Unfortunately I am still unable to figure out how to put photos on my blog after Papa updated it and put more space. So I will just write.
We ushered in the new year in Uxbridge and a highlight was all the giggles while playing Balderdash. We had many great days of skiing and snowboarding and got back to our home in the city to find snow too!
The year seemed to be going swimmingly well as we continued to catch up with friends at Evangeline and Sean's incredible, Ukrainian Christmas and dinner with our dear friends from Japan in our home. More skating with Grampa, dinners at Feathers, field trips with Gramma and art with Auntie Dee filled up our time in a wonderful way as we waited also for the arrival of the nonni from Newfoundland.
It seemed very quiet over there on Robin Drive and soon we found out why...unfortunately Nonna is quite sick and we are worried but hopeful too with all the amazing advances in cancer. After the surgery, Nonna will surely be ready for some fun again.
In the meantime, we made a plan on Sunday to spend the day with the Nonni by going to church and out for lunch afterwards. The boys and I took the GoTrain out to Clarkson on a very foggy Sunday morning and I remember thinking that I hoped we would not get in a car accident with all the fog. But it cleared up and before we knew it, we were on our way to the Pickle Barrel and just before we got there, experienced a nasty car accident afterall...with very few cars around and with the fog having lifted.
Papi made it well into the intersection on his green light when I saw a red mini-van coming towards us to our right and I yelled, "Papi!" I think I said it but the boys said I screamed it. Who knows? It was too late, we got crashed into and at first, I had presence of mind to think, "oh that wasn't so bad. We're ok." And then the curtain air bag hit me very hard in the head and I could not focus very well but remember Pit screaming, "my stomach, my stomach". Next thing we knew, a very gentle man asked if we were ok and could move and helped us get out of the car. I think I asked Mami if she was ok. Papi was already out of the car, I guess checking out the situation.
The boys and I waited safely by the corner, hugging, crying, answering questions by several paramedics and police officers. Hopefully messages were relayed to nonna but we did not hear how she was for quite awhile. Whereas I could pull my stuck leg out of the car door where it caved in, Mami was trapped and needed to be extracted by the "jaws of death." We were able to sit in the ambulance eventually to be assessed whereas poor nonna had to be put on a stretcher and taken to emergency and then had to wait for a long time in the hallway before getting placed into a room.
Papi seemed fine throughout it all must have been in shock when he told us right away to go ahead and have lunch at the Pickle Barrel which was about a 5 minute walk away. We would not have left nonna for anything and besides, the paramedics had to assess us, the police had to fill out reports based on our information (well done, Frunty for your observations!) and on top of the shock, trauma and pain of being hit so forcefully in the head and the boys jostled violently as well, we had lost our appetite!!!
We all made it to emergency and had several visits with nonna and some chats. The boys and I made ourselves eat some subs which normally would sound like quite a treat but were not as exciting on that day. We forced ourselves because I heard one needs sustenance in times like those! Gramma and Grampa came to pick us up at Credit River Trillium hospital and took us to the nonna's to put her purse in the house and for us to pick up our bag. Somehow, we did not do either!!! The boys watched some tv while I grabbed some of their winter clothes from the basement cupboard. Then we drove home in a daze and Gramma made us some dinner.
Somehow I took ten photos or so of the accident because I was so worried that Nonno would be blamed. But of course, the police took there own photos and it was very clear from the witnesses as well that the driver ran the red. But she had a long time to stop and when I saw her in the hospital she said she did not know at all what happened. It was a weird accident.
The three of us are sore and have not slept that well since the accident but and we all take turns talking about the accident. The number one concern is about nonna and how sad it is that she got the brunt of the accident...especially given that she is so unwell to start with...and we are very sorry about that...
On the other hand, how wonderful that we all survived that crash since being t-boned is really dangerous and although the airbags hurt a lot, they saved us from a worse fate! Sunday the 13 2013 will not be forgotten as a lucky day afterall because we all made it home that night, in one piece.
Happy New Year!
Wednesday, 16 January 2013
Sunday, 13 January 2013
Maldives Dive Trip
Over the Christmas break this past December, The Daddy was fortunate enough to take 10 days to visit the Maldives and to take a week long trip living on board a dive boat. From my seat in 33A, I was able to get a good view of the reefs as the A330 Singapore Airlines flight approached the capital, Male'.
The reefs and atolls are very picturesque especially with the fancy resorts that have villas over the water. All of those places are too expensive for me and the Maldives does not have good infrastructure for the independent traveler.
