Grandma and Pa come for a visit!

Grandma & Pa are down from 100 Mile to help R finish the workshop wiring. It's sunny so it inspired us to barbecue two coho salmon outside at my parents' house (Pa had caught these beauties up at the lake!). All of us thoroughly enjoyed the meal and dessert (strawberries and ice cream cake in celebration of Canada Day tomorrow ) and J loved having dinner with both sets of grandparents!

Pa and Doc enjoying their near-wine and near-beer!

xyxy

Grade 2 Field Trip

SCIENCE WORLD!!!

I discovered late on Wednesday afternoon that my dear son had volunteered me to be a parent supervisor on the upcoming Grade 2 (all 4 classes of 'em) field trip to Science World. So, I took a day off from work to ride a yellow school bus downtown with 40 or so hyperactive, excited children, two of whom were prone to travel sickness (and were doubled over with their faces in bags). Then there were a few other brave and/or super-committed parents, and the teachers. We did have fun and our soccer coach Bela and I supervised 4 boys - who were very excited but quite well-behaved. We participated in a program on insects - very hands-on - then went to the "Grossology" exhibit (and learned all about snot, farts, poo, pee, zits, barf, body odor etc. etc.). The kids had a blast but it went way too fast - and we had to meet at 12:45 to get on the 1:00 schoolbus for the trip home. It was a fun day!

Happy Birthday Mom!!!!

Happy Birthday Nona!

My beautiful mom had a Milestone birthday today!!!! The family took her out for dinner at the Bedford House in Fort Langley - it was really nice (despite the fact that J was a little restless after the very long road trip home from the Okanagan today....). The food was just great too - it had been years since any of us had been there. We actually couldn't believe the portion sizes - especially the schnitzel!. Our gift was announced as well - my sisters and I are taking Mom to Seattle for a weekend this summer - it will be so much fun!!!! Naturally, mom spoils us all back - she gave us all generous gifts on her birthday as well!

J and Nona on the Albion ferry.

Ogopogo

We have been enjoying our mini-vacation here in the beautiful Okanagan! My dear friend left the wet coast 8 years ago to raise her family up here in the sunshine..... Isn't it beautiful? (I forgot to take a lot of pictures - then my batteries died)

Small Fry Golfers

Yesterday (Saturday), J and C participated in the McDonald's Small Fry Golf Clinic at the beautiful Riverway Golf Course. They had a blast - they practiced driving, chipping and putting - the Burnaby Golf instructional staff was great as usual, and that made it a lot of fun for all the kids. C won a mini radio and headseat - and everyone received McDonald's treats, and a t-shirt. J is already bugging Doc to take him to the driving range so he can practice his swing. This is a good thing because his mother likes to golf too (even though she's realllllllly bad) - and it would be fun to be able to do this together some day! They finished their evening at a kids "sports night/movie" party. So, it was another fun, busy day! When he wakes up, we are heading to the Okanagan to visit some friends!!!! On the road again.....

Blogging Break

After 58 days of non-stop blogging, the time has come to temporarily sever this invisible umbillical cord that has had me chained to my PC every night. It's probably a very healthy decision to take a brief blogging hiatus and make a concerted effort to recharge my own hard-drive. Work has been crazy busy - it's summer and I'm in the golf business after all. Enough excuses.... I will definitely write when I have progress to report on the house (or my kid) - for sure. Or, if anything else is particularly newsworthy. But, better to break than to be a bore! Oh, I can also use those extra few hours of sleep some nights too!.... Hasta luego! And, have a great weekend!

The Longest Day of the Year

Today is the longest day of the year! June 21st, or "Summer Solstice" is the day of the year that boasts the longest period of daylight and the shortest night, and marks the first day of the season of summer! It doesn't necessarily mean the most sun (our day started off pretty wet and rainy here), but it did clear up for us in the end! New studies have found that the vitamin D we receive naturally from the sun actually prevents many cancers! Welcome longer days and more summer sun!




J and I celebrated by going out for nachos on the the patio of a local authentic Mexican restaurant - the food is good (fresh salsa bar) and the place is kind of quaint and cute, only the vroom vroom of the highway during rush hour took away from our tropical beachside ambiance!

The Amnesiac & The Enabler

My child is extremely forgetful. We have lost so many coats, so many shoes, so many baseball hats, so many lunch kits, so many bathing suits..... I am now just buying his coats at the Salvation Army and other thrift stores because he is sure to lose them long before they're outgrown. Last week I just happened to overhear another mom (MP) remind her son to turn in his permission slip for their upcoming field trip. Field Trip? This was news to me! MP goes on to tell me that they are going to Science World and that the permission slips are due in tomorrow! So, I remind J as I drop him off that he must bring home a form if he really wants to go!

