Long Weekend

I know you have all been waiting for a long blog - here it is. (Bad blogger misplaced the charging cord to her new camera and couldn't take pictures...)

My dad has gotten quite cranky about long weekends at the lake. It has a lot to do with what I like to call the Common Red Necked Loon. Never heard of it? If you've been camping at a lake in Alberta, you've probably met a few. They are large, loud and raucous. They usually wear some kind of ball cap, usually backwards. They probably play Nickelback really loud on the stereo of their mud encrusted black F150. They set off random fireworks (just one or two) before sunset, just because. They belch loudly, crush beer cans and toss them where they may, and can't be bothered to collect their empties. The worst loons have ATV's or worse, a Sea-Doo. If they have a Sea-Doo, then they are required to ride said Sea-Doo around and around in circles in one spot in the bay. This is usually right in front of our cabin. It annoys my father greatly, which is why he avoids long weekends at the cabin. I think going all the way to France just to avoid the first long weekend of the season is a bit excessive, but that's his choice.

I missed Friday and Saturday of the long weekend, as I had to work. Lily and I hit the road early Sunday morning and were at the cabin by lunch time. We have different rules at the cabin, so Lily was thrilled to have a lunch of Princess Noodles and carrots.

We went for a walk, and did a bit of exploring. Lily built a twig bridge over the creek that runs into the lake.

She said it was for 'small animals and large or small birds' to get across the creek.

After that we decided it was too warm to play so we drove over to the campground for some ice cream. Lily enjoyed her strawberry cone, and I indulged in some chocolate peanut butter. Mmm!

We poked about the cabin for a bit, and then drove back in to town to have dinner with my grandma and Auntie Barb. Lily didn't eat a lot of supper (might have had something to do with the huge ice cream cone...) but she never says no to dessert. I love my Auntie Barb, but sometimes she makes me laugh. Parents - would YOU hand your 4 year old a can of spray whipped cream and trust that they would put it exactly where it needed to go? I didn't think so. I asked Barb to show Lily how to use the can. 

Here is what happened:

We had a nice visit, and then headed back to the cabin. I always sleep the best when I am at the lake. I can leave the window wide open, and let Mother Nature's lullaby help me drift off to sleep. Frogs croaking, ducks calling across the bay, rustling leaves and rain on the metal roof. There is no better music.

In the morning I made bacon and pancakes and let her have more syrup than a 4 year old should be allowed to have in one sitting. She ate 4 pancakes and a lot of bacon. Mmm, bacon. 

It was a good thing we had a hearty breakfast, as the weather was COLD! When we passed through town on the way to the lake, the temperature at Fyfe's Pharmacy said 31 degrees (in the sun). Not so much on Monday. It was raining and cold. Lily insisted on a nature walk to collect leaves. On the way out the door I took a picture of the thermometer. 

Yes it was 5.5 degrees at noon.

After searching through the closet upstairs for some pants (guess which mom only brought shorts or capri pants wit?) and finding Lily's lake hat and mitten set, we set out for our walk. 

(For the record, I was wearing sweatpants. With elastic bottoms. Since no one saw them, it didn't happen.)

Marsh marigolds and willows, so pretty!

 We wandered through the Italian Quarter, and headed down the steps to the lake. Lily dodged puddles and mud while collecting her leaves.

We made it down to the lake, and listened to the silence. No loons, other than real ones. Lots of ducks, swallows, purple martins and robins were around. 

This is the view from in front of our cabin. 

We warmed up with a late lunch. Lily played quietly for a while, making all sorts of arts and crafts. Turns out she was a bit busier than I thought. 

Later on I found this:

And this:

And then we spent the rest of the afternoon doing this:

We had an amazing, relaxing girls weekend. It was fun, but it was also nice to come home.

Notes from France



You can take a gardener on vacation, but you can't keep her out of the garden. When my parents travel, they don't stay in hotels in the south of France. They prefer to live in a little town, doing their own shopping and cooking. They have stayed at this gîte  in Montegnac before, and really enjoyed it. Mom asked if it was OK to help out in the garden, so Gys the owner handed her a pair of clippers and let her run wild. Just look at the shutters on the building! I so wish I were there. Mom looks like she is in heaven.

My dad next to a poppy field. Wouldn't it be nice if our roads were lined in wildflowers instead of dandelions?

More to come, as they send photos.

Miss you guys!

Happy Mother's Day!

Every year, around this time I post  new spring photos of Lily. And every year it amazes me how much she has grown, and how much she has learned over the year. Soon she will be in kindergarten. She is learning to ride a bike. She can write her name, do simple math and can out reason anyone if she really wants something. She loves to dress up in outfits that can be quite interesting at times - she's not afraid of color or pattern, especially all at once.

2011

2010

2009

2008

2007

She is the light of my life. Thank you Lily, for giving me the best job title in the world.

Mom. 

Travel update from mom and dad...

"Inspector Clouseau

was our pilot and reminded us that no

smooking is pair meat een ze toilettes .

A dead ringer for Clouseau for

pronunciation ..."

They have arrived in Paris, safe and sound. Dad sent a picture too, but he looked tres fatigue, so I will not include that. I can't wait to hear more of their travel adventures. If I can, I will pass along photos throughout the trip. Their next leg of the journey is a bit of lunch in Paris, followed by a train ride on the TGV down to the south. They are staying in Sete, picking up their rental car and possibly Dad's rental bicycle. Dad's doing the MS Bikeathon Ride for Life again this year and will be doing some of his on-road training in France.

Notes from home:

Bryan is working in Whitecourt today, attempting to dig rocks. He sounded a bit exasperated in his text message, and asked that I go out and buy Strongbow. For someone that drinks it about three times a year, that was a request not to be ignored. It, along with a bonus Strongbow glass, is now chilling in the fridge.

Keltie and Evan are coming for dinner - steak, asparagus, salad and new potato dish are on the menu.

Lily is attempting to make a pillow fort. I am bribing her with a movie in her room (on the laptop) so that I can tidy the house and get dinner prepped. She thinks its her own personal movie theatre, and I get some work done. As a special treat, it's a good one.

More to come later.

Glad you made it there safe and sound Mom and Dad! Enjoy, and have a glass of wine and a galette for me.

Bon voyage!

And they are off...

Mom and dad, I hope you have an amazing time on your well deserved trip.