We have just been overjoyed with the weather in the last week. Finally some spring-like (more summer-like) weather. Now I just want it to stay like this. Brian and I got our new patio furniture out and have already been to Zehrs Garden Centre and bought some Geraniums and have made up some nice planters as well. Brian is hoping to dig out the grass around our new patio area in the back and we are going to make a nice flower garden back there to enjoy.
Last Sunday we went to Toronto to watch David participate in the Toronto Marathon. We got up early and met up with Jenn’s parents (Jim and Janet) at a restaurant and had breakfast while David was starting his race. We then head over to the finish line at the old Ontario Place and waited for him to finish. It was such a beautiful morning too; it was great to be in the nice sunshine. David did us all proud by finishing 8th overall in a time of 2 hours and 47 minutes! He was pretty exhausted by the end of it but he was very happy with his race but says he probably won’t do another marathon again. It puts him too much into the “hurt box”, so doing half marathon and 10K races is more what he enjoys. He is hoping to do a triathlon or two this summer just for fun and maybe Jenn will do one too. Brian would love to do one as well but I keep discouraging him from that as I feel he needs to get his maintenance chemotherapy done before he tries doing anything too strenuous. So I think next year would be the time Brian can start thinking about it but we shall see what Brian decides!
Talking about maintenance chemo, Brian is due for maintenance chemo next Tuesday. We see the oncologist on Monday and chemo is scheduled for Tuesday. So next week will be a “resting week” for Brian as usually the chemo makes him feel a bit unwell for a few days.
We also are very excited as we have now booked our trip to Europe in the summer. We are going on the Rhine and Moselle Treasures Riverboat Cruise from Basel, Switzerland to Paris for 11 days, then we are going to take the train (through the chunnel) from Paris to London where Geoff and Lynn have been so kind enough to pick us up and we are spending about 5 days with them before we head back to Canada. I’m so excited that we are able to taking another trip like this and we will be meeting up with our friends, Richard and Roseleigh from Perth, Australia who we met on the last European River cruise. We will be gone for about 3 weeks total. (Aug 19 thru Sept 6).
Another piece of good news is that dad has signed the dotted line to move into the new Retirement Residence at the Aboretum called the Village of Arbor Trails. See picture:
Dad’s apartment is tucked right in the corner facing the pond you see above. I wish I knew how to add an arrow symbol to point to his apartment. He is on the ground floor and will have a nice little patio to sit out on. The area with the blue on the roof is where the “hub” of activity will be at the home, where the Main Street is located and the glass area there is where the dining room is so they have a nice view of the pond that you see which in this picture is frozen with ice and snow. Move-in should be some time in August so I’m hoping it will be before Brian and I leave for our trip. I think my dad is going to love it there! I’m really impressed with Schlegel Villages philosophy on aging.
I’m including a few pictures here of our new patio set-up and some other pictures with captions below.
Our patio out the back – we totally enjoy sitting out there. Very peaceful if you ignore the traffic on Victoria Road!
This is our front porch with the flowers we planted. Hope we don’t get a frost now!
Our Bistro set on the front porch.
Janet & Jim Bruder and Brian with a sign that the Bruder’s grandkids made for David in the Marathon!
David after the marathon with his legs so sore he was having trouble getting to the car, so Karsten who had his bike with him (and followed David throughout the race) let him coast along on the bike to save his legs!!
Annika in her dance costume for her recital at the end of May. She was just heading off to get her pictures taken.
With nana and papa and the excited dogs as we had just walked in the door!
