There is a herd (heard ... ahaha) of tap dancing elephants on the roof right now, who are threatening to fall through the cathedral ceiling of our bedroom at any minute.
Ok, so not really.
The bad news about the hail we had a few months ago, is that it destroyed some of my plants, which likely will not recover until next year. The good news is that it destroyed our roof. Good news you ask? Well, kind of. We needed a new roof in the next few years and were saving towards it, but the thing with having a big-ass house, is that it comes with a big-ass roof, which costs a butt-load of money to replace.
The hail and wind we've had lately has done enough damage for our insurance to cover replacing the roof. I'm warily relieved, as I know that this will likely bite us in the ass down the road but am glad we dont' have to scrimp over the next year or 2 to save up a boat load of money. How about, I'm humbly happy that it's being replaced. (insert proper sacrifices to house/insurance gods here).
So right now, my roof is crawling with roofers who are tromping around, ripping off shingles and banging away. The girls squeal every time a pile of shingles fall to the ground and I try not to cringe as I imagine what's left of my plants being flattened by the same falling shingles.
I've scheduled a playdate this morning with a new school family we are mentoring. A playdate here. At our house. I thought the roof would be done by today, but apparently it's not. I hope I can HEAR her when she's here. Though I may be deaf by the end of the day. A "pounding" headache is likely in my future.
Ha.Ha.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Thursday, July 30, 2009
15 Years
15 years ago today, my Mum woke me up gently at 8 am. It was my wedding day. I had been up late the night before working with family and friends to decorate the reception hall. I was tired, but excited and nervous.
After forcing down a piece of toast to help calm my nerves, the action started. My brother and grandfather started cutting fruit for fruit trays, people were coming and going, flowers were delivered, showers, hair was done, makeup applied, photos taken. Tears wiped.
Across town, Hubster-to-be was hanging out with his best man, eating McDonalds and smoking (which he no longer does); trying to calm HIS nerves.
It was a hot and humid day. A *fantastic* day to be in layers of fabric, makeup and tuxedos. Everything started on time, no one messed up their lines, no rings were lost. Everyone who was important to us was there. It thunderstormed during the ceremony at the church of my childhood, but everything was hot and dry again by the time we were done.
We had our photos done at a local park and then enjoyed a simple buffet before partying for a few hours.
I took 2 days off of work to be with Hubster in our dank, moldy little rental unit (a few week carryover until we moved to another town so I could go to school) we dubbed “The Bates”. We didn’t go on a honeymoon.
After the wedding dust settled, I was shocked. I was MARRIED. We were MAR-RIED. I realized I didn’t know HOW to be wife and went through a little identity crises for a few months. It took us some time to adjust to sharing our lives.
The first few years were hard, as they can be for most new couples. For us, we were young, naïve, inexperienced and somewhat stupid. The odds were against us in a big, big way. We found out later that there were bets at the wedding on how long we’d stay together. The average was 2 years.
We moved a few times, were broker than broke, came with our own growing-up baggage of trying to figure out where we were supposed to go and what we were supposed to be. It was hard to be an “us” when we were trying to figure out ourselves as individuals. I look back at the photos of our wedding day and am always surprised by how young we look. How young we were.
However, we stuck it out, fought it out and held on. We had the unwavering support of our families, who many times went above and beyond for us.
We went to college together, we started over together, we worked together, we were part of a special little girls’ life together, we grieved together. We had a whole life that just grew around us, like the tendrils of a vine. Together, we grew up.
And then, our first daughter was born, changing and challenging our lives in ways we could have never imagined. Another daughter, a few job changes and another big move – here we are.
15 years condensed into a few paragraphs. But there’s so much more. More than could ever be put into words, more than could ever be shared with others. It’s our lives, it’s us. It’s who we are. I wouldn’t trade a single minute.
I was intrigued by a spiky haired blonde boy who sat behind me in grade 9 geography class. He lost my pencil crayons and teased me mercilessly and yet, I still noted that he was “interesting and cute” in my diary over 20 years ago.
I was unexpectedly smitten by the troubled young man who called me out of the blue to invite me to his cousin’s wedding 17 years ago.
I married the man who: loves me unconditionally, makes me laugh until I pee my pants, convinced me that the Simpsons were really funny, puts up with my ever changing moods, makes me coffee (most of the time – ahem!), no longer cringes visibly when I say “so I was thinking…”, sometimes makes me crazy by his ability to strategize complex computer games but inability to multitask in real life and helped me to become the woman I am today.
