return

My photoeditor seems to have disappeared off my computer so we'll see if these photos load

 The cheese was missing from the box but the meal was still good!

The crispy chicken matched with the orzo and the salad were a nice taste collision!

 Lunch with my brother and co.

 The George accommodations

 Distillery walk

 Views from the George

 U of T

The George

Tomorrow is the Ontario First Year Engineering Symposium at U of T. All of the hotels were booked up (since as soon as the symposium date was announced). There is a lot going on in the city this week as there are a lot of hotel rooms in Toronto. So we booked into The George - a student residence that belongs to George Brown College during the school year. It is a pretty modern residence, I think only build a few years ago. We are on the 8th floor so there are some good views. The "room" is actually a 2 room suite. There are 2 separate bedrooms so if I don't like one, I can move to the other. There are also kitchen facilities. The lights only stay on if your key card is in the slot, so you take the key card out when you sleep. I am just trying to determine which bedroom may be quieter!

We walked to the distillery district but most stores were already closed so we did a lot of window shopping. My father may have appreciated it more as the only things open served beer!

Good visit

We had a good visit with Nat and Karrie and Abigail.

James has a math exam tomorrow and thus has been learning the whole course in the last few days. Hopefully it all comes together for him tomorrow!

literacy

James was successful in his literacy test.

He wrote Biology today. Hopefully he was successful in that as well.

We had a principals lunch today. It was hamburgers and they were very good. Gillian and i took a look at the work done on breakwater park. There was an interesting duck with ducklings there. Different from the normal ducks we see. Some of breakwater park has high rocks so I was worried about the ducklings but they seem to have found a route to at least enter the water. Everything is behind barricades so it was hard to tell.

In my garden sometimes the adolescent robins are there. Very cute.

when the heart gives out

A student passed away on Sunday. He was one of my project managers and I worked pretty closely with him over this year. A few years before that he was the Director of first year for the student society so I worked pretty closely with him as well that year. When I interviewed him for the position that he worked in this past year he told me that he had had some medical problems but that he had had surgery and felt it was in the past. He didn't say what the problem was but he did say it was serious. He was such a positive and joyful guy all the time. I would ask him from time to time how he was and he always said fine. Maybe he always was. But this past April a few days before the final showcase that he was supposed to help me run, he sent me a message and said he was in the hospital and didn't think he would be back in Kingston before the showcase. But in the email it seemed to indicate that he would be out soon. I told him it was no problem and had some other people cover his part. I sent good wishes his way. I assumed that he made it out of the hospital. Maybe he did, but if so, he had to go back. His heart gave out. He had a big heart. He didn't want anyone to worry about him. Miss ya Ryan!

http://yourlifemoments.ca/sitepages/obituary.asp?oId=1081598

when the foot brings you doom

The past week I spent fighting the cold but it seems to be mostly gone now, which is good.

Early in the week Sarita posted that things weren't going well with her dad that a foot infection had taken him to the hospital and unfortunately things didn't improve. So Saturday Kim and I went to the funeral. http://yourlifemoments.ca/sitepages/obituary.asp?oId=1081082

There were a few other people from our Living Word days- Nancy, Margo and Glen.  It was nice to see Sarita and Christopher again even though the circumstances were not good.

This morning I was woken at 5am by a loud sound outside. I thought it was a cat fight. But it was actually a person coming back from the bar. Some guy yelled at her and then things were quiet after that. But I was awake by then. Went to Rustle.

Tomorrow I have a day of work and then a board meeting in the evening.

Back

Wednesday was another action packed day. In the morning Julia talked to us about her work against sex trafficking. Then we went to parliament for another question period. Going a second time was helpful as it was less overwhelming.
After question period our tour of parliament was cancelled because the French president was arriving. As we had already gone through security, they allowed us to stay at the top of the hill to watch him arrive. There were 16 cars in the procession (not including the police). And as they arrived, people were running hither and yon in some orchestrated fashion. (I assume they were a combination of Macron and Canadian security). The Canadian guards at the crowds edge had very large guns. The anticipated moment was very quick. Trudeau stood on the red carpet at the top of the stairs. Macron's auto stopped at the bottom of the stairs. Macron went up the stairs, both men waved and they went inside the parliament. It was neat to be there.
That evening there was prayer and teaching, same with the morning, then I packed up and headed to the bus. I met a nice lady named Karen, who was interested in Rustle's garden and we need the help so hopefully she is able to connect with the other garden ladies.
When I woke up on Friday, I felt terrible. I was very dizzy and could barely stand. But I fought through it and went to work. It seems to have progressed into a cold. Hopefully, I can sleep some of it off tonight. James just got back from a hockey game in Oshawa.

Day of MPs

I don't have much time to write as I am waiting for a roommate to come back and then lights go out. It is like a dorm room in the new location (NHOP)- hopefully it is comfortable.

I left the B&B after breakfast. Made it to NHOP for prayer and teaching in the morning. We went to Parliament for lunch and had the most amazing lunch in their high end cafeteria. We had a private room and lunch with MP Marilyn Gladu. She was really amazing!

Then we went to question period, which was pretty wild to watch.

Then we had a meeting with MP Jamie Schmale. He also was really nice and managed a whole pile of women well.

We made it back to NHOP in time for dinner, then we left for the Synangogue and a film about Yazidi girls who are being persecuted by ISIS. MP Tony Clement spoke there.

Quite a day!

Ottawa by rain

When I left the house this morning, it was not raining, but it began shortly after so by the time I arrived at the war museum I was pretty drenched. There was noone in the holocaust memorial because it was outside

 The war museum was much larger than I thought it would be. There was a lot of Canadian war knowledge to learn. At the end was Regeneration Hall.

