We done a lot of business with our bank but over the past few months we renegotiated our mortgage and got a car loan. Through this experience, we met the best bank guy ever! He was so helpful and so flexible. He is the best! Anyway, just heard today that he is moving to a different job…. the good ones never stick around. Oh well, we are set for a while so have time to shop for a new bank boy.
The Sears Wishbook arrived yesterday so I have been folding back pages and making a list of the things I want! Woohoo! Hard to believe this is the last day of August already. I think this summer we have actually taken advantage of the outdoors instead of just sitting inside all summer. We have been out canoeing almost every weekend and have tried to stay away from the TV except during Olympics and Tour de France. It’s funny how a cooler summer actually got us outdoors.
I found a great website today called Freecycle where people post things they want to get rid of. You are also able to post what you are looking for. It is a yahoo group thing and you are able to narrow it down by area, ie. Toronto. So, you can go to a garage sale from your computer!
On our way up to camping we stopped off to visit our old stompin’ grounds and enjoy some good times with friends [both visits were to friends without blogs so there was more to see and talk about with them, and we stopped off to see Luke and Anne ‘cuz they were on the way and we’ve never been to see them before. Sorry Brock - maybe next time]
One visit was to see our good friend Pete and his wife Zorica, and Pete’s ornaments. I think I’ll get some of these babies in my ears - gotta love tunnels:
Then we stayed with Chris and Dianna. Chris is a Lueck (’nuff said) and Dianna is starting physio school next week in London (both of them worked in the kitchen at camp with us). We had a blast, telling stories, laughing uproariously, discussing school fears and confidences, and crashing parties (even attracting police attention - yikes, that was close). We saw all of Chris’ brothers (Jer and Jason are the same but Kinsey is all grown up, sigh):
We took the Chi-cheemaun over in quite windy weather, and we both felt a little nauseous and cold. The drive north, then west, then south, then east (yeah, it was the roundabout scenic route) we nice, but we arrived late at the park. From there it was 5 days of camping, canoeing, and hiking (and avoiding bears and other rascals like other rowdy adult campers, and children). The views, especially at night were great:
One day we took a 10 km hike up a mountain. Jenn was so brave and strong (she didn’t complain at all, and reminded me of this a couple of times). It was steep:
At the top of the mountain we set the camera on timer and I ran over the steep, uneven terrain putting my life in jeopardy - but it made for a nice couple photo:
The small part of Killarney that we discovered was so pretty - next time we’ll have to explore a larger area, too:
One night we got out the camera:
In the morning it was a little foggy. This actually represents what a significant part of our vacation was like - gray but cool and bug-free so at various times we mused that it was perfect weather for camping. We enjoy the evening rain (pitter-pattering on the tent) - the daytime rain was a bit of a downer, but we finished all the books we brought, and I even got to read Cosmo (What Men Wish Women Knew About Sex):
The toilets were especially neat - our friends call them “thunderboxes” as they can rumble when you rumble. They don’t smell near as bad as outhouses or johnny-on-the-spots, and the view can’t be beat (for the toileter, at least):
It was wonderful. When it was all over we were filthy and smelled something terrible, so we got a hotel room in Orillia, showered and swam to clean off, checked out the downtown (bought some amazing squares, discovered a fantastic shop, and had a delicious supper - beer never tasted so good!). The beds, air conditioning, TV (we missed 1/2 of the Olympics!), and a phone call to the parents were all incredible. Then this morning we drove to Barrie for Lick’s burgers, and took the scenic Highway 7 drive home.
Well, we are finally back from our holiday!! I will write more about it later but just wanted to let you know that the bears didn’t get us…. we hardly saw any wildlife at all actually. I think a deer trampled by our tent one night but that was it. No snakes, no birds, a couple of chipmunks (cheeky ones at that)… and a few fish that took a liking to Doug’s toes. We had a great time in Paisley… Beachway Burgers, Port Elgin, Owen Sound. Oh… when we get our pictures uploaded we will have visual proof that Pete is still alive!! Anyway, off to bed! More later.
After 11 years of wanting to shave my head, I finally did it. I’ve been going shorter and shorter with the razor over the past 3 months, and now my journey is over. It feels good, but man, it’s a lot of work to shave it. I find that it’s always rough hacking it the first time, but once the little hairs start to come through they’re easier to cut. Hopefully it’s the same with shaving.
I found out today where I will be doing my teaching practicum. And it will be at a school I worked at two years ago for two years. The staff is basically the same so I’m not sure if that is good or bad. In some ways I wonder if they will expect more? I also think everyone will talk about me. But at the same time, hopefully I will be more comfortable to jump in and get started. A really good friend of mind works there so at least I’ll have a lunch buddy!