Fast forward to my arrival at his daycare that afternoon for pickup..... Yes, he has a stack of forms and notices - treat day announcements from back in February, school newsletters dated March. But no Permission Slip! Because I am now skating (or trying to skate) with his teacher, I decided to mention this to her - even though I purposely do not talk about school or my son at these practices. At any rate, the next morning SHE reminds J that he needs to bring me the form so this is how I finally got it.

Anyway, late tonight (after swimming with BP), his mother asks me if I knew it was our turn to bring baking to school for treat day tomorrow. It is now 9:40 p.m. and she is working away in her kitchen making fresh rice krispie squares because her son just happened to tell her that he needed to bring treats tomorrow - and this was just before I picked him up for swimming and just before she and her husband were leaving for their baseball game. But at least he told her!

Needless to say, at 10:10 this evening (which is also a school night), J and I can be found up at the grocery store buying chocolate chip cookies (that actually look pretty darn homemade). But he never did tell me about my baking obligation tonight!

I do realize that my "covering" or "rescuing" him out of these predicaments is just enabling his forgetfulness and is really not helping him any - so why is it that I just don't feel right about having him show up at school empty handed or missing out on things?....

A Flash (from the Past)

Well, it came today.... The official "invite" arrived in my in-box with details of my 30 year high school reunion. THIRTY years!!!! What happened???? I can hardly believe it, really! Can we really be that old? Can it really be 30 years since we were in High School? I still actually think of myself as a young person!!! Delusional????? Perhaps!

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What seems particularly bizarre to me is that several of my son's friends parents are actually quite worked up about turning the big "3-0" this year! These people weren't even BORN when I graduated from high school! Unbelievable, actually. Do they see me as an really OLD person? Am I fooling myself?

d

Twice in the past two years I have been asked if I was the "grandmother". My friend PT thought this was a hoot! I, on the other hand, was mortified. I thought that Miss Clairol had everyone fooled.... But the truth of the matter is that I actually like myself better now - at this age - regardless of what I look like. I honestly do not even resemble that girl in my yearbook. And, I think that most of the others from my class probably look (and feel) better now too!

d

So I am excited and looking forward to the reunion - it's always fun to re-connect with people from our past! I've found I've also had a great time at previous reunions just talking to the people I didn't really chum around with in high school. So what if we're a little grayer, a little chubbier, a little more follicly-challenged? I think we all are probably better people now! Sure, there's a few people who have had some tough miles under their belts, but most people are now at the point where they are less guarded, more open, more accepting, more interesting. I really hope that the people who "couldn't be bothered" to attend at our past reunions have a change of heart. Isn't this part of their journey? Or are they "above" us, or worse, feel as though no one cares?

dd
Anyway, I'm looking forward to seeing the old gang again - and I'm wholeheartedly trying to pass the info about our reunion on! Even if it doesn't seem like it could really be 30 whole years.....

My Sick Child : (

J and I were up and were just about ready to fly out the door for school when he made another mad dash to the bathroom. Sick again! I honestly thought he was better because he hadn't thrown up since the middle of the night Sat/Sun -- and had been saying he felt just fine. At any rate, I decided to take him to the clinic because this has now been going on (and off) since June 8th. He gets sick, then feels better, and the only complaint is that he's a little tired. So, we're off to the doctor on my little spare donut tire, but stopping en route to drop my car off at the tire shop. Joanne, bless her heart, drove us to and from the clinic, where after a 2 1/2 hour wait and a diagnosis of "it's just one of those kid stomach things - make sure he gets plenty of water", we were back at the tire store looking at 4 brand spankin' new tires. Apparently 2 of them had a "little life" left in them, but with my track record of flat tires/breaking down, I'm no longer prepared to risk it.

Anyway, because it was noon by the time we'd been to the doctor and paid for the new wheels, I decided it was pointless to go to work. This was confirmed when I checked in again with my boss (who seemed more than a tad grumpy). C'est la vie, I normally always go in (sick or otherwise) - and last year I took only half a day off when I was really ill and diagnosed with pneumonia. It was only when one of my co-workers suggested I go home and then reminded me that none of our tombstones were going to say that we had a perfect track record at work anyway.

Anyway, J is rested and was feeling much better this afternoon - which is great! Back to school and work tomorrow! P.S. I think being a stay-at-home mom is far more exhausting - especially with a whining kid!!!

Happy Father's Day!

Today is Father's Day! And, I know I am just incredibly blessed to have three very special fathers to honour on this day!

