Thursday, August 9th - more heat and humidity

It's 19' with a few clouds at 5:30, heading for another hot, humid day with a  high of 28' that will feel like 34'. This is insane for this part of the country.

I was cutting the lawn last night and amazed at how much of it has turned brown. There were really only patches that actually needed cutting because of these tall leggy weeds that seem to be flourishing in the heat. I see that Ontario is supposed to get heavy rain on Friday but I don't see it heading here any time in the near future. We may get a bit over the weekend but no significant amount is expected in the foreseeable future. Let's hope they're wrong and it makes it's way here.

Of course, my friend Lina is arriving on Saturday and staying till Tuesday morning. It was very cold and wet the last time she was here and I'm hoping it's not the same this time. Guess I can't have it both ways, though and we really do need the rain.

Not much else going on. There's lots of things I should be doing in the evening with company coming and all, but it's just too warm. I find the heat takes a lot out of you and by the time I get home I'm pretty much done in. Other than cutting the lawn until Lloyd got home last night, that was about it. Not to worry, though, as I have Saturday off, and Lina doesn't arrive until 5:00 so I'll have ample time to get the place in shape.

We BBQ'd some sausages for supper (surprise, surprise) that were left over from the boys night on Saturday. I had three different types to sample. Since I have buns left over I suspect there will a couple more varieties brought home tonight to sample.  All research for the BBQ, you know.

Plans are slowing progressing for that. I still have a couple of invitations to deliver but so far it's going well. There are some I haven't heard from yet but of those who have replied, all are coming except for one maybe, so that's good so far.  Still a few details to work out but that will get done.

Yesterday morning as the sun was coming up, there was a heavy mist on the river and it made for an absolutely gorgeous view. I tried taking a photo but it really doesn't do it justice.

Wednesday, August 8th - more hot sticky weather

It's currently 18' at 5:15 am, and it's going to once again be 27' and sunny later on. It was like that yesterday, and it might not have been a problem except the air conditioning quit at work. We have huge windows from floor to ceiling all along the front of the building and it just got hotter and hotter. By the time I left for my lunch at 1:30 the inside temperature was 29.9'. Of course, there are no windows that open so it was very stifling inside. I was ever so glad to be able to leave and go outside where it was a more comfortable 26' with a light breeze.  But the fellow had arrived to fix it and by the time I returned  at 2:30 it was back up and running.  Not a pleasant morning for sure.

Needless to say, the afternoon went much better. It was a pretty uneventful day and when I got home I really didn't have to do anything either. We were having chili for supper that I had made on the weekend so other than putting in into a pot on the stove to warm, and set the table, and that was it. Once Lloyd did get home, we had a slushy drink first, then our chili and cleaned up and it was 7:30. I figured I should cut some more grass but we were out of gas.  Lloyd went over to get gas and now I'm all set for tonight. I can get started on it when I get home.

So the rest of the evening was pretty quiet - I answered some email and read my book until I was falling asleep on the couch. Time to go to bed.

Lloyd talked to Patrick and we might have our base ready to start the garage on Thursday. I know it's not been a great week for him but he says he's back on track so we'll see. That will make a big difference with what we do in the evenings. I know Lloyd will want to take advantage of all the day light hours that he can to work on the garage. That will totally shift things I think. I need to get started on splitting the wood and I can work outside along with him while he's building, and then when it starts to get darker, we can come in and eat supper.

So I was reading online yesterday that the meteor shower we usually have is taking place this Sunday in the early morning hours. I remember the first summer I was here. Brenda came over and we sat outside in lawn chairs, wrapped up in blankets and watched the sky. Guess I'll have to set the alarm for really early and give her a call again this year!

The Perseid meteor shower happens every year around mid-August.
This year's peak nights will be during the early morning hours of August 12th and 13th. During the shower you'll be able to see up to 60 meteors per hour.
What is a meteor shower?
A meteor is a tiny dust particle that a comet sheds. These dust particles remain along the orbit of the comet for many years.
When the Earth comes close to - or plows through - the comet dust debris, dust particles fall into the Earth's atmosphere and burn up completely.
We see the break up of the dust particles in streaks of light that we call meteors, which are also commonly referred to as "shooting stars" -- although this term is technically inaccurate.
Comet dust particles are typically smaller than the size of a pea and burn up in the Earth's atmosphere about 70 km above the surface.

Tuesday, August 7th - another warm day ahead

Yesterday was once again, very warm and it looks like more of the same for today. Late last week they were predicting rain for the early part of this week but in reality it's turning out to be nothing. A few minutes of light drizzle yesterday morning and that was about it. Right now (5:15 am)  - it's 16' and it's getting hard now to tell if it's overcast or not, as it's  still quite dark. We should reach 26' again today with a humidex reading of 30'.

It's going to be just as hot, maybe a degree or two warmer in Guelph but fortunately Patti and the family are camping this week. She was telling me yesterday that they usually get cold, wet weather on their camping trip - so hopefully the weather will stay nice for this years adventure.

