Canada 150 Trip to Ottawa

A Trip to Ottawa

These photos are in two general categories

Part One
July 1st and 2nd Family Get Togethers

Visiting with my sister Anne and our esteemed aunt Janet and her brother and sister-in-law Gilbert and Barbara and their daughter Vicki, myself from Windsor Ontario and cousins Marion and her fiancé Paul who are being married this September, and her sister Alison from metro Toronto, and their cousin on their father's side, Judy Schaber and her husband Michael Dacey of Kanata to the west of Ottawa, for the Canada 150 July 1st celebration and also a visit of our Scot's cousins (my father's and Uncle Gilbert and Aunt Janet's younger first cousin Kenneth Mackenzie and his son Robert in Canada to develop their business of Cullisse Highland Rapeseed Oil, featured in these first two photos with Robert.  The cooking oil is now available in select stores in all Canadian provinces, in addition to many other world markets.

July 1st gathering in Kanata.  Here are Janet Roy and Robert Mackenzie.

Lighting sparklers and relaxing after a lovely barbeque provided by Mike and Judy, 

and a shared toast of Drambuie by all to Canada, Paul and Marion, the Mackenzies 

and our general good will and blessings.

Photos below are from the following day, Sunday, July 2nd gathering
in Prescott, Ontario at Barbara and Gilbert and Vicki's country residence.

Paul Kennedy with Gilbert Jamieson and Kenneth Mackenzie

Below, after the gathering, returning to Ottawa, Anne and I enjoyed a visit
to the Swan on the Rideau Tavern, and old favourite for fish and chips
and some of the local brew.

Part Two

The other grouping of photos that follow are of visits throughout the 6 days
before the July 4th return to Windsor.

With friends James Welsh and his wife Alison Smith-Welsh, who I stayed with, a Canada Day visit to the Legion in Kanata where many of Alison and James relatives were gathered, golfing with James and their brother-in-law Ed on July 3rd, and departing day July 4th visits with friends Bonnie and Rene Luijkenaar, and an impromptu visit with Drew Paton who's wife Maggie Rolfe was unfortunately just away from the house.


The following photos are not in chronological sequence.  Part Two.

Bonnie Luijkenaar's marvellous Picasso-esque self profile done in ceramic, 

seen on a parting day visit with her and her spouse Rene.

Alison won the draw at the Legion in Kanata on Canada Day for a magnificent Maple Leaf quilt.

And it's off to the links of 9 holes at Anderson's golf course with Ed and James.

James Welsh, golfer

A nice birch tree grove along the way.

Bonnie and "Booie" which was Bonnie's nickname for me from the seven years we worked together in the 1970s at Transport Canada.  I will always be Booie.  Also, Bonnie and Rene's incredible Amazon Gray parrot Scarlet who did not mind at all joining in with us singing the melody to the "Bogie was all the Band could play".  It was a charming trio, I tell you. Scarlet, her cage and window looking all very Canada 150.

Booie and Rene.

The Anderson links have a great array of milkweed plants, and yes there were Monarch butterflies.

Ed Ramalho and James showing good form.

Back at James and Alison's enjoying some pickled eggs Anne had made.

Young Buster and the aging Lola.

Quite the retro and stylish golfing hat there, James!

Bruce, not showing good form.  Good for inspiration to visit the gym and pool, though.

Dear Lola, now getting cataracts.

At the Kanata Legion with Alison's mother Pat Smith, 

the distinguished water colourist who had a watercolour of 

hers donated to them combining Canadian icons of an actual beaver damn 

in the Ottawa river which had a maple leaf flag positioned on top of it.

James and his wonderful mother Anne.

Alison and my wonderful sister Anne enjoying some of Alison's eclectic collectables.

Thumbs up Ed!

Alison and the dear daschunds.

On hearing of her win of the wonderful quilt.

Pat, Ed, Alison, her father Conrad Smith, Anne Welsh

and Kim Ramalho and James sitting in front.

Nice to share their family gathering.

A very special fellow who very proudly break danced for the group at the Legion to some of the karaoke music that prevailed which also had others up dancing.  Very nice.

Departing morning visit with Drew Paton (tallest of these photos) 

and a passer-by from Mexico who asked for directions

and enjoyed sharing a Canada Day weekend conversation 

with a couple of Canucks.

I'll end this effort with Canada's motto "A Mari usque ad Mare," which is translated: "From Sea to Sea", "D'un océan à l'autre."

Happy actual and armchair travelling, tout le monde.