tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59465042011-04-21T15:22:18.117-07:00Because I like to see myself speakbeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.comBlogger4861100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-47851168878118772122009-03-18T06:54:00.000-07:002009-03-18T07:03:26.060-07:00

The March of TimeWell, I'm on my March "break", which, truth be told, has been pretty nice so far. I spent the whole of Monday cleaning my house, but it had been so long since I'd had the time to do that, (time alone, that is) that it was a good experience. And the result is very satisfying. I miss housework. How sad is that?Today I must dedicate to the marking of mid-term essays, a

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-72857960792217906492009-02-25T08:03:00.000-08:002009-02-25T08:06:47.887-08:00

It's ALIVE!!!I'm sure nobody bothers to come here anymore, since it's been, like, a YEAR since I last posted something. But I think I'm about ready to try this again. So tune in regularly(ish) for scintillating news, ideas, tips and, let's face it, mostly complaining.Yes, I'm still charmingly self-deprecating.

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-47328430660974139892008-05-26T10:45:00.001-07:002008-05-26T11:07:07.041-07:00

Spring!There are so many things to blog about -- none of them earth-shattering, but I've had a whole lot of "deep thoughts" lately, probably the result of a break in my work schedule that allows idle thought for the first time in many months. Instead of boring you with all of that here, I'll bore you with some of what's been going on in the plot:Fi-fi's birthday, Mother's Day, my birthday and

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-85301416943824253442008-05-02T07:18:00.000-07:002008-05-02T07:20:44.063-07:00

One..toe..over...the...finish line!Only one more week until I've officially finished my first academic year as a college instructor. I might just survive this! But I don't want to speak too soon...

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-79745933603879158402008-04-23T07:56:00.000-07:002008-04-23T08:19:03.439-07:00

Earth Day Parenting, year 'roundLately I've had occasion to wonder about the influence I have on my children. My eldest child, a very grounded, self-confident little girl, has in the past few months started walking home from school with some friends. Of course I encourage this because it is good exercise, fun, transition time from school to home, etc. All good. Unfortunately, however, one boy

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-71759189763314242932008-02-29T08:13:00.000-08:002008-02-29T08:22:16.329-08:00

Staring into the void -- er, fridgeLately I seem to have lost all enthusiasm for cooking. It's sad. Now, I've never been a great cook, but usually I like to try new recipes and I enjoy the process once I'm in it, even when making yet another vegetarian pasta sauce. But these days I just can't get over the **uuunnnhhh** of having to think about what to make. I even teach 2 nights a week, so I

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-80159342610507929312008-02-22T12:34:00.000-08:002008-02-22T12:39:05.704-08:00

Time movesWe're almost at the mid-point of the semester, my wee daughter is singing Easter songs she learned in preschool, and something about the quality of the sunshine yesterday tells me that spring is finally on its way.That heavy, fast-falling wall of snow out there? Just an illusion, Grasshopper. Weather is irrelevant. We are being swept along in the stream of Time.

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-82982279125660375052008-02-15T11:23:00.001-08:002008-02-15T11:33:15.073-08:00

SheepishI had to work last night, Valentine's night, and when I got home, at around 10:30, D. was already in bed. So I came upstairs to say hi and tell him about my class, because, like, who cares if he's tired when I'm all hyper and need to talk to someone, right? Well, before I went upstairs I had a quick look 'round downstairs to see if there might be some lovely little Valentine's day

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-45111658338310758182008-02-06T10:26:00.000-08:002008-02-06T10:28:37.600-08:00

Everything in ModerationWell, I'm sorry to say it, but spammers seem to have discovered my little blog, tucked away here in a dark corner of cyberspace. So, unfortunately, I will be moderating the comments from this post on. I know I hardly get any comments anyway, but I thought I'd let you know. Don't let it stop you from weighing in!

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-40998267906053007462008-02-04T13:11:00.000-08:002008-02-04T13:17:11.506-08:00

Bizzy, bizzy, bizzyI thought this was going to be an easy breezy semester, a much-needed recuperation from the insanity of my first semester of teaching. It turns out that I am running all the time from one obligation to another, while trying to take good care of my children. It all adds up to full-time-plus. Not that I'm complaining. It certainly is a life with lots of variety and I know

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-77280589175010787122008-01-28T08:13:00.000-08:002008-01-28T08:19:08.920-08:00

Oooh....SNAP!Yesterday we were visiting with some friends and when it came time for supper we decided to order pizza. So we're discussing what to order when the following hilarious jibe is uttered:Friend: Why don't we order an extra-large vegetarian?My husband: I've already got one of those!And to think that his wit was what attracted me to him in the first place.

