(And you thought this should be about Hallowe’en, didn’t you?!?)
Until recently, this fall has been lovely and warm. There have been spells of cooler, rainy weather lasting three or four days, interspersed with warm, sunny days, with temperatures up to 25 degrees C even in mid-October!! Just this past weekend – October 27th!! – we brought in the last of the tomatoes. Didn’t quite make it to November, but pretty darn close! The cucumbers, on the other hand, have been done for several weeks (though there was one last small one lingering on the vines that was brought in on the 27th as well).
Now the question is what to do with all these green tomatoes? Some of them will ripen eventually, but some are just too green (seeing as the vines were still flowering and setting new fruit in mid-October). After checking out a few cookbooks, Laolao decided to make four litres of green tomato dills, as well as some green tomato chutney/relish and some green tomato loaf. The chutney is yummy, the loaf is moist and delicious too, and I can hardly wait to try the green tomato dills once they’ve had time to pickle!
We have also taken advantage of the wild fruits growing in our area. It’s funny how when you live in a city most people don’t think to look beyond their back yard – and often that backyard contains nothing but grass. We live in a very urban setting, but despite that, there are pockets of forest that provide glimpses into how the wild flora and fauna adapt to an urban environment, if one simply opens one’s eyes.
The parkland that lies a stone’s throw from our house (if you have a good throwing arm!) includes a variety of crabapple and wild apple trees. Some are the small, sour red crabs; some are the larger green sweet crabs. We’ve also found wild grapes growing throughout the micro-forest and bordering the parkland by the train track. When Laolao and Laoye were here in August, they picked several large buckets of both crabs and wild grapes and made many jars of juice. When they first got back two weeks ago, what with the warm weather we found that the crabs and grapes were still very pickable; in fact the long fall has raised the sugar content in the grapes so they’re now much sweeter than before.
So Laolao has put up several batches of grape jelly, Laoye has made at least two dozen litres of apple and grape juice, we’ve got the green tomato preserves, about four jars of rhubarb sauce from my garden, and some carrot and beet pickles Laolao made (with bought veggies) – in addition to the beet pickles I made a month back.
Yum! I didn’t freeze any peaches or strawberries this year, so these other preserves will stand us in good stead, along with the pumpkin and dill pickles still left from last fall’s harvest.
P.S. I know this blog has been very devoid of pictures for the past two months, other than the update of Poppet pix. I promise to rectify the situation soon, with some orphanage shower photos and some harvest photos, as well as Hallowe'en pix. (But not pix of the Dalai Lama!)
31 October 2007
I was in the presence of the Dalai Lama (2007-10-29)
(Originally posted on 29 October 2007.)
… for about 30 seconds this morning.
He came to the building where I work to meet with government officials. Word spread that he was coming so several of my colleagues and I went down to the entrance. Being short, I made my way to the front of the crowd (actually wasn’t much of a crowd yet when we got there) to watch and wait. On the opposite side of the entry way the camera crews were waiting…
After a five-minute wait he arrived. He was dressed in a simple red robe, and accompanied by one other monk and multiple Canadian men in suits. As he passed, many people raised their cameras and cell-phones and began snapping pictures. The Dalai Lama held his hands up in an attitude of prayer and smiled and bowed at us. I responded with a similar gesture – seemed to be the respectful thing to do. Don’t know if he noticed, as he’d pretty much passed by then.
Much as I, too, like to get pictures of “royalty” (i.e. important figures), I find it bothersome when all or most of the people lined up have cameras to their faces as the VIP passes.
My mind on this was made up many years ago, when I was just a teenager in Alberta and joined the crowd thronging the parade route where Prince Charles and Princess Diana were to pass. Despite my having arrived hours in advance in order to get a “front-row” view, I and many others were pushed out of our prime spots by security people who set up barricades and reserved the front section for officials too important to come early and stand around like the rest of us. Finally Princess Di arrived in the cavalcade, leaning out the window and waving. But I’m sure all she saw was a line of cameras pointing her way. That hardly seemed like a friendly welcome to me. Where is the humanity in that? Where is the connection to the people? To be certain, she (and many other VIPs) will never actually get to mix with the plebes, but surely we can connect with her/them on a more human level, by simply showing our faces and smiling and waving back.
Because frankly, the shots we get with our cameras as the important folks pass are rarely anything to write home about, and rarely show more than a small dot labelled (were we to label them) “VIP – if you can see her/him.”
Get your pictures from the papers, folks, or on post-cards or what have you, and when the VIP comes to town, show them you’re a human being, not a camera lens!
So even if the Dalai Lama didn’t notice my gesture, for my part I feel like I connected with him in some small way, by simply responding with a human gesture of respect, rather than as a memento-seeker.
… for about 30 seconds this morning.
He came to the building where I work to meet with government officials. Word spread that he was coming so several of my colleagues and I went down to the entrance. Being short, I made my way to the front of the crowd (actually wasn’t much of a crowd yet when we got there) to watch and wait. On the opposite side of the entry way the camera crews were waiting…
After a five-minute wait he arrived. He was dressed in a simple red robe, and accompanied by one other monk and multiple Canadian men in suits. As he passed, many people raised their cameras and cell-phones and began snapping pictures. The Dalai Lama held his hands up in an attitude of prayer and smiled and bowed at us. I responded with a similar gesture – seemed to be the respectful thing to do. Don’t know if he noticed, as he’d pretty much passed by then.
Much as I, too, like to get pictures of “royalty” (i.e. important figures), I find it bothersome when all or most of the people lined up have cameras to their faces as the VIP passes.
My mind on this was made up many years ago, when I was just a teenager in Alberta and joined the crowd thronging the parade route where Prince Charles and Princess Diana were to pass. Despite my having arrived hours in advance in order to get a “front-row” view, I and many others were pushed out of our prime spots by security people who set up barricades and reserved the front section for officials too important to come early and stand around like the rest of us. Finally Princess Di arrived in the cavalcade, leaning out the window and waving. But I’m sure all she saw was a line of cameras pointing her way. That hardly seemed like a friendly welcome to me. Where is the humanity in that? Where is the connection to the people? To be certain, she (and many other VIPs) will never actually get to mix with the plebes, but surely we can connect with her/them on a more human level, by simply showing our faces and smiling and waving back.
Because frankly, the shots we get with our cameras as the important folks pass are rarely anything to write home about, and rarely show more than a small dot labelled (were we to label them) “VIP – if you can see her/him.”
Get your pictures from the papers, folks, or on post-cards or what have you, and when the VIP comes to town, show them you’re a human being, not a camera lens!
So even if the Dalai Lama didn’t notice my gesture, for my part I feel like I connected with him in some small way, by simply responding with a human gesture of respect, rather than as a memento-seeker.
Adoption update! (2007-10-23)
(Originally posted on 23 October 2007.)
Wish I could say Poppet’s medical form has arrived, but I can’t. Not yet. However, I did receive some updated pix of Poppet at the Transition House, and this comment: Poppet “is doing wonderfully and is extremely charming. He is always looking out for other kids in the group, and has a quiet but strong and kind disposition.”
(“Quiet” might be a good foil for Giggles, who tends to be loud!)
I don’t have names for the other children in the group shots, so if any of you reading my blog recognize your kids, let me know…
(1) Poppet with friend N. Gotta love those smiles!!
(2) Poppet (2nd from left) with friends.
(3) Poppet (bottom left, in checked shirt) and other toddlers / pre-schoolers with the adoption agency director.
Wish I could say Poppet’s medical form has arrived, but I can’t. Not yet. However, I did receive some updated pix of Poppet at the Transition House, and this comment: Poppet “is doing wonderfully and is extremely charming. He is always looking out for other kids in the group, and has a quiet but strong and kind disposition.”
(“Quiet” might be a good foil for Giggles, who tends to be loud!)
I don’t have names for the other children in the group shots, so if any of you reading my blog recognize your kids, let me know…
(1) Poppet with friend N. Gotta love those smiles!!
(2) Poppet (2nd from left) with friends.
(3) Poppet (bottom left, in checked shirt) and other toddlers / pre-schoolers with the adoption agency director.
Orphanage shower (2007-10-22)
(Originally posted on 22 October 2007.)
On Saturday, 20 October, I hosted an “orphanage shower” inviting friends to bring gifts not for me and my new son, but for the orphanage he has left. In addition, seeing as most of these children will eventually find new homes in Canada (or elsewhere?), I wanted to do something that would benefit the children who are truly left behind and are unlikely ever to find new families, either in a foreign country or in Ethiopia.
I chose two organizations / projects I’ve heard about via the Ethiopian adoptive network. The first is AHOPE, an orphanage that provides care to HIV+ children. They are currently housed in several rental houses but have dreams of constructing an “orphan village” where the children will be housed in family-style dwellings composed of “house parents” plus children of a range of ages. These children are provided with antiretroviral medications and nutrient rich diets that will enable them to stay healthy and live long and productive lives despite their HIV+ status.
The second project is the Kids Hope project. This is sponsored by an organization called Canadian Humanitarian, based in southern Alberta. The organization is associated with CAFAC, one of the two Canadian agencies currently licensed to facilitate adoptions from Ethiopia (but not the agency I am using). Seeing as Ethiopia has so many children without parents, the extended families are straining to care for them. When the burden becomes too great, some of the children will be taken to orphanages, but there are simply not enough orphanages to take care of all the children in need – and frankly, institutionalization is not the best option for children. Occasionally these children are taken in by other villagers or by friends, but all too frequently left to fend for themselves on the streets. The Kids Hope project, which began operations in January 2006, is a community-based project designed to provide an alternative to both institutionalization in an orphanage and life on the streets. The children come to the Kids Hope centres for “education, skill training, medical care, improved nutrition, adult guidance, positive peer interactions, and hope for their future” but live with extended family members or foster families who receive training and assistance in caring for them.
The evening went very well. Between me, my mother, and friend L., we had prepared some Ethiopian food, including injera, doro wat, siga wat, gomen, and a lentil salad, along with chai, coffee, popcorn and peanuts. I’d also printed up a lot of information about the 3 projects for which I was collecting donations, about Ethiopia, and about international adoption, and ordered about 2 dozen books on Ethiopia from the library (some of which I’d read but many of which were new to me!). I mounted some pictures of my son on a poster board and laid everything out on tables covered with some African-themed fabric that just happened to be lying around the house…
Since people were a bit slow in arriving and some of us hadn’t had supper, we started off with the food. It was tasty! The injera tasted perfect, though it was a bit thicker than the injera I’ve eaten in restaurants and the “eyes” were not as even or large. It was also darker coloured, likely because I used brown teff flour. (I can’t say that I saw any white teff flour in the store, but then I was just so happy to find some I didn’t look for any other varieties. But they must have some, since the injera in the restaurant that pointed me to the store was quite light-coloured.) The doro wat was adequate, though not as spicy as some I’ve had, the siga wat was very spicy though it contained only half the berbere the recipe called for (thanks, L!) and the gomen and lentil salad a good complement to the spicier foods.
After eating, I spoke briefly about Ethiopia (what I’ve learned), about the three projects I’ve chosen to support, and about international adoption. Then we all had a look at the gifts that people brought. We didn’t do an official “gift-opening” since most things weren’t wrapped, as they’re for donations, but I took things out of bags and displayed them. We received lots of toothbrushes and toothpaste, a variety of non-prescription medications, quite a few craft materials, some books, a few clothes and a couple of blankets. In addition, people donated a total of $160 that we will use to “fill in the cracks” in terms of items donated, by purchasing things here either in Canada or possibly in Ethiopia for some of the items.
Now we’ll need to sort through the items, organize them by which project is being supported, and pack them up accordingly. Seeing as I still have no word on Poppet’s medical form, I don’t yet have any sense of urgency… but once that dratted form comes through the countdown will indeed be on. Stay tuned.
On Saturday, 20 October, I hosted an “orphanage shower” inviting friends to bring gifts not for me and my new son, but for the orphanage he has left. In addition, seeing as most of these children will eventually find new homes in Canada (or elsewhere?), I wanted to do something that would benefit the children who are truly left behind and are unlikely ever to find new families, either in a foreign country or in Ethiopia.
I chose two organizations / projects I’ve heard about via the Ethiopian adoptive network. The first is AHOPE, an orphanage that provides care to HIV+ children. They are currently housed in several rental houses but have dreams of constructing an “orphan village” where the children will be housed in family-style dwellings composed of “house parents” plus children of a range of ages. These children are provided with antiretroviral medications and nutrient rich diets that will enable them to stay healthy and live long and productive lives despite their HIV+ status.
