50 Plus and Camping

The week started out kind of busy.  Ron and I prepared for the 50 Plus meeting at the church.  Even though it was Labour Day Monday, Judy, Nylene and I decorated for our Tuesday meeting.

Our meeting went well for our fall kick off.

The lunch was great with lots of good salads.

I worked that day until 7:00 pm that night.  Wednesday was another work day and a lunch date with mom and dad.  

This morning, we packed our truck and headed to Sharbot Lake.  We found a nice site and pitched our tents.

Our new air mattress filled the one tent and hopefully will provide us a good night’s sleep.

The second tent is our change room, pantry and closet.

We went to the fish hatchery for a little walk.  It used to be to be full of large fish but only small ones made their presence known.

We had a warmed up supper and Ron started a fire while I made tea.  

Camping in September might be a first for me.  The smell of a campfire is the best.

And I just heard a loon!!!

Retirement?

We just survived another busy week.  I worked Monday to Wednesday still catching up from being away.  Ron kept busy cutting the grass, working on his music and getting a golf game in.  I’m not sure if I mentioned before, but he fixed the dishwasher!!

Last week, my dad asked me to get mom something that she could know how many steps she gets.  I ordered a watch and delivered it to her on Monday.  She immediately wanted to go for a walk.  On Tuesday, she had over 7,500 steps.  My mom will turn 86 next month and she is a goer!!

Thursday, I had the day off and I went in the morning for a hair appointment.  It’s always a nice time because I go to my cousin’s home salon.  She just finished putting the colour in my hair and the power went out.  We waited and still no hydro.  Her husband hooked up the generator and it looked positive until she went to rinse my hair and there was no water.  This was a problem!  As we looked at each other, I said,  “should I go home to wash it out?”  Home is about 25 minutes away.  She shook her head and said that I should go to mom and dad’s which was only about 10 minutes away.  I was hoping that my hair wouldn’t be too dark but it all worked out.

I got home with freshly coloured hair but not the nice finished look that I usually enjoy.  I worked on lunch and Ron barbecued hamburgers and hotdogs.  Mom and dad had to come to Tamworth and what they miss about condo living is that they can’t have barbecues.  We had a nice lunch and they went home after a little visit. A few hours later, we were headed back to Napanee.  Ron had a worship practice and I had to meet with someone regarding the church finances.

Friday morning, we decided to go into Kingston on the motorcycle.  We went to the hospital to see a friend who had major surgery on Monday.  We were glad to see her doing so well.  We went to Red Lobster for lunch.  When we got home, I got a text from Pam asking if we wanted to go for a bike ride and out for supper.  We said yes!  We went back to Kingston through side roads and had dinner at Swiss Chalet.  While we were there, their daughter sent me a picture of their grandson showing my dad a fish that he caught.  It’s so nice that mom and dad live along the River and are enjoying all the activity along the boardwalk.

And then came Saturday….we started at the graveyard at noon for a committal service for our neighbour.  Other neighbours were there and although it was a very sad moment, it made me appreciate where we live.  Neighbours supporting each other.  We left there at 12:30 and drove to Lakeshore Pentecostal Camp in Cobourg (about 1.5 hours).  We had our lunch in the car.  We stopped in for a surprise birthday for an old Bible college friend.  

We said hi to a few friends and wished a happy birthday to Rich and we were out the door by 2:30.  We were now headed to the county where Ron had to sing.  It was about an hour and 20 minutes away.  We arrived at 3:50 and the sing was to start at 4:00.  Whew!  I helped Ron carry his instruments while feeling like I had a pin stuck in my dress.  After I set the last music stand down, I gave my dress a shake and out flew a wasp.  I decided it was time to check that out.  I found the bathroom and saw three wasp stings.  Nice!  

I may have had a battle with a wasp but that was not the worst of what happened that day.  Phil is one of the men in the music group and he had been attacked by a cow that morning.  He came to sing with a black eye, swollen face, sprained ankle and his chest was sore.  I really couldn’t complain about a few stings.  

We went from there to a trailer.  A lady from our church was there and she had invited us over for a visit.  I’m not sure if the rush if the day or the stings hit me but I suddenly felt very sick.  I guess I turned white and that is when our nurse friend went into action.  I laid down, had my feet up and up and cold cloths around my head and neck.  Sometimes, I can be so dramatic!  About 30 minutes later, I sat up and felt well enough to venture home.

On Sunday, we went to church early because Ron was the worship leader.  After church, we stayed since Ron had a board meeting.  We then went to Kingston to do some 50 plus shopping (for our lunch on Tuesday).  We took it all back to Napanee and set up the tables for Tuesday.  When we got home at 5:00, it was pajama time for me.

Just a Week in Tamworth

A week at home has flown by.  So June, my Swift Current friend, this is what life looks like when we are in Tamworth.

Monday - I went to work and oh, how my desk missed me.  During the work day, I went for bloodwork for an upcoming doctor’s appointment and had to sign something at the bank.  Ron went for a massage and then on to Kingston to get groceries, pick up some head cushions, a foot stool and a table for our new porch chairs and bought a barbeque.  We arrived home about the same time.

Tuesday - Ron and I went to Kingston with mom and dad.  Dad had an appointment.  

We then enjoyed lunch at Swiss Chalet.  It was my sister,Carol’s birthday, so we celebrated for her.

Wednesday- I worked all day trying to get the pile of work a little smaller.  Ron enjoyed the outdoors.  First he went kayaking on Bob’s Lake.

It looked like a beautiful day to be on the water.  

