It's Gone

 The thunderstorm we had has cleared the air of the humidity and it's gone and it feels so nice to go out and not feel as if you were hit by a wall of hot air.   It is decidedly cooler today but sunny, so I can see my garden is going to get some much needed attention in the coming days.

This morning we got our groceries, did not get to the store until 10:00 a.m. there were not many people inside, but they were all from the complex of buildings that are home to a lot of elderly people.  I am old, but fortunately, I move around  as if I was a younger person, so found it took a lot longer than normal to get everything we needed due to the canes and walkers these people were using.  I feel sorry they need to go and get their groceries for themselves, they should have someone help them, but they could be the independent tye and want to do it themselves.   Next week we will go as soon as the store opens.

 After groceries we did a number of errands that needed to be done, so most of the day we were out and about.   Not much else done around the estate today. 

Dinner tonight, chicken, asparagus it must be the end of the season where this came from as it was not a nice as what we have had on previous occasions.  I made some rice and sliced up tomatoes.  Dessert was lemon marque pie.

 

Lovely visit

I had a great visit with my second cousin G and his daughter  C yesterday, they live in the UK, we talked for almost an hour.   I haven't seen C since 1992, so she has changed a lot.  G was here in Canada for my Mother's 100th birthday, in 2017, just wish I could go to the UK and attend his 90th but, unfortunately that is not going to happen.  Via the web, (what would we do without that, these days) my sister and I are sending him a gift, and I will be visiting again with him on his birthday.    G's son has a rental cottage, and has offered it for us to stay if and when we venture to England in the future.   I would love to pack my bags tomorrow, but!

Yesterday was very hot and humid and around 8:00 p.m. we had a heavy downpour and

 lots of lightning, but little thunder.  It cleared the air somewhat but, today is still a bit muggy.  Tomorrow it is forecast to be cooler, around, 28*C,  with less humidity which is much more comfortable.

Not much else happening around the estate today,  Hubby repaired the lawn tractor yesterday, so that is all ready to cut the grass next time.  I did very little yesterday, I did, however, get into the sewing studio and work on a quilt.  This quilt has been started three times, still not liking it but not going to change anything this time, I just want it finished so that I can go onto something different.

We had burgers on the BBQ and corn on the cob for dinner last night, both were very good.  We have more corn to eat tonight with BBQ ribs.  I made a chocolate mousse last night so two portions are left for tonight, and easy dinner.

Friday date

 Hubby and I did something on Friday, that we have not been able to do in so many months I can't remember how many.    So what did we do that needs a blog post?...........................We went to see a movie.

The theater we went to is an old one, late husband and I went there many times when we were dating, so it is as old as the hills.   It has been renovated but it is still looking very much the same as it did then, therefore, it is small.   It shows movies not in the big multi screen theaters, no reclining or vibrating seats and no music and dialogue  so loud you cannot hear yourself think.   We purchased our tickets on line and signed in with our names and address etc. everyone was required to wear a mask.  Approximately 20 people in total were in the theater, so the social distancing was no issue.   Masks could be removed to eat popcorn or drink soda, but otherwise had to been worn.

What did we see, you ask......It was a documentary  "Roadrunner"  the life of  the late Anthony Bourdain, the chef and traveller who visited many countries showcasing the food of the area.  I have watched his TV show in the past.   He was a troubled man even though he had successful TV show and wrote many books.  We found it very interesting and enjoyed it and hoping another movie we want to see comes to that theater in the future.

It is very hot and humid again today, feeling like 41* C later today.   We heard a thunderstorm pass by us yesterday afternoon, but we only received a brief shower.  The forecast is predicting we could get one sometime today.   

Laundry and housework yesterday, Hubby cut the grass he did not get finished a couple of days ago and proceeded to repair the lawn tractor.  He is outside at the present time finishing that job.  I am hoping it cools down soon as I need to get into the garden and pull some weeds, I cannot do that when it is so hot. 

I am writing this post as I am waiting for a video call from a second cousin in the UK, he will be having  a milestone birthday in a couple of weeks, and we were testing to see if this call would go through OK.    I have called my sister to ask if she would be interested in talking to him on his birthday.

Dinner tonight is burgers on the BBQ have not though about what else.

Whew.....

It is just too uncomfortable to be outside at the present time, you can cut the humidity in the air with a knife it is so thick.   Heat warnings posted until tomorrow.  Thankful the sky is cloudy as it would be even worse with the sun shining.  Oh well, nothing we can do about the weather and just think six months from now we will be complaining about the cold.  I was just saying to Hubby today, I am glad I live where we do, we have the extreme hot in the Summer, but can control it with A/C and bitter cold in the Winter with the furnace on and nine times out of ten decent weather for the Spring and Autumn.    

