A Cool Start and a Sunny End, Time to Vote!

The Ridge

On Thursday, June 2^nd there were a few things going on to keep the day from getting boring. Well, at least the afternoon. This morning started with Gibbs and I going for our walk. It was cool, bordering on cold at 6C/43F. There wasn’t a lot of sun to brag about but we might see more later. It was a nice walk.

I was back to long pants and jackets
for our walk

Bill didn’t have to drive to work today, Billy picked him up since he goes through Durham to their next job site in Owen Sound. 😉 That’s nice, saving a bit of $$ and I have Ptooties today. After my tea, Gibbs and I played our Wordle games and then I read for a bit. It’s a James Patterson book called Cross My Heart and of course, I was hooked after the first chapter. I really like his Alex Cross stories.

I heard a bird repeating its song and I finally
focused on where he was
First, I recorded the sound and it was identified as an 
Upland Sandpiper! It is rare for our area.
That's exciting!

My oatmeal with stewed rhubarb
from the garden
Yummy!

At 11:40, Gibbs and I drove into Durham Vet for the little guy’s appointment. His heart work test, his rabies shot, weigh-in and to pick up his ♥gard and flea and tick meds. He has dropped a couple of pounds since his last weight check but it’s nothing to worry about. She said he was such a good boy. No news to us, we already know that! He loves everyone!

Waiting for the vet to come and get him 💖

It took longer than I thought, they were backed up a bit, so I didn’t get home until 1 o’clock. I’d planned on working for M again, for another 3 hours but didn’t get there until 1:30 after I’d had my lunch. 

The good news is that M was able to clear up the ‘back pay’ issue he had and now I’m paid right up to date, including today’s hours. Yay! My back account will be happy again, it is looking pretty sad. I worked steady on the truck and have one side completely sanded.

After 6 hours of working on it
one side is almost ready for paint
The roof and other side will be tomorrow's job

It feels good getting my hands dirty
and putting my 'lessons' into practice

I thought my arms might be sore or draggy today but I’m in better shape than I thought, apparently! 😊 I can say that, they’re my arms. Ha ha. I left with a pocketful of cash at 4:30 and drove home, 15 minutes after Billy dropped Bill off so we timed that pretty good. He’ll be going back to the same work place tomorrow and part of next week so the vehicles will only move if I take them. Speaking of vehicles, I called to make an appointment for Ptooties oil change today.

We have another classic waiting for us
1982 Datsun 280 ZX

I had my tea at home, wasn’t as dirty so didn’t need a shower this time upon my return. Today, is the Ontario Provincial Election day so we decided to go before supper. Instead of being able to vote down Baptist Church Road which we’ve done before, we had to drive to Flesherton which is to the east about 19 km. The sun had come out late this afternoon so Bill suggested hopping on Jazz. Was it warm enough for me? Yes!

Heading east on North Line
It's hard packed smooth gravel
and an easy ride

A small pretty lake near Ceylon and Flesherton

It was 19C/66F and not too windy so that’s how we went. I put my long johns on under my jeans instead of my chaps and we were warm enough for the 15-minute drive there and back. I’m glad we are hopping on more and more, we want to get our use out of the motorcycle this summer. 

There is something about cemeteries that 
appeal to me
Either ancient decrepit ones or newer
well manicured ones

There was no lineup at the Kinplex to vote, so we timed it right

I had pork chops out for grilling with leftover potatoes and a vegetable BUT it was 6:30 when we got back and grilled hot dogs just sounded faster, better and easier tonight. 😊

On the way home, I took a picture of this beautiful RED
shed

It's especially nice because it's the one Mike's Home Improvements
team has built and is still working on 💓
(ps - Bill is part of the team 😀)

Just about ready to turn in our lane
It was a great refreshing ride!

There is a wiener under there and I really
enjoyed this simple meal

Yes, I ate the whole thing!

They were very good and we finished supper with a ‘too big’ bowl of ice cream. At least for me, little piggy Patsy. Bill went to the Hangar after making his lunch and I worked on my blog before sitting with Gibbs and my book. ♥ Just two of the things I love.

Here is our little love bug

He's so tired from all his play outside
but he doesn't miss me getting my camera out

This was a good day. I’m grateful for the work that I’ve found to do, it’s all a blessing for more than one reason. I feel very fortunate.

A peony to end my post tonight
They are all in bloom at once!
Good night!

Thank you for the visit today! Your comments are always welcome even though I may be late reading them sometimes. 😊

White Wonderland, Family Visit, Storage Barn, Oh Yah! We Voted!

On Thursday, Oct. 18^th Bill and I got up just after 6:30. Once it brightened up outside enough, we opened the blinds and found more brightness than we like to see in the form of white snow covering the grass. There was a skiff more that must have fallen overnight since Bill had cleaned the steps off 3 times before bed and they were lightly covered.

