Monday, July 26, 2010

nice day!




I have not been posting as often as I should - I'm irritated with my sign in for my blog account. We changed our email adress to a new Gmail address and now my blogger account (being somehow affiliated with Google) has changed my password from my blog account password to my Google account.




so, when I go to log in - I try my old password, it doesn't work, I get pissed and don't blog. I don't like it when things (particularly passwords) get changed without my knowledge. oh well, what-are-you-gonna-do?




I may have mentioned my stove in past blogs - a couple of years ago I bought a new smooth top GE stove. I love my new stove - it looks great - it doesn't cook worth a damn! Basically it can't boil water! Yesterday Rick and I decided to make a casserole - I cooked my ground beef in the electric frying pan and Rick actually fired up our 35 year old propane camp stove in the garage to boil the water for the pasta! Tell me there isn't something wrong with this....... That's what happens when you buy something for looks alone!


Rick had a nostalgia day on Saturday - he and a friend went to a remote control boat club regatta in Sprats gravel pit somewhere in Ottawa South. Rick used to be an active member but this was his first time back to the "pond" in about 30 years. He was there most of the day and said he had a great time - I am sure he would like to get back into the hobby if there was a handy place around to run the boats. Maybe we should buy something on the water!
Yesterday was mostly real estate - in to Renfrew to list a fixer upper in town ($79,900 in case anyone is interested) and then home, only to get a call (just before the race started) from a couple wanting to go through a cottage I have listed. So, off we went to Mink Lake - nice drive in the Pony.
When Rick used to race his r/c boats years ago and take pictures, I always thought they just looked like little specks on the water. Guess what? they still look like specks on the water - hahaha - today's pictures r/c boats from Saturday's regatta

Saturday, July 17, 2010

heat continues....


As anyone and everyone in the area knows, it continues to be extremely hot. I don't think the humidity was nearly as bad as it was last week, but it is still a bit on the sticky side. We've been making good use of the Pony - sunscreen, hats & sunglasses when going for a drive are a definite MUST!


I've rarely worn sunglasses as I wear prescription glasses and I don't like the clip on sunglasses very much. My latest "find" is a pair of $8 wrap-around sunglasses that I can wear over top of my prescription glasses! At last I'm cool in sunglasses (even if these are probably referred to as "granny glasses" by younger people. They are available at your local Giant Tiger store!


We've been running the roads a fair bit this past week - real estate continues to be slow (for everyone) but it won't stay that way. Probably in a few weeks I'll be whining about being tooooo busy!


Jamie and Julie came up last weekend - a surprise visit - very nice to see them both. Jamie is throughouly enjoying his new job - the pay is good, steady (not "piece" work pay like he got at Canadian tire) and the hours are regular - 8 to 5 & no weekends. He quite likes the people he works with and so close to home he could bike there if he wanted to. Nice!


Nothing much else exciting going on - all I can say is THANK GOD FOR AIR CONDITIONERS!!! I don't know how people manage without them in this weather.


Picture today is Nibbles (who's just so darn cute) - I wish I could get THAT comfortable! By the way, that is HER spot on the back of the couch in front of HER window. She does go out, but never far - NEVER goes into the bush and I think she is pretty content to watch the world go by from her window.

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

holy heat wave, Batman!!!!


As everyone in the area knows - it's been really freakin' hot lately! Our house is fairly cool - with the use of 3 window a/c's. I would prefer central air, but not having a central heating system in the house means we use window units. And I wouldn't be without them!


Tonight we had to run back into town - I had a showing booked for 7:30 - so we took the Pony, but ran the a/c on our feet cuz it was so hot!


Kris has been complaining about the heat - I told him that, that's what you get for wanting an "outdoorsey" job - WEATHER! freeze your tail off in the winter and roast in the summer!


Jamie says his new job "rocks" - it would appear that he made a good move from Crappy Tire to this new place. His girlfriend's parents have a cottage on the Quebec side of the Ottawa river and I'm guessing Jamie and Julie are spending evenings there on the water - not a bad life!


speaking of water - I have a great 2 bedroom house on Calabogie lake for sale if anyone is interested..... Calabogie is generally a busy market, but not this year! I do think that the HST has created a number of serious misconceptions among homebuyers. Many think HST will be charged on resale homes and I had one lady tell me that she thought it meant our commissions were jumping to 13% (I wish.....) so, I wonder if that is keeping people from buying, cause, the bank rates are super low and should be helping things along. I know many of you reading this will remember interest rates in the low - mid teens.

today's the thermometer at my office - this was taken around 6:15 p.m. and it was in the shade!




Saturday, July 3, 2010

HOT HOT HOT




WOW! Now THIS is a summer day! Just right for a drive in the Pony with the top down! I had a showing up in Mt. St. Patrick today and what a great drive. We slathered on the sunscreen and away we went. Rick made a point of washing the car first, but we encountered some dirt roads which quickly dusted up the car. Oh well.


This house I have listed on the top of Kennelly Mountain in Mt. St. Patrick (and, YES, I realize the this would not really be considered a "mountain" anywhere but in the rather flat Ottawa Valley...) is a fabulous home with views up to 40 kms or more. So well built it is heated exclusively by a wood stove! No phone service, but perfect cell phone service so one doesn't really need a land land (and many people just don't bother with land lines any longer) Anyway, I really like this place, but the drive up the "mountain" would be a bit tough in the winter time.


In spite of having the top down, it was a hot drive home and we made an impulsive stop at KFC (did you know they changed their name from Kentucky Fried Chicken to KFC to try to tone down the "fried" angle???) We rarely get KFC, in fact, Rick and I don't eat out or get take out very often - but about every 6 months or so, I get a craving for KFC and today was the day! toooo hot to cook anyway.


Tomorrow I have an open house in Calabogie - should be a nice day for that - hopefully I will get some BUYERS!!! It is a great place - perfect doll house on the lake! Last year it would have sold in a month, this year - only a few showings - it is a quiet year!

Picture today is from the top of Kennelly Mountain!