It’s funny how no matter how excellent a vacation has been, it’s still a bit of a relief to return to the routine of every day. Or maybe that’s just me. A return to routine of course means a return to blog.
I woke up this morning to another in the seemingly endless series of hot, sunny days this summer, and was downright cheerful as I got ready for work. I had picked my outfit with some care the night before, and I realized it felt quite a bit like getting ready for the first day of school. It’s been more than seven years since I had any kind of school routine, somewhere around seventeen since it was my full-time occupation, and yet those ingrained patterns die hard.
I was only away from work for two and a half weeks, but it may as well have been two months. It seems like I was gone forever! Only 199 unread e-mail… better than I expected.
The past two weeks were heavenly, though. I couldn’t have imagined a better vacation. It was sunny and hot for the vast majority of the time, just the kind of weather on which I thrive. In addition to our adventures with the big blue train, we had playdates at parks and in pools, a day at the waterslide park, barbeques with family and friends and birthday celebrations. We found time to be tourists in our own town, and I spent many many hours looping the back highways south of town, hot wind blowing through the car and a hot Tim’s coffee in my hand as one baby or another caught a car nap in the back seat.
Yesterday, after living in this city for nearly two decades and vetching endlessly about the lack of a good beach, we found an excellent beach just around the corner from us at Britannia Bay. Why why why has no-one mentioned this gem to me before? The water is clear and warm, the bottom is sandy, and you can walk out for 50 meters and still only be up to your knees – perfect for toddlers. My mom and I took the boys out there yesterday, and had so much fun we vowed to go back at least one more day before the end of summer, maybe even next week.
Summer is far from over, but there are 199 e-mails waiting for me, and one or two of them might be important.
Welcome back! We’ve missed you.
Welcome home!
Just reading your post energizes me. Thank you, I needed that. xo
Britannia beach is pretty. Great for kiddies. But I know what you mean about living close and never discovering it. We live a little further east along the river, practically walking distance from Westboro beach… and it took us a few years to realize it was there.
Andrew Hayden Park (just beside Britannia Beach) has a fun playstructure for kids too. If you haen’t been, you should definitely check it out. My kids (4 and 6) love it.
Welcome back Dani!
WELCOME HOME. Can’t say it enough 🙂
Welcome Back..>Even though I got lucky enough to see you during your hiatus!
Where is this beach I would love to take Nathan. Although there is a good one too I’m told at Pertie island. Never been.
Get blogging my dear!
Awww! You guys are so sweet! I got kind of used to quiet comments there for a while – nice to see you’re all still out there!
Andrea, we discovered Andrew Haydon park last summer, with the same reaction: why has this been kept secret?!? It’s lovely, isn’t it? Makes me want to take up sailing, seeing all those boats on the water.
SCM, Britannia beach is at the very north end of Greenbank/Pinecrest, north of where it crosses Carling Avenue. I have heard Petrie Island is nice, too (haven’t been there yet), but the e-coli levels are often high there, whereas Britannia for some reason seems cleaner.
xo Danigirl
Welcome Back Danigirl. Glad to hear you had a great vacation. Have never been to Britannia beach myself, but it is the fear of e-coli, etc.. that keeps me from the waters of the Ottawa river.
Anna