It's about time.

Many of you can relate to Working long hours at your career. Raising your families. Buying a home and paying all the bills related to being homeowners and parents. We're now retired and don't need all that work and expense. Now "It's about time" and what we do to follow our dreams.

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Tuesday, June 30, 2015

Quick Chore and Anniversary Celebration.

Our Location today is Tecumseh, Ontario, Canada.

All Rv’ers know what it’s like to have lack of sleep due to the anticipation of being on the road. We all refer to it as a Pretravel Night. That was what I experienced last night but we weren’t going anywhere. I finally just got out of bed at 7:00 and managed to clear the top of our new countertop of our appliances before we had our breakfast at 8:00.
At 9:00 there was an expected knock on the apartment door as Dan the building’s maintenance man arrived to mud the wall where the old countertop had cause some damage when it was removed. His visit was less than five minutes but he’ll have to return again to finish the job. 
An Eyebrow Home. Note the upper windows under the canopy. 
Since the Weather Network had forecasted a severe thunderstorm warning for our area around dinner time this evening Kathy and I chose to go out for lunch. We’d had a taste for Fish and Chips at the Michigan Diner on Manning Road as we were celebrating our 14th Wedding Anniversary

After enjoying our meal which didn’t help our diet we needed to get some walking in. Having been to Walmart too many times lately we went to the Devonshire Mall. We were in search of specific gift ideas and managed to find a few. As we were walking past the movie theater we noticed that the movie San Andreas was playing. It wasn’t planned but we both enjoyed the movie and gave it two thumbs up. If this doesn’t win multiple Academy awards something is definitely wrong. 

It was past 6:30 when the movie ended so we ate at Taco Bell in the food court.  We enjoyed our special day with the one we love the most. Thanks for following along and feel free to leave a comment. Be Safe and Enjoy!

It’s about time.

These pictures were
taken in Key West.


Krackers

What do you call an overweight alien?


An extra-cholesterol.

Monday, June 29, 2015

Purging and Planning.

Our Location today is Tecumseh, Ontario, Canada.

Sleeping with the windows ajar last night seemed to be just what we needed to get a solid night’s sleep. With that much fresh air we even slept past 8:00 this morning. The sun was shining and the birds were singing so it was a perfect day weather wise. The Weather Network however is showing that we will continue having below average temperatures for our area. 

After having breakfast and getting caught up on our reading Kathy started going through our file cabinet. This is a yearly ritual where the past tax returns and purchase receipts that are no longer needed get cleared out. Since there is personal information I will later run it through our paper shredder as a security measure. I sorted the laundry and managed to get it started before lunchtime. 

Kathy took a break from the files and went through the fridge and recreated the leftovers that she found into a delicious pork stir fry for our lunch. By the time we finished our meal it was time to go fold the laundry. 

Every year Kathy tries to plan thing for us to do while we’re down in Florida. This afternoon alone she managed to plan two day trips and to start researching a trip for us to take next summer. Just like her gift shopping she doesn’t like to leave any planning for the last minute. 

I grilled a couple of Salmon fillets on the Weber to go with the salad Kathy made for our supper. The temp was supposed to be 75 F (24 C) but with the cool breeze that was blowing it surely didn’t feel that warm. 

Tomorrow is a special day for us so we’ll let you know how it turns out. Thanks for following along and feel free to leave a comment. Be Safe and Enjoy!

It’s about time.

Tonight's pictures taken
by Kathy on our recent
trip to North Carolina.


Krackers

You Might Be a Redneck If

You have a lava lamp over five feet tall.

Sunday, June 28, 2015

Phone Calls and In-Store Visiting.

Our Location today is Tecumseh, Ontario, Canada.

We both managed to get a full night’s sleep that left us well rested. Kathy’s congestion cleared enough for her to breath with no difficulty. Having tried the suggestion given in the comments by Merikay and using a couple of pinches of salt the severe leg cramps that I had been experiencing for days mysteriously went away. Shortly after 8:00 we were both up and admiring the sun filled sky with not a drop of rain in sight. The breeze was light and the temperature more like a fall morning. 

