Canadian Buffoon's Exhausted Vacation - Update 09/01 - New TR link!

[pkondz]

We went to Melt today. I got Winner Winner Chicken Dinner and joe got the gyro.
How’s your summer been?

Funny you should ask.
While I still plan on putting up one more "frozen" update,
I do have a pending summer/year in review update coming up.

 

[KathyM2]

I do have a pending summer/year in review update coming up.

Looking forward to it!

 

[pkondz]

Looking forward to it!

If only I could get some motivation/time to do it!

 

[MeghanEmily]

Whether I'm right or wrong... I'm definitely sick of it.

Me too. Time for the pandemic to leave. We've been doing okay here for a bit, but a few clusters of cases popping up here again now. Crossing my fingers schools can stay as close to "normal" as possible this year!

I've thought of trying caramilk! Will next time.

Makes for a very rich s'more, but yummy!

Not sure if I said... but yes, I did fix it. Saved about $2,000.

That's awesome!

Keep at it!

Yes, I should. I haven't done as much C25K the last couple of weeks since the school year started and things have been a little hectic, so I think it's time to get the routine going again.

It did, unfortunately. Months.
Only just starting to get better (as in no pain)
a few weeks ago.

That's so unfortunate! Hope things keep moving in the right direction now. A friend of mine is a physio, so she should know better than anyone how to keep herself safe and healthy when she exercises....but she ended up with some kind of injury from overtraining and it was months before she could start to slowly build back up again. It's easy to do, and I imagine can be very painful!

When I was young, those weren't invented yet.
(We just got the wheel a couple years earlier, ya know.)
So we just... froze.

Hah!

Here too. And it bugs the heck out of me every year.
"Why are you driving 50 in an 80 zone? It's just a light dusting! Go!!!"

Oh Manitobans must go in the other direction! Interesting! Around here people drive like the Dukes of Hazzard in the first storm of the year and you'll often come across a half dozen accidents on the way to work. (They probably also forget to test the breaks on the side streets first. )

 

[pkondz]

Me too. Time for the pandemic to leave. We've been doing okay here for a bit, but a few clusters of cases popping up here again now. Crossing my fingers schools can stay as close to "normal" as possible this year!

I'm crossing my fingers too,
for my DD's sake.
She's already having an... interesting time
at school already.

Makes for a very rich s'more, but yummy!

I bet!

I haven't done as much C25K the last couple of weeks since the school year started and things have been a little hectic,

"a little hectic"

I suspect you have a flair for understatement.

That's so unfortunate! Hope things keep moving in the right direction now. A friend of mine is a physio, so she should know better than anyone how to keep herself safe and healthy when she exercises....but she ended up with some kind of injury from overtraining and it was months before she could start to slowly build back up again. It's easy to do, and I imagine can be very painful!

Oy.
If your physio friend has troubles...
what hope do the rest of us have?!?!?

Oh Manitobans must go in the other direction! Interesting! Around here people drive like the Dukes of Hazzard in the first storm of the year and you'll often come across a half dozen accidents on the way to work. (They probably also forget to test the breaks on the side streets first. )

Yeah, it's like they completely forgot what winter was like,
in the 6 months we didn't have snow.

 

[pkondz]

Summer Days (Part I)

<crickets>

So how was your summer?
Kids back in school? Grandkids? You???

My DDs are certainly growing up.
When I first wrote a TR here,
back in 2012…

2012!!?!?!?!!?

Sorry. Mind blown here.
Where did nine years disappear to??


As I was saying, when I first wrote a TR here,
my DDs were all of 11 and 14 years old.
Now one’s started her first full year of teaching
and the other is in her 4th year of university.

How’d they get so old???
Thank goodness I haven’t aged a day.


So what’s new in the zoo?
Travel outside our Country is still discouraged,
although we’re letting some folk in now.
Technically, I could travel by air into the US,
but the problem is, if I test positive in the US,
they wouldn’t let me on a plane to come home.
And having to stay an extra two weeks
in a hotel, or worse… hospital, would
have a slightly negative impact on my finances.

I did manage a couple of outings
in between work and… work.

Kay, my youngest DD, and I went camping
for a couple nights in early July.

It’s always refreshing when you
can spend a little time alone with
your kid and not want to
murder them in their sleep.

Whoopsie! Did I say that out loud?
Sorry. That’s breaking the parent code.
Don’t tell me you haven’t thought it,
at least in passing, at least once.

Maybe twice.


I will say, however, that she sure knows
how to pick… and get a nice campsite.

Not the worst view you can wake up to.


We’d arrived a little late in the afternoon,
so once we got set up and explored a bit,
it was time for a fire.

