WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS...

My 3 rug rats in a forvorite place - M'mère's jaccuzi!

While I was at the office yesterday, the supplier dumped a load of firewood in front of my garage. The delivery is late. It had been scheduled at least two months ago, so that I would have plenty of time to bring it in before winter.

The Habs-Boston game was already playing; the temptation was too much, and I watched the first period before checking the weather forecast. Just as I feared, there is a bright, red warning indicated for our area. My demons are to return in full force by tomorrow, trailing loads of snow and freezing rain….and all that wood sitting outside!

I’m in the midst of packing in the city. Last weekend my garage, where the office equipment will be stored, was emptied of most of Bird’s house belongings. What remains needs to be shifted to make room for both the wood and the truckload of office furniture and boxes .There are two financial statements to prepare and tax remittances for three companies to be done – and all this by the end of the month! I was feeling slightly overwhelmed.

Then…grandson to the rescue! Fred came upstairs, doing his daily trek to fill my fire baskets, and told me that he is not working today, so will take care of bringing in the wood. He started the ball rolling. I grabbed the telephone and contacted my ex’s mom. She agreed to come by Thursday night and pick up the number of his metal tool boxes that have been taking up space for the past year. When my youngest son finishes work tonight, he and I will drive into the city. While he is manipulating the drill to remove wall hangings, counters, stalls and whatever furniture needs to be disassembled, I’ll continue packing documents. I counted on my fingers. There should be just enough time to complete most of the tasks…with a little help from my friends. (I love that Beatles tune!)

I’m kidding myself. There will NOT be enough time to get it done to my satisfaction…but the most important things will be handled. Time for a change of attitude!

There is wood to keep me warm; the daily 4 hour commute to work is nearly over; there is a greedy and complicated government forcing clients to keep me in a job, so I have a roof over my head. I don’t even need to get into the health, family, and friends thing to realize that I’m extremely lucky.

Speaking of family – I’m putting everything on hold to babysit my 3 little rug rats this Saturday. There’s the real priority!! I’m looking forward to all the giggles and SMILES! Sharing them with you!

Luv from the Bush in Quebec.

SMILING!!!

Snow!!! When I got out of bed this morning my gallery was sporting a thin blanket of the beautiful, white stuff. Immediate good mood! I was a child on the farm again, gazing with glee at the first snowfall of the year ; images of toboggans racing down the hill, playing stick hockey on the bumpy river ice and, of course, Christmas - all dancing through my mind! I opened the door for the doggies and laughed out loud as I watched them lift one paw, then the other, their heads down – sniff, sniff – ah yes! We remember this now! It was melted away by noon, but my day was already made.

My ‘happy-ball’ was rolling. The appointment for 11 AM called to postpone until Monday, which allowed me to work from home instead of going into the city office. Yippee! Later, while in town on errands (including reserving a time for winter tire installation), I heard someone call my name, and turned to see a lady smiling at me. It took a moment before I recognized her. It has been years since we’ve seen each other, and it was great to block the aisle (sorry, sir!) and catch up. We exchanged e-mail addresses, and made plans to meet again on her return from Hong Kong at the end of November. She’s a fashion artist, creating new clothes from old, and will be doing a ‘shoot’ there, then she and her husband will spend the rest of the time enjoying the vacation of their dreams. Her passion for her art was so evident that the air sparkled around us. I’m that happy for her!

There is no better way to end the day than with hugs and kisses from my rug rats. On my way home, I made a detour to drop in on my son J. and his family. The three boys do it to me every time – and I guess each grandparent knows exactly what I mean. The joy has no bounds, and I don’t think the love could swell my heart any larger.

I had one last stop; my rural mailbox up the road from the house. I do it just once a week. Since e-mail has become the current method of correspondence, it is mostly only advertising and/or bills anyway, so why spoil each day? This time there was a package. A precious gift from special friends, and they know who they are, and what it was. Suffice it for me to say that it is so very appreciated.

My doggies were ecstatic on my arrival. Their enthusiasm nearly knocked me back down the stairs! I had an armful of wood too! I wonder if I could train them to carry it up for me? If fireplaces burned rocks, I would have no problem at all – Bud would be ‘the man’, LOL!

Now it’s Jacuzzi time again. Contrary to yesterday, with its icky, depressive mood, (even the HABS got it in the neck!), today was right back where life should be: joy and friends and love!!! In French they say ‘Il n’y a rien de trop beau’ which translates as ‘Nothing is too good’.

I’ll take that. Bring it on. I’ll greet it with a SMILE!

Luv from the Bush in Quebec.

THANKFUL, YOU SAY?

My son J, with his lady and two of the rug rats

My youngest son, J, had left to go hunting up north the Thursday before Thanksgiving. His little lady was home alone with three boys, one 5, one 3, and the youngest, born this June 12th, still nursing, usually every 2 hours or so. The boys are active, especially the 3 year old Bali, and she was nearly at her wit’s end. When I called her the day before our Thanksgiving supper, she admitted that she would rather just attempt to rest than attend.

“Okay,” I offered. “I’ll go pick up the two oldest, and it will give you a break.” I was surprised when she agreed; she’s very protective of her three sons. It did take some coaxing, but more because she was worried that I would be tired from work, that I would be busy cooking, that, being hostess, I would have to see to entertaining duties.

