Rainy Day Sunday, Tire Guy

The Ridge

Sunday, July 19^th we got up around 7:30 to a dull morning. The breeze coming in from my window and all the other Suite windows was so refreshing. We’d both slept well after crawling into bed close to midnight. Bill went in for his shower and I went for my walk. It was humid already and even though I wore shorts, my ¾ sleeves were too much. LOL It was 23C/73F.  I had the road to myself and enjoyed the peacefulness. 

The geese were relaxing in the field across from our lane

Last night, Donna had passed on some information from our other sister, Gayle, about the plantain weed benefits. Some of the things the leaf cures and heals were amazing to me so just to be sure what it looked like, she found one in our yard. Well, more than one but because Bill had just cut the grass, they were shorter and the skinny leaf type.

Bill has a re-occurring wart on his foot that our doctor tried to zap years ago so we wanted to see if the weed will help. I wet it, folded it and applied it to the area with tape for overnight. It will indeed take a few applications but we are willing to give it a try. The tape came off through the night so we'll replace it again. This morning, when I returned from my walk, Bill and I sat with our drinks. I had my post to finish so did that first.

A chickory flower is such a pretty blue

I was happy to find some nice plants of
broadleaf plantain to bring home

We knew there was rain coming so Bill took the convertible jet pump that he borrowed from Gerry down to the pond’s edge. This would be the be-all, end-all test for our chances to get water up to the gardens and for vehicle washing, without drilling a well. If it works, we’ll pick one up for ourselves. I can envision how much easier certain things will be up here. I didn’t do much while he hooked things up but was happy when he showed me our sprinkler hose working! Yay!

The next thing on today’s agenda was to dump the black tank. Our gauge has never been 100% accurate so we can tell by the sound when the toilet flushes that it is time to dump. He just finished that when Mike’s ‘tire guy’, from Home Town Tire Service, who didn’t make it yesterday, arrived. The two of them did their thing, crawling around under the slide-outs. I think Bill learned some stuff about our tires and I even caught wind of some useful info.

At the bottom of the corral hill, Bill has the hose and valve in the pond water

When light rain drops started, I went into the Bunky and closed the windows and worked on the puzzle. It is challenging and I’m enjoying it. I heard Joe and Bill saying their goodbyes in the midst of the downpour. Bill had at least run inside to get his rain coat on and Joe was in the truck.  After he left, I thought I’d better get my butt inside the Suite before I got stuck out there so once it slowed a bit, I ran ‘home’. 😊 Bill was caught in it as he put the pump under shelter and replaced the tire covers. He was a sopping mess when he came inside.

And it worked but the pump kept overheating

We had a second hot drink together and around noon, I made him a toasted tomato sandwich with bacon and cheese. I’m not sure why but I wasn’t hungry but knew I could eat something in a little bit. The rains kept us inside, neither of us wanted to get caught out in our sheds if the downpour and storm hit. Bill dozed in his chair and I sat and read beside him. Our buddies texted and invited us in for Happy Hour so that sounded like a plan. It had stopped raining when we left.

Joe from Home Town Tire working on his own time on a Sunday

As it turned out, they were taking a mini vacation sooner than expected so they wanted to let us know and share a drink together. We arrived around 3:30 and the time flew by with lots of stories and laughs (as usual) and we got out of their hair after 5:30. We didn’t mean to overstay our welcome but that’s what happens when you are having fun. The rain held off until we just nicely got inside. You could sure feel the humidity in the air and inside the Suite wasn’t a whole lot better.

for a few hours today, this was our view

Windows were open and a fan blowing so we were soon comfortable. We’d been munching at Rob and Pat’s so weren’t very hungry. I’d eaten some pecans and sunflower seeds before we left for town so I’m not quite sure what we’ll need tonight for supper. We’ll find something. Also, before we left home, I’d wrapped some plantain around Bill’s wart again and he put socks on, in the hopes it would help. 

You don't need to see it uncovered unless we can heal it

We watched some Highway Thru Hell, American Pickers and relaxed for the rest of the evening. It was a good day with two main things taken care of. The pump and the tire check. The bonus was having Happy Hour with friends. We finished the night watching Unstoppable with Denzil Washington and then Good Witch at 9. I hope you’ve enjoyed your Sunday as well!

Another meeting we weren't invited to
Good night all!

Thanks for popping in!

