Closing the gap on sisterhood

Hi folks,

As many (or all) of you know, my sister and I have had a major rift between us - things have been tough since she moved to Rochester, for many reasons, some of which are not her fault. We collectively decided to try to work things out, especially since we are sisters, and she lives only a few miles away (for the first time in I don't even know how long). We were going to go and have coffee and talk things out, but I simply can't handle anything too intense these days, so I thought it better that we go to SeaBreeze for the day and just fart around on some rides, and talk there. What a great idea that was. We had a wonderful day, and at the end of the day, we picked Lanie up from daycare and brought her to the park as well, since she gets in for free. The video here shows the three of us on a tilt a whirl ride (ugh!) and about sums up our feelings on the day. Enjoy!!!

Lanie kicks butt

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Photos from our vacation (Ontario)

Hello there. Sorry it took me a while to get myself organized again after getting back from vacation. It has been a busy summer so far with quite a bit of travel! We have been to NYC/Brooklyn, Long Island, had one of our closest friends, Robin come for a visit from the Netherlands, made our annual pilgrimage up north to the Soo, and now we are home again. For me, that is temporary since it looks like I am off again next week to go to California to visit Stacy. Wow - so much for a 'break' this summer! I am not complaining whatsoever though.

Click here for our trip photos

Anyhow, I had best be going - much to do, little time to do it in today. I will write more soon!

Tootles, y'all!

Poutine

I will add more to the blog shortly - still (happily) recovering from a few vacation weeks - one with our dear friend Robin, and one with Phil & Linda up in the "Soo". I have lots of photos to share and stories to tell. Poutine is one of them (Lanie's new fav. word).

Still adjusting to being back home, so I am off to bed, only to update this blog at some point tomorrow.

Tot ziens allemaal

International People

Proost! (Robin and Aubrey)

Every now and again, someone we meet says something that is so profoundly stupid that you have no choice but to remember it forever. George W. Bush is pretty good at that, specifically with his plan for strategery. Back in 1994, Carl Barr (Mullett) Smith of the Old Main Inn fame was very excited to meet my friend Robin, who is from the Netherlands. When I introduced Carl and Robin to each other, I believe Carl's response was "Wow, I LOVE international people!"

That response was so ignorant that it was hilarious, and has stuck with us both for the past 14 years.

Robin (International People) was just here for a visit, and left to go back to Toronto's airport about 30 minutes ago. I was (am) sorry that the visit this time was so short, and cut even shorter by a long but brief trip to Brooklyn/Long Island, and by some other somewhat unforeseen family issues that came up while he was here. Nonetheless, it was, as it always is, a pleasure to have the company of a friend that has been a part of my life for now 16 years. I love that Aubrey and Robin have such a good relationship, and that Lanie took to Robin as though she had known him forever. Robin and I had a few nice chances to talk, which was something that we really have only had the chance to do online or through email for, well, since honestly, 1995, which I am just now realizing!
Tony and Robin at Coney Island (I finally got to meet Tony... after knowing of him for 14 years!)

Lanie was very impressionable and interested in learning about her new "best friend" Robin. She even learned some dutch while he was here - koekje (cookie), and even now, she was on the toilet and told me that she did "poep maaken" (you can likely figure that one out on your own...)

The newest soccer player for the Ajax!

So, now it is our turn to visit Holland, or at least the E.C. in the next year or two. It will be so nice to see Ingrid again (she did not accompany Robin this time on the visit), and have Lanie see all of the wonderful things that Aubrey and I get excited about when we visit Europe. Robin warns me that if Ingrid meets Lanie, she will want to keep her. I hope so... then maybe Lanie can in fact convince them to have a little one of their own that she can come and visit ;-) . After all, aren't ALL children as wonderful as Lanie? :-D

Lanie's newest best friend, Robin

What a nice American family! Cute, too! ;-)

So, being the jet setters that we are, we leave tomorrow for the perennial Soo visit, and are looking forward to that visit as well. I will of course post some photos of that trip when we return, since I won't be bringing the computer up there (no internet, no phone, no problem!!!).

Cheers!
Cate