After enjoying pancakes for breakfast we resumed our morning at the computers. Shortly after 10:00 I spoke with our son Gary and grandson Haigan wishing him a belated Happy Birthday and telling him his gift should be there on Monday. I’d tried calling on Friday his birthday but couldn’t get an answer. We’ll get a better chance to visit when we see them in Welland for the August long weekend. 

With lunch finished we headed to Walmart to get some indoor walking in. Kathy prefers walking in an Air Conditioned atmosphere due to her allergies. Even though the only thing we walked out with were a few groceries to tied us over into next week we did a lot of up close window shopping and wrote down a number of ideas for Cxxxxxxxs gifts. While we were in the process of doing that we ran into my friend since grade one Gary and his wife Jacqueline. The last time we spoke was early last December before we all headed south for the winter. We compared notes of places we stayed and things we did while away. We spent over a half hour talking right there in the store before making plans to meet again. 

Back at the apartment I called Verizon in order to suspend our MiFi service until we head back to the US. If seems every time I talk to one of their representatives Verizon changes their rules. Last year I was told the service could be suspended up to 180 days in a year. Today I was informed that is not a calendar year but a year from today. Now I will go through the same Bull in 38 days. What a Flim Flam operation! 
This picture taken a week ago shows the Gazebo that
was destroyed by the high winds we had yesterday.
When Kathy spoke with our daughter Karen this evening she told us the high winds that we experienced yesterday had completely destroyed the Gazebo on their side deck. Their back yard is flooded as well. Thanks for following along and feel free to leave a comment. Be Safe and Enjoy!

It’s about time.

First three pictures
taken in the Keys
this past March. 


Krackers

The World's Great Proverbs

You can't teach an old dog new tricks.

Saturday, June 27, 2015

Wet Windy Outing.

Our Location today is Tecumseh, Ontario, Canada.

After surviving another Tylenol night we were awake by 8:00 this morning. Kathy managed to have less congestion so she managed to have a slightly better night’s sleep. We didn’t have to worry about the sun today because we wouldn’t see it through the heavy rain and wind & clouds that filled the sky. 

While the rain acted like a pressure washer on the vehicles outside this morning we chose to read our E-mails and morning blogs. One of my E-mails was the comment left by Merikay MacKenna regarding the severe leg cramps that I have been experiencing. After reading her comment Kathy used the suggestion to start doing her own research. Now I’ve always prided myself on consuming as little sodium in my diet as possible but that in itself could be the cause of not only the leg cramps but another problem I’m experiencing. I’ll definitely be adding a bit more but not a lot of sodium to my diet. Thank You Merikay! 
This is a five hour tour pertaining to the Prohibition Days.
After lunch we donned our raincoats and headed out for an afternoon of activity. I told Kathy to wait by the door so she wouldn’t get so wet. As I cleared the building’s door recess I was being pushed by the thirty mile per hour winds that were gusting to fifty coming from the north-east. It almost felt like I was being lifted from the ground. 
Kathy with a new friend.
Our destination was the Windsor 50 + Expo being held at the Roseland Golf Course. We have attended this at other locations in the past and were surprised to see it taking place here. Admission was only a dollar apiece but it allowed us to see some things that we didn’t know were available in the area. There were a number of craft vendors in attendance but the majority of them were businesses that took care of the needs of the aging population. There were Senior Living Facilities, Companies that dealt with the newest in Hearing Aides, a company that had everything from mobility assistance to CPAP equipment. Others were there to show case services they performed in the community and even more trying to get seniors involved in the community by volunteering for a number of worthy causes. 
St. John's Ambulance Therapy Dog Services.
I did manage to meet a couple of people that I had worked with at one time or another. I ran into Randy who I had served on a number of committees with at the local. I also ran into Sam who I had worked with in the trades for the short time I had worked in an engine plant. He was there helping his daughter Freda with her booth of hand crafted soaps in the craft area. 

We had planned on stopping at the grocery store for a few things we were running low on but the way the wind was hitting the car which is very aerodynamic we decided to wait until tomorrow. When we looked at the Weather Network they had a warning for heavy rain with possible flooding for our area which is something we have never seen around here. 
It rained so hard the wipers were having a hard time to keep up.
The rain is supposed to continue through the night but hopefully it will clear up tomorrow. Thanks for following along and feel free to leave a comment. Be Safe and Enjoy!

