That's classic?

I apologize if you've already heard me complain about this but I'm going to say it again.

I love me some Snoopy.  Charlie Brown still makes me smile.

So what's the problem?

Earlier this week we were watching Dancing with the Stars during which there was a commercial for It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.

What I saw were snippets from the cartoon but what I heard was Charlie Brown rapping.  Rapping.  He actually signs off with "Word".

If you're wondering (I wasn't)  they credited the music to Charlie B and the Peanut Posse.

Really?

Our kids can't just enjoy Charlie Brown anymore?  Pure and simple Peanuts?

You don't mess with the classics.  That's just wrong.

Good grief.

Let's eat.

Slowly but surely we are all recovering from the weekend.

Sheldon was back to school today but Juliana stayed home.  

By later this afternoon I figured that I had to be well enough to drive because our cupboards were bare.  Really bare.  So out I went for groceries and tonight we had our first good meal since last Friday and we're counting down the hours until Peter gets home tomorrow night.  Things seemed to be looking up.

Until after our dinner, when Peter sent me this text:

NFL Media meal (free):  steak and shrimp.  Mmm mmm mmm.

Seriously?

It's a good job he's cute.

Lucky or not? Here's my day.

Have you ever had one of those days where absolutely nothing goes as planned?  

Yup.  That'd be my last 24 hours.

Lucky:  I woke up early Friday morning to see snow on the ground.  The best kind of snow because as pretty as it looked, I knew that it would be gone in a few hours.

Unlucky:  Peter called my office at 11 a.m. to tell me that Sheldon had just thrown up at school.

Lucky:  Peter was home to pick Sheldon up.

Unlucky:  Peter was leaving in a couple of hours to fly to Philadelphia so I had to leave work early and take the commuter bus home.

Lucky:  I got to see Juliana's excited face when I showed up unexpectedly to pick her up after school.

Unlucky:  Sheldon had to miss his hockey practice and a sleepover birthday party at his friend's house. As a result, Juliana and I had to postpone our 'girls night' because we now had a sick boy in the house.

Lucky:  To compromise for our lost girl's night, I let Juliana choose what kind of take-out we would have for dinner. 

Unlucky:  She chose McDonald's.

Lucky:  Everyone slept pretty soundly all night.  And the flu hasn't taken any more prisoners. 

Unlucky:  When I was talking to Sheldon's hockey coach to let him know that Sheldon was too sick to play this afternoon, something in my back snapped.

Lucky:  Um, at this point, nothing.

Unlucky:  I can't move.  Sheldon can't raise his fevered head or he feels sick.  The dogs want a walk.  And Juliana is too young to keep this household humming.  

Lucky:  Peter's chiropractor fit me in.  

Unlucky:  I can't drive.

Lucky:  When we moved into this neighbourhood 9 years ago, we picked awesome neighbours to befriend.  Lara drove me to the chiropractor, picked up more ginger ale for Sheldon, took Juliana to McDonald's for lunch, picked up a freezer pizza in case I needed something for dinner, and bought me a tuna sandwich.

Unlucky:  Peter is still in Philadelphia and I can't find my mom.  

Lucky:  The chiropractor fixed whatever needed to be fixed so that I could take deep breaths again and now I'm able to walk around even though I can't raise my arms up more than half-way to my head.  And, as long as I'm sitting very, very straight (like balance a book on my head straight) then I can sit and blog.

Unlucky:  Fifteen minutes after the fact, I realized that we had completely forgotten Sheldon's haircut scheduled for today.

Lucky:  I mea culpa'd and they rescheduled my shaggy kid for Thursday.

Unlucky:  Oh boy, do those dogs ever want a walk.

Lucky:  Sheldon is up and about and thinks he may be in the mend.  He went outside on his scooter for two minutes but that was all the energy he had so now he's back on the couch.  Yelling at his sister.  He must be on the mend.

Lucky:  Juliana has decided that she will make eggs for everyone for dinner.  

Lucky:  I will spend the rest of my evening catching up on some reading.

Three lucky things in a row.  I'd say things might just be looking up.

Fingers crossed, please.

Who?

Election time is almost over and it's a good thing.

I know that my memory is not what it used to be.  I forget names of people, names of movies, phone numbers, and sometimes a password or two.  But when I'm driving home and I see the election signs, I don't need to be reminded EVERY 100 FEET who is running for mayor.  I'm not going to forget within seconds who the candidates are.  It makes me crazy.

How about we spend some of the money that is used on signs and build an actual skate park for youths in town?

I'm just sayin.

My belated Thanksgiving.

Many, many years ago there lived 7 women.  Day after day they slogged it in the same law office.  Until one of them decided to leave for greener pastures - a new career.  By the end of her first week she called the 6 others and suggested that they all meet for a beer on Friday night.  She missed them and they missed her.

That was over 20 years ago.

We called our Friday nights "Choir Practice" and all these years later the tradition continues.  Same night, same time, same pub.  We adopted a member and lost one to the East Coast.  We've all aged (just a little), three of us have moved from the City, there have been marriages, babies, deaths, and quite a few other milestones.  The Friday nights have continued - it's a little group now, with the exception of Christmas it seems, because with busy families and busy lives it's just not as easy to get downtown every week.

But let me share the beautiful thing about these women.

Last Friday night we got together to show our support to our dear friend who had just lost her mom.  After meeting at our pub for dinner, we all arrived, together, at the funeral home making an entrance that only Choir could.

