Time to Head South

The temps are dropping, the park has turned off the water and the windows easily form condensation – even when only making a cup of tea! So, as we say, if we’re not hav’n fun, why do it? After our Christmas – I forgot to mention the record high temps in the 50’s – Barb & I start to seriously plan our trip south with a stop in London to have the brakes and under carriage checked for road worthiness and then onto Chanute for some major repairs to our home! We can not commit to an arrival at the Plantation until we find out how sever the repairs are at Chanute.

We wanted to see a few people before we headed south so we made arrangements for the last week to meet up with Pat & Carolyn and my brother Larry. Other friends and family in the London area is/will be arranged as we get there. We met Pat & Carolyn at a cutsie Cafe in Port Hope for lunch. It was great to see them again and to wish them well staying in a cold winter! The owners did not rush us out so it was an enjoyable time with them. We also got to walk down to the water and pier.  On our way back toward Toronto, we stopped to see Larry and have dinner with him at our favorite fish and chip restaurant before we disappeared for the winter. It was a long day with lots of windshield time but well worth it.

We arrived in London on Monday afternoon and got set up at the dealership for  sleeping over to be available for the first AM appointment. After checking in with them on our location etc, we went out for dinner – our fridge is bare as we can not take meat or fowl over the border so that means we have to eat out! After dinner, we visit with my other brother and his bride for the evening. Lots of chit chat to catch up on each others do’ins and then we returned to the rig to sleep – as we were to be up early for our appointment.

We met Ron and Vicki – Barb’s childhood girl friend – for breakfast while the truck is in for service. We spent a couple of hours kibitzing and carrying on as if we were in our right minds. During our fun and frivolity, we get the call from the trailer dealership that we have some issues with the brakes that need to be looked at. Looked at – crap, they need to be fixed before we carry on. What we had planned on a single day job for the brakes and shackles, turns into a major brake job on the trailer.  3 of the 6 sets were seized tight and had to be replaced – of course we all agreed that replacing everything to the back plate makes sense but holy cow what an expense before we’ve started. To save time and $$, Barb & I drive to Woodstock to pick up the 3 sets and deliver them back to the dealer in London. It was a nice day for a driving tour. After, we needed propane and treats for the repair techs so off to Costco. Now that all that ‘house keeping’ was done, time to think about dinner again so off to the Mandarin Chinese Buffet with Gerry & Ann. Now this restaurant knows how to treat seniors – they give us a discount any day you go, not a specific day that the company declares – hear that Bulk Barn? Ok, I’m off my soap box and after a nice evening and dinner, we return to the rig to sleep and be ready for them to finish the brake job on Wednesday.

After we vacate the rig and check on the repairs, we met Diane for breakfast. It was so foggy, we really didn’t expect her to meet with us but there in the gloom, we see her headlights pull up to the restaurant. We had a fun time even without John – he was in Yuma with a buddy. Well have to do that again, right Di?  Thursday was Di’s birthday so we had something happy to celebrate instead of new brakes! We returned to the waiting room so I could be interviewed for compliance of a new licencing regulation that was brought into effect July 2011. I now have my certificate and card – whew, that takes a load off, how have I done this since 2000 without it??

The rig was completed by mid afternoon and we decided it was too late to head for the border. First thing Thursday AM – 9ish – we are on the 402 toward the Blue Water Bridge at Sarnia. The crossing was really good this time, the CBP agent did not board us and we were on our way in record time. Chanute, here we come with over nights planned at a Walmart just north of Indianapolis and another just outside of Kansas City! But wait, this is the US Thanksgiving so that makes tomorrow ‘Black Friday’! Not sure we want to be anywhere near a Walmart on Black Friday so we had to change our plans on the fly – ok that’s where we’ll stay, the Flying J in Indianapolis! The roads were clear with little traffic and the weather was perfect. Black Friday was very similar – we had an easy escape from Indianapolis and onto Chanute. We had planned staying overnight outside Kansas City but my navigator – the best there is – turned us south to the Lake of the Ozarks and a Walmart there. We pulled in just before 5 PM and found no large shopping crowds or heavy traffic. Another great decision by our nav!

