The drive was lovely, all the way from the farm in Pennsylvania to Andrew and Christina's home in Mississippi. The journey took us right down The Shenandoah Valley on Highway 83 in Virginia, through part of Tennessee, then Alabama and finally on Highway 20 in Mississippi. Magnolia trees were all along the highway 20, from the state border to almost into Jackson. And the trees were all in bloom. What a sight. The trees were on both sides of the divided highway, as well as all along the median strip. It was quite a welcome to the state. There must have been five hundred magnolia trees. America was on the move. The highways were wonderful but crowded at least until we got to Knoxville, where we stayed the first night. From that point on, the traffic was light all the way. In fact I commented to Ken that this amount of traffic was how it was designed.
If you ever worry that this country is too crowded, just go on a trip on the interstate highway. The woods and the hills and the valleys and the farms are everywhere. There is so much land out in the country and it is all beautiful. Our system worked well. We stopped every two hours for a bathroom break and to switch drivers, and we ate every hour in the car. We ate hard boiled eggs, beef jerky, cooked hamburger patties, cheese crackers, grapes, cherries, cantaloupes cut up, breakfast bars and rice cakes. Plenty of bottles of water too. I can't imagine how many calories we consume in a day while driving but at least we eat a small amount each time so we never feel full. Our journey was much easier than we anticipated. We left the farm at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, stopped for the night just north of Knoxville, Tenn. and were at our destination at 1:30 on Sunday, today. I can see a car trip or two are in our future.
All the meat was still solidly frozen, so we are delighted to arrive and fill their freezer with good Angus beef. Every one here is happy to see us, and to see all the frozen meat.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Friday, May 29, 2009
May 29, 2009. Bethesda, Md. Car Trip.
We have had many road trips, Ken and I. We travelled all over the continent, travelling in our Volkswagen bug and camping in our vintage tent. And we loved it. Now that we are old, we think twice about launching out on a car trip. Today, we begin a journey that will take us to Mississippi. Our desire to take good Angus beef to Andrew and Christina and the girls has overcome our reluctance to sit in the truck all day. First we drive to the farm, to pack up the hunting clothes Andrew wants, in addition to the cleaning materials not taken by the movers. Four coolers we hope will keep the meat frozen until we arrive , which will be Monday afternoon. Our supplies are all ready for the snacks we consume on the trip and we know the drill.
Our routine is to switch drivers every two hours and eat every two hours, only stopping for gas and bathroom breaks. Our day begins early and we stop well before dark. I am excited about this trip, because if we both enjoy the journey, Ken and I will sometime next year take a trip on Highway 281. So far, Ken keeps delaying. So wish me good luck that our old joints stay working and that our backs will straighten up, because that trip on 281 is going to be a long one!!.
Our routine is to switch drivers every two hours and eat every two hours, only stopping for gas and bathroom breaks. Our day begins early and we stop well before dark. I am excited about this trip, because if we both enjoy the journey, Ken and I will sometime next year take a trip on Highway 281. So far, Ken keeps delaying. So wish me good luck that our old joints stay working and that our backs will straighten up, because that trip on 281 is going to be a long one!!.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
May 28, 2009. Chevy Chase, Md. Mee See Phua.
Mee See died early this morning. He had been an agent with Long and Foster for well over twenty years, working out of the office on East West Highway with Ken Keene, then Carole Maclure as his Manager. When our offices merged, I got to know Mee See for the first time so for the past ten years, I have seen him every day. He was Chinese who had lived in Indonesia before coming to America for his PHD in Physics and Mathematics. He taught at The University of The District of Columbia, prior to becoming a full time real estate agent. Right up until he died he still taught one Algebra course each semester. He has three children, one at college who works for us on Saturday, and the other two 10 and 12 years old. He loved his children and his wife. He worked very hard as a real estate agent and he was a friend to many agents in the office.
As a Manager, I could always count on Mee See to be helpful. On three occasions, we asked him to switch his office and he always agreed before I even explained the purpose of the move. I promised never to move him again and he was happy about that. It is just recently that he was diagnosed with lymphoma and it was just last week that he contracted the infection that ultimately ended his life. He worked until the end. Suzanne was going to settlement for him and he called to ask her to pick him up at the Hospital so he could attend settlement and to do his job. She of course refused but called him to report on the successful settlement. Sadly, although they were to speak the next day, Mee See was taken to the Intensive Care Unit and no further conversations were possible. It seems unbelievable but it is true. We will miss him and his quiet, polite yet intense manner.
As a Manager, I could always count on Mee See to be helpful. On three occasions, we asked him to switch his office and he always agreed before I even explained the purpose of the move. I promised never to move him again and he was happy about that. It is just recently that he was diagnosed with lymphoma and it was just last week that he contracted the infection that ultimately ended his life. He worked until the end. Suzanne was going to settlement for him and he called to ask her to pick him up at the Hospital so he could attend settlement and to do his job. She of course refused but called him to report on the successful settlement. Sadly, although they were to speak the next day, Mee See was taken to the Intensive Care Unit and no further conversations were possible. It seems unbelievable but it is true. We will miss him and his quiet, polite yet intense manner.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
May 27, 2009. Chevy Chase, Md. Le Vieux Logis
We are determined to take our guests out for dinner. This is our new routine. Our friends are invited for dinner at the time selected by me, then when they arrive at our apartment, they come up and we chat for a while. Soon I announce that we are dining out, so we all drive over together in my car. I keep the restaurant a surprise. It doesn't take much to amuse me as you can tell. Tonight we dined at a lovely little French restaurant on Old Georgetown Road in Bethesda. Fred and Phyllis had never eaten there but Ken and I have been there many times. This year is the 29Th anniversary, so they were celebrating. Three courses and wine for $29. The food was delicious. Then we came home for tea and conversation. I must say that it is a lovely way to entertain. No fuss and no muss.
Tonight, Vinal Smith called to say that he tilled up our garden in Nova Scotia. In fact, Vinal and Betty are planting a garden in our place by the shore. In the Fall, they used sea weed to fertilize the soil and now they have prepared the land for planting. I am excited to have our own vegetables in our own garden. They have a small but productive garden in their own place so we suggested they may want to plant potatoes and corn and squash and pumpkins in our land. At first they were reluctant to use our land,but when they saw the fertile soil they too got excited. Betty hates weeds so maybe she will weed our fish pond area along with their vegetable garden. Ken has learned to tolerate weeds, but not Betty. She weeds her own garden every day. Now we look forward to their efforts this summer in Nova Scotia.
Tonight, Vinal Smith called to say that he tilled up our garden in Nova Scotia. In fact, Vinal and Betty are planting a garden in our place by the shore. In the Fall, they used sea weed to fertilize the soil and now they have prepared the land for planting. I am excited to have our own vegetables in our own garden. They have a small but productive garden in their own place so we suggested they may want to plant potatoes and corn and squash and pumpkins in our land. At first they were reluctant to use our land,but when they saw the fertile soil they too got excited. Betty hates weeds so maybe she will weed our fish pond area along with their vegetable garden. Ken has learned to tolerate weeds, but not Betty. She weeds her own garden every day. Now we look forward to their efforts this summer in Nova Scotia.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
May 26, 2009. Chevy Chase, Md. More Weekend.
Nothing is dramatic or extraordinary but the whole weekend was pleasant. Bud from Parry Sound sent us a great picture of the four of us when we were out on the boat on The Lake of Bays, so on Saturday morning, right after breakfast, we drove to Everett to see our framers, Karen and Rodney Barber. I have such confidence in them that I just leave the picture with them to choose the mats and the frames. They have better taste than me anyway and it certainly saves me time. Then we talk art with them. Rodney has had one of his paintings accepted into a juried show in Hagerstown so he was thrilled. You submit a disc with your work and the powers that be accept fifty pieces for the show. There were over 400 artists who submitted work, so he was very pleased indeed. Then after talking for thirty minutes, I decided to take one of his new pieces of art to Andrew and Christina as a house warming. My last words to Rodney was "keep painting regularly".
The Ditto's were up for the weekend so they invited us for dinner on Saturday evening. Now this is a real pleasure, as Diana is a wonderful cook. She not only likes to cook but also goes out of her way to try new recipes. It is always a joy to dine in their home. But this night was especially good. The dessert was home made ice cream sandwiches, with the top and bottom made by hand by Diana. They were out of this world. Saturday evening we all dined together again at our house, where we ate hamburgers and baked beans. Oranges for dessert. No way I can compete. It was sitting around the fire that gave the atmosphere and the charm.
The rest of the time we organized the stuff to take to Andrew and Christina, or we read. Sunday early afternoon we stopped by to see the Jay's, each separately. Tammy is now the pastry chef for Mike's new restaurant in Clearville. Now let me see. She has five children, she milks 300 cows morning and night, she sells her produce at the Farmer's Market in Cumberland, she cleans our two houses, and she cooks for all the men who are working with Alan and Bryan. My goodness those farm wives are busy. When we talked to her she was making thirty pies for the Memorial Day Dinner at the Legion, of course without charging. Life in the country is always a surprise and is always pleasant. But I love to come and go. I do not want to learn to bake pies.
