Home alone

Home alone and not really getting to grips with it............

Things have taken a strange turn.For the first time in many [ way too many] years I reluctantly find myself a ' housewife ' or as I read somewhere ' house engineer' . I guess I  could revert to what I call myself normally... Jack of all trades master of none. Yes , that sums me up. Over my, and I hate to say 'many' years ( I'm getting to that age when I really must accept at least some of those years...) I have done umpteen shall we say, jobs, pastimes , projects , hobbies and quite honestly never stuck with any for long. Looking back I do recall my mother using that phrase ( Jack of all trades...) a lot in our house. I think it started way back when she sent me to ballet classes.

Cute hey?

 That didn't last long. Then tap classes.Same there. Then finally ballroom dancing classes when I was about eight or so. Her final words as I recall were ' you stick this out or else' and when you heard the 'or else' you got a little panicky in our house. A real Yorkshire woman my mother. Had a voice on her like a fog horn they use to say. 'they' being anyone who ever heard my mother raise her voice that is. My mother could call me in for tea when I was playing in the school yard a good three blocks away and everyone would hear her including me. Didn't need a cell phone when you had a voice like my mother.

My boredom threshhold continued  through into adult hood as many of you will know but my repertoire of jobs and hobbies would take too long ................ oh, hold on a minute. I feel another blog coming on!

Anyway I really have digressed this time so, back to the plot. The plot being..... housewifey things ?

I find myself cooking again. It has been awhile. I mean I can cook but once out of the regular habit I find myself forgetting the simplist of things.... like how long does it take to cook a pork chop or roast a chicken or bake a piece of fish and how can I make vegetables more interesting. Thank goodness for Google.Oh I forgot to mention that just because I didn't cook didn't mean that we didn't eat. It's just that Stephen has always done most of the cooking, much to his Mother's chagrin might I add. Mainly because it was easier as Stephen was always the cook in the business we have had and he said it was easier to keep track. He's a real picky fridge monitor. He always says that I never get around to eating anything until its out of date .I do have a constitution of an ox which helps with the sell by dates.Unfortunately Stephen only has to read an out of date sticker and his stomach does summersaults . Agh, C'est la vie!

Small loaf rising.

So cooking ? coming along.What I really like is baking but there's a downside to that.You cant really just make an individual portion can you? it's always a 'batch' of something and of course you end up eating the lot. Not good for the figure. I mean, I may as well cut out the middle man and throw it on my hips. I am however a bread maker. Hand made, none of your fancy breadmaker stuff. I have discovered Artisan bread which I am still experimenting with but is turning into one of my favourite things, You make up a batch, no kneeding involved ( which is a little sad, I did like the kneeding process) and stick it in a plastic bag in the fridge until you need it. From one batch you can make, baguettes ,naan,pita breadsticks and even focaccia with rosemary. The focaccia was amazing.

Bacon, cheese and aubergine quiche.

Sundried tomato and herb scones and
an individual apple pie which as
it happens was enough for two.Ah well.

Our latest edition to the kitchen is a Keurig machine ( single serve brewer) it not only does coffee but tea and hot chocolate too. We first saw one in action at Raquel and Bobs in Massachusetts where we stayed on our way back.Now one thing I don't have to worry about getting in our house is gadgets. Stephen loves gadgets. Not silly useless gadgets but the good household type gadgets, So although we had not long since bought a great coffee machine ( and found two more when we unpacked) the Keurig was on the list. So if you are thinking of buying a coffee machine, we have four. No seriously get a Kuerig they make great coffee and you don't have to waste a whole pot to get just one cup and each one is fresh.

So,my life is taking on somewhat of a pattern. Albeit a little abstract at the moment but it's coming along.

This and That

So here we are 5 weeks in the house. Settled in?  Huh, where do I start. This is a little different for us this time. Most of our life ( excluding the Mexico blip ) we have had a business to run and this is what we thought we might do this time. However, we thought we would take a break and Stephen would get a job. (!) Just to ring the changes. You know what we're like? Yes, you probably spotted the emphasis on Stephen and not me in the 'getting a job' department ?

Garden view.

