Grand Manan

Lindsey and I decided to take the kids to Grand Manan for a couple of days. We are not quite sure what we were thinking... it wasn't exactly the most relaxing of holidays given the unfavourable ratio of adults to children combined with the miserable rainy weather. Nevermind though, you soon forget the tough bits and only remember the fun and friends :)

Five kids on a big boat. The kids are aged 1,2,3,4 and 6.

Funny photo of Tadhg taken by Brendan. We spent some of the boat time inside eating fish and chips- it kept them contained in one spot for a while!

Five in the van.

When we woke up the first morning it was pouring with rain. So we headed to a cafe for breakfast.

Then we stopped in to the island's used clothing shop to find rain coats for Lindsey's kids (they had come straight to Grand Manan from somewhere else without going home and didn't have rain gear). We ended up spending a long time in there and coming out with a costume for each of them.

We also went to the library for a bit and then Lindsey took Ira, Hannah and Brendan to the museum while I got Esme and Tadhg to sleep in the car.

We then stopped at a beach and soon the older three were naked and paddling in the water.



We wanted to stay out as long as possible so that we could tire them out and get them to bed early but it was one of those days where time passes very very slowly. So the afternoon was spent watching a kids movie from the library and dressing up to be dragons, a turtle, a princess and a bear. Tadhg was banished to eat his spaghetti supper outside to minimise the mess.

Here's the cabin we stayed in. On three floors with extra loft bedrooms and a fish pond in the floor of the living room. The owner has built a few cabins dotted around in a patch of woods by a salt marsh and he has chickens and ponds and an organic garden. He also has a big gravel pile intended for some future project that was Brendan's favourite spot. Ira tried fishing for goldfish with a net and Tadhg and I gathered some wild strawberries by the driveway.


On both nights they did all go to bed early so Lindsey and I got some valuable time by ourselves. Next time we'll go somewhere without the kids- can't wait :)

And here we all are.

More goodbyes

On our way to Grand Manan we stopped in to visit our friends in Quispamsis one last time. I lived and worked with a good friend from New Brunswick in Cairo 10 years ago and her parents have been very welcoming and special to us during our time here. On several occasions over the last few years we've enjoyed spending time with them, playing in their garden, sharing lobster, being fed lots of other lovely food and meeting Ali there. And of course this is where our canoe came from.

This time we went for a little nature hike...

...which ended in swimming in the river. Lots of fun. Except the part where Brendan got a leech between his toes. I've never liked leeches much but am grateful that I experienced many a leech in Sri Lanka so that I was able to get it off without Brendan really knowing what was going on.

Strawberry picking

Here are a few pictures from our strawberry picking outing last week. This is the first organic strawberry U-pick in this area and it belongs to relatives of a friend of ours. We went along with a group of our friends and picked (and ate) lots and lots of berries before having a picnic together. Every special day like this is all the more important because we're going so soon now.

Balance Bikes Rock

This is the coolest bike in the world! We found it in a wonderful little toy shop in Mons and couldn't resist. He absolutely loves it. I took a couple of video clips on the first day and will take another this week sometime to show the difference. But here he is showing off his skills today after only a couple of weeks' riding.

Balancing

Ending with a flourish.
As he started to experiment with lifting his feet he would ride up onto the verge to slow down. He is now getting to grips with slowing down and stopping- although going downhill is still a scary affair (for me watching that is!)

It was a perfect evening today. There had been a thunder storm earlier in the afternoon so it was a lovely fresh post-storm evening with incredible lighting and a recent rain smell. Steve worked on the picnic table he's building for the boys while we watched and played in the front garden. Look at him go! I think he could really get into woodworking.

Can't wait till this is finished. Should be light enough for Brendan to move it around on his own and put it where he wants in the new garden. Or at least with a friend, once we find some. After watching a few episodes of the Green Balloon Club (a British TV show we watch online) he now wants to have his own club to sing songs and play in the garden.

He still goes to playschool once a week for a couple of hours and the teacher says he may not be that interested in drawing and colouring (or anything that involves sitting at a table and concentrating) but he certainly loves to perform and to build and take things apart. Just thought I'd record that here- who knows how he'll change and grow and what he'll be interested in at any point in the future. It is such a privilege to be a part of this whole thing. Wow I love my boys so much.

special places and pals

I'm keen to get a few more words and pictures in about some of our favourite, regular spots and our favourite people in Fredericton before we leave. Here's Brendan with Maddie clambering up a dirt pile, obviously.

We'll miss these guys. Sophia has been a great listener and source of good, chilled out, oh-well-what-the-hell kind of vibes whenever I needed them. Here we are walking past the beaver pond on the farm near our house. Baby Mac on her back and I must have had Tadhg with me.

Here's the other wee beaver dam just outside our back fence. We've spent many hours hanging out on this small patch of muddy land. Never did see a beaver though. Maybe I'll take Brendan out there one dawn or dusk before we leave.

And this is not in Fredericton but down in Fundy National Park. We camped out in Lindsey and Matt's back garden and then spent a night in the park itself with Cheyanne and Grace. Was too busy enjoying everyone's company and only managed to get this one photo. Must remember to take more next time we see them.

Three Generations On The Beach

With our time remaining in Canada becoming very short, we were able to sneak in a quick beach holiday with the family. After work on a Friday, Siobhan, the kids and I made good time south to Old Orchard Beach, Maine. The boys really did well on the trip down until we actually tried to get settled in the motel room. At one point I took Brendan out for a walk while Siobhan got Tadhg to bed. We went for a quick walk down to the centre and lets just say Siobhan wasn't too impressed when Brendan ratted me out, "Mommy, I had pizza and french fries for bedtime snack". Well I guess 10:00pm was kind of late.

