Tis the season

Well I guess it's time I got back to updating this thing on a regular basis. I just keep forgetting. I get frustrated with our slow Internet service. Even though I am on satellite it's still not very quick. It may also be my computer that may or may not have come from Fred Flintstone when he was finished with it.

Brian would like me to let everyone know that he is now out of the BIFFY and helped straighten the sign that was sagging just a little this time. So he is not the slacker that I inferred last post.

By this time last year the trails had been groomed for two weeks. Not so this year. We have had snow off and on but the temperature has been so mild (but nice though) that it hasn't stayed. We did get snow twice this week. Once on Tuesday and again last night. It is snowing right now. The temp is colder now so this may stay. It also rained this week so that washed away everything except the big pile that my son-in-law piled up on the deck!

With Christmas creeping up so quickly I hope we get a big dumping that stays. It looks so much nicer ans I want the sledders back. Trail permits are selling well this year even with the unsure snow conditions. You can get them here at the diner if you haven't got one already.

As last year we will be closed December 24 & 25 but will open Boxing Day about 9 or 10.

We will also be opened New Years Day but not New Years Eve.

Nothing but gossip to report and most of that I have forgotten.

If I don't have any words of wisdom, snow to report or good gossip I may not be back until something exciting happens.

So have a great holiday season, Merry Christmas and prosperous New Year. Thank you for all of your support over the year. It is greatly appreciated.

Cheers
Nancy

I can't believe it's over!!!

I'm not sure where June and July went but with the amount of food I ate Sunday it would appear that Ocotber is over because that must have been Thanksgiving Dinner.Thanksgiving weekend arrived so quickly, it's hard to believe that it is here and gone. We didn't even get the decorations up this year.

What a great weekend. Lots of people around. Lots of ATVer's which we haven't seen for awhile. The rail bed has been graded so it is much nicer to ride on. Two riders that live on Baptiste Lake said that it is the nicest it's been for a long time.

The bow hunt for moose seemed quite successful for a few that were by. Partridge are still scarce but we did have a nice feed of Partridge nuggets as an appitizer before the turkey. YMMM.

Mother nature is still the same old B**CH she has always been. It has snowed about 3 times in the last week. Nothing that stays too long but just enough to know what is lurking around the corner.

I was finally able to get my router replaced (it was less than 1 year old). So it is easier to use the internet now. We were the redneck internet cafe for a while. You had to plug your laptop directly into the modem which is behind the bar near the beer storage. So you used the beer cases for a desk and pulled up a chair. Most people were good about it. They would have a beer, glass of wine or a coffee while checking things out. It looked pretty funny

After the week from hell last weekend things are getting back to normal. The compressor in the walk in cooler blew during the ATV run last weekend. This caused pump issues which in turn caused the coffee maker, ice machine and hot chocolate machine to break down. Most items are up and running as good as new now. The sign is fixed after Helen the evening servier backed into it, but I still haven't replaced the half dozen wine glasses that she broke the same night.

Thanks to Jim, Wayne and the rest of the guys for fixing the sign on your way out. Brian M. good plan staying in the washroom until the repairs were over. No flies on you!!!

Well that's it for today. Trail permits are available if you want to buy them early. $200.00 before Dec 1, $220.00 after that. The extra money charged this year ($20.00) goes directly to the club the permit was purchased from not to the OFSC. So that is good.

It's pretty quite these days so if nothing much is happening I won't post. Frankly I have had enough excitement around here for awhile.

Cheers
Nancy

If you go out in the woods today ........

Here is a little sample of what is hanging around in the woods. Tomorrow is the first day of the Bear Hunt and this is a shot from my son-in-laws bear cam. He has a couple of big ones hanging around. He has also set up a bait for my daughter. She has three hanging around her spot.

Most of the hunters have arrived in the area and the big hunt will be on. I don't know if my daughter will have the heart to actually shoot or not but we will see soon enough. They are taking part of tomorrow off work to hunt. I will update if anything exciting happens.

Buddy is stealing the pail that dinner was in.

