Leah had her hands full this weekend

Jumping on the trampoline with Lucas (Barbara's grandson)

Catching frogs

And cuddling with baby Tyler (born Aug 10)

She also faced the challenge of getting Megan and I to leap off the jumping rock.  But we wimped out.

Next weekend. For sure Leah!

Leah the brave

Sewing? There's no sewing in baseball!

I am going to have to reassess my theory that my ladies baseball league is the modern equivalent of a 19th century sewing bee.
Correspondence from the weekend:

Coach Charlie to Team:
Good afternoon ladies...

We are all well aware of Jenn's journey and the serious battle that she faces once again, beginning on Wednesday.
Our desire is to also stand with her... therefore I think it appropriate that the remainder of our season and the playoffs be dedicated to Jenn. Our new battle cry will be... Together. Strong.

I would like us to band together and show our support for Jenn...
On Monday, Bonnie will purchase the Canadian Cancer Society's official Together. Strong. blue silicone wristband for each of us to wear beginning with Wednesday's game.... and until Jenn beats this thing!
In addition, Bonnie will also be obtaining yellow ribbons. We would like to see these stitched on to the left sleeve of our jerseys.
See you at the park!
Charlie

Response from team:
Karen - Great idea!!! But does this involve me sewing something?? Will there be lessons???


Kelly - Great idea, thank you Charlie and Bonnie. I will bring my little sewing kit to the party after the game, I am sure watching some of us sew will provide us with endless hours of comic relief!!!
Love it!!


Tanya - And I am of course so gifted when it comes to all things crafty. In fact, spent 4 hours trying to sew on Cate's badges for Girl Guides only to find out they were iron on.

Kelly - ....between you and Karen I may need to get Eva to bring bandaids...

Brenda - I sewed Katrina's ballet shoe straps to the pillow case while sewing in front of the tv! Lucky there is a nurse on the team - we will look like human pin cushions! Can we get iron on-yellow ribbons? Or glue gun them? Safety pins? (The art of couture is dead)

Eva - SEWING?...... THERE'S NO SEWING IN BASEBALL.

Charlie - Okay, okay.... I'll bring the glue gun....(no pins allowed!)

Brenda - What about duct tape??!

 And finally our Jen.  Battling cancer again.  A few days after announcing that the cancer had returned, she kept us company on the bench at our next game.  Behind 6 runs in the 5th inning, she mocked us, "If you are trying to win this game for me you are doing a sh***y job!"
We won that game and the next 2 to win the season.


Team,
As I lie here in the emergency room here at the hospital.. You have brought tears to my eyes!!
Rami had to bring me here last night around 1am as the pain was beyond my ability to handle.
I have two appts (PICC line and PET Scan) today in these hospitals in prep for chemo to start on Wednesday morning.
I am so touched by your love, support and prayers - THANK YOU XOXO

Jen



Together. Strong.
Just don't make us sew.

She's finally "legal"

If a successful party is measured by the time it ends (4:30 a.m.), by how many kids accepted my offer of a ride home at 2:30 & 3:00 (5), by the overflowing recycle bins full of empty beer cans, bottles and mickeys(2), and by the number of kids passed out on the couches and floors of the house (7), then I would have to declare Carson's 19th birthday bash a huge success.

Judging by the laughter and rehashing of events going on in the kitchen this morning, a good time was had by all.

The place is tidied up as best as could be. I'm just not sure what to do with this cute little 1" square baggy of what appears to be dried oregano I found while I was cleaning up. Maybe I will add it to the tomato sauce I had planned to make today.

A pit-stop to smell the roses

I'm sitting in the backyard, just finished a lunch of cold chicken, cold pizza and a warm tomato picked from the garden. It is a steamy hot day. I threw some laundry on the clothesline this morning. The first wash was bone dry by the time I hung out the 2nd load.

