tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30146225200299182302024-03-19T06:00:33.532-07:00Angel LauraLauras Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17066418361081973243noreply@blogger.comBlogger283125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3014622520029918230.post-70889458216374563272013-06-04T18:02:00.001-07:002013-06-04T18:02:27.008-07:00Congratulations Tori!<br />
She has become the first University graduate in our family. She has a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations with minors in Geography and Political Science.<br />
The convocation was several weeks ago but I am slow to update because May is extremely busy in the garden business and we have been running our revolving door bed and breakfast again.<br />
It was a whirlwind trip. 2 days driving there. 2 days in Sackville, NB and Amherst, NS and 2 days driving back.<br />
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We took a drive to Cape Jourimain at the base of the Confederation Bridge and went for a little hike.<br />
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Me and my mom. Kevin's mom came with us too but went to visit an aunt in a nursing home while we explored.<br />
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Us old folks also toured the Anne Murray Museum and all found it interesting. <br />
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The actual graduation.<br />
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With the proud grandmothers<br />
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With best University pal Caty. (Caty spent the last two weeks here. They drove down to Pennsylvania on Friday and competed in Tough Mudder. Now Caty has gone home. But the girls will reconnect soon as they are heading off to Europe together in 5 weeks.)<br />
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The street was closed so the dignitaries and graduates could parade into the hall. It was a very windy day. They looked like they were being pummelled by a Dyson dryer.<br />
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Tori received her diploma from the University's chancellor, Peter Mansbridge. Deepa Mehta was also there receiving an honorary degree and they both gave inspiring speeches. This was the 150th convocation at Mount Allison. Over 500 graduated.<br />
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Did I mention it was windy? <br />
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This was the view from our hotel. The turbines are not in the pictures on the hotel's website. They have been installed within the last year. Tori says it is always windy here so I guess that is a great place to put them.<br />
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<br />Lauras Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17066418361081973243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3014622520029918230.post-68592997996823814142012-12-19T05:34:00.000-08:002012-12-19T05:34:49.983-08:00Christmas tree huntThey don't hunt for trees in Germany. Julia says they use mostly potted trees that they then plant outside. We decided that a tree hunt was something she had to do while she was here. The weather didn't co-operate and provide snow for snowball fights or sledding but it worked out that Caitlin had the morning off and Alec was home for the week so we went anywhere. <br />
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Here Julia cut down her very first Xmas tree. <br />
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I removed the little pesky branches at the bottom. I consider this my best side. My hair is neatly braided and you can see my hand knit mitts but not the aging face.<br />
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Julia was most impressed with Alec carrying the tree. It was a very small tree. But it fits perfectly in the corner where I wanted it.<br />
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The farm we went to is down a number of tiny roads, each progressively smaller, more hilly and then dirt. But the service is amazing. Here we are with Laura (who owns the farm) and her dog Spruce. Laura is very outgoing, likely ADHD and had sparkly makeup. In this picture she looks like a mannequin but she doesn't often stop moving (or talking). We were the only ones there so she spent the whole time providing commentary and details. Unfortunately she lost 2000 seedlings this year because it was so hot and dry. It is a small farm and that really cuts into the harvest for the coming years.<br />
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I look like a real hick. I expected it to me muddier. And if I worked in a barn that would be my barn coat. But I love it. Warm, co-ordinates with everything but alas really starting to show its age.<br />
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Here we are with our tree. Make sure you look at Kevin's shirt. His favourite Christmas movie is National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation and I was thrilled to find this shirt in San Antonio.<br />
