This photo is a few years old, I guess it's five years old now that I think about it. I took it on Easter Weekend 2003 at my Aunt Mary's home. My Aunt Karen & Uncle Mike were home from out west and as much of the family as we could muster were gathered at the Cooks' for Easter Dinner.
The story behind this photo is that everyone was taking a photo of my mum and her siblings (from left to right, the photographers are Meg - daughter of Mary - my mum's sister; Karen - wife of Mike - my mum's younger brother; Kathy - daughter of John - my mum's older brother; and my dad). I think that this was the last photo I had taken of Kathy and it's always made me smile because when I turned around, it was like looking at some paparazzi.
Kathy died earlier today. She had fought a very long battle with a malignant brain tumor. I think it was about 10 years ago now that she was first diagnosed. Kathy, her husband Jeff and her parents (my godparents) went to hell and back with this disease but the fight is now over for them.
Kathy was my first, first cousin. She was the oldest grandchild on my mum's side, I was the second oldest. This morning, I went through old family photos of us when we were kids. Looking at the pair of us in so many photos, we couldn't have looked more different: Kathy had gorgeous, long dark hair, I had my little blond pixie cuts. Most of the time, I was in a yellow dress and Kathy was in a purple dress. In a few of the photos of the two of us, we were up in a tree in our Nana's yard and I have to say, those are my best memories of my time spent with Kathy as a child... climbing Nana's tree and colouring the bark with our Crayola 64.
Tonight I talked to my cousin Meg on the phone for a while. We were talking about Kathy's love of all things purple and we've both decided to not wear black to Kathy's funeral on Saturday. We'll both be wearing purple, for Kathy, and if anyone has a problem with that, well, they can just suck it.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Monday, August 11, 2008
dynamic duo
Mark went back to work this morning. We actually got up with the alarm this morning. It was, well, alarming to say the least.
It was a little sad to see him head out the door to work but sometimes you have to do these things. Sam moped around the house a bit and I could tell he was really missing Mark. When Mark came home for a break, Sam was super excited. It was pretty cool to watch actually.
Luckily, we managed to sneak in a visit to the dog park when Mark got home. The thunder started to roll about 5 minutes after we got in the door. I'm really getting tired of all of this rain we're getting. The gloomy-ness of it all did not exactly inspire me to be very energetic today. I mean, I got a few things accomplished but nearly the number of things I'd hoped to.
Oh well, tomorrow is another day, I'm hoping for sunshine.
It was a little sad to see him head out the door to work but sometimes you have to do these things. Sam moped around the house a bit and I could tell he was really missing Mark. When Mark came home for a break, Sam was super excited. It was pretty cool to watch actually.
Luckily, we managed to sneak in a visit to the dog park when Mark got home. The thunder started to roll about 5 minutes after we got in the door. I'm really getting tired of all of this rain we're getting. The gloomy-ness of it all did not exactly inspire me to be very energetic today. I mean, I got a few things accomplished but nearly the number of things I'd hoped to.
Oh well, tomorrow is another day, I'm hoping for sunshine.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
mid-holiday update
We've been enjoying our "stay-cation" this week. It's been at times busy, at other times, very very relaxing and the whole thing has been a lot of fun. This is the first time in a very long time that Mark and I have an entire week off together.
At the moment, we're waiting for some company to arrive so I thought I'd take some time to update on what we've been doing.
On Wednesday, we decided to celebrate our anniversary (we met 9 years ago on August 6) with a little road trip day for the three of us. Sam loves to travel with us in the van but we'd never taken him on the highway with us before. The main purpose of the trip was to submit our passport applications to the office in Whitby.
A few weeks ago, a friend of ours was talking about how he needed to get a passport because he's going to Florida on a course in September. Last year sometime, the fuckwits in the US government decided that Canadians needed a passport to fly into the states. Mark offered to go up to the passport office for him (he doesn't have a car). I suggested to Mark that we should get ours too because next year, we'll need one if we want to drive over the border to do grocery shopping.
Fortunately, the whole process for applying is a lot easier now than it was the last time I looked at the forms. Also, the office in Whitby is in a mall and you literally drive up to the front door, walk in and be back in your vehicle within 20 minutes (at least this was my experience). Unfortunately, they wouldn't accept my application on behalf of Andy because he wasn't a family member so now he's having to do it through our MP's office. Mark and I should have ours around August 20. I'm really glad that we've done this but I'm still annoyed that the shrub is making life so difficult for folks who just want to take a 30 minute drive and buy some Gulden's Hot and Zesty Honey Mustard!
