Updates: cats, electronics, deer, new well pump

Snow falls, Daisy and Dorah have taken over Sady's bed in hubby's office. Dorah was watching the birds go by. It was so cute as he head whips this way and that. This is the feeder outside the office window with black sunflower seed.

 

I liked the photos without the flash, but I was giggling at her antics. It was like a tennis match.

 

The deer

The deer are having a hard time in the deep snow. We had quite a crew on Tuesday, 17 I counted. Wednesday morning, the same thing. The crowd from neighbouring winter yards have moved in, as they do.

I spotted one buck with a small antler Tuesday, so I have another trek to do. I'll see if I can find it!

My Trailcam hasn't picked up any critters. I don't know where the coyote is. It traveled across the beginning of the wetland several times before our deep snow.

The cats are somewhat housebound. Buster and Buster II (Daisy) sit on the front deck in the sunshine, but it has been bitterly cold. The others have been happier indoors.

Annabelle

Parallel play

Kay L. asked how Annabelle is faring. She has been glommed on to me. She is easing her way into the family, but thinks she is the alpha cat. She'll spot Bambi out front, and being used to fending for herself, she'll growl at the deer. I laugh so hard.

She has taken over our bed at night. It used to be Sady, and after that the twins, Daisy & Dorah. Then Buster, until he was accidentally locked in the closet. Then Sady took over again. Now, Annabelle.


She is a mushy little girl. In the wee hours, if I'm not up in time, she'll come to me and nuzzle my face, purring and making dough. She truly isn't a barn cat, where they found her. She did have a loving mother, I'm sure. She knows to mush for food.

I'll be on the couch reading, and Annabelle will come along and snuggle, even if she isn't hungry, although, she is always hungry everytime we go into the kitchen! They are very close to playing with her, but since she was very defensive the first day, they are on guard, too. Sady is the worst, but she is ill. Buster will play with all of them. He's pretty calm.

our rental

Electronics and repairs

Our car is back from the body shop, I didn't even ask the total cost. We had a rental for a week. Since their paint machine broke they covered the cost of the extra time. Thank goodness for that. Hubby has dispatched Meals on Wheels Mon/Tu./Wed. this week. His back is hurting from the rental car.

Meantime, the snowblower is frozen. I have to get out the hairdryer and work on it. It happened last year, too.

The new well pump

Drip, drip, drop

The new pump system was leaking. I was up every three hours to bail buckets until they could come the next day.

They sent Mike, and he took care of it
 for me. The pipe had worked itself loose. All is good, I hope. I can't do the driveway, but the snow tires make all the difference.

In the meantime, the sink tap is leaking. I simply could not face it yesterday. I don't know if it is a washer or what. It has happened before and it was a loose nut. I kinda feel like a loose nut.
My client cancelled today, and I will have time to shovel the driveway, fetch wood, and do my physiotherapy exercises! Next week hubby has a colonoscopy. This will be appointment number XXXIII in this long journey.

Book Review: Crow Lake

Crow Lake
Mary Lawson

For anyone who likes cottage country, and rural life, this author draws on her experiences and knowledge of Central Ontario. I preferred the first book, Crow Lake (2002), over another, Road Ends, which I just finished.
That said, I will be getting more of hers!

The story takes place in mythical Crow Lake, but for anyone who knows Central Ontario, they say it is somewhere near New Liskeard region, near where silver was found in Cobalt, Ontario back in the day.

It takes place in the 1950s, when I was born (1956), those were different times. The narrator is looking back, as we tend to do, at her life.
I found it rich in imagery, and a terrific read. I won't outline the plot as many reviewers do, as I prefer going in blind!

This novel genre is called a Bildungsroman, a coming-of-age novel, which focuses on the young person's transition from youth to adulthood. Since joining Barrie's novel study group, I've begun to enjoy the YA genre, since several of the members are YA writers. This one is an excellent book. I almost wish I were still teaching, as this would be a terrific one to use with students. That ship has sailed! There is a study guide, which is terrific.

1. Crow Lake is a 2002 first novel written by Canadian author Mary Lawson. It won the Books in Canada First Novel Award in the same year and won the McKitterick Prize in 2003. Wikipedia

Central Ontario

Crow Lake Summary & Study Guide Description

Crow Lake Summary & Study Guide includes comprehensive information and analysis to help you understand the book. This study guide contains the following sections:

• Plot Summary
• Chapters
• Characters
• Objects/Places

• Themes
• Style
• Quotes

This detailed literature summary also contains Topics for Discussion and a Free Quiz on Crow Lake by Mary Lawson.

Lawson's Books

Crow Lake

2002

The Other Side of the Bridge

2006

Road Ends

2013

George and the Goody W...

