Friday, June 29th - hurry up long weekend!

I know I had 4 days off last week but it was such a busy time that I'm ready for some more time off. The weather on Thursday was better than anticipated so let's hope that the weather man keeps his promise and gives us the sun and warm temperatures we're all so looking forward to.

"COWS" in Niagara on the lake

Patti and I are still investigating days camps for Tristen to attend when he comes to visit. He may be there only three days or it may be four, we're not sure just yet. Then again he may end up spending the month of July, depending on everyone elses schedule, and that would be okay too. ha ha

I'm hoping to have some lobster on the weekend but it's not looking good. I talked to a local fisherman Thursday afternoon and because of the high winds we had earlier in the week, the traps are all full of mud and there are very few lobsters. But that could change by Friday. I'm to call him again and see if things are any better today. I hope so because I promised Patti's friend Katie some lobster when she gets here. I'll have to call Mr. Seafood to check their supply as a back up.

Well, the house still looks like a bomb dropped into the middle of it but there is now a bit of order to the chaos. We spent Thursday night going through the boxes of electronic 'stuff' and Lloyd sorted that all out from the airplane 'stuff' and the other miscellaneous 'stuff'. Now all the 'stuff' is almost ready to be transported out to the bunky for temporary storage.  With any luck, we'll get  a lot of that done tonight. Some of it may well be done before I get home from work. Lloyd took the bike into work this morning at 5:00.  He's working on waxing the floors and wants to get several more coats on it before the day starts so it has time to dry. They should be receiving some orders of supplies today and he wants his floors done before they start arriving. The up side of that is he'll be able to leave around 1:30 or 2:00 to go home. So he'll have a bit of a chance to get some things done around the house.

The computer thing is going a bit better as well. I had a bit of a tutorial on the apple last night so it's going much better this morning. I just might be able to learn this system after all.

Well, time to get going, so have a great weekend everyone and have a Happy Canada Day!

Thursday, June 28th -the computer saga continues

It started out beautiful and sunny at 5:00 am but now it's 6:00 and the clouds have moved in. It's a balmy 15' right now and will climb to 19' later.

So I'm not off to a great start this morning either. You know what they say about the shoemakers children??? Well, I have multiple computers sitting around the house and none that I can use. One is having some technical issues that make it non functional, the very large apple one in the kitchen  required a password that only my sleeping husband knows, and the third one on the kitchen counter is an ipad and I didn't know how to navigate around the screen to get to the internet. So again this mornings post will be very short as I have to get going soon.

We cut some more lawn last night (well, actually Lloyd did) and I cleaned out the bunky. The 5 million dead flies in there needed sweeping out. It's now all ready to receive the excess boxes of stuff until we have somewhere to put them. We were having dinner a little late and Brenda and Bernie stopped in for a drink. We had a lovely visit and while they were here I chatted on the phone with Patti's friend Katie. She and her family should be here sometime Saturday or Sunday. We'd already decided to have our lobster on Sunday and that works on many levels. There are a couple of things going on Saturday night that we have to decide about. There's a motorcycle ride across the bridge as there are possibly going to be 10,000 bikes on the island over the weekend. The Canada Day concerts are also on Saturday night so what to do?  It will depend on the weather of course but so far it should be nice.

Lloyd had another great day at work and Patti and the kids spent the day in Niagara at Fort George. They're planning to visit Fort York as well as Fort Henry, all in support of James' project on the War of 1812 he did at school this year.
Patti sent me a photo of the kids standing beside a large black and white plastic cow with ice cream cones in their hands. It looked suspiciously like a Cows Ice Cream Shop. Sure enough it was. I seem to remember hearing that there was one in Niagara on the lake. The kids said it wasn't the same as in PEI. Well, of course it's not! It's not in PEI and there was no PEI Grandma with them!

Wednesday, June 27th - it was a dark and stormy night!

What a wild and windy day yesterday. It rained most of the day once it started and the wind was wicked. When we got home from work, the lawn was littered with leaves off the trees. But this morning it's much calmer although there's still a bit of a breeze and 16' with lots of cloud cover. We should reach 21' later with a mix of sun and cloud.

This morning's post will be extremely short because when I came downstairs, there's this huge apple computer sitting on the kitchen table and my old laptop is having something done to it. Let me tell you, 5:00 in the morning is NO time to be trying to learn a new operating system. The interface is different, the keyboard is different and I kept losing things, or getting things moved around on the screen and it wasn't a pretty sight. But then Lloyd  switched it into windows mode (whatever that means) and now I can at least type, but I've run out of time. There's really nothing to tell anyway. The saga of unpacking boxes is continuing and the goal is to have it all done by the end of the week. The trouble is, once a computer geek, always a computer geek! We have so many monitors and boxes of computer 'stuff' and no where to put them, that we decided last night that for now it can all be stored in the bunky. We really have too much stuff so it's going to take some editing to fit it all in which, realistically, isn't a bad thing.

Work went well for him again yesterday and he'll have Saturday, Sunday and Monday off. I'm going to take Saturday off as well so I also have the three days. That will give us a chance to really get some work done around the house. I think we'll plan to have our lobster feast on Sunday, that way we have Saturday to prepare and Monday to just enjoy the day off.

Brenda was back home last night after her aunt left yesterday. We'll have to get together soon because we're not accustomed to going this long without any nachos and wine!

