Greetings from Minnesota

This post comes to you from the C'mon Inn of Park Rapids.

We've been here for a couple of days, enjoying the beautiful bike trails of Minnesota. Yesterday, we biked 18 km in Itasca State Park. It was only 18 because the day before, we biked 100 km which was stupid. We were feeling good and thought we'd go to the next town. We weren't thinking about the return trip. That was kind of stupid. Today, we'll try for about 50 km and see if our butts can handle it.

The weather is gorgeous, the biking trails are lovely, and the people are friendly. Everytime we pass people on a bike trail, they say hi.

We are trying to decide if we prefer biking on flat or hilly terrain. Going up the hills can be challenging but there is always the reward of coasting down. On flat terrain, you never get a break. You're always pedalling. We'll have to do a little more biking in order to discover what we like best. I do know that I prefer beautiful vistas and scenery. Today, we're off to Cass Lake because I have it on good authority that it is a lovely area to bike around. Stay tuned for pictures!

Cool is as cool does

I walked to the hair stylist yesterday and remembered the ipod. As I ambled down Henderson Hwy. I thought that I was looking pretty cool. Fancy Darfur bag over my shoulder and ipod earphones in my ears. They kept falling out but I discreetly stuck them back in every time.

At one point I came up to a window and thought I'd try to catch a glimpse of my cool self. Strange, I thought. The earbuds are sticking out in a strange way, not like anyone else's I've ever seen. I pulled them out and noticed that I had the L side in my right ear and the R side in the left.

I don't think I'll ever be cool.

Must write something...

For some reason, I have not felt much of a desire to post anything on this blog. Last week I was reading some of my older posts and was reminded that updating is a good thing.

All I can muster now are some random thoughts.

The house is not yet sold. I'm usually pretty okay with that but sometimes, it's hard not to be a little discouraged. On the positive side, it sure is nice living in a house that is always clean and tidy. I have always valued a clean and organized place but have not ever, until now, really been able to pull it off. They say it takes 6 weeks to form a new habit. I've been at it for almost 12 weeks now. I think that's long enough.

Kristen's the only one living here right now. Eric will be moving back to Winnipeg in a few weeks and will be staying with us until he finds a place to live. We may or may not be empty nesters in September.

We have an interesting catering job to do for a wedding on the weekend. The menu includes butter chicken, palak paneer and curried chickpeas. We did a successful test run on Monday for the family and the bride and groom. Now, if we can only figure out the amount of food we'll need for 100 people without having tons left over...

I purchased an ipod nano several weeks ago. Tim set it up for me and Micah downloaded a bunch of stuff for me too. Now all I have to do is remember to take it with me when I walk the dog.

This will be the last summer that we will have a pool. I'm optimistic that the house will be sold before next summer. Unfortunately, the weather has not been very cooperative for us pool owners, except for last weekend. It was glorious.

Profound Question for July...

...because that's the best I can do these days.

Who was the wiseguy who came up with the idea of having busses and bicycles share the same traffic lane?

If Gavin could speak...

“Well, yesterday with Auntie Linda was okay, I guess.

Tolerable.

She gave me a bottle. She gave me a few spoonfuls of peas but didn’t make me finish them because I think they’re gross. She read me a story, changed my poopy diaper, played that cause and effect game that I like so much-you know, I drop the toy, I pick it up. I drop the toy, I pick it up. She got bored of that after only 15 minutes. Man, I could play that game for hours. .

I got a little fussy and we played outside for a while and then I got tired and she tried to put me back to bed. Well, a little screaming from me and she took me right out of my crib again. She put me in the stroller and we went for a walk. I had a nice nap then too.

She kissed my head and my cheek-a lot but then again, I am pretty irresistible.

Yeah. It was okay I guess.

I think she’d like to do it again. I’d be willing to try it once more, I suppose. But not too often. I’d rather hang out with my mom and dad.”

Cute Kids

There are a number of people I know with young children and I am thrilled to hear/read their cute kid stories.

I have one of my own, except my cute kid is 21 and shaves on occasion.

"I know Gavin is family and all but that guy really is the cutest kid around. Like even if he wasn't part of our family, I'd still think he was that cute."

Because Alisha asked me...

Two names you go by:
1. Linda
2. Mom

Two things you are wearing now:
1. Canker worms (yuk)
2. Feminine earrings because I think my new haircut makes me look like a man

Two of your favorite things to do:
1. Go out for dinner
2. Read

Two things you want very badly at the moment:
1. For my house to sell
2. For Dixie to learn a new trick

Two favorite pets you have had/have:
1. Dixie
2. A canary

Two things you did last night:
1. Went to the Bomber game. Go Blue!
2. Slept all night.

.Two things you ate/drank today:
1. Pizza
2. Wine

Two people you've talked to today:
1. Alisha
2. Tim,

Two things you're doing tomorrow:
1. Playing the piano
2. Going to the grand opening of Pollack's Hardware

Longest Car Rides you've been on:
1. Ontario to Winnipeg
2. Ontario to Florida

Two favorite holidays:
1. Thanksgiving
2. Victoria Day

Two favorite Beverages:
1. Coffee
2. Wine

Two people who will fill this out:
1. Tim
2. Joey

This Old House

It's been on the market now for about 6 weeks. We've had 7 or 8 showings but none of them have resulted in an offer.

I'm usually okay with that. I've always known that this is a unique house and that it will not sell as quickly as other smaller homes. And yet, all too often I find myself worrying and wondering.

A few weeks ago, Michele and I were talking with some friends and Michele said that she had a thought that popped into her head that was something like, "The timing will be just right." What was really neat is that I had almost the same thought the day before. The fact that we both had the same thought, almost word for word has been a real encouragement to me

So now, everytime I begin to worry and obsess, I remind myself that the timing will be right. I just hope that the right time will be sooner, rather than later.

I can always hope, can't I?

Well, it's dead. Totalled. Irreparable .

It's strange though. All I remember is being hit on the passenger side, which is where Michele was seated. But the worst damage is on the driver's side of the car.
I know it's only a car. I had no emotional attachment to it.

So why do I feel like crying?

Newest Member of our Expanding Family

Jaela Jacqueline Tena Smith.

You can read more about her on my niece's blog here.

And one photo of her adorable cousin Gavin. It's hard to choose which one to post but the cool dude one is one of my favourites. Gavin is about 5 months old now.

My Current Favourite Flower

Anemones. The white flowers look so cheerful, bouncing in the breeze.

And another thing...

When the police visited Michele in the hospital, they gave her information on Victim Services.

I guess because I was one of the drivers, I don't get the same treatment.

Right now, I'm feeling like a victim.

I Can't Believe It

I just spoke with my insurance adjuster and she told me that the guy who hit me is not claiming responsibility. What a jerk!

There were lots of witnesses but none of them gave me a name or phone number. I wanted to run across the intersection after it happened to get names and numbers of the people in the cars who were stopped at the red light but nobody would let me. I was in shock so I could not think clearly enough to ask someone else to do it.

So, now, it's my word against his.

I know how this will end. At the very best, I will be found 50% responsible, which is a likely scenario. At worst, I will be fully responsible. Most often the person turning left is the one charged because he/she has to make sure the intersection is clear. Well, I had the green left turn arrow and the intersection was clear until he blew through the red light.

