tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55718641875074945302024-03-05T06:04:12.620-05:00Having DaughtersAdvice and insight on how our lives are with daughters!Manly31http://www.blogger.com/profile/05615355379922027575noreply@blogger.comBlogger61125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5571864187507494530.post-6488878280829528092019-07-18T08:50:00.002-04:002019-07-18T08:50:58.560-04:00Summer Now that we have finally come into some hot weather in Ontario, what do we do with the girls? So far not much but we have things planned coming up. The girls have had a couple sleepovers with a friend and trips to the mall with friends. Great time killer and air conditioned to boot as long as they have the money to keep occupied. We have a theatre show coming up which my wife is super excited for and I was able to get boxed seats at a rock bottom price for all 4 of us in the booth. I have heard many great things about Come From Away and am looking forward to seeing it.<br />
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The girls are involved in lawn bowling which I am not sure I have mentioned previously. They competed in the Ontario Provincial Tournament but didn't make the quarter finals. Both are actually on the cusp of competing in the finals because the games they did lose in the tournament were very close. The top 3 girls in the province are in their last year so it is wide open for next year of who could be the gold medalist and represent Ontario in the Youth Canadian Championship. This sport is a very unknown and small community that most people are unaware of. The Oshawa Lawn Bowling Club, that the girls bowl out of, has the brightest future out of many youth programs with about 20 kids in their program. I am hopeful that other cities can get their youth program numbers up and continue to compete in the future.<br />
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My wife and I also lawn bowl and it is a lot harder than people think. The bowls that we use have a weight in the bowl on one side and are oval and not round like a bocce ball. Most people say to us "oh like bocce" which requires us to respond yes but mostly no. Most cities have a lawn bowling program which has many seniors but very few youth or young people. It's actually a very competitive sport and a lot of money to be won by playing in multiple tournaments.<br />
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Some tragic news on a side note. A friend and brother(Freemason) was involved in a car accident last week and unfortunately died as a result of his injuries. I'm unclear of the details and probably don't really need them. He was our Master of the lodge and really was a great and kind soul. He supported me and praised me when I came to do work on practice nights. When I came after only 3 months and was ready to be moved to my next degree, he was so happy for me and that I was progressing so well. I am sad he won't be around to see my next degree and become raised to master mason but know he is in the grand lodge in the sky. Maybe I will see if I can pay tribute to him in some way when I do get raised. We had a masonic funeral for him on Tuesday which was an incredible sight. There was over 100 masons from all over the district and beyond. He was a well respected man and it showed by the turnout that he had. It was a beautiful and meaningful ceremony for masons which showed his family and friend how much we loved and respected James Masson. I still don't feel like I have closure because it was a closed casket but also since he was so young.<br />
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Rest in Peace Brother...<br />
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P.Manly31http://www.blogger.com/profile/05615355379922027575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5571864187507494530.post-57910146991418018742019-06-04T10:44:00.002-04:002019-06-04T10:44:52.994-04:00Getting back to BloggingI had forgot about all the blogging until recently. Very busy and not a lot of spare time to write and put my thoughts into words. Things have changed quite a bit since I started and began writing on the blog. The kids are now 14 and almost 13 which scares the shit out of me. I can't believe how quickly they grow up and become their own person. Still moldable but you really have to establish a good foundation for your kids before they get independant.<br />
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My wife and I are both very active in our unions respectively. We are Unit Vice Presidents of two different local unions which eats up some of our spare time but has given an amazing opportunity for our girls to have an open view of the world. Very inclusive, smart and up to date with current events. I have to admit that we are very proud that they are not afraid to stand up for their friends or others who are being bullied or picked on. We recently had a conversation about the issues in our home province in Canada. Living about 40 minutes outside of Toronto, we have been under Doug Ford and the Progressive Conservative majority government for a year now. DoFo has done nothing but cut and back track on various issues. Cuts to autism funding, school funding, health care funding, etc. My oldest daughter is in grade 9 and took part in a walkout across Ontario to protest the funding cuts to education. I asked her why she walked out and understood what the purpose of the walkout was for. She was up on the issues and told me plain as day she was opposed to the changes purposed by the provincial government because it would not only affect her last year or two of education but also her younger sister who will be in high school in the next year and a bit.<br />
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Being that the girls are older and me not wanting to deal with the "woman" issues they sometimes are dealing with, I do make myself available for anything they need but joke with them that "I don't want to know!" I had "the talk" about 3 years ago now but felt in was my job to make sure they were informed properly and not by a stranger in school. My job as a parent is to prepare my kids for life and make sure I give them the best tools to navigate their lives once they embark out into post secondary school.<br />
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The girls never really got into any sports I was involved with as a kid. I played hockey and baseball but they have taken a different path which is great because it has opened our eyes as parents to new things as we get older. 5 pin alley bowling is their first sport that they really excelled at, growing and improving every year. The second sport which most people look at me with a surprised look is lawn bowling. They have a great junior program close to us and it has allowed the girls to compete at a very competitive level in a short period of time thanks to alley bowling. Both sports that the girls compete in has allowed them to be good enough to compete at the provincial levels and are very close in skill to moving to nationals. With the kids playing and us watching from a distance, we decided to follow their footsteps and take up both sports as well. Funny because instead of them following us in our sports we love, we followed them and now compete as a family in both sports. In 5 pin bowling we have competed against each other in tournaments at a adult level and also in our league on the weekend that my wife and I are president and secretary. In lawn bowling, the girls and myself won a tournament last summer which is a first for us but was an amazing experience to be able to be competitive against adults as a father and daughters team.<br />
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For now I will stop with the post because I have to go to work and give my fingers a rest. I have lots more to type but my time is booked for the rest of today with work and lawn bowling tonight with a possibility to go to the gym if I have time.<br />
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For now I will pause here and pickup soon.....not 3 years later!<br />
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I promise.<br />
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P.Manly31http://www.blogger.com/profile/05615355379922027575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5571864187507494530.post-73715109491016285682016-03-04T01:27:00.000-05:002016-03-04T01:27:02.785-05:00I'm back!To tell you the truth, I forgot about this until now. I have been so busy and trying to find the time to put my thoughts down is not always easy. So much to do and going on in our lives right now. Where to begin?<br />
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Well back in the summer of 2015, I decided (my wife that is) to begin the renovations to our en-suite. The bathroom was dated and had some previous leaking issues so we had saved some money to buy and renovate. Let me tell you what is so much fun....demo! Nothing better than destroying something but in a controlled way and not breaking everything in sight. Since the tiles were crap and needed to go this was our starting point. At first it was a little difficult but found out this sheet rock was the issue. Not bad issue because we expected it to be there but tough to get the tiles off safely. What we found was that half of the shower/tub wall had sheet rock and everything else was just drywall. The tiles and drywall came off like nothing. Then the drywall came down from the walls. I forgot to add that the vanity had already came out and toilet was still there is use. Many trips down to the truck to fill it up for a run to the local dump.<br />