I love the man who is my best friend, my endless champion, my most honest and gentle critic, the wonderful father of our amazing children and my cohort in the making of this history we have together. We may not be who we were when we were first married, but I love who we've become.
Though there may not be much fan fare in our lives right now, or even much of an outward celebration today, our 15th wedding anniversary, I hope you know that I love you more deeply and more completely with each year that we share together. I marvel at all that we’ve shared together, at who we’ve become as a couple and as individuals, and look forward to the journey we have ahead of us.
Happy Anniversary, Hubster. (We’re definitely going to Hawaii for our 20th!)
(cue cheesy song lyrics…)
You’re Still the One (Shania Twain)
Looks like we made it
Look how far we've come my baby
We mighta took the long way
We knew we'd get there someday
Bridge:
They said, "I bet they'll never make it"
But just look at us holding on
We're still together still going strong
Chorus:
(You're still the one)
You're still the one I run to
The one that I belong to
You're the one I want for life
(You're still the one)
You're still the one that I love
The only one I dream of
You're still the one I kiss good night
Ain't nothin' better
We beat the odds together
I'm glad we didn't listen
Look at what we would be missin'
(Bridge)
(Chorus)
(Chorus)
I'm so glad we made it
Look how far we've come my baby
After forcing down a piece of toast to help calm my nerves, the action started. My brother and grandfather started cutting fruit for fruit trays, people were coming and going, flowers were delivered, showers, hair was done, makeup applied, photos taken. Tears wiped.
Across town, Hubster-to-be was hanging out with his best man, eating McDonalds and smoking (which he no longer does); trying to calm HIS nerves.
It was a hot and humid day. A *fantastic* day to be in layers of fabric, makeup and tuxedos. Everything started on time, no one messed up their lines, no rings were lost. Everyone who was important to us was there. It thunderstormed during the ceremony at the church of my childhood, but everything was hot and dry again by the time we were done.
We had our photos done at a local park and then enjoyed a simple buffet before partying for a few hours.
I took 2 days off of work to be with Hubster in our dank, moldy little rental unit (a few week carryover until we moved to another town so I could go to school) we dubbed “The Bates”. We didn’t go on a honeymoon.
After the wedding dust settled, I was shocked. I was MARRIED. We were MAR-RIED. I realized I didn’t know HOW to be wife and went through a little identity crises for a few months. It took us some time to adjust to sharing our lives.
The first few years were hard, as they can be for most new couples. For us, we were young, naïve, inexperienced and somewhat stupid. The odds were against us in a big, big way. We found out later that there were bets at the wedding on how long we’d stay together. The average was 2 years.
We moved a few times, were broker than broke, came with our own growing-up baggage of trying to figure out where we were supposed to go and what we were supposed to be. It was hard to be an “us” when we were trying to figure out ourselves as individuals. I look back at the photos of our wedding day and am always surprised by how young we look. How young we were.
However, we stuck it out, fought it out and held on. We had the unwavering support of our families, who many times went above and beyond for us.
We went to college together, we started over together, we worked together, we were part of a special little girls’ life together, we grieved together. We had a whole life that just grew around us, like the tendrils of a vine. Together, we grew up.
And then, our first daughter was born, changing and challenging our lives in ways we could have never imagined. Another daughter, a few job changes and another big move – here we are.
15 years condensed into a few paragraphs. But there’s so much more. More than could ever be put into words, more than could ever be shared with others. It’s our lives, it’s us. It’s who we are. I wouldn’t trade a single minute.
I was intrigued by a spiky haired blonde boy who sat behind me in grade 9 geography class. He lost my pencil crayons and teased me mercilessly and yet, I still noted that he was “interesting and cute” in my diary over 20 years ago.
I was unexpectedly smitten by the troubled young man who called me out of the blue to invite me to his cousin’s wedding 17 years ago.
I married the man who: loves me unconditionally, makes me laugh until I pee my pants, convinced me that the Simpsons were really funny, puts up with my ever changing moods, makes me coffee (most of the time – ahem!), no longer cringes visibly when I say “so I was thinking…”, sometimes makes me crazy by his ability to strategize complex computer games but inability to multitask in real life and helped me to become the woman I am today.