On the way up, we stopped at the Quinte West Off Leash Dog Park in Trenton. It's a small but beautiful park. The whole area is properly fenced and double gated. The ground is covered with bark chips so it doesn't get muddy and there is a lot of shade for the hot days. One of the local home improvement places donated benches as well so you take a little break in the shade if you'd like. Sam had a lot of fun there and met a couple of friends. It wasn't super busy which was probably good.
When we got home that night, we decided to go to the Drive-In. We both wanted to see Pineapple Express and thought that a double bill at the Drive-In would be fun (there was no way we'd see Step Brothers otherwise). Unfortunately, while it was breezy and much cooler than in town, it was also very buggy. I can't tell whether the movie wasn't funny (it was cute in parts, really nonsensical in others - ie it had HUGE gaping plot holes) or the bugs were making me itch too much but by the time it was over, I was ready to go home.
On Thursday, we really slept in after being at the drive-in. The morning was spent doing work in the yard and 'round the house. We also got out and did some errands but our plans to spend the afternoon at the municipal pool were thwarted by bad weather. We got home in time for a very quick barbecued lunch but then the showers moved in and we were once again rained out.
Friday morning, we were glued to the tube (and kept indoors by the rain) watching the opening ceremonies of the Olympics. Neither of us are fans of the sports of the Olympics but it was fun to watch the opening and see the Parade of Nations. With the Olympics in China, I have a hard time looking at the performers and the new buildings without imaging what these folks had to endure to create it all. I can't imagine that folks were paid fairly or treated decently through it all but I sure hope that I'm wrong.
Yesterday was my mum's 65th birthday. We met my parents for lunch and "surprised" my mum with a dozen roses. This was the third bunch of roses she received on the day. My dad sent her a gorgeous bouquet of a dozen red roses, my aunt & uncle sent her red roses with white carnations and we gave her a bouquet of peach and orangey coloured roses. Her house must smell really lovely today!!
Today so far has been quiet. We went to the dog park and ran around a bit with Sam. Originally we'd thought about taking a little road trip to Smiths Falls today but the weather in the morning looked dicey so we stayed home. It's turned into a pretty nice day after all so I suppose we could have gone. I'm kind of glad we didn't though, it's been nice to be close to home.
Tomorrow, Mark will head back to work. I'm off this week too and have a few things planned. Primarily, I have a to-do list for things around the house that I'd like to sort out. Mostly organizing, cleaning and chucking out of stuff. I imagine I will have a huge pile for goodwill (or I hope to). I'm looking forward to quietly puttering around the house and hanging out with Sam. It should be very relaxing if I get it right!
At the moment, we're waiting for some company to arrive so I thought I'd take some time to update on what we've been doing.
On Wednesday, we decided to celebrate our anniversary (we met 9 years ago on August 6) with a little road trip day for the three of us. Sam loves to travel with us in the van but we'd never taken him on the highway with us before. The main purpose of the trip was to submit our passport applications to the office in Whitby.
A few weeks ago, a friend of ours was talking about how he needed to get a passport because he's going to Florida on a course in September. Last year sometime, the fuckwits in the US government decided that Canadians needed a passport to fly into the states. Mark offered to go up to the passport office for him (he doesn't have a car). I suggested to Mark that we should get ours too because next year, we'll need one if we want to drive over the border to do grocery shopping.
Fortunately, the whole process for applying is a lot easier now than it was the last time I looked at the forms. Also, the office in Whitby is in a mall and you literally drive up to the front door, walk in and be back in your vehicle within 20 minutes (at least this was my experience). Unfortunately, they wouldn't accept my application on behalf of Andy because he wasn't a family member so now he's having to do it through our MP's office. Mark and I should have ours around August 20. I'm really glad that we've done this but I'm still annoyed that the shrub is making life so difficult for folks who just want to take a 30 minute drive and buy some Gulden's Hot and Zesty Honey Mustard!
On the way up, we stopped at the Quinte West Off Leash Dog Park in Trenton. It's a small but beautiful park. The whole area is properly fenced and double gated. The ground is covered with bark chips so it doesn't get muddy and there is a lot of shade for the hot days. One of the local home improvement places donated benches as well so you take a little break in the shade if you'd like. Sam had a lot of fun there and met a couple of friends. It wasn't super busy which was probably good.
When we got home that night, we decided to go to the Drive-In. We both wanted to see Pineapple Express and thought that a double bill at the Drive-In would be fun (there was no way we'd see Step Brothers otherwise). Unfortunately, while it was breezy and much cooler than in town, it was also very buggy. I can't tell whether the movie wasn't funny (it was cute in parts, really nonsensical in others - ie it had HUGE gaping plot holes) or the bugs were making me itch too much but by the time it was over, I was ready to go home.
