On The Point: July 2008

Wednesday, July 30th, 2008 - Tasty little morsels

After a recovery day yesterday (TV and naps) we gathered all hands in the van first thing this morning and headed out to the city. While I got my hair done, the rest of our gang (Silas, Josh, Jacob, Maggie, and Bomber) joined the Mount Pearl vacation group (Alan, Sandy, Christiane, Bern, and Brian) and made the trip to Cape Spear. A majestic and scenic site. Today, mostly they just saw fog. Ironically, they never did get to the lighthouse. Couldn't see it through the fog so they didn't know it was there!

It was Velma's for lunch (yummy fishcakes), then back up the shore for a wee rest before going across the beach for supper at SHeila and Jim's. Holy tasty supper - prime rib, Yorkshire puddings, veggies, and homemade strawberry shortcake for dessert (thanks Grandma). Bomber charmed everyone, first with her search for the perfect place to sit...

Then just by being so absolutely lovely.

Jenna was an unexpected guest at the meal. Although she wasn't welcome in the house, there were quite a few carrots passed out through the window!

Monday, July 28th, 2008 - Rainy days and Mondays

Today dawned hot and sunny - the perfect day to be in Calvert. Maggie wanted to do "something special" with Mom, so we decided on cleaning out the van! She was a great help in all stages, but her favourite was the hosing things down at the very end.

The reward after our hard work was a birthday package that arrived from Uncle John. So exciting! And although it was Maggie's birthday package, there were treats in it for everyone, including an iPod for Mom! Thanks Uncle John!

After a picnic lunch we made a quick call over the beach and set up a trip to Rocky Pond for a dip. All hands had fun, but the water temperature really threw the boys for a loop. Their swimming destination of choice is the warm kiddie pool at the Aquarena. They were adamant in their decision to stay on the edge and just throw rocks.

We joined Kris and the gang for another boat trip after lunch, then a seafood BBQ on the deck for supper. Aaah, vacation....Tonight Bomber arrives and then everything will be perfect.

6 Years Old!

With the big birthday celebration already over, and Jenn and Bomber getting home from the ferry at 5 am, Silas and Maggie snuck out for their own big 6th birthday breakfast at the Riverside Restaurant in Cape Broyle.

"This is the best breakfast I ever had," said Maggie of her sausages and french toast. "They're really good cookers here."

After breakfast we found a big boat to climb in, and two miniature boats with several families of tiny ducklings swimming round them.

In the dog house

In case there was any doubt who forgot to bring the camera to the Telly 10 finish line...

Sunday, July 27th, 2008 - That must be the end of them now

Today Kristine and I ran the Tely 10. Ten miles (16km) and we crossed the finish line with smiles on our faces. We were pretty proud of ourselves. We didn't have a camera to take a photo of our victorious selves in our running gear, but at the end of the day (after a few hours on the Ferryland Ball Field at the Shamrock Festival) we did get a dandy snap of us digging in to wings and chips. We considered dressing up in our running gear again, pinning our numbered bibs to our chests, and claiming that the photo was taken this morning just before the start of the race, but we didn't want to open ourselves up to scandal if and when we were exposed.

Saturday, July 26th, 2008 - Cheaters never win

Maggie was so excited today - we celebrated her 6th birthday. She knew it was going to be a party to remember - yesterday when we were on the boat, having such a great adventure, she exclaimed with delight, "This is so much fun!" Then a pause, "But I know not as much fun as my birthday party will be!"

So I think the do lived up to her expectations. We had 13 kids and just as many grown ups. The kids played lots of games - Pass the Parcel, Kim's Game, Pin the Tongue on the Codfish (a Newfoundland twist on the traditional pony favourite).

It was a hoot to watch the real competitive kids try their best to ensure victory - passing the parcel veeerrrry slowly in hopes the music would stop; lifting their head waaaaay up to peek under the blindfold in an attempt to get the tongue squarely inthe fish's waiting mouth. The food was delicious - thanks Uncle Rob for the BBQing.

When it was all over and all the water balloons had been thrown, Clare stayed around to play with Maggie. They painted ceramic pigs with a kit Maggie had gotten for her birthday. They named them "Pig Will", "Pig Won't", and "Pig Sort Of". Too cute.

Friday, July 25th, 2008 - The Hare's Ears

Today Granda took us out in Jim's boat. We motored around Calvert Harbour, and then all the way to Ferryland, with Granda giving the guided tour of fishing berths and the stories that go with them. Silas brought his video to capture that living history.

Wednesday, July 23rd, 2008 - Corporal works of mercy

The days here are flying by - we've been swimming, shopping, walking, going to the library...all the while going through endless Tim's drive-thrus for coffee and fruit-filled timbits.

Today Silas and I went to town ALL BY OURSELVES (thanks Grandma and Granda!) to watch movies in the theatre. We also went to visit Sr. Patrice who is in hospital waiting for surgery. Of course, you can't go empty handed, so we picked some peonies from the garden to brighten her hospital room, and then for her palate Grandma fried up a tasty sculp. (aka codfish head). That's just the way we do things here.

Sunday, July 20th, 2008 - Calvert Daze

This weekend was Calvert Days, a few days of the year set aside to visit with friends and relatives, raise money for Calvert Hall, and generally confirm that Calvert is the best community on the Shore, bar none. We ate fishcakes and bakeapple jam at the Hall, saw all kinds of people, ("My God, Jennifer, the boys are after gettin' some big! How old are they now?") and then enjoyed two hours of singing at the Calvert Daze Variety Concert on Sunday night. Maggie loved that evening: "Mom, I wish this show would never end!"

I couldn't get Nan out of my mind all weekend...last year getting her to go to the Calvert Days brunch was a tough sell, but not as tough as getting her out of the Hall when it was over! And she would have loved the singing...

This afternoon we managed to interrupt Uncle Rob's post-Sunday Dinner nap to take a trip down to Stone Island. Again, the boys outdid themselves, walking the whole trail holding hands with Mom and Dad. Well, once in a while they got spoiled...

When we made to the end, confronted by the enormity and the beauty of the vast Atlantic Ocean, the boys true delight was reserved for a two foot wide rain pool in the rocks.

It was interesting to sit there, at the spot in the harbour where the first settlers arrived to carve out a home on this cold and unforgiving rock, a watch Uncle Rob mesmerized by something totally modern.

Saturday, July 19th, 2008 - That was grand!

Well, here we are in Calvert again. This time a whole week has passed and I have not managed to put fingertips to keyboard to cast our vacation experiences out into the blogosphere. Not for lack of adventures, though.

We arrived last Sunday after an excruciating 22 hour voyage. Marine Atlantic, fog, and moose were the culprits. But we did arrive safely in the wee hours of the morning, and had time to get a couple of hours sleep before getting up to go to Mass and then home for Sunday Dinner. Naps were had by all, then we rounded out the day with, of course, wings and chips (and cod bites this time) from the Jigger. All was right with the world.

Throughout this week we've kept ourselves pretty busy. The Lighthouse Picnics were a highlight, and not just for the good food this year. Josh and Jacob walked all the way out without the stroller! The weather was perfect for the walk out and back, but while we there it was cold and drizzly and we couldn't handle an outdoor picnic.

The weather was so perfect the rest of the week that we packed in as many outdoor adventures as we could, before the inevitable rain, drizzle, and fog came to drive us indoors. We threw rocks into the North Atlantic, frolicked in Bowring Park, watched laundry flap in the wind, and rode bikes up and down the lane.