Hospitality Award Winners - Gold Key, American Express & Tripadvisor,
with a combined 75 Years Working in the Hospitality Industry
John was born in Lethbridge AB, but grew up in Toronto. I was born and raised in Sault Ste Marie, Ontario. (My Great Great Grandfather, Edward Biggings, was Sault Ste Marie's First Mayor). John and I met in 1981 at the Convention Inn Hotel in Edmonton (now the Delta Edmonton South). What a GREAT Hotel! We LOVED it!
I worked there (Top of the Inn) for 20 years, and John, The Executive Chef, worked there for 16 years.
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I took this photo (1/2 the dining room) from the stage. (Dining and Dancing through the week) We were setting up for Mother's Day. We ran an all day Buffet (Brunch to Dinner) 10 till 10, serving approx 800 people, with staggered reservations. Talk about FUN! |
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A Going Away Present - Everyone signed this photo of the Dining Room Staff. Of course it hangs in our Motel Office.  |
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The Top of the Inn Dining Room Closed shortly after we left. Now it's a banquet room. :(
Look at John's Identity Card - Toronto Hilton 1981. So cute!! 
Here's John, the Executive Chef of the Hotel, in his Office (1993)
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| We had a blast in Edmonton during the Oilers Dynasty! | ||
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Homemade "Oilers Jewelry", A Gretzky doll for Christmas.. lol! |
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Jasper Avenue Parades - Look at the cute shot of Wayne |
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Vegas in the 80's - We would drive from Edmonton to Vegas in 24 hours, gamble for the weekend and drive back. Oh, to be young and foolish again...
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Speaking of Foolish.. This picture makes me laugh. We were in the money!! We loved Road Trips & Casinos. Together, we drove through 9 Provinces and 46 States collecting Casino Chips along the way. |
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John taught me how to play Blackjack & I thought it'd be fun to to learn how to Deal Blackjack too. |
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We were tired of being Happy, so we got Married in 1992. |
In the 90's I started my own Business drawing Custom Made Cartoons
| We spent One Year, 1998 in Regina. Dragon boating was a Highlight ~ | |
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It saddened us to sell our home in Edmonton & leave all of our friends. But John quickly built a bar in our new home so we could gather with New Friends. |
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Before
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After
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In 1999, we wanted our own Hospitality Business, but closer to Family, (and someplace where I could SWIM in summers) so we moved back to Ontario. Our BIGGEST Gamble ever - Putting everything we had on the NLmotel. |
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What a WILD and extremely successful 13 years it's been! We've morphed with the times, and have found what works for 2 people in Rural Northern Ontario. As our neighbouring accommodations close (we are the last open Motel accommodation West of Wawa), and as "Mom & Pop" Accommodations become a thing of the Past........ We just keep Rocking this place 5 months a year!
Throw yourself into some work you believe in with all your heart, live for it, die for it, and you will find happiness that you had thought could never be yours.Dale Carnegie (1888-1955)
It's not just a Business - it's our Home. We love when people stay with us and like our home as much as we do.
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John became quite the Plumber, Mechanic, Carpenter & Bed Maker over the years. I tried my hand at painting Billboards.... |  |
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In 2008, we gave John's Dad the Little House. He spent the last few years of his life here. Happy Jack on his deck, surrounded by all his flowers. He had such passion for gardening!
Here he is with little Foxy Brown.
RIP Dad! We miss you dearly.
Here's our 9th Annual "Canadian Snow Gauge". For YEARS, I ran the "Snow Cam" on my website, but I moved it to Facebook in 2010. Last year, in celebration of my first trip to Cuba, I painted a life size Caribbean Girl. She shows snow depth better than the beer cases when all 4 cases are buried by the end of February. |
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Here's the cutest Snow Gauge Photo EVER ~
See the top beer case in the upper right corner?
Ahhhh..... the October 25, 2012 Flood. Well folks, it's just another challenge. A NEW Motel & Chalets sounds GRAND to us! We will make this place better than it ever was!
Margarita Island, Venezuela 1992 |
Virginia City  |
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Crazy
Horse Memorial - 1996 |
John at Mount Rushmore 1996 |
| Jasper Alberta 1989
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The Boardwalk, Atlantic City 2001 |
Myrtle Beach, SC 2001 |
Our Bar in Edmonton |
The Kentucky Derby (with our Canadian Toques on) lol
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The Zion Gorge 2006
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| 24 hour Drive south of Wawa? Bourbon Street!! | |
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Island of Adventure, Orlando FL - the Hulk Ride - Wheeeeeeee
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Lake Louise - November 2011
Veradero Cuba, February 2012
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