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-29294190395398587832008-01-15T07:23:00.000-08:002008-01-15T07:27:32.334-08:00

Sun n' snowIt's a sunny, bright, sparkly day today. A great day for walking. I'm putting together a proposal for a literature course that I may have to start teaching next week. It's exciting to have the freedom to create my own courses, giving free rein to my own interests and creativity. I never thought I'd have this kind of leeway right away, as soon as I started teaching, but then again I

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-61545699799740295512008-01-09T07:09:00.000-08:002008-12-10T13:54:30.669-08:00

The old year and the newI haven't written my annual "And so that was Christmas" post, and now I don't think I will, but I'll give you the highlights before I move on to the newer news.Christmas was, as it always is with children, wonderful. Especially for the littlest one (who's 3), it is really magical; however corny that may sound, it is the appropriate word for it. Sadly my eldest child may

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-51316091236226578522007-12-21T11:04:00.000-08:002007-12-21T11:12:01.165-08:00

Merry merryNow my first semester really does seem to be over. I've marked all the final assignments and brought them in to the office so that the students who care can pick them up and look at their comments. The final grades were submitted last week, with only one or two complications. I now have to tackle the enormous pile of papers and books that accumulated while I was careening wildly

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-23034465250449214532007-12-05T11:46:00.000-08:002007-12-05T11:57:00.704-08:00

Whewf!Well, I made it to the end of my first term. Oh, I still have marking to do, and I haven't quite figured out how to come up with the final grades and submit them (help!), but that will all work itself out, I'm sure. The important thing is, I don't have to teach anymore for a month or more! I like the teaching part, really. If there's one thing that has astounded me about this experience

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-78043074875326187962007-11-28T11:37:00.000-08:002007-11-28T11:54:38.012-08:00

KidsI haven't written about my children in ages, and because just about everyone (hello, three people!) who reads this knows my children, I thought an update might make a decent post.Youngest first: F. is loving her preschool. She goes for 3 hours a day, 5 days a week, and she is growing and expanding her world in so many ways every time she goes. What's amazing to me is what a great kid she

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-33151894659423855432007-11-23T11:42:00.001-08:002007-11-24T06:58:58.259-08:00

Quite a weekWell, this has been...Well look at the title, willya? Sorry, I'm a little on edge, what with the extra course I've taken on and one thing and another. Things are well under control now, but it has been tiring adding this into my already jammed schedule. The bright side is that the semester is very nearly over, and while I'll miss my students (My first! Sob!), I will certainly welcome

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-12971821042796943132007-11-15T07:25:00.000-08:002007-11-15T07:35:34.274-08:00

For SquirrelIt's a rainy day, kind of chilly, but I feel happy for some reason. Well, there are lots of reasons to be happy but what I mean is that the weather isn't getting me down.The students' union at the college where I work has called a strike to last through tomorrow. Classes are supposed to be held as usual, and Continuing Education isn't supposed to be affected at all, but one of my

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-32290551447549136882007-11-12T08:13:00.000-08:002007-11-12T08:19:56.796-08:00

In case anybody still reads this dang thingThe first semester of teaching is -- as I knew it would be -- difficult, scary, tightrope-walking-feeling and did I mention difficult?What I didn't expect at all is how complicated it would be to deal with so many other human beings, each with his or her own problems, weaknesses, strengths, annoying excuses, etc.Another thing I didn't expect is how

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-73273918679831229262007-11-07T11:24:00.000-08:002008-12-10T13:54:31.104-08:00

Waiting around for Christmas

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-63934112580554065702007-11-07T11:17:00.000-08:002007-11-07T11:23:30.212-08:00

A post cuz I'm sicka lookin at the last oneToday I was lying in Fiona's bed cuddling with her before her nap, and we had a conversation with a surprise ending:Me: I wish I could stay here and take a nap with you.F.: When you grow smaller you can.Me: I'm not gonna grow smaller; I'm just gonna grow older.F: **Thinks** I will grow smaller. I wanna be a baby again.Me: Well, people don't get to be

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-13642745128481620612007-09-24T11:12:00.000-07:002007-09-24T11:31:06.480-07:00

A matter of tatsI would like to share something with you, dear readers, and I invite your comments on the matter, should you care to share them.I am seriously considering getting a tattoo. Now this may be a mild mid-life crisis, but it is something I've been thinking about for a number of years. My friend Lydia has just come back into my life as she does once a year for a few glorious weeks.

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-38075152253537439982007-09-21T11:01:00.000-07:002007-09-21T11:06:21.693-07:00

Not drowning, waving.Well I've managed to keep my head above water and I actually feel like my courses are going well, considering the fact that I've never done this before and I'm flying by the seat of my pants. It's a hell of a lot of work, but I think I'm finally coming out of the feeling of disconnection, the uncomfortable feeling of living in a life that is not my own. I'm starting to

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-57037962295178178412007-09-05T07:04:00.000-07:002007-09-05T07:07:17.123-07:00

The nadir (I hope)I haven't died. Yet.I am just in way over my head and feeling like I'm drowning most of the time. Insomnia is not helping matters much. I like teaching, as in the classroom experience, but the prep and the stress are killing me.

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-51080787776745113332007-08-17T11:00:00.000-07:002007-08-17T11:02:34.570-07:00

Back to SchoolWell, it happened, much sooner and much more smoothly than I ever imagined it could. I've been hired to teach English at a Montreal college. I start Thursday. Help!!!!Oh, and I'm thrilled, underneath all the fear and dread.