Is a camping trip really a camping trip
if there’s no fire???

I think not.

Question for the reader
(Readers? Plural?
Is that being too presumptuous?)
Hot Dogs… ketchup. Yes or no???

You know where I stand.
(And what's a hot dog without
some home-made potato salad???)

I asked our dinner guest what he thought,
but he seemed pretty ambivalent about it.

Actually.... chipmunk.
So everyone just calm the heck down.

As the sun dipped low,
and wieners switched to marshmallows…

Is a camping trip really a camping trip
If there’s a fire, but there’s no S’mores?????

As I was saying, as the sun dipped
towards the horizon,
the view just kept getting better and better.
(Albeit aided by smoke from forest fires…
which aren’t so great, even if the view is.)

One odd effect from the big C.
Wait… that’s Cancer, isn’t it?
Does Covid have a catchy slogan yet?
Did this TR suddenly take a morbid turn?
Sorry. The last 18 months have been… un-fun.

Where was I?
Right.
There was one odd effect from the pandemic.
(The big P? No, that’s what happens
when you drink a lot. Usually at 2am.)
I had set up a rental on two kayaks
months ago.
Unfortunately, they were stuck in transit
and had yet to arrive at the rental place.

Almost two weeks into July.

Luckily, they had one tandem kayak for us.
We both (Kay & I) like to do our own thing,
but it was better than nothing.

The first full day did not have an auspicious start.
We awoke to rain pattering on our tents.

I was actually not overly upset by that.
After working pretty much nonstop for a year,
a day of lying in the tent, reading, watching movies,
and playing cards wasn’t particularly unpalatable.

By noon, the rain had stopped and we were able
to put the kayak in the water.

We put ourselves in the kayak, too.
Otherwise, it just floats away and
you lose your deposit.
And we’ve already discussed
negative financial impacts.

We explored a few islands,
sometimes hopping ashore,
other times, just paddling around them.

I found this vein in the granite pretty interesting:

The next day was just about perfect
weather-wise.
High of 80F (26.6C) that afternoon.

Nice.

I got up and got breakfast going.
I waved to a passing family.

They were very polite.
Said "Sorry" a lot.
Canadians, obviously.

Not long after, we set out for
the small town of Pinawa where
we were going to “tube” down
a lazy river.

Or lazily tube down a river.

Whatever.

We grabbed our rental tubes
and headed for the water.

You can’t really see it here,
but the tubes were very comfortable
with a backrest.

Here's a photo I got from
the rental company website:

And a good thing, too.
We wound up sitting in them
for the next three hours!

Don’t get me wrong, it was fun
and it was relaxing.
But it was long.
Three hours sitting with your butt
in the water… was more than enough.

Who’s thinking of wrinkled prune butts???
Anyone?
If you weren’t, you are now.

You’re welcome.


When we exited and changed back
out of our swimming clothes,
Kay spotted a deer hanging out
on the edge of the road.
I guess it was pretty used to people
in the area, as it let us get quite close…

Actually, really close…

Okay… ridiculously close…

This wasn’t a domesticated deer, but a wild animal.
Even though it might be used to people,
I was pretty surprised when it let Kay pet it.

Kay called it the highlight of the trip.


Later that evening, we were walking on some rocks,
heading towards our campsite when Kay pointed
something out to me “What’s that?”
I turned to see her hunched over,
examining something in the rocks.
We’d walked past this very spot several times,
but hadn’t noticed this until now.

(It’s the object dead center of the photo.)

At first, I thought it might be some dried seaweed.
Kay went to poke it with a stick.
She reached forward and I said,
“It’s a…”
<POKE!>
“…wasp nest.”

Oops!

It looks pretty old.
Long abandoned for sure.
Or maybe it actually is dried seaweed.

At least that’s what went through my mind
until the first few wasps started to come out.

“Run!” I said.
We hastily retreated a few yeards
and turned to watch,
ready to bolt further if necessary.
More and more wasps boiled out
of the nest.
They were not happy.
Would you be, if someone stuck a
tree trunk through your front wall
into your living room?
We were clearly the uninvited guests here.

Luckily, the wasps boiled and spun
in the air above their nest and didn’t
seem to connect the two idiots standing
nearby, to their home invasion.

Let’s just say goodnight to this particular trip, m’kay?
I’ll follow it up soon with part II (of III).

Next up: Camping upgrade!

Bonus Chapter. Summer Days (Part II)​

 

[buzzrelly]

So happy to wake up to a pkondz update

Sorry. Mind blown here.
Where did nine years disappear to??


As I was saying, when I first wrote a TR here,
my DDs were all of 11 and 14 years old.
Now one’s started her first full year of teaching
and the other is in her 4th year of university.