And he seemed like such a nice young man.

A Much Too Eventful Day

On Wednesday, Michele and I were involved in a car accident. I think my car is totalled. We are mostly okay, except for Michele's broken ankle, my whiplash and a few assorted bruises.

We were on our way to drop off groceries for a rather large catering job on Thursday. Most of the groceries survived except for one litre of cream that exploded and the watermelon that was cracked and bruised. I was shocked when I saw the coffee tin with the huge dent in it too and realized that we were very fortunate to get away from there with only minor injuries.

The catering went very well as we had some excellent help-Joey and Chelsea who stayed home from school and Kim, who had a day with nothing planned. We couldn't have done it without them.

Michele is at home, resting with her foot up and learning how to use crutches. I am icing my shoulder and neck and today, I'll take it easy too.

And in case you're wondering, it wasn't my fault. I had the green left turn arrow and was proceeding into the intersection when someone in a small car (thankfully it was small) blew through a red light and hit my car.

Ouch.

And just a few more...

Taken from the 2nd floor.

Updates

Well, they decided they didn't want to buy the house.

Sigh.

There are 2 more showings on Monday and then Tuesday. All of us living here are finding this whole process a little unsettling and tiring. It is always on my mind. I do like the back to back showings though. Less work for me.

My computer has been unbearable slow so I finally deleted a HUGE virus protection program and installed one that doesn't require almost all of my RAM. It's going faster and today, I will be getting some more RAM installed. I won't know what to do with all that memory!

Took a few pictures of my gorgeous spring garden.

I think it's the garden that I will miss the most.

Had a showing last night and the same people want to come to see the house tomorrow morning. That's promising, isn't it?

Now I'm just not sure if I should go ahead and plant my vegetable garden.

New Blogger

Check out Eric's new blog:
http://theciviltwilight.blogspot.com/

Thursday Thirteen

Thirteen things to think about before you decide to make cherry jam with those sweetened Bing cherries that have been in the freezer for a couple of years...

1. They're sweetened. You need to change the amount of sugar even though, on the package, they always tell you NOT to mess with the amounts of sugar.


2. Wear red.


3. It's not a good idea to try to make jam when your house is on the market and you want everything to look model home clean.


4. Keep the dog away from you when you're cleaning up the 5 pounds of sugar you dropped on the floor.


5. Don't tell the rest of the family that you managed to put 4 of the 5 pounds of sugar back into the sugar bin. They'll never notice the little bits in there anyway.


6. Cherry jam tastes delicious on a piece of toast.


7. When you decide that the pectin is not helping anyway, be sure you have 20-30 minutes to stand at the stove stirring the jam, for every batch.


8. Check your chin before you answer the door.


9. Make sure you have some Kirsch* to add.


10. Remember to put the little plates into the freezer so that you can check the consistency.


11. Be sure that you have at least 20 little plates available because you have to test often.


12. Check the glass jars and make sure that you haven't packed them all away.


13. Remember that you have a candy thermometer and use it for all 3 batches, not just the last one.

*I didn't have any but I will the next time, that's for sure.

The Way to a Man's Heart

For Mother's Day, Medardo and Gabriel, our 2 international students gave me some lovely scented lotions and creams from Vic*toria's Se*cret. It was a lovely gift and I must say, it all smells very expensive and lovely.

I had just put a little on before bed the other night when Wes came into the bedroom. I thought he'd find me irresistible, smelling so good. What man could refuse something as titillating as "Love Spell?"

He did notice something.
"Sniff, sniff. Hmmmm. "
"Sniff, sniff, sniff. Hmmmmmm."

"It smells like......

Froot loops in here.

Sus en So

Haven't posted in a while. My sisters and I just finished 4 days of catering this week and 2 days last week so we've been a little tied up. It was a great job. We'd start the day around 9:00 AM and be finished by 3:00, with enough leftovers to feed our families. Pretty sweet, I'd say. And it's always fun to hang out with my sisters.

Our lunches are usually buffet style and we serve. I just love doing that. And people are almost always appreciative-even the woman who didn't want to eat the Chickpea Curry because she didn't like curry. She happily ate more salad and took an extra roll. If she were my child, I'd tell her to try just a little bit because this chickpea curry is really good.

Had 3 showings for the house in the last couple of weeks. This house is clean! Before a showing, I get pretty anal about the house which is very much out of character for me. I like the clean and clutterfree look but we'll relax a bit once the house is sold. That will make everyone happy, I'm sure.

Tim moved out and has set his apartment up quite nicely. He has the important things a young adult needs, like a TV (no cable), computer, toaster and microwave. He also has a Playstation (and game chair) as well as a red and white Canadian lawn chair. I visited him today and was pleased to see him cooking Chicken Curry with Vegetables, one of his favourite dishes. He still could use a couch, kitchen table and some chairs but he seems very happy with what he has. I noiced that his bed was made too. That sure makes a mother proud.

Eric moved too. To Southern Ontario. There will be some adjusting to this by both Eric and me, that's for sure. I think he'll start a blog, just to let us all know how he's doing.

A week or so ago, Kristen found this note on the windshield of her car:

It says: I'm sorry, I did not mean to but your car. You did not leave me your phone number. How ever, my question is, are you perfect?

Do unto others as you want others to do unto you. I take that you are a Christian. I'll be praying 4 U

To say that this note is puzzling is an understatement. Kristen was afraid that she may have hit another car but did not notice it. She assured me that there was nothing on or in her car to show that she is a Christian. She was also worried that this person would take down her licence plate number and report this non incident to the police. I told her not to worry. All we noticed on her car is that there is a scratch on her brand new bumper, the one that was recently replaced.

What she should worry about is that someone as confused as this man or woman is, is out there, still driving.

A Few Pictures

These are a few pictures of our "model" home. They look so lovely!

One Lazy Dog

I thought dogs always stood while they ate their kibbles.

Perfection

By this time tomorrow, my house will be perfect. Every surface dusted, all light fixtures shining, every hole and chip filled and painted, no clutter, stove clean, fridge clean, laundry caught up...

This place has never looked this good, ever before.

I want to buy it all over again.

Changes Again

We spent a great weekend in Ontario at Easter. My parents in law were celebrating a 50th wedding anniversary and we all (that is, Wes, all our children and me) flew down for the festivities. There are things that need to be celebrated and this was one of them.

One of the things I loved best was seeing my children connect with their cousins, who they do not see much. Eric especially seemed to really enjoy the aunts, uncles and cousins. When he asked me, "Mom, why did you move away?" I think he was trying to understand what would possess us to move away from such great people and such a beautiful area.

Why did we move? We had pretty good relationships with our families and the Niagara area certainly is beautiful. I am reminded of that every time we go back. And now, our family bonds seem to be growing stronger. I think we moved because we, like so many young adults wanted to try it on our own. Start our own lives, away from what was familiar; have an adventure that included some risk but not too much. Besides, Wes was offered a great job here and we felt we could not turn it down. And, we were pretty sure that within a few years, we'd be back.

It's been 29 years since we first moved away from there, to here. With telephone, email and inexpensive air travel, it has been easy to stay connected.

But now, the tide has turned. Eric has been offered a position with Sun Media in St. Catharines and will be moving out there around the middle of May. I'm happy for him. The job sounds like it suits his talents and abilities well. The family will love to see him and I'm pretty sure they'll make sure to keep him connected.

