Monday, August 22, 2011

A weekend away with Krystel and Timmy . . .

Early Saturday morning (okay early for me) Hal and I headed out to Toronto to pick up Tim and Krystel for a weekend of adventure.  Our first pit stop was at Stop 50 Restaurant and Gas Bar near Winona, ON.  Pit is the key word.  Don't go there.  Filthy is a polite word for the condition of the propetry and restaurant and let's not even talk about the bathrooms! 

We quickly moved on to Winona to have a picnic and pick up a quick drive-by letterbox, Small Town Festivals:  Winona Peach Festival.  Hal was not happy with me by the time we found the box because the hiding spot was very scratchy and overgrown.  But we got the box.  Isn't that the most important thing?


Don't they just look all pirate-y matey?


Our next stop was to check out the Ol' Weasel near Lincoln, ON.  This ship began in 1914 as a St. Lawrence ferry. In 1991 a business man converted the ship into a floating restaurant, built to resemble "La Grande Hermine", better known as the Big Weasel. It was towed down the river and lakes to Jordan harbour and was parked there on Canada Day 1997. There she remained and was mysteriously burnt in 2003. Since she became a charred hull more people have stopped to see and take pictures along with 2 professional photo shoots for magazines. To date the question of what to do with the hull as the original owner has since passed away(and has left unpaid docking bills from her point of origin to here) has yet to be resolved. So far the consensus is to leave her right there. We hope they do.

And then we landed at Fort George in Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON  One of our ancestors, Cornelius Flumerfelt, was stationed here at one point during his career.













We had a great time at the fort and learned a lot.  

We were heading towards St. Catharines to spend the night at Hal's cousin Kerry's place when Tim spotted this little restaurant with a big sign out front that boasted the best old-fashioned ice cream milkshake.  Tim couldn't resist.  He says it is his goal in life to find the milkshake that is truly the best in the world.



The world's best milkshake was not at this little restaurant.  I don't remember the name of it, but the only thing worse than the milkshake was the service.  So Tim's search for the perfect shake continues.

Our next diversion was waiting for a ship to pass through one of the locks.  


Kerry and Sandi  are amazing hosts and we thoroughly enjoyed our visit with them.   Tim said it was very exciting to meet some "normal" relatives . . . LOL . . . I'm not sure what he means by that.


After a monster breakfast, we were sad to leave St. Catharines, but looking forward to our Hewson family reunion in nearby Jordan Station, ON. 

There was a really good turn out for the reunion and cousin Charissa  and Dean's property was beautiful . . . pool, ponds, orchards . . . 

The food was fabulous and it was so much fun to see everyone.





Several of the men really enjoyed their tour through Dean's garage . . . race car, Harley's and even artillery . . . what more can a red-blooded man want??



We left the reunion to head for home, with a huge basket of fresh-from-the-orchard fruit just before the rain hit.  This storm front was the same front that created the tornado in Goderich the same afternoon.

We delivered Tim and Krystel to his brother's home in St. Thomas.  All three nephews (our grandsons of course) mobbed their Uncle Timmy.  I think they really miss having him around.  I know we do.


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