Rainy Days and Delays

The weather these days isn’t exactly helping our cause. We’re both still waiting on our landscaper to show up to lay out the new front walkway. It’s so disheartening that the rain falls almost every other day and nothing can get done. Being an optimist, I’ll continue to keep my hopes up until the end of the month, which isn’t that far off!!

In order to fill the hours in the days, Nat and I have managed to keep somewhat busy. Now that he’s joined Queenston Golf Club he’s golfing more despite his feelings of guilt leaving me home alone. I don’t suppose he’ll ever get over it, and at least I know he’s still thinking about me. His guilt also works to my advantage – he doesn’t hesitate when I tell him I’m off to the shops!! Nat and I also drove out to the Balls Falls Heritage Festival which I love attending. It was an absolute perfect fall day and my latest favourite crafter was there. She’s from Quebec and her craft is making little village homes (individually or in groups) from scraps of wood and metal.  I now own three of her little homes, along with a tree, that hang in our kitchen. They help to add that “cottage kitchen” feel. After my purchase, we walked in and out all of the exhibit tents and barns before buying my usual two candy apples, having a bite to eat at the food tents and then wandering home the back roads. All in all a lovely day.

My Little French Village

A week or so ago, Laura called and asked if we could pick up our granddaughter from college in Orillia. Her car was still needing attention and she thought it safer if we went and her ex-hubby would take Karly back in a weeks time. Of course we said yes, and when Friday arrived I packed a cooler bag full of cookies, drinks and sandwiches. As we had to leave by 3:00 pm to pick Karly up for 6:00, we decided to eat at one of the food and gas stations just north of Barrie. To save a few bucks, we decided a couple of sandwiches would do us and we’d share some french fries once we arrived at the food station. It all worked out pretty good and we were soon back on the road. It was a nice break, too, as the trip from Ridgeway to Orillia is one of the most tiresome. I had also packed a few things to keep the boredom at a minimum – magazine, iPad, needlepoint – but alas I’m not comfy with any of that while on the road. My mind keeps wandering and I’m always looking up to see where we are,  how Nat is doing and watching the world go by. Driving home in the dark is also another bug of mine as I get older, but Karly and her dog, Murphy, seemed to be doing okay – they both slept the entire way! Her dad met us at Tim Horton’s in Vineland to take Karly the rest of the way back to Fonthill, so we had a chance to see Shawn and Linda for a few minutes, something we don’t get to do much anymore since Laura and Shawn separated. Shawn was such a nice son-in-law and I like to think that we got along pretty good, so sometimes I miss the old family gatherings, but life goes on in its own illogical way and I have to make adjustments accordingly. At least he’s now in a happy relationship (or so it appears) and no nasty separation problems have occurred, so Nat and I count our blessings in that department.

After that very boring trip to Orillia, Nat and I decided to not even get in the van on Saturday. We had to go to Costco but told ourselves that Sunday would do. So, when Sunday arrived, we drove into St. Catharines with our little list of things to get – the baker (kaiser rolls), the golf shop (exchange a golf bag Nat won at the Golf Banquet) and Costco for fish and other items.

Speaking of the Golf Banquet, Nat and I didn’t really get too dressed up this year. As it was being held on Thanksgiving we were told there wouldn’t be as many attending as in other years. Once we arrived, it was quite apparent as the dinner tables laid out were far fewer than years before. We still had a great time, but never did get a dance in. The DJ wasn’t exactly playing our style of music and just the younger couples were boogying away. With fewer people, the whole ceremony was kept short, the gifts were given out fairly quickly (Nat won a nice golf bag) and the meal was served a little sooner. Everyone had a great time but most of the older members and their partners left early, including John and Ann (Nat’s brother-in-law and wife), Jim and Cathy (friends) and us. One of our two nights out a year had come to an end.