Strangers in a strange land

 We crossed over to Canada.  The border was no big deal.  Plenty of room for the rig.  The crossing might have taken 15 minutes; 5 minutes of that devoted to us.  The border agent was skeptical; we didn’t declare any guns.  He asked if we had any.  We said no.  He asked how many we had at home.  Maybe our story didn’t fit with the Texas plates.  He never asked about food or dog records.  He just wanted to know about guns and drugs. We squeezed through the toll booth for the bridge, but just barely.  I had maybe two inches on each side of my outside mirrors.  The toll booth doesn’t seem to be configured for us.  Well, anyway it was fun to drive the bus 100 once we got over the bridge. We’re at the Niagara Falls, Ontario, KOA for a couple nights. https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=201563872774147443355.0004e02f0c80f1461c0bf&msa=0&ll=42.964463,-76.937256&spn=5.426063,13.392334 We got to the falls at dusk.   Then they turned the lights on.   The lights were on the land up behind us.  They look like this. Then they turned the falls red. A long walk along the river watching the falls; our evening’s entertainment. 

We did it!

 We’re in Ohio.  The last state of the 48! A full map! We’re just hanging out here, admiring the map, at Mosquito Lake State Park. https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=201563872774147443355.0004e02f0c80f1461c0bf&msa=0&ll=42.964463,-76.937256&spn=5.426063,13.392334 It’s nice (and not very mosquitoey). The view doesn’t suck. Midweek so it’s not very busy.  Got here early, did some work that needed doing, had a walk, started the Ohio bird list.  Wood ducks.  Fireflies at dusk.  Tomorrow….  Canada.  We’ve got our passports at the ready and we’re prepared for the border search.  We’re crossing at Buffalo and stopping at Niagara Falls.  We mean to stay in touch while we’re out of the country.  We’ve been warned that we can’t use U.S. minutes or data there so we’ve arranged for some Canadian minutes and data from Verizon.  Don’t know what the difference is.  Maybe the Canadian ones are metric… 

Cousin Ed

 Here is a picture of Ed from 20 years ago.  To those of us who know him, he’ll be easier to recognize. …and with his wife, Diane now. Good to see you Ed.  Tomorrow, Ohio (finally).  

Out to dinner with Rock and Ginny.

 …at the Roycroft Inn in East Aurora, I saw her slowly shuffling our direction.  It took several minutes before she finally arrived at our table and announced “This is where they put the celebrities.”  “What are you people famous for?” That initiated the introductions and conversations.  She worked each one of us over, in turn.  She remembered the context for each as she asked questions about how we were doing, while regaling us with stories from a previous age.  She told us about the historic hotel we were in.  She had been here her entire life and remembered plenty.  Judy complimented her on her dress.  She was not dressed simply; it was a regal affair of layers.  She replied that she was wearing “memories”.  A pleasant interlude in our conversations at dinner. Rock and I were on the same boat to Okinawa in 1964; the USS Breckenridge.  That trip took three weeks.  We spent a year there together in the 173rd Airborne Brigade.  We went to Vietnam together when our unit was transferred there.  I came home after an additional year.  He stayed on. We’ve kept in touch (with a little help from the women in our lives).  We’ve only seen each other a few times in the last 50 years, but each time we do, it’s like we’re just picking up from some conversation the day before.           But the visit with Rock and Ginny is done.  Tomorrow we head for Pennsylvania; a new state and a visit with Cousin Ed.