Kirsti and Eli

Camping again

We went camping again this weekend. It was a bit of a last-minute decision to make the most of the precious nice weather. We only went for one night because Kendall had agreed to teach Sunday School. It was good we did because it didn't go quite as well as last weekend. For one thing, Mom and Dad were grouchy. I wish I could come up with a good reason for this condition, but I can't. Secondly, we did not sleep well at all. For as hot as we got during the day, it was freezing at night! We started out the weekend tired and not sleeping well didn't help. For the last few hours Evan was zipped into my sleeping bag with me and we were squished.
The most exciting part of the whole time was when Eli ate a tadpole. I heard him go over to Kendall, who was tending the fire, and say, "I just had an idea! I could catch tadpoles for us to eat!" (He was serious.) Kendall said, "Okay, you eat the first one, then I will." (He was not serious.) Next thing I knew, Eli was standing in the water with a freshly-caught tadpole. He stuck it in his mouth and swallowed! I could not believe it. That is not like him at all! We all laughed and gagged simultaneously. Then Kendall, being a good dad who keeps his word, took a tadpole that Eli caught for him and popped it into his mouth too! That is not like him either! He said he felt the feet on his lips! Eww! I am so glad I'm a girl! (Although, I think I would usually be more likely to do something like that than my husband.) Well, Evan and I were not convinced to follow suit. We were happily grossed out just watching.
The best part of the weekend for me came when we were mostly packed up. We were supposedly going to go swimming, but swimming in the same water that we catch fish out of kind of psyches me out. So I floated around on my air mat, careful to keep all appendages out of the water, while the boys caught a ride on a giant turtle. It was a bit of a surreal experience for me as I floated a little ways from shore. The lake looks a lot different from eye level. It was a beautiful sunny day with a bright blue sky and green trees reflecting on the water. I could hear the boys laughing and playing close to shore. We had the bay to ourselves and their voices were echoing in our solitude. I can't really explain it, so people will just need to come up here and experience it for themselves.
We left sunburned but really happy (after nearly 24 hours of trying to just act happy). Evan was the one singing away on this boat ride back- for about 5 minutes until he fell asleep.
Saturday night we cleaned up and Kendall finally ran for some food (Subway and poutine) for a late supper.

Camping photos again

The boys happy on their turtle.


I made pizza over the fire and it was actually good! It's like I'm a bushwoman or something.


Fast asleep on the way home.

Semantics

Eli has had some confusion when it comes to languages. The other day he had this whole complicated talk with me after I told him that his little friend probably speaks Ojibway. First of all, he got this mixed up with Marcus' name and has occasionally called him "Subway." Then he talked to me about people speaking "Goshen," meaning, I think, English. Oh well, we'll keep working on it. In Goshen he did seem to have the concept of Spanish and English down, so we'll work on the idea of more than 2 languages. (I do have to note at this point that one time Eli did say "Gracias" to a friend from Nepal after she served him some food. Like I said, we have to work on the idea of languages beyond the 2 that are most familiar to him.)

While I'm talking about language, I will cautiously report a conversation that just took place between Marcus and Eli. Like I said earlier, Marcus doesn't seem to know English well. I gave them both some peach-flavored water to drink. Eli told him it was peach water. Marcus repeated, "Beach water." Eli said, "Peach juice." Then Marcus, not understanding, said, "Beach stupid. Stupid beach." Eli had no idea what kind of language Marcus was repeating and I quickly intervened and told him, "Talk nice, Marcus." So we'll continue to monitor their playing together. He seems like a gentle, loving boy who has seen and heard way too much.

A New Friendship

The sad little boy next door has become a treasured friend to Eli and Evan and a face at our window peering in and wondering if his friends can come out and play. One night I heard "ha-yahs" and all kinds of karate chops coming from the yard next door. Surprised to hear such happy sounds, I asked Eli, who was outside if it was "Sad Boy." Eli rightly told me, "He's not sad." Then a day soon after that, the little boy was swinging when I was out at the washline with the boys. He still wouldn't talk to me, but I pushed Eli on the swing beside him. Pretty soon the little boy said, "Bubbles!" He ran over to his porch and showed the boys his bubbles. Then he blew big bubbles for the boys and talked a bit. And since then, the three of them have become fast friends. We found out that his name is Marcus. One night as we completed one of our rituals- saying the best and worst part of the our days- Eli's best part was playing with Marcus and Evan's worst part was "leaving Marcus."

After being around him more, I think he knows more Ojibway than English. I haven't been able to understand much of what he says and when he talks to me, his sentences are pretty short and basic. (Like just now he showed me his car and said, "Fast.") Eli, however, claims he understands all of what Marcus says. Today he told me that mostly he hears "Canada." When I asked Eli if Marcus knows Eli's name, he said, "He just calls me Friend." He also says that Marcus understands everything he says. I'm not so sure… But at any rate, they communicate very well. Right now as I type I am looking at the two of them sitting on the rock wall outside our window comparing their cars. I can hear them having an important conversation, though I can't understand anything. (Now Eli just came in and said, "My friend asked if I want to play Capus." I asked him what that was and Eli told me it was a card game Marcus made up. I said okay, if they played on the picnic table right outside the window. Then Marcus came back over and Eli popped his head back in, "I guess he wanted to play 'bubbles.'" So much for understanding everything.)

I am concerned for Eli and Evan when Marcus leaves. (Not to mention my concern for this little boy that is really growing on us.) Today as we walked to church I told Eli that Marcus probably wouldn't be living next door much longer. Eli has referred to the various adults that are at the house with Marcus as his mom and dad, apparently not noticing that they change daily. I told him that Marcus is from Pikangikum, a different town, and that his parents are still there. He is just staying here for awhile. The boys will miss a friend when Marcus moves on.

The photo is of the boys playing in our yard. I took it out of our front window where the computer sits.

Dreams of a Little Cabin in the Woods

I don't know if you can see it, but there is a "For Sale" sign on this piece of property. This was out where we went camping- a 30-minute boat ride from Red Lake. There were a few docks out along the lake and up in the trees you could see little cottages. I told Kendall that if we live here a long time I would love to have a little cabin to go to whenever we needed to get away. I would love that. (Later I heard what the land is selling for, but I'll keep living in my little dream world.) We saw different pieces of land for sale and talked a bit about what we would do with it. It's fun to dream anyway!


But then we saw that this cabin was already there. Surely we could afford this! I guess maybe a secluded cabin in the bush doesn't have to be an unattainable dream after all!

Camping photos

How the boys spent much of the weekend- minnow nets in hand. Here Kendall is washing dishes. As he told me, sand cleans bettter than soap. Hmmm... We did use soap most of the time.


Kendall trying to communicate with the loons.


He really was annoyed at me here.


Candace swimming with the boys.