The Great British Tea Table

HAPPY ST.GEORGES DAY

Huffle put up the bunting this morning and it flapped beautifully in the wind as the boys were waiting for the bus.

We didn't see anywhere else with bunting or flags up, so we made the most of it and dressed in our Union Jack wear. Smallest got out the StGeorges day noisy blowers.

The temperature was a fabulous 28* in the sun room and a passable 16* outside. Very nice. I forgot to mention yesterday that Ducky's head was knocked off by a Smallest kicking a ball! Grandad glued it back on. Poor Ducky.

The grown ups went out today for a jaunt (Huffle had the day off again). We bought some plants and some little trees. We found an apple tree that had four different varieties on it. Think we may buy it when we have room in our car. We tried John's Garden again but it was still closed so made our way into Town. We had a potter round, popped into the Thrifty Shop and bought some material and a few shirts. That 'loving couple' followed us around again!

 

Then we headed for the lovely restaurant we like. Grandma, Huffle and I had fish and chips and Grandad had Deep Quiche. I had a lovely Organic Beer (well it was St.Georges Day), grandad partaked in a cider and Grandma a Spritzer. It was a gorgeous dinner and we topped it off with an ice cream from the new Italian Gelataria. Yum yum. I had Cappucino, Grandad had Blueberry and Mango and Huffle had Chocolate. They were beautiful.

We asked Grandma to take a photo of us and just as she was taking it, a woman went past obliviously and got in our photo.

We came home, via a supermarket to pick up groceries, emptied the car and had a cup of tea. Grandad painted the fence and I biked to the shop to get some sugar for Grandma to make some proper English Scones.

I took this photo whilst on my bike - lovely blueness

When the boys came home, Small did his homework, Grandma carried on with the scones and the rest of us played football.

After a game of cricket, Small went off to Cubs.

Tonight they were racing boats (or in Small's case, a Duck!). He wasn't happy because his duck came last every race and kept getting tangled up in sticks. He did have fun and we almost forgot to pick him up. We will be looking for a different vessel for next time.

Meanwhile, the rest of us had a St.Georges Day tea. Egg Sandwiches, Cucumber Sandwiches, Cheese Sones, Scones, Jam and Cream, Pot of Tea. It was lovely.

Great British Spread

 

 

I also forgot to mention that on Sunday, when the weather was hot, Huffle burnt his head. It looked like a beacon. Smallest and I also caught the sun a bit.

Silly Huffle

 

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There's no boid in Cube

Crazy Eights, the card game was played last night. I won. Wahooo.

Huffle went off to work this morning and Small went to school, laces tucked in his trainers - lazy lurkio - Grandad spied him and caught him walking past the windows. When questioned he just shrugged and said "I was just........"

Breakfast done, Moo skyped with a lengthy problem I couldn't solve regarding her email. I felt awful that I couldn't sort it.

Off we went, armed with a picnic, rugs, chairs and a scooter, to the beach. It was a beautiful sunny day and Grandad and Smallest decided they would not need a fleece.

A lovely seed head (I like these, can you tell?) and a tree

 

Well they should have listened to me because they were freezing! The wind whipped over the lake ferociously. The waves were big and there was no sheltered spot.

LEFT: A North American Robin

Smallest swinging

A Tree

RIGHT: Grandad pretending the cold isn't getting him

 

We briefly went onto the beach but it was too cold. Smallest scooted over to the park and had a swing and a bounce. Me and Grandad had a quick go but Grandad was too boisterous and tried to bounce me off!

Swinging and Bouncing

bouncin'

We got in the car and drove to the other park to see if the ice cream shop was open and to see if it was more sheltered. The answer to both was no! We decided to drive to the Mall because Grandma wanted to get Smallest something for his birthday. We picked up his present which he was very happy about and then we went and had something to eat. Grandma and I had a Pita and Grandad and Smallest had a burger.

We drove to another shop to buy presents for home ..................

LEFT: a new look for Grandad to meet his old friend Quiche (he's a man by the way!)

RIGHT: Boy bites Smallest. Dog licks Smallest

We were bored waiting for Grandma to purchase her items

Spot the odd one out (p.s. it's the one not wearing Old Navy)

 

....and then stopped at the ice cream place.

Next we came home. Grandad wanted some cash and I stupidly suggested he went on Huffle's bike. Silly me.

