Happy and Happy

These pictures tell all. Mummy is back! And I remember that Chris and Sonja, when they were little and we left, gave us a very hard time when we returned. Good luck and I am on my way back to Canada. Over and out.
~I~

Lites

This is actually suspended over the busiest street in the world, or so Oxford street seems. Christmas frenzy is in full swing here but surprisingly I did find a quiet cafe downtown on a side street and I sat and people watched.
~I~

Costume of the Day

Today Oona dressed in her princess costume for breakfast at Amouls. Kiefer is so happy because he loves to eat the sausages from his daddy's plate. I had a chance too run around for the afternoon so I went to the British Museum and say the Aztec exhibit. Also went to Oxford street that was a sea of people. I think all of the 8 million people in London were Xmas shopping. Talked to Sonja on Skype and she leaves for home tomorrow.
~I~

Park at 8am

Kiefer gets very upset when Onna and A leave for school and work in the morning. So I take him out to the park where at 8am, along with the workers, we are the only ones there. I couldn't get him away from this leaf blower. Kiefer has a good trick with toothbrushes. He sets them all up on the counter, pushes all the buttons (the brushes are electric) and then watches them vibrate and dance across the surface. He then eats the toothpaste.
Oona wears either her bunny suit or tiger suit to the park everyday.
~I~

On The Town

London is decked out for Christmas. Sigi and I traveled on a double decker to pick up Oona from school. Oona gave Omi a tour of her classes and then Sigi and I then went down town on our own for lunch, met Alex at his office, had a drink with Mike then went to see a play called the Shawshank Redemption. Here's Sigi being fresh with Roosevelt and Churchill.

Sing Along

Oona left for school this morning on the front of Alex's bike sitting in a little front seat with foot rests. She sings in a loud voice all the way and will not allow Alex to sing. Then Sonja, Kiefer and I went to the sing along at the local library. There were at least 45 moms and dads with kids-so about 90 big and little people. The guy leading was great! S left for a 15 hour flight to Buenos Aires. When we wake up she will still be in the air.
~I~

Bollywood dancing

We took Oona to her Bollywood dance class where she is the only fair-haired student. She loves it and showed us the new dance moves afterwards. Here are twin dance instructors, Monisha and Thandi, who allowed me to come into their class and photograph.
Oona introduced me. She said, "This is my Nana. Her name is Nana."
Kiefer had a doctors appointment and the doc thought his temperature was due to teething. He is better.

Mr. GQ

Here I am in London and here is Mr GQ in his new winter jacket. Kiefer has a bit of a fever but no cough so we were out and about. Arrived on a day flight in an empty plane with carry on luggage only. My only complaint is that overzealous airport officials confiscated my homemade pesto and gave me a lecture about terrorists - all because I told the supervisor that the pesto was not a liquid but a paste.

~I~

Waterwall by Chris

These two pictures came from Sonja's camera as she was the spotter while Chris was skiing.
The summer really is over and the autumn colors up north were reds, oranges and purple pinks. We opened all the drains under the cottage, poured antifreeze into the appliances and toilets, pulled the water line out of the lake and locked the door. Someone takes our docks out to avoid ice damage and lifts the boats up onto a rack. We were lucky as the weather was warm and water calm. We have in past years closed when our fingers have nearly frozen off and waves crashing. We had a last glass of wine in Georgian Bay before a roaring evening fire - until next spring.

~I~

Summer's over

Someone I know in Latvia laments, "summer is ooohver." But the pier in Oakville where we rode on bikes does not look like this YET! My back deck where we ate summer lunches and dinners does not look like this YET! However, we went north to Georgian Bay quietly, just the two of us, and started to prepare for winter closing. We will pull the water lines out of the lake, disconnect all the pipes so they don't freeze and split and pour antifreeze into the toilets, appliances and boat motors. A lot of yelling goes on in this process and I would like a subsitite for me. The Bay will freeze over. We have cross countried skiied out to our place in February but we have to call the Indians ahead to make sure all the water is frozen and there is no danger that we will fall through. Winter landscape, snowdrifts, ice, look very beautiful like the moon I imagine. An artist on a heighbouring island named Ed Bartram (google his name to see his art) has made a career putting the rock striations onto canvas.
Everything was quiet and we miss little voices, big voices, antics
and little feet in the morning.
~I~

Yaaah Gotcha!

