Felt like a busy day.....

Our Location: Walmart, Hamilton, Ontario

(no pics tonight)

A warm overnight had me kicking off some covers and this morning was warm as well. The day heated up nicely however the wind kept things a bit cooler out here in the open space, but it was still a great day. That big round yellow ball in the sky was a welcome sight, hopefully it sticks around for a while, although the weather folks think it'll be gone by Sunday with some pretty cold temps coming our way. However we shall see what actually comes.

This morning we packed up our dirty laundry and headed down to King and Ottawa Streets (actually near by) to use their machines instead of finding a creek with a rock to wash 'em. It was pretty busy, the aisles were narrow but we managed to get all four loads washed, dried and folded without too much trouble. I forgot hangers and so we had a bit extra work when we finally got back home. We left about 9 am and managed to get home about 11:40 am, so not bad for us. It is such a nice feeling to have an empty hamper. ~laugh~

Riley made us lunch and my best friend Linda called to check on us. I've known Linda for more years than I care to say but no  matter how long it is between chats we still just pick up where we left off the last time. I think we chatted for at least an hour, probably longer. I'm looking forward to seeing her and hubby Randy in the near future and maybe getting a chance to spend more time together this summer at their cottage. Linda was telling me what a great time they had in Cabo, Mexico this past winter with their friends Wayne and Anna. It sounded like a beautiful place with great weather and some pretty amazing food!!!

Around 2:30 pm I headed up the big hill hoping to get the Dogsled's emission test handled. Hm....slight problem, the truck is too heavy for them to do the test, they only do light vehicles. He suggested another spot, so off I went. I'll save you the details of my tour of the city of the Hamilton, however the Dogsled will be having a number of appointments on Monday. Starting at 10 am with a safety at Ozlo's, then to Pyette's  for an emissions test and an alignment. After that all of our noses will be pointing and heading north.

Arriving home I found I was suddenly tired. It just kind of hit all at once, so  for the rest of the day Riley and I just kind of lazed about. I couldn't seem to motivate myself for some reason. However I did manage to chop up some chicken, veggies, and garlic, sauteed in a pan which I then added to some rice. Nothing fancy but Riley enjoyed it. 

A big happy birthday to my nephew Jesse. Jesse is a wonderful young man who very much enjoys the outdoors, along with hunting, and fishing. Jesse is a test or two away from being a certified welder. Happy Birthday Jesse. 

Also a big happy birthday to Bob Blue. Cousin Bob lived in Southern Ontario for many years before retiring back to Manitoulin. Country life seems to suit him!! Happy Birthday Bob. 

A quick trip into Walmart for a bit of a walk, picked up a couple of things, back home and off to do our own thing. It felt like a busy with us managing to  accomplish a couple of things.

Thanks for dropping by, until next time...be safe, take care...

A busy day today....

Our Location: Walmart Front Lawn, Hamilton, Ontario

(today's pics were all taken on the Rock in Lake Huron (Manitoulin Island) a few years ago)

Coolish nights seem to be the norm here in southern Ontario. The predicted high didn't materialize or at least not anywhere I was today. It was nice with a bit of a breeze which of course cooled things off, that big yellow ball in the sky was a welcome sight and stayed with us pretty much most of the day. Things clouded over and the rain began to fall just as the evening hours struck. Around 6 pm I think I heard the first rain drops on the roof, followed by a couple of big thunder boomers, a light show of one or three flashes across the skies over the city but other than that it was mostly a rain event. The odd far off rumble of thunder could be heard later in the evening but it was minor rumbling, while the sky turned an ominous shade of slate grey but I think the bulk of the storm went around us.  Round about 8 pm the sun was lighting up the store front but the rain drops were still falling.

South Baymouth Lighthouse

We started off this morning by making plans for the day. If you've been following this blog at all you'll know we always make plans but often we don't seem to have the energy, the time or the need to do some of them and they get pushed off until another day. Today was NOT like that at all. First we headed back to the wonderful folks at Dr Yaksich/Dr Adams dental office, Riley was getting fitted for a mouth guard to help her clicking jaw issue. Of course the ladies on the desk were spectacular as always, helpful, knowledgeable, and quick to smile. Dr. Larry graced us with his presence once again today and even did a quick job of reattaching Riley's wire retainer as it had come loose. MaryAnne and Lisa were excited when I told them I'd mentioned them in yesterday's blog, I hope they don't think that makes them stars now 'cause NOT that many people read this little blurb. ~laugh~ I assured them that I said only bad things, I'm almost certain they might have believed me. ~laugh~ So if you are reading Ladies, Hello and welcome!!!!

South Baymouth Marina

From the dentist office we made our way down the hill to Life Labs where Riley needed to have the blood work which Dr. Dube requested yesterday. While she was having her vampire procedure I was on the phone making a few calls that needed to be addressed with regards to doctors, Dogsled appointments and such. The Dogsled needs to have a check up to ensure that he's fit for use in Ontario, I think he also needs to have his breathing checked with an emissions test, all of which must be done before he can be plated and insured here in the wonderful province of Ontario. Hopefully the breathing experts can fit him in tomorrow and the check up with Dr Ozlo's crew is scheduled for Monday morning. I have no worried the big boy will pass with flying colours. 