Off he went on the bike and Smallest scooted behind. The bank was shut but Grandad actually looked safer on the bike than he did on his feet! Once back, Grandad went straight to the fence and started painting it - oh well, we kept him away for five hours. Grandma and I sat on the porch with our tea waiting for Small to come home, the the kids played in the garden.

Small did his homework, I made dinner and Smallest played with his new Go-Go's. Huffle came home, and we had dinner then he played football with Small while Smallest got ready for Beavers. Tonight they went on a hike where snakes have been seen! He didn't see any but they did find a deer skull. He has been invited to join a Beaveree on May. Just a day thing but he is very excited.

While Smallest was hiking, the rest of us played cards. The boys went to bed when Smallest got back and we carried on playing cards. I normally predict who will win. Let's say I did!!!

 

 

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Burnage

Last night we watched the end of Sherlock Holmes. It was very good (though it was the second time Huffle and I had seen it).

Smallest came in at 6:50am to tell us that we had run out of Orange Juice. REALLY? AND WHAT CAN WE POSSIBLY DO BEFORE 7am ON A SUNDAY MORNING??? He came back ten minutes later to ask what we were having for breakfast so he could set the table. Kind as it was that he wanted to set the table for us, Huffle was in no mood to decide what he wanted and so sent him out 'with a flea in his ear'. Smallest then went off crying and hid himself in his wardrobe. I, being the more sympathetic of us two at ridiculous times of the night and morning, went to find him. I looked in his room, downstairs and finally in his wardrobe. Poor little thing, crying his eyes out. I got into his bed and cuddled him and I tried to explain that it was too early to worry about Orange Juice and who was having what! Huffle came in and apologised to him and also tried to explain that he was grumpy because he was tired and it was too early. Bless!

I slept in Smallest's bed (Smallest went and watched TV with Small) for half an hour because I couldn't be bothered to move. Huffle got up. Huffle and Grandma played Scrabble. Grandad slept on obliviously. Grandma skyped Madamme Courvoissier briefly (she is sunning herself in Espana right now).

Grandad finally got up (after being wrestled by the boys) and we had breakfast. It was a beautifully sunny day. So strange after yesterday's snow! We decided we would have a barbecue and a fire pit and get the table and chairs out of the barn. Grandad said as he would be doing the fire pit (with much cutting of wood) he wouldn't be painting today. So imagine our surprise as he got out his paintbrush and paint and finished his job. NAUGHTY GRANDAD!

Huffle and I played football with the kids. Grandma refereed and briefly helped in goal. The boys got their bikes out and biked up and down the garden. Grandad helped Smallest.

We emptied the barn of pots, the barbecue, the outside table and chairs and various sun beds and chairs and arranged, washed, positioned, emptied until we officially declared our garden a Spring zone. Hurrah! Grandad spent hours and hours building an almighty fire pit. Definition of a fire pit: small fire which is totally confined within a non-combustible structure or container that has the draft and smoke vents thereof covered with a heavy gauge metal screen having a mesh size no larger than 13 millimetres and which is ventilated in such a manner as to preclude the escape of combustible materials including ash. WHOOPS GRANDAD! Our Fire Pit: very large fire almost within a circle of stones except the parts that were very much jutting out a foot all round completely on fire on bare ground with no cover, very much exceeding a height of Grandma, with many green bits, lots of paper, cardboard, bits of wood and chopped down Juniper Bush. WHOOPS GRANDAD!

We had a BBQ dinner on our newly cleaned patio table, a lovely pair of Strudels and Custard, a quick game of football and then we made our way down to the fire pit.

 

All the boys loved this. Small and Smallest were dying to throw stuff on the fire but they sat firmly watching, mesmerised by its magnificence. Eventually they got to put logs and wood on. They were very happy. Grandad and Huffle got the generator out and the chain saw and proceeded to cut up lots of wood. We sat at the fire pit from 2:30pm till 6pm and it was still burning well.

TOP LEFT: grandmas hand poking out of the top of the fire - she is not bending down!

I managed to shift three wheelbarrow loads of soil from the bottom of the garden to the veg beds. Huffle and Grandad burnt most of the Juniper Bush and the boys managed to retrieve lots of dead wood from around the garden.

