Showing posts with label train museum. Show all posts
Showing posts with label train museum. Show all posts

Tuesday, 29 December 2020

Movie Review: The Christmas Setup

 Yes, I know it's a RomCom. One of those Christmas movies many despise. This one is remarkable. It's the first Lifetime movie featuring a gay couple. It is delightful. Of course it is well beyond time. They have also produced one with a lead character in a wheelchair. In these trying times, it is progress. 

Ben Lewis, Blake Lee and Fran Drescher are the headliners. Ben Lewis and Blake Lee are married in real life. I've seen interviews with Ben (red sweater) and he is a sweetie! It is light-hearted, inclusive, and fun.

Back in the day, Drescher had to fight to make her The Nanny character Jewish. Thankfully, times are changing. Slowly, but they are changing. She can be in a Christmas movie as a loving Momma. It was fun and funny.

The other important character, a supporting role, is played by Canadian Ellen Wong, best friend of Lewis' character, Hugo. Canada has an amazing Asian influence and it's finally being reflected in the fine arts. 





What's really meaningful about this movie is that it was filmed in nearby Smiths Falls. We've taken our grandies to the Train Museum several times.

2015

 They have train cars to visit. Train Museum from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

We love the hand cart!

Train Museum from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Saturday, 3 August 2019

Gramma Camp Day 3


Wednesday, July 31st

I forgot, Grampa and Izzy went shopping. They returned with a gift that keeps on giving.

I began sprouts for Josee, who likes them on her sandwich. They are growing nicely.

Josee has sliced turkey, cheese, mayo and sprouts on her sandwiches.
Izzy has sliced ham, cheese, a sliced pickle, and mustard on hers.

We had another surprise for Grampa. They took turns reading.
Here were his clues! A poem we wrote. Jos read the first stanza, Izzy the next.

Somewhere where you won't think to look
You won't find another book
Artistically made by a local hand
Above somewhere that is not the land

Sometimes fishes, sometimes not
They're always together in a familiar spot
Right now it's empty, completely dry
Your anniversary present you will spy.

Ta da!


Driving, with our precious cargo, makes me crazy. We are vigilant...

We were stopped for the bridge as boats were going through. This guy decided to go against the traffic, with a trailer to turn left.


Off to...



We wrote a story about the train museum a few years ago. It was a present for Momma, who turns 40 August 16th!


The museum is staffed by students, and repaired and refurbished by eager volunteer train buffs. This was fun, as he'd lost his hat! He did it in three tries.


We had a special tour of the newest addition. A train car from the 20's, where they are recreating a model of the station as it was back in the day. The station was made by a laser printer. They have blueprints, maps, lists of the town, and it is a true reproduction. (Jos took these photos!)


They have created a unique fundraiser, featured at the beginning of the video. The girls had fun with this.
Project 5802 from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Outside the museum



Inside the museum...


We had a ride! The hand cart dates from the 1920s, and the only thing that breaks are the screws in the one handle!


Then, to CC's for dinner.


Grampa paid the bill and we went climbing.


There he is!


From here, we went down to the dock. Down in the weeds at the dock, look what I found!




What is ironic, is that Grampa, on his morning walk, spotted a huge turtle in the river. He didn't have his camera. This is one I spotted in Bala, in 2009. They get very big when they reach 50 or 90 years old.


These tricycles are fun for all ages. I don't think they knew one another, but were comparing notes.


From there, swimming, and our regular 3 p.m. video.
Rather than dinner, we just had snacks. Grampa had a poem for them, and they found some puzzles.


After that, we watched my on-line auction bidding. We counted down, and I won these items. The girls had fun with this. They helped me count down.


As is the way, we went to bed to read shortly after I tucked them in!