Jann x2

I saw Jann Arden in concert for the 2nd time in as many weeks. How lucky!!!
As I was heading to work on Friday the announcer on the local radio station MyFM said there were two free tickets left for the coming Saturday night concert and that the 1oth caller to identify the song would win..."I Would Die For You", from the "Time For Mercy" CD (the yeah,yeah,yeah song that my son used to sing along to...mentioned in the previous post), was the song and I WON - twice, I have won Jann Arden tickets....could life be any better!
This time I cajoled Kris into going with me. We had a great time. Jann was fantastic, as usual.
I have wanted to see Jann in concert everytime she has come this way but have never gotten to see her.
Even with bacterial conjunctivitis I still enjoyed the show...which is getting much better now with the help of eye drops although I sometimes miss my eye. Kris and I made a great pair driving home, one with a bad driving leg and the other with bad eyes...between us we had 3 good legs and 3 good eyes, more than one driving really needs.

Good Mother

My 9 year old daughter and I shared a great time together Monday evening.

Jann Arden was coming to Ottawa. I wanted so badly to see her, have wanted to for a very long time. I have every CD she has made. I can still hear my oldest son singing along, as a 2 year old, in the back seat to the "Yeah, yeah, yeah" verse of "I would die for you". The day I bought the CD we were shopping in Ottawa and we had to play that song over and over and over again just so he could sing along. It was priceless. He was joyful.

So, Jann's coming to Ottawa and I'm not going...circumstances, I asked a friend but she was busy, then I thought it was too frivolous to spend the money, not that it was alot but finances are tight right now so I just let the idea drop, again. Then along came a contest in our local paper for the chance to win 2 Jann Arden tickets...why not, I thought. Why not indeed, I WON!

Same friend still busy so I thought it was a great chance to spend some quality time with my daughter. Besides, when she found out I had won the tickets she asked if she could go with me...by this time I had already asked my friend so daughter was disappointed.

Sarah's favorite song is "Good Mother". So I, being a good Mother, won brownie points Monday night. Straight after school we cleaned up and headed to the city. We shopped for an upcoming birthday party, girly stuff, then had supper at Kelsey's. We got to Scotiabank Place early, always fun to soak up the before performance atmosphere.

When we went to get our tickets punched the girl looked at our tickets, checked the seat area then called on another lady. Always the pessimist, I wondered OK, what's going on. This older more authoratative looking woman, approached us. I could feel Sarah tense up beside me. She said, you have seats in the 224 level, would you like to upgrade to the 101 level...I tapped Sarah on the back, she grinned, not aware of what good luck we were having...we gratefully excepted the tickets, said Thank you and went on our merry way. Once we were in our seats I explained to Sarah our good fortune by showing her where we would have been sitting, which was alright considering the tickets were free and after all, it was Jann Arden - would there be a bad seat.

Sarah recognized most of the songs before I did. She was singing along and having a great time. When the music started for Jann's last song (before she came back out for her encore in a Sens jersey), Sarah looked at me, smiled and said, "it's my favorite song!" I felt like a "good mother".

Sarah fell asleep in the van almost as soon as she hit the seat. I had a great 1 hour and 10 min. ride home, listening to Jann Arden tunes on the CD player. It was a good day.

If you get the chance to see Jann Arden in concert run, don't walk to the nearest ticket booth. OK, in this day and age it's more like - run, don't walk to your computer and click for tickets.

Upcoming events

How about some links to upcoming events in and around the Pontiac Valley...

First of all, I'd like to say that I am walking in the Relay for Life, a 12 hour walk to help raise funds for the Canadian Cancer Society, on June 2 and I am looking for pledges...you can following this link to pledge me online... https://secureccs.ca/?inv=ca5603d3-d643-405a-b962-f2076667f943

Come visit:
Pontiac School of the Arts is into it's third year of summer courses, running from July 7 to 15, always the first Saturday to the third Sunday of the month, in the village of Portage-du-Fort, Quebec

How about a little pottery at Atelier du Druide in Campbell's Bay, Quebec

The Pontiac Artist's Studio Tour is a wonderful adventure and a great way to visit Fourteen professional artists in 12 studios as you tour through the Pontiac region of Quebec (on the north shore of the Ottawa River, west of Ottawa). The Pontiac Artists' Studio Tour is an annual juried art exhibition. Admission is absolutely free. Everyone is welcome. Artworks are on exhibit and for sale.

