Mon Jun 16 - Fri Jul 4th - Fifty point.. friends and family

Mon Jun 16 - Fri Jul 4th - Fifty point.. friends and family

June 16th through July 4th

Early morning at the cottage

We had a wonderful say at Fifty Point and have re-booked our return on August 18th so we will be back in time to see our self adopted niece (Vanessa and her lovely hubby and daughter Hung Bin and Ruby) . 

The bright spots of our couple of our few weeks were:

• It felt like home again
• Janice enjoyed the first weekend with Hillary and a few university of Guelph friends up at Hillary and Ted's cottage... canoeing, eating, swimming and drinking were the order of the weekend... great fun. Returning to Toronto we joined Derek and Ted at the condo for an amazing meal and great company!
• Spent a fair bit of time with Braden and Grant while we were home. SO good to be with them.
• Close to Diane, so we could see her a few times while we were in the area.
• Got to see lots of friends. Dinner with Pat and Doug -  pub night with Nick, Angela, Al and Tina and Braden - Brother Nick and Kathy came to Fifty Point for dinner -  lunch with Tiina (2) and her son Mychael - lunch in Burlington with Janice's book club pal Patt E. who looked after our truck so well while we were away.
• Sorted out various appointments and Janice had a good check up at the dermatologist. YEY!!
• GREAT Canada Day weekend at the camp with Braden and Grant,  it felt like a mini-vacation away, watching the various firework displays across the lake from Fifty Point was magical. Braden and Grant set up a tent on our spot and that worked out really well... playing guitar and chilling by the fire outside was a special memory.
• Trip up to Guelph with Diane to see Bernadette, Grayson and Preston.
• On Jul 1 we all  (B, G, D and J) went to the Marina for breakfast... excellent (especially interesting was the guy with 6 egg breakfast!.. apparently a regular!!!)



Chilling by the fire

• Spent a planning day and used Di’s laundry and internet for booking the rest of the summer... decided finally that we would go East for a month or so.. PEI and Cape Breton.

Great family times

Cheers Derek

Janice didn't lift a finger... well trained team!!

Braden taking a dip at Fifty Point

He made the farthest limit of the swim area

 Janice splashed around in the freezing water!!

After Brekky at the Marina Jul1

Happy to be with family

Sat Jun 14 Sun Jun 15 - back in Canada, Fifty Point Conservation area

Back in Canada, Fifty Point Conservation area

Saturday June 14th

Home day. John and Sue kindly drove us to Heathrow and goodbyes were sad, but glad we had some great times together.  One last English pint in England (at the airport) then off to sunny Toronto. It has been an amazing trip. Six weeks crammed full of adventures we will never forget. Dreams fulfilled and ticks on our bucket list. We are looking forward to getting home to Canada. We are so very lucky to call Canada our home, but this trip has also re-inforced how beautiful is the country of our birth.

Great flight back to Toronto, cab to Milton, picked up the truck at Patts and then drove to Al and Tina’s for the night. Great evening by Lake Apollo. Good company Al, Tina, Don, Linda, Rosco and Janice and the two of us, and the deck fireplace made it a wonderful, fun homecoming. Tired puppies when we finally hit the hay.

Sunday June 15th

Quick breakfast and then to get the condo out of storage. Over to Fifty Point Conservation area and set up with no problems. Good surprises..they have internet and great ice  cream at the marina!

So we are now settled for a few weeks and excited about seeing family and friends. 

The first stop was over to Diane's for a BBQ with the family. Good to see Diane Sam, Mya and Bella. It was father's day and we have spent this last 3 years with Diane and family and two of our boys. Braden and Grant arrived and were a big hit with the girls and a fun re-union. Great day all round. So good to see our two lads again... they looked great.

Wed Jun 11 - Fri Jun 13 - With Sue and John

Wed Jun 11 - Fri Jun 13 - With Sue and John

Wednesday June 11th

Aha Nordic Walking!! Derek was introduced to it by John and the Wednesday group.  Totally enjoyed the experience. Met the group at the Priory Marina and Country Park. They knocked off a brisk 3.5 miles. Janice and Sue did a short walk along the Priory wall and marina and we all met back at a pub for a latte.   Had a great country ride looking to find the pub that Janice and Derek remembered as selling the best Abbott ale (remembered from our trip last year). We had some trouble and visited one pub for lunch and a pint. We eventually found the Bell again. They said they had no Abbott Ale left, but  as we were about to leave disappointed they found a fresh cask and put it on. It is just as good as we remember. A great pint.

Great Pub for lunch, Ye Three Fyshes

 TV on back at the house, we watched the annual Mansion House speech by George Osborne, the finance minister and Mark Carney (Canadian now head of the bank of England). Very forthright and informative.

Still trying to remember the other pub

WHoo Hoo!! Found it .. THE BELL!! In Turvey

By the stream behind the Bell

Lovely morning walk!!

The beige hat club!!!

 








Thursday June 12th 
 Off to the English countryside again.The four of us walked around a very picturesque lake and park. We then went off to Olney and enjoyed a Latte at a lovely coffee shop, then visited the Cowper and Newton museum. What a great surprise, its very low key but very informative and historic. This village is where Amazing Grace was written by Newton, a former slave ship captain turned clergyman. He was instrumental in abolishing slavery. He and Cowper were good friends and co-operated in writing many hymns. The  garden was beautiful. FISH AND CHIPS TONIGHT.... YUMMYY!!!!

The Lake

Swans - always a beautiful sight

Cormorants nesting by the lake

See the blue cabbage flies ... there were thousands!

Cabbage flies stopping for a nano-second!!

