Les Bonnes Choses

I just got in from the big Ottawa trip this afternoon. I picked up a TomTom One 130 GPS unit on the morning of the 11th when we left because I knew there would be quite a bit of driving in unfamiliar territory. For one, we were staying with Dave, Kathy and the girls, who live about 45 minutes outside of Ottawa in Oxford Mills. Where's Oxford Mills? Exactly. But Jane (the British voice I selected for the TomTom unit) knew. It generally did a very good job during the whole trip, though I discovered on our way into Ottawa to pick up Magda and visit with Heather that the GPS unit has problems picking up the satellite signal in bad (rainy) weather. It's also a little bull-headed about some routes, as was evidenced when it kept on routing us through a blocked on-ramp, despite my best efforts to force it to reckon a new path.

During the visit, we went to an alpaca farm and picked up some really expensive wool. I asked many questions of the farmer, who I believe had concluded from my inquisition that I was interested in starting up my own farm down here in SW Ontario. I also had a few run-ins with some nasty mosquitos, which left me with more than a few bites--one of which left a small red welt or rash so I hope I don't get lyme disease or something.

Tim and Wendy's "cottage" was also really, really nice. Normally, when I think of cottages, I imagine walking through a sheet of spider webs on the way to the outhouse, and sharing a bunk with vermin. Because the building and surrounding sleeper cabins are constantly used year-round, they were all well kept and were more like a secluded home than a cottage. Location-wise, one couldn't ask for anything more either, as they are located at the Davis Lock, on the Rideau canal system. I've got a lot of saving up to do to get us a cottage like that for our retirement.