Quebec video / Happy Anniversary Part 2

...After I left Sault Ste Marie I had a light leisurely drive to Gravenhurst Ontario.  Other than the fact that the wind was gusting to about 70km/hour over most of the highway and by the time I had reached the town of Gravenhurst I was physically exhausted from trying to keep my car on the road...I still found it to be a beautiful drive.  I started my stay out in a little ‘A’ frame cottage on the edge of a lake (can’t quite remember the name off hand) but it was nice.  I had to pinch myself a few times because I just couldn’t believe the view I would be enjoying for the next couple of days.  Coming from a place where the front window looked out onto a parking pad and my car sitting in front of a rather large evergreen, this was the view I had dreamed about having for as long as I can remember.  Marilyn and Allan Picard were so kind to offer me their home for the weekend while they were away at a wedding.  It was right next door to their daughter Jamie and her husband Jeff and their two fabulous kids Nathan and Hannah.  They were also kind enough to give me a place to stay for a couple days as well.  I had a great time touring Gravenhurst with Marilyn and Jamie.  It was fun for me and it was great to see a place where someone had grown up and actually still lived.  The way they reminisced about old times made me feel like I myself had grown up in Gravenhurst.  Marilyn treated me and Jamie to lunch at the Marriot Hotel and Spa in Muskoka and for the afternoon we hung out and laughed and told crazy stories about crazy people.  No not gossip it was all in good fun but it was a blast getting to know all of them and I look forward to seeing them again along the way.  Maybe in Florida ;-)soooo excited!!

From Gravenhurst to Ottawa Ontario was short and sweet to say the least.  I had a rather long discussion with Betty Lou after arriving in Ottawa four and a half hours after leaving Gravenhurst.  I had typed in the address of my destination into Betty Lou and started on my trek.  I was surprised to see the Ottawa 45km sign when I was still in fact waiting to see a sign for Algonquin Park.  I wish I had of paid a little more attention when Jamie was telling me which highway went through the park, but of course I didn’t want to go off the path that Betty Lou had laid out for me; so I just stayed full steam ahead and hit Ottawa in record time.  I am sure Pepper was happy about that but I would have loved to get some photos of that area.  I met up with my Auntie Margo in Kanata Ontario.  She and her husband Randy were more than happy to put me up for a few nights.  I loved getting to know them all a little better and I was so grateful for them as I started to feel like I was coming down with something.  Not sure if it was the flu or a cold or just complete exhaustion from a month of staying in new places and meeting new people and let’s not forget, a whole crap load of driving.  I slept for about 14 hours there and missed out on what I am sure would have been a great evening with my Aunt and her daughter Faith.  I will for sure return to Kanata following the completion of this trip and spend some quality time with the entire family.  I am looking forward to it already and I hope they are as well.  I promise I will get sick and be over it before I get there lol I got to tour around Ottawa and see all the crazy ins and outs of a nation’s capital.  I have never been a fan of politicians and a tour of their homes didn’t change that.  I loved the tour itself and I am thankful that my aunt had the time to take me on it, but seeing how our political leaders live was just a reminder of how much they will never know about the real world and real people who live in it.  They are so sheltered and so withdrawn from anyone not just like them that it’s like another world and no matter how hard they try and how much they believe they have their finger on the pulse of the nation; they never will.  You can’t solve a hunger problem if you yourself have never been without.  You cannot change something if you have never experienced it on a personal level.  So as I said before, Ottawa is a beautiful city.  The company I had there was second to no one, the tour was great and appreciated but my political views will always remain the same.  More to come on that I am sure ;-)

I left Ottawa and headed straight for Edmunston New Brunswick.  I was still not feeling all that well but I was way better then I was the day before.  On my way through Montreal I noticed a huge cultural swing.  A swing that saddens me to say was not for the better.  As I mentioned in my post about the driving and the blatant disregard for the safety of others, I was struck with the realization that this was a big part of Canadian culture and a huge part of Canadian representation.  I finally realized what my American friend was talking about.  She and her husband had only ever visited two places in Canada; Vancouver British Columbia and Montreal Quebec.  They were disgusted with how we as Canadians thought of ourselves as polite and courteous.  They found us rude and arrogant and somewhat self involved.  After my experience through that area of the country I am angry at myself for telling her she was wrong.  I spoke before knowing all the facts and I retract what I said and I apologize for trying to correct her when she had every right to feel the way she did.  I guess it didn’t help that I was sick on my way through and not in the mood to witness such aggression but that is how this is playing out and that is how I am writing it down.  More to come on that as well lol

