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Just as soon as I bought it the sun came out, and all of the clouds went away. A whole week later we have some rain to finally begin the process of filling up my 200 L tank under the downspout. While I did appreciate the sun and warmth, I do also want to get some fresh water stored up in the barrel for my fruit trees. I think I might plant some sweet corn in the yard just for a hoot. See if I can, sort of thing. Tried last year, but 8 misjudged the beans as corn in seed form and I don’t much care for doya beans myself. But having my own sweetcorn? Yeah buddy! We’ll see how it does with my dog bothering everything out in the yard each evening.

I have to wait until early to mid May to plant the corn, so it’s not a rush at the moment. Not while we still have single digit or negative temps at night. Gotta have warm ground, and no more Frost’s for the seeds to kick off, and not die. I am excited to see if it will take in the soil we have on hand near the cherry trees. Could be a total bust! I might try in two spots. One out front and one around the back. Both have to be near a hose with available water. Not that I intend to baby the potential corn crop. But I’d like to see it get established, then step back and leave it alone to do its thing.

Speaking of water, I need to top up the fish tank. Our surviving six fish have lasted for several months now. They all seem to be getting along, and eating on the regular. I washed out the filters and bubbler several weeks ago, and nobody died. That’s a plus!

Happy Saturday to you all.

He’s my beautiful boy, and a real scallywag at that too. Walks around the farm, through the bush, out in the fields, around all the old abandoned equipment rusting in the tree lines. It’s a whole thing. Made better by the presence of another dog, that being Gracie-Mae. She’s a fair bit larger than my pooch, but they get along like chalk & cheese, and run one another ragged, so that I don’t have to. There’s rarely a full moment when both mutts are around. Lots of running, jumping, rolling, and gnashing of teeth. Sometimes they snarl a little, but for the most part it’s just drool and killing tongues after our outdoor walks. I think he likes it.

I’d like to see this week wind down and draw to a close. It’s been a bit of a financial hit, since the Tax Man came and took his fair share. I’m a little down to see those funds go. No matter, there’s more to be made, and more of life to go live.

I just bought a new Hoover brand vacuum for the house since the two we already own are both ready for the trash heat. No matter how many filters I clean, change, replace they both overheat and the plugs get hot. So no bueno. I’m certain there’s something internal that I can’t reach that needs looking after in order to “fix” them, but I’ll be damned if I know what that is. I’ve used my air compressor to blow them out, and picked shit out of every inch of both machines, but I think they are both ready to move to the curb as trash. Might keep the hoses, and random attachments, but the bulk can go out in garbage bags for pick-up. Or get taken to the dump in Aurora. Which I feel is the closest one to us that accepts technology items.

Which reminds me, I need to call the vet because the ticks are bad, and the dog needs meds. Heart worm pills, flea and tick meds. Potentially some vaccinations for being in town. I’m sure it’ll run me about five hundred dollars or more. They can find a way!

It is Friday April 24th, and we have an extended family members birthday to celebrate at some point this weekend. You only turn four once! Soon to be off to school in the fall. My how time flies.

Two big ones, at least from my point of view. One: I’m about to achieve the second best year on this blog in about a week as I get close to day 740 of my writing streak. That’s pretty cool, especially given how much of the year is left. Could I rival my best year ever? Don’t know. This place seems fickle but I’m ok with where we’re at.

Two: Home Depot offered me the chance to be an Influenster with their seeds program. I’m not sure if it’ll go through, but all my years of writing reviews for Amazon, Google Maps, Canadian Tire,  and Hone Depot feel kind of vindicated. I don’t really know if anything will come of it, but you know, it’s the thought that counts. The onboarding survey was pretty extensive, though it felt geared towards women if I’m being honest. I did include the dog, my spouse. And both of my children so maybe there might be something for them to look over in the mix. Again, I don’t really know, I just thought it was interesting.

The Income Tax Man has come through and taken a bite out of my bank account, so I have that much dealt with. Now I wait to see what state my HST/GST is in so that I hopefully get a refund again this year. Whilst I hate to see good cash go out the door every three months towards it, I like it even less when I have to make a lump sum payment alongside my income taxes. It really stings that way. Doing it quarterly means I don’t have the cash on hand long enough to feel as though it’s mine. Be gone foul beastie! So that’s what’s going on over here.

