SIMPLY AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

There are honest people in the world and one of them found my camera at the Calgary airport and turned it into the Lost and Found!!! Do you believe that?  All my beautiful pictures saved.  Joanne called the airport yesterday, was on hold for 20 minutes and the woman had it right there.  Joanne or Mitch will pick it up today, put my name on it, transfer the pictures to her computer and then send it to me in the most safe and secure method possible.
It has restored my faith in humanity.
To the person responsible, thank you from the bottom of my heart.  Karma!!!
See Ya Bye

DAVE'S CLAN

Pictured from the left are Jim, Tish, Heather and Dave.  Heather and Wayne surprised Dave at the airport - he was just expecting his Mom Tish and Jim.  Dave was very happy.  Here they are just getting ready to walk back to their hotel from the condo.  They really didn't have the proper clothing to deal with the -25 temp.  Jodie and Dave supplied the appropriate garb.
Poor Stacey and Andrew - they arrived on the Wednesday nite to -25 degree weather having left Texas at +25 degree weather.   Burrrrr  It is extremely dry in Calgary - my lips and nose can attest to that.  It is nice to be back to normal.
More tomorrow...
See Ya Bye

ALL'S WELL...BUT DIDN'T END WELL

I will not dwell on the negative aspect of my trip - you will notice that there are no pictures of the beautiful bride and handsome groom on their wedding day that I was hoping to start my blog out with - that is because...I lost my camera!!!!!  With all the beautiful pictures of the wedding and festivities before and after.  I believe it was left in the Calgary airport gate when the flight was called.  I hadn't packed the camera in a suitcase because it was discovered upstairs on the kitchen table and all the suitcases were already packed and locked and being loaded into the truck so I just carried it.  At the gate I put it down with my purse and piled both Rejean's and my coat and sweater on top of it.  In the process of picking everything up, it was forgotten...I have notified the Calgary airport, Air Canada and even the Toronto airport.  All I can do now is hope that the person who found it will be honest enough to pass it on to someone at the airport and it will make it's way to the lost and found. 

BUT, what a week it was.  Joanne and Mitch met us at the Calgary airport with the above sign.  Ha Ha.  It really has been 20 years since we have been there and Mitch's family doesn't believe Joanne has a family.  And Jodie has been out there for years.  But we have been busy.  I don't think it will be another 20 years before we go back. 

The next picture is of Stacey, Jodie and Mari-lou taken at Jodie and Dave's condo.  We had the whole family together and it was a lot of fun.
We headed out to Canmore on the Friday afternoon where we all had reservations at the Banff Boundary Lodge - I highly recommend it for some amazing accommodations.  Every direction was an amazing view of the mountains and it was very comfortable.  2 bedrooms, King and queen size beds, full kitchen, 1 1/2 baths, fireplace and tv.  It was very easy to get to everything and cabs were very easy to get (and highly recommended especially during a wedding weekend!!)
There is tons more fun to report but I will leave some for tomorrow. 
See Ya Bye

ps - the photographer at the wedding was Bake Photography and she has posted on her facebook some pictures of the wedding.  If you go on facebook you can "friend" her, if that is the term, and see some of the pictures.
Meanwhile, I will be keeping my fingers crossed that my camera is turned in

WE MISSED YOU ROGER

Another successful gathering last nite - a fish fry held to get rid of fish that Kenny had in his freezer - we had some as well so there was plenty to go around.  There was bass, perch, walleye and pike.  And besides our usual cheese ritze cracker breading Rejean went on line and got a beer batter recipe that was a hit.  It was good but I prefer the cheese ritz cracker recipe.  Ron and Mary were in charge of the french fries and I made home made bread and the cole slaw and, of course, devilled eggs that went fast.  Linda made her rice krispie squares and some cupcakes and Joy brought some cupcakes as well.  Darlene made the appetizer.  We had quite the crowd.  Ron and Mary, Linda and John, Darlene and Ron, Kenny and Kenny jr, Bob, Diane, Robin and Randy and Joy and Arnold.  We had a fire going outside to keep warm as it was very cold.  Some arrived on their snow machines and took a ride on our lake - I wouldn't have wanted to be them when they left after dark.  Bob, Randy and John were the ones on the machines.
Kenny said that Roger had called and was sorry he couldn't have been here for the fish fry but I am sure there will be many more opportunities to attend another gathering.
Everyone was gone by 8:30 which is just as well as I am trying to get over my cold so I spent the rest of the night watching taped episodes of Storage Wars - my new favourite program - Yuuuup.
See Ya Bye

ps - I want to welcome my new follower - Alan.  Stick around because I will have some good fish stories to tell that you will enjoy.  The ice is safe to head out to do some ice fishing - finally.

DREAMING OF WARMER DAYS...

It was a little nippy here today - we finally have some winter weather - snow and cold.  It got me thinking about a nice warm day and kayaking down the river with Jenn and Steve in July of 2009.  Steve and Rejean were in the canoe and Jenn and I were in the kayaks.  That is the tip of my kayak you see.  As I remember it was a very enjoyable day. 
Tomorrow we are having a fish fry - Kenny had some fish that he wanted to get rid of and we are hosting the partay.  We'll have the burn barrel going out front to keep us warm.  Should be fun.  I'll take some pictures...