After the blood work we headed back to the Igloo, grabbed a Timmies, changed back into some dirty clothes before making our way back to the storage locker place (it's some dirty work I'll tell ya). Today we managed to finish cleaning out the unheated outside small locker (5x5) and stuff everything into the indoor heated much bigger unit. That will relieve us of a sizeable payment every month. We had to pretty much pull out about 1/4 of the things in the locker to get to the usable but unused space near the back half of the locker. It was suitable for light boxes such as linens, clothes, etc to be piled upon firm wooden pieces of furniture. We then managed to stuff ALL of the other boxes into the space with a bit of room to spare. I was extremely happy to do that. The front desk returned the month's storage they had just taken out about an hour before I told them I no longer needed the unit. Good timing, huh? ~laugh~ 

View over the islands in the North East waters off the shores near Little Current

After that it was home to clean up and a quick jaunt across the way to Great Clips for a hair cut. We were both due for one as it's been a while for both of us. I was starting to feel like a long haired sheep dog with stuff hanging in my eyes all the time. ~laugh~  I had a wash and trim while Riley had a wash and cut. It's much shorter now and she seems pleased with it. I like it very much. 

After that it was home again and for the rest of the day we just kind of rested. Enough work today already!! We were too tired to load up the laundry and head out so that's on the list for tomorrow's chores. We can't wait too many more days or we'll be starting to "look for our cleanest dirty shirt" ( a line from a Kris Kristopherson song - Sunday Morning Coming Down). Therefore tomorrow WILL be laundry day. ~laugh~ 

Swing Bridge/ Hwy 6, the only all year round route on/off the Island

Since we had a late lunch today dinner time wasn't of any interest to me and Riley decided to manage for herself, which she did just fine. Afterward my hunger pains were satisfied with a nice big juicy Granny Smith apple.  

Sailboat waiting to pass thru at the Swing Bridge.

So ended our day. Not life altering or news worthy but it worked for us. We're looking forward to an easier day tomorrow and we'll take the weekend off except for a visit to the old neighbourhood. Monday we'll do our morning appointment and I hope then we'll be heading out along the QEW toward the big city of Toronto and points further north!! Depending on our departure time and traffic we will stay somewhere between Toronto and Barrie, or we'll reach Parry Sound for an over night on Monday. We should be in Lively, Ontario a suburb of Sudbury on Tuesday, an overnight there to visit with my best friend Linda and her hubby Randy.  Wednesday we will be off to the Rock and our summer location. So a few short travel days next week will net us a mid week arrival time which should be just in time for the warm up trend to start rolling in.  We'd really like that as it will mean we can once again get out and start walking which we haven't been dong lately. 

Okay, enough rambling for one night! Thanks for stopping by, feel free to leave a comment, and until next time...be safe, take care....

Appointments, apologies, and a longer stay....

Our Location: Walmart Front Lawn, Hamilton, Ontario

 

(sorry no pics today)

The overnight was cool but then again it's April in Canada so it could have been a lot worse. The day started off cool as well but eventually warmed up to about mid 50F/10C with a wind off the lake which of course makes it seem like a few degrees cooler. 

We had hoped to be departing Hamilton late this afternoon but it wasn't in the cards. We'll be here a couple of more days, had I known we'd be here this long we would have parked at Fifty Point Conservation area with full hookups. However this at least gives us a chance to use our new solar panels, which we had installed in early January in Georgia. It's the first that we've used them and we're still used to dry camping with out them which means we are a bit stingy on turning on lights instead of using our LED lanterns, etc. I know it sounds odd but it's true, we are so used to doing things a certain way when we dry camp that it's difficult to change. I have no doubt we will but it's just odd to find ourselves doing things without realizing we don't have to be quite so diligent  about it. 

Our morning started off with a trip to the storage unit where we will be returning tomorrow for a bit more work. We are combining two lockers into one and will hopefully get that finished tomorrow. We worked there for a couple of hours and managed to accomplish about half of what we started out to accomplish but half is better than none. After a couple of hours and the amount work we were both tired and ready for a rest. 

Back to the Igloo by 11 am we were just relaxing when the local Gynecologist office called to discuss forwarding Riley's paperwork to the new referral. Long story short with some trepidation they convinced us to come down to their office this afternoon and they would see her TODAY but that the doctor felt it was somewhat of an urgent matter. Explaining we had two appointments this afternoon and couldn't possible reach the office before 4 pm they assured us that would be fine, they would be there until all patients were seen by the doctor. We added that appointment to our list. 

 

Lunch was a quick bowl of soup, not the best soup as it came out of a can but it was good for a quick fill up and warm up as well. We both kind of just relaxed for the next hour knowing the rest of the afternoon would be busy. Climbing in to the Dogsled we headed up the hill to see our fantastic dentist, Dr. Larry Yaksich. He's actually retired and sold his practice but still comes in a couple of days a week, we lucked out having him there today. He's been our dentist for many years and we always feel like family when we are there. The ladies in the front office are amazing, MaryAnne and Lisa work magic slipping folks in for appointments and truly make us feel as if we're their best friends. It's a gift they have and it serves them well. Lisa is recovering from a battle with cancer and is doing wonderfully, she looks great, her usual semi short, spiky blonde locks are extra short, extra dark and curly. MaryAnne is always her usual chipper self, quick with a smile, a quip and sparkle in her eye. Truly these two women are special people and we're very lucky to know them.  

Our appointments went well but we need to return tomorrow morning as they are going to fit Riley with a mouth guard for sleeping. She's having some issues with her jaw clicking at various times. Dr. Larry thinks the mouth guard may help with that problem. He says its from clenching/grinding her teeth while she sleeps. I wonder if it's hereditary as Bradey also has the same issue. 

