Bright and sunny morning great for traveling. We are on the road shortly after 9 A.M. heading to Plattsville Ontario only about 90 minutes away. I took the coach via Woodstock to pick up a few things and Suzie took the car to meet a few relatives in Tavistock, New Hamburg and the farm to drop off their copies of the Stere Geneology books she has been working on for years.
I arrived at John and Lea's in town and parked in a nice spot on their property, they have lots of room. We will be here until Monday, don't need to travel on the long Holiday weekend, Friday July 1st is Canada Day, and the party is right here with a Pig Roast, Live Band and Fireworks, so what better place to park for a few nights.
Lots of sunshine and warm again the campground is filling up, people wanting good spots for the weekend and we are going to leave in the morning before it gets too busy here. We has stuff to do today to wrap things up. At 9 am Bruce got here to renew our travel insurance so that we are good to go in the fall. Next I took our laundry to the outdoor machines to let them do their magic. Walking back across the square Suzie and Pat were outside chatting watching this baby raccoon wandering about. Must be looking for his mother.
A nice, sunny, warm day and we are on the road for a day trip to Waterloo, visit ma for her birthday. My sister, brother-in-law, brother, sister-in-law will be there as well, we all come from different directions each about 2 hours away. She does not want to celebrate any more birthdays, (only 84 yrs young) but I believe that everyday we are upright and breathing is cause for celebration. So we will get together and celebrate for her.
A beautiful warm sunny morning and the promise of a nice summer day. Shortly after 9 am we are on the road to Forest a 10 minute drive usually, but construction caused a 15 minute delay. A stop at the Copy Centre here to have some 1300 pages of genealogy printed for a few of the Stere family members on Suzie's side.
road resurfacing
The woman said it should be ready this afternoon or Tues morning. So we checked out a few stores in town looking for some binders etc... no luck. Its still early in the morning so we took a 10 minute drive to Ipperwash Beach on the shores of Lake Huron to avoid the construction and have a scenic drive home. Below is a couple of pictures for Contessa of the less crowded, less commercial shallow warm waters of Lake Huron.
A lovely bright sunny morning and perfect weather for the day but only 24c (74f), I would have liked warmer. After the required coffees, computing and walkabouts we took Rob and Pat for a nice country drive to the Pinery Fleamarket in Grand Bend. Now this is one of our favourite outings, just the friendly atmosphere and a stroll thru the woods.
nice day
not too crowded
After a few hours of browsing, we checked out all the goodies, Suzie exchanged 8 books for 5 at her favourite book vendor here and we sampled various foods the finally stopped for a refreshment, relax, listen to Brian Dale sing a few tunes, and a slice of pizza for lunch. On our way out we saw a couple we knew in line for food. They used to be neighbours in Plattsville over 10 years ago, (Don and Donna) enjoying their first visit here, small world.
free popcorn too
After a fun time browsing we hopped in the car just to take a drive down into town and cruise the strip down to the beach, before the place turns into a zoo next weekend for July 1st celebrations.
to the lake
lotsa people
traffic circle at the beach
boardwalk to the beach and lifeguard
It was perfect beach weather but we are not stopping, everyone was dressed too warm (except me) so we just showed them the sights. Back to the highway and down the other side of the river to look at all the yachts and sailboats, we found the fish market was open and they had some lovely looking pickerel fillets, we have not had that for quite a while.
So now back home, to the quiet of our resort, after a fun day we can relax in the sunshine with our books for a while. Then happy hour to chat for a bit before firing up the barbie to grill a 1/2 chicken we had thawed out, swiss chalet dipping sauce, some boiled new potatoes, a corn on the cob (thanks to Rob and Pat for the corn).
tasty
When the dishes were done Rob had started a nice campfire so we joined them for a bit for a nice evening chat, while lady girl sat on her chair, with a jacket on, to keep the chill off. Spoiled dog? yes.
Saturday morning, and the resort is a little busier, but not nearly as busy as next week the long weekend. Shortly after 9 am Joe was on the tractor grading the roads after the heavy rains that we have had.
regrading the roads
A few walkabouts and chatting with some new faces as the weather is trying to decide what it wants to do today. I think it will clear up. A bit later I went to town and when I came to the four way stop, there was the beginning of a parade heading down the road towards the store .
Over night more rain, this morning more rain, most of today just rain. We had so much heavy downpour the roads in the campground are washing away with deep ruts, they need to get the tractor out again and do some regrading.
washouts
Well I did my indoor repairs yesterday so today we can relax, and compute researching "stuff". When the rains let up I would grab the umbrella and got for a few walkabouts. About 2 o'clock just a slight drizzle and the sun was trying to peak out so we went outside to play, under our awning and read a while.
