A Weekend Away

After being at home all summer it was lovely for Ron, Max and I to hit the road and make the short drive to Petawawa the other weekend to visit with our son Rodney and his family.  I have visited them before, with my daughter and a day trip I took several months ago, but this was the first time Ron and Max joined me!  Our grandson Austin had been home for a little over two weeks after spending the summer with his Dad in New Brunswick so we were pretty excited to see him again.  Rod and his family were posted to Petawawa last summer and everyone seems to have settled into life at their new base very well.  As for me, I’m delighted that after living over a decade two provinces and a full days + drive from us, that Rodney and his family are now only a 2/12 hour drive away. Especially now, since we were told over the weekend that Rodney is being deployed to Afghanistan this February and is currently starting his DAG procedures. Ironically, after finally getting posted to Ontario, he will be returning to New Brunswick in November to train for his deployment overseas.

So, it will certainly be good to have Jen and Austin only a short drive away while Rod is in Afghanistan.  We are hoping to be going back and forth between each other’s homes a lot during the 9 months during Rod’s deployment.  Jen is working at a local business that is only minutes from their home and her schedule works out well with Austin’s school and after school activities.  Austin loves his new school which is right across the street from his house and he is making friends easily with his new classmates and neighbours.

It was a quick visit but we did manage to get in nine holes of golf Saturday afternoon and Austin was my wonderful caddy. He also brought a few of his clubs along and he hit some pretty good shots (some of which I wish I had executed myself!)

The weather was beautiful over the entire weekend and we spent time enjoying the outdoors, not only at the golf course but on the new deck that Rod built a few weekends earlier with the help of his Dad and some buddies.  In the picture one may think Rod and Ron are discussing the *big one that got away*, but trust me…the conversation was all about golf. The only fishing these two do is in a water hazard with a ball retriever!

Saturday evening Rod made us his *famous* Chicken Broccoli Braid with a Caesar Salad.  I have his recipe for this dish and will be making it soon, it’s very tasty.  As we were readying to leave, Jen’s Mom and Aunt arrived from New Brunswick for a week-long visit so it was really nice that Ron and I were able to meet them.  Hugs, hellos and good-byes were exchanged and with Max relaxing in the back seat, we headed back home.  After being hosts to quite a bit of company these past few months, it was lovely to get away to my son and his family’s…a mini-vacation to be sure.  Even Max was in *max relax* mode.