Weekend Mucking About at the Trailer

Along with trailer ownership comes trailer maintenance. On Friday night there were severe thunderstorms for about 2 hours, and when I went outside in the morning I could hear a steady drip drip drip.

I found that water was dripping over the edge of the eavestrough at the lower end. That can't be good I said to myself. Who knows how long its been since the eavestrough had been cleaned out but I was up for the job, so to speak, at least once I got out the stepladder.

I had no rubber gloves and the only tool that would fit into the narrow trough was a garden trowel. Up the ladder I went, trowel in hand. Wow, you can see all around the park from the top of my ladder - cool.

However, the black sludge in the trough, years old accumulation of maple leaves and maple keys, wasn't so cool. It smelled. Bad. Like manure. But being raised by a man who could stick his bare hand into the entrails of a dead chicken I am no wuss, but I do admit to wrinkling my nose. I scooped with the trowel and bravely dug down with my left hand to lift masses of oozing black guck out of the trough and then tried to toss it onto the same spot on the lawn, over and over again.

Oh, and did I mention that all this goo (I think a few more years and I would have had my own source of petroleum) was lying under several inches of brackish water? No? Well it was, and as I gradually worked my way down the front of my porch the water slowly started to trickle down the spout out onto the lawn. By the time I reached the downspout most of the water had successfully escaped but looking back I could still see small bits of sludge here and there that I had missed when it was still underwater.

Not one to leave a job partially done I pulled the hose over and started at the other end again spraying water down the trough till it was totally clear of yucky stuff.

I was a little smarter when bagging the goo I had tossed down. Not really yearning to immerse my hands once again in black slime but lacking gloves I put my hand inside a plastic bag and then cleared up the manure pile. Farmer Hazelnut!

I was able to sleep much better that night knowing my troughs were clear.

Trailer Made!

You will notice that my blogging output decreases in direct relationship to good weather and "trailer time!" Last July I purchased a trailer in a summer park just outside Bayfield, Ontario. It was the best money I ever spent. I lead a somewhat (hah!) stressed existence as a single parent of a university bound 17 year old child/teen/woman (cheeman...chilteman...cheenan?)

The other major stressor in my life is my job. I love my job, don't get me wrong, but it wakes me up about 3 or 4 times a night. I jolt awake and wonder how to convince "Sam's" father to accept some help, like a support worker for Sam, a medical checkup....etc when he sees any recommendation as a sign he is a failure as a father (she just moved in with him last August after her grandmother died and we just want to help him out but he sees it as interference). A little while later I open my eyes and worry about "Tanya", a student with autism who is graduating this year, she is 21, as her parents have made no plans for her - what is she going to do all day? Then about an hour before the alarm goes off I sit upright and hope that "Rusty" remembers to take his medication for epilepsy when he goes on his overnight trip with his Gr. 9 band class. And on and on it goes.

When I go to the trailer I can leave all of these worries behind me. When I am at the trailer I am no longer a teacher. Instead, I am someone who can take apart a large, heavy sofabed with a hammer, a screwdriver and a pair of scissors. (It came with the trailer but it needed to go and it wouldn't fit through the door so I took it apart- it was for the best as I was able to recycle all the metal and kept the wood for burning in the firepit!)

When I am at the trailer I become a beachcomber, walking the shoreline everyday picking up kindling for that night's fire. I become an expert at recognising birdcalls, and keep my eye on the birdfeeders and bird houses nestled in the trumpet vines across from my trailer. My heart rate slows down and the most important thing I have to do is ride my bike into town to drink iced coffee in front of the Bean Bag, buy delectable pastries at the bake shop for tomorrow's breakfast and a bottle of wine for tonight's BBQ. Well, that's important!

This week's trailer task is to take up a futon to replace the sofa bed and two storage ottomans to hold my daughter's clothing/stuff. Hopefully it will be sunny so I can finish raking the leaves and plant the climatis I bought a week ago and plant the native grass seeds a friend gave me. Then we'll be ready to stay through the Victoria Day weekend, better known in Canada as the May two four weekend (in reference to a case of 24 beer bought by millions of Canadians as we kick off the long-awaited summer party weekend season.)

I'll stick to a six pack myself.

Water Woes in the North

The threat of flooding in the northern communities of Kashechewan and Fort Albany is bringing about 2000 residents south to take shelter in community centres around the province. The waters of the Albany River continue to rise while large ice jams damage the dikes set in place to prevent flooding.
This is the 4th annual evacuation in a row for the First Nation residents as the repaired dikes continue to crumble. Apparently it is easier and more cost-effective to evacuate (by air using more than a dozen helicopters, military transport planes and charter aircraft) the townspeople every year and spend millions on repairs than it is to relocate them to higher ground.


You see, back in 1957 the federal government decided in its infinite wisdom that moving the Cree-speaking people to a flood plain was a sensible idea. So much so that they are considering spending $200 million on repairs and flood protection. Mistakes are costly after all, and one doesn't go about broadcasting mistakes of such magnitude if one can help it. Well, not if you're the federal government.


Out of sight, out of mind.

If you're thinking the name Kashechewan sounds familiar, it could be because of the mass suicide attempt by 21 teen boys, including a nine-year old, that occured just over a year ago. What level of despair must exist for such a tragedy to occur?

Or perhaps it was the tainted water scandal of October, 2005 when residents were evacuated due to high levels of e-coli in the water. Severe rashes, blisters, nausea and diarrhea endangered especially the young and the elderly. People had been boiling their water off and on for five years before water purification machinery was installed. Again, someone (aka federal government) upgraded the treatment system, but did not move the intake pipe, which is downstream from the sewage lagoon. Result - e-coli every time a tap was turned on. Is it any wonder many people prefer bottled water? Remember Walkerton, Ontario?

