Chalet Blog

Now it is near the end of January and I had definitely planned to write more often..the ideas swirl around in my head but sometimes that is as far as it gets. One very special memory of the Chalet was the summer afternoon when Kim aged 3 first walked by himself.
Kim was born with ataxia, an inner ear balance problem so he had to have others hands to help him walk upright. He had much help as the other 3 K's made it their special mission to help him walk. There was the promise of "Captain's beds for K2 and K4 when that magical milestone was reached.
One late summer afternoon as we were strolling along the lovely old woods road to Grand lake (sadly the road is no more since clear cutting). Kim between me and another K when he suddenly let go and run down the little hill..all by himself. It was certainly a turning point. He hasn't stopped since.


There have been many meals at the chalet but one of the most memorable I would have to say was a meal produced by karn. At 11 ,Karn was doing double duty..keeping an eye on Kimmer in his play pen and making supper. Menu was Spaghetti and tomato meat sauce. All done from scratch. Dig and I were working on the new addition, they boys' room . WE were hungry when mael time came. It smelled so good. Karn was justifiably proud. we took a bite or two the reached for the water. Karn wanting it to extra tasty had been liberal with the cayanne pepper.
It was her first experience with Cayanne pepper....memorable.


Remember our Friday night suppers after to drive from Dartmouth..Baked beans and hot dogs done in the big black skillet on the wood stove. I believe it was a visit from Jim Tupper that introduced us to baked beans and brown bread since Danes do not know a lot about the Canadian Saturday night baked beans supper. While not all guests appreciated ,the meal it was considered the thing to have the first night at the Chalet

OF course there were the long breakfasts at the Chalet..I still consider them the very best of Chalet meals. Loved it when the big pine tree was still there and we used the stone BBQ.After we returned from England baked beans..who knew the English ate so many- stewed tomatoes, bacon and sausages, eggs of various descriptions,hash browns, toast , jam and maybe blueberries if in season or blueberry pancakes. Poor Marcel and K2.. the blueberries they had to pick before breakfast.
Earlier before expanding the kitchen we could just pass the hot chocolate and cinnamon toast through the flap opening in the kitchen to the occupants of the bunks in the girls room.when I think back I am not at all sure you kids had a healthy diet. But bread was 10 cents a loaf and a dozen doughnuts at the discount store about the same..they fitted our budget.
Breakfasts have been eaten everywhere it seems- on the Princess of the West - Piper- porch and on the Princess Pea of the East porch and on the pretty perfect porch the wee one off the front eating porch.Best of all however is that first cup of perked coffee either beside the stove snuggled in the rocking chair or on the front porch overlooking the lake.
Years ago little visitors would come from Chalet 2 , sometimes alone, sometimes with friends and Jack for the ritual of early morning Hot Chocolate with toast..no butter for YuMing ,and yes he would like white bread toast.

Well, here I am on January 4 finally taking a look at this blog and looking forward to what it will become.  It is raining heavily outside as I sit at my desk in Victoria....rain itself generates many memories of the chalet...the warmth of the lake while swimming in the rain, the steady drum of the rain on the roof while we sat in the porch, candles flickering, watching the lightning and listening to the thunder..."one hippopotamus...two hippopatomus...three...", the occasional rush to find a pot as a leak started, finding a tree the next day struck by lightning, wondering how much did the lake go up and wow does it smell fresh after a summer rain...  One topic...many great memories.

This blog will be a welcome walk down memory lane!

chalet memories Jan3'08

I DID IT !!!!! This is right up there with printing Uncle David's boarding pass. Yah All is possible in 2009!

chalet memories Jan3'08

Just getting to this blog has been and adventure..it is hard to know where to begin as there are so many heartfelt memories. More to come.I am anxious to see if this posting really worked..sad to have a Mom who is so hidebound by technology .

So not so much a real post as much as a quick scribble on birch bark

It is late here in Toronto and the snow is everywhere so this is merely a note to say I am looking forward to this project and seeing what memories we all come up with over the year. Been thinking about transportation actually ... the wagon, the row boat, sinking canoes so we could dive from them, being pulled around the lake on a tube, having the front of the canoe turn into a sail on one of my solo trips and deciding just to dive in and pull it home rather than paddle it across the winds at the point....

Let the Show Begin

Ok - it's now January 2nd - we are well in to 2009...I am inviting all of you to participate in this 'international' project! I'll send out an email with directions and look forward to reading about your chalet memories over the course of the coming months!
xo