One of my favourite photos.. Love my camera

 

Coffee shop in Olney... Nice!!

In Cowper's Garden.. he did much writing here!

Pinic lunch after Olney

Fishing? in a Toilet???

Friday June 13

Well this was packing day, how do we get all of this stuff into those airline bags. Secret....book an extra bag and pay the extra bag charge online!!!

We had a slap up meal at The Bedford Arms to say thanks to John and Sue....great food, who said the Brits can’t cook.... wow!!
No photos on the last day... just feeling both sad to be leaving, and excited about being home tomorrow. 

Sun Jun 8 - Tues Jun 9 - Solihull and Merseyside

Sun Jun 8 - Tues Jun 10 - Solihull  and Merseyside

Sunday June 8th

Harriet.. always on the go!!!

View through the solarium

Today is a visits and travel day. We followed Sue and John and a very slow lorry ..up to Solihull to visit Nephew Robin, Sam and the girls. It was a rewarding family time as we inspected Rob and Sam’s new digs! Very nice indeed and a wonderful garden for the children. Lots of laughter and good eats (wonderful roast pork with crackling.. it's been years!!!). Salutations to our wonderful hosts and to Harriet for helping, and Jessica and Abigail for providing constant amusement. Lookout Abigail is going to be a footballer and Jessica is the team manager! LOL

John and Abigail

Happy Granny Sue and Abigail

After suitable goodbyes and farewells we headed on up to Merseyside got to Derek and Lin's without any hassle and settled in to discover lots about their cruise from Australia to Japan and share cruise tales. Had a lovely visit from Alison and shared some big hugs.

TAAA DAAA!!!!

Abigail

Jessica

Monday June 9th

Big brother Tony in his kitchen

 Visited Tony in Great Sutton and had a good old chin wag in the kitchen. Went to Bromborough to St Barnabas church (the site of many 'Tate' celebrations and funerals.) Had a quick visit.  Quick pop into Asda for english chocs etc and then back to Derek and Lin's.  Jo came over to visit and we saw Lee when he picked up Maggie. Poor Maggie getting stiffer in the back end each time we see her (FYI she is a border collie!) Had a great dinner / evening out at the Shippons Pub in Irby. I didn't take any photos over the last couple of days... just felt like we were home and I didn't think of it... DUH!!

Allison and Maggie

Tuesday June 10th

Went over to see the extensive renovations at Sallies, what a task to take on and my how Mollie and Lois have grown and Jacob is becoming quite mischievous. Said Farewells to Derek and Lin, then on to the Wheatsheaf for a Highfield gathering. Gill and Geoff, Jackie and Graham (who landed from Singapore that very morning) Jack and Nancy. Good fun and nosh as usual. All too short but at least we got together. Next time we’ll take longer and be sure to get the missing cousins too. 

The Highfield Gang and co.

We got back to Clapham about 9.00 pm and dropped off the car. All went well and according to plan.

Jun 6th - Jun 7th - End of the cruise... UK

Jun 6th - Jun 7th - End of the cruise... UK Dover

White Cliffs of Dover

We had a leisurely breakfast on board and left the ship at 9.00 am. We waited at the dock and after some confusing texts...long story not for here...John and Sue arrived, well and smiling. We dropped by the rental car agency and added Derek as a second driver and set off to see Dover castle. It was an intriguing visit comparing the various additions since 1100 a.d. and in the knowledge that Hitler had the castle off limits in the blitz as he wanted to use it as an HQ. The medieval tunnels were interesting but a highlight was the World War II tunnels and exhibit for Operation Dynamo... Dunkirk.
We moved on to Canterbury to find that the Four Seasons B & B was better than expected and enjoyed a cuppa before walking into town. Had a brilliant early dinner at the Parrot pub (oldest in Canterbury) and then wandered about including a stroll around the  external grounds of the Cathedral and the cloisters, which was enhanced by the strains of operatic music emanating from the main hall of the cathedral... a private concert of some sort.  We had a pleasant walk back to the B and B. A great day and so good to see Sue and John.

VERY ancient staircase

View from castle.. Our ship on far right

Sis Sue, John and Janice

Our Favourite Sisters

View from castle

Taken from cliff opening of WW2 tunnels

Ship in Danger?? Brits are serious about defense

The Parrot.. oldest pub in Canterbury

Great pub meal!!

History of The Parrot pub

UHHH..Leaning? or Have I had a pint too many?

This really is leaning from age!!

Canterbury Cathedral

Cloisters

Fascinating bosses on the ceilings throughout

MANY years since I 'pulled a chain'

Inside Canterbury Cathedral

 Saturday Jun 7 - Canterbury Cathedral to Clapham
Well our first full day in England required a full English breakfast, heartily enjoyed by John and Derek, Janice had Eggs Benny and Sue had a smaller vegetarian fry up...exercising admirable constraint.
We tottered off to walk around the town center (picked up a UK SIM for the phone) and view the inside of the Cathedral. We  spent a few hours there, learning the heritage and soaking up the early English history. From Thomas Beckett's murder, (right there in the cathedral) the tomb of the Black Prince, and several other kings ans queens, the oldest stained glass window in UK, to the numerous tombs, exhibits and stories, this is certainly heritage England.
In the late afternoon we traveled on to Sue and Johns place in Clapham, (near Bedford) enjoying the lovely English countryside on the way.  We relishd the home-prepared JFH signature chicken curry.. delicious!! Another great day with family.

Main Pulpit!!

SO decadent.. yet beautiful

Tomb of King Henry 1V and Joan of Navarre

Gloves, hat, vest, shield  of Edward