Tuesday, June 26th - Still so much to do

It's a pleasant, sunny 15' this morning but we're supposed to get rain this afternoon. Not to worry, my little garden needs it. It's looking a little pathetic right now. It was covered up for the past 24 hours with plastic sheets to protect it from the weed spray but when I took the plastic off, it's kind of flattened and not looking too healthy. But some bright sun this morning and a drink of water this afternoon should make it bounce right back.

Yesterday was Lloyd's first day on the job. He originally thought he wouldn't be working until next week but Tony called and suggested that he had work for him this week in spite of not being open yet. So they spent the day cleaning, and cleaning and more cleaning and they also made some sausages and I'm not sure what else. He was tired and his muscles were a little stiff at the end of the day but he was happy. It had gone very well.

We took one car yesterday and he dropped me off at work. Not sure that's going to work. I feel slightly stranded at work with no wheels at lunch. That's when I usually do my errands. We'll have to switch it up and I'll drop him off and keep the car with me. I don't think he really needs the car. He thought that he might only be working part of the day but it turned out to be the whole thing.

We didn't do anything special for our anniversary. We stopped at the grocery store on the way home and picked up a few things, then went by the dog kennel so I could pay Darlene. Because it was a nice day the decision was made to cut the grass as it was looking a little shaggy. So I cooked supper and Lloyd cut the lawn - or some of it anyway. It's a project that's to be continued but probably not today, if we get rain.

Tonight I'll tackle some more of the stuff that's hanging around and try to find space for it. None of that got done last night. After supper we went over and took the plastic off the garden then stopped in at Brenda's to pick up a loaf of bread (she baked yesterday). They were just heading over to visit her aunt, visiting from Halifax, so it was good timing on our part. And that was pretty much the evening.

With luck, and some effort, I'll get more inside work done tonight. It's feeling pretty cramped in here right now so I really want to get it out of the way. But that will come.

Monday, June 25th - can it really have been 23 years?

It's an overcast 13' right now but heading for 23' later with a mix of sun and cloud.

It's good to be back home, although I still don't know where we're going to put everything but that will come. Friday was a busy day, with a couple of last minute get togethers with friends. I was at Nancy's in Rockwood at 8:00 am and then back to Patti's to change in time to meet Jana for lunch at the Boathouse. From there out to the airport to drop the car off to Lloyd just in time for Greg to pick me up for a ride to the funeral. It was a jam packed house, a true testament to the impact Jean had on so many lives. The parking lot was packed and cars were lined up a great distance down the road in both directions. It wasn't as warm as it had been the previous two days which was a good thing with standing room only in the church. It was a lovely service and Patti and her cousin and sister did an amazing job with the eulogy. After the grave side service, it was back inside to have something to eat and socialize with people I hadn't seen in a number of years. I was a little disappointed my good friend Cathy wasn't there but she was away for work. I did get to talk to her mother and brothers so that was nice. Another old friend, Judy, and her husband were there and we spent a few minutes reminiscing about her annual Valentine's Day luncheon that was always such a beautiful and festive occasion. I think of her every year on the 14th of February.

While everyone was inside, they church people completed the burial, under the close supervision of the younger children who were intruqued by the equipment being used. When it was complete the kids spent considerable time arranging the flowers on top of the freshly packed earth. It provided an impromptu photo opportunity that I couldn't resist capturing. The funeral home had put together a hard cover book with the photos the family provided and Dorothy, Jean's sister in law, wants to use this one at the very end.

Some of Jean's grandchildren, great nephews and niece.

When everything was done, we headed back to Guelph. Lloyd and I were meeting Heather and Kim for supper and Patti and Tristen were heading to Lacrosse. So I suggested that James and Meghan could come with us for supper (it did give me a little more time with them but didn't give me much opportunity for visiting with Heather and Kim). Tiny and his wife, Bev, from the airport also joined us. It had been a busy day for all of us and it was off to bed pretty much as soon as we got home.

Saturday morning dawned clear and warm and we were on the road by 6:20, pretty much on schedule for the final trip to the island. We had a good trip. We had planned to stop somewhere over night but neither of us were particularly tired so after stopping in Edmundston, NB to buy a new tarp and more tie down straps (the load had shifted and the original tarp was badly torn) we re-secured everything and decided to just keep going. We arrived home at 5:00 am on Sunday morning. After 4 hours sleep I was up to go and get the dog at the kennel. The rest of the morning was spent having breakfast at the Van Gaals.

Once we got back home, we set about the task of unloading the trailer. It's now empty and the boxes are in the house. Some are empty, others are still waiting but we will get there. We're having everyone over for lobster on Saturday night so that will give us a deadline.  I do seem to work better under pressure!

Lloyd's job was to start full time today but due to some order scheduling conflicts they won't be up and running until next Tuesday but he is still going to be doing some hours this week although we don't know yet how many.

It's good to be home and together for our 23rd anniversary today, that we will properly celebrate on Saturday with friends and the last lobster feed of the season.

Friday, June 22 - a little more livable weather today

This morning it's 17' and headed for a high of 25' - much better than the sticky 34' we had yesterday. It was a busy day.First we took the kids to school and then stayed to attend a 'graduation' ceremony. There are 5 kids at the school who will be going on to middle school next year, and leaving their Montessori family behind. I'm sure it won't be without some challenges along the way.