Doc, J and R - Basketball practice

My husband R is a great dad to our son and he has always spent a lot of quality time with J. Together they do many special "father and son" things. While this past year has been tough (with respect to "time" due to the house building project), R still makes sure he is available to do things with J at every opportunity. Every Friday night they would go skating, usually just the two of them, and R never missed any of J's recreational hockey Wednedsay night sessions. Even when R is dead tired from working (and he is an incredibly hard worker), he still takes the time to play games with J at night, or read him a story, or make special ice cream concoctions, or just cuddle with J and watch an entire kid's movie. R is very patient with our son, and gives him "big kid" jobs around the construction site whenever he can. If R is in town, he is always out cheering J on at his basketball or baseball games - and before he leaves town, he always gives J the big "father and son" chat and reminds J that he has to take care of me, and be the man of the house while he's away. And, even in his longer out-of-town stints, R is sure to call home daily and ask J how his day has been. J just adores his dad - and naturally wants to do all the things his father does. I remember one of my friends asking J who his favorite hockey player was, and J said, "my DAD!". We just laughed - and it was not long after that when J decided he wanted to be a hockey player too!

R also grew up with a great father, and like J, he wanted to do the things his father did as well. From an early age, R would help his dad on his big construction projects, go on fishing and hunting (camping) trips with him, watch and play sports. R's dad coached him in hockey - and for a while, they even played on the same hockey team. R is still very close to his dad - he consults him about our building project - and his dad (and mom) are happy to come down to help us whenever they can.

My own dad is, in my opinion, the best dad I could have asked for! He has taught me so much about life, about work and working hard (I worked with him in his dental practice for over 20 years), about education, about families, people, about having a sense of humor, about respect, and about enjoying the little things in life. He has always been there for us - and he's certainly still always there for us (and our kids now!). It is so heart-warming seeing the relationship between our child and his grandparents - I never did have a grandfather because both my dad's and my mom's fathers had passed away at very young ages. My dad will be turning 77 this year - it's so hard to believe! He still is so young at heart! He still bikes, and golfs, and works hard around the property. When my dad turned 75, by youngest sister D had a surprise party for him - and I wrote this little poem:

Well Dad, you’ve hit this milestone,
A special day it is,
You’re celebrating 75,
Although no one would know it!

With three daughters you stood by
We knew you’d be always be there
You watched our sports, and coached our teams
There’s no doubt that you cared!

As we grew, you stayed involved
You shared in our successes
You helped us out - and guided us
Through all those teenage messes!

For many years I worked with you
you had a unique style!
I saw how patients worshiped you
Some travelling for miles.

Almost daily, I still hear
“ Your dad, he was the best “
Requests are plenty from them all
to start a backyard practice!

And though retired – you’re still so busy
with projects on the go
With all these women in your life
You never could say no!

You directed us to take the “high road”
And helped to pave our ways
Without your guidance and support
We’d not be here today.

The biggest thing that you had taught
Was how to treat all others
You’ve lived your life consistently,
showing kindness was what mattered.

The past few years have been just great
To watch you with our kids
You are a special granddad Doc
They treasure every minute.

So happy birthday dear ole Dad
We’re thrilled that we are here
To share with you this special day
and to many more great years!

Thank you Dad, we love you!

Here's to a very Happy Father's Day to all the great dads out there. I'd also like to honor and remember all of the wonderful dads who have passed away -- but still live so vividly in our great memories!


Nona & Doc (my parents)


Grandma & Pa (R's parents)

Crazy Day!

Today was just insanely nbusy:

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mmmmmm

5:30 - woke up, showered, and finished laundry (J needs to have a clean baseball uniform)

6:30 - woke J up, then dressed him for baseball

7:00 - arrived at the M.R. Hotel for Synchro Skating Garage Sale (setting-up for our 8:00 opening)

8:45 - Urgently left for Tim Horton's as J had a very bad tummy ache and needed a bathroom - NOW!

9:00 - J throws up in parking lot of Timmy's (after the mad dash to bathroom)

9:15 - deliver coffee & tea to garage sale but inform them all I need to take J home (had also bought a dozen donuts just like several other people had - so they tell us to take them home)

9:30 - J returns to bed and I begin re-washing his baseball uniform

10:35 - uniform is freshly laundered (and almost dry) - wake J up

10:45 - J is back in damp uniform and in car headed to tournament

10:56 - arrive only 4 minutes prior to game (coach wants us there 45 minutes prior but uniform was still on spin cycle and child was still recouperating from illness which has now been put on back burner)

11:00 - Game begins in pouring rain (J is playing catcher, strikes out once, gets on base once, walks once - not bad, considering he is likely sick and we are now ignoring this fact)

12:30 - Game ends in pouring rain (we've lost, 7 - 0)

1:00 - Drop donuts off at Salvation Army shelter, run errands, fill up tank

1:45 - arrive at home but remember we needed to stop at another friend's house (our 95 year old friend who still lives on her own)

2:10 - arrive at friends house but now realize we have a very low tire and therefore will need to cut visit very short

2:30 - leave our friend's house to fill up tire

2:45 - arrive at grocery store with full tire and buy fresh fruit and veggies

3:45 - arrive back home - put J down for another nap, unload groceries, wash ball uniform for 3rd time today (yes, we need it first thing tomorrow).

