Wednesday July 30th - Happy Birthday to me and Ethan Van Gaal!

Conditions at 6:00 am: a few clouds and 16'
Expected later: a sunny and very warm 26' that will feel more like 32'

What a great day for a birthday celebration! The Van Gaals have invited us for dinner this evening as it's Ethan's birthday today, and Will's is in a couple of weeks, and of course, it's mine as well. We should just put "To whom it may concern, Happy Birthday!" on the cake!

It's also Friday for me, so that's an extra bonus. I'll be up early tomorrow morning and heading off to Halifax. I don't pick James up at the airport until around 8:30 pm so I'll have the whole day to explore. My good friend Nancy is also there, visiting her sister, so I'm going to meet up with her sometime tomorrow as well, perhaps for lunch or dinner. Don't know yet. I was going to leave really early but I'd like to stop at Mass Town Market on the way so don't want to leave TOO early.

It was too funny yesterday when I got home from work. Lloyd had decided he's getting out of the chicken business. At one egg a day, they hardly  pay for themselves. So he went over to the place that processes them and picked up a cage to transport them in. He made a point of telling Oscar the other night that his days were numbered. Well, when he went to put the chickens into the crate Oscar flew up to the top of the pen, and off he went. Lloyd says he spent at least an hour looking for him and finally just had to leave with the others. He though that Oscar was long gone. When I got home and he's telling me this story, I'm thinking, somethings not right here. So I went outside, and sure enough, there was Oscar, standing in the doorway of the chicken house, crowing away (the deaf guy couldn't hear him). So, he did come back. I told Lloyd he shouldn't have told that rooster what was in the works. So now, we still have one to look after - for now.

I was chatting to Meghan (2) by facetime the other day. She had tried out for the competition dance team at her dance school. They are forming an A team and a B team. The A team will be going to competitions and the B team will be the back up. She was meeting with Miss Holly on Monday to find out if she made either of the teams and Patti and I both knew she would be devastated if she didn't make either of the teams (as only a 12 year old can be!). She was very pleased to tell me that she made the A team. This is going to mean a lot of extra work for her but that's a good thing. I'm glad she'll have that to focus on over the next couple of years. That should keep her out of the mall and off the streets with the wrong kind of kids, as she heads off to junior high in September - not that that's ever been a problem, but I think it's good for them to have something to focus on and keep busy.

She just returned from summer camp. I asked her what the best part of the experience was, what was her favourite thing, but she just said, 'Oh Grandma, don't make me choose'. Apparently there was lots and lots of great times during her week. I went to the camp's website and found lots of photos - over 650, of this session so there were a few with her in them. What a great experience and I can tell she had a great time.

Don't rock the boat!

Always the drama queen!

Now that's what you call team work!

Monday, July 28th - another hot and sticky weekend

Conditions at 5:00 am: 19' and lightly raining
Expected later: 25' that will feel more like 33' and sun with chance of a thunderstorm later

It was a warm weekend, again and we enjoyed every  minute of it. I had to work on Saturday so I planned to take my motorcycle to work and Brenda was going to meet me at 2:00 to go for a little ride. Unfortunately things didn't quite go as planned. My poor little bike stalled at the corner and I couldn't get it going again. I thought perhaps the run down the hill might get it started, but unfortunately, that was not to be. When I got to the bottom of the hill, at the bridge, it was still not running, but now there was gas leaking profusely from underneath somewhere. Great! So I turned and started walking back up the hill, as I still had to get to work. Luckily for my, our neighbour who lives at the corner and has the strawberry farm, drove by just as I was about 3/4 of the way up the hill. He stopped and gave me a lift home. So a big thanks to Alan. Next it was hurry and get ready and into town. I still had time to meet Lloyd for a quick coffee at Tim's before he came home to sleep. When I got home from work, we took the truck, a can of gas and the booster cables down to the river and Lloyd was able to get it going, and back home. Now it's sitting in the garage in several pieces as he tries to assess the problem and get it fixed. I have no doubt that will be the case.

Not too long after getting that done, it was time to head over to the Rec Centre. There was a wedding on Saturday night and I had asked Lloyd if he might come over and help with this. We were afraid we might be short of men to carry the trays. So he did and we were grateful for the help. We had the meal out and served to 130 people in 15 minutes! Not bad for a bunch of amateurs.   By the time we finished cleaning up it was 10:00 so that was pretty much it for Saturday.