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We also took out the old vapor barrier and insulation for the better batten insulation and new vapor barrier. The tub came out and left out for the metal recycle people and anything else that was left to clean up. The mortar on the floor to hold the tiles was a bitch to get up. lucky for me I had an air compressor and a hammer chisel! What a job even with the air tools. ow this was taking place over a month or more. Doing things when I had free time since we have one full bathroom and a powder room on the main floor. Once we had the en-suite gutted we could begin to insulate with the batten. that was actually so easy and fun. Very quick to insulate and then to hang and tape vapor barrier. Next came the plumbing for the new shower we were putting in. We got rid of the tub and are putting in a shower only. My soldering ability had improved over this project but as we began to plumb, I decided that the best way would be to PEX the hot and cold water and then into the diverter for the hand wand or rain shower head. PEX is an awesome product. Very forgiving and easy to install and cut.<br />
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Once that was all done and tested for leaks, it was on to installing the shower base and walls. This was something that worried me. Knowing that the studs weren't perfect and the drain was a little off from the new base, there was some adjusting and tweaking to do. This was more of a head game than was expected. The drain was installed but found that it was too high and stuck out the shower drain. I had to adjust it and lower it so the drain assembly could fit. Also making sure the base was level and square so the walls would be as well. The shower surround seemed less work than sheet rock and tile but needed more precision. I was able to work through little obstacles and finally after a lot of small adjustments, had a square surround.<br />
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Next was installing drywall! I thought this wouldn't be horrible and it wasn't really Just made really sure my measurements were accurate and it went up without too much issue. My mudding and taping skills are okay but I'm really hesitant to put paint on a wall that I haven't made damn sure was smooth or had no issues.<br />
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So this is where we are at. I have to sand a couple spots and then we are painting the walls this weekend. Then the mortar and tiles right after. Once the tiles are in the vanity and toilet can be installed and ready for use. I am still trying to figure out how to crawl up in the attic and connect my exhaust fan. But we are quickly coming to the end of the project. I'm going to be so happy to get this one done. Proud of what my dad would think of it and happy to not go through it again!<br />
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We are planning a kitchen reno in 2 years but we are paying someone to do the work.....I'm good with that! Manly31http://www.blogger.com/profile/05615355379922027575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5571864187507494530.post-5627778181371145232013-03-01T08:16:00.000-05:002013-03-01T08:16:05.764-05:00Don't be content with insurance!Recently, I received my renewal for my insurance company and noticed my rates went up from last year. I know we moved into a bigger house but car insurance went up also which doesn't add up for me. I am supposed to pay $3017/year for my auto insurance which includes a 2004 Saturn Ion, 2010 GMC Sierra, 2009 Polaris Sportsman 500 & Snow utility trailer to haul the ATV. I thought fuck this and considering I have been with the company for 7+ years, my rates should not be going up. No accidents, tickets or claims so why the increase? I am not going to ask....just cancel!<br />
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I started to do my research and found the best way is to do a quote on-line but to really push the quotes lower, you need to call and dedicate about 20 minutes to each call. The on-line quotes gives you a good starting point to see who is offering competitive rates with what you are currently paying. After doing the sites like insurance hunters, insurance hotline and others, it turns out the best rates I found by far are from Belair Direct. I will lay it all out for you in a minute. Basically, I have to use two insurance companies for insurance because Belair Direct doesn't insure ATV's. I do know an agent who does ATV's and his rates are rock bottom. So here is the break down and savings.<br />
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The Personal insurance company is offered at a "good" rate for Bell employees which is bullshit. I am scheduled to pay $3017/year for my vehicles which I mentioned above but here is what I am going to pay when I switch on my renewal for April 1st. Belair Direct offered the rate of $2040/year for the Ion, Sierra and trailer. I called the State Farm agent who put me at a rate of $275/year for the ATV only. So by having the two companies and switching I am now paying $2315/year which is a savings of $702/year. I also have Belair give me a quote for home insurance which comes to $52.20/month or $626.40/year. The Personal wants $676.80/year so I am saving $50.40/year.<br />
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So overall we will be saving $752.40/year and that makes me happy! Belair Direct is the only company that said they would "love to have me as a customer with my driving record and credit rating". They also did a credit check, which I said yes to, and it turns out on their credit ratings from A-Z this guy gets a B!! This helped to bring the rates down but I am happy with the savings up front and they are calling me back today to set the insurance up for April 1st.<br />
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Do yourself a favour and put the pressure on your insurance company so they don't think you aren't looking and comparing because when I saw the rates going up, that was my cue to move on!!<br />
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Cheers!!Manly31http://www.blogger.com/profile/05615355379922027575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5571864187507494530.post-89856232847327019232013-01-29T07:59:00.001-05:002013-01-29T07:59:12.886-05:00Reasonable kids sportsI am a guy who grew up playing hockey and softball. I love hockey and it was such a great sport to be involved with. I learned so much from hockey like teamwork, sharing, unselfishness, bonding, brotherhood and friendship. When you play on a team, you learn these things because it is a sport that forces you to work together like football, baseball, soccer and any other team sport in which you rely on each other to get to a common goal. When the girls were looking at playing a sport we tried soccer first. Zoey liked it and so did Hailey but they enjoyed it at different levels. Zoey started a little later and was a little behind on some skills but that was our fault. Hailey had entered in at the right time and was on par with everyone else or a little above some players. She scored often and did well. Zoey did score a goal but wasn't as confident because other kids skills were a little ahead but she was the hardest worker out there.<br />
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After one season of soccer, the girls wanted to do something else so we looked at other sports they could do. Some how we arrived at bowling after we found free bowling in the summer for kids to get them interested in the sport. Zoey and Hailey both took to bowling better then we would have thought. Hailey finished second in a regional tournament she qualified for and as a team, Zoey and Hailey won the consolation championship for their division. During the banquet last spring, each won individual awards and their trophy for the championship. They have 2 trophies and 2 medals each for their first year. I hope they didn't set the bar too high!<br />
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This year we were lucky to find 5 pin bowling balls on Kijiji for a very cheap price. A set of balls brand new usually goes for around $100 and we found 2 sets with 5 balls and a bag each for $40! The girls were thrilled and if they do stick with it I will buy new balls for them as they move on and up in the levels. I wasn't ready to spend $200+ if they were only going to do this for a couple years and quit so it is so much cheaper than hockey! It costs us $20.50 each week they bowl and that pays for the lane use, shoes, banquet & prizes at the end of the year. The year end banquet if pretty good and the kids have a blast. They get a medal, prizes, food and a trophy if they win.<br />
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I am glad they found something they do very well at. This year Zoey is bowling one handed and is still throwing an average of 85 per game. Hailey has a 87 average but has been throwing an average of 100 each game. Hailey has won bowler of the month for her consistent high scores and will compete for bowling of the year at our bowling centre. If she were to win that for her age group, she would compete for bowler of the year for the province and then nationally. We will see how she does.<br />
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Cheers!!Manly31http://www.blogger.com/profile/05615355379922027575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5571864187507494530.post-74385632360801181702013-01-21T23:44:00.002-05:002013-01-21T23:44:40.289-05:00I'm Back!Well it has been an interesting 6 months to say the least! With a work stoppage and moving, it has been busy and stressful. We are in our new home and the move went great. It rained like crazy the day we moved and the basement in the old house started to leak. I had to pay for the repair which was $678 which was a take it or leave it offer. The guy was a really douche bag and offered to run a gas line for me even though he was trying to get $1200 out of us. I hope karma bites him and he gets his. The worst part it he had 2 home inspections and lifted all conditions but I still had to pay. I would have loved to take him to court but not working and having extra money really affected that.<br />
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But putting that crap behind us and looking at the new house. I can't say enough about how nice it is to have a house with not having to worry about noise and the semi next to us hearing things! We back onto the school and it is great walking to school twice a day. The girls love the house and so do Nicole and I. Nothing to do but paint and maybe put in a pocket door so we can better access the hot water tank. The basement is fully finished and functional which is great and love spending time in any room of the house. Quiet neighbourhood and nice people so far. Garage is nice to store my ATV and trailer and all the other things like snow blower and lawn mower.<br />
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Being back to work is nice but a hard 4 month battle with negotiating. I will fight again in 2016 if we need to so we can get a fair deal. I'm running for union steward which is a position to help my fellow brothers and sisters with questions and discipline if it comes down to that. I have no idea if I get paid anything but I want it for the experience and to be able to fight for all my fellow employees.<br />
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Nicole and I went to Cayo Coco, Cuba in the end of October and had a great time. Made some friends and had lots of fun which is always nice. Love the country and the people at the resort. Bought some black market Cohibas which are the real deal and are a really nice cigar to smoke. Better than the $2 cigars I bought back when I was 19!!<br />
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Looking forward to this year and new travels and adventures to new or familiar places. Going to sit down and plan some trips that are maybe local or a plane ride away or drive in a couple days. We will see how the finances are and go from there. I'm glad we moved and with money we did have in profit, paid off all our debt that allowed us to focus only on house, truck and regular bill payments. Now I have racked up a little debt on the credit card but it is manageable.<br />
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Tonight we went out to buy the girls leg warmers since it is supposed to be -21 with wind chill this week and since we have been promising for a month we caved in and bought semi permanent hair dye for the girls to add streaks to their hair.<br />
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Anyway, I look forward to writing more often and keeping my 2 followers up to date on what is going on in our home. This is my life having daughters!<br />
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Cheers!!Manly31http://www.blogger.com/profile/05615355379922027575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5571864187507494530.post-52344697297659612272012-07-04T09:00:00.001-04:002012-07-04T09:00:49.615-04:00UpdatesFirst I'd like to apologize to my loyal reader! I'm not sure anyone actually reads this other than you but hopefully more do. So I have some updating to do.<br />
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Our garden has been doing really well. I will take pictures and upload them soon. The corn is growing very well and Zoey was able to eat a few strawberries before they stopped growing. More to grow in the fall. The banana peppers have grown and I have picked one to try. Cucumbers are blooming and hope to see some growing soon. Peas have pods but are just filling up and the watermelon plants are getting bigger. I forgot how big the cucumber plants get and spread so I have to cut them back a bit. Very happy with how everything is growing.<br />
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Secondly, we have decided to move! We feel that we have outgrown the current house and decided to put it on the market June 22nd. We had 5 viewings on June23rd and two offers both above asking. We picked the offer with the most flexible closing date and was also more money. After the home inspection and conditions were met we closed the deal and sold the house on June 29th. Now we have to find our new house. We are looking a little more east in Courtice, Bowmanville or Newcastle. Most likely Courtice or Bowmanville will be our best bet. The packing has begun and we will see how the house hunting goes. Hopefully something this week comes up and we can put an offer in to have it accepted.<br />
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The girls both graduated and are very happy with their progress over the year with Zoey getting a B/B+ average and Hailey getting expected levels and above in SK. Now the girls are going into Grade 3 and 1. New school, new house and new friends. The housing market is hot right now and interest rates are very good so we decided to sell.<br />
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Anyway, I will post our garden pictures and update on anything else that comes up. Mostly, I have been very busy with work and home so I have been neglecting the Blog but will try and keep a better posting record.<br />
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Cheers!!Manly31http://www.blogger.com/profile/05615355379922027575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5571864187507494530.post-51612232367239534442012-05-11T09:52:00.001-04:002012-05-11T09:52:47.299-04:00Well I have been not updating my blog as my only follower may or may not have noticed!! Spring is here and we have already planted new flowers and things in our front garden. I have also built, with Zoey's help) a second gardening box for our vegetable garden. A very easy project and I think I wrote about it last year. The only things you need are:<br />
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6 - 6 foot fence boards<br />
1 - 8 foot 2 X 2<br />
1 - package of outdoor deck or fence screws 1 5/8 length<br />
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I used wood glue last time I made this but didn't this time because I forgot. Wouldn't hurt to use it but not really one of those things that will make or break the project. Take the 8 foot 2X2 and cut it into 8 pieces. You will have a 9th piece left over that is smaller than the other 8. Place two boards side by side and use the total width as your guide which works out to be about a 10 or 12 inch piece of the 2X2. Then use that to make the marks on the remained 8 foot 2X2 and cut your pieces. They will be used for middle support and end attachment of you boards. Cut two 6 foot boards in half as these will be the ends. I drilled pilot holes for the screws in my boards which does make it a lot easier and you can place your screws and then come back and drill them all in. When you screw everything together you will end up with a 3 X 6 garden box that you can use for flowers or veggies!<br />
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<a href="http://contemporary-gardens.designofgarden.com/images/garden-boxes-design-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Garden boxes design" border="0" src="http://contemporary-gardens.designofgarden.com/images/garden-boxes-design-2.jpg" style="max-width: 500px;" title="Garden boxes design" /> </a></div>
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This is not the one I made but should look similar. This one is made with 2X4's and it was dug into the ground. You can do that also but I just placed mine on the ground and am going to fill it with topsoil.</div>
