I used to feel guilty when I was doing absolutely nothing. Really. How do you justify being idle when there’s things to do? Past tense. I no longer feel the tug of guilt when I’m relaxing. Not even an iota.

So today I lounged around. Rudy golfed. It was a perfect summer day with blazing temperatures and full on sun. And I took full advantage. Sunning and reading and daydreaming. It was really nice. Molly had a peaceful snooze 🛏 in the AC.

When a patch of angry clouds rolled in and threatened rain I took my private party indoors. Straight to the bath tub. Bubbles. Magazines. Bliss.

That’s where Rudy discovered me on his return from golf. He gets it. I’m retired. He said hello and then took Molly for her afternoon 318. He also found our dinner (beer can chicken) in the fridge and started dinner. I took my time getting out of the tub. And when I did I was pleasantly surprised to find the aforementioned activities in full swing. The wine was poured. Add music and some sides. Voila. Retirement gourmet dining.

Traded a few dinner/drink pics with our friends doing a similar event at their place. We kid each other about matching beer glasses and Rudy hiding behind the bottle of wine.

What brings the reality home is Brian’s comment when I send a pic of Rudy having his (illegal) post dinner stogie: I’m jealous. Brian does indulge in cigars on a work night. Neither does Rudy! Good thing he’s retired. Guilty pleasure. Nope. Not anymore.

I’ve always tried to live by the golden rule: do unto others as you would have done unto you. Sometimes it’s challenging; especially when you know when someone’s not being kind or fair to you. Just being cordial is difficult.

But this weekend we experienced the beauty of true friendship. Reciprocal kindness. Camaraderie. Makes me feel good about our world; the world we live in.

It started Friday night with an evening out with friends. Three couples enjoyed a social event at Rudy’s golf club. All the guys are members. We had some great laughs and enjoyed each others company. Followed by a few extra glasses of wine on our patio with the fire table. A gorgeous summer evening with tons of stars and a pleasant breeze.

On Saturday we drive to Hamilton and pit stop at our friends Sandy and Leo. These two low key lovebirds are so hospitable. They opened their cozy cottagey home to us and Molly. After a quick hello we piled in the car to head for our dinner bbq with other friends.

Since it was Sandy’s birthday we secretly arranged to have a little party with cake st the bbq. When we arrived at Jim and Betsy’s place the back deck was in Birthday theme complete with banners and balloons and accommodation for Molly. (This is such a generous gesture for nondog people … ❤️) Jim and Betsy put on a fabulous steak dinner and were such gracious hosts. After dinner we piled back into the car and I dropped the gang off to the TiCat football game.

I returned to Leo and Sandy’s with Molly and we enjoyed a lovely evening walk at Dundurn Castle. I reflected on the city’s vibrant culture and how many big cities have very distinctive neighbourhoods (the haves and have nots) but in the Hammer it all blends. You’re hard pressed to find exclusive enclaves. It’s hot and gritty and real. It’s also very cool; I love how the human landscape flows.

At half time I do the pick up and it appears like the fans are partied out! The rest of the game is watched on tv as we fade ready for bed. Sandy’s bed is a giant king that’s so comfy and Molly is fast asleep in no time.

The next morning I’m the first one up. It’s funny how you have spunk and energy when you don’t imbibe the night before! Molly and I enjoy the morning glory with a walk through Dundurn. Complete with others strolling and those who may have camped out on the grounds and a guy taking a leak. It’s all fair game in this town. I pop Molly in the car and head to Grandads Donuts for coffees and (surprise!) donuts. Located in the north end this diverse neighbourhood is so typical with every sort of character on full display. The donut shop is busy; it’s an icon. I have frequent flashbacks to Rudy’s parents when I’m in Hamilton especially buying coffee since that was the tradition when visiting. I hear Grampas voice and see his face tasting the coffee. It was never sweet enough. I even bought a Boston Cream donut in his honour. That was his favourite.

I return with the goodies and the household is awake. We venture to the backyard oasis for our coffee and enjoy the tranquility among a carefully tended garden (it’s hard to believe we are a few short blocks from city centre) with Shasta daisies and herbs and veggies and phlox and do many other pretty blooms. Leo makes breakfast and we head indoors. As we munch on tasty home grown tomatoes we chat about world events. As though we will make a difference or solve any crisis. It’s entertaining nonetheless. Perspectives are varying and most interesting. I love that we can debate and challenge each other. Stimulating.