Then it was off to the Guelph Airport for James,  who was going to help Papa for the rest of the day,while the other two remained at school to enjoy their last day of class. I, on the other hand, headed out to meet my friends Fran and Katy, at Katy's house. We stayed there chatting for a while then headed out for lunch. The meal was less than spectacular at the restaurant we chose, but the company was great, and that's really what it was all about. It was so nice to catch up with the two of them.
Then it was back into town to pick up the kids at school and connect with Patti at the airport where we all headed out to Greg's office so he could drive James and I to the ball game in Kitchener. Unfortunately by the time we got there, there was heavy rain and lightning so the game was cancelled. Not to worry. I had another sporting event to attend as a back up. Tristen was being graded for his orange belt in his karate class but first we stopped in at Shakespeare Arms to visit with Papa

and the airport folks. We got there just as they were finishing their meal and they presented him with an absolutely wonderful gift that is irreplacable. They had a local artist (who, coincidentally happens to live next door to Fran) paint a picture depicting the hangar at the airport. Using photographs she was able to put the airplanes that each of the guys own in the picture with the hangar in the background. It is absolutely incredible and there couldn't have been a more perfect gift.

I know he will be missed there and he is certainly going to miss that group of guys. They've become a very important part of his life, especially over the past three years.

After spending a bit of time there, it was off to Karate. Tristen was quite visibly tired, too many late nghts in a row, so he didn't have quite the energy he usually has in his class but fortunately his

evalation wasn't based solely on last nights performance. He was very proud to receive his orange belt.  Then it was back to Patti's where Lloyd was hooking up a computer for James and Patti and I did a little bit of tidying and getting some stuff ready for today.

This morning James is off to the airport with his grandpa again and I'm off to visit my friend Nancy early and then later try to catch a bit of time with Jana before getting ready to go to the funeral. It's been another whirlwind tour and I'll be glad to get back home.

Thursday, June 21st - the first day of summer - seriously???

Bracing myself for another hot, sticky, humid day in southern Ontario. Let's hope summer here isn't any hotter than spring has been to date!

First of all, I totally forgot it was a week day yesterday morning so there was no post. It was also a foggy morning (at least in my head). I arrived in Toronto a little after 10:00 on Tuesday night, as our flight out of Montreal was delayed. Lloyd had been there waiting for quite some time so was right there to pick me up. By the time we got to Patti's it was quite late and everyone was waiting up for me, although Meghan had fallen asleep on the couch. Needless to say,with everybody waiting up it meant a really late night for all. Of course I was wide awake at 5:15 yesterday morning so it was a blurry time for me. Not until later in the morning did I remember I had totally missed the blog. OOOPS.

Once everyone was up, it was a quick breakfast and then off to school. Tristen's class was doing a puppet show for the rest of the school and there were a few last minute touches needed on the handmade puppets. The class was split into groups of 4 and they had to make up their own story, design and make puppet characters to tell the story and then they used the puppet stage to present their creations. Patti had been helping with the puppet building and I assisted ever so slightly with the last minute bits and pieces - some hair here and there, some props needed in the puppets hands, etc.

Finally it was show time and every one enjoyed a unique presentation. The younger kindergarten kids really enjoyed the efforts of the group.
From there Patti and I headed downtown. I stopped into the office to say hello to everyone and then off for some lunch. There's a little place in the mall that used to be in another part of town, that specializes in Thai and Vietnamese food that we decided to give a try. Patti had the Mango Chicken wrap with salad and I had the Pad Thai. It was pretty tastey. Patti was planning to go to be at the visitation for the afternoon so she dropped me off at the airport (Guelph) and went home to change and go to Acton. It was incredibly hot and humid and I was ever so glad to know that I didn't have to stay here for too long. Lloyd and Jan were working away in the hangar so I was dispatched to go and fetch some Iced Caps and something to eat. Once that was done I hung out for a bit then went off to pick up the kids at school. After going back to pick Lloyd up at the airport, we all headed to Pizza Hut for something to eat. It was a really pleasant meal. It's been a long time since we did that and it was so much easier now that the kids are older and they're not so noisy, and fidgety. We had a really great time together.

Then it was back to Patti's to get changed and ready to go to the visitation. Lloyd headed back to Kitchener to his sisters and the kids and I waited for Greg to pick us up and take us to meet up with Patti.  I saw lots of people I haven't seen in a long time and noted some missing. I had really hoped to connect with my friend Cathy but unfortunatley she left yesterday for Saskatoon for work. I did see her mom and two of her brothers.  When the visitation was over, we went to Patti's cousins and visited some more. Another late night by the time we got home. We're all going to be seriously sleep deprived by the weekend!

Tuesday, June 19th - Toronto, here I come

It's a pleasant 11' and headed for a sunny 22' but I'd better get braced for the heat and humidity in Toronto. I was looking at the weather forecast for later in the week and Wednesday and Thursday are supposed to reach 32' with the humidex reading of 40' - all it will do is make me appreciate the island even more.

So our friends Richard and Daralen were in the dealership on Saturday and I almost missed them. I saw them just heading out the door as I came back in from somewhere. I quickly caught up to them to chat only to discover that they've gotten a new car - a Toyota Solara CONVERTIBLE!  Brenda's only comment when she found out was "Sandy's going to be SO jealous!" and she was right. I've been wanting a convertible for as long as I can remember but I'm seriously beginning to think it's probably never going to happen. Maybe in my next life. But it is a really nice car, in immaculate condition and I just know they're going to get so much enjoyment out of it this summer.

