Lazy summer Sunday

by Rina Mapa on July 25, 2011 at 10:10 am
Posted In: Rina's blog

Yesterday was the perfect end to a busy week. We slept in, went to church, then had raisin bread fresh from the bakery and fruit for brunch. In the afternoon we ran errands with the kids, going first to the toy store so Mia could spend her birthday money from her grandparents. She bought these Little Pets toys and it was a real treat to see her so happy.

Alec also spent his birthday money (both are July) from his grandparents and godmother on an iHome. Afterwards we went to the pet store so Michael could get another hamster cage. A few weeks ago he accidentally left his cage open in the basement and both of his Dwarf hamsters escaped. Sadly one ended up floating in the hole for the septic tank. The other one made his way back to the cage but in the days that followed he seemed so lonely, so Michael bought another one to keep him company. Big mistake as they both ended up trying to kill each other! Normally Dwarf hamsters are the only kinds that can live together peacefully but only if they’re brothers or something like that.

Michael kept trying to make them become friends but they kept attacking each other and drawing blood. So instead he and Alec decided they’d buy another cage and share the second hamster (all this is with their savings).

Then we stopped by the library and browsed. I think the public library is the single greatest institution in the world. Ever. In it, everyone is equal and has the same access and privileges. It doesn’t matter your race or what class you are in society – when we go to the library, we are all the same. I didn’t grow up with one (in the Philippines there are none) and when I first moved to Virginia and went into the huge George Mason library, I thought I’d died and gone to heaven. Since then, everywhere I’ve moved, one of the first places I go to is the public library to get my membership card.

We borrowed DVDs (Toopie and Beanoo, Son of Rambow, Midsommer Murders and Where the Red Fern Grows). Michael and Alec got some bande-dessinées, Daniel a murder mystery by Caroline Graham and I borrowed “Good Omens” by Terry Prachett and Neil Gaiman. We normally borrow a lot more but because we tend to have late fees I limited it to one book and 1 DVD each! I am guilty of juggling 3 or 4 books at once but am trying to get in to the habit of finishing one at a time before going for more.

Groceries were next, then back home for a supper of greens, potato salad, shrimp and pizza and ice cream for dessert. A relaxing evening after a relaxing and fun day.

I love you, Pointe Claire library!

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Hello again

by Rina Mapa on July 14, 2011 at 7:49 am
Posted In: Rina's blog

Saturday night my 18-year old son Nicholas and I went to see U2 in concert. We had general admission seats so we had to make our way to the Hippodrome early (joining 80,000 other fans). Nicholas had already spent the night downtown at a friend’s place and I was to meet up with them (her mother is also a friend of mine). I left the house at 3 pm and drove to the nearest metro. It was pretty funny how the metro was filled with all these white middle-aged suburban types, women with blond highlights and jewelry and men with Lacoste shirts who looked like they’d be more comfortable in their SUVs and who had probably not set foot in a metro since they were in University. But we were all advised to take the metro because of traffic problems. I probably blended in more with my shorts and converse sneakers. I wanted to wear my Smiths “Meat is Murder” t-shirt but figured I would be too hot and Bono would never see it anyway so I wore a light sleeveless blouse instead.

A sea of people was making the trek, like a mass pilgrimage to worship at the altar of U2. I met up with my friend and we tried to find our kids. Eventually I ended up finding Nicholas by way of cellphones and plastic water bottles waved frantically in the air. We were pretty close to the stage, as you can see from the picture. Although it was standing room only I lay down my poncho so we could sit for a bit among a forest of legs as it was 7 pm and I’d been on my feet for a while.

The opening act, a band called Interpol, performed. The lead singer was morose, and the keyboard player whom I suspect was his brother was even glummer. Here’s a word of advice for those in a band: If the audience shows more enthusiasm being at your show than you, you shouldn’t be performing. The guitarist was strutting around, the drummer was intense, but the keyboard player looked so bored I was actually offended. And even though it was probably nerves instead of boredom, next time try to crack a smile or something.

Then U2 came on and as usual were generous and passionate in their performance. Bono charmed the Montreal crowd by speaking French several times. There is something about the way he moves, sings, acts that makes you feel he is communicating solely with you instead of a crowd of tens of thousands of people. I can’t put my finger on it but it’s a trait he has in overwhelming quantities. It’s strange because he has sunglasses so you never see his eyes, he writhes around, a white man who can’t dance, but throughout it all he has this joyful, explosive energy and sings as though if he didn’t his heart would burst. U2 have their share of critics and sometimes their earnestness can be a bit uncomfortable but despite it all I think their hearts are in the right place. And I have always loved their music since I was 13 and first heard “Sunday Bloody Sunday”.