It’s about time.


Krackers

You Might Be a Redneck If

You named your truck.

Friday, June 26, 2015

Medical Day.

Our Location today is Tecumseh, Ontario, Canada.

Last night I developed unbelievable leg cramps that required the use of Extra Strength Tylenol to ease the pain not once but twice throughout the night. For Kathy she woke up having difficulty to breath due to congestion. Even wearing her CPAP mask wasn’t enough so she slept most of the night in the recliner in the living room.
Our symptoms had us taking frequent rests throughout the day as well as using over the counter meds in an attempt to feel human once again. Kathy made use of the slow cooker so we’d have a filling meal for supper. We hope to feel better tomorrow. Thanks for following along and feel free to leave a comment. Be Safe and Enjoy!

It’s about time.


Krackers

What is the fastest thing in water?


A motor pike!

Thursday, June 25, 2015

Making It Right.

Our Location today is Tecumseh, Ontario, Canada.


After posting the blog last night I took the time to add a special date on to the calendar that I made for Kathy. The reason I made that type of calendar was so that she wouldn’t miss any of those dates but since it wasn’t on there we would be scrambling to make it right. So with another night that included deep sleep helped the both of us to wake up feeling refreshed. Watching the Weather Network while we had breakfast showed that we are in store for cooler than average temperatures for our area. We took the time it required to drink our coffees at the computers before heading out the door. 

Our trip to Walmart was quick and precise. Making the predetermine purchases we used the table at the in-store McDonalds to add some information. By 10:30 it had been dropped off at the Post Office before we headed home. 

We spent the majority of the day doing downloads from online. With the wind blowing just enough to stir the dust and dirt in the parking lot there was no way I could accomplish what I needed under the truck today. Hopefully after the heavy rains we’re expecting for tomorrow the dirt will wash down the storm drains. Thanks for following along and feel free to leave a comment. Be Safe and Enjoy!

It’s about time.

Pictures taken while
Zip-Lining in May in
North Carolina.



Krackers

Office Jokes, Quotes, and Anecdotes

Workplace canary: The person lowest on the hierarchy of your workplace, who is most likely the first one dismissed during a layoff. Other workers will use the workplace canary as a sign of an impending layoff.

urbandictionary.com

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

Research and Matthew’s Birthday.

Our Location today is Tecumseh, Ontario, Canada.

Even after a full day in recovery mode yesterday we still managed to sleep sound last night. In fact we slept in this morning. We never used to take this long to recover. When our kids were growing up we used to outlast them. Surely it should be the same with the grandchildren. I guess not! 
Matthew with his mom Melissa.
After we put the kitchen partially back together Kathy was still busy doing some cleaning before she started making soup for lunch. I busied myself downloading a number of articles that we both wanted to save. At least saving them on the computer we aren’t wasting paper and we’re not tripping over piles of paper that we’d eventually recycle before remembering to read them. 
Only some of the snacks Melissa had made for our visit.
I did manage to replace the defective lid handle on our Weber Q this afternoon right before I fired it up to grill a couple of All-Beef hotdogs for our supper. We had been given a heads up to have a light supper. 
Melissa and Matthew reading their cards.
After leaving the apartment we made a quick stop at the trailer. We’d bought some Birthday Balloons that needed inflating and instead of either of us passing out trying to blow them up I planned to use the pump we use for inflating our Sea-Eagle Kayak. It took only minutes to do and neither of us had a headache from doing it. 
Matthew with his Peanut-Butter cups.
Wednesday evenings is the night we have our weekly visits with our son Kevin and daughter-in-law Melissa. However today was even more special by the fact that it was also our grandson Matthew’s 13th birthday. Look out world another teenager! He had a good day at school and had a friend over after supper. He also enjoyed the gift we gave him. 
Someone else dropped in unexpectedly for a snack.
Many years we have celebrated his birthday and Melissa’s birthday which is only a couple days away gets ignored. This year Kathy and I decided it couldn’t be ignored any further and since we stopped giving birthday gifts to our children years ago we thought of doing something special. In yesterday’s post I mentioned that Kathy was busy baking cookies. They just happened to be Melissa’s favorites and she truly appreciated them. 
All too soon he had to run.
Obviously since we were there to celebrate at least one special day Melissa had made up some veggie trays and other light snacks for us to nibble on. With light snacks like that we didn’t need to eat supper. As usual we had a host of things to talk about that we all had fun discussing. 
We enjoyed a beautiful sunset on our way home.
When we got home I noticed a date that I had forgotten to add to the calendar that I made for Kathy. So now after we do some scrambling to fix that mistake I also have to fix the calendars. Thanks for following along and feel free to leave a comment. Be Safe and Enjoy!