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The tree was put up and decorated quickly then Julia and I spent the afternoon baking. It is so nice to have someone in the house who loves to cook. Julia wants to experience "Canadian" food so we have made apple pie and Nanaimo bars and my grandmother's shortbread. We are having tortiere Christmas Eve. Other than poutine what would you consider Canadian food?Lauras Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17066418361081973243noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3014622520029918230.post-26246981206256840612012-12-19T05:11:00.001-08:002012-12-19T07:14:04.919-08:00Julia's StoryOnce upon a time there was a smart young girl named Julia who lived in a country far, far away. Julia wanted an adventure and wanted to work with horses so she did lots of planning and then more planning and finally bid her parents and Prince Charming Auf Wiedersehen<span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><b> </b></span></span>and headed for the wilds of Canada. Julia spent 3 months working at a ranch in northern BC and all was well. Then Julia spent 3 months working at the racetrack in Vancouver and all was well. Then Julia came to Collingwood. All was not well. The accommodations promised her were not furnished as stated. The farmhouse had cracked walls, ceilings and windows and questionable water supply. It was left a mess by the previous tenants. (Caitlin, Connor's girlfriend Sabrina and I had spent the previous day cleaning so Caitlin could move in.) The owner (we will call her Cruella) had given incomplete information to the barn manager and then headed to Florida. She was expecting a girl from out west and not until the new year. I guess Germany is west if you go far enough. The manager tried to give Julia the full time hours promised but after the evil Cruella returned and said they were over budget Julia's hours were cut and another girl laid off. So basically Julia was left underemployed and homeless. She moved in with us for a month. (And Caitlin decided she couldn't live in the farmhouse either.) We enjoyed having Julia but she needed more money than the few hours the barn provided so she found a job cleaning condos and moved into staff accommodations. Not her plan but she took it all in stride. We hope to still see Julia a lot over the coming months so you may see her occasionally in my blog. Julia will be in the area for another two months then she will be doing some exploring in the states before returning home.Lauras Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17066418361081973243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3014622520029918230.post-77743030566077732822012-12-07T05:44:00.000-08:002012-12-07T06:40:15.372-08:00Goodbye San AntonioAfter a week in San Antonio I have these observations to make.<br />
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Don't mess with Texas is so wrong. Everyone we met was friendly and courteous. Everyone called us ma'am. We felt so welcome.<br />
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We had great weather - about 10 degrees warmer than normal seasonal temperatures.<br />
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The roads in San Antonio are poorly designed ad the signs are even worse. There were many areas<br />
that our GPS didn't work so we usually had a map and printed instructions in addition to the GPS. We never really got lost but sometimes we went in circles or zigzags or stars. If you understood that - you have been to San Antonio.<br />
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We went to the oldest bakery in Texas (Naegelin's bakery in New Braunfels) and the worst bbq in Texas (Rudy's). We saw the most famous bar (Coyote Ugly). <br />
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The pride that American's have in their military (and their sports teams) is evident on bumper stickers, articles of clothing and just about everything else. They don't value their seniors as much. Mom was only eligible for senior's discount at 3 places.<br />
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San Antonio needs to start recycling. Our resort didn't recycle. None of the attractions we went to recycled. We did finally find a few half garbage/half recycling bins in the downtown.<br />
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I really, really miss Tim Horton's coffee. Starbucks sucks.Lauras Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17066418361081973243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3014622520029918230.post-76431148717504031952012-12-06T20:31:00.001-08:002012-12-06T20:31:34.519-08:00Last Full Day in San AntonioWe spent some time at the pool again. We have had the pool virtually to ourselves every time but today. It was great. This picture is for my hubby - to prove I used the new prescription goggles he bought me.<br />
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These tracks were in the sand at the beach at rattlesnake river. Does anyone know what they are or do I have to wait until I get back and can look it up in my book?<br />
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Mom and Leanne spent the afternoon shopping while Lynda and I did the rattlesnake river, walked on the nature trail and played shuffleboard.<br />
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When they returned we ate whatever we could find in the fridge - leftover teriyaki chicken with blue cheese dressing anyone? Then we went to the firepits for our own private fire.<br />
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<br />Lauras Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17066418361081973243noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3014622520029918230.post-80494017013133936232012-12-06T08:25:00.002-08:002012-12-06T08:25:42.333-08:00Alamo and RiverwalkWhenever I told anyone we were going to San Antonio they would invariably say "oh, you have to go to the riverwalk and the Alamo" So we did. We started at the IMAX to watch the Alamo movie to set the stage. It was made with historical re-enactors and not real actors. Then on to the Alamo. I didn't get any pictures of the Alamo but we enjoyed the history. Photos are actually prohibited inside and outside difficult to get a shot with all the modern amenities.<br />
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Riverwalk was a bit of a disappointment but that could have been just how much everyone had built it up. It is beautiful. The banks are lined with restaurants and the odd gift shop. And waterfalls and flower gardens. There are lots of little footbridges so you can cross to the other side.<br />
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We ate right on the river. The guacamole was made fresh right at our table.<br />
