Day Eight – Last Leg to Canada, Visit with Good Friends, Tag Game

Can-Am RV Centre

On Saturday, Apr. 15^th I didn’t get out of bed until 6:40 am. I knew everything was ready including hookup so took a bit more time. I had a wonderful sleep, waking up once to use the facilities. That’s unusual for me but I also knew I drank a lot of water last evening so not too surprising. We pulled up to the communal dump station at the exit and were on the road at 7:20 am.

Another pretty sky before we leave
Gibbs sees it out his window as we say
goodbye to Stony Ridge/Perrysburg

The sky was mostly covered in blanket-like clouds but I caught a glimpse of the sun trying to poke through. Once off Luckey Rd, the park road, we caught US-23N to I-75S. Then we took I475N untill we got back on US23N. We waited until we got near Ann Arbor and took Exit 35 onto I-94. This was a much improved interstate! From there, it was a straight run east and then north to Port Huron. Bill has parcels to pick up at Bluewater Shipping and then it is a hop, skip and jump to Border Crossing. 😊

We leave Ohio in our rearview
and enter Michigan
A few sights along the way

We don't know how many times we've come this way
but there are always familiar things along the route

The temperature is 60F/15C so shorts weather still. We crossed the Maumee River and although I wasn’t quick enough for a picture, I spotted at least 30 fishermen standing in and spread across the water. Quite a few from the park went out to catch walleye and this is perfect weather for them to enjoy it. There was construction almost as soon as we left Perrysburg on I-75S/US-23N but since it is Saturday, no one is working. 

It was a good choice to get on I-94
after the rought US-23
We only had a bit of construction to deal with

We had 19 miles to our destination but pulled into a rest area to care of business. All 3 of us needed a bathroom break and felt better after the stop. 😊 Bill is quite familiar with the route in to the shipping depot where they have our name and address registered for packages. This saves us paying duty by having it shipped to Canada. He is a happy man to get his repaired motor and his new plane kit from Carolina Customs. If he’s happy, you know. ♥

Just a few miles before our designated stop,
we pulled into one last Rest Area
Bottom picture is Bluewater Shipping with an
easy in and out for us at the back of the building

The office opens at 10 and we arrived at 9:59. How’s that for timing?! Bill got his goodies and stored them in the Suite and we were on our way by 10:10 to the Bridge to Canada. The crossing was simple with 2 cars and an rv in front of us. Nice gal, wondered if we were traveling with the ones ahead of us because they were also in Arizona. 😊 Driving on our 402E, headed to CanAm for a few days. We arrived around 11:30 to a near-full parking lot out front.

Paying the toll always behooves us
One time it was $13, today it was $9.
Both US fees.

Crossing the bridge - top
Reaching today's destination - bottom

We got into a temporary spot, thankfully, and 2 more Airstreams and 1 Imagine pulled in right after us. Some were dropping off for storage, some picking up, others for repair but it made for a very congested area. As soon as owners dropped their rigs, Andy, the owner, and his retired brother, Kirk, pulled them out of the way and into the back storage area. It’s the fullest I’ve seen this lot in a very long time, if not ever. Bill went inside and Gibbs and I walked out to the grass for his business. Good boy!

It took about an hour before Peggy, Kirk and Andy had the units moved around enough for us to get into a spot BUT that’s okay! They are run off their feet, even more so on a warm Saturday, I imagine. We have a spot with hookups for the next few days, just like any other time we’ve come here. These folk/friends have always treated us wonderfully. ♥ The heat has followed us here, or actually was here already, and without a breeze the 79F/26C would be pretty warm.

If you can see our Suite here, you need to know that 
this is the in-out entrance as well so we knew we'd have
to move as would the ones to our right. 

I put the awnings out to block some of the sun and they flapped enough for us to keep an eye on them. The breeze felt good and kept the Suite comfortable. We switched all of our US cards (bank & otherwise) for our Canadian ones and while Bill puttered back and forth to discuss the trailer repairs, I sat and read. We had our sandwiches late so each of us had a bit of a headache. I made a cup of tea and we phoned our friends, Jim and Sharon, to arrange an evening visit. 😊

Chili for supper, warmed in the microwave, since we’re plugged in and then we’scooted across the city. Words can't express how important it is to take time to visit with family and friends. We know all too soon, what happens when we put things off. 

This is an old picture of
our good friends, Jim and Sharon.

Before we left, a phone call to my sister and her husband informed us that they had also crossed the border and were an hour away. We, and Andy, the owner, welcomed them to come and stay for a couple of nights here at CanAm. The parking lot was empty now except for us. 😄 Since Deming, NM, they have been about a day behind us and will now finally catch up in this game of rv tag. 

Empty parking lot now

It was great to see our friends again before we head home on this week. It was a really nice day driving back today, I-94 is the way to go if coming this way. Gayle and John were here when we returned around 9 and we all visited in their Montana until near 11:00. It is very nice to see them and know that family is back to Canada safely as well. 💓

Gayle and John across the lot
with hookups, if they want them
Good night!

Thank you for your visit today and thank you to everyone who followed our journey and welcomed us home. It is always a relief at the end of a long trip to be back in our own beautiful country. ♥

Day 8, Dull but Mild, Good Movies

The Ridge - Home

It was almost 7:30 when I got up on Saturday, Mar. 28^th. This quarantine business is making a lazy person out of me! I hope I don’t get too used to the late nights and late mornings as eventually, I will have a job to go back to. At least, I’m hoping I do. I haven’t talked to Jamie yet, other than receiving a Welcome Back wish on Facebook but all in due time. I can’t do anything now anyway.

