Wednesday, June 25, 2014

It took a while to get back my routine

After such a lovely time in the country with good folk and wonderful sights to see, it took all of Monday to get back into my regular routine.

It was a very lazy day for me on Monday.

Tuesday, of course, is my student.  We explored Westdale and the trail there off Marion Street.  It is used mostly for walking dogs, jogging and just being in nature.  Lots of people on the trail, most very friendly.  We were going to look at the shops as well as there are lots down that way, but ran out of time.  After our picnic (my student brought some yummy food) we went to the park nearby to see the Aviary but it was closed so we rested on a bench and just chatted.  She saw a snake and pointed it out to me.  It was a very unusual little fellow, brown and cream colour and quite small. Very agile though.  We were going to try and take a picture with her cell phone but he got away before we could.

He was really cute and quite a surprise for us to see.

A fun afternoon, as usual.


Thanks for dropping by.


What a wonderful time I had



Happily for me, my suitcase and the duffel bag fit into the lady's car.  She was concerned that it might not.  Thus, I became concerned that I might not be able to go.  The lady picked me up on the street but fortunately the traffic was not too bad.  Usually there are 3 or 4  buses parked but they had just left when she arrived.. The younger lady jumped out of the car and hauled my suitcase and duffel bag  into the back seat. I then got in as quickly as I could and became a back seat driver, joke, joke......Actually, I prefer the back seat in any event and there was enough room for my suitcase, duffel bag and me so it worked out well.

We set out on our adventure.  It was approximately two and a half hours to our destination.  We stopped for lunch at Marji's which is a very popular restaurant in Elora.  It was packed but we managed to get seats together.  The food was delicious and two of us asked for doggie bags which was good as we could eat it for supper as well.

It was so pleasant having the younger lady with us as she is a good chatter and she knows the driver for many years.  A most pleasant journey.

I think we arrived a little after 3 and most of the ladies were there already.  We all sat out on the deck and chatted and enjoyed each others company.  Here is a picture of the deck and Lake Huron.


A view from the deck of the cottage where we stayed

Another view from the same deck

I loved this pot of flowers - they added so much beauty to the deck


Looking onto a neighbour's propery

This looked so attractive 





 It is so good to be in the country for a little while.  It refreshes the spirit.  I would not say that we had to rough it in any way though!  It was so pleasant with all the gals together and we had some wonderful conversations.

Friday night we hopped into one of the cars and went to Sauble Beach for a walk.  There was a new attraction there and some of the gals tried it out.

One of our gals walking down towards the beach

Hanna on the outside

Sigrid (Siggie) on the outside



Nice sandy beach and there were people in swimming the next time we came for lunch.

A view of the sandy beach at Sauble Beach

The entrance to Sauble Beach

Please note the cars on the beach

We went to Sauble Beach to a restaurant run by the native people.  The food was excellent and I liked out waitress.  I asked her if she knew Peter's girlfriend but she did not.  She told me that there are some people living in Port Crocker with that last name but I did not get to it.  Waltraut was kind enough to drive me through one of the native villages which looked a very prosperous place and very well organized.

Unfortunately, as I forgot her phone number, I was unable to get in touch.

We went shopping in Southampton which was fun.  We went to a large indoor shopping place and I bought two lovely facecloths for one dollar each.  I wish I had bought more.  If I am able to go next year, I will buy some more of that kind.





Some of the gals looking at the water

I loved this plant - so delicate

This says it all!



It was a wonderful time with a great bunch of gals, fun, serious times and shopping.....

I drove back with another lady which gave me the opportunity to get to know her better.

All in all, good memories to keep me warm when next winter comes......

Thanks for dropping by.

Friday, June 20, 2014

We're leaving today

I woke up with a bad dream at 3 a.m. this morning.  There was a terrible man holding a little boy of about ten years of age, pointing a gun at him and I was trying to save the little fellow. That was certainly a weird dream and not even logical.  I very seldom have bad dreams but that one frightened me for the sake of the child.

I just stayed up as I might not have been able to wake up for six a.m. to get ready to be picked up.

I am concerned for the space in the car as my suitcase is large as I need to bring sheets and a sleeping bag plus my CPAC machine and a pillow.

The unfortunate part is that I am being picked up on the street near the bank and I will have to get the suitcase into the back seat while trying to duck the traffic and the buses who park there.

I think that is bothering me greatly as well as there is a much better way to get me at the back of the building where it would be safer but the lady who is picking me up is not comfortable going there as it is a little tricky to get in and out if one is not used to doing it.

I may not be able to go and will have the Bible Study ready to hand over to the driver or her other passenger just in case there is no room for my suitcase.  At least this way, somebody else can do it as all the work is done and prepared.  I won't be letting anybody down that way.

