Mother Nature Has a Sense of Humour Too

It is that time of year when the weather begins to warm up that birds begin to migrate back to us. There are numerous grackles, robins and the odd cardinal flittering about eyeing up possible nesting sites in preparation for mating season. A rafter of our back deck has been chosen by a very lovely robin who has some of the brightest markings I have ever seen of the species. She/he also possesses heavily white flecked rings around its eyes making its eyes seem larger than they really are. The robin is continually bringing dried grass to this spot in attempts of fashioning a groovy love pad, however, with every fresh load of grass 99% of the last batch goes overboard and onto the cover of our pool. It has been trying to build a nest for the last four days, yet every night I spy through our kitchen window to see of any progress made only to find dried grass floating on the pool cover or strewn across the floor of the deck. It has become a constant source of amusement for my family to watch the ineptitude of this robin and to comment on how Mother Nature has seen fit to gift us with a blonde robin.

Trees Lounge

Sit here in Trees LoungePour it in my mouthI Need something to forgetWhat got me in this messI'm feeling less and lessMy Judgement is not clear I do things that I fear,I would never doSit here in Trees LoungeOrder one more roundYou have a pretty name,Pretty like your nameLets play a drinking gameAnd If I win I get to,take you home and if you, win, you go home with meCause I need something to forget,what got me in this messFeeling less and lessMy judgement is not clear I do things that I fear,I would never do

--Hayden--

Where were you when I was in my early twenties? I could have used a little perspective.

A Day at the Beach

We drove the half-hour to Port Rowan to a pizza place and had lunch before making our way to Long Point. A bird sanctuary, village and Ontario Park, Long Point boasts some of the nicest beaches in Ontario.

We follow a path strewn with needles through the piney woods towards the sandy dunes of Long Point. We are all smiles with a bounce to our step. Rain and I find deer tracks (a doe and her fawn) and we follow them until the sand is unsheltered and the wind has reshuffled the grains smooth once again. The sound of ring-billed gulls is heard over the surf and wind creating that illusion of summertime when their shrill voices fight over the greasy fastfood feast left by sunburnt sunbathers. Trees have there branches swaying in the breeze and appear to want to bud once again in the not so distant future. A couple sit on a bench back from the beach and look to be cooing at each other; holding hands, smiling and planting the odd kiss. Theo begins scouring for stones for her next project and Rain collects shells. Cassidy digs in the sand until her hands become too wet which chills them. She runs to me to warm them up by blowing on them and rubbing them. Rain and Cassidy climb a dune and roll down it over and over while I spy a log half buried in the sand where I lay down to soak up the sun. Theo is still searching for stones. I fall into a reverie feeling calm and peaceful. The world is a beautiful place and I feel we are in paradise. I get up and look around. Theo is still at work and the girls are out of sight. I walk up a dune and call for them. No answer. I call a little louder and Rain responds, but no Cassidy. I call out very loudly and still no answer. I frantically search the landscape to no avail. I begin to panic, but force myself to remain calm. Rain begins to search for her and Theo finally realizes the situation and begins to help search for Cassidy. The trees are leafless and dead looking. There are plastic bags hanging from branches in shreds from the winter wind. Other people out on a Sunday stroll all are all evil doers just waiting to snatch my child away. I remember seeing a scruffy looking couple earlier in our walk and wonder if they have run off with Cassidy. He looked like some deadbeat biker with his dyed blonde bimbo who was trying to hang onto the last vestiges of a youth long gone. Theo spots Cassidy and I can breath again. "We're going home" I say. I berate Cassidy for going too far away from her family, but this is just my fear in its death throes. I am relieved and happy to be on the piney path once again, sheltered from the harsh open world.

100th Post!

This is my 100th posting since Dec. '02.

The Life of Pi


Written by Yan Martel, this book is a must read. I enjoyed it so much that I will read it again (and perhaps again and again). A look at the capably savage human being under duress that left me, after I pieced it together, in awe. There are many great contemporary books out there, but this is an instant classic.

Walter

Rain: Guess what daddy?

Dad: What?

Rain: Walter loves me. Nolan told me because Walter was too scared.

Dad: Oh my. And who is Walter.

Rain: This guy. Nolan makes me laugh alot. He put his foot in a garbage can and was pretending to fall saying "Whooaaaaaa".

Dad: He sounds like a real funny guy.

Rain: He is. I don't have to love Walter do I?

Dad: No, but it never hurts to be nice and be friends. Besides, there are many different ways to be in love. There is love like I have for your mom or for you, Cassidy or Micmac. I loved my old van. I love our swimming pool.

Rain: Well, maybe I can love Walter like the swimming pool.

Dad: Sounds good.

And so the boy trouble begins already. This is going to age me for sure.

Uncle June

My wife grew up in Toronto knowing her mothers close friends as her aunt Nannette and Uncle June. June was an OB so when Theo became pregnant we of course turned to June. He was so easy going and confident and made us feel so secure in his abilities. When one particular nurse began giving Theo a hard time June was there to put her in her place and made sure Theo got the highest level of care. We knew he would never allow anything bad to happen to Theo. Although we had our second with a close friend who was a midwife, it was not a reflection of our confidence of June. At that time his health was a question and we did not want another OB to replace him, especially when it was time for the birth. He helped us through a tough birth for our first daughter and for that we will always feel indebted to him. Uncle June, your grace, kind-heartedness, skill, humour and easy-going manner will be missed. Thank you so much. May you find your way easily and peacefully.

The Case of the Cursed Curry

I made roti last night. Pureed chick peas with potato, chicken and vegetable(s) (I like peas) spiced with curry. Today I feel absolutely hellish. Why does something that tastes so good with healthy ingredients make me feel like my intestines are experiencing a severe tornado.

Our Weekend in Ottawa (Winterlude)

Went to Ottawa the weekend before last. Theo's brother lives in Aylmer so we go down every Feb. with his son (who lives with his mom in Toronto) for Winterlude. This year we also went with Theo's dad so we rented a van for the drive down so we could all fit together nice and cozy at a not so nice and cozy cost (as if I had any choice in the matter where Theo and her father are concerned). What a catastrophe. When it was just me and the girls it was a lot of fun, but where Theo's family was concerned it was hellish. My bro-in-laws girlfriend turned into this giant freak who was completely intolerent, bitchy and domineering in a passive/agressive way. She tried to lecture me on how to raise my children as if she were some great authority (if you met her kids you would understand). She put onions in meals (I have a real hard time with onions and sometimes get sick) and said she did not. She treated my oldest like she was a spoiled princess who could be righted by her wisdom. My bro-in-law pretty much abandoned us (except for meals) to play computer games with his son. When we got home I told Theo that when it comes time to go to Aylmer again next year that I hope she has a great time while the kids and I go to Arizona or somewhere warm.