We're baaaaaaack!!

Camping at Creekside was a blast! For the most part, we had good weather, good food, good fun. We enjoyed paddling in the creek, cooking outdoors, and watching three beautiful babies just being beautiful.

Kaleb went from saying "Hi, Yanny!" to "Hi, Ganny!" Pretty soon it will be Granny, I'm sure.

The best part was the fireside chats the adults enjoyed, far into the night. We gazed at the stars, marvelling at the beauty of the Milky Way and the constellations. We talked about God, about family, about plans and goals and dreams. It was all good.

And I am too tired to write more. I'll post pictures soon.

Wilderness Retreat

Well, not quite. But my friend Darlene and I DID camp in a rustic spot, with no running water, no electricity, and only an outhouse rather than a proper bathroom.

We took off to the Auburn Riverside Retreat on Monday, and spent the better part of three days reading, laughing, praying, talking, planning and eating. We slept a little, but mostly we enjoyed a quiet, refreshing time together.

We've been doing this for years. Normally, we take lots of school work with us, so we can plan out the following school year (both of us are homeschooling moms). However, this time, we found it more profitable to read (a D.A. Carson book for me; a Randy Alcorn book for Darlene) and relax.

Both of us are moms to a bunch of kids, some of whom are married; hence, we have grandkids, too. Our responsibilities are heavy at times, and there aren't very many days in the year that we can just sit and think...or even just sit. So, a couple of nights away in the wilderness is very relaxing and refreshing.

The site we were on was far removed from the rest of the campground, and there were no other campers in the vicinity. The only thing that interrupted our reading was the occasional rustle of a squirrel in the leaves, or the chirping of birds in the trees.

Unfortunately, the flies were horrendous...it was like a scene from a Hitchcock movie. Thankfully we were able to purchase a small (8 x 8) dining tent. We set up a table and our two chairs inside the little tent, and we sat there like queens of our small domain.

Last night, Adeena came over to join us for supper, bearing gifts of brownies and cookies. She was most welcome, and we sat around the fire eating our yummy barbecued steak and chatting about everything from baseball to child-rearing. I LIKE having a friend who has hung in there with me for nearly thirty years. It's comfortable. We know each other very well - both the good and the bad - and we love each other as much as sisters do (or maybe more!). It's very cool that Darlene is now a friend to my oldest daughter.

We got home this afternoon, and reality hit. There were phone calls to make, appointments to keep, and emails to send. Children needed attention. Supper had to be cooked. Grandbabies needed to be cuddled, and my dear husband wanted me to sit with him. Ahh, reality...it's a lot of responsibility. But with great responsibility comes great privilege, and greater joy.

It's good to be home.

Retreat with Rick!

Well, we're back. And we honestly had the best time away that we can remember.

It was a gorgeous day on Sunday when we drove to Collingwood. The roads were clear and dry, the sun was shining, and the view was terrific. We passed through small towns, by picturesque farms, and under the shadow of those great windmills designed to create wind power. We were thankful that when we reached the top of the Escarpment, it was still clear, and we could see for miles and miles. We even noticed Wasaga Beach clearly identifiable even though it was about 15 miles from our vantage point.

We stopped at a grocery store in Collingwood and picked up some cheese, fruit, nuts, and other goodies. We were planning to spend quite a bit of our time just being together in the room. After we got checked in, we unpacked, then headed out to take advantage of our free movie. We saw "Vantage Point", which was intriguing in its presentation of a crime seen from the vantage point of about 8 different people.

We got back to the hotel in time to go for a swim. There was something wrong with the hot tub attached to the pool, but the result was that the entire pool was as hot as the hot tub should have been! It was like being in a gigantic bath! Rick and I were nearly alone (just two other people present) so we enjoyed just being together. We measured the pool with our feet, dreaming of how big we'd need to build a pool to accommodate all the grandkids.

The evening was spent just enjoying each other. We talked and laughed and played and cuddled...no cares in the world...just the two of us, together, alone.

I woke up first in the morning, and when Rick finally stirred, I had his coffee and breakfast ready. We planned to spend some time just talking, and I had a list of potential subjects for Rick to read over and decide what he wanted to focus on. We had both just read "Love & Respect" so that was a good starting point. It did us both good to share our hearts. There were insights gleaned from the book that surprised both of us, and we were able to honestly communicate our hopes and dreams, fears and failures. We laughed, we cried, and we connected in a way that was very meaningful to both of us.

Really, that talk was the highlight of the trip. Everything else was icing on the cake.

We headed out to the car later, and drove to Wasaga Beach. Rick wanted to see what part of Wasaga Beach had burned down recently. We drove past some "cottages" that had to have belonged to multi-millionaires. They were beach-front properties with wrought-iron gates and stone driveways. Nice.

After a lot of exploration, I commented that I wanted to eat at "Catch 22", a seafood restaurant I had seen in a brochure. When we got there, it exceeded our expectations. Lovely restaurant. Beautiful decor. Great food. And goldfish the size of trout! (Not to eat - alive, in a pond, inside the restaurant.) Rick had the fish and chips, and I had Georgian Bay Whitefish. The chef substituted the rice pilaf, which had wheat in it, with a stacked log presentation of zucchini, baby carrots, and onions. It was great!

We then headed to the "Scandinave", a Norwegian style spa. We went from steaming hot ponds with jets and a waterfall, to cold plunges, resting cabins, a sauna, a steam room, and an outdoor fireplace! It was so relaxing. There was to be absolute silence in the resting rooms, but we were permitted to speak in muted voices in the pools. Rick and I had such a great time together. We couldn't believe that four hours had gone by when we decided that we were relaxed enough.