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-70501594079559540462007-08-16T10:10:00.001-07:002007-08-16T10:18:42.924-07:00

Interview post-mortemWell it went well. Scarily well. But we'll see. The fact that I don't have any real experience in the field will almost certainly re-assert itself in the minds of the interviewing committee members (7 of them!) once the spell of my overwhelming charm fades. But maybe they'll give me a chance if they're desperate enough. They were certainly "with" me during the interview,

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-40557716061363162262007-08-14T11:19:00.001-07:002007-08-14T11:21:07.264-07:00

New newsWell, there's been a whole lot happening lately but the biggest thing for me today is this: I have another big job interview tomorrow! I'm nervous but prepared, I think; the last interview did help me to prepare for this one. Wish me luck!You know what's funny? D. has a job interview tomorrow too!

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-1374765411154142402007-07-17T10:46:00.000-07:002007-07-17T10:58:41.738-07:00

The annals of summer 2007So far it's not as exhausting or frustrating as last year. The kids aren't signed up for any activities outside of their morning swimming lessons and, glory be! the older ones are old enough to go to the pool on their own if necessary. It's a short walk and they know about 50% of the people at the pool at any given time, including the lifeguards. I'm happy they can do

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-87668402542496334822007-07-04T07:13:00.000-07:002007-07-04T07:21:20.996-07:00

Update IIThe day before we left on our little holiday I received a very nice letter in the mail from the place where I'd interviewed, saying that I didn't get the job. It's what I expected, and to be honest I didn't even feel a twinge of disappointment. I felt all along that they were interviewing me out of curiosity and for future consideration. They would have to be crazy to hire me for this

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-1729725181182834452007-06-30T09:57:00.000-07:002008-12-10T13:54:31.525-08:00

SweetHere's a taste of what our vacation was like:

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-28182508240694454702007-06-20T09:00:00.000-07:002007-06-20T09:01:46.920-07:00

Update ?No news is, um, well... no news? It's only been a week, right? I'll try not to think about it.

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-69786361351984218582007-06-18T09:18:00.001-07:002007-06-18T09:30:58.258-07:00

Misc.I can't believe how long this weather is holding on! Today is a perfect day, not too hot, no humidity to speak of, delicious light breeze. Perfect for drying clothes on the line and sitting under a tree in the park with my sweet girl. We're going on vacation (including camping. Yikes!) next week, so let's hope the beautiful weather sticks around for that.Father's day was extra special

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-10478943638126892752007-06-15T11:28:00.000-07:002007-06-16T12:05:28.242-07:00

This week I had the chance to ride the emotional rollercoaster that is the "Big Job Interview".A bit of background: A few months ago I decided that I wanted to take my career in a new direction and set my sights on a certain job. It's something I've always wanted to do but have always been terrified to try. So I said to myself that I would send out applications, but as I didn't see myself as

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-43884550763066585522007-06-06T10:46:00.000-07:002007-06-06T10:56:59.249-07:00

Posting for the sake of postingWe are rushing headlong into summer, with all of its child-related activity. Already the kids have started soccer (4 nights/week) and swim team (4 nights/week) and they're still at school. My older daughter is going on an overnight camping trip with her class, to a camp up north that is owned by the school. (She is doing a year-long programme in a school for

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-45992256251838648132007-05-28T11:19:00.000-07:002007-05-28T11:39:14.027-07:00

The nature of thingsThe other night there was a spider on the wall above my head while I was sitting with D. on the couch. We started to wonder about the term Arachnid, and whether it was the Species, the Genus or the Class or what (in the Aristotelian scheme). So, without an encyclopedia and being too lazy to get up and go to the computer, I got out the dictionary and one word led to another and

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-55855199201880382812007-05-22T07:04:00.000-07:002007-05-22T07:13:17.968-07:00

MayWell, the big rush of May celebrations is over now. We had my little one's 3rd birthday (with party), Mother's Day (with illness), my birthday (nice!), and D's and my wedding anniversary (we had to be reminded of this by our daughter, but when we remembered we went out to dinner -- alone! -- to our favourite Indian place. Excellent.) The beautiful weather has returned and I've been enjoying

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-80874149371152988852007-05-16T06:53:00.000-07:002007-05-16T07:03:46.700-07:00

The wages of sinI've been suitably punished for my earlier happiness about finishing up my contract. Niggling work-related loose ends have eaten up a lot of my free time of late, while I got a load of writing work from my other employer. Unfortunately, on Friday I was hit full-force with a repeat of the illness I had exactly one month ago and couldn't get out of bed until Sunday afternoon. My

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-7189449234679256042007-05-14T09:31:00.000-07:002007-05-14T09:46:16.546-07:00

Only 4 Shopping Days Left!!!Your Birthdate: May 18You are a cohesive force - able to bring many people together for a common cause. You tend to excel in work situations, but you also facilitate a lot of social gatherings too. Beyond being a good leader, you are good at inspiring others. You also keep your powerful emotions in check - you know when to emote and when to repress.Your strength:

