Books

I love to read. The intensity has ebbed and flowed over my life. Small children and lack of sleep made Good Night Moon the go to night time read. I pride myself with having read a wide variety of genres, more so before the Big C. All of a sudden I found myself craving happy endings and mindless entertainment. Trash novels got me through 2 weeks of waiting for surgery results. They got me through those nights where instead of wondering if ‘it’ would come back, I escaped to the lands of Lord Carylse and the shy daughter of the Earl he had to have as his own, even though it started out as a lark. And sigh, now I am addicted. I admit I love trash novels. They are entertainment at its very best.

The ‘girls’ are ‘never what you would call pretty’ and the ‘men’ who fall head over heels in love with them are always tall, dark, handsome, beefy, or blonde, scruffy piercing blue eye and they are built. They work, but don’t have to because they are independently wealthy, and fly their own planes. Because really, who wants the hassle of flying commercial? They are content to ‘hold them’ their girls all night with nothing more if that is what is requested. They are always neat and tidy and can cook! And their brothers are always equally as gorgeous with stories to tell on their own (love a good brothers series). Plus they always have good healthy relationships with their mothers who instantly recognize the girl is a keeper. How could you not love it (I say with my tongue in check).

Yes, I have read my share.

Everything. Lords. Earls. Vampires. Cowboys. Vampire cowboys. Navy Seals. Paratroopers. Werewolves. Shapeshifters. Shapeshifting werewolf vampires. Wizards. Witches. Once I read one about shapeshifter dragons whose ancestor was the Loch Ness Monster! She really does exist! That one made me laugh out loud many times – when I think I wasn’t supposed to. Which is the great thing about trash novels - you don't have to take them seriously.

So yes, I do enjoy them. They are fun. They are mindless. Simon and Sophie are always asking about my trash novels – Sophie reminds me to put book covers on the more risqué covers. My friend’s daughter refers to trash novels in their house as Courtney’s sex novels. I have favourite authors – some are better than others (think Loch Ness monster), and I am always happy to offer others suggestions after a few general questions about interests. And guess what – my friends read them! We exchange author names and book titles. When I was young, my Grandma would read harlequin romance novels and I was horrified! My great aunts would bring her brown paper bags full of them. I have become my Grandma and you my friends, are my great aunts. And that is a compliment in the highest regard.

A double helping of thanksgiving, goodwill towards all......and happy new year

Here's the thing. I like blogging. I really do. I write a blog posting a day. In my head. And they are always witty and wise and the whole thing. Then I tell a couple of people the stories I was thinking of blogging, and I feel done. But, there are a few that have been floating around in my head, oh say since Canadian Thanksgiving (Columbus Day for some of you).

On that great day of thanksgiving, I had my yearly appointment with my surgical oncologist. He told me that unless I had any unusual signs or symptoms, I never have to see him again!!!!!!!!!! Of course I am able to conjure up at least 4 unusual signs or symptoms per day, but since I am easily distracted they go away pretty fast. I still see my dermatologist regularly and he still has the big note at the front of the file that says stage II melanoma, and I will never be completely out of the woods BUT I do think about the future again. And that is a good thing.

Around the next great day of thanksgiving (that's the American one), Simon made the 'r' sound for real. As is capital R real. He has been working with the speech therapist at school since kindergarten. And yes I was thankful. He has worked so hard. And it was such a beautiful sound - like music. And I thought - this is better than being told I don't have to go to the oncologist anymore. This is what I want to think about and celebrate, this is what I want to matter most of all.

Next date, Christmas. And yes, my cards are still sitting on my counter - labeled and waiting for stamps. You will get them. Before Valentine's Day. I promise. Maybe. Eric spent the holidays writing grants. The state of grant funding is a New York Times editorial of its own. Regardless we had a great time. Fun with neighbours reliving the 80's and apple products for all.

And so it is a new year. And it will be a good one for us. Because today we have our health, our happiness and each other. And that is what matters most of all.

(And my lack of mentioning Sophie means nothing - she is equally as wonderfully fantastic as her brother.)

Debrief

We are back. And by back I mean in various locations in North America. Soph & Sim are still at the cottage and Eric and I are back in Cleveland. Some day I will go back and get them. Although when we arrived back on July 20th, Simon said he was at his dream house. So maybe I will leave them there. Or not.

But I am getting ahead of myself! The potential to have a bad final week was totally there. There is something about hearing bombs go off while watching soccer with your child that is so disconcerting (my mother still can't figure how I knew what a bomb sounds like - you just do). not to go into it all, but it was just too close to home. A colleague was killed. Close friends were there. I'd been to the one location. Something so gruesome shouldn't be familiar. I know there are people in the world that live with it everyday of their lives - but it is wrong, just wrong.

So after a couple days of struggling, we decided to forge ahead and head to Kenya to visit with the Bailey Family. Best decision ever! We had a blast, the kids were all happy to be together, the adults were happy to be together and we were all happy. Which we needed to be. Masai Mara is an incredible place. Lions, giraffes, elephants, rhinos, wildebeests - lots and lots of them. Oh, and dare I mention there was swimming involved too? Crossing the border between 2 African countries was an experience I don't think I could ever adequately describe. Crazy insane unorganized and kinda scary (even though I knew it wasn't) are the only way to describe it. We actually felt relief when we crossed back into Uganda - like it was home - which for those 4 weeks it was and it was good.