On Thursday, we really slept in after being at the drive-in. The morning was spent doing work in the yard and 'round the house. We also got out and did some errands but our plans to spend the afternoon at the municipal pool were thwarted by bad weather. We got home in time for a very quick barbecued lunch but then the showers moved in and we were once again rained out.
Friday morning, we were glued to the tube (and kept indoors by the rain) watching the opening ceremonies of the Olympics. Neither of us are fans of the sports of the Olympics but it was fun to watch the opening and see the Parade of Nations. With the Olympics in China, I have a hard time looking at the performers and the new buildings without imaging what these folks had to endure to create it all. I can't imagine that folks were paid fairly or treated decently through it all but I sure hope that I'm wrong.
Yesterday was my mum's 65th birthday. We met my parents for lunch and "surprised" my mum with a dozen roses. This was the third bunch of roses she received on the day. My dad sent her a gorgeous bouquet of a dozen red roses, my aunt & uncle sent her red roses with white carnations and we gave her a bouquet of peach and orangey coloured roses. Her house must smell really lovely today!!
Today so far has been quiet. We went to the dog park and ran around a bit with Sam. Originally we'd thought about taking a little road trip to Smiths Falls today but the weather in the morning looked dicey so we stayed home. It's turned into a pretty nice day after all so I suppose we could have gone. I'm kind of glad we didn't though, it's been nice to be close to home.
Tomorrow, Mark will head back to work. I'm off this week too and have a few things planned. Primarily, I have a to-do list for things around the house that I'd like to sort out. Mostly organizing, cleaning and chucking out of stuff. I imagine I will have a huge pile for goodwill (or I hope to). I'm looking forward to quietly puttering around the house and hanging out with Sam. It should be very relaxing if I get it right!
Tuesday, August 05, 2008
happy fun time
hi ya
yanno how sometimes, you're having so much fun that you can't stop for long to talk about it!?
well that's what's happening 'round here this week.
vacation is here, we're having a blast and I just thought I'd take a quick moment to check in, say hello and bop back out again.
hope you're all having a fab week!!
yanno how sometimes, you're having so much fun that you can't stop for long to talk about it!?
well that's what's happening 'round here this week.
vacation is here, we're having a blast and I just thought I'd take a quick moment to check in, say hello and bop back out again.
hope you're all having a fab week!!
Sunday, August 03, 2008
bella winks
How is your Simcoe Day weekend going folks?
Ours is going very well. Actually, we are now on vacation. I'm off for 2 weeks and Mark is off with me for the first week.
Yesterday, I think due to the strange weather we've been having, Mark had a killer migraine yesterday and I had a headache almost all day. At one point, we had enough pain medication in our systems that we could go out and get some errands done. Fortunately, we didn't have to be out for much longer than an hour or so.
I'm feeling groggy but better today. I don't remember when I slept as much as I did yesterday, it was strange. I was up early yesterday with the dog but then went back to bed until 7:30 or so. By 10 a.m., we were back in bed sleeping again. Got up around 12:30 to do errands and stuff. I had another nap in the late afternoon and still slept like the dead again last night.
Today is much better though. I'm getting stuff together for us to go to a friend's house for the day. It's the home of Bella's parents. They live north of the city on a gorgeous lake in a log cabin home. We're taking Sam so it'll be his first experience of actually going into the lake for a swim (or just to explore the lake shore). I'm sure he'll be a matted, muddy mess by the end of the day but that's okay. We've been looking forward to this for a while.
Ours is going very well. Actually, we are now on vacation. I'm off for 2 weeks and Mark is off with me for the first week.
Yesterday, I think due to the strange weather we've been having, Mark had a killer migraine yesterday and I had a headache almost all day. At one point, we had enough pain medication in our systems that we could go out and get some errands done. Fortunately, we didn't have to be out for much longer than an hour or so.
I'm feeling groggy but better today. I don't remember when I slept as much as I did yesterday, it was strange. I was up early yesterday with the dog but then went back to bed until 7:30 or so. By 10 a.m., we were back in bed sleeping again. Got up around 12:30 to do errands and stuff. I had another nap in the late afternoon and still slept like the dead again last night.
Today is much better though. I'm getting stuff together for us to go to a friend's house for the day. It's the home of Bella's parents. They live north of the city on a gorgeous lake in a log cabin home. We're taking Sam so it'll be his first experience of actually going into the lake for a swim (or just to explore the lake shore). I'm sure he'll be a matted, muddy mess by the end of the day but that's okay. We've been looking forward to this for a while.
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