I ended up staying at the Best Western in Edmunston New Brunswick.  I stayed for two nights and loved every minute of it.  I cranked the heat in my room to 25 degrees I opened a can of sweet potatoes and tried to get some rest.  I had three showers the first night I was there as I couldn’t seem to stay warm.  I watched Ghostbusters in French did a little skype action and slept till 10:00am 7:00am Mountain Standard time 8:00am Eastern Standard time and of course my new time ....some standard time east of eastern standard.  My body is having a ridiculous time adjusting to the difference.  Especially when I talk to friends back home and they are sitting in the sun on the deck with an ice cold drink and I am sitting in the dark with a bottle of Dayquil.  The one thing I hadn’t thought of.  Oops

Throughout my drive I would listen to the radio and more often than not it was a French station. I love some of the music but of course I would have no idea what they are saying.  When it came time to check out of my hotel room I walked up to the desk clerk put my card on the counter and said...”bonjour” LOL I have no idea why that came out of my mouth but it did and it made me laugh.  I will blame it on the woman behind me who had just said it so I am sure my brain heard it and decided to repeat.  That is really the only real explanation. 

After my French possession I hopped in my car threw in a CD and headed for my final Canadian destination...Antigonish Nova Scotia.  For the first time in my drive the weather was crap.  It was foggy and cold with rain and wet snow off and on all the way.  I haven’t seen the sunshine now for four days and the energy meter is starting to drop.  Actually who am I kidding, the energy meter was on empty the second day of fog.  I am still not feeling well and I hope I haven’t brought anything nasty to Antigonish.  Joan Gilfoy has been so awesome to me.  She brought me some fresh squeezed orange juice this afternoon, which of course made me feel bad as she herself is slightly under the weather.  I guess it’s going around but I still can’t believe the hospitality I have received from one end of this country to the other. 

A quick note about Pepper...he is doing great!!!  Everywhere I go they offer to take him off my hands for me.  I like to think part of that is from me being such a great mom J He is loving all the attention and all the love.  He has met some friends of his own which I am sure I will have to write letters for him so he can keep in contact with them.  He actually has more of a bounce in his step now and he has been so great on the long drives.  We do stop about once every hour and half for a stretch...actually more the last two days as I discovered his new food is rancid and we are now peeing out our bum.  When I say we I mean Pepper lol but I have to go find some of his food in an animal hospital here so we can get back to just pooping.  I am really looking forward to that.

So that is it in a nut shell for the last 4 weeks of my life.  I have learnt a lot about what the rest of the country feels is needed to make this world a better place.  Which I will of course be sharing with everyone upon the completion of this tour.  Don’t want to start the great debate while I am still travelling.  Or maybe I will, we shall see.

So long for now from Antigonish pronounced...(ant-tic-nish) lol or at least I think that is how they pronounce it.

I hope to get some great shots tomorrow.  Fingers crossed it’s not raining.

I will leave you with some pointers and things I have picked up along the way.

1.       Never eat hummus which has been sitting in your ice free cooler for 7 hours under your seat where the heat as been at it for at least 5 of those hours.

2.       Sugar in your eye really hurts, especially when you are driving on a 4 lane highway in the middle of Ottawa and you can’t get over to the left or the right.  Don’t ask how I got sugar in my eye!

3.       Not all dishwashers are the same

4.       Not all coffee makers are the same

5.       Not everyone shares my sense of humour

6.       5000km from home in the middle of nowhere with no one else around you can still have a rock fall from the sky and put the first ever crack in your windshield. Hmmm anyone else think that’s a bit strange?

7.        Last but certainly not least ...When brushing your teeth in the dark always make sure you have the tube of toothpaste and not the polysporin...YUK!!

Here is to another great month of Travel, Kindness and Fun!!!!!!

OK, that is it for the looooooong posts.  Well for another four weeks anyway ;-)

CHEERS

Happy Anniversary Part 1

Happy Anniversary!!!

