How to tell when it's really hot...

 

Read through

 ♦ I read that 4,153,237 people got married last year. Not to cause any trouble, but shouldn't that be     an even number?

♦ I think it's pretty cool how Chinese people made a language entirely out of tattoos.

♦ When wearing a bikini, women reveal 90% of their body. Men are so polite they only look at the covered parts.

♦ Relationships are a lot like algebra. Have you ever looked at your X and wondered Y?

♦ America is a country which produces citizens who will cross the ocean to fight for democracy but       won't cross the street to vote.

♦ Money talks ... but all mine ever says is good-bye.

♦ You're not fat, you're just easier to see.

♦ If you think nobody cares whether you're alive, try missing a couple of payments.

♦ The location of your mailbox shows you how far away from your house you can go in a robe before you start looking like a mental patient.

♦ Money can’t buy happiness, but it keeps the kids in touch!

♦ The reason Mayberry was so peaceful and quiet was because nobody was married. Andy,  Aunt Bea, Barney, Floyd, Howard, Goober, Gomer, Sam, Earnest T Bass, Helen, Thelma Lou, Clara and, of course, Opie were all single. The only married person was Otis, and he stayed drunk.

Paul Harvey

I always enjoyed Paul Harvey.  I came across this and I thought I would post it:

PAUL HARVEY'S LETTER TO HIS GRANDCHILDREN

We tried so hard to make things better for our kids that we made them worse. For my grandchildren, I'd like better.

I'd really like for them to know about hand me down clothes and homemade ice cream and leftover meat loaf sandwiches.. I really would.

I hope you learn humility by being humiliated, and that you learn honesty by being cheated.

I hope you learn to make your own bed and mow the lawn and wash the car.

And I really hope nobody gives you a brand new car when you are sixteen.

It will be good if at least one time you can see puppies born and your old dog put to sleep.

I hope you get a black eye fighting for something you believe in.

I hope you have to share a bedroom with your younger brother/sister. And it's all right if you have to draw a line down the middle of the room, but when he wants to crawl under the covers with you because he's scared, I hope you let him.

When you want to see a movie and your little brother/sister wants to tag along, I hope you'll let him/her.

I hope you have to walk uphill to school with your friends and that you live in a town where you can do it safely.

On rainy days when you have to catch a ride, I hope you don't ask your driver to drop you two blocks away so you won't be seen riding with someone as uncool as your Mom.

If you want a slingshot, I hope your Dad teaches you how to make one instead of buying one.

I hope you learn to dig in the dirt and read books.

When you learn to use computers, I hope you also learn to add and subtract in your head.

I hope you get teased by your friends when you have your first crush on a boy / girl, and when you talk back to your mother that you learn what ivory soap tastes like.

May you skin your knee climbing a mountain, burn your hand on a stove and stick your tongue on a frozen flagpole.

I don't care if you try a beer once, but I hope you don't like it... And if a friend offers you dope or a joint, I hope you realize he/she is not your friend.

I sure hope you make time to sit on a porch with your Grandma/Grandpa and go fishing with your Uncle.

May you feel sorrow at a funeral and joy during the holidays.

I hope your mother punishes you when you throw a baseball through your neighbor's window and that she hugs you and kisses you at Christmas time when you give her a plaster mold of your hand.

These things I wish for you - tough times and disappointment, hard work and happiness. To me, it's the only way to appreciate life

Sunday Smiles

1. When one door closes and another door opens, you are probably in prison.

2. To me, "drink responsibly" means don't spill it.

3. Age 60 might be the new 40, but 9:00 pm is the new midnight.

4. It's the start of a brand new day, and I'm off like a herd of turtles.

5. The older I get, the earlier it gets late.

6. When I say, "The other day," I could be referring to any time between yesterday and 15 years ago.

7. I remember being able to get up without making sound effects.

8. I had my patience tested. I'm negative.

9. Remember, if you lose a sock in the dryer, it comes back as a Tupperware lid that doesn't fit any of your containers.

10. If you're sitting in public and a stranger takes the seat next to you, just stare straight ahead and say, "Did you bring the money?"

11. When you ask me what I am doing today, and I say "nothing," it does not mean I am free. It means I am doing nothing.

12. I finally got eight hours of sleep. It took me three days, but whatever.

13. I run like the winded.

14. I hate when a couple argues in public, and I missed the beginning and don't know whose side I'm on.

15. When someone asks what I did over the weekend, I squint and ask, "Why, what did you hear?"

16. When you do squats, are your knees supposed to sound like a goat chewing on an aluminum can stuffed with celery?

17. I don't mean to interrupt people. I just randomly remember things and get really excited.

18. When I ask for directions, please don't use words like "east."

19. Don't bother walking a mile in my shoes. That would be boring. Spend 30 seconds in my head. That'll freak you right out.

20. Sometimes, someone unexpected comes into your life out of nowhere, makes your heart race, and changes you forever. We call those people cops.

21. My luck is like a bald guy who just won a comb. 

Are we better off today?

 

Well that answers that question!

Summary of the Ontario trip

We returned home and we had a wonderful time.  We first planned to go in August of 2021 but Ontario was still under lockdown when it came to final payment, so we moved it to 2022.  Jeanie's husband had a heart attack and wasn't well enough to travel.  Cec was happy with the two cruises we went on and wasn't interested in another trip so soon.  Jeanie and I decided to travel together again and we are great roomies.

