School's out for summer!

🕷Thank you for your kind sentiments regarding JB's Lyme Disease. He's still soaking 3 t-shirts a day, headaches, had a nap at 11:30 in the morning. I told him just to do what his body tells him to do. The rash under one armpit is really yucky. (What's with that?!) He's not hungry, but has to eat to take his meds. The blood tests are done, but we can't read them. I was listening to a CBC show about this White Coat Black Art, and in addition to Lyme Disease, there is anaplasmosis, which has up to 500 cases a year in areas with ticks.

🎓 In other news, Aster had her Gr. 8 graduation ceremony in Ottawa, and her report card is wonderful.  There were about 150 kids graduating Bell Middle School! Afterward they had a BBQ. Onward to gr. 9! Jo is done gr. 11 exams. Our Vancouver grandies are off to the cottage, also done school for the year.

 

💰Do you remember we were scammed by some awful people? The Fraud department phoned, and we're getting our money back ($1550). We are so happy. All in all it's been a good week, despite trials and tribulations. Patience, I keep telling myself!

🐠  We had someone in to service our A/C. We moved my fish tank to the back deck. She's a plumber, an HVAC specialist. I really like her! A strong, personable woman. It's a miracle!  We gave her $20. 

 
I have a summer project. Scrape the insides, use rubbing alcohol to clean off the old caulk. I can test it here, to see if I did a good job.

I had to move the reblooming amaryllis. 

I captured a moth and the moon in the same frame. It amuses me.

I worked hard on this garden last year, transplanting day lilies and Tiger Lilies to the garden.

I know. Needs work!

More repairs!

No bat last night. Whew! It happens once a year, usually. The juveniles need to figure out a better home!

I talked to a police officer about our stolen flag. It has been reported, at least.

Repairs: sympathetic restoration or an honest repair?

It poured rain on Wednesday. Time for indoor chores. I've been working on regrouting my fish tank. An honest repair. Cinnamon isn't much of an assistant. I've been scraping the grout out of the corners. I needed the step ladder to reach in and I'm just a few inches short. Next I'll have to use rubbing alcohol to super clean the corners.

The trees are leafing out. The blossoms are lovely. 

We're near the end of the daffodil season. The maples are leafing out.

The frog pond is greening up. 

Muskrat is still building under the dock. 

At least s/he is cleaning up some of the native phragmites. 

I repaired my pooter and caught another couple dozen lily bugs. You suck on one end, and the other end sucks in the bug.

Fred has been a hoot, gathering leaves and grass in its mouth to take into the burrow. Fred takes breaks to eat, too.

Fred in the daffies from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Fred burrow #5 from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Crumbly Acres Maintenance

 There are things to do for spring!

The snow has really melted. The winds have picked up. An oak leaf was crab-crawling down the driveway. It looked animated! 

I was rinsing out cat litter buckets for reuse. The spigot is cracked. Why didn't I bring it in? I cannot reach the indoor shutoff valve. Sad thing. 

I may have jinxed it, but the snowblower is in the shed, away for the season. 

I don't know why, but we brought this back from Bala. It belonged to my parents. It has had its day. We'll have to take it apart and find space for the pots and stuff in the garage.

Indoors, the orchid is happy.

I have had a disaster with my fish tank. It is leaking in the one side's corner. The light stopped working in February:  Percy's new aquarium light! It was a floor model and on sale, and it has served me well. All the lovely green I had (fake plants) have had the biscuit. Just fell apart. I've gone through 3 tank pumps.

I put on Gorilla Tape, I thought it was Flex Tape, but I was wrong. It kept leaking. We bought this one since it fit so nicely into the corner!

Percy and his pals have been popped into the goldfish pond outside. The tank was drained, with JB's help.

Can you see the skiff of ice on the goldfish pond?!

The next morning I checked on him and he looked quiet. I gave him some food, and left. When I came back the food was gone. Good sign!

I have time to do some research and figure out what to do. They don't make this shape any more. Most of them are a rectangle.

I had this tank in Bala, Muskoka, in 2007.

It fit so nicely into the corner. I found an interesting one, 150 lbs., thick walls (1/2"), and requires 'freight shipping' whatever that is (big $$$?). I shall pass on this one! 

The curtain was soaked where the tank leaked on it. I spread it out over the railing to dry. 

From British Columbia, here is Bernie, Jesse's Vancouver cat in his outdoor front porch cattery at their cottage.  They call him Bernie Houdini! 

Percy's new aquarium light!

We bought the fish tank and stand on sale in 2012 or so. I was gifted some goldfish a local biologist found in a ditch, and my old tank was too small. We toddled off to Kanata to the nearest pet store. This tank was on sale, and was a floor model they didn't make anymore. There are drawbacks to it, as I need to get on a chair to reach the sides at the bottom to scrub. It is tall, but hides the pump below. I'm on my 3rd pump/filter, and at least that many new bulbs! 

I took some iPhone photos of Percy. He is massive. Each side of the hexagonal tank (273 L or 60 gallons) is 40 cm (15.75") wide, Percy is almost that long. 

Percy goldfish from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

The light generated some heat. Daisy and Buster loved sleeping on top of the tank in winter. So do Nutmeg and Cinnamon. All the cats like to try fishing. 

 

The light blew up on the fishtank. It was the weirdest thing! There were three bulbs, with them replaced over the years. The one bulb fused itself to the mounting bracket.

I had to take the topper apart to get the bulb out. 

It was filthy under that silver flashing. The tank looks so strange! I removed the framework and threw it out.

All I needed was a light here. It was a bit dark for a couple of days.

I began to Google for a new light. There are big pet stores in the city, but not here. Wow, are they ever different! LED lights are bright and full spectrum.

I found this one↓ and Amazon sent it in two days. Washing the top of the tank where the light will sit, I plunked it on top. Pas de sweat!  It is compact, powerful, and does the job.

I toyed with leaving the top off, I don't need it, but it looks pretty good, more finished with the now defunct hood on top. 

Percy from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.