Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Hello, Brucie

Message from Bruce today - "I hope all is well. You haven't blogged since Thursday!"

That, Bruce, is because I left early Friday for Ottawa, where I remained in the bosom of my family until late Sunday night, then plunged into a busy Monday and Tuesday, today. And tomorrow morning, I leave early for Philadelphia. Ah, the life of the jet-setting writer and sandwich woman. That is, sandwiched between my children and my mother, though all are grown and capable. Plus the Monday students and the Tuesday students. And the garden, the house and the crabby cat, with whom you are now well acquainted.

So - family. Ah, family. Sigh, family. What to say, except - could it get more intense? No. A day alone with Mum, doing chores and errands, gossiping and chatting, then the next morning Anna arrived, so there we were, 3 generations, one 29, one 59, one 86. There was cooking, there was shopping and chatter and lunch, there was merriment. And then Auntie Do, 90, came over to join us. It's always fun gathering around the television in the evening, choosing something agreeable to the whole gang, because Mum lasts exactly 7 1.2 seconds before falling asleep; doughty Do lasts at least half an hour, I last a long time because I'm simultaneously reading something, and Anna is texting and Facebooking and all the rest.

We visited my brother and his family in Old Chelsea on Sunday, dying to see Jake, who's nearly 3. What joy to have a little guy in the family. Jake entertained us all; his mother is Quebecoise and he is fluently bilingual at 3, doesn't even know there's a difference in the languages he's speaking. A true Canuck. His cousin Anna tried to get him to say, "Go Leafs go!" He looked at her sceptically for a moment and then shouted, with fist in the air, "Go Habs go!" His father, lifelong Habs fan, exploded with pride.

I flew off Sunday night, leaving Anna for one more day with Grandma, came home to teach Monday and get ready to go away again. A treat for me - Monsieur Choy is back from his writing month in Stratford and came over to visit. How I have missed him. Not that we'll be playing much - he's immersed in his new novel. But still, nearby for a hug and a phone call.

Today, much hither and yon - came back after my U of T class to find my son, who's moving to a new place today, here with a friend and a truck, taking the pile of stuff stored in the basement, stopping for a beer and a burger and then on his way. While he was here, Mary-Fay my tenant, who's also moving today, came in, and the two gave each other a huge hug. "My family!" she exclaimed, and it's true, she feels more like blood than someone who has simply been paying rent here for a few months. I feel very lucky to have a new best friend who happens to be 23. Finally she left too, and tonight, my basement tenant also departs. Luckily my friend Charles is still on the top floor or the house would feel dreadfully empty. Youth is moving on, and middle age is staying put. Except for tomorrow.

So, Brucie, it's not very exciting, but ... Philadelphia here I come.

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