Boy, is this summer ever going quickly! July has ended and now August takes its turn.
There have been many wonderful moments already. Last week I went up to Barrie to visit with my son Jay, daughter-in-law Shea and the two Grandchildren, Charli 9 years old and Kennedy 6 years old. After 16 LONG months, we finally got to hug each other. Kennedy held me for so long. I was there for 5 days and we got to go swimming in their pool and also in Lake Simcoe. We had a picnic and they got to play on the playground. One of the days there we went to Skull Island a mini-putt course in Collingwood. Grandma came in last of the 5 of us; however, I did get one hole in one. Charli got 4!! She was pretty amazing. Shea and Kennedy also got holes-in-one. It was so much fun and we were still able to socially distance ourselves. It was an incredible time visiting. Jay and Shea are both excellent cooks, unlike Grandma who is not! I even heard from my son that he had missed me! This was such a golden moment for sure. When I was leaving Barrie, Charli and Kennedy wanted to run alongside my car. I heard from them later that they cried the whole way. This pandemic has made it very clear how special family is to me. I was so grateful to be able to see them again. We hope that we will have some special times with these Grands at the end of August when we go to a KOA nearby. Jim and I look forward to having the kids with us for 3 days. Jay and Shea are already looking forward to some adult time without them. A win-win for all!
The first evening in Barrie I got to go to dinner with 3 of my classmates from our nursing student days in Orillia. This is the 50th anniversary of our Graduation, which we usually celebrate at Fern Resort every five years. We book the cabins right on Lake Couchiching. We have rebooked this for next year. What a treat to get together again. It never seems like 5 years have passed. We are all a little slower and a little grayer, but I thought we all looked fabulous for a bunch of ladies in their 70’s! One highlight was Barb who had put together a scrapbook of our Director of Nursing, Lorna Bunston (Bunny for short). We visited her on our 45th reunion at her nursing home (Birchmere Residence) on the Lake. She had told the staff that her kids were coming to see her. I don’t think they believed her until over 20 of us showed up. She truly looked after us all and shared her passion for nursing with us. We were so grateful we had that time with her because she passed away the following year. Barb spoke with the family and they gave her all the nursing pictures etc. from Miss Bunston’s nursing career. She was remarkably ahead of her time in how we were taught. It was more of a University Course with a very small class. She even had her degree in nursing plus her master’s degree. She was ahead of the times in so many ways.
A milestone happened yesterday for Jim. He sold his Kawasaki Voyageur to a family who came from Thunder Bay to pick it up. The Mother and her son were pretty amazing and we talked for a long time. We had help from all our neighbours to get this bike onto a trailer. It took 4 people to do so. We sure got to know our neighbours better. Because Jim’s pride and joy was going to a family who truly loved this bike, I believe it was an easier transition for Jim, though a difficult one. We were told it is one of only two bikes of its kind in Canada as it is officially an antique. We sure loved it and all the wonderful memories it held for us of our many trips including going to Port Dover many times. It was the most comfortable bike I have ever sat on. They often don’t make the back seat a priority. Boy, could that bike move. I totally loved riding with the wind on our faces and the amazing smells of grass or hay in the air. You could hear everything too. So many birds serenaded us. It was the total sense of freedom that I will miss and I know that Jim has missed that for years as he started riding when he was 14 years old.
This month I also continued to enjoy our backyard only this time I managed to capture pictures of a family of skunks who live under our shed. They are so darn cute and I made every effort not to scare them! I have warned the neighbours as well as the times that they come out to eat. This keeps all the dogs safer!
On August 13th I finally, after 26 months get to see my East Coast grandchildren plus my daughter and son-in-law. My ticket is in hand ready to go. I am so excited to see them all again. There is more to follow in my next blog.
Please keep safe and continue to be cautious as things open up again. I don’t know about you, but I do not want to go into lockdown again. Too much precious time with loved ones is lost.
I want to wish you all the best of summers. I know that mine has been so far.