So Little Time!

We went down to see Munchkin yesterday. He seemed very happy to see us and recognized me, even though my hair is now as short as Poppa's. Since I haven't downloaded the camera yet - I thought I would share some of the pictures from his vacation at Lake Erie last week. He met up with his little cousin Reese and they went to a wonderful place with rides and a playground and had a wonderful time. Of course, his older cousin Taylor was also there and helped out with the little fellows. My reporter says that Taylor is very good at this and the help was greatly appreciated.

Uncle Shaun was out on one of his discovery missions recently and I received another picture in the "Abandoned" series of shots.

It needs no further clarification. I am always intrigued by the care taken when these are abandoned...plus the crispness of the cup in contrast to the obvious age of the old light standard. Uncle Shaun definitely has a talent for photography and capturing interesting and captivating subjects to share with us.

It is clear that Munchie and little Reese both enjoyed their outing. Here is Reese on the slide. Reese is a few months older than our Munckin and his playground skills are better honed. He is quite adorable and demonstrated some of those skills for Munchie to watch and practise. As you can see - Munchkin listened carefully and learned quickly. Under the watchful eye of Reese here he is using his own technique to confirm his attention to his lesson. I sure am glad that Mummum got her computer up and working again so I can share their exploits with you.

Auntie Colleen has been out in her beautiful backyard with her camera again...and once again managed to find us an insect. She mentioned the colour palette demonstrated by the the green bee against the yellow flower - which seemed to please her. While I grudgingly admit she may have a valid point there, it still looks like a bee to me...and I just don't understand her fascination with bugs! Hee! Or maybe I just wouldn't have the patience to wait for a bee to land in order to capture it on camera???

A Quick One

Great-Gramma Robert seems to be back to normal again - all is well. The installers are scheduled to install Aunt Peggy's new furnace today. She will be glad - she's had people in and out for what seems like a long time now. First the gas company who came and dug up her front lawn to run the line into the house. Followed by the tradesman who (with a little assistance from Poppa) removed the old oil tank. Then a gentleman who arrived to clean her ducts - she joked about getting all her ducts in a row - hee! Yesterday another couple of guys who removed the old furnace. Today the new furnace is to be put in. Then the gas supplier will come to add the meter and at that time they can finally fire up the new furnace - whew! Last evening, while I got my hair cut, Poppa and Kev-Inn went to Aunt Peggy's and did a bunch of cleaning in the space where the old furnace sat, and the new one will now preside.

Further to his studies of the seaweed along Lake Erie, Munchkin decided to test the water a little further from shore, and in the interest of doing this well, decided to climb aboard a special watercraft to float out a small distance. He determined that the water was just as tasty as it was along the shoreline and returned to Mummum to report. Needless to say, she was relieved to find him safely ashore again and assured him he had done enough testing for that day. Yesterday he was back home after his working vacation and was re-aquainting himself with Ella and all his old friends at home.

Back to the Good..

Hurray! Great-Gramma had improved sufficiently to return home today. They sent her from the hospital around 10am this morning. We didn't get over there today - since we heard that she was having lots of company.... I'm guessing everyone was glad to hear she was home again so soon. In her honour, I am posting a picture of the red roses in my rose garden (albeit a very small one).

Poppa was busy over at Aunt Peggy's house today, getting things ready for that new furnace - which is supposed to be installed on Tuesday. I had to hold a light so that he could see up between the rafters to determine the perfect place for the gas line to come in so that it didn't touch any wires...........he disappeared up there for a short time but came back down intact and ready to get his drill drilling. After a short time the mission was declared accomplished and we headed home again. We just beat a storm which blew in and the thunder rumbled around for a long time. Aunt Peggy phoned and said the power had been off at her place immediately after a particularly loud thunder clap, but it was back on again by the time she called.


I have been knitting away here, without posting any news about the needles. That's because I hadn't taken any pictures. So I snapped a quick one today. Here is the second circle sweater in progress. That red is really burgundy, and the stripe that looks pink, is actually a rose colour. But since the day was overcast (aka "dark and stormy"), the lighting was not the best and the flash on the camera skewed the colours to some degree. At this point, while it is jammed onto my 40" circular needle, it looks more like a toque for a giant, but it will look like a sweater eventually. About the first circle sweater...... it was given to a particularly worthy recipient... I am trying to coerce a picture from that person, but to date, have had no success. Hmmmm.


