Let Nothing 'Dull my Sparkle'!

I finally got my mower back - yay! It was a sunny autumn day, the leaves were dry and the conditions perfect for bagging them, so I leapt on. It was like being reunited with an old friend - but it felt different. The slack belt had been replaced with a new tight one, it made engaging the blade more a deliberate arm movement than a casual flick of the lever. The revs were higher, not like the old familiar chug I knew so well.
Still, it worked and I drove lap after lap stopping to empty the bagger each time until......something started grinding - a noise I was unfamiliar with. Then it stopped. Rather the mower stopped going forward even though the engine was still running, it wouldn't go backwards either. I was bewildered.
A week of expensive labour and an exorbitant bill and the stupid thing worked for 20 minutes! Really? The guy is coming back today to mend it, I hope.
Not to let that set-back dull my sparkle, I decided to venture in to the old family homestead which is derelict. It is home to many squirrels in the roof and any other passing wild creature in need of shelter. After we moved here, I took a photo of the old place and sent it to my Mother telling her this was the 'Granny Annexe', the name has stuck ever since!





We have used it over the years to store not-too-precious items such as the steps to the pool, our bicycles, pipe, flower pots and a plastic sunbed. I always shout loudly as I approach the house, there is one way in and one way out and I certainly wouldn't want to corner a skunk or raccoon in there. The roof is now falling in and I picked my way across the floor littered with nuts, bolts, roof tiles and general garbage.
The woman who sold us our house actually lived in there until 1979 with her husband and 3 children. She told me that if she mopped the kitchen floor in the winter, a layer of ice would stay on it until it melted in the spring. I moan if the thermostat goes below 67F! We don't know how good we've got it.
Anyway I rummaged around and on a friend's advice decided to pull some treasures out to sell.
I'd accumulated about 100' of hose over the years to water all the trees I planted, there was also a load of black pipe and Pex pipe, a sump pump, hundreds of flower pots - all worth a few dollars, so I intend to advertise them next week with fingers all crossed!
Today I am packing, not only ornaments into boxes, but also a suitcase. We are off on a road-trip this evening in search of a new home hundreds of miles away.
I am making the King of all picnics to take and sustain us for the 14 or so hours on the road. My daughter and I need to make sure we leave on time otherwise my husband will become the clock-watching tyrant and won't let us stop at every Tim Horton's or photo opportunity we see.
She will take over the whole back seat with her pillow, blanket, DVD player, books, iPod, iPad, snacks and drinks.
Oh to be a kid again.... I think I might join her!


p.s. No Blog tomorrow, too busy watching DVDs from the back seat - sorry!