Sunday, November 2/2008

All Souls Day. And D-Day for us, as we leave for the winter. Fortunately, it's also time change day, so we manage to get up in time for the last minute tasks - draining the water, putting the anti-freeze in the plumbing, packing the lunch, etc. There's a very plump partridge in the driveway when I take the water pots out to empty them. And the bluejays and whiskeyjacks show considerable interest in the final scraps of food from the fridge. Shirley kindly takes us to the train and we're off.
Plenty of the room on the train and we settle back as the alpha rhythms begin. Quite good coffee which we take up to the observation car. It's mild and sunny and many of the cottages still have boats in the water. A number of people from other countries enjoying the wilderness and spotting the eagles. The woman behind us is from Ohio, and very interested, asking questions. The man across the aisle, hailing from Saskatchewan, is a mine of misinformation on everything. We're early, which allows us to pick up the return ticket at the wicket, as we're travelling with an electronic voucher.
Ian and Susan pick us up at the station and Janet and Dave, Judy and Dino, and Jennifer and Brian join us at Ian and Susan's for Chinese food. Good to see everyone and get caught up. Susan's niece Kristin and Trevor are there too.