Trying to get to Christmas

Oh my goodness, it’s so difficult writing this now I am out of the habit.  The last post was when we went to the zoo.  How do I update on things we’ve done since?  Well I’ll try.........

School concerts.  Small had a fabulous band concert where he appeared in four different bands. It was a great evening.  Smallest had a concert where he played in band for the first time and sang a French Song.  Huffle and I managed to sneak into the dress rehearsal and Moo and I watched it in the evening.

Lots of snow.  It came early in November but has all gone now.  We are not supposed to have a White Christmas but are due some flurries Sunday and Monday.

Lots of pots made.  I had the end of my pottery course plus I attended a one day workshop where we learned how to Centre quickly and throw different weights.  It was gruelling but very rewarding and I threw a 4lb pot which is my largest so far.  Small also made lots of decorations for us all for Christmas using some clay I had at home.  He did a good job.

I Shredded my tyre resulting in being towed to garage by driving on it for 14km before I realised.

Volleyball and cricket tournaments at Smallest’s school.  Plus football games for both boys.

and worst of all, my gorgeous lovely friend MrsElderflowerMeadow finally giving in to her terrible cancer.  What an awful waste.  I miss her sooo much.  The worse thing is that her name is getting further and further down my list in WhatsApp which sounds silly.  I did gain a new friend in one of her best friends though, who reached out to me and we text occasssionally.  Very sad.

Moo arrived last week and although we have managed a couple of Christmas shopping trips, a tree chopping down and decorating and a few Hamlet walks, we haven’t done much.  I got ill after the
boys did their piano recital (too many kids and a hot basement) and after trying to fight a bad cough ended up at the doctors last night.  He said he had seen several cases this week which turned into Pneumonia so put me on antibiotics and rest in the hope it will be clear by ChristmasDay!

The family have been very good and making me not do anything.  Today Moo and I wrapped presents and started a jigsaw.  Everyone made dinner (I just gave instructions) and we played UPSET.

We haven’t done any Christmas baking yet since I haven’t felt up to it.  Poor Huffle has been very very busy and stressed at work (partly due to his boss who seems to have lunch and go on holiday all the time).  For Christmas she sent him a box of chocolates (whoopdedoo).  He should have finished work today but has been called to two meetings on Christmas Eve.  He is not at all happy!

We have a very big shopping list which Huffle and Moo might have do on their own and Smallest is going to make the gingerbread house.  We opened a tin of Quality Street tonight that’s been sitting on our table since Moo arrived.  Ummm yummy.

MERRY CHRISTMAS.   HOPE YOURS IS A GOOD ONE.  xx

Allan’s treats

A while ago, Huffle purchased a set of tyres for his car for $50.  This week he took his car, and tyres, new and old, to be fittted for Winter.   The new set he bought didn’t quite fit so he sold them on Kijiji and made a profit of $150.

Today he decided to take us all out.  After a morning of playing board games, we went to the Zoo.  It was cold but sunny.  The car park was full and there were a lot of people but it’s so big that you can easily escape the crowds.

I really wanted to see the new Pigmy Hippo and the Polar Bears, Smallest wanted to see the Giraffe, Monkies and Camels and Huffle just said he wanted to see some ‘animals’.  Small said he wanted to see the Samaritan Tiger (you know the kind helpful one, ha ha).  I think he meant the Sumatran Tiger.

So we had four hours there and we started with the Rhino which was huge.  He didn’t do much.    In one of the indoor pavilions we saw turtles, fish, stick insects, snakes and orangutans.

The Sumatran Tiger sat outside and stared intently at something on the horizon but we weren’t sure what.  We watched the warthogs and one of them poo’d right in front of Huffle almost as if to say “here, take a photo of this!”.  Giraffes were next.  I love giraffes but I’m never happy with where they are kept.  I guess it was too cold outside but their inside room was tiny!  Another inside pavilion again and this time we saw a Soft Shell turtle.  He was really funny and Huffle said he looked like me in the mornings!!!

In here we also got to see penelope, the Pygmy hippo.  Unfortunately she didn’t do anything, just sat
in the water.  We saw birds and lizards and more fish plus frogs and gorillas.  One of the gorillas had a tiny baby that she carried on her back.  They were very entertaining.

We found the penguins but they stood waiting by a door probably for food.  Too cold to swim.
Yaks, Birds, Owls, Snakes and Golden Tamarind and Lion Tamarinds were next.  Smallest was eating
Almonds and they were transfixed by him.  If they could have got through the glass, they would have
had a feast.  It was very funny watching them.

The Polar bears were lovely as usual, not swimming but eating and wandering close by to the windows and outside fence.  The baby we saw last time is now fully grown.

The Snow Wolves  sat on the hillside and posed for us too.  We saw a snowy Owl and reindeers before going inside another pavilion to see the Australian Animals.  Kookaburra, kangaroos, peacocks and wallabies.

In the reptile house we saw more snakes, turtles and an amazing wall of fish.  The lights were dimmed and there was ultra violet lighting which made the fish really stand out.  They were mesmerizing.  There was also our favourite, the jelly fish.

