July 15, 2016

In these lazy days of summer, Team Fergmeijer has come up with the perfect exercise plan: every morning, we do ten sit-ups. That may not sound like a lot, but there are only so many times you can hit the snooze button. And apparently chasing the ice cream truck doesn’t count as a fitness program.

A very happy birthday goes to Arik and Ethan who both celebrate on the 21st! Surely they BOTH can’t be turning 29, but at least one of them is.

The summer fun continues with Farmers’ Markets every Wednesday at the pavilion in Kagawong. Check out goods from local farmers, artists and crafts-people. There are some amazing vendors there every week, but it’s best to get there early to get the best stuff.

And don’t forget SUMMERFEST coming up on Saturday, July 16 (tomorrow!). Get out your poodle skirts and your plaid pants - the theme this year is Retro! Activities in and around the village (and there will be lots of them) will have a bit of a 50s & 60s feel as we step back in time and celebrate the good ol’ days. There will be something for everyone, including a scavenger hunt, BBQ, kids’ games, the Running of the Balls, and great food like ice cream, pie and cotton candy. Cap off the evening with a free concert on the dock by the Flat Head Fords - a retro band from southern Ontario. A full program with times and listings is in this week's Expositor.

The River School is off to a fantastic start! 4elements Living Arts and Manitoulin Streams have teamed up to deliver great summer programs to both children and adults along the Kagawong River. Come prepared to get your feet wet and your hands dirty! For more information, phone 705-282-0444 or email patricia@4elementslivingarts.org.

On Friday, July 22nd, reconnect with your inner nerd and join the Bluecoats from Science North from 10:30am until 1:30pm at the Park Centre for an interactive science experience! There’s a live show at 12:30pm that promises to entertain and amaze. Being the huge nerds (and all-around fans of science) that we are, Team Fergmeijer can’t wait to see what they cook up. For more information contact the library at billingslibrary@vianet.ca

The library book and bake sale was a huge success, and a big thank you has to go out to all the volunteers who helped to haul books, bake goodies and make lunch. It was truly a community effort. If you missed the sale, never fear - many books are available from the Friends of Billings Library table at the market on Wednesdays. Stop by, they also have sweet treats and cool drinks, with all the funds raised going to the library.

Speaking of the library, they are officially open for business 5 days a week, Tuesday to Saturday, from 9am to 12noon and 1pm to 5pm throughout July and August. Pop in, say hi to summer student Emily, use the free wi-fi, or check out all the changes upstairs and down.

John and Mary had granddaughter Charlotte (and her parents Rob and Kathryn) home for a visit. They made several grand tours of Kagawong in John’s classic car, at Charlotte’s insistence. Seems that little Buie might turn out to be a bit of a motorhead. Even after a short visit it was clear that she definitely has her daddy’s grace and her momma’s sass.

Jamie and Jean Ward also have family visiting this week. We would include more information on who it is and what they are getting up to, but they keep closing their curtains.

Missing your weekly euchre fix? Check out the July 20 euchre tournament at the Park Centre. Bring a partner and your competitive spirit!

As always, the Kagawong Canine Social Club meets on Sundays at 1pm. The park is open 24/7 for the enjoyment of four-legged residents and tourists as well as their two-legged companions.

As we mentioned earlier, Team Fergmeijer has been working to be as healthy as we can this summer. This time of year is great for fresh veg and fruit. In fact, we had a salad for dinner last night! It was mostly just tomatoes and croutons. Well, really, just one big round crouton. And a lot of cheese. Okay, it was a pizza. We’ll try to do better tomorrow. Maybe a fruit salad. With lots of grapes. All grapes. Fermented grapes. In liquid form. We’re having wine for dinner tomorrow. Cheers!