One Part Inspiration...

Get sent on errand by husband, who firmly believes you have the capacity to drive the truck with the oversized trailer to get supplies. Return after several hours with supplies (and a few less fingernails). Get advice from every person who watches you try to back into position. Watch the trailer get unhitched, and wait to see what will happen to your most excellent Father's Day gift. The following week, arrive to find husband and boys working diligently to put together the gift. Imagine if you will, a swing in the right corner. In future weeks, watch for the unfolding of this gift. Look forward to congratulating yourself on thinking of such a fine gift. Like they say, you should always give something that you would love yourself.

Sometimes, you just have to hold the camera at a different angle to fool the eye. Sometimes you have to take a step backwards to see just how much has been done, rather than how much there is yet to do. Sometimes you have to put the toilet seat down, so there's no indication, that the seat is broken in half. Sometimes, the path to progress seems backwards.

I will miss seeing views like this on my homeward-bound route each afternoon. My job at this end of town has come to close. As I reflect on the past year, and what it has meant to work there, I count it a blessing to have been able to work with such great people, and to have been given the scope I had to explore a fresh occupational pathway. I know I did things differently than other people. But I had a very patient co-worker, who coached me through many twists and turns. I treasured the gift of enjoying such variety in my work. It was a 'very good year' (to quote Frank Sinatra). Some of the highlights for me were: Listening in as the Gr. 2 teacher read to the class, before I went off for some one-to-one instruction with an E.S.L. student. [Some authors write children's books for adults who are reading them.] Having creative license to put up a bulletin board or two. Practicing my techno-skills. For instance, I found out how to fashion a template for the Track Meet...

This picture is deceiving. It may look like there's been a robbery in our place. But this is the true story. The boys are sleeping in this room. And in order to access the bikes on the deck, this chair has to be tipped over to carve a path to bring the bikes out, so the boys can get out and about. There are so many things in my life at the moment that have to be moved, in order for me to access other things. For instance, there's the big pile of paperwork which has taken over the top of the dresser, which is only surface available to it. I can't even get into the boxes where the papers are, because there's so much stuff on the top of them also needing to be reorganized. Today, I am planning a 'power-pitch'. It will be amazing. I might even be approached to star in my own reality show. Hardly will those papers touch my fingers, when they will be pitched, or filed. Now, if only I could get at the file box. It's hidden behind the bench which is holding all the ...

My Dad has been here visiting working. He offered us "ten working days". He's put in way more hours than that. And I keep telling him not to work so hard, but he is a little stubborn and won't listen. I wonder if he knew what he was in for, when he arrived. Mostly, he's taken on the light work. Nothing major. He tucked in all this insulation - from bits and pieces we'd stacked up in the cubby. Then he insulated the cubby, while he was at it. (He might have to change his name to "Gumby") Lifted layers of flooring from the kitchen. Rescued the floor boards and piled them up. Then pulled up these boards in preparation for the plumbing. You know, little stuff. Nothing strenuous. Every once in a while, he takes a break to go and chase the sheep back into the pasture, where they should be. Then he takes up the shovel/hammer/nail puller again, and away he goes. And every day that he returns to the condo, he repeats the same phrase that my optimistic husb...

"NO! NO! Go ahead! I don't mind! " For those of you who have been wondering what happened to me, why I haven't written anything for days on end, this is my explanation. Eighteen year olds have an inordinate need to sit in front of the computer for hours on end, staring at the screen. You can ask them politely for time to check your emails, and they may give you a window of opportunity, but don't expect them to allow you unfettered time to sort through your thoughts on a blog post. So I have been relegated to practicing "NO! NO! Go ahead! I don't mind!" I have all these thoughts ruminating in my head. But I can't blog-on-demand. It takes time to post. So if I have only a couple of minutes, I default to checking up on all the people who want me to know that I can ' work at home. just click here '. Well, tonight, I have a little bigger window. And in a perfect world, this post would be much longer. But I'm out of practice. ...

There was much anticipation as graduation week arrived. It was palpable. Notices came home. More notices were emailed. Protocols were reiterated. Rules were delineated. Expectations were set out. Cheques were cut. Stores were visited. And finally, it was here. My favorite day, was the day of the parade. I took the a holiday to enjoy whatever might happen. I got to sleep in a bit and get a few jobs done around the house, before the graduate and I headed out to do some errands. We spent the day together. It was nice to hang out. We picked up some items. We dropped off others, and finished up "the getting" for the grad outfit. Our list got shorter, and finally we stopped for a celebratory Booster Juice. On our way to pick up the grad's brother from school, we picked up the 'spandex suit' for the parade. Then we went to the group picture place. It was rainy and cold, so we only stayed for a little bit. Then we made our way to the parade...

This probably looks like a million other pictures which have been taken at a million other ceremonies. For me, it was one in a million. One can't help but reflect on the many steps it took, to see him walk down the aisle. Time has passed, like a big run on sentence. Meet the teacher.....first day of school....."How was it son"....wipe a 'I-can't believe-he-is-already-in-school' tear away...wait for the bus...watch him get on the bus...wave...begin the journey of assemblies...awards ceremonies...concerts..... Parent-Teacher meetings...Parent Advisory Council meetings.....fund raiser meetings.... fairs.... Science Fairs...... Fun Fairs...Book Fairs........Meet the Teacher Nights.....fund- raising- dinners- so -your- kid- can- go- to- Gr.- Seven- camp -nights.....hot lunches......dropping a fast food lunch off at the school, when you suddenly realize you don't have any groceries in the house... making lunches.... ..getting phone calls about leaving lu...