I am having such a beautiful week. Busy, but beautiful. It has been so wonderful to see my brother and his wife and to spend time together as a family. Somewhat bittersweet because mom isn't here, but still really lovely all the same.
We all had dinner at Cindy's on Sunday and Monday. She did a roast beef one day and chicken the next. Always delicious. My sister is a good cook. No surprise there!! Everything she does she does well. My brother was going flying with his good friend Phil on Monday evening so my sister, Chris and I had a painting evening. We just did one of those Monday Mini Madness things from Ellen Crimini Trent.
These were Christine's. Her colors were a lot bolder. I didn't stay for the second one, I was tired and deadline was looming. But it looks like it was fun to do. I didn't get a photo of my sister's. Hers was undoubtedly the best. She is just so darned talented.
The best part was getting to spend time with my sister in law. She and Dave had spent the afternoon with me as well. I don't think I have ever had as much time to spend with her in the past as I have done this week. We have always had children, etc. with us to distract us, and back in 2002 when we saw each other we were all at moms with all of our children. I can't think of how she fit us all in there now, but some how mom did. It was crazy nice!
Yesterday afternoon she and David went up to Margaretville and this is one of the volcanic rocks she took a photo of. What does it look like to you? One person said meat. I think it looks like a whale. So does Chris. I have plans to go up there with Eileen and Tim before summer is over for a picnic. Here's hoping it happens.
They also met Eileen in town and went for a walk together. Eileen was so happy that they did that. Nobody ever spends time with her from the family pretty much, at least not the ones who live here. Her brother who lives five minutes away never calls her or sees her, ditto with her sister in Halifax. I know they have no contact with me, but why not their sister. I think its sad. Anyways, the other two do stay in touch with her and of course myself and my sister, and her dad takes her grocery shopping as does Tim's mom. They do go to spend weekends sometimes with Tim's parents.
Note to self: Get an inflatable mattress so that they can come and stay here overnight. Eileen has been wanting that. It will be even more fun once the kittens arrive.
They are such a fun couple. We are all enjoying their company. I think they are perfectly matched. Dad is well pleased that they are here.
Monday afternoon the three of us had gone up to see mom as well. David took this photograph so you can see all the lovely work Cindy and Dan did that day we went up, making a lovely little garden in front of her headstone. It is a lot easier for the Cemetery caretakers to mow around now and use the weedwhacker. The flowers on top were the ones Eileen and I were going to take up. I need to make a date to take Eileen up. Maybe Sunday afternoon. They wanted to do something with me for my Birthday so maybe we will go up and see mom and then come and have some supper here. We'll see. They lead such busy lives most of the time.
Meanwhile on the Island, Jake and Charles are in the car going to the beach. (Of course everyone else went to, but I loved this photo.) Charles the doggie has grown so much. He is a cross between a schnauzer and a poodle. I forget what they call it. Jake is a real animal guy. I can see he is developing the "Simpson" nose. That is a Woodworth family trait from my mother's father's side of the family. I think it goes back to our indigenous roots and Chief Henri Membertou who is one of our ancestors. But I could be wrong.
As you can see the three Jays have been having lots of fun at the beach. I love that my sons do things with their children, spend time, make memories. The boys look super happy and content here and it was just a day trip to the beach. You don't have to spend a lot of money to make kids happy.
Thinking back my mom and dad never really did anything with us. My father was too busy trying to earn a living and mom was super busy keeping an immaculate house and caring for us, and then she was busy supplementing dad's income. We didn't have summer holidays or things like that. They did the best they knew how. At the end of the day you can't miss what you have never had. They spent more time with us than their parents had done with them and we were never in want, unlike the way they had been brought up. Poverty is not an easy task master, and they both came up from nothing. I am proud of my parents. They loved us. If you have love, you really have the most important thing.
My sister posted this on her Facebook page the other day. I thought it was quite profound. And so very true.
Yesterday all came here for supper. I was just going to do a curry, Chicken Korma with a pot pie for my dad (no spice for him) and I got a recipe for a roasted curried chicken in my e-mail yesterday morning. It looked lush and so I thought I am going to do that instead. Went to the store to buy a roasting chicken and then to the farmers market for some vegetables. The chicken roasted for an hour and then you started adding vegetables and things along with coconut milk, etc. Another half hour, then a further fifteen minutes. So 1 hour 45 minutes tops. I put it in at 3 pm and we finally sat down at about 6:30 pm and we had to do all sorts of messing about to get it done by then.
We ended up having to take the vegetables out and finishing them in the microwave, and cutting the chicken up and putting it back in at a higher temperature, etc. It was really stressing me out because I pride myself on being able to serve a delicious meal to people in a timely manner. All was well in the end however and it did taste delicious. I think with a few modifications it might even be bloggable, but we shall see. I basically only got to taste it because I was having somewhat of an anxiety attack by that point and you know how those go. They have sent me to the hospital twice in days gone by, so I decided not to really eat anything just in case.
But it was just nice having my family all here. They are coming again tomorrow for supper and I will be doing something I have done a million times. Best idea when it comes right down to it. No experimenting on guests for me. haha
I will leave you with a thought now for the day . . .
° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
•。★★ 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~＼。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ ｜ 田田 ｜門 ★
•。★★ 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~＼。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ ｜ 田田 ｜門 ★
*If you want to see solitary places,
you need to get off the highway.
~S Michael Wilcox •。★★ 。* 。
I hope you have a great Wednesday. My father is taking us out for fish and chips tonight! Looking forward to that! Whatever you get up to, don't forget!
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