Tuesday - July 19 2022 - Montreal day two

 

No rain today! Big walking day. We found pastries and coffee around the corner at Boulangerie Louise. There seems to be a bakery or restaurant every 20 feet in this town and they are well attended. our goal was to see Chateau Ramezay which is a museum of Montreal history. It is about 2 miles from our AirB&B but we meandered all over the neighborhoods. Many streets are pedestrian only so lots of people out walking their dogs, sipping coffee with friends. We stopped at St Viateur Bagel bakery which has been in Montreal since the 1950's. We got a half dozen tobring back to Jake & Nath (but only 4 made it back?).

Walked to Chinatown to relive old times talking Jacob out of buying Nija swords, resisted the almond cookies we used to get, and ended in the old city with the coblestone streets and stone buildings. The museum if very French centric but the quick version is Jacques Cartier came in 1535 then Samuel de Champlain came in 1603, the British take over in 1760, Ben Franklin tries to talk Canada into helping with the American Revolution in 1775 (he lived in Montreal for half a year or so), and it's been breweries, banking and bagels since then. And hockey of course..

We grabbed some Montreal smoked meat for lunch to check all the Montreal boxes, caught the Metro back up to our place and then we all walked the neighborhood with the dog. Beautiful green parks, a dog park so Tyler could blow off some steam, Poke bowls for dinner outside and back to the ranch. Jacob has to catch a train early in the morning to Toronto for work so we had drinks on their back deck then home.

Tomorrow we head to Ottawa!

Monday - July 18 2022 - Vermont to Montreal

So goodbye USA and hello Canada or actually Quebec. Before you enter Canada you have to download an app on your phone called ArriveCAN, give them all your info (shoe size, favorite color,..) take pictures of your vaccination card and passport (did not work??), and then when you show up at the border they have the dogs ready and verify your shoe size. A little confusion about only having one licence plate (Arizona), and surprise that we drove all the way from Arizona just to go to Quebec. Actually very nice lady there and pretty easy-peasy. 

The phones actually do work here and we cross our fingers that we don't have a thousand dollar bill waiting at home like when we went to the Bahamas (AT&T said just $15 per day).

The road to Montreal has not changed since when I came here in the 1960's (Expo) and the dozens of times we came here when we lived in VT. When you enter Quebec, you instantly feel the differences in houses and signs. It's like being in Europe. And they have quietly removed almost all of the English language signs so it is french french french everywhere. They just passed a new law (Bill 96) that tightens the language restrictions even more (remove those tags in your underwear and replace with french ones, etc). Feels like they are heading for secession again (they tried twice before).

Google got us right to to Jake & Nath's street and Jacob was waiting on the sidewalk with their dog Tyler,  we parked the car on the street (good until Thursday, we leave Weds) and went for a short walk and coffee. We got our bags and checked in at the airB&B. Back to Jake & Nath's then out to a great Italian place for a night catching up over dinner.

It spit rain the entire way up to Canada and then rained pretty hard once we go here so raincoats and umbrellas which we had to remember how to use after living in Bisbee the last two years.

Tomorrow we tour around Montreal.

Sunday - July 17 2022 - More friends and neighbors, Canadian phone service, Maple creemees and the Florida 6

 OK, last day in Vermont and yet another perfect weather day.

Deb's old co-workers were home in Lincoln and we stopped for coffee. They just retired last year and brought their new camper to Arizona to visit us a while ago. Some good deck time and catch up on all the town school changes.

Then off to visit Mike and Susan, more old neighbors and one of our son's best friends parents. Lots of good years in Starksboro..

Next stop the AT&T store to verify we can use our phones in Canada. Sounds easy but stay tuned..

And the most important Vermont stop was the maple creemee Deb has been waiting for (ok, and me). Good stuff.

Back to Terri and Ralph's and I got a top to bottom tour of Ralph's two Ford Model T's. He retires next year and it looks like he has plenty of projects to keep him busy.

Nancy & Greg came over and we had dinner. This is the original "Florida Six" and we needed to plan our next adventure. We have all traveled together before and it looks like our next trip will be 2023.

Our last night in Vermont. Thanks again for everyone who has been putting us up.