We had another gift of tomatoes from Hubby's daughter today, so a cheese and tomato sandwich for our lunch.   I do not even think of canning or freezing them, I am just getting sooooo lazy, done my share of that when I was younger and had a family to feed.   Now it is just Hubby and I, so I don't bother, we buy what we need.

I cleaned the entire upstairs of the house yesterday, two bedrooms, sewing studio, two bathrooms, living and dining rooms and the kitchen, no wonder my energy level in low today.  I had intentions of doing the lower level, but, you know what! it will be done tomorrow, or maybe the next day or even on the weekend.   

Several years ago I made some quilted wall-hanging for shows and they have been in my closet since then, so I have decided to sell them if I can.  

Mother and Child at the Window.

Asian Snapshots

Yellow Submarine

Parrot

Northern Ontario

Dinner tonight, pork chops, baked potato and asparagus.  Dessert, not sure yet.

Here we go again...today, tomorrow and the day after

For the weather of the day, H & H is what my Mother used to put in her diary, which means hot and humid, maybe that is what my entry should be today.  Tomorrow it will be feeling like 42*C with the humidity factored in.   Bearable if you are in the shade and not doing anything, which is what Hubby and I are doing today.  He will be cutting the grass again after dinner when it is cooler.

Do you write in a diary or journal every day?  I write down things that we did or saw during the day, which has become invaluable when we want to look back to see what we did,  for some reason or another.  

Grocery day today, even at 10:00 a.m. not many shoppers which was nice, no line ups at the cash register either.   The store we go to has the self checkout, I only use them if I have one or two items, never when we have a full shop.   The people checking you out need a job and that is one way I can assure they have one.  

Visited my youngest daughter and her husband after dinner last night, she is working on the day shift, 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. so doesn't get home until 7:30 p.m.   They put in a garden again this year and have a bumper crop of tomatoes.  Last week she made chili sauce and tomato puree, with some of the produce from her patch.   She gave us some tomatoes, green peppers and cucumbers and we gave her dog some bones that we collect from the ribs we eat.  So everyone was happy.  We had a tomatoe sandwich for our lunch today.

Dinner tonight, chicken, asparagus, salad and peach pie for dessert.

Neat and tidy.....until

 To is very hot and humid again and quite uncomfortable to be doing anything physical outside.  However, I must add the breeze does make it feel cooler in the shade of the trees.

The humming birds are so busy at the feeder today, don't know why, unless they are juveniles packing on some weight for they will soon be flying south.   OR  maybe the flowers that they have been visiting are no longer in bloom, I guess we will never know, anyway it is so nice to sit and watch them as we eat our lunch.

This morning I made a meatloaf and a peach pie for our dinner tonight, both went down very well,  The recipe for the pie called for quite a lot of  cinnamon in my opinion, but I added did anyway.   I should have followed my instincts as it definitely too much, it was good anyway.

This afternoon I finished the tidying in my sewing studio and it now looks great, until I start pulling out fabric for the next quilt.

 As I said previously, we had meatloaf, peas, corn, tomato and cole slaw with the pie for dessert.

R.I. P...Samsung

My late husband and I purchased a TV back in August 2007,  it was still going strong when I moved in with my now Hubby back in 2015.   He had an older model TV so we removed that one from the rec room and installed mine.   It had a beautiful picture, so sharp and clear, however, it had one issue.   That issue was, it would take five minutes to come on once you pressed the "on" button on the remote.  Last evening, we turned it on and we heard the clicking sound it always made as it warms up while you wait, and wait.  It clicked several times then quit.  Turning it on and off several times made now difference, it had died.  Fourteen years is not to bad for a TV to last.   This morning we looked at the fliers that came last week and found a new TV, went to the store, they had one in stock and we now have a new working TV.

Hot and humid again today, at 1:30 p.m. we had a heavy shower the sun is now out and it feels like a steam bath outside.  The sky is still looking as if it could bring more rain sometime today.

Finally got Hubby to sit and not doing anything today, it is just too uncomfortable  and dangerous for anyone to be doing anything physical  today.

I am writing this post while sitting on the balcony, a nice breeze is starting and I hear thunder in the distance, we could be in line for some more weather.  Several hummingbirds are visiting the feeder as I sit here.  They are such fascinating birds.

Dinner tonight steak on the BBQ, we have some eft over veg which I will warm up and a salad.  Dessert will more than likely something quick and easy, not sure what yet.

Have a great Sunday.

Still.....&......steamy......hot

Most mornings after we have finished our breakfast, coffee is finished on the balcony.  This morning the  humidity was so thick you could see it in the air and there was absolutely not a breath of air.  Nothing was moving, not even the birds or squirrels, we did, however, have humming birds at the feeders.  In our area a heat and humidity warning has been issued today, due to the temp feeling like 37*C.   Again, I am going to be inside today.  Hubby does not appear to be bothered by the heat and humidity, so he is currently thinking about trimming the hedge.  It is in the shade which is a plus.

