Colorado comes to Smiths Falls

Well I had the wonderful blessing of having a friend come visit me this week.  My friend Michelle from Colorado came in last Thursday and man, I was excited to see her.  I drove down to Syracuse on Thursday to pick her up.  It is about 2 1/2 hours.  It was a beautiful drive..lots of fall colors.  I was so excited to see her.  It was great to have a friend to chat with and cry with and just be.  It was wonderful.  Here is what we did....

We went and explored a little town called Westport.  Another friend who has been here over a year told me that it was a cute town and it was.  We looked at some cool little shops...one of them was a little shop face but inside kept going and going and we actually got turned around and lost in it.  Fun, unusual items..some neat clothes although quite pricey, but I got some ideas for some gifts for people.  We even found a candle with the scent of wood fire so you can have your house smell like campfire every day...really?  I love camping but really??  lol..   The colors were in full splendor and sooo beautiful. 

That night we went out with my other 2 friends for ladies night....had some green apple martinis, dinner, hot tubbing and lots of talking.  It was wonderful.  Then we came home and took her out for some really yummy poutine.  That night we went to Saunders farm with the girls.  It is a farm that has 11 mazes grown out of a variety of things, spruce, grape vines etc.  Then we went in the Bloody haunted Barn and the Haunted Hayride.  Really cool!

The next day we went to church and then headed into Ottawa to show off the Parliament Buildings and some of downtown Ottawa.

Monday was Canadian Thanksgiving so we cooked a full meal.  Turkey, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, cranberries...all made from scratch...no cans!  Pumpkin pie and homemade whipped cream for dessert.  The pie was bought because I couldn't find any pumpkin and making it from a pumpkin was not an option.  Then we played a little Boccie, and some board games and then watched a movie and ate orange popcorn.  It was a great Thanksgiving! 

Today I had to take her back to Syracuse for her return trip to Colorado.  Oh how sad, the tears came easily.  It was wonderful to have someone to confide in and someone to see your life through a different set of eyes.  She was very encouraging and I have tears in my eyes as I write this...it was a wonderful visit and I will miss her dearly.  Thanks Michelle...you're the best!

As I was teary and driving back.  I heard a couple more songs that hit home.

Out of my Hands by Matthew West-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYST3RIcmWg   

                Wow-that is all I can say-Wow

King of the Jungle-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZFwLYvPi4c

                 Tiana sang this in a musical at church and it was on the ipod...interesting how these things come back to you when you need them.  It may be a kids song but it really hit home today.

When I call on Jesus by Nicole C Mullen-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpHSGP6U1Ws&ob=av2n

                  I really need to just listen to this song on a regular basis and maybe post the lyrics EVERYWHERE!

Funny story- so on the way back from the airport, I stopped in Watertown, NY to do a little shopping.  Specifically I was looking for crock pot liners...I am addicted to them and I haven't found them yet here.  So as I am going through a couple stores, I keep seeing Halloween stuff.  What was weird was none of it was on sale.  I kept thinking how weird that was...usually after Thanksgiving Halloween stuff is on sale.  It took about 3 stores for me to realize that even though we had Thanksgiving, we haven't had Halloween...I laughed and laughed.

Luckily I won't have any time to be too sad for too long.  I work at the shelter on Wednesday and Friday and I start my new job on Thursday.  Then Saturday my sister and bro-in-law come for a visit.  I have a fridge full of leftovers so I won't plan dinner until they are gone and that will give me time to plan and grocery shop for my sis.  I want to explore another little town with my sister and we will head to downtown Ottawa again and who knows what else...I want to do something we haven't done yet...so we shall see what I figure out.

How to speak Canadian:

Pasta/Mazda- the first a is short like the word at.

Needles-this is what they call shots or immunizations.  Has you daughter had her needles yet.

Hospital-He was in hospital for 4 days (not THE hospital, just hospital)

                            ..............to be continued