My 100 List

How many have you done? I bolded the ones that I've done

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland (well, Disney Wrold)
8. Climbed a mountain (kind of...)
9. Held a praying mantis (such cool insects!)
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris (Paris, Ontario!)
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child (do great newphews count?)
16. Had food poisoning (remember the Red Barn?)
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty (I know it is pushing it, but does being a boat that passed it count?)
18. Grown your own vegetables (at school - potatoes, carrots, beans, corn, orange tree, apple tree)
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight (who hasn't at camp...or with a sibling?)
22. Hitch hiked (For my family - do you remember our walk/hitch hike to the ranger station?)
23. Taken a sick day when youʼre not ill
24. Built a snow fort (who hasn't!)
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping (Jackson's Point memories...)
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset (both)
31. Hit a home run ((I surprised the boys when I was in grade 5. I was picked first after that one!)
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community (does Mennonite count? They are similar, aren't they?)
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied (almost there...)
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangeloʼs David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance (I escorted one of my students)
47. Had your portrait painted (I was sketched - can that count?)
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud (I have a wonderful picture to prove it. Some day I will share it)
54. Gone to a drive-in theater (can't begin to count the number of times...)
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business (does Weekender's count?)
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen (it wasn't soup - it was refreshments)
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book (does publishing curriculum in my Board count?)
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someoneʼs life (I had to do CPR on someone once)
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person9
6. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Read an entire book in one day

Thanks for the idea for the post, Barbara. It was fun. I need to get more of a life - so much of the list has to do with travel...

A Family Thanksgiving

The best part of celebrating the special events and occasions in our lives is that you get to spend time with family. I spend all day Sunday getting the house and turkey ready. I loved decorating the house with the fall decorations. There is something magical about the fall colours. I am so blessed to be living in Canada and in a place where the fall colours show with such vibrancy. God is good!

Now that Joanne is back in Ontario she was able to spend Thanksgiving Day with us for the first time in three or four years. It was a special day since Jennifer was there as well with her twins, Ethan and Owen. Jennifer opened presents for the babies. I had a ball buying the outfits. We couldn't get enough of taking pictures of different people holding the babies.

It was also so warm again this year that we ate out on the deck. Unfortunately there must be a next of wasps. Cameron to the rescue! Cameron trapped six of the wasps under goblets to we could eat in relative peace. He was so proud of his efforts.

After dinner we had our usual family photo and then played a game of spoons. Spencer became our first casualty with getting a cut on his finger when fighting for a spoon with Uncle Don.

The four generations - Great-Grandparents, Grandparent, Parent and children

Great Uncle Rick.

It's hard to believe Joanne is a grandmother!

The proud great-grandparents.

To those family members who live far away and were not able to be with us this day, we wish you the best. We missed you and look forward to a time when we can all be together again. Ontario is waiting!

Autumn at a Cottage

Don and I were able to spend a week away at a cottage on Round Lake near Killaloe. For the first time we packed up Yoda, the cat, and brought him with us. We put him in a carrying crate but he kept banging the lid and the bars to get out. Once we were on our way and outside of the GTA I let him out of the crate. He laid right down on the blanket and went to sleep. We thought the ride would be a traumatic for him but Yoda was a trooper and actually settled well in the car.

The first night there Jason stayed with us. Don and Jason got up early the following morning and went fishing. They did not catch anything and Don was very stiff for a day or so. They also played the board game - Axis and Allies. It was great to see the two of them having their male bonding moments.

While the males had their testosterone time I just enjoyed relaxing in the cottage, reading and taking pictures of autumn. The cottage faces west so I thrilled to see a sunset each night we were there. So glorious!

Don and I spent time driving the back roads around the lake to Round Lake Centre, Bonnesure Provincial Park and into Barry's Bay. Don's idea of looking at and appreciating nature is from the front seat of the car!

On Tuesday we went to Petawawa to have dinner with Alyson and Jason. Jason and Alyson took us on a brief tour of the town and base. It is a lovely community with a lot happening to support the families that live there. We had a lovely time.

As the week went on Don and I spent much of our time relaxing around the cottage. Do you see a pattern in the pictures? Don and Yoda loved relaxing together. Yoda was such a sucky baby the whole week. He was content just to lay on the couch with us and we cuddled every day. Yoda tends to be a very independent cat, so the cuddling was a real treat.

Later in the week Don adn I went hiking in Algonquin Park. We went on the lookout trail. It felt like we would never get there but the wait was worth it. We also went on a bog trail. We came upon a group of people just standing and sitting looking toward teh woods. There was a moose cow and baby in the woods. I couldn't see a thing - so disappointing! The last trail we went on was the beaver pnd trail. It also had a small lookout over a pond with a few lodges. We had previously gone past the creek that had been damned by the beavers to create the pond.

I'M A GREAT AUNTIE!

Barbara and I and her boys had a special visit a couple of weeks ago with Jennifer and her newly adopted twins. I was so excited to visit her since she and Kevin have been through so much trying to adopt and it is interesting to see how it all worked out in the end. God had bigger plans for them - one baby would not be enough. They were being saved for such beautiful bundles.

Ethan and Owen are so teeny tiny - something almost foreign in our family (we grow big babies!). There is nothing better than the feel and smell of newborn babies, especially twins.

Me enjoying being a great auntie.

I didn't want to leave. I could watch them for hours.

