057 LIONS AND TIGERS AND BEARS, OH MY!

So here we are, the end of July, the 23^rd to be precise and we still have not had any summer.  Two days ago it was sunny and 29C, yesterday it was pissing rain and 14C, today it is so far shaping up to be a nice day.  It looks like I picked a good year to stay at home from the lake.  Really though, in all fairness, with the physio on my back paying dividends, I didn’t dare risk screwing it up.

Caitlin gave me a Fitbit for my birthday and I have been wearing it ever since.  I was doing everyday walks with Toby before, but they were 30-40 minutes and only about 3K.  I think she knew my competitive nature and I am actively trying to get to my 10,000 step goals each day.  The morning walk has increased to an hour and 10 minutes and about 5.5K.  Then an evening walk and I easily hit my 10,000 step goal every day.  The best I have done is 13,500 so far.

A lesson learned from the lake though, is that I am taking days off from the long walks.  I’m still walking but not as far a couple of times a week.  The other day we cut the walk short because Toby was either too tired or too sore.  Really though, so was I.  Physio had really worked me over the day before and it was all I could do to drag my ass out of bed.

This morning it is sunny and warm at 6:30 AM and we will probably cut the walk short because the heat is pretty hard on Toby.  It is good that the weather is nice though, because we are having our first ever community event today.  It is a combined addresses Garage Sale.  It’s been well advertised on Craigslist and the people organizing it, rescued the sandwich board advertising signs when the sales office closed down.  They converted them to advertising for the garage sale and placed them out around the neighbourhood.

TREASURE I GOT AT GARAGE SALE
PAINTING (PRINT) OF R.A.F. SPITFIRE
BY BARRIE A.F. CLARK
MY ABSOLUTE MOST FAVOURITE PLANE

Speaking of rescuing things from the sales center.  I managed to get 4 custom made bar stools.  They are bright red in colour, but I can always paint them black if need be.  These things are heavy as well, it would take an extreme effort to tip them over.  Besides, if I find that they don’t fit in here, I can always sell them.

Amazingly the sales center has closed because the entire complex of 167 units has sold out.  Half of the complex has not even been built yet, but I have heard several references to it being a “village”.  Truthfully, it feels just like that.  I think when all is said and done, if you take as an average of 2 people per household we will end up with a population of approximately 500.  Which is the size of a small village.

We are all really sorry to see Ken and Jennifer leave us.  They were my first contacts here, well at least Ken was.  Jennifer came in later.  The two of them are both so friendly and helpful and always had a smile and a wave whenever you walk by the office.  When they were not swamped by potential buyers that would extend into pleasant conversations.  It seems odd to say that about the sales reps of the complex, but they were both really a part of our community.  They came in here expecting to take 4 years to sell the place out and instead it only took 14 months.

MY FIRST EVER LASAGNA.
IT WAS AWESOME

In addition to the garage sale, Renee is going to walk down to the Maple Ridge Country Fair.  Well at least we think she is going to walk there.  In addition to the coyotes and bears prowling our neighbourhood, we now have a very large cougar.  He was last spotted in a neighbourhood just 4 blocks from here and directly near the path Renee would be walking.  I’ll be staying hope to babysit Toby.

That’s not a bad thing though because like most policemen I do not like crowds.  They can be very dangerous places to be.  Yes, I know it is a country fair, but after years of policing the PNE, I have seen firsthand the things that can happen.  Not to mention, but I don’t tolerate heat very well either.  So, Toby and I will likely cuddle up, and take a nap in the air conditioned bedroom. 

Renee had a great time at the fair and Toby and I cuddled up for a nap in the air conditioned bedroom.  The Garage Sale was a success as well, at least for the first day.  There was a steady stream of traffic in and out, although a few people came in thinking that more homes had opened up.  Unlucky for them, they haven't.