Once again all our flights were uneventful. Simon watched the map for 7.5 hrs on the way to Toronto. I got upgraded to business class, but the kids cried so Eric got upgraded - which I am okay with because the guy next to him had incredibly smelly feet!

So yes, we are home. And it is good. But it was good while we were there. And maybe even someday I would go back. Maybe even someday.

Mango flies

Don't ever get bit once. Or 15 times. On your back. Because they aren't really biting you. They are laying eggs - ie larvae. Which your wife then has to pop out. Like a zit. Except they are alive and squirming. Did I mention 15 times?

Oh but don't get me wrong, we are having a wonderful time! And I have been terrible at updating, but we have been busy! In between all the swimming, there has been work, hanging out with the Corry clan, visiting a school for orphaned children, going to the grand opening of the high school that the kids built themselves, seeing the mouth of the Nile (Simon now wants to go to Egypt to see where it ends), listening to the hyrax ALL night long ( a seriously torturous cry), and did I mention alot of swimming?

Most recently we ventured to Owino Market. What a place! It was crazy - so many people, so much stuff - shoes, suitcases, fabrics, electronics, clothes, wedding dresses - whatever you needed you could find x10. Although after awhile we were concentrating on getting out - which at times didn't seem like it was going to happen. There is nothing like getting lost in an African market. I had a death grip on Soph and I think Eric was doing the same with Simon. A very cool experience that I don't think any of us will forget anytime soon!

Simon has discovered tennis - the apartment complex we are staying at has a tennis pro. If I'd been thinking we would have signed him up for lessons before today, but he had a great time and is going back tomorrow. Sophie is keeping well entertained with emailing all day long. She recently discovered chatting and she said it was just like talking to her friend, so she is happy. Eric is off at Holland House with another Dutch Canadian we met at the Rainforest Lodge last weekend.

We have 8 days and while it has been great, I think we are all ready to come home. We can't wait to jump in the Bay and play with our puppy - I hope she remembers us! We head to Kenya on Tuesday to spend sometimes with the Bailey's and then home to KLA on Friday. We're hoping to do a quick trip out to the village when we get back and then an early flight home on Monday. If I don't write again I will definately do a debrief when we get back to NA!

Queen Elizabeth

Alternate Title: Hippophobia

Well I have to admit that we were all really sad to leave Queen Elizabeth's city behind. London had so much to offer and there was still so much to do. However we may have made up for it this past weekend when we visited the other Queen Elizabeth (National Park). We started out around 10AM, had lunch at the Equator, drove into winter as the kids called it, and saw more sights in that 7 hours than we could even begin to describe!

Even before we hit the park, we saw someone with a camel walking down the street, drove into Lake Mburo National Park and didn't need to pay the park fee because we saw all the animals on the side of the road - warthogs, zebras, deer-like creatures, 2 crested cranes! It was amazing. Once back on the main road, we spotted zebra and goats grazing along the side like they always do.....Finally arrived at Jacana Lodge after a night in Mbarara. Jacana Lodge is an eco lodge on the edge of a crater lake (I suggest googling it to see how beautiful it was). We were welcomed with a 4 course meal for LUNCH! And thought we should work it off with a guided nature walk through the park. We didn't see any bush buffalos (Simon was really hoping the guard had to use his gun), but it was a nice walk regardless. Back at the lodge, we (what else) swam, followed by another 4 course meal, followed by a food coma.

Wake up was at 6 AM so we could get into the main park for a game drive. Obviously the animals are most active early in the morning before the heat starts, so off we went with our packed lunch (yum again!). First animal we saw? A LION! Of course he was sleeping without a care in the world and stretched and yawned without a care in the world. We drove around and saw more deer like creatures than we could count, always in search of those elusive elephants. We also booked a cruise on Lake George to view the hippos and water buffalo up close (more on that later....). As we were driving to the resort to book the boat, I looked over a cliff and saw a herd of elephants walking along the edge of another crater lake - amazing! We tried to find a way closer but no go - at least we saw them - right? Just wait......

The boat cruise was in a pontoon boat - we had a guide and a driver. We headed to the opposite shore where there was a big herd of water buffalo and hippos - apparently the lake has about 5000 in total!!! We were able to get close - saw a couple of crocodiles lounging about (apparently they are vegetarian along with the hippos). But I guess we got a little too close to one particular hippo. 'It' was standing on the shore and took two steps, and basically yelled us. I jumped, screamed, cried, who knows! It was terrifying! The guide and driver laughed at me (come to think of it so did my family) and then the kids came up with the phrase 'Mommy has hippophobia' and they made sure they pointed out each and every hippo we saw (did I mention the number 5000?!?!). Just so you know - hippos are not cute and look incredibly mean and menacing. Especially up close. Especially the ones with babies. They have incredibly big jaws and huge teeth. Huge.