I survived bridesmaid duty. It was my first real time as a bridesmaid with responsibility. I was a little nervous as I didn’t know the other bridesmaid and we were having a slumber party. But we got along great…. knowing that Merry-Anne is just as crazy as me, I knew that the other girl she picked would have to be crazy too. Luckily we got along because we spent 48 hours straight together… with me driving in downtown Toronto. We made a great team as she knew how to get around downtown and I knew how to get around the GTA. We watched Amelie and Shrek. We did our nails, had Kraft Dinner (Merry-Anne told her I was a picky eater so she didn’t serve the brie she had…. ), had ice cream, stayed up until about 3:30 am…. Then my big shopping plans for Thursday were halted as I had more bridesmaid duties, which was fun as it involved catching up on Days of Our Lives. I also FINALLY met the groom who is super nice, and his family is amazing. We spent some time at Kinko’s getting maps ready, then Starbuck’s just before the rehearsal. The church was amazing. I think it is about 100 years old but can’t remember. Gorgeous stained glass, and what a great organ! I miss hearing the organ at church. Since the bride and groom are both musicians, the service was more like a concert with a chamber choir, piano solo, and organ music. It was great! The reception was beautiful on the water in Oakville. It was a lot chilly for an August evening so I hope they didn’t mind that I was wandering around in my zip up “grumpy” sweatshirt. All in all, it was a beautiful wedding.
Not me silly. I am in a wedding this weekend and I am off for bridesmaid duty today. A slumber party tonight, rehearsal tomorrow, wedding Friday. I haven’t met the groom yet so that should be fun! So cheers to Merry-Anne and Duncan!
Yesterday morning we woke up in a lull - I did an hour’s worth of work on the computer, and Jenn had slept in. It was a blah beginning so we tried to decide what we wanted out of the day, tossing around the idea of a directionless drive, a visit to Jenn’s parents in Brampton, a canoe trip, a shopping trip, and nothing really inspired.
On a whim and a stroke of creative ingenuity, Jenn checked on the net that Bon Echo Provincial Park had a few sites available for Saturday night. Within 1/2 an hour we were packed up and on our way for a 24 hr camping/canoeing trip in northern Lennox & Addington County.
We set up camp and within 1/2 an hour we were canoeing on Mazinaw Lake. It was quite choppy and we were both feeling a bit nervous, being tossed in the waves (yeah, we even wore our PFDs) and seeing dark clouds ahead. We made it to the first portage point, and it was quite a hike - probably 2 km of fairly level ground, but we weren’t really expecting it. That portage alone made us thankful that we got the 43 lb canoe and not the 60 lb alternative. We then got on this really quaint lake and snacked on cookies, had another short portage to a third lake where this roudy women’s group cackled away (so we cackled back, and it kinda freaked ‘em out). At the third portage (a tiny 20 footer), we set in what looked more like a swamp. We slid over mucky sections, stuck the paddle in 2 foot deep silt, and questioned whether we were on the right track. We crossed a beaver dam, and a beaver ahead led us down the right path. It opened up, and we almost made it through the fourth portage (more of a “lift-over” than a portage, still ending up scratching the canoe). The fifth portage (another tiny one) was no big deal, and then we were back on Mazinaw Lake, where again it was windy but not quite so choppy, that is, until a couple of wakeboarders and their motor boats did circles around us (well, it wasn’t that bad, but we did have some doozy wakes to ride). Eventually we made it back to the camp.
The next day (today) we found out that it was a 21 km route, supposed to take 6 hours - we did it in a little over 4. I was so proud of Jenn - first of all because it was such a good (and adventurous idea) and second because she barely complained (she didn’t like the portage, she was apparently uncomfortable on the choppy sections, she didn’t like being pseudo-lost (or at least not knowing exactly where we were going) and she was a little afraid of the storm - but those are all typical for Jenn) and worked so hard for the full 4 hours. Often she takes a break and I paddle solo for 15+ minutes, but she worked the whole time!
We had a minor little canoe trip this morning, came home (had a delish Dairy Queen blizzard on the way), and went out to a friend’s of Jenn’s house for dinner (yeah, believe it or not there really are nice people out there - and ones I actually like being nice to and being friendly with). My bowels have been complaining crazy (it better not be like this on my vacation - maybe I should get some of that antiviral drop stuff for our water), but the whole weekend turned out way better than I initially thought it would. Yeah for Jenn!
I haven’t had much to say lately. I have been busy running around filling out forms for Queen’s and catching up with friends. The girls from work and I had a picnic yesterday at the lock’s. It wasn’t super weather but it didn’t rain. It was great to see them all again. It’s kind of sad that we won’t be working together again in the fall. There are a lot of changes going to happen as others are leaving to go to different schools as well. I went to see Cinderella today! Very cute movie! I have found a friend who will go see all those cheesy movies with me!! WOohoO!! I can’t wait for Princess Diaries - The Royal Engagement!! August 11th!!
I really hate car repairs. It is just the whole going to appointments and setting things up and dropping cars off, having to be available if there is a problem. Argh. So I am taking both cars in this week so at least I won’t have to do this again for another few months.
Well, I have some news!! It seems that I am off to Teacher’s College this fall. I am excited for a change in the fall yet petrified about having to grow up and have some responsibility. The nice thing is that the Faculty of Education campus at Queen’s is only a few kilometres from our house…… I’m only there about three months of the time but I will appreciate the convenience.