Sunday, August 31, 2008

What I Did on My Summer Vacation

The end of August is upon us and recounting the past couple weeks takes us to the water's edge.

We took a trip to Shelley's parents' new cottage home on the waters of Georgian Bay for a few days of family time and an increased adult:child ratio.

Just inland from the Muskoka Lakes is Santa's Village where the admission price caught us off-guard but made us all the more determined to milk the experience for its full value. The kids and I made an ornamental portrait; what you can't see is some random kid also behind the board between Reiko and I.
holey-day picture

Our little elf enjoyed the Ferris Wheel, Boat Ride, Train Ride, Airplane Ride as well as the little dragon rocker at the playground.
elf

Our bouncing, bubbly girl also had a rollicking good time.
bounce

After a brief turnaround time at home, we ventured to the shores of Loughborough Lake, north of Kingston to visit old friends at their new home. (While en route, we stopped at Colborne's Big Apple where Kai wondered aloud as we approached, "Will it be seedy inside?" His vocabulary is not extensive enough to appreciate the true brilliance of his question, but that doesn't mean we can't marvel at his insight).

I had to cut that visit short to attend Kairos 2008, a national young adult conference for The United Church of Canada, at the confluence of the Grand River and Whiteman's Creek. I worked as a chaplain there and was surprised by the degree that death, grief and loss formed an ongoing pastoral theme.

After many late nights and early mornings, Labour Day weekend offered some time to catch up on sleep and relax on the shores of Lake Huron for a beach day before it's back to school/work/church.
Ipperwash Labour Day

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