Welcome to August in Canada:
[scroll to the very end for all the news and views]
WEATHER:
After an amazing two months of gorgeous sunshine, we came back to ordinary weather in the Greater Toronto Area [GTA] and Richmond Hill. If not really humid, the days were almost like Melbourne Winters.... gloomy and grey. Time to hit the road again and follow the sun.
SCHOOL NEWS:
Almost time for school to return. School goes back after the long weekend, on September 2nd. Staff are called in for a staff meeting on the Thursday prior - it went for about 1.5 hours and Adam and I worked hard in the classroom to prepare for my new class. I am in a new 'division' - the primary division with a Gr. 3 class. I was in the Junior Division with a Gr. 4/5 class for January - June. From 30 in my class to 20.... nice.
CONDO LIVING:
We did think the building was almost finished. Alas, we came home to continued construction and landscaping. I have a new understanding of how the external facade on high rises are 'moulded'. The render goes on [and here was I thinking the concrete facade was the end product] and then a foam type material. After that, a mould goes on and is formed into shape like brickwork trowelling. Hope that makes sense. I know what I mean :-). Trucks still bring plants and trees in - and have replaced the many that didn't make the brutal winter we experienced. Thinking that was it, we now notice a blue tape type product going on top of the ledges around Building A and B [we are building C]. We went over to the building as we noticed plants on the rooftop of Building A.... not allowed on top as the rooftop garden won't be finished before winter... duh. No shops are in, although the dentist still promises it will be opening soon, and below our building one shop looks like becoming a PC Kicks shop. All Chinese of course.
ROAD TRIPS:
We managed to fit 4 days on a mini road trip before August ended.... the last 4 days spent at Tobemory. This gorgeous peninsula where Georgian Bay and Lake Huron meet was a wonderful way to end our holidays.... this is where the Bruce Peninsula ends [or starts]. We explored, caught the ferry over to flowerpot island for a good hike. Caught another ferry to Manatoulin Island for a sunset cruise and a quick dash onshore to just be there :-). The staff on board were mostly Newfies and were delighted that we loved being there. Learnt a heap more about the winter insurance benefit payments, the Newfie language and we all just had a ball.
Points of interest: Owen Sound; the coastal route around to Wiarton [home of Wiarton Willie - Canada's groundhog day critter!]; Lions Head; Big Bay and the amazing general store; Flowerpot Island; Half Dump Log trail; light houses, especially Cabot Head, small communities such as Dyer Bay; floating over amazing shipwrecks; beaches that reminded us why Aussie beaches are great - Singing Sands beach; Sauble Beach and Wasaga Beach.
Oh, and we saw a beaver happily munching on an apple. Watched for ages before remembering to get camera.... when it took off :-)
Points of interest: Owen Sound; the coastal route around to Wiarton [home of Wiarton Willie - Canada's groundhog day critter!]; Lions Head; Big Bay and the amazing general store; Flowerpot Island; Half Dump Log trail; light houses, especially Cabot Head, small communities such as Dyer Bay; floating over amazing shipwrecks; beaches that reminded us why Aussie beaches are great - Singing Sands beach; Sauble Beach and Wasaga Beach.
Oh, and we saw a beaver happily munching on an apple. Watched for ages before remembering to get camera.... when it took off :-)