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A Very Happy Canada Day to us all!

A Very Happy Canada Day to us all!

Old Jul 1st 2020, 11:43 am
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Default A Very Happy Canada Day to us all!

Canada Day is without doubt the nicest of holidays, it's just a celebration of being one nation. I have always enjoyed pottering down to Officer's Square, saying hello to strangers and sitting in the sun for a while listening to the concert.

This year we have rainy, dull weather, and our concert is virtual, and no fireworks - which will please the dog!

Looking forward it's exactly six months till the end of 2020! The first half hasn't been the best. Maybe it's a day to press our metal reset buttons in the Hope that Part B is better ?

Whatever you do today, please enjoy it, and have fun.
With my very warmest wishes.
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Old Jul 1st 2020, 12:29 pm
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Default Re: A Very Happy Canada Day to us all!

I'm having a rare trip out. To the Pharmacy to take advantage of the 20% reductions for over 55s on Wednesdays.
I can save $26 just on my diabetic gear.

An exciting day
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Old Jul 1st 2020, 2:23 pm
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Default Re: A Very Happy Canada Day to us all!

Our Canadian Flag is flying in front of our Mississippi home.
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Old Jul 1st 2020, 2:35 pm
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Default Re: A Very Happy Canada Day to us all!

Wishing everyone a propaganda-free Canada Day. For those who want it, television and the internet should be loaded with entertainment from coast to coast, and it's a good day to think about our country and the land and what our identity is. Doubly thankful that they gave it a Mohawk name instead of British America or something stupid like that, so there's no need to change it.
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Old Jul 1st 2020, 3:27 pm
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Old Jul 1st 2020, 3:56 pm
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Default Re: A Very Happy Canada Day to us all!

I'm celebrating with some chocolate buttons



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Old Jul 1st 2020, 4:04 pm
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Default Re: A Very Happy Canada Day to us all!

[QUOTE=Danny B;12874770]Spaceman Bubbles[QUOTE]
Good hero! Most don't realise it, but Bubbles is the toughest guy in the trailer park (watch him throw shopping carts out of the swamp - you try it) and the go-to when it hits the fan. When the cops pull them over the first thing they do is give all the guns to Bubbles because he has the brains to handle it, so his intelligence is respected.

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Old Jul 1st 2020, 4:20 pm
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Default Re: A Very Happy Canada Day to us all!

Originally Posted by caretaker;12874802[QUOTE
Good hero! Most don't realise it, but Bubbles is the toughest guy in the trailer park (watch him throw shopping carts out of the swamp
He’s also pretty handy with nunchucks!
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Old Jul 1st 2020, 8:07 pm
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Default Re: A Very Happy Canada Day to us all!

Originally Posted by MillieF
Canada Day is without doubt the nicest of holidays, it's just a celebration of being one nation. I have always enjoyed pottering down to Officer's Square, saying hello to strangers and sitting in the sun for a while listening to the concert.

This year we have rainy, dull weather, and our concert is virtual, and no fireworks - which will please the dog!

Looking forward it's exactly six months till the end of 2020! The first half hasn't been the best. Maybe it's a day to press our metal reset buttons in the Hope that Part B is better ?

Whatever you do today, please enjoy it, and have fun.
With my very warmest wishes.

Happy Canada Day to all of us.

It is also dull, grey and with showers on this coast.

It is indeed a very different "day", with nothing "live" except maybe block parties ........ I've heard of one being held in Victoria. A few people living in a small cul-de-sac are planning a joint celebration with people sharing food.

and I do so hope that the next 6 months are an improvement.

I have just checked the VIA Rail site ............. I booked our trip in December-January to Halifax and back in early June.

The site information is now that due to uncertain provincial restrictions and covid-19, no reservations are being taken for Sleeper Class either from Vancouver to Toronto or Montreal to Halifax. I'm presuming that also means no Economy Class either.

Reservations already made will stay, at the moment.

I'm still hoping!
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Old Jul 1st 2020, 8:44 pm
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Default Re: A Very Happy Canada Day to us all!

Originally Posted by scilly
Happy Canada Day to all of us.

It is also dull, grey and with showers on this coast.

It is indeed a very different "day", with nothing "live" except maybe block parties ........ I've heard of one being held in Victoria. A few people living in a small cul-de-sac are planning a joint celebration with people sharing food.

and I do so hope that the next 6 months are an improvement.

I have just checked the VIA Rail site ............. I booked our trip in December-January to Halifax and back in early June.

The site information is now that due to uncertain provincial restrictions and covid-19, no reservations are being taken for Sleeper Class either from Vancouver to Toronto or Montreal to Halifax. I'm presuming that also means no Economy Class either.

Reservations already made will stay, at the moment.

I'm still hoping!
I double-checked ......... they are taking reservations for Economy Class for Vancouver to Toronto.

I'm not sure what that means for food, blankets etc.

Economy Class on the day trains that are running are not offering blankets or pillows, and only "snack food and bottled water".

That means a passenger would have to carry food for 4 days and nights, with Jasper and Winnipeg possibly being the only place to buy food, IF the train arrives during business hours.


Ah, this lovely year!
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Old Jul 1st 2020, 8:55 pm
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Default Re: A Very Happy Canada Day to us all!

Originally Posted by scilly
I double-checked ......... they are taking reservations for Economy Class for Vancouver to Toronto.

I'm not sure what that means for food, blankets etc.

Economy Class on the day trains that are running are not offering blankets or pillows, and only "snack food and bottled water".

