Spiders...

Seen on our decking, about 3 inches from the dining room window...I've got nothing against spiders in general... but this many, that close to my house? Put the kettle on...

One out of two

Got one out of two from my selection of today's games. On reflection I would have gone for Germany simply for Jurgen Klinsmann who I developed a soft spot for when he came to England to play for Tottenham (although I am a Villa fan!). Added to that are his wonderful touchline theatrics, on the other hand I will have to watch Ballack at least once more.

Who to support...

...when two of my least favourite teams (apart from Australia - what a delight their game against Italy was) are playing each other? Argentina or Germany? May the best team win? Certainly not. May the team England will have the least poor prospects against in the unlikely even that they need a hotel in Munich next weekend? Certainly, and that's Germany, although it will be a pleasure to see Ballack's smug face leaving the field for the last time.
I've been hoping for semi finals of:
Ukraine vs Germany
and
England (obviously) vs France
What's the betting I've named the four sides to be eliminated over the next two days!
Ooh, Argie keeper injured and being replaced, Ballack claiming the game should continue with the goalie on the floor...
Do you get the impression not a lot is happening over at the moment? You'd be right. We seem to be in monsoon season (not well known in NS), but there seems to be so much water in the sky, it's surprising there's any left in the ocean!
Tomorrow is Canada Day, clashes very badly with England - Portugal and has caused minor tension in the household until it became clear I would not buckle and go and join the masses in town, instead, the pub with other men of a similar disposition.
Argentines dropping like flies, time wasting. Germans throwing in a dive or two of their own. Hilarious. Hopefully Ellie and Thomas will continue to amuse each other for another 15 minutes.

The limit...

We might not have played so well... But I do take exception at being ridiculed by the Rogers Sportsnet summarisers. A country ranked 83 in the world, a good 30 places below Trinidad and Tobago rubbing shoulders with the likes of Oman and Wales (and we all know how bad they are) isn't really best placed to pass judgement is it? Results are always "one to nothing", err, "one nil" please or a "2-2 tie", DRAW! ;-)

Scans - is the most exciting bit of the World Up over?

What a day, the excitement here in Mineville has been palpable, right from the minute dear Wayne got aboard the plane in Germany. Many thanks to bbc.co.uk for updating us every five minutes on his arrival at the hospital, his departure, his return for the results, what would happen in the event of an argument between the ManU doctor and the England physio, the news that he'd left the hospital again (*** importantly with a smiley David Davies from the FA ***) and ultimately the wonderful sighting of the man himself on the 9:45 flight back to Germany hence the conclusion that he would be playing some part in yet another under achieving bid for glory or did he just forget his shower bag? We must wait until tomorrow for the official word.
I think I need to have a little lie down now to recover.

Messed up...

My domain has been messed up for the last ten days or so hence no blog... or email for that matter.
Since getting back Thomas has enjoyed much throwing, kicking and stamping of feet followed by plenty of time for reflection on the naughty step and latterly in the pen, not "state", but "play" - without the benefit of toys.
It's bug season here - black flies have been feasting on Ellie, Thomas and MC, they don't seem so interested in me, maybe I'm not tender enough. The June bugs have arrived early (again), not supposed to get here until June, big stupid things always arrive in May apparently. Still we await the mosquitos. I have a "Mosquito Magnet" down by the pond in the hope of catching some of them before they can lay their eggs. Then of course there are the frogs! Lots and lots of frogs in the pond. I go to visit them everyday... Sad?
We also have rabbits, ducks, bluejays and grey jays around most of the time, kinda nicer than starlings and sparrows, there were even a couple of visiting eagles at the weekend. There are some other things out in the woods somewhere, I hear them, but haven't seen them yet!

Long way to go...

Booked tickets to see the Red Hot Chili Peppers tonight, not quite like going to see them in London though - we have a 1000km drive to Quebec! Are we mad? Almost certainly, especially as we bought Ellie a ticket too - she'll be needing earmuffs I think!

Some Disney Pics...

Here are a few Disney pics (we came back with well over 1000!), more tomorrow maybe... It's TV finale fortnight over here so there are plenty of cliffhangers to enjoy (although Desperate Housewives was pretty disappointing this evening - I expect better from Jack Bauer tomorrow!) - every night in fact so sorting out the pics has been pushed back a bit - oh and the garden we returned to decided to grow into a jungle as soon as we went away...

The mouse himself

Thomas with his new hero - maybe he likes orange, he certainly loved Tigger...

James P. Sullivan

Stitch...

Chip or maybe Dale?

Chicken Little... and Abby Malard

Birthday girl meets her favourite..

Buzz with one of his greatest fans... And Thomas...

Vacation

Eight weeks ago, 5th May seems an eternity away, the date of our departure for Florida and Disneyworld... Now, 77030 km later we are back in Halifax! I'm too tired to think straight to night, but will get some pics online as soon as I can! Suffice it to say it's an AWESOME place as the locals would say!!

The map...

Here's our route for tomorrow and Saturday and Sunday (!) - it should be fun, as should seeing the temperature increase from about 14 degrees to 30 as we drive! Ellie's new friend here, Cole, is going to Disneyland at the end of the month - it's funny to hear them talk...
Ellie: I'm going to Florida tomorrow.
Cole: I'm going to Disneyland.
Ellie: I'm going to Florida.
Cole: Disneyland is in Florida.
Ellie: ...silence... Well, I'm going to Florida...
Cole: But Disneyland is in Florida...

and so it goes on, fortunately so far she hasn't twigged I don't think!

On you marks...

Blogging has been a bit stilted recently due to the preparations for our visit to Disneyworld! Still we are almost ready now and maybe I can do another Indiana Jones map if I have time. We're almost packed, we have over two hundred snack (for the journey and the days at disney), more than one hundred drinks, a new two seater buggy for Ellie and Thomas to be chaufeured around the parks in... There is also 7 gigabytes of music and comedy and fifteen DVDs to help the journey go as smoothly as possible! Hopefully the villa will have internet - if so, I will be sticking pictures on whenever I get a chance...