...Smile! Everyone's Doing It These Days! Benny, July 1999...
Immediately below is a daily blog on retirement since the beginning of 2011. Under that are a few humourous magazine articles that I wrote for the South Marysburgh Mirror in recent months. Prior to that, you'll find my 2009 cycling trip & photos in PEI on the Confederation Trail, together with a trip to the Magdaleine Islands north of PEI. My cycling trip across the prairies, Edmonton to Brandon - 1800km. - on my new Trek bicycle, treking by myself with my tent and my camera is to your immediate right - just click on '2008 (94)'. So many fascinating people & experiences together with lots of good cycling tips I've learned along the way - many I learned, as we all do, via The Hard Way! 2007 (344) entries (also to the right) constitutes the countdown to the day I'm to leave on my bike trip in 2008 & also has lots of good cycling tips, as well as lots about Prince Edward County & pictures thereof. The writing of this blog is a retirement hobby. Enjoy perusing my site. Remember that if you leave a comment, blogspot does NOT show anyone, incl. me, your email address so you are safe. (Sorry to say it also means I can't answer comments) Happy Trails to You. KISses
Algonquin Tree Root
.....As You See, Life Really IS a Struggle.....
Nov. 14/11 The Wedding of Mary Esta & Jason at the Frink Centre on the Boardwalk.
Luuc & I pick Des up & drive to Belleville where we stop at a Tim H for tea/coffee. Des is chipper & talks about lots of things. At the Frink parking area, we meet Jason's parents & young niece, Victoria, then the minister, then Josie & Adrian, and then Trent's dear friend, Tanya.
Mary Esta, Trent and Jason drive in & we head down the trail. The sun is low now. Mary Esta & Jason come a few minutes later. The minister walks with them. I hang back from the other guests to catch a few shots of Mary Esta and Jason as they hike the woodland trail. The weather is grey, cool but no wind. Seems perfect. I was prepared to wear ear muffs & snowsuit when first informed of their chosen date.
Guests waiting patiently & happily in so beautiful a natural setting.
During the beautiful service, I suddenly remember holding Mary Esta in my arms as a baby with Josie cuddled beside me, one year older to the day, & the tears start to fall. I never cry at weddings!
As the minister asks for the rings, Jason fumbles in his pocket & jerks his hand out too hard & the ring flies over their heads into the pond. We gasp. He & Mary Esta look at each other, then at us, & say 'Just Kidding, $store ring'. Everyone laughs & I am caught in this picture turning around & pointing at Des, the dad, saying 'This is all your fault'. He's a kidder just like his daughter, Mary Esta. Everyone's still laughing, including the Bride & Groom.
Practical Joke at the Wedding:
Jason gets the real ring from the other pocket. Their beautiful silver rings have both their names on them with an infinity sign between them.
Sisters in Natural Light
The Whole Motley Crew in the wonderful pre-dusk light:
Trent shows Tanya something special in the pond.
On the dusky walk back through the woods to our cars, Victoria finds a stick teepee.
Signing on Stone at entrance:
Just Married:
Tying the Knot - by Trent:
Having Your Cake & Eating it, too.
Spoons a Clinking:
Nov. 10 to the 13th. Home. Unpack. Visit Des at Wilolea. I measure him for a new pair of pants I've bought for him for the wedding, & take them in to be hemmed.
Oct. 14 to Nov. 10 Trip in my little Echo to Gibson's BC n back. Mileage reads 151,828 when I left, n almost exactly 10,000 km. more when I get back. Couldn't leave until noon as I almost forgot to renew my mortgage before leaving. Bank opens at 10. Stopped at Schroeder's for apples b4 heading out; then stopped at The Birdhouse in Wooler for housewarming present for Chrissie.
As I drive in the spitty rain, I make poor time because I can't use the cruise control in rain, & am afraid of sliding. Still, I wonder, how did the God(s) ever create such a beautiful world as a country autumn. Did a dinosaur ever find herself wondering the same thing? Then the meteor hit. I often feel our meteor is coming, as well, in the form of over-population, pollution of air, water, ground and all foods thanks to the enslavement of farmers by the chemical companies.
No more politics for the entire trip, I insist (to myself).
Quartette adds to my enjoyment at the moment as I have an adaptor plugged into my cig. lighter & my trusty 20 year old Hitachi radio/cassette player on the seat beside me. There are dozens of mixed ones that I made over many years & I stop occasionally to change Them, enjoying immensely old favs.
At Warkworth I get out to walk 1/4 km. to keep in shape, but forget to do that from hereonin.
When I reach Peterborough, though, I stop at Burnham Park to walk the woods. Rain makes it a rather short walk but I find a good sized garter snake among fallen leaves. It's slow, looking for a hibernating spot.
Hot turkey sandwich at Coldwater as I'm heading up #12 to Orillia rather than the expressways. Stay in a Parry Sound motel. Trains pass all night long, at least every hour - 2 long horn blasts, a short one, then another lonnnnggg one as it rumbles through the town, pounding down the rails like Lake ON waves pounding the shores of the street where I live.
No toothbrush. I know I saw it when packing so it must be in the trunk. Too cold out to go hunting so I use a facecloth. Yuck! Even though I fell asleep at 9:30, I'm awake by 2:30 am. Get up. Play Sudoku. Don't really want to be out on the moose infested night highways but eventually leave in the dark. Before I leave town I drive around looking for the old tressle bridge but no luck there. Breaky is steeped tea n cranberry bran muffin 2 hrs. later.
Three hours n I'm near Sudbury. Stop at a park & pick a cedar branch with seeds for Mr.T. Big mistake. They dry out n get all over back seat n floor. Had lunch by biting a piece of bread then some of the last tomato from Wilma's garden for this year. Rain! Rain! go away! Wind is blowing my little car all over the road. Cold.
North of Sault Ste. Marie, I stop at Old Woman Bay to go for a walk on the beach. I leave my car unlocked; purse inside. A couple of young men come up behind me with fly rods. They must have mistaken the bay for a trout stream. One line whips my boot. Old Woman River empties into L. Superior here. Take picture & return to car. Purse untouched! They say you can see the face of the Old Woman in the cliffs. I couldn't.
Wawa; Marathon; Nipigon; Thunder Bay; Upsala.
Ignace I stop for a treat. Man holding store door for me tells me he remembers a winter so cold the car keys used to snap off in the ignition.
Kenora where finally there is cloud break. I hated the motel I stopped at so asked for my money back n went on. Most of the spots were taken up with pickup trucks - I should have known better.
Head for the Manitoba border. Am in another time zone. Have gained an hour. Yay!
I even pass Winnipeg n finally stop in Portage La Prairie. The man in the next unit helps me back the car in; then asks me out for coffee but I can no longer walk nor think so decline. He's from Edmonton on his way to see family in Sherbrooke. Continue to use ON time. Sleep 6 hrs. There's a coffee maker so I can use it to make tea which I've brought along with my camp stove but it's way too cold to be stopping at rest areas & cooking anything, incl. water. I also brought along my camping gear but that it out of the question in this weather.
I'm On the Road Again by 7 am. Speed limit now 110 so I travel at 118 in true Cdn. fashion. It's two hours b4 the sun comes up but the moon hangs high until almost noon. Two dead skunks in the middle of the road.
Moosomin where the gas station attendant, Eric, pumps the gas AND washes my windshield! I accidentally push a button beneath my stickshift & turn the 'Overdrive Off' button. Back on TransCanada car won't go into top gear so I return to station where he & a buddy look under my hood, check the transmission fluid & stuff but all's well? Car fixes itself when ignition is turned back on, so I continue on way & only discover what caused it after my mechanic back home looks at it a month later.
Mid-morning I pull over for a zizz on the side of the road, awake, & walk a km. up a dirt road beside me. Love dirt roads; the feel of it beneath my boots.
At Swift Current, the filthy PetroCan restaurant/gas stn. has a sign demanding a $3 cover charge. The bathroom is unspeakable with no water in taps. I leave. They always say check a restaurant bathroom & if it's dirty, don't eat there. It's the 2nd PetroCan I stopped at that is like that.
Across SK I have passed at least 2 dozen, 24 or more, dead coyotes and/or carcasses. One poor skinny little guy was walking forlonely along the outside lane toward the oncoming traffic, head down like he was dying. Maybe the chemicals used by farmers in that area. The car ahead of me cuts across to go back on the other side of the highway, probably as naturalists, to check him out again. There were none on the Yellowhead when I drove back. Seemed to be no motels in Strathmore; only inns. I want to be able to walk from my car directly into my room so I head to Calgary, where I drive right through the city but same problem so I head out. I'm exhausted. By time I get to mountains, & start downhill for dozens of miles, I come upon a paved lookout near 11 pm. I stop behind a truck, put seat back, pull my fleece blanket over me, & sleep until 6am. Was listening to the most wonderful eclectic radio station 93.7. Turns out my brother in Edmonton used to sponsor them. Best I ever turned to. (CKUA? CKEA?)
At Kicking Horse Pass I cross over on a gigantic bridge without even realizing I'm on a bridge, most of which I'm terrified of. I stop at the rest stop on other side.
Stop at Mount Revelstoke Park & do the loop. Feels so good to be walking again.
I drive all the way to Kamloops by 4pm where I have an early sushi supper above the town in a fine restaurant. What a relief to have good food again. Then it's off to the Kokahalla where to my great surprise there are no longer toll roads. I drive down to Hope near to midnight to the first motel & sleep in the deep quiet of the BC mountain town that is so very pretty & the first to see on the coast. Next day to the Horseshoe Bay ferry & to Gibson's. Chrissie's carpel tunnel operation is over by the time I arrive but Chrissie is not yet home. The surgeon tells her later that it was the worst case he'd seen - a surgeon from Vanc. Is. had botched the first one.
Marlowe & Pluto greet me at the door. Pluto, 10 month old Yorkshire mix, is the father of Candy's puppy to be. Candy is a warm-hearted shitsu.
Candy & Pluto Oct. 2011
I drive around sometimes to take pictures of Gibsons. Molly's Reach restaurant is just east of where I stand but another seafood rest. east of Molly's is my fav. with windows jutting out over the walkway giving one a good view of the harbour & any approaching ferries further east of the village.
I walk along the village waterfront path & take more pics.
Gibsons Waterfront Park
There is something to do everyday and living in a moderate, mostly windless climate makes life easy to life and enjoy. We go to out together, dine together, play and walk the dogs, cafes, shopping, movies, and go over to see the new home Chrissie will be buying.
Friends drop in and we share meals with them. Sharing the internet with Marlowe is a bit of a challenge as she is much more popular than am I.
One morning I awaken to frost. Frost tips the trees on the mountain, and covers my car. As I warm it up, I put my tea mug on the dash & decide to get out to chip it off the windshield. I hear the lock click as I close the door, and I'm locked out, purse inside, motor running. I am to drive to the ferry to go over to Horseshoe Bay as a foot passenger to meet my daughter, Terri, & have 30 minutes b4 it leaves.
Chrissie comes out, starts her car, & shoves me inside. "Go, go!" So I do, leaving poor little Echo still running. As I open the car door at the ferry parking area, I hear 'Last call for foot passengers'. Now I have to run 'a half mile' & haven't done that in years. It's run 10 steps; walk as fast as I can; run 10 steps; walk; but I make it by 20 seconds & the gate closes. Meanwhile, Chrissie has to call a private company as my CAA card is locked in the car along with my wallet (she loans me her debit card), lipstick, comb, phone, kleenex, pen, paper, camera - you name it, all the stuff ladies carry in their bags. Even the Christmas presents I had with me so I wouldn't have to mail them later. Luckily, I get to go over another day as well to spend time again with Terri & do have my camera this time. She's dog-sitting two lovely long-haired Dachsunds.
Her own wonderfully strong Lab, Abby, is in her glory when we go for a hike in Whytecliffe Park as she finds a perfect log on the shore & hauls it up the embankment.
Lone Flower growing among rocks at Whytecliffe facing Vanc. Is.
On the way home I stop in Jasper for the 1st night - long drive.
I passed through Kamloops about suppertime & then passed a few mountains where there was nothing on them except burnt sticks reaching for the heavens.
Next day I drive around Jasper after breakfast & take pictures of almost tame elk. Further down the highway are mountain goats on the highway. You can walk right up to them.
Soon I'm in my brother Ron's home eating supper, on the computer learning a new game, and going through our mother's treasures. I pack my car gradually & head out on a lovely sunny day two days later, after, of course, a trip to West Edmonton for nostalgia sake, and lunch at a fine restaurant.
By suppertime, just passed Saskatoon, I run into a snowstorm. Gradually, there's no traffic on the Yellowhead except me, visibility 1% as I can still see the side of the road & can go 40 km./hr. Yep, I keep on 'truckin' right through the night & am almost at the Man. border when I stop to sleep. The cold wakes me up, I have breakfast & chat with locals, & head out. Unlike Ontario, there is no sign of snowplows dispite it being a major highway. I was warned at breakfast that there are two major valleys that I have to drive into & back up within 40 km. & I'm terrified. The snow is wet & about 4-6 inches deep, unplowed & slippery. I keep the brakes on most of the way down (1/4 to 1/2 km) & pray that the tires are good enough to get me back up out of the valley. It's a new-to-me car but I know they are Michelins. They work wonderfully. I'm alive & so relieved to be on my way again. Weather moderates somewhat though changed to spitty rain again.
In northern ON I drive only the speed limit because of the fine rain. A trucker comes up beside leaning on his horn. Half way past me he's still horning so I blow my horn & he sweeps his truck over, running me off the road. I report it but the rig was plain white & the rain kept me from reading his licence #.
I take a motel in Kenora.
On the road again next morning, I follow a truck which isn't speeding. We have to slow to 60 approaching a village near Dryden & my mind drifts into thoughts. Suddenly I notice the truck is now far ahead so worried I'm holding up traffic behind me I think we've passed the 60 km area & speed up to 85 & get caught speeding.
$118.00. I'm driving, & have been since I left last month, with an expired driver's licence. I received a new one earlier in the year & put the wrong one in my purse. It means the info' I gave for the credit union re: the mortgage will be discredited.