It is Thursday April 23rd, 2026 and the sun is shining, it’s going to get up to around 17°C today. We got a few points higher yesterday, and it’ll continue to slide down lower as we expect clouds, and rain for much of tomorrow and Saturday. Things are about to pick up as the pace quickens towards the end of the school year. Clubs and extracurriculars wind down, birthday parties are in full swing, house parties kick off, cottage visits, pool openings, lawn care, and summer programming turn on. Recitals and tournaments rear their ferocious heads asking for more money. Belt resting comes up at the end of June too. It will feel like living in a tornado soon enough.

Work has calmed down a little, but the work is still flowing in & out of the studio. I’ll need to place lawn cutting into the weekly schedule soon enough. Give up shoveling snow for a weekly trim, and weed eater session. Until it gets really hot using the mower is actually a pleasant experience. A chance to listen to some music through my headphones and get a few steps in for my health & wellness.

I realize my news is underwhelming. Not much I can do about that I’m afraid. Oh, I got a notification my life straws are due in today via delivery instead of coming in at the end of May. That’s good news too. My tiny cache of survival supplies is really coming together. I did actually look at the York Region fire arms course for rifles and long guns again. Price is reasonable. Takes up an eight hour day over the weekend, and has the test included. Seems good to me. Just need to book a time that works for all of us. According to google I have drastically underestimated the food, water, and hygiene needs of a family of four for any sort of lengthy emergency. But all I said was “survive” and not thrive like it was our predetermined goal in life. Hobble to the finish line is still a win. Might need to stash more bottled water, and soap, and batteries to make things easier on us. For a generic 72 hour thing, we’re golden. For a week or two, no problem. The three to eight weeks is where we will see the just survive it mentality kick in. It would suck, but we’d come out the other end. Or so I believe. Reality might have other things in mind. Come what may.

Any other interesting tid bits of news that I can divulge? Hmm. Nothing really comes to mind at the moment. With any luck things will remain calm, cool and collected for years to come.bfingers crossed.

I spent a while on Friday evening cutting down 2 x 4’s, notching out holes, and pilot hole drilling, attaching deck screws, and cutting down wire mess for my eldest daughter’s Girl Guide troup to make their own turtle boxes to keep the newly hatching eggs safe. We had hoped to build five of them, but there was only enough of the mesh to make four. I have staples left over too. All went into the pile of random gear I have in the garage. Unfortunately this project killed the last of my three inch deck screws, so I’ll need to go buy more at some point. Not a big issue.

I still have to buy the six thousand pound jack if I want to level out our deck, so no point getting too far ahead of myself here. I need crushed rock, sand, a paving stone, a foundation block, and the jack to lift up the deck to then place a newly cut bit of 4 x 4 post to keep the one side of the deck from sagging back into the mud. It’s going to wind up being a whole thing when I finally get to it. Might even have to dig two holes, use two pavers, and two new posts just to be certain.

But more importantly the turtle boxes were built, no injuries were had, and everything went together without too much fuss. I had the parts numbered, and all paid out together. I provided both a hammer, and my good driver to get all the screws sunk in good & tight. Daughter had fun. Time well spent.

My youngest is home after falling in gym class at the end of yesterday hurting her left wrist. It’s a little swollen today, but colour is good, and what’s more, she isn’t in agony. I have used a self adhesive bandage to immobilize it just a bit, and have attached a sling to keep the wrist elevated and cradled. She can have Tylenol through the day, and tomorrow she can head back to school. I called the doctor’s office but the phone lines disconnect me, so that’s cool. Pretty sure it isn’t broken, nor fractured. Just a hefty bump during her tumble. Should be fine in another day or three. Ha.

So she’s not going to be much help opening up the cottage docks for spring time. We have several pieces to live across the lake. And lock into place. That requires untying knots, taking deck boards off, and reattaching anchor chains all over the show. It’s a slow, long, and tedious process. Usually done in high winds, and a sprinkling of rain, and cold over cast shade. Sometimes the bugs are ripe, and ready to go real early in the season too. So much fun.

Saw him again for the first time this morning, haven’t seen him since late October. I did a drive by to make sure he took off into the woods. I’m going to sit and wait ten minutes before I release the dog for our morning walk. That’s usually enough time for the coyote to make itself scarce and we can enjoy our morning stroll without any additional excitement.

