Short and sweet tonight. Sleepy

Got up a little earlier and headed over to the parliament building and watch the changing of the guards.  Bag pipers marched inane then low and behold I am not writing anymore cause I conked out.  It seem we had a busy two weeks because I had not written anything for the most of the two weeks I had been away.  Oh my gosh this was such a fabulous trip.  We had so many giggles over the past two weeks.  Ivy even got me bent over laughing so hard a couple of time.  The hubbies thought we would be at each other's throats part way through the trip.  Boy where they wrong.

Where do I start.  I guess I got to think of where I left off on. My last blog post.  I really don't remember what I wrote.  I should look back and see but that would mean leaving here and going to read.  It is going to be hard enough to remember all the things we did on our two weeks together.

So now I sit on the plane heading for home.  First flight 3 and a half hours.  Then second flight another hour.  Gonna be a late night getting home. For right now though I have time to write and think about my weeks away. The flight was late getting in and then late getting back off the ground.  I just hope that I have enough time to catch my other flight.  Only have half hour to get from one area to another.  I am not a runner anymore sometimes I barely walk.

I might as well start at the beginning.  Or as much as I can remember.  Should have been at least jotting down notes as we went along.  Things are going to be a little mixed up here as I go through things and then say.  Oh yeah we did this too.  So have to backtrack a little and write it down.

My flight was great getting here.  Left abbotsford on time and got to Calgary in time to head to the rest room and then onto my next plane.  Then I started walking the corridor to find the next gate.  One way you walked it only went to A1 and then you would walk the other way and it seemed to stop at A6.  So wondering back and forth to try and find the right place to go.  Finally found a set of stairs and low and behold it took me to the place I needed to be.  Whoa happy camper I was.  Being as it was so early to get on the plane in Abbotsford, when I got on second plane for kitchener I fell asleep..  I do not normally sleep on planes or cars or just about anything moving. Or is it because I am sitting up that I can not sleep, but lately I have been able to get some shut eye.  I think I slept for half the flight.  For the rest of the flight I watched out the window. This always fascinates me.  The clouds below you, the small cities down there, lakes and rivers to watch flowing through the landscape.  Some think it is just the same all the time.  I think it is interesting.  I know boring person I am.  Got into Kitchener in good time.  Picked up my rental car and drove to my first destination.  Hotel to sleep for the night.   This was an older part of the hotel.  You walk down this corridor and then that corridor.  Up a set of stairs carrying your luggage with you.  No elevator, dang! Finally got to my room flopped the suitcase on the bed and just sat there for a moment or two.  Wow!  To get to a room is like an o sit all course.  So much fun.  I sat there for a bit. Turned on the tv as I hate being without some sort of noise in the room.  Set up my WIFI and emailed Ivy telling her I was safe and sound in Kitchener.  Yes Mommy she worries.

Last I walked back through the obstacles course to the front office and headed out to get something to eat.  There was a few places in behind the hotel so had a choice of something.  Burger joint with real burgers.  Oh. Y gosh was that big.  Way too much for me to handle but I ate what I could.  I then walked back over to the hotel and back through the obstacle course to the room. Down thepis corridor, up this corridor and up a set of stairs.  Ooopppp went the wrong way.  Turn around and go down this corridor.  Finally made it to my room where I promptly conked out again.  Sleep is my new best friend you know.  I think I might have written a first blog for this trip and off to sleepy byes for me.  This is a strange wonder though.  Kitchener is three hours ahead of my time in BC.  So I was heading to bed at 7:00 BC time.  Really early but I couldn't keep my eyes open.

Day two.  I am up with the birds.  It is early, the sun is shining and to me it is 4:00 in the morning.  Why the heck am I awake so early.  Guess because I went to bed so early.  Normally if I do go to bed that early I still stay in bed late.  Well I am up.  Watch a little TV and do an bit of sorting of things I have brought with me.i need this in this case.  Have to get that out so I can listen to tunes.  Where the heck is my wire for connecting to the iPod.  I can't find it.  I saw it before  I left, but now I can not find it in any of the pockets of my napsack.  Where the heck did I put it.  I looked in every nook and cranny of my bag.  Nope not there.  Maybe I will see if there is a wire like that in shakespeare.  If not I will have to buy one along the way.  Can't go anywhere without my tunes.  I hate quiet. Well at least the radio will play for now, but when we get north there will be no radio.  Just static.

So pack up the mess I make, walk through the corridors to the front office and out to the car.  Load my luggage back into the car and drive to Shakespeare.  When I get to the house.  Ivy says I am early.  No I am not I apsaid around 10/ 10:30. She thought I said 11/11:30.  Well if I did she would still not be ready.  She was following down her list trying to get things done.  Luggage was still up stairs.  She was still drinking her coffee for the morning and moving little by little to get things together.  I talked to Randy for a few minutes before he headed to bed as he is a night shift worker.  Last thing he said before he headed upstairs.  I am free for two weeks.  They did their little insults back and forth and then he was off.  Luggage was brought down and out to the car with it.  My luggage in there already now where are we going to put hers.  A little reorganizing.  I flopped down the seats in the back and low and behold lots of room.  Four pieces of luggage, two duffle bags and a couple of other bags went into that jeep.  Just a little full, but yes there was still room for us.

Finally on the road.first stop was St Jacobs. We got out of the car and walked a bit of down town.  Hmmmnothing is opened.  Oh yeah!  It is Sunday.  Go figure!  So back to the car.  Boy was that ever fun.  Well we did do a bit of window shopping, but being early on a Sunday morning couldn't get inside any of the stores.

