Life @ North45

Growing up as a child from age 4 – every summer in #Bala, #Muskoka, I have, of course, some specials memories.  Going to Cunninghams (now purksplace) for worms to fish and fish and fish, would be one…. but often, on rainy days (and others too) I’d be fortunate to go visit Paul Arnie at the #BalaArcade. Paul, the Bala Arcade owner, if you do not know him, is ageless. My wonderful wife thinks he has a magic potion in the back, an elixir, because he has not aged.  He was there when I was a child, then our 2 children, now our 3 grandchildren.  July 26th was MAGIC, as my eldest grandson and i walked in, just as Paul opened the store, and all the lights came on – around the store and on ALL the machines – the games in full color regalia – the sites and sounds – oh my!!  It was a scene out of Willy Wonka ! Finns eyes (and mine too ) LIT UP…. I must admit that i was so surprised that Peppy the clown and the old fortune teller still worked!  Paul must be an engineer as well!! Pictures can tell a story too but hopefully these words conjure some fun images.  My grandson...

Is there anyone in Muskoka who does not LOVE their local bakery? Ive grown up in Bala and now that I have THREE wonderful grandchildren, (yes, and two wonderful adult girls) there are few journeys I enjoy more than travelling to Don’s Bakery in the boat with this trio of scallywags and cup of coffee. I thank my lucky stars each time we cross Bala Bay for a ‘bakery run’ to pick up scones, apple fritter(s) , a bran muffin perhaps a pie and donuts often ‘secretly’ eaten on the return voyage. So it was that after a couple of years of getting acquainted, a month of planning, and the marketing savvy of Jana Foster, we launched the radio career of Bryan Foster of Dons Bakery in Bala. With the help of good friend ‘Nimmer’ at Moose FM – it came together. We sat on the deck outside the bakery and recorded customer “sound bites”, which in my long career of doing this was as easy as pie since everyone is so passionate and eager to help promote their local bakery and their butter tarts!! Happy to say this campaign will be a success… it’s nice to work with great people and mmm mmm, great products...