Jam2MapleSyrup: Ping what's that Pong

Normally the first thing I do when I get up, is to come downstairs, say good morning to the kids, open the blinds in the lounge and kitchen, turn on my phone and check the emails on the IPad. My first email was one that said I had replied to an advert on Kijiji (a Canadian version of EBay) for a Table Tennis Table and I had asked this question "don't know if it has bats etc". Well that's strange. I never sent that! Did Huffle? I rang him ready to tell him he should not use my own email and why would he say such a silly thing? It wasn't him. Ahhh, Grandma then! I skyped her. Yes it was her, silly Grandma, did the wrong thing. However, I sent a proper email to them and it was still available. Smallest and I had a quick breakfast, got ready and went to have a look at it. It was good, just what we were looking for. A Christmas present from Grandma and Grandad - BARGAIN. Thank you. Smallest said "I don't like the smell of this house" WELL DON'T SAY ANYTHING BECAUSE ITS RUDE. They were from India originally and the house smelt spicy and oniony. Told him they probably wouldn't like the smell of our house either.

The table tennis table was setup in their basement and they lead us down there. The advert said it was brand new, it wasn't, it was a year old but no-one had played with it much. We decided to take it and the man and his wife started disassembling it. They put all the screws in separate bags and all the poles in a box. Smallest and I left there and drove home slowly so the pieces didn't get all scratched. When we got back I emptied the car and leaned it all up in the Sun Room. There is no way I can put all that together without help. W have to find where it will fit first though - it is HUGE! I then skyped Grandma to let her know we had got it. I got to speak to CousinE and wave to CousinD. Smallest played on the IPad.

We had lunch. Looked for something around the house that ended in 'n' for Smallest's homework. He chose chicken. Then he tried to spell it. Chikn, Chikun, chickun and finally chicken. Wow when his teacher asks him how he thinks it is spelt he will know. She will be impressed.

We played on the Wii (while I cycled). Then we went out with Smallest's scooter and walked around the village. It was quite cold today and we didn't take gloves or hat so we had to keep holding hands to keep warm. Small wasn't coming home straight from school so we didn't need to worry about being back in time, although we did get back just as the bus stopped outside our house. Smallest was quite disappointed he didn't get off.

Our lovely corn field and silos

Mr Scooter

This is the field that they want to build sub-division houses on. Wish they wouldn't.

Smallest asked me to take this photo.

I had a walk around the garden when we got back. There was a bit of tree damage - lots of branches down everywhere, must have been the strom the other noght. Smallest played on the swing.

Swinging by himself

We did some reading and playing. I made dinner and then I realised I didn't know if Small was being brought home or I was supposed to pick him up so I rang them. I needed to pick him up and Smallest was in the middle of his dinner. I called Drew and asked if she could sit in our house for five minutes. She came over straight away - bless her. I gave her some dinner as we had extra. She had a tour of our house as she hadn't been in before and then she went home.

Small ahd a great timeat his friends. Cog was there too and they played video games all the time (apart from when they had a cookie and were 'goofing around'). Small came home with his School Report today. Everything was 'GOOD' and he is 'progressing as well as is expected for his grade'. Not a fabulous report but apparently his whole class is struggling this year. Has this got something to do with the fact that that they have two part time teachers, one of whom is never there, one of whom is an Art Teacher but teaches them Maths but doesn't really want to? Is this because they have that many supply teachers that don't know where they are? Is it because they just seem to work out of text books? I don't know the answer but I do know we have Parent Teacher interviews tomorrow.

The boys and I played on the Wii for a short time and then it was bedtime. They were both tired.

This evening Huffle is at the Air Canada Centre for a Mark Knopfler concert. He sent me a message earlier to say photos weren't allowed so he took one before he came on stage. Knopfler is actually the support act for Bob Dylan but as far as Huffle is concerned, Knopffler is a 'legend'.