Canada Reads

Jennie,

I'm not going to blah, blah, blah about why I've neglected you and our lovely little blog for the past few weeks. Instead, I'm just going to offer you my HUGE apologies and ask you not to give up on me. I'll make it up to you.

So today I heard our lover, Jian announce that the Canada Reads nominees are to be announced shortly. I can't remember if I heard next week or December 1st. Actually IS next week December 1st? Can that be possible? -Wow. Just checked the date. I feel like I've been in a month-long coma and have lost all track of time. So in honour of our mutual love of all things Jian and of the book, should we do a co-read of all the nominees? HUGE challenge, but I'm ready to take it on. Besides, you know you'll win.

Pretty please?

Ian Brown’s The Boy In the Moon

Jennie,

This morning on the Q, I listened to an interview with Ian Brown, who has released a new book The Boy In the Moon: A Father's Search For His Disabled Son. 

 

I haven't read it yet, but now it's on my TBR list (To Be Read). Some of the interview was quite shocking, or should I say, disturbing. He talks about his moments in parenting where he felt pure despair. Of helplessness at the sheer magnitude of how much work was involved in raising his son, Walker. He described moments where he contemplated suicide and considered flying his son with him out West, to end their lives. Then the thought of all the stuff he would be lugging with him through an airport, the contraptions and apparatus that assist with Walker’s disability, the sheer exhaustion in transporting them all to another place, that if he could survive that experience, then he could survive anything.


 I can relate to that feeling. Not the suicide. I have truly never even considered that life could be so difficult or bleak to choose that route. But the feeling of that gigantic mountain of tasks, of logistical planning & scheduling, of never-ending obstacles and of navigating the minefield of administrative details that go hand in hand with parenting children with disabilities, those are feelings I can relate to.  Not to mention the years of never having a full night’s sleep, a way of life that J and I hope to never go back to.


I remember when the twins were still small enough to be carried in the infant car seats. Jake was only 19 mos old when they were born, so he was but a little toddler who still wanted to be carried when we went out. I remember thinking about the morning ahead, when I would have to drive Jake to his morning pre-school. The thought of how I would pack up the three kids and physically manage the carrying of them all to the car, with all their stuff, all while trying not to leave anyone unattended (impossible task!) – I was exhausted before even having left the house! I constantly debated not even going out, just because the job seemed so great. This of course, was even before the manifestations of their autism had really impacted our daily lives.
Had I known then, what we would be up against and how much more difficult life would get, I probably would have considered running away. But as you know, Jennie, bailing isn’t an option. You push up your sleeves, no matter how tired you are, no matter how sad or emotionally spent, and you get the job done. Even if the hubbies stand outside as bystanders while we do the gritty stuff, we know it has to be done, so we do it.


I am anxious to read this book. I respect Brown’s honesty and frankness in talking about the feelings that most of us parents don’t want to acknowledge because it would feel like a betrayal to our ‘disabled’ children.


 I also found this link about the book:
The Globe and Mail


Wanna do a co-read?
S. xo

Cuppas & Billy Bob Arsehole

Dearest Jennie,

Just look at that mug. Can you imagine if we were neighbours? Tuck the kids into bed. Leave the husband to hold the fort with the remote in hand and pop over to the other's house for a cuppa. Or even better, for a glass of merlot.

I've been enjoying this new show starring Courtney Cox, called Cougartown. The show itself is pretty tacky, but it has its moments. The main character and her best friend live next door to each other. They spy on each other through their windows, then gab about what  they saw in their following conversations. Now I think that would be too close, but the idea of having that friend that knows your business so that you don’t have to spend a ton of time explaining your back-story, appeals to me.

I know you’re not keen and you don’t think anyone cares about what you have to say, but I do. I figure this is as good a place as any to yap about all the stuff that my husband would make fun of; the arts, our travel fantasies, our latest trials and tribulations  or about something we heard on the CBC.

Speaking of the CBC. I know this is way out-dated, but I just finally watched the Jian Ghomeshi interview with Billy Bob Thornton:

Oh my Lord… what the hell?? I haven’t really done any googling to see if he ever publicly apologized afterwards or if there was talk of it all being a publicity scam. What was your take of it? He’s a jack-ass. That’s my take. Besides not being respectful to Jian, he was an arsehole to all Canadians with his comments, with no remorse. I just can’t get over it.

We are celebrating our Thanksgiving tomorrow and I believe you told me you are celebrating yours today. Let me tell you what I am grateful for this year:

1. To have found such a kindred spirit in you: start designing the tattoo: “grand-daughters of sisters”

2. To have made another re-connection in Nan’s family; I know she’s looking down and is “pleased as punch” at our new friendship.

3. That I’ve found another mom of three to commiserate and rejoice with.

Happy Thanksgiving and I can’t wait to share another cuppa with you. xo

Stacey