Fly The Flag

  Last night the school board my kids are in held a vote on whether to fly the Pride Flag on their building during the month of June. I am happy to say 9 of the 10 trustees voted yes. What makes this significant is it's a Catholic school board. This makes me wonder why the vote was even necessary in the first place considering what the schools have spent the last 14 years teaching my children. 

  Every single teacher both of my sons have ever had has stressed how everyone is equal. Everyone is loved and accepted. They are reminded of those basic facts daily. Children with special learning needs were part of the mainstream which was hands-on learning of these principles. My kids learned without knowing they were doing so. The best kind in my opinion.

  If all this time we've been telling kids that you are enough, you are valued, and everyone is accepted why would a flag showing that support need a vote? Adults...that's why. The students have friends who just happen to be LGBTQ...lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning. That's who their friends are. Period. They are not their gay friend or their trans friend. Just friends. It's the parents and adults in the room who have issues.

  Even in 2021, the idea that you love who you love is challenged. And certainly not to be accepted or supported by some. There is a belief that being exposed to an "alternate lifestyle" will take a heterosexual child and "turn them" into something "unnatural". I don't know about you but I tried a thousand different ways to get my kids to eat vegetables and clean up after themselves with no success. Whoever can "turn" them should be a bazillionaire from writing how-to books for parents!

  Children, especially those in the LGBTQ community, need to feel safe to thrive. They need to know that their family, their friends, and yes even their school, support them. Whether to pass a test, join a club, or try out for a sports team. Sadly sometimes the support isn't there at home so schools need to step up their game and fill that void. And that could mean simply seeing a Pride Flag flying above their school. Don't we owe them at least that?

  Our kids are different than us. They look at the world and sexuality differently than other generations before them. It's a non-issue for them. Our job is to not make it one and last night we took a much-needed step in doing just that!

  Ang

12 DAYS

  In less than two weeks my family will all have their first vaccine dose! Today my oldest son gets his and 12 days later it's the younger one's turn! I cannot describe to you how happy that makes me. Especially my kids. The idea that we all will have some level of protection after 15 long, tough months is a reason to celebrate. And celebrate we will!

  Vaccines mean my son can start university in person in the fall. Experience from day one all that this latest adventure in his life holds. Being in the lecture hall instead of looking at a screen will make him feel like a new chapter has really begun. And the youngest will be in class with his friends, complaining about homework and teachers, trying to remember his locker combination. You know normal teenage stuff. Right now there isn't a nicer word than normal.

  Those needle jabs mean we finally have a shot at visiting family. Parents, grandparents, aunts & uncles. Living away from them means our summer trips to see them are very important to us. Last year we weren't able to but this August we might just make it. If and when we do expect to be smothered in hugs. We've got a lot of time to make up for. 

  Once we and our friends are vaccinated we can have dinners. Drinks. Coffee dates. They can hang out by our pool. Kids will be playing video games together in person. My book club will laugh for hours...oh how we will laugh. John & I will go into a restaurant and be served a meal. And drinks. With total strangers sitting around us doing the same. Can you imagine?

  Think about it. In-person doctor visits. Offices with workers in them. Book store browsing. Normal wait times when calling the bank. Or CRA. Taking a car for a test drive. All everyday common occurrences that we never thought about but now dream of as a luxury. 

  All of this is possible with 0.05ml of serum injected twice with just 21 days between each. What are you waiting for? Sign up. Get the vaccine. We've already lost 3.47 MILLION people worldwide to this virus. Do you really want to add to that statistic?

Ang

Hello Cricket!

  Did I mention we got a dog? A sheepadoodle to be exact. Half poodle. Half English sheepdog. He's smart, easily trainable, and friendly to all. Cricket is a welcome addition to our little family. Alex has been asking for a dog since he first learned to talk. With him going to university in the city he will be around even when we are traveling so finally a dog made sense! 

