Where do I begin? We have moved to Kitchener and are living in the middle of a building boom. We see several of the constructions sites from our home on the 14th floor of The Regency on Queen.

I have been in good health but Joe's health is deteriorating. He has a pre cancer condition and it is playing havoc with his body.

The or corna virus has changed things dramatically. With social distancing, mask wearing and washing hands. We had planned on another trip to the west coast but was cancelled because of the virus. We can only do day trips, which are fun and we see different parts of Ontario.

By the way, it's our 7th Wedding Anniversary.

This next chapter of our lives

I have been very negligent in keeping this up-to-date, my apologies.

Things have changed dramatically as we made the move back to the city. I am still very active by walking, biking and playing cards.

We found a nice apartment in the downtown core with beautiful views of the city.

We are looking forward to not having to keep up the maintenance of house but have much more time for leisurely activities.

Montreal

We again went to our favourite city of Montreal. We met Warren and MaryAnn there and had a great time on streets of St. Denis and St. Laurent.

We stayed in our regular hotel on Sherbrooke, Chateau de L'Argoat.

Lots of good food and good times.

Lots of new stories

I have lots to catch up on. This blog has not been looked at for quite some time and I have realized that it is time to update. Let's start with Columbia, where we went for two weeks. This place was very warm and dry and we stayed in a hi rise all-inclusive resort.

This past spring we again went back to Montreal and went to several parts of restaurants and again enjoy the  Tam-tams.

Early in the summer we went to Tobermory and enjoy the stay at Ancient Coast B & B. Along with Joe and I, MaryAnn and Warren joined us.

One of our day trip's took us to Rattlesnake point near Milton.Early in the month of August we went to Picton where we took in a beautiful Victorian B & B . We then drove 15 kilometers to a place called Sandbanks Provincial Park.

It is now the end of August and I said I would be on a beautiful deck at another B & B this time near Tobermory on the Lake Huron side.

Columbia

Montreal

Ancient Coast

Rattlesnake PointSandbanks

Picton

Tobermory catch-up

A lot has happened in the last year but I will just tell you what Joe and I did this past week.

We went to our favourite spot along the Bruce Trail called Halfway Log Dump. The site is very special to us. It is a very primeval spot with smooth rocks and round boulders. We were there in late August so the water was very refreshing. Some would say a bit cold but it takes just a while to get used to it.

We stayed at a B and B on the other side of the Bruce Peninsula on Lake Huron. A lovely spot with spectacular views of the setting sun.

I have uploaded several pictures from the day.

Trip to Tobermory

Ottawa and Gatineau

We visited Ottawa for the first time and saw the architecture and the culture of the city. Joe, Warren and MaryAnn also enjoyed our stay.

We stayed at the Business Inn for a very reasonable rate that included a computer and a printer. The room also had a small kitchen.

We did a small road trip to the Gatineau Hills and saw the cottages of William Lyon MacKenzie King.

Lots more pictures here. Here and here.

Quebec

Last week took in Quebec City for the first time. We loved it.

If you ever wanted to see a European city in Canada, this is it. The architecture is beautiful, the streets are quaint with lots of flowers and the food is excellent.

There are several areas in and around the walled city to view including the promenade in front of the Frontenac. A shopping district on Rue Saint Jean. The fine restaurants on Grand Allee and the old city below the wall along Rue Saint Peirre.

There are lots of sites to see and it all within walking distance. Be sure to wear comfortable shoes and beware that there are hills to climb and descend. The Funicular makes it easy to go down to the old port.

Here are the pics.

Catch up

It's time to do some catching up on my blog.

After a very cold and snowy winter, I finally emerged from the house.

In the way of travels, Warren, MaryAnn, Joe and I went to Prince Edward County for a two day get-a-way. We stayed at a bed and breakfast at Picton and then drove on to Gananoque where we stayed a the Gananoque Inn.

Both places were very beautiful and the boat ride to see the ship wrecks and cottages of the 1000 Islands was fantastic.

Photos are the best way to tell a story, so here they are:

Picton

Gananoque.

East Coast Trip

We have completed our trip to the East Coast. Our trip with Warren and MaryAnn took us to Shediac NB, Charlottetown PEI, The Cabot Trail, Louisbourg, Halifax, Peggy's Cove,  Lunnenburg, The Bay of Fundy, Saint John and Moncton.

For the most part, the weather cooperated and we had a good time. I have lots of stories to tell and will elaborate later, but for now, take a look at some photos:

Shediac NB

PEI

The Dunes

Charlottetown PEI

The Cabot Trail

Sydney NS

Louisbourg NS

Halifax NS

Peggy's Cove NS

Lunnenburg NS

The Bay of Fundy

Saint John NB

Moncton NB

We flew to Moncton from Toronto and stayed our first night in Shediac. We stayed in an old inn with small rooms but it was adequate and had a very good meal in their restaurant. We then visited the shores of New Brunsick at Parlee Beach.

