Willey Year in Review 1999 (Part 3)

The Willey Year in Review (1999 Part 3)

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July

We didn't go to Parliament Hill this year for Canada Day. It was raining so instead we took the kids and drove to a spot to watch the fireworks. When we tried to start the car after the show...nothing. I had left my cell phone at Danielle's to recharge so we had no means of communication. We weren't far from her place so I ran back to get the cell phone and my car. By the time I got back, called CAA and waited for the tow-truck to arrive it was approaching midnight. I was really tired the next day. What a lot to endure for 20 minutes of fireworks!

Danielle and I took the kids to Toronto for the weekend of the 9th. The trip originally called for us to go to Toronto and principally Wonderland. At the last minute we decided to take the extra few hours and spend the Friday afternoon and evening in Niagara Falls. It was raining as we left and we wondered if we would get soaked. By the time we reached Toronto the skies had cleared and our day in Niagara Falls was great. We visited the Falls as well as the garishness (is that a word?) of the Clifton Hill area. I even managed to get Christopher scared at the Alien Encounter. That evening we saw a fireworks display over the Falls and saw the illuminations.

On the Saturday we spent the entire day at Wonderland. It was cool and windy which kept the crowds down. Our day started on the Top Gun ride. What a choice! This is a wild ride that left me uneasy on my feet at the end. We tried a number of the roller coasters with one of our favourites being one of the oldest...Dragon Fyre. There was no lineup for this double looping and corkscrew ride so in the space of about 20 minutes we had ridden it 3 times.

We spent the morning and evenings on the rides but the afternoon was the waterpark, despite the coolness of the weather. Christopher and Guillaume must have insulation under their skin because they spent the entire time in the water. David and I found it on the cold side. Danielle did not even venture to try (probably the warmest move!).

On the Sunday we visited the CN Tower. The views are nice but I think that the price for this is much too high for what you get. We should have gone directly to the Toronto Zoo and spent more time there. It was the first time that I had visited the Zoo and I was very impressed. It was hot and sunny and we appreciated the air conditioned interior exhibition areas amply spaced throughout the Zoo. This is a large zoo that takes more than a few hours to properly visit. We got a very good overview that left a taste for more...perhaps the next time we visit Toronto.

Christopher had his vacation with his mom this month. They went to the Îles de la Madeleine for a week. Christopher really enjoyed the trip and even had his first taste of lobster.

The weekend of the 24th Danielle and I attended the curling league's annual barbeque which was held at a member's house on Lac St. Pierre. We really enjoyed our day which was held under bright sunshine. The water was warm and we even tried water skiing.

August

On the 30th of July we started the weekend long celebration of Danielle's 40th birthday. On Friday, Danielle invited her friends for a pot luck supper. On Saturday, we all went to her brother's house for a family pool party. On Sunday, we had supper with her parent's and finally on Tuesday, we had a romantic supper for two at the Auberge Héritage in Cumberland.

The curling league's golf tournament was held on the 6th. It was held at the Club de Golf Pontiac, a well maintained 9 hole Par-3 course nestled in the Gatineau hills.

At the suggestion of his mom and her boyfriend, Christopher attended a golf camp the week of the 9th. He had a good time and improved his game a lot.

On the 15th, Christopher and I left for Calgary and points west for our summer vacation. The main part of our vacation was Vancouver Island but we decided to fly to Calgary, rent a car and drive through the Rockies and the BC interior. We stayed in bed and breakfasts the entire time. Once again our vacation covered a lot of kilometres but the scenery was breathtaking. On the island we took a whale watching tour and were fortunate to see some killer whales and dolphins. In Calgary we even tried our hand at the luge!

The following weekend we enjoyed the company of the Club Amitié-Loisirs (the singles group Danielle and I belong to) at their annual corn roast. This year it was held in the Gatineau Park and including an overnight camping trip.

The summer seemed to pass by very quickly this year. I look back on it and find that I was not able to do all the things I would have liked to do. For example, Danielle and I would have liked to have played more golf...well, there is always next year.

Christopher started school on the 31st. He is attending a brand new school that was built to relieve some of the overcrowding at Jeanne-Sauvé. The new school does not yet have a name, known now as L'école élémentaire public du sud-est d'Orléans.

September

Christopher's soccer team made it to the finals but lost in a spirited match. Perhaps the end of season pool party was too enticing.

On the 19th, Christopher and I participated in the annual Terry Fox run. Christopher takes his bike and I used my inline skates. That evening Christopher left with his mom for a two week european vacation. They visited his aunt in Belgium and then travelled to northern Italy, Switzerland, Monte Carlo and France.

For me, the volleyball season started and I was starting to get psyched up for the upcoming curling season.

More to come soon.