Upcoming knee surgery.

I am getting ready to go in for total knee replacement surgery in about ten days. I am not looking forward to the surgery, though, I am looking forward to be able to walk without pain. I have tried everything before I exhausted the options available to me. For the past four years I have been getting prolo-thearpy  injections, which helped push the surgery back by four years. But now, it is clear if I wish to have my former life back the only option left for me is replacement surgery. I intend to document my journey here so that I can remember how I felt and also share this blog with others who might be contemplating the same path I have chosen.

I saw my surgeon earlier this week, he felt like I was in good condition for my surgery. I have been taking iron tablets along with vitamin C to help with my blood count. I have been doing daily stretches of Yoga to keep my hamstrings in good shape. I have also been doing leg lifts so that my quads are in better shape. I want my surgery and post op to be as successful as possible. I have scheduled my physical therapy session after the surgery and am doing my best to prepare myself mentally and spiritually for this surgical procedure.

I do wish that I could have avoided knee replacement, many years of running, walking on hard surfaces and genetics played a role in the situation I find myself in today. When I see people who are running or, just out for a stroll, I am wistful. Because, that is one thing I am not able to do anymore. I have to carefully plan what activities I can do on a daily basis. If I need to go grocery shopping, then, that is the only outdoor activity I can plan for the day. Gone are the days when I could walk all over the mall, now I have to carefully plan how many stores I can go to, how much rest I will need in-between and where to park the car! All of this happened over a period of last fifteen years, slowly my mobility inched downwards. I came to the conclusion last year, after the birth of my granddaughter that I needed to be able to play with her, take her on nature walks, show her how to plant a garden. I want to be able to enjoy her fresh new world with her. After all, I moved to Portland to be closer to her. And, Portland is a city of walkers, bikers and all get out outdoors people!

I will share my journey here, if you wish to leave comments, please do so, I will do my best to answer you!

The numerology of 2014!

Welcome to 2014, a brand new year! Happy New Year to you!

The numerology of this year for the planet will be 7. This number is arrived at, by adding 2+1+ 4= 7. In numerology all the numbers are added and then reduced down to a single digit, except in the case of 11 and 22 which are master number, but more about that in another blog! Every number has positive qualities as well as challenging qualities. There are always two sides to the coin, with numerology it's no different.

7 means, this will be a spiritual and an introspective year for the planet. It will be a good financial year also! So, watch for the stock market to make new highs this year. It will be a year of fertile growth, look for mining stocks to be higher this year!

This will be a year of heightened spirituality. Hidden information will come to light and addictions will be on the rise. The challenging aspects of 7 are, being aloof, secretive and unavailable. Skepticism and confusion could also be present.

The best way to harness this energy for ourselves is to center ourselves, meditate and become introspective instead of relying on substances to heighten our senses. Enjoy the wisdom of 7, it's one of the gifts for us!

Numerology of 12/12/2012!

Well, everyone is abuzz about 12.12.12, as a numerologist nothing annoys me more than abbreviating the calendar date! Why, you ask? In numerology, we use the entire date to figure out it's significance. So, 12.12.12 is really 12.12. 2012! By not using all the numbers you are missing out on a key component!

In numerology all the numbers are added and then brought down to a single digit, except in the case of Master Numbers which happen to be 11 and 22.

Today's date would look like this when added up to bring it to a single digit. 1+2+1+2+2+0+1+2=11 which will not be reduced down to 2 since it is a Master Number.
However, when you regard today's date as 12.12.12 it adds up to 36, which in turn adds up to 9-- big difference from a master number 11 to 9!

So, what is the vibration of 11, a master number?
It is a higher vibration of the number two, since 11 is a master number.
Today will be a highly intuitive day for the planet.
It will be an altruistic day for the planet.
It heralds the promise of peace.
It's an idealistic number.
It is the number of compassion.
It is a visionary number.
The number of enlightenment.
Eleven is the number to raise spiritual awareness.
Eleven has the vibration of being able to see beauty in all things.
Eleven is the number of illumination.
The eleven vibration means that today we should all be able to see the bigger picture.
The negative of number eleven would be that we may all sit around and ponder too much and not have enough action!

