Before we left our Church Yard campsite in Spearfish I checked the coolant reservoir and had to add another gallon of antifreeze as the slow drip leaked out a gallon during the night. We left the Spearfish Church Yard at 7 AM because we did not want to be there when the church attendees arrived.
Spearfish is about 15 miles from the WY border and then it was 7 boring hours to Billings , MT. We arrived in Billings and pulled into a FlyingJ truck stop for fuel and because they have an RV Sewer dump and we had to dump before going home tomorrow. While Carroll was paying for the fuel she ask where the dump was as we could locate it. As you guessed , they closed the dump for the winter season. However, the clerk told us about the Conoco station across the street that has an RV dump so we emptied the sewer there.
I ask the clerk for directions to Wal-Mart ( they have 2 Wal-Mart in Billings ) and she was only to glad to direct us. When we got to the Wal-Mart ( this a Sunday afternoon ) the parking lot was so full that I could not find a space to park. Our backup camping spot was at the Cracker Barrel so we dropped the MH there and returned to Wal-Mart for some last minute shopping so Carroll could spent a couple of hundred dollars for things that I didn't even know we needed. Cheers
The last Mile; 24 OCT 16
Billings is a 5 hour drive from Medicine Hat so we anticipate out arrival at home at 1:30 or 2 PM. It was a good 1/2 drive from our camping spot at Cracker Barrel until we reached the turnoff for Havre, MT. It was morning rush hour I have done this trip before so I was looking for the sign that said the town of Roundup. There were 3 lanes of traffic and I was in the middle lane when I seen the sign "left lane for Roundup. " I thought it meant the "extreme " left lane which was a turning and I knew we had to make a left turn to get to Roundup. As I found out later the sign really meant get into the left lane and turn another block down the street. Anyway we ended up in a subdivision and I could not find a Crescent to turn around so I kept going hoping to find a place to turn around. We ended up in a dead end street the was not marked with a " No Exit " sign so now we are in a Jam. This area was a new area where they were building new home and I spotted an area with 4 or 5 vacant lots so I wheel in and managed to complete a turn all while dodging rebar that was laying in the grassed area. I did notice that several carpenter that were building a house nearby, stopped work and where probably asking themselves, " What the Hell is that guy doing."
Eventually, we got back on the right road and our planned stop was about 2 hours down the road at a place, in the middle of nowhere, called Grass Range. It has a gas station and a café. We have stopped here before for breakfast but it has changed ownership. The breakfast was not that good so they will never see us again.
We got to the Canadian border crossing called Wild Horse at 1 :30 PM. I like this border crossing because there is seldom any lineup. We were the only vehicle there and Customs Officer, who young lady, must have been bored because she was waving at us to move foreword before I got thru the gate. She ask us the obvious questions and bide us a good day. We arrived home by 3 PM.
After 56 days on the road we finally arrived home. It was a great trip. This is the end of my blog until we hit the road again. cheers
Sunday, 6 November 2016
Not a Good Day: 22 Oct 16
We got up about 7 AM but it was still dark and I don't like to drive in the dark so I decided to make a coffee/tea and waste 15 or 20 minutes before hitting the road. We usually drive for a couple of hours and then stop for breakfast. I started the "Jenny ", plugged in the coffee pot and the tea kettle and waited. After a couple of minutes the noise from the Jenny changed and I noticed that the coffee pot had tripped off , so I realized that the breaker for the Jenny must have tripped. Not to worry, I turned on the Inverter and we had our coffee and tea. At that time , I did not realize this was an "Oman" for the day.
We pulled out of Wal-Mart heading due west on I-90 thinking we could reach Gillette, WY by 6 PM. If you have never drove on I-90 across South Dakota ( SD ) ", it is an excellent Hwy, straight as a die for the most part and as interesting as 1942 newspaper. The scenery is Corn, Beans and Cattle.