Laundry currently being done, we had three full loads today, a bit more than we usually have as we have been having more showers and changing our clothes more often this week due to the heat. 

I am going to be sorting out fabric again today, trying to put it in a better organized fashion.  When that is done I will finish the quilt I am currently making and then start using the scraps for another quilt.

Dinner to night is going to be burgers on the BBQ and salad.   Jelly with fruit for dessert.  I do not plan on cooking inside today.  

Have a great Saturday.     

BLACK

The four painters arrived next door, setup all of their equipment and by 2:00 p.m. the house was painted.......Black.   Yes, all the bricks on the side of the house and the chimney were black.   When we first saw it I said to Hubby.   "What on earth are they thinking, maybe they are not."  There is also quite of lot of aluminium siding  on the house which is a rusty brown and the roof is also brown.  We are wondering now if they are going to change that.    We have looked at it now for 24 hours and have gotten used to it and I must say, it does not look too bad.  I can't think what the elderly woman who used to live there would think of her house if she saw it.

It is hot and humid again today, so  it will be another inside day for me and I will be cleaning out my sewing studio.  The floor needed to be vacuumed  rid it of the bits of thread and fabric.   I also found a container of small pieces of fabric that need to be cut down into squares to add to scrap quilts.   Yesterday I cleaned the rec room, you could almost call it a Summer clean.   Being in the basement of our house we tend to get our fair share of spiders and you know what they make all over the place.  I swear one spot is cleaned and in no time the webs are back up again.   I also opened the window, (we have screens on all of the windows in the house to keep the bugs out),  to bring in some fresh air.   Looking and smelling a lot better now, not that it stunk, it just need some air circulation that the A/C cannot do very well down there.

Hubby is outside trimming around posts and shrubs before it gets too hot.  He was at his daughter's yesterday trimming a tree in her back garden. 

Dinner tonight salmon , veg and salad. jelly and fruit for dessert.

House.....erecting signs.......balloon

 The house next door to us was sold a month ago, and the new owners have been spending a lot of time, effort and money changing the inside and today workers are busy doing something on the outside.  It looks as if they are going to be painting the bricks or/and siding.     The outside is perfectly fine in my opinion, a nice buff coloured brick with brown siding, eavestrough and roof.   The house looks like a Summer cottage set in a small grove of trees.   We are wondering what it will look like after all the work has been done. It is going to be a rental property for four law students that will be attending the university a short distance from where we live.   We are hoping they are the studious type  and not partying late into the night.

My second youngest granddaughter has decided who she is going to vote for in our election which happens next month.  So she and her boyfriend have been volunteering for the candidate in their riding, putting up signs and knocking on doors and delivering  handouts.  They are one busy couple,  she is working in a lab for a professor and he is working for the Canadian Government.  Nice to see young people getting involved in the voting process, not enough of them do and most often are the ones that complain.

Parts of the city received a downpour yesterday, however, we did not see a raindrop.  Today is hot and muggy and there is a chance we could get a thunder shower.   The next seven days are going to be nice and sunny if the forecast holds true.  

A couple of evenings ago we saw a hot air balloon floating over the city. Which reminded me of the ride I had.   Several years ago, my late husband and three children gave me a gift card for a ride in a  balloon for my birthday.  It was wonderful, so quiet the only sound we could hear was a dog barking on the ground and of course, the fire when it was lit up to propel us up higher.   During the flight the balloon went over a small lake and the pilot lowered the basket down, with it just touching the water.  Going back up again, we could easily pluck leaves from the trees.   We landed in a field, and after helping tame the balloon, we all had a glass of champagne and orange juice.    If you are adventurous I would certainly recommend the hot air balloon ride.

 Dinner tonight,   I have no idea at this point in time, but must start thinking about it.  What are you planning for your evening meal?

Steamy-------Wings.

 The weather has become hot and very humid again, just as the forecast had predicted, again possible thunder showers is in the forecast later today.  We had none yesterday, which was a blessing, if we had it would be too uncomfortable to do anything outside.   I find the heat bothers me more than it did.