The Amur Tiger was pacing back and forth and came right up to the window I was standing at which got me a great photo.

The Red Panda was really high up in a tree trying to get warm and the Eagles were massive.  We stood around trying to catch a photo of the Snow Leopards and we watched the mountain goats getting fruity with each other.

It was a great afternoon at the zoo.  We finished our day out by going to our favourite Italian restaurant.  Small had a pizza, Huffle had a Calzone, Smallest had Gnocci and I had a risotto.  It was very yummy.

Back home, Huffle purchased a MarioKart expansion pack so we could race more levels.  While it Downloaded, Small helped Smallest play the baritone ad then we all played MrioKart.

A lovely day.  Thank you Allan for buying Huffle’s tyres and thank you Huffle for treating us all.

*My bottom’s more patriotic!

Happy Thanksgiving.

We decided to celebrate Thanksgiving by going away for a couple of days to a cottage.  Grandma and Grandad hadn’t been to Lake Huron before and so we booked a two night stay at a lakeside cottage in a place near PortAlbert.

We hired a car big enough to get us all in plus our luggage and set off after breakfast Saturday morning.  We left behind fog, rain and coolness.  We drove through extensive farmland and saw Llamas, Alpacas, donkeys, goats, cows, sheep and even a zebra (Smallest saw this and he wasn’t 100% sure if it was a horse painted though the sign did say Exotic Animals).  It ook us 3.5 hours driving and we had a lunch stop at a local diner.

Really farmy and foggy

Our cottage was bigger than we have stayed in before.  A bungalow with three bedrooms, a big deck, kitchen lounge and two bathrooms.   It did overlook the lake but we couldn’t see it because of the trees.  We went for a walk down to the beach which included a steep gravel/woodland path to a thin beach (since the storm recent damage) but private.  We had a little walk along, skimming stones and generally getting our sillies out before going back to the cottage, making beds, having a cup of tea and going out for dinner and a look around.

Our beach through steep woodland

Our first stop was Goderich where we walked the boardwalk until rain stopped us.  Dinner was at a place we have been in several times in previous years.  We had a good wait but it was worth it as it was very good.  While we waited we played Who am I which was very silly!

Kinkardine Beach and Boardwalk

 

Kids playground

Rain stops play

Small and Smallest shared a room and a bunk bed so Smallest went to bed first while I read some history of the local salt mines and we had a quiz.

Sunday was very cold and blustery but we managed a game of French Cricket on the Kinkardine Beach, plus a walk along the pier.  Nowhere was open at all so we went to Port Elgin for Dinner and walked the boardwalk of Southampton Beach, ending with a hot chocolate/ice cream.

 Kinkardine bach

Monday after breakfast, we packed up our stuff, filled the car and drove back to Kinkardine where we set up on the beach and played Boules, French Cricket and had a picnic whilst fighting off the wasps and seagulls.  Once again, nowhere was open so we came home via *Arthur, a village which proclaimed to be The Most Patriotic Village in Canada.  After a very quick stop and a wander down the Main Street, Small deemed his bottom more patriotic than this village.  The only thing that entertained us (bearing in mind everything was closed) was a pizza shop called TitTomatoPizza and a department store from the 1950’s (same clothes from then too we think).

Huffle drove all the time we were away.  Well done Huffle.  Although it wasn’t warm, we had a pleasant stay and it was different to be away at this time of year.  Apparently it rained all the time we were away.  The fish were sulking too from us being away and not putting the heating on.  Whoops!

Two Birthdays

Monday was Small’s birthday.  Fifteen and now six foot tall with size 13 feet (12 in UK).  Tall, stinky, hairy but everyday he asks how my day has gone (and Huffle’s) and patiently listens while we recall the events of that day.  Bless him.

He went to school and only opened one present (a tee shirt he was desperate to wear).  He went out for lunch with his friends at school and they had a slice of pizza.  His girlfriend bought him a present and a couple of his mates gave him a homemade card.

Once home we had to send him away while Grandma and I finished off his cake.  This year he requested a chocolate cake (nothing surprising there really), four tiers and as much chocolate as we could get on it.  We started off really well and made the chocolate cakes using a really good quality cocoa powder.  Sandwiched together and drizzled with ganache before loading all the chocolate sweets etc on top.  It really was yummy if not a little haphazard looking.

Dinner was jacket potatoes and we had jelly and ice cream and cake.  Normally we would play pass the parcel (yes even for a fifteen year old) but because we didn’t have much paper, we chose to do a treasure hunt instead.  Everyone got a clue or two to find their present.  We have decided this is a new family tradition.  One of Smallest’s gifts was a Sorry button.  It says sorry in ten different ways.  It’s perfect for him to put in his pocket.  

Thursday was my birthday (you don’t need me to write how old I am!!).  I went to Pottery in the morning and had a lovely time with my fellow potters.  One of them made me churros and I took a big bag of maltesers in.  Not easy to eat anything really when your hands are wet and full of clay.  