  I had applied for so many shelter dogs I lost count. We never heard from any of them. It was frustrating and very disheartening. We had everything they were looking for... a fenced-in yard, someone home most of the time, and lots of love and patience. Yet every day passed and not a sound. At first, I thought maybe there are lots of folks looking for dogs. Then I saw another posting for one we had applied for saying still available. I now think it's because we were first-time dog owners. Which if true, is totally unfair.

  One day I was venting my frustrations on a rehoming site and a lady private messaged me. She explained that they were considering finding a new home for their puppy. As a nurse working full time during a pandemic, she was pretty stressed. Add to that she also has MS which is made worse by stress. As if that wasn't enough, both of her parents are long haulers of COVID and she is caring for them. But wait there's more. Her husband, a police officer, was just diagnosed with cancer! Can you imagine???!!!

  We messaged back and forth a few times over the next few weeks. It was a tough decision and they wanted to make sure they did the right thing for all involved. She sent me pictures, information, and told me stories. It was obvious they loved Cricket and were struggling with what was best for him and their family. Two weeks ago today I was contacted with the news that if we were still interested she would bring him over that same day. 

  Next came a moment I will remember my entire life. Let me set the scene...it's a little after 9am and both boys are sound asleep. They know nothing that has gone on with this family for the past few weeks. I wake them and ask them to come sit down with me. I tell them the health issues this family is dealing with. Then I say the words both kids had been waiting years to hear...they are giving us their dog! The smile on Alex's face was priceless. He glowed. Riley couldn't contain himself and was asking question after question. When I showed them his picture they erupted with happiness. I can't even explain it. It was palpable in the room.

  Two weeks have passed and the joy hasn't subsided at all. Alex is a little disappointed Cricket doesn't want to sleep with him...he prefers our room to any other. He has already eaten a sock. Let's hope that's only a one time thing. And we spend an awful lot of time standing on the front lawn while he makes up his mind whether he should go into the backyard or not. As soon as this shut down is over we are all going for training! 

  I do want to make one thing clear. We are not, I repeat not, fur parents. Cricket will be treated as a loved member of this family but he had four legged parents. And this momma only has 2.

  Welcome to the family Cricket!

  Ang 

  Ang

30 Days

  After an entire month without a post today I'm ready to get back into it. I will admit to being COVID tired lately. Tired of thinking about it, talking about it, worrying about it, and hearing about it. Being positive when the news kept getting worse became too much for these tired shoulders. But after a bit of a pity party with myself as host, guest of honor, and caterer I feel like myself again. And while I am still "tired of it all" I can once again see the light at the end of this long tunnel.

  A lot has happened in the past month. First my youngest was off for two weeks after a "close contact exposure" at school. It ended up two or three kids in his class tested positive for COVID. As a parent, it's scary to wait for test results for something as serious as that. Not to mention the fear a 14-year-old has of perhaps having infected his family and friends. Thankfully he was negative but still had to isolate another week after the clear results. We sure are getting a lot of family togetherness these past 14 months!

  We are in the midst of yet another 28-day shutdown. Only curbside pick up for anything not grocery or medicine related. The biggest lineup I've seen is at the weed store which could be a problem when all this is over I suppose. Yet even in shutdown some people still visited family and friends indoors over the Easter holiday weekend. When getting my son's test done a lady beside us had her three small kids in explaining they only went to her parent's house for an hour but wanted to be safe. Now she wanted to be safe...ridiculous. And they wonder why our infection rate is on the rise.

  Probably the most exciting thing for my family is...drumroll please...we got a dog! Yup we finally caved to Alex's life-long pleas and a dog fell into our lives like it was meant to be. Cricket's owners (I lost the vote on changing his name to Loki & I'm still a little bitter about that) are going through some pretty serious health issues and reluctantly made the decision they couldn't give him the time and care needed for a puppy to grow. They approached us about taking him and we happily agreed. He is settling in and has easily won the hearts of the entire family.

