My Fur Babies give SHOUT OUT!

When Paul and I booked our trip it was somewhat last minute.  My children had their Dad but my fur babies, Ruby, Phoenix and Vanilla we weren't to sure of what to do with them.  Two large-ish dogs are hard to find someone who has the space or time especially around the holiday season...

But we did end up finding Christine Kirkland of Fur-kidz Pet Care Service!  She came and stayed at my place.  Christine was very thorough, letting me know her schedule involving other clients and when she would be with my pets, she sent emails to us in Cuba and she left this little note when I arrived back:

I appreciate her.  She took on a lot, just walking the two dogs can be a workout. If you need a pet sitter contact Christine 613-731-0657 or ck.furkidz@gmail.com

This girl...

Last Sunday Daphne and I were up until 4AM. No we were not out at an exciting event or coming home from one of our adventures, Daphne was violently throwing up. Actually she was seriously dry heaving. In her words "I sound like a dying animal." She woke Breton, as the gastro bug caused her to repeatedly puke every 20 minutes since 9:30PM.

We sat on her bedroom floor, watching 72 of the Cutest Animals on Netflix. I felt helpless. She wouldn't sip the ginger ale I offered her so at least there would be something in her tummy to bring up... I was told, kindly, not to touch her as I tried to rub her back as she threw up and  she accepted the cold wash cloth I believe just to appease me. 

A few times her hand would reach out to me and I'd tell her i was so sorry this was happening to her. She got the shakes and shivers so I got her her bathrobe and an extra blanket. 

To be honest, when the kids were younger, this was my worst nightmare, awful gastro bugs. I'd just wait for it to infect each of us, the kids and then me, as everyone else started to feel better.

We have not had a gastro bug in years enter our lives and now that the kids are older they are able to make it to the toilet or get it in the bucket...rather than having it all over their bed or the living room carpet.

Daph lost 5lbs, stayed home from school a couple of days because she was weakened but she is A-OK.

The following day as we recounted the night before events, I took the opportunity to let Daph know that the violent regurgitation she experienced could be exactly what can happen when one drinks too many "adult" drinks. #futurelesson #preventativeparenting #notsureshewillremember

So my usual weekend ritual/routine is, I get up at 6AM to feed the dogs and then maybe go back to bed and sleep in until...7:30ish.

When I get up, I have my first cup of tea and enjoy the silence because B&D are still sleeping.  I sometimes will get two hours of tea time.

This my favourite winter tea time mug: 

It was a teacher Christmas gift from one of my students.  

Look at it! It's a robin 

in the winter...skiing!

A Robyn X skiing

But that did not happen this Saturday.  We were celebrating Breton's 15th birthday and having a Paul Grant meet n greet.

Breton turned 15 January 10th but this was the first weekend the kids were back with me, so we could celebrate with the fam-jamily.

The Paul Grant meet n greet had to occur because my two sistas from other mistas, Michelle and Audrey had yet to meet him!  I thought after a year+ it was about time.

Pickle aka Michelle

Aug aka Audrey 

I met these sistas when I was Daphne's age now, grade 7, 12 years old... now we are all celebrating our 44th year (Audrey on Monday!!!! Happy bday Aug). It honestly had been years since I saw their significant others, Sean & Frank and Audrey and Sean's son Connor.

This was the last time our kids had been together, probably 5 years ago.  We, ladies have done dinner and chats over cafes but no boys were there nor our wee ones.  Shame on us.  It was great this weekend.

Angels On Earth

Each day I get to gently soothe a wee one to sleep, sometimes two or three.  
I watch their eyes slowly...slowly...slowly close.  Before this, they have a huge exhausted yawn, rub their eyes and sometimes sigh.
They are little angels on earth.
This is one of my favourite parts of my day.
These little ones "warm my womb" (in the words of Paul).
I love the moments of picking them up, getting a cuddle, seeing them discover something new or accomplish something on their own.
I look forward to seeing them each day,
my little angels on earth.

F***... It's Buffet Ettiquette, DUH!!!

This blog post was inspired by Paul and I's trip to Cuba. All in all it was an incredible trip but these are based off of some of our observations and experiences:)

Things not to do at a buffet:

• No budding (too many times this happened, by the end I became a budinski too)
• Don't touch if you aren't going to take it (have you ever seen kids at a dessert buffet?)
• Tongs are there for a reason, so are sneeze guards
• Don't lick the spoon and put it back (Paul experienced this at the ice cream bar, where two kids were helping themselves.  One was using her hands to scoop the ice cream and the other, decided to lick the scoop to see if he liked it!!!! That was when Paul grabbed the scoop)Parents please please please teach your children buffet etiquette or accompany them when they are making their selections 
• Don't waste, start with a little, you can always go back later
• Don't take it all (New Year's Eve at the special dinner buffet which included a lot of seafood, someone proceeded to take all the crab, while Paul was patiently waiting to get some...)
• Watch where you are going. Manners still matter at a buffet (people were on a mission during our dinner buffets = get food! They would plow right by you)

Conclusions:

Maybe Paul and I should go to an adults only resort next time
and call people out on their rudeness

Ch ch ch ch changes

Since I have come back to The Nest, I have made a few changes to the site:

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Never use ketchup

When not to use ketchup:

This entry was inspired by watching a mother squirt ketchup on her bolognese pizza and her son's. ewwwww

So do not put ketchup on pizza

On each other

Anything you'd call dessert

Fruits

Real vegetables...French fries don't count

Questionable in  soups and any baking

And it is a SIN to eat your steak with ketchup

The BLAU Costa Verde Robyn & Paul's Review

The BLAU Costa Verde, Holguin, Cuba

The good the bad the ugly:

+++Positives:

• Uh you are in Cuba and not in the snow
• Staff is very friendly and kind and patient
• Clean
• The grounds are well kept
• Bars bars and more bars
• The Italian restaurant is the absolute best, use one of your restaurant a la cartes to go there. We also ate lunch there everyday! Chef's pasta of the day, Pizza bolognese or chicken or vegetarian and also the calzone yummy in the tummy
• Snorkelling!!! But bring your own mask and snorkel
• The lemonade, orange, strawberry slush
• Green eyed "adult" beverage
• Walking on the beach
• At the buffet there is always something you will like, just might need to look for it
• Beach, soft sand, lots of sea shells and plenty of shade/sun depending on which you desire.

View Our Video here

---Cons:

• Must pay for Wifi and the government can control it meaning when you can access it.  We lost it for a day and a half.
• Two tier resort...they have an upgrade scheme. If you pay you get a newer room, access to other a la carte restaurants, another pool
• Entertainment could be upgraded. More variation
• Water temp changes frequently in the shower, from your chosen temp to extreme hot
• Snorkel entry is rocky but if you take a few steps down the beach it is gorgeous sand
• Signage not super clear
• In room fridge water is replaced but not the two pops or beers (but in the upgrade rms they would be replaced)
• No wash cloth in the bathroom
• Beach is a little tight.