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We walked during the day because we wanted to do the tour at night to see the lights. The tour starts at the lower level of a mall. All the trees, bridges and buildings were lit up. The guide tells you a bit of the local history (which I could barely hear because of the toddler beside me). One of the most interesting tidbits was about the 500 room Hilton Palacio del Rio Hotel. It was built in 1968 in a hurry when they realized they didn't have enough rooms for the 1968 Texas fair. The units were prefabricated then stacked onsite in 46 days. They attached the tail of a helicopter to each unit to stabilize it as it was craned into position.<br />
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This is the underside of an underpass.<br />
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And since it was the 5th day of Christmas , Santa was there too!<br />
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<br />Lauras Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17066418361081973243noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3014622520029918230.post-64255565842081340532012-12-05T21:01:00.001-08:002012-12-06T08:29:59.779-08:00More ExploringWe had planned on doing Riverwalk today but changed plans due to a bit of rain in the forecast. On Tuesday we went to Natural Bridge Caverns. I have never been in anything like this before. The formations were amazing. There were so many different colours and shapes. We were glad we went.<br />
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After a gourmet meal in the parking lot (canned tuna with crackers, canned peaches and a cookie) we headed to New Braunfels then to Groene. Groene is a very pretty town. Very old. We had an amazing meal at the Grist Mill - local catfish and steaks. The pic below is the grounds around the restaurant.<br />
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We stopped at Groene Hall for a live band but didn't stay long.<br />
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Tomorrow - Riverwalk for sure!Lauras Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17066418361081973243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3014622520029918230.post-24908306532621609302012-12-03T17:53:00.002-08:002012-12-03T17:53:58.694-08:00A lazy dayWe took it easy today. We needed a rest after a few hectic days of travel and tourism. <br />
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We had a great breakfast at Cracker Barrel. It was my first time at a Cracker Barrel. The food was amazing and plentiful. The waitress was terrific and the manager came over to make us welcome. The Texans are so friendly and polite.<br />
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We spent the rest of the day in the water. The resort has a lazy river and we floated in circles for a long time. The water was cold but hey, we are Canadian! I am so glad I had the foresight to give my husband a waterproof camera years ago - it sure has come in handy.<br />
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And we saw our first gecko!<br />
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Tomorrow - Riverwalk!Lauras Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17066418361081973243noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3014622520029918230.post-33412832333207431972012-12-02T17:51:00.002-08:002012-12-05T21:02:57.853-08:00Enchanted Springs RanchSince it is Sunday, we went to church.<br />
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Then we grabbed a bull by the horns<br />
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Doc Dakota and one of his satisfied customers. Lynda is 92 and has been using his magic elixir for years.<br />
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Mom got herself in a bit of trouble for backseat driving. The little boy didn't do his homework.<br />
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And Mom got on a horse! My mom is terrified of horses but she can now cross riding off the bucket list we are creating for her. <br />
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This is Doc Dakota's older identical twin brother - Sheriff Joe Wayne. It was a quiet day at the ranch so he took us on a personal tour of the exotics on the property on a golf cart. I think he is doing his Crocodile Dundee impersonation here.<br />
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I highly recommend a trip to <a href="http://www.enchantedspringsranch.com/">Enchanted Springs Ranch</a> to anyone in the San Antonio area. <br />
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The other performer <a href="http://pistolpackinpaula.com/allaboutpaula.asp">Pistol Packin Paula</a> was amazing too.Lauras Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17066418361081973243noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3014622520029918230.post-64240707452072886772012-12-02T06:59:00.002-08:002012-12-02T06:59:52.035-08:00More SeaWorldI was really tired last night so not my best post. Here are a few more pictures from my Mom's camera.<br />
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This
is where the light/music show was. The lights on the trees went on and off and changed colours and patterns. It was very pretty.<br />
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<br />Lauras Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17066418361081973243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3014622520029918230.post-55077678313003824502012-12-01T20:07:00.001-08:002012-12-01T20:07:40.644-08:00SeaWorldWe started our day with an early swim and volleyball and a quick walk around part of the resort. What a great way to start the day. <br />
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After a quick trip to pick up a few groceries we headed off to SeaWorld. <br />
We saw seals and penguins, sharks, killer whales and saltwater fish.
