Mistake is our Lake

 the guys removed the interlock brick and dug out the limestone screenings. Then it rained ...... rained ....

you get it. Well, there is a lake < L. Mistake > that formed in the pit. I believe that I've seen boats out there making their way across the ' pond '.

We deemed today ' do not have to cook ' Day. Thus, we brought in ' Two Can Dine ' meal from Kentucky Fried Rat or KFC. 3 pcs of chicken and 3 chicken tenders and fries for $ 9.99 < 2 can dine for 9.99 - for the rhyme >. Almost perfect for this house. I also order a gravy and microwave ' corn and peas ' as a side. Actually better than anything else at KFR.
I previously, told the story, Right ? The fishing guys always reminded you when you ordered KFC  ' about the guy that found a mouse - deep fried in his bucket of KFC '. Urban legend ? 
However, we always check for tails on our chicken

Drippy, Soggy

 autumnal day. Stay by the fire glued to the telly.

" pay your coin to the witcher " sings the bard. Yes, I'm watching the Netflix series, season 2 ' Witcher ' Action, blood, witchcraft and evil people - what more could you ask for - hee, hee

Sad. Right. " Let it be " from the Beatles

Thus, version # 4 of ' more apples than dough ' cake. Quite pophlar around this house. Relatively low calories, loads of fruit and little sugar are a positive combination
Hey, kinda looks good as well.

Friday ....

 and here's the picture. We are in an Indian Summer. Most days are running above seasonal w/ the rain < typical for now >. The trend is set to continue a little longer. A ' horseshoe shaped ' jet stream bulge is sending cold air N  of us leaving the Grt Lks in warmer air S of the bulge.

The furnace is on b/c nights are cool, say 40 - 50 F. As well, we are running a oil filled electric space heater in the living room where we live < approx 80 % of waking hours > 

In the vein of more pictures, see below the advertisement logo for a restuarant that we ' used to ' enjoy in St Pete Bch

Beer is a good deal and the food respectible.
However, lately, I am finding good buys on lager. But not Labatts Blue, tho'

And lunch was fish and chips from Duckworth s - a Scarborough legend. Actually, in Toronto but only East end stores are still open

Well. ' the Sun did come out

 tomorrow ' as per the song

OR today. Bright and light and spirits soar. Along w/ the mercury - which will be double yesterday

coffee in hand and whacking away on the keyboard. And celebration 12 yrs that the Dell Studio 17 in laptop has been clicking along. Let s see.

The system in the Dell has been given Windows updates < paid for and free >. The system has been wiped twice. In fact, as at now, the laptop is bare bones considering that its running Windows platform w/ Chrome OS overlayed. There must be a constant struggle between the two. Microsoft Edge or whatever its called now vs Chrome.

And the battery has died and been removed, now leaving the laptop plugged in is the only option. Now. there were warnings that leaving the laptop plugged in all day has deleterious effects on the battery. However, the battery lasted 12 yrs and that is a loooong time for a battery.

BTW, if someone unplugs the Dell by accident while its on - baaad things will happen

Run around day. Dim sum lunch. Trip to drop off an outboard < not mine > for repair. A Costco journey for opthalmic products + 2 pork shoulders < really good price > and Cranberry Crunch cereal < just because ! I guess >

Gloomy Start

followed by brilliant sun w/ cool breezes

As chauffeur, there was a dentist run. While M was being cleaned and flossed, I went shopping and managed to buy lunch at ' Yummy Cantonese ' which is across the way from the dentist 

Long Range from Brett Anderson at Accuweather :

OC 27 - NO 2   mild for the lower Grt Lks

NO 3 - 9           mild for lower Grt Lks

NO 10 - 16       wetter for lower Grt Lks

Precipitation

in the Big Smoke or 

Hogtown or 

the six < as coined by Drake for the T.O. area >

Today, I drive to the Q to retrieve my Tilley hat. The neighbour confirmed that the hat is on the second hook in the hall. Thus, a round trip for a hat. 