If anyone reading my blog didn't know, I am here to tell you, I am nearing eighty years old.  I am healthy with the aid of blood pressure meds.  I can eat anything without being in distress, I clean my house, kitchen and bathroom floors, on my hands and knees, (in my opinion you cannot clean a floor with a mop).  I cook, garden, walk and maybe do just a bit more daring things that someone my age should not be doing.  But I am OK with that, there will come a time when I cannot do all the things I do now.  So what am I complaining about!   With all this activity I still have those --------Wings.   You know that bit of dangling skin which  I am sure is some fat or slipped muscle  LOL or more precisely, so muscle at all,  that is under your arm near the armpit.   I was doing something yesterday, and OH my goodness, it appeared as if I would take flight any minute.  I understand it is a product of many things that I really have no control over, so what am I going to do about it!   I have decided to cover those wings, no more sleeveless tops or dresses unless they are covered with a jacket, sweater or a shawl.   Problem solved.   No one will know except you and me, so don't tell anyone. 

So what are you up to today?  Me,  it is an inside day, so must get in the sewing studio and get some of the UFO's (unfinished objects, in quilting language) done, so that I can start on a new project.  

 I have a lot a small pieces of fabric, too big to throw away so I am cutting it into squares that can be used in scrap quilts.   This is one I made last year, I will not use this pattern again,, but intend to use another one.

Dinner tonight, BBQ ribs,  squash, salad, and chocolate mousse  for dessert.

World News

These days I just hate watching the news or reading the paper, nothing positive, just bad stuff everywhere.  If it is not Covid rearing its ugly head again, its forest fires, earthquakes,  powerful storms, and  now  Afghanistan.   

I am safe in my little part of the earth and I hope whoever is reading this is also safe.  

Last night we had a shower and today we have a mix of cloudy skies and some  sun trying to peek through once in awhile.  It is starting to get hot and humid again too.  

Both of us were very busy yesterday,  so we did sleep a little longer than we normally do, so a later start to the day.  We did go and get our groceries, the store is busier than when we use to go for the hour early in the morning.  We also did a lot of errands that have been waiting for us to do, so all in all we did get a lot done this morning.

Hubby has now gone to cut his daughters grass, he did not get there yesterday, as he was getting in his car, it started to rain.  

Not much else going on here at the moment, I need to clean the kitchen floor, and then going into my sewing studio.

Dinner tonight, chicken, veg and a salad.   not sure what we shall have for dessert,  will need to put my thinking cap on.

 

Phone and other Complaints

We have been without our land line telephone now for two days now, today is going to be the third day.  We are expecting a technician today sometime between 12:00 Noon and 5:00 p.m.   Being ancient neither Hubby and I have one of the cell phones that do almost anything but make dinner., so we seldom use them, mine is mostly for emergencies when I am driving by myself and situations that we find ourselves in at the present time.     

Today is a mix of sun and cloud and we could expect some rain at some point in time, then more unsettled weather for the balance of the week, which includes higher temps and more humidity.  Glad I got some gardening done during the weekend, however, there is still some more that  I would like to get done.  

Well,  our Prime Minister has called an election!!!  We go to the polls on Sept 20, 2021.   Why in the midst of a fourth wave of Covid I don't know,  as so many young people who are in the 20-30 plus age bracket have not had any jabs.   I can see a big increase of cases coming in the near future and we were doing so well with the numbers in the past few weeks.   Just hope all of the precautions that have been pounded into our brains will still be adhered to by the candidates while they are drumming up votes.   Or, soon there will not be anyone left to vote for them  in the future.

Last week Hubby received a notice calling him in for jury duty,  he does not mind doing his part, but just detests all of waiting and sitting around not being able to do anything while the lawyers are deciding who to choose for the case they are trying.  He is hoping, in one way that he does get chosen as he has never been on a jury before, but then is hope he does not get chosen.  Time will tell in September.

Hubby is cutting the grass again, it never stops growing due to all of the rain we have had, plus the hedge is looking a bit untidy as sprigs of growth are starting to grow again.   A neighbour of his daughter has a perennial  Hibiscus in their front garden.  The blooms are as big as a luncheon plate and a beautiful deep pink colour.  The small indented lines on the petals made it look as if it was made of silk, so much so I just had to go and touch them.   

Had to quit, back again.

Land line is fixed, a rusty connection, so an easy repair and it was done outside, so no worries regarding  close contact with tech.  He was a pleasant chap,  after the work was done he wanted to chat with Hubby and I, so we had a nice conversation with him.

Well, I did about 2 1/2 hours of gardening this afternoon, happy with what I was able to get done.  Hubby had to fix something on the garden tractor and finished cutting the grass.  The next door neighbours son, cut our hedge, so Hubby was pleased he did not need to do it.   Hubby has, in the past done some favors for them, so this was a pay back, which was very nice of him to do that.

Dinner, was pizza and a big salad.  We were given are basket of pears, so we each had one of those for dessert.   How to yu prepare pears for a dessert?   

It is beginning to look more and more like rain, so the forecast is right this time.  Hubby has just come back into the house it is spitting with rain, so no more outside jobs for today.

