Quote of the Day

Caroline forwarded me an article that starts with a great quote, one that I would like to share with everyone:

‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ is the slogan of the complacent, the arrogant or the scared. It’s an excuse for inaction, a call to non-arms. -- Colin Powell

Who Let the Dog Out?

I woke up this morning much like other mornings. That is to say, after many presses of snooze. I then went to the bathroom and got dressed. At this point I am beginning to feel that the morning is not like others, but I cannot put my finger on what is different.

I go downstairs and now I know what is different. Nico has not yet greeted me--this only happens if I am up at 6:30, which was not the case this morning. I notice the basement door is open so I go check to see if he took the opportunity to sleep on the basement couch. No such luck.

Where is that dog?

I return to the main floor to see a bouncing dog at the back window. I let him in and he gives me a grand welcome. It was a greeting reminiscent of returns from extended trips.

Who let the dog out? And when?

Only a dog would still be happy to see you after being locked outside all night.

Navilyn Plants a Tree

Over the weekend we acquired a couple of second-hand bushes from the Vnouceks. "Acquire" glosses over the hours of digging in George's front garden, but that part wasn't the exciting part. Sunday morning Navilyn and I had the job of replanting the two bushes.

Navilyn discovered a wonderful new tool...a rake:



When I got one of the holes dug Navilyn thought she should ensure that it was deep enough:


With the hard work of planting the bushes done it was time to fly around the yard

before trying to escape


Additional photos can be found in the related set on Flickr.

Navilyn and I are happy with the job we had done, but then Joy arrived home from mountain biking. She points out that I have the dead-spot facing out. Sigh. And that I should have planted it two feet to the right. Double sigh. A little more playing in the dirt for me...

September Twenty-First

When did I last post to this blog?

Shameful, I will have to fix this.

Navilyn at Eleven Months

It has been a while since I have posted any photos of my little beauty, so without further adieu.

Friendsfest 2009

This past weekend was the second annual Friendfest. Last year George & Carolyn thought it would be a good idea for a group of extended friends to get together and camp for a weekend in one of the local conservation areas or provincial parks. Last year was a bit of a bust due to the late planning and people--such as myself--being unavailable. George & Carolyn had a good time--as far as I know.

This year the planning started earlier and it was decided to camp, this past weekend, at Conestogo Lake Conservation Area. The number of respondents was high: 3 couples camping two or three more confirmed for the Saturday evening potluck.

Unfortunately, due to a bad cold and cold weather forecast George and Carolyn decided it was unwise to camp Friday night (and ultimately Saturday as well). Joy, Navilyn, and I decide that we will still camp both nights and we head out late Friday. Despite the late start we manage to get camp set up and Navilyn to bed before she got too upset at the late hour (I am thankful that our destination was a short drive from home). With Navilyn in bed Joy and I made dinner over the fire: the always popular sandwiches in the camp cookers (some may know them as pie-irons). The evening was cold, but Navilyn was sleeping well, the fire warm and the stars amazing (the wine too). All seems to be going well...

Night one did not continue to unfold as well as the early evening. Navilyn decided that as soon as we wanted to go to bed, that she would want to not be in bed...or the tent. The short story is that none of us slept much that first night and that the stars are very clear all throughout the night.

Even with the little amount of sleep acquired during the night, Navilyn thought I should get up at 8 (consider that the two of us were up from four through six sitting not in the tent). It turned out to be fortunate that I was forced from the tent when I was. As the sun rose above the trees a fog also rose from the neighbouring river. I took this opportunity to regain my camera mojo.

Navilyn and I spent the next hour and a half walking around our part of the conservation area--camera in hand and baby on my back (some of the results are included below and on Flickr).

Early Morning Camp


Birds Over the River


Red Maple Leaf


The remainder of the morning followed a more normal camp morning: coffee was brewed, Joy emerges from the tent, bacon & eggs fried up, and books are read. And thankfully Navilyn falls asleep for a much needed nap.

Early in the afternoon Caroline & Justin arrive shortly followed by the other Wightmans (Mom, Dad, and Joel) and the Vnouceks. What had so far been "Wightman's Camping" officially transitioned into Friendfest 2009...


I am ending my post here since I am sure someone else (George? Carolyn? Caroline?) will do a much better job of blogging about it.


P.S.
Navilyn slept much better the second night. We discovered during the afternoon that she was much more content to sleep in her car seat: so when night came we lined her car seat with blankets added a baby and covered with many more blankets. No more problems with her kicking off her blankets and becoming cold and waking up. Net result much better sleep for all.

P.P.S.
We should plan these camping trips before we are getting frost on the ground at night.

P.P.P.S.
After the potluck the group expanded again when Janice & Chris and Alex & Jody joined us around the fire.

P.P.P.P.S.
No need to call child services, Navilyn and her car-seat were in the tent.

P.P.P.P.P.S
I think I am getting to many P's in my P.S. Anyway, despite the cold nights we had a good time at Friendfest and will be at the 3rd annual one next year.

Weekend in Switzerland

So the weekend is here and so is the beautiful weather--if it were November. It is 9 degrees and raining. So much for the mountain bike plan.

