Finally, it's starting to look a lot like snowmobiling season.

The groomer went to Bancroft and Whitney yesterday. Not grooming but just packing and dragging in from the sides. I guess when the temperature drops to -26 you can do those sort of things. At least the sun has been shining and the world looks like a much nicer place to be.

We had a little more snow last night and more is coming tomorrow. So things are looking up.

There have been sledders in every day but they are just out for short rides.

It's a good thing we got the snow because we are planning a New Years Eve toboggan party at the hunt camp and it wouldn't have been much fun sledding on the gravel.

People are invited to build their own sleds out of whatever they want. Now picture this. Doug has a leaky aluminum canoe that he plans on sliding down the hill in. He is having trouble finding someone to go in it with him. Go figure!!! I can't imagine anyone not wanting to give that try. Oh did I mention that one side of the hill has a 20 foot drop? I will give an injury report when I update next. I'm sure there will be a few. If I supply helmets for the crazies is that admitting there may be a liability issue? Maybe I should just let them bring their own helmets and body armour.

I will be back Monday or Tuesday. There is some mild weather coming on Sunday so we will just have to see what happens.

The diner is closing at 3:00 on New Years Eve and opening up late morning New Years Day (assuming none of the staff hurt themselves tobogganing). Have a great New Years Eve.

Cheers
Nancy

Well finally it snowed. We got about six inches last night with more coming tomorrow and the day after. Added to what we already had is a pretty good amount. I had to have the lot plowed today and I just sent Norm out to shovel. Well he did volunteer. No maybe it was voluntold. Oh well whatever the shoveling is getting done.

Two sledders rode up from Bancroft on Monday and a family rode in from Lake St. Peter today. I have seen others riding up the rail bed. There is a group at White Pines and they even went out on the lake which was not very smart. There is only a few inches of ice so far.

No word when grooming will start until there is more snow, but I will sharing as soon as I hear something.

That's all the good news there is for now.

Back in a day or two with an update.

Cheers
Nancy

A turkey sandwich and pumpkin pie for breakfast. Yum yum yum. What a way to start your day.

Now that most of the festivities are over it's time to get back to business. I hope everyone had a great Christmas. This was a bit of a wierd one for me. For the first time in 35 years I didn't have any of my kids with me Christmas morning. I guess that means they are all grown up (which they are). Now I could have stayed at their houses if I wanted to and we did all get together later in the day.

We did have a white Christmas though. We have about three inches of snow with more coming later in the week. Let's hope that we get enough to start grooming the trails. If all the rain we had in December was snow we would be climbing out of the living room window to get out of the house!!!

Good news for sledders. Spectical Lake Lodge is re-opening. The previous owner Sharon has taken it back and will be open this winter. I don't have any details just that they are up and running again.

Nothing much more to add. I will update in a couple of days with a snow report (I hope).

Cheers
Nancy

RAIN, RAIN GO AWAY,

COME AGAIN IN APRIL OR MAY,

ALL THE SLEDDERS WANT TO PLAY!!!!!!!

I am getting so tired of crappy weather. I have gone from pouty to cranky to depressed and now I'm just downright pissed.

It had better start snowing soon.

That's all I have to say except have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

I'll be back when I'm in a better mood which will be shortly after it snows and stays for more than a day.

Happy Holidays
Cheers
Nancy

I noticed that it has been two months since my last post. I was scolded twice last week for taking so long. On couple sent someone in to scold me on their behalf. Now that is just it. I will take my scoldings but only in person or over the phone. That means you too Cornishes!!!

I have no idea why this has taken so long. It's not like I've been busy, it is just hard to get motivated. Every time something happens and I think that I should write about it I sit down for a minute until the feeling passes.

So here it is December 14 but outside it looks more like March 14. We have only had one good dump of snow and one small amount preceded by rain. That first storm that didn't amount to much sure made a mess of the trails and roads. There were trees down everywhere. There were a lot without power for a day or two. The snowmobile club has been working fairly steadily clearing the trails so that they are ready just in case mother nature decides to play nice. Kudos to the half dozen or so that have been out three or four days a week with chain saws brushing trails. They have had some heavy work to do.