4:40 - start dinner

5:00 - wake J up, feed him dinner (still not very hungry), and dress him

5:30 - leave for church (leave food on stove for R, leave dishes on table)

5:50 - Greet at church until 6:30 service starts

6:30 - check J into Sunday school and head to nursery

7:45 - leave nursery shift to finish "un-greeting"

8:00 - J comes out of Sunday school signed out by George (oops, I hadn't had the time yet to get him myself and sign him out)

8:15 - leave church only to discover that tire is now completely flat. Call husband as most people have left church already

8:20 - group of Youth leave church and graciously offer to help change tire!

8:30 - tire is now changed when R arrives. Thank everyone for their help!!!!!!

8:45 - see bear on our street!!!!!

8:55 - at home finally - J wants to play "Clue"

9:30 - Dad wins at Clue, everybody gets ready for bed

9:45 - Everybody is finally in bed (except me!) who remembers to feed dogs and cat, do dishes and finish that laundry

10:20 - Remember to blog, but do not feel terribly inspired.

10:45 - Good night!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Fanatical Focus on Father's Day

For those who know J, he is a very bright child - full of beans - but who can have a lot of trouble staying focused (for even short periods of time) when he is not completely interested in something. He can easily tune out/slip out - and this is fairly obvious to anyone who sees him! Yes, he is the child in the outfield who struggles to maintain focus on the game. He is often out in "la la land", rolling on the ground, rolling his eyes, or looking over to see what he is missing on the sidelines. Or, he's waving and making faces at me rather than watching the play. It drives me crazy and I'm forever reminiding him to focus and pay attention!

On the other hand, when J is "into" something, he is REALLY, REALLY into something! No problem with focus - it's tunnel vision all the way (he comes by this naturally - both his dad & I can be accused of this sometimes as well). He doesn't just give it his best shot, he gives it absolutely everything he's got - which is often 200%!

Anyway, this week his second grade class was working hard on their Father's Day project, and it was quite apparent that J was putting his entire heart and soul into it. He did not go out to play at recess! He did not go out to play at lunch! Even his daycare provider told me that she had to wait a full 20 extra minutes after school for him because he was still working away on his project. This week he did not talk about his little classroom economy, nor did he talk about his friends. All he could talk about was his "project". You see, he was making a wallet for his dad! He was working very very hard on this creation -- ensuring it was absolutely perfect! He told me he was sewing it together, making slots for credit cards, a section for bills, and change, and that it would have a velcro fastener etc. etc. I told him that it sounded absolutely amazing! Then, he mentioned to me that he was making this wallet out of recycled juice boxes! You heard me! Juice boxes! For some reason, I just couldn't envision it!?!

But alas, today I have actually seen the "final production" - and his father is going to absolutely love it, I know! He even made a membership card for unlimited hugs / no expiry date (and he delegated the task of laminating it to me at work). It is all very amazing (we'd best keep it for "good" though - I'm worried that this beautiful treasure could become completely ruined at his dad's work). So what do you think of it?

Last Game - Regular Season League Play

And we won! Yippee! It was our very first win of the entire season! Yes, we tied a few - and a few games were scoreless, but this was our first actual win - and the kids were noticeably pumped with their victory! It was especially nice for J (who made a few nice plays when he wasn't gnawing on his glove) because we'd completed his entire soccer season without one win. So, one win in ten months (of soccer/baseball) - pretty impressive, eh? And yes, we still cheered the other team on, and clapped when they made a good play! Good game boys! And keep up the good work for our weekend tournament!!!

Doc (my co-season ticket holder) & J

Hockey Mom?

I guess I am almost now an official "Hockey Mom". I thought I should probably make mention of the fact well in advance that I was not really aspiring to ever be a "Hockey Mom"! You see, I was quite content being a "Soccer Mom" and a "Baseball Mom" and a "Working Mom". But the "Hockey Mom" just conjures up a whole new image. Which is an image I have never wanted to be seen as. Oh, I've toyed around with various images in my life - there were times when I portrayed (or hoped to portray) the image of the typical "campus student" (complete with toga). There was the daytime image of Florence Nightingale (yes, in my dental assistant duds). Then there was the image of the golfer (a complete lie, really) as I handed out my golfing advice and tips on weekends at the golf courses where I also worked. Oh, there are other images which were relatively short-lived (thank Heavens!) too. But Hockey Mom was never one of the ones I'd planned on.........

