Thursday 12th May
Wisconsin is the land of Frank Lloyd Wright and they pay homage to his memory in the most beautiful rest-stop buildings on the planet.
Steve and Kathy give us a warm welcome and we parked the RV next to the behemoth trailer they have bought to load all their worldly goods into.
Friday 13th May
The weather has suddenly changed to cloudy and cool.
Started the trailer loading and moved a stack of boxes aboard before lunch – maybe I went at it a little too vigorously to start.
In the afternoon we moved the freezer, sewing machine and more stuff aboard. Wow! At this speed we’ll be done in no time.
Went to local watering hole for a fish fry supper. Cod cheaper than walleye - ?
Saturday 14th MayOn to day two. An early finish for the day – I seem to be coming down with a cold – not a good time. Steve soldiers on.
Sunday 15th May
Back to sunny again, but cool. Another early finish to the day, not feeling so hot.
We had an invite out for supper by a lake at Matt and GiGi’s, two of the many friends of Steve and Kathy.
Monday 16th May
Sunny again but now cold.
While everyone else carried on I took a day off to get over the worst of my cold.
Tuesday 17th May
Another cool and sunny day in northern Wisconsin.
Took it easy in the morning but cut up cedar planks for Steve in the afternoon while he nailed ‘em to their shed.
For days we’d been piling ‘combustible’ things on Steve’s burn pile and finally conditions were right for setting fire to it.
It was quite a blaze, I was afraid we were going to set the entire forest ablaze.
Flames were going up 30 feet.
Wednesday 16th May
Once upon a time Steve and Kathy’s house was ‘off the grid’. Their obligatory battery storage consisted of eighteen 2V lead-acid cells. Only thing about each cell is that they are a couple of feet high and weigh 120lbs.
We started moving them from their utility building to trailer.
Thursday 19th May
With some help from Allan Servoss, another friend, we finished moving the batteries and a bunch more stuff with help from all sorts of people who showed up at odd times during the day.
After killing abut a dozen mosquitoes in the bedroom we hit the sack.
Friday 20th May
Still sunny weather and getting warmer.
Did some RV caulking to try and prevent a pesky roof leak.
Started moving stuff from the garage/workshop which was full of serious tools: radial arm saw, table saw, band saw etc. plus shelves and shelves of stuff which Carol had the job of emptying.
Off to the Larrabee Lodge for fish fry supper again. Tried fried cheese curds – a Wisconsin ‘delicacy’. Our arteries will never recover.
Even more mosquitoes needed extermination before bed.
Saturday 21st May
Things - like furniture – are disappearing into the trailer fast and it’s starting to fill up.
We watched a movie - 10000BC – hmm!
A thunderstorm in the night & very heavy rain - no leak – woohoo!
Sunday 22nd May
It’s sunny and warm and on we go.
However, we had another invite for supper at Allan and Gail Servoss’s – another lovely place by a lake.
Allan is a talented guitarist but he actually makes a living from his art. We got a tour of his studio
and found his work quite original and beautiful.
Monday 23rd May
Endlessly more stuff to move but we got another invite out, this time to Noreen and Frank’s.
Carol got to cuddle a chick.
Tuesday 24th May
Did something different. Moved a dock from the lake to span some swampy bit to make an easy path from a piece of Kathy and Steve’s land to the lake.
Wednesday 25th May
We’re getting close now. Just Steve’s office left and various odd and ends.
Supper at friends again - Patricia & Martha's
Thursday 26th May
Up early to cram the last few items in before the truck arrives to haul the trailer away.
One last melancholy photo of Steve and Kathy in front of the house they built themselves and brought their daughters up in.
By the end of the morning we were on the road, all in the RV. We stopped for fuel at the co-op in Bloomer and used as much of Steve and Kathy’s leftover gas credit as we could.
Our destination for the night was Barbara & Ted's. They have a lovely place much further south in Portage.
I was curious about what was in the big building next to the house and what their ‘pattern making’ business was. Using large computer-controlled cutting machines they carve up wood and other materials to make molds for packing materials etc. Seemed like a neat way of making a living to me.
Friday 27th May
In the morning we plowed on further south to Steve’s sister who lives just south of Milwaukee and parked in yet another back yard.
Another warm welcome - we had intended to move on but we were persuaded to stay as it was Memorial Day weekend and the roads would have been filled with holiday travelers.
Saturday 28th May
After a homemade blueberry pancake breakfast – thanks to Kathie (Steve’s sister) we were on our way to brave the drive through Chicago and into Michigan.
We were lucky to get a campsite for the night as it was the with it being the Memorial Day weekend. The campsite in Byron Center, Michigan was almost completely full.