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-86309610389086040962007-05-03T11:54:00.000-07:002007-05-03T11:58:20.109-07:00

MmmmmI am so totally revelling in this time, the time after a huge project is done, when you're thanking people and they're thanking you and congratulating you, and everybody's satisfied. Y'know? What makes it sooo much better is the fact that I am done with work for the time being, and get to spend my time with my various children and hubby and friends and enjoy the long, delicious streeetch

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-71979589195978671932007-05-01T10:15:00.000-07:002007-05-02T06:43:44.999-07:00

Picking up where I left offOh dear. where to start? My life has exploded in a minor, temporary way in the last 2 weeks. Illness knocked me down, work got me up and threw me around for many many hours of every day, my daughter's illness spun us all around and around. Thank god for friends, sisters and good, patient husbands.Things have calmed now: I'm well, the literary festival is over, and my

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-82386116374546704872007-04-10T08:29:00.000-07:002007-04-10T08:49:39.428-07:00

Easter weekendDespite the weather and its deleterious effects on my mood, we had a pretty great Easter weekend, with just the right balance of social fun and accomplishment of necessary household work.We had a visit from our friend the lovely K. and her little boy A. on Friday, a visit we all enjoyed very much. In the evening we went out to a favourite restaurant for supper and then I went (

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-76631926850437617252007-04-04T10:27:00.000-07:002007-04-04T10:33:31.321-07:00

LuckYesterday morning as I was taking F. over to the babysitter's house I stopped in the middle of the busy street and shouted -- shouted! "Well look at that!" I was the lucky finder of 50 smackeroos. There were 2 twenties and two fives, folded over and lying there in the rain, getting run over repeatedly by cars. Being a kindhearted soul I adopted the poor wretches and offered them the

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-69721941630543532942007-04-03T11:22:00.000-07:002007-04-03T11:33:06.974-07:00

More notes on a lifeThe opera was fun. It was a rather obscure opera by Haydn, and it was a lower-budget, smaller-scale production, with the atelier de l'opera rather than the principal singers. It was a comedy, and as a first opera experience it was very nice, but not the spectacle I was imagining or hoping for. It whetted my appetite... and it was nice to dress up and be downtown and sit in a

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-71504293401649793172007-03-30T15:51:00.000-07:002007-03-30T15:53:44.216-07:00

Awesome!One of my more modest dreams is about to come true this weekend. I'm going to the Opera! My friend, who knows that I long to go to an opera, scored some free tickets (her in-laws have a subscription) and her husband couldn't go, so yours truly gets to pinch hit! Woohoo!

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-10555660642383374382007-03-28T12:12:00.000-07:002007-03-28T12:36:14.319-07:00

Notes1.I hate when people correct other people's grammar, but I can't help myself. I must become what I hate and say it here for all (all 3 of you, anyway) to hear: The possessive form of the word "it" is "its", not "it's". No apostrophe; just i t s. I'm not thinking of anyone specific here. It's just that this error is so common, and so common on blogs -- even writers' blogs -- that I had

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-46476252001907500262007-03-27T07:10:00.000-07:002007-03-27T10:53:04.407-07:00

Semi-mandatory weekend postThe weekend was a good one, rather busy but just right. I went over to my friend's house on Friday evening and just got to talk with her without children interrupting us every 3 seconds. She's a very cool person and it was good to just relax with her (and a couple of Kilkennys). The family and I went to our old neighbour's new home for supper on Sunday and had a good

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-54280661464110983982007-03-21T09:46:00.001-07:002007-03-21T09:55:11.612-07:00

Some funnyHave a look at this (via Dooce).Someone wise once said (and I paraphrase): We don't see the world as it is; we see the world as we are. Maybe not relevant, but I like to whip that out as often as possible...And have a look at this too, in honour of the first day of Spring.

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-55870791427427026482007-03-20T09:20:00.000-07:002007-03-20T09:33:24.548-07:00

Udder CrapThere was nothing on TV last night (well, unless you think Dancing with the Stars is something) so I watched part of the second Bridget Jones movie on CBC. Why was this on? More importantly, why does this movie exist? I spent so much time tutting and sighing while watching it I'm surprised I have any saliva left. I've never been able to understand the Bridget Jones thing, really, but

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-27080593656553235302007-03-14T09:33:00.000-07:002007-03-14T09:51:18.032-07:00

WhelmedSorry, dear readers, for not having posted in a long time. I get very little time to write on the blog, and lately every time I've tried to, Blogger has wanted me to jump through a couple of hoops to switch over to its new version, and I haven't had the time for hoop-jumping.Yes, I have been that busy. Both of my jobs have demanded a lot of time lately, or should I say all three of my

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-1172513662921902422007-02-26T10:12:00.000-08:002007-02-27T14:09:55.820-08:00

I let my fingers do the walking...I just bought tickets to see The Police. Yay! I kind of can't believe it, because I never really try to get things (like tickets) for which there is a high demand, but I thought I'd give it a shot and woohoo! I'm going to see The Police!

