Mackenzie House

I hate to be one of those mothers that goes on and on about her kids, but if you have ever spent any time with mine, you would get it.

My dear Mr. Bobo never complains. And I mean EVER. I promised him I would go on a field trip with his class to Mackenzie House. That little fella was nothing short of proud to have me along (Princess does not suffer this). Things were going along quite swimmingly. We spent some time in the victorian print shop, then went to the basement to do a little Virginia Reel - complete with costumes. That's when things turned a little ugly and some poor kid in his class started vomiting. Despite the attendance of many parents, I somehow got roped into taking him home (okay, I volunteered) I don't think any other parents really wanted to, as they did not want to upset their own kids by leaving them. I pulled Mr. Bobo aside and explained the situation. I told him I had to bail on the trip, but his buddy was sick and needed my help. It is quite possible it was tearing him apart inside, but he gave me a hug and told me he would be okay. I handed him his lunch and we parted ways.

He is only 8, but always seems to get the bigger picture. I know many adults who still don't. I'm gonna spoil him silly once we land in Florida - how can I resist?

Self Portrait

Well, not exactly a self portrait, but probably more flattering than how I have been looking lately. December just knocks the wind out of me. I know it is busy for everybody, but piling two kids birthdays on top of all the holiday festivities always adds to the craziness. Having said that, I wouldn't trade the December babies I have for any others. Not ever. There were so many highs this month..... I can't tell you the pride I felt when Princess asked if she could take Mr. Bobo out on a date for his birthday. She wouldn't even consider taking money from us as she felt it all needed to come from her. She is now 15 and is probably the BEST teenager a mother could hope for. Mr. Bobo is now 8. He took this picture with his new camera. He has been smiling from ear to ear for the past few weeks. Having kids around for Christmas just adds such a wonderous dimension to life doesn't it? Another great moment came this month when a friend of mine called with a very generous offer to bail out the food bank in our neighbourhood... it was slated to close after the holidays. No words can express my gratitude. It is moments like those that melt away all the bad stuff that may be sticking to you. Thank you N. You are truly a star.

A Memory

Last week my city hosted the Grey Cup. The cost of security for the coveted cup was all over the news, and CBC reported how the CFL had sprung for a helicopter to fly the trophy into the city to ensure it's safety. I had to smile as I listened to the report and remembered how the cup sat in various spots around our home one summer in the 70's. My sister even dragged it over to some friends home who didn't believe we had it and they almost fell over when they saw it. Somewhere in my parents cache of photos are pictures of us standing proudly with it. It then triggered a memory of a dear family friend. His name was Bobby Simpson. He lived around the corner from us. He and his wife Mary were good friends of my parents, and I knew his daughter. It was because of his friendship with our family that the cup landed on Barnes Crescent. I had not thought about Bob for years, but I thought of thim that Grey Cup weekend and and wondered how he and his family were doing.

I got a call from my mother this week informing me that Bobby had passed away. I think he was just shy of his 78th birthday. Bobby Simpson was an amazing football player. He played for the Ottawa Rough Riders back in the day when the CFL was a big deal (well bigger than today). I didn't see him play, because he had retired by the time I started frequenting the games with my father. Bobby was a big man. He had the biggest hands I have ever seen and a loud, booming voice. You could always hear him coming a block away. There was great excitement when he entered a room and his laugh was infectious. But Bobby also had a big heart, and for that I will remember him most. He used to come to our home on the 24th of December dressed as Santa Claus, bellowing Merry Christmas to all and gathering us up in his large arms. We looked forward to his arrival.

I am sorry for Bobby's passing, and today I think of his family and the great loss they must be feeling... I can only hope they find peace in the knowledge that he brought so much joy to so many folks, including a young girl who lived around the corner.

First Snow Fall

Today was the first snow fall of the year. Not enough to call a snow day for the kids, but enough of a dusting to remind me that I need to get Mr. Bobo some new winter boots and a warm coat. The princess dresses for summer all year long, so I guess she just needs flip-flops.

So now begins the season of letting the cat in and out every 15 minutes or so. Today was rather slushy and slow outside - but I love it none-the-less. I am looking forward bundling up and heading to the great outdoors to clean the walkway. Better yet, a walk through the park with the kids and our thermos of hot chocolait. One of my girlfriends has a tradition of giving her kids ice-cream to mark the first day of snow so I've decided that is a pretty good tradition to adopt. Might as well top it with the last bits of halloween candy to finally get that out of the house.

I could blather on about all the great things going on right now, but I won't bore you with the personal details, except to say that I am blessed and I hope everyone reading this is blessed as well.

Happy Snow.

