May 17 - the surge

While I was waiting to meet up with others for the road tour, I tackled installation of the whole house surge protectors.  It actually didn't take long.  I put one on the bottom half of the electrical panel, which would kick in for any major event while we are live on utility power and the other on the generator portion.  While on utility power they could both trigger and while the generator is running, only the upper. 

I had a spare breaker at the bottom -- the range 40amp breaker -- so that worked nicely.  We have gas so that's unused.  The top didn't have a spare breaker so I doubled up with the well pump, not quite as effective but better than nothing.  The top half has every slot filled and I'd have to examine the circuits to see which could share.  There's one obvious -- the furnace and the hrv/hot water are separate breakers which isn't necessary.  I'd have to find another pair to combine to free up two slots to make it a two-pole but there was nothing that jumped out at me. 

... and then I headed out to the road tour, an annual even for the Lost Channel Local Roads Board, checking the roads and deciding where to put our money.  This year that's mostly going to be Lost Channel Road, which is a real mess of crumbling stone chipping and heaving clay. 

Cassie was good while I was gone for a couple of hours; I'd put up the gate keeping her in the kitchen area.  I didn't want to take any chances.  As the day wore on, we played fetch outside several times, went for a boat ride and chatted with Art at his dock, and that's about it.

Sandy went into Sudbury with a car load of recyclables, returning mostly with edibles.  We had pickerel for dinner -- yummy -- with asparagus.  We have fiddleheads in the fridge for tonight, a real treat because the season is so short.

We just finished the second bottle of ok red wine from the cellar; a bottle of white wasn't as good.  I'm sure that one of the reds - a Bordeaux - wasn't as good as it would have been, no way.  Time will tell.  Such a shame.

I completed the Canadian Census online.  We got the long form but my input stopped at no-one-resident-here.  I'm expecting a phone call soon as they follow-up.  I've been through this before; they insist on counting you by default.  We shall see.

It was 34F when I got up. It's hard to get out for a ride when it's like that.  The only good news is that the black flies don't like it that cold, so early morning outdoor activities are the name of the game.  I do plan to get out today once it warms up.

Yes, the black flies are in evidence.  They are gathering in clouds but not biting yet.  Cassie is a good barometer - no bites on her tummy, they're just being annoying.  I don't think that's going to last long.

What else ... not much.   Onward !