I drove a little further north.  Stopped in Montrose.  There was a cover bridge there I never knew was there.  In all the time I lived in Ontario I never saw any of these things.  Just take the big  highways and get from one place to another in no time.  The problem with that is you never see any of the small towns with their beautiful buildings.  The little shops with the different things in them.  I find it great just to look around these boutiques and wander.  Found a place to park and took a walk through the covered bridge.. got to the centre and started throwing kisses into the air.  Well it is the kissing bridge you know.  Walked to the other side of the bridge.  Looked in an antique shop there.  Oh some nice things in there.  Ivy remembers an ice cream place there but we never saw it.  Oh well.  Walk back to the other side and head for the car.  As we are away from the bridge a horse and buggy go through the bridge.  Dang not close enough to get a picture of that.  That would have made an authentic type picture.  Can't get everything you want.

Heading north again. We go through Elora and Fergus.  Elora is so busy.  We wanted to stop there and see the gorge, but could not get a parking spot anywhere.  We drove circles for a bit and finally gepave up and headed onto Fergus.  Quiet little place with no one around.  They must all be in Elora.  I was looking for a certain road I wanted to head up to blue mountain.  You think I could find it.  We must have gone around so many blocks so many times in order to find it.  My iPad said it should be right up ahead, but never found it.  Finally took a street that actually got us to the road we wanted.  As I turned onto the road I wanted we looked back.  The street was under construction so that is why it could not be found.  Our first round and round we go where we stop nobody will know.  Ha, not even us.

Now trying to get to blue mountain.it took us about and hour to find a road we wanted.  You know how many times we where on one side of Collingwood and then the other and then back on the other side.  Mind you not in Collingwood just back roads around Collingwood.  I guess if we would have driven into Collingwood we could have found allot easier, but no I was suppose to know where I was going. Should have been there long ago and we where still driving around in our loopy loos.  Finally found a road that said blue mountain.  Followed it and ended up arriving at another road under construction.  Andclosed.  There that is why we could not find the road.  We stopped at a lookout above the caves.  Oh my just beautiful. Collingwood just below us.  We then headed for the caves.  Getting a little late but still time to look around.  Dang they would not let me in.  I was wearing sandles.  So much for thinking we where going to do the zipline there.  Yeah, yeah all my fault.  I very rarely wear running shoes and that is what they expected you to wear walking around the caves.  They did have shoes for sale in the gift shop but I was not going to pay that price they wanted.

So back in the car and onto Wasaga beach and onto Midland.  There was a funpark there that we could wander around.  Just a kiddy park, but it had all sorts of figurines and such to look at.  The place looked like a castle.  Problem was it was just closing up so we couldn't wander inside. Bummer!  Got back in the car found the road heading to orrillia.  On the way just outside of Midland was the Mytres Shrine. We stopped and had a look inside.  Stairs.  Oh no Ivy does not do stairs very well.  She did go up though and take a look inside the church.  What do I say.  Just wow!  Very old and lots of interesting architecture.  Beautiful.  There was so much land around the church as well.  With statues and information.  You could walk for miles around there and I don't think you would see it all.  It was getting late and we had to make our first stop for the night.

We took highway 12 over to Orrillia.  Had to be on the 11for a few minutes but that was it.  The traffic in the northern part of Ontario is not that bad on this highways.  Then we got off after a bit and backtracked beacause yes I missed the turnoff.  Over the bridge and back onto 11  again to get to the right turnoff.  Okay now I am not sure where abouts this motel is, but it says it is over by the water.  So if we turn off here and head towards water we should be able to come close to the street.  I drive and I drive and you know we got to the water.  Let's turn this way and see if it is down here.  I think I am going the right way..  finally I pull off onto a parking lot.  Look at my iPad cause not sure if I made a right guess.  Low and behold the motel is just another couple of blocks ahead.  Oh!  I did good.  We are in for the night.  Very nice place and there is a couple of places just down the street to eat..  a very nice bed and a good night sleep.

Next day on the road heading towards Ottawa. Day two of our travels.heading up highwa y 11 towards Algonquin park.  Turn at Huntsville onto Highway 60.  Our first stop for the day is a trading post just before the park gate.  We stop and do a little looking around.  Very nice things in the store , but the best part was an ice cream shop next door.  Oh my tow huge scoops of any flavour ice cream.  Yummmm!  We enjoyed that so much

Into the park we go.  Driving along.  Me hoping to maybe see some sort of animals along the side of the road.  Nope didn't see a one.  It seems every time I go into a park all the animals hide.  I never see any.we stopped at a mining info center to walk for a bit.  As we where walking I starting making a howling noise.  Ivy thought there was wolves howling back.  Ha I thinks it was some kids on the other trail..  I howled a couple of more times and Ivy started to howl as well.  Yep just a couple of kids howling back.

After the park we made a top at a Timmies.  Bathroom break need.then it was onto Ottawa.  We where going to stop at the Diefenbaker bunker but figured it might be closed..also I missed the turn for it and kept heading into Ottawa.

Okay a little worry from me.  Do I find the hotel okay or will I be driving back and forth trying to find it. I wanted to get off the expressway and go down by the water.  I didn't make it down to the water either.  I kept on the expressway.  I finally saw a sign that said parliament buildings turn of Metcalf.  I said watch for metcalf and that is where we are turning.  Three streets up and there it was.  I turned on it and then made another turn and another turn and another turn.  Not a straight road. Construction on most of the streets and there was one way streets.  Now am I going to find what I want.  Well metcalf ended so I had to go one way or the other.  Turn left.  We should see Lyon up ahead.  You see it that is where the hotel is.  Guess what?  I missed it.  Drove a little further on and stopped in the parking lot of the war museum.  Looked at my iPad again.  The street should have been just back there.  So we go out here turn left and second road should be a one way going right and we should turn on that.  There it is. Umm cannot turn up that tpstreeg.  Around and around we go.  One one way street to another until we are able to pull into the front of the hotel.  Not parking spot.  Out and around we go again. Next time in someone is pulling out.  Yay a place to park.  We get a porter to help us in with our luggage.  Yeah it fills the cart.  I book us in and then let the porter park our car.  I am not driving it for a week.  And defineatly not in Ottawa.  We go up to our room.  I make a big sigh of relief and lay down on the bed.  We are here andfor a few minutes am not moving.  We do a little unpacking and then head down to the bar to get something to eat.

