Friends

 While out and about this morning I saw Rose Strecker.  Had a couple of minutes to chat and get up-to-date.  One more friend met face to face (actually mask to mask).

Rose says that Ed's hip replacement, previously delayed due to Covid, is now rescheduled for April 5.  Rose, I'm still on board to drive Ed to therapy when you're tied up.  I'd love to give him a hard time when he can't fight back!

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Our Tuesday guys' golf group, now that MontHill has gone private, will instead be playing on Mondays at Cambridge.  Just got notice that the league will start on May 2.  That seems a long time away!

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The weather forecast looks better over the next three days, so I'll be back at the greenhouse tomorrow.

Stay well.

Reload

I asked Jim about his reference to The Flying Nun and this was his response:   When she won the Academy Award for Norma Rae and when she got to the stage to accept she was overwhelmed, and tearfully stammered “You like me, you really like me”.

And yes, I guess a version of that is what I felt!  When you have been babbling daily for a couple of years about stuff that's floating around in your head you start to wonder if the audience is still there.  Your responses were surprising and gratifying and I really appreciate them.

So we will continue.  Now that my computer is fixed I'll revert to creating this on blogger and then copy it to email so that the pictures will show up in the right place and won't use up too much of your capacity.  Thanks again!

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Back in December we rented our underground parking spot to another resident for the winter.  Just two days later we had to renege on that agreement when Mardi got sick and the government recommended against travel.

We were somewhat embarrassed by that situation, so when we later decided to head to Florida for a month we contacted the gentleman and offered the space for free as our apology.  Today he showed up at our door with........

Nice!  If the wine matches the beauty of the bottle it will be a real treat!  We'll definitely give him first dibs next year.

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Today we had dinner with Al and Liz at Teddy's in Grimsby, one of their favourite fine dining establishments.

The title on the picture behind us says it all!

It was really nice to get together with old friends once again.  We intend to do more of this to regain contact with family and friends.

The visit with Al and Liz reminded us that Al had given us a copy of a book that was put together from his mother Eva's diary called Saskatunes and Gopher Tales.  I looked up a couple of sayings that were included in the opening pages.

Her mom's: If you can't write it and sign it, don't say it.

Here dad's: It is easier to do a job right than explain why you didn't.

Good lessons still today.

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Stay well.

It's Time

Mardi and I had lunch with A.J. and Reggie (Michelle is buried in tax work) and then spent the rest of the day watching golf.

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Now for the main topic.  I started the blog as a way of staying connected to family and friends during Covid.  During the winters when we were trapped inside it helped me to retain my remaining sanity.

It was originally sent out on dorsalsdiary, but I was asked to send it in email form for easy access for the readers.  The downside of that is that those of you who have tired of it still had to deal with it.

I have almost quit the email option a couple of times, but then events came along that kept me occupied again.  However, in the last month, with the Ukraine war dominating the news, it has been harder to get my head around frivolous items.  Humour doesn't seem as appropriate as it once did.  And I don't want to be talking about the war - you get that nonstop on the news.  

As the threat of Covid wains and we are able to mix and mingle again, the need for this connection has diminished and I am assuming that more of you have reached the point of boredom with the emails.  

So, while I will still use dorsalsdiary as a vehicle to share my thoughts, the email version is going to stop.  Thank you for riding along and putting up with me for these past months.

Continue to stay well.

No News

 Spent some time today watching the Players' Championship.  Seeing those guys try to golf in 30 to 40 mph winds makes me feel better about my game!

Stay well.

Has winter ended?

 Took Mardi to the greenhouse to retrieve her car.  It was charged up and started OK so I've definitely lost my parking spot.

The Easter Lilies are starting to mature.  When they get to this stage they're sent to a cooler to pause their growth until just before Easter.

While I was at the greenhouse I finished shoveling the stones off the paved driveway.  Ended up with two wagon loads of stones which I dumped to fill potholes in the gravel part of the driveway.   Then it started to snow so I called it a day (just a half hour day but who's counting?).

Then it was off to Mr. Lube to switch the wheels and get new wiper blades.

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OK.  We got Mardi's car out of winter storage and put my summer tires on just as a snowstorm hit.  Could be worse - we could be golfing in the Player's Championship where it is taking three days to complete one round.

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Stay well.

Progress

 Doubled my work day today - two hours!  Raked stones off the grass, swept the stones on the pavement into piles, shovelled some stones into the wagon.  Tomorrow I'll clean up the rest of the mess and start to add mulch to the gardens along the driveway.

David is opening the Garden Centre on the 17th.  I want things to be neat and tidy by then.

The last half of the month of March and the first few days of April will be a bit chaotic in the Garden Centre.  Some Easter Lilies will still be in the way.

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Tonight we attended our first normal Optimist meeting in two years!  In the interim, a popular and energetic President was taken from us suddenly.  Fortunately, Paula DeAngelis, an equally popular and energetic person, has taken over as President.  We're in good hands!

Past President John Lawrence is our bartender.  He somehow manages to fill the shot glass right to the brim.  I asked him how he measures so well.

Our guest speaker told us about Comfort Bears.  These are given to children battling terminal illness or trauma.

The Club, and some of us individually, have donated to support the cause.  Twenty dollars to www.comfortbears.ca will provide a child with a friend during their time of stress.

But, what I really want to ask you to support is our upcoming Ham Roll, which will be held on Friday, April 8th.  Last year the circles were $3 each or 7 for $20.  This year it's even better: $3 each or 8 for $20.  Actually, 4 for $10 also works.

This year the event won't have to be held over the internet.  You can show up live at the hall.  Please let me know if you would like to support our efforts.

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Speaking of Optimism, we have already booked Florida for next year.  We'll be at the Orange Lake, West Village resort from Sunday, January 1 through to Thursday, March 2.  Feels good to look that far ahead!

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Have a thought for the Ukrainian heroes.  Stay well.

FREEDOM!

Today I'm returning to the process of putting things together on Blogger and then copying it to email.  That way the pictures appear within the story and they don't overload receiving computers.

Mardi and I did a bunch of errands today and also spent about an hour at the greenhouse.  She pinched off some Million Bells that will be planted in hanging baskets.  (Monica, you can see that your Boston Fern baskets are coming along overhead).

 I went into the soggy corn field next door and retrieved baskets and plastic sheets that had blown over from the greenhouse in the wind.

I also started to rake the stones off the grass that had been dumped there when David plowed the driveway.

Only worked an hour before my old body told me it had had enough.  I'll get back in shape soon.  Got a bunch more to do.

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Filled the van with gas.  Only $99.28!  Spent about the same amount on groceries.  Boy, it felt good to get outside again!

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And in other news.

Amen to that!

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Till tomorrow.  Stay well.