Morning view from my window

The strong winds we’ve had for the last couple of days have dissipated, thank goodness, and there is a promise of ‘some’ sunshine today and a high of 5C. With any luck everything will be back to normal tomorrow and we’ll get our mat folded up dry. We drove Clemson into the Bath and Biscuit for his haircut and made sure to put his sweater on him. He’d need it after he was clipped.

I love it when things like this happen
As if my own smile needed a boost this morning

Black Beauty wasn't smiling

Our lane was looking mighty wintered

I had a small list of sale items at Foodland to pick up and then we dropped around to Rob and Pat’s to wait for the remaining time to get Clem. Just in time, Rob was hooking up his 5^th wheel to move it forward enabling the GMC to be moved out front. Bill was able to help him do that so Pat didn’t have to go out. I went inside while they did their thing and we chit-chatted until the guys joined us.

Needless to say, I didn't walk this road today

Bill drove their trailer ahead and Rob pulled the GMC out from behind it

After picking Clemson up and saying ‘so long’ to Kate for the winter, we dropped off returnable cans and bottles at the Beer Store. That’s $2 in my pocket. 

From Rob and Pat's property, these pretty trees grace the view

Wow, I’m rich! We then drove back to our friends’ home and did a convoy to the farm near Hanover where we will store Ptooties and their ’73 GMC for the winter. Murray came out of the barn as we arrived and greeted us all around. Such a nice, happy guy.

Murray's farm where we store our vehicles

Rob drove us home to the Ridge and it wasn’t until I got out of their car that I realized my purse with my phone was sitting on the floor in Ptooties’ front seat. Lordy oh Lordy! I was holding Clemson the whole time and was concerned that the groceries got moved into their vehicle and that we checked the hatch area. I never even though of my purse. Luckily, it won’t be a wasted trip since we are heading back that way to visit with Donna, Gerry, Gayle and John after lunch.

the boys chat it up with Murray

Murray wishes us well on our winter travels

Talk about missing an appendage! I made up some bacon and eggs as Bill stated he was hungry. We’d had a piece of toast and a yogourt earlier so I could have cared less whether I ate again, but I did. We’re skimping on our water today and tomorrow until we get to Rock Glen so the dishes will wait until after supper. It was a cold 36F by now with the sun disappearing as I type. Good grief!

We relaxed until 1:15 and I was happy to see the sun return on our drive to Hanover. Clemson stayed home to look after the house. We were 20 minutes early so I nipped into Giant Tiger to pick up a couple more extension curtain rods. I’d bought one a few weeks ago to use in the fridge and it will work perfectly. My intention was to get back for 2 more. Today, wouldn’t you know, they don’t have any left.

Clemson modelling his haircut

I did find a pack of 4 pr. warmer socks, called Mountain ‘Ridge’, at a good price so that was all I ended up with. Darn, I was hoping for the rods too. We left there and drove to Donna’s. We had a nice visit for an hour and a half before hugging each other goodbye. That would be the last time, this year. It is hard to say goodbye to family for the 5-6-month period but that is all. Not unbearable, they will be here when we return.

Back home, I made myself a tea and Bill relaxed with Clemson in the chair. Looking at the carpet today, after Bill did an ‘after shampoo vacuum’ and we are very pleased with the shampooer. We should try and do it a couple of times a year to keep the carpet looking its best, for as long as we have it. I had a few walnuts to curb the hunger feeling I was having. A walk would have been good but the wind is raw and I don’t have the energy this afternoon.

We read our books and turned the tv on at 5 for NCIS reruns. It isn’t just the shows that we enjoy, it is the tv personalities, the actors. I can continue to read while it is on because I don’t need to focus 100%. My book is good so easy to stay focused in that direction. At 6 I put the meatloaf, dressing and corn into a one-pot dish and re-heated it as a casserole. Bill set the table and we were eating 15 minutes later.

With dishes done, the evening darkness pushed me to close the blinds and work on finishing my post. Bill and I were working on the crossword puzzle that came in the This Week paper yesterday. They are usually really tough and we know we can never finish them without some help. Suckers for punishment though, we do our best. I work on it and then he works on it. When we’re done with it, we do the Word Search. We manage that quite well.

Clemson manages to find the sunny spot

Tomorrow will be our last day here and we only have one main job on the agenda. Laundry in the morning. Today was a good day, and now crossed of the countdown. 

A much better view now at 4 pm

One thing we took care of on Monday was to do our civic duty and voted online. We knew we wouldn't be here on voting day, Monday, Oct. 22nd. Easy peasy going to the online site and making the choices. Done! 

Good night from the Ridge
One of our last, this year

Thank you for stopping by. I hope you have enjoyed your day.

Are We Done Yet? Errand Day, Voting Privileges, Birthday Dinners

When I woke up at 6:30 on Wednesday, Oct. 3rd, it was because Clemson needed out and Bill was getting up to take care of him. Another dull looking day out there confirmed when Bill crawled back on top of the covers to wait for the Suite to warm up downstairs. The heater had been on through the night but very low so he cranked it up a notch. Clemson is no dummy and jumped up right after Bill lay down and curled up behind him. He wanted to wait for downstairs heat too.

