Addenda

 1. I have sat with the idea of the postal strike for a few days. It still sucks. I'm sad about the Christmas cards, particularly because I got my pictures printed early this year and would have been uncharacteristically ahead of the game. BUT it might still be resolved, and there's no point in dwelling on it either way. I do feel really bad for the small business owners - some of them are losing thousands of dollars a day, and if this drags on it will have a terrible impact.

I am also very sympathetic to the postal workers. We've always been friendly with ours, and they have definitely been treated really badly on occasion, and obviously when we're talking big corporations and employees, I'm going to come down on the side of the employees. I just don't know how realistic their demands are - they might be, but it's a different world for shipping, and Canada Post has definitely been losing money. Regardless, it's definitely an effective time for them to strike. The government is saying they won't legislate them back to work, but a special mediator has been sent in. 

2. I am not bad at canoeing! For some reason I feel the need to clarify this. I have been on canoe trips. Matt and I canoe well together. We were in Mexico with the kids and a bunch of friends a few years ago. We went on an excursion, and there was a bit of confusion which ended up with us having breakfast at seven a.m., going ziplining and hiking and rappelling down into an underground cave lake and not having lunch until almost four. At 3:45, the guide led us down to a dock and told us we had to canoe across the lake to the restaurant. Most of the rest of our group paddled around in circles and meandered, and all the Canadians jumped in the canoes and beelined across the lake in perfect formation. But Matt, without thinking, grabbed a small canoe this time, and it was much tippier than the size we're usually in. 

3. There were no ladder incidents. It was very sturdy, and the handles were well placed. The bed fit perfectly into the nook, which was adorable, but meant that there was really no clearance on the sides so you kind of had to dive in like a five-year-old. But damn, it was comfortable.

And the view in the morning was excellent.