So, I did it! 5K in high 30's C / almost 100 F... in the shade!! Let me tell you though...there was not much shade. Way too hot for this Canadian Girl, but I did it. As you can see my time is to the left!

Now...off to find a 10K! Preferably in the fall...and preferably in Canada! :oP

Meanwhile, would you believe that our child is a s*@t disturber?!?!?

Hard to believe, isn't it?!?!?

The other day at Karate, there is another child who is exactly 2 years older than Geordie and has taken a liking to him. Geordie doesn't really want to have anything to do with him. So, he says hi to the child but tries not to sit by him. To be honest, I can see why Geordie wants to stay clear of him.

Yesterday, this child kept coming up to me to 'tattle' on Geordie. First the "he said he won't be my friend" then a couple other things then finally he came up to me and told me that Geordie just punched him. Guess what?!?! Geordie wasn't even near him when he said it happened.

Five minutes later the boy went to sit next to Geordie, next thing I know that child is whining about having red eyes. He came over to his mother and asked her about his red eyes and she told him that they were not red. He went back and sat next to Geordie;

Annoying child: "my eyes aren't red"

Geordie: "Yes they are. I can see it! It's really red!"

Annoying Child: "really!??! but my mother said they weren't" starting to freak a little

Geordie: totally calm "Nope! They're bright red!"

Unfortunately, the apple does not fall far from the tree. BOTH Callum and I love pushing other people's buttons!

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1/2 Fish

Summer is coming along meltingly! Seriously! I am melting away...in more ways than one!!! Tomorrow is my 5K. The weather is saying, 'feels like' 38 C. Here's hoping the route is shaded!!

The swimming lessons are going great! Here's Geordie in his first session of swimming lessons.

Front crawl (or what they call free style); back crawl; breast stroke and play time at the end! Would you believe that the water is 12ft deep here. He knows that it's "2 Grandad's" long and thinks absolutely nothing of it! Our philosophy...what's the difference between 12 ft or 4 ft for him?!?!?

Wordless Wednesday - Summer Fun!

Unclear & 'Misread-able'

So I received a comment the other day by anonymous. I did not take it as 'trolly', but I do feel that it is one for discussion.

In my post last week; 'Thoughts on moving...by Geordie'.

I wrote how I had told him, 'We are a lot different than most of the people here, we think and believe in different things and we want to be with other people who are more like us.'

I realize now that it was unclear and could be misread. I have also discussed this with Geordie.

My new friend Newt from the Tyler, Texas area pointed this out to me by commenting;

Anonymous said...

"we think and believe in different things and we want to be with other people who are more like us"

Are the "people who are more like us" those who are into diversity and who appreciate other people with different lifestyles, outlooks, etc.?

Newt

So, to answer your question Newt, and to expand on something I should have in the first place;

Yes, 'the people who are more like us' ARE into diversity and appreciate other people with different lifestyles, outlooks, etc... That is why we want to be surrounded by them.

Being here for almost 6 years we have taken in the culture, we now say grill instead of BBQ. We do not regret the move here as it has taught us a lot. Unfortunately, though, where we live there is not much diversity, different lifestyles and/or outlooks. There is also not a lot of appreciation of other cultures. As always, I will point out that this is not everyone. We have surrounded ourselves with some great people, who do think differently than us and yet, we still love them! ;)

So, I probably should have said something like '...we want to be surrounded by diversity and appreciation of many cultures...'

Does that sound right?!?
Have you ever been unclear and/or misread?

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Virginia is for Lovers...

That is actually Virginia's claim to fame. I find this extremely funny as Callum and I have only ever been there with Geordie in tow AND HIS PARENTS!!!!!

Last weekend at a glance;

Race wise...good quali, horrible first race, found out something happened to the carbor-thingie, had to work for a while fixing it; race final next am went extremely well.

The beginning... we're the orange car. I think they call it a Lola but truthfully I don't know if that means the type (like sedan), the company (like Honda), or the make (like Accord)...and again, I think that it's a Lola.

The middle...

Geordie's "Grandpa just passed someone" dance.

The End

1st in class, 3rd overall!

Driving from the track to the podium (picture by Geordie)

'The Team'

Driving back to the garage from the podium

...and, as always, he was catered too;

Here's the view from my chair, where I was more than excited that there was WiFi for me and my little friend. I asked if they needed any help once or twice...well, maybe I just thought of asking; As they say, it's the thought that counts! ;)






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Wordless Wednesday - Graduation of a Pre-schooler Prt II

*** If you missed it, here's Graduation Prt I!

Creative Conversations...

Although Geordie is going through a huge, "I don't like girls" phase he has a few that seem to be void of this rule.

There are his 10 year old twins across the street, and of course N.J. , then there is Tara!

Tara is my brothers girlfriend and Geordie is more than smitten...still...and he has not seen her since Christmas!!

A couple of weeks a go when we were in Wilmington. We were sitting around Callum's parents table having lunch discussing something or other that had absolutely nothing to do with anything Tara!;

Grandpa: "...the little blonde one?"

Geordie: (who was not even involved in this conversation) "who? what? Do you mean Tara?!?"

