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I love History especially anything that has relevance to the Bible. I love Antiques, Food, wine, and Royalty! Read more Australia
  • TravelerUS, Canada Adventures
    Day 26

    Heading home!

    June 14, 2023 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    Well today is my last day here in Canada - Ted and Karen dropped me off at the airport after an awesome 10 days with them. I am all checked in and ready for the long flight home! It’s been an amazing holiday which I am so thankful to have experienced. I have seen many amazing things, renewed friendships, made new friends, and created beautiful memories. But I’m ready to come home, reinvigorated and ready to hug loved ones - in the end there is no place like home and travel makes you appreciate this. 🏡 🇦🇺Read more

  • TravelerUS, Canada Adventures
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    Day 25

    Coffee catch ups

    June 13, 2023 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C

    Today we had 3 appointments. The first at 9.30 was at Kayla and Jacob Hodge’s cottage with Hannah and Priscilla and all Karen’s grandies. Kayla made beautiful muffins and coffee and I sat and cuddled baby Jono and chatted to the girls. Kayla then gave me the tour of her garden of which the majority is veggies. I have loved getting to know these beautiful ladies and all their gorgeous kids. We hugged goodbye and then we headed to our next appointment at 11.45 with the lovely ‘Anna’ a dear friend of Karen’s. It was so nice to meet her and have some lunch together. She has promised to write to me and I will look forward to that! After that we drove to the local shops to pick up the rack of lamb for dinner, and then our last coffee date was with Linda Ghent. It was so nice to connect with her as she knows Mum and Dad and had a few good stories to tell on a few trips they have shared together. We left there and headed home to the chefs cooking up a storm for our last dinner together. Mel had prepared duck tacos for the appetisers and Ted was organising the crust for the rack of lamb. Karen and I were on desert, which were special chocolates and affogatos. It was another delicious meal. We finished a lovely evening and memorable day with the Bible readings.Read more

  • TravelerUS, Canada Adventures
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    Day 24

    Bartlett lodge day 2

    June 12, 2023 in Canada ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    We woke after a beautiful nights sleep, as it was so quiet and cool. It was drizzling this morning. The first rain I have had all holidays! But it was so refreshing after the smoke haze we have had over here. We enjoyed a delicious home cooked breakfast at the lodge and then we went for a trek out the back of the lodge around the island complete with umbrellas. We got quite wet but it was just so beautiful with wild flowers everywhere and dense rainforest to push through. Unfortunately no more moose were spotted! We then packed up - caught the water taxi back and drove home via a famous burger shop with old trains as the diner eatery area. We got home and Ted and Karen went out shopping for the ingredients for our last dinner together tomorrow night which is being cooked by Mel and Ted tomorrow and needs an early start.. Karen and I have 3 coffee appointments with different people tomorrow!! They came back and Ted served calamari as a snack and we ended another lovely day with a good old d&m.Read more

  • TravelerUS, Canada Adventures
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    Day 23

    Bartlett Lodge

    June 11, 2023 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    Today we packed up and left at 7 am to drive 3.5 hours to Algonquin Provincial Park where our accommodation was. The drive through the countryside was spectacular and picture postcard stuff! We stopped at ‘Hodge’s lane’ on the way and saw where A.Joan’s late husband used to live when he was young. We also had a morning tea stop and enjoyed a cuppa and a fluffy almond croissant and spotted a deer! We then drove to Bartlett Lodge car park, hopped into a water taxi to take us to an island in the middle of the gorgeous lake, surrounded by fir trees and lush undergrowth. It was so surreal. The lodge consists of small huts complete with their own fireplace. We unpacked and headed down to the waters edge and sat on the chairs soaking in the view. The Lodge provided a sumptuous lunch which was packed in individual containers. We decided to have our meeting out there in the beautiful surroundings. After the meeting we hopped into the canoes 🛶 and paddled right around the Island. Ted spotted a moose and it’s yearling which he was stoked about as he had never seen one in the wild. I was behind them and missed it which was disappointing. We spent some time out there on the calm fresh water lake.. it was peaceful and serene. When we got back we changed and headed over to the diner. It was quaint and cozy. The food was homemade and top quality. We laughed so much that the waitress came and told us to stop having so much fun! After dinner we found a cozy spot by the fire and had a game of cards which ended an amazing day.Read more

  • TravelerUS, Canada Adventures
    Day 22

    Book Road Sunday School picnic

    June 10, 2023 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    After a morning sleep in Karen and I drove to the local shops. We were redirected around many back streets as their was a massive parade happening with all sorts of floats and people lined the streets for Heritage Day! We finally made it home and put a salad together and headed out to the Book Road annual SS picnic. It was a fabulously organised event with the running races, tug of war, and many other events for all ages to join in with. I ended up winning the seniors walking race 😅 It was great meeting some more new faces and enjoying the lovely sunny day and seeing the kids have so much fun. Mel and I came home together as Karen and Ted went and helped Josh and Hannah move from the hospital to home. Baby Jono is doing so much better now. We enjoyed a scrumptious cheese platter to end the day. We are setting our alarms to get up bright and early for a 4 hour drive to the edge of the Great Lakes and an overnight stay with A. Joan Hodge.Read more