What was slightly annoying was while Nicholas and I were singing our lungs out at every song and dancing as much as we could in the crowd, in front of us were people who just stood there, not moving. Why take up that precious space near the stage if you’re not going to add to the energy level of the moment? Afterward we regretted not pushing our way through to the edge of the stage.

The concert ended at midnight and we did not get home till 2 am!

Bono - so close yet still so far

People, if you can't get your arms up while the Edge is doing a solo, don't stay at the front next time!

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GOLF STROKES

by Daniel Shelton on June 13, 2011 at 11:46 am
Posted In: Daniel's blog

I used to play a bit of golf earlier on, especially B.C.(before children).
At least enough to improve somewhat and to know that I needed to play a lot
more to get any better. I liked golf because it was really about bettering
your own score as opposed to bettering your opponent. And this is where the
game really became a mental challenge. Staying focused and on top of your
game. All this in spite of how bad your last hole was or whatever else is on
your mind at that moment. Even the best players fall prey to this mental
game. Tiger Woods for instance.

I haven’t played in over six years. Life kind of took over and now there
never seems to be time to devote to a round. It’ll have to remain on my list
of things I can do “later on” when there’s more opportunity to do so. For
now, I take comfort in living vicariously through my characters. With a few
brush strokes, they can play better than I ever did, hit farther than I ever
could or simply take form my own style of playing and occasionally miss the
ball! For Ben, hope springs eternal.

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THREE DAY WEEKENDS

by Daniel Shelton on May 23, 2011 at 9:51 am
Posted In: Daniel's blog

The chance to sleep in and get things done around the house are good reasons
to love three day weekends. Because of the nature of my work, and the same
goes for Rina, not working on that day off is not always an option. We do
take it easier, but most of these long weekends we end up working in one
form or another. But that’s okay, it’s a small price to pay for the chance
to work from home and the independence that comes with this choice.

Another good thing about long weekends is a break from having to make kids’
lunches for school. We’ve been preparing one to four lunches, every weekday
for the last twelve years. There are still many to come, as our youngest is
only five. That’s a lot of sandwiches, juices and granola bars. “Time to
make the lunches” is a phrase that comes up all too often. Reminiscent of
the “Time to make the doughnuts” ads from the eighties. The challenge always
being variety and foods that do not contain traces of nuts for allergic
classmates. Try as we may, we end up reverting back to some of the same
stuff, over and over, because its easy and predictable. And by the time
Friday rolls around, and we are having to prepare lunches number 17 to
twenty, easy and predictable is good.

We also look forward to long weekends to be together as a family. For
instance, this weekend we had the idea to go to one of my favorite places,
the Montreal Botanical Garden. With lots to see and smell, we planned on
getting an early start and spend the day walking around. As always, this
meant having to eat at some point during the day. With four kids and two
adults, this can get quite expensive. Although we do eat out occasionally,
when it’s possible, we try to save and pack our own. So on Saturday night,
there we were uttering those words once again…”Time to make the lunches”.

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RAIN, RAIN, GO AWAY.

by Daniel Shelton on May 16, 2011 at 9:41 am
Posted In: Daniel's blog

Monday morning and it’s raining. That’s not so bad. Weekdays are for working anyhow and besides, this time of year, rain is needed for everything to grow. Problem is, this is the third straight day of continuous rain, with at least a couple more in the forecast. Let’s just say these can be pretty challenging days with four kids in the house.

Then again, all this pales in comparison to areas who have been victims of flooding. It’s been a bad spring in a few places this year, some having broken century old records, and all this rain is surely cause for more concern. A few years ago, we had problems with our sump pump and our basement flooded. As I often do, I wrote about it through the characters in the strip. The whole thing lasted less than twenty four hours and although we lost a few things, it gave us an opportunity to do a major clean-up and a chance to get rid of a whole bunch of other unwanted stuff. In other words, it was not a major catastrophe. I cannot begin to imagine what it’s like in areas where water surrounds your house for a few days and you lose so much, where people are displaced for weeks and some even perishing.

Our thoughts are with all of you who are affected today. May all this rain stop, and the flood waters simply go away.

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