We are off to our next pit stop: brunch with Rudy’s sister Marilyn and cousin Shannon. They have chosen a place that’s got a dog friendly patio. Luckily the weather is ideal for a meal outside. The place is called Sasso and I read the reviews ahead of time. They rave about the Caesar salad. When we arrive the girls are already there and sipping on the most delicious looking Caesar cocktails. Yes please!! These concoctions are garnished with asparagus, olives, pickles and a spicy rimmer. Delish! The salads were great, too. We talked about tons of things but with Shannon it always comes back to food. Shannon is a whiz in the pantry along with her hubby Lenny. They create the most delicious treats that we are lucky enough to enjoy regularly. Shannon got her skills from her mom. Love it!

We are off again; this time to Stratford. Mom and dad are waiting and we bring some donuts with us. My dad takes a knife and immediately sampled a slice of each one. His favourite is the walnut crunch; the most popular one they sell. Dad knows his stuff! Shortly after our friends Leah and Brian arrive. My folks love Leah but this is their first meet up with Brian. We gather at the dining table and chat over compulsory drinks. Right on cue (her internal clock is punctual!) molly gives me the signal. Leah comes for a short walk with me. When we return the guys are deep in conversation. Well, let’s be honest. My dad is talking up a storm while Rudy and Brian listen politely. Dad is educating them on … wait for it …. yup. Bearings. Dads favourite topic. It’s making mom crazy. When we sit down moms st the end of the table by herself and she latches on to Leah’s arm while bickering that dad should stop. Every attempt to divert her results in continued bickering about dad. Dad is oblivious

We head out eventually in search of dinner in town and leave mom and dad and Molly behind. But not before Brian shows dad the engine of his new M5. The thing is a beast and dad loves it. Better yet when we pull out and Brian revs the engine. Dad is grinning from ear to ear. Music!

I can’t help but direct Brian on a short your around town where I point out a few landmarks and interesting trivia. Stratford is lovely (to visit) and particularly when it’s sunny and warm. We end up downtown and I suggest The Hub. It’s a new establishment that’s gourmet foods and butchery on the main level and gastropub on the second floor and outdoor patio. They have a separate beer menu which we all appreciate. We order and our keen server is happy to share her favourites and the specials. The menu is extensive and includes some interesting choices. Rudy and I opt for nachos to share since we’ve been indulging it seems all day. The food and drinks are as great as the venue. But it’s the company and conversation that’s tops. It’s so refreshing to have meaningful discussions. Leah’s dad is in long term care. We talk about that as we had the same experience.

Leah wonders who will take care of us? We have no kids. I tell her that I believe in karma. We do our part now and when our time comes there will be someone for us too. Rudy says he believes in big pharmaceuticals; when his time comes he’s taking a pill.

Whatever the outcome, today is still for doing unto others. Enjoy the moments. We are so lucky.

Pics courtesy of WordPress.

Contrary to my toilet paper post from a few days ago, I thought I should share my experience from yesterday. You know, yin and yang. Keeping balance in the world.

I will start from the beginning so I keep the chronological order.

Being retired means no more alarm clock (have you ever wondered why it’s “alarm” clock?? Think about that for a moment!) but yesterday I had a full day and needed it to start early. Rudy set the alarm for 6:30 pm. We were both alarmed (oh, and Molly too) when it screeched but I got up and started the process. Rudy jumped right in and did the dog duties. Nice. Those extra minutes meant I could have a pre-trip coffee.

Molly and I jump in the car. It’s already warm out at 7:30 am. A pleasant surprise. Off we go.

First stop in Rockwood. Molly is spending the day at the spa. She needs a summer shave down now that summer is here. Kelly, the groomer, greets us and Molly is happy to see her. It’s a quick exchange and I’m off again. It’s now 9:15 am.

I arrive in Stratford at 10:15 am. Mom and dad are ready to go but we have a few minutes to chat. I like to review the itinerary a few times so they have time to compute. There’s usually a few questions. Without distractions and in their safe place (home) I can even stretch the itinerary for a few days and cover what’s coming down the road. They hate surprises but given the elderly brain they are still surprised if they somehow forget the rundown. Writing it is best.