However, Carroll spotted a sign that advertised the "Corn Place" in Mitchell, SD . The "Corn Place" is an "Events" building ( Nothing more Nothing less ) but the front Facade is covered with corn cobs that has been painted with a shadow Mural with the liking of Wille Nelson and I believe it to be Elvis. We actually drove by the front of the building 16 years ago , snapped a few photos and drove on.
But this time Carroll just had to go into the building to see what was inside. When we arrived in Mitchell we followed the signs to the Corn Place which actually wormed its' way there the town until we reached a large parking lot. As we approached the Corn Place there was many large pieces of farm equipment so we assumed there was an agriculture show. Actually there was 1 guy in the building handing out brochure , otherwise the building was empty because there was a Rodeo on Friday evening. It is actually a Basketball Arena. What a let down. The guy in the building did say that this was the third building that was called the Corn Place, because the other two building where destroyed by fire. This whole escapade took one hour out of my life that I will never get back. So if you are driving on I-90 in SD and you see the sign that advertises the Corn Place.... Keep driving.
We stopped for breakfast at Perkins in town and then I vowed to make up time and stop only for fuel. We have been on the road for 53 days and I am getting weary of driving. I don't know how the truckers can do.
About 2 hours down the road , motoring along at 65 MPH I could smell "antifreeze " and I knew that was not good. At the same instant the " Low Water Light " came on along with the buzzer that tells me, we got a problem. Luckily , I-90 has a 9 foot shoulder so I pulled over. As I got out of the MH I could see the antifreeze pouring out of the cargo area, which told me the problem was with the heating system. As I opened the cargo door I could see the antifreeze " Pissing " out of a 3/4 inch heater hose. Bear in mind that the temperature of the antifreeze is about 185 F. The leak was right at the end of the hose where it joins onto a connector. So I undid the clamps , cut an inch off the hose and reconnected it , all while using some word you will see in the Bible because the antifreeze was burning my hand . I finally got the leak down to a drip, which I could live with. All while this was happening Carroll got me some plastic containers so I could salvage some of the antifreeze. I always carry a gallon of antifreeze with me but it was not enough to fill the reservoir so we can't go anywhere until I can get more antifreeze.
Our only choice was to disconnect the tow car from the Dolly and find a place where we could purchase some antifreeze. It is not wise to add water to the cooling system of a diesel so we had to find some 50/50 antifreeze. About 15 miles down the we found a gas station that had some 50/50 antifreeze but not the quality I wanted. However beggars can't be choosers so I bought 5 gallons and returned to the MH. I dumped 2 1/2 gallons in the reservoir and it was full so I now had some for a spare. After a 10 minute test run of the engine to ensure that the coolant level was good we were back on the road. I stopped at a few Rest Areas along the way, to check the level; and all was good.
Our schedule to reach Gillette, WY today was now a dream. We reached Rapid City about 5 PM and decided to stop for the night at a truck stop but it was a small Stop and RV's were not allowed to stay overnight. So we moved on to Sturgis where I refueled and we found a large parking lot at a food store so I ask if we could stay for the evening but they refused but told us that there was a Wal-Mat down the Hwy about 10 miles. We stopped at the Wal-Mart but where advised that there was a city ordinance which did not allow overnight parking. We were now back on the road and by this time it is getting dark. The next town is Spear-Fish and as we drove into town Carroll's eagle eye noticed a Church yard. A great place to spend the night so we pulled in and parked. After a few shots of Crown Royal for medicinal purposes , we went to restaurant across the street , had a great meal and then called it a night. It was certainly an exciting day. Cheers
We pulled out of Wal-Mart heading due west on I-90 thinking we could reach Gillette, WY by 6 PM. If you have never drove on I-90 across South Dakota ( SD ) ", it is an excellent Hwy, straight as a die for the most part and as interesting as 1942 newspaper. The scenery is Corn, Beans and Cattle.