I had dropped by their place to see the car after work on Saturday evening and to check on the weeds in my little garden. The new tenant next door will be planting a small patch in  front of mine, in exchange for watering the entire thing. Needless to say, when I got there I was mortified. These people really know what they're doing and compared to my little amateur patch, it's incredible. They spent all day Saturday just getting the ground ready and making the rows. I knew I wasn't a gardener, but now I really see just how sorely inadequate my talents in this area really are. I have so much to learn, and I'd be very foolish not to take advantage of being able to learn from others. I need to start taking some notes for next year!
But I do have radishes growing as well as some onions, peas, beets and some lettuce is also peeking through. It's a learning experience for sure.
This picture isn't their patch but the rows they built look just like these and they weren't done by machine as these were, but completely by hand. I'm truly impressed.

Okay, I'm off to finish the last of the packing of both my stuff, and the dogs. See you tomorrow from hot and humid Ontario!

Monday, June 18th - an emotion filled weekend

It's a beautiful and sunny 10' this morning with just a slight haze rising off the river. It's promising to be a beautiful day with more sun and a high of 20'. Yes!!!

Friday I received an email from my friend Jana, regarding a friend of her dads, whom I'd had many chats with. He had passed away in London, Ontario  but  had deep island roots. The obituary didn't go into any detail but his mothers maiden name (and Doug's middle name) were Longworth. We have a Longworth Avenue in the old part of downtown Charlottetown so I imagine there might be a connection if you go back far enough. He would come to Guelph from time to time for meetings and once I knew I was moving to the island, we had many lengthy conversations about the place, He was a very well liked, and kind man and I'm sure he will be missed.

Then on Sunday morning I learned that my sister in law, Jean, had lost her battle with cancer. It's been a trying time for the entire family these past few months but now at last, she is at peace and free of pain. It seems like such a cliche to say that but I know it's true. I will always remember the brief time she spent here visiting the island in 2010 with her family. I had  hoped she might have another chance to return. My sincerest condolences to the entire family and the community, especially at Ebenezer Church, where she will be greatly missed.  I also have many fond memories but the most vivid are having here right there for Patti and I, during the birth of both James and Meghan. It meant so much to Patti to have a familiar and loving face on the nursing staff who unselfishly provided  extra personal care long after her shift was over, in her calm and professional manner. I remembered all the questions I had when I was pregnant so many years ago and she was always there to answer any and all. Rest in peace, Jean
 http://bluespringsfuneralhome.com/tributes6.html

I plan to fly to Toronto on Tuesday and stay until the funeral on Friday. Then Lloyd and I will start out together early on Saturday morning for his final trip east. It seems kind of fitting that we should leave Ontario for the last time, together, and head to our new life here on the island. Even though I've been here for 3 years, it marks a whole new start for the two of us.

We did have a great weekend. I made Peanut Butter Balls for Bernie (ok, so they were a week late) in the morning,  then the three of us headed out  on our bikes for points east! We drove to St. Peters, then went north to the shore and stopped for lunch in Neufrage at the Shipwreck Cafe. It was beautiful and sunny and a gorgeous day to tour along the water. From there we meandered our way along the coast to East Point where we stopped and chatted with some of the people who were milling around enjoying the day. We even ran into someone Brenda and Bernie knew as well as some tourists. After a lengthy visit there, we headed about 50 feet down the road (or so it seemed) to Brenda's friend Reika where we enjoyed a frozen treat. Reika is in charge of the volunteers for the Village Feast so I'll be hearing from her shortly!

An old photo of the East Point Lighthouse

After visiting there, we started for home, but not before having to give my bike a boost. It seems I left the key turned on and we were there for quite a little while. But booster cables were quickly brought out and soon we were on our way. Bernie followed me home to make sure I got the map out of the back of his bike (but I suspect he also wanted to make sure I made it up the driveway without dropping the bike - again!) He had a very valid point because this was my first time up the hill since that day and I was a little apprehensive but I made it safe and sound and was able to send him on his way.

Once I got inside, checked messages and determined what was happening this week, I took a drive over in the car to drop off Bernie's treats. Needless to say, they were much appreciated. A cup of tea and a bit more chatting and I made my way back home to check on flights, etc.

Blog posts may be slightly out of time this week but they will be there!

Friday, June 15th - Happy Birthday, Meghan (1)

It's a slightly overcast 11' this morning and we're only going to reach a high of 14' today. I'm a little disappointed we didn't receive the rain yesterday that we were meant to get as my little garden surely needs a drink by now. But I'm sure Mother Nature will watch out for my little plants. If not, I'll have to go over there with a big jug of water and my little watering can and see what I can do.



A big happy birthday to you this morning, Meghan (1) up in Toronto from all your family and friends out here on the island. It's looking like you're going to have a hot and sunny 26' today. Enjoy!



So I planned to bake a cake last night to take to work this morning but the baking gods were not with me. I went to the Superstore (the BIG one) yesterday at lunch to pick up a few things and they were totally out of icing sugar. Come on now, seriously? Who runs out of icing sugar?  Not to worry - I'd just stop at No Frills on my way home and pick some up. This is where it gets really weird - they were also totally out of icing sugar. Is there some big cake decorating contest going on in town that I don't know about? Are there 400 weddings this weekend on the island? Who knows. All I do know is it was a sign that I was NOT meant to bake a cake last night.  In the end it was a pretty quiet evening. I suppose I could have made the chocolate peanut butter balls that were due to Bernie last weekend, but to be honest, I never thought of it (the jar of peanut butter in the shopping bag should have served as a clue but unfortunately, it didn't) so that will be on my weekend to-do list for sure.

I haven't talked to Lloyd since he got home but I'm sure it will be a flurry of activity for him for the next seven days, as he'll have to leave a week from today to come back down here.

Tonight there's a small graduation banquet at the Rec Centre so that will be my evening. I'll have to head over there as soon as I get home and let the dog out. I won't be much help with the prep but at least Brenda and I can be there for the serving and cleaning up portion of the night.

