Rainwater Rambling Archive

Send off

Gillian and Angela are off to Guide camp this week. They are heading back to Camp Wyoka, the same place they went last year. We dropped them off at the bus pickup point at noon.

Gillian has a couple of friends from school going and Victoria who she hung with last year at camp.

Claudia looking happy for now.

Trying to juggle the apples.

Claudia already missing her sisters.

Angela couldn't wait to get on the bus.

This year the camp has gone with an e-mail company called bunk1.com to deliver e-mail to campers. We have purchased some bunk note credits, feel free to logon and use them to send the girls a text e-mail (try to avoid the borders and extras). They are there until Saturday morning, so try to send before Thursday evening. Click on the e-mail icon below to send an e-mail.

Logon instructions
1. Username: tanabe
2. Password: rainwater

Click on the Bunk Notes icon.

Change the Message From field, and select either Angela or Gillian
Angela is staying at Carlyle
Gillian is staying at Tamarack A

A Brownie Already!

Claudia starts her first year of Brownies tonight.

Smores

We had a fire last night in our chiminea, it was a nice fall evening.

I had to ride over to the store for an Aero bar for the smores.

Just a little sticky.

Roasting to perfection.

Don't worry the canopy isn't on fire, it's just a long exposure of the christmas lights under our canopy.

Claudia ready to call it a night. In case you were wondering where Gillian has been in all weekend, she is at camp with her Pathfinder group. They are camping up near Elmira in tents for the weekend. Hope it wasn't too chilly at night.

Back to the updates

The mini hiatus from regular blog updates is over. After being away for close to a month, I think I have adjusted back to life in the Tanabe household. Today we went skating at the Erin Mills Twin Arena. It was the first time for us since last year, Danny had taken the girls in the summer when they were staying at their place. Here are the girls and Sarah taking a break.

We had to buy Gillian and Angela new skates on Friday, Angela is almost the same size as Gillian now. Angela wanted to go on Saturday and was wearing her helmet around for most of the day.

The girls have a PA Day tomorrow so I took the day off. Next week is the Mississauga Santa Claus Parade in Streetsville. Both Gillian and Claudia are in the parade with their Pathfinder and Brownie groups. We're hoping for some good weather.

Angela has her Guide Enrollment this week, I post Claudia's enrollment picture when I do Angela's.

Guide Enrollment

Angela had her Girl Guide enrollment ceremony this week. A lot of the first year girls all had older sisters who had previously been in the same guide group.

Adding tinder to the campfire.

I promise to do my best...

Angela moving through the line of leaders.

A member of the 257th.

Claudia watching Angela's enrollment, unfortunately Gillian had her Pathfinder meeting the same night so she couldn't be there.

Angela receiving her Reading Badge.

A happy Guide!

While I was in Alert, Claudia had her Brownie enrollment, here is a (only) picture from her night.

Only a month to go...

Today was the Mississauga Santa Claus parade in Streetsville. It was a beautiful day, sunny, clear and about 5°C. Claudia and Gillian were in the parade with their respective Brownie and Pathfinder groups. We had to drop the girls off at the Streetsville Go Station at 11:30 am, from there they were bussed up to the start of the parade. Here is Claudia ready to go.

We headed over to Queen St. to find a spot, even an hour before it was busy, mainly on the east side (sunny side) of the street. We were suppose to go and pick up Claudia when she was done, so we found a spot on the west side. Angela in her chair. By the time the parade was in full swing, they were lined up four deep behind us.

Hazel was leading the parade.

There was no shortage of marching bands. Check out the lead guy.

Here is a close up.

Gillian was holding the Guide banner as they marched.

Claudia was in good spirits, she said she carried the flag for a bit at the beginning.

The guy in the wgite was tossing his dough around as he walked down the street.

This was a cool float, it was a mini-train.

There was a walking green bin.

Another marching band.

A couple of Clydesdale horses.

This beaver was on a Canadian National Exhibition truck.

The last marching band.

Finally the guy we came to see.

I took some video of Santa because I figured Gillian and Claudia wouldn't have gotten to see him.

Get the Flash Player to see this player.

Girl Guide Cookies

It's that time of year again and we received our 6 cases of Chocolate and Vanilla Girl Guide cookies. Susan and the girls went out in the neighbourhood to sell 3 cases. One guy bought a whole case. We still have a few boxes left.

