DAY 10 August 8 - Sauble Beach to Goderich
After a wonderfully full breakfast at my aunt's trailer, I went for a walk down to the camp laundry to clean our clothes for the next leg of our trip. We really don't have a plan for where we are traveling to next. Each day now is a great adventure. Unfortunately, there was a long line up in the laundry room. So Hubby and I walked back to my cousin's trailer to pack up. Then we enjoyed a visit with my family. It was full of laughter and good conversation while we watched the funny antics of my cousin's young children. Too soon it was time to load The Goldwing and leave. Hubby made one of my cousin's little girls' day by taking her for a short ride around the park. We then hopped aboard the bike and hit the road. We took Highway 21 all the way to Goderich. I am so thankful that Hubby is a very cautious and defensive rider. We were in Southampton and waiting to turn right to follow the highway when a woman driving a SUV approached from our left. She had her right signal on, slowed down and started into her turn. Hubby started out slowly to make his right. Next thing we know the woman in her SUV has changed her mind and is going straight at us. Hubby braked abruptly and was able to keep our motorcycle upright. The woman had also stopped with her eyes wide, and both hands covering her mouth. Hubby motioned for her to continue. It is safer for us to follow a driver like that.
We had a great time on The Goldwing for the rest of the ride to Goderich. The views consisted of farms and views of Lake Huron. We enjoyed our dinner in downtown Goderich where they have beautifully rebuilt the town centre after the tornado in 2011 demolished all the buildings. We found a geocache after dinner and then hung out at the local laundromat to finally have clean clothes.
DAY 11 August 9 - Goderich to Chatham
After my favourite breakfast at McDonald's, we went geocaching around Goderich. We were back on the road around 12:30. We again enjoyed fantastic views of Lake Huron and bustling farms as the farmers harvested their grain and spread manor. I don't mind the cattle smell but I really don't like pig or chicken smells. We did stop for a stretch and to find a geocache in a cemetery along the way. At the same time, a man was mowing the grass in the cemetery. In order to retrieve the geocache without being seen, I ran to get it while he was riding the mower away from the cache. I signed the log while sitting on a bench and it appeared to the worker that I was paying my respects to a grave. Hubby then waited for the worker to ride away from the cache location and he ran to replace the cache.
We arrived in Chatham in the late afternoon and checked into Retro Suites Hotel. We enjoyed a lovely dinner to celebrate our 27th anniversary a day early. After dinner we went geocaching before the expected rain and thunderstorms began in the area. We will finish our geocaching in the morning before going to our next destination.
Friday, 10 August 2018
Wednesday, 8 August 2018
Vacation - Day 5 to 9
DAY 5 Friday August 3
Hubby and I stayed in Killarney at Killarney Mountain Resort. This is a 5 star resort that attracts visitors from across the world. We needed a day off The Goldwing. After enjoying a full breakfast, we decided to go for a long walk. It was already hot and humid by 9 a.m. Off we went to hike along the Lighthouse Trail. To our dismay it was closed due to construction on the new conference centre being built at the resort. So we walked along the road into the village of Killarney. We followed the signs to the Killarney airport and also saw signs to the lighthouse. The walk to the lighthouse took us past some areas that were normally swampy wetlands. It was sad to see the lily pads all shriveled and dried up. The ground was baked and cracked. The reds were also dried up. When we arrived at the lighthouse, the views were stunning. This area of Ontario is full of red rocks. The shoreline was a tumble of red boulders that swept sharply into Georgian Bay. It was like looking at a Group of Seven painting. We did not see much wildlife on our return to the resort.
Once we arrived back from our walk, we enjoyed a nice cold bottle water and we shared a scone. We spent some time in the pool before it got overrun with the young families. We spent the rest of our afternoon sitting in Adirondack chairs on the rocks near our cabin. We read and watched the antics of the weasels playing in the water. There was lots of boats arriving in Killarney Bay for the long weekend.
Our evening started with a high end meal for Dinner overlooking the pool and the bay. After dinner, we made our way to the Carousel which was the lodge's bar. There was live music which we thoroughly enjoyed. It was a wonderfully relaxing day which allowed us to recharge our batteries.
DAY 6 Saturday August 4
After a full breakfast, we packed up The Goldwing to get back on the road again. Just as we were ready to climb aboard, a lady approached us to ask if we were riding south. We actually were going to head north. She was the mayor of Killarney and had been evacuated from her home on a sideload south of the village. During our stay, we did not see or smell any smoke from the forest fire in The Killarney Provincial Park. We got on The Goldwing and made our way to Manitoulin Island. We met up with my sister and her family at a a cottage. What a wonderful time we had together.
DAY 7 - Manitoulin Island
We continued our visit with my sister and her family. They took us to a local village where we indulged in some homemade chocolate and also visited a candy store. We also enjoyed an easy walk along a municipal trail to see Bridal Veil Falls. It was a very hot day with lots of humidity. During the night, I did hear some wolves howling.
DAY 8 - Manitoulin Island to Huntsville
This particular day rain was in the forecast. We stopped for lunch and gas in Lively. After lunch we put on our rain gear and continued on our way east to Highway 69 then south to Huntsville. We stayed overnight with friends and enjoyed our visit. We ate dinner at The Lake of Bays Brewpub. The food and drinks were very good.
DAY 9 - Huntsville to Sauble Beach
We were on the road by 9 and meandered our way to Highway 26 where we continued our trek toward Sauble. It was a walk down memory lane for me. We visited my several graves of family members. This provided opportunities to stretch our legs during the trip. We arrived at Sauble Beach in the late afternoon. We have enjoyed an excellent emotionally warm visit with my aunt, uncle and cousins. We stayed overnight here and are not fully sure of our travel plans for the next few days. Keep tuned as I'm sure I will have a blast.
