BAYFIELD INLET - D40, THE KOOP

THE BAYFIELD DIARIES

THIS EPISODE: THE KOOP

Where’s the ground Kobo beef? More so, where are the chickens? This tale has neither. This is a story of a little building on our island.

When we became islanders, this, one of the three main structures, served as partial tool storage and sleeping quarters, ideal for a tired handyman.

Both the interior and its 70’s product du jour, waferboard siding, proved as minimalist as one would need to hold up some rather tired shingles.

The renewal started with a re-roof, in I believe, 2007. My challenge to brother-in-law Paul M.’s shingling skills proved good for me, bad for him. Over 2010 and 2011 we re-sided, thanks Papa Mansfield, and finished the interior with a coat of ceiling paint, nice white pine paneling and some simple laminate flooring.

Early in our islander days, we had friends Larry and Lorraine and their daughter’s, Amada and Mel visit. The family KOOP.

When’s the last time you had a shack named after you?

Hope you like the colour?

Thanks Papa Mansfield.

I think we have done well. What's for supper?

Nice view. I thought I heard a Loon. I did hear a Loon.

 

Ready for a tired handyman. (could use a not-so-tired electrician to finish that light(s))

ONTARIO TRACK 3 SKI ASSOCIATION

JANUARY 2012

HELPING YOU, HELPING ME.

Early winter I joined Ontario Track3www.track3.org. An association that for close to forty years has been teaching physically and mentally challenged children and youth to ski, snowboard and most importantly, have fun on snow.

After a weekend of instruction in Collingwood, I was deemed worthy of the task presented.  There were about 25 of us newbies, far short of what the association needs. There are over three hundred kids enrolled in the program and another two hundred on the waiting list for lack of instructors.

My program involved that every Thursday night in January and February I skied at Glen Eden in Milton. There I assisted and almost immediately was joined with my own student, Kennedy.  The program focuses on a person’s abilities rather than their challenges.  Track3 has their own little trailer at the resort. Picture my first and most every hour before we hit the slopes. A room filled with about a dozen kids with various levels of mental and physical problems, yelling, questioning and arguing, a dozen caregivers, prodding, provoking and pleading their charges to put left boots on left feet, you DO need mitts! NO helmet, NO snowboarding (I still can’t believe what some of the instructors did to get some of these kids up on snowboards) and on and on, and then us instructors trying to assist, keep peace and ourselves out of harms way. Then by some small miracle, the room emptied and everyone was at varying degrees on the hill.

Kennedy is a fourteen-year-old autistic girl. After some introduction through the association and her mother, we became quite comfortable with each other. She was a willing learner and quick with a puzzling smile, though we did talked a lot. How much we both understood was never an issue. I more than once reassured Kennedy (though I lied a little) that she had kept my record, of only meeting nice people skiing, in tack.

I never once lost sight, though I tried to explain, how helping her was helping me.  In many ways.  In being a friend.

One excitement for me, after trying to impress with my lists of skiing achiements, was a new to me way of getting up the hill.  

Well, you don't know what

We can find

Why don't you come with me little girl

On a magic carpet ride

This season I did a lot of skiing like I drive my rental cars. Backwards. Saves on mileage charge.

I wonder if Temple Grandin skis?

End of season Bash!

A man with heart. Brad. Thursday night organizer.

Slip, Sliddin away

Perigee Moon, and Venus is alright tonight.

If your bathwater had a slight tilt last night, or you were in bed and felt the earth move, it possibly was because the full moon and all it's business was as close to our earth as it will be for ......... , lets say, till next time.

A truly great book should be read in youth, again in maturity and once more in old age, as a fine building should be seen by morning light, at noon and by moonlight.”

Robertson Davies quotes (Canadian Journalist and Author. 1913-1995)

She's got it,
Yeah, baby, she's got it.
Well, I'm your Venus,
I'm your fire at your desire.

CANADIAN ARMY, DOLLARAMA, - MOBILE MUSEUM

Dateline: Classified

I did speak to these guys, but due to the highly insignificant nature of their mission, I cannot disclose much other than they were speeding (75kmp) their way to (I can't remember) when they happened upon 50% off at the Dollorama. The commander couldn't get over they still were taking pennies.

