If it ever comes up again, Amy totally gets tracking, and understands how important it is – she has been so consistent for the past week, it’s inspiring! Even when bad days come she can look at the numbers and accept the changes that are needed. She’s also been working out very consistently, which is equally inspiring! She’s a great source of strength and smiles 🙂
On family loss – Rita Ilene Dafoe
I didn’t know Grandma D as well as I would have hoped, but I know that without her guidance and strength, I wouldn’t have Amy in my life. I attended her celebration of life on the 19th of October, and a load of good people dropped by to share their stories and offer their own strength. I also got to meet many members of Amy’s clan that I’ve never actually met.
Here’s her remembrance page, I hope it stays online for a good long time:
https://obittree.com/obituary/ca/ontario/stirling/stirling-funeral-chapel/rita-ilene-dafoe/3991284/
Sept 10, 1926 – Oct 13, 2019
Bumbling through the backwoods
Today’s fun was more tame than recent weekends, with a little trip out to Norwood and county road 45, mostly Amy’s idea, but a super fun time overall.
We stopped for a surprisingly delicious dinner at a little place called the Banjo Grill. It’s a weird, shack-looking location across the bridge, but it’s actually lovely inside, playing oldies music, with friendly staff and very good food. Amy had an artichoke white-sauce pasta, and I had a burger with delicious fart-inducing beans on it and fries with some of the best gravy I’ve had in a while. Probably worth a return someday.
We spent some of our personal budget at Walmart, the LCBO and DQ – at least we’re keeping a closer eye on that stuff now so we don’t have to go totally off the rails all the time – just slightly off the rails.
Saturday Bowling Bonanza
Today we went on a trip westward with the ultimate goal of me winning at bowling at far-away Bingeman’s in Kitchener. Of course I won (one out of four games because we ran out of time haha)
We took the backroads through Port Perry onward through Newmarket, then started heading south to Caledon and someone had to to to the washroom, at which point we decided we were hungry.
While trying to avoid the semi busy nature of Orangeville, we actually accidentally ended up there, back in their gorgeous downtown on a lovely day. I found a nice little place called the Bluebird Cafe https://bluebirdcafe.com/ which is small and cozy, but actually kind of upscale compared to what they’re used to – well dressed and friendly staff, delicious and unique pizzas, and not even that pricey.
Once we had our fill, we went on our short walk back to the car, seeing the neat boulevard waterfall in their downtown, then were quickly back on the road towards Kitchener.
Bingemans was busy as normal, though probably not by their standards – the parking lot was packed, but there’s a lot that goes on there – the bowling alleys weren’t super packed by any stretch. Somehow I managed to get the only two strikes in all four games, but I still lost 3/4 of the games, and only won because I was 3 points ahead when we ran out of time 😉
Our trip home was through busy Vaughan, hooking up with my second favourite highway, good ol’ number 7. I’m writing this a bit later, so I actually don’t remember dinner, but I’m sure it was perfectly decent. After a quick Walmart stop in Whitby, we backtracked our way home back through 7A arriving home around 9, for the second weekend in a row.
Big Adventures on Saturday
Today we went on a pretty huge road trip, about 880 km to be semi-accurate – basically starting from home, going to the outskirts of Montreal and then back via the backroads.
We didn’t really do anything major in any of the places we visited, we mostly wanted to see some different roads and drivers and road signs, and trying to pronounce all of the ‘Saint’ names in Quebec was fun. We barely even ventured into La Belle Province, and when we were on our way back west, I actually wasn’t expecting it to so quickly say “Welcome to Ontario” on the 40 – but since that was my first time on that highway, I’m sure we can forgive my ignorance 🙂
We had comfortable and familiar Luna’s for Lunch and uncomfortable and only semi familiar St. Hubert’s in Ottawa. I bet we would have had a better time in a smaller town’s version of that restaurant, but we decided to go big (and then go home). We both got a bit of a headache and while the food was decent, I doubt it was enough to warrant a trip back. At least I can finally say I went there.
