2016 - A Year In Review

As we write this, late in the evening of December 31, 2016, we are reflecting on the many events that have changed our lives and the experiences we have had this year.  Our plans for our Sea to Sea Adventure were well under way at the start of the year but much work and planning still needed to be done if we were to depart as scheduled on the day after Victoria Day.

Year One: Ready to Leave

We had to make arrangements for the rental of our Newmarket home and set up a property manager for it and another rental property.  We also sold another rental home after having to deal with a water damage insurance claim and extensive renovations to get it in a more saleable condition.  We had to clear out our house, store what we wanted to keep and had 4 or 5 yard sales in April and May to sell things that we were prepared to part with.  Lots was given away and sold by other means such as Kijiji.

Thanks to the assistance of Kim Paddon, a St. John's-based real estate agent who had been referred to us by a friend, Bob Batstone, we had a set of "boots on the ground" and were able to confirm that the home we have rented here in Paradise would suit our needs. In August, we caught up with Kim in English Harbour, Newfoundland while visiting with the Batstones.

Modest little house which is just right for us

About a month before our planned departure, we received the shocking news that Beverly's brother Terry Wilson had collapsed and was in the hospital.  Bev and her brother Paul rushed to his bedside and were with him when he died on April 14 at the age of 63. For weeks after, Beverly and Paul spent a lot of time assisting and supporting Trish, Terry's widow.

Terry Wilson

In April, during a Red Cross Volunteer Recognition event, Bev was a recipient of an award honouring her 45 years of service to the Canadian Red Cross. During 2016, her last few assignments were working with Region of York Branch Council, Ontario East Regional Council, Ontario Zone Council, and as a member of the Provincial Disaster Management HR Team which was responsible for the assigning of volunteers during the Syrian Refugee Arrival Response.

45 years Milestone

During the first week in May, we took our new trailer on a trial run to North Bay. It was a good experience to learn about how all of the parts worked and how to pack all our stuff.

Pippin getting used to the camper in North Bay

In early May, we attended Al's retirement party which was sponsored by the Toronto Police Association where, along with other retirees, he was honoured for his 35-year career.

Al received a certificate from the Police Chief, TPA President and Police Board Chairman

On May 21, we got our children and their significant others together for a fine farewell dinner at Victor Restaurant in Toronto. We had an Iron Chef dinner. We chose an ingredient (beer) and the 5 courses of the dinner are developed around that ingredient. Each course was delicious and we enjoyed the experience very much. Highly recommended!

Last family dinner at Victor's in Toronto

Before we left, we had many dinners and get-togethers with friends and relatives. We certainly appreciate all the well wishes. We miss you all.

We were finally able to depart on May 26, which worked out well for us to arrive here by the time we were able to move into our rented house.  We boarded the ferry in North Sydney, Nova Scotia on May 30 for the 6 1/2 hour crossing to Port Aux Basques, Newfoundland.  Upon arrival, it took 2 days of driving to get to Paradise.

Arriving in Paradise June 1st

Once we got unpacked and settled, we started to integrate into the community and plan our travels around the province.  Al joined the Anchormen Chorus, the local chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society and Bev attended meetings at the local Kingdom Hall.

Al on the end (left) with the Anchormen Chorus singing Christmas songs at the airport

Bev at a workbee 

For the first five months of the year back in Newmarket, Bev worked with Marillia, a personal trainer from In-home training. The workouts occurred 2 to 3 times a week in our home. Thank you Marillia for the varied workouts and encouragement. In order to keep up with the work and progress, once in Newfoundland, Bev joined the local Goodlife gym and is now working with personal trainer Ashley. Large gains have been made over the year and looking forward to more progress during 2017. When our goals have been reached, we will post a picture. Hopefully this will happen in 2017!

We took a Newfoundland cooking class on July 8 and learned how to cook cod tongues, toutons, molasses biscuits and pork pie. We also learned about Jigg's dinner, fish cakes and fish & brewis. These are all Newfoundland favourites.