One month ago today I packed my car, kissed my cat “Lipps” on her little head and told her I would see her soon...(cried)  said goodbye to my friends...(cried again) hugged my mom in a Tim Horton’s parking lot...(and of course, cried  yet again)  got in my car, asked Pepper if he was ready to go then hit the road for Medicine Hat.  Note to self and anyone else ever planning an adventure such as this...Wait until you are no longer PMSing to leave.  It is hard enough on your system without all the hormones  lol

My first stop was Medicine Hat to pick up my friend and travel companion to Thunder Bay Ontario, Paula.  The trip was new and exciting and the weather could not have been any better.  We made it to Regina Saskatchewan for the first night and had to share the tv as there was a hockey game and Gray’s Anatomy on at the same time.  The flames didn’t even show up for that game so I wasn’t too worried about catching the third period.  No red blooded flames fan ever wants to watch them lose to the dreaded Edmonton Oilers ;-) 

After discovering a band aid (or something close to that) in the jar of 2004 homemade jam my grandma had given me, Paula and I decided to take a closer look at what exactly was in my little and when I little I mean giant care package.  The contents were a bit...well, I guess ( interesting) would be a good word choice for this one.  A package of gluten free pancake mix, a package of gluten free muffin mix, 16 jars of jam packaged no later than 2006 a cantaloupe so rotten it was talking back to us as we tried moving it out of the cooler, a small collection of men’s tube socks (size 10) and finally... The kicker, the be all end all of everything necessary in a travel pack for a trip across the country.....a turnip!!!   Love ya Grandma

Regina Saskatchewan was for the most part friendly and courteous.  We were not there long but you don’t have to spend a ton of time somewhere to get a general idea of how the people are.  The drivers would let you into traffic if you happen to make an accidental lane change, the service people were exceptional...well the ones I dealt with anyway.  The sky was blue and the air was warm so I was a happy camper all around.  I do however want to know what hotels pay for property tax and utilities.  I am so not convinced that one night in a hotel/motel at 100.00 or more is really a fair price for the weary traveller.  There really has to be a way those prices can be lowered.

From Regina we made our way to Portage La Prairie Manitoba.  Cute town, but like I said before...thou shall not have a sushi or any other kind of ethnic food craving;  Unless your version of ethnic food is charbroiled, dipped in grease and served to you by a guy wearing a paper hat.  There was an area there with a river running through it which was quite a site to see.  The mass quantities of Canadian Geese were actually quite breath taking.  I wish the lighting was a little better so I could have taken some photos of them.  Of course if they are anything like the geese in Calgary, they would have chased me down the street and taken chunks out of my jeans on the way.  Now that I think about it, it was probably a good thing the lighting was so bad.

Portage to Thunder Bay Ontario was a long drive.  When all was said and done we were probably driving for over 10 hours.  We were definitely ready for a break after that one.  The Kent family was amazing!!! And I do mean AMAZING!!!!  They are dealing with more health issues right now than any one should ever have to deal with in their entire lives and yet they are still so giving of themselves.  They treated me better than I could have ever even imagined.  Thanksgiving with Paula and her parents Cheryl and Dave was the best way one could have ever spent a holiday like that.  I truly felt like a kid again and that is something that comes about maybe once or twice in an adult’s lifetime.  I am so grateful for that and I will cherish it always.  Paula’s grandmother, Gramma Cora Oitzl is a story within a story.  She is such a vibrant and crazy woman with more energy than I would know what do with.  I felt a connection with her immediately and the stories she would tell of her past had us all in stitches and encouraging her to tell more.  I will miss them all very much as I continue on this venture but I will hold them in my heart and my thoughts as I move on. 

After leaving Thunder Bay I traveled to a little town called Wawa Ontario.  If you think it sounds funny when you say it you should hear it come from Betty Lou LOL  the town was full of charter busses from Florida and unfortunately the only place for me to stay was a tiny little run down motel on the outskirts.  Now, I am not what anyone would consider a snob or someone who expects the very best or nothing at all.  However, I am someone who is not a fan of sleeping with about 14 wood tics crawling all over my pillow and sheets.  Yes that’s right you read me correctly....wood tics walking all over me, my pillow and my bed.  I for one feel that $70.00 a night should in fact get you an infestation free room but maybe things are done a little differently in the east lol I did get moved up to a new room but I was still so grossed out that I stripped all the sheets off of the new bed, laid in the middle of the mattress fully clothed and tucked my arms inside my t-shirt for warmth.  I would have had a shower but the tub was brown and not from paint; and the traditionally white towels were equally as discoloured.  Not sure yet, but I don’t think I will be staying there again.