Hubby and I stayed in Killarney at Killarney Mountain Resort. This is a 5 star resort that attracts visitors from across the world. We needed a day off The Goldwing. After enjoying a full breakfast, we decided to go for a long walk. It was already hot and humid by 9 a.m. Off we went to hike along the Lighthouse Trail. To our dismay it was closed due to construction on the new conference centre being built at the resort. So we walked along the road into the village of Killarney. We followed the signs to the Killarney airport and also saw signs to the lighthouse. The walk to the lighthouse took us past some areas that were normally swampy wetlands. It was sad to see the lily pads all shriveled and dried up. The ground was baked and cracked. The reds were also dried up. When we arrived at the lighthouse, the views were stunning. This area of Ontario is full of red rocks. The shoreline was a tumble of red boulders that swept sharply into Georgian Bay. It was like looking at a Group of Seven painting. We did not see much wildlife on our return to the resort.
Once we arrived back from our walk, we enjoyed a nice cold bottle water and we shared a scone. We spent some time in the pool before it got overrun with the young families. We spent the rest of our afternoon sitting in Adirondack chairs on the rocks near our cabin. We read and watched the antics of the weasels playing in the water. There was lots of boats arriving in Killarney Bay for the long weekend.
Our evening started with a high end meal for Dinner overlooking the pool and the bay. After dinner, we made our way to the Carousel which was the lodge's bar. There was live music which we thoroughly enjoyed. It was a wonderfully relaxing day which allowed us to recharge our batteries.
DAY 6 Saturday August 4
After a full breakfast, we packed up The Goldwing to get back on the road again. Just as we were ready to climb aboard, a lady approached us to ask if we were riding south. We actually were going to head north. She was the mayor of Killarney and had been evacuated from her home on a sideload south of the village. During our stay, we did not see or smell any smoke from the forest fire in The Killarney Provincial Park. We got on The Goldwing and made our way to Manitoulin Island. We met up with my sister and her family at a a cottage. What a wonderful time we had together.
DAY 7 - Manitoulin Island
We continued our visit with my sister and her family. They took us to a local village where we indulged in some homemade chocolate and also visited a candy store. We also enjoyed an easy walk along a municipal trail to see Bridal Veil Falls. It was a very hot day with lots of humidity. During the night, I did hear some wolves howling.
DAY 8 - Manitoulin Island to Huntsville
This particular day rain was in the forecast. We stopped for lunch and gas in Lively. After lunch we put on our rain gear and continued on our way east to Highway 69 then south to Huntsville. We stayed overnight with friends and enjoyed our visit. We ate dinner at The Lake of Bays Brewpub. The food and drinks were very good.
DAY 9 - Huntsville to Sauble Beach
We were on the road by 9 and meandered our way to Highway 26 where we continued our trek toward Sauble. It was a walk down memory lane for me. We visited my several graves of family members. This provided opportunities to stretch our legs during the trip. We arrived at Sauble Beach in the late afternoon. We have enjoyed an excellent emotionally warm visit with my aunt, uncle and cousins. We stayed overnight here and are not fully sure of our travel plans for the next few days. Keep tuned as I'm sure I will have a blast.
Friday, 3 August 2018
Goldwing Vacation - Days 2 to 4
DAY 2 North Bay to Sault Ste. Marie
When we awoke Tuesday morning, our room now smelled like the remnants of campfire smoke. We loaded up The Goldwing and hit the road.
We travelled Highway 17. The smell and haze of smoke did not disappear until almost Sudbury. It was a great day for riding. Being the passenger allowed me to look around and sightsee. I saw a family of osprey fishing in the Mississauga River which meandered beside the highway. Every time we met a logging truck, we could smell the lovely pine scent. As we rode through the rugged Canadian Shield, I was awestruck by the sheer size of the cambrian granite rock cuts we saw. It was neat to see small pine trees clinging to whatever bit of soil and moisture they could find in tiny cracks in the rock.
It was a full day's ride and we arrived in Sault Ste. Marie. We stayed at the Northlander Inn which suit our purposes just fine. After arriving, we walked to the restaurant strip and had dinner. It was an early night as we had to be at the Agawa Canyon train by 7:30 a.m.
DAY 3 - Agawa Canyon Tour
We had a quick McDonalds breakfast and rode The Goldwing to the tour train station. The views from the train were inspiring! I certainly could see where the Group of Seven artists got their inspiration and views for their paintings. Unfortunately, we did not see any wildlife on this day. The weather was perfect. The sun was shining and it was a clear, warm day. Hubby bought us box lunches from the train's dining car. When we arrived at the Agawa Canyon, we found a picnic table in the shade and ate a quick lunch.
Now we were ready to tackle a hike on the canyon trails. At the same time, we looked for the only geocache in the park. We managed to hike the Talus Trail and the River Trail before it was time to return to the train. We were tired and enjoyed the train ride back to Sault Ste. Marie. As we approached "The Soo", the rain started to fall. Hubby realized he had left out rain gear and the motorcycle cover at the hotel. Our original plan was to walk around the waterfront in "The Soo", find some geocachers and enjoy dinner on a patio. Our plans were about to change.
When the train pulled into the station, we could see the rain had already been there. We went to The Goldwing and it was soaked! We decided to forego changing into our jeans and just ride in our shorts for the short distance to our motel. The parking lot for the tour train was directly in front of the local mall. Hubby put his key in the ignition to start The Goldwing. "ALERT! ALERT! THIS IS AN INTRUDER! BEEP BEEP BEEP!" This message screamed its repeated message so loud that it hurt my ears. Hubby thought it was someone else's vehicle but quickly realized that it was his Goldwing. He did not know his bike had an alarm. The message continued to scream. Fellow train passengers stared at us as they walked to their vehicles. Shoppers leaving the mall started at us. One couple came by to help. By this time, Hubby had opened the bike up and was trying to find which of the many wires might be the alarm. The gentleman tried to help by calling his friend who has a goldwing. He was not be able to reach him. This man owned a Harley Davidson. Meanwhile, the alarm continued its screaming. After at least 30 minutes, Hubby finally realized he could contact the gentleman who he bought the bike from 3 years ago. Via the cell phone directions, Hubby managed to finally pull the fuse for the security alarm. Ah! Blessed peace and quiet!