Cannot think of a title

No... my mind is just a blank, some days I think of something to chat about and other days, ...well it is just like today, nothing comes to mind.

We do have another lovely day weather wise, beautiful blue skies not clouded over by the thick moisture of the humidity.   There is a nice cooling breeze too.   I almost pulled up the blanket last night as I felt cold, but must have fallen asleep without it, as this morning there was only the sheet on me.

Yesterday, I did all of regular household chores, I won't bore you with them, as you are more than likely in the same  position I am.  Not that I am complaining just making a statement.   I really don't mind doing housework,  I just take my time and do a bit each day, that way there really is no need for a Spring cleaning every year.  

 After lunch I tackled some of those weeds and was pleased to get as much done as I did, the flower beds look so much nicer now.  I did make mental notes of where I would like to transplant some of the perennials in that bed, so will wait until they have finished flowering and do that job.

Hubby's daughter lives alone, so we invited her for dinner,  he cooked the burgers and I made a cucumber, tomato and feta cheese salad, and there were enough strawberries left for all of us to have a shortcake each.   We chatted until quite late in the evening, which was nice.

The cherry tomatoes are nearing the end, we have had a lot of them during the past month.  The larger tomatoes have not shown any colour which would indicated no ripening for a few more days, just in time to pick up where the smaller ones have finished.

Have not decided what is for dinner yet, so should soon do that.

We have been without a lands telephone for over 24 hours, so today I got on the computer and made an appointment for a service call to see what the issue is.  Chatting with the man online, he said, I would like to call you....Dah....I said "you can't my phone is not working".   Anyway, we have an appointment for tomorrow.  I then needed to answer some Covid questions, so that there staff are save in our home which I can understand, but it appeared he was reluctant to answer my question, which was,  "Is the technician visiting our home fully vaccinated?"   I wanted to be sure that we were protected too, not just the telephone staff.    He did say the person is.

Have a great day, chat later.

Superstitious - Friday 13th.

 Are you superstitious? ...no I am not.

Every Friday 13th, a town located on the north shore of Lake Erie hosts a motorbike rally that started 40 years ago.   This town has a normal population of 6,000 people, however, on a "normal" 13th, it grows to 100,00 bikers, the curious, spectators and venders of almost anything and everything you could imagine.  This celebration was toned down due to the pandemic, so no vendors and to keep the people social distanced the bikes were parked on more of the streets that they would normally be.  The weather did not look too promising, so there were only 35,000 in attendance.

My youngest daughter and her husband have a bike, and they both took a vacation day to attend.  I have not had a chance to talk to her, but from the looks of the reports on the TV last night it looked very well organized.   Personally, I am not a fan of motor bikes.

It was hot and humid yesterday, and cloudy most of the day, which resulted in a very heavy thunder shower later in the afternoon, just what we needed more humidity.   The weather system that brought us the unpleasant weather during the past week has now moved along and cooler and less humid weather is forecast for the next few days.   Woke to lovely sunshine and clearer air, however, it appears it is going to be short lived as by the end of the upcoming  week we return to the humid weather again. The rain and heat certainly make the grass grow, cannot keep up to it.

We are picking a lot of tomatoes from our plants and have now started to put some in the freezer that can be used in sauces later.  

What am I doing today,  the first load of laundry is in the drier, when finished  chatting to you, tomatoes need to be picked before the chipmunks decide to have a nibble.  I would not mind if they would take them and eat it all, no they only take a bite and get another, I suppose they try to choose a nice ripe one with more flavour.  Then the even ending bits of housework that need to be done and some weed pulling is on the agenda.

Dinner, burgers on the BBQ, salad and we have more strawberries to finish for dessert. 

The last day

 The forecast is indicating our weather will become more stable after today's hot and humid weather again.  Currently it is cloudy and more rain and thunderstorm can be expected.

The garden is beginning to look quite tired, the annuals are getting leggy thinking it might be time to put them out of their misery.   Oh! and the weeds, it has been so wet  and so hot, I cannot get into the garden to pull those little devils.  Hopefully, I will be able to do some this weekend.   

The nuts are beginning to fall from the Copper Beech at the front of the house.  They have no nut meats inside so they are a big nuisance, making a mess all over the driveway.  During the past couple of years we have picked up numerous bags of these nuts, and it looks as if we will be doing the same thing this year also.  

The Gypsy moths, seem to have finished their cycle of life, as we have only a few in the traps at the present time.  No other eggs have been found as yet, but we are still keeping our eyes open for them,

We went to Hubbys grandson's 21st birthday dinner last night, lasagna and caesar salad, all very good.   His daughter in law is very unorganized,  so dessert was not ready to eat, so we were asked to come back tonight.  She was making a cheesecake, (I assume it was one of the "no bake" variety) as it had been in the fridge for the three hours the recipe had indicated but it was still not "set".   After being in the fridge for 24 hours I still don't think it would be ready to eat.   Don't get me wrong, she has a heart of gold, but does not think about coordinating everything, so its all ready at the appropriate time.     

