Tuesday, September 9, 2014

Saskatoon

Spent a terrific week visiting the girls in Saskatoon - and even the weather cooperated!

Chalk drawing by Sally - I did some of the colouring

Then adorable children were added.













Another project was cleaning the garage and building a bike rack (free pallet = free rack). McKenzie and I might have dawdled a bit (there was a multitude of wee children inside having a pizza party).

Almost before - the pile of lumber was scattered in the middle.
Check out the bike rack.











McKenzie knows her way around power tools.


Uncle Sam

Good example Rob (candy).












Was tough leaving these cuties behind.




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Friday, September 5, 2014

Backing up to August - Hail, fire, apples and eyelashes

Forgot all about posting this, better late than never. This happened around 4:45 afternoon of August 1st. I've never seen it hail for so long - the original video is over 5 minutes and then mother nature had the nerve to hail again but only for a minute or two.






Photo taken from the video

hail













Someone has cached these crab apples (20) in the shed.











When Les claimed he could put a plastic water bottle in the fire and not have it melt, we of course did not believe him. We've had to admit he was right. You fill the bottle with water, leaving the lid off you place it in the fire and you watch it not melt into nothingness - amazing!
bottle in fire

slightly melted but still intact















Could not justify buying a new car - just because the roof leaked and other minor annoyances so I put eyelashes on her instead.








Friday, August 15, 2014

A little excitement is good for you.

August 14 started out pretty tame with dance class in the morning but things started to get more interesting when Gerry asked me to come to the police station where he was filing charges against his fry truck manager.  They said they'd open a file with CID and we had better talk to the staff asap. This manager has worked for him for years and has done a good job, but things started going down hill quickly after she became involved with 2 psycho brothers (DW being one of them). We know that money has been stolen but impossible to prove. We now have evidence that she's been submitting false pay sheets - submitting hours for herself and 2 others that were not worked, especially for DW. The mall truck is supposed to be there until 6 and it has consistently returned early (between 2:30 and 4:00 and sometimes it wasn't there at all) and yet she claims the truck was out till 6 every day without fail.  So we waited outside the shop thinking that they know we're around today so they will work until 6. But no, these are really stupid people - DW and his girlfriend drove in at 4:00, spent 5 minutes unloading and cleaning, which should take 30 minutes and started to drive off.  Despite our personally witnessing this she vehemently claims it never happens.

Anyway, the really exciting part was when Gerry was off trying to track her down and I asked the other two, as they were leaving, if they knew where she was, we needed to have a meeting with all 3 of them. The conversation was creepy to say the least - DW spoke in a monotone, never looking at me and said "Gerry's got a phone, she's got a phone, you've got a phone, she's got a phone, I've got a phone, she's got a phone." I told him she's not answering and could he please call her. He refused to answer, I said "Well thanks for your help," perhaps a bit sarcastically. I then asked who his passenger was, to verify that it was that third employee. He wanted to know why and then started to scream and swear at me about formal introductions and to get back and talk to him, then gunned his engine and spun his wheels in the gravel. Needless to say this was making me a tad nervous so I started walking towards the open shop door (wide enough for his pickup truck by the way).  Next thing I hear is the tires throwing up a ton of gravel, I look back and sure enough he has spun it around and is aiming it right for me. I took off, haven't run so fast in years LOL. I hid out in the backroom with the cabinet makers, and Gerry just happened to call at that point. I told him to call the police, my phone battery was about dead. Of course they had disappeared before the police got there, but not before making the cabinet makers nervous - they had quickly slammed their own large overhead door shut in case he decided to drive right into the building and were reluctant to go and see if he was gone.

Police took my report and said I had to write my own report and hand it in. While I was away doing that he called (he had come back to measure the tracks) and said to come back to the shop, the 3 of them had showed up! After much carrying on and crying Gerry got the keys from them,  and the police got their reports. DW had already written his while he was gone (strange) and she was doing it while all the crying and denials were going on.