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The girls picked out seeds so we will hopefully be growing corn, peas, cucumber, carrots, radishes, watermelon and sunflowers. I also bought a strawberry plant and red pepper plant that we got from Walmart. I also planted herbs in a small planter that consists of dill, chives and sweet basil. I am going to try and grow garlic and jalapeno's if I have enough room. I may make a third box to plant the rest. I found out last year that big and tall plants and vines need a lot of space or they won't let anything else grow. I am carefully planning my boxes so I can maximize space and not have the taller plants block out the smaller ones. Last year the cherry tomatoes took over 50% of the box with the pumpkins take 40% leaving very little for the other things we planted. I am a little worried about the corn and watermelons. Not so much the size of them but the timing. I want to pick them at just the right time so I am following the chart on the package which gives the growing time from seed to harvest.</div>
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I will be documenting the progress to see how the garden grows. I have started the seeds in jiffy pots we bought at the dollar store and it worked great last year. Only time will tell. You can cheat and buy the plants at Canadian Tire, Walmart or any store that sells vegetable plants so you are already 3 weeks ahead of waiting for the seeds to sprout. I like the seeds because it was my care and watering that I was able to grow from a seed!</div>
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Cheers!!</div>Manly31http://www.blogger.com/profile/05615355379922027575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5571864187507494530.post-70851931031520564302012-03-06T09:03:00.000-05:002012-03-06T09:03:28.871-05:00The Lorax ReviewDr. Seuss and his many brilliant books have been made into some enjoyable movies. It began in 2000 with Jim Carrey in How the Grinch Stole Christmas and a 3 out of 5 stars. 2003 was Cat in the Hat with Mike Myers that was rated 2 out of 5 stars. In 2008 it was Horton Hears a Who with Jim Carrey again & Steve Carell that received a 3.5 out of 5 stars. March 2nd 2012 saw the release of the 4th Dr. Seuss movie with The Lorax which has received some very good reviews so far. I have seen mostly 3.5 stars but some have been out of 4 instead of the 5.<br />
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Sunday morning we all went to see The Lorax in 3D at AMC in Whitby. Not the IMAX version which was more money. For anyone who is unaware, movies before noon are $6 for regular, $9 for 3D & $11 for IMAX. This applies to everyday of the week so if they are showing a movie before noon it is a discounted price. We paid $36 for the 3D movie which normally would have cost us $54.50 and using the savings to buy snacks. A normal 3D ticket costs $15.75 which saved us $13.50 for two adult tickets. The AMC provides a very good experience and would highly recommend them over anyone else.<br />
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The Lorax was a very colourful and musical movie. The movie begins with singing and introduces the town of Theedville. Everything is plastic and there are no trees or plants. Two young kids, Audrey (Taylor Swift) and Ted (Zac Efron) talk about trees in the story and wonder what happened to the trees. Ted talks to his mother and Grammy Norma (Betty White) about where the trees are. Grammy Norma tells Ted where to find his answers and to take 3 things and see The Once-ler (Ed Helms). The movie goes back and forth between the past and present with The Once-ler telling his story and how the trees disappeared. We are introduced to the Lorax (Danny DeVito) when a tree is cut down. Without giving anything else away, because I recommend going to see it, the end of the movie ends with the Theedville people needing to make a change in their ways or face an uncertain future. I really enjoyed the movie and the whole message in the story was not lost on myself or any of the adults. I am not sure if all the kids watching the movie picked up on the message but Zoey did.<br />
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I would give The Lorax a 3.5 out of 5. It could have been higher but the story in the film about the present is only about 1/4 of the whole movie. 3/4 of it is based in the past and there could have been a bit more story about the present state and future of Theedville. The message in the movie is a great one and should resonate in everyone with today's climate questions and preserving out natural resources. I recommend seeing the film since it does send a positive message and hope for the future if you are willing to change and it begins with one person. It is actually refreshing to see a movie about a story that was written in 1971 that can still be relevant today and Dr. Seuss had that vision back then.<br />
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Go and see it and hopefully it will make you think about yourself and if you are doing enough or making the right choices in regards to our environment.<br />
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Cheers!!Manly31http://www.blogger.com/profile/05615355379922027575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5571864187507494530.post-14395229723048434372012-02-21T11:23:00.000-05:002012-02-21T11:23:11.526-05:00Are we all a bunch of damn spoiled kids?I am not one to complain unless it is warranted. Things really don't bother me and it makes me more mad at seeing someone drive like a real inconsiderate ass. Ad's don't bother me. Commercials I skip through on the PVR. I can tolerate the telemarketers and door to door sales people. The thing that really gets under my skin is whiners and complainers. Don't get me wrong. It is okay to complain when it is warranted but it is all how you handle it.<br />
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You order a meal and it is wrong. Tell the waitress and she should correct it. Drive thru is wrong so you take your meal in and show them the bill. They will correct it. Most people will want to help you if you are calm and relaxed but firm. You get your point across and people won't dispute it. The people that come with attitude and start whining and bitching like spoiled kids really set me off. Do you need to get all offended and snotty with someone who made a mistake? Are you the only table in the restaurant? No! Mistakes happen and if you were it that position you wouldn't want to be treated like crap. So why do people treat people like the are stupid and try to belittle them? I was at McDonald's last week and some woman was told that the chicken nuggets would be about 3 minutes and they would bring them out to her table when they were ready. She wanted the nuggets now and asked why they wouldn't have food ready? The lady at the register told her that during busy times they sometimes have a few minutes to catch up with food stocks and are not always able to keep up. They try their best but it is only a couple minutes longer. she wasn't happy with that and asked for the manager. She bitched to the manager with the same "I want my food now" and the manager told her the same thing the other lady did. She was not happy about the answer and asked what she was going to get for waiting. The manager replied nothing.<br />
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She told her that the nuggets were done and another manager brought them up to the register with fresh fries and thanked her for waiting. She said she didn't want them and asked for a refund. The manager said she would refund her money for the meal that was now in front of her and the woman was still complaining. She said that she shouldn't have to wait because her kids were hungry and someone said behind her "if you'd shut your mouth and take the food they wouldn't be hungry"! She was really mad and stormed out of McDonald's. That was now the talk of the dining room and how much of a bitch she was for not waiting. I was just ordering and was told to wait for the nuggets for the kids and I said it was not a problem. After she stormed out, the girl behind the counter said the nuggets were ready and the manager was walking buy and thanked me for my patience. I told her it was no problem and it happens. She told me to wait and gave me 4 pies for having to wait. I told her she didn't have to but said after that incident, she was more than happy to do it!<br />
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I was laughing thinking it would have been much better if that woman was still in the dining room to see good behavior gets rewarded. I guess she has been a spoiled brat all her life and just taught her kids a valuable lesson. Acting like a fucking jerk gets you no where!!!<br />
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Cheers!!Manly31http://www.blogger.com/profile/05615355379922027575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5571864187507494530.post-38991405318184501202012-01-01T23:50:00.000-05:002012-01-01T23:50:43.471-05:00Saturn Ion'sWell last week was a little frustrating when our Saturn Ion wouldn't start. It was cold and I have had this problem before and thought it was the starter. I replaced the starter in the summer with a used one and low and behold it happened again last week. Aside from being pissed that it wouldn't start, I thought about having to buy a new starter. I got to work and started looking into "Saturn not starting" on Google when it popped up on the search engine. I clicked on the first link and this is nothing new to Saturn owners. The problem is with the type of lube they used on the chip for the ignition switch. It freezes in cold weather and can collect moisture in humid weather causing issues with the chip and trying to start the car. The anti theft system thinks you are trying to steal the car so it disables the ignition for 10 minutes.<br />
