art | cottaging

July 12, 2012 | all Hendrik!

How to compose my thoughts here.... hmmm. We've had a week both busy and not - there are muchos photos to show for how we've been spending our time, but we've also felt as though we haven't had a ton to do, and Steve came up with the perfect analogy: it's as though we're in Europe and the season has finished and we're just kind of hanging around waiting to go home. It feels like home in our apartment, but it doesn't always feel like home when we step outside. And that statement right there makes me miss our home in Vela, because it sure did feel like home there. Yadda yadda yadda - home is where the people you want to spend your time with are, and they're (mostly) here, or (sort of) close to here. Hendrik and Steve and I are together - and baby girl! (6 weeks to go!) - and that's what counts. Okay, tangent there, excusez-moi; let's get to what we've been up to. Art! Hendrik is loving colouring and mostly stays to the fresh pay-pah, but has forayed into drawing on the coffee table, ottomans and the cream leather chairs. Steve and I have finally gotten around to starting what we've finished with this project on Young House Love... fingers crossed that it turns out. It will hopefully replace the undersized and ill-framed Ikea print above our bed (before and after pics to come).

our still-in-progress art

where's Hendrik? ohhh just reading in his crib :)

We've been doing a bit of cottage hopping - ooh la la. We drove up to the Reid cottage on Wednesday for the day (thank you Gord and Heidi and Reid-Tukkers for your hospitality) and enjoyed a not-so-scorching day (finally) on and in and about the water, and it was lovely. Well, minus the sting that our brave little boy endured (boo!). He was stung (wasp) on his hand after about 20 minutes of playing happily by himself with buckets and shovels in patches of dirt here and there on the lawn, and was understandably quite unhappy about it. He was brave and didn't cry for too too long, thankfully. He does still talk about the owwie on his hand ("kiss it better"), and will also ask where it happened and then answer his own question with "Reid cottage". We're looking forward to spending next week with Rod and Colleen and Kai and Nyla up at the Crowe. And I have to add that when we told Hendrik on our way home that we'd be seeing everyone up at the Crowe the following week, he immediately belted out the best crow sounds I've ever heard escape a human being at a surprisingly high pitch and volume. It was impressive and funny... I like.

reid-cottaging

lew-cottaging

More cottage hopping took us up to Lewis's rented cot for dinner and a spin on the water - Hendrik enjoyed some pre-meal playtime in the sand, and the big boys enjoyed some post-meal playtime on the water, casting for lunkers. The two pregnant ladies (where's our pic?) enjoyed the food... yum.

tea? at the children's museum

We have spent a bit of time in the city too - at home, at the gym, at the pool and at the Children's Museum, where Duncan and Steve and I acted as a big entourage-escort for Hendrik. Highlights (for Hendrik) were the car (Steve had to fold himself in and out), the kitchen and hmm... the boat? I could have had my camera out every two seconds, but wellll okay, I got distracted by the kitchen too. And all of the fun play stuff.

And my good friend Tracy came down from Montreal for the weekend AND I only have this picture, of Hendrik doing - for the first time - bag cheers:

bag-cheers - first time I've ever done that! 

As we were headed out the door this morning, he asked if he could bring his bag too - the one with the fishies - and at the door, it was bag cheers... how cute is that!? Anyways, it was great to see Tracy and have a morning and afternoon (yesterday) of freedom from parenthood. We did a bit of shopping, some eating, some more eating, some more shopping (watch, sticker book for Hendrik) and lots of talking and catching up, and then came home and collapsed on the couch.

my new watch! YAY!

But wait! That's not all on the freedom front... I got away to enjoy the Van Gogh exhibit at the National Gallery this afternoon with my aunt Zella and cousin Elspeth and it was fah-bu-lous. Seeing as how I don't follow art very closely or ever really go to art galleries, I wasn't expecting to enjoy it so much, but I did; you can really see the talent in the various styles and subjects of his work. And it was so easy to appreciate - no previous experience needed! I should get myself to art galleries more often... who knows, maybe it will inspire Art Project #3, to be started this summer (?) and completed... ummmm, when? Hmm... we shall see.

Anyways, we're heading up to the cottage tomorrow afternoon after a doctor's appointment, and will likely be enjoying offline-life for a week or so. SO, if you don't hear from me, it's because I'm river-side, enjoying the luxuries of cottage living. Until next time!