More Visits

After spending an evening, a whole day, and breakfast time with Walt and Evelyn, we were back in the car and on our way to Ontario again.  Two days driving for one day of visiting, and VERY WELL worthwhile.  I was so satisfied to have been able to see Walt again and to get acquainted with Evelyn!

In Ontario again we were able to spend time with Jim's best friend from his high school days, and his wife.  We've always kept in touch, through the young family time, the kids getting married, and now the grandkid era.  It's one of life's good blessings to have friends of such long standing.

Another dear couple we were able to spend some time with was Jim's best friend from his college years.  This couple also has been in touch with us throughout the years from college and through the decades.  Even though we have kept in touch with letters, emails and phone calls, it's still such a treat to be able to see each other in person.

From Ontario we drove to Michigan and stayed with a cousin whom I hadn't seen since 1968 when her sister got married.  Joan remembered seeing me in 1982, but I couldn't recall that, and that's not surprising because it was a very brief visit in the waiting room of the Intensive Care Unit where Dad was suffering through his last days.  But we had just a wonderful visit.  She had become a widow and remarried in that time, and we very much enjoyed meeting her new husband, a multi-talented, interesting, on-the-go fellow.

And to my very great joy we were able to spend a few hours with my dear psychiatrist, without whom I probably wouldn't be alive today, or at least wouldn't be who I am.  We had lunch with him and his wife and had a great time reconnecting in person.  They've been to visit us in a few of the places we lived, and we and they are still hoping that they will make it to Alberta for a visit here.

Then it was on to the cousin's reunion on the shores of Lake Michigan.  Art and Linda have a small but lovely cottage right on the lakeshore, and most of the cousins from my father's side of the family were there.  With spouses there were 12 of us all together.  I hadn't known Linda very well, having seen her only twice over the years.  But we discovered common ground in our passion for knitting, and really connected with each other.  

After staying over night with Art and Linda we got up very early and caught the ferry, The Badger, from Ludington to Wisconsin.  A four hour trip across the lake and you've avoided driving around Chicago, which to me is practically a dragon's den, in terms of roads and traffic.  A short drive south and we were in Milwaukee, and the beginning of some holiday time for the two of us to share.

So next I'll show some pictures of interesting buildings we visited, starting with the marvelous Milwaukee Museum of Art, which was a highlight of our "tourist" time.