Sunrise over Pouch Cove (click pics to enlarge)

"First To See The Sun"

That is our town's motto.

We awoke to a beautiful sunrise on Sunday morning. I just had to run outside (in my jammies no less) to take pictures of the beautiful sunrise that was before us.


A couple taken from beside our house...That is our shed.






Then on to the back look out point to see more. I couldn't resist.





The Food Fishery is once again open for a short period of time(for how long, I'm not exactly sure but it's only for a few weeks --- two or three maybe?? Not long in any event). Because fishing is no longer allowed, we don't usually hear or see small fishing boats. Larger ones, like Coast Guard type ships are the only ones who grace our view. With the Food Fishery being open, coupled with the beautiful day today, there were a lot of boats out there (later in the day). This early in the morning though, I could spot only one already out there....that was until I heard another motor. It took me a couple of seconds to spot it though....it's a BIG ocean and I can hardly believe how small these boats appear. Can you see it? Click on the picture to make it larger ..... can you see it now?



It's getting closer to the sparkling sun reflection....



Ahhh.....it's there.....




And one more of the sunrise....I just couldn't resist...;0)



Looking southward back on some of the town of Pouch Cove



The southern part of our property. Can you see the water falls in the middle of the picture? Click on it to make it larger. We've dubbed these falls "Pouch Cove Falls" (kind of reminds you of Niagara Falls, doesn't it? Well....ok...I guess they're not *quite* that big but we like to pretend lol. In the spring with the snow melt, the rushing river and subsequent water falling off these rocks is un.be.liev.a.ble)




Looking northward....We are about as far north and east as there is in Canada. One can go further north and part of Newfoundland is a bit further east....but we're about as far northeast as it gets.



Meanwhile, later on the deck.....did I mention it was a gorgeous day? It went up to 25 degrees Celsius (hmmm...I think that is approx 78 degrees Fahrenheit). I'm guessing there won't be too many more days like this, so we decided to take advantage by having a BBQ.




Chef Larry at work...




Brittney in the back yard...




Brittney at the lookout point, back part of our property. Can you see her? Click on pic to make it bigger.



How about now, a little bit closer ---- can you see her?



What a great day! Beautiful sunrise, clean air, sunshine, 25 degrees ...... gotta love days like this. Unfortunately, it's probably one of the last for this year.

Oh well....not much we can do I suppose.

Camera Shy...Who Me???

Jacqueline, Linda



My friend, Jacqueline over at Jacqueline's Jabberings encouraged me with this post (mostly down to the comments part, although she eludes to this fact in a couple of pictures of herself earlier in the post).

I know what she speaks of is so true as this was the case with my own mom. She really hated having her picture taken and I have memories of her running to hide when my Dad would bring out the movie camera. As a result, today my Mom is no longer with us and I have very few pictures of her (a few but not as many as I'd like). Unfortunately, I now see this trait in myself.....I really hate having my picture taken too. I guess I must have inherited this trait from her (although I did NOT inherit the McLean Temper from her ;)).

Jacqueline's post (as well as a previous one)spoke so loudly to me. In a subsequent email, Jacqueline went on to encourage me even further. She mentioned she too struggles with this but how it is so important it is to leave pictorial memories of ourselves for our children and grandchildren. We also need to demonstrate to them our acceptance of who we are rather than a wrongful pride that causes us to want to be different. Our kids love us regardless of how we look or what kind of pictures we take. I know this is true and it brings to memory an experience where Jake at about age 4, demonstrated this very fact.

I had helped out with VBS and at the end they gave all leaders a certificate with their photograph on it (they took the pics early on in the week). It wasn't a very flattering picture of me and I tucked the certificate (what I thought was securely) away. A few months later, I was surprised while going through Jake's AWANA book --- this photograph of me from VBS fell out. It was wrinkled and crumpled but shoved in there with all his other papers. I asked him what he had been doing with that picture. He told me he'd been showing it around at AWANA, to his friends and to some of the leaders. I was horrified....did I mention it wasn't a very good picture??? I didn't say anything to him as he seemed quite happy with the pic. For several weeks following that, I had many people tell my how Jake had proudly shown them my picture...declaring, "Here is my mom!"

Sooo, with Jacqueline's encouragement and the lack of pictures of my own mom, I'm going to work on allowing more pictures of myself. It won't be easy, I really don't take good pictures....but I will try.

I'm going to start off by posting a picture of Jacqueline and I (I have her permission to do so). I was able to meet her for the first time at our homeschooling conference in May. The above picture was taken then (she is the one in black and I am the one in pink)

Gone missing.....ugh

I told the kids this morning I would be washing their bed sheets. I asked each of them to strip their bed and bring the sheets and pillow cases to the laundry room. As I placed each child's sheets into the washer, I noticed one was missing from Jake's pile. Sooo....as past experience has taught me I prepared myself (for his response) and off I went to ask him for an explanation.

Me: Jake, one of your sheets is missing....only one made it to the laundry.

Jake: Oh.....ummmmmm.....hehehe.....ya.....that (as he faintly smiled trying to come up with an answer). That's ummm...kinda gone missing....

Me: Missing???

