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Compartment 14B

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Coming home.

2012-08-03 - 10:42 a.m.

Man, it's been awhile. I know I have no readers left, and I don't promise to keep writing, but I've been looking for a place to put down the things on my mind that are not photography-related, and realized I've already got such a place right here.

Grommet and Biscuit are now 6 and 4 years old. As I write this, they are finishing a week in summer day camp: in the mornings they are in Pirate Camp, in the afternoons it's Kinder Theatre. Biscuit actually snagged the starring role in the camp's rendition of Mortimer yesterday.

They are lovely children that I get far too easily frustrated with, far too often. Patience has never been my strong suit and I don't seem to be making the headway I thought I would in this area when I became a parent. Seriously, I need to chill and remember that they are too of the most bright, polite, funny and awesome kids I know.

I've taken 7 weeks off this summer to spend more time with them and we've had some great days. Last week, for instance, we all took the bus downtown to go to Yoga on Parliament Hill, and Grommet managed to follow the moves for about 1/2 an hour, while her brother mostly contorted himself to stay in my shadow, away from the hot, noonday sun. Afterwards they walked all the way to our favorite Mexican restaurant and we split fajitas on the tree-shaded patio. When lunch was over they opted for yet another long walk to hit the Glebe wading pool.

Fortunately, J managed to join us to drive us home - I think it might have been pushing my luck after a huge day like that to get them home by bus.

It is amazing to have Grommet be old enough to do things not just for herself, but to help out a bit these days. Most mornings she helps her little brother get dressed, then makes breakfast for the two of them. And she is an art fiend! By far her fave activity (other than things involving a screen) is drawing. I've promised her art classes in her future.

Biscuit is developing his own personality, and he is hilarious! He's confident, gregarious, and says things in ways that seem totally out of sync with his age. He starts JK in just over a month and my mind is officially boggled at the idea of having both kids in school (and the lessening of daycare expenses is pretty sweet too).

Our house is for sale, but then, it was for sale all last summer too. When and if it ever sells, we'll have to figure out the best timing for telling our tenants they have to leave. In the meantime, I guess we can't really complain: we may not have the pool for the hottest, driest summer on record, but we have great, no-fuss people paying our mortgage down for us.

Before - After


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