I've forgotten how to write

Boy oh boy my writing muscles are out of shape. I guess they need a couple of months to brake back in just like my running legs.

Day 7 and All's Well

It's day 7 and life is good. Our new rhythm of life feels calm. I'm up at 6:00 to walk the dog. Back at 7:00 getting Imran out of bed. Tam makes lunches for everyone and we are out the door by 8:00. I'm at work by 8:30 giving me 2 extra hours in the day.

How the new school? He's coming home every day singing. He has already found a friend who makes him smile. The teacher sent home an email congratulating him on a excellent week.

The school work started easy and is gradually picking up speed. Tonight was the first home work night. This was a miscalculation on our part. We thought this school would avoid the homework. 90 minutes!!!

Our main efforts are now in keeping the great routines we've started.

The New School Year Arrives

A new year starts again.

Fewer kids this time around. My daughter has moved to Queen's in Kingston. My second son is in his second year at Trinity College School in Port Hope. My eldest is taking a year off to work in the family business.

My youngest has the biggest change, starting at the Arrowsmith School. He has to take the subway to St. Clair and then the streetcar to Avenue Road. It's a special school for children with learning disabilities. http://www.arrowsmithschool.org/

This is the reason for the restart of my blog. I would like log our experience through this new kind of learning. This re-wiring of the brain. Our hopes and fears for our son, his growth and set backs.

Please send your best wishes his way. And stay tuned.

The Year Starts Now

Has It Really Been Two Years

Has it really been two years since I posted last???

Meeting to Agree to a Meeting

If I ever thought of becoming a politician a meeting last night with the Toronto District School Board cured me of that desire.

I had volunteered to help address boundary issues between the various primary schools in our local school district. Unlike the majority of Toronto, our area is increasing in student population. With the different development projects adding more and more families into the neighbourhoods, the schools are rapidly reaching capacity. The schools are also aging and have limited accessibility for children of special needs.

I had expected maps and numbers. Forgive my naivety. I guess I've been self-employed for too many years.

What I walked into was a meeting about having a meeting. We started off with introductions and a bit a background of why the committee was formed. I was fine with that. But then we spent twenty minutes about meeting rules. DUH! Does common courtesy really have to be written down? Perhaps it does for some, but once it is do we need to talk about it for another 19 minutes. Then take a 10 minute break.

So now we are one hour into the meeting and we haven't really discussed anything pertaining to school boundaries. We then watch a 10 minute video about change. Cute. Not entirely accurate but the point was to jump start some discussion. So we spent another 15 minutes discussing the film and what it means for our schools. Change happens. I knew that. Now what.

So now we discuss within our groups issues affecting our schools and possible ways of addressing this, one person taking notes. Then we told the group what we talked about with another person taking notes. And guess what. 90% was the same for every school. So notes were taken twice saying exactly the same thing.

And that was the end of the meeting. Except for another ten minutes taking about who we could tell about the content of the meeting and when the next 4 meetings would take place.

Sorry. I sort of lost it at that point. I mean we did nothing. Or rather nothing new. The issues had already been identified in a previous meeting. And frankly they were so obvious my grade 7 student could have listed them without prompting.

Speaking carefully, trying to follow the meeting rules, I spoke up. What is the time line here? Where is the end? When do we go from here? Did they really consider this meeting a success? I like to use a metre stick to measure forward movement not a micrometer.

Two to three years. TWO to THREE years. And this for the most minor of the suggestions. The bigger stuff i.e. stuff that requires money, most likely more. If seems if change really is necessary, we progress from these meetings to ARC meetings which are mandated by provincial legislation. Geesh. By the time any changes are made my kids will be out of the system.

And then we have the High Schools to deal with. Welcome to bureaucracy.

 

 

 

Angelina-Pregnancy Never Looked so Good

My daily traverse over to the People.com page turned up a picture of Angelina…there is only one right…looking so fabulous. I never looked that good pregnant. She not only looks good, she looks sexy and smart and all too put together.

Okay, she does have a stylist to make sure the dress is perfect. And a trainer to keep her in shape. And a chef to help out eating right. But still. Damn she looks good.

I fact she is probably at the stage where I started looking like a beached whale. A yellow beached whale…I cannot believe I bought that yellow suit. And I gave up with exercise at 6 months when I couldn't see my toes. And healthy meals be dammed after I gained 25 pounds watching every calorie. Hair, make-up, why bother.