  • TravelerUS, Canada Adventures
    Day 21

    Niagara Falls

    June 9, 2023 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    This morning we packed up after a delicious breakfast together and drove the scenic route to Niagara Falls. Along the scenic route (which took about half an hour) which was be side the river which flows from the falls were the most amazing homes, gardens and vineyards. We stopped at a lookout overlooking the rushing water with a cable car stretching from one side to the other. Just awesome! But nothing prepares you for the first look at Niagara Falls. It is just breathtaking. We had an hour at the falls trying to soak in all the grandeur of the place. What a Mighty and Powerful God we know and love who created all things for his glory. We left there and headed back via the scenic route via another couple of wineries for lunch and an afternoon sit in the gorgeous sunshine which finally came out. It has been an amazing 2 days in this incredible part of the country and I have been royally looked after and spoilt.Read more

  • TravelerUS, Canada Adventures
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    Day 20

    Beautiful Niagara on the lake

    June 8, 2023 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    The morning started with a coffee and a quick change into our swimmers and we all went off to a hydrotherapy appointment in the spa room downstairs. It was certainly a revitalising and relaxing way to start the day. It even had a snow room. We left there and went to a gorgeous winery for lunch and met Kayla (Jacob Hodge’s wife) and Asher their 2 year old son and Kaylas’ Grandma Marilyn Crawford who is related to Dan Crawford! So we talked about the connections and shared our journeys. It was so nice to spend an amazing meal together and get to know them. The chocolate desert was a stand out and we all had to have a bite of it! After lunch I wandered around the beautiful and colourful little village of Niagara on the lake. The flowers were in full bloom and just spectacular. We then met up at the motel and changed before heading out again to another amazing winery for a tasting menu. It was ‘next level’. We had a fabulous evening together sharing stories of days gone by, with lots of laughs along the way. We were the last ones to leave. What an amazing day! 😅Read more

  • TravelerUS, Canada Adventures
    Day 19

    Niagara on the Lake

    June 7, 2023 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    Today we packed up and left for Niagra on the lake. Ted drove us up and the air is hazy and smoky because of all the fires around. We stopped at a few gorgeous wineries on the way and sampled some delicious wines of the local area and enjoyed a lovely lunch. We then checked into our stunning motel and went straight to the spa room and had the best pedicure I have ever had in my life! Afterwards we checked into our room and then quickly dressed for our 4 course dinner paired with delicious local wines at the restaurant downstairs. Ted left and went back home to pick up Mel and drive her back here and we continued talking into the evening! We finished off with a chocolate martini and cheese. An amazing day of being very spoilt.Read more

  • TravelerUS, Canada Adventures
    Day 18

    Lunch out meeting new friends

    June 6, 2023 in Canada ⋅ 🌙 16 °C

    Today we had a quiet morning at home and I coloured and listened to some more of Ron’s Angels talks as Karen had to get some work done. We set off at lunch time and drove through the gorgeous woodlands behind her place to our lunch date with a friend from her Ecclesia. As we walked in we realised there were 2 other sisters there having coffee together and they were as surprised as we were to see them as they had come quite some way to catch up. It turned out that it was Jake Styles’ sister in law. I then told them who I was and the connections with Wayne and Fiona Styles and we all had a laugh at what a small world it was. We enjoyed a lovely lunch with Kelly whose daughter is dating Cam Wigzell and shared lots of stories. Afterwards Karen took me to a friend of hers who lived close by - an elderly sister who had recently been in a car accident. She is a collector of antiques from the thrift shops and has decked her little cottage out with them all. I actually could not believe what I saw. Every inch of the house was used to display the items in the most creative way. The house should seriously become a museum. I could have stayed for ages checking it all out. We left her and went to the shops to get some food for dinner (the shops were just beautifully laid out and so much variety) and then came home and chilled out with Ted and enjoyed a delicious butter chicken together. Tomorrow we are off to Niagara for a few nights! 😅Read more

  • TravelerUS, Canada Adventures
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    Day 17

    Springridge farm

    June 5, 2023 in Canada ⋅ 🌙 18 °C

    Today after a cozy sleep, we woke to another lovely 25 deg day. Priscilla, Karen’s oldest daughter picked us up and took us to a gorgeous farm with her 3 cute boys. We had a wonderful morning watching the kids enjoy themselves with the animals, and enjoyed a hay ride. We then wandered around the gorgeous gift shop and had brisket rolls for lunch. I was blown away by Zadok (Priscilla’s eldest 8 year old boy) who wanted to buy a present for ‘Auntie Fiona’ and spent his own money on a little jar of jam for me. What a treasure. He then wanted me to come and watch his soccer game that evening which we fitted into our busy schedule! After our farm visit we came home for a ‘Nana nap’ and then went and visited Josh and Hannah Hodge in hospital and cuddle their gorgeous little newborn boy. Home for dinner which lovely Mel (Karen’s youngest daughter) had cooked for us, and then out to watch the soccer game. Such a lovely day getting to know everyone and spending time with this lovely family.Read more

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