Top of the World

After all the stair climbing yesterday, we had three very tired kids last night. So they were a little hard to wake up this morning. We wanted to hit the road at a half decent time as we were heading into Toronto for the day. After a quick breakfast, we drove down to Oshawa to catch the GO train. About an hour later, we arrived at Union Station. The train ride wasn't quite as exciting as last year's trip - the boys are seasoned veterans at this train thing having been on it for the second time now - but they rather enjoyed themselves all the same.

We walked westbound on Front Street and found a restaurant for lunch. It had a nice outdoor patio so we relaxed there and enjoyed our meal. 

He takes after his father.

Then we headed a little further west to the CN Tower. Ri's been asking to go there for awhile so this was the day.

Posing under the tower

Now look up...look waaay up...

After paying admission and working our way through the 45 minute lineup (first thing in the morning is apparently the time to go - who knew) we boarded the supersonic elevator and zipped to the top. No idea what the hostess said on the way up as we were busy clearing our popping ears and taking in the amazing view across Lake Ontario. In 58 seconds (seriously), we reached our destination at the Look Out - 346m/1136' above the city's streets. Best not to think about it.

Looking down on the world

The piddly little white building top right in the picture above is First Canadian Place (marked BMO) and stands a mere 298m/978'. Pffft.

City waterfront and Toronto Island Airport

After making our way around the tower we joined the 1/2 hour lineup back to earth. Cameron suggested taking the stairs. We told him to have fun and we'd wait for him downstairs. He remained with us in line.

Back at Union Station, we hit the beginning of the mass exodus of workers heading out of the city and it was standing-room only on the train back to Oshawa so we made ourselves comfy on the stairs and settled in for the ride half-way home. Rosie, tail wagging, greeted us at the door at the end of our journey. 

A Little Wild, Lots of Water And Some Wheels

Paul mentioned this morning that he wanted to go into town. He had some banking to do so I invited the kids and I along. He became suspicious. You'd think after all these years that he'd know I don't just come up with plans on the spur of the moment but...oh, wait; yes I do. Let me try that again -- you'd think after all these years he wouldn't tell me that he's going into town but he did and the rest, as they say, is history. Half an hour later, calls were made to brother Enos and a friend of Ri and we were headed to...the bank.

We picked up Ri's friend, actually went to the bank, and then met up with Enos at Wild Water and Wheels. Then the fun began.

Our little group followed the path around the main building and hiked up the hill towards the water slides. The kids changed into swimsuits, sunscreen was applied, rules about walking and not running were set down and off they went. (The no-running rule was forgotten in very short order.) Paul, Enos and I made ourselves comfy on a couple of picnic tables and enjoyed the sunny day while the kids got wet.

Ri & her friend on a couple of the slides

The humans under thirteen took a break after about an hour for some fries and a drink and then back they went for another 45 minutes or so of climbing stairs and slipping down slides into the cool water. They changed into dry clothes and off we went to the bumper boats.

"Get her, Dad!" orders Nolan. Great fun.

Cammy opted out of the pipeline coaster. It's a cool little ride that's powered by gravity. The rest of the gang went for a ride or three.

Here comes Nolan! Weeeee!

Cammy decided to try out the carpet slide.

Look out!

Of course, the ride that Paul and Enos were patiently waiting for was the go-karts. With helmets on, the race began.

Nolan wasn't quite tall enough so he was Paul's co-pilot.

I've been asked several times this evening when we can go back. Yep. Another successful trip to the bank.

Stepping Back In Time

Another week of holidays this week and, after a few days of deep-down-spring-cleaning, I figured it was time for something touristy. Last night I asked the kids if they wanted to go to Lang Pioneer Village and, quite honestly, expected little more than bored sighs. Well, Riley and Cammy jumped up and shouted their approval. Nolan, not having a clue what a Lang Pioneer Village was, got in on the jumping 'cause he didn't want to miss out on anything. I got that dumbfounded look on my face that I get every now and again. Of course, it wasn't like I particularly wanted to go there. I mean, pffft, pioneers and stuff are so not my thing. This was for the kids.