However, Carroll spotted a sign that advertised the "Corn Place" in Mitchell, SD . The "Corn Place" is an "Events" building ( Nothing more Nothing less ) but the front Facade is covered with corn cobs that has been painted with a shadow Mural with the liking of Wille Nelson and I believe it to be Elvis. We actually drove by the front of the building 16 years ago , snapped a few photos and drove on.
But this time Carroll just had to go into the building to see what was inside. When we arrived in Mitchell we followed the signs to the Corn Place which actually wormed its' way there the town until we reached a large parking lot. As we approached the Corn Place there was many large pieces of farm equipment so we assumed there was an agriculture show. Actually there was 1 guy in the building handing out brochure , otherwise the building was empty because there was a Rodeo on Friday evening. It is actually a Basketball Arena. What a let down. The guy in the building did say that this was the third building that was called the Corn Place, because the other two building where destroyed by fire. This whole escapade took one hour out of my life that I will never get back. So if you are driving on I-90 in SD and you see the sign that advertises the Corn Place.... Keep driving.
We stopped for breakfast at Perkins in town and then I vowed to make up time and stop only for fuel. We have been on the road for 53 days and I am getting weary of driving. I don't know how the truckers can do.
About 2 hours down the road , motoring along at 65 MPH I could smell "antifreeze " and I knew that was not good. At the same instant the " Low Water Light " came on along with the buzzer that tells me, we got a problem. Luckily , I-90 has a 9 foot shoulder so I pulled over. As I got out of the MH I could see the antifreeze pouring out of the cargo area, which told me the problem was with the heating system. As I opened the cargo door I could see the antifreeze " Pissing " out of a 3/4 inch heater hose. Bear in mind that the temperature of the antifreeze is about 185 F. The leak was right at the end of the hose where it joins onto a connector. So I undid the clamps , cut an inch off the hose and reconnected it , all while using some word you will see in the Bible because the antifreeze was burning my hand . I finally got the leak down to a drip, which I could live with. All while this was happening Carroll got me some plastic containers so I could salvage some of the antifreeze. I always carry a gallon of antifreeze with me but it was not enough to fill the reservoir so we can't go anywhere until I can get more antifreeze.
Our only choice was to disconnect the tow car from the Dolly and find a place where we could purchase some antifreeze. It is not wise to add water to the cooling system of a diesel so we had to find some 50/50 antifreeze. About 15 miles down the we found a gas station that had some 50/50 antifreeze but not the quality I wanted. However beggars can't be choosers so I bought 5 gallons and returned to the MH. I dumped 2 1/2 gallons in the reservoir and it was full so I now had some for a spare. After a 10 minute test run of the engine to ensure that the coolant level was good we were back on the road. I stopped at a few Rest Areas along the way, to check the level; and all was good.
Our schedule to reach Gillette, WY today was now a dream. We reached Rapid City about 5 PM and decided to stop for the night at a truck stop but it was a small Stop and RV's were not allowed to stay overnight. So we moved on to Sturgis where I refueled and we found a large parking lot at a food store so I ask if we could stay for the evening but they refused but told us that there was a Wal-Mat down the Hwy about 10 miles. We stopped at the Wal-Mart but where advised that there was a city ordinance which did not allow overnight parking. We were now back on the road and by this time it is getting dark. The next town is Spear-Fish and as we drove into town Carroll's eagle eye noticed a Church yard. A great place to spend the night so we pulled in and parked. After a few shots of Crown Royal for medicinal purposes , we went to restaurant across the street , had a great meal and then called it a night. It was certainly an exciting day. Cheers
Next Stop Sioux Falls, S.D. 21 OCT 16
Before we left HWH in Moscow , Iowa we had to check the operation of the Jacks as directed by the foreman. Once I was satisfied that they worked to my liking , I paid the bill and we were essentially heading home albeit with 3 days of driving ahead of us.
I always try to fuel up in morning if possible and there was a small truck stop right at the intersection of I-80 and the Moscow road. However, they only have " Bio- Diesel " and I have never used Bio- Diesel so I wasn't sure if I should use it. I ask another MH owner and he has used it several times without a problem. Also , as I pulled up to the pumps another trucker was filling up so I felt it must be OK. Bio-Diesel is also a few cents cheaper.
