Aug 3-4 - all abord

Well, almost all abord -- still missing Jeffrey but he should be here this evening. Tomorrow we have another 11 for the day taking us to 29 -- call it a semi-family-reunion because we will be missing a number of families from both my Uncle Phil's and the Tomenson side. Hopefully the weather will continue to cooperate.

Yesterday was another beautiful day -- sunny and warm -- comfortably warm, not hot like it has been. Stef & family played at the beach; David went out on the windsurfer (still windy, not great for tubing/skiing); Aaron went out for a bike ride.

I stuck around, puttering as usual but nothing too heavy duty. David helped me bury the telephone cable which has been above ground since we rebuilt and put a water pipe around the cat5 cable that runs between our place and the Davies'.

Sandy went into Sudbury and picked up 4 bags of mortar (for Jason) as well as groceries for 18 & 29. That reminds me ... the mortar is still in the back of the X5. She got back before 5pm and unloaded, filling the kitchen with grocery bags.

We had planned corn on the cob and salads for dinner and expected Arlene to arrive in time but she got away from Toronto late and did not get here until after 9pm -- by that time we had eaten and the kids had been to the dump with a couple of bags of garbage, but mostly to see the bears -- 2 this time. When Stef went to start their car for the aforementioned dump trip the battery was dead -- I put it on the charger and they took the X5. Aaron had left the keys in the ignition so something must have been left on, but we're not sure at this point. Hopefully they won't have any more problems.

The plan for today is simple -- water sports of whatever sort, boat rides, tubing if possible, whatever. Some of us will go into church at 4:30 -- I'll pick up beer at that time as well and a cake that we've ordered from the bakery. I expect that others will get into town to see the "sights" -- ... just like old times.

Arlene travelled here with 2 concrete turtles that she picked up in Mexico that we had admired. They have stones inset into the concrete and weigh about 35 pounds each -- not something that you would want to "kick around" or stumble over since you would break your foot. They are cheap in Mexico ($10 ?); more expensive in California ($60 ?) -- and would be very expensive to ship but 35 pounds is below their baggage weight limit since, with 5 travelling, they are allowed two bags each. TSA inspected them ... not sure what they expected !

... more later. I think that everyone is up except for David & Kim; Daniel & Kerri; Olivia.