One last thing, to all the dads out there!

Thursday, June 14th - the calm before the storm

Right now it's a lovely 12', heading for 17' later and possibly some rain, although you wouldn"t know it this morning by the bright sun streaming in the window.

Yesterday Lloyd met with his new employer (twice) and things are all set to go. He starts work on June 25th  so he's got lots to do in the next 10 days!  I dropped him off at the airport last night at 5:00 so he can get going with his last minute preparations for the final move.

After I got home last night it was very quiet here and I realized my life of rest and relaxation is about to end! As we've said before, it will be quite an adjustment for the both of us. So I took advantage of having an evening with absolutely nothing to do - not even cut the grass because he has that all done. Instead I sat down and read a book and then went to bed! How lazy is that?  I'm looking forward to his being here to add some structure to my life, at least in the evenings. Getting back into a routine of making a proper meal in the evenings and then having someone to help with the little things that need doing around the place that have been waiting for 3 years, will be great, in spite of what challenges it might bring with it.

But for now, I'll enjoy my last 10 days of the single life! Tonight I have to do some laundry and dishes while I bake a cake to take into work tomorrow. Yesterday was my one year anniversary at work and I promised I'd bring in cake so I'd better get on that tonight. No idea what it will be but I have a couple of ideas. It will serve two purposes actually - if I put a layer of fondant on it, then Mike can taste it and take a piece home for Willow to try as well. Their wedding is in less than a month so I'd better get seriously thinking about their cake and how I'm going to pull it off. It's a unique shape with some quite involved decorating on the top layer so I need to figure out how I'm going to do it but it will be a fun challenge that I'm looking forward to trying.

And that's pretty much it for this morning. Brenda is still trying to recover from a cold that just doesn't want to let go. The weather is supposed to be nice on Sunday so hopefully she'll be feeling better. We'd hate to miss a Sunday as a sick day!

Wednesday, June 13th - what a great evening

It's becoming increasingly easy to live with this lovely weather. Warm sunny days are just what we needed. It's 10' this morning and headed for another 21' day today, pretty much a carbon copy of yesterday.
And speaking of yesterday, what a feast we had.

Today's post is short on words, but then a picture does tell a thousand stories....

On my way home from work I picked up mussels, potatoes, etc, etc and then set to work right away upon my arrival. Brenda sent a text message shortly after to say they were on their way with the lobsters.
We made some potato salad while the mussels were steaming and the butter was melting. The table cloth was put on the picnic table and the table set.

First course, steamed mussels with garlic butter

Then it was back inside to steam the lobsters. 

Onto the serving tray - do you think this is enough for the four of us? 

Not to worry, there's another 10 steaming in the pot!

"It's ALL  good!"

Now seriously, does it really get any better than this?

A nice hot towel to wipe the juice off our chins

Thanks guys, it was a great evening!

A special nod this morning to Fran, who couldn't make it to supper! 

The next time you and Katy come down, make sure it's in June.
Meghan and Caitlin, a little something to share with your co-workers
- just another typical Tuesday night supper here on PEI!

Tuesday, June 12th - looks like Lloyd brought the nice weather with him

It was cold and rainy all last week but this week is shaping up pretty nicely. Yesterday was warm and sunny and today is headed in the same direction. It's a sunny 9' right now (at 5:30 am) and we should reach 21' later.

Lloyd had his job interview yesterday and we're hoping for the best. We're hoping to hear something today or tomorrow as he leaves tomorrow afternoon to fly back to Toronto. It's really nice having someone else here to help with stuff. Last night was a great evening for grass cutting. We'd had a late lunch and we weren't hungry when we got home so I changed and got right to it. I did the riding stuff and Lloyd got out the push mower and did the tedious sides and around the trees. There's still one section left to do but he'll be able to finish that today. When we were done we put a small chicken on the BBQ and then opened a bottle of wine and dined al fresco (outside in the screened tent) complete with table cloth and candles! Gosh I've missed that. It was quite lovely and we sat out for quite some time after eating just chatting and starting to make some plans.

Bernie has ordered us some lobsters for today and I'm hoping we can do the same thing again tonight. If we're really lucky, Brenda will be feeling even better today and they can join us for some mussels and lobster tonight. I'll have Lloyd coordinate that today.

Well, it's finally official, I'm not going to be a TV star and you know what? I'm totally okay with that. I got the 'thanks but no thanks' email last night and here's how it went:

Hi Sandy,

We’ve sent in the auditions to W Network and they have selected their 5 contestants and unfortunately you were not selected at this time.  We would like to keep you on the roster as sometimes things change.  We may be back in PEI next year and would like to keep you in consideration.  It was a pleasure meeting you and I want to thank you for your time and hospitality! 

Many thanks & all the best,

I've been waiting and waiting and now I feel like I can get on with my life. It felt like this big 'thing' was hanging over my head and now it's gone. I know they will be filming in August sometime and I can't recall the dates. I was afraid if I did get picked that it was going to interfere with guests I have coming that month so it's all good. I consider myself very fortunate to have been chosen as one of the 15 to be interviewed. It was a fun experience and it will be great to watch the show when it airs and not fear I'll become the laughing stock of the island! Congratulations and best of luck to those of you who were chosen! Can't wait to see the show.

Monday, June 11th - a surprise visitor for the weekend

It's a foggy and chilly 7' this morning but it should clear up nicely and give us a sunny 20' later (let's hope!)

