Woohoo What a Ride: Just call us Griswalds!

It was a long drive from Sudbury to Woodstock, Ontario. We've learned a few things along the way.
1 - They don't take Discover and various businesses take either Mastercard or Visa. Just depends on which you go to.
2 - There are A LOT of small rocks stacks along the highway like those in the Blair Witch Project. Marianne - made us think of you. We couldn't get a pic because we were going too fast to snap other than a blur. I did catch this one thinking it was just your place! Nothing too fancy, just a fun place to hang out.

3 - If you drive more than 50 kilometers over the speed limit, it's an automatic $10,000 fine. We didn't drive this fast, but there were many others who were pushing the limits. In about 500 miles, we've only seen two police officers so we're thinking it's a self-policing country.
4 - We have an theft alarm on our van! Stopped for a break, and Molly and Abby stayed in the car. I went out to get them so we could grab a bite to eat. Mark had locked the doors when he left, so I just knocked on the window and Molly pulled up the lock and I opened the door. Uh, this sets off the car alarm! Well, since we just got the van a couple of weeks ago, and didn't even know it had an alarm, we obviously did not know how to turn it off!!!! It was honking like a grounded goose! I got the book out of the glove box and started flipping pages quickly. Didn't find anything fast, so I started punching every button and twisting every knob on the dash, turned the engine on and off, and in between all of this, was falling over laughing! Molly and Abby were frantic because they were embarrassed. Some guy in the parking lot told me to start it (which does not turn off the alarm!) Finally, we didn't know why, but it turned off. Whew! Then it started again a minute later! Here's the setting - we are in a shopping center parking lot, specifically a fast food joint and not too far off of a pretty big intersection so there's lots and lots of traffic, and now on our 2nd go around of the car alarm. Push, twist, start, raise/lower the steering wheel, put into gear, close the door...nothing worked! Here comes Mark. He doesn't know we have an alarm or how to turn it off either. I go around to the passenger side and he sits in the driver's side and the alarm stops again. Whew! Molly tells us all not to move, like that is going to do anything. (I am sitting here laughing again with the tears running just writing about it!) It's quiet...for about a minute, then we're on our 3rd round of the car alarm. Mark must have been able to think during this alarm because he got out of the car, put the key in the door lock and turned it - which turned off the alarm. And, the van stayed quiet. We all headed into the restaurant acting like nothing happened. I told Lisa what had happened and she said 'that was you?' Yup, it was definitely our Griswald moment!!! The McCoskey van just finished the movie during the drive so they were relating the Griswald experiences to us. Sadly, how true!
5-If you don't specify the kind of water that you want, you're liable to get a coffee mug of plain hot water. Lisa and David were in Tim Horton's - a local restaurant and just wanted water to drink. When they got it, there was only plain hot water. We weren't understanding this and had quite a laugh about it. Especially, when I looked up and saw this sign:

We like you, but don't let the door hit you in the butt!

As Dave asked, are we back in school with a timer on the lunch? Heck, their hot water wouldn't even cool off in 20 minutes! (There is more to this lesson further down.)
6 - They don't have restrooms here; they are washrooms.

That's the end of today's lessons for now.

We made it to the hotel around 3:00 in Woodstock, and Mark took the van for a quick check on a noise. Yay! Only a piece of plastic or something equally as unimportant making the sound. So, we're good to go on to Bieb's town.

We find our way to Stratford, ON and start out down the sidewalk. I'm looking pretty touristy with my 'Bieber-iffic map to Stratford.' and lead the way as Tour Guide Barbie.

Our first sighting was the Avon Theatre where JB used to busk (translation - peddle music on the street in hopes that someone drops coins in his case.)There was a girl standing by the steps, but none of my kids wanted to tell me who she was. Mark did. She is Jennifer, the fiddle player, in the Never Say Never. Rarely one to pass of the golden opportunity, I asked her if it was her and if we could get a picture. Here it is.

Across the street, the Poor House where the Biebs and his friends played pool. Several had to step across the street for a picture.

We found out that JB and Selena Gomez were in town a couple of weeks prior and had dinner there. As we were walking down the street, Mark said 'what's everyone pointing at, is it something?' like a teen afraid to miss a sight!
Other sights:

Scoopers - where JB get ice cream

JB's favorite music store

Also on the Bieb things-to-do is Madelyn's Diner. This is supposed to be a family favorite place to eat, and JB and Selena were here with the family a couple of weeks ago. The Bieber-iffic map says Justin's fav food is spaghetti, but apparently the two items are not related because Lacy, our waitress, and grand-daughter of the owner AND former classmate of the Bieb's said it was not ever on the menu. She also said her sister got to sit down to have dinner with JB & S when they were there.

Frankie and Lacy

As Lacy was bringing out the water, David accidentally bumped her arm and she spilled some water on David and mom. Well, David had on his plastic pants so no big deal for him. Mom said that's okay, and Lacy said she still felt like an ass. First time any of us have heard a waitress say a cuss word while serving. But it gets better. David asked her about JB and she related that she's known him for years, then dropped the F-bomb in relation to him being crazy. I'm thinking there was some crazy going on! But we had a huge laugh! Lacy recommended the fish and chips because her gma has been making the fish the same way for 30 years so several of us ordered it. As Lacy was bringing out catsup and other stuff, she put two spray bottles on the kids table. One of them asked her what it was, and she said 'It's white vinegar and malt vinegar, and don't be spraying it into each others eyes, for the love of God!'

They did have poutine (pronounced pu-tin - or something like that.) This is a big item in Canada so we had to try it. Looks yummy, eh?

hand cut french fries with grated cheese and gravy on top

While everyone thought it was okay, I don't think that we'll be having a second order.

We asked Lacy about the hot water thing and she just laughed and said they do things different 'up there'. Lo and behold, when we flipped to the back of the menu, there it was - on their own menu. Lacy said her grandma just doesn't pay that much attention to the back side. Interesting that water is free unless you bring your own tea bag.