Winding down the summer

Feeling rather melancholy right now. Came down from the cottage yesterday and while we are going back up on Thursday I still feel like the summer is over and I missed the whole damn thing. I woke up early, before the sun even and came downstairs to make coffee and then crawl back into bed with my Kobo but once I was out of bed I realized how cold it was and I had an overwhelming urge to light a fire. Of course to light a fire I first had to get kindling and then I realized I had to clean out last winter's ashes which were up over the grate. By this time all three boys were up despite the fact that it's still wasn't even 7am. I sent them back upstairs to watch TV in my bed and promised to make muffins if they would just leave me alone for a little longer. I know that in exactly two weeks today they will not be up before seven, I'll be lucky if I can drag them out of bed by eight on the first day of school despite the fact that not one of them, not even the teenager (especially not the teenager) has slept in past 8am all damn summer. I have come to loath all my friends who say things like, "oh my kids sleep until noon" which is almost as bad as hearing, "My kids amuse themselves all day long while I work/read/garden." Who are these so-called kids? And where do I get them?

This summer has been a bit of a let down on most fronts - the business had been slow either due to the economy, the weather or both; Number Two Son had a terrible time at camp and probably won't be going back next year so I am already panicking about what to do with him for the month they are usually all away; despite my encouragement/threats not one of my children has made any attempt at calling a friend to do something on his own. They have hung around waiting for me to organize them. And now we are into the second last week of summer and My Other Half is planning on taking off next week (truth be told, there are no orders to fill so no boats to build) we had hoped to go away with the boys for a holiday but finances aren't conducive to spending money on anything other than groceries (which continue to increase exponentially in both quantity and price) so it will be the cottage and day trips which isn't so bad but not the break we were all hoping for and quite frankly, need. We live in a beautiful part of the world and as long as the weather doesn't turn autumnal overnight we canget out on the water, sailing, waterskiing and swimming. Not so bad after all.

I realize that the purpose of this blog, time and time again when I start out griping and end up thankful is self-directed therapy. Good thing too since it's way too early to pour a drink.

Happy Campers

We spent a wonderful weekend with my Other Half's family. 18 people in three cabins and two tents. Lots of fun, food and craziness. As the summer winds down I feel like we are just getting started. Soccer finishes next week so we will be free for the last 10 days before the kids go back to school. I waffle between wanting these days to last forever and wishing we had year round schooling. Oh well, I guess that's why this post is labelled, "It's about family."

Leaping for Joy

Tubing

Number Two up on water skis for the first time

Number One showing off

Finally - a real smile

My gorgeous nieces

The boats at Pointe au Baril

My Other Half in his element

Two out of three ain't bad

Thank you for attending to the matters we discussed so promptly. Re. item #1 - the burning smell was not, in fact the 18 year old water furnace at all but rather the 5 year old hot water heater next to it. A quick change of the lower element and we were charged the plumbing rate plus a few bucks for the part. Hallelujah! The house made of wood didn't burn down nor did we have to put a second mortgage on it!

I realize you are still working on item #2 but perhaps since we have put a family friend on the job to really crack the whip with the real estate agent who never calls and doesn't seem to have any sort of a plan for selling the property (do they ever?) will help. We had thought of cutting out the middle man altogether but will give him until the end of the month to get the damn place sold thus freeing up some badly needed cash.

Regarding Item #3 - thank you, thank you, thank you for sending Sue our way. She came via a friend whose son had been going to see her and all of us, my Other Half and Number One Son, really liked her and think she will be a great help going forward on this journey of raising an very serious and focussed young man. She calls herself a "Sport/Mind Coach" and takes a holistic approach to working with young people. She is not just about raising a superstar but making sure that they can cope with the stresses of competition as well as keeping their options open academically and socially. She is a former high school principal, professional skater and seems to know what she is talking about. Hopefully working with her will help Number One learn to manage his anxiety and help him to enjoy the sports he so loves to do again.

So, not to be pushy but now that the Americans have dealt (sort of) with their debt crisis could we stop with all the doomsaying and maybe have a little good news come our way so that people can enjoy the last few remaining weeks of this summer and maybe even order a boat or two.

Again, thank you for your consideration and speedy attention to these matters.