Claudia at Camp

Claudia is off to Brownie camp this weekend. They are camping at Rattlesnake Point Conservation Area.

I got home from the airport, changed and then we were all in the van to take her to camp.

Here she is before we left.

On our way back Susan spotted this deer in the bush at the side of the road.

September Activities

Gillian and Angela started their Pathfinders and Guides this week, we're still waiting for Claudia's Brownie group to start. Angela meeting was only an hour this week so Claudia and I rode our bikes over with Angela to the school. From there we rode down to Lake Aquitane.

The camera was attached to my handlebars, that's why it is a little crooked.

Claudia riding through one of the tunnels along the bike path that goes under a major road.

Here is a flash video of Claudia riding her bike ahead of me.

Get the Flash Player to see this player.

Claudia looking older.

Chocolate Mint Cookies

We ended up with four cases of Chocolate Mint Girl Guide cookies this year. We have sold 2.5 cases so far. The girls went out to the neighbourhood today and sold two cases. If anyone wants some, let us know and we'll put some aside.

Gingerbread House

Tonight was Claudia's last night of Brownies before the holidays, it was bring your Dad to help decorate a Gingerbread House. They had it at the local Superstore, she was able to decorate it, b ut unable to eat it. Here she is with her creation.

Only Child

Both Angela and Gillian were camping this weekend with Angela's Guide group. Some of the alumni Guides were invited to the camp. That left Claudia as an only child for the weekend. It was a quiet weekend.

Moving Up To Guides

Tonight was Claudia's Advancement Ceremony from Brownies. She is moving up to Guides this fall, both Angela and her will be in the same unit.

Claudia enjoyed her Brownie years.

Waiting her turn.

Being welcomed by a Guide leader.

They all participated in the evening.

Not sure what Angela is doing?

Camp Weekend

It was camp weekend for all three girls. Angela had her year end Guide camp at Mountsberg Conservation Area. Gillian and Claudia were at Valens Conservation Area near Freelton with Pathfinders and Brownies. Our first drop off was Angela.

They had to wait for all the girls in their tent to arrive before they could set up their tent.

Gillian and Claudia blowing dandelions.

Next year they'll be camping together.

Next it was on to Valens to drop off Claudia and Gillian. While we were there it started to rain, we helped Gillian get settled in and got soaked in the process. On our way home there was an amazing rainbow, super bright and it spanned the whole sky. By the time I could pull off the 401 at Campbellville Rd, it wasn't as spectacular.

Posted by Richard at 9:31 PM
Categories: Guiding, Outdoors
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Camp Closing

We were all invited for lunch at Angela's Guide camp. This was the last year for the leaders, they were retiring after more than 20 years as leaders of the 257th. They managed to recruit some new leaders for the group.

Debbie and Margot the leaders and their daugthers.

A final song.

Susan and Margot.

Gillian and Mrs Woods.

A group photo of all the 257th Guide unit.

Return From Camp

Angela and Claudia went camping with Guides this weekend. They are now in the same group, so that makes it a little easier on us (actually Susan) for meetings and camps. Here are the two of them airing out their bedrolls after coming home from camp.

Their camp was at Camp Wyoka, so they were sleeping indoors.

Braces: Round 2 and Fractured Fairy Tales

Today we started round two of braces. I took Angela this morning to get braces on her top teeth. She was pretty excited about getting them on. Here she is before we left.

And here she is with them on. She gets her bottom ones on at the beginning of April.

Tonight all three girls were going to Gillian's Pathfinder meeting. Gillian's group was putting on a play for all the area Sparks, Brownie and Guide groups. Gillian and the other third year Pathfinders put the show together as part of ther Canada Cord requirements. That's Gillian in the middle. Their play was called "Fractured Fairy Tales".

It was a good show and they put a lot of hard work into organizing it for the past couple of months.

Guide, Pathfinder, Guide

What's the chair about? At the school we were at, they had boxes of new folding chairs. As Chair of our school council, one of my goals is to do a fundraiser to help purchase new chairs for our school. Our school still has the wood seat and metal leg chairs that most will remember from their days at grade school. They are wobbly, they have cracks and are all round uncomfortable. My idea is to have families donate a chair and then recognize them by creating a plaque with names. Originally I thought we could put the plaque right on the chair, but it probably wouldn't last that long. I'll let you know this goes.