Heading Out

Well here goes my first exposure as a ‘blogger’. When the Grimsby Crew henceforth referred to as GC and that would be Grimsby Crew not God’s Creation or anything deep…I just want to nip that little item in the bud before things get out of hand. I don’t want to end up like that fella Salmun Rushdie … Anyway when the GC gave me this site I was tickled and I want to say thank you for being so creative and thoughtful (Thank you John). Oh and to Bruno Grazie Bruno per la grande laptop. Entrambi sono di lavoro grande e utilizzati da entrambe le Sheryl e I. Not to be out done however a big shout out has to go to the members of DPIS who got me an inflatable goat
…presumably to ride to town for groceries on my day off…just as creative and thoughtful in a different sort of way…

I have taken leave prior to deployment with the intent of spending time with Sheryl and the kids and meet up with friends to reconnect. Over the last two weeks I have done just that. Time with Sheryl and the kids was and is great. Ok enough about the people I love….

I met with a group of guys that I have known through some interesting times. We have done stuff and seen things. We get together from time to time to sip tea and postulate over the meaning of life. These guys have heard the wolf. Actually to tell the complete truth one of them tripped over it and woke the dopey thing up but that is another story with like eight different versions. Anyway we got together and had a lot of red meat and home made, deep fried in the drive way steak cut fries courtesy of a Chief on a snowmobile. Not a salad or French bread stick to be seen. It is good to be a boy, enough said on that. If you don’t know why you never choose the middle urinal, well you just wouldn’t get it. The night ended with everyone being tucked in and a very angry, loud midget lecturing me. Hey I don’t make this stuff up, it just happens.

On another Saturday night, like I mentioned time off really blurs the days…thank goodness I’m not on the dole cuz everyday is a Saturday when you’re taking the regular rebate check! But anyway it was a Saturday, I was asked to go with a neighbour henceforth known as ‘The Liar’ to purchase a hot tub. A long story short, in which, I will not incriminate the innocent (I’ll get to that later…) which included beer(s), a tour book, a take out Sushi Restaurant, a Black Market hot tub dealer and a deep fried pickle. Throw in the Maltese Falcon and you would have had the whole enchilada! Just read along ok, this is my life…a little bit magic, a little tragic but a pretty good time all and all... Well when

I finally get home Sheryl who was “sick” has a cast of thousands hiding in our basement.




I was tickled to see everyone. I won’t get into who was there in case I mention oh So and So was there with So and So and boom turns out HE was supposed to be working late and was definitely not supposed to be there with HER...you know that sort of thing. (Email me direct for actual names, dates places and juicy insider information). What a good night. Seeing all those faces, seeing my friends mingling with other friends, some new, some old was great. I was about to get into how people came from places like Toronto, from the East, from Colson, St. Catherines, The Collingwood Retirement Villa, Barrie, Orillia, Peterborough, and even Manitouwadge (no you Google that one yourself) but I won’t because I will forget people, so stop. To all, thank you! Throughout the night people offered assistance should it be required for Sheryl if she needed it for repairs, kid free break-a-ways etc. One friend of mine who I have known since Buddha was a Probationary, forever shocked me as I did not realize he was into horticulture. He was good enough to offer rather insistently without even a moment’s hesitation that he would water the plants should it be required. I will say to that Good Soul who shall remain anonymous, “Thank you good Sir and sleep well”.

I really enjoyed seeing everyone no matter what the setting. It makes you wonder why we don’t just make up excuses instead of waiting for happenings to take place. You people are nice people…really you are and I feel privileged knowing each and every one of you.

The next day my folks came in to help out. And yes thanks my Dad is doing great and my Mom has not changed a bit. I love them both. TOTALLY UNRELATED rent “So I Married an Axe Murderer” with Mike Meyers, watch it, you tell me, enough said.

With my folks at our place, thank you again Mom and Dad, Sheryl and I snuck away for a couple of days to Blue Mountain where we hung out by the fire and had a day at the Le Scandinave Spa.
Now THAT was something! As a pal of mine says sometimes you just have to Chillax and that place was the place to do it! When we got there Sheryl went in across this beautiful snow covered bridge. The mountain in the background, a beautiful rustic lodge snuggled into the trees with an amazing spa laid out with hot and cooling pools, waterfalls set in amongst the trees and fresh snow. I went and parked the Chevy Van amongst the other family BMW, Audi, Rolls and the like. I walked over that bridge and just knew the day was going to be great, my wonderful wife and I together relaxing and enjoying each others company. I open the door into the main chalet and a remarkably attractive blonde woman sees me and floats over to me. “Side entrance for Tradesmen.” Pardon? Thank goodness Sheryl came out of nowhere and explained I was with her! Well then I flipped her two VIP members’ passes courtesy of a good friend of mine, who said I should use them in a case of emergency sort of like the little red glass boxes with the miniature hammers in the high school hallways when I was growing up. From then on in it was great. The only thing was you weren’t permitted to speak. Now that’s tough at the best of times but when there are signs saying PLEASE SILENCE, it’s a killer because everything is worthy of a comment or a giggle when everyone (including you) is in their bathing best. We had a blast but were like Gumby and Pokey when we left that evening! We topped the trip off with a great dinner in the Village (listen to me…).

On the way home we picked up some Grade A lobsters to have with my folks. That’s a good Eastop family dinner.
Six voracious crustacean eaters and one small lobster, we’re Scots for crying out loud!! (Ha Ha Ha my Mom will kill me for that!!) Ok, Ok we all had a great feed of lobster (relax Mom, it’s a joke ok...). Margot, my Dad even made Stovie’s for me before he left-and it simply does not get any better than that.

The meeting up with friends has been crazy! Now as far as the actual work side of things is concerned I have met or spoken to all the members of the OPP I am heading over with. To a man they are a good bunch. Down to earth, easy going and seem to all have a good sense of humour. We have all cleared our medical, physical and psychological screens….Ok before anyone says anything yes there were a few nervous moments during the psychological interview but I studied really hard and squeaked through! For so long we didn’t seem to hear anything concerning the task at hand. Not anymore. We are receiving briefings, on-line study and doing the prep work for the two week pre-deployment course in Ottawa. It’s funny how things have gone because now, even though it has been a year in the preparation, time seems to be speeding up for us. I am packing, reading and preparing. Many of the members have taken time off just as I have and are enjoying time with their families and friends. I managed to teach the kids some life critical skills during this leave period, namely how to determine the gender of a lobster and how to play hooky at school.

Molly for her day chose to do the movies with popcorn, junk food, and fast food leading up to and lots of pop. It was a BLAST. Donald chose Toronto-China Town-King Noodle for his. We rode the front seat of the front car on the subway and then did several laps on a streetcar for good measure. What a great day we slunk all around Spadina, Kensington Market and Queen Street, ending up with a Soviet Army fur hat for our efforts. We then knocked back a couple of Cokes at Filthy McNasty’s and headed northbound. These kids know how to live! Here’s a suggestion if you haven’t already done it, pull the kids out of school for a day and get a real education. Kids are smart and funny you won’t regret it. If you’ve already done it just nod and feel very righteous about ‘down’ with the kids you are.

That’s basically where we’ve been for the last two weeks. I am heading to Ottawa on Sunday after I hit Peterborough to see a couple of close friends. The next post will be from Ottawa as we continue in earnest our preparations.


Don