Memorial Day and Pet Cemeteries

Lots and lots going on this past week and this weekend.  In the United States it is Memorial Day. It is the unofficial start of summer. Families gather and have big cookouts and play ball and open their cottages or get their boats in the water.  It is a time when we remember our veterans and heroes who gave the ultimate sacrifice.  We also, in our family, remember all those who have gone before us including our fur family members.  Here in North Hatley, we have maintained a pet cemetery for many years.  It started with our first dog, Tawney, who died at the age of 12.  She arrived in our family just about the same time that Katie did.  Thus, when she died, it was approximately 1982.  So the pet cemetery is now 34 years old.  Not only are our own pets in there but some of our friends pets and some other family members pets are there too.  This weekend, on the eve of Memorial Day, we will finally put Olivia in with the ferns that she loved so much and along with her will go Malibu (cat) who comes from my brother’s family.  Jack and Libby dug the graves and at cocktail time, somewhat traditional here at the lake, we will put them in the ground.  Last year, for the first time ever, I noticed that the area was filled with forget-me-nots – beautiful blue flowers.  So very appropriate for that part of the property.

 

Golf and Walking and maybe Not Walking

For the first time ever I have taken up walking on the golf course.  I received a wonderful 3-wheeled push cart for my birthday and decided that I really need to walk on the golf course not ride all the time.  I walked both Tuesday and Wednesday and really enjoyed it.  Since we don’t have electric carts but rather the gas powered ones, when you ride it is very noisy.  I found that it was much quieter and you could carry on a conversation with your fellow players much more easily.  It’s a little more work when you are going up hills but it isn’t all that difficult.  Plus it gives me more miles towards my 100 mile goal.

Working on getting to a healthier place even at the golf course, I have had an on-going conversation with the chef/cook at the club.  He provides a wonderful dinner for the ladies after our Wednesday evening golf league and this week he out did himself with a salad and salmon.  He is very artistic with his presentations, to quote him “it’s my feminine side”, so I really have to share a picture of what he created for us this past week.  It was delicious and nutritious.  We have a couple of vegetarian/vegan members and for them he just left off the salmon.  Wonderful dinner.  Doesn’t that look delicious?

I may not be walking as much in the coming weeks as I seem to have done some damage to my big toe.  I fell going up the steps – I was in a hurry and caught my foot on one of the stone stairs.  Jammed my toe as I fell forward onto the steps.  Broken?  Not broken?  Don’t know but I am certainly not going to spend hours trying to get an x-ray only to have them tell me there is nothing they can do and then tape it.  So, I skipped the x-ray part, went to the  pharmacy and got some tape and some cushiony thing and taped it up.  Even the pharmacist said the same thing.  They can’t do much for a broken toe.  However, as soon as I taped it up, I was walking better and it didn’t hurt as much.  Lots of ice, a little vino, and I’m good to go.  Not sure I will get my 100 miles in the month of May.  Annoying but not a major problem.  As you can see, I made it to 95.4 miles and you never know, I might get out there and get those last steps in before Wednesday.

 

Summer is here, or is it?

Friday I drove into Montreal for a luncheon of the ladies of King’s Hall Compton.  It is the school that I went to in the 60’s and it merged with the local boys school Bishop’s College School, in the 70’s when both schools were struggling.  The school is now thriving under the leadership of a new head of school.  Each year, in May, for the last several years, the school has had a luncheon just for the ladies.  It was a wonderful luncheon and since I have missed it for the last few years it was great to go again this year.  I brought my 91 year young mother back out to the country with me after the luncheon and she decided to stay with us here at our house rather than in her own little house just down the river.  Daughter Katie and the grands arrived Friday night.  So we are four generations living under one roof this weekend which makes for a very busy and fun time.  In the middle of it all the boat was declared ready for launch so we picked it up Saturday morning.  After a slight hesitation on its part we were able to drive it from the marina back to the house.  We aren’t sure what is going on here but it has been in the 90’s and rather humid for this time of year.  It actually feels more like July than May.  However, we are all loving it and Katie and the grands have been in swimming although declaring very loudly that it is frigid!!!!  We had snow less than two weeks ago.

 

An Alternative to a hamburger

I follow a number of different blogs and websites and in honor of Memorial Day I will share this link with you who want to have a burger on the holiday but you are trying not to eat as much meat or perhaps you are a vegetarian or vegan.  I happen to love veggie burgers, especially black bean burgers, so here is a link that you might like.  Best Veggie Burger Recipes  It is from a blog I follow called Well + Good.

 

 

 

The Roses of Summer

Thank you to our wonderful tenants, who are living in our Dataw house this summer, for sending this glorious picture of our roses in full bloom.  I do miss the roses and am lucky that they took a picture for me.  Last year at this time, on Memorial Day, I went to the hospital after having a heart attack.  It was Sunday the 31st of May so on Tuesday it will be one year.  It has been quite a year and I am grateful to be here, to be writing this story every week and sharing it with all of you.  I wish you and yours a wonderful weekend and a happy kick off to summer.  Have a wonderful week everyone.