Sunday 9 November 2014

Driving in Canada


   Driving in Canada is an experience and a half. Having roads with no pot holes is new, also having roads that go on for ever. After driving on an island thirty seven miles long and at the widest fifteen miles, you can imagine how different it all is here. It is amazing to me the way the roads seem to keep on going for long distances, and driving through the countryside is beautiful.
                                                                      

   Before I came to Canada my friend Lyndsay told me, "If you drive on the highway you have to go at one hundred or one hundred and twenty kilometres an hour." My response was, "You must be kidding!" I was used to going at a maximum of eighty and felt that if I drove over that I would lose control of the car. Of course I was still reckoning with potholes and the traffic I was used to, bumper to bumper. Everyone doing their own thing no matter what the law really meant! Since being here and driving in the country I can see how driving could certainly be considered a pleasure.


 
My friend Gale has been taking me driving for practice. I am having a few problems on these smooth, empty roads staying within the speed limit. It seems rather difficult for me to judge the speed I am going so we have rather a lot of what my father used to call "kangaroo petrol." Poor Gale, she is one of the most patient people I have ever known and has now got used to my style of driving, at least I think she has, as she still comes in the car with me!

Thursday 6 November 2014

First snow


   The first snow came and went. I am not an early riser so when Lyndsay came in to get me up I wondered what had happened. She told me to get dressed fast and come down to see the snow. I looked out of my bedroom window and was so excited, everything was covered in beautiful, white snow. I grabbed the camera, put on my "Michelin tyre" coat and rushed out of the door. It was gorgeous, I have not seen snow for a long time and intended to enjoy it. The first picture I took was the house which still had the Halloween decorations on it.


   Following me out of the door like my little shadow was Socks. He was not impressed at all. He padded slowly over the snow and was in a big hurry to get back inside. It was still snowing lightly and I was fascinated to see the snow flakes on Sock's shiny, black fur. I can not wait to see his reaction when it really snows hard and is quite deep. 

 

   I must have been a sight to behold standing in the middle of the road looking in all directions. The views everywhere you could see were so enthralling. Unfortunately this snow did not last. It was very interesting to me to be standing out when it was still snowing, the sun was shining and the snow had begun to melt and drip down from the roof onto the ground. I am waiting for the real snow to arrive but have to admit I am not in too much of a hurry!
                                                               


Sunday 2 November 2014

HALLOWEEN

  


 

It was my first Halloween in Canada and I was geared up for anything, even the cold! I had been told that people would come round even if it snowed. Only rain dampens the spirits, but even then there are vehicles for that type of weather. Halloween goes on no matter what!
We had been decorating the outside of the house for at least a week adding new decorations as we got them. We went tootling round the neighbourhood looking at what everyone else had to offer. By four o'clock we were ready for the first group of little ones. The candy was in the cauldron and everything was switched on. I wore half of my costume as Lyndsay said it was too scary for the young ones.
The cats were outside and could not understand what was going on. We just hoped sharp claws did not come into contact with the blown up characters we had out in the front. Socks looked just like the light decoration I had in my bedroom window. Unfortunately he was not very impressed with the proceedings.


 
As the evening wore on more interesting characters came our way. It was really wonderful to see how many parents had also dressed up for the occasion. I put on my hood and eyes and stood waiting, then I heard a little voice ask, "Is that a real person?" I had to turn up my hood a couple of times as the little ones were scared. On the post outside we had a bell that I made the children press and laughed as they jumped backwards away from the snake that touched their finger. Next to me was a motion acting spider that crawled up and down while its eyes shone red. One little boy came in the same costume as mine, he was not scared of anything.

 I think the best decoration we had was the skeleton trying to get out of the grave. Our neighbours down the road had gone all out and even had a  bloody corpse in a coffin. I had a lot of fun but later in the evening it started to get cold so we abandoned our posts, switched off the lights and retreated indoors for a hot drink to chase away the chills. Our plan now is to think up something really original for next year. Any ideas?

Encounter with a skunk

  
We went to Ottawa on a lovely sunny day as Lyndsay had a doctor's appointment and we had decided to make a day of it. We drove around for about half an hour trying to find the office. Finally we had to ask, and it was in a shopping centre with no address! The appointment was on time and we got out fast. Where to go first, shopping, window shopping or just marching round the shops looking at everything. We went into Pier ! and went mad with all the Halloween paraphanalia at half price. I needed to go to a bank ATM machine so we stopped at the nearest bank.
   
    Lyndsay said she had problems with the truck driving through the machines
so she parked and I got out. I walked round to the outside ATM and stopped suddenly when I was called. I had heard a woman shout "skunk" but took no notice. Lyndsay started to yell my name so I stopped and looked round. She was also telling me about a skunk. I turned round and there was a big, beautiful skunk coming my way. I backed off a little but was mesmorised as I had never seen such a big skunk up close before. I looked at the skunk and the skunk looked at me. Obviously he or she was not in the mood to come too close so scuttled off out of the parking place.
  
   Lyndsay came over and wondered where I was going. After telling her I was going to the ATM machine she looked at me astounded. After thirty years in Curacao where there were vey few, if any, ATM machines inside banks I thought I knew what I was doing. We both had a good laugh and I went inside. It is going to take me a while to get acclimatized to some of the things everyone here takes for granted. I felt a bit of a twit but as the story got told to the family everyone saw the funny side.