2013

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book review blogs
@Barrie Summy

Darou barn being dismantled

Darou-McPherson farm house

This is a property that has quite the history. Perth Town Council has been discussing the Darou Farm Property, and its buildings, for years. Finally, they decided to take the barn apart and rebuild it elsewhere. Our local college, Algonquin, is using the project with their students. Algonquin does a lot of restoration work, like stone masonry. Very practical job skills.

Barn board is valuable, some businesses actually buy it up and sell it elsewhere. Many local people make products, arts and crafts, out of it. The town bought the 50 acre property back in 2004 as a buffer to the landfill site, to protect the water table, and in 2009 a consultant said the house and barn had heritage merit. The farm house is pretty uninspiring, to my mind. There is a building behind it, an addition to the house, but it is a common style around here.

farmhouse in spring

We have many fine examples of barns across the province, and the country. I wrote a post about those who recover barn materials , but many are not worth the trouble. There was a wonderful meme, Barn Charm, and falling apart barns are quite common. Now, we have Rubbish by Roan #37 , where you can see lots of old stuff!

Volunteer firefighters used the house it for practice

This building is a place where teens gather behind it, in the dark, on weekends. Without enough OPP staff to patrol, it's been a neglected source of conflict. It is quiet, south of town, and trouble can ensue. Neighbours complain.

before

after

down to the stone, lots of rotting hay

gone!

Dresses for our granddaughters!

A great new week begins. When did it get to be February?!

Izzy's dress

Josie's dress, almost done.

Trying to finish dress #2 (for Josie), my sewing machine bobbin-holder-guts fell out. I walked away from it.

I went back at it Sunday. I fixed that sucker.

All I have to do is attach the skirt to the bodice, it was 5/6 done, and the bobbin got quirky.
Also the zipper, which I forgot to buy. duH.

I hand-sewed the bodice lining over the skirt. Nothing like those straight, perfect stitches my grandmother used to do, but it will suffice! Next, I'll hem it. Isabelle's dress is ready to be fitted and hemmed.

Ottawa, 1993

We'll see them next week, and I can finish them off! These are the same patterns I bought last year. it's fun mixing and matching the sleeves, bodice, etc., and making clothes for them both. It keeps the cats entertained, as well!

I used to make dresses for my daughter, too. The last one I think I made was her grade 8 graduation ceremony dress. There simply wasn't anything suitable in the stores. She's 35 years old, now, and I still don't think they have anything suitable for tweens 20 years later!

Jan. 19

I posted some photos on iCloud, in order for Isabelle to choose her lining colour (purple or green, her fave is green) and she chose purple. Go figure. She chose pink buttons, too. She remembered that I'd promised a skirt, but I had enough material for a dress.
I put each dress in a shoe box, with the patterns, leftover materials, and such. This keep the clutter down, sort of!

Jan. 26

Daisy is such a helper

Daisy Annabelle from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.
My helpers, as I try to begin a dress project. I just have to watch the pins!

This Daisy cat has inner bigness!

Daisy Walkies Feb from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.
After our snow dump, Daisy and I went out to replace our Trailcam. She is a trooper. I offer to carry her a lot, but she is pretty stubborn and independent. It was bitterly cold, -15 C. but she wanted to go with me.

Driving Ontario's rural roads, home again

We've been doing our share of driving: we were at medical appointment #XXXII in Carleton Place Friday. That was to see the Naturopath. She's pleased with his progress. For him to have his PSA go down, albeit slightly, means that the immunity boosters and anticancer agents are working. (Or not, but we're doing something right!) She's gotten his stomach better, as well, no more anti-acid pills, now that we're narrowed down his food intolerances. What a journey!

I enjoy driving rural roads, on a good day.

Ironic, who parks beside us, after our well pump troubles!

Perth was a mess Friday morning as we hiked into the city.  Sadly, I only had time to do 3/4 on the driveway, before changing clothes and sprinting into the town. I didn't have time for a shower! (My poor physiotherapist!)

In Carleton Place, I spotted an ambulance screaming around a corner, sliding in the slush. It was bad, even after rush hour.

Bless their hearts! 

They were everywhere after 4" of snow!

Difficult grabbing a photo!
Visual distraction.

This memorial is down beside Car Canada, in Carsonby, Ontario. My first husband and I, and our 3 kids,  used to live here, on Century Rd. I've been unable to figure out who it is for. Another memorial! I feel the same about these as I do the ghost bikes. It brings back anyone's tragedy, or death in the family.

North Gower/ Carsonby old school house

Endangered species

After our event  number 3, (1. new stove, 2.  loaner car for car repairs, 3. new well system), it's been a week. We thought we'd had our three, and we'd be good. Hubby went into town to do shopping and the cash register died on him! He'd emptied all his groceries from the cart to the counter. His back has been bothering him, too. They called for help, sent all the other customers to other cashes. Finally, they gave up. The cashier ushered him to a different cash, having phoned all sorts of head office and other places. The poor man! The store was packed, at noon on a Saturday.