Family Visitors and The Campsite Rule

On Monday, we had a couple of family visitors.  One was a fly-by-drop-in while the others decided to stay for a few nights.

Grandpa Hawkins stopped in on his way to Guelph for a meeting with the Grain Farmers of Ontario. Although a quick visit, I think that I might have unwittingly volunteered to work in the fields over the Christmas break.  Ross's last words to me before he left were, "Bring your boots, there is always work."

Grandpa Hawkins, Smiling on the Inside

Nan and Grandpa Raz also showed up Monday night, crossing paths slightly with Ross.  They stayed for 2 nights this week and, like always, lived by the "Campsite Rule".  For those of you familiar with the sex-advice columnist, Dan Savage, and his Campsite Rule, you might be curious (you sickos!) how a visit from my folks and the Campsite Rule fit.  Without going into the detail of how the Campsite Rule is interpreted by Dan's readers, the high level concept is that one should always leave a campsite either the same or better than how it was found. 

So, inevitably, Peg brought a meal that, with leftovers, equated to 6 servings along with some Christmas cake and a tin of shortbread cookies shaped into snowmen, Christmas trees, and other holiday shapes.  Always fun to bite off the head and show Frosty who is boss!

They also watched over Magnus on Tuesday morning, allowing me to go into work and Karen to hit her favourite salon.  With a walk in the fresh air and a bottle to fill the hunger need, Magnus appeared quite content to allow his mom to get prettied up and his dad to try and pay for his bills.  With the wind-chill hitting -17C, Magnus really had to get bundled up. Many thanks to Sherrai for the white snowsuit, cousins Will, Bo, and Josh for not destroying the blue snowsuit when it was their's, and Steph's son, Evan, for having a "monster head" (Karen's words, not mine) such that the attached toque was too small and was perfect for a gift. 

Magnus Pre-Stroll

Magnus Post-Stroll

 

Besides the Tuesday morning walk, they also covered Tuesday night, allowing Karen to get in a 4 hour nap (Karen is quick to note: her longest sleep since October 30th) and allowing me to hit the gym for a quick workout, already prepping for my first one-on-one game of 21 with Magnus. 

After getting a couple of days with her "hands around that little baby", Nan and Grandpa Raz left Wednesday morning for Ottawa.  Again, before leaving, Peg changed the sheets on her bed.  Always living the Campsite Rule.  Definitely leaving the area better than it was when they had arrived.

Sleeping Magnus: Did Nan's stories finally knock him out?