Me, me, me

Rainy day.

A friend came by today with her daughters. We hadn't seen them for way too long, and the visit was way too short, but it was so nice. I wish I could have friends over more often; it makes me feel happy.

No real plans for New Year's eve. No party invitations, so we got a movie and some special snacks and a bottle of wine. It should be quiet and relaxed, and no doubt I'll turn in before 12, as I am wont to do. That's fine, but next year, I want to organize a small get-together to play board games. That's what I really want to do tonight.

Think I could pull something like that together for tonight? It's, lemme see, 4:05 p.m. Wanna come? Come on over!

Ah, the hols

I now know exactly why my mother kicked us out of the house -- all day, every day -- when we weren't in school. My children are outside right now, tobogganing on the driveway (that blessed, blessed incline).

Seriously. I like my children, and they're actually very well-behaved and nice to be with. Even so, if I didn't kick them out I would have to wring their chubby little necks.

See ya.

And so that was Christmas (2004)


Survived it Actually, I thoroughly enjoyed it, in spite of an untimely migraine on the day itself.

The hard part is, now my kids are home from school for two whole weeks! As a consequence I've had to change my appointment for my driver's test to Jan. 19 from the 5th. Studying will be well nigh impossible untl the 10th. Oh well. Better make the best of it.

Oysh


I'm in for a busy day of public transit, doctor's office, scattered Christmas shopping that can't be left undone (or done by my hubby, which amounts to the same thing), all with a poor, tired, napless 22-pound baby on my back. All of this has to be done and I have to be at the kids' bus stop at 2:30. I see a headache in my immediate future.

Let's hope that Christmas spirit comes along and bathes me in its golden light. Or that I find money on the sidewalk. Either would be good.

Of face and annus

Poor old Kofi Annan and his annus horribilis. He says that he'll be happy to put his annus behind him (snkk!).

Butt seriously. I refuse to believe anything bad about this man. I think it's no coincidence that the U.N. is getting bad press and ol' Kofi's the subject of evil rumours just after George W.'s re-election. El Presidente is spending his political capital all over the place. Not that the U.N. is perfect, and maybe some of this scandal is well-deserved, but I bet it's not Kofi's fault, even if his son turns out to be involved.

Perhaps making my political judgements based on my feelings and "trusting the face" (I like Kofi's face) is not so terribly astute. But it's a lot less work than actually researching and thinking about it.

Besides, I am rarely wrong about faces. They can tell you a whole lot. Ever met a lady who looks like she just sucked on a lemon who wasn't judgemental and prudish? Think about it!

I feel so inadequate

We have a little tradition in our little family: Every year on the weekend before Chistmas we get in the car after supper and drive around neighbourhoods not our own to see all the Christmas-light displays. Now, everybody knows that the less-wealthy neighbourhoods always have the best displays. "Ethinicity" also plays a role, but really economics seem to be the determining factor.

Well, after going along the bright and festive streets of Ville St. Pierre and Lachine, our drive through the rather tony environs of our street (our street is not swanky at all, but we live very close to a very expensive part of town, with mansions and stuff) paled in comparison. Oh, the decorations in the rich neighbourhood were beautiful, and tasteful. But tasteful is not what's called for here, in my view. Childlike exuberance is what makes for good Christmas decoration. I suppose lots of free time helps too.

Well, my own decorations, which seemed nice enough before, now seem rather paltry and subdued. Granted, my hubby has been very sick and whiny for two weeks and therefore did not want to help much, and I can't do much with a baby on my back (literally). But these are just excuses. Next year I hope I remember this lesson and go all out. After all, we're a lot closer, in spirit as well as income, to the modest, crazy-lights neighbourhoods than we are to the Martha Stewart neighbourhood nearby.

Bring on the giant inflatable penguins!

The key is in the key thingy

I have booked an appointment for my "knowledge test" to get my driving permit (which I must hold for 8 months before I can take the practical test and get the license). And Steve can lend me the books to study for it. And I know where I will take my lessons, at one of the best driving schools in Quebec. I'm actually excited about this!

Stop rolling your eyes. Yes, you. If I can't be pathetic on my own blog, what's it good fer?

Look out!

I am going to learn to drive. I know, I know, it's pathetic that I haven't learned before now, when I have three children and a car as well, for godsake. But I never really wanted to drive until I had a couple of kids, and by then I had neither the time nor the money for lessons. I'm not scared to drive, and I think I'd be a pretty good driver.