Did a lot of catchp housework yesterday, and today going to tackle the walk in shower, it has been getting a lot of use these past hot days,   Then there is some dusting that needs to be done and hopefully I will get into the sewing studio for a short period of time later this afternoon. .

Dinner tonight salmon, and I am going to make a tomato and cucumber salad, dessert, we still have some strawberries so they will be used up.

Cheers,

Air is still

 The air is so heavy with moisture you can almost see it, not a breath of air is moving.   A heat warner has been in place in this area for the past few days and will continue until tomorrow.  Apparently, we had a thunderstorm and another 1/2 inch of rain overnight, thus the very humid and uncomfortable day we have now.   The only blessing is, the sun is not shining all of the time, so the temp is not going above the 30*C mark, but it is feeling like 39*C with the humidity factored in, even without the sunshine.

Had a busy day yesterday, Hubby took his daughters car in to have a light repaired, then we picked it up and he left one of his cars to have a new started installed.  This morning we went to pick up his car, the repair all taken care of.   

Yesterday, at noon I went to a restaurant to have lunch with a friend who I have not seen since the pandemic started, and we even live in the same city.   It was so nice going into a restaurant, albeit, that we had to sign in and wear a mask until we had been show to our seat.  This friend J. and I used to work in the same office years ago  we used to go to the theatre also.  She has had a lot of health issues during the last few years, ending up having to have a kidney transplant.  J. is doing really well and said, this is the best she has felt in years.   The gin and tonic and the salad I had were delicious, J. had a chicken quesada and a peach concoction for a drink which she enjoyed.   We sat and talked for hours, and was not encouraged to leave, in fact we were asked if we wanted anything more, at 3:30 p.m. we decided to leave after a very nice catch-up.  

Lots of housework done today, kitchen, two bathrooms cleaned so far, after writing this going to head  downstairs to do the bathroom etc down there.   Hubbys eldest grandson had his 21st birthday a week ago, so his parents are having an outside dinner for him tonight....no cooking for me tonight.

Well, it is time for me to get moving or I won't want to get up and do some more work.  

Chat tomorrow.

 

Spic and Span

The young man arrived about 15 minutes prior to the scheduled  time, we showed him what we wanted cleaned and he set to work.  In just over an hour, we have a lot of carpets, he was finished and on his way. Dehumidifier and A/C removed all of the moisture over night and we were able to move all of the furniture back into it's place.  A few things are going to the charity shop, so now we are all neat, clean and tidy.  A good job....done. 

Wow, it is hot and humid today, we have had a lot of rain overnight and this morning, a thunderstorm woke us up.   Showers on and off most of the day, and now the sun is starting to shine, so it will get even more uncomfortable. 

Not much else happening today, I think we over exerted ourselves yesterday and this morning moving the furniture.   

We did get some groceries after lunch and now Hubby is reading the paper and I am here chatting with you.

Dinner tonight, Chicken, and a no no, french fries,  asparagus, and strawberries for desert.

That is all for me today, have a great one.

Upheaval in our house today.

Why! you might ask.   All of the furniture is in rooms where it should not be, the guest bedroom, my sewing studio, garage and balcony.    Why......we are having the carpets cleaned.   We will be in this mess for 24 hours, so cannot get much done today.

The weather forecast improved around noon, so we had our lunch and decided to go out in the convertible.  We headed for a border town and sat alongside of the river which separates the U. S. and Canada.  We watched pleasure boats of all shapes and sizes, some going fast and others just taking their time.   Swimmers floated down in front of us, carried along with the current.   A large freighter passed by heading out into the lake.  This one looked at if it was not carrying any cargo, as it was high in the water.   Time for dinner and we had fish and chips from a chip wagon.   The fillet of fish was huge with very little batter, just the way I like it.  The chips for crisp and not greasy at all, however, there were way too many for us to eat.  We sat a little longer but then decided it was time to start for home, arriving at the door at 9:s0 p.m.  A great day out.  It may not sound too exciting to most people, but we enjoyed getting out and seeing some different scenery. 

Dinner tonight not sure at this moment, still plenty of time.  Could be burgers on the BBQ.

It is very hot and humid today, heat warnings have been issued, so do not plan to do much outside. 

A Foggy Day in London Town

Sing along................We did wake up to fog this morning, it has since lifted but it is grey and looks as if we could get some rain.

We were planning on going for an afternoon ride with dinner out, however, it is not much fun when you are riding in a convertible with the top down and always looking at the sky for those dark clouds to start leaking and we end up with rain.  However, after just looking at the weather network, it looks as if the day might become partly cloudy, so there is still a possibility we could go out.

