First month in Texas

It's just been a month since my last blog but we have packed a lot of stuff into that time.

  We left Mount Hope in a fog (the weather that is) but it cleared pretty early and we had a good drive down to "The Valley" luckily avoiding some storms that seemed to be near us a lot of the time.
The house was in great shape when we got down here, needed some cleanup from the summer winds etc. but good.  We got together with our friends and finally saw Mercedes and Norm's new 5th wheel - gorgeous! Marcella had dinner for us and Marian and Lloyd when we got here so we didn't have to shop that day.  Thanks Marcella.  Unfortunately Marcella and Wayne's dog Otis was sick and bringing up blood.  They did all they could to fix him, but his liver failed and he had to be put to sleep.  They still have Susie though and she is a sweetheart. 

  When Andy and Betty were to be down here (they live right across the road) we planned a small dinner party for them.  Well! they got here a day early.  I had made a big pot of Chili that day so we had that and still had the barbeque the next day.

  I started playing Texas Hold'em in the card room with Joe, Andy, Sandy, Jaque and the poker group.  The first night I won!  I couldn't believe it - $22 and when you take someone out you get their gold dollar.  We all get a gold dollar and chips when we pay our $5 to play.   I have played two more times and got out pretty early, but will keep going for a while anyway.  One of the ladies has arranged a "ladies poker night" and I will go to that as well.

 We went to Progresso over in Mexico to the dentist for Joe.  He has a loose bottom front tooth and it had to be pulled as they couldn't save it.  We are going back over today for a cleaning and to see how they will replace his tooth.  It is pretty quiet over there in Mexico this year.  People are getting nervous about going to Mexico with all the border troubles going on.  So far Progresso is still safe, and we will be careful when we go there.

We watched the Argos lose yesterday at Marcella and Wayne's place and stayed to watch Saskatchewan win there game and have delicious chili.  There will be a group at their place again next Sunday for the Grey Cup/thanksgiving dinner. 

   I am playing Scrabble with Doreen on line now.  Doreen found the sight and it is fun. When she has had her turn an email comes up for me saying it is now my turn.  So far she is winning, but that is par for the course.  Speaking of "par" Joe is playing golf on Tuesdays with Wayne and anyone else who wants to go.
The girls are passing our time shopping! of course.

  We have had one dinner party at our place for all our friends from Brownsville.  That's where we all met.
Mostly we wanted to welcome Bill and Josie to the valley give us all a chance to meet and catch up. 

  We thought things would be quieter this year down here but we seem to be busy most days and enjoying it. The weather has been great (sorry, all you folks up there in the cold) and that of course keeps us outside and socializing.  We keep in touch with the family by using our phone card, $10 for 500 minutes, and that helps when we start missing them.  When we are home in May we will go to Detroit for the dance competition Sarah is in, and also get the chance to visit Audrey and family. Always having something to look forward to is a good thing. We are so lucky to have such good friends down here and and at home and a great family.  Jacquie and Chris will be down in February, so we are looking forward to that.

That's all folks

All this in October!

October 23rd.  We are heading to Texas in two days!
  The dinner/theatre night was a rousing success.  The food was good, the play excellent and the actors came down and mingled with the audience afterwards.  A good night indeed.
  On the 28th Dan and Jane came down and took us to Niagara-on-the-Lake for lunch, a play, dinner and an overnight stay.  The food was all good, the room excellent with a fireplace and a nice sitting area, and the play was Harvey.  What a hoot.  It was fabulous.
  Doreen, Wendy and I had a "girls getaway" and went to Niagara Falls.  We shopped til we dropped, ate too much, laughed and played games. Great fun.
  For Thanksgiving we had our Thanksgiving/Christmas family gathering at Laurie and Rob's.  Joey and Kate rented a car and drove down from Montreal. We had Christmas stockings and our exchange gifts.  My gift was a jewellry hanger.  You know the ones with a pretty gown and lots of places to hang jewellry and to go along with it a high heeled shoe with places for my rings.  All in a beautiful rich red.  Lovely.  Joe got some Callaway golf balls (he's taking his Calloway golf clubs to Texas this year) and an "official" Blue Jays shirt.  Everyone was pleased with their respective gifts.  Sarah was Santa Claus and handed them out to everyone.  Dinner was great and we are looking forward to another one in December at Victoria Palms. We played some new games and had lots of laughs.  Joey and Kate spent the Sunday at our house.  Kate made the best dinner with gravy to die for. What a great cook she is.
 Mercedes and Norm came to visit us on the 15th of October.  It was so great to see them, but we will have to wait until they get down to Texas to see their new RV, which from the pictures is quite the thing.
  Matthew our grandson turned 21 on the 17th.  The same day his parents took of for a week's holiday in the Domincan Republic.  We gave him champagne to celebrate.
  Jim and Peggy had a get together at their house on the 19th.  John and Jean Bolton couldn't make it because John broke his arm playing hockey - at his age! - and was in a lot of pain and a cast.  We had a super night with Jim and Peg, John and Sheila and Dan and Jane and were back the next morning for breakfast.  After that the boys went to see their "old" buddies from Brewers and girls went shopping (much more fun).
  Joe and I went to see Pat and Alan Kotak and had dinner there.  They have a beautiful house and we caught up on a years worth of news. 
  I met my friend Sharon, who lives in Haliburton for lunch last Thursday.  She was at her daugher's house in Brampton and I was at my daughter's house in Mississauga.  We went to the Drake and the Firkin which was a little noisy but we managed to talk over it.  The waitress did come up from behind me and scare the pants off me a couple of time though.
 That's quite a lot for a month I think.  We will need a rest when we get to our place in Texas. 
 We are really looking forward to being in a warmer climate and seeing our winter friends.  It is a little sad leaving friends and family up here though. Guess I'll have a glass of wine and whine with Joe.
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Can we get any busier!