After Munchkin got out of the pool, he went for a stroll along the beach. In the back of his mind, was the reports we hear about our Great Lakes being a valuable asset, in danger of being damaged by pollution hazards. He decided to try his hand at being an environmentalist and check out the seaweed and the water personally and up close. According to the reports I got, he found both to be quite good. I'm not sure that Mummum quite agreed with his methods of testing though, and I believe she scooped him up and took him back to dryer territories.


Poppa has been enjoying the Abandoned Series of photographs and spied this specimen while we were out for a walk one day and insisted that I snap a picture for you. I'm not sure it quite demonstrates abandonment as much as suitable disposal, but he really liked it.

Not Such Good News..

Unfortunately, the news today is not as good as yesterday. Last evening shortly after dinner time, Great-Gramma Robert was taken to the hospital. It seems she had a bad infection, which had become septic, and her temperature rose to a level, such that, it was determined she needed some hospital care. They attached two intravenous lines, and said she would have to stay there for a couple of days, at least, until her blood cleared up. I will keep you advised.

On a much cheerier note, I received some pictures today from Gramma. She caught Daddad, Mummum and Munchie cavorting together in the pool. Apparently Daddad was lounging around, and Mummum caught a great, huge, green sea turtle. Munchie stood up to check it out and Gramma caught that moment on camera. It appears they all had a good time. I wonder if they had green sea turtle soup for supper????

Poppa and Squeegie have gone in to Aunt Peggy's house to prepare the basement ceiling for the installation of a new gas furnace. Aunt Peggy had the same oil furnace for 51 years. Yes, I'm serious. It was still working too! However, in the interest of efficiency, value for cost, reliability and peace of mind, she decided to replace the poor, old thing. Squeegie waited patiently for Poppa to gather up the proper tools, put them in the car, and then, at the last minute, run upstairs to put on a different shirt.

The weather is still "dark and stormy" - which is the title of this photograph taken by Uncle Shaun further along the shore in the same park as yesterday's picture. It looks appropriate for a novel in the thriller category. I'm sure there is a deep, dark mystery hiding under the water somewhere!

Bulletin!!!!!!

Newsflash! I have just received an e-mail from Munchkin. While he was on vacation at the shores of Lake Erie (Gramma's house), he discovered a whole new area to explore with a future vocation in mind. Hopefully this will discourage the notion of joining those beer-drinking Chippendales, while still enabling him to show off his fine physique and drawing admiring glances from all the girl babies on the beach (not to mention all the grandparents - hee!). He cautiously crept into Gramma's pool and began his first swimming lesson in preparation for tryouts for the lifeguard team at the local beach. He wasn't sure about all the water at first, but soon adapted and gamely gave it his best shot. Mummum hovered about worrying, but all was well and he is deciding whether or not he will pursue it further.

Squeegie's favourite day of the week is Twooney Tuesday because he can get his favourite food that day and get change back from his allowance! Just to demonstrate how much he loves that particular food choice - here he is last Tuesday. We picked it up and drove home. He dashed through the door ahead of all of us and by the time I caught up to him, he had already opened the box to see if he needed to add any salt or ketchup before he dug in.

My irises are all done for this year, but I wanted to share this picture of one of my favourite flowers in Poppa's park. I took it when this bloom was at its prime and re-discovered the photo while I was browsing through this year's pictures to see what I could move to a disc to avoid using up all my hard drive with pictures. I can't remember what colour they called it on the package when we bought them, but I love the contrast of the light and dark colours in one bloom.

Our weather has been rather dismal lately with a lot of overcast days and intermittent rain. The temperature has been agreeable though - only a couple of hot, humid days - most of the days are comfortable. But, it does tend to create a somewhat gloomy atmosphere overall and we look forward to some sun. However, the gloom can be used to advantage for a discriminating photographer. Uncle Shaun captured this image at our local park. It encapsulates the prevalent conditions excellently and I don't need to explain more than that!

