More froggies, decor, shopping

 

Last week was warm, then it turned cold. I thought my frogging was done! We've an Alberta Clipper on its way, so more snow, perhaps.

🐸Moving the frogs 

You can see how shaded the goldfish pond get with the end of summer solstice during most of the day. The poor frogs sought shelter in the pond in August, when the wetland dried up. The wetland is now deeper, and filled with November rains. The goldfish pond is frozen over, again! There is a skiff of snow on top of the ice.

I managed to find 7 more frogs in the goldfish pond Friday, Nov. 26th. I captured them, they are pretty slow and sleepy, especially the upside down ones. I popped them into the frogpond, right off the dock, as the ice had melted. I just hope they dive down and get into the warm mud. At least I don't have to fish their dead bodies out in spring! My grand total is 64 frogs moved.

Indoors, we are finding as much light as we can. Caitlin gave me this snowglobe and it refracts the light from our Christmas tree!

Joseph Brian has been having some more fun.

I drove him into town for cat food and drugs. At the drugstore, I waited while JB went in. I noticed a woman in a car beside me whose one headlight was out. She had a baby with her. I told her about it and she thanked me. That was my good deed for the day!

JB is the shopper, and I stay in the car, as I get stressed! The vet still has door-to-car service. They bring out a mobile machine, as well as the cat food, right to the car.

I did an online food order, which we picked up on Thursday. I spotted a young man, I think twice! He had a red mask on the back of his head. It was -5 C., at this point, he didn't look too warm.

The woman who brought our groceries said that there are shortages in cat food. Crikey. We buy cheaper wet food and get the dry from the vet.

Also, Kellogg's products as the workers are on strike. I sure don't blame them. The disparity between CEO compensation and front line workers widens. 

Kellogg's CEO salary & benefits

CEOs typically have huge salaries: "CEO compensation has grown 940% since 1978" and it always shocks me. The CEO-to-employee pay ratios are staggering. Capitalism at its worst. Why are the rich so selfish? Greed? Why, if you were born with a silver spoon in your mouth, would you deny basic needs to employees: healthcare, sick leave, a living wage? Not only that, but they want a two-tier wage for employees. They want to reduce vacation time, and cost of living allowances. In 2020, Kellogg's profits were $1.76 BILLION. 

Groceries & other excitement

 Funny story! 

I did a pick-up grocery order for JB on Wednesday night. With his arm issues, it saves him a lot of work. I reserved the 9:30 – 10:00 timeslot. Thursday morning JB set off for his walk. The phone was low on juice, so he kept it off whilst walking. The thought occurred to me that I didn't get an order confirmation. I went back to the website, and thought about it. There were items in my cart. I knew we had a problem.

I phoned Debbie at the store, as she was filling someone else's order. I asked if the order had gone through and she said no. SIGH. I told her the issue with the phone, and that if JB turned up just tell him I screwed up! JB phoned me before going to the store, which was a good thing. I told him it was off. He's going for a nice cup of coffee! I went walkies.

I went back to the order online, and they were full the rest of Thursday, so I booked 9:30 – 10 for Friday. After I thought about it, I realized I had a haircut booked for 9 a.m., but I cannot change the pickup time now. Good thing I have short hair!

I don't even remember what plants this is. I think pumpkin, but since they nibble on it, and there is no fruit to inspect...I give up!

We still have cherry tomatoes, but it was 5˚ C. this morning, so it won't be long before frost.

Time to work on indoor plants. My terrarium is just wild. The plants are escaping confinement. The one has lovely little purple flowers. I've been trimming them, as they overflow, but their roots are large.

🐻SNUGGLE Bears

They are reading about Sable Island!

Butch in the forest  

The chickadees were taunting Cinnamon, who was up a tree! chickadees & Cinnamon  

 

We went shopping!

 Yes, we went out shopping together for the first time since February 2020. I was at the Garden Centre in May [Out shopping with anxiety...], but went alone. We are both double-vaxxed and feel confident that stores are doing their part and enforcing masks. Off we went. 

We didn't preorder, or do mail order. It was good to go for a drive, with a purpose and a goal. I spotted a doe at the side of the road, as well as a buck. They are still growing their antlers for mating season in the fall. 

Also in the wetlands, several great blue herons!

This place had a fire awhile ago. He has rebuilt, though.

We were headed to Westport. Last time we drove through here, they were redoing the asphalt. 

Out the window, you can see the smoke from the Northern Ontario fires. Fires are terrible in British Columbia, as well as Greenville, California📹; Turkey; Greece; Italy. It is just awful what we've done to the planet. 

Someone was having a tree taken down. That's always a relief as fall storms approach.

I decided to try Village Green for a salt grinder. No luck, although JB bought himself a couple of inexpensive hardcover books. The town, as well as the store, was really busy. People were quite happy to shop, though. All wearing masks, and cheerfully squeezing past one another in the store. I was surrounded by primarily white upper middle class shoppers. It was surreal!

JB fetched himself a sorbet ice cream, while I popped into two clothing stores. They were much less busy, but didn't have anything that excited me. 

We tried another store, Rosie Yumski's Fine Foods, and I had success. A new spoon rest, the salt grinder (the old one was broken), and a spatula. Now, the spatula is for applying cream medicines. I learned that from my massage therapist. That way you don't have the smell of Rub A535 on your hands all day!

My thigh and bursitis were really bad, just taking a step up into the stores pulled my quad muscles. I figured it was time to go home. That was enough for our first venture shopping.

Our shopping done, home again! JB asked if I wanted to go for a walk on Foley Mountain [I had the best day ever!], but my bursitis was really bad. I wanted to go home and stretch it as the pain was referring down my leg.

Maybe our new driveway needs lines like this! JB met one of his friends in town, who commented on the new driveway. He said it looked just like the 401 highway!

Here is a nice rock for Rock Girl! I miss the great rocks of central and northern Ontario.

Another hunt camp for sale!

We've so much bog and wetland, providing habitat for critters. It's lovely driving by, except they are going down, as this week and last have been and will be hot in the daytime.

Merkley Rd. is a nice drive, if you don't meet the deranged tourists, or tourist-like people speeding by on narrow roads!

Hay!

We weren't sure about this stuff!

We went along Long Lake Rd., just for posterity. We used to live on Long Lake in Bala.

We were tired, just the emotional stress. I don't know how store owners, staff, and healthcare workers, for example, manage it. I was anxious just shopping. We are worried about a fall wave of COVID, once the kids are back in school. We shall see what happens.

I made us a Patak's chicken stir fry.  Nutmeg snuggled after dinner.