Do bears sh1t in the woods...?

Yes they do - although we've not seen any evidence yet - just rustlings in the bushes! (Scared the shit out of me but was probably only a deer!) Oh - & the H-J's no longer use the woods either... phew...

But we have found lots of coyote poo & there seems to be a competition between 'Wile E Coyote' & Bob Jones as to who can poo the biggest & best at the 'Pooh Crossroads' on Tickle Trout Lodge meadows!!

Spotted a lovely woodpecker yesterday & a few bald eagles crossing the meadows too. The leaves are turning gorgeous colours: red, pink, orange, gold, lime etc.

It's Canadian Thanksgiving here this weekend & we've been invited out with Chuck & Ann, Sharon & David for Thanksgiving lunch at the Lakes Restaurant - sounds lovely & then everone takes the Monday off (well Ian isn't as he's helping Chuck & another neighbour Ian build Chucks deck - then its national voting day + the H-J's will be doing their Road Driving Test @9.30 & 10.30am in Baddeck - which has 1 crossroad, no traffic lights, a few pedestrian crosswalks & the odd left turn! So wish us luck - we'll need it!

I've been taking photos - but alas don't have my photo card reader with us - its in the container somewhere - which won't be delivered for a few more weeks.

Hit a problem with the great idea of shipping out our new (gorgoeus) 'Godin' enamelled wood burning stove... looks like the Canadians have regulations shooting out of their ......!

'It must be to Canadian code (ULC), must be fitted by a certain trained engineed (WETT), must be at the end of the apex of the house DOH!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Or you won't get insurance cos your house may burn down.'

So not to be defeated we're waiting for the French manufacturers to get back to us to advise what safety code it's been made to & then see if the Canadian authorities will accept this - the French company export to Canada & US so I think we may be OK... or have no insurance - either way - my Godin is going in - even if Ian needs to train to do the WETT test (should have put that another way!!)

I'm checking out flights in Jan back to old Blighty so look out UK I'll be in the vicinity from 27th Jan (mothers 80th birthday) until 2nd Jan - then off to Hampton Court Palace for a visit with Deb & hopefully Vic - should be a laff...

Yesterday I mixed 4 bags of concrete for the platform for my lovely Gargoyles, when they arrive - quite pleased with my efforts as it was all by hand, on my own & the 1st time I'd done it...& that reminds me - I've decided to make my own bread cos we're not too keen on the bread here... (now bear in mind that I burn boiled eggs & boiled rice!!) So I'm building myself up to it - have ordered the bread tins of good old ebay, bought some organic flour, found Delia's 'SIMPLE' white or wholemeal bread recipie - need to buy some yeast, neighbour Sharon has donated a huge stoneware bowl to the cause... now I just need to be in the mood... not sure when that'll be but I'll post the results on the blog in the near future! We will get our dental insurance up to date before sampling begins.

BOB n Erik the Viking (who should haved been called Popeye as he's massive!) say hello folks & Ian's busy building the magnificent dog pen. Photos to follow...

Love to all

the H-J's