Grandma hid some Easter Eggs around the garden and the boys went snuffling around looking for them. We sat and had a cup of tea and an egg around the fire. Grandma went in. The boys played basketball. Then while we were clearing away around the garden, Grandma had got both boys showered and their tea on their table plus the dishwasher emptied and filled and put back on. Well done Grandma.

The boys went to bed after a couple of games of cards. Huffle cut his hair and we all had showers or baths. We stunk of fire!!! The big boys watched Stoke win against QPR while Grandma and I had cheese and biscuits and I blogged.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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It didn't snow and he wasn't asleep!

Huffle and Grandad had a good time at the baseball, they especially liked the paper aeroplane incident, where the crowd got out of hand flying the planes onto the pitch. Sounds like a bunch of pansies to me! I remember being in Milan watching the football and having flares thrown at us!

When we woke up this morning, there had been snow. SNOW! Come on! It's bloomin' Spring. Despite the snow, Grandad and Huffle went out and painted the fence. It was very cold, it was snowing and it was windy. However, Grandad said it wasn't snowing! Definitely! Where had that snow come from that was covering his back then? Silly Grandad, and silly Huffle for joining him!

TOP: Is that snow on Grandad's back? Now that must be snow on the fence!

BOTTOM: these photos works better if you can picture them painting to the music of Mambo Number five (as in The Royal Family).

The big boys working. Huffle in the snow. Grandad in the snow.

Late morning we drove to Toad Hall to watch the auctions.

It was more fun trying to decipher the auctioneer (with the microphone) and watching people bidding. One man was bidding against himself! I tried to get Grandad to scratch his head to see if he could win a bid! Huffle was pointing to a door showing me where the horses came through and I told him he had made a bid!!

It is was in a barn in the Hamlet. It was really warm and there were a lot of people. The auctioneer spoke very fast but Smallest said he could understand him. There were no horses for sale today, just saddles, horse equipment and horse related stuff. We stayed for a while watching and listening and then drove to the Country Market. Because it was so cold (and intermittently snowing) there were no sellers outside so we went inside. We wanted to show G&G some real Canadian experiences. The first seller had belts hanging on a rack. Huffle and Grandad joked about the belts and Small took a belt off and walked over towards us (just a few steps away). The man who owned the stall barked "bring it back here!" We sent Small back and I went over and said, "he was only showing us, sorry". He said "I know he wasn't stealing it but he shouldn't have walked away with it". He was very grumpy. I said "okay, he's put it back now". Grandma wanted to punch him! The place was full of crocs of all colours, sizes and shapes. Wellies, sandals, fluffy, plastic - all sorts. While we were looking at the tee-shirts and hoodies the kids were playing amongst the clothes hanging up and some of the tee-shirts fell off the rail. A woman came up and told them off but in a nice ish way (she winked at me as she was telling them off), but they did listen to her and stopped. When we walked past her, she said to me " sorry I had to scold them, I don't think they knew they were knocking them off". I said it was fine and they needed to be told. She thanked me. Now that's better! Grandad met a man on the tee-shirt stall who was from Guyana and very friendly.

We came away without anyone else being told off, picked up some grapes on the outside market and got in the car before we turned into snowmen! The Thrifty store was next where we purchased a mirror made from an old window and Pictionary Junior. Grandad tried on a coat (because thats what he does!).

Smallest listening to Elmo sing..Grandad's new coat? Can he fit Smallest in there too?

Smallest being an old man.........small fits in Grandad's new coat too!

 

Next we went to the consignment store. Our coffee table is still there and we are still considering it. There wasn't anything else in there we wanted. Home Depot was next where we picked up some more fence stain. Of course Grandad would have to wait until we get a rain storm, a tornado or a snow blizzard before he can finish the painting! By the time we finished in there, we were hungry (it was coming up to 4pm and we hadn't eaten yet!). We made our way to Frankie Tomattoes for a Birthday Celebration Dinner for Smallest (a bit late but he asked for it!).

We were one of the few tables in first so all the food was nice and fresh and plentiful. Smallest ate more than I have ever seen him eat. Small ate as much as he always eats and then a bit more. I didn't think I ate as much but was very full. Huffle and I managed to sneak a few cakes out for high tea later. The staff came and sang to Smallest, put a crown on his head, a tomato balloon on his thumb and gave him a cake with a candle on. He loved it.