Now that you know today is an 11 day what is it that you need to do? It's an eleven day for the planet, for us mere mortals we can ride the wave by being kinder, gentler and more spiritually inclined.

The date 12.21.2012, coming up in 9 days, will have the same vibration as today. It too will be an eleven day for the planet. I don't think the world will end, however, I do believe with these two eleven universal days so close together we will see changes. It is up to us to vibrate to the positive of the number eleven, let's hope that all of us can!

The medina at Fes

Today the day was spent walking in the labyrinth known as the Fes Medina, it dates back to the 9th century and really they don't want to change it anytime soon. No cars are allowed into the walled medina, not that they could even if they tried. Some of the lanes are just narrow enough to allow one person at a time. You can't be obese either, because you would not fit! Some people have to navigate going sideways.
The medina is full of shops everything is sold here. It reminded me a lot of the type of shops that are crammed together in Old Delhi as well as Connaught Place in New Delhi. People in Old Delhi don't want to change their ways either.
The streets are narrow winding and cobblestoned, I have no idea how everyone knows where they are going, to me it seemed we kept walking in a perpetual circle!
We did get to see many artisans create amazing one of a kind pottery pieces as well as watch weavers weave their threads into visual works of art. My first love being art, I wonder why I am still not throwing pots or weaving at the loom-- one day I am sure I will return to that.
It's time to leave Fes already, tomorrow we begin our Sahara Odyssey. I am anxious to touch the sand dunes of the Sahara!

Fes, Morocco.

It was a long drive to Fes, we stopped on the way to see Roman ruins. I stayed behind in the bus, it had been raining hard the weather was downright chilly and damp. I brought warm clothes with me but I was not prepared for the frigid weather we are experiencing here. The walk to the ruins looked long on uneven ground. I have not been sleeping well, nor am I getting enough nutrition. I decided to give my body a rest while the rest of the group trotted off. I needed alone time. I have come to the conclusion that I prefer traveling alone and on my own schedule. Nothing against the group I am traveling with, they are all caring individuals. It's just hard to sit across from people who are consuming meat, while I eat the same overcooked veggies again and again...
At least when I am by myself, I am responsible for finding a restaurant of my own choice. I am not locked into a designated place where the group has to eat. Also, my own schedule involves waking up when the body is ready. I don't do well when I have to be up early. I am now too used to going at my own pace.
Well, enough about that! I am very surprised at the country of Morocco, my images of this place have been arid and hot-- not so, it's lush, cold and wet! I am sure the Sahara Dessert will be different. Though our tour guide keeps telling us we are here in the middle of the winter. It's strange to see palm trees lining the streets of the towns while it's so damn cold!
We stopped on the way to Fes by the roadside, where people who had collected truffles were selling them. They had a unique way to advertising their wares. Little mounds of cone shaped mud are placed atop boxes or tins along the hi-way a few hundred yards apart, and then finally, many cones are placed on iron bars, drawing attention to the final 'sculpture'. This is the location where the farmer with the truffles can be found. Here in Morocco, they have trained dogs to find the highly prized mushrooms, because the pigs would find and eat them. Dogs just find them!
Our guide Mohamed bought a few, he has promised to make them for us while we are roughing it in the dessert. At least I will get to eat something different than mush veggies!
Well, dinner was the same veggies in a filo pastry, I think they were trying to fool me with a different presentation. Ha! They didn't succeed !
Tomorrow we go to the Medina of Fes. This should be interesting since this place is a throwback to the ninth century. I am looking forward to the sounds and aromas of the open air market.

Rabat, Morocco!

