Not a Travel Post

Thing One:

I've missed blogging.
When I helped Dede (at work) get a blog started this week, I realized mine needs an update in appearance and effort.
Here's hoping I make time to get back at 'er.

Thing Two:

Seeing all the first responders standing at attention/saluting Constable John Davidson (the RCMP officer who was shot in the line of duty on Monday) just did me in. I couldn't stop crying.

Even talking about it a few days later, I get all choked up. There's just something about watching a community pull together that's so beautiful your heart hurts way up in your throat.

Know what's not beautiful?
Watching hundreds of people stand beside those who are hurting with there cell phones out, recording the whole thing.

Shudder.

(Police dying in the line of duty is not a common occurrence in Canada, and especially rare in BC. I did a quick google search and could only find 26 RCMP deaths in the line of duty across Canada since 2004. And only one in BC. I was proud of how Constable John Davidson was honored as his body was transferred to and from Vancouver from Abbotsford.)

Thing Three:

Sue mentioned to me, while we were in Japan, in our separate beds, late at night, on the verge of falling asleep, that all these new and challenging travel experiences we were enjoying was our fun way of fighting Alzheimer's. Carving out new pathways in one's brain is exhausting work. Being in a foreign non-English speaking country, navigating train systems and various transportation options, forces a person to use parts of one's brain not often engaged.

It occurred to me at work this week, that I've been fighting Alzheimer's at work as well. One year ago, I had a design team, a set of vendors and a boss that I'd developed great relationships with. Haha. I'd worked with all of them for years and was able to communicate in short hand because we were all so very familiar with our cyclical projects and how to deal with them.

Ten months later? A completely new design team, new print and mailhouse vendors and a new boss. There is no short-cut regarding communication. No one is reading anyone's minds yet. No one has done any of our cyclical projects before so everything is new. Details must be outlined clearly. Follow-up is a new aspect of my life. Working with a whole new set of people, who are from a different generation, some from different cultures, all with different skills than me, is keeping me on my toes and has me aching for a nap at around 4 pm.

If I get Alzheimer's I'm gonna be pissed annoyed surprised.
Seriously. I've been forging new pathways for about 20 years now.


Thing Four:

We have had the most amazing Fall. Oh my goodness. THE COLOURS.
Feeling awfully spoiled, as we just had the Best Summer in the History of Summers.
I have LOVED taking pics of the trees as they don their Autumn wardrobes.
And I've felt honored that a couple of my pics have been reposted on some popular Instagram accounts. Not sure why the opinion of other photographers should matter to me, but there you have it. It does. I admit it.


We had SNOW on Nov 4 at Cultus:

We has SUNSHINE on Nov 5 at Kit's Beach:

Thing Five:

It's a long weekend. (Remembrance Day) and for the first time ever, all 5 kids decided to spend two consecutive nights at the lake with me.
It was supposed to be a clean-up-the-yard weekend, but it's POURING rain, so we're concentrating on cupboards and closets instead.

There's nothing quite like having all your chicks in the nest to chase away the November blues.

All of the laughter has been a great way to re-claim this space as OURS.

(In case you're wondering, both sides of the break-in (insurance claim and legal aspect) have not moved forward. It's only been two months, and apparently these things take time. Sigh.)


Three things I'm thankful for:

1. Hearing Clint say, at 1 am, "It's steak time," as he goes outside to fire up the BBQ.

2. Watching my kids (especially the girls), dig right in and deal with rat shit in hidden places and cupboards that hold items we haven't used in twenty years.

3. This place, these memories. These people. This country.

xo

Maylonnnnng

I got myself in the long weekend mode last Wednesday by going to Costco and buying meat. (And floaties. And 2 kayaks.) (In the end, after an hour of frantic family messaging, Clint decided to buy the kayaks from Canadian Tire in Vancouver. Easier than me trying to transport 2 boats, 100 pounds of groceries and miscellaneous fun stuff by myself.)

 Unexpectedly, I decided to just drive it all out to the lake after loading it all into my truck. Then, randomly, I just decided to stay the night. And drive back to work in the morning IN THE SAME CLOTHES I WORE THE DAY BEFORE.

No one died, no one lost an eye. You can wear re-runs without the sky falling in.

And even though I still worked on Thursday and Friday, my head was in staycation mode.

Thursday after work, I joined Jenn, her daugher Yaunna and her friend, Leslie in watching The King Arthur movie.

