Cougar in the yard next door!! Wow. Nov 9 - 15

Monday we hunkered down while the cold wind blew. I did a batch of pork ribs in the Traeger. It took longer than usual due to the cold air outside ... something I will have to take into account using the smoker during the winter. lol They turned out delicious though.

We took Freya over to the park for her afternoon stroll. She sure loves her sticks!

Noticed an actual paddle boarder in front of us on the lake. BRRRRR. All of 4C.

Tuesday morning, we anticipated a bit of snow overnight but it did not develop here. The tops of the mountains around us are all white though. A very cloudy/foggy to begin the day. I am reorganizing drawers and cupboards, after moving here over 2 years things have migrated and I need to put things where I want them if I use them a lot. Still baking items made with the apples we were given. Today a skillet apple and gingerbread cake. Delicious. A make again.

Picture from Google

I also reorganized my pantry so I know what I have before I go shopping tomorrow. :)

Wednesday, out the door early by 7:30am to run up to Costco. They now have reinstated seniors shopping from 8 to 9 am. What a lovely shopping experience with hardly anyone in the store and no lineups to check out. We did a little more shopping at Cabela's and Canadian Tire and back home by 12 noon. We did pause at 10:50 am and parked with the radio on to the Remembrance Service on CKNW and did our moment of silence. Ray and I would have been at a service if we were allowed to go this year. These are pictures from the service we attended here in Lake Cowichan in 2018.

I later drove by our cenotaph in Lake Cowichan. They did not have any ceremony but people did lay wreaths all week.

 Ray received a call from our gardener that a cougar had been sighted in the subdivision this morning at the first house coming in the gate and then the next house ... Well, I had Freya out at 4pm in the back yard playing and noticed the tail of a cougar next door!!!! Ran in the house and told Ray.  On our sundeck we looked at their yard and there it was, laying down beside their gazebo! A little too close.

Here it the picture they took next door with a better view!

We found out later that it even went on another house's sundeck and then was spotted trying to find a hole in our hedge along the driveway for the subdivision to get out. He or she is very healthy looking so it makes me wonder why it's hanging around here when there are tons of deer around. The people whose deck it actually went on, called the local authorities and they are keeping an eye out for it and we are supposed to call if we see it again.

Thursday, the predicted rain started about 8:30 am. Freya not too happy about having to stay inside instead of staying on her mat outside the basement door waiting for Ray to throw her stick. An inside  day for us as I wait for my new fridge to arrive. Finally after 3 months I will have a fridge working again in my kitchen!

The delivery guys arrived at 11:30 am. We left the gate open for the truck and hopefully the cougar leaves our development now!

The two guys carried the new fridge in with straps hooked to them! Took the old one out the same way.

Glad they came this morning because by 1 pm the rain was just teaming down outside. Now I wait until tomorrow and move my things back into the fridge in the kitchen. Finally! This one better work. It started making ice within 3 hours ... yeah!

Friday, still raining in the morning but by 10 am there were some breaks in the clouds and the odd sunny break. New fridge purring along great and I loaded it up from the other fridges I used. What a treat to have the milk for your cereal right in the kitchen instead of out in the garage. lol

Saturday woke up to some sunny breaks but cold at -1C. Today Kristi and Jason came for dinner as it is Ray's birthday tomorrow so we shall celebrate today. Prime Rib on the rotisserie. The kids arrived at 3 and we had a great visit while I finished with dinner. The beast hit the table at 5:30. A great evening which we finished with birthday cake and watched a movie. Of course I forgot to take pictures. lol

Wind gusts predicted to 88km here tomorrow ... I think there will be power outages on the island tomorrow night for some. Thankfully we will stay warm and dry if that happens. Monday it is predicted to have 50-75 mm of rain. That is 2" in one day. The lake definitely will be rising.

Happy Birthday Ray!

Sunday morning overnight there was a big thunder and lightning event. Of course Freya was not too excited about that! At 6am there was another very loud boom right above the house. That was it ... all the dogs were up. lol

After everyone drank their limit of coffee, I made Eggs Benedict for breakfast. A lovely relaxing morning. 

Weather still pretty iffy outside. By 10:30 the kids headed back to Nanaimo. Kristi has a bunch of paperwork to do. Ray and I decided to bring out all the boxes of Christmas stuff from the garage so I could see what I actually have. Some of the stuff got put up and Ray worked on lights outside as the rain quit for awhile. This was also to see what else we needed to buy before the stores empty out this year! lol

Ray received birthday wishes from Stella this morning. She sure is growing, 6 months old today.

A very blustery day, lots of rain squalls came through. Glad I am not cooking outside today!

And another week goes by. Forecast for the next week pretty wet. We will have to develop webbed feet. lol