Unchained! - September 7, 2019
I don’t like chains much. Now I know what you are thinking, “Who in their right mind would want to be chained?” What I mean is corporate chains.
I simply love Mom n Pop motels and retirement residences and restaurants. Here are three of my favourites in Belleville.
Train Tracks Motel (not the real name)
Yes, that’s right. It’s a 1950s Motor-Hotel. And very little has changed in this place over the past 60 years – except the owners. They are the daughter and son-in-law of the original owners. There is no website or Facebook page. And the google reviews are not kind.
But we love it. I simply email Lori (not her real name) and she writes back, “We’ve got your favourite room - #8. The key will be in the door in case I’m out.” Love this!
But Lori is always in the office. You have to push your way in – there are stacks of papers and lost-and-found items everywhere. And sometimes you gotta ring that front-desk bell pretty hard. But out she comes – so happy to see me, and I her.
She knows my Mom – or at least all about my Mom – and my family. Possibly because I send her a Christmas letter. And she is always happy to show me pics of her grands – and they are so sweet. And there is a paper form to fill out every time and I can never remember my license plate and she says, “Not to worry. I know where you live.”
Meanwhile Laur is in the car ready to chew his arm off. He is so tired after a long drive and so frustrated that for me every place I’ve been to more than once becomes “old home week.”
And sure enough, the key is in the door of #8 and we drop our stuff off before going to visit my Mom – we only rent if she has full house already. Everything in our motel room is old and it would not pass the white glove test. But we love the whole thing. The bottle opener built into the wall, the bathroom door that kind of shuts, the fight for outlets for our phones and computers, and the air conditioner that sounds like a helicopter.
I love chatting with the workers next door who rent by the week and are enjoying a few “tall boys” and cigarettes in the early evening. I love that there is a train track in the back yard and that there is a train going by every few hours – blowing its horn as it comes to Sidney Street. I say, “Hi Dad!” because my Dad drove trains.
I love that the Train Track Motel is across from the Belleville cemetery so it’s a chance to go visit my dear, sweet Dad who was thrilled when Mom delivered a baby girl. I love that there is a Tim Hortons within spitting distance and that my hubs doesn’t complain too much about doing a coffee run at 6 am.
You might think it’s crazy cheap to stay here. It’s not. It’s only $10 less than a chain motel just down the street. And the chain throws in breakfast. But I just love the tucked in with love feeling. And the lack of bed bugs is bonus! No exotic travelers staying here!
*****
Paradise Place Retirement Home
Of course, Paradise Place is not the real name. And it wasn’t my first choice for my Mom for respite care should a time arise if Mom has a fall when Laur and I are out of country and my brother Jim and his wife are even more busy than usual, caring for family. Dorothy comes from a Mennonite family – that should give you some idea of their scope of compassionate practice.
We went first to Knob Hill Residence (not the real name.) And I loved it. So classy. And the daily rate seemed so reasonable until I found out the price of the “a la carte” items. $7.50 each time if Mom needed assistance going to the bathroom. $11.35 each time to bring any meal to her room. $150 month for ONE night check-in. You would not believe the cost of getting Mom up in the morning and settling her in bed – close to $500. When I added it all together, $3200 became $6000 per month.
I thank God for Mom’s dear friends. Her niece Joanne mentioned to me that her Mom stayed at Paradise Place before moving to a different city and it was very good. My Mom’s primary PSW May did her placement there when studying to be a PSW and really liked it. Both will say it looks pretty old inside. And what we say is, “So does our Mom’s place. That’s how we like things!”
We made an appointment and the Director of Care was unbelievable kind. We watched her interact with a resident and a PSW – and she was very sincere. We reviewed my Mom’s health with her and she said that Mom would absolutely be welcomed there. I asked her very directly about “a la carte” fees. She is proud that Paradise Place doesn’t do this to Seniors. They assess what the person will need and tell you in advance. And their highest fee is less than the lowest fee at Knob Hill.
All the meals are made there. The whole place smells wonderful. It is a small retirement home – run by a husband and wife and framily team. Most of the staff is full-time and all have extra training so all care is very personal and professional.
And the rooms and suites? Well, they look more 80s and 90s than Knob Hill – but that is exactly what Laur and I like. We told our tour guide we were ready to move in today! The place is spotless. Each resident has his or her own heat and AC, so they don’t get epidemics spreading. And the floors in the units are carpeted. A softer place to land when you fall. My Mom and I know a few things about falls.
