Sorry for being M.I.A. the last week or so. No one to blame but myself. I keep thinking it is May but according to the weather, it is still March…or maybe November.
But seriously, we had a pretty good Calithumpian weekend. I trekked around North Thamesford to check out the yard sales. I actually got more from my next door neighbour’s next door neighbour, Adam’s sale (a Kevin Harvick diecast and a paperback novel and something else, I think, but I can’t remember what.) I also went to library for their annual book sale and the church’s big sale next door to us. I was tempted to check out the sales south of town but it turned out to be a good decision on my part that I didn’t. About a half hour after I got home, it just started pouring.
My Mom and I enjoyed seeing the fireworks while simultaneously watching NASCAR’s All-Star Race. (Mom wasn’t happy that Joey Logano didn’t win.) I also went to “downtown Thamesford” to check out Adam’s Radio Control Car demonstration. It was cool because listening to Adam and some of the other competitors talk, it was like listening to crew chiefs talk about NASCAR set-ups, etc.
The Calithumpian Parade on Monday afternoon was also fun to sit outside on our front porch and watch as, much like the Santa Claus Parade, it went right by our house. It felt about as cold as the Santa Claus Parade – which we watch from inside.
My sister and nephew came down last weekend. It was strange because usually they will come down on a Saturday and head home on Sunday morning. This time around, however, they came down on the Sunday and left around the time I headed to work on Monday. No matter, it was still fun to have them down for the day.
I have been helping my Mom around the house over the past couple of weekends. With the spring upon us (even if the weather doesn’t seem to realize that), she’s been embarking on some home improvement projects. These are the types of things she and my Dad would do. With him gone, I’ve been stepping up and helping her out where she needs a helping hand. (My Mom, even at her age, with bad knees and recovering from an injured hand, is able to do a heck of a lot around the house and around the property. She’s painted the front and back porches and the “she shed” out back and just today she cleaned out the garage.)
As for myself, I have decided to embark on something called “Project 56.” In July, I turn 56 (hence the name of the “mission”) I have decided that, by my birthday, I am going to completely rearrange both my downtown TV room (or my NASCAR Room) and the office I have created out of my Dad’s old workshop. (There’s still an element of the workshop there, mind you, where we keep tools, etc.) Everything is still in the planning stage but I really want to look at what’s working and what’s not and change things up a bit. For example, I’ve had the same shelves in the place for over 10 years and we need an update. There’s a lot of things I’m looking at and thinking “Okay, this isn’t working. What needs to change?” (I’ve encouraged my Mom to do the same.)
As always, however, if you read this – and actually know me – and want to discuss anything covered above (or below), chat me up on Facebook Messenger or via email.
johnmilner.ca 