It looks like fall may be coming to an end.  We have woken up to snow three or four times so far, but the last time it stayed.  We got a couple of inches on Tuesday and there is still some on the ground in places that don't get the sun.  It has been beautiful.  Cold but sunny and now sort of snowy.  If it's going to snow it should snow and stay, not come and go.

The bridge work on 127 is now completed.  Lights have been down for a couple of weeks now and the paving is done also. 

The bridge replacement at Mink Lake is also finished ahead of schedule.  The residents were to be out for three weeks and they had it replaced and finished in less than two weeks.  A good job and a great bunch of guys.  We fed them three times a day and you couldn't have asked for a nicer group.

Snowmobile permits are selling.  Don't forget to get yours before December 1st to get the lower rate.  I have decided that we are going to have lots of snow this winter so the sledding season should be awesome!!!

The Santa Clause parade in Maynooth is Saturday, December 8th at 5.00 pm.  It is a great parade for a small village with a great turn out.  If you can make it up you won't be disappointed.

This is the end of the deer hunt for most people.  Some had good luck, some not so much (sorry Brian, better luck next year).  It's good to hear that the women are all holding up their end this year with great success.  In one camp four were shot in one week, three by the same lady.

I finally had to take my sandals off last week.  I don't know why, I just did.  I miss my sandals already.  Now its back to sorting socks again.  Grrrr 

Well again it took me so long to post that if there was a touching story or a bone head play I've forgotten it (socking) so I will end now.

Back I hope before the end of the month and for sure when the snow flies.

Go Argos Go!!!!

Cheers
Nancy

Well not only is labour day long gone but now Thanksgiving is only a memory.  It was a good thing that it came early because the changing leaves came early also.  Most of the colour is gone, just the yellows are left but it still looks pretty driving down a narrow side road.

Snowmobile season must be just around the corner.  We have permits to sell and a sign out front saying so (which was recently moved by the road workers, they said it was too close to the hwy).  Funny I have had a sign advertising propane sales, ice sales and the permit sign up for years and no one has ever had a collision with all the reading available out front but we must take them all down anyway.  You crazy drivers we must protect you from yourselves!!!  But I digress.  I know that snowmobile season is coming soon because we have had snow about three times so far.  Nothing to get all excited about.  I am still wearing my sandals, after all it is still only October.  But it has been enough to remind us that Mother Nature is getting ready to challenge us all again. Bring it on lady.  I'm ready for you.

This week is Moose hunting week.  Things are pretty quiet around here.  Not the normal table of gossip and BS with most of the old boys out trekking through the bush.  There was an accident yesterday.  A hunter fell out of his tree stand (no this isn't the start of a joke) just off the Mink Lake Road and was hurt.  It was difficult to get him out of the bush but they did so and he was airlifted to hospital in the ORANG helicopter.  No word on how serious.

After the moose hunt there is a week in between and then the deer hunt starts for two weeks.  Another quiet time except for the wives that treat themselves to dinner with the husbands away.

The work on the bridges is almost complete.  One bridge had the barrier down and just cones now.  The other will not be far behind.  Just another couple of weeks I think.

Well not much to report that I can remember.  It is so long between postings that I forget all the good stuff by the next time.  Oh well.

That's it for now---oh and by the way---Hi Dave!!!!

Cheers
Nancy

Holy moly.  I can't believe that September is almost over.  I'm sure it was just labour day a week ago.

We were crazy busy on the long weekend and then the wheels fell off.  It's been like that all month.  Either so busy it's hard to keep up or so slow I get a serious case of drop ass.  Which is why there have been no updates.

September has been a great month even though it is getting pretty cold at night.

The bear hunters did not do too well this year.  There were lots around all summer and then all of a sudden they must have gotten the memo and all disappeared.

The bone head play of the week goes to guess who--Pick me, pick me.  I was changing my clothes to come to work the evening shift and thought I'd be clever and do a load of wash first.  When I got back to the diner and was looking for my cell phone it occurred to me that I had left it in my pants pocket.  You guessed it, the ones that just got washed.  Sadly two days in a bag of rice did not fix it and I am now going to get another.  I was happy being a dinosaur with my iPhone 3.  I don't need a 5 and the 4rs are almost as much as a 5.  Oh what to do.  My smart ass son said, "I guess iPhone doesn't have an app for everything."   What does he know he is a Blackberry snob.

On a sad note our weekend morning server Shelia's husband passed away after a brief illness this week. Our thoughts are with her and she would like to come back to work after a few weeks.

The leaves are turning quickly and are beautiful.  It's a good thing that Thanksgiving is early this year.  If it was much later there may not have been any left.

I was planning to be opened last Sunday during the planned power outage.  But after much fiddling around the generator finally pooped out.  It is not old just cranky I guess.  So about 12:30 I threw in the towel and took the rest of the day off.  All went well and the power was back on by 7:00.