I love the idea of being a great aunt and I just hope I can see them fairly often, just as I saw Jennifer, James and Jason as they were growing up. I loved watching all of my nieces and nephews grow up and I cherish those family times.


When the next generation become parents all those years of parenting and other influences in their lives come into fruition. I am looking forward to seeing my nieces and nephews become nurturing parents.

Now Barbara and Joanne, these are newborn babies!

I'm so proud of you, Jennifer. You make such a wonderful mom. What a natural.

30,000 Islands Cruise

While away camping I went on the 30,000 Islands cruise out of Parry Sound. The boat went around the islands by Parry Sound, basically circling Parry Island. I can just imagine sitting on a Muskoka chair on a wrap-around deck of a cottage that sits one of those islands. Stunning views and relaxation to the nines! This would be my idea of a vacation getaway and cottage life. The other place I love visiting that gives me the same feeling is the thousand Islands near Kingston and Gananoque. This is when having money would come in handy!

I have included an osprey nest that sits on a man-made post. There was also an inukshuk on a small rock island. Traveling north on highway 400 and 69 you see lots of rock sculptures and inukshuks once the Canadian Shield is revealed. They says, "We have been here."

Lastly, just before the cruise returned to Parry Sound we went through an area with a swing bridge. It use to carry a railway but now it only carries cars. Many years ago there was a port town called Depot Harbour on Parry Island that was connected to the mainland by the bridge. The town was set to outgrow Parry Sound and Midland and become the prime destination. The town had schools, churches and businesses. It was a town that connected the Algonguin area and logging via the railway to the Great Lakes. However, due to a the selling of the railway, disrepair and hard times Depot Harbour no longer exists. It is a ghost town with only foundations left.

St. Marie Among the Hurons

One of the activities I did while I was away was to visit St.Marie Among the Hurons. We visited the Wendat-Jesuit village back when we were much younger when visiting Uncle Bert's cottage. I find the story of the Jesuits' failed missionary pursuit intriguing. For a variety of reasons it failed. There was the Wendat people's conflict of feeling that they had to give up their culture in order to become Christians. There was also the Iroquois dislike of the Huron (Wendat) and their want for trade with the French. As with most native people, there was also the sickness brought by the Europeans due to the exposure to disease. In any event, the conflicts resulted in the murder of Jesuits, the burning of the mission, and the destruction of the Wendat. While the effort to spread Christianity was honourable and genuine, the result was devastating to the native population.

The village the Jesuits created was interesting since it reflected the diversity between European ideas and lifestyle versus aboriginal beliefs and lifestyle. I loved the canal system that was created with a series of mini locks for the couriers de bois (fur traders) could enter the village safely.

I have also included some photos of the village as it looks today and three pictures of our family's visit to the mission 40 years ago.

I'M BACK!

Well, I am home. Unfortunately I have come home early. Due to severe rain on the way, car noises, and sleeping alone at night I decided to head home early. I did not go the Chutes and through Manitoulin Island. I debated and debated about it but considering being alone I think I made a good decision. It would have been great to see the island in the summer but it was not meant to be. I had to try to get something of a vacation.

Here are the camping experiences I did have, though...

My first two days were spent at Awenda Provincial Park. I did some hiking and toured Saint Marie Among the Hurons. I have included just my camping pictures here, though. The trees were covered in fuzzy caterpillars (ew!), I was paid a visit by a raccoon and it rained heavily my second night so packing up the next morning was not fun! The raccoon was very brazen. He walked right up to me while I was sitting at the camp fire. His visit put me off my sleep the first night! Here is my campsite, my fire and a picture of the beach during my hike. Georgian Bay is sooo beautiful.

My second camp ground was Killbear Provincial Park. Again, I stayed two nights. My camp site was on Georgian Bay so I have included a picture of my view. Spectacular! I will definitely return to this park. My only misgiving was the thought of bears while I was sleeping. Needless to say, what sleep?!

Oh, did I say that I set up in a rush because of the threat of more rain?!

The chipmunks were very friendly and I did the Thirty-Thousand Islands cruise. I can't say it enough - spectacular. I would have a cottage here in a heart beat!

The wind really picked up and the night temperature was around 12 degrees. With the dampness I was cold sleeping that night. The following day on my way to the next campground I bought another sleeping bag.

My last camp ground was Grundy Lake Provincial Park. I set up my campsite in the rain, again! My first night was a little boring since all I could do was set up and go for little walks in between the raindrops. I sat and read in the car that first night - too wet for a fire. I was visited at night by a growling, snorting animal that chased another animal. Don't ask me to tell you what it was since I was too afraid to check. It was either a bear or a big raccoon. Needless to say, again, I did not get a lot of sleep.

The next day the sun was shining so I spent the day hiking,reading and sketching. What a lovely day. My campsite was right on a lake and there were three loons on the lake. Another breath-taking view. My last night the wind picked up again and threatened rain. In the morning I got up early to quickly pack. I packed just in time for the rain did indeed roll in. I headed home rather than go any further. Setting up in rain and looking at the upcoming possible taking down in rain did not thrill me.
Overall, I had a lovely time. I always enjoy camping and sleeping in a tent, although I would have been more comfortable with having some company at night. I learned a valuable lesson - I can set up a campsite and manage all by myself but I would be a much happier camper having company to sleep with at night. Too many noises in bear country doesn't sit well with my imagination. Rain and an active imagination did me in!