We almost went to Maxville on Saturday to see the Glengarry Highland Games (warning: noisy link). I’ve been wanting to go for the 12 years we’ve lived in Ottawa. We’ve been out of town on a few occasions and it always seems to be held on the wickedest, hot days of the summer.
We made it into the car and onto the 417 on Saturday before Ken told me that he and I would both have to pay $20 admission (no, I hadn’t checked) and we’d be there only 2 hours before we needed to feed Reid and drive home for her nap. It was already hot and I wasn’t clear how interested Reid would be. Oh, and I’m cheap. Add my less-than-enthusiastic companion into the mix and it didn’t seem like a great idea.
The Canada Agricultural Museum, though, seemed like a good alternative. I told Reid that we weren’t going to see the dancing girls and were going to the Farm instead. Reid had no problems with the change, of course, once she confirmed that we were going to “her farm.”
The fellow who does the wagon rides was putting the harness and gear on Bella when we got to the large animal barn. We watched and discussed the process. We next saw Goody, the bull, standing in his stall and he scratched his back on a new brush. There was a sign that said that Goody had just celebrated his 10th birthday. The brush might have been a present.
In the small animal barn Reid, who gets bolder on each visit, patted several lambs and sheep and even pet the rabbit who doesn’t have the bite-warning sign on her cage. We approached the “piggy bank” – a pig that is supposed to oink when you put money into the slot on it’s back. But it didn’t and hasn’t for a month or so. Ken and I were disappointed and felt cheated. Reid likes handling “monies” in any situation and didn’t mind the silence.
Reid hurried to the end of the barn where the mamas and piglets are kept. Her dedication was rewarded. There was a litter of day-old piglets with their mama. I told Reid that I thought the piglets looked like newborn human babies. “You didn’t look like that, Reid!” reassured the indignant daddy.
On the way to the pasture to see the goats and Eeyore, the donkey, Reid suffered a major league wipe out. I saw the round metal thing sticking out of the ground a nanosecond before Reid tripped over it and went sprawling. I wiped off Reid’s knee and gave her a kiss and she was interested enough in the animals to make only one request for a band aid. She clearly didn’t need one since the blood wasn’t dripping on the ground – ask my mom, that’s the pre-requisite for a band aid or at least it was when *I* was a kid. I think Reid probably could get one for a scrape. Later we noticed quite a scrape on Reid’s arm that would have made me cry but Reid hadn’t noticed it.
Another family called Eeyore over long enough that he eventually came to the fence or maybe it was a coincidence. Either way, we joined them at the fence and pet the cute little donkey. His coat was much smoother than I’d expected. Reid had a look of delight on her face as she patted him. I thought, “Check. One more animal fear dealt with.” Reid loves to see animals and is working her way up to touching increasingly large ones. Maybe by Thanksgiving she’ll be ready for the horses. Of course, dogs of any size are still great stress-inducers for Reid.
We went to the dairy barn, of course, and we provided the name for each and every cow that stays there. Some names warrant discussion, especially when they share a name with someone we know, otherwise it’s a cataloguing exercise that Reid enjoys. Many of the cows were licking each other. I haven’t noticed that before. I guess you might develop a fondness for the your neighbour after a while.
Reid and I went to see a presentation in the demonstration kitchen while Ken took the time to read the labels in the tractor exhibit. We learned how to make granola bars with sunflower seeds, sunflower seed butter and soy nuts (among other things) AND we got to taste an earlier batch. Ken got no sample at all. I think it’s a recipe worth making at home, though, and so he might get to try them yet.
I’d packed lunch since we’d planned to go so far and Reid and I ate our lunches as we drove home. I’m all in love with these Tupperware keepers that I’ve had for quite awhile but haven’t used much. I noticed that they hold two sandwiches perfectly, even better than the sandwich keepers hold one since we are a whole-grain, big-slice bread family. I feel like I’ve got new keepers for free. Small things amuse small minds, eh?
In the end, I’m glad we didn’t make it to the Glengarry Highland Games but I’ll put it back on my list for next year. Reid will be 4 by then and naps won’t be as important, especially if we’re weaning her off them in anticipation of her being in school. Not that I want to think of her as old enough for school and especially not that I want her in an afternoon class.