People have been asking me how I feel about this. Sure, I'll miss him but I also know that this is a great opportunity for him, both professionally and personally.

And it's good for Westjet too. I just might have to take an extra trip or two now and then.

Warning

If you ever decide to get extensions in your hair....

The installation of said extensions is WAY easier than the removal of same. Why is it that the friends get the fun part (putting them in) but the mom has to do the gross part (loosening the glue and pulling out)?

You read that right.

Glue.

Could have been worse

It's a phone call every parent fears.

"Uh, mom? Can you come and pick me up? I've been in an accident-I'm okay, really I am, but I can't drive my car."

I pulled a jacket on over my pyjamas, found a pair of shoes and ran out the door. As I neared the intersection that Tim had directed me to, I saw a fire truck, ambulance and police cruiser. My heart sank right down to my feet. I parked my car and hurried over to the scene of the accident, my eyes searching the crowd for only one face. And then I saw him, standing with the paramedics, a little subdued but otherwise fine.

Neither Tim nor the other driver was really sure who had the green light. One of the firefighters told Tim that she smelled alcohol on the breath of the other driver. We're not sure because the police were questioning him as we were leaving. All they would have smelled on Tim was coffee breath as he was on his way home from work.

We got home just after midnight and I gave Tim a kiss and a hug-something I don't usually do before bed anymore.

It's possible that the car will be a write-off. He may feel a little stiff and sore this morning. This will set him back financially. But all that matters today is that he is here, at home, safe and sound.

And I have once again been reminded of how precious life is and how much I love my kids.

In Limbo

I suppose I should post something. I have a few regular readers who remind me that it's time for another post, even though some of those same people are lurkers, not even leaving comments for me!

Problem is, there doesn't seem to be much happening in my life worth writing about. I could say something about the cleaning, culling and organizing I'm doing but that was the subject of my last few posts. I could say something about selling the house but I've written about that too. I feel that my life has been put on hold, that I'm in some kind of no man's land. Got to get the house ready for showings in a few weeks and then, wait, how long? till someone buys it. In the meantime, it must stay in model home condition. Sigh.

And then there's the nagging feeling that maybe nobody will want to buy this house. It's a gorgeous house and it has been a wonderful place for us to live. And I know that it's time for us to move on. And what if nobody wants it? What then? How long will we stay here?

I'm not even entertaining the thought of where we will live after this place is sold. Well, maybe entertaining a little. That's something I'll worry about when this house is sold.

There's also the likelihood that Wes and I will be empty nesters come September. Just like that. Tim really wants to move out and Kristen's been accepted to the Outtatown program. All wonderful stuff but more changes for us.

For the next couple of days though, a bit of a reprive. I'm going to Fargo for some cross border shopping. It's something that I don't care to make a habit of but there aren't too many Canadian cities close enough to Winnipeg for a 2 day jaunt. It will be fun. A road trip with some of my favourite people. I'd love to take a few more of you too but then we'd need to rent a van. And the only rooms available in Fargo are the ones with one bed. Seems that there are more people from Manitoba making the same trip during spring break. Somehow Yvonne, Chelsea, Kristen and I will have to find a way to share one king-sized bed.

I hear toilet paper, aluminum foil and canned fruit are pretty cheap in the US. Maybe I'll stock up, even bring some back for Michele.

So long!

Happy Birthday Chelsea!

Still in the Decluttering Stage

It seems that the virus I picked up in Ontario is rapidly leaving my system. Good thing. There's lots to do.

I am in the middle of packing up half of my house so that by May 1, it can be staged and ready for showings.

Staging is a new thing for me even though it's been part of the Real Estate lingo for quite some time. In staging your home, you need to declutter, clean (toothbrush clean, my agent tells me), reduce the amount of furniture you have or move it so that you can create "vignettes," and then add only the most minimal decorative touches. Your home needs to look like a model home, a place in which prospective buyers can easily imagine themselves living.

It's been freeing to declutter. There has been much that has been brought to our local thrift store. Boxes and some bookcases will be sent over to Ben and Carolyn's. Photos have been removed from the walls, small repairs have been made. I'm working my way down to the bottom of my freezer and reducing the food in the pantry. Our agents suggested that we take half the clothes out of the closet-quite a challenge because there's not much in there that I don't wear. Remove wire hangers, only use wood or plastic..the list goes on and on.

I think the biggest challenge for us will be keeping our home looking perfect for however long it takes to sell. I do worry about that. Too much.

Ah well. We can only do so much. Hopefully, we'll sell within a couple of months and I'll realize that I didn't have to stress about it. At least all of this preliminary work will make the actual move much easier.

I'm off to pack away some more stuff.

What I Did On the Easter Weekend...

We just got back from celebrating the 50th wedding anniversary of my in-laws. They live in a beautiful part of Southern Ontario, the Niagara-on-the-Lake area.

"What was the best part of the weekend?" my brother-in-law asked when he picked us up at the Winnipeg airport.

That's a hard question to answer as almost every part of the weekend was wonderful. My brother-in-law who works at the Shaw Festival Theatre took us on a tour where we stood on stage, admired the backdrops back stage, entered the orchestra pit and saw the beautiful fabrics and costumes being created in the wardrobe department. That was one of those little surprise things. We went there to pick up a few music stand to borrow and we had this wonderful improptu tour. A short visit to the Old Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake, a wine tour and a stop at a greenhouse were all part of the Saturday morning itinerary.

The 50th anniversary celebration was great too. The room was beautiful, Wes and his sister managed to keep the program short and running smooth and we connected with aunts and uncles that we hadn't seen in decades. I had the opportunity to be part of a band with some of my kids and nephews and nieces.

A potluck, celebrating my father-in-law's 70th birthday was something else that was a real pleasure. Watching my children connect with their cousins, even though they don't see much of each other was such a joy. Kristen said that it was neat that there was an immediate connection with the cousins. "It was like we knew each other already and could start right into the poopy talk, without having to get reaquainted first."

Easter Sunday was spent with my parents, and my 2 brothers and their families. Again, lots of food, lots of noise and lots of wine. It doesn't get much better than that.

We flew back home on Monday night, grateful that the neat stuff we bought actually fit into our suitcases. Not so happy that I also picked up some kind of virus that I took home with me. Oh well, nothing that a bit of Tylenol and rest won't cure.

The Things I Have Unearthed

There are definite advantages to cleaning, culling and organizing. I have come across many interesting items from my past. I am not a pack rat but when it comes to the music I have accumulated, I don't believe I have ever thrown anything out.

Today was different. Our local thrift store will be getting original copies of the following:

I Honestly Love You (Olivia Newton John)

Put Your Hand in the Hand (as sung by Anne Murray)

I'm All Out of Love (Air Supply)

Wind Beneath My Wings (as sung by Roger Whittakker)

Love Story (Andy Williams)

...as well as others which I am too embarassed to publish.

One fabulous find was this:

It's hard to see but our house is in the bottom picture, on the right. This ad ran in the Free Press in April of 1924. I don't think the house was new at the time because we believe that the house was built earlier than that. I think I'll frame it and hang it some where so people who come through to look at the house will be able to see it.