Saturday morning and we were back on the road heading for Chanute, KS. We should arrive noonish if we don’t run into traffic – hey, we’re driving through rural MO & KS so we’ll be there noonish!

Well, enough for now. Hope all is good where you are….

A Family Christmas

When we returned from Larry & Judy’s wedding, we collapsed in bed with visions of sugar plumbs buzzing around in our heads as Santa arrives tomorrow for our little family! We agreed to help Terri get set up so we were up and at’m fairly early to be there by 11:00 AM. Thank goodness the QEW was not busy as we were moving a little slowly and did not get held up and arrived on time. Terri & Mark already had the tree up and decorated (I suspect it went back in the box decorated from last year ;)) and they were preparing some of the dinner. With a couple absent, we still sat 15 for dinner. The plan is the host couple provide the bird and the rest bring potluck veggies and dessert.

I don’t know which is more fun, watching the little ones – we only have 3 now that are still in awe with Santa – carefully so not to get caught snooping – paw through the gifts looking for theirs, checking on the size and making sure they got the same amount as everyone else. Or is it when we all are sitting and having a meal together – we don’t do this often enough either. Or is it listening to the conversations of our adult kids, catching up on each others lives. Or is it watching and listening to everyone as they open their gifts. It is all a great time and brings back wonderful memories of our Christmases when our adult kids were toddlers doing exactly what their kids are doing now! Oh, what good fun!

A tradition that Barb & I started long ago which she saw on her soap opera, thanks Days.  We would each have a special  tree ornament that we would hang on the tree after we said a little something about the year, event or anything that we each felt was worthy. Sometimes the ‘tree speeches’ were emotional, sometimes they were funny and sometimes they were boring but we all did them. This year Barb & I thought the interest was waning and that since we do not host Christmas now, that maybe it is our kids turns to start a tradition of their own and maybe we should stop the special ornaments. We put it to a vote and were happily surprised that everyone – even the grandkids wanted to carry on. That was a nice surprise!

So, everyone starts to arrive and soon the house is humming with chatter and the gift snoops are snooping! You notice that I didn’t say only the little ones were snooping! Anyway, beverages are served and sometimes I think everyone is talking at the same time but I think that is an age thing. Soon,  dinner is ready and I get the honor of carving the bird.

 

The advent (another tradition we have had for years started at our church when the girls were little) wreath is usually lit by the grandkids but this year we  shook it up a little and asked our kids to do the honors and then dinner is served. Normally you would think that the ‘noise’ level would decrease while feeding but alas no, everyone is having fun!

 

 

Now comes the tree speeches and the gift opening! The real excitement begins! Paper is flying everywhere, the volume is turned up and there are smiles all around! They are good memories as I write this almost a month later.

Barb has spent the past 16 months making 6 cuddle quilts for our adult kids and was real excited to give them out.  Each couple’s quilts came about from all her great lessons and friends at The Plantation In Alabama.  Their response filled her heart with joy and she hopes they keep them warm this winter and feel her love wrapped around them.

The next part was a gift to each family from me to our adult kids.  They were too big to wrap so they were ushered upstairs so Barb & I could set up their gifts – kinda like when they were toddlers, we had to wait until they were asleep before we could assemble the doll houses or get the doll buggies set up! Barb made each house a crocheted mat to go with my caned chairs, a couple of rocking chairs and 3 dining chairs. So we called them down and the looks on the faces and their actions after they saw their gifts was so neat. Dawn picked up her quilt, wrapped herself and sat in her rocker, saying she was ready for the winter.

 

Here are pictures of the quilts:

 

All too soon, the end emerges and everyone starts to leave. After all the farewells and hugs, we helped a little on cleanup then we headed back to the rig. It was a wonderful Christmas, Charlie Brown.  We hope you too have wonderful memories this year.