It's crazy how fast it goes. When I joined the DisBoards, my kids were 2 & 4 and I was researching our first on-site trip. Now with many trips behind us, they are both in college

How’d they get so old???
Thank goodness I haven’t aged a day.

Yes, funny how that works!

I did manage a couple of outings
in between work and… work.

Sigh…I hear ya. I'm heading in for my sixth 12 hour day in a row. My whole body is sore but luckily after today I'll have a whole one day to rest before I go back in

Whoopsie! Did I say that out loud?
Sorry. That’s breaking the parent code.
Don’t tell me you haven’t thought it,
at least in passing, at least once.

Let's just say, there were a few moments on our August trip...

I will say, however, that she sure knows
how to pick… and get a nice campsite.

Not the worst view you can wake up to.

Awesome view!

Hot Dogs… ketchup. Yes or no???

You know where I stand.
(And what's a hot dog without
some home-made potato salad???)

Yes to ketchup, but no to hotdogs…unless I'm at a RedSox game and then I have to get a Fenway frank but then actually, I get it with just mustard.

As I kid I ate so many hotdogs, my mother always said I was going to turn into one. Thankfully, that never happened but I can't really eat them anymore…I just don't digest them well

Actually.... chipmunk.
So everyone just calm the heck down.

Aw…I love chipmunks

And I'm glad you explained that because I was thinking that your Canadian squirrels looked like CT chipmunks!

the view just kept getting better and better.
(Albeit aided by smoke from forest fires…
which aren’t so great, even if the view is.)

Gorgeous!

I was actually not overly upset by that.
After working pretty much nonstop for a year,
a day of lying in the tent, reading, watching movies,
and playing cards wasn’t particularly unpalatable.

That's the absolute best. Like once a year there'll usually be a yucky day when I'm home with nothing to do except watch Hallmark Christmas movies all day

I waved to a passing family.

They were very polite.
Said "Sorry" a lot.
Canadians, obviously.

Hope they were considerate and didn't keep you up all night with their partying!

You can’t really see it here,
but the tubes were very comfortable
with a backrest.

Those look very comfortable! I love a lazy river!

Don’t get me wrong, it was fun
and it was relaxing.
But it was long.
Three hours sitting with your butt
in the water… was more than enough.

Yeah, that's kind of a long time. Did you have to stay for all three hours? Were there no exit points along the way?

This wasn’t a domesticated deer, but a wild animal.
Even though it might be used to people,
I was pretty surprised when it let Kay pet it.

Kay called it the highlight of the trip.

He's sooooo sweet! I don't blame Kay

At first, I thought it might be some dried seaweed.
Kay went to poke it with a stick.
She reached forward and I said,
“It’s a…”
<POKE!>
“…wasp nest.”

Yikes! So scary! She's pretty observant because that thing was totally camouflaged!

 

[pkondz]

So happy to wake up to a pkondz update

It's crazy how fast it goes. When I joined the DisBoards, my kids were 2 & 4 and I was researching our first on-site trip. Now with many trips behind us, they are both in college

I know!
I joined when the kids were 10 & 7.

Sigh…I hear ya. I'm heading in for my sixth 12 hour day in a row. My whole body is sore but luckily after today I'll have a whole one day to rest before I go back in

Ugh...
I just did 12 yesterday.
I do two early day shifts today
and tomorrow, then a quick change
to a midnight shift tomorrow night...

But... I'll take that over your schedule!!

Let's just say, there were a few moments on our August trip...

You better be telling us about that!

Awesome view!

It was easily the best view
I've ever had while camping.

Yes to ketchup, but no to hotdogs…unless I'm at a RedSox game and then I have to get a Fenway frank but then actually, I get it with just mustard.

So.... you like ketchup...
but won't put it on a hot dog?

As I kid I ate so many hotdogs, my mother always said I was going to turn into one.

Elle (my older DD) used to be like that...
Now she doesn't eat meat at all!

Thankfully, that never happened but I can't really eat them anymore…I just don't digest them well

Thankfully, I can still eat them...
Especially since Kay insists we
have them when we go camping!

Aw…I love chipmunks

And I'm glad you explained that because I was thinking that your Canadian squirrels looked like CT chipmunks!

That's the absolute best. Like once a year there'll usually be a yucky day when I'm home with nothing to do except watch Hallmark Christmas movies all day

If I'm home, there's usually
chores of some kind to be done.

Hope they were considerate and didn't keep you up all night with their partying!

Of course!
Canadians!

Yeah, that's kind of a long time. Did you have to stay for all three hours? Were there no exit points along the way?

Yep. Three hours.
And there was one entry point...
and one exit point.