BUT if not today, the next time someone is scheduled for the Q is Xmas. YES - thats 2 months

I MISS THE HAT - MY HEAD GOT WET all day yesterday

So there !

I'm back w/  hat. Left at 6:30AM < couldn't sleep > and returned by 12:35. The drive up was awash in roadwash < not spray > and half light. The return trip was better but still roadwash was an issue.

" It s a Rainy Day in

 Georgia ...." goes the song
" sometimes I think its raining all over the world "

like Scarberia, its termed a light rain by CBC weather. Sure seems like rain period.

Thus, work around the house is ' OFF ' b/c the workmen removing interlock < and replacing it w/ grass > under the bay window didn't show.

Well, I've got errands. A trip to Home Depot produced a ' I settle for this ' purchase. I needed a replacement aerator for the faucet in the upstairs bathroom. For $ 7, they sell you the faucet end and aerator. The faucet end is silver and the fitting is bronze. Yepper, I had to buy the whole thing for the aerator thingy.
However, for winter, we needed a new coir mat on our porch to scrape off winter sludge before you step into the house. Approx. $ 30 on line. At the Depot, $ 12.50.

OK. I might have come out ahead -  a bit.

BTW, yesterday afternoon was ' lets re - invent the wheel ' time. The dresser drawers slumped in again. Yes, the ones that I worked on last  week -lousy repair.
This time round, I tried a new work around. Might be long term - who knows ?

Sunday Comes Once a Week

 like today. We have gloomy days coming til Wednesday w/ chance of rain daily.

On the pain front, arm is a discomfort and I can live w/ it. The positive side is that the massage chair brings relief. Why ? 
Dunno. Muscle, nerve or ligament was traumatized

 I was ' tagged 'on FB and went to see 

It was a video on towing trailers < ??????? >

However, one click and FB did past entries :

{{OMG .... Wow .... dynamic $ 20 ticket and dinner And Vienna Teng was

...... was , well , phantasmagoraful. Greatest value that I ever got for an entertainment dollar ( or 20 ).

" and the angels sang ......... " James Taylor from ' Copperline ' , he must have been at a Vienna Teng performance , as well. }}

I'm guessing that I enjoyed the performance by Vienna Teng, American singer, songwriter, keyboardist, raconteur and producer

Got baking, again, ' more apples than ... ' I used granny smith and added sugar to compensate. Turned out moist etc.

As well, I discovered my hat isn't home w/ me. Oh, no.

I hope that I left it up at the QMH. Please ! otherwise --- Dunno

My aching upper arm responds somewhat to para + and soreness cream BUT also the massage chair.

Neat. Non - medicinal is always better.

Whoa ! Nellie

 left upper arm is sore - aching all night

I took a para + 

Rubbed some soreness cream in

And hrs later decided to chance an Ibuprofen as well

I am a walking chemist s dream

However, I still have shoulder < see, outlook, thats the key ! > I decided to move and do. Pain is there and work got done.

Thus, we'll celebrate and

venerate the last bass of the year < ???? > most likely

1 / 2 Day Busy

 back to the Q

I put mouse bait in the boat to critter-ridder the bottom inside                                                                       < P.S. there was no bait left last year in the spring >

It was ' Otonabee ' buffet for the mice in the boathouse.

We screened the gutters, tarped the boat and puttered inside and out

Pizza for lunch and home

All in a day s work, ma'am

Busy Day

 we went fishing on Wed OC 20 . or

sat in the boat, mainly which is good too
I got one smallmouth to hit and even managed to get it to the boat - but someone else needed to net the big boy

Wind gradually kicked up and became a nuisance. We found some crappie < a few and not enough > ( never enough -' to quote Johns Hopkins fan section " we want more "

Yes, the boat is asleep. I changed out the lower gear case oil. Is there a prayer of thanks for your boat. 13 yrs old and she ran a charm. As I was finishing up stowing gear,  I was outside on the lower deck AND the other gray Stratos on the lake / river was going by at slow ..... you see ' I never see myself in the boat ' thus this was neat 

This photo is version 1 < F took a bunch and forwarded 3 >

' Hey, Google '

 is the cry or spoken command. I needed an alarm set but ' Google ' calls it timer, no alarms yet. Thus,   " Hey, Google set timer for 1 hr "

Her : consider it done.