While Hubby put The Goldwing back together, I went into the train station to use the facilities. I promptly got myself locked in. After much maneuvering I was able to rejoin Hubby. What a pair we are!! We climbed on The Goldwing and off we went to the motel. Dinner was a short walk away to a fast food joint. Needless to say, we were both a little frazzled. We settled in for an early night. We had a good laugh. This was one vacation day that will be retold numerous times and with much laughter!
DAY 4 - Sault Ste. Marie to Killarney
We awoke to a major downpour. After looking at The Weather Network, we realized that the rain was going to be stopping by 10:00 a.m. We got ourselves ready and in our rain gear so we would still be dry from the spray off the highway. We got back on Highway 17 East and enjoyed a great ride. The sun came out. It was cool and dry.
Not long after we left Sault Ste. Marie, I saw a small dose (deer) off in a forest pasture to my right. She was at the edge of the treeline. She was a light tan colour. Her face was so delicate! She was beautiful as she rubbed her little black nose along the fine, delicate right foreleg. I felt truly blessed to witness this little bit of nature. This is why I love riding on the back of The Goldwing! I would never have seen this from a car.
We stopped for gas in Blind River. We were on the lookout for more smoke from a new forest fire near Sudbury. We never did see any on our travels this day. We stopped for lunch in Espanola and continued on our way. We had to stop for gas again in Lively.
We took the road towards Killarney off Highway 69. Not far along that road, I looked off to my right along an open area with a meandering creek. I was so excited. I saw a small (young?) black bear drinking from the creek!! It lifted its head at the sound of the Goldwing. The ears were pricked forward in interest. He was so cute looking. But I'm glad I saw him (or her) from a distance.
We arrived at our destination in Killarney. We are staying at Killarney Mountain Lodge. We walked into Killarney for supper and ate fish and chips at Herberts Fisheries. It was great food. We saw sharon along the way. We enjoyed a couple of games of table tennis as we worked off our supper. We need to return and play the tie breaker game. We had a night cap on the lodge's patio. We then enjoyed walking around the resort and marina as the sun started to set. We discovered a couple of Adirondack chairs at the Killarney Bay's edge. We sat and enjoyed the gentle lapping of the water while we saw Georgian Bay in the distance. While we sat there, a weasel ran across the rock in front of us. It jumped into the water and swam along the shoreline. A family of Canadian geese also seem to live in the little cove to the left of the cottage we are staying in.
When we awoke Tuesday morning, our room now smelled like the remnants of campfire smoke. We loaded up The Goldwing and hit the road.
We travelled Highway 17. The smell and haze of smoke did not disappear until almost Sudbury. It was a great day for riding. Being the passenger allowed me to look around and sightsee. I saw a family of osprey fishing in the Mississauga River which meandered beside the highway. Every time we met a logging truck, we could smell the lovely pine scent. As we rode through the rugged Canadian Shield, I was awestruck by the sheer size of the cambrian granite rock cuts we saw. It was neat to see small pine trees clinging to whatever bit of soil and moisture they could find in tiny cracks in the rock.
It was a full day's ride and we arrived in Sault Ste. Marie. We stayed at the Northlander Inn which suit our purposes just fine. After arriving, we walked to the restaurant strip and had dinner. It was an early night as we had to be at the Agawa Canyon train by 7:30 a.m.
DAY 3 - Agawa Canyon Tour
We had a quick McDonalds breakfast and rode The Goldwing to the tour train station. The views from the train were inspiring! I certainly could see where the Group of Seven artists got their inspiration and views for their paintings. Unfortunately, we did not see any wildlife on this day. The weather was perfect. The sun was shining and it was a clear, warm day. Hubby bought us box lunches from the train's dining car. When we arrived at the Agawa Canyon, we found a picnic table in the shade and ate a quick lunch.
Now we were ready to tackle a hike on the canyon trails. At the same time, we looked for the only geocache in the park. We managed to hike the Talus Trail and the River Trail before it was time to return to the train. We were tired and enjoyed the train ride back to Sault Ste. Marie. As we approached "The Soo", the rain started to fall. Hubby realized he had left out rain gear and the motorcycle cover at the hotel. Our original plan was to walk around the waterfront in "The Soo", find some geocachers and enjoy dinner on a patio. Our plans were about to change.
When the train pulled into the station, we could see the rain had already been there. We went to The Goldwing and it was soaked! We decided to forego changing into our jeans and just ride in our shorts for the short distance to our motel. The parking lot for the tour train was directly in front of the local mall. Hubby put his key in the ignition to start The Goldwing. "ALERT! ALERT! THIS IS AN INTRUDER! BEEP BEEP BEEP!" This message screamed its repeated message so loud that it hurt my ears. Hubby thought it was someone else's vehicle but quickly realized that it was his Goldwing. He did not know his bike had an alarm. The message continued to scream. Fellow train passengers stared at us as they walked to their vehicles. Shoppers leaving the mall started at us. One couple came by to help. By this time, Hubby had opened the bike up and was trying to find which of the many wires might be the alarm. The gentleman tried to help by calling his friend who has a goldwing. He was not be able to reach him. This man owned a Harley Davidson. Meanwhile, the alarm continued its screaming. After at least 30 minutes, Hubby finally realized he could contact the gentleman who he bought the bike from 3 years ago. Via the cell phone directions, Hubby managed to finally pull the fuse for the security alarm. Ah! Blessed peace and quiet!
While Hubby put The Goldwing back together, I went into the train station to use the facilities. I promptly got myself locked in. After much maneuvering I was able to rejoin Hubby. What a pair we are!! We climbed on The Goldwing and off we went to the motel. Dinner was a short walk away to a fast food joint. Needless to say, we were both a little frazzled. We settled in for an early night. We had a good laugh. This was one vacation day that will be retold numerous times and with much laughter!
