Tuesday, June 26, 2007
... and they're off !!
We are all set now to depart. The last few things got done at work, the last few medical supplies are assembled and the backpacks are loaded. Jill will drive us to Halifax tomorrow morning (even though the flight isn't until 6:20 tomorrow evening) and by this time tomorrow night we should be somewhere over the Atlantic winging our way east.
Although "blogging" won't be a priority, I hope to have access to the web every so often and will post some travel stories when possible. So faithful readers, assuming there even are some faithful readers left, fear not, there will be news.
Although "blogging" won't be a priority, I hope to have access to the web every so often and will post some travel stories when possible. So faithful readers, assuming there even are some faithful readers left, fear not, there will be news.
Family Fun Fair
For the full story, see my post from Wednesday June 20th. Here's a pic from the event showing my brother Steve in his bike cop uniform, wife Tara, their two kidlets G-Unit (Gavin) and Sam (aka Sadie Ann McDougall. In front is our friend Kendra, Team Diabetes fundraiser extraordinaire, who organized the Family Fun Fair.
Saturday, June 23, 2007
Running?
As I look back over the past couple of weeks worth of posts on this blog I realize that very few are running-related. Guess that's a clear indication of where my priorities have been recently. All is not lost though. I have been cycling to/from work almost every day and I have been able to get out for a couple of runs. Also, I've been trying to find out whether there are any 5k or 10k fun runs taking place in Europe in the spots where we will be over the next month. I have found one that might work out in Germany during week 1 but aside from that the running calendar seems pretty empty in July.
High School Graduate
Last night Stephanie made the 10 second walk across the stage to receive her high school diploma. Hard to fathom that 13 years of public education are captured in that 8x10 piece of parchment. She was joined by 301 other LHHS Lions, each one justifiably proud of what they had accomplished. The graduation ceremony was lovely and included traditional native drumming/chanting by the Muskrat Singers, an original song written/performed by two grads (one of which was Chad, Stef's prom date) and the faculty choir singing a reasonably decent rendition of Sara Evans' song I Hope You'll Dance.
Here's Stef with her grandmother just after the ceremony:
After graduation Stef was dropped off at school and then loaded a bus to attend the all-night Safe Grad party put on by the school. She returned at 6:30 a.m. and was met by Jill with our van loaded and they are now en route now to Racine, Quebec where Stef is working for the summer.
Friday, June 22, 2007
Prom Pics - Part 2
There was a photographer from the Just Fred website snapping pics of the prom the other night. Here are the ones she took of Stephanie and Chad:
A Big Day
Today is a very special day in our household. My baby girl is graduating from high school!!
Like every parent I left to wonder where the years have gone. Wasn't it only a couple of months ago that Jill walked her to Spring Park kindergarten in Charlottetown PEI? Wasn't it a few weeks ago that she entered Nashwaaksis Middle School as a cute little Grade 6'er? Wasn't it just yesterday that she hopped on the bus to Leo Hayes High School?
Tonight she receives her diploma and tomorrow morning she heads off to Racine, Quebec in the Eastern Townships to spend the summer working at the Grison Farm horseback riding camp. Horses are her passion and so you can imagine her excitement.
Once camp finishes in mid-August she'll be home for a week or so and then off to the University of Prince Edward Island to study Science in their pre-veterinary stream, with the ultimate goal of being admitted to the Atlantic Veterinary College so that she can become a large animal (think horses!) vet.
We are of course so proud of her and are thrilled that she is pursuing her dreams but why did she have to grow up so fast?
Like every parent I left to wonder where the years have gone. Wasn't it only a couple of months ago that Jill walked her to Spring Park kindergarten in Charlottetown PEI? Wasn't it a few weeks ago that she entered Nashwaaksis Middle School as a cute little Grade 6'er? Wasn't it just yesterday that she hopped on the bus to Leo Hayes High School?
Tonight she receives her diploma and tomorrow morning she heads off to Racine, Quebec in the Eastern Townships to spend the summer working at the Grison Farm horseback riding camp. Horses are her passion and so you can imagine her excitement.
Once camp finishes in mid-August she'll be home for a week or so and then off to the University of Prince Edward Island to study Science in their pre-veterinary stream, with the ultimate goal of being admitted to the Atlantic Veterinary College so that she can become a large animal (think horses!) vet.
We are of course so proud of her and are thrilled that she is pursuing her dreams but why did she have to grow up so fast?