Naturally, I should have seen the writing on the wall. Aside from the fact I am related to a famous person on "Hockey Night in Canada" (Ron MacLean is my second cousin), I am not really from a die-hard "hockey" family. My dad certainly enjoyed watching hockey - if it wasn't conflicting with a basketball or baseball game on t.v., that is. And, as a teen, I loved going to both the WHL (remember the WHA Vancouver Blazers?) and my friends' games. Then I married R - who is from a real die-hard hockey family. R played hockey, his dad played hockey, his sister played hockey, his mom was on the minor hockey board, and on it goes. R has taken only a temporary break from hockey due to work and the house, but up until a year ago, he still played on a fairly regular basis. And, his dad also played regularly while they were still living in the lower mainland. They are NHL fanatics - growing up in a house where the game was always on. And, when I started dating R, he and his roommates had built BLEACHERS in their living room for hockey viewing purposes! You see, my husband LOVES hockey - and J, his "mini-me" was bound to follow suit...

So, over this past year it has become more apparent that J has definitely become more and more interested in the sport. By October he really wanted to play hockey - and we registered him for a fun hockey program on Wednesday nights all season (minor hockey registration was closed). And yes he was keen - much keener that he was on the soccer field dripping with rain. To top this off, his teacher's son plays for the Memorial Cup winning Vancouver Giants - so we went fairly often to see those exciting games. You see, I like hockey a lot too - I just haven't been particularly warm and fuzzy over some of the parents I've witnessed in the stands.

For the 3 years I have been a "Soccer Mom", I have never experienced (or seen) any cat fights out on the Soccer sidelines! Registration for soccer includes a parental contract - where we sign a form promising to keep the game friendly and fun for the kids - but I didn't see any such animal (ie parental form) during hockey registration. Heck, we were drinking coffee with (and clapping for) our opponents in soccer. The same goes for baseball. We know the other team's kids and we cheer each other on! That makes it fun! It is my observation that Minor hockey just seems so much more competitive, confrontational (and rough!). I know that I personally will have no comfort in a sea of aggressive fans who take the game far too seriously - yelling obscenities at the refs, coaches, team-mates, opponents, and their OWN kids. This is speaking from experience, I worked within several municipal arenas for over 20 years and I witnessed this almost every time I worked there. I remember rolling my eyes and telling my co-workers "did you hear that? I will never let any kid of mine play this sport!". It wasn't necessarily the game, it was the mentality of these parents living vicariously through their kids - envisioning them to be the next great NHL legend and fighting their kids' perceived obstacles all the way!

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At any rate, I am now officially signed on as a full-fledged hockey mom - happy our child is doing the sport he is so crazy about, but actually very very nervous about joining ranks with these very "intense" groups of hockey parents!

Society Girl

I just discovered I am now a "Society Girl". After our practice tonight (yes, I am still skating on Tuesday nights) we had our first "General Meeting" of the season (at Boston Pizza with nachos and refreshments). Our club is in the process of becoming a "society" which will help us out immensely -- especially with respect to our eligibility for grants and government funding. This is a very good thing because it turns out that this is actually quite an expensive sport when you factor in the ice time, skating dresses, coaching fees, association dues (regional and national), travel to competitions and hotels, competition entry fees etc........

So, tonight we elected our new board - President, Vice President, Treasurer and Secretary. Naturally, I'm breaking into a cold sweat and thinking to myself that I can't possibly take one more thing on without cracking up completely. So, I was extremely relieved when four people volunteered almost immediately. We will have several fund-raising events throughout the year - the first being a garage sale this Saturday. This society girl (member at large only) has donated a few items and hopes to help out - if it works out with our baseball tournament and wrap-up.

At any rate, it sounds like it's going to be fun - and rumor has it that next year we might be competing in France! France!!!!! I already have stars in my eyes!!!! Hopefully I'm past the novice level by then - tonight my fancy footwork (NOT) tripped the woman next to me and we practically all went down like dominos..... And, J's teacher is still sporting a nice (large) green bruise from my grip on her shoulder (holding on for dear life really). Anyway, I am secretly happy that I actually took those skates off the wall, dusted them off, and tried this sport again - it's definitely been a challenge but it's going to be a lot of fun (as long as I remain off of the board of directors!).

Pedal to the Metal

Well, I think I'm obviously STILL being tested on this patience thing..... I am actually gritting my teeth whilst plunking out these words on the keyboard. For the second time in two months, my car has completely broken down on me. Ironically, it was booked for servicing tomorrow - as it already required two new CV boots and a front wheel bearing - whatever those may be. My diagnosis was "loud" and "crunching noises", if that helps. At any rate, today as we're off to the sport of the day, my clutch decides to fail. Pedal to the metal and stuck there. For good. Permanently depressed. Maybe it's just a broken cable suggested one of the many good Samaritans who stopped to offer assistance as we were stranded and blocking traffic on a merge lane to the Haney by-pass during, you guessed it, rush hour. At any rate, I called BCAA and was given an estimated one hour wait. Being the patient person I now am, I was fine with this - I was just concerned about the likelihood of a smashed vehicle at that intersection, or worse, my child deciding to dart out into the action.

