Farewell September

Happy Sunday everyone! Last week, we closed the door on Summer and now September is quietly slipping away. We've been soaking up these beautiful Fall days that we have been blessed with in the past week. I'm actually writing my blog on the deck once again. There is a cool breeze but we're wearing our woolies so we're comfy. 

This past week was good. Last Sunday, we had our family over to celebrate my brother's well deserved retirement. It was a nice get together. Sean & Julie are expecting their first child. It's exciting to think that we will be great-aunt/uncle sometime in March. 

On Thursday, in the middle of the night, one of our smoke detectors decided to chirp for a new battery. Of course, these things always happen at night, never conveniently during the day. It also set off the alarm system with a "low battery warning" sound. Both of us got up, took care of things and the house was quiet again. We changed the batteries in all detectors. Merlot & Sherlock, although awake by all this action,  didn't make a sound. We were very impressed. 

One morning,  Russell smoked a batch of cheese...Cheddar, Provolone and Havarti. It's the perfect time of year to cold smoke. Today, I will vacuum seal each piece, ready to eat in about two to three weeks. 

Yesterday, I started cutting back perennials. I still have lots to do but I'm being sensible and only do a bit at a time. My body is feeling good today as a result 👍 My goal is to get it all done before our weekend getaway in Montreal to see the HABS in action. On that note, we're just two nights away from opening night of a brand new season! GO HABS GO!

Our boys are doing well. They have full days and when night time comes, they are truly tired. They don't nap much during the day, especially at this time of year since we still spend a lot of time on the deck. Too much to see and explore outside. 

That's my blog for this last Sunday of September. Have a great week everyone!

The look out boys...at their post
on the deck.

Two on an armchair to oversee me
with my stretch routine.

A little bit of paw snuggle from Sherlock 

Merlot was having a bad hair day!

Cold smoking the cheeses....over
applewood smoke for 2.5 hours.

Happy retirement Francois...Merlot managed
to photo bomb this special milestone.

Julie and Sean - the bundle of joy
is expected in March.

Yard patrol...Havanese style.

A bright sunny moment on our walk at 
Edgewater Park...this moment with these
beauties captured - September 19th, 2021.

Farewell Summer, Hello Fall

Happy Sunday everyone! 

Just like that, Summer is coming to an end. The days are getting shorter, the leaves are beginning to turn, the air has a little more crispness. Soon, we will leave behind the longer evenings spent outside and the sun-warmed days. It's that bittersweet time of year when we're about to close one chapter and make room for what comes next. 

Despite the cooler days, the wasps are buzzing around like they own the place. They also seem to have developed an obsession with our pooches' beautiful coats. They hover around like they're trying to decide which fluffy landing pad to book for the afternoon. It drives me crazy. A small inconvenience when we're trying to squeeze more time out on the deck.

And there's SEALOOK, the new Netflix series apparently made with our four-legged viewers in mind. So far, Merlot & Sherlock are not that impressed although they watched it outside with all the other distractions around. I suppose it's hard to concentrate on seal entertainment when there is a whole backyard to supervise.  I also think it would be better on the big screen, we'll try that in the Fall. It is a cute series though, with engaging colours and sounds. 

On Thursday, I had lunch with Lise and Diane, our annual reunion. We went to the RH Rooftop Restaurant in the new Royalmount complex. It was nice to get together and we had a LOT of catching up to do. 

Last night was the first pre-season Habs games against Toronto....the teams were split in two, one game in Montreal and one in Toronto. Beating the Maple Leafs once is great, beating them twice in the same night is ever better! 

That's my blog for today. Have a great week. Our weather is looking promising!   

The boys catching some warming
rays on the patio.
 

Merlot is, as they say, snug as a 
bug in a rug...he loves to snuggle.

Sherlock thinks the blanket looks
like a great spot to lounge.

Sherlock and Merlot think Sealook
might be over-rated or better on a
big screen.

A new addition to Edgewater Park...someone
made an Inuksuk.

Merlot's pre-dinner routine, a daily ritual now

Sherlock enjoyed the new maze - it was 

a breeze.

As usual, Merlot made fast work of the 

new maze.

Cooper and Spicy had a special way to share
backyard surveillance - this moment
captured September 14, 2022.

Never Forget

Twenty-Five Years Later 

It still feels like yesterday. I will never forget where I was on that day. I had just landed in Divonne-les-Bains, France, for a global HR conference. As I always did when I travelled, I turned on CNN as soon as I walked into my hotel room. Suddenly, the world I knew seemed to stop. I watched the television in disbelief, seeing the same horrific images that people everywhere were watching. At first, it was difficult to even comprehend what was happening. Immediately one thought took over: I need to call Russell.

