I’ve checked out of my hotel, Homewood Suites in
Ajax, and am now at Brent’s place in Janetville on Lake Scugog for the
week. He just bought this house that is
right on the lake in March 2016, so he hasn’t lived here long. He bought a house here because his work
shifts at Unilever changed (to the day shift) and he needed to keep shared
custody of his son (my grandson) James.
I came up here this week because Brent needed me to
babysit James at three different times this summer: first week of July, first week of August, and
third week of August. And, I am very
happy to do it. You see, James is eleven
years old, not quite old enough to be on his own during the day yet. Next summer, when he is twelve, he will be
old enough, unless Brent goes back to the night shift or he just wants to go
out for the night. In that case, since
James shouldn’t be alone at night, if Brent needs me to b babysit, I will do
it.
It is really lovely here, beautiful in fact. Very quiet and calm – just what I need right
now, especially after the last four weeks in which I was still worried about
vacating my house on time for the new owners.
This week (July 31st to August 5th), I played with
Brent’s basketball hoop, trying to sink baskets. At first, I couldn’t do it, but I got better
with practice. I’ve gone swimming at
least once (at the beginning of July) and am about to go for the second time
again today (August 3rd).
Brent, James and I are planning to go canoeing before Friday too.
Today (Wednesday) is mostly about picking up my
cheque for my portion of the sale of my house, paying off Dave, Brent, and
James, and then paying off all my bills.
Dave picked James and me up at Brent’s home and took us to Oshawa, about
forty-five minutes south, where I did my banking and then Dave did his. Reimax still owes me $7500. They have already cut a cheque for me and put
it into the mail. I just have to make
sure that the lawyer and the real estate company both have my correct address
(the temporary one). As it turns out,
Reimax sent my cheque to Brent’s home instead and so, I’ll have to pick it up
next time I’m up here – the third week of August.
After doing my banking, which included cutting a
cheque for Brent as well as Dave, I remembered that I had to go to a Shoppers
Drug Mart store in Oshawa and re-order my prescription that I had not been able
to pick up in Ajax. This Shoppers store
just had to verify that I had the prescription on file in Ajax and then they
filled it at their store. But, I was
only able to get part of it - I will pick up the rest of it next week in
Oshawa. I did a little shopping while
waiting for my prescription to be filled and then Dave brought James and me
back home to Brent’s place in Janetville.
Brent’s home this week is my home-away-from-home.
Nest week, starting on Friday August 5th,
I’ll be staying at the Holiday Inn Express located at Markham Road and Hwy.
401, Scarborough, for nine nights. I
hope it’s just as nice as Homewood Suites was.
This hotel will be my home-away-from-home starting Friday.
I’ve slept a little better this week – 3 out of 4
nights were good. I didn’t experience
the sinus problems that sometimes arise, but the headaches associated with my
sore neck continue more frequently. I do
have my ice packs stored in Brent’s freezer and I use them as needed to relieve
pain and stiffness.
I forgot to mention a couple of things: Dave returned my “lost” cell phone to me –
the one that Kyle had scooped up by mistake.
And, Brent’s pal, Ty, came up here on Sunday, stayed the night, and then
left on Monday afternoon. Brent had
Monday off (it was Civic Holiday weekend), but Ty has the summer off since he
works only during the school year in an elementary school as a youth
worker. Ty and Brent are good friends
and Ty apparently spends a great deal of his free time up here. He’s a good guy – I’ve known him for at least
ten years, maybe longer.
We all sat around a fire in Brent’s front yard
(facing the lake) after dark on Sunday night, roasting and eating marshmallows,
which I haven’t done in decades, and telling ghoulish stories - it was a lot of
fun. Brent’s home is a really nice place
to spend time at in the summer. But, I
wonder what it’s going to be like here in the winter? Especially since Brent’s daily drive to work
(one way) is one hundred and twenty-eight km.
So, when it‘s not his week to have James, Brent tells me he doesn’t
always come home every day after work.
At those times, he stays with friends of his in Whitby overnight and
then goes to work from there the next day.
I’ve been spending my time reading my novel
“Memories of Midnight”, a novel I expect to finish this week. I usually read by the lake in the mornings
and when I’m not doing that, I listen to my music or take pictures with my
Rogers cell phone, and make meals for James during the day. I haven’t been asked by Brent to make dinners
though – he usually does that with or without my help and I do the dinner
dishes, usually the next morning. Brent
says he appreciates it when I wash the dishes and I don’t mind. We’ve also been watching the Toronto Blue
Jays play every night this week and, when I can fit it in, I watch “Forensic
Files” on HLN TV. But, for some reason
that neither James nor I understand, Brent does not want James watching
“Forensic Files” – probably because some of the stuff (crime) is pretty edgy
and not really suitable for minors.
I don’t really have any laundry or housekeeping I
have to do, except for helping to fold Brent’s and James’ laundry, which I also
don’t mind. I feel like I’m sort of
James’ nanny for the summer, but only for three weeks. It’s a pretty easy and enjoyable job and if
it helps Brent manage his life with James better than it’s worth doing.
copyright 2016 - Anne Shier
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