The second project is the Kids Hope project. This is sponsored by an organization called Canadian Humanitarian, based in southern Alberta. The organization is associated with CAFAC, one of the two Canadian agencies currently licensed to facilitate adoptions from Ethiopia (but not the agency I am using). Seeing as Ethiopia has so many children without parents, the extended families are straining to care for them. When the burden becomes too great, some of the children will be taken to orphanages, but there are simply not enough orphanages to take care of all the children in need – and frankly, institutionalization is not the best option for children. Occasionally these children are taken in by other villagers or by friends, but all too frequently left to fend for themselves on the streets. The Kids Hope project, which began operations in January 2006, is a community-based project designed to provide an alternative to both institutionalization in an orphanage and life on the streets. The children come to the Kids Hope centres for “education, skill training, medical care, improved nutrition, adult guidance, positive peer interactions, and hope for their future” but live with extended family members or foster families who receive training and assistance in caring for them.
The evening went very well. Between me, my mother, and friend L., we had prepared some Ethiopian food, including injera, doro wat, siga wat, gomen, and a lentil salad, along with chai, coffee, popcorn and peanuts. I’d also printed up a lot of information about the 3 projects for which I was collecting donations, about Ethiopia, and about international adoption, and ordered about 2 dozen books on Ethiopia from the library (some of which I’d read but many of which were new to me!). I mounted some pictures of my son on a poster board and laid everything out on tables covered with some African-themed fabric that just happened to be lying around the house…
Since people were a bit slow in arriving and some of us hadn’t had supper, we started off with the food. It was tasty! The injera tasted perfect, though it was a bit thicker than the injera I’ve eaten in restaurants and the “eyes” were not as even or large. It was also darker coloured, likely because I used brown teff flour. (I can’t say that I saw any white teff flour in the store, but then I was just so happy to find some I didn’t look for any other varieties. But they must have some, since the injera in the restaurant that pointed me to the store was quite light-coloured.) The doro wat was adequate, though not as spicy as some I’ve had, the siga wat was very spicy though it contained only half the berbere the recipe called for (thanks, L!) and the gomen and lentil salad a good complement to the spicier foods.
After eating, I spoke briefly about Ethiopia (what I’ve learned), about the three projects I’ve chosen to support, and about international adoption. Then we all had a look at the gifts that people brought. We didn’t do an official “gift-opening” since most things weren’t wrapped, as they’re for donations, but I took things out of bags and displayed them. We received lots of toothbrushes and toothpaste, a variety of non-prescription medications, quite a few craft materials, some books, a few clothes and a couple of blankets. In addition, people donated a total of $160 that we will use to “fill in the cracks” in terms of items donated, by purchasing things here either in Canada or possibly in Ethiopia for some of the items.
Now we’ll need to sort through the items, organize them by which project is being supported, and pack them up accordingly. Seeing as I still have no word on Poppet’s medical form, I don’t yet have any sense of urgency… but once that dratted form comes through the countdown will indeed be on. Stay tuned.
Things Ethiopian (2007-10-15)
(Originally posted on 15 October 2007.)
One of my Saturday errands was to find a source of teff flour, since I’m trying my hand at making injera. I found a recipe with detailed instructions on the Ethiopia Adoption Blog and have spent the past week preparing the starter. Mary uses wheat flour for the starter, and adds teff flour only when preparing to cook the actual injera (which ends up converting your wheat starter to teff starter) so I wasn’t in a huge rush initially. But the time to move on to phase 2 is approaching, so I needed to find some teff*!
Seeing as there are at least four Ethiopian restaurants in town, I figured there had to be a local source, the question was just how to find it. First stop was a store downtown that I know carries many different kinds of ingredients for African, Caribbean and Chinese cooking. Giggles and I made that our first stop of our Saturday errands and looked up and down every aisle. I found corn flour, garbanzo flour, rice flour, fufu flour, and countless other things, but no teff.
On the other hand, we discovered that the store’s upper floor carries a wide variety of hair care products for African hair, so I now know where to find what I’ll need in that department. Though seeing as I’m having an African son, I doubt our needs will be as extensive as if he were a girl!
Okay, where next? I recalled seeing a store near the market that billed itself as carrying ingredients for African and Middle Eastern cuisine, so headed there next. Found a parking spot right in front of an Ethiopian restaurant and walked the short distance to the store, but a sign on the door said it was closed, “back at 3:00.”
It was only 12:45, and Giggles’ art class was due to start in 45 minutes, so we needed a bite to eat. Obvious choice: the Ethiopian restaurant. While dining, I asked the waitress where they got the teff flour for their injera, and she pointed me to a store at the southeast extreme of downtown (well, not really downtown per se, but close…). So after taking Giggles to art class, I headed over and found what I was seeking right inside the front door, in 10-kg sacks. Unsure I wanted to start with such a large quantity, I looked around and found smaller amounts in plastic bags.
So now I’ve got all I need to make injera – barring a large enough frying pan to cook them to the proportions usually observed in Ethiopia or restaurants here. But that will have to wait for another shopping trip. For now we’ll stick to regular frying pan size.
*Actually, one can use other flours to make injera, such as barley, rice, corn, or millet, but teff is the most “authentic” and from what I’ve read, most injera contains at least some teff.
One of my Saturday errands was to find a source of teff flour, since I’m trying my hand at making injera. I found a recipe with detailed instructions on the Ethiopia Adoption Blog and have spent the past week preparing the starter. Mary uses wheat flour for the starter, and adds teff flour only when preparing to cook the actual injera (which ends up converting your wheat starter to teff starter) so I wasn’t in a huge rush initially. But the time to move on to phase 2 is approaching, so I needed to find some teff*!
Seeing as there are at least four Ethiopian restaurants in town, I figured there had to be a local source, the question was just how to find it. First stop was a store downtown that I know carries many different kinds of ingredients for African, Caribbean and Chinese cooking. Giggles and I made that our first stop of our Saturday errands and looked up and down every aisle. I found corn flour, garbanzo flour, rice flour, fufu flour, and countless other things, but no teff.
On the other hand, we discovered that the store’s upper floor carries a wide variety of hair care products for African hair, so I now know where to find what I’ll need in that department. Though seeing as I’m having an African son, I doubt our needs will be as extensive as if he were a girl!
Okay, where next? I recalled seeing a store near the market that billed itself as carrying ingredients for African and Middle Eastern cuisine, so headed there next. Found a parking spot right in front of an Ethiopian restaurant and walked the short distance to the store, but a sign on the door said it was closed, “back at 3:00.”
It was only 12:45, and Giggles’ art class was due to start in 45 minutes, so we needed a bite to eat. Obvious choice: the Ethiopian restaurant. While dining, I asked the waitress where they got the teff flour for their injera, and she pointed me to a store at the southeast extreme of downtown (well, not really downtown per se, but close…). So after taking Giggles to art class, I headed over and found what I was seeking right inside the front door, in 10-kg sacks. Unsure I wanted to start with such a large quantity, I looked around and found smaller amounts in plastic bags.
So now I’ve got all I need to make injera – barring a large enough frying pan to cook them to the proportions usually observed in Ethiopia or restaurants here. But that will have to wait for another shopping trip. For now we’ll stick to regular frying pan size.
*Actually, one can use other flours to make injera, such as barley, rice, corn, or millet, but teff is the most “authentic” and from what I’ve read, most injera contains at least some teff.
Eid ul-Fitr (2007-10-15)
(Originally posted on 15 October 2007.)
This is the festival that marks the end of Ramadan. One of our neighbours is a Malaysian family whose son, Z, is in Giggles’s class at school. They are likely returning to Malaysia in November. Anyhow, last Thursday Z’s dad invited us to attend their Eid-ul-Fitr (or Aidalfitri, as they say it in Malaysian…) party. Having never attended an end-of-Ramadan party before, we were pleased to accept.
For the most part it was like most parties everywhere – lots of yummy food (Malaysian and Chinese for the most part) and lots of people standing or sitting around talking. We didn’t know many other people, other than Z’s family and a few other neighbours who were there. Giggles played with the other kids and watched some TV, and I chatted with a few people.
But what I really liked were the fancy dresses most of the women were wearing. The men were dressed up, too, but their outfits were quite plain while the women’s were very colourful. Modest, too, of course, but bright colours with fancy embroidery and matching hijabs. I was quite underdressed, having gone there straight from our day of running errands.
All in all, it was a pleasant occasion. Giggles even received a treat at the end – an envelope containing $5 (given to all the children)!
This is the festival that marks the end of Ramadan. One of our neighbours is a Malaysian family whose son, Z, is in Giggles’s class at school. They are likely returning to Malaysia in November. Anyhow, last Thursday Z’s dad invited us to attend their Eid-ul-Fitr (or Aidalfitri, as they say it in Malaysian…) party. Having never attended an end-of-Ramadan party before, we were pleased to accept.
For the most part it was like most parties everywhere – lots of yummy food (Malaysian and Chinese for the most part) and lots of people standing or sitting around talking. We didn’t know many other people, other than Z’s family and a few other neighbours who were there. Giggles played with the other kids and watched some TV, and I chatted with a few people.
But what I really liked were the fancy dresses most of the women were wearing. The men were dressed up, too, but their outfits were quite plain while the women’s were very colourful. Modest, too, of course, but bright colours with fancy embroidery and matching hijabs. I was quite underdressed, having gone there straight from our day of running errands.
All in all, it was a pleasant occasion. Giggles even received a treat at the end – an envelope containing $5 (given to all the children)!
10 things I'm thankful for (2007-10-12)
Okay, so waiting sucks. In the meantime, since we just celebrated Thanksgiving, here is a list of things I’m thankful for.
- A beautiful daughter who laughs, plays hard, gives wonderful hugs, loves to dress up, and occasionally drives me crazy.
- A son that everyone thinks is a real handsome kid (watch out girls…!) and, it has been reported, has a very sweet personality. Just wish he were home already so I could verify the reports…
- All the friends I’ve made through adoption: singles, couples, older moms, young kids, Chinese people, Ethiopian people, people across Canada and even in other countries.
- My good friends Chuckles, L (what nickname would you like, L?), and KiwiGarden, who have been greatly supportive before, during, and after my adoption(s), and who are great friends of Giggles, too.
- My parents. Where would I be without them? Specifically: suppers on the table, a finished basement, home-sewn clothes and quilts and decorations, a deck, walks in the woods, fun at the playground with Giggles, a lovely house, and on and on.
- The opportunity to dream. A year in China? A year in Ethiopia? Travels across Canada? A home in the country? Snowbirding when I’m old and crotchety?
- The fact that I CAN go down 11 flights of stairs. (Thank you, rheumatologists and orthopaedic surgeons.)
- The colour green. Leaves, grass, new buds, fresh leaves, forests, clover, frogs, my favourite sweater, emeralds (not that I own any!), and all things living.
- Books. Fiction, non-fiction, Canadian, international, short stories, poetry, novels, historic, contemporary, emotional, about women, about men, about children, about animals (especially with a kid in the house!), about ideas and imagination.
- Music. I don’t play enough of it at home. It seems the house is too busy, the time to full, my attention elsewhere. Note to self: put a cd on when you get home tonight…
What are you thankful for?
And still waiting... (2007-10-12)
(Originally posted on 12 October 2007.)
Now where have I heard that before...?
Week 13 after court date and still no medical form.
Originally I was told that the permanent resident visa would be issued within about 13 weeks post-court date. Then the High Commission in Nairobi notified people that waits would likely be longer seeing as they were into the high summer season: consular officials taking holidays, and more people wanting visas to go to Canada. (Processing of temporary visas, i.e. for tourists and temporary workers, takes precedence over immigration visas.) Two families had visas arrive in 16 weeks.
So what does the time-line look like now?
IF the medical form winds up in next Friday's diplomatic pouch to Addis, it would get returned to Nairobi in the following Friday's pouch. Add two weeks. Then another minimum three weeks for the visa to be sent to Addis. Then roughly one week to finalize travel arrangements (could be less, depending on flight costs, etc.). So 13 + 2 + 3 + 1 = 19 weeks post-court date. That puts departure at roughly 23 November. IF.
That sucks.
Now where have I heard that before...?
