here yet) and when he got out of the truck without his shirt on, I knew that it was a hot day working. Thankfully not a lot of sun so he wasn’t burnt. I was intent to continue on my cross-stitch so did that for about half hour and then we went upstairs to the bathroom to Patsy’s Barbershop. LOL Once more, we did a pretty good job and the customer was more than happy.

Hopefully it will look like this when we're done

I started supper after cleaning up and Bill went out to put the lawn chairs under the cap of the Suite. Rain was coming according to Donna in Hanover.  Rather than fry the farmer’s sausage in a fry pan as they were, I wanted to shorten the cook time. That meant cutting the 3 links into small chunks. They cooked faster that way and I added cut up pepper, green onions, bacon and mushrooms. It looked good so I was thrilled when it tasted just as good. 😊

A storm passed to the north
before we got hit

Gibbs gets a tummy brush

On the side, I made a Caesar salad for me and boiled a sliced potato for Bill. It would give him some leftovers to fry up for another night. Supper was good and while Bill finished the last of his pecan pie, I had a better for me Cheesecake with homemade raspberry sauce. The rain had pushed through bringing thunder and some lightning while we ate and we were happy to see that it didn’t bother Gibbs at all. Storms were never a bother to Clemson either. Yay!

For being thrown together with a little of this and a little of that,
it was very good!

After dishes, I took Gibbs for a walk before his supper and Bill made his lunch for tomorrow. I had a call today from Home Hardware that my kiddie’s pool is ready for pick up so I’ll see if it will fit in Ptooties in the morning. This was a great day, made much better with a visit from Donna.

The rain was heavy for about 20 minutes
and then cleared out with nary a breeze
The greenery and gardens are lapping it up
Good night!

Thank you for stopping around! Your comments are always welcome.

Some Rain for a Change, Happy Gardens, Trip to Owen Sound with my Sisters

The Ridge

On Thursday, June 3^rd (it feels funny typing June) Bill was up and washed before Gibbs even knew. That’s a nice way for Bill to start his day. He closed the door to upstairs and kept the little boy down with him after he went out for morning piddles. Funny how our conversations focus on the puppy’s habits. “He went out and did both but his poop wasn’t a very big one”. 😊 Such is the life of pet owners, especially new ones.

It had rained over night and was still drizzly this morning

It was important information though as it meant he would likely have to go out again soon. The sneaky little guy pulled a fast one on us and when Bill went up to brush his teeth, Gibbs followed and went into the bedroom and left an unwelcome surprise. So, he didn’t even ring the bell when 75% of the time, he does. We’ll get there, it feels discouraging but honestly, we are not discouraged. He is only 12 weeks old and there are more forward steps than backward ones. 

since Bill took the storm windows off last night,
today, I used my Norwex dust mitt and wiped the dust off

Today, Gayle told me to dampen the mitt and they will
come cleaner still

After Bill left, I took him out once more and then I left for Durham. I never heard a peep when he went in his crate nor last night at bedtime. The Mat wasn’t too bad at all but with the wet weather,  the floors get the worst of it. It was rainy and very wet everywhere this morning. It’s hard even to sweep when the floors are damp but I finished up by sweeping, then damp mopping. Two customers were decent enough to wait in their cars for their loads to finish.

Driving into Harris Park in Owen Sound

It was a good day. I found one dime (Daddy) in a washer, then another one (Mom) along a baseboard and lo and behold just before I finished sweeping, the last one (brother Bruce) under the bench. 😊 Today, my sister and I are taking (accompanying) Donna to an appointment in Owen Sound since her hubby is unavailable. Gayle has managed to find out that the European Bakery is open for take out so we're going early for lunch. Yay! 

So, I’ll meet Donna in town, pick Gayle up near Chatsworth and order lunch around 1:30. It was looking like our idea of eating it at the park or the Museum tables was all for naught but by 11:00, the sun started pushing the clouds out of the way and blue sky gave me hope. See, I believe that not only were my heavenly family watching over me this morning, they are watching over all 3 of us girls as we go about our afternoon together. Cheering us on.

Lots of shallow ponds for the little ones to play in and they
were

I had finished my tea early, took Gibbs for a walk around the area up here on the Ridge and laughed at his first meeting with Mrs. Yertle. I sure wish I’d had my camera or phone in my pocket! That was so cute! As soon as she moved her legs and head in or out, Gibbs would jump back and bark. 😊 What a goof! I had one of my keto muffins for breakfast and then boiled some hummingbird food to let it cool.

My lunch, the toasted dark rye bread
was tasty

Bill has started teaching Gibbs how to count his paws when he wipes them dry so I do the same thing. He didn’t include #5 for when his whole fluffy body is wet from the grass and the rain! Ha ha Clemson knew the routine, learned very quickly to stand and lift each leg accordingly when he came in from outside in wet weather, rain or snow. He was so smart and I’m sure this pup will catch on quickly too.

