My Visit to my Friend Stephen Hoftyzer

Last weekend Friday - Monday, May 9-12, I went to visit my friend Stephen.  We knew each other from being roommates back in 2002-2004 in Hamilton with Homestead Christian Care.

We talk regularly on the phone but don't get to see each other a lot since in 2005 he moved to Cobourg (1 hour east of Oshawa) and I moved to Kitchener (1 hour West of Mississauga).

I know now how to take the GO Bus/Train Transit successfully.  GO Bus from Kitchener, into the heart of Toronto (Union Station) and take the GO Train from there to Oshawa.  There. Stephen picked me up on Friday and we went to visit his apartment in Cobourg and on to Frankford, where we stayed at Stephen's parent's place for the weekend.

 

On Saturday Stephen and I went to Presqu'ile Provincial Park.  Stephen told me a lot about the history of it, not a lot of which I remember.  This was about halfway between Cobourg and Trenton.  Frankford is about 10 to 15 minutes North of Trenton.  At Presqu'ile Provincial Park we did two things.  Visited an old light house on Lake Ontario and walked across Marsh Land on newly made wooden paths.

 At night there was an fundraiser dinner for the youth center of Frankford which Stephen a friend of his and I attended.  There was a silent auction there and I bid on a post card size digital picture frame/clock/calander/alarm, and no one out bid me for $20.00  I really enjoy having it.

On Sunday after church we went near Frankford to the Bleasdell Boulder, which is basically a huge rock as you can see bellow.

Later in the afternoon Stephen and I went to Trenton to the National Air Force Museum of Canada.

It was quite impressive.  I've been there once.  It was right beside the Trenton Air Force Base, where from I believe soldiers get sent overseas, and where all the dead soldiers first arrive from overseas.  From this Air Force Base down the Highway 401 to Don Valley in Toronto is where the Expressway 401 is officially called the "Highway of Heroes".  On every bridge across the 401 from Trenton to Toronto when a dead Soldier is being moved and along the Expressway stand Police officers, ambulance workers, and other people saluting the family of the deceased soldier with lots of Canadian flags, letting them know that they are not alone in this.

The biggest plain the "Halifax" Stephen says is the only bomber left of its kind.

It crashed in a lake in Normandy (If I remember correctly)  and was there for 50 years.

In 1995 they took it out of the lake and fully restored it for the museum as seen in these pictures.

I don't know when I'll be posting next, but as I'm going on a bunch of traveling trips this summer and actually experience things rather than the same old same old I might start posting more too, or I might decide to start post more often travel or not.  I don't know yet.  So keep an eye open.

Markus

Start of a New Year

Since Jan. 2nd I'm back in Kitchener.  The most exciting news is that since Jan.6th I'm on Meals on Wheels.
This will help me eat healthier since they are going according to the Canadian Food Guide and hopefully cheaper.  Tomorrow I have a meeting with someone from Meals on Wheels and my social worker to discuss finances and any other questions I have.  Most likely I get the meals subsidized which means I pay around $4.00 per meal rather than $7.75.  I get it subsidized if my yearly income is below $12,00 per year.  I get 7 meals per week, one a day between 11:00 am - 1:00 pm.  5 Hot ones Monday - Friday and 2 Frozen ones for the weekend (Saturday & Sunday).  If I'm away I have to give them 24 hour notice.  Below is what it looks like.  It makes my life easier since I struggle with the idea of knowing how to cook and eating out is not that healthy and expensive.

 Also, last week on Wednesday Jan. 8th I've been scouting out the neighbourhood to take some winter pictures.

My apartment in Winter Snow.  What I mostly don't realize is the beauty of not having to shuffle the driveway.

Just before I left for Christmas holidays on Dec 23rd, on Dec. 22nd we had that ice storm and in Kitchener we had at my apartment 12 hours of no electricity.  That was okay because I was in bed sick for most of it anyways with a cold.  But the ice storm which I missed dropped a huge tree into our parking lot (pictures above) and luckily no car was parked underneath.
  

These pictures are from the Concordia Park behind my apartment.

This picture reminded me that Christmas is definitely over and a new year has begun.

This is the bus stop I get off almost every evening and my bus #2 Forest Hill.

This picture is up the street.  The last picture is where the bus was coming from, this one is where it's going to.  Obviously by now the rain has wash away most of the beautiful snow.  To be honest I wish it would have stayed cold and snowed some more.

Winter at Sunshine

This Christmas Once again after 2 years of going back to Kitchener between Christmas and New Years I decided to stay at mom & dad's ever since they picked me up on Dec. 23/13 until Jan. 2/14. Since mom & dad were practically gone from middle of August until begining of December it is a real recuperating/charging my batteries time here at home with mom and dad. We have lots to catch up on and lot of deep things to talk about too.

Below are some picture of the beautiful winterlandscape the ice storm left behind and our 2nd annual cheese foundue at the trailer down by the river (Waldkaffi). We just heated the trailer with a propaine heater ahead of time and it became nice and cozzy. That was on Dec. 24th in the evening.

Procrastination Project Finally Finished

Yes for years that Latch Hook Rug that's been laying around in my apartment, I finally finished it.
It only had 7 rows left but I would just let it sit there for at least the last 3 years.
It took me a bit over 2 hours to finish it tonight, and now it's all done.
I don't remember when I actually started this rug.  It must have been close to 10 years ago, because I remember Grosi or to my nieces and nephews their Urgrosi still worked on it before she died in 2010.
I think I just was so depressed that I thought no matter what I do, I'll still be and feel alone and working on that Rug isn't going to make me feel any better.  In fact I thought it'll only do the opposite and remind me of how painfully alone I am.
However, over the years I started to do a whole lot better and tonight I decided it was time the week before I go and visit mom & dad for Christmas to finish the Rug so mom can finally finish the back and turn it into a pillow or something.
I was surprised how not alone I felt as I finished the rug.  I had a goal, something to finish, I didn't even have any music on and enjoyed the quietness of my apartment.
Back in the days when I started this rug I said I should do this for a living to earn money.
I guess I grew up a bit and realized that I had to high sounding ideas from the beginning and it always only was a hobby which is not my thing anymore.  I grew out of the Latch Hook Rug making.  I'm sure I won't start another one.  This is my second one and it's enough even though they are nice.

Visiting Mom & Dad

This past weekend I went to visit mom & dad one more time before they headed off to Cuba.  On Saturday and Dad decided to dig his way down to the trailer "Waldkafi"with Mom and I hardening the path in behind. First he wanted to see how far he could go with the snow blower behind his tractor, but stopped at the top of the hill because he didn't want to risk getting the tractor stuck.  So off we went with a shovel and dad dug a small path through the deep snow which wasn't as deep as it's seen in the pictures all the way down the path.  So after we got the path ready on Saturday we decided to take Coffee and treats with us on Sunday and hang out in the trailer with the gas burner on for heat.  It was lots of fun.  I of course was taking pictures all the way.  I also took some extra scenery picture of the sunset Saturday night Enjoy.