Toronto to London, Ontario

Jill and Roger with Cousin Pat and her nephew Tom 

Saturday morning we visited Cousin Pat, in west Toronto. I think her mother was my great grandmother's cousin, but I'm beginning to get confused now... read on a little and you will see why! Anyway, Pat Ariss is a fairly sprightly 93 - born in the same year as my father, 1919. They first met when she and her parents visited her mother's home town, Ashford, when she was six. Apparently she showed my father her new knickers. We had lunch at a restaurant which had colourful umbrellas decorating the ceiling. We met her nephew by marriage Tom, who lives with her at the moment in Etobicoke. Pat has a great sense of humour. We had a good time.

Then we drove, with very little hitch, from Toronto to London, Ontario. Lovely to see Aunt Marj again. She phoned Aunt Diane, who came over with her son, Cousin Bill (Horlick) immediately. Diane now carts an oxygen bottle with her, but manages to drive on her own and is looking very slim and fit, despite her ill health. Big hugs and kisses all round. Fantastic to be with my Dad's sister again. Haven't seen her since she visited us in England and France in October 2005.

Soon to arrive as well were Cousin Maureen, Diane's daughter, and Randy (Casey) - both of whom I've never met. They live in Windsor but have come up to London for the Labour Day weekend to meet us, towing their luxury trailer (we'd call it a caravan) behind their truck-sized pick-up.

Instant rapport with Maureen - so very strange to find that blood cousins, even those I've never met, just naturally feel like family. Really quite an uncanny sensation.

Cousin Chip with Airedale Redding and Cousin Bill

Later on we were joined by Cousin Chip (Robert Hill), eldest son of Bob and Marj, and his dog Redding - who has taken the place of the late, great Otis whom I met when I was here in 2005. Later still, Lianne and Samantha, Chip's wife and daughter, popped in to say hello. Samantha was a little girl when I saw her last. She's a beautiful 16 year old now. 

Roger is wonderful. Coping with all these new people, keeping up with who they are, and being his usual friendly and entertaining (!) self. Marj is thrilled to see him, of course. Well, she's thrilled to see me, too, but has a special soft spot for Roger who says the most shocking things and gets away with it (like regaling everyone with stories of how John and Rachel's dog Tara swears like a trooper - and giving them graphic examples of what 'she' comes up with. And you all know how foul mouthed Tara is).

Now it's Sunday and Diane, Maureen and Randy came over here for breakfast. Maureen made this French toast dish, like bread and butter pudding but with walnuts, which we had with crispy bacon. Yummy. I'm trying hard not to eat too much...

We went through a few old family papers and photos - so I'm now battling to place the Walkers, the Bournes, the Simpsons and some more cousins. My grandfather was married four times! To Stella, mother of Don - Stella died during the 'flu epidemic; then to Stella's sister Edith; then to Diane and Bob's mother Geraldine; and lastly to Doris. Unfortunately, despite his attempts to get her over to Canada, my great grandparents wouldn't let her go, so not one of those marriages was to my grandmother, who fitted in between Stella and Edith, but there you go...

Don married Ruby who had Terry and Donna, first cousins who I may never meet. Donna lives in Montreal but has not kept up with family. Maybe we'll get to North Carolina one day to meet Terry, though, who is married to Kelly.

See what I mean about a confusing number of family connections!

We're now off to Cousin Rod's house in St Thomas, south of London, to meet up with the rest of the gang and to meet Rod's partner Shelley and her teenage children Rudy and Victoria and their dog Ben. 

I'm having such a fantastic time. So glad we came.