Dateline: 2011 December 31st Toronto, Ontario
This trips travelling map
Just another year, January - December
This trips travelling map
Just another year, January - December
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| It's January, I have made it clear to my remaining clients that as a consultant I can consult from anywhere I have headed to Blue Mountain and log in from there. This is my view from my apartment there The data charges are outrageous I retire back to my home office after a few days of downhill |
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| One of our regular occurrences. Pancakes in the sunroom with the neighbours, here, Melanie |
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| Of course, there is still the Debating club I revel in it and it's brilliant continuation even without me in much of a role anymore Here, Dean, a long time member at the Kingsway supplied podium and brass logo |
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| February, and its Oscars again At least one 3 night weekend, with lots of movies Typically, I hate it as most movies are at best banal, and typically dire. I try to hide in the basement or go for a long walk |
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| As there is a cake, it's March 13th |
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| And hence, general excuse for a party, birthday or otherwise All the usual suspects |
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| Did I say party time? This is how we party on South Kingsway |
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| Heather, Kate & Kayla. Best mates, but for how long I ask |
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| Is everyone having a great time? Maybe |
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| And celebrate, such as it is, with a bacon butty back at our favourite Bacon Butty supplier at St. Lawrence market next day |
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| May? And it's very late but as ever stunning blooms. High Park's cherry trees |
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| Looks like we have avoided the arse end of winter for the last few months in NZ |
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| Grenadier Pond fauna about to produce more |
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| June and heat. The first time I biked down to the lighthouse, I did not think I could get back alive and just collapsed in a restaurant |
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| High season down at Tommy Thompson. This place still hasn't been discovered by the Toronto crown, the roads are dreadful, and there's no public entry allowed until after 4 I ignore all such requirements |
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| This is still a busy time for me, lots of on site consulting, massive amounts of squash with various partners, and of course, the occasional outing to Stratford. Here by a local lake |
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| July and we are invited by Melanie to one of her gigs at Harbourfront. I for one arrive totally sweaty and smelly After a few hours, I'm biking off up to Lawrence and Warden for my all time favourite band, Oka |
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| What a dreadful turn out for the worlds best band. There were only 2 of us dancing this night |
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| OKA with DigeryStew. What talent. I've seen cripples get up and dance to these guys |
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| Who is that cool dude you ask. That's no cool dude, that's your correspondent I say |
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| August: Liv is here for a few days with Richard. |
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| We celebrate his birthday in typical fashion, and then head out for our communal R&R. Massassauga camping |
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| I have found a hardly visited site in Massassauga for our entire troop |
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| Site 103. Incredibly remote. It takes 3 portages and 3 hours to get there from the launch site back at the canoe launch |
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| Who ever was responsible for tonight's dinner, left it at the launch It must have been Gerry as he was asking for volunteers to head back with him, Richard went and somehow they found their way back, well past dark. We ate eventually |
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| Our site did not have a picnic table, |
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| So we canoed across the lake to one that did |
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| Many hands make table work, or something |
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| Without a doubt, this camping went down as one of the best ever, |
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| Not for the amount of booze we got through, but most important of all, because we played endless bridge, while pissed, getting fabulous hands |
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| At least us 4 bridge players had a blast, and let everyone else know |
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| As ever, first light and a few loons and a couple of resident snapping turtles. The guys did backstroke |
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| Of course, portaging has it's plus sides, especially, like here, when there's a few mozzies around |
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| The new map of the camping sites omitted this portage as it was now private. Thankfully, we could use the locals transport devices here |
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| Late September, and the Monarchs are out in such numbers at the lighthouse It looked like every plant had dozens feeding before heading south to Mexico |
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| Total Gob Smacking one could say |
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| I had organised a run of the mill wine tasting at Inniskilin or some such crap Niagara vineyard and it was so dreadfully managed that I complained and got a free tasting session for a group. I leveraged this freebie into a birthday gig for the missus. Everyone enjoyed it |
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| October: The crap cabin is in need of at least half a new roof. I am Shanghai'd into it |
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| Aiden brings his mates and due to the excessive heat and inadvertent sharing of bottled water, we all get a truly dreadful cold for the next week |
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| A beautiful day in mid November, and there's some form of civic unrest. Freedom of some sort. Usual stuff. I'm a happy biker with a great income and a paid off mortgage |
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| Mid November at Western. Kayla strutting her stuff and |
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| Showing parents what an investment in a musical career is going to be like |
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| Aiden makes another investment in his future |
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| It's getting late for braving the elements at my favourite coffee shop The Christmas tree is up |
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| A pleasure bike ride to St Lawrence Market Those were the days when we could eat one each, in the same place. |
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| It's Thanksgiving, US style Down to the cousins with a quick diversion for a show in town |
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| From Karin & Urmas' house you can see the Hudson |
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| It's also huge |
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| We head up to our time shares at Stowe in Vermont for our annual ski fest. Turns out it was only mud this year. Time to get rid of it |
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| This year, we utilise the sun room a little more than usual |
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| All the usual suspects All the usual excesses All the usual are we done yet |
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| Mid day. New Years eve and it's family biking weather |