There was another very successful Santa Claus parade in Maynooth last weekend. Almost 20 floats and a big crowd to watch. Alas, we did not win a prize this year but we sure had fun trying. Our float had homemade palm trees, an active volcano, good music, a tiki bar (of course) and a herd of crazy people riding on it. I would post pictures if I could remember how to do it. I will try to find someone younger than me that knows how to do that kind of stuff.

As most of you know Highcountry Lodge closed this summer. Well now Spectacle Lake Lodge has also closed in the last couple of weeks. It is sad to see this happening so often. As well as losing dining destinations the area has also lost badly needed accommodation. Oh when will this down turn end?

Another sad note, Jim Borland passed away in late November. Jim was the older gentleman that did the bear hunt. He was a fixture at the diner coming in two or three times a day for coffee or whatever. He will be missed by a lot of people in the village.

The diner will be closed on Dec 24 & 25 but reopening on Boxing Day about 10:00. We will also be closing New Years Eve at 3:00 and opening Jan 1 at 10:00.

There is now snow expected until early next week. So unless something wonderful happens I won't be back until Tuesday or Wednesday next week.

Cheers
Nancy

It's beginning to look a lot like really late fall. The trees are almost bare except for the yellow leaves. The weather is defiantly getting cooler.

You couldn't have asked for a nicer weekend than Thanksgiving. Anyone that had a boat was out on the lake for sure for one more ride before taking the boat out.

We had a great weekend at the diner. Lots of turkey and fun. On Sunday night we had the gang from the trailer park over. Four of them have started a group and they agreed to play at the diner. What a hoot. They were pretty good a good time was had by all.

It will be quiet around here for a while. The moose hunt starts this week for guns. A week ago it was open for bow hunters. Then just after that the deer hunt starts for two weeks. Then we just wait for the snow to fall.

It has been a sad time over the last few weeks saying good bye to the cottagers and campers. You always hope that they all come back next year. A number of cottages on Lake St. Peter and Mink Lake sold this summer so there will be many that we will not see again. I guess that is life. People come and go forever.

Snowmobile trail permits have arrived. So if you need one drop by or order online.

Just a note to sledders that need accommodation. The lady that purchased the trailer park has two places for rent this winter. One house by the trailer park that will sleep 10-12 people is available and also a smaller one that will accommodate 6 is also available. The smaller one is also available for long term rental if you want it for a month or two. To book call Amy @ 613-334-0440 or Trudy @ 905-373-8448. Both places are really nice.

Well I am off to Brampton for a girls weekend today. Back for the Maynooth Business Assoc dinner at the diner on Sunday. I am looking forward to a couple of days off.

What's left to say--71 shopping days until Christmas. He he he. It won't be long until I have to put on long pants and shoes. I'm not looking forward to that!! The shoes will be the last that's for sure.

Back in week or so unless something exciting happens.

Cheers
Nancy

Wow!!!! What a beautiful fall. The colours are the best I have ever seen. I'm sure they are at their peak now. The reds and orange are incredible.

The weather is just as good and it shows by the number of people that are around especially on the weekends.

The local ATV club is having their colour ride this weekend. It would be a great time to be in the bush.

Other than that it is pretty quiet around here. I have had a lot of running to do lately ending with my final trip to Peterborough to have the three miles of packing yanked out of my nose after sinus surgery last week. It won't be pretty folks. I will probably cry like a baby!!! But it should feel good after it is over. I may find out that my feet really do stink!!!

By the way does anyone know where September went. It seems that the kids were just going back to school and now we are talking about Thanksgiving. Time flies even when you aren't having a good time.

That's it for now. I will try to come up with some better stuff next time. But you can't be on your game all the time.

Cheers
Nancy

What a beautiful weekend. The nice sunny weather is still here. The full moon was great. And there were a lot of people around considering it is the weekend after a long weekend.