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Sadie Ann McDougall
At long last I have pictures of my niece Sadie! Congrats Steve and Tara - she's beautiful.
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Connections
I've mentioned before the amazing couple, Kendra and Johnson, that I have connected with through Team Diabetes and Team D blogging. In turn I have connected them with my brother Steve. They recently wrote about their Family Fun Day event that Stephen attended with one of the Ottawa Police Service's new Dodge Charger patrol cars for a static display.
Of course, he doesn't usually get to drive the Charger because in the summer he is a bicycle cop riding one of these:
or is it one of these:
Of course, he doesn't usually get to drive the Charger because in the summer he is a bicycle cop riding one of these:
or is it one of these:
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Senior Prom
Tonight was Stephanie's big night ... Senior Prom. Here are a couple of pics of the belle of the ball
See For Yourself
I have been pleasantly surprised by the number of people who have mentioned that they've been reading my posts about our upcoming European Extravaganza. Here are a collection of links to the places where we are staying this summer:
Offenberg, Germany
Triberg, Germany
Freiberg, Germany
Gimmelwald, Switzerland
Rome
Florence
Venice
Paris
Amsterdam
Ypres
Brussels
London
Offenberg, Germany
Triberg, Germany
Freiberg, Germany
Gimmelwald, Switzerland
Rome
Florence
Venice
Paris
Amsterdam
Ypres
Brussels
London
Sunday, June 17, 2007
Final Arrangements in Place
Last night I spent a couple of hours on the internet and managed to arrange the last pieces of the accommodation puzzle. We have a hotel booked in Venice (quite reasonable by Venetian standards at 80 EURO per night) and a B&B in Amsterdam (even more reasonable at 65 EURO per night).
I can now turn my attention to ensuring that we have the necessary clothes/etc. plus I will be spending some time laying out initial sigghtseeing plans.
I can now turn my attention to ensuring that we have the necessary clothes/etc. plus I will be spending some time laying out initial sigghtseeing plans.
Friday, June 15, 2007
Vimy Ridge
Of all the things that we are doing while in Europe, the thing that I am looking forward to the most is the visit to Vimy Ridge. This year marks the 90th anniverary of that dreadful battle - Easter Sunday 1917 - a battle that is generally thought of as having forged Canada's true recognition as a Nation. The fact that the Vimy Memorial was re-opened in April of this year, ironically at the very time that a number of Canadian soldiers were killed in Afghanistan, after extensive refurbishment makes it all the more special.
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Check It Out
How cool is ths - I found the following video on YouTube about one of the places we're going. We will be spending two nights at this mountain hostel.
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Trip Update
A couple more elements of the trip are now in place. Four nights in a Rome B&B are confirmed. 4 nights in a Paris hotel now booked. Middle part of our itinerary is changed due to difficult train connections from Vimy Ridge (near the town of Arras, France). From Paris plan is now to go by high-speed train to Amsterdam for 2-3 days. Then back to Ypres (or Ieper as it is spelled in Belgium) for 2 nights at Varlet Farm B&B. While in Ypres we will go to the Menin Gate for the nightly Last Post ceremony (watch the video I have posted to get a sense of it) plus we will do either one or 1 1/2 days of WWI battlefield tours including Vimy Ridge and places in Flanders.
From Ypres it is a short train ride to Brussels for a day (hostel booked for teh night) then we'll go by Eurostar through the Chunnel to London. Accommodation now booked in a residence at the London School of Economics right in the heart of the city. Holy crap London is expensive. Our room is 60 GBP (roughly $125 cdn) per night - for a university residence !!!
From Ypres it is a short train ride to Brussels for a day (hostel booked for teh night) then we'll go by Eurostar through the Chunnel to London. Accommodation now booked in a residence at the London School of Economics right in the heart of the city. Holy crap London is expensive. Our room is 60 GBP (roughly $125 cdn) per night - for a university residence !!!
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Peter & Chris' European Extravaganza
In just over two weeks my 16-year old son Chris and I will be leaving for a month-long trip to Europe. Plans are still a daily-developing matter but so far here is what I have:
June 27/28 - overnight flight Halifax-Frankfurt
June 29 to July 4 - rental car - touring the Black Forest (Baden-Baden, Lahr, Triberg, Freiberg) then to Switzerland (2 nights in a mountain hostel in Grinnelwald) and back to Baden-Baden.
July 4 - fly Baden-Baden to Rome (Ryan Air - $150 for 2 taxes in)
July 4 - 8 - Rome
July 8-10 - Florence - staying at a convent hostel!