It is getting cold now. Some of the folks have closed up their cottages already and headed home. It makes you feel kind of sad. The long weekend just about here so I guess a bunch more will be heading out soon. The bugs have finally left also so i guess that is the good part. There have not been many ATVer's out lately. So I'm guessing that you will all head back once the little darlings are back to school.

I had a great trip to Maui and now it is back to reality. It sure would have been nice to take that trip in the cold weather but you've got to go when the goings good.

Well back to the grind. It's coming up dinner time. But being Monday I won't be to hectic.

I'll update after the weekend.

Cheers

Nancy

It can't be the long weekend all ready!!!

Well I've been scolded enough so it is time to update again. So Rob L "this blogs for you".

I can't believe that the summer is almost over and the long weekend is here. It seems that summer just started last week. Most people have stopped waiting for good weather to head north and are just coming anyway. I sure am glad I don't camp.

The good thing about the rain is that no one is complaining about the trails being dusty. The bad thing about the rain is that it happens every day. It is breeding a HUGE CROP OF MOSQUITOES. I've never seem them this bad. But there aren't very many dragon flies this year and they eat lots of mosquitoes.

If there is any breaking news or gossip I've missed it or can't remember it. The sun is finally out today and it is a great day. A perfect start to the long weekend.

The band will be in this weekend on Saturday and Sunday night with a licensed area outside for overflow and a reprieve for the smokers. It should be a good time if the weather holds. Mark and Greg Thompson of T N T will be playing. It's always a good time with them here.

Our fall Mud Run will be held on October 3rd. Hope you can come on out a join us. Same format as before. $30.00 entry gets you your ride, chance for cash and prizes and dinner.

We have started selling propane now with the tank exchange program. It's going well. Don't forget to get your ice and ice cream treats here too.

Well that's it for today.

Hope you can drop in if you are around this weekend.

Cheers
Nancy

If it's daylight till 9:30 it must be June.

The longer days are great to see, but I'm getting tired of looking at them through the rain.

Just to let you know the black flies are happy now because the mosquitoes have also arrived so the have more company. I can hardly wait for the deer flies. Then the days will be complete.

On the upside the dragon flies are out now so the buffet is officially opened. Do your stuff guys, eat those bugs "til you can't eat no more". I want to see them all big and fat by the end of June.

It's still pretty quiet around the diner except for last Sunday when a group of 14 showed up for breakfast early and poor Pat B was on all by herself because the server wasn't in yet and neither was I. It was lucky that the other cook was in just having a coffee. She got roped in to helping out. But they both got a standing "O" from the crowd upon completion of their duties. It was a group of dirt bikers that had been camping out in the woods and riding for the weekend. They all lived in Toronto but were from Argentina. So for most of them there was a language problem. We will never know if they actually got what they ordered for breakfast but they went away happy and can't wait to come back again.

Here's hoping for some hot summer weather soon with lots of ATVer's, cottagers and tourists to enjoy it. The grey days are enough to drive me to drink and it's getting to be a short trip!!!

Have a great weekend and drop in if you are nearby. We are still doing the music on Saturday evenings from 6 to 9.

Cheers
Nancy

Black Fly Report

Well it's hard to comment on the black flies. They don't come out so much in the rain. They just stay home and breed! So we should have a new crop by Tuesday or Wednesday.

It's been pretty crappy for the last couple of days but things are supposed to look up for the weekend. It will be nice to see the sun after a few days of rain and cold.

I have some very amusing ATV pictures of some diners from the long weekend among other things. The are safely stored in the computer and I don't know how to get them out and into the blog site. So sorry guys you don't get your 15 minutes of fame this month. One guy found an old life jacket on the trail and was wearing it. In view of all of the rain that weekend it was quite appropriate. The other group behind them were from Barrie and Bancroft and just wanted their pictures taken not to be left out.

Not too much has happened for a while (if you don't include the dump on fire). It's been pretty slow the last couple of weeks. So if some one wants to come up and do something crazy I would welcome the excitment.

The diner keeps me busy but it's just a little quiet.

We are still continuing with the music on Saturday nights from 6 - 9 now. It seems we can all stay up later when the days are longer.

Hope we see you soon.

Cheers
Nancy

Long Weekend Happinings

What a cold and nasty long weekend. Nice to see lots of people back for the season. Lots left early and why not.

