So it has been quite awhile since I even opened up this page. I ended up phoning my eldest to give me some heads up how to even open up my page..🤔🤔 One phone call and five minutes later and here I am😊!!!
   So what have I been doing with my life... The past three years have been pretty much tied up from May to December with working as a heavy duty equipment operator. This involves long hours, sometimes seven days a week. In the winter it's all about trying to finish up all those projects that I started and never finished. Hopefully only one more winter and all those loose ends will be done.
   I am still suffering from some of those persistent concussion issues. But slowly I am seeing improvements over the years! Thank the good Lord for that😄😡.
   The latest project I have committed myself to is.... model railroading.. I am not new to this hobby (passion). Thirty some odd years ago I pulled my ho scale model apart. Sold most everything off, but kept the basic layout.. After pulling the basic framework out of storage last fall.... Well the work began."..
   This ended up with some minor repairs to the basic framework, new legs with levellers. As I was slowly putting things together n the garage I came to the conclusion I should add one more section. This would enable me to add a harbour and a large bridge across the mouth of an inlet. An extra section would only add another 4'x5' section, to the other 4'x9' sections. This was all done with the wife's blessing😄.
   Now this did not look that large when all the sections were put together to make an L shape in the garage. Boy was I wrong. Disassembly in the garage and moved my project to it's home in the basement. After all it wouldn't,t take much room out our oversized family room! Oops????  Well it is here to stay, for now. Until we downsize. Just have to make sure the next house at least one room in the basement that is at least 14x14 or even a bit larger...😜
   Now considering all the advancement in technology, and I am starting from scratch with track switches (turnouts).  Yes I have decided to go to a DCC system. All the grades are complete. My next projects are to build all the bridges for the layouts. Yes I sold all the original bridges I had. Which is probably for the best... Now to get back to work so I can spend money on track, switches, and electronics... If I am lucky I will be able to start running my first train by Christmas!🤔

  Oh, it's good to be back home again!  Now to start putting things back in order and start concentrating on our spring projects..  That is, if 'Spring' finally arrives!
  Since we have been back at home the bathroom has been primed and painted.  Yes painted, only now Susan does not think the colour is quite right.  Quite right?  I believe I might be going crazy over this job, and yes Barb, this could turn into another living room paint jobs... 9 coats of paint to get the right shade.  Only this time I've been allowed to do the painting.  So the buck stops here!! Lol.  I have one final coat of paint to go on so the shade better be right.  Base board and toilet will be installed tomorrow.  Nicole and Nathan arrive with 'Kenzie' our newborn granddaughter on friday.  The job must be DONE!!!!
  After I paint the final coat of paint in the bathroom, I will try and work out a list of projects that still need to be done.  Then I can establish a timetable of what order I hope to accomplish them in.  This way I can hopefully keep things on track for getting the house sold early this summer.  Yes one less thing to worry about, as Susan and I try and accomplish our goal of Building the Simple life........

  Soon it will be daylight over Nicole and Nathan's swamp, not that they will have to notice any more.  With the bundle of joy that Nicole gave birth to on Saturday morning!! Yes, our latest grand-daughter has finally made her appearance.  Welcome to this world Kenzie Elaine-Marie!  Now her journey begins at the earliest stages of Building the Simple life.................

  We are now spending some time in Alberta.  Awaiting the arrival of our latest granddaughter????  These things seem to have to run there course and she will arrive when she is good and ready.  Something like her mother. LOL!!!!
  So far I have been lucky enough to shovel snow, which arrived from the west.  One day after our arrival from Saskatoon.  Albertan's have a way of making you feel right at home!!!!  I feel so lucky and appreciated by my family... Things seem to fairly bright outside now, and the weatherman is calling for plus temperatures by Thursday.  Let's hope this is the beginning of spring.
  After our arrival we managed to enjoy a great supper in Calgary with our Daughters and their families.  Yes it was just like spring on saturday evening, then as we left for church Sunday morning, 'God' reminded me, I should not be so smug at those I had just left behind in Saskatoon!  Prayers said, the weather is gradually improving...
  So now Susan and Jennifer are off visiting expectant 'Mom' (Nicole).  Salad is made and I am just waiting for the first of the grandson's to arrive home from school.  Today it seems life is simple and grand, Just the right pace for Building the Simple life..................

