Big 🍎 Apple- Part 1

I sadly lost my Mom on February 10, 2006, just two days before her 59th birthday. Each year, my siblings and I get together for dinner and drinks and honour her memory. This year we all happened to have the weekend off and decided to step up our celebration by booking a trip to New York. The plan was to fly out Friday morning and return Sunday night. However, Mother Nature intervened in the form of Storm Mateo.

I discovered on Thursday afternoon that our Friday morning flight was cancelled due to the impending storm, but American Airlines was offering a later flight. With Mateo on his way, there was no guarantee that the later flight would depart as scheduled. After a brief discussion, we decided to rent a car and drive through the night to New York, avoiding the storm. We would drop the car off in New York and fly home as scheduled on Sunday. We called Hertz, booked a car, and crossed the border to Detroit to pick up the rental.

It would take approximately 9 hours to drive through Michigan, Ohio, and Pennsylvania before arriving in New York. The Chevy Traverse we rented had both navigation and SiriusXM radio. I remember family road trips where my Dad would ask, "Can you grab the map out of the glove box?" (how did we ever reach our destination without GPS or MapQuest?) We would turn the radio dial until we found our favourite DJ, John Lanigan, the host of WGAR in Cleveland. If we lost reception, we had no music. We weren't able to choose between 460 channels like SiriusXM offers. We were lucky to have two or three stations. We also didn't wear seat belts, and my parents smoked Rothman's in the car (with the windows slightly cracked), but kids of the 70's lived on the edge!

This roadie was smooth as we headed away from the snow towards slightly warmer temps. My brother Gerry and I took turns driving and had our very own concert, singing along to 70's on 7, 80's on 8, and Pearl Jam. By morning, my sister Jennie awoke and took her turn at the wheel, navigating us through Jersey and the Lincoln Tunnel into Manhattan. We arrived in Times Square at the time our original flight was set to depart from Detroit, so our trip started earlier than planned. We dropped off the rental, checked our bags at the hotel, and began our adventure in the Big Apple.

Stay tuned for Part 2....

~MT

Seasons Greetings

My Grandma Brooks made this tree years ago in her ceramics class. I forgo putting up a real tree and instead put this on display. I love this tree, as it holds so many memories of Christmases past and of loved ones that are no longer here.









I find the holidays are always a time for reflection. As 2017 winds down and 2018 looms around the corner, I look back on this year, on the trips I've taken, the people I've met, and all the experiences I've had. I look forward to the new adventures next year holds and to the new places I'll visit.





Whatever you're doing this holiday season, I hope you are surrounded by loved ones. Thank you for sharing this blog with me, and all the best to you in 2018.

~MT

Anne of Green Gables

Kip and Henry

Anne and Diana

Before Tom Hanks and Peter Scolari became Bosom Buddies, Canadian author Lucy Maud (L.M.) Montgomery had already penned the term in her 1908 novel, Anne of Green Gables.



Montgomery tells the story of Anne Shirley, an 11-year-old orphan who comes to live at Green Gables with Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert. Set in the fictional town of Avonlea in Prince Edward Island, the Cuthberts are middle-aged siblings looking to adopt a boy to help on the farm. Instead, they get Anne, a talkative, dramatic, intelligent, freckled, red-haired girl. Matthew was taken with her straightaway, and he and Marilla agree to keep her. Anne settles into her new life in the close-knit farming town. She meets her bosom friend Diana Barry and confides to Marilla, "Miss Barry is a kindred spirit after all." She also meets Gilbert Blythe, who teases Anne about her red hair, calling her "Carrots." Anne hates her red hair; red hair is my lifelong sorrow and despair, and she despises Gilbert for teasing her. Gilbert becomes Anne's adversary in school but will eventually become very important in her life.


My sister and I read the book as children and eventually the entire series. Montgomery decided to continue Anne's story, and there were eight books published in total, following Anne throughout her life. Millions of fans of the book have travelled to Prince Edward Island, where they can see numerous Anne-related attractions.

In 1985, the CBC created a four-hour television miniseries, which I spent more than a couple Sunday afternoons watching with my Grandma Kennedy. It starred Canadian actress Megan Follows as Anne and Jonathan Crombie as Gilbert Blythe. They went on to film Anne of Avonlea in 1987, Road to Avonlea in 1992, and Anne of Green Gables: The Continuing Story in 2000.

Gilbert Blythe played by Jonathan Crombie

The Brits may have Mr. Darcy, but we Canadians have Gilbert Blythe. When Gilbert first meets Anne, he is immediately smitten. He teases her to get her attention, but this backfires and Anne resents him. They become rivals at school, competing for the highest grades and a scholarship. Gilbert saves Anne from drowning when she's 16, and although her friends find this romantic, Anne still refuses to warm to Gilbert. He eventually gives up a teaching job so Anne can take the position and continue to live at Green Gables. This act of kindness finally cements their friendship. Eventually Anne and Gilbert marry and have children. Gilbert sets the bar high for romance!