The Ditto's were up for the weekend so they invited us for dinner on Saturday evening. Now this is a real pleasure, as Diana is a wonderful cook. She not only likes to cook but also goes out of her way to try new recipes. It is always a joy to dine in their home. But this night was especially good. The dessert was home made ice cream sandwiches, with the top and bottom made by hand by Diana. They were out of this world. Saturday evening we all dined together again at our house, where we ate hamburgers and baked beans. Oranges for dessert. No way I can compete. It was sitting around the fire that gave the atmosphere and the charm.
The rest of the time we organized the stuff to take to Andrew and Christina, or we read. Sunday early afternoon we stopped by to see the Jay's, each separately. Tammy is now the pastry chef for Mike's new restaurant in Clearville. Now let me see. She has five children, she milks 300 cows morning and night, she sells her produce at the Farmer's Market in Cumberland, she cleans our two houses, and she cooks for all the men who are working with Alan and Bryan. My goodness those farm wives are busy. When we talked to her she was making thirty pies for the Memorial Day Dinner at the Legion, of course without charging. Life in the country is always a surprise and is always pleasant. But I love to come and go. I do not want to learn to bake pies.
Monday, May 25, 2009
May 24, 2009. Chevy Chase, Md. The Weekend.
My friend was not pleased to find us, once again, unable to come to their home this weekend in Bethesda. I apologized and agreed that Ken and I are very difficult, because we are always at the farm on the weekends. It was suggested that every so often we should just stay in town. Perhaps we will, but I doubt it, because our time in the country is very precious to us. Perhaps it is the clean air or perhaps it is the lack of pretensions, or perhaps it is the wildlife. Added all together, a weekend in the country restores ones soul, whatever that means.
Here is an example. On the way up, Ken and I ate lunch at "The Number One Chinese Restaurant". I don't know why this name tickles my fancy but It does. The restaurant is in a strip mall in Hagerstown and is very simple but it has this big name for such a tiny restaurant that I like the place. It is our favorite spot for Chinese food in Hagerstown. I slept in the car all the rest of the way to the "Road Kill Cafe" where we always stop for milk. And we always have a nice chat with Barbara who runs the place, to find out any local activities for the weekend. Barbara wanted to ask all about Andrew and Christina and the girls as well, so after fifteen minutes to talk we ate ice cream at the "Alley Cat" , where again we chat with Kathy who runs the ice cream store just outside the "Road Kill Cafe". The ice cream is good and we certainly want to support her store, so at least once every weekend we eat a dish of ice cream, two book scoops for two dollars. Kathy would love to travel but have never been able to do it, so she always wants to know all about our recent trip so another fifteen minutes or more we spend at the ice cream store.
Finally we are at the farm and for the rest of the time we do nothing except enjoy ourselves. We both take a nap, then we sit in lounge chairs on the deck with binoculars in hand watching to see if the birds are using the six bluebird boxes. Finally Ken brings out a bottle of white wine, which somehow or other was missed in the wine cellar. It should have been opened many years before. Our discussions were wide ranging and lengthy and as dark was descending, we decided to scrap dinner and just go down to hot tub, which we did. The evening was lovely and after the hot tub, we just went to bed. So if you were to ask me what we did on Friday, I would have to say that we did not do anything. But we certainly did enjoy it.
Here is an example. On the way up, Ken and I ate lunch at "The Number One Chinese Restaurant". I don't know why this name tickles my fancy but It does. The restaurant is in a strip mall in Hagerstown and is very simple but it has this big name for such a tiny restaurant that I like the place. It is our favorite spot for Chinese food in Hagerstown. I slept in the car all the rest of the way to the "Road Kill Cafe" where we always stop for milk. And we always have a nice chat with Barbara who runs the place, to find out any local activities for the weekend. Barbara wanted to ask all about Andrew and Christina and the girls as well, so after fifteen minutes to talk we ate ice cream at the "Alley Cat" , where again we chat with Kathy who runs the ice cream store just outside the "Road Kill Cafe". The ice cream is good and we certainly want to support her store, so at least once every weekend we eat a dish of ice cream, two book scoops for two dollars. Kathy would love to travel but have never been able to do it, so she always wants to know all about our recent trip so another fifteen minutes or more we spend at the ice cream store.
Finally we are at the farm and for the rest of the time we do nothing except enjoy ourselves. We both take a nap, then we sit in lounge chairs on the deck with binoculars in hand watching to see if the birds are using the six bluebird boxes. Finally Ken brings out a bottle of white wine, which somehow or other was missed in the wine cellar. It should have been opened many years before. Our discussions were wide ranging and lengthy and as dark was descending, we decided to scrap dinner and just go down to hot tub, which we did. The evening was lovely and after the hot tub, we just went to bed. So if you were to ask me what we did on Friday, I would have to say that we did not do anything. But we certainly did enjoy it.
Friday, May 22, 2009
May 22, 2009. Bethesda, Md. Ants in Pants.
We just can not keep still. In one way, it is a great blessing. Life brings the requirement for change, so moving along to a new system or a new program brings us little anxiety, but I know that being around us can raise hackles. On Wednesday at Gold Team lunch our topic under discussion was increasing outreach for each agent. Carol E. suggested the topic. She along with the rest of us here at work are fearful that we will stay pat. Success has it's own problems, one of which is to keep on doing what makes you successful to the exclusion of any new ventures. So the round table discussion of ten top agents was lively and generated a couple of new ideas. Damian suggested teaching every vendor how to get you referrals, which is a great idea. One agent who was there on Wednesday laughed that the office has done very well the last two weeks, and then along comes Ruth to bring up the subject of whether we are getting ahead or staying in place. Unfortunately she is true. For good or ill, I am always worrying about what we are doing to do now, and how we are going to get better in our job.
Fortunately, both Ken and I suffer from the same disease, except Ken is much worse. Last Friday when we went to the cottage at Lake Joseph, Ken walked all around the property, watched the bugs in the water, checked out the racks for the canoes, went to take pictures of the trilliums, inspected the cottage itself and then finally sat down for lunch. All my relatives are aware of Ken's propensity to wander so no-one said a thing about it until we were ready to leave when my Brother noted that he had hoped to have us stay a bit longer. Nothing doing. The ants had returned to the pants and we all moved forward to our next venture. The best part of being an adult is that you can control your activies, both mental and physical. If I am at a meeting and it goes on too long or is boring, I just leave. In the older days, when I was a child, Iif the class or the meeting was boring I would start fooling around and causing mischif, which ended up with me getting in trouble. Meetings I run myself are very short, mostly because I quickly get bored myself if the meetings last a long time. Ultimately, I have decided that having ants in the pants is a great asset as it gets you moving along. That is my story and I am going to stick with it, even though it may be correct.
Fortunately, both Ken and I suffer from the same disease, except Ken is much worse. Last Friday when we went to the cottage at Lake Joseph, Ken walked all around the property, watched the bugs in the water, checked out the racks for the canoes, went to take pictures of the trilliums, inspected the cottage itself and then finally sat down for lunch. All my relatives are aware of Ken's propensity to wander so no-one said a thing about it until we were ready to leave when my Brother noted that he had hoped to have us stay a bit longer. Nothing doing. The ants had returned to the pants and we all moved forward to our next venture. The best part of being an adult is that you can control your activies, both mental and physical. If I am at a meeting and it goes on too long or is boring, I just leave. In the older days, when I was a child, Iif the class or the meeting was boring I would start fooling around and causing mischif, which ended up with me getting in trouble. Meetings I run myself are very short, mostly because I quickly get bored myself if the meetings last a long time. Ultimately, I have decided that having ants in the pants is a great asset as it gets you moving along. That is my story and I am going to stick with it, even though it may be correct.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
May 21, 2009. Chevy Chase, Md. Washington, D.C.
When we are away from home and are asked where we are from, I always answer "Just outside Washington, D.C.". Maryland is a great unknown so we long ago stopped telling anyone that we were from Maryland. It is unfortunate, but many folks recall the days of corruption in the political world. Remember Vice President Spiro Agnew? They should learn about the beauty of the rural roads and the pleasures of living in Maryland. The people in the area are it's greatest strength. Just walking the streets of Bethesda gives you faces from everywhere in the world, all well dressed and going to work. The trees are large and the streets are crowded. The schools are excellent along with many fine private schools. With two hundred and thirty two restaurants , Bethesda is a place to dine out. We have started taking guests out for dinner rather than have Ken cook at home. Remember, he is supposed to have stopped cooking. We moved to Bethesda in 1970, expecting to be here two years, and here we are now, actually loving downtown Bethesda.
The best part of the Washington area is the people. It seems that people get along here. History is long here. Bethesda is not a town and not a city but is an address. It is part of Montgomery County. I return to Bethesda and am delighted with the function of the place and it's people. Not everyone looks alike but everyone works very hard. Lawyers abound here, more than any profession. And writers too. Many folks moved here because they were good at their job in another part of the country and they got promoted or elected. Then they never leave, just like us. One bad aspect of life in Maryland is their income tax. And they are not easy on businesses. I am always happy to walk around downtown Bethesda, just to see all these wonderful people. It is fun.
