RTW - Quick, Get Through Manitoba

RTW - Big drive out west from Toronto to Calgary/Banff/Edmonton and back. Covid means no flying or cutting through the USA, so Jason and I are taking the car and doing a road trip!

Date: Monday Oct 12, 2020 (Thanksgiving Day)

Starting Location: Cabin just north of Kenora

Ending Location: Basement Bachelor Apartment in Regina, Saskatchewan

Distance Driven: 791 km

Scenery: Farms, fairly flat, occasional river valley.

Animals: Tons of bald eagles, magpies, young coyote, big bunnies

Soundtrack: In the morning Peggy 99.1 (Winnipeg's Favourites) and then in the afternoon 96.1 Bob FM (80's...90's...and Whatever! out of Brandon, Manitoba)

Notes: We tried to limit our stops in Manitoba because they have stricter Covid rules than the rest of the western provinces, however we did need to get gas once. (And I peed on many country side roads.) I packed us a lunch, made sandwiches, roast beef for Jason and bologna with cheese singles for me. The last couple of nights we have been making Hello Fresh meals but are finished them now - for it was Kraft Dinner in the Airbnb in Regina.

Why Not Buffalo?

Jason and I have a tradition of visiting The States during Canadian Thanksgiving, also in 2017 we stayed in Toronto because we had gone to San Francisco at the end of September that year.

Last year, Kristen and Noah joined us for a road trip to Salem, Massachusetts and a little visit to Boston. Since this year we decided to go to Buffalo, New York, and Kristen's mom lives in St. Catherine's we invited them to join us again for a night it if worked out with their Thanksgiving plans. They came out for the Saturday night and we had a blast doing a self-guided walking tour together through Allentown, getting tastings at a gin distillery and beer brewery, eating 'buffalo' chicken wings and exploring the waterfront. The photo is from our walk through downtown on Sunday morning, lots of cool architecture!

An awesome highlight was getting to take Jason to The Buffalo Zoo! This has always been my favoruite zoo, we used to visit it a lot when I was younger and my grandparents first lived in Fort Erie. The last time I had been was during a high-school road trip with Teri. A lot of things had changed, less animals and larger enclosures mainly, but I still loved it and could have stayed all day!!

Road Trip!

Jason and I like to travel to the US during Canadian Thanksgiving. This year Kristen and Noah were interested in joining us. We have planned out a pretty intense road trip over to Massachusetts. We knew you can get there for a weekend, since we had done it for the playoff game in April. That had been a lot of driving but with an extra day I hope to be able to see some cool things, going to visit Salem and Boston. We are used to being in the car together. Besides the playoff road trip, the four of us have also driven together to Pittsburgh this past summer, well just outside of it, to go White Water Rafting. Road trip!

An Adult Thanksgiving

Jason and I had his immediate family over for Thanksgiving lunch on Sunday and with a bit of pre-planning, and a lot of pre-cutting it was really easy. Though I did serve 'Turkey' from a box which was a lot more simple than a full bird - though still took a long time in the oven and involved setting an alarm to wake up early enough in the morning. It wasn't until much later that I realized it was probably the first holiday meal I have done and that Jason and I have hosted together (in our house.) Very adult.

On the same day we went for dinner and Kristen and Noah's where they had cooked a full turkey themselves, at their house. So much adulting! Also, homemade cranberry sauce which was very good. It was all delicious, and I think I want to incorporate more turkey into our normal meals moving forward.

Photo of Maya, totally not an adult! Mike sent this to me, I was sad not too see them but glad that they had a good Thanksgiving in Edmonton.

And The Tradition Continues, Or Starts

Jason and I are spending the weekend in The Finger Lakes region of New York State. This marks the third time we have spent Thanksgiving in the USA.
- New York City 2014
- Chicago 2015
And now exploring Northwest New York, it is really becoming a tradition. The actual definition of 'tradition' is a bit more complicated but I think the second occurrence suggests a tradition and the third solidifies it.

We considered staying home, especially because the Canadian Dollar is particularly bad at the moment, but decided that it was a fun pattern to have and we could do it cheaply. Instead of flying we drove and we aren't taking any extra days off of work so it will be a short vacation.

