As the fall weather signals winter’s approach and the kids start to need mitts and hats in the morning, we are winding down the New Brunswick phase of our sabbatical year.
The year “off” really started when the kids went back to school. Rob and Kathleen enrolled the local school, Cité de l’Amitié, where they quickly made friends and felt quite at home. As could be expected, they were ahead of the classmates in some areas and behind in others, but overall we are most pleased at their ability to adapt. Rob has shown a real interest in learning the geography of New Brunswick, and Kathleen continues to love writing her journal.
September is a beautiful month in the Maritimes and this year seemed to be particularly pleasant with many warm sunny days. During the week, with the kids at school, Ann and I could get out for a couple of hours on the bikes, or a long walk on the beach. I got my money’s worth out of a fall membership at the golf course by playing as many as five times a week.
After it was too cold for the beach here in Bathurst, we explored Gaspé one weekend and Fundy another for family camping trips. Both places offered spectacular scenery and challenging hikes. For the Fundy trip, Ann’s parents joined us to make for three generations of campers.
With so much time at the cottage it seemed this was the year to tackle the long discussed bathroom renovation. It is quite big job that involves moving everything into a different room and replacing all the mess of copper and galvanized pipes with EZ plastic, which isn’t as EZ as the salesman said. We should be able to use the shower early next week.
Many months ago when talking about this trip, my colleague, Betty Kreuger, predicted that the time spent with the kids would be a lasting highlight. In the first two months I have so appreciated having the time and energy to devote to being with them, be it for golf, or homework, or whatever, without feeling that I should be working.
Only three days to go and we are getting very excited about going to India. Our passports, visa and tickets are all in order and we have started packing our hot weather clothes. Our flight leaves on November 3rd, with stops in London (2 hrs) and Muscat (4 hrs), arriving in Kochi in the early hours of November 5th where we have booked two nights at a good hotel. After that, the adventure begins…
Bye for now,
Steve, Ann, Rob and Kathleen
More pictures are posted at www.flickr.com and search for Steve Weary Family.
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
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