Tuesday, May 26th - Welcome home Lloyd

After a coolish weekend, the warm weather returned on Monday - as did the blackflys! It was 25' when I was coming home last night, pizza in hand, to share with Lloyd. He'd arrived home, just slightly ahead of me - in fact he called me when he was passing the dealership at 4:50 and told me to wave.  This morning is overcast and we should see light showers for most of the day but the sun should return tomorrow.

Brenda came over on Friday evening and we enjoyed some wine and nachos and a new series on Netflix.  Then it was off to work on Saturday morning but it was an overcast and windy day for the most part so I didn't mind being there. Besides I'm still trying to catch up on the work from when I was away. It's going to take a while.

Sunday was very chilly so I went with the VanGaals for a bit of a road trip. Brenda was in search of a magnolia tree to plant beside her stone piazza. She had sourced out a small tree nursery near Kensington that had just what she was looking for. So after church the three of us headed out. It was cold but the sun was shining so it was nice in the car. We started out with breakfast at a popular little spot in Hunter River. It was quite busy and they have a lovely screened in outdoor area, where people were sitting. It was sunny but apparently a bit breezy so we opted to stay inside. But that's definitely a destination for a bike ride some Sunday morning later in the year.

From there we headed out towards Kensington and found the nursery. After much discussion, the perfect tree was found. Of course it's quite small right now but will grow. In fact it has one bloom on it already so there's something to look forward to.

One little bud ready to burst open

 The only way to get the tree into the car was the put it on the floor in the front seat, so Brenda and I sat in back and were chauffeured. We were also well satisfied by an ice cream from the Frosty Treat. We couldn't be that close and not stop in. Out of the wind, it was a gorgeous day so we just sat back and enjoyed the scenery. After such a harsh winter, it's lovely to see all the lush green fields again.

When I got home, I finished up a couple of little jobs that I'd been working on and called it a day. There were a couple of options for the evening - the RCMP Musical Ride was taking place in Stratford and the Irish visitors were at the Rec Centre for a bit of a reception. One of my favorite local singers, Eddie Quinn was performing and that seemed like the better of the two ideas, mostly because it was an indoor event. In the end I didn't go to either. I had started researching something on line and was watching instructional videos and lost all track of time. By the time I looked at the clock, it was after 8:00 and in the end, I just stayed home. 

We passed several truckloads of  horses just arriving as we were leaving town

Lloyd had a good trip back. He made it without incident and as usual for him, he drove straight through, stopping for a short nap in Quebec. Needless to say, he was pretty tired so it was an early evening for him
.

 He's got to be up early this morning as he's got to get the bike off the back of the truck before heading into town to pick up the baby chicks he ordered a while ago. Yes, there will be 25 little peepers here this afternoon when I get home.  And the summer begins.....

Speaking of summer. I chatted with Patti yesterday and James has a busy summer ahead. He's taking an extra course from school over the summer as he can't fit it into his schedule next year, and he also has some parades with the pipe band. He got his first taste on the weekend. They were in a parade in Milton and while it was a short parade, it was very hot so he got his first taste of marching in all that wool garb that comes with being a piper. I was looking at the photos on Lloyd's camera and it appears he also made a special appearance at his old school. The Montessori school hosts a fund raiser each year called Spring Fling and Lloyd always comes away with something from the silent auction. This year it's a picnic basket that will be ideal for quick trips to the beach after work. There was a photo of James standing in the playground, piping for the kids.  I'm sure his previous teachers were suitably impressed.

The pied piper of Guelph Montessori School

Friday, May 22nd - the last snow should disappear today!

Today's weather: It's currently 8' with a light layer of cloud with sun peeking through here and there. We can expect a cooler high today of only 13' with rain this afternoon and possibly more overnight.

The rain today should take care of the final bits of snow along the tree line - at least at our house. Everywhere else is greening up quite nicely but there's still that little patch along the edge to remind us it's not quite here yet!

It's not quite like years ago when I lived in Timmins, Ont. Often it would get VERY warm in the late spring so it was quite common to see people in shorts and tank tops out on their front lawns, shoveling the last foot or so of snow from the lawn onto the paved streets to facilitate quicker melting. That would have been quite a challenge with this year's snow.