He's sooooo sweet! I don't blame Kay

I was so surprised!
She, on the other hand,
was in 7th heaven.

Yikes! So scary! She's pretty observant because that thing was totally camouflaged!

It doesn't look like a wasp's nest!

 

[MeghanEmily]

I'm crossing my fingers too,
for my DD's sake.
She's already having an... interesting time
at school already.

Oh dear...I hope her year goes okay..."interesting" is probably a fair word for it, if not a little understated.

"a little hectic"

I suspect you have a flair for understatement.

Yeah....exactly....kind of like "an interesting time." It's been...okay...a little more than hectic. It doesn't help that I'm in a new job this year. And when I say a new job, I don't just mean new to me (though it also is,) but entirely brand new to everyone. My position was just created by the province for this year...and they didn't exactly figure out what it was gonna be before the year started... That's leading to a lot of confusion for me and for everyone I work with. I'm sure we'll figure it out in time, but it's been a stressful couple of week for sure! I'm thinking Elle and I would have some "interesting" stories to swap if we ever crossed paths!

So how was your summer?
Kids back in school? Grandkids? You???

Yep. Me. For better or worse.

Summer was nice, but too short. But I'm liking the crisp autumn air that's starting to settle into the evenings/mornings once in a while now.

How’d they get so old???
Thank goodness I haven’t aged a day.

Right!

I obviously didn't know you in 2012, but I'm glad you stuck around long enough for me to make it to the DIS and your reports

Technically, I could travel by air into the US,
but the problem is, if I test positive in the US,
they wouldn’t let me on a plane to come home.
And having to stay an extra two weeks
in a hotel, or worse… hospital, would
have a slightly negative impact on my finances.

Yes. This is also where my brain goes. An an anxiety-prone germaphobe-type, I'm pretty covid-cautious anyway. But even aside from that, I do think about what would happen if I got down there and then got the dreaded bug and couldn't come back.

I will say, however, that she sure knows
how to pick… and get a nice campsite.

Not the worst view you can wake up to.

Wow! Nice one, Kay! What a beautiful view

Question for the reader
(Readers? Plural?
Is that being too presumptuous?)
Hot Dogs… ketchup. Yes or no???

Okay, I almost didn't quote this out of sheer embarrassment...but I really don't get along with most condiments. Not even related to dietary restrictions, can't even use that as an excuse! I was always a picky eater growing up, and I've gotten much better over time and will eat most things. If you gave me a hotdog with ketchup on it, or anything else for that matter, and I absolutely had to eat it, I would. But I dislike most vinegary-tasting things, and I can taste the vinegar in ketchup, so I prefer most things without it. I would eat a dry, sad, naked hotdog, before I would make the choice to put ketchup on it. Even weirder? At home I'd typically dress it up with cheese whiz, or a slice of cheese, or a garlic aoili or something. I would do a chilli dog though. That works for me.

My husband would say yes, ketchup, for sure. He's a big three kinda guy though: ketchup, mustard, relish. But he'd eat most things aside from raw onions.

Beautiful!

One odd effect from the big C.
Wait… that’s Cancer, isn’t it?
Does Covid have a catchy slogan yet?
Did this TR suddenly take a morbid turn?
Sorry. The last 18 months have been… un-fun.

Maybe a little, but such is life these days. What else is there to do but muse about the current [morbid?] state of things and appreciate the little moments of [dark?] humour?

I waved to a passing family.

How polite of them to greet you this morning! (Side note: I wish I could teach 5 and 6 year olds to stay in line so neatly!)

Who’s thinking of wrinkled prune butts???
Anyone?
If you weren’t, you are now.

Well NOW I am.

This wasn’t a domesticated deer, but a wild animal.
Even though it might be used to people,
I was pretty surprised when it let Kay pet it.

If Kay takes joy in wild deer turned domesticated, she ought to make a pit stop in Truro, NS, next time she takes an east coast trip! The deer regularly cross our lawn and when I come out on the patio they don't run away, they run toward, in hopes that I'll have a banana to feed them. (Not sure where they'd ever get that idea. Not that I'd ever do that! hehehe)

In all seriousness though, it's become quite a problem here. They destroy gardens, poop on lawns, and cause accidents. (Though we often see them quite literally look both ways before crossing the street, so not as many accidents as you might think!) They also carry ticks, obviously, which is a big problem in a province where we've already been having an increasing problem with the tick population. They're talking about the need for another cull in future to help manage the population (culling the deer, not the ticks.)

At first, I thought it might be some dried seaweed.
Kay went to poke it with a stick.

Ooooh that looks to me an awful lot like a....

She reached forward and I said,
“It’s a…”
<POKE!>

...wasp nest...

