Hot Hot Hot!!

It was 100 degrees today.

I could tell it was going to be hot at 7am! I woke up roasting.

Shawn (E.J.'s sister) and Chris came down from New York City the night before to spend the day with the family.

Our friend Tim Carr also joined us the night before, and stayed the nigh.

SEE an American 4th of July...

The day consisted of a party B-B-Q with family and friends, which was great! Memom, Poppy, and Nana were there too. Tim, Shawn, Chris, Tommy, E.J. and I got the festivities set up as you can see...

After the food, we went to Owen Timoney's house [E.J.'s friend from school] and watched an amazing Independence Day Parade from his front lawn.

It was scorching hot and the parade floats were great - people were really having a good time.

E.J. taught this small boy how to hold the gun and shoot it. Tim (right edge of photo) managed to escape before it got too out of hand.

The boy turned, pointed the gun at him, and absolutely drenched E.J. (though in 100 degree heat, perhaps E.J. had planned it!)

Here you can see Owen (in green), me (in the red) and Mr. Timoney (in the middle).

After a few hours of the parade (see photo below) we headed back home and relaxed until it was time for the fireworks!!

We went up to Abington High School and sat on the grass with a thousand other people. The fireworks were awesome.

When we got home we saw on TV the fireworks that had happened in New York, Philadelphia and Washington - Woh!!!!!

That's all I can say!!!!

They were spectacular to watch.

The next day…my birthday….it started off with Vibodha [EJ] making a yummy pancake breakfast for everyone who wanted it (including Tom's friends, myself, and the rest of the family.)

I got lots of presents - I felt so spoiled… not that I am knocking it!! It's not often you turn 21 is it? (sarcasm)

Then, I got a wonderful telephone call from home: Mum, Dad, Catherine, Rachel and Matthew all singing HAPPY BIRTHDAY down the phone - it was awesome!

Then E.J. prepared a picnic lunch and the two of us went off to Alverthorpe Park - it is a private park for the people who live in his township (Abington) - quite a neat idea.

We played mini golf, walked around a beautiful forested track and ate!!

We saw a family of deer. A mother and five babies. They were quietly grazing on the side of the path.

The mother stopped and looked at us for a while, then once she thought we were safe, she continued.

It was interesting how she got the attention of her babies without making a sound.

By her silence, the babies sensed the mother's wariness and were drawn to her side. There they waited, quietly, until she moved again, signaling all-clear.

None of the babies notices us. It really was amazing.

Again it was a glorious day!

On the way home I stopped off to buy something with the money my Mum and Dad gave me, and picked up some beautiful jewelry. I LOVE it!

The Guess what? When we got home I was told that we were going out to have a Birthday Dinner... in down-town Philly!! Dad Clark was taking us out!

A quick change of clothes and then Marilou arrived - a friend of the family and a lot of fun. She gave me loads of presents (thanks Marilou!) and we head downtown.

The restaurant we went to is called Rembrandt's. The food - what can I say - it could be the best meal I've ever had ... the garlic potatoes……….. I'm making myself hungry just thinking about it!!

Then just when I though it couldn't get any better, Dad Clark said we were going somewhere else for dessert... the next thing I know we are in central Philadelphia where the buildings are all lit up in RED, WHITE & BLUE… and we stop at the beautiful Four Seasons Hotel!

A two tier set of cakes, cheesecakes, fruit etc arrive at the table and everyone sings Happy Birthday again.

And to top it off... a banana fritters and ice-cream dessert turns up and the waitress and everyone sings again!

And would you believe it, I look up and out of the window and there fireworks in the distance!!!!!

When my head hit the pillow a few hours later I knew I had one of the most wonderful birthdays ever.

Today we awoke at 7am again. We were heading to Allentown (a 2 hour drive) to go Kayaking down the Delaware!

There we met up with Owen again and two of his friends - Darrell and Miranda.

Kayaking was a right laugh!! Darrell got a kayak on his own, and had a little difficulty to start off with. After a little while, he got the hang of it, but was getting some serious abuse before then.

We kayaked down the Delaware River and had another splendid adventure, another beautiful day. Kayak down the Delaware..

It was a splashing good time. A bit of exploring, eating and socializing.

I believe my arm muscles will be aching tomorrow!!

We got home around 4.30pm and dressed for the evening's PARTY!!

The party celebrates the arriving of the English Coaches and the start of the Hunter Soccer Camp.

We are expecting people any minute. So I guess I had better go and party!!!!

We had been working hard for the last few weeks and knew we needed a break. We wanted to go somewhere within about 2 hours drive, so we looked at a map of Ontario.

Muskoka and Georgian Bay areas looked nice.

We packed the car and headed North, knowing that we would find a perfect place to stay for the 2 nights vacation we allocated ourselves.

The drive up there was pretty basic, mostly highway, but as we started to come off the main road, the scenery became more beautiful!

The entire area has been photographed many many times and it is popular in both the summer for the water sports and in the winter for the snow mobiling!

While we were there, we saw a sign for a house for sale. It was one of the most exquisite homes I have ever seen... and a view you would not believe...

Check it out: The 1.3 Million Dollar Lake House

We did many other things while were there including pulling off into a side road and finding ourselves in a little area of forest.

We took our fruit drinks and sat on the blanket - I sat on the rocking chair that we had just bought at a garage sale... and E.J. read Harry Potter to me!!

This was a very special hour's interlude, and so much fun.

Muskoka - what do we say....triple A!!