Month: October 2017

Interesting day. I went from continuing to put up Christmas lights and once finished that, MY Jane and I began to get ready for tonight’s Halloween trick or treating. In between, we got a little taste of snow – just fior a few minutes, though, and not enough to stay on the ground.

I put up our Halloween flag over the garage and then we decided to carve one of the pumpkins we had outside.

We waited until yesterday to buy Halloween candy, so we still have some left for tonight. In the meantime, we’ll munch on the roasted pumpkin seeds that Jane made. Mmmmmmm.

Happy Halloween!

Today, at MY Jane’s suggestion, I am including a little story about one of my memories of Temiscaming. It’s about my very first job, pumping gas at Tom’s Esso, back in the sixties. This is a picture of that gas station, as I remember it back then (posted by Lise Lefebvre Campbell whose Mom & Dad [Tom Lefebvre] owned it back then.

Those days, there were three main gas stations in town – Tom’s Esso, White’s Texaco (near where the Tem Rose is now) and Lynn’s Auto Sales down near the ball field. My good friend, Myles Prince aka Mouse, worked at Lynn’s doing the same job.

Each of these businesses used to take turns being open on Sundays while the other two were closed. I worked at Tom’s with Ron Lecuyer and Roger Monette. 

I remember one time, just Roger and I were working on a Saturday and a carload of American tourists pulled in for gas. Well, Roger and I were not busy, so we gave them top notch service. They were so appreciative they gave us a case of 12 as a tip. Roger and I couldn’t wait to close up so we could drink that beer. And that’s what we did.

At some point, I bought a brand new motorcycle from Hays Marine- a Honda 90 – and I kept it in the basement of Tom’s Esso. I didn’t have a licence, insurance or plates for the thing, so I used to go down to the basement every chance I got just to start it up and ride around in a circle there. I soon bored of that, though, and decided to take it out in the back lane way and ride in circles there.

That, too, became boring, so I thought if I covered up the licence plate holder with a few Esso tiger tails (back then there was a big Esso promotion “put a tiger in your tank” and we handed out all kinds of tiger souvenirs and things) nobody would notice there was no licence plate.

These were the type of tiger tails I used.

With that, after work, I would hop on the Honda and drive all over Temiscaming, proud as anything with my new motorcycle. 

Then one evening, driving up and down Kipawa Road, I looked in the rear view mirror and noticed the Town Police Cruiser following me. I think Raymond Bean was the cop on duty. I thought for sure I’d get pulled over but that didn’t happen. Raymond was a good guy.

It was a great first job. 

This afternoon my cousin, George, came over to help me put the re-finished corner cupboard back in place.

It’s quite different now, especially with lights in the shelves casting a warm reflective glow on the pottery and glassware.

All that’s left to do now is get the brass hardware for doors and drawer.

MY Jane and I finished putting varathane on our corner cupboard and I re-installed the glass and re-attached the  doors with new brass hinges.

One of the things I have to do every Autumn is to disconnect the pump in our little waterfall and cover everything up.

So the process of preparing for Winter is now undeway. Patio furniture has to be covered and some stored in the garden shed. Snow shovels have to be made available.

The hose line has to be shut off and the garden hose drained. By doing it a bit at a time it seems a little less onerous.

I try to have everything done by November 1, including installation of snow tires on the car.

I’m right on schedule this year.

MY Jane has been wanting to re-finish this corner cupboard for awhile. The finish that is on there now doesn’t work with the decor in the Family Room so, yesterday, I took the doors off and we moved it out to the garage to begin sanding etc. The photo below shows the top doors already removed.

This piece has a lot of sentimental value, having belonged to Jane’s Mom, Ted, for many many years. When Steven and Chris were kids, Ted used to keep candy in the drawer and, whenever they went to her place, they would rush to that corner cupboard to get some.

Once it’s re-painted, we’ll replace the hardware and install some recessed lighting over the shelves.

Yesterday, with the beautiful weather….. And maybe the last of it for awhile, MY Jane and I took an unplanned drive up to the Penetang/ Midland area. Taking the back roads seemed like a good idea and we first ended up in Balm Beach where we stopped and spent a few minutes walking along the shore. 

We then continued driving along, following the shore as much as we could, ending up at the ferry terminal that services passengers going to nearby Christian Island.

After that, it was to the site of the very first Catholic Mass in Ontario over 400 years ago and then 

through Lafontaine, one of the few predominantly French communities in Ontario.

We then wound our way through Awenda Park hoping to spot a deer, but so many others were taking advantage of the great weather, the traffic scared off any hopes of that.

We stopped at a park on Peek-a- Boo Trail and had our picnic lunch on the beach before heading back home.

We live in a wonderful country don’t we? Where else can you gaze out your front window and see a beautiful Maple tree like this one?

Or out the back door and see another Maple with colours like this?

And to top it off, Mother Nature, once again, shows how remarkable she is by pushing out one new rose on the plant that Steven gave MY Jane a few years ago for Mothers Day.

Life is good!

Yesterday afternoon Brian Bell and his partner, Nora, came to our place for dinner and to share pictures and feedback on their recent River Cruise between Amsterdam and Budapest.

I finally got a chance yesterday to try out Apple Pay using my Apple Watch, a recent birthday present from MY Jane.

Today, I will be disconnecting the waterfall pump in the back garden and covering it up for the Winter. Already the back yard looks very barren, now that we have taken the remains all the annuals out.

Next week, I’ll cover up the patio furniture and put the rocking chairs in the shed.

Today MY Jane went to volunteer at the Barrie Women and Childrens Shelter and while she was there, I did some woodworking in the garage.

