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I wish everyone a safe and Happy New Year.

HAVE YOURSELF A MERRY LITTLE CHRISTMAS...

Let your heart be light
From now on,
Our troubles will be out of sight
Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas.

Through the years
We all will be together
If the Fates allow
Hang a shining star upon the highest bough
And have yourself a Merry Little Christmas now

Merry Christmas and a Safe and Happy New Year

A NEW BEGINNING

It was a combination party last night at the Wakomata Shores Resort - a birthday party for Roger and a meet and greet the new lodge owners Wendy and Kenny Forrest who have purchased the LimberLost Lodge from Ute.  It was night for celebrating new friends and a chance to be with our old friends.

One of our local talented ladies, Diana, painted a picture for Ute of a happy moment spent on the water with her first dog Sasha.  When she first unwrapped the painting, I thought it was a photograph.   It was beautiful and Ute was rendered speechless - but just for a moment.  I think Diana nailed it.  Beautiful work.

WHAT A DAY!!!!

It started out a nice clear morning for our trip into the Sault today but it certainly changed just a few miles before the Sault.  The dreaded snow squalls - lake effect snow blowing inland and I mean blowing.  It was horrible - we didn't really have a lot to do so we did it fast and got home at a decent hour.  But the driving in the city was pretty bad - hard to believe white outs in the city but it was. They closed highway 17 north because of whiteouts and Blind River and Sudbury were hit with their own white outs this morning.  You just have to slow down and drive according to the conditions.  But on the way home - just about where it started getting bad this morning - it started clearing up.  Then clear sailing until just before we got home - then we got some blowing snow.  And cold!!!  -13 but with that wind it was pretty cold!!!!

NOW YOU SEE THEM

Not just one but a herd of them - 5 in total.  On our way to the Sault today, we spotted this group coming out of the bush and starting to cross the highway.  It was on the crest of a hill and I was a bit concerned that on coming traffic wouldn't be able to stop in time if they were going at a good speed.  But no deer were hurt this day and they all made it safely across - probably heading down to Iron Bridge for the winter.
See you next year - maybe.

MOVING DAY

We helped our friends move today - well it wasn't really a big move - we just moved a bunch of boxes and some furniture and lots and lots of books!!  But there was lots of help so we only had to make one trip.  It is a beautiful home - lots of exposed wood and big rooms!  We put the beer on ice outside so it would be cold when we were finished working and Ute and Roger provided enough sandwiches to feed a small Italian village - catered by KP's - who have just taken over the old Sinton tavern.  Roger got the wood stove fired up but with all the beautiful windows overlooking the lake and the sun shining in it really wasn't needed but I love the heat from the wood stoves so I was assuming my favourite position standing right in front of it enjoying the heat.  The guys were walking around listening to Roger's vision of what they want to do to the house once they get settled.
It is a beautiful home and I am sure they will be very happy.

ps - there is a hot tub in the back yard that I want to try once they have it up and running

BUSY SOCIAL CALENDAR

We were invited over to John and Linda's house for dinner last Tuesday - chicken wings, french fries and devilled eggs and coleslaw.  Delicious.  She had an assortment of sauces for them but my favourite was TBQ's sauce which had a wee kick to it.  Doug couldn't wait for the rest of us to sit down but we made him get up so I could get the second picture.  We all had our fill plus desert of jello (my fav) and pumpkin pie with cool whip.  It was a treacherous ride home from the dinner.  The blowing snow made it almost impossible to see the road.  Thank goodness there was very little traffic and I was driving.  We all made it home safe.

And today was the Christmas edition of the Ladies Luncheon which was held at the 17 Restaurant in beautiful downtown Blind River.  It was a full house of 18 ladies from our area.  Everyone brought a gift costing no more than 10 dollars and then everyone picked a number.  I picked 19!!!  There was only 18 of us.  I figured it was going to be a long wait.  But in the end I got a much appreciated $10 Tim Horton gift card which I used already for $6.00 - Linda and I stopped there and got a bagel for me and a coffee and fritter for her and one for Rejean.  It is so nice to get together with all the other ladies in the area.  Just to touch base and see how everyone is doing and how their summers went.  

AND the food was excellent and the service even better.  We sometimes have a problem with establishments in the area accommodating such a large group.  But no problems here.  I highly recommend this restaurant - great fish and chips and home made bread.  I had a big bowl of beef barley soup and a poutine to go for Reagan's dinner.