The end of day two together.  Laughter and giggles.  She didn't mind my loopy loos and we are having a great time together..  goofing around and just enjoy being a couple of girlfriends together.  Mo re adventure is still to come

Another day, more sore feet.

Well they are not that bad.  We did make another day of over 10000 steps.  Well that is according to my Fitbit.  It is defineatly getting its workout now.

Up a bit earlier then the day before.  Okay what is on the menu for today.  Went down and had some Timmies again.  Convient place to have a starting breakie.  We said hello to a few ladies in the lobby who were heading out on their adventures for the day.

We left the hotel.  Said to Ivy going to be a bit of walking and backtracking today.  Should not be as much walking (ha she said with an evil grin).  Just seeing the same things twice or maybe three times.  So off we go.  First we had to go down to the travel kios and see about our duck boat tour.  Some of the ladies had put on Facebook that the time had been changed to a bit earlier.  So we get to the kios and I hand in my paper and explain that there might have been a change.  She looks it up and says she was just trying to call me and tell me about the change.  Problem was they were not calling me personally, but calling the house phone.  Someplace I am not right now.  Silly me did not put my cell phone on there but the house phone.  Hmmm never get a hold of me that way.  My mistake. Silly, silly me.

So after the duck tour was all figured up.  We walked back up the way we came down the pedestrian street so we could go to kontinuum.  We where there early and the lady that was at the entrance says she will let us go in now.  Great, we can get that done and be back at the duck boat ride in time.  

Kontinuum.  If you are having problems with strob lights and bright to dark lights or stairs it would be a problem for you.  You go in the entrance.  First thing you come to a person who gives you a card with a scan on it.  You take this card over to the scanner and scan it.  The machine then takes a digital pixel picture of you.  You then walk down a couple of flights of stairs.  It is dark to light and then dark again as the lights go on and off.  So if on a flight of stairs you have to think about where you are stepping.  At the bottom of the landing at the station level. The screens look like a train is going through.  As you walk on you go through allot of streamers that reflect the lights that are flashing.  It is quite a sight to see.  All the lights and lazors are interesting to looks through.  Just a bit confusing walking through at a few points.  I liked the walk through.

We stopped at a food court at the pedestrian walk.  Backtracking again.  I had the best creips ( bad spelling). I know thin pancakes I have had with Nutella and strawberries and cream.  Yum!!  Ivy had some pasta and when she saw what I was having had to order that as well.  Well she got her calories as well back.  We then stopped in at rexal and got a couple of essentials.  Back down to the other end of the pedestrian walk in order to get to where the duck boat was to pick us up.  We stopped in at the bakery for a pee break before we got on the bus, boat.  Oh a bakery.  Those pastries look soooo good.  Just had to have one.  Well my calorie intake just went up today too.  But dang sooo good.

We got over to the bus stop and other ladies were there waiting as well.  We filled the back of the bus.  We got our intro to the tour guide and the bus driver.  Off we went.  We passed the building were the premiere does his business.  Hmm that doesn't sound right.  Were he works when he is in town.  Drove down Wellington street past the parliament buildings and to the first bridge just past the the court house at the military museum.  Next thing we know we are over the bridge and into Quebec.  We past a native village setting and turned right going past a building that had no right angles. Okay dumb, dumb can not remember the name of the building.   From there we drove down the ramp and into the water of the Ottawa river.

Oh look a bus that floats.  We are traveling along the Quebec side up the river.  Look at the backside of the no angle building.  See a couple of items that look like an upside down canoe and a paddle.  We then turn back and get some great views of the Ontario side.  You can see the backside of the parliament buildings and down further the cathedral and the art museum.  The Rideau canal and the steps down of the locks you have a great view of.

We then make our way back up the ramp to dry land on the Quebec side. Go past a place that has 150 different things in it. Might go look at that tomorrow.  I think, but I don't think we will be walking there.  I think I have given her too much walking already.  She says let's keep going but I do not want to hoop her in any way.  I can walk forever, but Ivy is a different story on her abilities.  I can say though that we have seen allot of the city.

With the hop on hop off tomorrow hop to see a bit more.

Oooppps back on the bus.  Getting ahead of myself.  We head for the bridge back to ottawa.  Down past the byword market and back towards the stop we got on at.  Was a fun ride.  Got to go from land to water.  And saw a few things from the distance that we would probably not see up close.

Now backtracking once more.  We head back to the hotel room.  Drop off a couple of purchases and sit for a bit with our feet up.  I then say it is time to head over to Quebec.  The show starts at 8 and the gates open at 7:30. So we grave a taxi.  Yes do you believe it we get in a taxi.  Not very often I take a taxi. Headed over to Quebec side and plan to go to circus soleit.  We get out of the taxi.  Walk to the entrance.  Have our tickets scanned.  What oh our tickets are for tomorrow night.  Oh oh. Second dumb, dumb thing for me today.  We walk back out to the street and wait to see if we can get a taxi back.  Well we started walking instead.  Across the bridge and half way took a look out at the Ottawa river.  Walked a little further and went down onto a sidewalk and ended up have some nachos and a beer.  Well one of us had a beer at the old mill brewery.  Sat there for a bit. Enjoying the nachos.  Until I hit something hot.  Oh the burn.  Water please.  Lots of water.  We asked for no jalopinoes but I think we got one.  Or there might have been something in just one spot that was mighty hot.  Oh the burn..  I put an ice cub in my mouth for a bit to kill the burn.  The nachos were great until then.  So I just picked and chose a few more and said that was it for me.