Buddy Cleaning, Bill Spots a Bulge, Family Departs, Final Pack-Check.

The Ridge

On Monday, July 29^th, we woke up to another hot day. No doubt about that when at 6 am it was already reaching 65F/15C. We both got up and drove into the Laundromat. This was Bill’s ‘training’ day so we did a Buddy Clean. He will be looking after the Mat on Wednesday and Friday for me while I’m off 'hi-faluting' with the girls. 😊

I don't think I showed you there little set up in yesterday's blog

He knew the basics but just wanted to go over the things that I did while he would do the floors. It didn’t take us long, 40 minutes maybe but it was an hour’s work. I found a dime and gave that to him as a tip. Don’t worry, when he works my shift, he’ll earn that money. So, we were back by 7:30 after filling Ptooties up with fuel. Now I’ll be set for my week. There will be 4 of us driving with our vehicles, coming from different directions so we share the ‘touring’. Because there are 6 of us, everywhere we go, we need 2 cars.

This morning's sky as we left for town

Patrick came to the door around 8:30 to get Molly some water in her dish and then he returned a bit later with Nate’s cereal, milk and juice so they had their breakfast in the Suite. The morning was slow and easy and Bill did a few things down in the Hangar. If it hadn’t been so windy, and the wind picked up as the hours passed, he could have taken the Timber out for another flight. He would have let Nate fly it but the wind just wasn’t conducive. Another time.

These were from last night
Patrick and Nate playing with their little plane

It was a dud so we laughed a lot

So Bill showed them how to do it

I knew Bill was getting hungry so around 10 I made him his eggs and bacon. I’m glad he has accepted that if I’m not hungry, I’d rather not eat. We cleaned up those dishes and Patrick and Chaela started the pack up. They are heading to Collingwood to a campground for 3 nights and plan to tour the Blue Mountain area. They will have a good time, all of them and possiblyget into Georgian Bay for some swimming.

Bill had fun and Nate was in awe

I made myself a B.P. coffee and went outside on the patio and watched, staying out of the way. I was impressed with how Chaela was helping and learning how to pack the trailer. Nate was back and forth, probably saying goodbye 3- or 4-times way before it was time to leave. Bill helped Patrick check the tire pressure when one looked low and it was a good thing because he/they noticed a bulge and some cracking on the tread. The tires are so small compared to our big ones but just as important!

A nice shot of our pond

They changed the tire and topped up the spare that came with the trailer. When all was set, they were very appreciative for Bill’s help and eagle eye. We said our goodbyes and I got a family picture before they left. They have an old unit so things are going to go wrong and need to be replaced. Bill gave Patrick a few tips on things to do and when to do them. This can be a fun adventure if things are looked after on a regular basis. If we were closer, I know Bill would help him out but right now, it is just advice.

It was 12:05 when they pulled out of the laneway and turned right, following their gps. I think the dark clouds that we were watching were ahead of them so they should arrive at their destination by 1:30 and get set up before any rainfall. They have confirmed that their site in the park has plenty of shade so they shouldn’t have any problem keeping cool. I’m excited for them, Patrick especially, because this is something he loves.

It was hot to be working in the heat
but it had to be done
Molly watches, just a little afraid of what was happening

We enjoyed seeing them all and I value every moment alone with my son to the nth! I don’t see him often enough. No matter who visits, there is a sense of peace when they leave. Not that we want to see them go, that is inevitable, but when it happens, we enjoy it for what it is. Aloneness. Our lifestyle is very complacent and when families visit with children, we realize how complacent we really are. We love them dearly but the void after is still a pleasant one. 😊

Nate looks after Molly while waiting

Now it was time for me to eat and I’d found a package of chicken hearts in the freezer yesterday. Hmm, good! I fried them up in butter and fully enjoyed the treat. I need to get more of those! They are hard to find packaged by themselves, usually gizzards are in the same pack and they don’t appeal to me as much. I did buy a package of calf liver yesterday at Foodland so divided that up for two meals for me, me, me.

checking the tire pressure

Thinking of the next 3 days, I changed my big bulky purse for a smaller cross-body one, easier to carry. I was sitting writing my blog and playing online Scrabble when a knock on the door surprised me. Why was Bill knocking? It was UPS with my little Avon package. He could very easily have left it in the mailbox but kindly drove up to hand deliver it. He’s a nice guy. Then I went upstairs to go over the items I’m taking to Gayle’s tomorrow.