Tomorrow has a better outlook: 20 degrees with a bit of clouds. My plan is for some hiking on one of the many nearby trails before picking up Ann (and husband) from the train station.

P.S.

I uploaded a few photos of Navilyn, from the day I left for Switzerland, into Flickr (or would it be onto?).

One Last Time...

So as some of you may know, I have won myself another trip to Switzerland. In fact, I am typing this from my hotel room.

Unlike previous trips, I do not anticipate this one been anywhere near as stressful as earlier trips. My current plan is to do some mountain biking next weekend. :)

Until something happens (and I a least get some sleep), talk to you all later.

Sleepy Girl

You know that she has worn herself out when she falls asleep during dinner.


The story, according to Joy, is that with each successive spoonful Navilyn would spend more time with her eyes closed (while chewing). Eventually she stopped chewing and was completely out. Navilyn slept for a bit before Joy decided she probably shouldn't sleep in her high-chair.

I am sure this won't be the last time we have a little girl sleeping at the kitchen table, as Joy's family is known to do this (I'm looking at Jackson and Reuben on this one).

Morning Playtime

Navilyn is definately a morning person. Today I was up at 7am so she could come downstairs and play. This is a normal occurance, usually she has the consideration to let everyone sleep-in a bit on the weekend; today this was not the case. In fact at 5 - 5:30 it was sound like she thought it was time to get up. After a couple visits from Joy, she finally went back to sleep for an hour or so.

As I mentioned, morning seems to be Navilyn's favourite time of day. I thought I'd capture her playing this morning and share it with everyone.


Hope everyone else finds her as adorable as I do.

Navilyn's First St. Patrick's Day

Navilyn is now approaching 5 months of age. She is eating cereal: both rice and oatmeal. She likes her oatmeal, but really enjoys the bananas she gets mashed up with her rice cereal. Who doesn't like bananas? Yes I know you don't like them Mom, but George will back me up that bananas are good with your cereal.
As most of you know, this past Tuesday was St. Patrick's Day. And in celebration we all wore green...Joy and I may have had beer from green bottles also.

Navilyn at 6 weeks

I am starting to get onto this parent photography thing---give me a chance, I am new at this. I have found that I don't always have a camera at my disposal when a photographic opportunity presents itself. However, things such as computers and cell phones also have cameras...I bet you wouldn't have guessed that 10 years ago.

I won't always post every photo to my blog; instead the majority of them will be posted directly to my Flickr account (and perhaps occasionally to Facebook).

[Navilyn Flickr Set] [Navilyn Facebook Album]

Navilyn Update

Joy, Navilyn, and I are doing well. I apologize for the lack of updates, but I seem to find myself doing other things...a lot of work lately. :(

Since many have requested I am posting a photo of Navilyn. The photo was taken on the 29th, Navilyn being about 5 and a half weeks old.



With her becoming more active/alert, I imagine I'll find myself taking more photos (there is only so many photos of her sleeping one can post).

Navilyn has arrived

I would like to present Navilyn Patricia Wightman:

Joy and Navilyn:


Navilyn and I:


She was born October 22nd at 5:02, weighing in at 8 pounds 15 ounces and 21 inches long (after 27 long hours of labouring).

Navilyn arrives at home:

It is time

It is the last we'll see Joy looking like this (for at least a few years):



Yes, we are off to the hospital to let the baby into the world.

Still Alive

I am still alive. I am actually posting this message from the parking lot of a customer's in Switzerland. Why you ask? Because I am staying at a hotel without a phone or internet. So I am sitting in the parking lot, using the customer's wireless internet to communicate with those of you whom are still in North America.

This trip has been a busy one. Although I will say that because have little means of communication that I have not become as home-sick. I will attribute this to the fact that without communication I can remain more in the working world. This however has the downside that my mind stays focused on work long after it should have left work for another day.

I unfortunately don't have any fancy pictures for you yet; but there are a few days left until I return home.

Switzerland, Again

I again find myself in Switzerland. I will be here for two weeks, again. And for the same customer, again. Notice a trend here? I do plan to mope less this time though.

I unfortunately left the good weather back home, as there are scattered showers here, overcast, and only 13 degrees. Lets hope that the weather is nicer, at least for next weekend.

Brave New World

So as of October 2008 Joy and I will be officially parents. We just had the first ultrasound to discover a single fetus of 13 weeks (see photos below).

Zelda Movie

OMG, Zelda is becoming a movie.

Quarterlife

English-language channels here in Switzerland are very limited--CNN, BBC World, BBC Prime, and some random MTV shows. And to top it off they don't have closed-captioning, so I can't even watch them with the aid of subtitling--I have yet to pick up German.

So I was exploring alternate forms of media and came across a web-based sitcom Quaterlife through an article on the CBC website. The Quaterlife site is some sort of social network site for people whom are creative, and such, but also contains the 36-episode series (approximately 10 minutes per episode).

I started decided to give the first episode a look. It kept me interested so I watched another. Come 2am I had watched all the episodes--you can thank the short, well linked episodes for my inability to stop watching. I recommend checking out the trailer here.