I like the month of January

I am writing to you from home today in Mont Tremblant, Quebec. It's still dark out this early morning hour, but I can make out the snow that fell overnight onto the roof of the building next door to me. I am enjoying coffee from my favorite coffee cup. I am trying a new coffee, which I picked up on our way home. I enjoy my morning coffee, which is one thing I miss when I am on the ship. My relief job on the Algoma Buffalo finished two weeks ago today. I had hoped to get a lay-up job after I completed the Algoma Buffalo, but my phone remained silent. I had received a tip about a lay-up job, but I think the job was called when I was on the ship and had limited cell reception. Lorraine (my sister, best friend, and publisher) came to pick me up, and we took the opportunity to spend time together. We had a fun day going over to the Niagara Falls Post office. Lorraine is greeted like a friend when she enters the post office. They were not very busy, so we had a chance to chat about their Christmas holidays. We like to visit US grocery stores and look for new products. We went to Wegman’s store and walked through each aisle. It was close to lunchtime, and we saw little containers with a nice antipasto salad in one of their display fridges and decided it would be a good choice. It was delicious! We bought a few groceries and returned over the Rainbow Bridge. I never tire of seeing Niagara Falls.

What a nice surprise to see the Rt. Hon. Paul J. Martin

It was very windy by Port Weller. I thought about the crews who were on the anchored ships. I’m sure they were anxious to start moving again so that they could finish their last loads and go home for the winter.

We planned to visit friends north of Toronto, which would be close to the canal if I got a call for a lay-up job. We had such a good time getting caught up with our girlfriends. There was lots of conversation, laughter, and delicious food. Our Hostess made a perfect Prime Rib dinner the first night and Turkey dinner the next night and farm fresh eggs for breakfast. We went for a beautiful winter walk. As the days passed with no calls from the Union Hall offering a lay-up job, Lorraine and I decided to pack up the car and drive back to Tremblant. I love this time of year. January has always been a month that follows a busy time for me. When we had the restaurant, we were always very busy over Christmas, so the second week of January always marked the beginning of a quiet period that offered free time. The shipping industry offers the same pattern of being very busy over Christmas and the end of the shipping season, followed by a quiet January when the seaway closes, and the ship lays up. I like January, the start of the new year. Like many people, I look at the new year as a new beginning and think about what I would like to accomplish in the upcoming year.

These are the freshest eggs I have ever had!

The beautiful sunrise from our hosts house.

The Beautiful Royal York Hotel located downtown Toronto offered a Christmas atmosphere to have a little Christmas, Happy New Year drink celebration.

The Lobby bar in the Royal York reminded Lorraine of our trip to New York City in 2008. We went to the Waldorf Astoria Hotel. Booking a room at the Royal York in Toronto or the Waldorf Astoria in New York City are out of our budget, but we can enjoy a drink in their lobby and take in the beautiful decor.

In 2008 Lorraine and I enjoyed a Martini in the Waldorf Astoria during a trip to New York City.

I also enjoy looking back at the year we have just completed. Thank you for all the kind messages about my video "Looking back at 2024" and wishes for a Happy New Year. Selecting the photos and video to put together the video was fun. Both Lorraine and I remarked that we had a fun, busy year. While looking through my photos, I came across the multiple videos I took while I was a passenger on the Algoma Buffalo. I am so happy that I chose not to fly home from Superior and asked to stay onboard and get a ride back. I enjoyed my three-day ride from Superior, WI to the Welland Canal . Being a passenger offered the free time to walk on deck, spend time in the wheelhouse and catch up on my sleep. It was wonderful! I will share the video and photos in the future.

I enjoyed walking on deck during my time as a passenger on the Algoma Buffalo

I enjoyed many hours in the wheelhouse. This is our Captain making our way into the Soo Lock.

We were downbound and I disembarked the ship in Lock 7. It was 21h00 hours on January 1st, 2025. I was happy that I didn't have to get up in the middle of the night to leave the ship. One crew member was getting off at Lock 7 to spend a few hours at home while the ship made its way to Lock 1 and he helped with my luggage. The two crew who were on watch also made sure my luggage got off quickly. I had shared with them that I was nervous about getting my big suitcases off, and they both assured me that they would get my luggage off; I only had to get myself across the gangway. I was off the ship with both my suitcases and heavy knapsack in no time. There was a small turnstile that would not accommodate my luggage. The Locks are on video surveillance, and I was happy to see, like magic, the big fence slowly open, allowing the crew member to help me wheel my luggage through. The ship lowered in the Lock and then continued on its way to Hamilton.

The ship continued to lower in the lock as I made my way through the fenced in area.

I wasn't sure if I would get a call for a lay-up job. I called the Union Hall, and a message played: "Our offices are closed until January 6th. I waited until the end of the day on the 6th, and when I did not receive a call, I thought that perhaps I had missed the call while I was on the Buffalo and out of cell service. I accepted that I was where I was meant to be, and we made a plan. We decided to spend a few days with our friends north of Toronto and then head back to Tremblant. We would start our winter vacation. As Lorraine and I were in the car getting ready to drive home, I saw the words Thorold Union Hall accompany the ringing of my phone. I answered and they said they needed a chief cook to fly to Thunder Bay to join a ship the next day. I looked at Lorraine and we both knew there was not enough time for me to get there and I declined the job. I know there will be jobs in the spring that will suit me, and we continued on our way. Since I started writing to you, I have poured myself a second cup of coffee and the clear blue skies that I can see through my window promise a nice day. Lorraine and I have planned a winter walk with neighbor Susan later this afternoon. I have two large bunches of kale in my fridge. I want to make sausage kale soup with one bunch, and the other bunch, I am going to make sauteed kale with a piece of pancetta that I purchased at the Euromax Deli. We went through the store, aisle by aisle and were pleased to see two of our favorite salads available amongst the ready-made food and salads they had on display in a long fridge. We ordered the ham and pickle salad and the beet and horseradish salad. We thought it would make a great lunch that we could eat on our drive home. It was delicious, and I told Lorraine that I would try to recreate the two salads.

It looks like a beautiful day for a winter walk in Tremblant, Quebec today.

The delicious ham and pickle salad that I hope to recreate at home.

Frittatas are a staple when I am off the ship. I always make two, they reheat easily.

I am reaching the end of the time I set aside to write to you. I will keep you posted and share the highlights of our time at home. I am continuing to work on our next project and will share that with you when I am a little further along. In the meantime, Lorraine would like to share a blog with you. She will begin posting on our website under the "Extra" Tab and select “Our Weight Loss Journey”. Just click on the following link to read Lorraine's post. Have a wonderful January day!

Click on the following link to read Lorraine’s New Blog, located under the tab “Extras” then the tab “Our Weight Loss Journey”

Navigating a Healthier Lifestyle in 2025 — Ship To Shore | Chef Catherine Schmuck | Author, Entrepreneur & Cook | Canada

www.shiptoshorechef.com Lorraine and I will be happy to mail out the books that you order.