“…wasp nest.”

Oops!

...yep. Oops is right!

Glad it turned out the way it did, and not with further swarming and chasing and stinging and whatnot. Wasps tend to be fairly attached to their nests, so that could have gone worse all things considered!

 

[suse66]

I'm crossing my fingers too,
for my DD's sake.
She's already having an... interesting time
at school already.

Interesting???? I feel that. We had six lovely honeymoon days but that all changed Friday at lunch time. As my teaching partner said..."the cat came back."

Thank goodness I haven’t aged a day.

We are aging like fine wine. My boys were 6, 6 and 8 when I joined the boards in 2008. Now they are all in university/college!

So what’s new in the zoo?
Travel outside our Country is still discouraged,
although we’re letting some folk in now.
Technically, I could travel by air into the US,
but the problem is, if I test positive in the US,
they wouldn’t let me on a plane to come home.
And having to stay an extra two weeks
in a hotel, or worse… hospital, would
have a slightly negative impact on my finances.

As you know, we flew down in early August. I felt ok about as I didn't have to go back to work until September 1st so had time to quarantine if we needed to. Bill and I each have $1 million in medical travel insurance through our work benefits. I bought an additional policy for $122 that gave us another $2 million. Then I bought a Covid policy through Manulife for $76 that covered us for accommodations ($150/n) and food ($750) in the event we needed to quarantine in Florida. Then had trip interruption coverage for our flights. Probably a little over the top but I felt better having what I needed in case we tested positive and couldn't fly home.

It’s always refreshing when you
can spend a little time alone with
your kid and not want to
murder them in their sleep.

Whoopsie! Did I say that out loud?
Sorry. That’s breaking the parent code.
Don’t tell me you haven’t thought it,
at least in passing, at least once.

Let's just say that there may have been a few times where I thought about pushing Jack into Bay Lake, lol!

We explored a few islands,
sometimes hopping ashore,
other times, just paddling around them.

Beautiful! I have been learning to kayak this summer and really enjoy it.

Okay… ridiculously close…

That is amazing!

 

[pkondz]

Yeah....exactly....kind of like "an interesting time." It's been...okay...a little more than hectic.

I thought so.

It doesn't help that I'm in a new job this year.

Yup. Elle's in the same boat.

And when I say a new job, I don't just mean new to me (though it also is,) but entirely brand new to everyone. My position was just created by the province for this year...and they didn't exactly figure out what it was gonna be before the year started... That's leading to a lot of confusion for me and for everyone I work with. I'm sure we'll figure it out in time, but it's been a stressful couple of week for sure!

Whoa! Okay, that's even more intense!

I'm thinking Elle and I would have some "interesting" stories to swap if we ever crossed paths!

Yep. Me. For better or worse.

Summer was nice, but too short.

It always is, isn't it?
Especially for us Canucks.

But I'm liking the crisp autumn air that's starting to settle into the evenings/mornings once in a while now.

I do like that.
Especially in October.
(September can stay warm, thanks.)

I obviously didn't know you in 2012, but I'm glad you stuck around long enough for me to make it to the DIS and your reports

Yes. This is also where my brain goes. An an anxiety-prone germaphobe-type, I'm pretty covid-cautious anyway. But even aside from that, I do think about what would happen if I got down there and then got the dreaded bug and couldn't come back.

Exactly!
It's just too big a risk.
You can get down...
but you might not be
able to get back!

Okay, I almost didn't quote this out of sheer embarrassment...but I really don't get along with most condiments.

Now I'm picturing...

"In this corner fighting out of Nova Scotia... Meghan!
In the other corner, fighting out of the fridge... Ketchup!
Let's keep it clean. No low blows or squirting in the eye."

I dislike most vinegary-tasting things, and I can taste the vinegar in ketchup, so I prefer most things without it.

I get it.
I can't eat anything that has
coconut as an ingredient.

I would eat a dry, sad, naked hotdog, before I would make the choice to put ketchup on it.

And now I'm picturing...

Even weirder? At home I'd typically dress it up with cheese whiz, or a slice of cheese, or a garlic aoili or something. I would do a chilli dog though. That works for me.

I'd be okay with all of those!

My husband would say yes, ketchup, for sure. He's a big three kinda guy though: ketchup, mustard, relish. But he'd eat most things aside from raw onions.

So like mine was... minus the onion.

Beautiful!

I thought so too!

What else is there to do but muse about the current [morbid?] state of things and appreciate the little moments of [dark?] humour?

Pretty much.

How polite of them to greet you this morning! (Side note: I wish I could teach 5 and 6 year olds to stay in line so neatly!)

