A Tourist in your own Town

My sister, Cathy and her husband, Pat have been visiting with me during the last week.  Cathy had never been through the Liftlocks even though she grew up in Peterborough so we decided to take a boat cruise.

leaving the marina

the floating fountain in Little Lake

entering our first lock

the water level in the canal is high!

The Peterborough Liftlock is the world's highest hydraulic lift lock.  It is Lock 21 of the Trent-Severn system and is a large unreinforced concrete structure that was designed to lift boats 65 feet (almost 20 metres).  The lock operates on a balance system.  Water is let into the upper chamber.  Boats going down enter the caisson and boats going up enter the lower caisson.  The pivoting gates are closed and locked. A connecting valve is opened and the heavier chamber automatically descends, forcing the lower chamber up.  There is no external power needed.  The lift lock functions by gravity alone, using the principle of counterweights.

first glimpse of the Liftlock

in the bottom caisson as it starts to rise, the caisson beside us coming down, nearly at the top

we are at the top, see the top of the Liftlock and lockmasters office and leaving the lock behind

The Peterborough Lift Lock is a designated National Historic Site of Canada and is definitely one of the big tourist attractions of my home town.  It opened on July 9, 1904 and has barely changed since that date.

 

opening day of the Liftlock

 My family has connections to the Lift Lock that go back to the early days of construction.  My nephew, Ian worked summers on the Lift Lock while he was in school.

My Grandfather worked with his team of horses digging out the channel that would eventually be flooded to connect the two bodies of water that would be traversed by the liftlock.

Just before the Liftlocks was a railway swing bridge.  My Great Uncle Matt lived close to the swing bridge and he operated that for many years.  A boat would ring its' bell or blow its' whistle and Matt would open the railway swing bridge to let them through and then close it for the trains running on the line.  We were told on the cruise that a Canadian National Railway employee bids on a contract to operate the swing bridge.  These days, there are more boats going through than trains so the employee comes and closes the bridge when a train scheduled and during the night when most of the trains go through and locks don't operate.

During my childhood, I spent a lot of time with my Aunt Lil and Uncle Mait who lived just a block away along the railway line.  I remember running to my second story bedroom window or along the tracks in the backyard,  making the motion of pulling the whistle lever.  The guys would always sound it a couple of times for me and wave.  I loved it!

I also remember crossing that railway bridge with Uncle Mait when we were walking the dog.  I was terrified.  At the time I was just a slip of a girl and could have easily fallen down between the ties to the river.  So not only did I never learn to swim but grew up with a fear of heights.  Uncle Mait told me I was being silly and Tommy the dog was much smaller but very sure-footed.  You can bet after a few of those walks, I refused to go on any more.  I was never a shy child!

I love having grown up in Peterborough and recognizing how people and places here are woven together to form the tapestry that is my family.

Julie

The Hadfield Brothers

I had to share this extraordinary video that our favourite astronaut Chris Hadfield and his brother Dave put together for all Canadians for today.

The Canada Song

Julie

Happy Canada Day!!!!

Click Here!

The Last Day of June 2014

I haven't posted on my blog since June 8th.  The best of intentions ran afoul of a busy life and a total lack of organization.  I'm not sure what it is but I seem to get a lot less accomplished since I retired.  Really, I finished more projects when I was working full-time.  I'm hoping that I can bring some organization and scheduling to my life so I can actually finish something.

I've been working in my garden a lot but not a single area is completely finished.

There's been a lot of dinners and lunches out with friends.  A fun lunch at Ashburnham Ale with two of my terrific nieces, Brittney and Morgan.  Several lunches with friends and former co-workers....a lovely dinner with my Mom, my cousin, Chris from Narragansett and her mother, Dot at The Original Greek restaurant.  I love Greek food.  

Two dinners and a breakfast at my best friends' farm.  Last Saturday, Deb and Lantz invited me to their family BBQ weekend (I'm an honourary aunt).  It was a great weekend....I borrowed camping equipment from my nieces and slept in a tent for the first time since I was a kid.  It was a great time...great people, great food, margaritas and beer and lots of lovely fresh country air.  I love farms so much!  Here are some pictures that Lantz' sister Sharon took.

Tomorrow is Canada Day but there won't be any rest for the wicked.  My sister, Cathy is coming from Chatham on Friday to stay for a week so I need to get a few things done around here before I'm ready for company.

Julie

The Luckiest Woman in the World

Do you know who this is?  Her name is Kathryn Jones and she is the luckiest woman in the world.

About a year ago, she bought a lottery ticket.  The jackpot was $50 million dollars (in Canada, you don't pay tax on lottery winnings so it really is $50 million).  She lost her ticket before she checked it. She wasn't really concerned and went on with her life.

After the winnings weren't claimed, the lottery started investigating.  They were on a deadline because the jackpot has to be claimed within one year. Their records led them to the drugstore where the ticket was purchased.  Closed circuit cameras gave them a picture of Kathryn and they were able to track her down through her credit card.

