Month: July 2015

Yesterday, MY Jane took Ted grocery shopping and to look for dining room chairs. It was less than a year ago that Ted bought the dining room chairs she currently has, but now she has decided she doesn’t fancy them. She likes their comfort, but not their look. She didn’t find any chairs to her liking and they went grocery shopping before returning to our place.

We sat on the patio for a time chatting and having a cold drink (or two). Then we loaded everything into the car and headed off to Centennial Beach in Barrie for a supper picnic. Jane had made an assortment of sandwiches – egg salad, ham, ham on whole wheat and white bread, macaroni salad and olives while Ted bought a white cake for dessert 

We set up right on the beach near the water fountain.

It was a bit of a shaky start, though. Some guy had a bag full of bread crumbs and decided he was going to feed the gulls……very close to us. You know how noisy gulls can be! Thankfully he quickly ran out of food and peace descended.

We got ourselves comfortable and settled in to watch the swimmers, kayakers, boaters, windsurfers and people swimming. Jane tested the water with her toe and says it’s colder than Georgian Bay. 

We munched on our sandwiches and had our cold drinks while continuing to take in the scenery as well as the libations we had in a couple of those thermos cups. I drank my diet coke right out of the can to make it all legal. Jane had a thermos full of our “Smiles Uncorked II” Pinot Grigio that we had made a few months ago at Vin Bon.

We stayed there until after dark. Ted was fascinated with the moon and the colour if the sky.

Soon after the sun set, it became much cooler and it was time to take Ted home. 

A very nice outing.

The shingling job was completed by the end of yesterday and MY Jane and I  are very pleased with the result. Hanton Roofing of Barrie did a great job. The crew was fabulous. They installed a few extra vents for me over the garage to accommodate my insulation project. Before they left, they had put everything they had to move, like the patio furniture, barbecue and chairs back in place.

Later in the evening, I went across the street to talk to my neighbour, Allan, about our camping trip next week and to figure out a meals menu. While there, his granddaughter, Isabella, showed me her fairy garden in their back yard.

Yesterday, the roofer called to ask if he could begin the job today and, of course, I said yes. MY Jane and I want to get this done because, on some sections of the roof, it is clear the shingles have reached their end.

Some of the wood trim has rotted as well and needs to be replaced.

I have asked that they add a few roof vents, especially over the garage, because I am insulating that area and there needs to be air circulation to prevent condensation in the winter.

We want to get this done before we get the driveway re-asphalted and I build the deck at the rear of the house this Fall.

Once these projects are finished, we will be in very good shape.

In the meantime, the garden work that Jane has been doing is really paying off. Today there are several Rose of Sharon blossoms bursting out.

It’s really quite pleasant to sit out there and have a coffee early on these warm Summer mornings.

Yesterday, at the urging of MY Jane, I telephoned my across-the-street neighbour, Allan, to ask him if he would like to go with me to Honey Harbour for a dinghy ride. Within a very short time, Allan called back to say he would be happy to go.

I took Allan on somewhat of a circular route, first going through Big Dog Channell to show him some of the cottages in the area. One like this would sell in the neighbourhood of $300,000.

I showed him the camp site that he and I will be using when we go on our camping trip in about a week. It’s the same place that Jane and I used at a few weeks ago….called The Oaks, a Parks Canada maintained location and part of Georgian Bay Islands National Park on Beausoleil Island.

We’ll be going for three days probably.

We beached the dinghy at the camp site and disembarked to have a look around. It wasn’t too long before Alłan decided he was going in for a swim.

I should have brought my bathing suit too!

We returned to the marina via Little Dog Channel, then home.

A very pleasant outing, indeed!

MY Jane and I returned from Stevens yesterday morning with Jane still feeling under the weather. By the end of the day, though, she was much better and had one of her comfort foods – a poached egg on toast.

Later, we watched a movie called The Company You Keep starring Robert Redford and Susan Sarandon. Quite an entertaining and enjoyable one.

Yesterday, MY Jane and I headed to our friends place near Georgetown. Annemarie and Jim had invited us for an afternoon BBQ to be followed by taking in a Beatles Impersonation group, called the Caverners, in Acton. Another couple, also friends of Annemarie and Jim -Ted and Monica – joined us as well.

Jane and Annemarie have been friends for over 50 years.

