May 5 - anniversary

Yes, it's our anniversary. No, we didn't do anything special, we seldom/never do. I asked Sandy what she did for our anniversary -- made lasagna. What did I do ? I ate it. How's that for romantic ! The only time we really did something special was May 2006. I retired and we celebrated 25 years and we went to Bermuda.

So ... yesterday ... I went for a bike ride, heading out around noon. The weather was mostly great, partly cloudy, moderate winds from the southeast, light jacket weather. It was great to get out on my new bike. As much as I like the Hummer ... it's a Hummer.

Prior to biking, I don't remember what I did. As soon as I publish this blog, I'll remember. Oh yes, I went into town. I picked up some dock rings, an o-ring for the water filter in the shed and some chocolate pudding mix. None of these go together, obviously. The dock rings are to better secure the small floating dock to the breakwater logs. The o-ring on the water filter had broken. The pudding mix is so that I can make some chocolate fudgesicle icecream from a recipe that came with the ice-cream maker.

After biking, I replaced the broken o-ring and got the lake-water pump primed and working. It was warm enough that the four of us retired to the gazebo for drinks and snacks (Sandy, Abby and Mya joined me).

Ah yes, I remember what else I bought in town. I bought some paint stripper to test on the trim downstairs that has been painted. With any luck it will work well and I won't have to replace the few pieces of trim that have been painted ... leaving it all ready for staining. Sandy experimented with various ways of removing pine sap from chairs and deck, using some suggestions from online reading. Turpentine was probably the best on the deck. WD-40 worked well on the glass top of a table. I don't think that she tried mayonnaise ... I can't imagine covering the deck with mayonnaise. We're going to try the paint stripper as well. That might work well on the deck but it's a huge surface to work on.

The other thing that I bought ... and I'm struggling as I write this ... from the General Store ... hmmm ... oh yes, a small rolled ham for sandwiches. I knew that the GS bill was more than $2.00.

I made bread. I mixed up some spread for my snacks with my home-made cream cheese / yogurt.

Sandy did some more raking; she entertained Mya (or vice versa) ; ... I don't know what else because I wasn't here.

I had put my minnow trap into the cove at Donnie's and went over to check it. There was one small perch minnow that had stuck itself in the wire trying to get out. Useless. Obviously I have to find a good swamp in which to place the trap. I need to talk to Bob Simms ... or Jim Matthews. Fishing season starts the Saturday of Victoria Day weekend and I intend to be out there ... unless it's raining of course.

The weather forecast for Ontario NY has not changed for Saturday. I keep hoping. At this point it says 47 overnight on Friday (better than the Simcoe ride last weekend), high of 62 (about the same), showers (yucch). I heard from Pete Duesel that there will be about 10 of us -- me and 9 other idiots ... I mean keen riders.

It's sunny again, supposed to be nice today. I don't plan to go biking again until Saturday. Perhaps I'll get industrious and get on the trainer. Don't bet on it.

Yesterday I ran into a couple of black flies on 522. I saw a couple around here. They must be the scouts ... checking out the territory and going back to their friends and telling them that Spring is here. Today I imagine we'll see a few more. Today would be a good day to haul out the Bayliner from the barn, get the power washer up there since I now have the water running and clean it off from travel. Today would be good because, by the looks of things, the next few days I could simply leave it out in the rain to clean itself, without as much effect. When I get back I think that the black flies will be out and it would be more of a chore. This is probably the last day of pre-Spring that we have -- pre-Spring defined as that time before Black Flies.

All the trees are in bud, some showing more than others.

Mya went into the lake yesterday, up to her tummy, chasing her ball. Sandy said that she would let it roll down the ramp at the boathouse, get it if possible, if not she would look at it and whine ... and then Sandy would go down and retrieve it for her. Now, who would you say is learning to play "fetch"??? What's wrong with this picture ?

When we're younger, dogs keep us amused. We have the superior intellect. When we get older, we keep them amused ... obviously our intellects are in retreat !

Ok, enough prattling for today. You know, if I caught some minnows, I might go out after crappie. The water temperature is 56F ... soon they'll be biting, if not already. Perhaps, minnows or not, I should go out this evening.

Onward.