While some parts of the yard still think it's winter. others are looking rather spring like. I took advantage of a couple of sales this week and picked up some chairs for the back patio area. I know Lloyd wants to build some Muskoka chairs from wood, but I really wanted something to sit on this weekend, rather than in three years time! By the time the chairs make it to the top of his to-do list, these ones might well be worn out. So now we have a comfy spot to sit out in the sun, or just to take a rest during outdoor work.

I couldn't resist picking up a few flowers to brighten the corner. Now I just need it to warm up a bit more so we can get out and enjoy it..

Rumour has it Lloyd is going to be VERY busy when he gets back. When he returns on Monday or Tuesday, he has to pick up the baby chicks that he ordered a while ago. Then we got a call last night from some folks who had some piglets for sale. They had advised that they were all spoken for when we called a while ago, but now someone changed their mind, so it looks like we're also getting a baby pig.  I suppose we'll have to come up with an appropriate name - like Pork Chop or Spare Rib!  I'll ask James - I'm sure he'll have an idea. 

The humming birds are getting braver after a week. As I'm sitting here enjoying my morning cappuccino I'm accompanied by Mr. Hummingbird also enjoying his breakfast. Sudden movements will still startle them but by another week or so they won't be bothered by us at all.  

 One last note: because the mornings are getting so nice so early, I've made the decision to post my blog just once a week.Partly because not a lot is going on so most of the time, I haven't really got much to say (yeah, right) and also because I want to start going for a bit of a walk in the morning. I had planned to do it in the evenings but I find most days I've run out of steam by the end of the day. So I'm going to try to get out early in the morning. So look for future posts on Tuesday mornings, when I will catch you up on what happened over the weekend and how the week might be progressing. If anything especially exciting happens, I might do random extra posts. See you next Tuesday.

Wednesday, May 20th - ever so happy to be back to work - not so much

Today's weather: it's an overcast 9' out here this morning but will warm up to 15' and sun this afternoon
It was lovely yesterday for most of the day, changing to rain just about the time I left for home, but we do need some rain as the fields are quite dry, when you see the tractors working in them. I don't think we got a lot but we may get more before the end of the week

Monday was quite a lovely day and Brenda and I took advantage of a patch of snow for a photo opportunity. Lloyd's only response was "I'm not coming back!". (NOTE: I see it's only 3' in Guelph this morning !)

 Of course, wouldn't you know it, I didn't fall once all winter and this time because I'm in short pants and sleeveless, I fell in the snow!

 Bernie was working the field beside this particular tree line so it made for quite a contrast, but we just couldn't resist the fact that we could actually put on our skis and get this photo on the 24th of May weekend!

Our next best photo opp will surely be the tulips down the road, which should be in bloom within a couple of weeks, and that truly is a sight to see.

Another sure sign of spring is the return of the hummingbirds. Lloyd mentioned that he thought he saw on flit by just before he left, so when I got home I put out the feeder and within an hour they were here. It's such a treat to watch them right in front of the window. They are always a little skittish at the beginning of the season, but after about a week, they come and go and totally ignore us and don't seem to mind that we are there watching.

The other feeder that I put out a few weeks ago, has been upgraded. I picked up a taller stake with two hooks on  it so both feeders are not located a little further from the window and higher up. It was funny to watch on Saturday as various groups of birds battled for positions. I've seen some birds this weekend that I've never seen before. I'll have to investigate what they are.

 I have no idea what kind of bird this is - any suggestions out there?

 Well, I'd better go and get ready for work. The stacks and stacks of work on my desk will still be waiting for me. Oh well, it will keep me busy for the rest of the week, for sure. It was gratifying to have several people say how glad they were to have me back, (apparently the phones were crazy!). But what was even more gratifying was having two outside people comment on how glad they were that I was back - that things just didn't work as well when I was gone.  That's always a nice pat on the back - and we do need that every once in a while! I know the place won't fall apart without me but it's still nice to have been missed and know that your work is somewhat appreciated.

