In search of the falls

Some photos I missed off from yesterday's post:

A picture of our umbrella (for shade not rain) for Grandma with Chantry Island in the background

Huffle looking 'pleased' with his cup of berries I packed in the cool box - sand got in, oh and a crisp! Whoops.

My footprint - is it in or out?

Small's footprint and mine. In or out?

What should have been a stormy, ropey day, turned into a very hot and humid day. However, our plans were to go in search of at least one falls, maybe three.

We had a lovely outside breakfast, watching the Olympics. We watched the horse jumping and the Canoe Slalom (although we were disappointed we weren't in it). Then Grandma and Grandad skyped us and we swapped sunny/rainy stories. They showed us their lovely yellow raspberries and ate them in front of us! PAH!

Us Skyping the enormous raspberry

The boys played together and we all slowly got ready for a day out.

First we headed towards Jones Falls.

We couldn't keep up with Smallest - he walked fast, he was really excited.

A lovely tree we passed, even Small liked this one.

The write up said "Don't leave home without seeing it". So we found it, we walked through the woods to it. We walked over the big boulders and then we saw it. DRY. This is what it should have looked like:

And this is what it did look like.

Very disappointing, but I suppose they haven't had rain here for ages so it is bound to dry up. I actually found it interesting to see the rock formation under the falls and to stand where the water would have been but the boys were very disappointed! We met a man there who's family was originally from Slough, England, and he told us that when it does rain, the falls is spectacular. He also told us to visit the Inglis Falls as it is much better.

Small very close to the edge.

We were hungry so we decided to stop off in Owen Sounds. Huffle's comment of the day was "it is an urban place, at least they will definitely have somewhere to eat here". WRONG! It was all cafes and coffee shops. We tried a pizza place but they weren't very accommodating so we ended up in a pub and had grilled cheese sandwiches. Is was nice and cool in there, the food was alright and we got directions to another falls we wanted to see. I forgot though that when we ask for directions, Huffle and I hear the first two instructions and then we drift off. It's not us being rude, it's not that we don't want to know the directions, it is just that we seem incapable of listening past the first few streets! Unfortunately this means that we never really quite get where we want to go, I assume he will hear past the bit I hear and he assumes the same of me (even though we have been married for nearly twelve years!!!!!).

Anyway, we eventually found Weavers Creek Falls. This one boasted "two types of waterfalls in one". Oooh goody. We parked in a national park which seemed nice. Lots of play parks for the littles. An ice cream place and a..............campsite. Which we avoided (at first!). Again, this is what it should have looked like:

The instructions were simple enough. "follow the marked trails........look for the boardwalk". Even we could take that instruction in and follow it. However, we couldn't find the markers and we saw no boardwalk. Does boardwalk here mean something different? Could it be a concrete path? Could it be a dirt path through a forest? Our five minute walk turned into 40 mins. It was nice to walk through the trees but the boys weren't keen.

Lovely cool walk till it got steeper and harder to climb

This is the best we saw

The walk said it was moderate but we climbed and climbed and climbed and then I looked at the OS on my phone and we were nowhere near the river so we came back. We had to come back through the campsite. Huffle said he wanted me to see how camping life looked from the inside in case I ever got any ideas of a camping holiday! We had an ice cream which was poor quality. It was called London Ice-Cream 'how ice cream used to be'. Not in our London it's not. guessing it's the Canadian London. Not one we would eat again. Obviously we are connoisseurs now. Kawarthy and Hometown and a Gelato one we found in Toronto are so far our favourites.

So, the boys went on the park for some considerable time. We watched them, played a bit too, and generally people watched.

The boys talking through a megaphone style thing

A climbing roundabout?

Up in the crows nest

Huffle using the talky thing

Smallest stood on a bridge and Small wound it to make it go across - clever

On the swing laughing because I called him stinky feet!

We should have then gone on to Inglis Falls but Huffle was fed up and he refused to see anymore falls that didn't exist. This day out was my idea. Tomorrow we are back on the beach. Safer there!

When we got back we had a chill out in the garden (partly due to a tantrum from smallest). We Skyped Madamme Courvoisier and Mr Pickle. It was raining in Florida - can you believe it? It was raining in Leicestershire too! Not here! not yet!

We took our picnic onto the beach opposite our house. We had a walk around. The boys climbed rocks.

We passed this house - we like it - "it stands well"

Lovely rocks looking out to the lake

Boys doing an 'alternative alternative blog photo'

Look at that purple cloud - how did that happen?

We picked up sticks and interesting driftwood. We found stripey stones.

Huffle also doing an 'alternative alternative blog photo'

We ate our picnic and nearly got jumped on by a dog. We walked up to the lighthouse and along to the end of it.

Don't stand on there boys! It says DANGER! Oh I'll just take a quick photo first

Look at that sky!

Smallest requested that we have a photo with tongues sticking out!

"not too close to the edge!"

Some boats opposite where we are staying

Then we came home. The boys watched Wacky Races, we caught up on emails and then the boys went to bed. It's a hot evening.