I am making this entry from Rabat, Morocco. My good friends Gwen and Jim were supposed to be on this trip with me, but a couple of weeks ago, Gwen injured herself, so here I am in exotic Morocco with a group of people I don't know. However, I find myself feeling comfortable, even though I travel alone most of the time, it's good to share this experience and meet new people.
It took a long time to get here, I left Oklahoma on Jan. 24, and got here around 3 p.m Jan 25. Today the day was spent touring Rabat, Morocco's capital. This is a very panoramic country. The history of Morocco is rich with Berber/Arab heritage, Roman ruins, mosques all cohabiting in perfect harmony. Morocco is under a monarchy which does not rule, there is a prime minister and unlike other Muslim countries, women do have more of an equal footing here. Though, I did notice most of them do wear the "hijab" which is a head covering that Muslim women wear in public as part of their faith.
My main reason for coming here is the Sahara Dessert, it has always beckoned me, must be a past life memory! We will spend a couple of nights in the dessert sleeping in tents under the open sky. I hope it will be a clear night so I can witness the beauty of the night sky. See the stars of the Milky Way clearly as seen on no place else on the planet.
I have been disappointed in the food here, I think that is part of being a tour group, where the meals are paid for in advance and they do cater to the meat eater. I think either I should pay less for a group tour or I should be afforded the same type of choices -- only vegetarian! This is something I will address with the tour company when I return home. I do know that Moroccan cuisine has veggie choices, I am just not getting to taste any.
We have another early morning bus ride tomorrow, we will be on our way to the city of Fes. If, the connection to the internet is stable I will pen my next entry from there. This passage is being written while I sit in the lobby of the hotel, while listening to really bad elevator music, which is not helping me write more eloquently!
More tomorrow...

Baking in Oklahoma...

I have been home for about two weeks and am already tired of record breaking high temps! I have no idea how the rest of my fellow Oklahomans survived this incredibly hot, hot summer. I came home to many shrubs toasted by the heat even though my lovely neighbour Valerie watered them.

The trip across Canada now seems like a very long dream! Friends ask me what was my favorite Canadian Province? I must say picking one is hard to do because the adventure was crossing Canada. Though, I did like Newfoundland, because it is so remote, and getting there was it's own journey. Prince Edward Island had a lot of charm going for it. Though Manitoba and Sasketchewan reminded me of the same type of prairie landscape I am used to here in the heartland of America. And of course, Beautiful British Columbia is aptly named! So, I would have to answer that question with-- which was my least favorite? That would have to be Quebec.

Most likely I will not travel across Canada as I did this summer. I may go to a few provinces again just to explore them more thoroughly. I would like to go back to Manitoba and see Lake Winnipeg again. Revisit Moose Jaw Sasketchewan, and spend time at the hot springs there. I would enjoy spending a couple of weeks in Newfoundland and take the ferry across to Labrador too. Prince Edward Island certainly deserves more exploration!

Before I do any more traveling to those provinces, I have decided that I will have to visit the Northwest Territories in northern Canada. One can drive all the way to the Arctic Circle and experience daylight for twenty four hours of the day! Now THAT sounds like a road trip!

In Vancouver!

We were both so exhausted last night after our ordeal of being stuck on hi-way 93, that neither one had enough energy to chat. We both went to sleep almost immediately. Shushma and I woke up early this morning, we both decided if it was at all possible to make it home by the evening we would do so.
After breakfast we hoped and prayed that TCH going west beyond Golden was in good shape. We wanted no more hi-way drama in our lives!
We were on the road by 9:30 a.m., gratefully the hi-way was not closed and the open road lay in front of us. I was most concerned about Rogers Pass through the Canadian Rockies near Revelstoke, I had traveled this stretch of the road before and remember it's beauty and the road's curvaceous nature! This pass is certainly the crowing glory of the Trans Canada Hi-way. The road is carved around the mountains and at times goes through the mountains with five tunnels. It is a sight to behold! The tunnels add a measure of protection from avalanches. Many railway workers were killed at Rogers Pass due to avalanches.
We filled up on gasoline every opportunity we had and we used the bathroom facilities at every stop we made! My sister is used to having her iPhone work in every location, however, it does not work in the Canadian Rockies! I think at times cell phone towers intrude on the scenic beauty of this planet and I was grateful the ugly things were nowhere to be found on these majestic mountains-- having said that, you are in a tough spot if you need help, there is no way of calling for aid. Though, there are plenty of other drivers that can be of assistance, it's not like driving to Alaska where for stretches of road my car was the only car on the road!
We stopped by Shuswap lake for lunch, we sat in the car with the top down and enjoyed our pizza and a Coke, took a couple of pictures, talked a bit more about our incredulous journey; marveled at our unique experience and then, we were back on the road.
We made it home by the evening and now it was time to relay our story to family and friends who were surprised, shocked, dumbfounded, but were glad to have two sisters home safe and sound from their excellent adventure!
For me it has been a phenomenal journey, I can look back and really appreciate the road I have been on for the past twenty five days. It took a long time to get here, yet easily one could spend another month on the road. After a while the familiar begins to beckon and the road stretched out in front looks alien. Soon it will be time to go home and sleep in my own bed!