Adelaide, Andrea and myself

Imagine my delight when my very own bosom friend...my kindred spirit Andrea, asked if I'd accompany her and her daughter Adelaide to an Anne of Green Gables play. It was showing at the community centre about an hour and a half away in Petrolia. When Andrea got the tickets, she realized it was a musical and her cousin had a role as Miss Stacey, Anne's teacher. The play followed Anne's adventures from 11 to 16 years old and, for the most part, stayed true to the book. Andrea and I both think Adelaide would make the perfect Anne with her red hair and just the right amount of dramatic flair!

The book has been a favourite of mine for years. It's a must-read that will make you laugh and cry. As Anne says, I love a book that makes me cry. I was so happy to share this musical experience with Andrea. We both share such a love for the book and Gilbert Blythe! If you're not much of a reader, then check out the miniseries. I'm sure you will love it just as much as I do.

~MT

Sister Trip

Aruba, Jamaica, oh I want to take ya.
Bermuda, Bahama, come on pretty mama.
Key Largo, Montego....

STOP!! You had me at ARUBA!
My sister Jennie and I decided a few months ago to book a trip to Aruba for October. It's a place I've been thinking of visiting the past couple of years. We chose the Riu Palace Antillas, an adults-only, all-inclusive resort. After booking, we sat back and watched as hurricane season started to tear through many Caribbean islands. Fortunately, Aruba wasn't harmed, and we were all set to go.

We flew out of Toronto early Thanksgiving Monday (in Canada, we celebrate Thanksgiving in October). This required us to leave home at 2a.m. and drive in the rain along the treacherous 401 highway to reach the airport. Neither of us had slept prior, so this photo is what being awake for over 24 hours looks like.

We chose Sunwing Airlines, and although not the greatest, the flight was seamless, and we arrived in Aruba around 2:30p.m. Our hotel was only a 10-minute drive from the airport, so we were checked in and changed into our bathing suits by 4p.m.


Before hitting the pool and the swim-up bar, we grabbed a couple of Balashi beers from the fridge. This would be our drink of choice for the week. Heading out to the pool, we couldn't believe the weather. It was absolutely stunning! It stayed that way all week. We didn't have a drop of rain, and the temperature hovered around 32-35°C every day. It was humid, but there was a constant breeze to keep you feeling cool.



The island of Aruba is quite small, measuring only 32 km (20 miles) long and about 10 km (6 miles) wide. It's a Dutch island, so you could hear that alongside English, Spanish, and Papiamento, their local language. Jennie and I visited St. Maarten a couple of years ago, and it was comparable. Even though our hotel was all-inclusive, we ventured off the resort a few times.

We visited the Bugaloe Pier (down the beach from our hotel), where they had happy hour daily from 5 to 7p.m. This was a great spot to catch the sunset and listen to live music.

Lobster tail

Mushroom risotto 

The food was fantastic in Aruba. You could have anything your heart desired. I had lobster every chance I got while my sister opted for steak. We went to an amazing Italian restaurant, Gianni's, and both the service and food were incredible. There's a huge lobster tank in the restaurant, and you can dine either inside or alfresco. Next door was a steakhouse called Daniel's, and it was just as busy.

We couldn't have asked for a more relaxing vacation. We walked the beach each morning, spent the day reading, drinking, and playing cards by the pool, and enjoyed the entertainment and casino at night.

*These 2 photos were taken from the balcony of our room. We had a great view, and it was amazing to wake up to this view each morning.





We decided to treat ourselves on the Saturday night and booked a Sunset Sail trip. It was just two hours, and we got to sail along the gorgeous coastline with an open bar, delicious snacks, and great music. Again, the weather was perfect and the trip was entertaining.

Jennie and I had to
get our picture with
this sign!

I highly recommend a trip to Aruba. The weather, people, food, drink, and shopping can't be beat. I've been to a number of islands, and this was definitely my favourite. After a week there, both my sister and I said we could have stayed longer. I'm not sure my liver could have handled it, though!





So if you're looking for an island adventure, check out Aruba. You'll love it!

~MT

The Fire Down Below

For my third and final summer concert, I went to see another legend, Bob Seger. At 72 years old, the DETROIT MADE rocker sounded STILL THE SAME and showed the crowd his NIGHT MOVES. We arrived 30 minutes before the RAMBLIN' GAMBLIN' MAN hit the stage, and as we walked down MAINSTREET, we could hear some OLD-TIME ROCK AND ROLL blaring from the nearby parking lots. I was so glad my brother asked my sisters and me. When he showed us the tickets and said YOU'LL ACCOMPANY ME, we thought this was a great way to end the summer.


