Welcome to 2020 everyone!

As planned, we went back to Niagara Falls for New Years Eve, we parked easily about 1/2 mile from the centre, beside Dufferin Islands which had a lovely light display and we were the only people walking through it so that was a great start to the evening. We had a good look around Niagara , which is a bit tacky away from the Falls - lots of casinos and a road called Clifton Hill which is a full on 'tourist zone' with a Ripleys, adventure golf, halls of mirrors, mazes etc - very brightly lit and busy but with a great atmosphere for NYE. Bryan Adams played a great live set, right up until the midnight countdown and then we had some fireworks over the Falls and from the top of the Skylon Tower - we had had snow that day so it made for a fantastic evening.

We've been doing a few local walks now that the ice has melted and it's no longer slippery. Managed to get the car stuck twice at a local car park, firstly in the snow and then today in some slush. On the subject of the car, it's been great fun to drive - I have loved having an automatic with a heated seat and steering wheel. Most of the roads are really empty to drive, and petrol is very cheap here at approx 75p a litre. Mind you, on the main highways I think the Canadians have learnt to drive from GTA5 as they swerve in between everyone and many of them have huge trucks which tower over the little Kia!!

Last night we went to our first ice hockey game to support the local team Guelph Storm vs Peterborough Petes - they won 5-2 and it was brilliant fun - there are 3 sets of 20 minutes and the action is very fast paced with great skating skills. There were plenty of crashes into the screen, broken sticks and a bit of a face off at one point! All the way through they entertain the crowd with a variety of things like a dance off for the kids, a puck throwing game, lots of free prizes, kiss cam etc and James got caught on camera and made it onto the big screen! It was such a fun night.

We leave the house sit on Monday, it's been great with plenty of snow, we have been in the outside hot tub twice, once in the day in the snow and once at night with all the fairy lights and the cats have been good fun albeit they love to walk all over us and knock over every glass you leave unattended!!

We are moving up to Huntsville, about 3 hours drive north, for 3 nights. It's on the edge of Algonquin National Park so we will be hoping to do some walking and see some wildlife - which has been sadly lacking here!! So far we have seen lots of tracks but only actually seen squirrels!! There is something which comes onto the outside deck most nights, James thinks it's a bobcat.

Love to you all

xxx