Rainbows and Fireworks -7 Things that Happened Last Friday

Not enough stuff happened over the last week and I still didn’t have this post up yet, so it became the Quick Takes post again (that’s how I originally wrote it).

1. I had to go to the hospital for the diabetes screening test. It’s a blood test and I am no a fan of needles-I don’t freak out or faint, I just really don’t like them. For the 3 month blood test I guess they used a different needle set up, without the little hose (Because I’m pregnant I can go to the children’s hospital where it doesn’t hurt as much ) and my arm was sore for the rest of the day afterwards. This time I made sure they had the good needle, and of course DH to hold my hand, and I came through just fine.

2. That afternoon we did not go to the big Sidney Crosby event. I had wanted to, had been planning to for the last 2 weeks. I especially thought it would be really cool to get a picture of baby with the Stanley Cup. However, after going out for 2.5 hours to the hospital DH really didn’t want to go and deal with al the hassle of the crowds and parking, and opted instead for us to go to Blandford early – we were already planning to go down for the fireworks that evening. So DH fetched his friend and we drove out about 4 o’clock.

As we were driving we hit rain, but it wasn’t really raining by the time we got to Blandford. So, we unpacked a few things and headed out on the boat. DH wanted to go swimming again. It wasn’t the best day for it but I think he just had so much fun last time he was sold on the idea. I guess he’d decided on the swimming thing well before he got there etc, but he hadn’t informed me when we were still home, so I hadn’t brought any stuff.

DH couldn’t get the motor tilter – it has a specific name but I can’t remember what he said it was- to work, so he ended up taking the cover off the engine and he and his friend tinkered around. They got it working after close to half an hour and somehow also fixed the horn in the process. Meanwhile I sat there trying to take pictures of the baby, who kept turning around away from me to watch what they were doing .

3. On the trip over to Deep Cove (where they would be swimming) the sky was stunning. It was one of those days with lots of dark clouds and lots of light patches where the contrast is very striking. The water was also fairly calm, I took lots of pictures of the sky and baby with it as a backdrop.

I think this is one of the coolest photos, it looks too perfect to be real. I know it looks computer generated but all I did was up the contrast. The water was so calm that even it looked computer generated to the naked eye.

4. The guys had little trouble getting into the water and, for whatever reason, found it warmer than the last time they’d been in.

I guess it really was, because for the first time baby was willing to join the party. We didn’t have a swimmer for him so he just went in without, and DH and his friend took turns holding him. He was cold by the time he got out though so I wrapped him up in the big blanket, before putting dry clothes on him.


DH and friend didn’t mind the cold so much. It started to rain as we were heading back so baby was put in the cabin to stay warm and dry. The guys were already wet so the rain made little difference.

5. As we were docking we started to hear rumbles of thunder. This was fine with me, DH had said thunderstorms are pretty awesome there and knowing how much I love them at our family cottage, I had been waiting for one. There had been a few forecast this summer but none had come to pass. This one actually didn’t come to much either, I didn’t really see any lightening, it just poured for a short while with rumbles, but the sun was also working it’s way back out.

This photo has a soft blurred effect due to rain on the lens.

6. Then there was a rainbow.

DH and his friend had gone back to the boat because in the hurry to get to shelter his friend had left his shoes. I went back down on the wharf because they had said they would like to watch the storm out there, in the rain and I love being close to nature like that so I wanted to be there too. As they were coming back from the boat DH pointed out the rainbow. This was a big deal for several reasons. Firstly, ever since childhood I have had a special thing for all things rainbow. Next there was the special series of rainbows at our wedding, making my day that much more special and carrying a strong message of hope for the future as well as comfort from beyond, that my dad couldn’t be there. Lastly there is the fact that seeing a rainbow is somewhat uncommon, and despite my 5+ years as avid photographer, had only ever captured one, and it was on my cell phone. It was only a small chunk peeking out over the buildings in the business park.

This rainbow was different. First of all it was somewhere that is special to me. Secondly it was thinner but clearer. Lastly, it was not just a piece of rainbow, it was a full arc, from one end to the other.

DH and friend joked about swimming over to where it clearly touched down in the water to look for gold. Later on there was also a faint second rainbow following the same arc above it.

Well naturally, I took lots of pictures at which point DH and then his friend headed back up to the house. After some convincing, I got DH to come back down and just spend some time with me in the moment walking along the wharf.

7. After supper we boated back to Deep Cove to watch the fireworks.

Once again the guys were planning on going swimming, even though it was going to be getting dark. I had yet to take part in the swimming off the boat thing, but since baby was safely on shore with Nanna and swimming with friends at night with fireworks is one of those once in a lifetime things and I figured I’d regret it if I didn’t, I was tempted – despite the fact that it was a bit chilly out (the water of course felt warm in comparison). It’s the sort of thing you only do in the summer.

I have already realized that sometimes I need to put the camera way and just experience life, and I’m trying to do that more. Better to have 1 or 2 pictures that remind me of a good time, than hundreds very similar, and to feel like I wasn’t really there. Yesterday evening was a time when I did just that. I put the camera away and went swimming. I didn’t even grab it back out for the fireworks, when I was out, though I would have liked to. Actually I’m really wishing I had made that effort, but this photo sort of captures the moment (taken before the fireworks started).

I did get cold (even in the water) but I am glad that I did it. And wrapped up in towels and blankets back on the boat I wasn’t all that cold (aka no colder than I had been when I was in the water). Even back on shore with wet hair the air and the wind were surprisingly warm for 11 o’clock at night.

I watched most of the fireworks from the water, as in almost eye level with the water. DH’s friend and DH got out right about when they started, but since they had to get out for me to get out I was still in, and I didn’t want to miss any while clambering back into the boat.

From my vantage point they were especially spectacular, because the water in the cove is calm and the whole surface of the water and the side of the boat were lit up along with the sky. They weren’t the best fireworks I’ve ever seen but for a small community they were very impressive and there were some things I hadn’t seen. They launched a whole bunch of small white ones almost at once and it was a bit like popcorn, watching them all go off.

Friday seemed like it really was given to me by God. The closest thing to a really good day, like I’ve been waiting for. My summer had actually been pretty good, getting up there with some of the best (or at least will be by the end despite the limitations). DH has had an even more awesome summer. It’s been all his friends coming with us and I think I’ve seen 3 of my close friends about once each. Also he has been able to do more and it sorta feels like some of it has passed me by, (not going to the kiss concert) those kind of sensible decisions were hard to make. I knew I would find it difficult standing for a concert etc, but I’m still sorry I missed it, especially after hearing his reviews.

But this day was God’s gift to me, or at least many of the things in it, not necessarily that he put the rainbow in the sky for me, maybe more like he made sure I was there to see it.