The best part of the Washington area is the people. It seems that people get along here. History is long here. Bethesda is not a town and not a city but is an address. It is part of Montgomery County. I return to Bethesda and am delighted with the function of the place and it's people. Not everyone looks alike but everyone works very hard. Lawyers abound here, more than any profession. And writers too. Many folks moved here because they were good at their job in another part of the country and they got promoted or elected. Then they never leave, just like us. One bad aspect of life in Maryland is their income tax. And they are not easy on businesses. I am always happy to walk around downtown Bethesda, just to see all these wonderful people. It is fun.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
May 20, 2009. Chevy Chase, Md. Abigail.
Abigail turns ten today, but I am not with her to celebrate. Instead, I have sent her flowers and will have her gift delivered. I hope she does not mind. In many ways I am not a good grandmother, or at least I am not a traditional grandmother. I do not baby-sit and I do not discipline and I do not play with the girls. Their parents do that. I like to do things with the girls and I like to provide places for the girls and their parents to vacation. I also buy the girls works of art. They appreciate the art now, but they will enjoy it even more over the next fifty years. Abigail is a beautiful little girl and certainly is the quickest of any child I know. I suspect she will be an athlete. My brother David tells of the time last summer when he played crokinole with Abigail. She had played the game before, but not often. David told her some tricks, then he beat her. The next game she concentrated very hard and did not speak or look up. She beat him, then she retired from the game, saying nothing except "thanks for the game". That is Abigail in a not shell. When she puts her mind to the task, she can do anything she wishes, but it takes something extra special to catch her attention to get her interested in the subject.
Now Abigail comes from a long line of relatives who have applied themselves to the task only when they were interested in the topic. Her father David, her grandfather Ken, her great grandmother Buckley, her great aunt Carol and many more. They were all smart people who concentrated when they were interested in the subject, not just when they were told to learn this or that subject. Poor Abigail will have to learn as much as she can in order to keep her options open for the next level of education. For a life time, this type of mind serves you well, but it does make life difficult in school. But for now, I wish Happy Birthday, to Abigail, my beautiful ten year old grand daughter.
Now Abigail comes from a long line of relatives who have applied themselves to the task only when they were interested in the topic. Her father David, her grandfather Ken, her great grandmother Buckley, her great aunt Carol and many more. They were all smart people who concentrated when they were interested in the subject, not just when they were told to learn this or that subject. Poor Abigail will have to learn as much as she can in order to keep her options open for the next level of education. For a life time, this type of mind serves you well, but it does make life difficult in school. But for now, I wish Happy Birthday, to Abigail, my beautiful ten year old grand daughter.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
May 19, 2009. Chevy Chase, Md. Keys.
I have my car keys. Yesterday, when going to the car, I asked the young man who sits at the front desk of the office building if a key had been found in the garage. He said that no key had been turned in, but he asked how I lost the key so I told him my story. He seemed interested and asked for my phone number, so I gave him my card. It was clear to me that my lost keys would stay lost. I went to my car and looked all around the car to see if I had dropped my keys but found nothing. At work this morning, I received a call from Mr. Atkinson, to say he found my keys. He found my keys on level four, over in the corner. What he had done last evening was to walk all four floors of the parking lot, just to see if the keys were in the garage, and he finally found it in the corner on the lowest floor. I had told him that my car was in the same place for the two weeks and that no one had driven my car. He decided that my keys were in the garage somewhere. He furthermore decided that I had dropped my keys on the floor, which then were swept away by the power washing of the floor. Next came the machine brushing the key down to the fourth floor, where it was left in the corner, only to be found by that young man looking for my keys.
Of course, I was delighted to get my keys, as without it I had only one key left, but what I liked better was the fact that this young man, wearing a uniform performing a menial job, took it upon himself to walk throughout the whole garage, specifically searching for my keys. Now he sees me walking every day, coming and going to my job, but he was not an employee of mine. His only reward was to find my key for me. At first I was going to give him a gift certificate to Booimongers, the restaurant next door, but decided that money would be better, so after he gave me my keys, I quickly went back to my office for cash. You should have seen his smile. It was the smile of a job well done.
Of course, I was delighted to get my keys, as without it I had only one key left, but what I liked better was the fact that this young man, wearing a uniform performing a menial job, took it upon himself to walk throughout the whole garage, specifically searching for my keys. Now he sees me walking every day, coming and going to my job, but he was not an employee of mine. His only reward was to find my key for me. At first I was going to give him a gift certificate to Booimongers, the restaurant next door, but decided that money would be better, so after he gave me my keys, I quickly went back to my office for cash. You should have seen his smile. It was the smile of a job well done.
Monday, May 18, 2009
May 18, 2009. Chevy Chase, Md. Vacation.
It was Ken's idea, to take two different time shares in two different locations in Ontario, then invite our friends and relatives to visit us in our place. It worked better than we anticipated. We were happy with the results and so was everyone else. The last time we visited family and friends in Ontario we seemed to be driving all the time. This was twelve years ago, so I suspect that we were not feeling good about all our driving. But this time was perfect. We exchanged our fractional ownership in Mexico, at least two weeks of it. Originally we were scheduled to go to Mexico in June, but Andrew and Christina have moved into their home so we wanted to drive some meat to them. The June time period was the only time we could make the drive, so we banked our time in Mexico and exchanged for two spots in Ontario. The whole system worked beautifully.
Of course, we were not able to see all our friends, but we did catch up with all our relatives in Ontario, at least most of our relatives in Ontario. Our vacation was a success. The weather was good most of the time. At least it did not interfere with any activities. The second boat trip was a good example of ignoring the weather and just proceeding with the activity. The pontoon boat was covered. The rain fell the whole time we were out on the water, so when the wind blew, the rain came into the boat and on our clothes. Fortunately we had brought lots of jackets, and Bruce the driver had many blankets, so we kept warm. By the time we arrived back at the dock after three hours on the boat everyone was cold and wet, especially Bruce, who sat at the wheel right at the side of the boat. Rita headed up to our house very quickly as we had not made a bathroom break on the trip. During the boat ride Bruce served us coffee and Bailey's. Rita and I drank two cups each, expecting we would stop, but due to the heavy rain, we never took our break, so Rita and the girls beat a path to the bathrooms. It was fun and it was funny, and all told, our vacation in Ontario was a delight.
Of course, we were not able to see all our friends, but we did catch up with all our relatives in Ontario, at least most of our relatives in Ontario. Our vacation was a success. The weather was good most of the time. At least it did not interfere with any activities. The second boat trip was a good example of ignoring the weather and just proceeding with the activity. The pontoon boat was covered. The rain fell the whole time we were out on the water, so when the wind blew, the rain came into the boat and on our clothes. Fortunately we had brought lots of jackets, and Bruce the driver had many blankets, so we kept warm. By the time we arrived back at the dock after three hours on the boat everyone was cold and wet, especially Bruce, who sat at the wheel right at the side of the boat. Rita headed up to our house very quickly as we had not made a bathroom break on the trip. During the boat ride Bruce served us coffee and Bailey's. Rita and I drank two cups each, expecting we would stop, but due to the heavy rain, we never took our break, so Rita and the girls beat a path to the bathrooms. It was fun and it was funny, and all told, our vacation in Ontario was a delight.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
May 17, 2009. Chevy Chase, Md. Ironing.
Ken has suggested that ironing kills people, because everyone he knew who used to iron every week is dead. It is certainly true that for most people, ironing is not a weekly chore, but I know people who keep an ironing board up all the time and press their clothes every day, just to freshen up the look of the clothes. I even know a person who keeps not one but two machines in her laundry room, just to iron the table clothes, sheets and pillow cases. The machines look just like the one we owned when I was a child, and was called an "iron er" and my friend found one being discarded in an old house. She bought it and discovered that it was so useful that she bought a second one when she spotted one in an antique store. So now she has two, just in case one breaks. They are no longer sold to ordinary householders. It is not accurate to say that no one alive can iron. Most ladies iron some time in the year and I have even been told that some men iron their own shirts.
Today I am going to iron. This activity I perform every six months. I have a shelf in my closet where I store items to iron, and when the shelf is full, I iron them all, except for the table cloths, which I iron when I am out of table cloths. Today I have four outfits to iron, all cotton, two are skirt and jacket and two pants and top, plus one blouse. I have already sprinkled them all and wrapped them in damp cloths in the refrigerator so the clothes will be damp. I always sprinkle them all at once, because I can easily talk myself out of the need for the garments to be ironed, because, after all, I have not worn these clothes for a long time and I have other clothes to wear. Many years ago I threw out (really donated) every object that needed to be ironed, but that was when I was much more busy than now. I also regretted donating all those garments. One day I searched for an hour, trying to find a dress, and finally decided that I had given the dress away to the Greentree Shelter, so now I iron.
Ironing reminds me of my youth, when I learned to iron. I was good at it, so when we lived in Vancouver and my Mother had a bad shoulder and could not iron, I inherited the task and ironed for everyone in the family. Now, I have to remind myself the order to take when ironing a shirt or jacket. It certainly is not intuitive. But after the first one or two items, I just roll through the garments. Of course, I iron in the office, where we have the TV so I always listen while I iron. In the olden days in Vancouver I listened to the radio or talked to someone, in order to keep myself from thinking about the whole basket to be ironed. Today is the day to iron, and I will begin, just as soon something good comes on the TV.