We have an 11 am appointment for dentures. It seems my dad has been keeping it a secret that his teeth are loose and often slip off. It was my sister (aka eagle eyes) who’s been bugging my dad about his resting bitch face. He finally fessed up under pressure. She’s an interrogator; something like Robert DeNiro in “Meet the Fockers”. The place is almost across from my parents condo. My sister chose it simply because it was the first clinic of those she googled that answered the phone. The clinic is in a retrofitted house. We get mom settled on the covered front porch and dad and I go in. Chris, the denture dude, greets us and gives us an info sheet to complete. Since dad has cataracts his vision for reading is not so great. I do the paperwork asking dad some of the questions. How old are your current dentures? 30 years. Hmmm ok. I have no way to confirm so we go with it. Chris pops back in and takes the paper. He ushers dad into his inspection room. Tells dad to take a seat in the captains chair; dad loves that and wishes he was wearing his “the captains always right” cap. Chris notices that dad has a very strong bite. Yup. It’s worse than his bark for sure! Within about 5 min,Chris determines what dad needs. A refit of current dentures. The ones he has are still good but the gums have changed. $1500 all in. Perfect. Let’s do it. Chris tells dad he can leave his teeth immediately and pick them up later same day. Dad (who apparently was tuned in for the itinerary talk) says it will have to be tomorrow. They set it up and I ask about payment. Chris says not to worry it can be done next day. Wow. We walk out into the sunshine to collect mom. She wonders why we were so fast (no doubt churning all of the negative scenarios possible in her brain) dad tells her happily that all is good. Off we go.

It’s now 11:30 am and our first itinerary item is done. That was easy and painless. We start a drive into town to find a place for lunch. My folks are very routine oriented. But I like to switch it up. We take a winding tour of downtown which is quite lively due to the theatre matinees on Wednesday’s. I suggest Downie Street Burgers. I’ve heard of this place but never been. It’s in an older building that used to house Family Sub which was a Stratford staple landmark and frequently visited by late night partners and hangover sufferers. Mom suggests we find something to take home. Dad quashes that notion immediately. I get a super parking spot (there’s always a spot up front for a winner) and we head in to the resto. It’s a nicely decked out place with tin ceiling tiles and quirky chandeliers. We get seated and our young waitress brings the menus. She suggests the special which is 2 burger platters and two adult beverages for $40. Perfect. Since I’m driving mom and dad can have the drinks and dad and I can have the burgers. Our waitress smiles and says “no problem, we can make that work”. There’s a couple of other minor tweaks (dad doesn’t like cheese on his burger) as dad orders the bacon cheese burger. Again. We can make that work. I love it. We have a great lunch. The burgers are delicious. Moms salad doesn’t have enough dressing so she adds some ketchup. Whatever. I point out the realtors office across the road. Dad is interested to see that’s where Julie works. Next door is Stanfields law office; she did mom and dads wills a few years ago. I point it out. We don’t have a lawyer. Yes. She did your wills. That was Waterloo street. Yes! She moved. Why would she move? I don’t remember doing wills. Yes. You’re all set not to worry. Oh. Ok. I want another beer. Ok. I can’t finish my salad. Can I take it for Molly?

After lunch dad checks his watch. What time is the doctors appointment? It’s at 2 pm. Great! We have time for a game of cards.

Back at the condo dad gets the cards out while mom shuffles around asking who wants coffee or a sandwich. No mom. We are full. You’ll want one later. No mom. It’s 33C outside. Dad deals and tells mom to relax. Right.

The card game is a bust for dad. I clean his clock. He insists we start another game while moms voice gets more shrill telling us it’s time to go. If we were anywhere else I might agree but they could walk in minutes to the doctors office. Dad plays on to the last possible second.

Are you ready to go? Wait. I have to pee. Do you have your hat? I don’t want my hat. It’s blazing hot sun out there. No. Ok. We get to the doctors office and dad checks in. There’s a new receptionist and I’m elated! I feel semi responsible for the last ones demise. She was a nightmare. The new one is smiling (good) she’s not on the phone (good) she asks us to have a seat. Twenty minutes later I approach her. Can you confirm our appointment was for 2 pm? Yes. We are running a bit late. Hmmm. Pet peeve. Doctors who take liberties with others schedules! Not cool. Dad comments that we could have finished our game. A few moments later we are called in. Dad gets weighed and measured by the nurse as part of the pre-op check up. (He’s having cataract surgery next week) When the Doctor comes in he apologies for lateness; there was an unexpected death. No sympathy from me. I’m dealing with seniors on a schedule. We are good to go. It’s now almost 3 pm.

