This weekend, in Canada, it’s Thanksgiving. I think that we’re a month earlier than the US because of our earlier harvest season, but that’s just a guess. And why England doesn’t celebrate Thanksgiving is beyond me – if getting rid of boatloads of religious Fundamentalists isn’t cause for a national holiday…
It’s pretty easy to remember to be grateful when I’m getting two turkey dinners. One was here, so I can be grateful now that the house is so clean, but it was a busy week to get it into this shape. With Saturday being “Showtime,” it was especially busy, and we were in bed by 8:45. That’s right, we’re hardcore.
With a family like mine, it’s easy to be thankful. On the nights when I’m home at 6:30, I’m greeted by a super-happy dog, and a little girl saying “Daddy!” She’s really more interested in playing with my travel mug, but she’s happy to start playing with my eventually. My beautiful wife will also have coffee ready for me. For many people, this is a nice gesture. For us writerly types, it’s more like communion.
Andrea and I realized years ago that it was important to show our gratitude on a regular basis, especially for the small things. “Thanks for putting laundry on.” “Thank you for doing the dishes.” And the all-important “Thanks for getting up with Chickerdoodles this morning.”
About twenty years ago, when I was going through a particularly religious phase, I heard a song by the Christian band Petra called “Grateful Heart.” At that time, I prayed for a such a sense of gratitude, and I’ve been lucky to sustain that since then. Not always, but often enough to keep from getting all Goth and self-destructive.
I’m glad that we have Thanksgiving. Though most of us have lost touch with the farming cycles that birthed the holiday, it’s very beneficial to remember to count our blessings every now and then. It’s quant and a little hokey, but the truth is that an attitude of thankfulness can balance out some rough times. What’s the alternative; complaining? That just makes me miserable and unattractive.
Showing posts with label Holidays. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Holidays. Show all posts
Monday, October 10, 2011
Monday, May 30, 2011
Week off, but not really.
I'm at the hospital. Not for me, but I'm waiting for my wife to be discharged from gallbladder surgery. It's just a day surgery, and I was supposed to wait at home for them to call and let me know that she was ready, but I got impatient. Well, that's not entirely true; I got a call, and when I tried to pull the phone off of my belt, it slipped and the battery pack fell off. In a panic, I ran upstairs to the other extension, but missed the call. I got the number that called, but it wouldn't connect to anyone (what I reached sounded like dialing. Odd...) So I called the hospital, and the person I spoke to didn't think that the phone number was theirs. That wasn't a certain enough answer for me, so I packed up a few things (my netbook, Ipod, and three books) and came down.
She's not ready. Fortunately, Chickerdoodles is with Gramma, so I don't have to co-ordinate her and a thoroughly anesthetized wife.
That's how far I got before the volunteer told me that she was ready. By “ready”, they meant awake but waiting for the doctor to officially discharge her. While the nurses and volunteers at our local hospital were as delightful and efficient as always, the doctors are stretched too thin, so waiting for them to come and sign-off can be like waiting for a long weekend on Thursday. They're doing their best, but there seriously needs to be something done about the availability of doctors in Ontario. But I digress.
Andrea is recovering well. I thought that she'd be a mess, but she bounced back like the trooper she is. Of course, with four small incisions in her abdomen, there will be no lifting, including said Chickerdoodles. Fortunately, I was able to book the week off, so I can do the lifting, and the nursing. Also fortunately, she is twenty months old, so I only have to nurse my wife. Try and shake that visual – you're welcome. Hopefully I can get some other things done with my week off, but honestly, my standards are set pretty low.
She's not ready. Fortunately, Chickerdoodles is with Gramma, so I don't have to co-ordinate her and a thoroughly anesthetized wife.
That's how far I got before the volunteer told me that she was ready. By “ready”, they meant awake but waiting for the doctor to officially discharge her. While the nurses and volunteers at our local hospital were as delightful and efficient as always, the doctors are stretched too thin, so waiting for them to come and sign-off can be like waiting for a long weekend on Thursday. They're doing their best, but there seriously needs to be something done about the availability of doctors in Ontario. But I digress.
Andrea is recovering well. I thought that she'd be a mess, but she bounced back like the trooper she is. Of course, with four small incisions in her abdomen, there will be no lifting, including said Chickerdoodles. Fortunately, I was able to book the week off, so I can do the lifting, and the nursing. Also fortunately, she is twenty months old, so I only have to nurse my wife. Try and shake that visual – you're welcome. Hopefully I can get some other things done with my week off, but honestly, my standards are set pretty low.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Have a Lovely Day.
Happy Valentine's Day, one and all! But is it happy for you all? I remember just how miserable it can be for single people. If you're having a miserable day, for God's sake, find someone to talk to about it! If you need a night to get wasted and vent about how awful the other gender is, so be it. And let me apologize on behalf of Western Culture for rubbing all this sweet stuff in your face. If it's any consolation, there will be tons of cheap chocolate available tomorrow.
We're not doing much today, 'cause we're both working. So I made a special dinner last week to surprise her on Wednesday. Ta-Daa! Including chocolates, and all the trimmings. The only snag was that the Lemon Garlic Lamb wasn't ready until 45 mins after the potatoes and veggies. Oops! Fortunately, I also has a pretty spiffy cake, so that made it all better. Then on Sunday night when I got home, Sweety had chocolates, a card, and a bag of Starbucks Beans – MY FAVORITE! And a wonderful Chicken Pot Pie to boot! We decided not to exchange gifts, because we both have Birthdays in March. We're not even doing much for those, since we're putting a new floor in our living room and dining room this weekend. Well, me, my dad and a couple buddies are, Andrea's taking Chickerdoodles to best friend's house, so we can work. I'll bet you know how kids are when there's a parent available who isn't really available; it's all they can think about, am I right?