We left Shediac and took the Confederation Bridge to PEI where we spent some time at The Dunes and Charlottetown. The GPS was set to shortest route and it took us through some back roads of PEI. This turned out to be quite an adventure even though the car was covered with red mud by the time we got to Charlottetown.

The following day we went to Antigonish and stayed in a lovely B and B at Victoria's Inn. The room was comfortable and the breakfast the next morning was exceptional. We loved this place so much that we stayed there again 2 days later after our trip to Cape Breton.

The trip along the Cabot Trail was stunning. It's a long trip to do the whole trail but worth it. We had lunch in a the eastern town of Cheticamp where we enjoyed some very tasty seafood chowder. In fact, most places we visited for lunch or dinner, we had a bowl of seafood chowder.

After doing the Cabot Trail we decided to get a hotel room in Sydney NS. This town once was a thriving mining and steel manufacturing area has seen better days. It has a lovely location overlooking a bay and the Holiday Inn was a good place to stay.

Goodreads

Wayne's books

Before The Poison

by Peter Robinson

Away

by Jane Urquhart

I loved this book of mystery and history.

Fifty Shades of Grey

by E.L. James

Ru

by Kim Thúy

Death on Telegraph Hill

by Shirley Tallman

Niagara-on-the-Lake and Niagara Falls

We spent a couple of days in these 2 beautiful areas of the Niagara Peninsula. The weather co-operated although there was overnight rain. We toured 3 wineries in the area and saw a Shaw play: "Major Barbara at the Shaw Festival. The following day we drove to Niagara Falls and boarded the "Maid of the Mist." Later we spent some time at the Niagara Casino.

Unfortunately Joe was unable to come with us because of a recurrence of Cellulitis. Travelling isn't quite the same without him.

Photos are on my Picasa site: Niagara Falls        Niagara-on-the-Lake.

Kinston 2013

This past week we took in Kingston with Warren and MaryAnn. The city is beautiful with lots of interesting architecture.

We boarded a boat that took us on a wine sampling tour of the 1000 island area with a dinner and entertainment.

We then took the Loyalist Parkway to Picton. We had a meal at the old mill (The Painted Peppercorn) and then continued to the 401 to back home.

Lots of pictures are here.

Our Wedding Day

Joe and I have been wed today with a simple ceremony at Kitchener City Hall. The wedding was attended by Warren Bell (witness for me) MaryAnn Henderson (witness for Joe) and our friends Greg and Carroll.

Pictures are here at Picasa.

We will be wed

Tomorrow is the big day for Joe and I. We will be married in Kitchener and have a few friends and relatives present. It will be a very small affair and we plan on going to Cameron Seafood Restaurant after the ceremony.

Joe and I have been together for past 37 years but have decided to make it official. We've been through a lot together including the bad and the good. We have traveled and plan on doing even more.

Renovation is finished

The renovation project that was started in early October of 2012 is now finished. There is a little exterior work to be done, but the inside is completed.

For all pictures taken during this project please visit Picasa.

The finished kitchen, dining room

In October we hired a contractor to redo our dining room and kitchen. What started out as an enhanced dining room with a closet for coats and boots, turned out to be much more.

It was finished just before Christmas and we are enjoying the new look.

A few pictures are here.

Long Point

We, for the first time ever, managed to go to Long Point in late October. It was a glorious day with temperatures reaching 26c with nice breezes over Lake Erie.

Joe went into the chilly waters of 15c but I stayed on shore. We walked the shoreline and just hung out on the sand spit.

I took a few pictures and they are here on Picasa.

Vancouver Victoria and beyond

We have been travelling and have found some beauty in Vancouver, Victoria, Merritt, Golden and stops in between.. We are now back in Banff where we visited the Banff Springs Hotel and stayed another night in the city.

Pictures are on Picasa:

Vancouver

Victoria

Radium Hot Springs

Banff Springs Hotel

Clearwater and Kelowna

We travelled to Clearwater where we stayed in a resort off the main road. I really mean; off. It was a dirt road, fine the first day because it was dry, but the second day it had rained and got very muddy. However, our accommodation at the Alpine Meadows resort was worth the drive. It was on several acres of land if not hundreds. There were several cottages that were likely built in the last 2 - 3 years. The property had a lake, hot tub and picnic and bbq areas.

We left the following morning and went about 10 km. in the mud to a river crossing with a barge that could take only 2 cars at a time. The road to this barge was very twisting and turning and was high above the valley below. Lots of hair-pin turns.

We are now in Kelowna, a pretty little city on Lake Okanogan.

We are about to leave now for Vancouver and will report about that later.

Pictures of Clearwater

Pictures of Kelowna

Miscellaneous Pictures

Western Trip 2012

Joe, Warren and I are making our way to Vancouver and Victoria. We headed out on Wednesday on a flight from Breslau to Calgary. After spending a day in Calgary, we rented a car and are on our travels through the mountains.

Day 2 was in Banff where we stayed in a very comfortable room with 3 queen beds. Perfect for 3 big guys.

