Vancouver, Part two

At Granville Island

This time last week I was enjoying a visit with an old friend, and by old I mean that we graduated university together twelve years ago (yikes). She lives in Seattle and found some time to drive up to my dad's house on her way to Whistler for the weekend. I would love to share some photos from our visit, but between her children, mine, and my tiny sister, we had five kids four and under that afternoon. There were kids in every direction, chasing each other, crying, laughing, colouring, and begging for snacks at a constant rate. It is always good to spend time with a best friend, but we really do need to find a way to get together without The Children. Maybe just once.

My Sydney

I was grateful for the visit and it's one of the reasons I was willing to fly across the country with two young ones on my own. The other reasons included: spending time with my brother, Noah, and getting to know my sister, Sydney. Damn it, Canada, for being so vast and enormous. I don't begrudge them living all the way in Vancouver (it's an intoxicating place), but I do wish we were closer. A few other reasons to visit: spending time with Dad, watching bad TV in bed with Kate, being able to come home with two new pairs of shoes (thank, Dad, for working in the shoe business).

Impromptu nail painting part, Vancouver-style

How did Friday get here already? Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful for its arrival. Matt has been working at a new (temporary) job and it's taking the entire family a little time to get used to the new schedule. He's working in Toronto, which means that he's leaving our house at six in the morning and coming home around seven at night. Since Shira has been sleeping in until six since we returned from our Pacific Standard Time trip (alert the media) Matt doesn't see Shira from Sunday night to Saturday morning. Alyce has been staying up late to see him at the end of the day, with a new bedtime of eight o'clock, but it makes for a long day. Without our second car I am a little stranded at home (and, yes, that is an open invitation to come visit us). I can still walk to a few places, but it's not like living in a big city where you can travel easily without a car. It's been a good week, but an adjustment. We are both mostly relieved for some income beyond my part-time job, but some days I miss my complete, all in the same room at the same time, family.

Oh, transitions. You do this to me every time.

So hello Friday. Glad to see you again. Matt will be home tonight for a late Shabbat dinner and I cannot wait to just spend some time with my best guy. We've barely seen each other since the drive home from the airport last weekend. And so here are my weekend plans: lounge on the couch with my entire family (see note above, re: all in the same room), and get some of my own work done while Matt and The Children have their own fun.

And you? What are your plans?
Happy Friday!