We loved Via Rail, however, the packing and unpacking of suitcases made me miss cruising!  The hotels were great with one exception.  We were booked in the Travelodge Hotel by Wyndham in Old Montreal.  The area was awesome, the hotel was the smallest I've ever seen.  Twin beds (no problem) but a desk about 14 inches wide with a very uncomfortable chair.  Most hotels have steno chairs with nice backs and rollers.  This was a steel short back chair that you had to lift to move and it wasn't light.  The bathroom was smaller than a cruise ship.  I was so happy Cec wasn't with me.  The entire room including the bathroom was 9x9 and we had to put our suitcases on the floor and make sure we didn't trip on them.  We will tell Anderson Vacations not to use it for anyone else.  The ratings were good but we heard the complains.  On the positive side, we got a nice breakfast and it was very clean and had just been refurbished.  When we asked to upgrade to a larger cabin they laughed!  All the rooms are the same!  All our rooms were paid by Anderson Vacations.  Every hotel asked us for a credit card for incidental purchases to our room.  We never put charges on our rooms.  When we got home, Jeanie checked her credit card and the Travelodge in Montreal charged her credit card for the entire amount.  We gave them the voucher and who knows what happened.  I'm sure Anderson will get it sorted.

This picture was taken at the door!  Maybe in the hall!  Where do you put your suitcases?  Don't be fooled by the bed on the right, it's a twin and the picture is distorted!

WestJet service was very good.  We went premium economy because we thought the guys were coming.   Pearson airport when we returned home, checked every bag in the Nexus line.  I have no idea what they were looking for but it was slow.  We left in lots of time but that's why it backs up.

Toronto.....

The weather in Toronto yesterday was 28C/82.4F but feels like 34C/93.2F.  I went on the Hop On Hop Off bus.  Great journey with a boat cruise on the way!

Chelsea Hotel where we stayed.  Apparently the largest hotel in Canada with 1600 rooms

Ripley's Believe It or Not and the entrance to the CN Tower

This is the most expensive apartment building in Toronto
Very interesting artwork on the side

This is a dog park.  If you look at the fountain it's surrounded by dog statues!

Interesting Fire Hall!

Casa Loma
Built by Pierre Pallet.  His wife Mary was one of the founders of Girl Guides in Canada

Train to Toronto

Yesterday we had a 5 1/2 hour train trip from Montreal to Toronto.  When we woke up there was a torrential rain storm in Montreal.  It rained until we got to Kingston and then it cleared up. When we got to Toronto it was sunny and very warm.  

We are staying at the Chelsea Hotel in downtown Toronto.  It's a great location.  We got here at dinner time and had a nice walk,  We found a nice pub and had a delicious dinner.  Then on our way home, we found a liquor store with inventory!

Today our tour includes the Hop on Hop Off Bus.  Looking forward to a nice day!  The Weather Network says 28C (feels like 34) and a 40% chance of rain in the afternoon.  It's going to be a warm one!

A Day in Montreal

We started our day off on the Hop On Hop Off bus.  We took it around the city and really enjoyed it.

 Then after a delicious lunch at a sidewalk cafe, we went on a boat cruise!

On our way back the clouds went away and we saw beautiful blue sky.  It was very warm and humid yesterday.

Montreal

 

Yesterday we left Ottawa on Via Rail for a two hour journey to Montreal.  Very nice train ride and met lots of nice people on the way.  When we arrived in Montreal we got a warning on our phone "Severe Thunderstorm Warning, carrying large amounts of rain and could produce large damaging hail stones!   We got to our hotel and walked to the mall about a block away.  While we were in the mall, the storm started.  The rain was torrential but only lasted about 30 minutes.  We managed to get back to our hotel without getting too wet.

We stayed in our hotel for the rest of the evening.  We had more rain and thunder and it did get clear later in the evening.  Nice to have a bit of a rest.

Tomorrow the weather looks better!  Looking forward to seeing this lovely city.

Ottawa

Yesterday we started our day at the Parliament Buildings for a guided tour.  We got the tickets before we left.  I took the tour in the late 1980's but it's really changed.  The Center Block is being renovated and they've moved the House of Commons to the West Block.  The site was originally outside but they converted it to where they are temporarily today.

Center Block

House of Commons
You can see the outside wall at the back and the new roof they added during renos

Speakers Chair right now used by Anthony Rota

Committe Room

R. H. Kim Campbell our first and only Canadian Prime Minister June - Nov 1993
Pictures of all the Prime Ministers scattered throughout the building.  
I loved this one as the backdrop is an indigenous flag

R. H. Joe Clark, Prime Minister 1979 - 1980

I took a picture of Pierre Elliott Trudeau but the windows behind spoiled the picture.

After our tour of the Parliament Buildings we walked to Elgin and Sparks Street where we caught the Hop On Hop Off bus.  On the way we saw Play On, Canada's largest Ball Hockey Festival!   It was in front of the Parliament Buildings from O'Connor Street to Elgin Street!  Over 40 exhibitors and 40,000 square feet of everything hockey!  Many hockey rinks with teams playing in all of them.  There was a Hockey Hall of Fame Exhibit, and old timers NHL stars doing trick shots and signing autographs.  So many teams playing hockey.  It doesn't get any more Canadian!

We were on the bus for 90 minutes and saw a lot!

Prime Minister Official Residence, 24 Sussex Drive, under renovation

Rideau Hall, home of Canada's Governor General and temporary home of our Prime Minister

Sparks Street from a moving bus!

Beautiful Flowers everywhere!

Statue of Terry Fox

One thing that really surprised me was the police and security.  Because of the Truck Convoy and their fear of it happening again, streets are blocked off.  We saw RCMP and Ottawa Police very visible everywhere!  When Cheryl and I visited Parliament Hill years ago, there was very little security.  It's a sign of the times we live in.

Last but not least, the National War Memorial.  Lots of security and soldiers guarding it in the heat in full regalia.  On the hour, the guards are piped in and change.  Very moving.  Right behind the camera, yet another police car watching the memorial.  

What a beautiful city, very clean, very green and courteous people everywhere!