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-1172442503031483562007-02-25T14:16:00.000-08:002007-02-25T14:28:23.050-08:00

Perfect winter dayMy husband is sick and making us all suffer along with him, so the kids and I spent most of today staying out of his way. We went to church in the morning, which involves a lovely walk through Montreal West accompanied by sunshine. After lunch and a bit of laundry we decided to try something I've been meaning to do for a few weeks now. We went out to the nearby golf course

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-1171566192848169892007-02-15T10:51:00.000-08:002007-02-15T11:03:12.870-08:00

Like Antarctica with houses.The much-heralded snowstorm yesterday was just quite a lot of snow, as it turned out. But today is downright nasty. The wind is bitter and it's whipping the snow around and shaking the trees and howling around the houses. D. is happy though, because he got to push someone's car out of snow bank. He lives to help people in distress. He shoulda been a search and rescue

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-1171300655349595112007-02-12T09:05:00.000-08:002007-02-12T09:17:35.370-08:00

Dey wuz robbed!I watched the Grammys last night and really enjoyed the show. Some of the performances were fantastic, and the overall production was pretty incredible. It's become a very smart show, taking a page from the Brit Awards book and focusing on the performances rather than the awards presentations. And no host, which works for them.Some classic performances by Mary J. Blige, Chris

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-1170696905200278322007-02-05T09:30:00.000-08:002007-02-05T09:35:05.220-08:00

SignsDespite the biting cold, it's starting to feel like Winter is passing over. Slowly but surely, the days get lighter and longer and the quality of the light and the strength of the sun are changing. At my church, they've started planning their summer house-building project in Mexico, and I'm starting to see registration leaflets for various summer day camps. And of course, that hopeful

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-1170441628749344552007-02-02T10:33:00.000-08:002007-02-02T10:40:28.750-08:00

Weird. And stupid.This morning I got up a whole hour early and didn't realize it until after about half an hour. I got up, finished up lunches and put them in school bags, made breakfast, realized the kids weren't coming downstairs and just as I was leaving the kitchen to go and get them I looked at the microwave and saw that it was 6 a.m., not 7 a.m. So discombobulating! I would laugh at my

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-1170262810532646912007-01-31T08:45:00.000-08:002007-01-31T09:00:10.556-08:00

Bloggers are lonely pathetic wretches who are also plainDid you hear the hubbub about some book that (according to the report in the paper) claims that blogs are written by loners who live in a virtual world. Oh yeah? well what about people who write books? Fun-loving, popular and gorgeous? Phhsssshhh. Geez!I'll have you know that I am swamped by social invitations every night of the week from

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-1170094861087774302007-01-29T10:10:00.000-08:002007-01-29T10:21:01.106-08:00

Misc.I've started working outside the home again, just 2 days a week, with the equivalent of about a day's work done at home during the other days. It feels...okay. I don't do change well, even when the change is to something as familiar as the same job I did last year, in the same office, even the same desk. It's a great job, actually: interesting, challenging, varied, well-paid and extremely

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-1169129606377009112007-01-18T06:07:00.000-08:002007-01-18T06:13:26.396-08:00

Oh SnowSnow makes everything so much prettier, doesn't it? I'm enjoying this, even if it does limit my movements a bit. I have some trouble getting the little one around when the snow is thick on the ground. Our crappy little umbrella stroller doesn't cut it in these conditions. Luckily we also have a little sled, a wagon and, for short walks, little-girl foot power, so we can usually make

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-1168541239521137952007-01-11T10:28:00.000-08:002007-01-11T10:47:19.563-08:00

Adios, big-ass Telefunken stereoDue to the receipt of a new gift-set of speakers and a newly-purchased TV stand (with storage), we've been moving things around in our living area and getting rid of a couple of things. The big speakers from the 70s are gone, as is the humungous Telefunken stereo console that was here when we moved in. We used to use this console for its turntable, and we loved

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-1168452880072700172007-01-10T10:09:00.000-08:002007-01-10T10:14:40.090-08:00

WellwhaddyaknowaboutthatWe've been approved for life insurance! After being treated with such suspicion by the company, I'm shocked that they're now happy to insure us. Not that they had any good reason to treat us that way; maybe they take that position with everyone. Anyway it's nice to know that our blood didn't show any life-threatening illnesses. Most of all I just feel like a real adult

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-1168280320018872952007-01-08T10:06:00.000-08:002007-01-08T10:18:40.046-08:00

UpdateChristmas was lovely, as always. This was the first Christmas where F. had an inkling of who Santa Claus is and what he does. For my eldest child, this is probably the last Christmas with that belief; I think she only believes now through an act of will, and generosity toward her parents, who go to all that trouble, after all (Hey, the reindeer's carrots don't get all chewed and shredded

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-1167848939270199232007-01-03T10:15:00.000-08:002007-01-03T10:28:59.306-08:00