Lo and behold, my very first Good Samaritan was none other than B.P. (a.k.a. J's soccer coach) and the dad he barfed on last Friday night in the swimming pool! Now I'm pretty sure B is quite tired of rescuing J and I - but he and another very good Samaritan were able to push my car back out of the traffic so that all the cars could get by. In the meantime, my parents were called and they came to pick up all the baseball gear, sparring gear, fold-up chairs, dog food, booster seats, and J out of my vehicle, trunk and sidewalk - even though J whined about having to leave with them (he desperately wanted to ride in the tow truck). But in that hour, over half of the people who drove down the side street I was on, asked me if they could help, or if I needed help. It was very heartwarming and I can't say how much I appreciated the unexpected kindness. Only one woman yelled at me that I was in her way (sorry!), but BP just directed her around us, no problemo! I think she initially thought I'd just stopped my car to chat with these young, muscled, bucks. Anyway, even the tow truck driver was amazed when I relayed how many people actually stopped to offer assistance - he had pulled up as one young Samaritan was just leaving. This kid had apologized profusely that he couldn't help me - he said he just forgot his tools at home - and had even offered to go home to get them! I told him how much I appreciated his offer but that the tow truck was already en route anyway. I actually think he might have actually gone home to get his tools had he not seen the tow truck himself!

Anyway, we missed our sport of the day and thanks to everybody who helped us, we're all safe and sound -- and the car is obviously where it belongs. But, I am gritting my teeth because I am literally dreading what these repairs are going to set us back again this time....

Patience is a Virtue (I'm workin on)

I have never been the most patient person in the world. Especially when I perceive that something "should be" going/moving a heck of a lot quicker. But I'm really trying to accept the fact that some things in life will not always be "in my timing". And, I believe this was a weekend designed specifically to test me on this....

1. When driving to Coquitlam to pick up my sick son I was behind a convoy of several slow moving farm vehicles on the back roads (I prefer not to pass unless they move over - and, in this case I was a dozen or so vehicles behind them anyway). Then I hit a minor bottle-neck at the Pitt River bridge (a very long two-light wait) - and of course almost every red light from thereon in.


2. I also got a major flat tire (totally my fault). I pulled up just a tad too close to the gas-bar island at the filling station and it turns out that I'd ripped the little nozzle doohicky right off at the base. I was thinking on the bright side that I was less that 30 feet away from the "free air", only to discover after driving that distance on my rim (don't tell my husband), that although I could pump that baby right back up with all that free compressed air, it was just pfffsssssssssssssssssssssssssssttt again and completely flat in just mere seconds!


3. I registered my son for minor hockey - a nearly 'two hour' process of standing in an extremely long line-up after consuming 3 cups of coffee (and having to pee really badly but holding both it - and my spot - in the ridiculous line-up).

So, lots of little glitches and unexpected waits. But, believe it or not, this time I did not get mad or frustrated at all - I just tried to make the best of each situation and counted my blessings that I was not really going to be horribly late for anything (and that I did not get the flat tire on a road trip out of town)! The farmer did turn off the road and into his driveway fairly quickly anyway (and had I arrived earlier at the pool for my son, he would have still been in the changeroom getting sick all over P), my dad came up and helped me with the flat tire short notice (and Kal-Tire did not charge me a cent to repair it!), and I have the satisfaction knowing that my son is finally registered for the sport he has been dying to play for the past year (and my bladder did not, in fact, actually burst).

Now I am really trying to always look at the positive in each situation. My Uncle C - who was a great motivational speaker who spoke all over North America for A.A. - had told me as a child that we should always look on the bright side of situations and that being angry only hurts ourselves. For some reason, up until just a short while ago, I had chose to ignore his advice for the most part. But today I even offered to trade my spot in the line-up to a woman who was several people behind me who was going to be late for her son's ball hockey game - and I know how much I would have appreciated it if someone did that for me if I was running late! I kept reminding myself, it's all just a matter of perspective and how it could have been a heck of a lot worse. What if I didn't have close family and friends to help me out? My mother was happy to watch J while I registered him for hockey and my dad was available to help me fix the flat tire right away! And our friends B and P - who took such good care of my puking kid for me - who called me to see how he was doing when we got home (and again the next day). I just know I can no longer choose to ignore these very obvious blessings or let myself be horribly angry and frustrated when these everyday obstacles in life continue to crop up!

P.S. Today is the 10 year anniversary of my friend Chariss Acosta's passing. In some ways I cannot believe it has been that long - and I can still hear her voice, her laughter. We miss you Chariss!