Thursday Thirteen

1. It's still cold. Will Spring ever come?
2. I've been busy. Culling, cleaning and organizing. We are interviewing Real Estate Agents this week and hope to have a "For Sale" sign on this old house in a couple of months.
3. My hope is that the house will be sold in a couple of weeks (keeping everything neat, tidy and dust free is going to be a challenge) with a possession date of August 31.
4. People ask me what our plans are after we sell this house. Uh...no plans. We may be "of no fixed address" for a while but we will not be homeless.
5. The housing market is hot here in Winnipeg but our house is unique in a number of ways. That may make it harder to sell.
6. I am feeling quite a lot of anxiety about all of this. Now that the time has finally come, I worry, constantly. Will it sell by the summer (I surely hope so), can we keep it neat and tidy enough for showings (our international students keep their bedrooms in good condition but don't seem to care about cleanliness in toilets and showers), will we get enough money for it (to pay off the mortgage and have enough left for something nice)?
7. Emotionally, I am ready to leave this place. I will miss it. There are many happy memories here but I'm ready to move on.
8. My laptop is still out of commission. That's why I haven't been posting lately. The LCD display is cracked and needs replacing. Dell, which claims to have great customer service (NOT!) has informed me that it will cost $400.00-500.00 to repair. I know that the replacement part can be purchased on ebay for less than $150.00. What gives?
9. I will NOT purchase a Dell computer again.
10. The desktop computer is now upstairs in the TV room and is not as available as the laptop. I need to share it with everyone else in the family.
11. Kristen has not yet heard about "Ottatown" but we are optimistic that she will be accepted and will be in South Africa by this time next year.
12. Had a seriously clogged bathtub drain last week that resulted in a $400.00 plumbing bill and a new and unneccesary hole in the bathroom ceiling. I won't go into all the details. There are some things about this old house I will not miss.

All's Quiet in the Blogging World

...including me.

The part for my laptop finally came and my favourite computer saavy son will be installing it for me soon. All he needs from me is a meal. Not bad eh? I'll probably be posting just a little more once the computer's up and running again.

Wes has been away for a week now. I miss him, I really do but boy oh boy am I sleeping well these days. I was a little worried that I'd be spending a lot of time alone but that hasn't happened. With 4 teens/young adults around, there's always someone to chat with, or cook for. When the kids were little and Wes would be out of town, I would do a lot of house cleaning. I don't know why but I certainly took advantage of his absences. I would put the kids to bed and get out the vacuum. Now, I'm usually the first one in bed and the others who live here don't seem inclined to pull out the vacuum or dust cloth. Too bad.

Having International students living with us has been for the most part a positive experience. They have been interesting and have expanded our understanding of the world. Medardo and Gabriel are our last ones though. We'll be putting our house up for sale this spring and will be moving to something smaller and there will only be room for us and Kristen (Tim's hoping to move out by the summer), with enough space for occasional visitors. No space for boarders. We are looking forward to that.

I always thought that the selling of our house would be our biggest challenge but being in the middle of a fiery hot housing market, I think our biggest challenge will be to find a place that will suit us. Thankfully I have two sisters who have both said we could live with them for a while if necessary. I don't worry about all of this much these days. I pray about it every day and leave it in God's hands.

This has been one of the most random posts I've ever done. But then again, that's how my brain works and I don't feel too inspired today. I will do some cleaning though. I do love a tidy, neat and organized house.

Next time I post it will be from my laptop. I can't wait!

Monday Musings

Email's working-sort of. But now my laptop, which is set up just right for me is broken. The monitor is kaput and I've ordered a new one. Till then, you won't hear much from me.

We're in the middle of another deep freeze here on the Prairies. I'm really tired of the cold. So is Dixie. She sits by the window and watches the cars go by and then turns around and whines at me. I'm sure she wishes she could go out but it's even too cold for dogs these days. It is usually around this time of year that I wonder if it will ever get warm again.

I purchased the book "Eat, Pray, Love" and am enjoying it. If you're interested in travel and spiritual memoirs, this is something you'll enjoy. At times I find it a little boring but there's enough in there to keep me reading. Makes me want to spend some time at an Ashram in India...At the very least it will be warm there!

In church yesterday we had communion (or Eucharist, or Lord's Supper) and I had the priviledge of helping to serve. I don't know what it is but when I serve the bread and wine (we actually use grape juice) to fellow believers in Jesus, I am deeply, deeply moved and honoured to be serving in that way. I am often so moved that I want to cry. It is something I cannot easily describe or understand.

Wes is going to the Dominican Republic at the end of this week to work for Habitat for Humanity. I think it will be a great experience for him.

Kristen wants to do something exciting next year and she is actually considering the "Outtatown" Program at Canadian Mennonite University. I know that we parents need to be careful not to relive our youth through our children but boy oh boy. I hope she goes so that I can experience it vicariously through her.

That's all for now folks. Hope you're staying warm (if you're from the prairies).

My email's not working today. What did people do before email?

Oma Hoornenborg

She would have been 102 last Friday. And had her life been a little easier something makes me think that she might still be living.

My Oma was born in the Netherlands on February 1, 1906. I don't know much about her life except that she survived 2 world wars, bore 8 children and remained married to the same man until he died. I did not see my grandparents often but they did figure prominently in my life as they visited us every two years in their retirement. Oma lived until she was 95, healthy and surrounded by her loving family. My mother, sisters and I had the great priviledge of celebrating her 90th birthday with her in Holland in 1996.

Even though I was English speaking and Oma was Dutch, we were able to communicate. Oma always brought delicious treats for us and was very generous in giving them out. All we kids had to do was ask her the question, "Oma, kan ik een snoepje hebben?" (May I have a candy?) and she would go to the stash in her bedroom and come out with something good. She had dropjes, Dutch peppermints and heart candies that melted in your mouth.

She was a typical Dutch Oma with beautiful white hair, an ample bosom and flowery dresses. Much of the Dutch I knew, I learned from her and I remember a phrase that she spoke often to Opa when he would tease her, "Nay vader, dat is niet waar! Niet waar!" (No father, that is not true! Not true!)

I remember when I was very young we would occasionally get care packages from Oma. There'd be women's magazines, a bit of candy and wool stockings for the girls. Oh how I hated those wool stockings! I have an allergy to wool so they would itch my legs so badly I could hardly walk. I'd go to the washroom numerous times during the day just so I could take them off and get a few moments of relief. I felt guilty about hating them. After all, they were a gift from my Oma, they were supposed to keep my legs warm in the winter and they looked nice-at least that's what my mom said. All I remember is that they were gray and horribly, painfully, awfully, itchy and they turned my legs bright red.

But my memories of Oma are still fond. Her death didn't change my life much because I was quite used to living without her but still, every now and then I think about her and wonder about her. I suspect that there are a lot of things we have in common. I know she enjoyed doing the crossword, which is something I like to do too. She enjoyed cooking, a gift that she passed on to her daughters and then to her granddaughters. She also wrote letters to us on somthing we called "Airmail forms." These were thin pieces of paper upon which you wrote your letter and then licked the tabs which were on three sides to seal it closed. Oma would fill every space on that paper, sometimes adding the last sentences in the side margins. She was accustomed to being thrifty and using every available space.

The last time I visited Oma was in 1999 and though her memory was fading, she knew who I was as soon as I entered her room. She seemed genuinely glad to see me although Wes did not receive the same treatment as she glared at him everytime she noticed him and asked what that man was doing there.