PARRY SOUND, ONTARIO, CANADA

I hopefully mentioned the possible irrelevant content of this blog.

HOME WRECKER, no. Cottage demolition!

I have started the demolition and removal of the main "cottage" on our island.

The camera exposure is correct. I'm just Pantonne colour  # "Alberta Tar Sands"

The asphalt shingles and related tar products
 are the biggest pain.

Maybe a skylight would go well here.

Knock, Knock. Hey wait a minute, where the !@#$ is the door?

When I am close to complaining about the task at hand, I just look around and remind myself  of how amazing my "workplace" is. I also tell myself that if Horst, the island's previous owner and builder of this unit, can put this thing up, considering where it is, I sure as hell can bring it down. 

By the end of the day I'm ready to track some bear at night or go by canoe and sneak some midnight wi-fi from our neighbours.

PAUL NEMY, SUPER MOON, I wonder, wonder, where the .....

I wonder where that super moon that they are talking about is?

NEMY - FAREWELL MOTHER INDIA

JUNE, 2011

“DON’T KNOW WHERE I’M GOING, BUT SURE KNOW WHERE I’VE BEEN”

I have written about my likes and dislikes. Hopefully mainly in jest. I have written about what I have thought is right and wrong. But I knew soon into our trip that I am here not to judge. I am here wanting to understand, even if it meant sometimes just a little.

I understand that in a sense it is a small world after all. That here, half way around the world, there is someone just like me. Not some mysterious soul in some far–off foreign country. And like home there are those more and less fortunate than myself.

I understand that it’s also a huge world as well. We spent an average of two nights per stay. Two days in someplace where someone has lived for over a thousand years. Barely enough time for me to decipher a foreign menu.

Most places prompting the planning of another five-week travel itinerary just to explore all that we had found new. Just in India, when we connected the dots on a map of where we have been, it is laughably small.

For Kate and I it has been an experience, which I’m not sure if I fully appreciate yet

We are travelling with our daughters. We are travelling as a family

 I try now to only be a parent when there is a minimum of one hundred kilometers between the girls and myself. It is then that in Sobeys I name drop. Ryerson, Mumbai, Queen’s, Nepal, Tunisia and most times have to stop myself. Am I proud? Very much so.

Here hopefully we have all been travel companions, not always but more so with the same interests, wishes and destinations. For that am thankful.

Kate and I will soon be home. We have travelled as relatively comfortable observers of this world. When required we were both full on but also standing back once in a while and having a chance to catch our breath.  I am proud of all of us. When I put a holiday in the “We managed to pull it off category” it’s good. This was not a vacation. It was part time adventure and challenge.

What I believe is especially amazing to see, is that our two daughters have become participants of this world. Their schooling has gone far beyond Canada. Coming home now will be and should the out of the way trip.

Nicola will be staying in India beyond her planed stay. Soon this huge world will interfere with all our plans, so sisters should be together when they can. They will see more of each other in India than if they were home. Further more I am of utmost belief, than there is no better story, happy or sad, than a story shared with a loved one, no matter how near or far.

I have wanted to understand, but also to learn. To me countries are places on a map.

It’s the people I have met that have taught me the things that have changed me as a traveller and a person. Many times I’ve looked at what seemed absolute desperation only to meet people who would step forward, and offer to share what little they might have. People who share just  in the triumph of the human spirit.

I write this as we descend on our flight from Bangkok to New Delhi for one more night before we return to Canada. I will walk out the same departure doors into the heat as I did five weeks ago.  Possibly a little better prepared for all things Mother India. All things loving, caring and serving.

“ON THE DAY I WENT AWAY

WAS ALL I HAD TO SAY

I WANT TO COME AGAIN AND STAY

SMILE, AND THAT WILL MEAN I MAY

‘CAUSE I’VE SEEN BLUE SKIES

THROUGH THE TEARS IN MY EYES

AND I REALIZE I’M GOING HOME

                                    Dr. Frank-N-Furter

NICOLA NEMY