From Wawa to Sault Ste Marie Ontario .... Yes, Ontario is huge.  I spent the day stopping at various lookout points and taking some amazing shots of the beaches and scenery along the way.  I highly recommend travelling through Ottawa in the fall for two reasons.  One, the colors are incredible the views are spectacular and if you do it during the week there is absolutely no one on the road.  Ok, that was three but it makes it even better.   Sault Ste Marie was nice.  Well my hotel room was nice.  I learnt a few things in the short amount of time I was there.  One, gas stations charge for air...hmmm who knew that was something that was even legal?  Two, Murphy’s Law is alive and well.  When one needs to wash the bug carnage from Saskatchewan off of their car; all car washes in the cities where they stop shall either be under construction, inaccessible due to road construction or just simply closed for no reason at all.  And finally, old men don’t like young women asking them if they would like some help raking up the leaves on their lawn.  He looked at me as though I was asking him to hand over his penis.  I guess some people will forever be stuck in the good ol days where women are barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen and not out raking up leaves for really... really old men. 

To be continued...

"Have you noticed how few people really live their lives?  They just seem to go through the motions, always waiting for next week or next month to give them a sense of relief.  It's a trap far too easy to fall into.  So right this very second, take a deep breath...and stop what you're doing and start living.  Let go of the chaos and choose to fully embrace every minute of your life.  Proclaim today as your day and this very instant as your moment for the taking.  This day will never come again.  Next week will still come, deadlines will fly by, and appointments will come and go, but by tomorrow....today will be gone forever.  so take a deep breath, let go, and LIVE." by Suzy Toronto

The Little Things

The Little Things

I have discovered so much about people on this venture.  I have realized that the issues in the west are also the issues in the east.  I have heard the same things over and over from Edmonton Alberta to Edmunston, New Brunswik.  We have all come to rely on the little things that make us happy and bring us joy.  Evening walks down a garden path, coffee or tea in a cafe with good friends, watching the sun set behind the mountains or simply reading a book by a fire.  All these things and more can bring us such fulfilment and pleasure.  They can take an otherwise dreary day and turn it into something amazing and even memorable.  The unfortunate thing about all the little things; is they never quite seem to add up enough to wash out the big things.   

This blog is about finding kindness.  It is also about understanding that kindness is not earned, nor is it purchased.  Being kind to someone does not automatically mean that they will be so kind as to return the favour.  There is no certainty with that.  However, more often than not if kindness is shown it is returned; in one way or another.

My patients have been tested ....A LOT...so far J  The biggest test for me came yesterday as I was driving through Montreal and Quebec.  Anyone who knows me will already know that my biggest pet peeves are rudeness, tailgating and bad driving all together.  Well...every fibre of my being was ready to explode with anger yesterday.  I have never witnessed anything like that before in my life.  I will not go into details but I will tell you that I am not perfect and I am not someone who will just sit back and let others think that being rude is ok. Like I said before, this is a kindness tour; not a bend over and take it tour.  I can honestly say I will never return to either of those places if that is how they drive all the time.  It wasn’t even the driving part of it that made my anger boil over it was the sheer fact that they were rude, they cut others off they expected everyone else to conform to what they were doing.  They were otherwise oblivious to anyone else on the road.  I was more angered at that, as it seemed to be culturally acceptable to be rude and self centered and to ultimately put others in harm’s way. 

I am sure I will have a backlash from the French Canadians on this one but let me assure you this post has nothing to do with the French / English division. It is simply an observation about a huge difference in what I personally feel to be acceptable driving for not only our own personal safety but for the safety of others as well.

Ok, I feel better now. 

I would like to thank my Auntie Margo and Uncle Randy for their wonderful hospitality.  I ended up sleeping the entire time I was there as I had come down with some kind of cold or flu.  I did manage to have a couple meals with them and a tour of the city with my Aunt the day before I left.  It was so great to reconnect with them and I look forward to coming back out east and spending some quality time with their family.  I didn’t get a chance to go shopping with Faith but I am sure when I return for a visit we will be able to get some of that in.  I would also like to thank my official tour guide, Peter.  He was a great help and I hope to have more adventures with him when I return to Ottawa.

To close out this post I would like to add another friendly reminder.  I want to thank everyone for your comments on my posts.  They are great and I love reading.  I may not get a chance to respond to all of them but I do get them and I look forward to reading many more.  For the anonymous comments from the anonymous commenter...I would like to reiterate that I am not a writer.  I do not have an editor nor am I doing this to have it critiqued.  I am aware that I may have some errors in spelling, punctuation and grammar.  If you are enjoying my posts please continue to do so.  If you are simply reading them to point out my errors than I will politely ask you to find another blog and practice your editorial skill on there.