We are harvesting a lot of cherry tomatoes, with have both red and a yellow variety.  The beefsteak ones have not started to ripen yet.   Just waiting for them to do so, a toasted bacon and tomato sandwich is what I shall be making for lunch when they are ready to pick.

We are up early, for a Sunday, to watch the closing ceremony of the Olympics, I thought it was  better than the opening.   Under the current world conditions, I think Tokyo did a great job in hosting the games.  They had a lot to contend with, and did it well.   No one in the seats watching was so sad, for the athletes and people who wanted to watch in person.  Also, unfortunate for the athletes as they were unable to do any sightseeing in Tokyo, or Japan.  We are now waiting to see some of the Paralympics later this month.  

Dinner tonight is .............well not sure, are we staying home or are we going out? 

Showers

 We had a heavy shower yesterday afternoon, some during the night as everything was wet this morning when we got up.  Today started with nice bright sunshine, so we were planning on going for a long ride,  the forecast indicated we could get thunder showers, so we decided tomorrow would be a better day, hopefully.  It was a wise decision, because it is now raining.   Hubby wanted to go for a ride as he said he now is in a wondering mood since we went away last weekend.   Last weekend!!!!!where did that time go.

As I have mentioned on earlier posts our quilting guild is making placemats for the Meals on Wheels clients, our goal was for 240 by Christmas, the ones that were collected on Thursday night totalled 170, wow!  we have been a busy group during the past couple of months.   Just a few more and our quota will be reached.

 Hubby retired from his job last year in March, odd jobs around the house and his daughter's have kept him busy, now he is having trouble finding something to do.   It is a good thing the Olympics are on TV at the present time as he has been watching a lot of different sports.   He has finally discovered TV,  in the past when he was teaching, and most recently driving a parara transit bus, he never watched it.  Don't get me wrong, he does a lot of work around the house and yard, but once the lawns and hedge are cut, there is not much left to do.  Plus the weather has not really been co-operating either.

One of Hubby;s grandsons had a birthday during the week, he was 21 years old, and the family was going to have a dinner outside tonight, however, he was not feel well, so it has been postponed until next Thursday,   

Not much happening around the estate today, we do need to empty the Gypsy moth  and Japanese beetle traps but that will be done later today.

Dinner tonight, Pulled pork on a bun, veg and salad.  dessert I still have a couple of the boston cream cupcakes, and rhubarb squares that need to be eaten.  

 

Babies are gone

The wrens in the bird house have been making a lot of chirping these past few days, so we knew the time was coming for them to soon leave us.   Yesterday morning we heard one making a lot more noise than usual, after looking on the ground, one had left the nest and fallen in a container and could not get out.  Rescued, he flew, well tried to fly into the garden.   We had never seen the wrens leave the nest in all the time we have had them in the yard, so we pulled up our chairs and our coffee and watched.  One, two, three, four, five little ones climbed out onto the perch, then the roof and took a leap of faith, flapping their wings as fast as they could to land on the ground all in one piece. Six babies in total.   Off they went looking for cover under the plants in the garden.  We heard them chirping for their parents for a short period of time, then silence, they were gone.   Coffee this morning was very quiet.  A sign of the Summer beginning to wind down, as the robins have flown the nest a while ago, and even the sparrows are quiet all of a sudden.   The circle of life.

The rest of the day was just the usual jobs, and I finished making the Boston Cream cupcakes for the pot luck supper I was going to in the evening.   

Our quilting guild was able to have the pot luck in one of the members back garden.  Delicious food and fellowship followed by a show and tell of what members have been doing over the last month or two.   We also handed in our place mats each member has been making.  Back in the Spring we decided each member would make 12 place mats for the Meals on Wheels clients.   

It was so nice to speak to people in person instead of through Zoom,  it was a good substitute when we could not meet.

Today, has been LAZY, we were up early to watch the Canadian vs Sweden soccer  match, a nail biter for sure, in the end we, I say we, the hard working women athletes got gold.    Whoop.   Then one thing led to another and, well we did not do much in the morning, and much the same this afternoon.  

The sky is getting cloudy and looks as if some rain might be on its way.   Our gardens and lawn could do with a good drink.   Speaking of the garden, some of the flowers are looking tired, another sign of a waning Summer.   

Dinner tonight palled pork on a bun, veg and salad.  Dessert some of the cupcakes I made yesterday.

Better get busy..................doing nothing.   

Must get moving

 I think the long weekend and all the activity from yesterday has caught up with us.  We slept in this morning, neither of us woke until gone 7:30 a.m.  Usually on Tuesdays we get our groceries for the week, we were a bit later doing that this morning.  The grocery store we go to no long has an hour for seniors only, but not many people go to this store anyway.  