Now we are having rain, supposed to rain all day but is warm so no big deal we have stuff to do that we have been saving for a rainy day. Coffees and computing for a bit the the rain let up, so I went for a walkabout the resort. I ended up chatting at the clubhouse for a bit then the rains began again. Very heavy, very loud with flowing rivers of mud and water along the campground roads.
lotsa rain
After the rains came down for about 45 minutes I borrowed an umbrella to get home, get ours and return the borrowed one, only to find out that the rain finally stopped, figures. The sun came out then so I went to the store for a few items. While shopping the cashier came to tell me that it was raining again and I had left my car window open. Gotta love small town friendliness.
A beautiful warm night, apparently we had a lot of rain too, (didn't hear it), an early sunrise and some sunshine on and off. Every so often the sun came out from behind the clouds for a bit and it was very hot, but mostly just comfortable and slightly overcast. So coffees and walkabouts, chat with a few people and try to decide what we will do today.
I took the 10 minute drive into the larger town of Forest for some groceries that are not available at the local Arkona Market. My first stop was the Beer Store to pick up our favorite brew, they were sold out in Arkona! Then filled our car with gas and saved $1.50, then went to the large Foodland grocery store to stock up on a few things we needed.
The friendly cashier asked if I get "the discount"?
What discount ?
Are you over 60?
Yes!
Wow thanks: I got a 5% discount on all our purchases today
Gotta love it, this getting old is starting to pay off.
The first day of summer, yes !! Those "lazy hazy crazy days of summer", we practice for this all year round now we can actually do it.
The longest day of the year, now they get shorter until winter. Long awaited by everyone, summer is here, love it, this means its gonna get hot, shorts, t-shirts, sandals, the beach, swimming, BBQ's, campfires, baseball, fishing, golfing, all kinds of outdoor stuff. School is soon out for summer vacations, busy campgrounds, adults and children having so much fun.
This morning is sunny and warm after overnight lows of only about 68f (20c), its so nice sleeping with the windows wide open and all the fresh air. Morning coffees, computing and walkabouts, chatting with a few people doing the same.
I have been searching for a new Columbia vest to replace the one I bought 3 years ago in Unadila Georgia it is a good quality one. I found the Canadian wholesaler in Strathroy Ontario 20 minutes from here, wow great!. They have the one I want in the right size and colour but cannot sell it to me, wholesale only. The closest retailer is in Kitchener one and one half hours from here, so I will contact them see if they can get one in and pick it up when we are back at the farm.
Puttering around some more, then to the store for stuff, wash the car, wash and wax the rear of our coach and relax in the shade a bit with our books. Then we did another walkabout, stopped to visit Mike and Trish, meet their daughter Amanda and granddaughter Gracie, such a sweetie.
Today is a good day to appreciate our fathers or for some of us to remember some happy memories of those who have passed on. Sunshine, computing and a walkabout, free breakfast at the clubhouse for all the father's in the park from 8 to 10 am. pancakes and sausage. But I'm not a big fan of pancakes so instead of a free breakfast we left at 8 am and drove to Quehls of Tavistock to meet with 16 family members, at 9:30am and celebrate with Suzie's Father.
ready to eat
A full breakfast menu or a nice breakfast buffet did the trick, now we are good for the rest of the day.
Bright and sunny the day begins and stays that way all day! After morning coffees and walkabouts Mike and Jordan stopped by to see if I wanted to join them in a father daughter activity at the clubhouse. Mike was supposed to work and I was going to fill in for him in case he wasn't here.
Friday morning and its sunny and warm lovn the weather. My morning walkabout allows me to savour the peace and quiet before the weekend when the families arrive to enjoy the sunny outdoors.
A nice sunny morning and warming up but it only got to about 72f (24c). Morning coffees, computing and the usual walkabout. Chat with few neighbours and into Arkona for a some groceries. Then before we knew it was lunch time and more walkabouts until I remembered we need to do laundry. Suzie sorts it and I can transport to our outdoor laundramat put in the machines, push buttons and let the magic begin while I sit under a shade tree with my book. What a deal, $5.00 and a hour later all our clothes are clean again while I read a book in the shade.
Back home now Suzie can stop reading for a bit to put the laundry away. Then a bit more relaxin, under our awning as the dark skies opened up with a heavy 15 minute rainfall. Love sitting outside with a nice warm rainfall its so relaxing. After the rain stopped the sun shone brightly and winds subsided. Time to fire up the barbie and our Fry daddy for some hot buffalo wings, fries celery carrots and dip..
We are up early as usual, its a sunny warm morning and after our coffees we are packed up and on the road to Stratford at 7:30 am. We parked our coach in the Canadian Tire Parking lot and I went to the Stratford General Hospital to have the stitches removed on my back from two weeks ago. This is where "good news" part comes in. The mole that was removed is not cancer, I like good news!
After this I went back to get Suzie and we had company. While parked there a friendly resident stopped to see if there was a problem with our coach. It turns out that they are new to rving, two years ago and stopped to see if we needed help. While chatting with Suzie it was found out that they are related! She found his family in her genealogy program, small world. Its kinda neat meeting relatives that you have never met. After a bit we fueled our coach, hooked up the car and headed to Rock Glen Resort in Arkona.