Week 13 after court date and still no medical form.
Originally I was told that the permanent resident visa would be issued within about 13 weeks post-court date. Then the High Commission in Nairobi notified people that waits would likely be longer seeing as they were into the high summer season: consular officials taking holidays, and more people wanting visas to go to Canada. (Processing of temporary visas, i.e. for tourists and temporary workers, takes precedence over immigration visas.) Two families had visas arrive in 16 weeks.
So what does the time-line look like now?
IF the medical form winds up in next Friday's diplomatic pouch to Addis, it would get returned to Nairobi in the following Friday's pouch. Add two weeks. Then another minimum three weeks for the visa to be sent to Addis. Then roughly one week to finalize travel arrangements (could be less, depending on flight costs, etc.). So 13 + 2 + 3 + 1 = 19 weeks post-court date. That puts departure at roughly 23 November. IF.
That sucks.
Fire alarm (2007-10-12)
(Originally posted on 12 October 2007.)
... at work today. I learned that 11 flights is about the limit of how far I can go. By 9 flights I was getting wobbly-kneed, by 10 I wanted to stop but knew there was just one more and I COULD do it...I liked it much better when I was on the 3rd floor.
(Addendum: While going down, I couldn't help but think of those poor souls in the World Trade Center... Who knows but that had I been on the 90th floor, I might have just jumped out a window, too...)
... at work today. I learned that 11 flights is about the limit of how far I can go. By 9 flights I was getting wobbly-kneed, by 10 I wanted to stop but knew there was just one more and I COULD do it...I liked it much better when I was on the 3rd floor.
(Addendum: While going down, I couldn't help but think of those poor souls in the World Trade Center... Who knows but that had I been on the 90th floor, I might have just jumped out a window, too...)
Babysitting boondoggle (2007-10-10)
(Originally posted on 10 October 2007.)
Last night I went to the theatre with my friend, M (whom I should probably nickname Chuckles, since she laughs at least as much, if not more, than Giggles does!). I’d almost forgotten about the evening out and only “re-discovered” it when I glanced at my calendar on Monday afternoon. Yikes! Babysitter needed, fast!!!
Since I’m single, I need somebody who has their own transportation to get home after I return from my evening out. That generally means adults, or if teenagers then ones who live within walking distance or whose parents don’t mind picking them up.
First on the list was our basement suite tenant, Lin, a university student that Giggles loves to play with. Unfortunately, she had a shift at the restaurant she works at. Next: the teenager (in 1st-year university) at the end of the block. But she had a class from 7-8. However, she suggested that a friend of theirs, an older (30-ish) university student from Colombia, who’s staying with them while looking for an apartment, would be pleased to babysit. Now, I wasn’t sure about leaving Giggles with someone she wasn’t familiar with – always before, the babysitters have been pre-introduced, at least briefly, so she had some idea of who she was dealing with. But I met the lady and she seemed pleasant, and given her age I figured she’d be able to handle Giggles even if Giggles didn’t know her.
How wrong I was…
Not that Giggles caused any problems, per se. She just refused to go to bed. I walked in the door at 10:45 and heard voices… including one particular little voice that I should not have heard at that late hour. I entered the house and saw that she hadn’t even gotten into jammies yet; they were just brushing teeth… I was NOT pleased. “Sorry, Mommy,” she says, “I just had so much energy!”
Well, yes… Nervous energy, no doubt. Which doesn’t mean she’s not tired and shouldn’t go to bed…
The babysitter took her up to bed while I got my jacket off. As she prepared to depart, she told me “I tried all the time to get her to go to bed, but she just had too much energy. I hope it won’t be a problem tomorrow.”
Well, sorry, it WILL be a problem. You’re the grown-up; you get the kid to bed!!!
But maybe it’s not as easy as that. Those of you who know Giggles may realize that it can be challenging to get her to do what she's supposed to do when SHE doesn’t want to. And not having any kind of a relationship with her, or knowing how she operates, will make it even more challenging. An experienced parent who doesn’t know her would likely have more resources at hand to get a noncompliant kid to do what she is supposed to do, but someone without much kid experience may not have a clue.
As I lay down in bed beside Giggles, she told me that Lin, the basement tenant, had come home shortly before I did and told her to clean up and get to bed. So they did, or at least got started.
Clue #1: she listens to someone she knows. Or more accurately, clue #2. Clue #1 was the fact that as soon as the babysitter came through the door, she was starting to act a weeny bit "off-the-wall." Just a weeny bit, people who don't know her well wouldn't have noticed. But I did.
Even so, I didn’t read the signal… I had explained the bedtime routine to the babysitter, but I forgot, or didn’t think to, pass on authority and elicit Giggles’ compliance. As in, “While Mommy’s gone, Lady is in charge. You listen to her and do what she tells you. Okay?” I think that would have been effective.
Okay, lesson learned. If possible, do not leave Giggles with someone she doesn’t know. If not possible, be sure to talk not just to the babysitter, but to Giggles, to ensure she knows what’s expected of her.
But now I have another dilemma. We hadn’t pre-discussed wages; it seemed inappropriate to do when my friend M and Lady’s friend were there when she first arrived, so I had intended to do so after I got home, as Lady was leaving. But I was very upset, and so just gave her some money without any discussion. And because I was upset, I didn’t pay her as much as I would have otherwise offered. I paid her just slightly over the “teenager rate,” rather than what I normally pay the basement tenants when they babysit in the evening (minimum wage – seeing as they normally just have about an hour of “active duty” followed by the ability to do whatever they want for the remainder of the evening, including studying, as long as they’re present!). (And I pay the in-home after-school caregivers I’ve had a higher rate yet, since they’re on “active duty” for the whole time they’re with Giggles.)
So tell me, dear friends, do you think it was okay to unilaterally “cut her pay” (though we hadn’t discussed rates in advance) seeing as her performance, in my opinion at the time, wasn’t up to standard?
Or ought I to have paid her my standard evening adult rate, as she tried her best, though Giggles wasn’t compliant?
Or ought I perhaps even have paid her the full after-school care rate, as she ended up being on “active duty” the whole time…?
So this morning, one of the first things Giggles tells me upon waking up is “See Mommy, I’m not tired!” (Seeing as I’d told her as we both fell asleep last night that she would be tired this morning and not want to get out of bed, but I expected her not to complain…) Followed immediately by “But I might fall asleep in the bus. Or at school.”
Right. Lesson learned. I hope…
Last night I went to the theatre with my friend, M (whom I should probably nickname Chuckles, since she laughs at least as much, if not more, than Giggles does!). I’d almost forgotten about the evening out and only “re-discovered” it when I glanced at my calendar on Monday afternoon. Yikes! Babysitter needed, fast!!!
Since I’m single, I need somebody who has their own transportation to get home after I return from my evening out. That generally means adults, or if teenagers then ones who live within walking distance or whose parents don’t mind picking them up.
First on the list was our basement suite tenant, Lin, a university student that Giggles loves to play with. Unfortunately, she had a shift at the restaurant she works at. Next: the teenager (in 1st-year university) at the end of the block. But she had a class from 7-8. However, she suggested that a friend of theirs, an older (30-ish) university student from Colombia, who’s staying with them while looking for an apartment, would be pleased to babysit. Now, I wasn’t sure about leaving Giggles with someone she wasn’t familiar with – always before, the babysitters have been pre-introduced, at least briefly, so she had some idea of who she was dealing with. But I met the lady and she seemed pleasant, and given her age I figured she’d be able to handle Giggles even if Giggles didn’t know her.
How wrong I was…
Not that Giggles caused any problems, per se. She just refused to go to bed. I walked in the door at 10:45 and heard voices… including one particular little voice that I should not have heard at that late hour. I entered the house and saw that she hadn’t even gotten into jammies yet; they were just brushing teeth… I was NOT pleased. “Sorry, Mommy,” she says, “I just had so much energy!”
Well, yes… Nervous energy, no doubt. Which doesn’t mean she’s not tired and shouldn’t go to bed…
The babysitter took her up to bed while I got my jacket off. As she prepared to depart, she told me “I tried all the time to get her to go to bed, but she just had too much energy. I hope it won’t be a problem tomorrow.”
Well, sorry, it WILL be a problem. You’re the grown-up; you get the kid to bed!!!
But maybe it’s not as easy as that. Those of you who know Giggles may realize that it can be challenging to get her to do what she's supposed to do when SHE doesn’t want to. And not having any kind of a relationship with her, or knowing how she operates, will make it even more challenging. An experienced parent who doesn’t know her would likely have more resources at hand to get a noncompliant kid to do what she is supposed to do, but someone without much kid experience may not have a clue.
As I lay down in bed beside Giggles, she told me that Lin, the basement tenant, had come home shortly before I did and told her to clean up and get to bed. So they did, or at least got started.
Clue #1: she listens to someone she knows. Or more accurately, clue #2. Clue #1 was the fact that as soon as the babysitter came through the door, she was starting to act a weeny bit "off-the-wall." Just a weeny bit, people who don't know her well wouldn't have noticed. But I did.
Even so, I didn’t read the signal… I had explained the bedtime routine to the babysitter, but I forgot, or didn’t think to, pass on authority and elicit Giggles’ compliance. As in, “While Mommy’s gone, Lady is in charge. You listen to her and do what she tells you. Okay?” I think that would have been effective.
Okay, lesson learned. If possible, do not leave Giggles with someone she doesn’t know. If not possible, be sure to talk not just to the babysitter, but to Giggles, to ensure she knows what’s expected of her.
But now I have another dilemma. We hadn’t pre-discussed wages; it seemed inappropriate to do when my friend M and Lady’s friend were there when she first arrived, so I had intended to do so after I got home, as Lady was leaving. But I was very upset, and so just gave her some money without any discussion. And because I was upset, I didn’t pay her as much as I would have otherwise offered. I paid her just slightly over the “teenager rate,” rather than what I normally pay the basement tenants when they babysit in the evening (minimum wage – seeing as they normally just have about an hour of “active duty” followed by the ability to do whatever they want for the remainder of the evening, including studying, as long as they’re present!). (And I pay the in-home after-school caregivers I’ve had a higher rate yet, since they’re on “active duty” for the whole time they’re with Giggles.)
So tell me, dear friends, do you think it was okay to unilaterally “cut her pay” (though we hadn’t discussed rates in advance) seeing as her performance, in my opinion at the time, wasn’t up to standard?
Or ought I to have paid her my standard evening adult rate, as she tried her best, though Giggles wasn’t compliant?
Or ought I perhaps even have paid her the full after-school care rate, as she ended up being on “active duty” the whole time…?
So this morning, one of the first things Giggles tells me upon waking up is “See Mommy, I’m not tired!” (Seeing as I’d told her as we both fell asleep last night that she would be tired this morning and not want to get out of bed, but I expected her not to complain…) Followed immediately by “But I might fall asleep in the bus. Or at school.”
Right. Lesson learned. I hope…
J is for... (2007-10-02)
… Joy.
(Originally posted on 2 October 2007.)
Friday evening, at the OMC retreat, I walked along the lakefront with Giggles as night settled, assisting in her quest for frogs. To my amazement, she spotted and caught three, despite the gathering dark. “Just look in the water and see how their eyes stick out,” she told me. Not much use to me, with my “fuzzy eyes.” But I couldn’t let on, could I… “Oh,” I responded, “is that how you spot them? Good for you!”
We took them to the lodge and showed a few friends. But – OOPS! – one hopped out of my hand and jumped vigourously around the tables and chairs, desperate for freedom. Giggles managed to recapture the little critter, and we took them back to the lakeshore and set them free.
Saturday’s questing was not so successful, but Sunday morning we walked to the Point along the lakeshore and caught two more. At the Point, Hoppy and Poppy took part in their first church service. One service may not have been quite sufficient to convert them, but afterwards we set them, too, free to rejoin their froggy mates and spread the Good News.
Following along the lakeshore with my girl up ahead, I could not help but feel a deep sense of joy and wonder. My love of the outdoors is shared and expanded by this child, and she takes me places – physically, emotionally, spiritually – I would not go alone. Perhaps, as she grows older and more capable, she (and Poppet, when he arrives) will draw me into even greater adventures…
(Originally posted on 2 October 2007.)
Friday evening, at the OMC retreat, I walked along the lakefront with Giggles as night settled, assisting in her quest for frogs. To my amazement, she spotted and caught three, despite the gathering dark. “Just look in the water and see how their eyes stick out,” she told me. Not much use to me, with my “fuzzy eyes.” But I couldn’t let on, could I… “Oh,” I responded, “is that how you spot them? Good for you!”