I drive through the night. As I near Barrie I decide to try the 400 series instead of the quiet roads down to Peterborough as it's late & I think it should be easy. Not! Trucks bumper to bumper 2 lanes across though there are 3 lanes. At 4am, as I reach the Wooler cutoff, dark with no lighting, I slow down to try not to miss it, & a trucker rides my bumper with his brights on for the last 3 km. on the expressway. I was terrified. I put my righthand blinker on to show I was turning but he stayed on my bumper. I now believe that there are guys out there that really do kill people in little cars - the cowboy with the knotches on his gun syndrome. However, I will never say that 'I have a healthy respect for truckers' as I now have no respect for them at all. By this time, I haven't had a tea nor a pop for ages & the caffeine is wearing off & I have the shakes really badly. I can barely make the last few km. home. But I do; alive!
I make it home in time for my youngest daughter's wedding on Monday.
Oct. 12/13 I realize that I have almost a month before Mary Esta n Jason's wedding so I start packing n shopping to go to the Sunshine Coast (Gibson's Landing - remember The Beachcombers). I will just do the whole trip in one date above. The joy of being retired is the freedom to just be able to drop everything like this & drop out of society for awhile. I am a very flexible person & can go on the spur of the moment. My last fortune cookie said that life for me has become an adventure, & I embrace it.
Oct. 11 is just as nice so I drop by the BnB to drive Jazz back home. Brett, Niomi, Josie n Adrian all stay at our house overnight with the Wedding Couple sleeping on the floor in the computer room. We all dine at 8 pm in the village.
091011 Wedding Day for Josie n Adrian. The pictures should say it all.
Trent is asked to present the ring tied to an autumn gourd.
Adrian, with guitar, sings a song during the ceremony that he composed for Josie.
Trent and Jason attach a 'Just Married' sign to Jazz, my scooter, that Mary Esta created.
The wedded couple scoot off into the sunset after champagne and cheese/crackers.
(Jazz in now in retirement again between her two Harley buddies)
Oct. 8 Day b4 wedding. Josie, Adrian n his parents, Kate/Rei, n myself go to Tall Poppies for breakfast in tees - sunny, windless, warm today. Love it! On walk back, we pick branchlettes of mtn. ash with berries from a tree on the road allowance to decorate baskets for the Black River Chapel. At home, Kate nI cut cedar leaves to add to basket. They'll make the chapel smell lovely by tomorrow n Kate suggested getting a basket of apples to leave there overnight, as well. The beautiful basket Chrissie gave me when she visited is filled with colourful gourds to place among the 5 huge pots of chrysanthemums I bought for them to take, which incidentally, were to be a surprise until I heard Josie say they still had to get flowers for the chapel. Josie has a list of things that must be done and was feeling a bit stressed but I told her to be sure to cross stress off that list. Adrian said, 'Cross off stress! We can't cross of stress! Who said cross off stress!' Okay. Leave it on for a few hours more if you must. They have gone off to decorate the chapel n move to the BnB. I will go over to Belleville now for a couple of hours for a Thanksgiving get-together with Luuc's kids n families. Ah! Retirement! I've already crossed stress off of MY to-do-list.
Oct. 7 Liberal minority but at least Dombrowsky (Lib.) got voted out here. She made such contradictory statements regarding the GEA at all candidate meetings. This should keep McGuinty in check, thank goodness, n perhaps get the GEA changed so that it becomes democratic rather than autocratic as it reads now, not allowing courts nor municipalities a say in where the industrial turbines go. Dream on, Karen. Josie nAdrian, Des nI check out the Chapel. ME, Jason, nMr.T join us for a rehearsal for their wedding Sunday later on. We have pizza n orange juice around a little table that will be used to sign on after the wedding. Retirement! What to wear. Such a small problem for such a very lucky person like myself as a main worry. Well, I've decided upon the short-sleeved light yellow long dress that I bought a few years back when I thought I might be going to a wedding in Cuba which didn't happen, fortunately. Oct. 9th is to be around 20 degrees this year so the dress is perfect.
Since ME nJason get married in Nov. on the boardwalk of a conservation area, I'll wear my black slacks with the colourful silk top over a black camisole for that one. Of course, over that I thought I'd wear my snowsuit n ear muffs.
Oct. 6 ON Votes! Washed all short-sleeved wear to put away until next spring. Put on hangers n hung outside on backs of lawnchairs. Sunny but not real warm. Drove Pauline n Pam to vote, too. Sat at the beach in my campchair watching the wavelets sparkle against the old lighthouse. Suddenly a very large fish, big bodied not slender like a pike or pickerel, maybe 6 ft. long, very dark colour against the blue, completely jumped out of the water about 6 inches parallel to the lake n then I heard a bellysplash noise as it hit and sunk. Amazing! I was telling Des about it later on, saying 'You know, the beach area near the liquour store. 'Oh, you saw this fish AFTER going to the liquour store then!' No!
Oct. 5 Strangely enough, I'm been given a copy of the Mirror which has this month passed from publisher Des to a Steve Ferguson. Whole front page is an article about Des, n everyone's gratitude to him. Des was very community minded n helped whenever he could. Free movie at the library at 7, which I dearly needed.
Oct. 4 Depression short-lived. Drive down to Des's n meet him on the road. He is going to the fair, he says, and since I want to wash the outside of his frig, I let him head out. I was thinking he meant the Picton fair which is always the 1st week of Sep. but he meant the Milford fair which is always the 2nd. He comes back after I have all the pictures n magnets off the frig n says how awful the confusion is for him. He n Teedee sit n chat while I wash the frig. I will drive down to check on him more often. He still has his sense of humour which is delightful, the man who was known as the Man with the Golden Personality. When I first met him 36 years ago, he was so like the also younger Robin Williams. Hysterical, both of them.
Oct. 3 Gloomy day. I feel depressed.
Oct. 2 ME, J n Mr.T drop over unexpectedly near suppertime so we invite them to join us. Luckily, Lucas has bought a large ($30) roast beef, something we do only once or twice a year as we rarely eat beef.
Oct. 1 First day of 'fall' but the leaves are only slowly picking up colour. The trees are still mostly green.
Sep. 30 Went to another all-candidates mtg., this time with Virginia. Seems the ON gov't is really a Nut House. After harpin' Harper got re-elected, I have promised myself not to take politics seriously, nor to care too deeply who gets elected. However, our Green candidate seems to be best in that he promises to try to get the Green Energy Act, undemocratic so potentially very dangerous, annulled.
Sept. 29 Mary Esta n Jason have decided to up their wedding date now, too, n have chosen mid Nov. at the Frink Centre, outdoors, parents only. I get to take pics. but it means I will post-pone my trip out west. I can have a holiday right here, though, because there are so many County activities in the fall, not just weddings. Her sister, Roni, got married on a Colorado mountain ledge back in the 90's. I love outdoor weddings.
Sept. 28 Josie is here for the mid-week to get everything settled for her wedding at the Black River Chapel on Oct. 9th. Parents; ME n family; Adrian's bro' n girlfriend.
They are considering riding my Honda scooter after the wedding the few kms from the Chapel to Jackson Falls BnB where the dinner will be held, Josie in wedding dress - wouldn't that make a great picture! Everything went well. A hairdresser agreed to doing Josie's hair on Thanksgiving Sunday at 11 am n her friend will do Josie's make-up for the wedding. A County photographer agreed to work for 4 hours at 1/5 of what she was quoted in Ottawa. We met the officiate n she has a vow that will bring tears to the eyes, including Josie's quite possibly. Adrian emailed us a lovely email invitation for both sets of parents that is most touching n beautiful. All's well in the Happily Ever After World of Josie n Adrian, it seems. Adrian wants to play his guitar while Josie walks up the aisle. That is so sweet.
Sept. 27 Carl brings back my computer - $250.00. Luckily for me I can afford it. Retirees have to be very careful because you might find yourself with high medical expenses but in my case a computer gets classed under that category.
Sept. 26 You can see, Luuc really misses Benny. Foxy was only here for a visit. I really should go over to the shelter soon. Retirees do so much better with a pet, they say.
Sept. 25 Sat out in lovely returned sunshine, reading, talking with the other two tenants.
Sept. 24 Go to Cascades for supper again. It's a bit like being back at the Wilolea Snack Bar, really laid back. Always someone there slurring a bit but nice for the most part. Friendly people coming n going. We move the tableclothed table in front of the window n I order a draft but ask for it to be poured only 1/2 full so that if I want more later, I can get a COLD top-up. I'm going to ask for that at all restaurants from now on - wished I'd thought of it years ago.
Sept. 23 Computer will only type one letter per 3 seconds. I call Carl Joly n he takes it away. The next four days are like being on computer vacation. Miss FreeCell, though. Pick up my emails at the library but there are too many to do so just answer personal ones n leave the 'jokes' for next week.
Sept. 22 Babysit Trent. Pick him up at his new school n let him play in the playground for awhile before heading back to Wellington for supper. He has no friends yet. It will be hard.
Sept. 21 Penny is a terrific mouser, but made the mistake of taking on a squirrel earlier this summer. Now it will taunt her, as you see here. It runs to one side; then another; up; down; sideways. Be careful to be nice to everyone because someone may just 'not take it anymore'.
Sept. 20 The flying ants come out by the thousands, an annual occurence. They crawl all over my covered scooter n get into the Spider's web. Yum! Good supper tonight. As you see, it's dining early. Within a few hours, they are gone. I think they lose their wings later (next day?) n go underground.
Sept. 19 All candidates meeting in Picton. Dombrowsky booed several times, esp. when she contradicted completely an earlier statement she made regarding the Green Energy Act, wind turbines etc. 700 people nearly, n most anti-turbines - that is, no turbines wanted in n/or near the bird sanctuary, of course. No brainer there, except to McGuinty followers.
Sept. 18 Drive to Desoronto, Belleville on back roads to look at colours. Not spectactular yet but starting. Get cheap gas at native reservation but hear later in the week that the quality may not be up to par. Could be untrue...sour grapes?
Sept. 17 Milford Fair, old friends, fun food, animals, photos, veggies, art, etc. to view in the old shed. Missed the parade in the am. so will put in a photo from another year.
Sept. 16 Went in for blood work. Remember that if you don't see your doctor at least every 2 yrs., they can drop you as patient.
Sept. 15 HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CHRISSIE Wish I could have been there to bake you a cake n take you to a movie. Went to the dental clinic myself about getting a partial, n having all my files sent here to Well. instead of way over in Desoronto (my dentist died of cancer so I will now move to here) Wellington's price was much cheaper regarding a partial plate. I chose plastic over metal as so many ladies have said how quickly it conducts heat n how they'd actually been burned. The plastic is thicker n I gag easily but will just have to force myself to accept it.
Sept. 14 Dr. Russell perscribed mylan sertraline for those relentless hot flashes I have which I felt I desperately need a break from. They no longer give older women hormone therapy for them n unfortunately this is an anxiety pill. First day I didn't care less about anything, incl. life, but that feeling passed in a day. They don't work perfectly but almost.
Sept. 13 Pauline Winkle won 4 prizes at the Picton Fair, incl. a special for her generic lighthouse. I may buy it, even though retirees usually cut back on purchases n even start giving stuff away n having yard sales. She may be a Grandma Moses. Shes going to let me hang it in here for a week to decide.
Sept. 12 Des came over to Wellington for a dental appointment so I met him there. When asked what his birthday was, he told her n then quipped "I know, because I was there."
Sept. 11 We drove over to Napanee n had lunch. Then up to Sheffield but neither of us had walking shoes, only sandals, so we didn't hike very far in that rugged terrain. I had my bathing suit n took a dip in the lake. Little perch or something kept hitting at my toes but it was cool n refreshing.
Sept. 10 Anniversary of the day I accidentally drove to PEC in 1975 looking for a safe place to live, (n found one) just like Tom E. Toad, as Mary Esta reminded me. Put on a veggie supper for Jo, Adrian, Des, Teedee, Luuc, me, ME, T, n Jason. When retired, find reasons to celebrate. Any little thing will do.
A distant cousin maybe sits to hear Mr.T read my story of Tom E. Toad. (distant cousin of Tom E., Mr.T, not you)Sept. 9 Driving in the Milford area we saw this great old drive shed that I've probably seen hundreds of times since 1975 but really just 'saw' it for 1st time today.
Sept. 8 Didn't get to see Mr.T but going over some old photos (a fav. retirement activity) I came across this photo of Lion-art.
Sept. 7 Cold, probably only 15 degrees. We're not used to it so Luuc ups the heat n makes spagetti. Haven't had it all summer. Yum! Free movie at the library tonight. A neat little Johnny Depp mystery with a very surprising ending. Not bad for a dreary day. I should have retired when I was young.
Sept. 6 Josie informs me that she n Adrian will get married in Oct. Two daughters getting married within two months. My grandmother's two children, my dad n my aunt Ida, both got married within two months in 1941 yet they were 6 years apart. Runs in the family, I guess.
Sept. 5 Martin n Lulu drop over. I'm sitting outside with Pauline n FoxyLady. Without warning, Foxy attacts Lulu, lots of yapping, pushing, snarling but both owners let them fight it out n now they're friends.
The radio in my Echo won't get any stations so I ask Martin if Echos have a poor radio as he n Nad each have an Echo. He checks out mine, n notices the aerial is stuck down inside, perhaps has NEVER been pulled out so borrows my screwdriver. Along comes Luuc with the WD40 - viola! I now get no static n dozens, maybe hundreds, of stations. Remember, it pays to let people know what some of your problems are because somebody somewhere has a remedy.
Sept. 4 Des comes over for a visit n we sit out on the deck for hours. Luuc gets bored n goes off for coffee n shopping. There's lots of sitting around after one retires. Get ready for it. Luckily, I had gone for a 12 km. bike ride early before the winds came up but didn't see anything noteworthy, photo-wise, so here's a good pic of Des on St. Paddy's Day.
Sept. 3 Cascades in Consecon is open again but Swannie has since passed on. There was a friendly drunk n his sober friend beside us. Apparently, Swannie was killed by a coyote last winter. There are many in The County now. The swan had a broken wing so couldn't fly south. 8 Autumns ago, when the pond froze over, the locals took to feeding her. If they were tardy, she knocked on a door with her beak. Eventually, she even took over a doghouse n the dog moved back into the big house.
Swannie on Consecon Dam 2009 (my photo)
We had our first hot dog of the year there today, after a year's hiatus when it closed up, together with a light beer out on the patio above the dam. We used to sit there in spring with a hamburger, fries, drink n watch a heron catch fish. The two photos are Luuc's. They're excellent! He uses a tripod while I haven't the patience.