Day 3 took us to Lake Louise for lunch. We walked around the beautiful lake and hotel. Outstanding. This was followed by Jasper where we are planning on taking one of those trams joing two mountains.

I have uploaded some of our pictures thus far on Picasa.

Calgary

Banff

Lake Louise

I will be posting more pictures as our travels continue.

Tobermory and Bruce Peninsula

Again this year, we went to the pretty little town at the end of the Bruce Peninsula. The weather certainly was  exceptional and the company of my brother Warren, his friend, MaryAnn and my partner, Joe was great.

We spent a few hours a Halfway Log Dump just after checking into our hotel room at Blue Bay Hotel. The 'dump' is just as it has looked since I started going up there in the early 80's. There are many more people than back then but the park is a national treasure. After a picnic lunch we walked down the trail to Georgian Bay. Warren and I both went into the water and put on our snorkels. The water was cool but refreshing.

Back at Tobermory we went to a very popular restaurant and motel (Grandview) for a meal. Warren and MaryAnn had the salmon and Joe had the whitefish, I settled for the pecan chicken breast. We had beer and good conversations.

The next day, Warren and MaryAnn took a ride on the Glass Bottom Boat for 2 hours while Joe and I went to Singing Sand Beach part of the Bruce Peninsula National Park. I haven't been to this park before but it is a long beach of sand and the water is very shallow. It is great for families with young children.

Even though this destination comes up every year, it is still a great place to visit.

More pictures of this excursion and others are on Picasa.

Our new kitties

We've adopted a couple of kittens from my brother and sister-in-law (Randy and Patty RBPaints). We named them TicTac and Toe.

Here is a picture of them.

More pictures here.

We've had them for over a week and they are growing very fast. I'm sure they're a couple of pounds heavier today than last week.

Don't be fooled that the black cat (Toe) is totally black. He has grey and brown streaks through his coat. Almost like black on black.

42nd Street

Last week we went to the Stratford Shakespearean Festival to see Cynthia Dale in 42nd Street. A very entertaining songs and dance play.

Niagara-on-the-lake

For the second year in a row, we went to Niagara-on-the-lake and enjoyed the town and the play. This year we saw the musical; 'Ragtime.' The story and music was exceptional. We stayed at a very cosy bed and breakfast about 4 blocks from the festival theatre. It was very charming the hosts were very accommodating.

As always, I have posted some pictures from the excursion on Picasa.

Port Colborne

Twice a year I spend time with my brothers. This spring we made a change and went to Port Colborne and rented a cottage/home on Lake Erie.

Pictures on Picasa.

Naples Botanical Gardens

We visited the botanical gardens in Naples and we were impressed. The flora of the area is very tropical or sub-tropical with themes of Brazil and the Caribbean.

Most of the photos shown in Picasa are by Joe and they are quite impressive.

Key West

We visited Key West for the second time in 32 years. The pictures are worth a thousand words.

The homes are very typical of a tropical paradise with many verandahs and screened porches.

We rented an electric car to see the city in style. Lots of people and vehicle traffic to keep your eyes moving.

The flora is very attractive with lots of blooms.

My pictures are on this site.

Trip to Florida

We started our journey on March 12 and made it down to Wytheville Virginia the first day. The next day we were in Myrtle Beach where we met up with my brother and sister-in-law. We spent several days in the sunshine and warmth of the beach and went to the gardens of Brookgreen.

Our next stop was Charleston S. C. and we took in the plantation of Boone Hall, the city of Charleston and a buggy ride through the old town.

We spent a night in Wildwood Florida before arriving at our destination of Naples.

I have uploaded some pictures of Myrtle Beach, Charleston and Naples on Picasa.

Toronto

We took a small mini holiday to Toronto on Monday this week. We stayed at one of the most luxurious hotels close to the lake shore. The Fairmont Royal York is a very beautiful hotel right downtown. The room was overlooking the train station and part of Lake Ontario was in view.

We were in Toronto for Winterlicious. The restaurant that we chose was the Beir Markt on the Esplanade. The meal was exceptional with a 3 course meal for $35.

We took in the Barrel Works just south of St Lawrence Market, which was interesting what can be done with a very old factory district.

We found that one night on the town was a nice break from the daily routine and would do it again.

More pictures on Picasa.

Punta Cana

We just returned from a very exciting, fun, leisurely, sun-filled trip to the Dominican Republic. Except for a 3 hour delay in getting on the plane due to mechanical problems, we were off to the beaches of Punta Cana.

The temperatures soared to around 28c each day but with the cool waters of the Caribbean Sea and the crystal clear waters of the pool, we survived the heat.

We took an ecological discovery of a park just outside our compound that featured beaches, parks, golf courses and a iguanas. This was all taken in while we rode on Segways.

It was the first time for all of us to travel to the tropics and it was truly beautiful. Lots of sand beaches and lush tropical forests.

It may very well be an annual pilgrimage.

More pictures of our excursion are on Pacasa.