I'm sure by now that everyone is back into the old routine of school and work. And the kids are settled for another school year. So--How much did it cost you every time you opened the backpack this week!!!!! If I recall correctly the first few weeks of school are just as expensive as Christmas.

It is nice to see the ATVers back again now that summer is over. The bear hunters have all gone home except for one or two. And I have a warm a fuzzy story about one.

Marty is quite a character. We have a lot of fun with him. Well last night he was on his way back to Mckenzie Lake where he is staying when he ran out of gas. He carries extra fuel with him because the gas gauge in his truck is broken. It was already dark about 8:30. He said that in a short span of five minutes two cars heading in the opposite direction stopped to see if he needed any help. He was so impressed that people would stop so quickly to offer help. Being from New Jersey maybe that doesn't happen too often, well it wouldn't happen in Toronto that quickly either. I guess this really is a nice neighbourhood that we live in.

It is very sad to report that the owner of the Blue Moon Retreat, Pat Hickey passed away suddenly on Friday from a heart attack. I know that a lot of people that follow the blog stay there when sledding and ATVing. I'm sure that he will be missed.

I have decided to have an ATV run next spring at the end of April or beginning of May depending on how quickly the snow goes away. I will put up further information when the time comes closer.

Well that's it for now.
Back again soon. Have a great September

Cheers
Nancy

Another long weekend has hit.  Where has the summer gone.  We will all be a year older before we know it and the snow will be flying soon.

Here are my signs that fall is just around the corner.

1)  The bear hunters have arrived and are wandering in and out all day just like the kids did when they were bored.  They are a nice bunch of people and we all enjoy them. 

2)  That nice family from London that have a cottage on Mink Lake that come in for breakfast all the time have packed up and gone home early again this year because of commitments at home.  :(  Go Michigan.  Did you get rained out?

3)  The cats have started training for their favorite sport;  unrolling the toilet paper.  An activity that usually only takes place in the winter when they are in the house more often and get bored.  Well it was a change from the critters that have been left on the back step.

My daughter went out hunting this year and got her first bear on the first day of the humt which was a good thing because her attention span is as short as her mother's and she was only going out one time.  Her husband has still not got his but he has been helping out Jim B with his group of hunters this year and is enjoying himself anyway.

It looks like Maynooth Madness was a success again this year.  It is a great day with a lot of participation from such a small town.

Blogger has changed it's format fixing something that wasn't broken so I will see if this works when I publish.  Why oh why do you have to keep meddling with things.  It's bad enought that I am breaking in a new computer and operating system.  Thsi old dog is getting tired of having to learn new tricks.

Well that's it for now.
Cheers
Nancy

The long weekend is long gone :( and you can tell that August is sailing by. The nights are getting cooler, the bugs are almost gone and it is starting to get dark a little earlier. Summer must be drawing to a close I have already received two Sears Fall Sale catalogs. That isn't as annoying as receiving the big fall catalog at the end of June!! That was just depressing.

What a beautiful summer so far. Even the last couple of rainy days have been welcomed. Maybe not so much today. It is coming down pretty hard right now.

A strang thing happened on Monday of the long weekend. There was a fire call for a bush fire on the Madawaska Rd. The trucks went out, eventually nine of them driving all over the country side looking for the fire. However there was no fire. The wind had shifted and the forest fires way up north had sent the smoke and smog down this way. There were a number of people having difficulty breathing etc. When Pat B arrived home from the weekend away she could smell something burning at her house. She checked all over and nothing was wrong. I was told by a number of people that there was a dull haze over all the lakes for the afternoon.

And that was about all of the excitement for the weekend. I think that it was so hot nobody wanted to move too far or fast.

Not much else to report now. It has been pretty quiet this week. Here's hoping that something exciting happens this weekend.

I have a dinner invite to Jim and Connie's this weekend. So we should be up to some shenanagans there. Funny how she just knew that when I offered to "make" dessert that I would be visiting the farmers market on Saturday. Hmmmm.

Hope to see you soon.
Cheers
Nancy