We took them to the lodge and showed a few friends. But – OOPS! – one hopped out of my hand and jumped vigourously around the tables and chairs, desperate for freedom. Giggles managed to recapture the little critter, and we took them back to the lakeshore and set them free.
Saturday’s questing was not so successful, but Sunday morning we walked to the Point along the lakeshore and caught two more. At the Point, Hoppy and Poppy took part in their first church service. One service may not have been quite sufficient to convert them, but afterwards we set them, too, free to rejoin their froggy mates and spread the Good News.
Following along the lakeshore with my girl up ahead, I could not help but feel a deep sense of joy and wonder. My love of the outdoors is shared and expanded by this child, and she takes me places – physically, emotionally, spiritually – I would not go alone. Perhaps, as she grows older and more capable, she (and Poppet, when he arrives) will draw me into even greater adventures…
29 October 2007
Day off (2007-09-26)
(Originally posted on 26 September 2007.)
I took Monday off this week, and it was heavenly. Not that I was particularly engaged in “taking care of Mommy” activities, but just being able to attack one or two of the around-the-house tasks at some time other than 9:30 p.m. and without a child in tow was energizing and satisfying.
Accomplished:
I took Monday off this week, and it was heavenly. Not that I was particularly engaged in “taking care of Mommy” activities, but just being able to attack one or two of the around-the-house tasks at some time other than 9:30 p.m. and without a child in tow was energizing and satisfying.
Accomplished:
- Organizing (yet again) the toy shelf in the living room so that when I swoop things off the floor and toss them in a basket, I know which basket to aim for and the shelf doesn’t end up looking like a disaster zone.
- Making beet pickles. I LOVE beet pickles. Last year I attempted to make some: bought the beets, boiled them up and peeled them, then they sat in the fridge for a few weeks before I found the energy to attack them, by which time they were glue. (Didn’t know you could make beet glue, did you?) Now I have six little half-litre purple jars to put on the pickle shelf and pull out on special occasions. (Will they be ready to sample by Thanksgiving?)
- Chatting with a friend. Called expecting her to be out and leave a message, but she was in and we had a chance to catch up. Hadn’t really talked with her since school started.
Catching up on e-mails. - Playing with Giggles. Since I was home, and our time together is a bit more limited now that I’m working full-time, she took the bus home after school today rather than going to the after-school daycare. First did a bit of homework, and it went so well – she got so much accomplished – I said she didn’t have to do any the next day.
- Chatting with another friend. So after homework, we took guinea pig out to a friend’s house where Giggles and friends’ two kids played with guinea pig while moms taked. I hadn’t yet shared about my upcoming Ethiopia adoption with her, so this was a chance to do so. It was all very relaxing, and I went home to make supper while Giggles stayed to play some more.
- Having a first music lesson. Really, the music lessons are for Giggles, but this type of lessons (Music for Young Children) involves parent participation, so I billed it as music lessons for both of us. It was fun. They keep moving from one activity to another, so the kids don’t have time to get bored or stressed before trying something new. We covered finding and playing the first three notes of a C scale, some rhythm, some time signature information, and a few other things.
It was a bit of a drive to the class – since Giggles is starting this at the age of 7, there aren’t that many classes for beginners, but I finally found one just before the second class. And though the class is a bit far, at least it’s an easy, direct drive. On future Mondays we’ll make it an “outing” and have supper at Timmy’s or Old McDonalds… (at least until Laolao and Laoye come back, in three weeks’ time). - Getting to bed early. Well, I’d hoped to sit up and read a bit, but fell asleep beside Giggles in bed and when I woke up an hour later, was too dazed to read or do anything. Besides, the table was already set for breakfast and the next day’s supper was just to be leftovers, so no need to do any more prep for the coming day. Except sleep.
The countdown is on ... or is it?? (2007-09-18)
(Originally posted on 18 September 2007.)
The Ethiopian court date, at which Poppet officially became my son, was on July 13, 2007. At that time, I was informed that it would take about 13 weeks for his Canadian immigration visa to be processed and arrive in Addis Ababa from Nairobi (which handles all visa matters for the horn of Africa).
Last Friday, 14 September, was week 9 – two months. So the visa could arrive in just another four weeks.
Or then again, it might not.
One key piece of paper is the medical form. An official immigration medical form must be sent from the Canadian consulate in Nairobi to the Canadian Embassy in Addis, where it is picked up by the agency’s in-country reps. Then Poppet is taken to an approved doctor for his medical check-up, the form returned to Nairobi, and final visa processing takes place. From the time the medical form is received in sent back to Nairobi until the visa arrives in Addis is estimated to be 3 weeks. Or 4. Or 6. Depending.
In any case, Poppet’s form hasn’t arrived in Addis yet. A couple of families with similar court dates received theirs at the end of the first week in September, but ours wasn’t in that batch. Last week, normal work days were interrupted by the Ethiopian millenium celebrations, so no diplomatic pouch was sent to Addis. (#$%@!) This week… we’ll see. (The pouch normally arrives on Fridays.)
It looks like my original expected timelines are about to start slipping. All along I’ve been aiming for October travel, and so far things have worked out just dandy for that to happen. Every other time when the agency quoted me a timeline, things ended up happening faster (as in, “you’ll get a referral in 2-3 months” and it came in 3 weeks). But now we’re in the hands of Canadian immigration, bless them. (Or not.)
A few families on the chat groups are at weeks 16+ of waiting. Some of these delays are owing to “significant demand for visas over the summer peak holiday season” – or so we have been informed.
I think it rankles in particular because in a few more months, this last phase of waiting won’t be required. The Canadian government passed legislation in spring doing away with the need for internationally adopted children to enter Canada on a permanent resident visa. But it will take a few more months for the legislation to take effect and the new procedures to be set (which will likely be a requirement for the parents to have applied for Canadian citizenship, or some such thing). So in the meantime, all us PAPs (prospective adoptive parents) have to work with the old procedures. Which, by the time things are said and done, will have meant three or four “extra” months.
All along I’ve been patient and accepting of the various processes and all the mountains of paperwork. I’ve met with several other Ethiopian PAPs, read the blogs, followed some Ethiopia news, visited Ethiopian restaurants. All the stuff we PAPs are advised to do.
But enough already. C’mon, CIC!! Get your butts in gear and get those visas processed! We want to fly!!!
The Ethiopian court date, at which Poppet officially became my son, was on July 13, 2007. At that time, I was informed that it would take about 13 weeks for his Canadian immigration visa to be processed and arrive in Addis Ababa from Nairobi (which handles all visa matters for the horn of Africa).
Last Friday, 14 September, was week 9 – two months. So the visa could arrive in just another four weeks.
Or then again, it might not.
One key piece of paper is the medical form. An official immigration medical form must be sent from the Canadian consulate in Nairobi to the Canadian Embassy in Addis, where it is picked up by the agency’s in-country reps. Then Poppet is taken to an approved doctor for his medical check-up, the form returned to Nairobi, and final visa processing takes place. From the time the medical form is received in sent back to Nairobi until the visa arrives in Addis is estimated to be 3 weeks. Or 4. Or 6. Depending.
In any case, Poppet’s form hasn’t arrived in Addis yet. A couple of families with similar court dates received theirs at the end of the first week in September, but ours wasn’t in that batch. Last week, normal work days were interrupted by the Ethiopian millenium celebrations, so no diplomatic pouch was sent to Addis. (#$%@!) This week… we’ll see. (The pouch normally arrives on Fridays.)
It looks like my original expected timelines are about to start slipping. All along I’ve been aiming for October travel, and so far things have worked out just dandy for that to happen. Every other time when the agency quoted me a timeline, things ended up happening faster (as in, “you’ll get a referral in 2-3 months” and it came in 3 weeks). But now we’re in the hands of Canadian immigration, bless them. (Or not.)
A few families on the chat groups are at weeks 16+ of waiting. Some of these delays are owing to “significant demand for visas over the summer peak holiday season” – or so we have been informed.
I think it rankles in particular because in a few more months, this last phase of waiting won’t be required. The Canadian government passed legislation in spring doing away with the need for internationally adopted children to enter Canada on a permanent resident visa. But it will take a few more months for the legislation to take effect and the new procedures to be set (which will likely be a requirement for the parents to have applied for Canadian citizenship, or some such thing). So in the meantime, all us PAPs (prospective adoptive parents) have to work with the old procedures. Which, by the time things are said and done, will have meant three or four “extra” months.
All along I’ve been patient and accepting of the various processes and all the mountains of paperwork. I’ve met with several other Ethiopian PAPs, read the blogs, followed some Ethiopia news, visited Ethiopian restaurants. All the stuff we PAPs are advised to do.
But enough already. C’mon, CIC!! Get your butts in gear and get those visas processed! We want to fly!!!
Summer retrospective - #2: bugs (and other small creatures) (2007-09-17)
(Originally posted on 17 September 2007.)
This summer Laolao made a major investment in grandchild entertainment. She bought a butterfly net for $1.00. (Then, since it wouldn’t fit in any of our suitcases, she bought another one here in Ottawa!)
The butterfly net has produced endless hours of fun. And, frankly, not just fun, but learning about the natural world and the creatures that inhabit it. The monarch butterfly was a major target, with many trips to the woods to chase them, not all successful. For lack of monarchs, other butterflies that were in netting range have all fallen prey (temporarily) to the net.
One interesting thing about taking up this type of activity is that one starts to notice things one never noticed before. For example, different types of butterflies have different flight patterns. The monarch tends to fly high and swooping, making it quite challenging to catch. The small white cabbage butterfly flits here and there, low to the bushes but in what one thinks of as typical butterfly behaviour, changing direction repeatedly and quickly. Other butterflies are slower and not as prone to being startled, making them very easy to catch, even with one’s hands.
Another thing one begins to notice is the variety of butterflies that inhabit a given area. In one afternoon in the mountains, Giggles caught four different kinds of butterflies. I’ve lerned to identify the Clouded Sulphur, the White Admiral, the Cabbage White, and a couple of others.
Giggles is not content, however, catching just butterflies. Almost anything that moves is subject to catching, examination, and retention (until Mommy convinces her that the creature would really like to go free). So far this past summer, the following creatures have briefly taken up residence in an empty pickle jar or cookie jar:
This summer Laolao made a major investment in grandchild entertainment. She bought a butterfly net for $1.00. (Then, since it wouldn’t fit in any of our suitcases, she bought another one here in Ottawa!)
The butterfly net has produced endless hours of fun. And, frankly, not just fun, but learning about the natural world and the creatures that inhabit it. The monarch butterfly was a major target, with many trips to the woods to chase them, not all successful. For lack of monarchs, other butterflies that were in netting range have all fallen prey (temporarily) to the net.
One interesting thing about taking up this type of activity is that one starts to notice things one never noticed before. For example, different types of butterflies have different flight patterns. The monarch tends to fly high and swooping, making it quite challenging to catch. The small white cabbage butterfly flits here and there, low to the bushes but in what one thinks of as typical butterfly behaviour, changing direction repeatedly and quickly. Other butterflies are slower and not as prone to being startled, making them very easy to catch, even with one’s hands.
Another thing one begins to notice is the variety of butterflies that inhabit a given area. In one afternoon in the mountains, Giggles caught four different kinds of butterflies. I’ve lerned to identify the Clouded Sulphur, the White Admiral, the Cabbage White, and a couple of others.
Giggles is not content, however, catching just butterflies. Almost anything that moves is subject to catching, examination, and retention (until Mommy convinces her that the creature would really like to go free). So far this past summer, the following creatures have briefly taken up residence in an empty pickle jar or cookie jar:
- a large frog
- a Forest Tent caterpillar that turned into a brown moth
- a praying mantis (Discovery: of the 2000 or so varieties of praying mantises, only four are native to North America.)
- several Monarch butterflies
- a fuzzy green caterpillar that is currently in chrysalis form, found on a rhubarb leaf
- a Twelve-Spotted Skimmer dragonfly
Now, if she would only get over her aversion to spiders…
Summer retrospective - #1: animals, backyard naturalists (2007-09-17)
(Originally posted on 17 September 2007.)