That's about it for now.  It's kind of sad to see the cottagers leaving for the season. But soon the sledders will be back and we will be on to the next season.  Oh I can hear the groans from here!!!

I hope you make it up for the long weekend and we have a great one.

Cheers
Nancy

I have been scolded for not updating often enough so here goes again. 

Bye the way---Hi Dave!

I can't believe how fast the summer has passed.  It must be officially over because the Christmas Wish Book is out already.

August has proved again to be busier than July.  It seems to have been that way for a few years now. 

I finally have an amusing story to tell.  There have been many this summer but most I am not able to share over the internet.  It wouldn't be good for tourisim.

However Matt and Penny Nichol from Highland Wilderness Tours on East Lake Rd were in for dinner last night.  They have a great opperation there.  They offer snowmobiling and ATV tours as well as horsebackriding and they even offer a week long riding camp.  Matt was telling me that a woman called up to inquire about ATVing. Her most urgent question was how fast do they go.  She wanted to know that she could go fast enough that she wouldn't be attacked by a bear!!!  Matt assured her that he could gaurantee 100% that she would not be attacked by a bear while ATVing.  After asking a few more questions she then asked if she got a larger group together would it be even safer still concerning the bear attack.  Matt replied  again that just like the small group a larger group would not be attacked by a bear.  That was the last he heard of her.  I am thinking that this lady should NEVER leave the GTA.  Bowmaville to Oakville should be her limit and no farther north than Steeles Ave.  Even Hwy 7 is too far north.

Oh by the way--Hi Dave

Our float down the lake, although amusing, was not as successful as we had hoped.  Who knew that two men with a total weight of 550 lbs would not be able to control a paddleboat very well. It seems they work better when they sit higher in the water.  We did get rained on but we were lucky enough to find refuge in a friends gazebo. (Thanks D.B.) Each time we struck out to head back to the truck it would rain again.  Finally Doug just walked back to the truck (while we had a bevvy in the dry gazebo) and picked us and the various floating things up and we came back home for a BBQ and a post mortom on the day.  Oh well another chapter in the book and we will try again next year.  Back to the drawing board.

Oh by the way--Hi Dave

This will be the last year for the loggers games in Maynooth so if you haven't been over the last 20 years you should give it a look see this year.  The Mud Dawgs will be holding there event on the Sunday as usual.

The great weather is back again so I'm sure it will be a busy weekend aroung the village this weekend.  There sure are a lot of trailers driving by every day.  Algonquin must still be hopping.  I know the LSP park is still busy.

Well that's it for now.  I have to take the stinky dog to the groomers for a bath.  He smells like the dried out swamps he has been finding all summer and I can't stand it anymore.

By now you must have figured that it was Dave that scolded me.  He said that even if I wasn't updating could I just say Hi Dave once in a while.  So Hi Dave.

Have a great weekend and long weekend if I don't get back before.
Hope we see you soon.
Cheers
Nancy

Whew-The long weekend has come and gone and it feels like August is almost over.  I notice it getting darker in the evening and the mornings are duller now.  I came over this morning about 5:45 and it was barely light. 

We are finally getting the long needed rain this week.  It is not enough to life the fire ban yet because it just rains for such a short time then stops. 

The internet theft continues and so do the games that go with it.  I wonder if this could ever be an Olympic sport.  Now sneaky thieves are coming to the diner after 8:00.  Do they not think that I won't come over in my PJ's and unplug the system.  A woman came by three times yesterday.  Twice during the day and once after 8:00.  Now wouldn't it just have been easier to come in, spend $5.00 do whatever it is you have to do and be done with it.  It was a lovely day.  Who wants to get in the car and drive over here three times just to steal internet.  Really some people do not put enough value on their free time.  Just like the Olympics ending so will this game.  I am learning how to change the password and will do it regularly.

But just when you think you have seen it all, and I really should know better, someone comes in to add to the list.  I had a couple in here to use the internet this morning and they wanted to share a cup of tea.  Seriously how do you share a cup of tea when you both want your own cup to drink from?  Give me strength before my head explodes!!!!!

Our second annual float down the creak has to be rerouted.  There is not enough water in the creek to float down.  So we have decided to float from the culvert at the north end of Lake St. Peter down to the culvert on the South Rd.  So if you see a bunch of yahoos this Saturday (weather permitting) you can either join us or just wave knowing that we will be gone soon.  I hope the weather cooperates we have been looking forward to this for a long time. 

That's it for this week.  If I don't drown on the weekend I will be back next week.

Cheers
Nancy

The weekend is here.  The rain that we got on Wednesday was not enough to make a difference but better than none.  The weather forecast has changed for the weekend now just sun for five or six more days.  Now I'm not complaining about the sun it's great and I love the heat but we do need some rain.

