Life...

There are people that cross our path every day.

I believe we cultivate acquaintances and friendships with these people for a reason.

Ome (really Anita..., but we never ever called her by this name) was the mother of our close friend Rob. Ome was always smiling and ALWAYS happy to see you. I had to try to remember to rip my glasses off my face before she enthusiastically greeted me with a hug, otherwise, my glasses would be lovingly squashed to my face as she squeezed me tightly!

Michael and Jenny always will remember that Ome always had 'extra' boxes of Smarties in her purse for them (even though they weren't her grandchildren that she had come next door to see!) Low and behold, she even had the odd box for me (how she knew these were my favorite...I will never know!)

Ome and her zest for life and devotion to family is what I will carry with me for the rest of my life and pass on to my children and (hopefully) theirs'. There will be a huge void in Rob, Jo, Megan, Rick, Dan, and Cait as they grieve for their mother/grandmother.

I am thankful and grateful for having had the opportunity to meet and love this amazing woman. Our family will miss her.

Anita Krause (1922 - 2006)

The birthday girl!

Jenny had a great day today as it included all of her favorite things:

• having her cousin sleep over
• sleeping in
• watching Dad play hockey
• opening presents (hair straightener, blue crocs, clothes, music CD, teen magazines)
  
• going shopping for clothes
• making and eating cupcakes for the hockey team
• playing hockey
• having a favorite family supper
• having DQ cake for dessert
• watching the Amazing Race (okay, I kinda forced her to watch with me!)

All in all,...a good day.

squeezing everything in...

Yesterday was the kind of day that had to be meticulously planned. For me, that means a time line schedule for the whole day. Then Henry has to go and make a chiropractor appointment right in the midst of my carefully planned choreography just to test the boundaries!

My day at the school library was a very busy one (my busiest day of the week, as classes came to the library for all scheduled blocks of time). During lunch I had to cash a cheque in order to have cash to pay for the evening's school BBQ/Book Fair, and to pay for Michael's hockey portrait package. I also had to gas up the van for the trip to Strathroy for Jenny's exhibition game.

This is just the evening part of my 'make sure not to forget' list:

4:35 put M and J's goalie bags in the van...grab running gear in case the weather is good for running in Strathroy while Jenny gets ready for her game.

4:40 Pick up the power skating bag at friend's house and transfer skates to goalie bags.
4:45 School BBQ (thank God the school fed us hamburgs/drinks/donuts today because there was no time to prepare dinner today! Nutritional values were not so important today either! I was extremely grateful to fork over $13 bucks for someone else to cook our dinner!)
Meet the teachers, browse the bookfair, find Michael's ride to practise...transfer his gear to his ride's transportation.
5:20 Wait for Henry to show up at school from his appointment (like I expected this to happen...not)
5:30 wait at home for Henry to show. (this is the time we have to be on the road to Strathroy)
5:40 Jenny makes executive decision to leave without the Dadster.
5:50 Almost run Henry over as we drive out of town by the chiropractor's office. (I do slow down long enough for him to jump in the van)
6:25 Phew...eyes are twitching from being on a constant prowl for police cars, but we make it to the arena.
7:00 Jenny plays her first exhibition game with her new team and earns her first shut-out!!! (She must get this talent from ME)
8:30 on the road back home.
Home...catch up on emails...plan the next day...sign another stack of school papers...wait for Michael to get home from a late practise.
Drop into bed...tomorrow is another day.
Must get Jenny crocs for her birthday on Sunday...must pick up the DQ cake...

Time to make another list!

it's official...

Our life (okay, MY life) has officially been taken over by hockey!

Michael, Jenny, and Henry have all started practises with their teams with games pending this week.

Michael is already off to a great start, the Chiefs winning the Golden Blade tournament in Sarnia on the weekend. (Thank you Stacey and Chris for opening up your yard for our trailer and your home ~ so I wouldn't miss the season opener of the Amazing Race, as Henry couldn't be pulled away from having yet another beer...we left home Friday morning at 8 a.m. and returned Monday morning at 1 a.m!) Definitely a great social weekend!

I need a laptop so that I can update the blogs while I am at the hockey arena!

Y'all need to work on Henry on this one!

Mike...

Me and my bro...

Hope you had a great birthday!

Hula skirts and music...

Tonight was hockey mom night out for me and a dozen other local hockey moms. (Yes, we do make our own 'perks' as hockey moms)

We go out to dinner in Stratford and then to a play.

This year we went to Carter's on Downie, a fabulous restaurant that offered a contemporary (that means decorative) dinner in an elegant setting (good thing it was just me and not Henry and the children). It's all about appreciation, you know!

Here is our table...
All of the group...


Across the road from the restaurant is the beautiful Avon Theatre. Note to potential Avon theatre goers; seating has minimal leg room. Other than that, the production was fantastic! The sets were imaginative, colorful, and beautiful.I completely agree with a particular Stratford review, that everything about the musical was delightfully geared to the era. I especially enjoyed the costumes, scenery, and music. The male lead, Theodore Bearg's voice is particularly astounding, as well as the surrounding cast.

I took a night off from hockey (thank you, Henry), 'washed that man right out of my hair', and had my own 'enchanted evening'.

Thank you, Lucy Ann for including me with your group yet again. (Henry also thanks you, as I would have to drag him kicking and screaming to join me at the Stratford Festival).

camping and first day of school

Campfire time...
A basketball game called 'bump-ball'...adults and children all played at once!
The volleyball court...

We spent last weekend out in the country camping at friends of ours (thanks Tony and Sue)...we had a lovely relaxing weekend. Days spent shopping in Stratford, drinking around the pool, playing darts, laying in the hot tub (my favorite), playing volleyball, bocce ball, basketball, sitting around the fire, and golfing. We were all happy campers!


The first day of school for Michael and Jenny...

Tuition facts and updates

Being a recent graduate and a compulsive fact-finder, I was curious to see how times have changed when it comes to tuition increases.

I graduated from Western in London in 1990. Not surprisingly, I found that tuitions have increased over the years when comparing to todays statistics.

Stats Canada confirms that in 1990/91 I would have paid around $1464 for an undergraduate degree. Today, that degree will cost approximately $4347.

It was bad enough that I took years to pay off my University education. Worse, was that Henry was the one to pay off my education (twice, if you consider my recent endeavor). Henry's pipe dream of retiring early just flew out the window with these latest statistics!

The stats are even worse for those wanting an education in law, dentistry, architecture, or medicine! Just check out the Stats Can link for all the updates!

All of this just makes me glad that I am done and we won't have to worry about it for another five years or so. It's always good to keep up though. (our heart attack may not be quite as severe if we keep up with what to expect)

The end of the tunnel

Today is a monumental day for me.

The light at the end of the tunnel is finally here! I crossed out of the tunnel of library studies and work placements to completion today. I just have to wait for my shiny new piece of paper to confirm that I actually did it!

Going back to school as a mature student was a daunting venture, but I selfishly wanted to 'do' something that I would enjoy. I figured that I was always reading anyway, so WHY NOT? A two-year College program took me about three years to complete. Not bad for someone who is easily swayed to take on too much at once. I must admit, I had to say 'sorry, no' to a few people and a few projects to accomplish my objective. Sorry about that, but hey, right now it's all about ME! Thank you to those who helped support this venture (especially Henry, Michael and Jenny). Without their help...well, they wouldn't have eaten any meals!

I feel that it is quite appropriate timing (Labour Day and all) for me to be saying... "No more teachers, no more books..." wait a minute, I start work on Tuesday for the school board! I guess that I am in the right place after all.
One path will open to another...