Cooler and Counting

Our weather has turned cool – a little below freezing at night and barely above freezing during the day so our sights are being focused on our journey south. Now that we have been to see our doctors to ensure that we are roadworthy, we have to turn our attention to the more mechanical beasts. It’s the little things that need to be done that are niggling on our minds. Things like a lube and oil for the truck, grease and brake checks for the trailer and then planning a route that gets us outta this climate! That chore really depends on the weather forecast – if clear then we can find a route we haven’t travelled yet and yes Dorothy, there are roads out there less travelled! But, if the weather forecast is bleak, then we take the route that keeps us on a clear path, avoiding nasty and dangerous driving conditions. We’ve been in touch with friends at the Plantation and they say the weather there is beautiful – let’s hope they hang onto it until we get there.

We have completed our Christmas shopping and all the gifts are wrapped and awaiting the excitement of the grandkids. It’s amazing, with only a few hundred square feet of floor space, Barb does a better than excellent job organizing, wrapping and stacking the gifts so we were not tripping over them or ourselves.

Not too much left to do before we head out, everything is stowed – oops except for Barbie’s sewing ‘room’, that will be a last minute task. She is still busy working on sewing and quilting projects. Here are a couple of samples – great work isn’t it. 

We also have a wedding to attend – our cousin Judy and her long time partner, Larry are finally tying the knot after a short 30+ years of living together. Yes, they finally decided that they can live comfortably together so why not join the fine establishment of marriage!

The nuptials were conducted at St Peter’s Basilica in  London, Ontario. After the service and photos on the steps, we were invited to the Villa Cornelia for dinner and reception. We were greeted with wonderful appetizers and lots of chatter and laughs with friends and family. During dinner, there were lots of stories – some a little strange and some more than a little funny and the usual glass tinking. After a few toasts, we were asked back to their home for some champagne and one of the guests set the TV up so we could view the pictures – hey, we’re older now and needed them to remind us of why we were there!  We wish them many wonderful years together.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not much more to say, we are having our family Christmas celebration so I will be writing on that soon. Hoping all is good where you are and until next time….

Down and Out

Wow, in our last post all was good and we were recovering after a visit with friends and grandsons but the reprise didn’t last long! Barb & I drove over to Markham (about an hours drive through or across Toronto) for a doctors appointment. I was drugged up so couldn’t do the drive home and Barb piloted us nicely even though she had the start of an upset stomach.

Wednesday, the sun rose in a different sky for Barbie – she woke with the flu! It was a terrible bug! She was definitely and completely down and out except for the quick trips to the ‘john’! On Thursday, I came down with the little critter and was in the same state as Barb. We made a great pair, both trying to lay quietly under the covers until this thing went through our systems.

So now we’re back at the routine, we’ve batten down the hatches so we’re not chasing anything down the road when the remnants of Sandy blow through here later today. We tuned into CNN to see what’s going on and I still don’t understand why I torment myself so! I’m sure the same wave or the same gust of wind was videoed and talked about more times – it must be a a Guinness Book record! I know there was horrific disaster there but surely there were other stories of heroism and rescue that deserved more attention by the media. When we tuned into the Canadian news, all we got was the same as we got from CNN! What about the Canadian stories of the storm?

So now, all is quiet on the storm front and thankfully, none of our kids were in danger or at risk and no damage to their properties. We had nothing here, just a little rock & roll on some gusts with lots of rain but it was a non-event. It’s a sad story from the American Eastern Seaboard though.

Now that we have our health back and the storm has passed, our attention is now focused on Christmas shopping. Our family Christmas is coming up quickly and we need to hit the shops and malls to fulfill our grand children’s wish lists.

Until next time, hope all is good out there where you are….

Lots to be Thankful For

Again, I am a little slow in updating but I’m sure you don’t want to read about our normal routines. But, we did have a nice Thanksgiving on Sunday. It was my brothers family’s turn to host while the rest if us brought various plates and bowls of delicious food to compliment the turkey! We were surprised by a visit from Jim and Sandy from Waskada Mb., Larry’s in-laws. We had a nice time catching up as it has been many years since we saw them last. The rest of us came from Orangeville, Toronto and Kemptville, Ontario.  We sat 23 adults and children for dinner. It was a great time.  This was our 27th Thanksgiving together, wow.  We have seen the Ellis children grow, marry and have children, what a treat watching as our next generation grows up.