LEFT: Putting his crown on...

Blowing out his candle

Making his balloon static

Drunk on too much cake!

RIGHT: the birthday boy

LEFT: Small plays with the Tomato Balloon

Smallest drunk on ice-cream

Huffle's stash of cakes

RIGHT: Grandma and the boys

Grandad and Huffle

TOP: Frankie Tomattoes

BOTTOM: Us all outside Frankie's - it's snowing Grandad!

Off we went to home. Huffle, Grandad and Smallest sped on ahead. I half expected to see Grandad outside painting the fence when we pulled onto the drive (it was snowing you see!). He didn't go out again but I bet he will be out there tomorrow, whatever the weather! (I think I may have said enough about Grandad and the snow now!!!!! Smallest had fallen asleep in the car on the way home but when we went to get him out, he definitely hadn't fallen asleep - oh he must be from the school of Grandad!!!!

We sat and had a cup of tea, looked at photos, Small watched wrestling and Smallest read to Grandma.

The boys went to bed and we ate the cakes we stole and watched some more of the Sherlock Holmes film. Grandma went to bed early because she was falling asleep.

 

 

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Rain won't stop fence painting!

Everyone slept well (Grandad better than anyone of course!). Huffle went to work, still tired but feeling better. Small (fully fit) and Smallest went off to school.

After breakfast, Grandad went out in the rain and stained the fence (he said it wasn't raining so it must be true). Grandma and I went Mall shopping. As we got out of the car, the wind took hold of both doors and threw them open (luckily there weren't cars parked too close) and then the wind almost picked us up and carried us into the Mall (yes it was that strong!).

Our list today included: a $5+ item with a Princess theme to go into a SpringFest basket (we bought a very sparkly tiny handbag), a $5+ item with a SuperHero theme (we bought an Iron Man3 cap), a birthday present for a 6 year old girl, for a party Smallest is going to (we bought an animal furry lockable diary), a birthday present for a 2year old girl (we bought her a wheelbarrow and tools). Grandma bought a present for home and some lovely coasters and a teapot stand for us, which I then dropped and broke. I took them back to the shop and asked if they would replace them as they failed to wrap them. They did.

We stopped for a little something and a drink and then came home. As we left the Mall, the rain was coming down really heavily. We got very wet. We drove home wondering if Grandad would be in the rain or not. He was inside but hadn't been there long because the rain hadn't got to the Hamlet (and he said it so it must be true!). He had finished one side of the fence and the other side of the gate. Lovely.

Grandad had a soak in the bath before I took him to the bus station to go to Toronto to meet Huffle for an evening at the baseball watching the Blue Jays and New York Yankees. Grandma decided to stay and wait for the boys to come home.

Smallest had made some 3D shapes and was very proud of them.

They had their snacks and then we went to swimming. The rain had stopped but the clouds were very dark and threatening, though it was 16* today.

The boys swam well as usual. Small was tired out but enjoyed it, though they are teaching him to do Breast Stroke differently to how he was taught in the UK. Smallest had fun. We think he may be the smallest and youngest in his class. While we were waiting for the boys to get dry and dressed we stood in the foyer. There was a woman with two twin babies and a toddler. The toddler was screaming which in turn set off the babies. The woman was trying to make the toddler understand she wasn't going to buy him a chocolate bar however much he screamed. He screamed louder and the babies did too. She got madder and tried to attach the babies' chairs to their pushchair, whilst still arguing and reasoning with the toddler. I could identify with her and asked her if I could help her. Her reply was "NO NOT RIGHT NOW THANK YOU" in a very brusque and rude way. Right then, glad I asked! Won't bother again!!

We had dinner when we got home. Grandma showed them the hats she had bought for them.

Pair of dudes!

Huffle sent us a photo of the stadium they were in.

Hope they had binoculars!

 

When we had finally got the kids in bed and they had their stories, Grandma and I had a Ladies Night (no strippers though!), Wine, Chocolate and the Great British Sewing Bee. PERFECT.

Get well soon HB - Bazinga xx

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30 perchance

Small and Smallest went to school today. Huffle had already gone off to work as I awoke and slept intermittently, thinking he was still in bed when it was a rolled up pair of PJ's on his pillow!

