Merry Christmas and Happy 2026!!!!

It's Christmas!!!!! Hannah (and sometimes me) always love Christmas.. there's presents, Christmas trees, family gatherings, cod fish cakes and snow... so what's not to love about Christmas. For this year,, I was telling Hannah, I haven't been back home (due to work and such), and I have been looking forward to this trip.

Our jeep (named Jeepy) is nearly 300,000 miles (and 25 years old). While it is still in relatively good shape, it's a bit drafty while on the road. You can feel the cold air coming in on the passenger's side, so we made sure to stock up with travel blankets, snacks, drinks, and we are on our way North! We had to stop at Portillo's (https://www.portillos.com/index.html) on our way because we missed the Italian Beef Sandwiches. It's just as good as we remembered :) 

Mom's Christmas tree was so pretty! I enjoyed the festivity it brings to the room, especially, this year because Hannah and I were late in putting up our Christmas trees (yes TREES - we usually have one in the living room, and a smaller one upstairs) due to just overwhelming amount of work. There was a sense of comfort with the familiar routine of Christmas - pasties and fried chicken, snowy walk around Fumee Lake, cod fish dinner at Aunt Lisa and Uncle Jim's place, family games, present opening, Friday Fish Fry C&R, Champagne (on the New Year's eve countdown) and Black-eye pea on New Year's Day.

We love (and who doesn't) a white Christmas! And white Christmas we had! There was a snow storm on Christmas Day, and it was magical!

Here is where 2025 became a memory! Happy 2026 everyone!

Drive-in A&W Iron Mountain

Post # 500! And nothing could be better than a post on visiting good old American Food Outlet A&W on July 4th :)

Following the "tradition" of what we have been doing since we were back in USA, Hannah and I visited her parents on July 4th (Independence Day). We would usually spend the days on the farm, have BBQ by the lake, watch the parade and fireworks, and light off some fireworks at the farm! 

I always love to visit the A&W when we are home (Iron Mountain). The A&W here is closed during the winter, and thus, it is always crowded the rest of the year when it is open. Another appealing thing about this restaurant is the drive-ins, and waiters/ waitress on roller-skates delivering your orders to you while you are sitting comfortable in your car! 

Hannah and I took the opportunity of a down-time, and sneaked off to A&W drive-in for lunch. Unfortunately, the waitress wasn't on roller skates, but the whole experience was still fun. I loved the burgers and onion rings, while Hannah ordered a chili corn dog and onion rings. And of course, both of us had root-beer float. The drink comes in a huge chilled mug, and it was awesome on a hot summer day! 

One of the unique feature of this A&W is that it still retains the pilgrim hat roof. Hannah told me that the interior of the restaurant has a very classic American feel to it. Unfortunately, we did not want to get out of the car in the 90degF heat to check it out :)

Here is a link to some other classic A&W restaurants in USA (And the one in Iron Mountain is also featured on the website).

A&W restaurants in USA

Independence Day

Happy 4th July :) 

Jet in his "safe space" when he didn't want to interact with the other dogs

At the farm....spend most time on the weekend around the fire place

Grace and Hannah admiring the new VW 

Highlight of the weekend...riding a four-wheeler, and running the dogs... I think I can get used to be a red-neck :)

Firing off roman-candles

There they go!

More fire and beer

Big fireworks time!

July 4th parade

Oh yeah.. I forgot we went to the Iron Mine tour - http://ironmountainironmine.wixsite.com/ironmine