The Doors

We have doors on the bedrooms! They're 2-panel and still need handles on them, even though the round holes provide lots of peeking entertainment! I love them! Finally, a bit of privacy. Next: trim around the door frames and baseboard, too!

Howling at the Moon

While enjoying a late evening walk with my husband and my puppy I snapped this pic (it was actually more complicated than that, with lots of "How many pictures are you going to take??" and much fiddling of camera settings) and many other pics which turned out disappointingly unfocused. I really need to read that manual in more detail. But it was a lovely cool night and the sky was beautifully clear and it reinforced our certainty that rural living is simply awesome.

Oh That Dog

Scooby is quite an adventurer and enjoys exploring all areas of the farm, particularly the mud puddles. For some reason unknown to me, he can spot a puddle in the distance and races for it, splashes enthusiastically and with abandon until he is thoroughly covered in mud. As a result, he finds himself more often than he'd like in the tub. Look at the colour of that bath water!

Fun in FLA Pictures

It looks like the boys had a really fun time swimming in the pool and the ocean and hanging with their west coast cousins. We miss them already!

Vacation at last

For months and months we'd been anticipating our vacation in the sunny south, swimming in the ocean, lazing around the pool, hanging out with family. Finally it was upon us and we piled into the minivan, puppy in tow, drove over the speed limit for 2 full days, ready to embark on another fabulous vacation ... however, it wasn't to be. In reality, it rivaled the Griswolds'.

The kids had fun playing shuffleboard and enjoying the sunshine, and L and I took Scooby for a walk around the park before they flew back home to Vancouver.

After they left, P took me to a walk-in clinic to look at a curious lump on my arm; they directed us to the hospital where I lounged for 4 days, barraged with antibiotics while the Infectious Disease specialist determined that I had an infection that had started in my finger. I can't tell you how bizarre the whole episode was. I'm lucky to have such terrific people around me: a husband who brought me hot tea everyday and kids who never complained that their jet skiing was cancelled and parents who looked after my men and my puppy and in-laws who sent the most adorable flowers ... and a mom who gave up the sunshine to come home with us (2 more days in the minivan) to make sure the kids get to school on time and I get better. And thank goodness for Travel Insurance!!

As a result of this less than favourable holiday, this blog has been sadly neglected. My apologies! I vow to be a more active blogger ... um, really soon.

Biking in the Mud

The kids couldn't resist the sunshine and warm temps here yesterday, so they shed their winter garb and grabbed their bikes and sped off down the lane.  And by "down" I mean up to their axles in mud. But that didn't deter them! They kept on going, all the way to the back field where they tried their best to do a lap or two of the track, but sadly their ride was hampered by the thick muck that stopped their wheels from turning!  Where's the power washer when you need it?

Birdfeeder Wreckage

A few weeks ago the kids made some pop-bottle birdfeeders that were victimized by some nocturnal beast ... a bear?  a squirrel?  or the more likely raccoon? It looked quite vicious whatever it was, and it's no wonder Scooby was barking like a maniac at the shadows in the trees.  

I replaced the wreckage with some chickadee-friendly pine cones covered in lard and sunflower seeds that the kids made on Family Day at the local college's Discover Nature presentation. Within minutes of hanging them up, the chickadees were on to the new feeders.  They're not much for hanging around in one spot for a long time, so snapping a quick photo of them proved to be challenging.  I have an appreciation for those National Geographic photographers now; after patiently waiting for about 3 minutes I gave up and ran crazily around in the snow with Scooby.

Scooby's Do

VOILA!  Scooby's dreadlocks were too long and unmanageable, and a trim was essential. He's cute as can be and curiously more energetic. Was all that hair weighing him down?

In the second photo, Scooby was in the process of getting up from a wee nap, which he does quite often, and he looks a bit unsteady.  Poor Scoob. Maybe he's embarrassed because he feels naked ...?