Beautiful Bouquet From Our Gardens

Happy Birthday Liesel!!

Our little wire hair turned four yesterday!  We cannot believe four years have passed so quickly!  She is such a blessing in our lives...never a dull moment!

For those who don't know, Liesel is a registered wire hair dachshund...her colouring is wild boar with silver highlights!  She came to us from an amazing breeder in Ontario...all girls in her litter.  When Liesel was but a few weeks old she underwent surgery to remove a foreign growth in her eye.  This growth likely happened as she was developing and after her birth it became apparent something was wrong.

This is where an amazing breeder comes in...Liesel very easily could have been put down...but because her breeder is such a caring and compassionate young woman...she opted to travel with Liesel to a large veterinary hospital in Guelph, Ontario where she had surgery from a specialist to remove the foreign growth.  A very expensive surgery...and there is no way her breeder could ever recoup her money invested in Liesel.  But she had the surgery done as putting her down was not an option....and we are so thankful she made that decision   Because Liesel required healing time...she was about four months old when she arrived with us.

She flew from Toronto to Halifax on a plane.  And not just any plane...but a cargo transport plane!  Her breeder and family stayed with her at Pearson Airport until the flight was ready to go...in a fully heated, vented cargo plane!  Her flight was only one hour and ten minutes to Halifax...and we were right there to retrieve her.  In making her flight arrangements...we discovered there wasn't a direct flight from Toronto to Charlottetown...there would be a stop over in Montreal...for a minimum of three hours!!

That was just not suitable!  We were not going to have her sitting for that long unattended, alone and scared.  Cargo planes fly between Toronto and Halifax daily...her breeder drove three hours to take her to Pearson Airport...and we drove three hours to Stanfield Airport in Halifax to pick her up.  She did amazing on her flight...her water bowl...still full!!  So she had a pretty quiet smooth flight!!

How precious is this baby picture of her?  Any wonder it was love at first sight?

Look how much she has grown in four years!!  And still has that sweet little face we love so much!!

Yesterday, she and Benson (who will soon be turning five) had a great time swimming and floating around in the pool.  Benson is a registered black and tan smooth dachshund...my daughter and her husband are his parents.  His breeder lives in Nova Scotia...

She was one very tired little wiener girl last night!!

In honour of her birthday...I ordered a beautiful dachshund quilt...I'm sure she will claim it as her own.  I opted not to get the cushion...although it was tempting....

Another hot week in store for us...heat warnings for most of the week!  Apparently most stores have sold out of air conditioners it has been so hot!!

We are loving this weather....this is PEI at it's best!!  We'll be spending our time cooling off in the pool!!

Pool Deck Repairs Finished and Freshly Stained

Mr. Seventies has been working deligently to remove and replace some of the pool decking.  Once the pool was levelled, there were 4"-5" gaps in some areas...very unsafe should someone step in one of  the gaps...an injury could occur.  Once the new walls were installed..new longer decking needed to be installed.

Once completed the deck floors were given a fresh coat of stain.  The company that installed the pool is holding a contest and we have entered!  There are three categories, best in ground pool, above ground and best hot tub!   In each case, the winner will receive a $250 certificate from the pool shop!!

We entered the above ground pool contest!!

The view from the small deck!

The temperatures on the pool deck can be very high...a couple of zero gravity chairs are just the spot to sit, dry off and enjoy the sun!

The solar blanket and roller are located on the back end of the pool.  The blanket rolls out with ease each evening..and does an amazing job of keeping the water warm.  Mother Nature has warmed up the water temp to 29 degrees!!

I would be so excited if we won...and would have a fun time shopping for goodies at the pool shop!  Fingers crossed!!

So excited as my daughter and grand daughters are coming to visit from Nova Scotia tomorrow!  Going to be such a fun pool day...and we will have barbecued hamburgers and hot dogs on the grill!  My other daughter and her husband are coming as well...awesome to have my beautiful family together!

