I guess it's winter....

Hard to tell from down here in the "sun parlour" that is the Leamington area....still no snow, green grass all around. We have had a few instances of light flurries or freezing rain, but nothing that has stuck around.

Still no pics of the new kitchen floor....just got the camera back after forgetting it last time I was in Waterloo. So hopefully I will add some new pics soon.

Got the woodstove hooked up in the man-garage, and have had a few cheery fires to date. Spent a weekend working up the garden...it was so riddled with weeds, and then hard-packed clay underneath....nearly wrecked my wrists using the spade as a rototiller for three straight days. But now it is done and will be ready for a great garden when spring rolls around....should be about late March from what I'm told.

Worked a border blitz at the Ambassador Bridge in Windsor the other day - that was fun. Customs pulls all vehicles aside that bear agricultural commodities and sends them over to us for closer inspection. Very interesting to see what goes on behind the curtain.

Returned to Barrie for the first time since moving, spending a week there in late November to help train my replacements. Yes, plural. It was great to see everyone again at the office.....family, friends and old neighbours....didn't miss much about Barrie itself though. It's funny how quickly you can put 33 years behind you.

Hopefully post some pics soon!

Cold November Rain.....

So we finally got oil delivered to the house...and actually had to crank up the furnace a few nights this week when the mercury dipped to zero...no snow yet, just a few days of rain and damp cold.

We partly kept ourselves warm by installing ceramic tile in the kitchen...and a tile backsplash....and some wainscotting...all made possible last weekend by the able tutelage of Burt and Mother, the visiting tile experts. The visit was topped off with a good old fashion Wheatley fish fry in the yard, as Burt cooked up some perch, pickerel and whitefish.

Pictures of the tile job to follow....as soon as I can get the darned camera to upload...

A little work around the house...

We had already decided to plant a new tree on the property to mark our transition to Wheatley...so we visietd Wheatley Woods, a local nursery that specializes in tree species native to the area. As luck would have it, a local initiative had been undertaken to replant native species in and around Wheatley...so we got not only the oak tree we were looking for, but also a lovely red maple as well for a great price!


Our new Red Maple


Shumard Oak seedling

Point Pelee National Park

Later in the week, we decided to visit Point Pelee National Park, located south of Leamington at the very southern-most point of the Canadian mainland. The park is essentially a large and shifting sandbar, surrounded on three sides by Lake Erie, and still populated by a sparse remnant of the original Carolinian forest. One day is not enough to do truly do the park justice, between the sights, the wildlife, and historical appreciation, but at least it was a good scouting mission for future trips....and it's only about fifteen minutes away!


Boardwalk through the Marshes


Overview of the marsh from observation tower


The ever-shifting sandbar at the tip of the Park


Lake Erie on both sides!

Pelee Island

With our week of holidays, we decided to stay local and explore our new surroundings. The first destination of choice was nearby Pelee Island, a short ninety-minute ferry ride from the shores of Lake Erie. On Monday morning, we headed out for an early departure from Kingsville....

Graced with excellent weather, we spent two days exploring the small but interesting island. Having already visited the eastern-most point in North America (Cape Spear, NFLD) and the western shores of Vancouver Island (Tofino, BC), we could now add Pelee Island as the southern-most point in Canada as well....leaving only the unknown North to complete the Canadian compass...

Wildlife, wineries, and well-deserved relaxation highlighted our memorable stay in the middle of Lake Erie.

Arriving at Pelee Island via MV Jiimaan

Pelee Island Lighthouse


Pelee Island Winery


Our campsite for the night

Cats are People Too

The house-warming party last weekend was a blast - seemingly a good time had by all....fish fry, badminton, campfire, air hockey, and some local touring. Since Jane and Sarah already posted all the relevant pictures on their respective Facebook pages...and most of them are pretty compromising anyway...I thought I would entertain everyone with random cat photos.

Some pics...

I'm sure everyone can appreciate the length of time it takes to post pics on dial up...but since we finally found the camera and started snapping again....enjoy!

The new and improved living room

Man-Haven! (aka the garage)

First batch of wine - it ferments better sideways...

Maybe the only picture ever with ALL of the grass cut

The Grass is Greener...until you have to cut it...

So we got a lot of rain last week...then a lot of sun this week....I am on my fourth night of mowing the lawn, and I still have not finished. Granted, the lawnmower has been acting up a little, which has been slowing progress. However, I cannot help but notice that the first patches I cut already need to be cut again...and I haven't even finished the rest of the lawn yet....

But we're not complaining. The tranquility, country breezes, open skies, sunrises and sunsets have made rural living well worth the mowing. We have been enjoying a non-stop barrage of fresh fruits, vegetables and fish from local venues. The kitchen vineyard and dining room brewery are about to pay dividends....this weekend I bottle my first batch of home-made beer...and the home-made wine will be ready next week.

Will post a few pics, sacrificing a portion of my life to dial up speed, for the enjoyment of others.....that is, as soon as we manage to find the camera in the all those unpacked boxes that still litter the house....

