ALMOST DONE...

I haven't shown the tv on the wall yet so here you go.  We start the floor tomorrow.  We took delivery of all the supplies so we have no more excuses.  The next picture you see of the main floor will be the finished product.  I figure about 1 1/2 weeks it should be all done.  Let the installation begin.  We are also waiting on a sign from Joanne Nichols for over the board full of pictures.  I had a slab of walnut that I have had for years - I took it to her to etch  "Wall of Fame or Shame"on it.  It's the little things that will make the room.

AXE LAKE'S GOT SNOW

It was supposed to be a day off today but the morning found us shovelling off the roof - again.  I had the roof rake and Rejean was on the roof loosening up the stuff and shovelling it down to me.  We had a visit from Ron and then we headed over to visit John and Linda.  Talk about snow!!!  Well, you be the judge.  Keith at the Post says that this is the worst he has seen in 20 years.  Or the best.  Depends on which side of the snow drift you are on...

SQUIRREL IN A HOLE

I feed the birds and so the squirrels try and get in on the action - I actually feed them as well.  In the deep snow, they dig tunnels from one spot to another and this little guy likes to hide.  I throw the seeds down into the hole and when they are gone, he peeks out when I walk up to see if I throw him some.  And I do.  Today I had my camera ready and was trying to get him to poke his head out.  My patience was rewarded by these shots.  It's nice when they co-operate.

IT JUST KEEPS GOING AND GOING AND GOING...

This is my birthday bouquet that I received from Stacey and Andrew on February 5th!!  It is just as beautiful and fresh as it was 15 days ago.  I do change the water everyday and it is not in direct sunlight and it is cooler downstairs.  If it had come with the roses and Gerber daisies that it was supposed to have, I am sure that it would be at the dump by now.
I enjoy them everyday and I am looking forward to more days of enjoyment. Thanks again Stacey and Andrew!!

MORE SNOW PICTURES - JUST WHAT YOU WANT TO SEE

We started the day blowing more snow - we got a couple of inches of new snow last nite.  We then went over to our neighbour's and rescued her - her car was stuck in her lane way.  We had to use the tractor, blowing snow all the way to get to her.  Mission accomplished.  We then shovelled all the snow off Rick's trailer - it was deep but lucky for us, easy to remove.  Tomorrow we clear off our roof again. It has been quite a few days of non stop work.  But I am not complaining.  I love it!!

BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR...

I think the lake levels will be ok this year based on what we got last nite!!  We woke up to a ton of snow - drifts as high as my thigh in places.  The tape measure reads 16 inches and that was in a low spot on the lane way.  We started blowing at 9am and didn't finish until 2:30.  It was slow going because it was so heavy but we got it done.  I had to shovel around the wood sheds and off the veranda - several times today.  We were lucky that we only lost our power for about 1/2 hour today - Ron and Mary lost theirs this morning and it still hasn't come back on.  We are expecting more tonite.  Thank goodness for the tractor!!

See Ya Bye

WHAT A RIDE!!

It was Family Day weekend and there were free trail permits to be had.  Usually you have to purchase a permit to ride the groomed trails in this area and, because we are cheap and don't get out on our machine as often as we would like, we have never purchased one.  But the lure of a bright sunny cold day and a free trail ride beckoned so I printed out a free pass and off we went.  We went with Ron and Mary who know the trails well so we were in no danger of getting lost.  We woke up to see a temperature of -25!!!  But since the sun was shining we went anyway.  Left at 10am and were on our way to Iron Bridge and back.  I have never been on a groomed trail and once we got on one it was nice.  But it was a bumpy ride to get to one.  I was riding on the back of ours.  It was beautiful - the snow was deep and untouched except for the tracks of creatures heading everywhere.  We started getting into some big tracks and before we knew it, a huge bull elk was on the side of the trail - no more than 20 feet away!!  It wasn`t exactly startled but it did move fast to the trail and up into the bush where he stood and looked at us for a moment or two.  My camera was inside Rejean`s snow suit to keep it warm but we were so in awe of what we were seeing, I didn`t even think about it until he started to walk up the hill.  What a majestic creature!!  Ron said it must have weighed about 1000 pounds - it was the biggest one he has ever seen.  It was the biggest animal that I have been 20 feet away from - and the rack!!  About as big as the one in the picture.  And it didn`t have a collar on so it wasn`t tagged yet.  Hard to believe.  After it had wandered away, we continued our journey.  Closer to Iron Bridge we encountered lots of deer.  One in the trail ahead of us put on quite a show jumping and flicking it`s white tail.  We got home about 4:30 tired but happy with our outing. 

We may buy a pass next year (we get it half price because our machine is so old) and put it to good use.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY

Enjoy your day!!

