Wednesday, July 4th - half way through the week already

The beautiful flowers on the orchid that Katie gave me

It's a sunny 17' at 5:30 this morning and we're heading for our last really warm day for a bit. We  should reach 25' later that will feel like 29' but it's still pleasant. Yesterday was pretty much the same but there was a light breeze that just made it ever so comfortable. I suppose if you had to work outside all day it might have been different but those of us who spend the day inside except for our lunch break, it's such a treat to go out at noon.  Some days it's really hard to make yourself come back inside.

The meat shop isn't open as yet. They had planned to open yesterday but they didn't have all the stock they needed. They spent the day prepping more product and getting more things ready. They hope it will be open before the end of the week as the ads are going into the papers this week. Lloyd was ever so pleased with himself as he learned how to de-bone an entire turkey so you are left with the whole thing in one piece, without any bones. At that stage there are lots of possibilities. It can be rolled and then roasted but in this case they will smoke it but I can see potential for future birds at home. When you can roll it you can then put stuffing in the middle and roast it like any ordinary roast. There was a poultry market in Guelph that sold rolled deboned turkeys and they are a dream to cook.

He's really learning a lot and very much enjoying doing it. It's such a diversion from what he was doing before and he looks forward to going to work each morning. I suspect that once they open he'll be working later so he's probably take the bike most morning until it get's too cold and then we'll have to figure out if it's worth it to take two cars or just wait for each other. He can have coffee in the morning before he starts and I can do the same at the end of the day. But that's down the road - as they say, we'll cross that bridge when we get to it. The one advantage of taking two vehicles and me getting home earlier, is that I can get supper started and it's ready when he gets here, rather than ending up eating really late. But we'll see.

Last night after supper of smoked pork chops, and left over salads, we went over to Five Houses Road to weed the wee garden. Some things are doing well, others not so much, but it's all a learning adventure. I'm well aware that I planted the radishes too close together and they are quite crowded so I pulled some of the larger ones out so the smaller ones have room. So I suppose I can say I have the first harvest from my little plot.

The tomatoes are doing well as are the onions. The peas should be fine but I've lost most of the beans. Beets and lettuce are doing so-so but my cucumber and zucchini plants seem to be thriving.  Jennifer next door, is getting another hose so that it will reach from her place to her garden and then she can water both of them. Fortunately we are meant to get some heavy rain tomorrow so that will make a big difference, as it's been so very hot and dry the past while.

On our way over there, Lloyd commented that he hadn't seen Richard since he got here. I reminded him that he's no longer on vacation and that things tend to be different once you are here working for a living! Socializing is no longer your number one priority. So after we finished the weeding we stopped in and had a little visit with the Anderson's. It sounds like they had a great weekend touring around the island with the  top down. I have to admit I'm just a tiny bit jealous. It certainly was great weather for it. They said they sat and watched the bikes going across the bridge but they didn't see Brenda. I told them it was on facebook so they can check there.  We had a lovely chat and it was 10:00 by the time we left.

Tonight Lloyd is going for his first haircut with Charmaine. I'll take him the first time and then after that he's on his own.