Sunday morning Brenda came over bright and early so we could prep the vegetables needed for the mussels for the church picnic, later in the afternoon. We were done in no time then and she was off, as she had a family function to attend over in Argyle Shore. She was going to meet up with us later in the afternoon. In the meantime, Lloyd set about blocking some of the wood while I split it. Then he had to go into town so I continued splitting what was there, at least the smaller ones. Some are quite huge and I have trouble getting them up onto the splitter. I saved those for Lloyd!

The BBQ was once again a success. It was held at the Rec Centre and we estimate that there were approximately 120 or so people there. Mussels, burger and hot dogs,
strawberries and ice cream to finish it off. A great way to spend a sunny Sunday afternoon.

And finally, I was deeply saddened to learn on Saturday that my dear friend, Doug Devon, from BC, has passed away. He'd been battling cancer and lost the fight. As sad as it makes me to lose him, I know it was terminal and there was nothing further they could do. He was in an intense amount of pain and that was

terrible to see. I'm glad that part is over for him.  We'd been good friends for approximately 35 years and in so many ways, Doug was like the brother I never had. He's seen me at my worst and shared my best. We went through a lot of changes in both our lives and were always there for each other. In spite of distance and time differences we were never more than a phone call away from each other, if needed. And we both knew that. Both of our spouses just had to accept that we were best friends. So much so, that he gave me away when Lloyd and I got married 25 years ago, and I was best man at his wedding to Patti 23 years ago. In fact, he and Patti were living together, and he had bought a ring for her, but would not propose  until I met her and gave him my blessing, which of course I was happy to do. I have many very fond memories of times spent together that I will always treasure. I am blessed to have had a few days with him back in the spring. I think we both knew it was goodbye, when I left, though neither of us acknowledged that fact. He is now gone to a better place and I will miss him deeply. Rest in peace, my friend and save me a place at the bar!

Friday, July 25th - the suns returning after a day of rain

Conditions at 5:15 am: 16' and overcast (I think, it's hard to tell cause it's dark now at this time of day)
Expected later: sunny 23' that will feel more like 27'

After a hot, humid and sticky day on Wednesday, we were treated to lower temperatures and some much needed rain. Not so great for those things that were planned outdoors but great for the garden and for sleeping.

Last night Burton Cummings was the featured performer at the 2014 celebration zone and hopefully it wasn't too wet. The rain had stopped here and things were drying out by 8:00 so hopefully it was the same in town.

Needless to say I didn't venture into town to join the soggy, wet crowd. Instead I opted to stay home and read a book as I waited for my butter tarts to bake. Lloyd didn't want them around (he's trying to watch his eating habits - again!)  so I'm dropping them off this morning at the Ultramar in Scotchfort. The East River Fire Department are camping out on the roof of the gas station from Thursday afternoon until Saturday afternoon. It figures - we've had nothing but hot sunny weather and the day they start their fundraiser, it's pouring rain. Although that may be prefereable to the 28' but feeling like 32' from the day before.  This is the 60th anniversary of firefighters raising money for Muscular Dystrophy  and this departments 2nd rooftop campout and their goal this year is $5,000.  I'm hoping they might like a little treat to go with their morning coffee. Good luck guys!

One of the local radio stations was holding a draw for 50 pairs of tickets to see 'Anne of Green Gables - the musical'  at the confed centre. There's a celebration to commemorate the 50th year that this play has been running every summer. After 5 years on the island, we still haven't seen it. Well that's about to change. Guess who won a pair of tickets? YUP - got the phone message on Wednesday to come and pick up my prize. Am I a lucky theatre patron this summer,   or what?  Stompin Tom last weekend and now Anne next week. There's also a reception before the show with cake and ice cream - bonus! The play is Monday evening so Lloyd will have to sleep a little later in the day and meet me before the show. We'll make it work.

Only a week away till I get to spend some time with Patti and James. Unfortunately our trip to NFLD has been cancelled but we're still going to do the Halifax part of the journey. Scheduling conflicts interfered but the up side is we can do it another time - so we'll  get two trips instead of just one.
Hopefully I'll meet up with them sometime late Thursday or early Friday, depending on how flights work out. We'll have a bit of time to tour Halifax and then head back to the island for a couple of days. I'm really looking forward to it. Right now Patti and James are touring Fort Henry in Kingston as they make their way to the camp where Meghan has been enjoying the summer for the past week.
Greg and Tristen are at home where I'm sure Tristen is enjoying life as the 'only child', even if it's only for a short time.