We had a great afternoon sitting on the back patio of “Rustic Woods” as they call their home, having a lot of conversation and a lot of laughs.

We had a front row seat.

Yesterday I wrote about the new camp cot I purchased after our neighbour, Allan, came over to show me the one he had bought in preparation for our camping trip in August. I was impressed enough to buy two identical cots, one for me and one for MY Jane. 

Last night I slept there. Jane declined to join me prompting suggestions from friends like Neil Campbell and David Blackburn that I was in the “doghouse”. LOL.

I had a very good sleep. I was warm and the cot is quite comfortable and wide enough that you can turn on one side or the other with no problem. It has a little pocket on the side for glasses and I phone and it’s very easy to set up and take down. We’ll be using these, I think, instead of the inflatable queen size air mattress from now on.

At about 6:10 this morning, my usual time to awaken, I heard a meowing outside the tent. I knew it was Minnie (she usually wants out around this time), so I called out to her and she poked her little head through the bottom of the tent flap and came inside.

She’s used to jumping up on our bed inside but, this morning, when she jumped up beside me, she found very little room to sprawl out so she very quickly jumped back down.

Like a petulant child, she then left the tent and went to the back door of the house meowing persistently to get back inside. Four or five times she was in and out of the tent, meowing the whole while, until I finally gave in and opened the back door for her.

Look where she is now: my side of the bed!

Yesterday, MY Jane and I went to the Bayfield Loblaws to buy some topsoil that they had on sale. On the way, we stopped off at Walmart and bought a canning pot and some jar tongs. We are going to make some raspberry jam.

We had a couple of folding chairs in the car, so we just plunked ourselves down under a shady tree for awhile.

I found my fortune cookie interesting:

Later in the evening, Steve called us to say that he had found another apartment in the Beach area and he will be moving in September.

Today will be a lazy day for MY Jane and Me. We have a few new perennials to plant in the front garden and that’s about it. Then we’ll take some time and relax in the back yard.

Yesterday, MY Jane, Chris and Tonya went up to Brandys Marina at Honey Harbour to take the dinghy out for the day. We first went up into Chimney Bay to show them the camp site at the Oaks that we like. 

We went swimming near McCabe Rock for awhile.

We then ended up going to Papoose Bay at the southern tip of Beausoleil Island where we realized that Aquapalooza was underway. This is an annual event where hundreds of boats gather to party and listen to live music.

We weaved our way in an out of boats for a little bit and then headed over to Cedar Springs to go swimming again.

While swimming there and sitting around, two float planes came in and tied up at the beach

A fun day.

This past Thursday, Chris texted me to ask what MY Jane and I were doing this weekend. When I to,d him we had nothing really planned, he said he wanted to surprise his Mom, MY Jane, and show up Friday evening with his fiancé, Tonya.

He asked me not to say anything. Of course, I was in. 

True to form, while Jane and I were sitting at the kitchen table having dinner, he burst in the back door startling both Jane and me.

We had a great evening chatting about the Lumberjack and Jill planned for this October and the wedding next June. 

A great evening and both Jane and I are delighted to have Chris and Tonya visit for the weekend. We may even take a spin up to Georgian Bay for a dinghy ride. So far, the weather is looking promising!

Yesterday was a busy and productive day for MY Jane. She spent most of the day in the back garden weeding. She got all of the back flower bed done and part of the side one done. What a difference!

All I did was move the bird feeder over a couple of feet and put a red platform on the obelisk in the back corner. Oh yeah.. I cut five boards for the neighbour.

Later in the afternoon, Jane picked up Ted and took her to a hair appointment, then back to our place where we had Swiss Chalet chicken….Ted’s treat.

Then we told Ted we had a little surprise for her. Knowing that she loves watching tennis on TV and that she was an a avid tennis player in her teens, we showed her the tickets we got so we all could go to the Rogers Cup in August. Needless to say, she was thrilled! None of us have ever been to a live tennis match so we are all excited about doing that.

Today, MY Jane and I will be picking up the custom flag I had made to help commemorate the 50th year of building the family cottage (camp as we call it) on Lake Temiskaming.

Family and invited friends who have visited or stayed at the camp over the years will be gathering there in August for a bit of a reunion and a celebration.

My sister, Terry, now owns the place but has always welcomed us for visits and was enthusiastic at my idea to have this little commemoration.

