The Summer Doldrums

[KIWILEAFFAN]

My brother has just returned to Canada after a surprise visit. He has lived back there since 91-92 first time I have seen him since then.

He also rates the coffee here. His food thing he missed most was our meat pies. He wants to start a buisness over there selling them. He reckons there is nothing like them in Canada?
Could be a good idea.

Eggs benny. My wife makes the best I have had, hands down. I only supply the cold smoked salmon or wild pork bacon.
I spend a bit of time making my own sausages, bacon, jerky and cold or hot smoking fish.
Just made some mallard duck (our duck season has just opened) jerky the other day. Not bad if I say so.
Gunna try Canada goose next. We have a few eating the new grass on the family farms.
Do you dry suit over your way or can you use a 7mm wetty?
Be pretty cold no?

 

[garce]

Last 2 chances to be drunk uncle at niece/nephews weddings. Been a good run but time to pass the torch.

 

[KIWILEAFFAN]

I used to be a Dive Master. Worked for a half year at a dive centre down in Cozumel too. Haven't been diving for ~6-7 years now. It's a great hobby, but also expensive and takes a lot of planning/effort to go do.

Not too expensive here. I replaced most of my gear recently for around 2k Nz.
Approx $40 CAD

I have a compressor to fill my own tanks. So the only cost to me apart from yearly hydro and tank checks is fuel for vehicle and boat.
As for planning I just have a look at the conditions and if they're good, I go and get wet.

 

[member 300185]

I used to be a Dive Master. Worked for a half year at a dive centre down in Cozumel too. Haven't been diving for ~6-7 years now. It's a great hobby, but also expensive and takes a lot of planning/effort to go do.

True, expensive. But I have had some luck the last couple of years so that is not an issue. The effort and planning part is part of the fun for me. We love planning trips....then never following the itinerary.

 

[taurine330]

Pretty regular summer I would say. I have nothing special planned. Work, concerts & festivals, and playing outside with my daughter.

 

[hfman]

What are your plans for the summer? I will check in from time to time to track any of the Leafs signings.

Question applies to all ages on the forums.

I'm about to turn 55 and I just bought a 2018 Harley Davidson Heritage Classic. My plans are to put as many K's on the bike as possible this summer. The wife and I plan on visiting the beach lots. Picnic in the saddle bags. Blanket in the trunk. Its my second Harley and my 50th bike.

I am a master Scuba diver and I plan on being in the water as often as I can. I got my permit this year to check out some wrecks off of Sable Island. That was a lot of red tape.

I also have a house that I need to finish siding and I have been putting it off far too long.

In November, the wife and I are planning a trek up Mt Kilimanjaro. We have already climbed 3 of the 7 summits conquering Mount Kosciuszko in Australia, Mont Blanc in France and Denali in Alaska. I think we are the only maritimers to do it over the age of 50. Everest costs about $60 k and Mt Vinson in Antartica costs nearly as much so we will have to wait a year or two for those.

So thats pretty much what I will be up to. How about you? I'd love to hear all about your summer.

Do you have kids?

 

[nsleaf]

Play as much golf as possible and a trip to Italy to celebrate 30 years of marriage.

 

[The Podium]

Never been diving, but plan on going for a fun dive in Thailand in a few weeks. Should be fun.

After that, golf as much as possible and head up to the cottage or camping every weekend.

 

[member 300185]

Do you have kids?

Grown and out

 

[ObscureAlien]

What are your plans for the summer? I will check in from time to time to track any of the Leafs signings.

Question applies to all ages on the forums.

I'm about to turn 55 and I just bought a 2018 Harley Davidson Heritage Classic. My plans are to put as many K's on the bike as possible this summer. The wife and I plan on visiting the beach lots. Picnic in the saddle bags. Blanket in the trunk. Its my second Harley and my 50th bike.

I am a master Scuba diver and I plan on being in the water as often as I can. I got my permit this year to check out some wrecks off of Sable Island. That was a lot of red tape.

I also have a house that I need to finish siding and I have been putting it off far too long.

In November, the wife and I are planning a trek up Mt Kilimanjaro. We have already climbed 3 of the 7 summits conquering Mount Kosciuszko in Australia, Mont Blanc in France and Denali in Alaska. I think we are the only maritimers to do it over the age of 50. Everest costs about $60 k and Mt Vinson in Antartica costs nearly as much so we will have to wait a year or two for those.

So thats pretty much what I will be up to. How about you? I'd love to hear all about your summer.

Obligatory:

 

[TheDoldrums]

Hello.

 

[diceman934]

My wife and I are going to Europe for 6 weeks this summer we will stop in Dublin for 5 days and then go to the Amalfi coast for 10 days then to Venice for 4 days then a 7 day Mediterranean Cruise . Then Crete for a week then a few one or two days in Rome etc.