She sent me this picture early yesterday morning. Apparently James was up and out fishing at 5:00 am yesterday morning and he managed to catch 4 or 5 fish -

The happy fisherman

Papa says his problem might be the presence of "Mr. Tangles" beside him! She sent me another photo last evening and it appears his luck skill has improved. The photo quality isn't great but you get the idea!

The happier fisherman!

It was a little quieter than usual at work yesterday,  for a Monday, but I think that was because some places observed it as the August holiday.  Lucky people who had the day off. I imagine a large number of those were at  the beach.  It's okay, the rest of us will get our turn on the 17th.

I had an appointment for a hair cut last night and as Bernie was away, and their company was also gone for the day, I stopped in at Brenda's on my way home from Charmaines (my hairdresser). We had a lovely evening, finishing off a couple of part bottles of wine and some nachos and just generally catching up. It's been a while! Bernie was laughing last week when he saw that I was suffering from withdrawal!  He should talk - he's the one who traveled all the way to Halifax yesterday for a brief visit with the girls as they passed through the airport on their way back to Ontario. They were both in Nova Scotia to attend a wedding. I'm not sure if they attended the same wedding or it was just a coincidence that it was on the same day. I forgot to ask that question.

And as promised, I learned something last night and said I would share it here. I love microwave popcorn but I know it's not really very good for you - all that artificial stuff in there. Well, it seems it can be done without the pre-packaged additives.  Young Will came downstairs and announced he was going to make some popcorn. So he got a large bowl with a snap on lid out of the cupboard and proceeded to pour in some loose popcorn kernals - no oil or fat of any kind needed. Then he put the lid back on, but left one side unsnapped, and put it in the microwave. Within a very short time, you could hear the kernels popping. In a matter of minutes he had a big bowl of light and fluffy popcorn, to which he added some melted butter. I'm definitely going to try that tonight.  Thanks Will!

And finally, I must wish my good friend Nancy, a very Happy Birthday. The last two years we've been able to get together when she came to Halifax to visit her sister but unfortunately that didn't happen this year. But I'm glad we did get to spend a bit of time together in June when I was up in Ontario. So, have a great day Nancy.

Monday, August 6th - Happy Long Weekend - at least to some of you

It's not a long weekend for most of us on the island. We get our August holiday on the 17th to celebrate Gold Cup and Saucer Day, but more on that later in the month.
It was a wickedly hot weekend here, but nothing like that in southern Ontario. I got a text message from Patti on Saturday telling me it was sickeningly hot there. I even heard on the Guelph radio station, that I was listening to online, that they had opened emergency heat shelters in the city - something I've never seen before in that area.  Fortunately for them, they are heading to the camp ground today for a week, so hopefully the weather will cooperate for that.

Tristen had his final baseball game on Saturday morning and I can't believe they had to play in that heat.

Tristen with his end of season trophy

 It was a high of 35 with a humidex of 41'. Hopefully it wasn't quite that hot in the morning when they played.  It's warm here this morning  but seems cooler, a breezy 22' but we may get some rain later and a high of 26' with a humidity reading of 33' but if it gets overcast it may not be quite that high.

Friday after work, I met Lloyd downtown at the liquor store where we bottled a case of wine. We were totally out of white and that just won't do! On our way home we stopped in for a bite to eat at a new place called The Factory. It's a country western themed place with lots of smoked things and ribs, that sort of stuff. It was quite good but then we were sitting outside on a patio with a cold beer so really, anything would have been fine!

After we got home, we went over to Five Houses Road to weed the garden. Once again I forgot to take the camera. Some things are doing not too badly. I may have some tomatoes by the end of the month and we have lettuce, and onions and beets. The peas are also doing not too badly and we picked enough to have a little taste, although some were getting too big. We also found 3 small cucumbers. They are meant to be mini ones so they were quite short and fat but they were pretty tasty anyway.

Fresh peas - yum!

They're a little misshapen but they were pretty tasty

Saturday after work, I just puttered around the place, as Lloyd was cleaning out the shed. He had plans to meet the guys over at Richards in the evening for a bonfire so Brenda invited me over for a glass of wine on Saturday evening. We had the great pleasure of being the first to sit out on their new patio/piazza whatever you'd like to call it. The guys finished it and it's a thing of beauty, complete with walkway out to the cars. The big rocks were Brenda's mother's day present and they look mighty fine. I have a photo on my phone but no emailed ones. I'll post that when she sends it to me (hint, hint!)

Sunday was again sunny and warm. The guys went for a bike ride and then the rest of us met them at Peake's Tee for breakfast. It took a while because they were swamped, but eventually we got fed. It was a lovely visit with Brenda and Bernie's company.  We took the scenic route back home and they dropped me off. Lloyd was already home. We decided to head into town to pick up some containers Lloyd was needing for his sorting in the garage, then down to Victoria Park for some ice cream and a lengthy sit on a park bench. A lovely way to spend a warm afternoon. On our way home, we dropped off some invitations to our upcoming BBQ and Corn Roast. So far it's looking good for attendance. I picked up a bunch of stuff for it on Saturday afternoon on my way home from work - plates, cutlery, napkins, that sort of thing.  If we're not careful, this could turn into a party!