The Coulonge Chutes are not to be missed...you can even rent a cabin, or two, for a weekend getaway. Don't forget your camera!

Art in the Park - September 30 at Portage-du-Fort
1 pm to 5 pm...there will be a wide range of art activities for all ages by the Pontiac Artists' Association

Open House: Pontiac Churches
September 29 to September 30
"Discover the Pontiac's unique and diverse religious heritage"
819-648-5217
www.culture.mrcpontiac.qc.ca
bkuhn.cld@mrcpontiac.qc.ca

And not to be missed is the Shawville Agricultural Fair
August 30 - September 3 (Labour Day weekend)

Come visit, you won't be sorry you did!
You'll just wonder why it took you so long!

More discussion on Quebec language problems

Well, the election is over, good or bad. It was a very long 12 1/2 hours working the polls. The good news is that I only had problem with one voter who told me in French that since this was a Quebec election I should be speaking in French. No, respect for me as an English speaking person, born and raised in this province. What made this even more hurtful was that this person speaking to me is very new to our community, a community that is one of the very few English language communities left in this province. Little did she know that I could speak to her in French, enough to make myself understood, if the need arises. My first mistake was that I said "Hello" and not "Bonjour". My answer to her was that "I am speaking the language of my province, the one I was born in and have lived in my entire life". When she put her ballot in the ballot box I said, "Merci, bonne journée". She walked away without even a, "Merci, et vous!". Silly stuff!

Really, how hard is it to respect other people for their differences? Why is it so difficult to understand that we should be allowed to live comfortably, without retribution, in our own land?
It is becoming more and more impossible to get a job in this province if you do not have French as your first language. We are almost considered immigrants and we have all read in the papers lately how the Québécois treat immigrants.

This is not about all French speaking people because I know many French speaking Canadians that I have great respect for. One of my very best friends speaks French. I was going to say "she is French speaking" but that is like putting a label on her. French speaking, English speaking? Why should there be such a difference that we cannot get along and not celebrate our differences? Why should our spoken language be allowed to label us? How/Why does it make one of us more or less superior than the other?

The problem are the Québécois, the Separatists, who are fighting to take away the rights of the English in this province. But they are also isolating themselves from the rest of the country. Their own children, who are brought up speaking only French, are struggling to cope in the rest of the country where they cannot communicate.

I'm done now, I'm stepping off this soapbox!

How to feel like you don't belong?

Try being an English speaking Quebecer.
Try being an English speaking Quebecer working the polls at a Quebec election.
Even better, try being an English speaking Quebecer working the polls at a Quebec election and having to do training in French. Thank goodness they made a few English manuals.
Better yet, being an English speaking Quebecer who was born in this province and who has lived here all your days but you feel like you don't belong.
It's not the greatest feeling to know that you are considered a second-class citizen. That you are not considering equal and that someone can take away your rights when it comes to the simplest of rights...freedom to have instruction in the language of your choice.

The French here in La Belle Province lament that their rights are being taken away...hmmm...can't say as I totally agree with them.

Daylight saving time.

It's 7:03 pm and it's still daylight. I love 'daylight saving time'!

It's been a great day. My husband took all 3 kids and headed to the camp with the snowmobiles and some friends. I have had the most relaxing day that I can remember having for a very long time. Kids were on March break last week, a week earlier than the Ontario break. They just about drove me crazy. Up until Friday it has been so blessed cold here that no one has wanted to go outside. The wind has been blowing and wind chill has been almost unbearable at times. So, it is about time we get some great weather. Today, along with the longer day we also got above 0C temperatures. What more could one ask for.

Spent some of the day doing volunteer work, the quiet was just what I needed to do some finalizing on two brochures I have been working towards deadline on. One is the Pontiac School of the Arts course brochure for 2007 and the other is the brochure for the 2nd. Annual Shawville Jamboree. The website still needs some information but it's coming.

Day is slowing fading into night with a wonderful sunset...hues of pink. It's 7:20 and I can still see light...love it! Blue Rodeo is playing on the radio, "Bulletproof". One of my favorite Canadian bands.

I also took time to today to take a drive in the countryside for some late winter photos. We didn't have much snow this year so I wanted to take the opportunity to grab some shots before it's all gone...the week is supposed to be quite warm so it won't last long.

