Category Archives: Friends

Past, present, future

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Our church is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year and there have already been a variety of events marking the milestone. This weekend was the anniversary weekend and it included a banquet last night and a special service this morning. The guest speaker at the banquet commended us for having a party, for celebrating and rejoicing in fifty great years. He also told us to meditate on the blessings of those years. So I have been.

When we arrived in Canada we went church shopping, visiting a handful of churches in the area where we were buying our house. Alta Vista was one of those churches. I remember the first time we came, we were welcomed at the door by two women involved in the Sunday School program. Our girls were invited to participate in the appropriate classes which ran before the service. Those two women are still involved in Christian Ed. at our church and have led or taught our children over the years.

After Sunday school finished we sat in the service behind the new pastor’s family. Chatting to his wife we discovered they had just arrived in town, and were waiting to move into their new house as we were. Seeing that I was eight months pregnant she could also relate to moving with a brand new baby. Our younger daughters, we noticed, were close in age and although the friendship may not have started that day, start it did. From that first meeting has grown a strong friendship between our two daughters and between our two families.

Following church that first Sunday we were invited home for lunch by a couple who, again, are still involved in our church and have become friends of ours. I was telling them last night how much that invitation meant to us, how much we appreciated their hospitality and how their kindness impacted our decision to come back to the church again.

After our son was born we visited the church again and people remembered us and were delighted to meet B. There were two women in particular who were happy to take him off our hands at the potluck luncheon so that we could eat and help the girls. Their help did not stop at holding our baby, later that day they arrived at our door with a rocking chair, as I had told them I had nowhere to sit and feed B. Our friendships with these two couples and several others in our congregation have also become special. It is these couples who sit where grandparents would sit at our girls’ violin recitals. Not once, but over and over, they have come and encouraged the girls and always ask when they will have the next opportunity to do so.

Not only have couples older than us come along side and encouraged and supported us here. We have developed some wonderful friendships with young couples who have come to our home and enjoyed family life with us before they had families of their own. They have loved and invested in our children so much so that our children are as delighted to hear they are coming over as they would be with their peers. Just as they baby sat our children over the years L and A are more than willing to baby sit theirs in the future.

Around our dining room table over the years we have formed some lasting and significant friendships. Not only as we shared meals but also as we studied God’s word. For several years we were part of a small group made up of a couple with grandchildren, a couple with grown children, ourselves with young ones and a couple with no children. People came in and out of the group but the breakdown of ages remained the same. I loved to sit in the group and hear the perspectives, struggles and victories of each different member. We all had something to share and something to learn. These people cared for our family in many ways, from staying to babysit and pray when we took a child to hospital in the night to faithfully praying for years for members of our families who they had never met.

Having left all our family on the other side of the world we are not able to join them for special celebrations. I would love to welcome our parents, brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews into our home for birthday parties and Christmas dinners. Our church family know that and know we miss them. As I thought last night about the Christmas, Easter and Thanksgiving dinners we have enjoyed with friends from our church I was overwhelmed by the way families have shared their families with us. We have sat around fires, sung songs, taken sleigh rides, exchanged gifts, hunted for eggs and of course eaten a great amount of wonderful food in homes of people who we are privileged to call friends.

As I think and write about these blessings I realise that there is more to our church than great friends. It is for us a place of learning and growth, a place where each one of us is encouraged and enabled to use their gifts and talents and a place where we are challenged to become more like Christ. Maybe I’ll expand on those thoughts another day. Today I want to thank God for the people he placed in our church over the years, knowing that He would greatly bless our family through them.

Lego

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img_3321crop.jpgYesterday we participated in a lego workshop at the Museum of Civilization . Another family of lego devotees joined us. We were expecting to that the children would have the opportunity to work with some lego experts and create some imaginative structures with a range of lego pieces. The reality was a little different and when we walked into the room and saw what was provided for the building session we were not sure the children would want to stay.

img_3323crop.jpgOn display was an impressive Mediterranean villa, a tropical resort and a copy of a converted water tower. Two experts from the Parlugment were on hand to talk to the children about making lego creations. There was, however, no lego for the children, instead huge bins full of red duplo sized blocks were provided. The children did express their initial disappointment but there was no talk of leaving.

img_3325crop.jpgL13 and I left to wander around the Treasures of China exhibit and when we came back we were impressed with what we saw. A11 had constucted the main parliament building, M9 had built the golden gate bridge, J7 a pyramid and B6 was still working on a tour that was to be taller than him. The children did not have a variety of shapes or colours but they did have imagination and ambition.