And a Jesse update!  You will remember Jesse is the little blind cocker spaniel Mr. Seventies rescued from our pool earlier in the week.  Her Mom and Dad stopped in last evening, with a container of delicious cupcakes (baked and decorated by their daughter)...a sweet thank you for saving their precious fur baby.  Jesse is doing fantastic...got a clean bill of health from her vet!  A very happy ending for sure!

Have a great weekend!!

Tired of the Heat Yet?

I for one, am not!  Another heat warning in effect today!  It's not really the heat that is bothersome, but rather the humidity..which can make it feel even hotter than it actually is.  We've been getting temps in the high 20's...with humidex making if feel like the mid 30's.  And speaking of 30 degrees...that was the water temperature in the pool last evening!

So, for those of you who don't like the heat...here's a little reminder of what our winters can be like!
That's our SUV buried in 84 cm of snow about 3-4 years ago!  Mr. Seventies needed to trudge through the snow and tie a bright ribbon to the antenna so the snow tractor wouldn't hit it!

And after the snow tractor was able to blow out the driveway and after a lot of shovelling...we could finally get our vehicle out!  Many farmers with large tractors purchase snow blower attachments and clean driveways during the winter months!  It's huge business here!

And the pool deck was buried in snow...and this was from just one major storm!!  These photos make me appreciate summer even more!  My favourite months are from May til the end of December!  The rest of the months...ugh!!

Enough with winter!  Mr. Seventies came in with a beautiful, amazing smelling bouquet of lavender! from our gardens.  Oh, my how it gives off a beautiful scent!  I have dried lavender and filled small sachet bags in the past...tucked in with gifts for my girls. 

And lastly, I want to share a hand bag I ordered...for our upcoming trip.  Its an anti-theft shoulder bag with an RFID blocking card and slots for passport and a slash resistant shoulder strap.  There is also a hook that locks if you wish to hang it over a chair.  It's not overly big...about 9" x 10"...just big enough to carry the essentials, but not heavy across your body.  I ordered it in the wine colour.

Hope you are enjoying your day wherever you are!!

Fabulous Finds

Took a spin around my favourite home decor store...picked out a few of my favourite finds!!

Seeing lots of fall and Hallowe'en decor already!!  Could not resist this cute stack of owls!  They ended up in my cart!!

Just look how pretty this bathroom decor is!  *swoon".  Can just picture it on a sumptuous vanity!!

 I was so tempted to pick up a couple of these candle holders!  They are sold separately...but I love how they look together!

And such pretty rose drawer pulls!   Luv these!

It's going to be another hot and humid one here today!  Heat warnings in effect...so I went out earlier in the cool morning and picked a pretty bouquet of lilies.  And my lavender is ready for cutting!!  Once it cools down...I'll cut some back & bring it in to dry.  The house will smell like a lavender patch!!

Mr. Seventies and I are taking a trip in a few weeks...and we've been searching for a soft sided luggage set.  The current set we have is hard sided...and we both dislike the pieces immensely!  They are awkward and heavy...scuff really easy...and the dang zippers are not only a pain in the rear...but a couple have broken.  There was no way were were going to use them again...they will be making their final trip...to goodwill.  

I found a great Canadian website and ordered a two piece set....a 24" and 20" pair with handles and wheels.  We have plenty of carry on size bags...so these should work out perfectly.  And I chose the Burnt Orange colour...as they are easy to spot.  Many years ago....I grabbed the wrong black suitcase from the luggage ramp at the airport!  I was able to return it and get my own bag...but had to wait 24 hours as that section of the airport closed until morning!  Lesson learned.  We will also use some brightly coloured tags or ribbon.  

If it's hot and humid where you are...remember to hydrate and stay cool!  

Eventful Weekend!!

The weather has been very hot and humid...so thankful we have the pool finished to enjoy!  The water temperature had reached 28 degrees yesterday afternoon!  Warmed by Mother Nature!

And I've been having fun in my flamingo..we have no shortage of pool floats!

On Saturday we drove to North Rustico...a small village about 30 km from us...to take in a production at the Watermark Theatre...which seats approximately 100-110 people.  The name of the play was  "Dial M for Murder"  which was old move in the 1950's!

