Celebrating Canada Day in Barrie, Ontario

After a wonderful visit with family in Calgary, it was time to fly back to Toronto and continue our driving tour before going back to New Brunswick. Flying into Toronto with its maze of houses upon houses...

Welcome to Barrie...our next stop was to visit with Barb and Ed, our travelling companions for many years. We hadn't seen them in over a year, so it was great to catch up and to plan for our upcoming trip to Africa.

Together again! We met Barb and Ed in 2005 on a flight to China and discovered we would be on the same cruise. We hit it off and have been travelling together since then.

And darling Maggie...she has a few ailments and is deaf, but she is hanging in there.

We had lunch and went out to run a few errands. I don't think we can consider the casino an errand, but we went in and made our deposit.

That night for dinner, we headed to the Big Bone BBQ. You probably wouldn't give this place a second glance with its location in a strip mall, but, for those in the know, it's the place for ribs.

Barb tearing off our "napkins"...

Jim enjoying his ribs. With this combo for two people, you got a full rack of ribs, fries, coleslaw, beans and corn bread for $25. It was delicious!

We went on a tour the next day and drove by Jim's parents' old home. They had retired to Barrie in 1968 when it was a small town.

We swung by the cemetery later to visit their grave.

Mmmm...another Kawartha Dairy. Seems to me I remember someone (me!) saying "Note to self: a baby size ice cream is big enough."

But Barb opted for the small size and I'm not one to let someone eat ice cream alone, so I followed along. As always...delicious!

Ed is the man who loves vanilla ice cream. But there was no way he could keep ahead of this cone before it was dripping everywhere. That is a Small!

It was Canada Day and Barb and Ed thoughtfully supplied us with festive hats and a boa to attend a party in their condo building.

Maggie even got out her Canada scarf!

Happy Canada Day!

It was nice to meet up with Lorraine again, whom we met when she came to visit Barb and Ed in Savannah. Richard lives below them and Barb and I had gone to his condo in the morning to make devilled eggs for him to bring to the potluck. Love his hat...very creative!

It was a great way to spend Canada Day!

The very welcoming hosts for the event, Thelma and Gord.

Another of their neighbours is originally from New Brunswick...Rogersville...go figure. For many years, before the larger highway was built, we would travel through the little burg of Rogersville on any trip to Moncton. The village has a population of 1,170 according to the 2011 census.

Doug and Lynne...they had also come to visit Barb and Ed in Savannah. It was nice to meet them again.

We're looking pretty glowy about now...

A great group of people...they have a very social building.

One of the ladies told me she makes cats out of old socks and gives the proceeds to one of the cat shelters. I was happy to support the cause and bought two of the little creatures.

And no evening is complete until the Sister Wives are dancing!

Thanks, Barb and Ed, for a wonderful visit and for including us in your festivities. See you in August in New York on our way to Africa!

And now it is on to Port Hope for a 50th wedding anniversary celebration...