Jack and Ceilidh

A new, symbiotic relationship

Graham and Laurie's Wedding, August 16th 2008

We went down to Guelph, Ontario for Graham and Laurie's gorgeous outdoor wedding - Graham became a good friend when he met Gid as a colleague during the MA program at Royal Roads. The two of them founded, along with colleagues Carl and Corrie, the Centre Canadian Centre for the Study of Resource Conflict. Graham and Laurie are now headed down to MIT which is great news; Boston is a fun and delicious city to visit from what I can tell.

Walking

Finally caught it on video

Uncle Mike and Auntie Anne

We also got to see my brother, Mike, and his partner, Anne who just got back to Ontario after running a treeplanting contract out of Kamloops.

Wilson Family Visit

We had a chance to see the fabulous Wilson family at the end of July. It was, as always, a refreshing and wonderful thing for us to spend time with the clan of Jeff, Eleanor, Elliott and Isobel. We will hold on to the photos of Jack and Isobel for the wedding slide show 25 years hence..(oops, did I say that out loud?)

Jack's 1st birthday

In some ways it's hard to believe that an entire year has gone by. In others, it's hard to fathom that it has only been a year. In that time, we have changed cities, provinces, and careers - or at least modified them. Life is great, Jack is thriving and we consider ourselves lucky to have been able to even consider the kinds of choices we have made.

As every physician's child should (if he or she knows what is good for him or her), Jack took his first steps on his first birthday - well done, lad. He chose to display the milestone for his grandfather Lawson (Grumpy) only - appropriate given that he will no doubt go on to be coached best by Grumpy himself in all things athletic.

I tried to get fancy and bake a ducky birthday cake - an Alex Farrugia, it was not. Thankfully Jack doesn't know any better.

Jack is adhering admirably to stereotypes; at this point his favourite activities are: throwing balls, driving cars, and climbing. Dolls are only as good in so far as they are projectile. Ceilidh, who has thus far ignored Jack as much as possible has taken a new shine to him in light of his capacity as an avid ball thrower.

Jack'

Jack at 11 months

Reading with William

The Spearn-Dowling Family

(and yes, at 3 months of age, Hazel could easily take Jack in a wrestling match!)

cottage life

New Post at last

Well, it looks as though the Jack blog has stagnated of late. Lundholm has been consumed with French Fever (ah la mauvaise fievre francaise!) and so I thought I'd try my hand at blogging for a change.

For those whom we haven't been lucky enough to see in person, the news is that Ottawa is treating us very well. We live in a great spot right by the Ottawa River and in part of town that comes alive in the summer with all kinds of festivals, good food, and great gelato. Gid gets to bike along the river parkway and Gatineau parkway to and from his french training every day and Jack and I have been doing a lot of playing in the park and the wading pool. We have managed to scout out some decent mountain biking trails as well which have helped ease our transition to the city.

Best of all, we have had the benefit of seeing a significant portion of the Revelstoke population out here this summer! Kendra and Angus arrived Jul 10 and we took in Blues Fest and that enigma known as the Ontario Cottage (i.e. beer, hammock, dock, swim, eat, nap). It was lovely. We were joined by the Scott Dowling/Brooke Spearn clan as well. We have also been visited by the likes of Alex Farrugia and William, and our recent guests are the Wilson family. All in all, I haven't felt so very far away from that wonderful little town we still think of as home.

Jack is almost a year and almost walking. He is one very happy little boy and I have had a blast hanging out with him this summer. I start back to work August 18. I'm excited to get my medicine head back on again but am only going to work part time to start - good for all of us.

More later.
Hillary

Owen Sound

The toys are unpacked

Ottawa

Taichi Baby

First Inkling of Movement

Should be called the electric glide due to the propensity for heading towards cords and plugs.

Update

Three weeks in Ottawa, four flights and 30 house viewings. The whirlwind is over, Jack is settled back in Revelstoke and we're finally packing with abandon. Movers come on the 20th of March and I'm starting the drive on the 16th to Ottawa with dog, canoe and a sleeping bag. Jack & Hillary are to follow at the end of March.
Foreign Affairs is being reticent with start date and the official job offer but it looks like I have at least 10 months of french training ahead of me sometime in 2008. Meanwhile we have a new address in a great part of Ottawa and are looking forward to settling in. The exit from Revelstoke will be painful but not as painful as the extraction of our canoe from under 7 feet of snow.

Keep in mind that the swing was off when we shot this ...

Ottawa Bound

Workout? New Jewellery?

Beware the evil twin.

Who said packing is a drag?

Nekked

Sens Fan

Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum

Punk #@* snowboarders are taking over this town

Coding for Dummies

Jack cracks Cipherunicorn-A over brunch. All our bank accounts should benefit.

Food!

Rice cereal: $2.49

Nice soft spoon: $1.39

Skipping all that and just eating the bowl: priceless.

Jolly Jumper: the movie

Why don't you tell us what you really think of the Economist?