This is the main stage..sorry the photos aren't great..taken with my cell phone...and no photos or recording devices were allowed once the play started.

This will give you an idea how intimate the setting is..these were the seats to the left of us...ours were centre about 4 rows back.

We throughly enjoyed the play...which ran about 2 hours with a 15 minute intermission.  Afterwards, we stopped at the infamous Fisherman's Wharf for supper!  I'm not a fan of sea food like Mr. Seventies...but as the sign says...they have a huge salad bar buffet!

This salty old fella was there by the door to greet us!  

Right next door to the restaurant is a beautiful wool shop!  I've longed to go in and browse..and Mr. Seventies indulged me....

A really great shop with beautifully knitted sweaters, mitts, hats, wraps, jackets...and the list goes on. I didn't purchase anything (to Mr Seventies surprise)...but I did see a gorgeous oatmeal cardigan I fancied!!

I want to share what happened very early this morning.  Mr. Seventies heard something outside in our pool.  He went out to investigate...and soon realized an animal was in our pool!!!  Now the solar blanket cover was on...so he was not able to have a clear vision.  His first thought was a fox had somehow gotten in the pool....when he quickly realized it was not a fox....but a medium size dog!!

He quickly jumped in the pool and lifts the dog out to safety, brings her in the house...and awakens me excitedly telling me a dog had fallen in our pool!!  I jumped out of bed and grabbed a towel & we wrapped the dog & thankfully there was a collar with tags!!  Turns out....she belongs to our neighbours behind us!  Jesse is a 15 year old cocker spaniel...I didn't recognize her as she was dripping wet and shaking terribly!!  

We called the phone number on her tag...and her Mom & Dad came quickly!  Jesse is blind...they fear she nudged open their door and slipped out un-noticed....it was very early morning and everyone was still asleep! 

They were so appreciative and thankful to Mr. Seventies for saving their beloved girl!  Jesse is very well taken care of and loved.  A tragic accident was avoided!  My hubby...my hero!!

But then again...he has always been my hero!!

Christmas in July?

I spent some time at a couple of my favourite thrift shops...not only enjoyed browsing all the goodies...but savoured the air conditioning at the same time!  Seems others were thinking the same thing....as both shops were busy!

Couldn't help but saunter down the "seasonal aisles"....I bought a large package of navy balls and ornaments since I had a 25% off coupon!  These will be great for filling my outside lanterns during the holidays!!

At the second shop, there were numerous holiday coasters for $2-$3 a set.  I picked up a cute set of four!!

How cute is this cookie jar?  I was tempted...it would make a great addition to the kitchen counter beside glass jars I fill with Christmas candy!   Wish now I had purchased it.  

Loved this whimsical mug!  Look at that adorable penguin peeking out at the back!

While not Christmas...what a great canvas for $6.99!  I think I've mentioned my obsession with cows...had this been the right size..it would have went in my cart! 

Something else I'm on the lookout for is wired ribbon!  I saw quite a few rolls, but none the colours I'm searching for.  I've gotten quite a few for as little as $1.00 a roll...for brand new unopened wired ribbon!  Even with a 50% off coupon that price can't be beat at Michaels!

It's going to be another scorcher today!  We plan to do a bit of staining on the pool deck in the morning...and enjoy the pool the rest of the day!!

Have a great weekend!!

New Slipcovers!!

Our new slipcovers arrived today...and I couldn't be more thrilled!!  The fabric is so soft...(it's all been pre washed three times)...and they fit perfectly!! I could not be happier!!

Some might think it's too much colour...but not me!!

I can't say enough about the quality of the work...and the little details.  Like in one corner on each piece, there is a short zipper and velcro...for easy of putting the slipcover bodies on and off.  And..speaking of that...I was able to put them on with no trouble at all!  First time I didn't need Mr. Seventies to help me pull and tug!  These covers slipped on with little effort at all!!

There are even arm covers...which I didn't think I wanted or would use.  But they fit so nice...happy to have them to protect the arms!

If you are looking for beautiful slipcovers....  www.slipcoverscanada.com

Tammy is awesome to work with...has great ideas and web sites for fabrics.  

