Junior Optimists

 Two wheelbarrow loads of weeds wheeled 300 yards to the compost pile, replaced by four bags of mulch (only 100 yards each for those two trips) and just like magic we have recovered another 20 feet of garden.

But I can't wait for that mower to be returned!

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Today's highlight was an inaugural meeting of what will be a Junior Optimist Club.

Five very enthusiastic high schoolers attended our first session.  Others couldn't make it due to transportation, so our next meeting will be a hybrid including virtual attendance.

Three of us Optimist members have volunteered to be mentors to the group.  I'm looking forward to it!

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And the day ends with a Blue Jays victory.  About time!

Stay well.

Winter Warmth

 Today is the 34th anniversary of Al and Liz (and yes Ron King, when you compare our once or twice a week coping with Al at golf, it does make Liz look like a Saint!).  

Enjoy your day you two.  Love you both!

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Took the van in to have the wheels balanced today.  The new tires weren't quite in sync.  Need to have everything working well since Mardi and I leave, with Matt and Maureen, for Myrtle Beach next weekend.

Don't know if the golf clubs will be in sync by then.  They're harder to get in sync than wheels for sure.

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The Blue Jays blew another lead and lost their fifth game in a row.

But, all was not lost.  While watching the game, Mardi completed her 24th toque of the year.  

They'll be delivered to the food bank before the cold weather starts so the people who need them won't have to shiver so much this winter.  Well done Mardi!

Stay well folks.

I Love This Bar

 Birthday wishes today go out to Sue's mom, Sarah Ruscinski, who is celebrating birthday number 92!  Well done!

And also to Jill Parker, who is a babe in arms in comparison!  Have a good day ladies!

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Just showed up for a token visit at the greenhouse today.  I busted the mower somehow yesterday and it will have to go back to John Deere for surgical repair.

So, I changed a wheel that had a flat tire on my trailer wagon and cleaned off the work bench.  First time we've seen the surface in months!

Maybe tomorrow I'll break out a wheelbarrow and get back to weeding.  We'll see.

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Dinner tonight with Liz and Al at Teddy's.

A great visit, and we enjoyed Teddy's theme song, "I Love This Bar" by Toby Keith.

We got winners
We got losers
Chain-smokers and boozers
We got yuppies
We got bikers
We got thirsty hitchhikers
And the girls next door dress up like movie stars
Hmmm, hmmm, hmmm, hmmm, hmmm, I love this bar

We got cowboys
We got truckers
Broken-hearted fools and suckers
And we got hustlers
We got fighters
Early-birds and all-nighters
And the veterans talk about their battle scars
Hmmm, hmmm, hmmm, hmmm, hmmm, I love this bar

I love this bar
It's my kind of place
Just walkin' through the front door
Puts a big smile on my face
It ain't too far
Come as you are
Hmmm, hmmm, hmmm, hmmm, hmmm, I love this bar

I've seen short skirts
We've got high-techs
Blue-collared boys and rednecks
And we got lovers
Lots of lookers
I've even seen dancing girls and hookers
And we like to drink our beer from a mason jar
Hmmm, hmmm, hmmm, hmmm, hmmm, I love this bar
(Yes I do)

I like my truck
I like my truck
And I like my girlfriend
I like my girlfriend
I like to take her out to dinner
I like a movie now and then

But I love this bar
It's my kind of place
Just toein' around the dance floor
Puts a big smile on my face
No cover charge
Come as you are
Hmmm, hmmm, hmmm, hmmm, hmmm, I love this bar
Hmmm, hmmm, hmmm, hmmm, hmmm, I just love this old bar

They don't play it every night, but if you show up at 6 p.m. you might get to enjoy hearing the crowd join in.

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Stay well.

Have a Beer?

 Had dinner with grandson Kyle last night.  A great visit.  Sorry, no pictures - maybe next time.

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But, I do have this picture.

A young man and lady were posing for pictures beside the Mum field with their pretty BMW.  As you can see on the front fender, the car looked green or purple, depending on the light.  Fascinating!

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Mardi's son Greg asked her to buy a bouquet for the funeral of Jane Hicks' mother.  Greg and Angela are good friends of Jane.

So, I asked Henry, the Trillium Hill florist, to put something together.  He did a good job.

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It looks like golf tomorrow is going to be lost due to rain.

Barry, recently sent out this bit of wisdom.  How about "If you're rained out, you get to have a beer to wipe away the disappointment"?

Blue Jays lost again today.  What's new?

Stay well.

Health

 No post yesterday, so I couldn't acknowledge Ron Leach's birthday.  Sorry Ron.  Hope you had a great day.

But, today is Calvin's birthday and we celebrated on the golf course.

Matt made up a very nice card, which Calvin is reading as he savours one of Mardi's Moose Turds.  (At age 75, Calvin is 29 years younger than his mother.  Keep on keeping on Calvin!)

We played a scramble format today.  Ended up with a 76, only 13 strokes worse than the winners.  Oh well.

It was the closing banquet for our Dofasco league.  Nice chicken, roast potato and green bean meal.  Saw some of my old friends from the Big D.  Nice.

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The U.S. has just been graded with the worst health care of the wealthy nations, despite spending more than any of the others on health care (read insurance).

I've been on a waiting list for a couple of months for my carpel tunnel operation, with no sign of a date yet.  Nevertheless, I love our system - it is the main reason that we live five years longer on average than our southern neighbours.

But you can bet that the Republican folks will never see the wisdom of going to a universal system.  So, just the rich who can afford insurance will be looked after.  Sad.

P.S. With trips upcoming to the states, Mardi and I have just renewed our annual travel health insurance.  Expensive peace of mind.

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Stay well.

Sarah-Jean R.N.

 I now have two nurses in my life.  Sarah-Jean has passed her final nursing test.  Well done!

Life's next chapter is about to begin!  Enjoy!!

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With the heavy heat today I decided to just stick to watering and riding the mower.  Tomorrow I'll have to face up to digging and weeding again.

Not much else to write about.  Thankfully, Sarah-Jean made the news.

Stay well.

Trees and Trains

 Did my minor annual pruning surgery on a Pine tree that is close to the driveway to keep it from obstructing traffic......cut off a couple more branches after this picture was taken............

.....and then recovered another 15 feet of garden edging.  Slow but sure wins the race, or loses due to winter weather.  We'll see how that turns out.

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While I was doing that, David's friend Dave Hincks was setting up a photo shoot with his ReMax folks.  

Later, they'll use the Mums to dress up their locations.

 

Hopefully, Trillium Hill will get a plug in their advertising!

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And, while all of that was going on, David, Malcolm and Ewen were pouring a new pad for the hot tub.

The excess cement was used to make some new sign posts (in the background) for the garden centre.  Waste not, want not.

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Tonight we enjoyed spaghetti dinner with Kathryn and Anna.  Then, we "let" Kathryn win at Mexican Train.  A nice evening.

Stay well folks.