That's what Elle says
(among other things)
about her kids.

Well NOW I am.

Yusssss...

Got one.

If Kay takes joy in wild deer turned domesticated, she ought to make a pit stop in Truro, NS, next time she takes an east coast trip! The deer regularly cross our lawn and when I come out on the patio they don't run away, they run toward, in hopes that I'll have a banana to feed them. (Not sure where they'd ever get that idea. Not that I'd ever do that! hehehe)

In all seriousness though, it's become quite a problem here. They destroy gardens, poop on lawns, and cause accidents.

Yeah, it bugs the heck out of me
when they poop on my lawn, too.
Doesn't happen too often, but still...

They also carry ticks, obviously, which is a big problem in a province where we've already been having an increasing problem with the tick population. They're talking about the need for another cull in future to help manage the population (culling the deer, not the ticks.)

No cull here.
Just not enough in the city.

Ooooh that looks to me an awful lot like a....

...wasp nest...

Yup.

Glad it turned out the way it did, and not with further swarming and chasing and stinging and whatnot. Wasps tend to be fairly attached to their nests, so that could have gone worse all things considered!

Had planned to jump in the car
if they came after us.

But who knows how many
would get in the car with us.

 

[pkondz]

Interesting???? I feel that. We had six lovely honeymoon days but that all changed Friday at lunch time. As my teaching partner said..."the cat came back."

We are aging like fine wine.

Just getting better.

My boys were 6, 6 and 8 when I joined the boards in 2008. Now they are all in university/college!

Where does the time go??? Where?!?!?!?

As you know, we flew down in early August.

I felt ok about as I didn't have to go back to work until September 1st so had time to quarantine if we needed to. Bill and I each have $1 million in medical travel insurance through our work benefits. I bought an additional policy for $122 that gave us another $2 million. Then I bought a Covid policy through Manulife for $76 that covered us for accommodations ($150/n) and food ($750) in the event we needed to quarantine in Florida. Then had trip interruption coverage for our flights. Probably a little over the top but I felt better having what I needed in case we tested positive and couldn't fly home.

Oh!!
I hadn't thought of that...
I'd probably do the same
(with the insurance),
but I don't have the time off work.

Let's just say that there may have been a few times where I thought about pushing Jack into Bay Lake, lol!

Beautiful! I have been learning to kayak this summer and really enjoy it.

Love paddling.
Been doing it since
I was a kid.
Mostly canoeing,
but I prefer kayaking.

That is amazing!

She was thrilled!

 

[franandaj]

<crickets>

Yay! You've climbed out of hibernation to brighten our days again!

So how was your summer?
Kids back in school? Grandkids? You???

One of my kids has a broken leg. Luckily I don't have to put any of them through college, but their medical bills can be a killer.

When I first wrote a TR here,
back in 2012…

Mine was a dining report back in 2009...

Technically, I could travel by air into the US,

That's good to confirm. I have plans in January with Canadians.

the problem is, if I test positive in the US,
they wouldn’t let me on a plane to come home.

Do you need a negative test to get back into the country?

Kay, my youngest DD, and I went camping
for a couple nights in early July.

You seem to do this camping thing frequently. The last time I did was 1993.

I will say, however, that she sure knows
how to pick… and get a nice campsite.

That is a very nice view!

Is a camping trip really a camping trip
if there’s no fire???

I would say no. Otherwise you're just sleeping outside.

Hot Dogs… ketchup. Yes or no???

NO!!!!! Mustard and onions. Maybe sauerkraut.

And what's a hot dog without
some home-made potato salad?

Wow! You make your own potato salad? I have a recipe, but usually end up buying it at the grocery store deli.

Is a camping trip really a camping trip
If there’s a fire, but there’s no S’mores?????

Mmmm....s'mores. Since we don't camp, I need to make the little s'mores thingies.

https://togetherasfamily.com/smores-cookie-cups/

Luckily, they had one tandem kayak for us.
We both (Kay & I) like to do our own thing,
but it was better than nothing

I've never even been kayaking.

We awoke to rain pattering on our tents.

I was actually not overly upset by that.
After working pretty much nonstop for a year,
a day of lying in the tent, reading, watching movies,
and playing cards wasn’t particularly unpalatable.

So did you stay dry? What about breakfast?

We explored a few islands,
sometimes hopping ashore,
other times, just paddling around them.

Sounds relaxing.

I got up and got breakfast going.

Wait? You didn't have breakfast the day before and did you go to bed without supper? What is this starvation camping?

And a good thing, too.
We wound up sitting in them
for the next three hours!

That's a long time with your wrinkled butt in a tube! I would be sore from sitting in the same position.

