And summer continues

Conditions at 5:30 am: a few clouds and 15'
Expected later: sun and 21'

Yesterday was gorgeous and almost everyone has totally forgotten that the first part of the summer wasn't so great. We're content to just soak up the sun and nice temperatures and everyone is seriously hoping this continues well into the fall.

It's a pretty slow news day. It was so nice when I got home last night I stacked some wood and then I started on the grass. I'll probably do some more on that tonight. It's an easy week to get outside stuff done (now that Irene has passed and finished doing her thing!).

I was browsing around online earlier this morning and of course with 10th anniversary of September 11th nearing there is lots of coverage to be found. I thought of it a lot when I was in New York. The new building they're erecting onsite was still under construction when I was there but I was so reminded of the images I watched on TV just a couple of months after having been there in person in 2001. Nancy and I  had toured Manhattan in June of that fateful year. That shared experience of having seen the twin towers so soon before they were gone is something that Nancy and I will share for the rest of our lives. In fact we did talk about it a bit when we met in Halifax and it brought tears to both of us once again. (but then again, it doesn't take much to bring Nancy and I to tears when we're together - all it takes is for one of us to start and that's it)  Then Lloyd and I were in New York City about 6 weeks after 9/11 and that in itself was an extremely moving experience. We were there for 4 days but didn't go to ground zero until just before we left for the airport to come home. It's an experience I will always remember.

This morning I was reading an article about a photographer who was there and took some iconic photos, including the one of a man jumping out of the upper floors of the building. I can't begin to imagine what that experience must do to a person. Granted, he is a  professional news photographer and has probably witnessed some pretty horrific scenes in his day but this one would stay with him forever. The other aspect I hadn't thought about until I read the article, is the impact that a single photo can have on people who view it. In the article he talked about a writer who lives in the same apartment building as he and his family and she wrote a book about the events of 9/11 inspired by that one photo, and never knowing that the person who witnessed the event and took that photo lived right upstairs. It's a mighty strange world sometimes. Now I want to find the book she wrote and read it. It's called "A day at the beach". While it is a novel and is only loosely based on the actual events, it will be an interesting read about the indirect impact of the events of that day.
Click here if you'd like to read the entire article. http://ca.news.yahoo.com/photographer-behind-9-11-falling-man-retraces-steps-recalls-unknown-soldier.html

All is well out here on the hill

 

Conditions at 6:00 am: 15' and clear
Expected later: 22' and sunny with maybe a few clouds

Yesterday morning it was VERY windy when I left and I had doubts about what would be left standing when I returned home. They predicted the winds would peak at noon and then start to diminish. They didn't really start to diminish until much later in the day in spite of sunshine and warm temperatures. I watched the trees across the road at work all day and the wind just never let up. I called Lloyd, for moral support I suppose, on my way home and he was still on the phone when I got home. Fortunately everything was fine. I really was astonished because I fully expected the two shelters to either be completely gone or at the very least mangled. It got quieter as the evening went on and by the time I went to bed there was no wind, the sky was full of stars and all was well with the world, as it remains this morning with a beautiful sun rise over the river. As the saying goes - what a difference a day can make.

Well done boys!
The Dennison family was busy the entire weekend at a ball tournament in Stratford and it was a huge success. I received an email yesterday from Patti with this caption and photo:

Wow, what a weekend! We are happy to report that the Guelph royals are the Intercounty league champions! They had to win 5 games in 4 days, including beating hamilton twice and brantford once, both teams having only lost 3 games all season. It was very exciting, and the boys played incredibly, with James stealing home base to score the winning run in the final game. I think we finally did him in, though, because he hasn't been able to get out of bed since!

Well done James and team and I know the hard working coaches are especially proud! Congrats to Greg as well.


Okay, I'm cutting it short this morning because I slept in and have to go and get ready for work!

Welcome Irene...

Conditions at 5:15 am: very windy and 23'
Expected later: very windy and rainy and 21'[

Welcome Hurricane Tropical Storm Irene..

Well, as I write this, there is no rain yet but it's quite windy. So far everything is standing and it's not any worse than wind we normally receive. Let's hope it stays that way. I guess the up side would be there's no mosquitoes!

I'm hopeful that it doesn't turn out to be too bad.  It was very strange watching TV on Saturday night and seeing film footage of news correspondents in Manhatten, standing in deserted Times Square - no people, no traffic - nothing at all on a Saturday night. Now that's worthy of a science fiction film. But when we watched again on Sunday afternoon it was quickly getting back to normal again.

The weekend started out so perfect. Friday night was absolutely beautiful. When I got home I stacked some wood then lit the BBQ and cooked myself some supper. I sat outside with my meal and a drink and enjoyed one of the first truly lovely evenings we've had all summer.  I worked on Saturday and then headed over to the Rec Centre later in the afternoon to serve at a wedding. Caitlin was there filling in for Brenda, who arrived just as we were starting to serve so that was great. It was great to have Brenda there as the two of us have a different method of running the serving routine,  that works well for us. Once we were all done serving and clearing plates, we sat down to our meal. I must say my healthy eating takes quite a beating at weddings as I eat way too much - but it's so good!

Sunday morning we were bracing for the hurricane but when we got up there was nothing but a few drops of rain. Bernice from down the road stopped in on her way hone from church and we had a lovely visit. Then I called Brenda and by then it was really nice out so we decided to at least go for breakfast. We got the bikes out and headed over to Tracadie for the Lions breakfast. We were later than expected getting there, but they very graciously fed us and let us stay as long as we liked. It was still quite nice out so we decided to head east for a little ride. (The air show was on in Summerside and the Stanley Cup parade was going on in Cornwall so west wasn't a good direction to be travelling). We got as far as Morell when it started to rain so we turned around and headed back. Of course when we got home, the sun was shining. But our clothes were damp and we decided to stay in and have tea and chocolate chip cookies. I had taped Jack Layton's funeral on Saturday but hadn't watched it yet, so we did that for the afternoon.

