Oh, To Be Turning Four

The lineup consists of cake, water balloons and 6 rowdy friends – when you’re turning four, could life be any better?

Come to think of it, life never changes – cake, 6 rowdy friends and water balloons, great at any age…

and if you get to put on a crown after blowing out the candles – PERFECT! (One day I want to put on a crown and be a princess!)

If I hadn't posted this, what kind of Nana would I be? Happy Birthday (party) Princess Maddy!

Thanks to Mom for the photos as I have not fmcy ... (found my camera yet!)

Summer 2013: One Last, 'Long Day' Ride

With the final weekend of summer 2013 staring me in the face I took to the road for one last ‘long day,’ Friday, take it while you can day, great day for a ride day ... and I headed out under a shroud of fog to meet Ron and Joanna: our destination, Bancroft.

Ron has been riding ‘forever,’ admitting that he has been riding since before it was necessary to have a license to ride a motorcycle and Joanna has just started riding this season. Joanna rides a VStar so I knew we’d hit it off. 

Our first stop, the local farmer's market. I bought radishes as big as apples (sorry no pictures, I ate them already), Ron bought jam.

Ron and Joanna are both Port Perry area artists and our plan was to visit the Bancroft Art Gallery to catch a glimpse of artist Gretel Boose show of sculpture and paintings and of course to have lunch (whoops, ate that too!)

Home ... to Bancroft and back, with a little bit of the road less traveled thrown in - just over 400 km. The last long day ride for summer. Think I will sleep in tomorrow.

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Woman Cannot Live By Cookies Alone!!

The summer is winding down and with only 2 more official weekends left it was great to get out in the sun, act like a tourist and enjoy the fresh air.  I had planned on riding the Star to Ottawa but was asked to bring my bicycle for a Geo caching adventure. Although my son tells me he has seen it happen, I haven’t figured out how to carry a bicycle on the back of a motorcycle, so I headed out by SUV, bicycle snugly riding in the carrier behind. Things happen for a reason, and we ended up doing a different series of Geo caches (no bicycle required) but that was okay ‘cause it meant I could spend the second day shopping, (even teachers can't resist the call of a new pair of shoes for school!) There are some advantages to having a really big trunk!

The Geo caching started early, at a point where there was a gathering of ‘cachers’ celebrating Geo cache day with the start of a marathon cache. We (that would be the ‘royal’ we, as I know nothing about caching and just follow my friends) decided to head for another series of caches in the Gatineau area. 

We crossed the Gatineau River on a small ferry at Orleans and headed for the hills. I was thrilled when they provided me with my very own (to use) hand held GPS (Dan isn’t really good at the off road stuff.) 

The first 40 or so caches were park and grabs which meant get in the car, get out of the car, get in the car, get out of the car. They were thrilled, I was just hungry.

We finally headed to a park in the Gatineau Hills where I spotted this cute little red mushroom. I was starved, near ready to eat my hiking boots (or my companions) and very thankful that I had picked up a couple of cookies earlier at Tim Hortons. The caches were, if not challenging, at least hidden along picturesque trails. 

(Note to self, next time I join this Geo caching duo,(they're number 192) I will hide my own secret cache of snacks in my backpack - woman cannot live by cookies alone!) 

On the way home we stopped to watch artist, John Felice Ceprano, working on his balanced rock sculptures at Remic Rapids on the Ottawa River.

Amazing work ... and every year they are destroyed by the ice on the river ... and every year he rebuilds them ... And they fed me - a most delicious dinner.

Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow

Yesterday and Tomorrow ...

Today was my Mom's 96th birthday.

Weekend Getaway with Brits on the Lake

Back just a week and already feeling like I needed a little get-away ride so when I was asked if I wanted to join a group of friends in Port Perry (ON) to take in the Brits on the Lake show the VStar was packed so fast she thought she hadn't been unpacked.

Originally I was set to ride along behind friends taking their ‘classic’ Lotus but things changed and I ended up with a Subaru for a pace car. The Trans Canada was heavy with weekend traffic and Ken and Barb were happy to lead the way along the less traveled route meandering through the Trent Hills region, stopping first in Warkworth for a picnic lunch (packed by Barb and carried in the pace car) then on to Port Perry.

Our odd little convoy landed on the shore of Lake Scugog just in time for a swim in the pool and dinner prepared by Ron and his Sous Chef Lynn.

This is the fifth year for Brits on the Lake and, I was told, the biggest year so far. Too much eye candy -  too much to choose from ... and what's with this, the sun shone!

 

(One of) My personal favorites ... so curvy, sooooo sexy!

 

Half the fun, the license plates.

 Also, my personal favorite ... Note the similarlities

A very colourful day!

2013 The Eastside Story: Showing Off My 'Hood!'

The final chapter in the Eastside story began with meeting Canjun and Bobskoot in Perth, one of the great places in my 'hood' to ride to.

After a walk in the park Canajun rode with us as far as Westport where we said our goodbyes. Boobskoot (I mean Bobskoot) and I headed south, Canajun headed north.

Monday, Bob wanted to ride in 'The County' and since it's another favorite ride we were off. We dutifully stayed in line ...

And patiently waited ...

And waited ...

And were finally rewarded with front row seats ... to beautiful vistas and a lovely ride.

Afterward, Bobskoot joined our little band at the Creekside ... and now my Eastside story ends.

I watched Bob pack ... we said our good-byes ...

And after a few minor adjustments ... he was gone. Travel safe friend!

2013 The Eastside story: The Day After ... Who Ya Gonna Call...

I live in a stunningly beautiful area and while I'm waiting to show it to Bobskoot I decided to join my friends on a little day trip.

Originally we planned to head to Clayton NY. Little did we know that everyone in this part of the world also had visions of crossing the border. We missed the first ferry so diverted to the bridge where the line up was backed up for 'miles' so it was on to plan B - stay in Canada.

We headed to Gananoque ON for lunch and after took a stroll around the town where we found this parked in a lot ... So, who ya gonna call?

Ghost busters...alive and living in Gan.

2013 The Eastside Story Day 28: The Adventure Never Ends

One part of the journey may be over, but the adventure never ends....

I took the back country roads heading west until rain seemed imminent. With thunder booming overhead I hit the trans Canada at Brockville. Traffic was heavy but I beat the rain and I'm home again; it's like I've never been away. Today, day 28, I arrived home, safe and sound.

Tonight I'm grateful for all the new friends I've made along way and for all my friends and family who were waiting for me here at home. I love my home town. The thunder's crashing and the lightening's flashing and the rain is beating on the roof (again!!!!) but I'm home. (Did I mention I'm really glad I'm inside dry and warm?)

PS Bobskoot - have a blast in Montreal. I'll see you in my town ... everybody wants to visit here.