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The place was all lit up as dusk fell. This grove was particularly popular. Then there was an amazing light and sound show at the entrance.<br />
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The shows were good. The best one was the beluga/dolphin/diving/synchro swimming one shown below. Wow!<br />
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Today is the one year anniversary of my father's death. What could have been a very depressing day was spent as a family, creating memories.Lauras Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17066418361081973243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3014622520029918230.post-2315030331303237912012-11-30T18:24:00.000-08:002012-11-30T18:24:41.329-08:00A long dayWe were up before 5:15 this morning and flew from Rochester,NY to Atlanta, Georgia. Then we spent 5 looong hours on a layover. The people at Xpress Spa were amazing. One of us (who will remain unamed) paid for a foot massage and they let all of us sit in their massaging chairs for free. Highly recommended for anyone travelling through Atlanta.<br />
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We arrived in San Antonio, Texas 20 minutes ahead of schedule but still didn't get to our timeshare until after 6. We had to navigate rush hour traffic without a GPS (it is fixed now) and very poor signs. We are all ready for bed. Hopefully tomorrow we will be able to share some more exciting pictures.Lauras Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17066418361081973243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3014622520029918230.post-5230026787595652832012-11-20T12:57:00.000-08:002012-11-20T12:57:21.252-08:00The most common questionAs a gardener, the most common question I get asked is "What do you do in the winter?"<br />
The answer "I keep very busy".<br />
In no particular order are some of my winter activities.<br />
I find the horizontal surfaces in my house buried under months of debris and dust.<br />
I straighten out our neglected finances. This is my first year of self-employment so I will have lots of extra paperwork. But business was better than I had hoped so I am not complaining.<br />
I actually sit down at night and watch tv. Some years I have gone 8 months without turning the tv on.<br />
I knit.<br />
I cook better meals. And lots of baking (which I really don't need to eat)<br />
I rescue Connor and his new jeep.<br />
I do puzzles. This one was harder than I expected.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiBxGpYOoDoxOUUdL5aqi4Uu0aFqoRZOEzuuoMMWMSEHYCOFGWzqbifAZthF2deer7S0ff94Lf6wWHeONfVj6qAweIviOGf7HVqsP2XK1_27QYODwT07vj2-YREuhXMJVL3X1nIpf5SU8_/s1600/100_1774.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiBxGpYOoDoxOUUdL5aqi4Uu0aFqoRZOEzuuoMMWMSEHYCOFGWzqbifAZthF2deer7S0ff94Lf6wWHeONfVj6qAweIviOGf7HVqsP2XK1_27QYODwT07vj2-YREuhXMJVL3X1nIpf5SU8_/s320/100_1774.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
I take in young German girls on work visas whose accomodations didn't work out. That leads to more cooking. <br />
I sew.<br />
I rescue Connor and his jeep again.<br />
Usually I shovel lots of snow. But this year is amazingly warm.<br />
And this year - I am excited to be getting ready for my trip to San Antonio with my mom and sisters.<br />
Stay tuned!<br />
Lauras Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17066418361081973243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3014622520029918230.post-49215473919601017872012-07-04T08:55:00.000-07:002012-07-04T09:18:49.283-07:00The best laid plans ...While my to do list is progressing slowly (complicated by severe vertigo this morning), Kevin's plans have had to be changed.<br />
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He spent the better part of a year planning his trip. It was to be a week of adventure in the northern lakes, the highlight a visit to the castle at White Otter Lake. He emailed and researched and emailed more and bought a satellite phone and researched and printed and emailed ... The original 12 dropped to 6 (Kevin, Caitlin, Connor, Dalton and senior friends Don and Bryan). The satellite phone worked fine in the spring when he trialed it while walking the dogs in our neighbourhood. But he has had a lot of difficulty this last week. It won't sync to his phone anymore so no two way communication. It took many calls to the support centre from home and on the way up to get a sat phone that works occasionally and is not as detailed . Often no town names or roads are shown so their location comes to me as a red dot in a green forest, sometimes a red dot in a green forest with a blue lake beside. Not incredibly useful. They hit the water Saturday morning and were back at the put in Sunday afternoon (with their vehicles at the take out). One of the first portages was not passable. It was 900 m of bog up to their calves in spots and much of it blocked by a fallen tree. I was so disappointed he wouldn't get to see the castle after all that planning. They looked into Zodiac rides but ended up taking a float plane and had a great time. Dalton sent me the picture below. Kevin says "The size of it in the middle of nowhere".<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white;"> Cell phone coverage is spotty .</span><br />
