Sunday 28 February 2021

Gramma Camp – Week 24 Finale

Thursday 

Isabelle got herself up at 7. She asked if she should run down to wake her sister. Sure can! Grampa was out getting the oil changed on the car, he was up earlier than early. The day had begun.

Josephine was set up in the dining room today. Consequences. 'Nuff said! 


Of the 34 kids in her class, none had their videos turned on. It's rather interesting. The teacher was a replacement. 

I showed these to the girls. They always turn off their cameras. I keep suggesting the girls post a photo of themselves in lieu of an icon. Nope. We'll hope for regular school in September.

This was an cool activity: create a poster to change an opinion. Jos was working on a LGBTQ poster. She is using ProCreate. She knew her message, that it is OK to be yourself, societal acceptance of who you are, but was having trouble visualizing it. I suggested she close her eyes, which she did, to imagine for a moment, and she came up with this. I was so proud of her! The child is taking off her mask to reveal her true colours, a rainbow face. 
Jos has done 266 assignments over the two terms. The platform is quite complex.

They both had a break at the same time, which is unusual. They offered to hold one another's feet, doing situps for exercise, and then Jos began kissing Iz as she rose. Fair game for Iz's turn!

Outdoor play 

The poor parents have to report the exercise the kids get to their teachers. This is why I post our activities!

What a beautiful day!



Isabelle said, "Gramma, take a picture of me for your blog!"

The sun was gorgeous, refracting off the candle holder and sparkling on the wall.

This is where Isabelle usually sits. Thing is, it's where Nutmeg usually sits when they aren't here. Iz was sitting, reading or doing Minecraft. Nutmeg jumped up on the couch beside her, and meowed, "That's my spot!" We giggled.


Today we (Iz and I) learned that 'created' (en française) is créé. Isabelle was comparing Hip Hop to Jazz. The teachers are into these compare and contrast charts.

 Also, we (Jos and I) did some research on the influencers from Britain and Canada who were in favour of Confederation. I found a resource! We read together at the dining room table, Grampa beside her and figured out the story. 

Map of Lower CanadaHere are five reasons:

  1. Britain wanted to assimilate the large French population in Lower Canada.
  2. Upper Canada and Lower Canada were unable to rectify differences.
  3. They were worried about American expansion to the north.
  4. Each colony had separate railways, and they wanted to expand and create one railway across the continent.
  5. Britain wasn't sure if there was any value in keeping Canada as a colony or not. Some thought it would be a safe place to go in case of war.
  6. The Reciprocity Treaty was canceled by the USA in 1865. There was more strength in unity north of the border, to stand up to the USA.

Jos was adding a log to the fire. She set off the smoke alarm! PANIC! Just before dinner, she said we need to bring in wood. Isabelle said she'd help. Off they went. They left me to relax! Bless their hearts.

We watched a bit of the 9th Annual Arctic Inspiration Awards while we awaited our pizza delivery! Later, at bedtime, "Lights out, Iz." 

        "Gramma, you are a wonderful Gramma, could you get me some water?" 

 We've a strange mixed storm on the way this weekend.  We'll see what happens.


Friday morning

        "Are you packed, Isabelle? "

        "Almost, pretty much."

Friday was a bit of a blur. It was time to go home, the refrigerator was getting bare. 


A helicopter went over. It was a busy day for helicopters. First a Military helicopter, then, when we were down in the forest, a small, red one, neither of which showed up on the radar.

In Isabelle's class of 35 only 5 (including the teacher) had their video cameras on. I heard her talking, and wandered down the hall. She said, "My Gramma has a blog!" and in the comments sidebar she'd put my URL. Fortunately, I was dressed for the day and just for fun had put some makeup on! She turned on her video and swiveled the computer my way. "Gramma, you put on your face!" 

        "Yes. I need to keep up my skills!"


There was a hostage exchange, and off they went home. Sadly, we forgot Be-be, Iz's sleep buddy. I washed her and I might mail her again. (Usually, we are quite careful about this!) She does have a spare at home! 

We had leftovers and put our feet up! Grampa was happy to watch his curling...

They are home for two weeks, this time. We all have medical appointments, and with March Break cancelled in March, there is still school. 

Saturday 27 February 2021

The poor dear

 We've a deer with a broken leg, the poor thing. She first showed up on Feb. 5th, just briefly. JB came home in the car, as I watched her, she ran off, and we didn't see her for 20 days. Maggie hasn't turned up since December. I figure she is gone. 




She deserves a name. I called her Zelda. Here she is in action, holding her own.  JB is feeding her extra rations.  Doe Feb. 25  


We've a new buck , as well. We haven't seen him before, as far as I know! Here he is just down the hill. 



 

The FISHER FEB 25  came by...

The cats are happy. They snuggle.


Finally, Nutmeg readjusted the cat bed.  I think Cinnamon watched her. 

  Apparently, the bed was good. She hunkered down in it in the sunshine. It's a heating pad (25 w) and has a fuzzy blanket on top of the pad. Lots of people use them in barns or for feral cats.



Oregano, our feral or wandering cat... oregano Feb 26  

For more critters: 

Saturday's Critters # 376

Friday 26 February 2021

Gramma Camp – Week 24 Wednesday

 Izzy popped out of bed at 7. She had to wander down the hall to check the time. I was in the bathroom. We'll put a clock in her room. She had a fun virtual visit with her friend, H., before school.  I nagged her to make her bed and do her teeth before the school helicopter arrived, or "Momma will rip my head off!" to quote Grampa. He is a card. 