  March 1st is here, rolling in like a lamb!  Does that mean we will hear the lions roar at the end of the month at it's departure?  Well it did not happen last year, or for that matter the year before... Well since I've been keeping track in my little book (calendar)!  Something I started to do since my head injury.  Easy way to settle coffee shop arguments over wife's tales and folk lore in regards to weather.  The only one that seems to have a bit of consistency to it is the change in weather within three days of the full moon.  And that is only hitting about 50% of the time.
  Looks like another fabulous day across the land, as I can see the sun rising in the eastern sky!  Not much for cloud's up there right now.  So perhaps we will get up into the plus digits today, this should help with bringing on spring.  I have dug all but one small ditch through my mountains of snow, so when the melt begins, the water has an outlet to drain away from the house.  The last one I shall dig later this morning just as a back up ditch, just in case..... This is an extra overflow, which should take about an hour.
  Later today I will put the last things together, so when Susan gets home from work we can pack up the car.  This way, we will be ready to leave for our trip to Alberta.  After all, welcoming a new 'life' into this world is also part of Building the Simple life.....................

  Well I am back! The final test's are finally done... Just waiting for the results... 2 to 4 week's.. While we wait, Susan and I will be off to Calgary!  To see the arrival of our new granddaughter, who is due to arrive into this world March 6.  We will also be spending some time with our other daughter and grandson's in Airdrie.  This should provide some very exciting times for every one!
  What have I been doing with my time this winter you might ask?  Between shovelling 'SNOW' and more 'SNOW'.. (apparently 'God' felt it necessary that I needed extra physical conditioning) We have been slowly completing projects around the house.  With all the great help from my son and his wife we have managed to get all the tilling done in the main bathroom, just the final coat of paint to go on. Trim work and toilet to install and then we will be back to two full working bathrooms.  Then the slow tedious detail of filling nail holes on the trim detail's and the final coat of paint as we work our way back to the back entrance. Then final clean up, shampoo the carpets and the interior should be ready for sale.
  The next job will be finishing the landscaping in the front yard, hopefully the snow will be gone and I will be able to finish early in the season.
  Many plans have been changed and adapted throughout the course of the past three years.. A fine tuning you might say!  First the head injury, so now you have to deal with how your life has now changed.  You have 'no' choice!  You try and move on with new goals!
  So for now, Susan and I are really trying to fine tune our expectations, of keeping things very simple, and trying to focus our attention on Building the Simple life....................

  Wow it's daylight in the swamp, and where have I been?  I have been slowly trying to peace together where Susan and I go on from here.  Slowly working on the small projects around the house.  By keeping my brain activity down to zero, (my blog) I seem to get more accomplished around here in a day.
  My emotional state is running at an extremely high level right now waiting for the phone call/letter in the mail telling me of my date for my last test!  Once I pass this test, and I know I will!  Then finally I can get some of my driving privileges back, and get off of some of these drugs!!!
  With the roller coaster effect that this winter's weather has brought upon us, has also brought the same effect on my headaches.  So I am really looking forward to the new approach of getting off of these drugs.  Which are probably part of my problems, (side effects) and looking foreword to tackling the real issue, chronic migraine headaches!
  So if you don't hear from me for a while, don't panic!  Big brother has not taken me out... hahaha, I have not fallen off of the planet, nor have I turned into a hermit.  Just with the extra stresses of waiting, still trying to get things ready around here, we still would like to sell by next spring/summer.  Yes and then the excitement of Christmas fast approaching!  Oh, and then our second oldest phoning and telling us that baby "M" was definitely going to need things in pink!!  Susan finally get's 'her' wish!  To buy 'dainty', 'girly,' 'pink' baby things.  Oh my, just a little more confusion to our happy family, as we slowly work toward's our goal at Building the Simple life.........