🌌 the lastest of Octobrus

 🌌  closing out the month w/ Halloween

I joined Neighbourhood Watch. Mostly, we swap household leftovers - pallets, stones etc. Occassionally, warnings for lost pets, stolen something -  a real watch

folks have traded Halloween night tips for dossing out the goodies.

I will not use any tonight. Str8 up ' give away '

the day is dry looking - for once - sun is present.

Never one to leave the readers hanging ..... the mat is dry and placed in the garage
really, that thing is 60 + lbs - a bugger to drag around.
what to expect ? Dunno. I'm concerned that it could be slippery for truck and people.
Best part. If its crap --- toss it OR rather drag it out
always good to have viable options

📒 Aha ! fall

 📒 for sure the ' worm has turned ' 

the air is cold and the wind is bringing real fall to the 'boro. 
Apparently, I have anticipation let down. Couldn't get to sleep last night. Saw the clock at 2.
Yesterday, worked out so well. Naturally, I pre - worried the day.
E .. was like ' what were you worried about ' ?

DUH ! its me.

Thus, I thought about fishing rods and what to take to Fla.
or Should I take a rod or 
buy one there
Or ....... ? 
the world s greatest problem [ give me a break] ........ what .... ?

Our lunch was takeaway from Skyland. Sushi plus the combo. The cost was $ 28 but that is two for lunch plus leftovers for 2 meals.

I brought home a utility mat that is weatherproof and heavy. Originally, the mat [ 10 x 12 ft ] was a roof cover to help prevent water intrusion for the boathouse.
Big fail, there. 
The mat got blown around and never quite did the job.
The roofer guy did reveal that the boathouse roof was not finished correctly. Water could wrap around the eaves of the perimeter edge.
Also, it was old,

I used oxy -gel and a broom, then pressure washed. I removed crud. Changed the colour of the mat and now have a slightly stained appearance. Afterall, the mat is 12 yrs old

🙋 some days

  🙋  it all works out

Today

Uncle Peter visited the QMH and brought some tools.
Then 40 min later, he said ' turn it over '
I twisted the key and the starter engaged on the flywheel. This action means that the E Tec 75 HP will start.
Fixed !!!

Then both, Uncle and E ... carried equipment up to the Q' itself. I put away fishing paraphenalia and DONE !

The boat is asleep. I'm more or less done for the year - re: boat

What a relief. I'm at peace
and thats rare

A cool and damp day w/ bursts of sun. Just bursts, tho' - nothing long lived

🧣 starting

 🧣 not terribly cold out there
however, the much cooler - as in 40 F is on the way.

Always acknowledge the good stuff and good people

---- > In 2018, a Matsuba visit to England turned into a travelling adventure.

Starting in Ashford, Middlesex at the munificent Glass abode, West Close, we visited Windsor Farms for excellent dry goods and bakery.

Our southern swing took us to Bournemouth for a stay at the vintage Hermitage Hotel. A bank card debacle started our visit off w/ much drama.

We survived, somehow w/ loads of help from the Glass’.

Trips out from Bournemouth brought us to Swanage and area < a meal at the Ship Inn >.

A short stay in Milford on Sea, gave us a view of the ‘ Needles ‘ vista.

During this southern probe, we met Aunt Barbara. She kindly gave us the quilted piece available to see in this collection of memories. Thank you Aunty B

Returning ‘ home ‘, we prepared for a foray North to the East Midlands and Derby area. Mercia Marina is the biggest residential docking facility in Europe. Two longboats are the homes of the Hicks’ and Fosters. The occasion was the birthday of Pat Foster. Thus, a super shout out to Sue for tolerating this massive onslaught of relatives

We had accomodations at the Bubble Inn. A boutique establishment w/ well appointed rooms and

DYSON fans !

Our stay coincided w/ the long stretch of hot, humid times of that year. The ‘ god ‘ Dyson provided much welcome air movement. A truly, superior fan.

To finish the whirlwind UK travel - a - rama, we were able to visit the races and Grandstand………….

And WIN money. A classy conclusion to a memorable English visit.

