The Beach, More Shopping and Another Sister

Kew Cottage

On Thursday, Sept. 12^th I was up around 7:15, ready for the day. Once more, it was a lazy morning. Since we finished the crossword last night, we only had Scrabble to entertain our minds. 😊 Donna and I played our Wordle games and we discussed the events of the upcoming day.

Good morning!

This was a picture taken of us at the
Bayfield Berry Farm & Winery

There was a garage sale on Mews Lane until noon so we popped in there for a quick look. I did well with $8 spent and then we drove to The Square (downtown) to peruse some of the shops. Déjà vu and DynaStyle were consignments shops, the former being very high end. We’d have to sell our trailer to buy anything but it was still fun to poke around and chat with the pleasant shop owner.

Lunch at The Little Inn

When our tummies were grumbling, we went to The Little Inn, recommended by the staff in the shops and it was lovely. I ordered a skewer of garlic shrimp and a Caesar salad and it was delicious and just the right amount. No disappointment for my food choices on this trip at all. I think everyone has been very pleased as well. It was time to head back to the cottage.

Headed to the Heritage Main Beach

Soaking up the sun
It was such a calm day

Wasting no time, we changed into our swim suits and drove to the Main Beach near the park. Well, you park your vehicle at the park and walk down the 116 steps to the beach. It was worth the jaunt and we all had a swim and stretched out on our towels for an hour or so. I love a good beach, the sand, the water (to get wet in for a few minutes) and the sun. ♥

Coneflowers? Black-eyed Susans?
Looking over the edge of the steps to the beach.

Around 5:30, we were ready to head out again, this time to Goderich. Bill suggested Beach Street Station, a restaurant down by the marina. It looked good so we planned to meet our youngest sister for supper. She is still a full-time working gal and drove from Owen Sound to join us. 😊 The restaurant was no disappointment, right on Lake Huron.

Our supper venue was
The Beach Street Station
with the best view.

We were seated within 10 minutes outside on their patio and tonight I enjoyed a Pina Colada, the beef dip and a small Caesar salad on the side. It was another delicious meal and half of the sandwich came home with me. It was great that Wendy could join us, it’s a long drive for her. We watched the sun set on the water, or should I say we watched the sun drop into the water? It is awesome to watch, pictures don’t do anything for it.

Nice the 6 of us could end up together tonight.

We drove home and I did something that I haven’t done in 8 years. Are you sitting down? I had a bath. 😊 It was wonderful! Living full-time in an rv does have some drawbacks. Downstairs, the girls were watching a movie and the Scrabble game was continuing. I worked on my blog, texted Bill and Gibbs to say goodnight and settled in for the evening.

Another great meal

Trust me when I say that the sunset
was 98% better than my pictures show.

This was a great day, reaching 25C/77F under sunny blue sky. I hope you’ve had a good one too.

The boss is taking a break
in the shade.
I'm anxious to see the little bum tomorrow. 💗
Good night!

Thank you for stopping in.

Wedding Day Bliss - Picture Overload

On Tuesday, Oct. 22^nd we woke up knowing that today would be the most scheduled we would have to be all week. The morning was pretty much free for whatever we wanted to do but come 1 o’clock, it was time to be organized. Bill and I were awake around 5:30 and by 6:15 I roused myself enough to finish posting my blog. Bill slept on as I slipped him a kiss goodbye and left the room at 6:30.

My walk along the beach Tuesday morning

There were quite a few clouds to the east of us yet I was hoping for some kind of sunrise today. I walked down to the beach and was rewarded not by sun but by some pretty awesome waves in the sea and beautiful cloud formations in the sky. As I was taking photos, I met up with Charlotte and Cory and then further down, Rose. She was sitting on the rock fence trying to capture the lightning flashes which were few and far between.