This dullness stuck with us all day

Bill had risen about 45 minutes earlier, had finished his coffee and was sitting at the table reading blogs. Good morning, sweet cheeks! Because of a pending shower, after my tea, I came down in my housecoat for the first time in …….. well, ever! Getting dressed as soon as I get up is just what I do and have always done. Part of that, since retirement, is that I’m up early for a walk and as much as they’re nature walks, I need to be dressed appropriately!

Now, doesn't this look good?
It was tasty, I'll you that!

 After my tea and some blog reading, I had my shower and Bill followed soon after for his. I finished working on the worksheet of our Winter Expenses for the last couple of years, not sure how I missed doing the 2018/19 travels. 

From scribbles in a book of our receipts
to an easy to read printed document

All done now and it is a good representation of our costs and how they vary from year to year. Some things we’ve improved on, most, actually, and others are beyond our control like fuel prices. It is an interesting fact sheet.

The front field slowly starts to dry up
Bill has a hard time cutting this area for part of the spring

Bill and I have come to a conclusion and having the visual influence of our travel mates this and the past winter, we’ve set a new goal for ourselves. Today, as a start, we called Bill’s 4 girls for a nice little chit chat. Times are hard right now for everyone, with some of the kids getting bored with being restricted from their school and sporting activities. We knew that on Saturday they would be home with their family. After nice conversations with all of them, we were content that everyone is doing as well as can be expected and mainly, they are healthy.

Now, the turtle log is ready for spring too

Yesterday, I had a nice texting chat with Bridgette (which isn’t the same) rather than a phone call because she has a cold and texting is easier. No, not virus symptoms. I will call her once she regains a better voice back. I talked to Patrick on our way home from the border and will be sure to get in touch within the week. These are communications we felt that we were missing more this winter than ever before. I guess we are getting sentimental in our aging years.

Pretty robin red breast

Around noon, after a second brew for each of us, I didn’t feel like eggs. Surprise, surprise. I fried bacon for each of us and eggs for Bill. I added a tortilla shell to the bacon grease in the pan and fried that to a crisp, adding grated mozzarella cheese, green onions, the bacon and then lettuce and cottage cheese after it was on my plate. Oh my, this was another delectable delight. I enjoyed it very much.

Looking up towards the Suite from our back field

After dishes, I sat and worked on the crossword puzzle from the local Grey Bruce paper. It started out tough but then things started getting easier. We worked on a few clues together and then I put my boots on with hoody and windbreaker and went for a walk. I try to think of ways to extend the walks without leaving the property but after covering the perimeter, rather than doing it again and again, I returned inside. I’ll go out again later.

More wood for the fire

Here you can see the tangle of vines Bill had to deal with
The trunk is in the middle

It is a mild 48F/8C today with cloudy skies. The sun isn’t far away, we can see it trying to break through as we look out across the landscape. There is a breeze today, somewhere around 8 mph as an average so not too bad. Back inside, I started my blog and then sat with my crocheting. I was making good progress when Bill said that he was going upstairs to watch a movie. That opened the door for me to turn on the tv downstairs and watch the 2 episodes of This is Us that were pre-recorded.

I'll work on this for a couple of days until it's done

I made myself a tea around 4, another Earl Gray. When the programs were done and my tea finished, I dressed for the outdoors and went for another walk. Our thermometer says 50F but it feels cooler than that with the clouds and winds. It still felt good as I walked the lane, down the road to our gate entrance and back up through our front field again. 

Looking down the lane and you can't see much snow now

There is a very cool little old stone house that sits in the farmer’s pasture across the road. Each year, I try to get a better picture of it, you’ve probably seen it. It reminds me of the old buildings of the southwest, although in better condition.

Through the lens, it looked blurry but not so much on here

I came back in and continued with my sweater. By the time I finish, it will be too warm to even wear it. Ha ha, I think my friend, Kim, hinted at that a while ago. She could be right! 😊 We’ve decided on an easy supper tonight. We have part of a tomato that needs to be eaten so I’ll make Bill a toasted sandwich and grill a cheese and onion sandwich up for me. It is optional whether we have salad on the side or not. We’ll see how hungry we are.

I kept trying, getting zoomed in as much as I dared

As it turned out, I had one sandwich and Bill had a couple so no salad was required. Not even sure we need dessert but maybe some chips and dip later. I had found the movie Bourne Identity on and it being a favourite of mine, I watched it. We’ve seen it many times but that doesn’t matter when we love a movie. After dishes, I sat to finish my post. Bill returned to the bedroom, there is a run of his movies on. I was happy that the 2nd in the series, Bourne Supremacy, was on next. Yay, Matt Damon. 

This one was at 48 pixels and a bit of a blur is noticeable
We've never been inside as it isn't our property

I’m feeling a bit upset tonight as it was suggested that I was taking pictures (which you all know I do) of someone without permission. From a distance, I can’t claim that I’ve never taken pictures of someone, but only when it isn't obvious who I’m catching on camera. Today I didn’t even do that. Inanimate objects were my target today, the stone house I’ve mentioned above. I will be even more careful in the future but this has put a bit of a damper on the evening.

A picture looking up at the Suite from the left side of the laneway
There were two ducks in the pond this afternoon but they were very skittish
and I couldn't get a picture

This was a quiet day, we didn’t get much rain at all, not even enough to dampen other than one window on the southeast corner of the Suite. It sure has been dull though. Maybe we’ll get some sun in a week? Ha ha. Bill touched base with our friend, Keith, through texts after supper. Good to hear that he is also doing well in his two weeks of isolation. 

Here, from last April, Clemson was on his leash as we walked the road

And this one after he raced me back up the hill
Gosh how I miss those little races
Good night everyone

Have a nice evening and thank you for popping in.