Instead, I was on board the 31 metre motor vessel Eagle Ray with 14 passengers and 12 crew. We ate, slept, and relaxed on the main boat and transferred to a dhoni, a small local boat normally used for fishing, for all our dives. I went diving 17 times over the 7 days sometimes to a depth of 35 metres (about a 10 story building underwater) and usually for almost an hour each dive. The map shows the GPS route the Eagle Ray took over the week. We went diving in the South Male', Felidhu, and Ari atolls.At this link: Dive Video 2012 Maldives, you can watch a 7:20 minute HD video that shows some of things I saw underwater. Enjoy!
Monday, 7 January 2013
Sunday, 6 January 2013
The Scout Gang Show
On December 21st, Frunty and Pit performed at their Scout Gang Show and I was mightily surprised that Pit had a speaking part in one of the skits as one of the main characters. Although I have been attending Scouts as a volunteer, taking my turns with the other parents, I waited in the gym when the boys and girls went out to practise for this show. So I only knew a little about that night. It was a really fun show!
Thanks to Auntie Dee, Gramma and Grampa for joining us for dinner and the show and sorry to the others who missed it because of bad health or other commitments. I'll post photos soon so you get an idea of our special month when I get more GBs.
Thanks to Auntie Dee, Gramma and Grampa for joining us for dinner and the show and sorry to the others who missed it because of bad health or other commitments. I'll post photos soon so you get an idea of our special month when I get more GBs.
Christmas Friends visit
On December 15th one of my closest friends in Japan, Roxanne, came for a visit with Christmas gifts and good cheer. Grampa babysat so Gramma, Roxanne and I could go out for sushi like old times. Gramma got to know Roxanne when she visited Japan in 1997. The following day, we rested up and started packing for the highlight of the month...a Christmas adventure at:
Niagara's Great Wolf Lodge
Frunty and Pit's first viewing of the famous falls along with hours of fun in the lodge's water park where the rides were extraordinarily fun and even mama could not get enough of shooting down all the rapids. Without reading anything about the place, we went on the Vortex ride very first of all which happens to be the scariest. No wonder we screamed our heads off. Frunty and Pit took turns getting stuck and needing to be rescued within the tubes of the Grizzly Falls ride. Mama needed to rest in the hot tub outside a few times with the snow coming down around here and the steam rising up. Heavenly. What a super fun place. Another highlight was being upgraded into a room with a cabin and fireplace inside as well as our own kitchenette where I prepared all the meals. But tied for best of all perhaps was the Magic Quest the boys enjoyed throughout the hotel with their wands. They ran around "buddy system style", following the clues and exploring the hidden treasures...for hours. But were excellent about checking back with me at appointed times to make sure all was well.
Thanks to Gramma and Grampa for taking us to such a magical place which was decorated beautifully for the Christmas season. Although we all miss Papa an awful lot, it sure helps to have these adventures so thanks ever so much! Hope you had fun too!
Niagara's Great Wolf Lodge
Frunty and Pit's first viewing of the famous falls along with hours of fun in the lodge's water park where the rides were extraordinarily fun and even mama could not get enough of shooting down all the rapids. Without reading anything about the place, we went on the Vortex ride very first of all which happens to be the scariest. No wonder we screamed our heads off. Frunty and Pit took turns getting stuck and needing to be rescued within the tubes of the Grizzly Falls ride. Mama needed to rest in the hot tub outside a few times with the snow coming down around here and the steam rising up. Heavenly. What a super fun place. Another highlight was being upgraded into a room with a cabin and fireplace inside as well as our own kitchenette where I prepared all the meals. But tied for best of all perhaps was the Magic Quest the boys enjoyed throughout the hotel with their wands. They ran around "buddy system style", following the clues and exploring the hidden treasures...for hours. But were excellent about checking back with me at appointed times to make sure all was well.
Thanks to Gramma and Grampa for taking us to such a magical place which was decorated beautifully for the Christmas season. Although we all miss Papa an awful lot, it sure helps to have these adventures so thanks ever so much! Hope you had fun too!
Night with the Dinosaurs
From the 7-8th we enjoyed the ultimate Dino adventure at the ROM with a Scout sleepover expedition. Whoa! It was too fun. Too exciting to sleep! I think by 4am, the hall was finally quiet as we snored under awesome dinosaurs...after karaoke and pizza parties, tours of the exhibits, digging for bones etc. The next day, you can guess that we all napped in the afternoon before heading out to celebrate Michael's birthday in Uxbridge that evening. We were pretty zonked and probably made lousy guests but what fun to have the experience to sleep at the ROM!
