35 years and counting...........

This is a Bank Holiday in the UK and yesterday (Sunday) it was 35 years ago that we arrived in Canada.

Those 35 years have flown by and despite being full of up and downs, we have no regrets.  As a family we have grown from strength to strength.  The kids has grown into productive members of society and have given us a super son-in-law and daughter-in-law.  Along with 4 wonderful grandchildren.

Hubby started work at his current and only job in Canada on June 6th 1989.  His last day of physical work there will be at the end of September and he will be formerly retired at the end of the year.  Hubby has only had two places of work since he started work 50 years ago in September.  One in the UK and one here in Canada.

Canada has been good to us; but like everywhere in the world we have seen many changes and not all for the good.

Thank you Canada for having us, and here's to many more years of adventures in this country we call home!

Horses and Crows........

Had some crows handing out on Wednesday, guess they thought it was too hot and humid also?

 The one on the left was perched there forever just taking in the view.

Went over to talk to the horses.  Zelda wouldn't turn around to say hello at all.  Elle is in the pen as she has thrown a shoe, so she is not allowed to run around.  She is also in "season," and was artificially inseminated and the vet is coming on Friday to do an ultrasound to see if it "took."  They do it at 14 days so if it's twins they can snip one away, as it's both dangerous to the horse and foal carrying twins.  If it hasn't taken I think Heather said they will try once more this year, but then that's it until next year.  So fingers crossed there will be a baby foal in the paddock in 11 months time.

 Uti did a least look up when I called his name, but again wasn't fussed about seeing me.  He is looking so well and his coat looks so much better.  I think he's enjoying living with the two girls.  I sound as though I know  lot about horses now don't I?  Heather just answers the seven hundred questions I have when ever I see her!!

I took down the newspaper from the windows as it was like living in a dungeon.  Pleased to say haven't seen the male cardinal since.  Took me forever though to get the scotch tape residue off the windows.  Had to use Goo Gone and then clean all the windows again!!

It's an anniversary of sorts today.  32 years ago dh and I went out on our first date.......to the pub of course, even though I was only seventeen at the time.  I am quite sure I only drank lemonade....wink, wink!

Glad to get yesterday over with, mind you the nightmare continues...........

Yes it was our 30th wedding anniversary yesterday, and thank you for all your good wishes but what a rotten day it was.

Betsy has been giving me problems over the past week.  Betsy is my car and you can see a photo of her here  As you can see Betsy is just over a year old, so Betsy shouldn't be giving me any problems at all, but she is.

It all started last Thursday.  I had to go to my monthly quilt club meeting, got in the car, went to start it, the car kept turning over but wouldn't start.  So called the garage, who called the tow truck.  When the tow truck driver came he tried the car and it started first time (rolling eyes).  So it was decided I wouldn't take it to the garage but just monitor the situation.  Drove the car Thursday afternoon and Friday morning.  Saturday night dh and I decided we would have a Subway sandwich, drove to Subway in my car, got the sandwich, came back to the car and turned it on and it did the same thing.  Luckily this time dh was with me, so he was a witness to it. Managed to get it going and brought it home.

Called the garage on Monday and they told me to bring it in on Tuesday.  We decided to drop it off on Monday afternoon to save me from having to wait for a ride.  Got in the car and yet again it wouldn't start.  We went to the garage as I wanted dh to explain things to them and arrange for them to have the car towed in.  Came back home and of course it started, so cancelled the tow truck and drove it to the garage.

Called them a couple of times on Tuesday and the car starts no problem and when put on the computer no faults have shown???  Told them to keep it today to see what happens, because unless it won't start they have no idea what to do.  Meanwhile I now own a car which is iffy to say the least.  I hate to say this but fingers crossed the bloody thing doesn't start so they can at least do something about it.

As it was a nice day on Tuesday I decided to tackle our "hay field."  It's growing so long and thick with all the rain we have been having that it took me forever to get it done.  I still had a bit to do when the tractor wouldn't go either forwards or backwards when I put my foot on the pedal.  It turns out I have done something that requires a new chassis in it, along with maybe a new gear box.  Which means I need a new tractor..................I could cry at this point.

The poor tractor wasn't made to cut five acres, and so we have been lucky it has lasted as long as it has.  That being said a new lawn tractor will cost between $8 to $10 THOUSAND.   There is little to no point in us buying a cheaper one, as it won't last any time.  As it is I have just spent $124 on the old one as it broke down a week or so ago.  We have a regular gas push lawn mower so I guess I will be using that to cut around the house, the rest will have to wait until we figure out what we are going to do.

We are reluctant to go second hand as we don't want to inherit someone else's problems and trying to find one at a good price and getting it home is also an issue.