I love the man who is my best friend, my endless champion, my most honest and gentle critic, the wonderful father of our amazing children and my cohort in the making of this history we have together. We may not be who we were when we were first married, but I love who we've become.
Though there may not be much fan fare in our lives right now, or even much of an outward celebration today, our 15th wedding anniversary, I hope you know that I love you more deeply and more completely with each year that we share together. I marvel at all that we’ve shared together, at who we’ve become as a couple and as individuals, and look forward to the journey we have ahead of us.
Happy Anniversary, Hubster. (We’re definitely going to Hawaii for our 20th!)
(cue cheesy song lyrics…)
You’re Still the One (Shania Twain)
Looks like we made it
Look how far we've come my baby
We mighta took the long way
We knew we'd get there someday
Bridge:
They said, "I bet they'll never make it"
But just look at us holding on
We're still together still going strong
Chorus:
(You're still the one)
You're still the one I run to
The one that I belong to
You're the one I want for life
(You're still the one)
You're still the one that I love
The only one I dream of
You're still the one I kiss good night
Ain't nothin' better
We beat the odds together
I'm glad we didn't listen
Look at what we would be missin'
(Bridge)
(Chorus)
(Chorus)
I'm so glad we made it
Look how far we've come my baby
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Wandering....
I'm still here... well *HERE* has changed as we're no longer at the cottage, we're home. We've been home for a week and a half.
But things have been crazy as my folks stayed until yesterday and we did some decorating in the midst of crash landing back into real life.
My folks left yesterday and I had a feeling of being a bit lost. After a month, basically, with someone with me the whole time, I felt a bit disjointed. So the girls and I spent the day at home.
Anyway, besides not having time to write just because our days were packed with other stuff, I haven't really felt the urge to write and am left wondering where I'm going with this blog. Do I need to have a place for it to go? I don't know. It doesn't feel like it has a direction or a focus.
My head is wandering around trying to find a focus. I've got a few projects on the back burner but due to the whole TIME CONSTRAINT frustration (with small children) and my need for sleep, I'm not really getting anywhere.
Anyway, I'm still here. Still pluggin' away. And I'll still keep posting, once my wandering mind returns to my head and I'm able to put 2 sentences together.
But things have been crazy as my folks stayed until yesterday and we did some decorating in the midst of crash landing back into real life.
My folks left yesterday and I had a feeling of being a bit lost. After a month, basically, with someone with me the whole time, I felt a bit disjointed. So the girls and I spent the day at home.
Anyway, besides not having time to write just because our days were packed with other stuff, I haven't really felt the urge to write and am left wondering where I'm going with this blog. Do I need to have a place for it to go? I don't know. It doesn't feel like it has a direction or a focus.
My head is wandering around trying to find a focus. I've got a few projects on the back burner but due to the whole TIME CONSTRAINT frustration (with small children) and my need for sleep, I'm not really getting anywhere.
Anyway, I'm still here. Still pluggin' away. And I'll still keep posting, once my wandering mind returns to my head and I'm able to put 2 sentences together.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Winding Down
We’re still at “Rural Canadian Cottage”, at least for a few more days. I think. The girls and I have been away from home for almost 3 weeks and I’m starting to feel my head switch back into “home” mode. Next week will be a busy week, after a 2 day drive home that I’m NOT looking forward to. However, I do want to get home, so it’s one of those necessary things. Hubster is missing us something fierce and wants us home. I know that when we once we’re home, we’ll be in the downward spiral towards fall and school. It’s already half way through July. How is that possible? Time seems to be passing so, so quickly.
This has been an interesting trip. In the first leg, as I mentioned before, we were visiting with family and celebrating Hubster’s Mom’s 60th birthday in our hometown, where Hubster and I grew up, went to school together, met and were married. We had a great time catching up with family and the few close friends that are still around. It was weird to be back. It felt familiar and strange at the same time. Things have not changed much in the 10 years since we’ve moved away, but it definitely doesn’t feel like “home” any more.
Then the girls and I headed up to my family’s cottage, a place I’ve been coming to during the summers since before I was born. (Yes, this is possible because my Mum came up when she was pregnant with me. So there). My Dad grew up here as well. There’s history and memories and despite the fact that things have changed pretty dramatically (we have more sleeping space, indoor plumbing (whohoo!)) and the whole place while still structurally the same, has morphed into a “new” place. It’s fun and comfortable and I’m glad to have it to share with my girls. They love being here. Swimming in the lake, going for ice cream in town, playing badminton, going for boat rides and fishing, and having chipmunks eat right out of your hand. It feels wholesome and good.