Thank you to the Glass family

As well, we would like to thank the tour organizers ‘ K Glass and Associates - we bring the UK to you ‘

I found the above in ' Google Docs ' while trying to organize or figure out what could be deleted. Google sends reminders about your storage. I occassionally, try to unpack data that might not be needed.

🌌 well, learning hurts

🌌   oh,boy, another story

M .. managed to get locked out of the shopping App. Despite a phone call to their Senior Help Line, we needd to complete a security form and submit ID photos.
I found the photos in Google Drive but when I used their security form [ click and drag or access files ] , the ID photo wasn't there

On the second attempt - I found a drop down menu that said ' camera '
AND I aimed the camera and took the photo and clicked ' add ' 
the photo uploaded on its own

Yes. Success
BUT more magic than knowledge

our temperature drops a whole bunch [ as in half ] for the weekend and following days - ah , the harginger of winter

💨 a gray day dawns

 💨 birds sing and grass grows [ still ]

from CBC online, a graphic of how El Nino [ this year ] will generally affect the winter

colder blob is greeny
orangy blob is warmer
purply blob is drier
bluey blob is wetter

this is not a prediction but a trend on average

💦 summing up the day

 💦 here in the 'boro

while I ponder dark and dreary [ stolen from E A Poe ]

from CBC [ no - not good news - really ]

Thirty-three states including California and New York are suing Meta Platforms Inc. for harming young people's mental health and contributing to the youth mental health crisis by knowingly designing features on Instagram and Facebook that cause children to be addicted to its platforms.

The lawsuit, filed in federal court in California, also claims that Meta routinely collects data on children under 13 without their parents' consent, in violation of federal law.

"Kids and teenagers are suffering from record levels of poor mental health, and social media companies like Meta are to blame," New York Attorney General Letitia James said. "Meta has profited from children's pain by intentionally designing its platforms with manipulative features that make children addicted to their platforms while lowering their self-esteem."

Robert Palmer sang : well you might as face it
you're addicted to love " Meta is saying ' social media '

Canada s inflation rate is 3.8 %. As noted here, that is not the way my stocks are going [ and / or bonds ]

Sorry. that was not good news

good news ??? we both got ultra flu shots for seniors plus a Moderna booster CV 19
good to go 

also. a trip to Skyland for Chinese food [ sushi and a take home lunch ]

💁 two four of octobruminium

 💁in Latin - of course

I'm nurisng a slightly sprained [ ? ] back. Acetominophen or                 ' Paracetamol ' according to the Brits plus gnerous applications of ice - have the pain under control.

the positive side is that something will ease the discomfort. W/ M ... nothing really helps

dull and cold out there - not freezing, mind but dampish sort of miserable

our usual, coffee and toast. Mine had tomato on top plus mayo
M .. does peameal bacon on English muffin

this day was slow - every little thing was later

BUT we aren't going anywhere

or ' ride me high
today s the day day my man s going to come
you ain't going nowhere '  Bob Zimmerman

from Google :

Clouds so swift and rain fallin' in
Gonna see a movie called Gunga Din
Pack up your money, pull up your tent, McGuinn
You ain't goin' nowhere

Whoo-ee, ride me high
Tomorrow's the day that my bride's gonna come
Whoo-ee, are we gonna fly?
Down into the easy chair    

Bob Dylan

oh boy, another mondegreen

to be fair. the version that I recall is by Joan Baez
thus she could have changed the lyrics

🙇 on the XXIII of Octobrus

🙇 welcome

to blessed sun and Sacred steel

the sum of the day.
phone meeting w/ financial advisor. rollover certificates. great rates b/c stocks etc are in the tank

I took left over sausage and bread crumbs [ from Thanksgiving ] re - created turkey stuffing minus the turkey
result, nearly a win. moist, flavourful, a touch salty
at least a seven or point five

💹 certainly not my portfolio

 💹  results for September were ugly. Stocks and bonds all tanked

a prediction for the Great Lakes from a private meteorologist would have colder weather by Halloween [ or Halloween week ]

We shall see said the Zen Master

wind is the gusty order of the day
+ sun and swirling tumbling leaves
shooting up the side of the house

a splendid fall day in the 'boro
I did the Giant Tiger, Sunday run. The ' Good, the Bad and the Ugly '
to wit. house brand [ Tiger ] potato chips were 3 for $ 8
potato salad [ exp Oct 23 ] was 1 / 2 price, of course, I bought it. B/c it meant that we got a free bag of potato chips [ really, solid thinking there ]

quite the mix, at the Giant Tiger. Halloween stuff in one half and Xmas paraphenalia elsewhere. 

