Next round of travels

First leg - train to Montreal

A snack while I mobile worked

oops, the blueberries went flying out of the container and behind the stranger sleeping next to me - awkward...

After 36 hours in a gruelling Montreal heat wave, it was on to Bordeaux to meet up with a childfree Eva for 2 nights!! 

We went to the museum of contemporary art 

and found lovely shops to admire

Went to the main park for a picnic

and found these beauties

and lovely buildings IN the park

and beside the park. Bordeaux is known to be Bourgeois

Pride? Cheerful at least.

My gorgeous friend - so glad we could share these 2 days

Glorious High Park

While the gals are already in France, the guys are up for an evening of Shakespeare in High Park  and then this weekend, they are off to canoe in Algonquin (with dawg no less!)

And then homewards

All good things must come to an end and so after only 6 days in NB, we 3 (plus you know who) clambered into the car to head back to the big smoke.

But we stopped in Quebec City for the evening 

and came across Radio-Canada

and some lovely buildings

It was the summer festival (no bonhomme du soleil in sight)

The journey was fine though we discovered that canine depression is real.

Oh and unbeknownst to us, our favourite camper had set up the tent at the same spot we had stayed when heading eastward - just 15 mins after the weather office had issued a red alert warning of a severe thunderstorm. And boy was it ever!! Fortunately, we weren't back at the tent by then and it survived the deluge and wind.

Everyone is travelling solo this summer

Our youngest did her first completely solo flight earlier this month to YSJ (appropriately enough). Just two weeks later, it was her first international solo flight!

Once again, this cool as a cucumber traveller was not looking back for any sentimental parent...

Just as promised, she snapped herself waiting at the gate in Montreal (she had to change planes!!). Her email went as follows "Made it to the gate, next stop Bordeaux, then the whole wide world!"

All went smoothly. Met by Jo, she was rewarded with a madeleine aux pistaches

and straight into another fearsome canicule.

Blooming marvellous

Our lilies did marvellously while we were away.

What a wonderful trip out East!

So after 7 years, it was time for the whole family to head to New Brunswick. Seb was already there for sailing camp. And Sophie had preferred to fly there sooner than her parents, thank you very much.

So the parents drove.

With dawg... who very much wanted to come and eat with us on that patio.

This is where we camped. No, not in the building but in front...

the exclamations marks get us every time!!

The skipper at his club

The next generations doing some pruning

A lovely (though sunny and windy) day to dine outdoors

beside Lily Lake

seems like Darwin came everywhere!

At the monument to injured and killed workers

She is in charge of grooming him...

Annual multi-family Canada Day weekend camping trip!

We were 22 this year - even though our eldest didn't attend and other offspring were already on their travels, at camp etc. But there again, some people just brought other people's kids.

This is the stuff of memories!

These 2 kids of friends are just weeks apart in age. It's so lovely to see them play together every summer

Dear Sido and Asha's parents

However, it was not all polenta on the beach moments. It was BUGGY!!! So lots of time to hunker down in the humungous tent. (and yes, those are peanuts....)

Do NOT criticize my style choices! I was only bitten twice. I did get a bad sunburn though... (cooking the polenta)

Great thing is that adults bring and make the meals

but kids clean up!

The dog came and was mostly happy. Let's just say he seemed unhappy to be back in the city.

There were bookish teenagers

and pre/teens

Kim and Linor read but just not there and then.

He couldn't read much because I kept stealing his book... Yes, there are the peanuts again!

First solo flight

"I won't look back"

and she didn't...