Safe and Sound

If I was a superstitious person, I would have thought the start of our travels were omenous.

We were stuck in Pearson for four hours, waiting for a lightening storm to pass so the plane could be refueled. Needless to say, we missed our connecting flight in Calgary. And there were no tvs on the flight from Toronto, despite the airline's claim that every aircraft had them. We did get them on the flight out of Calgary but it was only operational for about 10 minutes.

We got to our hotel but our room wasn't ready. Husband got a room change and all was well. My mother-in-law thought we cheaped out because we didn't take her advise and get a hotel downtown. Whatever. We got this hotel in the suburbs because it was close to her housing project.

We actually had a lot of full days. The first day there, Saturday, we went to Granville Island where we were invited to our old high school friends' daughter's 3rd birthday picnic/party. Mother-in-law tagged along, and immediately after having a brief conversation with Husband's old friend announced loud enough, "Well, he's still as pretentious as ever." I dunno. I found them both very rapped up in throwing this very perfect party so I spend loads of time talking with my friend's mother who was also visiting from Ontario.

Oh yeah, and Baby Boy ran away.

I told Husband and M.I.L. to take a kid to look after. I had Middle Child. MIL chose Daughter (no surprise for so many reasons; as it was, she needed to smoke so I had Daughter eventually as well). Anyway, Husband was busy being enlightened by Old Friend and I realized Baby Boy is no where to be seen. Husband and I take off, me in the wooded area, Husband by the ocean, where he was found throwing rocks in the water. Little bugger.

M.I.L.'s plan to have an open house for all her favourite hooker and crackhead friends come in and poke our children was thwarted as we just filled all the days with outings. But somehow, she kept directing us to drive back home through some of the worst neighbourhoods in the country. Don't do drugs, kids. It isn't pretty.

Now we're with my very sane brother-in-law and his family. The kids are much more relaxed. There's some great parks right by their home and Middle Child is able to bring his sketchbook where ever.

Oh, and my nephew? Well, Husband and his brothers look very much alike. We walked in the door and my 2-year-old nephew pointed to Husband, whom he last saw when he was 3 months old, and has yet left his arms. He's still not sure of me though.