Monday, September 6, 2010

Splash. Splish. Drop. Drip.

I'm sitting up in bed with my laptop across my lap, listening to the rain outside my wide open window.
Legally we still have 2 weeks of summer left. Practically, though, it's over.
Sadness.

I made no plans for today. Which never works out for me. I end up wasting a perfectly good day off feeling guilty that I'm not doing something day-off-worthy. Clearly I have issues with 'days of rest'. I want them to also be 'days of fun', 'days of meaning', days of memory-making', 'days of family closeness' or at least 'days of checking things off some list'. Poor ol day-of-rest; so many unrealistically high expectations for it.

Last night I helped Clint with his almost-last load of stuff to be moved from my house to his new suite. Now that the rains have started it may be awhile til he can pick up his final bits and pieces.




















Once you walk through, this, their front door, you enter into their laundry area, which is very practical:


























From there, you pass through another doorway ...


























into an area they hope to transform into work stations:





















I had originally estimated that their appliances were from the 1970's, but I may have been off by a few decades:











































As we all know, "home" is not about 'things' - 'home' is about feelings. And last night, the atmosphere in this place was optimistic, fun-filled, respectful, positive and encouraging. 

So that's a good thing.

Yesterday afternoon, dad, mom and I went to a private garden art show:
















Dad preferred sitting to wandering:
















For the first time ever, in the history of me going to art shows, I wasn't tempted to buy anything:


















The show was held in the personal gardens of the landscaper who designed my dad and mom's yard. The artist is his dad; who also is the owner of the nursery where all the plants come from.
















The landscaper's wife's job is to weed their one acre, fully finished yard. 
















I am not cut out to be a landscaper's wife.

On Saturday Maureen and I went on a non-gay girl date.

We strolled through the gardens at Queen Elizabeth Park:
















and it brought back memories of being there about a hundred years ago with my dad's brother and sister and their kin, taking the only family pics we have from that side.

















and it brought back memories of being there with my friend Colleen, who had her wedding-photo-shoot done there.

and it brought back one other very vague memory of being there with my mom and granny and Aunt Agatha and Val for lunch? Yes? No? 

Anyways, it was a lovely spot to spend a sunny Saturday afternoon:
















Dear God,
Thank your for flowers and colors and shapes and textures and scents and sunshine and beauty and gardens. I have a feeling You especially like gardens...















Thank you for families and friends and kids and parents and inlaws and sons and daughters and love and forgiveness and grace.
Thank you for showing us what grace means. 






















Thank you for memories and history and the past and the passage of time and growth.
















Thank you for purple and blue and the breeze and sunshine and conversations and relationships and hope.





















Thank you for the big picture and the little details and encouragement and peace and laughter.
















Thank you for velvetly soft and bristly rough and tender smiles and gentle touches and bear hugs and salty tears.
















Thank you for seasons, but mostly summer; thank you for flavors, but mostly sweet; thank you for emotions, but mostly love.















Thank you for loving me.
Amen.


















Also at Little Mountain, was a bridal party. I love watching photographers work with happy, nicely dressed, in-love, smiling people. 
























I wasn't feeling the vibe.

















After doing the park, we headed over to Oakridge where Maureen had an appointment with an Apple associate regarding the purchase of a new computer. Do you know why she had an appointment? Because if you don't prearrange time with a sales clerk, you might not get the opportunity to buy something in that store. 

Crazy right?
I counted 28 sales clerks on the floor the entire time we were in the store. 
And no less than 79 shoppers seeking help.
This is not a department store. It's a relatively small store (size of a Bootlegger or Bowrings in the mall) to have that much staff for a Saturday afternoon shift? The marketing part of me was impressed. And the other parts of me? Impressed. 

So after all her questions were answered, we walked out of there with 2 big boxes. 
And headed over to Claire and Joy's new place with dinner in the backseat.
We each had made a lasagna. Rob sent over a trifle. I brought salad and garlic bread.
















Clint and Sean walked over from their place a mile or so up the street, Danielle dropped in too, and we had a fun supper together in a cute kitchen alcove:















Thank you God, for our kids. Please protect them and keep them safe. Provide them with opportunities to share Your love, give them courage to say no, give them strength to say yes, give them wisdom to know when to say yes and no.

Enable them to see You in the city. Help them all to stay focused on their schooling, especially when the distractions are so fun, and shiny, and bright, and loud. 

Thank you for providing them with housing and roommates and jobs and transportation.

Thank you for loving them even more than we do.

















Amen.

3 comments:

valerie said...

I think the name of the restaurant we did go to was the Quarry House. I loved going to Little Mountain. Hope to see you soon.

Christine Lindsay said...

Love your pictures as usual, especially the new one up at the top.

Anonymous said...

darn it auntie jane, a few minutes ago I said to myself, 'If auntie Jane has updated her blog today, I'll go to starbucks and work on my articles. And you didn't! It's all your fault I'm procrastinating!
ps the red head sure looks like sarah, don't you think!?