Grandad continued on the front garden after breakfast and I carried on with the vegetable beds.

I finished bed one, two and three and prepared bed four and wheeled three loads of leaf mould soil from the bottom of the garden to the veg beds. I got called in for a cup of tea and then helped Grandad chop down the dead bits of the Juniper while I held the rope attached to the branch.

 

We were very safe. He also chopped the dead bits of the big pine. The whole of the front is bursting with new life now and lots of bulbs are shooting through. It looks lovely.

 

Grandad has done a wonderful job.

 

Grandma skyped Truly Scrumptious and we got to see her new Ducks - ahh lovely, I need ducks too!

It was nice to talk to her and I promised to Skype her again soon so we could catch up.

Once we had tidied up, we had a quick sandwich and then drove to a hardware shop to buy wood stain as Grandad wanted to stain the fence and gate.

Checking out some stuff we might get to replace the pool fence. Grandad and the girl next door.

We popped to the Tire on the way home. We realised , as we were passing the school, that it was nearly end of school time, so we parked at the back of school and walked across the field. We picked up smallest and Small and took them home. They played out in the garden while Grandma and I had a cup of tea and then mended the goal net. Grandad started staining the fence.

Grandad, the boys and I went to the Beer store for supplies. Grandma and I made Pizza for dinner. Huffle came home and we all ate.

It has been threatening to be stormy all day and so far it has held off. However, there are black clouds looming and Huffle's head is telling him 'there is a storm on the way' ooooohhhhhhhhhhh!

Grandad, Huffle and I played Table Tennis.

 

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No Place like Home

Woodpecker in our tree, tap tap tapping.

We got up, got breakfasted and drove off to Downtown Toronto. Grandad, Huffle and Smallest in one car. Grandma, Small and I in another. Huffle was in front. In my car, we forgot my licence and had little petrol so we turned around and went back, picked up my licence and bank card and carried on back towards Toronto. The traffic was quite bad but we moved along quickly. We got into a bit of trouble once in Toronto as there was much construction and we couldn't find our way to the car park, so we phoned Huffle and he talked us there.

Once we were parked, we walked slowly up towards the Theatre, stopping for a quick snack and drink and a walk into the Mall.

Grandad says "anyone remember Harry Worth?"

The kids showed Grandma and Grandad the fountain they really like and I showed them the birds flying in the ceiling.

Ships! They are pointing at ships!

We stopped in Dundas Square and had a wander round and then went into the Theatre. It was a lovely old theatre and was very busy. We were seeing The Wizard of Oz.

See how Grandma's bag matches the shoe!

as we were walking to our seats there were a load of school kids behind. I looked at Grandma and said "hope they are not near us!" Well, they were, right in front of us and they were noisy and fidgety and downright rude (Grandma said during the intermission). I had a small person behind me who kicked my chair all the way through the performance. Towards the end, I got annoyed and turned round abruptly, his Mum said "oh we are just........" As soon as the lights came on they had disappeared!

It was a brilliant show. Everybody enjoyed it. The boys were so good and didn't fidget at all. Grandma and Grandad were pretty good too, considering!

It was a slow walk back in the part sunshine, to the Spaghetti Factory for dinner. Grandma and Smallest had huge bowls of Spaghetti. Huffle and Grandad had lasagne. Small had a penne Alfredo and I had tortellini in a creamy pesto sauce.

The service was hurried and almost impolite. The table was cleared too quickly (before Grandma had eaten hers). However, it as nice and the kids ate well. We had ice-cream for afters. Huffle and Grandma had pistachio which was green but not flavoured with pistachio at all (or any nut for that matter).

We walked back to our cars and Grandad decided to come with me and Small as I wasn't sure how to get back.

Hello Sailor

We were parked next to a boat and Grandad found a friend who got a bit fresh and I'm not talking about the lobster.

There was a lot of traffic and it was quite slow going. We played a game where we looked at the cars and drivers, gave them names and then pretended we were in a 'wacky race' type race! We 'raced' with 'one man and his dog', 'Scratchy beard', 'pigvan', 'still staring', 'glasses' - it was quite funny.

Once home we all had a cup of tea, Small had his medicine (he is feeling much much better and is planning on going back to school tomorrow), and the boys went to bed.

We introduced G&G to the Redneck Vacation before going to bed.

 

 

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