It would be a shame if this happened but living down town has its disadvantages as well as its advantages.  Mostly it has advantages and I love living down town.

Ah well, we will have to wait and see how it works out.  I hope I can go but if not, then I still will enjoy being by the water but here in Hamilton.

Thanks for dropping by and have a good day.






Wednesday, June 18, 2014

A lovely time at the Down town Mosque tonight

My student invited me to come and I was so happy to go. It was the graduation ceremony for the Quran'ic classes at the Mosque.  Similar to Sunday School in the Christian church but instead the children learn Quran'ic Arabic and study the scriptures.

It was most unfortunate that Ellen Jaffe's book launch was on the same day and I had already committed to attending the function with my student.

Sometimes I think it would be great if there were two of me, joke, joke.

I was so happy there and the ladies were very welcoming.  Many people said hello and two ladies practically adopted me which was fantastic of them to do.

I was able to sit on a chair.  It was so great to see all the children so proud of themselves for their prizes in learning and all in all, it was quite well organized.  I brought my big purse so I could put my shoes in it as I know how hard it is to find one's shoes at the end of the evening.

Ladies would come around with cake and muffins and soft drinks all during the affair but the main event after the ceremonies was the BBQ.   I met one of Ibtissaam's fellow countrywoman and she will call me and join us in exploring Hamilton during the summer when she is not working.She is a PSW and works part time in a retirement residence.  (Personal Support Worker).

Another darling lady sat beside me on the floor and although we didn't talk much, we smiled a lot and she was one of the ladies who took good care of me.

At the BBQ she introduced me to her son who had won a prize and both of them were so proud of his achievements.  I also met Ibtisaam's eldest son and her daughters.

It was so great to see Ibtisaam with her little students.  She is such a good person and you could tell that her students liked her very much.

Beaming faces, hugs and kisses were the order of the day, plus yummy food.  I felt so welcome there and the ladies section has been expanded which is a good thing.  I haven't been there for 11 years and it was good to be back.

Young children, both boys and girls, usually stay with their mother during the prayers.

It brought back so many wonderful memories of happy times in the Mosques in Toronto and of all my good friends that I knew there.  That reminds me, I must give some of them a call tomorrow to ask after them.

All in all, a wonderful event and a happy time for me.

Thanks for dropping by.

  

Monday, June 16, 2014

Visit to Jody's in Westdale

I took the No. 6 bus earlier than I anticipated and they were not home as yet. I sat and enjoyed the garden, the little robin who hopped around and the nice breeze which wafted over my face.

It was heavenly.  A little after 1:30 Kenny came walking home from the office and asked me how long I had been waiting.

He was very surprised that I got there so early but it was okay.  I really enjoyed my solitude time in the back yard.

A cute bird house - new this year I think

Some of Jody's flowers


Ken and Jody enjoying the backyard after a lovely BBQ



On the patio section of the back yard where the BBQ is.  Ken made a wonderful BBQ for Jody and I. He is an excellent cook!

  I am happy to say that I finished one editing job for a lady in the States and she has paid me by pay pal, now I have to finish working on the Bible study for the group of ladies who are going on the Retreat, then I can work on editing another person's book on prayer - this time from Germany.  
Isn't the internet wonderful how it can connect people together in a good way?

Thanks for dropping by.


Thursday, June 12, 2014

Trip to Stoney Creek on Tuesday & a visit from Stella

My student and I met down town and took the 5 Delaware (Stoney Creek) bus.  We tried to get on several  No 5's but they were not the right buses.  Eventually the one that says Stoney Creek came and we got on.  It was very crowded with five baby carriages on it.  Fortunately there were no wheelchairs or walkers this time.

It was a long ride in a crowded bus.  We did not know exactly where to get off so we asked the driver who was very nice.  He even told us where to stand to go back to down town Hamilton when we were ready to return.

The main part of the village doesn't have much to see, in my opinion.  The one time before when I went with my Toronto friend Mary we found a dress shop which she liked.  I looked for that shop but it is no longer there.  The ice cream shop has gone as well.  That was 11 years ago.  The Villager (restaurant) is still there and that was where we ate eleven years ago.

We walked the main street, sat on some benches and people watched.  We waited at a bus stop near the end of the street and Ibtissaam phoned the phone number listed on the pole and it was for a local bus not one that would take us back to Hamilton.   We ended up walking back to the stop where the original driver told us to wait.  Fortunately a BeeLine #10 bus came and Ibtissaam knew this bus so we got on.  It is a non-stop bus and goes very fast in comparison to the regular city bus.  If we had not seen that bus, we would have had to take a No 52 bus which would go as far as Dundas.  Either way it would have been fine, but the Beeline is much faster!