Then the UV light alarm was going off last week, the bulb had gone for some reason; never happened before.  We have turned it off and ordered a bulb from Amazon.  Luckily I had enough gift cards saved up to pay for that.  It's sitting at the post office waiting to be picked up.  Meanwhile we don't have the well water going through the UV light system and that make me nervous.  As our fridge water filter needs to be replaced as well and just haven't had the chance to go and get one in Barrie.

When the tractor broke down, it of course broke down at the far end of the field.  So to cut a long story short dh had to take his truck down there and we had to tow it back to the house.  By the time we had fiddled on with that and talking to the garage about the car, I was in no mood to go out to dinner for our anniversary, however dh insisted we go.

For some reason I decided to call the restaurant we planned on going just to make sure we didn't have to make a reservation.  Turns out they are closed until July for renovations (SIGH)   So in the end we went for fish and chips as we were both fed up with everything.  Will say the fish and chips were good; they always are, but it wasn't exactly the romantic anniversary meal we had planned, or hoped for.

I sat and did the Sudoku in the Toronto Sun newspaper and dh sat and read the John Deere lawn tractor brochure while we waited for our meal. 

These things can only make us stronger, right?

Can't believe it's already been a year.........

Since dd and son-in-law got married can you?  It has gone fast.

Happy Anniversary to both of you!   This is what we bought them:

Paper is the first anniversary traditional gift, but someone told me a clock was the modern first anniversary gift, so I got them a clock for their kitchen.

Also yesterday was the baby shower.  I only have a couple of photos to show you, as I never got a chance to take photos.  I will ask "R" to send me hers, as I know she took photos of everything.  People started turning up before we were completely set up!!!  Only because I threatened "R's" close friends with the naughty step if they weren't on time!!!  Yes, I did!!!!

In this box are the chocolate caramel cupcakes, the mini chocolate cupcakes and the lemon cranberry loaves.

In this box are the lemon cupcakes, filled with lemon curd.

In this box are the butterfly buns, they have raspberry jam in them:

In this one are the pumpkin spice cupcakes:

This is the one photograph I managed to take at the actual shower:

As you can see people had enjoyed the food at that point!!  The biggest success were the scone's with the clotted cream and jam.  Dd loose leaf tea went down really well as well.  Again I will share photos when I get them and explain more.

Will admit to being pooped but pleased that "R" thoroughly enjoyed it and there were a great mix of people there.  Plus she got a huge pile of gifts, which I have yet to see!!

The story behind the 26,000 emails.........

Back in July of 2009 I set up a Gmail account, where I have been sending and receiving emails.  Unbeknown to me although I have been deleting them from my inbox etc, I hadn't been deleting them from the server, and that is where I am trying to delete them from.  So in two years I have sent and have received over 26,000 emails........


30 years today me and dh went out on our first date.  I would think we went to the pub, can't really remember anything else about it.  It is also one of my niece's birthday's today she is 15 years of age, just seems like yesterday when she was born.  Time is certainly flying by fast.

I have just read the book, "Jesus, My Father, The CIA, and Me, A memoir of sorts," by Ian Morgan Cron

 “When I first discovered the grainy picture in my mother’s desk—me as a towheaded two year old sitting in what I remember was a salmon-orange-stained lifeboat—I was overwhelmed by the feeling that the boy in the boat was not waving and laughing at the person snapping the photo as much as he was frantically trying to get the attention of the man I am today. The boy was beckoning me to join him on a voyage through the harrowing straits of memory. He was gambling that if we survived the passage, we might discover an ocean where the past would become the wind at our back rather than a driving gale to the nose of our boat. This book is the record of that voyage.”

Reading the excerpt of the book, I must admit I didn't know what to expect exactly, but the title intrigued me so I thought I would give it a go.  Will admit to it being slow going at first but once you get into it you will be pleasantly surprised. 

You go through an array of emotions, from laughing out loud at the funny stories he tells you, to being sad and angry at the way his alcoholic father treats the author.  He also takes you through the ups and downs of his love/hate relationship with the church and God.

Its well worth the read and not overly hard.

Stars out of 5: 3.5 it wasn't the best book out there but a pretty interesting read, which will make you appreciate what you have in life.

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. 

Available at your favourite bookseller from Thomas Nelson". 

A short blogging vacation...........

I'll post again on Monday morning.  Got a busy weekend ahead of me, will tell you all about it on Monday.

Have a super weekend and for those of you in Britain enjoy the bank holiday.

Oh and 22 years ago tomorrow we arrived in Canada..............those years have flown by so fast.......

Six Months Already?

I can't believe we've been in this house six months. We closed on April 28th, and moved in on May 1st, 2009. It's been a fast six months, and a lot has happened. As me and dh live amongst all this mess all the time, we don't see much of a difference, so I decided to write down some of the things we have done throughout the house.

Mudroom:

Installed new door

Installed new light fixture

New light switches and motion sensor

Window trim

Kitchen/Dining Room:

New fridge, stove and above stove microwave.