Ha! There was a method behind my madness! My daughter, much loved by both the young rug rats, would be at the house. Also my granddaughter, who is very good at keeping them busy. And Yo, my other DIL, who plays with them constantly whenever she has the chance. My oldest son is the entertainer in our family; the supervision of the boys would be done by more of my prodigy; so all I would actually have to do would be keep an eye on the turkey –yet get as much sticky cuddling as I wanted!!! AND I would still look good because I offered to help out! LOL!! Never underestimate the wisdom of a conniving granny!!

Thanksgiving Day was glorious! My home was filled to the brim with everything for which one could be thankful; most of my children with their significant others, my much loved but deceased sister’s daughter and granddaughter, my brother and Fran, the older grandchildren and the toddlers and doggies, all racing around keeping things lively; and throughout the rooms wafted the smell of roast turkey and savoury dressing and spicy pumpkin pie. You tell me – what more could one want?

My oldest son, always the comedian, kept us roaring with laughter. The youngsters sped up and down the hallway, only stopping when grabbed for the numerous hugs and kisses, then were dumped into the Jacuzzi later in the evening. Their aunt Shan dressed them in p.j.’s, transferred the car seats into her own vehicle for the drive home, and called me back to say that the indomitable Bali was sleeping before the first corner up the road. In the meantime, his mom got to soak at her leisure in a relaxing bath while the baby was sleeping, confident that her older sons were being embraced by a family who love them madly. Later, I learned that my other son, the avid hunter, had caught his first moose. In its own way, Thanksgiving Day was good for both of them too.

Finally it was only me and the doggies. We sat by the fire, relishing the quiet and the warmth. I lifted my last glass of wine and saluted my mom. Thanksgiving was her favourite gathering. I knew she would approve and, wherever she is now, was surely sharing my SMILE!

Luv from the Bush in Quebec

THE BUD SAGA - PART 3

My smile is all over my face this morning! The first reason is the hours of sleep I got last night – to bed at midnight and stayed in the arms of Murphy until 10 AM this morning! Wow! That in itself is an achievement. Then I wake up to fresh coffee (Heinz sneaked upstairs quietly and prepared it); the sun is out there and the view is magnificent; the Canadiens game is televised at 13:30 this afternoon; and the cherry on the sundae? I’m babysitting my two little rug rats (there will soon be three!!) right after the game.

But wait! There’s more. Yoshiko is already on the flight bound for home and will be landing at the airport around 2:30 this afternoon. Shan is in Quebec city with friends, attending both a minor hockey tournament and the renown Carnival. I’m pretty sure the older grandchildren are on the ski hills. Oh my, but life is good!

And here is the third chapter of my Bud Saga.

YOU WANT ME TO BABY-SIT WHAT??? - Part 3

I closed the door, watching the dogs from the corner of my eye. There were large cushions on the floor, and the labs trotted over to them, turned around a couple of times, then flopped down. The pit immediately jumped up onto the couch, and settled himself smack in the middle of it. Staking his territory? I was pretty sure their master did not allow them on the furniture.

“Are you supposed to be up there?” I asked him. No reaction, other than fixing me with that stare. I considered my options…. leave him there and let my friend deal with it whenever he returned? Or force the pit to get down and join the other dogs?

“Hey!” I used a louder tone. “Get down!” The stare never wavered...then he sighed and lowered his head between his front paws.

Okay, I guess that meant we were going with the first option. I consoled myself by noting that there were only two cushions on the floor .…maybe he was used to being on the couch. And I wouldn’t be sitting there anyway. I liked the rocking chair by the fire better, didn’t I? Thus, unwittingly, I set the stage for my stay. There can be only one lead dog in a pack...one boss….and I had just handed that role to the pit.

The rest of the evening was uneventful, other than my being aware that each time I moved the pit would lift his head and watch me. But then, so did the two labs, so I quelled the uneasiness by telling myself it was normal. Their master worked from home, so they were used to having him with them constantly. Suddenly, he was gone, they were completely alone for a few days, and now a semi-stranger was wandering around in here. Of course they were confused and, like good dogs, watchful.

It was not late when I prepared for bed. My early morning, the long day at work, the excitement from the latest events, and now the total silence in the house...it caused me to nod sleepily in front of the fire. I decided I'd feel safer upstairs in the bedroom.

It was a Swiss chalet type of construction, and there was no door separating this bedroom from the rest of the house. Feeling silly while doing it, I carefully stuck a chair into the opening at the top of the stairs. The pit could probably jump over it quite easily. Still, I thought, it's better than nothing.

I was cuddled up in bed and, somewhere between the awake and the dream state, I remembered the name. Bud. Yep, that was it - the three B’s….Beef, Ben and Bud.

Little did I know that I would hardly ever call him that. As of the next day he would baptized “you little S**t!”. Tomorrow, we would start the war.

(to be cont’d)


I have some work to be done before the hockey game starts, so now wish you a happy, sunny day, wherever you are. Sending you my SMILE - hope you'll share yours too!

Luv from the Bush in Quebec