Warmth Returns Under Clouds, Double Duty at the Mat, Double Duty in the Yard

The Ridge

On Friday, Sept. 27^th we were up by 7 and out the door soon after. We each made our morning brew in travel mugs as it would be a busy day. Bill helped me clean today by removing the lint from the big dryers and then dust mopped for me. Things looked pretty good and we were out of there in an easy hour. I know it takes me that long on my own so that is what I recorded for Jamie.

And the red sky this morning means a sailors warning

But this day turned out great instead

We left there and scooted home where we changed into clean clothes and then drove to Hanover. We wanted to get to the Bell store before it got busy. Friday morning, you know. Melissa, the gal who helped us first 2 years ago, was in and no other customers had arrived yet. Yay! We were there to return the half case that Bill bought for his A70 phone. He bought it as he needed something when no wallet style cases were available – anywhere in town.

The ReStore helped us out by taking our old electronics

The case was $45+ tx and we had 15 days to return it if we weren’t happy with it. When in London on Monday, we picked up a wallet case for him for $20 cash. So, getting the $50 back was a no-brainer. We walked across the street to the Holst Office Products store and picked up a black and a colour cartridge for our printer. The ink is really fading and could run out any day. The refund pretty much paid for the cartridge.

Brunch - yummy

Then we drove to the Habitat for Humanity Re-Store and dropped off the old Keurig and the old microwave oven. So easy and it is good to know that any electronic items can be taken there for disposal. Two things off the list. Back home, Bill hopped on the riding mower and went out to cut the front field. Inside, I finished yesterday’s post and then by 11:30 realized how hungry I was.

this would be a challenge for the riding mower
Apple sauce in the grass?

 I felt really chilled sitting inside but wanted to eat first before going out to put myself to work. The outdoor temp was no more than 55F and inside not much warmer at 62F. I started cutting up bacon, onions peppers and adding mushrooms, eggs and cheese for an omelette. It was when I was adding the eggs that Bill came up the lane and checked in to see ‘where are we at?’ I told him that in 5 – 10 minutes things would be ready to eat.

This garden needed to be trimmed for the winter

I gave him his on toasted rye and made another quesadilla for me. It was delicious and I saved half for another day. I offered to do dishes while he made a phone call to the Travel Agency to book our room for the Saturday night before we fly to Cancun. We’ve been tossing this around because of the price but decided that it was totally worth it for the night and a week’s stay for Ptooties. Otherwise, we’d be getting up at 3 am and driving to Toronto to catch the flight. No thanks. We know we wouldn’t be able to sleep with that on our minds. This way we can relax.

And as I'm digging in the garden, pulling the grass roots,
this guy moves to get out of my way

So, I tried to reassure him that I wasn't going to hurt him
and covered him
Cute to watch him burrow backwards but still keeping an eye on me
Can you see his black eye?

Bill went back out to cut the back field. I went out and started trimming and pulling grass up on the berm in the hosta and tiger lily garden. There were so many apples all over the ground up there. We’ve never seen that tree or any of the trees here produce so many apples before! I started tossing them over the fence until it crossed my mind that maybe Donna would like more for applesauce. When I texted her, her response was in the positive so I piled them for her to pick from.

So, I piled some apples for Donna

It sure helped to warm me up, working out there, and soon enough I took my sweatshirt off and grabbed a bottle of water. I do believe that is the last one, now I will just be refilling them with RO water from our fridge jug. Bill finished cutting grass and loaded the propane bottle into Black Beauty and a couple of other things he had on his list. Home Hardware in Durham was his destination. Oh, earlier he stopped at the bank to chat about our US cash exchange and how soon to order it.

When Bill finished cutting the field, he took me for a walk to see
a new path he'd cut back to the pond

I moved on to weeding and pulling large clumps of grass from my new and ‘prosperous’ plantings on the corral hill. The work wasn’t so hard, since there is more sand and rock than dirt, but the positioning on the hill is really hard on the body. I finished up, huffing and puffing like an old lady, and just left the pile of weeds at the bottom of the hill for later pick up. I sat on the patio until my breathing slowed down and I was refreshed from water. Not young like I used to be!

and it led me to a better view of the Turtle Log

Then, I got the long-handled clippers and trimmed some small saplings and trees down where Bill parks the truck. He’d asked if I would cut what I could without us getting the chain saw out. I’m a bit of a clutz, I guess, as when I was pulling on a branch I thought I’d cut, it resisted and I managed to cut myself. It isn’t serious but small cuts sure do bleed. I had to come up and run it under cold water and with pressure stop the bleed long enough to get Polysporin and a bandaid on it. Where’s Bill when I need him?

And usually I tell him to stop finding new places to cut
but I like this path a lot!

I worked on the area at the top of the hill
and tomorrow I'll pick up the pile of weeds at the bottom of hill

No big deal so I went out to put the clippers away and it was then that Bill drove in. With a clean laundromat, full fuel and propane tanks, grass cut, my stuff trimmed and dumped in the rubbish pile, we were done for the day. It was 3:30. Bill poured himself a Zero Coke and I made myself a creamy tea. I cut some cheese and we had a snack to get us through to supper. I knew it wouldn’t be long and my sweetie would be asleep and he didn’t prove me wrong. We’ve been pretty much go, go, go since we got up so I let him sleep.

and with just the right amount of sun and rain
my flowers are doing awesome

I sat beside him with my book and read a few chapters. Seems that other things keep getting in the way of our reading! Bill finished his Stuart Woods book last night so I dropped it off this morning in the exchange box. He’ll be moving on to a different author now. I had planned fish fillets and vegetables for supper and decided to bake the Basa in the convection oven. It was certainly a learning curve.