Sept. 2 1975 I left Tottenham with Terri, Roni, n Chrissie to try to find a safe place to live. Most years I don't remember it as an anniversary. If I hadn't left, Josie, Mary Esta n Trent wouldn't be here. I take Luuc to Lake on the Mtn. to celebrate with me. We have a trio of dips, a beer for him, n a double Baileys with one ice cube for me. I Started Over from Scratch, n here I am. My Mentors always say 'Don't feel regret. Feel gratitude. Oh, I'm so grateful!!!
Halifax 1975
The Fieldhouse August 22, 2005
Josie n Mary Esta's birthday.
Sept. 1 Wind turbines still threatening the south shore. This sign from the Ottawa River Trail below Par'l Hill should have been erected here instead. It reads 'Where Did the Green Go?'
Aug. 31 Would have been my dad's bday today, n he'd have been 98 yrs. old. Here he is training another airman, probably in the 40's.
Aug. 30 Trent n I head for Way's Woods but when we get to Old Milford Road at Miller Rd., we are turned back. Two men in fancy shirts n ties behind a plain black suv, n one woman beside a cop car, approach to tell us the road is cordined off. She is getting orange cones from the trunk of the cop car. Ms. Jeffery has been missing for several days now, n I suspect it's about her. Indeed, the body is found later on in the swamp there n her son is charged with 2nd degree murder - perhaps an argument gone awry, that's why one should take anger management if one has anger issues, n why hand-guns should be banned universally. A Jeffery from Royal Rd., 16 years ago n fresh from jail, is the one who smashed Benny, a pup, over the head so hard with a beer bottle that the bottle broke. All his life, Benny remained a Bumpkin. We drove to Milford, n came back on the road from the south end after getting treats n gas at Hicks. Trent finds 6 teenage toads for me and the first one actually lets me tickle it under the chin n take pictures. He also finds 7 kinds of fungii for his carryall in seven diff. colours. This is the best time of the year for finding wonderfully colourful fungii. He loves the fungi-covered walking stick I found n says he'll going to keep it forever. He asks to wash his hands as soon as we get back to the car because some fungii are poisonous (if not all). I still have the cooler in the trunk so had lots of water, as well as most of my camping equipment. The eternal optomist, I guess. Does it come with age n wisdom or is it inherent when you're born?
Aug. 29 Email from Roni. Makes me want to get in the car n head west but I know I'd be happier waiting until Feb. to go. Not easy, I should think, for a free lance film maker, even one who made NFB's highest selling film ever, Through a Blue Lens.
Aug. 28 Home! The most fortunate of people are those who have choices. I have many. I know I'm fortunate but I wasn't always so I really appreciate that fact. I can still drive to the east coast n go to NL. Or I can go camping at Algonquin or Manitoulin Is. I could even go out west.
Aug. 27 Weather turns windy n cold but still I drive over to Whitney, then up to Rock Lake. The site I get is right near the lake but it's so cold, small sites, n the other sites with big campers crowd me so I get a refund n head home. There's no shelter for me unless I lie on my back in my pup tent or sit in the car. Not! Have Yorkshire pudding in a favourite restaurant in Bancroft n save most of the roast beef for Foxy Lady n Tug.
Aug. 26 n 27 I head for Bonnechere, arrive early, n get a site near Round Lake. Such a lovely campsite. I decide to reread my novel about the first 19 days at Wil-O-Lea n make corrections/changes. I carry my chair over to the beach; swim - it's really shallow. I veg n I eat veggies for two days. Meet the family next to me when I can't get my watercooler open. They've 4 young children so I give the kids a Tom E. Toad book. They give me hugs. Fair exchange, that. A Red-headed wood-pecker lands 20 ft. from me on my site n hunts for ants. Chipmunks play under my chair n all around the site. Blue-jays scold n demand seeds which I don't have.
Aug. 25 Josie drives with me as I head out for Parliament Hill at 9am as I want to join the line to pay my respects to Jack Layton. They have Chinese Lanterns growing out back but I forget to pick them to bring with me. She works just across the bridge in Hull. She shows me a free parking area under the bridge n we walk across the park. Off Josie goes to work. I cross the 4-lane n walk along the Ottawa River Trail beneath the Hill, 2 km there n back, ending up at Chateau Laurier so have East Coast Benidict before heading the Hill along Wellington St. Can't seem to get Wellington out of my life. In the lineup, I meet an Ottawa man named Jim n we walk together for the rest of the time, chatting away. I was so close to crying until we started talking so that was perfect. The portraits of our PMs are wonderful. Afterward, we meet his wife outside n he introduces me to her. In my nervousness, I then introduce her to him. Trust me! She is already an NDP member. I'm still considering it. Like me, Jim is a donor but not a member. They went east to their car; I went west to mine. Lots of people wearing orange. It really is not a colour worn all that often, is it.
Now I'm off to Petawawa n the Barren Canyon.
The campground to Achray is 54 km in, yet all sites are taken. Ont. parks cost almost twice as much as other provinces. The loop is 1.5 km. I sit on the bench at the top to meditate, n then go over to Achray anyway since it's nearly 40 km back to the exit. There's a few 'jump-off' sites here, which means you walk with all your gear up the trail through the deep woods to the sites. I carry the bare essentials, esp. my bear spray, in n set up even though I haven't paid. The gate is 25 km. back so forget that...all dirt roads. Nice camp ground but if I want to rent a canoe next day, I have to carry it to the water myself. Can't do that. I leave early. The pain from lying on the ground the first night was incredible.
Aug. 24 Car is packed with all my camping gear n my teeny tent. First to Ottawa. Mary Esta, Jason, Trent come for supper with Josie, Adrian n me. Everyone agrees, I've bought the best corn on the cob, from Landry's. Adrian bought a bday cake. I've brought two gifts I purchased at our Arts/Craft Sale. Lovely evening, n I stay over.
Aug. 23 Today I got my new car. 2001. Thought I remembered kijiji reading it was a 2003 so this means I've paid way too much. Too late as the seller flew out to live in Ireland. Still, I'm pleased & tomorrow I head for Ottawa. It's easy to please a retiree like me as I love the little things in life (like freedom n a car easy on gas with a great reputation for quality n being like the energy bunny - just keeps on going. (I hope n pray)
Aug. 22 Happy Birthday to Josie and Mary Esta, born only one year apart. I should get an award or presents, too, every Aug. 22nd, donchathink? Email from my dear friend, Jo-Anne, telling me how she took her former step daughter shopping for college items. Her ex has tried to keep his girls from visiting her but the girls used to sneak over. Leanne is headed to Sheridan for the 2 yr. Interior Decorating Course. Freedom finally for Leanne but poor Janey has a couple more years. She bought Leanne a desk n a cart full of items but the dad must not know. She says they had so much fun. They reminisced through photos & stories then had a BBQ n Smores.
Aug. 21 When a person is hateful, it destroys their personality n temporarily perhaps, but hopefully not long, the lives of those around them. Remember to always ask yourself "How Important is It?"
Aug. 20 I am off the hook for helping Reggie with his rental. I really must stop trying to help people. It's usually referred to as interfering. Will I ever learn? Crash is an ingrate, luckily for me, as he does not want me collecting the rent. Oh, well, if Crash were to leave or die, Reggie will just have to drive back from Manitoba to deal with it. Life has so many serendipitous turns to it. I was rue-ing the day I made that offer, & here I am freed up from the responsibility.
Aug. 19 Mr.T was miffed. He said 'You interupted, Grandma K. Mommy interupted me, too. She said you interupted her so much now she does it. Yah, that's a real problem. You don't even notice and that's a real problem, too.' Well, Mr. T, Mommy's daddy started it, way back in '75. I'm just a copycat. Sorry. I'll try to remember next time, but I am an old lady now n set in my ways, u know.
Aug. 18 Mary Esta n Jason's wedding has been tentatively booked for Dec. 30th so I hunt for a jacket that could go with the pale yellow long dress I bought before I left Sears just in case I ever did have such an occasion to attend. The jacket is a delicate thing of transparent white embossed sheer so I surely do hope the Well. church is heated this winter. $80 marked down to $27! Retirees always look for bargains, usually out of necessity.
Aug. 17 I mentioned in the coffee shoppe that since I've grown older I've discovered that I no longer sink when I'm out swimming. My body floats. I couldn't dive down to stay n the bottom if I tried. Luucs says he's going to call me Corky from now on, & that he tried holding me under but I just kept bobbing to the top. Fatty Fatty 2 x 4.
Aug. 16 Crash never did get back to us on whether or not he wants Reggie's place so we placed an ad in The Gazette. I'll get pd. $50/mo. We'll try for $850/mo. rent.
Aug. 15 The park in Gibson's wants me to co-sign as well. Looks like we'll get that mobile for Chrissie & Marlowe.
Aug. 14 Trent stays overnight. Tanya calls him. He tells her 'You are the love of my life'. He's only 7! It's marvellous that he has such a great relationship with a step-mom, esp. considering that Bill & her are living separately now.
Aug. 13 The scooter calls & I ride it down to Wilolea to sit & chat with Des/Teedee. Went for a swim in Smith Bay but the weeds are really high which is such a shame since the water is so clean & spring-fed. Gave the current owner, Ed, a Tom E. Toad book. Dropped in on Mary Esta on way back. Jason had given her a beautiful silver band with both their names engraved on the outside with an infinity sign between the names. Another wedding to look forward to.
Aug. 12 I cycle down to the beach to sit to watch the sunset. A family is scouting the beach looking for lucky stones with a hole in them & seem successful enough.
Aug. 11 The mobile has been approved but the park wants me to co-sign Chrissie's tenancy. No prob.
Aug. 10 The mortg. agent has found a credit union that will do the loan for the mobile. She suggests we put Chrissie on the mortg., too, & I think that's a wonderful idea. Turns out she does a credit check, & we both have good credit ratings.
Aug. 9 Phone call from Chrissie. She mentions her friend's mobile being listed in Gibsons, BC, n how she n Marlowe love it. I ask how much, n say maybe I can get it for you. One door closes; another one opens.
Aug. 8 My offer ran out & I wasn't able to get the financing unless someone came on the mortg. with me. Luuc refused. Another offer was waiting for mine to time out, unconditional, n was accepted.
Aug. 3 A master gardener must have owned the Diverbelt house before Mary Esta. Every time I go over, Trent goes out to pick me a bouquet of whatever is in bloom that week & it's always a wide, beautiful variety. He loves flowers as much as he loves fungii and mushrooms.
Aug. 2 Found a woman moving to Ireland who has a 2003 Echo for sale. I bought it although I can't take possession until Aug. 23. Long wait.
Aug. 1 It's corn on the cob time, I always want to say cob on the corn, and I'm in my glory.
July 31 My friend writes of her stepdad having advanced Alzheimer. Alz/Dem.
I believe that it's the farmers at fault, as they sold out to the big chemical/seed companies years ago, like Monsanto, & pour millions of gallons of pesticides onto the fields every day. Pesticides, herbicides, genetically alterred seeds, poisons, you name it. Of course, some of that goes into the water tables, the soil, the food, the air. The health auth. can tell us if there's bacteria in the water/food, but never test for toxins as far as I have heard. I try to eat as much organic as I can. Animal feed, fish farm feed, is definitely full of chemicals and stuff. Be sure to eat as little prepared foods as you can. It's so easy to put 3 or 4 types of veggies in a steamer for 40 minutes while you cook your meat, and then enjoy. Have a bit of chicken, and some fish - other meats are wise just once in a while. We used to be able to get New Zealand lamb which is raised on hillsides but now Can./Americans are raising them so N.Z. lamb isn't generally for sale now. However, I'm sure one day they will prove that this epidemic of Alz/Dementia is chemically related.
July 30 I read my old story, Benny the Bumpkin, the children's version, to Trent and he loved it. Saw several mistakes and/or places that could be enhanced. It pays to read it aloud.
July 29 My offer on the pretty blue house has been accepted. Now to get the bank to loan me the money.
July 28 Arts n Craft Show. Wilma tells me to be there at 8 am. The ladies at the District table are setting up n tell me the woman I'm to work with doesn't ever come in until 10:30. We are to count the monies n bank them. I wander around, n come back every 10 minutes to check the room until finally she is there at 10:25. Bev Marr comes by n chastizes me for not being there - in the forier in front of the door with 2 other volunteers n a vendor standing there, yelling 'You stay put...' When she leaves, Evelyn Price parrots her words, yelling 'Go to the back n side gates right now.' I look at my bag under a chair wondering if I should take it when she shouts 'Right now, go to the gates, right now I said. What are you looking at.' I'm thinking I should just leave the grounds but do opt to stay. It's bazarre! It's shocking! It's so rude, crude, arogant. Never in my life have I been spoken to that way since leaving my 1st husband. It stings for most of the day. Too bad. I had enjoyed being a part of Women's Institue, & I do enjoy counting money, n gathering it. The Kiwanis Club is at the gates n I have several fun conversations during the day. We're not done until 8:30 pm. It's my last time for the Arts n Craft Show.
July 26 I've written a very funny kids' story about a Mother Wood Duck with several duckings, who all decide that they don't want the name she has chosen for them, but one of their own choosing. Reminds me of Roni, my 2nd daughter, who now is known as Veronica Alice.
July 25 My 2nd daughter's bday. My friend upstairswas having her son at the very same moment (in the U.S.) she just informs me. Another Leo! 3 of my daughters, n my ex are all Leos.
July 24 Beautiful light blue n white house around the corner for sale so I put in an offer of $170,000.
July 23 I'm taking Crash to see Reggie's house. I gave Reggie the bad news last week that I couldn't buy his place but I will still look after the rental of it for him so he can go back to Manitoba to spend his last few years. He's 71, has diabetes & was one of those soldiers who years ago in Oromocto was in the rampant spraying they used to do on bases so he's not in the best of health.
July 22 I get a viewing of the perfect house for me, in Wellington right beside the Millenium Trl. It's asking price is $189,000, 3 bedroom, decks, shed, fishpond, sunroom, trees, wildflowers n perennials, old-fashioned swing hanging on tree, a bower. I put in an offer for $170,000. Bad timing, I know, with the US default coming up, n European countries ready to start the financial pyramid crashing. I would so love to live in this house.
July 21 Mr.T stays all day so we go back to Chase Woods for a walk about. Mr.T's being watched as he hunts for fungii, May Apples, berms n berries.
May Apple
July 20 Wilma & Paulina come by to finalize my turning the Arts & Craft Sale position of treasurer back to Wilma. I'm free. That was a big job & meant I couldn't even take a holiday last year.