Oma died peacefully in her sleep at the ripe old age of 95. She lives on in her children and grandchildren.

The Forks

Went skating last night on the longest skating trail in the world. We met 2 groups of people that we know and stopped at the 4 km mark for hot apple cider. A great way to spend a few hours on a late Sunday afternoon. I think that next weekend we'll try to do the whole trail from Omands Creek to the Forks and then back again.

Sofie and Ann

Is this 630 Henderson?
Uh, hello? Pardon?
Is this 630 Henderson? No, this is 6I'm looking for 630 Henderson and that house over there is 640 and nobody's home over there is this 630?
No! But would you like to come in? You look absolutely chilled.
Oh yes. Thank you. So this isn't 630 Henderson?

So began a most interesting visit with a couple of delightful elderly ladies. Anne and Sofie are 2 Ukranian spinster sisters who were out yesterday looking for a non-existent house and ended up at my place. They had been walking around the neighbourhood, knocking on doors looking for an address and in the process, were approaching hypothermia. I had to invite them in.

My own sister Michele (you can read her version of this story here) just happened to be over for a visit too so we sat back and watched with pleasure, a most interesting show. Ann, the younger sister at 78, was definitely the talker of the two.

I worked at CN for 35 years and then I decided to retire at 55. I figured I had worked long enough and it was time for me to relax!
And what kind of work were you in Sofie?
Well, I used to...Sofie's had trouble all her life. She's only worked minimum wage paying jobs. We just got the roof fixed on our house. Sofie, do you have the pictures of the house? I think they're in my purse Ann. I'll see if I canLet me look. You can never find anything in that purse.

And so went the afternoon. We learned that Ann and Sofie were the youngest of 7 and that everyone was dead now, several as a result of tragic circumstances, although they had a lot of nieces and nephews that they visited regularly, and they have a nephew who owns a hotdog stand in Grand Marais who always gives them hotdogs for free because every Christmas they buy him slippers even though he can afford to buy his own slippers. They have lived in their house for 27 years, mow their own lawn and shovel their own driveway. They recently had the roof replaced because it was leaking.

They are looking for an apartment for Sofie but she can't afford the one they liked. I asked why they were not looking for a place that they could share and Ann told me that they were getting on each other's nerves and had decided that they should each have their own place.

At one point the conversation turned to dogs and I learned that Ann and Sofie had a dog who died of cancer (what else) on Valentines Day, 2003. Sofie, you've got the pictures. I know you have. Here let me look. I can find things in your purse faster than you.

It took a while but Sofie did find the pictures of Candy, the cockapoo. The pictures were of Candy's funeral, complete with satin-lined casket (they found the perfect piece of satin at Mitchell's Fabrics); the freshly covered grave and head stone. They loved that puppy.

It wasn't long before the ladies were on their way. The tea had warmed their bodies and our conversation had warmed my heart.

One thing that Ann did concede was that Sofie was a good cook. I asked if she could make perogies and was assured that hers were excellent. Just write your name and phone number on a piece of paper and we'll have you and Michele over for perogies. Oh I'm not that great a cook but I'd like to have you over.

I should have taken a picture. I'm so glad Michele happened to be visiting because an experience like this has to be shared. I think if I was alone I might have woken up the next day and wondered if I'd dreamt the whole thing.

I hope Ann doesn't lose the little piece of paper with my name and address. I'd love to visit with them again.

Too Cold to Talk

We in the west are experiencing bone chilling, outrageous, excruciating cold weather. I want to stay inside today, sit in front of the fireplace and read a good book but alas, I must work. And I have a meeting to attend tonight.

Poor Gabriel. He is our new international student, arriving today, from Brazil. If I were him, I'd just turn around and head back home.

The things I've said about Winnipeg being the best place in the world to live? I take them all back.

For today, anyway.

Winnipeg-One Great City

This weekend I plan to lace up my skates and spend some time on the longest skating rink in the world. Be sure to watch the video.

Kudos to Kathryn Keyes for her comments:
"We think it's great and we think there's room for two records in Canada," said Kathryn Keyes, spokeswoman with the National Capital Commission. "We would be happy to see Winnipeg crowned as the world's longest."

Here's hoping for colder weather in Ottawa!

The Dogs

Dixie and Jed are cousin dogs and best friends. I'm not sure what Jed sees in Dixie though. She chews at his ears so that they get soaked, nips at his legs, teases him and tries to get his bone away from him. In the summer, Jed's favourite thing is to play chase in the back yard. Dixie will run for about 3 laps and then goes to find something to chew and leaves Jed looking very sad and forlorn. When Dixie goes to Jed's for a play date, he exhibits some very odd behaviour. I think Dixie's jealous of Jed's very own couch. That's probably why she tries to chew it. Poor Jed is terrified that she may get in trouble for doing that and begins to shake uncontrollably but hey, Dixie doesn't care. The human behavioural experts claim that opposites attract. Maybe Jed appreciates Dixie's joi de vivre and perhaps Dixie looks up to Jed for his amazing ability to relax so well. We should do a personality test on the dogs and see what we come up with.

I must say that Dixie does not have the same regal bearing as Jed.Allowing your very long tongue to hang out really reduces your ability to look classy.


These crazy dogs really give us a lot of laughs but I wonder if we talk about them too much. My dear sister-in-law said that we needed babies in our families, presumably so we wouldn't talk so much about the dogs. Hmmmm. Interesting thought although I personally can't do anything about that now that I am a uterus-free zone.

For the time being, they keep us entertained.

Monday Night Dinner

Gavin's first Monday night family dinner.

This is what happens at a Monday night family dinner when Micah finds the camera.

I wonder what Gavin thought?

Chats with Myself

I had a chat today with my 80 year old self. There were a few things I wanted to ask her about and hoped that she could give me some clarity on what's happening in my life right now. Here is her advice.

Linda, stop obsessing about your weight and body image. Get out and move. Ride your bike, go cross country skiing and don't worry so much about how you look. Do spend some time (but not too much) on your hair, makeup and wearing clothes that flatter you. You will feel better about yourself and your beauty will shine through. Incidentally, I love your new glasses.

Watch your posture. Stand straight and for heaven's sake, call your physiotherapist to find out why your back hurts so much in the mornings. And finish reading that book you took out of the library, "Pain Free for Women." There is a lot of good stuff in there. Follow through on finding a Yoga class. That did wonders for me. God needs you and you must care for your body so that you can be healthy and strong.

If you have a dream, follow it. I've spent too many years thinking of all the reasons why I couldn't do something that I had a dream about. Do you remember that time in our bedroom, I think we were about 18 years old, when we had a clear thought that we might like to become a pastor? And then the second thought that told us we couldn't? We should have listened to the first thought because you and I both know that it was God's voice. I know we're okay with it all. We've talked to God about it, confessed our fear of risks and all that. He understands. But you know, he is still calling you to ministry. I know because I was 50 thirty years ago. Don't waste these next 30 years thinking you're too old to follow God's calling. Thirty years is a long time to follow something you're passionate about. I can't tell you the journey that he's taking you on right now because you wouldn't enjoy it nearly as much if I told you exactly what was going to happen and there are things you need to learn on your own. I would just say continue on the path of spirituality, of contemplation and leadership. That is where God will speak to you, when you slow down, speak less and listen more.

