Canada Day Company

Tradition in our family, Bill’s and mine, is that on July 1^st, no matter what day of the week it falls on, we host dinner for Bill’s parents, siblings and their spouses. This began soon after we purchased our home in London in 2002.
A few pictures of our past Canada Day celebrations.

Bill's sister Liz

Bill and brother in law, Bruce

Family group before I perfected my camera

July 1st, 2015

Last year, hot, an outside day for sure

Waiting for guests - 2015

Gorgeous day on July 1st, 2015

With our small home, a small gathering was all we could manage easily and who wants to be stressed out on a holiday? We have done this for 11 years now and other than an absence because someone was sick, the Canada Day celebration was held, rain or shine.

As it turned out, not one day was a wash out from rain, we were always able to spend some of the day outside………until now. We invited the family up to The Ridge, very excited that from Stratford/Sebringville everyone replied to our invitation in the affirmative. We know it isn’t necessary to send an invite, they count on it every year, but I am a stick in the mud when it comes to this type of thing. Never assume!

A week before the day arrives, we are hearing an unfavourable forecast for Friday, July 1^st. Well, who can trust the weatherman anyway? We were positive it would change to our benefit. Famous last words!

The day is here, forecast says 17C, morning showers, afternoon showers but you know what? This is our day and we have never cancelled or postponed yet so we forge on.

Welcome sign for company at the Corral

Welcome to The Ridge via Richards Way

Great stories shared

My plan was to have barbecued seasoned chicken breasts, potato salad and garden salad with a couple of pie options for dessert. With the weather playing havoc with our day, I changed my mind and made scalloped potatoes instead.

Done in the convection oven, 375F for 80 minutes and they were perfect! I am quite proud of this learning curve for cooking and baking. Never too old to learn, apparently!

Canada Day was well represented

by all of our guests

Carol brought chocolate dipped strawberries...yum!

Attentive listeners although Clemson was bored

 Dinner was a hit and

 so was our home. From 1:30 pm until departure around 8 pm we were seated inside, very comfortable for dinner and clean up. We were not crowded or stepping over each other at all. Trust me, this is a huge relief for us, since we do love to entertain on occasion.

By the time our company was ready to leave, it was still quite cool out, but the rain had long stopped and we were able to show Bill’s sisters and Bruce around a bit of our property. We know they will be back to see it again on a nicer day.

Another successful Canada Day celebration at the Richard’s residence. *sigh*

Thank you for reading,

What are we doing today?

What beautiful days we are having right now and Bill and I are finding new things to get into. We have a fair bit of property to look after, as far as grass cutting and trimming but there is no pressure on when it has to be done. My sister and her husband own the land and have looked after it in our absence. 
There is a riding mower, a gas mower, a battery mower, 2 weed trimmers and many garden tools so we have no excuse to let things go. This and other areas of Ontario are crying for rain and it seems to be in short supply this year so we haven't cut the grass since we arrived. It just isn't growing too quickly.
When we arrived on Saturday afternoon the grass had been cut by our landlords {:)} but there was a lot of trimming to be done. With the humidity on Sunday and Monday, we hardly did anything at all except little trips into Durham and Hanover. This is all new to us, this small town thing but we are liking it so far. People are so friendly and quite willing to help us find things. Groceries may be the part we aren't too fond of since we are die hard Costco consumers.

So Tuesday, we had a reprieve with some cooler weather and a bit of drizzly precipitation on and off so that was our working day. My oh my! We managed to get all the trimming done as well as my garden now is free of weeds and looks wonderful again! 

 

Bill above trimming in the 'corall'

Weed free garden again

 Bill dug a hole up on the hill to the northeast for my kijiji umbrella clothesline. 



Now at least we can take our laundry in to Durham for the wash and bring it back here to hang it in this beautiful breeze. It sure won't take long to dry!

A good friend and co-worker, Dave, gave us a wonderful parting gift on Bill's last day and we have lovingly placed Goose the Spruce in an appropriate location where he should thrive even in the cold West Grey winters. My girlfriend, Brenda, offered me 14 Rose of Sharon cuttings so they are also planted on the hill overlooking our home. They should be happy up there too!

On The Ridge we have 2 - 9 x 12 sheds and 1 - 4 x 6 shed. These are for storage for the tools and things needed only here during the summer.
One of the 9 x 12 sheds was purchased by Donna and Gerry and houses the riding and 2 push mowers as well as stuff like grass seed and hand tools. The other large shed we purchased in the spring of 2016. We brought 4 heavy duty plastic shelving units from the house that keeps things up off the floor, flower pots, tent, lawn chairs and pop etc. 

We realized as we started inviting friends and family to visit that it would be nice if we not only offered space for them to park their rv but for those who don't take their 'bed' with them, a place to lay their head. We are a distance from London and if they drive this far we should be able to provide sleeping quarters for a longer visit if they chose to stay.

The shed closest to our Suite has hydro so that is the obvious choice to renovate. Bill put 2 screened windows in on the long weekend in May. One in the side and one in the back so we get a nice breeze through these even when the doors are closed.

The list of things to buy (new or used) begins and we are excited to be able to turn it into a bunky during the month of July. So we have priced panelling, insulation, flooring etc. and the odd pieces of furniture. In case you are wondering, no we didn't have anything suitable from our house anyway that would have worked. No rush, just something to piddle away at.

The small 4 x 6 shed is transformed into a cozy little Restroom. It is clean, fresh smelling, bright and decorated well so no one will be the wiser that there is a humongous hole underneath! We use this during the daylight and our indoor one during the night. I finished the tile on the bench top and front 

Work in progress below....Bill began closing in the base of the new shed and I'm covering the bench top....better remember to cut the hole!

  

The completed projects below

                                    

   

Things are coming along nicely and we have fallen in love with the beauty and peacefulness of this summer location. The sunrises and sunsets are out of this world!

Looking to the northeast

Thanks for stopping in and since this is being posted on Friday, July 1st, Happy Canada Day everyone!! Ignore the weather and celebrate our country in all its glory!