When Brenda left I seriously considered a nap but instead I baked a couple of zuchinni loaves and a loaf of bread and did some laundry. Then I sat down to veg for the rest of the evening. Today it will be back onto my diet and back to my usual routine, while we wait out the storm. Hopefully everything will be as it should be when I get home tonight.  My lights just flickered ever so slightly so I'd better get this published in case I lose power...

It's a little windy but everything is still standing...

Conditions at 5:30 am: light rain and 20'
Expected later: 24' and sunshine later in the day

Good thing the sun is going to shine later as  I didn't get any wood done last night at all. I stopped at Brenda's on my way home, as I was invited for pizza, and then had an appointment with Charmaine, my hair dresser at 7:00 so the rest of the evening was pretty much done when I got home. But it's not going to rain ALL day today, it's going to be done before I get home, and Brenda and Bernie are going away today so I won't have anyone to play with, so I'll gave no excuse.

It was quite windy last night so I closed up the white shelter with the wood inside, so it wouldn't blow away. Hopefully they will both be there in a few days if the hurricane (that might be headed in this direction) gives us some weather issues. Of course I wouldn't expect they would survive a full blown hurricane but if it's just the wind and rain, I might be okay. Time will tell.

I received an email from our friends Judi and Gail last night. Gail golfs in the Royal Canadian Senior Ladies Golf Championship and came in 4th this year. She finished 4th last year as well which is quite an accomplishment as it features the best amateur golfers over 50, in the country. Congratulations Gail.  Last year it was in Vancouver, I don't know where it was held this year, but there's a rumour floating around that it may be on PEI next year. That would be awesome. Then the two of them would be able to visit. Let's keep our fingers crossed that the rumor mill is accurate.

I got this really cute photo from Patti last night. They were on their way home from a ball game in Stratford and the caption read "I guess we know who Meadow really belongs to"

Summer continues...

Conditions at 5:30 am: a few clouds and 17'
Expected later: 24' and sunshine

This is the longest stretch of warm, sunny weather we've enjoyed all summer.  Everyone you talk to says it's about time that summer arrived. Maybe our fall will make up a not so great summer. Last night I took advantage of the nice weather once again to finish cutting the grass. I just have the trimming left to do but that sometimes ends up not getting all done. Tonight and tomorrow I will focus on stacking wood. No more excuses - it has to get done. But of course some nice weather is helping although it is supposed to rain on Friday. Perhaps a couple of hours on Saturday afternoon might work before I head over to the rec centre.

The search for James' elusive yellow crocs may be over. I went to Source for Sports yesterday at lunch but they didn't have his size in yellow so they called down to Peakes Quay to the Flip Flop Shop (which I assume must be theirs) and they said they had some. When I got there they had set aside a toddler pair. I explained that wasn't what I was looking for but at the size we need, the sizing gets a little different. I found a pair that Patti thinks might fit so I bought them and I'll put them in the courier today. Worst case scenario, if they're too small for him they will eventually fit one of the other two.

Remember a couple of weeks ago I mentioned I had signed up for the trip to England next June? You can submit your name to let them know you're interested but you don't actually pay yet and it can be paid in installments. Anyway there is a $750 single supplement so when I submitted my name, I asked if there was any way to match up singles that were interested in perhaps sharing with someone else. Well, I received a reply that they would try. Then a few days later I received another email with an address for a gal in
Arkansas who was also looking for someone to share with. So yesterday I sent her  an email and got a response back right away.  She sounds like she could be a lot of fun, and on the surface we have a lot in common. So we'll continue to correspond and see if it might work out. What a great 60th birthday present to myself this could be. Most of my family and friends don't understand (what am I talking about - NONE of them understand!) but Carol totally gets it!  But in all fairness even though my friends don't understand it, they are still tolerant - thank you dear friends, for that.

Before I went to bed last night they had tornado warnings for Toronto and London areas but I haven't seen any news on it yet this morning. Hopefully nothing came of it. Time will tell.

Conditions at 5:40 am: clear skies and 12'
Expected later: sunny and 24'

Well the peroxide and baking soda trick worked once again. After spending most of the evening cutting the grass last night I then came in and tackled the dog. Fortunately for me he doesn't mind having a bath and it's the one place he behaves. The house might have a very faint odour about it but nothing I can't live with. I left all the windows open over night and of course it's quite chilly in here now but it's much better than before. Needless to say I didn't let the dog out this morning until I did a thorough check of the yard first!

Not much to report today. One more night should allow me to finish the grass.I actually got a a lot of it done last night in spite of one little mishap.  I was going along and only at the last second saw a piece of rope lying in the grass but I didn't stop quick enough and it became wound around the centre part of the blade. It took quite some time to get it off as it was wound around very tightly. I tried starting the mower and nothing happened except some smoke and the smell of burning rubber emanating from underneath. I knew I hadn't gotten all of the rope off and was afraid I had maybe fried the motor or something in trying to start it. So I got back down underneath and could see where there was still some rope quite tightly wound around and with the help of a small razor blade I eventually got it all off. I said a few prayers and tried again and this time it worked and I was able to finish the rest of the yard. This little mower and I have had our challenges but it always seems to keep going for me. The belt slips off every once in a while but I figured out where it should be, so I just stop, loop it back on and away she goes. I'm ever so grateful for that.

Once I got it back up and running and was continuing on, I thought to myself, I will be REALLY happy when Lloyd gets here permanently. It was one of those days when I was feeling a little overwhelmed by it all and I'll be happy to have someone to share the work with. Not that I mind doing it, it's just not enough time to get it all done. But enough whining!

I talked to Lloyd last night to see how he's feeling. It seems he has a tooth that had a root canal several years ago and it's become infected and his whole jaw is in terrible pain. He's been to the dentist but there's nothing they can do until the infection is gone. So he's on antibiotics and pain medication for the next few days. I suspect he may feel a little better this morning. Once the antibiotics kick in they usually work pretty quickly.

