Well that a busy year!

We are feeling a bit dizzy and appreciating the relief of having a little less to do as winter sets in.

Soon we'll be back on our skis hoping to enjoy a snowy winter, just a little colder than last year please to freeze the water hazards and keep the trails in better shape.

We began the year by heading down to Oakville to empty, clean, repair and paint Andrew's mum's house for sale. Margaret moved herself into a retirement home in Aurora in the fall of 2022 and Timothy (Andrew's brother) remarried and moved out of Mum's house. By Christmas, the house was empty...sort of...somehow, there is always more stuff to move and do! The extra effort to get the house ready paid off as it sold quickly and closed on March 22. Then Leslie's father grabbed the baton. Hugh had been finding his house and garden in Nepean were getting to be too much for him, so he jumped at an opportunity to move back to Deep River, into a new apartment development in the kids' old elementary school, signing a lease for April 1. Fortunately...we were still in sort, pack, clean and sell mode so we just kept moving. Hugh's house closed at the end of June and he has happily settled into his new digs...in the old staff room! Both our parents remain healthy and active, and are happy with their moves. Our basement, on the other hand, needs a major clean-up.

Meanwhile, we had started into a project of our own. When the snow finally melted in the spring, construction began on our new guest suite. Despite having a lot of open-concept floor space, we lacked a second bedroom with walls and a door. We do have relatively comfortable guest space on our mezzanine, but it isn't as private or dignified as our senior guests might like, and there is no bathroom. So, we have added a second bedroom with a bathroom connected to the house with a second vestibule. Our builder is dealing with a few final details outside...as the snow begins. It has been a full three-season project and we did much of the interior finishing (painting, tiling, shingling) ourselves. And if that wasn't enough, Andrew rebuilt two rotting decks with Tanzite stone decking and Leslie repainted the entire exterior. Whew!!!

Is it any surprise that we needed a holiday? We enjoyed a driving trip west to Leslie's sister's cottage on Torch Lake in Saskatchewan in late July to early August, spending a few days with family in Winnipeg and the family cottage on Lake Winnipeg as we came and went. At Torch Lake we spent most of our time kayaking, reading, and walking dogs. Meghan was able to join us for two weeks, flying into Winnipeg where we picked her up and dropped her to fly home.

Now to the part where we catch you up with the kids.

Lauren & Collin are living in Peterborough. Lauren works as an occupational therapist on the cardiac floor at the Peterborough hospital. Collin is working on his PhD, expecting to be done by the time their wedding day rolls around on July 6. They are planning a very small, casual wedding in his parents' backyard. The wedding preparations are well underway with the usual ups and downs, decision points and associated stress.

Meghan had a chance to visit with Biniyam in Saskatoon this summer. He's left his DJ job at the country rock bar and is currently working independently, doing music for events, etc.

Gosaye had recovered remarkably well from last year's gunshot wounds. He has a bit of foot-drop and numbness in his inner thigh on the right side, but seems otherwise fine. He didn't return to his job at the Pepsi warehouse, but has completed a retraining course in data and is looking for a job. His dog, Lucy, continues to reside with us as he can't have her in his current living situation.

Meghan has been with Morgan Stanley in Montreal for over a year now. The job seems a good fit for her. She keeps busy with a wide variety of interesting activities and enjoys sharing her apartment with her two cats and jungle of house plants.

And us?  Our activities, aside from building and painting, haven't changed much. Leslie continues at the Valley Artisans’ Coop and is enjoying a deep dive into boxes of photos and genealogical materials from Hugh's move (and previously Margaret's).  Andrew had a great summer of golfing and lawn bowling and is now back at curling.  He keeps busy as President for the lawn bowling club and as part of the ice crew for curling. We look forward to quieter days ahead, good snow and the cross-country ski season.