This wasn’t a domesticated deer, but a wild animal.
Even though it might be used to people,
I was pretty surprised when it let Kay pet it.

That's pretty amazing!

At first, I thought it might be some dried seaweed.
Kay went to poke it with a stick.
She reached forward and I said,
“It’s a…”
<POKE!>
“…wasp nest.”

Oops!

That's a huge one! We have them all over our house and also around some of our buildings. We've had them taken care of, but they were mostly the size of a lime, maybe the big ones were as big as an apple.

Let’s just say goodnight to this particular trip, m’kay?
I’ll follow it up soon with part II (of III).

OK....but looking forward to the rest!

 

[pkondz]

Yay! You've climbed out of hibernation to brighten our days again!

But the bright light hurts my eyes!

One of my kids has a broken leg.

Yes, saw that.
Poor thing.

Luckily I don't have to put any of them through college, but their medical bills can be a killer.

Oh, I can relate.
Our older dog has been
going to the vet
quite a bit lately.

Mine was a dining report back in 2009...

You jumped right in.
It took me a few years
before I started writing.

That's good to confirm. I have plans in January with Canadians.

I'm hoping that eventually
we'll be able to drive down.
But... not for the foreseeable future.

Do you need a negative test to get back into the country?

You need one to get on
an international flight.

Since the US border is
closed to ground traffic,
you have to fly.
(With some exceptions.)

You seem to do this camping thing frequently. The last time I did was 1993.

Hmmm... a couple times a year
of late.
Less (zero to one) in the prior years.

That is a very nice view!

She knows how to pick 'em!

I would say no. Otherwise you're just sleeping outside.

True!

NO!!!!! Mustard and onions. Maybe sauerkraut.

So... you're saying... maybe?

Wow! You make your own potato salad? I have a recipe, but usually end up buying it at the grocery store deli.

But of course!
Store bought can't compare.

Mmmm....s'mores. Since we don't camp, I need to make the little s'mores thingies.

Thanks for that recipe!
I'm going to have to show Kay.
She's the S'mores nut in the house.

I've never even been kayaking.

I've been paddling for years,
off and on.
I really enjoy it.

So did you stay dry? What about breakfast?

I recall that the rain let up
enough that I could cook.
I made a potato, onion and egg dish.

Sounds relaxing.

Wait? You didn't have breakfast the day before and did you go to bed without supper? What is this starvation camping?

You lose a lot of weight...
But then you eat like crazy
when you get home,
and gain it all back!

I actually don't remember
what we did for dinner.

That's a long time with your wrinkled butt in a tube! I would be sore from sitting in the same position.

I was worried about that...
and was very surprised to find
zero soreness at all after that!

It was really comfie!

That's pretty amazing!

She was so happy!

That's a huge one! We have them all over our house and also around some of our buildings. We've had them taken care of, but they were mostly the size of a lime, maybe the big ones were as big as an apple.

Usually when I see them,
they're around the size of
a soccer ball.
Maybe a little smaller.
This one was small by comparison.

OK....but looking forward to the rest!

Won't be too long.
All the photos for the next
two parts are already
uploaded to photobucket.

 

[franandaj]

But the bright light hurts my eyes!

You jumped right in.
It took me a few years
before I started writing.

I had been on a yahoo group listserv which was strictly text based before that. I was thrilled when I found the DIS that had the capability of posting pictures.

You need one to get on
an international flight.

Since the US border is
closed to ground traffic,
you have to fly.
(With some exceptions.)

We will probably have to help them facilitate that process on their departure date.

She knows how to pick 'em!

When camping in California you have to reserve sites ahead of time. Mostly you don't get to pick them unless you're going somewhere in the boonies or that's unpopular.

So... you're saying... maybe?

Never. The only thing I like ketchup on is hash browns.

But of course!
Store bought can't compare.

I believe it. Care to share your recipe?

Thanks for that recipe!
I'm going to have to show Kay.
She's the S'mores nut in the house.

I really need to make those again!

You lose a lot of weight...
But then you eat like crazy
when you get home,
and gain it all back!

I actually don't remember
what we did for dinner.

Usually when I see them,
they're around the size of
a soccer ball.
Maybe a little smaller.
This one was small by comparison.

Won't be too long.
All the photos for the next
two parts are already
uploaded to photobucket.

Oh good!

 

[pkondz]

I had been on a yahoo group listserv which was strictly text based before that. I was thrilled when I found the DIS that had the capability of posting pictures.

Ah!

We will probably have to help them facilitate that process on their departure date.

Even if they're not symptomatic,
if they test positive, they'll have
to wait in the US until they aren't.
Care for some sick houseguests
for a few weeks?

Unless you want to drive them
north of the border...