This morning we took it pretty easy (that holiday thing) and finally mosied out the door around lunchtime. We were eastbound on highway 7 when we approached the Keene Road. "Gee, that came up awfully fast," I thought while turning south. It was the scenic route. No worries, though, we got there eventually.

Once in, we paid our entry fee and started to explore. Each historic building was moved from within 90 miles of the museum. There's a sampling of all parts of pioneer life -  the general store, a blacksmith shop, the town hall and a church, several farmhouses, a one-room schoolhouse and the hotel from nearby Keene (where, back in the day, you could get a 'fancy' room with a bathtub for 75 cents and some of the owner's fourteen kids hauled the heated water up in pails). The Lang Grist Mill, originally built in 1846, still sits on the Indian River, grinding grain into flour.

The one-room Fife cabin

One of my favourite buildings is the Fife cabin. Being a sucker for history, especially Canadian history, I love visiting this building. It's a one-room log cabin built about 1825 and sits very near it's original location. This was David Fife's and his wife, Jane's first home. The picture above is taken from the back of the house - there's no second floor and no rooms off to the side. 

Fife cabin in background (centre); strange unknown children in foreground

David Fife's story is interesting and important to the wheat farmers and early economies of North America. It was his discovery of Red Fife wheat that gave Canada the title of 'Granary of the Empire' and led to North America's reputation as the breadbasket of the world. He was inducted into the Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame in 1963.

Plaque inside Lang Grist Mill

We wandered around for the rest of the afternoon, taking in the sites and sounds of a living museum. Ri conversed with the sheep. A goat sneezed on Cammy. Nolan picked grass for the chickens. Inside the one-room schoolhouse, we had a lesson in classroom etiquette and possible punishments for naughty children. We all agreed that if you were silly enough to act up (and get caught) then you sure as heck didn't do it again.

Lessons in the South Lake Schoolhouse

And the good news is that pioneer life is part of the grade three curriculum. That means that I'll be back here in the spring as a volunteer during Cammy's class trip! For the sake of the kids, of course.

S-s-s-s-s-nakes

Have I ever mentioned how much I hate snakes? (I'm making a face as I type this.) I don't like them. Not a bit. I don't think I'm really scared of them. I mean there's no poisonous varieties in these parts but I do find them creepy. Shudder-deep-in-the-spine creepy.

Years ago, we planted a hundred or so seedlings out back - we, being the royal we. Paul, brother Enos and Jeff did all the planting. I looked after kids. Anyway, some weeks later I was off work and decided to go out and find and mark each seedling with an orange tie. Probably should have done that as they were planted, but, well, we're not that organized. Sometimes sheer brilliance takes time to develop. I was on the third tree, tying a marker around it when I spotted something black slithering through the grass. Near my foot. I probably gasped. It's a bit of a blur now. My heart raced. "Liz," I said, "you can do this. It's just a stupid harmless snake." Then I saw another one and I was out of there. Hadn't run so fast since college basketball. Never did mark another tree.

Today we went to the Indian River Reptile Zoo. Why, you ask? Because Cameron's buddy, Nate went there in June and Cammy's been on about it since. There's a lot of snakes there. Did I mention I don't like snakes? Oh. Ya.

Oh, good Lord.

That's Ri in the middle with a Burmese  *shudders*  python. It's not fully grown. Eww.

You just don't see that everyday. Surely it's time to go.

Oh. Oh. *shakes head*  I have video too. I deserve an award.

And On We GO

Where was I? Oh yes. Last Friday we were at the H.H.of F. After stopping for a picture of all the boys at the Bobby Orr display, the batteries in my camera died. I confiscated Ri's camera whenever I wanted to take a really great and awesomely posed picture but, alas, I can't figure out how to take them off her camera. So, from here on in, you'll have to use your imagination.

