Dan the Man

My good friend Daniel and I have such fun together! Although Daniel is 5 (almost 6) and will be in grade 1 next year, we are on the same wavelength.

We love playing with tiny animals (or 'aminals') and making them special habitats. We love to do experiments and speak to each other using precise, science-ish language, using words like 'proof' and 'hypothesis'. And I am taller than Daniel, but younger - which is an endless source of conversation between us, wondering how that could be.

(I decided that he must be small because he is such a picky eater, and I must be so huge because I love to eat...everything. Mom says that is a good hypothesis.)

One day this week, Daniel came over for a good long play-date. We had so much fun in the backyard with our aminals, chalk, paintbrushes, and buckets of water that we didn't even want to go swimming at the park until later. (Now that our backyard is not full of shed junk anymore, we can play out there!). We did eventually get to the pool at our park as well, and played 'aminal rescuer' using our pool noodles as aminal-rescue-mobiles. We had snacks in the shade - I ate melon, raspberries, green-beans-from-the-garden and cheese. Daniel ate graham crackers

(proof that my hypothesis was correct?).

We also had proof that he and I are "friend twins with different parents", as Daniel put it. When Daniel showed up at my house, we were basically dressed exactly the same, which was great, as we felt this was proof we were in a special twin club together.

Splashin' Out!

In Niagara Falls, Ontario - where the sea lions kiss, so the story goes...

We had a family trip to Niagara Falls on the long weekend and boy, was it ever fun!

Mom found us a good deal at a fancy 4-star resort, with a great saltwater pool. We stayed at the hotel for 2 nights so we could have enough time to be tourists. I learned what 'tourist' means, and there were a LOT of them/us around this long, hot weekend.

You know what's neat about staying in a hotel? You can sit in your bed and eat and watch TV all at the same time. This would never happen at home!

We arrived at our hotel Friday night, and after napping all the way in the car, I was able to stay up LATE! We had dinner at the hotel restaurant, mom and I went for a long swim, and I got to watch TV in my bed - they even had kids TV there!

The next morning we were up nice and early, so we got ready to head off to MARINELAND! I have been hearing the commercials on the radio for a while now, and I knew I wanted to go. I told mom and dad it was just what I expected. There were orcas, belugas, dolphins, sea lions, and even giant pacific walruses. There were deer to feed and so many rides to go on. It was hot and busy but because we were the early birds, we got the worm! (that's a saying)

After a fun-filled half-day at MarineLand we went back to our hotel for more swimming, this time with my blow up orca whale, Kandu. Dad bought me a tiny little orca at the gift shop as well. It was less than half the size of my pinkie finger - tiny! Mom and dad were a bit nervous that he might get lost and they offered to hold on to him for safekeeping. I said no thanks but then by mistake, as soon as we got back to our hotel, the little guy got flushed down the toilet. I learned - the hard way - that there is a good reason for the 'no toys in the bathroom' rule.

Here I am getting ready for our trip to MarineLand.

Me and Dad feeding the deer.

There was a real castle there and I got to pee in it!

(in the washroom - in the castle!)

Here we are watching the show at King Waldorf Stadium.

We also went on lots of rides, which I really loved. Mom and dad said rides aren't the same when you're a grown-up, but they came on with me anyways.

Here we are getting ready to go on this one for the second time.

Me and Dad on a flying fish!

Mom and Dad saw this sign, and said they were skeptical, whatever that means.

The belugas and orcas were beautiful swimming under the water,

but I wondered if they were sad to not be in the ocean.

Here is a funny chair that we found in the hallway in our hotel.

In this picture Kandu and I are watching TV and eating crackers (!!) on our bed.

On Sunday morning we went down early to Niagara Falls, so it wasn't as hot and crowded. It was threatening to rain and looked very lovely.

We asked another tourist (from China) to take our picture for us, all together.

He did a good job.

Cottage Daze

Last weekend mom and I (weekend warriors) headed up to the (entity formerly known as the) Keachie Cottage.

It was not an auspicious start, as I had a blazing fever and sore throat - but I still insisted that we make the trek.

It was worth it. We had a lovely hot, sunny, swimmy weekend

(after making a trip to the walk-in clinic in Bracebridge).

Highlights:

-getting more and more comfortable in the water

-swimming with ducks (and Nan)

-having someone (Jackson!) to play with

-flying squirrels

-picking wild blueberries

-hanging out with 2 dogs, Bo and Winnie

Me and Nan swimming with ducks

Me and Nan just swimming

Me and Jackson having an inside picnic

Winnie, Nan, me and Jackson

Darc and me relaxing on the swinging couch

Me picking wild blueberries

Car Camping

A couple of weekends ago we went camping (okay, "car camping") at Guelph Lake Conservation Area. Although we were not far from home, it really felt like being away (but with emergency amenities at our fingertips should we have needed anything - we didn't)!

It was a blast. The weather was HOT, the beach was beautiful and the campsite dad picked at random was the best site around, as far as we could tell. We had shade all day (a rare commodity) and were even able to crawl into the tent for a family nap on Saturday afternoon while others were roasting away on their sunny sites.

Although I have been camping before, this was my first excursion that I can remember - and I am so excited to go again and again.

Before, During and After

BEFORE...

DURING...

AFTER!!!

Happy Canada Day!!

For the record, here are three things I know about Canada.

1. It is a great country to live in.

2. We have a national anthem, and I know all the words in English. I also learned that 'Oh Canada' was written in French, first.

3. Canada's flag has a red maple leaf on it, and I made my own flag for Canada Day. We have a lot of maple trees on our street.

Ground Zero

Mom and Dad decided that this summer is the time to replace the old, rotten, holes-in-the-roof shed in our backyard. Dad has been working very hard to tear it down and clean up the mess, so the new shed can be installed in the next week or so.

We have a giant garbage bin in the driveway which is completely full of broken-down shed. I got to help do some tearing down, and wore my protective gloves, boots and a mask. Dad says I am a trooper.

Yesterday we each got to say one thing that we wanted to see go into the NEW shed. Dad said he wanted his tools and a worktable in the shed. I said all the stuff on the deck should go in. Mom said shelves and hooks for storing long ladders and a canoe.