Family Time

Greetings from Farwell, Michigan! I’ve been here since late Saturday afternoon but haven’t found the time for an update. It has been so nice spending time with family, including two grand-nephews and a grand-niece whom I had never met. And that’s how I expect the rest of my stay to go – lots of low-key family time with a good measure of getting to know this part of central Michigan thrown in.

Before I let myself completely relax into my stay here though, I want to give a brief recap of the last couple of days. My time on the road Saturday had three distinct parts: the expressway drive through metro Toronto (which seemed like it would never end but in actuality was only about an hour), a few hours driving through Canadian farmland (lots of great barns), and a couple more hours driving through Michigan farmland after crossing the Blue Water Bridge into the U.S.

I felt such a huge sense of relief once I passed U.S. Customs, that I called my sister to tell her the whole story of my border crossing into Canada and got so distracted that I missed my freeway exit. The GPS kept prompting me to turn around, but I was too engrossed in my phone conversation to notice. When I finally caught on to what happened I had driven eight miles in the wrong direction. I think that was the first time I goofed so badly on this drive. Oh well.

Speaking of the border crossing, I’d like to explain why I was so unsettled while I drove through Canada that first day. I wrote about admitting I had mace and having to surrender it. What I didn’t say was that I only surrendered one of the TWO cans of Mace that I had. I don’t know why I chose to keep one. Maybe it was the fear I felt at the Toledo Motel 6. Maybe it was the stubborn streak I possess. Whatever my motivation, I was a nervous wreck driving through Canada having a can of Mace hidden in my car after being told that it would get me into a lot of trouble if found. I was so paranoid about it that I didn’t even want to write about it while in Canada. So that’s the rest of the story. Kind of silly but extremely unsettling at the time. Otherwise, my brief detour through Canada was fine, even considering all the signs in French.

My entry into Michigan was pretty pain-free. The border official didn’t even ask about Toby, so the worry about having the proper papers was unfounded. (Although, I would lay money on it having been a problem had I not gone to the trouble to get the proof-of-vaccination form.) The worst part of the border crossing was the fifteen minute wait to get up to the booth, but crossing the Blue Water Bridge made up for that minor inconvenience. The water was the most amazing turquoise. It looked like how I imagine much of the Caribbean must look. I was dying for a photo, but even with my amazing high-speed photo-taking skills it was too risky.

Highlights of the last two days: Discovering the great music of the Bare Naked Ladies while driving through Canada on Saturday. The turquoise water of Lake Huron. Snapping photos of the border crossing station on principle (more discretely this time). Noticing that “MACDONALD-CAR” was finally gone from the GPS (must be a Canada thing). Being captivated by the reflection in a tanker truck. Passing the Birch Run Expo Center and seeing the sign for the Psychic Expo. Passing the turnoff for Zilwaukee. Waiting by the gate at White Birch Lakes and seeing my brother and Kendal drive up in the jeep. Riding in Joe’s two-seater 4x4 down dirt roads. The two barbeques at my nephew’s camping spot by Holiday Lake. Drinking Gallo wine straight from a tiny bottle at one BBQ. Waking up at 3:30AM to a fantastic thunderstorm. Laughing so hard I could barely breathe while watching Toby and Buddy the pug chase Quigley the cat. And typing this (very slowly!) while chatting about recipes with my sister-in-law Judy.

Now I get to look forward to several mellow days in the woods of central Michigan. I’ll let you know when I resume traveling west. Again, thanks for keeping an eye on me while I cover the miles!


Total mileage on Saturday: 410
Total time in the car: Six hours