Bananagrams

Brilliant little game in a banana.  We were introduced to it by our family in Winnipeg up at their cottage in Matlock.  Rainy days plagued our visit, so walks on the beach were not an option.  So much fun "splitting, peeling and dumping" and yelling "Bananas"!  I've seen it at Mastermind.  For us aging boomers, it's a great way to keep the brain oiled and in working condition.  Any age can play, including early readers.  

Which leads me to our Saturday night.  No Bananagrams (would be too much time pressure for my mom), but we went over to Mom's for Chinese and Scrabble.  "I" joined us and we had a nice evening.  Mom seemed in good spirits and today she's watching "those bums", aka The Blue Jays.  Who knows, maybe they're not bums today.  It's early in the game.

A week left until The Kid leaves for school.  Makes me sad thinking about it, so I'm making her a peach pie in a vain attempt at keeping her here forever.  

17 Again

Two of us met in Grade 3. We met the other in high school. We can be apart for long periods of time and yet, we pick up where we left off. We just slide back into a rhythm. Ba da boom. To feel 17 again with such fabulous ladies is a blessing. My daughter says she doesn't recognize me when the three of us are together. We get silly. We laugh. We ARE 17.

My Grade 3 friend lives on Vancouver Island and we don't get to see each other as much as we'd like. My other friend lives 15 minutes away and yet, we don't get together enough. But when we do, expect lots of laughter and silliness. Today was breakfast at Sunset Grille in Milton, after picking up Vancouver Island girl at the airport at 9 am. Giggling over old times, comparing notes on our different maladies and medications, laughing at notes kept by Vancouver Island Girl about books and movies she wants to read or see, because she's afraid she won't remember them, all the while getting a coffee induced caffeine high.

The only nod to our age...gushing about the grandbaby-to-be for Vancouver Island Girl. And how we will all be "great aunties"....who act 17 when we're together.

Stormy Weather

Wow.  The force of nature.  I have never seen weather this bad.  M was about to BBQ some pork chops and he made a bee-line for the patio door.  It literally became a deluge in a matter of seconds.  We watched helplessly as our trees bent into near submission.   The sky is now an eerie yellow and I'm not convinced that we are out of the woods yet.   CP24 is saying we have another hour of tornado watch.  Lit a bunch of candles when the power went out and in a weird way, it's kind of nice when all the electric "buzz" is quieted.  Power's back,  but one candle is still lit, just in case.  

Marika was waiting to be picked up by The Boyfriend .... family dinner before The Boyfriend leaves for university tomorrow.  He has two weeks of football training before school starts.  For a while, it didn't look like they were going anywhere, the the storm has subsided a bit, so they are on their way to teppanyaki.  Lord, don't let anything get in the way of teppanyaki.........

So, no BBQ tonight, but thank God for good, old George Foreman and his handy dandy grill.  

mmmmmm....just read downtownmama's blog and she mentioned peaches.......tis the season for jam and peach pie.  Watch for my famous peach pie recipe tomorrow.  Perfect for the weekend.  Damn the diet.

Went to see "The Harder They Come" last night with my hubby.  Great show music wise, but why do we need to glorify crime?  The guy shot two police officers and was made a hero.   Huh?  I know they were trying to say that this guy was a "revolutionary" and that he was triumphing over corruption, but to make a hero out of him?  It just adds to the "glory of the gun" mentality that is plaguing so much of our world today.  

Taking Mom out for shopping today.  She has taken her shower and tells me she is "already played out", but she needs to get out and so, I will go do her hair and then trudge her around to her favourite haunts....Walmart, IGA, Cloverdale....wherever she wants to go.  It's becoming aware that these jaunts will be more and more difficult for her to manage as the time passes.  Mom said that she's "spoken" with Dad (I know she's not losing it, her brain is sharper than mine!) and that he said "in a year or so", alluding to when she'd be ready to join him.  Mom said "not just yet", but to her, a year sounds good.  I honestly can't dispute that one.  She's ready.  There's not much joy in her life, save for us and those awful Blue Jays that she's addicted to.  Oh, and Scrabble.  

Forgot to mention, we went out for dinner the other night to North 44.  Ask to be seated at Esther's table.  The food is fabulous, yes, but Esther is wonderful!  I've never seen anyone so vivacious and so obviously enjoying what they do.   Esther's even offered to make introductions for our daughter to some sports commentators, for when Marika needs to start interning for journalism.  Honestly, we love North 44, but the real reason we go back is to see Esther!!  Go.  You will be enchanted.

Wow.....I need to get a life. I obviously created this post 4 years ago and haven't done anything with it. It's time I got the lead out (you will find many age-related "isms" here) and got started. I've always wanted to write and have been told I have a knack, so, here goes.

Scukie.....I'm part Scottish, part Ukrainian, all Canadian. I'm now 56 and feelin' my age! I had thought of a different moniker....Kubasa on Rye with a side of Haggis.....since I am part of that wonderful sandwich generation. Teenage child and an 84 year old mother. The teenage child no longer needs my help (well, sometimes) and my 84 year old mother, needs me more and more.

It's hard being in this "place". Sometimes I need to just kvetch

(no Jewish blood that I know of in the family line, but it's a good word) so I thought this was as good a place as any. A blog won't say "uh huh, uh huh" on the other end of the line and screen it's calls .... "oh no, it's HER again, same old, same old".

Don't get me wrong, I have fabulous friends who will listen and support - mainly because they're all in the same boat. I need more of an outlet and, well, this is it.