Perhaps if I had Brad to wake up next to my thoughts might have been different.

Wellington Boots

Now spring has finally arrived, walking my dog in the ravine presents a new challenge. There's ice, snow, mud, and water and my winter boots are just not up for the job.

My best buddy and I decided we needed new boots. Wellies as my teenagers calls them. Not your old black rubber ones my mother forced me as child to wear but something glossy and colourful.

What do you think? Apparently they are too hip for my daughter who wanted plain yellow.

I took them for a test drive this morning through the bush and they passed with flying colours...pardon the pun. I forded streams, sludged through mud, walked up hill and dale and remained dry and blister free.

see Kamik.com if you want to snag a pair of your own.

It's Time for Rehab

I almost lost myself. But I think I caught myself before it was too late.

What is my addiction you ask? Volunteering. With four kids in four schools playing on four different teams, playing four different instruments, I've found my breaking point.
Initially I'm driven by the desire to belong, get the best for my children, get things done efficiently.

Everything starts easily leading to my strong suit of planning and organization. People are excited by my bullet sheets and projections. But it's a different story as the calendar fills up with tasks. And it usually corresponds with the days getting shorter, holidays and my tired kids demanding more and more of my energy to get them through the day.

So I've put the brakes on. I've quit what I can and taken a leave of absence from those I can't. That leaves me with only hockey to convene until March, PTW fundraising chair until June and TRW treasurer for 2008. I feel so much better not having to leave the house again after supper. I actually played Canasta with my daughter last night.

Like all addicts, I know this is not the end. I'll have to watch my step every day. I'm just itching to organize an event for the dog owners in the neighbourhood.

I might need a 12 step problem to stop me.

Juan Valdez and I, Together Again

Okay I tried. Though I didn't go the glamorous route and check into Promises Rehab Center I did try very very hard to give up coffee.

I had read that coffee plays havoc with hormones. And in the past year my life has been ruled by the roller coaster of peri-menopause. Every morning I would get up wondering what kind of symptom would rule my day. Would I be the cheerful tearful. Would the hot flashes have me stripping down to my underwear. Or would I be so exhausted, just adding two plus two would require a post-game nap.

I also suspected that the two cappuccino's I drank a day had something to do with the twenty something pounds I could not remove.

So I gave it up. For two whole months. I substituted green tea, African Red Tea, iced water...and for awhile it seemed to work.

But then the kids went back to school. Then my business financial year-end hit. Then my hard drive crashed. Then the hormones returned big time. It's been two weeks of nasty headaches, aching joints, cramps, and enough hot flashes to cause a supernova.

Only a cup of coffee would make me feel better. I nice dark espresso, nice frothy milk on top, with a sprinkling of cinnamon and sugar. [sigh] Small pleasures.

A Mother's Worst Nightmare

Forgive me, it's been 10 days since my last post. But I have a really good excuse.

Last week my family went out for supper. My eldest son left early. He had arrived by motor scooter and since he only has a M1 license, he has to be off the roads by 30 minutes past sunset. My husband and remaining family lingered a while longer before I left with most of the crowd in my van while my husband rode his motorcycle home.

As we turned off Yonge St onto Sheppard up ahead we saw three police cars and one ambulance with traffic being diverted. I don't know why, but I immediately knew my son was involved.

As I made the turn with the rest of the traffic my mother confirmed my worst fear. My red motor scooter, the one my son had been riding was lying on it's side in the middle of the road.

I then went through the longest five minutes of my life. Trying not to panic with my younger kids in the back seat, while focusing on get back to the accident site ASAP. I hoped I was wrong--perhaps it was another red bike--but knowing deep down I wasn't. I know the accident statistics for motorcycles and I have never prayed so fast.

When finally made it around the corner, I saw a million shards of broken motor scooter scattered on the street in a 25 metre radius. And no sign of my son.

I flew from the car my heart in my throat. A police officer held me back and told me I had to move my car "You'll cause another accident Mam."

Suddenly from the crowd my son, my 6'3" 250 lb baby walked casually over to me. I ran into his arms, too big for me to hold him, and cried. He was alive and despite a couple of scratches on his leg, perfectly okay.