July 10-12 - Venice
July 12 - fly Venice to Paris (MyAir - $150 for 2 taxes in)
July 12-16 - Paris
July 17 - Vimy Ridge
July 18-19 - Ypres & Brussels Belgium
July 20-22 - Amsterdam
July 23-26 - London
July 27 - fly London-Halifax
June 27/28 - overnight flight Halifax-Frankfurt
June 29 to July 4 - rental car - touring the Black Forest (Baden-Baden, Lahr, Triberg, Freiberg) then to Switzerland (2 nights in a mountain hostel in Grinnelwald) and back to Baden-Baden.
July 4 - fly Baden-Baden to Rome (Ryan Air - $150 for 2 taxes in)
July 4 - 8 - Rome
July 8-10 - Florence - staying at a convent hostel!
July 10-12 - Venice
July 12 - fly Venice to Paris (MyAir - $150 for 2 taxes in)
July 12-16 - Paris
July 17 - Vimy Ridge
July 18-19 - Ypres & Brussels Belgium
July 20-22 - Amsterdam
July 23-26 - London
July 27 - fly London-Halifax
Monday, June 11, 2007
Busy Weekend - Pics Added
I'm just back from Toronto where I attended the inaugural meetings of a newly formed "Team Diabetes Alumni Council". The goal of our Council will be to keep individuals who have participated in Team D events engaged and energized on behalf of the Canadian Diabetes Association.
While I was away, Jill participated in the Sheldrake Shuffle 10k here in Fredericton. I'll post a picture once they've been downloaded from the camera.
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
Riding To Work
In the Globe and Mail the other day there was an article about how cycling to work makes you rich and gorgeous. Well I do and so far neither is happening! Now, since I have previously posted pics of my running shoes, I suppose I ought to give my bike equal time in the spotlight, so here she be.
Just in case you were wondering, no I have never done a duathlon (run/bike/run) or a triathlon (swim/bike/run) but I may attempt one or other in the future.
Just in case you were wondering, no I have never done a duathlon (run/bike/run) or a triathlon (swim/bike/run) but I may attempt one or other in the future.
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
JDRF Slide Show
Monday, June 04, 2007
Boston Pics
Here are a couple of pictures that were taken by the photographer Manulife/John Hancock hired to be at the marathon and capture memories for their invited guests. The group shot was taken in the Hopkinton school gym where we waited for a couple hours prior to teh start. The second was taken as I was walking from the finish line to the hotel. The one I really like though is the picture of me walking away. It conveys to me a sense of both the physical effort that I had just expended while at the same time the feeling of accomplishment.
Sunday, June 03, 2007
JDRF Run A Success
We had a great time today at the JDRF Run/Walk To Cure Diabetes. Our day started early - set up started at 8 a.m. Things went very smoothly thanks to the great volunteer crew, many of them from UPS (United Parcel Service). They are an amazing company and the UPS staff is an unbelievably dedicated and fun group of people.
The 5k fun run had 24 registrants, about half of whom were from Jill's 5k running class. They named their team "3D - Darren's Darlings for Diabetes" in honour of Darren, the only guy in the class. Everyone finished upright and smiling - I will post some pics as soon as I have them downloaded from the camera.
Personally, I had a pretty good run - 27:41 and finished a respectable 4th.
After the fun run it was time to get the 5k walk going. A few short speeches and the crowd (I estimate that we had more than 200 people turn out) was off. By the time they got back we had the BBQ's going and enough hot dogs for everyone, plus pop, water and other snacks. Perley the Magician kept the kids entertained and the inflatable "bouncy castle" was a big hit as always.
Total funds raised for diabetes research exceeded $30,000.
Sens Win !
Yahoo - the Sens won last night. With the series now 2-1 and Ottawa at home again on Monday night things are looking better than they did a couple of days ago. Sure wish I could've been in Ottawa yesterday to be part of the excitement.
Time to head off to set up for he JDRF Run/Walk to Cure Diabetes. Weather is great so should be a fun day.
Time to head off to set up for he JDRF Run/Walk to Cure Diabetes. Weather is great so should be a fun day.
Friday, June 01, 2007
JDRF Run To Cure Diabetes
This weekend is the annual Fredericton edition of the JDRF Run to Cure Diabetes. It is a 5k fun run and 5k family walk taking place on "the Green" - the beautiful trail system that follows the edge of the Saint John river through downtown Fredericton.
