Aug 5 - our numbers increase

Sara made it ... finally. Also, I was wrong about how Sara got onto the flight -- apparently she pleaded with the United Airlines people in the airport and they got her onto the flight -- her birthday, not having seen her daughter in several days ... a very good, and true, story ! It seems that someone must have had a heart.

Sara got here while I was taking the girls -- Kylie, Keri, Meagan, Lauren -- to "ice cream island". Along for the ride were David and his friend Chris, up for the day from his family's camping holiday in Kilbear Provincial Park in the Parry Sound area.

Chris joined us for dinner last night as well, making our numbers 13 at the big table, and 5 at the small. Tonight, without Chris but adding Sheryl and Jimmy we'll be at 19 ... tomorrow, without Arlene's gang but adding Wayne, Mary, Willie and Mark we'll be at 18 again. My 4x8 plywood table has only seen one sitting -- Sunday afternoon -- because it's been cool out. I think that I have the numbers right, if not, Mea Culpa !

We had deep fried chicken (legs and wings), sweet potato fries (broiled), deep fried potato wedges and salad -- Sandy's napa cabbage with Raman Noodles salad. We ate it all -- 12 pounds of chicken, two huge bowls of salad, two full cookie sheets of sweet potato fries and a half-dozen potatoes cut into wedges. We have no small eaters in this crowd !

I picked up my minnow traps and had quite a few minnows, but no catfish, even after leaving the traps out all night (which was good). Aaron helped me setup the 75 gallon aquarium on the concrete step outside and I put some water in it with a few minnows for the kids. The rest will be used for fishing, assuming that they last that long. I may go out fishing shortly ... it looks nice out ... and will likely go for a bike ride ... did I say that it looks nice out ?

On the way back with the minnows, I passed Aaron driving out Osprey. I found out when I arrived back at the cottage that he was looking for Mya ... who returned while he was out, naturally. David was on the road too with the 3-wheeler ... Chris arrived at the same time ... I drove back out Osprey to tell Aaron that we'd found Mya ... it was that kind of day ... about what you'd expect with this many people around.

I did take a break from fishing last night. Jason, Lorraine & Gavin came over and we had a beer in the gazebo, then numbers swelled until we overflowed that area and then we started dissipating as we got our respective suppers on the go. Jason et al will be leaving this morning and plan to be back up next Wednesday. I'll be gone at that point -- off to the Granite Anvil ... Yikes ! -- and I'll be back on Sunday.

Summer is rushing by -- soon Kim will be back (September 1) and Labour / Labor day will be here. A few days later we'll head to Philly / New York and then to Florida. Wow ... it's August 6th and it seems like the Fall already !

Enough ...