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I believe they are at Sandbar Provincial Park now. Their plans change minute by minute. How did we survive without cell phones? People used to holiday across the country and you wouldn't hear from them for 2 or 3 weeks, unless they sent you a post card. Now we (I?) worry if a few hours go by. Strange just as I finished typing this I got a message from Connor that they are leaving Sandbar. He hasn't had cell coverage since leaving Thunder Bay 4 days ago! And Kevin called right after. They are going to Neys.<br />
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<br />Lauras Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17066418361081973243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3014622520029918230.post-722648781065895042012-06-28T15:11:00.000-07:002012-06-28T15:11:37.236-07:00EmptyMy house is empty.<br />
Of other people anyway.<br />
(There is still 2 dogs, 1 cat, 3 rats and the inhabitants of 2 aquariums)<br />
Everyone else left this afternoon to go to <a href="http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM51TV_WHITE_OTTER_CASTLE_White_Otter_Lake_ON">The Castle at White Otter Lake</a>. The more common version of why the hermit built a castle in the middle of nowhere is as a dowry for a wife. Impressive structure no matter why he built it. But I will content myself with pictures and the stories from my family - I am not really into portaging that much and someone has to watch the pets.<br />
I have 10 days of solitude stretching in front of me. I was looking forward to it but it has only been a few hours and it is very quiet. I am going to try to keep busy by<br />
- visiting my mom<br />
- Cleaning out my truck (it is more than just a truck - it is my office too. I used to clean it every week or two but I must confess it has been months)<br />
- working<br />
- catch up on my gardens (if I have the energy after doing my client's gardens and if the temperature is less than 30)<br />
- having a friend over<br />
- doing a puzzle and/or some sewing (it isn't often my table is cleared off!)<br />
- walking and biking the dogs<br />
- changing Connor's sheets (normally that wouldn't be worthy of itemizing but I expect it will take days. I have to clean all the junk off one bunk then strip it and remake it. Then put all the junk from the other bed onto the clean one and strip and make the 2nd bed. Not to mention the tiptoeing between the treasures on his floor)<br />
- catch up on my reading<br />
- clean (hmm maybe I should do this before the friend comes over)<br />
- blog? Would anyone like before and after shots of my truck or Connor's room?<br />
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<br />Lauras Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17066418361081973243noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3014622520029918230.post-12596868531686983392012-06-01T11:33:00.000-07:002012-06-01T11:33:04.777-07:00I totally forgot that the guys went canoeing and kayaking on the bay Saturday morning before the other guests arrived. There were 5 that went but I only have pictures of two. Kevin took the pictures and I guess Connor and David were so fast that no pics were taken. Below is my brother in law Mike and Alec. We were fortunate that Alec was on a course nearby and could make it for his grandfather's birthday celebration. Alec didn't make it to the funeral so he hadn't seen most of the family for a while.<br />
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And a shot of just Alec. He hates it when I post pictures of him but I just had to. He is usually fairly somber. He doesn't smile often and you can see his pearly whites in both shots so I couldn't resist.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBZMv0q3iY-howipU_sD0_Ax__sV0O4huyyyyemrHEvqTA0HgvkWI_zDHEzJhX_R4Fpd3VT72RLB-4H5451rACLqE__OLAmwAb1jE6EwsXLl6eyrd61PK1p9EXyJiH1nCZScbamPXvpufr/s1600/May+2012+R__012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBZMv0q3iY-howipU_sD0_Ax__sV0O4huyyyyemrHEvqTA0HgvkWI_zDHEzJhX_R4Fpd3VT72RLB-4H5451rACLqE__OLAmwAb1jE6EwsXLl6eyrd61PK1p9EXyJiH1nCZScbamPXvpufr/s320/May+2012+R__012.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />Lauras Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17066418361081973243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3014622520029918230.post-68888312506406970622012-05-30T19:01:00.000-07:002012-05-30T19:01:00.016-07:00May 26thSaturday would have been my Dad's 80th birthday. I invited the family up for a get together.<br />
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The weather was very co-operative. We played (mostly) barefoot volleyball for hours. Everyone played at one point or another - some for a few minutes, some for hours. Here it is the girls against the boys. Shortly afterward the volleyball exploded so we had to switch to badminton. <br />
