First Tournament

J's first competition was at Brock University and he accomplished, nay exceeded, all his goals.  For this tournament, he wanted to (1) experience competitive foil, and (2) not barf in his helmet.  Two big check marks!  And, he scored a point against the first place guy.  Look at the scoreboard: 14-1.  Super job, big guy!

Chicken Little

My class is reading Chicken Little (in French, of course) and I am so proud of this mural that they painted and the animals they cut out and decorated. Ain't it cute?

Rec Room Floor: Fini!

Ahhh ... it looks lovely, rich, glossy brown, gleaming in the sunlight. Just look at that detailed work!  Well worth the wait of, umm ... seven months ... wow, we started gutting this room in March. 

I can't wait to move in.  Now for the baseboards and trim.  

Simply Floored

Yowza! Take a look at the action in our rec room. J helped screw down the sub-floor which will raise it up so that the hardwood will be level with the tile. Then the real action started! We have hardwood!  It looks amazing and I cannot wait to see the whole thing finished.  To (almost) have the entire main floor finished is making me dizzy with happiness!

What a Weekend!

I am thankful for a basement full of loud jammin' friends who are equally enthusiastic about Smoke on the Water and wood on the pile, who are quick to laugh and quick to jump in and help out.  What a productive weekend!  The wood is done: chopped, split and stacked.  The grass is raked and the bark all picked up.  The new garage workbench is in place and the old one ready for a match. And best of all, the rec room is ready for a new hardwood floor.  I am speechless.  Merci, merci, mes amis!

Happy Birthday!

In honour of P's birthday, we drank a beer, left a bit in the can, then stuck it in a chicken and roasted it up on the bbq. The best part is that the chicken was free, thanks to a little bartering with a neighbour farmer who needed some bush-hogging done.  This little guy was free-range (umm, the chicken, not P) and tasted pretty good (again, I mean the chicken).

Slack-lining and wood-splitting

What a busy weekend!  We (and by we, I mean everyone except me) cut the logs into rounds and started to split the five bush cords we'll need this winter. About halfway done.  Huge job.

In the meantime, the kids received a slack line in the mail. What an awesome gift! It's not as easy as it looks.  Truly.

  

Poor John Deere

A sad day today:  Mr. John Deere suffered a breakdown and had to be assisted back to the homestead. Doctors are assessing his condition and will advise on the best course of action shortly.  In the meantime, our growing grass is thankfully slowing down, so his recuperation is not urgent.  Send flowers and cards to Mr. John Deere, On Blocks, Garage.

Ah, Labour Day Weekend

 

As the summer slows down and the scent of autumn is in the air, the fruit and vegetables front he market make it to our table for us to enjoy.  Just as enjoyable is BACON!  J cooked up a pound of the glorious greasy goodness while P made some French toast. Look who's happy!

My New Ride

Check out my new ride!  The minivan is on its last legs, ... er wheels, and I need a reliable vehicle to get me to school every day. So, after logging a few kms on it this summer, I gave it a wee clean-out.  Here I am, taking care of my ride.

Here's J, taking care of his ride.

He power washed it, and marvelled at how clean the wheels are, then polished it off in the garage.  Pride of ownership.  He is the primary mower, after all.

Summer 2013 - The Bruce Peninsula Adventure

Eating doughnuts in Goderich, playing on the beach at Port Elgin, eating ice cream, slathering sunscreen, climbing at the Grotto on the Bruce peninsula, playing guitar around the fire, posing at the renovated courthouse in Goderich ... and best of all, visiting with some friends at their awesome cottage.