I had to include this picture this morning of James before he left on Monday morning. He looks so grown up in his jacket and tie. There's also a couple more from last week. We really did have a great time - at least I did and I'm pretty sure he did as well.

Here we go again...

Conditions at 4:50 am: 17' with a few scattered clouds
Expected later: 20' and sunny

As I write this, it is almost 5:00 am. Thank goodness for my internal alarm clock because at some point in the night the power went off. I was kind of awake when I heard the printer turn on and I looked at the clock and it was flashing. When I came downstairs it was 4:50. I let the dog out and he was out for about 3 minutes when he wanted back in. Trouble is he came racing in the door, straight past me and up the stairs and began rolling on the  bed and rubbing his face on the blanket. Unfortunately for me I have a very poor sense of smell  but I could smell a faint scent of skunk so he probably reeks.

Now that he's been inside for a few minutes he definitely smells. Guess he'll be staying outside today and I'll pick up the stuff I need for his bath today. It worked well last time, so it should work again.

Well, all the travelers finally made it home. Reading about the devastating weather they've had in parts of Ontario, it's no wonder there were flight delays on Sunday. Meghan (1) finally made it back to Toronto on Sunday and Patti and James eventually made it to Toronto on Monday, approximately 9 or so hours after I dropped them off at the airport in Charlottetown. But better late than never I suppose.

What a heavy news day yesterday - I was at my desk reading online reports about the tornado damage in Goderich when one of the salesmen came by to tell me that Jack Layton had died. I have to admit I spent a large part of the day reading news stories online.  I always find it interesting to read the comments that people leave on the websites after each news story. Some people out there are unbelievably cruel and uncaring - not many, but a few.

I couldn't believe the devastating images of Goderich that I saw on the news last night. I barely recognized a town square that I've walked around several times when Stephan and Trish lived in the area. I can't imagine what that experience must possibly be like. I hope I never find out. Brenda and I were talking about it last night when she came over for a glass of wine. I had finished some cleaning up and had just sat myself down with a gin and tonic when she came in. Perfect timing!

Before I forget, I must say thanks to Patti and James for the beautiful silver Celtic Knot necklace they gave me before they left. Patti bought it a few weeks ago when she was in Dublin. It's really pretty and I love it - thanks guys!. Well today's post is pretty short compared to yesterdays so you can have a rest today. Besides I need to go back and see what I need to buy to get rid of the smell because it's pretty strong now - and if I can smell it, it must be REALLY bad!

The busiest three days ever!

Conditions at 6:00 am: 19' and a few clouds
Expected later: 24' and mix of sun and cloud with rain this evening

Gosh, where do I begin - at the beginning of the weekend I suppose.
Friday:

We were up late Thursday night at the track but I was up by 7:00 on Friday morning. Brenda popped over and we had toast and jam and tea before either of us got our days off to a start. James was up soon after. We planned when best to go kayaking as it was quite overcast in the morning but was promising to be a nice day. After she left James and I went outside and stacked some firewood. He was getting quite good at starting and stopping the lawn mower by himself but I still wasn't comfortable enough for him to actually cut any grass. But he had fun driving the tractor with the little trailer on the back. Later in the morning Brenda called to say she was down the road picking raspberries and would be along shortly with the truck. So we got ready to go and when she arrived we loaded my boat into the truck then we took the car and followed. When we got to her house we loaded her kayak and James and I were off. He informed me he'd never actually been in a kayak by himself, only with another person so I was surprised at how really well he did. We paddled around the little lake in Tarantum and had a great time. When we were done we took Brenda's back to her place and dropped it off then dropped mine and came back with the truck.

Brenda asked if we would mind dropping off the boxes at Coffins from her berry picking in the so while we were there we decided to pick a couple of boxes for ourselves. When we got home with our berries, we were deciding what to do with them and James suggested we should make some jam. I got our my preserving book and inside was a recipe for Raspberry Blueberry jam. He said, oh grandma, it's too bad we don't have any blueberries. I said well actually, if he wanted to go for a walk in the back field he would find lots. So away he went and  quite some time later, arrived with a basket of freshly picked blueberries. I have to say he did a really great job - I think there were about 20 stems in the whole box - very impressive picking, James. By this time we were both a little tired so I made us some lunch and we sat on the couch and watched some TV while we ate. I than kind of dozed a little while he watched TV then he fell asleep on the couch so I let him sleep for a while. Brenda called later to advise what time we were meeting to go for our bike ride. So we got suited up and ready to roll. Brenda arrived first and Bernie was soon behind her. James rode with Bernie and I think he enjoyed himself. We went to Cardigan and had a lovely dinner out on the patio. The plan was to go back to VanGaals for dessert- fresh made raspberry and cream cheese pie. On our way back I stopped at home and picked up the car and headed to their house only to find a slight change in plans. Bernie had to haul some grain and Brenda had to drive him to where the truck was. When we got there, James went with Bernie in the big truck and we followed. James had picked up a bunch of grain in the field and was fascinated at the fact that the seeds out of these plants could be ground up to make flour. More on that later. Brenda and I picked up James when the truck reached it's destination, as it was going to take quite a while for it be unloaded. We went back to the house and had our pie and tea then we were off as they had to get up early in the morning to head for Moncton. It turned out to be a later evening than expected but a fun one.
Saturday:

The day dawned a little cloudy but promised to get warmer and sunnier. James was intrigued with the the grains of wheat (which I later learned were actually rye, but not a problem). Anyway, he got out the mortar and pestle and spent quite a long time grinding it up. He only had a little bit of grain but I also had a jar of wheat berries so he used that. He quickly realized how long it takes to grind flour by hand so I helped with the coffee grinder and in not very long we had enough flour to make one cup. We found a recipe for scones in the Lucy Maud Montgomery cookbook I have and we used James' flour and some regular flour to make them. They turned out great and he really enjoyed them. But no time to dawdle this morning. Our day was taking us to Roma at Three Rivers, a national historic sight that was celebrating with a Heritage Festival. We headed out around 11:00 and stopped at the grocery store in Montague to pick up some pectin for our jam, later. For such a young kid I'm always amazed at how interested he is in historic things. He really liked the clay oven where the bread was being baked. Another highlight of the day was a visit by Chef Michael Smith, who did a talk about bread. Before that we went over to chat with him and brought a copy of the photo of James and his bread for him to autograph. He looked at it and said, "Wait, have I seen this picture before?" I reminded him that we had emailed it to him when he was at the Olympics. He was very interested to meet James and had a great chat and told him how proud  of him and his bread he was. He signed the photo and took another one with James. When the bread demo was done he insisted on staying for more presentations. He really enjoys learning all that historical stuff. He was an eager participant in the demonstration of dancing in the 1700's, much to the delight of the girl who was doing the presentation. Reluctantly, it was all too soon time to go.
On the way home, I was tired from being outside all day and the last thing I felt like doing was going to work at the Rec Centre.James seemed to be tired as well and I wasn't sure taking him there would be a good idea. When we got home, I asked him what he wanted to do. He is such an amazing kid with a wonderful sense of obligation.  After pointing out that Brenda was away, so they would be short two people if we didn't go. What could I say? He was, of course, obviously right. So I went inside to change and we left right away. Once we got there and we got busy it was fine and he really enjoyed himself. There were some other kids there and he just made himself right at home. He fit right in and did a great job of helping. I received a lot of compliments on how cute he was, what a hard worker he was, how well mannered he was... I just told everyone he takes after his grandmother (not really but it was tempting). It was another late night when we got home - leaving the rec centre at 10:45.
Sunday:

We may have finally worn him out. Sunday morning I got up about 8:00 and Jame slept in until 10:45. I had the chance to do a couple of things around the house and I made our jam. When he got up, we played a bit more of our ongoing monopoly game, which was set up on the kitchen table and we picked up whenever we were in the house for more than five minutes at a time, which really wasn't that often. We headed out around lunch time and went to Founder Hall where the Euro-bobble was set up. Basically a large hamster wheel for humans in a pool of water. It was a huge amount of fun but  a lot of work. The time inside was about 5 to 6 minutes and before he got in James was wishing he could go in for half an hour. By the time he got out, he was glad it was only that short of a time - he said it felt like half an hour because you never stopped moving for the entire time. It was truly an amazing and unique experience. There was all kinds of activities going on downtown so we strolled along the shops and picked up a Cows ice cream on the way. When we were done we headed out to Bonshaw. It wasn't very busy at all so we didn't have to wait long for anything. First we did the go Karts and then the bumper boats. These were followed by a game of mini putt, at which I got seriously beaten. But it was lots of fun. Another turn around the go kart track completed our day. All too soon it was time to go but Patti wasn't now due in until 7:30 so we went back home for a bit and then when she called to say she was on the plane in Halifax we left at the same time. The travel time was going to be about the same for both of us - and it was. We got there just in time to see the plane touch down and before we knew it we were headed downtown to Peakes for something to eat. Brenda and Bernie had gotten into town earlier and we joined them. They had already eaten  but had their dessert and tea with us. A great end to a great weekend. Now it is Monday morning, and with any luck Patti and James got out early this morning.
I think he had fun while he was here - I know I did.

A late start to our day this mroning

Conditions at 7:50: Overcast and windy and 17'
Expected later: They're still saying sunny and 26' so let's hope they get it right!

Petting the alligator

Back in his pen

I see a couple of people have already been in this morning to see what's going on - better late than never I suppose. It was a gorgeous day yesterday, it's too bad we didn't have it off.
Our plan for yesterday after work was to go to Old Home Week after camp. When I picked James up after camp he got a big hug from one of the the camp counselors. I think he enjoyed his time there. We drove straight to the fair grounds and when we got there James decided he would rather  play some games than go on the rides. I suppose the rides aren't that much fun by yourself. After playing 3 games and winning a teddy bear we went inside to see the reptile show. Unfortunately we were a little late and the show was over but there was an alligator still out of it's cage that he got to pet. He toured the inside exhibits while I waited outside. Pythons and Boa Constrictors just didn't do it for me. So I gave James my camera so he could take some pictures.

Milking the plastic cow

In the drivers seat

When we were done there we discovered that the Fast and Furious Flyball Dog show. We sat and watched that for while when James pointed out that the horse races were about to start. We stayed till the end of the dog show and then made our way to the track. We missed the first two races but stayed for the next 10. We allowed ourselves a total of $20.00 for betting - $2.00 per race. James picked all the horses and he did quite well. We didn't make a lot of money but we came home with a little over $15.00 so our evening at the track cost less than $5.00 - pretty good value for our money to have a fun evening. On our way out we stopped and picked up a candy apple for those who thought they might like one and we were home by 11:30. After watching a particularly funny episode of Big Bang ( if the amount of laughter emanating from James is any indication) we were in bed by midnight.
So that's why our day is off to a late start this morning - but what the heck - we're on holidays!

This morning he's outside trying to turn Cooper into one of those Fast and Furious Dogs who were catching the Frisbee in the air. Good luck with that, James!

Cheering on the winner

Yay - the long weekend is almost here.

Conditions at 5:15 am: 15' and clearing
Expected later: 24' and sunny!
It's going to be a beautiful day! Yesterday was supposed to be overcast and showers until noon but he sun broke out on our way into town and it stayed that way all day long. It wasn't as warm as it's meant to be today but it was humid.

James had another great day yesterday. He's made some friends at the camp and is really enjoying it now. But it's a long day for him and he's noticeably tired at the end of the day -not that he would admit it. On our way home we stopped in at Brenda and Bernie's and chatted for a few minutes. They were heading into town and we were headed to the playground. We're going to borrow their truck and Brenda's kayak on Friday morning so we can go out on the water for a bit then we will do a little motorcycle run later in the afternoon. It's been too chilly in the evening to go anywhere. Fall is definitely on the way.

We stopped at the playground on the way back and James tried out every piece of equipment and announced that it was a pretty awesome playground. Our plan was to build a fire after supper but we decided that it would be better to start the fire first and eat supper beside it so that's what we did. It took a bit of effort to start,  but we did eventually get it going. After dining on spaghetti, we had to improvise to make banana boats. I didn't have any chocolate chips but I did have toffee bits and they worked out just fine with the mini marshmallows.

When we were done our treats, we came in and started on a jig saw puzzle I had picked up earlier in the week and it's now spread out on the table. We worked on that until Big Bang was almost over so we could watch it without the commercials, and then it was time to take our books upstairs to read before turning in.  Now we have one more day before we have three  off - hooray!

We made the best of a rainy day.

Conditions at 5:10 am: 16' and wet
Expected later: 21' and sunny in the afternoon

It rained all morning yesterday but fortunately for James, he was inside at the pool so it didn't matter. He had a much better day yesterday. When I picked him up at 5:00 I asked how his day had been and he said "Great" so that was good news.

We had planned to go to the movies because we were expecting it to be pretty crumby weather and it was. It wasn't raining when we went into the theatre with our Subway sandwiches (we were afraid it might be sold out) and we ate our supper while we waited for the show to start. It was really cute and it's the first 3D movie I've seen with the newer technology and I was impressed. We had apparently made the right decision to arrive early. I was talking to the lady who was sitting next to us and they had come from Summerside in the afternoon to do some errands and planned to go to the 3:00 show and when they got there at quarter to 3 it was sold out. So they ended up staying in town to go to the next one and it was pretty much full as well.

We had thought about hanging around long enough to go to the Sound and Light show when it got dark but it was pouring rain when we came out of the theatre so we opted instead to go to Dairy Queen. (James' visit isn't doing my diet any good!).Besides, he was in a hurry to get home to see Big Bang Theory. I think I've created a monster!

Patti called last night. It appears they have cell phone service where she is so that's good. It sounds like they are having a good time - all 20 something of them. 

I'm off on Friday so I'm hoping that maybe we can go for a short bike ride during the day, maybe go somewhere for lunch but I'll check with Brenda and see what Bernie's schedule is like. I know they are away for the weekend so he may be busy in anticipation, but we'll see.

The new hired hand!

Conditions at 5:15 am: rain and 17'
Expected later: rain all day and evening and 21'

Boys and their toys

It's going to be a rainy kind of day but the rest of the week is looking great. I dropped James off at his camp yesterday and explained all about how to get to Toyota on the trail but unfortunately they won't let him leave by himself. I guess I can understand that. I have to pick him up and sign him out so he has to stay till I get there at 5:15. I went over at lunch time yesterday to drop off some sun screen and he didn't seem very happy. But when I went to get him at 5:00 he was better. I think the first morning was a little bit hard not knowing anyone. They played soccer on the Canada Games Place field in the afternoon and he scored his teams only goal so that made him feel pretty good. It didn't help that there are two hockey camps going on in the two rinks and their lunch room overlooks one of the rinks. I said to him at lunch "I bet you'd rather be down there" and he just shook his head yes, but he was in much better spirits when I picked him up, so I think it will be fine.

The sous chef at work

We stopped at the store to pick up some things for his lunches and got some corn on the cob to go with our burgers for supper. It was threatening rain when we got home but hadn't started yet so we worked on wood for a little bit before supper. James is getting quite a thrill out of driving the lawn tractor. The trouble is his legs are too short to reach the clutch so when he sits on the edge of the seat to start it, the seat lifts up and the machine shuts off. So I have to hold the seat down so he can get it going but then I have to be there to hold it down when he goes to stop as well. It's not ideal but it's working and he's having a great time with it. So we only did a couple of  wagon loads and stacked them in  the tent before we called it a night and came in to make supper. While I got the burgers on cooking and the water boiling for the corn he sat outside on the front step and husked the corn. After we ate, he helped with the dishes and we were done just in time to watch Big Bang Theory. I think I've created a new fan. He finds Sheldon's character really funny. When that was over we found him a book to read, as he finished the one he brought, and it was time for bed. I woke up just before the alarm and I didn't hit snooze so I think I may have finally caught up on my sleep.

Visitors galore - what a great weekend

Conditions at 5:00 am: 18' and clear
Expected later: 24' and a mix of sun and cloud - perfect swimming weather

Meagan and Riley watching the dogs play

It was a wonderful weekend but a very busy one. As reported before I was really happy to be able to play host to Lianne and Kevin, Riley and Meagan. They were a little late in arriving on Saturday afternoon (it's that hour time difference that throws people off all the time!) but arrive they did. I had forgotten to ask if the kids had any allergies to dogs or anything so you can imagine my surprise when they arrived and a Cocker Spaniel jumped out of the truck. We never expected that Cooper would have a new friend visiting as well. We had a lovely time. We finished supper then went for a drive so I could share the sights of my area with them. First we went down the road to the Spirit Spring - I take everyone there because it's such a neat sight. From there we made our way cross country to our local beach. We didn't swim or anything but we went for a long walk and we had the two dogs with us who had a great time exploring. Because it was after supper there was hardly anyone there. When we left there, we took the scenic route home and went over to our other property to see the fields of sunflowers blooming over there. After coffee and dessert at my house it was all too soon time for them the leave. We even managed to attempt a group shot using the tripod and the delayed shot on my camera. They were planning to leave on Sunday so hopefully they will have a safe trip back to Ontario. It was so great to see them and the kids really liked it here so hopefully, they will come back again sometime. Next time bring your grandma and grandpa with you!

