Wrapping up the school year

May 2013--the swimming dock has just been lowered
and is ready for its first swimmer

Many of you probably know that this June was a particularly busy time for me.  In addition to all the regular end-of-year work, such as report cards, I was taking two courses which consumed vast amounts of time.

Kate was the first one in--May 24 weekend--brr!

On top of that, I have moved to a new classroom to accommodate my new grade-assignment (Grade 4)!  At one point Kate said to me, "Mom, you haven't done much baking lately," no doubt as she munched on yet another store-bought cookie.  However, we got through all of that and managed to head off to the cottage on the 30th of June.

This was early on too.  Here, Anne, Donna, Aunt Virginia
and Kate are taking a break from renovations.

John and the girls actually took the Westy (you may remember the Westy from my other blog???) up to Loughborough Lake on the 29th and were there with bells on, and more importantly with food in the fridge, when I arrived on the 30th.  What is it about cottage life that allows you unwind the moment you arrive?  It's not like there is no work to do.  For example, we've had plumbing problems which have resulted in John crawling around in the greebly crawl space under the cottage looking for leaks.  He has got our 20 year-old AEG washing machine up and running.  This involves some hocus pocus with the electrical panel as it is a European machine.  So nice to have a washing machine at the cottage!  He put up the "pulley," which is a wonderful contraption that we brought back from Scotland with us in 1993.  It is a slick way to hang wet clothes indoors when the weather requires.  Essentially, it is a clothes drying rack that you can hoist up to the ceiling. I'm at home in Guelph at the moment, but when I get back to the cottage I'll take a photo for you to see.  There are all kinds of jobs we have done, too numerous and boring to mention.  The end result, however, is that we are more-or-less ready for company!

John's brother Bruce was the first to arrive.  Bruce is great.  He is easy-going and affable, brings his own boat and works so well together with John.  Bruce helped John with a variety of projects, but I'm happy to say, also got some time in fishing (he caught some big ones).  Kate accompanied Bruce a few times and was thrilled to catch a Large-Mouth Bass as big as the fake one that sings that we have on the wall.  Fortunately for the fish, Anne is allergic to fish, and so it is catch-and-release and the only evidence we have of their size is the odd photo--I'm sure they haven't been doctored!!

Can you see the little fish that have
captured Dermot's attention?

John's dad joined us for two nights while Bruce was visiting.  He enjoys fishing and seemed to enjoy being with us at the cottage.  Unfortunately, John's mom was in hospital at the time and so didn't make it up.  We're hoping Bruce will return in August, and perhaps both parents can join us then.

And so the summer begins.  We have unwound.  We are relaxed.  The weather turned hot and we've been swimming--a lot.  The girls have been slalom water-skiing and are really honing their skills.  We're reading books and sleeping in.  We've joined the local library.  We marvel at the sunsets and the stars.  Cottage life....ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.