From there we headed back down the big hill to Hunter Avenue East, coasting to a stop in front of Dr. Dube's office at about 3:50 pm. Putting a couple of bucks in the meter (paying time ends at 6 pm) we headed off for Riley's appointment. The office was full with a few folks sitting outside as it can quickly become hot in the waiting room with too many people. We waited for about an hour and a half before being shown into the room. After discussing the problems with ultra sounds and office visits with Zena on the front desk, next with Rosemary the nurse, we received many, many apologies for the troubles and were assured it's not the norm. Finally after about 20 minutes of sitting in the little exam room the doctor made an appearance. We once again discussed the issues and were assured that it wouldn't happen again. In fact the doctor wrote specific notes on the file regarding HER expectations of how this should be handled. So we'll see how it goes. Eventually we finally got down to the issues. The cyst on Riley's right ovary has grown larger and needs to be taken out. It is showing signs of twisting and is the reason she is having so much discomfort and pain at times. Dr. Dube requested specific blood work, some standard, some specialized  that we have to pay for ourselves. She wanted it down as quickly as we can, so we're having it done tomorrow. Dr. Dube is going to refer Riley to a gynecologist that the doctor knows personally in North Bay. She is also requesting an MRI from this doctor. The referral request will go out tonight from the doctor herself. So we can't fault the lady for not picking up the ball and getting things moving for us. After the blood work and the MRI they will decide the best course to take. In 2 weeks I'll contact Dr. Dube or her nurse and get the results from the blood tests (specialized test take a bit longer than regular tests).

 

We finally left the office at 6:25 pm and headed home. Both of us were extremely tired but glad we went, it's helped answer a number of questions and also helped to ease our minds about exactly where things should to go in the near future. Riley is somewhat relieved and I think given a couple of days she'll be more so once things settle down a bit. Riley dislikes answering the questions that are asked in these situations and will just look at me indicating I should answer them. It's difficult enough for her and at this point I'm more concerned with just getting the information delivered to the doctor than about encouraging Riley to speak for herself.  I know sometimes it seems as if I'm overbearing but at this point in the process I think Riley has enough stress without adding any more. 

 

We stopped at the pharmacy on the way back to the Igloo but only picked up my script as the doctor didn't think Riley should continue with her script. It was a quick in and out which surprised us both as it usually takes a while. 

 

Home sure looked pretty inviting when we arrived but we headed off into Walmart to buy dinner instead of cooking. We were both just too tired to think about cooking never mind actually doing it. ~laugh~ Of course we're both stress eaters and so we didn't really make good choices but that's okay, it's one meal and we all need comfort at times. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. 

 

After we finished eating it was time to do the dishes that have been accumulating and so armed with the knowledge that we HAD to do dishes it went pretty quickly. Truly it wasn't THAT bad, everything managed to stay under cover in the sinks, so if you visited you would never know we had a sink full of dirty dishes. ~laugh~ 

 

After that chore was complete I called my dad to explain we'd not be seeing him as early as I thought. I explained we had a few things come up that were going to take a few extra days and didn't want him to worry when we didn't show up in the next day or two. He assured us that next week is going to be quite chilly up there on the Rock and staying here a bit longer isn't a bad idea. I've looked at the long range forecast and since we'll be approaching mid May shortly the weather is promising to be nicer and nicer. We can handle that!!!!

 

After that it was a matter of heading in our own directions and doing our own thing. It feels good to just kind of unwind and settle down. 

 

So there you have it, our day here in Hamilton, Ontario. Appointments, apologies, and some work. Tomorrow we have a few things to do that will keep us busy for the day and out of trouble. So on that note, until next time...be safe, take care...

Nice visit with family today.....

Our Location: Walmart Front Lawn, Hamilton, Ontario 

(all pics taken over the last two days with my phone)

The overnight was a bit chilly but the heater warmed us up pretty quickly. Of course the rain drops were loud on the roof but it wasn't too bad. The rain came and went most of the day but toward late afternoon it seemed to end and while things didn't really clear up it at least seemed to be getting a bit less wet outside.

We spent some time this morning sorting thru our purchases from the US. We needed to get some separated as we have a few things that need to be given away while we're here in Southern Ontario. We've now managed to sort, bag and label all the goodies for easy giving when we arrive were they will be handed out. With two weddings on the horizon we brought back a bit more stuff than we normally would have but at least we are assured that the gifts will be unique, truly one of a kind. 

St. Catherines Skyway Bridge.

Shortly before 11 am we locked the door to the Igloo, climbed into the Dogsled heading toward an appointment in downtown Hamilton. However as we were just pulling out at the end of the row sat a mini van with the hood up, booster cables attached to the battery but sadly the other end was just sitting waiting for someone to offer a boost. I stopped, popped the hood, shut down the Dogsled and gave the guy a boost. Seems he left his tablet plugged in and drained the battery (that was his story at least). He cranked it over and after a couple seconds it came to life!! He unhooked his cables, dropped my hood, and we were off. Our good deed for the day accomplished. 

The canal that runs under the sky bridge in the above photo

Riley's 11:45 am appointment was in the Font Bonne building at St. Joseph's Hospital with a Dr of Internal Medicine and Endocrinology. We arrived right on time but waited for an hour before getting in to the doctor. Dr Braga is originally from Brazil but now lives and works in Hamilton. This is Riley's second appointment with her. Blood work for this appointment showed improvements, she's happy with the weight loss and wishes to be kept updated with the rest of the appointments with the Gynecologist (when we have an appointment with the new one), wants to see Riley again in 6 months time. We were hoping to be finished with Dr. Braga but appears that isn't the case. We're booked again in late October which will be on our way when we head south again in the fall. 

 

In Hamilton this little bump is referred to as 'the mountain'

 

From there we headed to our old pharmacy to drop off a couple of scripts, one for Riley and one for me. We'll pick them up tomorrow. After that it was a matter of getting back to the Igloo for lunch. We were both starving. Left overs were the only things on the lunch menu today. 

 

That ugly brown is actually Lake Ontario, it's very churned up but the brown is actually water!!

