Day 155 – Thursday, November 28, 2013

It was cold and clear today when we headed out to run some errands. It was around -15C. We dropped off some home care aids that Jim and Vera had been using to the Harrowsmith Lending Barn run by the Odd Fellows and Rebekahs at around 10:00 AM. Julie notes “Howard, who met us at the hall to take the items, just happened to be the neighbour of Helen and Karl, our marriage mentors, so we got some dirt on them while we did the drop. Interesting stuff!” We then had an appointment at the Scotiabank in Napanee to sign some documents for our daughter Kristin’s student loan at 11:30 AM. Julie notes “Don’t get us started on that ‘quick’ six month process. We don’t blame Kristin for occasionally screaming ‘WTF!’ (Where’s The Funds?). Our Napanee contact was very helpful however there may be some windmilling once we get back to our own branch in Grande Prairie.” That gave us time to have a coffee at Tim Horton’s in Napanee. Julie notes “He is slowly building up his Tim Horton’s blood content.” On our way back to Moscow, we stopped at the new bakery in Newburgh, ON. Abrams Bakery was busy at lunch time. They have fresh bakery items and also make sandwiches and pizzas on-site. We both ordered the pastrami on a fresh Kaiser bun. Excellent. I also purchased a half a dozen bagels to go. Julie notes “Great to see a local business thriving. The service and food was top notch.”

Julie’s friends from public and high school had arranged a get together at 6:00 PM for dinner at Spud’s in Napanee. I left the 4 ladies alone to visit and headed over to Shoeless Joe’s for a beer and burger. They had a great time catching up and laughing. Julie notes “Alert the media! Unfortunately another NDSS classmate, Avril Lavigne, was a no-show but we had fun without her. She is always going on about her ‘Complicated’ relationship with a ‘Sk8ter Boi’ anyway. Makes it hard for us to tell all of our cool stories.”

The Moscow United Church on a cold clear Ontario morning. Julie notes “Among many other family and community events, this is where it became official folks, September 15^th, 1979. Helen and Karl, married two weeks already, were there to answer any questions we had about the wedding night, and marriage life in general. Thanks guys!”

The drive to Harrowsmith.

Oh yeah! There are windmills in Ontario.

I think this is the Lennox and Addington County Court House in Napanee, ON. The flag was at half-mast and we never did find out the reason. Julie notes “I would’ve taken Brad to the old NDSS alma mater but as you know I am directionally handicapped and can’t recall where the school bus took me every day for 5 years of my life.”

A beautiful old Ontario farm near Napanee, ON.

The menu at Abrams Bakery.

The Napanee River near Yarker, ON.

The road to Moscow, ON. Julie notes “Back before this road was smoothed out, Dad was the expert at whizzing up over the knolls and giving us butterfly stomachs.”

The school chums; L to R: Julie, Linda, Kathy, and Vickie. Julie notes “Take my word for it; we have not changed a bit. Linda always was a trend setter though and now we all wear glasses just like she did in school. She was our voice of reason and experience, coming from a very large family and a real farm girl she was the one who explained the facts of life to me when Mom was expecting my youngest brother. I am sure hoping she got some of those details ironed out before she got married herself! Vickie and I were christened on the same day in the Moscow Church seen above. I remember being angry at the age of one month, to see that she was wearing the same style of christening gown as me. But I got used to the fact that she was always trying to emulate me, in every way but height. We decided our fashion and other talents shouldn’t be wasted so in our high school acting career, one of our many stage names was ‘The Apple Sisters’, Seedy and Cora. Eat your heart out Avril! Kathy moved in up the street from me in my formative public school years. We instantly bonded and became joined at the hip. Being joined at the hip made it difficult to do a lot of stuff but we were still able to spend whole summers on our bicycles, riding around ‘the block’. A country block that is. Our mothers went shopping together and bought us the exact same clothes hoping we would dress like the bellbottomed twins they never had, I guess. Kathy and I travelled on a cross Canada camping/badminton tour hoping to attract young men with our great skills with the birdie. Sounds fool proof doesn’t it? We also went to Cuba on a high school trip and learned the real meaning of sun burn and rum in your coke. Lots of memories with these gals. Sorry to the other patrons as we did not even try to keep our boisterous laughing in check. Next adventure ‘Las Vegas’ or more like the movie ‘Last Vegas’ as Linda said.”

…over and out, the muleskinner and his sidekick

Julie notes “Extra hugs to Kathy and family as they still come to terms with the loss of Harry.”