Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Graham is Loving the Cruise

Finally, our internet is up and connected again.  When we arrived on the ship, there was a bad storm preventing us from leaving Venice on schedule.  It was kind of scary and kind of exciting, too.  Just ask Graham.   The winds were so strong that our suite doors flew open and the rain made it impossible to see the shoreline.  It was short-lived and soon we were headed out to sea.
Graham hasn't stopped smiling---or moving for that matter.  As I write this, he is dancing behind me---doing an old-fashioned jig.  He just dove on to his bed where I imagine he'll stay for all of 30 seconds---he's off again!
(Oh---this is a message from Graham to his mom and dad---"I hope that trampoline is ready for me when I get home!")
He has non-stop privileges---oops he just fell off the floor from his bed---oh---he's up again.  (Gee, I'm tired out and it's only 7:15 p.m. and we have yet to have dinner.) 
The internet is about to shut down again---I have to beat this thing and publish the photos that we've taken so far.
(Graham hurt his is foot when he fell and he is under the bed???  Who knows his ways---not me!!!) He's okay, though, Mom and Dad; a resilient little chap.)

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Our first full day at Landal - Tuesday, Aug. 22

As soon as breakfast was over, my boys headed out for the sand dunes and Graham's first bike ride here.  As I am so dedicated to my blog musings :), I had to stay back and update this for any who may be interested.  (With respect to sleeping---we all got up around 10 a.m. our first morning.  Today wasn't much better.  Tonight---we had better set an alarm or we'll continue to go to bed at 2 a.m. and sleep until 10 a.m.)
On Tuesday afternoon, we rode our bikes to Keukenhof gardens---the largest flower gardens in the world.  Absolutely gorgeous with its lush foilage and colorful flowers.   We had hoped to see the castle that was located on the grounds, but weren't told that we had to pay extra as we purchased our admission tickets and  therefore, no admittance allowed!  Once seeing everything there was to see, except the castle, we continued to ride along the variety of bicycle paths throughout the countryside. Graham was amazed that the only thing that separated the horses in the pasture from the paths was a shallow ditch which the horses could easly jump over.  "Well-trained, Graham," I told him.
Graham was a little more challenging to train than those horses, I think.  On the bike paths, he thought it would be fun to ride in and out through the broken lines separating the two sides of the path---for the coming and the going of bikes, skooters and motor bikes .  In and out he zig-zagged until I heard a motor bike coming up from behind us. On my second warning about spending the rest of his holiday in the hospital and missing our cruise, Graham finally gave up his dare devil ways and thereafter rode his bike close to the right side of the path.  "But, I was having fun, Grandma!"  "Try having a little less fun, then," 'no fun Grandma' said.

Our first full day in Landal

Chuck took a bike trip with Graham, in the morning, showing him the dunes in our region.  I stayed back and dutifully updated my blog :) .  After eating lunch here at our cottage, I joined in on the biking.  Our first stop was at the Keukenhof Gardens---the largest flower gardens in the world.  Beautiful and lush, we spent about an hour wandering throughout the grounds.  We, then, did further biking in and around the little towns.  In all, we travelled about 25 kilometers returning to our cottage just before 6 p.m.   
In the evening, Chuck took us to the university city of Leiden.  There was no trouble in getting there but finding a parking spot was like finding a flea on a horse.  After asking two people for directions, imagine that!, the second person, a middle age man, spent five minutes explaining the route to the closest parking lot in the centre of Leiden.  Then, the man opened the back door (to Graham and my surprise) and slid in beside Graham.  I had no idea what was going on because Chuck and this man were speaking Dutch.  "He's going to show us the way to the parking lot," explained Chuck. 
"Wow," Graham said, as the kindly gentleman closed the door as he left our car. "You could never let a guy in your car in Toronto!"  "Just remember that Graham," I said.
We found a very nice restaurant on one of the canals in town.  It was an old converted barge.  The tables were covered in white linen and that seem to sell Chuck on the idea that we would get a good meal.  Our waiter had to take our orders and then cross a very busy street to bring back our food and drinks.  It was quite the experience---one Graham did not want to ever forget and so above is a photo of Graham smiling with approval as he points to the menu on the side of the barge.

Tuesday, August 21, 2012


Our European Vacation with Graham - August, 2012

We travelled via Austrian Airlines to Vienna---an eight hour flight.  (We booked too late for a more direct route.)  Graham had managed to sleep for five hours during the flight  and Chuck about three---me---don't ask! We had a two-hour layover in Vienna and then, after a 2 1/2 hour drive to our destination, Noordwijk in the province of Zuid Holland, we finally arrived at 4 p.m. on Monday.
 Graham is totally enamoured with all.  He spotted a trampoline, when we arrived, and off he went to burn up all that energy from travelling.  After settling into our cottage, in Landal (a vacation community for families) and eating a light dinner, Chuck and Graham went for a bike ride.  Graham met some young boys around his age.  Although they were Dutch, they spoke very good English and so he was able to meet playmates for our stay here---yeah!  For those reading this who don't know Graham, he has a motor that never stops running---oh---he does sleep like the dead, though.  Whew!

Saturday, August 18, 2012


The trip to NOTL, August 15-17, was Jocelyn's birthday present from us.  Part of that gift included taking her cousin, Alexandra.  We stayed at the Canterbury Inn---a place Chuck and I discovered ten years ago.  It's quaint and cozy---a perfect place for a grandmother with her two granddaughters. 
When we arrived, we went into town and checked out the stores.  Jocelyn had some fun trying on clothes but our shopping didn't go any further.  We, then, headed over to the park. 
"Hey, Grandma, isn't that your hairdresser?" Jocelyn asked pointing over to, yes, my hairdresser from Newmarket.  There with his family for the day, Al's two daughters, ages six and three, now had a couple of playmates.  For the first time, Lily, the three-year-old, learned how to climb up the ladder that led to a slide.  With Jocelyn and Alexandra's coaxing, this little girl couldn't stop smiling once she discovered how easy and how much fun it was.  After umpteen dozen times up and down the slide,  my girls took the little girls over to the swings and more fun was had by all!
In the evening, I made reservations at the (Old) Niagara Golf Course for dinner.  I took the girls to a place,there, where their Great Uncle Bob's photo was hanging.  He is/was a great golfer and won many tournaments.  Three photos of him hung in succession.  Alexandra's comment was "Wow he was so young!"  (Bob is now 80 years of age.)
The following day we saw Ragtime and that certainly was an education for the girls.  The music was wonderful but the story had to be explained beforehand.  They saw another side of life through the story. 
All in all, it was a fantastic holiday together.   Rather than being exhausted from the busyness of those two days, my two granddaughters energized me!  May they continue to keep Grandma's spirit forever young.

Thursday, August 9, 2012

Santa Fe, New Mexico with sister Shirley - May 19 - May 26, 2012


We visited the many galleries along Canyon Road which was a short drive from our Castida.  The weather was beautiful, sunny and warm all week.  Our little house on Rodrigues Road was unique in its decor.  Some days we were content just to stay there.  Shirley would sketch and I would do some writing.


Saturday, August 4, 2012

"In Solitude"

The hand extended does not touch
 For want to draw her near
Age has drowned her in the flood
 Of life's surrounding fear

Amid the bustle of the crowd
 He lingers in his glance
Too far to notice blind she be
  If only just by chance

A melancholy look appears
 For once they were as one
In passing, now, the glare too bright
 A blur in the noonday sun