Mr. T. stayed the night. We stayed up to 11:30 as we watched a docu called 'I Shouldn't Be Alive' about a fellow who floated in the Pacific for 24 hours after their sky-diving plane sank off Costa Rica. Like me, he had some fat on him so his body floated. He swam into 2 schools of jellyfish during the night. A log floated up to him after about 12 hours. It was very interesting.
July 19 Instead of a WI meeting at the library, we all meet at Wellington's beach for a picnic. I cut up a whole watermelon to take with me in a large bowl. Afterward, I go swimming. Lot's of algea in the water floating in little clumps. I have to wear my sandals in as the stones are thick for the 1st 6 feet out. I throw them to shore when I reached the sand. When I come in from my swim, I lay on my stomach to scoop the stones to one side to make a stone-free path for me & the next swimmers. A strong wind will sweep them back. The Rotary has built a wonderful boardwalk and picnic pavilions.
July 18 In the early morning, I went cycling today, down to Hubb's Creek Road, up to Greer and over to the Millenium Trl., and home - about 10 km. The odometer no longer works. Just in case it's solar, I leave the bike out on the lawn for the rest of the day, unlocked as the lock is on the scooter. How wonderful to live in such a safe neighbourhood, although they say that crime this year is down to the level it was in 1973.
July 17 Luuc reads in the paper about research on an issue I experience daily. It's that they now believe the sugar intensifies hot flashes - so does a full bladder. I discovered the cause just this year, accidentally, when cutting back on sugar to keep my weight in check. The 3 enemies of over-weight folk & good health are sugar, salt, and butter/fat. Of course, another is too much food.
July 16 Josie & Adrian drive down from Ottawa to swim at Sandbanks & visit us all. At 6pm we all meet at The Rest. on the Knoll Overlooking Sandbanks on W. Lake for supper. It's my treat. Pickerel is the special. Years ago, it was illegal to sell pickerel, a sport fish, in the restaurants. It was a treat only for the fishermen & their families. When the waitress presents the bill, I ask her if she does debit at the table. 'No', she answers, 'Come with me.' Des calls out 'The last time someone said that to ME, he had a badge on.' Des is genius at making jokes from some innocent thing that someone says.
The Wedding Bower & a walk on the sandy beach afterward.
July 15 Marine Museum, South Bay, PEC
July 14 We ladies of the Wellington W.I. go on our 2nd annual Horn Trip. I borrowed Mary Esta's van so that held 5 of us, & we set out with another car of 4 to have tea on the patio of the Rest. on the Knoll Overlooking Sandbanks. Then we drove to Pete's Stained Glass & he thoroughly educated us on the process of making stained glass. On to Milford's Bistro for lunch. Then to the Marine Museum at South Bay, the Black River Cheese Factory, the Galloping Goat gift shoppe, and home over the back roads.
July 13 Milford Bistro with Pete's stained glass work in the windows.
July 12 Luuc discovers that there is terminal trouble with the old car. Visitors arrive & the three of them go car hunting. An Echo is the preferred choice but very hard to find without travelling 1500 miles up to Thunder Bay. A Yares is 2nd choice, newer, & more expensive.
Reggie & I go to the lawyer's office for advice. He has to give me Power of Attorney before he leaves to secure my position. The house will cost me almost twice what ME paid for her half. It's beginning to look like a bad deal for me.
July 11 Mussels & Smoked Salmon at Lake on the Mountain restaurant. They've moved one of their antique cars in from the road area.
July 10 A Picture Paints 1000 words - luckily, no cat nearby - just a couple of cat owners (rather, 2 ladies owned by 2 cats), watching lazily as a young robin tries out Wilma's newly repaired bird bath on a hot sunny summer day. There was a crack in the cement down one side so for the last few years the water has always leaked out. I bought silicone from the hardware store recently & fixed it. It was a couple of days before the birds started using it again.
July 9 Great summer day for swimming. Winds are light. Sun filtered. My body floats, I've learned, because of the little fat pockets, so I can just go out deep & float around. Tug, the neighbours's dog, over-weight collie type, does the same thing. In fact, he came to shore & went back out again 3 times just to dog-paddle around in the deep end of Lake Ontario. Don't lose much weight that way, though, either of us.
July 8 Lovely day to be in Kingston, having lunch at Chez Piggy on the patio inside the limestone walls of a courtyard. Kingston now has bicycle police & twice we saw him stop other cyclists, one for going against the traffic on one-way Princess St. Panhandlers weren't playing well so they didn't get anything from me today. Bought a few trinkets but have no desire to go back any time soon. The town has a seedy look to it now, in spite of the wonderful limestone buildings.
July 7 For years now I've suggested that people 'green' up their lawns. Today I saw a beautiful lawn whereby the owners planted hollyhocks all along the roadside, mowed a patch behind it, & planted orange day-lilies & then trees behind them. My idea is to take your perrenials or wildflowers, (start with one kind) dig a wide hole to put it/them in, then mow around them. They can only expand as far as you & your lawnmower let them so no weeding. Less mowing. Kills fewer insects. Produces seeds for wildlife! Gas conservation, too. How green is that! Your lawn becomes a botanical garden. These homeowners also planted the daylilies around trees. No whipper-snipping needed there - saves world gas reserves - gives little critters a protected place to live & play in. A VERY GREEN lawn.
July 6 Des dropped in during late afternoon so we asked him to join us for steamed veggies n salmon for supper. Wilma was in her lounge chair just outside so we asked her if she'd like to be a fourth. We opened a lovely Waupoos white wine with a German name, & it was a fine supper. As a retiree, entertaining friends can be a lovely past-time as food is almost always on one's mind. Having folks to dinner makes food taste so much better.
Me! I love impromptu.
July 5 Lovely lazy hazy summer day. Over-tired so I just hang around the yard, put in a new giant zinnia, & a beautiful tall blue-flowering perenial that a neighbour has given us. It looks like the wildflower, the Harebell.
July 4 What is a favourite activity for retirees? Well, for some, it's managing their money. Me, too. I also love helping people out. I've recently discovered that a neighbour of mine wishes to move to Picton. I show him the house I will co-own & he asks for a showing which we will do next week. I'm sure he's a quiet gentleman which he must be to move in next to my daughter. He's trying to get away from his too-noisy neighbours. ME's had a few years of having terrible n noisy neighbours. It's all working out so nicely with this duplex. So far, retirement for me has been a few aches n pains but mostly a very pleasant experience. I should have retired when I was young.
July 3 Before Mary Esta bought the house in Picton, a friend mentioned that the man next door wanted to sell his half, too, because he wanted to go back home to Manitoba to spend his few remaining years so I called on him to say if that was so, should he wish to rent instead, I'd look after the rentals for him. He was very happy with that offer. Now I think I'd like to own it so I offer to give him half of what he has put into it so far to become co-owner. He is delighted with the offer so I've made an appointment with the lawyer for Tues.
July 2 Luuc's family came down for the afternoon & Luuc n I prepare the food instead of ordering pizza. I should have known better. Two teenagers go away hungry because they can't eat home-made veggie soup, steamed veggies, & broiled chicken with a fancy sauce on top. They wouldn't even eat the ice cream n strawberries. I give up! I promise them next time it's definitely pizza. It's so much easier, anyway. Martin n Lukey have picked a big bouquet of orange day-lilies for me.
July 1 Happy Canada Day. Wellington has a pancake breakfast at the town hall, a parade at 10:30 whereby we sit in front of the house on our lawnchairs to watch, with music in the park all afternoon. The evening before we had a street dance, finishing with fireworks over the shore. Cool village!
County Flywheelers
Wellington Tow-Mater
Consecon Gunners: Shot by one of my own members of WI while taking this shot. I heard 'Get her, get her' & I was shot with the water gun.
Canadian Marchers, Canada Day, 2011.
Blaine Way's wonderful horses, at every parade, to take the children for a free ride in the wagon afterward.
June 30 Sitting in our garden with the neighbours, among the flowers I've put in, & the tomatoes that Wilma has planted. The Starlings were screaming at Penny so much she suddenly hied on up the tree at a stunning speed. They screamed even louder. She had to be 30 feet up before starting back down. She sure is a wild cat.
June 29 Trent's last day of grade 1. He played with his friend, Jesse, for awhile after school, while I chatted with Jessie's mom who had gone for coffee with 'Mommy' just that morning after they dropped the boys off. Strangely enough, I'd never met her b4 - we'd just struck up a conversation as the kids played in the playground. Trent & I tried to go for a walk in Chase Woods later but the mosquitoes surrounded us like a fog. We were only 30 feet down the trail when I knew I had to leave but T claimed he didn't mind the little beasts. I insisted & almost ran for the car although running is not a retirement activity on my list. T was so upset that I thought he would refuse to come. However, Mommy taught him about the coyotes. 'Next time, Mr. T, there will be very few of them because they die off in July'. 'Don't say the word, 'die', Grandma K'. He stayed overnight.
Next morning we sat out in the garden & he brought pillows & blankets with him as it was early-morning cool. I had to sit on the bench as there wasn't room for me on MY swing with him lying down! The sacrifices of Grandparents, eh!
June 28 We of the Women's Institute met at 7 pm at Council at Picton's town hall to present The County with the last of 5 cheques of $20,000 each to go towards the transit bus, which has our name on it. That's $100,000 to-date. We promise an additional $5000/year for another 5 years. Most of that money comes from the annual Arts & Crafts Show in July for which I am the Treasurer. They are a dynamic group of women, I must say. Our members filled the room. Wonderful artwork on the walls! With sale tags. Must also mention that by retirement, one generally finds oneself with all the 'things' one needs already.
June 27 Happy Birthday, Terri! With Canada Post on strike, & just now having been mandated back to work by the feds, Terri doesn't get a card on time this year. Thank goodness I can ignore snailmail but thousands of seniors rely on Canada Post entirely, especially at the end of the month.
Roni's Windsong Gallery, 2010 - Terri Roni Marlowe
June 26 My neighbour called an ambulance after midnight & they arrived just as I got into bed. The drivers weren't sure which apt. was #1. They stopped right beside my bedroom window with the stretcher so I went out. She had food poisoning which, apparently, is quite common among seniors. We are more susceptible, it seems. Must be more careful.
June 25 My last Sat. of computer course was on digital cameras. I felt too sick after lunch to go back because of taking a OneADay vitamin for women. This brand always burns my stomach but Luuc thinks he can use them. Must be whatever product they use to bind with.
June 24 Bought my 5 main Christmas presents today. I feel so lucky to be able to do that. Christmas gift choosing is such a stressful activity anyway. I lucked in when I came up with this item for Xmas for 5 daughters. We should maybe give gifts only when we need to say Thank You & forget the have-to giving like bdays & holidays.
June 23 Had 'high tea' with Virginia at Marshmallows in Bloomfield but the Queen couldn't make it which is a good thing as I believe that royals are just the descendents of the neighbourhood bully-boys of days of yore. He beat up the neighbours, the townsmen, the district, the country & then said to them - "You must all call me King now & pay taxes to keep me in power". No thanks, although there's really no choice, is there, as I'm voted down by those brainwashed by the opulance & the romance (not theirs, of course) of princes & princesses & happily ever after. I like the happily ever after bit, though, I must admit.
Mary Esta & Trent were here when we got back. My table is covered with glasses of cut flowers that Trent picked for me a few days ago. My kind of guy.
I say 'we' because Luuc went shopping & then waited at the coffee shop next door to drive me back home after 'high-tea'. Wish it would warm up & stop raining although the hot flashes warm me, periodically. My grandmother had them into her 70's & it looks like I take after her in that regard. Cutting off sugar has helped, but I keep forgetting along the way. Slower learner. Either that or my learning days are done.
June 22 Penny is such a good catcher of birds that they wait for her to appear in the doorway now, & then dive-bomb her. Before she even goes out now, she looks up. We laughed at that the smorning. It's so embarrassing because they follow her, squacking and screaming, when she follows me down Narrow St. to the lake. That will stop when their babies leave the nest. She used to jump up onto the hood of our car, & Wilma's, & Paulines, when we came back home from shopping but has stopped that for now.
June 21 Longest day of the year. Slept in the guest room & slept to 10:30 am. Great retirement activity, though - sleeping & dreaming. I love my dream world
Luuc & I celebrated our being together 20 years this month by dining at Paulo's after a mall walk-about. He was only 66 then and warned me that in his family they rarely live to 70. I was 48 and expected to life forever. Now I'm not so sure that is such a good idea.
June 20 Had to cancel an outing with Field Naturalists. When Luuc & I lifted the bronze fireplace into the car before vacating the cabin, I likely pulled a tendon. The fireplace was extremely heavy. However, on the drive down, we saw 20 or more turkey vultures drying out theirs wings early in the am. Anyway, I figured I couldn't possibly walk to the heronry that day. My body is slow to repair, unfortunately, & probably age makes it even slower, so I will have to suffer for awhile in spite of the back exercises I've been doing for 7 years now. Before I get out of bed, I lie on my back & hold my knees close to my chest for one full minute each morning. I've been pain-free for so long - what a shame I spoiled it.
June 19 Drove down to Wil-o-lea. Josie & Adrian were fixing Des's riding lawnmower. The trip to Waupoos Island was lovely for them but they haven't yet made a decision whether or not to get married there on Sept. 10th, the anniversary of when their parents, Des n I, met in 1975, & married 3 years later.
What's this rotor thingy, Des?
There you go, Dad. Good for another 20 years.
Every good crew needs foremen!
Feeding Chippers
June 18 Adrian, Josie, Luuc n Des put my slider lawnswing together.
'Sit here and try it, Mom.'
They were all so proud. I sat, & my back muscles went spaz, spaz, spaz & I cried out 'Oh, Oh, Oh'. One of them thought the swing was pinching my bum; another thought a bee was stinging me. If you've ever had back pain, you can sympathize.
Josie & Adrian come to The County for the weekend. We all have dinner together with Des, Teedee, Barb & Joe joining us outside at Wilma's picnic table. Mary Esta & Jason show up later but there's food left over.
June 17 Before driving Trent to school, I hear him tell Mommy 'No, I could never do that. The kids would laugh at me. I couldn't stand it. That would be my WORST NIGHTMARE!'. It sure makes me come aware of trials n tribulations of being young & sensitive to the opinions of others. As one gets older, one cares less & less what others may think...luckily... & may have forgotten how we felt back then.
June 16 I drove a neighbour, Crash, & his dog, Tug, into Picton in the morning to have the dog groomed. He looks like Benny, part Collie, if Benny had been fat. He seems to be getting hip displacia but he has that lovely, loving disposition Benny had. Crash & I went for coffee, & then home as it was to be 2 1/2 hours. Waiting around seems to be another retirement activity, as well as volunteering to help.