The other side of Gayle and John's, we had a bit of a hold up
due to construction

The Richards family got up 30 minutes later and made tea and coffee to get engines started. We read a few blogs and then I hopped in the shower while Bill drained the gray water tank. When I was finished in the bathroom, he did the same. 

Driving on Hwy #6 into Owen Sound

We left the Suite about 9:15 and drove into Owen Sound to meet with Shannon (yay, Shannon!) regarding Mom’s investments. No better feeling, after what I’ve dealt with, than to walk in to her office with Mom’s paperwork sitting on her desk.

Yes! Let's get this done!

We discussed our options and I gave written permission for an temporary investment move to deal with in the spring. From there, we popped into a Tim Horton’s for a bite to eat. I had a steeped tea, double cream (my very favourite thing from Timmy’s) and a breakfast wrap. It hit the spot. Bill wanted to look for a couple of things at Princess Auto so he dropped me at Value Village. I was hoping to find a pair of comfortable, semi-dressy black shoes.

Been a while since we've been to one

Breakfast wrap, hash brown and steeped creamy tea in a china cup

By the time he texted me, 10 minutes later, I had tried on 6, no 8 pair of shoes. I could have chosen all 4 and been happy but that would be ridiculous. So, after I walked around in a few pair, I kept the one pair that suited my needs best and returned the rest to the shelves. 

I hadn't been here in a while either

I had amazing restraint in the store, and didn’t even look at anything else. Time was obviously the factor, with Bill waiting. I paid and walked down to where he’d parked at P.A. at exactly the same time he came out of the store.

They're Aldo brand, a good Canadian brand and next to new

We next went to Home Depot and then drove back to Durham. What a crappy morning! More rainy drizzly stuff and temperatures didn’t get above 50F/11C. While driving home, we listened to my sister, Wendy, the curator of the Waterfront Heritage Museum, talking about the frustrations they are experiencing with yet more vandalism to their railway car. That has to hurt all involved staff and volunteers.

The West Grey Municipal offices

In town, we stopped at Rob and Pat’s to pick up their carpet cleaner and Rob helped Bill bend a metal bracket he needs. We stopped at the West Grey Municipal Office to register for the vote on Oct. 22 so we can vote early and then to the I.D.A. Pharmacy to pick up his prescription. Are we done yet? No, one more stop at Foodland so I could pick up something I needed for Thanksgiving dinner on Sunday. Then, home, where for a brief 5 minutes, we actually saw the clouds break to let the sun through.

Holy cow, that is sunshine!

We each had a piece of toast with jam to tide us over until dinner at 6. I caught up a bit on this post and sat in my recliner (beside the boys) and closed my eyes for a few minutes. It was that kind of day………again. Are we done with the rain, yet? Apparently not. Bill dropped off easily and I read my book for a bit until my eyes were ready to give in. It must be the weather that is making us feel so drowsy, so I went up to the bedroom to see if I could drop off. Nope!

Clemson drove Bill crazy for his supper at 4 so we put him off until 4:30 and then fed him. My goodness, you’d think he hadn’t eaten for days the way he was pestering. After he ate and went out, I went for a walk down the lane. I’m glad I did because the 55F felt quite nice with an adequate jacket on. The wind was strong and I had to fight with it to hang the two ‘garden’ sheets on the line. I won the battle and they will blow dry until I need them again.

I think I'll need these sheets for the garden again so want them dry to begin with

so much rain that the west pond actually has water in it again

And most of the summer, this stream to our neighbours has been dried up

At 5 we got ready for dinner. We were meeting my sisters, Gayle and Donna and their hubbies at the Clubhouse Restaurant, south on Hwy 6. This is to celebrate our birthdays which were last week. 

No turtles on the tree branch today but a week or so ago, there was no
pond water here either

It is what the 6 of us do together and usually a nice evening out. We were all very prompt and arrived literally within 5 minutes of each other at 5:55. It is a restaurant connected with the Golf Course and the front seating area consisted of about 9 tables so we found one for 6. There was also another room in the back for more diners.

The menu had many choices and we easily chose our meals. The prices were also pleasing. Bill ordered Fish (cod) and fries and I ordered a Chicken quesadilla with a side Caesar salad. The quesadilla was the most stuffed one I’ve ever had and it was yummy. 

Yummy quesadilla

We had an enjoyable time together and topped our dinner off with Cheesecake. We would definitely go back another time. We said our goodbyes around 7:30 and it was a mild 14C/58F.

And a delicious Cherry Cheesecake for sharing

Back home we watched some tv and at 10 I crawled into bed with Clemson. We got a few things taken care of today and went to bed hoping for some drier weather in the days to come to complete more outside jobs.

Happy Birthday dinner for Bill and I

I hope you’ve enjoyed your day. Thank you for stopping by!