And finally under the category of "Gee, I didn't know that" comes this story that's resurfaced because it's Shark Week on the Discovery Channel:

Great white shark from 1983 attracts new attention

Shark in the top two ever measured in the world

A great white shark caught off P.E.I. more than 30 years ago has been named one of the world's top five legendary sharks by the Discovery Channel.
The shark caught off western P.E.I. by Alberton fisherman David McKendrick in 1983, was 5.2 metres long. It got caught in McKendrick's net, and was dead when he pulled it to the surface. Warren Joyce of the Canadian Shark Research Laboratory in Bedford, N.S. said the shark is in the top two largest ever measured in the world.

Given the very few sightings of great white sharks around the Maritimes, Joyce said that such a large one was caught off P.E.I. is surprising.

"They are very rare all over the world. Their numbers are declining," he said.
"You usually only hear of reports, maybe every two to three years, if that. In the last 130 years there's only been 34 actual recorded incidents of great whites in our waters."
Vertebrae from the shark, still preserved at the Bedford lab, were recently reanalyzed for the shark's age. The large female was estimated to be 19 years old.

The shark was buried in a nearby gravel pit and later dug up by a fisheries official. (Canadian Shark Research Laboratory)

Fishermen Doug Fraser was there when the shark was brought ashore. He had seen sharks a metre long and slightly longer before, but nothing like the behemoth McKendrick had hauled.
"The tail would have been dragging off the end of the dump truck. The girth of it was probably over six feet," said Fraser.
"It was a pretty huge monster to see, and a great collection of teeth."
After it was caught, said Joyce, the shark was immediately buried in a nearby gravel pit. A fisheries officer dug it up two weeks later to measure it and preserve some of the bones. Those are stored at the shark research lab in Bedford. The jawbone is on display at a museum in Florida.

Who knew?

Wednesday, July 23rd - another hot steamy day on the way

Conditions at 5:15: overcast and the suns not up yet but a breezy 19'
Expected later: lots of sun and a high of 28' that will feel like 36'

Still lots of jelly fish hanging around

It was supposed to be really hot and humid yesterday so Brenda and I planned to head to the beach after
work. It was lovely and warm but not nearly as hot as expected but that didn't deter us. Brenda arrived right after I got home and we were off. There were a few people at the beach but not many, as per usual. I've never seen this beach very busy but then I suppose most of the vacationers would have been gone by the time we got there.


 Brenda brought food and we enjoyed a delicious meal of chicken salad sandwiches on home made bread and chips, washed down with a Beach Chair Lager (she had given the idea some thought!). After sitting for a while we went for a long walk on the beach, and then it was back home. By the time I finished a bath to wash off the sand, it was time for bed. Thanks Brenda, for another great idea!

A quick trip to the beach on a hot summers day - one of the great joys of living on a island!











 When I arrived home last night, there was a big pile of logs in the yard. Our wood has been delivered for the winter and Lloyd certainly has his work cut out for him in the next little while to get it all blocked. It's a big pile and I'm sure it looks a little daunting right now but we'll get there. I can help split it and eventually we'll  have somewhere to stack it - but not at the moment.

Monday, July 21st - what a great weekend!

Conditions at 5:30 am: 18' feeling more like 22' with the sun just starting to peek over the horizon
Expected later: sunny and 24' that will feel more like 27'

It was a glorious weekend with none-stop sun and warm temperatures. It all started right after work on Friday evening. Our neighbour and island singer songwriter, Margie, was playing at the hall in Milton. Brenda and Bernie had decided they would join me for an evening's entertainment. The met up with me at the hall and a great night was enjoyed. Out to experience some typical island entertainment was a group of approximately 15 girls guides , who are visiting the island for eight days  from the Kitchener, Ont area, . During the break Margie was chatting with their leader and after the lunch, when the show resumed, the girls got up and sang for us. It was quite lovely and a really nice addition to the evening.