Here is a sample supper menu:
Prime Rib With Yorkshire Pudding Or Lemon Butter Halibut
Mashed Potatoes with Gravy Or Rice Pilaf
Green String Beans
Tossed Chefs Salad
Homemade Apple Pie La Mode Or Fresh Berries with Whipped Cream
I am hoping by the time we are ready for Paradise Place they’ll have vegan options! 😊
*****
Northway Family Restaurant
The Northway was a second home to my Mom and to anyone who visited her. It has changed ownership and Mom doesn’t eat out anymore, but when it was run by Kenny and crew it was fantastic. The servers all knew and loved my mom. Kenny would flirt with my mother from the kitchen, and she loved it. Mama (Kenny’s Mom) at the front desk knew our whole family. (I think I sent them an annual Christmas letter too.)
Laur and I would order an upsized chef salad and their spaghetti and tomato sauce with extra mushrooms. There was so much food that Laur and I eventually ended up splitting our pasta order. And if you know Laur and me at all, you know we could eat Paul Bunyan under the table. The price was so low that Mom often left a tip that was the same amount as the meal. Tipping 20% would have felt stingy.
For the last birthday party we had for my Mom when she could go out for supper, the Northway gave us their events room all to ourselves. Normally, for an event, you get two choices of food and that is it. But because it was my Mom, they let us order whatever we wanted off the menu and hired an extra gal – dedicated to serving us. This gal was deaf but could lipread. An amazing employer to hire a woman in the service industry when she cannot hear, and a remarkable woman who interacted cheerfully with us and got every order right.
*****
Mom was once interviewed by a teenage kid of one of her pharmacists as part of a school project. At age 97, my Mom has a lot of information to share and lots of stories to tell. The interviewer’s final question to my Mom was, “Given your long history, do you think the state of the world is improving?” And Mom answered, “Most definitely not!”
And I believe her. Don’t get me wrong. There are amazing chains that pay and treat people well. They offer holiday time and a benefits package. But there are a whole lot of companies that hire part time only and insist that you be available any time they call you. No minimum number of hours, minimum wage, no benefits package, and no job security.
There was a whole lot wrong with the 50s and 60s. But a few things were right. Many workers got job protection, and families got benefits packages. And Mom and Pop places had better than a snowball’s chance in Hades of making it, and even thriving. Able to send their kids to college.
Election season is upon us in Canada. I encourage you to vote for the party that will care the most for the frail elderly. That will be us in a decade or two. And for jobs for kids and grandkids – good wages, benefits package, full time, and PENSION PLAN – so that they can retire early. That way they can help look after us. 😊
I simply love Mom n Pop motels and retirement residences and restaurants. Here are three of my favourites in Belleville.
Train Tracks Motel (not the real name)
Yes, that’s right. It’s a 1950s Motor-Hotel. And very little has changed in this place over the past 60 years – except the owners. They are the daughter and son-in-law of the original owners. There is no website or Facebook page. And the google reviews are not kind.
But we love it. I simply email Lori (not her real name) and she writes back, “We’ve got your favourite room - #8. The key will be in the door in case I’m out.” Love this!
But Lori is always in the office. You have to push your way in – there are stacks of papers and lost-and-found items everywhere. And sometimes you gotta ring that front-desk bell pretty hard. But out she comes – so happy to see me, and I her.
She knows my Mom – or at least all about my Mom – and my family. Possibly because I send her a Christmas letter. And she is always happy to show me pics of her grands – and they are so sweet. And there is a paper form to fill out every time and I can never remember my license plate and she says, “Not to worry. I know where you live.”
Meanwhile Laur is in the car ready to chew his arm off. He is so tired after a long drive and so frustrated that for me every place I’ve been to more than once becomes “old home week.”
And sure enough, the key is in the door of #8 and we drop our stuff off before going to visit my Mom – we only rent if she has full house already. Everything in our motel room is old and it would not pass the white glove test. But we love the whole thing. The bottle opener built into the wall, the bathroom door that kind of shuts, the fight for outlets for our phones and computers, and the air conditioner that sounds like a helicopter.
I love chatting with the workers next door who rent by the week and are enjoying a few “tall boys” and cigarettes in the early evening. I love that there is a train track in the back yard and that there is a train going by every few hours – blowing its horn as it comes to Sidney Street. I say, “Hi Dad!” because my Dad drove trains.
I love that the Train Track Motel is across from the Belleville cemetery so it’s a chance to go visit my dear, sweet Dad who was thrilled when Mom delivered a baby girl. I love that there is a Tim Hortons within spitting distance and that my hubs doesn’t complain too much about doing a coffee run at 6 am.
You might think it’s crazy cheap to stay here. It’s not. It’s only $10 less than a chain motel just down the street. And the chain throws in breakfast. But I just love the tucked in with love feeling. And the lack of bed bugs is bonus! No exotic travelers staying here!