Talk to you all soon

M

Ottawa Day 1

Stay tuned for my adventures in parliament.  For some reason they didn't seem to want to do a cavity search at security.  I asked, but they really didn't seem to share my sense of humour.  For those of you who have never been to Ottawa, the public transit announcement goes a little something like this....(ding dong) that is the sound the announcer makes before announcing the name of the stop...(ding dong)..."The Banks Street Station"...(ding dong) ..."Le Banks Street Station."  Phew...so glad they cleared that up in french...I would have had no idea where I was going.  Ottawa is a beautiful city with fabulous bike paths, tons of green space and phenomenally designed buildings.  I was given a tour today of the city and i found it quite refreshing.  No sky scrapers.  It's a big city life with a small city feel.  I was shown the parliament buildings and the homes of the Governor general and the prime minister.  No I did not throw eggs.  Along the way we passed a school within the "elite" neighbourhood.  This was the school where all the children of diplomats and heads of government would attend.  The word again...Elite.  News flash...You are only elite in this lifetime.  Don't let that go to your head.  you are just people who happen to have more money than most.  This does not make you better, nor does it entitle you to walk all over the people that don't really give a crap about your status in this world.  You earn your respect and you will keep it by standing by your word.  The race to the top, still ends with every single one of us taking our last breath.  Make the breaths you do still have; worth something and use your status to help make this world a better place. 

Ok, that was my rant for the day.  Ottawa is still beautiful especially this time of year with all the different colors and the fresh clean air.  It was a little chilly for my liking but hey, I can't have perfection all the time.

Goodbye Gravenhurst hello Ottawa

I made it through four days in Gravenhurst Ontario...What a hardship ;-) I don’t know why anyone would want to wake up to a sunrise over a calm lake with a light mist hovering just above the water.  It really makes your skin crawl :-)  The Picard family was amazing.  Special thanks to Jamie and Jeff, I really hope you get to sleep in one day. Hannah and Nathan, two of the sweetest kids you will ever meet and to Marilyn and Alan, I love your energy and enthusiasm.  Thank you so much Jamie and Merilyn for the day long tour of your part of the world.  I had a blast, you guys are awesome and do hope to see you all in Florida J

Once again I was welcomed into a home and treated as one of the family.  I was amazed at the treatment I received, the welcome I was given and the gluten free food which had been purchased for me before I had even arrived.  I am so grateful for everything about this trip thus far.  I am in search of kindness but I have managed to discover so much more.  The personal escorts around the towns have been phenomenal.  I have developed a new appreciation for the world around me and I can’t wait to experience the rest of the country.  Gravenhurst is a beautiful area and the little sections and towns around it are equally as interesting.  The shops are cute and the roads are clean and personal.  It is not a commercial town that gouges your pocket book...Well, except for one store which happened to be selling a wooden bowl for an astronomical price of..........You will never guess.......$18,000 and no, that is not a misprint.  I said “BOWL” and I said “Eighteen Thousand Dollars.” Believe it or not, there was a bigger bowl right next to that one that didn’t even have a price on it, so we could only assume that bowl was probably worth more LOL  Wow, the really sad part was we could only really see this bowl being useful for one thing and one thing only...”Nacho’s anyone”

Ok, now onto some other things.  Betty Lou and I had a wee bit of a disagreement yesterday. ( Betty Lou is my GPS) I wanted to go through Algonquin Park and get some great photos of that area, but I guess Betty Lou had other ideas.  She tends to be a little on the impatient side and wants to get where she is going as soon as she possibly can.  I am not complaining I just wish she would have told me she was in that much of a hurry.  I started out in Gravenhurst Ontario at 10:50am and was knocking on my Auntie Margo’s door in Kanata Ontario by 3:00pm bypassing Algonquin Park all together.  I figured I had missed an important intersection when I saw the sign for Ottawa and it only had 45 Kilometres remaining.  I did have a few things to say to Betty Lou but since I was already in Ottawa there was not much I could do about it.  Note to self...return to Algonquin Park at some point in my life and take some photos.

