I've been meaning to write this post for a while now. Really I have. But every time I start to write something it sounds too sad and depressing - and I leave it for another day.
The thing with cancer is that it never really goes away. Even if the treatment and medication stops and the blood work and scans come back "negative" you are only in "remission". It can come back anytime without warning, without prejudice.
I’m really trying not to sound sad & depressing but it is. I’m tired of saying “I’m doing well” when I get asked how I’m feeling. Do people really want to hear the truth? Do they really want to know how horrible I feel? How this disease is slowly sucking the life out of me? How I am in pain & discomfort most of the time now and when I’m not physically unwell, the pain is in my heart & mind - thinking about whether I’ll make it to the next birthday, anniversary, graduation, or celebration.
I really don’t know what is harder - accepting the fact of being sick and knowing I won’t get better, or trying to make the best of what it is and convincing everyone around me that I’m OK. Because you know what? It’s NOT OK. And no matter how many spins I put on this, it won’t change the inevitable.
2017 has been a pretty crappy year. Not the WORST year ever, for me that would have to be 2014 hands-down the winner, but this year is a close 2nd. Probably the most difficult part for me was not just my own struggles, challenges and worries, but knowing some of the people closest and dearest to me have had a lot of struggles this year too. Even though 2017 may be ending on sad note for some of you let’s try to make 2018 start off right. I’ll go first...
Y.C.
Sunday, December 31, 2017
Friday, December 29, 2017
Wedding Day
I went to a wedding yesterday. It was beautiful. The atmosphere was both fun and elegant. The bride & groom's wedding vows (which they wrote themselves) and their thank you speeches at the end of the dinner reception were the best ones I've heard in a long time.
Throughout the evening I kept thinking about my wedding 18 years ago. I was trying to remember details of it but was having difficulty doing so. But I do remember some things. I remember feeling so loved by the Big Oh - the joy, excitement, and anticipation that I'll be spending the rest of my life with this wonderful man and how lucky I was to be his wife.
I remember my friends who were there. We were young when we got married, both only 25 years old, and we were the first to be married in our group of friends so it was a great party for all of us. There was no wedding planner, no engagement photos or a video montage to share. We didn't have fancy centre pieces, professional bouquets or a designer wedding cake served with a dessert table & midnight buffet. Instead, my girlfriends stayed up late the night before making my bouquets, we played silly Chinese wedding games, we drank, we took lots of pictures (the old fashion way and not with a photobooth), and my cake was an afterthought from a cheap Chinese bakery, that if my memory serves me correct, we forgot to served!
I remember my mom and my grandmother serving traditional Chinese dumplings the night before and a Chinese ritual of combing my hair to bless my marriage. We read generic wedding vows and I don't remember exactly what I said in my thank you speech (I suppose I could dig up my old wedding video but I'd also have to find a VHS Machine to play it on). I’m sure my speech was clumsy and immature, and I spoke mostly of superficial things in my life up to that point when it really should have been about deeper gratitude to my family - particularly to my mother for the love, sacrifices and heartaches that she had while raising us.
I also thought about my children. I admit the tears that I had during the ceremony and speeches were not entirely for the bride and groom last night - they were also for my girls. Of course I hope to be here to witness each of my daughters wedding days but the reality is that I may not be. I hope their special day will be filled with as much happiness, love and gratitude as there was last night.
Throughout the evening I kept thinking about my wedding 18 years ago. I was trying to remember details of it but was having difficulty doing so. But I do remember some things. I remember feeling so loved by the Big Oh - the joy, excitement, and anticipation that I'll be spending the rest of my life with this wonderful man and how lucky I was to be his wife.
I remember my friends who were there. We were young when we got married, both only 25 years old, and we were the first to be married in our group of friends so it was a great party for all of us. There was no wedding planner, no engagement photos or a video montage to share. We didn't have fancy centre pieces, professional bouquets or a designer wedding cake served with a dessert table & midnight buffet. Instead, my girlfriends stayed up late the night before making my bouquets, we played silly Chinese wedding games, we drank, we took lots of pictures (the old fashion way and not with a photobooth), and my cake was an afterthought from a cheap Chinese bakery, that if my memory serves me correct, we forgot to served!
