Monday, April 24, 2006

New update

Hi everybody!

I might dissapoint you, but this post will be a very plain one. I would love to show you only pictures and just stop talking, but I screwed my last (almost 200) pictures. I tried to get them back and, so far, it didn't work, but there's is still a little shiney point of hope, back in beautiful Delft. There were so many pictures that I would like to show you, from dew drops on the grass with the sun behind it, from the last farm, the turtle that I spotted, the swamp and from myself, milking and my from bibs. Ahhhhh, but I'll get over it... ;-)

All right, I wont make it too long, reading isn't that much fun. The last week of March I was back at the good old Garrett's household again. To work on my report for a week. Just don't ask about it.
It was the first real sunny and warm week, so that made it difficult for me to stay inside... I helped Dwight in de barn with milking etc. (almost) everyday. Tuesday night Dwight took me with him, to a very inspiring bible study, that I wont forget very fast. On Wednesday, all of the sudden, I had to hurry to get done with chores, because Doug and Nancy would take me to Niagra Falls!! There is one picture saved (I don't know why one with me, but it's better than nothing..), as you can see below. It was a fantastic day, but barely anybody to see at this very touristical place.
I had already seen so many pictures of the falls, but none of them comes close to the real thing! If you could only hear them... They are so impressive!!!
On the next day, Tammy picked me up to go to the Discovery Spring Show (cows of course). It is very interesting to see how many humans (at least five or six) are necessary to take a picture of one cow! On Friday we put some new gates in, but upside down. Haha. But that was fixed in a couple of minutes. The only really interesting things of the weekend were that Dwight shaved his beard off and that Gabriel's second birthday was on Sunday. But I had to leave early, because the next farm was around a four hour drive away and Tammy also had to drive back that same day...
So the other two weeks I stayed at Peninsula Jerseys, owned by Jake and Annie Vander Meulen. They are older than 70, I don't know how old exaclty, because I learned that that's rude to ask. Their oldest son (Earl), who is also owner of the farm, lives next door, with his wife Sharon and youngest daughter Diana. We milked at 5.00 am and 16.00 pm. Next to the normal chores I did lots and lots and lots and lots of observing for my assignment (the reason why I came here, wasn't it?). The weather was getting nicer and nicer, with sometimes some rain, but we need that too. We had very Dutch meals, with normal bread for breakfast and soup and bread at night, and a warm meal for lunch. The influences from long ago... Another something was that Jake and Annie both had a bike!! So I went for a couple of bike rides, the hills around here (here on the east side of Toronto, the landscape is getting more and more hills in it) make you pretty tired. But already the first time I discovered a swamp / conservation area. I have never seen anybody else in there, but I've seen tons of beautiful birds (and gees of course...), a turtle and beaver trails all over! Monday night we went to Senior Supper in the Christian Reformed Church; knetterfat! Tuesday night Sharon took me with her to giggle-volleyball. Just a bunch of ladies / friends who rent a schoolgym every week. It took us two hours and still I wasn't tired at all!
On Thursday afternoon, Annie showed me Belleville, a nice town on a bay and Friday we went to 'Brigadoon', a Scottish play where Diana took part in. In the weekend, on Saturday morning, Earl and I left early, heading to Guelph for a sale where some of Earl's animals were sold. It was a three hour drive, but we can always enjoy the country music on the radio!!! (it's difficult to find normal music around here...) At the sale it was lots of noise, jokes and animals. But I met Jim and Melissa! (Sparling) It was good to see them again! O, before I forget, it is true that Jim isn't the earliest to start in the barn, but I had to say that he is always late back into the house again too! (And that's true) After the sale, we drove a little bit more further west for an open house. And again, talking, looking around and eating food from a BBQ. We were home late... and we traveled 750 km that day. Sunday we went to church at 10.oo and 19.oo, and we had two good services.
The second week was basically the same. I have been to giggle-ball again, to the swamp again, did a lot of observing, walked along 'Peninsula Jerseys' land, walked a trail along the river in Belleville, got a back road tour around the area (secretly it all started because Earl and I needed a Tim Hortons) and we went to church, quite often because it was Good Friday and Easter. But there is one fact that stands out between all the others... (You have to imagine drums right now) On Thursday I found out that not only my dad, but also my mom and sistertje are coming to Canada for three weeks this summer!!! Wiehoe!!! Joepiedoepiedoe! Kadenkkabeng! On the 8th of July (yes, a day before the finales), at 20.30 they will arrive in Edmonton.

On Sunday after the second time church, Jake and Annie dropped me of at the next farm. Who, where, what and why? You will have to wait for that story, because I'm tired and hungry and sleepy and my neck hurts from staring at the screen for so long... But I'm still happy, I hope you too

Lotte