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What I found out about this is that you leave the key in the ignition with the instrument panel light up and wait for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, the ignition will unlock and allow you to attempt to start the car again. If the switch has an issue again with you starting the car, you have to wait another 10 minutes for it to unlock. Now that I know how to get it started once it locks I was feeling a little bit better about not having to buy a starter. This now gives me 3 options to do about this known issue that Saturn won't address.<br />
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1. I can clip a white wire attached to a clip that plugs into the ignition switch. This will disable the anti theft system and allow you to start your car without the problem of it locking for 10 minutes at a time. The problem is that the light on the dash will stay light and someone can steal the car. (Not that worried!)<br />
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2. I can buy an ignition switch at an auto parts store at replace it myself. To replace it I would have to remove the battery terminal so the air bag doesn't go off in my face and get a small ratchet into a really tight area to remove two screws and the ignition switch. Then put the new one in and put the screws back in with losing any. Then once the plastics are back on, connect the terminals again and go through starting the car which takes about 20 minutes. You will start it once which locks you out and wait 10 minutes, then do it again and it locks again. The third time should allow you to start the car with the new switch but if something is wrong you are screwed.<br />
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3. Pay my mechanic about $250 to replace it for me and if anything is screwed up, he can deal with it and get it working. This way I can pay for them to replace it and if anything is screwed up after they replace it then they can trouble shoot it and I can save the $70 to get it towed to the shop.<br />
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The bottom line is that this is something that Saturn could have easily addressed under warranty for me but they want to save a few bucks. If I had anything to get them to admit it and fix it I would go after them but since Saturn no longer exists, I'll pay to fix their lazy mistake.<br />
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Cheers!!Manly31http://www.blogger.com/profile/05615355379922027575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5571864187507494530.post-78381947749609300992011-12-02T21:02:00.000-05:002011-12-02T21:02:01.827-05:00CubaWell it has been almost a month since we have been to Cayo Coco, Cuba and I want to go back!! What a simply beautiful place to visit. Wonderful people, amazing weather, Cuban cigars and beaches. What more could you ask for? I never thought in a million years I would be travelling to Cuba, let alone for an all inclusive vacation. We paid $2400 for a family of 4 and it was worth every penny because we had a great time and it was no worries while we were there. The only thing we had to worry about was what to eat? What to drink? Hang out in the pool or beach and how late we stayed up. Lots of food, lots to drink and relaxing at it's finest.<br />
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I would love to go back but minus the kids. We loved having them there and they didn't slow us down or get in the way. They were very good and only had about an hour of meltdown on one day and that was it. They were so good and it was great seeing how excited they were. But to go back and have time to go to the club, drink more, and not have to worry about the kids getting into trouble in the ocean or pool would be nice. I am so glad they got to go and experience it with us. It made the whole trip seeing how happy they were.<br />
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We have already said we would love to go back to the Blau Colonial and hopefully some friends could join us. It would be great to go and hang out with friends and drink and dance and just have fun! Nicole and I would go together but it would be nice to have some friends with us to hangout with.<br />
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Cheers!!Manly31http://www.blogger.com/profile/05615355379922027575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5571864187507494530.post-17400365490365687642011-08-26T16:58:00.000-04:002011-08-26T16:58:20.010-04:00Healthy EatingI have been trying to instill with the girls how important it is to eat healthy now. My parents did the best the could have and gave us great meals. Nothing that was unhealthy but maybe more of moderation would have been better. My mom did pack some less than healthy snacks in my lunch for school but I was active and playing hockey and softball until 16 or so. I am not blaming her because I have continued the same hard wired habits. Something I am hoping I can rewire by forcing myself to go with fresh and healthy instead of quick and fatty.<br />
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I don't eat very much fast food but do pick the worst times to snack and that is my downfall along with moderation. I have been more of moderation and this is going to help. I am working on the healthy combinations. I did today swap out a can of habitant soup and crackers for a nice salad with chick peas, mushrooms, and cucumber. Along with baby carrots and an apple. Water to drink and no pop even though it is on sale this week and I would love an ice cold pop! I bought a lot of veggies and fruit today but still bought some not so healthy items such as frozen pizza's and the soup. I did try a more organic and natural eating lifestyle, but it is hard to go from quick and easy with working to making dinner once you get home and hungry. I would like to not spend 2 hours making a meal and the kids are hungry also and tend to complain about no food. I am trying a new method. I am cutting celery and leaving it in water in the fridge for a quick snack and they can have that with a little peanut butter for a snack while we make dinner.<br />
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I have to rewire myself and make sure I send them on the right path to good eating and exercise so they don't become a statistic like I am. I'm not down on myself but the kids look at me as an example and I need to show them the right way now instead of 10 years down the road. This week we have done almost nothing for exercise and I need to push them with myself to get out and go. Walking, playing soccer, running, riding bikes and other things can get them out and interested. They had a great year of soccer and really enjoyed it. Zoey scored a goal her second last game which I missed because of work but was able to see all but one game for both her and Hailey. Hailey is a good runner and has some skill kicking the ball and keeping it in her feet. We will see if they want to keep playing indoor this winter because it is a great sport for them to improve and was very cheap to put them in.<br />
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We will again look at a membership to the rec center because the girls can swim as well as join classes for more activities. With Nicole working straight days, it is easier for them to join after school programs now that one of us has a normal work schedule. They are also going to be starting the biggest loser competition at work and for a $50 buy in I could walk away with $500+ depending on how many people enter. Since I am on a health kick it might be a good way to stay motivated and make $450+!!<br />
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I'll keep you posted....<br />
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Cheers!!Manly31http://www.blogger.com/profile/05615355379922027575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5571864187507494530.post-44195582030969003512011-08-08T06:49:00.000-04:002011-08-08T06:49:46.547-04:00Not an excuseI have had a few people tell me that I can't use my kids as an excuse. Not recently but ever since I became a parent. This always comes from people who don't have kids and are either single or in a relationship. My first reaction is to laugh so I don't reach out and smack them in the mouth! First of all to all my best friends and close friends who have kids, you know what I am talking about when I say our day begins and ends with our kids. We loved them from the first minute we saw them and cannot imagine life without them. I enjoy spending time with the girls and I know we have fun together because they tell me. I get up in the morning and they are there to greet me with a "hi dad!" or "Daddy? Are you awake?" and that is the best wake up. I also love reading to them before bedtime and kissing them and tucking them in. I always tell them how much I love them and tell them goodnight. <br />