Today I am going to iron. This activity I perform every six months. I have a shelf in my closet where I store items to iron, and when the shelf is full, I iron them all, except for the table cloths, which I iron when I am out of table cloths. Today I have four outfits to iron, all cotton, two are skirt and jacket and two pants and top, plus one blouse. I have already sprinkled them all and wrapped them in damp cloths in the refrigerator so the clothes will be damp. I always sprinkle them all at once, because I can easily talk myself out of the need for the garments to be ironed, because, after all, I have not worn these clothes for a long time and I have other clothes to wear. Many years ago I threw out (really donated) every object that needed to be ironed, but that was when I was much more busy than now. I also regretted donating all those garments. One day I searched for an hour, trying to find a dress, and finally decided that I had given the dress away to the Greentree Shelter, so now I iron.
Ironing reminds me of my youth, when I learned to iron. I was good at it, so when we lived in Vancouver and my Mother had a bad shoulder and could not iron, I inherited the task and ironed for everyone in the family. Now, I have to remind myself the order to take when ironing a shirt or jacket. It certainly is not intuitive. But after the first one or two items, I just roll through the garments. Of course, I iron in the office, where we have the TV so I always listen while I iron. In the olden days in Vancouver I listened to the radio or talked to someone, in order to keep myself from thinking about the whole basket to be ironed. Today is the day to iron, and I will begin, just as soon something good comes on the TV.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
May 16, 2009. Chevy Chase, Md. Car Keys.
My car keys were not in my car. The car was locked. Both facts are unusual. I discovered it when I opened the car door and the alarm went off. The noise in the empty parking garage was deafening. I reached in the pocket of the door to get the key in order to stop the terrible noise to find no key. I finally used the code on the door to stop the noise, which was a great blessing, but I was unable to find my keys. I searched my bag and my backpack but to no avail. I knew I drove the car the Friday we left town and we took the Metro to National Airport. On our return today Ken and I took the Metro back to my garage at work, so we could drive home. But the car was locked and there were no keys. We took a taxi home.
It is a confusing situation. The door on the driver's side does not work, so I never lock the car. If the lock is engaged, all the other doors lock except the driver's door, so if you have engaged the lock, and you open the driver's door, the alarm sounds, which is what happened today. Years ago, I got used to using the external buttons to open the door and to leaving my keys in the side pocket of the door, so my keys are always in my car. Several times in my life, this has proved helpful, as when the car must be moved and I am away, Regina has moved my car. But today my system failed me. My car had been locked and my keys were not in the car. Now this whole thing is a puzzle to me. I drove to my garage in Bethesda early morning, May 1ST, and I think I did what I always do, which is to put the keys in the side pocket and get out of the car. I know I unlocked the doors because our suitcases were in the back seat. Now I bet Ken put the lock on the doors, but where on earth did I put the keys? I know it was early on a Friday morning, but where are those keys? Or perhaps someone took my car for a ride and stole my keys. I searched all parts of the car, trying to find the keys, before giving up and taking a cab home. And I searched every place in my suitcase and backpack, hoping that I took the keys with me. No such luck. I have another set at home, so on Monday I can retrieve my car, but the real question is "what did I do with those darn keys?" I certainly hope this is not another Senior Moment.
It is a confusing situation. The door on the driver's side does not work, so I never lock the car. If the lock is engaged, all the other doors lock except the driver's door, so if you have engaged the lock, and you open the driver's door, the alarm sounds, which is what happened today. Years ago, I got used to using the external buttons to open the door and to leaving my keys in the side pocket of the door, so my keys are always in my car. Several times in my life, this has proved helpful, as when the car must be moved and I am away, Regina has moved my car. But today my system failed me. My car had been locked and my keys were not in the car. Now this whole thing is a puzzle to me. I drove to my garage in Bethesda early morning, May 1ST, and I think I did what I always do, which is to put the keys in the side pocket and get out of the car. I know I unlocked the doors because our suitcases were in the back seat. Now I bet Ken put the lock on the doors, but where on earth did I put the keys? I know it was early on a Friday morning, but where are those keys? Or perhaps someone took my car for a ride and stole my keys. I searched all parts of the car, trying to find the keys, before giving up and taking a cab home. And I searched every place in my suitcase and backpack, hoping that I took the keys with me. No such luck. I have another set at home, so on Monday I can retrieve my car, but the real question is "what did I do with those darn keys?" I certainly hope this is not another Senior Moment.
Friday, May 15, 2009
May 15, 2009. Carriage Hills Resort, Ontario.
It all comes back to you as you drive north on Highway 400. Stones every where you look. Stones streaked with pink and grey and black. Stones big and bigger. The Parry Sound granite every where you look. And then you see the swamps. All the low lying areas filled with water, with millions of bugs just waiting to hatch. The black flies in Muskoka are arriving in force, to be followed soon by the mosquitoes. The lakes are beautiful, with Lake Joseph one of the best. Today, we were trying to figure out why the air in Muskoka feels so fresh and soft, and we decided that it was the clean air and the damp air combined with the light breeze that makes the air feel so good. We were all happy to see and feel the air and the water at the cottage in Muskoka with Dave and Irene to greet us.
David and Irene and Wendy bought their cottage on Lake Joseph, on Redwood Road, in a complex called Redwood Cottages. It is interesting that they have purchased a co-op. They are responsible for the cottage while the co-op maintains the grounds and the docks and the water and sewer. It works well for them. The by-laws do not allow any owner to enlarge the footprint of the cottage, so in order to get more space, they raised the cottage and finished the lower lever, with two bedrooms and a full bath plus an efficiency kitchen down stairs. A stacked washer and dryer was in stalled, along with a large patio under the deck. In actual fact, they have doubles the space in the cottage but they have quadrupled the use of the cottage. It is a lovely renovation and I was pleased to see it in operation.
Trillium's are all throughout the woods. It is the provincial flower of Ontario, and this is the time to see them. At lunch today, Irene served us sausage rolls, along with lots of other good food, but the hit of the day was the sausage rolls. They were made at Don's Bakery in Bala, so on the way home we drove home right down the main street and found the bakery. We purchased all ten and brought them home for dinner. My sister came into the bakery too to buy our dessert tonight. We had a grand day. Perfect weather, great food and good company.
David and Irene and Wendy bought their cottage on Lake Joseph, on Redwood Road, in a complex called Redwood Cottages. It is interesting that they have purchased a co-op. They are responsible for the cottage while the co-op maintains the grounds and the docks and the water and sewer. It works well for them. The by-laws do not allow any owner to enlarge the footprint of the cottage, so in order to get more space, they raised the cottage and finished the lower lever, with two bedrooms and a full bath plus an efficiency kitchen down stairs. A stacked washer and dryer was in stalled, along with a large patio under the deck. In actual fact, they have doubles the space in the cottage but they have quadrupled the use of the cottage. It is a lovely renovation and I was pleased to see it in operation.
Trillium's are all throughout the woods. It is the provincial flower of Ontario, and this is the time to see them. At lunch today, Irene served us sausage rolls, along with lots of other good food, but the hit of the day was the sausage rolls. They were made at Don's Bakery in Bala, so on the way home we drove home right down the main street and found the bakery. We purchased all ten and brought them home for dinner. My sister came into the bakery too to buy our dessert tonight. We had a grand day. Perfect weather, great food and good company.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
May 14, 2009. Carriage Hills Resort, Ontario. Pat and Mal.
Everything was fancy. Pat used the good silver and the best crystal and china, eaten on a linen tablecloth in the dining room. The six of us were invited to dinner at the home of Pat and Mal in Barrie. Since we visited them twelve years ago, they had renovated their kitchen, also opened up the wall between the dining room and kitchen, so Pat wanted us to see the renovation, which was completed two years ago. Nova Scotia is the place we see Pat and Mal, as they have visited us every year. Mal is a good worker and helps Ken with projects and Pat keeps busy painting. She gets better every year. Last evening she pulled out all the stops. The food was wonderful too, all cooked by Pat, including the rhubarb pie. Their home is lovely. She wished she had opened up the rooms earlier, when the children were still at home. All six of us enjoyed the evening and we even arrived home to watch the hockey game. Next time we see Pat and Malcolm will be in Nova Scotia this summer. They both went a lot of trouble entertaining us last evening and we appreciated their efforts.
Tonight we dined at the Settler's Ghost at the golf course. Don and Doreen and Carol and Ken took Ken and me to dinner. We are eating high on the hog. We still do not know anything about the name, but we do know that their food is very good. Now we have eaten at all three restaurants in Craighurst, the closest town to our resort.
After lunch we walked, then went to the pool and hot tub. The recreation building is a a useful facility and we have enjoyed it. Of course, I looked a bit peculiar as I brought the only bathing suit I could find in the apartment, which happened to be a paper bathing suit. Several years ago when attending a meeting at The Hot Springs in Virginia, I wanted to accompany a group of my fellow Managers to the spa, but I had no bathing suit, so for three do;;ars I bought a paper bathing suit at the spa. It worked well. They furthermore told me to keep the bathing suit, as it lasts for twelve swims. I put the suit in my drawer and forgot about it, until I was searching for a bathing suit to bring to Canada. So far I have used it three times here and although it looks odd, it has served me well here. Here and there the paper is thin, but I still have four swims left, before it falls apart, hopefully not when I am in the water!!
Tonight we dined at the Settler's Ghost at the golf course. Don and Doreen and Carol and Ken took Ken and me to dinner. We are eating high on the hog. We still do not know anything about the name, but we do know that their food is very good. Now we have eaten at all three restaurants in Craighurst, the closest town to our resort.
After lunch we walked, then went to the pool and hot tub. The recreation building is a a useful facility and we have enjoyed it. Of course, I looked a bit peculiar as I brought the only bathing suit I could find in the apartment, which happened to be a paper bathing suit. Several years ago when attending a meeting at The Hot Springs in Virginia, I wanted to accompany a group of my fellow Managers to the spa, but I had no bathing suit, so for three do;;ars I bought a paper bathing suit at the spa. It worked well. They furthermore told me to keep the bathing suit, as it lasts for twelve swims. I put the suit in my drawer and forgot about it, until I was searching for a bathing suit to bring to Canada. So far I have used it three times here and although it looks odd, it has served me well here. Here and there the paper is thin, but I still have four swims left, before it falls apart, hopefully not when I am in the water!!
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
May 13, 2009. Carriage Hills Resort. Ontario. Bricks.
Every place has something distinctive, specific only to that location. Sometimes, local folks are not aware. Brick was used to build houses in the late nineteenth century in Southern Ontario and the Bruce Peninsula. This is not unusual as brick homes were built all over North America. What is different and specific to this area is that the builders used lighter colored bricks to add decorative touches to the home which adds beauty of the home. No one here knows how happened to find how all these beautiful decorative touches were added to the homes, but it is my guess that some good builder moved here and kept on going, adding this fancy brick work to every home he built. Then for a long time, the custom died out probably because the builder died. Now at least some houses are being built in the old fashioned style. Once when we were visiting my sister and driving around the Bruce Peninsula, we noticed these old homes and asked some local families about the fancy brick work. They did not think that the brick work was unusual, and that the construction was just the way things are done up here. But the truth is, these old homes are beautiful and unusual, and specific to southern Ontario and the Bruce Peninsula.
Ken and I and Don and Doreen went out to take a picture of one of these lovely old homes. Yesterday, during our drive to Midland and Wasago we saw many examples of these houses. Of course, I pointed out these houses to everyone in the car, but as they had all lived many years in Ontario, they did not think it unusual, just like all the locals. I set them straight. Wouldn't you know, but today we drove up and down all the side roads searching out one of these distinctive homes. Finally, we found one or two and took a picture. The thing that pleases me so much is that the builder used these lighter colored bricks just to make the home more beautiful. The structure is not impacted. The task of adding the light colored brick makes the job more difficult. But there you have before your eyes all these lovely homes, built many years ago, that you can only find in Southern Ontario.
Ken and I and Don and Doreen went out to take a picture of one of these lovely old homes. Yesterday, during our drive to Midland and Wasago we saw many examples of these houses. Of course, I pointed out these houses to everyone in the car, but as they had all lived many years in Ontario, they did not think it unusual, just like all the locals. I set them straight. Wouldn't you know, but today we drove up and down all the side roads searching out one of these distinctive homes. Finally, we found one or two and took a picture. The thing that pleases me so much is that the builder used these lighter colored bricks just to make the home more beautiful. The structure is not impacted. The task of adding the light colored brick makes the job more difficult. But there you have before your eyes all these lovely homes, built many years ago, that you can only find in Southern Ontario.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
May 12, 2009. Carriage Hills Resort, Ontario. Museums.
Wasaga Beach is on Georgian Bay and today we six walked two miles on the beach. It is a wonderful beach for walking as the sand is firm and the terrain is flat. In addition the weather was beautiful, with the sun shining and the breezes light, so we six enjoyed our walk on Wasaga Beach. Don walks with a pedometer so we knew what distance we were covering. In my youth in Ontario, Wasaga was known as a wild party beach, but today the young people have grown up, so now the beach is a Family town. In fact, it is the fastest growing town in Canada, says Carol. From there we used the GPS to find a local restaurant, The Street Cafe, and it turned out to be excellent, so we got lucky.
Next up for us was Midland, where we toured the Huron Ouendat Village, a very interesting museum. It was full of artifacts from the last four hundred years, in addition to an Indian Village. My tolerance for fact is limited, so soon I just looked and did not read. But I enjoyed it, even though we were really trying to find the Sainte-Marie among the Hurons, which was the next spot for us six. This was a French Jesuit mission to the Huron Wendat nation that lasted for a brief ten years, 1639-1649. The whole mission has been rebuilt and is beautiful and is well worth the visit. By the time we were leaving at 4:30, everyone was in need of a snack, so we drank a cup of tea and ate a dessert in the elegant dining room. On our return to our resort four of us soaked in the outdoor hot tub and revived our sore legs. We basically walked all day, but it was worth every step.
Next up for us was Midland, where we toured the Huron Ouendat Village, a very interesting museum. It was full of artifacts from the last four hundred years, in addition to an Indian Village. My tolerance for fact is limited, so soon I just looked and did not read. But I enjoyed it, even though we were really trying to find the Sainte-Marie among the Hurons, which was the next spot for us six. This was a French Jesuit mission to the Huron Wendat nation that lasted for a brief ten years, 1639-1649. The whole mission has been rebuilt and is beautiful and is well worth the visit. By the time we were leaving at 4:30, everyone was in need of a snack, so we drank a cup of tea and ate a dessert in the elegant dining room. On our return to our resort four of us soaked in the outdoor hot tub and revived our sore legs. We basically walked all day, but it was worth every step.
Monday, May 11, 2009
May 11, 2009. Carriage Hills Resort, Ontario. Car.
"We have found your car, and if you come right now you can drive it home", said the policeman. Of course, we were in Canada, having our lovely Mother's Day lunch, so this was not going to happen. David and Suzanne and the girls were at church so no one was able to get our car. We suggested that the car be towed to the lot controlled by the police but run by a private organization. They decided to tow the car to David and Suzanne's home, just in case they had gotten home from church, but no luck, so the car went on to the impounding lot. Our car is found. Unfortunately the two boxes from the back of the car are missing so my valuable clothes are lost for ever. And of course we have to check to see if the car is intact, but at least our car is back at home, or at least, it will soon be back home, I hope.
As everything else, when you solve one problem you get another. The car could not be released without a VIM number and the car will not be released without a notarized letter from Ken authorizing David or Suzanne to drive away the car. The cost for the storage is going up. Today we went to the township office and sent off the notarized letter. but it did not arrive, so we still have not gotten the car back home, and the charges are still going up. Suzanne and David must go and retrieve the car, which means both of them must drive over together then drive our car home. Life is never simple. It took Ken fifteen minutes on the phone with Amica this morning to get the VIM number from them, before we could get the letter notarized and then faxed. I am sure that David and Suzanne wished we had never left our car in their driveway. Now the real question is what do we do next?
As everything else, when you solve one problem you get another. The car could not be released without a VIM number and the car will not be released without a notarized letter from Ken authorizing David or Suzanne to drive away the car. The cost for the storage is going up. Today we went to the township office and sent off the notarized letter. but it did not arrive, so we still have not gotten the car back home, and the charges are still going up. Suzanne and David must go and retrieve the car, which means both of them must drive over together then drive our car home. Life is never simple. It took Ken fifteen minutes on the phone with Amica this morning to get the VIM number from them, before we could get the letter notarized and then faxed. I am sure that David and Suzanne wished we had never left our car in their driveway. Now the real question is what do we do next?
Sunday, May 10, 2009
May 10, 2009. Carriage Hill Resort, Ora- Medonte.
Now we are settled into a new place in Simcoe County, Ontario. I felt sad to say good-bye to The Landscapes, but Ken was ready for warmer weather, in fact he remembered why he left Ontario in 1964. He likes warm weather. Our new home is in a golf and ski resort. In our two bedroom unit is Ken and I and Don and Doreen, friends of long standing. Carol and Ken are in another apartment just two doors over from us. Our first dinner together tonight was simple but good, rotisserie chicken, salad and bread, with fresh fruit for dessert. I cooked. Don is trying to loose some weight so we will watch our intake of food all week. We will help each other. I have been friends with Don and Doreen for over 55 years. Doreen is a helpful person and efficient. She was when she was young and she is now. Before I noticed what was happening, she cleared the table and loaded the dishwasher. This kitchen is set up for six people, so as we have six every meal, we will run the dishwasher after every meal.
Today we drove into Gravenhurst, to see the Maritime Museum and to see the Segwun, the restored steamboat from 1890. We have a model of it in our mud room in Nova Scotia so we wanted to see the old boat restored and floating. Starting June 1st, you can take lunch or dinner cruises on the Lake. But today the Museum was closed and all we could see was the Segwun floating in the water tied to the dock. After checking into our resort, Ken and I went to a Mother's Day lunch at Abbott's, in Craighurst. The place was small but the food was excellent. We were lucky to get a table. Several others were turned away. The Simcoe Historic Museum we visited this afternoon is a perfect size for us. Not too big but very interesting. After going to the grocery store, we hauled all our stuff into our new home, and before we were finished, Carol and Ken arrived to say hello. Soon Don and Doreen appeared and now our party is complete.
Today we drove into Gravenhurst, to see the Maritime Museum and to see the Segwun, the restored steamboat from 1890. We have a model of it in our mud room in Nova Scotia so we wanted to see the old boat restored and floating. Starting June 1st, you can take lunch or dinner cruises on the Lake. But today the Museum was closed and all we could see was the Segwun floating in the water tied to the dock. After checking into our resort, Ken and I went to a Mother's Day lunch at Abbott's, in Craighurst. The place was small but the food was excellent. We were lucky to get a table. Several others were turned away. The Simcoe Historic Museum we visited this afternoon is a perfect size for us. Not too big but very interesting. After going to the grocery store, we hauled all our stuff into our new home, and before we were finished, Carol and Ken arrived to say hello. Soon Don and Doreen appeared and now our party is complete.
Saturday, May 9, 2009
May 9, 2009. Baysville, Ontario. More Cousins.
Now we are all living together, Ian and Rita Dickie from Sudbury, Randy and Gaby Dickie, along with Jessica and Rachel their children, who live in Toronto, and Ken and I. Randy is the son of Ray Dickie who is a brother of Ian which of course means Ray is a cousin of Ken. Of course, the Dickie Chicks are here too, all five of us. We are having a good time. When Ray's first wife died, Rita and Ian went to help out with the two young children, so Randy has always been close to Rita and Ian and their children. It is interesting how time enhances some relationships while others are diminished. Ian is four years younger than Ken while Ray is exactly the same age, so as kids, Ken and Ray were a pair. In the summer, the Dickie boys from Sudbury spent time in Parry Sound with their grandparents, and played with the Dickie boys in Parry Sound. Over the years, Ken and I have been in touch with Ray, but never with Ian. Rita and Ian lived in several different countries, as Ian was a mining engineer and his expertise was opening mines. It was at Pearl's funeral in Parry Sound that we got acquainted with both Ian and Rita. We have been in touch with them ever since.
Ken and I knew of Randy, but we had never met him until we travelled up to Sudbury to see Rita and Ian, and had the good fortune to be there for the Christening of Randy and Gaby's first daughter. They all came to our 40Th anniversary party in Ontario, where they also met David and Suzanne and Andrew and Christina, and all six of them have been in touch with other ever since. The eight little girls between 7 and 11 had a wonderful time playing together at our anniversary in Nova Scotia. All cousins kind of look alike. Now a part of the family is in Muskoka, having a good time, but wishing that the rest of the family was there too. This morning we went on a boat ride on the lake with Bruce. The difference today was the fog and rain. A normal family would have cancelled the trip, but not this family. We all loved it, but were ready to get off the boat and find warmth. Tomorrow we all go our separate ways, but we all will recall our time together at the Landscapes, on The Lake of Bays.
Ken and I knew of Randy, but we had never met him until we travelled up to Sudbury to see Rita and Ian, and had the good fortune to be there for the Christening of Randy and Gaby's first daughter. They all came to our 40Th anniversary party in Ontario, where they also met David and Suzanne and Andrew and Christina, and all six of them have been in touch with other ever since. The eight little girls between 7 and 11 had a wonderful time playing together at our anniversary in Nova Scotia. All cousins kind of look alike. Now a part of the family is in Muskoka, having a good time, but wishing that the rest of the family was there too. This morning we went on a boat ride on the lake with Bruce. The difference today was the fog and rain. A normal family would have cancelled the trip, but not this family. We all loved it, but were ready to get off the boat and find warmth. Tomorrow we all go our separate ways, but we all will recall our time together at the Landscapes, on The Lake of Bays.
Friday, May 8, 2009
May 8, 2009. Baysville, Ontario. Cousins.
They had never met, these two cousins, but now they know each other, thanks to lunch yesterday at The Landscapes. Jim Ferris lives in Parry Sound and came for lunch along with his wife Marion. Ken's cousin Ian Dickie lives in Sudbury, and Ian and Rita have been with us since Wednesday. Ken and Ian are first cousins, as their Fathers were brothers. Jim's grandfather was a brother to Ken and Ian's Grandmother, so these three men are related. The wives all got along well, in fact both Marion and Rite are avid quilters, so I am sure they will stay in touch. Our lunch was a festive event, the conversation jumping between the past to the present with great speed. Ken and I could not remember when we last saw Marion and Jim, but we were very happy to see them yesterday.
Jim was born in Parry Sound, and worked there for 32 years, as head of the Music Department at the High School. He retired ten years ago, then worked six year for Yamaha. Now he leads The Silver Band in Orillia. Marion also plays in that band. His father was for many years was the leader of The Salvation Army band, the band Ken that played in for many years. In fact Bob Ferris, Jim's father taught Ken to play. Jim is ten years younger than Ken and as Ken left for college at age eighteen, the two did not have much to do with each other when they were young. We have always seen Jim and Marion when we were back to Parry Sound and we kept track of Jim's success at the school and in the community of music in Parry Sound. Jim came to the High School right from his graduation with a degree of Bachelor of Music. The school had one band. Over the years he introduced the music world to every student and to every parent and had a huge impact on the community. He ended up with fourteen musical groups at the school, many led by a student. His groups won many prizes at the National level. His impact on the community at large led to the Festival of The Sound, a three week long festival of music in every form. If you ever doubt the value of one, just think of Jim Ferris and the music scene in Parry Sound. It is very impressive. We were delighted to get to spend time with this cousin and his wife, who we have known almost all our lives. We will be a better job of keeping track of them over the next years.
Jim was born in Parry Sound, and worked there for 32 years, as head of the Music Department at the High School. He retired ten years ago, then worked six year for Yamaha. Now he leads The Silver Band in Orillia. Marion also plays in that band. His father was for many years was the leader of The Salvation Army band, the band Ken that played in for many years. In fact Bob Ferris, Jim's father taught Ken to play. Jim is ten years younger than Ken and as Ken left for college at age eighteen, the two did not have much to do with each other when they were young. We have always seen Jim and Marion when we were back to Parry Sound and we kept track of Jim's success at the school and in the community of music in Parry Sound. Jim came to the High School right from his graduation with a degree of Bachelor of Music. The school had one band. Over the years he introduced the music world to every student and to every parent and had a huge impact on the community. He ended up with fourteen musical groups at the school, many led by a student. His groups won many prizes at the National level. His impact on the community at large led to the Festival of The Sound, a three week long festival of music in every form. If you ever doubt the value of one, just think of Jim Ferris and the music scene in Parry Sound. It is very impressive. We were delighted to get to spend time with this cousin and his wife, who we have known almost all our lives. We will be a better job of keeping track of them over the next years.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
May 7, 2009.. Baysville, Ontario. Stolen Cars.
I listened to my messages on my cell phone, and much to my great surprise, my son David had left a message. I knew it must be important. He asked me if we were in Texas. Now he knew we were in Canada, but he was hoping we had changed plans and come to Texas, as our car was no longer in his driveway. He was hoping we had surprised them and come for a visit, and picked up our car from their house. Definitely, our car was no longer there. I called him back to let him know that we were not in Texas. We have never had a car stolen before so we went through all the stages of shock to anger to acceptance, all in three days. The car, our Ford Escape, was stolen from David and Suzanne's driveway on Saturday morning. Ken called the police, and then the Insurance company. So far, no car has appeared, so now we must figure out our next plan. If we buy another car should we leave it in their driveway again, only it to be stolen again? Should we go back to renting a car while we are there? We will have to figure it out.
Several good has come out from this stolen car. Ken remembered our car license plate. The police will not accept a stolen car report unless we know the license number, and lo and behold, Ken could remember the plate. I was stunned. I could not recall one letter of our license plate. The police in San Antonio have been very pleasant and encouraging. Of course, they have not yet found the car, but they will call us if it turns up. Amica, our insurance company have been very responsive and helpful. Immediately, they told Ken that we had comprehensive coverage, and that our policy allows for a rental as we get another car. Of course, neither Ken or I know what comprehensive coverage is all about, but we have it and we are glad. They will even allow us to use the rental when we next come to Texas, which will be in October. Everyone is sympathetic and helpful, but our car is not yet back at home. I do not like this. In the back of the car I had a box. In the box I had a pair of jeans, two T shirts, one silk dress, two pair of underwear, one pair of sneakers and one new sweater, given to me by Suzanne for Christmas. Also a plastic bag with deodorant and a tooth brush. The car they can keep, but I want my box of clothes back. Every item is irreplaceable!!