⌛ sands of time

 ⌛the grains slip away

luckily our weather is holding. autumnal conditions. actually, rather good

we are definitely, gearing up for Fla.

sadly,
that could be b/c there is so little eventful in our lives
which is alright as well
we chose this life - Double Income No Kids

or as Mordo from ' Dr Strange ' would remind us 

" the bill comes due, it always comes due " 

coming on noon :
we have talked to Whitby, Ont
plus Wadsworth, OH
both people are recovering from cold / lung issues

take your vitamins [ so, I took a Woman s Multi + zinc ]

listen to your own advice, compadre

Oh,  I bought the Woman s Multi for M ... and feel obligated to finish the bottle AND I figure its anti - cold and flu

B/c I am ground zero for colds and flu 

 knew that the gutters were full of leaves. The rain last night sort of ribbled out ofthe back downspout and I knew there was a blockage up htere.
I got out the apparatus [ hose and pipe connectors ] that lts me self clean out even the second storey gutters

Except the wind was gusting and the eavestroughs were awash in water
So, messy, and stinky. Maybe, I'm getting old but that was a workout.
Two passes toeven begin to clean out the troughs. Of ourse ,blow out ten leaves and three are floated in on the wind

Thus, poor job or not -at least some debris was ejected. And running the leafblower at this time of year ensures that it is ready later

🍎 the october 20 edition of .......

 🍎  ....... not much

listening to CBC, an author mentioned that he had always - well, doodled and kept a kind of log of his travels
to wit, the couple self published the ' Lonely Planet ' approx 40 years ago [ and some 50 editions ]

of course, the publication became legendary and epic in the backpacking world and beyond.
coincidentally, the author hesitated and  was searching for the term      ' mondegreen ' to explain the title choice. it was taken from the song which had the line " lovely planet " but the author had heard ' lonely ' 

thus, there is hope for this blog as well. 
in fact, for Fla if we do go. I was thinking of starting the ' log ' here in the 'boro and giving it the title ' the Onely Planet '
how would you pronounce the name,
 as in " only " planet - sort of auguring ' for the future
and / or emphasizing that ' there is one planet, so take care of it ' kinda meaning

ah, there it is, my life as a mondegreen

Rainy out there. thnx a bunch, no need to water the boulevard
you know, I'm not sure ' boulevard ' is the right term

so, the starter for the boat arrived. Amazing. Last night, the message was ' package has been shipped '. B/c I have been seeing that message for six days. THEN this morning two more notations at 3 AM package is at Toronto depot and 6 AM package is at Scarbrough processing facility
12 noon. Knock at door. Please sign for this package. Yessir ! a starter was there

goodnes, the chunk of metal must be 7 # at least

💨 nineteeny of October

💨  discovered that I was still revved up from yesterday - angst and all

and early morning took gravol [ anti nausea meds ] 
turns out that I stayed groggy til 1 PM
I don't do well on meds

days is cool but really jacket weather. sun came thru in bursts

however, the air feels unsettled. dampish and windy at times

summary - a fine fall day
showers and cooler for tonight

✈ very apropos

 ✈ basically, tix and passport renewal 

are the major theme in the house
to wit. off at 8 AM to line up and renew our pasports. the gov't website notes that 
their target processing window is 20 days
" please do not book a trip until - you receive your passport "

words to lighten your heart

angst. your dreams at night. so, there is a lineup around the plaza and the rain is coming down w/ icicles on your nose. then you discover, due to circumstances beyond control - your passport needs to wait til next year

reality. you are the line. receptionist points to a kiosk and 5 of ten kiosks have clients. approx 15 min later, 2 passport applications on their way. the agent says ' normal expectation is 5 weeks but you have a renewal - lets guess 3 weeks '