Sincerely,

Cid

(somewhat relieved mother but still anxious home and small business owner)

P.S. If it's not too much to ask could you knock all the boys' teams out of the soccer playoffs so that we can just go up and stay at the cottage for the last three weeks before school starts?

To whom it may concern,

I need three things to happen as soon as possible.

1. The furnace to be fixed easily and for not a lot of money
2. The old shop property to sell immediately and for a lot of money
3. My son's challenges to be surmountable and not lifelong

Thank you for your consideration in these matters. I look forward to seeing changes made ASAP.

Sincerely,

Cid

(worried mother, nervous home & small business owner)

Sushi + Sailing = Bliss

How are we doing so far?

Well, we're are half way through our child free time and so far so good.

1. Have a picnic dinner at the beach - not yet but have gone for lots of walks on the beach
2. Have nothing but cheese and wine for dinner - we have but it's too easy (see #14)
3. Go sailing after work - not yet but sailed for four hours on Sunday
4. Invite friends out for a cocktail cruise - hard with the lack of wind in the evenings
5. Sleep naked - a necessity with the heat wave we've been having
6. Go to boot camp two mornings a week for three weeks - not quite but did go to Stand Up Paddleboard Pilates!
7. Watch at least three movies that are not cartoons or in 3D - saw Larry Crowne
8. Touch up all the trim that I started painting two years ago and is chipped again - DONE!!
9. Get all the carpets and upholstery cleaned - DONE!!
10. Sort the treasures from the junk in the boys' rooms - still trying to steel myself for this one
11. Ride Jazz at least two times a week - once a week is a better than not at all
12. Walk River every morning - he's been going to work with My Other Half early
13. Get the problem with my photos figured out and find out about storing them in (on?) the cloud (whatever that means) - haven't gotten up the nerve to call someone yet
14. Make some delicious dinners that the kids would never eat - lots of salads & seafood
15. Eat at at least one of the four newly opened restaurants in town - one down, three to go
16. Sunbathe by the pool - still not likely but it's nice to dream
17. Make mojitos with the mint that is overtaking the garden - not yet but made garlic scape pesto and have put it on everything
18. Put this wallpaper up in the powder room - it's ordered!
19. Take my Other Half riding - not yet as it's been so hot
20. Put up some new photos in the kitchen - have to resolve #13 first
21. Write the boys lots of letters now that the postal strike is finally over - have sent two each so far
22. Go down to the city for a girls night out - haven't made it to the city but have had one girls dinner and going out again tomorrow night
23. Recharge my parenting batteries in preparation for the other 5 weeks of summer - YES!

River enjoying his Only Child status

Saturday we head to camp for Visitor's Day. Not sure what to expect, last year was okay but we were picking up Number Three Son at the end of his ten day stay and he was very excited to show us his cabin and the Bio Hut. We didn't actually find Number One until we combed most of the island. He and his cabin mates were doing charcoal sketches on a distant rock (one of the reason I love this camp) Number Two was just coming back from a paddle with his cabin as we were leaving. I made the mistake of jumping off the barge to go and say goodbye and he got very upset.

This year I asked them if they wanted us to come and, if so, they had to promise to be happy for my sake as much as theirs. Number One will be out on his canoe trip and we won't see him at all and I am going to ask my sister if she, her husband and PJ would like to come to act as a distraction from any potential homesickness. I know the boys are all as happy as clams while they are there but they do admit that when they have down time (which is not very often) when they think about home. So we will just have to have a whirlwind tour of the island (for the 10th time), see the snakes (ugh) in the Bio Hut, have a picnic with homemade cookies and other treats. But since I will be single parenting as My Other Half won't be able to join us I will be strong for both of us and enjoy that moment just as we arrive when I see my boys before they see me. It is at that moment that you can see each one, not as someone's son or brother but just the boy they are and maybe even the man they will become.

Summer so far ...

After much angst and worry the year long gestation period resulted in the launch of the latest addition to our family business - The Rossiter 17

Proud designer and builder at the helm

Last day of school party at the beach

The Boys in their Hudsons Bay Burhkas

Rolling out the dough for grilled flatbreads

Hot on the grill

PJ and his cousins