Good Morning

Quick note to let you know all is well. I am working every day this week, so don't have as much time as I would like to post blogs. Mama and Munchie are away visiting Gramma. I heard briefly from Mama yesterday and she said they are having a good time and it is very nice on the shores of Lake Ontario. However, no pictures this week at all, and I didn't remember to ask if her computer was getting fixed while she was on vacation. I finished Granny's socks, but haven't gotten a picture yet of the pair of them. I'll post it "soon". In the meantime, I thought I would share this picture that Uncle Shaun took. He didn't disclose the location of these feathered friends, but Auntie Colleen did tell us that they are pileated woodpeckers and that it is rare to find one out for public view, never mind a mother and son together. So.... we are lucky to get this shot and the chance to see Woody Woodpecker with his mother. When I was a little girl, my father took great pleasure in mimicking the Woody Woodpecker noise (with great skill, I might add) to amuse us. Fond memories!

Updates at the Front

Aside from the finishing touches, the work at the driveway side of our front entrance is completed. All the levelling levelled, all the bricks carefully placed, all the sand swept in and misted. I am quite pleased with the results and am looking forward to getting the accessories there to compliment all Poppa's hard work.

I heard from Auntie Cecile last evening, that Granny and Gramps are coming to our city this weekend, so I'm going to try and hurry these socks along so I can give them to Granny while she is here. We were hoping to get down to her place for a visit this summer, but time is flying away and it is looking less likely to happen all the time............so it will be nice to have the opportunity to see her and pass along a new yarn project.

Our visit to Munchie yesterday was brief but fun. He went with Poppa to the park where they practised playing in the sand. Munchie is going to visit Gramma next week - so he will be able to play in the sand on the beach - and now he has practised with Poppa in the sand at the playground area in the park. He seemed entranced with that funny stuff and loved motoring around getting it in all his clothes and between his toes. He had a good time and got tired out. When we got back to his house he had a drink and went for a nap.

Auntie Colleen has been out with her camera again and captured this specimen. She has told me that this is the thorniest rose in her garden, which is probably true, but it is certainly beautiful and as usual, she has captured it in a fascinating way, which draws our attention to the perfection of the rose. Roses are my favourite flower of all time - I think because Poppa often sent me roses in the olden days when we were dating. Of course, he did work at a garden centre/flower shop/pharmacy - which probably made it easier for him to think of sending me roses - but oh my, how I loved to get them.

Artists and Friends and Zookeepers

Here is a most amazing postcard that I received in the mail recently! This is a copy of an original painted by Gramma. I scanned it in, but it came up kind of small. I hope you can see it well enough to recognize Dadad fishing at Great Gramma's cottage in Muskoka. If you click on the picture you will be able to see a larger image. I am so pleased to have received a copy...I am taking it to Auntie Colleen to have it framed so I can hang it up and admire it without worrying about it getting dog-eared and dusty. Gramma is obviously quite talented. Thank you to Gramma from Nanna!

Also, I would like to share this picture with you. This is the little niece of one of the girls at work...she is eleven months old now, and has been walking for a month. She is so pretty that I just felt the need to show you this picture.....and maybe some day our little Munchkin and little Libby can meet each other and play together.........Hee.............stranger things have happened.

As for our little Munchkin........we went down to visit him today and he is doing just fine. He seemed happy to see us, even though he was quite tired since he had missed his morning nap. In spite of that he took us to the park to play in the sand, and smiled happily for my camera. Since I haven't downloaded today's pictures yet, here is one from his last visit to our place...when he was practising his zookeepers skills. He was busily tending to feeding time for the critters when I called his name and he turned around to see what I wanted. Of course all I really wanted, was to snap a picture!

I have started a pair of lacy socks for Granny.....I will post a picture as soon as I download today's pictures...and hopefully will post soon. Mama's computer is still not working, so I've not been posting as frequently as I was, since it will take her forever to catch up! But..........I can only wait so long, and then I feel compelled to write. Thanks for reading!

I Just Knew It!

I was absolutely certain that those Chippendales would be a bad influence on our little Munchkin. He got himself all buffed up and trudged off for auditions. Of course, being the gorgeous little hunk that he is, he was accepted right away, and invited to spend some time with the rest of the crew and get acquainted. Daddad was supposed to be keeping an eye on the little guy, but I'm guessing he must have gotten distracted and lost track of what was going on..........because an undercover agent that I had sent along sent me this photo and it is clear that Munchie is into things that someone his age should not even have tasted! And....according to my spy he had five of these to his credit before he quit. Of course by that time he was feeling quite tired and worn out and could barely stay awake long enough to have his supper before he crashed for the night.