Monday, May 18th - Happy Victoria Day

Today's Weather: a chilly 5' right now but sunny and a high of 18' expected later this afternoon

What a great week it's been. I was a little out of touch as the internet was hit and miss at the resort on the Cape but I'm back home and settling into what is close to normal.
I got home Friday evening after driving a total of 14 hours. I made a side trip into Lynnfield, just north of Boston to pick up some old milk cans for Brenda, from her cousin's house, and a couple of accidents on the highway also caused some delays. But all in all it was a great trip - lots of sunshine and warm weather so I was able to open the car windows and cruise down the highway with the tunes blasting (probably a good thing I was by myself!)

Overall, l it had been a really great vacation. Saturday dawned nice and sunny and very warm so I headed out to do a bit of clean up in the yard. After the winter there were loads of broken branches all over the place. It's going to take a while but I'll get there before the end of the week. The first wedding of the season was scheduled at the Rec Centre on Saturday evening so it was off to work there later in the afternoon. By the time I got home I was exhausted as it had been a full day.

Sunday was not as warm and mostly overcast but we decided to get out and enjoy it anyway. Brenda came over in the afternoon and picked me and my kayak up and we headed out to Johnson's River, our traditional first trip of the season. It was not a cool as we thought and we had a lovely trip up the river and back.

Once we got back, it was time to put together my coleslaw for the upcoming lobster feast back at the VanGaals. The Bairds joined us and what a feast it was! There's nothing like the first lobster of the season.

A lovely Wolf Blass to start off

Nothing like a big pan of fresh lobsters

Yep, they were delicious!

This one's for Patti and Lloyd - chocolate cake, ice cream (they'll know what I'm talking about)

Today is a bit cooler to start but should warm up nicely this afternoon. I still have stuff to put away from my trip so I'd best get at it before it gets warmer and I can head outside.

Lloyd left for Toronto the day before I got back and took the dog with him. It's mightly quiet around here. When you come in the house, you stop and wait for the sound of the four paws to hit the floor, before you remember he's not here. But by all accounts it sounds like he's having a fine time with the two dogs at the Dennison house!

Just a few  pictures from Nantucket , for those friends who are not on facebook.

And finally a really great memory from Provincetown, Cape Cod

Thursday, May 14th - still having trouble with the wi-fi here

It's Thursday morning and I'm back on Cape Cod. I spent a fabulous 2 days on Nantucket Island. It's a place that's been on my wish list since I was about 12 years old so you can imagine how excited I was to finally take that ferry ride!

I arrived at 11:30 and found my hotel which was within walking distance of the boat. I was booked into a lovely hotel and my room was meant to be on the third floor. Turns out I was upgraded to another building with a newly renovated room that was absolutely gorgeous and on the main floor. It was beyond my wildest expectations. When I get home and have proper internet access, I'll share some photos. I unpacked and changed into more comfortable clothes and headed out. My first stop was Brenda's cousin, Jeannie's Inn.  She and her husband had just arrived the day before and were busy getting it ready for guests. I told her I was only stopping for a minute to say hello and ended up staying at least an hour and having two glasses of wine with her. What a treat she is!  I absolutely loved her and I kind of think she thought I was okay as well.

After leaving I spent the rest of the afternoon just walking around this beautiful spot. After 5:00 p.m. I called our friend's brother who had graciously offered to take me on a bit of a tour. We didn't really go very far, but did check out the restaurant at the airport. It was very busy with local people there for the weekly special. Doug had the prime rib and I had the filet, both meals for the special price of $12.95 - pretty darned good for Nantucket. Guess that's why there were so many local folks there. It was reasonably priced and delicious!  A good choice indeed. After Doug dropped me off I lounged around in my room till time for bed.  I was up early in the morning and headed downstairs for the complementary breakfast.  It was a serve yourself affair but included bagels, cream cheese, muffins, fruit, yogurt, so a good meal was enjoyed and I was well fueled for my day.

I had several things I wanted to do and see and some of them  I did and some I didn't as they weren't open. It's still pretty early in the season. No worries, it just gives me a reason to come back again, and I will be back!