Looking for a gun and a mask to help pay for this trip.

 

[Maplebeasts]

I plan on going on a roadtrip with my girlfriend in August. We're going down to my families' place in Florida for a few weeks then driving around the states for another week or so after that. We've been together for 2 years now and are both graduated from school. We're saving up for a place. I'm thinking about proposing.

 

[Thissiteisgarbage]

Leaving the wife at home and going to Vegas in August.

 

[moon111]

Work. Come home and do yard work. Sleep. Wait for winter.

 

[taurine330]

I plan on going on a roadtrip with my girlfriend in August. We're going down to my families' place in Florida for a few weeks then driving around the states for another week or so after that. We've been together for 2 years now and are both graduated from school. We're saving up for a place. I'm thinking about proposing.

 

[Maplebeasts]

Yeah life is good.

 

[meefer]

I’m spending the next two months recovering from the double total knee replacement procedures I had done yesterday.

 

[member 300185]

My brother has just returned to Canada after a surprise visit. He has lived back there since 91-92 first time I have seen him since then.

He also rates the coffee here. His food thing he missed most was our meat pies. He wants to start a buisness over there selling them. He reckons there is nothing like them in Canada?
Could be a good idea.

Eggs benny. My wife makes the best I have had, hands down. I only supply the cold smoked salmon or wild pork bacon.
I spend a bit of time making my own sausages, bacon, jerky and cold or hot smoking fish.
Just made some mallard duck (our duck season has just opened) jerky the other day. Not bad if I say so.
Gunna try Canada goose next. We have a few eating the new grass on the family farms.
Do you dry suit over your way or can you use a 7mm wetty?
Be pretty cold no?

I've never used a dry suit. I wear a top but no pants. And, you can get away with no top either in certain spots but once you go down below 10 meters it gets pretty chilly. The south side and open Atlantic side of Nova Scotia is much colder than the Northumberland Strait. Most wrecks that are worth diving are below 10 meters so a top is recommended. There is a place off NS called Sable Island. Some of the best wrecks in the world are there including old pirate ships. But you need a permit to dive there. I am going there in a month. Sable Island is home to about 400 wild horses. Sometimes those numbers go up or down depending on the winters.

As for the coffee, I have been to 32 countries including Columbia and no one makes coffee like NZ. There is a coffee shop outside of Blenheim towards the harbour about mid way and it is the best I have ever had. The mocha's are extremely creamy and tasty.

Not a big fan Lamb though and the family I was staying with ate it almost every day. I worked there building a dog kennel for VinView kennels. The place was huge. The kennel I build holds 50 dogs. There were already 2 others there.

I spent 3 weeks in Auckland. We went up the tower there. Some amazing Tai restaurants there. I have pictures of the entire Weta workshop and museum. And of course you dont go to NZ without seeing Hobbiton. lol

 

[member 300185]

I’m spending the next two months recovering from the double total knee replacement procedures I had done yesterday.

Yikes! That would suck. Dont they usually only do one at a time?

 

[member 300185]

Work. Come home and do yard work. Sleep. Wait for winter.

 

[member 300185]

I plan on going on a roadtrip with my girlfriend in August. We're going down to my families' place in Florida for a few weeks then driving around the states for another week or so after that. We've been together for 2 years now and are both graduated from school. We're saving up for a place. I'm thinking about proposing.

Dont do it!! Marriage totally ruins great relationships. I did it 3 times.....but I am pretty stupid. lol

 

[member 300185]

Do you have kids?

We have 4. I have a 25 year old daughter in Germany. I have a 32 year old daughter in Sarnia Ont. We have 2 boys living at home. One is 22 and the other is 19. Our 19 year old is 6'9. Loves hockey and hates basketball. He was 6'6 at 14 and still growing, but they are self sufficient. Both work.

 

[sparxx87]

Not too expensive here. I replaced most of my gear recently for around 2k Nz.
Approx $40 CAD

I have a compressor to fill my own tanks. So the only cost to me apart from yearly hydro and tank checks is fuel for vehicle and boat.
As for planning I just have a look at the conditions and if they're good, I go and get wet.

The compressor makes your mix? I never even thought of getting my own - it’d be great for the cottage. Numerous times I’ve had friends want to try and just didn’t have air or a sober enough driver.

I’m going to Europe for 24 days and NY for 10.... aside from that it’s cottage, beach, and playing with my daughter. She’s become a basketball prodigy so we’ll spend a lot of time working on that.

 

[meefer]

Yikes! That would suck. Dont they usually only do one at a time?

Normally, yes but I’d managed to make a mess of both over the years and decided injifor a penny in for a pound. It is going to bo a challenge.