Sticks

With great effort to prevent the need for an eye patch, parenting Jalen means saying "put down that stick please" at least two times every outing where sticks are present.  If Jalen had his way he'd be holding one at all times. Running, jumping, swinging. Eating, bathing, sleeping.  Corralling and clubbing bad guys. The kid loves sticks.

... and he'd probably think the eye patch was cool.

Mom really wanted to send out a Christmas card this year so we went out to the pier to get a photo.  

 "safe" shot first so we could get the business of the day behind us and then play around a little more. 

This is definitely more fun!

photo idea ...

Arghh!!!!!! We be back!!!!

Arctic Riviera

midday lounging on Flower Pot Island

slippery rocks make for tactical water entries

The cove at Cypress Lake

cliff jumping off the Grotto, Cypress Lake

the air is warm (ish), the water is not

lighthouse overlooking Big Tub Harbor

settled in to our new digs with Gamma and Pipa ... Dorkas Bay Rd.

... welcome to the Great not-so-White-right-now North

Auntie Amelia, Jalen, and Uncle Sam.  a.k.a. Joker, Batman & Robin. 

Jalen and his "angry eyes."  As in "Momma, Da Da where are my "angry eyes?"

Jalen quickly regretted instigating this splash war.

they tell me the water is warm.

sunset just south of the North Keppel Brown Compound 

view from the "bunkie"

(extracted from an email to Jo Jo and Papa Jim)--

We got to Toronto without a hitch.  It is actually about the same distance from Charleston there, as it is for us to drive to Key West from home.  16 hours.  Not too bad at all, especially breaking it up over two days.  We are now at Papa Mike and Grandma Liz's incredible cottage at the bottom of the Bruce Peninsula, southern Georgian Bay.  You both would love it here!  It reminds me a lot of Alaska.  Incredibly beautiful.  

Right now I'm  sitting (in a sweatshirt) on their deck perched up amongst the trees watching a gale blow the river into what is almost rideable surf.

Duck and Cover

... and Lego!

 

Winnie the Pooh

Jo Jo -- behind the lens

New Bern with Papa Jim and Jo Jo!

Journey to Floppy Fin Island

First Surf Contest!

The firefighters of Ladder 801 here on James Island were outside of the Chick-fil-A and invited Jalen climb aboard their super-tricked out fire truck.  Nice guys.  Nice truck!

gromdomFour -- I love you!

What a trooper!

 

Jalen really loves this hat and it's a good thing he wore it today.  It afforded him one more article of clothing to wear, besides his underwear, as he got off his flight in Toronto.

En route to Canada it seems he had a major bout of motion sickness and, with no warning, vomited all over himself, Kate, and the plane.  She spent the remaining 30 minutes of the flight trying to clean up.

I asked if anyone was sympathetic or nice and she remarked "I guess, ... but disgusted." Deboarding a flight attendant remarked "you're a really great Mom."

Indeed she is!

The Boat is Fixed!