I spent the afternoon walking around and taking lots of photos.  I finally stopped and got some nachos and a beer around 3:00 as I waited for time to catch the  ferry back.  All in all, another fabulous day. The weather was starting to cool off and turn very overcast, but had been very warm and sunny all day so I couldn't have asked for better conditions.

Note to Patti as my internet isn't working - (again) -Lloyd is leaving PEI mid day on Thursday after he sleeps in the morning. So you should see him sometime Friday evening I expect.

Okay, I'm pretty much packed up to leave in the morning, so I'm off  to explore some of the cape that we missed on Sunday!

See  you from home sometime over the weekend!

Tuesday May 12th - hello from Nantucket Island

It's been a busy few days. Patti and Meghan were here for the weekend and it was great to have that time together. As can be expected there was lots of shopping and many choices. But we did spend Saturday out in Provincetown. Meghan cooked pancakes for all of us and then we headed out. It's about an hours drive from Hyannis but things were slowed down in spots for a running relay that was taking place. We arrived in town and found a parking lot by the wharf and got tickets to go whale watching. We had time for a bite to eat first then we were out on the water. It was a highly successful trip as we saw a LOT of whales. We were heading back in and were treated to a spectacular show put on by a humpback that breached repeatedly. (For those of us who are into that sort of thing, it was pretty spectacular.)

After docking we walked around town and checked out all the little shops. We finally headed out on the road again so we could get back before dark ( and before the mall closed).  After all the fresh air we were all pretty tired.

Sunday was our shop till you drop day. I was looking for bedding and found just what I was looking for. Meg also found a number of things. All in all a great weekend.

Monday, May 11th - Adventures in Cape Cod - chapter 1

Hello everyone!
Sorry for the delay in posts but I was having some issues with internet availability.
The day we arrived we had coverage for a while on our Ipads but I've not been able to connect with my laptop. I've finally given up and am using the computer in the club house.
Gosh, where to start.
My trip to Brewster was uneventful. I made it there by early evening and checked into my hotel. It was a very warm day on Thursday, with temperatures in the high 20's.  I just wasn't used to feeling that much natural warmth on my skin after our long cold winter and it felt great! I love driving down the road with the windows open, wind blowing my through my hair and the tunes blasting! It was a great day.

I went to LL Beans in the evening after I'd had something to eat and found most of the items  on Brenda's list. Then it was back to the hotel as I had an early morning ahead of me.  The lady at the desk advised I should plan for 3 hours to get to Logan as it's a little tricky finding it if you're not sure where you're going. Patti and Meghan were arriving around 9:00 am but I was awake at 3:30, so I got up, showered and got dressed  and headed out. I went back through Freeport, and stopped again at LL Bean's to kill some time, just because I could. They're open 24 hours a day so it was no problem.  After touring around through the remaining store buildings (there are several) I felt I had killed enough time to hit the road. It was 5:30 when I left so I had ample time to get there and I figured really early in the morning would be less traffic.

As I was driving and it was getting closer to 6:00 I was surprised that it wasn't getting light out yet. That's when it hit me - duh - you didn't change the clock in the car so it was really only 5:00. This was going to get me to Boston even earlier. No problems. If there's one thing our family knows how to do dwell, it's wait around at airports. But the trip took longer than I expected. Unlike most cities where the airport is on the outskirts of the city, Logan is right in the middle on the water. I found it a bit tricky trying to navigate my way through  but I finally made it. I fully admit I'm directionally challenged at the best of times so this was a real test.

After parking, and making careful note of what level I was parked on, I headed into the terminal and found the Air Canada area so that was all set. But it was only 7:30 and my early morning was catching up with me. So I thought, no problem, I will just go out and sit in the car and have a nap. I had a pillow with me and my phone and Ipad that I could set an alarm on.