I'm so glad that we've learned to laugh and I can tell you that you will laugh more and more. God will also lead you into a few "dark night of the soul" times. I'm so glad that we finally figured out by this time that it is not really a bad place for us to be. I'm glad that we realized in our 50s that God works most powerfully when we are at our weakest and it is through our trials and struggles that we grow closer to him, if we let him take us through it.

I'm getting a little tired now Linda. I think I'll have to go take a little nap. I'm glad that we learned years ago that a little afternoon nap is good for the soul and the body. I'd love it if you came to visit with me again and we can talk some more.

The next 30 years will be awesome!

I'm having a little trouble sleeping so those of you who check my blog have lots to read

Last Tuesday evening was our second cross-country skiing lesson. The temperature (including wind chill factor) was hovering around -27 C and so I called the school to see if the class was still on. It was.

When Wes came home, I very nicely asked him to call again. Maybe they changed their minds and realized that it was too cold to go cross country skiing. No such luck. They told him too that the class was going ahead.

I wore long johns, thermal socks and 2 wind resistant pairs of pants. On the top I wore a shirt, like the long johns, a long sleeved top, vest, fleece and then my jacket, which I could hardly zip up. I also wore a hat and warm mittens. I figured that I would be prepared even though I would have cancelled, if it were up to me. The "you've got to be crazy" theme kept popping up in my head as well as the "you're doing this for fun?" phrase.

But as soon as we headed out my mood and attitude changed. When it is so cold here in the prairies, the sky is amazingly clear. There was a full moon out that was hanging low in the sky and providing light. We walked through the trees to a clearing where we began our lesson. It seemed unbelieveable that we were in the middle of the city and yet it was so calm and quiet. It was just beautiful out there. And as long as we were moving, we were not cold. As a matter of fact both Wes and I ended up taking our jackets off at one point.

They (whoever they are) say that the people who enjoy the winter most in Winnipeg are the ones who get out and find outdoor activities to do. After last night, I tend to agree.

But I know myself. Next week, if it is any colder than -25 C, I'm going to call and see if the class is cancelled. It probably won't be and I'll have to talk myself into going. Once I get out there though, I'll be glad I did. That's how it always goes with me.

We enjoyed it so much that we will probably go out sometime this weekend to practise.

I just had an implant installed today. Installed seems like a good word to use because the dentist used a variety of tools that builders use, including a drill, compressor, stainless steel rod and hammer. All very well sterilized, I was assured.

I tend to be a trusting person so when my dentist told me he couldn't do the implant but he had a brother-in-law who was pretty cheap, I went ahead with the brother-in-law, who practises in a small town, 20 minutes away from the city. Hmmm.


The BIL has a bona fide dental practise-at least he works in a building with a sign that says, Beausejour Dental Office and he has dental hygeinists who love their jobs. (Have you noticed that dental hygenists can get downright giddy when they're scraping the crud off your teeth? They really like it. They generally seem like a happy bunch to me. Go figure.)


Today I went for the implant and Dr. K was happy, VERY happy to see me. His 2 assistants were also VERY happy to see me and it seemed to me that all the hygenists, receptionists and other people who work there all knew who I was and were VERY happy to see me. I seemed to be a bit of a celebrity.

I was getting a little nervous. I started wondering how many implants the BIL does in a year. They all seemed to know what they were doing. But they all seemed a little too happy. They reminded me of the time Michele, Yvonne and I got together to make our first batch of fresh cheese. We were so excited. We sterilized everything we needed to use, we read the instructions over and over and over. We talked about every detail and about what we should do. And the cheese worked out fabulously-the second time we tried it.

Gulp.

When I am draped with sterile clothes and have a funny cap over my head, I become very docile and agreeable. So even though I was nervous, I didn't get up and run away or ask to see the good dentist's credentials. I just let him do his thing. And when he told me that he would have to "tap" the implant into place if it didn't go in all the way, that I should not worry, it was part of the procedure. However, when we got to that part, my confidence in the dentist began to leave with every tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, TAPTAPTAPBANGBANGBANG. Those were not little taps. They were bangs that could have broken my jaw if he had been hitting it with the same power he was using to "tap" the implant into place. As he was banging, I realized that at that moment, I was totally trusting in him and his ability to install an implant. I was also trusting my own dentist who referred me to his brother-in-law. He apologized for what he was doing but because we were commited, we couldn't stop.

Finally he did stop the hammering, checked his work and reported that it was a slam dunk. I think that meant he was happy with it. Whew.

The procedure itself lasted all of 20 minutes or so and it wasn't bad at all except for the hammer. As they worked, I became more confident and less worried in their abilties. The dentist was happy with how things were going and I liked his satisfied grunts and pleased words as everything worked out just as it was supposed to.

The worst is over and in a few months, after bone has grown around the implant he will be able to place a beautiful new tooth in the gap that is there right now.

That's good thing because I never really liked that tooth in the first place and now, knowing that there's a big hole where my tooth should be is surprisingly embarassing to me.

It's Friggin' Cold

We are in the middle of an arctic chill here in the great white north. With the wind chill factored in, it feels like it's -30 C or even colder and I'm getting a little cranky. So, in order to cheer myself up, I thought I'd come up with 10 things that I'm thankful for.

1. Unlike Dixie the dog, I'm grateful that I can do my business indoors.
2. The parking pay stations that were installed downtown last year don't work when it's cold. I parked for free twice last week and saved myself two dollars!
3. Triple pane windows
4. Slippers
5. Comfort food
6. Long johns
7. Moisture wicking clothing (we had our first outdoor cross country skiing class last night)
8. Wine-warms my feet like nothing else
9. The sun
10. A car with a good heating system

Lifestyles of the Rich and Infamous

On my way home this morning, after dropping my brother and sister-in-law off at the airport, I stopped at the grocery store. When I was finished, I loaded the groceries into my car and brought the cart away. As I was walking back, I watched a woman squeeze into the spot right beside me. I wish I had checked to see what kind of car she was driving. All I noticed was that it was spotlessly clean, scratch free, dent free and very large. My Toyota Corolla on the other hand has a few dents and scratches and wasn't nearly as clean as the woman's fancy car. It still looks good and it's a great little vehicle.

I waited patiently, certain that she would move her car because she would realize that it would be hard for me to open the door and get into mine.

To my surprise, she got out of her car and started walking towards the store. I called after her and said (very nicely), "You haven't left me much room to get into my car."

She walked over to me, looked at the space between our 2 cars, shrugged her shoulders and said matter of factly, "That's what happens when you have a luxury car" and she turned and walked away.

Is This an Obsession?

I am beginning to obsess about the recent Myers/Briggs test I took.

I do not tend to obsess about things unless you call my desire to purchase a really big potato masher an obsession. You should see it though! It's like, at least one metre in length, heavy and has a really solid wooden handle. You could mash potaotes in one of those huge pots you find in restaurants and still not get your arms burned by steam. My sisters wouldn't let me buy one though. They don't think we need one.

What I think I'll do is decide which kind of personality type I want and become that person. Most of the descriptions of the personality types are pretty clear so I think I could figure it out.
All I have to do is memorize all the personality types, decide which one I want to be and then become that person. Shouldn't be too hard.

