TOURIST SEASON

Barry and Ed are here ready to tackle the trails and the wood - if there is enough time.  As usual, they brought up enough food to feed an army and included in their groceries was a Cheez Wheels Pizza!!!! How did they know?  That was dinner tonite plus some donuts - very healthy!!
Ed also wanted to get a better look at my new bed - that's him on the floor checking things out.  Hope he's not there tonite when I go to bed...I be stepping on him.

THE CHENEY LAKE WATER CHRONICLES

Tuesday we were completing some spring chores like cleaning the filter on our deep well submersible pump - all went well.  Later on in the afternoon while we were taking showers, it was discovered we had no water.  A quick look at the fuses and pump switch it was decided that the pump had had the biscuit.  This was at 4pm and we had a pile of company coming on the weekend so we needed water. We called around and located one at the Home Hardware in Blind River so we decided to head out the next morning to get it.
It is amazing how much you rely on your water system and take for granted that when you turn on the tap or flush the toilet, it will work properly.  Thank goodness we had access to Stacey and Andrew's cottage where we could take showers and wash my dirty dishes.
We picked up the new pump and spent a good portion of Wednesday installing it.  Long story short, it didn't work!!!  The new $500 water pump did not work!!  We located another one in Echo Bay which I picked up first thing this morning and by 1pm this afternoon, we had water.
Our original one had lasted 16 years - the last 10 years it had run continuously so we really shouldn't complain and we are glad that it didn't happen in the middle of winter!!
And Jacques the Bass met us at the dock looking for his handout.  I fed him about 10 worms and he was happy.  And we have a loon on the lake who swam by on Wednesday in the rain.  Nice to see him again.

BUSY DAY ON CHENEY

Busy day today.  Started when we had to change the filter on our pump - no big deal.  But I had to drive the boat while he placed the pump back in the water right side up.  Of course it was a bit windy so hard to see the placement.  But eventually we got it done (later we find out there is something wrong with the pump so our project tomorrow is installing a new deep water submersible pump.)  Should be an all dayer.  Then we had a load of gravel delivered by Bruce and then later a load of Northern Gold - aka Trap Rock.  Notice how clean the truck is - Terry and Kim Ansley keep their equipment spotless.
We put a big dent in the gravel this afternoon levelling up around the garage.  Got my walk in then my weights lifting shovels full of gravel to fill the wheel barrow then Rejean dumped and levelled it.
Then we did the turtle relocation...

TURTLE RELOCATION

Look who woke up today.  I spotted him from the tractor this afternoon.  I could see something on the driveway but I first thought it was just some tire marks in the dirt but on closer inspection, it was a snapper!!  Probably just woke up from hibernation in the swampy area and crawled up to the road to head on over to the lake.  Not so fast Snippy!!!  This is not our first turtle relocation - we knew what to do.  Rejean got a tote and got him in.  He wasn't too happy but I think he was too dozy to put up much of a hissy fit.  But he did show us his tongue.  We loaded him up in the truck and let him go in a place where he can't find his way back home or to Axe or to Chub.

KIDS IN THE DUNES

 

Time for some pictures of the kids.  I realize some of the pictures I tried to blog from my trip to Abu Dhabi didn't take so I will try and fill in the blanks.  These pictures were taken on our trip into the "true" desert on the outskirts of Abu Dhabi.  The "terrifying mountain" -  the Moreeb dune stands over 300m high and has an angle of 50 degrees.  You truly were out in the middle of nowhere.
The kids just loved running around the dunes and we got to get a great picture of this camel just standing by the side of the road.  He was domesticated because you could see his front legs were roped together so he couldn't run - just roam.

GREAT LIGHT

Some great light last nite so I took some pictures - not bad!!  And we have a loon on our lake!

ANOTHER DAY

Got some outside work done yesterday - got the chairs out and washed them up and got the new ones plus the table out and ready for company.
"One little chair for one of you, and a bigger chair for 2 more to curl up in..."  Anyone remember where that quote comes from?  That was the feeling I got when I put the older chairs out by the trail to Stacey and Andrew's place.  A nice little area to sit and relax in.  Matter of fact I did enjoy part of a beer sitting there after all my work was done.