So, here it is September 25th already.  We are still busy of course. 
The "Brewers gang" as I like to call us were all up at John Dew's cottage in Haliburton for an overnighter.
Unfortunately Jim and Peg could not go as Jim was not well.  We had a great time up there with Dan and Jane, John and Jean and John and Sheila. Played euchre after dinner and had a lot of laughs.  Joe, Dan and John Dew went in the hot tub twice which they seemed to enjoy.  The girls sat and chatted.  Funny how women can do that so easily.  It was nice catching with each other.  A lot of names beginning with J in this group. John, John, Jim, Jean, Joe and Jane!

On the 11th we went with our "northern friends" if I can call them that to an Otis retirement dinner and dance.  We have been going to that annual event for quite a few years now.  So that would be with: Graham and Wendy, Doreen and Bob,  Bob and Bonnie and Sharon and Bob.  Too may Bobs in this group!  Bob A, Bob B and Bob C.  Actually the beginning of their last names.  Another great dinner, fun with our friends and lots of dancing.  I started to have some tummy problems the next morning, but not too serious.

I went to the doctor's on Monday because the stomach pain was getting worse.  She thought it was a bowel problem but took an urine sample to send away.

Joe went to help a friend in the park who is on her own and moving.  She needed someone to help her son take some furniture out as she is downsizing a getting rid of a lot of "stuff".  I was getting worse now.
By Friday, I couldn't take it any more, called the doctor who recommended I go to the hospital for tests.  We were scheduled to bottle wine that day, so we did that first; which wasn't a pleasant experience for me because I was getting some stabbing pains.  But, first things first. (wine bottling that is) Then we went to the hospital.  After 4 hours of waiting, which probably wasn't that bad except that we only saw one doctor working in all that time and he kept disappearing somewhere.  Finally diagnosed with a severe bladder infection, got a prescription and went off to Laurie's for out usual Friday night dinner and poker.  I really hate to miss going as I love seeing everyone and after we head south we won't see them for so long.

The medication seemed to work quickly and Joe and Jim Geekie were going to a golf tourament in Niagara on the Lake on the 20th.  So, Peggy and I went with them and had a fabulous day shopping! 
We went to pick the boys up around 6 pm and got to see a lot of the people we are still working and retired from the Beer Store.  Joe and Jim worked there for around 35 years, and I worked there for the last six years before we retired.  We stayed overnight at the Hilton Garden Inn and drove home the next day.

Joe went for an allergy test for peanuts.  I was so sure he was allergic because he has had some very bad reactions from eating them, like breathing problems and nausea.  He found out he is NOT allergic to peanuts but the doctor didn't know why he has had those reactions.  He said "try eating a few again and see what happens"  Hello.....he could lose his breath entirely!  I have given him an allergy pill and two puffs with my Ventolin in the past to help him through it.  What do doctors know anyway!

Tonight we are going to a dinner/theatre night at the Club House here and have lots of good stuff coming up.  We are both well and starting to get geared up for going to Texas around the 25th of October.
Will let everyone know whats up.  To you all, have a great autum and stay well.