By 9 AM we were on our way and we calculated that we could reach Sioux Falls by 5 PM and that we would stay at a Cracker Barrel or a Wal-Mart, whichever came first. ( You may have noticed that we are not proud or particular campers when traveling ). As we pulled into Sioux falls we seen a Cracker Barrel sign so we agreed that would be our stay for tonight. Opposite to Cracker Barrel was a gas station with reasonable cheaper Diesel so we decided to fill up before we parked. It was not a truck stop but we managed to squeeze into the pumps and "wangle " our way out. Carroll gave me a few " you can't make it shouts " but she is not driving; I am. We made it with out but we did have to make one short back up procedure.
While sitting at the gas station we noticed that the Cracker Barrel parking lot was crowded and it seemed smaller than most of there lots. When I was paying for the fuel I ask the clerk , if there was a Wal-Mart close by and he said it was a couple of blocks down the street. So we changed our mind and went to Wal-Mart. Since there were no other RVs in the Wal-Mart lot I thought I should inquire about their policy on RVs. I went to the customer service but there was at least 20 people in line so I decided to look for a security guard as they seem to have one in every store in the US.
I couldn't find security so I went to the next person in line which was the "Wal-Mart Greeting. " He assured me that I had his authority to park overnight " because everybody else does". I started to drum up a conversation with him when I quickly realized that he obviously skipped High School and may well and skipped most of Elementally school. However, I know , that in Wal-Mart the Greeter carries a lot of weight.
After being satisfied the we could park here , I spotted a Barnes and Noble book store and I was sure they would have WiFi for me to do some computer work. While working on the computer and old lady, with no teeth , started to shout " there is a man in the ladies bathroom". To say the least she had everyone attention within ear shot. Most people stopped reading and just stared at her. Like me, most people where not quite sure what the hell was wrong with her. Just then a tall, slender young lady in her mid 20s walked our of the bathroom and this Old lady started shouting again saying " there " he" is ; there "he" is , he was in the ladies bathroom. A clerk went to the Old lady and said , what is wrong. The Old lady pointed to the "person " and said that man with the red hair was in the ladies bathroom. The embarrassed young lady ( who did have short hair ) said ; what are to talking about, I am a women. The old lady said , well you don't look like one. Everyone dispersed and the scene was over without an incident. Cheers
I always try to fuel up in morning if possible and there was a small truck stop right at the intersection of I-80 and the Moscow road. However, they only have " Bio- Diesel " and I have never used Bio- Diesel so I wasn't sure if I should use it. I ask another MH owner and he has used it several times without a problem. Also , as I pulled up to the pumps another trucker was filling up so I felt it must be OK. Bio-Diesel is also a few cents cheaper.
By 9 AM we were on our way and we calculated that we could reach Sioux Falls by 5 PM and that we would stay at a Cracker Barrel or a Wal-Mart, whichever came first. ( You may have noticed that we are not proud or particular campers when traveling ). As we pulled into Sioux falls we seen a Cracker Barrel sign so we agreed that would be our stay for tonight. Opposite to Cracker Barrel was a gas station with reasonable cheaper Diesel so we decided to fill up before we parked. It was not a truck stop but we managed to squeeze into the pumps and "wangle " our way out. Carroll gave me a few " you can't make it shouts " but she is not driving; I am. We made it with out but we did have to make one short back up procedure.
While sitting at the gas station we noticed that the Cracker Barrel parking lot was crowded and it seemed smaller than most of there lots. When I was paying for the fuel I ask the clerk , if there was a Wal-Mart close by and he said it was a couple of blocks down the street. So we changed our mind and went to Wal-Mart. Since there were no other RVs in the Wal-Mart lot I thought I should inquire about their policy on RVs. I went to the customer service but there was at least 20 people in line so I decided to look for a security guard as they seem to have one in every store in the US.
