bushwhackersforgottenbeersbonfireboatsandsunburn

After a good week spent in the city, it was time again to hit the road and head eastwards towards Ontario and another weekend at the Cowtan Cabin.

I packed my bags, Buffy's guitar and some beers and headed out to pick her up and get on our way. It was a lovely summers evening and so we took our time, even stopping on the highway to take a photo at the sign that marks the longitudinal centre of Canada. (The halfway point between the east and west) Then further on to the cabin, which we arrived at just after 9pm. It was then that I realised that I had left my beers behind in Winnipeg - I think I may have left them sitting by the side of the road when I packed up the car. Bugar. A quick drive down the road solved the problem and $17 down I returned to the cabin where the rest of the evening was spent mellowing out with my newly acquired, 2nd lot of beers.

Do I need to explain!?!

Saturday morning and we were up early for once (Before 11am!) after a good breakfast Buffy's mum asked us if we wanted to do a little work and we spent the next couple of hours bushwhacking .Basically, using an old scythe, some lopping shears and a big rake, to clear an overgrown path through the woods to the easternmost point of the island - known as 'The Point', we enjoyed destroying the weeds that grew as well as trimming a few trees and clearing the debris away - even though I did get a blister on the pad of my hand as well as using my super strength to break the scythe!! It was all worth it in the end though as there is now a beautiful little pathway leading from the fire-pit down through the woods, past some decorative tree stumps and some branches to mark the path, before you finally arrive at the point, where you can sit and watch the sunset at the end of a summers day.
We celebrated with a quick run and jump into the lake followed with a lazy hour in the sunshine down on the swimming dock.

Bushwhacking..

The result

Nice

Just a little blister

Later in that evening, after feeding the dogs, I fired up the barbecue and cooked my homemade burgers. They consist of ground beef with peppers, mushrooms, onion and garlic, all mushed together into a burger patty and they were delicious, even though I do say so myself. They also held together well enough to eat without dropping all over the floor. Which is a bonus. The evening was lovely again, and so after dinner we set a huge fire in the fire pit and sat around that till it got dark and cold, which was our cue jump into Buffy's hammock with a warm blanket until it was too dark to read outside anymore. We then went inside and set another fire in the fireplace, where we spent the rest of the evening - Me playing with the 3 dogs, reading and drinking cold beers, while Buffy started to build the robotic dinosaur I had bought for her, before her brother Pat turned up with a few mates and some really nasty cheap sparkly 'wine'. They had a fine drunken evening!!

Cuddy with ears wrapped up to stop them falling in his food!

At the BBQ

Homemade burgers

Oh yeah!!

Greedy!

Mmmm MMMM

Sorry dogs, none for you!!

Sunday and another lovely big breakfast of eggs, sausage and bacon was followed with a quick change and the afternoon to swimming gear and a full afternoons lazing about on the swimming dock again. We messed about jumping in the water and trying to get the dogs to follow us too, but the closest we got was for them to lick all the lake water off us as we climbed out. I must have spent a little too long in the sunshine as when I got home later in the evening I discovered that I was a little bit pink and sunburnt, but it was worth it for a fine afternoon. We then heard that Pat was coming back for dinner and so had to take a boat over to leave for him when he arrived. This meant I had a chance to drive one boat over, drop it off and drive the other back, with Buffy. Cool!!! Speedboat time.

Hammock!

Fire!!

Dogs.

Dinosaur!!

DinoSAUR!!

DINOSAUR!!

We headed back to the city after Sunday dinner and were dropped off back at home by Buffy's dad.
I unlocked the apartment door and walked into the kitchen, where I was pleasantly surprised to see my forgotten beers sitting on the kitchen floor where I left them on Friday afternoon. Nice!!!

Messing about in the water

Getting dried!

Very uncomfortable

My towel!

Playing with the dogs

Jump!

and again, watched by the dog

Little boat....

Bigger boat

Yeah!! Awesome!!

Monday  - a mellow day after a 6.7mile run first thing in the morning. I am working hard to get my fitness back after not doing much for the last few weeks. When I am travelling I keep fit with all the walking I do to see sights and get around the cities, but since I have been back in Winnipeg I haven't done so much. So last week I did 5 runs, completing 17,7 miles for the week. This week my aim is 20 miles over 5 days and so I started on Monday with a 6.7mile run, to break the back of it!

My beers waiting at home for me!!

The 2nd toenail has now gone!!

Unfortunately, my toenails don't see to like running again and at he moment one has already gone while another is in the process of falling off. They aren't too pleasant to look at, but I do need to keep fit, so its worth it. So far I have done about 11 miles in two days and so am well on target for the end of the week.