Darkness is upon us!

It's all good!

What's going on...

Finally, we got our first snow storm of the season...that it only came last Friday, March 3 is fine with me, what better time to have a first snow storm than just before spring so it can all melt away.

Kids are on March break. Not sure what we're going to do. With the husband about to loose his job we're not making big plans. Although, I envy my friends who can go away every year for a family vacation to somewhere warm. I think there are plans to head to the camp in the woods with the snowmobiles....not me, the kids and Dad. I prefer the city to the bush, so if that is their plan my plan is to head into Ottawa for a shopping trip with Viv.

We turn the clocks back next week which means more daylight. I love this time of year when the daylight sticks around a bit longer. Helps get rid of the gloom of the February blahs.

Prepping a couple of photos for an art exhibit at the Café 349 to be exhibited with instructor and student works from the last two years of courses at the Pontiac School of the Arts.

Went to the most hilarious comedy show, Women Fully Clothed, last weekend at the Centrepointe Theatre in Ottawa. If you ever get the chance to see these ladies in action I recommend you don't pass it up. I went with 5 friends and we all had a great time. We laughed so hard we had to wipe the tears away. This was a great group of friends to go to such a show with. When we weren't laughing at the show we were laughing at each other. There is nothing like a good laugh especially with friends.

Spring is on it's way!

Spring can't come too soon. I think I have the "February Blahs".
I've been grumpy, ok, so maybe that doesn't count. What about:

• tired or maybe it's blah
  
• cold and blah
  
• feeling the need to hibernate, blah
  
• feeling non social, blah
  
• restless, blah
  
• blah, blah, blah

Spring and summer are my seasons. I love to bike, work in my flower gardens, walk, take photos - anything that requires me to be outside.
As I'm sitting here typing my fingers are cold and it's not from lack of heat because where I am sitting there is no shortage of sunshine. I am in the living room that is very bright and sunny. It's my favorite room in our house because it is so bright. The last few weeks have been so cold, most nights have been in the -20C or colder ranger and if sometimes we have had to contend with a wind chill which could take it into the -32c range. Just not ideal weather for feeling good.
Knock on wood, though, no one in our house has been ill. Watch, now that I've said that we will all come down with something. Even my friends and their families have had good health, ok, maybe not Kris who had a bout of bronchitis but I think that was just her body's way of saying "you need to slow down".
But the forecast is calling for milder weather with a lot of sunshine for the next couple of weeks...maybe just long enough to get us through March break - which starts this Friday here in Quebec.

It's time to get my shit together. It's time to stop procrastinating. It's time to get happy, happy, happy. It's time to enjoy life. It's time for SPRING! Bring it on!

Just thoughts

Hi Lora...

What was that you said,

"Keep taking a visit to your blog with NO updates.....geesss get off your ass."

I am here, just don't know how to write down my thoughts lately.

WARNING: the following content might cause depression or atleast longing for when we were younger and we weren't bothered by anything except for maybe when was the next party and the chance to get drunk.

It seems like there is always something happening. Some of it good but a lot of it is bad or sad.

People die - Vivian lost her father to a heart attack just before new years.
People are growing old...I have noticed my family - mother, mother and father-in-law (my father is dead 13 years this Feb.) are looking older so that must mean that I am starting to look older. Ok, maybe I am beyond the starting phase.....but I know I am not alone, right ladies - Lora and Kris

-I'm not going down that road alone.