DAY 4 - Sault Ste. Marie to Killarney
We awoke to a major downpour. After looking at The Weather Network, we realized that the rain was going to be stopping by 10:00 a.m. We got ourselves ready and in our rain gear so we would still be dry from the spray off the highway. We got back on Highway 17 East and enjoyed a great ride. The sun came out. It was cool and dry.
Not long after we left Sault Ste. Marie, I saw a small dose (deer) off in a forest pasture to my right. She was at the edge of the treeline. She was a light tan colour. Her face was so delicate! She was beautiful as she rubbed her little black nose along the fine, delicate right foreleg. I felt truly blessed to witness this little bit of nature. This is why I love riding on the back of The Goldwing! I would never have seen this from a car.
We stopped for gas in Blind River. We were on the lookout for more smoke from a new forest fire near Sudbury. We never did see any on our travels this day. We stopped for lunch in Espanola and continued on our way. We had to stop for gas again in Lively.
We took the road towards Killarney off Highway 69. Not far along that road, I looked off to my right along an open area with a meandering creek. I was so excited. I saw a small (young?) black bear drinking from the creek!! It lifted its head at the sound of the Goldwing. The ears were pricked forward in interest. He was so cute looking. But I'm glad I saw him (or her) from a distance.
We arrived at our destination in Killarney. We are staying at Killarney Mountain Lodge. We walked into Killarney for supper and ate fish and chips at Herberts Fisheries. It was great food. We saw sharon along the way. We enjoyed a couple of games of table tennis as we worked off our supper. We need to return and play the tie breaker game. We had a night cap on the lodge's patio. We then enjoyed walking around the resort and marina as the sun started to set. We discovered a couple of Adirondack chairs at the Killarney Bay's edge. We sat and enjoyed the gentle lapping of the water while we saw Georgian Bay in the distance. While we sat there, a weasel ran across the rock in front of us. It jumped into the water and swam along the shoreline. A family of Canadian geese also seem to live in the little cove to the left of the cottage we are staying in.
Tuesday, 31 July 2018
Finally Vacation!! Day 1
It took a couple of days to pack the motorbike that I will call The Goldwing. We hopped on The Goldwing yesterday morning and hit the road. What a gorgeous day for riding!The sky was a brilliant blue with no clouds in sight. Although it was morning, the day was already feeling like it was going to be very hot. We got on the 401 and just road. Being a passenger on the back of the bike, I am able to look around and see the scenery.
The wind was blowing through the vents in my coat and I was very happy. As I was looking around, I saw a wild turkey hen in the ditch pecking at the ground. This is my favourite part of riding. What a way to celebrate the reprieve from my health concerns! We continued our travels on Highway 41.
We road along that route until we got to Pembroke. While on 41, I saw a turtle sunning itself on a stick jutting out of the water in Beaver Lake. Then in Bon Echo Park, I saw a larger turtle sunning itself on a rock. I rarely see these things when I ride in a car. Along 41 I also saw a small waterfall to the left of the highway. I was surprised to see the water rushing and frothing its way down the rock cliff at the side of the highway. We haven't had a lot of rain lately.
Once we turned into Highway 17 at Pembroke, we continued on to North Bay to stop and lay our heads for the night. We did stop at various times enroute to get gas and stretch our legs. We took the opportunity to do some geocaching st these points.
The air in North Bay is full of smoke from the forest fires in the area. Even the motel lobby smells like fire. Visibility in the area is very hazy. Hubby and I are enjoying our road trip.
The wind was blowing through the vents in my coat and I was very happy. As I was looking around, I saw a wild turkey hen in the ditch pecking at the ground. This is my favourite part of riding. What a way to celebrate the reprieve from my health concerns! We continued our travels on Highway 41.
We road along that route until we got to Pembroke. While on 41, I saw a turtle sunning itself on a stick jutting out of the water in Beaver Lake. Then in Bon Echo Park, I saw a larger turtle sunning itself on a rock. I rarely see these things when I ride in a car. Along 41 I also saw a small waterfall to the left of the highway. I was surprised to see the water rushing and frothing its way down the rock cliff at the side of the highway. We haven't had a lot of rain lately.
Once we turned into Highway 17 at Pembroke, we continued on to North Bay to stop and lay our heads for the night. We did stop at various times enroute to get gas and stretch our legs. We took the opportunity to do some geocaching st these points.
The air in North Bay is full of smoke from the forest fires in the area. Even the motel lobby smells like fire. Visibility in the area is very hazy. Hubby and I are enjoying our road trip.
Sunday, 29 July 2018
Summer Lovin', Had Me a Blast
I'm taking this period of several weeks to enjoy some "long term" planning. Putting this into the perspective of my world, for the last year I have only been able to plan at most, 2 weeks in advance of anything. I have not really been able to plan months in advance. The exception to this was my son's graduation at the beginning of June and my Christmas present of Eagles tickets to the concert on July 15. For the last 3 weeks, Hubby and I have been planning our holidays. We made plans to go to the Howe Island Rockin the Rock. And I've been enjoying going for lunches and visiting friends.
This past week, I continue to grieve for a friend who passed away on July 14. She was and has been one of my best friends for about 44 years. Despite my grief, I am continuing to live life fully and enjoy my good health at the moment. So this past week, on Wednesday, I visited a friend on her deck and it became an impromptu get together with 4 other ladies as well. What a wonderful afternoon! It was warm but we managed to find shade to sit in and enjoy some discussion, chatter, cold water with lemon and lime in it and with all this the beautiful song of the house wren who has a nest nearby. I made it home in time to put together a dinner of naan bread personal pizzas. Wednesday was a great day!
Thursday, I had another vaccination to follow the protocol after my stem cell transplant. Because my vaccination last week was in my left shoulder muscle, I chose to have this one in my right shoulder muscle. Sometimes these vaccinations leave the injection site very achy and sore to touch for up to 5-7 days. I then had a long lunch and visit with a very close friend who I don't get to see often enough. We met at our favourite secluded biergarten. We enjoyed a lovely lunch, a couple of beers and wonderful conversation. For me, this is the perfect way to spend an afternoon. This secluded area is in the heart of the city. There is a parking lot directly beside the sunken patio. However, with all the green vines that cover the concrete walls, the area is cool, green and very calming. You have no idea that you are in the city. The biergarten really gives you the feel of a European oasis. Every summer, I look forward to spending time visiting with friends over either a meal or snack along with a couple of beer. Thursday was another great day except for the vaccination. I do feel like pin cushion sometimes even though my family doctor is very gentle with his injections.
