R is for Road Trippin’ #AtoZChallenge

On April 20, 2018 By Widow BadassIn A2Z Challenge Post, Goals & Dreams, Good Times, Retirement, Roadtripping23 Comments

In the summer, I like to hit the road. Whether for a few hours, a day, or a weekend – the long, temperate days and good driving conditions make it a joy to range further afield.

I have plans for taking much longer road trips, once I am retired. I wrote about that here (during last year’s A-Z Challenge), and also here.

I am still thinking about this almost daily and flip-flopping between a trailer to pull behind me or a small RV (when I am not calculating how many nights’ stay in motel rooms would come close to the cost of either of these options – even second-hand). 😉

I am fortunate that my home is zoned commercial/residential, which means I can park a trailer or RV year-round on my property, even though I am in town – I checked with the by-law officer a few years ago.

My fantasy rig has me road tripping in full-on glamping style:

And the exterior looks something like this, on my fantasy trailer.

So far my pros and cons list for each type looks something like this:

Small trailer Pros

Roomier
Can leave at campsite while using vehicle to explore surrounding area
Better for extended stays somewhere

Small trailer Cons

Have to learn to tow
Entering/leaving my driveway will be difficult (incline, and on busy street)
Need bigger vehicle than I currently own, in order to tow even the tiniest trailer

Camping Van Pros

Can fit in regular parking space
Easier to drive and manoeuvre
Better for trips in which only planning to stay 1-2 nights max in each place
Can rent one to try out before I buy

Camping Van Cons

Now I have to own and maintain 2 motor vehicles
Have to pack up the campsite every time I need to go to town or do some local exploring
Less space to move around in

I’m currently leaning towards the camping van, as I envision my first few years of road trips will be more driving around than staying in one place. Perhaps I could pack a bike or an electric scooter, for local exploring.

No matter what I decide upon, once I am retired I can chase summer year-round….Canadian road-tripping in the summer, and heading south of the border in the winter.

What about you? Is road-tripping your thing too? Any thoughts or advice to share? What would you choose – a trailer or an RV?

Rock on,

The WB

Can you guess my theme for this year’s A-Z Challenge? All of my A-Z posts this month will be tied into my theme, which is represented by the title of a song that was popular when I was a child. Can you figure it out as the days (and posts) go by? Leave your guesses (one per day only, please) in the comments. At the end of the challenge, I will reveal the theme. Have fun!

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Q is for Quiet Nights under the Setting Sun, Moon and Stars #AtoZChallenge

On April 19, 2018 By Widow BadassIn A2Z Challenge Post, Good Times, The Great Outdoors6 Comments

Ahhh, those summer nights!

Heading for a nighttime canal cruise in Amsterdam

Sun setting at my sister’s place on Corry Lake

And further to yesterday’s post about spending time on the patio:

Looking forward to those summer nights on the patio, once again

Summer nights are the best, for just being. What are your favourite ways to spend a summer night?

Rock on,

The WB

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P is for Patio Time #AtoZChallenge

On April 18, 2018April 18, 2018 By Widow BadassIn A2Z Challenge Post, Good Times13 Comments

My aunt and uncle’s incredible patio, in the Netherlands. Inspiring!

In the summer, I do a lot of living on the Badass Rooftop Patio.

Trying out new camping gear on the patio

I love patio life – anywhere, anytime in the good weather.

Montreal brasserie patio – with Mizz CJ and her pup (and beers)

In Cleveland, on a restaurant patio with my son and his girl.

In Barbados, overlooking the ocean at Butterfly Beach Resort

Do you enjoy spending time on the patio? Where is your favourite patio?

Rock on,

The WB

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O is for Open-Toed Shoes #AtoZChallenge

On April 17, 2018 By Widow BadassIn A2Z Challenge Post, Hmmm?19 Comments

In the warm weather, I like to wear open-toed shoes. I include sandals in this grouping.

I also really like shoes, and boots.

I decided to take a picture of my open-toed shoe collection today, since it is freezing rain out as I am creating this post, and the furthest thing from open-toed shoe weather as imaginable. As one does.

The whole open-toed shoe-bang, I think. I might be missing a couple of pair of flip-flops.

I get the feeling my staff think I own too many shoes. Whenever a package is delivered to me at the office, they hand it to me and say “Shoes?” Ditto if they see me at my computer with my credit card out. “Buying shoes?”

I didn’t buy these all in one season, you know!

What about you? How many pairs of open-toed shoes do you own?