And the internet saga continues.  I have now put a sign on the front door explaining the internet charges.  $5.00 fee if you do not purchase a meal.  Free internet is available at the Maynooth library and McDonald's in Bancroft.  Fairly easy to understand.  This should clear everything up.  The last straw was Monday night at when a man came in with his computer and ordered a coffee.  He must have been here before because he seemed to know the drill but I didn't recognize him.  I made a fresh pot of coffee, poured him one and after an hour he got up to leave and said, "I want to pay for my coffee."  I said, "The internet is $5.00 I'll buy your coffee and then had to through out the rest of the pot because nobody else had coffee that night.  However  Professor Internet Stealer  showed up, walked in the front door, read the sign, spun around and left faster than I've ever seen anybody move. So I guess that is another chapter in the book of life.

Needless to say the fire ban is still in effect and there is still some water left in the lake for frolicking.

The Cullens are playing this Saturday 6:30 til 9:30.  They always sound great. So come on out and join us since you can't have a campfire. I wonder if the fire ban has got more people to drag out the old Monopoly or Scrabble games?

Have a great weekend
Cheers
Nancy

Whew.  The heat wave continues, or maybe this is what summer should be.  Although we do need rain badly.  It is so dry it's scary.  I was pooper scooping the back yard yesterday which I do with a leaf rake and a snow shovel (he's a big dog) and every time I raked in the dodo there was as much dead grass as poop.  Soon there will be no grass at all just sand.  I do wonder why it is that the weeds can flourish and the grass still grows up the patio stones in a drought.  Even with the rain predicted this week most days are only a 30 percent chance.  As I am constantly pointing out that means a 70 percent chance it won't rain.

The fire ban is still in effect but I guess that goes without saying.  There are still those that think the rules are not for them and they can burn anyway. 

Now on to my rant for the week.  As most of you know I offer the internet for customer use.  It is not free there is a small charge for it which I do not always charge especially if you eat. But some people are just tightwads and cheapskates and try to steal the internet for free.  Some even come in and want to use it for free like its McDonald's or something.  Anyway there is a guy on Mink Lake.  I'm told he is a university prof but I don't know for sure.  Sometimes he would come into the diner and pay for a beer, sit for 2-3 hours and use the internet all for $4.00.  So now we see him over at the fire hall sitting in his car, seat back, all comfy using my internet  because the signal will reach that far.  He was there so long one day the Fire Captain pulled in to ask if everything was okay and would he move away from the fire doors.  His reply was I'm just checking my e-mail (for and hour and a half) and if I go into the restaurant she will charge me.  Seriously does he not know he is in a small town and this will get back to me in a nano second.  This man probably makes more in six months that I make in two years and he won't cough up 5 bucks for the internet when he is getting paid to work at the cottage!!!!!  So now when I see him over there I just unplug the modem to disconnect the internet.  It's really funny to watch him walk around the parking lot trying to find the signal.  Well he can just go to the library in Maynooth where it is free and spend the five dollars on gas.  He is not welcome here. I  have people that eat here on a regular basis that offer to pay for internet yet he has never eaten here and still wants to use it for free.  I found a guy sitting so close to the front door last week that he wouldn't have had to get out of his car to open the diner door.  I unplugged it on him too.  I guess because his buddy was in in the morning and got the password he thought he had a free pass.  Princess cranky pants has emerged again!!!  Mwhaaaaa

The market on Saturdays is still going strong and baked goods are also available at Sherry's just on the way out of Maynooth.  That great little store Firefox has re-opened across the road in a larger building the one that was an antique shop.

Well come on up on the weekend the water's great.  I can't believe that the summer is almost over.  Someone should tell the deer flies so they will go away. July is flying by.  Before you know it it will be the opening of the exhibition and Labor Day weekend.  Sob, sob.

Back next week
Cheers
Nancy

It's been so long since my last post I'd be surprised if anyone is even following any more.  Oh well here goes anyway. 

The heat continues with no rain for such a long time.  I can't walk across the backyard in bare feet because the grass is so prickly.  It's like walking on a bed of nails.  A total fire ban came into effect this week just one day after a guy on Graphite Rd went home after the weekend and his bonfire restarted up and burned up 35-40 acres of bush.  Mostly his I think. It's amazing how naive or just stupid people are when it comes to fires.  The MNR had been flying over looking for fires and spotted it and put the call in.

I have noticed this year that there is an unusually large number of geese staying around.  There were never geese that stayed here before.  There is a group of 30-35.  That means 60 next year and 130 the year after that.  The beaches will start looking like Marie Curtis Park and all the others on the shores of Lake Ontario.  Cottagers will be ankle deep in goose poop soon.  Many have already roped off their shorelines to try to keep them off the lawns. What is the answer to this (other than don't feed them like the guy next door to me).
I can hear the tree huggers gasping already at the thoughts of what might happen.  Oh did  I say that in my outside voice?

