May 25 - a travel odyssey

Whew.  We left NSB last Thursday and we arrived at the cottage Monday.  I guess that's not so bad.

Thursday afternoon, we drove to Orangeburg SC, about a 6 hour drive (1pm to 7pm).  From there we went to Reading PA, a 10 hour drive.  From there to Brantford is 8.5 hours (9:30 to 6pm).  From Brantford to the cottage is 4:11, as Jason will tell you, but we stopped at Stef's in Barrie and then did grocery shopping in Parry Sound.  I forget our actual arrival time here but it was after 4pm in light rain. 

The black flies and mosquitoes were in evidence, so I quickly donned my bug jacket for about 200 trips to the car up and down the stairs.  Yes, I got my exercise emptying the car and trailer.  Sandy took Zoe into the house and they stayed there, starting to put things away.

Speaking of Jason, they had supper arranged, pork loin fit into my diet :).  I could skip the potato.  Zoe didn't really eat much but had a great time pre-dinner on the swing at an adjacent house. 

Speaking of Zoe, what a great traveler !  If we hadn't wanted to walk Abby at the I90 service center just south of Buffalo, she wouldn't have gotten out of the car.  That made it a quick trip.  She played with the "pad" most of the time (iPad) and of course had a snooze.  She's still sleeping this morning at 7am.  At first she wanted to sleep in the big bed but then decided that the pack-n-play was more her style.  Oh well, maybe next time !

Speaking of Stef, the house looks great !  She's done a wonderful job with her refurb -- flooring, kitchen island, archway into the living room, railings ... it's quite the transformation.  Mya was happy to see us too, or at least happy to see Abby.  We didn't stay long, knowing that we still had a lot to do before dark.

Speaking of dark, we need to adjust our thinking.  It wasn't dark until after 9pm.  Yup, this is the north !

We had picked up a Sobey's pre-cooked chicken, so that made for a quick dinner.  Sandy took pictures of Zoe happily munching on a chicken leg.  

Jim called and I'm going to give him a hand loading his saw into his trailer next Tuesday.  They're back from the UK.  Their house purchase closes in June and soon after that, or soon after they do some mods, they'll be moving out of the Parry Sound condo.

Today ... stuff to do.  Hopefully it stays relatively clear and I can get out for a bike ride.  I'm definitely feeling the effects of a week off the bike.   I've got lots to do around here too -- put away the Christmas lights on the gazebo, unwrap and put away the tarps ... yes, lots to do.  I left an email for the generator guy this a.m.; need that attended to.

Onward !