Back to School

holey kamoley! we never saw anything like that down here this season - it's been bizarre

Gorgeous photos! I have missed my snow so much.

Well I hope this means that you two had a lovely break from non-stop work.... in front of a very warming open fire!

Hey.

Hello Joeblow! I will try and come back soon with a "Year in Review" kinda thing.

do or do not. there is no try.

please do...

Greetings, Tai!
Don't forget, will you?
I'll looking forward to that, too!

O.k. : ) please.

If it’s Friday night this must be the Laundromat. But wait, you’re saying, what are you doing in a Laundromat? Whatever happened to “Phase 2 – the addition” ? Well, for those of you eagerly awaiting photos, I’m sorry to disappoint you. Believe me when I say you are nowhere near as disappointed as I am. Phase 2 consists of a 9 month old building permit, a garage full of materials and a bunch of stumps where trees were removed to make room for the future foundation. The six month hiatus the Mr. was told about when he was hired for a temporary reno job never materialized. He has worked straight through since last fall and still has 4 or five months to go. So our project has had to wait ‘til next spring. This means another winter of pioneer living. I am not a happy camper. (And Rockhead I know what you mean about camping as a way of life.) I know we can do it – we have been doing it now for almost a year and a half. It’s just really becoming a chore.
True there is some compensation. If I didn’t have to skip out to the “wee hoos” occasionally I wouldn’t stop and look at the stars – tomorrow’s a full moon, that’ll be something to see. Even last night it was like a spotlight shining in through the windows.
We saw a doe with twins on the way to work this morning. Not that unusual as we quite often see them (it’s been a good year for twins, there are at least three sets that we know of) but we’d never seen them nursing before – drop dead cute – with their little tails wagging full tilt. Foxes are common, as are pheasants. I had a staring contest with a giant barn owl one afternoon – mesmerizing. Coming home really late we saw a bear heading for the transfer station in the next door small town. I am happy to report we have not seen a bear in our neighbourhood. The Mr. hears coyotes early in the morning and that’s intimidating enough for me.
It’s a different way of life up here. Shopping is a challenge when most stores close at 5 or 5:30. Only the grocery stores have extended hours and not as extended as most of you are used to. I’m at the Laundromat tonight because I want to check out some stores tomorrow that I never get to otherwise. You cannot go out for breakfast in the closest town to us on a Sunday – nothing is open.
There is some amazing food though. Drive a little further and you can have breakfast at Mum’s where they bake their own bread (white, brown and rye) and make muffins and apple fritters as big as your head. I know you have heard me swoon over Purvis’s whitefish, but there is also meat from Burt’s Farm – wild garlic sausage, picnic bacon, smoked pork chops! We were already too late in May to reserve a Thanksgiving or Christmas turkey. A new abattoir is opening with a retail outlet to offer a variety of Manitoulin meats – on Saturday they offer fresh from the oven bread as well.
Due to the shopping deficit yard sales are very popular. We’ve got some great stuff for the someday-addition. And the Mr. sourced some barn board from a tumble down barn even older than the schoolhouse. We’ve been buying up VCR tapes at a quarter apiece now that our rabbit ears are useless (TV went digital…)
Now, some of you may be wondering why I just didn't wait until Sunday morning to do my laundry. After all I could then come home and hang it on the line -- or if need be use my own dryer (a yard sale find for $30 and hooked up for now in the garage) but this Sunday is the annual "All hydro to the island off for the day" event hosted by Ontario Hydro. We plan on ousting the bats that day. The Mr plans to install a weighted "screen door" over their exit from the fascia so they can leave but not get back in. This has to been done while the power is off as it's right next to the hydro mast and he isn't interested in getting electrocuted. We don't want to hurt them -- just move them out. Especially as a rabid bat was found locally recently.

What else...going to take a break and wander around A2K where I am so far behind on all of your lives it's not even funny...

Tai, so good to read you. Very sorry about the delay for you too. You'll probably really enjoy getting to it, when you do get to.

Your descriptions are great, I can visualize it all.

Hi osso. Thanks for checking in. (Oh, look at that face! She really is lovely.) Just a few more minutes here at the library. I'll give you a laugh. We got away for a few days vacation this summer -- so -- what did we do? We went camping of course! Even further north! (The provincial park had hot showers though so it was more like "glamping.) Saw a young bear up close from the safety of the pickup. It was the coldest week of the summer -- we couldn't even go swimming but it made for great sleeping weather.

You incorrigible glampers!

Gunga Din, that is one heck of camping-adventure-as-lifestyle tale.

would you believe this, ehBeth?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34Vxqydpmus

Thank you for filling us in about your daily livesTai Chi, makes very interesting reading for one down under. You're both made of the right stuff, I wish you well.

Hey, Ms. Baby Face, maybe you need to take a few lessons from this Tai Chi.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqJ3cjywY3M&feature=fvwrel

Nothing like a bit of humor to lift the soul, gal.

What a wonderful update... pity about the delayed addition BUT lots of other good stuff in there.

<sigh> I miss my t'ai chi teacher too. Thanks Letty. And hello ehBeth, Dutchy and Sozobe.

(((((((((((((((((((((((((TC&MrFixIt))))))))))))))))))))))))

reading along, thinking of you two and am amazed at all you do. You both take good care, hope you had a lovely Thanksgiving. xx

Hi, Tai. I've probably missed your posting time today - but always good to see you here.

Hi to Mr. Fixit too. Has he had time to do any jewelry design lately? I always like seeing his work, strong with some delicacy going on - a good mix.

Hi from downunder Tai Chi, getting colder up there?