My parents where the first to arrive and they helped us get the beach warmed up for the arrival of Dustin & Duncan. In good Riff tradition my Dad brought down a load of beach toys. Before we knew it, we had a dam which rivaled the Hoover Dam and the boys loved swimming in the deep pool behind it. This is Tadhg leading Nana & Papa through the waves.

Once Scott, Shannon and the boys arrived, it was a pizza & fries for all then more construction on the beach and swimming in the ocean. It was really awesome watching the 6 boys interact. Yup, even Scott and I. Although it looks like he has the advantage, he quickly gave up once I threatened to take him into the surf.

Brendan having fun on the beach.....

And in the water.

This is Brendan leading Duncan down the beach. Brendan loved running back and forth along the water. I swear he could have done that all day.
We're looking forward to seeing the rest of Shannon's photos- we didn't get many, the trip was a bit short. Lots of fun though. Can't wait till next time.

Forest Fridays

I am so grateful for chance meetings! How different our time in Fredericton would have been had we not been in the right place at the right time and struck up conversations on a number of occasions. And through one person we would meet another and then another until we found ourselves surrounded by wonderful, interesting, supportive people. We have felt quite at home here and now that our time here is coming to an end we are realising how much we're going to miss everyone.

One such group of people is our Wednesday playgroup. I used to call them my greeny group. We had been here a year already and I was excited and relieved to finally meet a bunch of people who shared many of our own ideas about parenting within this crazy culture of ours. Anyway, through that group we have met some of our dearest friends here and we will miss them all.

Here are a few photos of our latest Forest Friday walk. It's a waldorf/steiner inspired group and is such a lovely part of our week that we are determined to start one of our own once we are settled in Mons. We go for a short circular hike in the woods in Fredericton's wonderful O'dell Park. Tadhg is the youngest and Brendan is one of the oldest. We go along a trail, over some bridges, scramble up a rocky path, past a waterfall, a pond, a cave, a mud patch and, of course, lots and lots of trees. Half way round we stop and gather in a circle and share a home baked healthy(ish) snack and sometimes sing a song or listen to a story.

Here we go... The beginning of the hike.

"Water" is one of the few words Tadhg pronounces very clearly.

Tadhg having a closer look at a fern.

Regular stop to investigate the "cave".


Brothers in mischief. (I shouldn't say that, should I? Self-fulfilling prophecies and all that :)

All in all a special time. And we've met even more wonderful people in the last couple of months and feel sad to be leaving before we've got to know them better.

wanting time to speed up for a change

12 days until official packing begins but we are surrounding by boxes and piles of "stuff". We are feeling a little overwhelmed by the shear quantity of material belongings we own and almost every day one or other of us says "let's just get rid of it all!" But, of course, we don't. We have got to the point where we like everything left but still have way too much.
I'm looking forward to the three+ weeks we'll be living out of our bags- a chance to escape from it all for a while. And we are determined that, as we unpack every object at the other end, if it doesn't find a sensible home in the new house then it's not staying. Hah, we'll see how that goes. We dream of selling it all off, leaving for somewhere else and starting again with nothing. I just double checked with Steve to confirm he agrees and he said "and the kids too?" haha very funny :)
Our lovely friend and babysitter, Sam, very bluntly reminds me regularly that we wouldn't have this problem if we didn't bring something home every time we go out. So true. Maybe one day we'll make some drastic changes. Little steps for now though.

memories

Caitlin just sent us a photo we haven't seen before. This was taken in Dakar as we waited at the ferry terminal for a ferry to Ile de Goree. We can't wait for the next trip. Better get saving our pennies.

Didn't get to Belgium this week. Caitlin's flight was cancelled due to ashy atmosphere, we didn't have anyone to look after the boys and there was no room on the plane for them. We've re-booked and leave this Sunday now- and for slightly longer. We're "allowed" an extra four days because there is a public holiday in the first week which means we have a full weekend in the middle. Downside (less sleep, more expensive) is that the boys are now coming with us. I'm sure we'll have fun though, and Caitlin is coming over to Belgium to help out.

Here are a couple of pictures I took a week or two ago. Since this photo, spring has sprung and the leaves have emerged. We're making the most of the bug-free days and spending much of our time outside.

If I have stuff to do in the house I will often get the boys outside and then potter about inside: cooking, doing the dishes, laundry, sewing. I am always aware of them and just pop out every few minutes to let them know I'm listening. But lately they have discovered that they can squeeze under the garden fence. It's not worth adapting the fence because we're leaving so soon. Oh, well, I'll guess I'll just have to spend less time on housework and more time outside!

I am fascinated by the effect that being outside has on us. Too much time inside and the boys fight, they compete for my attention, they whine and pretend to be upset at silly little things and my store of patience gets overdrawn rapidly. Going outside immediately fixes a crappy morning and sorts us all out. They play peacefully, both together and individually, they manage fine without me around and they get totally engrossed in whatever they are doing.

Yesterday, Brendan popped his head inside to tell me he was going on a mission to rescue the "who dit noop". I had no idea what he meant and nodded and said "uh huh" and "good luck". I couldn't work out what the who dit noop was so I watched him secretly. He fetched the wheelbarrow, put a bunch of rocks in it, filled it with water from the rain barrel, put some more rocks in, stirred it with a stick, wheeled it across the lawn, dumped it out, took it to the dirt pile... I was thinking he must have abandoned his rescue plans and left the who dit noop to it's fate. He carried on shoveling dirt, then walked around the garden a bit and finally went to a tree at the bottom of the garden and stood looking up at the hula hoop sitting on a branch out of his reach. Ahhhhhh. He hollered, "mummy! can you help me rescue the who dit noop?"