Saturday morning I was off but I wanted to go into town to pick up some groceries. I met Lloyd after his shift and we had coffee and a bite at Tim's before shopping. When we got home, he headed off to bed and set about cleaning 12 quarts of strawberries. I had

purchased a gift certificate from a local berry farmer at a benefit back in the winter. By the time I was done,  Lloyd was awake so I was able to go outside and cut some grass. Finished up the front yards just in time to get changed and head over to the Rec Centre. There was a large wedding that kept us busy until we finally headed to our cars a little after 10.00. It had been a long day and our feet aren't just used to the long hours of standing as yet. But we have a lot of weddings this summer so we'll have ample opportunities to get used to it



Sunday dawned bright and sunny - again! Brenda met me at the corner after church and we headed out on our bikes. We both had plans later in the afternoon so we had to make every free minute count. We left here and headed towards Wood Island, after stopping for lunch in Murray Harbour. It's a beautiful drive along the south shore along the straight and I got home just in time to change, again and head out. Lloyd and I were going to Wheatley River to have supper with our friends Charles and Laura. They were joining us in out trip to Summerside. After sharing a delicious meal we headed out and got to the Harbourfront Theatre around 7:00 so we had time for  a little look around. I've never been to that particular theatre before. I had received some free tickets earlier in the week and the four of us really enjoyed the show. I wasn't sure what to expect but it was a stage play and concert all combined into one and they did a brilliant job of telling the story of Stompin Tom. During the intermission I was telling Charles about the fact that there's a little bar in Timmins called the Maple Leaf Hotel, that I've had more than a few drinks in, a long time ago, where I know Stompin Tom had played. We laughed and wondered if it would get mentioned in the second act. Sure enough, they set up a bar scene and  put up a sign reading "Maple Leaf Hotel" - talk about a blast from the past! It was a great performance and a lot of fun. We highly recommend the show if you're in the area and looking for something to do. It was late when we got home, around 11:30 but it had been a great time out with friends we haven't seen in while.

All in all a really great weekend!

Friday, July 18th - this week went by quickly but no idea why

Conditions at 5:30 am: 17' and the sun is just coming up over the river
Expected later: 24'  that may feel more like 28' and lots of sun for the rest of the weekend

It's been an extraordinarily quiet week. Not much going on and not much planned. We've been enduring the heat and humidity amid some scattered showers and occasional downpours. If the sun comes out  today like it's supposed to, I'm sure you'll be able to see the grass growing! I just finished it on Monday evening but I know it will need it again before the weekend is over.

Speaking of growing, Lloyd's garden is enjoying the sun and rain. Some things just didn't come up but the things that did are doing very well. The pictures aren't really clear as I took them at 5:30 in the morning and it wasn't quite fully daylight yet so they are a little blurry. Better ones will follow as things  progress. Looks like we need to do some weeding this weekend!

Lots of pods waiting to fill in with peas

Green onions and carrots

The potatoes are doing very well - it is PEI after all!

If all these plants produce tomatoes, we're going to have a lot of pasta sauce!

 I'm glad it's doing well for him, as he put a lot of work into the planning and starting of the seeds. It's definitely been a learning experience. Stay tuned in a couple of weeks for updates.

I was lucky enough on Wednesday to receive some free tickets from the radio station for the Ballad of Stompin Tom at the Harbourfront Theatre in Summerside. We've haven't decided yet just when we're going but I'm sure it will be enjoyable. I was just heading out for lunch when the girl on the radio announced her location at a local Subway restaurant and to drop by and say hello. So that's just what I did and scored the free tickets. Just like that! Pays to be in the right place at the right time, I suppose, and to have the radio on at the right moment.

Not much else going on. Lloyd is working on his roofing, which has been hampered by rain, and we should be getting some wood delivered in the next day or so, that will have to be blocked and split so it can dry a bit before winter. There's never a shortage of things to do out here, that's for sure! During the winter I purchased a gift certificate for a crate of strawberries from a local farmer. I'm picking those up on Saturday morning so we know what I'll be doing, for half the day anyway. Fresh strawberries - YUMMM

Wednesday, July 15th - how can we possibly be half way through July already? The nice weather has just arrived!

 It's going to be a warm muggy day
Conditions at 5:00 am: 22' that feels more like 30'
Expected later today: chance of showers with 27' that feels more like 37' but there's a bit of a breeze so that should help

The last couple of days have been a bit sketchy. Actually Monday was great and I was able to finish cutting the grass that I started on Sunday. Now it's all done except for the trimming. Tuesday started out dampish and then rained on and off all day. Lloyd was planning to re-shingle the little roof at the back that fell victim to tropical storm Arthur but it was too wet. With any luck he'll be able to get to in by the end of the week. Things are supposed to improve by the weekend.