I headed out to the parking lot and began searching for my car on level 5. I knew I was parked on an outside wall so finding it should be easy. After walking around the entire parking garage twice, there was no sign of my car. In frustration I went to a parking desk and the kind gentleman there called for someone to come and help me find it. After driving around and around there was no sign of it. He insisted I must be on another level, which I knew wasn't true but by now I had no clue. We drove all around level 4 and level 6 but again, no sign. Finally he looked at my parking ticket which I had with me (fortunately) and he was able to tell which gate I came in. So we drove back there and came in and followed the way I went when I came in. That's when we realized that I was actually in another parking garage. It's split into two separate lots. Following what I remembered, we were finally able to locate my car, right where I had left it on level 5!

By this time it was 9:00 and I was sure Patti and Meghan must be landed. I hadn't been able to connect to the wi-fi at the airport so we had no communication. I just assumed they were there somewhere. I finally got back to the Air Canada arrivals area and there they were. They had been waiting for a few minutes, and checking emails to see if they could locate me. It must have been pretty frustrating for them not knowing where I was. What to do if I didn't show up??? But it all turned out in the end.  We found our way back to the car, much easier this time and we were on our way. We stopped several places along the way as we had lots of time and made it here by 1:30.  All in all a good day except for the challenges at the airport.
Stay tuned for part 2...

Wednesday, May 5th - it's actually beginning to look and feel like spring

Conditions at 5:15 am: clear skies with a big bright moon and 6'
Expected later: lots of sun and 12'

Not quite as warm as the past couple of days but still rather pleasant. Monday and Tuesday were absolutely beautiful with temperatures in the high teens. Needless to say everyone loved it and it's really taking care of the last of the snow. Of course the tree lines and the bottom of our yard are still covered but I suspect it will all be gone when I get back.

Monday morning was the draw for the $20,000.00 at work. Kirk from the radio station was there to do the honours. I had baked a cake on Sunday and brought it in and set it all up along with some balloons to make it a little more festive.

The lucky winner was announced and it took several tries before she was reached by telephone. Needless to day she was a pretty happy lady when she came in later in the day to pick up her cheque!
 During his normal spiel, Kirk, from the radio station, commented several times on the cake that was on display and how people should  drop by for a piece. So later in the day, when I was on my way home, I stopped in to cast my vote, as it was also election day on the island. As I was standing in line, a voice from somewhere behind me called out "Do you have any of that cake with you,  that was all over the radio this morning??"  Turns out our friends Raymond and Marlene were waiting in the seating area for a spot in line. Thanks a lot Kirk!

Tuesday was just as beautiful weather wise as Monday had been, and I was glad to go outside in the afternoon and enjoy some of it. It's always such a treat the first few days you can just get up from your desk and go outside - no coats, no boots - it's awesome.

Today will be slightly cooler but I don't care - one more sleep and I'm on my way a little further south. My next post will be from Freeport, Maine before I pick up my two favorite girls at the airport in Boston, on our way to Cape Cod.  I'm really looking forward to seeing them. At the same time, James will be heading off on a grand adventure with the Air Cadets. So both groups will be on an American Road Trip at the same time, just not the same places.

I'm mostly packed. I have no idea what the weather will be like so I'm prepared for anything. It's nice going by car because you can take whatever you want with you and not worry about luggage being too heavy. I'm taking my camera bag with my good camera and tri-pod as well as a laptop bag with my computer so I have lots of stuff. I also have a pillow and blanket in case I get sleepy part way through the drive and need a little nap along the way. The last bits of packing won't take long in the morning. A coffee with Lloyd when he gets up and I'll be on my way.

Since I'm so well prepared ( I hope) I can take tonight to go out with Brenda and see a movie. Which means my vacation mode starts at 5:00 this afternoon!

Catch up with you on Friday from Maine!

Monday, May 4th - when life give you lemons, make lemondade!

Conditions at 5:20 am: clear skies and 0'
Expected later: sunny and 15'  - finally some nice weather

It's finally warming up a little bit, even if it's only for a few days, and maybe we'll get rid of more of the snow. The yard is quite a mess but large chunks of it are still under the white stuff so can't really do much as yet. But now worries. We made the best of a not so great situation yesterday.