 

The afternoon found us at the Dollar Store picking up a few little things that we needed, finding some other things we didn't know were available here in Canada but have purchased and used in the US. It's a moisture collector that helps to reduce some of the moisture content in the the Igloo especially in the closets. We also have one just sitting on the top bunk in Riley's room. The air circulation doesn't seem to be too good in Riley's room at times and a definite mustiness can be detected at times. These little containers have helped to rid the room of that problem. In the US they are called Damp Rid, I didn't notice the name here in the Dollar Store but the container shape caught my eye and it's the same kind of product. We're happy knowing we can buy them here in Canada as well. 

 

Not much green here is there?

 

We spent the rest of the time reading and just unwinding. I finished the book by Bette Lee Crosby called Spare Change. It was okay, not the best but not the worst either. A feel good, chuckle at times kind of read. I would read another book of hers if given the opportunity because I think she could truly settle into being a fairly good writer with more experience. 

 

I called this home for about 30 years, Riley was born here.

 

A couple of text messages between Bradey  (middle daughter) and I brought us to Wimpy's Burger Place on Queenston Rd at 6 pm for dinner. Bradey and David arrived right on time. They even parked next to the Dogsled in the lot. Since neither have them had seen the new truck I asked how she knew it was mine. With a big grin on her face she said, "First, it had no front plate,  second, the back plate was an Alabama plate and third, I looked into the drivers seat and saw all your cushions! With that many cushions it HAD to be your truck.". She must take after her father because I would never think to say such things. ~laugh~ 

 

We know these roads very well....

 

They both look wonderful, David will be getting his front teeth in late July. David lost some of his front teeth last summer playing baseball in a rec league. It's a long story but needless to say a painful one. He has only just recently had the posts implanted to hold the teeth that will be implanted in July. It's been a long process. 

 

Bradey is enjoying her work, and moving upward in the company. She works with Autistic children and enjoys the challenges they present. It's always a treat to watch her face light up when she speaks of different children (never by name or location) attaining a new skill, or level of advancement. She's always excited about different ideas for introducing new items to learn or play, new ideas for songs, etc. It's an area in which I wouldn't have thought she would have an interest but as she's matured she seems to have a found the perfect calling. I'm very happy for her and so very proud of her achievements. Bradey was recently given more managerial responsibilities which she seems to also enjoy and is looking forward to the future with this company. 

 

The fog was curling down over the edge of the mountain this morning

 

David is doing well also. He is enjoying his new job in which he wears many different hats and I don't want to give specifics in case I get it wrong. ~laugh~ David spent some time between graduation and this position looking for just the right place. It seems he's found it as it sounds as though he is well liked, well suited for and truly enjoys this job. I'm happy to know he's found something that suits him, that he enjoys and seems to be excelling at. 

 

We discussed a number of possibilities for their upcoming vacations and the July wedding this summer. They will of course be traveling to the Island for Jason and Leah's wedding. They will stay with us in the Igloo but will have to leave their dog, Leia behind for the weekend. Leia is a sweet thing, she is a Golden Retriever/Sheltie cross and is full of energy!!! A very pretty dog!!

 

Not as thick in some places....

 

After dinner at Wimpy's they followed us back to the Igloo where we visited for another hour and a half. Discussing various things, David even took the Dogsled for a little run, just to check it out. ~laugh~ They finally decided they had to leave shortly before 9 pm, taking with them a bag of goodies we brought back for them. Hugs all around, it would have been nice to have another visit with them before we leave but they are busy folks. 

 

It's greener in the city...

 

After they left we tidied up a bit and headed off in our own directions. Again, not a lot of excitement for anyone but us in our day but we truly enjoyed it. Plans for tomorrow will have us doing some work, visiting some old friends, old neighbours, and a trip to the dentist. Hope it doesn't rain tomorrow. 

 

Thanks for stopping by, hope you enjoyed the visit. Until next time...be safe...take care... 

 

 

 

We made it....

Our Location: Walmart front lawn, Hamilton, Ontario CANADA

No pics today, I'm too tired to do the editing. Today's post may be a bit more detail than you want to know but it's for myself and perhaps to put some sense to the reality of crossing the border with a vehicle purchased in the USA.  If it helps ease the worries for even one person out there, its worth having written it. I was stressed out about this crossing, the broker made it seem very daunting when in fact the whole thing was quite simple. I'm sure it could have been much more time consuming, difficult and even more expensive but I truly had no problems. If I ever do this again I will be certain to use the truck lanes as it's easier to get to the proper place using their lanes. I would also use a broker again, it simplifies things and you pay less GST using a broker.

Morning dawned in Le Roy, NY with a bit of a cool tinge to the air but nothing we couldn't handle. We noticed the overnight temps didn't seem too much different than the evening temps which meant it didn't drop much in the overnight hours. We've found that when the sun starts sinking the temps drop fast but last night the dip seemed to stop when the sun sank behind the horizon. Maybe that's a good sign!!!

About 6:45 am I rolled over, hopped out of bed (not literally of course) and started my day. Moving day is always a bit of an interesting event. Upon rolling out of bed every morning the first thing I do is make the bed, EVERY MORNING. So as I finish each morning ritual on moving day I also pack whatever items need to be packed away when I finish using them. When I finish in my room, and my bathroom, I move on to the living room and kitchen area. Some things get tossed on my bed, others get put into the sinks, etc. You know the drill, it never takes long but I always do at least a couple of quick rounds just to ensure it's all taken care of. So this morning by 7:15 am I was ready to start packing up outside. Riley takes care of her bedroom and 1/2 bath, she is also responsible for getting her cat into the carrier, moving the litter box and food/water. It's amazing how easily she's slipped into the routine. 

