Breakfast with friendssssssss

In preparation for next weekend's move to Lonsdale Cottage, I have spent the last two in the country with my head in several paint cans.

My formal sitting room / dining room is a stunning French silver. The lemon zest of the kitchen gives one a 'top o' the mornin' guvna' when you enter. 

The bright colour does a treat in making the 100+ year old McCleary cast iron stove 'pop' as it were. My back got a little pat this morning as I went into pioneer mode. The air had a wee nip and the floors felt like an ice rink as I stepped out of bed (really, rolled off an air mattress onto the floor) so I decided a fire was in order.

Success was had with one match, father and scouts taught me well, and I found myself sitting in the lone chair I have sitting next to the stove. Not wanting to stray far from the warm zone I put water in the kettle and bacon in the pan and both on warming iron surface. At the very least I thought I could 'hot the pot' and set my English Renaissance pot off to one side.

Smug satisfaction soon swelled my breast and I found myself with a whistling kettle, crisp bacon (that was kept warm in the, wait for it, warming drawer) and scrambled eggs and sautéed onions. All went down a treat. 

Despite winter firmly digging in it's heels, my actual birthday, a day I continue to take off from work in an effort to have it recognized as a national holiday, was rather warm. While in the garden clearing debris, I found myself sans fleece and in shirtsleeves. 

It must have been quite warm against limestone patio for I also found myself playing host to no less than 25 slithering garter snakes. Initially they were one swarming snake pile, I assume to keep warm, but were soon everywhere I seemed to be. 

Thankfully they didn't seem attracted to warmth of my rubber boots or the pointy end of my pitchfork and steered a clear path. "They're good pest control" I kept telling myself. "Oh, we find them in the house all the time" the neighbour said. "Come again?" Oh dear. 

The sun is out again today and I hope to begin a catch and release program. Catch them here and release oh I don't know, along the side of the 401. Or maybe the parking lot of a certain en route that messed up my order last time. 

For a first encounter with critters of the country, I will take this mildly pleasant experience. There were no injuries, no damage and no death. 

I did notice a little hole in the soffit around the back of the house. Something, something with teeth and claws, has clearly decided to make a home up there. Next weekend, I get to find out what it is and evict it!