I remember my mom and my grandmother serving traditional Chinese dumplings the night before and a Chinese ritual of combing my hair to bless my marriage. We read generic wedding vows and I don't remember exactly what I said in my thank you speech (I suppose I could dig up my old wedding video but I'd also have to find a VHS Machine to play it on). I’m sure my speech was clumsy and immature, and I spoke mostly of superficial things in my life up to that point when it really should have been about deeper gratitude to my family - particularly to my mother for the love, sacrifices and heartaches that she had while raising us.
I also thought about my children. I admit the tears that I had during the ceremony and speeches were not entirely for the bride and groom last night - they were also for my girls. Of course I hope to be here to witness each of my daughters wedding days but the reality is that I may not be. I hope their special day will be filled with as much happiness, love and gratitude as there was last night.
Y.C.
Thursday, December 7, 2017
Sick Day
M3 has been home sick for the last 2 days. In between naps we've watched a movie, played board games & card games, made a "store" in our living room with a flyer for things "on sale", and this morning I convinced her to write a blog. It's short but it did take 15 minutes....Help! I'm running out of ideas, and it looks like she'll be home tomorrow too!!
********************
Today is Thursday, Dec 7 2017
I have lots of friends at school.
My friends are S*****, H*****, K****, M****, V******, J******, and N***. All my friend are in my class except for Maddy and Valerie. My teacher's name is Ms. Lauglin. My favorite subjects are music, science, DPA, art, and literacy. I went to a field trip to Markham Theatre to watch Pinocchio. We had our first primary assembly. It was about anti-bullying. We made posters for anti-bullying . We had a presentation for science. I wrote a lot. My principal's name is H. G*****.
M3
********************
Today is Thursday, Dec 7 2017
I have lots of friends at school.
My friends are S*****, H*****, K****, M****, V******, J******, and N***. All my friend are in my class except for Maddy and Valerie. My teacher's name is Ms. Lauglin. My favorite subjects are music, science, DPA, art, and literacy. I went to a field trip to Markham Theatre to watch Pinocchio. We had our first primary assembly. It was about anti-bullying. We made posters for anti-bullying . We had a presentation for science. I wrote a lot. My principal's name is H. G*****.
M3
Tuesday, November 21, 2017
The End Of Summer - Part Two
At least it didn't take me another 6 weeks to finish the second half of this post...
Day 2: The CNE! It has been over 7 years since we've been to the EX. M3 has never been so it's probably closer to 8 or 9 years. First we went to a neighbourhood diner for some breakfast and then hopped on the streetcar - something M2 & M3 have never done! For me the EX seemed smaller than I remembered - maybe it's just me getting older? The kids enjoyed the carnival rides and games and then of course more food! However, we aren't the daring type of family who'll try all the latest novelty items - pretty much stuck to the corn dogs, fried onion blooms, pulled pork sandwiches, and slushies. We didn't stay to dark and just picked up some sandwiches on the way back to the hotel. Why? Because M1 just HAD to make it back to the hotel to watch SYTYCD.
Day 3: We headed down to the St Lawrence Market first thing in the morning (well, it was actually closer to 11:00 but hey we're on vacation!) for some freshly baked goods, lobster rolls, and fancy crepes. The afternoon was spent shopping as we headed back to the hotel to get ready for dinner. Our evening ended with a "fancy" dinner at the CN Tower restaurant (http://www.cntower.ca/en-ca/360-restaurant/overview.html).
I know my children would love to vacation in exotic countries, fancy resorts, or luxury cruise ships (who wouldn't?) like many of their friends or cousins. Unfortunately it isn't possible right now. But I also know my children understand that it's not about how much money we spend travelling or whether we take a plane or a ship to make wonderful memories. Besides, I've always said the best thing about a vacation is coming home!
Y.C.