And another little family says goodbye

That didn’t take too long but it was a good thing because of the heat upstairs. We have the a/c on down here with the door closed to the bedroom so I was quite warm by the time I finished. With a quiet afternoon ahead of us, we dozed some, read some and then watched some tv. It was much more comfortable inside than out. I walked to the end of the lane around 4 to check the mail and touched base with Patrick. They had arrived at their destination so I could relax.

The wind picked up and the sky darkened around 5:30. Donna kept me informed about the weather as we seem to get what they get, 15 minutes later. True enough, the sky opened up around 5:45 and we got a heavy rain for about 10 minutes. As the storm (high winds, thunder and rain) moved to the east, the rain remained so we had some much waited for showers into the evening until about 8 pm.

My Avon arrives

We had planned burgers and salad tonight but I changed that to Tilapia loins instead. Something I could cook inside for an easy and tasty meal. I steamed broccoli for me, cooked mixed vegetables for Bill and we were eating by 6:30. The fish was really good and a great choice for this rainy night. There was one dish each of custard left in the fridge so that topped supper off perfectly. We cleaned up dishes after watching the rest of the news and I watched our regular Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy programs. Bill went upstairs to watch a Mash episode instead. 

Here comes the rain

But thankfully, it was only wind and rain for the most part
and the wind soon let up

We were doing dishes and Bill said “this is the last night to do this together for a little while”. Aaah. We have discussed his meals for the next 3 nights and I think he might feel my absence in the evenings more this year than previous ones. for obvious reasons. He’ll keep himself busy down in the Hangar and by spending time over at the Acreage with John and Gerry. Not only the gals get together and for that I'm happy.

We had a nice supper

with custard for dessert
Gosh, I love this stuff!

This has been a good day, some time with family, some time alone and a good rainfall. I hope you also got some rain (if you need it) and had a wonderful day!

No sunset tonight so I'm sharing last night's with you

Good night y'all!

Thank you for YOUR visit! Thanks also for any comments you leave me.

Listen to the Rhythm of the Falling Rain, New Tires, Mom's Checkup

Wednesday, Apr. 25^th I stirred first at 4:10, dropped off, then again at 5:30 and finally woke at 6. My plan was to get up and go for a walk. With the transient lifestyle all winter, each morning I wake up, I have to envision where we are. This morning was no different and it was in my mind that we were still at the bottom of the hill. When I popped my earplugs out, I could hear the patter of rain and soon remembered that we were at the top of the hill.

Black Beauty going to get new tires

Bill moved when he felt me doing my morning stretches and said “I guess we won’t be walking this morning.” We got up at 6:30 and went through the morning rituals and Clemson soon followed. I can’t tell you how wonderful it is to not have to slip layers of clothes on and shoes to take him out on the leash. We can just open the door and he trots down.

While rummaging through the cupboard
I found my Disc walkman but one port was rusted
so it wouldn't work 😢

I scraped it and wiped it clean and tried the batteries again
Yay! it is working now so I listened to Willie Nelson for a while😊

Sometimes he gets over eager, sometimes fearful of the stairs and jumps from 2 stairs down. We always say ‘take your time’ and often that slows him down. Then when we see he is finished, we go out and lift him up. This is for our peace of mind so he doesn’t hurt himself in his frantic rush to get up again. His long legs are so spindly. I’m sure he is also quite happy to be able to do his business in private! 😊

I had received Mom’s missing documents from BMO yesterday so printed them off this morning to be dropped off at the accountants today. After buying Black Beauty out, we knew we wouldn’t have our first much lower payment go through until the middle of May. You can imagine Bill’s consternation when he checked the bank this morning to find that Ford Credit had taken out the original lease payment!

something else I came across in the photo box made me smile
My grandsons, probably 18 years ago
I love this picture!

We have never been pleased with the lady in the office at Mt. Brydges Ford, always seeming to screw simple things up. Today, being no exception. We’ll call and get it straightened out but it is so frustrating all the same. Today is a busy day. Bill is taking B.B. in to get her new wheels, well, tires on the back, he is dropping off his Stihl weed trimmer for a cleanup and maybe getting a haircut.

I will be meeting my sister, Donna, at Rockwood right after Mom’s lunch. We need to take Mom into Owen Sound for her regular pacemaker check. It is so much easier with at least two of us, so Mom is not left alone at any time. I’ve just learned that Gayle, another sister, is coming too. The less confusion for Mom, the better, although any removal from Rockwood turns her world upside down anyway.