We came back out of the brewery and made the last of the trek back to hotel.  Ivy stepped up her pace a bit so I figured she wanted to get back to hotel.

That was the end of our day.  Just allot of backtracking over the same area but we did find different things each time we past through.  

Oh big success today.  Ivy learned how to post and put pictures on Facebook. She is just proud as punch over that.

So enough writing for the night.  Is 11:30 and maybe hoping we might get out of bed a little bit earlier tomorrow

Monsoons came in today. Tornado warnings and yep we went out anyways

Good day all.  Oh my where do I start to day.  

We had a great sleep last night, but got woken up by a phone ringing early in the morning.  Ivy being silly the night before called her hubby.  So first thing this morning, well he called back.  That left me with a bit of a headache most of the day.  At least it did not erupt into some worse.  I was happy about that.  No worries to you Randy.  All is good.

Next wake up call came when the first thunder storm came through.  Rumble, rumble and boom!  Rumble, rumble and boom!  Gosh I have not heard a thunderstorm in so many years.  We don't get many where I live.  You may hear one crack and that is it. But not a full blown wind and lightning and thunder. Ha, and Ivy slept right through it.  Said she never heard a thing.

When I finally decided to roll myself out of bed I check the weather app.  Severe thunder storms, high winds and tornado warning where on there.great we are going to walk out in that.  Heck yes!  We finally got ourselves organized for the day and headed out for a walk.  I asked if she was up for it, she said yes. So off we went.  We got downstairs and went into Timmies for a morning breakfast.  Well by the time we got out of the room it was an afternoon breakfast.  Or at least pretty close to noon. She is telling me I am a very patient person.  Well if I don't like what is being done I will go off and she can come when she is ready.  I am having no problem though but she will know if I do.  So far no worries. Am having fun.  Just a few second guessing once in while.

As we where about to leave timmies.  The sky opened up.  Oh did it ever open up.  I think we will wait and see what is going to happen with the weather.  So we sat for a bit and watched the rain mind you the terential rain and wind and oh my gosh it just came down.  The wind blew bringing the rain in the doors along with people just trying to get out of the rain.  Umbrellas turning upside down wind.  Soaking everything.  Oh boy was just so serious out there.

Then the sky cleared and it was beautiful.  Still cloudy and very humid.  Gonna be a warm walk.  So off we went.

First stop the tomb of the unknown solder.  They were just about to start a changing of the guards.  The bagpipes started and the replacements came marching in.  Inspection was done.  They then took their places at guard.  The  guards that where protecting the tomb removed themselves to stand with the bagpiper and they marched off.  Very prestigious performance.

Off and walking again.  Headed over to the market.  Checked out the vendors and shops around there.  Some lovely things there,  I seen a couple of things I would like but just a bit pricey for me.  Ivy did some more shopping.  I would walk into a store she wanted to see.  Take a wander and then walk back out or stand and wait while she decided.  Should I get this one.  Should I see if I can get this for someone.  Would they like that.  Here is where our ideals are different.  I look at the souvenirs and say.  Just stuff that will collect dust, but I did buy a couple of tshirt.  Maybe useful but who knows.

We walked a few blocks back and found the Notre Dame Cathedral.  Oh my just beautiful inside.  As we where leaving the Cathedral had to turn around and go back into the doorway.  The wind came up.  The rain came down.  One crack of thunder and more rain just came down in sheets.  Oh my.  We where stuck or get soaked.  I don't think anyone would have wanted to see a wet tshirt contest going on.  Very bad looking we would have been.  You know this just was not going to stop.  Rain, rain and more rain.  Just kept coming down.  It started to let up so we decided we might be able to head out.  Just got across to the other side of the street and the rain came down again.  So we scooted over to the art museum and into the doors there.  Wetter then what we were before.  We were told that there was a washroom just down that hall where we could dry off a bit. Oh boy.  Water running down our hair and down our backs.

Finally we where able to head out and walk again.  Skies were clearing.  We where suppose to go to a tea tonight at 4, but missed that.  Couldn't get away from the rain soone enough.  So. Issued visiting with some of the ladies.  Dang not a great thing to do, but hey couldn't be helped.  So we just kept walking.  Too soaked to show up at a tea late.  We went around the back of the parliament buildings and looked out at the water.  Such a view over to Quebec.  There was a few commemorative stutters around the back as well.  We kept walking around.  Figured we could come out the other side and be closer to the hotel.  Not to be.  There was construction around behind the buildings, but we kept walking.  Then all of a sudden there was stairs that went down and down and down.  I looked down there and said we will have to come up again sometime.  I didn't think we needed to go down all that way.  So turned around and walked back behind the building and came around to the front.  Across to the street.  

My next suggestion.  How about we go back one street.  There seems to be stores there and resturaunts.  So after a little discussion on going back one street we finally did it.  Walked along with no traffic around us and looked at the stores and checked out a couple of resturaunts.  Looked at the menu of Brausseres brewery.  I said that looks good so we went in.  Had ourselves a good meal and Ivy even had a brew.  We watched a waiter bring out a paddles with different flavours of brew on it and take it to a table.  It looked like there was at least 10 different flavours on it.  Well that table is going to enjoy their drinks.

Back walking.  Only a little ways back to the hotel.  We walked into the hotel lobby and there was Some ladies just checking in and others sitting around to meet new friends.  The hotel is starting to fill up with the red and purple.  Got a couple of hugs and then we took our wet bods upstairs before I started getting the chills.

That's our fun for the day.  Hope I did not hoop Ivy by taking such a long walk

Another day more giggles but not as much. I got too many wrinkles now

Hey everyone

Day four for me.  Right yep it is day four.

