Skip to main content

Great time in Ottawa

It's been a great week.  On Monday a group of us walked in Merrickville which is a very historical town on the Rideau Canal. I got a ride with my friends Donna and Dorri as they were volunteering - they were kind enough to give Eilleen and me a ride.  I was going to do the 10 km walk then decided to do the 5 km walk so I could look in the shops.  I am glad I did - thoroughly enjoyed the walk and took photos along the way.  Very pretty. I walked by myself which was fine as then I could pop into shops and spend as much time as I wanted.  I was actually here three years ago with Donna and Dorri but we didn't walk around - just shopped!  This time I didn't buy anything...just lunch!!!  We had lunch at the Yellow Canoe and sat outside in the shade.  It was lovely.  I had a turkey/cranberry/currymayo sandwich with cold cantaloupe soup.  First time I've ever had cold soup and I really enjoyed it.  Then we went to the ice cream shop for ice cream - it's all home made - I had a scoop of chocolate cayenne ginger and a scoop of orange/pineapple.  Oh my what a combo that was.  We sat in the park and had our ice cream then headed back to Ottawa.

After dropping Eilleen off and retrieving my luggage we went back to the dogs (Donna has a beagle named Benson and Dorri has a Sheltie named Sunshine) and had a relaxed supper of smoked salmon on a fresh baguette with salad.  We watched the movie "Up" which was cute. 

Tuesday morning Donna was meeting our new club president at the office so Dorri dropped us off nearby and I headed off to do a 5 km walk which took me past City Hall, through the Byward Market and behind the Parliament Buildings.  It was a very cloudy day so did not take many photos.  I met Donna back at the office and we went to the nearby chip wagon for a hot dog and fries...very good!!!  We then took off and did another 5 km walk which took us along the canal by the university where I am staying now...unfortunately it started pouring so we had to take shelter under a bridge for a while.  We then bussed it over to Mountain Equipment Co-op - my mecca.  No clothes for me AGAIN - too damn fat. But I did get a few things like a new water bottle and a new fanny pack.   Dorri picked us up and we went back to the house where ribs were waiting for us - Donna had put them in the slow cooker.  Yum!!!  (this is why I don`t lose weight!0 We then watched "How to Train Your Dragon" which I didn't care for.

Wednesday morning off we went to Brockville which is south of Ottawa.  Donna and I did the 10 km walk while Dorri waited for us.   We started off from the Y and headed through the historic downtown which is quite nice and then to the water front - the St Lawrence River.  We met Dorri along the way and we picked up fish and chips and sat at a picnic bench by the river.  The fish (cod) and chips were awesome - as good as any I've had in England.  After lunch Donna and I carried on along a bike path for about another 45 minutes.  Back to the Y and a pit stop and off on the road again - to Merrickville for more ice cream!!!  Then back home where we relaxed - none of us were hungry so I just had a cup of tea if I recall and we watched the first Narnia movie which was pretty good.  I must say every evening I had a dog in my lap - I certainly got my doggie fix!!

Thursday (yesterday) morning we got dropped off and did a 5 km walk near Carlton university and the river. Not too exciting but I needed the walk for a walking program I am on.  We ended up at a dog store/cafe (where you can take your dog) where a Bernese Mountain Shepherd cosied up to me and sat on my feet!  We had a cold lemonade which hit the spot while we waited for Dorrie to pick is up.   We then picked up sandwiches and other goodies at a bakery for a picnic and off we headed to the Gatineau Hills.  It was a beautiful day and we drove up to a look out and had our picnic at a picnic table and enjoyed the view.   SDorrie stopped at each view point for me to get pictures including beautiful Pink Lake (no it's not Pink but it was named for a family named Pink!) I had never been to Gatineau Park before and it is gorgeous.  I can only imagine what it would be like during the fall colours.  No hiking as it was too darn hot plus I am tapering down for the race on Sunday.  No more long walks.  Back home via Safeway - we had a Lemon roast chicken with greek pasta salad.  And watched the second Narnia movie!!! 

Today we had a very lazy morning.  We sat outside and had our breakfast and then another cup of coffee and just chatted.....Donna and I then headed by bus to the expo as I mentioned in an earlier post.  Quite a large one and I got a wonderful t-shirt with the saying on "There will come a day when I cannot do this.  today is not that day".  Very true in my case.  I'd love to wear it for the race but wearing new t-shirts for a distance walk is a big no no so I will wear it tomorrow.  The one I got from the race is too tight..sigh...I also saw a metal plate to hang race medals on - it says half marathon with a runner (or walker) on it - it is expensive but it would  be so nice to hang my favourite medals on there...I have about eleven half marathon medals and counting...I am proud of them...some people shove them to a back drawer but I think we should take pride in our accomplishments.  Anyway I digress - we went back to the house and then Dorrie drove me here.  I had such a good time with them and they were wonderful hostesses and took me so many places  I haven`t been before.

I wandered out this evening and had a mixed salad and lemonade at a market type restaurant in the mall downtown and am now chugging on cold water. 

Tomorrow is hydration day.  If I think I pee a lot now - just wait until tomorrow!!!  I read a billboard in the mall that said if you pee more than 8 times a day that is not normal.  Oh oh.....



Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Peeing on fish or a fish out of water

Well this morning we headed off by boat to Siem Reap.  Due to the low water on the Tonie Sap Lake (more like a river until near the end of the trip when it widened considerably) the trip would be an 8 hour one... It was supposed to be boring but ended up as anything but...in no certain order...let's see.... We had a rest stop (turned out to be the only one) along the way and the loo was just a hole over the lake and there were fish circling around underneath.  Yes it was just a hole in the floor...you definitely had someone watch your stuff while you went in or one false move and your camera/purse or whatever would be in the lake.  The fish either like the warm pee coming in or they are pervs and like to see ladies parts.  We were just a few minutes out when all of a sudden there was something flying over me and jumping all over the floor - a little fish!  Guess he wanted to join the tour.  Roger reached down and scooped him up while I hooted and hollered.  Okay it wasn&#

A walk along the coffin trail (and a couple of lakes) in the Lake District

While in the Lake District I wanted to do some light walking but not heavy duty hiking where I could easily get lost and my body not found for days partially eaten by hungry...sheep?  Anyway, you get the drift...not too grueling and safe for a solo walker.  I get a bit nervous when I am too far from civilization. There are lots of books about walking in the Lake District but they seem to be all about walking the fells in remote places...neither Thelma nor I fancied that.  While browsing in the post office/shop in Ambleside one day (if you are ever in Ambleside you must go there - a treasure!) I found a stand of walk descriptions on post cards.  And there I found my walk.  After all who could resist a stroll on the "coffin trail" in William Wordsworth country... I took a look and thought hmm...cafe along the route...that works for me. (with at least the security of knowing there was an available "loo" along the way.)  Okay, I may not have totally followed the

The highlights of my Fall 2023 trip

I'm back home after a great six weeks away. This was a "short" trip for me.  So here we go with an overview of my trip.   London London for me is always a good idea.  I fell in love with it back in the mid 70's and it's been calling me back ever since. Some of the best things in my life have happened in London.  When I learned my two Oz friends Loraine and Linda were going to be in London in the fall I knew I had to be there.  And what fun we had!!  Of course, I did loads of other things as well.  I spent two weeks there from mid September until very early October and then back again for four nights at the end of October before flying home.   After over five years (delayed for two and a half years thanks to Covid) of walking, I finally finished the 126 km Capital Ring.  The picture above is taken at the end of my walk and where I started in May of 2018 at the main door of Streatham Common station just steps from my B and B.  What a walk!  I got to see so much more