Monday, May 23, 2011

Unionville

It is raining when we leave home on Monday May 16 at 8:00am. I hope this is not setting the stage for the rest of this adventure. Lucy is getting a lift from our next door neighbour and I meet her at the station.


There are 2 options for packing up the bike, a cardboard box or a plastic bag. Since it is still raining a cardboard box will be soaked before it gets loaded onto the train so I opt for the plastic bag. This is faster since the pedals can stay on but it does not provide much protection, let's hope for the best. We have a reservation for our own sleeper cabin on the train including a private bathroom. The bench converts into 2 comfortable bunk beds for the night. We have a nice meal of panfried haddock in the dining car before retiring for the night.



The Ocean arrives on schedule in Montreal and we have a 45 minute wait before boarding the Toronto bound train. When we arrive at Union Station in Toronto at 4:00pm it is cloudy but not raining. The bike and trailer are returned undamaged and while hooking up the trailer I notice folks walking in with wet umbrellas. It must have started raining. Can't seem to get away from it. Once again we put on the rain gear.  Lucy takes the GO-train for Unionville. Once outside, it is indeed raining and it does not look like it is going to stop any time soon. Just like last year I mostly follow the Don Valley bike trail but find that a part of the trail is closed due to construction. Being not familiar with the area I have to use my GPS to find a way around the closed trail. Leslie street seems to be my best bet but it means that I will be in the middle of Toronto traffic in the rain. I forgot to install my rearview mirror before I left the station. That was OK on the bike trail but I am really going to need it now. I have to open up the Bobby bag to retrieve the mirror and forget to tie up the strap that holds the bag onto the trailer. Shortly after taking off again the strap winds itself around the axle of the trailer and things come to a screeching halt. Not too pleased with myself at this point. It takes some doing to unwind the strap and I am getting away without any damage. It takes over 3 hours to cover the 41km to Unionville and I make it just before dark. Julia is still awake and is waiting at the door to greet grandpa. What a nice welcome!
We have a great week at the Frost residence. They moved recently to another part of Unionville. They now live in a very nice home in a great neighbourhood just a few minutes walk from Mainstreet. Matt is taking off for a few days for his annual fishing derby at the family cottage in Nova Scotia and we can give Suzanne a hand looking after Julia and Jet.  Julia is taking a vacation from daycare while we are in Unionville so we have more time to enjoy each other's company. We have lots of time to play together, go for many walks and even visit the Toronto Zoo. She is a little trooper, we spent a good 3 1/2 hours there.





While stretching after a run I get a shooting pain near my right shoulder blade. This is not the time to end up with an injury. With the Victoria long weekend there is not much I can do about it but I manage to arrange for a one hour massage therapy for Tuesday morning, a few hours before I have to bike to the station. The therapist tells me that the muscles in my back end neck are very tight and advises me to get more massage while in Winnipeg. Bob and myself leave for the station at 3:00pm, this time the weather is great and I can take my time. Suzanne is driving Lucy to the station and we meet there around 8:00pm. We board the train around 9:30pm and the Canadian leaves on schedule at 10:00pm.
Here is a picture of the Frost family in front of their new home at Berkeley Court in Unionville.

4 comments:

  1. Glad to see the photos of the family in Unionville and happy that after a rainy start the weather cleared up for you. Hope all goes well with that shoulder!!

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  2. Great having you here! Love you dad!

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  3. Good luck!

    Love, Nanette Jeroen Puck & Marijn (CatoHome)

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  4. Hope your shoulder felt better after the massage - smart man. At least you had 2 great doctors to look after you in Winnipeg!! Take care and stay safe, you are an adventurer par excellence.

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