Learning or not, it was wonderful!

The fish took longer than I expected (my misinterpretation) and we didn't eat until almost 7:30 but it was delicious with my string beans and Bill’s mixed vegetables. Thank you, dear, for being so patient. To top it off, I warmed up 2 pieces of my apple pie and with cheddar cheese, it also was a hit. Because I picked the apples myself, there is an extra taste in there. I think it’s called a spicy, tart 'E' for effort. 😊 The pie did turn out pretty good. We took care of the dishes and I sat at my laptop to finish this post.

We're going to try this pie!

success!
Good night everyone!

Soon, I joined him for the remainder of the evening before bed. This was a very good day and we crossed quite a few things off the list. Tomorrow is laundry day, so I’d better get the clothes sorted.

Thanks for stopping in.

A Sale and A Toss and A Donation

Well, it sure doesn't take much to get into the mode of selling and tossing. I don't have to tell you that this process is a fun one, well I guess we all have different opinions on that matter! We are enjoying it.

With full time rv'ing beginning and this gem of a hot spot waiting for us, it is exciting that our adventure is just around the corner,
down the street and over the bridge on April 15th.  Bill and I are like a couple of Whirling Dervishes or Tasmanian devils at the very least!

When I can go from 2 full closets of clothes, 2 dressers, 2 coat closets to what you see here in the picture,                                                                                                                                                    

       

 I deserve the "Good job, dear, I'm proud of you" that my soul mate bestowed upon me last weekend. 

I can look at a lovely dress from my wardrobe, try it on if there is doubt and honestly decide that it isn't necessary. I call that progress especially when just mere weeks ago I looked at that dress and thought "I can't part with that one, it looks so nice on me". 

                                             Progress.

I will be participating in another friend's Clothing Swap on Apr. 3. Kim is hosting this time and I only hope that she won't be overwhelmed when I bring in my 6? 7? garbage bags full of clothing/shoes/accessories.

At least when all is said and done on that Sunday, we know she will be donating the remaining articles to a worthwhile shelter or church. I can't believe that I can see empty hangers and empty space!

 The drop place in Bill's airplane room looked like this when we were readying the house for sale. 

In February everything we decided  that we were keeping went into that room.

 Last weekend, we decided it was time to re-weed and re-sort so together we did a quick inventory. Results below.

Except for the boat, destination Mobile Suite

Destination: Ridge cabins

Destination: The Ridge this weekend

 It doesn't take us long since we both have the same goal in mind.  Now we have 3 piles. One to go in the Mobile Suite, one to go up to The Ridge soon (our summer location) and one to go to The Ridge NOW (meaning this weekend). Now it isn't so overwhelming.



With just a month to go before having to make the final decision of keeps or no keeps, close the door on the house and drive away, I was able to attack my 2 jewellery drawers. I have costume jewellery only, the only expensive pieces of bling are on my finger and around my neck. This meant my decision was made easy, I wasn't throwing hard earned money away. The need little containers I found at Avon hold a lot of jewellery and will store easily in our walk-in closet in the Suite. Two full drawers down to one. Again I say Progress!

It was a tiresome job, but when I realized that I could still carry many special pieces in the rv without taking up too much space or adding weight, I chose more freely. 

Again, a lot of donations to my friends are inevitable.

                                                    Progress.
When I started seeing Bill go through his clothes and adding to the Goodwill pile, I was impressed with his ruthlessness too. 

Bill's closet thinning out

Clemson has allowed me to purge some of his 'stuff' too, how many balls does a wee dog need? If you closely at the picture to the right you'll see him hiding with his stuffed husky, Sergei, trying not to get shoved into a bag!
The bottom line is that our excitement for this new adventure has taken control and we are able to sell or toss accordingly.
                                 

Most of our furniture has sold and been picked up, our living room sofa bed

and 5 pc. bedroom suite is spoken for with a pick up on April 10.
We have 3 family heirlooms to be delivered to daughters in West Lorne and Tavistock and my sister, Wendy in Owen Sound is getting my brother's antique metal bed.

. 

The china dishes from this cabinet that have been passed down from generations will go to Krystal, a daughter in Milverton. 

The dollhouse I made from a kit will go to another daughter, Charlotte in London for her girls.

And my parent's beautiful library table that Bill refinished is going to my daughter, Bridgette.

        We hope to have one more garage sale like our fall one

but because it will be April 2, it will be an indoor sale in the hope that we can reap a few more dollars or at the very least give it to someone who wants it.  That makes it nice and easy for me, we can put all the remaining items in the dining room and entertain walk-ins. Maybe I'll bake cookies!

Thank you for joining us in this adventure. It is because a lot of you that we are taking these steps. A little bit of an idea is becoming a reality very quickly and we'll be into our 'new' digs on April 20th and couldn't be happier.