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  • “Walkers, Canes, and Hockey Sticks: Our Family’s Spooky Autumn Fun”

    Last October, my family and I decided to embrace the spirit of autumn—and a bit of spooky fun—by heading out to a local park for a Halloween-themed photo shoot. It wasn’t just any ordinary outing; it was a day when Jason Voorhees himself (well, my brother in full costume, complete with the iconic mask, machete, and Camp Crystal Lake hat) decided to go a little bit Canadian.

    We started with the classic horror shots: Jason lurking in the trees,

    “threatening” our grand-niece,

    and generally being the stuff of campfire nightmares.

    But soon, the mood shifted from scary to silly. Suddenly, Jason was taking selfies,

    sipping a double-double from Timmies,

    wielding a hockey stick,

    and even trying his hand at disc golf.

    Who knew the infamous slasher had such a love for Canadian pastimes?

    The highlight of the day, though, was when Mom got involved. She was an absolute sport, gamely joining in the fun. We staged a scene where Jason chased her—both of them using walkers!—

    and then Mom turned the tables, giving Jason a good whack over the head with her cane.

    The expressions on her face were priceless, showing just how much she was enjoying herself.

    Of course, I couldn’t resist capturing the beauty of the day itself. The sun was shining, the autumn colors were at their peak, and the whole park seemed to glow. It was one of those perfect October days that makes you grateful for family, laughter, and a little bit of Halloween mischief.

    Sometimes, the best memories are made when you mix a little fright with a lot of fun—and aren’t afraid to let Jason Voorhees try a double-double.

  • A Bittersweet Weekend in Niagara Falls: Travel & Accessibility

    Fielding Estate Winery https://fieldingwines.com/
    Butterfly Conservatory

    Our most recent weekend getaway in Niagara Falls might be our last for a while. As much as Mom enjoys these trips, I realized how physically demanding they’ve become for her. She’s started physiotherapy and some gentle exercises, so we’re hopeful that will help. For now, though, we’ll be sticking to day trips in Ontario.

    Highlights from Niagara Falls

    We spent three nights in Niagara Falls and truly made the most of it. The highlight for Mom was definitely the Irish musicians playing at the pub in our hotel. She clapped, sang along, and chatted with everyone who passed by. The atmosphere was so welcoming. Anyone can join in to play or sing. The core group mixed things up each Sunday. We’ll have to go back just for that experience!

    Perfect Weather and Great Food

    We set out on Saturday under perfect weather—warm, sunny, and breezy, which is rare for early October. Our first stop was Fielding Winery, where we enjoyed lunch under a big tent with fantastic wine and food. The tent area was great couches and chairs so comfy and easy going. It’s now one of our top 10 Niagara wineries, and of course, we left with a few bottles to remember the day..

    Hotel Adventures: Accessible Travel in Niagara Falls

    We stayed at the Best Western on Lundy’s Lane. The staff were exceptional, but our first room was a bit of a challenge—too close to the indoor playground and a bathroom too small for Mom’s walker. Thankfully, the next morning, we were able to move to an accessible hotel room. It was much quieter, had a huge bathroom, and even a back door right to the parking lot, which made packing up so much easier.

    Exploring the Niagara Region

    On Sunday, we took one of our favorite drives along the Niagara River Parkway, from Niagara Falls to Fort Erie and then on to Port Colborne.

    We found a fantastic restaurant, Whisky and Walleye, where we sat on the deck, enjoyed walleye bites, and looked out over the marina. Afterward, we headed back to the hotel for the Irish music and a well-deserved nap..

    A Sweet Ending: Niagara-on-the-Lake & Two Sisters Winery

    Monday was all about the Butterfly Conservatory and exploring Niagara-on-the-Lake.

    We discovered Two Sisters Winery, which has the best patio overlooking the vineyards. We were lucky to get a table right at the edge and enjoyed focaccia with whipped ricotta—absolutely delicious. Once again, the service everywhere we went was outstanding. It felt like everyone was just happy and easygoing all weekend.

    After lunch we drove to Port Dalhousie and sat on the pier and just again enjoyed the wonderful weather and great scenery. Can you believe they were actually swimming in Lake Ontario in October.

    Even though this trip was a bit tough for Mom, we made some wonderful memories. For now, we’ll focus on smaller adventures in Ontario, but I’m grateful for weekends like this one.

  • Back in the Flow: Life, Surgery, and New Chapters

    Back in the Flow: Life, Surgery, and New Chapters

    It’s been a whirlwind couple of months, and I’ve finally found a moment to reconnect. Between surgery, life changes, and caring for Mom, I’ve had little time or energy to post—but I’m determined to be more active here again.