Mini road trip with Shushma!

My sister Shushma arrived in Calgary at 2 a.m. about three hours later than her scheduled time due to a cancelled flight-- that set the stage for our mini road trip! After we awoke, we headed down to the dinning room for breakfast. We decided we would head to Banff National Park and then Lake Louise. Then, call it a night in Golden BC. It all seemed perfectly feasible, a leisurely day of sightseeing and conversation.
So, off we went; my sister and I are not navigators, it's like the blind leading the blind-- but somehow we both manage to get where we are going. We call it intuitive driving!
As we were driving towards Banff, I noticed a sign on the side of the road which said "TCH (Trans Canada Hi-way) closed take 93 south" I looked over at Shush and asked her if that meant us? She looked back at me and said "No, I am sure they wouldn't close hi-way one" Without giving the sign a second thought we continued towards Banff and got there in plenty of time. We decided to go up on Sulfur mountain in a gondola. We were more interested in the ride up than being up on the mountain, so we turned right around and went down in the same gondola we came up in. The young man who was taking photographs thought it was an awfully expensive ride.
After we came down, we headed out to Lake Louise which is a glacial lake, I was in Banff about thirty years ago and remembered how pristine this lake is. After our little excursion of Lake Louise we got back on TCH towards Golden BC, only to come to a road block where workers were turning people around. As we approached the flagmen, we were informed TCH was closed due to a mud slide; in order to get to Golden we have to go on 93 south to a town called Radium which was only another 100 kilometers away and then catch 95 north to Golden.
This seemed inconvenient but there was no other option, we figured we would still get to Golden by about 7 p.m. However, that is not how this was to day was supposed to end!
About thirty kilometers (approx. 18 miles) from Radium we came to a dead stop. There was a stream of cars ahead of us stopped. We both speculated as to what could be the cause of this traffic jam. We concluded there must be a wreck and we would be moving soon enough. But, thirty minutes later when we still had not moved an inch, we thought it has to be another mud slide or rock slide. At this point we both began to look at the map to see if there was any other way to get out of this predicament. We had made reservations in a hotel in Golden, since we were on our way to Vancouver and the only way to get there was through Golden, we decided to stay put and wait out the traffic congestion. About an hour passed, we had barely move a few hundred feet. I turned the car off since I was not sure if I had enough gasoline to keep idling and still reach Golden. The thought of running out of gas was an added stress to an already stressful situation.
Another hour passed, we moved another few hundred feet and again stopped. Not knowing the cause of the delay was just as frustrating as being stuck in a parking lot on the hi-way. I was quite impressed by the calmness all the drivers exhibited. A few people had to go into the bushes to take care of full bladders. One man next to our car decided not to be modest and relieved himself in plain view. He did however keep his back to us. But, even then it was unpleasant to witness! I am so grateful that both of us had used the bathroom in Banff.
We had now been waiting for three hours with very little progress. At this point, I looked at the map more closely and realized that 93 south meets 95 north at a T junction in Radium, I came to the conclusion that there has to be a traffic light at the junction, which is the reason we move a little and then come to a complete stop. My sister thought that is not possible-- she is a woman who lives in the city! I have seen and traveled through too many rural towns to know this is how roads are carved out.
Five hours later at long last, we get to the end of the road in Radium, where finally, the cause of our five hours of misery would be revealed. It was indeed a T junction but instead of a traffic light it was a four way stop light! I was stupefied! I could not believe the reason we had been at a virtual standstill for the past five hours was due to a 4-way stop light! There were two road workers who were directing traffic, trying desperately to keep the flow moving. To make matters worse, the town of Radium had run out of gas because many people thought they'd fill up their tanks there. Fortunately we did have enough gas to get to Golden, we arrived there at 11:30 p.m.
I am amazed that in a province where mudslides are common place that something like this is allowed to happen. To have just one small sign saying TCH closed and not to have any type of contingency plan in place. To inconvenience thousands of travelers with no forewarning; certainly there was no organization to alleviate the immense amount of distress caused by something that could have been so easily avoided!
I am embarrassed this happened in the province I call home for every summer.

