And this week, the kids, visiting. The Son on Sunday (Sonday), with his girlfriend, until Monday Morning, then in the afternoon the Daughter.
She wants to play Chess & Scrabble, having skipped the family reunion to be with her mother she found her poor competition, or perhaps she thought she was that good...
5 games later she was properly schooled. And not happy, but - there was a time when she was younger, and I'd let her win, and she complained that her mother had told her I was a formidable opponent but clearly that wasn't the case, and having listened to this crowing for a few minutes I took off the gloves, and now, now, it's her that needs to up her game.
This is how I know my kids will visit me when I'm old and senile and in the home, the daughter will be showing up with a Chess and Scrabble board to claim the victories she missed out on in her youth...
She took the losses relatively well, with the parting shot: "You've mastered the board games Pa, but what about your life???"
Tuesday, work double, Wednesday off, and the boy texts me, he'll be through town again in the afternoon.
My plans for the day off involved taking his car to check up on my ruby prospect, maybe do some exploring, that's ruled out, his trip to Vancouver cut short by a break in in his car, a "secure" parkade nonetheless, but - in these the darkening of days no place is secure.
I instead make some food, the daughter was sorely disappointed I hadn't cooked or planned to for her arrival, I'll remedy that, I make a tasty guacamole, cucumber-mint salsa, and Kim-Chi, all vegan, and they're glad for the fresh food, it's tasty, if I don't say so myself, but the bill - a grocery bill with no meat, vegetables only, well, it's preposterous....
And then they're off, to "Wicked Woods", a better venue than being broken into in Vancouver, and this ends the fall visit, next one probably Halloween, and time now - he having taken back what remained of his car, time now for me to go and boost mine, get myself back on the road, there's still a few weeks of summer left and many a prospect that needs my attention...