Special Day

For the few of you wondering where I have been - I am still here. I committed to a blog between Devil Doll and myself while she is away at university and It is too difficult to keep both up. I could not let this month pass without posting as I want to remember the moment I crossed the finish line for the first time with Mr. Bobo - he is such an awesome kid and always makes me proud to be a mom. To add to the joy, we were joined on the course by a very special member of my family, and our inspiration for running in the first place...... thanks for being by our side C.... we love you so much!

Just Me

I know I rarely post photos of myself, but I want to remember everything about the day, the week, the month, it was taken.

My Devil Doll

In three more sleeps she is off to university... away from us. It feels like I blinked and suddenly she was grown up and packing her bags. I will miss her more than she knows. It has been an emotional week for me watching her dismantle her room and knowing I won't have her with me in the mornings with my latte. I sense a real sadness with her baby brother too. We did not spend much time together over the summer. I was away and she was busy with friends and work. We did get 4 glorious days together in NYC and for that I am grateful.

I know she will be great and do just fine on her own.....

True Love

I love that P. was able to capture this moment at his cabin last weekend. At the very second the shutter went off, it was just me and Mr. Bobo, - suspended on the water without a care in the world.... This little man is so precious to me.

It all goes so fast....

Viral

My teenaged daughter got her first 15 minutes of fame this week in the form of a photo in our national newspaper which accompanied a very provocative article about my sister's business. I took a surprising amount of flack for it, both in the form of jabs at my sister, and my lack of outrage for the photo. I would like to stop talking about it now so here are my final words.

a) I thought Princess photographed very well and it was a nice shot of her. She herself was not offended by any of it, so to me that was what was most important. She took a bit of heat for it, but hey, she has a lived the past 17 years of her life with a pornstar last name so her skin is thick. She laughed and said she felt a little like Miley Cyrus on the front of Vanity Fair. She did not see the big deal.

b) My sister has a great sense of humour. I understand it. We were, after all, raised in the same house with the same set of parents. They are also wickedly funny. So no, I am not offended by my sister's actions.... not ever. She works harder than most people I know. She gives back to her community and treats people with respect and that will always be good enough for me.

And for those cynics who think she exploited my daughter.. she did not. If you need to point a finger, point it at the journalist.

We now return to our regularly scheduled program.......

Broken

Some bells cannot be unrung...

Share

It is officially a New Year which is always exciting. Exciting because you can never know what it will have in store for you. You may think you do, but at the end of the day we must just take whatever comes our way. 2009 was so special to me for so many reasons. I was fortunate enough to share in the most beautiful wedding on earth. I was able to visit my friends in Eastern Canada and make new ones. I shared many wonderful runs with friends. Some in the heat, some in the cold. I shared a finishing line with my son, another with 3 girlfriends, and yet another with a very dear neighbour. I conquered Mordor with M. and A. and survived the war wounds that came with the battle. I shared in some very special milestone birthdays. I learned how to share my daughter with a her boyfriend. I shared a special moment in Ottawa as I watched my father thank so many folks who have made his life the success that it is. I shared in a moment with my mother and aunt that will be shared with generations to follow. I shared meals, concernts, sports events. I have shared memories, secrets, success, renovations, wine, tears and laughter. I shared a wonderful vacation with friends and came home with a new home in the east which I cannot wait to share with all of you. I shared another year with a man who makes my heart flutter each time he enters a room. All and all, a very good year.

So I bid 2009 a fond farewell and thank all of you who shared it with me - I am so thankful for your generosity of spirit and time. May 2010 bring you all health, happiness and many moments with the folks who mean the most to you.

Photo Booth

I don't normally post photos of Princess, but she signed off on this one for me. The snaps on the left represent the very first time I crammed her into a photo booth - she was months old. The photo on the right was taken just a few weeks ago when we landed at the mall for a few hours for some shopping therapy. More than 16 years passed between these two shots, but I remember that first photo like it was yesterday.