A Personal Best

I am done with my races for while... I'm gonna hang up the shoes and work on some other great stuff now. I wanted to finish on a high note and just rinse a bit of bad taste running had left in my mouth these past few weeks. I agreed to do a half-marathon with a running buddy of mine, so we signed up for the Angus Glen Half Marathon. A very civilized race. They cap it at 1500 and you end up finishing at the clubhouse where you are greeted with a nice lunch, hot showers and a warm place to sit and relax with friends.

We decided not to push it, and just run it like a training run. Slow, steady and enjoyable. We didn't wear pacepands and just found a comfortable speed and kept with it - no glancing at watches and trying to make up for lost time. It is a VERY hilly course - but they are rolling country roads and really pretty this time of year, particulary with all the trees changing colours. I felt strong the entire way which was nice. The last 5K Richard told me to take off from him. I didn't, because this run was just about friendship and nothing else. I didn't care about my time and just wanted to cross the finish line with him.

We crossed together and it was great - we both made accommodations for each other. Maybe I slowed down a little for him, and maybe he pushed it a little more for me. In the end we split the difference and took home a memorable day in the country and a very respectable 2:12. Perhaps not my quickest race, but for sure it was still a personal best.

Thanks Richard......

When you don't know where you are going, any road will take you there

Years ago, I knew this woman. Her name was Kathi and we met while working together at an adoption agency. We didn't have the opportunity to hang out alot, but I really liked her. We had a tradition of getting together once a year to go to see a fortune teller. She did the research on who we would see - we never saw the same person twice. Once we even made a day of it and drove to King City to have our tea leaves read. It was always just for fun, and nothing either of us took it too seriously. One year, we went to see a local guy named Vince. She had heard some pretty amazing stuff about him.

Well, Vince freaked me out. I still have the tape of our session, but have never listened to it. I could not believe the things he told me - without so much as asking me one question. It wasn't that it was bad stuff, it was just weird hearing it from a stranger. He told me some stuff about my future, not too much, 'cause apparently he was not comfortable with that sort of thing. But he did tell me one thing that I would do - and how it would change many people's lives in a positive way. He comment has followed me around these past 17 years, but I have always been without a clue as to what it meant. Until yesterday.

So now I know, and I just have to move it forward. Don't ask me what it is, because I'm not going to tell you. When it is done, everyone will know. I hope. It is all good. Never underestimate the power of a sunny day.

The only thing more rewarding than making a new friend is keeping an old one

These are my sad little feet. I will shortly be missing 6 of my nails and fancy pedicures will not be in my future for a while. The run in Chicago is over. If you contributed to it's success in any way you have already read the story and will not find it posted here.

The smells of Turkey are permiating every inch of my house. The kids didn't get one while we were away, so today is our Thanksgiving... a holiday I love. Tonight we will be joined by one of my girlfriends who has been hanging we me for more or less 15 years. We have had our ups and downs, but bottom line... she is always there for me.

I have to put the pie in the oven now.... oh, what would the Mighty Q. say about the pie? If you are out there listenening Q, I'm ready for a beverage.

Choose Without Regrets

A couple of weeks ago, a friend pointed out the fact that I have an entourage. It is true, and I make no apologies for it. Some days, it just takes a crew to push me through.

This weekend it will just be me and my wingman. He is always there for my finishes. He is always there for my starts. Even better... he is always around for the piece in-between. When I am finished my race in Chicago, I will be thankful I have brought along my soft place to land.

Plumps When You Cook 'Em

I am less than two weeks away from my marathon in Chicago. I'm a little nervous, but I've stuck with the training program and am about as ready to run 26 miles as I will ever be. I'm looking forward to 4 days away with my Doug. After that, I look forward to sleeping past 5 a.m. Who knows, I may even burn my running shoes once it is all over. The past two weeks I've been put up against a lot. The least of which was finding out that some bone-head surgeon left some foreign object in my body during surgery over 20 years ago. The best part was how the technician informed me... she thought it best to let me know in case I ever had a need to have an MRI. Apparently, as she so eloquently put it, I would "blow up like a hot dog in a microwave". I had to chuckle.

Several years ago, Doug was walking by something that had been left on the floor for about a week. He looked down at it, glanced at me, then hesitated walking over it for the 100th time. "Is this a test?" he asked me nervously. I smiled back and replied "Everything is a test".

Bring it on.

Wedding Day

For Julie and Phillip....

Treat each other well, always.
Congratulations on this special day. Thank-you for allowing my family to be part of it.

L.
xoxo

This Is You....

It is pretty much what I felt like this morning when my alarm went off at 5 a.m. I could not drag myself out of bed for my daily run. I opted to take one day to sleep in until 7:30 and ran at lunch instead. I am tired from the weekend. I went to a party on Friday night (however had to be in bed by 10:00). Ran 30K Saturday morning and spent the rest of my time preparing for a friends baby shower at my house. It was a fun, social weekend but I am totally burned out. Piano lessons start up again this week, so hopefully it will shift my focus a bit, or at least give me some.

