That goat ate my wristband!

A nice slow start to the day and then the boys decided they might like to go somewhere. After much discussion (usually they start with 'can we go to Disneyland', followed with 'what about the zoo?') we decided on the Fun Farm Park where we picked fruit a few weeks ago with Moo. A twenty minute drive took us to the farm. I wasn't convinced it would be entertaining enough for Small as it seemed very geared towards younger kids but as the website said it was in the Fall programme and the Corn Maze would be operational, we thought we would try it.

$8 each got us a full day pass. The maze wasn't open because it is a Fall thing not a Summer thing. The boys raced to the Turbo Slide and complained it wasn't slidey enough. Next they went on the Jumbo Jumping Pillows. These looked great fun but adults weren't allowed so I only got a quick sneaky go. Smallest said these weren't as bouncy as you would expect and Small said it hurt his legs!

It was quite a cool day today (only 16*) so that is why we were wearing fleeces. When we saw signs for the nature trail, of course we had to follow them. It was only a small trail and it twisted and wound it's way through the trees. They found another slide, this time much slidier and they stayed on this for a while and then climbed on a spiders web rope. A different slide was found but a bit small so they went on the tractors. Small's legs were too long to ride them and Smallest decided to find the tiniest tractor he could.

When we found some food to feed the animals we visited the cow, ducks, geese and goats. One of the goats chewed on Smallest's wristbands (it's true they really do eat everything). The boys then did an obstacle course and we played on the tyre horses and swings until a mass of small children came running at us and we ran away to get some lunch.

This one is for you Moo, the cow was trying to eat my phone!

The food there was awful and you had to eat outside so we drove to a nearby cafe which was lovely. The boys played a couple of games of chess while I read a magazine and occasionally helped Smallest with his moves.

We drove back to the farm park and had a wagon ride which enabled us to see what fruit was being picked. Smallest wanted to see the chicken show (like muppet chickens telling jokes!!!). We got rid of the last of our animal food before going off to pick fruit.

Now when we came here before, we paid for our containers and picked fruit and then paid for the fruit by the weight. We picked loads and it came to $14. Today we took our own containers and we were asked to pay for an entrance fee that was non-deductible. They wanted us to pay $5 per person (that's $15) which we wouldn't get back. She looked at our containers and said "if you fill your boxes, it will be about $15 anyway". BUT I DIDNT WANT TO PICK THAT MUCH, AND IF I PICKED LESS?" well that's tough, you lose money. NO WAY. We walked away, that's ridiculous. There was a man in front of us and he had ten people in his party - he walked away too. We came home.

It started to rain just a little bit anyway so it probably would have been miserable. NOTE: only pick fruit there in the Summer (I thought it was still Summer but their website says it's fall and the fruit picking is fall but the farm park is still Summer - confusing!).

Smallest finally got the hang of playing the piano and can now play several tunes using numbers and not notes (it's a start). Small went off to play at his friends house again and Smallest played on the IPad.

After work Huffle started painting the laundry/bathroom and I went and got some paint. I couldn't remember what the paint was called for the loft and we needed to do some touching up. Luckily I write this everyday because when we were painting I had said what the paint was called. I knew I did this for a reason. So just in case I forget again, we bought Natural Wicker for the loft, Revere Pewter for the cupboards in the laundry room and Hawthorn Yellow for the Adirondack Chairs.

While I was gone, the cooker man turned up and replaced the three PC panels and the glass touch screen. We will see how long it is before we get the usual error messages. We only had omelette for dinner so not much cooking was done tonight.

 

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Ronnie warms his bones

Huffle went to work today and the boys and I stayed at home and had a nice relaxing lazy day. The weather was a bit Meh today - it had hot spots and cool spots and rain spots.

I got to do some knitting and watched the BBC drama "In The Club". I also weeded and cleared the vegetable garden and tied up the tomatoes. This year we planted flour plants, mainly because they came in fours, but we really only need one as Smallest is the only one that eats them and there are hundreds growing. I managed to pick some more courgettes and re plant some lettuce (we haven't bought salad leaves now for about two and a half months. We now have a path back through the veg so we can pick them easily. The comfrey was cut and used in the stinky bucket of fertiliser goodness.