When camping in California you have to reserve sites ahead of time. Mostly you don't get to pick them unless you're going somewhere in the boonies or that's unpopular.

For good sites, you have to book early,
which Kay did.
But you do get to pick the site you want,
as long as it's available.

Never. The only thing I like ketchup on is hash browns.

Not even fries?

I believe it. Care to share your recipe?

It's my mom's recipe.
I'll email it to you, hopefully tonight.
If you don't see it in a day or two,
remind me, okay?

I really need to make those again!

Recipe printed out.
May do them tonight.

 

[KathyM2]

2012!!?!?!?!!?

Sorry. Mind blown here.
Where did nine years disappear to??

That's just crazy. Amazing how it seems to happen faster the older you get...sigh.

Technically, I could travel by air into the US,
but the problem is, if I test positive in the US,
they wouldn’t let me on a plane to come home.
And having to stay an extra two weeks
in a hotel, or worse… hospital, would
have a slightly negative impact on my finances.

Yes I've pondered this a lot during my two trips to the US during the pandemic. Thankfully I've been lucky, and also able to get insurance which I hope would help you out should that happen...but really hope it doesn't. I'm hoping that when (hopefully soon) they open the land borders...that if you drive...they would still let you back into Canada to quarantine in your own home upon arrival if you did get a positive...that's my logic...let's hope they think this way too...

Don’t tell me you haven’t thought it,
at least in passing, at least once.

Oh yes...been there, done that...more than once and more than in passing lol

Hot Dogs… ketchup. Yes or no???

Yes for sure!! And good buns for those hot dogs, that's the most important I think.

Did this TR suddenly take a morbid turn?
Sorry. The last 18 months have been… un-fun.

It's pretty hard to get through a TR, or really any sort of conversation at all these days...without some mention of the big C. It's sad that it's so much a part of life and sadly will be for some time it seems...ugh. Glad you can joke though!!

You can’t really see it here,
but the tubes were very comfortable
with a backrest.

This looks like a lot of fun. They have a few places in Ontario where you can do this but haven't gotten around to it...now that I know how comfy those tubes look...must make more of an effort!

Luckily, the wasps boiled and spun
in the air above their nest and didn’t
seem to connect the two idiots standing
nearby, to their home invasion.

Ugh...good thing they weren't too bright!

 

[pkondz]

That's just crazy. Amazing how it seems to happen faster the older you get...sigh.

Tell me about it!

Yes I've pondered this a lot during my two trips to the US during the pandemic. Thankfully I've been lucky, and also able to get insurance which I hope would help you out should that happen...but really hope it doesn't. I'm hoping that when (hopefully soon) they open the land borders...that if you drive...they would still let you back into Canada to quarantine in your own home upon arrival if you did get a positive...that's my logic...let's hope they think this way too...

You can come back in.
Yes, you'll have to quarantine
at home, but... better than
being stuck in another country!

Oh yes...been there, done that...more than once and more than in passing lol

Yes for sure!! And good buns for those hot dogs, that's the most important I think.

Either perfectly toasted
or steamed.

It's pretty hard to get through a TR, or really any sort of conversation at all these days...without some mention of the big C. It's sad that it's so much a part of life and sadly will be for some time it seems...ugh. Glad you can joke though!!

Unfortunately, I think Covid
is going to be part of the
conversation for quite a while.

This looks like a lot of fun. They have a few places in Ontario where you can do this but haven't gotten around to it...now that I know how comfy those tubes look...must make more of an effort!

They were really comfy!
If the ones near you are
similar, I'd say go for it!

Ugh...good thing they weren't too bright!

Me? Yes. Not too bright.

 

[franandaj]

Even if they're not symptomatic,
if they test positive, they'll have
to wait in the US until they aren't.
Care for some sick houseguests
for a few weeks?

They can stay with Clancy!

For good sites, you have to book early,
which Kay did.
But you do get to pick the site you want,
as long as it's available.

Ah so Kay booked the site, very good, she's a planner in training.

Not even fries?

Good fries don't need sauce. Occasionally I'll dip them in a mix of ketchup and mustard. That is a must when I have onion rings.

It's my mom's recipe.
I'll email it to you, hopefully tonight.
If you don't see it in a day or two,
remind me, okay?

Recipe printed out.
May do them tonight.

Cool.

 

[pkondz]

They can stay with Clancy!

Foist ‘em off on others!!!

Ah so Kay booked the site, very good, she's a planner in training.

Good fries don't need sauce. Occasionally I'll dip them in a mix of ketchup and mustard. That is a must when I have onion rings.

Onion rings you say!
Hmmm…

Cool.

Made ‘em!
Soooo good!