A Trip Back In Time

Saturday was a quick trip back in time. Theresa, Doris and I drove up to McKellar Lake to visit our daughter and her hubby. We were delivering a set of beds I made over the past few days. This trip was clearly a trip in the past as I first moved into Ontario in 1957 to become the principal of Magnetawan Public School. The area around this part of Parry Sound District holds fond memories from the past.

McKellar Village had a good ball field and our team from the Mag used to play there on a regular basis. After the game we used to have a swim in the nearby lake and cool off. Nearby Ardbeg was one of the tiny church groups that I used to service from time to time. The whole area was my hunting ground in the fall when partridge were plentiful and my landlady used to cut them up and make a most wonderful stew. She had a German Swiss background and everything she cooked had a distinct flavour. She used to add sausage to the stew. Sounds weird but it tasted wonderful.

Theresa and I decided to take Doris, our 95 year old mother, with us to show her the cottage and the beautiful lakes. It was a good decision as she loved every minute and never slept a wink on the 3 hour drive each way.

Things have changed up in Parry Sound District from when I lived there 55 years ago, but the natural beauty of the area remains. The roads are more modern and carve ugly scars on the land but when the sun shines on the blue water of the lakes there are few places that can match it for raw beauty.

We hope to return soon to once again soak up mother natures masterpiece and share some time with family.

Reversing Falls Saint John.

One of the rare wonders of the world is the reversing falls in Saint John, New Brunswick. Th Saint John River flows into the Bay of Fundy right smack in the center of the city. Here the tide is the highest in the world and sometimes reaches 58 feet. When the Bay is at low tide the water rushing out of the river makes a waterfall of considerable height. When the Bay is at high tide the water flows into the river and creates a waterfall flowing inward.

Ships travelling upstream or downstream choose the time when the tide equalizes the water flow and there is no current to speak of. This has been a tourist attraction and most people travelling East make a stop to see this rare occurrence.

Are You From Away

The most frequently asked question  of me this time home in Cape Breton was "are you from away?" As Theresa and I mingled with the folks down home we were engaged in conversation numerous times with complete strangers. Walking on the boardwalk in Sydney or in the local stores people were so friendly that you become aware that maybe we stood out in the crowd. Maybe it was the way we walked or maybe we looked lost or needed help but in any case we became immediate friends with total strangers.

As we were going to breakfast one morning a lady asked us many questions in two minutes and was prepared to continue the conversation were we willing. The people with whom we were obligated to converse with such as the food servers were so friendly that we were impressed the Maritime people were always known as friendly people but since the economy has centered around the tourist industry the whole community seems to have taken the hospitality course.

We love to hear good things about ourselves and the comments we gleaned from people from away almost unanimously said the most charming thing about their Maritime trip was the people. Being from away causes the people from down home to put their best foot forward and it really shows. What is best about it is that it is not put on but genuine good manners and friendliness coming from the heart. I was so proud to be from away but still a down homer at heart.

Travelling With Friends

This was the second time Theresa and I took a cruise with long time friends. Although there are thousands of people travelling on the ship it can be lonely if you are without some contacts. With friends you are able to have meals together and share time at the special events.

We played mini golf and cards on several occasions and shared our experiences when we alone.It is good to meet for breakfast and plan the events of the day. On this voyage I was unable to take part in some of the really nice events like dancing as my body was not quite ready. I refer to dance lessons which were given by great instructors and we were looking foreword to improving our floor moves. Theresa however never missed and promises to teach me when I am ready.

There is little free time on a cruise as numerous events call you to take part. With friends you have people to share many of the special attractions. On this trip we took time to enjoy the shore visits with long walks and picture taking. It is amazing how far you can travel when you are seeing new things and forgetting the time.We had a good time and it was made better by sharing it with friends.

Missed Opportunities

Being a resident of Florida for half the year is a wonderful opportunity to live in a summer climate year round. In my case it afforded me the special weather to complete my recovery. On the other hand we miss the every day interaction with the family. Phone calls and Skype are great but not being at the birthdays and family celebrations are events that will never occur again; hence missed opportunities.

We have less than a month before we return home and already we are in a preparation mode. It is not a full fledged effort but our minds are on that goal We have become the perfect planners and are always prepared well in advance of events that are going to take place.We find security in this as we do not have the luxury of second guessing when we leave one home for another.

