Archive for April 2009
Apr
Har har har. I’m so funny.
Anyway, I’m probably going to lose some friends here. Vic? I’m sorry.
Jumping on the bandwagon extremely late, as I am wont to do, I bought myself the first book in the Twilight series and took it to Cuba to read. At first I didn’t actually know when I was going to get to read it as I wasn’t really going to be sitting and reading a book during my 3-6 daytime kid-free hours, because I was actually going to be spending that with Mark, and I couldn’t really read before bed, as we were all sleeping in the same room which means lights off and be quiet for christ’s sake, no one wake the children.
But on the second night I snuck out after everyone else was asleep. This makes it sound late but actually it was only 8:30pm. Let’s just say Mark got A LOT of sleep while we were away. Anyway, I stole away to to the lobby to sit in a comfy chair with my book. Oh, and I stopped at the bar to get a mojito or a pina colada first, can’t remember which.
And I read. And I devoured with speed, finishing it over the next 2 days. And I didn’t get it. Why was this poorly written book so popular? What was I missing?
Why was Bella the interesting story? I’d rather be reading about Carlisle, actually. I found the little tidbits about him to be most fascinating.
Anyway, I am not going to do a thorough review because really, it was a quick read that didn’t take up a lot of my time or brain space. I am not currently obsessed with Edward or Bella or whatever. I might read the other books just to know what happens. I might even watch the movie (which, funnily enough, they were showing on the flight down but I was too busy wrangling the kids to pay attention). I guess there’s a success for the author, that even someone who didn’t like the first book might like to know what happens at the end of the story. But it just didn’t do it for me.
Good god, it’s been ages since I read a good book. Must really do something about that…
Apr
It’s my nature to be self-deprecating. It’s also completely ‘me’ to focus on the negatives of something perfectly good, because to be talking about only the good seems to my clearly damaged psyche like bragging too much. So I am going against the grain here and I am not going to complain about ANYTHING (not even the buffet breakfast or squirrel-sized lizards or coffee or even each child having a bloody nose – in fact I had forgotten about Oliver painting Pearson red until now…).
Our vacation. It was good.
I had some awesome drinks. We learned what was good to eat and what was not so much. Oliver fell in love with 5 year old Zoe from Winchester, UK – and is still talking about her, and cried when he couldn’t be around her. He also hung out with some cool kids from Calgary. And if any parents are considering taking their kiddies to Cuba (which I kind of think is crazy of all the Europeans there with small children – I mean, you won’t be catching me on a 12 hour flight with my toddlers for fun), I wholly recommend the Tryp Peninsula’s baby club. They did an awesome job taking care of and entertaining my children. Especially as we seemed to be one of the few families ditching abandoning leaving the kids with them! We got a little sun and splashed in the pool a lot and got lots of rest.
The end.
I almost did it! I almost stayed completely positive! Yay me!
Apr
Hi, you’ve reached the Willers. Sorry we can’t take your call right now. We’re too busy being fried to a crisp in sunny Varadero, Cuba.
Long Term Forecast Updated: Thursday, April 9, 2009, 7:01 EST
Well, to be completely honest, we’re not really in Cuba. We’re at a resort that could be anywhere in the Carribean. This is not the trip where we’ll be experiencing Havana or authentic Cuban life, as people I know have done. Instead, we’ve got the kids with us, and we’re all having a good time on the beach, in the pool, with the rum. Okay, that’s just me, not the kids. Promise.
A week outside of the real world, no matter what country I’m in – it’s a nice thing. See you in a week.
Apr
Oliver got sick on Friday night – wonderfully, suddenly while we were out grocery shopping, he became completely inconsolable (leading many strangers, mostly old Italian ladies, to ask him why he was crying so much, and then he’d cry some more) and tried to convince me that a bug had taken up shop in his ear. So I’m thinking he’s got a mosquito bite and it’s bothering him and I’ve got to put anti-itch stuff in the cart anyway to take on holiday so I rub some on his ear. Why was I not automatically thinking ear infection? Durrrrr. A bug in your ear is like a bug in your stomach, right? He was better after copious amounts of pain killers administered every 4 hours through Friday night (that was about how long it took between the screams). And he woke up for the day at like 5am on Saturday morning (extremely painful for someone who’s kids generally sleep till at least 7) but eventually fell asleep in my lap. UNHEARD OF. He was like a little generator, the fever had built up so much heat. Some antibiotics prescribed Saturday morning, and all is well. The bug is dead.
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Callum ended up sleeping in until 8:30am Saturday morning, until he got so fed up of wondering why the hell no one had bothered to get him up yet, he started completely freaking out. Poor thing.
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Saturday also featured some ME TIME. Hurray. I got to spend a good chunk of the day with Tami. We went to the One of a Kind Show downtown. I showed great restraint and only bought one thing – but it was a good thing:
One day I’ll be able to hang it in a window and properly enjoy it – for now it’s safely on the fireplace mantle.
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Sunday morning, we checked out a free introductory screening of Toons for Toddlers, a great idea for introducing the kids to the movies. Unfortunately they didn’t seem to be all that bothered. But probably because In the Night Garden is old news in this house. Personally, I’m hoping the Yo Gabba Gabba live tour hits town. Yes, I have lost my mind. I am actually desperately wanting to attend a children’s entertainment event. Have you seen the Ting Tings and their Happy Birthday song? God, I love it. It’s like always stuck in my head. And I really enjoyed the Jack Black episode the other day. As did my children. Which we also watched this weekend. Gee, we did a lot this weekend, eh?
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Sunday afternoon, we went to hang out with my parents, and for the first time in a LONG time, Oliver actually behaved in a restaurant. Like sat and ate and stuff. Like what normal people do. It was amazing.
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At the same restaurant – well, a pub in North Oshawa – I experienced a deep fried Mars bar with ice cream. It unfortunately was not what I hoped it would be. Perhaps I should have waited until the next time I was in a greasy chippy in Scotland.
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This child is now asking all the time to do ‘homework’ (tracing letters, matching shapes, counting and sorting objects in pre-k workbooks):
Oliver and Grandma
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And this child is completely obsessed with trains. This is the Thomas fan I was expecting to find in Oliver, but never really did:
Callum and the choo choo
