Recent happenings

No I have not disappeared  from the face of the earth..... Just been busy as heck.

I said prior that I needed to keep busy to help me deal with Heather's loss, well sport fans I have succeed beyond all my expectations.

I am a member of my local Royal Canadian Legion, branch 98 
and at friends request I have now joined the Rotary International organization 

Between all kinds of auctions and food drives that keep me occupy for sure, then once a month I go to Halifax to attend the 1st Halifax African Violets Society meetings, it was Heather favourite AVs club so I stayed on as secretary, I am still the secretary of my local Air Force wing Wood Hobby shop, where I will soon gives a few courses on hand tool woodworking.

Meanwhile Rudy and I have traveled together close to 20,000 Kms (you are going to have to ask Ken for the distance in miles :-) going to visit family and friends from Nova Scotia to New Brunswick, Quebec and Ontario...
Rudy has made many friends along the way, both of the 2 legs and 4 legs variety :-)

Meanwhile my life is slowly becoming normal, as if there was such a thing in my life???

Between all these events I have been putting off a small thing I long ago promised to a friend...
Well, I finally did it!

My local Post Office in downtown Kingston NS

Package being prepared for shipment...

On its way to Namibia, Africa

Yes for you sharp eye readers, the box it is being shipped in is a USPO box, I recycled it from a recent tool shipment from the States :-)

Merry Christmas Gerhard! hope it gets there in time...

Besides all that, I did some minor woodworking... well minor is right...
In anticipation of her final days at home we had replaced our bed in the bedroom with two single electric beds. What I did not knew was that it was not good enough, she still required a proper hospital bed...
Such proper bed was delivered to us by my legion, after she was gone our bedroom was kind of depressing... one small bed under a large queen size headboard I made for a previous house.
At times I did not want to sleep there it was too ... sad, I slept in the spare rooms.

Finally did something about it and bought myself a bed and new mattress set.
Yes I know, I am a woodworker and I could have build my own...
But at the rate I am going it would have meant sleeping on the floor for a while...so... One day I will replace it by my own creation.

The original beds, there are two electric adjustable beds side by side

in this set up under a leather upholstered queen size head board.

Imagine the scene with only one... :-(

Removed head board and fixed the wall

New bed being installed. There are only three planks under...

New bed and bedding in place. 

Is it just me or they really make new mattress set so bloody high 

that you almost need a ladder to climb in bed...?

Yes Rudy need a small step stool to get in :-)

Sure enough, these three small boards did not took long to cry Uncle, so I had to strip the bed to solidify it under. I suppose if you were just to lay still and fall asleep it would be ok but.... :-)

Made two more boards and legs to put under all 5 boards. I will probably replace that by something more substantial later, still not trusting it much to last.

Between all these trips and events our headstone got delivered and installed, I am very pleased how it turned out.

I had asked the engravers to leave my final date blank, 

I wanted it to be a surprise... :-)

The picture I choose for the porcelain cartouche.

That is how I wanted us to be remembered...

Then after a few false starts, due to inclement weather, Finally got to find the perfect spot to scattered some of her ashes with my son and a few friends.

I looked long and hard to find the perfect spot, it had to overlooked her favourite view. Everytime we came back from the city (Halifax), the first view of the valley overlooking cape Blomindon is what she wanted. When she saw that view she always said, we are home...

Her special place coming into view on the Highway 101 West.

The red arrow point to the spot I found thanks to a friend. 

I did not wanted to do it on the side of the highway, I wanted something more dignified and private and thanks to Jeanie I found it! It is truly the perfect place.

And it belongs to me... and other veterans :-)

It is called Veterans Memorial view park.

How appropriate, thank you citizen of Nova Scotia.

It is a small park with the view she so loved 

and I can visit anytime

 and sit on the bench to talk to her...

I scattered her ashes in the small plant garden and toward the view.
Note to oneself: when scattering ashes, it would be wise to check wind directions ...before proceeding... just saying :-)

Scattering ashes toward the view... 

Scattering ashes in the plant bedding

Due to the wind shifting directions on me, I got my fair share of her ashes on me, oh well I am sure she had a good laugh looking at me from above. For all I know it could have been her own doing, she was mischievous :-)

Well that is all folks, I will be returning to regular woodworking projects soon and I have a growing pile of tools awaiting research and documentation, cleaning and etc.

In the mean time, rest in peace Heather I missed you and love you