I bought an iPhone 4 - yes, that long ago, specfically for ' Siri ' the voice assistant. Never used her much or at all. But this laptop  ' Dell student model ' has android capability - if you would a phone inside a laptop shell.

Sunny and over seasonally warm, and the gutters need blowing out.

The blower has been balking lately and chuffing blackish smoke. Hey ! when did you clean the air filter.
I checked and figured - filter looks not too bad but ..... buy a new one. Can't find one anywhere. Thus, clean the filter and dry it out.
Works a charm. First pull / no smoke. Blew out back side gutters < 2 storeys > and did the front .... exceptt that I got a shower - loads of water in the gutter.
However, job done

I took back empties to the Beer Store

Hey, a good day

Scapula is sore tho '

Took the para + for arthritis and sore back is mildly upset

Started in on peeling apples and ....... ' more apples than dough ' happened. I suppose, its my dessert now. This attempt is w/ granny smith apples. Thus, I added a sprinkle of sugar on top just in case the apples were too tart

We shall see said the Zen Master

' Waking in the Dark

 and it s getting easier - sun is late rising nowadays < 7:35 AM >

The long range forecast courtesy of Brett Anderson at Accuweather

OC - 13 to 19 warm and dry for Grt Lks Basin

OC 20 to 26 mild

This pattern is due to a high pressure ridge over Hudson Bay

Ah but the Stratos 176, my bassboat, comes out of the water for winter, this week

Anecdote: When I first met M, she discovered that I fish, alot. My father belonged to the Anglers Club affiliated w/ our ethnic heritage.
I asked M to the Annual Xmas party < b/c we are devout Buddhists > and upon arrival a trio of ladies popped over, starting w/ ' Hi, you must be M. Larry s gf '
Chit chat and I heard ' Well, the boys must be getting ready for ice fishing, changing euqipment, my guy is  '
Proudly, I heard M reply ' No, they stop fishing in Nov '
Reply : ' better keep that one, he's sane '

And nothing has changed fall fishing over, time to relax. To be fair, I have been fishing in JA and FE down south. Not last year but usually.

This afternoon, it was repair the dressing table drawers. The inside of drawer sliders are anchored by plastic end pieces that attach to the backboard and hold the rails for the drawers.

These plastic end pieces have been breaking apart for 32 yrs. We bought the pine bedroom set prior to our wedding. Approximately, a year or so later the first plastic bit snapped and the drawer sagged. We are talking 13 drawers total. Following yrs saw more give out. In fact, one year < say yr 4 > the company gave us a bag of plastic bits that lasted some time. Well, 3 sagging drawers needed repair and the bag was empty. The plastic bits are hard to find in hardware stores.

Thus, it was trial and error .... and error .... and error. 4 hrs later and much griping, the job got done. I checked and saw 1 drawer w/ the original plastic still working. Everywhere else is jury rigged or replacement plastic end bits

B.I.U.T.A

 or when you're desperate for a title

or not

OK it s ' bold, italic, underline, strikethrough and letter colour ' 

The different  modes for letters on chromebook

Rain. Rain and leaves are flicking off the windows - we can hear them

Anyway, a sluggish kinda morning. No zip in the zip - py - di - do - dah
or py - di - do - dah ( say what ? )

Cutting the cord. I unsubscribed to Lowe's - basically, not interested.  It s too far away for easy access.

The sun popped out and the day looks a charm

I'm the head cook tonight. On tap is cream of mushroom soup, fried onion, cheese macaroni plus sliced pork chop.

This dish is a traditional Japanese recipe - not even close. I'm making it up as I go. Checked on YouTube for the basic idea .... then its            ' hey ! what you got there '.

And the result was : a subtle but delicious meal  ....... that is the cook talking..... M said it was good

The onions were cooked and set aside < M is not an onion fan - flavour yes, onion no ! > I mixed a bit of garlic, mushroom soup ( 1/2 can ) and a 1/4 C of water.

