YES....I commute....

I don't know what it is about commuting that makes people put on this horrible looking sneering face that makes me feel like I just told them I have a twin attached to my ass, but recently I have had about a thousand people ask me where I'm living and working, and when I answer that I live in one city and work in another they get it. The face. The "are you freakin' crazy?!!" face.
I've come to hate that look.

I thought I would make it public knowledge that yes...I do commute. And it's not quite as bad as it sounds, though the end of a long day can be made worse by a crappy commute or a late train.

The thing is, the commute gives me a chance to either catch up on some reading, journal, or catch a little nap in the morning to get going, or in the evening to wind down. It's not something I would choose to do necessarily if I had another option, but I am trying to look on the bright side, knowing that I will be doing this for at least 2 more years, and possibly forever. I get to live with my family for now, and that's the best bonus I can think of. I don't have to live by myself in a city I despise.

Also, I save money. Lots of money when you think about it. I am still going to school but intead of paying rent and utilities and groceries etc. IN TORONTO, I get to live rent-free and my major expenses are my dog (who is absolutly worth every single penny), my cell phone, and my credit card payments. Aside from commuting costs of course, which do run me a hefty $300 monthly. But it is alot cheeper. Trust me. And when you get paid next to nothing to work...it helps.

I guess I can forgive the people who give me 'The Look" but please...don't make it worse then it already is. Just smile and say "How fabulous! look at all the money you save by not living in Toronto!" and you'll make my day.

Busy Busy Busy

I haven't been on top of my writing lately but mom and I have produced 2 beautiful scrapbooks. One for a baby shower and a second for a wedding shower. Below you can see a few examples of why I have been absent:

and...



so please...take it easy on me. If the GO train and subway had internet, I would spend 2 hours a day blogging...but life just doesn't work that way.

I love you all!

The mommy scare

Quick story...

Every morning I get up and get in the shower at the same time, and on my way I peek my head in at my sleeping puppy (on mom's bed). And every morning she lies there until I'm done and waits on the edge of the bed wagging her tiny tail and looking ever-so-cute until I rub her belly, give her a brush, and take her downstairs to pee.

So this morning I peeked my head in as usual and she was lying flat on her back with all paws spread, sleepy as a bean. So, I just took my usual shower and came out expecting her to jump up like usual and come meet me at the edge of the bed. But she didn't. She just lay there with her paws spread on her back.

So I climbed into moms bed and started rubbing her belly. But she didn't squirm or make a noise or anything. She just lay there totally still. So I got a bit worried and started tugging at her paws and they would flop right back to where they started. So I'm a bit more worried.

So I pick her head up off the bed, and drop it. It falls right back onto the bed. At this point I'm sure she's dead. She's tucked her face to tightly into moms back or blankets and suffocated herself.

"mom....? hunny's not moving...."

mom whips around to see what I mean and a combination of mom moving the warmth and sticking her face into hunny's to say good morning got her up. She opened her eyes a little and yawned....

She was just a sleepy pup. Cute as ever.

I rubbed her belly, gave her a brush, and brought her down to pee :)

Cheers to Bert!

I just wanted to write to honor a super great man whom some of you knew, and for those of you that didn't I'm sure you would have loved to have known.

Rob's father Bert passed away last week. There is soo much and yet so little to say when someone we love passes unexpectedly. But here is my take (the short and sweet version)

Bert was a great person all-in-all.
When he was in his 30's his wife and him decided to adopt my stepdad (Rob).
He was a proud father, and never stopped telling stories of when Rob was younger.
He played hockey and would sit and chat with you about how a knee injury was the only thing stopping him from becoming a great player. I beleived him.
He was a proud Canadian and cheered for the leafs every season.
He played billiards and that is how he met so many of his great friends.
This is also how he met my mom, and how she got introduced to Rob.
Thanks Bert, for that.

But the thing that I will remember most about Bert is his zest for life. Not once in a while, but every time I saw him. He would tell stories about what he had for breakfast that day, like it was the most fantastic day he would ever have. And every day was.
He accepted an entire family when he gave us Rob, and he treated us like he'd known us since birth.
He was a proud grandpa.
He lived a thousand lifetimes in his 78 years.

I know that he passed quickly and was not ill for a long time.
He spent no time "on his death bed"
Life was a big perty right up until the end.
He died how he would have wanted, though too soon.
And I'll take a risk in saying, I know he is in a better place.
He is drinking beer and playing hockey on perfect knees.
He is sitting by a lake with his wife, and planting gardens in his "free time"
His new existence is as perfect as it ever could be.
And he is happy.
That is the only way it could be.
And I take comfort in knowing that.

We have a lot to learn from Bert.
Spend every day living, and not waiting for something better to come.
Don't put anything off until tomorrow that you could have done or said today.
Cherish every moment with your family and friends.

Cheers! Bert

Okie Dokie :)