My husband arrived a couple of minutes later. I'd expected a similar reaction from him but he was oddly calm. I later found out that my son had called him right after the accident so he had arrived knowing our son was okay.

How did it happen? My son was at the back of a train of three cars. My son turned his head to check the left lane and move out when the first car, a taxi, did a hard stop to pick up a fare forcing both of the cars following to do the same. By the time my son reacted it was too late to stop and he crashed into the car in front of him.

Thank God there was no car in the left lane. Thank God his helmet worked. Thank God the people in the other cars stopped to help him.

And thank God I still have my son.

Meanwhile back at the Circus

Monday Evening: School #4 PTA meeting

Tuesday Evening: DS#1 works, Music lessons DS#2

Wednesday Evening: Newspaper route, Curriculum Night School #4, Book Circle Launch

Thursday Evening: Music Lesson DS#4, Music Lesson DS#5, Curriculum Night School #3, Fencing Lessons DD#1 and DS #4, Puppy Class with DS#3, Curriculum night School #1

Friday Evening: Newspaper route, DS #1 works

Thanks god Saturday hockey hasn't started yet.

Pretty Tired When you Can't Add to Nine

I just realised I forgot one film in yesterday's ranking.

Romulus, My Brother. An Australian film with Eric Bana based on a famous Aussie writer's life. I had hoped to hear Eric's Aussie accent but he played an Romanian. LOL. Bonus was Marton Csokas. An excellent drama but by the end I felt a couple of notes too often. Got to meet see Richard Roxburg in the Q & A afterwards. Which was a relief since there was a big question left dangling at the end. If you do, Susan is left in a foster home despite Hora trying to adopt her. Rai finds her later in life and they become close.

I'd rank it after Normal.

Five Days, Nine Movies…hopefully eight hours of sleep.

It's Friday night. I've done nine films in five days and I'm ready for a good night's sleep. How in the world does anyone do 45 films in 9 days.

I must say I enjoyed the whole experience. I loved the Q & A with the directors. (A couple of actors made it out too). I liked talking to perfect strangers about what they had seen.

Here's my ranking of the films I saw.

1-Across the Universe. I would pay to see this one again. I find myself breaking out in song all day long.

2-The Jane Austen Book Club. Grab all your girlfriends and have a night out. There's something in this for everyone.

3-Chrysalis. A French Sci-Fi. You might only be able to get this one on zip.ca. But worth the rental.

4-Normal. A great Canadian film. All about loss. Very sad great acting. And Kevin Zegers.

5-Honeydrippers. Slow but amazing acting.

6-Buddha Collapsing in Shame. I great film. Subtle. The children are adorable.

7-Silk. Sorry….Lost in Translation. There's almost zero tension in two hours. Ms. Knightly does nothing but look great even when she was dying. Michael Pitt is dull as dishwater. Alfred Molina is the one bright note.

8-Christopher Columbus. Awful. Don't even think of seeing this one. It took 70 minutes what could be said in 10. I slept through half.

Glad it's over but I'm going back next year.

Well, I'm here.

I just did my first TTIF film , The Jane Austen Book Club and I'm rolling on a high.

Getting here was fun. The dog and I walked at 6:3O am just so I could get here in time. I found out that you needed to be at films 30 minute s ahead of time or they resell your tickets. That didn't leave me much time to get from Sheppard to Queen. Luckily 9:00 am showings are only popular with the blue rinse crowd and there was plenty of space. Mind you I took the stairs instead of the escalator and my heart is pumping.

Just enough time for a sandwich before my next one.

TTIF Virgin No More

For years I've wanted to do the Toronto Film Festival but have never managed to find the time. It falls right at back-to-school which has to be the worst time for a mother. If the kids go off track in September they never get back on track.
But this year, after listening to fellow script writers talk all year about all the great films you can catch before the public release I decided to risk it and get the daytime pass.
Then I told everyone so I couldn't back out.
It looked so simple. Then I found out that the box office is downtown. Limited hours. No parking. On line they only took VISA and mine has a tiny line of credit (purposefully to protect myself from internet fraud) which I had maxed out for kids’ camp etc. And honestly, by the first week of August I was maxed out from dealing with the kids.
When I finally got my act together in the last week of summer the day-time passes were all sold out.
I was soooooo angry with myself.
Determined to recover, on Sept 5th I got online again and after fritzing away two hours figuring how the TTIF sit worked, paid full price to see 8 films.
I'm now standing in line with a bazillion other people to get them. The TTIF computers are down but there is a camaraderie amongst the lineup that we are part of something special. And then I realize that this is half the fun.
This is going to be great.