Everything here on the farm seems to be turning green as expected. Grass, shrubs, trees etc. It’s a very refreshing sight to behold after these long cold months of snow. Last November I planted several hundred tulips and wouldn’t you know at least 80% actually grew! Lucky stars. Now I don’t know if they will bloom this year due to the stresses we got them under, but next year, oh boy! Should be a very colourful treat to see. A feast for the eyes!

It is Tuesday, and the mornings start in the negatives, and end in the early teens, so pretty soon it’ll be shorts weather. Find the hats and sunglasses stat! Where’s the sunscreen? Sandals or Crocs for day to day outdoor operations that don’t include power tools or the lawn mower. Choices, choices.

I need to brush out the cobwebs, open the windows, wash the blinds, and clean the ceiling fans. Let’s put dust out of our way. Funny how we can focus on the small day to day things while there are world regimes toying with dropping nukes. Oh what a world.

I’m just trying to get to Friday evening, right!?! Roll on weekends and no early morning alarm. I just keep telling myself that some day soon these kids will be somewhat self sufficient and the spouse and I can relax just a touch. Just a sleep in, together. Same room, same bed sort of thing. Some point soon-ish I hope.

I still had a productive weekend even if I initially felt like I didn’t. I gathered a bunch of supplies for the house on Friday, shoring up some loose ends there. I secured a 200 L rain barrel for the back yard that doesn’t look too out of place, along with a length of hose that will reach all of the fruit trees, raspberries, and the grapes. The strawberries are too far away, and more of a nuisance than a food source. The bunnies tend to eat them all anyway, so while we do technically have them, they don’t really factor in unless I make some pretty serious changes to the bed they’re in. I don’t see that happening this year. I could change my mind. So setting up the rain barrel meant adjusting the downspout, but this house must have had a collection barrel here before because the cinder block base, and height of the elbow in the downspout were spot on. I took off one extension piece and it all slid right in under the spout with nary a millimeter to spare.

I also had the chance to work on the garage on some Girl Guide turtle boxes. I cut the 2×4’s down to size. Cut out a 3×1 inch hole on every single panel (twenty panels in all), then I prefilled recessed pilot holes for the 3″ deck screws, and cut the four wire mesh panels needed to cover the tops of the turtle boxes. I put one together as a test run with the hammered in staples. So that project is good to go for my wife’s guide unit on Tuesday.

Felt good to be active in the shop. Didn’t hurt that it was above ten degrees celsius so I was at least somewhat comfortable in the shop. It’s not a furniture build, but it felt good to get outside and do something constructive! I have my eye on building a cherry table to run along the back of the couch, which would allow us to take down the dogs crate, since we just use it as a shelf to put shoes on, or hold stuff. The dog crate is big, heavy, and in the way quite a bit every single morning. Part of me wonders if I could move the children’s mini couch to the basement when we do the table, and really open up the front hall.

I think I even started to put the hats, mitts. And gloves and such away on Friday. So obviously we had some snow yesterday. Naturally. I need to move boots, snow pants. And jackets and helmets too, but alot of those items need to be washed first, and in some cases repaired. Stitching up tears and torn seams. Should be fun.

Although I don’t think we entirely ready to roll over into spring and begin the deep cleaning process. Purge & clean is coming soon! We’ll have donations, garbage bags of trash, and items ready to go to the cottage for the younger niece and nephew. All a part of the cycle. That and closets, closets, closets.

Dog walks, wander around a mall, snoop through some hardware stores, just chilling out, and looking at stuff. It’s not very productive but it makes me feel as though I am doing something. I would like to get a rain barrel for the house so that I can use rain water to water plants around the side of the house instead of from the tap. I’m just concerned about having to tap into the downspout, and creating a stagnant pool of water for a mosquito breeding ground right next to my house. But if droughts persist, collecting rain when we have it to boost the time when we don’t seems like a smart idea. This is less important to me than the safety stuff I have been gathering over the last several months. Still waiting on delivery of my three safety straws, and the solar generator battery pack.

I see a few products that I could use for this, but I’m wondering if I can find less expensive options. Like a 50 gallon drum, rubber/plastic or metal. Would they be cheaper than the rain barrel specific items I see at local hardware places. I’d have to cut my own holes, and place my own spigots & hose combo. I’ll have to look into it and make a determination one way or the other.

Looks as though Home Depot has the least expensive option by about $90.00 here in southern Ontario, so that’s good to know. I’ll need some bagged stone, and perhaps a stand, and another small hose to go with it, once I’m ready to make my move. All of the options are for 50 gallons, or 190 litres, so just about equal across the board. Some have two spigots. Most just have the one at the bottom. So I can save time & effort not trying to fit my own in place after the fact. Also good.