I couldn't find security so I went to the next person in line which was the "Wal-Mart Greeting. " He assured me that I had his authority to park overnight " because everybody else does". I started to drum up a conversation with him when I quickly realized that he obviously skipped High School and may well and skipped most of Elementally school. However, I know , that in Wal-Mart the Greeter carries a lot of weight.
After being satisfied the we could park here , I spotted a Barnes and Noble book store and I was sure they would have WiFi for me to do some computer work. While working on the computer and old lady, with no teeth , started to shout " there is a man in the ladies bathroom". To say the least she had everyone attention within ear shot. Most people stopped reading and just stared at her. Like me, most people where not quite sure what the hell was wrong with her. Just then a tall, slender young lady in her mid 20s walked our of the bathroom and this Old lady started shouting again saying " there " he" is ; there "he" is , he was in the ladies bathroom. A clerk went to the Old lady and said , what is wrong. The Old lady pointed to the "person " and said that man with the red hair was in the ladies bathroom. The embarrassed young lady ( who did have short hair ) said ; what are to talking about, I am a women. The old lady said , well you don't look like one. Everyone dispersed and the scene was over without an incident. Cheers
Saturday, 5 November 2016
Heading for Moscow Iowa 20 OCT 16
My friend Rusty ( a full timer ) advised me that I could get my Jacks repaired by HWH , a company in Moscow, Iowa, who just happened to be the company that built my Jacks and they are 1 miles off of I-80 so we were going right by their front door.
I made an appointment for Friday morning but I knew we would get there sometime on Thursday. We arrived at 11:30 on Thursday and I walk into the office to announce my early arrival . To my surprise, the scheduler said to shut off my propane and drive into Bay # 2. As I stepped out of the MH the Mechanic was waiting to speak with me. I explained my problem and he said it was Lunch Time and he would get at it right after lunch. Moscow is an area, not a town, so we drove to the nearest town , some 10 miles away for lunch.
On our return the Foreman advised me that the problem was in the Control Box and that they had sent it to the Electronics department to have it checked out. He said he expected an answer by 3 PM. I ask what the price of a new one would cost and he said 350.00 USD... Ouch. Shortly after 3 PM I seen my control box being returned to the shop. I ask the Foreman if it could be repaired and he said it only need a power board. Of course I ask the price and he said about 100 bucks. By 4 PM they had the Control Box reinstalled and were about to do a test on the jacks. I ask if could watch and the Foreman said absolutely. He show me how to operate the controls.
One jack was very slow to return and in fact it finally stopped 1/2 way up. I mentioned that I had trouble with it a few times. He said it would eventually need to be replaced . Since it was after 4 PM and I knew the quit at 4:30 I ask if the could replaced it in the morning. The foreman said "hell " we can do it right now ; it only takes 20 Minutes. I said great. The foreman ask us to stay overnight in one of their camp sites ( they have 7 sites with power ) and to operate the jacks a couple of times tonight and twice in the morning.
He said if you are satisfied in the morning you can pay your bill then.
It is obvious our MH is not the only one with problems. They had 3 other MH's in the Bays, and 3 more parked in the camp site . There were 3 others who stopped in during the afternoon for , what I assumed where a quick repair. Cheers
I made an appointment for Friday morning but I knew we would get there sometime on Thursday. We arrived at 11:30 on Thursday and I walk into the office to announce my early arrival . To my surprise, the scheduler said to shut off my propane and drive into Bay # 2. As I stepped out of the MH the Mechanic was waiting to speak with me. I explained my problem and he said it was Lunch Time and he would get at it right after lunch. Moscow is an area, not a town, so we drove to the nearest town , some 10 miles away for lunch.
On our return the Foreman advised me that the problem was in the Control Box and that they had sent it to the Electronics department to have it checked out. He said he expected an answer by 3 PM. I ask what the price of a new one would cost and he said 350.00 USD... Ouch. Shortly after 3 PM I seen my control box being returned to the shop. I ask the Foreman if it could be repaired and he said it only need a power board. Of course I ask the price and he said about 100 bucks. By 4 PM they had the Control Box reinstalled and were about to do a test on the jacks. I ask if could watch and the Foreman said absolutely. He show me how to operate the controls.
