Sep 17-19 - busier and busier

I don't know, life just seems to go by so quickly !

The 17th, Sunday, I poked away at the splitting after getting back from Mass and then David and Vanda helped me get it all piled; Jason and Kim took their share.  We've done well; 5-6 face cords of elm, maple and birch.  The toughest splitting was the base of the yellow birch, very wet inside and knotty; then the elm and of course maple and white birch splits easily.  Jim's splitter was up to the task and the Harbor Freight sub $99 motor hummed away.  I had wondered why it would occasionally spontaneously shut down but have now figured out that as the gas tank gets low, that's what happens.  It's like a warning system.  ha.

David and Vanda left after dinner and were home in about 2.5 hours; not bad from here to Stayner.

While they were here we checked out the Ariens snowblower and it needs a replacement belt for the fan/auger drive.  At Christmas last year it had refused to run as the belt was slipping.  Without ice and without resistance, it runs. 

On the 18th, Monday, Jason, Lorraine & Kim left sometime in the a.m.  The three of us (including Cassie) went to Parry Sound grocery shopping (a little), picking up wine (one case of 6) and, mostly, getting to the TD bank.  I was due some money out of the Randonneurs Ontario account and since it was more than I could transfer with e-transfers (would have taken several and a couple of weeks) it was easier to simply hand them two Access Cards and move the money.  It was also cheaper for RO as each transfer costs $1.50 ... yes, I know, it cost us in gas but it was a rainy day excuse for a run down the road.

On the 19th, we ran UP the road.  We figured out that Kathy Brouse and Liz Overduin were going to be in the French River area for their home to Manitoulin to home ride.  I left messages on both of their cell phones and Kathy called me back.  They weren't getting quite as far as French River, instead staying at the Beasejour Inn in Alban.  We joined them for dinner and had a few laughs.  The company was better than the food ... Cassie came along as well, quite happy to be on the ride; happy to greet the ladies and then await our pleasure in the car.

It was about 40 minutes to Alban.  On the way north, we took 64.  On the way south, we drove 607 which is the way that they'll be riding today.  That was my Manitoulin 1000k route. 

Earlier that day Pat and I took down another couple of trees that we cut up for firewood.  I only filled my little trailer and split those pieces once home.  We also took down 4 or 5 dead pines, dropping them back into the bush.  The ants have been really busy.  We toured the road and marked a couple more that need to be taken down before they end up on the road blocking the snowplow or a driver in a panic.  That's about all that are in imminent danger if we had heavy wet snow or an ice storm.  Pat will take down a pair of small yellow birch that are overhanging the road; if available, I'll give him a hand.  In the next few days I will take down the dead maple close to the top of Jason's driveway.  That's it.

Today ... bike ride if the weather holds.

Onward !