By 7:45 am we were doing the last checks for getting under way. Checking of the lights/signals/flashers is the next to last chore, always one last walk around and picking up the leveling boards, etc storing them in the back of the Dogsled. Then we're off. We hit the road running at 8:04 am with the big Dogsled itching to get going. I will admit I made a mistake. I told Riley to find the Queenston-Lewiston bridge but to avoid the tolls which are on the thruway I-90.  Our RV GPS whom we call Phoebe took us to Rochester and wanted us to go some wild way that I can't remember. I realized we were going too far east and managed to get turned around but couldn't seem to get where I wanted to go. We opted to just go back to the campground and start again, which we didn't really do but you know we headed back on 490 toward Buffalo and took the thruway paying the tolls anyway. I'm always amazed that I never get charged the same price twice when towing. Today's tolls added up to about $20 US. I think that's outrageous for the amount of distance we travelled. With just a car or when not hauling the tolls are much more reasonable but add the Igloo and it's nuts. Anyway, I'm getting off topic. 

We arrived at the Queenston-Lewiston Border area around 11:15 am. With the construction going on there finding our way to the export office wasn't signed quite as well as I think it should have been.  I wasn't completely sure where it was so I jumped out of the Dogsled, asked a fella on the US Incoming side of the barrier while I was standing on the other side,  the US Outgoing barrier. (When approaching the lead up to the Duty Free building (this building is on the right) off on the left there is a road that leads to  building beyond the cement barriers, you need to turn left and cross in FRONT  of the incoming cars at the border check booth (these cars haven't yet entered the USA as they have to talk to the Customs officer in the little booth), going left in front of the building to where the big rigs are parked on the EAST side of the building. DO NOT go behind the building, it is for trucks being X-RAYED) He pointed me in the right direction, told me which door to go to etc. Nice fella. Another fella came along as I was pulling in to the area, pointed me in the direction of parking for big rigs and before I knew it I was shutting down the Dogsled, gathering my papers, passport and wallet, heading inside. Easy, peasy, go thru the red door, follow the hallway signs, end up in EXPORT, two nice fella sitting behind their desks not doing much of anything, one asked a lot of questions and before you know it the other one is coming out to check the vin number. He okays that, tells me to have a nice day. Took less than 10 minutes. I asked him if I should go thru the truck lanes on the other side but he didn't know, said if I did and it was wrong they could call him up and yell at him. I laughed, he grinned and I thanked him for his help and told him to have a great rest of the day.  (Leaving the parking lot, look for the sign that says TO CANADA with an arrow pointing to the left or west, take that road, it will merge into the traffic heading over the bridge)

 

Back into the Dogsled, across the big bridge on which there was only a single lane Canada bound due to some kind of watering/washing of the bridge surface about half way across. It was odd, just some guy hosing down the middle of the bridge, no one else around.  Weird. Past the slow down but decided to head  on in with the cars, just in case they didn't feel like yelling at the other guy. ~laugh~ Talked to the fella at the little  booth, explained about importing the truck, he wrote up the yellow slip, sent me to the parking area which ISN'T set up for a smart car hauling a bicycle never mind a truck with a trailer of any length. Parked where he told me and entered the building. The nice lady in there started chatting about non commercial vehicles, I explained it is a personal truck but it will have commercial tags as all pick ups have them, you can't get a truck tag that isn't commercial as far as I know. All four of my trucks have had commercial plates. I explained about the broker saying I needed to go to visit the brokers office first. She checked with another person in the office before informing me I needed to go around to the back of the building. Another officer came out to my truck told me where to get around the building and park, he even came round a bit later to ensure I had found my way. I thanked him for his help, we locked up the Dogsled and headed inside.  (Canada Customs building on the right, commercial vehicles, brokers, big rigs are reached by going to the end of the building, turning right and parking in the big lot behind the building. Go thru the glass doors at TRUCKERS ENTRANCE, brokers are upstairs to the right down a long hallway. Find the right broker suite, give a name, collect the paperwork, go back down stairs to the IMPORT office, step inside to the big long desk, find the IN BOX, drop your paperwork in the box and go back outside the doors to the waiting room. They will call your name when it's your turn. When you are ready to leave (you may have to go back out to the waiting room and wait some more) you return the paperwork to the brokers office, they give you what is YOURS, and your done. When you leave you will still have to pass thru the PAY booth but customs is finished. You can go to the duty free shop from the broker level of the building).

We climbed the stairs to the brokers office, picked up the paperwork (which I didn't need to print out after all even though the original guy told me I had to print it out), went back downstairs, dropped the stuff in the inbox in the import office, we headed back out to the waiting room. Chatted with a nice fella hauling cars, said he'd been there since 8 AM it was now pushing 11:30 am, said he'd been called in twice already. So I'm thinking this isn't going to be fun. We chatted for about 15, maybe 20 minutes, they called my name, I went inside, they handed me my paper work said, "You're good to go." I grabbed it, headed back to the brokers office upstairs, gave them what they needed, came back down, slid out the door and we were free to go. It was just about Noon. Took us less than an hour to do the entire thing. I can't tell you how easy it was, how relieved I was and how good it felt to be finished. ~laugh~ 

I called my dad right away as I knew he would be worried. He of course wasn't home but I left a message anyway. Jumped into the Dogsled, turning the nose toward Hamilton and we headed out. We enjoyed the drive along the QEW, it was uneventful, a bit windy but otherwise very calming and pleasant. The leaves are starting to pop out here, the waters of Lake Ontario were choppy and churning with white caps quite visible. We pulled into the Wally World, tucked ourselves up against the curb, checked with Customer Service, we were given the green light to stay for a couple of nights and hurried out to have some lunch. We were unhooked, and finished lunch by 2:30 pm. Shortly after 3 pm we were back inside stocking up on a few things that didn't buy in the US as they are about the same price but actually cheaper as there is no exchange here. Riley headed for the Tim's while I brought home the groceries. 