Rock on,

The WB

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N is for Niagara Falls #AtoZChallenge

On April 16, 2018 By Widow BadassIn A2Z Challenge Post, Good Times, See the Beauty16 Comments

I grew up 90 minutes away from one of the biggest tourist attractions in the province of Ontario, dare I say in all of Canada: Niagara Falls.

My newly immigrated parents honeymooned at Niagara Falls, back in 1954. Their honeymoon consisted solely of a day trip to the Falls and stopping for Chinese food on the way home, because it was all they could afford. They didn’t even have a camera at that time so they could take photos.

However, when you are newly immigrated to Canada, and your relatives from the Netherlands (a different set every summer) want to visit, it means a lot of return trips to Niagara Falls and plenty of opportunities to take pictures.

So since their honeymoon, my parents managed to fill albums with photos of the yearly summer pilgrimage to the Falls. Here are just a few:

My mother and her mother at the base of the falls, 1964

Tante (Aunt) Bep (actually my grandmother’s cousin) and Oom (Uncle) Joe, at Niagara Falls 1968?

L-R: Tante Bep, Oom Joe, Baby Sis, Me, Lil Sis, Mom – in front of the Floral Clock. Dad behind the camera, natch. 1968?

Floral Clock Niagara Falls, 1980s? (based on jogging suit I spy, just right of centre)

Oom Henk at Niagara Falls, 1980s (based on acid-wash jacket)

I think I have been to Niagara Falls almost every summer since I have been alive.

There are pictures of me pregnant, pictures of me with the kids of varying ages, pictures of me with my ex, pictures of me with my last husband. And lots and lots of pictures of the Falls.

I’ve even ran a half-marathon at the Falls – in 2015.

Mom joins me to cross the finish line. One of my favourite shots of us. She wouldn’t finish out the year.

No doubt this summer I will be there again.

Do you have a place that you like to visit every summer?

Rock on,

The WB

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M is for Music Festivals #AtoZChallenge

On April 14, 2018April 14, 2018 By Widow BadassIn A2Z Challenge Post, Good Times, Music9 Comments

Steven Tyler of Aerosmith, BIG Music Fest July 2014

I have loved seeing live acts since I was in my early teens. I love it now more than ever and I discussed that here.

And there is nothing I love more than music, in the outdoors, in the summer. Yep, the summer music festival.

The last few years have been amazing for summer music festivals. Acts are touring like crazy lately, in order to make money. And this widow is happy to take advantage. (I think it may have peaked last year but there are still plenty to choose from.)

Aerosmith, Sunday Headliner at BIG Music Fest 2014

Dave Navarro of Jane’s Addiction, BIG Music Fest July 2015

The Glorious Sons @ the CNE, August 2015

Junkanoo, Hillside Music Festival July 2016

The Temperance Movement, Toronto Festival of Beer July 2016 (OK, not technically a music festival but it still rocked!)

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Bloemendaal, The Netherlands, August 2016

The only downside (for me) of outdoor music festivals is taking your chances on the weather. I’ve been at these events where the temps were over 30 degrees Celsius and there was no shade to be had. I’ve also been stuck outdoors all day and night at 12 degrees Celsius, where the kids and I huddled together under our picnic blanket for warmth, while we watched the acts. I’ve also been rained on.

But the majority of music festivals I’ve attended have been in great weather. Which is why summer music festivals rock!

Rock on,

The WB

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L is for Lazy #AtoZChallenge

On April 13, 2018April 13, 2018 By Widow BadassIn A2Z Challenge Post, Good Times22 Comments

There is something about the summer that just inspires laziness and overall enjoyment of life, doncha think?

The heat and the humidity tell us to slow down and spend some time on the porch or patio (or the hammock if you are lucky enough to have one), during the heat of the day or evening.

However, thanks to air conditioning, and the generally hectic pace of modern life, we seldom slow down anymore no matter how hot it gets. In this regard, we are going against nature.

Do you see animals working hard in the heat, of their own accord? Nope, they are lazing in some shady spot, eyeing us humans and no doubt wondering why we are acting so damn crazy.

Karen made a thought-provoking post on her blog, Profound Journey, a couple of days ago, regarding slowing down and doing nothing. Not only is the post worth a read (as all of hers are), but the comments are as well. Most of us are doing too much and feeling guilty, should we be doing “nothing”. Whatever doing “nothing” means to you.

For some of us it is anytime we are not doing “something” for someone else.

For others it is whenever we are not producing “something” or going somewhere to do “something”.

For most of us, it is when we feel we are not using our time efficiently – we are “wasting time”, doing “nothing”. Or “nothing in particular”.