Local "Zippy" chipmunk. Will beg for peanuts. Or climb on your shoe. Or take it out of your hand.
And I turned 35. So, I guess I’m on the downhill slope to 40. I suppose at some point I should start feeling my age. My head has caught up to about 25ish, I think. I’m always surprised to think of how “OLD” I am. And as far as I can tell, my arms haven’t gotten any shorter. (thought, I’m sure my hair is greyer). I ended up with 3 cakes (since coming north, not all in the same day) to celebrate my special day, a chance to sleep in, some fun presents and a “party” put on by Mouse and my Mum and my Dad did a fireworks show off the dock for me. I rang in 35 with a literal BANG! All in all, a good transition to almost middle age. Ha.
Spice Cake (my fav) made by Mouse and Mum
Cool fireworks effect.
I’ve been really fortunate to get a lot of time to visit this trip. Visit with extended family, friends, my Grandfather (who didn’t remember me, but that’s ok), catch up Aunts and Uncles I don’t get to see often, see my little brother and meet his wonderful finance. This is all good for me. I feel like it fills me up and connects me to the life I don’t get to mesh with very often living so far away.
I always catch up on my favourite “food” while I’m up North, by which I mean crap food. Cadbury chocolate, Coffee Crisp, Smarties, Dare Real Fruit Gummies, Voortman Flakie Pastries. Mmmm. And I SWEAR that Kraft dinner (which I can barely stand the smell of at home) tastes better here as well. And my Dad BBQs a mean steak. I’m going home with some “work” do to. A lot of walking. Oy.
The weather has been way less than stellar this whole trip. Cold, rainy, windy with just a few sunny, warm days thrown in just to keep you optimistic that tomorrow will be better. I wonder what happened to summer! And while the girls have done very, very, VERY well with all of the moving around, visiting, travel, transition stuff, its’ life on the road for us. Its’ late bedtimes, off schedules, weird eating (if any at all). I think I’ve handled things pretty well and I’ve had a lot, A LOT of help from many people, its’ hard being Mom when I’m away. It’s my life in a different place but without all the things I’m used to. I love to travel and enjoy being in different places, but at heart I’m a homebody and like my space.
So after almost 3 weeks, we’re wearing down and chomping at the bit to get home. But it makes me feel like I’m not appreciating and taking advantage of the time we have here. It’s gone by so fast, but at the same time makes me feel like we’ve been away for AGES. It’s a travel time-warp. However, I know the last few days will fly by and we’ll be crash landing back into real life before we know it.
This has been an interesting trip. In the first leg, as I mentioned before, we were visiting with family and celebrating Hubster’s Mom’s 60th birthday in our hometown, where Hubster and I grew up, went to school together, met and were married. We had a great time catching up with family and the few close friends that are still around. It was weird to be back. It felt familiar and strange at the same time. Things have not changed much in the 10 years since we’ve moved away, but it definitely doesn’t feel like “home” any more.
Then the girls and I headed up to my family’s cottage, a place I’ve been coming to during the summers since before I was born. (Yes, this is possible because my Mum came up when she was pregnant with me. So there). My Dad grew up here as well. There’s history and memories and despite the fact that things have changed pretty dramatically (we have more sleeping space, indoor plumbing (whohoo!)) and the whole place while still structurally the same, has morphed into a “new” place. It’s fun and comfortable and I’m glad to have it to share with my girls. They love being here. Swimming in the lake, going for ice cream in town, playing badminton, going for boat rides and fishing, and having chipmunks eat right out of your hand. It feels wholesome and good.
Local "Zippy" chipmunk. Will beg for peanuts. Or climb on your shoe. Or take it out of your hand.
And I turned 35. So, I guess I’m on the downhill slope to 40. I suppose at some point I should start feeling my age. My head has caught up to about 25ish, I think. I’m always surprised to think of how “OLD” I am. And as far as I can tell, my arms haven’t gotten any shorter. (thought, I’m sure my hair is greyer). I ended up with 3 cakes (since coming north, not all in the same day) to celebrate my special day, a chance to sleep in, some fun presents and a “party” put on by Mouse and my Mum and my Dad did a fireworks show off the dock for me. I rang in 35 with a literal BANG! All in all, a good transition to almost middle age. Ha.