We spent the rest of the afternoon doing a few little things, calling a few people, reading and just kind of settling down a bit. My dad called around 7 pm and we chatted for a quick couple of minutes before he had to go which was fine as it was time to start dinner. Tonight we added a few more things to an already made but frozen 4 cheese pizza. Popped that into the oven and shortly there after we were enjoying piping hot pizza. 

After dinner we pulled out the Yahtzee game for a bit. I can tell you that Riley is such a little stinker, she rolled TWO Yahtzee's in one game. Can you guess who didn't win that game? ~Laugh~ I did roll a Yahtzee in the second game though and I even won the second game!!! I was glad we called it at a draw, I'm sure I wouldn't have won another one. ~laugh~ 

After that it was off to our own ends of the Igloo to do what we do to amuse ourselves every night. So there ends the busy day and the crossing of the border with my new to me Dogsled. It was an excellent day, I have absolutely no complaints, I'm happy to be back in the beautiful province of Ontario, and before long we'll be visiting with middle daughter Bradey and her partner David. I'm tired but it's a good tired. 

 

A huge thank you to cousin Craig for his wonderful information in helping me to get thru this process. It was as easy as you said it would be. Thanks again. 

 

Welcome to George and Susie from Our Awesome Travels. I've been reading their blog for a few years and have enjoyed their travels. George and Susie winter in the southwest most winters and I've enjoyed reading about their many adventures both there and here in Ontario. George prepares the most amazing things on his Weber Q, and I've taken many ques from his posts which has led us to enjoy some amazing things on our own Weber Q. Thanks for the tips George. I hope you enjoy your visit here, thanks for stopping by. 

Thanks for stopping by, it is most appreciated. Nothing too exciting but it keeps us entertained. ~laugh~  I hope you enjoyed your visit, feel free to leave a comment. Until next time...be safe, take care...

Our last full day here at The Ridge.......

Our Location: Frost Ridge Campground, Le Roy, NY

(all pics taken with my phone)

Cool over night but it warmed up nicely today. The warmth was welcome but the wind made it cool at times throughout the day. We had sunshine all day which also helped to brighten up everyone's mood around the place. The gloom and doom seems to have lifted and happy, smiling faces seem to be norm today. 

We started off today cleaning as tomorrow we'll be pulling out so our cleaning day would have been messed up. We gave extra attention to some things as it may be a while before we have shore power again. We're undecided about where we're going when we arrive in Hamilton tomorrow. With only two appointments left, one Tuesday, one Wednesday we're thinking we may head out late Wednesday afternoon to miss Toronto traffic. If we leave after 5 pm we should be good to get north of Toronto to one of the service Ontario locations where we can stay the night.  However I'm getting ahead of myself or  my fingers can't type fast enough to keep up with my mind. ~laugh~ Since we are looking at only two nights in Hamilton I'm debating about just putting the feet down at the local Walmart instead of getting all set up at 50 Point Conservation area. We'll be busy doing stuff in the city anyway which will mean a 20 minute drive each way to 50 Point Campground. The Walmart is located close to everything we need to get to. We stayed there three nights on our way south (I hadn't realized 50 Point was still open) and we managed just fine. So all things being what they are I think we may just do that again. 

Interesting sort of chimney on this fire pit (sorry for the rainbow, sun was shining thru the trees)

I'm so easily lead off track when I type, I started off talking about changing cleaning day and look where I ended up!! ~laugh~ Some days it's tough being me. Cleaning was accomplished in a short period of time of course as there really isn't too much to clean. I did however tidy up a few cupboards later in the day, just kind of refreshing my mind as to what is in them and what we may need when we return to Ontario. A mental shopping list of sorts I guess. Plus those particular cupboards hadn't been straightened up for a couple of weeks. 

We opted to head out for a bit of a walk after cleaning was finished, neither of us were hungry so we delayed breakfast, or in fact actually skipped it as we didn't eat upon return as we had planned. We once again walked up the 'tractor/atv' road to the top of the ski hill, along the top but instead of stopping at the open area across from us and heading down we continued along the top of the ridge heading south. The country is very nice, lots of steep hills, an abundance of trees, and with the new growth not quite out yet you can still see around the area a bit. We managed to walk the ridge all the way to Oatka Rd which butts up to the campground property. The way down was pretty steep but with some help from me Riley was able to navigate her way down the somewhat steep and at times slippery slope. It was quite a good walk in that it used up a great deal of energy and also  helped to get us once again used to walking trails and bush roads which we haven't done for at least a year. 

Wonder if this is an apple tree of some sort?

Back home at the Igloo I spent some time puttering outside doing a few chores but will leave all the hook ups for tomorrow. I don't want to get to the border during rush hour as I'm certain the place will be a bit busy at 8 am when the office we must visit opens. I'd like to get there between 9:30 and 10:30 am which I think will work best for us. I'm assuming 1-2 hours at a minimum and 3 - 3 1/2 hours at the most. After that I'm hoping for smooth sailing to Hamilton. 

