Memories…

A few years I was talking with my Grandson and telling him about a new event I wanted to take him to. As we spoke I started to think about other adventures we had undertaken together and the fun we had! Our first adventure together was actually with his whole family - Mom, Dad, Brother and little Sister. The festival was the “Spring Toad Festival” held at the Toronto Zoo. I marveled that he and his brother and sister could find fun sitting and playing on stone carved animals or climbing through cave like structures, but they did! Even the delight of having their faces painted at the “Toad” marsh was inspiring. The first event he and I attended alone was the Antique and Classic Boat Show held in Gravenhurst. We traveled the back roads to get to the show and talked excitedly about what we might find there. We stopped along the way for a “Tim’s” treat and then at the Muskoka Trading Post to see if we could find presents for his brother and sister. It was a “no go”, but we did manage to score 2 free buckets of “Nibs Ice Cream” bits. Then it was on to the show to admire all the antique and classic boats. It was great fun talking about the boats and showing him which ones I drove when I was his age. To me, of course, they were neither classic nor antique, but to my Grandson they were! That’s age for you! We argued which ones we liked best, but in the end we both agreed that they were all pretty “neat”. After lunch we drove home companionably, happy to have had such a great day! Our last outing was the Lang Pioneer Village for their “Christmas by Candlelight”. We arrived early so that I could take some pictures in the daylight. Darkness and night arrived quickly and we headed for the village’s Visitor Centre. There we were greeted by staff who gave us a village map and an agenda of the evening’s festivities. Our first stop was in the gallery at the back of the centre. Here kids could decorate gingerbread cookies with icing. From there we went into a side room to talk with “Father Christmas”. Then it was outside into the cool of the night. A horse drawn hay wagon was waiting to take visitors on a journey around the village square. My Grandson climbed aboard with other adventurers. I waited and listened to “Christmas carolers”. When the trip was over we walked the village investigating each building. At the Fitzpatrick House we learned how to make rag dolls. At the Keene Hotel we had cookies and hot chocolate. We sang carols in the Town Hall and made a “Christmas cracker” in the Old School House. We took it all in with quiet enthusiasm! After our Christmas tour we traveled to Peterborough for a well-earned dinner. These were wonderful memories, ones that I will always keep and will build on in the future. Of course, as our other Grandchildren grow a little older, the memories will for all of us!