Month: August 2025

Today we went to Canadian Tire to pick up Royce’s birthday gift. It’s a bicycle with training wheels and he has been really wanting one according to his Dad. His birthday is September 14 and he’ll be three years old.

After we got back home, I did some searching for my lost drone which is somewhere in our big maple tree. No luck though. I guess we’ll have to wait until the leaves fall to be able to see it.

Later I disassembled the crib we had in the spare room seeing as no one will be using it anymore. Jane is posting it for sale on Facebook along with a safety gate.

Late this morning Steve, Sara, Roxana and Royce left to return home after a wonderful weekend. Even though the weather was not good for the dinghy, we had a blast here at the house and nearby Tyndale Park where the kids had a lot of fun especially on the zip line.

Today I tried my drone in the back yard but unfortunately it was unresponsive during the flight and ended up crashing into the treetop where it remains unreachable.

We spent the afternoon straightening things out and getting the bedding ready for the next visit.

Steve also got us set up with Plex which will allow us to cancel Netflix and Fibe TV.

We played with Roxana and Royce all day. Roxana did some painting and Royce played with cars and trucks.

Later in the afternoon, we all went to Tyndale Park near us and the kids did everything from swings to slides and to their favourite, zip lining.

It was a blast of a day.

This afternoon Steve and family are coming for a weekend visit. Fortunately, the bathroom project was completed just in the nick of time.

Unfortunately, though, the weather is not co-operating. It’s rainy and the temperature has dropped, so outside activities are unlikely.

Jane has planned a couple of science experiments to do and we have a lot of toys that both grandkids can play with.

Today the finishing touches were done to our bathroom reno and we are very pleased. Here’s a before and after set.

The small shower was replaced by a custom storage unit and the bathtub was replaced with a new and bigger shower.

The vanity and sink are new and we had a pocket door installed.

We are very happy with the new bathroom.

Today Jeff did some touch up painting to the picket door and got it ready for installation of the locking mechanism.

He installed the towel ring, towel bar, mirror and put the tiles into the storage niche.

Tomorrow the plumbers will install the faucet on the sink and the height adjustable shower head.

Then the electrical connections can be done and that will be it.

Several weeks ago I had a short FB Messenger chat with Firth Bateman, a friend and correctional colleague for the last 50 years. We first met at the Don Jail where started as correctional officers. we didn’t chat long. It was Firth’s birthday and we agreed to another chat the following Saturday.

A couple of weeks ago I got an email from Firth’s daughter, Cara, who told me Firth was in a coma after being found in an unresponsive state at home by Gillian, his wife. Cara said the doctors told them to prepare for the worst; he probably wouldn’t make it.

But last night, when my phone rang with a caller from Victoria BC., I was expecting to hear the bad news. Instead, it was Firth. Speaking coherently and telling me he couldn’t wait to get out of ICU and into a regular room.

I was astounded. Quite remarkable.

Today I did a couple of touch up’s to the hallway hall and above the exterior of the bathroom door. I also did behind my usual spot in front of the niche where my chair gets pushed against the wall.

Jane did the inside of our bedroom door which had a discolouration.

I cleaned out the bathroom holding tank of sediment which likely came from minerals in the water.

Our bathroom contractors will be here again tomorrow.

It has been an extremely dry summer this year and the lawn has been more brown than green. Colter says he hasn’t had to cut the grass since early July because of that.

Last week we had a very welcome bout of rain and it reinvigorated the grass.

Today, Colter cut our lawns both front and back, just before a severe thunderstorm rolled in.

The grass is looking much better.

Today the two Jeff’s worked on installing the storage unit, the shower niche and the pocket door.

They also installed and painted baseboards and trim around the storage cabinet.

First thing this morning I went to Barrie Glass and Mirror to correct one measurement for the glass shelves. I had neglected to allow for the thickness of the wall tile which will be installed on the back wall of the cabinet.

Fortunately they had not yet cut the glass, so the correct measurements can be used.

Today Eric arrived to do the grouting and was finished by early afternoon

In the meantime Jeff started working on the storage cabinet installation and the door trim.

It’s coming along quite nicely.

Eric arrived this morning at about 9:30 am and started work right away.. he removed the spacers from yesterday’s work and started doing one of the end walls right away.

By early afternoon, he was starting on the second end wall which he intends to finish today.

Tomorrow will be the grouting process and then fixtures can be installed.

Amazing progress.

This morning a young guy named Eric, arrived to begin tiling the new shower enclosure. We had a discussion about what kind of pattern we wanted for the 1 x 2 tiles. We elected to go with a vertical 1/3 pattern which will make the ceiling look higher and is very good for a small bathroom such as ours.

We also told Eric that we did not want a sliver of tile at the top edge and he was very careful to figure out how to accomplish that.

This phase of the project will take about three days according to him.

This morning Jeff arrived to finish sanding and begin painting. Then later, the other Jeff arrived to begin laying the vinyl floor tiles.

They want to get this done before the shower tiles are installed.

So far this project has progressed quite nicely without any major surprises along the way. It looks like it’ll be done before Steve, Sara, Roxana and Royce come up for the labour day weekend.

Although it was very overcast today, I was able to do a couple of flights over the soccer fields on Huronia St. This the view from about 300 feet AGL (above ground level).

I managed to get in about 30 minutes of flying before the rain started.

We do need that rain, though, because it’s been one of the driest summers ever.