June 15 Found a new Sudoku called Futoshiki that I really enjoy. I wonder if it really does help fight off Alz.
June 14 I find I don't miss the cabin at all. The owner is local. He phoned me to say that a fellow had come down to say that he would try to get all that lumber out of there as soon as he could. I told him that I'd given him $500.00 for that junk, & next time just tell him to come talk to me. It may be that he'll soon forget the Fieldhouse. It may be he's forgotten where he even put the $500. It's so sad to see 'The Man with the Golden Personality' losing his ability to remember, & to make people laugh at his quips. He was as funny as Robin Williams, or more so, before the onslaught of this cruel condition.
June 13 Penny caught a chipmunk & the new neighbours thought it was so cute. I asked him to take it from her if it was still alive. He did but he wouldn't have if I hadn't made an issue of it. He was close to her on his side of the fence. Cats are brats.
June 12 Beautiful day for a drive in the country. As soon as I get another M1 licence, I can take my scooter out again.
June 11 Computer lab. If you're going to take a course in retirement, it's better done in the winter so you aren't missing warm sunny days sitting on the deck.
June 10 Jeff Church takes ownership of my cabin, the Fieldhouse, & The Field of Cedars. As I clear off my debts, I'm thinking that I really should change my email address as it no longer applies. I bought the property thinking that if something should happen to Luuc, him being 18 years older, I could live there in the warm weather & go south for the cold. I lost interest in doing that, & besides, I realize now that Luuc may even outlive me. He still makes the meals at 86 & does most of the shopping, although I've been going with him sometimes recently just to fill in time.
June 9 Signed all the papers for the sale. Can pick up the cheque tomorrow.
June 8 Organized all the stuff from the cabin. Years ago, in Laugh In, George Carlin did a skit about all the STUFF we have. We fill our house with STUFF. We have to buy a bigger house for our STUFF but we take all our old STUFF along n fill up the new house with STUFF etc. etc. I take loads of STUFF to the 2nd Time Around.
June 7 Go down to the Fieldhouse for the last time. Guess it's lucky that we didn't put Benny's ashes there after all. They're still in the apt. I'll leave Jeff the large picnic table that seats 10, & the old bike that I used to ride down Army Reserve Road on when I stayed there, all the lumber that could build most of a small sleeping cabin, & my dear Tom E.Toad drop-leaf table that Mary Esta painted so adoringly for me years ago when I sold the books at craft fairs. I'll miss it, but now I must find some new adventure(s).
June 6 I'm a week late picking up my rent. They tell me that during that driving rain, the roof leaked in one place. I will have to get that fixed. They have it looking so nice. They say the neighbours play music really loud some nights. He wants to put his big speakers in the bedroom window one night & blast them out of their beds. Wilma tells me that she once did that using the March of the Valkries, operatic & powerful. He never did it again. I'll have to tell Rick n Stacey about that.
June 5 I went down to the cabin to pack up my belongings. The new owners said that I could leave or take whatever I wish to. The extra lumber will be left for them in case they want to start another cabin & Des will be paid fairly for it. It really is lovely down there & there was little traffic today. Very quiet. All my matches were gone so luckily I didn't need a fire. No matches. No propane for the camp stove. No tea. Des dropped by with life-saving peanut butter cups & we sat in the sun reminiscing - a common retirement activity. Luuc came by after 4 & invited both of us out for supper. Both cars were stuffed with the bags of dishes, & personal belongings before we left so we ate Chinese & drank beer at a Picton restaurant & drove to Wellington to unload everything. One more day down there to get the rest. Closing is the 10th & it'll be so hard to give them the keys, but I'm also relieved. It's very isolated down there. I had to worry about a forest fire or a tornado. We couldn't get insurance there as it's an unassumed road. Worried about the 3 young people further down living in an 18' trailer beside a big shed that is maybe housing a crystalmeth lab. They go back n forth every hour in a noisy truck. They behave in a very extreme paranoia type of behavior. Worried about the hunters. About someone with murder in their heart. I'm glad it has sold.
June 4 While letting Penny out this morning, a young Robin, fully feathered, was waiting at the bottom of the steps. Penny ran down & batted it & I was right behind her chasing her back into the house while the Mother cheeped at us. I put the little one into the planter & carried it over to the trees. The baby was gone an hour later so I'm hoping it could fly, but I did phone Wilma to ask her to keep Waffles in for a while.
June 3 Have back yard looking nice. Dug a lot of weeds out of the garden. Filled the planters. Washed the lawnchairs & stuff. Fixed Pauline's wooden chime & hung it in a better spot. Hosed all the dirt out of Wilma's birdbath. This is a communal backyard with Tug, Crash's dog, & Waffles wandering into the apt. whenever it suits them, Waffles usually following on the heels of Penny with whom he's in love. She still cat-growls at him. Wilma has all her tomato plants in. We are ready for summer - bring it on.
June 2 We pick Trent up at school in Belleville. He says 'Can I play in the playground with Jesse, Grandma K?' I'm easy. I sit on the grass to watch them run back & forth across the fields collecting stuff off the pines at the far side & come back to put them in the hole they dug in the sand, climb trees, play on the gym etc.
Boy! If he slips, clips his chin on the equipment, loses teeth, I'm in trouble. Boys!
Luuc stayed at the mall for a walkabout & we picked him up an hour later. Trent picks 3 beautiful bouquets of flowers for me. He says I'm awesome. Didn't know I was going to be rewarded. We have a very successful supper. Trent eats all his steamed veggies & ground meat while watching Mantracker & working on Lego. I watch DaVinci afterward, & we head to Diverbelt. It's past 9 when I read him Tom E. Toad. No sense putting him to bed too early & causing him the pain of boredom if unable to get to sleep that early. He falls asleep quickly - it's been a busy day. I sit in the rocker, & then go downstairs to read. Love the new house Mary Esta bought.
June 1 Funny how someone can say something negative to you but you don't think of a good answer until later. Well, 15 years later, I was remembering having lunch with two dear friends who had invited a farm lady over as well as a fourth for euchre. The topic became food & I explained how I don't eat breakfast but drink it in the form of a smoothie. I detailed the ingredients I use, as smoothies weren't as well known back then. This lady says 'You should have bacon & eggs, a good healthy breakfast. Drinking breakfast is simply lazy'. Well, the subject got changed immediately, the lady died 2 years later of cancer - bacon does have carcinogins - & a few days ago I thought of a good retort. I could have said 'Would you tell a beer drinker he is just lazy, he should be chewing on barley and hops instead, or pour grapes into the wine glasses to toast your anniversary?
..... The Grapes of Wine .....
May 31 Wilma & I went on a test run for this year's 'Horn Trip'. Years ago, because there are so many penninsulas in The County, people referred to them as horns. Sometimes, teens, guys and/or other foolish folk would get in their cars on a weekend or a payday & drive around The County with a case or two of beer and/or bottles of liquor in the car. As they drove, they drank. This was called a Horn Trip. Many people died during this activity, including the innocent who were hit by speeding cars going through stop signs, over the middle line etc. When I came back to The Cty. in Sept. of 1975, the first 3 weekends in a row were marked with horrible fatalities, & I slowed my '73 Fury down from 80 miles/hour to 60, which, in km. is 100 - a speed I rarely do now because even 100 km/hr. is excessive, but in 1975 60 m/hr. seemed slow, to me. All of our County roads are very curvy so that aggravated the problem of horn-tripping even more. Just ask any favourite tree in your area, although many of the ones too close to the road have been long since removed.
..... This Nome's at Home .....
Last year Wilma thought a horn trip sounded fun so took the Wellington W.I. ladies on their first (non-alcohol) Horn Trip. She found interesting spots to tour, artizans to visit & a good place to lunch in the south-eastern area. Yesterday, I went with her on a test run for this year to the south-western part of The Cty. & treated ourselves to iced tea at Isaah Tubbs & an ice cream at the Black River Cheese Factory but first we stopped at John Bigg's gardens and then went to Vickie's (orgainic) Veggies where Wilma bought several heritage tomato plants. Since they'll be planted here in the back yard, that's good - I did mention I love 'free'.
Across from the cheese factory is The Galloping Goat where I meet a mystical creature in the old willow tree shown above, both of which look to be 100 years old, & this delightful garden decoration.
Humming Birds hovering over Black River
Last Field Naturalists meeting until Sept. Guest speaker was from Nature Canada re: turbines in an IBA - an important bird area - such as the south shore of PEC is. He suggests we 'target' our municipal council more, ask them to help. They could put in weight restrictions on our roads, for example. Council did back us last session by endorsing Field Naturalist's position on the threat posed to species at risk and to migrating birds. The Blanding Turtle, an at-risk species, lives down there and since it doesn't even mate until it's 24 years old, it'll be wiped out by turbines. So will the Whip-poor-will as it flies at night and migrates past here, also a species at-risk. However, the Ministry of Natural Resources, totalling ignorant of the knowledge even grade school children have today, has given permission to by-pass environmental laws. There's goes beautiful PEC.
May 30 Have you ever seen the docu, Windfall? It's a must for continuing education. It's about people who live among wind turbines, & a community torn apart over those who want to rent their land out for them & those who want to keep their community safe. Virginia & I went but she says 'It's like preaching to the converted'. Most of the viewers we recongnize & are people who have already decided they're a disaster for Prince Edw. Cty. After the movie we have a lovely supper at Currah's. Virginia says she may plant some zuccini this week & I say 'Do you have lots of friends?'
May 29 Waffles brings Wilma a baby bird, still alive. Wilma brings it over here & I find a wicker basket to put it in & hang it overnight to keep the cat away. Luuc thinks it might be a Mourning Dove. Pretty tawny brown & black feathers but bleeding from where the cat had it clamped behind each wing. I bury it next day beside her old cat, Shadow.
Shadow is likely kind to birds now, being in Little Cat Heaven where all are loved & equal.
May 28 Computer course today is with Linda who teaches us all about using ebooks & audio books. Free course! I look for free as much as possible. Free courses, concerts, movies.
May 27 Closing day yesterday for Mary Esta's house so now I get to T-sit in Picton instead of having to drive all the way to Belleville. All beautiful hardwood floors & the loveliest garden full of perennials. I forget to take pictures but help hang up clothes with the Wonder Hangers I bring. It's a lovely hilltop community where no one drives over 40 km/hr; 20 being more the normal.
May 26 I like to find free things to do, if one doesn't count gas n car expenses. We took a walk through Henry Nyman's beautiful spring garden early this afternoon. Like Luuc, Henry & his wife are Dutch.
Later I went cycling on the Millenium Trail & met Henry's brother & sister-in-law also out cycling. I stopped to let them pass, & we ended up chatting for a long while. Being friendly really adds lots of fun to life.
May 25 Sign the last offer to sellthe Fieldhouse. It's accepted. I have to cancel the BBQ with the Field Naturalists for June 20 as the new owners want to be in by June 10th. Years ago I wrote a novel, 'Starting Over from Scratch' (never published). Here I go again. A new adventure, or a new venture, awaits.
May 24 Luuc n I drive down to Pt. Traverse. I check out Ostrander Pt. to see if they have started dynamiting for the wind turbine bases yet. Nope!
The gate to get over to the lighthouse is closed against the public for the privacy of the little fishing settlement there.
Two Pt. Traverse of Canadian Geese have goslings. I suspect one adult is female; the other male.
May 23 Babysit overnight and get a big hug in the morning. Best way to start a new day that I can think of. Time to get him to school and go home while Mommy sleeps.
May 22 I drive down to the Fieldhouse to show it to a local man, woman and daughter. He installs new seats on motorcycles & stuff. How convenient to meet someone who does that. It's rainy, again, & quite wet down there but they really like it, they know all about the turbines & also the issues with the roof & posts under the balcony. She says 'Who cares about the birds if they're stupid enough to fly into turbines'. Yike! This is the general public's state of education? This is the mindset of those who voted S. Harper back in, with a majority! This is lucky for me.
May 21 Picnic! In the back yard with pizza, wine, cake - Luuc's kids & grandkids wish him a belated bday. Claire is discussing how she got her new dog, Charlie. We discuss other names but can't come up with a better one. Charlie is Charlie. Claire is in university so guess who really got the new dog & who has to go home during lunch hour now, every workday, & who has to get up in the night with the new 'baby'? heehee ... and probably loves doing so! We're not talking Steve here, are we Marjo? Or do you share? I think you just talked your dad out of replacing Benny with a puppy.
The weather was perfect - not too hot; not too sunny. Since this spring has mostly been rain & cloud, this was heartening.
Charlie and Luke
Someone else has a soft spot for puppies but you have Lulu so I don't think a new puppy in your house is up for discussion. I have the same soft spot but I remember mine's on the top of my head. I suggested to Lucas, a few days later, that we stop in at the shelter; then remember the lost freedom because the 'dog is in the car, we have to go'. Retirement comes with hard decisions.
May 20 THE MARCH. Wind Concerns of ON group holds breakfast at Waring House where the pancakes are the most delicious I have ever tasted. 100 people attend. 80 municipalities have now joined in the protest. McGuinty is going to go the way of Rae & Rae Days, which is definitely unfortunate for all of us who are ABC (anything but conservative) but you can't be a bully & legislate undemocratic laws such as the Green Energy Act of Ontario is in that it legislated that no municipality nor court can oppose. Go 'Green Party'! Afterwards we marched in Picton - I still had my sign from the protest at Milford. Who would have ever thought that retirement would see me involved in a serious issue like important bird areas vs wind turbines. Fate!!! The classic joker.
A young woman from the Belleville media walks with me, interviewing me until we get downtown Picton. She has a recorder.
Members of our finest stand across the street from where we have marched to - that of our MPP, Leona Dombrowsky, who doesn't show. Apparently, she's boycotted every time it's involved the wind turbine issue. Surely will back Treat Hull, Greens, next election.
May 19 Pauline's friends are in & out & Pauline is walking the dog again, albeit with me at her side. Penny, the cat, runs along, too, & Tug, the neighbourhood dog who is similar to old Benny greets us. We watch TV together, we chat. Lovely day.
May 18 Pauline came home from hospital in the afternoon. She was unexpectedly kicked out that day because she was walking so well. The doctor said she is a miracle healer but all friends in the healing circle claim some credit, too, I think. I already had Foxy Lady with me as the neighbour who was dog-sitting asked for shopping time. I planned on it being a surprise & they were both ecstatic to see each other. She bounded all over the yard - Foxy, not Pauline although Pauline would have had she been able. Get a dog & lose your heart.