Back in the car en route to our final destination. Car repair shop where dads car has been for the past 4 days. Dad is an amputee without his wheels. We take a scenic country drive to Waterloo. Dads car is parked out front ready to go. He practically jumps from my car before we park with his spare key in hand. Mom trailing behind. No hat. Uli, the proprietor, lets me know that dads car needs more work but he’s not recommending to do it. Once these cars (2008 BMW X3) start to deteriorate its game over. Ok. Good to know. Thanks. He follows me to the parking lot where he hands dad the key and speaks in German. He greets mom and speaks to her as well. She likes that.

Well that’s a wrap folks. We hug and kiss and part ways. I have to rescue Molly.

The drive to Rockwood is pleasant. It’s now after 4pm and I think about what a long day Molly has had. When I pull into the groomers there’s another car leaving. It’s like daycare pick up. Kelly is waiting inside. She tells me how wonderful Molly is. (Did my chest puff out? Am I beaming?). When I respond Molly hears my voice and starts to whine. It’s a grateful happy whine. She’s not been abandoned.

Kelly brings her out. Pure joy on her newly shaved face. She’s howling and jumping and excited. Kelly laughs. Molly hops in the car and we head home.

Great day.

(Photo credits for Downie Street Burger go to Trip Advisor)

Today was one of those “glad to be retired” days. Since Rudy golfs on Tuesdays and the weather forecast was stellar, I thought I would try something completely different. So I signed up for a free walking food tour of Collingwood.

This company started a few years ago with historical city tours and this year has added a series of food tours to the roster.

We met in front of the pillared commanding Service Canada building on the mai street, Hurontario.

Located adjacent to Loblaws, it’s almost at the foot of Hurontario St a few blocks from the water.

Our tour hostess, Tamara, explained the agenda for the tour and advised everyone to make sure they had parking for at least 3 hours. There were 16 of us on the tour; a mixture of locals and visitors.

The first eatery featured was Fig and Feta. This family run Mediterranean style resto is in the process of moving from its current space to new and bigger digs right across from Service Canada. But they weren’t quite open. So the proprietor sent over a tray of samples which we munched on picnic style on the sidewalk. There was a delicious assortment of treats including spanakopita and feta and olives. Very tasty.

Our next stop was The Huron Club. I had been here before under previous ownership so it was nice to meet the new owner and chef. It’s in a circa 1902 building that was once a residence. The chef served a tasty nicoisse salad with house-smoked trout.

The walk took us across the street to the Tesoro Mercado. What a gem! For all the years we’ve been coming to Collingwood we have missed out! This gourmet Mecca is attached to the Tesoro Restaurant and serves many of the dishes frozen to go along with fresh deli and pasta and goodies galore. Love it!! We sampled thin crust pizza here. Delish.

Next we wandered through the back alley and crossed the Main Street again to enter another alley where we found Gibson and Co. This eclectic jewel is a hidden treasure that we’ve enjoyed before. Bright and spacious they serve up local adult bevies, great coffees and light good fare. This was our rest stop and pee break place. I took a moment to answer messages and emails while I sipped on a local brew.

Thereafter we proceeded to a quaint coffee shop, Creemore Coffee Studio, where we enjoyed a frozen lime beverage and a ginger molasses cookie. Perfect for a beautiful summer day.

Next stop: Collingwood Olive Oil Company. This must do enterprise is housed in a Victorian row house. As you walk up the front steps you enter the front room which is filled with kegs of oil. The cheerful owner gave us a Coles notes rundown on olive oils and then we moved to the back room for a similar info session on balsamic vinegars. A real treat and definite re-do.

Our final stop of the tour was a very surprising resto on the Main Street. I would have never bothered to enter the establishment as the name and signage didn’t jive for me. Not sure how to describe my initial disinterest. In any event we go in and as soon as I opened the door I knew I was woefully wrong in my initial assessment. This place was cool. What and airy boho vibe. Neat art and a thoroughly modern menu including gluten free and Keto options. The owner greeted us and described her scratch kitchen. Then served a tapas of dips and crackers followed by a taste of housemade carrot cake. Very tasty and a grand finale to a really great day.

Bon appetit!!

Almost everyday I encounter random acts of indifference from employees at various establishments. Last night we watched an old favourite movie “Meet the Parents” with Ben Stiller. The airline loses his luggage when they insist he check his carry on bag. They find it as he’s ending his visit. On the flight home he’s the only passenger in the lounge and the attendant calls out the rows for boarding. She asks him to wait until his row is called when he approaches the podium. There’s not another sole around yet she asks him to wait until his row is called. On board the plane the same employee sees him struggle to put his lost/found bag overhead and says, in her smiling, passive aggressive way, “you’ll have to check that”. And he loses it. He’s tossed off the plane.