I am now in Kanata Ontario with my Auntie Margo.  The woman I was named after.  Big shocker there I’m sure lol  She and her husband Randy have taken me in and shown me a wonderful time so far.  I have had a chance to get to know their children a little better as well. They were all so young the last time I saw them and I am so thrilled to have a chance to see them all again as adults.  Cameron, Peter and Faith were all at dinner last night.  Robbie is in Germany so won’t get a chance to see him this time.  Peter took me on a tour of the Museum of Nature here in Ottawa today and we are going to hit the parliament buildings tomorrow.  Yes, that is correct...Margo is going to the parliament buildings.  lol  After that I will be having dinner with my auntie Margo and Faith.  However, first we have to shop for a winter jacket. Then we will have dinner.  Yes, I also just say I was going shopping J  I have been informed that the big thing to do in Ottawa right now is Swing Dance...I love Swing.  Unfortunately I don’t think I will be getting out to try it.  Well, this time anyway. 

I am off to Montreal on Saturday, it is calling for snow but I really hope that is not the case.  I am sooo not ready for snow.  I will be cutting my time down there and making a dash for the coast.  The weather seems to be coming in faster than they had anticipated and the best thing to do right now will be to get to Nova Scotia and start heading south as soon as possible.  However, from the sounds of it, I may be staying in Nova Scotia for the winter.  If they are as friendly as I am told I don’t see any reason to move on J  Just kidding mom!

Please take care and I shall chat with you all soon

M

Serious note

In the animal kingdom, a mother will not hesitate to put herself in harm’s way to protect her offspring.  This innate responsibility towards her young is not only an amazing attribute but something we as the more advanced, civilized and intellectual species (yeah right) could and should use as a standard for how we react and protect our children.  I don’t necessarily mean in the physical sense either.  I heard a story today about some Children in an elementary school who were sent home with a couple of small stories they were to read with their parents.  The parents were to fill out a piece of paper which informed the teacher about the story time between the parent and the child.  All the parent had to fill out was whether or not the child had read the story, if the child needed help reading the story and how long it took to go through them.  On average it should have taken about ten to fifteen minutes.  On more than one occasion the teacher received a piece of paper from a parent which had written on it two simple words...”NO TIME”

I am not a mother nor am I a caregiver to a child, but I do know one thing and it is not that difficult a concept to grasp.  If you don’t have ten or fifteen minutes a day to read to your child, do you really have time to do anything else with them.  Why are you a parent?  Why did you make the choice to have children or make the choice to keep a child when it was probably blatantly obvious that it would be in the best interest of the child to be put up for adoption.  We all have choices in this matter and unfortunately more and more, the children are being left out of the equation. 

You are probably wondering why I am talking about this when I am supposed to be focused on writing about kindness.  Well here it is.  I am a firm believer that education is the key.  I don’t necessarily mean algebra or social studies.  What I do mean is education about life and how to be respectful and kind to others and to learn how to value someone else’s opinion even if you don’t agree.  But most importantly, learn how to understand that diversity is nothing to fear and hurting someone else just because they are not the same as you will no longer be tolerated by society.  Those of you who do spend time with your children will know exactly what I am talking about.  Those of you who don’t will probably have an issue following along.  If we don’t take the time to show our children that we care and that we are there for them and that we ourselves are responsible and want what is best for them, how can they ever grow up to do the same for someone else.  If we don’t show that we love our children enough to take ten minutes out of our day to read to them, how are they ever going to feel strong enough to not only love someone else but to themselves as well?  Children do what they see and say what they hear.  Surprise!!!  Some children are strong enough to know the difference between right and wrong and the ways of the world at an early age.  However, most are at the mercy of the people in their surroundings.  So here is the tricky part; bulling, disrespect for others, acting out, becoming violent, racism, hatred ... and many many more, are all issues that can be dealt with by showing a little compassion a lot of love and a handful of education thrown in for good measure.  I am not saying that is the “end all” of our problems, but it has to start somewhere and since oue future is our children...Why not start there?

Goodbye ThunderBay, Hello Gravenhurst

Thunder Bay/Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving

 10/10/10 Not sure if anyone noticed, but it was brought to my attention on Friday that at 10:10am on Sunday the tenth of October it would be tens across the board.  Paula and I managed to miss it in all the times zones but I still thought it was pretty cool and wanted to mention it.  Guess now we have to wait for November 11 of next year.

