OCTOBER in Canada
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OTHER THINGS IN OCTOBER:
- We continued to enjoy the Newmarket Film Club's movies. They are the movies from Toronto International Film Festival TIFF - without the celebrities :-).
- We went on a bus fundraiser to Casino Rama. Not our most successful night out :-).
- We loved watching the squirrels getting fatter [like us after our road trip] and hoarding their nuts for winter.
- put the snow tires [that's how they spell tyres over here] on the car.
- turned back the clocks to herald the end of daylight savings - now 16 hours difference from home and here.
- went and heard an author speak about his new book - it was a birder murder!!! Steve Burrows was a local teacher with a most interesting travelogue of life stories.
- went to the Richmond Hill Performing Arts Centre for a play, called Miss Caledonia. It was very funny and we got most of the jokes having been around enough rural towns.
- basically watched the 'fall' colours in awe.... just beautiful on every road, even the Don Valley Parkway to downtown and around condo land.... and of course, most amazing on the rural back roads and country towns. Funny that, at home, our river is the Don River, Don Valley is the next rural district and Don Valley PS is a local primary school. Here, the Don Valley Parkway goes through the Don Valley and Don River and is VERY urban.... one of those quirky things that seems to happen a lot.
- Flat friends project. How awesome was the response from the 21 flat friend hosts in Australia - emails, gifts, cards, photos and 'stuff' from Australia to show Canadian Gr. 3 students what living in Australia is like, You did more for Aussie tourism and education than anyone! Visit http://www.aussieflatstan.blogspot.ca/ to check it all out.
- We found out what "unassumed road" really means. I though it meant these roads didn't get snow plowed.... it means that if you get a nail, puncture or damage your car due to the road being 'unassumed' tough luck..... You can only sue if it's an 'assumed' road.... there you go!
- We discovered the medical system in Canada is just like home. Free with the provincial health card [OHIP, which we qualified for after 3 months] and emergency rooms and hospitals just like the big ones at home. Adam decided to explore this system, so his appendix cooperated and even ruptured. McKenzie Emergency, and York Central hospital were very kind and looked after him well.
- Halloween. We missed it, I think. It was a very cold, wet night so apparently it was quieter than usual. Did you know that Halloween is the busiest taxi customer night of the year - even more than NYE???? The condo had a note in the lifts saying that they would be handing out treats from 6 - 8pm and volunteers would be welcome to help hand them out. As Adam had only got home from hospital, we figured this was better than driving around the streets checking out the action. We went down and there was ONLY ONE kid, dressed as spider man. We ate the treats. Guess the Chinese don't celebrate Halloween. [Thanks to Rafaela for some of the school Halloween photos below :-)]
Condo Halloween:
HIGHLIGHTS AND LOWLIGHTS
It seems the photos are increasing. As it is closer to re-entry Australia time, we are making this our 'memory bank' and it is more of a personal diary than a blog for you guys.... so no apologies :-) :-)
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WEATHER:
The weather in October was lovely. Around 17 most days and the autumn sun hung on and on. And the Autumn [Fall] colours were SPECTACULAR. The whole province was awash with oranges, reds, yellows, every shade of brown and green.
CONDO LIVING:
We did think the condo building was finished, however, we are continually wrong. More gardens [after all, we are living in Royal Gardens] - well actually replacing the turf that died; putting in curbing and topsoil on the green patch near the road. The dentist shop continues to promise it will open soon. Gogo travel is doing a roaring business; PC Kicks has opened and a dry cleaners is also promising to open soon. We watch the tradies come and go - progress is slow. We'd really, really, really like a cafe or mini mart.... not likely before we leave. The sauna and steam room is ready to open in Building A/B [we are building C]. That will be great.
SCHOOL NEWS:
I have a delightful grade and only 20 students this year. [the year started in September]. I keep looking around for the other 10 that were in my class of 30 for the first half of 2014. Whilst I miss my Gr. 4/5 and am in a different division means chasing up the 'primary' curriculum materials, I feel like I have a routine and am really enjoying teaching. I have to teach music, art, drama, dance, family life and religion as separate, reportable subjects. We are having great fun as I love to teach art. Music is very much reliant on youtube and we have learnt 4 songs - home among the gum trees; kookaburra sits in the old gum tree; G'Day G'Day; Waltzing Matilda. I love hearing the kids break out in song spontaneously as we walk to library or gym or packing up.
Yard Duty has been pleasant and it takes no time to get outside or to line up for hometime or coming into school. I know that's about to change with the colder weather, so making the most of it.
DAY TRIPS:
Cabbage Town: We called in on a cousin of Christine and Ian back home... Patricia lived in Cabbage Town, an older part of downtown Toronto. Patricia showed us the area - the homes were old and elegant. The town was called after the Irish who settled in the area and were poor and grew cabbages in their front laws and streets. The place is a lot more gentrified now :-). We visited a couple of weeks before Halloween - the houses had already started decorating.