Grampa went for his quarterly PSA test. He was successful, booking it online last month. The results came in on Thursday. All is good. We'll keep up the treatment plan. He met someone managing his prostate cancer for 12 years. JB began antiandigens in 2017. He has small veins, and he always has to remind them to use the butterfly needle. It took two tries. The poor man. 

The test results came back the next day. They are good, no change.


I'm still playing Scrabble with Caitlin online. Can you tell I like math and graphs? 

Despite the forecast, we had 2 mm rain, topped by about a cm of snow. 

It is snowball snow!

  Isabelle was having fun in the snow. 


She made a snowperson. She fetched some conifer cones from under the spruce tree.

  Close eyes, after the after dinner show! ( ♪♫♩ Old Macdonald had a farm!)  They were filled with a few smarties. 


COVID–19

Ontario is finally getting it together. We've an Ontario schedule for vaccines. JB will be in May. I'll be sometime later. The fooferaw online is awful. Complaints all over the place. Politicians getting shrill and bitter. Journalists asking stupid questions. Gen. Hillier was outlining the plan, and they said they were clueless about what he just said. We've had month to prepare for this, and we've just heard that our Premier is delegating all this to our 34 healthcare networks. This makes sense, but surely they should have been prepared for this earlier. 

They've vaccinated people in long-term care, and retirement homes. The next step is tricky. People 80+ will be signing up online. Unfortunately, there are issues with access and transportation to the vaccination centres. 

Here, in the boonies:

COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic Sites Begin

The Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Heath Unit, along with many community partners, are pleased to start providing COVID-19 vaccine at on-going community clinics in Kemptville today, and Almonte on Thursday and in Brockville and Smiths Falls in the next few days. All appointments are booked ahead of time and there are no walk-ins. Read this news update on our website.

Onward and upward.

Thursday 25 February 2021

Gramma Camp – Week 24 Tuesday

 I went down to wake Josephine. The basement was warm enough. I stoked the fire and it sprang to life! Back upstairs, I went into Isabelle's room to wake her, and she was already awake. That's a good sign!

    I called downstairs, "You still awake, Jos?"

    "No, I'm asleep!" 

Isabelle was having her soup at the table. GRAMPA: "There's one of my super granddaughters." GROAN!

Our snow cover is about 43 cm. We'll see what happens on the weekend, when it is supposed to go above freezing.

Izzy and I played. She made a snow person. I found the perfect hat and mitts for snowperson!


Jos and I spotted snow fleas, AKA springtails, on our walk to the trailcam.

Dinner was Shepherds Pie. 

The bird bath attracts everyone!


Here, we've just snow!
Isabelle and I were working at the dining room table in the afternoon. I showed Izzy a cool video of a peacock mantis shrimp! If you have time... Very cool eyes.


We were working on math at the kitchen table! She had to count perimeter and area. 
C'est tout.

Wednesday 24 February 2021

Gramma Camp – Week 24 Monday

 Monday

We've a new buck.
 

18 deer Monday morning!

Everyone got up well Monday morning. Toast and cantaloupe for breakfast. (Grampa bought more cinnamon bagels later in the day!) Momma cut some cantaloupe up, and put it into a container and sent it over at the hostage exchange. Jos grabbed the container, and two forks. They took turns spearing it, fighting over the last ones.

I told Jos, "I'm going to have to tell Momma!" Jos pretended to quote me to Momma, "Your children don't share cantaloupe well."
Grampa said something about Canta loping across the tundra.  They love his puns and word play.

Grampa transformed the school bus into a helicopter bus. It came by precisely at 8:47. "WHOOP, WHOOP!" I wonder if we can create a motor for the rotor blades??!!

Cinnamon is enjoying algebra today. We know Jos likes it! She's a STEM girl.

Iz was watching videos of 'elephant toothpaste,' created by Mark Rober. You should Google it! They are doing science stuff on matter. 


School went well. At 1:45 when we had our 2nd break, we all went outside. Now, normally I take photos. However, Jos was the last out and she accidentally locked the door before I grabbed the camera. It snowed pretty much all day.
We went out, and the girls played in the snow. Jos and I went down to fetch trailcam videos. She said, "Gramma, come lie down in the snow with me."
    "OK, but you'll have to help me up! Too bad you locked us out, we can't do a selfie!"
    "Sure."
It was funny. It was cold on my legs, I don't have snowpants. She tried to help me up, but it didn't go well. We laughed and laughed. My knees aren't too good. Ah, my. It keeps me having fun.

They played around in the snow. We have quite a bit of it.

Izzy made the circle with her arm.

Back indoors, we completed our asynchronous work. Izzy did some passé composé. I asked if she wanted us to check it. Grampa is pretty good at that. She declined. She said, "I'll learn from my mistakes!"

Dinner was baked chicken and veggies.  We had a candle-lit dinner! This is the candle JB's late aunt got for us. She died in July, 2020: The end of an era.


Then, Crazy 8's for the three of us (Jos won), and Skip-Bo with Jos (Jos won). 

Grampa did some more entertainment, this time there was a prize! Dr. Watt returned with Darth Vader. It was a long performance. Dr. Watt pt 1


He is so funny, Dr. Watt pt 2.

  

There is so much fun to be had in the snow! This is what the kids can do with their iPhones! IMG_0170