Final day with grandkids: afternoon

We had lunch and took off to Smiths Falls to play in the water park. These parks are springing up all over! The only problem I have are unattended children. There was a kid, alone at the park, being bullied by a pair of kids, who were there with what looked like their father. The father was useless. I raised my voice to tell the kids to stop bullying our granddaughters, and he didn't even come over to investigate.

 As a teacher, I spent 25 years doing crowd control on play structures. I could have smacked the father upside the head. Grampa had a talk with one boy, the one who was alone, and he told him the two had bullied him all afternoon. I was so mad. Neither girl wanted to get their clothes wet. I knew we didn't have time to get changed, even though we had packed them up and everything was in the car. What to do? I modeled the behaviour. Yes, Iz and I went into the water. That was all it took. Jos sort of watched and then eventually got herself wet and let go!

She's such a sweet girl. "Gramma, they won't let me through the tube!"


Jos is so used to fitting in with her peer group. Everyone else was in their swimsuits...



even the bullies who had their eye on Iz. I had my eye on them.


Done for the day, we climbed into the hot car (it was 30 C.), soaking wet and happy to go home.


Off we went 'home!' We were there first. Papa was out getting groceries for dinner. Mommy rode her bike home from work.
Such joy to see Mummy and Papa after 6 days! We had a BBQ, and then Gramma and Grampa went home to rest!

Final day with the kids: the morning

We made a PPT movie. It was inspired by Big Hero 6 (2014) - IMDb, which we rented for the girls. 

 It was great reading practice, and integrated Visual Arts, as well as Language Arts. My M.Ed. is in integrating technology and curriculum. It hasn't gone to waste! Jos was so patient with her sister. Iz couldn't draw certain things, and she guided her through the process. Jos narrated it, but audio doesn't play in this format.

Water Girl Fire Girl from Jennifer Jilks

Babysitting Day 5

Bedtime Routine Day 4

The night before was special. Daisy cat is wee, and a bit unsure of herself with energetic kiddies. Josephine and Grampa Joe were watching Jeopardy. I was doing the bedtime routine with Isabelle. Sleep hygiene is important!

First, evening ablutions: teeth and jammies! There was a quickie bath involved, then dried off and into bed, and two stories. I visit garage sales and pick up books for this. I gave so many away over the years, between taking them into my classrooms, once my kids were done with them at home.

After book stories, the ritual is a 'Gramma story.' I make them up. Usually involving their imaginary

horse. Jos is too old for this. She's happy building a routine with grampa. Iz and I snuggled up, both of us took off our glasses, for more relaxation. I never know where the story leads.

Usually, in my Gramma stories, the girls call out to their flying horse buddy and he takes them to Gramma & Grampa's house. As we snuggled, I could hear Daisy meowing in the doorway. I called to her. She snuggled in behind my knees. She wanted to listen, too!

 I had some inspiration for my story.
As I began, Iz said I couldn't have the story real, with Daisy in it, making Daisy coming into the room was real and this can't be what was happening in our pretend story. It's so funny. I didn't know there were rules!!!

Daisy and Iz called to their mythical flying horse, "Nebuchadnezzar! Nebuchadnezzar!", and they flew into the forest to see the animals picnic.

Day 5

TV breakfast: we are, after all, on vacay! They've been in day camps during the summer. I've heard people complaining about day care centres closing all over the province, what with full-day kindergarten. It's a shame as there is such an impact on a lot of people, mostly women.
Mommy is a hydrogeologist, and works a 4-day week. Papa is a software encryption engineer (also the Green party candidate in his riding)! They are a busy family. We're just hangin' around here! No presure, just fun! "What happens at Gramma's stays at Gramma's!"

CBC has some fun morning shows. Who knew? Our tax dollars at work. The Mighty Moblees! (We won't tell Jos it's for kids ages 3 - 6!) Iz in the purple moblee! Grampa is the caterpillar and I am the butterfly!

Then there are The Adventures of Napkin Man, with Yannick Bisson. Personally, watching him do the Chicken Dance, singing, just talking. I'd watch him read the telephone book!

The Mighty Moblees

I am a Moblee.

Healthy and strong!

I promise to move,

All day long!

Move, Mighty Moblees

Mighty Moblees Move!

Toast & strawberries from Miller's Bay farm!
Shop locovore!
We had some peaches & cream later, too!

The Adventures of Napkin Man,
AKA stud muffin.
He has such a mellifluous voice!

They have some fun flash cards themed around emotions. You can print them.

Apparently last year's iMovie, Foam Girls, cannot be reprised. We're too old for that one.
Foam snuck into their play, though. Just this once, all week.


After a bath (the kiddie pool was too cold), we began reworking our latest movie. It's called Water Girl and Fire Girl.

This is Water Girl.
It's still in progress, I made it into a PPT,
with some photos for individual scenes.

We took a brief break for lunch. Isabelle liked her Els. We brainstormed 'L' words.


Annabelle ("Her names rhymes with mine, Gramma!" said Isabelle), adores Jos and follows her everywhere.


A grasshopper took our attention. We redid our nails, by the way. I accidentally did Iz's thumb. That was bad!


Iz practiced her paddling skills in the pool.


Isabelle helped me water.


Dinner at Fiddleheads. They have a great kids menu, printed on a placemat with words and images. Service was better than the last time we were here. That's not saying much, though. The patio is first come, first served. One server brought us water, another menus. Then they divided their attention. I would prefer if one server took the patio customers, the others worked tables indoors. Just sayin', as a customer. Our waters weren't refilled through the meal.

The conversations around us were fun. The first people next to us were getting ready for a wedding the nest day. It's fun talking with people who are excited. We wished them well. They were all tucked into the nearby Inn, with family and friends. Thursday night was the rehearsal, and Megan gets married today, Friday! Nice looking groomsmen!

Then, there were three women trying to one up each one's trips abroad, regaling friends with the trials and tribulations of being in the Caribbean. They they were discussing how a certain family they knew would get tattoos each time someone in their family died. Grampa and I were giggling. sigh. Thankfully, we didn't have to explain all this to the girls! We kept up our silly conversations about food, and fun.