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Jasper to Toronto- “The Magical Meet”
This blog has been a long time coming for a couple of reasons.
1) I wanted to first send Jess a disk of all of the photos we
took, and
2) The main reason is that I will find this blog very
emotional to write . Plus I wanted this to be a three way
blog as this magical meet was not just about me, but Marg
& Jess also…so with a bit of luck and some organising
there will be three blogs to read, with three different
versions of the Magical Meet.
I’ve kept you all in suspense way to long, so here goes.
This part of our journey started at Jasper railway station as we boarded “the Canadian” - the flagship of the Canadian rail network which links the two ends of this great continent, from Vancouver to Toronto.
The gleaming stainless steel coaches containing sleeping cars, a restaurant and domed observation cars, would take us on this 3700kms trans continental journey to Toronto and then, the short trip to Oshawa, where Marg and Dan live.
Leaving the Rockies behind, we headed east on this 3 day journey through Alberta, across the great prairies of Saskatchewan and Manitoba and onwards to Ontario and its capital , Toronto.
On board the food and service was excellent and our little day cabin was transformed at night into a double bunk, with no heart shaped spa !!
The journey was punctuated by frequent stops to allow endlessly long freight trains to thunder by and soon we realised that these stops would make it impossible for us to arrive in Toronto on schedule
We were to arrive at Toronto Railway Station at 8pm on the 16th of May, Steve’s birthday, and Jess had generously agreed to drive down from Montreal, a 6 hour drive, and pick us up from Toronto Union station and take us to Marg’s
We were told around 6pm that the train would not be getting into Toronto till around 11.00pm,and having no signal on our mobile phone, we were wondering how we would get to let Jess know of our predicament. When we were told that the train would be stopping for a 15 minute stop. Steve made a mad dash to a station phone to let Jess know of the delay and to tell her that we could not possibly arrive at Margs house at such an unearthly hour, so we would stay in Toronto overnight and come out to her the following morning ! Well, neither Jess nor Marg were not having any of this and we were instructed to proceed as planned !
Well 11.00pm came & went and we were still two hours out of Toronto. With mobile coverage back Steve rang with the news that we wouldn’t arrive till 1 am and that we definitely could not expect Jess to pick us up at that hour and for her & Marg to go to bed and we would catch up with them in the morning. They wouldn’t hear of it - how many people do you know that would pick up two total strangers (whom you have never met) at 1 am.
All day on the train, knowing I was finally going to be meeting Marg & Jess the tummy butterflies were doing more than flip flops I can assure you.
After eventually disembarking from the train we found our way out of Toronto Union Station, to a barrage of taxi’s and hordes of people everywhere, gee at 1.30am and expected to find one little Jess in a white Jaguar in amongst all this bedlam. We caught a glimpse of a white Jag disappearing around the corner. With a quick text, Jess pulled up jumped out of her Jag and we hugging each other like life time friends, with her car doubled parked, taxi’s trying to move out with passengers, surprising to Steve & I no-one beeped horns or yelled out their window.
Within minutes we were on our way to Marg’s -a 45 minute drive. The three of us were talking like we had known each other for years, weird hey?
Not sure who was more excited about the meet with Marg and Jess kept giving me a countdown to how many minutes till we get there ( the butterflies were doing summersaults now).
Next I knew Jess was pulling up outside Marg’s at 2.15am….NO SOONER THE CAR STOPPED, THIS BEAUTIFUL FIGURE CAME RUNNING OUTSIDE OF THE HOUSE, BARE FOOT ( IT WAS FREEZING) AND ARMS A SWINGING…I fell into her loving embrace with tears a flowing and a inner feeling of I am home, how sweet it was.
It didn’t matter that Jess & Steve were standing there shivering or that Marg was bare foot, in shorts & T shirt, I wanted to hang on that moment for as long as I could.
Once inside and oh yeah Steve did get a cuddle also, hehe!, a coffee was in order and Steve was shown the bedroom and was gone ! Marg’s hubby, Dan, had already given up on us, and was in bed, where all good people should be at 2.30am.
Well we ladies sat and talked or should I say Jess talked, hahaha! ( sorry Jess), it felt just right, so at ease, so comfortable like a pair of old shoes We gave in around 4.45am, thinking it was time for a few hours sleep.
We woke around 9.00am and all met in the kitchen and finally got to meet Dan, who was already cooking us a hot breakfast of bacon & eggs…smelt so good. Jess was looking at me rather strangely, then the penny dropped, VEGEMITE, especially with breakfast.