On our recent holiday there were hundreds of things to do, all offered by the cruise line. We preferred to go on our own and hire a driver who was familiar with the island and take a tour shown by a local resident. In this way we with two friends were able to interact directly with the driver and have our many questions answered. The alternative is to be herded on a tour bus with 40 others and listen to a recorded message. Even a stop for pictures is a major operation but with the private tour you have excellent opportunities to do as you wish and dictate.

We have found that the small and personal tour gives the driver the opportunity to show you what they are proud of and wish to show off. We were not disappointed and after two hours we had a better understanding of the islands. I was very surprised to find out that Aruba is practically a desert. Little or no rain for years made growing any food crops impossible. There are no animals like cows or chickens and everything they eat comes from Florida. Half the island is absolutely barren and the only life is snakes and iguana. There are few birds as the snakes have ruined the nesting and they have the same problem as Florida with a growing number of huge snakes.

The city is beautiful and colorful because of a water plant which turns the salty water into  good water and the excess heat produces the electricity. Both water and electricity are extremely expensive. The lure for tourists is the perfect weather and white sandy beaches. We liked our time ashore and our shared time with our driver Eddie.

Crown Princess

Theresa and I returned home after a week on the Crown Princess. This is the second time we sailed on this ship and we had rooms on the same 12th floor. This is a huge ship which had 3480  passengers and a crew of over a thousand. We really like this ship as it has everything you could imagine and the activities are for all ages. We even had a small golf course on the 18th deck. With the slight movement of the ship you always had a excuse for a missed put.

Our main stop overs were Aruba and Curacao. These two small Islands are close to South America and were much different than I imagined. We did enjoy the time were shared on shore and you could see how these cruise ships shape the economy of these small islands.

Food is always a highlight on these ships but the crew was the most helpful and well trained I had experienced. As much as we enjoyed the week it was great to be back in Florida to again share our time here in our own home.

China Is In the News

China is in the news nearly every day for some reason or another but this time is because our oldest daughter and her hubby are going there for a couple of weeks to clear up the mess that exists with their forging ahead too quickly. This country of over a billion people has the potential to become in a short time the most powerful country in the world. I don't think that  that daughter will change much while she is there but the personal knowledge she picks up will give her fuel for her blogs for a long time. Her new camera will take many pics and I am sure they will turn up in her blogs in the near future.

Few people are fortunate enough to be able to visit that mysterious country but Lynda jumped at the chance and our whole family will benefit. I wish I was going as well but I am less energetic than she and the Great Wall might do me in.

Have a good trip and return full of rice and wonderful experiences to share with us in the coming months.

Air Travel

When Theresa and I decided to travel to Florida last week we decided to fly to save time and to have a few extra days in the south. Normally we drive and it 2282 km's. It takes us 23 hours to make that distance and over the years it does not vary much. Our flight from Buffalo after an overnight stay at a airport hotel took us to Boston and then to Ft Myers. The time from home to destination was 30 hours.

On our way back we arrived at the airport at 4 pm and because of bad weather in New York we never left on the first leg until 6 pm. Flying through a lightening storm was nerve racking and Theresa pulled the window blind shut to keep out the offending light show put on by Mother Nature. We landed in a downpour but were happy to be on solid ground.It did not help when we thought of the plane going down in the Hudson River.
Since we were late leaving Ft. Myers the desk crew gave us seats on a flight for Buffalo for 6.30 next morning.This would necessitate us staying in the airport all night. On arriving in New York at 9pm we saw that the next leg of our flight was delayed until 9.30pm. Theresa began to race to gate 22 from gate 8 to try to get us on board. I was carrying my computer and a carry on and was slowed down by hips that refused to move as fast as Theresa.

As Theresa disappeared through a throng of thousands I called to her to run fast and I would catch up sometime. Theresa did run fast and by the time I arrived at gate 22 she had managed to get us on the flight.That was the good news but as we rejoiced a flash on the departure board said that there was a delay until 10 pm. We lost control of our main baggage as it was transferred to the morning flight. We settled in and were quite comfortable as we had a good supply of food and drinks.