We are being lazy, by doing “nothing”.

But what if we reframe this and call it something else? I just downloaded the digital version ($2.65 on Kobo!) of a book I borrowed from the library many years ago. This book opened my mind to the revolutionary (to me) idea that doing “nothing” is vital to creativity and the spirit. Back in the ’80s, when I first read If You Want to Write, this book was already old. It was first published in 1938.

I recommend this book, even if you are not a writer. Ms. Ueland was ahead of her time.

“So you see, imagination needs moodling, – long, inefficient, happy idling, dawdling and puttering.” If you want to write – Brenda Ueland

Moodling. What a great, old-fashioned word that needs to make a comeback! Let’s not call our lovely, empty days or hours being “lazy” or doing “nothing”. Why not write “moodling” or “moodle time” or “gone moodling” in your calendar instead?

I’ve grown to love moodling. And I ~~hardly even~~ don’t feel guilty about it, anymore.

And if you’re new to the concept of moodling, the long, languid days of summer are the perfect time to start working on your moodle game. Abandon any air-conditioned spaces and find a nice shady spot to stretch out in, with a good book and a cold bevvy. It’ll help start you on the right~~eous~~ path. (You get bonus points if you doze off!)

Let’s make this the Summer of ~~Laziness~~ Moodling.

Rock (and moodle) on,

The WB

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K is for Kayaking #AtoZChallenge

On April 12, 2018 By Widow BadassIn A2Z Challenge Post, The Great Outdoors20 Comments

In the summer, I need to be near water. I want to be in it or on it. Luckily I live in a province blessed with, and bounded by rivers and lakes.

I live very close to water. Because of this I have invested in some watercraft, with which to get my butt onto the water. I briefly considered getting a canoe. But for stability and manoeuverability on relatively calm waters, a kayak can’t be beat, in my opinion. Behold my kayak collection:

Kayak Parking Only. My pink sit-on-top: “Pink Floyd”, ready to be wheeled down to the Speed River, with a mug of tea and a muffin for breakfast on the water.

“Smokey Robinson” – my sit-in kayak, along the banks of the Speed

Mizz J piloting “Al Green” – my 2-seater kayak. I don’t use this as much as I thought I would so I think I will sell it this spring.

I love to get out on the water, to get up close and personal to stuff like this:

And then there is always this, to look forward to:

Drifting back home on the Speed on a beautiful summer evening as the sun is beginning to set.

When I get onto the river with one of my kayaks on a warm summer’s day, it’s like I’ve gone on a mini-vacation. And I haven’t even left town.

Have you ever kayaked?

Rock on,

The WB

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J is for Jam Making #AtoZChallenge

On April 11, 2018 By Widow BadassIn A2Z Challenge Post, Adventures in Food17 Comments

So delicious. Especially with goat cheese. Summer, 2014. Pre-renovation kitchen, in all its 1980’s wall-papered glory.

Last night I scrolled through about 5,000 photos trying to find this one of when I last canned some jam. How in the heck has 4 years passed since then? I could have sworn it was only 2 summers ago.

I’ve made peach jam a few times over the decades but not often, because frankly it can be a little unexciting. Unless you doctor it up with a bunch of spices or add apricots or perform some other kitchen sleight-of-hand, it can be bland, in my opinion. If you go to all the trouble to make your own jam, it should knock your socks off, I figure.

And then I came across a recipe using spiced rum (I forget why or how) and I was intrigued.

The recipe I used is here.

Anyways, I made this peach jam with spiced rum, and it was amazeballs. And it only lasted about 5 seconds in the house. And I should have made more, and I should have made more every summer since.

Do you preserve the bounty of summer in any way? Any favourite jam or canning recipes you’d like to share?

Rock on,

The WB

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I is for Insects #AtoZChallenge

On April 10, 2018 By Widow BadassIn A2Z Challenge Post, The Great Outdoors16 Comments

Along with the summer, comes the bugs…the insects. (The bugs of summer are one reason I prefer Fall for a lot of outdoor activities.)

Insects are so necessary for survival on our planet…I know, I know. We’d all soon be dead if there were no bugs.

However, in the summer insects can also be big pains in the ass, and some are downright assholes.

Mosquitoes for one. Deer flies for another. But in my mind, there is only one true contender for the Summer Asshole Insect crown (if ever there was such a thing): the wasp.

There I was, exiting my building and minding my own business one morning last August when a wasp came out of nowhere and dive-bombed into my arm and stung me. A couple of days later my arm starting swelling and turning red around the sting.