2019 beginning to end

December 23, 2019

For the last few of you who actually read my posts...of which there Have been pathetically few this year, here is an update.

January, we had a fairly cold month and not much going on. I was doing some general research for a company out of Tobermory...mostly at home - reading and scanning documents. In the spring we decided that we were not going back up to Tobermory...Rick's boss had decided to hire his daughter instead, so there was no point in me going back if he wasn't working.
We found what we thought would be ideal jobs...a boat tour company closer to home on the Sauble River...was not to be...the hours  were few and far between and it was not a very lucrative venture for the  owners. Rick enjoyed driving the tour boat, and I was in the ticket booth but it just didn't give us enough.  In the fall we found other jobs. I am currently working in a nursing home as a resident services worker...LOVE IT!  And Rick is installing for Shaw...he hates it...piece work covering hundreds of miles a day and no pay for  driving. He will be looking for something else.

Last February,  Rick had bladder surgery to remove some small tumours. We didn't say anything because we didn't want to alarm those who were far away.  He will be having the same surgery in January ...two more small ones, but the doctor assured him that these ones are not cancerous, but it means he will be off work for about 5 weeks.

I am having cataract surgery on January 16..yay! which means I will be able to see better and hopefully be able to enjoy picking up my paint brushes again. I can still see to sew and write but its just too frustrating to focus on colour and detail.  Luckily for my job, eagle-eye vision is not a requirement.

So the most excitement ...fun...we had this year was going to the Robbie Burns dinner last February; Rick trying to learn the bagpipes and going to the Fergus Festival for the 2nd time and meeting new Erwins/Irwins. My sister and her husband moved back to Ontario  and we became great- again. Rick's nephew in BC had beautiful twins and my nephew in Ontario had a gorgeous little girl.

Also the completion of the new galley in the boat!! It is truly an awesome piece of carpentry and he  did a fantastic job! This winter project is building the fridge and installing it this summer.

spare room in the apartment

Some other excitement [not the good kind] was watching Quentin struggle with his first year of college and deciding to postpone it for  awhile. He's now working at Tim Horton's in Owen Sound and just bought his first car.  He loves working the cash, and is okay with the rest of it. He struggles with the up selling.."Would you like a donut with that?"... because he doesn't drink coffee or eat donuts! LOL

So here are some pics from the year... and have a Merry Christmas and a safe and peaceful New Year!!

Great drawers for all the dishes and drop downs at the bottom for tray lids etc

New sink from Ikea [restore actually] and new counter tops

New flooring- vinyl that looks wood grain - everybody has this stuff now!

I'm in  my Erwin tartan and he's in his Wilson tartan  [paternal grandmother]

Quentin's new [old]car  2005 Honda Civic

our apartment living room...uh oh..I'm really liking this

January 2019

Happy New Year..mine starts today!

Good morning! I haven't been posting lately for several reasons...

1] my keyboard is making me crazy..I'm not the best typist but some of my keys are getting ornery and I spend as much time inserting missing letters as typing the words;

2] most of the time my computer is on, I am working on the research project or my boss. It's an interesting 'search and find' combing through documents and putting an order to them...right up my alley!!!

And 3] you all are having so much fun and adventures and what we're doing is pretty boring.

However, today is the first day of my new year, and as soon as I can get over this little bout of pneumonia, we are heading back to "boat and body works", preparing ourselves so the doctor will let us "out" when it's time.

Rick went to the Toronto boat show this week and got some really positive advice on the frig construction; we have torn out the galley again and found a lovely bright Arborite to replace the cool, sexy but useless black counter. Man repairs like rudders dodgers and bimini will have to wait until warmer weather or at least until I start poking him with a bigger stick.

I notice that some of you have missed the snow and cold as much as we did and are enjoying a real winter [Brent and Mary] and I see you posts and think I could do that...20 years ago!

They say age is only a number, and I believe it, but every time I see my doctor he tells me I am in really good shape...for my age. Whaaaaat?!?!?

We are going to Robbie Burns night with Rick's new friends- the McLaren Pipe Band next weekend. Love those pipes and drums!!!

Today we are all going to a Park restaurant for our birthday lunch with Liz Geoff and the kids.

Happy Winter!