Rose and I getting the best of the early morning

After sitting together for a while, we parted ways and I made my wavering way back to our room. Bill was up and reading blogs on his laptop so I made a pot of coffee for us. I’m not particular about the taste of coffee, neither is Bill, so with milk/coffeemate and Splenda we were good. They don’t have creamer here and we’re not really sure why that is. By 8:30 we were dressed and had decided on going to LaCosta for breakfast again.

This is where the ceremony will be held later today

Charlotte, Cory, Rose, Sandy, Yvonne, Dennis, Krystal and Matt had already eaten and were just about to leave. The kids went to Akumal lobby to book 8 of us for a bus trip into town to a ‘flea’ market and tequila bar. That is tomorrow morning’s plan. We agreed to meet at the pool where they wanted to go and were able to snag 8 chairs near the White Sands bar.

Easton goes to the beach before the big event

Drinks were still served and although still early – at 10:30 I ordered a Mimosa and later a Mud Slide while Bill had a couple of Miami Vice. 

White Sands Bar right beside us

There were some rain showers while we sat there but we were going to be in the pool anyway so what did it matter? There was no storm activity to scare us off. We read our books and a bit later Jess, Matt and Easton arrived. He loves the water so was in a few times with Dad, Grandpa and Aunts Yvonne, Charlotte and Krystal.

Grandpa's turn swimming with Easton

The kids went to play beach volleyball but this was not something Bill and I had any plan for. Jess’s friend, Kelly, fell making a shot so needed minor medical attention. We all teased her over a knee scrape for all the attention she got. Quite an ordeal! The resort needs to be sure that the customer doesn’t come back on them, I guess. 

All dressed, somewhere to go

 Eventually, we all separated. Jess and Charlotte were getting their hair done, I think, and left and then Bill and I headed back to our room around 12:30 as well.

The staff hadn’t cleaned our room yet but Bill stretched out on the bed anyway and I started my post. 

Just being cutsey

By 1 pm, she tapped on the door so we moved to the seating area and let her do her thing. We each needed a shower, maybe a snooze and then something light to eat. The wedding ceremony was at 4 and reception not until 5:30 so we’d need something in our stomachs. When our room was cleaned, we walked to the Adults Only restaurant by the pool.

And this little guy has his suspenders and hat on too

Buenos dias, Ola, por favor, de nada, mucho gracia – we are trying to remember the small words to be as courteous as possible. We dressed in our ‘finest’ and all guests met at a gazebo up on the hill near the beach. When ready, we all walked down the steps to our seats under the pergola. It was a beautiful setting, the feared rain forecast was a myth and the breezed coming off the water was wonderful! The ceremony was lovely with a couple of nervous chuckles amongst the vows.

Jess and Matt's friend, Kelly, gets first aid treatment from beach
volleyball
But she scored the point!

Waiting for the bridal party

Now, we can tease Jess that it is a second marriage. Ha ha, remember the one in Ontario in September?  Jess looked absolutely gorgeous and actually so did all of us family and friends. After wedding photos to match Jess’s list request, this time taken by her best friend Kelly and her spouse. There was a small covered gazebo at the bottom of the hill where 3 bartenders had set up a fully stocked bar and some appetizers for us to munch on.

Charlotte, sister of the bride - Maid of Honor

Mr. & Mrs. Flessati 

Dad and Step Mom of the bride

At my request, a picture with Jess

On the trolley to the reception

When we were shuttled to Tulum lobby, another accessible resort to us, we had a great dinner. Bill and I sat at a table for 6 with Matt’s father, step mom, step sister and her husband. It was a nice opportunity for us to get to know them. The meal was a salad bar, grilled vegetables and rodizio. 

Reception area - We only used 4 tables plus head table
The rest was open to other resort customers

Rodizio is where they bring huge skewers of meat around to your table. Chicken, pork, ham, lamb, sausage and beef, oh my. Even though you receive only small portions, add in the alcohol being served and salad and you get sated very quickly.

For dessert we had cheesecake and wedding cake. The latter of which I passed on. Instead, I had a Disorono on ice. We went from there back on the trolley to the Akumal reception room. 

