August 2014 - Forever In Mom Genes

Wonderland Then and Now

Aug 23 2014

When I moved to Ontario from B.C. in 1987, I left my best friend behind. In body that is, but not in spirit. We’re still best friends ALL these MANY (I can’t even do the math) years later. Every summer Tiff would fly out East and we’d always hit Wonderland. Let’s discuss my 80s outfit, shall we? What it lacked in shirt length, it made up for in oddly high waisted cut-offs. And the puff of hair atop my head? Seems I may be partly responsible for global warming as a result of my excessive use of Aquanet. Even though photographic evidence screams dork, I’m convinced I was hot at the time. We strutted around the theme park like we were all that and a bag a banana clips. We’d arrive when the park opened and were the last to leave. One year it absolutely poured. They shut down most of the rides, but we didn’t let it stop us from having fun. We ran around singing and splashing in the puddles like idiots. To avoid catching cold, we drove home in our bras and underwear—more comfortable for us, not as comfortable for the truckers passing us by[…]

Aug 18 2014

I suppose the silver lining to that golden rule is that all bad things must come to an end too. At some point anyway. Even if you’re up to your chin in moist festering crud, the tide of wretched crap will eventually recede. And though treading water in a sea of sludge isn’t pleasant, at least there will ultimately be an end to your suffering. But what about when GOOD things come to an end? Things you don’t want to let go or have torn away. Like friendships— when a relationship is meaningful one day, then missing the next. I’ve been there. You probably have too. Losing a friend is awful at any age. It seriously hurts. But what about children? How do we teach them that it happens to everyone and that’s it’s okay? Or that it will be okay once the sting subsides. This is something we’re working through at the moment. Friends grow apart. Especially when interests begin to vary. Say one friend is creative and loves to read and the other lives and breathes hockey. Once inseparable, the weekly interaction begins to wane until they haven’t spoken in months. Phone calls go unreturned and your child[…]

Aug 13 2014

Our little girl turned eight last week. Eight, not eighteen, but from her recent behaviour the line is somewhat fuzzy. First we caught her hot tubbing in mixed company. Don’t let the water wings fool you, she’s a wild woman. Later that night we found her elbows deep in coins, playing the slots, drinking (apple juice) like a sailor on leave. Then we spotted her wandering around Chicago, coffee in hand (she was probably exhausted from a late night of gambling) mixing with the locals and painting the town red. The next thing we knew, she was on her first date playing coy. Ha! It’s a ruse. She’s such a cheeky little monkey—I’m sure I spotted her playing footsies under the table. Kids these days… Kidding aside, Avery has grown up so much this year. SO. MUCH. Things we never imagined she’d be able to do, she’s doing like a boss. Running, turning a perfect somersault, swimming, talking a blue streak, traveling—the girl knows how to pack a suitcase and has a wanderlust to rival that of any explorer. As for dating, she really did meet her “boyfriend” in Chicago —a sweet ‘younger man’ who up until now, we’ve[…]

Aug 12 2014

I have so many fears that I’m afraid there’s something wrong. It frightens me. I worry about things like Hog Weed, and Lyme Disease, and plane crashes, and nuclear war. I’m scared of penicillin resistant super bugs, and child abduction, and funnel clouds, and pesticides, and GMOs, and solar flares destroying the earth or at the very least, our internet access. And tsunamis (which is dumb because I don’t even live near an ocean, but we occasionally visit the seaside). Oh, and Ebola. But the thing that scares me the most; the one fear that consumes my thoughts on a daily basis, is cancer. It’s the Exorcist of diseases. Gory slasher flicks don’t scare me, but horror movies like Paranormal Activity and the Exorcist terrify me because they could happen. Just like cancer could happen. And it does. Based on 2009 estimates two out of five Canadians (45% of men and 41% of women) are expected to develop cancer during their lifetimes. And one out of four Canadians (29% of men and 24% of women) is expected to die from cancer. Source This is truly frightening. FYI, fretting over every lump, bump and funny mole doesn’t actually help. In[…]

Archive - August 2014

Wonderland Then and Now

When Friendships Fizzle

Kids These Days….

Running For The Cure