The Fish Scam

Our neighbours had a fire party outside last night and it went on and on and on. Also someone was smoking something that smelled very much like Otto's doobedoo! There and then I decided Cottage Life was not for me anymore. Basically it's like caravanning but in accommodation that doesn't move. There are so many cottages in a small space and everyone is there drinking and partying and most of that is outside because the weather is so good. Damn it! I was the one that wanted to be closer to the beach too and not far away (where it is possibly quieter).

Despite last night's noise (it WAS the day before Civic Day) everyone slept nicely and had nice lie-ins too (well the boys were up before 8am). Breakfast was eaten. Smallest and I had toast from the toaster which sits in his bedroom/dining room. Directly above the toaster is a smoke alarm and when the toast is done the alarm goes off, quietly and would never wake me but it goes off all the same. Because it was dull and rainy, we decided to go and get some food shopping. On the way back we popped to the big indoor market. It is a curious place full of all sorts, including wood drawers, beds, shelves etc, towels, bedding, toys, puzzles, kitchen ware, in fact everything. The boys bought me a dancing daisy to replace the one they bought that didn't work to replace the one that Huffle knocked off the shelf.

The supermarket sold booze. That is very very rare in Ontario.

A chair for Smallest if he was smaller

Back in the cottage, we made lunch and ate it whilst watching TV. The kids chose Dragons Den. We don't have satellite at home so it's a novelty for them. This afternoon the sun came out, the rain stopped and we loaded up three kayaks for an afternoon on the lake. The owners have a hand pulled trailer which we loaded the kayaks onto. Two fit on and the other one we carried to the beach. It made it easier. The only other thing we took was a rucksack with water and pastries.

Smallest and Huffle took the double kayak and were Captain Smallest and First Mate Rum Bum (Huffle). Small and I had our own, his was called NuNu and mine Nana (because it looked like a banana). It was so flat and calm and so easy to paddle that we decided to try and get to the island. Chantry Island is a bird sanctuary and no-one is allowed on it during the Summer months.

However, we managed to get to it and docked. Small, Smallest and I went for a cooling swim before getting back in and kayaking round the island. My silly idea but I wasn't aware of how big it really was. As soon as we got to the side of it, the waves started. Not huge but enough to make it harder to paddle. There was a kayaker in front of us so we could see where we should go because there were huge rocks under the water and trees also. I got beached on a big rock despit Huffle pointing it out!

We attempted to stop once round the corner and we all held onto each others kayaks to get a drink but it made me feel sea(lake) sick so we abondoned that idea and carried on to the other side of the island. Here it was a little steadier so I headed out the pastries and we ate them whilst floating. We saw many birds but I don't know what they were. Big, black and beaky. The sat in the dead trees and reminded me of the vultures in Dumbo. They were very good at fishing and flying very close to the water. There were a lot of them but I guess that's what a bird sanctuary is for. I decided I wanted to have a sanctuary for me to go to.

On the way back, Small got very frustrated and annoyed with his kayak as it wouldn't go where he wanted it to and it was really hard work. So I stayed with him as much as I could, trying to be positive. In the end I told him to get out and swim with it and he was much happier. It was a very long way to the Isalnd and all the way round. My shoulders ache already. Not doing much tomorrow!!

Huffle was asked if the kayaks were rentable when we got to the beach. He went back to the cottage and brought back a few chairs and towels. The boys went back into the water to swim and play and Huffle and I sat on the beach. It was sunny but windy. I had to wrap a towel around me and Small had a parasol that he used as a windbreaker. Huffle noted today that we have not seen any windbreaks here since we have been in Canada. Why's that? Smallest played Canadas got stones and we voted for best. MrNose won! We stayed on the beach until about 5pm and then loaded the kayaks back on the trailer and took them back. Huffle and I carried the other one earlier.

There is a wooden board made to look like a table tennis table and after we put the kayaks back, we set it up and played while showers were being had.

For dinner this evening we went to a Fish and Chip place. It seems nowhere much is open on a Monday. Tonight was all you can eat Haddock and Chips. All but Smallest had that as he wanted Cod. We had two small pieces of haddock and the waitress asked if we wanted more. The fish was very good but we weren't offered more chips. Was it all you can eat haddock (and chips)? She brought a basket of four more pieces but it smelled fishier and had a meatier texture. Small knew what I meant but Huffle didn't. I told the waitress and she said she would bring more. It was the same with the next lot too. The waitress asked the cook but they said it was definitely the same fish. I told her it was the same with the next lot too and she spoke to the Manager who said the only thing he could think of was that it might have been cooked longer. I had a theory that the good fresh stuff everyone got first was done in one fryer and last week's was done in a different one. I don't believe that really because the waitress clearly had no idea. She said the Managr would take some off the bill if I wasn't happy but it was fine, I could just tell a difference. Huffle and Small ate plenty and Smallest liked his Cod.

We came back because Smallest was very tired and Huffle dropped me at the beach as the sun was about to set. I didn't realise I was so far from the cottage so I got a good walk back plus I caught the sunset.

Lovely but tiring day.

 

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