May 17 Field Naturalists outing walking woods at Mountainview. Found an Elephant in the Woods.
Jack-in-the-Pulpit
Mountainview Mountain Women - Molly K Iris Mary
Mr.T met me afterwards & we picked wildflowers in the ditches. He made a lovely arrangement with a wide assortment of flowers & leaves.
May 16 Cleaned house as I promised a neighbour friend that she could stay with me for a week following her knee surgery so she wouldn't have to worry about the many stairs to her apt. Funny how the dirt mounts up, like interest on a loan, when you're out having fun instead of cleaning for a few months.
May 15 Went down to Field of Cedars in the am to show it. A skunk was coming toward me, waddling down the dirt road of Lighthall so I stopped the car & took pics through the window. Being so brazen is sometimes a sign of rabies but how I wish I'd opened the car door. I could have eased out quietly, I think, to take the pic. A new perfume, perhaps, but that would keep the bothersome boys at bay.
A family came to look. Colin is grade 3 & seemed just the type to like Tom E. Toad so I gave him the copy I had upstairs. He treasured it, asked questions - it was so worth it. Very windy & grey but they came around the property with me anyway.
Half the work is done on my frog pool.
The cows are back, roaming around my property, fertilizing everything they walk on!!! Luckily, the plants I bought are sedum as cows don't seem to it. In the afternoon, we held a talk at St. Andrew's Church, Picton on wind turbines. Orkines was there with info' on birds, & the bird banding. Treat Hull came as rep. of the Green Party. Many people were all for civil disobedience. If a bill passed in parliament is totally undemocratic, I wonder if it is actually legal. I must email the Greens & find out. Just maybe we don't have to obey undemocratic rulings.
May 14 At computer course all day. Luuc took me to lunch at the Devonshire. We decided that it is the perfect place for Jo nA to have their wedding reception. It, too, is on the water, Lake ON, with the choice of using a lovely patio. The food was excellent. The service excellent. Quiet with soft music.
May 13 Happy Birthday, Lucas. We have been together one month short of 20 years. I took him for a drive, ending up at the Demorestville Dam. A young farm couple were there walking barefoot in the fast-running stream on the mossy stones just before the waterfall. That was a pretty picture. Their Beagle kept wanting to come to us. Blackflies were abundant so we didn't chat too long. He wanted to go to dinner again so I drove him over to West Lake to the Knoll Overlooking Sandbanks where we sat out on the patio in wicker furniture with a beer and a Bailey's, & pizza. I may not be rich, but I am rich.
May 12 Hopped on my scooter & came home. Went to Picton first, chatted with Jan Blanchette for a bit there, & did errands. Lucas decided that I would buy him his bday dinner instead of waiting for tomorrow. He wanted Chinese buffet. It was extra good cooking, happily.
May 11 Fitted some concrete blocks under the cabin with pencil-thin stones on top hopefully making a better foundation. Will keep working at it until the whole cabin is done. At present, the supports are only under the corners of the cabin, & the corners of the deck. I hauled stones to put around the outside of the child pool we had for Mr.T when he was 3 & 4 yrs. old. I hope to make it look artistic. I'll put some rocks inside, too, some water, & arrange the stones so that any frog or other creature can climb out again safely. I bought 4 varieties of sedum plants for the place where the daffodils are now. Love perrenials, & sedum can take neglect. It's a rock garden plant.
May 10 The red squirrel has made a nest in my Bluebird box.
She let me get up really close for a picture.
Her mate was on the roof
where I had earlier spread
some peanut butter for them.
Stupid idea to encourage them.
They're the ones
that ate a hole
in the first door
(I replaced it with a solid one).
They ate a hole in the
balcony screening &
conscequently got downstairs
to chew halfway through the cooler.
May 9 Luuc came down again to visit. By then, I had cleaned & organized so much but had quite a list of things needed for a comfortable stay so we went shopping & then I dropped in home to check emails - 49 - answered the important ones, then back to the cabin for my short holiday. It's still too cool to remove the windows and put the screens in. Built fire in my new fireplace. Used candles upstairs as the battery charger wasn't recharged enough to keep the lamp on.
My 7x11 ft. loft
Futton mattress on floor.
May 8 Lucas drove down at noon to take me to lunch at Lake on the Mountain. We lucked in as the chef was featuring seafood crepes. It was grey out so most people had opted to eat inside giving us lots of privacy on the patio overlooking Lake/Mtn. & the reach - water on both sides to relax by while sipping a dbl. Baileys. Awwwww! When he told me how much the bill was, I said 'And I'm not even your Mother'. Happy Mother's Day to me, anyway.
May 7 Drove my Honda scooter down to the cabin today, slowly, enjoying the myriad shades of spring greens, & the lovely flow of air. You can get quite cold if you go fast on a scooter/motorcycle. There's a hook on the stearing post to hold a grocery bag so I filled one up with food, & filled under the seat to overflowing with clothes, camera, lock, bear spray, reading & writing materials, & a Sudoku book. May stay a few days more than I had planned for. The daffodils are perfect.
May 6 Got word that the provincial Min. of Nat. Resources is allowing Gilead (wind turbines) permission to build their access roads at Ostrander. You'd think Nat. Resources, of all people, would understand biodiversity & bird migration importance, but no! no educated employees nor intellects in that ministry, either. Our ON gov't has passed an undemocratic & autocratic bill called the Green Energy Act. Wind turbines aren't even green. Millions of tons of co2 goes into the air while bldg. them in China; millions of gallons of gas are burned transporting them from China to here. They've used up their green points before they're even erected.
May 5 Waffles is determined to be Penny's best friend. He jumped up onto the chair that she was lying in today, & black & white fur exploded all over the bootroom. I thought she was going to accept him so I had called Lucas over to watch. She scooted outside, & we picked up all the fur balls off the carpet. He slunk out after her.
May 4 Will not look at news or politics. Luckily, the Library here put on a movie in the evening, The King's Speech. Now - I must note here that I am also anti-monarchy. We teach our children that we're all born equal, & then support the descendents of the bully-boys who beat everyone up and/or killed their enemies & declared themselves king. Think of it. We belittle welfare recipients yet support royalty (i.e. give them welfare, too) giving 'royalty' millions every year, & starving the people 'on welfare'. It's obscene! Blood is not blue, never was. It's all red.
May 3 Was depressed all day, in & out of bed. I thought, if Canadians could vote in an obviously corrupt gov't, conservative, they aren't worth my caring for any longer. I said I would never vote again. Marjo said I must vote just to kill a conservative vote.
May 2 V day & the Conservs were voted in with a majority. You'd wonder how Canadians could/would vote for such a dishonest party that wants fighter jets, support for corporations and banks, & hosts billion dollar weekend parties. How could you be a Christian (the majority of their support) & vote conservative when you remember that Jesus chased the bankers out of the temple. He also said 'You are your brother's keeper'. It's a very sad ending of today for me.
May 1 Happy Birthday, Mr.T. I hope you had an awesome day ... again ... like you did last year at this time.
Apr. 30 We had our 2nd computer lab at the library & it's so interesting. Did you know that a password can be decoded in 5 sec. if you don't put numbers in it? Eric recommends you take a phrase you will remember, scramble it, & insert at least 2 #s in the middle...example happy birthday could be birthday153happy. Jo nA came for a visit & tried out my scooter on the backroad to a winery. Des joined us for supper.
Apr. 29 Showed the Fieldhouse this evening to a local man. He liked it but wants a place where he can build a garage as well as having a place to just get away. Down there, since it isn't on an assumed road, you can't get a building permit (a bldg. as small as the 10 sq. metres that the cabin is doesn't require a permit). He knows about the turbines. It's looks great down there - so glad I sided it last year. I stayed there awhile after they left, loving the feel of the place & wondering if I could come to accept the 7 wind turbines only 1000 feet away. Also, I would HAVE to have a dog to stay there overnight now, I think. That means vacuuming again when we're home & I feel so free of all that right now, although Penny does shed but not noticeably so, yet.
Apr. 28 T-sitting. Hurrah! I pick him up after school & ask him if he wants to go on a birthday blitz. I offer to take him shopping for a present of his choice, & to a restaurant for supper. No, he wants to go walking in the Chase Rd. Woods. We cross over the Belleville bridge in a wind that could carry him right up & away were he walking. The radio announcer tells us horendous wind stories & we see many trees down on the way to Wellington. At Chase, T finds May Apples just starting up, no flowers on them yet, & picks a bouquet.
We use the biggest recycle grocery bag. He finds a thick old branch heavy with knarly berms or fungii & carries that.
He discovers lots of other fungi on the sides of trees & stumps. Those are added to our collection. There is a particular grass he has always loved & adds some. He sees a sawed stump that he says looks like the CN Tower.
We do the loop in the woods, & feel no wind in there. It is so peaceful. I watch out for cougars or coyotes, but, of course, we see no wildlife. The old plastic skull stills hangs on a tree but the Dingle Dog Drive sign has disappeared.
Opa has supper ready, we watch Mantracker - Mr.Tz fav., Da Vinci - mine, & drive back to Belleville. Putting him to bed, he tells me this was an awesome day. Didn't expect to get paid back but there you go!
Apr. 27 Took Des to Dr.K'z for cognitive tests. Warning - if you go to your doctor's for these, & you can't pass one particular one, they can have your driver's license revoked. He passed that one, thank goodness. Numbers 1 to 15 are inside circles distributed around the page, & then letters A to O the same. You have to start with #1, draw a line to A to #2 to B to #3 to C etc. It's timed for one minute. May I suggest that if you are older than 55, practise at home. For old time's sake, think of it as homework.
Apr. 26 WI planning committee at Veronica's & tasty treats afterward. We planned a very interesting year of activities.
Apr. 25 Drove down to Way's Woods to check out the Trilliums, Spring Beauty, etc.
They're sprouting now so all's well in the world.
Apr. 24 Des & Teedee came for an all veggie supper - I made macaroni & cheese but I've lost my knack, oh, dear. Best let Luuc cook from now on.
Apr. 23 Lunch in Trenton with Luuc, his kids, their spouses, & his grandkids. Told Steve, again, that conservatism should be against the law & they all laugh.
Happy Birthday to Emma, whose house we went to afterward for bday cake, & to Claire who had to remain at Queen's to do an exam.
Apr. 22 Donated $100.00 to NDP. 75% is supposed to come back to me next tax return.
Apr. 20, 21 Nothing much to report.
Apr. 19 Car pooled to W.I. where I resigned as Treasurer & took up position as 'historian collector for Well. W.I.' Traded a small box of stuff for a huge heavy one with expensive albums. Mentioned that another friend has resigned from W.I. and she retorted 'HK'. I asked her what HK meant. "Who Cares" she replied. I laughed for ages over that one.
Apr. 18 Only just listed it, but had to show the cabin & property to a man from Calgary but born in PEC. Built a fire but they came before the cabin warmed. Showed them to the back, they left, & I read until 3pm when Luuc came back for me.
Apr. 17 Partly sunny again, but barely over freezing. We're looking after Waffles while Wilma visits her sister in the Gatineaus. He needs meds for a bladder infection...not easy to give to a cat. Penny has accepted a small truce with Waffles. She will tolerate him being nearby. She comes to me at the computer, stands, puts paws on my leg, meows pitifully. She wants out. At least she can communicate with us intelligently. Penny has been seen running across Main St. Heavy traffic area. Could be a short, flat life for Miss Penny. Wilma said she should be allowed to live life as makes her happy, even if it is a short life, rather than being confined & being unhappy forever. Okay, I guess. Sigh.
Penny in the Microwave Cabinet
Apr. 16 Pouring rain. Called Chrissie in Gibsons & chatted. Penny cried to go out all day. We'd open the door to the bootroom, & she'd sit by the door, then want back in. In; out; all day long. Unhappy little cat.
Apr. 15 Went to the mall & for sushi afterward. The waitress asked about Benny. She used to always give us a piece of chicken to take out to the car for him. ME mentioned how clean the house always is now. Hated the dirt he brought in, & the long hair he shed, but it was so very silky soft. I miss him, I miss burying my face in the silky white ruff of his neck.
Apr. 14 Listed the Fieldhouse. Was told it's worth $50,000. I had been hoping for $40,000 & was delighted. Paid $6500 for the property, & maybe $10,000 on the cabin + $4600 last fall for the state-of-the-art fireplace & chimney.
Apr. 13 Reading is big retirement activity. Am reading Laurie King's 'The God of the Hive' & came across a paragraph on the smithy of yore. "By the breadth of his shoulders, he had been the smith b4 the petrol engine took over his occupation. The role of the smith in the mythic landscape of England req'd that the man be addressed with considerable respect, & more than a little care: A smith answered only to himself." So that's where I get it from! My dad used to say I'd listen & then do what I wanted, regardless.
Apr. 12 Meeting in Milford to fight turbines. Gilead held open house at South Marysburgh school. We were given placards to take - Stop Wind Turbines. Media was there. We picketed. South Marysburgh school to close at end of this term. Chrissie's graduation picture still hangs on the wall there, 1978.
Apr. 11 Field Nat. exec meeting - mostly about the fight to keep Gilead from being allowed to build turbines down there beside the bird sanctuary. Very understandable.
Apr. 10 Drove down to the cabin & saw new driveway built 1000' east to hold heavy equipment. Farmer Frost has sold out to WhitePineswindturbines to be built next year.
Apr. 9 First day of a free computer course at the library. 2/mo. for 2 months. Learned lots, & hope to learn lots more.
Apr. 8 Went woods-walking with 'old' friend, Don, to check out the bluebird boxes he is responsible for in a conservation area. Lovely day, peaceful walk. I have 2 bluebird houses at the cabin but nailed on trees. I think the mice use them.
Apr. 7 Went for a cardio test aboard a highly inclined treadmill in Belleville because of tightening in the chest a couple of times. Tests are a required retirement activity but I've been lucky healthwise, so far.
Apr. 6 Library has free movie first Wed. of every month. Saw 'Gunless' & it was a scream...so very funny, esp. the bloopers at the end. Great to have tears streaming down one's face from fun instead of sadness. Filmed in Osoyoos, B.C. At first I thought maybe Wyoming because of the terrain & scrub bushes. Music by Cuddy. Tough choice, too, on whether to go there or to a W.I. get-together of various branches at the Demorestville church. The busier one gets, the more conflicts of interest there are. Sure glad I chose the movie, though. It was soooo Cdn., & most fun I've had in ages.
