Mother - daughter duo - v1

Random photo that makes me smile - 1

Autumn hike

We wanted to fit in one more camping trip as a family this year but rain clouds put us off. Instead we went for an incredible 4 hour hike along the Bruce trail. The kids did an awe-inspiring 12+km hike and never complained once! It did us all a world of good.

Honouring Terry - 2012

Just the 3 of us this weekend. My boy ran ahead but I just about kept him in my sights. Not because I was worried but because his enthusiasm for the 5 km run (/walk) inspired me to push harder the length of the course.

New look

Just me mucking about on an otherwise productive work day at home...

Menu planning

One of the surprises of this Return to School phase has been planning meals - both suppers and kids' packed lunches. The first week, Seb drew up the schedule and made most lunches.


While both have already waned, it is proving useful to ask them their meal preferences on a Sunday

The things you want to see and hear

Just downloaded some snaps from the camera. Figure you don't really want to see the damaged product that someone put on our roof years ago or the 1"+ gap around our chimney that needs to be fixed. But I am glad to say that even though I only understood about 5% of what the roofer told me, I did understand "It will need a repair, not a replacement". Phew, a family trip to Ethiopia early next year is still looking possible.

A special dress for a patio dinner with special friends back from a year in France

A special sausage dish

Late summer salad - garden toms, figs, feta...

Late summer chill

A hard-worker

My love enjoys household chores in Issigeac. Within days of arrival, he has made a list and chips away at it. Happy fella toiling away.

He enjoys his rest too

Season is extended

The Mariners were 2nd in their division (of 5), so they head to the next round of playoffs on Friday night,
Seb sat out an inning tonight but took it in his stride. I was ready with the explanation that you can't go to France and pony-ride and still be a central player.  But he had that figured out - plus it gave him time to eat a popsicle.

The coach kinda expects the team to lose on Friday b/c he suggested we bring extra nice snack (for a fond team farewell)...

Tball tournie, DYRS and dry days ahead

No more rain = no more leaks and more t-ball playoffs for Seb. The star player is back, so they are doing well and Mr S is enjoying himself loads.

Just wanted to drop a line in case anyone wants to follow along with this session of Dovercourt Young Readers Society which starts next Saturday. Meanwhile with 2 hours of adult time every Saturday morning, I am dreaming of all the brunch spots we can hit that are within a 5 km radius of High Park.

It never rains, it leaks.

Summary of past 18 hours:

1. Pick up kids after-school; Sophie is mopey with an achey tummy
2. Sophie naps and then feeling better, rallies at the notion of being able to watch The Empire Strikes Back 2 1/4 years younger than her brother
3. Get supper ready; hail 9-5 working hero who took a detour to get aforementioned dvd
4. Sophie announces that the smell of supper is making her sick and migrates to the front porch
5. Seb refuses to get off first video game session in 2+ months thus putting a major dent in an enjoyable dinner
6. Whilst cleaning up from supper and eagerly anticipating cuddling up to watch a movie we all want to see, youngest bolts in from the porch with a wild look in her eye and crying out "Where's the bucket?"
7. Clean up Soph, while her dad cleans the kitchen floor
8. Enjoy first 1/2 of movie knowing it is cool and drizzly outside
9. Everyone is asleep by 9:30.
10. New day, right. Except I have been up in the night and so has Mr.   Fortunately, both kids slept through.
11. Unfortunately, it is raining heavily and Seb's 9 a.m. t-ball playoff will be cancelled, so we decide to have crepes for breakfast and bake some cookies
12. However, it is raining so heavily that by 10:00, Seb announces that it is raining inside our house...
13. It stops raining around 11:30 (after the exciting culmination of  The Empire Strikes Back) but by this time the baseball diamond is a swamp and Seb's 2nd game of the day is rain-postponed too (and this was to make up for a rain postponement from Tuesday!)

I am sure the next 18 hours will see some improvements.

We aim to please

a warm welcome

foot massages for our guests

steamer chairs for relaxing in the courtgarden

Fair warning: you may be required to read children some stories and/or do a bit of painting

It's all about food in the New World too

Here is a sampling of our first main meal back in Canada. Diversity rules in the New World! (and the purple ice cream vendor at this weekend's Greenbelt Harvest picnic sold lavender flavour. Yum!)

Hi ho, hi ho

It's off to school they go. Grades 1 and 4 and they didn't look back. So some of us parents took ourselves out to breakfast instead.

More fun times in Issigeac (Summer Update 13!!)

a new castle has opened it doors very near us. It specialises in medieval games

As I said, a knight in training

and the real deal

chess in the courtyard

Guess who managed checkmate

Enfin, les ponies! (Summer update Part 12)

The most eagerly anticipated event/camp of the summer was without a doubt, pony-riding.

Siblings that lead their ponies together

stay friends forever - or something

We frequent one of two local stables near Issigeac: La Cavale which is wonderfully accepting and laid back in atmosphere. I am not sure if it is specific to those stables or generally France equestrianism but they do place strong emphasis on the riding levels and it seems like every child is striving to make the grade and not just ride for pleasure. Seb definitely falls into that category, though he also sucks up the atmosphere, feels very mature, responsible, and capable. So capable that he announced that he was going to pass the next level with only 1 short lesson and 5 afternoons of lessons and pony care. And he did! I was floored (and double checked French comprehension with Maryse, the owner) but yes, he had been promoted and so tried out pony cart driving and higher jumping (...). So proud of him. And so, he got to lead a young pony rider around Issigeac during the medieval day! Now to top it off, he wants his own helmet and grooming kit...
 

Meanwhile young miss had set her sights on pony lessons this year and through the school year, was willing to go to French Club and have the occasional French babysitter to prepare her for riding instructions. As the week approached, she kept asking us to review what was going to happen and say certain words in French (like left and right). So we opted for a preliminary 1 hour lesson with her brother just to see if she wanted to do the full week. After only 10 minutes, she trotted by (yes, trotted) and let out a gleeful "This is Fuuuunnn, Mum!"

And all of this sweaty work on top of heaving mammal in the midst of a massive heat wave.

Magical evenings in the courtgarden (Summer update Part 11)

 And just look at all that GRASS!!!

Reading Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets in the garden with Dad

Camping in the garden a la Pigeon Post