Last night we spent in Orrillia.  Nice enough place for the night.  I was out like a light after we got a bite to eat down the road and shower.

On the road again.  Just can't wait so get on the road again.  Right now is me saying oh really.  I have to drive in Ottawa tonight.  That may not be an exciting prospect.  Well I will think about that later today.  For now.  Breakfast is in hand and I need some sustinence.  It is great when the hotel has courtesy breakie for you.  So had a little to eat and then went back to room and lugged the suitcases back to the car that we lugged in last night.

Headed up highway 11.  Not too busy with cars but boy do they love to drive 20 or so clicks over the speed limit.  Every one just driving and getting where they are going.  Just as fast as they can.

This will be an uneventful day for us.  Well at least for me.  There are trees and lakes and highway.  Been there done that.  And sometimes it just goes on and on.  Well I did enjoy the ride.  The only thing is I do not think Ivy has been anywhere at all.  Every corner and curve we went around. Oh look that is gorgeous.  Wow just beautiful.  So I started telling her it is just trees and water.  Oh now I sound like her hubby she says.  Well enjoying the trip through her eyes anyways.  

Finally I said oh look there is a cow.  She looked at me like what?  I said a cow.  And it is a brown cow.  Makes chocolate milk.  It is a nice cow..  next thing I know she is pointing out cows for me.  We also saw a horse and maybe a goat or two.  Then a heard of cows.  We both yelled at the same time.  Cows!!oh brother.!

Well we did make it to Algonquin park.  Just before the park I pulled into a trading post type place.  It was time for me to walk a little and stretch.  Oh yeah someone else had to check out almost everything to see if there was something worth taking home.  Love to buy for this person or that person.  Maybe I could get something like this for this person.  Me I just bought a tshirt.  Well you know it was purple.

Drove through the park after that.  You know every time I go through parks I would expect to see some sort of wildlife.  Nada nothing.  Bummer..  we did stop once to get out and walk.  While we where walking the trail.  I started to howl like a wolf.  Ivy looks at me like what are you doing.  I say seeing if I get an answer.  I did it again.  You know I did get an answer.  Off in the distance I heard an answer back.  She said it was the kids on the trail ahead of us.  I said nope and did it again.  That time I heard a couple answer back.  Interesting.  Just as long as they do not come to visit.  Well I can play Alaska bush people too and get answers from wolves.

Well at least this was an easy drive today.  No turns or back around and uturns.  We went straight up highway 11 and onto highway 60 and then onto highway 17.  No stopping to check my app and see whether I was in the wrong place.  Easy peasy.  And now the car is tucked away in the garage downstairs taking a rest until we leave at the end of our time here.  So now allot of walking on our poor poor feet.  I am going to feel very sorry for my poor poor feet by the end of this week. 

So down in the lobby.  I have met a few ladies already who are here.  Aussie Annie is here,  I got my hug from her. I met our table hostess Heather and her sister.  Easy name to remember.  It is Brenda.  Then also got my hug from Brenda M.  Ivy was in on the hugging too.  She felt so excited about this.  You know. It is so much fun to watch and see it through her eyes.  Being new and wondering what to expect.  And being so welcome by these ladies.  A beautiful thing to watch.  Still a little shy at it but she is fitting in beautifully.  Then she asked afterwards.  Did I do okay.  I say just be yourself and enjoy.  They will love you if you just be yourself.

Last stop tonight.  We walked down to the parliament building and watched the nightly light show.  Oh wow!  That was so great.  Told all the history of Canada with pictures illuminated of the building.  Along with a lazor show as well.  Lasted about half an hour.  We danced on parliament hill to the music that was playing before the show started.

We made our way back to the hotel where now I am sitting with my feet up and relaxing my back.  A bit tight after the drive today.  Then the walk down to the hill to watch show have put my back and feet on a bit of an edge right now.  So just chilled in the room.

Oh I forgot to mention.  My drive into Ottawa.  Not as bad as I thought it would be.  I did want to get off the main highway and take the route along the water front.  Thought is would be allot easier and not as much traffic.  But to my disbelief I did not find the turn I wanted and instead kept driving on highway 417 through busy traffic in Ottawa.  I read a sign that said to down town take Watson street.  So told Ivy who was being very quiet while I was dipriving busy traffic to look for that street.  When we see it we are getting off this crazy road.  Found it.  Turned onto it and headed for down town.  Wow!  It brought us right out in frompnt of the parliament building, where we turned left as I had a bit of an idea where the hotel was from there.  Yes I did miss the street, but pulled into the armoury parking lot and looked at my app.  Okay two streets back from where we were and it is on the right.  A one way street..  we found it on the way back.  Okay want to get into the front of hotel to check in.  Nope one way the other way.  Can not turn in there.  Well will have to go around this block and over this way and back around.  Ha got into the front of hotel but the only parking spot was taken by a car that pulled in before us.  Back around the block again and see if we can do it this time.  Back in to front of hotel and yes!  Someone is pulling out.  Beautiful. I can park.  Get our luhpggage out and check in.  We are here and car is now parked in the garage down stairs.  All luggage is up in room.  Had to go down to car once though.  A journal book was left in the glove compartment and she wanted it.

So I am so proud.  I made it in a big city driving to the hotel and not a mishap.  But driving around the country over near Collingwood and I pass it four times before I find the right road to get us to some caves. Go figure.

Well one more drive to get out of the city and then my stress can go down four fold.  Won't be driving in Toronto so I will be a happy camper.  No need for me to be there. As nothing we are seeing there.

So that is it for the night.  Tomorrow is a free day to check out where we are and just wander.  Oh my poor poor feet, but the rest of me will have fun.

