Fall

Fall has fallen. With a thud. One day it is 29C (whatever in the 80sF) and the next day, we get up to a high of 16C (61F). No transition. No gradual decrease in the daily high temperature. Just smacked in the face with cooler temps.

But last week... Well!!! The weather was spectacular! It was hothothot and blazingly sunny. I think we hit 33C one day and the rest were pretty close to that. The sky was clear for the most part, with only the odd fluffy cloud passing by.

Thursday morning was an early one for the hot air balloon ride. Up at 5:30 a.m. as we had to be at the launch site by 7:00. It was clear. The sun wasn't even up yet, but the eastern horizon was lightening and you could not see a cloud anywhere. The balloon ride was a blast and both the MoS and I agreed that it is something we would love to do again. Perhaps a sunset flight the next time.

(We were on the far side, just under that tree in the middle.)

Friday was still smokin' hot so we toodled off to the beach at a local park for the afternoon. Very peaceful as most kids were back in school. There were a few people there, mostly adults with preschool aged children, older couples and a few small groups of kids who had finished high school but were not doing anything else. Packed a picnic lunch, wandered into the water for a dip when it got too hot, people watched, chatted, just lazed around. Ah, it was grand!

Saturday morning we took a road trip out to Falcon Lake to view a cottage that is one of the main prizes in the local large hospital's annual fundraising lottery. Now THAT is a house (I don't think you can call this thing a cottage!) and it is gorgeous! Right on the lake, with a boathouse and a dock. The view is fantastic!!! We fantasized about having that place, let me tell you!

On the way back home, we stopped to view the other grand prize, which is a home in a posh neighbourhood in the city. The big thing here is building areas with little 'lakes' that the houses back on to. Of course, if you don't fence in the yard, this means you have gazillions of Canada geese crapping all over your yard and getting cranky if you shoo them away. (Having a Border Collie dog would come in handy.) It's a lovely home but ultra modern in style and decor, which really didn't appeal to me. But hey, I'd live in it if I won it! Might sell it after a year, though. This is a million dollar home, after all. The 'cottage' is just under a million ($925K). The cottage I would keep, the house I'd probably sell, if I won one of them. Nice to wander through them and have a look and dream the dream!

Sunday was a day to just do stuff around the house (his). He cut the grass while I went to the grocery store to pick up things needed to make supper. It was still hot and sunny so we made the most of the weather! We spent the afternoon sitting in lawn chairs in the back yard in the shade of a big elm tree, enjoying a few drinks and just talking and laughing. It was lovely!

Monday morning saw the MoS heading back to work and me back to my apartment, where the cats gave me a talking to about leaving them on their own for 3 1/2 days. I think Lila was telling me about all the fun she had, and Pips gave me hell for not being around to scratch her neck and make my lap available when she required it!