It’s about time.


Krackers

Where do snowmen go to dance?


A snow ball.

Tuesday, June 23, 2015

More Frustrations and More Accomplishments.

Our Location today is Tecumseh, Ontario, Canada.

With the sounds of thunder booming loud enough to wake me around 1:00 this morning I thought for sure that Kathy would be awake for the rest of the night. I was up by 8:00 this morning and had most of my morning reading completed by the time Kathy rolled out of bed. Luckily because of all the restless nights of sleep that she had been having lately she was so tired that she slept like a rock last night. That meant she didn’t hear the storm at all. On the Weather Channel there were reports of heavy storm damage that was caused not only in our area but in most of southern Ontario. 
After sending an E-mail to Rand McNally about the incorrect shipping label I found a new one this morning inside my Inbox. After attaching it on the parcel we waited until after lunch to go drop it off at the UPS depot. Imagine how I felt when I arrived at 1:30 to find out that their hours for receiving parcels was between 7:00 to 11:00 in the morning and 3:00 to 7:00 in the afternoon.


Kathy and I went walking at Walmart for some exercise. There I ran into Steve a Millwright that I used to work with. He finally managed to retire this last May. Glad he could get out while he is still healthy. Later I ran into Glen an old friend that had disappeared from sight for a few years. I hardly recognized him as he’d lost over a hundred pounds. Continuing our walk around the store we managed to scratch a few more things off of our Cxxxxxxxs list and we also wrote down ideas for other things that we’ll pick up at a later date. 

Back at the UPS depot I had to fill in a two page shipping report before they would send it out because it was being shipped Internationally. I never have all these problems with the other shipping companies. 

At the apartment we worked together to recreate leftovers from the fridge for supper. Kathy spent some time making some cookies after supper and tomorrow will be a lot busier than today ended up being. Thanks for following along and feel free to leave a comment. Be Safe and Enjoy!

It’s about time.

Tonight's pictures taken at 
The Biltmore Estate in 
North Carolina by Kathy
at the end of May.


Krackers

You Might Be a Redneck If

You have more TV channels than dollars in the bank.

Monday, June 22, 2015

Apartment Reno and Graduation.

Our Location today is Tecumseh, Ontario, Canada.

Last night when we got home from our grandson Matthew’s soccer game we found a note in our door from management informing us they intended to come into our apartment today to conduct preauthorized repairs. The only repairs we could think about were that they were finally going to replace our deteriorating kitchen countertop. They also promised to do it while we were away to North Carolina and the fact that this would be on a Monday we weren’t holding our breath. 
Our galley kitchen with its old countertop.
We were both up around 8:00 and after having our breakfast Kathy suggested we clean the countertop off just in case. The worst that could happen was that it wouldn’t get done until tomorrow. The appointed time came and went and by 10:30 I told Kathy they weren’t coming today but I was still hoping. At 10:39 there was a knock on the door and Dan the apartment building handyman was there. He’d had a quick fix job that had to be done and he was finally here to do our job. 
I'm holding the new sink down while Dan fastens from underneath.
It didn’t take long to shut the water and disconnect the drain. Then the job of finding the hidden screws holding the countertop was a little trickier. After a few quick measurements I helped him lift the old countertop off and maneuver it out to the hallway. 
Greg, Tyler and Karen.
Kathy, Tyler and Myself.
Tyler with his sister Kylla.
After lunch Dan laid the new countertop in place and I held it down while he power screwed it from below. A job like that you should have two people to do it but the building only allows for one person. Using the template for the new sink he cut the opening right in our apartment. Kathy will be busy cleaning all the sawdust that filled the kitchen. Again I leaned down on the sink while he fastened it down. Using a shop-vac Dan cleaned most of the sawdust and called it a day around 3:00 after making the kitchen once again functional. He will return to seal it to the wall tomorrow.
Students entering the room.
Tyler (Center) 
Tyler taking part in ceremony.
By 3:30 we were both changed and on our way to our daughter Karen’s to pick up Tyler to bring him to St. Anne’s High School where his Elementary School Graduation Ceremony was being held. We took a number of pictures at the house before leaving. Karen and Greg had to go pick up his parents Ray and Rose to drive out to the ceremony. When we arrived at the school Tyler had to go with his classmates while Kathy and I had the job of saving chairs for the rest of the group. There was lots of seating in bleachers but our old backs need chairs to support them.
Tyler receiving his diploma.
Tyler with his diploma.
There were a lot of awards but the special one was
"The Mickey Renaud Award".
The graduation ceremony didn’t start until 5:30 and it took over two hours for all the speeches and awards to be complete. That fact that there were 103 children graduating also added to the time. After more pictures Kathy and I headed out to get something to eat for supper. Through miscommunication we hadn’t eaten + the fact our kitchen was a mess so we stopped at A&W for a chicken/bacon wrap.
Tyler with sister Ashley
Grandma Rose, Tyler and Granddad Ray.
Tomorrow we have a few errands to do but I might actually get some work done on my to-do list to get ready for our summer travels. Thanks for following along and feel free to leave a comment. Be Safe and Enjoy!