Unfortunately, when I was getting ready, I had an incident. My right ear had water in it, so I stuck a Q-tip in it to get the water to drain. When I pulled out the Q-tip, to my dismay, I realized that the end of the Q-tip had come off and was still in my ear.

Rick graciously took me to the hospital, and patiently waited for me. Hours passed, and they finally called my name. It took a bit of work, but with long needle-nosed pliers, and a syringe made for a horse, the doc was able to get most of the cotton out of my ear! I felt terrible that I had spoiled Rick's lovely evening; Rick was just glad that I was okay.

So, by this time it was 8 in the evening, and we decided to use our coupons to eat in the dining room at the Resort. Again, God provided us with the entire place to ourselves. The food was out of this world: I had a half-rack of lamb with steak and vegetables; Rick had a center cut steak. Everything was done perfectly. We topped it off with chocolate mousse that was served on rectangular plates, with fruit placed precisely in the perfect position to set off the mousse and make it all delectable. We didn't even finish our meal until close to 10 pm. It was so wonderful to sit there, chatting quietly, enjoying the ambiance and the food, and most of all, each other's company.



The next morning we packed up and went to listen to the presentation. We took a tour of the resort, and it was fun dreaming of the possibilities of travel to exotic places. However, it wasn't to be. At least not at this time of our lives.

Rick wasn't feeling well by the time we left for home, so he slept most of the way, and I drove. I had time to reflect on our marriage, on God's goodness in providing us with a getaway in the middle of a stressful time, and on the joy we had experienced together during our time away.

It was good to get home.

But we're so glad we went.

Cranberry Resort

I am so excited! Tomorrow my honey and I are heading to the Cranberry Resort in Collingwood. We haven't been there in nine years, but we have very special memories of our last trip to the resort, in 1998.

We'll be having a spa day. I can't wait to be pampered for a little while. We're also planning to see a movie...both activities are sponsored by the Resort.

Of course, we'll have to listen to their presentation on buying vacation packages, but that's a small price to pay for two nights, three days in the beautiful little town of Collingwood, on Georgian Bay.

The last time we went, God chose to bless us with the conception of our youngest son, Christopher. I don't know what He has in store for us this time, but simply having a few days alone with my husband will be a time of reconnection and rejuvenation.

See you when I get back!

Trip to Quebec

Our bags are (mostly) packed, and we're (mostly) ready to go! I don't think I've ever seen a more excited bunch of kids than my six youngest and the slew of grandkids that are going with us.

We'll be heading out on Sunday, travelling about 5 hours' drive to Grenville, where we'll stay overnight in Grenville Park Campground. My brother Lorne and his family will be travelling down from the Ottawa area to enjoy supper and a campfire with us.

On Monday morning, we'll be packing up the trailers and heading to Quebec. On the way, we'll be talking about the Long Sault, and the bravery of Dollard. We'll point out the rapids on the St. Lawrence River, and talk about Champlain visiting Hochelaga in 1535. We'll discuss the geography of this part of Canada - the Canadian Shield - and point out the rocks and the rivers and the coniferous forests. The children will have maps to follow, so they can keep track of our progress, and before we know it we'll see the two bridges at Quebec. I will remind them that on the day my Aunt Ruth was born, the centre span of the old Quebec bridge collapsed.

We'll make our way to the Camp de la Joie, and hopefully, we will have our campsites set up in time to enjoy a nice supper and a bit of relaxation.

Tuesday will be a touristy day. I want to take the kids to Old Quebec, to point out the old wall, the Citadel, the Plains of Abraham, and so on. I want to drive them down by the river, in Lower Town, and show them the Island of Orleans. Perhaps the Aquarium will be on the agenda for that day, perhaps not. I want to point out the House of Parliament, and take them to see the big shopping centre and other spots I remember from my childhood. I wonder if the church the fat lady sat on is still there? Hmmmm.

Wednesday, August 29, is Adeena's birthday. We have scheduled the burial service for my Aunt Ruth on that day, so we'll be spending some time in Lac Beauport. Apparently there are no landmarks that I will recognize from my childhood jaunts through my grandfather's property. The massive trees are gone, the sand pit is gone, the buildings have been replaced by modern condos. It will be sad, but I am still looking forward to driving out past the house where we waited expectantly for my dad to phone with the news that my brother was born! I want to explore the woods near the house to see if "my" rock is still there. It will also be nice to visit with people that are only a memory from thirty-five years ago. They knew me when I was a teenager; such a change - 12 kids, 14 grandkids - a lifetime of living in Ontario.

Thursday will be filled with more tourism. I want to take the kids to Montmorency Falls, and maybe we'll drive to Tadoussac. A trip on the ferry might give them a chance to see Beluga whales! At least they will see the long, narrow farms, leading down to the water, which we studied about in History class.

We plan to head out on Friday, travelling to Bath, Maine, to see Rick's cousin Janet. We'll be staying in a beautiful home on an inlet, and Janet has promised to take us to historic sites, and to let us experience the culture and geography and fun of that part of the USA.

The following Wednesday, we'll pack up and travel to the Ottawa area, to visit our friends and my brother. It'll be fun to be on the dairy farm and help with chores. Linda hopes to go riding horseback with her friend, and I want to visit with Debbie! Friday will be our day with Uncle and Aunt and Cousins...then, we'll have to pack up for the trip home on Saturday.

I have been praying that the trip will be a memorable one; that the kids will learn a lot, and that relationships will grow and lives will be impacted.

Only two more days of packing, then we leave! I'd better get cracking.