When he got home from there, he had a tee time on the golf course.  Retirement life looks good.  In between the lake and the golf clubs, he installed the new pump on the dishwasher and so now we can go back to loading the dishes instead of washing them!!

Thursday - I worked all day and Ron worked on his music.

Friday - We set up all of the tents to see which would work best.  

We decided one was definitely garbage.  We are hoping that the weather stays nice and we can go camping for a couple of nights.  We went to the Black Cat for a pizza dinner and had a little visit with the cousins.  Nice to see the Frizzell crew.  

Ron had to leave for a music practice.  I visited with one of the wife’s from the group and then went to her house for ice cream and waited for Ron to get back.

Saturday - Usually Ron does the dump run by himself, but today we made it a date and went together.

We did a little work in the gardens and yard and then went to Kingston.  We needed to pick up a few things.  

On Sunday, we will go to church.  I am on the schedule for greeting and then have nursery duty.  We will stop in to a 50th anniversary celebration for Tom and Darlene in the afternoon.

Ron sings in the evening with his group and I will enjoy a quiet evening at home.

On Monday, we will press repeat.

Tamworth Life and Penny, the cat

This morning we headed off to church. It was nice to see everyone.  It was like I had never been gone.  I got the 50 Plus sign up ready and set it up in the foyer.  I turned to talk to someone and another person asked me if there were more envelopes.  I went to get them and then church was ready to start.  After church, I met with Connie.  She is the person that reviews the finances. My desk looks like it has lots of work to keep me busy for a few days.

We spent the rest of the afternoon at home.  For supper, we headed to the arena for a Fish Fry and Corn Roast.

The arena was full. There was country music playing.  

The line up to the food table was long.  

My cousin and his wife were there and so was his son and his girlfriend.  Another man there said that he had worked with my dad for years at DuPont.  We sat with a couple who said that they lived by another family connection.  The fish was good and the corn nice and sweet.

It’s great being a part of a small community that has a lot of nice events happening. On our walk home, Penny, the cat was strolling too.  

She followed us to the house and came in for her dinner and treats.  

She stayed around to have a little visit.

I guess Penny, the cat is happy that we are home.

No Guarantees but Live with Joy

Last night before going to bed, I loaded the dishwasher and pressed start.  Just as I laid my head on the pillow, the dishwasher started to do a little alarm.  I came out to check it.  There were two codes flashing which, when interpreted by google, meant that it wasn’t draining.  I scooped, and sucked the water out with a Turkey baster.  I then cleaned the filter and restarted it.  I went back to bed and heard the same chimes.  We shut it off and decided it was a tomorrow’s problem.  So, this morning, it was today’s problem.  I drained the bottom again and Ron began his research.  He tried a couple of the tips and we pressed start again.  The now very familiar alarm went with the same two error codes.  Ron did more extensive research, and by research I mean watching YouTube videos on what the problem might be.  After careful review of the situation and one more trial and error which also meant another suctioning out of water, it was decided that the pump is done.  Ron removed it and ordered the part.  Stay tuned…this means hand washing dishes.

We had an early lunch and headed to Napanee.  A special lady in our church passed away while we were out west and her funeral was today.  Mary Esther and Bob always sit right behind mom and dad in church.  She always had a beautiful smile and would have something friendly to say.  She was a school friend of Ron’s mom.  Mom and I went to the hospital to visit her just before Ron and I left for British Columbia.  She smiled and said that she remembered Stephen when he would come to church with Donna.  I was sad to hear that I wouldn’t have any more visits with her.  Today, we celebrated her life.  

She had planned her own funeral.  Listening to the songs she chose and the scriptures to be read shows that she was ready to meet her Lord.  We mourn because we won’t see her smile and hear her encouraging words anymore.  We mourn because we will watch Bob attend church by himself but we rejoice knowing that she isn’t in pain and we will someday see her again.  

There is no guarantee of tomorrow so we should live each day with as much joy as we can.  I can almost guarantee that I probably will have to do the dishes by hand tomorrow.  I will have more joy when the dishwasher is fixed.

A Blog Worthy Day?

Today was a recovery day.  We were a little tired after traveling and dealing with a three hour time change.  Enjoying morning coffee on the front porch was feeling like we were getting back to normal.  Ron went for a bike ride while I caught up on the laundry.  

Our neighbour, Lynne and her dog Bella walked by.  Before we left, she had told us that she would water our gardens.  Lynne went the extra mile and planted new flowers.  She has an amazing garden and was sharing her talents with us. We haven’t given her what we brought back for her but we think is very appropriate.

Janie, a friend from Tweed, sent me a morning text.  She was coming through Tamworth and wanted to drop off a treat.  She makes the best tarts and I was excited to have one when she handed me her sweet treats.  She brought some tomatoes and cucumbers too.  Bacon and tomato sandwiches became our lunch.

We both had an afternoon nap and felt a little more in the Ontario time zone.

After supper we went for a little walk and stopped to have a visit with Todd.  Todd is our neighbour, my cousin and our insurance agent.  When we go away he comes daily to check on our house. As we continued around the block, Rod waved at us.  I commented on his perfect vegetable garden.  He told me to pick anything I wanted.  We have great neighbours and excellent gardeners surrounding us.

So today was a relaxed day and a reminder that we have a nice home in a great community.  We may not be catching salmon, watching for whales or looking for bears but we can still enjoy the day.  It might not be a blog worthy day but I guess I just made it one.

Oh and Ron may not be feeding his Steller’s Jay but the humming bird got new juice.