Friday was spent planning out some of the vacation details and loading geocache information into my handheld GPS. I'm looking forward to getting out on the Honda Goldwing for a vacation. We often combine our travels with searching for geocaches along the way. I also took the day to do laundry to make sure there were enough clean clothes to travel with. In this past week, I've also been cleaning and tidying so that my home will be in good shape for me to leave when the time comes. Friday was also spent buying bug spray, sunscreen and some other small items that will be needed for our vacation.
Yesterday, Hubby and I took the motorcycle and joined our friends with their motorcycle on a ride to Howe Island for the afternoon. The Howe Island Rockin the Rock had their inaugural music festival yesterday from 2 p.m. until 11 p.m. We caught the first 3 acts. We had to leave early as some nasty weather looked be blowing in. Being on bikes, we did not want to be caught in any heavy wind or hail. However, we really enjoyed our time there. Our friends knew the lead singer of the first band, Sweet Pete and The Heat, which was the whole reason we went. I was surprised to arrive and know the piano player. Hubby knew the drummer. We thoroughly enjoyed their blues style music! I would go hear them play again whenever they play in the area. The second act was a gentleman who played a slower style of rock. His son came on stage for the last couple of songs. The third band to play was called Oakridge Avenue. My friend and I wondered if we would enjoy them or not. We wondered if they were an Oakridge Boys cover band although this is a "rock festival". No worries there. They definitely were NOT an Oakridge Boys cover band. It was a group of 3 guys. A lead guitar (Sean Patterson), bass guitar (Alex Amey) and drummer (Harrison Stewart-Juby). They play an alternative rock style. We really enjoyed them. It was a surprise (and I didn't recognize him) to see the bass player and realize that he used to play rep baseball with our son. I felt old but I did really enjoy the music. It was a little disappointing to have to leave early but the weather was looking threatening. We hopped on the bikes, caught the ferry back to the mainland and rode home. Unfortunately, our friends' bike had some mechanical issues along the way and had to be pushed off the ferry, get a boost and ride home asap. We followed them just in case they had more mechanical problems. We continued our great day by going to their place and enjoying burgers, caesar salad, friendship and spiked iced tea. It was a super great day!!
Today, I will be continuing to get ready for our vacation. We're watching the weather forecast closely. We'll be getting the bike ready for a nice long ride. Stay tuned!
This past week, I continue to grieve for a friend who passed away on July 14. She was and has been one of my best friends for about 44 years. Despite my grief, I am continuing to live life fully and enjoy my good health at the moment. So this past week, on Wednesday, I visited a friend on her deck and it became an impromptu get together with 4 other ladies as well. What a wonderful afternoon! It was warm but we managed to find shade to sit in and enjoy some discussion, chatter, cold water with lemon and lime in it and with all this the beautiful song of the house wren who has a nest nearby. I made it home in time to put together a dinner of naan bread personal pizzas. Wednesday was a great day!
Thursday, I had another vaccination to follow the protocol after my stem cell transplant. Because my vaccination last week was in my left shoulder muscle, I chose to have this one in my right shoulder muscle. Sometimes these vaccinations leave the injection site very achy and sore to touch for up to 5-7 days. I then had a long lunch and visit with a very close friend who I don't get to see often enough. We met at our favourite secluded biergarten. We enjoyed a lovely lunch, a couple of beers and wonderful conversation. For me, this is the perfect way to spend an afternoon. This secluded area is in the heart of the city. There is a parking lot directly beside the sunken patio. However, with all the green vines that cover the concrete walls, the area is cool, green and very calming. You have no idea that you are in the city. The biergarten really gives you the feel of a European oasis. Every summer, I look forward to spending time visiting with friends over either a meal or snack along with a couple of beer. Thursday was another great day except for the vaccination. I do feel like pin cushion sometimes even though my family doctor is very gentle with his injections.
Friday was spent planning out some of the vacation details and loading geocache information into my handheld GPS. I'm looking forward to getting out on the Honda Goldwing for a vacation. We often combine our travels with searching for geocaches along the way. I also took the day to do laundry to make sure there were enough clean clothes to travel with. In this past week, I've also been cleaning and tidying so that my home will be in good shape for me to leave when the time comes. Friday was also spent buying bug spray, sunscreen and some other small items that will be needed for our vacation.
Yesterday, Hubby and I took the motorcycle and joined our friends with their motorcycle on a ride to Howe Island for the afternoon. The Howe Island Rockin the Rock had their inaugural music festival yesterday from 2 p.m. until 11 p.m. We caught the first 3 acts. We had to leave early as some nasty weather looked be blowing in. Being on bikes, we did not want to be caught in any heavy wind or hail. However, we really enjoyed our time there. Our friends knew the lead singer of the first band, Sweet Pete and The Heat, which was the whole reason we went. I was surprised to arrive and know the piano player. Hubby knew the drummer. We thoroughly enjoyed their blues style music! I would go hear them play again whenever they play in the area. The second act was a gentleman who played a slower style of rock. His son came on stage for the last couple of songs. The third band to play was called Oakridge Avenue. My friend and I wondered if we would enjoy them or not. We wondered if they were an Oakridge Boys cover band although this is a "rock festival". No worries there. They definitely were NOT an Oakridge Boys cover band. It was a group of 3 guys. A lead guitar (Sean Patterson), bass guitar (Alex Amey) and drummer (Harrison Stewart-Juby). They play an alternative rock style. We really enjoyed them. It was a surprise (and I didn't recognize him) to see the bass player and realize that he used to play rep baseball with our son. I felt old but I did really enjoy the music. It was a little disappointing to have to leave early but the weather was looking threatening. We hopped on the bikes, caught the ferry back to the mainland and rode home. Unfortunately, our friends' bike had some mechanical issues along the way and had to be pushed off the ferry, get a boost and ride home asap. We followed them just in case they had more mechanical problems. We continued our great day by going to their place and enjoying burgers, caesar salad, friendship and spiked iced tea. It was a super great day!!