I figure the saved rain water can be used to keep my fruit trees well watered once we get into the nasty dry season from June to September. Things can get pretty parched around these parts. The green grass quickly turns straw coloured and gets mighty crispy. And yet the weeds manage to get big, and tall, and strong, and spread all over the show under the same conditions. Go figure.

It has not yet snowed today, but that doesn’t mean that it won’t! Ha. Have a wonderful Sunday. Take care out there.

Wouldn’t you know it, went to pick up my kids from their Guides cookie sales extravaganza and I found an even cheaper 200 L rain barrel, with spigot, and overflow hose, that I could pick up a generic 25 foot garden hose and still come in under the price of the other one I was looking at that was well over two hundred bucks before taxes, and an additional garden hose. I think I did alright! I will need to level the ground with some stones from the farm, but those are free to me. Will need to hacksaw the downspout to the correct height, but that’s not a major issue. All good. Extra water stores now taken care of.

I’d say that 200 litres of reserve water from rain should be enough to help the trees survive our hotter than ever summers. Also good for us in the case of an emergency. Can use it for washing clothes in a pinch, or just for shoes, Crocs and boots after doing a farm run. I like it. Things are shaping up around here. Getting things checked off the list. I feel good about it.

Had a great if brief climbing session today, and had high hopes of getting down to the farm to split some more rounds while the temperature was modest, and it was still dry. But, such is life, it now seems as though the heavens have opened up and it is once again raining quite heavily. No end in sight, given how dark, and overcast each and every direction looks. Lovely.

Guess I’ll read my book then. I’m still waiting on the power pack portion of my solar generator to arrive. Delivery said any day between Friday and Monday. I do have the solar panels in hand, which is good. But ultimately useless without the proprietary power pack slash storage battery. With any luck it will show up on Monday afternoon, and I can get it to start charging up. I will feel a whole lot better knowing we have it on hand as we get closer to the May wind storm anniversary.

If work slows up a bit (it has gone full tilt for multiple weeks now – which is astounding, also excellent!) I can give the dog a walk, and then start to split some rounds, or process the last remaining logs for seasoning prior to getting split next year, or the year after that. I don’t really like to plan that far ahead, because you just don’t know anymore. I have two current friends battling cancer, and some recent deaths from cancer, and some acquaintances have passed away from various lymphomas too. It’s very prevalent, and seems to be extra aggressive as of late. In growth, expansion, and how it attacks the afflicted individual. It’s nuts. So given how paper thin everything feels, I am keeping my planning to whatever is in each month, and perhaps each quarter. I don’t want to be looking out for stuff five six months from now, I want to focus on today, and the here & now primarily.

I’m not negating the long term plans, but I want to be present for immediate things, not spend my time longing for stuff that’s months, or years away. I haven’t gone all YOLO, but I am trying to be more present. I love a good plan, lists and whatnot, but given how do many others are being dealt upsets, it’s good to be here, now, and get things done with grace in the moment. Not sure if that sentiment reads how I feel it, but that’s where I’m at right now.

I did all that prep work on the off chance we might face so kind of struggle or chaotic event, so I haven’t given up on the future. But I have no guarantees for long term, so instead of putting things off, I’m more likely to hit them head on now, than wait. It’s a little contradictory, but a suitable balance can be made, I think.

Put stuff in place, just in case you get to tomorrow, but live in the here and now, with what you got going on. I think I’ve always lived this way, but as I continue to get closer to fifty years old, I’m more introspective, and willing to do important things now while I can, rather than wait for retirement, or once the kids hit this milestone, or that one, etc etc…

I’m seeing and hearing of people dying, getting various cancers and other ailments, losing limbs to amputations, and all sorts of upsets to people’s plans for their futures. It makes you think. Part of me screams forget tomorrow do it all right now!, this very instant, and the responsible part says keep a watch out for tomorrow, next week, next month, next year, next five years, and the next ten after that. Oh what a tangled web we weave.

So in short it’s raining again (April showers bring May flowers after all.) as much as I was hoping to go split some wood it seems unlikely for today. There is a call for single digit temperatures tomorrow, and the possibility of snow. Seems late in the month for snow, but chaos is chaotic for a reason. Tire swaps will have to wait until next weekend then. I don’t appreciate doing the tires during inclement weather. I’ll turn the water on to the outside tap so I can power wash the road salt off of the winter tires when I do swap them out. Cleaning them doesn’t add all that much extra time anyway.