Calgary, Alberta.

My day started off with grace this morning! As I was checking out of my hotel, I turned and looked at the dinning area where breakfast was served only to realize I had missed it. I lamented the fact that I missed breakfast when Myrinna, who was processing my payment offered to get me a muffin for the road. Appreciatively I accepted, she asked Janie the hostess to grab a muffin for me. We all got to talking when I told them about my epic journey across Canada. Most often people are amazed that I am doing this by myself, and usually the next remark is "You go girl!"
I found out that Myrinna has never been away from Sasketchewan, but Janie on the other hand has lived in many different provinces. She decided that she wanted to retire in a small friendly town such as Moose Jaw. As we continued to talk about our lives, both the ladies decided I needed fruit for the road too and a glass of juice also. I am always heart warmed by people's simple acts of kindness. With a great bran muffin and all my other goodies I headed out on the Trans Canada Hi-way.
I neglected to take photos of Sasketchewan yesterday, thinking today there would be plenty of time to stop and take a snap shot or two. Not so, it rained the entire day and soon I was crossing over to Alberta. Well, I will just have to contend with the memories I have in my mind and the ball cap I got yesterday. Manitoba and Sasketchewan both look like parts of Kansas and the panhandle of Texas.
The drive was a bit stressful since the rain was steady and heavy, though I have to give credit to most Canadian drivers, they stay in the left lane only to overtake leaving the left lane virtually empty. Little things like that make my day!
The next act of grace came a bit later in the day as I was searching for a good vegetarian restaurant. I spied a billboard claiming to have the best Indian food! Well, say no more! I decided to find it in the town called Medicine Hat. I got there just as they were closing up after lunch, disappointed I asked the owner when the restaurant would open again? He asked me to come inside and sit down, he prepared a vegetarian plate for me. Another gesture of kindness! The name of the restaurant is The Spice Route and the owner's name is Shir Brar. The food was indeed exceptional.
After lunch, Calgary was only a couple of hours away, I drove through rain and realized that today is the end of my solo journey. Tomorrow my sister will be with me. As much as I am looking forward to seeing her, I am a bit sad today that this part of my adventure has ended. Tomorrow will be a different kind of a road trip.

Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan!

You gotta love the name Moose Jaw! I was going to stay in Regina the capital of Saskatchewan, but decided to drive a bit further to Moose Jaw so that I would be closer to Calgary. My sister Shushma is going to fly up from Vancouver to meet me and then we will have a mini road trip together. I have traveled with my younger sister Sadhna many times but Shushma and I have never gone on a road trip before. So, when her busy schedule allowed her to sneak away for a couple of days we decided to meet each other in Calgary and take advantage of this rare opportunity. She will get to see the most picturesque part of Canada, since we will be crossing the Canadian Rockies! I will be very grateful to have a driving partner!
This morning, I was still on the hunt for some type of a souvenir from Winnipeg. My hotel staff were not very helpful and I was unable to find anything. It's not that I want to buy a ton of stuff, that is not my style, but I so wanted a T shirt with lake Winnipeg on it. Well, some things are just not meant to be.
I got on the road towards Saskatchewan, it didn't take long to leave Manitoba, these two provinces are very narrow but, are long northwards. Saskatchewan is not as lush looking as Manitoba and the tress here are shorter. My family who live in Vancouver thought the drive through the prairies would be dull and boring, I find it to be the exact opposite. I love the fact that I had an almost 360 degree panoramic view of the earth, flat land covered in hues of green, yellow and the colour of mud meeting the blue of the sky at the horizon, with just a few white clouds to add drama to the sky. Nothing could be finer! The temps were in the upper seventies, the top was down on the car, the music was cranked up and I was having a wonderful time!
I got to Moose Jaw around dinner time, decided to eat Greek food tonight, but I was sadly disappointed with the variety as well as the taste. It's hard to be a vegetarian, to look at the choices on the menu that all sound good if only they could be vegetarian options instead of meat. As a vegetarian there is always just one choice in a menu filled with at least 20-30 meat choices-- c'est la vie!
I was able to find a ball cap from a store with the logo of a moose, with Moose Jaw written across the top, I think it will be a treasure to have!