Today, I will be continuing to get ready for our vacation. We're watching the weather forecast closely. We'll be getting the bike ready for a nice long ride. Stay tuned!
Friday, 20 July 2018
Celebrating and Living Life Fully!
I haven't posted in a couple of weeks because I've been enjoying life to the fullest. Summer is always a good time to feel healthy. The weather is warm. The vegetable gardens are providing fresh food. People want to be outdoors. I have always enjoyed many simple pleasures in life. One of my favourite simple, mundane activities is hanging my laundry on the clothes line outside. I love the smell of my clean clothes when they come in off the line. This fresh smell can not be manufactured by dryer sheets. I love the motion of hanging the laundry first thing in the morning and watching the clothes flutter in the breeze. In the last couple of weeks, it has been so dry and warm that my clothes dry within an hour of hanging them out. As I hang the clothes, I listen to the robins sing their happy songs. I listen to the leaves flutter way in the breeze. I enjoy the warmth of my sun soaked patio as I hang the clothes. This is a simple pleasure that costs me nothing but makes me feel so healthy and good.
I've been spending time with friends in the last couple of weeks as well. I visit them at the local farmers' markets. I visit with them in their homes. I visit with them on my patio. It is just good times spent talking, laughing and fully enjoying their friendship. Of course, as we visit, we enjoy our pets, the sounds of nature and the bountiful harvest of the area gardens.
We've had a very dry spell and this morning, I noticed the local conservation authority stated that this area is at a Level 1 drought. My rain barrel has been dry for about 2 weeks now. There are large cracks in the earth of my vegetable garden. The rabbits ate all my beans off but I have a successful crop of beets and cucumbers. My tomatoes are showing signs of being successful too. I do water my vegetables but not the flowers. We desperately need some rain. There are now daily vegetation fires in the area which the authorities are saying are caused by discarded lit cigarette butts. This bothers me that people are so careless to toss their lit butts out their car windows or on the sidewalks as they walk. Everything is tinder dry right now.
A couple of weeks ago, Hubby and I went for a ride north of the city into Central Frontenac County. It was a beautiful ride. The scenery was fantastic. The lakes and rivers looked so invitingly warm. We stopped at a resort for a break and some lunch. It was about 3 days later, this area had a forest fire caused by a lit cigarette butt. The forest fire took 3 days to battle and put out. A large area was damaged due to the carelessness of one person. I don't believe any homes or cottages were burned out but when a forest fire occurs, it burns out the homes of all the forest animals and birds.
Last weekend, Hubby and I took the train to Toronto to see the Eagles. I have always loved this band. Most people refer to "Bucket Lists". I refuse to call it that so mine is called a "Living List". To see the Eagles was part of my Living List. When Glenn Frey passed away, I was deeply saddened. I believed it was the end of the band. I believed that I would never see the Eagles. I even scratched it off my Living List. When the tour date was announced in December, Hubby bought tickets and this past weekend was my Christmas present from 2017. We took the train to Toronto. We stayed in a hotel beside the Scotiabank Arena (formerly Air Canada Centre). We had dinner at Aria Ristorante in Maple Leaf Square. Then we went to the concert. I had a blast!!!! I couldn't stop smiling. I enjoyed every moment. I sang with some of the songs. The Eagles came on and played for 2 1/2 hours non-stop. I didn't leave my seat once. I didn't want to miss one moment. I fully enjoyed the whole experience. Hubby and I returned to our hotel after the concert and had a couple of night caps in the hotel's lounge. Then it was back on the train the next day to return home. That was Monday.
On Tuesday, I took advantage of my daughter having a day off and drove up to Ottawa to see her and spend the day with her. I had lunch with her and her boyfriend. We laughed and reminisced. We abandoned him (I mean dropped him off at home) and then continued our day doing girl stuff. We went shopping. We had to stop and rest our legs which meant, of course, enjoying a Timmies Ice Cap. We continued shopping and then went to my daughter's apartment to rest. After seeing her 4 pet rats, visiting and laughing some more, we went for dinner at a local pub. It was a fantastic day. I stayed a little longer than I intended. I really didn't mind though, as I helped her pick up a used air conditioning unit to help cool down her apartment. It was a late night return home but I certainly slept well that night. Living fully and enjoying every moment of a healthy time in lift can be very tiring.
Wednesday, I had another one of my vaccinations (post stem cell requirement). I walked to and from the doctor's office from my Hubby's work. I also took my daughter's bicycle (which I brought back from her apartment because she has no need for it anymore) in to be repaired. I am considering trying to learn to ride it. I have not really ridden a bicycle on a regular basis in over 30 years. I rested in the afternoon with a short nap although I did pick up some new potatoes, green beans and lamb chops from the local farmers' market. That was our dinner.
Yesterday, I made music with a good friend and enjoyed some laughs. Then I spoke at a fundraising golf tournament for the Canadian Cancer Society. My speech was well received. I was very flattered and honoured when the participants stood and gave me a standing ovation. I've participated in fundraising golf tournaments before and by the time speeches occur, most of the time people politely clap and are more interested in leaving. Again, I was very honoured that they responded with a standing ovation.
I'm tired this morning. I've done 2 loads of laundry and they are hanging on the line. The day is going to be a hot one with lots of humidity. I will be closing up the house and putting the air conditioner on. I am going to visit a friend this morning. We always laugh when we get together. I will pick up my "new" bicycle later in the afternoon when I pick Hubby up from work.
Tomorrow, Hubby and I will visit with another couple that we like to hang out with. They have a beautiful oasis in their backyard that includes a pool. We will be spending time swimming and cooling off as the hot, humid weather stays around for the weekend.
