Settled in at Doe Lake

What a Mess!  So many leaves

Let's Get Unpacked

Little Doe Lake

Preparing Our Slip

The Regal Wave - First Trip of the Season

Gazebo Up, Leaves Raked and Garden Planted

Justin Beaver Stands Guard

Back Patio & Fire Pit

Let's Relax

Trilliums - Thousands in the Park

It's been a busy week.  We are settled in and most of  the heavy lifting is done.  We've been to town, done the laundry and filled the pantry.  We're ready to be bush dwellers. 

The sun is shining and its a beautiful day.  The only downside is the extreme dryness.  We need rain.  There are many fires burning to the north with evacuations from a couple of towns.  The entire area is under a total fire ban.

Today we went for a short drive, checking out the road construction.  Highway 11 is still being twin laned.  Hopefully it will be done this year, maybe next.  While out and about, we stopped at our favourite chip stand in South River.  Stop 11 has expanded and changed it's name to Sheri's Diner.  Food is as good as ever.

Well that's it for last week.  I wonder what adventures are in store for this week.  Life is good.

Winding Down In Waterloo

This was our last week at Green Acre Park in Waterloo.  As in previous weeks, we spent a lot of time with family.

Earlier this year our kitchen table dried out and separated along a glue line and also along the grain.  When we returned to Canada with its higher humidity levels the separations closed.  Long story short , we ordered a new table.  One that is slightly larger and much more stable.  It was delivered this week.  Just in time for Wayne, Daniela and Andrea to come for dinner.

New Table

Wayne X 2, Daniela, Andrea

Friday, Kathy and I spent the day doing a Shop Hop.  This was a special event organized by four area quilting shops.  We visited each store - getting a passport stamped and a piece of fabric from each.  At the last store we were given the instructions for the Shop Hop project.  This year it was a tote bag.  Should be very colourful when I get it sewed up.   Kate and I also found a bead shop to check out.  It was a great sister day, especially as we finished up at Anna Mae's for a feast of broasted chicken.  Very tasty.

The quilt stores were spread out between St. Jacob's, Kitchener, Shakespeare and Stratford.  We drove through some pretty countryside and small towns.  Much of this area is home to Mennonites.

On Mother's Day, Wayne and Daniela hosted a barbecue.  We were celebrating Mother's Day, the birthdays of Kathy and Andrea and Amanda finishing university and starting her career.

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Birthday!

Congratulations!

Another great week of family and food.  Too much food!

Tuesday we headed north to Doe Lake Campground Rizzort.  We had an uneventful drive and are busy setting up our site.  More details next time.

More Family and Friends

On a rainy afternoon, Wayne and I went to visit my Auntie Madeline in Kitchener. We enjoyed a cup of tea and a nice chat.

Visiting Auntie Madeline

Kathy had a birthday this week. We started the celebrating at lunch on Friday. After dining we went on a Magical Mystery Tour. Well it was a mystery to Kathy. She has recently joined a Beading Guild. We planned a visit to a great bead store about 100 kms away in Newmarket. Kathy and I browsed for 1 hour and 35 minutes - who's keeping track? Wayne of course. Such a great chauffeur and tour guide.

Kathy's Birthday Lunch

My Loving Siblings

Beads from Magical Mystery Tour

Birthday celebrations continued on Saturday. We had a wonderful dinner at Sherry and Kevin's house. Lots of laughs with Kathy's friends.

The Birthday Girl

My Dad made Matthew and Jovana an end table for their new apartment. We delivered it on Sunday. We also gave them our kitchen table. We bought a new sturdier one. It will be delivered next week. Our old table will work for the kids until they find the perfect one.

Matthew, Jovana and End Table Dad Made

While in Toronto, we wandered down to the local coffee shop. We relaxed outside on the patio sipping tea and coffee. Also nibbling snacks. Yummy.

Enjoying the Great Outdoors in Toronto

Jovana

Wayne

On the way back to Waterloo, we checked out a couple of campgrounds that are closer to Toronto. Milton Heights Campground is near a Go Train station. We could quickly and cheaply travel to and from Toronto without having to drive. Unfortunately the train only runs at rush hour on week days. Weekends are serviced by a bus which takes a long time and has many stops. Still this park is a definite option for next year.

Last evening we were invited to dinner with Marion. She has a home here in Green Acre Park. We had a delicious meal and a good time visiting with Marion, Auntie Madeline and Mom and Dad. Marion, Madeline and Mom grew up in Elora.

Supper at Marion's

So ends another week. Our time here is drawing to a close. But we have lots more visiting to do in this final week. Stay tuned.