We had something light to eat when we got home and enjoyed watching the hummingbirds that frequent the feeder outside our front window. They are such a joy to watch.

The view outside our kitchen window

Friday, August 3rd - maybe back to the heat today?

Well, the weather wasn't as hot and humid as predicted yesterday and we did receive quite a bit of shower activity in the afternoon. By 7:00 it was clear skies again. I was going to pull weed in the garden but I thought it was probably a bit muddy so I'll do that tonight.
Today should be hot and humid with lots of sunshine - a high of 27' with a humidex reading of 35'. Sounds like it could be a beach day for a lot of folks. We've had so much hot, dry weather all summer but I felt sorry for anyone who has only one week vacation and took it this week.d - the one week we end up with rain for two days. That could really ruin your beach time. But today should make up for that.

Once again, a quiet news day. Nothing much going on. We watched the rest of the movie we'd started watching the night before and then read for a while. Lloyd is still doing research on building for his garage. The fellow hasn't come by yet to level off the spot where it's going to be situated, but hopefully he'll make it soon so we can get started on it. I think this weekend my task will likely be to finally get started on splitting some of the wood. Fall will be here before we know it!

I don't know about Brenda, but she's busy with company and starting next weekend I'll be tied up for a few weeks as well. I'm beginning to experience withdrawal - I'm really needing some nachos and a glass of white wine! Oh well, there will be time enough to catch up with that once the fall comes. Winter lasts a long time!

I'm still planning, in my head, our corn roast when Judi and Gail are here. Lloyd and I need to sit down and discuss some of the logistics of it. I had planned to serve corn and mussels and keep it simple. Then I thought about it,  is as some folks either don't like mussels or have shellfish allergies so what to do? Then it hit me like a ton of bricks - BBQ sausage on a bun! I happen to personally know a sausage maker who could easily custom make sausages for the  1st annual Denny BBQ/Corn Roast.

That will be perfect! All I have to do now is finish up the guest list, let people know and then plan the rest from there. I already have a bunch of ideas floating around in my little pea brain and I think it's going to be GREAT!

Thursday, August 2nd - what a difference 24 hours can make

This morning it's an overcast 17' with a very light misting of precipitation. Yesterday was meant to reach 22' but feel like 30'. Let me tell you, that didn't happen. It was 19' when I left work and there was a breeze so I was ever so glad to have a sweater at work.  We did receive some rain although not sure if it was enough to be very beneficial. Today we may see a few showers later in the afternoon  and we are again, supposed to reach 24' and have it feel like 30' but if it's like yesterday, that may not be the case. We'll see.

Other than the weather, I have absolutely nothing to report this morning. It was cooler when I got home last night so I actually cooked a proper meal and it was ready to serve when Lloyd got home from work. This slightly staggered work schedule definitely works well in that respect.

I had picked up a movie at the video store at lunch so after cleaning up dishes, we sat down to watch it but Lloyd kept falling asleep. We'll have to watch the rest tonight. Good thing it was a 7 day rental!

Anyway, other than that, nothing is new so I'm off to get ready for work. I'm hoping to get over and pull some weeds in my little garden tonight. I'm sure it's getting pretty congested in that wee patch!

Wednesday, August 1st - Now that was a warm day

Wow - yesterday was meant to go up to 28' and feel like 34' and that's exactly what it did. Both Lloyd and I are lucky to work in air conditioned comfort but everyone who came in talked about how hot it was. Today won't be quite so bad although they are saying 22' feeling like 29' but we may get anywhere from 5 to 10 mm of badly needed rain. It will be a start but not nearly enough of what's needed.

For the first time ever we can go long periods of time without cutting the grass. Usually once a week isn't quite often enough to keep up with it. But that's certainly not the case this year.

 Lloyd worked a bit yesterday morning at cleaning out the shed, that is now nice and level and sitting proudly on it's little knoll.  There's all kinds of stuff in there that needs to be sorted through. A lot of it was put in there when we got here three years ago and hasn't been touched or looked at since - either because we really don't need it or we've forgotten it's there. Time to do a complete edit of the contents.  We intended to do that when we got home last night and had supper, but it was pretty warm and by that point neither of us felt like doing anything. So, we didn't. Lloyd watched something online and I read my book and then went to bed early, after a nice luxurious bath. It was a totally relaxing evening. So really nothing much to write about this morning.

Brenda and her company have been keeping pretty busy. They were berry picking yesterday and have been all over the place. Great that the weather is cooperating for those folks on holiday.

We were saddened yesterday to learn that one of our favorite authors, Maeve Binchey passed away on Monday. She was 72.  I've always loved her books and was pleased to learn when I got here that she is a also one of Brenda's favorites as well. She will be missed by a world of faithful readers.
http://www.maevebinchy.com/