Well driving, driving, driving. And oh the giggles

Day three. Well for me anyways.  Day one for Ivy.  She was almost ready when I showed up at the house.  Thought I was going to be there at 11.  Well I kinda showed up a little earlier.  No not that early in the morning.  Made it there by 9:30 .  Said a quick hi to Randy before he headed for bed.  Working a night shift he was.  Gotta get sleep when you can.  And he now has a quiet house as we are not around to pester him.  Aw the women are gone.  Well we are saying the same about them.  We are on the road with no gents around.

You would not believe the giggling that was going on in that car today.  I am going to have so many more wrinkles by the time this trip is done from all the giggling that was going on.  Some of the things we talked about .  Yeah all silly stuff but it was just girl talk between the two of us.  No we didn't man bash.  Just talked and caught up.  Would you believe it I actually was talking instead of saying yeah, unhuh! And no kidding.  Just talking.  We where all wore out by the end of the day.  Gonna be a restful night tonight.  

So now Ivy is writing in her journal and I am writing mine.   We have silence right now.  The tv playing in the background d for noise and heavily concentrating on writing.  So I wonder what bad things she is writing about me over there.  How I got lost and how I didn't have the right shoes or getting us late someplace .  I know I didn't feed her enough.  The car was a bit more quieter as we pulled up to the hotel.

We left her place around 11:30 this morning.  No actually it was 11:00.  Or just before then.  Two minutes before as I said we were early getting on the road.  A turn this way and a turn that way and oh should we not have turned back there.  No I think it is this way.  Well let's try this way and see if it gets us where we are going.  We pulled in to St Jacobs.  Was going to do a bit of a wander.  Dang stores are still closed.  Nothing opens up early on Sunday.  So a walk down the street and back to the car. 

Okay next place I want to see.  Didn't even know it was there until I read about it on the internet.  There is a covered bridge in Montrose.  Well they call it the kissing bridge.  So when you go through with your beau you stop in the centre where no one will see sneak a little kiss.  We walked to the other side.  Thought there was an ice cream shop on the other side. Well it was a gift shop now.  Took a couple of pictures.  Watched a fellow playing with a drone and then where on our way again.

Next place we where driving through was Elora and Fergus.  Boy was Elora a busy place.  The buggies and horses where all parked in the shade.  Every place we wanted to park was full.  So didn't get to take a lookie loo at the gorge.  Well we went over a couple of bridges and saw some of it.  You know I think we went over a couple of bridges more then once.  I was looking for a certain road I wanted to turn on and for the life of me could not find it.  We saw the library three time.  We went by a garage sale a couple of times.  We saw the horse and buggies a couple of times too.  Elora is not that big of a place but when you are looking for a road you want you get to see it a few times.  I finally found a road that would take me to the road I wanted.  When we finally got on it and heading north.  Looked behind and realized it was a road that had construction on it.  So there that is why we could not find it.  It was closed.

Fergus was quiet.  Not much going on there.  Everyone was in Elora.  Okay so through Fergus and on our way north.  You know roads you read on the map say a number and then you go looking for that number and all the roads have names.  How the heck you suppose to find a road you want when the road does not exist under the same category.  You know how many times I drove back and forth ending up heading east or west instead of north and then east like I wanted too.

We saw allot of the Niagara escarpment going up and down and all around.  Through Collingwood and then close by and then heading the wrong way and then think it might be the right way.  Well wonders of wonders I did make it to Blue mountain.  We had all high hopes of walking through the caves.  Maybe doing the zipline.  Um never made it in the gate.  I was wearing sandles.  They do not let you in with sandles on.  You have to be wearing running shoes or closed in shoes.  Mine where at the bottom of a suitcase.  Under another suitcase.  So didn't feel like digging.  It was warm anyways and that was just going to make me warmer.  So now all this talk about doing a zipline and it didn't get done.  Well we will have to see if we can find one someplace else.  I am a bad, bad person.  Should have dug out those shoes and went for it.  Well that is my story and I am sticking to it.  I was lazy.

Okay down the mountain and then onto Collingwood.  Yeah again.  Well not done yet.  I turned the wrong way and had to make a u turn and go back through Collingwood again.  I think we just loved Collingwood that much.  Finally onto Wasaga Beach.  Well that place is not what it was many years ago.  All built up and no beach to be seen unless you head over by the water.

Our last stop for the day.  We made it with no trouble to Midland.  We found the fun castle park, but it was closed.  Got a couple of pictures around the outside before they closed the gate.  The building was interesting to see what one fellow would build.  Last stop was also in Midland.  We saw the Mytres Shrine.  Wow impressive.  There was so much land around the church with all sorts of statues.  Beautiful place.  I liked walking around there.

So now we headed along highway 12 over to our last stop with food and a place to sleep for the night. I made a wrong turn there, but it worked out to be a good thing.  It was a shorter drive to the hotel then if we would have taken the highway there..

Now snuggled into our bed dies for the night.  

Good night all.

Talk to you tomorrow night. Hopefully from Ottawa

I am off and flying

5:30 came awful early today.  Worse thing was my alarm did not go off.  That would have been some disaster.    Still laying in bed snoring away and my flight takes off without me.  I guess it would have been my own fault.  I set my alarm for pm not am.  Dumb,  dumb, dumb and more dumb.  Shouldn't do anything without my glasses on.  Or else my alarm clock is not working anymore.  Ya know it went on strict because I retired a year and a half ago and have not used it since.  I think that is it.  My alarm clock is sulking.  That's it!  That's my story and I am sticking to it.