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Since we were remembering my dad we had to have ice cream. We had lots of store bought but we made our own too. Lynda brought her ice cream ball. You fill the outer ball with rock salt and lots and lots of ice and fill the inner cylinder with ice cream ingredients. We used cream, sugar and my dad's homemade strawberry banana jam. It was excellent! Jenna is just about to roll the ball .<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil41YN3WYZ1je2uwh9cxFdO3HjgI3wjJ3OMgjPY0XMTqIuIkU0wJw14iGMfCVbM_7FrtEafabJk3M2iNJ3wsyf4rQXRRGJUA5YUY_Q0uyhOTDsqytwAsbKLTM_eYWQpggllU58nPugNQlU/s1600/100_1603.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil41YN3WYZ1je2uwh9cxFdO3HjgI3wjJ3OMgjPY0XMTqIuIkU0wJw14iGMfCVbM_7FrtEafabJk3M2iNJ3wsyf4rQXRRGJUA5YUY_Q0uyhOTDsqytwAsbKLTM_eYWQpggllU58nPugNQlU/s320/100_1603.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Lynda and her family stayed for 3 days since Monday is an American holiday. Us girls went horseback riding to ensure that the pain in our arms from hitting the volleyball was offset by pain in our lower bodies.<br />
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Lynda and I and the 4 "kids" went to <a href="http://www.visit1812.com/historic-sites/NancyIsland.html">Nancy Island</a>. We had all been here before but the new visitor centre opened the day before so we went in for a quick look. If you are looking for something to do this summer come up while the reenactors are here. This summer is the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812 and Wasaga Beach played a vital part in the victory.<br />
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<br />Lauras Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17066418361081973243noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3014622520029918230.post-47517435775156427482012-05-01T04:00:00.002-07:002012-05-01T04:38:12.880-07:00OverviewDay 1 - 575 km. We stopped early so we didn't have to go through Montreal at rush hour or in the dark.<br />
Day 2 - 832 km. An enjoyable day with a few scenic detours.<br />
Day 3 - 327 km. The picture below is a New Brunswick highway at rush hour.<br />
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Trip total - 1734 km.<br />
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Tori lives off residence in an older house with 3 others. Two friends are in the middle of moving into the basement. And all the students in town are moving out because they are leaving for the summer, finished school for good or moving onto new digs. The streets are lined with garbage (treasure as Tori terms it). They have scored 5 or 6 tvs, a foosball table, a mattress and miscellaneous little items. Their quest for a working bbq was not productive. Their living room is packed with belongings from a friend moving across the road today. It was a little too crowded for my comfort. And people wandering out all the time. I am glad to be home and glad she is enjoying herself.<br />
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Below a picture of Tori and Bonnie Blue. She has always called the vehicle that. I hope they have many safe adventures together. <br />
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In less than 2 weeks I have had 5 houseguests on 4 different occasions. I am so tired of making beds. I have driven a lot more than normal - twice to the airport and to the east coast. When I wake up in the morning my first thoughts are more jumbled than normal. Usually it starts with "Who slept over last night? Do I need to put on my housecoat before leaving the bedroom? Do I need to make breakfast for a crowd?" Then it progresses to "Am I in my own bed or at a hotel?" I am hoping for a "normal" week at work and home. Because next weekend both of our mothers are coming!Lauras Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17066418361081973243noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3014622520029918230.post-83518567000354095242012-04-28T17:40:00.000-07:002012-05-01T04:38:31.427-07:00Cornwall, ON to Woodstock, NBWe have driven this highway many times because we lived near Fredericton. However, most of our trips were high speed, single day drives. We would get up at 4, get the kids in the car and drive 16 hours to our hometown, stopping only for gas, meals and bathroom breaks. We rarely stopped and did touristy things. Today we detoured to Grand Falls. It is the biggest waterfalls east of Niagara Falls. The water certainly did rage and roll but it is not much of a drop.<br />
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Next we took a side trip to Perth/Andover. Much of the low lying parts of the town flooded a month ago. We didn't see much damage to homes and businesses, just occasional piles of debris, but look at what the ice jam did to the guard rails!<br />
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You may remember that I have mixed feelings about GPSs. They are occasionally very useful but definitely don't replace a map and a sense of direction. Below you can see that I am capable of driving on water. I am thinking of giving classes and teaching this useful skill to others.<br />