Giggles loves animals. Stuffed animals, plastic animals, pictures of animals, and even real animals. So when we arrived back home from Alberta at the end of July, it was lovely to see our wonderful backyard garden had started to attract more and more animals, expecially birds. The sunflowers, that were about 1.5 metres (5’) tall when I left in mid-July, had blossomed upwards and reached over 2.5 metres (8’)! The potted hibiscus were flowering, the fuchsia was in full bloom, the dogwood had spread upwards, the morning glory were covering the trellis, the anise hyssop and dill and other herbs were gorgeously profuse. And the tomatoes and cucumbers were starting to produce in abundance.
At the bird feeder we regularly see chickadees, house sparrows, and gold finches. A few weeks ago Giggles saw a hummingbird at the fuchsia; since then we’ve all seen it (or them) at the fuchsia, the morning glory, and a hummingbird feeder that Laoye hung up. This past weekend Giggles and I spotted a bluejay. She and Laolao spotted a cowbird on the neighbour’s roof. And of course, there are the ubiquitous crows. (They tend to visit the garbage cans more than the bird feeder!) Although the red-winged blackbirds don’t visit the bird feeder, we see and hear them down by the pond.
We hope to keep the birds coming to the feeder all fall and winter. It’s out at the edge of our deck and we have a good view of it from our dining room table where we take all our meals. With her sharp eyes, Giggles can easily identify the birds from the table, but my fuzzy vision means I can only tell that they’re birds! But now I’ve put a pair of binoculars close by so I can see them in detail and help to identify birds we’re not yet familiar with. Giggles isn’t satisfied knowing that they’re birds; she wants to know what kind of bird! So I’m learning more myself…
Giggles loves animals. Stuffed animals, plastic animals, pictures of animals, and even real animals. So when we arrived back home from Alberta at the end of July, it was lovely to see our wonderful backyard garden had started to attract more and more animals, expecially birds. The sunflowers, that were about 1.5 metres (5’) tall when I left in mid-July, had blossomed upwards and reached over 2.5 metres (8’)! The potted hibiscus were flowering, the fuchsia was in full bloom, the dogwood had spread upwards, the morning glory were covering the trellis, the anise hyssop and dill and other herbs were gorgeously profuse. And the tomatoes and cucumbers were starting to produce in abundance.
At the bird feeder we regularly see chickadees, house sparrows, and gold finches. A few weeks ago Giggles saw a hummingbird at the fuchsia; since then we’ve all seen it (or them) at the fuchsia, the morning glory, and a hummingbird feeder that Laoye hung up. This past weekend Giggles and I spotted a bluejay. She and Laolao spotted a cowbird on the neighbour’s roof. And of course, there are the ubiquitous crows. (They tend to visit the garbage cans more than the bird feeder!) Although the red-winged blackbirds don’t visit the bird feeder, we see and hear them down by the pond.
We hope to keep the birds coming to the feeder all fall and winter. It’s out at the edge of our deck and we have a good view of it from our dining room table where we take all our meals. With her sharp eyes, Giggles can easily identify the birds from the table, but my fuzzy vision means I can only tell that they’re birds! But now I’ve put a pair of binoculars close by so I can see them in detail and help to identify birds we’re not yet familiar with. Giggles isn’t satisfied knowing that they’re birds; she wants to know what kind of bird! So I’m learning more myself…
The homework dilemma (2007-09-10)
(Originally posted on 10 September 2007.)
I recently read a post on another blog about a book called Guerilla Learning: How to Give Your Kids a Real Education With or Without School, and I immediately ordered it at the library. I picked it up last Saturday and read the first section that night, which discusses what’s wrong with the education system. I’m eager to get to the following sections, which deal with what we as parents can do to help our kids learn despite the school system, and how to engage their interests.
This is something that has niggled at my mind for the past year and more. Giggles started off Grade 1 last year happy and eager to learn, and she loved her teacher. By the end of the year, while she still loved her teacher, she was no longer eager and complained virtually every morning bout having to go to school. Homework was a battleground virtually all year. The focus was on learning to read, and while she IS capable and bright, she has struggled with learning to read (and with basic math skills – she’s good in some areas of math, but lousy in others). A year later, she still struggles, though she's made TONS of progress with reading, owing in large part to plenty of persistence by Mama’s to get her to just plain practice reading, and lots of incentives and prizes for every little step.
On the other hand, she got good marks in science, social studies, health/phys ed, and art – reflections of her interest in the world, in learning things, and creative personality. I don’t want these areas of interest (and the concomitant good marks) to end up being dragged down by struggles in the “core” areas of reading and math, which may happen down the road if nothing changes.
So my concern is that I see a child who LOVES to learn and to discover things., but who is not being served to the best of her possibilities by the education system, through no fault of its (or her) own. The system has rules and structures and requirements, and just doesn’t have the flexibility to be able to take her interests and use them as a springboard to learning. And it uses certain methods of learning that may work just fine for some kids, but don’t seem to work well for Giggles. The exercise books and worksheets that come home don't seem to have that much effect – she ends up being able to complete the exercises fairly well, but not much of it seems to “stick.” It hasn’t translated into MEANING or significance. She NEEDS to learn this stuff in a meaningful context. And she has tons of interests, which could – if give half a chance – provide a great context for learning everything she needs to learn. But the school doesn’t do that. It can’t.
Since I’m single-parenting, I can’t home school (well, I know some single parents who manage to do it, but it doesn’t work with my job situation!). I want to find a way to engage her interests in a way that supports her LEARNING as opposed to meeting the school requirements. Last year my focus was on activities that tended to mirror the school methods, and they weren’t all that helpful either. So I want to try a new tack. Since I’ll be off work most of the school year (once Poppet comes home), I hope I’ll have more chance to do so.
My own school experience was generally positive – I was a very good student and nobody (except perhaps myself) ever put pressure on me to perform– but on the other hand, I often found school insufficiently challenging. I was one of those who managed to get very good marks without necessarily needing to put out a lot of effort. (Thankfully, I don’t think that had a major effect on my work ethic!) But I often dreamed of being in a situation where I would be able to do more interesting work.
Giggles may not be academically inclined, the way I was, but she still has immense aptitude for learning and discovery. I want to feed that appetite in whatever way I can.
I recently read a post on another blog about a book called Guerilla Learning: How to Give Your Kids a Real Education With or Without School, and I immediately ordered it at the library. I picked it up last Saturday and read the first section that night, which discusses what’s wrong with the education system. I’m eager to get to the following sections, which deal with what we as parents can do to help our kids learn despite the school system, and how to engage their interests.
This is something that has niggled at my mind for the past year and more. Giggles started off Grade 1 last year happy and eager to learn, and she loved her teacher. By the end of the year, while she still loved her teacher, she was no longer eager and complained virtually every morning bout having to go to school. Homework was a battleground virtually all year. The focus was on learning to read, and while she IS capable and bright, she has struggled with learning to read (and with basic math skills – she’s good in some areas of math, but lousy in others). A year later, she still struggles, though she's made TONS of progress with reading, owing in large part to plenty of persistence by Mama’s to get her to just plain practice reading, and lots of incentives and prizes for every little step.
On the other hand, she got good marks in science, social studies, health/phys ed, and art – reflections of her interest in the world, in learning things, and creative personality. I don’t want these areas of interest (and the concomitant good marks) to end up being dragged down by struggles in the “core” areas of reading and math, which may happen down the road if nothing changes.
So my concern is that I see a child who LOVES to learn and to discover things., but who is not being served to the best of her possibilities by the education system, through no fault of its (or her) own. The system has rules and structures and requirements, and just doesn’t have the flexibility to be able to take her interests and use them as a springboard to learning. And it uses certain methods of learning that may work just fine for some kids, but don’t seem to work well for Giggles. The exercise books and worksheets that come home don't seem to have that much effect – she ends up being able to complete the exercises fairly well, but not much of it seems to “stick.” It hasn’t translated into MEANING or significance. She NEEDS to learn this stuff in a meaningful context. And she has tons of interests, which could – if give half a chance – provide a great context for learning everything she needs to learn. But the school doesn’t do that. It can’t.
Since I’m single-parenting, I can’t home school (well, I know some single parents who manage to do it, but it doesn’t work with my job situation!). I want to find a way to engage her interests in a way that supports her LEARNING as opposed to meeting the school requirements. Last year my focus was on activities that tended to mirror the school methods, and they weren’t all that helpful either. So I want to try a new tack. Since I’ll be off work most of the school year (once Poppet comes home), I hope I’ll have more chance to do so.
My own school experience was generally positive – I was a very good student and nobody (except perhaps myself) ever put pressure on me to perform– but on the other hand, I often found school insufficiently challenging. I was one of those who managed to get very good marks without necessarily needing to put out a lot of effort. (Thankfully, I don’t think that had a major effect on my work ethic!) But I often dreamed of being in a situation where I would be able to do more interesting work.
Giggles may not be academically inclined, the way I was, but she still has immense aptitude for learning and discovery. I want to feed that appetite in whatever way I can.
Hello Calico! (2007-08-30)
(Originally posted on 30 August 2007.)
Every day this summer, Giggles has been doing some reading to keep up and develop her skills so she's ready for Grade 2. At the beginning of summer I drew up a chart indicating periodic rewards - stickers every 9th line, and larger rewards after every 50 lines.
To fill in one line at the beginning of summer required her to read one simple story. As time progressed and she got better at it, the requirements have become increasingly demanding, so that for the past three weeks it's been 15 to 20 minutes of reading for every line. And whereas at the beginning of summer, one simple 16-page book with about 4-6 words per page would take her 10 minutes to work through, by now she's getting through those in two minutes and reading the longer, more challeging level 2 "Ready to Read" books in about 8-10 minutes.
Yesterday she even picked up one of her regular picture books "to see if I could read it" - and she was very excited to see that she could read a lot of the words!! She came running and demanded to read it to me right away. So we read it more or less together, with me cueing her for the harder words (and some of the easier words too, to keep her motivation up). Today she reread most of it for Laolao, as well as one of her other picture books (which are essentially graded readers, too, but a somewhat more advanced level than she's been reading up to now).
I am VERY pleased to see her gaining confidence and tackling harder books. But she had to come to it herself. If I had suggested she read Bambi there would have been major dissent, complaining and general refusal (as there is most every time I suggest she try a more challenging book). But seeing as it was her idea, she was gung-ho!
All that to say that today she came to the last line in the chart (which means she's read on average three times a day, six days a week, for the past nine weeks). The grand prize at the end of it all was - A GUINEA PIG!!!!!
She was so excited last night she had trouble going to sleep and woke repeatedly during the night. Today after I got home from work, we went to the pet store and bought a 6-week old female Abyssinean guinea pig, whom we have named Calico for her colouring. She's a pretty black, white, and brown-gold coulour. For now we have a makeshift cage made out of a large cardboard box. We'll buy or devise something more proper in the coming days.
Every day this summer, Giggles has been doing some reading to keep up and develop her skills so she's ready for Grade 2. At the beginning of summer I drew up a chart indicating periodic rewards - stickers every 9th line, and larger rewards after every 50 lines.
To fill in one line at the beginning of summer required her to read one simple story. As time progressed and she got better at it, the requirements have become increasingly demanding, so that for the past three weeks it's been 15 to 20 minutes of reading for every line. And whereas at the beginning of summer, one simple 16-page book with about 4-6 words per page would take her 10 minutes to work through, by now she's getting through those in two minutes and reading the longer, more challeging level 2 "Ready to Read" books in about 8-10 minutes.
Yesterday she even picked up one of her regular picture books "to see if I could read it" - and she was very excited to see that she could read a lot of the words!! She came running and demanded to read it to me right away. So we read it more or less together, with me cueing her for the harder words (and some of the easier words too, to keep her motivation up). Today she reread most of it for Laolao, as well as one of her other picture books (which are essentially graded readers, too, but a somewhat more advanced level than she's been reading up to now).
I am VERY pleased to see her gaining confidence and tackling harder books. But she had to come to it herself. If I had suggested she read Bambi there would have been major dissent, complaining and general refusal (as there is most every time I suggest she try a more challenging book). But seeing as it was her idea, she was gung-ho!
All that to say that today she came to the last line in the chart (which means she's read on average three times a day, six days a week, for the past nine weeks). The grand prize at the end of it all was - A GUINEA PIG!!!!!