Bill and I had our showers and he had cereal while I just had a banana. I wasn’t hungry enough for a full breakfast at 9. I will need a bit more before I leave at 12:30 so a bowl of bean soup will fit the bill. The rain continues to pitter patter across the Ridge and with a calm high of only 47F/9C we aren’t expecting anything different today. That’s okay, we have things to keep us busy today.

The last of the bean soup that was in the freezer
I added butter and mozzarella cheese
Yummy!

I managed to keep myself entertained but filing a few things from our winter travels, new state maps we picked up. I also opened the overhead cupboards above the sofa and removed some unnecessary things. This is where I’ve kept all of our momentos, pictures, small photo albums, notes, letters and my dolls, so there wasn’t a lot of movement up there. It is sorted better, that’s the main thing.

Clemson walked to the mailbox with me to mail a couple of letters

Under the bed, there was some more adjustment and sorting. I brought all the pocket novels out from under there and from the closet to be stored in the bunky until we read them. I think most of these came from Deb and Riley, so thanks again gals for the books! At 12:30 I was out the door and on my way down the laneway.

and he led the way back home

When I arrived at Rockwood, the dining room was full with residents and dessert was still being served to a few of them. I saw Mom was still at her table eating so I sat in the front foyer for about 10 minutes before approaching her. Just in time, she was finished and stood to greet me with a wonderful smile and kiss. As I was explaining to her what we were doing today, Donna slipped in and onto the elevator to grab Mom’s coat upstairs and to sign her out.

Mom was confused already but that would be normal since she doesn’t often get out of the building. We picked Gayle up at the end of her driveway and drove to the hospital in the rain. We made good time and had a few minutes to spare after being guided to the correct waiting room. The young gal was very patient with Mom. We managed to drop Gayle off and get Mom back to her room by 3ish.

In the 'games' room, there have been many improvements
Nice things for residents to partake in

I love the typewriter although many young children today wouldn't know what it was

Different gadgets to open, tie, turn and undo

Dishes in the cupboards to have a small lunch together with family

A bright laundry area to keep idle hands and minds active

Mom is wondering how she can talk us girls into staying longer 

Donna and I hung around trying to entertain her for another 45 minutes and she went through numerous mood changes. Luckily, Donna got her battery-operated doggie turned on and that took up a few minutes with Mom talking to it. When it was time for us to leave, we were both pleased that her sad moments had passed and she willingly walked us down to the elevator with many goodbye hugs and kisses. It isn’t easy slipping away sometimes so we usually plan our individual visits for an hour before meals so we can draw her attention elsewhere when we say goodbye.

Back home at 4:15 I felt brain dead, with a headache and a heartache. Bill and I discussed the good and bad of our day. At 4:30 I began preparing lasagna, which I’d planned for supper. Nice comfort food on a rainy day. I poured myself a Beer Margarita and that made me feel better. Donna had another piece of mail for us, that was delivered there on Friday, just missing the switch over. It was another sign of incompetency.

My drive home

 Because a few of you are rv’ers who took advantage of the 3 FREE nights at Fortuna Del Oro in Yuma, I’ll pass this along. The letter was actually a statement from this RV resort. In our case, we stayed 4 nights. 3 nights free and we paid cash for 1 night. This statement shows those transactions BUT also are charging us for 2 extra nights of which we did not stay.

You can't really tell here, but it was quite foggy off in the distance

 We can prove that we were in Tuscon at a KOA so will call tomorrow to straighten it up. The stupid thing is, before leaving a park, Bill always stops to inform the staff that we are leaving. But, again I ask, can’t anyone do their job? Sorry, had to vent about that one. If you have stayed there, I hope this hasn’t happened to you.

Baptist Church Road is a really nice drive

With 20 minutes left on the convection oven timer, I put together a salad to eat for each of us and buttered some breadsticks that were in the freezer. They can toast for a few minutes at the tail end of baking the lasagna. Hmm, smells good! And we weren’t disappointed. It was a great meal with leftovers for a few more nights. We cleaned up dishes and I finished today’s blog post, as you can tell.

Supper was so good and so filling!

I hope you have enjoyed your day today. We had a pretty good one too and look forward to tomorrow’s sunshine.

Thank you for stopping by today! I love to hear from you and will respond to every post in time.