Day 2: The CNE! It has been over 7 years since we've been to the EX. M3 has never been so it's probably closer to 8 or 9 years. First we went to a neighbourhood diner for some breakfast and then hopped on the streetcar - something M2 & M3 have never done! For me the EX seemed smaller than I remembered - maybe it's just me getting older? The kids enjoyed the carnival rides and games and then of course more food! However, we aren't the daring type of family who'll try all the latest novelty items - pretty much stuck to the corn dogs, fried onion blooms, pulled pork sandwiches, and slushies. We didn't stay to dark and just picked up some sandwiches on the way back to the hotel. Why? Because M1 just HAD to make it back to the hotel to watch SYTYCD.
Day 3: We headed down to the St Lawrence Market first thing in the morning (well, it was actually closer to 11:00 but hey we're on vacation!) for some freshly baked goods, lobster rolls, and fancy crepes. The afternoon was spent shopping as we headed back to the hotel to get ready for dinner. Our evening ended with a "fancy" dinner at the CN Tower restaurant (http://www.cntower.ca/en-ca/360-restaurant/overview.html).
I know my children would love to vacation in exotic countries, fancy resorts, or luxury cruise ships (who wouldn't?) like many of their friends or cousins. Unfortunately it isn't possible right now. But I also know my children understand that it's not about how much money we spend travelling or whether we take a plane or a ship to make wonderful memories. Besides, I've always said the best thing about a vacation is coming home!
Y.C.
Monday, November 13, 2017
The End Of The Summer - Part One
I have a (bad) habit of starting blogs but not finishing them right away. At any given time I may have 3 or 4 unfinished pieces I’ll be working on and sometimes it’ll be days or even weeks before I’m ready to “publish” a post. In the case of the next two blogs it’s actually been almost 3 months since I first started writing them. Better late than never, I guess...
***************************
It's September & the end of the year is creeping towards us - it'll be here sooner than we can believe. I wanted to post more blogs this year, I really do have a lot I want to share, but sometimes it's still hard finding the right words, the right tone, the right time to let it all out.
I'll start this blog with the end of our summer holidays!
This year we decided on a true "staycation". The Big Oh & I grew up in one of the best cities in the world. A city that many around the world make it a point of coming to for their own vacation. There is culture, amazing food, word-class entertainment & sporting facilities, and lots of family activities & attractions. As a 'local' we can take for granted what our city has to offer and now that we live just a short drive outside of it we don't even think of it as a place where we may want to take our children to visit. The traffic, the parking costs, the line-ups - there can be so many reasons to avoid going 'downtown'! So what did we do? We checked ourselves into a hotel right in the heart of downtown & spent 3 days exploring with our kids!
Day 1: We checked into a hotel in the afternoon and spent the rest of the day taking the streetcar to enjoy the sights & foods of some of the places we often see in instagram posts (we took a few pics ourselves). We had ice cream & delicious baked goods in The Distillery District, then off to Chinatown to show our kids where we spent our weekends while growing up. A short walk away was Kensington Market where we took in the sights and sounds of street performers and musicians. Dinner and dessert were these two fantastic little finds: Valens and Artic Bites - Italian food & ice cream - two of our favs.
To Be Continued....
Y.C.
***************************
It's September & the end of the year is creeping towards us - it'll be here sooner than we can believe. I wanted to post more blogs this year, I really do have a lot I want to share, but sometimes it's still hard finding the right words, the right tone, the right time to let it all out.
I'll start this blog with the end of our summer holidays!
This year we decided on a true "staycation". The Big Oh & I grew up in one of the best cities in the world. A city that many around the world make it a point of coming to for their own vacation. There is culture, amazing food, word-class entertainment & sporting facilities, and lots of family activities & attractions. As a 'local' we can take for granted what our city has to offer and now that we live just a short drive outside of it we don't even think of it as a place where we may want to take our children to visit. The traffic, the parking costs, the line-ups - there can be so many reasons to avoid going 'downtown'! So what did we do? We checked ourselves into a hotel right in the heart of downtown & spent 3 days exploring with our kids!
Day 1: We checked into a hotel in the afternoon and spent the rest of the day taking the streetcar to enjoy the sights & foods of some of the places we often see in instagram posts (we took a few pics ourselves). We had ice cream & delicious baked goods in The Distillery District, then off to Chinatown to show our kids where we spent our weekends while growing up. A short walk away was Kensington Market where we took in the sights and sounds of street performers and musicians. Dinner and dessert were these two fantastic little finds: Valens and Artic Bites - Italian food & ice cream - two of our favs.