But it is not so much my own aging that bothers me...Sarah, my baby, just celebrated her 9th. birthday. We had a party on Sat. with 8 of her friends - 7 girls, one boy. The boy, Riley, being the token male...all the girls have a crush on him. He and Sarah were "going out" until just this past Monday when he started "going out" with her friend Ashley. Going out, what does that mean at 9? I am not ready for this. I thought I had another 3 or 4 years until I had to deal with that, "going out". Is it because she is a girl? I have not had to worry about dating with the boys - Alex is 15 and Ben is 11. Hey, I'm not complaining, believe me. But not having had to deal with this before I have been caught unprepared. She was in tears on Monday over the breakup. I know, she's 9 so it is really not a break up but to her it was the end of the world. How do you make it alright without making it seem silly. Without making her feel that you are not taking her feelings serious. I knew that within moments or even seconds she would have practically forgotten about it but at the time it was the worst thing that had ever happened to her or that will ever happen to her. We're over that now but it just makes me see that she is getting older, not so much the little girl anymore.
-----------------------------------------------------
I've been thinking about my friend Vivian lately and about how she is coping with the death of her father. I was there the day my father died. Even though we were not real close it still had a very big affect on me. For months I couldn't sleep without dreaming that I, too, was dying. I would wake up drenched in my own sweat. I would be terrified. I hated going to bed because I knew I would have those dreams. I don't really remember much of the detail of those dreams but I do remember the panic, the dread.
I remember how sad I felt when we drove away from the grave site, knowing that we were leaving him there all alone. I know Kris, he's really not there. But I looked back at the casket, visualizing him lying there, inside that box - alone. We were leaving and not taking him with us, for the first time in my 32 years...and I cried. I remember that being the one and only time I cried over my father's death.
----------------------------------------------------
Today I almost stared death in the face again. My friend Kris called asking me for two favors. One, she needed the number of the local Vet. She couldn't find her phone book, she can never find her phone book. I saw it there once though. The other favor was, depending on what the vet said, she might need my help to get Riley, a big old chocolate lab - definitely one of the family - into her Jeep. Riley has already been diagnosed with a very bad heart. (Last fall the vet said it is very hard to tell how much longer he has.) This along with seizures. But to look at him you would never think he was anything but healthy and happy. He comes at you with his tail waging, his whole body waging...many a time I have been at Kris' doing something on the computer and he has made himself comfortable at my feet, making me feel like I belong there. Riley is 12 year old daughter Kaigh-Anna's best buddy. What time is the right time for your children to say 'good-bye' to a pet that is no longer just a pet? Do they see him suffer? Is this the lasting impression they need to witness? Is it better they say good-bye before or after he is gone? As parents, is that a decision we can make?
We bundle Riley up and carry all 100+ pounds of him out to my van and I know we are both hoping he does not die in my van. By this time he's already had 3 seizures. More than he has had at one time. At the vet's office they are waiting for him. Kris and I carry him into the room and lay him on the floor. His heart is beating so fast the vet cannot count the beats. The seizures keep coming with no let up. How much can this old boy take? How strong is his will to live? The vet gives him a needle to calm him, hoping once he is calm his heart will start to beat properly. She then slowly administers a shot of valium, hoping to further calm him so his heart can get a chance to rest. He stops breathing. He lifted his head, licked his nose and fought to live. He is not giving up. The vet is giving him compressions to start his breathing again. The seconds go by and nothing, no breath. Kris is telling him he has to breath for Kaigh-Anna. She is rubbing his nose, soothing him. The vet is doing her best to keep him alive. Her assistant runs for more medication. After what felt like forever but was in reality probably 1 0r 2 minutes he breaths. We all breath. I don't know if I was holding my breath but I remember giving a sigh and the vet's assistant taping me on the leg and telling me I can breath again. Tears are on Kris' cheeks. Tears are welling up in me. You could feel the relief in the room, we had witnessed a great will to live.
I came home and hugged my own dog, the pain in the ass that he is. And he got two milk bones instead of the usual one.
Later that day I got a phone call from Kaigh-Anna..."thanks Bonnie".
I could say I really didn't do anything. You know how we all get modest and say "ah gee, I didn't do nothing more than I was asked to do. It was really nothing." But I won't say that this time because I am fortunate to have had any part in helping Riley and his family. To do anything less than acknowledge any help I gave would somehow not do Riley's 'fight-to-life' justice. And there is no way I could tell Kaigh-Anna and Matt (Kaigh-Anna's twin brother) that I felt I had done nothing...because that would belittle what Riley went through and to slough it off would imply the day's events were not that important and/or that I wasn't willing to do anything I could to help. And I know that whatever I did meant an awful lot to them.

Hugs...

It's beginning to look a lot....

Come on, sing along with me....

It's beginning to look a lot like SPRING - WHAT! Yes, all that snow that fell is disappearing fast. We're having warm temperatures and rain. Santa may have to put on a wet suit to deliver presents in our part of the world.


We'll get plenty of the cold stuff when it does finally come but at least a white Christmas would be nice.