Today we drove around the orchards found in the area between the Finger Lakes and Lake Ontario. We found a map that detailed a Apple Tasting Tour so had fun visiting eleven different locations, mainly farms or local produce stands but also a winery, a distillery, and a couple of cider breweries.

Then we headed west to Rochester. I wanted to go to The Strong, which includes The National Museum of Play, the Toy Halls of Fame, International Center for the History of Electronic Games, etc. Basically it is a 'children's museum' but that didn't phase me. We had a good time!

Jason and I - Virtual EtchASketch

The Strong - The Toy Halls of Fame - 2016

Rochester, NY 

Before heading back to the hotel in Newark (not the airport, the town) we decided to grab some dinner. Dinosaur Bar-B-Q is a small chain that we remembered having great reviews when we were staying in Harlem during our 2014 NYC trip; they only have nine locations, mainly in New York State. It turns out they had a restaurant in Rochester so we went there. It is super popular! There was going to be an hour and half wait for a table but then we noticed that they have a big area doing take-out, so we grabbed a sandwich to go! I had brisket, my favourite thing to have barbecued, it was delicious.

By Recommendation

Literally everyone that I asked for suggestions from, of what to do in Chicago, mentioned the Architecture Boat Tour On The River. So yesterday, Jason and I decided that would be our main activity for the day. We are trying to keep costs down and the $42 a person price tag was a bit of a deteriorate for us, the Canadian Dollar is so low in comparison to the American that everything is pricier than we would like it to be. However, this was seriously mentioned by everyone as almost a mandatory experience.

We waited fairly late to head into downtown because it was the Chicago Marathon and was going to be packed. When we were trying to find a place to stay in Chicago for this weekend we couldn't figure out why everything was booked and so insanely expensive, it is one of the reasons that our AirBnB ended up being so far away from downtown was that we couldn't find or afford anything closer. It wasn't until Meg mentioned it recently that we figured out that Canadian Thanksgiving is the same weekend as the marathon and that was why. Tomorrow is also Columbus day, but that doesn't seem to be that major of a holiday, we didn't even notice it happening in NYC last year.

When we did get downtown in the early afternoon it was still really busy, lots of people in running gear with medals on. We went fairly quickly to the river to get tickets and found out they were sold out until 5:00pm, we got those and prepared to wander downtown, which we hadn't really done yet. We went to Millennium Park and saw The Bean. Ate our packed lunch and walked along the lake and river front.

Turns out 5:00 is the perfect time to do the boat tour! The docent/guide kept mentioning how beautiful the low light was on the buildings since he normally does midday tours he was quite excited. The tour lived up to the hype. I could have stayed on that boat listening to the guide talk about architecture for hours more. The 90 minutes flew by and having the different styles pointed out and explained was an incredible experience. I would FOR SURE recommend this as an important thing to do when visiting the city.

Trying True Deep Dish Pizza For The First Time

Jason at Giordano's - Hyde Park

Oct 11, 2015 - Photo by ME with my phone

After the cruise, we went looking for deep dish pizza for dinner, lots of Google Maps searches. Teri had mentioned the chain Giordano's as a good place to go, I had also noticed the Lou Malnati's as a popular place with lots of locations as well. We took The Loop, the elevated subway system, to go to one Lou Malnati's place that was close by, the line up was insane. Then I remember that Giordano's had a location near our apartment, turned out it was walking distance away and we just headed south to that one. There was a much smaller line.

I loved deep dish (or stuffed) pizza! Definitely my preferred in the whole Chicago and NYC pizza debate. Jason leans much further on the side of New York but still enjoyed the Chicago style.

Friday In The Windy City

Jason and I arrived in Chicago late last night for a little 6 day holiday in "The Windy City" over Thanksgiving. We are staying in the Hyde Park area in a studio apartment from AirBnB. I am excited to explore Chicago, I haven't been here in over 20 years. (I came with my parents when I was 10, also over Thanksgiving weekend. Mike went to have real Thanksgiving with family instead.)