To Be Continued....
Y.C.
Thursday, November 2, 2017
My Everything
There is this piece from The New York Times I have had saved for a while now (You May Want To Marry My Husband) and although I knew what the gist of the article was about, I was afraid to read it. Today I read it. And before I lose my nerve I am going to write my own take on it. It may help to read the article first.
This is my Big Oh
First the basics. He's 5 foot 8. I wouldn't say he's good looking, but not ugly either. Actually, a lot of old Chinese ladies (think grandmas - including mine) have said he's very handsome - a geriatric chick-magnet. He always seems to have a haircut that's just not quite right (I guess he's gotta stop going to those $8 cuts at Chinese strip plazas). And in photographs his head always tilts slightly to the left. To me, he is perfect.
When he is not at work his wardrobe consists mostly of t-shirts and sweats decorated with Superheroes, Star Wars, or hockey logos - some older than I care to share. He owns one pair of jeans that fit properly. He only goes shopping for work shirts and dress pants if one gets stained or ripped. But I love his casualness - we go well together as I'm a yoga pants/sweatpants, T-shirt kind of girl at home. And my "going-out" clothes? Well let's just say he has commented that I dress like my grandmother (not a compliment).
He loves Canto-pop music from the 70's and 80's (and so do I). He knows almost all the lyrics from Air Supply's Greatest Hits album. Currently his music repertoire consists of anything his daughters are dancing or listening to. Did I mention yet what an amazing father he is?
He is blessed with 3 daughters so instead of being a hockey-dad he's a dance-dad. A role he has embraced and is not embarrassed to show - just ask his daughters when he starts coaching them on their dance routines or busting out some dance moves (cue eye rolls here).
Other awesome attributes? He is funny (and I don't mean looking) & witty - he makes people laugh sometimes at his own expense (but usually at others). His friendship is loyal and generous - you know he's got your back, and when he does something for you it'll never be because he's thinking "what's in it for me". He is passionate - just get him talking about hockey, politics, or his family and you'll know what I mean.
Of course I can't talk about The Big Oh without mentioning his family. Yes, it comes with the package but I like to think of them as a bonus.
If you read The New York Times piece above you'll know how the article ends. I'm not sure how to end my blog today; I'm not sure I even want to write an ending... Except to say to The Big Oh: I love you and thank you for being my everything.
Y.C.
Saturday, October 21, 2017
my day
Today I woke up, brushed my teeth, changed, and ate breakfast. For breakfast I had peanut butter on toast and bean sprouts in chow mein. Then I watched TV. For lunch I had chick peas fried rice and some kind of noodles.
In the afternoon my sister, my mom, and I went to the bank. I opened a bank account and put in $60. I have lots of money because my birthday is in September. There were free cookies and juice at the bank. I ate a cookie but I did not drink juice.
Then we went to the mall. We went to Starbucks and Shopper's Drug Mart. I ordered small caramel frappucino with no whip cream and no caffeine. M2 got the same thing. Mommy got a pumpkin spice latte. We also got a lemon loaf but we did not give any to M1. We texted M1 to see if she wanted Timbits from Tim Horton's but she did not respond. Then we went home.
Now I am doing a blog. Now I am finished my blog. Now I am going to press "Publish".
M3
ow I am doing a blog.
In the afternoon my sister, my mom, and I went to the bank. I opened a bank account and put in $60. I have lots of money because my birthday is in September. There were free cookies and juice at the bank. I ate a cookie but I did not drink juice.
Then we went to the mall. We went to Starbucks and Shopper's Drug Mart. I ordered small caramel frappucino with no whip cream and no caffeine. M2 got the same thing. Mommy got a pumpkin spice latte. We also got a lemon loaf but we did not give any to M1. We texted M1 to see if she wanted Timbits from Tim Horton's but she did not respond. Then we went home.
Now I am doing a blog. Now I am finished my blog. Now I am going to press "Publish".
M3
ow I am doing a blog.
Tuesday, October 3, 2017
This One's For You
I have written letters to my daughters on their birthdays. This one is for the Big Oh.