Winnipeg!

Well, I am finally out of Ontario, thank the Maker! As I left my hotel room this morning I stopped at a grocery store to pick up some fruit. The town of Ignace is very small, population is about fourteen hundred people. Most everyone I spoke with was complaining about the heat wave this region is experiencing. I smiled at the fact they think temps in the nineties is a heat wave! As I was driving out of Ontario, I stopped and took some more pictures of their solid granite hills and more stone sculptures. I could not resist stacking a few small stones of my own. I too wanted to leave behind a "Sunita sculpture"!
As soon as I crossed over to Manitoba, the terrain changed almost immediately. Instead of granite hills I was in flat land and could see for miles. I wonder how that happens, crossing from one state or province to another and all of a sudden the topography is different. I have noticed that in the United States also, it's almost as if who ever drew the lines for the boundaries did it deliberately.
Tomorrow, I will visit Lake Winnipeg, it is the eleventh largest fresh water lake on the planet and it's about an hour's drive from Winnipeg. Even though right now I am tired of driving, I think I must go and see this lake and dip my toe in it, especially since I didn't get to dip my toe in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Newfoundland! But, first, I am sleeping in tomorrow.

Lake Winnipeg.

Today i decided to drive to Lake Winnipeg. I went to Grand Beach which has a white sand beach, I have never seen a lake with a white sandy beach. So, off I went on Hwy. 59 towards Grand Beach, it's about an hour's drive from Winnipeg. The lake is apparently under duress from nitrogen and phosphorus seeping into the lake. Algae is growing at a remarkable rate and it is killing the lake. It is the eleventh largest freshwater lake in the world and now there is a movement underway to save the lake and clean it up. I hope they will be successful.
I got to Grand Beach and saw the white sand beach I was transported back to the times I have taken my children and nephew to the beach. My son Mahesh would sit at the water's edge fighting waves, while my daughter Reina and I would build sand castles. My son and Sudhir (my nephew) would dig giant holes and just sit in them! It was fun to see families frolicking in the water. I asked a woman to take a picture of me with the lake as the backdrop, her name is Jan, she was there with her daughter and grandchildren. We got to talking about my epic journey across Canada. It's always good to converse with people share stories and exchange ideas.
After Grand Beach, I decided to drive to Gimli at the suggestion of the hotel staff. It's a resort town; I wanted to be able to find a T-shirt with a rendition of Lake Winnipeg, I have developed an affinity for this lake. As hard as I tried to find a shirt, none was available. I would make a ton of money in this small town, because I would design an absolute bevy of Lake Winnipeg shirts! I asked my waitstaff, Linda if she was aware of any gift shops that may sell shirts or hats, she pointed me to a store around the corner, but alas, they too didn't have anything! Discouraged, I left Gimli and headed back towards Winnipeg, on the way I noticed among the fields of green, every so often there were groves of trees. As I looked closely, I realized that in the middle of the groves; nestled were houses. The only indication that anyone lived in the small wooded patch was a small dirt road leading towards a house and perhaps a mailbox by the side of the road. I can understand why the trees are grown in this manner, they surround the house, protect the homestead from wind as well as heat. A small oasis!
It was a fun day to explore a small part of Manitoba, tomorrow I head towards Sasketchewan. I have been fascinated with all the Canadian Provinces for a long time. I am so glad I get to see each of them in their unique way.

Still in Ontario!