I have been asked to update for the next while with a black fly report. Well I was outside today with a contractor and I have a report.

They say "Send more ATVer's the last ones were delicious!!!!"

No kidding the bugs are hungry and plentiful. Unless you are out in the wind you're lunch.

This really hot weather will bring the little buggers out big time. So maybe if it keeps up it will kill them off too.

I went leek picking this week and got loads. A big batch of leek a potato soup has gone over really well this week at the diner. Now if you eat enough leeks the flies will stay away from you but then so will every one else.

Not much happening this weekend so the weather should be great.

I will update with the fly report for Rob from Peterborough.

That's it for now.
Cheers
Nancy

The long weekend all ready?

Well for a quiet time of year the weeks are sure passing quickly.

With ATV Mud Runs three weeks in a row plus our annual paddle your fanny down the creek there always seems to be something going on.

I could barley walk after the High Country ATV run but it was fun. I would have been nicer if it hadn't rained at the end. Same thing with the diner run. Thanks to all that came out. We had a good day even though the turnout was small. But it was fun after all.

Our annual canoe trip down the Papeneau Creek this year was a great success. A record number of canoes this year and the rain had to spoil an otherwise great day. It is so nice to see so many young people hang out with all of us oldies and have a great day. This is the first year that I did not flip my canoe and it wouldn't have mattered. We were so wet from the rain who would have noticed. The water in the creek was warmer than the air so a flip would have warmed me up. It was kind of Jimmy B and Dwight to have a roaring fire at the last stop for us.

The long weekend is fast approching. I'm looking forward to seeing all of the familiar faces back for the first time this season. The flies are just starting to get hungry. They haven't been too bad up until now, but I can see them licking their lips through the window every time I look out.

We have a good music this weekend so if you are around on Saturday evening drop into the diner and stay for a while.

Nothing too serious to whine about this time. As long as the sun is shining it's all good.

Have a great long weekend.

Cheers
Nancy

Will it ever stop snowing????

It's hard to believe that it's going to be 25 on Saturday when it's snowing on Thursday. Enough all ready. This week if it's not snowing it's raining. Oh well it keeps the black flies away I guess.

It's pretty quiet around the old diner these days. I can't believe that April is almost over. The nice temps on the weekend may bring out some ATVer's. I hope to go on the High Country Mud Run this weekend. I have to be good though because I have to work on Saturday evening. No sweat I always behave as far as I can remember.

Other than some guy living under a canoe on the side of the rail bed there's not much new to report. Last week he upgraded his living quarters to a truck cap. There isn't a door on it but I suppose it's more shelter than the canoe.

Don't forget the diner mud run on May 2. It should be a fun day. Do you think I could get lucky enough for it to be 25 and sunny two weekends in a row. I think not.

For more information on the run or accommodations call us at 613-338-3043.

Have a great weekend and if you are in the area drop in. We still have entertainment on Saturdays from 5-8. We are old and can't stay up too late so we have to play early in the day.

Cheers
Nancy

If It's Easter It Must Be Spring Soon

The good news is at least it didn't snow this weekend.

Even though it is freezing cold with the sun shining all day it is a great weekend.

It's nice to see some of the cottagers back. There were a few ATV's out this weekend, not nearly as many as I saw head up the highway on trailers.

The rail bed is drying up nicely. There is still a fair amount of snow in the bush but it is still rideable.

We got about 6-8 inches of snow last Monday and sure enough two brand new machines were seen unloading at Birds Creek for the last ride of the season. Go figure!!

The lake is still frozen but trying to thaw around the edges and creeks. If it would go above freezing for a few days that would be a start. Little green things are trying to peek out of the garden but they are not getting to far.

I'm even starting to look forward to the black flies!!! But wait until they are out for a day or two and then I'll start whining about them.

Well better days ahead. It should be about 85 by August.

Keep in mind about the ATV run on May 2nd. It should be a great ride. If you are coming and need more info or accommodation call the restaurant and we will get you some numbers. 613-338-3043

I hope you all had a nice long weekend.

Back soon with anything worth sharing.

Cheers
Nancy