WEEK 25 | Swim Meet
It never occurred to me that Caden would ever swim. My immediate response, when the school coach came up and asked if he would consider it, was an emphatic "no". After all, this is a kid who almost drown when he was two years old! He does not swim. This instinct to protect him warred mightily with my natural inclination to let my kids discover for themselves their own passions. It looks like he does swim after all.
WEEK 26 | eBook Sacrilege
Imagine! Someone with shelves lined-to-bursting with books buying an eBook! I never thought the day would come, but it has. Caden had purchased a Kindle but the front was cracked when it arrived. I returned it and he said he wanted a "full colour" eBook which this one was not. So, I got to keep it. What was I going to do with it? Well, after filling up two boxes of books to donate to the school, I had a pretty good idea. I'm now purchasing most of my non-reference, big (heavy) novels, directly onto my Kindle. I have to say, I've read plenty of books on it and don't see me stopping anytime soon! So much lighter and portable than the paper-and-print version.
WEEK 27 | The Cruise
This goes in the never-say-never category of my life. In the late-'80s I went on a corporate trip, a cruise to the Caribbean. I had a great time - except for the boat part. I got so sick, it was just awful. I thought by going on the biggest Ocean Liner in the world sea sickness would be avoided. Alas, my children are not sailors! For the most part, we enjoyed ourselves, but I don't know that any of us would do it again, I know Chloé will have to be dragged on a boat - kicking and screaming!
WEEK 28 | Solo GO Train Rides
Chloé is a great kid and generally fearless. With my four kids usually going in four different directions, sometimes they have to fend for themselves - even if it scares me more than it scares them! In this case, Chloé had her acting lessons in downtown Toronto. Cole takes the train every Saturday and I drove Chloé down on Sunday and waited the three hours then drove her home. One weekend it just wasn't going to work. This kid does not like doing things she doesn't want to do. Eventually she capitulated and went on her way. We texted the whole way there - and back. After a couple of weeks of the same routine Chloé became a pro. Now there is nothing stopping her! She faced her fear and the world will have to look out!
WEEK 29 | Baseball Training
In a million years if you'd ask me if I'd sign up my kids for baseball training, you'd hear a "no" garbled somewhere in the groan. Claire had a hard time tracking the ball last year - that comes with missing two years where everyone learns to throw, and hit, a curveball. She struggled and it was painful for her to experience and for me to watch. (Gotta say, some parents are plain mean.) When it was suggested that she head over to Field House Athletics for training I was surprised at how quickly I agreed to take her. Clearly an indicator that I'll do all kinds of things for my kids - aka, it's not about me :) The best part was during her first game she got her first single in ages. So happy - and proud of herself! Thanks to Ryan and Field House.
WEEK 30 | Smoothies, etc.
It never occured to me that I would enjoy smoothies. I see them in the mall and they just never appealed to me. Perhaps it is my dislike for bananas - which, until recently, I believed to be the primary ingredient. Or, that the few I've had were so sweet - not my thing. The fact is, I don't eat breakfast and I have to. I read Harley Pasternak's Reset Diet book and *bam* I GOT IT. So, once that was done, the fitbit charged, the blender purchased, the protein powder researched and now I'm selling, I was on board. At least once a day I have a red, white or green smoothie. This has been such a healthy epiphany on so many levels. I feel so much better! The best part? I can make a smoothie in less time than it takes the coffee to drip - and that includes clean up!
WEEK 31 | Queen's University
So the joke is that since the kids were babies I've told them they can go to any university in the world except for Queen's in Kingston. The reason is simple. Every jerk - of the collossal variety - I've ever met had one common denominator - they graduated from the Queen's business program sometime between 1982 and 1988. I don't want my babies exposed to such d-bags. The problem is, Queen's and Kingston is perfect for my girl, Claire. Then I started paying attention to some of the lovely people around me. My friend Dayna graduated from Queens. Our new principal, Innes, went to Queen's. Then there were a few more people - of the lovely variety. I was judging a place based on the intake/output of a six year period in one program. Guess what? I'll be driving to and from Kingston a lot next year as Claire has chosen, out of her options: Laurier, UNB, McMaster, and a few others, to attend Queen's.
WEEK 32 | Embracing my Inner Nonconformist
The neighbourhood has standard lilac trees in the front of each property. They are old-fashioned and not particularly attractive - especially the one that I had removed as it was totally not nurtured by the previous owners and was well beyond saving. To replace it was too expensive - like $500 too expensive. Why replace an ugly, old fashioned plant when you can put in one that is beautiful? Last fall, Cudmore's came over and pulled out the old tree and replaced it with my preferred (and much-missed) flowering dogwood. I know, what a rebel, eh? Ha!
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ABOUT THIS PROJECT | I followed New52 with awe and a bit of envy. My plate was so full I just couldn't join in but it was something that piqued my interest. Not that my plate is any less full, but it is more manageable and I hope to fill the wrong side of my 40s with a positive challenge. Let's see where it leads. Thank you to Peppermint and Christine for your weekly big and small inspiration! I love the idea that "it isn’t about making a life-altering change every week, it’s about keeping an open mind and embracing little changes in your life." Life is good.