I truly believe life is meant to be experienced fully no matter what the weather or other trials and tribulations may bring. When health is good, I want to seize life with both hands and wring all the joy out of it. So my summer is zipping by quickly as I am fully enjoying it. It is tiring and I do take time to rest and read on my patio too. But.....life is great!!!!!
I've been spending time with friends in the last couple of weeks as well. I visit them at the local farmers' markets. I visit with them in their homes. I visit with them on my patio. It is just good times spent talking, laughing and fully enjoying their friendship. Of course, as we visit, we enjoy our pets, the sounds of nature and the bountiful harvest of the area gardens.
We've had a very dry spell and this morning, I noticed the local conservation authority stated that this area is at a Level 1 drought. My rain barrel has been dry for about 2 weeks now. There are large cracks in the earth of my vegetable garden. The rabbits ate all my beans off but I have a successful crop of beets and cucumbers. My tomatoes are showing signs of being successful too. I do water my vegetables but not the flowers. We desperately need some rain. There are now daily vegetation fires in the area which the authorities are saying are caused by discarded lit cigarette butts. This bothers me that people are so careless to toss their lit butts out their car windows or on the sidewalks as they walk. Everything is tinder dry right now.
A couple of weeks ago, Hubby and I went for a ride north of the city into Central Frontenac County. It was a beautiful ride. The scenery was fantastic. The lakes and rivers looked so invitingly warm. We stopped at a resort for a break and some lunch. It was about 3 days later, this area had a forest fire caused by a lit cigarette butt. The forest fire took 3 days to battle and put out. A large area was damaged due to the carelessness of one person. I don't believe any homes or cottages were burned out but when a forest fire occurs, it burns out the homes of all the forest animals and birds.
Last weekend, Hubby and I took the train to Toronto to see the Eagles. I have always loved this band. Most people refer to "Bucket Lists". I refuse to call it that so mine is called a "Living List". To see the Eagles was part of my Living List. When Glenn Frey passed away, I was deeply saddened. I believed it was the end of the band. I believed that I would never see the Eagles. I even scratched it off my Living List. When the tour date was announced in December, Hubby bought tickets and this past weekend was my Christmas present from 2017. We took the train to Toronto. We stayed in a hotel beside the Scotiabank Arena (formerly Air Canada Centre). We had dinner at Aria Ristorante in Maple Leaf Square. Then we went to the concert. I had a blast!!!! I couldn't stop smiling. I enjoyed every moment. I sang with some of the songs. The Eagles came on and played for 2 1/2 hours non-stop. I didn't leave my seat once. I didn't want to miss one moment. I fully enjoyed the whole experience. Hubby and I returned to our hotel after the concert and had a couple of night caps in the hotel's lounge. Then it was back on the train the next day to return home. That was Monday.
On Tuesday, I took advantage of my daughter having a day off and drove up to Ottawa to see her and spend the day with her. I had lunch with her and her boyfriend. We laughed and reminisced. We abandoned him (I mean dropped him off at home) and then continued our day doing girl stuff. We went shopping. We had to stop and rest our legs which meant, of course, enjoying a Timmies Ice Cap. We continued shopping and then went to my daughter's apartment to rest. After seeing her 4 pet rats, visiting and laughing some more, we went for dinner at a local pub. It was a fantastic day. I stayed a little longer than I intended. I really didn't mind though, as I helped her pick up a used air conditioning unit to help cool down her apartment. It was a late night return home but I certainly slept well that night. Living fully and enjoying every moment of a healthy time in lift can be very tiring.
Wednesday, I had another one of my vaccinations (post stem cell requirement). I walked to and from the doctor's office from my Hubby's work. I also took my daughter's bicycle (which I brought back from her apartment because she has no need for it anymore) in to be repaired. I am considering trying to learn to ride it. I have not really ridden a bicycle on a regular basis in over 30 years. I rested in the afternoon with a short nap although I did pick up some new potatoes, green beans and lamb chops from the local farmers' market. That was our dinner.
Yesterday, I made music with a good friend and enjoyed some laughs. Then I spoke at a fundraising golf tournament for the Canadian Cancer Society. My speech was well received. I was very flattered and honoured when the participants stood and gave me a standing ovation. I've participated in fundraising golf tournaments before and by the time speeches occur, most of the time people politely clap and are more interested in leaving. Again, I was very honoured that they responded with a standing ovation.
I'm tired this morning. I've done 2 loads of laundry and they are hanging on the line. The day is going to be a hot one with lots of humidity. I will be closing up the house and putting the air conditioner on. I am going to visit a friend this morning. We always laugh when we get together. I will pick up my "new" bicycle later in the afternoon when I pick Hubby up from work.
Tomorrow, Hubby and I will visit with another couple that we like to hang out with. They have a beautiful oasis in their backyard that includes a pool. We will be spending time swimming and cooling off as the hot, humid weather stays around for the weekend.
I truly believe life is meant to be experienced fully no matter what the weather or other trials and tribulations may bring. When health is good, I want to seize life with both hands and wring all the joy out of it. So my summer is zipping by quickly as I am fully enjoying it. It is tiring and I do take time to rest and read on my patio too. But.....life is great!!!!!
Wednesday, 4 July 2018
And the Results of This Last CT Scan Is.....
Today was a day full of appointments. It started off with a regular appointment to have my feet looked at and make sure that they are healthy because of the neuropathy that I now have in both feet. The appointment went well and my feet were looking great. Then I was off to the local hospital to have my first hair appointment since it has been growing in. My hair was growing in unevenly and so this appointment just trimmed it all up to give my hair a tidy look. Immediately after that appointment, I made my way to the Cancer Centre to have my blood taken and tested in advance of my appointment with my oncologist. I took the opportunity to visit with former co-workers on my way to the Cancer Centre.