 

Country friends

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We are heading out to visit country friends today, actually that’s what we did yesterday and, wait, that’s what the girls are doing tomorrow too. All these friends lived in town not that long ago, but they have done what so many of our friends have done: sold up and moved to the country. Some have just moved to a satellite town on the outskirts, where there is way more space and a lot less noise and traffic. Others have bought farms and lease their fields to local farmers while making the most of their abundant space and abundant supply of manure!

That’s right, manure, the reason I mention it is that last time we headed out to this farm I was sitting on the porch chatting with three country girls about vegetable gardens and the conversation took on great intensity as they discussed the various merits of cow, horse and chicken manure. I just stopped and laughed as I realised how passionate they were about the topic.

When we visit one of our “country” friends I like the way you can look out in some, or occasionally all directions and not see another house. I appreciate the lack of traffic noise which means you can often hear the busy traffic of birds and insects instead. I am not complaining about my own house, I hear plenty of birds and insects here too, in spite of the traffic sounds in the background. We have the privilege of living only 20 minutes from down town but 1 minute from the river. Our place backs on to a main road but also onto a large stretch of green space. At times I think I’d like to live in the country, but it’s unlikely to happen so I’ll just get a little dose and be back tonight.

Weekend

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We had a 2:1 parent – child ratio this past weekend. The girls were invited back to the cottage for the weekend, in order to give P and H a surprise visit actually. So at home it has been a little quieter for B6, Andrew and me. B6 was a little disappointed when he heard where they were off to, but we have kept him busy and had a good time doing it.

On Saturday the poor lad was subjected to a morning of shopping, but it was in a variety of locations including Sugar Mountain! It wasn’t my idea, but Andrew’s choice of candy shows that it was strictly for research purposes. They came out with cinnamon balls, aniseed balls, cola balls, sour apple (B’s choice) and Turkish delight (to please me!). After the shopping we decided to make use of our new family membership for Ottawa’s public pools and went to an outdoor one close by. I did laps, B and A went off the diving boards.

On Sunday mornings during the summer several roads are closed off to cars so that bike riders and in-line skaters can use them. We haven’t made use of this privilege before so the three of us set off yesterday morning. Bear in mind that Andrew has been riding to work for a few weeks now, I have been averaging one bike ride a year. We had an initial hitch when Andrew promoted B6 from his cool red bike up to the next in line. It is the perfect size for him, but it is not so cool and it is purple! Convincing him that a bigger bike would make the ride much easier was not helped by the fact that across the road there was a boy riding his big, cool, black bike.

Once we were down the street, through the park and over the bridge, the tears had dried and we were all enjoying riding on the road beside the canal. There were all sorts of people out, those taking it easy, those training for the next triathlon and everyone in between. We made it down to the market and decided to wander around downtown for a while. The ride home was a little tougher; it was up hill in places and into the wind but we all made it and agreed it was manageable and fun.

The weekend is over but we still have only one child here. The girls are having a few more days away. B6 and I got out the bikes again, and rode to the pool for my laps, his jumps off the boards! The ride was nowhere near as long as yesterday so we handled it with ease.

The Cottage Chronicles (part 5)

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I believe this will be my last cottage chronicle for now. You have heard the highlights and, I imagine, grasped the idea that we had a wonderful time. Each year when we have visited our good friends at the cottage the violins have come with us. The first year after a great amount of pleading and cajoling the four girls put on a “dock concert”. It was held on the dock next door as it is quite spacious. The next door neighbours on both sides attended and it was a very enjoyable event.

Last year we had to do the same type of pleading but the concert came off once more quite beautifully, with probably a few more guests. This year it was a “given” that there would be a concert and after a few grumbles about practice, N and I were told not to interfere; it was all under control! Arrangements were made, once again, to use the dock next door, a few more neighbours were invited and, at 8:30 the girls were ready and B6 was handing out programs. Yes, programs, which the girls had made themselves. All the musicians were listed along with the music being performed. There were solo pieces as well as trios( we had 3 violins between 4 girls) and a story was told with musical backing. A new performer joined the girls this year, P and H’s 3 year old cousin with her toy violin and she didn’t miss a beat.

