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Been AWOL for a few days.

DD1 has rented a cottage for this week on the shore of one of our great lakes.  We had some firewood  for her so on Sunday, we visited her for the day and made our delivery.   Her grandchildren arrived, they are staying for the week also, so we stay for dinner, then went to the beach as the kids were just itching to get into the water.  It was freezing cold but, they did not mind.   When we left the skies were getting dark with the threat of some nasty weather which was forecast.   Ran into a downpour where we could not see to drive, lasted a short while, however, lightening and thunder followed us all the way back to the city.

Yesterday, the smoke from the forest fires was terrible, difficult to breath and smelt awful, a smell which is hard to describe.   I can't imagine how the people living closer to the fires are able to cope, some have had to be evacuated not due to the fire threatening them, but from the smoke.

The air is better in this city today, however, my sister said it was bad where she lives some 65 kms from me.  Her eyes were burning and she stayed in the house due to COPD.

We went for our walk this morning and did some gardening this afternoon, some plants needed to get in the ground, it's a bit late but, the ground has been so hard to dig and I knew they would not survive in soil like that.

Dinner tonight, BBQ'd burger, potato salad, lettuce salad, strawberry shortcake for dessert.

Later I think it is going to be a G & T  evening.

Have a great day.

Cheers. 

Busy, busy

The first part of the past week was just ho hum, however, starting Thursday, I have been out and about.

Thursday:

The quilting guild I belong to had our potluck B.B.Q. end of season meeting.  One of our members has a beautiful back garden and we are always invited to hold our dinner there. The weather co-operated and so did the bugs.  Food was delicious and we had a great meeting afterwards.  We start up with our meetings in September and they will be in the afternoon instead of the evening.  

Friday:

I visited my sister had not seen her since we had her birthday lunch mid May.   She gave me newspaper clippings and documents to take copies of, so I can give them to my cousin in the UK when we visit next month.  Nice visit then on the way home we stopped for dinner and I had a Cobb salad.  Yum.

Today Saturday:

Not so exciting, laundry, walk, and some gardening, until my neck started to give me issues, now I know when to stop, in the past I didn't stop, learnt the hard way.

Tomorrow Sunday:

DD1 is renting a cottage for a week and we have some firewood to give to her so when her grands visit they can cook hot dogs and marshmallows over the campfire.  We will not be going swimming in the lake as the temp is not going up higher enough for me to do that.  More than likely stay for a meal, so another day all taken care of.

We have had showers for the past couple of day, however, we have been lucky to not get wet during our walks.  Clouds at the present time look as if they are full, so expect some more overnight.

Just winding down after dinner, do not intend on doing anything more today.

Have a great evening/day.

Cheers.

 

Monday Rant.

Our sky is suppose to be blue today, however, it is covered by a haze again, I fear this is going to be an ongoing trend throughout the Summer.  Smoke from the wildfires is the culprit, they are still burning and will be for sometime.

I had a really nice day yesterday, in the city where I used to live they always have a car show for Fathers Day, which was yesterday here in Canada.   I wanted to go, as I wanted to meet up with my DD1, S I L, granddaughter #1 and her hubby as they were going to the show.  Walked around looking at all of the old, antique and whimsical cars and modes of transportation.  So many vehicles, biggest turnout I have ever seen at this show.  Must have been hundreds of cars all shapes sizes and colours.  Only the colours impress me, who cares about a hemi motor or the size of the tires.   We walked for 2 1/2 hours, time for something to eat, ended up at a nice restaurant.  A good day was had by all.

Today, was errand day for me, met up with a friend and we bought tickets to three plays being held during the Winter, at the local theatre.  Had to a find a parking spot first, drove around for 20 minutes, nothing within walking distance of where I wanted to go, so had to resort to the parking garage, where you pay a small fortune to leave your car there for 3/4 hour.  I have not been in this particular building since prior to Covid, (three years).   Get a ticket out of the machine, which opens these huge doors which are surrounded by a huge metal fence, find a spot to park, leave to meet said friend, take care of business and go back to parking garage.   The sign said:  To get in to pick up your car, punch in the last four numbers on your parking ticket, door will open.  NO door does not open, tried 2, 3, 4, 5, and more times, door still locked.  Call the listed telephone number for assistance, that does not work either.  If it wasn't for a young man, who obviously has a monthly pass, which he used on a different card reader, I would still be trying to get in to my car with the $'s adding up.  Door opened.  Just as I step in the door the attendant comes and said "We have been having problems for a long time with the key pad where you key in the numbers".  Me, by this time was in no mood to listen to excuses, "Fix it" I said.   He looked at me as if I was not suppose to be there, told him I had a ticket and showed it to him and proceeded to the machine to pay, with him still keeping the eagle eye on me.   Get car, put ticket in machine to open another iron clad door. Leave.  I will never know if it is fixed as I will find another place to park my car if necessary.    Yes, I am a miserable old woman.

Rant over.

Salmon for dinner tonight.

Have  great day

Cheers

Passed

I turned on the heat yesterday as the house was cold and damp, today after a nice bright early morning, it is still on, as the clouds have rolled in and the wind has got up.  

