YOU KNOW WHAT THEY SAY....

I probably don't have to point this out to many of you, but the summer is pretty much nicked. We ended ours with a week at a cottage that we have rented regularly for many years.

It's surrounded by whispering pine trees and perched amid the glacier placed boulders on Weslemekoon Lake. 

Inside is rustic and cosy - very no frills, kinda like me.

We follow a different culture at the cottage. The "What Happens at the Cottage, Stays at the Cottage" culture. 

Basically, there are  no rules. 

If you want chocolate and pizza pockets for breakfast - have at'er.

If you want to watch movies all day -be my guest.

If the dog wants to play Rumoli, who's gonna stop her?

But, I do follow one rule because I need some semblance of order.

I must swim every day, no matter.

Summer is so short in Canada, I just got to take every advantage of enjoying the warmer outdoor weather. 

My swimming routine is along this line.

I lay on the dock attempting to warm up in the sun for hours and read or stare at the silky waves.

Eventually I doff my hat and make my way to the end of the dock. 

My toes tentatively touch the water.

Oh yeah.....It's cold. 

Does not bode well friends.

Once my feet accept the cold water I check the sky.

Have to wait for a long stretch of hot, hot sun with no cloud interruptions. 

"I will go in after this cloud moves on." I tell myself - several times.

I know once I make that commitment and lean forwards, it's game over, I'm goin' in! 

The moment comes, I push my body to jump in and I'm shocked by the engulfing frigid water. Worse, I've lost too much weight this year and having difficulty keeping it on so my insulation factor is at an all time low. 

I usually scream a little and kick a lot in an effort to warm up. 

No one take any heed of my hysterics. 

They are used to it.

Besides, you know what they say...What Happens at the Cottage, Stays at the Cottage!

IT'S SEXY TIME!

You may feel the title of this post is deceiving. You may be right. So for the guys, all 2 or 3 of you, who read this blog - sorry. Let me just clarify this a bit. 
I work in an office full of incredibly intelligent, caring and amazing people, most of whom are women. We have a few brave men who stand up to the massive estrogen dose they are exposed to and my hat is tipped to them, because in an office consisting mostly of females, there can be drama, there can be shopping and intense family discussions, there can be vulgarity and even bitchiness. 
We need to connect.
We need to de-stress
We need....CHOCOLATE. And wine, let's not forget the wine. 
I happen to keep a well stocked drawer of chocolate. Check it out....

Alongside the chapstick, whiteout and lip gloss there is also chocolate: milk, dark and white at the moment. It is there for all the hard working women and those few brave male souls to indulge when needed.
One day I get a instant message from one of the girls.
Krystina: "Hey"
Me: "Hey"
Krystina: "Guess what time it is?"
Me: "2:00"
Krystina: "It's Sexy Time."
Me: "??? Sexy time?"
Krystina: "I'll be right over."
Krystina arrives at my desk and clarifies that chocolate time, which is 2:00, is sexy time. 
Being a wordy type, I thought I would look into that one a bit.

Sexy: generally attractive or interesting, bodacious, desirable, dishy, hot, luscious, toothsome.

She's right, chocolate time (2:00 in the afternoon at the office) is Sexy Time!

FAMILY EXPANSION

It's been a busy week at the Crowder household with lots of changes. 
In work vocab: we are expanding and adjusting our services.
In Christianese: enlarging our tents and extending our tent pegs.
I've suddenly become a mother-in-law and a new mother all in less than a week. How did I pull that one off, you wonder? I'm kinda wondering myself!
I was (fortunately) off last week as we prepped and fluffed for Randi's wedding. There were hair appointments, meetings with the caterer and visits to the venue. There were last minute provisions to pick up, and then the transport of everything including the bride to the wedding. 

Randi was stunning (cause I do good work, including making children!) and the groom very handsome. The weather was beyond perfect. We have worked very hard to make this day special for the kids and I think, we pulled it off. And voila - I now have a new son-in-law! The family expands! The tents enlarge!

So after a long, busy, emotional day I came home to a hurricane hit house. Towels and sheets to wash, beds to be remade, bras and panties flung askew, makeup, water glasses.
Yet I suddenly found an empty space in my head - all those wedding details were as defunct and antiquated like the latest technology. 
I had been casually checking out puppies on Kijiji when I came across an add for retriever/beagle cross pups for sale. There were a girl and boy, adorable and ready to go at 11 weeks. Would Sheldon possibly agree to this sudden venture? Well, let's just say we found ourselves after a long day of work driving 3 hours to Brampton to pick up Lulu Belle in a Swiss Chalet parking lot.

Her cuteness factor is beyond description. She seems very clever and sweet tempered. She has big floppy ears, which are a must. But the kicker is she seems keen on coffee, just like her predecessor, Amelia.

So, in the same week, I've also become a new Mom with a baby to care for. 
My family expands! The tents enlarge!

FINDING THE SUIT

We are getting down to the wire on the "wedding of the Crowder century". One week to go! I must say, this has been a tricky process what with the bride in England and the arranging done here. But Randi is now home and we are full speed ahead. People ask me if I'm feeling stressed or if I'm ready, or if I need any help. I'm not feeling stressed and think everything is under control. I'm not having any of those moments where it's like "Gahh!!!! I forgot......!!!" 
As for help, it has occurred to me my primary role for the next week is head cook and bottle washer for a possible army of giggly girls (one being gluten free and one being vegetarian that I know of) and a variety of men. I'm open to whatever meals/food care to show up at my door!
Now my dress is snoozing quietly in the closet but let's not forget the Father of the Bride who also wants to look his best. So a few days ago we headed to the Moore's Mens Clothing store to gussy up Sheldon. 

We had a very attentive but very busy young man wearing two utterly different socks on his feet ("got dressed in the dark" he says) running from us to another couple to who knows where trying to keep all his customers coddled and happy. Hats off to him - he did a good job and lost a few pounds in the process. Sheldon has also lost about 30 pounds in the last few months thanks to a diet involving lots of smoothies, so he was ready to try his new bod out in some classy clothes. He tried on a few different suits and decided on a nice 3-piece one complete with a vest. He looks very handsome, just you wait and see. 
As I was waiting for Prince Charming to try on his duds I was observing, cause that's what writers do, the other customers in the shop. One young man in his 20s arrived in a nondescript tank top and baggy jeans but seemed awkward and excited as he tried on crisp white shirts and dress pants, like a guy who is playing dress up and secretly enjoying it but doesn't want anyone to know. 
So, I asked another sales person what the guys who were getting married were like when they come in for clothes. 
"Well, we get all kinds" she says
"Sometimes the bride comes in alone and picks everything out ahead of time. Sometimes the bride and groom come in together. She tells him to pick out what he likes and then she kiboshes it all and directs him to what he will wear! And some just come in and have no idea what to get so they just ask us to pick it out for them."
For my part, I'm not one who has difficulty making decisions on my own so I found this rather amusing. 
As for Sheldon, I let him pick out what he wants. He's a big boy and he's wearing it, not me.