We both drove a lot today, but I think Amy probably did a bit more than me.
Amy insisted on starting out
I took over at the Trenton Onroute
Amy took over after our quest in Kingston and drove the distance between there and Cornwall with a quick stop in Brockville
I drove my favourite Highway 2 until its end around Lancaster, then the 401 to the 20 through Quebec
Amy took over just inside Ontario on our way back, probably around Vankleek Hill
I drove from the St. Huberts in the middle of bustling Ottawa getting lost on the way to the 417, then drove until the turnoff at the beginning of the 7
Then we switched again in Perth, where Stubborn Amy took over and drove the entire way home, with me keeping her alert and annoyed 🙂
We were super stoked to get home and get sleep, and didn’t get here until 9:30 pm.
So much busy-ness, so few brainz
I started the day with 40 legitimate emails in my inbox, I got about 20 emails during the day for client requests, and I ended the day at about 40 legitimate emails in my inbox. I get wickedly stressed when that happens. I felt like I got so much done, but I have little to show for it.
Either way, not a bad day at home at least, quiet, coziness with the critters, a walk with the Brock in the morning as always, and I got the car this morning.
Hopefully tomorrow is quieter at work to match the home quietude.
Busy weekend adventures and productivity fun
Yesterday we had all sorts of activities going on, from a dentist appointment right off, to a rush trip to Kingston to meet with some venue owners for a future event, to getting lost in the city, then taking the backroads home. We missed most of the rain thankfully, but Amy got some of the worst downpour we’ve seen in ages.
Today was quieter, though we did squeeze in two walks, and skipped the eating out entirely after yesterday’s greasy bloat-fest. I put away the portable AC as well, and tidied up some spaces in the house. We’ve also scheduled some more visits to Kingston for venue visits, our fingers are crossed that we can book one without going beyond broke.
Fixing the funds
Money is a tough one for both Amy and I, we’re both very spend-happy with both real money and the fake credit variety. We’re going to have to change that, especially if we want to move forward with life events.
Amy has it tougher because she works in an environment where she’s constantly surrounded by the things she wants to spend money on, so we’ve talked about ways to curb that.
I just need to stay the heck off of Amazon and out of Best Buy and places like that.
I think we’ve agreed in principle that 80 dollars a week each is reasonable to spend – I think that might actually be high, but there are some things we already expect, like bowling and social stuff and whatnot, so it’s hard to imagine having to pull back further, but we’ll see.
Once we pay off debts we can actually inquire about getting a house, which I think we both want at some point. Or a nice big van, but that’s an argument for another time 😉
Quiet, cloudy night
It’s Thursday night and the missus and I were both feeling a little funky for different reasons at different times. At least the clouds seem awesome in front of the moon, as Amy took the lovely photo below.
Amy was dizzy for part of the day and was concerned that her blood sugar was low. I’m a bit worried about her, as I want her to look after herself and rely less on ‘cheap’ sugar to keep afloat. We should all eat more apples (and that includes me)
I was mostly just drained from a long day at work, and quiet police-related drama at the apartment. Living in a busy building like this has many advantages and drawbacks, but in 2019, the primary drawback has been a revolving door of emergency services visits. It’s actually been a solid couple of quiet months, after the early part of the year being weekly visits – last night broke the trend, coincidentally shortly after I thought “Gee, I haven’t seen a cruiser in a while”
Back to the salt mines
After the long weekend, it was tough to get back into the swing of the week.
Someone set out a giant bowl of chewy Worther’s candy, and I ate way more than my share. So much for intermittent fasting, as it were. Not sure if it actually works, especially when I eat the way I do when I get home. It certainly worked well for a solid month – or perhaps I worked well for that time.
Amy’s off to bowling tonight, starting the winter of 3 days in a row where I don’t get to hang out with her much at all. It’s very tough sometimes, especially when the rest of the week is so unpredictable as far as scheduling goes. I hope she bowls well though! Strike!