We hadn't done the dishes after supper so that was a great thing as it gave me something to do till time for my next guests to arrive - James and Greg were arriving at 12:15. The flight was a little delayed so it was 12:30 when they got in and by the time we got back here and got to bed, it was about 1:20 in the morning. Not to worry, it's three hours till we had to get up to take Greg to the airport for the early morning flight. I felt badly leaving him there in case he didn't get on, but fortunately at the last minute someone didn't show up and he got home. I meanwhile, went back home and was back in bed by 5:30 (James had stayed home in bed, with his trusty guard dog by his side). It was another short sleep as Meghan (1) arrived at 7:30 to do our Macarons  but it was enough. We got everything out that we needed but unfortunately somewhere along the way I had used all the icing sugar and didn't have ANY.  Fortunately Brenda was coming over so she brought some but it wasn't enough, so she went over to the Irving and picked up some for us. Saved once again! So we continued on with our cookies after Brenda left for church and by the tine she got back we were just finished. They can't be filled until they are completely cool but they cool off pretty quickly. They may not have been perfect but they turned out pretty darn good. There's a couple of things we'll do differently another time but for the most part we were pretty pleased with them. We filled some with a cream cheese frosting and some with Dulche de Leche (caramel) that Patti brought me back from Argentina.  All in all, we deemed the exercise to be a success. They are actually not that difficult to make but they are very rich so they would be good for a special occasion. (James really liked them and decided that every day could be a special ocassion with those around).

When we were finished, Brenda and Caitlin came over and brought some home made rolls and muffins and Meghan had brought a jar of her home made strawberry rhubarb jam and we enjoyed that with our rolls and muffins and coffee. What a great way to spend a Sunday morning.

Because it promised to be a warm day, we decided it might be a good beach day. James and I were just about to work at moving some wood around when Brenda called to inform us that they were getting ready to go earlier rather than later so we also packed up our stuff and headed out to join them.

What a great afternoon. We sat in the sun, some of us swam and some of us build structures in the sand. James, Caitlin and another little boy, that Brenda knows who was also at the beach spent a lot of time building an airplane in the sand. It turned out pretty good and had three seats in it. After Joey, the little boy left, Meghan and Caitlin buried James in the sand. He thought it was great fun and totally relaxing. Eventually it was time to leave and we decided to go the Vernon River to try out a little place Brenda had read about in the paper. They have a wood fired oven for making pizza so we ordered two pizzas and some fries. The pizzas were delicious and the fries were wonderful. I would definitely go back. I was tellling Lloyd about it last night and hopefully it will still be open when he comes in September.
After picking up some macarons and dropping them off at Van Gaals for them to enjoy, we came back homes, watched a bit of TV and then called it a night. I think James would have liked to stay outside for a while longer but I was very tired so after baths, we each headed to our respective rooms with our books and said good night.

It worked!

Conditions at 5:10 am: 16' and patchy cloud cover
Expected later: 22' and a mix of sun and cloud

Finally a nice day again.
Well, my plan worked. Cheryl did see my message yesterday and she emailed Lianne, who called me on my cell. Thank you, internet! So, they were on their way into Charlottetown yesterday and they stopped by the dealership. I gave them directions and they are coming on Saturday when I get home from work. It was so nice to see Lianne, whom I haven't seen in a very long time. He two kids are 9  and 6 so we determined that she and Patti were both pregnant at the same time with both of them. Kind of freaky! But it was really great to chat for a few minutes and I'm looking forward to seeing them on Saturday. Depending on how long they stay, I may not make it to the Rec Centre in time to serve but I can at least help clean up. Not to worry though, I'll be able to help next Saturday when Brenda is away.

A really funny thing happened at work yesterday. I didn't know it but two of the bosses were away at a company golf tournament yesterday. Kurt called me around 3 30 asking if I could find out where and how to get some lobster for one of the guests who was flying back to Toronto in a hours time. So I made some calls and arranged for the cooked lobster to be picked up and brought back to the dealership. I knew who was coming but the others downstairs didn't. It was so funny because one of the salesmen was standing at my desk chatting and this vehicle pulls up in front of the door. Two guys got out, and Paul turned around and looked and me and said "Oh my god, it's the president of Toyota Canada!". I just calmly looked at him and said "I know, I have something for him". The two men came in, looked around a bit, picked up the lobster and left, headed for the airport. But the look on Paul's face when they pulled up was priceless.

You know you're having a bad day when....
Yesterday morning, a customer came in to pick up his vehicle from the service department. Apparently some time ago he was towing it behind a motor home or something like that but it wasn't being done properly and he ruined the transmission as well as some other components. Because it was through his own negligence, he was saddled with the entire repair bill, which was in the neighbourhood of $6,000.  So, yesterday morning the vehicle is finally ready and he comes in and picks it up. He leaves the lot and turns out onto Mount Edward road heading south, right in front of  a) the Mazda dealer and b) our front windows. He's stopped behind some traffic, and more specifically an oil delivery truck. Well, doesn't the truck back up and back right into the front of this fellow car and smash it all in. The poor guy could see it backing up and heard the beeping as it was doing so but he didn't even have time to put the car into reverse before he got hit. It did a huge amount of damage to his vehicle and needless to say he was not impressed. Not a great way to start your day!

Speaking of starting your day, I'm off now to get ready for work as I'm leaving early this morning to meet Brenda at Timothy's for coffee. She has an appointment in town this morning so we might as well make the best of it!

Somewhere in time

Conditions at 5:45 am: overcast and 14'
Expected later: 19', rain this morning but clearing this afternoon

Last night Brenda, Caitlin and I went out to the old time dance in Lorne Valley. Brenda and I had been there once before last fall and it really is quite the experience. The majority of the people there are older and it's really sad to think that in another 10 or 20 years, it may be gone as an event. It's such a pleasure to watch some of those couples gliding along the floor doing the waltzes. And the square dances, which are not like the square dances that I knew as a child, are extremely energetic. After one set I was totally out of breathe and yet these folks just keep going and going. It's certainly a testament to the agility and stamina of the older rural generation, who as Brenda said, worked hard, but played even harder. It was also very fitting as we sat in this old building, that when you looked out the window across the room, the scene was one of dusk, and off in the distance was a lone island farm house surrounded by nothing but green grass and trees. It was the perfect island rural setting that I would have loved to capture but unless you were a painter, I think it would have been pretty hard to do.  Once again, I was very appreciative of where I am fortunate enough to be living.

