Vancouver love. The culture shock is letting go of its hold on me and I am maneuvering around the city just like the locals. Mom’s car is holding up well, despite my embarrassment of the exterior condition. Back in France I couldn’t care less how my car looks, but quickly I can see how other people look at her beater. Another thing I really don’t miss. JUDGEMENT.
Friday I spent the day with my kid brother Glen, 18 years old, and in Uni. I remember that age; rebellious, invincible, and cool modern vocabulary; stuff like ‘Eva you drank the Koolaid!’ where <drinking the kool aid> in North America refers to a person or group holding an unquestioned belief, argument, or philosophy without critical examination. I knew it revised from a TV show, (only in the Americas) so I looked it up. Veronica Mars is the culprit for introducing the grim history of Jonestown back into the mainstream.
Customer Service ! We went to Scotia bank to have it out with the teller; not intentionally but that’s what happened. I had already visited Scotiabank twice so I knew exactly what I needed to do to transfer an RRSP out to another account and I had all the paperwork completed. She was a total bag, and I couldn’t understand what her frickin problem was. She told me in all her 17 years she had never dealt with anything like this and that I needed to drive from Langley to Burrard street in Vancouver to fix the problem. I said, really? I need to drive over an hour and a half to do something that can be done via a scanner? So I called the manager and she was delighted to help me. I said, I think your employee is very hungry. She said I think she possibly ate too much!
I also just had to tell the new ladies I was dealing with in earshot of the horrible lady, how wonderful life is in southern France, rubbing in my happy life and telling them how happy life can be if you do what you love to do. I could see her grimace from the corner of my eye. What a bitch she was!
It was strange to have my kid bro driving me around for a change, and funny how genetics work; he drives exactly like me!
After our Dad darted around town with us to buy a flat screen TV at rapid fire Vancouver pace. Then the boys set the TV up while the brisket roasted in the oven.
It was so nice just to hang with the family. So civilized to have conversations and be able to express myself. I feel as though I went away to university for four years and came home with a wealth of stories and a new point of view.
Around 17:00 my sister-in-law came for dinner with my nephew Mathew at my Dad’s place. He has autism and surprisingly he is an interesting character; singing, laughing, and watching TV. I had no idea what to expect as I haven’t seen him for 4 1/2 years.
Then I blasted up to White Rock to visit my friends at the legendary Sawbucks Pub. I was so looking forward to meeting up with this group and left disappointed that it had to end, but my stomach does hurt from laughing. So all is well in my little world.
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Saturday was the busiest day I have ever had in my life. I started early with maple syrup waffles at Sherrin’s place in White Rock with the mamma’s group at 9:00 am. Neil, her diligent man-slave hubby sweetly made us chatting hens our big breakfast. It was so nice to hear everyone’s news and to see the faces of these women I so respect.
We have known each other for over 12 years, since our first borns came along. We have been through many coffee dates watching our children take their first bites, crawl, then first steps, grow and then our seconds came all in due order around the same times. These magnificent ladies remind me of how far we have come, all on different journeys but bounded by the ritual of motherhood. I love these ladies.
Then I went shopping at the mega mall Guildford Town Centre with my cerebral friend Nadine to look for baby clothes for my step-niece Poppy. I searched for a bikini that fits to no avail and lastly we went for lunch at Milestones and talked about life, love and love life!
It was a recharge of my batteries after not talking to my good friend for so many years. Although I went away on a journey and adventure, others too took steps in developing their own being, and Nadine is just another friend on her own awesome path. I remind myself that not everyone will pack their lives up and travel the world. Some have deeper discoveries that don’t require to step foot outside where they live.
Lastly I was over at my BFF Shannon’s home for dinner. I couldn’t believe how tall her girls are! The newest boy is 4 and I never met him before except on Skype and fell madly in love with them all- all over again. She made curried goat which is my favourite of all the food she makes, served with rice and peas (navy beans) and piles of salad and Naan bread. Her husband Chris and I only ate the curry, which is funny because her parents didn’t come because they had the flu, but miraculously Chris and I blasted through the entire pot of stew! GLUTTONY, my favourite sin!
The doorbell rang while I was teaching and then shamelessly beating the kids at Gin Rummy. It was my good friend Sara. After about two hours catching up on our lives, the doorbell rang again. It was Cindy, Shannon’s step sister! We talked so much about life and the way things are, it was awesome and exactly like I had never left! Chicky gab session. Nearing midnight it was time to leave.
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I stayed the morning at Dad’s to do a load of laundry, and to talk to my step-mother. Patricia was so nice to set me up with some Mary-Kay make-up for my skin care regime. It was such a nice morning and then Dad came home for lunch. Then I ran to Safeway for BBQ ribs and KFC to buy a bucket of chicken. YUMMY grub which I drove to Pitt Meadows to share with my step family on Steve’s side.
I played with baby and talked politics with the boys. Mom and Brenda came too in her car. Cameron my nephew came with his fiancee Julia and after a few hours of catching up on everyone’s fabulous lives, Scott gave me a Tomtom to find my way home after he saw my notes on paper on how to make my way from Langley to Marpole 51 minutes. We all laughed at my inability to take notes, or my lack of detail. Tomtom was set up with limping zombie guy guiding me through each municipality. I don’t think it was up to date, because at one point I was in the river but actually I was on a bridge taking the wrong road in the wrong direction. It took 1 hour and 30 minutes to get the 51 scheduled minutes home to Mom’s apartment in Marpole. I honestly thought I was going on a tour of the lower mainland programmed as a joke by my kid brother as payback after Nicole and I tormented the lad as a youngster by ignoring him or calling him fly. Honestly, this zombie started to make me laugh and I enjoyed my scenic tour. At least Mom and I were lost together. I was knackered by the time I arrived.
I was never so happy to see my mom’s neighbourhood before!