Thus ends the cottage chronicles, but before I post this one I must say that the highlight of going to our friends’ cottage is not the lake, the activities, the food or the restful setting. It is the friends themselves, a wonderful family who willingly share so much with us. We love spending time with them and thank them for opening their home and cottage to us on numerous occasions, and making us feel part of the family.

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The Cottage Chronicles (part 4)

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As I mentioned a few days ago the club holds many programs and special events for the members. We were able to enjoy several of them while we were there. One night we all boated over for craft night, an event designed for the children. The craft was felt making and although it took quite a while each child ended up with a piece of felt with a coloured design embedded in it. Everyone started with a piece of white wool fleece and laid smaller, coloured pieces of wool fleece over the top making a design. When that was done each design was laid on a bamboo blind and sprinkled with water. Then the muscles had to kick in as the blind with all the individual designs inside was rolled up and pressure was applied by rolling the rolled blind back and forth over and over again. The end result were artistic pieces of felt, some with pictures, some with random colourful designs.

Another day N and I set off in the boat for the Ladies Luncheon, also held at the club house. The theme for this year’s lunch was “Wear what you dare” , find something in your cottage closet! I had grabbed a dress from home, but N had other plans for me: she found, in the closet, something which had belonged to Aunt Doie. We were not quite sure what it was; our guess was a gym suit, so I put my hair in two little pony tails. Once we arrived at the luncheon, Aunt Doie’s friend informed us that it was a “romper” and she could remember Aunt Doie wearing it. (As you can imagine I was the only one at the luncheon in a romper!)

N wore a beautiful Lace covered dress (70s is my guess) picked up at Value Village. I know it wasn’t from cottage closet, but it’s true role was to set off the vintage parasol which was indeed from the cottage and was no doubt used by one of N’s ancestors. It was beautiful, the fabric did contain some little holes but the lace was in perfect condition. N and parasol were in demand for photos once we arrived. The luncheon, by the way, was delicious.

After the exertion of the swim regatta and the requisite drying out afterwards, the girls managed to practise a skit for the annual Skit night at the club. Being the centenary, several families created songs or skits which looked back over the years or forward to the future. The “Lake Band” a group of teen musicians played and screened a video they had made of themselves playing two years earlier. Our four girls prepared a scene from “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” for which they have perfected the English accents. It was a very entertaining night. After it was all over one of the “lakers” came up to me and informed me that as my family had all competed in the regatta and then performed at the skit night we really should be given “laker” status! Now all I need is the cottage!?!

The Cottage Chronicles (part 2)

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As you probably gathered swimming is a major focus while at the cottage. Even though our hosts had their swimming lessons they were happy to swim for hours with us too. Early in the week the Bi-Lake Swim Meet was on and competitors from a neighbouring lake turned up to swim against “our” kids. B6 was too young to compete but all the girls were involved.

During the week we swam for fun, the children made up all kinds of challenges and competitions and were in and out of the water all day. N and I challenged ourselves to swim across the bay each day. We were not sure of the distance but we wanted a swim similar to the laps we do at the pool. Over the weekend, while the dads were still there, Andrew spotted for us and after that a couple of the children agreed to paddle along beside us while we swam. After a few days we increased our distance a bit and found that we were still handling it fairly easily. It was so nice to swim without having to turn around every 25 metres. If we timed it well and swam mid afternoon the top 15cm of the water was warm and it was just when we pushed our arms down and round that we felt the cold water underneath.

On Saturday the club held its own swimming regatta. This was the one everyone had been looking forward to. Although the day dawned cloudy and grey the races began and our girls and boy competed in plenty. The first and second place swimmers in each race qualified for the Tri-Lake Meet to come the following week. I’m not sure how many ribbons our crew won between them but we were very impressed with each of them. Half way through the schedule the rain started coming down but the races continued.

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I had done both of mine by then, the front crawl and back stroke for over 35s, so I just stood in the rain and cheered for the girls. The final event was the long distance swim, which all four girls did before the lightning struck and the event was finally called off. Our very wet crew piled into the boat and headed for the cottage where we lit the fire and dried out.