We're Back....

Hello all....finally settled in at the new house, and back online....albeit by way of dial-up connection, but still. Beggars can't be choosers.

Much has taken place since the last post, since the closing date at the new house. There were several blurry weeks, of weeks in Barrie and weekends in Wheatley, and the closing date at the old house. A birthday, the August long weekend in Waterloo/Mississauga, and rounding out the string at the old office all come readily to mind....as do a few high-speed runs down the 400/407/401 with cars laden with cats, house plants, and all the explosive and dangerous stuff that moving companies are not allowed to carry.

Finally, we are here. For good. No more "commute", or realtors, lawyers or government relocation consultants. I start at the new office tomorrow, and am looking forward to my first day with the fourteen minute country commute....maybe twenty if I stop at a fruit stand and a vineyard.

No pictures to share this time....not quite sure where the camera is in the mess of partially unpacked boxes...besides, there will be fewer visual posts in future, given the speed of our dial-up connection. Sorry folks, you may be forced to endure my inane banter instead...

Ours at Last!

So today was closing day at the new house in Wheatley....but of course the bank and finance company kept us waiting until late in the day. Jane waited patiently outside the vendor's lawyer's office in Tilbury, waiting for the keys....with a car fully laden with valuables....and slowly fading good humour....

But as of about 4:30pm today, she was finally in possession of the keys, and on her way to the new place! Now we'll see if this vaunted Rogers Remote semi-high-speed internet thing works out....

Tour de Wheatley

So we made our way down to Wheatley (again!) last weekend, for the final home inspection prior to the legal closing. To our relief, all buildings and trees were still right where we left them....

We took the opportunity to tour Leamington and then Wheatley on a sunny Saturday, to acclimate early to our new surroundings. A brief walking tour of Wheatley revealed more than we thought - as the closest town to the house (a mere four minutes drive), Wheatley offers: a Mac's, an LCBO (already knew about that one), two gas stations, a Home Hardware, a Co-Op, a restaurant/pool hall, a cafe/diner, a pharmacy, a dollar store, a bakery, a post office...and five (???) hair establishments. We also took a quick look at Two Creeks, a conservation area with trails and live concerts, about one minute's drive from the house.

OK, so on the way out we also started the vineyard tours early, stopping at Smith & Wilson winery outside of Blenheim. They're pretty free with the samples....which bodes well.

We take possession on Monday...and with last night's two and a half hour visit with the lawyer out of the way, it appears to be a matter of time at this point!

The Back of the House

The Big Barn

The Man Crib!

Old Man Willow guarding the bonfire pit

Idiot's Guide to Camping

So we have tons of experience setting up the tent....but problems arise when your air mattress springs a leak, and Tanya offers you her double-height queen mattress...especially if you're too stubborn to deflate it first, to get it into the tiny tent....

Step One - The Planning Phase

Step Two - Implementation

Step Three - That Finishing Touch

Step Four - A Well-Earned Rest

Canada Day!!!

So how does a group of friends celebrate two birthdays in one weekend? How do we mark Grayson's 6th anniversary...and the nation's 140th, all at the same time?

Well let's see....how about cake (obvious) and soccer (not so obvious).....intermingled with alcohol, euchre, music and fireworks?!?!

Highlights include the food, the Saturday Brick Beer tour (where for the first time ever, the entire group completed the "tour"), an all-Canadian playlist featuring over 120 songs, hot euchre/scrabble action, tenting, grass hockey, and Keith's finely engineered fireworks display. Grayson may cite the gifts as the overall highlight, but in my opinion it was the quality time spent with friends!

Happy Birthday (not so little) G, and Happy Birthday Canada! Thanks to all for the memories - Tanya, Keith, Grayson, Sarah, Jessie, Joel, Amy, Kyla, Jade, Aiden, Eric, Michelle, Little Lars (?), Tom, Donna, Kevin and (of course) Jane!

The Rowdy Soccer Hooligans

Spidey Cake

Y'arrrr...these be friends!

Fireworks....that really work!

Tamawrecked at Tamarack!

Morale has not improved....and so the beatings have continued, this time with a larger group of seventeen friends and family (and one very tired dog), with three days of hard partying in Haliburton. The idyllic shores of Tamarack Lake played host to our eager band of merrymakers, and we were graced with perfect weather to boot, for three solid days of fun in Pringle's Cove.

The long weekend started on Thursday night, with staggered arrivals and staggering campers. Looking back, the weekend is a blur of swimming, tunes, drinking, fishing, kayaking, canoeing, drinking, bugs, campfires, acoustic jams, BBQ....did I mention drinking? How about bugs?

But vague words cannot adequately convey the memories....the final and brutal offensive launched by the mosquitoes on Saturday night....group skinny dipping in the lake in the wee hours....Kester the Floating Bartender, with his paddle boat o' beverages, making endless trips to the floating platform....turtles, and rabbits, and bears - oh my!

Thanks to all for a fabulous weekend!

