The family are back safely after a two day, one night sprint from Nova Scotia - heroic driving by Anna, but also amazing sitting for many hours by two little boys. Went over to visit today, to be with them while she got groceries and then returned the rental car. She'd brought back fresh oysters and mussels, a collection of rocks, and a deep hankering to return; her friend Ashley has 3 kids, all her neighbours have kids, and they share a huge backyard. The boys were able to go wild, without supervision, playing outside till it was dark. As Anna said, that's what it was like for me, but they've never had that.
Not to mention coves, swimming and beaches, fish and chips, new friends, many adventures. I took them up Roncesvalles to their favourite sushi place and then to a playground, and then, time for Jenga with Dad.
Naan is back with her family. I will miss her lying on my papers as I work, but I won't miss the puking, that's for sure.
Anna brought me a bright watercolour of Pictou, which she told me is the Mi'qmak word for 'fart,' and a chocolate bar from the Syrian family who've made a huge success with their chocolate business. Delicious. I feel so much better now they're back in town. Eli starts tomorrow going to the neighbour, who used to be a teacher, for 90 minutes of learning. Anna's not sending her kids to school. Phooey on Doug Ford, leaving class sizes enormous, endangering kids and teachers.
Tomorrow here, full steam ahead to prepare for the launch Wednesday. There's a big Raptors game that night, but luckily it's on after the launch is over, and anyway, perhaps Beth Kaplan readers and rabid Raptors fans are not necessarily the same demographic.
It's fall. September first came and so did the morning and evening chill; though the days are still warm, I wore jeans today for the first time in months. What will happen to distancing, to the patios that are keeping restaurants and bars - and my son - alive, when it gets cold?
But still, time for aperitif on the deck with Monique, who took this. Cheers!
It's wonderful that your grandsons had a happy time away.My heart sinks when I read about the various "safe" plans for kids returning to school. We can't make a restaurant reservation for more than 6 people (and I'm completely ok with that, I hasten to say) but kids are going to schools with (often) aging infrastructures and too many in their cohort and oh it keeps me awake at night. I hope for the best but fear the worst. But here's to summer, its last golden light.
ReplyDeleteGoing out with the boys, remembering their masks and having to help put them on when we enter anywhere - what must it be like to be so young and think there are enemy germs everywhere? Re school: there's an assumption by politicians that children don't get Covid much and in any case are resilient, and they need to be in school so parents can get to work and the economy can stumble back to life. And of course kids do need routine and to see their friends. What's the answer? Such frightening times.
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