Cuteness In My Inbox

I love when I open up my email to photos from friends and family - especially if those photos are of cute things!! I am sad to live so far away from the cute things that are happening to people I love, but seeing pictures makes it easier. Here are a couple that I got sent recently:

Uncle Si, Aunt Dan, and Fi's new puppy

Sent In An Email From Mom

I hope to meet this little ball of fluff (black lab) the weekend after Thanksgiving when I head down to the cottage to help with some Fall chores. If he doesn't visit the cottage than I hope to pop in to see him on the drive back to Toronto.

Avery Trying To Climb The Couch

Sent In An Email From Aimee

I don't know when I am going to get a chance to see this adorable face next. They aren't coming home for Christmas and it is hard to find time to get out to Edmonton. He is getting so big!!

Thanksgiving Thoughts

Today, I am thankful...
- that my brother called me to wish me Happy Thanksgiving. (Though he had no idea we had gone to New York.)
- for spinning.
- to have a boyfriend who is fun, kind, and great to travel with.
- for amazing friends all across the country (and at times, globe.)
- to have landed an amazing job that I love everyday, which is busy, challenging, and inspiring.
- that Toronto is so beautiful in the Fall.
- for my newly formed sugar/caffeine addiction that wakes me up in the mornings.

- to everyone that visits this site and reads Always Standing, letting me practice my writing and feel like I am connecting to others with my musings.

The Third Roommate

Binx has finally come to Toronto!! I have missed her so much. When I came home for Thanksgiving she had improved by leaps and bounds. She can stand with no problem and can walk around, though she looks a tad drunk when she does. She is supposed to be resting, so I can't let her walk much but it was good to see that she could do it. She is using the litterbox and is now living in a dog crate in my room here at Rrunuv Bayit. She is on 'cage rest' for three more weeks. I'm so glad she is here.

Thanksgiving Sunday

I sit here in my uncle's living room. I'm looking after my young cousin, Fiona, which really just means lounging here as she reads. If she is reading (Beezus and Ramona by Beverly Cleary) I figure I should do some for school as well (Moments of Being by Virgina Woolf). I try not be be jealous of her novel, just concentrate on the transformative prose, remember that it is groundbreaking.

From the kitchen comes the heady scent of baked pumpkin and warm chocolate, a combination that is not in the least unpleasant. I'm surprised I can even smell it with my nose this stuffed up from allergies. (The culprit being a large German Shepard mutt sleeping in the corner, head titled adorably to one side). I sit here with a crumpled kleenex in one hand, the other is rubbing my cheek bones trying to chase way the pain that is quietly shooting across my face. I have to read with my mouth slightly open to breath, this makes me look slow.

I worry that the pumpkin pie is undercooked. Fi and I baked it earlier. It wasn't cooked in my oven, their's is unfamiliar. (Only slightly more unfamiliar than my own though, so this is a weak excuse). While my mom and Fiona's parents are out I had to bake two of the three Thanksgiving desserts. Fi and I started with brownies, from a box, my own addition to the festivities. My mom keeps saying that I am making the pumpkin pie from scratch, this is because she no longer bakes and the idea of actually making pastry is foreign to her. It is not store bought, but it is still factory made. Mixing pumpkin pie filling with an egg and milk before pouring into a frozen pie shell is not baking from scratch. But, even with this simplicity in baking, I may have screwed it up. I think it is undercooked.

If the pumpkin pie fails by falling apart or turning out to be raw and if the brownies all crumble when we try to take them out of the pan, dessert will still be saved. When my mom returns she is going to make apple crisp, truly from scratch. The recipe is not even written down and she has plans to add cranberries and apricots to it for something new. This could turn out badly, and from the sounds of it there is more likelihood of the crisp failing that the brownies or pie. But my mother has years of experience on her side.

I'm hungry. The adults won't be home for hours and it will be even longer before they have finished cooking. Fi and I licked the brownie batter from the bowl over 2 hours ago. Dinner can't come soon enough.