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<br />Lauras Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17066418361081973243noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3014622520029918230.post-83579618091168980672012-04-28T04:50:00.000-07:002012-05-01T04:38:46.797-07:00We're on a Road Trip!We just bought my Dad's Santa Fe and that left us with an extra vehicle. The Escape is a 2003 with about 260,000 km but hopefully has a little life left in her. If we kept it in our driveway when Connor gets his licence in a few months he would be considered the driver. There is no way I am paying for a new almost 17 year old driver so we offered the vehicle to Tori. She jumped at the chance after 3 years of being without a car at university. And I was in the best position to accompany her back to Mount Alison where she will be working for the summer. In October I drove from the West Coast to home with Caitlin, now I get to go to the east coast with Tori. In 6 months and 2 days I will have seen both coasts of our incredible country. That's a lot of miles for someone who rarely leaves town.<br />
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Observations from day one of our eastern adventure.<br />
1. I am very glad I do not live in Toronto. I am very glad that my parents moved from there 43 years ago.<br />
2. I am very glad I do not live in Kingston. We met friends there for lunch today. There are way too many stop lights in Kingston. They are not co-ordinated. We had to stop at 9 out of 10. That is not right. And to make matters even worse, almost all of the traffic lights are at the top of hills. The Escape is standard. I hate stopping on a hill in heavy traffic.<br />
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We are in a motel in Cornwall which is virtually empty. We went to the fitness room (has anyone ever been to a fitness room with operational equipment?) and the pool. We ate supper in our room from our cooler. Tori is a vegan so we had tuna and chickpea salad and granola bars. <br />
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On to Montreal. I can hardly wait.<br />
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<br />Lauras Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17066418361081973243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3014622520029918230.post-76175716038496081852012-04-27T18:27:00.000-07:002012-04-27T18:27:58.207-07:00Tori wanted a picture of herself with as many of our pets as she could. Pets are not very co operative models so this is the best we could do. In the aquarium is Connor's biggest goldfish and under that is a weather loach (it looks like an eel). On her right shoulder you can see the noses of two of Caitlin's rats. On her other shoulder you can just see the tail of the last rat under her hair. On her lap is the cat and the rabbit. In addition to those, remember we have two dogs and another smaller aquarium.<br />
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And don't forget to keep guessing about what Tori and I are up to while the rest of the family are canoe camping in the cold and wet.<br />
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Hint: I just did one with Caitlin too.Lauras Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17066418361081973243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3014622520029918230.post-67470871092791677922012-04-26T18:28:00.001-07:002012-04-26T18:28:05.636-07:00Been BusyBut nothing really worth blogging about. Until now.<br />
My house is like Grand Central Station some weeks.<br />
Cousin D came to hang out with Connor last weekend and spent Friday and Saturday nights. They had a quick paddle on frigid Georgian Bay. D lay spreadeagled against the side of my sunwarmed truck afterwards to warm himself up. I wish I had brought my camera. Lady in adjoining car glared at him. <br />
Monday evening we picked Tori up at the airport and two of her friends spent the night.<br />
Wednesday night my sister and her youngest spent the night so they could be closer to a dance competition today. As my 3 and one of Connor's friends wandered in and out from various activities I asked her if she wished she had more than 2 kids. She said no. She likes it quiet. <br />
Cousin D just arrived for another night because tomorrow Kevin, Caitlin, Connor and D are going canoe camping.<br />
That leaves Tori and I. Guess what we are doing?Lauras Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17066418361081973243noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3014622520029918230.post-27051181628707165362012-01-01T07:28:00.000-08:002012-01-01T07:28:23.046-08:00What are you eating today?I have a big batch of cinnamon buns rising. Half are regular cinnamon buns with cream cheese frosting. The other half are caramel apple. So good! <br />
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For dinner we are having my son's girlfriend up. She has had a lot of appointments while home on school break so this is actually the first time we have seen her this visit. Justine has just been diagnosed with celiac disease so I am experimenting with rice noodles in the lasagne for the first time. And we are having salad, 2 kinds of gluten free bread and crustless cheesecake. <br />
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Tomorrow we are meeting her parents for the first time. The original plan was that they would come here but her dad is on call and can't travel that far so we are now meeting in our hometown, which is the halfway point. For dinner. Between her dietary needs and our anaphalactic for peanuts nephew who is with us there are no "safe" restaurants. I guess we will have to take him back home or to his grandmother's while we eat. <br />