He's been joking for awhile now about not really being bothered about what he does. The days of striving for a career are gone he says and Stephen has never been a prestige kind of person so it looks like anything goes. Never the less job hunting again is a little daunting.It's been awhile, a long while. I think his best passing remark was that he would apply as a greeter at Walmart or maybe a job in Home depot. You might laugh? However I  do have to say that I did draw the line at the Walmart greeter. Call it the snob in me? Yes it's the snob in me. Things have certainly changed since we (The Royal We ) last looked for a job. Looking for a job is definitely on line these days. You send in your C.V. ( Resume) on line and wait. In general employers don't even send out an electronic message to say that they have even received your application.You just have to wait until the closing date and hope you hear something.It's mind boggling just tapping in to these job search places. Theres monsterjobs.com or wowjobs.com, careerbeacon or jobpress  so many yet they make it so frustrating.Whatever happened to good old fashioned job centres? Those nice places where you had a friendly chat ,to an actual ' person ' no kidding. This is the way it is I guess.


Oh, and don't be quick to laugh at the Home Depot job either. Apparently these jobs are much sort after. We spoke to one chap the other day who as it happens was from England originally, been here 34 years. He had owned his own businesses in the past and said that it was the best thing he ever did. He says ' I walk out of here on an evening and before I'm in my car work is forgotten' and' I earn more now than when I had my own business , plus I get paid for talking to people all day'. Maybe there's more to this type of job than meets the eye.  Mmmm, 'Curiouser and Curiouser' cried Alice!


In the meantime.............

Yes we saw this snowblower advertised on Kijiji so we though we had better be prepared in plenty of time and seeing as I have seen snow falling already,none too soon methinks? It was interesting getting it home I might add.We still have the yellow banana ( not for much longer I hope) and I think that the 'banana'  is probably not much bigger than the snowblower  let alone how much this thing weighed. The whole of the car almost touched the ground when the snowblower was finally maneuvered into the back through the rear door. What a trip home that was. We couldn't even get it out of the car we had to get a neighbour to help. One way of meeting your neighbour I guess. Haven't seen him since mind or anyone else for that matter.

The 'garden' next. We have had some deliciously warm Autumnal days. Well, maybe not the last few days when it was absolutely chucking it down with rain but prior to that yes pretty nice.

Me cutting  back something.
The land here is wet and boggy.I
haven't a clue what to do with it.
 Come on English gardening gene kick in.

 Now?....... neither of us are gardeners. My friend Jonna thinks that I must have the English Gardener  gene lurking in me  somewhere and I don't like to quash her well intended thoughts about me but ..... let me put it this way I am desperately 
trying to cultivate the gene but as of yet 
it's just not kicking in. I do actually like being in the fresh air but I'm more of a dig it out, cut it down kind of gardener myself. I like a messy garden the kind that looks like nature just took over and did a grand job. I am guessing that it doesn't happen that way and it all takes time and patience.Time I have. Patience? Er not so much.


Did I say already that there isn't any 'garden' as such.There is a grass mound which we  affectionately call the burial mound because, well, that's what it looks like.It is actually where the septic field is so there isn't much we can do with it except leave it and mow it. We don't have a lawn mower at present so the grass is rather long.It will be covered in snow soon so who cares right? The rest is trees. Lots of trees. No shortage of a Christmas tree this year. We have christmas trees coming out of our Ying Yang.

Timbeeeeeerrrr.

We have been having great fun with the chain 
saw. Lots of dead trees close to the house that need to come down. Some a little too close. Stephen 'Youtubed 'chopping down a tree which was informative but it's a little scarey the first time you do it. Was the cut in the right place? would it actually fall in the right direction? We had our fingers crossed on more than one occasion but it was great. We loved it.

Mount Uniacke Estate.

We have also been discovering the local area. I know I keep saying this but Nova Scotia really is beautiful. Mount Uniacke Estate is on our doorstep and have been back to visit a few times now.


It is an expansive country estate once owned by Irish born  Attorney General Richard John  Uniacke  ( 1753- 1830 ) Built on the old stage coach road from Halifax to Windsor and was once a testimony to John Uniacke's wealth and personal achievement. The grounds of the estate were designed in the English landscape Garden style which was popular in the 1800s. A key feature of this style being the uninterrupted views which was unrivalled in it's day.

Martha lake

There are numerous trails on the estate and I think our aim is to cover them all ( several times no doubt) and of course the fact that there is a Tea Shop on site is a bonus. What's better than tea ( or coffee!) and pie after an energetic hike.

Pumpkin Pie.