If any of my faithful readers have done the test and are happy with your personality, could you tell me what it is? If I like your particular personality, I may try to become just like you.

At least it's cheaper than therapy.

I am in a state of shock.

I was at a retreat this weekend and we did the Myers/Briggs personality test. This was at least the 3rd, possibly 4th time I've done this. Every time I have been the same. ENFP. Every time.

Until today. Today, apparently, I am an ESTJ.

I'm shocked and don't quite know what to do with this. When I read the ESTJ profile, I think that's not me but when I read the ENFP profile, I think that's not me either. I am so confused! I always thought I knew myself but obviously I don't.

I think I'll redo the test in a month or so to see if "the new me" is ESTJ or ENFP. I just hope it's not something else because then I'll definitely have to go into therapy.

Last time I'm going to do one of those tests.

Harrumph.

For The Family...

It's here. You better come and get it soon or else I'm going to eat it all!

A New Activity

When I first moved to the Prairies in 1979 (was it that long ago?) I thought the landscape here in central Canada was boring. Flat was all I saw. It took a few years before I really began to appreciate and love this land. Today I see so much more and while I love the beauty of my home province, I'm always happy to come back to Manitoba. Over the years we've had international students living with us and all of them have indicated to us that they would love to ski while they were here. They assume that because there is snow, there is an opportunity to ski. They don't realize until they actually come here that the landscape is pretty flat and there are not too many places for them to hone their skills.

Wes and I enjoyed downhill skiing when we were in our late teens and early twenties partly because there were plenty of hills near our homes. I enjoyed the speed and the thrill of being just barely in control as I raced down the hill. I remember getting up early in the morning so that we could be on the hill as soon as it opened and then staying until closing. Sometimes I'd wake up the next morning a little stiff and perhaps a little bruised but never bad enough to make me want to stop skiing.

I've gone skiing a few times since I moved to the prairies but not often. There aren't a lot of ski hills here because the prairies are, well, flat. One of our hills is called Holiday Mountain-not really a mountain but a valley and Assissippi, a new ski resort is a good 4 hour drive away.

The last time I went skiing, there was no speed or rush. I snowploughed my way down the hill and only spent a couple of hours on the hill. I think that caution and the fear of falling and hurting myself has replaced my need for speed. I suppose that can happen as you get older.

Tonight, Wes and I will attend our first of four cross country skiing lessons. I think that my days of downhill skiing may be over but cross country skiing might get me outside a little more in the winter, provide some good excercise for us and keep us in shape for biking, once the snow melts.

Most of the people I know who cross country ski, love it. My son Tim thinks I should try snow boarding. Most of the people I know who snow board, love it. However, I see snowboarders on their butts far more often than I see cross country skiiers on their butts. I prefer to stay on my feet.

I'll let you know how it goes.

Finally

It took 9 months, 12 days, 30 hours of labour and a C-section but finally, he's here. My great nephew, the first child of the next generation.

I will post pictures but I shall wait till his mom and dad have done so first.

Take my word when I say he is absolutely beautiful.

His mom and dad are both tired but thrilled and looking good.

I just love digital cameras. Today I downloaded some new photos and also deleted some bad ones. Here are a few favourites.

Christmas wouldn't be complete without several rousing games of Monopoly.

Yvonne and I with our finest holiday accessories. The wine had nothing, absolutely nothing to do with it.

Thursday Thirteen

Thirteen things I'm looking forward to.

1. Christmas eve with my children.
2. Christmas day with the extended family.
3. The 2 days and nights we'll be spending at Pinewood Lodge.
4. Our open house on December 30.
5. Singing Christmas carols.
6. Learning to cross country ski. Wes and I start our lessons in January.
7. The birth of my niece and her husband's baby.
8. A huge dumping of snow. It's not in the forcast but I can hope, can't I?
9. Skating at the Forks. All I have to do is find my skates. Has anyone seen my skates?
10. A visit from John and Tena after the baby is born. I know they're not coming to see me but I'm hoping they'll be able to tear themselves away from their little grandson for a while.
11. Wes' week off, between Christmas and New Year's.
12. Playing my newly tuned piano.
13. The book "The Dissident Daughter" that I ordered 2 weeks ago and still hasn't come.

Better, Much Better, Thank you

Ahhh. Finally feeling like my old self again.

We (Prairie Bounty) and Eric catered a successful job yesterday for a local Mennonite NGO. My sisters had done quite a lot of catering in the last few weeks as I whiled away my days on the couch. It was good to be back in action.

It was a pretty peaceful job and we found ourselves standing around in the kitchen for much of the time, occasionally moving around in the room where the event was happening, replenishing trays. While we were standing around, we talked about how much fun it would be to have an open house. We do love to cook together, especially for friends and family. We decided it would be on December 30, sometime in the afternoon or evening.

So... anyone who reads this blog is invited to attend. We'll be sending out emails and invitations but some people will inevitably be missed. If you are reading this post, you are welcome to join us. Email me if you need the address.

There was someone yesterday from the Celiac society and she asked us if we might be interested in catering for them. They have trouble finding people who can cook for them with their diet restrictions. That's the kind of job we like so hopefully she'll follow up. We are pretty good cooks but we are not very good at the administrative part of the job and alas, we forgot our business cards. Again. Fortunately, Yvonne found some in the bag with the serviettes so we were able to hand out a few. Michele said we need one more sister who is good at administrative stuff. Maybe we'll have to adopt.

One of the good things about catering is that we always have too much food. Yesterday we all took home some cut up fruit and veggies. Supper tonight will be a stir fry with fruit salad for dessert. Thanks MCC!

Bored

I suppose that means I'm getting better.

It's hard to post anything new and exciting when you haven't been out and all your news of what's happening on the outside is coming from the people you live with or the CBC news which only seems to be reporting on Brian Mulroney and Karl Heinz Whateverhisnameis.

I got 2 new antibiotic perscriptions from the doctor yesterday. That's got to kill any kind of bacteria left in my body, don't you think?

I must be getting better. I'm complaining more.

On the bright side, my new favourite author is Sue Monk Kidd. I read "The Secret Life of Bees" for the third time this week. I also finished a book of short meditations of hers that I bought some time ago. Sue Monk Kidd has grappled with lots of spiritual issues in her life and currently I'm reading "When the Heart Waits" which is the story of her mid-life crisis journey. It is powerful stuff that I can really relate to although I would suggest to her to change the name of her book. It sound like one of those cheap romance novels.

Sue Monk Kidd's "When the Heart Waits" is to a romance novel what dinner at a five star restaurant is to no-name mac and cheese.

Really.

Still Sick

Half way through the antibiotics

T3s are gone

Brain turning to mush

Couch getting saggier by the day

Still glad the malfunctioning uterus (Michele's words) is gone

He usually sits in the red chair beside the fireplace.

I don’t sit too often when I’m home. Most of the time I’m in the kitchen, cooking for my family and sometimes Prairie Bounty, or on the computer writing and replying to emails, or on the phone. Lately Kristen’s been in the kitchen studying for exams. Tim might be there too, drinking a cup of coffee and talking about his day. Medardo and Mauricio will come through and tell me a story. Or a friend may be visiting and we’ll share a cup of tea.

