Holiday Bliss

It is so quiet here. Everyone slept in, and when we did wake up, there was no furnace working hard to heat the house, no traffic, not even any birds singing or squawking. Just quiet. We have finally reached the point in our holiday where everyone is rested and relaxed. This year has been a bit different than last year because we all arrived and are leaving at different times. Lara and David and their families have gone home, back to reality. We have two full days left (before we fly home) and even though the weather does not look to be as warm as it was when we arrived, we will make the best of it. Today we will head back to the beach to check the surf and maybe walk in the sand. Theo wants to tour the Whalehead Club and the kids want to go to the Nature Centre and maybe the bumper cars if they are open.

Going to the beach was another new first for me this year. The beach wheelchair was pretty versatile and easy to move on the sand - but not by me. The huge inflated tires worked well on the loose sand, but there are no push rims like on a regular chair, so I have to rely on others to move me. We talked about ski poles - they would have worked well! There is a brake on one wheel that kind of worked, but one day I was sitting with my back to the ocean and turned just so to take a picture down the shore and all of the sudden I was rolling backwards into the ocean! It says right on the chair NOT TO BE USED AS A FLOTATION DEVICE. My scream caught Theo's attention and I didn't have to try out the water (which is 11 degrees).

The house my parents rented this year had an elevator which allowed me to access all three floors. Vacation homes here are built to have the living space (kitchen and living room) on the top floor to enjoy the views and bedrooms on the second and first floors. The elevator was on the outside of the house and although I could operate it I could not close the door on my own (it swung out) so I needed help anytime I wanted to come or go. Carpet in the house also made getting around on the bedroom floors a bit more challenging although I did get to see my sleeping children! Going up and down in the elevator meant I also didn't get to use the stairs and the main entrance - I missed out on the family kafuffle of 15 people coming and going - you know, the "get your shoes on!" "where is my hat?" "have you seen the ball/chalk/helmet/car keys?" which is always a part of the holiday experience. I wish I had taken a picture of the shoe line up at the front door!

Chalk drawing made a comeback again this year. The cul-de-sac street we were on made for nothing but bike and scooter traffic which was fantastic for the kids. We even ran out of chalk and Ella used her own money to go to the store (on her own!) and buy more for everyone to use. I even chalked some without falling out of my chair and the kids made wheelchair accessible paths and parking for me! We had a kayak for the week and with David's help, I got into it with Theo out in the Sound. Although I can't hold myself up with feet on the foot rests, I was able to paddle. I have just enough core recovery to keep myself upright. It was not a long ride, but it was my first.

The best part of being down here is being able to get out of the house and just roll - no snow, no gravel, no traffic.