My knight in shining tin foil

This is my wonderful husband, and I am not saying that all drippy and sweet, even though he still has not finished my bathroom renovation! He really, truly is wonderful, and I love him dearly.





Here is Mike and I trying to get kids to stay out of the picture and being quite distracted by the flitting about!




Here is a picture Mike took during a really awful two weeks. He was sent out to Calgary on business, and it was so long and so lonely! We all missed him so very much, and couldn't wait until he got home. He took this on his one and only day off, poor guy!



Yesterday, I was very angry with him, as he was late from work, which has been happening for awhile now, I have just been dealing with it, and too busy to really think much about it. Until last night when I had something I needed to do. So, he got an earful from me, and I feel really awful about it. Even when I went to bed ( at 1:30 AM, yikes) I was still sort of ticked off, and I think Mike knew it. He tried to be nice, but forget it, I was too frustrated to hear anything other than myself.

He works a very stressful job, one which no longer brings him joy, and that is what I long for for him, to have a job he loves and excels at. He does really well at his job now, don't get me wrong, but the joy is not there. How can it be when nothing you do is right, you are always doing everyone else's job trying to help them out, doing what you are told and then being told that isn't what you were asked to do. He works and works and goes over and above what is expected and gets zero recognition, or gets put down for it. When things don't seem to be working out, it is miraculously his fault. He had to take a break to regroup in June, after working constantly since January on getting their new building ready, and that somehow means that he cannot handle the job any longer. What is with that?? Everyone needs a break, and my poor dh deserved it more than anyone else working there. No one can work like that and not need a break. They are very lucky he wasn't sick, or hadn't had a heart attack from the stress.

I worry about him, about his health, and just about how he is feeling. We have been going up to my inlaws new cottage, and for the first time in a long time, he is relaxing more, but it is only when we are there. He can't get away often, but last week, he even drove up two nights to stay with us, just because. He wanted to go out in the boat so badly, we had the boat ready to go, loaded up, and we saw him driving along the lake, and he ran to the boat, and then it wouldn't start, he was so disappointed! It is so good to see him having fun up there and enjoying himself for once. Especially now that he has figured out the boat!

He never complains about anything, and lately he has gotten a lot of that from me, mostly because I have a not even half finished bathroom staring at me. I can't walk down the hallway properly, as that is where the vanity is. I have let him know it has to get done, and the poor guy is so tired. He is doing such a great job of the bathroom too, considering he has never done anything like it before. I am looking forward to working on it with him once we get to the drywall stage.

I really do not have much to complain about. He is a great husband, he is so loving, and tells me how beautiful I am every day, more than once! He tells me he loves me all the time. He is a great dad, though when he is worn out it is a struggle for him. He is supportive, and he is growing in his walk with the Lord, and inspiring me to grow closer as well. God blessed me so greatly when he brought Mike into my life, even though at the time...high school...he was a royal pain in the neck!! Of course he still can be a royal pain in the neck, the difference is now I think it is cute and not annoying!

Cranberry Festival

On Friday, my dh took the day off and we trekked up to Bala, in Muskoka, for the cranberry festival. It is ususally raining when we go, this is the first year the weather was somewhat decent. Last year it was snowing! It is a 3 hour drive or so, and we putter around the town for a bit, and then go out to the cranberry bog. They have a great craft show, usually very busy, but this year, there were a lot of clothing and jewellery vendors. I have often thought of selling my soaps at this show, but it is very expensive for a booth, and I rarely see the same vendor twice, and there must be some reason for this! On the way back home, we stopped at Webber's, a world famous burger joint, where they have old railway cars set up for you to eat in, if you are lucky enough to get a spot. They are not cheap though!! But really yummy!!

This is a trail they have set up at the cranberry marsh, we stuck to the well known portion, as it was getting late, and we weren't sure if there were bears buzzing about!




Here's some of the cranberries in the containers they scoop them into. These get taken to the plant, and dumped into a big hopper.






Here we have some of the cranberries in the flooded bog. Once they float to the surface, the people harvest them in these old machines. They must walk behind the machine, which scoops the berries up. It is very, very cold work!!





Here we are, just about to get some apple cranberry cider ( except me, I hate cider!) Robyn's friend, Leah took this picture.




Here's the hopper the cranberries go down. After they get through this, they are bounced! The ones that bounce are good and packaged up. The ones that don't are not good and they fail, but may get made into wine.





These are the Bala Falls, which flow into the Moon River. I was surprised at how high they are this year, since we have not had a lot of rainfall.






This is the river in Bala, it is a very pretty spot, and I take a picture of it every year, as it is so pretty!

Ramblings

Well, it is a dark, dreary and soon to be drippy day here in Ontario. It has been so unseasonably ( is that a word?) hot and humid here recently, that I am glad the cooler weather is coming. Though I will soon be complaining that spring is so far away! I do like days like this, when I can light candles, andn be thankful I am inside cozy and warm and watch the leaves skidding down the street in the wind. There are many trees that have totally changed and the leaves are a memory. Only a few crunchy brown ones cling for dear life, not willing to let go. That sounds like me, although I don't really feel that dried out!

We had Thanksgiving on the weekend. We went to my in laws on Saturday, and that was fun. We had awful storms on the drive home, but the rain is much needed. On Sunday, we went to my parents, and did the whole picture taking ordeal. It is getting harder to fit us all in, as we all grow, and get wider! On Monday, we drove up to the cottage, and we went canoeing and took a toodle around the lake in the boat. Mike and the boys went bass fishing and caught some real lunkers. I caught the biggest sunfish I have ever seen! On the way back, the sun had set just behind the trees, and the sky was that bright pink and dusky purple colour. The water was as smooth as glass. I was sitting at the bow, as I had to be the one to catch the dock. The water was just such a beautiful colour, I can't even describe it. I felt like I was hovering above it, it was an odd, almost surreal feeling. I came to in time to catch the dock! I also spent hours trimming the cedars, using my hand saw and a machete. My gosh, that is fun!! I have a whole trail cleared to the bunkie almost!!



We started a study of Africa yesterday, and for the first time in history, the kids worked togehter and didn't fight. Jer was so shocked he asked me why they were getting along so well!! LOL!! I hope it keeps up, as the bickering has just about done me in!

We are having our Thanksgiving dinner tonight. I am making a turkey, roast potatoes, carrots, stuffing, beans, gravy and pumpkin pie. We also have to vote for our premier today......boring, boring, boring. I think the Liberals will win again, but I hope not, as Dalton McGuinty is such a liar. But really, what does it matter, because they all lie and they all go back on what they say they will do... Well, I am off to start my day...

Trying to do assignment #5

For blogger school, but it isn't working!! Photobucket won't upload my pictures!! I am going to have to try Flickr, and see what happens.

ARGHHHHH!!!!!