Russell was at work, in Mississauga, where we lived at the time. I tried calling but the phone lines were overwhelmed. I eventually got through. Just hearing his voice was an enormous relief. Neither of us knew what was going to happen next.

The conference continued despite the unimaginable turmoil around us. There were people from all over the world attending. We tried to continue with our work but it felt surreal. Everyone was affected, everyone was worried about someone and everyone was anxious about getting home.

The airspace eventually reopened and I flew back to Toronto on the Friday. I was travelling with a colleague and we held hands as the plane took off. We were going home.

While I had been away, Russell had been living with a fear that I could only truly understand once I got home. He didn't know when I would be able to return. He sat in his office at work and watched the skies. They had become eerily quiet. That silence was terrifying.

When I finally walked through that door and saw Russell, the fear and uncertainty of those days seemed to release all at once. We were together again and the tears flowed. That moment stayed with me.

One cannot remember the horror and heartbreak of 9/11 without remembering the extraordinary people of Gander, who, in a moment of unimaginable tragedy, opened their homes and their hearts to thousands of strangers in need. Their compassion became a beacon of hope in one of humanity's darkest moments.

In 2016, Russell and I went to New York City and visited the 9/11 memorial site. Standing there was incredibly emotional. Time had passed but the memories hadn't disappeared. If anything, being there brought them back with a clarity we weren't prepared for. Below are a few photos that we took.

Twenty-Five years have passed. Some memories never fade...the television in my hotel room, trying to reach Russell, the uncertainty, the quiet skies, the flight home, the people of Gander.  Today, we pause to remember it all...the lives lost, the lives forever changed and the day we will never forget. 

"Reflecting Absence", the memorial for those
who perished on September 11th, 2001.

"The Last Column" holds the
messages, photographs and 
tributes from recovery workers
and families.

The 9/11 Birthday Rose program places a single
rose next to the name of each person lost in the
tragedy and it is done on their birthday and 
continues today.

Labour Day Ramblings

Happy Sunday everyone! It's a little cool at the moment, only 13 Celsius! It's not stopping me from writing my blog from the deck. There is something about that fresh, cool morning air. I'm bundled up and it feels good!

Labour Day always brings that nostalgic in-between feeling...the last long weekend of Summer. For many, it's about soaking in those simple moments before the everyday routine begins again. 

This past week, as always, went by quickly. We were busy and the days seemed to blend together. We kicked off the weekend on a high note by having some good friends over for lunch.  Yummy food, lots of laughs, great company....the ingredients for a fun-filled afternoon. Our boys were also the perfect hosts 😊

On Thursday, Myriam stopped by to show us the three puppies from Merlot's first litter as a sire. We sat on the front lawn and watched with awe the three pups roam around. Our boys couldn't go near them as the puppies are not fully vaccinated yet. What a delight it was to see them. On that note, Merlot's second litter was born two weeks ago....seven puppies in total. It seems that we have a very prolific boy on our hands!

Our Labour Day tradition is to fire up the BGE and cook ribs. We kept the tradition going last night. The ribs went on, the smoker did its thing and we did our best to be patient while enjoying the delicious smell drifting through the yard. I made a simple bruschetta which was the only accompaniment to the ribs. I have to give credit where credit is due....Russell did an amazing job with the ribs. They were, without a doubt, the best ever!

Merlot & Sherlock are doing well. They are such sweethearts and we simply can't get enough of them. They each have their own personalities and little quirks but both have one thing in common...they know exactly how to melt our hearts 💕

I leave you with random photos and videos that I took last week. One of the pics is of me cutting the frozen berry pie that I made for our lunch on Friday. I wasn't sure what knife to use so I went for the big one! 

Have a great week everyone! Cheers to rest, gratitude and making the most of this long weekend!

Sherlock and Merlot are usually
together and always happy and full
of playful joy.

Sherlock on his chair, a little sleepy
catching a few zzz's.

Fall sights and sounds...the boys 
heard that little chipmunk but
where is he?

Count them....7 little beauties, the puppy joy
that Merlot helped bring into the world.

I think we are going to need a bigger
knife to cut the berry pie...it was
delicious!

Merlot is truly a goofball as he routinely 

glides along the couch end to end face first.

Nothing better than a stroll and little sniff...

Sherlock didn't seem to mind.

Sherlock is a-mazing as he negotiated the 

cones.

Merlot has his own special style when on the 

course.

Our front lawn was a puppy playground as 

the pups Merlot fathered roamed around 

freely taking in the world and learning new

experiences.

Cooper and Spicy side by side on the deck...
one of their favourite spots...ours too...this
moment captured August 26, 2019.