Happy Birthday my dearest husband. I am thinking about you. I am smiling because I'm thinking about all the things you've done that make me happy.
A long time ago you gave me a card. A very large card. You needed a large card because in it you wrote down 1000 things about me that you love.
We recently went to a beautiful wedding of one of our cousins and as emotional as the speeches were that night, our family remembered your touching speech on our wedding day 18 years ago. And that made me smile. I am remembering the feeling of pure newlywed bliss as a young bride. The way you made me feel like a princess and you were my knight in shining armour to take me away to our paradise.
I am remembering the first home you gave me - OUR first home. It was a small condo but to me it felt like a mansion. You let me pick out all the furniture and decorate it anyway I wanted to. We hosted birthday parties, Christmas & Halloween parties, and bridal showers for friends there. It was also there that you studied for your exams - those long ago exams that felt like the most important & difficult things you would ever have to do in this world (little did we know then). When you passed your exams we celebrated & we were so happy to be closing one chapter of our life together & starting a new one.
I remember coming to you one day and saying let's buy a house HERE! And we did. Again you let me choose where we would move to. You let me decide all the large & small details that go with buying a brand new home from floor plans, to wall colours, to flooring and facets and sinks. If my first home was a mansion then this one now felt like my own palace - a castle fit for a king & queen!
And it is here where you have given me the 3 most important people in our lives. It is here in our home now with our children that you completed me. The love and adoration I see you have for your daughters is indescribable. Only someone in love, that have children of their own, can really understand how I feel. I am smiling as I am thinking about you & our girls.
I am remembering our hockey playing days, watching Hong Kong movies in Chinatown
& Market Village, concerts & casino trips, vacations and cruises, birthdays and anniversaries, apple picking in the fall, Christmases & Chinese New Years, dance competitions, beginning of summer rituals & first days back to school.
I know I don't say it enough now-a-days...
I love you for holding me up on my weakest darkest days.
I love you for letting me be me - angry, sad, joyous, and everything in between
I love you for giving me my space & solitude - even when you want to be by my side
I love you for loving me
Happy Birthday Big Oh
Y.C.
Happy Birthday my dearest husband. I am thinking about you. I am smiling because I'm thinking about all the things you've done that make me happy.
A long time ago you gave me a card. A very large card. You needed a large card because in it you wrote down 1000 things about me that you love.
We recently went to a beautiful wedding of one of our cousins and as emotional as the speeches were that night, our family remembered your touching speech on our wedding day 18 years ago. And that made me smile. I am remembering the feeling of pure newlywed bliss as a young bride. The way you made me feel like a princess and you were my knight in shining armour to take me away to our paradise.
I am remembering the first home you gave me - OUR first home. It was a small condo but to me it felt like a mansion. You let me pick out all the furniture and decorate it anyway I wanted to. We hosted birthday parties, Christmas & Halloween parties, and bridal showers for friends there. It was also there that you studied for your exams - those long ago exams that felt like the most important & difficult things you would ever have to do in this world (little did we know then). When you passed your exams we celebrated & we were so happy to be closing one chapter of our life together & starting a new one.
I remember coming to you one day and saying let's buy a house HERE! And we did. Again you let me choose where we would move to. You let me decide all the large & small details that go with buying a brand new home from floor plans, to wall colours, to flooring and facets and sinks. If my first home was a mansion then this one now felt like my own palace - a castle fit for a king & queen!
And it is here where you have given me the 3 most important people in our lives. It is here in our home now with our children that you completed me. The love and adoration I see you have for your daughters is indescribable. Only someone in love, that have children of their own, can really understand how I feel. I am smiling as I am thinking about you & our girls.
I am remembering our hockey playing days, watching Hong Kong movies in Chinatown
& Market Village, concerts & casino trips, vacations and cruises, birthdays and anniversaries, apple picking in the fall, Christmases & Chinese New Years, dance competitions, beginning of summer rituals & first days back to school.
I know I don't say it enough now-a-days...
I love you for holding me up on my weakest darkest days.
I love you for letting me be me - angry, sad, joyous, and everything in between
I love you for giving me my space & solitude - even when you want to be by my side
I love you for loving me
Happy Birthday Big Oh
Y.C.
