Being three

Just thinking of yesterday, when after all the chaos - getting late out of the airbnb house, saying goodbye to Do, my brother and sister in law, getting to the airport through the frozen streets and snowbanks, arguing with Eli who kept wanting to open his car window despite the freezing air, returning the rental car, trying to get the masses of stuff we had, including a baby in a carseat, to the check-in counter and then through security - all of our stuff carry-on, of course, just to make life more complicated - and then waiting for the flight which was delayed and then finally getting on board, Anna breastfeeding throughout and coping with her fierce, single-minded older son - finally we were seated on the small Porter plane and had crammed our stuff into the overhead bins and the rest beneath the seats and were trying to take a breath - and then the plane took off into the dark frozen Ottawa sky, and as we flew up, Eli said, in an imperious tone, "How do you open the window? I want to open the window."

"Spotlight" - must see

Is there anything better than your own bed? As I burrowed under the covers last night, I thought more than ever of immigrants and refugees, with hopes that everyone, one day, will have a safe, warm, comfortable bed.

I know, dream on. Well, it's New Year's Eve, a day made for dreaming, so I will, okay?

We made it home, the flight delayed not quite an hour by de-icing. But it's a hurricane, travelling with a baby and a very determined 3 year old and a lot of stuff - car seat, booster seat, bags of snacks and books and everything else - I'm amazed we made it in one piece, to tell you the truth. But with my extraordinary daughter in the lead, we did.

I have a week and a bit before work starts, both courses a go, time to sort myself out and do my own work before I start to focus on my students. I'm going to give myself the treat of seeing some of the movies I've been desperate to see, starting, today, with "Spotlight." I expected it to be a tired retread of stuff we already know - pedophile priests, what's new about that? My God, this is a superb film - I cannot recommend it more highly. We forget there was a time when we did not know about the rot at the core of the Catholic church, and we watch as these Boston Globe reporters - in 2001, so recently! - begin to put the pieces together, as they realize it's not one priest but several, and then not several, but a lot, and then the incredible scope of the story, that the highest levels of the church were involved in the cover-up.

I have to say that I cannot understand how anyone can remain a Catholic after seeing this film or acknowledging what it portrays. But then, as a former priest says in the film, the church is an institution for the centuries; a believer can focus on the future and try to forget the past. And there's a mighty fine Pope, mostly, in power now. But what the film shows of the damage caused by lack of accountability, the corruption of power and cronyism and an inflated sense of entitlement, is stomach-turning.

Just as a film, it's fantastic with 100% superb, no, perfect performances, including, I'm happy to say, Rachel McAdams and Len Cariou, two great Canadian actors. But every actor is first rate - nothing overstated, just honest film-making and performances, superb. Go see it. Go see it. Because what it told me, most of all, is that nothing is more powerful than the truth-telling of good journalism - and good writing.

Speaking of writing - I have failed in my resolve not to blog. Failed dismally. C'est la vie.

I've just had leftover Christmas dinner and a few glasses of wine. I may watch a movie on TV and I will certainly read; walking home from the cinema, I went into the great used bookstore BMV on Yonge St., could not resist buying a book about William Morris, one of my heroes. And then I will go to bed. A sane, quiet New Year's Eve.

I wish all of you a joyful new year, a wonderful 2016, healthy and productive with good friends, good food, a sense of accomplishment. Here's my new year's gift to you - Macca's isolated vocal track for O Darling - what heaven to hear that incredible, powerful voice.http://tomcaswell.net/2015/12/26/the-beatles-isolated-vocal-track-oh-darling
Do yourself another favour, watch Aretha Franklin sing "You make me feel like a natural woman" at the Kennedy Centre honours recently. Shivers down the spine.
http://www.upworthy.com/carole-king-and-president-obama-couldnt-even-handle-this-aretha-franklin-performance?c=ufb1

Thank you for music. Thank you for writing. Thank you for breath. Thank you for home.