Then added the elbow mac and blended. The onion went on one side only and topped the mac w/ cheese sliced     - into the broiler to melt the cheese. I didn't want the cheesy mess and I wanted cheese - please that you could see.

My mac and cheese

' I've Got to Believe Its getting Better

.... better all the time  ' sang the Beatles

And so goes the muscle spasm in the scapula. No para today, consumed so far. But its early days < hours ? >

Poured rain last night as forecasted. Of course, much cooler out there.

... the famous lyric finishes w/ ' can't get no worse ' 
Oh yes, my scapula has been worse

Prime is offering ' Fear the Walking Dead '. When a Zombie meets a Zombie coming through the rye ?

Let s Zombie the night away

Life on Paracetamol

 No, its not an exo - planet

The English call acetominaphen = paracetamol

I swallowed another ' arthritis strength ' paracetamol. The para seems to ease the discomfort of the scapular area. Likely, a muscle problem but who really knows - wood boring insect is also possible

Flashed through the CBC online - weather < the best >, science and tech, health and business. U.S. inflation is up to 5.4 % which measures how fat Americans are. In deflation there is a lot of loose skin - EEK !

OK. Fishing days have come down to 2 but more likely one more, kick at the can.

Therapy today included the massage chair < bought in 1980 > and ice pack.

Plus, baking day for ' more apples - less dough ' ...... again. Well, it started out as fried apples and then became cake time. 

AND the results are in -- Dah, dah  success ! I used a glass baking dish instead of the old metal pan that we had. Glass works fine  - TG

Bustling Around

 up at pre - 6 AM. I watched ' Border Secuirty ' as people tried to 

cross into Canada or the U.S. A.. Carrying for instance $ 10 500 currency despite declaring 3. Or claiming visitor status while seeking employment. They carry tobacco in excess, drugs and prescription medicine w/out a prescription.

M hates garbage day < sorting etc > thus I got a start downstairs. Our washrooms are downstairs and guess where the rubbish comes from ?

I swapped out the fridge filter for water.. draining 6 pitchers to clear out the filter residue. In fact, I've been using filtered water more and more. In my ' use it once more ' mode, orange juice clear plastic jugs, now carry water around the house and for taking fishing. We have a 3 gallon jug for camping but filled, it weighs a ton < like heavy, babe > The juice jugs are handy for carrying and storing water in the fridge.

A snooze and a pill < arthritis acetominophen > for a spasm or muscle twinge. Not the first time, or the last, for the right shoulder blade to cause discomfort. 

And pancakes for dinner was in order. M uses fake maple syrup and for me its corn syrup < grew up on Beehve Corn Syrup >

Battling

 through the wind. A tough day on the river - aren't they all, lately

But a fish under a log came out to play

The only one. Thank you fish. Please note that the photo used the automatic timer of the Moto G8. I was fishing solo and propped the phone on the boat dash. As well, I employed every trick as taught to me by D < next door fishing friend > to make the fish appear as big as possible. The photo has not been retouched as such.

Balmy Days

 cont'

And the prediction by Brett Anderson was for seasonally warm days to stretch as far as OC 20 +.

And back to cursive or my lousy handscribble translated by this tablet. lt even predicts what I meant. Do you know what you meant ,huh ?

Turkey Day

 For Thanksgiving, we did us a turkey w/ all the trimmings. A 14 lb bird for 2 people.

M did a great job.
THEN I started; a) storing and freezing 8# of turkey < for later.... and later ......... and later > b) making stock from the bones for later ..... and later .......... and later. 

I began to think that we would have enough til Xmas. Bowls of stock and meat in the fridge -> next to be  frozen.

I woke at 5 AM and couldn't get back to sleep. So, coffee and typing. The boys next door are going fishing today and I said ' no thank you ' and really today would not be good. I need rest.

