The Old and the Restless

While Mark and Margot went to the wedding of Mark's brother in Kingston, Joshua and Ella stayed with us at the cottage. I wondered why Mark and Margot brought the wagon. It turned out to be very useful when we went to the Peterborough Zoo. Joshua and Ella played very briefly with the toys they brought. They were more interested in playing with the Fisher-Price toys from Megan, Bryn and Margot's childhood. At the Peterborough Zoo there are three different playgrounds. After the playground, Joshua was more interested in going for a train ride than looking at the zoo animals. Waiting for the train. Are we going soon? In the "enchanted forest" on the train ride, the children look for cut out drawings of various animals. They seem to enjoy this!

We met Richard and Janet in August 2008 in the Solomon Islands.  Returning from a holiday in upstate New York, they stopped by at the cottage with their four year old grandson, Gael, for a visit. They arrived with two kayaks on their car. Unfortunately, it was too windy at Rice Lake for kayaking. So... we went for a walk. The playground at the Southview resort near us was an attraction for Gael. This time of year it is very weedy at our dock. It wasn't easy reeling in this fish. Richard and Gael. On the way to the Peterborough Lift Locks and the Peterborough Zoo, we had some entertainment. By the way, Janet caught the wahoo in the Solomon Islands. 

This year there were children from the neighbourhood and their parents who were at the party. Joshua is sitting in Caitlin's car. He wasn't sure how to drive it and I didn't think I should show him. Ella was playing in the sandbox with Caitlin's sister, Amy. Shortly after this photo she gave Amy a sand shower. Unwrapping presents with daddy's help. Birthday cupcakes, made by someone who went to school with Bryn After dinner it was time to let off steam on the trampoline in the basement. Caitlin bounced for a long time.

Megan invited us for dinner yesterday. I rode my bike there, taking two hours and 10 minutes for the 32 km., and Paul drove in from the cottage. Thomas let me feed him and consented to let me carry him outside for a while. Perhaps the little boy crying next door was a distraction.

I took this video in June. Finally it's ready.

It has been really enjoyable to have long- time friends visit and to meet a first cousin for the first time this summer. Maureen and Ramsay on their annual cultural visit of Niagara-on-the-Lake and Stratford were able to stay with us and visit new and old haunts of Scarborough. Here we are on the new section of the Lake Ontario Waterfront Trail approaching the mouth of Highland Creek. Maureen did not want her picture taken! June and Verla.  In this photo June is taking notes for documenting a family tree. June is my cousin as well as Verla's cousin. Verla knew June but I had never met her before, although I've been corresponding with her by email for the past 4 years (and I happily wore her clothes when I was in Grade 10). June's mother, Mabel, was my father's oldest sister. Verla's father and June's father were brothers. Maureen and I taught with Verla in our first years of teaching at William Tredway. And here are the three of us in the back yard. A...

This was an early birthday before Megan, Michael and Thomas went to England. Mark, Margot, Joshua and Ella were there too. Have to get their pictures next time.