My parents came to visit Jenn and I in Ottawa this weekend — that’s why I haven’t posted since last Wednesday. But to provide a brief recap of the past few days events, in a style so loathed by Doug, here I go. Warning, it’s not brief, it’s long.
Jenn only had to work Friday morning because she’s on summer hours. So we picked her up at lunch, grabbed a bite at home and hit the annual Ottawa Tulip Festival. After walking around, snapping some pictures and eating a Beaver Tail we went to the experimental farm and wandered around some more looking at plants. In the evening, we hit the mini-putt course for our weekly game. I finally beat Jenn this year, and came too close for comfort to breaking 50. Starting the 18th hole I had 49 strokes. I was a tad too light and because it was an uphill lie, I rolled all the way back and off the hole. Starting again, I sunk it off the tee. Crushed.
Saturday we braced for the beginning of the sour weather that was predicted and hit the road for Montreal. They day turned out to be sunny and warm. We parked downtown and walked to the Old Port. I watched some street performers, we looked at artists painting in the requisite “historic town centre artist’s alley“ and had lunch. In the afternoon we walked up to China town where Jenn bought a steamer and I tried to get some bubble tea from an internet lounge — they didn’t seem to notice me there, so we left without. To entertain me, we all took the metro to Olympic Stadium and walked around the old Olympic Park.
Sunday we got up bright and early for another excursion, this time to a maple syrup farm and then Perth, Ontario. We swung by church on the way and I dropped off the bulletins. How was I supposed to know that Barker was there? Glad she enjoyed the service without me. We enjoyed fluffy pancakes with real maple syrup for breakfast and then went to see the animals. The ox were out in a large pen but were too relaxed in the sun to visit us. We wandered around another big field looking for the sheep and lambs that we saw on the way in. We found them, got really close and took some good photos — I’ll post them when I get them developed. Then we wandered around historic Perth. While Jenn and mom hit the little shops, I slept outside in the sun. Another beautiful day when showers were forecast.
Monday it did rain though, but that didn’t prevent us from doing the Byward Market. Jenn and I bought some herbs (how do you pronounce that, Tyler?) some naan for supper and a great wine rack marked down to $10 from $50. I also got some bubble tea that I’ve been hearing about. I liked it, black tea with milk. Jenn wasn’t expecting the tapioca balls — I had done my homework and read about it, so I was prepared. Mom didn’t go for them either. I’ll have it again, but I don’t expect it will become as habit forming for me as it is for others.
Oh, and we played a number of games of sequence over the weekend. For the record:
Set One (Saturday Night): Boys won 3 straight in best of 5
Set Two (Monday Night): Girls won 3:2 in best of 5
Set Three (Monday Night): Boys won 2 games and then we retired for bed.