At this exact moment in time, I am wedged between to fantastic weekends chocked full of wonderful events. Journey back in time with to last weekend.
We at Chez Hoy kicked of the weekend on Friday--as any great weekend should--by finding an excellent new home for our family dog, Shiela. I had been struggling for a long time, trying to fit in enough time to make sure she got all the exercise and attention she needed and try as I might, I just couldn't do it. So I interviewed a bunch of really nice people and found a young couple who attend the University of Ottawa who were delighted to have her in their family. So, the kids and I packed a picnic lunch and made a day of it. After we said our goodbyes, we went to meet Bruce at Dows Lake for a lunch in the sunshine. It was bliss. There were squirrels for the girls to chase and everyone stuffed themselves.
When I got home, I got to work letting go of two garbage bags of clothes that, even if they did still fit (and they didn't) would be so out of style I couldn't get away with wearing them anyway. People, I threw away bridesmaids dresses from three weddings I attended 15 to 20 years ago! What was I thinking?! On the upside, I have room in my closet now to get me some clothes that fit.
Saturday, the girls and I took in the Middleville Fair during the afternoon. This is a great place to take kids who really dig animals. There were Alpacas (I am teaching them at a tender age the beauty of luxury fibre) and bees and teams of horses, sheep, cows and fowl. We paid special attention to where we were walking. There's nothing quite like being in the middle of a crowd and having one of your children scream at the top of their lungs, "MOMMY WATCH OUT FOR THAT POO!" Can't say they don't listen. Good times.
On the way home, we took a slew of back roads and got to see the trees starting to turn. The area we live in is just on the cusp of the Autumn colour show. In the next two weeks, the hills will look like they are on fire. It is a fleeting time when the sun's light plays off the leaves, making everything around you appear golden. I love this time of year.
Saturday night, Bruce and I got our good duds on and headed into the city. I know, this makes it sound like we live in hicksville (and well, I sort of do, but that's besides the point) since we do in fact come into the city to go to work every day. However, Saturday night was special because we were going to the National Arts Centre to see Loreena McKennitt's Ancient Muse Tour. I have had the privilege of seeing her three or four times now and she never fails to enthrall her audiences. It was stunning. It has been far too long since I completely indulged in her music and that's got to change. Just a magical evening completeing a wonderful day.
Sunday, after getting groceries, hanging out laundry and making lunch (there must be balance between work and play. We all need clean undies, after all) we headed off to the Richmond Fair. Living within 40 minutes of at least 20 small towns really does give you endless entertainment in September. Having gone to the Perth Fair a couple of weeks ago, the girls were primed for rides and animals and treats and the fair certainly delivered. I had taken the kids to the Perth Fair on my own and found that they are just small enough to require an adult to go with them on most of the really good rides but most of those rides only allowed for 2 per carriage or bucket or whatever. So, we were stymied on a few of them, but I promised that we'd drag Mr B along with us the next time so that everyone could enjoy the rides. That said, we dropped a load of cash for the tickets and went on all the rides the girls wanted to go on! I will admit that I was just as scared as they were on the Ferris Wheel, but I sucked it up and we had a great time.
This is Fiona's paparazzi pose.
This weekend coming will be filled with music. On Friday afternoon, Corkery Road will be making its international debut at the International Ploughing Match in Crosby Ontario. We are schduled to play for 1.5 hours from 1 pm to 2:30. If'n yer gonna be in the area, drop by the Leeds-Grenville County Showcase stage. That's where we'll be making history!
On Saturday, we'll be hitting the road to Russell for their first Celticfest. And thereafter, I susupect we might be in a bit of need of a lie-down.
And now for the Bad Manners part of the post...no, no, everyone, it will not be a divulging of my own bad manners (although I totally would if I realized it was me). No, this is addressed to the man who pulled up behind me at the brand-spakin new TD Canada Trust drive-through bank machine in Carleton Place just as we were heading off to the Richmond Fair. Now folks, I don't know about you, but in my hardly ever humble opinion, drive-through bank machines were made for orangutans or men with long arms. No matter how close to taking off my mirror I get (and I can get pretty close to it) I still have to take off my seatbelt, throw the car in neutral, pull the parking brake (newsflash to anyone who didn't know I drive a standard transmission), haul my carcass half-way out of the car to lean over far enough to just be able to shove the card into the slot and key in my vital statics, praying all the while that I don't make a mistake because I suspect I'm cutting off circulation to something important...like the entire lower half of my body.
Now, I was just getting out some cash to cover the ransom for the ride tickets at the fair. I was not paying bills, transfering monies from foreign accounts. No, I was not checking my account balances, nor was I arranging changes to my mortgage or opening a new account. A simple, fast (in my opinion) transaction, with no keying errors.
There was one car that pulled up behind me when I was already half way through my transaction. I got my money, retrieved my card and receipt, still hanging half out of the car. Pulled myself back into the car and opened up my wallet to put money in and card back. And before I could stick the bills in my wallet, the jerk behind me honked his horn for me to hurry up.
People, honestly, do you throw the car in gear the moment your arse hits the seat, before putting your money away, before putting your seatbelt on, before you are ready?! Even if you do, I do not.
So I flipped him the bird. Which made the guy go snakey, but what could he do? He was still behind me and HAD to wait until I got my seat belt on (I'm just a stickler that way) and got into first (it is the one that I take care with so that I don't waste more precious time starting the car again after I've stalled it...this car behaviour is usually reserved for left-hand turns when the light has already gone yellow) and slowly and cautiously pulled away (safety first, I did have the children with me). And what does he do, but roll down his window to give me a flippy comment as he's getting ready to use the machine with his long manly arms. I bet the bastard didn't even have to take off his seat belt (if in fact he was wearing one to begin with.)
It was everything I could do, I swear, to go past the drive-through entrance and not come up behind him and honk. However, the thought of having to back up through the obstacle course to get out of there was the clincher, so instead I nobly ignored whatever it was he said and prayed fervently that the children didn't catch the bird-flipping move, 'cos, you know, that's all I need them to do the next time I'm waiting in line at the grocery store!
Next time, I'll discuss my Little Black Thumb and the total and utter failure of all my gardening efforts this year and why this should lead you to go forth and send me seed heads from your garden...you know, where good garden karma grows. And because I'm too cheap to go and spend $500 on plants.
Have a great weekend folks!
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