MOONLIGHT MADNESS IN BEAUTIFUL DOWNTOWN THESSALON

Friday nite was MoonLight Madness in Thessalon - all the stores are open late with sales and door prizes galore.  We first started the evening with dinner at the Sinton Tavern - it was the owners' last night open for business as they are now retired.  The Sinton will now be run by some locals who I am sure are going to be just as successful as Rudy and his wife.  After dinner the ladies hit the shops.  My favourite store is Forestland.  It is jammed full of lots of neat stuff - clothes, kitchen items, jewellery, baby stuff.  You name it they have it.  I can never go into that store without buying something.  Poor Diane broke a coffee cup - it is a very tight squeeze down some of those aisles and her purse just happened to catch the cup and down it went.  She felt so bad but the staff explained that it happens quite often.  I can believe that.  Next there was a craft display at the Legion so off we went.  Lots of nice stuff and I picked up a pair of earrings from one of the vendors.  Hand made and I love them.  Merry Christmas to me.
We finished the night at the curling club.  Not as many people downtown as previous years.  But to those of us who were there, we had a great time.  I like to support the local economy.

BURNIN' DOWN THE DUMP

It was a social event at the dump yesterday.  There were piles of brush that were to be burned so they decided to make it a social gathering and provide hot dogs and a big bon fire to all those who dropped by.  It was a great day for it - hardly any wind and just at about 0 degrees C.  Due to the presence of fire, the Wharncliffe Fire Team were represented by a few of the volunteer fire men.  Brian manned the BBQ and you couldn't have chosen a better cook.  He had a way with those dogs.  He was constantly turning them and placing them in different areas of the BBQ and they turned out just fine.  There was never a long wait for the dogs.
We had a great time.  And when it got a bit cool I wandered as close to the fire as I could to warm up. I was looking around for a long poker because when there is a fire, I am the first one in there stirring it up and making sure it doesn't go out.  But I soon realized I was out of my league and left the fire tending to the professionals.
We had a great time.  Met the new lady in the neighbourhood - Julie - who raises Irish Wolfhounds!!  Diane and I are going to go over to see the puppies in January when one of the dogs has puppies.  Don't worry - an Irish Wolfhound is a little big for me but I bet the puppies are cute.

DRUNKEN CLAM

This was where the Scott Sisters spent our last night in St Pete Beach - the Drunken Clam - a little spot right around the corner from our hotel.  All these years and we had never gone there - I guess it didn't look too inviting at times.  But were we wrong.  We decided to go there for dinner and to watch the band who that night were going to be The Surfing' Raccoons.  I didn't know what to expect.  The dinner was delicious.  I had the wings and they were very very good.  Joanne had the tuna and Sue had the Maui Maui - everyone enjoyed their meals.  Joanne and I were drinking Yuenglings and Sue was into her Vodka Tonics.  Then the band came in to set up.  To say the place was small was an understatement.  The place left free for the band looked like it would fit maybe a one person and at the most two person band.  First the drums set up in the corner - then the keyboard was set up.  Next a couple more microphones and a bass guitar.  Then the lead guitar was placed.  OK for a 4 piece band - then we noticed a girl walking in who looked a bit dressed up for the place.  There were 5 people in this band set up in a maybe 5 foot by 5 foot section.  I was sitting at the bar and I was 2 feet from the bass player.  We had the best seats in the house.  And were they good!!!  Started up with the Beatles The Ballad of John and Yoko - what a way to get the place hopping!!  All music that I liked being a person of a certain age.  They played as tho I had given them my playlist of all my favourite songs.  Loved watching the drummer - he was in his own little world.
We all had a few too many drinks and topped the night with a shot of Fireball!!!  Good Stuff!!

BEACH BABIES

Everyone enjoying a beach day in Abu Dhabi.  They are growing up so fast!

IT'S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE . . .WINTER

It had to happen sooner or later and it just happened to be sooner.  Got the bird feeder up but there has been no activity at all - except for the little mice that come and eat the fallen sun flower seeds on the ground.  So much fun to watch them when you turn on the outside lite at nite.  They are the little Deer Mice - not the best creatures to have around but you really can't get rid of all of them.  Sometimes you see the Flying Squirrels at night eating the seeds on the ground.  My winter entertainment has begun.

Where is my beach?????

MORE FUN TIMES

We loved taking our beach chairs down to the edge of the water each afternoon with our cocktails watching people go by and the birds diving into the water to catch fish.  A couple stopped to talk to us and of course we got them to take our picture.    He got us to look to the right then look at the camera.  He was funny.  We tried to stay put to watch the sunset but it got a bit chilly once that sun started going down so we usually headed back up to the hotel to watch from there.

This trip we tried to share our dinners.  Usually there is so much food you can't finish it or you come away feeling stuffed.  One night we went to a new spot that had been recommended to us in John's Pass - where we like to go anyway.  Worked out just fine and no one came away feeling too full.  And it was delicious fresh caught just that day fare.  

One morning we walked the beach to Pass-A-Grill to have breakfast at Hurricane's.  We decided to have a Bloody Mary instead of coffee.  Joanne and I got ours spicy and Susan wimped out and got a regular one.  Best Bloody Mary I have ever had and found out later it was made with a mix called Zing Zang Bloody Mary Mix.  I saw some when I got back to Detroit and picked up a bottle and had one yesterday here.  I can't tell you how good it was - I will never go back to Clamato juice when I have this in the house.  I highly recommend it and they make other mixes as well.  Give it a try!!!  You won't be sorry.

