Why do we have a goat???

That's a really good question. Erin and I got home Wednesday afternoon and did our thing. We hung outside, cooked some food on the bbq, you know, the great things you do when the hot weather arrives. We took some corn husks out to the barnyard for Minnie and the horse, but didn't see Minnie anywhere. Well, no big deal. We figured she was just in the barn trying to stay cool. A little later into the evening, Gord and Erin went outside for a bit and found Minnie stuck in a very remote part of the barnyard, way in the corner, 'maaaahhhhing' her lungs out. You see, Minnie the goat found a decade-old very small pile of tar in a very rocky corner of the barnyard, and was stuck in it up to her knees. The hot weather obviously liquified it, and she got stuck as it cooled. It took Gord a good 10 minutes to dig her out!! Talk about your cement shoes - except in black tar!!! Minnie is no worse for wear. Most of the tar is gone now, but there is still enough for her to track a good coat of hay and grass around her legs!!!! This event reminds me that whenever I see those cute little farm animals - like the cute angora baby goats last weekend at the agricultural museum - that they turn into Minnie!!!!!! Sigh.... why do we have a goat???!!!!

Another week has come and gone. Erin and I headed into Smiths Falls for dinner around 6:30pm tonight. She made it as far as Merrickville and she was out. She has been sleeping ever-since. Thank goodness for Subway drive-thrus!!!

Tomorrow we are heading to the Village Social with Erika. Erin has been excited about it all week. There is another fair at the fairgrounds in Merrickville as well this weekend - that might be a Sunday event, weather permitting. How can I not bring Erin to the world's largest petting zoo??!!

Well, one more week of 5 days for me! I am very excited to start working 4 days a week. I have been preparing myself for it for the past few weeks - I have diligently gotten to work for 6:30am almost every day for the past 3 1/2 weeks!!! My body is finally getting used to it!

Anyway, I'll try to get some new pics posted this weekend. Until next time....

SENS GO FOR THE CUP!!!!

Holy smokes, I almost forgot to put in a note that the Ottawa Senators have advanced to the Stanley Cup finals after eliminating the Buffalo Sabres yesterday afternoon!!!!

WooHoo!!! Go Sens Go!!!!

The first official long weekend kick off to summer!!!

And what a kick off indeed! You've gotta like great weather for a long weekend!

A very long and hectic week is now behind, and it is Sunday morning on the Victoria Day weekend. The sun is coming up and it looks like it's going to be another dandy day! The weather channel is calling for rain, but I'm not buying it!! (at least I'm not hoping for it!)

Erin and Gord had a big adventure this past Friday. Both took the day off from their respective job / daycare day and headed into Ottawa. They had to take my truck in for a 30 day inspection in the morning, so that left the rest of the day to enjoy a bit of lunch, and some shopping. Erin is the proud new owner of a new pair of running shoes and a new pair of pink crocs! Lucky girl!!

I didn't get out that day without a bit of fun of my own! I left at noon, headed into Brockville (okay, maybe not as exciting as it would sound!!!), got a haircut, did a bit of shopping, then had a great lunch with my pal Dee. There is nothing like comfort food with a great friend!!

Saturday brought great fun for all of us. Erin helped Gord outside a bit while I cleaned (that, by the way is not the fun part I was talking about). All that done, I had a nice, hectic trip into Smiths Falls to pick up groceries. You can always tell when it's a long weekend and the weather is nice. It takes you 10 minutes to get out of a grocery store parking lot in a town of 9000 people!!!! Okay, now for the fun part! We met up with Richinda, Emma, and Erika and headed in to the Agricultural Museum (http://www.agriculture.technomuses.ca/) for the Sheep Shearing Festival! We had a ball! Erin was pretty scared the first time we took her there 2 years ago (hey, she was only 1.5 then!!), thinking that the sheep were getting hurt. This time she and Erika laughed and giggled and all of the girls went down to see the fleece that was shaved off the filthy sheep! They all even got a precious piece of that fleece to keep!! I never realized how greasy sheep fleece is - full of lanolin. I knew that, but had never felt it before. We visited the horse barn, the cows, but the best had to be the small animal barn, where we saw the day-old lambs! They were precious!! We even saw one of them being bottle fed. You couldn't touch those ones because they were trying to ensure bonding took place, but much to the girls' delight, they could pet the older lambs and some of the baby goats!! They were adorable too!! Of course, we all know what happens to baby goats...... they turn into Minnie the menace!!!