This actually reminds me of Lynton
 in Devon,England where we used to have a B & B.

Trees fungus.

More tree fungus

Old kitchen fireplace
in the Tea Shop.

Reminds me of the painting 'The Scream'

All Ship Shape and Bristol Fashion

Coming down the drive.
First attempt.

Ship shape and Bristol Fashion....... well almost. September 1st was moving in day. The movers arrived and  after much deliberation made it down the drive. At first they said that the truck wouldn't get down the drive and that they would have to do 'a shuttle'. This apparently meant that they would have to transfer everything into a smaller truck,come back another day and it would cost another $600.This was not going to happen and if it did we wouldn't be paying the $600.As you can guess getting it across Canada wasn't cheap. This was just the beginning of what turned out to be  an interesting day. Needless to say we are in dispute with the moving company. We have used the same company since leaving England and this is the first time we have been disappointed.I wouldn't mind ( well I would ) but you have to pay the truck driver before they will unload. Basically they have you by the short and curlies before they start.

  Moving is a bit like a hangover really? We always end up saying 'never again' but once the memory has faded we do it again........ and again , sometimes because we have to or like us because we get bored very easily. The madness has to stop. There are bits that I like about moving believe it or not. I love unpacking the boxes and rediscovering 'stuff'. This however can be a down side as I get side tracked with old photos and memorabilia instead of putting stuff away. I also quite like the adventure of it all or maybe I should say 'did'.


This time has been a little different for me. Before we have always has some kind of plan even though that plan maybe didn't always turn out......well? as planned I suppose. This time I think I am missing friends more.Yes you make new friends but I feel like I am thinking about it more this time instead of in the past just letting it happen. I miss calling up a friend  and meeting for coffee and a chat or having  dinner and a heated discussion with people you know well. Ignore me I'm just getting maudlin in my old age.


Since leaving the corporate world we have always had our own business too. Mexico being the exception to that rule but then again Mexico was our little blip on the radar. This time we are undecided. An opportunity to do the coffee shop again did present itself but it  just didn't feel right this time.

So now  we ( and that's a Royal We ) have decided to look at the job market. That should be a novelty. It's been awhile since 'we' had a 'proper 'job.  Stephen says the days of careers and prestige are not important any more to him and something with less stress would be a nice, so it looks like a helper in Home Depot is looking good. The other 'we' thinks maybe the jury is out on this one for awhile. I'll think of something to do I'm sure. One step at a time, one step at a time.Should make for interesting blogging?

So two weeks later and pretty ship shape in my book. There are pictures on the wall and beer in the fridge........ and after 3 months without a fridge I can't tell you how good that feels. The fridge in the motorhome didn't work. Oh, did I mention we finally saw the back of the 'old girl' Yep, someone saw the for sale sign and she's gone. That's one hangover I am never going to repeat.

Setting up the Barbie.

Stephen bought a barbecue ( great deals around now) Saturday so he's a happy little 'grill master' and before anyone wise cracks about summer we are having some gorgeous warm sunny barbecuing weather. Although I have to admit that at the same time we were looking at barbecues we were looking at snow blowers.Oh well that should give all you Job's comforters something to talk about?

I have started making my own bread again and the first batch of wholegrain was indeed succesful. The Taco Maya apron helped don't you think. Thanks Taco Maya.




I now have my very own art and craft room. It is just great having a space where I can just leave and close the door without having to pack everything away. I was even reunited with my sewing machine. Not that I am  big on sewing but it looks like I will be doing some curtains and cushions.I also found that I had a lot more than I remember. A nice surprise. Just have to get cracking now.

And for all you doubters, notice, I have found a use for the gourds I brought back.Next the sea shells.

In Hertford, Hereford and Hampshire ?? & 'Didn't we have a lovely day'

In Hertford, Hereford and Hampshire, Hurricanes , Hardly Happen    ( My Fair Lady )..........Really ?