WEEKENDS AWAY:
The Cottage:
Cottaging: it's a verb. We went cottaging for the weekend and it was great. Cottages vary from smallish homes [still bigger than ours at home] to mansions that are beyond belief. One thing that is different from home is the river or beach frontage. Rarely is that private property at home. There are public roads and public access to most of our foreshores and rivers. Not in Canada. We have struggled to see the river frontages as they are all owned by cottagers. Staying at a friend's cottage for a weekend in "the Kawarthas" was magic. All along the river were houses with their docks ready to be brought in for winter. Some cottages are winterised and others are shut down for winter - which means all plumbing professionally drained and sealed. Most cottages have boats and it was a pleasure to sit out in front of a bonfire and watch the water pass by. Cottaging is peaceful, relaxing and an escape from city living. To be in the Kawartha Lakes region at this time of fall colour was just magical. Thanks to Barb for sharing your cottage for the weekend and being kind enough to show us the cottaging experience in Canada. We appreciated it.
Gravenhurst. Invited to spend Thanksgiving at a friend's sister's place in Gravenhurst was one of the most friendly and welcoming weekends we have experienced EVER. After a lovely stop at Barrie to see the sculpture and eat some amazing crepes, Susan and Terry were amazing hosts. The thanksgiving food was a feast and the maple whiskey was a new taste to love. Had to say the Canadian Caesar was the one think I couldn't take to. Aaargh. Shudder.
After such a feast, we spent the next day visiting Algonguin Park and explored this beautiful part of Ontario. The fall colours were fading, however, still spectacular. Bob and Linda had shown us some of the favourite Muskoka canoeing and river spots earlier. Algonguin just topped off a beautiful weekend. We had been in Muskoka earlier [June] and feel that this is one of our favourite Ontario places.
OTHER THINGS IN OCTOBER:
- We continued to enjoy the Newmarket Film Club's movies. They are the movies from Toronto International Film Festival TIFF - without the celebrities :-).
- We went on a bus fundraiser to Casino Rama. Not our most successful night out :-).
- We loved watching the squirrels getting fatter [like us after our road trip] and hoarding their nuts for winter.
- put the snow tires [that's how they spell tyres over here] on the car.
- turned back the clocks to herald the end of daylight savings - now 16 hours difference from home and here.
- went and heard an author speak about his new book - it was a birder murder!!! Steve Burrows was a local teacher with a most interesting travelogue of life stories.
- went to the Richmond Hill Performing Arts Centre for a play, called Miss Caledonia. It was very funny and we got most of the jokes having been around enough rural towns.
- basically watched the 'fall' colours in awe.... just beautiful on every road, even the Don Valley Parkway to downtown and around condo land.... and of course, most amazing on the rural back roads and country towns. Funny that, at home, our river is the Don River, Don Valley is the next rural district and Don Valley PS is a local primary school. Here, the Don Valley Parkway goes through the Don Valley and Don River and is VERY urban.... one of those quirky things that seems to happen a lot.
- Flat friends project. How awesome was the response from the 21 flat friend hosts in Australia - emails, gifts, cards, photos and 'stuff' from Australia to show Canadian Gr. 3 students what living in Australia is like, You did more for Aussie tourism and education than anyone! Visit http://www.aussieflatstan.blogspot.ca/ to check it all out.
- We found out what "unassumed road" really means. I though it meant these roads didn't get snow plowed.... it means that if you get a nail, puncture or damage your car due to the road being 'unassumed' tough luck..... You can only sue if it's an 'assumed' road.... there you go!
- We discovered the medical system in Canada is just like home. Free with the provincial health card [OHIP, which we qualified for after 3 months] and emergency rooms and hospitals just like the big ones at home. Adam decided to explore this system, so his appendix cooperated and even ruptured. McKenzie Emergency, and York Central hospital were very kind and looked after him well.
- Autumn colour continues
- Hospital system
- Squirrels
- Condo heating - they've turned it back on
- Halloween
- Thanksgiving - October 13th in Canada. Long weekend. :-)
- School Photos
- Buttertarts
- The York Farmer's Market - Laura, Pamela, Dawn, the butchers, Michael, Kate - we will miss them.
- Election time for everything in Ontario - mayors, school boards, councillors, garbos???
- The great security concierges at our Condo - especially Amin.
DON'T FORGET THAT YOU CAN FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK:
MARY AND ADAM IN CANADA
email: contrary33@gmail.com or adsfz001@gmail.com
Where do we live:
370 Highway 7E #825
Richmond Hill - L4B 0C4.
Ontario
Canada