She was so excited last night she had trouble going to sleep and woke repeatedly during the night. Today after I got home from work, we went to the pet store and bought a 6-week old female Abyssinean guinea pig, whom we have named Calico for her colouring. She's a pretty black, white, and brown-gold coulour. For now we have a makeshift cage made out of a large cardboard box. We'll buy or devise something more proper in the coming days.
Farewell Tinuviel, faithful feline... (2007-08-27)
(Originally posted on 27 August 2007.)
In loving memory of Tinuviel
- born around 14 May 1988
- adopted 7 January 1989
- died 27 August 2007,
age 19 years, 3 months, 2 weeks
Tinuviel was a faithful friend and companion, who loved snuggling up on my lap while I read a good book. In her youth, she loved to climb and hunt. She once caught a squirrel half her size, by sneaking up on it while it was busy annoying a different cat. I tried to keep the birds away, but was quite happy to find half-eaten mouse carcasses in my basement when I lived on the prairies in the mid-1990s.
When Tinuviel first came to live with me, she was quite a nervous cat and didn't like to go outside or to have visitors, especially children. If even one visitor came, she would crawl under the covrs of the bed and hide, certain she could not be seen. So she was rudely surprised once when an unsuspecting visitor made to smooth our the lump in the blanket, and saw a disgruntled cat emerge instead.
In the Clover Street house, she would hide in the kitchen cupboards among the pots and pans. Once when Little D (age 3) came to visit, she took up her hiding spot. I heard her rustling in the cupboard and told Little D there was a ghost in the cupboard. He heard the noise, too, and cautiously opened the door to see if it were really a ghost, only to jump back, startled, when Tinuviel sprang out past him and ran away! We both enjoyed a good laugh.
As she aged, she mellowed, and soon she was happy to investigate the visitors, though she still made herself scarce when they were too small. But no matter what, if she was outside and I called or whistled, she would come zooming back to greet me.
Tinuviel had been showing her age the past two years. She had arthritis in her back legs and was no longer able to jump and run the way she used to. She spent more and more time just sleeping. When Giggles joined the family, she found there was less and less time to snuggle in my lap, as my evenings spent reading in the chair were few and far between. And with Giggles spending so many nights in my bed, her position of favour was usurped there, too. But she djusted well enough, and was quite patient with Giggles when she took kitty for "walks" and snuggled her.
In the past ten days her condition deteriorated noticeably. Her hindquarters were almost not functioning, and she walked very unsteadily, almost sideways at times. She was barely eating or drinking, just lapping up a bit of water. Her weight had already dropped significantly, and by now she was little more than skin and bones. I was sure she wouldn't last more than a day or two, so Giggles and I laid out my soft sheepskin for her to sleep on and put her water dish close by so she would be comfortable. But she hung on much longer than I expected, even climbing the stairs a few times and into our bed at night.
I found her lifeless body in the back hallway when I returned from work this afternoon. Laolao and Giggles had gone off to run errands and for Giggles' swimming lesson. Before they left, Giggles commented that Tinuviel looked like she was praying - her front paws were folded together as she napped. Laolao said, "Maybe she's asking God to take her home to kitty heaven." And he did. When I found her, she was lying in one of her favourite places, over the air vent in the back hall - a good place to keep cool on a hot summer day. As sson as I saw her I seemed to know she was gone. I said her name, but there was no response. I leaned down and touched her, and she was already a bit stiff. So I laid her body on the soft sheepskin and went upstairs to the sewing room. There I found a piece of white cloth and sewed two strips together to make a gravecloth for her. I found a small box, placed the cloth in it, curled her body up inside the box, and folded the cloth over her.
After supper our good friend M came over and we all headed into the small woods close to our house. Laoye found a secluded spot just off a side path and dug a deep hole. We placed her in her coffin box in the hole, said a few words, and covered her up. Over the dirt we placed a few large rocks and branches, to help keep the fox and any other scavengers out. And then we walked home. On the way home I saw a rabbit bound from the path into the woods, and over the houses the full moon shone brightly in the sky, as if to say, "I'm looking down on you from on high!"
It is a sad day, but also a peaceful one. Tinuviel had a long and happy life with people she loved, and now her pains are over.
May she rest in peace.
Summer pix (2007-08-27)
(Originally posted on 27 August 2007.)
Before she left for Alberta, I gave Giggles a single-use camera. She filled that one up with rodeo pictures (to come, once I either scan or get put on cd…). Then Laolao gave her two more, which she used during the rest of her stay. Once I arrived I took a few pictures on her camera, too. (One of the nice things about these cameras is that they’re very wide angle, so good for mountain or landscape pictures when you want the whole scene. I’ve actually found, when I travel, that I like to have one along for that purpose, and use my good camera for the more focused scenes and when I want to take close-ups, since it has a bit of a zoom. It’s a decent way of managing different photo types without having to carry lots of heavy camera equipment!)
So here is a selection of shots taken by Giggles during the holiday. Actually, Laolao and I took a few of these. Let’s see if you can match the captions to the pictures!
(1) Humph, nobody will play with me.
(2) Betcha I’ll reach the moon before you do!
(3) It’s a dog’s breakfast…
(4) Marshmallows? Did somebody say marshmallows?!?
(5) Quick, catch that dragonfly!
(6) Long, long ago, and far, far away…
(7) Dearly beloved, we are gathered here together…
(8) Watch out, the fox is coming! (Now I can make my getaway…)
(9) Who are these goofs, anyhow?
(10) Yikes, it got me!
(11) Moonbeam, meet Midnight. Midnight, meet Sapphire, Sapphire, meet SaddleBlack and Blondie. SaddleBlack and Blondie, meet Kicksy. Kicksy, meet Mossy. Mossy, meet Amethyst (she’s Sapphire’s mommy). Amethyst, meet Snow Buffy. Snow Buffy, meet Sally and Sis. Sally and Sis, meet Moonbeam. Okay everybody met everybody? Let’s PLAY!
Before she left for Alberta, I gave Giggles a single-use camera. She filled that one up with rodeo pictures (to come, once I either scan or get put on cd…). Then Laolao gave her two more, which she used during the rest of her stay. Once I arrived I took a few pictures on her camera, too. (One of the nice things about these cameras is that they’re very wide angle, so good for mountain or landscape pictures when you want the whole scene. I’ve actually found, when I travel, that I like to have one along for that purpose, and use my good camera for the more focused scenes and when I want to take close-ups, since it has a bit of a zoom. It’s a decent way of managing different photo types without having to carry lots of heavy camera equipment!)
So here is a selection of shots taken by Giggles during the holiday. Actually, Laolao and I took a few of these. Let’s see if you can match the captions to the pictures!
(1) Humph, nobody will play with me.
(2) Betcha I’ll reach the moon before you do!
(3) It’s a dog’s breakfast…
(4) Marshmallows? Did somebody say marshmallows?!?
(5) Quick, catch that dragonfly!
(6) Long, long ago, and far, far away…
(7) Dearly beloved, we are gathered here together…
(8) Watch out, the fox is coming! (Now I can make my getaway…)
(9) Who are these goofs, anyhow?
(10) Yikes, it got me!
(11) Moonbeam, meet Midnight. Midnight, meet Sapphire, Sapphire, meet SaddleBlack and Blondie. SaddleBlack and Blondie, meet Kicksy. Kicksy, meet Mossy. Mossy, meet Amethyst (she’s Sapphire’s mommy). Amethyst, meet Snow Buffy. Snow Buffy, meet Sally and Sis. Sally and Sis, meet Moonbeam. Okay everybody met everybody? Let’s PLAY!
More pix... (2007-08-25)
(Originally posted on 25 August 2007)
Well, so much for blogging in the summer... I still want to post about summer holidays, but it's been very busy since we got back from Alberta.
But in the last two weeks I have gotten a few new pictures of Poppet. First I received the "regular update" at 4 weeks after court date.
So it's official. He has a bum, legs, and toes!
Well, so much for blogging in the summer... I still want to post about summer holidays, but it's been very busy since we got back from Alberta.
But in the last two weeks I have gotten a few new pictures of Poppet. First I received the "regular update" at 4 weeks after court date.
Beautiful, eh? But another "mug shot." So I contacted the agency, thanked them for the update, and commented that I still haven't seen his legs or feet (or anything below chest for that matter). If at all possible it would be nice, I added, to have at least one photo showing ALL of him before I get to Addis.
Less than a week later, I received these:
So it's official. He has a bum, legs, and toes!
Mom of two (2007-07-30)
(Originally posted on 30 July 2007)
Upon returning from holidays in Alberta, I found an e-mail waiting for me indicating that the court date in Ethiopia had proceeded successfully.
This means I am now officially Poppet's mother!
It will be another three months, roughly, before I will meet him in person and take over the job for which I am now officially qualified... That time will be used, on the Ethiopian end, to obtain his passport and complete immigration proceedings for his coming to Canada. (In another four to six months, the immigration process will no longer be necessary, as Parliament recently passed Bill C14, which will treat adopted children more like birth children, in not requiring their parents to sponsor them for immigration. Apparently some sort of process will be put in place so the government can satisfy itself that this is a real, legitimate adoption, and not something entered into for the mere purpose of bringing someone to Canada - an "adoption of convenience?" - but it should not be as onerous as a full immigration sponsorship process. Once the government is satisfied tha the adoption is legit, the child will be recognized as a Canadian citizen.)
On the Canadian end, I'll have to review the clothing and toy situation, get yellow fever vaccinations, obtain passports for all of us to travel to Ethiopia, do a bit more investigation into possible travel inside Ethiopia (to see some of his country of birth), and wait for news that Poppet's immigration visa has arrived in Addis Ababa, at which time I'll be able to book tickets. So we're looking at around mid- to late October for travel. Which is very much what I was hoping for all along!
Also on the Canadian front, it seems I'll likely be starting another new job in September. In mid-June, as a result of one of several job competitions I had applied for earlier in the year, I moved into a new job with a different branch of the Department of Canadian Heritage. It was a promotion, but only on an "acting" basis for 11 months, at which point I would have had to return to my original job (unless I found something different). Well, just before going on holidays, I was informed that I was in two separate "pools" for two other job competitions I'd been in. (The practice these days is to assess candidates agains the job criteria, and successful candidates are placed into a "pool," which remains valid for up to a year. There are more "fully assessed" candidates in the pool than there are jobs. That way, if more job openings at that level come up, with similar job criteria as those for which the competition was held, managers can staff out of the pool rather than running a new competition. This is supposed to make it faster to staff some positions, as well as reducing costs for holidng competitions. But the people in the pool may not actually be offered a position right away.) Both the pools I am in are at a higher level than either my "substantive" job or my acting position.
Upon returning to work, I found a letter of offer for one of the positions (which I was fairly sure I would get). If I accept - which I will do unless a better offer comes along - I'll start that new job at the begiinning of September and have about 6 weeks in it before heading off on parental leave!
Stay tuned for holiday updates and pictures...
Upon returning from holidays in Alberta, I found an e-mail waiting for me indicating that the court date in Ethiopia had proceeded successfully.
This means I am now officially Poppet's mother!
It will be another three months, roughly, before I will meet him in person and take over the job for which I am now officially qualified... That time will be used, on the Ethiopian end, to obtain his passport and complete immigration proceedings for his coming to Canada. (In another four to six months, the immigration process will no longer be necessary, as Parliament recently passed Bill C14, which will treat adopted children more like birth children, in not requiring their parents to sponsor them for immigration. Apparently some sort of process will be put in place so the government can satisfy itself that this is a real, legitimate adoption, and not something entered into for the mere purpose of bringing someone to Canada - an "adoption of convenience?" - but it should not be as onerous as a full immigration sponsorship process. Once the government is satisfied tha the adoption is legit, the child will be recognized as a Canadian citizen.)
On the Canadian end, I'll have to review the clothing and toy situation, get yellow fever vaccinations, obtain passports for all of us to travel to Ethiopia, do a bit more investigation into possible travel inside Ethiopia (to see some of his country of birth), and wait for news that Poppet's immigration visa has arrived in Addis Ababa, at which time I'll be able to book tickets. So we're looking at around mid- to late October for travel. Which is very much what I was hoping for all along!