We did have our night out, though. We went to a local place called Crazy Fox Bistro. If you're local, I'd highly recommend it! Then we went to see Just Go With It. Usually it's the kind of movie that makes me say “I'm sure that you and Michelle will really enjoy that!” But hey, it's Valentine's Day, and it's an Adam Sandler movie, so it was pretty good.
Hope that ya'll are having a great day! Spread some love, in whatever kind of relationship you're in!
We're not doing much today, 'cause we're both working. So I made a special dinner last week to surprise her on Wednesday. Ta-Daa! Including chocolates, and all the trimmings. The only snag was that the Lemon Garlic Lamb wasn't ready until 45 mins after the potatoes and veggies. Oops! Fortunately, I also has a pretty spiffy cake, so that made it all better. Then on Sunday night when I got home, Sweety had chocolates, a card, and a bag of Starbucks Beans – MY FAVORITE! And a wonderful Chicken Pot Pie to boot! We decided not to exchange gifts, because we both have Birthdays in March. We're not even doing much for those, since we're putting a new floor in our living room and dining room this weekend. Well, me, my dad and a couple buddies are, Andrea's taking Chickerdoodles to best friend's house, so we can work. I'll bet you know how kids are when there's a parent available who isn't really available; it's all they can think about, am I right?
We did have our night out, though. We went to a local place called Crazy Fox Bistro. If you're local, I'd highly recommend it! Then we went to see Just Go With It. Usually it's the kind of movie that makes me say “I'm sure that you and Michelle will really enjoy that!” But hey, it's Valentine's Day, and it's an Adam Sandler movie, so it was pretty good.
Hope that ya'll are having a great day! Spread some love, in whatever kind of relationship you're in!
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Fa-la-la-la-la....
As usual, I am not bouncing and giggling my way into the Christmas season. Part of that is because I work in retail, and the season is more of a hurricane than a spiritual experience. It's not as crazy as it may be in a mall, so the customers I encounter aren't the frazzles crank-pots you may expect. But, boy howdy, there are a lot of them! My saving grace is that as a cashier, I'm always at the right end of the line up.
Perhaps part of it is the music. The same pre-fabricated feel-good bullocks year after year by a new batch of has-been artists trying to cash in.
Another root to my hum-bug is that I was 3000 kms from home (about the distance from Buffalo to Seattle, for my US readers, or from Portugal to Moscow for the Europeans.) for my early adulthood. My Christmas plans usually included laundry. Just as often, I would spend Christmas with the families of different friends. These turned out to be nice experiences, but they always started awkwardly.
Now that I have a family of my own, it's easier to get into the spirit of the season. By the 23rd, anyway. My wife seriously enjoys entertaining, so there's always the get-the-house-in-order project. I am really thankful to my mum-in-law for taking Chickerdoodle for a few hours, so we can really power through it, with both hands! (I've become pretty dexterous with one hand – FOR CHORES! Grow up!)
In slightly-related, the season has really brought to light what a “Dad” I've become. Several times, my wife asked what I want for Christmas, and I just shrugged and said “Dunno. Chapters card and a bag of Starbucks beans?” (“Chapters” is a Canadian version of Barnes & Noble.) While I am quite OK with that, the other example of Dad-ness was more disturbing. I made a pun. It was a good pun, but a pun none the less, and I hand my head in shame. Something about after eating Mom's turnip casserole (it's a lot better than it sounds), and keeping tight control at work, 'cause the gossips at work enjoy a “ripe tale.” (“ripe tail?”) Point being, most puns are really, really bad, especially the one's from newscasters, and I've never been shy about railing about it. Then my wife called me on my pun, and I had to admit: I made a bad “Dad Joke.” Someone please promise me, if I ever sit down to a family dinner and say “So, what are you all going to eat?” that you'll put a bullet through my head.
Perhaps part of it is the music. The same pre-fabricated feel-good bullocks year after year by a new batch of has-been artists trying to cash in.
Another root to my hum-bug is that I was 3000 kms from home (about the distance from Buffalo to Seattle, for my US readers, or from Portugal to Moscow for the Europeans.) for my early adulthood. My Christmas plans usually included laundry. Just as often, I would spend Christmas with the families of different friends. These turned out to be nice experiences, but they always started awkwardly.
Now that I have a family of my own, it's easier to get into the spirit of the season. By the 23rd, anyway. My wife seriously enjoys entertaining, so there's always the get-the-house-in-order project. I am really thankful to my mum-in-law for taking Chickerdoodle for a few hours, so we can really power through it, with both hands! (I've become pretty dexterous with one hand – FOR CHORES! Grow up!)
In slightly-related, the season has really brought to light what a “Dad” I've become. Several times, my wife asked what I want for Christmas, and I just shrugged and said “Dunno. Chapters card and a bag of Starbucks beans?” (“Chapters” is a Canadian version of Barnes & Noble.) While I am quite OK with that, the other example of Dad-ness was more disturbing. I made a pun. It was a good pun, but a pun none the less, and I hand my head in shame. Something about after eating Mom's turnip casserole (it's a lot better than it sounds), and keeping tight control at work, 'cause the gossips at work enjoy a “ripe tale.” (“ripe tail?”) Point being, most puns are really, really bad, especially the one's from newscasters, and I've never been shy about railing about it. Then my wife called me on my pun, and I had to admit: I made a bad “Dad Joke.” Someone please promise me, if I ever sit down to a family dinner and say “So, what are you all going to eat?” that you'll put a bullet through my head.
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