Go Blue Jays Go - Hit, Hit, Hit

Sunday morning we hopped into the truck and headed to the big, bad city to visit Matthew and Jovana.

Apparently someone didn't get to bed on time and we woke them up.  Oh well, such is life.  Isn't it a parents job to get the kids going in the morning?

First order of business was to award Matthew a birthday boy badge!  His birthday is tomorrow but we celebrated on Sunday.

Matthew and Jovana

We headed out on our way to see the Blue Jays versus the Mariners at the Sky Dome.  We walked, rode a bus, then a subway and walked some more.  About 25,000 people went to the game.  That's a lot of people but the dome will hold a whole lot more.

Before the game we enjoyed a gourmet lunch.  Hot dogs and sausage on a bun - of course.  What else would you eat at a ball game?

Our seats were right behind home plate.  Very high up - nose bleed section.  We had a great view of the action on the field and jumbo screen.  It was however many flights up a very long ramp.  I was huffing and puffing by the time we got to the top.  Climbing is about the only time I am aware of my asthma.

Kids choir singing national anthems

Larger than life on the Jumbo tron

Almost ready to start

Play Ball!

It's a dirty job

Part way through the game this cleaning crew rushed onto the field and cleaned the bases and replaced the little pillows.  It was quite comical to watch.  Like a bunch of worker elves.

We thoroughly enjoyed seeing a baseball game live in person.  I think it something that we will enjoy again in the future.

Street Entertainer outside of the Sky Dome

While wandering around Toronto, we saw lots of interesting sights and buildings.

Sculpture of baseball fans at Sky Dome entry

We passed St. Andrews church which is being restored and rededicated.  Part of the ceremony included a parade march past by the St. Andrew 48th Highlander Pipe Band.

Marble facade and wavy stripe

A daycare

Old Hospital

But now a Tim Hortons

After the game - which Toronto won, (I think by a score of 7 to 2) we walked back to the subway and went to another area of town for supper.  We dined at Zocolo's.  It is a very small restaurant - about 20 seats.  They make the meals from scratch and specialize in homemade sausage and a wide selection of cheeses.  We had a delicious meal.  Thank you Jovana and Matthew for a wonderful day.

As a side note Jovana and Matt are very busy getting ready to set up their first home together.  Way to go guys. Lots of decisions and shopping trips.

Wayside Wanderers in Waterloo

Nothing like a  little alliteration.  lol

It's been a couple of weeks since I updated.  We've been having lots of fun with little time to sit at the computer.

Family times abound.  The first event celebrated Dad's 80th birthday.  At least 80 friends and family gathered at the Black Forest Inn in Conestoga for Sunday Brunch.  Matthew and Jovana drove up from Toronto.  It was the first we had seen them since Cuba.  Lots of my aunts, uncles, cousins and family friends.  It was delicious and lots of fun. Great to see so many people  that we don't get to visit with often.

Mom and Dad

Kathy and I went to a scrap booking seminar.  Kate is an avid scrapbooker.  I have only dabbled in the craft once very many years ago.  It was a fun day and I decided that electronic scrap booking is the way for me to go.  I ordered software so that I can create pages on the computer and then have them professionally printed.  Digital scrap booking bits and pieces weigh nothing as opposed to the tons of stuff Kathy drags around.

Kathy creating a masterpiece

Oh another benefit to digital scrapping.  There is no mess.  Wayne would be stressed out majorly by the mess that develops as the creative juices flow.

We have lots of birthdays, anniversaries, graduations etc occurring this spring.  Let the good times roll on.

Kathy, Sherry and Kevin came for supper.  We celebrated Sherry's birthday as well as Kathy's.

Sherry and Kathy - How many candles?

Kathy stayed for a sleepover.  The next day we went shopping at a couple of artsy fartsy stores and a great Italian grocery - Vincenzo's.  We had custom made sandwiches for lunch.  Fabulous.  After lunch and shopping, we went for a hike in the Laurel Creek Conservation Area.  We needed to work off the sandwiches.

Sisters hiking

Dancing on a tree stump

Wildlife encountered on hike - lots of geese

I almost stepped on this large frog

Saturday morning Kathy and I were off to have more adventures, while Wayne did laundry and helped my mom and dad with some chores.  Thanks Wayne.  Kathy and I went to a nursery with a group of women to plant our own custom flower baskets.  It was a charity fundraising event and lots of fun.

My basket designed for shady areas

Johanna - nursery owner and gardening intstructor

After working so hard all morning, Kathy and I just had to stop for lunch in Fergus on the way home.  It is a beautiful small town on the banks of the Grand River.  One of many towns and cities along this river.

Along the Grand River in Fergus

Dancing again

Next blog our day in the big city.