Back in the 21st Century!

Well we finally got back into the 21st Century, no more snowy CTV or CBC, no more $600 cell phone bills and of course my beloved Internet and email; which I can't seem to live without!


This is our radio dish for bringing in our Internet and VOIP phone. As you can see it is mounted on the back deck and pointed North towards the Platinum tower near Vienerville. Until we got the satellite TV installed we were watching most of our programing over the Internet. With the VOIP phone we saved $500, installation cost from Telus, not to mention the $30 a month phone bill with unlimited, free, long-distance calling!


Our Bell Express VU dish which just catches the satellite in the southern sky. No more complaining from the wife and kids that they have nothing to watch! When I'm home its only ever on 2 channels; WildTV (nothing but hunting) and World Fish Network (you guessed it, nothing by fishing)!

Chores!

Besides hauling garbage into Dunmore once a week, some of the other chores I find myself doing on my days off are; hauling compost out to the back, taking the recycling into town and hauling water! This in addition to the "honey-do-list"!

This is the easy way of hauling water, 1,000 gallons at a time! If I fall behind I borrow a friends tank and trailer. Our cistern will hold 3,600 gallons. This saves us $75, the cost of getting a water truck to fill the tank when the low level alarm goes off at 1,000 gallons remaining.

We purchased a 185 gallon "turtle tank" that sits in the back of the truck, with this I can keep the tank topped up by hauling a load on my way home from work.

The cost? 1,000 gallons costs $4 and the "turtle tank" costs $1 to fill!

As the Sun Rises!

Its a little easier getting up out here, the sunrise is just as spectacular as the sunsets! Especially when I don't have to go to work!


The eastern sky starts to brighten as the sun begins its journey across the southern sky.


The kids rush to board the bus on their commute to school.


I sit at the kitchen table to eat breakfast and stare out the back window as people speed by on the 120 and the distant Trans Canada Highway.

Who's been sleeping in my bed?

Erinn had to give up her bed over the weekend so her little cousin Ben could sleep there, she slept in her sleeping bag on the floor in mom & dad's room.


We had some entertaining entertainment on the ridge while Ben was here.


Ben is quite the little singer, even though he can't talk yet!

Happy Halloween!

Carolyn took the Queen, Pirate and Snow White to town to collect some candy, they came home with quite the haul, Erinn's bag of loot weighed as much as her! We only had 2 kids come to the house, the neighbour girls came over.


Erinn with the pumpkin her and dad carved at school!


We even had a black cat visit us for Halloween. "Chachie" hitched a ride home, unbeknown to us, in the back of the truck. We're sure Blair hid him in there but he won't admit to it.

Less Desirable Visitors!

Here's some less desirable visitors we have hanging around!


Snake in the grass!


Cat on the back deck!

Recent visitors to The Ridge.

We had some visitors to The Ridge over the last week; Grandpa & Grandma were out and Andrew & Ben came for supper one day. All were in awe of the peace & quiet out here as well as the finished house, none had seen the finished product yet! Mom & dad sat on the back deck a few nights and enjoyed the lights of the city as well as the serenity of the prairie; mind you they are already used to the quietness coming from small-town Saskatchewan!


Erinn goofing with her favorite uncle!


Ben being a character!


The grandkids chowing down with Grandma & Grandpa!


Grandma & Grandpa enduring the prairie wind!
Over Grandma's right shoulder is The Ridge.