Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Bitter Smurf and the Bad Luck Animals

It was a bitter-sweet vacation. This was likely our last vacation for our family.  Luke made it abundantly clear that he wasn't enjoying himself and if possible, he was going to make sure no one else enjoyed themselves either. Seriously, there were words exchanged. Eventually we reached a truce and perhaps even moments when he enjoyed himself, but not before he earned himself the nickname "Bitter Smurf".


The cottage was very sweet, clean and comfortable. The area where we were staying was very quite and rugged.

 
I was fascinated by the little wildflowers growing in the crevices of the pervasive rocks. Not only little flowers and grasses, but bushes and even trees grew in the rocks. Cedar shrubs hugged the ground in miniature looking from a distance like lawn.



The water was so clear! Fresh and blue, it was wonderful. There's a place called the grotto that was on the must see list and it was so worth it. A shade of blue I never expected to see in Canada.


We also did a 7km hike on the Bruce Trail. It was of moderate difficulty and I was very proud of our whole family for sticking it out.



Dexter's eye was better by the end of that first day. It must have been a bug bite. For a while there, he looked like a boxer who'd lost the fight.

The story of the trip though came one night around the campfire. We heard a rustle in the bushes behind us and saw a frog hop out onto a rock. It just sat there like it was enjoying the fire with us. Every time we looked back it was still there. After about 20 minutes, it jumped, toward the fire. We laughed and said "No, don't go to the light." But by golly if it didn't jump again, right into the fire! I thought for sure we were going to hear a hiss and a pop. We were all on our feet, yelling, helpless, when it jumped back out of the fire.  I herded it back into the bushes, but you know, it came back. Twice. We nicknamed it suicide frog.

Then, when we returned from vacation, one of our guinea pigs had died. She was six years old and spry and chipper when we left, so we figure it's just old age. The other pig seems to be fine, but we're keeping an eye on her.

Finally, yesterday, I had the day off work. I cleaned did laundry, got groceries and generally tidied up loose ends. I was eating lunch outside with Dexter running in the yard when he caught a squirrel. He had it pinned and didn't seem to know what to do with it. He wasn't biting it or anything. So I grabbed his collar to pull him off it, but he had it pinned between his paws. It was as if after years of taunting he'd finally caught one and wasn't going to let it go. But after a bit, the squirrel fought back and then there's Dexter shaking his paw as if to say "Ow! Get it off!"  Finally the squirrel let go and lay there in the grass, on its back panting for a bit before it scampered up the tree. It seemed fine and Dexter was none the worse for wear.

And that is the story of Bitter Smurf and the Bad Luck Animals. The end.

10 comments:

  1. What great pictures! The last one seems to show the sun creating a purple afterimage in the clouds.

    Sorry your holiday was bittersweet. Glad you still found things to enjoy.

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  2. Your first picture captured Bitter Smurf's mood very well. Ah...teenagers..gotta luv em LOL!
    Ontario is jut full of remote and beautiful spots :-)

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  3. Julia in KW6:47 pm

    We had the same issue when my son was in his mid/late teens and then decided that if we wanted him to be with us, we had to find a vacation that he was interested in...first one was New York City (he loved it and always wants to come - even if he's not invited now), also try Cleveland - Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, etc.
    He's now old enough that he needs an invitation to come on holiday with us, but fortunately now - he is fun to be with again!

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  4. LOL! Memories. But revenge is sweet - I sit back an chuckle as my son now deals with HIS teenage kids.

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  5. That bitter smurf pic cracks me up. Oh, the joys of parenting teenagers.

    But wow, so much beauty and peace in the rest of the pics. The cottage and surroundings look perfect!

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  6. Yip, he's got the teenager look down. Good luck with that.

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  7. Despite the glum smurf, you guys still had a lovely holiday together. Maybe the last short-term, but it won't be THE LAST :-)

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  8. You found a cottage that you could take Dexter to? OMG where?!

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  9. We love the Bruce Peninsula. Where is the cottage? I would like to look into renting it.

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  10. Anonymous9:02 pm

    7km???? You guys rock!! We did a few tiny trails when we were in Tobermory last summer, and that was enough for us. I keep blaming it on the 8 year old, but truth is I'm terrified of snakes and bears. Eek!! :)

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