The waterfall in the rear corner of our back yard has not been working correctly. Normally it makes a gurgling noise, but lately we couldn’t hear it very well.

I made a minor adjustment to the hose spout and that seemed to fix it.

On another note, since posting my invitation to correctional people to submit a story, I already got one this morning. We’ll see how many more will come in.

My latest project which is putting together a book of Correctionsal Officers stories is underway.

I have posted the link to a submission form in several Correctional Facebook pages inviting folks to submit their story. We’ll see what happens.

I have had an anchor motif bracelet for many many years, but I only rarely wore it. I was reluctant to do so because one time, when I was driving in my car, it simply fell off my wrist into my lap.

Seeing as it just sat, unused, in my jewellery box, I decided to sell it and today did so at Bill LaBoeuf Jewellery here in Barrie.

I’m happy because I got more than double what I paid for it.

Today Jane and I went to Irvine Flooring here in Barrie to select a paint colour for the bathroom. We took a sample of the vanity top and also a drawer out of the vanity to help find a compatible colour.

We ended up bringing several colour samples home so we could view them in lighting that was different than in the store.

In the meantime, the drywalling is underway and soon it will be time to do the tiling and shower enclosure. Here’s where we’re at right now.

The two Jeff’s came this morning and put some drywall up and readied the shower area for tiling. One thing that got missed was letting the plumbers know there was a niche going in the shower wall and so they will have to return to re-route the water line around the location.

The envelope tacked to the wall is a note written by Jane with the idea that, if there ever is a future reno in this area, someone will be surprised that a letter was left for them. Who knows when that might be.

And our plan to have a mirror/medicine cabinet combo had to be scrapped because there is a pipe inside the wall where the recessed cabinet was to go.

We had already purchased it, but Jane was able to arrange for its return with a full refund and no shipping charge.

Other than those two issues, everything is going very well.

First thing this morning, Terry and Kevin, the plumbers working with Jeff Henderson on our bathroom reno arrived to rough in the plumbing for the shower and vanity sink.

So far this project has been moving along at a very productive pace and, although Jeff had initially projected a two-to-three-week time frame to completion, it looks like it will be done before that.

Both Jane and I are impressed with the management of this project especially with regard to getting sub trades in to do their work.

My new project of seeking story submissions from correctional officers will require authors to complete an online form with mandatory fields being completed.

Today I did more work on the form and sent a link to Jane to try it out. She had a couple of observations so I modified the form to reflect them.

I have also sent the form to a former correctional officer who is now practising law and I am awaiting his feedback.

This afternoon Jane and I went to Oshawa to visit Jerry who is in a Seniors residence called Winchester Glen. It’s a very nice facility which was just built in the last couple of years.

Jerry and I played cribbage and Jane took Betty for a walk around the building.

We had a nice visit and on the way home stopped at A & W for a burger, fries and onion rings.

The two Jeff’s were right on time this morning at 8am. They started work immediately and shortly after their electrician, Mike, arrived and within two hours had the necessary wiring done.

They have framed in the storage area in readiness for the base cabinet and upper shelving unit.

Jeff has been working on installing the pocket door components and on Monday, the plumber is coming to work on the shower and vanity drains and water supply.

Jane and I are quite pleased with the progress and the work ethic of both Jeff and Jeff.

Jeff Henderson of Rockland Construction arrived right on time just after 8am this morning and immediately got work.

By 10am they had the bathtub and tile surround removed as well as the vanity and sink.

This is a very encouraging sign and, although he was suggesting a 2 to 3 week timeframe, I am optimistic that the project will be done ahead of that schedule.

In the meantime we are staying out on the deck to be out of their way and the noise.

And Jane is doing some weeding in the back flowerbed.

Chris, Tonya and Max left this morning on their way to Blue Mountain until Friday for the rest of their vacation.

I took the tent down in the backyard and stowed it away in the garage loft, ready for the next usage.

Jane got all the gear we used yesterday washed up and sorted out our camping bins which I eventually put up into the loft.

The contractor who is doing the reno delivered the tiles and tools to be kept in the garage. They begin demolition tomorrow. This is what the bathroom looks like after we removed everything and took it downstairs.

While the reno is ongoing, we’ll use the downstairs bathroom and shower. Exciting!

This morning after breakfast we headed up to Brandy’s Marina to take Max to Beausoleil.

He drove the dinghy a little bit and we went to a Tonch East. We had a bite there the headed over to Cedar Springs where we had fun swimming and Max Chris and Tonya went fishing.

Then we had a great dinner cooked on our one burner butane stove.

After that we stopped at Picnic Island for ice cream and to fill up the dinghy with gas.

Another great day.

Today I predrilled countersink holes in the top and bottom of the upper cabinet section and then I got some black furniture paint at Home Hardware.

Next step is to assemble the pieces so it’s ready to be attached to the lower section.

After it’s installed in the bathroom reno, I’ll get two glass shelves for the top part to finish it off.

Yesterday I purchased the material needed for the top portion of the storage unit that will be part of the bathroom reno.

This morning I started cutting the pieces to size and drilling shelf peg holes for the glass shelves that will be installed in the upper part. This section will be used as a display area.

Before assembling the pieces, I will get some black paint to match the lower section.

We purchased a small cabinet as part of our bathroom reno and It will serve as the base for a full height storage area.

Today I bought some wood in order to fabricate the top section which will have glass shelving and a pot light to illuminate the display area.

I’ll start working on it in the next few days.