Other than bits of laundry, I didn't do anything last night except read. I'm really bad when I get engrossed in a book - I can't put it down and flit from project to project as quickly as possible so I can get back to reading. Fortunately I finished the book I was reading last night. Now I just have to make myself not start another one for a few days. I feel like that's all I've been doing the past couple of weeks is read. I suppose that's not a bad way to pass the time but it does hinder other activities!

Not a lot going on this week. Lloyd was talking to some friends from Guelph on the weekend. They're planning a vacation to the east coast with their camper trailer and will be spending a few days with us. Lloyd thought it was the end of July and that was going to conflict with my trip with James. But it turns out that it's later in August so that's really good. Lloyd will also be away for a couple of days training in Halifax at the end of the month, for work. I think he'll get back a day or two before I leave so it won't impact any livestock needs. It's always a great thing when timing works!

Not much else happening at the moment. I'm off on Saturday and we have a wedding at the Rec Centre to work at. There's one pretty much every Saturday for the rest of the summer so we'll have to get back into serving mode once again. It's been a while, for me anyway. Brenda made it to the first one of the season but I was tied up with other things at the time. It's going to be a busy summer n Fort Augustus.

Monday, July 14th -it was a beach kind of weekend

Conditions at 5:30 am: 18' and slightly wet
Expected later: 24' that will feel more like 32' and cloudy with a chance of showers

What a great weekend all round. It was very warm and sunny the entire time - absolutely perfect.
On Friday after work, I met Brenda downtown at the new John Brown's Grille, which replaced the Globe. Brenda secured a table for us out on the patio where we could enjoy the evening and the music on Victoria Row. We shared a couple of appetizers and some beer and it was a great evening.

When we were done eating we took a walk down Queen Street to check out where another new restaurant has opened up (let's face it folks, it's ALL about the food!). Then it was off to the Mac to see Lennie Gallant's show Searching for Abegweit. Linda and Nadia had been to see it last week and they loved it. It was really good and capped off a great evening. We took a walk down to the waterfront when the show was over to see if we might catch a bit of Serena Ryder at the Celebration Zone but sadly, that show was finished. It was an absolutely gorgeous night for a walk along the water. Eventually we headed back to our cars and then home.

I had to work on Saturday but stopped into the Van Gaals on my way to see if they might be interested in doing supper at the beach. It was forcast to be another steamy hot day. Brenda advised she would check with Bernie as neither of the guys are too into the whole beach thing. But surprisingly, they both said yes!  After work I set about picking up a BBQ chicken and some nice rolls at the store as well as a couple of ingredients I needed for the salad I planned to make - a southwest pasta salad. By the time the salad was done and I had retrieved all the necessary beach stuff, it was time to head out and our ride had arrived.
We had made the decision to try out Greenwich Beach. It was Lloyd's first time there. There were very few people and the few that were there were mostly leaving as we arrived (that was our plan!). So we pretty much had the whole beach to ourselves. We set up our table and our food and enjoyed a great meal. BBQ chicken on a bun, the above mentioned pasta salad, potato salad

Checking out the jelly fish

and chocolate cream cheese muffins, both courtesy of Mrs. Van Gaal and of course, a glass or two of wine to wash it all down. After eating, Brenda and I took a long walk on the beach. It was just the perfect evening. We stayed until the sun starting setting and then fought our way through the mosquitoes along the boardwalk back to the car. All in all, a pretty perfect day with good friends.

Sunday promised to be more of the same boring warm and sunny temperatures (NOT!) We headed out early on our bikes, Brenda and I, for our

second run of the year. Already we've done more than we did last year. We took back roads up to Souris to check out Chef Michael's Snack Shack, along the water in a group of little touristy shops. Chef Michael was there and was just leaving when we arrived. I stopped and had a little chat with him before he left. Then it was inside to do some shopping. There's some interesting items there - all the cookbooks, but I already have all of those. There are aprons  (one of which I had to buy to add to my collection of aprons) as well as some black garlic. Now that's an interesting product. It's relatively new to Canada and is produced by a fellow Ontarion, who just happens to have worked with Lloyd when they were both in corrections. Small world. The garlic came with a couple of recipes but we haven't tried it yet.

From there we headed up the street to the Sheltered Harbour Cafe. We parked our bikes and were just taking off our jackets and helmets when another biker pulled into the parking lot. He looked slightly familiar - the same Newfie I had coffee with in the morning! None of us had planned to arrive there and if we had we never would have been able to time it so well. So Lloyd was very kind and bought us lunch.  Then we went our separate ways. We offered to have Lloyd join us but he declined. I think he figured we would be too pokey for him.