Magic

I am officially on vacation for the next month and it feels great. In three more sleeps I will land on the rock and be back with a wonderful group of friends that opened their homes and hearts to me last summer. I will never forget my very first visit and the joy I felt leaning over the edge of a tall ship and watching two whales splash and play beside me. This year I will share that bliss with my son. Over and above the beauty of the coastline are the amazing individuals that inhabit the island. I thank myself daily for my Newfoundland friendships and for everything they have brought to my life. Now, if my friend John would only let me drive his jeep, my life would be complete!

Update

Mr. Bobo's bad haircut has finally growing out and he no longer looks like Suri Cruise's identical twin.  I am pretty sure he is ruined for haircuts for the rest of his life.  D. should still be wearing the ass hat for that one.

Phucktards....

I know this word is politically incorrect, but hey, when you are surrounded by them it is just too hard to resist.

Soon I will be on a beach and it just won't matter!

Member since 1989

I discovered this on the American Express website while looking at membership rewards.  I kid you not.... for 14 million points you can get a Lotus.  Screw the flights, I'm going for the sports car.

Great Wall Of China

This week I walked the Great Wall Of China with my daughter.  I don't think I have ever seen her happier - and at that very moment it was one of the the happiest times in my life too.

Loved.....

Sixteen years ago next week, I gave birth to this sweet thing.  She is my eldest.  Nothing in my lifetime prepared me for the depth of love I feel for her.  I remember seeing this face for the first time like it was yesterday.  I guess as a mother you never forget those moments.  She has been such a gift to us and I could not be prouder of the beautiful young woman she has grown into, both physically and spiritually.  Tomorrow we shall drag our backpacks to the airport - our target is Beijing, but due to circumstances we may land in Paris.  Either way I don't care, I'm just happy that she is mine and blessed to have her by my side.  Always.  Sweet 16 Princess.

Bobo On Ice

Mr. Bobo is playing ice hockey for the first time.  He is embracing it, which is somewhat surprising since he doesn't really like organized sports.  It is so much fun to watch him.  I did not go to today's game as I had to see a pesky client.  He called me on my cell on the way home and was pretty much hyperventalating.... he got his FIRST GOAL.  Not the take away from the assist he also got moments earlier.  It was pretty exciting.  Um, he also went to school this week (spirit week) on sports day dressed as a ballerina.... and no, he did not get beat up.

Read.....

I am in a book club several of us girls in the hood put together 13 years ago.  The dynamics of the group have morphed from year to year as the group has grown and changed.  There are periods of time when I don't go for several months when I am just too busy, but I always go back.  I like to read, I just can't always find the time.   I had the occasion to visit with a few boys tonight I haven't seen in a while.  The conversation turned to books and one asked me what my thoughts were on "The Brother's Karmazov".  I mostly remember I read it during one of the most difficult times in my life.  To begin with, it was a tough read (at least for me).  I remember a horrific father and of his convoluted relationships with his sons, wive and those surrounding him.  It was so much more than just one story.  I remember the suffering, but mostly of my own.   It was a depressing experience.

Sometimes music can take me right back to a single moment in time.  I was surprised tonight that a mention of a book could as well.  I should re-read it and see what it may mean to me now.  I used to read Dead Souls over and over again, but outside of that, I have shied away from Russian literature  - preferred the french.  When I was younger, I read some Flaubert, but then zeroed in on Zola.  The Drunkard was the first of his books that I consumed.  And I mean consumed.

Now my daughter is consumed with a series of books the same way I was with Zola.  I wonder how she will feel about those books if/when she re-reads them as an adult. 

Today is nothing short of a struggle for me

Mildred's Temple Kitchen

There used to be this great restaurant in town called Mildred Pierce. It had been around for years, but shut down last year with the promise of something new.... Well, it is back. The reincarnation is called "Mildred's Temple Kitchen" and it is located at 85 Hanna Avenue in the west end of Toronto - basically just a stone's throw from the old location. I happen to know both the owners and was invited there on the weekend for a test brunch. I think their actual opening is this week, but check the official website to be sure (www.mildredstemplekitchen.com) The food was pretty much as I expected - great. But the new look? Oh boy it is fantastic! Totally modern and ultra cool, right down to the bathrooms. Do yourself a favour a check it out. You will not be disappointed.