Poppa is outside working on the landscaping at the front of the house, under Squeegie's supervision....I'll think I'll head out there to see what is going on.

Quirkie

Well - I'm a little late with the "tomorrow" picture of the socks for Muffy (Aka Auntie). My oldest daughter tends to be a little quirky and likes to be a little different without being ostentatious. So, I started these socks with the best of intentions - to make them in blue tones - her favourite colour. And, they started out rather nicely I thought. Here is the first picture I took of them.

I am having trouble getting my daily picture of Munchkin. There appears to have been a mishap with Mama's computer. She isn't sure what happened, but whatever it was, she heard a loud bang, ran into the computer room, found Munchkin smiling up at her innocently, and the computer hasn't worked since. So, I decided to share a previous excursion with you this time. It turned out to be quite warm last week, so our little explorer decided to hop on his jeep and head off to the great unknown again.

Uncle Shaun has a rather well-known and famous series of photos called "the Abandoned Series". On his travels taking Murfee (the famous calendar dog) for walks into the great unknown, he often comes across abandoned objects with a striking similarity to each other. I am madly in love with this series and find it interesting to note the care taken by folks abandoning these objects. I often find myself imagining the position he has to get himself into in order to capture these shots. This is one of them.

Yesterday Poppa, Auntie and Pal all went down to visit Munchkin - and once again I forgot to send the camera - so with Mama's computer down and my camera here at the house - I have no photos from that visit. I heard that Munchkin was quite taken with Pal and very happy to see Poppa and smiled widely to see Auntie again so soon. I think everyone enjoyed the visit.

Earlier this morning, while Auntie was still sleeping, I finished her socks. They seemed to develop a personality of their own as I worked on them, and turned out a little on the quirky side - just like their new owner. I'm hoping she'll smile when she thinks about what is inside her shoes, on one of those cold winter days up north where she lives. And, I hope they'll help keep her feet warm too!

Meanwhile, back at the expedition site - Munchkin was surprised to discover an unexplored yet inviting-looking blue lagoon while he was on his most recent expedition. Since he was quite warm, he decided to jump in for a quick dip and was further delighted to discover that the lagoon was full of toys just waiting to be investigated. He spent quite a while enjoying and relaxing before climbing out and heading home for supper.

Things were made easy for me at the grocery store earlier. With Uncle Shaun's abandoned series in mind - I was rather startled to discover an excellent example that he had overlooked. It was at eye level so it didn't require a sharp eye, nor did it require me to scrunch down close to the ground, or climb up any rickety stairs. It was just sitting there crying out for attention. Since I carry my camera in my purse wherever I go (unless of course I have forgotten it beside my computer - hee!), I pulled it out and snapped this photo for his scrutiny.

Tuesday Already

Busy weekend! Muffy arrived on Friday, earlier than expected actually. Pal stayed at his mother's place in town, so after having a bite to eat, Muffy headed out to our place. She was worn out from the long drive and she soon found a comfie spot to relax for a few minutes. It didn't seem very long until it was bedtime and we all retired for the night. It was so nice to see her. It seemed like a long time ago that she had headed north. She is here for a week and then will head back up north again.

Munchkin and his parents arrived on Saturday shortly after lunch time. Once the little guy arrives, we seem to be busy all the time. He was somewhat disappointed that Poppa was in town doing chores, but he settled in to entertain us all regardless. He met Auntie Muffy for the first time, and they seemed to like each other just fine.

Mama tried on her newest socks for us and assumed her famous sock pose for me to get a picture. I really like those socks and have started a new pair in different colours for Muffy. Hopefully I will get them done before she leaves to head north again - I'll post pics tomorrow.

Poppa and Kev-Inn managed to get the old freezer out of the basement last Thursday. It was quite a chore, but they both looked quite pleased with themselves when they actually had it outside - ready to load into the trailer. On Friday morning, Poppa & I loaded it up as well as all the water softener and processing parts and took them to the dump - what fun - Hee! But, we almost have a storage room in our basement now. Hurray!