  One benefit of a dog is the number of steps you take during the course of a day. Throw in two walks a day and boom you are getting a light tan in the early April sunshine! And your Fitbit makes weird movements more often. The weather has been super and we are certainly taking advantage as much as we can. Coffee on the deck in the late morning. Taking the cover off the pool and envisioning how great it will be when we can finally jump in. Seriously that thought has kept us going for a week now.

  Another big change for us over the past month is a new car. We finally decided that KIA was too dangerous for us, and most certainly Alex, to drive. After watching a Marketplace episode about other owners' troubles, fires and accidents we knew the time had come. Now we are the proud owners of a Honda. It's got lots of bells and whistles but my favorite, besides Sirius Radio, is the sunroof! I've never had one before and I love it! It might not be so great in mid-July when it's 45 degrees but right now it's perfect.

  The thing that has brought the most joy is probably the same thing for all of you. My Mom and my inlaws got vaccinated! Three fewer people to worry about. It makes me happy that those people most important to me are getting protected. My brothers and sisters have either received dose #1 or have appts or registered for theirs. Friends who keep me sane like Janet are rolling their sleeves up in the next week or so. And tomorrow my rock in all things gets his first dose! It makes me sleep a little easier.

  That's about it. 30 days of COVID restrictions doesn't lead to many interesting adventures, does it? We just keep putting one foot in front of the other. Staying safe. Staying home. Staying healthy. I hope you are too.

  Ang

The Oprah Effect

    I didn't want to write about the Oprah interview. I've made it very clear I'm not a fan of Harry & Meghan. I used to be then they announced they were "stepping away" to be independent and moving to Canada. Oh, and the Canadian taxpayer was going to be on the hook to pay for their massive security bills! WTF! You want to be an adult and independent? Pay your own way like the rest of us. It's not like they were broke. After all, he inherited 40 million from his mom. It really made me instantly dislike them. 

  Whatever your opinion on this couple I think we can all say that the racism directed towards Meghan was wrong. End of. But as bad as the tabloids were...and boy they were bad...the idea of having to deal with racism & bigotry from your family is a whole other level of wrong. There is no explanation. No excuses. And those who say they doubt it was as bad as she very clearly made it out to be, you need to stop talking. It doesn't matter what you think. If Meghan says it was racism then it was. Whoopie Goldberg once said that while she might not be able to tell you exactly what made something racist, she certainly knew it when she saw it. Meghan Markle saw it, she knew it, believe her.

  I did take exception to one part of the interview. Meghan saying that Kate made her cry and that she wasn't supportive enough. Let me just say...the inlaws do not have to like you or be supportive. Just because you are in the same family doesn't mean you are instantly best friends. Or even friends. I had a sister-in-law who disliked not only me but every single person in the family! And was quite vocal about that very fact. Like most adults we could get through a holiday meal together if we had to, or a funeral or wedding. But we were not all lovey-dovey. Not even close.  So Meghan complaining about Kate seemed almost whiney to me. 

  Now I wanted to address two things from this interview that I think were overshadowed by the racism conversation. Both involving the entire conversation about Meghan's battle with mental illness and suicidal thoughts. When a public figure speaks about their own struggles with this whispered disease I always want it to be the sole focus. It's so important to take this out of the shadows. And it was striking that she spoke about it as calmly as if it was diabetes or heart disease. Like it was a disease that anyone could suffer from. Who knows how many people could have benefited from that being the focus. Sadly we will never know.

  The other thing was something Harry said that made me sad. He has talked about and supported mental health initiatives for years. But during the interview, he told Oprah he was embarrassed to ask for help for his wife. How can that not make you sad? Someone who has spent many hours promoting mental health and taking away the stigma was a victim of the stigma. That makes me cry. But...it did show us just how real and prevalent this crisis is and no person is immune.

  My dislike for this couple is still there. It's hard for me to get past the entitlement they seem to feel they deserve. But boy oh boy haven't we all missed Oprah!!