Home and all the packages, veg and fruit put away, now on computer catching up with everything that I  missed over the weekend, then lunch.   Need to get that housework started this afternoon.  

A lot of the flowers in the garden are looking as if they are past their prime, so will start cutting back some of them.   Want to move a couple of shasta daisies but think I will wait until it is a bit later in the year.  Still need to water some of the baskets as they suck up the moisture due to the sun and wind drying them out.  We have yet to have the dog days of August to get through so trying to keep them looking healthy for at least that period of time.  

The Gypsy moth infestation seems to be slowing down, few moths are being caught in the traps now.   We are still keeping our eyes open for the eggs the females lay, have only found one and it was destroyed   The little Jenny Wrens are busy feeding their little ones, some of the food they bring to the nest are quite large and we wonder how these little ones can swallow them.  Soon, I am sure they will be flying out on their own.  

Dinner tonight, chicken, veg and salad with our own cherry tomatoes.  Dessert, must think about that soon. 

Have a great day. must get moving.

Wonderful weekend

I can't begin to tell you everything about the weekend, we had such a great time.

Started off Friday morning, we had a long drive, 8 plus hours to get to our destination hotel.   The weather was great and we decided not to take the freeway, thus the long time frame, but that was OK with us.  I understood from my daughter the traffic was the heaviest they have ever seen on the freeways they took.  It is a holiday weekend here in Canada, and being the first one people can get out and really do something a great number of people took advantage of it.  We arrived safe and sound, found a place open for a quick meal and settled in for the night at the hotel.

Saturday morning, was cool but sunny, I bought fruit trays for our contribution to the dinner table, easy for me to do, as nothing would have survived the journey.   Had a great time visiting with all the families and girls that we had not seen for five years.  All of the girls have now became beautiful young ladies, three of them bringing boyfriends.   Snacks, drinks, conversation, photos, games filled the afternoon.  Dinner: chicken and beef shish kabobs, salads and corn on the cob.  Cake, fruit, cookies and tarts for dessert.   As the evening drew in, some of the girls who brought their bathing suits opted to go in the hot tub.  Later a fire was started in the fire pit and everyone sat around enjoying more conversation, the heat from the fire or just sitting mesmerized by the colours of the flames.  I love watching the flames in an outdoor fire.   Later, smores were made, where the host got the marshmallows I don't know, they were huge.   

So proud of these two granddaughters,  on the left K, 23 years old and will be studying for her Masters in Biology in September. C on the right, 19 years, two pilot licenses all ready and will be studying for her commercial pilots license in September. 

After lots of hugs, (everyone had had both vaccines), it was time to say goodbye for another year, hopefully at the 23rd reunion in 2022, we will be able to go.  

Sunday morning, it was cloudy and an overnight rain had left puddles on the parking lot of the hotel.   We started on our homeward journey,  running in and out of light showers most of the way home.   We arrived safe and sound.  It is nice to get away, but also to come home again.

We were a little  apprehensive about the toilet issue, as we did not know the situation with regards to restaurants being open, so that we could use the facilities when needed.   The situation worked out well as we had no problems in that regard.  

Monday, woke to a nice sunny day, for which I was thankful.   Mid morning we went to my grandson and his wife's house to visit with them and my great granddaughter A, as I had a very belated 2nd  birthday gift for her.  We sat on their deck for a couple of hours visiting, and A loved her book and dresses.   

Home for lunch.  My second eldest granddaughter and her husband, came over for a visit as I had three belated birthday gifts for a great grandson 5th b-day and two great granddaughters. 9th and 4th b-days.  They have a very very small backyard, so they came here to play in ours for an hour.  They had snacks and drinks, opened gifts and then we went for a walk in the field and woods opposite our house and we picked bouquets of wild flowers, looks real close to all the bugs we saw.   Back to the house for ice cream and then they were on the way home.

We had a great visit with them, where do all these kids get their energy, believe me, I was tired just looking at them running and have fun.  

Tomorrow, is grocery day, and I also need to get caught up on some housework.  I feel rejuvenated, I have seen and talked to people,  away from the four walls of home, don't get me wrong I love my home, but once in awhile I need to get out and about.  Now I am ready to get myself moving again.  Such a small thing, but it did big things for me.

My tomato plants and hanging baskets survived, due to the cooler temps, cloudy skies and a little rain, so happy about that.  A fairly large container of cherry tomatoes were picked today and we had them in our salad at dinner tonight.   So sweet and flavourful right off the vine, cannot beat a veg that has been eaten about an hour from picking.  

Well that is all from me at 9:35 p.m. Monday night,  up bright and early tomorrow when I will chat with all of you again.

So goodnight.