I like reality better EXCEPT ' your photo has you turned a bit ' WHAT ?? - just a warning that passport division may query the angle [ as in you might be hiding something - like the ugly side ]
We shall see said the Zen Master

our passports are good for ten years [ option ]
a Canadian passport is fairly valuable in world terms. only a small number of countries hate us
I mean we didn't conquer anybody to gain land

next hurdles. research car rentals
and solve the cellphone problem. our service in Canada is just that only in Canada. thus we need a SIM card for a U.S. carrier

💂 XVII of October

 💂 is this month slipping by ?

encore for the weather, chance of rain, cool and sun ??? 

🌊 roll Tide roll

 🌊 tsunami

a plesant fall day topped w/ moisture, likely

so far the rain has held off, threatening and dull
that wind is damp and tinged w/ frostiness

sushi for lunch. my favourite is ' inari ' or a tofu satchel q/ rice inside - we called them suitcases or pillows when growing up. You cna't find inari in many places that sell sush. California roll is ubiquitous. And / or shrimp on rice

normally at Skyland, I opt for the combo sampler - fried rice or noodles plus 3 entree choices. The young lady attnedant even commented ' no combo ?? '

somedays, spending is the theme. Thus, at Canadian Tire [ hear read, Walmart w/ more automotive supplies but yes, everytning else ] ..... kitchen sink ! no problem

frying pan ! no problem 

hey !! thats what I bought. Killing time, at CdnT, I went looking for a ceramic covered frying pan set. Costco has had a set on sale for 2 months, say $ 40 something. Today, CdnT had a ' Langustino  ' cast iron frying pan, pre - seasoned and REDUCED at 50 % off. I gladly spent $19 ......
to experience " cooking w/ iron and oil " as the label said

lately, I've been opting a small cast iron fry pan. I heat on the stove and pop whatever into  the toaster oven on broil - to brown whatever or heat the top

💢 crossroads

💢 and the path
less travelled

autumn in the 'boro : dampish, yellowy red in the trees

seems quieter as well

from search :

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler, long I stood And looked down one as far as I could To where it bent in the undergrowth[.] And both that morning equally lay In leaves no step had trodden black. Oh, I kept the first for another day!

well, a quiet day. load of wash [ BTW, the dryer worked, I cleaned out the blower fan for lint ]

approx six years ago, I dared to clean the blower fan housing [ lint gathers there ] that time, a birds nest of lint came out.
twice since, I've cleaned the blower housing. This occasion, as the last, a thimble full of lint was there

I guessing, wise people will say ' see regular  cleaning works '. A tad disappointing tho'
I wanted to brag about how big the lint ball was !!

I did a Giant Tiger run. Only the essentials, sure. I exceeded the shopping list but the burgers were the Belmont Meat steak burgers that we had last night [ and said we would do again ]
the sock slippers [ blue camouflage pattern ???? ] were a whim

job # 1 this week is passport photos. Our passports expire March 2024. Thus, we figure to get them done pre Xmas This will fall under expited service - we hope

🌲🌲🌲🌲 or so they say

  🌲🌲🌲🌲 do not panic.  there will not be 25 Xmas trees

maybe ten ! no kidding

thus, the weather is holding in fall pattern

I'm hoping that our team [ poor E .. who seems to have volunteered ] can replace the starter on the E Tec 75. Amazon notes that the starter has shipped, presumeably from the U.S. Latest expected date is Oct 27

Amazon is typically good w/ delivery.

 At least we can work in the boathouse [ new sealed roof ] w/ pretty good lighting.
a sticking point maybe changing the lower gear case oil. 
in cold weather, the process can be hours
worst case we will wrap the lower unit in a heating pad
never done this or hear of this BUT in a pinch !!!

