Our Vancouver Family – Day 2

Our first full day with them was fun. Here we go on Day 2. 

We eased into the day. DIL Stacie took off to Niagara-on-the-lake to visit with her good friend who is 

 performing at Shaw Festival in Shaw's Too True to be Good. We watched a couple of TV shows. I showed the girls my tree frog. Bryony thought the frog was sitting under what looked like a maple leaf and called him Maple. 

The dew was on the hops vine stem.

gray tree frog

We played several games of UNO. Bryony wanted me on her team, "Gramma Jenn, Could you be on my team?". (It was so sweet!) Jesse and Cluny were on the other. We won, and the switched teams every time. Bryony is 4, but knows how to play the game. It was so much fun. It's pretty simple for a 4 and 7 year-old, I'd not thought of it! Isabelle likes the game, as well. This is Izzy in June 2020, during COVID lockdown.

From there we went outside where they fed the goldfishies, walked around the back and saw the water fountain, but the deerflies drove us in. The pool was a bit chilly, as we've had cooler overnight temperatures. That was a no go, too. 

I suggested we paint. That worked out very well. The back deck is perfect.

Grampa suggested we visit Stewart Park after lunch. 

We parked and headed towards Stewart Park. Such pretty homes and properties. Bryony was clutching her hat, which fell of every 10 steps or so!

 

Stewart Park

There was an infestation of spongy moths last year. They've replanted a lot of trees. Stewart Park is one of The 7 Wonders of Lanark County!

It is such a beautiful park. 

The bronze statue of Ian Millar and Big Ben was a hit, as well. Millar lives near us on his farm, well, we live near him, and he is famous! 

MVI_2347.mov from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

The sunfish were nesting, you look for the stones cleared off in a circle, and we could see them from the top of the bridge. There were 4 or 5 nests that we counted. We saw a fish jump and that was great excitement. (The archived photo shows how pretty they are!)

Hilarity ensued. They ran along the path. Everytime Bryony's hat would flip off. She thought it a great adventure. 

 

Ice Cream

It is tradition to have ice cream after a trip to the park. It was close, but no one lost any ice cream. Bryony gave it her all. She had the biggest one. We should have asked for smaller ones! 

   

From there, we ran to the dry stone bridge. OK, not 'we' but some of us ran!

The play area was fun. 

The kids flew with only carry on. They found these Mifold travel booster seats, CSA approved, that fold up. They are amazing. 

On the way home we saw a fancy old car. There was a bit of a smell to it and a misunderstanding about who I was blaming for it. I think you had to be there. 

Once home, I showed them the craft supplies in the guest room. It kept them busy until dinner!

 

Jesse did dinner for us, while we watched Wild Kratts. Broccoli and hot dogs. Baths, teeth and jammies were next. I konked out at 9, I'd had a good day but I was done. 

Our kids in New York City are having fun. They went to the Harry Potter and the Cursed Child movie. They sent us a video tour of the hotel, which looks great. Happy kids on vacay.

Gramma Camp – Week 26 Monday

 The week began with a bang. I threw the garbage outside, fed the 2nd last batch of food for the deer. Waking the girls, our day had begun. 

I read online that our health unit was open to vaccinate 70+-year-olds. Online I went. No appointments available, none nearby, and I stopped looking when I hit June. We're going to wait. Surely they will open up the pharmacies. Almonte is 50 km away, or Ottawa, or Brockville. Napanee (91 km), Orleans (87 km), Ottawa City Hall (74 km), Kingston (71 km), Nepean (63 km).

There are select pharmacies that have vaccines, but they are few and far between. There was a piece on the news that those in small towns, with such pharmacies, are irate that out-of-towners are booking appointments, and locals are not being accommodated. Joe, being over 70 can get one at one of the large centres. Me, they sent to the pharmacies.

Grampa went into town to buy new summer tires, and book an appointment to put them on. Winter is over. I suggested it, since we have no idea how well the supply chain is doing for new tires! 

I did a short workout in the basement, then headed upstairs to see if all was well. The three news channels were all showing the same press conference with George Floyd's family. I just couldn't watch. I have to protect my mental health, as well.  

Josee's one teacher (she has at least 2, 3?) went on long-term disability. This is stressful for many. I asked how things were going. There were zero kids with their videos on. She said they'd been given asynchronous time during a synchronous period to work on an assignment she finished last week. She is working on another assignment. She is a good girl.

During our big break, at 1:45, Isabelle went tree climbing, while Jos and I emptied and refilled the wood duck nesting boxes.

Josie’s teacher had to leave the Google Meet. Her kid’s day care called and her kid has a cough, and she has to go get the kid and have them tested for COVID. It’s not easy! Many schools are closing as they don't have enough occasional teachers. 

After our work was done, we did some crafts. We'll send them to the cousins out west.

Dinner done, Isabelle was playing on the computer. Jos and I went walkies down to the trailcam.  First, we had to greet the doe and Nutmeg under the bird feeder.

We met Cinnamon along the way, and he tagged along. Truly, he led us along.

The frog pond is still partly frozen.

I love the trees. They have such character. 

The wetland isn't all that wet. 

By then we were tuckered out. 

The trailcam showed Chad📹, the coyote, who visited in the dark. (Isabelle has been calling him Chad!)  Here he is again, in the daylight; Chad coyote Mar 29 

There are rumours the provincial government is going to cancel our March April break. The kids and the teachers all need a break. I just don't know how they can do this. Our public health officer is a dipstick. He says there isn't any transmission in schools, which is a crock, and he and our premier think COVID–19 isn't spread in schools. Crikey... Toronto School Board teachers are being told to take everything home Thursday after school, there are closed for Good Friday. The rumours are flying about a full shut down, as well.