We wandered around and came upon the lucky loonie that was buried at centre ice in Salt Lake City in 2002. The puck is encased in plastic with fingertip-size holes around the edge; just big enough to put your finger in and touch it. I have a picture of Cammy and Nolan touching it. 

Next, we climbed the stairs of the old bank that part of the Hall resides in. And what a room it was. All the big trophies were on display - the Vezina, Lady Byng, Conn Smythe  and, of course, the most sought after trophy in hockey - the Stanley Cup. (Insert picture here.) In the old bank vault, is the original smaller Stanley Cup, surrounded by glass. 

On we went, past more displays and into a room set up to celebrate the men's and women's hockey victories in Vancouver. And, at the back of the room, is the famous golden puck that was so skillfully passed from my man Iggy onto the stick of Crosby and into the net in overtime. I've got a really nice picture of the boys with that one too.

Cammy was in his glory in the Montreal Canadiens 'dressing room'. It was pretty cool. Lots of jerseys with famous names emblazoned on the back - Lafleur, Roy, the Richards - Rocket and Pocket Rocket, Beliveau. And the motto as displayed in Montreal --- Nos bras meurtris vous tendent le flambeau, à vous toujours de le porter bien haut.  I figured Ri, after six years of French Immersion could read it easily so I asked her to translate for me. Her butt was saved when she realized it was also written on another wall in English --- To you from failing hands we throw the torch. Be yours to hold it high.

Once we'd seen it all, we departed, grabbed something to eat, and headed back to the train station. Since we misread the eastbound departure time, missed the train by a few minutes and now had about an hour to kill we decided to take a stroll through the station and follow the tunnel to the Air Canada Centre so the kids could see where the Leafs pretend to play hockey every year. The doors were locked. We didn't get a picture.

Soon we were on the GO, heading east, back through Edmonton, Pickering, Ajax, Whitby and finally Oshawa and then on the highway home. One day, you might even get to see the pictures.

Ready, Set, GO...Train

Exciting times, these. Just ask Cammy and Nolan. And Paul. Ah, kids. 

I took a couple days off late last week making a nice four day weekend. A girl could get mighty used to that. We were up bright and early Friday and on our way out the door about 8:30. We picked up Kaitlin and headed off on our adventure. Our journey led us southbound down the 115 to the 401 and then westward to the Shwa. We parked at the Oshawa GO station, crossed the full parking lot and payed our fare. Six return tickets to Union Station, please ma'am. (I didn't really say it like that. It's just for effect.) With tickets in hand, we wandered out onto the platform.

I should explain here that, of the four kids, only Ri had been on the train before. Kaitlin and the boys hadn't. They were seriously pumped.

After choosing the perfect car for a trip such as this, we went upstairs and took our seats. You can imagine the rush the kids felt when the train started to roll.

But, wait. There's more. Ri and Kaitlin knew where we were going but we had told the boys only that we were taking the train into Toronto. They didn't know why. Westbound we chugged, Whitby, Ajax, Pickering...and soon Cammy announced...Edmonton! Who knew! And then, about an hour after leaving the Shwa, we arrived at Union Station. Our final destination was very close. Just a short stroll a block or so east along Front Street and we would be there. We walked.

"Look Mum," said Cammy, as he turned and looked back. "The Eiffel Tower!"

"Uh, no, son. Wrong country. That's the CN Tower," replied his dear ole ma, whilst sighing.

"Oh ya."

We'll work on geography before school starts back.

On we went. Into a highrise, through a maze of big city building stuff (but we were never lost), down the escalator, through more big city building stuff and then...there it was. The entrance to the Hockey Hall of Fame. My goodness. There was a lot to see. Paul, of course was in his glory whenever he saw his hero Bobby Orr. Goes without saying that we had to get a picture.

Stay tuned 'til next time for part deux in the exciting made-for-blogger series "backward Leonard - On The Road." 