Stoney Creek seems to be mostly a residential area at least in the Village part.  Very nice but I doubt I
will go out there without a very good reason.  It took at least half an hour if not more just to get there on the city bus.


at the Villager patio in Stoney Creek



King Street in Stoney Creek

A sitting area on the main street - fountain not yet activated



We will check out another section of the city next Tuesday at our regular time.

The next day (Wednesday) was lunch with Stella.  We had a nice time at the club, lunch in the Morgan Room and then tea and desert before the fire in the room across from the lounge.

We were there for about three hours I think.  The university had a big function in the larger dining room so there was a lot of noise and busyness going on.  It would have been nicer if there were fewer people there but in spite of that, we had a good time.

Today is voting day in Ontario and then I have a doctor's appointment this afternoon.

It will be a busy day today but all nice things so I hope the rain holds off.

Have a good day and thanks for dropping by.



Sunday, June 8, 2014

Church picnic today

Rosie picked me up down town and then we went to  pick up her son David.  There was a mix up and David was down town waiting at my apartment.  Fortunately I had my cell phone with me and was able to connect with him so he walked up to meet us.

After that was all straightened out, we proceeded to Germania Park which I think is in Binbrook.  It is very lovely there.  It was a shared picnic of the Lutheran churches in Hamilton so there were quite a few people there.  The Pastors all took part in the service which was nice as well.

It was an interesting morning/afternoon.  For sale for lunch was German sausage or hot dogs which included potato salad and the normal toppings such a sauerkraut, mustard, relish, ketchup.  For desert one could purchase home made cakes.  They priced everything extremely reasonable.  I bought a hot dog and had some potato salad and then bought some cake.  I had prepared some food to share with others but had a little left over so will have it for supper.

After the lunch, it was children's games and we were most fortunate that the rain held off long enough for the event to be almost over.

It was great to see everybody again, some people I did not know but many others I did and everybody was so friendly.

In my opinion, it was a successful picnic in spite of the cold weather.  We needed jackets on for sure.

I took a few shots just of the water and the trailers parked there.

We were seated near this railing as most of the people were for the church service and the meal

There was a young family with an infant in the gazebo to the right  and it was so nice to watch them care for the little one.

This is a partial view of the trailers which are parked there.  

More shots of more trailers
It seems that people live there for the summer.  There were two buildings which look like community halls, one of which we used.

Very organized and very clean, but they are a German organization and that is normally how German people usually are.

Thanks for dropping by.

Saturday, June 7, 2014

An adventurous day yesterday

My friend Mary came from Toronto and we met at St. Paul's rummage sale.  We had lunch at my club and then our adventures began.

We took the Hamilton No. 1 King bus to Queenston Road, then transferred to a No. 11 Parkdale bus which took us right into John Street bus terminal in Burlington.  The King bus is a very crowded bus but the Parkdale one was not too bad.  On both buses we managed to get a seat which is the most important.

We had checked with the Burlington Transit system but it would not take us to John Street.  It would take us to a Go Station in Burlington and then we would have to transfer onto a Burlington transit bus which I think would take us to John Street.

I still am not too clear exactly where it would go.  I will have to call again.  It would be the faster way.
Fortunately, I had some HSR tickets for Mary which were still good.  I must remember to get some more at the Go Station on Hunter.  We want to go again to Burlington and do a little exploring at some point in the summer.

The Go Bus is out of the question.  It would be fine from Hamilton, but then it would only take us to Aldershot Station, then we need to take a Go Train to Burlington, then a Burlington transit bus to John Street.

John Street is near the waterfront. We could see it from there plus it is very near Brant Street which is the main shopping area I think.

We had a wonderful visit together and enjoyed the whole day.  She took the 9 p.m. bus home to Toronto and emailed me when she got in her door.

All in all, a very nice day spent with a dear friend of 40 years.  We have so many common memories.



Wednesday, June 4, 2014

Princess Point with my student

She was absolutely delighted to find out about and to visit Princess Point  We spent from 2 p.m. to almost 5:15 there yesterday and the time just flew by.

We saw a doe, a rabbit and a cute little frog which made both of our day.

She plans to bring her children for an outing there during the summer months.  While we were there, we bumped into Allan who is a fellow writer. We spent some time together and it was nice for her to meet new people.


During the summer months, I plan to take her as many places as we can instead of sitting in the library.

As for today, our little gang met at The Baltimore on King William and we had a blast.  The food there is really good and fairly reasonable.  Our little group tries to meet for lunch several times over the winter and of course, we all meet each Wednesday for the Whitehern concerts during the summer.

Our first concert will be pot luck, Anita and Ruby are bringing sandwiches.  I'm not sure what I am bringing as it is quite far off still.

All in all, a lovely time at lunch with some good friends.

Thanks for dropping by.