Sunday 29th May
It’s time to leave the US and cross the Blue Water Bridge into Sarnia and back to Ontario. It’s too far to make the drive to Ottawa so we stayed at the Trout Haven campsite in Strathroy that we’d stayed in the previous fall.
Monday 30th May
Along the 402 to London and then the 401 to Kingston. By the end of the day we’re back in friend Richard Hayward’s driveway and we’re meeting a lady friend, Nancy.
Tuesday 31st May
Breakfast at Royal’s in Richmond – hard to beat.
We decided we hadn’t seen a movie in such a long time so we checked the listings. Not too much we wanted to see, “Bridesmaids” being the best bet. However, apart from the now obligatory gross-out part, it was a good movie.
Back at Richard’s we met his actual girlfriend Cheryl.
Wednesday 1st June
Another movie day. Richard and Cheryl met us for Pirates of the Caribbean 4 in 3-D IMAX. All I have to say is, I don’t know how many millions they spent on the thing, but couldn’t they have a spared a mill for a really good script.
Thursday 2nd June
Got the Miata out of storage ready for mounting the towbar.
Friday 3rd June
Hanging out at Richard’s during the day and meeting Bob (we used to be partners in a business once upon a time) and Elaine for supper in Carleton Place.
Saturday 4th June
Jessica, the daughter of Ken and Cheryl, our friends in Montreal, is getting married in July and today’s her shower. So off we go, leaving the RV behind.
I dropped Carol off at the shower
and then headed over to our other Montreal friends, Nick and Eve.
After picking Carol up at the end of the shower, we ate at Nick and Eve’s and actually watched a hockey game!!!, the 2nd game of the Stanley Cup.
Sunday 5th June
After Nick left for Chicago we headed over to Ken and Cheryl’s to help dispose of some of the shower leftovers.
We then watched possibly the worst Nicolas Cage movie ever – Angry Driver.
Monday 6th June
After our traditional Montreal breakfast – lox, scrambled eggs and bagels, we headed back to Ottawa.
Tuesday 7th June
Richard’s wife Sarah donated her body to medical science and Ottawa University has an annual memorial service for those who have done this. It was very emotional at times when relatives spoke some words.
Our other American friends ,Ira and Ann, whose lifestyle we kinda copied , had sold their RV and descended on us for a few days.
Wednesday 8th June
A visit to our investment councilor in downtown (why do people locate there, in summer it’s a mess with roadworks and other irritations). That was a depressing experience.
Over to Kemptville to do some serious laundry and pickup up some clothes more suitable than shorts and t-shirt for the upcoming wedding
Thursday 9th June
With Ira’s supervision I installed the Miata towbar. Surprisingly easy to do.
Friday 10th June
Awning installation day. This is a small one to allow us to keep a window open on rainy days.
Saturday 11th June
Ira and Ann left for their summer in a Montreal apartment.
Sunday 12th June
Richard had won a couple of on-line auctions to benefit the musical arts and had already had had one concert in his house and today was the second.
In the afternoon we were treated to Stefan? Lemelin playing Beethoven, Schuman and Ravel.
Monday 13th June
Hanging out in Prospect.
Tuesday 14th June
Lunch with Bob and Harry (also an ex-partner and our accountant)
Wednesday 15th June
Suddenly came to the realization that the Miata registration had expired so while Carol went off for a doctor’s appointment , I took it for an emissions test (it passed – whew! ‘Cos last time it didn’t first time) and got it registered.
After readying the RV for travel we head off to Merrickville and a lovely little campsite by the river/canal.
Thursday 16th June
We got to talk to our next door neighbours in the campsite, Colin and Caroline Abbott and got invited to their place for Sunday lunch.
Drove to Lena & Peter's place near Smiths Falls, the horsey people who we always love to stay with.
Friday 17th June
Started installation of the backup camera I bought in the US. So I can see the Miata when we’re towing it.
In the afternoon we drove the Miata to Harry and Barbara’s to take our taxes and play cards which we did ‘til midnight.
Saturday 18th June
Did some lawn mowing on a riding mower – hey, this is fun.
Lena and Peter had organized a backyard BBQ for the afternoon with her son Ryan, his girlfriend Laura, their friends Randy and Judy.
All food was excellent.
Sunday 19th June
Drove to Chesterville, Ontario, home of Colin and Caroline, the people we’d met in the Merrickville campsite for a lovely lunch and afternoon in the middle of nowhere.
Colin has some very old cars.
Monday 20th June
Trip into Smiths Falls to get more towing bits from Canadian Tire.