Friday night was a great time. It was the annual Fort Augustus Rec Centre volunteer Lobster Dinner (with BBQ steak for those who were so inclined). Match that up with potato salad, baked potatoes and cole slaw and it was a meal fit for a king. That was meant to be the highlight of my weekend. Until a little after lunch on Saturday. I was at work when my cell phone rang and it was Lloyd asking if I could pick him up at the airport at 12:30 (the one right after midnight). Needless to say that was not a problem. I made a list of cleaning items that needed to be done this weekend (actually I'd made it before hand as I really needed to do some damage control inside!) and headed home,. now with a deadline - which isn't a bad thing. Sometimes I work better under pressure.

On my way home, my cell phone rang again, and this time it was Brenda. Seems she'd invited another couple over for supper - roast chicken and BBQ moose steak - supper would be served at 7:00. Alrighty then, now the timeline has been shortened. Not to worry. Got home, changed into some old clothes put on some music and started in. In a little while, I was pretty much finished (or at least as much as I needed to get done for the day. Then it was off to a great evening at the Van Gaals. Lots of good food, lots of great company and conversation and before I knew it the time was 11:00. Just time to go home, let the dog out for a few minutes, grab my purse and head into town. Fortunately the flight was on time and all went well.

Sunday dawned rainy and cool, not at all conducive to much outdoor activity. So I lit the fire in the woodstove, and made a coffee. When Lloyd got up, we had coffee and just sat at the table enjoying the view and our morning together. I called the Van Gaals at 10:00 and woke poor Bernie up - sorry about that! I invited them over for breakfast and a few minutes later, Brenda called when she got home from church. She sounded terrible. She'd finally come down with a cold she felt threatening a few days before. So after a hearty breakfast they went back home so she could crawl into bed and rest. Hopefully she's feeling a little better this morning. Because the weather wasn't the  greatest, we didn't do anything much until late afternoon, although Lloyd spent a large part of the day trying to figure out where the break in the underground fence wire was.  It finally cleared up and got a little sunnier and a couple of breaks were found and all was finally working again.

We then took a little trip over to Five Houses Road to check out the garden and plant a couple of new plants I'd picked up on Friday. It seems to be doing well, although it has been cold and rainy. A couple of days of sun and it will really spurt up.

After a delicious supper of mashed potatoes, corn, cole slaw and BBQ steaks,  we called it a day.

All in all a great, surprise weekend. Now let's wish Lloyd good luck this morning - his reason for coming down in the first place was for a job interview today. Hopefully things will go well.

Friday, June 8th - it was an exciting week for one group boys

It's a bright and sunny morning with 9' and we should reach a lovely 20' by this afternoon. Just perfect for heading into the weekend!

Last night was the closing ceremonies in Cooperstown (bet you'll be glad to be done reading about THIS trip!).

What a wonderful father and son memory

I caught a little of the last game that finished at 6:30 our time, and it was beautiful and sunny there. My reception kept stopping and starting so I headed over to the Van Gaals to watch the rest.(many thanks, again!). By the time they were ready to start at 7:00 it was raining. Fortunately it didn't last long and in a little while the sun came out again. It was quite a lengthy event with them calling up a coach from each team to introduce each and every player by name as they ran into the stadium.  Greg got the honours for our guys and he did a great job. Some of the coaches spoke quite softly and you could barely make out what they were saying and some were very used to speaking over a microphone and you could certainly tell.  Greg didn't goof around like some did, but he spoke clearly and confidently and did really well.

I didn't realize there were an many injuries as there were. I suppose with approximately 1300 kids there's bound to be some, but it was something I just never thought about. One boy was on crutches, one was in a wheel chair, and there was a shout out to another, when his team came out, because he was recovering in the hospital from his game that was played earlier in the afternoon. I'm told Greg was watching one of the other games and one boy took a ball to the mouth and it looked like he lost most of his teeth. Not a very happy experience for those kids. Fortunately ours are all coming home safe and sound, and that's way more important than winning, in my books anyway.

Patti and Tristen left early yesterday morning so they would be home in time for Meghan's dance recital. I don't have any photos from that as yet but I'm sure I'll have some before the weekend is over.

Thursday, June 7th - it was quite a day

The rain has finally stopped, at least for now. Things appear to by drying up and it's a balmy 7' with a few clouds. With luck we should reach 15' with a mix of sun and clouds.

What an emotion filled day yesterday was.

Tuesday evening, the boys  played their last regularly scheduled game. That was it until the play off round on Wednesday morning.  Patti and I were texting and she told me about the game the previous night. Apparently they made quite the impression with the grounds crew after losing the game. They got together in a group and sang O Canada. I was so proud of their sportsmanship and team spirit that it brought tears to my eyes.

Coach Greg (far left) watches the boys prepare to sing O Canada
at the opening ceremonies

I checked the play off schedule early in the morning and learned that our team had one last chance to play in the play off round.. They were scheduled to play the second to last team at 10:00 am.
 
We chatted off and on all morning until she sent me a text that they had lost their play off game but it was a much closer score - 10 to 9, and by all accounts it was a pretty exciting game.
I sent her a message suggesting that at least they had made another team feel good about not finishing last when she sent me a follow up message. It seems that they were watching one of the other games for a while and they got chatting with one of the dads. Apparently his wife has stage four breast cancer and they took her out of palliative care for the week, so she could watch her son play baseball in Cooperstown.

Somehow it really didn't matter that they'd finished last.

