Packing procrastination

Into the final procrastinations for packing as the work commute begins on Sunday morning. I did manage to get electronics charged and my knapsack put together, easier as more stuff is coming home than going north this time. I feel like I've been packing (unpacking) for the past week. I'm packed for the Greek adventure six weeks early as I won't be making it all the way home from work before leaving again - the travel partner will have to bring the backpack and travel clothes to the city when he meets me. And we had a three day multi family camping trip to Kejimkujik National Park which included rain and wind so stacks of wet gear to be cleaned, dried and repacked. Camping is work and inclement weather camping is a lot of work. It was great to see the grandchildren enjoying the park as much as their parents did though. Our daughter brought their canoe so there were two excursions where the grandson assured me that he'd seen beavers, snapping turtles, fish etc. although these sightings were not confirmed by his aunties. Mind you, he was also convinced that BigFoot was in the park as his uncle had him knock on a tree trunk and the creature responded! As our son-in-law said "those other campers were sure looking at me funny as I hid and whacked that log". The best part was his baby cousin who has begun to use her index finger to indicate things of interest pointing into the trees with the rest of us. When I suggested that mister should go check out the wooded area (where he was adamant he'd seen a brown hairy arm wave) he declined stating that he wasn't scared, just didn't want to. Campfire smores, making new friends, trips to the playground, great food, card games and cousins playing. A good time was had by all! 

The swimming lessons resulted in two (count em) two badges and the little man is in Level 4 now, just has to work on the distances to move up. It was too cold to get in to the lake at Kedge and although the pool here was balmy last week, it is a frigid 70F this week. The water was looking a bit murky last weekend so the shore captain drained, scrubbed the liner with javex (using a headlamp) and refilled the pool on the high tide at midnight. Unfortunately I won't be able to partake if it ever warms again. This summer has been the cool and wet one predicted unfortunately. There was snow in Sachs Harbour last week, but summer snow doesn't stay so I'm not expecting any by Monday and at least the bugs will have disappeared. By mid September I'll be putting the winter jacket and boots I left in the closet to use though.

The rookie season has been continuing with the grandson becoming more likely to make contact with the ball. The bat, batting gloves and mitt his grandfather outfitted him with for a grading present is getting good use. Have gotten used to warming the bleachers again after a decade away and will miss that as well next month. Oh well….next summer there won't be this trade off.

When the grandson was here for his swimming lesson week his grandfather suggested they'd like strawberry shortcake so I prepared the fruit and baked sweet biscuits. Our grandson came in from 'helping' in the greenhouse and said "that smells like pancakes cooking" so I explained it was the biscuits. He said "smells some good" and I said "hasn't anyone made you strawberry shortcake before?" and he said "once" and named one of the places he stays clarifying that she "bought the stuff at the store, like cool whip and those cakes". I'm sure his great grandmother would not have been impressed to hear that. Tonight I picked up a box of wild blueberries from the Upick as I have run out of time to get them myself. With all the moisture this year they're large and juicy and would be easy picking. They'll be waiting for me to bake in November.

The greenhouse and outside beds are yielding great produce and we have been enjoying zucchini, cucumbers, radish, onions, lettuce of various kinds, spinach, mesclun mix, basil and other herbs. The peppers and tomatoes are beginning to ripen. And yes, another thing to miss as the harvest continues. If you're local and driving by….help yourself. I've made a batch of pesto this evening to freeze and did you know that you can make radish top pesto? It's delicious, milder than basil and a good use of something I would've previously thrown in the compost. Told the shore captain he'll have to become an expert canner as well.

Have been making the rounds and visiting friends/family as I wind up my time off. Had an afternoon of tea and conversation with a retired friend and her grand dog, ran in to several folks in my rounds at the stores, made a trek to another community and walked the beach with two friends (one home from Alberta) and stopped for tea/dessert - the strawberry/rhubarb dumpling with ice cream is what dreams are made off! And we compared notes on the pneumonia prevention vests we've started (she knitting and me crocheting) which are a feel good project. Last evening was a walk on the beach and a Dan's date to catch up on news and make some cruise plans for the upcoming 'Operation Mario' adventure. This morning I had my summer neighbour over for breakfast (we've both been so busy that we have to schedule ourselves in) and she left stating that I was exhausting her with my pace so she needed a rest. Tomorrow is a day of errands - rock pit fixed in windshield, lunch with nursing school classmates, haircut and a stop to pick up the Euros I've ordered from the bank and then a visit to my sister. Saturday is grocery shopping and a few minutes snatched with the grandchildren which will have to last for six weeks for the baby (I'll see her again on my 24 hrs in the city September 14) and three months for the little guy.

So….off to bed as the time zone dance will soon be kicking my butt. Don't want to think of what 9 hrs (three from west to east in Canada then six more to Greece) within 24 hrs will do for my carcass in September. Mind you that list of ten cyclades we've mapped out to visit is looking mighty fine. Next update from the land of the northern sun.