That means a passenger would have to carry food for 4 days and nights, with Jasper and Winnipeg possibly being the only place to buy food, IF the train arrives during business hours.


Ah, this lovely year!

They certainly didn't provide pillows or blankets in economy class when I took the train Toronto to Vancouver, only thing provided was a seat. Although they did have pre-packaged sandwiches in the snack car along with the snacks, I lived off the snack car and snacks for a couple days, the only reason I ate one meal in the dining car was because they gave all the Vancouver bound passengers who started in Toronto a complimentary meal because we were so far behind schedule.

Jasper we ended up arriving at 11pm or 10pm, it was dark, cold, and nothing open, Winnipeg stop was quick as well, but also at a time not suitable for leaving the station, especially when they say once the train crew is switched we board, don't leave the station or you risk being stuck in Winnipeg.

It was a couple days of candy, chips and soda.
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Old Jul 1st 2020, 9:38 pm
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Default Re: A Very Happy Canada Day to us all!

I was riding in coach from Thunder Bay to Regina in '74 and we had a 40 minute stop in Winnipeg. One guy jumped off, ran out into the street, sold his wristwatch and bought a dozen beer with the money and got back on.
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Old Jul 2nd 2020, 2:43 am
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Default Re: A Very Happy Canada Day to us all!

Originally Posted by Jsmth321
They certainly didn't provide pillows or blankets in economy class when I took the train Toronto to Vancouver, only thing provided was a seat. Although they did have pre-packaged sandwiches in the snack car along with the snacks, I lived off the snack car and snacks for a couple days, the only reason I ate one meal in the dining car was because they gave all the Vancouver bound passengers who started in Toronto a complimentary meal because we were so far behind schedule.

Jasper we ended up arriving at 11pm or 10pm, it was dark, cold, and nothing open, Winnipeg stop was quick as well, but also at a time not suitable for leaving the station, especially when they say once the train crew is switched we board, don't leave the station or you risk being stuck in Winnipeg.

It was a couple days of candy, chips and soda.
Things have changed a bit.

They do "sell" blanket and pillow, for $10, I believe

Some hot meals are available in the Service car which has a bit of a cafeteria.

Plus the schedule has changed dramatically at least 3 times over the last 3 years.

I did say "IF the train arrived on schedule" .............. but the new schedule has a train from Toronto arriving in Jasper at 6:30 am and leaving at 9:30 am. Time to get off, go for a walk, and pick up food at the local bakery or grocery before getting back to the station for 9 am.

We've either been on the train or catching it in Jasper six times since the new schedule came in, three from Vancouver and three coming back to Vancouver. It has arrived late on one occasion ....... but that just meant people who needed food (or a decent coffee!! were more likely to find more than a couple of places open. It has arrived earlier twice, and on time three times.

Winnipeg is still difficult, especially as a lot of places have closed in the Forks Market next to the station over the last 3 years.
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Old Jul 2nd 2020, 2:49 am
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Default Re: A Very Happy Canada Day to us all!

Originally Posted by caretaker
I was riding in coach from Thunder Bay to Regina in '74 and we had a 40 minute stop in Winnipeg. One guy jumped off, ran out into the street, sold his wristwatch and bought a dozen beer with the money and got back on.

Ah, yes that was in the "old" days, when there were still the CP and CN passenger trains. You were on the southern route with CP.

VIA was formed after CP and CN wanted out of the passenger business and the government was forced to take action to maintain a train service.

They took the stainless steel cars that CP used on the southern route, but decided to use CN's northern route, that goes Winnipeg to Saskatoon, where they built a new station outside the city! There literally is nothing near the station.

We rode both CN and CP in the 70s and early 80s, but then not again until about 15 years ago. There was something attractive about both routes. We went from Vancouver to Regina in 1982.

Last edited by scilly; Jul 2nd 2020 at 2:52 am. Reason: correcting an error
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Old Jul 2nd 2020, 4:19 am
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Default Re: A Very Happy Canada Day to us all!

Originally Posted by scilly
Things have changed a bit.

They do "sell" blanket and pillow, for $10, I believe

Some hot meals are available in the Service car which has a bit of a cafeteria.

Plus the schedule has changed dramatically at least 3 times over the last 3 years.

I did say "IF the train arrived on schedule" .............. but the new schedule has a train from Toronto arriving in Jasper at 6:30 am and leaving at 9:30 am. Time to get off, go for a walk, and pick up food at the local bakery or grocery before getting back to the station for 9 am.

We've either been on the train or catching it in Jasper six times since the new schedule came in, three from Vancouver and three coming back to Vancouver. It has arrived late on one occasion ....... but that just meant people who needed food (or a decent coffee!! were more likely to find more than a couple of places open. It has arrived earlier twice, and on time three times.

Winnipeg is still difficult, especially as a lot of places have closed in the Forks Market next to the station over the last 3 years.

Yeah they had the cafe car, snacks, and sandwiches, maybe had hot something but I didn't pay much attention.

We were so far behind schedule, I lost track of when we were supposed to be where...ha ha, we left 5 hours late and it snowballed from their, somewhere in middle of nowhere Saskatchewan we had a maintenance issue, the heat stopped working, we sat there for a couple hours, and boy it got mighty cold in the cars, it was January and -25 something, but they got the heat working again and we sat another 2 hours waiting for a freight train that broke down up the line that was blocking the track, we sat several times because of broken freight trains.

I was in no hurry, like trains so I didn't care how long it took.
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