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Now not everyone can understand how much time and energy kids take and babysitting them doesn't even come close. You have to live with kids for at least 2 weeks to get a feel of what it is like to be a parent and experience how tiring it can be. I wouldn't trade it in for anything. I love my peace and quiet too but love to hear them laugh and feel their warm hugs more than anything in the world. That is something that I will miss when they grow up and move away. Maybe that's why I cherish it so much now. Maybe that's why I get so defensive when people say "Don't use you kids as an excuse." They are not an excuse and never will be. I do get tired and get cranky sometimes but if I was ever given a choice to be childless again my answer is never. I often sit and watch this girls play or do various things and remember what it was like to be a kid. I love seeing myself in the girls and it does scare me because I remember what I was like as a kid. I don't need a boy to carry on my family name because they are a part of me and that will be passed down for as long as they have kids and so on and so forth. <br />
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I might just tell someone what I really think the next time I hear someone say "Don't use you kids as an excuse." Maybe they will see a side of me that rarely comes out but can be as nasty as they come. Any proud parent will tell you the same thing. Protecting you children is the most important thing to you. You want to pick them up when they are hurt and encourage them when they are doing well. Nothing will make a more lasting impression on your kids then you. I know my parents did and regardless if it was good or bad I still carry it with me to make me a better parent and person. I do feel sorry for people without kids to a certain extent and not in a bad way but sorry that they haven't yet experienced what we have....life.<br />
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A new life. One filled with hope for a future and eagerness to learn and be like mom or dad. A life to grow into and become their own person and stand on their own. We will always be there for them and never turn our backs on them no matter what because we also have hope. We hope they will be better than us and be more than what we are because we want the best for our children. Not and excuse but a choice, to be a parent and devote 24 hours a day to them from birth to our end on this planet. Life is what we have given so we could have more in our lives because we have chosen this and this is what I wanted. This is what I can't live without....Kids!<br />
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This is what I get when I am tired and working overnights....sappy!!!<br />
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Cheers!!Manly31http://www.blogger.com/profile/05615355379922027575noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5571864187507494530.post-36243554223802328292011-07-27T17:58:00.000-04:002011-07-27T17:58:30.279-04:00Weekend Getaway.Friday we will be heading to Kingston, Ontario for a little getaway. We will be going to Boldt Castle and a boat cruise. Should be fun and runs for 5 hours. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkb3_lfaetXgfeA9t_Xj-v1L3XXZyPIhFfLx-Fp9NBczvqR3i7Bczk3Pn11h1w_KwrhigmaaECX9Wi-PWMY9LJ7xfM_0iB5ty6iubysqUrN6hyphenhyphen2hSaedOJxtsV5GAg-ze-7kYeH_J7ZqM/s1600/boldt-castle-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="313px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkb3_lfaetXgfeA9t_Xj-v1L3XXZyPIhFfLx-Fp9NBczvqR3i7Bczk3Pn11h1w_KwrhigmaaECX9Wi-PWMY9LJ7xfM_0iB5ty6iubysqUrN6hyphenhyphen2hSaedOJxtsV5GAg-ze-7kYeH_J7ZqM/s320/boldt-castle-3.jpg" t$="true" width="320px" /></a></div>I am looking forward to going and have seen the castle before from a distance before but never been on the island. It will take up most of our day Saturday from 10am-3pm so hopefully the girls will enjoy it. I might see if there is anything else we can do but that is something we can wing. The boat tour launches from Gananoque so we need to get up early and get to the harbour early. We also need passports since the island is on the American side of the waterway. We will see how it goes. I'm looking for a nice dinner after and will do some looking around but may end up cheaping out with pizza and wings!!<br />
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Bon-voyage!!Manly31http://www.blogger.com/profile/05615355379922027575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5571864187507494530.post-51195316151524687642011-07-19T01:49:00.000-04:002011-07-19T01:49:54.623-04:00I'm back!!It has been a few months since I have been a blogging because of work and the summer. Wanting to spend more time outside and less inside has pulled me from the computer. Our garden has grown so much bigger than I would have imagined. The girls are really enjoying soccer and Hailey has taken to it faster than Zoey. Zoey is a great player and is more balanced than Hailey. Hailey is all about scoring and Zoey tries to play defence and offense. <br />
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We are planning a vacation to Kingston in August to go to Boldt castle and maybe Fort Henry. Then off to the cottage in Dummer township. Our big vacation is hopefully going to be down south in Cuba, Mexico or anywhere that is all inclusive and lots of booze!!! Lots of projects around the house that need to get done and with this massive heat wave and humidity, it is going to be tough. I have to dig down and patch a crack in the foundation that weeps in heavy rain but is okay when it rains less. I also have to re-caulk around our bay windows in the back of the house. We had the driveway sealed for $100 which was a great deal. They also fixed the cracks before spraying.<br />
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Well it is late and right now as I look at the clock it is 1:46am. I have to head home from work in about 10 minutes and should roll in around 2:30am. Then settle down and head to bed by 3:00am if I am lucky. Might have to have some rye and coke for a night cap!!<br />
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Anyway, I will update a little sooner then months. Tonight I am hoping to make curry chicken with peas and rice. A friend at work gave me a recipe to try. He gave me the very basic items needed but won't give me his exact measurements. His Jamaican curry is good because i have tried it before. I may not make it but I plan on it. I will see what Nicole feels like.<br />
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Cheers!!Manly31http://www.blogger.com/profile/05615355379922027575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5571864187507494530.post-86267699696417769152011-05-10T00:48:00.000-04:002011-05-10T00:48:25.104-04:00Garden Planting Box Project #2I am moving right along here! Faster than I thought because I tend to over think but for the most part it is very important. I don't want to screw it up and have to make it again. Enough of that.<br />
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So today I went to Lowes to price my material for my planting box. I should have gone there last because they were by far the cheapest. Let me just say something....FUCK YOU HOME DEPOT!! Okay! Now that is out of my system. Let me explain a little. Home Depot has a policy about price matching and then beating it by 10% IF it is the same product. I guess when it comes to wood it is a different story. It is managers discretion because Home Depot has superior quality of wood compared to everyone else and they must have a whole forest to themselves to make this statement. Just what I was told....other than the forest part! They also don't beat it and give you the 10% on lumber because they have amazing lumber that can only be found at Home Depot!<br />
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So I left and went back to Lowes to gather my materials. I bought 6 - 1X6X6 fence boards and 1 - 2X2X8 so I could cut it for corner supports and keep the boards together. I also bought 1 1/2 inch deck screws to put it all together and had some wood glue to use also. extremely easy to make and not much effort. I built it in about 1 hour without any help. Here are my steps.<br />
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1. Get a cold beer from the fridge and open it to take a sip. Good way to start a project!<br />
2. Measure 2 1X6X6 fence boards to the 3 foot mark to cut in half. These will be your end pieces.<br />
3. Make sure the ends are all the same length and trim if some are a little off like mine where.<br />
4. Have some more beer and make sure you have at least 2 more in the fridge or one in the freezer.<br />
5. Take the 2X2X8 and measure it to the size of 2 boards placed side by side. Should be about 10 inches.<br />
6. Cut 6 pieces to hold the corners and middle of the sides together. Set aside.<br />
7. Take 2 end pieces you cut and lay them down to make sure they fit together nicely without too much of a <br />
gap between the boards.<br />
8. Place wood glue on 2 of the 2X2X8 pieces and place on the ends of the boards. Screw into place.<br />
9. Once the pieces are screwed and glued do the other end the same way. The ends should now measure<br />
3 feet wide by 10 inches high.<br />
10. Place 2 full 1X6X6 side by side and glue and screw one end onto one side. Repeat for the other end.<br />