Apr. 5 A customer at work once said 'Don't be too anxious to retire. It's exciting at first but that doesn't last. Today was gray, cold, windy, depressing but friends and neighbours kept dropping in, including two dogs and three cats. That was fun except when Penny & Waffles had a screaming fight under my bed. Waffles kept his cool. Penny is the screamer. Waffles just wants her to be his special friend but she won't have it...yet.
Apr. 4 Birthdays of 2 friends. Never remembered special occasion dates before I retired but they seem to mean a lot more now. You become a different person once you reach retirement age, it seems.
Apr. 3 Luuc found this insect in the tub yesterday & took a (great!) picture. It's an orange insect with black stipes that lives in the drains. Later, I washed it back down with cold water using the beautiful Vincent van Gogh mug he uses at night for his teeth & plugged the drain hole to keep this 26 - 30 legged critter from coming back up. It skittered around the tub rapidly before going back down. Luuc could not find his mug anywhere last night so came out & got a 'I Love Cats' mug instead. Good idea since he & Penny are now establishing a close relationship. He talks to her when she comes back in from outside the same way he used to talk to Benny - Oh, oh, oh, what a cat (dog) - pat pat pat.
Apr. 2 Forgot to get rent so my tenant came to me. Drove down to cabin & discovered no breakins so far this year. Feels so spiritual down there that I decide not to list it for sale after all, in spite of the fact that 7 of those 300' wind turbines will be put there in the next field over next year.
Apr. 1 Found no fools out today. Should have approached a politician, I guess.
Mar. 31 March goes out like it came in...neither lamb nor lion.
Mar. 30 Camera club speaker tells us how to publish books on the net. Too complicated for me, & who needs it more?
Mar. 29 Signed final papers for 2nd house for ME nMe.
Mar. 28 Field trip with Field Naturalists to bay of waterfowl. Couldn't go.
Mar. 26/27 Jo nA down for The Maple Fest. here in the Cty. Family supper. Pancake breakfast. Visit to winery & animal barn.
Mar. 25 Took T4 to an accountant, same as last year. I find I get more money back having her do it for me. Same this year although things are different.
Mar. 24 1st visit 2 doctor in two years. Blood tests to come, & a walk on a treadmill, not my own, & no music.
Mar. 23 Twice yearly doctor's check up. Learned of new Queen's Univ. health study for people with just the beginnings of memory loss. A new med is being tested that they seem sure will halt the advancement of Alzheimers.
Mar. 22 Finished another article damning wind turbines that are to be erected on the south shore beside the bird sanctuary & along the migratory pathway they use. Seven are to go right beside my cabin - in Farmer Frost's field 600 feet east.
Mar. 21 Signed an offer to purchase another house with Mary Esta. Eight years ago I had nothing, no credit, zip. I've worked hard, but am so grateful to the Creator for all the help.
Mar. 20 Volunteered to be on WI nominating committee. Had meeting with the other two. It's amazing how much you learn at these meetings...who is having what tests or operations...you can be nominated, and why...you can't and why.
Mar. 19 Drive in the Country. Ice still on lots of lakes/bays. Hundreds of ducks, geese, swans, though. The geese feed in the farmers' fields. Until very recently, I lived quietly in my own world. It's fascinating but I do feel the need to get back on the bike/scooter/car and disappear for awhile.
Mar. 18 Got a notice from a company called White Pines to let me know that they intend to put up 30 wind turbines next year, 6 of which will be beside the cabin. They are as tall as a 30 story bldg. As my partner says, when you see a bunch of flies together on the ground, there is a big pile of shit beneath them. First Gilead turbines right beside our bird sanctuary; now White Pines all along the south shore.
Mar. 17 Happy St. Patrick's Day. Family dinner with lots of green things. I cut several kinds of veggies up small, add them to egg noodles, cook all for 6 minutes, voila! great tasting meal. Food is a favourite retirement activity, worry, fetish and fobia. However, that does not mean I want to spend hours at it now - did that! Must have made 30,000 family meals in my day. Now I'm retired. Jason nME nDes nTeedee join us for dinner.
Mar. 16 Went to Belleville's QFA to see 'Made in Dagenham'. True story of Rita (Hawkley?). As a result, G. Britain to pass the 1st ever Equal Pay law in 1970. Story takes place in 1968 as Rita fights for that right within her union. Wonderful story.
Mar. 15 Ides of March. Did not bode well for our new cat, Penny. We needed to get her in the house so we could shop for green things for dinner with family on Thurs. She wouldn't come in until suddenly Waffles appeared (who used to be Mary Esta's cat when I had the little trailer in Picton). Penny scooted inside. When we got home, Waffles was waiting, & came into the boot room with us. Penny wanted out but had to get by Waffles. She growled & hissed, but Waffles is a cat who likes other cats. He paid no attention.
...Get Lost or I'll Spit in Your Eye...
Penny finally gathered courage & scooted out past him & up onto the porch railing, hissing down at Waffles who had followed her. Waffles turned around & came in & ate all the catfood in Penny's bowl & then went home to Wilma next door.
Penny Turns Tail to Waffles
..Hssssss. Get lost, cat. Hssssss...
Mar. 14 The meeting of Field Naturalist exec. I look after memberships. Still trying to find a way to prevent the Gilead Co. from erecting wind turbines on Ostrander Pt., next door to the bird sanctuary at Pt. Traverse. It's as important an area as Pt. Pelee. They say the Red-tailed Hawks of Wolfe Island are all gone now. The Kingston F. Naturalists knew how many nesting pairs there were originally & have recovered most of the bodies, one by one, from beneath the turbines. This is a bad situation! Unfortunately, McGuinty's gov't created a Green Energy Act which is undemocratic - autocratic, actually - so the municalities can't say 'no' to these big oil company backed wind turbine companies as to where they'll be situated.
Des dropped in. Strangely enough, he went down the the cabin today to check it out. His comment was that he felt so much love around him as he walked up the lane, & even more so when he entered the cabin. My daughter, Terri, mentioned how she felt such spirituality there, & that was 7 yrs. ago b4 the cabin was built.
Mar. 13 Drove down to the cabin with Luuc. Feels strange not to have Benny in back seat, head out the window, or running through the 3 acres smelling every little thing; reading The Nature Gazette. The road still has snow & ice so it was slippery driving. No one has broken in, everything's slightly flooded, & I seem to have a new tenant. From the look of the bark stripped from trees, esp. the dead ones, I may have a porcupine. Hope I get a picture of it one day.
Mar. 12 Cats are Brats. I let Penny out in the mornings & afternoons, when she asks. Now when Luuc comes home from morning coffee, or my neighbour or I drive in & park, she runs to the car & jumps up on the hood, the roof &/or the trunk. She stares as us through the windshield 'About time you're back, hurry up, I want you to let me in so you can let me out again.'
Mar. 11 Rec'd emails back from federal Liberal, NDP, and GreenParty alike. Makes me feel proud, & realize each of us DOES have a voice in national politics after all.
Mar. 10 Walked over 3 miles on my treadmill before going mall-walking. Treadmill is definitely more fun as I get to listen to MY favourite music on old tapes rather than the canned music of the stores. It's raining so two good acivities for today.
Mar. 9 Trying to reconcile a bank statement as treasurer of a charitable organization. Can't. Being a volunteer should not be so stressful. I was told when I accepted the job it was 'fun'. Oh, yeah? Makes me feel like a failure.
March 8 Happy 12th Birthday, Marlowe! Very Special Granddaughter.
Mar. 7 Today I took Benny dog to the vets, and said goodbye. It may have been the hardest day I've ever had, at least in a long, long while. He has been from here to Arizona, from here to Alberta and Vancouver Island with me. He was still a good-looking dog in old age. Lucas has had a very hard time of it most of the day, and hasn't eaten yet but we did have some broth and an orange. We will miss Benny, that sheddy old dog; that poopy head; that sock stealer. One loses so many dear friends during retirement years.
Mar. 6 Above zero, raining, & melting. Snow disappearing.
Mar. 5 Signed offer to purchase house in Picton on power-of-sale. Interest still excellent. In 1983 it was 19% or more. Mortgage payments were a nightmare. Now it's 2.5% or more. Buy two.
Mar. 4 Women's Cycling internet mag. suggests protein for dieters - nuts are good. Most importantly, have a good breakfast. Cycling weather is just a week or two away.
Mar. 3 Shopped for groceries with a new outlook. Headline read "7 Foods Farmers Won't Eat" - corn, soy, (saturated with agent orange), tomatoes, popcorn, beef, milk, & apples. Another headline says Vineyards highest sprayed produce, but bananas are sprayed every week a year but two. Oh, dear. What to eat? New Zealand raises it's sheep on unsprayed hillsides. Buy organic.
Mar. 2 Picked up the rent monies & their large white cockatiel put all it's headfeathers up high & called "I love you." Usually, it's out of its cage & there are two large orange housecats there, too. My tiny cat kills birds & tries to get the squirrels, too. I won't keep her from going out, though.
March has come in as a lamb with fleece as white as snow which will now melt. Looking forward to that! So is Trekky, my bike, and Jazz, my scooter.
Feb. 28 Ice storm. Last day of Feb. Was to have gone to visit old friend but the path to the car slopes downward. I could slide down on my bum but all is wet. Phoned to let them know but no answer. Does not bode well as friend is in poor health...concerns of aging...together with the godsend of the snow melting quickly.
Feb. 27 Went to presentation on The County Trail. What a delightful surprise when I discovered my book 'Tom E. Toad' with the literature at the back of the room.
Feb. 26 Daughter, grandson, & friend came to dinner. Now that's fun.
Feb. 25 Went to library for presentation on social media. Learned a bit more about Twitter & Facebook. Today I will practice, after FreeCell.
A Winter's Drive Down Morrison Pt. Rd., PEC. M.Kerr's Fiords
Feb. 24 Rejoined photography club last night & reconnected with former friends. It's a wonderful feeling to be welcomed back. Watched photos of member who did presentation 'Fur & Feathers'. Seems you gain patience as you age so maybe I should get a stool & sit by a wetlands at 3am, too. I could get some good shots. For what reason, though, I'm not sure.
Feb. 23 Had bladder infection all afternoon. Usually a beer takes away the burning & clears it up. This time I had to have 3 near beer. I lay on my bed which I never do in daytime & enjoyed my room with its light-grey walls & antique white trim complementing my wall hangings. The white lace curtains covering 6' windows filtered the sunny sky while I read Ray Wiss's "FOB DOC", a wonderful diary of a civilian doctor working temporarily for the military in Afgahistan. Except for the 'discomfort', (as doctors refer to pain) it was like being on vacation. The heat from my electic lap blanket felt wonderful on my back, & I made it to photography club that evening. Ah, retirement.
Feb. 22 Field Naturalists meeting tonight, & guest speaker is Christine Renaud of the County talking about Transition Towne. Great ideas? You should google it. Trading with each other. Not buying things unnecessarily. Keeping green. Collective thinking e.i. gardens, car pooling, home schooling. Check it out!
Feb. 21 Happy Family Day. In retirement, statuatory holidays are like any other day. This one crept up on me. Guess what? Surprise! The stores were all closed.
Feb. 20 Prepared a family dinner with a new-to-be family member. To my daughter: Well Worth the Wait, Sweetheart.
Feb. 19 Went to a free concert last night with a friend to hear 3 County girls, Trinity, sing for a Haitian orphanage charity. They asked if we could commit to $1.00 per week. Yep. Didn't realize the music would be all religious but enjoyed it just the same. A lot of wars over the eons have been waged in the name of religion(s), but then a lot of good has also been done in its name, as was the case here. Ahh, retirement! Such pleasures to fill in the hours.
Feb. 18 Waiting to hear how my 'friend's' operation went. You will do a lot of that when you retire. Medicine has advanced so that those of us who are retired can consider that they/we are now living in the future. It's unbelievable what was once so complicated is now day surgery.
Feb. 17 Sorry to say we didn't win the battle to keep Gilead wind turbines from being erected at Ostrander Pt., down beside the bird sanctuary. The ON gov't only agreed not to erect them IN the lake. Bird, bat, butterfly mortality is very high at turbine sites. So goes the world. We will soon destroy so much of it that we will ultimately be destroyed, too. Too bad politicians can't see past the $ sign.
Feb. 16 Decent day but I wanted to walk the treadmill visualizing warm, woodzy walks in summer. I walk while listening to my favourite music. I vary my speed so as to walk in time to the beat. Beats me why I feel the need for music other than that it feels so pleasant. I enjoy the quiet of aloneness even with the noise of music. It's a kind of meditation, I guess. So many fond memories; so many memories still to be made.
Feb. 15 Tea with all the Women from PEC W.I. district. We hosted. At any volunteer or charitable organization, you may be asked to bring goodies. I don't bake so, thanks to a Beaver mom, I learned how to melt dark chocolate chips in the microwave (in a bowl, 30 seconds, stir, repeat until liquid) and dip strawberries & orange sections to make expensive treats. Needs perfecting, tho'. You could see where the flat of the knife had scraped off excess chocolate. To add shine, someone told me at the tea to add a tiny bit of veg. oil next time.
Feb. 14 Happy Valentine's Day. Perfect day to be a chocolatier or florist.
Feb. 13 Warmer & above freezing. Hurrah! Winter is exiting, slowly. Easter is on its way, & I just thought 'Why did I take down the Christmas tree so early. If it was still up, I could put a lighted carrot on top to ensure that the Easter Bunny stops by. I could hang mini-carrots on its branches & put grass all around the base so the Ms. Bunny could have a snack or a good smoke when she's done hiding treats for me'. Too Late. The tree stays in storage.
Historic Homestead at Glenora
Glenora Ferries
Mural on Barn, Talbot St., Picton
Feb. 12 Had dinner at a pizza place with Luuc's family while at the same time looking after Mr.T. Went to annual PhotoNat photography show at the mall afterward & chatted with old buddies. Met old friends in food court who, incidentally, had me do all their wedding photos a couple of years ago. Meeting up w. family & old friends is a favourite retirement activity.
Feb. 11 Hurrah! We win even if only temporarily. News bulletin read Ontario government freezes wind power projects on the lakes. I just mailed out to the ON gov't a bunch of signatures on petitions that I'd collected asking them to hold a moratorium on wind power research before allowing any more to be built. Another fun retirement activity. Asking people to sign petitions that you're backing.