The pancake breakfast was in the morning at the Rec Centre and once again it was quite successful, although numbers were down slightly from last year. But it was such a nice day, I suppose folks just wanted to get out and enjoy it. And after the breakfast was over, and the clean up was complete Brenda and I did just that - got out and enjoyed the day, just because we could. How many years are we going to be able to go cross country skiing in May??? (well, hopefully not too many). We took those lemons and made lemonade!

We headed out into the woods near her house and found lots of snow still hanging around out in the fields. We had to sidestep a tiny stream of water and zig zag our way  a little but the snow conditions were probably the best we've experienced. Our skis just flew over the crystals of snow. I had a fleece jacket on but took it off for photos and found the air quite comfortable so I tied it around my waist and skied home that way. It was 12' and quite lovely when you were moving around. What a treat to be able to ski in short sleeves! No bulky jackets to impede your movement. It was absolutely wonderful. We headed out there just to say we did and it turned out to be a great day.

It was a great way to end a super weekend. Brenda and I had gone to supper and a movie on Friday evening because a) she was in town and b) Lloyd was working 4:00 to 12:00 all week so wasn't home.  Saturday I worked and it was lovely weather when I left so it was a great day. I baked some brownies for a fund raiser at the Rec Centre and that was about it - a quiet Saturday evening at home.

Sunday after the breakfast as I was putting stuff away, Lloyd took the opportunity to burn a big pile of cardboard that was hanging around in the garage all winter. He can actually get to the burning barrel now, albeit there's still a couple of feet of snow around it but it is melting. Today's higher temperatures should really make a difference.

Better be off. They're drawing for the $20,000.00 at work today, a promotion that ran for the whole month of April. Someone is going to be very happy today!  I baked a cake to take in to add to the festive atmosphere. The radio station is coming in and they're doing the draw between 9:00 and 10:00 and I just thought they should have a celebratory cake as well. 

Friday, May 1st - finally looks like some warmer weather may be on its way

Conditions at 5:15 am: overcast and 0'
Expected later: 4' and some sunshine but getting warmer over the weekend and into next week

It's looking like a busy weekend ahead. Last night Brenda and I got together to make the pancake mix. We did tests the first year we did the breakfast between homemade pancakes and store bought pancake mix and decided we liked our better and it was actually less expensive, which we already knew was the case. It's an easy job to measure out the flour, salt, sugar and baking powder, put each batch into a bag and then on the day we just have to add eggs and oil to each batch one at a time as needed. It gets easier each year as we learn more ways to streamline things.

Brenda has a PD day today so when she's done that she's off to do the shopping, then she and I are planning to meet after work. Maybe a bite to eat and a movie. We haven't planned anything specific as yet but we have all day.

I was on my way to work yesterday morning and was following a truck that was loaded down with loose potatoes. I'm assuming they were seed potatoes so someone's optimistic. Speaking of potatoes, we recently acquired a big bag of potatoes from our neighbour.  They're the ones that are too big to use commercially. They have big bumps on them and sometimes are hollow in the centre so they aren't able to be sold. By big, I mean huge!  One potato could feed a family of four, I'm sure.

Yesterday was the  anniversary of our buying our house.  Six years ago we trucked everything we owned to the island and I moved in. In some ways it's hard to believe it's already been that long and in others it feels like we've been here forever. It truly does feel like home to both of us.

So the countdown is on - 5 more work days till I go on my trip. I'm starting to get pretty excited about it. I'm looking forward to spending Mother's Day with Patti and Meg. They're flying into Boston on Friday morning and I'll pick them up on my way through. Then on Tuesday I'm taking the Ferry over to Nantucket. Brenda has a cousin there who has an amazing Inn. She and her husband spend their winters in Florida and will be back on Nantucket the day before I get there. She knows I'm coming and will be stopping by to say hello. Then another friend of ours has a brother who also lives on the island. He's graciously offered to take me on a tour after he's finished work for the day. So now I'll have contacts on the island as well.  Who knew? 

And lastly, this morning when I was checking the weather network to see what the temperature is, there were all kinds of photos people have taken of the spring ice bergs in Newfoundland. I'd love to take the kids there some year to see it for themselves - it truly is an magnificent sight.