11. Place the other 2 boards on the other side and glue and screw them into place.<br />
12. Take the 2 extra 2X2X8 pieces you cut and glue and screw them into the middle of the full boards for support and stability.<br />
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I will post pictures soon. I have jiffy pots with peas, carrots and tomatoes sprouting up already. I also bought some jalapeno plants and yellow onion plants. I have yet to plant the watermelon or sunflowers or garlic. Looking forward to growing some fresh veggies in our backyard!<br />
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Cheers!!Manly31http://www.blogger.com/profile/05615355379922027575noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5571864187507494530.post-31591615847507352052011-05-06T20:31:00.000-04:002011-05-06T20:31:43.455-04:00Rock Garden Project #1So we have been researching rock gardens and everyone is different and look nice in any shape or size. The trick is making sure you have a solid base and go from there. It is simple. Dig out an area that you would like to have your rock garden. Dig about 10-12 inches of soil in the area you choose and then place a solid base. It is recommended to use old concrete or bricks or old patio slabs to have as your base. Then put sand over the base layer to help drainage. Then place your large rocks in your garden and position them in any way you like. Once you have the large rocks set in place you put a mixture of the following. 1 part top soil, 1 part peat moss and 1 part pea gravel. This helps with the richness of the soil and drainage. Place the mixture into your garden and level. Place medium and smaller stones in your garden and remember to leave pockets for plants. The purpose of the rock garden is to create one of two things. A beautiful garden with flowers or an arctic type landscape with lots of sun and little water. We decided to do the arctic landscape and that is why we opted for the drainage. Our plants are good in 6+ hours of sun with little water. If you want to change what you are planting then you adjust the pea gravel in the mixture so it will hold more water.<br />
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Once you have planted your garden, place wood chips over the garden to give it a nice finished look. We went with a hazel colour for ours. we are also not finished. We love what we have done but will add more curves to the garden and not have such a straight edge to it. We collected our rocks from the beach at Lake Ontario so we did some really heavy lifting but saved some money in the process.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEins1XsVtJZT5bqFVY6VraDfgKNhcvnBScqxmI5ePWnB0JkZ27ZIED2Z42iNUcctzRUtoP6kgUCufTsoe6aOaJIvkHP0fsE1vE5Ryfy33dntgmCpf_QtsG5yyYuexZXc2QPfVVLVn1bE-Y/s1600/rock.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEins1XsVtJZT5bqFVY6VraDfgKNhcvnBScqxmI5ePWnB0JkZ27ZIED2Z42iNUcctzRUtoP6kgUCufTsoe6aOaJIvkHP0fsE1vE5Ryfy33dntgmCpf_QtsG5yyYuexZXc2QPfVVLVn1bE-Y/s320/rock.bmp" width="213px" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgep-H8fTKnoYZohjCR5L2ar0QVF2UPOGcTZDWrwM0fX3Z4K1uhdRM0gzgGADxzaoHK409MBNN7czGd79tzzcJY5pKY7NtH0noKl_itotD4fsBIbfh5pnRpdR1e7EVqgRM7rSNHFRDuA20/s1600/rock2.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213px" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgep-H8fTKnoYZohjCR5L2ar0QVF2UPOGcTZDWrwM0fX3Z4K1uhdRM0gzgGADxzaoHK409MBNN7czGd79tzzcJY5pKY7NtH0noKl_itotD4fsBIbfh5pnRpdR1e7EVqgRM7rSNHFRDuA20/s320/rock2.bmp" width="320px" /></a></div>Cheers!!Manly31http://www.blogger.com/profile/05615355379922027575noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5571864187507494530.post-33319583306392825572011-04-26T07:44:00.000-04:002011-04-26T07:44:53.460-04:00Ana White?Yes Ana White! I had never heard of her or her blog but now am a huge fan. You have to see it to really get a sense of what she has done for the average DIY homeowner. Not only does she post what she has made herself at home, she lays out every little step so you can't screw it up. She tells you what to buy, what items you need in the way of screws or nails and a cutting guide. There is also a visual step by step in showing how to put it together.<br />
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She has a $10 cedar planting box that should cost $10 but cedar is not $2 per board but I will still make the planting box. I might use cedar or pressure treated but I will make the box. She also has instructions on beds, shelves, tables, stools, chairs, storage and anything else you can make with wood! Check out her site because I have yet to go through everything. You can make the majority of the furniture in your home thanks to her.<br />
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We also have just finished our first project of 2011 around the house. A rock garden at the front of the house which took some research but turned out fantastic. Not that hard to do and thanks to living near lake ontario, free rocks of all sizes to fill our rock garden. The big ones we needed were a bitch to carry and a real workout but Nicole and I both completed the project together and quickly. It also helped that I was able to buy a tipping wheelbarrow off Kijiji that retails for $300 for $50.<br />
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Cheers!!Manly31http://www.blogger.com/profile/05615355379922027575noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5571864187507494530.post-32544053089148877562011-04-19T01:52:00.000-04:002011-04-19T01:52:03.485-04:00Date NightWednesday April 20th, Nicole and I are having a bit of a date night with another couple we are friends with. We are going to see Bill Engvall and Larry the Cable Guy at the GM Centre in Oshawa. I hope to laugh my ass off and have a great time. I love comedy shows but we don't get to go enough. We did hit Yuk Yuks in Niagara Falls when we had a night away last year and had lots of fun. Hopefully some dinner before the show but if the other couple can't commit then Nicole and I will have a nice meal out. We haven't been able to get out and have a night or even a few hours alone so it is nice and we need to do more of it. I love the kids but we need time to talk and enjoy each other.<br />
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The reviews for the comedy show are really good and if you haven't had the chance, watch the Blue Collar Comedy Tour on DVD. It features Ron White, Jeff Foxworthy, Bill Engvall and Larry. Absolutely hilarious. I think they also have a second DVD but can't remember. <br />
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If you love to laugh and listen to some really funny comics then these guys are for you. I highly recommend the DVD and will let you know how the show goes. I am really excited and can't wait to see the show. We have seats up on the sides which are about 1 section away from the stage so we are getting a great view. <br />
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Cheers!!Manly31http://www.blogger.com/profile/05615355379922027575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5571864187507494530.post-60599886038283310662011-04-04T22:04:00.000-04:002011-04-04T22:04:10.949-04:00Beer Can ChickenAh yes! hhhmmmm......beer. To quote Homer Simpson! I found this to be the most fool proof way to cook a chicken and really have amazing juicy chicken. I looked on the Internet last night to get an idea of what people are doing to cook their beer can chicken. Not much to say. Chicken, rub, beer, oil. That is basically it! Now I will walk through the first ever beer can chicken and definitely not the last that I cooked hours ago on the BBQ. <br />
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I took the chicken out of the fridge and remove any unwanted organs. Washed the chicken in cold water and patted dry with a paper towel. I took out my beer can chicken stand which is a dish about 2 inches deep and has a 3 legs to support the chicken and hold the beer can. Awesome little invention I must say. Now hear come the first and best part. Open a can of beer and drink half. Yes! Drink before we get into the cooking but this is prepping believe it or not! I added 3 cloves of garlic to the beer which I read would give it some flavour. I also read to place chopped course onion up in the top of the chicken so it sits on top of the beer can. This also gives it flavour. Place the beer can into the dish and place the 3 legs into the slots so they clip in. I guess the beer can will hold up the chicken but I had the dish so I'm using it! Rub some olive oil on the chicken and then apply your favourite rub or make one up that smells good! Preheat the BBQ to around 350 degrees with one side on only. I guess mine was about there but can't say for sure. Once the temperature gauge on your BBQ has settled after about 10 minutes place the chicken over the side of the BBQ that has no heat. We are cooking indirect baby!! Cook between 60-90 minutes. I also basted the chicken after 30 minutes with butter. Then again at an hour but took the drippings from the pan and basted with them! Oh yeah...that pan came in handy alright!!! When you think it is done then take it inside to cool down before you try to remove the chicken from the beer can. Very hot can and pan!! Rip that chicken off the can and dig in!! <br />
