i know you need another blog like a hole in the head, but this one is AMAZING. it's from a woman who used to be in our neighborhood. They reno'd a huge house in our neighborhood over a number of years, and moved last year to lunenburg with her husband & 3 kids - to tackle a beautiful victorian reno.

She is IT in terms of mothering/womaning/humaning: smart, funny, amazing photographer, she's a knitter, sewer, baker, writer, and some kind of designer. abundant with appreciation for nature. she's the mom I'd love to be. ardent reader. so talented. so creative. it's a treat, MUST to check out.... (now if I could just get her to come and clean my own house, cook for me & undertake creative projects with MY kids so I could pursue reading her blog without neglecting my own offspring)

RED BELLE

get me the tissue

oh my god. teary again. i think i cry too easily. i KNOW i cry too easily. the bloody OLYMPIC commercials make me cry! but this time the tears are worth it: ian brown won the charles taylor prize. He won!!!! WALKER WON!!!!!!!!! so i'm sitting here with tears rolling down my face like a lunatic. this means people will read it. people will THINK. people will contemplate the different meaning/value of lives that at first appear to have little value. and what that means for all of us. I am so happy. mailing you your copy via amazon tonight. it is such a beautiful, sad, frustrating, hilarious, moving book. yea.

heavy heart

at Stace's urging, this private facebook message has been cut & pasted. (warning to anyone who knows stace - don't even TRY to say no to her, she's VERY persistent & persuasive)...

Ah Stace,

this is EXACTLY why I can't do the blog. Bursting to share my feelings on this and can't take the time to select my words carefully or edit - it will NEVER get posted! (OK, I eat my words here)

Just read on my twitter feed re: belleville woman being found. Not good. 10 years ago I would have felt sad for the family, scared for the woman, but then moved on.

Now I find it harder to move on. It fills me with terror - not for myself - if I was ever faced with a situation like that I think every once of fury I'd ever felt would be concentrated and unleashed & woe betide the bastard who attempted to hurt me.

I identify with the parents here - the anguish and sadness and helplessness they must be experiencing. It would be a horrid enough nightmare to ever lose a child through illness or accident, but the thought of them being hurt in any way prior to death just wrecks me.

would it be wrong of me to insist that the girls can't go anywhere without a huge snarling pet pit bull by their side? For the rest of their lives?

There's a calssmate of eve's (sophie) who's mom (julie) is ukranian. we were discussing the tragedy at pearson where the baby was dropped to it's death (another make me sick to my stomach moment) and Julie said there's some saying in ukranian (that I can't remember of course) that means, basically, "Your pain is our pain, we share your anguish" and that by sending love to the people in pain, we somehow help them carry the burden, or cushion the blow. I can't really imagine that it would help, but nevertheless, I concentrate on sending warmth and peace - to James Delorey's family, to the hundreds of thousands effected in haiti, and now to jessica lloyd's family. it could be a full time job.

sigh..... i hug my children tighter & inhale the scent of them & say a prayer.

Just Breathe

Stacey's Greatest Discovery

Once upon a time there was a gorgeous, witty, smart-as-a-whip gal named Stacey (I have taken some artistic liberties here, since it is my blog). She had a cousin who she had only ever known as the independent and sassy tom-girl from their brief encounters at family reunions every couple of years. They may have even shared a conversation or two when they found themselves attending the same university. The odd bit of news would trickle down from the grandparents- her cousin was living in Ireland. She's married now to an architect. One kid, then two, then three.

Then came facebook. If over time facebook becomes a distant memory in the minds of a techy society who has moved on to bigger and better social networks, Stacey will never forget what facebook gave her. She has made many world shattering discoveries in the last few years; Jian Ghomeshi, CBC Radio, Adriana Trigiani, Alberta steak, the Canadian Rockies, extra hot-no water-no foam-Tazo Chai-lattes, and blogging. But the best discovery ever -- was Jennie. The ultimate Sassy Woman.

Was it the blog that attracted Jennie to reach out and cross the awkward-small talk-boundary with Stacey? Whatever it was, she is grateful. Because not only has she strengthened a link in the family chain, but she has found a best friend that she never expected to find at this stage in her life. Now if only they could put their brilliant minds together and put their friendship to good use.. figure out how to afford bringing Stacey's family back to Ontario so that they can be real-life besties.

So behind

My name is Jennie, I am a delinquent gift giver. But I'm back on track now & by my calculations I still owe you (12-3=9) nine more gifts....

Here's #9. Fabulous agenda to keep life straight. Hell, let's throw in some fabulous pens just for good measure. Oooo how I LOVE fabulous pens. Especially fountain pens.

Where are you.... ?

Feeling very abandoned.... where are you? Trying to sneak out on the blog just because you know I have conversations with myself all the time? Come back to me.

:(