🌲🌲🌲 trees are green

 🌲🌲🌲 and soon
the symbol of yuletide

and Christmas

a cool fine day is due

yesterday, I ripped out the weather stripping on the front door
E Z peasy
but this weather stripping is ' kerfed ' or cursed
depending
there is a groove to accept a plastic edge of a weather stripping piece
on the door frame

and yes, a special ribbed edge goes into the groove

why and why not
shoppping on line

why not - you don't get to see the product in 3 D
                you wonder will it fit

why      - cheaper by far

to wit. yes, after drivng to HomeDepot - searching - coming home
then on line at Canadian Tire - followed by a road trip

thus. started at 8:10 AM finished at 9:50 AM and bought 1 piece 7 ft of kerf weather stripping for $ 19.
BTW, Amazon would have been $ 23 for 20 ft
but delivery is next weekend

Yick - a - roo. Bite the bullet, amigo !

installation was up and down
some bits slid in
some bits are still working their way in [ Ihope ]. 
overall, the fit is really tight as the door closes
I'm worried that the extra force might strain the hinges 
I'm expecting that there will be compression or adjustment.
in the back of my mind is a surgical procdure - yeah, snip away a little bit material
I want to wait b/c if it does compress and I've cut some material away, then I might lose some insulation [ b/c of gaps ]

as well, I started a clean up of topsoil. A wheelbarrow of extra soil needed relocation, to the backyard. And while I was fussing around, I decided the long hose [ reaches all the new grass areas ] should be brought in

🌲🌲 why not

🌲🌲 

cool day out there w/ sun

how is your day going ?

I climbed a mountain and swam the triathalon.
not really. I did finally figure out how to send a wire transfer to the U.S.
well. it only took three tries. 30 minutes
anguish and despair. called the recipient in Chicago. Re - visited the data etc
frustration galore
but I did pause the VPN
What a difference. The screen was fast and everything was in place

done

out of breathe [ kidding ]

however, it s a relief to struggle through and succeed. 

Computers ! Arghhh !

🎄 panic not

🎄 no its not Xmas. But yesterday was. To wit. Received the new CB311 that came in a box in a box

Yes. It was like Xmas. Oh ,forgot, also delivered the weathersptripping that I ordered from Amazon.
Now, I need to figure out how to put the stripping on. Re - look at the video in the ad.

not as dreary today, but cool to cold

I did search Amazon Deals. Fortuantely, I held off buying

However, it was a close run thing that

thus, we can conclude that ' buying ' has a certain positive emotional value [for me, its jackets and vests ]

and it seems computers

🍌 ssssss

 🍌 didn't ya know

this is Prime Big Deal Day
I've resisted other years
however, I have been searching for .....

a replacement Chromebook for the original Chromebook that I bought in 2018. It was a beast [ not large ] , the features incl. limited spillproof and knock resistant [ for students ] 
but I figured that when you travel - who knows
Dell 5190 was 11 " in size and travelled well and far.
Got to say, dependable as all heck
paid $ 400

in the last year, the 5190 device needed a remedy to startup [ easily done and only the once ].
the rim or bezel cracked and is taped and secured w/ a clip
on diagnostics - battery test, the battery came in as 79 % healthy
plus the automatic end of updates is next year

thus on Big Deal day, I found a Chromebook, similar in ruggedness, a tad more powerful and 22 % off or $ 180
good for updates til 2029 [ maybe, apparently, you have to ask ]

We shall see said the Zen Master

added to that - our Pixel phones are getting used quite frequently at home
never thought that would happen

OK out there
dreary [ again ] gray and cool

the new machine is here, an Acer CB311. So, what is so great

the processor is an AMD A4, dated but newer than anything else in the house. More powerful ? hmmm, slightly  .... likely faster though

more solidly built for sure. Lacking a tablet mode. BUT we have a convertible Duet that gets used as a tablet when - I want to prove that it converts

Sadly or truthfully, we are mouse people and do not need touch screen

to wit, every Chromebook in the house up til tonight, is hooked to a monitor or TV. Of course, right now the CB311 is being used w/out a mouse or TV.
I'm kinda practicing, sort of working out how it works
which is not bad.

keyboard is firm and responsive [ keyboard still makes typos, oh ... sorry thats me ] The Duet [ convertible ] has a wimpy keyboard BUT you really are supposed to use it as a tablet AND / OR dictate your message to Google Assistant [ yeah, like it ever happens ! ]

summary : was the CB311 worth $ 180
yes, not absolutely necessary but very soon - yes - it would be needed