Time passed and so did the opportunity of a quick departure. First there was a plane but it was stacked out there somewhere and had to be moved to our gate. Time went by until 3.30 am when we finally got on board. That was the good news and as we left the gate 22 the captain explained in detail that all those flashing lights were from those planes ahead of us waiting for takeoff. He joyfully said we were number 40 but with luck we could be off the ground somewhere between 45 minutes and an hour. We were off the ground in less than an hour and 53 minutes later were on the ground at Buffalo.

With hope Theresa   and I searched the baggage line as the cases came tumbling down from the baggage chute.We hoped but lost when the machine stopped and all the bags were picked up. Our next challenge came when we tried to phone the hotel to send a Carrier to pick us up. Nobody answered the phone. We went outside and I spied our hotel van speeding down to the pickup area. Again Theresa had to put on her track shoes and run the 250 meters to catch the van.  I followed with my luggage and we managed to get aboard.

Our plan was to stay in our car until the flight from New York arrived at 8.08 am.We went into the hotel lobby as the workers were preparing breakfast for those who were departing. We got in line and had a coffee and went to our vehicle and left for the airport. We were very tired and rather desperate with  the problem of what if our luggage does not arrive on this flight. Luckily our cases arrived and the baggage man gave us a chit for $70 for our inconvenience.

We drove home and arrived at 11 am. Total time for our travelling experience was 20 hours. It should have been 6 at the most. I like to fly but this experience reminds me it is always better to have two feet on the ground or at least one foot on the pedal when you wish to arrive on time.

Senior Moments

Have you ever second guessed yourself about important issues?I left Florida in a big hurry and had a check list a mile long. As I completed each task I stroked it off. The list was down to the stage where you shut off all the services and make sure the alarm system is working and the bug control program is ready to be actuated as you scamper out of the house and wait to hear the signal that all is well. This year it did not happen just like that. At the very last moment before leaving our home I started all the spray cans to control the bugs and spiders when we are away. This time however I turned on one can right under a fire alarm. As I closed the door for what I thought was the final time I heard this horrible signal.....the spray actuated the fire alarm.

Not to worry I had a minute to go back in and turn off the offending alarm. On re-entering I was met with this powerful smell of bug spray and my eyes quickly watered. I did find the main security box but it read..police on the way. I reset the alarm and made my way out leaving my hot chocolate and melting arctic bar on the kitchen counter. Once outside I  decided enough was enough so I never went back for my travelling treats,

Knowing that the police were on their way I waited by my van hoping to see the police arriving with guns pointed and prepared to arrest me. They never came for a reasonable time so I headed to Canada at about 1.30 am. When I arrived home and on the trip home I constantly questioned myself and retraced every step. Theresa made it even worse by asking about several things which made my anxiety rise to an unacceptable level. Incidentally the police did arrive and my neighbour handled the situation for me. Because of these uncertain moments we decided to go back down for a week of R and R and to make sure this time everything is perfect. When you work as a team and one member is missing it brings a new dynamic to everything you do. We depend upon each other and don't realize it until we are apart. Thank our lucky stars we are not apart very often.

Back Home

Theresa and I have been home for a few hours and already I am bogged down. Holidays are great but when you return the work unattended comes to roost and you have to dig in and rise out of the mess you left. It is amazing that two weeks can impact your yard and garden so dramatically. It therefore you can assume there is a similar effect on your relations with your kids and friends.

My neighbour had a heart attack, my brother-in-law died, my kids are packed for university and my mother-in -law will turn 93....all in two weeks. Good time to be away.

Our trip or adventure was amazing in so far as the weather was perfect, our schedule went according to plan, the lobster season opened three days before we arrived and our golf seemed above average. Most times we get a great charge out of the planning but this time the time utilized was greater than the expectation.We left the East yesterday at 9.30am and expected to take two days to return to our home.

When we crossed the Champlain Bridge in Montreal Theresa gave signals that we should go all the way home. I looked at the sign and it read Toronto, 540 kms and thought that since we came 1153 kms that maybe we would have to stay over and a town closer to home. Doris said she was OK and off we went. I was awake and only slept on the straight stretches but otherwise ready for the surge to Oakville. Some coffee and a little food made me feel good so we crossed into Ontario by 8.00pm. I thought we would be home by 1.00am but were confronted with lights from the OPP who closed the road because of an accident. We detoured and went God only knows and returned to our normal highway later. Travelling at a steady 115 kms brought us to our house at 1.40am.