I remember one year when I was a kid we almost had a green Christmas. Now, living in Quebec that is something that is very rarely experienced. Dirty brown stuff was sticking through the disappearing snow patches. We lived on the farm at the time so we saw lots of dirty brown stuff.

Especially as a kid, we wanted snow. My grandparents lived across and down the road from us. They walked to our house because they felt it was safer to walk than to take the truck out on the roads. My brother and I went to meet them because we were so afraid one of them was going to fall and get hurt. We all made it back to the house unscathed.

I wonder what next week will bring.

Tree hunting party

It's that time of year again, a time we all look forward to and talk about with great anticipation...the tree hunting day. A day we gather together, new friends and old at Sandra and Harry's for an all you can eat brunch, we all bring way too much food, and then after eating far too much we don our winter wear and head for the bush. This year we didn't have to go as far, the old gentleman we buy our trees from had gone ahead and cut some trees for us...he anticipated the winter weather and was worried some of us might not be able to maneuver through the snow. Not sure if it was the vehicles or the people he was worried about. At first we lamented, well some of us, that we would not be going for a hike through the bush but Kris soon changed everyones mood when she started a giant snowball fight. Yes you did!


Yes, as much as Kris, the biggest kid of the bunch, insists she did NOT start the snowball fight we all know, and agree, who was the instigator.

(this is a 'get Kris' moment)

Until Friday we didn't have any snow and then we got just enough to make the day complete. It snowed all Sunday afternoon, making it all the more festive and fun. This day has become a tradition, one that I know all of us hope lives on for many years to come.

and it just keeps on snowing....this is a half hour after the previous photo

Winter has arrived

Lora, you will be happy to know that we are finally getting snow. It's only -3 but compare that to yesterday when it was a balmy 15. Yech! Ok, so the snow looks pretty but it means COLD! I am a 70f and higher kind of person. Only 3 more months till SPRING!

Sadness

Sorrow you can hold, however desolating, if nobody speaks to you.

If they speak, you break down.

~Bede Jarrett

So, what do you say when a friend looses her child. A child not yet born. A child she never had the chance to hold in her arms. A child just hours, moments from his/her birth day. A child she will never get to know. A child she will love for the rest of her days.

You say nothing, unless she asks you to, because nothing can or will make a difference. But, you can be there if and when she needs you to be.

"Friends are the pillars on you porch.
Sometimes they hold you up, sometimes they lean on you,
and sometimes it's just enough to know that they are standing by."
author unknown

Growing up

It's tough growing up.
It's even tougher when you're a parent, an adult, and you realize that there is no end to growing up.

And tougher yet is the realization that with growing up comes an endless amount of learning. Learning to be a good parent. Learning to be a good spouse. Learning to be a good friend. Learning to be all that you dreamt you were going to grow up to be. Learning that you may not have grown up to be what you had dreamt you would be.

When you're a kid you can't wait to be an adult because then life is so easy. You are the boss.

Until you grow up and realize that growing up is not as easy as you had thought it would be.

But with learning we grow.

So, do we learn to grow?
or
Do we grow to learn?

Any piece of knowledge I acquire today has a value at this moment exactly proportional to my skill to deal with it. Tomorrow, when I know more, I recall that piece of knowledge and use it better.

– Mark Van Doren

Hi Lora

You called at just the right time tonight, while I was trying to write a good-bye to a friend.
You called just when I needed to hear from you, just when I was realizing that we don't stay in touch. We as in friends and family, we as in people that we love and care about, we as in friends who are far away.

It's been weeks since we've talked. Even if it's just long enough to say "hi, how are you", that's all it takes.

I am going to make a promise to myself to get back intouch with friends that I have been out of touch with for far too long. Friends are an important part of our lives. We need to keep them in our lives

Kris, thanks for stopping by at just the right time. You always know when is the right time.

53

Got news that a friend had died today, Marilyn was her name and she was only 53 years old. Two girls, the youngest just leaving home to attend college. Marilyn just started a new job she really loves. Just got her house decorated the way she has always wanted. Just getting things working with her husband after many not so good years.

She found out this past summer that she had a tumor. There were problems with her liver and lungs. Went in last Friday for surgery to have one lung removed. She went into a coma and died. Turns out the cancer had spread to her whole body including her head. She was brain dead when they took her off life support. Her heart was still strong but it was time to go.

53 years old!