I wanted to send out a very special Happy Thanksgiving to all my friends and family back home.  I know some of you were worried that I wouldn’t be in a place to enjoy a proper Thanksgiving meal and have the company of friends and loved ones to share it with.  Well let me just say, that was sooo not the case.  I in fact did get to share my Thanksgiving with a wonderful group of people.  Paula and her family have opened their hearts and their home and have asked nothing of me in return.  I was treated to one of the best meals I have had in a loooong time and to top it all off, there was cheesecake and to make that even better, it was all gluten free!!!  I am truly tempted to just stay here and live happily ever after in the land of gluten free on the shores of Thunder Bay Ontario...However, I am sure the lure of fresh sea food from Nova Scotia will have enough pull to get me back in my car J

Thanksgiving for me was great in so many ways. There was no ten hour drive.  I met some of the most wonderful people in Thunder Bay who welcomed me with open arms and treated me like one of the family. The weather has been better than anyone could have ever asked for. I had a personal escort around Thunder Bay as well as a brief but educational history of the town, And I got to meet an amazing woman with more vim and vigour than I have or will ever have, and she is 84 years old.  Her story about being the first “Car Hop” in Canada is one everyone needs to hear.  Of course it is best told in her own words, but if I can’t get to see her again and catch her story on film, I will gladly share it with you myself.  The typical family banter around the dinner table gave me a calm relaxed feeling and I felt right at home listening to it.  Patio door window sizes, spray painting metal doors, grandmothers standing in the middle of the yard with a housecoat and no teeth, skinning moose hide and proper freezing techniques...ok maybe that one isn’t one I was particularly fond of but the rest were great entertainment.  I would have to say though, that one of my favourite moments of the Thanksgiving meal was sitting down with the family at about 6:00pm on Sunday even for their big turky dinner, then having the same group of people back the next day at 1:30pm for lunch, doing the dishes mulching the lawn than sitting back down for yet another family dinner at 3:30pm I do believe there was record set for time and distance on the number of meals served in a 24 hour period.  To be fare, there was a miscommunication on the meal times verses arrival times of family members...But hey, who am I to complain.  I don’t think I have ever had access to that much food LOL

All in all I have had a great time so far.  I don’t remember having so much fun mowing or raking a lawn and I can’t tell you enough how warm and welcoming everyone has been here in Thunder Bay.  I don’t recommend hitting the Future Shop for any cellular phone advice but I do recommend a visit to the bluffs ;-)

My next stops on this adventure will be either Wawa or Sault Ste. Marie Ontario then onto Gravenhurst Ontario and from there, Ottawa.  My final destination in Canada will be Antigonish Nova Scotia and right now my stopping points between the two are still in the works.  I do have possibilities in Montreal, but from there to Antigonish I will be looking for some friends and or family of some friends and or family J

I have had so many great experiences thus far and the conversations I have had with many different people have started some great debates in my own head and have given me some ideas on what to talk about in my future posts.  It is a difficult challenge trying to figure out if the best way to make this world a better place is to find out what makes people angry, or discover what truly makes them happy.  The great debate is on, and I look forward to examining each and every angle or possibility.  I honestly feel that the answer to this crazy riddle has been under our noses the entire time.  We are just afraid to see it because we know it means making some tough decisions and possibility putting certain groups or people in their place.  Equality is not equality until we are all treated equally. 

Until next time
Please take care and buy the person behind you in the coffee shop a cup of coffee, it will go further than you know!

Margo

Video Snipit

Here is just a few of the fun moments from the past 24 hours hope you enjoy!!

On a side note for this trip...Anyone hoping to enjoy the rest of the country from BC and Alberta East...Get yourself a Rogers cell phone!!  Do not believe telus when they tell you about the National and International Roaming bundles.  You will have no service east of Saskatchewan.  I will keep you posted as to where my service picks up again but as for now I have only had sporadic reception in Saskatchewan and Manitoba and no reception what so ever in Ontario.  Not safe, and I am not impressed with telus for convincing me that they were the way to go for a trip such as this.  They took a profit over my safety and I will see to it that something like this does not happen to anyone else.

Chat with all of you soon

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!!!

Day 1

October 8, 2010 9:30am Regina Saskatchewan

12 degrees and rising to 23 with blue sky and sunshine!

Happiness may just be in the mattress J ok, let me explain.  I slept on the perfect mattress last night.  Well, perfect for me.  I woke up feeling refreshed and ready to go.  Probably didn’t hurt that the sun was shining and the weather was warm.  I have yet to really talk to the locals but I can say that so far I am impressed with the people I have already met.  They are slightly obsessed with their football team but other than that seem happy with the way things are in their city and province.