A beautiful sunny morning again and its going to be a great day. I took an early drive to Plattsville to see whats happening and ran into Marc and Erin we chatted for a while, promising to return this summer with Suzie, we have not seen them since last summer.
Back home my mother dropped by for a coffee as she was out for a drive to New Hamburg. Nice visit ma! After this we puttered around for a while. Sandy's rock garden is coming along just need for the flowers to grow now!
Wow we had a great nights sleep, after a busy few days. Nice to wake up 6:00am with the sun rising and nice view out our front window, thru the trees, the playground, rock garden and the fresh mown grass in the fields.
nice morning view
A relaxing morning of coffees, computing, chatting with Suzie's brother as he stops for a coffee on the way to the dairy barn. Then a quick trip to the garage in town to see what everybody is up to.
Bright and sunny morning, we are up early computing and ready to hit the road. First we visit my cousin and her husband for a coffee and a nice breakfast, say our goodbyes and thank yous then on the road at 9:00am.
Nice drive
We have 101 miles (160kms) to travel thru Toronto, but it is a sunday morning and not much traffic. Two hours later we arrive at the farm, set up our coach then a short drive to the Tavistock Memorial Hall for the Stere Family Reunion. Suzie has a lot of people to talk to regarding genealogy and family updates.
Just another sunny day and we are on the road again. Coffee and computing then ready to go by 9:00am. Say goodbye to my sister and brother in law, thanks for the wonderful campsite and lotsa fun! We made a detour into the Lindsay landfill site where we can dispose of our waste water for $5.00. The bonus here is we have our coach weighed in and out . We got rid of 140kgs (308lbs) of waste water and our coach actually weighs a few pounds lighter than it did in 2006 and 2008, just under the GVW. So we don't need to put it on a diet, me now thats a different story.
Another wonderful day, a bit cooler and slightly overcast but still very nice. Just sitting here with my juice and coffee, computing and looking out our front window over the lake, such a nice picturesque view, daydreaming and thinking of things to do today.
nice view
I looked outside our kitchen window and there is three huge turkey vultures gathered on the rail fence across the road for their morning get together, I wonder what they are up to?
Overnight was quite warm but quite windy so not too bad for sleeping. Up early with the sunrise and a nice view overlooking the lake. Today is going to be hot and humid, up to 40c (104f). The standard coffee and computing then our friend Jim arrived for a visit to surprise my sister and brother inlaw. They had lost touch over the years and I was able to tell him where they now lived, at his sons wedding last saturday, so it was another fun reunion.
We had another good nights sleep then up with the sun this morning, another wonderful day! Sunshine and warm, summer is here. Coffee, computing and another walkabout the casino then we are on the road to visit with my sister Louise and brother in law Paul. A nice leisurely drive and we are there in an hour.
We had a great sleep overnight, fresh warm air, windows open lovin the weather now! After morning coffee and computing I did a walkabout the grounds and the casino, amazing the people in there at 8:00 a.m., love the Indian paintings and scenery on the buildings.
After leaving the wedding reception early sunday morning we walked home to our house in the parking lot and crashed, had a good nights sleep, then up with the bright sunshine and our morning coffees and computing. I had taken many pictures yesterday and I wanted to sort, edit them and put a copy on disc for the Bride and Groom and Jim and Christine.
They all came back to the hall around 11:00 a.m. to do some cleaning up, have some lunch and open the wedding gifts, and of course we were there. So we joined them with another part of the fun celebration and more chatting and catching up such a great time was had by all.
Everybody loves a wedding, don't they? Happy faces, happy people, celebrating love, people reuniting, laughing eating and dancing. Well we do, and today we are attending my godson Adam's wedding in Stayner Ontario. Adam is the son of a good friend Jim, we went to high school and hung out working on cars back in the 60's. We are both now retired and have tried to keep in touch over the years. This is another occasion to do this.
A beautiful sunny warm morning, coffee, computing and a walk to the beach. Thru the narrow roads in the campground, still a step back in time, when there was small trailers coming here.
Early morning sunrise but it is cool and windy. Today we are on the road again. First stop is 8:00am at Pettigrew's Garage in Plattsville, for an oil change etc. Once Dale was done with our coach I called Suzie at the farm to bring along the car and we can hook up here.
We finally did it! Our adsense account is making us money, we won't get rich by any means but sure is nice. It has been 14 months since we put the Google adds on our Blog and we were getting maybe a couple of dollars a month. (When visitors click of the adds that flash on the page we make a few pennies). By the middle of May we were at about $82.00 in earnings, then thanks to some tips, re: colouring and placing, from Kevin and Ruth, we ended May with $129.22. Now we will receive a check, money in the bank!
Well we were up early this morning as usual, sun shine in the windows before 6.00 am its still warm out but much less humid today. I had an appointment at the Stratford General Hospital for 8:30 am to remove a small mole type growth on my back. So registration, waiting, more paper work, freezing, cut, stitch, tape me up then send the specimen to the lab for tests. I will get results in a couple of weeks when the stitches come out. Back home at 11:00am.