Chris just sent these pictures from his camera. Scroll down to see the full seqeunce. The last picture speaks for it self.

Moments to Remember

Allan 's computer sent my computer his favourite photos , so here they are if you scroll down.
And here are a few of my favourite thought images.

*Alex has been fully initiated into Georgian Bay. Actually Georgian Bay initiated him. He hit a rock while driving the Blue Grew and dinged the prop or rather the skeg.

* Sonja claims she understands bird language. A very beautiful woodpecker species built a nest in the wall of the cottage right above their bed. Sonja and Oona and Alex listened everyday to the Mummy woodpecker coaxing her babies. Sonja translated.

*Oona had the energy to swim on her own ( I was next to her) and yell to the others at the same time - Wait for Me! - almost all the way to Manitou Dock. A distance of 400 metres.

*Allan jump started on two water skiis from the dock! I haven't seen him frolick like that for years.

*Inga from Latvia learned to kayak at a club that trains Canada's gold medalist. Inga also learned to make creme brulee.

*Sophie squeeled with delight, louder than any little person I have heard, at the sight of Oona and Kiefer's little faces.

* I baked three cakes for Kiefer's birthday on a rainy day with a very eager helper - Oona.

*Chris became The Godfather to Kiefer.

* Oona informed me that bunnies have pink ears. I unwittingly made brown ears on a buuny costume for her Birthday.

* Marianne introduced me to quinoa - YUM!

* Marianne is getting to like bugs.

Gone Again Mon Aug17th

They are gone again!! Sad. And Oona almost left her 'blankie or flankie' behind with me. I had to duck under the barrier at the airport, run and throw the blankie over the heads of the guards after Sonja and A and kids had gone through the scanner. So here are a few more 'last day ' pictures.
This is the best group church shot I could manage. More than one person is looking the wrong way, Oona would not comply and participate, I don't know where Allan is, so there we have it.
Sonja's godmother is in the orange dress.
Oona did take her shoes off and wander outside the church and help the older girls pour dirnks for the congregation. Very hot day at 35 degrees or so.

The last night before leaving Alex took his bike up and settled it under a tarp in grandma's garage. (Oona's great grandmother who turned 89 years) Oona followed the bike in the car, or vice versa.

~I~

Kiefer's Day Sunday Aug16th

Here is Rev Thompson trying to hold Kiefer upside down in the baptismal font at the Anglican church where Chris and Marianne were married 3 years ago.
The tower in the backround has a long, steep, narrow spiral stair case that leads to the bell ringers who played beautifully. Oona and I were invited to take a look as we met the chief bellringer the night before. So up we climbed -Oona in her flip flops. Oona held her ears as it did feel like we were inside the church bells. I was surprised to see only 8 ropes or one octave that on the street sounded much more complex.

The bellringer on the right put his whole bodily energy into ringing. His assistant is on the left.

Kiefer in his little linen outfit is ready to climb up and down steps-any steps.
And the party at our house, with 8 little cousins and second cousins. Sonja and Chris's cousin Tara has 4 children. She is married to an Aitken.

Bathing Beauties

Here are some more pictures of Sophie and Oona in their sunsuits and in Oona's case her
diving gear that Auntie M and Chris gave to her. She tried out her cap,mask and snorkle.
Her 'floaty suit' makes her very brave and enables her to swim any where.

And here are the two daddios with babies. Uncle Ralph and Anna are at the cottage this week-end with A and S and kids. Allan and I are in town wandering around at the jazz festival.

The Bike and Biker

Here is THE bike and heavy duty helmet on master rider who rode 2000 or more miles
up the east coast of North America. Amazing that all luggage came
with him in the saddle bags at the sides and back. Oona and her little friends on the street wanted to clamber and climb all over the bike. They didn't. They only tried on the helmet and walked about like little marsians.

And here is Oona in her Club 100 inflatable row boat. She looks like she will float out to sea
- that is, through the great lakes, down the St.Lawrence river and out to the Atlantic ocean back to Engalnd. But we do have a very long line attached to the bow so we can reel her in like a little fish.
I am trying new format.

~I~