Never shop the CBC shopI'd like to start the new year with a happy post about what a wonderful holiday season we enjoyed. I will do that, but that's gonna have to come second, because I must tell all and sundry that the CBC Shop SUCKS. I ordered a Christmas present (a CD of Christmas stories ferbabyjesussake!) that not only didn't get there by Christmas, but never got there at all, and when I

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-1166811367141660852006-12-22T10:07:00.000-08:002006-12-22T10:16:07.166-08:00

Kicking itI can hear the voices of my loyal fans, crying out, "Why no blogging, Becca?"Family Life has staged an intervention and told me in no uncertain terms that my addiction to 20-minutes-a-day-for-myself is just too selfish and damaging to those around me. I'm trying to kick the habit of blog-reading and -writing and quell the need to express my personal (albeit very boring) point-of-view,

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-1166214608550351672006-12-15T12:25:00.000-08:002006-12-15T12:30:08.576-08:00

Rhymes with CastroI've been out of circulation for the past week, the reason being a certain narsty stomach bug that made its way through our family, hitting me the hardest and knocking me out for a record-tying 5 days. No Christmas preparations were done, no presents bought, no tree decorated, no baking, no no no no. Senor Gastro is one ugly mofo, and he tries to take away Christmas from the

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-1165432528776416352006-12-06T10:46:00.000-08:002006-12-06T11:15:28.896-08:00

A child waking up on a snowy nightThings feel as though they're looking up, 'though I'm not sure why. Just a mood thing, I guess. Some really lovely little things have happened to me in the last few days, and they outweigh the not-so-lovely. Noone in the family is sick at the moment and I'm exercising every day. I haven't dealt with the idea of Christmas preparations yet. Maybe it'll be

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-1164570675882808272006-11-26T11:45:00.000-08:002006-11-26T11:51:15.940-08:00

OishLife is strange these days. I think I'm ever so slightly depressed. I'm moving into another stage in my life and I can't make myself be happy about it. In fact I'm having a hard time feeling anything better than dread. And that's not good. There are times when trying to "think positively" just doesn't seem to work.I did just order tickets for Lord of the Dance, to which I will take my

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-1164138114000003592006-11-21T11:28:00.000-08:002006-11-21T11:41:54.176-08:00

The evening shiftAs I mentioned in an earlier post, my hubby has been working evenings since September, and all in all the experience has sucked the big one. The 2 older kids barely get to see him at all, and have suffered a bit because of that, especially my eldest. She has cried a few times, missing him and feeling that things just aren't right in our family since he started this unfriendly

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-1163702450500317712006-11-16T09:44:00.001-08:002006-11-16T10:40:50.526-08:00

TrendsI like fashion. I like to watch what's happening in the world of high and low fashion and to try to predict what's going to become the next thing everyone will want to have in their wardrobe. Because I don't have money I never actually buy anything that isn't a) in the good will or salvation army store, b) on the last-season liquidation rack in a store that was cheap to begin with, or c)

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-1163446155401439272006-11-13T11:10:00.000-08:002006-11-13T11:29:15.976-08:00

Update on a Big GuhwIt's been a while since I wrote about Fi-fi, so here's a wee update:She's quite tall now. She's just gone through a growth spurt that turned all of her pants into floods and all of her long sleeves into 3/4-length sleeves. We've started going to story-time at our local children's library, as well as to a play group in the neighbourhood. I'm doing this much later with her

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-1163005987745079692006-11-08T09:10:00.000-08:002006-11-08T09:13:33.746-08:00

The analog worldI'm applying for a job at a place where they don't accept e-mailed applications, so I have to print, sign, and mail my cover letter and C.V.I'd forgotten what a pain in the ass looking for a job used to be. Until today. Have I mentioned the fact that I don't own a printer?

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-1162914918639159342006-11-07T07:54:00.000-08:002006-11-07T07:55:18.683-08:00

Hmmm...I wonder if Saddam Hussein's execution will be televised in the U.S.?

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-1162837199382582732006-11-06T10:10:00.000-08:002006-11-06T10:19:59.656-08:00

Wa wa wi wa!Went to see Borat on Saturday night. (Babysitters! cinema! A pre-movie drink! like real people!) We were in a huge theatre, packed to the doors, and it was really fun. The film itself is quite shocking in many respects. Very funny in many many places. I was surprised that he didn't tone the character down at all for a big-budget film. I'd say that he actually went further with the

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-1162576449577127822006-11-03T09:41:00.000-08:002006-11-03T09:54:09.606-08:00

StrangeD. and I went through a slightly bizarre experience this morning. A nurse came over to take our blood and urine, in order to have them tested by our (potentially possible) life insurance company. The co. wants to know a lit-tle bit more about us than the application/brochure asked us, so they send a rather testy, very businesslike lady to bustle into our home and stick us with needles

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-1162227438254131612006-10-30T08:52:00.000-08:002006-10-30T08:57:18.286-08:00

Hallo weeny!It's a beautiful sunny day, our house is all dressed up for Halloween (despite yesterday's howling gales), and we're all getting pretty excited about tomorrow's trick-or-treating! I'm finally starting to wake up to this, much later than I normally do. I haven't felt like expending the energy to celebrate Halloween this year, even though it's my favourite holiday. A really fun yoga/

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-1161723546235635562006-10-24T13:56:00.000-07:002006-10-24T13:59:06.266-07:00

wahI feel like there are thousands of tiny creatures crawling around inside my face. I know that this is in fact true, if you think of bacteria as creatures. I just feel it more today than most of the time.

