Tuesday 9 February 2021

Winter Weekend

I was able to spend a few fun days with YoungerSon and family at their country property despite the Covid.... yes, it's February and it's COLD! Temperatures at night were around -17C, that's 1.4F, definitely chilly. And I was sleeping in the bunkie!

There's a small pond fed by a stream at the low point of the field, and the kids have been skating on the ice. They are missing their hockey at the moment due to the Covid lockdown. YoungerSon is out there at all hours smoothing the ice. We call him the Human Zamboni.

This is what the same pond looked like in the middle of July!


In the evening there was a fierce game of Monopoly.... I was doing really well at first, but I crashed when I rolled a double and landed on a very expensive hotel, then rolled again and scored a 2.... I had to pay up for a visit to the next very expensive hotel..... I never recovered.  Bankruptcy was inevitable. 
Advice: never trust the banker when she keeps dropping the money under the table. There's definitely something dodgy going on.
All three of my grandies have been teaching themselves to play the ukulele using a teaching CD and song book, and various YouTube videos. They were using two ukes, one was a Christmas gift to Emma, the other was a used one bought by Max from Kijiji. So I found a couple more for sale from a neighbour, both used, so now they have four, one for each ukulelist (what a great word!), and one for their Dad (who is playing and singing at the same time.... awesome!). 

I'm looking forward to the summer singalongs around the camp fire!

29 comments:

  1. Oh Shammie, I'm so glad you could be with some of your family.
    That's a real battery charger.
    Brrr...now that's cold..
    Love your Human Zamboni..how fun for the kids to at least have their skates on. Sounds like a wild game of Monopoly...
    Such memory makers.
    Sue

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    1. Yes, it was super to see everyone, haven't seen them since the middle of December. Great memories!

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  2. I am thrilled that you had some family fun - with more in the offing. Those summer singalongs are going to be amazing.

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    1. The kids' progress with the ukuleles since Christmas amazes me. It's a fairly basic instrument, but a great start to understanding making music.

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  3. I am sure that you were very happy to spend time with your grandchildren. How were you able to do it under the COVID lockdown? My daughter lives in Ottawa so it's not an easy visit, but I doubt that she would even let us in the house until the restrictions are relaxed.

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    1. I don't go anywhere except the grocery store, and always masked. They live on an isolated farm property, my son works at home, my d-i-law home schools the children, they hardly ever leave the property. And I sleep in a separate bunkie.

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  4. Family fun is nice to have in the days of covid. It's special and I glad you got some. So you're working on getting the family ukulele band together. By the time covid is under control, you'll be able to entertain the public. :)
    Have a great evening.

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  5. I have had incredible bad luck at Monopoly with the kids. It was been ridiculous really and well beyond normal chance.

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    1. Once during a game with Max, he went to prison seven times. Criminal tendencies in that boy.

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  6. That sounds like a great time. Do good to be able to visit safely.

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  7. So good, not do good! Gah.

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  8. I'll admit: I've never played Monopoly.

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    1. Monopoly can get very stressful and competitive in the real estate business.... just like real life!

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  9. Here in Nara, the lowest has been -2, hovering around 10 at highest. Nice for you to get excited in the game. Ukulele band sounds fun. I guess you like yourself best when you're with your grandchildren. Take care.

    Yoko

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    1. I'm so lucky to have four lovely grandchildren! They make me happy.

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  10. Monopoly! It's been a long time since I played that :)
    Your band sounds like fun. Mxx

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    1. Monopoly is a great game, very competitive, but sometimes can go on for hours and hours....

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  11. Oh I know all about those dodgy grandchildren game moves Shammi 😉 How wonderful that you got to spend time together. Oh my gosh that is cold, I can't even imagine that kind of cold 😱 The ice skating sounds fun though. The lake looks exactly like our lakes in mid summer ✨

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    1. Covid restrictions have been preventing me to see any family, so being able to visit safely for a few days was terrific. Yep, C-C-COLD! And it's going to be cold all week.... Arctic vortex.

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  12. That looks very cold indeed. It is incredible to see the differences between places in the winter and summer. Not so much where I live, but places with more extreme weather. Love playing board games, even when I lose--which is common. :)

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    1. Temperatures can vary between summer 35C and winter -25C, a huge range! My grandies play a lot of board games, Catan, Scrabble, Monopoly, Ticket to Ride are their favourites.

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  13. I tried to learn to play the ukulele as a kid but never mastered it.

    And I thought it was cold here at -3!

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    1. The kids are doing really well with learning the chords and the strumming rhythms. And their dad is too.
      Cold all week here. High temp today was -7C, going down to around -18C tonight. Break out the winter underwear.

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