Field Trip Friday-Episode #6-ad hoc...by (Angela) Jean

Sometimes you have to improvise.

I was very excited for this week's FTF. We were meeting our friends at the Art Gallery of Ontario and had planned to spend the day with them there. It was going to be Mimi and Otie's first trip to the AGO and I couldn't wait....I really couldn't wait, because by the time we arrived at the Spadina exit of the Gardiner Expressway, it dawned on me that we had planned this trip for next Friday.

Well, we were already in the city and I had enough snacks packed to last us all day, so I decided to give my kids a guided tour of our old neighbourhood. (It's funny because Mimi likes to brag to her brother about how she used to live in Toronto-she was 7 months old when we moved-but he never did.)

We drove all the way up Spadina and I told Mimi I had a surprise for her....we drove around a bend, and up a hill and guess what? A REAL Castle.

She was amazed.

We'll come back another day and tour the inside, but for today a walk around the outside was fun enough.
We jumped back in the car and headed back up Bathurst Street to Vaughan Road. We passed Dutch Dreams, the crazy ice cream place Shawn and I frequented regularly (especially that scorching summer I was pregnant with Mimi).

We continued up Vaughan, and then headed to our old street to see our old apartment.

I lived in that top floor apartment for 11 years. Still looks exactly the same. Good to know some things don't change.
At this point, Mimi took charge of the agenda (quel surprise) and said she wanted to go to High Park.

Last year on Friday mornings her Dad took her to Dalcroze class at a music school on Roncesvalles. Each week before class they would stop to play at the park. She misses that a lot.

I don't blame her, it's an amazing playground.

It was a very chilly day, and I was not really prepared for outdoor play...we didn't even have mitts or proper footwear, but we went with the flow and had a great morning anyway.

At least I brought snacks....lots of snacks.
If there's one thing I've learned about parenting so far, it's that most situations can be improved with either a snack or a nap. After running around the playground for an hour, the kids had both, in the car, on the way home.
Today may not have been what I was expecting, but we made some memories, so I'm happy.