Some highlights of summer 2011:
I arrived in Montreal from Spain the day before Jen's 29th birthday, which we celebrated at the Auberge Bonaparte in Old Montreal. Two days later I made a fancy chocolate-raspberry layer cake to serve to a group of their friends. It turned out beautifully, despite having to endure a kitchen temperature of about 40C that afternoon!
The birthday girl with friends, Thomas, Rhonda and Gilbert (aged 4).
Then to "The Bluffs" at Sypher Cove on July 26th...
We had a plethora of visitors during the two weeks Pat was home in early August. Here are my cousins Beth and Sil enjoying a (rare) boat trip to have lunch at The Edgewater Resort down the Saint John River.
Pat's brother, Terry, and friend Janice, and our son-in-law, Lou, were also with us at the time.
Our niece-in-law, Suzanne, brought her brood of four from Dartmouth, NS and stayed in their tent trailer on Brian and Denise's property. Here is Aunt Monica cuddling with baby Arielle (and below), aged 4 months.
Dinner at our house with the Bourque clan: Lou with Alex (aged 2) enjoying dessert, to the right our niece Erika and boyfriend, Timo, from Fort McMurray, Alberta.
The aunts came to visit for a few days: Alice from Calgary, Helen from Hanover, ON with Donnie.
We had a wonderful seafood chowder at Donnie and Monica's apartment: Denise, Pat, Peter and Brian were there, along with Suzanne and family.
Then SURPRISE!!! Didn't Steph show up from Denver on August 14th just in time for my birthday dinner of lobster and homemade cake (her creation)! She spent a whirlwind week with us, reliving memories of a year ago when she and Lou were married!
In-between rainy days, she and Lou went for a spin on Aunt Georgie's new Sea-doo!
The boat got a new hard-top, GPS system and fish-finder installed on it.
We had gateposts built at the entrance to our driveway, using Spanish tiles on the left.
We also had our outside fireplace rebuilt, a major undertaking that lasted all month!
the little dots were placed to number the rocks so they were returned in order!
On the weekend of August 26th, I drove to Montreal with Ben's parents, Gary and Laura Lee from Nova Scotia, to help host a surprise baby shower for Jen! The theme was books and she got a wonderful selection for Baby Seamone! Below is the Mom-to-be with her Great-Aunt Eleanor.
My two "old" high school friends, Barb and Wendy, were there, along with most of my Abbey relatives.
Now from sunny Spain...greetings to all our blog-followers, friends and family! We anticipate a busy Fall with Pat working on obtaining his Spanish driving license, friends Hana and Steffan visiting from Germany the weekend of September 16th then a couple of business trips to London and Paris later in the month. We will be back in Canada for Thanksgiving weekend and the wedding of Alicia, Steph's long-time friend from nursery school in Burlington. From there to Montreal and the arrival of our new grandson! Stay tuned...
Location:Montreal and Sypher Cove, NB