I saw my oncologist to get the results from the abdominal CT scan that was taken on June 22. A friend of mine volunteers in the Cancer Centre and my time waiting for my appointment went by very quickly as we chatted and visited. This was good as I had mixed emotions going into this appointment. I was afraid that the scan results would show that the 2 spots in my abdomen had grown again. I was afraid that my summer was going to be spent with more doctor appointments in order to get more scans and results. And then, I was expecting that my summer would be spent having a biopsy done and awaiting results from it at the same time as I would be recovering from having the biopsy procedure done. To be honest, I am tired of all the appointments. I'm tired of putting my life on hold. I would like to have a normal summer and be able to go away on holidays for at least a couple of weeks. When my name was called to go in for my appointment, I went and had my regular weigh-in as the nurse checked my weight. There was no change in weight from 2 weeks ago. This was good news. The nurse led me and Hubby to the appointment room. I tried to read my book while we waited. I couldn't concentrate. I was nervous. I was anxious. I was afraid of the worse case scenario.
Finally, my doctor entered the room. He normally carries my big, thick file with him. All he had was a piece of paper. Oh no.....this is not good. That was my thought. As always, my doctor finished rubbing the hand sanitizer into his hands and then he shook my hand. He asked how I was doing. Then he said he was shocked by my CT scan result. The radiologist was shocked by my CT scan result. The CT scan from June 22 showed that my 2 spots had shrunk in size from the previous abdominal CT scan taken on April 25. The spots are still there but they are smaller. My doctor asked if I had changed my eating habits. My answer was no. He then asked me if I was taking anything to combat any pain. My answer was extra strength Tylenol. He asked if I was taking anything else. My answer was no. There is no logical explanation for these spots to have shrunk. My doctor is baffled. I don't care! I will take these results!! I do not need to see my doctor again until September in preparation for my next Rituxan maintenance chemo session. I asked my doctor, "Would the Rituxan have caused these to shrink?" His answer was no. I had no Rituxan between April 25 and June 21. The Rituxan I had on June 21 would not have had time to cause the spots to shrink in less than 24 hours (the CT scan was done on June 22). There doesn't seem to be any reason for me to be having my abodominal aches. I now put these pains down to stress. It has been a full year of worry.
So there is no logical reason for today's results. Perhaps the reason the spots have shrunk is due to all the prayers that have been said consistently for me. I have been praying regularly. Many friends and family have been praying for me. Many friends and family have had various prayer chains praying for me. Perhaps....maybe?.....God has decided to show His existence and answer some prayers. So I offer my very sincere thanks from the whole of my being to all of you for your prayers and positive thoughts.
Regardless, I am now able to have a "normal" summer! Hubby and I can now plan to have a 2 or 3 week vacation on the motorcycle. I haven't even looked this far ahead in the last several months. I can now stop worrying and start planning. I will take this reprieve and enjoy it fully. I know the spots are still there. We will see what they look like sometime in the future when my doctor decides to take a scan. But for now? I'm grabbing life with both hands and both feet. I'm going to enjoy!!!! So stay tuned and I will try to take you all on the ride with me.
Woo Hoo!!!!!!!!!
I saw my oncologist to get the results from the abdominal CT scan that was taken on June 22. A friend of mine volunteers in the Cancer Centre and my time waiting for my appointment went by very quickly as we chatted and visited. This was good as I had mixed emotions going into this appointment. I was afraid that the scan results would show that the 2 spots in my abdomen had grown again. I was afraid that my summer was going to be spent with more doctor appointments in order to get more scans and results. And then, I was expecting that my summer would be spent having a biopsy done and awaiting results from it at the same time as I would be recovering from having the biopsy procedure done. To be honest, I am tired of all the appointments. I'm tired of putting my life on hold. I would like to have a normal summer and be able to go away on holidays for at least a couple of weeks. When my name was called to go in for my appointment, I went and had my regular weigh-in as the nurse checked my weight. There was no change in weight from 2 weeks ago. This was good news. The nurse led me and Hubby to the appointment room. I tried to read my book while we waited. I couldn't concentrate. I was nervous. I was anxious. I was afraid of the worse case scenario.
Finally, my doctor entered the room. He normally carries my big, thick file with him. All he had was a piece of paper. Oh no.....this is not good. That was my thought. As always, my doctor finished rubbing the hand sanitizer into his hands and then he shook my hand. He asked how I was doing. Then he said he was shocked by my CT scan result. The radiologist was shocked by my CT scan result. The CT scan from June 22 showed that my 2 spots had shrunk in size from the previous abdominal CT scan taken on April 25. The spots are still there but they are smaller. My doctor asked if I had changed my eating habits. My answer was no. He then asked me if I was taking anything to combat any pain. My answer was extra strength Tylenol. He asked if I was taking anything else. My answer was no. There is no logical explanation for these spots to have shrunk. My doctor is baffled. I don't care! I will take these results!! I do not need to see my doctor again until September in preparation for my next Rituxan maintenance chemo session. I asked my doctor, "Would the Rituxan have caused these to shrink?" His answer was no. I had no Rituxan between April 25 and June 21. The Rituxan I had on June 21 would not have had time to cause the spots to shrink in less than 24 hours (the CT scan was done on June 22). There doesn't seem to be any reason for me to be having my abodominal aches. I now put these pains down to stress. It has been a full year of worry.
So there is no logical reason for today's results. Perhaps the reason the spots have shrunk is due to all the prayers that have been said consistently for me. I have been praying regularly. Many friends and family have been praying for me. Many friends and family have had various prayer chains praying for me. Perhaps....maybe?.....God has decided to show His existence and answer some prayers. So I offer my very sincere thanks from the whole of my being to all of you for your prayers and positive thoughts.
Regardless, I am now able to have a "normal" summer! Hubby and I can now plan to have a 2 or 3 week vacation on the motorcycle. I haven't even looked this far ahead in the last several months. I can now stop worrying and start planning. I will take this reprieve and enjoy it fully. I know the spots are still there. We will see what they look like sometime in the future when my doctor decides to take a scan. But for now? I'm grabbing life with both hands and both feet. I'm going to enjoy!!!! So stay tuned and I will try to take you all on the ride with me.
Woo Hoo!!!!!!!!!
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