I finished my report, dropped it off and finally got home at 9:30. What a day! I have a couple of days to think it over and decide whether I want him charged. I think we just want him and the other 2 out of our lives and unfortunately it's 2 against one. As a matter of fact I've been told that she claims I was already in the building before they turned around (so why did they stay and block the entrance with their truck for a while?) -  bitch; and he claims he didn't know who I was -  f*&$ing bastard.



Wednesday, August 6, 2014

August kayaking

18 km, 5 hours and 5000 rocks - I think we hit most of them.

Chris, Les, Gerry and I decided going down the Thames would be a great idea. We were only going to go about 8 km but couldn't find a good place to pull out so 18 it was. A bit ambitious for amateurs but we made it in about 5 hours - taking breaks now and then, getting stuck on the rocks even more often. I almost capsized twice but managed to stay inside my sit on (not in) kayak. A few times three of us (not Les) had to get out and walk when it got too shallow and we all got wet. All in all we had a great time.

The trip was delayed a bit by this wind blade trying to go around the round-about in front of Wildwood. They look so much smaller when they're way up on their pedestal.





Leaving just a few blocks from the dam in St Marys.
Les and Gerry

Chris










First of many obstacles was this little tiny waterfall which 3 of us managed to get over with no problems. (Insert chicken clucking noise)


Gerry getting out of his kayak, not once but twice.
He's behind Les

and here behind Chris











One of the many, many, many rapids and rocks on this low water level river.


One of the few calm and deeper water spots.
Lots of trees and water but not much wildlife.
Much needed break.


Oh look, Gerry is getting out of his kayak once again.

really shallow water











Rocks, rocks and more rocks:

little rapids







And now I'm stuck, again.
The end is near......







18 km later

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Video of me stuck on the rocks - again!


Monday, July 28, 2014

July - good times!

Sally, McKenzie, Abby and August came for an always too short visit. My granddaughters are of course the smartest and cutest in the world! Lots of fun was had by all (I hope). Kayaking, sailing and swimming at Wildwood; African Lion Safari; gluten free pizza at Chuck E's, chasing bubbles, roasting mini (yes mini) marshmallows, etc.

 I'll let the pictures tell the story:


Sailor in training

Roasting mini marshmallows

August (before the wailing) and Abby

Got up close and personal

Abby Mac Sal


Soaked

Chasing bubbles

Gluten free pizza

Cuteness

Swimming at Wildwood


Friday, July 25, 2014

July - bad times

July saw our 2nd race of the season and we did as poorly in that race as the one in June. I'm not exactly lovin' the Catalina. It's not properly set up or designed. Who really needs 4 shrouds to hold a mast up? This leads to a really big annoyance -  every time we tack the jib sheets get caught on one of them or they wind themselves up in the watchamakcallit thing on the track that they're fed through. Also, the clamps are so tight it takes an unusual amount of effort to get the sheets out of them. It's led to some pretty foul language (yes, on my part) and I have very little desire to get in, or is that on, that boat again.

There was a bright spot or two - we had the best start we've ever had and were ahead of Les and Chris for the best part of the race.
Happy Captain Gerry





Friday, June 13, 2014

June is reno time

While Gerry is sweating to death in the Bahamas for a week I decide the time is right to redo the deck boards (I hate the gap between the boards and it can't be restained) and the carpeting inside has got to go. Two projects he didn't think were necessary, so it's just as well he's not here.

The deck: 30 minutes to seal the old deck (left over floor paint), 45 minutes to cut the boards to length (thanks for the chop saw Les) and 4 hours to drill pilot holes and put the screws in. I love power tools - suffered no injuries!
Glad to see that old paint used up.



Voila










All gussied up

Fit for company and no gaps for the chairs or cutlery to fall through.











The 16 year old carpeting: I did not time this project but it took forever to get the old carpet out using a utility knife and crowbar, and hours getting the staples out. All together it took 4 days which includes a day and half of paint drying time. Minor injuries did occur - bruising and maybe a bit of foul language and of course I got paint all over myself.

No one can tell me this doesn't need ripping out.






After this photo I painted myself onto the sofa with the primer.















My new and improved hallway.
Living room













Hurray, no more nasty old carpet and colour is so much better.