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When I was growing up all the holidays were celebrated by feasts with visiting relatives. Now the thought terrifies me. In our immediate family we have lactose intolerance, people with arthritis flare-ups from potatoes, peppers and tomatoes, one flexitarian (a vegan who will eat seafood), 2 peanut allergies and the new celiac. What to serve? No pasta because the sauce is either creamy (with dairy) or red (with tomatoes). And we may have to substitute rice pasta - but that is not a big problem. If we have a roast, ham or turkey I also have to do rice because of the potato issue. Thai food and curries aren't liked by everyone. The vegan would be happy with shrimp or fish but a lot of others don't like fish. We can all eat a green salad (as long as the tomatoes are on the side). <br />
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So what are you eating today? Do you have to deal with any of these food issues?<br />
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And Happy New Year to all!Lauras Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17066418361081973243noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3014622520029918230.post-24253431086795795282011-12-23T05:30:00.000-08:002011-12-23T05:30:15.308-08:00In which the Pot calls the Kettle BlackWhen I spoke at my Dad's funeral (or tribute as my mother prefers) I mentioned his love of maps and atlases. When Caitlin and I took our epic road trip in October some of the maps we used came from his car. Why he had a map of the north central states (including useful city maps) was perplexing but much appreciated. Last week my sister said she had found a filing cabinet drawer full of maps so I volunteered to sort them. It wasn't really full by my standards but since my sister's only "map" is a GPS I can see how dozens of maps and a few triptiks would be overwhelming.<br />
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I laughed while I sorted and arranged them so nicely for picture taking. Who needs a 1987 map of Nova Scotia or Saskatchewan? And how can you see them both in the same year? Maps dating to 1994 and 1995 included Virginia, Manitoba, Vermont and Alberta. In 1997 and 1998 they must have come to visit us in New Brunswick because the maps were all the Atlantic provinces. But there was also a 2004 New Brunswick map and we lived in Ontario then.<br />
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Then I decided I would go through our own map box and um let us just say it needed cleaning too. Anyone could tell we lived out west in the early 90s since the maps are all from that area. I couldn't find a date on the map in the top left corner but the governor's clothes indicate it is more than a few years old. And who needs 3 maps of Fredericton? <br />
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I won the prize for the map in the worst condition. Pretty much every corner and fold was destroyed. Pretty useless unless you wanted to go to Tobermory. This map was even relatively new (as in less than a decade old).<br />
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All in all I had an enjoyable time sorting the maps. It was a trip down memory lane - remembering our postings and their visits to us. Many of the maps were from trips my parents took with my other siblings to resorts. Though I wasn't with them I sorted the pictures for the long memorial slide show and can see all the good times they enjoyed. <br />
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And again I found treasures. Go back and look at either of the first 2 pictures. See that Shell Quebec map? It is from 1967! And the black and white map all the maps are laying on? It is a 1964 Toronto map! Toronto stopped at the airport - no Brampton. Those two I am keeping.Lauras Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17066418361081973243noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3014622520029918230.post-41089974647816227992011-12-21T14:41:00.000-08:002011-12-21T14:43:00.905-08:00Treasures - part 2This is the oldest picture we found. My grandmother (my mom's mom) was born in 1906 so this picture is close to a century old!<br />
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I don't know the date this picture was taken but it shows both of my mom's parents. My grandfather died when I was only 2 so I don't really remember him but I adored my Granny.<br />
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This is my mom and her brother Ed visiting you know who. This was likely taken in the early 1940s.<br />
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And my mom and her baby sister Faith - likely mid to late 40s. I laughed when I saw this one. My mom does not like horses now!<br />
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My mom and her sister Norma. An old family friend commented at my Dad's funeral that my mom and Norma were always fashionable in their Rose Marie Reid and Jantzen bathing suits. She hadn't seen this picture. What do you think?<br />
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