Tuesday May 25th 2021

I know this is a little different direction for me but a couple of things that need to be said about things that didn’t bug me this long weekend.

First and foremost, while holiday weekends can get a little out of control with celebrations, this weekend was very respectful, with most people enjoying the first long weekend of the season while the province was under a “stay at home” order. Of course you have to have a couple of “special people” but with all things being taken into account the majority of our residents enjoyed the outdoors, while obeying the guidelines.

The second thing that didn’t bug me, was our May 24th long weekend was the great weather, I have experienced a lot of May 24th weekends in Ontario and I have seen more cold wet weekends than I have warm sunny weekends. This one had a little very needed rain on Saturday morning and it did cool off Sunday night but all and all it was one of the best I can remember.

The third thing that didn’t bug me was bugs! Very simply we get lots of biting insects here in Ontario. Mosquitoes, Black flies, Ticks, to just list the most annoying of a long list, and from many years in Ontario’s Muskoka area spring black flies drive most people indoors and mosquitoes can nearly eat you alive all camping season, and of course the invasion of ticks to a lot of southern Ontario, which can cause Lyme desease which can be debilitating , we seem very blessed here to be void off almost all of those insects.

I can remember when Richard told us three years ago that there were no mosquitoes here at LHR (Lake Huron Resort) and I just laughed, having lived my life in Ontario and battled mosquitoes with chemicals, and scents, and burning devices. In fact when in the Niagara region it was just a given that if trying to have an outdoor event a major part of the planning was to plan some type of mosquito protection for visitors to our home. So to be able to sit outside around a campfire without covering ourselves in a repellent is amazing, let alone to say more enjoyable.

When we so south in the winter one of the things that we take into account are insects, most people from Eastern Canada go south to Florida where we battle mosquitoes along with a never ending supple of annoying insects. While a winter in Arizona is almost insect free, oh Arizona has lots of scary insects like trencillas and such but they are all hibernating when we are there. Now of course most plant life is more than willing to attack you if you get too close, but they don’t attack while sitting around a campfire. Now the scarcity of firewood makes campfires expensive, hence or propane fire pit to sit around, and the bonus to propane, no smokey smelling clothes, when retiring for the evening.

Remember stay safe, be well, and get you vaccine!

Friday May 21st 2021

Well, it’s Friday morning of our first long weekend of Ontario’s camping season. The weather looks promising for most of the weekend, with milder temperatures, possible rain on Saturday, but Sunday and Monday looking a little cooler but dry with some overcast skies.

As you can see the trees are out in full leaf, here at LHR (Lake Huron Resort) as you can see Thunder between the spruce and the white birch. We certainly missed the Arizona sunshine to pre-tan to prepare for the summer weather but we spent our days off this week on the beach and a day of grass mowing and I have a pretty good base for the end of May. The grass looks lush but the ground is very dry, hate to say it but we need a nice slow rain for a day.

And this holiday weekend finds Ontario still under a “stay at home” order that no one is obeying anyway, and in true last minute style yesterday the government announced that multiple outdoor activities such as golf, are allowed to reopen on the Saturday of a long weekend, while the “stay at home” order is in effect until June 2nd.

So another mixed message on the pandemic front, “stay at home” but you can go golfing or engage in other outdoor activities, then they add confusion by saying five (5) people can gather but they failed to say where they can gather because we are still under a “stay at home” order till June 2nd.

So know we will play ten thousand questions, as people who have already breaking the “stay at home” order, now start looking for how to work the new rules for their benefit. Oh the joys of management with ever changing rules and guidelines … jus’saying

We have been presented a three (3) step reopening plan after the third wave. So, this time the whole province is at the same reopening, this is obviously to stop the hot spot area people from region jumping which is good as it should protect us from the region hoppers. But now we are going to be effected by the “anti vaxxers” as each stage is dependent on vaccination rates, with the first stage being 60% vaccinated, and increasing vaccination numbers with each stage.

Well it’s just after lunch on Friday, this morning I got the swimming pool pump up and running, next week I will work on the leaks on the solar system. I also re-mowed the common area, trimmed the empty sites for those who are actually obeying the “stay at home” order, that only seem fair.

So, after lunch I think I will wash the dust off with a shower and just kind of kick back for the afternoon. Kind of prepare myself for the weekend warriors as they roll in, which will most likely keep me busy, as evening approaches and the natives come to life.

Well that’s today’s update. I hope our Canadian families have a great Victoria Day weekend. And to our American family have a great Memorial Day weekend next weekend, we are missing you all very much and I’ll run the stars & stripes up the pole next weekend in your honour.

Be safe, stay strong, and get your vaccination!