One jack was very slow to return and in fact it finally stopped 1/2 way up. I mentioned that I had trouble with it a few times. He said it would eventually need to be replaced . Since it was after 4 PM and I knew the quit at 4:30 I ask if the could replaced it in the morning. The foreman said "hell " we can do it right now ; it only takes 20 Minutes. I said great. The foreman ask us to stay overnight in one of their camp sites ( they have 7 sites with power ) and to operate the jacks a couple of times tonight and twice in the morning.
He said if you are satisfied in the morning you can pay your bill then.
It is obvious our MH is not the only one with problems. They had 3 other MH's in the Bays, and 3 more parked in the camp site . There were 3 others who stopped in during the afternoon for , what I assumed where a quick repair. Cheers
Homeward Bound: 19 Oct 2016
We left Dorchester at 8:45 AM and hoped to be in Marshall, MI where we left our MH by early afternoon. The US border is about 1 hour and 15 minutes from Dorchester and I was apprehensive about the US Customs.
Here we are, two seniors , driving our son's car with G/Kids paraphernalia such as 4 bikes , 3 scooters , ball gloves and 2 buoys from NS and several suit cases with clothes that were not ours. This is definitely grounds for the Customs Office to be somewhat suspicious. As we approached the border Kiosk I could see the customs officer was a young lady and I thought "oh no", we are definitely going to be searched.
So, I pull up to the Kiosk and I handed over our Passports and she started with the preverbal question: and then she ask; do you own this vehicle( I have never been ask this question ever) so of course I say no, it belongs to my son Todd. ( incidental , at that moment in my life I realized I did not have a letter from Todd to say I could have his car so I thought here goes the search). The customs officer seemed to buy that answer and then she said " Roll down the back window so I can see what is in the back". Again I thought, Oh No , when she sees the 4 Kids bikes , she is not going to believe another word that I say. She said, what have you got in there and of course I said my G/Kids bikes , 3 scooters and two suite cases full of clothes and it was about this time that I could think of anything else.
Carroll said, why don't you start from " Square One " so I ask the Customs Office if she would like me to start from Square One and her reply was ; It would be a good idea. So I describe the whole trip in detail and that we flew down to NS to pick our MH and I added that we stopped in Ont due to death in the family, thinking that might help our cause. The Custom Office says " that sounds like a reasonable explanation" and then said, you folks have a nice day. Whew, that went better than I expected. Then I thought about it for a minute; and said to Carroll, I bet it was my honest face that got us through.!!!!!
We had two choices to get around Chicago but decided to stay on I-69 that put us on a Turnpike just inside the ID border. the Turnpike would take us to our planned overnight stay at a Cracker Barrel in IL. However, our exit was blocked due to some road construction and of course we missed the recommended exit and either got lost or obvious did not know where the hell we were going. Finally I pulled into a Wal-Mart thinking we could stay overnight but it was not so, however the Security Guard gave me precise direction how to get to our Planned overnight parking spot at Cracker Barrel in Tinsely Park. When I pulled off the Turnpike I had to cross 3 lanes of traffic to make a left turn and it was Rush Hour. So I might be short a couple of Christmas cards this year, if the sound of the horns is any indication. Cheers
Here we are, two seniors , driving our son's car with G/Kids paraphernalia such as 4 bikes , 3 scooters , ball gloves and 2 buoys from NS and several suit cases with clothes that were not ours. This is definitely grounds for the Customs Office to be somewhat suspicious. As we approached the border Kiosk I could see the customs officer was a young lady and I thought "oh no", we are definitely going to be searched.