HAPPY HOURS AT THE BEACH

This was our first nite in St Pete's - the night we do our shopping.  We have learned that the cart from Publix locks up as soon as cross a certain perimeter so we "borrow" a cart from Walgreen's to take our purchases home.  We first go to the liquor store for our supply of vodka, margaritas and wine.  We then hit Publix for our groceries then the Dollar Store for shampoo and paper towels etc.  We also picked up some beach chairs for $9.99 - a bargain for sure.  (we leave them with other guests of the Bon Aire when we leave so they can enjoy them).

We hit Happy Hour at Sea Critters - one of our favourite places to go for dinner - the margaritas are delicious as you can see.  I think we each had 3 that night.  Their tomato bisque with a dollop of crab on top is to die for.

We stopped at a little tiki bar down from the Bon Aire to watch the sunset and talked some guy into taking our picture.  We had to sit thru a card trick but it was a good one.  Not too many ladies at that bar but lots of guys.  Not that we were complaining...

FIREBALL SHOTS

The Sisters enjoyed our first FIREBALL shots tonite at a new place called Willey's . $2 drinks all night long but we got there a little late. While waiting at the bar for our table we started talking to a local who was recommending the scallops for dinner (which were delicious - 7 good size scallops and yellow rice for under $10)  He then proceeded to buy us our first shots of Fireball which I thoroughly enjoyed. It tasted like a mouthful of those cinnamon hearts but with a kick. Very warm going down. I hope they sell it in Canada because I am going to buy me a bottle when I get home!!!

I managed to get Susan and Joanne home safely at a decent hour - have to save ourselves for MoTown nite at Sea Hags tomorrow nite. Dancing all nite long!!

SUNDAY AT ST PETE'S

Hard to believe a week has come and gone for the Scott Sisters in St Pete Beach. We went to Sea Hag's last nite on the recommendation of a friend of ours here to see one of his friends play. The Caribbean Cowboy. He was great. Sounded so much like Randy Travis and not to hard to look at either. We got there in time to get a good seat and we ordered our dinner. We split a chicken salad, a Cuban sandwich and a mushroom casadia plus our drinks. Joanne had 3 drafts and Susan had a bottle of wine and I had my Sea hag brews. It was delicious. We were dancing and had a great time and stayed out past 8 o'clock. A record for us this trip.
Today we just took it easy and stayed at the beach all day, enjoyed the sunset and had a burger from Sandbar Bill's - the bar and grill at the Bon Aire. Best on the beach by far!
Tomorrow we are trying a new place - Willie's - for dinner and drinks and hopefully some dancing!!

BEACh UPDATE

Just a quick note to let you know we are having a great time. We have enjoyed breakfasts and dinners at new places - something we talked bout doing last year. We are running out of vodka so we have to pay another visit to the liquor store this morning. For dinner tonite we will be doing our beach crawl to a few of the beach bars along the way. That way if we happen to trip we won't hurt ourselves in the sand!!  Haha

ST PETE BEACH BOUND

Come Saturday I am off to St Pete Beach Florida for 2 whole weeks with my sisters, Susan and Joanne.  Unfortunately Deb cannot make it this year but she will be with us in spirit and we will be thinking of her.
2 weeks of walks on the beach, sunsets and grouper.  Grey Goose drinks, suntanning and Sea Hags for Mo-Town nite on Tuesdays.  Free Beach rides and breakfast at Beverley's.  Trips to Walgreens and Publix and the bathing suit shop.  This year we are going on a 3 hour kayak tour!!  A rental car for our shopping day on Tuesday - senior day discounts at some of our favourite stores.
Can't think of a better way to spend time with my sisters!!!

DUMP DUDES

The guys at the dump were jealous of the Ladies Who Lunch every month so they decided to form their own little group - the name was something like the League of Gentlemen something or other but I think the Dump Dudes sounds much better.  What do you think?

SCAREY!!!

It's a Pirate's Life for Charlie and Monty playing with their stones.  They are both not feeling well today so no Trick or Treating for them - but I don"t think they will be upset - they have their stones.

ONE LAST HUNT

It was a wee bit chilly - -15 F - for our last day hunting birds but why not.  I had on 6 layers of clothes and warm boots to shield me from the cold but the only things that really gave me trouble were my hands.  Once I get them warmed up after freezing I am ok but I couldn't get my right hand warm - the one used on the throttle on the bike.  It took me about an hour to get my hands warm enough to be able to load my gun and shoot at a bird.
We now have our possession limit and enough to make delicious partridge soup during the winter - the first batch I will make tomorrow for the hunters.
Yes Barry and Ed - I am making some for you!!!  Enjoy!