Tuesday 13 April 2021

⛈☂Spring Break!

It is finally here. We can have some fun with the girls. No pressure, no Google Meets, no teachers. OK, except me! We're hoping to have a relaxing break with the girls. It's been a time. 

Chores

Sunday I did some chores.

We've a yellow jacket problem. I've been digging down to Timbuktu and can't find the nest. I've tried to drown them, put salt on it, sprayed a bit of Raid to protect myself. You have to dig in the dusk, when they go back into the nest, or in the morning when it is cold. It was 5 C. Sunday, I started digging, again.


Teeny tiny holes indicate the entrance.



yellow jackets from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

I went walkies with Cinnamon, Sunday, trying to see if there was a crow's nest. Nutmeg followed along.




It wasn't a quiet day, by far. This kid, on a red bike🎥, I could hear coming from a km away. Another dude went by🎥.  The crows, however, are really active. I've not heard them this much in our years here. I took the cats walkies in the back 400, just after I saw one up in the tree with a twig in its mouth. I warned the girls that they might be putting a nest in their favourite white pine climbing tree!

My favourite critter is the porcupine Apr 10 . The girls named him Henry. 


World Curling 2021

Our Grampa stayed home Sunday afternoon, since the curling was a bit of a mess with the COVID–19 scare. Prior to leaving the tournament, as well as during the tournament, all players were tested before they were allowed to fly home. I figured out that the US team's player, Chris Plys, along with 3 other men on other teams had a positive test for COVID–19 from CBC's That Curling Show, with Devin Heroux. They retested them, and they came out negative. Plys had had a vaccination. The team's National Olympic Committee fought with or lobbied Alberta Health Service, and won. They were allowed to play with masks on. The masks were pretty badly fitted. HOWEVER, TSN chose to send their film crew back to the hotel.  I figured out where to watch the delayed game on YouTube. Grampa watched the last two ends on our Chromecast (a gift from the kids at Christmas), which puts the video on the TV, while I fetched the girls!

Hostage Exchange

On the way into our hostage exchange, there were 3 OPP cars, lights flashing🎥.  It looked domestic, as I saw a woman on her phone coming from behind the house. 

We did the hostage exchange. There was another family doing the exact same thing. Then, a third family, obviously the father dropping kids off for the mother. Oh, I remember those days of single parenting!

By 5:15 Sunday night: two girls are emptying the dishwasher; they’ve chosen movies at the store (Grampa took them while I prepared dinner); roasted carrots and broccoli, and pot pie in the oven! All is well with our world.

Caitlin texted, and they were happily munching on a salad niçoise: Kalamata olives, capers, tuna, anchovies!

9 comments:

Anvilcloud said...

Have a good week.

Tom said...

...yellowjackets, ouch!

RedPat said...

I hate yellow jackets - have been stung for no reason several times.
Do love a salad nicoise.

Nancy J said...

If your yellow jackets are wasps, we destroyed a huge nest, found the hole, put some wood over the top, then eased a hose down into a tiny gap, covered that over and poured petrol in, This was all done in the darkening evening. The fumes do a very quick job, sounds cruel, but I do not like stings. Spring break, some schools and Uni have hols too. Grandson misses out as he is now in the working arena, and loves it.And we are SO old, we have a permanent holiday, but it never seems to ease up on the work load, or it just plainly takes longer. Take care with the Covid.

Lorrie said...

I hope you find the yellowjacket nest. Nasty stings they have.

Christine said...

Happy Days!

William Kendall said...

The porcupine is neat to have around the house.

Red said...

Have you got any treatments for ants?

Angie said...

Jenn - you are a brave woman to tackle that yellow jacket nest! We are starting to get warmer weather, and have been considering menu items for it. Tuna nicoise is just the ticket!!! Thanks for the inspiration!