A DIFFERENT KIND OF TOASTER

That is Rejean's Christmas present from me.  He has always raved about the toast he used to have when he was a kid - just toasted on one side.  It is always hard to buy something for him as he has everything and needs nothing.  I just happened to remember this.  I drove to Bruce Mines to the little antique shop there - he had one but it didn't work and he didn't know when he could get one that did.  He gave it to me so I could give it to Rejean with a promise of one in the future that worked.  When we were in Windsor I mentioned this to Anne, Rejean's sister and she just happened to have one that she wasn't using but she was in the middle of renovations and didn't know where it was.  But she found it before Jenn and Steve came up and they delivered it.  Now I have 2 toasters on the counter and I admit the toast from that vintage toaster tastes pretty darn good.  
See Ya Bye

FEEDING THE JAYS

This year it seems that the Blue Jays have taken over this bird feeder.  Usually I had smaller birds feeding here and the Jays just fed on the ground.  But I guess they learned that the good stuff is in the feeder.  I have about 10 of them coming around.  All Day Long...

I pour some seeds on the ground around the feeder for the squirrel but the other day I put it over by the tree - the poor squirrel didn't know what to do.  He was running back and forth from the tree to the feeder altho he didn't have to. He was chasing the Blue Jays away from his piles at both locations.   Then the  Jays chased the squirrel away!!  It is my entertainment - doesn't take much. 
See Ya Bye

I'M HAPPY

We brought up the bar stools that we got from Stacey and Andrew and cleaned them up and placed them by the bar - I think they are perfect.  And the other end table was put in place by the side of the chair.  I enjoy sitting down there now.  In the afternoon, the sun shines thru the windows and the view is amazing.  I have always said that the best view in the house is on the ground floor.
I took one of the rugs from upstairs and placed it by the couch and it matches perfectly.  That will be one of the last things I buy - the grey one is there just for now.
Donated and second hand furniture turned out to be exactly what I wanted.  Thank you Jenn and Steve and Stacey and Andrew.
See Ya Bye

TECHNOLOGY - YOU GOTTA LOVE IT

Here I am on a Friday afternoon,  finished cleaning out my drawers and done my workout and sitting at the computer and I have access to just about anything I want.  What do I choose?  I sit and listen to Bruce Springsteen's Brilliant Disguise on UTube more than a couple of times.  There is something about that song that I enjoy .  The lyrics can be interpreted  anyway you want to but just the way he sings it - I  like it.  And the fact that I CAN do that just boggles the mind.  I am in the proverbial "middle of nowhere" and I have a computer that can connect me to anything I want.  Life sure is easy.
See Ya Bye

SPECIAL DELIVERY

Jenn and Steve arrived safely and we unloaded the trailer and put everything into the garage - then loaded my couch on Jenn's new wagon and Steve and Rejean delivered it to my door - just like Leon's.  I love my new couch - it looks great downstairs and, as a bonus, we also got the 2 end tables they had to go with the couch.  We arranged it just temporarily and it gives you an idea of how it is going to look down there.  It is facing the wrong way because in the end, it will face the wall behind it but for now it is perfect.  And the chair I worked my ass off to get from Stacey and Andrew, and the lamps plus the new couch and end tables all go perfectly - it is just what I envisioned it to look like.  Now we just have to get it finished...
See Ya Bye

SNOW

Finally we are getting some accumulation - it snowed all day yesterday and Rejean even blew snow for the first time today and he said it was so easy.  He actually had to turn the heat down in the tractor because it got too hot.  With the music on and the heat going he thought he was in heaven. 
I went for a short walk on the lake this morning just around the shore - there were tracks everywhere - mostly the foxes I think.  And squirrels. 
Jenn and Steve should be arriving around 7 this evening - it was a bad day to travel as they took the Canadian way and the weather was very poor.  They are hauling a trailer containing our donated couch and the 3 bar stools we purchased from Stacey and Andrew as well as some of their own stuff like  flooring for their bunkie.
We will be getting out the snow machine for the first time when they are here and zipping around the lake - I think they will enjoy that.  We are also planning a sauna at Joanne and Mitch's place with some snow angels in the works (I don't think Jenn is too keen on that but we will see).  I will have my camera ready just in case...
See Ya Bye

NEW YEAR'S EVE ON AXE

What a great way to bring in the New Year with friends on Axe Lake.  As usual, Davey brought tons of ribs (the first picture of only one of the roasters full of ribs and sausages) there was a lot of food - my eggs were devoured quickly and Linda's Rice Krispie Squares were d e l i c i o u s!!  It was a nice mild evening and we spent the majority of the time outside by the big bon fire.  My glow in the dark necklaces and bracelets went over well.  There was enough for everybody thank goodness.  No one was lost.  We didn't have a New Year's baby because the chosen one was passed out on the bed - these young guys can't hold their liquor!!!
The third picture down is the grate on which the ribs and sausages were cooked on.  It works very very well. 
I didn't think I would make it to midnight but I did.  Les had us count down at 11pm because he wanted to go to bed so we had a special New Year's celebration for him at 11pm.  A bunch of guys visited Bob at his house because he was sick.  This was his second time in a row that he has been sick on New Year's.  Hope he is feeling better - it just wasn't the same without him. 
We headed home at about 12:20 - we both maintained during the nite so we both could have driven home.  I certainly am glad I did because I feel pretty good today.  Rejean thinks he is coming down with something - unavoidable after coming in contact with germs from Windsor and Gorrie.  He'll take it easy today as I will too. 
How was your New Year's Eve?????

GOT WHAT I WANTED :o)

I have 5, 7, 10, 12 and 25 pound weights that I use for my workouts (I don't use the 25 pound ones - yet) and they have just been placed on the floor around my weight machine for years.  I have mentioned a few times that I needed a method to store them so they wouldn't look so messy.  Well, Canadian Tire had this on sale for $39.99 so that is what Santa brought me via the Cdn Tire store in Windsor.  Thanks Santa!!