The Snow in Oakville

Marilyn Denis and CityLine

Marilyn Denis
Originally uploaded by Caro1yne

On November 13, Carolyne and a few friends went into Toronto to attend a live presentation of CityLine. Hope you watched. We were on TV quite a bit!!

Zoom-Room

Zoom-Room - Better than a murphy bed. Custom Murphy Bed, Wall Bed or Guest room bed.

This has nothing to do with anything other than it is the slickest think I have seen in a long time!!

I want one.

From Monterey to Toronto

We had to leave Monterey on the 30th in order to be home for the kids on Halloween and were at the Monterey airport when that earthquake hit. We thought nothing of it since it seemed minor. We were called to board the plane and when we got to the stairs to board, they turned us back. All flights were grounded due to the earthquake.

We only had 1 hour in San Francisco to change planes, but that should have been enough. The plane finally left Monterey Airport and we arrived in San Francisco at 10:05 pm. The Toronto flight was scheduled to leave at 10:15 pm.

Don't know if you have been in the San Francisco airport, but from the ground we could see our Air Canada flight a short distance across the tarmac. Inside the terminal, however, it was a 10 mile run :) And run we did.
We get to the gate and are the last ones in line. The friendly staff greeted us with "Hurry up, Hurry up". Very annoying. Like the delay was our fault. Like we caused the earthquake.

Got to Toronto and because of the short time in San Francisco the luggage did not get on our plane. We filled out the claim forms and left. On the way out the custom agent with the strangest glasses I have ever seen (Halloween??) wanted to know what we had purchased that was in our lost bags. I could not think I was so tired and started to slowly rhyme off.. t shirts... sweat shirts... a bowl... She interrupts me and asks me to hurry up because I am holding up the line. I look behind us and there is no one.. ZERO.. nada.. behind us. I was tired, but she was just coming on... What's up with that??

Finally made it home. At about 4 pm yesterday Air Canada phoned to tell us they found 2 of the 3 bags. One of which is the one with all my conference notes, gifts, power cord for laptop, VPN card, shoes, etc. The missing one has much less value things -- socks, underwear, old t shirts, pajamas, etc.

Today at noon the missing luggage (all three pieces) was delivered safe and sound to the house!

Carolyne and Albert leave home without the children

On my (Carolyne) way to Internet Librarian 2007 in Monterey CA I stopped into Portland (Wilsonville actually) to visit the Xerox staff there. I did a little library marketing, taught a little RSS, met with many interesting people, and drummed up more business for the library.

Then to Powell's book. WOW. Multiple locations all with thousands and thousands of books. WOW

Then on the road. We are driving to Monterey from Portland. The end of day one finds us in Coos Bay. The views, the vistas and the scenery are spectacular. And it is sunny.

Edmonton At Thanksgiving

The weather was not too cold nor was it the 30 degrees that Oakville was. Visited West Edmonton Mall, and other shopping areas to take advantage of the lack of provincial sales tax. Found that eating out was much more expensive than at home. Guess having to pay over $12/hr for entry level service jobs affects the final cost. Construction everywhere. Help wanted signs everywhere.

Thanksgiving Weekend

We're spending Thanksgiving in Edmonton. We don't have to worry about the dog because he goes back to Dog Guides on Friday, for further training. He may visit us over the Christmas holidays. We leave for Edmonton on Friday and return on Wednesday. The kids will miss two days of school. They're happy about that! We're staying at the Holiday Inn downtown this time. It will be a new hotel for us.

The long range forecast for the weather in Edmonton is looking good. Highs in the days of 8 to10 and lows at night of -2 to 2, partially sunny, with no snow in the forecast.

A quick visit to Waterloo

to go here:



This is "Timeless Materials". Very interesting place with architectural antiques, etc. Beautiful oak staircases, mouldings, floor boards, barn boards, windows, doors, etc. The smell was wonderful -- old wood and "barn"!

The great backyard cleanup

Before:


After:




Before:


After:



Before:



After:




Before:




After:

Dear Honda

Do you really think I would be willing to pay $160 for a spare key for the van?

Unless someone lost their very last key, why would they pay $160 for a key?

signed,
A dissatisfied Honda Odyssey owner.

Sudbury - Day 3 - the road home

Sturgeon Falls


Lunch overlooking lake nipissing




Nipissing



Burk's Falls

Sudbury - Day 2

Science North






Dynamic Earth




Our Hotel (the second night)


And where we had dinner.

Sudbury - Day 1

Get up early.
Drop dog at Dog Guides.
Drive
Drive
Stop in Barrie at service centre for picnic lunch.



Drive
Drive
Drive
Stop at French River.


Drive
Drive
Get to Sudbury
Drive Drive Drive looking for hotel. Finally give up and phone them.
Drive
Dinner
Swim
Sleep

Cherries and the Niagara Penninsula

Cherries Cherries Cherries
We forgot to take photos of the actual trees we picked from, but they were hanging like grapes. Not like this poor tree at a winery we stopped at later



This is what we picked. $20.


And closer. The colour is a little off here. They were dark red.



Here is the view of Toronto from the other side of the lake (well from around the corner of the lake anyway). -- Rising from the water.

Canada Day on Kerr Street

Dog Guides asked us to be at a "booth" for them on Canada Day for the celebration by the business association. We agreed.

Here is what we found when we got there.



The case opened out to this.



No chairs. No shade. No brochures. No information. No instructions. Not doing it again.



These dancers were very good!!



This band was Great!!. Don't know what they were called, but they made the group coming after them sound bad.

Finally, after 15 years of service

Old Car








New Car

Casper and the Bunnies

http://news.webshots.com/album/559463907AXLfFH


He barks, he chases, he picks them up and lets them go. Did you know bunnies can scream! I know it now, I have heard it.

Great Wolf Lodge - Niagara

We finally went to Great Wolf Lodge. The children have been nagging about it ever since it opened.

Recommendation -- skip school and go in the middle of the week - otherwise the lineups are very very long and the place is very crowded.
Recommendation 2 -- take money :) -- the restaurants are expensive, however, each room has a fridge and microwave so you can create "meals" in your room if you want.

The staff was very friendly. The pools were well monitored (i.e. no wild kids running amok), the changerooms and decks were clean and safe.




All the photos are here http://sports.webshots.com/album/559434216GfJkVa

Please be generous!

As some of you may know my family has been fostering a Dog Guide since October 2006. His name is Casper. You can see his photos here. http://pets.webshots.com/album/555254083lUOkiP

Because of him, we will be participating in the Purina Walk for Dog Guides on June 3, 2007, to help raise funds for the training and placement of Dog Guides for Canadians with visual, hearing and medical or physical disabilities.

You can help by giving a online gift by credit card at http://www.walkfordogguides.com/personalPage.cfm?ID=1186 You will receive immediate credit card payment confirmation and an official Income Tax Receipt.



Carolyne, Albert, Emma, Andrew, and Casper

May 19 2007 -- Ottawa ON -- Mackenzie King property