Among the outside chores I accomplished today was fixing our propane tank holder in the back of the Dogsled. We carry a small 25 lb tank for the BBQ and heater and the holder I bought was just a bit too tight to make it sit properly, so I managed to break the tray out of the bottom which allows the bottle to sit more firmly in the ring. I also managed to use my handy dandy cordless drill to punch a hole in the bed liner of the Dogsled that allowed me to tie the rope holding my step stool higher in the box so I can reach it (the rope) while standing on the ground. Thus making my stool once more accessible to me for working around the box loading or unloading, hitching, etc. Being less than tall has it's disadvantages. ~laugh~ 

There must have been a dozen of these birds, vultures, buzzards or something on the ridge top today

I tried reading outside for a bit but it was just too chilly for me. We had the big door open though, it was nice out of the wind. The windows opened allowed the Igloo to cool off to much so they didn't stay open long either. We really are Canadian but we just can't seem to manage the cold. 

After that it was time for me to make lunch and once again I made a large garden salad, chopping up tonight's dinner veggies at the same time. I also made a salad for tomorrow, as I have no idea how long it will be until we can have some lunch. If we have something ready perhaps we can head outside and grab something quick while we wait. If not we can find a spot to pull over after crossing to have some lunch. This way we don't have to prepare anything and if necessary Riley can eat hers while we travel and I'll just have to wait until we manage to find a spot. We will both definitely have breakfast tomorrow. 

We came down this steep hill side nearing the end of our walk today

The campground has been a busy spot today, people coming and going, a few people doing some repairs to the decks, patios, etc in or around their units. Another fella had Greg (one of the owners) come by with the little tractor and knock down his small metal shed, crunch it up so he could put in the back of his pick up and clean out his spot. He's leaving the campground due to a trailer issue, something about not winterizing it and trying to get the insurance company to pay for it's complete loss. I didn't listen to closely to the story. 

The flood water is slowly receding but it's taking time. Everything is certainly green and lush or ready to burst in to flower or leaf at least. The sunshine today helped with the water as well. The wind of course helps everyday. The daffs are starting to lose their fresh crisp look but the tulips are starting to show their eagerness to bloom. The buds are getting bigger with a few hints of colours along the seams, it won't be long now. A true sign of spring, don't ya think? 

A sure sign of  spring

I finished my book this afternoon, I forget what it was called. ~laugh~ The problem with an e-reader is that I don't always see the 'cover' like you do with a book. When the e-reader isn't on, it' s closed like a book cover but without the title and author name. I'm starting a new book, Spare Change by Bette Lee Crosby, I'll let you know how it turns out. I'm saving a couple of actual books for up north when I can sit outside and hold them in my hands, but for now the e-reader has given my hands  a rest which is a good thing, they've been aching a fair amount the last few weeks. 

Riley is responsible for dinner tonight and I get the night off from cooking. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know we're having pasta/veggies and some left over chicken but I have no idea what she will be doing with it. I'm looking forward to it though, as we all know meals we don't have to cook ourselves is always best. ~laugh~ 

This tree is right outside our door

I was looking at a few pics taken earlier here and I'm amazed how fast the leaves have come out and the colour of green in the distance where before there was none at all. Amazing this season of spring, isn't it? Life renewed, a rebirth, a new birth, all signs of promise, hope and better days ahead. It's a special time of the year and each year I enjoy it immensely. 

Dinner was good, Riley combined a number of smaller pasta shapes, added the mixed veggies I chopped earlier, added some diced up left over chicken.  She didn't combine it, but layered instead with salsa on the side. It was good with a hint of garlic in the veggies. We followed that with some peaches. Good dinner. 

I can now grab the rope to get to the stool.

Quick clean up, showers, and early to bed tonight. She even headed out to the dumpster in her jammies. She hustled, telling me it's much nicer inside than outside. ~laugh~ After that she headed off into her room. She, like me, is looking forward to getting tomorrow behind us and the next appointments finished. I asked her if she'd like to stick around Hamilton for a few more days but she's in a hurry to get north. The one thing she's mentioned missing over the winter is the solitude that we have in the summer months. I  miss that myself at times but I don't think I missed it as much as she did. She's very much a loner and enjoys time spent on her own. She has done amazingly well this past winter season being out of her comfort zone, meeting new people, going new places, seeing new things, trying new foods, trying new activities, and all the while maintaining an even keel.  I'm so proud of her and her accomplishments!! 

There is pasta under there and soon cheese will be on top

So on that note, I'm going to end this rambling post. Sorry I just can't seem to keep my mind in one train of thought, it wants to wander off in various directions. Thanks for stopping by, I hope you enjoyed your visit. Feel free to drop by again. Until next time...be safe, take care...

 

Out and about today.....

Our Location: Frost River Campground, Le Roy, NY

A coolish overnight that turned into an so-so morning but later in the day the sun warmed up the air to the point that a light jacket was the key to staying warm. Nice in the sunshine even with a bit of wind, but out of the sunshine in the wind wasn't nice at all. Can you guess where I stayed when outside? ~laugh~ 

Can you see the white water in this river?

This morning was a bit of cool one at first, we enjoyed the warmth of the propane heater and HRH(the cat) parked herself right in front of it and wouldn't budge. She was totally ticked when I shut it off. She huffed her way to the back of the couch and glared at me like I was the enemy. ~laugh~ 

This river isn't usually over about 4 feet wide.

We pointed our nose in the direction of Bativa for a few reasons this morning. One of them was diesel food for the Dogsled and at $2.53 per gallon we were happy to top up the bowl to almost heaping. I'm shuddering to think what a fill up will cost back in Ontario with such a big tank.  

Pretty blossoms, almost like cotton balls.

Back on the road we noticed the many blossoms that are showing on the trees in these small towns and along the ditches. I'm not sure what kind of trees they are but there are everywhere, the white blossoms almost look like cotton ball fuzz from a distance. We've also made note of the vast amounts of water laying in fields, but running fast enough in the ditches to cause white water rapids. The banks are threatening to over flow in some places and truthfully I can see how cars could be swept away by the fast moving water if the ditches are any indication. In some places it's sweeping debris from the sides of the rivers/ditches and causing log jams or pile ups around other trees or high spots in the river which then causes the water to spread out even further where it's not far from lapping the road. A very dangerous situation for anyone foolish enough to go near it. 