Managed to catch a nap after typing. However, retired does have advantages - like afternoon naps

AND, once more into the fray. I re - did the  ' more Apples than Dough ' cake. The hope was that it would be easier and faster .... and better. I, however, realized that an ingredient that I omitted, namely, lemon zest was needed to help the baking powder rise. I hastily added lemon juice < and a dash of apple cider vinegar > and ......
The apple cake is out and is tasty and moist. Success. BUT I will add lemon juice to the milk < called buttermilk > in further attempts
and there will be more tries. a) uses up our surplus flour b ) eggs don't always get used up quickly either, in this house.
Plus, an apple dessert is appreciated. And it was a touch easier.

" When Will There be Good New "

 a Jackson Brodie mystery from ' Case Histories ' by Kate Atkinson - turned telly episode

Older series but one of the best, according to me, and since that I've never heard a peep about this show - only me

Dull and gray, setting up for 20 - 24 h of rain. And here it comes

And there was no good news in ' Case Histories '  life going on - like it didn't care < and doesn't, we all know that >

We are prepping for Turkey Day tomorrow. I even stirred the sausage mixture for stuffung < Mom s recipe > and was helpful 2 other times. M might let me have some turkey tomorrow.

We shall see said the Zen Master

Friday in the 'burbs

 post # 3170

Garbage day, or recycling and compostible wet material. Yes, plase take our garbage.
Internationally, not so much. Countries have been returning our garbage - as unfit for use or re-use.

A gray day, boding the rain that is forecast for 2 days.

At one time, say 3 yrs ago, our internet service had a cap of 8 Gb and pay as you go after that < at $1 per Gb > Below find our current usage : ( scary ! )

Total Usage (GB)    143         w/ one day left and one day not on record yet

As well, we had dial up or DSL through the phone line and maxd out at 8 Mb per sec. Currently, we are 1 Gb download  and 60 Kb up  

OMG, can't even begin to think about what has happened. Mainly, Amazon Prime and Netflix and YouTube and CV 19. Oh, and binge watching " StarTrek : Enterprise " who are desparately fightng the Xindi

Positive

 outlook. Really. The glass is half full but it seems that no matter how you cut it - 4 oz is 4 oz ...... and is less than 8

The glass is half empty ..... 4 oz is missing but you'll spill less

On tap for today was a ' weekly ' lunch w/ A. I've decided that he needs the time to chat almost as much as me. Background. A is married w/ two daughters and wife and constant contact w/ Mom - in - law and sister - i n - law < as in 3 times a week >.
Thus, I think its guys only lunch that he seeks .We tried Chinese dim sum again at Fortune Restaurant. A is the owner of QMH. A former student now friend, we talk fishing but mostly cottage related items

BTW, find below the pix for ' more apples '

The verdict was ' light and subtly sweet, and moist '. A 'winner, winner chicken dinner ' kinda effort.
To note, the recipe was in grams and mL.                       < European ? > A while back, I had chosen the gift of small scale for the kitchen just for times like yesterday. You can convert to cups etc but sometimes the conversions can be controversial. To the point, this morning, I Googled 80 g of flour and got 3 answers ranging from 1/2 C to 1 C.

I believe 1 C < + or - > could be correct.

Excuses, excuses

Oh, you're a fisherman too ! Lets see : wind from the wrong direction, water is too high, fish are stupid

 Okay. That was yesterday. I don't fish all day. Morning fish, afternoon is rest and fiddle. You know about the  morning. I caught 5 fish off the dock after bringing up the boat. Yeah.
But the trolley worked and the boat ran fine. No lotto boat launch, yesterday.

Lunch was basically homemade soup and instant noodles thrown in. Very tasty. I watched 2 crap videos < parts of each > fell asleep. I woke and decided to do some housekeeping w/ the boat.

I'd noticed the grease gun in  the boathouse and found a tube of lithium grease. I'd been meaning to grease the steering linakge. I took the grease tube down to the boathouse. I hadn't used the grease gun in a while. However, the instruction are on the tube.
EXCEPT that they did not warn you that its easy to mis - screw on the housing. I did. 
There I am - two handfuls of lube like eggs in my two hands. Nowhere to put the stuff except on a bolt thread < yeah >. Finally, I found the way to do it right. There was only enough for one side. I carried three rags of grease upstairs.
BTW, the wind died in the afternoon. A lovely sunny day emerged. No, not even tempted to go out. I used the time to chill.
Drove home.

