We are Open!!!

WHERE ARE WE? Rivers Provincial Park, Rivers Manitoba

Today's the Day!!!   We will be open every day for the next 127 days or so.  We don't actually have to work that hard anymore because we have great employees.  Our job is more as quality control, and trying to keep everything running smooth which can be a challenge at time.  And oh yes we do want to make a little money for our efforts as well.  Things like social media which Sheri does a great job, to making online menu's which Jill did this year.  

  

I did a quick decalcification of the coffee pot and made sure the slushie machine is working.  This afternoon is not that warm so we didn't have a lot of customers, but we did have some who had to come, no matter how cold it is.

Next I had to swap solar controllers to see if I can determine if the one in RRV is working properly.  When I was done everything kicked in and worked perfectly.

We did have a little problem with a little bit of overloading on the umbilical cord connections. This can happen if the connections are not really and because of the cold weather we are using 2 electric heater all day and night.  Sheri picked up a new one at Princess Auto and we are back in business.  That was our day.  Good Nite!!!

Up Early Again!!!

WHERE ARE WE? Rivers Provincial Park, Rivers Manitoba

Well let the routine of the summer begin.  That stupid supply truck was back this morning like we had never missed a Thursday morning.  AND he was early this morning cause he didn't have some of the customers before us today.  Thursdays will be just like last year.  We actually enjoy our time with the Pratts guys in the morning.  We discuss everything that has happened over the past week over a coffee before they head out again.

This was the first order of the season so we got quite a bit of stuff.  When we get the shipment, whoever unloads just puts away the fridge and freezer stuff, which is the most of it.  

While we were unloading the sun came up and it is always pretty over the calm lake.  It actually didn't feel that cold out this morning.

We sat around and had another coffee because there was no time to go back to bed.  Sheri had to leave for work at about 7:15 so that was right around the corner.

In the afternoon I did a few things to get us closer to opening.  I picked up the coffee pot from Kaitlyn's and got it set up.

Then I got busy and put the mower deck on the lawn tractor and got busy blowing some grass and leaves around.  We have to get it cleaned up so we can place the picnic tables.

Then a trip into town to pickup some hamburger.  I happened to look in the meat case and hamburger was almost $23.00 per kg!!!!  We have made a deal based on the fact that we use lots of hamburger for a much lower price.   Even the lower price is about $4.00 more a kg than we paid last year.

Sheri came to the shack after she got home from work and worked for a few hours doing prep work. We have to make a bunch of hamburger patties and portion out things like perogies, chicken fingers, mozza sticks, and dill pickle spears.  We are appreciating her help.

I took Archie for a run with the car.  He loves to run in the ditch behind the car and sometimes gets waylaid digging a gopher.  If he does that sometimes I just leave him and he comes home on his own.  He can run fairly fast with those little short legs!!!  That was it for today.  Good Nite!!!

Well That Was Fast!!!

WHERE ARE WE? Rivers Provincial Park, Rivers Manitoba

Today I had my annual appointment with my dermatologist.  A few years ago I had some problems with some sun spots on my forehead and was referred to this dermatologist.  It was nothing, but now I get a scheduled appointment ever year with him.   I am interested to see what Dr. Sneath has to say about my ear.

Well he came into the examination room and immediately was interested in my ear friend.  He agreed that this was not a cancer concern but did take a biopsy of a sore on my arm.   I told him about the surgeon appointment coming up in late August and he said "no no no this needs to be way sooner!"  He said he can pull some strings and to give him a couple hours to do his magic.  He always likes to spray a few spots with nitro just because it hurts!!!  He said goodbye and will see me in late September again to see how the ear looks.  True to his word, another surgeons office called in about an hour and I now have my appointment moved up to June 10!!!  That will be easier to wait for only 1 month rather than 3.  

We made a few stops in Brandon on the way home and got some supplies.  Home Depot was one of them along with Princess Auto.

Dani got busy blowing off the golf course.  It is starting to look real nice.  The grass is starting to green up real good.

I did a few things like fixing tires on my trolley that I use for wood deliveries.  

We also strung out a garden hose to the beach bathroom because our regular water line is still frozen underground.  That will get the Shack by until the other line thaws out.

We spent the evening with some more SOA.  We are at the point where there is lots of killing going on but we have come this far so we will see it through. 

We Are Getting Ready Slowly

WHERE ARE WE? Rivers Provincial Park, Rivers Manitoba

I'm not sure how much more of this white stuff I can handle.  I have not been so cold for a long long time.  I'm sure our power bill will be massive running all these electric heaters and then using propane on top of it.  But I refuse to be cold in my own house.

I miss the beach

He misses the beach.

Of course just like it was meant to be just to add insult to injury we emptied our propane bottle and I had to go outside to put a new one on.  My hands were frozen by the time I got it changed.  

We are getting to the point where it doesn't matter if its cold we have to get the Shack in shape for opening on Friday.  Our suppliers regional manager dropped by to bring us some price sheets and discuss our needs for the season.  We are one of the biggest ice cream sellers in his region.  We buy about $2000 worth of supplies from him every week.

 

We had to do some ordering from Superstore and Pratts so the girls set to work on that.  The rest of the time was spent cleaning off the deck and getting things organized.

Got the fryer up and running.

This is where music in the park will happen.

I am excited to get the coffee maker set up again.  We got the coffee shipment today so just need the water hooked up.

Sheri invited me over for supper tonight and after supper we played some "Play Nine"  That was it for today.  Lets do it again tomorrow.  Good Nite!!!

Some pie to finish a great supper.

They all want to beat me.

A Story to Tell

WHERE ARE WE? Rivers Provincial Park, Rivers Manitoba

Well I have a little story to tell today.  I haven't said much about this until now because there was not a lot to report.  The pictures are a little gross but they are part of the story.  Over the last 3 months or so I have developed a growth on my ear.  It does not hurt nor is it infected but it bleeds at the drop of a hat.  If I catch my hoodie or my pillow on it, it will start to bleed and the only way I know it is bleeding is when it starts dripping all over my shirt or pillow.  Very aggravating.  

I checked it out in Mexico with my Dr in March and he informed me that he was pretty sure that it was not cancer. He offered to personally take me to Tepic to his plastic surgeon and for a fee of 60000 pesos it will be gone.  Well that is about $4800.00 Cnd.  Not a big price when a plastic surgeon is involved.  And the big thing is that it would all happen within 3 days.  I don't know if I made the right decision but I decided to wait until I got back to Canada to have it looked at and get another opinion.  So I had a Dr appointment with my GP to start the process.  My GP had a look and agreed that it is very unlikely that it is cancerous so that is 2 Drs agreeing.  He gave it a name that is longer than the alphabet!!  My Dr said he would set up a referral to an ear surgeon in Brandon and later that afternoon I got a call confirming a surgery date of August 22.  That is over 3 months!!!  Now I am thinking maybe I should of had it dealt with in Mexico!!! Hind sight is always 20/20.  Oh well we will see what happens.

We spent the rest of the afternoon trying to stay warm and still get a few things done in the shack.  I got the propane heater going today and it kept us from shivering while doing some chores.  That was it for the day.  Good Nite!!!