We certainly do attract dirt at the cottage.  My favourite cottage clothes are ones that I wouldn't be caught dead wearing down here. And I even wear the same thing 2 days in a row! (Hence why pix of me at the cottage are rarely posted!) Tho this week I did have this crazy Farrah Fawcett hair thing going on that I should have recorded for posterity - and mirth. I would spend 20 minutes every other morning blowdrying the frizz and kinks out of my hair and 20 minutes later my hair magically flipped back into this goofy retro 70's do!
But I digress. This post is to get my head out of the cottage and focus on my todo list.
Ev & mom out the door with my girlfriends and their daughters to Stratford. CHECK
Carson off to college to write a literacy exam. CHECK
Laundry done. CHECK
Last minute todo list from Tammy before I meet her downtown. CHECK

Tomorrow is the start of a family conference for the National Niemann-Pick Disease Foundation. It's the first time it will be held outside of the U.S. My role to date has been very small, but tonight I am throwing myself into all aspects of the conference. Tonight we will be assembling all the registration kits and bags, organizing the daycare, stocking the hospitality room, finalizing the media blitz and crossing our fingers that all goes well. Ev will be helping out too!

I will post about anything and everything of interest. (and hopefully find time to post some great pix from the cottage)

My rest time in the garden is over. Time to bring in the last of the laundry, invest 20 minutes on taming this hair, pack up the car, chase down the items on Tammy's list (what the heck are disposable chucks?), check in with the girls and meet Tammy downtown by 5.

This event has been in the planning stages for over a year. This time tomorrow Ev and I will be working at the registration desk greeting families and specialists from around the world. What a great experience this is going to be.

Cousin Brian

He only journeys north every couple of years, but he leaves quite an impression.

I can hear him right now winding up the kids as they swing on the rope. Geez, now he is playing his guitar, barking out a song about crying (seems one of the little boys is inconsolable because he hurt Leah on the rope swing).

Brian can play the court jester, and has a way of getting the kids to learn how to laugh at themselves.

He thrilled the kids with a Walk the Plank trivia game on the dock yesterday, exchanged sarcasm with Ev whenever possible, strummed his guitar at the campfire last night and made a mouthwatering meal for us a few nights ago.

I enjoyed our morning blue sky chats about life, the universe, finding our passion, following our dreams - and making big $$$!

Brian celebrated his birthday yesterday and we are all very proud that he chose to commemorate it with us.

He is heading out tomorrow and we all hope that it isn't another 2 years til he is back.

PostScript
Around the campfire that evening, Brian taught Brandon and Liam how to play the guitar.  It was very important that they wore the magic bandana during the lessons

The next day, Brian had us in stitches, recalling his favourite childhood cottage memory.  It had something to do all the cousins bobbing in the water around the dock one evening, as Rob held them spellbound with a tale about Paul Poop.

Sensational Sunshine & Sunsets

Summer vacation at the cottage.

So far, so good.

Happy Birthday Momma!

    

On the occassion of her 75th birthday, I canvassed family and friends for some dirt on this woman.

I'm still searching.

 

"What more can I say about my Aunt Faye, to me she has the best of all traits, she is smart, funny, caring, a fabulous cook, sporty, master gardener, dedicated volunteer, organizer of family get togethers with an infectious laugh that makes you smile....She is our Martha Stewart only BETTER!! "                           

"Faye is one of those very special people on this earth. She's kind, loving, and has a great sense of humor. She's hard working, intelligent, and enthusiastic about life. She's the best friend and relative anyone could hope for. She's just about perfect! Of course, this is going to go to her head but she deserves it. How lucky you are to have her for a mother and how lucky I am to have her for a friend and sister-in-law."

"Your mom is my favourite person in the whole world. She is the sweetest , kindest person I know. She is always smiling and good natured."

"Every time I hear her name I smile. All my life my mother has always said, "Oh, I LOVE Faye. She is such a kind, sweet person." I have to agree. As a kid you react more to the feeling a person gives you more than anything else. Although I can't really remember specific conversations with Faye, I definitely remember the way she made me feel when I was with her. The best way I can describe it is warmth. You feel warm and safe and appreciated and totally unjudged in her presence."

Seems that everyone feels the way I do about this wonderful woman. (Despite the fact that she made a pact to celebrate her 75th with Carson by getting tattoos! So far I think that she is bluffing.)

Oh well, I have a few months to dig up something on my perfect brothers...