The evening was full of hugs and catch-up conversations about our moms, our kids, and our families.

We may not see each other as often as we like and I know that I'm guilty of falling off the radar for months at a time.  But I cherish my friendships with them - they are deep, lifetime friends that have always been there for me to celebrate the good moments and hold my hand during the bad.

Last weekend was Thanksgiving and I was blessed to spend the weekend with my sister and her family at my mom's.

But this weekend, I remembered how grateful I am for my friends.  This weekend I had a taste of what I've been missing with Choir Practice.  So, I'm taking a moment to let them know just how much I value what they have brought to my life.

Even though I'm not always sitting at that table in the back with you, I feel very thankful for the times that we do share together.  Next week - have a drink for me, okay?


 

Lucky number 13.

Happy Birthday to Paul Simon.

Happy Birthday to Marie Osmond.

And happiest of happy birthdays to my mom!

Sixteen, already?

Today was ridiculously gorgeous out.  The leaves might just be at their prime, the sun shone all day and my sweater was shed by mid-morning in favour of short sleeves.

It was exactly the same kind of day 16 years ago when Peter and I celebrated the beginning of our lives together. Since then, lots of things have changed.  Like we have kids now.  And a mortgage.  And more pets than we had then.  He is now the cook and as soon as I stopped being pregnant it became my job to change the cat litter.  Our commutes are longer, there is more sports equipment in the garage, and we are starting to have to fight with kids for the shower.  

But one thing has stayed the same:  it's still him that I want to fall asleep beside every night and wake up with every morning.  

Thanks, Peter, for being the one.

Happy Anniversary.

Running and Rainbows.

This year, for the first time, Juliana decided to join her school's cross country team.  Sheldon, on the other hand, has been running every race and winning ribbons since the was year he was able to join.  They both train with the team every day at lunch.

From the beginning, Juliana has maintained that she would train with the team but she would not compete.  The anxiety that goes along with sports is just not her thing.  But lately she's been surprising us.

The week before this last meet we talked a couple of times about her hesitation.  When she told me that she was afraid she would come in last, I gave her a little pep talk to remind her of all the things that she has done lately that she was initially afraid to do and yet once she actually tried them she had a blast.

The night before the race she decided that she would go prepared - running shoes and school t-shirt on - but that she wasn't going to decide whether or not to run until we got there.  And then, again, I told her that we'd be proud of her no matter what.  Just getting out and running was a success on its own.

We picked the kids up after school and headed, prepared, to the meet.  In the car on the way the kids talked about the route - apparently this was going to happen!  Once we got there, she found her friends and that was it.  She headed to the start without even looking back for us.

And then she ran.

No surprise to anyone but I got a little teary watching my girl on the first lap before they headed out of our sight.  Peter and I walked over to wait for the runners to arrive at the finish line.  And finish she did!  She came into that last stretch with a burst of energy and pride written all over her face.  What I didn't know until afterwards was that Sheldon and his buddies were cheering from the turn into the final stretch and when she heard them she "didn't want him to think she was going to stop" so she sped up and passed four kids!

She was waiting in the line up immediately after finishing and when she heard us call her name she smiled.  Oh, did she smile!  I am welling up again just thinking about that look.

Sheldon had his turn to make us proud a little later.  He ran a great race, was the first of his teammates to finish, and won another 8th place ribbon.  Again I felt a little teary watching him run that final stretch because this will be the last time I see him run at this meet (my favourite) before he heads off to (gulp) high school. 

But the story doesn't end there. 

Later that night, I was at home with the kids and Peter was picking up a couple of groceries when he sent me a text that simply said "Rainbow!"  Out the back window I could see that the sun was setting, the sky was brilliant shades of pink, and there was the rainbow.

(the view from my back window)

(Peter's view from the parking lot)

It had been a great afternoon, full of happy success, and when I saw this sky I just knew.

And Peter did too.  Because his next text to me said: "I think your dad saw the race today".

I know he did.

Ten little things.

This afternoon when I logged on to the computer, I received a very short, to the point message from friend of mine:  get back to your blog.....

I realize that it has been a week since I've written. But the truth of it is that I'm feeling a little out of sorts.  I have no explanation for the feeling.  I'm just out of sorts.  And, as a result, I'm experiencing a little writer's block.

So, for today, I'm going to fall back on something that I do when I need to gather my thoughts -  I'm going to make a list.

Ten little things that have made me smile this week:

1.  The pumpkin spice latte that I treated myself to after my Zumba class.  A reward for a job well done.

2.  Peter put on the first fire of the season for me when I was having trouble warming up.

3.  Sydney slid off the bathroom counter and landed two paws in the toilet.

4.  My favourite nice lady was working at Horton's when I got my coffee.

5.  Sheldon's hockey team won their first game of the season with two goals scored in the last 30 seconds of the game.

6.  Peter and I went out for an early anniversary dinner - the cauliflower & potato soup was to de-lish-ous and on the walk there and back we talked long and uninterrupted.

7.  My sister told me that she took a 'Change Management' course and that (even though I might be an old dog) I'm not crazy.

8.  The Township replaced the dead tree on our boulevard and I think that the new one might be the same kind that was on my lawn when I grew up (the name of which escapes me right now).

9.  I bought a new pair of black jeans.

10.  Our ash tree's bright red leaves.