Also on the Canadian front, it seems I'll likely be starting another new job in September. In mid-June, as a result of one of several job competitions I had applied for earlier in the year, I moved into a new job with a different branch of the Department of Canadian Heritage. It was a promotion, but only on an "acting" basis for 11 months, at which point I would have had to return to my original job (unless I found something different). Well, just before going on holidays, I was informed that I was in two separate "pools" for two other job competitions I'd been in. (The practice these days is to assess candidates agains the job criteria, and successful candidates are placed into a "pool," which remains valid for up to a year. There are more "fully assessed" candidates in the pool than there are jobs. That way, if more job openings at that level come up, with similar job criteria as those for which the competition was held, managers can staff out of the pool rather than running a new competition. This is supposed to make it faster to staff some positions, as well as reducing costs for holidng competitions. But the people in the pool may not actually be offered a position right away.) Both the pools I am in are at a higher level than either my "substantive" job or my acting position.
Upon returning to work, I found a letter of offer for one of the positions (which I was fairly sure I would get). If I accept - which I will do unless a better offer comes along - I'll start that new job at the begiinning of September and have about 6 weeks in it before heading off on parental leave!
Stay tuned for holiday updates and pictures...
One more sleep (2007-07-11)
(Originally posted on 11 July 2007)
Tomorrow at this time I will be in the air between home and Alberta! If my flight isn't late (the way Giggles' was) I'll be half-way there.
I can hardly wait to see Giggles again, and her new stuffies, and her new pink cowboy boots! She's seen a fair bit of her Chinese cousin (well, technically my cousin, but A is a lot closer in age to Giggles than to me!). Every day we talk on the phone and we always end off with "I love you!"
Got to get through the whole day at work tomorrow, then come home, pick up my bags, grab a bite, and head to the airport.
So, how did I make out with the to-do list? Let's see...
Tomorrow at this time I will be in the air between home and Alberta! If my flight isn't late (the way Giggles' was) I'll be half-way there.
I can hardly wait to see Giggles again, and her new stuffies, and her new pink cowboy boots! She's seen a fair bit of her Chinese cousin (well, technically my cousin, but A is a lot closer in age to Giggles than to me!). Every day we talk on the phone and we always end off with "I love you!"
Got to get through the whole day at work tomorrow, then come home, pick up my bags, grab a bite, and head to the airport.
So, how did I make out with the to-do list? Let's see...
- make summer skirt for self - nope
- finish Summer 2006 Holiday scrapbook - yes!!
- start daughter’s lifebook - yes!!
- (start to) learn Amharic - nope
- work on front garden - yes!!
Hey, three out of five ain't bad.
Of course, there's still more work to do on the front garden - but my goal was to start, not finish. After all, the garden is a work in progress, right? (See post: A Gardener's Garden) Ditto with the lifebook. I've made a decent start; now that I've done so, it might be easier to keep going.
This blog will probably be quiet for the next two weeks. We'll be on the road until about the 24th, and likely not too close to a computer. So you can all take a break. Come back at the end of July and read all about our summer adventures! (well, okay, if I get to it that quickly...)
Ethiopia photo update - part 2 (2007-07-11)
(Originally posted on 11 July 2007)
And here's another pic, from the agency (they couldn't send them all in one batch as the file size was too big!)
Poppet is on the left, with a friend.
And here's another pic, from the agency (they couldn't send them all in one batch as the file size was too big!)
Poppet is on the left, with a friend.
Ethiopia photo update (2007-07-10)
(Originally posted on 10 July 2007.)
Today I received another picture of Poppet, taken when the adoption agency director was in Addis Ababa at the beginning of June. In this picture he is holding the items from the gift package I sent him: a small blanket, a single-use camera (which I hope he uses to take pictures of his friends, nannies, room, etc, as well as himself!) and, hiding behind everything else, a teddy bear (that Giggles picked out). I also sent a photo album with 24 pictures of the family, which might be what is clutched in his left hand.
Today I received another picture of Poppet, taken when the adoption agency director was in Addis Ababa at the beginning of June. In this picture he is holding the items from the gift package I sent him: a small blanket, a single-use camera (which I hope he uses to take pictures of his friends, nannies, room, etc, as well as himself!) and, hiding behind everything else, a teddy bear (that Giggles picked out). I also sent a photo album with 24 pictures of the family, which might be what is clutched in his left hand.
Finally! (2007-07-06)
(Originally posted on 6 July 2007.)
I remembered to brush my teeth after breakfast this morning.
And still got to work (sitting down at my desk with computer turned on) by 7:25. Amazing how fast I can get to work when there are hardly any cars on the road!
I remembered to brush my teeth after breakfast this morning.
And still got to work (sitting down at my desk with computer turned on) by 7:25. Amazing how fast I can get to work when there are hardly any cars on the road!
Things Moms do (2007-07-05)
(Originally posted on 5 July 2007.)
Things Moms put on their to-do list for when daughter is visiting grandparents and they have “tons of time” on their hands:
Things Moms put on their to-do list for when daughter is visiting grandparents and they have “tons of time” on their hands:
- make summer skirt for self (to replace the summer skirt my mom made when I was 15 and which is starting to look shabby, not to mention has lost all elasticity in the waist…)
- finish Summer 2006 Holiday scrapbook
- start daughter’s lifebook
- (start to) learn Amharic
- work on front garden
Things Moms actually do while daughter is away:
- go see a documentary animal movie at a real movie theatre (and think how much Giggles would enjoy seeing the animals)
- clear all the end-of-school stuff off the dining room table, recycle some and put some away for “future reference” (aka embarrass daughter with when she’s 15)
- write blog posts featuring daughter’s escapades
- wander around the house wondering what to do
- tidy up daughter's desk
- spend half an hour listening to daughter on phone tell how much fun she had at the stampede and that she bought new pink cowboy boots!
- listen to the radio
- prepare jiaozi (dumplings) and put in freezer so when daughter returns she can gobble them up in two sittings (or three if I’m lucky)
- read until 11:00 pm
- try to sleep in but get woken by the cat at 5:30
- weed the garden
- work on the Summer 2006 Holiday scrapbook I started last fall, featuring lots of photos of daughter
- go for a leisurely shopping trip at Canadian tire and spend half the time buying stuff for daughter (while happy she’s not there to say “Mom, can I have this? Mom, can I have that?”)
- listen to daughter on phone tell she has two new stuffies – two dogs named Sally and Sis (and Sis is flat like a pillow and she can sleep on her), and have a chat with Sally and Sis
- visit friends’ house while they’re on holidays, water plants, feed fish, and wish daughter were here so we could have a swim together in friends’ backyard pool
- read until midnight
- try to sleep in but get woken by the cat at 5:15
- prune the dogwood
- defrost the freezer and discover a half-dozen items prepared early in 2005, before travelling to China, for fast meal preparation in the post-adoption haze
- listen to daughter talk on the phone for 20 minutes about all the fun she had at the zoo with Laolao and Laoye
- make wontons and put in freezer so daughter can enjoy wonton soup when she’s back home
- pay bills
- eat (some of) the food from 2005
- read until 1:00 am
- try to sleep in but get woken by the cat at 4:55
- start removing the spirea from the front garden (which needed work last summer but I never got to it)
- think about making daughter a “heritage dress” to go with her new pink cowboy boots
- reconcile bank records for last three months
- forget to brush teeth after breakfast (EVERY day!)
- read until 11:00 pm
- close bedroom door when going to bed so cat won’t wake me
- keep counting down the days (“Mommy, I wish you were already here.” “Only seven more sleeps until I come, Giggles.”)
Well, two “starts” out of 5 things on the list ain’t so bad, is it? (Might make it to three “starts” before the last seven sleeps have passed… and who knows, might even finish off one of those “starts”…)
Anybody out there? (2007-07-01)
(Originally posted on 1 July 2007.)
Hello dear presumed readers...
I say "presumed" because, for all I know, this is simply an online diary that I'll show Giggles (and Poppet) one day, or use as source material to work on scrapbooks, or some such thing...
But it would be nice to know if anyone is actually reading this thing. Other than a couple of "congrats" when I posted about my referral for Poppet, I've had just one comment.
(Note: Dear commenter - I am very glad you commented, but seeing as you did so "anonymously" and didn't leave any identifying information other than "my dad gave me this address" - which isn't that identifying, as most people have dads... - I have no clue who you are...)
So, I would dearly appreciate it if anybody reading this blog would leave a comment at least once, so I can get some sense of who's out there. And when you do so, please provide me with some identifying info. Since I'm not using real names on this blog, I'd ask you to do the same, but you can use your initials and/or provide some other info that will help me to figure out who you are.
Deal?
Hello dear presumed readers...
I say "presumed" because, for all I know, this is simply an online diary that I'll show Giggles (and Poppet) one day, or use as source material to work on scrapbooks, or some such thing...
But it would be nice to know if anyone is actually reading this thing. Other than a couple of "congrats" when I posted about my referral for Poppet, I've had just one comment.
(Note: Dear commenter - I am very glad you commented, but seeing as you did so "anonymously" and didn't leave any identifying information other than "my dad gave me this address" - which isn't that identifying, as most people have dads... - I have no clue who you are...)
So, I would dearly appreciate it if anybody reading this blog would leave a comment at least once, so I can get some sense of who's out there. And when you do so, please provide me with some identifying info. Since I'm not using real names on this blog, I'd ask you to do the same, but you can use your initials and/or provide some other info that will help me to figure out who you are.
Deal?
Of cat walks and other creatures (2007-07-01)
(Originally posted on 1 July 2007.)
As I mentioned previously, Giggles has taken to taking the cat for "walks." Here are some pix of a recent "walk" to the park taken by Giggles, Tinu and me.
As I mentioned previously, Giggles has taken to taking the cat for "walks." Here are some pix of a recent "walk" to the park taken by Giggles, Tinu and me.
Giggles and Tinu on the park bench.
Tinu and I enjoy a rest on the park bench.
Tinu among the bushes.
Gigles with a neighbour lady and her two dogs that we met in the park.
Giggles has been very keen for some time to have her own pet. I have told her often that we won't get another cat (or dog) until Tinu has died. (Tinu is 19, and showing her age - though still getting around okay - so she could drop dead any moment or, on the other hand, live another 2-3 years...) For about a week before leaving for Alberta, Giggles was very keen to show she was "'sponsible" and cleaned the cat box every day (with some assistance from Mommy). This has been one of my mantras - you can't have a pet until you can show me you're responsible enough to look after it.
On the other hand, sometimes the best way to build responsibility is to have something important to be responsible for. So I've promised that, at the end of the summer - or as soon as she fills in her entire summer "reading/homework log/' which will probably take all summer - I will get Giggles a guinea pig or a hamster. We'll start with something small that has a relatively short life span and see how it goes...
17 October 2007
Other activities (2007-07-01)
(Originally posted on 1 July 2007.)
Here are a few pix from other June activities:
(3), (4) and (5) The Reptile Man giving a show at the local Dragon Boat festival. We didn't actually spend much time watching the dragon boats, rather played on the beach and watched the animal show. And then it was time to go home already.
Here are a few pix from other June activities:
(1) and (2) Mr. Cars, J., and Giggles at the children's hour potluck lunch at church two Sundays ago (17 June).
(3), (4) and (5) The Reptile Man giving a show at the local Dragon Boat festival. We didn't actually spend much time watching the dragon boats, rather played on the beach and watched the animal show. And then it was time to go home already.
Reptile Man with lizard.
Reptile Man with young caiman.
Reptile Man with rock python.
Heat wave (2007-07-01)
(Originally posted on 1 July 2007.)
So far this June has had a pretty mixed-up bag of weather. We've had two heat waves interspersed with two periods of fairly cool weather. I like to avoid turning on the air conditioning if at all possible, so when it gets really really hot Giggles and I often camp out in the basement. I have a spare twin bed in the rec room, set up my camp cot beside it, and we bring down our blankets and pillows and the herd of horses and have good sleeps in the cool air downstairs.
As long the rest of the house is bearable enough that we can function for other activities and get a good night's sleep downstairs, this is my preferred mode of action. Usually that means as long as the inside temperature stays below 29 degrees (C), we're okay. The one drawback is that the camp cot is a bit lower than the twin bed, so Giggles can't snuggle right up to me. Most of the time that doesn't matter, but the night before she flew out west she wanted "full body contact" so we slept upstairs, in the heat. Which of course meant "full body contact" wasn't really an option, as we were both too hot to put up with the others' body heat!!! But she still wanted Mommy right beside her.