They were heading off to tour the Baseball Hall of Fame and then a team BBQ.  A great ending to a very memorable week. They can spend the next little while cheering on the other teams, with no more stress of pending games. Now that's they've made a bunch of new friends and a whole lot of great memories, they'll really enjoy the closing ceremonies which will take place tonight  at 6:30 PEI time, so I should be able to catch it online!

Wednesday, June 6th - wasn't that a knight!

It's another drizzly, cool day but the weather should turn sunny tomorrow and get back into double digits tomorrow. I'm sure my little garden is ready for a bit of sunshine.

I may have missed the real thing in London, but I was able to watch it on TV at the Van Gaals last night so thank you very much you guys! I know it was edited somewhat and that the real thing would have gone on much longer but we got the highlight and that's all that matters. It looks like the weather cooperated in the end and it appears that a great time was had by all.

Ah, the memories this photo conjures up -
thank you, Van Gaals

Yesterday morning I was able to watch James' ball game online at work. We tried connecting to it last night at Brenda's but to no avail. Patti sent me a text message when it was over to advise that unfortunately they lost - again but they did get to sing O Canada again so the boys were pretty happy. Today they're touring the Baseball Hall of Fame before they start the play offs. I'm sure they'll be out of there after one game but they are still having an amazing time. I'm not sure what day the boys are returning home but I think Patti is coming home tomorrow with Tristen because Meghan's Dance recital takes place tomorrow night, Friday night and Saturday night. I'm glad that she's had the chance to have this little break.

Tuesday, June 5th - looks like I missed a great time!

It's a rainy 9' here this morning and will pretty much stay that way for the remainder of the day. But by the end of the week, things should improve considerably.

The stage at the foot of Queen Victoria's statue in front of the palace

I was watching the weather in London yesterday, and it was pretty much the same as here - not that warm and a little shower from time to time. That made me feel not quite so badly about missing the concert. It was a different format this year and I would have had to be in one of the parks to watch. The actual performing took place at  Queen Victoria's statue in front of the palace and those in that area needed tickets unlike last

Just one of the featured performers
for the evening

time when the ticket holders and the concert took place inside the palace grounds. I suppose 15,000 people traipsing across your garden might make quite a mess. Not so this time. I haven't seen much from it yet this morning but I did run across this early report and video. The aerial views of the Mall brought back some

This group of fans seems to be enjoying the show

very fond memories of the night we attended the same concert for the Golden Jubilee. It was truly a once in a lifetime experience - not really necessary to do it again, I suppose. Check it out:

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/video/crowds-enjoy-queens-jubilee-concert-062021190.html

Now back to the real world ?

The baseball games in New York continue today. Yesterday they had a brief shower off and on but not enough to stop the play. James and company didn't have any games on line yesterday but they have two today - one at 11:00 this morning (noon our time) and another at 7:00 pm (8:00 our time).  I'll certainly be able to watch  this mornings at work. I think I'll put a 'Do Not Disturb' sign on my desk till it's over!

They haven't won any games but they have managed to score a few runs. Greg has always told the boys, since he started coaching them several years ago, that he doesn't care what the score is as long as they've played well and done their best. I think that's a pretty great attitude. Because like hockey, none of these kids are going to make it to the big leagues, so they may as well learn something meaningful from the experience other that the importance of always winning. Whether they win or lose, they're having a fabulous time and that's what matters - that they take away some wonderful, happy memories from this experience. They aren't the last place team, although very close, so even the coaches are happy with that.


Patti and Tristen were off to visit a Butterfly Conservatory yesterday. I suspect there are lots of touristy things to do in the area for the families that are visiting. I know in our group alone there are 13 families and if you multiply that by 104 each week for the whole summer, that's certainly a great business opportunity for the area.

Good luck today, boys!



I got an email yesterday from one of my old IAAP friends. It seems the 2014 Canada Districts Conference is going to be held on the island. I'm not sure who is hosting as we don't have a PEI chapter anymore but Lina is coming for a few days to check out venues and has asked if she can stay with us for a few days. Well, YEAH! I'm so glad she asked. She'll be here the week before our friends Judi and Gail arrive so August will be a busy month and we're really looking forward to it. I'll have to let Patti know that she needs to get her reservations in soon at the Denny B,B,L&S (that's Bed, Breakfast, Lunch and Supper!)

Monday, June 4th - day 3 in Cooperstown (and Sir Paul Day in London - but not for me!)

It's a bright 9' this morning but we're only going to a high today of 12' so it's a little cooler. Yes, sadly, Sir Paul will have to perform at Buckingham Palace without me this time - but I'm sure the other 1 million plus there will make my absence less painful!!!

It was a busy weekend here but even busier at Cooperstown Dreams Park!
We were texting back and forth on Friday as the gang made their way to New York in the rain, with hopes that it would clear up, (which fortunately, it has). Friday was also Lloyd's last day at Great Gulf. Well, it was his last day but he really wasn't there. He dropped Meghan off at school then got in work much later than his usual middle of the night arrival. Then he was gone shortly after lunch. They had cake and approximately 70 or 80 people gave him a great send off. They also did a You tube video with many best wishes from co-workers. It was a really nice thing for them to do and I know he will enjoy watching that from time to time over the next while. He was feeling a little lost on Friday night but it's a huge step. I didn't have time to think about it before I came here. I worked my last day, then went to my going away party right from work, and then James and I headed out on the road early the next morning. I didn't have time to give it any thought. But I'm sure in a couple of days it will all sink in - like this morning when he will probably wake up at 3:30 or 4:00 and not have anywhere to go. Good thing Tim's are open all night!

