Wiarton Willie and Owen Sound

I was absolutely stoked to be able to go and visit my friend Jess in Wiarton last week. Wiarton is a town with a population of about 2000 people so very small.

Jess on the main street in town. You can stand at the top of the road and see the end of the road which is the end of the town.

I went via Greyhound Bus - my aunt was sure that I'd be knifed - apparently Greyhounds can be a bit dodgy?? But clearly I made it out alive. The bus was actually quite comfortable and I didn't have to sit next to anyone which was awesome.

The wheels on the bus go round and round!

awww so beauitful - me - bus- early morning - nowhere NEAR enough coffee

The trip is lovely, the change of seasons here is really spectacular and I think I will miss it alot when I return to Auckland as we don't really see the vivid colours and feel the change soooo much. It was cool as I got closer to Owen Sound to see the ski fields pre-snow. They are so close to the road, unlike in NZ where you have to travel ages up the mountain to get there. I tried to take a photo but I couldn't get the right shot in the bus.

It was awesome to see Jess who I know through my old workplace the Cock and Bull in NZ. We weren't that close in NZ however the day I first met her I kept asking her about Canada (a few wines down I totally didn't get the point that she hadn't lived there since she was like 6) and said that if we were ever in Canada at the same time we would catch up - and so we did.

Jess and I and our friend WINE

She works in this motel that we swear should go on Ramsey's Hotel Hell or something, honestly, and its not just so we could both meet Gordon Ramsey and swoon madly over him.

She has actually signed them up for it - which is hilarious. Jess reckons I could go and work as a waitress during the filming (if they got chosen) but then Ramsey would yell at me, because to be fair, I'm a totally crappy waitress. I would much rather be one of those patrons that he comes to talk to about improvements and decor.

yes this is the entrance way to the restaurant

We had a big night the first night - ended up at the Legion which is the Canadian version of the RSA and sang karaoke. True to form we sounded horrendous I'm surprised they didn't turn the microphones off - what is it with having a few wines and thinking you can sing. You can't. No one can. I don't care if you are a brilliant singer - drunken singing is never good. Ok maybe a professional singer because to be fair...yeah...

ANYHOO -

It is also very famous in Canada for Wiarton Willie - who is a groundhog. Imagine Groundhog Day the movie but in reality!

Here's the Wikipedia downlow:

Wiarton Willie is a Canadian groundhog who lived in the community of Wiarton in Bruce County, Ontario. Every February 2, on Groundhog Day, Willie took part in the local Wiarton Willie Festival. His role is to predict whether there will be an early spring. Although the original Wiarton Willie died, the Wiarton Groundhog Day celebrations continue each year with successors of the original Willie, also referred to as "Wiarton Willie."

Groundhog Day, featuring Wiarton Willie, is a popular annual festival in Wiarton and is similar to events in other locations in North America. A midwinter celebration involving an animal with predictive powers was an element of Celtic culture. The link between weather prediction and the day is said to have been inspired by an old Scottish couplet: "If Candlemas Day is bright and clear/ There'll be two winters in the year."

We also spent a bit of time in Owen Sound. I'm hoping to head back there for the Festival of Northern Lights -

Got to see the Rail museum and their one mall.

A tug - but not like one that I am used to, our POAL tugs would eat this one for brekkie - well maybe not the Busby

This is the other object in the museum

I was tired from our big night and being the good Kiwi that I am found the first available spot to lie down on. I tried to get Jess to roll me around in this but apparently it was too much effort. Hmmph. (The time stamp on my picture is not correct FYI I think I still have it on Swedish time).

When we went to the mall it wasn't open as yet and I thought oh yeah I'll lie down on a bench. Apparently you can get arrested for this in Canada.

OOOO but I got to see an Amish person/Mennonite. Now I can't tell which is which by sight alone. Technically the Amish should be more cut off , well stricter, than the Mennonites but apparently these ones took a bus into the mall once a week for groceries and I am pretty sure that the Amish only have horses and buggies so I think these were Mennonites - she was dressed in a full old school dress, with a pinnie and a bonnet. I really wanted to take a photo but I couldn't take one subtly so that was the end of that.

But it did peak my interest so I googled a few pages and learnt all about the Mennonites, Amish and Quakers. Very interesting.

It was a good visit but I was so tired and pleased to be back in Toronto in my own room, which is coming along nicely - here are a few pics - it seems like I've lived here for months.

It is weird because if you look one way down my street then its completely suburbia but if you turn around you are looking at high rises and being in the middle of the city.

View one way

Then turn around 180 degrees and you see the high rises

The outside to my house

This is my bedroom - and my cool new IKEA duvet cover

The pattern- yes I know boring girly stuff - the duvet set was only $24.95 - that is with 2 pillow cases as well

My desk and photo display!

Bureau

Hmm what else is new. Oh I've gone on a wheat free diet. And may I say, wheat is in everything, I don't know when it became such a staple but it is. This is my third day off it now and already I have to say I feel a tonne better - so watch this space on how I feel - I was inspired by the book Wheat Belly.

As you know I've been trying to lose weight for ages - ideally I would like to lose about 12 kgs and I just can't seem to do it.

In 3 days I've already lost .5% body fat which is crazy.

I'm starting to get way colder now and the duvets are piling on the bed at night - I'm holding out as long as I can but I dream of warmth so I'm very jealous of the southern hemisphere at the moment.

Oh, so last night I tried to watch American football. I don't get it. It was quite boring - maybe I need to a/ learn the rules and b/ watch a live game in order to get into it. They were so much gear though - in true Kiwi fashion I think its a bit pansy like. I'm just saying.

Alrighty I am off to the library as I keep chewing through books, and also I need to get my butt to the gym and have a sunbed mmmmmmm - and no - don't bother lecturing me because I don't want to hear it.

Hee hee - will write again soon!

xxx AMP