The reception servers with Matt's b.i.l. Federico

Cory, the brides b.i.l. was the Master of Ceremony

We were greeted with blue champagne and speeches and toasts took place before the music started and for 2 hours, we danced and drank. 

Dad and daughter dancing to Tim McGraw's
My Little Girl

We enjoyed ourselves and around 10:30, Bill and I walked home to our room. The days have been very full here which is great. Some things were necessary and others because we want to do them (like beaching and eating and pooling).

There was a lot of this going down

Blog writing is not a priority and I know you all understand that. Today had hiccups for Jess, Matt and the wedding party but it was all bearable with the support and assistance of family and friends. The happy couple had a great day and Baby Easton, can’t forget him, was so well behaved the whole day long.

I love this picture
Good night, sorry for the delayed post!

I hope you enjoyed your Tuesday. Thank you for joining us!

Lovely Morning Walk, Dead Battery, Bill Heads Out, Beach Visit, Chance of Storms

Last night when we got home from Chatsworth, it was still 71F/22C and it felt humid in the Suite. We closed the windows and turned the a/c on knowing it wasn’t going to cool down overnight. I woke up at 6:30 on Tuesday, Aug. 28^th.and realized that worked well, as I slept like a log. I’d only had a margarita and a small glass of Chardonnay last night so I won’t credit the drink.

The sky started out like this

Bill was sleeping soundly with Clemson snugged up against him so I crept out of bed just before 7 and turned the Keurig on and slipped out for my walk. The warm air hit me instantly but there was a lovely breeze so I left my lightweight jacket on just in case it rained. The sky was overcast with threatening clouds again. Nope, not stopping this gal, I’m going! I haven’t been my ‘vain’ self lately and have neglected the selfies, so stopped for a couple along my walk.

An abandoned wheelbarrow on a neighbours front lawn

When I got back, my hoodie was off and I was quite humid. This was a slow-paced stroll and I was still feeling the heat. Bill was up and we made our drinks while sitting reading a bit on line. After finishing my tea, I got my running shoes on and my hat and gloves. Time to cut this lawn! I retrieved the battery from the bunky and put it in the mower. As I began pushing it, I could tell from the whir-whir sound it was making that the battery was dead. Crap!

Promising break in the clouds

It had been plugged in for the required 24 hours after I used it last but Bill wonders now if the power tripped at the panel during that time and it really didn’t get charged. There is no indicator, like on a camera battery, that changes colour when it is fully charged so you never know. Anyway, stuff like this really ticks me off (fortunately, not for too long). I was all geared up to do something and then couldn’t because of ‘mechanical’ failure, so to speak.

Selfie!

Anyway, I admitted defeat, plugged it in, and after grumbling a bit, I calmed down and decided that things happen for a reason. The grass isn’t terribly long, I just wanted to have the whole place cut within the same time period. Now it will be Thursday by the looks of tomorrow’s weather. Oh well, I wonder what else I can get into. Bill cleaned up, packed his lunches and his cooler and was out the lane by 9:15.

Someone's work day started early
It was 7 am when this dump truck passed me

I took the quiet time to read some more about Jack Reacher and all of a sudden, the Kobo stopped. It didn’t black out, just stopped. I couldn’t turn a page or anything. What the heck is going on? Well, it was time for a another cuppa anyway, so I got up and made myself a coffee. Funny how I enjoy a coffee now. When I cut out sugar, years ago, I just drank it with cream and it got to the point that it was habit. I wasn’t drinking it because I liked it. So, I stopped and just drank tea. The difference is that I’ve started with Bill taking it with Splenda sweetener and creamer and I am actually enjoying one a day.

When I sat down at my laptop, with Clemson sound asleep in my chair, I shut the Kobo down and waited a while. Starting it back up was all it needed. It must have frozen for some odd reason. Phew! When I finished my tea, I let ‘sleeping dogs lie’ and slipped outside and sat in my lounge chair and read until I finished Evidence. It was another page turner for sure.