That's when investigators came knocking on her door.  She didn't know why they were there and didn't want to let them in.  Then they told her she won $50 million dollars.  Can you imagine?

Well, there is still some administrative work to go through but in the new year, she will have $50 million dollars in her bank account.  So even though she doesn't have ticket and didn't know she won, the lottery is still awarding her the prize.  That's why she's the luckiest woman in the world!

Julie

Little Drummer Boy - Getting a Little Christmas Spirit

I woke this morning to our first real snowfall.  Out early on the way to the doctor's office, the snow on the trees was magical.  All too soon the warm wind was carrying the downy balls plopping to the ground and smashing into the windscreen of my car.  Good news from the doctor - my retina has not been torn and hopefully my vision will improve.

I'm going to get my Christmas tree tomorrow and start decorating - YAY!  In the meantime, I thought I'd share a couple of Youtube videos with you.   These are two Canadian renditions of "Little Drummer Boy".

Walk Off The Earth - one of my favourite bands of all time

Sean Quigley - a great talent

and here's a cute little Christmas buddy I bought in Port Perry last week.

Finn likes him too.  He thought he was getting another kitten!

Julie

November 11, 2013 - Lest We Forget

In Honour of  My Father and Grandfather

My Father, Howard

My Grandfather, Hiram

Julie

Keeping It Real

I was reading Claudia's post yesterday Decorating is Not a Competitive Sport and the mists cleared. Sometimes reading that wonderful girl's blog is better than therapy (thanks Claudia).

I've been sitting here each evening thinking about posting a blog and I feel creatively stunted. None of the pictures I've taken look "good enough" (I'm a terrible photographer and always have been) and the rooms I am decorating aren't "finished". Even then, will anyone be interested?  I know I'm suffering from some depression.  It happens every fall which seems strange because I love autumn and things are working out for me personally so I should be happy, right? Not so much...

But after reading Claudia's wise words, I came back to reality.  I'm not competing with anyone else.  I love all the blogs with perfect colour co-ordinated rooms and cheery messages and everything painted white and creative vignettes everywhere, but I wouldn't actually want to live that way.  I want to be comfortable.  I want to put my feet up and honestly, a little mess and clutter doesn't bother me at all.  I'll get to it... someday.  No sense of urgency here.  Fun and friends will always take precedence over housework.

So here you.  Some shots of my dining room right now in all its' unfinished glory...

This is the view of the new dining room, standing in the kitchen doorway.  It is an overcast day and this room is quite dark right now.  Just a tiny light fixture but I'm replacing it with a great chandelier that I bought from Kijiji.  Just need to make a date with the electrician.  I'm still trying to decide about a rug - yes or no?  What do you think?  The wall colour is Farrow and Ball's Lulworth Blue...a clean mid-tone Regency blue.

The drapes are from Ikea and I LOVE them...

The smaller window is getting a roller blind that I will cover with the Ikat fabric below.  I love the way it works with the Ikea print and the grey helps bring in my kitchen decor.

My next project will be dressing the bar cart...

Here's some of the things I will use...

To the right of the window, I have put up my plate rack. The red transferware plates go back into the cupboard...

I'm happy with the bottom plate...

and the one on top (it's Ralph Lauren)...

but the one in the middle is temporary.  It is one of my china dinner plates Royal Albert Memory Lane. When I find the right plate, back to the china cabinet it goes.

The bookcases just inside the door need a lot of work but I'm a bit disheartened.  I really wanted to paint them white and distress them.  It would make such a difference but the thought of it really upset my mother (who lives with me).  Not painting them really upsets me but it is what it is.  I have to say that my mother gets very stressed out when I am trying to renovate and redo and reupholster.  It's unfortunate and I do try to do things quickly and keep the mess to a minimum but I have to change things.  I always have...even as a kid, I would move the furniture around my room regularly.  I would "shop" the house and change things up constantly.

When my house is almost "done", I start planning another room to change.  I'm always amazed on real estate shows when people say they've never painted the house they are selling.  The colours on the walls were there when they moved in?!?  I've lived in my house for 13 years and I've changed my bedroom four times!

Today has been a good day.  I cleaned out the shed and put away all the outdoor furniture.  It's getting cold here and I'm behind schedule.  Some laundry got done and dinner is in the oven.  A nice autumn meal - ribs, twice baked potatoes, kale salad and warm apple crisp with vanilla ice cream for dessert.

By the way, I'm watching the news here right now.  Watching Rob Ford the mayor of Toronto admitting to using crack cocaine and apologising.  Too little, too late.  I'm so sick of this buffoon who has besmirched the good name of Toronto all over the world. Sounds like he's not stepping down.  We have some pretty terrible politicians at all levels running Canada right now.  I love my country and I never want to live anywhere else but it's hard to watch these people destroying the reputation of this great country. Next up, the Senate scandal.....

Julie