Indicative of my summer: on the road. From this point on the 400, I know it's about 35 minutes to home!
Lots of movies were watched while we enjoyed a wet start to the month in Cape Cod: The Great Gatsby (1974), Mean Girls and The Help were all fabulous. (I am not a movie theatre person so often I wait forever to see a movie - I'm thinking I should change that.) I don't know if I can wait another year for Captain Parker's clam chowder! The drive from Cape Cod was uneventful and we got over the border quickly - the opposite experience from our departure. Upon our return home all of the rooms in the new house were painted and the kids felt way more comfortable with each mentioning that the new house now "feels like home". I managed to make it to watch a baseball game for Claire this season - and then later in the month made it to another, and the championship (loss)! Caden got his faculty advisor assignment and the trip and packing list came out for Temagami. The boys brought the pew (from my old boarding school chapel) and kitchen table from the storage locker and it really added a lot to the house. I wonder if I can convince Caden to ride his bike the 15km to his buddy's house in Milton? Claire's baseball team won a tournament in London! I think I've hit on a story idea that I really like - I really have to focus on carving out some dedicated writing time. Driving daily to-and-from Canlan Sportsplex in Mississauga is really not as bad as I had expected - and for one of the weeks I had three boys in the truck with me, fun! Cole was my date at a birthday party for friends. Chloé wrote honest-to-goodness-hand-written thank you notes to everyone who helped her get into NMH and told them she is staying put! I enjoyed participating in #augustbreak2014 because it got me using my camera (and photographic eye) again. Guardians of the Galaxy is the must-see movie for all of my kids - most seeing it multiple times (I am thankful for my Scene card!). Chloé had molds made and then the braces came off - the retainer does make her sound funny! My truck is in the shop for cosmetic repairs - again. Oh, and brakes are being replaced, too. Cole is very busy putting together much IKEA furniture - desks and bookshelves and dressers and tables. I'm enjoying "Boys in the Boat" which I received back in May. When Caden asked to buy a $10 download on iTunes I was hesitant until he said "yeah, I want to download Shane Koyczan onto my phone" to take to camp. Proud mama moment! Man alive are there A LOT of acorns landing on the back deck! I'm enjoying the COZI app and inputting everything for all four school schedules, we're all set and ready to go. Whoot! I finally got a monthly menu plan put together - plenty of computer-work was done as I caught a nasty bug mid month - totally landed me on my ass. Claire ran into a friend at the SOBA provincials - she knows everyone - everywhere! Even sick I marvel that I'm going to bed at the same time she's going out to a party with friends. My new FitBit Flex arrived in the mail and I'm looking forward to the accountability that comes with it. With our usual big-deal-meal - Chinese Take-Out from Red Chillie - we celebrated our last evening home as a family before Caden left for volleyball camp. I can't believe we won't be together again until Thanksgiving! I drove to Barrie to deliver Caden and Braeden to the Volleyball Camp bus. I returned home to visit with Auntie Beth and family then off to Paradiso for dinner. Cole drove out to Kingston with Claire to bring out furniture and help her paint her room. We had one day (the 26th) over 30C and the humidity was off the chart which made me appreciate our cooler summer. We discovered some amazing crispy chocolate cookies at Whole Foods - knowledge I wish to forget! With just moments to spare, Cole got his new computer for school. We all settled around the television to watch the return of The Doctor it was all very retro and fun. Back up to Barrie to collect the boy. Enjoyed some Reiki with Helen, trying to clear this congestion any way I can - run armadillo's, run! We also set up sessions that will take us through December - I am looking forward to a re-start. Cole was asked to move into boarding 4 days early so he's been busy packing up and getting ready. My kids have decided my ribs are better than those at RibFest so to celebrate Cole's last day home, we're having BBQ ribs (with or without the actual BBQ :)
In the lives of the kids:
They were all nominated for, and participated in, the #ALSIceBucketChallenge: Claire (I can't seem to locate, but will add link when found!), Cole, Chloé and Caden.
Claire | enjoyed her all-too-brief visit to Cape Cod. Her Grampy secured tickets to a Red Sox game so she (and he and sibs) could see her favourite, Derek Jeter, play in his last season. Our wires got crossed and we left the Cape early so that she could be at work on time. With much upset, Claire and Myles have gone their separate ways with promises to remain friends. Baseball took her to tournaments in London and Etobicoke. Being primary caretaker of the house in the "student ghetto" in Kingston is really teaching her some valuable lessons. She is now in Kingston with no wireless, but unpacked and ready for her Gael orientation leader experience for the freshman class.