So far this June has had a pretty mixed-up bag of weather. We've had two heat waves interspersed with two periods of fairly cool weather. I like to avoid turning on the air conditioning if at all possible, so when it gets really really hot Giggles and I often camp out in the basement. I have a spare twin bed in the rec room, set up my camp cot beside it, and we bring down our blankets and pillows and the herd of horses and have good sleeps in the cool air downstairs.
(1) Giggles, the horses and I at our basement "campsite."
(2) The horses snuggle together on Giggles' camp bed.
(3) Giggles doing some art beside her camp cot.
As long the rest of the house is bearable enough that we can function for other activities and get a good night's sleep downstairs, this is my preferred mode of action. Usually that means as long as the inside temperature stays below 29 degrees (C), we're okay. The one drawback is that the camp cot is a bit lower than the twin bed, so Giggles can't snuggle right up to me. Most of the time that doesn't matter, but the night before she flew out west she wanted "full body contact" so we slept upstairs, in the heat. Which of course meant "full body contact" wasn't really an option, as we were both too hot to put up with the others' body heat!!! But she still wanted Mommy right beside her.
All by myself (2007-06-27)
(Originally published on Wednesday, 27 June 2007.)
On Wednesday evening, Giggles flew off on her own out west to visit her Laolao and Laoye for two whole weeks, at which point I’ll fly out to join them. She was “happy and ‘cited and a bit scared” as we drove into the airport parking lot and I unloaded her bags from the car. She had a backpack and a small roller suitcase, so as not to have any checked luggage since the flight would be late arriving and I didn’t want them to have to stand around waiting for luggage. Plus her stuffed horse, Moonbeam (the latest addition to the herd), for snuggling on the flight. (Saddle Black and Chocolate Socks were napping in the suitcase. They'll come out once she gets there.)
Giggles with her luggage and Moombeam, standing behind the car in the airport parkade.
We waited for a good 45 minutes in the “self-service assistance” line while one of the agents spent a copious amount of time chatting (it seemed) with a customer who didn’t seem to recognize that her loquaciousness was causing delays for everyone else in line. Thankfully, the people ahead of us were travelling with a small dog, which was in a soft-sided case where we could watch it. At one point the girl of the family opened the case and we even got to pet Bubbles. That provided some distraction.
Once we reached the check-in counter, I was given a yellow “escort card” to enable me to go through security and wait at the gate with Giggles. As soon as we got there, I knew we were in for delays, as it was but half an hour before the scheduled departure and the gate info said “Toronto.” The plane to Alberta was coming in from the east, and we were told it was still on its way. Finally the Toronto flight left, Giggles’ plane arrived and the gate info was updated. But the agent said he thought it would be late leaving, which became abundantly clear once the posted departure time came and went and they still hadn’t started boarding. It seems the delays were owing to the need to assist two people in wheelchairs (one of whom had a dog) to deplane.
Mama holding Moonbeam and waiting with Giggles at the boarding gate.
(Picture taken by Giggles.)
Finally they were ready for pre-boarding. It turns out four unaccompanied minors were on the flight. We all gathered at the gate; the agent took the information sheets (with names of the people authorized to pick the kids up), Giggles slung her backpack on her back, clutched Moonbeam to her, took the roller suitcase in the other hand, and headed down the ramp.
Yikes!!!!! There’s my big little girl, heading out on her own. I’m not ready for this!!!! (What’ll it be like in ten or twelve years, when she heads off on her own for real?!?)
I watched the plane take off, then headed back to the car – fully an hour and a quarter later than it should have been – and drove home. Once home, I called Laolao and Laoye to let them know that she was off and they should check the arrival time with the airline, as it would be late. Close to 11:00 pm their time, or 1:00 a.m. for Giggles and me. We agreed that they would call me only if there were any mishaps, but otherwise I’d check in with them the next morning.
I read for a while, then fell asleep all by myself…
Thursday morning (28 June)
I called, my mom answered. I could hear Giggles’ voice in the background. Everything went well, she was a bit grumpy on arrival but they spent a few minutes at home colouring and then brushed teeth and went to bed. Now they were enjoying breakfast before heading out for the day’s activities. That afternoon they were heading out to a small town in the camper bus to go to the rodeo. Friday is kids’ day at the rodeo, with special activities and cheaper tickets for the kids. They’ll stay Friday night, too, and come back to the city on Saturday morning.
Thursday evening
I stayed late at work to get a bit more work done before one of my colleague’s goes on holidays. Then I went to a movie: The White Planet, about the arctic world. Saw baby polar bears and caribou and musk oxen, wolves and foxes, murres, seals and walruses, bowhead and humpback whales, beluga whales, narwhals, jellyfish, geese, hares, owls, and lots of other creatures. Even some glaciers calving off Greenland. The whole time I was thinking how Giggles would really enjoy this.
Once home, cleaned up a bit by the dining room table and wandered around at loose ends. The house is far too quiet. What’ll I do for the next two weeks? Not that that’s really an issue, I’ve got a list of projects that would take two months of full-time attention, let alone fourteen evenings – well, with five weekend days thrown in. But still… it’s too quiet…
Finally I headed up to bed. Read for a while, then turned off the light. No point calling Alberta as they’ll be on the road. I’ll check back in on Saturday evening. See how many rodeo stories Giggles has for me. Whether she did indeed find cowboy boots and a cowboy hat to buy…
On Wednesday evening, Giggles flew off on her own out west to visit her Laolao and Laoye for two whole weeks, at which point I’ll fly out to join them. She was “happy and ‘cited and a bit scared” as we drove into the airport parking lot and I unloaded her bags from the car. She had a backpack and a small roller suitcase, so as not to have any checked luggage since the flight would be late arriving and I didn’t want them to have to stand around waiting for luggage. Plus her stuffed horse, Moonbeam (the latest addition to the herd), for snuggling on the flight. (Saddle Black and Chocolate Socks were napping in the suitcase. They'll come out once she gets there.)
Giggles with her luggage and Moombeam, standing behind the car in the airport parkade.
We waited for a good 45 minutes in the “self-service assistance” line while one of the agents spent a copious amount of time chatting (it seemed) with a customer who didn’t seem to recognize that her loquaciousness was causing delays for everyone else in line. Thankfully, the people ahead of us were travelling with a small dog, which was in a soft-sided case where we could watch it. At one point the girl of the family opened the case and we even got to pet Bubbles. That provided some distraction.
Once we reached the check-in counter, I was given a yellow “escort card” to enable me to go through security and wait at the gate with Giggles. As soon as we got there, I knew we were in for delays, as it was but half an hour before the scheduled departure and the gate info said “Toronto.” The plane to Alberta was coming in from the east, and we were told it was still on its way. Finally the Toronto flight left, Giggles’ plane arrived and the gate info was updated. But the agent said he thought it would be late leaving, which became abundantly clear once the posted departure time came and went and they still hadn’t started boarding. It seems the delays were owing to the need to assist two people in wheelchairs (one of whom had a dog) to deplane.
Mama holding Moonbeam and waiting with Giggles at the boarding gate.
(Picture taken by Giggles.)
Finally they were ready for pre-boarding. It turns out four unaccompanied minors were on the flight. We all gathered at the gate; the agent took the information sheets (with names of the people authorized to pick the kids up), Giggles slung her backpack on her back, clutched Moonbeam to her, took the roller suitcase in the other hand, and headed down the ramp.
Yikes!!!!! There’s my big little girl, heading out on her own. I’m not ready for this!!!! (What’ll it be like in ten or twelve years, when she heads off on her own for real?!?)
I watched the plane take off, then headed back to the car – fully an hour and a quarter later than it should have been – and drove home. Once home, I called Laolao and Laoye to let them know that she was off and they should check the arrival time with the airline, as it would be late. Close to 11:00 pm their time, or 1:00 a.m. for Giggles and me. We agreed that they would call me only if there were any mishaps, but otherwise I’d check in with them the next morning.
I read for a while, then fell asleep all by myself…
Thursday morning (28 June)
I called, my mom answered. I could hear Giggles’ voice in the background. Everything went well, she was a bit grumpy on arrival but they spent a few minutes at home colouring and then brushed teeth and went to bed. Now they were enjoying breakfast before heading out for the day’s activities. That afternoon they were heading out to a small town in the camper bus to go to the rodeo. Friday is kids’ day at the rodeo, with special activities and cheaper tickets for the kids. They’ll stay Friday night, too, and come back to the city on Saturday morning.
Thursday evening
I stayed late at work to get a bit more work done before one of my colleague’s goes on holidays. Then I went to a movie: The White Planet, about the arctic world. Saw baby polar bears and caribou and musk oxen, wolves and foxes, murres, seals and walruses, bowhead and humpback whales, beluga whales, narwhals, jellyfish, geese, hares, owls, and lots of other creatures. Even some glaciers calving off Greenland. The whole time I was thinking how Giggles would really enjoy this.
Once home, cleaned up a bit by the dining room table and wandered around at loose ends. The house is far too quiet. What’ll I do for the next two weeks? Not that that’s really an issue, I’ve got a list of projects that would take two months of full-time attention, let alone fourteen evenings – well, with five weekend days thrown in. But still… it’s too quiet…
Finally I headed up to bed. Read for a while, then turned off the light. No point calling Alberta as they’ll be on the road. I’ll check back in on Saturday evening. See how many rodeo stories Giggles has for me. Whether she did indeed find cowboy boots and a cowboy hat to buy…
The death of illusion (2007-06-26)
(Originally posted on Tuesday, 26 June 2007.)
On Tuesday evening, Giggles’s loose tooth was very, very loose. She kept pushing it around with her fingers and tongue, and complaining when it hurt. I told her if Laoye were here, he’d tie a string around it and pull it out so fast she wouldn’t feel a thing.
“Really? Would it hurt?"
“Only for a second.”
“No, I don’t want to do that!”
So she kept wiggling it and feeling it, until finally, while I was brushing my teeth in preparation for bed, it came out. And then:
“Mommy, is the tooth fairy real?”
“What do you think?” My favourite answer when responding to a question that might require revealing an awful truth…
“I think she’s pretend.”
“Why?”
“How does she get the money under my pillow? What does she do with the teeth?”
“Oh, she’s magic. She waits until you’re asleep and then, bingo! She slides the money under the pillow.”
“But what about the teeth? Where does she put them?”
“Maybe she grinds them up for fertilizer. Or recycles them – you know, like in the Junie B. story where Junie’s little brother gets the new tooth.”
“No! Mommy, tell me really!!!”
Long pause while I consider. Do I or don’t I? If she doesn’t hear it from me, one of these days it’ll come from the schoolyard playmates.
I look at her. “You want to know the truth?”
“Yes!!”
“The truth is, the tooth fairy is pretend.”
“I thought so!” Pause. “But how does the money get under my pillow?”
“Okay, I put it there. I’m the tooth fairy.”
A downcast look. “I wish the tooth fairy was real.”
“I’m real, aren’t I? I’m a real pretend tooth fairy.”
“Mommy!”
I can hardly wait for Christmas.
On Tuesday evening, Giggles’s loose tooth was very, very loose. She kept pushing it around with her fingers and tongue, and complaining when it hurt. I told her if Laoye were here, he’d tie a string around it and pull it out so fast she wouldn’t feel a thing.
“Really? Would it hurt?"
“Only for a second.”
“No, I don’t want to do that!”
So she kept wiggling it and feeling it, until finally, while I was brushing my teeth in preparation for bed, it came out. And then:
“Mommy, is the tooth fairy real?”
“What do you think?” My favourite answer when responding to a question that might require revealing an awful truth…
“I think she’s pretend.”
“Why?”
“How does she get the money under my pillow? What does she do with the teeth?”
“Oh, she’s magic. She waits until you’re asleep and then, bingo! She slides the money under the pillow.”
“But what about the teeth? Where does she put them?”
“Maybe she grinds them up for fertilizer. Or recycles them – you know, like in the Junie B. story where Junie’s little brother gets the new tooth.”
“No! Mommy, tell me really!!!”
Long pause while I consider. Do I or don’t I? If she doesn’t hear it from me, one of these days it’ll come from the schoolyard playmates.
I look at her. “You want to know the truth?”
“Yes!!”
“The truth is, the tooth fairy is pretend.”
“I thought so!” Pause. “But how does the money get under my pillow?”
“Okay, I put it there. I’m the tooth fairy.”
A downcast look. “I wish the tooth fairy was real.”
“I’m real, aren’t I? I’m a real pretend tooth fairy.”
“Mommy!”
I can hardly wait for Christmas.
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