Cosmos

Dahlia just coming into bloom. Beautiful white echinaceas.

Small read his library book, wrote in his journal, did a few money earning chores (including raking the grass) and went and played with his friend at the back.

Smallest played on the piano, wrote in his journal and read his book. Smallest and I played ten games of UNO and we did a Bakugan Jigsaw. We all played a game of Disney Monopoly which Small won again.

When Huffle came home we had dinner and then all played a game of Monopoly Deal which Small won!

Today we had various emails saying the bus situation was progressing and then we got a note saying that it was not okay for the kids to walk to school and they could have the school bus for the next year unless the 'sidewalk' was made better. Well that's a good result.

I got a phone call today from the company that Samsung uses to fix things saying that our part was in and they wanted to fit it tomorrow. Wow. Fancy that. One note about legal representation and suddenly the part has arrived and they can fit it the next day. RESULT. It still won't work because it is a faulty model but we have to go through the motions.

We had a visitor in the sun room today. He just sauntered in. When it went to take a photo the boys said "no mummy don't go near it" - after seeing Elf, they think Raccoons jump on your face and scratch it, nice that they were looking after me. Anyway, Ronnie ran (well I say ran, more like galoomphed) off.

Huffle told me I am not to feel sorry for Ronnie, despite the fact he looks old and lost. He said he is a stinky old fleabag. I replied that he would one day become a stinky old fleabag and I would still love him.

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Pi-an pi-an pia-no.....

Another really hot and humid night meant that Huffle and I had to get up, watch a bit of TV and have a cold glass of water before we could attempt to sleep again. It was a big struggle getting up this morning.

Huffle worked from home today and while he was here he contacted Samsung. Before we went on holiday he asked them to call him with a date when they were going to fit the part, they didn't call. Today he got nowhere again and ended up sending an email threatening legal action. He got a phone call back to say they would look into our situation and get back to him. We also contacted the Trustees of the School to find out what can be done about the bus being reinstated for the Winter. We have had two emails back and they have passed it to someone else who should get back to us within a day or so. The main issue is that the paths are not cleared in the winter so the kids would have to walk on the road and what paths we do have are not very nice, ie cracked, narrow and not maintained. My neighbour told me today she fought the same thing with her daughter when she was in Kindergarten, who is now in High School. She fought it for three years but she also told me that in the morning when the kids are walking to school there are still coyotes and deer about.

Our resident Raccoon, came clumping up our garden without a care in the world. Normally they only come out at night. He didn't seem worried about us at all, in fact he started to come towards me. Huffle found him later trying to get into the barn and chased him off

The boys and I had many games of UNO this morning. I had to finish my book as it was due back at the library today and clear out some of the sand that had left itself there. After lunch we made more chocolate courgette muffins (the other ones were left at Suffolk's BBQ) and Courgette bread. We cycled to the library and changed our books, chatted to mums and kids and cycled off to deliver forms and cheques for Scouts and Beavers. One of the mums and I were discussing who Smallest and her daughters teacher would be. We have decided if it is the teacher we don't want (Small had her year before last and hated her, plus I feel she knocked the love of school out of him) we will take the kids out of school for a year and homeschool them between us - we feel THAT strongly! We get to find out who the teachers will be in a week or so.

After cycling we jumped in the pool and got cool. When I went in to make dinner, Huffle came out after work and got in the pool too. It started to get very dark and rained, then it brightened up, then it got dark again. We are due a storm!

Smallest cycling and the train going over the road further up.

Suffolk has leant us their keyboard while they are on holiday and the kids have been playing it constantly. When they go back to school I promised Smallest piano lessons with one of the teachers. Now Small wants some too and I am going to have some lessons as well. Then all we have to do is persuade Huffle we need a piano. Huffle edit - and that will not be an easy task!

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FOUR TWO*

Phew it was a hot night last night making it difficult to sleep through. Huffle went off to work which he found difficult after a lovely week off.

The boys and I went food shopping this morning and to get new backpacks, pens, lunch bags etc., for school. They went off looking at the games while I did the boring bit and then they helped me to unload, fill the car etc and then unpack and put away once we were home. What good boys they are.

