Oct 7 - busy busy

We retirees have action-packed days. Although my visit with Jim was cancelled due to him having an asthma attack, I still managed to fill the day.

First, I did some raking up where we dropped the tree, making a pile of the small sticks, sawdust and leaves and burning that. While that was smoking, Jason and Lorraine and Chili came visiting and we chatted for a bit. The sun was out, a perfect Fall day.

Sandy had already left for Parry Sound, w/o those work boots. I still haven't decided but not deciding will eventually become THE decision if they sit around here long enough. I was, however, wearing the work shoes that I'd bought in 2005 and didn't find comfortable then, but did find comfortable now ... not sure why that is. At this time I have steel-toes-a-plenty.

Next I made a run to the dump, getting rid of two garbage cans of accumulated stuff from the barn and garage, a bag of household garbage and a dozen empty paint cans (remember the staining job ?). I used the 4-wheeler for that trip.

Then I got organized to go for a bike ride and did. I cut that short to 50 miles, rather than my usual 70, turning around at the highway 69 bridge over Still River (Britt). There was a ton of traffic going north and, notably, the Key River bridge was back to 2 lanes. They've still got work to do but I guess they wanted to minimize jam-ups for this heavily trafficked weekend. I worked hard nonetheless, pushing harder than normal to make up for my shortened route.

I cut the ride short for two reasons -- lack of time and already worked-over legs from the wood piling, million stairs up and down, from the day before.

Home, showered, I head into town to pick up some light bulbs, mail, David's Migratory Game Bird Permit (he couldn't find a post office in Barrie that wasn't out of them), and gas. I did the usual, putting the large bin in the back of the X5 and filling three jerry cans. The only trouble with this approach is getting the cans out of the bin. I parked at the garage at home, which is facing uphill, and lifting a 5 gallon can of gas from shoulder height with arms extended is not an easy feat. I found a solution, however, bringing out the small stepstool and thus lifting from waist height, a normal feat.

Then ... called Tom/Susan who were by then home from the funeral that they'd attended, and boated down to their place to pick up our fresh, fresh turkey. Sandy and Abby came along for the ride. Of course, before that, I'd had to gas up the Whaler which would have never made it that far, let alone back.

Then ... back home, now around 6pm, Jason and Lorraine came over and we snacked and chatted and had a beer / glass of wine. As is sometimes typical after several crackers and some cheese, Sandy and I looked at each other afterwards -- "you hungry ?" "No, you?" ... and she had two slices of raisin bread and I made myself a salad.

The day was done.

Today ... have to get organized so that when David arrives everything is ready for hunting. I've got Mass beforehand. I'll put the decoys in the boat and get out the guns, shells, perhaps do a test fire to break the peace. It won't be peaceful here tomorrow because David wants to shoot some clay pigeons. I haven't used the skeet thrower since before we built the gazebo, since at least the year before we tore down the old cottage, so that would be 2004 or earlier. I'm sure that it still works but I'll have to find some firm footing for it.

Onward ...