Where to start?

Well, have been off-line for a while.  We were in Ottawa and the Gatineau for about 10 days, visiting with step-son, step-daughter and B's Houston grandchildren.  Having vacationed up at Lac Pemichangan and The Gatineau Fish & Game Club for 25 years, it was glorious to be back.  Going to start with the flight to Ottawa, where I was seated beside a very charming fellow.  Turns out he was an off-duty WestJet pilot, so asked him all the questions that still bug me about flying.

Like, where is that plane?  How could it just drop off the face of the earth?  He didn't have any answers.

Landed in Ottawa and stayed overnight at The Westin.  Funnily, I didn't call any of my old "friends" 'cause I don't really have any!  Grew up in Ottawa, but it's not home anymore.  Calgary is.  What I marvelled at in Quebec were the trees, the topography and the water.  Oh yes, and the loons. 

Surprised my old hair stylist, Dan, the day we left when I just walked into his salon.  He stood there pretty much dumb-struck.  I cried a few tears of joy.  He dealt with my locks for more than 20 years and was the guy who told me that, "grey hair will be the status symbol of the nineties."  I went for it and have no regrets. 



I swam every day about a kilometre, from our dock to Penney Point, then across the big channel to the Steers' dock, then back to ours.  I am now ready for my open-water Lake Windermere swim in August.  No problem.  Here are a few shots of my trip:

The best French fries on the planet, Casse Croute fries, slightly soggy and deep-fried in lard.  Ummmm!

This is what happens when you eat too often at the Gracefield Casse Croute,  I call this the "Gracefield figure.

Step-son Scott, awaiting his fat fix!  There are no Casse Croutes anywhere else in the entire world except Quebec.

What can I say about this duo??

The menu, big and bigger.  And always the salt and vinegar.

Loon family at our dock, baby on the back of Mum

Grandchildren's wildflowers, picked for our table.  Caitlin now knows all their names.

Caitlin and Jack admiring the fire they built