A lovely sunrise

Photo taken Thursday, September 3, 2009 in Gimli, MB.

You're gonna need a bigger boat

Tomorrow, my sister Sherri is coming out to the beach to spend the night. It’s our first night together in the new house.

We are going to watch Jaws, a family tradition. We’ve been watching it together for as long as I can remember. It’s one of her favourites, which is funny since it scared the crap out of her as a child.

You see, my parents took her to Jaws when she was 6 years old. I have no idea what they were thinking?! After seeing it, she was frightened of the bath! It was a traumatic summer for her after that since we practically lived on the beach. I could even tease her about the existence of the elusive “Lake Winnipeg Shark” and it would freak her out.

But a few years ago, when we were in the Dominican Republic, she did what I always thought was impossible for her. SHE SWAM WITH SHARKS! If you know her, you would have been shocked. I certainly was. But she did it and she had the time of her life. It was awesome.

She didn’t even mention the need of a bigger boat.

What a difference an hour makes

I just spent a wonderful evening with my mom’s friends.

I have to preface this by saying I was in a horrible mood before going to my aunt’s for dinner tonight. I just had a tonsillectomy and for the last couple of days I’ve had an extremely sore jaw that has made me grumpy.

My bad mood was completely erased once I got to my aunt's. You just cannot stay grumpy around these people! They are hilarious and crazy and make you laugh constantly. You will never see a group of people having more fun together. I ended up having an excellent time tonight. There was even some spontaneous polka dancing going on! (I ran from that)

I also had a great conversation with Cummy, a longtime family friend and distant relative. He’s 81 and you would be shocked by that number if you met him. He is a spry guy. I’ve been calling him an “old coot” for years and it totally fits. He’s set in his ways and usually starts a sentence with “Well, in my day…”

At one point in our conversation I ask him how he’s feeling. He turns to me and says “You know Kirsten, I’m doing really good. I have the greatest friends. Nothing is better than being with this bunch.” He then goes on to say he has no idea if he will be here for two months or twenty years and all he wants is to enjoy whatever time that is with his friends. Love him!

That’s my evening, ended up better than expected.

Ah, beach life!

From Saturday, August 22:
Its 6:30 a.m. and I find myself wondering what to do this beautiful morning. It’s sunny and breezy, a great combination.

A morning walk into Gimli is the decision. I put the iPod on, tie the laces tight, and away I go. I find myself enjoying every minute. I love to walk, it's a great way to reflect upon your day (or in this case, plan the day ahead). I walk through Loni Beach and into Gimli, walking as close to the water as I can. I walk to the very end of the Gimli pier.

On my journey back, I pass two teenage boys carrying fishing poles and a small tackle box. It’s nice to see. No electronic gadgets in sight. Just two buddies going to do a little fishing before continuing on their day. It struck me when I saw it. It’s funny, I think you get to an age that when you see kids doing things you did when you were that age, you have to stop, smile and appreciate it. With how quickly things change and evolve in this world it was nice to see that the basics – a good friend, a fishing pole and endless conversation – are still enjoyed.

Happy Monday!

When you have a day like today, you stay inside and start a blog. I'd rather be swimming though.