Busy, busy, busy

Wow, here it is the end of August already and the weather is still sweltering hot. We have had a great month. We hosted a dinner party for ten on the 2nd. These are our good friends who we met through Joe working a The Beer Store, Jim and Peg, Dan and Jane, John and Sheila and John and Jean. Dinner went really well until Bonnie spilled cold tea all over the kitchen floor and then proceeded to spill red wine all over John Dew and the carpet. How embarrasing! John and Jean Bolton were quick to respond and had it all cleaned up with not a stain anywhere! Thank you guys. John Dew didn't fare so well and had to change while Bonnie washed and dried his stained clothes. Always some entertainment at our house!

John and Jean returned the invitation later in August and their sons John and Matthew joined us as well as Joanna and Cal Ames. We had a great dinner and breakfast the next morning. We always stay over at the host house so that we can stay up late and have a few drinks. Nice to catch up on what everyone has been doing, especially since we are not here in the winter.

My two sisters came to stay with us for a few days. They came on a Wednesday and Pat stayed until Friday evening and Jacquie stayed until the next Thursday. I (Bonnie) have never laughed so much in a very long time. We played card games, Joe served us drinks and generally took care of things and the sisters went shopping at Walmart and Canadian Tire. Let me just say that we giggled and laughed so much in those two stores that I am sure people thought we were just let out of the loony bin! It was so great, and we hope to do it every year from now on.

On the 24th we went to Wendy and Graham's house for a get together with them, Doreen and Bob, and Sharon and Bob. Doreen, her brother Graham, Wendy and I have known each other since we were kids. Graham had just laid hardwood on the main floor living room, dining room, family room, hallway and stairs and it looked fantastic. We had loads of fun playing Pictionary and Catch Phrase. Friends are so wonderful and we try to get togethere whenever we can. The girls are planning a "girls" getaway soon and I will let you know how that goes. More laughter I am sure.

Joe's sister Chris came to stay with us for a few days and when we took her home, we picked up his brother Tony who also stayed with us for a few days. We enjoyed having them as we don't get to see them as often as we like, even though they both live in Toronto. Chris's cat has cancer in the lymph nodes and needs his medicine every day, so Tony took care of the cat while Chris was here. Otherwise we would have had them both with us at the same time. Cat's doing well by the way

Also, every Friday night we go to Laurie and Rob's for dinner. This is so great! They do a delicous barbeque and then we all play Texas Hold'em. This gives us a night off from cooking and we get to see everyone and spend some quality time with our grandchildren - who do a lot of the cooking by he way, and the setting up and clean up. Jamie does most of the winning at poker but the rest of us have our turns too.

So, that's the month in a nutshell. No wonder I am so tired. I love being with everyone, but we really need some down time.

July 11 to August 2nd

Well, it is now August 2nd, ALREADY! Where did July go? We (Joe and I)went to Laurie and Rob's for dinner and a Texas Holdum game. Sarah cleaned all our clocks. What a girl. She came back to our house and on Saturday Sarah and I went looking for sewing stuff. She took a week at sewing school and was raring to go. We picked up her Janome sewing machine and the nice lady told her how to clean it and operate it. While we were there we picked up more sewing paraphernalia and headed out to Fabricland for patterns and fabric. We got it all home and set to work. Sarah doing most of the work and Gran (me) helping and advising when needed. Lo and behold by the time Laurie and Rob came to pick her up on Sunday afternoon, she had finished a gorgeous summer dress, white on the top and patterned with a black design on the skirt. Last I saw, Sarah was working on a pink and white summer dress for herself.

We have been keeping busy. Jim and Peggy came to dinner one evening. We went to the barbeque put on by our phase one day. I took broccoli salad and there was beef and lots of other good food. It was a good opportunity to socialize with our neighbours.

Joe went golfing on the 22nd for the Beer Store annual tournament. He had a good time and came home with a sport bag, water bottle, shirt and some other stuff.

We had dinner and the poker game on Saturday this weekend because Rob and Jamie had to work. Jamie was happy to do it because it gets him more hours towards his apprenticeship and double time pay. Way to go Jamie. What an industrious fellow. I think he probably won the poker game that night but I am not sure. Senior's memory again. Matthew was there with a friend of his and that made it so nice. Matthew is almost finished his third year at Walerloo in the chemical engineering program and starts work on August 16 after exams are over. Smart fellow and hard worker.