AND we now have a Chromebook for every room in the house

🍁 coming at you

 🍁 again

dreary and cool to downright chilly

ah, crisp is the word ( or you can cuss )

well, the grass is on its own

babied for close to 12 days, w/ water and sun

shoots are talling up 

I'd say weaned and ready for real life

🎏 this is turkey week end in Canada

🎏 yes, our thanksgiving day

the day breaks grim

barely 48 F out there, gray and damp [ like England ]

rating Saturday
yes, loads of work but we had a guest [ who loves turkey ]
M.. s best friend, as in from 1971

we had turkey and the family stuffing, broccoli casserole [ M .. s trademark dish ], squash puree [  A ..n brought that ] potatoes and rice.

as seen ehre rice and gravy are a world unto themselves [ magic in a bowl ]

clean up was long BUT all done
just put away things

the story; the family stuffing is sausage, bread, celery, potatoes and onions
usually it the sausage that gets everyone who is used to a bread crumb mixture dressing [ ala Stovetop package mix ]

handed down w/in the family of sisters, thus it all that I have ever known

⛎ Oopsy

 slept in
groggy 
I suppsoe it catches up w/ you - so sleep comes

⛎

today s reportage
early prepping for turkey day
work blossomed around noon, the turkey stuffing first followed by stuffing the stuffing.

bit of a lull for 2 h and then full alert in the kitchen
veggies got pared and sorted
potatoes too
then rice was washed and set up

rice ?? believe me rice and gravy is heaven sent cmbo
to wit, all that is right in the world - in a bowl

turkey was checked [ too salty ] Somone is a lousy briner [ me ].
we ate it anyway, really moist

clean up and collapse

whew, a day in the life fo sure 

😻 Ctober the 6 th in the 'boro

 😻 well, we got wet. not sure how long it rained but there were thrumming sounds for quite a bit

Glad that you are back home. thus, try and stay there

I won't need to water, today. Howevver, I may need a raft to tend the grass shoots

' it never rains but pours '

so, of course, the day has big sun and glorious clarity

the topsoil is definitely a playgorund for the neighbourhood wildlife [ maybe b/c it could be cats ]

💭💭💭 Octobrous fifthamus

💭💭💭  post ing # 3 891 of the never ending saga

  we begin prepping the turkey, today .... 

a lot of work but M .. is looking forward to the dinner thus likely worth the effort 

 the ugly reality. 

well, animals are coming to play in the topsoil not really footprints but dig holes [ ? ] or search holes - all over, I figure that there is no sense fighting it - I'll correct the defects later 

the topsoil is rich in smells etc plus who knows what kind of edibles 

 Life - what can I say

this post is going to look scrunched up. that becasue the space key and backspace key are backwards or drunk [ notice, not me, the keys

now the keys shifted back and seem to be working

What did I do ???? 

suddenly, backward and now OK

Argghh !!!! 

🍍 03 of X

 🍍 well, October 3
and how are you feeling ?

me, groggy but typing and sips of coffee and an arthritis acetominophen

dynamic breakfast. a pill.
but I need to be mobile in twohours or so. The Kin Dr checks my back for bumps.

 

🗺 as the world unfolds

 🗺 and it will

on the bottle of Drumshanbo, Irish Gunpowder Gin is the signature :

' from the curious mind of J P Rigney '

the logo for Gunpowder is the " jackalope "
rarely seen in Ireland [ or anywhere else ]
you can guess that Gunpowder Gin is a botanical flavoured gin. The trademark essence is Gunpowder tea.
Should you try, Irish Gunpowder Gin , well, maybe for the bottle. 
or because you are curious

actually, warm and humid yesterday, 

No grass yet.

the story.
I am allergic to plants especially grasses in fall and the marigold family. No, this is not official from the Doc. Yes, it is a plant allergic reaction but the culprit ? 

My former family doctor said that unless the rash becomes uncontrollable - do not undergo the skin prick test battery.
Thus, I self treat and medicate. 