    A Major Health Milestone
    At the end of July, I underwent thyroid surgery. My entire thyroid was removed—it had grown to about 20 cm, which is quite large. Some parathyroid glands had to be removed as well. Thankfully, the procedure went smoothly and I was discharged the next day.

    During my recovery, I’m grateful that Mom had a safe place to stay. Her day program offers overnight respite care, and she spent five days there. From all reports, she did really well, which was a huge relief.

    The Challenge of Hormone Regulation
    Post-surgery, the biggest hurdle has been regulating my thyroid hormone levels. I now take a daily pill to replace what my thyroid used to produce. Unfortunately, the initial dosage was too high, sending me from hypothyroidism into hyperthyroidism—hello sleepless nights, mood swings, and fatigue. We’re adjusting the dosage now, and I’m hopeful things will stabilize soon.

    An Unexpected Career Shift
    Just a week before my surgery, I was informed that my job was being eliminated. I had two weeks left—one of which I spent recovering—so really just one week to wrap things up. I felt for my boss, who had to absorb a lot of my responsibilities, but truthfully, I wasn’t upset. The severance was fair, and now I have more time to support Mom and be present for her.

    A Much-Needed Getaway
    We recently returned from a short trip to Niagara Falls. It was a lovely change of scenery and a chance to reset. I’ll share more about that in a future post.

    Thanks for sticking around. Life has thrown a lot my way lately, but I’m feeling ready to reconnect and share more. Stay tuned—there’s plenty to catch up on.

  • A Sunday Stroll Through Georgian Bay Memories

    Some days don’t go exactly as planned—and end up better because of it. This Sunday was one of those days.

    Originally, we had a full itinerary mapped out: drive to Midland, maybe visit Sainte-Marie among the Hurons, and then continue north to Penetanguishene. But as things go, our plans gently shifted—and I’m so glad they did.

    We started with the Elmvale Flea Market, a cozy spot nestled on the way to Midland. The skies were overcast, but the air was dry and comfortably cool—perfect weather for a little treasure hunting.

    I was lucky enough to snag a few finds: a cool Tweety for my collection, an elegant, unused Italian leather purse (originally bought in Milan for 80 euros—scored it for $40!), and a tiny bag of LEGO minifigures.

    We didn’t make it through the whole market—the uneven ground made it tricky for Mom and her walker, and I could see she was tiring sooner than usual—so we wrapped up early and got back on the road.

    Next stop: Midland. We headed straight to the Boathouse, one of my favorite marina-side spots. I’d been dreaming of their fish tacos, but alas—they’ve vanished from the menu. No regrets though, because Mom and I split a plate of fish and chips, and let me tell you, those fries were a dream: hot, crispy, and light as air on the inside. Absolute fry perfection.

    As we wandered the waterfront afterward, we stumbled upon the boat tour ticket booth. Serendipity struck—the next tour was leaving in 45 minutes. Without missing a beat, we grabbed tickets and made our way aboard.

    The boat crew was fantastic—thoughtful and incredibly kind to Mom, helping her on and off the ramp with ease. A passing boat gave us a surprise rock mid-cruise just as I was heading back with drinks. While I may have wobbled, a crew member had my back (and our drinks!) in an instant.

    Mom had a truly magical time. I caught little moments on video that captured her beaming smile. We stayed inside during the cruise—better for her, and honestly, I wouldn’t have traded our cozy corner for anything

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    20250615_142238

    The sun lit up the bay, and we passed island after tiny island, each hosting just a single cottage like a quiet sentinel in the water. Georgian Bay is such a gem—it never stops impressing me.

    The day wound down gently. After the boat ride, Mom was tuckered out, so we headed to the hotel, ordered a pizza, and she fell asleep early. It was the perfect ending to a full and beautiful day.

    Sometimes the most memorable moments are the unplanned ones. This Sunday reminded me to slow down and savor every smile, every bite of perfect fries, and every little wave that rocks the boat—literally and figuratively.

  • A few Days Away -Part 1

    Mom and Me setting out

    Last week, Mom and I took a short but fun trip to Barrie. Nestled on the western shore of Lake Simcoe, the city welcomed us with sunny skies for the pretty much all the time we were there.

    We opted for the scenic route both there and back, sticking to the back roads.. It made the drive longer, but somehow that felt just right. No rush, no traffic, just open stretches of countryside. There were a few stops to take photos of the rural landscape. Was so much better then flying down the busy highway and all that traffic.