It's been an event filled week....the pool is up and running, the driveway is re-paved and the new slipcovers are perfect!!

Asphalt .... A Beautiful Thing!!

Things tend to happen quickly around here and yesterday was no exception!  We've had our driveway booked for repaving..tentative date was the end of July.  Late yesterday afternoon, the company called and advised they could come within the hour...if that was ok with us.  Uh...yah.

Here's a couple of "before" photos of the driveway...don't judge, k?  It's pretty sad...

 It was long overdue for a make over...

And here come the calvary.....

Such a beautiful sight...

Their first step was to grade and level the driveway...mostly at the end closest to the street.  Over the years, the city has done major upgrades such as water, sewer, larger culverts and sidewalks.  And each time...they would repave where they dug up.  Over the years...it gave quite a slope coming in...a real pain for snow and ice removal in the winter.

Now we have a flat surface...no slopes or dips...

Isn't she beautiful?  She feels like a she...

And just like that...a freshly paved driveway!!  They even paved the other side of the sidewalk...

Mr. Seventies is having topsoil delivered to build up both sides (and will plant grass seed) as recommended by the paving company.  

It will take 2-3 days before we can park in our drive (shout out to our awesome neighbours offering to accommodate our SUV).  

Pool Update

One thing I have learned through this process is it takes a lot more prep work  doing a repair job (and fixing some else's mistakes) that it does to start from scratch!

The cement blocks are now secured under each stanchion (metal beams the pool walls are secured to) and the sand has been levelled properly (using a laser level).  Levelling takes a great deal of time...and would you believe there was a 4" difference in height from one side of the previous pool to the other?  Wow!  They needed to remove quite a bit of sand before setting down, securing and taping the styrofoam base.

Another great surprise...they were able to use the existing pool walls.  Since they are metal...any bumps or dents were banged out with a mallet.  Who knew?  This was the way things looked on Friday evening.

Early Saturday morning they returned, before the sun rose too high and hot...and installed the new liner!  And we started filling the pool.  During the first part of the fill...there was a huge vacuum running secured in where the skimmer basket will be...it was working to keep wrinkles or air bubbles from forming.  Once the water reached a certain level...the vacuum was shut off.   Then when the water reached the second level...it was turned off.  And here is where we are at this morning....

The installers will return today to remove the vacuum, hook up the skimmer, secure the caps where the railings join (four caps required larger openings).   I'm uncertain at what stage the steps go in...but suspect today as well.  There is a shelf on the back side of the steps where a bag of sand  (weighing 20 kg) will sit to weigh the steps down...and Mr. Seventies will secure them to the pool deck with brackets that were included.  Then the water will be turned back on...and the filling will continue.   Once it reaches the proper height, Mr. Seventies can hook up the pump..and we are in business!

There are companies that will fill your pool all at once...since our water is metered with the city...it's half a dozen of one..and six of the other cost wise.  And the installers are required then to wait while the pool fill to a certain level where they can hook up the skimmer.  Filling it ourselves, allows them to leave for other pool jobs and come back here when required.  (they have 5-6 other jobs on the go currently).  Thankfully...Mother Nature has been on our side this whole process...and will continue to be hot and humid the rest of the week!

Since the weather was so great over the weekend...Mr. Seventies took advantage and stained the small deck and dog ramps. (Liesel is enjoying the shade under the table).

The view from the pool deck pedway....

Our daughter and son in law joined us Saturday evening for barbecued pork loin, fresh Island potatoes and spinach from our garden!! Afterwards...we enjoyed our first "pot party (senior style) of the summer in my new fire pit!  It was a gift from them for Mother's Day! Our previous one was rusted and had seen better days!

Mr. Seventies spent yesterday and early evening giving the pool deck walls a fresh coat of stain.  Once the work is done with the pool...then the deck floor and back steps can be done.  

And my slipcovers are being shipped to me today!!  They should arrive later this week...cannot wait! The seamstress reports they are gorgeous!!!

Off to have another fantastic day!!