Hunger Games and More

Important things you need to know:

1. Hunger Games movie was perfect. Kate and I saw it last night. You can always nitpick about the conversion of a loved book to a movie but this was a pretty great translation. Jennifer Lawrence was awesome. I was worried they would screw up some effects (like the mutts) and end up cheesy, but I thought it was bang on. Enjoyed it as much as any movie I've seen in the last year.

2. Toronto FC sucks without Frings in the back. They might be bad with the German in the lineup, but they're dreadful without him. Greg and I went to the homeopener on Saturday. Weather sucked. Team sucked. Remind me why I chose to become a fan of a team owned by the Leafs?

3. Kate rules. She did awesome at the Round the Bay 30km race in Hamilton on Sunday. And our friend Lisa was the 3rd overall woman, out of about 3000!

4. March Madness must have affected me, as I bought a basketball net for our kids (see photo below). Even set at its lowest height (7 1/2 feet), Jacob can't throw a ball high enough to sink a basket. But I can dunk!

5. Greg and I are heading to the Masters in a week. We have tickets to a practice round on Tuesday and the final Sunday. Hoping for a clash of the titans, with Woods, Mickelson and McIlroy all playing well these days.

6. Ice melted on our lake on Saturday, March 24th. I'm advised that this is a record by a few days. But winter seems to have returned today. Woke up this morning to the sounds of whitecaps smashing against the rocks outside our window. Love it.

7. Molly's appointment with the orthotics guy at Sick Kids went well on Friday. He was impressed with the increased flexibility in her feet. We'll see what the surgeon has to say when we see him in a couple of weeks.

Assorted Photos

Some of these have appeared on Facebook, but not everyone here is there.

We had a great visit from Priya, David, Rowan and Leo last weekend. Nine days ago, when it was still wintery.

- Rowan and Molly walking around the island. Last day on the lake.

- And last day playing under the bridge

- Dressed up in costumes, including my old Cub Scout uniform. Check out all those badges.

- Another treasure trove of Erin and Sean's hand-me-downs were opened. The twins are starting to stretch out, fitting lots of size 6 clothes now! 

- Proof that AFOs are sandbox-friendly

- Zoë excited to be out of her snowsuit

- Jacob looking like a real big brother

- Zoë is obsessed with my iPhone. Here is a great self-portrait

- Probably my favourite photo of the year thus far

- I'll sneak in one cutesie kitten photo. Paddy Clarke HAHAHA snuggled up with Rosie the Riveter

- Jacob before his big final game of the season

- And this one's worth a giggle, especially if you're feeling a little disillusioned by concussions, pre-game brawls, or the Habs making a run for a high draft pick.

Molly's braces

Molly got out of her casts for good on March 9th, so she had March Break to get used to the new AFO braces. She's doing great but isn't running full speed yet and is still experiencing tiredness and pain in her feet, especially at the end of the day.

Here she is at Sick Kids, waiting for the braces

 - And the new braces. They're light but kind of bulky. They fit inside a shoe, but only a shoe that's 3 sizes too big for her, so it takes some getting used to. And she can be out of them for an hour or two a day for now.

- Check out the butterfly pattern Molly chose

Skipped Spring

Straight to summer, with 20+C all week. The lake's still frozen but not for long. One of the old dudes on the island informed me that the earliest the ice has ever come off has been March 26th, so this should set a record.

- Two dinners in a row outdoors - pretty good for mid March

- 3 kids skinnydipping in the sliver of water beside the ice, clothes scattered over the lawn, while Kate burns stuff