Today, MY Jane and I got busy in the back garden planting all kinds of bulbs. It was a bit if a challenge because we wanted to do so without unintentionally digging up other plants.

Fortunately, Jane had taken lots of pictures when the flowers were in bloom, so we knew roughly where they were.

Later this morning MY Jane is going out to meet a lifelong girlfriend for lunch. While she is gone, I plan to do some research on Apple Pay, a feature that allows you to use your I Phone or Apple Watch to pay at participating stores.

I have already set up my I phone to do this, now I want to try to have my Apple Watch (the one I got for my birthday) do the same thing.

I watched a young guy use Apple Pay at the LCBO the other day and I was quite intrigued. 

It’s one of those blustery Autumn days….you know, the ones where it rains off and on and the wind gusts come and go with enough force that you can hear it blowing through the trees. And those trees are already tinged with Fall colours. 

The sky is overcast with clouds laden with rain just waiting to drop and Minnie just wants to stay inside where it’s warm and cozy. Can you blame her?

Yes, it’s one of those days where it feels good to be retired. MY Jane and I don’t have anything planned for today and if, if we choose, we can do nothing – something I claim to do very well.

Yup……sounds good!

“Today, we were supposed to meet up with my nephew, Steven Pickering, in Oshawa to attend a Military Tank Show, the last of the season.

Steve did send me a picture of what it looks like to him when he drives one of these Armored Personnel Carriers better known as an APC.

Pretty cool!

I learned a couple of months ago that, with Apple TV there is an app called Fibe TV that allows you to watch Fibe TV on a second TV (if you have subscribed to it) without using a second rental receiver.

Because my actual birthday date is today, MY Jane asked me yesterday if I would prefer a birthday breakfast or a birthday dinner out somewhere. I chose to have a birthday breakfast because there is a lIttle out of the way rstaurant called Deb’s Place that makes really good peameal bacon and eggs.

Yesterday, we learned from Steven that there will now be a regular airline flying between Billy Bishop Airport on Toronto Island and Lake Simcoe Regional Airport.

The actual flight by FLYGTA will take about 19 minutes . This would be very handy for Steven who works right next to Billy Bishop.

City of Barrie Mayor, Jeff  Lehman, was in attendance at Billy Bishop for the announcement of this service.

My Jane and I decided after breakfast to take a spin out to Lake Simcoe Regional airport just to get an idea of the distance and location. It took about 20 minutes from our place to get there.

Another fantastic Family weekend has come to a close. Steven & Sara and Chris & Tonya left this morning, both couples going to spend time with the ladies’ respective families now.

Yesterday we had our Thanksgiving dinner and celebrated my birthday at the same time. It was great having everyone here for all the food and festivities.

Just before dinner, we gathered in the sitting room and I opened my cards and gifts. I was thrilled to get a Generation 3 Apple Watch and a gift card for the Apple Store as well.

The Thanksgiving dinner was delicious and the dessert (carrot cake that I requested) was scrumptious.

Later, we all went for a walk down to the lake where we sat and talked for awhile and marvelled at the beauty of the harvest moon, its light glistening on the water and shining down upon all of us.

We have a lot to be thankful for!

Yesterday evening, Chris & Tonya arrived for weekend Thanksgiving and shortly thereafter, Steven & Sara arrived. 

We had a great dinner and it wasn’t long before conversation turned to wedding plans. Chris & Tonya, having done similar planning for their wedding in 2015, offered plenty of valuable feedback to offer Sara and Steven.

It’s shaping up to be a great weekend with everyone here for Thanksgiving and to celebrate my birthday a few days early.

Sometime ago, we had arranged with our good friends, Annemarie and Jim, to get tickets to see a group called the Caverners at the Opera House in Orangeville. We were supposed to go yesterday but something unexpected arose and they couldn’t make it. The Caverners are a Beatles tribute group and we had seen them once before.

Yesterday, MY Jane and I took my cousin, George and his  wife, Jean, to Pearson Airport in Toronto to catch a flight to Jordan where they are going for a Habitat for Humanity build project.

Last night I attended at Barrie City Hall where I am Chairman of the Business Licence Appeals Committee. We heard an appeal filed by a Tow Truck Operator who was denied a licence because of a criminal conviction within the past three years. The hearings are open to the public and is held in the City of Barrie Council Chamber.

Barrie’s by-laws preclude the granting of a licence under those circumstances. Although our Committee has the authority to overturn the decision of the Issuer of Licences, we denied this particular appeal in the absence of any compelling evidence otherwise.

The hearings are conducted in a quasi judicial manner with the City Solicitor questioning witnesses and proffering exhibits for the Committee members to review.

Applicants, too, are permitted to have legal representation and conduct cross examinations and offer evidence to support their case. 

This is a voluntary position that I applied for a couple of years ago. Since then, our committee has heard six appeals.

I find it interesting and get some satisfaction out of participating in the process.

Well, I’ve arranged for our dinghy, Shenanigans, to be put away for the Winter. Despite the overall terrible boating weather this past summer, MY Jane and I did get several day trips up to Georgian Bay.

We are glad to have Shenanigans available to us whenever we want our Georgian Bay fix.

And, now that we have our cottage booking confirmed for next July, it’ll be nice to have it to use up near Point au Baril.

Shayne, the manager at Brandy’s, was even kind enough to offer the use of his own dinghy trailer to transport it up there next year.

It’s all good!

What happened in Las Vegas with 50 dead and hundreds wounded is a tragedy. And what makes even more of a tragedy is that it was one that was preventable.