I had to cancel a couple visits to Ontario last year when I wasn’t able to travel, but attending my Uncle Paul’s daffodil party seemed like the perfect reason to schedule a visit back home this spring!

The first weekend in May, Uncle Paul hosts a family and friends party at his house. Every year he plants more and more daffodils around his property. They were a little delayed this year, but there were plenty open to make the place extra beautiful!

Paul’s ponds are usually full of goldfish, but I was worried he had a 100% kill off this winter. Until I spotted a school of 10 baby fish! And then later, one adult! They will regenerate!

  • There is a Canadian goose nesting on the island
  • See the goose?
  • Uncle Paul and I looking for fish
  • Uncle Dave & Aunt Cecilia
  • Me and my great Tante Miep
  • Uncle Paul
  • Uncle Paul grilling up dogs and burgers for all
  • Me and new baby Liam
  • Dad, Julie, and Wole
  • Bill, Mom, Aunt Maria
  • So many aunts, uncles, cousins, and always new babies to cuddle!

I got a terrific sunburn. How suiting, since it was our last day! Until then, the weather was overcast and chilly!

We also visited Jeff’s parents and his brother. We were treated to a feast at the new Mandarin in London! So much food selection! We joked that they should add a lounge where you could rest between trips to the buffet!

We spent a day with my Dad and visited the St. Jacob’s Farmer’s Market and stockyards.

  • Don’t twitch, or you might accidentally bid on a Holstein!

We spent a night at my sister Julie’s and finally got to meet her husband Wole who cooked us a terrific dinner of salmon, rice, vegetables, and fried plantains!

I was really happy to visit with my Grandma who turns 96 in a couple of weeks!

We visited my Uncle Bernie and Aunt Dona who have me convinced to buy a Roomba after watching theirs go for a spin.

We went to Clifford one night to visit my Mom’s cousin Kathy and partner David. I remembered that Uncle Paul told us about a really cool sculpture in Clifford that is made entirely from old tools and implements. The longer you look at it, you can spot more and more things, like axes, an old tractor seat, saws, horse shoes, wrenches, hooks, and so much more.

  • David, Jeff, Me, Mom, Kathy

We got to spend some time with my brother’s family, and my niece and nephew took my friend Cathy’s golden puppy Ryker for a walk in the park with us.

The trip went by quickly. We couldn’t squeeze it all in, since I was working 5 hours a day too. There are still many people I didn’t get to see. You know who you are! Next time! Or get your butt up here and visit!

It’s 19C here in Dawson today, the grass is starting to grow, the leaves are starting to flush, and the river is wide open. I’m wearing shorts! I also have a very sore throat. I got through 10 months of surgery, chemo, and radiation without getting a cold, and one trip to Ontario did me in!