Progress

I have not posted for months but felt I should today. This is a photo of a sign on my neighbour's lawn. I've had quite a few inquiries about this as I live in Canada and it is a U.S. election sign. My neighbour, however, is American and favours Mr. Obama. In truth, so do I. I am a news junkie so I stayed up late last night to watch the election. By the time Mr. Obama arrived at Grant Park, it was just my daughter and I sitting on the couch to witness this historic event. I am hopeful he will be a better President than the last.

Segregation was alive and well the year I was born. I was raised in a fairly white-bread neighbourhood and it didn't seem out of place to tell an off-colour joke involving race, religion or sexual orientation. As I got older, I learned the errors of my ways and the hurt that can be caused by even the smallest of prejudices. I am now raising my children in an urban area that is a melting pot of cultures and colours and it is a whole new world than the one I was born to.

I still harbour some prejudices, but only towards assholes.

Summer is here

Summer is flying by. I knew it would. Here are some of the highlights from the past few weeks...

- Watching Bobo sail a boat
- Running in torrential downpours
-Taking Princess to a movie, then sneaking in to another
- An overnight at a friends cabin
- Time with my husband
- Last night's Eagle's concert.

Tomorrow I get to see Bobo in a play at his drama camp, then I am off to Newfoundland for the weekend with some girlfriends. If you have never been to the rock, treat yourself and go. It is pure magic.

Letting Go.

My house looks like a bomb hit it. It is full of teenagers, icing sugar, power tools and laptops. Even worse than the house is the workshop. I have been holding off tackling this project, but now that summer is upon us, I just need to get to it. For the past three years I have been collecting discarded objects, bits of wood and other oddities to work on my art. I accomplished what I set out to do, but now it is hard to get rid of the leftovers. Today I started shoveling through the heaps. I know I should just load it all into a bin, but I don't have the heart - so I am slowly dismantling my collection and doing some building along the way. I know I will feel better when it is done, and then I can get on with my summer. I know it is going to be another great one.

From Memory

I have had a busy month - to say the least. I am not complaining, because it was my decision to take everything on. In retrospect, it was probably too much. But I made it through and everything was a real success. The fundraiser, the race, visits from family, massive projects around the house. The best end to it all was my art show. This show was two years in the making and was an emotional journey from the start. It was such a joy - every part of it. The best part was the reception. I was overwhelmed at the amount of support I received from those in my life and want to thank everyone who took the time to come to the gallery and be part of it.

Now I rest.

Coach

I ran another race on the weekend - but it did not belong to me. I came along for the ride with a lovely girl that had never run a race before and had asked me to coach her some months ago. She had some difficulty along the way, due to the high temperatures. I know the feeling, as I experienced the same last year in Chicago and it is a struggle. I am so proud of her for the way she finished. Despite not feeling 100 percent, she finished within minutes of her goal time. Anyone can finish something that is easy, but only a true champion can finish something that is difficult. I was proud to run with her, but even more gratified to see her cross that finish line and accept her medal. It was my most memorable moment as a coach.

Mother's Day

I'm not sure which feels better on Mother's Day..... having a great one, or trying to be a great one.

Gift

A nice boy sent me flowers today - a nice reminder as to why I married him.

Death and Taxes

They both happened this week. Thankfully the sun is shining and there is much to look forward to in the coming months.

Mr. Bobo walked to school today without parental supervision. He made it safe and sound - but now I need a drink.

I Wish I Was.....

I can finally see life in my garden. I can't wait for the weekend to really start digging and cleaning out the yard. The sun is beating in through my french doors and the backyard almost looks like it is on fire it is so bright - I am finally feeling alive again after months of hibernation - you would be hard pressed to get the smile off my face.

I never really wish I was anyone other than myself. I am lucky that way, and thank myself each day for my good fortune, but today I am doing a little daydreaming and wishing I was Doris. Doris is my piano teacher and has been for the past two years. I am sure I make her a little bit crazy as I am not always as prepared for her lessons. This is partly due to my hectic schedule, and partly due to the fact that the god-damned A on my piano ceased to function several months ago and it is painful to practice. So today I want to be Doris so I can throw open my back doors and sit and play wonderful music in the sunshine for everyone to hear. She plays so effortlessly and despite what I am sure must of been many hours of practice and hard work, she makes everything look so simple and sound beautiful. The reality is - I will never be Doris. So I guess I must make the time to get my new piano, practice till my fingers hurt and hope one day that I can play half as good as she does.