That’s not too exaggerated if you ask me. These types of employees are everywhere just waiting to pounce on unsuspecting customers. Here’s a few beauties from the last couple of days:

Rudy goes to the Rogers store to arrange new services for our new house. He walks into the store and sees the kiosk (self serve) to check in to the queue for service assistance; there’s a woman who walks in before him and heads directly to the counter. She is redirected to the kiosk while Rudy is called up. What? When she questions the pecking order she told that Rudy had an appointment. The eager clerk greets Rudy and goes over the packages and options. Turns out we can get a upgraded bundle for less than we are paying now. New customers, it seems, get the hook by attractive pricing but current paying longer term clients are excluded from the best pricing. Hmmm. But here’s the rub. After a good amount of time spent doing the paperwork for the new services the clerk nonetheless forgets something after Rudy has left. So he phones and leaves a message asking Rudy to come back in. Rudy goes back in a few days later. There’s a different clerk there who says he knows nothing about why Rudy was called. The original clerk is on the late shift and won’t be in for a few hours. Rudy plays the voicemail for the clerk. Still nothing. Rudy will have to come back when the original clerk is there. Rydy leaves. As Frank would say: Gong!!!!

I’ve picked out some new ceiling fans at Canadian Tire on line. Their website shows availability at the Collingwood store. Rudy and I head over. We find a helpful clerk on the floor who finds us the fans. Amazing. Friendly and helpful. We head to the checkout with four large boxes in our cart. As we roll up to the checkout the young cashier says: “I have to scan those”. Duh. Then more agitatedly: “I need them out of the cart to scan them”. Oh. Ok. (All the while a more mature clerk stands at the customer service desk watching and smacking her gum. We pull the fans out. They get scanned. The last is in the cart but the bar code is visible on both lid flaps. She scans them both creating two sales. I let her know it’s only one fan with two codes. She glares and looks in the cart again as though I’ve lied. “Right. My bad” and she takes off one sale. She asks if we collect points. Rudy says yes and shows his Canadian Tire MasterCard. That’s met with another grunt of disapproval. Rudy pays using his stash of gift cards. Now he’s handed the receipt and a stack of Canadian Tire money. We’d like our points on the card. She looks up stunned. What?? You paid by gift card and your points is on your MC! You will have to go to customer service. Ok. I turn around with receipt and bills and MC in hand to face the gum smacking troll at customer service. She’s heard the entire exchange and still says ” can I help you “. Of course she’s not planning to help at all. She says there’s no way to put the points on the account without the actual points card (not the MC) or unless we paid with the MC. Really!?! Rudy says let’s go. We leave: Gong!!!

We meet friends for dinner. The place we wanted to meet is sold out so we head to a nearby (across the road) chain/franchise wing place. We are the first to arrive and ask for a table for six. The hostess/waitress looks concerned; she has to check. We look at each other as there seems to be a few tables available. She comes back and says we can have a booth that was reserved for someone else. Like we’re vip and take priority. Whatever. We sit and our friends arrive. No one has offered us drinks. We look around and there’s only two servers for the entire place including the patio. Oh boy. Luckily we are deep in conversation catching up so we don’t mind the sluggish service. We are there for a couple of hours. No appetizers just drinks and fast food. The wait for the bill and interac machine is painful.

But the table conversation throughout the meal is lively and very interesting. My friend has a relatively new job and I ask her how things are. She tells me they were good until last week. Oh? What happened last week? They changed the toilet paper. Right. Apparently employees noticed the new brand and complained. The complaints went viral (in the office) and resulted in the office manager sending out a tongue-in-cheek memo asking for input : keep the new or revert to the old. Toilet paper. Everyone got into the little charade except for the owner who (in Trumplike fashion) fires off a rebuttal memo telling those who wished to continue wasting company time on toilet paper to find a new company to work for and hopefully their toilet paper would be better. This terse tirade response was met with outrage. How dare the owner take such an reasonable stance. Geesh.

Gong!!!

As I’m typing this I am sadly reminded of tons of other examples:

The ice cream shop that opens at noon and the proprietor is sweeping out front 5 min to opening. When approached by customers says: sorry we aren’t open yet.

The security staff that’s happy to let you miss your flight while they stand in unison chatting on break.

The contractor who has your email with photos of what work to do but shows up without warning to take another look and his own photos.