Jake: Ummm....ya

Me: Where did it go missing to?

Jake: Ummmm.....I'm not sure....but it's been missing for a day or two.

......sigh....I'm not sure how...(or where) a bed sheet can go missing.....but apparently it can. Anything, it seems, is possible (and I've been looking all day and still haven't found it)

Islanders Through and Through

It has been pointed out to us that we must have a thing for islands.

When we lived in Ontario, we lived on an island.

The whole province where we now live is an island, although larger than the previous one we lived on.

I guess this observation must be somewhat accurate as I've been noticing and watching the island in the above picture for quite some time now. It's located on one of the many inland lakes that dot this area (Newfoundlanders call them ponds but they are lakes to us). We pass by this lake on our way to town and I'm always eager to see the state of this little chunk of land as we do. I'm not sure who the keeper of this island is, but they seem to keep an oh so ever watchful eye on it.

When the flag becomes slightly worn and tattered from the weather, it is immediately replaced with a fresh one. An equal turn is given to this Newfoundland Flag and this Newfoundland Flag and the Canadian Flag..

A little while ago, I noticed the island-keeper (whoever he or she may be) had also added a rocking chair to this island (can you see it? Click pic to enlarge). What more could one want?

Hmmmm....I wonder if it's for sale and what the property taxes on it would be?

One Reason We Left The GTA (Greater Toronto Area)

Here is a link to a story that hits way too close to home, for my liking.

Here is another one....just listen to the fear in the girl's voice.

This school, is located very close to the school Larry taught at.

He has actually supply/substitute taught at the school where this shooting occurred.

I have been concerned for some time now that something of this nature would happen. Many times I've heard people say these lock down drills aren't really necessary. Situations aren't really that bad.

But they are.

The stories Larry would come home with about things that had happened at school during the day, caused me to have many sleepless nights. I know there were 'events' that he didn't bother to mention to me for fear I'd not let him go back to work the next day.

These schools were in lock down for over two hours. Wow....I cannot imagine the fear the students were feeling as they sat in their classrooms, in lock down mode waiting, wondering for hours what was going on. I would think this would feel like an eternity.

OR....How about their parents? Waiting outside to hear how their child/ren are.

OR....How about staff members? Waiting to hear how their husband/wife/father/mother is?

Yep....too close to home.

Argh....

As some of you know, I've been having some on-going health issues. Many tests but no real answers yet.

The surgeon wants to put a scope down and look at the inside of my stomach. As you can well imagine, I'm really looking forward to this (ummm.....NO). I figured I'd have a bit of wait, but not so. The surgeon's secretary called me on Monday to advise the scope would be done this Thursday afternoon at 1:30. She went on to say I could have a light breakfast before 7:00 a.m., but nothing to eat or drink after that.

That's o.k., until I remembered I'm having an ultra sound on my liver on Thursday morning at 9:00 a.m. For that test, I cannot eat or drink anything after midnight on Wednesday. Also factored into the equation ---- I have a pre existing stomach condition where I cannot eat anything after about 4:30 in the afternoon.

Soooo what this all means, I will not have anything to eat from 4:30 Wednesday until 2:30 or 3:00 Thursday. Thankfully I can have a drink before bed on Wednesday but nothing to drink all day....not until 2:30 or 3:00. No coffee.....no water...nothing. Oh my.....I hope I can do it..

Wish me luck.

That time of year again

Click pics to enlarge.....






Wow, I can hardly believe it is the middle of September....not sure where the summer has gone.

We're full swing into our school year now. Piano lessons start this week and then it will be business as usual.

Time to start bringing in the wood. It's been piled outside all summer but the time has arrived to get it in under cover. Tyler has somewhat settled into the fact a lot of the wood related chores are his responsibility. He spent some time on Saturday morning bringing some into the shed for us. Over the next few days (as long as the rain holds off), he'll take it all in.

Last year, we ran out of firewood about March. Being new the whole wood burning scenario, we didn't know how much we'd need. There was a lot here when we bought the house and figured it would last all winter. It lasted most of the winter, but not quite the whole thing. Hopefully this year, there will be enough.

Nothing like a warm, crackling fire on a cold winter's night!

We haven't fallen into the ocean...

really....we haven't lol. We're still here. Sorry for the long absence. Between ongoing health issues (appointments etc.), getting back into school and just everyday busy life.....I haven't had time to blog.

I can hardly believe September is here....I'm not sure *what* happened to the summer.

Tyler is entering what would be his grade 11 year. I can hardly believe this...he is now old enough to drive and he's starting to formulate some plans for after high school.

Brittney is entering her grade 9 year. Here in NL, highschool does not start until grade 10, but in Ontario, highschool begins at grade 9. She is quite self-motivated with her studies. This saves my energy so I can help motivate Jake.

Jake is entering his grade 5 year. I'm pleased with the increase in focus I've seen in him so far. I know we're only 4 days into the new year but anything is a great improvement.

Larry has been busy setting up and arranging his tutoring schedule for this new school year. He's also been busy visiting area schools, meeting with Vice Principals etc. about substitute teaching.

We're pretty much into the swing of things now (other than piano lessons and youth group but they're set to start within the next couple of weeks).