Here's Britannia Park, a playground where Eli played in the summer, yesterday morning. O Canada.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep. And I have miles to go before I sleep. And so do you.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Ottawa in the snow

Today Ottawa had a huge blizzard - something like 30 centimetres of snow fell, and the roads were sheet ice. My rental car got stuck in the driveway and I had to dig myself out, just to get the three blocks to Do's. I was chanting, "I HATE OTTAWA!" to myself. "Who lives in this hellhole?" I know, there are many people who love winter. I was just in shock after our incredibly mild December. 

Do didn't want to leave the building, understandably, so I managed to get to a grocery store for urgently needed supplies and later walked on the street through the blinding snow - it was almost fun, actually - to the local mall to buy Do a toaster and for me, the most urgently-needed supply - wine. When I drove home at around 8, the snowbanks were 10 feet high. 

But yesterday was wonderful. First we visited Auntie Do. 

Ninety-five meets five months.

 Then we drove to my brother Mike's home in Chelsea, Quebec, for a family celebration. Once there, Ben settled in to do some reading.

And some heavy drinking. As did the rest of us - the champagne was flowing.

 The kids - Mike's son Jake aged 8, Eli 3 1/2 and my sister-in-law Emilie's brother's children aged 5 and 3, had a cushion fight.

The boys playing computer games. They also played for hours in the snow (just enough snow, at that point.)

Emilie's lovely mother Lorraine with our oysters for the evening, from my brother's gourmet seafood emporium La Boucanerie de Chelsea. We also had fantastic cheese, calamari salad and smoked and baked salmon. And Ben devoured his first shrimp.

Jake was much admired as he banged out some tunes.

And Eli (wearing a t-shirt that used to be Jake's, celebrating my brother's favourite team) bashed the drums in the basement where Mike and his band play on the weekends. We had a fab family gathering, and when I went back to Ottawa that night, Anna and the kids stayed out there. Much more fun - toys! Snow! A fireplace and lots and lots of fish. Today they were supposed to come in to Ottawa but got snowed in and are staying put till tomorrow. It's clearing, the roads are plowed - this city knows how to deal with snow.

What turned out to be best of all was that my aunt and I had a quiet day to ourselves. She reminisced and discussed my parents; we made meals, and I showed her all the pictures from the past year on this computer. She told me again, for the eightieth time, about first meeting me, "a determined little thing of two or three," when we went to visit my mother's parents in London. It's such a privilege to be close to someone who has lived so long, seen so much, and has watched me grow up, and my children, and now my grandchildren. She's incredible, resents having to use a cane, is sharp and astute. I love her very much. Rock on, Auntie Do.

Britannia Park, Ottawa

moving right along

Okay, yes, here I am, and it seems that I am blogging - but only BRIEFLY, not just because I swore to take a break, but because I'm exhausted and still have lots to do. Why do people call this the holidays when they're the most exhausting days of the year? Wonderful but wearing, especially for the hostess.

Tomorrow Anna, Eli, Ben and I are off to Ottawa to visit Auntie Do, who will be 96 next year, still lives alone and drives and often wins at Scrabble. A blessing. And if we actually get there - freezing rain is predicted, travel advisory alert - we'll also see my brother and his family; he is the new owner of the salmon smokery and high end food emporium La Boucanerie de Chelsea, just down the road from his house on the Quebec side, so we are sure to eat some good smoked salmon. Do plays Scrabble on Sunday afternoons - I'd forgotten - and will have no time for us tomorrow. So we'll go to Chelsea and hope to catch a glimpse of her on Monday and Tuesday. We're home Wednesday evening, in time for New Year's Eve. Which, as usual, I will ignore.

Wayson came for leftover Xmas dinner, and while we chatted after eating, I took down the tree and put it outside for some Ukrainians to take away for their festivities in January. Hooray! And then I made a vast turkey soup. Will be distributing it far and wide as there isn't enough room for it in my freezer. If you want some, please get in touch.

Much love to you all, happy end of 2015, looking forward to a sparkling new year. 2015 was pretty damn great - a new grandson and Justin Trudeau.