Why am I typing this blurb ? 
Because I am hoping that seeing it in print or saying to the ether will remind me of ....
1. When I see the little pimple on my wrist or arm [ yes it always starts this way ] take an antihistamine. Which I did this time  ..... except a day after the pimple appeared. No dummy, right away next time. 
2. Use the betaderm cream from the get go. I put on Benadryl which stops the sting and burn BUT I need the Betaderm.
You can get Betaderm over the counter,    however,    this prescription is ' undiluted ' Betaderm.
In fact, you need to limit the amount that you use or you can get a reaction to the Betaderm.
Thus, four days later and the rash is under control ... but it could have been sooner if I followed the intrutctions above

Actually, it was M ... who said ' put on that cream ' when she saw me uncomfortable

Duh !!!!! you're right. Stupid, stupid ..... stupid.

Plus, I am supposed to wear long sleeve shirts when I go out to work around the house.
YES !!!!! I remember reaching down five days ago,  in the wildflowers w/ short sleeves [  Argggh ....       Arghh --     Dumb , Dumb !!!!! ] 
Will he ever learn ????????

Alright. The combination of Betaderm and Cetrizine Hydrochloride has tamed the rash after 4 days.

In fact, there was a thought that before going to the Q', take an antihistamine b/c often I react to insect bites and plant pollen up there.

Really, I believe that I am ' allergic to being allergic ' 

from this morning, I have had the suspicion that the bare topsoil looks different. After peering closely, there are tiny needles poking up. Yepper, I am growing grass. In little bunches, not all over, in several   places 

🦼 starting the month

 🦼 [ I typed in ' motor ' and emoji board gave me this ]

The ten day outlook, is for 70 degrees for four days and then rain and cooler begins.

Technically, any idiot can grow grass in these conditions

We shall see said the Zen Master.

the Google blurb suggest 5 -10 days for grass seed to germinate. I'm waiting. Supposedly keeping the new bed moist is the key. I have been watering, twice a day or when I see dry spots.
The situation here is that the topsoil [ 5 inches deep ] was not soaked prior to seeding. I wanted good drainage. The theory is to keep that top layer moist and water could go down deeper if if needed.

OK. Something about watching grass grow. Oh, so sad but true

Ordered the part for the E Tec, $ 400 and about ten days
The Daily Grind. 

Organize the kitchen. Clear the counters. Clean the counters.               ' we set the decks arunning boys 
and turn them guns around ' from " Sink the Bismarck " the song

" Hit the decks a-runnin' boys and spin those guns around

When we find the Bismarck we gotta cut her down "

ala Johnny Horton

Oh, yeah, another mondegren

is this the story of the world - mondegrens

 

CRAP !!! I even managed to get the name wrong

to wit

mon·de·green

/ˈmändəˌɡrēn/

noun

plural noun: mondegreens

1. a misunderstood or misinterpreted word or phrase resulting from a mishearing of the lyrics of a song.

bought a turkey for Thanksgiving [ OC 9 in the land of poutine ]

💿 ... I am the eye in the sky

 💿  ... looking at you

or the One Eye of Mordor, never blinking [ where the Shadows lie ] ala LOTR

thus, Octobrus primus [ almost Latin ]

another in a string of light, doable days

The story. Around 2 weeks ago in the midst of my ' Outboard won't start ' worries. E .. a fishing friend said ' my uncle, a Toyota mechanic tinkers and can fix outboard motors ' I waited, And Saturday afternoon, I get a call.
Turns out that the Uncle is staying at a cottage 30 minutes from the Q'.
We arranged to pick him up Sunday.

Turns out its a group outing. Uncle and best friend both decide to come. We drove separately. These dudes bring their own tools.

Uncle Peter begins troubleshooting and compliments me on having an up to date multimeter [ electrical testing machine ].

After some false starts [ really ! ] the process centres on the starter motor. Uncle assures us that E .. and I can replace the starter ourselves. [big guffaw here ]. As a back up, Uncle says if there is a problem then he can pop over in two weeks.

What a genuinely helpful guy.

Starter motor. Cost approx $ 600 or in boater language ' Bring Out Another Thousand ' B.O.A.T. !