    Our first dinner

    That evening, we headed out for dinner at a place called Canadian Brewing. We found a perfect spot on the upstairs patio—it was a bit breezy, and a touch chilly but we had a lovely time.We ordered a lovely glass of wine, and we shared a plate of mini Yorkies: golden Yorkshire puddings filled with brisket, melted cheese, and rich gravy. Comfort food at its finest.

    Just as we were lingering over the last sips of wine, soaking in the night, a man suddenly sat down at our table—completely uninvited, but oddly welcome. He was friendly, charming, a little flirty, and clearly well into enjoying his weekend already. After a few good chuckles, he rejoined his wife and their group, leaving behind only a bit of mischief in the air and an unforgettable moment to cap the night.

  • A Pause in the Journey: Saying Goodbye to my Brother

    It’s been a while since I last posted—over a month, in fact. May turned out to be a very difficult month for me and my family. On May 6, my older brother Ron passed away suddenly in his sleep. He lived out in Vancouver, and his passing was completely unexpected. I’ve gone back and forth on whether I wanted to share this here, since this space is usually dedicated to my travels and experiences with my mom, who has Alzheimer’s. But Ron was such a big part of our lives, and it feels right to acknowledge him here.

    Ron looking over the falls at Otterville

    We held a beautiful celebration of life for Ron on May 18 at Mohawk Park. It was a warm and emotional gathering, with family and friends—many of whom we hadn’t seen in years—coming together to remember him. Some of Ron’s old friends were especially touched that my mom recognized them. Her long-term memory is still quite strong, which explains that small but meaningful moment. Sadly, she doesn’t remember that Ron has passed. Each time it comes up, we have to tell her again, and that’s honestly the hardest part of all of this.

    • Ron looking over Bannister Lake – one of my fav pics
    • Ron, Me and Rick
    • Ron And the Grandkids –

    Ron hadn’t been able to visit home in the past few years due to COVID and some health issues, but whenever he did, we always made sure to set aside a full day just for the two of us. I’ll miss those days deeply—our long chats, the laughter, the video calls, and the inside jokes we shared.

    Be at peace, Ron. I miss you more than words can say.

  • Cruisin Thru Time Part 2

    Water and water sports have been a large part of our lives. I believe for me, it all stems back to when I young and we spent so much of our summers at my grand-parents cottage on Rice Lake. Swimming, boating and skiing (well for everyone but me) Mom was a great water-skier but she could never get me up on skis. I really loved when my grandfather would take us out in the boat and speed around the lake. Nothing felt better then the sun shining down and the wind blowing in our face. Below is the view from our Cottage, any wonder we fell in love with water.

    For my mom I think it started long ago as can be seen by this honeymoon photo. Yes that is Mom and Dad in Florida on their honeymoon. I love this picture of them.

    For my whole life whenever there was an option to spend time near or on water we did so. Last post talked about a river cruise in Quebec. There is a cruise that goes from Kingston or Gananoque that travels through the thousand islands. Mom and Dad took us the first time when we were young, even went to Boldt Castle – was so great. We have done that cruise a few times since. Most recently Mom and I did it when we went to Kingston and took the dinner cruise was so much fun.

    There was entertainment for most of the trip and at the end the Captain came out and sang Sweet Caroline and got quite a good response from the diners.

    The river cruise is beautiful as well – lots of opportunity for photography. And the food, oh my was that great.

    A few years previous Mom, Dad and I took a similar trip and we all went on the river cruise again but for the lunch trip. More opportunity for photos and it was great to travel with both Mom and Dad on this trip

    My favourite pic of the trip was this of my parents eating on the patio of a restaurant down from our hotel

    As an added bonus here is a few photos of Mom and Dad and as you can see water does play a part in much of what we do when we travel. I miss Dad and am so glad that I have these memories of them both they were so good together.

  • Cruisin Thru Time

    • Lets go way back….

      Teresa

      •

    Recent Posts

    Yep that is way back – back to when I was 18 and Mom and I went on our first trip together. And yes that is a perm – the popular poodle hair cut of the time. LOL

    Mom and I went to Quebec for my 18th birthday. It was for a couple of reason, we love Quebec, it’s not to far away and the drinking age was 18 in Quebec but 19 in Ontario.

    We had a great time and there is three distinct memories of that trip.