THE ENTERTAINMENT

It is rare that I see all the red squirrels together eating in peace so when I spotted it this morning, I grabbed by camera.  Usually one is chasing another one up and down and around the tree or scuffling and yelling at each other.  I even get the evil eye when I take the food out.  And they chatter at me, too.  They think they can scare me away from their food but I don't scare that easily.  I yell right back at them and threaten to not feed them anymore. But they know that will never happen.
See Ya bye

SO MUCH FOR A QUIET EVENING

Years ago when we did the addition, we built a veranda which has a roof.  It has a steel roof to match our original roof.  When it snows and then melts, the built up snow on the original roof slides down on the veranda roof - somethings it shakes the whole house on it's way down.  Well the other nite while we were watching the news, we saw the snow slide down with a crash.  There was a lot of it as well.  And since it was supposed to be milder which would have turned that snow to ice, we decided to clean it up right then.  First we had to shovel the snow off the veranda roof which is tricky because it can be very slippery up there - you have to walk on the bolts and reach far enough with the shovel that it pushes it over the side.  I pushed as far as I could go and Rejean cleaned it up and pushed it all over the edge.  Then he got the tractor to load the snow and dumped it  over the hill.  You can't "blow" it because it is too hard. I cleaned up the side of the house while Rejean got the front.  But we got it down in a couple of hours - no work out for me as that was enough for the night.

STILL SNOWING

I don't think they were calling for this much snow today.  It has not stopped all day - a nice steady fluffy snow.  We will be blowing snow tomorrow for sure.  But I rather like it - it is a normal winter - snowy and cold. The highways are in good condition - you just have to be careful and know how to drive in it.  The other day I found myself behind a snow plow - I stayed a good distance from it because it was just in a cloud of snow and when the big logging trucks passed us, I couldn't see a thing for what seemed a long time.  I had my 4 ways on and just hoped that no one was trying to pass the truck and couldn't see me or coming up fast behind me.  But I made it.  The price you pay for living in paradise.

See Ya Bye

GOOD MORNING!!

I had to throw on a pair of boots and grab my camera to get these pictures this morning - in -20 degree weather - I was in my bathrobe - needless to say I wasn't out there long.  Every once in a while you get to see a beautiful sunset but this is the first time I have seen a sun rise this beautiful.  They say that you need a few clouds to make it truly spectacular.  In this case, they were right.

See Ya Bye

THANK YOU SPACEY AND ANDREW

Got'em and they look great downstairs.  It is cooler down there so they will last longer than up here.  I should have moved the bow around to the front - oh well.  I love them.  It's hard to get flowers delivered up here - I had to go to town to pick them up today but well worth the trip.
Thanks again!

THE PARTAY

...and what a partay it was.  The top picture is of Bob's party garage before everyone got there.  Actually John and Linda were there before us, having arrived via their snow machine as did John G and his company.  John G and his gang are in for a week and plan on doing a lot of snowmobiling in our beautiful snow.  They were racing around the lake before they came over.
Bob does have the perfect venue for all our Super Bowl and New Year's Eve parties.  It is big enough to hold all of us plus his pool table comes in handy at times as you can see from the 3rd picture down.  Just for old times sake, Linda is on the pool table - again.  As you recall from my blog a couple of years ago at an earlier Super Bowl party, Linda and I were bombed, thru no fault of our own (remember Jim and Roger?) and Linda ended up on the pool table being taken advantage of and I couldn't come to her rescue because I was just as bombed.  She is re-enacting that evening's events.
There is a picture of the birthday people.  Moi, Bob (whose birthday is the same day as mine - the 3rd - he is older than me) and Mary, whose birthday is later in the month but was celebrated yesterday.
It was a pot luck.  John G made a delicious venison chili, there was lasagna, pulled pork sandwiches, coleslaw, chicken wings, shrimp, veggies and for desert, rice krispie squares and I made cupcakes.  And you can't forget Diane's rice pudding.
AND my team won.  I was the only one cheering (other for the Ravens were a little quiet or maybe I was out cheering them - I do get loud.  I didn't win the Trading Post pool - Bob, John S, Keith and Cathy won $75 each and some other people won the $50 prizes.
It was a very good day.

ps - Keith at the Trading Post turns 60 on Saturday February 9th - just letting you know.

IT IS MY BIRTHDAY TODAY...

In terms of days and moments lived, I will never be as young as I am today so I shall spend this day, the youth of my future, in a way that deflects regret.  I will invest in myself.  I will have some fun.  I will do something important.  I will love someone extra.  In one sense I am just a kid, but a kid with enough years on her to know that everyday is priceless.
-used without permission from Victoria Moran's Younger By The Day

I am 60 years old today - when did that happen?  I only feel old in my left big toe joint.  Everything else still feels (but may not look) like I did in my 20s or 30s.  I have always said age is just a number - it is only how you feel.  I have for years let my hair turn as it wants which is getting more grey as we speak but I like it.  I can't see me going back to darker hair and I am not a blond so I am where I should be.  I am amazed when I look in the mirror and see the changes that the years have brought but that is how it should be - this is how I look at 60.  I see my Mother and my Grandmothers.  I see my Father in me as well.  I take care of myself.  I have been exercising for over 15 years and I used to walk marathons.  My mantra is If you stop, you'll drop.  So I don't.  I am active up here.  Fishing, hunting, doing the wood, up and down 17 stairs I don't know how many times a day.  You can't be inactive and live up here.  I have people that I love and who love me.  There is a lot that I am thankful for.

I am happy!!