For me, the camp holds very special memories. I can still see my Mom sitting on the verandah in her rocking chair, smiling that beautiful smile of hers while, together, we looked out at the scenery and watched the chipmunks and birds flitting about. I still have a painting she did of that scenery here at home.

It was the construction of the camp that has the most special of memories for me, though. It was here, with my Dad, that I learned about working from dusk to dawn, along with with my brother Larry. I remember my Dad’s mantra at the time -“If you can put in one nail, put in two!”

 I remember the “think breaks” we took where Dad and Uncle Clarence would stop for ten minutes under the hot summer sun and have a cold beer.

I learned a lot about carpentry and woodworking, all of which I still use today in my woodworking projects.

It took us three weeks to clear the land of brush, put in cedar posts and frame the building with roof and all….enough that we could sleep there. Total cost of building material back in 1965 – $800. The first night we stayed there, Larry stood up on a chair and wrote on one of the rafters the date and the fact that we “slept there”. This resulted in what I consider MY proudest contribution. That’s when I said, “We shouldn’t be writing on our new camp!” So I started a camp log book to record dates and names and events. That camp log now consists of over 5 legal size ledger books covering the full 50 years the camp has stood there.

One of the first things I always do when I go up there is grab the camp log and get up to speed on who’s been there and what has happened up there.

Can’t wait for August

MY Jane and I were delighted to host Rita & Dennis who came up from Toronto yesterday afternoon and stayed for dinner. We had a great time, there was lots of conversation and a lot of laughs. The afternoon and evening just flew by.

I BBQd two chickens on the rotisserie and Jane made asparagus salad, crunchy noodle salad and watermelon salsa. For dessert we had peach and strawberry cobbler. Delicious. Dennis even had a second helping of dessert, it was that good!

Although Rita does not own a cat herself (she has a cute Schnauzer named Eliot), our Minnie responds to Rita better than to Jane and me. I told Rita she must be a cat whisperer. As soon as Rita calls out to Minnie,  she goes right over. Remarkable!

Jane and Rita have been friends since elementary school, over 50 years!

It was a great time!

This past Sunday, MY Jane and I went to Pearson International Airport to pick up my cousin, George, who was returning from an Optimist Convention being held in New Orleans. 

She looks pretty comfortable there, doesn’t she?

Today we are having friends, Rita and Dennis, visit here for the afternoon and, later on, dinner. I plan on BBQing two chickens on the rotisserie and Jane is making an assortment of salads and hor’s doevres.

Should be fun!

Yesterday, I installed a new storm door leading out to the back yard.

On this one, the screen is integrated into the door and the top window pane slides up and down whenever you want to let fresh air in. The old one was the kind that you had to switch out the screen and window as the seasons changed.

I still have to put another door closer on the top and make some minor adjustments at one of the top corners, but for the most part, it’s done.

Am I relaxed?

MY Jane and I returned home yesterday after 4 glorious days of camping up on Beausoleil Island. The weather was fantastic, sunny and warm every day and great swimming. The campsite we had at the Oaks was very nice, right on the waters edge and a perfect sheltered spot to park the dinghy. 

The hammock that we bought was so comfortable. It’s made of parachute silk and it “breathes” so it doesn’t get hot when you’re laying in it. It makes for a very pleasant experience.

We saw all kinds of wild life up there including herons, loons, geese, ducks, chipmunks, squirrels, and snakes. Even saw a Massassauga rattler although I couldn’t get a picture because they’re so shy and elusive.

Probably one of the most relaxing times for me was floating in a tube just offshore. I fell asleep for awhile out there. So peaceful.

I plan on taking my across the street neighbour, Allan, up there for a couple of days. I think he would have a blast.

Last night, MY Jane and I made a campfire so we could try a dessert recipe that Jane found on the Internet. It’s made with Pilsbury biscuit dough on a stick and cooked over the open fire.

Then stick is removed and hole filled with vanilla pudding then frosted with chocolate icing. Messy but good!

Today we return home. What a glorious four days. We’ll be back!

MY Jane and I are sitting on the shore having our morning Georgian Bay coffee.

It’s shaping up to be a glorious day.

MY Jane and I arrived at our destination camp site about 11am yesterday and  

We got all our stuff unpacked and put away and I used my inverter plugged into the dinghy to inflate the air mattress.