We headed back home, again taking the scenic route. We stopped in St. Peter's Bay for ice cream before the last leg of the trip. All in all a really great day. When I got home, I had a cup of tea and then started in on the lawn, which was sadly neglected. The lawn mower was in need of some repair and it finally got done near the end of the week, so I was able to use it again. I got a lot of the lawn done before the bugs drove me inside. But it was going on 7:00 so it was time to quit, go inside and have a cool drink and relax for the rest of the evening in a nice hot bath. Another perfect PEI weekend!

Friday July 11th - it was a grand day!

Conditions at 5:30 am: 16' and the sun is just coming up beautifully (although there is that whole "red sky in the morning"...)
Expected later: mostly sunny 23' that will feel more like 27' - another perfect day!

It's been a perfect week, weather wise, and anyone who had holidays booked this week were truly blessed.

Not a lot going on the past couple of days. Lloyd went to Nova Scotia and he and his bees returned safe and sound. Now they are residing in their new home at the end of the yard. Hopefully this winter will be more successful than last one was.  He took the ferry back and who was on it, but Linda and Nadia, our guests from Tuesday evening. So he had someone to talk to on the way back.

Yesterday afternoon when I got home, Lloyd had warmed up the leftovers from Tuesday evenings meal and he advised that Brenda had called. I called back and she was on her way to the beach. Sounded like a great idea to me. By the time she arrived I had wolfed down my supper, changed and packed up my picnic cooler with a chilled bottle of wine. We headed out and went to Savage Beach. It's a bit of a  drive to get there but it's also very quiet. We set up our chairs and went over to test the water. It wasn't so cold but was very dirty - likely a result of all the high winds on the weekend. We opted instead to just sit and relax and enjoy a beautiful evening.We stayed there till almost 8:30 and enjoyed the scenery and the beautiful evening. I expect we'll be doing this more often, especially when it's this warm.
Seriously, what could be better - my feet buried in the sand and a glass of cold wine in my hand!

Tonight Brenda and I are off to see the Lennie Gallant show at the Mac. Linda and Nadia saw it on Monday evening and very highly recommended it. So a relaxing meal out on a sidewalk patio followed by some great entertainment seems like a perfect way to end the week. I'm working on Saturday and we have a bike ride planned for Sunday, as this weather is promising to continue into next week!



Note to "Patti, not from Orangeville" - I know this sounds really sad but I didn't know I could access the internet on my Kobo. So thanks for teaching me that! I just tried it and I can read the blog fine with it. I thought maybe it was a kobo thing but mine seems to work fine. Not sure why yours doesn't. I tried leaving a comment from my Ipad and it worked. I thought it might be an apple thing but not so. As for the phone, it might just be it doesn't have that functionality. That's something I'll have to investigate further.

Wednesday, July 9th - ooops - slept in this morning -sorry for the delay!

Conditions at 7:53: am: 20' but feeling more like 25'
Expected later: 27 sunny degrees that will feel more like 35'

I confess, I slept in this morning till almost 6:00.  Last night a friend from Ontario came over for supper and brought her friend with her. Nadia has never been to the island before so it's nice that the weather is sort of cooperating. They did arrive on Friday just in time for storm Arthur but they managed okay. They've been very busy touring the island before they leave on Thursday afternoon so we're glad we had a chance to get together. We enjoyed BBQ ribs that were tender, falling off the bone, boiled new PEI potatoes with buter and chives, and corn on the cob. We finished off with some sticky date pudding for dessert. Many thanks to Lloyd for doing most of the work. (okay, I did help a little)  It seems we've stumbled upon a sure proof way of doing the ribs to make they really tender and flavourful.

It helped that the girls were there fairly late as I had to wait till Lloyd got up to go to work. He had gotten a ride into town yesterday to pick up my newly painted bike, and it looks GREAT! (pictures on Friday). I  love it!  But his truck was at the Van Gaals and he needed it to get to work. So hopefully we didn't make too much noise in their driveway at 11:00 last night.

Lloyd is off this morning to Windsor, Nova Scotia to pick up his bees. Sadly his bees didn't make it through the winter, which was not uncommon this past year. So he's going to give it another try. It's going to be a long day for him, working all night then heading out onto the road. He'll get back late this afternoon if all goes well. He'll surely be tired but assures me if he needs to stop and have a little nap along the way, he will do that.

