Trip to Ottawa

 We had a mission, to return my trailcam for a refund. I was so excited about it. Turns out, one needs to buy a wifi service package to talk to the machine, and save images, which defeats the purpose of it.

I popped on a pair of my Christmas froggie socks, and my boots! I was gifted new, cute sockies! 

It's been really cold. This is today, Wednesday. The two temperature scales (℃  and ℉) meet at -20, so it's a day for bundling up. 

It was a 50-minute drive, one we haven't taken in ages. The snow fences are up! 

It's called Bass Pro Shops online, but I've always known it as Cabela's. Gillian GPS is older than dirt, and didn't know all these new roads are here. You just have to laugh. Ah, technology... thankfully, I'd taken a screen shot and saved it in my photostream. Poor Joe loathes traffic circles, there's just too much going on, and I think we went through 4 of them?! 

They are very good about returns. I'd ordered it online, but returned it to the store. It's about a 50-minute drive, but the roads were clear. 

The stuffed and fake decoy critters are a little disconcerting! The sign at the door saying to leave all guns and ammo at the help desk was a bit disconcerting, but the staff are helpful and attentive. 

A vanity plate! Opa must have been given a gift.

From there, we went to the Kanata Centrum mall. It was 9 minutes away, once I got the GPS organized.

It's hard to believe all the new housing starts. We haven't been here in ages.

 Joe was looking for a new pipe. This mall is a bit of a puzzle for us. The store was closed for 10 minutes, and he suggested we get a drink.  We struggled to get the door open in 3 Brasseurs, but we ended up with more than drinks in the lovely craft brewery. It's a French chain! 

It has an interesting spot with a sweet menu. It was packed during the Junior World Hockey Championship. 

Joe had leftovers!

I did not!

After our meal, I finished my wine, and while we waited for the bill, Joe bought himself a new pipe. Our server had had a bad start to the month. Her new car was totalled. Joe slipped her some cash. While he was shopping, we two women bonded as I'd heard her talking to another customer about women's issues and conservative policies. We shared a hug. 

The championships were nearby in the arena. They were out of my favourite wine as the place had been packed. 

The rivers are only partially frozen. 

This is a shot across the bow, or across to the driver's window, there were more than a half dozen fishing huts. I assume they know what they are doing! 

It wasn't too bad driving. There was the odd driver hell bent for election. 

Here is a moment back in time, the Lego Store. It is amazing and we took the grandies there many times. 

Forgive me for a poignant look back! Jo and Aster are teenagers, now...

The grandies were here!

I was so happy to see them Saturday. They went south for March break. The older they get, the more they have to do: sports, music, birthday parties.

Caitlin and I planned by text.
I feel like a grown up with the new phone!


I created a perfectly respectable spaghetti sauce, with added onions, red and yellow peppers. My SIL chopped the peppers for me. (He's a good cook!)

Josee and Caitlin were assembling Lego. You see, someone in their car had to pee just as they were passing the big Lego store on their way here! Isabelle thought she might as well have a pee, too. Lo, and behold, when they came out of the store to rejoin Caitlin in the car, they both had a parcel.

Josephine had some Christmas money, but Isabelle got a solar powered rhinoceros beetle.

It was tricky to assemble

I thought this was a catalogue (below left), but it is the manual for the Lego construction. It's complicated. Josee had a blast.


In the afternoon we watched Aquaman on PPV, as we had 20 mm rain on Saturday. There was another 22 mm on Sunday. I thought that fitting. It was simply pouring cats and dogs all day.


Sunday morning they figured out the TV and were into a movie.


Josephine did what she always does with Caitlin's smartphone, but used mine! She is growing up, nearly as tall as I am. She's in grade 6. While Caitlin drives, Josee can send me a message saying they are on their way, for example.


Izzy and I went out to fetch SD cards from the cameras. We talked to the turkeys.


We examined the tracks in the snow, on the way down to the meadow. It was a wonderful walk.


The frog pond embraced all that rain.


Down there, we noticed the pileated woodpecker had been busy. I've set the 2nd trailcam up and I might have more on it later.


Isabelle's class went to Macskimming Science school last week. (I was a student teacher there in 1982.) They are comfortable in the woods. They all walked with sticks this way.


Isabelle, down on the meadow on her way back up to the house.


Lots of turkeys on the trailcam!!!

They brought me a new hat from Florida!


You can tell they were here!

What was fun... when I went back the next day, seeing Izzy's boot prints in the snow. It was Monday, and they were back in school.

Tuesday, on my way through Lombardy...  The lakes are not open. It was a surprise. She was beside a creek.