The summer is starting to shape up nicely.  Lots of summer people are back.  If I had a nickle for every travel trailer that drove by the place in a day I wouldn't have to charge for food.  Algonquin Park must be really busy. 

We were really lucky with the black flies this year.  They weren't bad at all.  Now the deer flies that's a different story.  I was ATVing a week or so ago and if you stopped man were they friendly.  I seems they can even fly about 25-30 mph because it's hard to shake them.  I took the dog for a walk last night and it was the first time walking that they were not bothering me.  So maybe they will be gone shortly also.

If you are up for a week or so the concerts in Millennium Park are really good this year.  Every Wednesday at 7:00.  Also the music has started again at the diner.  We have the Cullens back now that Rick and Kevin are both living in the area.  They are quite good and bring back memories of the old Tavern days.6:30-9:30 on Saturday nights.

 The farmers market in Maynooth is still doing well but  Sherry that owned Sherries For Service has reopened a little market with baked goods and other stuff. So drop in when you are in Maynooth  I think is is just Saturdays also.

I can't think of anything else.  Everything that I would have said seems like such old news now.  Most of which I can't even remember now.

I will try to be back sooner the next time so come up to the cottage and do something that I can share with the class. 

Have a great weekend.
Cheers
Nancy

You can tell by my lack of posting that nothing too exciting has happened lately. 

I don't consider having to turn on the furnace in June exciting.  I find it annoying.  How can it be plus 30 for days and then 10 one day later.  As much as I don't like the rain it was well needed and seems to be over now.  Everything looks so much fresher and clean after it rains. The dust was awful it had been so dry.

The black flies are not too bad.  It was a pretty light year for them.  They do however seem to like me more than ever this year so I am not as upbeat about them as everybody else.  It is safe to come back now though.  I was doing some yard work last weekend (stop laughing, I made an effort) and they didn't bother me until I moved a small pile of dead weeds and grass.  That was it for me I had to quit.

Our little moose that was living in the swamp down by Madawaska Rd.  got hit by a car on Saturday night so we won't have him to watch any more. 

I am convinced that the squirrel that is cleaning out my bird feeder is on crack.  He continues to amuse all with his antics.  He broke into the garage and ate through a rubbermaid tub to get straight to the stash.  You should see how anxious he gets when he goes to the garage and finds the door closed!!

If anyone lost the seat off their ATV  call the diner.  On was found on Hwy 127 on Saturday.  It looks like it may have blown off the bike while it was on the trailer.

The music is back on Saturday nights.  If you are around and looking for something to do come out and join us for a drink.

That's it for now.  The Sysco truck just showed up.  I'll bet he wants money too.

Cheers
Nancy

It's been 11 days since my last post and not much has happened except for a beautiful long weekend.  Mother Nature can be so kind when she wants to be.  It was 48 degrees in Lake St. Peter on Sunday.  If that won't burn off the black flies nothing will.  Speaking of which they are not all that bad.  They are still annoying just not as many as usual.  So our early dry spring may have been a good thing.  However my four year old grandson did go home looking like he had chicken pocks after only one day.  Today however is another story.  The short rain fall was welcome (you won't hear me say that often) but the drop in temperature was a bit extreme.

Lots of people around.  Lots of cottagers and campers back.  It's nice to see.

There was quite a large bush fire down Maple Leaf way on the weekend.  It was burning for a couple of days.  No homes were damaged so that was a good thing.  I seemed the fire dept has been out a lot in the last few days.  Even again this morning to the guy up Hwy 127 that thinks he should burn up his bush every year.  When the neighbour saw the flames higher than his house he got a little nervous.

We have started up the music on Saturday evenings again.  A new band made their first appearance last week and they were fantastic.  We even had music on Sunday this weekend because Bob, Jane and Victor were in town.  What a great night.  A good time was had by all.  I hope they come back to Ontario in October.

Most people have their gardens in and it is amusing listing to some of the old guys talking about the bunnies and other critters eating up everything that is planted.  Some of the stories are hysterical and there may be deaths soon.  Norm planted 10-15 baby apple trees (grown from the seeds from apples he had eaten) up at the hunt camp for deer food some day.  Well he thought he would put some dead suckers under the trees for fertilizer.  When he went back a couple of days later to water them something had dug up all the trees to eat the suckers.  Back to the drawing board Norm.  Buck Card has had his whole garden cleaned out by the neighbour's pet bunnies.  Oh the list goes on and on.

Well not much else to report.  I will keep up with the Black Fly report soon.  But I have to be honest.  We put up a gazebo this year so I may have untrue reports!!!!  Hmmm  Oh no I will take one for the team and sit on the deck and go into the gazebo instead of the house.  The June bugs are even out early.

Back next week unless something exciting happens.

Cheers
Nancy