The heat and humidity continues but there's a slight breeze so it's all good! You'll not hear me complaining!

Monday, July 7th - a wild windy weekend thanks to Arthur

Conditions at 5:30 am: 18' that feels more like23, calm and overcast
Expected later: sunshine and 25' that will seem more like 30'

Don't see many of these on the island!

What a weekend! We were expecting some company from Costa Rica on Friday afternoon. We'd gotten a message a week ago that they would be here by 6:00 on Friday afternoon. Lloyd called me at 4:30 to see if I'd heard from them, but neither of us had. It was very hot and he was planning to cook supper, but decided instead to have me pick up a pizza. We really weren't sure when they might be arriving. So I picked up the pizza and headed home. It was 6:05 when we sat down at the table and I said to him, watch, they'll drive up just as we start eating the pizza. The words were no sooner out of my mouth when I saw a vehicle come slowing down the road, then turn up the drive. Go figure! But it all worked out. We all shared the pizza while we caught up a bit, then while Lloyd visited with his sister and brother in law, I got busy making the quiche and salad we had originally planned, that we had later on. In the end it all worked out. What a tale they had to tell of their travels through El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, and on up to Canada. I have to say, they are much braver than I would have been. But they made it safe and sound and stopped for a couple of days before departing this morning for Newfoundland.

Fortunately this is the extend of the damage

It was extremely warm Friday night and we were anticipating the arrival of Hurricane or at least Tropical Storm Arthur. I woke up several times in the night expecting to hear lots of rain and high winds but none came. By morning it was still a fairly quiet day, although a bit breezy but nothing out of the ordinary for our area. Then around 10:00 am the winds picked up and got very blustery. The power was going off and then back on, from time to time, and finally in the early afternoon, it went off and stayed off. Good thing I have a gas stove that still allowed me to cook on the top. The guys moved the BBQ out into the garage and we put a chicken on there to cook, while the potatoes and vegetables were done inside. Part way through our supper, the power came back on and stayed on for the rest of the evening. We watched the 11:00 news and saw that other parts of the maritimes were quite severely hit but other than a few branches off the trees, and a piece of roofing off the little roof at the back, we didn't really get any. damages to speak of.

We were outside when a gust of wind blew over the oil tank BBQ

We woke up on Sunday morning and the power had gone off at 6:00 am. It was off pretty much until around
3:30 in the afternoon. In the morning, Brenda and Bernie came over and brought over some water, as we thought the inconvenience was over the night before, so hadn't stock piled any. They also brought over some fruit and fresh home made bread (that was a challenge for Brenda on Saturday with the power off and on)  and we all sat down to a breakfast of smoked sausages and eggs, yogurt and fruit and toast. Turns out the camping toaster works quite well on the gas stove-top. We were able to cook supper without incident. It appears the problem was with one of the poles out behind our house. A hydro truck came by and went up the back lane and then left. Later in the afternoon, another one came in followed shortly by another hauling  a new pole behind it. I took a walk back to see what was going on and they had replaced a pole and were reconnecting the wires. Sure enough, a short time later all was up and running finally. Lloyd, Heather and Kim had gone in to town but I stayed here so I knew what had transpired in their absence.

This morning, all is well. It's calm and slightly overcast but the sun should be peeking through soon. There at lots of small branches littering the yard that will need to be raked up later. Heather and Kim are going into town this morning then will be heading out on the ferry to catch the boat to Newfoundland. It's been quite a weekend.

Unfortunately due to the storm, the Cavendish Beach Music Festival was cancelled on Saturday. Our friend Patti, from Ontario had arrived earlier in the week to go so that was unfortunate. But at least she was at her cottage so she would have first hand knowledge of how it survived.  Another friend, texted me on Friday afternoon to tell me she was sitting on the airplane, right behind Chef Michael Smith and his family. She was pretty excited about that. She's here for the week and we'll see her on Tuesday for supper. Sunday was Chef Michael's  village feast so hopefully that went well in spite of the strong winds.

Now it's all back to normal. One little incident, the small pen where the baby chicks live outside, must have been lifted up by the wind and one of the chicks was crushed underneath the edge when Lloyd went out on Sunday morning. A second one was missing. Good old Cooper found her for us last night. Heather and I were outside and he was running around the little shed trying to get underneath. Lloyd went out with a flashlight and saw her under there. So between the two of us and a big stick, we were able to flush her out and get her back where she belongs. As Bernie said on Sunday, welcome to farming!