But now I'm determined. In fact I told my husband on his birthday (August) that as a gift to him I promise to be driving before his next birthday. This is because he has to do all the driving for our family. He doesn't complain, and he's always been super-sweet about it, but when your kids get older they need to be taken places more, and that means that a lot of his free time is taken up with errands and chauffeur work.

Also, I think about worst-case scenarios a lot, and I'd like to know that if something happened when I'm home alone with the baby/children, I would be able to get them to the hospital quickly. Of course with only one car, the chances of me and the car being home without D. are pretty slim, but what if he was hurt? Anyway, there are lots of reasons to want to know how to drive.

Besides, my 89-year-old neighbour says I absolutely should learn. She never did and she is bound by bus routes and taxi fares now that she can't walk so well anymore.

But then I imagine myself driving when I'm her age....yeesh! Now that's scary.

Last year at this time I was coordinating the work of 12 readers and 9 judges in a literary competition, while planning a gala awards ceremony with 700 guests and six award-winners.

This year I am planning a Friday trip downtown by bus and metro with my baby and trying to figure out when I can clean my oven cuz it stinks up the house every time I use it.

Oh, and ordering Christmas gifts from catalogues, which is the only way to go.

Aaaaah





I love baths. I come from a family of bathers, in fact. I have many memories from my youth of sitting on top of the toilet while my mom was taking a bath and chatting with her. Then I would be called upon to wash her back; this always included a good back scratch. This is where I developed my back-scratching skills, including the patience to scratch for a good long time.

These were good times with my mom, and in a family of ten they were stolen moments of individual attention. Looking back I'm surprised she let me hang out with her. For the adult (parent) me, bathtime is really "my" time, a time when I can be alone with a book and enjoy having my thoughts to myself. Once, however, my two older kids woke up and came into the bathroom while I was reading in the bath. They thought it was absolutely hilarious. To them, bathtime is fun and playful, and really for kids. So when they came in and saw me lying there with a book up to my nose and my pregnant belly looming up over the water, they giggled like crazy. We talked a bit, even though it was late, and we had fun. That is a memory that they enjoy now, and might keep for a while.

My bathing has increased of late, as it does every winter. My feet get chilled and then there's only one thing to do and that's have a hot bath. I love getting into bed afterwards, still all warm and relaxed. It's heavenly. But baths are good in hot weather too. I once knew a guy, a big guy who was a bouncer and had the deepest voice I've ever heard, who would spend the entire day in a bath of cool water on hot summer days. He'd listen to music, read books and even receive visitors (including me once) while lying in the tub. He was a character.

I have a very good friend who hates baths. We travelled around Europe together when we were younger and whenever she was forced to bathe instead of shower she grizzled and groaned and complained that she felt dirty afterwards. I don't understand it! To me a bath is the perfect combination of luxury and usefulness. I come out feeling clean and warm and pampered..

So sorry

No actual content possible today, due to sick children.
Please return to your own lives.
I'll be back tomorrow.

Simple pleasures for the simple minded


Oh, mine babyyyy, to me you are so wonderful...

Went out for a lovely walk today in the snow. We (baby and I) went to the local library and did the shops on the "high street" (The neighbourhood reminds me of an English village). We got me an almond croissant, of which I intended to eat half, but I went a bit beyond the presribed dosage and felt surprisingly good about it. I am so loving being a full-time at-home person. Even though I work very hard, every day still feels like a little holiday.

And I'm absurdly looking forward to watching Amazing Race tonight.

'sup.

Finally had a book club meeting on Friday last. It was only a "book club meeting" in the sense that the book club met. We didn't discuss a book, or books, or anything remotely related to literature, and that was just fine. We had a lot to catch up on, and we did discuss where the club is going, so to speak. We're going to loosen things up a little, and admit that it's as much a social club as a book club, but we will still discuss books in general and particular as well as just shoot the breeze.

I'm starting to work on a proposal for a radio doc I would like to do in 2005. I will go and meet with the Montreal producer of the show to which I want to submit my proposal sometime next week. So I've got to get my ideas down on paper and see if I can imagine some kind of a structure. The chances of my proposal being accepted are very slim, but the process of pitching the idea and thinking it through is good for me, and it might be accepted on another show if not my first-choice one.

Wish me luck! The idea of thinking about doing radio is kinda weird at this point in my maternity leave, but I'm excited about this idea.