I managed to Skype Moo today and we had a good catch up regarding holiday etc. Today the Suffolk's came for a late lunch and an afternoon play. Suffolk and I had sewing to do for our $10 quilt course and she is away on holiday when it needs to be finished. After lunch the kids played on the trampoline and in the basement with games and then they all went in the pool, while Suffolk and I sewed and sewed. She got hers done but I still need to finish, hopefully I know what I am doing.

Now we are back in our own garden, it seems the mosquitoes have been starving themselves and awaiting my return. On one arm alone I have 20 bites and the other is pretty bad. Unfortunately we took the wrong vitamins away with us (I have been taking B1 to help ward them away). Bloody things.

I did manage to put a Roast chicken in the oven so we didn't have dinner too late. We had next doors carrots (lovely) our runner beans, French beans and peas and Brocolli (yum). It started to get really sticky and muggy when Huffle came home. He hopped on the mower and cut the grass as the weather forecast is not too good for the next few days.

* in the car we had a discussion about something and Small made a reference to a film called four two. I couldn't remember what the film was so he was telling me about it. After much chatting and descriptions he said it was about a superhero with a hammer. It was at this point that I realised he was saying Thor 2. Because his two teeth fell out at the sides he now has trouble saying 'th'. It was very funny, we were making him say all sorts of things beginning with 'th'. He can do it now after much practice. Poor Bear.

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A Full Moon - awwooooooo

This morning was hot but still Huffle and I managed an hour or so in the front garden weeding and cutting back. It was nice to be back in our garden. We also did a bit of pool maintenance. The boys played, fought, wrote in their journals and watched TV.

Nelly Moser Clematis. Echinacea

Buddleia. Lily

After lunch we went to Suffolk's house where we had been invited as a family for a BBQ. This was strange as Huffle and MrSuffolk know each other through work and Suffolk and I have known each other separately. The kids all get on but we have never all been together as two families. However it worked perfectly. The kids got to play outside on the slip and slide mat and in the paddling pool and then played inside on various gadgets.

The Hibiscus was very close to where we were sitting and we had grapes hanging above us. If I can learn to make wine I can take my pick of the grapes.

The adults got to talk for ages. They arrived in Canada the same time as us and our kids are similar ages so it was interesting and then late afternoon/early evening we had a lovely meal of Steak, Roasted Vegetables, Quinoa, Salad and corn. It was very nice. A bit later we sat and had tea and scones and muffins.

We all had a great time and it was very relaxing. The kid went to bed late and I suppose I will suffer tomorrow. Huffle is back to work. BOOOO.

 

 

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Two and e Arf Ddrop

By 10:15 am we were all packed and ready to leave the house we have lived in for the last week. MrOwner took us up to his house to say goodbye to MrsOwner and they showed us around their house. A huge mooses head on the wall, a massive chimney in the octagonal room (the one above the dance floor), a long walk in closet for her clothes, lots of mirrors and many photos and reminders of their partying days in the 70's. They are a lovely couple and they took our details in case we wanted to go back - we don't have to book in the usual way, we can just call her (though we have just realised we don't have their phone number).

The view from the owners deck and Smallest sitting on their deck

Our journey back started with us trying to find petrol. The first place we tried had pumps out of order and a man who drove straight into a pump, his passenger who looked like a tramp got out of the car and the driver nearly ran over him. The car had that many bumps and scrapes, we decided to leave before we became part of the bumps! Our journey took us towards Barrie and on to Newmarket where we stopped for dinner at a small little diner. I have never been asked so many questions about how I would like my egg, but I do know it came out just as I asked. Perfect. We got talking to the waitress and she said our accent made us sound so much more intelligent than anyone else. Well yes. I like that. Cute and Intelligent, we'll take that.

At home after we emptied the car and put a load or two of washing on we went to investigate the vegetable garden. Bearing in mind I had left instructions for a friend of mine to come and pick whatever she wanted, we managed to pick 17 courgettes that were as big as marrows, a whole trug full of runner and French beans and peas and mange tout. Smallest got to pick three of his cherry tomatoes and there are loads nearly ready.

