The Highest Form of Hope: July 2007

there then here

Last week we were at Oshkidee family camp where Paul was running the youth program for the week. I can't say that it was the most relaxing week ever, but it turned out really good in the end. We got to know a couple of really nice people and Sasha had almost too much fun... as you can see.

And that lake... That was the most beautiful lake I have ever seen in Saskatchewan. Crystal clear, turquoise hew, not a weed in sight, you didn't even smell like a lake after swimming. We went kayaking, Paul went tubing, and I made an attempt to swim to the island. I had to turn back because supper was starting soon... honest! I wasn't even tired!!

Anyways, I had big plans for the week. I was going to bring my painting stuff and do some landscapes, but of course at the Dalmeny turn-off I realized I had forgotten all my art supplies. But it was all right. I had ample time to read while Noah got his daily exercise in the dining hall (the only place where hazards where at a minimum). Poor guy had nowhere to crawl!

Then we came home. Paul had the preach the next day so he was out late preparing. And I had a garden full of weeds and overgrown perennials to tend to. It was Armageddon for my perennials yesterday. I cut down so many it's a wonder that I have any garden left at all. Maybe Tim Lahaye should write a gardening book. Oh that reminds me... A book I wish had never been written? The Left Behind series.

Speaking of books - great books in fact (not the above mentioned) - I am reading The Hobbit for the second time. Sasha had long been enamored with my illustrated version of The Hobbit. I was a little hesitant about letting him look at the pictures - some are fairly scary. But he kept asking me to read it to him. At first I went through the pictures and described what was happing in each scene. This was not enough for him. He kept asking question after question, until I got a genius idea. I would actually read it to him. Surely a three-year-old would loose interest after the first few paragraphs. Not so. Now he's begging me to read the REAL story. This is fine with me (The Hobbit is a joy to read out loud), but I'm not really sure how much Sasha is getting out of it. Here is Sasha's synopsis of the first chapter:

I: "So who is Bilbo?"
Sasha: "He's a Hobbit."
I: "Where does he live?"
Sasha: "In a hole."
I: "What are the Dwarfs doing?"
Sasha:"They fell down in the door?"
I: "Is Bilbo happy to see them?"
Sasha: "No."
I: "Why not?"
Sasha: "Because they ate all his food!"
I: "Does Bilbo want to go on an adventure?"
Sasha: "No."
I: "Do you think he will?"
Sasha: "Yes!"

Certainly the vocabulary is far beyond him, but for some reason he likes me to read it to him - so I won't argue. At this point in the book there's nothing scary. He's already pretending that he's Bilbo and I'm Gandalf. Yes, I know, I'm clearly turning my son into a nerd. But as we all know, it's the nerds who win in the end.