Return of the Fat Bastard - I can't believe I have a favorite Lily!

August 6th 2016

      Today was a half day. It started half way through the morning as I rolled out of bed just after 10 am. The smell of Coffee, Crepes and Maple Syrup filled the air. Michelle with one L was at teh helm of the Crepe pan and the Grandkids were lined up in anticipation. They have never had Crepes before. Lots of Papa Squatch pancakes but never the watered down flimsy imitation Flap Jacks the French pass off as Haute Cuisine. I didn't have any. I went straight for the Jo, a yogurt and one of these amazing peaches that Paul's friend brings down every year from the Okanagan.

They way about 10 oz each

We buy two cases every year. The lovely Lisa used to make pies and cobblers and all kinds of great peach stuff.

Takes about 10 bites and three napkins

But with my diet restrictions I just eat the peaches.
This is the best peach I have ever eaten.............Oooops I mean ate.

      With Squatchapalisa 14, Pirates for Peace happening next Saturday the 13th of August, preparations have started in earnest. Sort of. My half day continues with half finished jobs getting finished and other jobs only getting half done. As my alter ego Lawn Boy I mowed half the lawn.

Every time I stopped the mower I started another little job. I've been trying to find a use for a pole caddie that we used to have in the tub. It has tarnished and looks like crap. Perfect for holding my screwdrivers in my tiny work shed. I drilled a couple of holes through the pipe and screwed it to the wall. The baskets are the perfect size for screwdrivers. And somehow over the years I have collected dozens of them!

When I finished mowing the back forty I hung the lawn mower for the day and then I hung up the new Tire Swing.
      I drilled three holes in what I hoped was going to be the bottom of the tire swing so any water that got in there would leak out and not get all funky and mosquitoey. And yes I know that's not a word but it should be. After I hung the tire and started scrubbing it with some industrial cleaner and a stiff brush much to my chagrin the freakin thing wouldn't drain. All the soot, dirt and spiders living under the deck, that had accumulated inside the tire, were now clogging my freshly drilled drain holes with their tiny little spider corpses. A few minutes with a rat tailed file and we had flow! Since I had the bucket of detergent ready to go and the Rav4 sitting there with the left front door and quarter panel streaked with what appears to be crow poop staring at me, begging to be washed. And since the lovely Lisa has mentioned it repeatedly. "You need to get that off before it wrecks the paint" for at least a month, this seemed like a good time.
      It turns out it wasn't Crow poop, it was pine poop! It was resin from the pine trees I hate and it was not coming off. I soaked it I scrubbed it and finally I scraped it. Using a paint scraper I gently removed the Pine resin and it seems I didn't scratch the paint....too much! Then I quit. It was only on one side and I have a free super wash at the PetroCan. They guarantee your car is clean. Last time it was coated in pollen and I made them let me go in three times.
      Next up was the Inflatable Boat. We bought it last year and it works really well for one person.

Either the lovely Lisa or Dr Dan

 I just want to make sure it is holding air. We are going to do the River of Golden dreams in a couple of weeks. That's the river between Green and Alta lakes up at Whistler. The lovely Lisa and her brother did it last year in Kayaks while I drove the getaway/pickup car. This year I'm going to do it too. In an inflatable boat. Dr Dan is coming down from Prince George as well. We will do it once in the afternoon then again at midnight. I'm going to buy my boat tomorrow. I need a bigger one than the one we have. It's only good up to 210 lbs and that hasn't happened since grade 9!
      All the girls were at a Nail Spa. I mean all the girls. The Grandkids had given Grandma Lisa a Mani/Pedi for her birthday and today was the day. Jen, Grandma Lisa, Bella, Clarissa and Michelle with one L took over the spa and spent close to three hours getting pampered. To mixed reviews.
      I had a shower and changed into my going out into the world clothes. I was looking pretty good in my Hawaiian shirt new cargo shorts and of course socks and sandals! My feet get really dry if I don't grease them up and put on socks. What do I care? I'm 60 in 5 months and I'm married for nearly 15 years. I only have to care about what one woman thinks. Only I'm afraid to ask her!
      We were meeting Anni and Willie at the Rivers Reach for Pizza for the first time in over a month. We've been busy, they've been busy. Life these days just seems so busy! And I don't even have a job! G McT was supposed to join us but he wasn't feeling well so he stayed home and watched the Jays lose to KC. Rivers Reach, in my opinion, makes the best Pizza in town.

Especially on Saturday when it's half price! Crispy thin crust and lots of toppings. New West Deli for us. One large pizza and an order of hot wings fed all four of us.

      After the reach we went as we usually do to Annie and Willie's for a pot of tea and some sweeties. Willie has a garden on his penthouse deck and it grows stuff like crazy! Like these Black tomatoes!

Strange looking things and Willie says they taste kind of bitter. As a Tomato Baron I felt his fruit and new right away he was picking them before they were ripe. "Let them go Willie, Let them go!" I said "How will I know when they are ripe tomato Sensi" He queried. "When they start to soften then you may pick the tomato Grasshopper." Tea, trifle, blueberry struedel and an ice cream sandwich appeared from the larder of not good for you treats that Willie has a never ending supply of. By 9pm I was nodding off, Willie was on his way to his bed. Annie was, well, Annie and the lovely Lisa was up and moving. "Goodbye, farewell, auf Wiedersehen my friend." I sang as we made our way to the elevator and then to Otto waiting patiently at the curb.
      We drove through downtown New West on our way home. Lots of people out and about. Lots of traffic too. I don't know if they still have the Casino down on the Quay or not. Whatever was going on it was nice to see something was going on.
      When we got home we were greeted by the usual Ratdog explosion! The lovely Lisa goes in the front door and I take the Ratdogs into the back yard so they can do what dogs do in the yard. This is the first time I have been out front at night and I was blown away by the Stargazer Lillies.

Stargazer Lillies

Up Close

They are my favorite Lily, I can't believe I have a favorite Lily! They are not only immense and beautiful, they are powerfully aromatic! The smell permeates the whole front of the house.
      If you don't hear from me tomorrow I have taken the day off of blogging. Unless something cool happens I will be finishing the lawn, finishing the car washing and buying the second inflatable besides the usual work shop for Chef Boy R Lisa and a couple of open Mics, I got nothing going on!
Now next weekend that's a different story!



That's all I've got
Till next time
Peace out Y'all