A week of destruction, sadness and loss for Canada

	Why is Goderich called Canada's Prettiest Town? Legend has it that a relative of Queen Victoria once visited Goderich and told her what a beautiful town it was, whereupon Queen Victoria stated, "Surely that must be the prettiest town in Canada!"

A very sad day on Sunday for the town of Goderich.  A tornado ripped through the downtown core and obliterated almost the whole town square.  I'm not sure if you are aware of what the town square looked like before the tornado but to see it after the fact you would wonder if it is the same town.  Here are some pics of before and after.

Look at all the beautiful trees surrounding the court house

and after the tornado ripped through!

It is hard to believe when you see the damage is destruction throughout the town that only one person, a man working at the salt mines was killed.  I worked in Goderich for 6 months and visited there often when we lived in Kincardine.  A favourite place for us to go was The Bedford Hotel and eat at Paddy O'Neils.  Looks like it has been very badly damaged as well.

A look here will give you an idea through photos what damage has been done. 

Truly a very sad time for the Town of Goderich.

On another sad note we lost a truly great Canadian this week.  Jack Layton, leader of the NDP party in Canada.  I've never much been into politics but Jack Layton had a way of talking to Canadians and getting their attention.  In 2011 Layton became leader of the largest Official Opposition in 31 years—and the first formed by New Democrats. With 59 Quebec MPs, Layton’s team emerged not only as a credible government-in-waiting, but as a force for Canadian unity.

He had hopes and dreams of one day becoming Prime Minister aof Canada and I believe he could have done it!  Two days before Jack Layton passed away he wrote a letter to Canada, not just any letter but a very strong letter of love and encouragement for us to become better people and work towards a better Canada.  If you haven't already read the letter you can find it here.  Even during his last days he was thinking of Canada and her people.  We should find encouragement in his strength and work to make Canada a better place for all.

My friends, love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we’ll change the world.

Great Back to School Giveaway at my daughters blog...

What a great giveaway just in time for school.  It is open to Canada and US.  Check it out and enter, you may win this great prize!

http://gethealthymomma.blogspot.com/search/label/Giveaways

Click on the comments link to take you to the entry section.

Almost the long weekend!

Do you have any plans for the long weekend?  I know it is only a civil holiday so not all get it off but just wondered if you do, do you have plans?

Of course my favourite place to spend any weekend is at our trailer.  So to have a long weekend at the trailer just makes it that much better.  They are doing helicopter rides which should be fun.  I'll be watching from the ground. Not sure a helicopter ride is something I would want to do...call me a scaredy cat but it's enough to just get me on an airplane without feeling sick and scared.  LOL!!

As far as I know i'll be heading up tomorrow.  Just have to stop and get some food and other items that we will need up there.

Today I babysat my grandson Everett.  What a handsome little dude he is...here is a picture of him while he is sleeping and then a picture when he woke up from his 10 minute nap.

I swear he wakes up from his cat naps like he has just had a 2 hour nap. 

We had fun playing with the toys, singing, playing patta cake and just spending time together.  He is such a mommy's boy that he doesn't let his mommy out of his sight for long and after about 40 minutes realized mommy hadn't been around.  Silly boy!  Sure is a handsome little man don't you think?



Knitting

Knitting is one of my favourite past-times as is crocheting.  I've worked on many things over the years as I posted in a previous post.  Sweaters, socks, blankets, wraps, barbie doll clothes, hats, cocoons for babies, christmas items, dishcloths and much more.  Right now both Kandice and I have been working on items to put into a craft sale at the trailer next summer.  We have both been making dishcloths but have other ideas to work on as well. 

My grand daughter Keira is waiting for some barbie clothes which I have just started working on again.  I have really slacked with these things while knitting dishcloths but I have decided I need a change from the dishcloths.  So now Keira will get some new barbie doll clothes very soon.

I enjoy reading blogs and tweets from other knitters which provide hints and tips as well as free patterns.  Kandice got me started with a subscription from Knit Simple for Christmas and along with that the company also sent me a Vogue Knitting subscription as well (to make up for all the trouble we had with the subscription).  I've really enjoyed the magazines so far and they have even sent extra once in a while so I'm able to share with Kandice too. 

I find knitting to be very relaxing although there are times when I question why I bother...especially when I just can't make any sense of the pattern for whatever reason.  Kandi has just started knitting less than a year ago but I tell you she has a great knowledge of knitting and patterns.  She has taught me some new things and tries (lol) to encourage me to take challenges with my knitting.

