As Trevor and I stood in the garage this morning, surveying our riches, so to speak, we began to discuss the “big ticket items” that were upcoming. We both agreed, for example, that in the next 12 months, we’d have to re-investigate the seal on the garage door to deal with any new water leaks. It would also be prudent, we decided, to have the septic system drained, as it had been a few years since the last “service”. Ditto for water testing, just as a precaution. And the deck would also need re-staining soon.
As we approached the end of our discussions, we pressed the button to lower the electric garage door. It would not close, but rather, stopped two thirds of the way down, and then opened again. We pressed the button again. Same response. On the third try, the arm at the top of the garage snapped off, and the door fell shut.
Shit.
So much for draining the septic system this year. The garage door just got moved to the top of the list!!!
As we approached the end of our discussions, we pressed the button to lower the electric garage door. It would not close, but rather, stopped two thirds of the way down, and then opened again. We pressed the button again. Same response. On the third try, the arm at the top of the garage snapped off, and the door fell shut.
Shit.
So much for draining the septic system this year. The garage door just got moved to the top of the list!!!
But the boys had other priorities… since my arrival, they’d been pestering me almost incessantly about taking them to the PEI Toy Factory, a store on the Island that specialises in handcrafted, wooden and fantasy toys. Alex and Simon were eager to add to their pirate ship collection, and insisted I drive them to New Glasgow to visit said toy shop right NOW, today, Mom!
Since it was a dark and dreary day, and we had already played a game, read a book, watched a movie, gone to the physiotherapist for dad’s appt in Morell, done some banking and visited the post office, we decided to head out in the car after lunch to the toy store.
Since it was a dark and dreary day, and we had already played a game, read a book, watched a movie, gone to the physiotherapist for dad’s appt in Morell, done some banking and visited the post office, we decided to head out in the car after lunch to the toy store.
The drive turned out to be a lovely adventure. We took the scenic route, driving along the north shore and Brackley Beach, and stopping for some squares and home-made potato salad at the North Rustico Bakery on the way. After the mandatory visit to the toy store (the boys came away with a new figure each for their pirate play sets), we spent some time at the nearby preserves factory and tea house, where we picked up three delicious trial sized flavours of jam.
It was getting to be time to head home with our bounty, and once we arrived back in our little corner of the island, we ate a simple dinner at the kitchen counter, looking out over the harbour towards Greenwich. Afterwards, I decided to head out to the beach for my first visit to the ocean since my arrival.
As I wandered off down the red dirt path to the water, it occurred to me that this was the first time I had walked this path since the passing of the late, great Jazz Bird. It was strange to walk at my own pace, without that beagle beside me with his tail in the air, sniffing about expectantly and enthusiastically pulling me ever closer to the salty water with all its fine ocean treasures. No crunching of crab leftovers this time, no sniffing of dead fish. Very strange indeed. But nevertheless, a rewarding walk. (And I have to confess I am enjoying the reduced stress at home now that Jasper is not there to claw constantly at the garbage and recycling cans, or jump up onto the counter to steal our food all the time. Don’t get me wrong, I loved our Birdy, but he sure could be a pain in the ass!!)
I stood by the water’s edge for a long time, looking out into the distance along the sandy shore, to where the old St Pete’s Lighthouse stood amongst the dunes to the west of our beach. And I remembered a bit of news Trevor had passed along earlier in the day, that apparently the light house is for sale! I wondered how the landscape would change once that staple was removed from the vista.
Eventually, I trudged through the sand, then the grass and along the red dirt road home again. The boys were just coming out of the tub, ready for the nightly Uno tournament which had become a recent pre-bedtime routine out here in PEI.
As we sat throwing our cards enthusiastically onto the pile in the middle of the table, I though what a blessing it is to be able to partake on such a regular basis in this national treasure that is Prince Edward Island, Canada!
It was getting to be time to head home with our bounty, and once we arrived back in our little corner of the island, we ate a simple dinner at the kitchen counter, looking out over the harbour towards Greenwich. Afterwards, I decided to head out to the beach for my first visit to the ocean since my arrival.
As I wandered off down the red dirt path to the water, it occurred to me that this was the first time I had walked this path since the passing of the late, great Jazz Bird. It was strange to walk at my own pace, without that beagle beside me with his tail in the air, sniffing about expectantly and enthusiastically pulling me ever closer to the salty water with all its fine ocean treasures. No crunching of crab leftovers this time, no sniffing of dead fish. Very strange indeed. But nevertheless, a rewarding walk. (And I have to confess I am enjoying the reduced stress at home now that Jasper is not there to claw constantly at the garbage and recycling cans, or jump up onto the counter to steal our food all the time. Don’t get me wrong, I loved our Birdy, but he sure could be a pain in the ass!!)
I stood by the water’s edge for a long time, looking out into the distance along the sandy shore, to where the old St Pete’s Lighthouse stood amongst the dunes to the west of our beach. And I remembered a bit of news Trevor had passed along earlier in the day, that apparently the light house is for sale! I wondered how the landscape would change once that staple was removed from the vista.
Eventually, I trudged through the sand, then the grass and along the red dirt road home again. The boys were just coming out of the tub, ready for the nightly Uno tournament which had become a recent pre-bedtime routine out here in PEI.
As we sat throwing our cards enthusiastically onto the pile in the middle of the table, I though what a blessing it is to be able to partake on such a regular basis in this national treasure that is Prince Edward Island, Canada!
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