Happy 4th of July to My American Friends

I wish all of my American friends a happy 4th of July. Enjoy the weekend and all of the festivities as you celebrate your country's Independence.

A Day in the Outdoors

The boys have been itching to go swimming. Either it's been too cold or it's been raining. So, this morning I called the pool and the lifeguard told me the water was 80 degrees. Although the air temperature was cool, I decided to take them.

We were there when the pool opened and there was no one else there. The boys had the entire pool to themselves.

This is where I spend my time when the boys are swimming. I sit on the bench and enjoy a good book. It's always shady there and today a nice breeze blew over the area.

Relaxing and enjoying the time in the pool. Jordan was pushing Brandon.
Jordan was busy doing something else, but Brandon just continued to enjoy the day by relaxing and floating around the pool.
They had a game of water basketball and then played volleyball, using the rope for the net.
Getting ready to leave. Two other kids did come for a while and just as they were leaving another two came. We were there for two hours and there were only four people in the pool at any given time. Nice!

The boys said the water was beautiful once you got in and they stayed in for the entire time. We now have a pool schedule and will be visiting frequently over the summer. It's good exercise for the boys and it also helps hone their swimming skills. The bonus for me is that I get to enjoy the outdoors and read a good book in the sidelines.

Canada Day

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Today Canadians celebrated Canada's 142 second birthday. It was July 1, 1867 when Canada officially became a country. The holiday was called Dominion Day until 1982, when it was officially changed to Canada Day.

History was made today in a school gym in Iqualit, Nunvavut when twenty-one women became the first students in that territory to earn a graduate degree. The program was made possible by the University of Prince Edward Island and will mean higher education for the people who live in Canada's Far North. Though no men were included in this year's graduates, it's hopeful that they will be taking part in the 2010 class and marks a milestone in education for the people of Nunavut. Congratulations to all twenty-one recipients.

It seems that on the country's 142nd birthday that 70% of Canadians feel that all ties should be severed with Britian. 65% feels that when Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II dies that all ties with the Crown should be severed.

In a conducted poll, the majority of Canadians feel that the Canadian flag and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police are the country's most distinctive symbols. However, more Canadians have eaten poutine than have been in a canoe or seen a moose. Other symbols important to Canada include the beaver and the maple leaf.

Hubby and I didn't take in any Canada Day festivities. We don't really like the crowds and deafening music. We had planned on taking a drive but put that off because of the unpredictable weather. I hope others in other parts of our nation were able to enjoy celebrating our country's birthday. Happy Canada Day.

Freshly Picked Strawberries

Michelle was working afternoons today and the boys' dad was supposed to be home early. So I didn't expect to have them. However, Dad called and said he was going to be late. I went and picked up the boys and since it was a much cooler day today, about 67 degrees, we headed to the strawberry patch.

We picked four quarts of beautiful strawberries in about 15 minutes. It's a good thing we were so fast. Just as we were picking the last quart, it began to rain. We filled the box quickly and got to the car before getting too wet. The berries were big and sweet. Mmm! By the time we got back to their place, Dad was home.

The boys took 2 quarts home with them and I kept 2 quarts for us. I came home and it wasn't long before the boys' dad called and said the compressor on their refrigerator was gone. So I headed back over there to help him decide what to keep and what needed to be thrown out.

Jordan came home with me to spend the night. It is now 11:06 pm and he's standing here watching me type this. He is a night owl.

Anyway, Brandon and his Dad and paternal grandfather went out and were able to get a fridge. That Grandpa has a truck and they were able to get it home. Tomorrow is Canada Day, so there was no chance of them getting one tomorrow.

So that's the news for today from my place. Now I'd best get off the computer and get this boy to bed.

Oh, one last thing. Jordan and I had chocolate ice cream with freshly picked strawberries for dessert tonight. Jordan says it was really good.

Thanks to Everyone

Thanks to everyone for their well wishes for Mom. She is feeling a little better today, but is still weak. She is staying with my sister for at least another day and then they will decide if she's able to stay on her own.

