Jims Travel and Life or Lifeless Blog: 2001 January 1st - December 31st Toronto and environs

Dateline: 2001 December 31st Toronto, Ontario

This trips travelling map

Just another year, Family, friends etc

January - December 2001

Needs Info

Peter and Shem arrive for Iqbal's sons wedding

So, of course, we have another party

And so does Kayla

With statutory cake and friends et al

And our piano now gets a regular work out

Party time, here with Kayla, Amanda, Britney
and Cedrics daughter

Amanda and Britney attend
tap dance lessons.

Kayla is gung ho
Here at the end of session festivities

We finally get to go balooning

Not our first, but first for the kids

Self help neighbourhood

Being a bit fatalistic about the whole thing

I find it a bit of an adventure

the kids

As do

Summer camp. One of Aidens school buddies

Goes to a (cheap) camp. Both join in

It's some form of religious gig, so it's full of
"Bible Appreciation Classes"
Never again say Aiden

Meanwhile, we time shift to Europe

Ilge to Sweden, me to UK

I'm told that these are some form of graduation ritual

Aiden denies all knowledge of this, same outfit, so probable same description.
With such an enthusiastic cohort, I can't say I blame his memory

Back to the delights of Massassauga

Back to delightful kids too

Dad and the kids

Alone against nature

These really were blissful events

As it's firstr week of school, they go first day

Then we are off to camp for 3 nights

And back for real school on the following Monday

Quite the adventure

Aiden in Mug Shot

As ever, just another party

September version.

Maybe a birthday?

All the usual suspects and more

In my directive to see people

While they are still alive (Elmar died in April)

We head down to the New York cousins

For their thanksgiving

Karin's yappy dog bit my foot under the table
I was so happy when it died

Karin's husband's (Urmas) father was a ships
captain and he's collecting a lot of these

Our kids and Linda's kids

Head into town for fun

And games at some museum

For some reason, we head out to New Jersey

Downtown is still persona non grata territory

Our last day here. Elmar, missing in action,
Silvi still feeling the guilt
We depart back to Toronto

Maureen has a new kitchen

We all celebrate

Not to be outdone,
we have our own pre Christmas party

We are still party central, complete with

Kids. kids friends and kids friends parents

And of course, the real family Christmas Eve Esto party

This was our Christmas family advisory for 2000

December 13, 2001

Being fairly lazy, I doubt if this will be shipped out till next week, which will then make it a full year since we arrived back in the exact middle of the 3^rd blinding snow storm of the year.
This being Canada, not much had changed, and after another year, this is pretty much still a truism.
Not being one to live in the past, I still find details of our last trip (et al) too much to avoid for too long.
We slipped quietly back into the swing or whatever, arriving in the middle of a blizzard and returning to our pleasantly welcoming house (still standing minus a few heirloom plants malesh). Quiet Christmas, and new year.
The kids got back into their schools, and pretty well did not suffer any anguish concerning catching up or re hooking up with relevant peers. I went back to various offices no one needed me urgently, in fact I had a few civilised lunches and proceeded on my merry consulting way. Personally, had a great winter, and set some new records at alpine skiing actually got down several runs without falling over really started to get into it lots of white stuff and not a great deal of business demands.
The Toyota returned in February and after a mind boggling drive (through yet another blizzard), arrived safely with me back home. Everything was still there all except the gas tank cap, so our entire 6 months of touring and travel, against literally all the odds, we lost one pair of sandals, and one gas tank cap. Not bad considering none of us has been to parasitology, or needed a course of antibiotics since our return.
We had a glorious evening of unpacking the roof box (see web site for contents), and relived our collection gathering and various other spoils of travels.
Spring saw the arrival (wait for this blatant techno blast here) of the static DSL and eventually the in house web hosting of corporate and personal sites (see www above). Lots of new machine and equipment to play with. So, techo continues in the KS household, and now I'm bugged by the kids if the network is down and their super fast connection is suspended momentarily.
My 52^nd (yes indeed!) Birthday passed like a ghost in the night (my diary notes that I worked 6 hours that Saturday).

In June, we all FINALLY got to do our 3 year delayed ballooning adventure. Floating 1000 metres above the lush Ontario landscape, while not being the Serengeti, was quite an experience after the initial "Oh Shit" reaction from the kids, they loosened up and actually enjoyed it.
Summer, Ilge & I spent many happy afternoons and evenings at really great performances at the Stratford (Ontario) and Shaw festivals through the summer. I think we actually got to see every show we wanted to this year probably 15 20 really good level too!
At summer camps Aiden passed his small water craft test at sailing school, Kayla did lots of Guides camps plus they both had a week or two at a Christian based riding camp no not our choice, just a camp a friend of Aidens went to "never again" he tells us. While this was going on, Ilge & I trekked to UK, and her to Sweden (see below) for 2/ 3 weeks without the kids. We had a few days together in UK, the true highlight being a performance of Cymbeline at the new and unimproved Globe on the Thames. Great show, great location great evening etc etc gush gush. Plus catching up with our old mates what a trip.

Both Aiden & Kayla were able to go to the local school board summer camps, plus they went to a private camp in August. We all survived and re grouped this side of the Atlantic, just in time to take in the concerts. They both then requested our "traditional" week of canoe/ camping in the wilds of the Massassagua Provincial Park. What a parent fest to have the wilds of Ontario to share with your kids (no, Ilge is not into roughing it that much anymore). A truly fantastic, and dare I say it bondtastic time had by all those who participated.
I had one fantastic flash in October (no calm down, not that kind of flash), when I realised that one week ago I had been canoeing through the beautiful wilds of the Ontario backlands, one month ago, I was arriving at Gatwick in UK, and one year ago we were arriving in Walvis Bay after trekking through the Namib desert for a few weeks. Well, I thought it was a good moment to relate!
September, and back to school Aiden in "High School" supposedly a real change in tempo...... Ilge became 51, quietly of course. Fall and eventually winter (today being 21^st see above!) And still no snow for my new skis.

November and we are in New York to see the cousins and catch up in a less than sombre environment

We had various parties, February, September and December

Overall:
kids are still mostly fun to be with and not too abusive., life (as in don't talk to me about life), is not as exciting as last year especially as I had to work the 3 months before we left to Africa working 90 100 hour weeks for three months. My squash is now (thank god) back where it was just before I left for the Dark Continent, my skiing has improved, Debating which I left to whither in some other hands is still alive, after a fashion, but as I speak every debate 6 this year, why should I worry?
Through the year we have been visited, and we have also been visitors. Great to keep up with friends from long or not so long ago.

The future holds similar excitement I sent out an open invitation for know interested parties to join us on our next trip to South and Eastern Africa in June Sept 2003, only one taker so far, and she bagged the spare seat in the cruiser. Work looks as if it has finally collapsed hey not bad after a full year of consulting after my return. Heading for the slopes any month now.

December 28, 2001
OK, so I blew it! This is not even ready withing shouting distance of Christmas.
Lets get this show on the road and see if we can ship this out with all the graphics etc intact.
Have a great new year and happy times all round folks.
Bat Family

Editors Note:

And......... many, MANY years later, when I have nothing better to do than revisit these 25 year old blogs, this time to finally add many more pix from the video camera, for all you folks totally devoid of a realistic view of entertainment.

Here they are: