Bat Outta Hell

A rather restful week was spent at the cottage. The kids played nearly the whole time at the sandy beach where Lake Huron was so clear and blue. Our beach had a large sandbar, so it was nice and shallow and warm.

Yesterday night, I was watching the news seeing hysterical Lebanese mothers mourning their children. "How do these women do it?" I wondered. "How can they find oxygen while they see their lifeless child?"

I looked down at Baby Boy, who couldn't sleep and was playing with his Hot Wheels in the dining room.

And there was a bat flying over his head.

At first I thought it was a silhouette from the window but...nope. So, I called Husband as calmly as I could. No rustling from the attic where he was playing Urban Dead.

Frick it. "There's a bat in the dining room!" Okay, that got him down the stairs but it freaked out Baby Boy.

We ended up opening a door and shooing it out. The whole thing took maybe three minutes.

"You were graceful and calm," Husband told me. "I was freaked because I wasn't wearing a shirt."

Daughter came down. "I heard Mum yell. Is everything okay?"

"Sure, honey. We just had one of those Ontario Little Brown bats, but he went back outside," I said.

"You sure it was a Little Brown?"

"Yeah," I said. "Thankfully, you did that project on bats so we know their not going to kill you. And they don't bite people; just bugs, so it was no big deal to me and Dad."

"Uh, Mensa applicant. Bats bite people. Remember our neighbours at the old house needed tetanus shots?" Husband reminded me.

Ignorance is bliss.

Oh My God!

I have never bought Lego for my kids. What a sin.

A Place to Live. A Place to Grow.

Middle Brother-In-Law left for home after a week with us. The kids didn't leave the poor guy alone. I think Baby Boy dive-bombed his crotch at least a dozen times.

And he emptied the dishwasher a few times. That would make two more times than Husband ever did.

We didn't really do much. Husband still worked, though he took a bunch of afternoons off to golf with his brother. The older kids had birthday parties to go to - two each - which they weren't missing for anything. MIddle Child had the choice of hanging with his friend (The Saddest Girl's son) or going to a Blue Jay game. Let's just say the lure of a Bavarian pretzel and team sports wasn't nearly as attractive. The other party, which both kids were invited to, was all about watching Pirates of the Caribbean and eating candy. Johnny Depp AND chocolate??? Why wasn't I invited? We did manage to go out en famille to the beach, which our guest thought was a great spot. Personally, I also like the drive through the country to get there.

I live in a weird city. It's a strange mix of industry and the arts, rednecks and homosexuals, abject poor and, uh, the opposite. And it's surrounded by working farms. And mennonites. I'm more and more conscious of the dichotomy the longer I live here. I wonder if a visitor notices.

I also wonder if my brother-in-law noticed the many differences between Toronto and this part of Ontario. Too often, non-southern Ontarians lump the whole region with Toronto. Smell the air. Okay, wait until the manure truck passes. Or blow your nose. See? No black specks.

A report just came out stating that, on average, it takes someone 79 minutes to commute to work in Toronto (76 in Montréal, 66 in Calgary). Meanwhile, Husband walks to work. It takes him about nine minutes. And this city is so small, I hold strong to the belief that it takes seven minutes by car to take you anywhere within the city limits.

Mind you, it has its drawbacks too. Unlike a big city, it's pretty homogenous here. City-run activities can be a little hokey. But we're really good at "quaint". Please, get some locals to discuss how much money the city spends on flowers.

But I'm happy enough to live here. I didn't want to be in the middle of nowhere. I had to be within a two-hour drive to a metropolis. I wanted the kids to walk to school. I wanted to be near a fully-functioning hospital. Outside of that, I think your home really is wherever you hang your hat.

I lived in a place where many can't believe I left willingly. Sure, the first two months I was there, I loved the mountains and the ocean. But then it was just a place to live, with pros and cons just like anywhere else. I stopped seeing the mountains. I seldom went to the beach.

And, you know, the beaches nearby where I live now are on a lake that, to the naked eye, appear as expansive as an ocean. And clean. And blue. Yeah, it's not the same, but it's home. It's not so bad.

One Day Down, Another 66 To Go

"You want to watch 'Little Einsteins' while I wash the breakfast dishes?"

"Yes," said Baby Boy, "because that will mean (the baby I used to babysit) will be here soon."

"Uh, no, honey. You'll see her again to play but she won't be staying here anymore."

"What about (Middle Child's classmate whom I babysat on Wednesday and Friday afternoons)? Will we pick her up later?"

"No. That's over too. It's summer vacation! It's just you, me, your sister and brother in the day time. We're going to have so much fun together!"

He cried. Hard. I didn't take it personally.

Should I?

Birthdays are a Drag When You Get Older

Belated wishes for a happy Canada Day to you all.

My day started with the usual watering of the garden, thanks to my very cool and city-subsidized rain barrel. It was then that I noticed some jackass broke off my flag off the door window of my car.

Then my dad called to say, essentially, that we live in the best country in the world. I didn't feel like agreeing at that moment.

The day turned out well though. The family went to Middle Sister's house for a swim and a barbecue. If anything, my sister makes incredible salads. My contribution was a paltry cake made with whipped cream and strawberries shaped like the flag. The kids thought it looked incredible and they actually ate it all.

We went home, caught up with friends and watched the fireworks show. It was at a field that was maybe a 25 minute walk, but figuring it would end sometime after 10, we thought the kids would be too tired, so we drove the car to the half-way mark. As the show ended, another show of thunder and lightning began and down came buckets of rain.

Husband went to work on Sunday and found that the upstairs tenant of the building we bought was giving us 60 days notice. She gave us the name of her sister who would be interested in moving in. We'll see if she still wants to when we tell her I want to up the rent. Currently, the two floor (second and attic), two bedroom apartment, with all utilities included is being rented for $700 a month. I don't think we paid too much for the place - frankly, Husband and I think we got a deal - but with mortgage payments and hydro rates being what they are, we may need to look at that rent.

It's bloody hot and I'm having a fat day. Although I got three pairs of shoes today (one from my birthday money and two a birthday gift), I'm not feeling better. But, hey, I got a loot bag after Canada's birthday: one per cent less on GST AND I get some extra baby bonus money. Just like that cake I ate on Saturday that I'm blaming my fat day on, I feel like I'll be paying for the Harper treats later.

P.S. Got to see Oliver! with my friend, The Saddest Girl To Ever Hold a Martini. It was good, but it was better because I got free tickets!