It seems that wherever we go some bizarre  twists of nature follows. I kid you not? and if Paul's reading this I hasten to add I am not complaining.I am merely making observations.
 It appears that to Paul I'm always complaining..... Moi !. Mind you I was  living in Mexico at the time and o.k so yes I admit I had my moments. Oh and if my memory serves me correctly most of my 'complaining ' was done in his eatery. Mmmm, you can draw your own conclusions? ( sorry Paul you started it )


Anyway I digress...............................Hurricane Irene? We spent 3 years in Mexico, never saw a hurricane. We have been back in Canada 2 months and we have hurricane Irene to look forward to. Who'dathunkit? As of this moment it looks like Washington, New York and The Carolinas are going to be hit which I can't begin to imagine the damage that it will do.We will see the periphery of the storm , high winds and rain and yes we are still in the motor home.We don't move until the 1st. Bad timing or what? I'm just hoping Irene doesn't head further west then it could be catastrophic. Not that I want anyone to suffer but the thought of it touching land here in Nova Scotia is certainly not a happy one.


As I mentioned, bizarre things do follow us around like........
When we first moved to Alberta? worst flood for 50 years.The town we lived near was evacuated.


Or not shortly afterwards, the worst May snow fall for a similar number of years. The wet heavy stuff as I recall.We had power outages for weeks.


Then there was the plague of grasshoppers. Crawling carpets of hungry hoppers eating every blade of grass they could find.


Then there was the dense, smoke filled skies from the B.C fires.......... 


Oh and lets not forget the mad cow outbreak not long after we first arrived in the country.   England was in the midst of their most serious outbreak of foot and mouth disease in a long time when we left and i have to say I did feel a tad uncomfortable.However I do believe they said that it didn't come from Europe. Phew.

So there it is. Just sayin'?!?!

Didn't we have a lovely day

"Didn't we have a lovely time the day we went to Bangor

A beautiful day we had lunch on the way and all for under a pound you know.

But on the way back I cuddled with Jack and we opened a bottle of cider

Singing a few of our favourite songs and the wheels went around

Elsie and me , we finished our tea and said goodbye to the seaside

Got on a bus, Flo said to us, oh, isn't it a shame to go

Wouldn't it be grand to have cash on demand and live like this for always

Singing a few of our favourite songs as the wheels went around." 

Well not quite the song but we have had some great days out. Some friends we have just met said to take a trip to the Annapolis Valley as they said it was beautiful . They weren't wrong ! It is indeed a beautiful part of Nova Scotia.

Wolfeville

Wolfeville

On our other day trip, we decided to take a whale watching and nature cruise from the harbour. It was a gorgeous day (yes again)  and we had a tremendous time.  However not a whale in site but we did see some porpoise so all was not lost. The commentary was very informative with a comprehensive history of Halifax and some interesting nature tidbits. 
The views from the boat were spectacular and as it was such a nice day the sail boats were out  in force which made for a considerable photo op. I think I took 109 photos. Thank goodness for digital cameras.

Lunch on Cable Wharfe after the boat trip
We're not in the photo.I took it for the view.

Can'y you still hear the noise on the Pier
As we took a breath of sea air
Having a go at every side show
We passed along the way, we had
Our fortunes told,when it turned a bit cold
And a go on the tombola
It was such a surprise 'cause I won first prize
When the wheel went around.


As sung by "Fiddlers Dram"

62 houses later ......

Halifax wharfe

So , having pondered over New Brunswick and decided that it wasn't the place for us. we decided to take a day to check out Halifax, Nova Scotia. New Brunswick just wasn't bustling enough for us, but our first look at Nova Scotia just felt right. After all where else were we going to go ? We are as far east as we can get there's no more land left!

Halifax harbour

 Having made the decision to move we upped sticks and changed our location to another camp site just outside of Halifax. Setting off again in the motorhome was not, as you can imagine done lightly. I have had it up to my armpits of this nomadic life style.

Lunch

So, yes 62 houses and three weeks later we have found a house. 62 because our realtor kept a tally and told us. She also told us that she has been a realtor for 20 years and we have set a new record for her..... do you think she was trying to tell us something ? ........ She did actually say it with a smile on her face , I don't think she could quite believe it herself I know we couldn't ........ apparently people tend to view around 20 houses before buying. Mmmm I wonder what  that says about us ? either we are very picky or we really should buy a lottery ticket. Our sights are set way to high for our cheque book.


We have been lucky with realtors both here and in New Brunswick. Tracey and Nancy have been really great people and have both been tireless in our quest a to put down roots again and I think we have made two really great friends along the way, which is the biggest bonus of all.

