Just before we start with the blog we’ll fill you in on what we have been up to in 2015. It has been a busy year.

Moira turned 65 and John and Shannon arranged a great birthday party at our house in Cherry Valley. The Reasons played and we had five drummers in the house. There was lots of music and fun. Great friends arrived from Toronto and stayed in various places for the weekend.

John was back teaching at OCADU from January until April. We house sit for a few months again in Toronto and are reunited with QCYC friends. When we left the house on Clifton we needed accommodation for a week and were guests of Jim Thorneycroft and Martha. It was fantastic.

While we were in the house in Toronto I arranged a trip with Elaine Rae and went and stayed with her in Portugal for two weeks. The visit the food the car rental all turned out great. Portugal is a place that we will have to visit again; I just have to convince John to get off the boat.

When John finished teaching we headed for Florida to pick up his Mom and bring her up to Canada for the summer to avoid the Florida heat. Helen will be staying at Shannon’s and has visited her sister Mary in Orillia while we are away.

After we got Helen settled we needed to go and see Kristen Darian and Jack in BC.

We made arrangements to fly out May 22nd to Victoria and were guests of Trish and Bob Nichol who recently moved there from Picton Ontario. Great visit, they are fantastic hosts. Trish made us her famous pate and to top it off, my favorite butter tarts. They are really enjoying their new lifestyle and the beauty of Victoria.

They drop us off at the Ferry in Schwartz Bay to travel to Fulford Harbour at Salt Spring Island. We are visiting with Kim and Trevor Bishop our friends from Moncton who just recently moved there. Their new house is in a great location, with separate quarters for us overlooking the ocean.

We met up with John’s aunt Ina and John Kern for lunch and they are in great health and very happy to be in touch with John.

Trevor just bought a new boat but it was still on the hard when we were there so we will have to return for a sail.

We get in the car with Kim and Trevor and are off to Vancouver to see a JJ Grey and Mofro concert where we meet up with Daniel from Rossland one of Kristen’s best friends and her Mom and Dad. Just fantastic.

On May 28th we are off to Rossland BC via Castlegar. Great to see the kids. Jack doesn’t miss a beat. Quote, “Grandma you have to walk me to school every day and pick me up”. Okay a done deal. Darian is driving and working so all is good. John helped Kristen with repairs on the house and bought her a chain saw. The forest was taking over so now she can cut the bush back. Scary tool.

Upon our arrival Kristen has managed to get her band together at the Legion so Dad can play drums with her guys. Jim and Collin are pleased to see John and we arrange a golf game. Golfing in Rossland is a real treat as there is so many critters running around and you have to watch out for bear droppings. Daniel and her Dad join us it was a great day.

We stay in Rossland until June 08,2015 and then head home to Picton via Vancouver. This stop allows us the time to track down and get together with a child hood friend of Johns, Robin Metcalf. Robin is the fourth member of the Orillia gang John grew up with. Through public school and into the first couple of years of high school, Mick, Charlie, John and Robin were inseparable spending every day scouring Scouts Valley, building forts and playing war games. You never loose the bond you have with childhood friends and catching up and recalling events is something I am grateful I was able to do.

June 08,2015

Fly home to Toronto and then drive to Picton. Time to close up the house as we are renting it out again for the summer and heading back to the boat.

We spend a lot of time with Allister and Owen. Allister is doing great at skateboarding and comes in third in his division at a competition. Owen gets a first in track and field. We are very proud of all the kids.

My Mom Margaret wasn’t dong too well with an infected gall bladder. She had to have a drain put into a cyst that grew. She is still not completely cured and Marilyn
is trying to get the next phase of her care set up to remove the drain. It’s really hard to get answers but if anyone can, it would be Marilyn. She is the number one caregiver for Mom. We think about her every day.

We pack up the car, get Helen settled in at Shannon’s and say our goodbyes and we are off to Rockland Maine.