Prince Philip's school had their Maths and Muffins morning today. The kids were expected to appear with a parent and siblings to the library at 8.15 am where we all collected a game from the correct box and sat playing it. We had one called the two tooney race. Basically it was a spinner with penny, nickel, dime and quarter written on it. (For those like me that needed help - a penny is 1 cent, a nickel is 5 cents, a dime is 10 cents, a quarter is 25 cents, a looney is 1 dollar and a tooney is 2 dollars.) My son had great fun correcting my efforts with a nickel and a dime. He then reminded me that Nickelback got it's name from the nickel in change that band member Mike Kroeger gave customers at his Starbucks job—he would frequently say, "Here's your nickel back".

We received a parcel today. Inside were two books and a message:
"Welcome to Canada all of you. Stay warm and beware the mighty Moose's.
Malcolm."
Thank you and brilliant timing as I was beginning to really miss my friends back in England.

Year 4 of St Richard's with St Andrew's school sent an email out asking how we were all doing and saying our postcards have finally started to arrive. I feel confident to write some more now I know they take just over two weeks to arrive in England.

Our first Halloween in Canada was brilliant, almost all the children were dressed up and loads of the adults too and that was before dusk. We met several rag dolls and thing one and thing two at Market Mall. At Chris's work most of the office dressed up their characters included a Republican and an office ninja. Later we were collected by Aidan to join the other kids meeting at his house ready to go trick or treating. Everyone dressed up and all the houses greeted us with loads of candy (sweets and chocolates). We still keep up with Treating (thank you Aunty Sophie) and all the kids made sure between them a tangerine was handed to each house. A great time was had by all See http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=38621&l=f73b3&id=573408733.

Later the kids and I returned home while Chris and some others ended up at Zach's to play rock band. We visited the local decorated houses with some of the chocolates that had not been collected here. We discovered that there is a family across the road that goes to Prince Philip school and seem to enjoy it.