Camp T

Wow.  What a great weekend at Camp T -- Women's Retreat.   A bunch of wild and wonderful women, of all ages.  40+  Too busy to get a head count.  My theme was:  "I am Woman, Hear Me Roar."  Lots of laughter, singing, skits, prayer, relationship building, spa things on Saturday afternoon, even scarf dyeing and Carolyn had a tea party for about 15 women.   I am a bit exhausted -- still.  I think it's because I come home from a weekend of no sleep and don't actually have a day off to rest.  I get right back into teaching, teaching, and more teaching, and all the other things I do.  My own fault.

Why am I so driven?  I do relax when I can, and am crocheting eight inch squares late at night.  I think Granny is spying on me from the garden house.  She can't sleep, so she spies on me.  Actually, I spy on her, too.

Friday we took off for Woodstock.  Again.  It was Doug's 4th trip last week and by the time yesterday finished, he had made five trips up river.  Should we live there?  Perhaps the Southshore Sister could move up early and retire in Hartland, and we'll move the whole shooting match up to potato country, where I'm really from.

Doug went to work at Big Dog Equipment.  or should I say Big Doug Equipment?  He has immersed himself in truck parts and computer software.  I have immersed myself in teaching music and preparing sermons.  Of course, we have lots to talk about, and as we travel, we dream about chalets and land and vacationing.   What a time in our life -- up and down the river valley, taking care of parents, trying to be with our grandchildren and still working full time and then some.  I'm still the interim pastor at Morning Gate Church, until I'm moved out -- by God or the people.  LOL   I love what I'm doing.  I am blessed. I can't believe that we have such a rich life.

Saturday morning I was sitting in the bleachers watching Jack and Afton play chess at the local chess tournament.  And trying to keep Croy and Ivy amused, while Alicia scooted out to the Sugar Bush to set up the Teddy Bear Picnic for Ivy's 5th birthday party.  Croy was highly amused with my reading glasses and amused those around as well.  What a cutie.  After a few cups of spilled coffee, it was finally time to load 7 children (we picked up a few more during our stay at the chess tournament) and head out to the Sugar Bush.  The boys had a boil on, and the maple sap spa was in full swing.  Try putting your face in the steam from the sap.   Oh, 'tis wonderful.  Alicia did a great job on the birthday party, complete with Teddy Bears on blankets, balloons, hidden things, beehive, sweets, cake, the Maple Man (Jon), and I sang "Teddy Bear picnic" song to the kids.  And sang 1-50 about 50 times to put Croy and Oliver to sleep in the hammock, nestled in the maple trees.  They slept for a couple of hours, and I relished in the fact that I am blessed.

Doug and I made it back later that evening, tired and chilled.   After church in the morning, we grabbed Granny & Jed and headed back to Coldstream (wherever that is), to Uncle Floyd's 80th birthday party at the Womens' Institute hall.  It was a complete surprise to him.  Of course, I got to see a lot of relatives, including the funeral director, the Pirate, Pippin and Uncle Earl, Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman, and Nurse Amy.  We had a great time and a few laughs.   Then it was home again.

Doug left early this morning for Woodstock -- again.  To work at Big Dog.  Should we move up?  Brenda?  Natalie?  What do you think?   Jon?  Just kidding.

As in the Days of Noah

Yesterday it rained so hard and for so long that we had major flooding -- in the yard, and POURING in our basement walls.  Like a waterfall in one section.  I ruined my shoes wandering around in ankle deep cold water, moving things, and then I started carting things upstairs to give away, loading up the truck with stuff.  And the dumpster.  Nothing like a flood of water to make one declutter.

Doug developed a hose system with a sump pump in a lawnchair in one of the major lakes in the yard (about 2 feet deep), and pumped it out onto the street, where it filtered into the storm sewers.  Our whole house was surrounded by water.  I thought I lived on an island for a day.

We were both pretty worn out by the time the day ended.

We had a great time in Blaine Maine in an A-Frame.  A few days of rest, relaxation, and researching my geneology.  Yes, part of me is Irish -- Jane Page, born in 1799 in Ireland, come to Canada in the 1800's.  Spent quite a time researching the family.  I let out a shout when I found her birthdate the other morning -- "Yes, Doug, I KNEW I was Irish!"

We went around the mountain -- Mars Hill that is.  Doug loves windmills and there are about 26 of them around that mountain.  The snow was too crusty to cross country or snowshoe, so we didn't do much of it in Maine.  But on Friday, back in New Brunswick, I snowshoed in the Tracy Mills Baptist church cemetery and the Methodist Pioneer Cemetery, looking for ancestors.  Doug and I traveled around the old country, looking for ancestors.  I found a few, and a couple of distant cousins.

We made it to Bristol and snowshoed to the top of the Crabbe road beside Jim Brown's place.  Thought I was going to have a heart spell of some sort.  About 2 kms up hill.  We made it out into the expansive field/hill and found a tree in the middle of that field, put our coats down for protection from the snow and had a beautiful picnic.  I tried to have a sleep on my coat, with my snowshoes on.  You should have seen me -- all twisted up.  But it was beautiful.  What a snowshoe -- looking over at Mars Hill (where we had just been for four days), Moose Mountain and far off into the distance our beloved Mt Katahdin.

A great rest and back to church today, well rested.  Ready to start work tomorrow -- students -- COME ON IN!

Saturday in the city

You know, if you need a vacation, create one.  Even in your own hometown.  We took Granny & Jed on a mini-adventure around Freddytown.  I enjoyed it -- I hope they did...
Here's what we did:

1.  had a tour of the new YMCA
2. Grant Harvey centre -- Dad & Doug watched hockey while Mom and I walked around the walking track quite a few times and talked
3.  Tried to go to the Regent mall but it was too busy
4.  Sat in traffic
5.  Went to DQ and I stood in line forever and treated mom & dad to ice cream
6.  Northside Market, where Mom bought a huge bird feeder.  I bought apples.  Doug had to take apart the bird feeder to get it home, part of it sticking out the window

Not much of a vacation, but a little outing, I guess.  But you know?  Just getting out of the house on a drab spring-like day is often enough to lift your spirits.  Try it you'll like it.  It then continued on for us:

 7. Doug was on the phone to Aliant once again for about 45 minutes, this time about his Mother's phone line, which no one can call in.  We have now spent DAYS this past year talking to Aliant.  Every month there is something we have to call Aliant about.  Why is the phone company so difficult to talk to???  (PUN intended)

8. Worked on my paperwork in my office -- yay...Doug on his computer.  (reminds me of Mama in her kerchief and I in my cap or something like that)

9.  To Wendy's for a bite to eat and met up with a couple of friends...

10.  To Canadian Tire.  Bought snowshoes for Doug and a thermarest for Sally (Deb), for our trip to Blaine Maine, and 35th anniversary trip in May to canoe the Restigouche River (gotta plan ahead)...

11.  Home to work in the office again and prepare for Sunday.   Doug on computer once again.  He is working, by the way...not on social media...

12. Watched a movie rented from Aliant -- I'm sure we'll have to call them next month when this appears on the bill.  My father was a telephone man for 40 years.  I doubt he experienced difficulty with the phone like we do today.  Doug's mother still has no phone connection

All in all, a mini-vacation/work Saturday.  Relaxing nonetheless.  Looking forward to this week, as I am really going to try and go on vacation.  Looking forward to an A-Frame in Blaine Maine.  (On the plains and I hope it doesn't rain).