To Canada! Part One

Charles and his Grandma McKitrick, GG Lois to our kids. 

Over Memorial Day weekend we took the opportunity to go to Canada.  We met Charles at a playground near his work (no need for him to drive through rush hour twice), all piled in the van and headed north.  We pulled over to sooth a crying baby and found ourselves in front of Charlie's Cafe.  We stopped for dinner and headed on.  The first night took us to Fargo, ND.

Crossing at Pembina, we entered Canada.  By afternoon we were visiting with GG Lois, Great Aunt Kathy, Great Great Aunt Jean, Great Great Aunt Joan, and Great Great Uncle Glen.  We enjoyed lunch and dinner together, all orchestrated by Kathy.

Pat-a-Cake with GG Lois, photo courtesy of Kathy

Ariadne and GG Lois had a rousing game of Pat-a-Cake.  Charles caught a bit of it on video (I will do my best to upload it soon).  The older kids (and we grown-ups too) learned about the Arctic diamond mines where Chuck's cousin Tom works.  The kids enjoyed their gifts--puzzles, magnetic paper dolls, blocks, and books about Canada.

Kathy and GG Lois brought an interesting rock from the farm their family lived on for so many years.  It was round and resembled a geode.  Kathy split it open to see what was inside.  Here everyone is standing around to look.

Sisters Jean, Lois, and Joan

Solomon, Glen, Charles, Joan, Jean,
Nova, Lois, Maria, Ariadne, Charlotte (and Kathy was behind  the camera)

We visited, mulling over gardens, health, jobs, what other family was up to.  

Toward the end of our visit, GG Lois brought out watches for each of the older kids and jewelry for the girls.  Charles and I were given a beautiful wooden container Charles' grandfather had made.

Joan and Glen hosted us for the night.  We had a nice visit in the evening.  The next day I realized I hadn't taken any pictures at Joan and Glen's.  Wishing I had, I made some notes about the previous day instead.  Looking at them a month later I wish I'd done more writing during the trip.  It is just hard to remember that level of detail.

When we finally arrived at GG Lois' Aunt Kathy and GG Lois were there with the party/activity room all set up for lunch.  Gifts for the kids we set like place settings at a small table.  In the middle rested pussy willows.  One of Solomon's gifts was a book entitled Canada From Above.  In it was a photo of Diavik Diamond Mine, where Charles' cousin Tom works.  The mine was on a man made island in the middle of a vast lake in the arctic.  It descended into the earth in concentric circles.  Kathy had more pictures showing the mine in winter, dug deeper, and finally filled back in with water.

GG Lois showed Ariadne pat-a-cake and they had a grand time!  Before long Ariadne gripped GG Lois' fingers with her little hands and made them clap herself. 

"She's doing it. I'm not moving them at all" Lois said. 

Again and again Ariadne played pat-a-cake with her G.G., all smiles and loving the part where you 'toss it in the oven.'  

After our visit with GG Lois, Kathy, Jean, Joan and Glen, we followed Joan and Glen to their house to spend the night.  They were wonderful hosts.  Joan is a collector of antiques, and they are arranged in thoughtful groupings through out  the house.  Ariadne noticed the little cradle with dolls right away and Joan let her pick out one to play with.  The one she chose looked something like a cupie doll with molded swirling hair.  Solomon asked about a large wooden bowl with an unusual wooden paddle.  Joan explained that it was a butter bowl.  She lifted the lid from the butter churn near by to show the kids the turn dash, telling the kids how one would use it to shake the cream till it turned to butter, and then transfer it to the butter bowl and work the last of the liquid out of it.  Next to the butter bowl and churn were two butter molds, a small one with a star and a large one with a sheaf of wheat.  Joan told the kids that if you were wealthy and had company coming, you would use the little butter mold to give each person a little pat of butter.  
"What do you think this is?" she asked Solomon, holding up a sheet of interlocking metal circles on a metal handle.  "Chain mail." Solomon answered.  
"I've seen chain mail before and it looks like that.  But I guess you couldn't wear that."  

"It is for scrubbing pots." Joan supplied the answer. "Could you imagine getting potatoes out of the bottom by scrubbing with that?"

Upstairs Charlotte and Ariadne spotted the children's table in the kitchen.  Joan brought out a little tea set, and Charlotte played tea with first one sister, then the other.  In the living room we looked at some of Glen's carvings.  
"How did you get the whiskers in?" Nova asked, looking at a sleek and happy otter on the table.  
"They are paint brush bristles.  I made little holes and stuck them in." Glen told her.  
Across the room Charles and Solomon admired the fine feather work on a carving of a wood duck.  Glen used to carve with Charles' Grandpa McKitrick.  We all chatted a bit longer, looking at pictures of the Wheelers five children and their families.  Glen got Ariadne to laugh and hold her arms out wide.  The  older kids excused themselves to go down to bed, and fearing the little ones were about to 'melt' we went down not long after and got everyone to bed.  There was a fuss about each sister staying on her half of the bed, while Solomon found a rare moment to enjoy being the only boy.

At night, Charles and I lay awake, talking about the day and our lives.