2013 January 1st - December 31st - Toronto 👍

Dateline: 2013 December 31st Toronto, Ontario

This trips travelling map

Just another year, January - December in Toronto

Busy year, few months in SE Asia, then a huge round the world trek

This is what we did during our home time

And so another year begins.
I'm still a functioning member of the work force

Kayla working her way through Western's music degree
Deep February

There's a Canadian ice skating championship
on in London too. We indulge and watch lots
of Olympic talent here

And of course, not to forget the source
of my independence
High tech still giving me a living I could 
never have dreamed of (see first instalment)

Big trip to SE Asia. Kayla joins us for a lump of it

Back in June. Kayla's house in London
It always needs work. I wonder who's in line for that?

As ever, a slave to my biking and moving requirements

Somehow, against all odds, life is good.
Iced coffee at harbourfront

Family trip to the lighthouse

Suddenly, with less actual working
hours demanded by my clients, I
have time to go biking, lots, so need
external sheltering for the steeds

A paean to manual biking activity

Plus! Fold away for day use. Not sure what for though

We head down to Ben's adoptive parents (2 sets) for Canada day
It's an incredibly extended family

Bens friends thanks Ilge several times for not getting and abortion

Kayla's regular request to Ilge to get some new friends work
Dave and Virginia's cottage. It's a fantastic place, but
a bit too regimented for my liking 

The cottage is in a fantastic spot. 
A really pleasant and quiet cove, great swimming

We still have the cottage, as in inherited from Ilge's folks
I call it the swamp. It's only used about 2 weeks a year.
One year a heater was left on through the winter, as the mail went to the local
post office, we only found out 6 months later. OUCH

It's certainly not my idea of a cottage,
but it has given me some fun times,
and some miserable ones.....

I think I was taking these pre selling the place

It was a nice enough place for her folks,
but everything was, well, "cottage" quality

Over the years, it's become our
dumping ground of choice
Old beds, couches etc etc

And the shack. When I first came to Canada
There was an open air toilet in front of this
Try it in January folks when there's no water inside
and minus 20 outside

Richard arrives for his annual retreat R&R&R&R&R (reprieve and respite) 
at Massassauga

With his somewhat trusty guide and life coach

And for light (or otherwise) relief, his sidekick, Gerry
He arrives later with instructions to "bring lunch"
So, he gets 3 sandwiches, all exactly the same
His reasoning" They we all "EVERYTHING" sandwiches
Jesus!

Another fabulous dawn. 
If you are in luck, you are woken up by loons
just before the sun rises
Magic 

The proverbial epitome of a perfect break

And it's pretty much all ours

Even Gerry has a good time occasionally
Richard having total R&R

Still life in Massassauga
I've gone to make another G&T

It's August, so still a lot of bugs, but it's such a great
place to hide from the world

Ah, but it is all too soon time to head back home
The problem being, Gerry came later with all his gear, so heading back, the canoe is totally full to the point of flooding.
Somehow, we avoid tipping over, just!

Of course, They head home, we head down to Hawaii, NZ, Australia, Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka and France. 

Hectic stuff, annotated separately

While chewing on a so called vegetarian salad in 
Colombo, Sri Lanka, my teeth clamped down on
a bone in my salad. Go figure!
Longs since cracked while chewing olives,
it finally gave up and dangled until I got it out
first day back in Toronto. Seen here

Back in time (just) for the annual family Christmas traditional
tree gathering. I wonder why it's always me sawing....
This time, full snow jacket and accoutrement

Yep, real Canada, Sleet on the windscreen while we are sawing

I think the tree was 3 times the usual weight due to the ice and freezing rain this year. As I remember, the power failed and we had to keep the house warm with
the gas fire, plus melt the tree without central heating..... 

Kayla's cat, sentinel of Christmas'
past, present and yet to come

Just like Tolstoy tells us how it should be

Merry Christmas to all our readers

This way to 2014 ======>

From Your Correspondent