Tuesday, May 15th - Hello spring - for now at least!

After two weeks on the road, and then a weekend visit with Tristen, things are finally settling back into our usual routine. Our weather has finally warmed up a little although cooler temperatures will return later in the week. But today is going to be sunny and warm so I'm thinking it will be a top down day for me.

As you all know, before I left on my vacation, and while Lloyd was away, I undertook to paint the kitchen. I was pretty pleased with the final result.  I had moved the large church pew into the living room temporarily. Trouble is, once the kitchen was finished I couldn't imagine moving that large brown bench back into place. SO, I researched painted church pews and made my decision (although this past weekend upon closer inspection, I realized I painted it the wrong colour.) I used the lighter shade of gray, when in fact I intended to use the darker one. Oh well, it's a design feature, I meant for that to happen!  I didn't tell Lloyd I painted it, just let it be a surprise when he got home. I figured he's either really like it or he'd really hate it. Fortunately I didn't have to ask - when I spoke with him after his return one of the first things he said was "I love the bench" - YAAAY.

When I got home, he had installed our new floor. I'm absolutely loving it. It looks so much nicer and is easy to maintain.  Well done Lloyd. I know it was a chore for him as he returned home with a wicked cold and was feeling pretty poorly for the first week back. Good thing I extended my vacation!

Apparently we need to take separate vacations more often!  It's very productive.

Speaking of productive. We've spent most of the past weekend clearing brush from the treed area on the north side of our property. It's been left to overgrow for many years. I tried in vain to clear some of it the first year we were here, but gave up. It was just too big a job for one person. Well, after visiting some spectacular green spaces while I was away, I was motivated to get it done this year. It's going to be an on-going project for a few weeks, but it's going to look so much better. Unfortunately we didn't think to take any photos of the before mess.

Just a small amount of the debris that's been removed

Looking so much better already

But it wasn't all work. On Friday afternoon Lloyd decided we were going for wings at Peake's Tee, around 12 km down the road. He was walking and I would meet him there. Sure enough, he arrived about 3 minutes after I got there (by car!).  Then on Saturday he decided we should have breakfast over in Mount Stewart. So again he headed out walking and an hour later I met him at the restaurant. He was a couple of minutes behind schedule as he stopped to chat with a neighbour along the way. He's done so well, and continues to walk every day.

Sunday we did a bit more yard work but took a break to go into town to pick up a few things we needed. In the midst of all the walking and brush clearing, he also managed to get my motorcycle taken apart and the new carb kit installed. Fingers crossed that I can use it this year.

On Thursday, our TV reception wasn't the greatest so I had to go over to Brenda's for our weekly fix of Grey's, wine and snacks. So thanks to her for that. Her living room reception wasn't great either so we had to camp out in the kitchen. If nothing else, we are VERY flexible.  We can do wine and snacks pretty much anywhere!

This week I came across some photos we took while Tristen was here and we visited Island Hill Farm.  He always enjoys going there and some of the newborn baby goats are just too darned cute for words.

Okay, enough. Time to get back outside and continue raking...