So, I pull up to the Kiosk and I handed over our Passports and she started with the preverbal question: and then she ask; do you own this vehicle( I have never been ask this question ever) so of course I say no, it belongs to my son Todd. ( incidental , at that moment in my life I realized I did not have a letter from Todd to say I could have his car so I thought here goes the search). The customs officer seemed to buy that answer and then she said " Roll down the back window so I can see what is in the back". Again I thought, Oh No , when she sees the 4 Kids bikes , she is not going to believe another word that I say. She said, what have you got in there and of course I said my G/Kids bikes , 3 scooters and two suite cases full of clothes and it was about this time that I could think of anything else.
Carroll said, why don't you start from " Square One " so I ask the Customs Office if she would like me to start from Square One and her reply was ; It would be a good idea. So I describe the whole trip in detail and that we flew down to NS to pick our MH and I added that we stopped in Ont due to death in the family, thinking that might help our cause. The Custom Office says " that sounds like a reasonable explanation" and then said, you folks have a nice day. Whew, that went better than I expected. Then I thought about it for a minute; and said to Carroll, I bet it was my honest face that got us through.!!!!!
We had two choices to get around Chicago but decided to stay on I-69 that put us on a Turnpike just inside the ID border. the Turnpike would take us to our planned overnight stay at a Cracker Barrel in IL. However, our exit was blocked due to some road construction and of course we missed the recommended exit and either got lost or obvious did not know where the hell we were going. Finally I pulled into a Wal-Mart thinking we could stay overnight but it was not so, however the Security Guard gave me precise direction how to get to our Planned overnight parking spot at Cracker Barrel in Tinsely Park. When I pulled off the Turnpike I had to cross 3 lanes of traffic to make a left turn and it was Rush Hour. So I might be short a couple of Christmas cards this year, if the sound of the horns is any indication. Cheers
Thursday, 3 November 2016
Marg passed away; 15 Oct 16
Friday evening Marg was failing fast so the family was called to her bedside. Early Saturday morning Marg drew her last breath.
Paul invited both sides of the family to meet at his home Saturday evening to have a wake. It was ideal for Carroll and I as we had not seen Paul and Marg's Kid's and G/Kids for a few year. We also got a chance to meet Marg's brother and sister whom we grew up with but don't see very often.
As sad as a death is, it does seem to pull a family closer. My brother died suddenly in Feb so this our second time in 8 months that we lost a close family member.
16; 17 and 18 th Oct 16
Sunday was a day of reflection .
Monday evening was for the viewing and we were amazed at the large number of people whose lives that Marg had touched. The viewing started at 6 PM and the line up took 1 hour to reach the casket.
The funeral was held on Tuesday in the Catholic church in St. Thomas and there was in excess of 200 people in attendance. Marg's brother delivered a great eulogy which included their days of growing up. Marg had 2 brothers and 2 sisters.
Although funerals are a somber time there was some levity. It was a very warm day of the funeral and the exit/side doors of the church were opened slightly to allow air to circulate and keep the church cool. Shortly after the Priest started his sermon and was staying something about Marg's life, a gust off wind opened the door further and then closed it. The Priest turn to see the door move and quietly said, " Oh, there she comes now". It did take the edge off the somber mood for the moment.
After the internment we met at the church basement for a chance for friends and relatives to meet and talk about old times. I spent time canvasing the room to see as many cousins as I could find. Some I have not seen for years and some I did not recognize but it was still great to see them. cheers Cheers
Paul invited both sides of the family to meet at his home Saturday evening to have a wake. It was ideal for Carroll and I as we had not seen Paul and Marg's Kid's and G/Kids for a few year. We also got a chance to meet Marg's brother and sister whom we grew up with but don't see very often.
As sad as a death is, it does seem to pull a family closer. My brother died suddenly in Feb so this our second time in 8 months that we lost a close family member.
16; 17 and 18 th Oct 16
Sunday was a day of reflection .
Monday evening was for the viewing and we were amazed at the large number of people whose lives that Marg had touched. The viewing started at 6 PM and the line up took 1 hour to reach the casket.