Well, enough of the grandparent bragging for a while. We have been doing a few things around our house and that is keeping us busy. We went to a barbeque at John and Jean Bolton's last Saturday and it was great to see them, Matthew and John Jr. and many friends from the Beer Store that we haven't seen for quite a while. Now we are getting ready for our dinner party/sleep over with Dan and Jane, Jim and Peggy, John and Sheila and John and Jean. Joe is barbequeing a roast of beef and I am making artisan bread (which I hope turns out well as I haven't made it much as yet) and we will have a birthday cake for Peggy but she doesn't know it yet. Shhhh. Hoping for great weather, but what will be will be.

That's it for now. Looking forward to having both my sisters for a few days. We will all go to Laurie and Rob's for a barbeque and Texas Hold'em game on Friday.

The saga of the cook book

This is a sad but true story. When I (Bonnie) was in Texas last winter, my good friends Marcella and Joan and I went to visit our other good friend Judy in Corpus Christie. While we were talking in the evening, Judy told us about the great cook book she had called "Artisan Bread in 5 minutes a Day" and told us the bread is really good and so much easier to make than the traditional method. We all thought it sounded great and after Joan went home to Ontario (a couple of weeks before Joe and I went home) she bought Marcella and I each a book and mailed them to us at our Canada addresses. Well Marcell got hers when she got home to Manitoba, but when I got home there was no sign of the book. I thought that seeing as I had my mail forwarded to Texas from Canada it would arrive in Texas. After it didn't show up in Ontario, I called Texas to see if they had it arrived there. No, it hadn't. After a few weeks of waiting, Joan sent me the tracking number from when she sent it. We tried tracing it on the computer and it said it was "undeliverable", so after a few days we went to our local post office to find out what was going on. Well, Canada Post could not find it in their system. I turns out that the Post Office in it's inefficient way does not forward packages when you have your mail forwarded, only letters and such. Now, they did not tell us this when we paid $160 to have our mail forwarded in November, and further more they do not leave a notice in your mail box, or send a notice to you in Texas to tell you there is a package for you! HELLO! No one, is told you have a package, so how can you pick it up! To make matters worse, if it is not picked up (which is actully impossible) within 90 days it goes to the Dead Letter Warehouse and is then DESTROYED!!!!
I am so disgusted with our Postal System. It is so ridiculous. Needless to say, next fall when we go to Texas we will not have our mailed forwarded. So, the cook book is lost forever. I went out and bought one, which I will always consider came from my thoughtful friend Joan.
Of all the bad luck, I now discover that my oven is broken, in that it keeps getting hotter and hotter and is burning everything!!! Foiled again! We called a repairman and $185 later it is fixed.

Now, I can't wait to make some delicious bread in my oven that is working well, Hurray!
Will let you all know how it turns out. Marcella says it is delicous.

From Scotland to July10/10

First of all, when we left Scotland, Joe had been sick for a few days with, dizziness (more than normal) nausea and he was pale, cold and clammy. Bonnie thought he was having a heart problem but Joe insisted it was in inner ear infection, and insisted on flying home rather than seeing a doctor in Scotland. Laurie & Rob picked us up from the airport and took us straight to the hospital. After 4 days, every test known to man, and numerous doctors, the concluded that Joe had an inner ear "disturbance" and that in time it would go away. Well, at least we know everything in his brain, chest and arteries are all working well!
We went home, Joe was better but still off balance so Bonnie drove us to Montreal to help Joey and Kate move to their new condo. What a great place they have! Joe helped, up one flight of stairs to get the stuff out of the old place and up TWO flights into the new condo. Except for the bedroom which was up another flight. All in all we had a great time in Montreal and Joe really manned up and did a lot of work. Joey, just like his dad did the greatest portion of the slugging and carrying as well as his girlfried Kate.

We got back from Montreal on the 30th of June because our daughter Laurie and her family were taking the truck (which we had borrowed) to go white water rafting, crazies that they are. Apparently they all loved it, did all the extreme stuff and can't wait to go back!

By now, Joe is back to normal (if there is such a thing) and we find out his aunt (96) has passed away, so we pick up his sister Chris at the GO station on Sunday and we all head to Wingham Ontario for the funeral on Monday. We took Chris back home and came back to Mount Hope for a rest.

By the way, the funeral was July 5th and both Bonnie and Joe forgot that it was their 36th anniversary until we got an anniversary card from our good friends Dan and Jane. Thanks folks. Talk about seniors moments!

We are finally settling into enjoying the summer, watching the robins with their babies that have nested in the upper corner of our front porch and relaxing (sort of). Had to catch up on weeding, planting etc. Enjoying our new house and trying to keep cool in this extreme heat we have been having here in southern Ontario.

Watch for the next exciting episode of Bonnie and Joe on the Go coming soon!