Article 7, Subsection 5.4 Grandparents Handbook

As per the Grandparent Handbook please find attached the obligatory and latest pictures of our recent visit with said grandchildren. Future PHD, Ronan was busy trying on lab coats, looking for that perfect fit.





Future marine biologist Isla checking out her dinghy. Snicker, snicker!
She doesn't have a dinghy.







Future Olympic triathletes getting in a few laps in the pool.

The Emperor Has His Clothes

Armed with some clothes, we took the opportunity to explore the Niagara region for a few days. We started with a visit to the Welland Canal and were lucky to see a freighter use a lock on it's way to Lake Erie. We spent a few hours in Niagara On The Lake. Lovely little place with our visit slightly tarnished by a $25 dollar parking ticket. Our bad! We parked on the street and walked by at least four or five ticket spitters with out seeing them.


We ended that day with an overnighter in The Falls. Niagara Falls seems to have become a mecca for families. It felt like Nonie and I were the only couple there. Back in the day The Falls was a place for honeymooners. Perhaps the honeymooners are now coming back with their kids. We spent the night in a lovely hotel that overlooked the falls.


Opting for the cheaper room, our view of the Falls was more a view of the water vapor coming off the Falls but it was a great view of the fire works that were scheduled for that night.



From there it was off to Toronto by train for a visit with my aunt and cousin. Toronto continues to be the centre of universe. Up early the next day to catch a train to Smiths Falls and an overnight to visit with another aunt. Found that train travel is very civilized and we arrived with our luggage. Okay, that was my last shot, I will move on. Smiths Falls is a lovely place to pass a few hours. It is located right on the Rideau Canal with a lock, considerably smaller than the locks on the Welland Canal. Once again our timing was good and we saw a couple of small power boats pass on through.

Next stop Ottawa and the chance to fill up on grandchildren before we leave for China.

Luggage Lost, Luggage Found, Lugggage Undelivered

Flying on points, getting bumped to business class, access to the Maple Leaf Lounge, all good. Then Air Canada went and spoiled it by losing my luggage for almost four days. To be fair, my luggage was not lost, it just didn't follow to Ontario at the same pace I did.

It started with bad weather in Edmonton and being redirected to Calgary to wait out the bad weather occurring in Edmonton. This meant missing my Edmonton connection to to Toronto and a probable overnight in Edmonton. A nice attendant got me onto a Toronto flight out of Calgary that had been delayed due too some inclement weather there. I arrived in Toronto the next day and about three hours after my original arrival time only to discover my luggage did not. Hey no problem, the bag would arrive sometime that day and be delivered the next day.

Hearing nothing the next day, I called 1-888-LOSTLUGGAGE and found myself talking to a very apologetic operator on another continent whom I would get to know very well over the next three days. Actually, I talked to seven different operators over the next few days, but all were very sincerely apologetic and following to the letter, the script found in the "How To Deal With Irate Passengers Who Didn't Get Their Luggage" manual. To be fair to me, I did not get irate till at least the fourth call.

Despite the bag laying dormant in the Toronto baggage claim area for over 48 hours, Air Canada could not or would not figure out how to get the damn bag to me in Beamsville. With time running out, I borrowed a vehicle and spent five hours of my vacation traveling to the airport, getting lost due to some construction near the airport, then a two hour commute back on the freeway that had turned into a parking lot.

I got the feeling that Air Canada had no intention of getting my bag to me. A very frustrating few days.

Thanks for the vent, I feel better already plus I smell better. I didn't realize how much I rely on under arm deodorant till I quit using it for a few days.

Why Do We Keep Leaving?

Six weeks have come and gone quickly since our return from eastern Canada. Busy, busy, busy! Nonie and her sister Lynda successfully packed and moved a five bedroom house over 3,000 kilometres. We had some time to reconnect with family and friends. Some golf, some quilting, but most of all, some serious LazeeBoy time.

So as I kill time waiting for yet another airplane, I ponder the question, "Why do we leave?". I have to mention that I am killing time in the executive class lounge at the Vancouver Airport. Air Canada in all it's wisdom decided to reward me with a excutive class seat for my trip back to Ontario which gives me access to the lounge at the airport. I am currently sipping a nice Malbec and deciding what to have from the lunch buffet. Thanks Air Canada though I think it is payback for that scary trip into St. John's.

But I digress. Back to the question "Why do we leave?". Penticton is a joy to live in so why do we continue to leave it, so often. At this point I was going to start a top ten list of the reasons we live in Penticton but the following statement kind of says it all. "It has everything and anything one would want or need in a place to live. " Saves a lot or writing and really a picture is worth a thousand words.

But I digress. Back to the question "Why do we leave." Why?

"Because we can!"

There will come a time in our life when we won't be able to leave and as long as we can, we will continue to explore the world and have adventures. All the while, knowing that we have Penticton to come back to.