Pringle's Cove

The Gang

After the Water Fight

Dragonfl-eye View

Weekend at the Farm

Lengthy and occasionally stressful drive notwithstanding, there is nothing quite so relaxing as a weekend at the farm....100 acres of sheer bliss in the southern reaches of Prince Edward County, and the only place that has truly felt "home". Having been attempting to get down there since...oh....February or so, the stars finally aligned in conjunction with the first weekend NOT spent driving to Windsor in the last while....

We got to visit with Mike's grandmother and uncle, and even squeezed in a few hours with sister Lauri and the three nieces on Sunday before returning to Barrie. We even lucked into perfect weekend weather, in the wake of Friday's near tornadoes!

The Cole Homestead - circa 1850

Nearby vineyard, with Lake Ontario in background

Overlooking Glenora ferry from Lake on the Mountain

Lake on the Mountain

This could be The One!

The offer is in....and accepted....the only thing standing between us and this place are the results of a home inspection, hopefully to occur on Monday...

We were struck immediately by the "right" feeling of this property, even before we stepped inside the house.....nearly 1.5 acres in the country, just ten minutes north of Wheately, along with two barns and shed. The roughly twenty minute scenic country drive to work is more than offset by the very mature trees, privacy, and tranquility of the location. Lots of places for bonfires, gardens, and perhaps a few grape vines eventually...

The house itself is over a hundred years, with lots of character, original wood, and charm. Everything just felt right, with old trees and a rustic house in the solitude of the country, with a conservation area and several national and provincial parks (and Lake Erie!) nearby. Don't want to get too excited yet, but so far so good....

The view behind the house

Still looking back....shed and barns

Dining room, with Ceilidh potential!

The front of the house, and our realtor Eugene

It's Official!

So we've known for a week or two that the place was basically sold....but there's something remarkably soothing about seeing the actual sign when you come home....and our neighbour Jenn was kind enough to capture the moment. We will miss her so....

Now we just need to find a place to live near Leamington!

Finishing out May 2-4 Weekend...

A walk in the woods....while waiting for the pork marinade to work its wonders, we opted for a two-hour walk in Copeland Forest, just outside Craighurst. The last day of the long weekend was quite beautiful, yet not so hot that things got uncomfortable. After sleeping in on the heels of last night's dusk-til-dawn at the drive-in, a mellow afternoon was just what the doctor ordered.......

Down the trail

A canopy of green

Trilliums abound!

House Hunting near Leamington...

So after a weekend in Tilsonburg helping Jane's parents move....and Waterloo visiting Keith and Tanya...and Ilderton visiting John and Julie....we carried on to the Leamington area to hunt some houses.

Did I mention that over the course of the weekend we sold the house? Yep, conditional offer, full asking price, less than a week after listing. Suddenly our harmless scouting trip became a little more serious....

We toured eight houses, two of which we could see ourselves living in. Our favourite is a beautiful home on Talbot Trail, across the street from Lake Erie....25 minutes from Mike's new office....passing LCBO, vineyards, fresh fruit, vegetable and fish stands all the way home....hoping to make an offer in the next day or two.....

Yep, that's our closest neighbour in the distance

An acre of paradise plus two barns

Lake Erie from the living room window

Nice house....wanna buy it?

So we finally got the house listed on the market....and a flurry of agent tours and viewings have followed, forcing us to frequently evacuate the premises on short notice. Luckily, Mark and Jenn across the road are very cordial, and not only do they let us hang out and drink their wine, but they even give us the best spots on the couch to spy on the prospective buyers!

We expect to sell fairly quickly, having been only two days thus far....and hopefully for near or even at the asking price. Mind you, we are not above reaping the benefits of a bidding war either....

Now we try to live in a house every day that must remain for all appearances....unlived in. Tricky business, that. But hope is on the horizon...once we sell we can go back to slobbin' it up again, and we have the day off Monday to visit the Chatham-Leamington area in search of potential houses in the country....

You can just make out the "For Sale" sign there, to the left....

Journey's End!

FRIDAY, APRIL 6

After waking several times in the night to start the car for warmth, we awoke for good at 8am, and drove off to check out several potential homes along the Lake Erie shoreline. Despite being only a scouting mission, we even managed to get a tour of one beautiful home along Talbot Trail, with a full view of Lake Erie......a little higher price than we were looking for....but still....

The View of Lake Erie

After lunching in our new favourite diner in Merlin, we made the trip to John and Julie's place in Ilderton, for some much-appreciated home cooking. After a nice visit, we headed on in early evening, growing eager now to be home. Stopping briefly in Fergus, we traversed the final few hours to Barrie, encountering nasty rain and snow from Fergus to Barrie, making the last two hours of our long trip easily the worst.

Pulling in the driveway to the most snow we had seen in two weeks, we entered the house and collapsed wearily on the couch. The cats were happy to see us again (we think), and we regaled Kevin with stories of our travels over a few tasty beers.....after all ,unpacking the car could wait!

21 States + 10,540km = 1 Great Trip!!