We fell out of the van having travelled 1587 kms and Doris said she would sleep in. Theresa and I talked a little about the trip and I had a shower and a drink. I finally felt like I was on land again and retired at 245 am. Sleep came quickly but before we slept we expressed thanks for the wonderful 15 days and a safe journey home. Life really is rewarding and travelling with a loved one makes it all worth while. I have several blogs in the next days to share some of my love for the journey.

The only negative is the fact that we were separated from the family and were unable to share the experience except through e-mails and the telephone. Life is wonderful and worth sharing.

Travelling

Theresa and I have been looking around some of the most beautiful countryside in America, we are talking about Vermont. We were amazed at the amount of space not taken up with urban sprawl but natural, untouched beautiful vistas. On every glance we were trying to get each other to look at this or look at that and there was so much to take in we gave up trying to share.

We played several golf courses but the number one in the State is Green Mountain and golf is nearly forgotten as the beauty of the surroundings take over. Our golf did not suffer as we play for fun but our camera use was to say the least spectacular. Theresa even had two otters run over the full width of the course but I missed it as I was looking for my errant golf shot.

If you like mountains this is the place to be but if you like mountain biking you have to be here. I never realized the extent of this sport. There were thousands of bikers, old and young going up the lifts to reach the tops of the mountains and then scoot down only to repeat this as you would in winter with skiing. We had an experience but we did not bike down the mountains . I will write again but I will be taking off a few days.We appreciate the time off and the wonderful feeling we get while exploring our land.

Doris Up, Up And Away

My 92 year old mother-in-law is a frequent traveller. She accompanies us on most of our trips and all the ones we make to Florida. She is a good traveller and rarely sleeps on our long 16 hour days on our way south. This week she is travelling to New Brunswick to spend a few weeks with her sister-in -law Polly.They have been friends for longer than most of us have been living and still love each others' company. The weeks of visitation have already been filled with social engagements and I am sure that when she steps on the scale on returning to Ontario, she will be in for a shock. Down there they know how to cook and eat.

Doris gets excited when she travels and sleeps lightly the night before leaving. This morning I heard her creeping around well before her normal time of getting up. She tries to be quiet but I hear her. She has packed her clothes days before and checks and re-checks everything a dozen times.

She is not a nervous flyer and gets special treatment because of her age; seat number F, row 1. Since there is little service on flights these days she packs a good lunch. Usually she shares it with her seatmates, specially if it is a young man.

Today we drove Doris over to Hamilton to board the West Jet flight. You would never know that she was her age as she walked through security. We will miss her for a few weeks and will pick her up at her sister-in-law's house to travel home. I know Doris will have a great visit and tell us of all her adventures while in New Brunswick.

Expectations

With the summer half over we are taking a long look at the prospects of a good vacation trip in the coming weeks ahead. Our mother in law is having her yearly trip to New Brunswick for a visit to her family and friends. As she is almost 93, all of her siblings have passed away but she has long term friends in extended family and one sister in law with whom she will stay. Flying alone unassisted at her age is a little challenging, but she manages well.

While she is away we will have some time to ourselves and plan small trips for golf in our geographic area for a week. After this we begin our Maritime tour with a visit to friends in Cape Breton. This year we intend to visit the White Mountains on the way down and have a few days of golf. We love the countryside along Route 2 through Vermont, New Hampshire and running into Maine.

Our class reunion this year is a little special as it is our 55Th and is getting smaller each year. I believe we are the only class that has had a reunion every year since graduation. This year we are adding two extra days to be together before the formal reunion. The little town of Parsboro will be our host and on the dock there is a sign that tells of the highest tides in the world with regular tide of 58 feet. In the spring and fall on the full moon it often reaches 66 feet. It is a wonder of the world and it a fitting venue for we to hold our get-togethers as we like the tide rise up to the occasion of re-uniting with our friends.

Planning your free time is almost as good as the actual journey, but this year we feel our journey will meet all our expectations.