Spice Cake (my fav) made by Mouse and Mum
Cool fireworks effect.
I’ve been really fortunate to get a lot of time to visit this trip. Visit with extended family, friends, my Grandfather (who didn’t remember me, but that’s ok), catch up Aunts and Uncles I don’t get to see often, see my little brother and meet his wonderful finance. This is all good for me. I feel like it fills me up and connects me to the life I don’t get to mesh with very often living so far away.
I always catch up on my favourite “food” while I’m up North, by which I mean crap food. Cadbury chocolate, Coffee Crisp, Smarties, Dare Real Fruit Gummies, Voortman Flakie Pastries. Mmmm. And I SWEAR that Kraft dinner (which I can barely stand the smell of at home) tastes better here as well. And my Dad BBQs a mean steak. I’m going home with some “work” do to. A lot of walking. Oy.
The weather has been way less than stellar this whole trip. Cold, rainy, windy with just a few sunny, warm days thrown in just to keep you optimistic that tomorrow will be better. I wonder what happened to summer! And while the girls have done very, very, VERY well with all of the moving around, visiting, travel, transition stuff, its’ life on the road for us. Its’ late bedtimes, off schedules, weird eating (if any at all). I think I’ve handled things pretty well and I’ve had a lot, A LOT of help from many people, its’ hard being Mom when I’m away. It’s my life in a different place but without all the things I’m used to. I love to travel and enjoy being in different places, but at heart I’m a homebody and like my space.
So after almost 3 weeks, we’re wearing down and chomping at the bit to get home. But it makes me feel like I’m not appreciating and taking advantage of the time we have here. It’s gone by so fast, but at the same time makes me feel like we’ve been away for AGES. It’s a travel time-warp. However, I know the last few days will fly by and we’ll be crash landing back into real life before we know it.
Monday, July 6, 2009
Stinkin' Hunks
My kids are city kids, and yes, I guess I was a city kid too, but did regularly travel to rural areas. My kids have not had much of a chance to experience “country life”.
The girls and I have moved on from the visit to “Northern Home Town” to the visit to “Rural Childhood Canadian Cottage”. There are lots of windy, dusty roads through French farm county. Today, we were driving back from town (after killer ice cream, sorry hon, they had Black Cherry and I couldn’t resist! ) and passed by a farm that smelled like skunk. Fresh skunk. Mouse yelled EWWW and plugged her nose while Baboo asked who pooped. I explained to her about skunks and said that’s what they smell like when they spray. She stared blankly at me until I likened this to the episode of Curious George where George kept scaring the skunk and getting sprayed. She nodded her head as she said “oh yeah, the black and white kitty”. Um, yeah.
Anyway, so we drive past it, but the smell lingers for quite a while as its’ wont to do, because, well, it’s a skunk. (No, we didn’t run it over). Baboo keeps talking about the skunk then says to my Dad, who is driving “HURRY POPPY! Drive faster! Here comes the smelly ‘hunks!”
So, in jest he starts to speed up and I say “WAIT! They may be smelly, but they might be HUNKS! We should slow down and check them out.” (I’m sooo funny in the tacky, trashy kind of way).
The girls and I have moved on from the visit to “Northern Home Town” to the visit to “Rural Childhood Canadian Cottage”. There are lots of windy, dusty roads through French farm county. Today, we were driving back from town (after killer ice cream, sorry hon, they had Black Cherry and I couldn’t resist! ) and passed by a farm that smelled like skunk. Fresh skunk. Mouse yelled EWWW and plugged her nose while Baboo asked who pooped. I explained to her about skunks and said that’s what they smell like when they spray. She stared blankly at me until I likened this to the episode of Curious George where George kept scaring the skunk and getting sprayed. She nodded her head as she said “oh yeah, the black and white kitty”. Um, yeah.
Anyway, so we drive past it, but the smell lingers for quite a while as its’ wont to do, because, well, it’s a skunk. (No, we didn’t run it over). Baboo keeps talking about the skunk then says to my Dad, who is driving “HURRY POPPY! Drive faster! Here comes the smelly ‘hunks!”
So, in jest he starts to speed up and I say “WAIT! They may be smelly, but they might be HUNKS! We should slow down and check them out.” (I’m sooo funny in the tacky, trashy kind of way).
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