Feb. 10 Picked my grandson up at 3pm after school. We went to the mall. He got KFC popcorn chicken, fries & drink. I left my bag on the counter - new camera in it & all my credit cards. Luckily, staff kept it safe. Mr.T wanted me to save the cardboard container to use to hold his rocks. As we left, I dumped everything in the bin, forgetting (of course). In the car, he said to me 'You're a loser today, aren't you, Grandma K. 'Not just today, Mr.T, but many times over my lifetime.' I laugh & laugh. He says 'Are you laughing at me for saying that?' 'No, Mr.T, I'm laughing because it was a rude remark, & I always laugh now instead of crying or getting mad because it makes life so much more fun. Laughing is more fun than absolutely anything else.' I don't think he believed me.
Feb. 9 My partner's old lenses from his antique film camera didn't work on the new camera so he gave the new camera to me rather than taking it back. It's so easy to use; to read. I'm so lucky. Then he purchased a camera scanner, just as I was about to start moving old slides to the computer using my hp scanner. This is so much better. I am so lucky!
Feb. 8 Went to the ink toner refill place to say that I came home with only 5 refills & not 6. It was there under the counter with my name on it, & the owner (Scottish) very apologetic. He gives me an extra one. I say that's okay but he insists. Then I remember how much ink I've used for W.I. stuff, & say then that I'll donate it to the Women's Institute. The good always comes back, doesn't it.
Feb. 7 McGuinty's Green Energy Act disallows municipalities from opposing windfarms. Mr.M is going to get voted out now, & that self-centered Cons. party will be back in. He & Bob Ray sure know how to destroy their parties chances. Wind turbines disturb water tables, devalue property, kill birds, bats & butterflies. The noise drives some people crazy. Many of us are crazy already, though, but that's not the point.
Feb. 6 That darn cat follows me into the bathroom & jumps into the tub. The toilet is right beside the shower curtain. If I lean a little to the left, she attacks. The inside curtain is opaque plastic so she sees my shadow move. The sound of her hitting the curtain is explosive. At night I go in without turning on the light. She almost gives me a heart attack as she is so silent before springing at the curtain. Cats are Brats!
Feb. 5 Went on a photo shoot of old County buildings in the snow to try out Luuc's/my new camera. Has an adaptor to use his valuable old lenses from the film camera of eons ago. Boy toys. The lens didn't fit after all. He's disappointed,& me, too, as he said we could share the camera. It's so nice, light, and friendly. Was! Back it goes to the shop.
Feb. 4 Went for my birthday massage (a gift) only to find out they meant March 4th, not Feb. Had to change the date from Wed.,the 2nd, because of the impending storm, & was told the only opening was Friday. I don't remember her saying Friday - 4 weeks away! Luckily, I rarely feel anger. I took Luuc to Marios for lunch so that the day wouldn't be wasted.
Feb. 3 Benny leaks. Where do they sell doggy diapers? Vet said the meds may mean he drinks more. I guess most of us mature entities have trouble making it through the night, though, as we get older, eh.
Feb. 2 Happy 16th Bday to Benny. He's 92 in dog years according to our vet. It's a blizzard today so he goes out, & comes right back in. Out/in. He barks when he wants back in. I tell him, 'Oh, go put a sock in it, Benny' but he's deaf now so I tell him to go play chicken with the cars, too. Then I let him in. I want out, too, but I don't bark. Out into 72 degreeeees, please. I'm 68 today, and the groundhog promises me not much longer b4 warmer weather.
Feb. 1 I've inherited the little cat, Penny, that I was cat-sitting. She loves my bed. However, when she jumps up & down from it at night, it awakens me. When she eats, I wake up to the crunching (have to keep the food away from Benny as cat food destroys the muscles in dogs). When she snuggles in at the foot of my bed at night, I feel her when I move so I'm half aware of her all night so I don't kick her. I sleep with my legs off to the side. I get a broken sleep. Was so tired all day yesterday as a result that I decided to shut her out last night. Within 10 minutes, she was clawing at the rug - pick.pick.pick. Sounded like someone cutting carpet. I let her in. She was happy. That's nice. At least one of us was.
Wellington Graveyard as Seen from Millenium Trail in Warm! weather.
Jan. 31 Last day of Jan. COLD! Cold gets you thinking about dying, or wanting to, especially if you can't get to warmer climes. Thinking of dying leads to thinking about funerals. They say that the cost of a funeral now averages $10,000.00. The hardware store has good shovels that average only about $20.00.
Looks Like the Swans are Frozen In - Wellington Harbour, early am.
Jan. 30 Old friend/former relative dropped in yesterday. I put on a cd of old family videos, copied from old tapes, really poor quality, but we laughed anyway at all the jokes & funny conversations & the children doing childllike things, pre-teen. Great activity in your older years - watching old videos & looking at photo albums & arguing over what the year is, & which kid it is in the picture.
Jan. 29 Have been re-organizing old photos & putting in all the names, dates & places so they're ready to pass on. Emailed one of myself & my brother in 1959 along side one of Mr.T in 2010 because uncle & nephew look so similar. 'Uncle Ron' responded with 'How much do you want to destroy that picture?'
Hey, an extra source of retirement income! I must find more.
Jan. 28 Spent 5 hours working on the W.I. books - almost 90 hours this 1/2 year. Volunteer work can sometimes be overwhelming so be very careful that you choose an organization that doesn't cause you to lose too many of your valuable retirement hours that could be better spent with family and loved ones. These are your last few hours, days, weeks & years, you know.
Jan. 27 Another lovely windless day and only -2 C. We've had many, many windless winter days this year - another anomaly but a pleasant one.
Jan. 26 Am asking friends to sign petition asking ON gov't to revise its Green Energy Act as it is so arbitrary and undemocratic that even our municipal gov't cannot stop the wind turbine installations on the south shore next door to the bird sanctuary. Ian Hanna is fighting against it at Queen's park and may win.
Jan. 25 Reading Bill McKibben's 'Eaarth'. Reading is a great activity. This book, however, is so 'armaggedon' that it makes me depressed. Think I should forget all about the environment, and politics, and simply become an epicurist - eat, drink, be merry, for tomorrow we die.
Jan. 24 So cold can't go out. Have 2 pairs of slippers, leave one by heater and change slippers and socks regularly just to dry and warm up feet. Apt. was only 60 degrees inside this am. By Ontario law, it must be 72 degrees (20). To fight or not to fight, that is...
Jan. 23 Snow feathery like Denver's. Floats up, up & away as you walk. I remember someone from Denver, 15 years ago, saying their snow is always like that. When skiing, only the tips of the skis showed through the snow.
Jan. 22 Got more glass jars for dried fruits, nuts, pastas, etc. New hobby. Hobbies are a great retirement activity, and this one's good for when the electricity goes out, or evenings watching movies. Munching is a great hobby. So is shopping for clothes in bigger sizes.
Jan. 21 We took our 16 yr.old purebred accidental, Benny, to the vet this afternoon. He has a tumour on the roof of his mouth. Cancer. Nothing can be done for that but the meds the Vet gave us will take down the inflamation AND that includes helping to reduce the inflamation caused from the arthritis in his hip. Big pill, though. Like an adult vitamin pill. Luuc got him some meatballs, cooked them, and then inserted the pills, let them cool, and fed the meds to him that way. Cool'd!
Jan. 20 A neighbour's knee has a spur and means going up and down stairs is incredibly painful. We were asked to shop for her. In retirement you may be asked to do volunteer work. You will also be introduced to many maladies through friends & your own body seeking repairs. Apparently, Pluto is in Sagitarius right now, & calling up old injuries.
Jan. 19 Went to watch my grandson at his Beaver's club. Soon he will be in Cubs.
There's no end to the activities you can do in retirement.
Jan. 18 Women's Institute mtg. Asked for volunteers to bake. I don't dare as I'd eat as much as I'd bake & become a 500 lb. blob. I took on treasurer, though.
Jan. 17 Went to mall to get photos printed but left memory card in computer at home. I don't feel old yet, but I definitely think old. In fact, today I phoned Rev. Can. to find out why I didn't get my last 2 HST credits. Turns out I forgot to inform them of my change of mailing address. Memory (that is, lack of) - a serious retirement hazard.
Jan. 16 Went cc skiing at cabin. Snow very deep. Car almost got stuck as road is not maintained off-season. Only trail from tires of maybe 2 or 3 trucks to drive on. Parked in road. No cars passed while I was there. Good but not good, I guess. Fell. Didn't hurt. Got up. Ski boot wouldn't go back on ski. Ice backed up under clip. Clumped back to cabin in deep snow with one ski; one boot. Fire in fireplace going great so relaxed in cabin and watched a Junco feeding on the deck. Had peanuts with me. A snowmobile had circled cabin recently. Not good.
Jan. 15 Daughter and new son-in-law-2-b visit. Dinner that evening with family. Decide what they want as wedding gift. Kayak. Great. Something I can use, too.
Jan. 14 Invited for tea with Field Nat. friend. Asked to sign petition against wind farms started by a member of parliament in the opposition. Asked to collect names, too.
Jan. 13 Wrote an article for The SM Mirror about the wind farm planned for near here, Ostrander Pt. which is also next door to a bird sanctuary at Pt. Traverse. Being involved in politics in one way or t'other i.e. letters-to-the-editor, going to council meetings, watching/listening to the news is a fairly useful retirement activity, if it suits you.
Jan. 12 Library, and art film, both today/tonight. Enjoyments of retirement.
Jan. 11 My picture appeared in the weekend local paper as my friend, Virginia, and I were talking to the new mayor's wife at his levy on Jan.2. Retirement years show a much greater interest in politics at all levels, even if it's just keeping abreast, or writing letters to the editor, or talking directly to them.
Jan. 10 Happy Birthday to my very first boyfriend, the late Donny Peters, PEI, circa 1959, teen years, fabulous cars, full-circle skirts, crenolins, jive, and rock n roll. Lots of memories when you retire. Plenty of warm & wonderful subjects to concentrate upon when you find the time to meditate. Time? Extra time? Who has any of that after they retire?
Jan. 9 A few members of PECField Naturalists headed to Amherst Island to a private woods just east of the village of Stella where owls roost in the cedars, pines, and spruce, quite often at eye level. Owls have likely chosen this area because of the large vole population there. Many photographers have taken memorable pictures of the barred owl, the boreal, and the short-eared as well as hawks on the wing & smaller birds that frequent the bird feeders set up in one protected area. We first lifted our binoculars while waiting for the Glenora ferry as a strickingly handsome Red-tailed Hawk soared above us along the escarpment. At Owl Woods, the Chickadees landed on outstretched, sunflower-seed filled palms. It's bird paradise. It's a birders paradise! Saw-whet owls humbly allow people to shoot them as they stare wide-eyed directly into the lens of their cameras. Remember, though, you must turn off your flash before taking their pictures, to protect their eyes. Owls of various types soar & swoop over the snow-drifted fields at dusk hunting for voles, moles, mice, rabbits. Even if you miss the camouflaged presence of the owls in the trees during the day, you will see them in action at dusk, either at the woods, or as you're driving back to Stella before 6 pm to catch the last ferry home. We were blessed with a day of light breezes & filtered light. The snowy trails were well tramped so walking was easy. It's certainly worth the time & $8.00 ferry fee to go over. Take a friend; take a winter picnic; take the day off & have a wonderful time traipsing through the Owl Woods of Amherst Island. We saw no owls roosting.
Jan. 8 For a very private person, I am starting to look forward to coffee shops. At one favourite, every 10th cuppa is free. Listening to the local gossip is quite entertaining. Having a reason to get up & get out in healthful. Being recognized & being accepted into this culture is good for the self-esteem & the soul. To top it off, it's real easy, & it's fun. Another retirement bonus.
Jan. 7 Bought myself crosscountry ski poles today as last year I just borrowed a pair. Nice soft new snow here, not too deep. Got special $59 mitts, too. Hope they work. My hands froze last year. Skiing is such fun & it doesn't hurt when you fall. However, it's next to impossible to get back up from lying in the snow on your back with the ski tips kissing heaven. It takes a lot of time & energy to wriggle around to just the correct position to unclip the skis. Lovely feeling, though, like cloud floating. That's how it must feel to be an angel, which I doubt anyone has ever mistaken me for.
Jan. 6 Volunteer work is now part of the norm. I just finished helping a small firm with accounts receivable, making a list & sending out invoices for the year. Women's Institute has asked me to be treasurer at two levels; Field Naturalists has invited me onto its executive. I still have plenty of time for Sudoku, thank goodness. I write articles for a small newspaper once a month. I'm never bored.
Jan. 5 It used to be bed at 10 & up at 8. Now it's bed when I feel like I will go to sleep, about midnight when my toes tingle, but if I can't sleep, I get back up. Then, if I do get to sleep the 2nd time, I may be up again 4 hours later. This is no good at the cabin as there's no electricity for reading; no computer for freecell.
Jan. 4 Went with Luuc & Benny for their afternoon walk along the old rail trail. Benny went only about 200 feet & then turned back. After years of doing what hubby & kids demanded, instead of getting my freedom in my old age, the old dog is now telling me what to do & where to go.
Jan. 3 Learned from CBC that some shelters & some vets place bodies of their euthanized dogs with a firm that makes them into animal feed. When you eat meat, you must be then also eating the poison that euthanizes the dogs. Surely this cannot be legal.
Jan. 2 We had an enjoyable evening last night. We had a Bailey's on the hour, every hour. We watched 'August Rush' - a typical American movie & ending but pleasant just the same.
This morning I erroneously let Penny who I'm cat-sitting get out. So I had to get dressed, put on boots & coat to go cat-hunting in the snow & cold. I walked around the house. No cat! Wilma came out her back door so when I went over to chat, Penny streaked out from under Wilma's porch. Penny ran towards our porch & then I followed her over to Foster's house, trying to cut her off at the pass; saw the old coal shute under his deck; walked around the entire retirement home 2nd door over, & saw under its deck, too, as I followed Penny. I walked to the next house, the next house, the next & the next. Penny had me follow her all through the brambles behind this one, through the patio garden, back through the brambles & then she dashed under another deck. I gave up & walked home through all the back yards, hoping she would be watching & follow. Lucas told me you never chase a cat. Obviously! He went out & over to the property line, clapped his hands & she ran past him, & over to the neighbour's at the other side of the property. He went over to our deck & clapped again, & she came over, stayed on the deck for 10 minutes, & then came in.
I hate cats.
Jan. 1 HAPPY NEW YEAR! May this be your best year ever. K