Look at their chocolate mouths ( I may have forgotten to say we had an ice cream)

After vacuuming the pool and getting the chemicals right, we all jumped in and had a whirlpool. It was another hot day today and the pool seemed cooler than the lake! Showers were had and the the baking started. Huffle made plain and fruit scones. I made Courgette Bread and then helped Smallest make some Chocolate Courgette Muffins.

I popped to next door to fetch our key and post and took them a couple of courgettes and a bottle of wine. They gave me a big bunch of carrots to take back. Yum yum.

The boys watched TV with their tea and went to bed and Huffle and I finally relaxed and watched The Great British Bake Off with a proper pot of tea and a sneaky scone.

 

 

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Frog on Board

Today was our last full day here in Tiny, Georgian Bay. We have nicknamed it Tiny Europe because everyone we meet is from somewhere in Europe. After eating MrsOwners lovely Crepes for breakfast this morning, we once again headed off for the Borrowed House where we picked up their life jackets, kayaks, chairs and set up camp on their part of the beach, part of us wondering if they would be here today or tomorrow and whether our time of borrowing had come to an end.

The lake was crystal clear, calm and sparkling blue. Capt. Doolittle and I went in one kayak and Small in the other. We left Huffle with peace and quiet and headed off for the 'Point'. All week I have been saying, "what is beyond that point?" As it was so calm that is where we went to. Well nearly. We kind of ran out of steam when we almost got there and Smallest decided he wanted to walk the plank and swim again so off he went. Small also decided he wanted to swim but I wouldn't let him abandon his kayak, so we went in to shore and he swam in from there. It was very rocky and he soon got back in the boat.

They wanted to kayak close to the shoreline which was longer but it started to get a bit wavy and it took us out a bit further. While we were paddling back (thank you Brenda for pointing out I got rowing wrong!) what do you think Capt. Doolittle found? Another frog! It was a huge one too, if that had jumped on my leg, I may just have jumped overboard! He caught it, let it go and we watched it swim back to shore. Geoffrey Small informed us it was an amphibian so it could swim under water.

I left Small and concentrated on getting Smallest and I back to Huffle and then handed over my kayak to him so he could help Small get back. He just needed a bit of coaxing. Then Huffle kayaked off towards the horizon until all he was, was a little orange dot.

The boys and I played French Cricket and read and built more sand castles. Eventually Huffle came back to us. He said that all that was missing was Test Match Cricket commentary.

Lots of Jackers were played along with cricket and French Cricket, lunch was eaten and a nice walk to the talks lady for ice cream. Today I tried a new one, Espresso Flake which was lovely. Small got a Dutch Chocolate and Smallest and Huffle had White Chocolate Raspberry which tasted like cheesecake. Small had eaten his by the time Huffle got his last because of us having to listen to the lady. Oh well that's the last time we need to hear the story of the delivery truck. Funny thing was that just as we were leaving, the delivery truck turned up. Phew that was a close one. No animals were found on the way there or back but Smallest did ask if we could have a pet. WHAT KIND? A dog or a frog? Said Smallest. No! A snake said Small. NO NO NO NO!

This afternoon we spotted The Borrowed House Owners were back and we suddenly felt very bad that we had all their stuff in front of their house (even though they said we could) so we started to put everything back in its place and then went and said our thank yous. We moved further down the beach and Huffle took some stuff back and brought back chairs for us to sit on. We weren't there long and the people whose house we had camped on front of came and set in their chairs, so we moved along a bit further. We were suddenly starting to feel like we didn't belong anywhere. At least this made up our minds about tomorrow. Up until today we weren't sure whether to leave Saturday morning or stay on the beach for another day and leave late afternoon. We are definitely leaving after breakfast.

We also had to break our huge sand castle in case it was in the way of the Borrowed House people.

We had more French Cricket, Cricket, and some more body boarding and swimming. It was a full day. We brought pizza, beer and wine down to the beach and stayed until 7:45. Sunset wasn't until 8:34 and the boys were too tired to wait. We trundled back to the house and the kids went to bed and watched TV and Huffle and I started packing and clearing.

What another super holiday. It didn't seem to matter that it was only for a week either. Fabulous weather, gracious hosts, friendly giving neighbours, warm lake, nice food. Super time.

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