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-1161639798469619502006-10-23T14:42:00.000-07:002006-10-23T14:43:18.486-07:00

The reason for my inertia has made itself known: I'm sick. Blaaanh.

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-1161628607555549252006-10-23T11:25:00.000-07:002006-10-23T11:36:47.586-07:00

SogI'm disappointed today because I can't go out tonight to a movie screening that I really, really wanted to attend. It's for a flic called American Hardcore, about the hardcore music scene in the 80s, basically saying that it was a leftist movement during the Reagan era. This is pretty much the exact same idea that I had for a radio documentary that I wanted to pitch to Ideas on CBC last year

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-1161204875689579262006-10-18T13:45:00.000-07:002006-10-18T13:54:35.716-07:00

Message in a bottleOkay, guys who write my new favourite show Heroes: With an ending like the one you wrote for the latest episode, I can almost forgive you the unbelievable sexism that has one of the 2 female characters stripping down to her underwear in every episode (and not just because she's a stripper) and the other already a victim of rape and murder. Please respect your female

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-1160848845334169272006-10-14T10:45:00.000-07:002006-10-14T11:00:45.360-07:00

Two tangentially-related thoughts on life as a mother1.It seems like a lot of the "mommy" blogs I read are from women with one child. I can't help feeling like they have no idea. Isn't that terrible? I've always hated that Mommy Superior thing, where the more kids you have the more valid you feel. I certainly felt like a real, full-fledged mother when I only had one child. I guess we fall

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-1160586006149407702006-10-11T09:32:00.000-07:002006-10-12T08:08:23.156-07:00

Oh, The Drama!I'm enjoying the fall TV season so far. I've tried out some new shows and returned to some old faves. Out of the new shows, I think I'll jettison one for sure: Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. The premise of this show was irresistible to me: A behind-the-scenes drama about a Saturday Night Live-type show? How could it miss? Well, it could be created by Aaron Sorkin and employ some of

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-1160147176843272802006-10-06T07:49:00.000-07:002006-10-06T08:06:16.890-07:00

As I've said before on this blog, I like to walk -- to go for long walks around NDG and Montreal West. I have a few set walks that I've timed so that I can get back home in about an hour, and there are about 4 or 5 of them, for variety. Lately I've added a new feature to the end of some of my walks, so that I take a detour through Concordia University's Loyola campus before coming home. I do this

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-1159309694064713842006-09-26T15:16:00.000-07:002006-09-26T15:28:14.093-07:00

Like I said...Our summer vacation was loverly.

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-1159285657354127212006-09-26T08:34:00.000-07:002006-09-26T08:47:37.396-07:00

Limbo landOur life is in a "transition period" yet again -- just to keep us on our toes, y'know? D. has started a new shift at work that has him working from 2 to 10 week nights (including Friday, which has been "our night" for a couple of years now. Me sad.). The change has its mix of good and bad; D. gets to see a lot more of our littlest one, who is home with me (and now him). He doesn't

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-1158938845779373352006-09-22T08:16:00.000-07:002006-09-22T08:27:25.806-07:00

This is shooting fish in a barrelI actually laughed out loud yesterday at a clip I heard in a radio news item. The story was about how our "New Government" (have you heard about that ridiculous to-do?) wants to enact a kind of 3-strikes-you're-out legislation similar to the US's, but without the death penalty. (Isn't it kind of funny how they use a baseball term for something that ends in an

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-1158851252021698742006-09-21T08:04:00.000-07:002006-09-21T08:07:32.043-07:00

Happy thoughts

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-1158781718282398872006-09-20T12:32:00.002-07:002006-09-20T12:48:38.300-07:00

Second thoughtsSome of you very astute readers may have noticed that I deleted the post that I wrote the day after last Wednesday's shootings at Dawson College.I often experience twinges of self-doubt after posting to the blog; I guess that's pretty common and natural. With that post, however, I felt differently. After looking around the web at different blogs and reading the papers I decided

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-1158007880486445102006-09-11T13:47:00.000-07:002006-09-11T13:52:16.803-07:00

If my life were a book, this chapter would be called:MotherhoodorHow can something this physically exhausting make you gain weight?