How can we help our First Nations people? Donate to the Red Cross. The Red Cross is providing all the necessities of life to the evacuees and welcomes financial donations.

Warm Weather Keeping Me Outside!

I've been putting a few miles on my sneakers this week. In southwestern Ontario we've been treated to about a two week preview of late spring/early summer weather and it has been heavenly after a long winter of being cooped up inside. So at lunchtime and after school I've been strapping on the sneaks and walking around the neighbourhood soaking in the sights and sounds of spring.


Many flowering trees are in bloom, along with forsythia bushes and the ever popular pussy willow. Robins are nesting, sitting on a new brood, and the air is filled with the chirping sounds of a variety of very happy birds. It's a good time to be alive. The other day my neighbour and I toasted the beginning of BBQ season by sitting on my newly cleaned up patio with a glass of wine. Ah.....good times.


Of course, all of this outdoorsiness means less time spent in front of the computer but nature calls, so to speak. This past weekend saw me up at my trailer just outside of Bayfield raking leaves and discovering new plants and flowers poking up. I also spent 4 hours taking apart a 20 year old sofa bed as that was the only way to get it out of the trailer. A light rain fell for part of the morning but I was very cozy inside with my hammer and screwdriver, tunes playing from my iPod, the raindrops hitting the metal roof, coffee close to hand.


The good news is that I can now access the internet at the trailer park so will be posting from the comfort of my hammock this summer as I watch the hummingbirds at my feeder, the white geese ambling across the road and the little chipmunks chase each other around the silver maple.

Bliss!

Walk Don't Drive

With the nicer weather I have felt compelled to get outside more - I've wanted to see firsthand the many signs of spring that you can't see as you're whizzing around in your car.


With a busy lifestyle as a single parent and Special Ed Teacher I had to get creative to find the time to get out and about using my own two feet.


So I've started to do my daily errands by walking to local businesses in my own neighbourhood.



First stop yesterday was to the local video store to drop off a movie. It had been a very windy day and the sand from a long winter of sanding roads and sidewalks was turning into an interesting pattern of sand dunes. (note to self - find a synonym for the word sand).


Next stop was the local bank where I used an ATM to deposit a cheque from my insurance company for my daughter's last trip to the dentist.


A sure sign of spring there was the young boy selling chocolate bars outside the front door. No I didn't
buy one tho' I'm sure it was for a
good cause :(

As I made my way across the street on my way to the Giant Tiger store my heart soared with joy as I noticed a Zeller's employee sitting atop bags of fertilizer perhaps waiting for someone with a key to the Gar_en Shop! Yes - the Garden Shop is getting ready to open! (We'll take a short pause while I dance my happy dance!)


Then I briskly walked on to the All Canadian Giant Tiger store so I could purchase an umbrella for my daughter. Battling hurricane force winds and rain that morning (her words) on the way to the bus stop her umbrella had turned inside out so many times it was a tangled mass of broken spokes.
Inside Giant Tiger everything related
to spring was on display: BBQ utensils, beach towels, gardening tools, swim suits and sandals. I was tempted, but only bought an umbrella.


As I headed homeward, I walked by the local cinema to see what was playing. I am very lucky as my cinema shows films that are a few months old and a matinee is only $2.00. I was happy to see that Juno was still playing, as I haven't seen it yet.


I arrived home with errands finished and more sure than ever that spring is here to stay. I also have to say that walking through my errands is much more pleasant and relaxing than racing around stressed out in my car looking for parking spots in a myriad of over-crowded parking lots, and a lot more environmentally friendly.

And the view is infinitely more interesting!

Wordless Wednesday

Friday, March 28, 2008 in front of my home in London, Ontario. Brave little snowdrops - I see how you got your name. You give me hope that this eternal winter will indeed end, maybe not tomorrow, but soon.

March Break - I'm Still Here and I'm Still Nuts

While many lucky people are spending this week walking along the beach, kicking sand, collecting shells for future crafty projects (gagging sound), I am still here in London, Ontario. The photo above was taken just a few days ago after a lovely 30 hour snow shower. That's like a rain shower except white, fluffy, cold and about 2 feet deep!


While some of us here are complaining (silently), others in Quebec are becoming victims of SNOW RAGE! I kid you not. Those French folk, those colourful little Quebecois, are letting their hot temperament get the better of them and are striking out at their neighbours with shovels, bare hands, and in one case - a 12 guage shotgun.


While watching CTV news last night, a Canadian tradition, I listened to Lloyd (as in Lloyd Robertson - that famous news anchorman - what is he doing with his hair??) describe a situation that happened on Sunday in Quebec City. Apparently a snow-plower for hire accidentally blew some snow into a neighbour's yard. The 63 yr. old man became irate and banged the snow plow with his shovel. Although receiving an apology he hastened into his garage and grabbed his shotgun. When he began to cock the gun the plower woman became a wee bit frightened and called 911.


Another incident in January, also in Quebec City, saw another irate man grab and choke his elderly neighbour after she also accidentally blew snow into his yard. Tabernac! I wonder if these men would have attacked in quite the same way if the antagonizers had been men, and I'm thinking probably yes, as they were likely in a blind rage.


So although the snow here is deep I haven't encountered any Snow Rage yet, and since I live in a condo and my sidewalk and parking lot are plowed for me I should be safe. And though I am still nutty for spending my March Break here in London, setting up this new blog, I'm not nearly as cracked up as those crazee frenchies!