How was your day. In truth, a very relaxing day but no fish.

" Welcome to my morning, Welcome to my day " John Denver.

Today, I'm baking ' more apples than dough ' cake. Supposedly, you want the apples not necessarily the cake part. The method is one bowl that you add eggs, sugar and milk then add the flour < bit wise > and blend. Baking powder and apples follow.

We shall see said the Zen Master - after 1 hr and cool that is

All the Way

 to 5:30 AM today. Whoo - whoo !

Watched StarTrek : Enterprise and had coffee

On BBQ mods. Guess that I should have documented in photos.
You know somehow looking at BBQ parts - doesn't sound exciting........ it is not exciting .......... naked girls, maybe ....... BBQ parts NO !

For lunch, we got Kentucky Fried Rat < KFC > -        the ' 2 can dine meal ' for 9.99 ( actually not bad, 2 chicken pieces, 3 chicken strips and 2 small fries )    Oops ! you had to buy a drink. I chose Ice Tea b/c its not carbonated - I can drink it later < like tomorrow >

The rain in Spain - fell on Toronto, is still falling. I noticed that the pressure is rising indicating a clearing trend. I'm going to try and fish tomorrow. Wish me luck.
The forecast has 70 but winds are N - NE at 14 Kph gusting to 18. That N wind brings weather and on the 'bee, there is no place to hide except for Jubilee Channel.

Nothing ventured - nothing gained AND this season is winding down.Maybe 3 times left.

Advice

 from 2 years ago, suggestd more pictures or graphics. I'm guessing that other sites or blogs do this.

Of course, occassionally, there will be a picture. However, the blog never was going to be popular. For instance, I didn't know that              ' blogspot ' is difficult to find and thus individual blogs are difficult to find. As well, once, I was able to jump ahead or over to other blogspot sites. I can't seem to do that anymore.

Anyhoo, couldn't sleep after 4:30 AM. I went for coffee < like that will make you sleep ! > and watched ' StarTrek : Enterprise ' in season 2 , ep 28 or so. 

As well, I spent the mid afternoon, re - creating the wheel. My term, for retrofitting items for my needs. The cheapie BBQ came w/ a flavor bar or shield - it is lousy at its job. Thus, a few weeks ago, I bought a slotted tray and ceramic briquets < heat retainers > and swapped out the flavour bar for heat / flavour briquets. Unfortunately, the supports had to be bricks < real brick pieces > Very clumsy and also blocked air flow. I tried to find a BBQ grid that would support the briquets. Not that easy < one for $ 20 was too large - cut it to size ? >.

I maintain a supply of left over - well actually eveything. I found a grating from an oven < ? > that was 2 inches too wide. Yes, I cut the grate to size. I used wire strands from a lawn sign and spanned the BBQ. The grate sits on top < oh, one brick to prop up the front edge, can't get away from those bricks > I replaced the briquets on their new home. Fired up the BBQ and heat tested the grate.

The final proof was cooking hotdogs for dinner. The result was OK. I think the briquets work and work better w/ the cut to measure grate.

Thus, my investment for a new flavour system is $ 10. We shall see said the Zen Master

Whoa !

 I missed posting yesterday.
Ah, the world went on

Dang old world just keeps spinning along - don't it

Well, Friday was meet for lunch day w/ A. The process gets me out. We did Chinese yesterday at Fortune. No vaxx check and no social distancing - other than only 5 tables of 15 were occupied
Interesting. A Chinese gent got up and came back w/ a tub of hot water and tongs. Everyone < all 6 > dipped their dishes < bowls, cups and plates > in the hot water.
I looked at A and he said ' old tradition of washing the dishes at the table '. Really !

I came home w/ ' treat of the week ' from Butt N Ben '. Empire biscuits for M and apple squares for me plus I bought custards tarts. What the heck. The world keeps spinning