The Rest of the Gang Arrives, and We Move to a B&B

I slept surprisingly soundly in the tent on Arleigh's land, but awoke as it was beginning to rain -- a day that made some small weather history in Canada (more). We decided the weather dicated that we move to an indoor sleeping location, so we arranged for a room with bath at a B&B in Gravenhurst, where Erin would also be staying.

The rest of the family were all flying or driving in today, and we were all to meet for a wine and cheese party provided by Joleigh at the Chalets on Lake Muskoka around 4 or 5pm. In the meantime, Terry and I visited with Larry while also helping out with a few chores in preparation for the events of the next few days and listening to a great canadian blues musician, Paul Reddick & the Sidemen. Must get whatever albums of his are available!

We met Arleigh and Joleigh at the chalets around 5:30; Dan and Noreen had just arrived, driving in from Ottawa. Quinn, Carolyn, and 8-month-old Fin arrived from Guelph, and before long Bob, Vivien, Catherine, Robert and Terry Luckett arrived. Jim had called several hours before from on board the airplane on the tarmac in Toronto -- the storms were so bad, they weren't allowed to deplane, because the guys who operate the jetbridges don't during lightning storms -- so they had to wait (something like 4 hours, as it turned out) to get off the plane. Elizabeth was also stuck on a plane at the Toronto airport.

Teal arrived late with her boyfriend, Rob, who we liked immediately. He works as an arborist, and has a lovely Scottish accent (though he was born and raised in Canada).

I really can't remember in what order everyone arrived, but eventually, Erin and Elizabeth made it in from Toronto; with horror stories to tell of Erin waiting at the airport for 4 or 5 hours for Elizabeth to arrive, as they'd planned to rent a car and ride up together; and Elizabeth being stuck on a plane for hours due to the lightning storms, and finally, the captain had them all buckle up safely in their seats only to move the plane forward just inches to the jet bridge so they could deplane(!).

Nancy, Libby and Luisa made it in eventally, and the last stragglers were Jim, Betty, Sofia, Jeff and Gigi, who, after waiting forever to be allowed off their plane, also had to wait another two hours for the mini-van they had reserved! They were pretty wound up by the time they arrived (somewhere around 11pm, I think?) .

At some point, we all ran out of steam, and headed into town to our so-called B&B.