I had all of the girls for the trip home. What a fun trip! I tuned in the kids station on the satellite radio and they were singing songs on the way home. Gord had a nice quiet trip driving Richinda's van home!!! Everyone came back for a bbq and a big play. I can't believe Erin didn't crash immediately after they left. She pretty much forced herself to stay awake until just before 10:00!!!! Of course, it is almost 8:00am now, and she is showing no sign of waking up any time soon!!!!

Of course I forgot to bring the camera to the agricultural museum, so I'll try to get a few pics from Richinda. A great day was had by all!!

Today bodes to be much quieter. I think there are plans for Erin to go and pick wild flowers with Aunt Elaine, but that's about it. Tomorrow we are heading over to Eleanors for dinner to celebrate Andreas turning 13. I can hardly believe he is 13 now. I still remember holding him at a day old....

Have a great rest of the long weekend all, and I'll check back in soon!!

Happy Mother's Day!!

Happy Mother's Day to all of the great moms I know out there!! And a special Happy 1st Mother's Day to Patricia!

This is the day where all of the hard work is recognized!! I do have to admit though that I consider Erin to be my special recognition every day of the year (okay, most days!!!). Today has been a wonderful day for me. I have had a very quiet day, as Gord and Erin are working on stuff outside. I got a chance to do groceries by myself, and have more or less been able to just relax (in between loads of laundry!).

The past week has been a very exciting one for Erin. She went for a visit to her future Junior Kindergarten class! She was a little shy at first, which is entirely normal for her, but she was very happy to have our neighbour Erika there and she knew a couple of other kids from her Nursery School. After about 10 minutes or so, she was quietly telling the other kids her name and how old she was. She spent much of the time making a bead necklace with Erika and a couple of other little girls. One of the little girls even made her a friendship bracelet. It was all very civilized, and I remarked to the teacher what an interestingly innocent example of what human nature should be. After our visit to 'Big Girl School', as Erin calls it, we ran some errands, then went to visit Grandpa in the nursing home. I hadn't seen Lloyd for about 5 weeks, and was surprised he remembered my name right away. Of course, he always remembers Erin too. In talking to Gord's family, most find it difficult to see him in the nursing home. I have to agree, especially when you remember him as strong. He did drift back in his memory more often then the last time I saw him, but it's harmless and we all just go along with it. He looks well though, and says that everyone is treating him well.

The week ahead is looking pretty quiet so far, which I have to admit is very nice, because we have some busy weeks and weekends ahead.

Anyway, moms, have a great day - you all deserve it!!

Whew!

So, I haven't posted in quite a while now and as usual, many things have happened in the very busy life of Erin!!!

First off, let me say how happy we are that the Senators have advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals!!! They will be playing the Sabres, and hopefully they can keep on the winning track. It should be a great series!

I also have my NKE exam complete for the first part of my HR professional designation. I am happy to report that I did well (I hope!!!). I went in with the attitude that I know what I know, and if all else fails (including me) I can just re-write in October. It wasn't as bad as I was expecting, and after a couple of reviews, I was out of the exam room by 11:00am on Saturday morning!! Yeah!!!!

I did manage to get some decent studying in last weekend when I was in Kingston for business. I always find it strange whenever I actually stay at a hotel in Kingston. I guess it's because I lived there for so many years. Erin was just a sweetie before I left. She has a great passion for lambs and she has a few stuffed ones. Whenever I go anywhere overnight, she sends one with me, full of kisses from her so that I am not lonely. What an angel...... Well, the little lamb she sent with me brought her home a new one, which she named Lucy!! I can't believe how much I miss her when I am away from her....

The other big change that has happened is that Gord's father is now in a nursing home. My sister-in-law Eleanor has done a wonderful job looking after him for about 6 months now, but she realized that he just needs too much care. No one can ever begrudge her for everything she did to make him comfortable and happyy over the past few months. All in all it seems that he is doing well. Erin was pretty sad when she heard about it, but since her daycare goes for regular visits there, she will get a chance to see him often. In fact, she was able to see him this past Friday! I guess she was pretty excited to see 'old grampa' at the nursing home! We will go and visit him every week one day after I pick her up, then Gord will take her another day. I think it has been pretty tough on everyone in Gord's family though, as they see who they have always known as a very strong man going through a pretty rough time aging as he has. I'm pretty sure knowing Lloyd though, that he will spice things up there quite a bit!!!

We just got home a while ago from Cole's birthday party. I can't believe he is 3 already! Erin just loves visiting with Aidan and Cole, and they were all pretty played out when we left. I think it took Erin 5 minutes before she crashed in the car on the way home. She didn't even stir when Gord took her out and put her to bed!

Well, back to work tomorrow. This week brings a visit to Erin's future JK class and happily a quiet weekend ahead!

Take care and enjoy the pics!