Several good has come out from this stolen car. Ken remembered our car license plate. The police will not accept a stolen car report unless we know the license number, and lo and behold, Ken could remember the plate. I was stunned. I could not recall one letter of our license plate. The police in San Antonio have been very pleasant and encouraging. Of course, they have not yet found the car, but they will call us if it turns up. Amica, our insurance company have been very responsive and helpful. Immediately, they told Ken that we had comprehensive coverage, and that our policy allows for a rental as we get another car. Of course, neither Ken or I know what comprehensive coverage is all about, but we have it and we are glad. They will even allow us to use the rental when we next come to Texas, which will be in October. Everyone is sympathetic and helpful, but our car is not yet back at home. I do not like this. In the back of the car I had a box. In the box I had a pair of jeans, two T shirts, one silk dress, two pair of underwear, one pair of sneakers and one new sweater, given to me by Suzanne for Christmas. Also a plastic bag with deodorant and a tooth brush. The car they can keep, but I want my box of clothes back. Every item is irreplaceable!!
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
May 6, 2009. Baysville, Ontario. Boat Ride.
For three hours today we rode in a very comfortable pontoon boat. Bruce was the driver and he took us all around the Lake of Bays, pointing out famous old resorts and cottages of famous people. None of the four of us had even been on The Lake of Bays. This lake is the second largest of the Muskoka Lakes but until fairly recently, it had been sparcely populated with cottages, but now the large cottages are being built everywhere. The restrictions of boat houses is new, in that you can not build any living quarters over the boat house. This time of year is perfect to spying on cottages, as the leaves are not in full leaf, so you can clearly see these cottages from the water. Many cottages will be covered with leaves in just a few weeks, but for now, my desire to be nosy can be indulged. Bud and Mary and Ken and I enjoyed the ride, as the water was not rough and the weather was pleasant. Fortunately Ken went over to the store for sun screen.
It is a bit like Potomac. The old cottages on the lake were small, and built into the natural slope of the land. The new cottages are large and built to be sure you notice this new beautiful home. A great deal of stone has been added to allow access to the water, so along with the large boat house, the whole package stands out from the shore. My favourite cottage scene was the one with the boat house built right along the stone, with the cottage just a few feet higher, nestled into the rocks at the edge of the water. I would like that cottage. Bruce our driver is a third generation of his family to love this lake. He and his family spends the summer in his cottage on the lake and in the winter he lives in Bracebridege. He has noticed a change in the lake the last two years, with more people and larger cottages, but his children and his wife still love life at the lake, where the water is clean and the air is clear. Of course, everyone is friendly. I too liked the lake and may even take another trip tomorrow.
It is a bit like Potomac. The old cottages on the lake were small, and built into the natural slope of the land. The new cottages are large and built to be sure you notice this new beautiful home. A great deal of stone has been added to allow access to the water, so along with the large boat house, the whole package stands out from the shore. My favourite cottage scene was the one with the boat house built right along the stone, with the cottage just a few feet higher, nestled into the rocks at the edge of the water. I would like that cottage. Bruce our driver is a third generation of his family to love this lake. He and his family spends the summer in his cottage on the lake and in the winter he lives in Bracebridege. He has noticed a change in the lake the last two years, with more people and larger cottages, but his children and his wife still love life at the lake, where the water is clean and the air is clear. Of course, everyone is friendly. I too liked the lake and may even take another trip tomorrow.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
April 5, 2009. Baysville, Ontario. Bud and Mary.
I am waiting for them now, watching from the den. They are coming from Parry Sound and will spend a coupe of days with us here in Baysville. From my spot in the den, I overlook the gardens and the large entertainment center, with just a corner of the driveway into this resort, so I am hoping I can catch them as they drive up. Parry Sound is about an hours drive from here so they should be here mid-morning. Ken and I consider Bud and Mary good friends, which is interesting because we are almost totally opposite from each other. They have stayed put in one place, Parry Sound. They were both born and raised there. Bud spent nine moths attending College in Toronto, but for the rest of his life, he has lived happily in Parry Sound. Bud completed his Bachelor of Education Degree via long distance. He taught school, and for years was the principal of an Elementary school. He retired several years ago. They have three children. Mary is good at everything. For years she gave dinners for organizations at the Hockey Arena, The Bobby Orr Arena, and just a few years ago stopped doing it. They are good friends and have put up with our comings and goings throughout the years. They were married two weeks ahead of us so you can see they are not young either.
Ken and Bed went to school together, which means, all through school together. Bud tells the story of one sunny Spring day when both boys were in a study hall. Of course they were not studying. The windows were open, so the two boys jumped out the window and were lying in the sun on the grass, sans shirts, when a teacher called out the window, "Dickie, what the hell are you doing now?" The teacher knew that it was Ken's fault they were laying outside without their shirts on. Bud also reports that it made him mad because Ken always did well at school while Bud also did well, but had to work hard while Ken did not appear to do any work at all, which would have been true. Bud and Mary have been examples to me that living in a small place requires greater intellect and drive than living in a big city.
Bud is the youngest son of a large Family. I believe he is youngest of twelve, so some of his brothers were old enough to be his uncle. Now here is a new story. One of Bud's older brothers was in the Second World War. Just two years ago, a woman contacted Bud, to say that she thought they were related. She is now coming to visit her long lost relatives next week from England. Evidently as often happened, a baby was born during the war, and the child was told that Father died during the war. The child grew up, then retired, then started looking through the Mother's belongings, to find that a strange person from Canada had sent money over to the child all throughout many years. After investigating the records, she discovered that their never had been a husband, but that she had a big Family in Canada, so she contacted them. It turns out that several family members were aware of the child in England, but the Mother's wishes were to say nothing to the child., so they kept quiet. Bud is excited to meet this new step-sister. I am sure this a story tat has been repeated many times from the discombobulation of the Second World War, but this is a story with a happy ending.
Ken and Bed went to school together, which means, all through school together. Bud tells the story of one sunny Spring day when both boys were in a study hall. Of course they were not studying. The windows were open, so the two boys jumped out the window and were lying in the sun on the grass, sans shirts, when a teacher called out the window, "Dickie, what the hell are you doing now?" The teacher knew that it was Ken's fault they were laying outside without their shirts on. Bud also reports that it made him mad because Ken always did well at school while Bud also did well, but had to work hard while Ken did not appear to do any work at all, which would have been true. Bud and Mary have been examples to me that living in a small place requires greater intellect and drive than living in a big city.
Bud is the youngest son of a large Family. I believe he is youngest of twelve, so some of his brothers were old enough to be his uncle. Now here is a new story. One of Bud's older brothers was in the Second World War. Just two years ago, a woman contacted Bud, to say that she thought they were related. She is now coming to visit her long lost relatives next week from England. Evidently as often happened, a baby was born during the war, and the child was told that Father died during the war. The child grew up, then retired, then started looking through the Mother's belongings, to find that a strange person from Canada had sent money over to the child all throughout many years. After investigating the records, she discovered that their never had been a husband, but that she had a big Family in Canada, so she contacted them. It turns out that several family members were aware of the child in England, but the Mother's wishes were to say nothing to the child., so they kept quiet. Bud is excited to meet this new step-sister. I am sure this a story tat has been repeated many times from the discombobulation of the Second World War, but this is a story with a happy ending.
Monday, May 4, 2009
April 4, 2009. Baysville, Ontario. Family Dinner.
They were leaving the next morning for Bangkok, but they took the time to come to dinner with us. And another spent the day making wine, but made the extra effort to drive to Ancaster from Toronto to join in the festivities. They came to their parent's home to have dinner with their Aunt and Uncle, Ruth and Ken. And two off-spring came to join us for appetizer, along with one boyfriend. It was a lovely event and I am grateful they came. I have known Norm and Wendy all their lives. Dave and Irene married in 1953, and their three children, born four years apart, were always a part of our lives. Our children were born in 1968 and 1969, so we watched those children grow up , before we were even interested in children. When Irene was in the hospital for the birth of their youngest child Ken, my Ken was a medical student, and after hours, he walked through the hospital with his stethoscope around his neck, and went to visit Irene and the baby Ken. We have always felt part of their lives. All three children are very successful in their chosen fields, the result of native intelligence plus very careful upbringing. The three children might have objected about their home routines, and Dave and Irene have laughed about the fact that their Sunday dinner served in the dining room is never carried out in homes of the children, but the results speaks for itself. The three children are spunky and smart, but polite and accomplished, so the parents must have done something right. Dave commented once that one problem with trying to bring up independent children is that they are independent, and no longer need their parents and their aunt and uncle. But it is the best way and I am proud of their children and their accomplishments.
Our Family Dinner was delightful. Norm and Diane were there along with Wendy and Ken. Rachel and Ariel, two of Norm's children came for a couple of hours before dinner, and Fraser, the friend of Ariel came too. It is always interesting to speak to these young folks, who are all so anxious with their education and their careers. I always wonder how they will all turn out, and look forward watching them assume their roles in life. Both Ariel and Rachel were in Nova Scotia, so we saw them last summer, but with so many people there we did not have time to spend much time with each one, but now I am up to date and I will cheer them on in any way I can. Ariel is just finishing her course work for a Masters degree in Literature from McGill University, and hopes to get funded to go on with a PhD. First she must write her thesis, which will be rationing during the Second World War in Canadian literature. Rachel has just completed her Degree and may join her brother teaching in Bangkok.