And A Few More Days

Binx has been showing some slight signs of improvement. She is standing more often, which is good. She has yet to really use the litterbox, but my parents are willing to keep her in their shower and care for her until Thanksgiving. Maybe with more standing she will start using the litter like she is supposed to, just grabbing a straws here. I'm really scared that she won't start using it, and I will have to put her down. We have booked the appointment with the vet to have her put down on Saturday October 9th. I really hope that over the next week, Binx gives me a reason to cancel it!! Please keep your fingers crossed, pray, send karma etc. because I'm still hoping for a miracle.

Thanksgiving Sonnet

This poem will sit at fourteen lines long.
Perfected by Shakespeare, however my
Iambic-pentameter isn't strong.
Lines are ten syllables, thought I should try
My hand at a Sonnet. The rhyming scheme
Is beyond specific but I will keep
Writing these poems as if in a dream.
Wait that's a lie, shouldn't get in too deep,
This is the last poem. Holiday's done.
My plane leaves tomorrow, so much to do.
I'll miss Halifax as it is such fun.
But I need to get back, school work is due
Soon. Don't worry it is still on my mind,
Happy Thanksgiving, now back to the grind!!

-C.S.

Thanksgiving Limerick

The Limerick is another poem that's small.

I like it much better there's no need to stall.

It's so much easier,

Just couldn't be breezer,

Wishing a Happy Thanksgiving all!

-C.S.

Thanksgiving Haiku

I hate all Haikus

Have to get it over with.

Happy Thanksgiving!

-C.S.

Poetic Thanksgiving

I am leaving tonight for a little trip to Halifax for Thanksgiving weekend. I'm going with Anna and staying at her parents. This is a much needed Anna visit since she now lives in Montreal and it is harder to stay in touch. I was so much easier when she worked full time on campus! I am also going to see Little Brother Mike who is out there training, something to do with scuba diving or blowing things up or both together or something. As everyone knows I miss him terribly and love him so much, can't wait for the visit!! I want to keep the blog going since I really don't like to take long breaks from it. So, I thought I might write you some poems for the holiday! Stay Tuned. Happy Thanksgiving!

So Much Junk

I don't what has been going on with me these last few days but I have been going crazy with the junk food. This, coupled with no longer training to run, is going to have a pretty negative effect on my body very quickly. But I crave it all so bad....
-chips
-apple crisp
-smarties
-french fries
-cake
-nachos
-chocolate milk
-pop
-sour candies
-brown sugar, just plain
Note: In the last three days I have eaten all of the above, some multiple times. However, I have a plan. I'm going to try not to eat any more junk food until Halloween. Then all that candy, chips, and other goodies will taste so much better. I may end up eating some bad things over Thanksgiving but I figure that will be alright since it is also a holiday.

Party With The Newfies

I went with Jer to the Christmas Dinner and Dance for the Newfoundland Society of Ottawa. They recently became a 'Have' province and since Ontario is now a 'Have Not' I thought I should party with the new big shots. It was so much fun. The food was amazing and there was so much of it. I have been to a lot of banquets and Christmas parties where they try too hard to make the food fancy. They served turkey which was great since I didn't have it at Thanksgiving. Then there was dancing. So much dancing. The music was perfect, a good mix of oldies and classics, obviously a few Newfoundland ones thrown in. It actually made me miss my parents, I think it was the type of music they played or that there were a wide range of generations there. A really good time. I'm such a poser, but I really want to go again next year.

Riding The Greyhound

The buses I had to take to and from home this Thanksgiving weekend were horrible. They really made me question whether it was worth it to come home for such a short period of time. I knew I wouldn't see my parents, brother, or Teri for a while so I made the trek. Riding the bus, especially during busy weekends is terrible. You want to be sick because the person in front of you smells so bad, you can't read because the light above you is broken, you aren't comfortable because the person beside you is taking up too much room, and you can't sleep because the person behind you won't stop talking. Talking about his 'baby's mama' I might add. Oh Brantford you can be so white trash at times. I used to love the bus because it was so cheap and easy to use. They run all the time and whisk you away to family, friends, or fun cities. Now I think I have tired of the trips and want to find a better way to travel.

To All The Doubters

Yes that is a Yam and Mashed Potato Ying Yang. So to all who said it couldn't/shouldn't be done. I did it! I went there! Move over Martha Stewart I'm going to be the next.....whatever it is you are.