Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Aaaaand I'm home again!

Okay, Ahab and Mitchell both won the guessing game. The aquarium in the last post IS in Baltimore, and that IS a crabcake on my plate, although I ate it near Columbia, Maryland. :)

Cro Magnon gets the prize for funniest guess with "North Korea." While I have spent a couple of hours in the Seoul airport, alas, I have not been to North Korea!

We were down in the DC area again for my friends' daughter's bat mitzvah. We had a great time and the bat mitzvah girl Sarah did an amazing job. A beautiful young woman, inside and out. Her interpretation of her Torah reading was wonderful. This is the third bat/bar mitzvah I've ever been to, and I am finally getting the gist of things. There was a supper and party in the evening and a good time was had by all.

Instead of driving, we flew down this time and it was MUCH more relaxing. We had time to do a little sightseeing for a change. I love the National Aquarium in Baltimore.

We flew home on Porter Airlines yesterday and had to change planes at the Billy Bishop (Toronto Island) airport for the last leg to Ottawa On the way into Toronto, we had a spectacular view of Niagara Falls, which I attempted to capture on my iPhone:



The Horseshoe Falls are the bigger ones underneath the American Falls and Bridal Falls. We got the Horseshoe Falls, the Yanks got the other two! Growing up, we Toronto kids had QUITE the superiority complex about having the better falls! :) Neener neener neener!


I used to go to Niagara Falls twice every summer, once with my Mum and once with my Dad (they were divorced so I scored a trip from each of them.) I loved the Falls, and every tacky inch of the surrounding city. 


The Falls on both sides are awe-inspiring. You can get a little blasé about them if you live nearby, but seeing them from above, you realize how spectacular they truly are.


It's much more built-up around there than when I was a kid.

We had a great trip but were happy to get home. Our farm/pet-sitter did a great job. Louise cuddled up to her every night. Miss Kitty loves to snuggle, and be carried around....


A very tolerant kitten! And fearless. She likes to lie around on the floor with the dogs. Today she was walking back and forth under Tristan and he stood in the kitchen waiting for his supper.


Louise was still snuggling hours later, not to mention drooling all over the pair of us. She's now sleeping on my chest as I lie in bed typing this on my laptop.

All the cats seem to have adjusted quite well to the new arrival. Emily's nose is still a little out of joint, but nothing major. A little hissing and growling! Em is back to sleeping on the bed and won't take any guff from Louise. Louise isn't aggressive and is super-sweet. She has figured out the cat flap in the basement window and has started venturing out into the big kitty cage. She's quite cautious and hasn't gone far, but the likes sitting out there. One step at a time!





16 comments:

  1. A Bat Mitzvah? Did you cry?
    I love the overhead view of Mecca...I mean Niagara falls...the view of the 'best falls' IS better from the U.S.side!
    Louise is such a snuggle puss....she knows she is on to a good thing!
    Jane x

    ReplyDelete
  2. It sounds fun! I love your photos.

    ReplyDelete
  3. It sounds like you had a good beak. All the worries about the crew at home wee for nothing!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Glad you had a nice break and it's great to you have successfully integrated your new friend.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Your shots of Niagara Falls brought back some lovely memories we have of going to the American side on our way home from son's house in Winchester, south of Ottawa. It was a super day and one we will never get to do again, but what memories to carry in our heads to the old folk's home.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Your photos of Niagara Falls are amazing. Would love to go. One day maybe!

    ReplyDelete
  7. It makes me so happy to see what you've done for Louise (and what she's done for you).

    Niagara Falls! I went to university 70 miles from there and used to hitchhike there just for the fudge (as if there was nowhere in Rochester, NY, with good fudge). I've never seen the view from the air. Great pictures. The first time I saw the Falls was on a family vacation when I was 11. We drove from NYC and all agreed with you. Much more beautiful in Canada!

    ReplyDelete
  8. The falls can never cease to amaze. I love your comment about the tackiness. When the family visited in the fifties my mom bemoaned the tackiness, which had not improved since her childhood in the twenties and thirties. The falls will never change.

    ReplyDelete
  9. The falls look quite different from the air. To me, for many years, the falls were the place you took visitors to. After a few years, it got rather boring, but I eventually I realize I could make it worthwhile by including in the tour a visit to the Niagara School of Horticulture Garden - a beauty.

    ReplyDelete
  10. The falls pictures are very nice. I had never seen them from up above like that :)
    Glad Miss Louise is finding her place amongst others!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Can you believe I've never been...it's a must for my Bucket List! XOXO

    ReplyDelete
  12. Those photos are so neat! My favorite part of flying is seeing everything from up high. Such a different perspective. Looks like you are happy to be back home :)

    ReplyDelete
  13. Most interesting post with great pics. I think those falls need to go on my bucket list....:)

    ReplyDelete
  14. Love Niagara Falls. I've been there many times. That Louise sure does look comfy now.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Last time I went to the Falls was 1970. I had picked up a couple of European hitchhikers and we toured the falls together. Then they headed out to the west coast and I headed back to the Adirondacks. Nothing like a warm kitty for comfort!

    ReplyDelete
  16. You photos of the Falls also show the huge, artificial hydro-electric reservoir lakes on either side of the border. A decent portion of both NY State's and Ontario's electricity is still generated by those reliable falls. Thanks for the great eye-in-the-sky views!

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for all your comments, which I love to read!