Us; Safe in Canada – Moorahme; OK but Scary Weather

It has been a crazy year for weather.

Our hearts are breaking for the beautiful people in the Caribbean islands that we have come to love. They have suffered not one but two cat 5 hurricanes within weeks of each other. It sounds like our friends are safe and making the best of a bad situation. They say, the lessons they learned conserving water and energy on a boat has helped. But living without clean water and electricity is really tough.

We are relieved to report that Moorahme seems to have come through Irma and Maria OK. We haven’t seen her ourselves and will feel better when we do. But our friends in Antigua say she looks fine!

We were glued to the tv and computers as Irma came within 40 miles north of where Moorahme is up on dry land in English Harbour.  Then again two weeks later as Maria cut a swath of distraction 80 miles to the south. Randy did his homework and chose the place we felt would keep her safest. After all,  Admiral Nelson kept the British Fleet there for most of the 18th century.

Windsor had its share of bad weather too. Many areas were flooded, including Courtney’s street.

Flooding in Windsr

Off to the north east for our next trip.

Randy’s cousin Irene and her love Brian invited us to their wedding in Campbellford. There were a whole lot of Lawson’s in one place!

Randy & Cousin Irene at her wedding

With cousins Brenda & Al

& second cousin Ariel

My son lives in Canada’s capital city, Ottawa. The area has tons of museums as well as green space with hiking and biking trails!

Westley Clover Park is a lovely campground just 15 minutes from downtown Ottawa. It’s nicely treed and has great hiking trails nearby.

Maman- Ottawa Art

Passing by the parliament buildings

At Mckenzie Kings Estate in Gatineau

A walking stick bug

Pretty veggies at the Byward Market

The canal system also has a great walkway along its banks.

The Rideau Canal

On our way home from Ottawa, we stopped in Belleville at Birdy’s Restaurant. Our friend Tina owns and runs it. The menu had so many good things on it we both had trouble deciding. Tina sat to visit and had lunch with us. She made some recommendations that helped narrow it down but we definitely want to go back next year and try more. If you’re anywhere near Belleville Ontario, make it a destination. Belleville is very pretty and Birdy’s is delish!

Jig – some more

Crossing the Mackinaw Bridge in a car is a little scary (it was also freaky on the motorcycle) but crossing it in a 38 foot motor coach is an experience . Randy says his knuckles were white all the way across!

Catching up with Jim and Rhonda was great. They toured us around their section of Michigan. We ate fresh black cherries – spectacular! Had ice cream in Ludington – Mmmm!

Ice cream in Ludington

And generally had so much fun I forgot to take pictures!

Back to Ontario – yup, cross that big ol’  bridge again. We visited with friends from New Mexico  who have a beautiful island on Lake Lauzon. It was a bittersweet reunion as Army , the family patriarch and all round charming man, passed away this year. But we shared lots of good stories and great food.

Sunset on Lake Lauzon

 

Back in Windsor, we decided that not having a vehicle was inconvenient, so we bought an old Jeep TJ. She bounces like a rabbit on even the slightest bumps! she’s fun!

TJ Toad!

It has been a crazy year for weather. We spent a lot of time watching the weather and the hurricanes. Off to the north east for our next trip. Randy’s cousin Irene and her love Brian invited us to their wedding in Campbellford.  There were a whole lot of Lawson’s in one place! My son lives in Canada’s capital city, Ottawa. The area has tons of museums and lots and lots of green space with hiking and biking trails! Westley Clover Park is a lovely campground just 15 minutes from downtown Ottawa. It’s nicely treed and has great hiking trails nearby. The canal system also has a great walkway along its banks. On our way home from Ottawa, we stopped in Belleville at Birdy’s Restaurant. Our friend Tina owns and runs it. The menu had so many good things on it we both had trouble deciding. Tina sat to visit and had lunch with us. She made some recommendations that helped narrow it down but we definitely want to go back next year and try more. If you’re anywhere near Belleville Ontario, make it a destination. Belleville is very pretty and Birdy’s is delish!

Jiggity Jig – first verse

Home again home again!

We got Moorahme put away and hopped on an airplane back to Ontario.

South

After short visits to St Thomas and Windsor and much searching on the internet  for a Motor Coach, we drove to Kapuskasing to see one that looked good in pictures. It looked great in reality! We liked it and it passed safety checks etc. We stayed the weekend with Ron and Claire, the (former) owners, while we sorted out the paper work. Then drove her back to Southern Ontario. Or rather Randy drove the coach and I followed in the rental car.

Our Summer Home

One of our sailing friends called it Motorme-  we’re gonna go with that!

Camping for a few weeks at Willowwood Campground ( the old Jellystone Park) was fun. And we were able to visit with some friends and family.

North

Elliot Lake was having its 60th anniversary and the high school reunion. So we headed north. Our friends, Jeff and Shelly (or, as we like to call them,  Sheff and Jelly) organized campsites for us  at the municipal campground. The campground is close enough to town that lots of friends and family came to visit. A few of the people from Randy’s graduating class got together Friday evening. They are such a friendly group they made me feel so welcome!

Class of 75

Saturday there was a breakfast at the high school. Everyone who preregistered got a name tag with their grade ten picture on it. I wondered why everyone recognized Randy right away until I saw his photo.

Oh My God, It’s Randy Lawson!

 

In the afternoon noon ther was a parade, then music and dancing at Collins Hall. Lots of people that Randy worked with were here. They were not always so quick to recognize him. ( He must have cut his hair by then, hehe).

We also had a chance to visit with Randy’s sisters which is always nice.

Then it was on to Blind River. We spent the first night as invited guests parked in the parking lot of The Riverside Tavern. Tuesday night is always a get together of local musicians – so much fun! Then a few nights at Shae’s house parked in the driveway and getting in some good visiting.

Next, on to Robert and Nancy’s beautiful log home just outside Blind River.

Parked at our friends house.

The second weekend in July Blind River Community Days takes place. There’s a beer tent, rides, cotton candy (yay) and music.

This year as part of the Canada’s 150 th Birthday, Glass Tiger played in the park. Randy’s nephew Kris, his lovely wife Chantel and their adorable little boys joined us at the concert. It was a tad chilly but the boys kept us amused.

These cuties, our great nephews Kayden and Colten, at Glass Tiger concert.

Bill and Lynne live in Algoma Mills and invited us to camp by the lake at their house for a few days. They had another visitor just after dinner one evening. A male fox stops by on occasion for a hotdog or two.

Randy turned 61 while we were there. He doesn’t like a fuss about his birthday and he wanted to BBQ his amazing steaks for his b’day. So he cooked a delicious birthday dinner for all of us! Ya gotta love a man who loves to cooks!