March 25th, 2014
Here in Canada, we never have a shortage of conversational openers. We have, instead, the weather.
snowing even harder, March 25, 2014
It kind of looks like this right now, in fact, on March 27th, but I’m not getting my camera out to record it again.
what I was doing while it was snowing, March 25, 2014
It’s not a bad way to spend an afternoon, really, in front of the fire, computer on lap, snow coming down. Even at the end of March. If I can stay awake, that is.
March 26, 2014
I’ve got so much happening this week that I haven’t been able to check in here often. I’m getting ready for my trip (to London, England)! Planning! Coordination! It turns out that the London Book Fair is on at the same time, so I’ll be meeting with publishers, too, and even going to a party (that means packing some different clothes than I’d originally planned, not to mention footwear). I’m also volunteering for my daughter’s swimathon, this Saturday (you can sponsor her here, if you feel inspired; she plans to swim 5,000 metres!). And it’s our youngest’s 6th birthday on Saturday, so there’s a party to be planned. Good grief. Not to mention all of the usual soccer and gymnastics and music and meals. And the book is about to become an ARC here in Canada! And I’ve been on the phone with the designer in the US to discuss an illustrated map for the book! And this daily yoga challenge continues, in a hopeless attempt to get me to the other side of what seems a never-ending winter, as pictured above: I’m on day eight. And I’m late for today’s class, in fact, and need to run out into the snow right now!
My Burmese mother-in-law always thought it was strange that Canadians started their conversations with the weather. In Burma, it’s always sunny or always rainy, so they start conversations by asking what you last ate.
Good luck with your busy schedule!
Hi Tanya! I would love to know what everyone last ate and I’m sitting here trying to imagine myself opening conversations with that question (like, on the soccer sidelines, or at the grocery store). Somehow I can’t quite picture it going as smoothly as the weather chat — but maybe I just need to start asking. (It would be more interesting, and definitely more personal than the weather!)
It’s my eldest’s birthday today, his party on Sunday. I find birthday parties exhausting, so sending you strength for yours! (Though I feel like perhaps you’re better at them than I am?)
Have fun in London! So many exciting things happening for you right now. (Except for the weather…)
Happy birthday to your eldest! Truth is, Kevin is great with birthday party games and planning, so I don’t feel like all the fun is on my shoulders. For example, he’s planning a treasure hunt for monopoly money and the kids will get to “buy” candy from a selection at the “candy store.” This is the kind of thing he comes up with. I, on the other hand, plan to do story time and read to them if it gets too noisy and we need to quiet down. Likely my activity will have to come after his… Good luck with your party!
Ha! My Kevin is much better at parties, too! The treasure hunt he did with my middle’s party last month included those codes you can scan on your iPhone that jumped to video clues. It was amazing. I bake the cake, take care of the food, and try to keep my nerves steady!