I had not intended to go back to the B&B during the day but I needed to change my clothes.
At dinner time I landed at NHOP and met 20 great ladies.

Looking forward to continuing the adventure tomorrow!

familiarity

Reflecting on the walk to the B&B, last year it seemed like a long walk (Google maps said 40 minutes and it was about that). On that walk it was very hot and the walk was very unfamiliar so it seemed like a long walk. This time, weather was not a factor and I knew where I was going and I was expecting it to feel long, but it didn't, it felt quite short and familiar. Like in Centennial park, I knew that I had to go UP the stairs instead of following the path where last time I had to feel out where I had to go by knowing that I had to get over the bridge.

I had a good sleep, just preparing for the day!

travel to ottawa

A whirlwind of a day- I got to bed after midnight so my alarm woke me just before 8. Got ready for the day and popped out to shoppers as I needed some conditioner for the trip (I recalled the B&B that I am in does not provide this, I was correct)

Scooted to Rustle, did the deposit. As I was walking home, Bob passed me in the car and asked where I was going. Where was HE going?

Got home, made a lunch of peppers, cucumber and leftover rice. Washed up, Vacuumed, finished packing, took a quick walk of the garden. This photo is from yesterday. There are now 3 blooms- one little tiny one. I am sorry to miss this while I am in Ottawa.

 One backpack, 4 days.

 Google maps said the walk would be about 30 minutes. It was 45. Still arrived in time. There were about 15-20 people on the bus. Good bus driver. Last time the driver seemed really new so it was better this time.

 Last time I came we had to check in at the Canadian museum of Nature so I took a different route to the B&B. A year ago it was a very hot day and I came up Elgin St, which seemed to be full of life. This time I came up Kent St., which seemed more of business area and was quite deserted on Sunday evening. I passed by the Rideau center on the way to the B&B and saw that it also was closed in the evening. After I got in, it had not yet started to rain, so I thought I would walk and see if anything was open. I headed in a different direction than I had gone last year, for a change and because google maps indicated there was a Tim's about 15 minutes that way so i figured if nothing else I could do that. I walked all around the university of ottawa and a number of residential areas, but nothing was open (except a sketchy place called the maison) and no tims so I returned toward Rideau street (which was also mostly closed) and found a Tim's and had a BLT. These were some pictures from my wanderings. There were lots of little old Churches.

Breakfast is at 8 sharp here!

baby grackles are silly

I went and got the mower out of the garage, which sent baby grackle into the bushes. I pulled it to the front and was mowing in the corridor between the neighbours house and our house, had finished and looked behind me to what I had just mowed and baby grackle is wandering there!

Since it had moved to the front when I finished mowing, I did end up doing the back as well (I had to take the laundry in first)

Now I set up the sprinkler to go for a little bit because normally the grackles like that and if it lures baby grackle back even better. our backyard doesn't have dogs like many of the others so it is one of the safest places to be barring the mowing.

I am just taking a break on the back porch to write this and see if the grackles are interested in the sprinkler. I have kassie the bird out with me in her cage - I am not sure if this will have any impact on the grackles.

Parent grackle is now on the roof of the neighbours shed.

I saw a parent robin with a baby following it in the morning (baby robins are flying better than this baby grackle)

Tomorrow I am heading to Ottawa for NHOP ladies conference. It only starts Monday evening but the buses on weekdays only get into Ottawa at 10pm, which would be too late. So I am going early. Monday morning I am planning the National War museum, then doing the walk by the water (canal I think?) to the National Art Gallery for the afternoon. It is forecast rainy so museums seem like the best thing. I'll head to NHOP for 5:30pm dinner. We have an evening of prayer and teaching.

Then Tues and Wed have the same schedule- 9-12am prayer and teaching, afternoon at parliament question period (that I had to email my MP to get access to) then back to the NHOP for dinner and evening of prayer and teaching.

Thursday I am there for the morning and lunch but my bus leaves in the late afternoon.

So it should be an exciting week. But now I need to get back to being efficient!

Saturday afternoon status report

Productivity has continued to be good. I cleaned the other bathroom. Vacuumed the basement (had to revacuum the bit I did in the morning as the vacuum bag was full. Cleaned all the windows. Cleaned the kitchen and the stairway.

I had planned to mow the lawn late today so that the lawn will stay decent while I am in Ottawa. However, there is a baby grackle who can't fly in the back yard and he's pretty freaked out by everything so I think I'll just do the front yard.

I had a break for my dinner. I got a little baguette at Loblaws and had half with cheese for lunch and now the other half for dinner.

Going to mow the front now hoping that taking the mower out from the garage won't scare the baby bird too much.

Saturday morning status report

I was efficient until 9am. I cleaned half the basement, 1 bathroom, laundry, did the treasurer things that I needed to, went to Loblaws and Giant Tiger. My efficiency slowed a little after that as I ate lunch (I had been up for quite a few hours by 9am, so lunch it was) and had a nap from 11-12. Now I'm hoping the efficiency will pick up again!

Windy

I have been awake for an hour thanks I think to it being so windy outside. I think I will get up and just aim to take a nap later today. I have a lot planned today as the boys are away in Toronto for hockey.

Work has been busy with a lot of meetings. Last night was the deadline for students to select their university for September so we'll see how the numbers shake out.

I have a lot of cleaning planned for the day, a trip to Loblaws, some treasurer work to get done and need to download the photos from my phone.

Birds are singing through the wind.