I’m finally blogging, though it is in the airport on my way back to Brussels...If you’ve been keeping up with Matthew’s blog, you’ll know we’ve been “home” for seven weeks and have been going at full tilt. Our activity level reminds me of Christmas as then too, one is way too social, too busy and traveling more than normal. If I were to remake the "12 Days of Christmas" my first draft would look something like this (subsequent drafts will rhyme and have the right meter--that’s what music-wordsmiths like Johnathan and Matthew are for):

12 two-hour trips along the “401”

11 days of sunshine without rain (Belgian weather followed us here)

10 different beds I’ve slept in

9 dentist doctor and orthotic appointments between the four of us

8 suitcases grew from five that we brought

7 blissful nights in our very own Toronto house


















6 kids under 6 plus twenty other Zadows at the golf & pool weekend (where a significant birthday was prematurely celebrated-my 40th)

5 regretful hangovers (okay only one, but it was a “doozie”)

4 days of canoeing, swatting, and showing our children Algonquin moose


















3 appliances to repair for the new Swiss family renting our home (plus a toilet replacement--see second photo)

2 cottages we nested in, celebrating friendship, fireworks, fishing and swimming


















1 long weekend visit with Nicholas and Henry maximizing our last Canadian hours

mmmm...baguette right from the oven...

Today's the day we're leaving--I can't believe this day has come so soon. The bags are packed, the house is spotless (well, okay, I'm still doing laundry and waiting for M to have his last shower) and the several carloads of gear have made it to the new apartment 1 km away.

We take a train to Amsterdam mid day and a plane to Toronto in the early evening...only to arrive by the clock 40 minutes after we take off--sweet!

So since there's really no food left in the house and in order to make the goodbye rounds, M went to our neighbourhood patisserie and got a baguette still warm from the oven (still steaming: tender inside with a most delicate crust), a pain chocolat (croissant with chocolate within) an apple turnover that is made with mille fuille pastry (puff pastry directly translates to 1000 sheets) and a plain butter croissant. We are in heaven...M just bit into the apple turnover and I heard exclamations of yumminess from the other side of the table...

I will miss the food--there's no equal for breads, for fresh produce, and for cheese--sorry Canada, you've just not got the right mojo...we'll just have to come back in order to continue sampling your wares, Europe!

wonder if it got there?

For those of you wondering how I fared with my new sewing machine, here's evidence that it works like a charm and that its the equivalent to driving a jaguar after a jeep...lovely and I can't wait to bring my quilting back from Canada to use it again in the fall.

The above quilt was made in memory of a wonderful quilter, friend, mother and partner who died too early to meet her grand daughter. I made it from her fabric, for her daughter's newborn baby Mia, born on the same day as my son's birthday. We've sent it to the baby and hope it has made it to Germany safely.