I washed the few dishes in the sink since I would be away all afternoon and sat and played with Gibbs since he would be in his crate for a few hours, longer than normal through the day. ☹ I feel bad about that but I know he’ll be fine and safe. I filled his self-dispensing water bowl that goes in his crate so he’ll have lots of water. He seems to drink a lot, well, often at least. He’s been eating all of his meals so his energy level is always at peak.

Things almost felt normal, having our picnic

Some of you will recognize my sisters because
you've met them
Gayle, Donna and Patsy

At 12:15 I gave him a treat and locked him in. He needed a little butt push this time, he didn't want to go in. I met Donna at 12:30 at the Credit union parking lot and we had an uneventful drive to Gayle’s home and then to the restaurant in Owen Sound. We called from outside and they said we could walk in to place a take out order, masked. I ordered, what else, but a Reuben on dark rye. It came with a wonderful dill pickle spear. 😊 We decided to take our boxed lunches to Harrison Park.

The seagulls were looking for handouts
but we weren't offering

What a great choice that was! The park was quite busy, the day was beautiful and we found a picnic table in the sun to eat. Better still, they had washrooms open for the public to use. Cha-ching! In these lockdowns, you just never know. We walked around a bit and then sat on a bench by the playground to discuss some possible events for our LadyFest in July. We have been tossing different ideas around for a few days.

I walked through the trees to the water
This picnic table would be a place to sit with your
feet in the water

We drove to Pet Smart where I retrieved my curbside pick up order of food and clippers for Gibbs and then drove to Donna’s scheduled appointment. Gayle and I waited inside, masked, and we were on our way home by 4:30. One stop to drop Gayle off and pick up some rhubarb plants and more fresh rhubarb. Huge stalks! We weren't allowed to go to Value Village or the Mission Store but still, the day couldn't have been better.😊 

I forgot to get a picture going in so caught the sign
on the way out

Bill was home when I texted from Durham that I was on my way. That made me happy since Gibbs had been in his crate for a very long time today. As it turned out, Daddy hadn’t been home long before me. 

We relaxed together for half hour or so and I suggested toasted tomato sandwiches for supper. That was quick and hit the spot. We did dishes and then Bill had a dish of ice cream and I had a cone. First picnic this year and first ice cream cone. Both were great!

My rhubarb treasure

The evening was a pretty one, with blue skies and the sun made the freshly laundered greenery even brighter. The landscape was also very happy for the overnight and morning rains. It would be an early night as we were both tired out. I took our extra blankets off the bed, we wouldn't be needing them. 😍

Still lovin' his silly positions when play or sleeping

He always hears the camera click
this was a great day
Good night!

Thank you for your visit!

Chatting it up with the Boss, A Visit with my Sister, History Part 2

Paisley, On

On Friday, Nov. 13^th after Bill left for work, I had my tea upstairs. It was around 8 when I went down again and made my thermos of coffee and packed a banana and some cheese slices Bill cut for me. I remembered the second trip down the stairs to go back and get 3 loonies and to take the RO water jug for a fill up. 😊 I retrace my steps so many times in a day because I’m so forgetful. LOL

As near as I can figure, this is the Hogg Pearce Home
William Walker Hogg spared no expense building this as a bridal home for his first born
daughter, Mary Crockie Hogg and her husband Thomas French Pearce
around 1900
What can I say but "Wow!"

It was a cool morning at 3C/39F but the frost was either dissipated off my windshield or I was sheltered enough not to have any. I saw some on Wes’s window from about 5’ behind where I park. No scraping for me. It was a good drive, I obviously missed the buses stopping, and made it to Durham laundromat by 9. There were 3 customers who were in the process of drying their clothes so it wasn’t long and I was on my own.

I may have posted this already but here is the history of this GoCo Gas Bar & Variety
Formerly the Balmoral Hotel on Paisley's main street (Queen St. S.)
Little remains of the 3-storey building that once anchored the south end of the business district.
As McClure's Garage the main floor was opened up to allow cars to drive inside
Obviously, upper storeys were later removed

As the last masked lady was finishing up with her folding, in walked my boss. It has been over a month since I’ve seen Jamie and I miss our occasional chit chats. He hung around for about 20 minutes to half hour and when the lady left, I gave Jamie a ‘real’ hug for his birthday that was on the 11^th. I wasn’t sure what she’d think. It was only ‘virtual’ in our card write up. 😊

Two views of the Braeside
This was built in 1880 by Samuel Rowe (one of the founders and first settlers of Paisley)
as a wedding present to his daughter

I love the trim around roof peaks and brickwork over the windows

We caught up on a few things and I was sad to hear that his driving job is ending in another week or so, I think he said. He is actively looking for something else already and I’m sure he’ll find something suitable. After working a full career in a Honda factory, an assembly line would be out of the question for me! I only had the floors to do when he left and that didn’t take long and I was on my way home.

