THe 3rd Reunion of the Winjammers

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Today is the reason why I'm in Canada ??..... our reunion day, 4 days of laughter and gossip, and dreadful jokes ?

We checked out of our hotel and headed to the airport, reluctantly giving the car back. We visited the VIP lounge courtesy of My lovely friend Sharon, and took full advantage of all it had to offer. Connie made sure she got her "free" money's worth by not only having a massive breakfast but a Bacardi and Coke to follow .... 10 am !!!! ?.

When we met up with the common people in the departure lounge, a tannoy announcement asked for passengers to give their seats up as the airline had overbooked !!!!! Honest a god how can an airplane be overbooked !!!!! Anyway Connie is Danish so she donned her Viking helmet and told me to stand firm ?.

After an uneventful 2hr flight we were reunited with Andrew & Robina from Cirencester, and Ken & Liz our hosts for the next 4 days ?. We had a 2hr drive back to their house, with lots of siteseeing comentary along the way. They live in Orillia, which is a small town about the same size as Exmouth, but that's where the similarities end !!! OMG the houses are HUGE and soooo well looked after, with immaculate gardens. We drove to their house which really is soooo beautiful at first sight, inside is big and decorated beautifuly. We were met by Katie & Matt, their daughter and son in law, who presented us all with beautiful cocktails ?.

The back of the house sits on the lake, with their own jetty, boat and jet ski !!! The weather is cloudy and rainy so our hosts are very upset that we won't see it at its best, but believe me it's amazing in the pouring rain. My bedroom is on the lower half of the house, my name is on the door, and beside the bed is a big bottle of maple syrup. They are going to be the best hosts ?. Despite it being rainy after the cocktails were downed, we went on an outdoor guided tour, beautiful and breathtaking ??????

It's been 3 years since our last reunion, and we picked up right were we left off, lots of cheeky banter, jokes from Andrew, and lots and lots of laughter ???. It stopped raining so Ken said he'd take us out for a boat ride, so we all piled in and went on a lovely ride on their lake, lots of fabulous houses along the lake side, parks, BBQ areas, and a small beach. It takes about 20 mins to get to "downtown " where all their shops are, the same time it takes to drive, so they often take the boat to do the weekly shop ... how cool is that ?.

Then we just chilled out, played Rummikub (which they pronounce Rummycube) Ken took great delight in mimicking me, saying that cub was a baby bear .... tomaytoes, tomatoes ????? Ken was teaching the rules to the 3 others that hadn't played it before, and Liz was making the evening meal ..... Tea, Dinner, Supper ....... whatever YOU call it.

We were presented with a beautfull meal of stuffed pork, roast potatoes and fresh veg, apple pie and maple syrup icecream ???. Lots of storytelling and catching up continued, at the same time as a BIG storm, thunder and lightning, and RAIN, RAIN, RAIN, poor Liz was tearing her hair out as she says they may have the odd shower but it never rains like this !!!! anyway it was time to fall into bed.

I was the first up this morning, taking lots of photos of the lake, they really are living the dream here ! We had a full breakfast worthy of the finest of hotels, and then it was time to go explore! As there are 6 of us, 2 cars ride off into the daylight. We drove through lots of pretty little towns before coming to "Big Chute" which is a platform that lifts boats from a higher part of the lake to a lower part. Its like a canal lock but its overground on railway tracks !!!!! If you look at the photos it'll make it easier to understand. the rail lift is the only one in the world and it was definitely worth going to see ? .... Really clever idea.

We then did a big circular road trip, stopping off at pretty little places including a cranberry winery. I presumed that all cranberries grow on trees .... wrong !!!! These are farmed in swampland, and when it's time to harvest them they flood the swamp so all the berries attached to the plants float to the surface and they use huge combine harvester type trucks to scoop them all up ? as my Joanne says "learning is fun" .... so I like to throw in the odd fact I've learnt every now and again.

We stopped off for lunch beside a lake, and although it looked overcast we were not prepared for what happened next .... within literally 10 seconds of Andrew looking across the lake any saying "that cloud looks a bit menacing" the heavens opened up and TORRENTIAL rain and wind whipped up around us, the staff came running out, shouting for us to get inside "QUICKLY NOW NOW" . Chairs were blown over, glasses smashed, it was a mini Tornado and within those 20 seconds you couldn't see anything further than a few feet as the mist had descended over the lake ?? spooky !!!

Anyway we survived and retuned back to the house, where lots of relaxing took place, with various liquids being consumed. Robina and Andrew were enjoying the hot tub but it was too warm outside for me so Connie and myself chilled on the jetty. Then it was jet ski time !!!! Ken took me out and we raced along the lake. I've never been on one before somwas obviously itching to have a go, and Ken bless him was more than happy for me to take over, so we carefully changed positions and off we sped ??? it was BRILLIANT, I loved every minute, you really know your alive and kicking when your driving a jet ski on a beautiful lake at 40 mph !!! I may have screamed a bit .... I'm not too sure ???? We spent the evening chatting, eating and drinking, (I even enjoyed some of the Cranberry wine that was purchased from the winery) and making plans for our next 2 days in Niagra Falls, Liz had booked us into a bed & breakfast in Niagra on the Lake, so we could have 2 full days there, and leave early int morning, so off to bed now .... BIG day tomorrow.

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