    The first is when we went shopping in lower Quebec. We took the bus down and it is so lovely. Old stone buildings and wonderful quaint shops. But what both Mom and I remember the most was waiting for the bus back to our hotel. Standing there with our purchases, a 6ft kite for my brother, a large doll for a friend, a bell, a bottle of wine and a very heavy soap stone of a standing bear for my dad. Very awkward but we managed to get it all to the hotel with no issues. Thank goodness.

    My Birthday Dinner

    For my 18th birthday dinner we went to a lovely restaurant – Cafe de la Paix (which unfortunately is closed now) but the memories of that night are still clear in our minds.

    We were welcomed by a Italian maître d’ , had the most adorable french waiter and we were so lucky to be in the room with a mexican harpist.

    The image is of the restaurant (not my image) and we were in the front room there. The harpist in front of the window and when he found out it was my birthday he sang Bésame mucho to me. Could anyone have a better birthday

    The final memory I will share, is that of the boat cruise we took down the St Lawrence – it was evening and we traveled from Quebec down the river through all the islands. It was a lovely night as we wandered around the ship, watching the lights on shore and we got a bit of a surprise. We circled around the end of the ship to some music and people “dancing”

    Dada Dada Dada Da

    Dada Dada Dada Da

    Dada Dada Dada da

    da da da da …

    If you don’t get it from that, then think of people flapping their arms and clapping .. yep you got it – The Chicken Dance – the first time we say it and then of course it was at ever wedding we went to after that.

    Make sure you come back for the next post as I will share some more fun times on boat cruises. We do love being on the water.

    This trip was the first of many for Mom and I as we discovered we traveled so well together and though we have had many great adventures since I think we both agree that this was one top 3 trips we took, if not the top 1.

  • Changes in View

    Sunset on Lake Nippissing

    My mother is at what is considered the moderate stage of Alzheimer and this stage you can see more and more changes in how a patient views the world are them. Delusions, hallucinations, confusion and disorientation are some of the key signs of this stage. Like this evening we were watching Mythbusters and when it was over she wanted to know what myth we were busting next. Had to explain we do not shot or blow things up here. LOL Quite often she will mix up what she sees on TV with real life, but luckily most of the time with gentle words i can bring her back to reality. It is so hard to watch the confusion and difficulty she has with understanding what is going on around her.

    Here is a good document that explains what you would see when you or your loved one gets to this stage – Progression – Middle Stage – Alzheimer – I highly recommend reading it if you have anyone around you in or heading to this stage.

    When I was looking at my photos for this post, I looked at the ones below and realized they were such a great visual to explain how things are for mom. Things are familiar – you can trees, flowers etc. but everything is distorted or upside down. I love using my sphere for creative photos which can also help understand what others are seeing.

    My favourite shot of these is the one stuck in the tree and this was an idea of Mom’s as we were walking along a local trail before her Alzhiemers got as bad as now. Did she have an idea of what she would face one day or was she just wonderfully creative. I believe the second as this one not the first or last time she suggested a certain angle or item to shot – she has definitely inspired me to be creative and look at things differently when out with my camera. These photos will always be a memory of her even when she is not in the photo.

  • Creating Lasting Memories with Loved Ones

    I want to start this with a bit of a serious thought about something I have realized since starting this blog. I know that I wanted to create memories with Mom and for the most part I felt I was doing this for me. It is hard to see these memories are not staying with Mom. So I started this blog so I would have something to go back to when Mom no longer can accompany me and as I did, I realized that this is for more then just me, this is for Mom. She may not remember what she did the day before or sometimes even an hour before but not one can deny when looking at this pictures of her that in the moment she was having a grand time.

    So for anyone out there that might think, what is the point of doing things with those who have Alzheimer they won’t remember them. Look at the smiles on Mom’s face and the laughter in her eyes. She is truly living in the moment and you can too with your loved ones. So please get out, share some time with those you love, you will create memories for yourself and joy for your loved one in that moment What could be more important.

    Some of the memories we created when we went to Owen Sound started half way there in a small village called Williamsford – the Williamsford Mill is a awesome place to search for used books and it has a great little cafe there were we shared an amazing BLT. If you go makes sure you grab a couple of Butter tarts – so gooey good.

    We were also lucky that day that a Antique car group was there and they had some really cool cars in the lot.

    We did a lot of driving during this trip – we drove along Georgian Bay and drove over to Lake Huron and we had amazing weather and really got to see a really lovely area of Ontario.

    The best drive we took was along the shoreline between Owen Sound and Wairton. Was so beautiful and so much to see it took us quite a bit more time then the 48mins they said it would.

    So get out there and do some traveling of your own with those you love and if you come across a really good route, please share with me so i can take Mom someplace new.