Climate Strike 27/09/19 - Fridays for the future

3 of us "struck" / rallied / protested. I'll share some more photos and thoughts shortly but here is Seb chanting on Sam's shoulders!

By our standards, some pretty impressive preparations the night before

 

Jo's sign

Some of the best signs I saw...

A sense of the crowds - though we never got a firm #

Heading back to Queen's Park; the kids had found each other & headed for home

No record haul

There seemed to be slim pickings at the 2019 Word on the Street. But it was fun to go with this pal for her first time

Planet gazing with the teen

Seb, his fancy new camera, and I went to U of T on Saturday and did some planet-gazing with the Dunlap Lab. Well, about 2894 other people were there, so mostly we waited in line for an hour and gazed at the night sky (and then saw Jupiter through a telescope for 90 seconds).

One of my favourite pics in a long long time

We saw the beautiful, 96% full moon too.

Terry Fox 2019 - Keeping the tradition of hope alive

We started together

Most people ran

Ummm, we went to see a pop star in a huge stadium concert

So, way back this time last year (an eternity in a young one's musical evolution), our gal really really liked Shawn Mendes (local boy even). When New Year's was approaching, her dad was flummoxed for a gift - until he heard that her pal Gopi received tickets to this young man's first big tour. So he checked out the price on line and hey, they weren't sooooo bad after all. He bought her 2; she protested at the expense; we argued that she never collects allowance and the deal was done.

Except, well, by end of the school year it was obvious that her interests had changed. And over the summer holidays, I would have vouched that she would have politely declined going if she could have ("sell them and get your money back"!). But when the school year rolled around and the big concert was just days away, the interest started to rise again.

And so I found myself with beloved gal - and 52,998 true fans in over-priced tour t-shirts - in the Rogers Centre last Friday. It was a true 2019 stadium concert for the home town boy. There were multiple stages, lots of hand-waving, plastic bracelets programmed to light up and make the place sparkle, a floating rose (!), and a handsome young man showing of his pecs and his vocal cords. He seemed truly happy to be home and our gal seemed happy to be out - despite the crowds and volume (and having a headache at the beginning).

She wore sweats and a t-shirt !?!

It felt like this most of the night 

I should mention that I got to see the amazing, inspirational Alessia Cara perform as the opening act - also a homegrown talent. Made me very happy and the original ticket purchaser a little jealous. However, her dad has chaperone duties in November, when she goes to see her current musical crush at a smaller, all ages venue.

Kingston

Right after our return from Europe, Sophie and I spent 6 days in Kingston. We stayed with the lovely sister / daughter of dear to us Cormiers, saw friends also-visiting- from-Toronto, meandered up and down back roads, generally re-set the bad vibe we got from the town in late April - and oh, yes, danced.

My morning view from the coffee shop where Sophie danced...

Of course, I don't have any real pictures of her "dance intensive" and the video of the final day's showcase never uploads and the audio is wildly awful. But kind Mrs Cormier came and clapped her hands and praised all the dancers big and small.

Map of the Tett Centre - it is just marvellous

We went to a fun - and packed - night market outside the arena where Seb bounced in the Spring

and I took Sophie and a visiting pal to the Kingston Pen

Picked up my pal Jenn from the train station and dropped her in charming Gananoque

her lovely family enjoying Lake Ontario

Did some 2nd hand clothes (and 60% off  sale of Roots sweatpants) shopping; Sophie said this sweater made her look like a substitute teacher! She make me laugh

On the way home, I insisted on stopping for all good looking foods. Here Sophie is giving me strict instructions about how to approach and leave this quant farmers' market...

Look at our haul!

But the dance intensive must have paid off b/c she persuaded her brother to dance on our return

Back to school nosh - 2019

So every last day of summer / first day back to school includes a meal chosen by each child. This was Seb's.

La Rentree 2019

Someone is headed to Grade 8

and another someone to Grade 11!!

After stopping for 3.8 seconds, he ran for the bus!