Back in the Saddle Again

Today is my first day on my shiny new bicycle.

Three weeks ago my bicycle was stolen out of my back yard. But it took a couple of days for the thief to actually register. It had been a post Midnight Madness, post new dog kind of week...one where logic, emotion and action didn't exactly have paths of intersection...so I wasn't positive I hadn't left it somewhere and had just forgotten.

And then I wasn't exactly upset about it either. I hated that bike.

Years ago I had a bike I really liked. But it was an older off road style and it bugged my husband it was so clunky. So for our anniversary that year he bought me a new sleek one. But in August he had had only the dregs of the season to choose from. For a start, the one he chose only had a male seat. The gears were noisy no matter how much I adjusted them. And none of my accessories fit. But honestly it was the dull black and grey paint that bothered me the most.

So now I have a beautiful two-tone blue bicycle. The gears are as smooth as butter. It can fit my mirror, rack and bottle holder. And I'm back in the saddle again.

19 more days....

...till the kids head back to school. Technically it's 18 days and 23 hours and 15 minutes but I'm too spent to count the seconds.

My summers start off with the best intentions. We were going to get out and explore the city. Get really physical. Stay away from the from the TV. Typical of every year.

So now it's the third week of August and wonder what stops me. Well first the kids want to sleep. There is only so much force you can apply to a 250lb 6'3" teenager. The attitude flaming off my hormonal daughter is even worse. Then to keep them occupied I find I'm running one here to friends, having another one's friends over.

Then I do have work to do. Both at home and at my business so I always feel like I'm playing catch up. There's additional work in cleaning up after four kids. No one is on the same eating schedule so family suppers are on hold until September.

My bike was stolen a couple of weeks ago so I've become dependent on my car again.

So now the challenge is to get some quality time into the last two weeks without killing my kids.

Ode to Algonquin

 

I said goodbye to my true love,

Algonquin bound this morn.

He seemed to have packed all the essentials,

including my own first born.

 

He said goodbye in the dawn light,

Off to paddle and grunt in the rain.

To burp, sit and fart at his leisure,

And to show all the bears he's got game.

 

Oh I shall miss my truelove,

And his socks upon the floor.

But at heart I'm a true opportunist,

Bring the coolers, the party's at four.

The Puppy has Arrived

For sixteen years of parenthood I've resisted dog ownership. I knew that no matter what promises my children made, I would be the one looking after it. So on top of all my regular and seasonal jobs and responsibilities I'd have to add another.

My husband and I did make compromises. We tried fish (a ton of work), birds (kids were allergic to the feathers), hamsters (they only live so long), a rabbit (a wonderful pet) and a snake (not cheap). But last December our third child asked us out for coffee on a Sunday morning.

He wanted a dog. He laid out his plan carefully. What he was prepared to do, how he would care for the dog, training schedule etc. Actually pretty impressive for an 11 year old.

And of course my husband and I took the bait. Between the love for our son and our pride in his presentation how could we say no? We did have a number of conditions, most importantly was his allergies. It would have to be a non-shedding breed…and one that we could afford. The dog would only be allowed in certain areas of our home. And he would have to take a couple of dogs for test-drives to show us how serious he was.

By the end of January we (my son and I) had a breed, Golden Doodle but it took us until June to convince my husband to put the money down. Our puppy was born June 16^th and Aug 14 was the arranged pick-up day.

Last week we went for a peek at our dog (a female) when much to our shock and excitement we were informed she was okay to go home. It seems her mother weaned the litter early and puppies had had their shots already since the males were leaving early. So I was alone with four excited kids to make the decision to bring her home. I needed to find a bank and get the money. I needed a box to bring her home in, I needed to call my husband and get the house ready…all the while wondering if she was too young to come home.

I'll tell you it was like an early unplanned labour. We had nothing ready. I spent the next two days in a daze of puppy proofing the house and toilet training.

She is one beautiful dog. Great temperament, fun, happy. And most of all she appears to love us as much as we love her.