The new prospective family doctor who’s receptionist asks a ton of personal questions and then tells you “we will call you if you’re approved as new patients “.

The Alzheimer’s society who spends over an hour at an in person meeting telling a client (82 years old) about all the great services they provide and when a particular workshop is chosen being told its full and you’re on the wait list for the next session in 4 months!!

The front desk at the Y not knowing their own schedules and misinforming clients.

And don’t even get me going on banks!!!

Being retired = no more employees.

Gong!!!

They say the early bird gets the worm, but it’s my sister who puts it on a hook and catches fish off her dock. I’m stunned. My sister is prissy about most things. She labels the universe; literally you know where to put anything at her place since it’s all labelled. She refuses to handle raw poultry and most raw meats make her run for the disinfectant. But she calmly opens a little styrofoam box, plucks out a live worm, squishes the wriggling slime onto a hook and smoothly casts her line off the dock.

We are at her and Franks cottage for the weekend. Me, Rudy and mom and dad. And Molly. It’s by far the hottest day of the year so far. At least 30C and humid like crazy. Even though their “cottage” is more like a home (the last people that owned it lived there all the time) my sister is adamant that cottages should not be air conditioned. The rest of us disagree. So we sweat. There’s barely a breeze. It’s the kind of oppressive heat that covers you like a thick blanket. But you can’t kick it off and at least stick your feet out. Molly has a fur coat on. Yikes. An afternoon blast of torrential rain does little to ease the temperatures.

But in the evening we venture to the dock to watch the sunset. As we lounge next to the water you can feel cooler in your mind. This is when my sister decides to fish. While the rest of us are taking in nature’s beauty and tranquility she randomly decides its time to angle. She has a license so it’s obviously a notion that occurs with some regularity. Who knew.

Attention is now firmly focused on my sister as she goes through the routine motions. Bait, cast … oh, she’s got one. First line in and she’s reeling like mad. Up comes the fish. It’s a good size bass. Wow. Rudy is sure it’s beginners luck. But he doesn’t fully realize she’s no beginner!! Frank pulls the fish off the hook and tosses it back in the lake. This scenario takes place a few more times; with the same worm I might add. My sister even knows the type of fish she’s catching. Rudy is stunned. Who is this girl?

Frank tells us about ice fishing in the winter. The lake freezes so thick that cars and trucks and skidoos and huts take over the landscape. Hard to visualize in the heat. We all agree that it’s a very Canadian hobby and a must to include for winter survival. Now that I have the option I choose Florida. No more freezing winter. That’s the beauty of retirement.

Rudy wants to know if they ever eat what they catch? Sure. That’s part of the winter routine Frank explains. Fish in the cozy hut. Stash the catch. Skidoo back to land and fire up the grill it deep fryer. Sounds Yummy. And cold.

When my sister suddenly decides that a fish biting off the hook and the worm is a sign to stop for now she announces that it’s time for fireworks. Frank leaps into action.

We watch the display in awe. Are those legal?? Frank assures us they are for sale all over. It’s a 42 gun salute. Cool. Even the neighbours are clapping a cheering. A splendid end to a great day.

Our hosts are the most. And they have the worms!

It was this big ……. 😎

Still on the nautical theme …. as boaters we used to rely heavily on good weather. Pleasure boaters do not boat in foul weather because it’s not fun. In fact, you run for cover when a storm is brewing. Of course many of our boating years took place before the internet therefore our forecasts were courtesy of the local media meteorologists. Dodgy at best. So we relied on the old fisherman’s tales such as: red sky at night; sailors delight. Red sky in the morning; sailors warning.

Luckily we no longer need the weather to be our friend since there’s lots to do rain or shine. Well, Rudy’s golf is more of a “shine” activity. But mostly we go with the flow.

Like tonight. Rudy got home from a frustrating afternoon on the links and was hoping for a hearty dinner. The dinner was a flop (another story) so to console ourselves all around we popped Molly in the car and drove to the park. It’s “the park” in Collingwood if you ask me. There’s a lot of parks and trails and loops all around us. But Sunset Point is the reigning champ: sunset vistas that rival the Lake Huron variety (technically Georgian Bay is Lake Huron) and, the piece de resistance… Kawartha Dairy ice cream at the concession.

As we drive into the park area there’s a hive of activities: people swimming, paddle boarders, yoga, games of catch, picnickers, walkers, joggers …. you get the hint. A perfect summer playground for kids of all ages. We park (there’s tons of parking during the week) near the concession. Molly is excited already; she knows where we are.

At the service counter we look at the flavours. Who knew that a retirement challenge was choosing an ice cream flavour?! Rudy goes for a double scoop of pralines in a waffle cone (they make them on site and you can smell them for miles …. very good sales technique!) I opt for a single scoop of salted toffee in a cup. Service with a smile thanks to the ever cheerful students who man the booth. They are open to sunset every night. I guess their hours start getting cut from here on in.

There’s tons of benches and tables and we find one at the waters edge. The sun is a fiery globe warming us while we enjoy our treats. Molly gazes around looking for action. Finding none nearby she settles down at our feet and enjoys the view too.

It’s a red sky. Another great day tomorrow. Everyone’s delight. Especially if you’re retired!

Sweet dreams 🥰

That was the name of our third boat; it was already named and it’s bad luck to change it. Our first boat, a 20′ bow rider had no name. The second was Captain Crunch and it sank. The fourth and last was Sippin Thyme. I wanted to name it Yada. We had some great times on those boats. It’s funny how you mostly remember the good stuff. We haven’t had a boat in a few years now. The longer the gap the more the memories become really good.

For Canada Day I thought it would fun to get Rudy back on a boat. There’s a guy in Collingwood that does fishing charters mostly but also does special occasion charters. His name is Kevin. I contacted him to join his sunset and fireworks cruise. His boat can fit 10 or so. The cruise left the shipyards dock at 7:30 pm. We show up about 7:15 and the crowds are already gathering; there’s a live band on the point and people are on their boats and swimming off the pier. There’s a couple of food trucks. Lots of action.

We park the car in front of the portapotties. Not sure how that was going to pan out if the stalls had line ups. Gross. Kevin told us to look for the grey building with the blue door. It’s more like a grey shed. A young lady with a cute dog approaches; she asks if we are looking for Kevin. Yes we tell her. You must be Rudy and Sue; I’m Stephanie and this is Trip (the dog) we are joining you on the cruise. Kevin appears and we head to his vessel.

The marina is nicely laid out and there’s a metal bridge connecting the mainland to the docks. We head to the farthest dock and Kevin invites us on his boat. It’s a 40′ fishing boat that he plucked out of a farmers field about 10 years ago and fixed up. He’s been tweaking it ever since. Rudy is liking it already: no canvas and open floor space (the dance floor). There’s 3 other people on board already so we are 7 in total.

All day the sun has been brilliant in spite of the forecast. But a few clouds are starting to wisp around. The water is as calm as glass. Kevin lets us know some safety features and then we are off. The plan is to see the sunset out by the lighthouse. And then return to the harbour for the fireworks. There would also be a few snacks.

Kevin has been living and working in the area for 10 years. He’s super knowledgeable about local maritime history and legends. The trip out of the harbour is scenic and informative. Clearly Kevin enjoys his craft. Trip (the dog) races around the boat watching birds and other boats. He’s quite cute; a Spaniel with long curly ears that flap as he runs.

Once we are out of the harbour Kevin cuts the engine and we float to watch the sunset. The sky is a mosaic of colours. But the actual sunset is obscured by clouds. As we drift and bob in the water I reminisce about the many such evenings we enjoyed on our four boats. In particular I recalled the night that all of Ontario lost power (except for Grimsby). We were on the boat. There was four of us and the water was like glass. The shoreline that was normally dotted with lights and skyline views was pitch dark. You could barely see the odd headlights of cars. It was eerie and surreal.

We head back into the harbour for the fireworks show. Dusk is upon us and the clouds are like a scene from Harry Potter when the dementors fly around. The water is smooth like onyx. Kevin finds a spot to bob while we wait for the fireworks and munch on a tray of cheese and crackers. Soon the fireworks start and it is a spectacular show. Deafeningly loud. But stunningly gorgeous.

Kevin guides the boat back to the dock with seasoned precision. Rudy comments; he appreciates a good docking job. We disembark and head for the car. It was great to be at sea for a while. Even so, I’m glad we don’t own a boat.

And I just realized that I don’t know the name of Kevin’s boat. Next time.

Ahoy!!

On this long weekend in celebration of Canada, I’m reminded of the luxury of the country we call home. We are indeed fortunate that 60 odd years ago our parents chose this as their next big adventure. They just got through a war and their homeland in rebuilding mode. Posters of the ideal life in Canada complete with jobs and lifestyle beckoned. I think it was my mom who verbalized the opportunity but it was my dad who quickly seized it.

That was 1957. And there were a few bumps in the road. If you call travelling thousands of miles to a promised job at the airport as an aircraft mechanic only to have it yanked on arrival due to language barrier a “bump”. Okay. Minor hiccup. Moving on … if I can’t do that give me something else. Sure!! I’ll dig uranium. Where’s Elliott Lake!?!

Then my mom came. Brought back with my dad after he made her his 22 year old bride. Language barrier times two. They stuck it out. Persevered. And 60 years later are still a team. Language barrier mostly removed.

Someone made my brother a woven (or knitted? I’m not sure since my home ec days are long gone) Canadian flag. Although my mom can’t remember the conversation from minutes earlier, she somehow remembered this flag. And so she dug it out. She tells my dad that he has to pin it up somewhere. I suggest the fireplace. No. She wants it proudly hanging outside off the balcony. Dad complies ; he’s good that way. Out comes the scotch tape.

When I take Molly out for a pee break I shout up and they give me the thumbs up. The flag is on full display. I feel a deep pride and gratitude for the country that’s given us so much to be grateful for and proud of.

The afternoon is full of excitement: the German girls are playing Sweden in soccer. The air is electric and dad cheers loudly at the tie game. When the Swedes win it’s like a balloon popped. Deflation. Dad reminds mom that we should be cheering for Canada; a German loss is no biggie.

Mom has one of her classic responses: I don’t care, we are fake Canadians, I was cheering for Germany. Alrighty then.

Happy Canada Day. Still tons to cheer about in my book. 🇨🇦

We love live entertainment. Maybe it’s in my blood coming from Stratford. Who knows. But whether it’s music, theatre or sports, we thoroughly enjoy watching it live.

Fortunately we live in an area where the choices are vast. Aside from sporting events (where we have to travel a bit) there’s simply a ton of other live action in the Georgian Bay Area. One of our regular favourites is The Beacon in Wasaga Beach. This humble roadhouse is the venue for The Freakin Band every Wednesday night. We love Freakin at the Beacon! The band is a collection of Canadian music relics that jam each week and feature s special guest in their second set. The talent is bar none and the dance floor hops!

Last night we enjoyed a solo act that took my breath away. https://louisepitre.com/ took to the stage at a local church (Theatre Collingwood has to scramble for venues this year when their home base theatre jacked the rent up to the moon). On the longest day of the year we sat in wooden pews (luckily the seats were padded) as the sun shone brightly through the stain glass windows and were mesmerized by the passionate vocals of one of Canada’s artistic gems.

Louise took “the stage” in a sparkling one shoulder gown and wooed us with La Vie en Rose. Louise is completely bi-lingual and switches effortlessly between English and a French. She was accompanied on the piano (another stellar artist). In between songs she shared snippets of her career (spanning over 40 years) and endearing personal anecdotes.

Two of her stories were particularly heartwarming for me. The first about her beloved dog Tasha (a lab shepherd mix) who was super smart. She could open doors of any kind and did so often. They had to board her for a few days while. Tasha was placed in the older dog section and made many new friends. On the first night the security camera picked up a loose dog on the grounds so the staff decided to watch closely the next night. They were astounded to watch as Tasha opened her kennel door and proceeded to let her friend’s out, too for a little after hours romp in the yard. Louise is a self-professed dog person so I was smitten.

The other story was about her performance in London Ontario one year. Her husband wrote the show around WWII and it featured musical hits of the day. Since it was around remembrance day they decided to visit the veterans hospital/long term care and sing for the patients. Louise told us that it’s impossible to sing while weeping. You can’t get the words out. And that’s just what happened while she was singing and the vets joined in with smiles on their faces. Her husband had to jump in to rescue the show so Louise could cry. I can’t imagine the feeling of bringing such joy to those men on that day. What a gift.

We’ve already booked tickets for the next show “Summer of 69” ; a tribute to Woodstock. And for the annual Meaford International Film Festival; last year we watched “Into the Fade” with Diane Kruger. The film was in German with English sub-titles.

Last week I went with a friend to “Billy Elliott ” in Stratford. Two enthusiastic thumbs up.

There’s more to come … Collingwood is starting their summer movie by the bay series. The first flick is “Breakfast at Tiffany’s ” one of my favourite classic films. Of course, given the unseasonably cool summer thus far, we will have to bundle up to watch outside. Come on global warming! Bring us some heat!

That’s a wrap!