Sometimes I’ll walk past the living room and see him, waiting. I’ll promise him that as soon as I take care of this load of laundry, I’ll come by to spend some time. It’s so easy for me to get distracted though and several hours later, I’ll walk past him again. I might throw a quick prayer his way-“please God, be with my friend who’s going through a hard time, help Kristen while she’s writing her exam, bless my family…”

He just sits there, waiting for me. Not like someone demanding my attention but more like someone who wants to get to know me. Someone who would like nothing better than for me to stop for a moment and rest at his feet.

Finally, I find some time. I lie on the couch as he sits in the chair, his full attention on me. I dare not look into his eyes for they are so full of love and compassion for me, I may lose myself in them. I tell him about all the things that are on my mind. My children, my spouse, my brothers and sisters, parents, my in-laws, nieces, nephews and friends. I pray for George Bush, Stephen Harper and all those other people who have great power. I ask him why he doesn’t do more about AIDS, poverty and injustice.

Finally, I am spent. I have no more words, no requests, no more demands. I know he has listened and has heard me but he says nothing in reply. No answers. All of my words lay in a jumbled heap at his feet.

We sit in silence for a while and the next time I look at him, the floor around him is clear. For the first time in what seems like forever, I look into his eyes, full of unconditional love, compassion and grace. And finally, when I’ve said all I can say, when I am finished, he speaks.

“I love you Linda. You are more precious to me than anything in this world, even more than you love your own children. There is nothing you can do to make me love you more or less. The only thing I want from you is for you to sit with me and allow me to show you how beloved you are. And even if you can’t find the time to do that, I will not love you less.”

And then I walk over to him and sit on his knee, allowing his love to completely wash over me. I lose myself in his eyes knowing I am completely safe with him and that there is nothing I need except to be in his presence.

Reformatting

Eric is my favourite son today. He must have spent 6 hours reformatting my computer and now it is so fast, I can hardly keep up with it.

Sick

Tylenol 3s are great little pills to have.

Sushi

It seems that the toughest thing so far for pregnant Nicole Richie, has been to give up sushi.

I have several friends and relatives who are also pregnant. I wonder how they are managing without their sushi?

Poor girls. I had no idea.

I will try my very best to be more considerate towards you all. I thought I had it tough when I was pregnant but at least, I never had to give up sushi.

I didn't even know it existed.

Working Hard

While I was basking in the sounds of my son's voice and guitar last night, my sisters and Chelsea were working their you-know-whats off serving at a banquet. They had been at my place all day where we prepared and cooked much of the meal. But I knew to go to the hall and serve would not be good in terms of my recovery.

I'm feeling a bit guilty because they have lunches to serve today and tomorrow for a conference and Michele has quite a lot of added responsibility for this event. I'll let her tell you about it if she wants. I won't be there today either.

It's happened a few times that only 2 of the 3 sisters have worked an event and it's always been fine. Often, Chelsea, my niece, fills in for the third sister. But when the 3 of us do something together we shine. It's like singing in harmony. Not only do we work well together, we have fun too.

So while I didn't miss lugging those blasted dishes up the stairs and loading them into the car last night, I did miss the cameraderie and feeling of a job well done with my sisters.

I think we'll have plan a little lunch date to debrief in the next week or two.

Thanks you two (and Chelsea).

I Should Have Taken A Picture

Last night we went to the Starbucks location where Tim has been working for about 6 months. He will never get rich, or be able to support himself and a family working at this place, but he is happy. He won't be a barista forever but, this place is good for his soul.

(I love the word barista. It is one of the few words in our language that is gender neutral but sounds feminine; unlike so many words that can refer to both men and women that have a decidedly masculine sound to them.)

The Christmas party was held last night at Tim's Starbuck's. The store is open from 6:00 AM to 11:00 PM 7 days a week so it is not possible for the staff to have a Christmas party unless they close the store which will never happen. Instead, they served samples of some of their drinks and foods to the customers while Tim and 2 other baristas he works with brought their guitars and sang carols.

I never tire of seeing and hearing my children play and sing so when Tim invited us, I knew we had to go. Because he still lives at home, I hear him playing alot. I love Christmas carols and not only were they performed well last night, there were a few people singing along, in harmony. It sounded beautiful.

This was one of those moments where I didn't expect much but ended up receiving lots. I thought we'd support Tim, buy a coffee, listen to him and leave. And I suppose that's what we did. But I didn't expect to be so blessed and touched by a bunch of amateur musicians, jamming with their instruments and voices, having fun. The sounds of harmony and guitar, of people in quiet conversation, interspersed with laughter-the pleasant peaceful sounds of Christmas.

A lovely moment in time.

Determination

That Kristen. She is one determined young woman.

She's been having some trouble with her car battery and was trying to find a way to take care of it. The car has been parked on the road beside our house for about a week and she's been using mine since I haven't been needing it. She was in no rush to deal with it and besides, it's been cold around here. Who wants to work on a car when it's -20 outside? It was easy to just leave it alone and hope (?) that somehow the problem would go away.

Yesterday, the winter parking ban was put into place. This means that there is to be no parking on the streets of Winnipeg between the hours of 2 and 6 AM. It makes snow clearing, much of which happens during the night, a lot easier. If your car is left out on the street, you can get either a parking ticket or your car can be towed, neither one a good option.

Suddenly the dead car on the street became a priority.

It was Saturday night and there were no men around to do it for her. And I wasn't going to do it! I'm still convalescing for pete's sake! Besides, I know that it's really important not to mix the red and blue cable up. You can do some serious damage to a car. I never remember which one is positive and which is negative. I usually have Wes, my KISA (Knight in Shining Armour) do it for me.

So Kristen, in her usual fashion found a way. CJ did a search on google (whatever did people do before the internet?), found the proper way to boost a car, and made notes. They went outside together, Kristen placed the booster cables in the proper spots on both cars and...it started! I think they were as surprised as I was, and very pleased with their achievement.

The car is now in Wes' spot in the garage, and a new battery is sitting on the kitchen counter. The guy at Canadian Tire said she could replace the battery herself, it's that easy and I think with her new found confidence in her mechanical abilities, she just may try. Or, Wes might really want to park his car in the garage before it snows again and end up replacing the battery.

We'll have to see who can hold out the longest.

Another Saturday night and I ain't got nobody...

I'm feeling just a little lonely tonight.

Wes is away for the weekend and I didn't go along because I'm still recuperating from my surgery. Those of you who know him, know that he's not a very talkative or noisy sort of a person but I still notice that he's not here.

Kristen's been at work all day and is going out in a little while, Tim's been at work since 2:00 so it's just been Dixie and me. I did some baking this morning but that tired me out so much that I just hung around all afternoon. I'm feeling a little more energetic now but I've got nobody to hang with. Dixie would love a good romp in the snow but that's not going to happen.

I've always thought that I'd be okay if Wes were to die. I don't usually mind being on my own and I can find things to keep me busy. Now that the kids are adults and off doing their own things, the only people around this old house many evenings are Wes and I. And when he's gone, I miss him. I think that's how it goes. The longer you are together, the more dependent you are upon each other. I never thought that would happen to me.

He drives me nuts sometimes, and I drive him crazy too but somehow, we manage to live together and love each other through it all.

Usually it's me who's gone for a night or two. I wonder if he feels the same way when I'm gone?