Grannie: "Who is Tara?"

Me: "Greg's girlfriend."

Geordie: "Who's Greg?!?"

Yes, my friends...complete denial!


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A couple of weeks a go Callum and I were discussing a 'project' that Geordie needed to do for his graduation;

Me: "Oh, it says that he can draw us, we don't need to get a picture, we'll just get him to draw one."

Callum: "He can draw us?!?!?!"

Me: "Yes! That's what it says."

Callum: "Okay?!?! But I'm telling you now...it is NOT going to look like us!!"


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Callum called home, Geordie answered;

Callum: "Did you call?"

Geordie: "No."

Callum: "Did Mummy call?"

Geordie: "No"

Callum: "Are you sure?"

* this from the guy who you have to ask 'did the phone ring while I was gone? did you answer it?' too!

Geordie: "Daddy, I know that Mummy did not call you!"

Callum: "Is Mummy sitting right beside you?"

Geordie: "No, she's in the shower, that's how I know she didn't call you. Can you call back later please?"

Callum: "Yes" ...feeling a little silly.

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Graduation of a pre-schooler (part I)

Here is the beginning of Geordie's 'graduation'. He is front row middle. He is the loud voice that you can hear clearly until there are words that he is unsure of...although, that didn't stop him from belting it out loud and clear! It's possible that he is the only child in his class who did not know this song until he was taught it here. ;)

Anyone care to bet money that Callum rolled his eyes at the chorus of 'aaaaahhhhhsss' from the parents!??!!!

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Thoughts on Moving...by Geordie

* This is all talk, there is no moving...yet!*

Geordie has been talking a lot about moving lately. A couple of weeks a go this conversation came up;

Geordie; "Why are we moving?"

Me; "Mummy & Daddy are not from here and we only came down here to live for a bit and experience a different 'culture' and we feel that our time is more than up."

Geordie; "But I like it here. I don't want to leave my girls! Why do we have to leave?"

Me; "Well, it's kind of hard to explain but this is not exactly a great fit for Mummy and Daddy. We are a lot different than most of the people here, we think and believe in different things and we want to be with other people who are more like us. Plus, we like winter. Remember Mummy & Daddy are Canadian."

Geordie; "But I'm from here."

Me; "Yes, you were born here but you are also a Canadian citizen because Mummy & Daddy are. Just like Daddy is Canadian but he is also Scottish because that's where Grannie & Grandpa are from."

Geordie; "I like it here though."

Me; "I know, but you'll like it there too. You'll make more friends and there will be things to do there that you can't do here...like skiing and snowboarding."

Geordie; "But I don't have ski boots."

Me; "Well, we can get some. There is also skating."

Geordie; "OH YEAH!!!! ...and then I can do hockey.
Okay...I'm ready, let's move to Canada!"



Since then there has been much talk about moving from Geordie, although nothing has come up yet!
Only problem is that he thinks that moving to Canada means moving to Halifax. We have had to explain that, that might not be the case. Just hoping that wherever we end up they have a skate park as good as Halifax's. He talks about it all the time... to the point where he only goes to the one in Carrollton to practise for the one in Hali!

Here was the conversation the other day;

Geordie; "Will we live with Nana & Grandad?"

Me; "Remember Geordie we might not be moving to Halifax. There are other places in Canada too."

Callum; "...but yes, we would probably stay with Nana & Grandad for a bit and then move to our own home."

Geordie; "But I want to live with Nana & Grandad forever!"

Callum; "Yeah?!?!? Well Mummy & Daddy DON'T!"


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Mumbles on a Monday!

We have had a crazy couple of weeks. In the last week of school I was trying to get out and do things that I can't do when I have a five year old trailing behind. We had Geordie's graduation (pictures to come soon). Took a trip to Wilmington and spent some great days on the beach! Water at just over 20 degrees Celsius...in May!!! Who can complain!?!?! Does water EVER get that warm back home at any time?!?!?

Then we get back and try and get into a regular routine for summer.

So...this is what we are up too! Mornings consist of yoga for lumpy parts, work (reading, math, geography) then off to swimming lessons. Afternoon some quiet time, then some kind of experiment, finish with an outing (today we are signing up for Karate, we checked out a class last week and Geordie loved it!). Each Wednesday afternoon we have a playdate with friends. Really it's for the mother's sanity but the children think it's totally for them! ;)

This coming weekend we are off to VIRginia for a crazy race weekend. Then back to the 'schedule' next week. We will be spending 10 days at the end of June/beginning of July in Wilmington as Geordie will be going to camp there and Lynn is coming down. We will be able to celebrate Canada Day (July 1st) as well as the 4th of July there. We're looking forward to a laid back beach vacation!! Although, I might drive Lynnie nuts with touristy things. I'm psyched for a ghost walk! Love those things!!

Note; this means that out of 45 days I will be spending 19 with my in-laws.

That's just over 42%...you can now call me Saint Helen! ;)

I have also signed up for a 5K. On June 20th at 10am I will be running in Chandler Park in Atlanta. Do you know how hot that's going to be?!?!?!?! I know I can, I know I can...

So, have you made your plans for this summer?


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