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-1157732811458230692006-09-08T09:13:00.000-07:002006-09-08T09:26:51.500-07:00

Summer hangs on!It's warm and sunny and just perfect out there today. I took the little girl to one of our favourite libraries this morning and we had a great time. We went by bike, of course, and got some of books that I loved when I was little. One of them is "Ten Apples Up on Top". Remember that one? One of the many wonderful things about having children is immersing yourself in children's

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-1157561211915051822006-09-06T09:32:00.000-07:002006-09-06T09:46:52.463-07:00

On marriageOkay, so the site meter does work; I was just too stupid (duh!) to know it.I've been thinking a lot lately about marriage and how things can fall apart and why some marriages last while others don't, regardless of the amount or nature of the love involved.D. and I have been married for 11 years now, and things are good between us, maybe even great. I feel incredibly lucky to be with

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-1157480566923966382006-09-05T11:08:00.000-07:002006-09-05T11:22:47.256-07:00

Misc. crapPoor D. He spent about 6 hours yesterday doing a job that I insisted he do, a job that I figured would take about 2 hours, tops. We replaced our big orange behemoth of a fridge with a small white one given to us by our neighbour. We downsized our fridge capacity significantly. I always felt the big fridge was too big, and it was about 2/3 full of stuff we never touched, and I figure

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-1157123583203080882006-09-01T08:04:00.000-07:002006-09-01T08:13:03.246-07:00

Paean to a Letter CarrierI've just sent off an e-mail to Canada Post, full of praise for our summer letter carrier. She came into our lives one sultry day, a vision in her pseudo-Mountie hat and hiking boots. Her long blond hair and big toothy smile melted our hearts, and her friendly conversation made our days that much sunnier. Her name was Laurie, and she really liked talking to the kids

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-1156706599259428562006-08-27T12:22:00.000-07:002006-08-27T12:23:19.283-07:00

JokeThe newest generation of couch potatoes: YouTubers.

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-1156697380660901952006-08-27T09:44:00.000-07:002006-08-27T09:49:41.130-07:00

This blog sucks!How did I go from being someone who only blogged about her children on very rare occasions to someone who seems to blog about nothing but her children? The answer is very simple: summer. I'm surrounded by children all the time and they take up every square centimetre of my brain space. If it's boring you to tears, I apologize. The kids return to school on Tuesday and with any

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-1156545180032628512006-08-25T15:13:00.000-07:002006-08-27T09:51:36.116-07:00

Back from VacationSorry for the interruption in my ultra-fascinating blog. I know you're all on the edge of your seats wondering how the deck turned out and how our vacation went.Well, wonder no more, loyal reader(s?). The deck is awesome. I feel so cool saying "Let's eat out on the deck tonight" and when I go out to have my coffee on it in the morning I forget that we actually don't have much

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-1155317142311198272006-08-11T10:15:00.000-07:002006-08-11T10:25:43.556-07:00

A Long Time ComingOur deck is in the very final stages of construction right now. The stairs are going on, and then the railings, then the benches, and then...voila! A big beautiful deck of our very own! I'm super excited about this, despite the fact that we have had to pay for it out of our credit line. But it's a fabulous deck, especially for the price.My ex-brother-in-law is building it,

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-1154964110659077802006-08-07T08:09:00.000-07:002006-08-07T08:21:50.693-07:00

Sun and funHere's a shot from our day at the waterfront in Ste. Anne de Bellevue.We had another birthday this past weekend, my son's. It was at the bowling alley and it was a lot of fun. When he bowled a strike everyone gave him a big group hug. What a cute bunch of kids. They were nice and well-behaved and even shared the treats they collected from the pinata. (one of the friends is autistic

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-1154474209902855152006-08-01T16:10:00.000-07:002006-08-01T16:16:49.920-07:00

Making ineptitude work for youDespite our complete lack of preparedness and planning, we are going to manage to have a real vacation this summer.Our next-door neighbour has hooked us up with a cottage (electricity, all mod cans, sauna!) in the Laurentians, right smack on a lake (dock, boat, no motors) for a week. It just happened to be available for the week D. has off, and the price is

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-1154096980588458812006-07-28T07:18:00.000-07:002006-07-28T07:29:40.613-07:00

Excellent AdventureYesterday my son, littlest daughter and I went on an adventure. We took the train (cool! air conditioning! three floors!) out to Ste. Anne de Bellevue and once there we watched boats going through the locks, walked along the boardwalk, walked along the cute main street and got an ice cream, went to a very fun store and looked around in air conditioned comfort (it was f---in'

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-1153919292993787652006-07-26T06:03:00.000-07:002006-07-26T06:08:13.016-07:00

Summer SundayWe went to Westmount on Sunday afternoon to drop off our oldest child at the bus for sleepaway camp. We said goodbye (for a whole week - sob!) and then, to console ourselves, bought food and went to spend some time in Westmount Park. It helped a little.

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5946504.post-1153495567600556222006-07-21T08:18:00.000-07:002006-07-21T08:26:07.653-07:00

Let my pictures go!I'm happy to say that Maggie came over yesterday and helped me to release the pictures from my camera and re-imprison them on my hard drive.I'm embarrassed to say that it took her all of 2 minutes to complete what has to be the simplest operation ever executed on a computer. Actually I'm embarrassed to say that I couldn't figure it out, not that she did it so easily. I'm sure

beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00137853701035515221noreply@blogger.com1