Grandma, Huffle and the boys made me a Pavlova and we had cheesey chip cobs for dinner.  (Something I have been wishing for for ages).  For any non-Leicester readers :-  a white crusty roll buttered with a lashing of fries and cheese.  Yum yum carb overload.

After dinner we had present opening.  I got chocolates, flowers, bath salts, water bottle, picture, plants, money, spiraliser and lots of cards and lovely messages from all over the World.  We ended the evening with a MarioKart.  Grandma played and did surprisingly well and then Grandad took over.  He got better and then worse and then Grandma and Grandad played each other which was funny to watch.

In the week we went to watch Smallest’s School football games (three in a row).  Grandad was supposed to be refereeing but wasn’t needed at the last minute despite having Small’s spare top and
a whistle), Small refereed Smallest’s last game which was interesting.  Three games, all losses, one player left before the end and an autistic boy was brought on to make up numbers (a sibling of a player).  He proceeded to dance his way to the goal and stayed there.  Funny.  His team were terrible
despite Smallest trying hard to play for the whole team and consequently injuring his ankle.  It’s okay now after some physio with Grandad.

Z-RedSox

Grandma and Grandad arrived on Tuesday and once again thier cases were overflowing with lovely goodies for everyone.  The boys got a pile of beanos and comics, tee shirts and the normal load of chocolate.  I got two huge lengths of material and a lovely LOROS forget-me-not flower for my beautiful friend MrsElderflowerMeadow.  Our Yorkshire tea stash had nearly run out but it has now been replaced by a carrier bag sized supply along with coffee, biscuits, lemon curd and sweets, plus some of the old favourites.

On a Friday, Small brought his girlfriend home on the School bus to meet Grandma and Grandad and we had homemade pizza and a card night.  Small and MissNecessary sat in the basement and watched a film while Grandma and I made pizza.  We all ate and then we played cards.  Small had requested that we play GoFish as that was the only game she knew but as she didn’t really know our names it
didn’t work too well because she only asked Small and Smallest.  We taught her to play Woppit (an old Hall favourite) and Newmarket.  At one pout she said it was weird sitting round a table with a bunch of Brits.  She likes the English accent though!  Strangely enough, since meeting her, Small has dropped his ‘Canadian’ and is now English again.  Yay!  MissNecessary gave us an impromptu song on the piano and the boys played piano too.  It was very good.  She said she enjoyed the evening.

Grandad came to see Smallest at his Football trial (which he was offered a place again) and we also went to watch his School football game.  It was very entertaining and funny.  Basically Grades 3-6 girls and boys playing football.  With our school being so small, Smallest was the only Grade 6.  There was a big girl in defence at the back from Grade 5, a handful of tiny players from 3 and 4, a boy who watched the clouds and proclaimed he could see dragons and an autistic girl who danced and sang all the way through and never kicked the ball once.  I don’t know how we didn’t concede more goals but it ended up 2-0 tothe other School. (Smallest told us they did their charity run earlier in the day so maybe they were tired).  Grandad coached from the side.

Smallest had his charity run at school on Friday and he chose to run for MrsElderflowerMeadow.

Grandad and I noticed a huge pile of bricks around a local tree and we stopped to ask if they were for ‘recycling’.  We were told to take the lot.  Four car loads later and Grandad and I had hauled them
back home.  In the meantime he has been clearing a new path in our front garden and began laying the bricks in a lovely interlocking pattern.  It is all ready to dig, sand and properly lay now.  Plus we have room for a new plant ha!  Just in time for the garden centres end of season sale.  Wahooo.

My little girl who I teach knitting is coming back to me again this year and she entered her little chicken in a local show and won second place.  I am so proud.

Last night ( Saturday) Huffle and I went into Toronto for Nuit Blanche.  The city was alive from Sunset to Sunrise with art installations dotted around.  We went in around 8pm and managed to stay awake until 12:45 which for us wasn’t too bad.  Howeve we did consider just going to the cinema when we saw how busy it was and what people it was attracting.  We struggled to find somewhere nice to eat and ended up in a food court type place.  Some of the roads were pedestrianised just for the night which made it nicer to get around.  Some of the ‘art’ was really good, some ‘weird’ but mainly people were standing aro7nd looking confused.  I liked the atmosphere of the nighttime City but we wore the wrong shoes and walked 10km during the five ish hours we were out.  We found a newt Gelato shop and even though the weather has gone decidedly cool all of a sudden, we did indulge in their buy one get one free offer.  We ended the evening with a peppermint tea in a hotel bar before dragging our weary feet back home and into bed at 1:30am.

Sam Sam the record man

This is to signify the wave of Immigrants  coming into the country

Do angels exist? Huffle said NO!

Skyline and a hot air balloon

The hot air balloon

Nathan Phillips square 

Drake’s bar

Drake’s bar and Huffle being STREET 

Huge big blow up bird

Is he on the floor or on a window? 

Grandma, Grandad and the boys went for dinner at our local eatery.  They enjoyed it.