These trees dot many parking areas, streets, and parks in the city and surrounding area.

Our time here in Le Roy hasn't been spent doing the things we normally do in a new area which is seeing some sights but today we did manage to see/photograph a few things in the area. According to local history the Jello Corporation used to have a plant in this little town and many locals worked at the Jello factory. The houses in the surrounding area are a snapshot in to the past. Factory towns historically have 'large' homes and for this little town the homes are truly wonderful. They are built in the true 'small town USA' sense with lots of porches and fancy windows, columns and banisters for hanging flags and  draping bunting, turrets, both round and square, as well as big front doors to welcome visitors. The houses aren't mansions but are large with lots of room for big families. Also dotting the streets are numerous churches of various denominations with massively impressive buildings often only a door or two down from a small sided structure but I'd be willing to bet the voices are just as strong and ringing in both buildings come Sunday. A few small local watering holes and restaurants of course fill in the rest of the spaces on these streets. Some newer more modern stores and signs of growth are evident as well but it just exudes the small town feeling. Le Roy has a Post Office, a liquor/wine store, a Tops Market, and a couple of other small stores but no Tim Horton's. It is truly a very warm, welcoming community. We've enjoyed our time here. 

These Super Mario characters in front of Target

 

 

Arriving in Batavia we managed to find our way to something called Batavia Downs, (we didn't enter but noted the signs) according to the web it's a horse racing track with live betting on site. Odd place to have a horse track in the same area as many big box stores but then again, they've probably been built around the track due to the expanding city. After circling this new found area we ended up at a Target store for a quick peek around. Riley enjoyed seeing Super Mario and his cousin depicted on some kind of fabric over two of the red cement balls in front of the store. Some sound associated with this game kept sounding each time the doors opened which caused Riley to giggle at the look on my face as I tried to figure out why the alarm went off on our way INTO the store. She found it very amusing. ~laugh~ 

This big chair sits outside a local restaurant near Le Roy.

From Target we headed out to Wally World as we needed a couple of things. Always interesting to shop at Walmart, such a diverse and unique crowd find their way to these stores. I'm always fascinated by the 'normal' variety of consumer. ~laugh~ We still haven't managed to get a cheese pizza from Walmart in this area. Today was no exception. 

One of the many houses in Le Roy

From Wally's we stopped at a small shop on Main Street to browse through the wine selection. We managed to get a nice bottle for someone back in Ontario. Since it's a gift, I'll just say nothing else. 

 

Love the windows and columns

 

 We stopped in Le Roy at another wine and liquor store where we managed to secure a bottle of Barcardi's Gold for my dad. They only had one left and we managed to grab it pretty quickly. We've been looking since we left Long Beach, (not too hard but looking) and this was the first 'gold' we found, lots of white or clear not few gold. Seems dad was fortunate today. 

 

Interesting colour.....

 

Back at the Igloo Riley put away the groceries while I headed down to the office to pay for a few more days and ask about getting my propane tanks topped up before I leave. Greg was using a wet vac trying to get some water out of the carpet in the office where it has once again flooded. He asked if I could come back later when Dave is back since it is a new system and Dave is more knowledge than he is, Dave will be back around 4 - 4:30 pm. Works for me. 

 

Same house as above, different angle. Big isn't it?

 

Back home I enjoyed a large garden salad for lunch. I've been trying various new salad dressings and have found a Raspberry Vinaigrette that I like. It's not as good as Mike's Apple Pecan but it's still good. I've stashed a few bottles to bring home with me!!!

 

 

Same house, different angle, big isn't it?

 

I spent most of the afternoon just reading. I enjoy my e-reader but sometimes find it a challenge to remember which way to flip the pages. The new hard cover I bought recently helps to keep it on the proper page when it's stored. I've found before that it seemed to flip pages on its on when I would accidentally bump the screen while turning off or on. 

 

Not the best shot of a church in town but it gives an idea of grand it is.

 

Around 4:15 or so I headed outside to disconnect the small propane tank from the heater, bringing it down to the filling station. Dave came by and got one of the bigger tanks (which was about half full) out of the spot and carried it down for me. He filled both of them, bleeding them of air as he filled them. Then inside to pay for the our final few days and propane, a quick chat with the fellas and thank them for all their help, their kind, caring and thoughtful gestures during our stay. I will definitely come back if I find myself in this area looking to stay for a day or two. 

 

This big cup sits on the roadside heading out of Le Roy back to the campground.

 

We pulled mild Italian sausages out for dinner tonight and I spent a bit of time finding a new recipe for dinner. Easy Smoked Sausage Skillet. It took no time at all to prepare or cook, it was good and we will definitely have it again but spice it up a bit with a few different veggies and perhaps pasta instead of rice. It was a simple recipe, sausage, rice, peppers, mushrooms, asparagus (it called for broccoli but I didn't have any), chicken broth, tomato sauce, garlic and onions. Add some cheese at the end. Good stuff.

 

We would add a few more veggies next time and perhaps a spicer sausage.

 

A quick clean up and Riley headed off to her end of the Igloo. My dad called just as she headed off. Not much new on the Island but it sounds as if spring is making her way there, slowly but surely. Sounds like most other places with lots of water laying around and more coming. Hopefully it warms up in the next week so it actually feels like spring. ~laugh~ 

 

Service men and women from the Batavia area on display at Walmart

 

So that's our day, nothing earth shattering but we enjoyed it. Thanks for stopping by, feel free to leave a comment. Until next time...be safe, take care....