Installed new switch for microwave

Living Room:

New light fixture

Family Room:

New windows and patio door

Installed two light fixtures

New wood burning insert

Downstairs Bathroom:

Nothing, other than cleaning the place up and connecting the bathroom fan to the outside, as it was previously ducted into the attic?

New Extension Basement:

New Patio Door

Removed the old toilet down there - the plumbing down there is going to be a challenge!!

Old Basement:

Added some new plugs

Blocked up the outside of three of the basement windows.

Spare Bedroom:

Nothing, other than destroying the only closet we have :0(

Our Bedroom:

Added ceiling fan

Moved cable for tv and added plug for when we actually get a flat screen tv to hang on the wall……not a priority, but the wiring is all there

Main Floor Bathroom:

Install light and fan above shower, and having it ducted to the outside.

Rewire plug, so we don’t have to have the lights on to make the plug work.

Installed a new toilet

Put a base in the under sink cabinet, so we can store things there

Attic:

Installed new stairs

Completely gutted the attic itself

Added skylight and replaced dormer window.

Rewired it, as there was only a light in there and no other electrics before hand

Shimmed all the joists so when we come to drywall, they will all be the same height etc.

Altered the heating duct work

Insulated it all

Outside:

Tidied up the whole five acres, so the grass wasn’t all knee high, like when we moved in!!!

Removed old fence on the front of the property

Installed new outside light

Repaired the roof, a couple of times!!

Made stairs to get off the back deck

Built a wood store

Installed a new mail box and emergency sign as the old ones were falling to bits and donkey’s years old!!

Garage:

Cleaned it all out and got rid of all the junk left in there.

Built shelves

Repaired door

I am sure there is much more that we have done, including giving the place a thorough clean, remember how those first few days of posting all I did was complain bitterly about the state of the place, if not read this and this When I was looking at old posts I stumbled upon this one
The house looked so clean then, it now looks as though a bomb has dropped upstairs, oh well one day it will be tidy again!!

Do we regret moving up here? I know dh has some regrets, only because every job we do around here, takes so long, as if the people who lived here before us, had anything at all to do with the area, there is a problem, as they will have butchered the job. So he is frustrated with how hard things are, as even the simple jobs take forever to do. Me, well I have had my days, when all I want to do is pack it all in and say lets sell the place. One of those days was here when the upstairs toilet leaked into the downstairs bathroom, I wasn't happy!! Or this one, I wasn't happy here either!

I think one issue has been that money has been pouring out of our hands like sand, it just seems to have been never ending these past six months, read here. Now its just trickling slowly through our hands, mind you that could be because there is no money left to spend!!!

I think in another six months, the first year of living here will feel like a bad dream. We are hoping to have got the attic finished by next summer, money permitting. Things will have slowed down a bit for poor dh. There is still an endless list of jobs to be done, but we're hoping to be able to put our feet up a bit more next year and just sit and admire our view.

So here's to another busy, but productive six months in the country!

Oh and for those that celebrate Halloween, a Happy Halloween to you all!

Another Anniversary and other things..

Well it's that time of year again, our Wedding Anniversary, 26 years. We're celebrating it a lot differently than we did last year, as last year we went to Niagara-On-The-Lake This year we're being up close and personal in the attic stripping the plaster and lathe, romantic or what!!!! Dh is taking both Thursday and Friday off, so we can get a lot of work done in the attic. Our goal is to have it stripped clean of the plaster and lathe, and all the old insulation by Sunday, and all the garbage taken to the dump.



On Wednesday I spent three hours mowing the lawn and got a lot done. However one thing I did do is kill a baby bird. I didn't mean too, but I feel awful, I clipped it with the lawn tractor, I didn't see it, as it was partially hidden by the raspberry bushes. I haven't been back to that area to see what's what.

I prepared this post last night on my laptop, and for some reason it never posted? So here I am having my breakfast checking my emails before I go upstairs into the attic. I need to get the tractor and trailer out first and take out the garbage, and its raining this morning.......oh the joys!!! At least it will be only the one trip down the driveway with the tractor and trailer, so I should be grateful.

Well that attic is calling my name so I should get on!!! Have a super day. Gill

Another Anniversary and "Free Black Gold"

20 years ago we emigrated to Canada. I have to say those 20 years have flown by and on the whole it's been a good 20 years. Have we any regrets about moving here, no this is home. We miss family and friends, but the opportunities that Canada has presented us are priceless.

On Saturday our local "town offices," had a free compost day, or "Black Gold." It was the strangest thing though, when we got there, there was a pile of compost, but not a soul about??? So as I had taken two blue recycling boxes and a garbage bin, I filled all three up with the compost. I mean if we had, had a trailer we could have filled it. If we had been in our old city, we would have been "supervised," and we would have only been allowed the one box, and if we hadn't have gone at the crack of dawn we wouldn't have been able to get any at all.



One of the joys of living in a small town.