I have no idea how long it will take to get out of Ontario, it's like California, it goes on forever! I will be in Manitoba tomorrow for sure. I am looking forward to being in Winnipeg, just the name makes me smile.
Today most of the day was spent driving through Ontario, at times I was by Lake Superior, it's an immense lake, the only problem was that there were very few turn offs to get closer to the lake. That is one thing which is so different than in the USA. In America lots of points of interest are available right off the road, with plenty of signs showing you when a turn off is coming. Not so in Canada. That was disappointing. On the way the road is dotted with numerous lakes, three in particular caught my attention; one was Mom lake, next came Baby lake and then Dad lake! I would have liked to have been able to stop and take photographs of the three lakes, but there was no room on the side of the hi-way. Since the road is just a two lane hi-way and the shoulder is very narrow it was not possible to pull over to take pictures. I guess I will have to depend on my memory to remember. I was able to take a photograph of stone sculptures that I am assuming young people make and leave atop of giant rocks by the side of the road. I began to notice them as I began to get into rural Ontario. Through the entire area of Ontario beginning with Sudbury and continuing to Thunder Bay people have defaced rocks with names, which makes me sad, it takes away from the natural majestic beauty of the immense rocks. However, seeing the small rock sculptures made me smile each time. They are usually made with small rocks on either side to make the legs and then a large horizontal rock to make the body and arms, then a small rock to make the head. They stand as if to bid you welcome. While driving the wonder of nature keeps me occupied and I truly enjoy this spiritual connection with the earth.
Tonight I am staying in Ignace Ontario, my hotel room is a throwback to the seventies, except for the internet. The furnishings and keys remind me of the times I took my little children on a cross country trip and stayed in some shady locations!
I have not been able to find too many vegetarian choices for breakfast, lunch or dinner. I am looking forward to being in Vancouver and eating some fresh veggies. I have been stopping at local grocery stores and picking up some fruit, that seems to make the lack of good veggie choices a bit easier to tolerate.

Wawa Ontario.

I do believe that I am getting tired of driving! I didn't think I would ever say those words! I have been on the road now for eighteen days and really do wish the trip had already ended. I have slowed my pace somewhat, for some reason my right shoulder is sore and it has been difficult to drive for long periods of time without a break.
I left Sudbury this morning in a leisurely manner, the hotel I had stayed in offered me a complimentary brunch since the night before rowdy teenagers had kept me awake until 4 a.m. I was grateful for an understanding hotel manager.
As I was driving through on the Trans Canada Hi-way I noticed a sign for spicy Indian food-- of course I had to stop and see this place! Inside I was met by two friends who were having Sunday brunch with each other. They invited me to sit and join them, while the proprietor made "channa biriyani" for me. the owner is from Pakistan and the two gentlemen who were enjoying their brunch were from Canada.

Farewell Toronto.

I woke up this morning with a heavy heart, knowing I will be leaving and I have no idea when I will see Farzana, Shablee and their family again. Farzana had invited both her children and their spouses and her grandchildren to lunch today. All I have done is eat splendid food the entire time I have been here. I feel like I have stayed at a five star hotel!
The vegetarian feast before us was splendid and the conversation jovial. I got to meet Sabrina, Adil's wife. Both Adil and Sabrina work in their respective careers and are raising two adorable sons. Shayaan their incredibly smart son sat next to me, he is fascinated by my journey and Spitfire (my car). He wanted to have his picture taken in the car, so of course I obliged. Their younger son Rayaan is also very curious, though I didn't get a chance to get to know him. It was really wonderful to see Adil and Nadia again, the last time I saw them they were both teenagers and still living at home. Nadia has grown into a lovely young woman and Adil is a very handsome young man. Both of them have married people that match their personalities. Nadia has always been a quiet and observant person. Chad her husband is an easy person to converse with and he is a good listener. Adil is married to Sabrina who in the short time that I was with her, seems to be a lively conversationist and is beautiful.
After our lunch it was time to start packing and heading out. It's never easy to say goodbye to loved ones, staying another day seems so appealing, though at some point a person has to leave. It's best to leave while your hosts are still enjoying your company and not waiting for you to leave!
We took our photos hugged and cried, hugged some more and made promises to see each other sooner than another twenty years. I got in the car and drove off. Toronto traffic was heavy even though it was a Saturday afternoon, though soon enough I was out of the city and onto the open road. Misty eyed I drove on and stopped for the night in Sudbury Ontario.

Catching up...