It’s about time.


Krackers

Witty Words of Wisdom

The only truly consistent people are dead.

Sunday, June 21, 2015

A Big Switch and A Soccer Game.

Our Location today is Tecumseh, Ontario, Canada.

Since this was Father’s Day and we really didn’t have anything planned I slept soundly but was awake and checking the Weather Network on the television by 8:00 this morning. All the stress involved in making the cakes on Friday had taken its toll on Kathy and she managed to sleep an additional hour. 
Notice Christmas wrap on Tyler's graduation gifts.
Once breakfast was finished we headed to the computers but I managed to get a couple of important phone calls made before I started my morning reading. The first was to our son Gary who lives in Welland to wish him a Happy Father’s Day as well as setting up a date for Kathy and I to visit with his family during the summer. The next call was to wish my uncle Bob a Happy Father’s Day. Unfortunately I ended up leaving a message on the phone machine because they were out. I was told that by my aunt Anna when she called me back during our late lunch. 
Sanford looking for his gift.
Later this afternoon Kathy and I returned to Karen’s to give Tyler his Graduation gift. The gift we gave him was initially intended to be a Christmas Gift and was already wrapped for such but it is something he can use now. So when you see Tyler opening a gift wrapped in Graduation paper for Christmas you know the reason why. Tyler loved his graduation gift and we got extra hugs for that. 
Our grandson Matthew just before his soccer game.
I also received a Father’s Day Card from Karen which contained a giftcard for Swiss Chalet. After we left Karen’s we went there for supper thinking we could use a coupon plus the giftcard but the coupon isn’t valid until the 29th of this month. Instead we each had a half rack of ribs that came with a chicken leg and thigh. There was so much meat on the ribs alone and fries piled high on the plate we each saved the piece of chicken and half the fries for a meal tomorrow. 
Matthew (Blue #4) blocking a pass.
We barely had time to stop at the apartment to drop off our doggie boxes and grab the other camera before driving across town to the Old Ford Test Track which was donated to the city of Windsor and was transformed into a multi use sports field. We had been told to be there for 6:15 but that was the time for the players to practice. Our grandson Matthew was there to play soccer. When the game started it looked like most of the players were dragging an anchor. Considering the last two weeks the games have been cancelled due to the threat of severe weather that did materialize most of the players were looking to be out of shape. The teams were fairly evenly matched and near the end of the final period the opposing team scored the winning goal for a final score of 6 to 5. 
Matthew blocking the shot from the corner.

Matthew just having fun.
Tomorrow we’ll have just enough time to get a few things done before we have another celebration to attend. Thanks for following along and feel free to leave a comment. Be Safe and Enjoy!

It’s about time.


Krackers

You Might Be a Redneck If

You have to mow around a refrigerator and a bed frame.