Not Meant to Be

No sooner had I logged off of the computer, laid out my flannels, brushed and flossed my teeth, and hopped into my hot bubble bath last night, I got "The Call". I neglected to mention yesterday that I was actually enjoying a "night ALONE" last night - a party of "1", some "re-charge the old battery" time! Just "ME, MYSELF, and I"! A rare treat! And, I was definitely dead tired; tired of people, problems, and noise, and was just craving a night all to myself. It was perfect, R was working out of town and J had been invited out for the night with his friend B's family. They were all going swimming and J was very excited about this (but maybe not quite as excited as I was !).

Anyway, long before I could head to my bedroom sanctuary with a good book, P (J's friend B's mom) called me to tell me that J had just been sick. Sick in the pool, sick on the pool deck, (and by the time I got there, sick in the change room, sick on his friend's mom and dad, and then sick in the lobby). They had offered to bring him home but I said I'd come right down and get him. The poor kid. Unfortunately, I had decided earlier that we should really attempt to eat some of the (yuck) canned food I'd bought by the caseload in preparation for the "flood" that was no longer a concern. Obviously this was not such a good idea for a child who is later going to be queasy and frolicking around in a wave pool. At any rate, he was happy to be back at home and tucked in his mom's bed! And I was happy to have my sweet little guy there too - even if my "night alone" was very short-lived!

P.S. J was feeling much better this morning, but suggested we donate all recently purchased canned goods (beefaroni, chile con carne, and alphagetti's) to the local food bank.....

Narcolepsy

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Aw, so sorry. My head kinda landed on the keyboard. And I've definitely had better pillows...

I am REALLY REALLY pooped out tonight -- and I have been all day. At one point, I even thought I might need to use one of these great excuses if I was actually caught nodding off at work:

1. "They forewarned me at the blood bank that this could happen."
2. "Oh, I was just trying to pick up my contact lens without these greasy hands."
3. "I was meditating on the mission statement and developing our new corporate vision!"
4. "Amen"
5. "I was attempting the 15 minute power-nap like they raved about in the last time management course you sent me to."
6. "Whew! Guess I left the top off the liquid paper a little too long"
7. "I was doing a highly specific Yoga exercise to relieve work related stress."
8. "This is actually one of the seven habits of highly effective people!"
9. "Boy, that darn allergy medicine I took last night just won't wear off!"
10. "Darn! Why did you interrupt me? I had almost developed the solution to our biggest staffing problem."
    
    So what I'm thinking is, if Britney Spears can "take a little cat nap" in the middle of Caesar's Palace's Pure nightclub in Las Vegas on New Years Eve - it's probably perfectly acceptable for me to catch a few measly winks at my desk after lunch. What the hay? They wouldn't even need to haul me out by my ankles...... (I'm quite capable of drowsily stumbling around in my own mindless fog).
    
    At any rate, I am acknowledging severe sleep deprivation over this past week of "high anxiety" with respect to potential flooding. So, now that our fears have been alleviated for the most part, I am hoping that this little family can finally get caught up on some serious shut-eye this weekend! No big plans to speak of either - just one baseball practice and our minor hockey registration for fall. Sayonara! Time for a hot bath some Bee-auty sleep!
    

Sigh of Relief

Today the lower mainland received mostly good news about the possibility of extensive flooding! It's now felt that the Mission gauge will see only 6.5 meters of water at its "peak" this weekend - rather than the previously forecasted 7.5 meters. Although there are some areas in the area that have been affected by the rising river (areas along the Fraser outside of diking systems), it doesn't appear that it'll be the "worse case scenario" after all. Unfortunately, this is not the case in 8 northern communities where they have now declared a state of emergency. While searching for the latest river "updates" tonight, I came across this awesome live panoramic view of our dikes, the Alouette River, and the Golden Ears Mountains:

http://www.panoramalive.com/PAN_Golden_Ears_Alouette.html
(Press the back arrow to bring you back to blog after viewing)

At any rate, I think our family is cautiously breathing a sigh of relief today - and hoping that the weather continues to cooperate.

*Here are some pictures of the new workshop (I'd only posted the "backside" before) and our new window sills - being made by my father!