Peterborough's Hall of Fame

The Memorial Centre is home, not only to the Peterborough Petes Jr hockey team, the Lakers lacrosse teams and, most famously, Cameron and his lacrosse camp mates, but also to the local Sports Hall of Fame. Lining the wall on the west side of the arena are pictures and write-ups of the inductees. Today, after camp, Cammy and I wandered the hall and found the picture of Uncle Stu, proud member of the Peterborough Hall of Fame.

 Cammy alongside Uncle Stu

Pickers Delight

This little vacation has started out busy. The three trips to the dentist's office are done. Yea for me! The trip to the Market on Saturday was semi-productive. Brother Enos called me up Saturday morning and asked if I was going. I answered in the affirmative. He said he wanted to go and check it out so we agreed on a meeting place and found each other awhile later. The kids were thrilled to see their Uncle Gooey. We were wandering along the first aisle when I spotted the peaches. A woman had a flat of them and there were still lots there. So I decided, instead of picking them up right away, I'd get them on the way out; save carrying them around, you see. You know where this is going, don't you? Uh-huh. They were completely out when we got back there. I blame it on Enos.

The good news is that I picked up another flat of strawberries and they're all dried and tucked away now. Much to the rugrats' delight.

Sunday I had grand plans to get up, out the door and picking blueberries by 9, when they opened. Well, Paul was out late Saturday and, since he now works six days a week, I figured he deserved to sleep in. I'm good that way. So, I stuck around to play referee for the chilluns. It was also overcast and threatened rain all day. I didn't go. I blame it on Paul. And the weather forecasters.

So far, things don't sound all that busy, do they? Well. I spent three hours weeding the garden on Saturday. Looks lovely...as long as you don't wander too far along. And we've got beans coming out our...we've lots of beans. The kids love picking and delivering them to our neighbours. Of course, that could be because they often get a treat in return. Most recently, it was fudgesicles.

Today, I dried some more sage and oregano and froze lemon balm and basil. And, after supper, I went down and picked two buckets of blueberries. It was much nicer than last time. Cooler. Nice breeze. No mosquitoes. And it took about 2/3 as much time. Perfect. One buckets-worth is in the freezer now and most of the remaining berries will go in tomorrow. Hopefully I can get one more trip in this month and we should be set for a good while.

Lake St. Peter

So, as you know, we just got back from a week of camping up at Lake St. Peter Provincial Park. We arrived there on Monday and were lucky enough to set up while it was dry. It rained on and off from Monday night through Wednesday, but we were still able to have a firecamp, as Nolie says, each night and roasted lots of smushmallows.

This year for the first time, we took bikes and the kids loved it. Riley and Cameron are old enough now too, to go to the comfort station without one of us and that was a huge difference. A couple of years ago we let them leave the campsite together and without us but they had to carry a walkie-talkie. We didn't worry about that this year.

The skies cleared for a good part of Wednesday afternoon so the kids were able to get in for a little swim. Thursday was a gloriously sunny day and they were able to spend most of the afternoon in the water. They also had a grand ole time with a couple of boys from Burk's Falls.

Friday was another beautiful day and fortunately we were able to tear down in the sun.

We didn't really get out siteseeing as we usually do. Because we didn't know what was going on with Paul and work, the trip came together rather quickly in the last couple of weeks and I didn't get around to investigating the area beforehand. I don't think the kids cared though, as long as they got in their cycling and swimming. It was just nice to get away.

Home Again

Vacations are great but, boy, it's nice to come home.

Just a quick one to say we're back. Where were we? Well, here's the customary picture of the kids in front of the park sign.


Yep. This year's camping excursion was to Lake St. Peter, up north of Bancroft. It rained, mostly. But I'll update y'all on the big trip later. There's more exciting news! I harvested my first lettuce today. I know. It's incredibly exciting. But, wait. I've never grown lettuce before and it, well, grew. I think its greatest spurt was the five days we were gone but I'm not one to take that kind of thing personally. And it was dee-licious.


(Note that I didn't make the picture of the romaine bigger than the picture of the kids.)