Glorious weather

Hello everyone and happy Sunday! Another beauty of a day on the way. We've had such glorious weather so far this Fall and lots more on the way. We're on the deck with the boys. It's 15 Celsius, not bad at all for early morning although I have my sweats and fleece on just to feel cozy. Merlot & Sherlock are lounging on the couch with their blankets. Such comfort! It is a peaceful morning in the neighbourhood.

This past week was quiet. I wanted to get more Fall cleaning done but the weather was too nice. It can wait. I did spent a few hours in the kitchen though one morning and cooked a batch of meatballs, Greek and Italian. I find meatballs incredibly versatile and can be enjoyed in countless ways for an easy dinner. We finally invested in a vacuum sealer so freezing those little nuggets was fun LOL! 

We smoked another batch of cheese...mild cheddar, gouda, havarti and provolone. They are tucked away in the fridge for a couple of weeks to let the flavour mellow.

Our boys are doing well. Sherlock has perfected playing with the Kong Gyro...he grabs it with his mouth then rolls it in the hopes that a treat will fall out. One has but it is not easy 😜 Merlot gets frustrated with it. I think he prefers the snuffling basket, which also frustrates him as I put a squeaky ball in it that is hard to get out. A little video of their fun is included below.

Hockey season has somewhat started. Yesterday was the first of two Prospect Showdown games at the Bell Center. It was a sold out event. This afternoon, Montreal and Toronto meet up at 3 pm. It will be a fun game to watch. So far, Ivan Demidov is impressive... the first round, fifth overall pick by the Canadians in the 2024 entry draft. 

Russell made the appointment for the snow tires, end of October. We have our snow contract for the 2025-2026 season. We are still debating whether we will buy a snow blower for the backyard. Some days I feel like I can shovel paths no problem...some other days, I'm not so sure 😏 On the topic of snow...Russell saw Christmas decorations at Canadian Tire yesterday. Yikes!

Those are my little news for today. Have a good week everyone!

The boys basking in the early morning sunshine,
seems the coffee table/storage unit makes
a great lounger.

The crabapple is a constant focus of
attention for these fellows....never
know what is up the tree.

A few quick tricks while tending to the BBQ.

Merlot and Sherlock understand that
there could be a taste test at any 
moment.

Applewood smoke rolling and 
kissing these blocks of cheese
for 2 hours...fantastic aroma.

The smoked cheeses, vacuum sealed and tucked
away for two weeks to let the smoke mellow and
migrate.

Our Fall corner in the backyard, the 
bench sits quietly beneath the Japanese
maple with a Fall Mum as its only guest.

A togetherness pose we simply adored...
Cooper and Spicy side by side on the deck, 
this moment captured, September 17th, 2023.

Hello September

Happy Sunday everyone! It's a clear morning and the long range forecast is looking gorgeous. Let's enjoy to the fullest!

This past week was good and uneventful. I'm not sure why but we've been sleeping in a bit...one morning we got up at 5:30 😉 Our boys just go along with the flow although their 6:15 am breakfast time comes that much sooner when that happens LOL!

We haven't seen the skunk again since Russell blocked off the few areas that were vulnerable for an entry. We do a full check of the yard though every morning and night before we go out. You can never be too cautious. 

I started some Fall cleaning, rearranging and tidying up closets, one at a time. I got the mud room pantry done where we keep small kitchen appliances and the dog food/treats. This week, I will tackle the closet in the TV room. This one might take me a while and it will require Russell's help on deciding what clothes he keeps or donates 😏

Merlot & Sherlock are doing well. We have been reflecting on how they have matured since they came into our lives some 14 months ago. They are such good boys and they bring us so much joy, each and every day. They are still crazy puppies though and we love it! Lately, they have been enjoying their game of fetch outside. Sherlock is quite good at it, brings the ball back even with distractions around him. Merlot, on the hand...he retrieves the ball and runs away with it. He is such a character. 

Yesterday morning, we woke up to the news of the passing of Ken Dryden, the best goaltender to ever wear the Montreal Canadian jersey. It is a very sad loss in the hockey community. A little tidbit about Mr. Dryden...he lived in Senneville while playing for the Habs, a small suburb in the West Island. I grew up in Senneville and I got to babysit his children for a little while.

That's it for today's blog. I leave you with a few photos and two videos of our boys playing retrieve. From time to time, I will include a video or two in my blog, just for fun. Have a great week everyone!

Merlot and Sherlock love catching some sun 
on the warm patio stones.

Labour Day deck patrol for these two

Sherlock enjoying some lounge time
with me on the couch.

Merlot watching the sun rays
and the street action from the
comfort of the living room sofa

The backyard crabapple tree had a visit from
our resident chipmunk...must be time to
forage and build up a winter food supply.

Cooper and Spicy enjoyed the communal
piano at Edgewater Park, this moment
captured August 19th, 2022