The funeral was held on Tuesday in the Catholic church in St. Thomas and there was in excess of 200 people in attendance. Marg's brother delivered a great eulogy which included their days of growing up. Marg had 2 brothers and 2 sisters.
Although funerals are a somber time there was some levity. It was a very warm day of the funeral and the exit/side doors of the church were opened slightly to allow air to circulate and keep the church cool. Shortly after the Priest started his sermon and was staying something about Marg's life, a gust off wind opened the door further and then closed it. The Priest turn to see the door move and quietly said, " Oh, there she comes now". It did take the edge off the somber mood for the moment.
After the internment we met at the church basement for a chance for friends and relatives to meet and talk about old times. I spent time canvasing the room to see as many cousins as I could find. Some I have not seen for years and some I did not recognize but it was still great to see them. cheers Cheers
Wednesday, 2 November 2016
Mill Tales Restaurant 14 Oct 16
My older sister Marilyn and husband Joe insisted that they treat us to a Fish Dinner ( Perch ) at the "Mill Tales " restaurant in Tillsonburg, about a 1 hour drive from London, Ont . Tillsonburg is a town of 15000 plus and it is a town which attracts may Senior as a retirement place of choice.
Tillsonburg is also the home of the Mill Tales restaurant which has a long history. The Mill Tales restaurant was constructed in the early 1800's as a Grist Mill and a Drying Mill. For those who may not understand the workings of a Mill. I will briefly explain. A Grist Mill was a place where a farmer would take his grain such as Oats, Wheat , barley and Corn to the Mill. The Miller would grind and mix the raw grain , rebag it and the farmer would feed it to his cattle. Cows do not normal like to eat raw grain and the farmer also likes to have a mixture to feed the cows.
This Mill also dried grain, mostly Bean. In the 1800's the drying method was simplistic. A fire was built at the basement of the Mill and the Beans would be on a screen about 30 feet above the fire. The hot air would go up the Shute much like a chimney and dry the grain.
An entrepreneur purchased the Mill a few years ago and apparently spend a Million dollars to renovate it into a restaurant. I spoke to him but he would not tell me the real cost. The renovations left the pillars and beams in place which really adds to the ambiance. The Mill was built on a river to make use of the water power to operate the Mill. Today the river adds to the ambience.
Carroll and I where treated to a great Perch dinner , at my sister's expense. My sister Marilyn has the dubious honor of working for the TD Canada Trust for 50 years. Even the CEO Ed Clark was surprised to hear of her record and sent a Limousine to Dorchester to pick her up and bring her to his Office for a meeting. Cheers
Tillsonburg is also the home of the Mill Tales restaurant which has a long history. The Mill Tales restaurant was constructed in the early 1800's as a Grist Mill and a Drying Mill. For those who may not understand the workings of a Mill. I will briefly explain. A Grist Mill was a place where a farmer would take his grain such as Oats, Wheat , barley and Corn to the Mill. The Miller would grind and mix the raw grain , rebag it and the farmer would feed it to his cattle. Cows do not normal like to eat raw grain and the farmer also likes to have a mixture to feed the cows.
This Mill also dried grain, mostly Bean. In the 1800's the drying method was simplistic. A fire was built at the basement of the Mill and the Beans would be on a screen about 30 feet above the fire. The hot air would go up the Shute much like a chimney and dry the grain.
An entrepreneur purchased the Mill a few years ago and apparently spend a Million dollars to renovate it into a restaurant. I spoke to him but he would not tell me the real cost. The renovations left the pillars and beams in place which really adds to the ambiance. The Mill was built on a river to make use of the water power to operate the Mill. Today the river adds to the ambience.
Carroll and I where treated to a great Perch dinner , at my sister's expense. My sister Marilyn has the dubious honor of working for the TD Canada Trust for 50 years. Even the CEO Ed Clark was surprised to hear of her record and sent a Limousine to Dorchester to pick her up and bring her to his Office for a meeting. Cheers
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