Oh, I did not draw this picture. I think it is Bobo's portrait of his big sister. I found it crumpeled on the floor of the cottage this summer and it just made me smile.... I was considering posting a photo of myself with my new hairdo, until my neighbour told me I looked like a lesbian. Not that there is anything wrong with that but.... my neighbour IS a lesbian. I asked her if she was considering coming on to me, but apparently I look to butch for her. Let's just say there will be no picture forthcoming.

Best. Summer. Ever.

These are my babies preparing for their first day back to school. Mr. Bobo was dressed with his knapsack on at 7:45. Princess had to be dragged out of bed. There was no kicking or screaming, but tomorrow is another day. I am also officially back to work today. I am ready for it.... I had a great summer and feel refreshed. We had so much special time together as a family, as well as with many good friends. Doug probably took more time off this summer then ever before. We ended our summer with a nice anniversary dinner (14 years and counting!), just the two of us, downtown... and a nice glass of wine with about a dozen neighbours. Best part of the summer was discovering that some friends are expecting their first baby...... Congratulation J & M.

Leona Helmsley's Dog

This is not her dog. It is just a random shot I took at a farm last week. Her pet is one of those annoying lap dogs..... this dog would just eat hers. She dropped dead and left her dog 12 million dollars. To a DOG. Now, I don't think the dog ever had a litter, so i'm not sure who he will leave it to. She left the man who drove her around all her life $100,000.000. The DOG got 12 million. Two of her grandchildren got nothing. The DOG got 12 million. I guess this is how rich folks make a point to their ex-communicated family members. So much poverty and suffering around the world and she leaves her DOG 12 million dollars.

Beautiful. Just fucking beautiful.

The Mullet of the automotive industry

Ah, the Ranchero. I happened upon this beauty while vacationing up north this summer. We were parked (yes parked) at the Tim Horton's on the main drag and this fellow was waiting at the drive-thru. I love these cars. I sometime see a fellow here in T.O. driving in black El Dorado.... another fine specimen. When it is time to trade-in the mini van, I just may get one of these. I can be guaranteed that the Princess won't be stealing the keys to my car and going out joy riding.

The Tim's in Bancroft was quite a show. We were trying to get on the road to return home and thought we would stop in for a quick java and some bits for the kids. Everyone wanted the drive-thru, but I went on a tirade about how lazy society is becoming when we can't even get out of our friggin' vehicles to get a hot beverage. Well, the line-up was outside the door and poor Doug had to wait more than a half-hour for our stuff while the kids melted in the cars. I spent my time counting pick-up trucks....... I love small towns.

The Weight Of Water

I am heading out of town again tomorrow for a week at a cottage with my babies. I'm so looking forward to just hanging by the water and watching them splash around. Mr. Bobo will, no doubt, spend the week in his super-hero one-piece bathing suit, while the Princess does 15 costume changes a day into any number of her super-model bikinis.

Doug and i took a leisurly bike around the neighbourhood last weekend and I was fortunate enough to score a large number of books on my "to-read" list. Okay, the Joseph Conrad is a re-read, but it will hopefully evoke memories of reading his complete works on the beach in Mexico more than 20 years ago. I shall drag them along to the dock with me and my noodle and just float.......... ah, summer.

Black Bear

I went up north for the weekend and helped install a new floor in a friend's cabin. It was definitely a work weekend, but was very satisfying. The float in the lake and blue sky was well worth the effort. Coming home, we happened upon a black bear that had apparently just been hit by a car. We stopped to take a closer look. I am creeped out by anything dead, particulary the things that my cat likes to drag to my back door. It was sad to see the poor guy in this state. I can only hope he doesn't end up in somebody's burger.

Finally Friday.....

I did not anticipate just how busy I would be this summer, despite having any real work to do. Although I must say, it is nice to finally have the time to help out a few friends in the 'hood. It is much cooler today, so I'm glad I postponed my run till this morning. Not happy about the distance, but I'll just get it done and get myself ready for the weekend. I'm looking forward to going up to a friend's cabin tomorrow morning. I love waking up at a lake.

One of my neighbours took this shot of Bobo. When he was little, he was obsessed with anything on wheels. Doug used to spend hours in my van catching up on work, while the little guy would pretend to drive. I'm pretty sure he is going to want a motorcycle one day.

fotopages was good to me

I made a decision today to switch my blog over to blogger. Fotopages was good to me, but I am hoping that this one will be a little easier to use. My old blog was http://murphy.fotopages.com.

Perhaps I will be inspired to write more.......