On Thanksgiving Monday, John & Di,  Ray & Donna and Jack & Barb from St Thomas arrived here at the campground to spend a week with us. What can I say, mucho train played, some Sequence, lots to eat and drink and many, many laughs. On this trip, there was no rig repairs done – too cool to put anyone under a rig for a day like last time! Each morning, someone hosted coffee complimented with Baily’s! On Thursday, we toured around Dundas and Ancaster to view the fall colors. Of course I thought I knew where we were going but made a wrong turn for a different adventure but it all worked out anyway with no one the wiser! After our ‘color tour’ we dropped into one our favorite eateries – The Royal Coachman and had an early dinner – hey after all, we are almost all seniors now! But it just made more fun time for Train!

On Friday, the gang descended on our rig for a hitch up breakfast and Barb & I thought would be a good time to try out a new recipe! It passed the test and all was devoured so it must have been ok! Now that they have been fed and watered, GET OUT! It was great fun again and we look forward to the next time we can all get together.

  Our grandson (Mack) had an early football game so we headed out to Toronto as soon as the gang left  to watch him play. He was benched for a couple of weeks suffering from a concussion but he played the whole game and they won. A few more wins and they could be in the High School finals at the Rogers Centre in November. After the game, we picked up his brother Nate and they stayed with us for the weekend. Of course you know Barb had an agenda of crafts and games set out for them while they were here.

We had to stop at the grocery store to get all their favorites for the weekend – boys seem to eat a lot!  Mack is not used to an early rise but Saturday morning, he didn’t have much choice – I am up by 7ish

 

 

making coffee. By mid morning, everyone was fed and groomed and the ghost craft was well underway. It wasn’t the best weather-wise so indoor activities were best. We did get out both Saturday & Sunday for a walk around the park (at least 2Kms) for some exercise. Any spare time was filled in with Train and Sequence. It was a fun time with the kids – a good grand parent fix before we head south.

The following week, things slowed down considerably with doctors appointments and various tests. Barb went to her last Landscape Quilt class and her finished piece looks great don’t you think? After, we went to the Escapee Chapter lunch here in Burlington at Tuckers Market and had a very large and good lunch and all from under $25.00! It was not a big crowd but we had fun anyway.

We have a few appointments left before we are clear to ‘take off’ but the count down has begun. I’ll try to update the blog with our last activities here this year so come again in a couple of weeks. Hope all is well wherever you are.

Not Much Goin’ On

It is Oct 2 and I am spinning around trying to find where the summer has gone! Time is just zipping by – is it an age thing since we turned 65? The colder temps and the turning leaves remind us that we have to get into the trip planning mode, do the doctor and dentist appointments, find a place for all the ‘stuff’ we’ve accumulated over the summer and start the clean up process – putting things into the nooks and crannys of our ‘basement’ storage. Whew, I’m exhausted and feel’n the stress of it all just thinking about it – better sit awhile until the feel’n goes away!

We are each finishing up on some of our  projects so we don’t have any UFPs (Unfinished Projects) as we travel. We are not looking forward to sitting in Chanute for a week during repairs but it is still less expensive than buying a new unit so we are trying to decide what to do while there – travel the area, take a trip to see more of Kansas etc. I guess it will depend on the weather and how curious I will be on what’s being done.

We were supposed to go golfing with neighbors here last Monday but Barb took a bee sting in her right elbow sometime on Sunday and her arm swelled up and hurt too much to even think about swinging a golf club. Her elbow swelled to about the size of a tennis ball. Monday was a quiet day – no golf, no sewing machine, some napping and TV – now that;s a drastic change!

We had Alex, one of our granddaughters ask to spend a weekend with us and we had some fun with her. Of course there was some shopping, cooking and crafts going on. Barb & Alex made a couple of Halloween ornaments and paper bows. The girls took time out to each have DIY facials and we even managed to get a short bike ride in before it rained.

 

 

We’ve had a quiet couple of weeks insofar as outings and excursions so not too much to write about here. Hoping all is good where you are and Happy Thanksgiving to all those that are celebrating this weekend.