We went for our drivers test yesterday.    A conference table had sixteen people around it, including us, with one instructor explaining about the test.   We had to draw a circle and then place the numbers of a clock in the appropriate locations, then show the hands at  11:10.    Then an eye test to identify two lines of numbers, the second line of numbers, being a little smaller than the first.   Then a peripheral eye test to identify whether the light blinked on the right or left side of your face.    The results were input into a computer and sent to the license bureau.   I called it a farce, however, I can certainly understand why some people would not pass either one of the tests.  As, as I was leaving the room, a lady stopped me and wanted to know how difficult the test was and what we had to do.   I explained everything, she replied, she was nervous wreck as today, Tuesday, she was having her test fearing she would not pass.   Honestly, she looked as if she should not be driving in the first place, let alone going for a test, so part of me was hoping she passed, another part hoping she failed to save her from being in an accident.

We passed.  Good to drive for another two years when we need to have a test again.

Groceries this morning, now as I write it is raining hard, so think I will bake a cake.  Then while it is baking, go into the sewing room as do something in there.  

We are forecast a mixed bag of weather for the next few days, so hopefully, I can look for a pattern, and see if I have fabric to make a quilt for my new great granddaughter due next month.

Now I have my afternoon all planned, so better get moving.

Have a great day.

Cheers.

We DID

 Rain, rain and more rain overnight, in fact we had an inch and a half in the rain guage this morning.   Would be nice if we could get another inch over the next couple of days.   It has turned considerably cooler too since we came back from our walk today.  Become windy also.

Off for our 80's driver test this afternoon and then to go and get our license renewed.

The workers installing the fibre optic cables were late starting this morning, I assume due to the wet conditions.

Too wet to do anything outside today, so it looks as if it will be a few hours in the sewing room.

Have a great day.

Cheers.

Will we or won't we

We have had a forecast of rain, I will believe it when I see it.  Looks as if we had a few drops prior to us getting up, it is still cloudy so there is always the possibility more will come.   

We visited my partners sister yesterday as it was a nice day for a drive in the convertible.  Sister "A" has not been well, having a nap when we arrived but, we were able to visit later in the afternoon.    The sun has been covered by haze from the smoke so when it began it set there was very little heat left in the air and a sweater was needed for the last portion of our return home.  Stopped for dinner and I had a delicious Cobb salad, must make one of those at home for myself.

Laundry being done today, as yesterday I had a hair appointment and then we were out for the rest of the day.  

Not sure what I will be doing for the balance of the day.  Should think about what we will have for dinner with a BBQ'd steak.  

Tomorrow we go for a driving test for 80 year olds, it should be a breeze to get through as I have mentioned previously I think it is a farce.  The test, I understand is to see if applicants have the first signs of dementia,  which is a good thing, however, the test should also test reflexes to driving situations which require immediate responses. 

Have a great day.

Cheers.

Not much today

Not doing much today, then what else is new.  Seems as if most of my days are like this one.

Feeling miserable, so won't bore you with any more.

Have a great day.

Chers. 

Smoking

No- not me, even though back when I was a teenager, I did have ONE, hated the taste in my mouth so no more for me.

The smoking I am chatting about today is the smoke from the wildfires burning in Quebec and Ontario.  The wind has been in the direction to waft it all down south, it is even going into many of the eastern United States.  Most of it is in the upper atmosphere, however, we were able to see and smell it yesterday as it came down lower over a lot of S.W Ontario.  I feel so sorry for those people displaced and losing everything due to the fires.   A fire ban has been issued for our area as we have had no rain for three weeks, high winds and lots of sun.  All of the lawns are brown, I haven't planted out any of the flowers I was  going to, as I cannot pull out the weeds where they are going to go, and they would not survive if I did get them into the ground.  Our soil is clay, hard as a brick right now.

We are also putting up with a lot of noise at the present time as a company is installing fibre optic cables all through the neighbourhood.  There must be dozens of vehicles of all shapes and sizes doing this job.   

Had a nice lunch with my sister and niece yesterday in a lovely tea room.  It is also connected to a pottery so, of course, they sell some of the wares they make in a shop next to the tea room.  Had to have a gander through it.  $$$'s and lots of them for really beautiful things that look nice but, do I really need them.  NO.

Have been sorting through mounds of photos,some of which were my mothers, as when we are in the UK, we are going to meet a cousin who has done a lot of research for my Mother's' family tree.  He wants to see some of the photos, so he can digitize them.  His research goes all the way to the 1500's interesting reading.

Well, I am off to get some lunch.

Have  great day.

Cheers.

  

 

Tv

Our Tv service is still not working as it should, because the techie forgot to close the work order, it could be done tonight.  Not holding my breath.  I had to  ask two of the reps who answered the phone to forward me to someone else as I could not understand a word they were saying.  I tried not to offend them by choosing my words very carefully.  On the phone for almost an hour, suhk a waste of theirs and my time.

We are still in the midst of a heat wave, record temps today our thermometer registered 32*C,   A/C on as it is no uncomfortable.

had a lovely lunch with J and V   a good natter, and we set the world right as we always do when we get together.  The first Thursday in July is our next "date". 

The bugs are out in full force, mosquitoes eat me alive, I have red bumps on my arms and legs.  DD1 gave me a net hat and jacket, must dig them out when out watering the plants.  We have given up on the lawn, it will be revived when we get rain, should say "if" we get rain.    When travelling to meet the girls today farmers were working in the fields and you could not see them for dust.

Running out of power gotta go.

Have a great day. 

cheers.