May 1, 2008

At 4:30 in the early morning of May 1, we pulled out of our campsite at the Fifty Point Conservation Area, in Stoney Creek, as quietly as a diesel motorhome possibly could. Our neighbour in the RV next door had warned us the night before that he didn't want to be disturbed even if we were The Cooking Ladies heading off to early morning television.

Our GPS found the way to Bayfront Park in Hamilton for our segments on CHCH Morning Live with Lesley Stewart. We arrived in the dark at 5 am and discovered that our food stylist, Jill Snider, had been there since 4 reading her book and waiting for the action to start.

The camera crew, Nick and Luke, arrived around 6 followed by a bright and cheerful Lesley at 6:30.

Nick burned his mouth while sampling hot quiche on camera. Not to be upstaged, Luke made off with a plate of broiled potato skins filming his exit from the motorhome on the outdoor Live Eye camera.

By the time we finished filming the sixth segment at 9 am, the sun was shining in the windows and we were finally awake.

Our Cranberry Pineapple Stuffing Cups, Boiled Broiled Baby Potato Skins, Mini Sausage and Apple Crustles Quiche, Eggplant And Focaccia Fusion, Hot Pepper Jelly Brie, and Creamsicle Slushy made a great breakfast.

Later, en route to United Lumber Home Hardware in Barrie, for our first store event, we stopped at a service centre on the 400 for a few hours sleep. While most of the truckers around us slept with their heads down on arms crossed over their steering wheels, we had the luxury of our home on wheels.

The Ladies' night at United Lumber Home Hardware Barrie North was very successful. We parked the motorhome right outside the front door.

Store employees looked great in their yellow t-shirts & promotional buttons. It was fun with appliance demonstrations and lots of draws for prizes. Proceeds went to the Grieving Children at Seasons Centre.

Our road crew, Roger and Ruth Sholdice, joined us to set up our sound system and to help us prepare food.

Norm Rosen from RV Lifestyle Magazine loaded the basement of the motorhome with copies of the magazine. In celebration of the 10th anniversary of our Cooking Ladies' column in RV Lifestyle Magazine, we will be giving away free subscriptions and handing out magazines at "On The Road 2008" Home Hardware Store events.