Today, I plan on sitting with my knitting after I get some housework done.  Enjoy your day no matter what you may be doing....

summer is here

It's hard to believe that summer is here and the kids are out of school as well.  Where did that school year go?  We have been spending some time up at the trailer but have had some other commitments as well on some weekends that we have been doing as well.  This weekend coming we have a family pool party at my sisters.  Guess what I forgot to do though?  LOL...I forgot to bring my bathing suit home from the trailer last weekend.  Not sure yet but maybe tomorrow the girls and I will all go up for the day, spending some time at the beach while up there.

I've  been following the Casey Anthony case over the few years (on Nancy Grace) and recently catching up on it since the verdict was brought down.  I CAN'T believe that she is going to be free on July 13th.  NOT GUILTY?  What were they thinking?  The jurors say that the prosecution didn't prove without a doubt?  OMG, I would say that there was lots of proof.  They got this one dead wrong that is for sure.  The jurors believe she lied to the police throughout the search for her daughter and found her guilty of that but what did they think she was lying about?  I believe she knew all along where her daughter was so yes she was lying.  I just don't get it at all.

Are you going to watch Big Brother this season?  I've never gotten into the show but I know my daughters watch it (at least one daughter does for sure but I think they both do???they can correct me here if I'm wrong)  I was thinking that maybe I would try to catch it tonight and see if it is something I would want to watch for the season.

I'm looking forward to the new season of Biggest Loser which doesn't start until Sept...and Greys Anatomy!  I guess that time will go fast enough without thinking about it...lol!

June 18th is WWKIP day!

This is the first time I've actually heard of this and when I read about it I was so excited.  Unfortunately, we are at the trailer on the weekends and therefore I can't go to the one close to us at Shall We Knit  I always do some knitting at the trailer whenever I can so even though I can't be at the get together I will be Knitting In Public at the trailer.  I'm sure if my daughter is up at their trailer she will be too!

Here is a little history of WWKIP day which is actually a week long celebration. Here you can find out if there is a KIP event in your area, find out about hosting a KIP and promoting your KIP with fliers. 

Will you be attending a Knitting In Public get together in the city where you live? 

summer is here

and the weather is hot, hot, hot!  Way too much humidity too.  I love summer and wish that we could just have the heat without the humidity.  With the humidity comes thunderstorms of course and we have had many of them lately.  Wild and crazy weather systems causing havoc all around.  Power outages, wind tossing things around and rain that just keeps on coming and flooding streets and rivers all around. 

We have been going to the trailer on the weekends again and there has been a lot of rain up there as well.  Last wednesday there was quite a storm go through doing some damage to the awning of a trailer right behind us.  We always get so nervous about the wind picking up while we are there that we always keep an eye on the awning.  It is such an expensive loss and therefore we are vigilant on bringing it in if we think the winds are picking up.  We never, ever leave it up when we leave the trailer for the week.  Besides I'd be a nervous wreck worrying the whole time.  We see that some people just lower the awning down to the deck but still the wind can grab it even when it is like that.  I just wouldn't want to have to deal with lossing the awning.  When I got up there last thursday the patio furniture was upended and all over the deck so I know if the awning had been down or out we likely would have had some issues too.

It was a quiet weekend at the trailer being out of the 3 families (our daughter and her family, and her in-laws and us) we were the only ones up in our little triangle.  LOL!  In fact right around us there were 9 families that weren't up which made it even quieter.  I sat outside on friday and worked on my knitting project.  I'm working on some blocks for my great-nephew who is due in July!  The baby shower is this saturday and I'm hoping to have them ready for that....good luck Lynda!  I better get moving so I have time to work on them again today!  It took me some time to figure out the pattern but now that I have it figured out it is coming along much better. 

I just finished reading a great book as well.  A Nicholas Sparks book.  A Safe Haven.  It was great!  I love reading any of his books but this one really kept me reading and not wanting to put it down.  If you enjoy his books then don't pass the opportunity to read this one!  I'm now reading a Kristen Hannah book called On Mystic Lake.  It has been a great read so far as well but it is taking me a bit longer to read it.  Not because it isn't good because it is. I just haven't gotten to the point where it is hard to put it down.  I've never read any of her books before and when I found it at a garage sale the lady had many of her books and she said they are great books to read.  I probably should have grabbed a few of them at that time!

Well, hope you are having a great week and enjoying the weather!  Leave a comment and your site and I will drop by and check out your site as well.