It's a nice park area

While I was outside, I decided to drive into Durham and take advantage of this hot day. I haven’t been to the Dam yet this summer and I’m past due for a swim! I took my lounge chair and a pool noodle plus a bag with my towel, sunscreen, camera and my water. When I arrived, there were only a couple of vehicles in the parking lot at the top of the hill. So far, it looked pretty good. Because it is quite a jaunt down the hill to the beach, I thought I’d first walk over to a picnic table and see how many were swimming.

Just Black Beauty and one other vehicle when I arrived

Within an hour, it was pretty packed

No longer just the two of us

That changed the picture for me as well as my afternoon plan for a swim. There were 3 parents and about 10 children between the ages of 3 and 13. I love children, well, my own children and grandchildren specifically but when it comes to spending some quiet time at a beach with a book, listening to them trying to outdo and out-speak each other, isn’t my cup of tea.

A nice walk through the trees
No vehicles can get back here except township staff

Here in Canada, our school students start back the day after Labour Day. That is just around the corner and I wouldn’t begrudge them from getting the best out of their last 2 weeks of summer holidays. It’s another reason I enjoy so much being in a park in the southwest during the winter months. I can swim anytime with other adults. I sat at a picnic table up on the hill to the north of the beach and enjoyed the lovely breeze in the shade.

I love cedar lined 'forests' like this

I chatted on Messenger with a reader, Elva, about grilling potatoes on the Weber and then Donna about the step they were replacing at their house. Bill called as well and we chatted about our afternoon. He’s had another mixed-up day and made the drive to London unnecessarily today. I know he probably won’t mind but it does take him away from things he’d like to do around home. When things change at CanAm there isn’t always time to inform Bill and prevent him from making the trip. At least he has a full day with 3 customers tomorrow.

I took a walk back through the park just to see where it went as I noticed many people, young people in particular, walking from that way. I was carrying my heavy bag so didn’t go too far and wouldn’t in that heat anyway. I walked back to Black Beauty and there were a lot more vehicles by this time and a lot more ‘bathers’. By 3:30 I was driving back home and soon back in my recliner with Clemson.

there are many areas beyond the marked beach area where you can test the water
So, I walked in and discovered it cooler than I expected

Driving out of the Day Use area you have a nice view of the Dam and the new walking bridge

Clemson was looking for his food from 4:00 on but I managed to ignore him until 5 pm to feed him. At 6 I reheated my chicken thigh and cooked a cob of corn. The tomatoes and olives were a perfect side to my supper tonight. I picked 5 more ripe tomatoes tonight, an apple off the tree at the road and 1 green tomato from the ground. Supper was delicious and again it felt very healthy. The corn from Independent in Hanover (10 for $2) is so good!

Supper was good

Today's crop

Before Bill left this morning, he set the mouse trap again with peanut butter. We didn’t have any issue for the whole week we were in London but yesterday morning there was another turd in the linen drawer. I’m disappointed that Templeton has taught another family member how to get in but I’m wondering when I’ll hear the “SnAp”. I’m not keen on removing him if we catch him tonight but I’ll take care of it if I have to.

This dark blanket rose throughout the evening

After supper and dishes, ‘we’ watched NCIS and Bill and I chatted again. With the a/c on, it is quite pleasant inside the Suite. Bill informed me that there is a storm blowing through this area tonight and maybe that is what that low-lying blanket is to the west. I don’t like to think about that so in my head have to have a plan in case it gets really nasty. The chance of a storm doesn’t surprise me with the humidity we’ve had, I just don’t like being alone in an rv through one.

Clemson wanders looking for Bill, I think

Clemson and I went out for a short walk around 8 and came back in for the evening. I know he’ll have to go out once more so there is no point in getting too settled. This has been a nice quiet day and I hope you have had one too. 

The turbines have stopped because there is no wind at all right now
I stood for a long time trying to capture the flashing red light
and I caught it!
Have a good night!

Thank you for taking the time to check us out today. Your comments are welcome!