Good news is all this climbing means I can still grab a hold of an axe comfortably for 75-90 minutes. My one elbow still doesn’t like chopping all that much even with five months off. Keeps me from spending all day basking in the sun splitting, so that’s likely a good thing. I need to get more Gatorade G2, or Zeroes for prolonged axe swinging sessions. My chainsaw gear is brand new, clean, and ready to rock & roll too. Once work slows up, I can hit the two remaining piles hard, and try to get ahead leaving reduced piles for the fall. If all goes well that is.

After many a sleepless night, spent worrying about the safety of my immediate family in the case of a natural disaster, or some kind of unforseen event (think attacks on our Canadian Sovereignty) I have begun to amass some bits and pieces that should keep us alive, perhaps not thriving, but hobbling along whilst living to make it through 8 or 9 weeks of trouble. I’m not a rich person, so I can’t plan for every contingency, and I can’t afford to be luxurious about our safety measures. Think along the lines of better than nothing. That’s the level we will survive on in case electricity goes, natural gas gets shut off, and water goes away too. The scenario I think we can hobble through doesn’t include being bombed, or active armed combat. I can’t do anything about those things, when everyone employs tanks, drones, and missiles.

But, in the case of another larger major wind storm that knocks out much of the province, we can get along ok. I now have a cheap camping stove that runs on propane, of which 8 have a number of tanks. Life straws, and now water tablets incase the bottled stuff doesn’t last as long as I’d hoped, or it gets so hot we need to consume more than I have on hand. I bought several freeze dried meats, so my protein concern is lifted (slightly).

We have matches, lighters, oil lamps, sleeping bags for all four of us, air mattresses, and individual yoga mat pads,  camping cookware with plates & cups, a waterproof 20 L bag, informational books, medical kits, at least 4 tourniquets, possibly six of them. I thought I had four in the bathroom with one medical kit, and two more in the garage with the kit in the shop. So I think we will be ok for a modest stint.

We keep more food than we eat in a single week in the house, so we have canned goods, and bagged goods to start off with. But maybe because there are four of us my math might be a little off. Either way we should be able to get through some trouble with all of us mostly fed, watered, rested, and still alive. That’s my goal here.

No bunker building, no arms cache, no delusions of thriving in the chaos. Hunker down, and live to tell the tale. It wouldn’t be glorious, or much fun. BUT, if it comes we can weather some kind of prolonged storm or event. I’m good with that. I feel like I have done my part.

It’s Friday y’all. Did you catch the season finale of The Pitt last night? I enjoyed it, much as I have the rest of the season. Less fanfare this year. No need to continue to raise the stakes to awkward proportions. No jumping the shark. Did it tie off every loose string? Nope. But that’s life. Some shit just floats along unaccounted for.

Might get some snow this weekend. Tire swaps might get bumped to the following weekend.

Blasted my funny bone on my left arm about thirty feet in the air and it still hurts like the blazes three days later. Has made sleeping uncomfortable, and sitting to read in an armchair very unpleasant. Although, that being said I did manage to get within six pages of the end of my latest Dungeon Crawler Carl book, and can likely start book seven today, if I try hard enough! But, back to my elbow. I’m not certain what I was doing to bang the shit out of my elbow.bi think I had finished, and was descending on the auto belay and randomly caught my elbow on a jug that was slightly more prominent than I had previously thought when 8 was going up. And WHAM! right on the funny bone. Money shot! Tingles and pain from the elbow to the finger tips. A nearly entirely numb hand for the first little bit, and now nagging pain when my elbow meets a surface of any kind. The dangers of climbing… Oooh!

I’ve just had a cancellation for the morning walk, so I’ll do that alone today, just Graham and I. We can go up to the orchard, and off to visit my old dog’s grave site, and say hello. It’s been a couple of weeks since we’ve swung by there. Make sure he’s still hurried, and not a reanimated zombie terrorising the neighbourhood on his off days. Ha.

It’s Thursday, which means both Friday, and the weekend are within arm’s reach. Just gotta make it through the next couple of days, he says, to himself every week when life gets busy. I haven’t heard back from the accountant about my taxes, so I have that to pay at the bank before too much longer. We are officially beyond the halfway point of the month now. The joys of adulthood.