This leg of our journey however has been an interesting one. Last night being one of many unforgettable moments here in Nova Scotia ...................... The heavens decided to bless us with a deluge of rain followed by quite the barrage of thunder and lightning. Unfortunately...... we leak. Well, that is 'the old girl" leaks , it's the Royal 'we'      ( old girl being a term of endearment for the camper in case you don't already know) Both our beds are at the back of the motor home right underneath a window and as we discovered last night the windows leak. Water comes in and collects in the window well and then heads gung ho for our beds. We spent the night mopping up the water, trying to catch it before it got through to the mattress. This was a continuos process and we quickly ran out of dry towels to mop up with. We tried everything to stem the never ending  flow but to no avail.Hence we stayed awake until around 4 in the morning wringing out soppy towels, when the torential rain at last abated. We have since plugged the leaks.....I hope.


The following day got no better. We had arranged to meet the house inspector at 10.30 only to receive a message that he had fallen down the stairs or some such and couldn't make it. We had however to go to the house anyway as we had to get a water sample for testing. Not long after leaving we thought we were kicking up quite a lot of dust in our wake so decided to check it out. As it happens the problem was at the front not the back end of the car. Steam was coming out of every possible nook and cranny imaginable and when we did manage to get the bonnet ( sorry I'm slipping back into my mother tongue), hood it didn't get any better. It looked like the radiator hose that housed the thermostat had broken.We knew this because the thermostat was just hanging there in the joint.Oh and just to add insult to injury it was raining again.


Now remember we had no phone and haven't had a phone since leaving Mexico.Talk about feeling disconnected, well we could talk about it just not on the phone. Anyway there we were stuck in the middle of nowhere......... but!..... thank goodness for our Canadian Good Samaritans. Several people came to our rescue and we were soon given a lift to the local auto mechanic .


The mechanic was himself a joy to behold! Mr Negative couldn't even begin to describe him........' No, I don't come out on calls '. ' No I can't tow you back '. 'No I can't fix it I'm booked up for weeks '..... O.K. then? What do we do now? We had  left Nancy not that long ago but we had no phone to call her and she was the only person we knew. Mr Happy was not offering any solution and to be quite honest we were flummoxed. So, there we were at what I can only describe as a Mexican stand off...... and we had never had one of those even when we lived in Mexico.


Eventually after prising words of more than one syllable out of Mr Grumpy one of the other guys thought that it sounded like we could cautiously drive the car to the garage so he offered to take us back and have a look and to cut a long story a little  shorter we ended up back with Mr Crabby and after much cajoling he offered to get us the part (which they said could be delivered that day surprise surprise) AND he also said that he might fix it before the close of day. When he said that I think we were both gob smacked . By the time we picked up the car Mr Cantankerous turned into at least Mr Amiable and 165 dollars later we were on the road again.


What a day.................


To top it all Barney has decided that he likes bringing us little gifts in the middle of the night. The first time he announced himself and delivered a rather large ( dead, thank goodness) mouse to us. Right on the floor in between our beds. The second time I heard this strange  grinding noise and turned the light on to find him chomping on the head of a mouse in the same place.

Butter wouldn't melt ?

 I found the body later on the drivers seat. The last time topped it all. I woke up to find what I thought was  a really big mouse on the floor. When I got out of bed I discovered that it was a live squirrel. Unfortunately when I tried to catch it with a towel it shot passed me  and we couldn't find it. So we went back to bed and could hear it running around the camper. I haven't seen it since so I gather it found it's way out of Barneys window. I wonder what he will bring in next?

That behind us we now have brought ourselves back into the civilised world yesterday we purchased   a cell phone each at last. Ah,I feel so much better now that I can phone and text. I haven't had my own phone for three years. It will take some learning again and I am hopeless with gadgets .... they just seem to have a mind of their own where I'm concerned. 


We hope to be in our house by September 1st by the way. Can't wait. I have to tell you though that Nova Scotia is one of the most beautiful places we have ever been to and  I have to admit that before we came here we really had a poor view of  Nova Scotia.I don't know why but there it is. However the scenery is quite spectacular and the ocean coves are quite breath taking.

It is great to be back in Canada..... just love the Canadian style...they are some of the most welcoming warm hearted people we have ever met.......... and just for all my non Canadian friends.................. I love you too. It's just that Canada feels like home.

Peggys Cove

 Oh,and a couple of shots of the new house.

The front view.We have plans at a later
date to convert the garage into a living
space with patio doors onto a deck
at the back. But that is for later.

The driveway.

Garden? Well one day.Not till
next year though now.