The problem was soon fixed and she had a smile on her face as she tucked into toast & Vegemite. I forgot to mention as yet we haven’t meet Avro the grouchy dog. He was in the basement in his cage, yet we heard his barking, as if saying |”get out of my home” ( more on Avro soon).
The talking started again and I’m not sure where the day went, it seemed to fly by and soon it was night again. The men folk left us once again and I think we headed to bed around 3am.
The morning came too soon, as Jess was to leave to go home ( a 6 hour drive to Montreal . We stretched the morning out as far as it would go, eventually letting Jess drive away at 1pm with tears and very sad feelings our way - it was dead quiet for ever so long!
Jess is an ever loving person, genuine, down to earth, ( talkative, hehe!) & someone who you feel that you have known for ages & such a zest for life with the most gorgeous smile that just draws you in.
Now getting back to Avro, who by now was locked out in the garden, but could see us through the sliding glass door. He was letting us know that he was not at all happy with the fact that we were there.
As most of you know how much I love animals, and since we were there for two weeks and would be going to the cottage with Avro in tow, and understanding already how stressed Marg & Dan were feeling about this situation, I knew Avro and I had to become friends. Firstly let me say who ever had this poor dog before Marg & Dan, had abused him and he only trusted Marg & Dan ! He was not a friendly dog to anyone else.
So I decided I had to start somewhere, lying down on the carpet, with Avro the other side of the glass sliding door ( thank goodness it was thick glass), growling and barking his head off, I just kept calling his name, talking to him in quiet tones for most of the afternoon and into the night.
The next morning I continued the same thing. By this time his growling and barking had gotten quieter and he was daring me to take his ball, which no way I was going to without a glass door between us ! Marg went outside to have a play with him, which did’nt interest him while I was still around, so it was time for me to brave the elements and get eaten by a dog ! haha!...so stepping outside very gingerly and Marg grabbing hold of his collar, I kept calling his name while he was still growling at me. Once he had quietened down I told Marg to let him go, which, very hesitantly she did ! Avro headed straight for me with his ball in his mouth, then ran around their swimming pool & sat at the other end. On calling his name, he repeated the same dash around the pool and sat at the other end. We kept this up for a good half an hour with him getting closer to me every time he passed me, and eventually he came and sat down right beside me, growling and daring me to take his ball.
Dan couldn’t believe this had happened and just kept shaking his head in disbelief.
Next was Steve’s turn. He ventured outside and Avro went and sat right beside him - how about that! I did all the work and Avro & Steve were instant friends, oh gee whiz!
Dan and Steve hit it off like they were old friends, they took Avro for his morning walks and Dan found someone he could have great debates with on every conceivable subject, with Marg being a referee at times, haha!
Now for Marg. Her heart is as warm as an open fire and as big as the Grand Canyon. She has the most enchanting voice I’ve ever heard which calms you down just listening to her, with the warmest of personalities exuding such warmth and love. Forgot to mention the most beautiful hugs I have ever felt ( sorry Steve), which I received all day long and ending the day with my bedtime hug.
Days of Our Lives have nothing on me, Part 2 Our stay with Marg coming up!
Be kind to each other....much Love Janice xxxx
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Re: Jasper to Toronto " The Magical Meet"
Oh Wow, cor, speechless, LOL It is real, Saskatchewan thats where Aunty Margarets Daughter lives, and their son is in Alberta, what a small world this is,LOL. Now Janice you are too polite, of course one would wait up, how could anyone Woman sleep, knowing the friends they have been itching to see all day are only minutes away. Its an impossability, I know, I have done it many times, sitting watching the clock every two mins, and willing the time would come.
Soul Sisters, you can see it in the pictures, they are fantastic and those smiles are radiant. Marg is all one could imagine her to be, she like you looks so warm and loving. What a bright young lady Jess looks to be, she has fun jumping out of her eyes.LOL.
Now you see, that dog knows a thing or two, you do the work to introduce yourself and straight away that dog has sussed, that Steve is cool because he is sensible enough to be your partner, sensible canine reasoning,hehe.
Thankyou for sharing this life changing experience, a real delight for all who read.
Luv to you all. Winnie.xxxx
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23:08
85 Visits
How beautifully magical. I have read this blog a couple of times now & just love it. Absolutely gorgeous. Rach x
Dear Trace, so glad that you have enjoyed the ride along us, reliving our magical adventures, to that they were.
... Jess told me about the grump Avro lol and I tell you what your amazing to have gotten his trust, I just love that photo of him lying at your feet, but you know animals have an amazing judge of character!!! Now I'm going to read this all over again xxxxxxxxxx
