May 4, 2009 by Barbara.

We had a full and fun weekend. I’d noticed that Pizza Pizza was running a special where medium cheese or cheese-and-pepperoni pizzas were $5 and they made a donation to the Children’s Wish Foundation (or something similar). I’d offered to get Ken add another topping to his pizza, thinking the price difference wouldn’t be too severe. When it would have doubled the cost, I choked and stuck with the pepperoni. I love him more than $5 worth but I’m kind of cheap. I told Reid that we would sit in the backyard, as she has been wanting to do for weeks, even before the snow melted, without checking out the temperature. I guess the temperature was okay but the wind was stronger than I’d expected. I shivered and whined while Reid ate her pizza and Ken gave me his “you got us into this” look. Reid was happy and I didn’t freeze to death as had seemed imminent and so it was a good start to our weekend.

On Saturday, I went out for lunch with Melissa and to see a play called “Moms the Word” (the ticket was my birthday present from Melissa) while Ken and Reid went to her swimming lesson and then to the Museum of Science and Technology. There were special activities centred on astronomy as the museum - and Ken and Reid - marked National Astronomy Day. (They also have a Family Astronomy and Space program that might be worth checking out.) We all arrived home about the same time, which meant Reid and Ken were at the museum about 3.5 hours, and we had lots of stories to exchange. Unfortunately, Reid doesn’t listen closely to what Ken is saying and I sometimes got her version of his story just after he’d finished. Reid is excited to be bringing the telescope camping this weekend and I’m crossing my fingers that it won’t be rainy or cloudy.

Reid and I headed out for breakfast at Cora’s on Sunday morning. I’d asked Reid if she wanted to go to the Canada Agriculture Museum or the Canadian Children’s Museum and she countered with the option of developing a list, which she promptly did - breakfast, the Children’s Museum and the Farm. What a good problem solver, eh?

We’ve only just started making forays into the main part of the Museum of Civilization but since we were fresh, we didn’t go immediately to the Children’s Museum. We looked at the West Coast Native Canadian exhibit and explored the first half of the “Tombs of Eternity” exhibit in a gallery hidden in the basement that don’t think I’ve ever been to before. There was a game called “Dogs and Jackals” that was played in Ancient Egypt that worked a lot like “Snakes and Ladders”. Reid won three games quickly and then decided to quit while she was ahead. I need a rematch! I led us through the Canadian Postal Museum and into the back of the Children’s Museum. Reid was mighty impressed. “This was a genius idea, Mama!” she said. I love the praise ;+) We spent a couple of hours looking around and visited only half of what is there - I don’t know how Reid can enjoy the same toys and exhibits over and over but those museum folks seem to know more than me because Reid is not showing any signs of tiring of the Children’s Museum. Finally, my tummy required that I put an end to the visit and we went home.

Reid hadn’t forgotten about the Farm, though, and was eager that Ken come with us. His least-favourite museum is the Children’s Museum - it’s too loud and there are too many kids for Ken - and Reid knows it. But she also knows that he likes the Farm. We ate our lunch and, then Ken took Reid upstairs to see what he’d been up to while we were out. Reid was very impressed! Ken had but the double bed from the guest room into her room, with the intention of putting her bed in the guest room which doubles as an office. Reid was excited that the three of us could snuggle together on her bed. She talked about napping altogether but then she kept on talking so the nap didn’t happen.

On my (misguided) advice, Reid and I changed into capris and short-sleeved tops and Ken left his jacket at home. The day was warm and sunny but a wind seemed to appear from nowhere and I had to endure (justifiably) resentful looks from Ken as his goose-bumps developed goose bumps. Reid was impervious, of course. There was a special presentation just outside of Goody the Bull’s enclosure. Goody is Reid’s favourite animal on the farm and so this was a harbinger of a great visit. The guides talked with Reid about different breeds of cattle, the difference between beef and dairy cattle and showed a range of products made from cattle. The rest of the visit was fun, even though the fellow running the horse and wagon ride cancelled the last run, and so we couldn’t go. Reid was disappointed but didn’t make a big deal of it. She remembered a few stories about what happened when she visited the Farm on a field trip a few weeks ago. It’s great to hear her stories since she spends so much time at school.

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May 4, 2009 by Barbara.