Cole | benefitted from our early return from Cape Cod. We were unable to visit Salem as was his hope, but by getting home early he was able to spend a few hours with girlfriend Alex before she left for cottage country. Cole has been a tremendous help moving and organizing and mowing and building. I suppose he's trying to make an indellible impression before he moves off to boarding in September. He is for sure! Cole is our country music fan and enjoyed going to the Florida Georgia Line concert with his girlfriend, Alex.
Chloé | sat me down upon her return from holidays and told me that she doesn't want to miss out on her/our life here at home. She outlined the lessons she's learned through the prep school application process and decided, bottom line, she can't run away from her problems, it's time to face the "mean girls" head-on. Heaven help us! I'm very proud of her :) A big month for Chloé in the accessory department, too - the braces are gone, a cute haircut and the funky Warby Parker specs are in! She's all set for the school year ahead.
Caden | is determined to be the best volleyball player - ever. He practices non-stop! His drive and determination is a delightful shock to his mama :) He went to-and-from Canlan Sportsplex with and without friends for a couple of weeks and then off to Madawaska with a buddy. I love his passion! I especially love his lack of complaining over bloody feet and pain in his legs. He mentions them, with a laugh, and then heads back to camp in the morning without complaint. This is very new and different - a very mature shift in behaviour.
Life in general:
Weather |it has been such a changeable summer. Hot and humid then dry then humid then torrential rains then cool and dry and it cycles through again. Mostly not humid and for that I am immensely grateful though today is a bit much for my liking.
News | While in Cape Cod, I was reminded that American news is awful: exaggerated tragedy or treacle. I'm happy to be home. Ours may still be very liberal and finger-pointy, but at least it is not screachy. The suicide of Robin Williams was very sad, as time went on, I was surprised at how often I cried over it. So, so tragic. Race relations in the United States have always been strained and getting worse all the time. The terrible events in Ferguson are a violent reminder that the racial divide is still alive and well south of the border. The "Ice Bucket Challenge" to raise money for ALS (Lou Gherig's Disease) has been a bright spot - even as distorted as it has become. Even my kids participated - fun to watch their excitement over it all. With great relief our news chose not to show the beheading of American journalist, James Foley. Tragic. Maybe the Americans are going to figure out that the world does not play by their rules?
Sports | An all-Canadian final in a tennis tournament? Amazing! Rory McIlroy is on a tear - I do enjoy watching him. Incredible. The Jays had a 19-Inning (6.5 hour!) win vs. the Detroit Tigers - which was insane, and the only highlight for August. The Canadian Open tennis tournament had two upsets - Venus Williams and Roger Federer both LOST to unseeded competitors! The US Open (tennis) is underway and we're hoping Eugenie and Milos do well! Huh? Our amateur attention is turning from baseball to volleyball with lots of pre-season camps! Caden tells me he completed 78 hours of beach training in his week away.
Discovery | Nectarines are wonderful, unless you have braces. Zappos is brilliant and I wish they shipped to Canada. Bachelor in Paradise is our new guilty pleasure - it has plentiful teaching moments. I have a book or two or more in me - through the intensive creative writing course, I've learned this to be true.
Looking forward, goals I want to keep at the forefront include:
Create | I managed to write a 1,700 word piece just in time for my creative writing deadline. I really like this one, more in keeping with my style and interest - even a bit romantic. Hmm. It's time to put an editorial plan together for the projects that matter to me. Maybe I'd best start with figuring out what those projects might be and go from there. I participated in Susannah Conway's #augustbreak2014 and managed to catch up on my Wishcasting, too.
Health | While away I got a pair of Asics walking shoes - and I've been using them. Daily. Along with it is my new FitBit Flex which is making me walk and keeping me accountable. Well, except for a brutal summer cold. I'm constantly coughing. I cannot wait to get some sleep! In spite of it all, I started back at reformer Pilates and it feels good to move and stretch again.
Home | The house is painted and artwork is being hung. As each day passes it feels more like home. I just have to get used to all of the space! Now to get the John Street house sold so I can get my bed and finish off the transition! I'm on the hunt for matching sofas for the family room. As for outside, I'm starting to wonder what we're going to do when the many full-grown trees start shedding their leaves - this is going to be a big project.
Inspiration | Both Cathy Zielske and Ali Edwards have revamped and introduced new websites to focus on memory keeping and personal story telling. Their timing is (as always) perfect!
Me | Completely out of my comfort zone, I went to a 40th birthday party for friends. I had a blast watching them have a blast! I'm pushing my limits - going to parties, getting in front of the lens - showing up for my life. It's about time.
* * * * *
A couple of years ago I consistently wrote up posts summing up the month that had just past. Then life got both complicated and overwhelming, so much so I was just going from day-to-day in complete survival mode. With this new year I'm getting back into the practices of my past that I have missed.