*****
Paradise Place Retirement Home
Of course, Paradise Place is not the real name. And it wasn’t my first choice for my Mom for respite care should a time arise if Mom has a fall when Laur and I are out of country and my brother Jim and his wife are even more busy than usual, caring for family. Dorothy comes from a Mennonite family – that should give you some idea of their scope of compassionate practice.
We went first to Knob Hill Residence (not the real name.) And I loved it. So classy. And the daily rate seemed so reasonable until I found out the price of the “a la carte” items. $7.50 each time if Mom needed assistance going to the bathroom. $11.35 each time to bring any meal to her room. $150 month for ONE night check-in. You would not believe the cost of getting Mom up in the morning and settling her in bed – close to $500. When I added it all together, $3200 became $6000 per month.
I thank God for Mom’s dear friends. Her niece Joanne mentioned to me that her Mom stayed at Paradise Place before moving to a different city and it was very good. My Mom’s primary PSW May did her placement there when studying to be a PSW and really liked it. Both will say it looks pretty old inside. And what we say is, “So does our Mom’s place. That’s how we like things!”
We made an appointment and the Director of Care was unbelievable kind. We watched her interact with a resident and a PSW – and she was very sincere. We reviewed my Mom’s health with her and she said that Mom would absolutely be welcomed there. I asked her very directly about “a la carte” fees. She is proud that Paradise Place doesn’t do this to Seniors. They assess what the person will need and tell you in advance. And their highest fee is less than the lowest fee at Knob Hill.
All the meals are made there. The whole place smells wonderful. It is a small retirement home – run by a husband and wife and framily team. Most of the staff is full-time and all have extra training so all care is very personal and professional.
And the rooms and suites? Well, they look more 80s and 90s than Knob Hill – but that is exactly what Laur and I like. We told our tour guide we were ready to move in today! The place is spotless. Each resident has his or her own heat and AC, so they don’t get epidemics spreading. And the floors in the units are carpeted. A softer place to land when you fall. My Mom and I know a few things about falls.
Here is a sample supper menu:
Prime Rib With Yorkshire Pudding Or Lemon Butter Halibut
Mashed Potatoes with Gravy Or Rice Pilaf
Green String Beans
Tossed Chefs Salad
Homemade Apple Pie La Mode Or Fresh Berries with Whipped Cream
I am hoping by the time we are ready for Paradise Place they’ll have vegan options! 😊
*****
Northway Family Restaurant
The Northway was a second home to my Mom and to anyone who visited her. It has changed ownership and Mom doesn’t eat out anymore, but when it was run by Kenny and crew it was fantastic. The servers all knew and loved my mom. Kenny would flirt with my mother from the kitchen, and she loved it. Mama (Kenny’s Mom) at the front desk knew our whole family. (I think I sent them an annual Christmas letter too.)
Laur and I would order an upsized chef salad and their spaghetti and tomato sauce with extra mushrooms. There was so much food that Laur and I eventually ended up splitting our pasta order. And if you know Laur and me at all, you know we could eat Paul Bunyan under the table. The price was so low that Mom often left a tip that was the same amount as the meal. Tipping 20% would have felt stingy.
For the last birthday party we had for my Mom when she could go out for supper, the Northway gave us their events room all to ourselves. Normally, for an event, you get two choices of food and that is it. But because it was my Mom, they let us order whatever we wanted off the menu and hired an extra gal – dedicated to serving us. This gal was deaf but could lipread. An amazing employer to hire a woman in the service industry when she cannot hear, and a remarkable woman who interacted cheerfully with us and got every order right.
*****
Mom was once interviewed by a teenage kid of one of her pharmacists as part of a school project. At age 97, my Mom has a lot of information to share and lots of stories to tell. The interviewer’s final question to my Mom was, “Given your long history, do you think the state of the world is improving?” And Mom answered, “Most definitely not!”
And I believe her. Don’t get me wrong. There are amazing chains that pay and treat people well. They offer holiday time and a benefits package. But there are a whole lot of companies that hire part time only and insist that you be available any time they call you. No minimum number of hours, minimum wage, no benefits package, and no job security.
There was a whole lot wrong with the 50s and 60s. But a few things were right. Many workers got job protection, and families got benefits packages. And Mom and Pop places had better than a snowball’s chance in Hades of making it, and even thriving. Able to send their kids to college.
Election season is upon us in Canada. I encourage you to vote for the party that will care the most for the frail elderly. That will be us in a decade or two. And for jobs for kids and grandkids – good wages, benefits package, full time, and PENSION PLAN – so that they can retire early. That way they can help look after us. 😊