Well I did get up on time.  When ya got to go ya got to go.  Ifen you don't you end up with a real desperate situation.  My thing is it is an obstacle course to just get to the washroom in the first place.  Let's see I have to untangle myself from the sheets first.  All the tossing and turning I do every night just to get comfortable.  I lay one way for a bit.  Then my hip gets sore.  I lay the other way and the other hip starts yelling then I get another way and my arms or hands will fall asleep.  I just can't win.  After I untangle I have to get by the two dogs that sleep so close and cuddle to help keep me warm.  Even if I don't need to be kept warm they insist that I do.  One cuddles up at my belly. And the other is in behind my legs.  You know they don't seemed to be bothered by the fact that I have to get comfy.  They are comfy so who cares about anything else.  Hmmm just got thinking.  I will be sleeping in a bed with no warmth tonight.  The mad dash to the washroom should be a piece of cake.  Well if I don't run into anything getting to a washroom in the dark in a hotel room that I don't exactly know my way round.  Well one thing is for sure.  The sheets will still get me.  Unless after all this plane riding today I am so bushed I conk out and don't notice the soreness.  Ha that will never happen.  The soreness gets me wherever I sleep and tells me all about it.  In those big four letter words we are not suppose to use.   Do I say words like that.  You betcha!  But I try to keep them under my breathe.  If I say in front of hubby he starts asking what the problem is and then says just live with it.  It is with you forever.  Ha,  some help he is.  Mind you I do live with it.  Some days worse and other days I can be in heaven.  Well I am hoping this next few days I will be in heaven.  If not it is going to be a nasty holiday for me.

And my poor puppies have to contend with being at home with hubby.  They won't cuddle with him, but I know my pillow will be getting some cuddling while I am away.  Will be thinking a bit of febreez on it when I get home.  Doggie smell from cuddles is not what I really want to sleep with when I get home.  I will think about that later for now just got to think about the comfort I have to have in this plane seat.  First ride to Calgary.  Not too bad.  Was only and hour flight.  I sat on one side of the plane.  Didn't get a window seat.  Something I usually get but did not have enough time between flights to be waiting for others to get out.  Well anyways sitting on that side of the plane for some reason my left but cheek started to tell me it was time to stand up.  Couldn't do it though.  I guess I could have walked the aisles for a minute but it was only a short flight so grin and bare it.  No I don't mean bare my but cheek!  Just take the bit of tension and hope it doesn't get any worse.

Well I am off the plane in Calgary.  They changed the area a little.  Go figure I walk the wrong way.  Dead end ahead, but the numbers where going up.  Had to be at gate 20 and these numbers only got to 6 and then stop.  Walk down to the other end, but ends at 1.  Okay what am I doing wrong.  Then I see it.  A doorway and a ramp.  Goes up to the main terminal.  There it is.  I know where I am now.  The gate is just up that way.  Well at least I hope that has not changed.  Yes food court.  The gate is just down from there.  Well I did find it and a little time left to get a snack and do a washroom break. 

I get back to the gate and they are calling to load.  What the heck there is an hour yet before they are ready for takeoff.  Hmmm you know what?  My watch did not change.  What is it with clocks and watches.  I think they are out to get me.  It was good I came back to the gate to eat my snack.  I may have missed a second flight.  Not batting a hundred here today.  Well all swell that ends well.  I am in my seat now.  A window seat one the other side of the plane.  Hoping that I get some sort of view.  Just love wat hing out the window as the fields go by below you.  The different terrain, roads, lakes and rivers.  All,below you.  I fascinates me.  The odd cloud below drifting by.  On my other side is an empty seat.  Bonus.  Do not need to squish my arms together cause someone else is an armrest hogger.  The one none bonus.  The plane is not equipped with WIFI.  So can not do anything with my iPad except write in it or read.  Maybe play a game or two.  I would have liked a movie or something.  What I really should be doing is catching up on some sleep.  Yeas I will probably do that but thought I would get my thoughts down here before I doze off and snore everyone out of the plane.

Butt cheeks are getting sore again.  So I guess I will be wiggling for the next couple of hours.  Another bonus to not having anyone beside me.  I can wiggle and not have someone looking at me like I amdisturbing them to no end.  I can be a real pain in the butt sometimes.  If I really want to but right now it is my own butt giving me the pain in the butt.  So time to stop writing until I get to my room for the night.  I wil just wiggle my way to Ontario.

Flight was good.  Made it here in one piece.  That's great.  But my butt cheeks and legs are telling me a different story.  Well one thing I can say I did 10000 steps today.  My Fitbit went off in the last airport I was at.  I think I did a bit of walking.  Just to get from one terminal to another. From one gate to another.  But now I can just sit back and watch a little tv and write the rest of this blog.  Hopefully get it online as internets keeps jumping in and out here.  Not the greatest hotel but it will do for the night to put my head down have a good night sleep.  Well as good as I am going to get in a strange room.

So I get off the plane and wait for my luggage.  Hey both pieces come through.  Didn't loose any.  Next stop to the car rental place and pick up my car for the week.  Wow I got a jeep Cherokee.  Lots of room in it.  Great steroid system, automatic everything.  All except navigation.  Dang.  I guess we are going to get lost a few times.  Well that is part of the adventure I think.  Just as long as we do not end up in Manitoba we are doing good.  If we get that far I might as well be heading for home.  I know Ivy isn't going to like that though.  Well she asked for adventure didn't she.  Oh yes we will have some fun.

So I get to my hotel.  Not the greatest but it will be a place to rest my head for the night.  The internet clicks in and out.  Send off a message to hubby to say I got here.  Got three messages from Ivy or was that two.  I sent her back that I made it.  She is so excited about this.  It makes me feel like when I first started Red hatting.  Brings back some of that excitement and laughter.  Have had a video chat with another lady and was doing another chat with another lady when my internet went kapoot all together.  So hope I am able to get this on in a few minutes before it is gone again.

So guess that is it for the night.  Lat you all know I am here and am heading for a good night sleep now.  Night all and hatter hugs

Well she is writing again.

Hey all

Back at writing again.  You know what that means.  Yep another convention coming my way.  This one is big.  Over 500 ladies will be there.  We will be celebrating the birthday of Canada.  150 years under our belt now.  Canada still looks great for being 150.