I was really impressed that when someone spilled water on Frunty's sleeping bag during the night, our Scout leader, Toby, leant his dry bag to him. I also noticed great team work and team spirit throughout the two day experience. I am so happy that our boys have found some wonderful, new friends here to enjoy their days until we are back in Singapore again. Maybe we can invite some of our Scout friends to visit us in Asia!
On December the 11th the boys and I headed down to the Glen Manor park for the annual Caroling in the Park which is a fundraiser for the Salvation Army Band. Frunty and Pit stood right beside the stage and sang their little hearts' out which is a big difference from last year when Grampa babysat them at home as they did not wish to come with Gramma and me. The Christmas spirit was surely felt by all and the three of us had a fun time, especially at the end, running around in the park. Frunty found a Scout scarf and took it the following Friday. Good job, Frunts! That's the Christmas spirit too!
I was really impressed that when someone spilled water on Frunty's sleeping bag during the night, our Scout leader, Toby, leant his dry bag to him. I also noticed great team work and team spirit throughout the two day experience. I am so happy that our boys have found some wonderful, new friends here to enjoy their days until we are back in Singapore again. Maybe we can invite some of our Scout friends to visit us in Asia!
On December the 11th the boys and I headed down to the Glen Manor park for the annual Caroling in the Park which is a fundraiser for the Salvation Army Band. Frunty and Pit stood right beside the stage and sang their little hearts' out which is a big difference from last year when Grampa babysat them at home as they did not wish to come with Gramma and me. The Christmas spirit was surely felt by all and the three of us had a fun time, especially at the end, running around in the park. Frunty found a Scout scarf and took it the following Friday. Good job, Frunts! That's the Christmas spirit too!
Kitchener's Christmas Market
Throughout December, our regular activities of skating at Ted Reeve's, enjoying Art with Auntie Dee and going to Scouts on Fridays continued to fill our days with fun. On the 6th we went with Gramma and Grampa to the Kitchener Christmas Market and it was great to show the boys where their Papa used to spend some of his free time while at Waterloo. The German Christmas market of course is nothing like the ones we have enjoyed in Europe but it was small and quaint and had good gluhwein and sausages. The best part of the evening was the candlelight concert at Victoria Park and a wonderful Christmas craft table for children where they made candy cane reindeers, beaded candy canes from pipe cleaners and more. After the lighting of the tree back by the town hall, the kids and I went back to the park to make more crafts. The people who organized the event did really a fantastic job and everyone was friendly. It was a lovely evening and thanks to Grampa and Gramma for taking us on another adventure!
The 1st Day of Christmas!
The boys and I kicked off the holiday season with the Beach Christmas parade on November 25th and continued the season with lots of fun activities along with our studies throughout December. On the 1st day of Christmas, we attended an anti-bully workshop at a martial arts studio at Main and Danforth. Several police officers talked to our group of parents and children and we learned that no one is immune from being bullied. We learned some great techniques to use when one is being pullied which included yelling, "Why are you saying this to me?" in the face of the offender.
After the workshop which had presentations by teachers and principals too, we played in the icy snow at the nearby Ted's Hockey Arena with some others kids who were making snowboarding jumps. It was hard to leave because it was so much fun for Frunty and Pit to play in the snow but we got cold soon enough and headed to Feathers Pub for a live band which was too loud so we left after a few songs!
We met Gramma and Grampa at home and had a hot meal at dinnertime before heading down to Kew Gardens for Christmas in the Park presented by the Toronto Beaches Lions Club with Christine Bentley. We enjoyed the annual christmas in the park tree lighting with a gluten-free bakeries free samples and lots of good cheer. Back home for some gluhwein and off to bed with thoughts of sugar plums surely dancing in Frunty and Pit's little heads.
After the workshop which had presentations by teachers and principals too, we played in the icy snow at the nearby Ted's Hockey Arena with some others kids who were making snowboarding jumps. It was hard to leave because it was so much fun for Frunty and Pit to play in the snow but we got cold soon enough and headed to Feathers Pub for a live band which was too loud so we left after a few songs!
We met Gramma and Grampa at home and had a hot meal at dinnertime before heading down to Kew Gardens for Christmas in the Park presented by the Toronto Beaches Lions Club with Christine Bentley. We enjoyed the annual christmas in the park tree lighting with a gluten-free bakeries free samples and lots of good cheer. Back home for some gluhwein and off to bed with thoughts of sugar plums surely dancing in Frunty and Pit's little heads.