Reid and I spent last weekend in North Bay, hanging out with Kathleen, or Kackle as we called her once Reid’s insertion of an extra “a” drove me over the edge. “Kathaleen” must be one of my personal, psychic stones-in-my-shoe. We stayed at the Holiday Inn Express and enjoyed their pool, hot breakfast (with cinnamon buns!) and mini-suite with fridge and microwave.

On Friday evening, we went for a swim in the pool before heading out to buy a pizza to take to eat on the beach. We got a pizza from Mr Toppers (yum) and found a bench overlooking the bay but didn’t make it to the beach. I’d already warned Reid that we wouldn’t be able to play in the water and Mother Nature backed my up. Despite our 20-plus Celsius (75ish Fahrenheit)day, the water was frozen at the shore and for quite a ways out. It’s good to have Mother Nature on your side. And it’s hard to believe that we’ll be swimming in that same water in a couple of months. The breeze over the ice was chilly but the sun was still strong and you can tolerate more the first warm days on spring than in the dead of the summer, eh?

On our way back to the hotel, we stopped at the Dollar Store for pool toys. I invested about $7 in water wings, an inflatable dolphin, a Disney Princesses ball, goggles and part of what we needed to make a floating chair (of course, I didn’t learn we needed a pool noodle until we were back at the hotel). I got the dolphin and ball blown up for another trip to the pool and Reid tried out her goggles. On the way back to the room, Reid, started talking about “Dave” (the dolphin). I thought it seemed silly to name an inflatable dolphin 2/3 Reid’s size but was soon glad that she’d bonded with Dave when we realized that we’d forgotten Molly, the Care Bear Reid sleeps with most nights. I suggested that *I* could be her sleep toy but Reid was confident that Dave would be a better choice. An inflatable dolphin is about as cuddly as you’d expect but Reid was happy. Dave made a couple of breaks for it in the night. Each attempt at freedom led to me having to walk around the bed to retrieve him. Molly doesn’t get out of bed so often.

We went to the Powassin Maple Syrup Festival on Saturday morning, after a trip to the pool, of course. We didn’t see much relating to maple trees or syrup  but we did see interesting kiosks on the main street and Reid found a lady selling candy kebobs that were beg-worthy. The most exciting activity, though, was the West Coast Lumberjack show. Reid watched, fascinated, as the lumberjacks used racing axes, cross-cut saws and chainsaws in a competition. At the end of the show, Reid was eager to get to the rope between the audience and exhibit area with her hands out for a souvenir piece of cut wood. She planned to bring it home to Ken so that he could build something but later decided to take it to Chris, Kathleen’s husband, when Kathleen mentioned that he would be sad to have missed the competition. Reid is a sensitive girl, you know. We got back to the car just as the first drops of rain began to fall. We looked longingly at the Highland games competitors who were just across the road but didn’t risk the rain. When the skies opened up and the deluge began, we were glad of our decision. Instead of taking the 20 minute highway trip back to North Bay, we drove along the water on what would have been a beautiful, scenic drive except for the rain, fog and wind. Reid slept and Kathleen and I talked, which made it a great drive anyway. We swam a couple more times on Saturday night and ate supper in our room. Kathleen and I had chocolate lava cakes for dessert but Reid chose fruit. I don’t know where Reid gets these crazy tendencies!

On Sunday, we relaxed in the room, swam again and then hit the highway for Kathleen and Chris’ house. During the drive, I asked if Reid had enjoyed getting to know Kathleen better but she ignored me. Kathleen repeated the question and
Reid responded emphatically, “No!” And paused before offering an insulted,  ”I already knowed her.” I think she thought we were implying that she was too little to remember previous visits with Kathleen and was offended. Poor kid.

We’d planned on having soup and fruit for lunch but Reid must have heard someone mention grilled cheese sandwiches because she slipped into the kitchen when Chris was in there by himself and conned him into making her one. What a bold child, don’t you think?

After lunch we hit the road for Ottawa. Reid managed to stay awake for only a couple of kilometres and then succumbed to the nap that she needed. We made good time on the road and got back to Ottawa just before supper. It takes about 4 and 1/2 hours to drive from North Bay to Ottawa if you don’t take Highway 7 instead of 17, like I did in August, and worth every minute of it. We’ll definitely be inviting ourselves to visit Kathleen and Chris this summer. The city newspaper is called the North Bay Nugget but that undersells the fun to be had - at least if you’re lucky enough to spend time with Kathleen. And it’ll be that much better if we decide to have boys join us next time. Chris and Ken won’t even have to say a word - Kathleen, Reid and I have that covered ;+)

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