The highway between Regina Saskatchewan and Portage La Prairie Manitoba can be a little ...well...“tedious” to say the least.  It is long and flat and in the month of October, extremely dry and brown.  The only road game one can play on that Highway is “Name that Road Kill!!!” I was shocked and quite frankly disgusted with the number of dead animals on the side of the road.  I am not kidding when I say there was at least one per every mile traveled.  For someone like me, that is just not acceptable.

Once in Portage La Prairie the decision was made that driving another half hour to Winnipeg was just not worth it; so in Portage we stay.  After a few trips between Co-op and Sobey’s the decision for dinner was finally made.  If you ever have a great craving for sushi...Manitoba is not the place for you lol  Well Portage La Prairie anyway.  Seven dollar frozen gluten free dinners are not worth the time or the money, but they do fill the void for a little while.   

All in all, day one has been an adventure in itself. 

On an off note...Have you ever had that déjà vu feeling or just had things happen that make you shake your head and wonder if it really is just a coincidence?  I had a number of those moments today and not just at random times but in succession.  The room number where I am staying is 24...24 being my favourite number and my hockey number.  I had a song pop into my head for no reason what so ever at 6:00pm only to hear it at 7:00pm and this wasn’t a song that is played on the radio...ever!  The timing of leaving on this trip has worked out for more than just me and has allowed me to have some company with me from Medicine Hat Alberta to Thunder Bay Ontario.  So many things seem to be falling into place and I am truly excited to see what happens next.

To those of you reading this post, I would like to say thank you.  The adventure has begun and I am ready to experience what it is I am going to experience.  With my new GPS “Betty Lou” my cell phone “Sly” my car “Stuie” my side kick “Pepper” and my navigator to Thunder Bay “Paula” I am ready for whatever this trip has to throw at me.  Good or bad, this will be an experience that I know I would not change for the world.

I shall see you all when I see you and please stay tuned for the start of my video blogs

Chow for now

Margo

PATIENTS

Patients in waiting, is one thing.  Yet patients for people with different ideals than you, is something completely different.  In the past I have been told that I am an extremely patient individual.  However, over the last little while I am not entirely convinced that I am.

From the frustration of wanting to start this venture but having to wait for everything to be organized, to the sudden realization that one of the most difficult tasks for me on this tour will in fact be, my ability to not only listen and understand the opinions of others, but learn to accept them as well.  Regardless of how I feel about certain situations I must learn to respect the fact that when I am in someone else’s home, I need to adapt to their routines and styles of living.  I need to learn to be patient with those who have the ability to push my buttons and take me to the ends of my rope and strike the cords of my deepest most frustrating pet peeves.  We all have them and we all have the ability to talk ourselves through them.  However, catch us on the right...or should I say “wrong” day and there is really nothing we can do about. 

I was hoping to have already started my adventure by the first of October.  So many things have to be organized before I can actually leave.  Sell my belongings, exchange money into U.S funds, move, make sure I see everyone who wants to see me before I go, Pick up, drop off...I am sure the most stressful part of this trip will be all the organization.  I have been patient up until now and I am starting to get a little antsy.  I can keep telling myself that it is better to wait and have everything in place before I start.  Either that or start a trip like this in total chaos.  So with logical thinking, I can talk my way through the patients of waiting.

Patients for others however...Now that is a slippery slope.  We all know what we want, and on some level we all know how to get it.  That is the easy part.  The tricky part is getting through all the emotional obstacles and different opinions from others on what “you want” and what “you need” to do to get it.  Everyone else has an opinion and most of the time will be all too happy to share it.  Sometimes this can make things more difficult.  There is no right or wrong opinion, just different.  Stay true to yourself and stand firm in what you believe, but always remember to listen and respect the opinions of others. That will be how I will remind myself to stay patient with others.  Juuuust don't get me started on my road rage LOL

On a travel note, I will be heading out and officially kicking this thing off by the end of this week.  October 10^th will be the latest that I would be leaving.  Thank you all for your patients (tee hee) and thank you to Michael, Lyndsy and Miranda Zugelder for putting me up while I wait to start this endeavour.  My first stop will be Regina Saskatchewan then onto Winnipeg Manitoba and onto Thunder Bay Ontario.  My new rout will probably be taking me all the way to Nova Scotia as I have had an incredible invite and just wouldn’t feel right if I didn’t at least try to get there. So, if you or anyone you know have some good people between Thunder Bay and Nova Scotia feel free to drop me a line.   Other than that...I shall see ya on the road J