Half Way Through Winter 2025 in Wheatley

 

Ok you whiners, here's your blog. I have to say, it has been fun getting all of the questions about where the blog is and how can you get it. It encourages me to write which I love to have an excuse to do....

We left home a day earlier than planned on Dec.31st and headed to Wheatley, Ontario as it is warm and they don't get any snow in the winter.

As you can see, upon arrival the grass was green and the temp was warmer than what we had left in Northern Ontario. 

Our first night was rough in this new house we had rented. There was this incredible sound that woke us up all night like the landing of a 747 right outside of our master bedroom wall. We slept little.

The next morning, ready to unpack we suddenly discover that in this two bedroom house, there isn't a dresser for clothes. Not one.....Interesting. Live out of a suitcase for 3 months? I don't think so. Within a week our landlady had found us a dresser and lugged it in with the help of a neighbour. 

Oh, on our second night we headed into the front of the house to the second bedroom with out the ocean view and the landing strip outside of the window. 

Sorry about the blur. I took many shots and this is the best one.....This happened to us last year at the Super Store in Leamington where we like to shop. Leaving the store, should you not have been in the store long enough according to some theory, your cart will suddenly refuse to go any further with all of the wheels will lock. At the same time a buzzer is going off like you are trying to shoplift. Finally an employer arrives to magically unlock your buggy and you may proceed to leave the store. 

Ray patiently waiting for me to stop taking pics and talking to people. Note the bags hanging from the handles....

There handles are so awesome for steering around the cart and hanging extra bags on. I'm sure at some point they will make it to our stores in the north. 

I love shopping at the All Canadian Super Store. If you spend over $300, you get a prize. On our first shop we got six boxes of these treats and they are really good. They are free of everything and makes me wonder how there was anything left to package up and sell. I qualified for 2 boxes but was told, "Sorry, only one per customer." which really does not sound right.

And then  we woke up to this!!!! Good grief, I hate snow and here it was and the skies were gray day after day after gray. I forgot to mention that everything in this house is gray. Walls, sheets, pillow cases, towels, flooring. Have I ever told you how I hate gray? Who can honestly look at gray and say, "Wow! That makes me feel so happy!" No one. Absolutely no one!!! By now, about the end of the first week, I starting to really miss Dean's house. I want to go back!!!!!!!!!

Then there is the stove. I buy a box of wings which is not a norm for us but we are sort of on vacation and I'm looking for easy meals. I carefully read the box, follow all directions and at the end of the assigned time, I take these burnt sacrificial offerings out of the oven. You have to be kidding! I don't burn food. Next day a similar experience. Call to the landlady to find out there are two bake settings. One is for a convection oven......You get it.

One of my great joys in life is waking up in the morning and getting delivered coffee in bed while I'm reading my latest good book. One morning it is raining out, gray again, when I'm suddenly interrupted by Ray standing at the bedroom door also looking gray with blood running all over his face. "Oh my God, what happened?" "I stepped into a puddle that was hiding ice and I've been laying outside in the puddle for 15 minutes." "Why didn't you get up?" "I couldn't. I had to crawl to the glass top table to haul myself up." I went into rescue mode and discovered that he had badly skinned his right elbow and left knee. Not sure how that could happen but it did. Max, his faithful dog, stood at this side waiting to get on with his walk. He could have dragged him all over the driveway but thankfully didn't. I'm happy to report that he is now all healed. 

Siberia, that is where we are. Siberia.

The way the house is situated, we get sunrise and sunsets. They tend to be pretty spectacular.

We have had a lot of fun thrifting finding treasures for the Barn that will open in May. Ray has had great difficulty with the couches here and was watching netflix at night in a dining room chair. On one of our outings to Leamington, 10 minutes down the road, I found this chair for him which he really likes. Life lesson 98 - If you don't like something, fix it.

This is the leather love seat and there is a larger couch the same opposite. When you sit on them you become engulfed. 

I'm surviving the couch by piling pillows under and behind me. On the right you can see my office that I set up. There is a jigsaw puzzle under my computer on the go. There are so many windows and the house is so close to the lake that it almost feels like you are in a boat. Lovely to look at but when the wind howls in from the lake, it comes right through the house. I can't get warm on some days. It is the strangest heating system. The house is less than two years old and you hate to ask, "Did you happen to use any insulation in your build?"

I think it is often the smallest things that can annoy you the most. None of the little sticky things on the bottom of any of the furniture stay in place. I've started a stack of them. Better for my mental health. 

Over the fall we had noticed that Max had lost a lot of weight. The vet in Sundridge is petrified of him and we knew the vet in Leamington, Dr. Kate, loved him so the first week we were here we made an appointment. He had full blood work done and x rays. He has a tumor in his right lung and probably won't make it past June. So many tears. Such sadness. He is still acting quite normally and thank goodness still gets under my feet and makes me growl. He has been just the best dog ever. More tears.

This is the on suite master bedroom bathroom. I thought aircraft bathrooms were the smallest but I've found one even smaller!!! Goes with the sound outside of the 747. Oh look, it's all gray......

This is the thrifting pile of treasures. All of them are full of stuff. I'm on a weekly online auction here and one in Midland that Todd is picking up for me. It is going to be a good year out there in the barn!!!

I can't get under the pic below. It is of the windows this morning. Covered with ice.

I had made up a list of stuff you needed to know and I've hardly touched it so here goes.

We have gone to the Rez to get gas and you won't believe this but these big guys with their big trucks, everyone here drives a pick up, start filling their tanks and then they go and sit in their vehicles waiting for the tank to fill because it is too cold and windy to stand outside.  Unbelievable. Whoosies.

We have an eagle that flies by and we have seen 3 trumpeter swans fly by twice with an 8 foot wing span.

We have been going to Wheatley United Church on Sundays and enjoying the services. Sang in the choir once in Jan. as they only have choir once a month. I'm knitting a prayer shawl for a church group. Tore it out once. Thinking of doing it again and need prayer to finish it....

I've been volunteering at the Bank Theatre in Leamington about once a week or more and really liking it. I was a tad nervous the first night but it is one of those riding a bike things. One Sunday afternoon, church in the morning, bar tending in the afternoon, I was pouring a beer when the can slipped out of my hand. I had no idea that a beer could flow that quickly out of a can on its side and then with I righted it, it continued to volcanically spew out its contents. Won't do that again!!!

Our second week  here the actually owner of the house came to do some maintenance. Second week here he wanted to come back to do more maintenance and I had to draw the line. "If you aren't happy there, pls don't feel obliged to stay until the end of March." said the landlady. That was all I needed to hear. Quick call to Dean and we are moving back into our winter home Feb.15. I can't wait. Life lesson #389 - Sometimes new looks glittery and pretty but in reality, it doesn't make it better for you. Still learning....

Thanks for taking the time to read this blog. I look forward to your comments etc. Not sure when I'll do it again but I probably will.

God Bless and stay safe out there.....