Yesterday, MY Jane pointed out that the rear corner of the back garden was a little bare of colour since the iris blossoms died off. She suggested maybe an obelisk, painted a bright yellow, would help. So I put together one which she painted last night. This morning I plopped it in the corner.

I’ll put a bright red platform top on it just to finish it off. It certainly makes it look better back there.

This morning we are heading up to Beausoleil Island for four days of camping, coming back sometime Saturday. We have most of our gear already in the car. The weather for the next few days looks very promising and we are looking forward to setting up at The Oaks. It will also give us an opportunity to visit with some of our boating friends in the area.

Yesterday MY Jane completed her project to make a cushion for the bay window in our bedroom. She had purchased the foam and material at Fabricland a couple of days ago. Here she is hard at work.

The result just finishes off the window treatment quite nicely, don’t you think?

Yesterday, on a whim, MY Jane and I decided to go up to Brandys Island Marina and take Shenanigans out for a spin. It was a beautiful summer day, little wind and bright sunshine.

While we were out, we decided to scope out another of the many campsites on Beausoleil Island. We headed for a spot called The Oaks. There’s a dock there and about 8 campsites. We found a site really liked close to the water and with a spectacular view of Georgian Bay.

We checked out all the other sites as well and it wasn’t long before Jane was in the water having a swim.

We ran into another of our acquaintances at the site, Doug Peutz and his family who were out for the day.

We like the place so much, we are going to go back and camp there for a few days starting Wednesday.

Our across the street neighbours, Jenny and Allan, asked MY Jane if she could pop into their house while they were visiting their grandchild in the GTA. Of course, Jane was happy to do so and, yesterday afternoon, she asked if I wanted to come too. So both of us went over to their place to look in on Miss Toffee.

In the meantime, Jane and I sat at the patio table and enjoyed the surroundings while we played Marble Mixer on her I Pad.

After quite awhile, it appeared Miss Toffee had no inclination to go back inside the house, so Jane picked her up and carried her inside. 

A nice visit.

Yesterday, MY Jane went to pick up the material for the cushion she is making for the bay window in our bedroom. I cut a piece of plywood to shape and she is going to add foam which she will cover with with fabric she selected from Fabricland.

Yesterday, MY Jane took Ted shopping and then came back to our place for dinner. It was a beautiful summer day and we very quickly ended up in our back yard, our “oasis”, as I call it.

Jane was excited to show Ted the progress that has been made. I must admit, I’m pretty pleased with the look too. Here she is pointing out how well things are growing.

Yesterday, I sat out here having my lunch, watching the birds; some of them at one of the feeders and another having a bath in the little waterfall. Even when we are sitting across the yard, we can hear our little waterfall gurgling in the background. 

Turn up your volume and have  a listen yourself:

http://youtu.be/vBhdC9XqS9Q

When we are back here, it’s like we are in our own little wonderful world.

You may have read about Petey, the squirrel, in some of my previous blogs. In earlier references, I think Petey has come across as a cute and lovable little creature. Now, though, I’m beginning to wonder. You  see, Petey likes the peanuts in the shell that MY Jane and I give him every morning. It’s got to the point where we just rattle the handle on the back door and he comes running. He comes right up on the back step and sometimes even sticks his nose in the doorway.

You would think that in this scenario, when the handle is rattled, Petey would take off. After all, Minñie is much larger than he.

But no……yesterday with Petey on the doorstep and Minñie waiting to go out, when I rattled the handle, Petey came right to the slightly opened door looking for his peanuts. Had I opened it fully, I’m sure Minñie would have grabbed him.

You can see a video here:

https://youtu.be/-jtyU1mgnSw

I still think Petey is cute and lovable, but I also think he’s a little on the stupid side! 

Happy Canada Day! 

Yesterday, MY Jane and I went to Ideal Hobbies in Barrie to pick up Stevens Quadcopter. We had taken it there a few days ago so they could check it out because it’s not working properly. They re-calibrated everything, but it’s still not right so I’ll send it to the manufacturer for further testing.

After that, we bought a bicycle pump for Jane’s bike…one of the tires was a bit low in air. We then headed out to Barrie Hill Farms, something we had been meaning to do for sometime.

We were very impressed with the selection of produce there and Jane was especially pleased with the strawberries. They just taste so good.

We will definitely go back there.