Al and Bev at Newfoundland Cooking Class

Between July 18 and 25, Ilse (Al's Mom) and Anne (our daughter) came to visit us in Newfoundland. During this time we went whale watching and saw thousands of Puffins. Puffins are a cute and small bird. What a privilege to see these creatures filling the sky and diving into the water!

Four Verweys in Newfoundland

We also travelled to St. Pierre, France which is off the coast of Newfoundland. It was like travelling to France in Europe with the narrow cobble stoned street, small cars, French language and food.

200th anniversary at Saint Pierre

On July 26, our beloved dog Pippin died. She travelled all the way out here and was so good. She even made it across from Sydney, Nova Scotia to Port Aux Basques on the ferry. We still miss her very much.

Pippin in Brigus, Newfoundland

On August 3, Al assisted other members of the Anchormen Chorus in staffing a game booth at the St. John's Regatta, which is the largest annual fair in the area based around rowing races on a local lake. It was the major fundraising event for the Chorus and was very successful. Bev sat on the hillside and watched the boat races and wandering people.

Al selling tickets at the Anchormen's booth

A scull waiting to race

The race is on

On August 23, we left Paradise for our major sightseeing trip of the province.  First stop was getting together with the Batstones and the Grahams, other friends from Newmarket who were also visiting. We bid a sad farewell to them on August 25 and headed for The Gathering, a weekend event billed as Food, Fire and Music in the Town of Burlington.

The harbour near the Batstones' summer home

At The Gathering, Food, Fire and Music with Shaun Majumder

On August 29, we headed up the Northern Peninsula on the trail of the Vikings, stopping in L'Anse aux Meadows, the first Viking settlement in North America, then taking in a Viking-themed dinner theatre in St. Anthony.

L'Anse aux Meadows

At the Viking Feast in St Anthony

On August 30, we rode the ferry from St. Barbe, Newfoundland across the St. Lawrence River to Blanc Sablon, Quebec, which is very close to the border of Labrador.  We spent the next 2 days being shaken on the bumpy roads of Labrador and seeing some interesting terrain.  We then returned to Newfoundland and spent some very enjoyable few days in and around Gros Morne National Park before driving back to our home.

Entering Labrador

Unique landscape in Gros Morne National Park

Once back home, the trailer had to go in for servicing after the shaking of the Labrador highway caused some things to fall apart, so that would be the end of our touring for this year.  But we got busy doing things close to home.

Al began playing table tennis at a local club and started tennis lessons at a club in St. John's.  Al played a lot of tennis as a boy and teen, but very little in the following 35 years, but found that his skills were not as rusty as he imagined.

Our application to the local S.P.C.A. to be foster pet parents was accepted and on September 21 we received our first litter of four kittens along with their mother.  It was a lot of fun watching them develop and their playfulness was very entertaining.

 

The first set of Kittens. There were four of them. Black and white.

The S.P.C.A. contacted us in October to ask if we could return the first litter and take in another litter of 5 in the hope that the mother cat would nurse them.  We agreed and the mother cat readily took over nurturing the new litter.  This litter was much younger - only about 12 days old when we received them and we have been able to watch them learn to walk and develop into vibrant, playful brothers and sisters.  Sadly, they will be returned to the SPCA to be adopted out in the second week of January.

Second set of  kittens (5) at 12 days old

Now they are over 3 months old and Mom sometimes needs a break from them!

On December 26, we met up with Cathy and Dave Stephenson. Cathy is Bev's cousin from the Twist side of the family. They were in Newfoundland visiting their daughter Meghan and family who arrived in the St. John's area in July to work. Meghan's sister Erin and family also came to visit and it was a big family gathering. It was nice to catch up with everyone and have a wonderful turkey dinner.

Even with its ups and downs, on the whole we have had a pretty good 2016.  You can read more about most of the adventures mentioned above in our previous blog posts. 

Now for 2017. Plans are afoot:
1. Trip to Australia with a cruise around New Zealand followed by a short stay in Fiji in February and March.
2. Our first grandchild is expected in April/May
3. Move to Nova Scotia in June.
4. Winter in Ontario. Yes, plans change but snow is "snow" everywhere in Canada so we might as well be close to family for a few months.