Packing Again

We are off to a 7 day cruise of the west Caribbean. Pack the camera , field glasses and all the things we need to make this a great adventure. Personally I could go with a few pairs of shorts , socks and underwear. However I am going with a 92 year old lady and my wife who are believing that we really will have dinner with the captain on his special night.

That means that we have to take all the best togs we have and will never use but it makes everyone happy except me. I see the trip as a visit to the islands and the opportunity to see the people as they really live. No package trips at $100 a pop but a local taxi driver who will show you the island as the locals see it. I give the extra money to the driver and not the cruise line.

We are excited and Doris the old one will not sleep this night but will be ready an hour before we have to leave. This is really a Doris trip because I am very happy that she wishes to go on one more cruise. She has seen Hawaii, Alaska, The Panama Canal and more but wishes to have another with Theresa and I.

We are fortunate to have Doris wishing to come along and I personally am going to make sure she has a wonderful time. Theresa is so happy that we are in good health ( she is a nurse ) and are able to walk and explore in the off ship ventures.

I will be off the blog for a week but will give you a day to day account with pictures when we return. Have a good spring and we will greet you in seven days.

Our Other Home

We arrived in Florida and felt that warm air as we left our 737 aircraft on our way to our home. After two weeks of great visits from family and friends we were ready for the relative quietness of Florida lifestyle. I was anxious to see my garden and trees because of a dry spell. The grass was longer and the garden was producing yellow and green beans right on schedule. Ripe papaya,s greeted us and the last of the oranges and grapefruit were ready to be picked and shared.

We loved our Ontario visit with the kids and and thought it was the best since becoming a snowbird. Many times we were greeted as we opened our front door by smiling faces and kids eager to share there time with the old folks.Doris felt a little house bound as the cold weather made her change her outdoor activities to a few shopping excursions to the malls and family visits.

Now I will be able to concentrate my time to golf and writing. I missed my blogging friends and the daily need to write and this surprised me. I am addicted to this exercise and hope to continue for years to come.

The new security measures at the airport caused me to feel less happy about flying. Five different security checks were made and several hours of time spent waiting in lines. It actually took more time in the airport then the time to fly to Florida. Our three hour flight ended in a 8 hour day.

My eldest daughter took the liberty of getting in my blog space and wrote a guest entry. She is my right hand person and technical advisor in my writing.

No blog would be complete on new year's day without expressing my best wishes to all for a better year than the last. If all will do a little better individually we will have a changed world collectively. My personal wish is for family and friends to be healthy and happy in their work and personal life.

Almost Settled

Some say a rest is a good thing but I really missed my blog writing. Theresa and I had a good trip south with 92 year old Doris in the back seat looking for the nearest rest stop. We travelled 1650 kms the first day and stopped in Atlanta for a few hours of rest. We cruised at 115 km for 16 hours and there was not a complaint. Snow greeted us when we crossed the border at Buffalo but when we reached Cleveland the snow was rain, and all was well.

We arrived at our southern home at 3.30 pm the next day and was greeted to a shuttered home with no running water and a tired crew. The ladies unloaded the van while I took off shutters and did the man thing. I found all the trees happy and healthy and the grass well cut so I felt that the folks keeping our place did a good job.

We were excited to settle in and now the work begins. Trimming the trees, checking the fruit trees for bugs, killing fire ants and dusting and moving furniture out on the patio. I am tired thinking of it but it really was not too bad at all.

I shall show pics on my next blog so I will keep in touch.

Due South

Tonight I am packing the last things we need for our journey south. Theresa has many, many nice clothes and shoes to match. I have a dodge grand caravan and I measure the space with the load and I have just enough space for my golf clubs, fishing tackle and tools. We should leave at 3.30 am if all goes well. Anyway we made the packing pretty well and left a space for Doris so all is well.

The months we had here were great and in two months we will return for Xmas. I will miss my family and friends but the sun Will make it easy to relax and forget the snow and dull weather. Bye for a day or two and good blogging.

Time and Space

There was a time when I dreaded leaving home and going south for the winter. Today I prepare to leave without that feeling of being isolated from my family and friends. The communications among our family are such that with a touch of the finger you are able to talk to your loved ones and for a long time if you wish. Telephone companies have plans that enable people to talk anytime as long as you wish for a small cost. Gone are the days when a long distant call would cost a fortune for just a few minutes. I called from Amsterdam one time and talked to my family for a short time and it was $55.