We fought AGAINST THE WIND and entered the venue where we lined up with all the other BEAUTIFUL LOSERS getting ready to SHAKE DOWN to some HEAVY MUSIC. Seger definitely ROLL(ed) ME AWAY with his vocals and skills on guitar and piano. LOOKIN BACK, I'm glad we went to the show. I wouldn't have wanted to miss the TRAVELIN' MAN as he went through the Detroit area. LIKE A ROCK, Bob and his Silver Bullet Band played all the classics. The crowd knew WE'VE GOT TONIGHT and only one night to enjoy this special live performance.


First Neil Diamond, then Lionel Richie, and finally Bob Seger. It was a summer of classics, good music, and legends.

~MT

Dog days of Summer

Kirby sporting my Tom Ford's
while lounging on my chair. 

As we enter August, there is still little relief from the heat except at night. There are a number of ways to cool off...you can sit in the A/C, jump in the pool, or have a refreshing drink of Hoopers (this is my drink of the summer). For our 4-legged furry friends, it's not always that easy. So what can you do to add some relief from the heat?

Bring on the pupsicles! These treats are easy to make, take only a few minutes (plus freezing), and your dog will love them. I've made two different kinds, and I think Kirby may like them more than I like my Hoopers.

1) Peanut Butter & Banana
Mash 2 bananas. Mix in 1/2 cup of peanut butter. Pour into your ice cube tray. Add a tiny treat (I use mini Milk-Bones) and freeze. Pop them out and give to your pup.

2) Yogurt and Apple Sauce
Mix a cup of yogurt (I use vanilla) with some apple sauce. Pour into an ice cube tray. Add a tiny Milk-Bone and freeze.

You can also make these with watermelon and blueberries and even chicken broth. Your dog will love them because they are cold and delicious. I wonder if dogs get brain freeze like humans do.

My sister's Bullmastiff, Lucy, on the left, and my Cockapoo, Kirby, on the right. They anxiously await these treats. Lucy tends to gulp hers down in 2 chomps, but Kirby likes to lick and savour his treat.










Another relief I've found for Kirby is a kids' pool. Although we have a pool, he doesn't like it much unless he's on a float. The kids' pool is perfect, as he can touch the bottom, lie down, and drink the water.

It's important to keep your pets cool in the summer. Try making the Pupsicles and hosing your pooch down when outside. Make sure there's plenty of shade in your yard. Most importantly, leave your pet to enjoy the A/C at home while you run errands. Hot dogs belong on a BBQ...not in a vehicle!

Enjoy the rest of summer. Stay cool!

~MT

Camping

My first camping experience was as a Brownie. I needed to earn my camping badge and headed to Camp Peco-Dah-Quah in Wyoming, Ontario, with my Girl Guide troop. We spent the weekend pitching our tents, going on nature hikes, cooking over a campfire, and singing Kumbaya.

Zach getting comfy on the
mattress while Kirby stands guard. 

My nephews Drew and Zach (aged 12 and 10) never joined Boy Scouts, but I wanted them to experience the great outdoors. They would have preferred "glamping" in a yurt or teepee, but they settled for a tent in my backyard.


They didn't complain much, as they had a blow-up queen-size air mattress, access to wifi, and a swimming pool, and they were steps away from the backdoor leading to a bathroom with running water and flushing toilets.

Drew would have spent the entire night on his watermelon float but was worried about the bugs. He loves swimming and spends hours at a time in the pool. No lake swimming at this camp, but the pool was a good substitute.










Bonfires are prohibited in Windsor, so I had to make do with a gift from my friend Paula, a ceramic fire pot. Not quite the same affect as a real bonfire. Fires were the best part of my camping memories, where we roasted marshmallows and sang songs.





My sister found a recipe for Campfire Cones, which I dare say are even better than S'mores. You take a waffle cone and add ingredients such as marshmallows, peanut butter, chocolate chips, and Goldfish graham crackers. You wrap the cone tightly with tinfoil and bake it in the oven at 350° for 5-7 minutes. You can also heat them over a campfire for 3-5 minutes for those lucky enough to have one going in their backyard. Yummy!




The weather was perfect, and the boys lasted all night without sneaking inside to sleep on a real bed with the A/C. We woke up the next morning to find their dog Lucy sitting outside. She was probably wondering why Kirby got to sleep inside the tent and she didn't. The tent is a 4-man and held 3 people and a dog. Two dogs would have been a tight squeeze.


Drew and Zach had a great time and asked if we could do it again. They conquered their fear of sleeping outdoors. They don't have all the skills I learned as a Girl Guide, but hopefully in time, they'll get there. So if you're looking for a fun "getaway" this summer, you don't have to go far. Pitch a tent out back and enjoy!

~MT