I knew she was having surgery so when her sister, my friend through whom Marilyn and I became friends, called today I thought she was going to tell me good news. Well, as good as it gets when we're talking about cancer. But to hear that she was dead left me speechless. I could see her, I could hear her. I couldn't believe she was dead. She was such a vibrant person, so full of life. Never said never. What a shame. What a lose. I will miss her

I haven't seen her in nearly 4 years. We should do a better job of keeping in touch. Moments become days, days become weeks, weeks become years.

53 years old!

Being a Victim

My 14 year old son, who couldn't fight his way out of a wet paper bag, was beat up at school today. He was beaten up by a kid who thought he had been saying things about him. At it turns out another kid had done the talking but said it was my son. So my son, who has been taught not to use his fists - maybe we will have to re-think that, self-defense might not be such a bad thing afterall. Anyway, get a call from the school's vice-principal asking if Alex had made it home from school yet. Everything was ok, Alex was ok, he was in a fight. Actually, he never got a chance to fight because the other kid jumped him, threw him to the ground and started punching on his head and face. Alex's friend came along and threw the other guy off him.

My son got a one day out of school suspension and the other kid who did the beating got 3. The boy that caused the trouble, as usual, he walked away. And I can imagine the smirk on his hateful little face. Yes, I can imagine the smirk because I have seen the smirk before. I have been a victim of that smirk.

I want to see this boy, the one who lied, have to take responsibility for his actions. This is the same boy who has been bullying me for the past 4 years. The same boy who got caught 2 years ago doing mischief and lied about who he was - he gave his name as my son Alex, even went so far as to name the father. This is the same boy who has been caught numerous times doing damage in our town - breaking things, destroying public property, being apart of harassing calls to my house, has given me the finger on more that one occasion. Called me names. Bullied kids at school. This is the same kid whose mother always defends him, as any GOOD mother would do - the difference being that this child is guilty and this mother bullies anyone who accuses him. I have heard of grown men, twice her size, who refuse to talk to her about her son because they are afraid of her. I have heard her described lately as "ugly" and that person didn't mean her physical appearance - she is simply an "ugly person", characterwise.

Recently her son was seen doing mischief & the events were reported to the parents. The mother went around to an innocent person and commenced ranting and raving at him for accusing her son. Now this person had no idea what she was talking about, although he lives in the vicinity where the damage was done, he had not witnessed anything. Imagine, instead of this mother taking control of her 14 year old son she refuses to accept that he really is the monster everyone else knows he is. She blames everyone else for his problems. She blames the school, she blames the teachers and supervisors. She blames the eye witness'. Everyone is just out to get her son. No wonder this child is the way he is. And no one calls the cops because they either don't want to get involved or they don't want to deal with the mother. So this child thinks he is invincible, no one can touch him.

This boy used to be my son's friend. They started in kindergarten together. They had sleepovers, birthday parties, play dates until grade 5 when this boy turned into this monster who only wants to hurt & destory. He ate at my house. He slept at my house. He was welcomed into our family.

What happens to a child to make him change so drastically? Where does so much hate come from?

Is he hurting my son because of how he feels about me? Is this all about me? This is a child who was under my charge as a noon supervisor in elementary school who took great exception to me not allowing him to bully the other kids.

So if he is hurting my child as a way of getting back at me I will see him at the end. What goes around comes around and I am waiting for that day.

No matter how much things change…

I was privileged to be asked to host a friend’s girls for the weekend which included picking them up at the airport. I was worried about the airport because Lora, the Mom, is constantly telling me how much the girls have changed. I was afraid they had changed so much I wouldn’t recognize them. This friend and her family moved to Calgary last year for her husband’s job. It was a big move, a lot of changing for the friend and her girls. They left their friends and their home, the later of which was something that had taken awhile to find - a breathtaking place on the Ottawa River – home also included acceptance of them and by them of the little village I like to call home. When asked last night how Grace liked Calgary her response was that it was ok but it wasn’t Shawville.