 

 

 

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Beat me - Whip Me

The man who sits on the bench with different signs each day, was there this morning with a sign that said Beat Me - Whip Me. We can't work out if he just has a wicked sense of humour or he's just downright strange! The other day it said Ice Creams $5. I dread to think what would happen if you stopped and asked for one!

Whilst having our breakfast outside, we watched the Cross Country horse riding at the Olympics. I have to say the course was brilliant. We especially liked the jump called "East End Barrows", the boys liked the miniature Tower of London. We went in to play - Small and I on the IPad and Smallest and Huffle playing Monopoly U-Build. At the same time we watched the synchronised diving. WOW. They were amazing. Shame we didn't quite get there, but it was entertaining all the same.

Tom Daley & Pete Waterfield on our IPad Tv on the sun room

In order to get more picnic and breakfast stuff, we had to go shopping. We went to Walmart and purchased some Noodles (not to eat but to play in the lake with!), lots of lovely breakfast things and some picnicky bits and bobs. On the way home we stopped off at a local place we went to before and had dinner. Great place as they were also screening the Olympics so we got to see some beach volleyball, boxing and rowing. We were particularly happy to see the GB team beat the Canadians, as the programme we watched was very Canadian biased (obviously).

Saw this bunny as we were getting out of the car

After dinner we popped back, got changed, made a picnic tea, put the shopping away and went to the beach. Same beach, same spot, some of the same people.

Boys playing Boules

As they were playing, a man walked by and the boys paused their game to let him pass. He picked up their jack ball and said "here is this yours?". They said yes thank you and smiled politely but I could see Huffle chuckling secretly.

It was very hot and quite windy. So the umbrellas didn't stay up well. This time the boys didn't jump in straight away. The water seemed colder. They did go in, many times though.

Muscles like Noodles

Huffle went in up to his waist but I only paddled today.

Huffle and I did manage to go for a walk up the beach on our own, until they realised what we were doing and ran after us, then they found some big rocks to climb so they left us alone. Later we tried to walk on our own the other way. They let us walk and then on the way back Smallest ran to us telling us all the things Small had done or said!

The boys had another swim, we ate our picnic, then the boys went on the park.

More swimming,

Lots of sandcastle making,

A bit of burying Small in the sand.

More belly button making

Boules

Then back home, showers, stories and bed. Phew, it's still hot. According to the weather forecast there was a storm due today which never happened and a storm is due tomorrow, Thursday and Friday. The weather reports seem to change that much that we don't don't make too many forward plans anymore, just see what it looks like and do whatever we like. No-one is bored of the beach yet, so we will keep going for now.

 

 

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What lovely muscles you have there!

Even the kids got up late this morning, so everyone got a lie in. wahooooooo. In fact we didn't have breakfast till 10am. We watched the Olympics and saw Great Britain get a silver. Fabulous. It was very exciting.

Huffle and Smallest played a game on the IPad and Small and I played Monopoly U-Build. Then Small read for a while and I made the days picnic. Smallest had a tantrum - can't even remember why now but at least he calmed down by himself and came and said sorry. It wasn't the only one that day, there was another one later, which was about not carrying a beach umbrella! Silly Boy!

We didn't get out of the house till 1ish and so after packing the car with our beach stuff, we went in search of dinner. We found a pub we had seen a few days ago and decided to try there. They were not kid or family friendly unfortunately. Nothing for the boys to do except get bored. The food took too long and when it did come it was disappointing. The boys shared a pizza (it was expensive and yet quite small). Huffle and I had Quiche and Salad. I really liked mine but Huffle wasn't impressed!

We parked the car near the Beach and walked to the ice cream shop (again??????). We walked and ate, and ate and walked back the front and sat and ate and watched the boats.

Then we went on to the beach and set up our camp. The boys went in immediately. It was a scorcher today. The beach had loads more people on it, the busiest we have seen it. Still we managed to find a spot. Actually we were next to a man playing the guitar although we couldn't quite hear it.

It looks deserted because I like to try and make it look like we are the only ones there. Not interested in getting other people in on my photos, unless I want to!

We buried the boys under the sand......................

We buried them under the shade of the umbrellas but had to take it down to take the photo as we couldn't see anything. Smallest was actually laughing his head off but he looks like he wasn't enjoying it here.

Small is making him a new belly button and tickling him too much whilst doing it!

.........and we gave Small a new muscly arm and huge hand!

We swam. I read for ages and ages and ages.

The boys all played boules.

The kids played on the swings and the slide.

We had our picnic tea, by which time most of the people had disappeared.

Whilst having tea, we gave Smallest English Lessons. Testing him on words that are used here and then back in England. He did really well. This was prompted when he told us he need to put his rubbish in the Trash!!! I called them 'guys' earlier too. OUCH!

Small pondering whilst eating his apple

Smallest's picnic tray.

They met a boy called Roger? (that's what Smallest said his name was!). Smallest left his shoes on the beach and had to run and find them before we got in the car. Then small left his hat on the beach but we didn't realise till we got back so I drove back and walked the beach till I found it. I did!

The boys and 'roger'

My hat makes my shadow look a bit like Mary Poppins.

One last swim

Well done to Unc Pear for winning the county Championship for a record 9th time. Yaaaayy.

 

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