Going up the channel into Lake Albert, we struck gold. Nine elephants! The first group of 4 were playing in the water. Absolutely magnificant! We got pretty close - almost too close for my liking following my near death experience with the hippo - but I put my faith in our guides that they knew what they were doing. There were lizards and monkeys and birds too. All pretty cool. We ate our lunch and headed home. We were told there were more lion sightings, but by the time we got there they must have headed into the bush. We were tired and it was time - you guessed it - to swim!!!

Our lodge also had it's own share of wildlife - as I was at our cabin changing, I heard this huge pounding on the deck. I looked out our screen-only window - and a family of baboons was 'playing' on it and sitting at the front door!

Another amazing meal and we all passed out pretty early. The ride home was uneventful - we took a different route lined with tea planatations and made it home in time to watch the Netherlands game. All in all a good weekend.

Today I found a grocery store that sells diet pepsi by the case. A small thing, but a good thing.

And a final note, I keep forgetting to mention our travelling companion, Kirsten. She is the daughter of friends - I first met her when she was 7 and now she is old enough to make me feel really old. Anyway, she has come to volunteer at an orphanage. She is great, the kids love her (we really can't go anywhere without verifying that Kirsten is coming too) and she seems to be taking the crazies of our family in stride.

That's it for now - because really - doesn't that sound like a lot?!?

Kampala, Day 5

We are here.

Another uneventful trip - the kids slept great on the plane and wanted to go swimming the minute we landed at 7AM. The ride to Kampala takes about 40 minutes from the airport in Entebbe. I was interested in watching the kids reaction to everything. They were most fascinated with the cows, chickens and goats wondering the sides of the road. Simon thought it was garage sale day because of all the small shops that line the side of the road.

Since arriving at our apartment, we have gone swimming everyday, walked to the mall twice (Simon needed a fanta fix) and gone swimming some more. My good friend here has 2 boys and the kids have played with them as well as other kids they have been introduced too. Unfortunately my friend has left for Boston so they will be stuck with me for the next two weeks!

Tonight we are having dinner with the African side of our family, the Corry's. We got together the first night with them and Sophie just said - 'they are so welcoming' and since then has referred to them as her cousins and aunts and uncles. Tonight they get to meet Grandma!

I was interested in how the kids would react to the extreme poverty we have seen and how it is a totally different world from which we live. And they don't seemed phased at all - do they not get it? Are they too young? It is interesting and I look forward to seeing how they process the trip over time.

This weekend we are off to Queen Elizabeth National Park to go on safari.

I hope everyone is safe at home - I'm worried - first the giant jesus gets hit by lightening, then the earthquake and tornados - obviously the world is out of wack with us over here - hold on - we will be back soon!

I need a vacation.

Oh wait, I AM on vacation. Vacationing is exhausting. But I am not complaining. No I am not. I am actually happy that tonight we are staying in and watching the England vs Nigeria game.

We have had busy busy busy days. Of course we had to start with the double decker bus tour - the kids had a great time. We saw/hit all the high spots culminating with a ride on the Millenium Wheel after a boat tour down the Thames. When we first started talking about this trip, Soph was adamant that she was going to ride The Eye. So she did. So we all did. Having a fear of heights and closed in things, I was hesitant, but for my baby girl, I would do anything! And it really wasn't that bad.

I would post some pictures, but: a) I have no idea how to and b) Simon can't wait to surprise everyone with a slide show when we return. Simon renamed himself the pigeon pappararazi (I have no idea how to spell that word)- you can imagine how fun his pictures are! Both kids are having a great time taking their own pictures - we will have editing to do!

The next day, Wednesday, we rented a car and headed towards to Cantebury. Just a tip - don't print up pictures to go along with the google map directions. It doesn't work. Funny, a regular map is easier!! Anyway, we happened upon Hever Castle on the way. It was the childhood home of Ann Boelyn and then owned by the Waldorf Astor family. It was fun! They had 3 mazes, a castle tour and the most beautiful gardens.

Aftre a sometimes perilous drive on English country roads, we made it to Cantebury. We stayed at the Sun Hotel - a tavern from the 1500's that Dickens stayed at way back when. We had a great view of the Catherdral steeple and enjoyed walking around the church yesterday (except for Sophie who was majorly creeped out by all the dead bodies). The day ended (It's not over yet?!?) by the drive back to London and a peaceful picnic at Kensington Park. The kids frolicked in the Princess Diana Memorial fountain and crashed as soon as we got back.

Which FINALLY brings us to today. Eric had to work, so he dropped the kids and I off at the Globe Theatre. Sophie had read 2 books based on Shakespeare in school, so she really wanted to see the Theatre in person. We did a tour, checked out the museum and met back up with Eric. After a short tube ride (kids are free!) we ended up at Buckingham Palace. The flag was up, but we didn't see any heads peeking through the curtains.

So here we are - did I say I needed a vacation? We leave for Uganda tomorrow night. We're going to try to hit a couple of museums before we leave, but if we don't make it we will put it on the list for next time!!!