Of course the whole evening was orchestrated by Irene with no fuss or muss. Dinner for eight, ready to eat, before I was even aware that she was cooking. Of course, I was undoubtedly talking while Irene was working. This is the story of my life. I talk while everyone else works. The dinner was marvellous, both the food and the conversation, and I enjoyed every bit of both.
Our Family Dinner was delightful. Norm and Diane were there along with Wendy and Ken. Rachel and Ariel, two of Norm's children came for a couple of hours before dinner, and Fraser, the friend of Ariel came too. It is always interesting to speak to these young folks, who are all so anxious with their education and their careers. I always wonder how they will all turn out, and look forward watching them assume their roles in life. Both Ariel and Rachel were in Nova Scotia, so we saw them last summer, but with so many people there we did not have time to spend much time with each one, but now I am up to date and I will cheer them on in any way I can. Ariel is just finishing her course work for a Masters degree in Literature from McGill University, and hopes to get funded to go on with a PhD. First she must write her thesis, which will be rationing during the Second World War in Canadian literature. Rachel has just completed her Degree and may join her brother teaching in Bangkok.
Of course the whole evening was orchestrated by Irene with no fuss or muss. Dinner for eight, ready to eat, before I was even aware that she was cooking. Of course, I was undoubtedly talking while Irene was working. This is the story of my life. I talk while everyone else works. The dinner was marvellous, both the food and the conversation, and I enjoyed every bit of both.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
May 3, 2009. Baysville, Ontario. The Landscapes.
This place is just beautiful. It is spacious and gracious. The Landscapes is a new development, in fact they are selling phase one and are just beginning to build phase two. For the first time, we have exchanged one week of our interval ownership property in Mexico, to use one week at a similar interval ownership property in the Muskoka Lake area of Ontario. We are about three hours north of Toronto. When you do something for the first time, no telling what you are going to find, but this place is lovely. The organization that operates the exchange is call "The Registry", and all the resorts are supposed to be five star, but you really never know. But this place called The Landscapes is beautiful. Our townhouse type home has three bedrooms and a den, along with a games room and a patio overlooking the lake. Three full bathrooms plus a large full kitchen plus living room and dining room makes for a comfortable home. It is a good thing too, because we have a lot of company coming this week. Now we are set. The refrigerator is full as is the pantry so we are ready to party.
The weather is helping. The temperature today was sixty degrees and sunny, with a slight breeze. No black flies or mosquito's in sight. This area is loaded with lakes and rivers, so the drive up reminded us why we like this area so much. Ken was brought up in Parry Sound, which is on Georgian Bay, a large bay off Lake Huron, so he is partial to the Bay. I like Georgian Bay too, but I also love The Muskoka Lakes. Lake of Bays, Lake Muskoka, Lake Joseph, and Lake Rosseau are lovely lakes with clear water and many cottages. Dave and Irene and Wendy own a cottage on Lake Jo. We love the rocks, these large slabs of granite, streaked with pink and white and black, and we love all the rivers and streams, which connect all the lakes one to the next. We have enjoyed the drive up memory lane. Now we are enjoying this place. It seems such a good idea to share ownership on these properties. The arrangement is that you buy four weeks of the unit at a time, one week in the summer and the other three at other times. Of course you can buy eight or twelve weeks for three times the price of four weeks, but in today's world, staying at the cottage all summer is not feasible, so these shared interval places should be popular. There are storage units in our home here so as an owner you can leave clothes up here, just as we do in Mexico.
This is a pleasant surprise and I am sure we will exchange more weeks for other places over the next few years.
The weather is helping. The temperature today was sixty degrees and sunny, with a slight breeze. No black flies or mosquito's in sight. This area is loaded with lakes and rivers, so the drive up reminded us why we like this area so much. Ken was brought up in Parry Sound, which is on Georgian Bay, a large bay off Lake Huron, so he is partial to the Bay. I like Georgian Bay too, but I also love The Muskoka Lakes. Lake of Bays, Lake Muskoka, Lake Joseph, and Lake Rosseau are lovely lakes with clear water and many cottages. Dave and Irene and Wendy own a cottage on Lake Jo. We love the rocks, these large slabs of granite, streaked with pink and white and black, and we love all the rivers and streams, which connect all the lakes one to the next. We have enjoyed the drive up memory lane. Now we are enjoying this place. It seems such a good idea to share ownership on these properties. The arrangement is that you buy four weeks of the unit at a time, one week in the summer and the other three at other times. Of course you can buy eight or twelve weeks for three times the price of four weeks, but in today's world, staying at the cottage all summer is not feasible, so these shared interval places should be popular. There are storage units in our home here so as an owner you can leave clothes up here, just as we do in Mexico.
This is a pleasant surprise and I am sure we will exchange more weeks for other places over the next few years.
Saturday, May 2, 2009
May 2, 2009. Ancaster, Ontario. Ellen Irene Buckley.
I have known her since I was fifteen and she is even more competent now. She is also just as thin as she was all those years ago. And to top it all off, her disposition is still bright and sunny even though she is just a tad older than me. She is my sister-in-law, Irene Buckley.
When we arrived yesterday to visit with Dave and Irene, I knew exactly what I would find. I would find the home beautifully furnished and clean as a whistle. Our room had everything in order with everything for our every needs. And even though we arrived at one-o'clock, Irene had the lunch all ready for us. She has the happy ability to anticipate the needs for everyone around her and the energy to carry out the tasks. She is actually quite a remarkable person, although she does not know it. I always wished she worked for me, because we work well together. Over the years, remember I have known her for fifty-five years, we worked together on many events. They often visited us in Washington and I was always pleased when they were with us for a big party, as Irene was a huge help. When we are both in the kitchen, we do not bump into each other. This is a big deal.
Irene is as good as sister-in-law as a sister-in-law could ever be. Ken and I spent every Christmas with their family and all arrangements were always in order. This weekend is a perfect example of her attention to detail. Every day is planned and the meals planned and implemented. Last night the four of us dined at a wonderful restaurant called "Spencer's", in Burlington right on the lake front. Tonight Norm and Diane and Wendy and Ken will be here for dinner along with two grandchildren. We are having a wonderful time, all thanks to Irene's competence. But the best part is her enthusiasm. Always ready to go and do and try. Ken and I are blessed with having our sister-in-law Ellen Irene Buckley.
When we arrived yesterday to visit with Dave and Irene, I knew exactly what I would find. I would find the home beautifully furnished and clean as a whistle. Our room had everything in order with everything for our every needs. And even though we arrived at one-o'clock, Irene had the lunch all ready for us. She has the happy ability to anticipate the needs for everyone around her and the energy to carry out the tasks. She is actually quite a remarkable person, although she does not know it. I always wished she worked for me, because we work well together. Over the years, remember I have known her for fifty-five years, we worked together on many events. They often visited us in Washington and I was always pleased when they were with us for a big party, as Irene was a huge help. When we are both in the kitchen, we do not bump into each other. This is a big deal.
Irene is as good as sister-in-law as a sister-in-law could ever be. Ken and I spent every Christmas with their family and all arrangements were always in order. This weekend is a perfect example of her attention to detail. Every day is planned and the meals planned and implemented. Last night the four of us dined at a wonderful restaurant called "Spencer's", in Burlington right on the lake front. Tonight Norm and Diane and Wendy and Ken will be here for dinner along with two grandchildren. We are having a wonderful time, all thanks to Irene's competence. But the best part is her enthusiasm. Always ready to go and do and try. Ken and I are blessed with having our sister-in-law Ellen Irene Buckley.
Friday, May 1, 2009
May 1, 2009. Ancaster, Ontario. Carol.
Today my sister turned 74. Happy Birthday to Carol. She has been a good sister to me and is enjoying her retirement now. As young people, she always fixed my hair, in fact when she left for Training College I had no clue about managing my hair. She also was very competent with sewing so everything that needed to be done in the sewing department was always her responsibility. In other words, she looked after me and the interesting thing is that she never seemed to resent it. In truth, she has a helpful heart and she still has. She works at a very fast clip. She did when she was young and she still does now. At school she trained to be a Secretary as she had no interest in the Academic life. Her positions were always in administration. Most of her career she was responsible for event planning with a major organization in Canada. She was very success in that career. When she retired at 65 she took a position in Owen Sound, running the Food Bank for The Salvation Army. Then a couple of years ago she retired from that position too.
She still is active in the Owen Sound Salvation Army. She sings in the Songster, she leads the Corps Cadet Brigade and she organizes the Fellowship pot luck lunch once a month right after church. Of course, her husband Ken helps her with this. Every one who wonders how to succeed in retirement should talk to Carol. She is a busy and a happy lady. I am fortunate that she is also my Sister.
She still is active in the Owen Sound Salvation Army. She sings in the Songster, she leads the Corps Cadet Brigade and she organizes the Fellowship pot luck lunch once a month right after church. Of course, her husband Ken helps her with this. Every one who wonders how to succeed in retirement should talk to Carol. She is a busy and a happy lady. I am fortunate that she is also my Sister.
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