Facebook, blogs and email make the effort of keeping in touch as easy as sitting and keying in a message. My grand children have cameras on their computers and can talk like you are in the same room. All this being said it does not replace that hug or kiss when greeting your family.In our clan we see each other quite often except for some who live a distance away.

We encourage our family to visit us in the sunny south but that is not always possible. Over the years we have had the privilege of having them come for a visit and it really makes our stay so much better.

Visit To A Real Gypsy Camp

Photo of Lord Gordon Parry courtesy of Wikipedia (in public domain).

In the late Seventies I had the good fortune to be a guest of the country of Wales along with my family. Lord Gordon Parry and Lady Glenys Parry were our hosts and great one at that. Our friendship came as a result of a twinning situation between Pembroke, Wales and Pembroke, Canada. We hosted Lord Parry and his friends while they were visiting Canada, and we were invited to go to Wales for a ten day holiday at a later date.

Part of our visit was a tour through a Gypsy encampment to meet singer Tom Jones' mother, who lived there. The tour began with all of us piling in our twelve passenger van and heading to this abandoned gravel pit. As we entered the gravel pit we passed what seemed like hundreds of huge lorries. These trucks were used by the Gypsy men who scavenged about the area and picked up garbage.

Before entering this area Lord Parry explained that this area was allocated as the home for Gypsies. The gravel pit was several miles long and housed several thousand people who were called Gypsies. He explained that they did not have full citizenship but had lived there for years. The further in the gravel pit you lived, the higher you were up in the hierarchy of the Gypsy royalty. He said that it would not be wise to enter this area without permission. Everyone here lived in what we call house trailers on wheels which could be moved at a moments notice.

Many of these trailers were beautiful and decorated in the traditional style of Gypsy lore. Before we actually entered the gravel pit, Lord Parry assured the people of his intentions of showing his Canadian friends the camp and meeting Mrs. Jones. That was not her actual name but she was Tom Jones' mother. We travelled a long distance before stopping in front of this particularly beautiful and ornate trailer. Mrs. Jones came out and greeted Lord Parry warmly and he introduced us to this celebrity.

We retreated from this camp and I was astonished to find that there was a double standard for Gypsies. Lord Parry was an advocate for the Gypsies and was loved by them in return. He exercised what influence he had to get them the right to vote and have regular citizenship. He was only partially successful. We as Canadians were shocked but understood the dilemma under which these people lived for centuries. The overt prejudice was apparent but they still prevailed in keeping some semblance of dignity and self worth. Their music is unique and their spirit unbroken as they continue to live the Gypsy life.

This was another experience which helped shape my value system of believing in the equality and value of each unique individual who shares the earth.

Pierce Rock

Many locations in the world are defined by a landmark geographic monument but none are more clearly defined than Pierce Rock. This is a clean cut rock formation set out in the Gulf of St.Lawrence near the tip of the Gaspe' peninsula. It is spectacular in every light setting and grabs your attention as it completely dominates the landscape for miles around. Champlain landed near here in 1764 when he discovered this land for France and set a cross up to mark the spot.

Little did he know at that time a group of settlers would land and conquer the rugged shore and begin a stable settlement based on fishing and farming and later lumbering. The beauty must have impressed the local population and word has spread of the magnificent natural wonder.

It is the people that make this place so dear to all who visit here. French is the chosen language but to our delight the locals make every effort to help you use your little school book French. You can imagine Theresa and I getting directions and discussing the history with hand gestures and animated facial expressions ... that was us and we had fun to boot. We planned to stop for a while and continue on our way to Nova Scotia but were compelled to stay over and catch the light shining off the rock at daybreak. Theresa took most of the pictures and we wish to share a few with you.

When you get the opportunity to visit this area make sure you stay at Pierce' and have a magical moment with your camera and the pictures you put in your mind for future reference. I am always reminded of a poem that I read in my mothers magazine, Ladies Home Journal called the Coin written by Sara Teasdale. It read,

Into my hearts treasury I slipped a coin that time cannot take nor thief proloine. Better than the mounting of a gold crowned king is the safe kept memory of a lovely thing.

Pierce is a lovely thing.