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Now the chicken was incredibly juicy and I stabbed it with my BBQ fork and clear juices squirted out of it like a woman having an orgasm...or so I hear!! LOL. I also gave it a little cut to make sure the chicken was cooked. I would have used a thermometer if I had one for meat but that will be my goal tomorrow when I run around doing errands! I cooked an 8-10 pound chicken and it was about 90 minutes or so. I also turned the chicken when I basted at 30 minutes, 60 minutes and then it was every 10 minutes until the 90 minutes. Now this chicken was very moist but not much flavour. I used an epicure spice called red garlic which is very tasty on the skin but doesn't get into the meat. I will be injecting a marinade next time to see what that is like. The girls loved the chicken and we did also. No complaints but now it is experimenting time since I did a pretty good job on the beer can chicken. Now to try injection to see what that might do!!!<br />
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More to come....<br />
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Summary:<br />
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1 - 8-10 pound whole chicken<br />
1 - can of Miller Genuine Draft<br />
1/2 - cooking onion<br />
2 - Tbsp olive oil<br />
3 - cloves of garlic<br />
many - dashes of red garlic spice over chicken<br />
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A must try and if I would have known how amazingly easy this was I would be cooking all my chicken like this!!<br />
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Cheers!!Manly31http://www.blogger.com/profile/05615355379922027575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5571864187507494530.post-41211160202102419882011-03-04T00:19:00.000-05:002011-03-04T00:19:48.305-05:00The Sugar BushWell it is that time of year again when the sun stays out longer and longer and the snow melts away. The birds come back to build a nest and the days begin to feel warmer and warmer. With the impending approach of spring around the corner, also comes a fun family activity. The sugar bush. Yes it is that time honoured tradition that brings the yummy sweet maple sap to a boiler to be made into maple syrup. I'm not talking about the Aunt Jemima crap (it is tasty) but the real pure maple syrup. This is made from collecting the sap from maple trees in the spring when the sap begins to run. It is water like and carries some wonderful sugars that once transformed, bring a new life to pancakes, donuts and coffee to name a few.<br />
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In college, I went to a sugar bush to shoot a segment for a local TV show we produced in the college. It turned out to be a wonderful day. We saw the whole operation and were able to shoot every step of the process. It is amazing how such a simple thing can be so complex with temperatures and colours with the syrups. It was nice that the owners also invited us for pancakes and freshly brewed maple syrup. We also were able to take a couple bottles home. Great family run business and it had been in operation for 70 years plus.<br />
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I think we will be making another trip this year to sample the maple syrup from 2011's winter crop. There are a couple places we can go and they all offer horse drawn cart rides, maple tasting, activities for the kids and of course the chance to buy all the maple products they produce. Last year we bought a bottle of syrup and some pancakes for the girls. They had a blast and we had a nice day outdoors enjoying the great sunny spring weather. I highly recommend this for a fun family outing. It will cost you admission to go in which usually isn't too much because not everyone is going to buy something. I have started looking in Ontario and by the looks of it, it is only a week from the sap beginning to run.<br />
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Cheers!!Manly31http://www.blogger.com/profile/05615355379922027575noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5571864187507494530.post-59914617997606908282011-02-21T10:40:00.000-05:002011-02-21T10:40:25.421-05:00Football (soccer)Well we have asked the girls and they have opted for football.....or soccer as we in North America call it. I like the term football. It makes sense unlike the football we know as CFL and NFL. Don't get me started!!<br />
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So Hailey and Zoey have told us they wanted to play soccer and they have 1 practice and 1 game a week each. Yes! So that is Monday to Thursday practice and games! I'm looking forward to seeing them play and learning the team aspect of sports and how to play with other kids.<br />
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It is also much cheaper than hockey!! I need to buy shin guards and cleats but that is it. The league supplies the uniforms and also gives the kids a free soccer ball. I will keep you updated when the season begins which I think is in May.<br />
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Cheers!!Manly31http://www.blogger.com/profile/05615355379922027575noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5571864187507494530.post-75729078554416596552011-02-15T20:01:00.000-05:002011-02-15T20:01:02.973-05:00Great New Show!Now maybe some of you haven't seen Cake Boss on TLC yet but I love the show and would love to visit the bakery sometime for some of those yummy treats! The baker is Buddy and he took over the shop when his dad passed away and has all his family working in the shop. I enjoy the people and the cakes he makes because some of them are just amazing. Anyway, he now has his own cooking show on TLC called Kitchen Boss and it is great. I think the reason I love the show is because he uses simple ingredients and you can buy them at any grocery store. No special things and he is Italian so everything looks amazing and full of flavour. I saw 3 episodes today that I PVR'd on my Bell ExpressVu 9241 receiver. Little plug for work!!<br />
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He made Shrimp Scampi, Tortellini Soup, Garlic Bread, Eggplant Parmesan, Zucchini and Squash casserole, Prime Rib Roast, King Crab Legs and home made cupcakes. You can watch all the episodes on TLC and get the recipes. I was really excited for the cupcakes. He makes some amazing pastries at the bakery so to see him make one with butter cream icing was awesome. Too bad I am trying to eat healthy because I really wanted those cupcakes!! I will make them but for now I will focus on the eating right and losing a few pounds!!<br />
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Anyway, I highly recommend this show if you like to cook and watch for new ideas. I have watched and saved the episodes on the PVR so I can try at least the veggie dishes he made so I can hope the kids will try them.<br />
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Cheers!!Manly31http://www.blogger.com/profile/05615355379922027575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5571864187507494530.post-80968305223874994482011-02-11T20:55:00.000-05:002011-02-11T20:55:44.662-05:00What sports do you put them in?I have been mulling over this question for the past year. It is not an easy question with both of us working shift work. Hopefully Nicole will be covering a maternity leave shortly and can work straight days for a year. This way we can put the girls into some sports after school. I wish I could make my own shifts but hate working day shifts!! I also hate night shifts so I guess what I am saying is that I hate working period. The girls wanted to skate but I haven't bought myself any to teach them and they have now decided that they want to play soccer! Cheaper than hockey and the program in Oshawa offers free everything. I just buy the shoes and shin guards. Something good for them to get into and get them more active. We are also looking at a YMCA family membership so we can get more active and shape up! I need it and so does Nicole. With the new healthy eating thing it is only going to help in our ultimate goal.<br />
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I would love for them to play hockey but can't commit to that with the shifts I am on. I would like to see them choose and with playing and exposing them to different sports through gym class in school, they have a better idea of what they want to do. I'm not pushing them into anything but hope once they choose that they stick with it because I'm not into wasting money....what little extra we have. Once they get active I think they will really enjoy it and with the YMCA membership, they will have access to free classes they can learn other things. They have talked about karate and swimming to start and the Y also offers childcare included in the membership so it works out!<br />
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Anyway, we are still weighing the pros and cons of the YMCA and to make sure we take full advantage of it once we do decided to commit. The pros are more than the cons so I will let you know if and when we decide.<br />
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Cheers!!Manly31http://www.blogger.com/profile/05615355379922027575noreply@blogger.com0