I love how this little blog serves as a communication tool. I see this morning that Pefferlaw has visited. That can only mean Cheryl read yesterday's post so she knows that Lianne has tried to get hold of me and maybe if they have a way of getting in touch with each other, she can pass the message on to Lianne that I've included my cell number on my phone message now. It's a bit convoluted but it just might work. Of course Lianne may just call again anyway, so we'll see.

It's feeling like fall - even though it's only August

Conditions at 5:30 am: overcast and 15'
Expected later: 19' and drizzle this afternoon

It's quite dark now when my alarm goes off at 5:00 and it's harder and harder to drag yourself out of bed when it's still night!Why is it on the weekend we have no trouble getting up early but during the week, it's a chore? I guess it's because you're usually getting up early on the weekend to do something fun. Perhaps another reason I'm feeling a little 'fallish' is because yesterday at lunch I went to the dollar store to pick up a couple of little things. I'm just getting used to the fact that all the back to school stuff is in the store - well in the dollar store, they have all the fall and Halloween stuff! Pumpkins and jack-o-lanterns everywhere! Please - we're still waiting for summer to arrive.

What a nice surprise to come home to last night. There was a message on my answering machine from Lianne, who is my god daughter. Her mom and I met in college and she and Norm got married between our first year and second years at school. I have fond memories of going to their first apartment with two other friends, Debbie and Livvy for dinner - we all felt so grown up, dining with married friends. Gosh that was a million years ago. Anyway, Lianne and her husband and kids are vacationing on the island and called in hopes of getting together at some point before they leave. I was hopeful that they would call again last night but they didn't so I'm going to take a tip from Brenda and change my phone message  to include my cell phone number. Hopefully we can make contact that way.

Well, it turns out Brenda and company made the right decision and postponed their departure until yesterday. We had a little bit of drizzle from time to time but for the most part it was a dry day here on the island. Monday's weather would have made for a pretty nasty ride. So she'll be back sometime today and  we'll possibly go out to the old time dance at Lorn Valley tonight. I'm just waiting to hear back from Donna to see if she's going, although I suppose we could still go even if she's not. We has such a good time last year and Caitlin would like to see what it's all about.

Check this out. Yesterday I was reading online about the last two shows in the McCartney tour this summer and I came across the link for the camera at Abbey Road. I looked at it several years ago but they've improved the camera and it's much better quality feed. It's quite funny to watch people trying to dodge traffic to get a photo in the middle of the famous cross walk. I know what that's like - I have pictures of both Patti and I crossing but you really have to be careful. It is a crosswalk, but motorists expect you to keep walking when you enter it but of course, not all of us do. Check it out.

The Crossing - Abbey Road Studios

Conditions at 5:30 am: 17' and overcast
Expected later: 19' and overcast

The good news it's not raining right now. We are supposed to get more this morning but stop by this afternoon. I don't know how much we got yesterday but it just never let up all day. When I was on my way home, I gave serious consideration to lighting a fire in the wood stove but it wasn't really that cold, just damp. I don't know of Meghan(1), Brenda and Bernie headed out yesterday or not. I'll call Brenda tonight and see. She was planning to go with them the first day and stay over and then head back. If she did go, at least she'll have better weather for getting back.

I was talking to Patti last night and James can't make it now until Sunday as he as a ball tournament on Saturday. Depending on how they do, he'll either be here on Sunday morning or Sunday later in the day. Unfortunately he'll miss some fun stuff on Saturday but we'll just make the best of the time we will have. He sounds pretty excited about coming. I talked to all three of them last night and Meghan(2) made sure to tell me that it was her turn next to come out here by herself. I told her she'll have to talk to her mom about that and when it can be arranged. I was hoping James would be here to help at the Rec Centre on Saturday but it's okay because there's another wedding next Saturday so the two of us can go to that one. I think he'll enjoy that because there are lots of kids that come out to help with setting up and clearing the tables after the meal. It will be a good experience for him to help with a real function, not just pretending at home. It will also be good for him to meet some of the kids in the area. He's such a friendly boy, I think he'll have fun.

I'm pleased to report that my sunflower plants in my front flower bed have now grown tall enough that they are peeking into the kitchen window. One of the flowers is actually blooming. They aren't as tall or as big as the ones Bernie grew last year. I don't know if that's because they don't get as much sun or because they are a different variety but I'm really pleased to see them blooming. The others won't be far behind as the flowers are forming.
Not much to report this morning. It was such a depressing, rainy day, I just made myself some supper and curled up on the couch with the dog and watched TV all night. The good news is I've lost almost  9 pounds by counting calories. It's hard to believe after what I ate on Sunday but I'm down a little bit again this morning. Just the boost I need to keep me sticking to it.

A mini holiday...

Conditions at 5:20 am: raining and 19'
Expected later; what we see is what well get - 19' and rain

Not a single moose was spotted

After spending all afternoon Saturday cutting grass after work, I was ready for a little R and R on Sunday. The day was cloudy but the sun broke out just as I was crossing the bridge – but only on the island side. The New Brunswick side was foggy and hazy. But at least it wasn’t raining and it was easier on the eyes than bright sunshine so really, conditions for travel were great. I’d left home quite early and had way more time than I needed. After passing into Nova Scotia, I saw an exit for Springhill and thought to myself, I should really do that tour sometime. Then a little further down the road there was another exit for Springhill so I decided, what the heck, I’ll turn off and see how far off the highway it is. Turns out it was only 5 kms so that’s where I headed. It’s a small, typically maritime town and  when I spotted a Tim’s I turned in to get something to eat. After enjoying a toasted bagel and a milk, you can imagine my surprise to find that

1) the Anne Murray Centre is right next door to Tim’s and

2) it was open.

So I headed inside for what turned out to be a very enjoyable experience. It’s totally self guided and she has certainly had a remarkable career.  The centre is very well done and well worth a visit for fans of her music.

From there, I made my way to Truro and found the restaurant with no trouble. I walked in and looked around a bit at the General Store then decided I'd wait outside in the car so I could see Nancy when she arrived. I had  a book with me and it didn't take any time at all until she got there.