Happy Spring!

Life is an occasion - Rise to it

We are back from Florida, well rested with peeling skin. It was nice to get away, despite arriving a day late. We found ourselves stranded in JFK after that brutal storm that blew through the province. The kids and I dragged our luggage out to a cab and found ourselves a nice hotel not far from the Plaza. Yes, we tried the Plaza, but alas, it was booked. What a nice little diversion, spending 24 hours in the Big Apple with my babies. Mr. Bobo was a total tourist, while Princess just pined away for a designer handbag. It was probably the best 24 hours I have spent with them and so much fun to have them along on the adventure. They truly are portable. We took a carriage ride through central park and I saw many runners. Made we wonder if I should be throwing my hat in the ring for the fall marathon.......

Philosophy

It is not what we do that matters, but rather what we get done.

Fourty-Five

I don't have a best friend. I have about 20 of them. All of them made my birthday special. These are some of my weekend highlights....

-Three beautiful little boys bounding through my door and showering me with luscious bath products
-Dinner with their beautiful parents on the Danforth followed by drinks in the "clubhouse"
-A day just for me and a bottle of red from some lovely neighbours
-A special night with just my husband and kids with cake, too many gifts, movies and cuddles
-Birthday emails, facebooks posts and a special call from Brazil
-My parents almost remembering it was my birthday
-A run with a new buddy and a nice bottle of red
-Lattes with the girls on Queen Street and finally some sunshine
-My new felted purse from Shopgirls
-Another birthday cake and Indian Food with a favourite couple
-A late-night email from a dear girlfriend that made me cry with joy - a special thank-you for that one

Thanks to everyone for their well-wishes and for making this my best birthday ever.

Be Mine

Mr. Bobo was so excited to come home with this card for my husband and I. He made one for Princess as well and it was a touching moment. Today is his big Valentine's Day dance and he will come home tonight with a big bag of cards and candies from everyone in his class. I like the grade school tradition of celebrating ALL your special valentines, not just one. Of course I have my special one... we don't really celebrate the day and we try to mark our love for each other every day. Sometimes we fail, but for the most part we don't, and for that I am lucky. So today I will celebrate all the great friendships I have with all the other special boys in my life. So if I have sent you this link, it is my way of telling you that you are special to me and I am lucky to have you on my list of valentines.

Have a wonderful day.
xoxoxo

Shake What Your Momma Gave You

My ears are still ringing from last night's Spice Girls concert. I was surrounded by screaming little girls and it did not stop from the time we arrived until we got into the van. They had fun and it was great to watch the girls enjoying themselves so much. It did make me dream to the good old days when a hotbox at a concert was expected. The stale $4 bag of popcorn just did not have the same effect on me.

Can someone please go to Quinzno's and get Posh a sub?

Super Bowl Monday

I'm and tired from the weekend, and home with a sick little boy. Actually not a bad way to spend a Monday if I did not have so much work to do. I'm not focussed. It is because it is February and the weather is flat.

I had a buddy call me last week who was worried about me as it appeared I'd dropped off the face of the planet. I'm still here, just crazy with no time. Tonight I am taking 3 girls to see the Spice Girls. Not sure if i'm up to it, but I know it will be fun once I get there. Friday is the art auction I participate in each year - I'm looking forward to that. These next few weeks things probably won't slow down. We have valentine cards to do, school trips, meetings, volunteer stuff, carpentry. When it is all over, I promise I will have one of my crazy, sloppy house parties and we can all catch up again.

Oh, and I'm in the market for a new piano. If anyone out there has a line on a decent one drop me a line.

No, this blog is not dead.......

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I've just been super busy with life. I wish I had nothing better to do than play on the internet. I'm posting this video. My freind J. put it on my facebook, although I had seen it before. It is good to revisit every once and a while, just to put things back into perspective.

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......