Scene: the airport – Ben and Sarah had gone with me, they wouldn’t have missed it for anything, and they have been waiting for this day for weeks. We arrived at the prerequisite amount of before time, who wants to be late picking someone up at the airport. That would be the worst feeling in the world, especially knowing you were entrusted with your friend’s most treasured possessions. I would never forgive myself if I had been late…to add to the relief that I was on time was the fact that their plane was delayed by 10 minutes, phew!
So, plane lands and the passengers start to disembark. Not only was I worried that I might not recognize them but hey, would they recognize us - after all, it has been a whole year. I supposed I have not changed all that much, slightly different hair, 13 or so less pounds but they will definitely recognize Ben and Sarah. First two girls off the plane, is that them? NO, Lora said Emma had gained like 20 lbs and that Grace was pretty much the same size – these two were almost the same size, definitely not them. Next two girls, NO, smaller than when they left – for sure not them. How many pairs of girls are on this plane, just my luck, more than one set. Finally, Sarah spotted them. Ok, Emma is a little taller and not such a little girl, more like a young woman and Grace hasn’t changed all that much, gotten a slight bit taller and starting to make that change into a young lady as well. Hugs and welcomes. A few seconds of nervousness on all our parts, let’s get the baggage that will give us all time to re-adjust. A few short steps to the baggage claims area and that is about all the re-adjusting anyone needed. Conversation comes quite easily – how was the flight? How is Mom? Bet she wishes she were here now – for sure! Anyone hungry? It was just like old times, a year seemed like only a few shorts days ago. There was teasing about the heft of Emma’s bag, or lack of which as Grace and I tried to convince Emma she was just a weakling. Ben got teased about having his first zit. Oh yeah, forgot to mention we had a great laugh over the fact that we were looking for Grace’s black suitcase which turned out to be blue. We wondered how many times it travelled the carousel before she finally realized. We were having such a good time, we never really noticed. Too funny!

Stopped for food, hmmm, healthy food. Salads, veggies…nothing like McDonalds – no didn’t go there. Hear that Mom! Healthy!

It wasn’t long before I heard “Ben, it’s only been 15 minutes and you’re already bothering me!” This from Grace who is sitting in the middle of the van with Ben sitting behind her…hardly too much like old days. Ben and Grace are the same age - 11, spent two years in the same grade, same class. Slight crush on Ben’s part. AHHHHHHHH!

That first night I had plans to go out to have birthday cake for another friend’s 40^th. Kids didn’t mind and it would give them all a chance to spend some quality time getting to know each other again. Emma plunked herself down on the sofa to watch music videos. Ben, being the only guy for the weekend in a houseful of females, had a friend stay over so he didn’t feel completely out of place. Dad and Alex had already taken off to the camp for some 4-wheeling. A couple of Grace’s friends came by. Everyone just seemed to pick up where they left off. It was just like old times.

Sunday was a planned trip to our cottage with one of Emma’s friends and the friend’s mom – Heather (girl) and Sandra (Mom) who also happens to be my friend as well as Lora’s. Emma wondered how tall Heather was now. Emma and Heather, 14, are friends with my oldest son, Alex. First thing they did when they got to the cottage was to compare heights. Heather’s still slightly taller and probably always will be. There was no awkward moment between these two. Again, it was just like yesterday. Really, as Sandra pointed out, there shouldn’t be any awkward moments between friends and so right she is…true friends can always find each other, they will always be together, no matter the distance in time and space. We noticed that these two always manage to just be themselves with each other. You know how there are some people you just can’t be yourself with, not the case here. They are completely comfortable being silly with each other, and really isn’t that the true test….who better to be silly with than a real friend.

It was hard to leave the cottage, everyone was having so much fun. There was food, who could forget the s’mores, water fights which somehow Sandra was the only one who managed to stay dry and a trip down the lake in the paddle boat, complete with camp songs to entertain everyone within earshot. They swam, played in the mud, ate junk, played games in the cottage, laughed, joked, talked, teased. There was a pine cone fight, I hear wet pine cones really hurt, someone got locked in the shed, someone else got locked in the outhouse - EW! it was all good.

Alex was home ahead of us. First thing Emma said to him was that his voice was deeper. He just smiled, walked past her and started to help clean out the van. Something to note, Alex wouldn't normally help clean out the van. He has been like the rest of us, patiently/impatiently waiting to see how much they have changed. After spending a few hours with Heather and Emma watching movies he agreed, Emma hasn’t changed that much, She is still Emma, she is still exactly as he remembers her.

There is now a party planned for sometime Saturday with more friends. Life is good!

So it is true, the more things change, the more they stay the same! Thank goodness!