The photographer could have mentioned my 'bad' hair!

We went inside and sat at a table in front of the window and spent considerable time catching up with what's been happening in our lives, our friends lives, our kids lives, etc, etc. Eventually we ordered our lunch. The food was good but the portions were huge. We both ordered the Seafood Casserole - a rich creamy sauce  filled to the brim with shrimps, scallops, lobster and fish, topped with  cheese and baked in the oven. On the side we had a baked potato and salad (we had a choice of two sides from quite an extensive list). Nancy wasn't able to finish hers but, as usual, I was. I know for a fact it certainly wasn't diet food so it will be back to basics today. We had a lovely time but all too soon it was time to go. After getting some photos and saying our good byes, and picking up a cookbook in the gift shop (which she insisted on paying for as a birthday gift - but would not let me pay for lunch as I had planned - but don't worry, I won't get mad, I'll just get even!) we parted company. I wished her a happy birthday again (as it was actually her birthday yesterday) and headed down the road.

It was about an hour to the ferry and I did see a sign that mentioned that the exit for the PEI ferry was 1.5 km. Apparently I missed it because after driving for a good 10 to 15 kms I thought, this can't be right. I seemed to be getting further and further into the highlands and there was nothing in sight - just trees and more trees. I had a feeling I was gone too far but then what if the exit is just around the next corner? So I got on my phone and was relieved to be rescued once again by Brenda. They were out kayaking and I can't believe we both had service. She was able to determine that yes, I had in fact, gone too far. SO I turned around and beat it back the way I'd come. Sure enough a little while back there was the exit I had missed. I sped around the corner and out to the ferry. Now I understand the island concept of "racing to the boat". It's not like it was the last one or anything but it was nice to get there in time. I arrived just after 4:00 and it wasn't leaving until 4:30.
I was coming home and as I came up Monahan Road I stopped to call Brenda. She had called me and left a message to see if I got on the boat. So I called to see if she had any tea. She told me to come on over but she didn't mention that she was just cooking supper. Who knew? It's Sunday, she doesn't cook on Sunday - but I guess they had all worked up an appetite out on the water. They had taken my kayak with them and the canoe so Brenda and Bernie and the two girls were all able to go together.The last thing I needed was more food but I did manage to eat a hot dog and it was pretty good, along with a few chips. After some tea and watermelon, I  headed home It had been a pretty long and full day so after a bit of television it was time for bed. It's great that we were all able to go out and enjoy the lovely day yesterday as this week is supposed to rain all week. Meghan(1) and Bernie are scheduled to head out on their bike trip this morning but hopefully it might ease off a little bit later on. 

They're still here

Conditions at 5:15 am: 12' and overcast but the sun is just peeking out over the tops of the trees on the other side of the river
Expected later: 19' and mix of sun and cloud

Not my photo...

Just now (at 5:15) when I went outside to let the dog in I actually went all the way outside instead of just opening the door and I saw two bats swooping around the top of the house. In fact one flew so close to my head I could hear the air in it's wings as it flew by. I haven't seen any bats since the first summer here and I was concerned they had moved on but apparently I just haven't been outside at the right time of day. I would frequently see them in the summer of 2009 as I was leaving very early to work at the golf course but I'm not typically outside that early anymore, so it was quite a welcome sight to see them. I know they're not everyone's favorite creature but I find them absolutely fascinating. Plus they eat mosquitoes - it's a veritable buffet for them here!

Well, yesterday when I came back from lunch, one of the girls at work was filling in for me and she was online looking at real estate as she's thinking of downsizing. When she went back to her desk, I got poking around the site just to see what's out there and I was amazed at the vacation properties that are reasonably priced.  That got me to thinking, what if we (the Dennison's and us) bought a cottage? Then it would be there for anyone's use during the summer and when it wasn't being used it could be rented out. I found one particular interesting place that's "off the grid" so to speak, except for the telephone. Check it out.
http://www.calvinmol.com/Cardigan/Prince_Edward_Island/Homes/Glenfanning/Agent/Listing_41470201.html
Then I found another one that's near Bonshaw, withing walking distance of the beach, fully furnished.
http://www.calvinmol.com/Canoe_Cove/Prince_Edward_Island/Cabins_and_Cottages/Canoe_Cove/Agent/Listing_38783337.html
I really like the location of this one as it's only 30 km to Charlottetown, and near the amusement park in Bonshaw, so there would be lots for kids to do in the area.

Then I found this one in Savage Harbour, that's only a few minutes away from us.
http://www.calvinmol.com/Morell_St_Peters/Prince_Edward_Island/Cabins_and_Cottages/Savage_Harbour/Agent/Listing_39765458.html
I really think it's worth thinking about. It would mean taking "going to the cottage for the weekend" to a whole different level.Anyway, it's something to think about. We'll chat when the Dennison family comes down.

Last night I had to decide if I would spend the evening cutting grass or stacking wood and I chose wood. I got some done but there is still LOTS to do. But I'll just keep chipping away at it and before I know it, the job will be done. I'll enlist James' help when he gets here. Let's see if he's as  good a wood stacker as his little brother. Tristen did an amazing job when he was here at Easter.

Today is the wedding of one of Meghan's(1) friends so Brenda and I are going to meet up after I finish work and have something to eat on Victoria Row, then we can walk to the Confed Centre to see everyone arriving in their finery for the reception. It's supposed to be a nice day today so that's a good thing for them.

Sunday I'm planning to go to Nova Scotia to visit with Nancy. She's going to be there for a week to visit her sister and brother. I'm not sure yet where we're going to meet. She suggested we meet somewhere in between but I don't see a lot of choices. I had thought it might be nice to go to Chives in Halifax as I'd really like to try that one but they don't open until 5:00 pm so that's not really an option. So we'll have to settle on something else. I'll see if there's anything in Truro that might be nice. It will be great to see her. I told her next year she should plan her trip during lobster season. I know she loves lobster!