Addendum to last post....

There was so much information to unload in that last post I forgot 2 significant things that happened this summer. 

First, Cheryl and I spent her birthday together with a beautiful drive to Greenwich, a great bike ride through the trails, a couple of hours on the dunes reading, followed by a great lunch/supper at Point Prim Chowder House.  A great day, overall.

Secondly, I emceed Winston's memorial which was both difficult and empowering.  it was great to see so many people come out to support him.  Andrew read the poem "To the Child" that Winston wrote for him and it was very powerful.... especially the last 2 lines which, to me, sum up life.  The bad is good and the good is grant.  Doesn't get much simpler than that.

To the Child

Welcome to the world my child;

Where idiots sing and laugh and run.
Where wise men hide and lovers fear
And good men taste the salty tear.

I’ll help you down the twisting lane,

I’ll point you to your path and then,
I’ll watch you walk the dusty trail –
With love should you succeed or fail.

And though, my child, your life is new,
There’s one thing I must wish for you –
That somewhere down the winding road,
You’ll set aside your heavy load,
And close your eyes and understand,
That the bad was good,
               And the good was grand.

And I read a quote from Neurologist Oliver Sacks who wrote this piece while he was aware of his impending death.  To me, it sounds like the same pragmatic, literary writing that Winston would have written himself:

“My Own Life’

...Each death I have felt as an abruption; a tearing away of part of myself. There will be nobody like us when we are gone, but then there is nobody like anybody...ever. When people die, they cannot be replaced. They leave holes that cannot be filled. It is the fate; the genetic and neural fate of every

human being to be a unique individual; to find his own path, to live his own life, to die his own death. Even so, I am shocked and saddened at the sentence of death and I cannot pretend that I am without fear. But my predominant feeling is one of gratitude. I have loved and been loved. I have been given much and I have given something in return. I have read and travelled and thought and written. I have had an intercourse with the world; the special intercourse of writers and readers. Above all I have been a sentient being a thinking animal on this beautiful planet and this in itself has been an enormous privilege and adventure. So, that’s it.” - Neurologist Oliver Sacks, who died on Aug 30, 2015.

Summer of Independence

Well, it has been a couple of months since I posted here, so I probably should sum up the summer so far.  Our Canada Day party was a huge success with Bobby and Wade taking the green jackets this year.  Dan turned 19 this summer and is spending most of the summer at Ashley's place since it is more convenient for him to get to and from work.  I took 2 weeks off and ripped up carpet and laid laminate flooring in Vicki's room and the spare bedroom.  What a mess that was.  The amount of dust and doghair was unbelievable.  The rooms both look much better.  We had a great bbq at Steve and Debbies and it was great to see that side of the family.  I hope they continue the annual bbq as I can see us losing touch with mom's side of the family now that she is gone.  I spent some time with Chris while he was down this summer and it was great to get to know him a little better.   Cheryl and I did a fair bit of biking this summer going from St. Peter's to Morell and back, and Robinson's Island a couple of times.  We also saw a few plays including a show in Georgetown while we stayed at the Brudenell Resort, we saw several shows at the Island Fringe Festival, and we saw Ron White at the Casino in Moncton. 

And, Dad and Joyce got married on Aug 6.  This was a mixed bag of emotions for me.  I am happy that Dad is not alone, but I found the process and grandiose wedding they had was a bit overdone.  I am pleased that it is now over with so that they can settle into their normal life.  Dad also sold the house this summer which was kind of disappointing.  I understand that he needs to move on, but it was tougher than I thought seeing my childhood home disappear.

So, I am calling this the summer of independence for a number of reasons. 

Tim & Cheryl

• Dad is now remarried and will no doubt be focusing more on Joyce's family.
• Now that the kids are all working we have more time to spend with each other including travelling, eating out, and exploring.

Andrew

• He has accepted his first salaried position at Screenscape and seems to be in a good place right now. 
• He moved home for the summer to save money and build up a nest egg but is planning to move out in September.
• There seems to be a sense of maturity in him that I hadn't previously seen.  He actively helped around the house and was aware of people around him in a way I hadn't seen before.   Hopefully this is the start of something good for him.

Daniel

• Daniel spent most of the summer at Ashley's which was good for him.  He learned a lot about how another family operates and saw the pros and cons of living at home.  
• He turned 19 and is now legal to drink. 
• He is trying to balance a job, a girlfriend, school, fun etc.  and seems to be doing pretty well for a 19 year old.  I hope this continues into the school year.

Victoria

• Vicki started using the bus regularly this summer and learned that she can't always expect mom and dad to pick her up.  This was good for her self-confidence as well as developing a sense of independence.
• She worked a lot this summer, and is learning lessons about budgeting.
• She passed her beginner's test and is now able to drive with an adult.  We are hoping to set up Drivers Ed with Anne Arvidson in the winter.