Aug 6 - at the max / some big news

Are we at the max ? With 19 for dinner last night, could we hold more ? You betcha !

Whew. It's a madhouse, albeit an entertaining madhouse. It's our madhouse ... and it's great to have family all around.

Sheryl, Jimmy and Sandy (the dog) arrived yesterday late afternoon while Deloris Robinson and a friend of hers from Sudbury were here. Commotion 'r us. Commotion is us ? Whatever. The dogs quickly figured out their pecking order although later in the evening Sandy (the dog) and Mya had "words", with a little baring of teeth etc. Mya and Abby have a historical relationship, so to speak, from when Mya was a puppy ... that pecking order will never change. Mya, a Samoyed, is a Husky though and they are aggressive dogs. Things quickly settled down. I gave up telling Mya to stay in the kitchen though with the other two dogs roaming around. I guess that I'll change my focus on the living room carpet ... I wish that we could keep Abby off that !

David just got up, he's the first to stir this morning. Yesterday it was Daniel -- surprise surprise -- he's usually the last one up. I went fishing, catching three bass. It was an entertaining morning. I dropped my line and immediately hooked a keeper. Then a loon was fishing around me within 6-8 feet of the boat. I was so busy watching the loon that a fish grabbed my line, pulling the rod of the seat, bending the end of the rod into the water ... and then it was gone. It left with the hook and minnow having severed the snelled hook ... must have been a pike. Things were then quiet for a while until I crossed the lake and got bas numbers 2 and 3. The third one bit like a pike with a strong fight. I weighed it when I got back -- just under 2 pounds -- a very nice fish.

It was Sara's birthday, and we celebrated with cakes number 3 & 4. Cakes number 1 & 2 were eaten for Arlene's birthday. We've kept Kylie busy !

It was also time for big news from David and Kim -- they got married on July 4th and had been keeping it quiet until they could tell us face-to-face. They told us earlier in the week but I consented to not blog about it until they could tell Sheryl and Jimmy. Apparently they held a house party / barbecue and invited a Commissioner who performed the ceremony. No-one invited realized that they were going to be married.

Earlier in the week they sprung this on us, saying that Meagan had something to say -- "I'd like to introduce Mr. and Mrs. Thompson" -- wow -- what a surprise -- we're very happy for them.

Over dinner that same night we had talked about our plans to drive west for Christmas ... to Edmonton with David and Kim ... Kim's response was that we could meet her parents ... that didn't register with me at the time but was clearer with this news.

I head into town for the Lost Channel Roads Board meeting this morning. That will likely take the morning since it usually runs an hour or two depending on how much discussion comes from the floor. Sometime in there Arlene and gang will leave ... or not ... she just needs to get to Buffalo to their hotel sometime tonight for their flight tomorrow. Sometime in there Wayne, Mary, Willie and Mark will arrive -- so subtract 5 and add 4. Willie and Mark are big guys. Keri and Ira add up to less than 130 pounds in total ... so we will truly have a larger crowd in total weight terms !

Jimmy and Sandy (the dog) just got up and were walking down by the dock. Jimmy and Sheryl slept in the games room; Kylie brought her mattress up to my den and slept there last night; I don't know where Wayne et al will sleep -- it would make sense for the four of them to trade with Arlene and use the basement bedroom, but I don't know what Sandy has in mind.

Tomorrow our numbers really take a hit, with David, Kim and Meagan leaving; Stef, Aaron, Lauren and Mya leaving; Wayne et al leaving -- so subtract 10 people. Jeffrey, Sara and Emma will leave Sunday morning; I think that Sheryl and Jimmy are leaving on Monday; I'm leaving late Tuesday to go to Toronto to pick up Geoff Swarts for the Granite Anvil -- taking Kylie with me and dropping her at home. So ... by dinner Tuesday Sandy will be alone with Abby and will probably sleep between loads of laundry ! She'll be alone here until Sunday night when I'll likely return, depending on how late I finish on Sunday. I'm not sure what Geoff's travel plans are to get back to Seattle but I'll not likely stay around to get him to the airport unless it's an early Monday flight.

While I went for a bike ride, Sandy went into Sudbury with Aaron. She dropped Aaron off at his newly-opened office there -- he's doing some setup work -- did her shopping and then picked him up and returned. She beat me back home.

We had pork loins for dinner last night with mashed potatoes, cauliflower and coleslaw. We finished everything but the pork -- there are leftovers in the fridge. Tonight we're having Kim's Greek ribs ... and I think Greek beans, but not 100% sure of the latter. Oh -- I cooked some bass and crappie last night too for Arlene and Kylie, our semi-vegetarians (no red meat). I skipped the pork -- I've had meat for something like 5 days in a row now for lunch and dinner and am feeling the effects. I'll probably skip the pork tonight too.

That's it for now. I'm roasting coffee beans and have to check them.