Rivers Rising

I am late getting to this blog because much of the evening has been spent trying to update ourselves on the flood issue by checking out various municipal and government websites.....
People in our community are still anxious about the rising water levels here. Flooding has occurred in some areas up north where people have now been forced to evacuate. The situation on the lower Fraser is still pretty much a "wait and see" and/or "hope and pray" kind of thing - people in low lying areas along the river that are not protected by dikes have been put on notice and are preparing to leave their homes. Our son's school may also be affected and accomodation at another local school has been arranged. The current readings (as of tonight) are:

Prince George 9.706m (UP .024)

Hope 8.867m (DOWN .020)

Mission 5.667m (DOWN .018)

While I am concerned about the flood risk in our town, I am still somewhat optimistic that the Alouette rivers will not breech our own immediate dikes.
(Photos - Gordon Parfitt)

Flood Alert

Our town has issued a flood alert: http://www.mapleridge.ca/EN/rss/media.xml for the lower lying areas in the Hammond area along the Fraser River. Today the Albion Ferry imposed a load limit for vehicles - no large trucks were permitted on the Ferry. I noticed that the campers who fish along the banks of Barnston Island year-round (and who were still there yesterday) have now left. The Fraser is high - and so is the Pitt River. Kanaka Creek is also a lot fuller as well. So far the Alouette Rivers appear to be normal - we do expect them to be higher this time of year anyway.

The community seems to be bracing for the worse case scenario. R's cousin lives in Hammond so she is definitely in an area of concern. Most of Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows are in the "flood plain" but we do have many dikes protecting the low lying areas. I have finally started buying canned goods and water - in case we are land-locked or without power in a state of emergency. Everyone is keeping a close eye on the government websites and the news - but we are all just hoping and praying that the dikes will not be breached and that the weather cooperates and the water levels subside.

1948 Flooding of the Fraser River

Ridden with Guilt

As I post these photos of *LB's birthday lunch last Friday afternoon, I'm feeling just a tad guilt-ridden... You see, as I am enjoying a great meal and cold drinks with the girls at this picturesque patio setting at the Burnaby Mountain Golf Course, I couldn't help but think about my poor dear husband slaving away at home in the heat on the siding. The truth of the matter is that I may not have thought of him at all during these festivities (that's not true, really), but I am reminded of him every time I go there -- as this is where I met him 20 years ago! What do you think of the new three bears (no, not the three cranky old broads, but the eco-scuptures????). I think they're great! I think my friends are great too! P.S. My husband is still slaving away outside. His regular shift on the house (as of late) is from 6:00 a.m. to midnight! *LB is our blondie on the right!

Rednecks!

Today we trailer trashed folk are true to life "rednecks"! Yup, every one of this trailer's inhabitants now has a red neck!

Naturally, my sister D blames this on the fact that I am often neglectful in checking expiry dates of my purchases. Several family members got pretty toasted in Mexico back in January - when she couldn't figure out why, she checked my tube of sunscreen - it was dated 1996! Oops! Almost as bad as my pantry's 1992 Jamaican Jerk sauce! This was new lotion yesterday though - we obviously just didn't re-apply it soon enough after the spray park. But today we Rednecks were well "greased-up" in my Super-Duper 70 block!

House Update:
R, Cousin B, and Doc have been plugging away on the siding, building window sills, building stairs for the Workshop, and doing some stereo wiring.

PM Day Parade and Festivities

J and his good friend C participated in the PM Day Parade today. It was scorching hot out so after the parade was done the boys changed and played in the spray park and fun zone. We had a highly nutritious (NOT) lunch consisting of hamburgers and hot dogs with drinks, chips, popsicles (which both prematurely melted off the stick), and kettle corn -- but they sure had a great time for the few hours before their big "Demo Team" performance! Did I mention that my dear husband and dear father were slaving away in the heat on our construction site and unable to attend the said festivities?

To Everything there is a Season

Unfortunately, it appears that a significant number of my fridge and freezer contents have already had theirs....
This morning I decided that my next "project" would be to tackle the fridge and the freezer. Surely, we do not want to take the 3 year old ice-crystalized (and now dehydrated) chickens and salmons with us in the move. But why is it so difficult for me to toss this stuff out? Is it that I feel so incredibly guilty about wasting things? How many times have I made extra casseroles, just to rediscover them years later at the bottom of the freezer -- no longer fit for human consumption? And who designed these "deep chest" bottomless pit freezers anyway? My mother has an upright freezer and I can certainly see the benefits of that design!

Speaking of fridges and mothers..... My mother recently purchased a new stainless steel refigerator with many "whistles and bells". It's a real beauty and I've been thinking how nice something similar would look in our new farmhouse. But I'm having some huge reservations about making this decision. Our existing fridge has become our household's "Command Central", where we post notes, information, artwork, event tickets, baseball schedules, etc. I know that Martha Stewart would not approve of this look (tsk tsk), but I think it has far more personality and character than any stainless steel statue that must be wiped down for fingerprints every hour. My mother used to post our kid's artwork on her fridge, and now it is completely bare - devoid of any "I love you" notes and brightly coloured rainbows. She is always complaining about it too - and I think she wishes she had opted for the tradional white or black old faithful.

Anyway, I would be curious to see if anyone else has any thoughts on this issue. I'm thinking that for our casual tastes and lifestyle, we might just do better with a magnet-friendly, fingerprint-friendly fridge!