Dr. McLaren's home
A French Renaissance house built shortly after the arrival of the railway in Paisley
The mansard roof, designed to give an extra storey, is a feature that was reaching its peak in Europe about the same time this was constructed. This mammoth structure has been home
of several doctors and was probably the birthplace of many residents of Paisley.

In Hanover, I stopped at Independent to get some yogourt and Bill’s Nutter Butter cookies and then drove to Donna’s for a visit. She has a few articles of clothing that she is getting rid of so gave me a chance to see if I’d like anything. I came home with a few light weights and one heavy sweater, a jacket, a pair of dress pants and even an ear wrap headband thingy! She listened to me whine about my toque scenario and then offered this to me. 😊

At the north corner of the building that our room is in,
this was the first brick store originally built for the merchant and Postmaster Thomas Orchard.
Originally Orchard/Ballachey General Store (1860)

More recently known as Thompson Bros. Furniture, it is now empty and up for rent
I love the rear warehouse constructed of stone in 1864

It was a grand hour and a half, since she was alone, and after reminiscing over my drive yesterday, I headed for home. It had warmed up a teensy bit to 6C/43F and with no sunshine all day, not bound to get any better. The spitting from my earlier drive kept me company part of the way home but it wasn’t deterring the ride any. While I was in Durham, I also remembered to fill up the 5-gallon water jug so at home made two trips from Ptooties to garage to bring everything in.

At the corner of Albert and Inkerman Streets, this used to
be the Paisley Continuation School and is now apartments
Built in 1914 on the site of the first school which was destroyed by fire a year earlier, this served as Paisley's public school until 1969 when a new school was opened at the south end of the village

Wes and Susan were both at home when I arrived and within half hour, Bill texted that he was on his way. Friday afternoon to ourselves is always a nice prelude to the weekend. The day brightened up around 2:30, not only because we were together (aaah) but the sky actually seemed clearer, the clouds not so heavy and gray. Instead of going for a walk, I lazed the rest of the day away.

And now, back to Wes and Susan's property
The Porteous Bank
This was my personal tour inside

The vault door remains closed but not locked and opens up to a set of inner doors
to the bricked vault

While upstairs, I had the brain wave that while these 3 house mates watch a Hallmark movie in the theatre room, perhaps I could put a dvd in my laptop and watch one of our movies on there! Yay! Brilliant! Unfortunately, the dvd drive on my Lenovo ThinkPad has never worked well and today was no exception.

No different than our children of today, the youngsters had no perception
of historical value and jotted their names on the inside vault doors

Imagine having bags of cash and coin stashed in here?

This is where customers files were kept
All of this, knotted wood floors, was behind counters with iron bars

A dvd that I chose would not play. It would seem to start and then nothing. That was so frustrating. As if that wasn’t enough, the drive tray got stuck with the dvd inside and trying to get it open we snapped the end off. Grrr. Yes, now I’m very upset. Bill purchased an external dvd drive for his laptop, which didn’t come with one, so just maybe I’ll be able to use that. Otherwise I’ll just read. Here I was thinking I may have resolved some of the winter woes.

The manufacturers name over the door

The bank president's office in the back room

Wes closed the door and you can see the markings that the jeweller/watch maker
had imprinted while his business was in operation

Looking from the north side towards the open vault door
Notice the different flooring sections
The narrow 2-tone was were customers could walk
There were counters and offices on the other sections of knotted flooring
where staff were housed during business hours
Most recently, Susan rented the space out for an ice cream shop
That is why you see such colourful walls on the south side

At 5:30, Bill and I went downstairs to start supper. Fried burgers tonight with peach crumble and whipped cream for dessert.  The burgers were ooey, drippy and delicious! After dishes, Bill slipped upstairs for a snooze before the movie starts and I finished watching the last half hour of NCIS. It seems I’m not seeing much tv these days so thought I’d take advantage while being in control of the controls. 😊 I didn’t take pictures today – of anything – so I will post a few more from the Paisley history book.

One last look at the beautiful (but not uniform) flooring
Looking out the front door to the main street (Queen St. S.)
Porteous Bank was a bank from 1879-97
Shoemaker's Jewellers held fort for almost a century with their name still imbedded
in the sidewalk
Now you know about as much about the bank as I do.
Good night!

Enjoy and have a great evening! Thanks for taking the time to stop by.