Saturday July 16 2022 - Visiting our old neighbors

 

Today Dave's son Evan stopped by with his wife we have not met. They live in South Korea but are back visiting and travelling in the US. Great to finally meet Winnie. 

We said goodbye and thank you to Dave & Deb and climbed the mountain back to visit our old neighbors of 33 years in Starksboro. First stop was our closest neighbors John & Amy. We have adopted them as our third set of children since we shared lots of adventures maintaining our mountain road. Nothing like late night culvert saving to build good bonds..

Quick hi to Andre (who of course was working in his endless garden) and then Bill who was prepping for tonight's boccie gathering. Quick stop at Dave and It's to catch up everybody on all our kids and retirement plans and progress.

Then our next mooching opportunity at Terri & Ralph's in Monkton where we will spend the next two nights (thanks guys!!).

Last event today was the "65 and Still Alive" that our friend Nancy has put together. Only people born in 1957 (and their partners) are invited. We did one of these 5 years ago when they all turned 60. Medicare cards were checked to be admitted (not really). Potluck and bonfire and non stop catching up with even more friends. And another day of perfect weather.

Friday July 15 2022 - Work day 2 \ Deb hikes Mt Abe

 

A second day getting the Flower product running. We also met with a new engineer we hope will pitch in and help us finish this up. I am retired so it's hard to find the kind of time we need to get this done. This guy is younger and really harp so we hope it will work out. Very exciting.

Deb met her friend Anne and they hiked up Mt Abe, an old regular. Another perfect weather day. We have had really nice weather since we hit northern Vermont, a real gift.

Next up we met a big group of friends at Kingsland Bay State Park and stayed picnicking until the sun dropped (then the park ranger kicked us out). 

Back to Dave & Debs and bed.

Thursday - July 14 2022 - Work Day

 Deb & her friend Beth met and went to Three Squares restaurant in Vergennes and then Vergennes Laundry for pastries on Rt 7. John worked getting the new controller for the new product up and running. My old co-worker Bret and I got it all wired in and it worked first time. Still some cleanup to do but this should get it working for real in the real work instead of just on my bench back in Bisbee. Nice to catch up with all my co-workers back at AllEarth Renewables.

Back to Dave & Debs and then out to Shanty on the Shore for Deb's birthday.

Wednesday - July 13 2022 - Burlington / Mt Philo / Darcy & Al

 

We are hitting perfect weather with warm days, light breezes and blue skies. Burlington VT is right on the lake. Deb grew up on Lake Ontario and loves the water so this was a happy reunion. Downtown Burlington is right on Lake Champlain (which a few years ago was "almost" designated the 6th great lake by Congress. "Almost" is the history of Vermont, but that is why it is so beautiful, preserved from the ravages of success. "Preserved From the Ravages of Success" would be a great state motto for the flag maybe. The real success of Vermont is that all it has remained beautiful and it builds tough people.

We spent a couple hours walking around town and then decided to drive down to Mt Philo, on top of which we got married 38 years ago in August. They freshened up the hiking trail and there were a few other people with the same idea. Again, perfect weather, and a beautiful view, just like that day 38 years ago. 

We had a quick check in with our financial advisor and then pick up a couple of pizzas and go to our friends Darcy and Al's for dinner and a catch up.Then over to our old friends Dave and Deb's house where we will spending a few nights.  I have been working with Dave since the early 80's and we caught up late into the night. Good to be back in the 802..

"Good Timber" by Douglas Malloch (posted on top of Mt Philo)

The tree that never had to fight
For sun and sky and air and light,

But stood out in the open plain
And always got its share of rain,
Never became a forest king
But lived and died a scrubby thing.

The man who never had to toil
To gain and farm his patch of soil,
Who never had to win his share
Of sun and sky and light and air,
Never became a manly man
But lived and died as he began.

Good timber does not grow with ease:
The stronger wind, the stronger trees;
The further sky, the greater length;
The more the storm, the more the strength.
By sun and cold, by rain and snow,
In trees and men good timbers grow.

Where thickest lies the forest growth,
We find the patriarchs of both.
And they hold counsel with the stars
Whose broken branches show the scars
Of many winds and much of strife.

This is the common law of life.