Thursday May 30, 2013

Thursday May 30, 2013  update #468

We all collapsed into bed last night after a very exhausting day but happy that Mom has reached another huge milestone in her life, 97 years on this planet and still looking very fit.

We had our alarms set for 7am as Lou was determined to be on the road by 9am.  I made a quick breakfast per their instructions and they managed to get away earlier as a result.  They are always gracious guests and we enjoy their company.   Time just kep escaping us since we only managed to play cards for about an hour one night.

One they left I decided to tackle cleaning out the garage of the winter dirt, etc.  I literally shoveled piles to the door, then swept and scooped it all up before firing up the pressure washer to complete the job.  Then I continued and washed down the front of the house.

The neighbours probably thought I was nuts, washing my car in the drizzle, but the car needed a quick wash and wipe down to remove a couple of years of grime.   There really was a white Buick under all that dirt!

I realized how much I really missed having the convenience of a vehicle, although I am really hesitant to drive far considering the gas prices are almost 4 times what they are in Ecuador.   I also rearranged a few things in the garage so I could get at my work bench.  I still know where everything is and managed to repair a few things, including the little wind sock that is attached to our tiny tree.  It is incredible to contemplate the amount of “stuff” we have spread throughout the house and garage.   I would love to bring so much “stuff” to Ecuador but we really don’t have room to put most of it.

We got news that Germain and family have made it home safely and we wish the same result for Lou and Yvette and Fern and Eileen as they have departed today.

Debbie stopped in to finish her packing to head to Hawaii with her family.   I am jealous because I have never been there.   Some day… Just add it to the list…

I decided to get out of the house and scout out a small boom-box for Mom that will play CD’s so she can listen to her beloved Daniel O’Donnell.   I didn’t see much at Canadian Tire so I went to The Source (Radio Shack) next and found exactly what I was seeking, and it was on sale so I grabbed it.  I also found an Epson printer/scanner on sale for $40 so I grabbed that too.  The darn cartridges are $60 so it is cheaper to buy the whole new unit!   Anyway, I was quite pleased with my outing and the new printer works really well.  I used it to make some simple instructions which I taped to the new boom-box.  

I then called Mom to see if it would be OK if I came in the morning but she said she preferred if I came tonight so I went right over.  I don’t think I could make anything any simpler for her, with no complicated electronics, and 3 simple instructions:  Install CD, Play, Stop…..   She is so resistant to anything new but I am hoping her desire to listen to her beloved Daniel O’Donnell will take precedence and she can just hit Play….

Her late husband’s son, Paul, came over for a delightful visit as well so it was a good evening overall.

That was today’s excitement.   Cheers, Al

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