Home renovations

 Rural life, for us, is wonderful. However... faithful readers know we are working on a new vanity topper and sink for the old bathroom. The previous owners did some good work on the house. The sink is just worn out. All crackly and wrinkly. Just like me!

Oct. 26th Home Renos

The new sink, top mount, is here, as well as the new tap. Finally, our bespoke vanity top arrived. It was a journey. Rona is trying a new delivery system. The poor men began in Gloucester, and were delayed with Ottawa construction. Head office of the delivery team phoned at 5:30 from Mississauga, stating that they wouldn't make the 5 - 8 p.m. anticipated delivery time. Uh oh! I warned the dispatcher that we have a 100m driveway, and it was dark. 

At that point I decided it was teeth and jammies time. We put on all our spotlights and hoped for the best. I could hear the truck around 8:45. I felt so badly for the driver. The two men were cheery, despite the dark. I forgot about it and couldn't turn it off in the moment. They'd had a long, long day since 8 a.m.

I apologized for the dark, and the alarm. Offering them coffee or something, he said they were fine, they'd popped into Timmy Ho's. Sadly, the alarm was on, and I'd forgotten!

vanity delivery from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Next job was to phone Rona back, and let them know we need an installer.  We arranged to have the topper made speaking with Tom. It was Charles who arranged for the delivery. Next, we have to speak to Paul, who will book us in to install the sink, topper, new tap and drain. 

This is the mock up. We shall see how this goes. 

 

🐦 In the meantime, the heater plug came out of the extension cord on the bird bath. I noticed it as I went outside to put out garbage. It hasn't been that cold until now. Eventually I will switch it out when they aren't really bathing anymore. I used duct tape to attach it to the extension cord.

 

frozen bird bath from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Skies, leaves, and forest walk

 Bathroom reno update Oct. 2

The pieces have arrived for the new sink. All we need is the counter to be delivered. And an installer. Installers are hard to find, especially in October, hunting season. We could be waiting months. Meantime, the hot water tap still leaks.

🚴 I featured Josephine yesterday. Now it is Isabelle's turn! She had a weekend camp with her Pathfinder's group, and they did archery. She texted me to say she enjoyed it so much she was going to take lessons. 

Izzy posted a wonderful video of herself riding on her bike to school, with her cup of tea in the new cup holder her momma bought for her. It made me giggle. I hope it makes you giggle, too!

Izzy's bike ride from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

☔ In anticipation of the upcoming storm, I blew leaves off the driveway with my lawn tractor. The sunrise told me I was glad I did. I've been reading about people NOT mulching and raking leaves off gardens. I certainly leave them on the garden, as there are quite a few critters that shelter under the leaves over winter. I try to mulch the driveway, however, before the critters begin to hibernate. 

We still have dragonflies as of Thursday!

"Ribbonsnakes hibernate underground in animal burrows or rock outcroppings." They are a species of 'special concern,' due to wetland habitat loss. Thankfully, 9 of our 16 acres is wetland. They must be heading for their winter burrows, and staying nearby. Apparently experts on iNaturalist say it is a northern ribbon snake, not eastern as I thought. 

That is 3 I've seen last week. Can you spot it?

Leaves were blown off the driveway, no snakes were harmed. The leaves are so slippery on the driveway when wet, and impossible to remove.

While I was doing the leaves, I tried to capture a drive-by shooting. There were two bees on the wild aster. You'll have to trust me!

The storm wasn't what they'd predicted, 30 mm or so they'd warned. Our total over the two days was 13 mm. We cooled down Saturday night. Percy seems relatively happy in the tank. I assured him it was going to get cold. They warned of snow in Northern Ontario. We shall see!

Percy gets excited when he sees us. He wags his tail, hoping for food. I have to clean the tank. After thanksgiving, which this weekend!

Percy & Joseph from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Charlie spider & Susie snake

 🕷️Just for fun, Charlie was on the move. I was worried about her. Her 🕸️ web was damaged, and she disappeared from above the hanging tomato planter. I spotted her above the steps!

It was a tricky spot to navigate. This is what iPhotos says she is: Araneus.

I didn't think that a good spot↑. She was right over the step and on the metal, having trouble negotiating it. I was able to just reach her with the bug catcher, and move her to the tree frog ledge up in the corner. (Installed by the previous home owners, I might add!)  She didn't like it, and moved to above the door.

She was still there, Sat., Sept. 23, and this morning. 

It is a busy spot, the front deck. My Mother's day hanging basket is still doing well. There was a moth beside it. 

Joseph Brian is doing morning walkies outside, around the house, and was looking for a replacement battery for the stop watch↓. He visited several stores in town, but none had it. One young man in a hardware store asked if he had a computer at home. Then, he asked if Joe had heard of Amazon. What a little turd! 

The wooly bear caterpillars are looking for winter shelter. There were several on the driveway.

I was looking at more dead trees I have to chop up and move off the path near the shed. I found a snake. Now, it could be a black snake, but I think it was a more aggressive water snake as it tried to attack me several times. It's difficult to snap a photo when you are laughing. 

It would coil up and launch itself at me. Bold little thing, uncomfortable on land methinks. It'll be looking for winter shelter, as well.

This is our new little aspen grove at the back of the property. It is coming along nicely. The previous owners kept mowing this area, but I've been leaving it. 

The house, from the back 40, nestled in the sunshine.

We sat out with Cinnamon and Nutmeg. They didn't go far. 

I thought I'd had my last rose, but another is budding! Yay!

 

I'm still working on 🍁Fall chores, as well as trying to plan a new 🏡 bathroom sink. I created a page to ponder my options.

 Google knows! I was doing my morning Waffle puzzle, and look what came up. Items on my Rona wish list.