Not only ripped off at the pumps...

Iain receives a newsletter/commentary from a BMO financial advisor, Frank Lambros. His latest missive, entitled "Uh Oh… The Price Is Still Wrong" points out that although the Canadian dollar has averaged a value of $.988 US over the last year, the price gap on goods between here and south of the 49th is still huge, averaging 18% (!!!!??)

Here' s his list:

So where is the extra cash going? I would assume straight into the pockets of the retaillers, but I wish I knew.

Whither has thou gone, nice weather?

As of tomorrow, Iain and I have 19 years of married life behind us. Strange how a lifetime flies by. So many memories, and changes. I think I want 19 more.
We're at the cottage, which we often are for our anniversary, and the weather is not cooperating as much as I'd like. It has been rainy and cold by turns. Yesterday seemed a good day to go for a drive, and we took a tour to Pembroke, where I haven't visited for years. For fun, we took some sideroads, and discovered that our map was sadly out-of-date, though we did find our way after a bit. This occasioned the purchase of a new map at the Canadian Tire.
New maps show all the roads, but they don't make very clear how good/bad they are. We ended up on Dore Bay Road, which devolved into a bush track. At the top of one very rocky and washed out hill, we paused to turn back. Fortunately a nice local man (and his truckful of camo-clad companions) happened along at just that moment. They knew the road, and we followed them to the end, where they sent us on in the right direction. We took some more interesting roads on the way home. Wildlife spotted: Marsh Hawk - and that's about it, except for numerous dogs, cattle, and a couple of domesticated turkeys out for a stroll. Some evidence of unseen wildlife: large logs with bark stripped by beavers (felled during the ice storm in April, they were obviously found food for the beavers).
Today is shaping up to be warm and mostly sunny, so we will be staying put.

Victoria Day Weekend...right....

We've had some cold Victoria Days in my life, but this is the first one where I remember snow actually accumulating on the ground! We drove home this morning through a virtual blizzard. It was when we saw these big flakes that we decided it was time to move out. Poor little hummingbirds!

And on the subject of "Why can't we all just get along?"...

Go here for a lovely presentation on how to do it!

Political Prayer

I got an email today from a friend who would like me to go to the Ontario Legislature's site to voice my opinion, as a Christian, on Dalton McGuinty's plan to remove the saying of the Lord's Prayer before legislature. I probably should do it, but I don't think my opinion is the one she would expect me to have, because I don't think they should be doing prayers before the house, and my reason is biblically based. In Matthew chapter 6 verse 5, Jesus tells his followers to not pray in public for show, but to do so privately. He didn't have much time for hypocrites, and this situation looks like politicians trying to look good with their constituents, not real concern for their need for God's guidance.

Hard at work

In his spare time, Iain is working away at the spare bedroom, which is becoming our dressing room.
He's securing the spacers for the drawers, in these pictures.
The backyard is alive with birds these days, mostly grackles, redwing blackbirds and mourning doves. The occasional squirrel visits as well.
Stitches is usually in one of the windows in the morning, watching them, but this afternoon she is relaxing in her favourite chair.

The Clothes Wall

So Wendy wondered if there would be pictures of the clothes wall, and I said "we'll see". So I'm posting the beginning of the project:

This is Iain after drawing lines on the wall to show where the shelves and drawers will go. Exciting, huh?

One of the walls supporting the shelves and drawers - just testing for fit. Looks good! Next thing to do is start gluing and screwing.

What's Happening on Harry

Since the Senators are out of the playoffs, I'm making do (quite nicely, actually) cheering for the Habs. The wonderful thing about hockey in the spring is that by the time it's all over you've seen so much of it you are glad to have done with it for a while. Hockey every night; at least there's always something entertaining on the telly, which is more than I can say for the rest of the schedule since the writers' strike. (If not for Lost and E.R., it's a total write-off, no pun intended)

We're outdoors quite a bit, enjoying the last of the warm weather, for a while at least. The forecast is for much cooler temperatures, starting tomorrow, and then warming back up to seasonal (around 15c) for a few weeks. This rush of summer has been beautiful, though.

Iain is transforming part of our spare bedroom into an open clothes storage space. There are no decent closets in the house, and this will be a huge improvement. We picked up the wood yesterday and made a start on it, and hopefully today will see some progress.

Get Fuzzy

I don't. Really. I wish it would go away.
There have to be better comic strips out there somewhere.

Nice Weather

It's warm outside! Yay!
This is turning into another busy month. Iain started his new job this week, so we are getting into the rhythm of the work week again. I'd really gotten used to the housework being done for me! Now that he's on the road several hours a day, I'm back to taking care of the bulk of it. I'd rather do it than have to do the driving he does. Anyway, it's the price we pay for living here instead of Ottawa.
Lots of church activities up to the middle of June, many of them involving baking. We have a meeting this month with another church, and then in May we're doing a tea & bake sale, and then our celebration service is at the end of May (with special music in the evening and a lunch afterward - more baking!).
It's all good, though. Good to be busy, and doing something worthwhile. Now that the nice weather is finally here, I'm not dragging my butt around so much. Spring gives a lift.

Valley Girl

Not everyone expects much from good ol' Renfrew County, but we do have some exceptional people living here with us hicks.