Saturday after work, I headed home to do some yard work after stopping at the store. We were planning to try a recipe we found in a Readers Digest from a newfie chef for Moose Burgers but lawns had to be cut first. I went over to the Van Gaals a little early and Brenda was out on the mower so I just went inside and turned on her computer to watch the opening ceremonies at the park in New York as they have a much

The proud flag bearer - love the hock stick
as the flag pole

better internet connection than I do. I was part way into it when Brenda came in and we watched together while munching on nacho chips and a beverage. It was quite the show, with all 104 teams marching into the stadium. James was carrying the flag so it was easy to tell which one was him. Once all the teams were inside, they invited the Guelph team to come forward and sing Oh Canada. I'm not sure the kids realized the impact of singing their national anthem in another country in front of such a crowd, but I'm sure it wasn't lost on the adults. Patti and I were texting back and forth throughout the whole event. Gotta love technology.  She says it's an amazing place and the boys (both big AND small) are having a blast.

Sunday morning was a little chilly so instead of motorcycles, we chose to take the bicycles up to the National Park for a ride on the paved bike trails that run along the north shore. We totally forgot that the Ride for Heart and Stroke was on and was also using that route but we were late enough getting started that the majority of the riders had gone past where we began. There were still a few that passed up and once the vehicles travelling at the end of the pack confirmed with us that we were not participating, we had the trail pretty much to ourselves for the rest of the day. We thought we would attempt the ride from Brackley over to Dalvay-by-the-Sea - a round trip total of 20 km. Could we do it? You bet. There were a couple of  slopes and some very strong head winds on the way out so it made the trip back that much easier! We

stopped in Cove Head and took a little rest then continued on to Dalvay. We had planned to have tea there but the restaurant had just closed. They're up and running but not on a full schedule as yet. But there were tea cups and a full tea pot out in the lobby so we just helped ourselves and toured around the building. I'd never been inside - just peered through the windows in the winter when up there skiing. It really is quite a lovely spot. After tea we headed back and stopped in Cove Head for some lunch. There's a little restaurant there that was open on our way back. We decided we will absolutely go back there. We shared a lobster roll and an order of fries and a couple of beers and it was pretty darn tasty. Sitting in the sun out on the deck didn't hurt either. But soon it was time to leave and head back. By the time we got home I was pretty tired. Brenda planned to take her motorcycle out for a little run but I chose not to go. I was physically tired and sleepy as well so I didn't think

The bike path in the park - a treat to ride on - that's Brenda
up ahead of me

that was a good place to be to head out on a bike. Bernie had performed his magic on Friday evening and wiggled and poked and prodded and mine started for the first time after it's little mishap last weekend. SO all is good. (Thank you again to the Van Gaals)

After a bike ride for her and Bernie, and a wee nap for me, we headed over to Donagh School for the second annual fund raising variety show. We were entertained with skits, music and dance. All in all a really nice evening.

Just before leaving to pick Brenda up my computer decided to cooperate and I was able to watch a bit of the baseball game being streamed online. I didn't watch the whole thing but I'll have that chance on Tuesday morning when I'm at work.

I got this photo from Patti last night. This is James with a 12 year old player from one of the opposing teams. James chose to carry the flag and sit out the skills competition because they had one too many players. I think I totally understand why now that I've seen some of the other players. Patti wonders - what on earth do they feed these kids???

Friday, June 1st - Lloyd's last day at Great Gulf

Today is pretty much a carbon copy of yesterday with 9' this morning heading for a high of 15' with a mix of sun and cloud although I don't think it made it that high yesterday. It was 13' for most of the afternoon and I broke down and lit the fire when I got home. The house was cold and damp and really needed to be warmed up. The dog really appreciated having a fire to sit beside since he had his hair all trimmed off yesterday. He spent the entire evening lounging in front of the stove.

The kids didn't get away until this morning. They had planned to leave after their regular ball game in Paris last night but opted instead to head off early this morning. I sent a message wishing them a safe and happy trip to the Guelph radio station yesterday and they read it on the air so hopefully someone heard it.

Tristen is a really funny little kid. He's such a homebody. We noticed that about him when he stayed with us for a week last year. He's not very adventurous and just likes to stay home. Patti and I were texting back and forth yesterday and she told me he wants to know "why can't I just stay home?" I thought he would be excited about going but that's not the case. Meghan on the other hand, seems to have taken a page from her grandmothers habits and is quite the list maker. Patti says she has a note book that she carries with her all the time and for the time that her parents are away, she has everything listed with regards to where she has to be, when, what she needs to bring with her, right down to when she will eat meals. Greg's mom, who is staying with her, asked Patti if she'd made a list of things that Meghan needs and Patti told her not to worry, Meghan has it all under control. The girl has a brilliant future ahead of her as an event planner or something where that detail to attention will be a valuable asset.

They've posted the schedule on the Cooperstown website and there are four games that James' team is playing that will be on the internet. One is during the day on Tuesday so I should be able to see that one at work. The others are on the weekend and Tuesday evening and my internet connection isn't the greatest so I'm not really hopeful about that one but at least I'll get to watch one. I'm hoping I'll be able to see the opening ceremonies on Saturday afternoon as well, but we'll see how it goes.

I talked to Lloyd last night as well and he has pretty much everything packed up and ready to load into the trailer. There's space in Patti's garage to park it until he's ready to hit the road so that's a good thing. He's dropping Meghan off at school this morning then heading in for his last day, which I'm sure will be pretty short and revolve mostly around food! Hope it's a good one!