(with apologies to Gord Downie and crew – link to their song/video Bobcaygeon)
Often, when I am alone with my kids, I am pretty stressed out. Since having children – I am not really blaming this on them – I can’t deal with stress like I used to. I’ve lost the patience I was once known for.
But sometimes? Sometimes we have a great time.
Spending an afternoon last weekend in Bobcaygeon, a small town in cottage country north east of Toronto, was one of those times. We visited my dad, who was camping (as he does) with a whole lot of Scouts (as he does) because he’s like pretty high up in the executive of Scouts Canada now, and nonchalantly tells me on Saturday he’s now in charge of Ontario and Quebec.
Watching Scouts build rafts and tip canoes and meeting Grandad’s friends wasn’t enough of an adventure for us.
We went into town. And in town, we found Lock 32 on the Trent-Severn Waterway. And the Swing Bridge. And the sweet little shops. And it was good.
They skipped up and down the street, holding my hands, singing “Fish and Chips, Fish and Chips”. So I found them some. And we ate in a sit-down restaurant, just us three. And it was okay.
If you ask Oliver about that day, he’ll tell you there was a water snake in the lock (he heard some other kids screaming about it). What he won’t tell you so easily is that he nabbed one of the lock masters, and asked him questions for 20 minutes, and each question was given a full technical answer. So, you know, *I* know all about how the locks work too, now. And the lock master also tried to explain gravity to him. Let me remind you he’s 4. It was funny. And awesome. They didn’t want to leave. I kind of didn’t either.
I liked that day an awful lot. I hope we have some more of those kinds of adventures soon.
June 16th 2010 at 11:38 am
It’s probably the same people who are all gaga over that damn cat who lost his face. What’s so great about a cat with no face? Nothing, if you ask me. I guess it’s something that he can write his own blog with only three legs, but I’ve read it and it’s not that impressive.
June 16th 2010 at 2:14 pm
do you understand now why I agreed to go camping with my students?
FAB. wish you could have stayed overnight.
June 21st 2010 at 2:05 pm
Ooo, I miss Bobcaygeon. I remember when it was a huge trip by boat to get ice cream. Later on, it became a short trip by car to the best shoe store I’ve found in a long time. Now, I just miss it.