Friday, July 4th - and the heat wave continues .... for now!

Conditions at 6:00 am: 21' and sunny and breezy
Expected later: 28' that may feel more like 38' but the winds will help it feel a bit cooler

It's still blistering hot but we're not going to complain. We're expecting company on the weekend and I've done some rudimentary cleaning but that's going to have to be good enough. It was just too hot in the house last night to be doing a whole lot.

But that could change drastically in the next 24 hours. We are expecting the remnants of Tropical Storm Arthur. Yesterday it was a category 1 hurricane as it swept up the easter seaboard of the United States. We're not sure just how much of an impact we'll see but we are fairly certain there will be LOTS of rain. It's such a shame for it to happen this weekend as it's the Cavendish Beach Music Festival.  Hopefully it won't be too severe.

Brenda came over for a visit on Wednesday evening. It was again very hot so we just sat and sipped cold drinks. What else were we to do?  I stopped by their little rental property on my way home  yesterday afternoon and Bernie was inside nailing boards and Brenda was up on the roof, in the heat, painting trim. I wish I had her energy.  But she was just about to call it a day.

Other than that, not a lot going on. Just trying to stay cool, but as I said, we're not going to complain!

Forgot to mention, this time last week we were all getting ready to attend Highland Storm. James and I went last year and we really enjoyed it. I knew Lloyd would like it as well. So Friday after work, Brenda met me and we drove to Summerside. Lloyd and Bernie were on another mission on the west end of the island so the plan was for them to meet us there. I didn't take lunch so was able to leave
work at 4:00, giving us girls lots of time. We arrived in town and found a parking spot behind a little cafe we'd been wanting to try out. It was absolutely lovely and the food was delicious. We had a window seat so we could watch the motorcycles parade past us as it was also Atlanticade last weekend as well. We even had some time to walk around downtown and explore the little shops on the waterfront.  The boys chose to eat at the Frosty Treat on their way and met us just before the show started. Our step dancing instructor is in the show and Bernie's nephew is one of the instructors as

well as part of the performance, so it was extra special knowing people in the show. There was also a young girl who sang with an absolutely beautiful voice, who happens to be on Brenda's bus! It is a very small island, sometimes!  After the show it was out to the beer tent for more music and a beverage. All in all a great night, and a show I highly recommend seeing.

Wednesday, July 2nd - a great day off in the middle of the week

Conditions at 5:30 am: a warm but breezy 19'
Expected later: sunny and 29' that may feel more like 37' - let's hope that breeze hangs around!

It certainly seems like summer has arrived. After a long snowy winter, and a cold and wet spring, summer has slammed into the maritimes with a bang. After a blazing hot weekend (although not as hot and humid as southern Ontario) we were graced with more for  Monday and Tuesday. Perfect for all the Canada Day celebrations that were  taking place in town.

Monday after work, I met Lloyd downtown at the liquor store to pick up a couple of cases of wine to stock up. Then it was off to the movies to see "The Grand Seduction". It was very entertaining and I know Lloyd loved it as there were places he recognized. All in all a really fun film. When it was over, it was still daylight, of course, as it was only 8:00. So we headed downtown to an outdoor patio for a beer and some food. We were not disappointed. The food was great and the beer was cold at the Gate.   By the time we finished there and got home, it was well after 10:00. A perfect end to an insanely  busy day. A light hearted movie and someone to pamper me with food and beverage was just the ticket!

Tuesday morning dawned breezy for the first time in quite a few days, which is quite unusual for our neck of the woods. But as the morning progressed, it became very warm once again, but was modified somewhat by the breeze. I puttered in the house while Lloyd worked outside. Not a lot got accomplished but a few things got crossed of the to-do list and before we knew it, it was time for supper. I had suggested to Lloyd early in the day that perhaps we could go into town around 9:00 to see the fireworks at 10:00. Then we both remembered that his extended weekend was now over and he had to go to work at midnight. So much for that plan. Just as well, after the last fews days of heat, we were both pretty tired by the end of the day.

We expect some company this weekend do I did a few things around the house and Lloyd is still working on his heat pumps. One thing about living out here, there's never a shortage of things to do! We certainly can never complain about being bored!