So this is going to be a fun convention in more ways then one.  Besides a birthday this will be a first convention for my sister-in-law.  She joined the red hat society last September when I gave her a membership.  Since getting this membership she has met a few lovely ladies in Ontario who have made her so welcome.  Is a member of two groups now.  One a little layer back and another that love to get out and do things.  I have heard she has been to a large dinner where there was allot of red hatters.  Has gone to a play and enjoyed it so much.  Also all the ladies she has met on Facebook.  Talking with them and putting in her two cents here and there to add to the conversation.

So now I am not sure what she is going to think of going with me to a convention.  I get my giggles in once in while but still am a very quiet person.  Everyone who knows me knows I do not say much.  Well you know unless I am on Facebook or writing this blog.  I blab a mile a minute here.  Go figure.  Two different people in me.  I feel more comfortable at this.  Why?  I have no idea.  Maybe it is because I am not face to face.  That I feel uncomfortable with.  I don't hear as great as I use to.  Maybe I am behind on the conversation.  Or trying to talk with someone when I have no skills at it is just not me.  Well I do try, just don't get too far at it.

I am telling Ivy we are gonna have a blast.  Get out of our shells and meet as many red hatters as we can.  Well she may do a better job at it then me.  I have been to conventions before so know most of the drills, but I am still a little backwards on some unless I have someone leading the way.

Now on this one I am going to be leading the way.  I have to soften my shell and see what I can do.  I am coming up on not going to as many conventions.  Health reasons are starting to kick in and doing as much is getting me exhausted.  Part way through the day I sometimes have to give up on the fun and go back to room to put up my feet or even down for a nap.  If I keep going too much I will miss out on allot as I won't be up on doing anything and ready to just crash.

Well me keeping up.  Let's see.  I fly in to Kitchener.  Crash for the night and then pick up Ivy the next day.  Then the fun begins.  Drivin down the highway.  Mostly older roads and back roads.  Not taking any four lane roads if I can help it.  Want to see the country.  Not the back of someone's bumper as we sit in traffic.  We will be heading north.  Stopping when we want and just driving.  Hoping to see a few sights along the way.  Let's see a carp statue, maybe a statue of a cow.  Older towns that still look like they belong in the here after.  Love looking at older buildings and silly things that will make Ontario interesting and what it is.  The people and the places.

First big stop will be at Blue Mountain.  Do some cave walking and if I can get her up to maybe do a zipline.  Well we will see.  Maybe I will back out.  Who knows.  There is a tree top adventure there too were you walk along allot of bridges along the trees for one to another.  After that stop we are on the road again still heading north.  Check out the beaches we use to go to as a kid.  Well one of us anyways.  Wasaga beach and up along that lake.  Around the lake and maybe make it over to Penitanguishine.  I know may be bad spelling there but you get the idea.  Driving along the water is great.  Away from the highways and cars.

From there start heading east and make our way to our hotel for the night.  Few Klms  under our belt and time for a rest.  Maybe a bit of walking around the town we are staying at or maybe just crashing in our room from a fun day.

Next morning on the road again heading north again.  Once we hit Huntsville will be heading east again.  Algonquin park is part of our journey.  Every time have been near there have not seen any wild life.  Hopefully this time will see a few along the road.  Makes the journey more exciting if you see some wild life  besides trees and lakes.

Out the other end one stop for us before Ottawa is the Deifenbaker bomb shelter.

Now we head into Ottawa.  This will be a yuk for me.  Driving into a big city to find a hotel and park our car for a few days.  It looks like it is an easy trek in if I stay with the water, but if I miss a turn we are totally going to be going in circles looking for where I was suppose to be.  Stressful at the time but we can laugh about it afterwards.  That is if we make it to the hotel.  My co pilot says she is inept when it comes to maps and such.  So I guess I am on my own as best I can.  I know we will make it, just depends when.  Hopefully not after the convention is over.  That would be a bummer.

So we have a couple of days in Ottawa before the convention starts.  We are doing touristy things.  Getting on a duck boat for a tour, taking a haunted walk, one night we are going to a cirque soleit show.  Another day we  are doing a tea.  Checking out kwantinium.  We are talking about doing a biplane ride over the parliament buildings and going down the river in rafts.  Well we will see.

The convention is three days.  There is free time in the afternoon to check out more things.  We get to celebrate and meet up with old and new ladies.  Make new friends and catch up with old friends.  Some days we dress in themes.  Mostly we just giggle and play.  I have a blast at any one of these conventions. While we play in Ottawa some ladies are going out on cruises or taking bus tours to Montreal.  That will be a long day for some, but well worth it.

Last item is we are doing a pirate ship ride.  Last of our goodbyes before we start heading back home.  For Ivy and I it will be one more night in hotel and then heading out the next day.  Now not heading for home yet.  Taking a drive over the the St. Lawrence and a drive down along highway 2.  You guessed it not the 401.  Not getting near that highway if I can help it.  A nice easy drive down along the river.  We have a 1000 island boat tour booked to catch during the day.  Other then that there is kingston for the Fort and there is pioneer village or a few others interesting sites on the way down.

We have another stop for the night and then the next day we head to the Niagara peninsula.  No way in heck I am driving in Toronto,  so going to be a big loop around Toronto and area.  More byways and backroads.  They are more fun anyways.  We have a hotel booked in that area so we can check out around Hamilton or the Niagara region.  Go one way one day and go the other way the next.  Wine tours, check out the Falls, see the scenic side of the Niagara area.  One day meet up with a few friends and gather more giggles on our time away.

By this time. It has been two weeks together.  I think we will be tired and ready for home.  Take Ivy back home and then I head to my hotel.  Next day off on my flight back home.  Fun is over and  time to head home.  Until next time and another convention.  Las Vegas here I come.