Home from camping

[vaneramos]

The girls and I arrived home from a camping trip in Eastern Ontario this evening. Most of the five days and four nights were spent at Bon Echo Provincial Park, with a day trip on Monday to Ottawa; all new experiences for the three of us, and I took plenty of pictures, which are laboriously loading onto my hard drive at this moment. On the way home today we stopped briefly at Petroglyphs Provincial Park, which features one of Canada's largest groupings of Pre-Columbian Native rock carvings. It is a sacred site, so I didn't take any photos, but it was well worth our time.

My mood during this trip was somewhat better than during previous couple of weeks. I tentatively attribute the improvement to complete abstinence from alcohol. With previous drugs I was able to imbibe moderately without negative repurcussions the following day, but apparently not with Remeron. So I'll carry on this way and see what happens over the next couple of weeks.

Unfortunately the trip was frustrating from a parental point of view. Marian, who thoroughly enjoyed our canoe trip in July, had grown tired of camping and didn't want to participate in things, which held me and Brenna back. She has reached an age when she wants to spend more time with her peers, so next summer will probably be different. Hopefully Brenna will still enjoy camping, because I have never taken her out alone, and I think we would have a completely different kind of fun on our own. Marian seemed to like the physical and psychic challenge of a canoe trip, but Brenna is more curious and creative. We had a good conversations last night, sorting some of this out over the campfire. Fortunately Marian was impressed with Ottawa and the Petroglyphs.

Tonight I have a list of things to do, then tomorrow morning we're heading to the Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto and on to the cottage for a few more days before the end of summer. I'll try to post a few photographic highlights before we leave.

Comments

[ubermunkey.livejournal.com]

constant change, so rewarding and at time so challenging.

be well

Yes i think the skipping alchohol for a time is wize, it certainly can mess with me.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Hey your beard in that icon kinda reminds me of my own right now.

Cheers,
Van

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Presto! Pictures....

Hugs til later.

[eloquentwthrage.livejournal.com]

How I would handle it: Next year ask Marian to go along, not forcing. Let her know you'll be disappointed if she doesn't want to go but assure her she is welcome to change her mind (up to a certain point) and will be asked again in the future. Maybe suggest bringing a friend her age, if that's feasible.

How you'll handle it: as you always do, with true fatherly panache. Aside from my dad, I think you're my favorite father. (All euphemistic wordplay about daddies aside...)

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

You made some very good suggestions there. I hadn't thought of telling her to invite one of her friends, and frankly the idea intimidates me, but there's no point in being afraid of new frontiers, they'll happen anyway.

[leafshimmer.livejournal.com]

Hey, you made it to Ottawa! Did you go to Parliament Hill? I love the little cat houses. I cannot recall your views on cats so it may not have been much of a sight for you.

Gosh, I would love to visit the Petroglyphs Provincial Park. I wonder whether it is open during the Winter, and accessible via bus? I will have to ask Claude about it.

Glad to hear the Remeron worked and your moods were better this time. There was an unfortunate incident at a big social event I attended in NYC 2 weeks ago where a lady had "gone off her drugs so she could drink," and that ended in her having a messy meltdown and being really unpleasant to a couple of her friends. I had already gone home when it happened, but she is still processing the flak from it. I felt really bad for her. Unfortunately her friends have about had it with her.

hugs, Shimmer

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Yes, we went to Parliament Hill, ascended the Peace Tower for a vista of the city, and explored the Whispering Wall. I didn't see the cat houses. Although not a "cat person" in the strictest sense, I'm fond of all animals and was possessed by an especially gentle and good-natured grey and white tabby named Potvin until I was in hospital early last year and he went to stay with my parents. During his absence I realized considerable relief from my allergies, besides Mom and Dad became much attached to him, so he has continued to own them. We had a brief visit this week. He has an outstandingly pleasant disposition and I miss him badly at times, but I'm afraid cats are no longer a consideration and most other pets are too much trouble just now.

I'm sure you would find the Petroglyphs a particularly sacred experience. The park web pages say the petroglyphs site is closed during the "off season." More info about the park is available here:

http://www.ontarioparks.com/english/petr.html

Oh dear, I certainly know better than to go off my meds temporarily for supposed enjoyment and convenience. I hope your warning doesn't reflect any observations of my own character. I can be moody, but if I have any weakness it is towards withdrawing from my friends rather than melting down in front of them.