Coffee in a River

This morning I had my morning coffee in an interesting place. Last night we went tubing again down the Gaspereau River as it was the last day the river would be high enough for the summer. The power company has dams along the area and they control the water levels.

We took both vehicles and so we left one at the bottom then drove to the top. It was awesome going in the evening. The temperature was perfect, it was calm and relaxing.

The big problem was when we made it to the end and I didn’t have my car keys in my pocket anymore. Luckily Jen had her set for both vehicles so we were fine but it’s going to be a pain to get new keys.

This morning I got up early and headed back to the river. I figured if the water was going down last night, it would still be a needle in the haystack scenario, but this would be the mostly likely time I might find them.

No luck but I drank my coffee while wading in the river. No other people around except for some cars driving by. I did meet up with a hawk of some sort though. We were pretty close to each other for a while until it decided it didn’t like me being that close and took off.

Drama Camp Talent Show

All week Caile and Ella have been in Drama Summer Camp at Centre Stage Theatre. They’ve gone a few years now and love it. The camp is very well done and I love watching their play at the end of the week. 

This year they did a play called The Worn Slippers. I wasn’t able to record it as the had a professional team come in to do it and sell the DVD’s afterward.

Yesterday though they had a talent show. Together with their cousins they choreographed a dance routine. They love being on stage and performing. 

As Fresh as it Gets

Tonight we are having peas from our own garden in our supper. I had no idea they were even ready yet. A couple days ago they were getting close but I thought they still had a while yet.

Jen came in with some earlier and I was shocked. Now I’m hiding outside eating a few where no one can catch me. 

  

WordPress Hat

My newest piece of WordPress swag arrived in the mail the other day, and I love it. 

I think this is my favourite one yet because I can wear it everyday. When I go out I almost always wear a hat. I have a couple I alternate but I haven’t worn any other one besides this since it got here. 

If you want one there are still some left at http://freedomzero.org/. Thanks Nick! It made it here crazy fast after I ordered and he threw in a Wapuu keychain. 

  

Opposite Morning

This morning I had one awesome view down at the marsh. The most rising up like a dog and the ducks swimming around. Not another soul around. 

Then I came home and was taking the garbage to the road. I opened the shed and there was a huge spider standing in the door way not moving. I wish I had of our something in the picture for scale. 

 

   

Beautiful Morning

This morning I finally did it. I’ve been saying for a long time that I needed to get out running again. Having not been feeling well, and then going on vacation I kept putting it off. I decided last night it was time. Still I managed to stay in bed later than I planned but I got up and went for a run.

Well most people in their right mind wouldn’t call it a run. It was pretty bad. I was very slow and didn’t go very far, but I did it. Now to work to make it a habit again. In a few months time I am going to get to meet my team again and the rest of the company as well. As part of that there are usually lots of fitness activities like morning runs etc and I want to be able to participate. Not to mention I have to get up in front of a bunch of them and give a flash talk. That is going to be hard enough for me, I may as well look my best when I do it.

It was a beautiful morning for being out at the marsh though.

Afternoon at the Shore

This afternoon, together with a bunch of friends and family, we headed to the shore. The beach is a all rocks and is at Scot’s Bay on the Bay of Fundy. The tides are huge and as we were getting there it was on it’s way out. It doesn’t take long before there is a long walk to get to the water.

It is a wonderful place to spend the afternoon. We had a fire which we used to cook hot dogs for lunch and then roast marshmallows for s’mores afterwards. The kids love playing together running around. Digging in the rocks, collecting shells and playing in the water.

There was an installation of Uncommon Common Art there which was very cool. The artist, Genny Killin, created an installation called What was Left Behind: Ribs. It is the ribs of a ship made from recycled cans. In the past there have been some installations with this project that I didn’t appreciate but most, including this one, are really neat to come across.

Spending time laying next to the ocean having great conversation with friends is the perfect way to end a weekend and recharge for the weeks reality to begin again.

Scot’s Bay
Uncommon Common Art
Uncommon Common Art
Scot’s Bay
Scot’s Bay
Scot’s Bay
S’mores
Roasting Marshmallows

Library Summer Reading Club

Each year the Valley library system here puts on a summer reading club. It is an awesome idea to keep kids reading and gives them some great incentive to do it as well.

You sign up for the program and you are given a sheet with different tasks to complete over the summer. As you cross off so many of the tasks you can go check in at the library and get small prizes like stickers and temporary tattoos. At the end when you have completed the correct number you are given a Fast Pass for Upper Clements Park!

When we were on vacation we were able to cross off a number of things like go to a Zoo, visit a Museum. They also did some reading and other tasks while we were driving and on the ferry on the way home.

Today I walked in to find Caile and Ella sitting in the bathroom with a book. One of the boxes is to read in every room in your house. They let me take a picture, but Caile told me I had to put an explanation to what was happening if I was going to post it on my blog.

Reading in the bathroom
Reading in the bathroom
Check List
Check List

Fitbit vs Pebble

For quite a while now I’ve really enjoyed my first generation Pebble watch. Right before we went on vacation the strap broke on it.

I picked up a new strap but I couldn’t find one the right size so I choose the closest I could find. It was 20mm when it really should be 22mm. This allows enough wiggle room that the strap kept coming off. At one point early in the trip I thought I lost the watch. Turns out it fell off as I was digging in my backpack and it was in there. That was my sign though that I needed to take it off.

The rest of the trip I went without it. So no notifications came in at all and it was pretty peaceful. I keep the sound and vibration off on my phone already so I relied on the watch.

What did I miss? Especially when I’m out I did miss getting phone and text notifications. I get very few of these and typically when I do they are important. The email and other notifications I don’t care about anymore. Not having the time in easy view was annoying too. I didn’t wear a watch for a long time before this watch but now I miss having the time there. It didn’t come into play on vacation but I really like the silent alarm as well. 

For a long time I’ve also wanted to get a Fitbit, but wearing two things on my wrist wasn’t going to work for me. When I was running more, like I need to get doing again, I loved tracking my runs. Having a Fitbit would allow me to track that and a lot more as well. The Surge looks very interesting to me. At first look it seems like it would do everything I’m looking for. 

The big downfall is the price. Pretty sure I might get in trouble spending that much on another gadget. I could go with a lower end Fitbit and not have things like the notifications and not have some of the tracking. The Charge might be the happy medium. I get most of what I’m looking for and could use my phone to track workouts. I might even be able too get away with the cost. If I could sell the Pebble that would help me even more. 

Does anyone have opinions one way or the other?

My Little Soccer Star

Noah running back for a drink of water at the end of a good lesson.