pieds nus en été

Thursday, August 29, 2013

La rentrée de Margot

Look who is ready for school!

Margot's first day was a success!
I expected tears and resistance, instead I got enthusiasm and independence.

p.s. about the plant: every child had to bring a plant for the school year. Margot really liked hers.

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

A Tribute to Friendship

I have never had many friends. I'm not really good with acquaintances. I don't feel comfortable in forced social situations; networking, etc. I'm an introvert and prefer the company of a few like-minded friends as opposed to a gang. At a party, I would rather chat with one individual for three hours rather than mingle. I have always been like this.

Which brings me to friendships.

I value my lovely true friends. I feel comfortable sharing my joys and woes with them. I look forward to our dates and our hang-outs. I care about their lives and their stories; their struggles and their successes.

I love celebrating their birthdays and mailing them presents. I love sending them random cards.

Thank you my friends. You know who you are. I am very grateful to have you adding spark to my life!

Friday, August 16, 2013

Friday Frivolities: Hello!

It's been awhile.

Here's what we've been up to these last two weeks:

A visit from cousin Asher:

A visit to Valleyview Petting Farm:

Playing:

(i love that the bunny and the cat are confined!)

Friday, August 2, 2013

Friday Frivolities: A Clown in our House

Winter in July during the heat wave!

Thursday, August 1, 2013

Thoughts on Thursday: A Rainy Day

The sky is dark.

The air is wet.

The smell is clean.

Yes, it's a rainy day.

There's something about a rainy day that makes you move a bit slower.

There's nothing wrong with unlimited cups of tea when it is raining.

Cozy up. Read. Knit. Play piano. Watch DVDs.

The house is a bit darker.

Dora l'exploratrice videos aren't frowned upon.

A rainy day is a bit forgiving.

Thursday, July 25, 2013

Our New Addition to the Family

There's a story. There's always a story.
This was my aunt's and uncle's piano. My grandmother offered a piano to both of her children decades ago. I think it was when they bought their houses... or when they got married?...
Anyways...
This piano, apparently, was a used piano from the NAC orchestra (probably a rehearsal piano). It dates back to the 1910's and was made in Ottawa.
My aunt is doing major house renovations and has decided not to keep the piano in her new living area decor. I'm now the new owner! It works well even without tuning. But not to worry, I have a tuner coming over in two weeks to do the job. I love the feel of the keys. I've been playing on a digital piano these last 8 years or so and I really notice a difference. I can really dig into my Romantic-era pieces.

By placing it in Margot's main floor area, I'm hoping I will play more. It's not tucked away in a corner and therefore is very accessible (a few scales here and there while waiting for the water to boil). And yes, I am planning in getting back into piano playing and taking lessons to keep me on track.

Sunday, July 21, 2013

Vancouver Island

Our trip was a success!
Vancouver Island in one word: Beautiful.
A colour: Blue.
Travelling with a three year old: up and down. Example of what was challenging: beginning a beautiful hike in the woods and wanting Simon to carry her: "Dans les bras de dada". Example of fun times: letting her play for hours at the beach. It's amazing the hours of enjoyment from a pail and shovel!
The weather: consistently gorgeous: blue skies, sunshine, light breeze, no mosquitoes! A bit frisky in Ucluelet, but that was expected.
Where I would live in a flash: Salt Spring Island. Why? It's quirky, artsy, and they sell snap peas on the side of the road!

We took almost 500 pictures.
We printed out 200 pictures for our super album. Some of you will be lucky to peruse it when we see you.
For those who won't get a chance (and those who want a pre-show), here are some of them:

SALT SPRING ISLAND: