Rules at Grandma’s House

On Friday, teachers in Ottawa are having a holiday  professional development day.

So tomorrow evening my daughter is going to pick me up on her way home from work, to I can spend Friday with her two children and their dog.

The last time there was a PA Day, they came to our house and we went out on the buses, which they loved, and went to Tim Horton’s, which they loved, and to A&W, which they loved, and came back here to play video games, which they absolutely loved! We had a great day.

I told them that at Grandma’s, there is a different set of rules.

• You can eat what you want when you want to.
• You can read Archie comics all day if you want to.
• A visit to Tim Horton’s for hot chocolate is a must.
• Cookies are in the jar and you can have as many as you want.
• Our TV and Netflix can be accessed all day.
• Video games can be played for as long as you like.
• You can sit whereever you want to on the bus.
• You can change seats as often as you like.

It’s a wonder my daughter and son-in-law still want us to watch the kids!!!

But on Friday it is going to be VERY cold and I don’t want to be outdoors at all, especially not waiting for a bus. So I am going there, and the rules are different. Can you believe it???

I am looking forward to spending the day with Owen and Brynn. And Chip, the dog. The very cute dog.

I am going to stay over into Saturday so that I can go to watch the Moms play hockey against the Daughters. It should be a close match. On the one hand, the girls have been honing their skills all season long, but on the other hand, the Moms have size on their side. The girls are strong skaters. The Moms CAN skate (at least most of them can). The girls are good at passing. The Moms will try to pass, if their sticks ever touch the puck. The girls have energy. The Moms have energy bars.

Owen is coaching his Mom and putting her through the drills he himself practices before a big game. Apparently he is very encouraging. Brynn has been getting secret coaching from her Dad. I think she is going to try to get a penalty!

I just hope there is no fighting during the game. I’d hate to see how that would turn out!

I’ll have a recap of the game highlights in my next post.

Thanks for visiting. Have a good weekend. – Maureen

 

 

 

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Thanksgiving Weekend

Flowers in the Market in Montreal.

We just got back from Montreal where we spent the long weekend with our daughter and her family.  We had a wonderful trip.

Enzo in his school uniform.

The boys, 14, 12, and 10 are busy, busy, busy with hockey – practices and games – and their parents are just as busy driving them to various rinks and picking them up again.  My husband was even recruited to do a bit of driving.  Fortunately we know Montreal well enough to find our way around quite well. 

On Saturday evening we took the boys out  to Ste. Anne de Bellevue, which is at the western end of the island of Montreal.  Carla and her sister Monica lived there when they were in their early twenties and it was nice to revisit.  We walked along the boardwalk of the little canal which is lined with restaurants and pubs.  There were amazing yachts moored there and some of the owners were eating dinner on the outdoor patios while others were dining on their boats. 

Grandpa found an ice cream shop still open on the mail street and we sat eating ice cream.  Outside. After dark.  In October.  In Canada. 

Enjoying ice cream in Ste. Anne de Bellevue.

On Sunday morning we went south of the city to Rougemont to pick apples.  Carla and Vinny go to an orchard owned and operated by Cistercian nuns who also sell their jellies, honey, and cheeses in a little shop. It was sunny and warm and I know the boys ate five or six apples each and I ate four!  There’s nothing like it.

Damiano apple picking.

Cameron is tall enough to reach the apples higher in the trees.

When we got home Carla and I started to prepare the turkey dinner, but there was a little hitch.  Hockey.  All three boys had hockey and all at different times and all at different rinks.  We didn’t get to eat until 9:00 p.m.  The turkey was moist and delicious and we all enjoyed the meal.  Carla’s apple crisp made with apples picked that day was the perfect ending to the meal.

The next day, John and I left for home at 7 a.m. and were home by noon.  We drove to a little town called Port Perry in the afternoon and walked along the edge of Lake Skugog.  People were out picnicking wearing shorts and T-shirts and we even saw some children in the water.

The colours were spectacular on our drive home and we enjoyed every moment.  I hope we can remember this weekend in the middle of winter and that it will warm us up, just a little.