I had this to say about the experience (posted to Facebook):

So tonight I saw the King Arthur movie with Jenn, her daughter, and her writing friend, Lesley, whom I'd never met before. Jenn is cool and I haven't seen her since last summer and I wanted to not be a dork tonight but I was a bit nervous because I haven't seen her since last August. And her daughter and friend were along and you know how it is. I was the last to arrive, the previews were playing, and the server asked if he could get me anything. (We were in a VIP theatre.) I placed my order. He asked for my scene card, and wondered how I'd be paying. I pulled open my purse (I am not a purse person; this one was a gift, it is a black purse with black lining, and I'm sitting in a dark theatre. (I usually leave my purse and keys in the truck (keyless entry) and tuck my phone (which has my Visa and driver's license inside the case) into my bra. (I may look lumpy but it's safe from pickpockets there.) My Scene card number is recordered in the note section of my phone, so I don't have to carry the card. I tell him I just need to get my phone, but I can't find it in that bloody black bag. I am pulling crap out of All The Pockets; things are falling off my lap and into the abyss. Jenn gives him her scene card, and I keep searching. Time is ticking. I am sweating. Jenn just offers to pay. I know my phone is in there, but my fingers are not feeling it. I am embarrassed. I am feeling like an idiot. And then. Then I pull out a hard boiled egg. From my purse. No one saw that coming.The server looks at it and says, "I'm gonna have to confiscate that, no outside food allowed." Jenn suggests he better be Employee of The Month for bringing that gem back to his boss. I have become *that lady who rummages around in her oversized handbag and pulls out old hairnets, used kleenex's and boiled eggs. It's all downhill from here.

Moral of the story: If you just can't pull off 'being normal' - dazzle them with eccentricity. That egg diffused the situation nicely.


Thursday was also my dad's birthday. He woulda been 81. It was also his twin sister (Margaret)'s birthday, Val's husband's (John's) birthday, and it was the Birth Day of John and Val's 8th grandchild ... Kaitlynn Carly! (And according to Facebook, it was the wedding anniversary of about a million people.)

So Friday after work I was the 13th wheel at John's birthday evening:

And from there, I drove to the lake. 

I spent Saturday reading (a library book, that I started and finished) (and puttering and cleaning) until the kids arrived around 9 pm, starving. We BBQ'ed, ate a late dinner, then sat around the table and played a new-to-us game that Drew brought up: Dixit. 

So fun. 

Amy won. 

Yes, I recommend this game. 

Much fun. Easy to play. One round is quick... like half an hour or so.

I was the first person to head upstairs, at midnight. My three boys were all sitting at the table, playing a game online, together, each on their own laptop, talking furiously and laughing. Dani had made herself a fluffy nest in the papsan chair and was reading and Amy was stretched out on the couch, studying. These are my people, all together, all relaxed, all home. Awesomeness x 1000.

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When I came downstairs the next morning, just before noon, I was greeted by 5 kids giving me my Mother's Day gift; they were cleaning and setting up the lawn furniture and getting the cabin ready for SUMMER:

Once everything was set out, the boys played Frisbee. Danica and Amy read.

Girls are unfazed by the activity around them. 

Then it was time to try out the new toys. Clint had taken one for a test ride on Sat evening when he arrived, and sent us this pic from the other shore:

So Dani gave er a spin on Sunday afternoon...

Followed by Max and Drew who decided to race them:

Clint had tools in his hands most of the day ...

His gift to the cabin was a pair of security cameras/motion detector lights THAT CAN BE OPERATED FROM/VIEWED FROM AN APP ON MY PHONE. I love technology. 

My mom joined us for dinner on Sunday evening which we ate on the deck. And it was just the most perfect evening. We sat around the table and talked for hours and the weather was awesome and the food was a delicious collaborative effort and the conversation meandered all over the place and my heart just kept smiling.

While I did dishes, Clint started a fire to burn odd wood pieces and IT FELT LIKE SUMMER.

Oh, what would we do without wifi?

After it got dark, we all ended up inside for another rousing round of Dixit. Amy won again. The kids then watched Second Hand Lions, and I went to bed to read. It's the richest, most excellent sound in the world, listening to people you love talk and laugh in the room directly beneath you.

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I was up and out of the house by 9; I had a list of things we needed, so I drove into Sardis and spent another paycheck. I got back at 11, then made cheese biscuits for those who were up. At noon I made French Toast for brunch, and shortly after that, the exodus began.

First Drew and Dani left, followed shortly by Max and Amy.

Clint stuck around. After he kayaked all the way around the lake, he helped me store the toys and furniture, deal with the garbage, eat some of the leftovers before leaving at 11 pm.

And because I s t r e t c h things out so that they last til forever, I took Tuesday off work and stayed another night.


~~~~~~~~

Three things I'm thankful for:

1. Friends that help you check things off of your massive 101 Things to do in 1,001 Days List. I have a library card! And I checked one DVD and 3 books out of the library. Plus I bought a book from their sale for $1. Last Tuesday was a good evening. :)

2. Kids who show up. I love how they're 'all in' when they get together. Which we don't do more than once a month, for dinner. And other than twice a year at the lake, (Maylong and Augustlong), we don't just 'hang out'... but I love how when we all gather, they bring their A game and good attitudes.

3. I'm so thankful for the good weather. This weekend's sunshine was such a welcome gift.