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.