I slept really well, Farzana had made a wonderful vegetarian dinner, we sat around the dinner table catching up on the last twenty years! We talk on a regular basis but face to face contact has been very limited. This morning Shablee had made breakfast for all of us. He is a good cook, though, no one can top the way Farzana cooks!
In the afternoon, we looked at old photographs of the times I have not been able to share with my friend. We sat on the floor reminiscing about the time when we were both young mothers and now our children are grown and leading their own lives. Farzana's daughter Nadia came to visit with her husband Chad, it was good to see her. She and her husband are both teachers and seem to enjoy working in the Canadian school system.
Nadia wanted to know what was my favorite portion of the trip so far, of course spending time in Toronto has been a wonderful respite, I told her my choice picks would have to be Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland. They have been thinking about taking a trip to the east and my journey may just prompt them to go there in the near future.
Tomorrow I will be leaving and continuing my journey, a part of me does not want to leave, I wish Farzana and I lived closer so that we could see each other more often; the way we used to when we lived in London.

In Toronto!

I left Quebec, in fact I was eager to leave that Province, I felt like I was in a foreign country! I was able to get to Toronto by dinner time. My dear friend Farzana and her husband Shablee had made a wonderful dinner! So good to eat homemade Indian food after having been on the road for so long! Farzana has two adorable grandsons, I got a chance to visit with them before their father took them home. To me her grandsons reminded me of her son Adil when both of us were young mothers. Our friendship is now decades old, I am grateful that we have continued to stay in touch with each other. This trip across Canada had a two fold purpose; one was to drive across Canada to Vancouver to see my siblings and the other was to see Farzana! We met each other in London while we were both teenagers. When I moved away from London, the only way we could stay in touch was by writing letters to each other-- in other words snail mail! When she moved to Toronto, it was so much easier because then we were able to talk on the phone. I will stay with Farzana until Saturday and I hope to spend some time with both her children and their spouses, after that I will begin my journey again.

Quebec.

Quebec is my least favorite Province. All of Canada is bi-lingual in their hi-way markings except Quebec-- the only writing here is in French, don't they realize they are in Canada and not France? I stopped at a gas station to fill up and buy something to eat, none of the attendants would speak to me in English they just kept barking at me in French. I can understand a little bit of French, I used to be able to get by when I was in high school, but that was a long time ago! I am anxious to get out of Quebec as quickly as possible. The last time I was here was for the '76 summer Olympics in Montreal and I remember how frustrating it was to get anywhere, well, it has not changed a whit!
If I could have avoided Quebec altogether I would have, but that was not possible. I am looking forward to seeing my friend Farzana tomorrow, today leaving PEI was a little tough, I got in a couple last shots of another church and then it was onto the Confederation Bridge with a toll of $43.00 I guess they have to pay for that one billion price tag!

Anne of Green Gables!

The farm where Lucy Maud Montgomery based her book Anne of Green Gables is a National Historic Monument. It was fun to see the haunted woods come to life as I walked around the farm house. The farm house has been decorated to look like the place Anne grew up. It was enjoyable to see the book come to life, they have done a good job of keeping this piece of history alive.
It was a very pleasant drive to the town of Cavendish. Every town in P.E.I. is very accessible. It took only forty five minutes to get there from Charlottetown. I was in no hurry, so I drove slowly taking in the serene beauty of this island. Stopping every time I spotted a white church with a steeple. There's something about a white church with a long spire against the blue sky that has always appealed to me. Of course, I am always fascinated by the graveyards next to these tiny churches. As a Hindu where cremation is our way of paying final respect to the body, I find burial of a body interesting. On the one hand it gives the ones left behind a place to memorialize the final resting place of a loved one. On the other hand, a lot of land is devoted to dead people. As an environmentalist I find that to be wasteful, I can also see the comfort a final resting place brings to friends and family members. It is hard to go to the River Ganga in India, every time a Hindu misses the ones who are gone!
I had an extremely pleasant day, even though the day started off with rain and overcast sky. I was determined not to let that be a hinderance. I slept in and woke up when my body felt ready and then, after breakfast, I was off to explore. The day turned out quite well, every so often the clouds would part and allow the sun to peak out. The temps were in the upper seventies, which allowed me to have the top down for most of my sightseeing.
Tomorrow the driving begins again, this time the destination is Toronto, I am going to visit my childhood friend Farzana who lives in Toronto with her family. We have not seen each other in about twenty years. We speak with each other regularly and keep abreast of each other's lives. It will be wonderful to see her again.