The quinine that the doctor prescribed for Mom didn't bother her the first night she took it, but when she took the second dose, it was only a few minutes before she had a horrific headache and was weak and shaking. I know that quinine is a powerful medicine and wonder why it was even prescribed for someone her age. When she told me that quinine is what the doctor prescribed, I warned her of the side effects, but warning doesn't stop those things from happening.

I explained to her this afternoon that she must call someone if she is sick, no matter the time, day or night. She tends to think it is a bother and neglects to ensure her safety when things go wrong. After all, she tended us when we were kids and now it's our turn to take care of her needs. I strongly believe it is the duty of the children to take care of the parents when they grow old. Family is important.

In other news, I picked up the boys to spend the day with hubby and myself. Their parents were working and I had planned on taking them swimming. However, the rain began about a half hour before we were to leave for the pool. It was another hard rain and lasted until early evening. The temperature has dropped and when I took Dakota out tonight, I needed my hooded sweater. After being extremely hot for so many days, now it's extremely chilly for June. Guess there's no taming our wild weather this year.

Hope you all have a great week.

Fun Outing Part Two

If you missed part one of our fun outing, you can see it HERE.

After we went mini golfing, we drove down to the beach and pier area and took a walk.

This is from the pier facing southeast toward the Marina. The water was rough and there wasn't a lot of boats on the lake.

This is the channel where the boats head out to and come in from the lake.

Waves breaking onto the shore. It was cool in this area and a nice breeze was blowing. The sound of the water lapping at the shore was soothing.

Here is one small boat heading out. Brave souls were on board. At one point the breakers lifted the front of it completely off the water. As they passed us, we could see there was three adults and one child on board. The only person wearing a life jacket was the child. Foolish with the lake as rough as it was.

And can you believe with water and wind conditions the way they were that this man was taking a child out in a canoe. We watched them for a long time. As they drew nearer to the lake entrance, the water was rougher. The boy was clinging to the sides of the canoe for dear life. As the water turned the canoe sideways several times, we expected it to capsize.

Finally the guy got smart and the canoe headed back to land. Thank goodness because if they had entered the lake the canoe wouldn't have made it.

A larger boat coming in and another directly behind it. Only one boat went out the entire time we were in this area.

Looking down the pier. I was talking to this lady who was playing the accordian and singing. She is unemployed and was entertaining the people to make money to buy groceries. She had a nice sum in Canadian and American dollars in the accordian case.

There were lots of gulls along the channel. More continued to land here after the photo was taken. Even they didn't like the conditions on the lake.

A memorial the to fishermen who have died on Lake Erie. There are names all around the base. I remember when five men died when a fishing boat was caught in a storm a few years back.

Brandon and hubby enjoying a walk along the pier. There were some people fishing and one man and his daughter, who was about 5 or 6, had caught some nice sized yellow perch. They had them on a stringer to take home. The little girl was so excited about the 6 inch perch she'd caught. You'd have thought she'd caught the biggest fish in the world.

This is along the channel. There is a no swimming sign posted here. It would be too dangerous with all the boats coming and going. You can see the point in the background. This is looking south and across the lake lies the USA.

In the background you can see some people on the beach. I loved the sound of the water lapping at the rocks.

Again, across the lake to the south. If you crossed the lake at this point, you would eventually reach the USA.

Then it was time to leave for home. I enjoy going to Port Dover for a burger and a walk along the pier.

For any of my American friends who doesn't know about Tim Horton's, this is a Canadian icon in coffee shops. It was started by NHL hockey legend, Tim Horton, in 1964. Just ten years later, Tim Horton was killed in a car accident. His partner continued the tradition and established the Tim Horton's Children's Fund in his memory. If you are ever in Canada, be sure to try a "Timmie's" coffee.

This is the nicest Tim Horton's coffee shop that I've ever seen. Most of them are just brown brick, but they styled this one to suit the atmosphere of the town.

Note:

Please keep my mother in your prayers. She had been having really nasty leg cramps and the doctor prescribed Quinine. Last night about midnight she had an adverse reaction and was weak, shaking and had a horrific headache. Instead of calling anyone, she went to bed. I scolded her for that. Today she is still weak, but feeling better. Scary stuff.