I had (and, still am) an amazing time this weekend at my friend’s cottage with all my besties!
He said
This week—for me—was all about doubling down on bike rides. Sure, I have a big bike event coming up in the Reggie Ramble, but training for that was not the reason. We’re in the last week of our Close Your Rings Challenge at work and getting out for a second ride in the evening was about making sure I was maxing out the daily points every day. The happy byproduct of this second ride every day this week, was that Danielle & I were getting in those rides together, and it made a great way for us to catch up on each other’s day all while getting some exercise to boot! So these second rides of the day became something I looked forward to, as did Danielle. Her eBike has really made a huge difference and levelled the field so-to-speak so that we can get out and ride together a lot more. And we have.
This week, I had another bank of days off again from Monday to Wednesday, so the plan again was to sneak up to the trailer and spend Tuesday and Wednesday there. It would allow me to do a ride on the Thames Valley Parkway and the Goderich to Guelph Rail Trail in the same day, like last week. So, in the morning Tuesday I got on the bike, out on the TVP, and then back home I packed the truck and headed up to the trailer. Once I was there and settled it was back out on the bike to do my usual run on the G2G. And, then Wednesday, I did the exact same thing, but in reverse. The thing that I have really come to enjoy about these mid week trips to the trailer is that there is way less people in the park—certainly no transients. I had the pool to myself both days!
This weekend was a weekend that was one that Emelia was excited about since it started to come together. Emelia has had the twins (Anna & Grace) as her besties – basically since they all started pre-kindergarten together. But into the fold in the last year has been a couple of new besties to the mix that they have met in high school in Carys and Sienna. The five of them of them have basically been doing everything together the entire school year. This weekend the girls were headed to Sienna’s Dad’s cottage on the shore of Lake St Clair to spend what they pegged as part of their Epic Summer Bucket List. They left by train early Saturday morning and are there until tomorrow afternoon. By all accounts that we have gotten via text messages from Sienna’s Dad, and Emelia (and what we scope on social media) they are having the time of their lives. We couldn’t be happier. I remember the summer between Grade 11 and 12 as being one of my favourite every—it looks like Emelia will hit that milestone one year earlier than I did.
With Emelia away for the weekend, Saturday being Canada Day, and me having Sunday off, it meant as soon as we got Emelia to the train station and off for her epic weekend, Danielle and I were off for a weekend to ourselves at the trailer. Of course that meant bike time for us together on the G2G Trail, but it also mean a lot of time for us just to be us and do what we love to do—spending time by the fire pit at the trailer. Saturday night there were Canada Day fireworks which we got to see. And today was a perfect lazing about day before we finally packed up and came back to London just as the rain storms were about to ravage the area. It was a perfect weekend and it allowed Danielle & I a lot of time to be the couple that got this whole TeeterPod3 family thing rolling.
She said
This week wrapped the end of Emelia’s grade 10 school year. Now we have to wait a bit longer for final marks from her year end exams and assessments but as it stands she is well on to honour roll with distinction again this year. We are so proud of how hard she works and everything she has overcome. The week was full of fun and activities once school was done. Emelia and her cheer team had a Canada Day themed cheer practice on Tuesday and the girls once again got to work on their level up skills as they continue to test who will work together best for the stunt groups. So far Emelia is loving the groups she is with and hopes that it stays that way, she has been with a few bases but consistently with the same flyer. Guess we will know in a few weeks where everything is going to land after their choreography camp in 2 weeks.
As the week wrapped up all talk moved to the epic summer bucket list Emelia and her best friends had planned. The girls were at first going to leave for Sienna’s dads cottage Friday but an invite to the big year end blow out party from one of their friends so things got shifted to leaving Saturday. The big party was the big talk the entire last week of school, Emelia and the twins talked about it every day on the way to school. The party was a huge success with very happy girls coming home giggling the whole way. After talking to other parents who had kids at the same party it seems that most of Lucas grade 10s were there and in talking to Emelia all the most popular kids were there, so you know very important to all the girls that they were invited. Oh to be a teenager again!
After a very late night the girls were up super early to get packed up to get to the VIA station and take the train down to Chatham to get picked up by Sienna’s dad. The girls were so excited to take the train down solo, so needless to say it was an amazing start for the weekend. All in all from the pictures and videos being sent and posted the girls are absolutely living their best life! They have been planning the Epic Summer Bucket List for months and getting out on the lake, going on boat rides, going tubing and soaking in the sun with their best friends I can say the summer has started out the best way possible.
With Emelia very happily off on her adventure John and I were able to sneak away to the trailer for a solo trip just the two of us. We haven’t had a lot of these trips and having mini get aways without Emelia is something we are still adjusting to. But what the kid free weekend let us do was to get up at our own pace, go for long bike rides, have drinks around the fire and spend some much needed down time together. Life has been very stressful lately so we can not say enough how much we all needed this time.
As the weekend wraps up we are excited to see Emelia tomorrow when she gets home, well for the few days she is home until she and her besties are all off together again for a different cottage trip.