Tuesday 21st June
Today we have an invite for a poolside afternoon and supper at Richard and Felicity’s in Kanata.
A lovely cooling swim – it’s hot. Lots of catching up to do over a terrific meal.
Wednesday 22nd June
Carol had lunch with friends while I drove around Ottawa doing various errands.
Thursday 23rd June
The weather has turned bad, heavy rain and thunderstorms. Carol is off visiting friends and I drove the RV with the Miata in tow (all went well) over to one of our good RV spots, the Robert Guertin (or Hull) Arena where one can park for free and there’s water and a dump station.
Friday 24th June
The rain is heavy and continuous and the RV has sprung a serious leak.
Saturday 25th June
The rain has abated a little but the RV is still leaking badly – damn, I thought I had this licked.
Sunday 26th June
Hanging out in the arena parking lot – lots of activity.
Monday 27th June
Things to do in Ottawa and caulking to buy. Repairs effected, hope I’ve got it this time or at least for now.
Tuesday 28th June
Time to move on to our storage in Kemptville. Another thunderstorm and heavy rain but no leak. However, the RV transmission started acting up again while driving through Ottawa rush hour traffic.
Wednesday 29th June
This was a serious driving day. First to Carleton Place to drop Carol off at the haridresser's, then to Kanata for lunch with Richard W, then back to Kemptville to pick up Buddy from the RV. Then to Carleton Place to pickup Carol. Then to Kanata for a dentist appointment and finally to Barrhaven for supper before the final drive back to the RV in Kemptville. Crazy! One would think.
Thursday 30th June
Dropped off the Miata at Lena and Peter’s and drove west through Perth and on to Fifth Depot Lake where Sandy and Ellen live.
There's progress in their construction. They've moved out of the cottage and sort of moved into the 'house' but it's a work in progress.
Friday 1st July
It’s Canada Day and Richard and Cheryl come over for the day.
We had lovely day and even went for a swim in the lake.
Later in the day our fridge alarm in the RV went off – not good. It doesn’t appear to be cooling.
So we turned it off for while and then restarted before we went to bed.
Saturday 2nd July
The fridge appears to be OK again ???
Took a trip into Kingston with Sandy for some man shopping.
Sunday 3rd July
Thunderstorm and heavy rain during the night but no leaks.
Carol did some RV cleaning while I did some things one needs the generator running for. There’s not a lot of power available here because Sandy and Ellen are very much ‘off the grid’.
Their power comes from these puppies (over a kWatt).
They feed these humungous batteries.
Our fridge conked out again. This really is not good.
Monday 4th July
Ran the generator again to try the fridge with that and tapped the fridge coils – seems to be working again.
Sandy found these guys in New Brunswick on the net that provide replacement RV fridge cooling units.
I decide we need a car so Sandy drove me to Richard’s to pick up the Subaru which he (hopefully) doesn’t need now he’s got rid of the really very unreliable mini and bought a brand new car).
The a.c. compressor had gone so I just cut the belt – who needs to be cool?
Tuesday 5th July
Broke down and ordered the replacement fridge cooling unit to be delivered here – this is messing up our plans more than a little.
When we’ve been here before, the deer flies seemed confined to the woods and the road in but this year they’re everywhere. Protection is required when walking Buddy.
Wednesday 6th July
We’d booked the RV in to have the transmission fluid replaced in an attempt to fix the intermittent transmission problem. So we drove it to Vaughan’s (a popular local auto repair spot) and also took the opportunity to visit a dump station and get water – another scarce commodity at Sandy and Ellen’s.
However, on the way back the transmission did its strange thing again – sigh! I guess this is the year of the repair.
Thursday 7th July
The long drive into Ottawa for a memory test for Carol – apparently there’s nothing wrong with her memory, in fact it’s really very good – who woulda thunk it? (:-)
Friday 8th July
Sandy headed off to Toronto for work and we’re left to mind the fort.
Saturday 9th July
It's great day for a wedding. So with Buddy in a packed Subaru we headed off for Montreal.
We arrived at the Ken and Cheryl's (the brides parents) as everyone was getting ready for the big event.
The bride's mother was understandably nervous.
The brides father looks on as the photographer does their thing.
The groom's parents relaxed in the conservatory.
The bride and groom were ready.
On to the wedding. It's a sign of the times when the wedding officiator is reading from his iPad.
It was a great party with good food, free wine and beer and endless (loud) music that went on until 2 in the morning.
Sunday 10th July
The morning after and lots of us went to Eggs-Frutti for brunch.
The bride and groom the day after.
Carol still tucking in.
