It’s June Already Where’s the Heat

This posting is not just about the weather but maybe it deserves a comment – wow, since we got back, maybe we’ve had a few days of warmth. I guess it was all used up in February and March when it was so warm here.

We started the month off with a trip to Terri and Mark’s ‘cabin’ in New York. They use it for their skiing ventures in the winter. Anyway, it rained and was cool on the way down and we got held up by a 2 car wreck with the slippery conditions. We stopped off at the local watering hole The Gin Mill in Ellicottville for dinner.

Saturday was a little bit lazy – we went shopping in Olean – OMG there is Joann’s there and you know we had to stop and see if there was an opportunity to increase Barbie’s quilting stash. Around Home Depot too and we pick up a bunch of stuff for  some electrical projects at the cabin. Barb & I spied an outdoor rug that we just couldn’t do without – after all, we have a new deck sitting area to furnish! Back to the cabin in time to find the beer cold and inviting.

Mark and I smoke into an outdoor light moving project and what seemed like a simple task was more than that.  Anyway, besides dodging rain showers, we wired in a new outdoor outlet and installed a new light. Ok, all tied down and neat now lets test it! Bang! Holy sparks and sizzle batman, turn off the power! We have a problem Huston – we remove the wire clip and find that we had screwed right between the hot and neutral wires – what kinda luck was that! So, out with the old and in with a new piece and we did that without marking the siding! This time, no clips below the outlet and all is good. Time for a cool one and maybe a whir in the hot tub – you have to stop sometime to enjoy what’s around you.

Sunday brings a painting project for Barb & Terri and Mark & I tackle another electrical project. We were sent on an errand to buy more paint supplies but you know the story – men sent to buy and come back with less than what was asked for! The girls made do and finished the kitchen cabinets and Mark & I bungled along trying to put a motion sensor on their new light post. Finally done and the light works on test but we’ll have to wait until next time they arrive in the dark for proof that the whole idea works.

Barb started the week off not feeling 100% but pushed through anyway to work on a quilting project with 5 other quilt buds from the Plantation. They each build a row and then pass it along to the next person on their list. It sounds like they are all having fun and the work they are doing is pretty special. Everything I have seen has been beautiful. On Friday, we – yes I said we went to a local quilt show here in Ancaster. Lots of beautiful quilts were on display. Barb has a small problem with her machine so we also got a lead on a good shop for parts or repair if it’s not DIY. So Saturday, we had a ‘road trip’! Off to Hamilton for a sewing machine part or at least set up a repair time then off to my favorite electronics shop to get all the right parts to finally get our HD TV satellite working – I thought we had all the goods when we went south but could not get a good signal. I suspected the dish was the culprit and decided to wait until we arrived back to get help from these guys – they helped me on another issue and I trust them. So, first the sewing machine doctor – holy thread bare! I think I drove Barb to fabric heaven.  We ended up in what looks like Spadina St. in Toronto, the textile area of Hamilton, a fabric stop in every other store and sewing accessories in the other stores! As soon as we realized where we were, Barb’s eyes glassed over and she yelled – ‘let me at’em’! I’m kidding of course but Barb & her quilt buds would be in every store here until the sun set.

We had some strange activity here in the park this week. There has been a mass exodus of trailers from another park to here last fall and they all brought their decks with them. This was deck moving week. They would have the front end loader carry their decks to the new sites – check out the picture – it was a little funny to see them using a truck to move a shed!

I tried to fire up the HD TV dish and LNBFs but the switch (needed to spilt the signals) did not ‘see’ the LNBFs. Hummm, defective switch or bad wiring – after checking each of the 4 coax, all seemed good so it has to be the switch, now what?

We took Nate out for dinner and and to shop for a birthday gift. He is turning 7 and we did this ‘treat’ with our other grandsons. He knew what he wanted and where we needed to go to buy his ‘surprise’. Unfortunately, the store did not have exactly what he wanted so we switched to plan ‘B’ and he decided on a transformer car. It looks like a car or with a push on the rear air foil, it became a robot with weapons! Once back in the truck, we open the packaging and have a test run. There must be something wrong with the toy, neither one of us or even a 7 year old couldn’t get the weapons retracted back into the car! Uturn and back to the store but alas, that was the last one in stock so onto plan ‘C’. All shopped out and he has a new Battleship game so onto the restaurant. On our way in, I give the wait staff a heads up that we were celebrating his birthday so they could do the cake and sing thing they do. After dinner, they came out with a giant brownie and ice cream and were singing to him – the look on his face was priceless. He was smiling from ear to ear all the time he devoured his birthday dessert!

We are expecting RV friends to meet us here so stay tuned for more fun. Hope all is well where you are….