Milestone 2… Ontario (Jeff anyway… Nic still in BC)
I am now travelling back from Elliot Lake, ON with my parents. We have been visiting with Emily for the last few days. My little girls is not so little anymore. She will be 17 soon and in grade twelve this year. Nic and I need to be back in Canada next June to go to Emily’s high school graduation. I still remember Emily as a little girl and now she has grown up and become a woman. Who would have ever expected that little girl sleeping with her blankey would have ever become an adult… but she has. I met Tristan (Em’s boyfriend) for the first time. I told Emily that I was going to embarrass her… and him… and scare him. Not sure I am very scary because neither of them seemed very scared. In the end I am not sure that I needed to scare him. Phil (Emily’s stepdad) can be way more scary than me I am sure… he is paid to carry a gun and I am sure would be able to get away with it way better than me (just kidding of course… just incase internal affairs is reading this). Tristan seems like a nice guy and even when I told Emily that I did not approve and she would have to break up with him she wouldn’t. They seem to be happy together so I give my blessing… for now anyway 😉
Interestingly, Tristan ended up having an emergency tonsilectomy just before we came. He was in the hospital for three days and his parents were out of town. Emily stayed with him and helped him through that. We were telling Emily that perhaps she should become a nurse and so were the nurses in the hospital. She is still talking about becoming a lawyer but she is a nurturer for sure. She was there for Tristan so I guess she must like him “enough.”
I am hoping that Emily will come and meet up with Nicola and me during her spring break. We might be in South America… or perhaps in the Carribean if she does. The next year will be a long stretch if I do not see her until grad.
I have been in Ontario now for a week. It got terribly hot and humid during the last few days. It was really too hot to spend any time outside. We left Welland on the 14th and went to Cayuga, ON. My uncle Dan turned 80 recently and his family had a party for him. It was amazing to see my cousins Pam, Mary, and Peter plus all of their families. I probably have not seen Pam and her husband Peter nor Mary and her husband Dwayne since the early 90s. I used to be so close the Horvatis family because I used to go their and work and my Uncle Dan’s garage during the summer for a couple of weeks when I was a kid. It was so nice to catch up with them all again. I hope it is not another 14 years before I see them again. I guess that is the reality of living in the NWT and so far from where I grew up.
Today we are heading to Hamilton, ON. I have booked a hotel room for tonight. We are going to stop in Etobicoke for a BBQ with my sister at her friends house. I have Blue Jays tickets for this Saturday but will not be using them. We are going to give them to her friend to use. My dad is going in tomorrow morning (19th) for an angiogram. He has been having lots more heart pain lately and the angiogram will help determine the degree of blockage. They may do an angioplasty and put a stent in if needed and if possible. I know that he is really hoping that it is possible. Dad hopes that he will be painfree and have much more energy after tomorrow. We are all hoping that of course also. Dad is 74 now and had his first heart surgery in 1982. He has told me before that he never expected to live another 31 years later. But two bypasses and an angioplasty have given him more time than he ever expected. The advancements today have made it much easier than it ever was in those days.
Nicola is still in Penticton with her mom. Her brother Haydn also came to Penticton and so they have had some good family time. I missed Haydn by a day but it would have been nice to see him. Nicola will be coming to Ontario on the 24th. I have been working on plans for her time here. No details yet though… need it to be a surprise 😉
It is nice to spend this much quality time with family before we go. The next 11 months without seeing family will be the longest time that I have ever gone without seeing them. We will be able to use Facetime to chat with each other throughout the year. I have learned that there is wifi in most places in the world. I doubt we will have to go long without talking. I guess not all that different than when I am up north.
It is my turn to drive now. Another update in a few days.
Cheers
Helicopter ride over Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls from above
Mom and Dad at all you can eat sushi
Hanging with Jeff and Carolyn in Toronto