  Ang

  

  

Dr. Seuss Controversy

 Dr. Seuss was not canceled. Let me repeat that...Dr. Seuss was not canceled. The people who control the legacy of this beloved childrens author have decided that six of the 60+ books published will no longer be printed. Not ripped off the shelves. Not burnt. Not shredded. Just no more new ones coming off the press. That's not cancel culture that's knowing better and then doing better.

 I have two kids who I read to every single day from birth to age ten or eleven and I have only heard of one of these titles. I don't recall ever reading it but the title is familiar. But someone within the Dr. Seuss Enterprise thought it was time to move on from these stories.  I'd bet money that had they not made the announcement not one single person would have realized they were going away! Certainly not the people who are talking about it nonstop that I'm seeing.

 As a society, we evolve. We change. We learn. What was considered ok in 1937 is not anymore. So we make improvements and make it inclusive. If we can't, we stop doing it. It's called being a respectful human being. 

  Too many people have used the phrase "snowflake" to describe others taking offense to these books. Apparently, they cannot understand how an entire culture could be offended by a picture in a book or words on a page. And they have no intention of trying. It doesn't insult or stereotype them so they don't get what the big deal is. It should also be noted that most of the uproar is from white people. A group that is rarely, if ever, negatively portrayed because of skin color. This past year we saw Black Lives Matter hashtags and signs being countered with All Lives Matter. Again white people. Obviously, we need to take a good hard look at ourselves if we cannot see any issue from another point of view.

  Are all white people racist? Of course not. But we sure have a problem accepting that things we say or do can be viewed as racially insensitive to others. I may not know that a word or picture is racist but if someone who it portrays tells me it is I believe them. Just because I didn't see it doesn't mean it isn't. We need to have the uncomfortable conversations or we will never learn. 

  FYI...my kid's favorite book, and mine to read to them, was What Was I Scared Of? by Dr. Seuss. Read that instead. It's fantastic.

  Ang

  

  

Just An Observation

 Here's an interesting observation...those who three months ago complained that the vaccines would not be safe because they were developed too quickly and not properly tested are the same people now complaining that those same vaccines are taking too long to get into people's arms! What the hell? You cannot have it both ways folks. 

 Go back a few months in your Twitter feed or Facebook posts and find those followers who spent many days bitching about how Health Canada was "pushing" through vaccine approvals without proper research and scrutiny. You'll find lots of comments about how they are not going to take the vaccine until others have so they can know they will be safe from it. Or that big pharma was paying off government officials to get things approved. It was something out of an X-Files episode.

 Now look at the past few weeks and see how these same people are now bitching about how long it's taking for the vaccines to be distributed and why haven't they gotten it yet! Talk about a flip-flop. And every single one of them is now in the highest risk category. But don't comment on it or you will be crucified for daring to note the hypocrisy of their words. 

 We are all suffering from "COVID fatigue" and we all want to be vaccinated yesterday. But the sad truth is Canada is not manufacturing our own doses so we must buy them and wait for them to arrive. Once they do get here they need to go to those who really need them most. Healthcare workers, military, police, essential workers are at the front of the line for a reason. They have kept us going for an entire year while we stayed home in relative safety. Surely people understand that.

 My biggest issue with the complaining is that negativity is contagious. You could spread a little light but choose dark instead. That darkness takes hold in someone else and the thread grows. A favorite saying for me lately is that positivity costs me nothing. It's a choice. One I truly wish many more people would embrace.

  In a few short months, all Canadians will be vaccinated. Not long after that so will the entire world. We will be having large family dinners again, weddings and funerals. Upon seeing a friend we will hug them and stand close together to get a photo. Restaurants, bars, and theater seats will be full and we will be getting on planes travelling to exciting destinations. It will happen I promise. 

 Stay positive. Stay optimistic. Stay safe. We are almost there. And in the words of grandmothers everywhere...if you can't say anything good don't say anything at all!

  Ang