Monday, October 2, 2017
A Bad Morning
I wrote this letter back in May to a few best friends when I was having a particularly bad morning....
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I'm going to be selfish this morning. I'm only going to think about how I'm feeling right now. I'm not going to worry that I'm burdening you with my problems or be afraid that I'm spoiling your day with my mood. I'm not going to be positive. I'm tired of being positive. I'm tired of looking on the bright side. I'm tired of thinking about all the things I have and not what I don't have. I'm just tired!
I yelled at M3 this morning. Again. She has an eye infection and a bit of a cold & probably some seasonal allergies that make her eyes extra ichy & her nose extra runny. So to say she's in a bad mood & being a bit difficult is definitely an understatement. She does not like putting in eye drops & is un-cooperative when we do. This morning while struggling with her to put the eye drops in I lost it again and yelled & screamed at her. I threatened to slap her! I actually had visions of myself raising my hand & slapping her across the face. I didn't though. And the eye drops did get in ( I think/I hope). She went to school.
I got a call 5 minutes after she got dropped off. It was the school calling. She had a bad fall walking into the school. I went to check her out right away. She was in the office crying. Her face had scrapes on her forehead, on her nose, on her lips. She was bleeding from her scrapes, her nose was turning purple with a bruise, and her lips were swollen. I just broke down at school & started crying with her.
I took her home & cleaned her up. I held her. I apologized for yelling at her this morning. I told her I love her & everything will be OK. I told her I could cancel the doctor's appointment I had this morning & stay home with her. You know what she said? She said, "No mommy, go to your appointment. I want you to get better."
So this is where I am now. Waiting for my turn to see the doctor. My daughter thinks I'm going to get better but I know I'm not & it's killing me. This has been a rough week. It started with M1 crying & me consoling her and now it's ending with M3 crying & me telling her the same thing I told M1: "That everything's going to be OK. It hurts but you're strong girls & it will get better. That I love them & I'm proud of them."
I know that even when I'm gone there will be someone to hold them & tell them these things. There'll be the Big Oh, they will have each other, their older cousins, all their aunts & uncles. But I want to be the one to tell them these things! I want to be the one they come to when they need re-assuring! I want to be here!
I know that even when I'm gone there will be someone to hold them & tell them these things. There'll be the Big Oh, they will have each other, their older cousins, all their aunts & uncles. But I want to be the one to tell them these things! I want to be the one they come to when they need re-assuring! I want to be here!
This week has been a tough one physically, mentally, emotionally.
That's all I've got now. Thanks for listening.
*****************
At the time I wrote this letter to my friends it was meant to be just an outlet for the tough week I was having. I didn't know that rough week would end up being most of my summer & still going on. My M3 still continues to have outbursts of anger, impatience, and frustrations. We hope we are doing all the right things for her, but realize we may need professional help if her temperament doesn't improve.
And me? My monthly hospital visits turned into weekly ones over the summer. And the visits & treatments are taking a toil on me - physically, mentally & emotionally. And I don't know if
anything is working. But I have no other choice right now - except to do nothing - which is NOT an option I am willing to consider.
Y.C.
Y.C.
Tuesday, August 22, 2017
Food Truck Day
On Saturday August 6th 2017 me and my family went downtown to a food truck festival. We drove downtown and we put our bikes in the car. We went to Auntie P**'s house first. My sisters and my dad rood their bikes to the festival. We had fruit slushies , poutine, Mac and Cheese, grilled cheese sandwiches , and Vietnamese noodle rolls.
Afterwards my mom and I drove back to Auntie P**'s house and my sisters and dad rode their bikes there. Then we loaded the car and all drove home.
M3
Afterwards my mom and I drove back to Auntie P**'s house and my sisters and dad rode their bikes there. Then we loaded the car and all drove home.
M3
Monday, August 21, 2017
Pin Me!
I know I'm late to the game. Aren't I always?
I discovered Pintrest this summer. I've tried 2 recipes so far - quite successfully I might add. It's INSPIRING! I say "inspiring" because I browsed a few similar recipes I liked and melded them together to make something of my own. The first one was this awesome Kale & Broccoli Salad I put together. Here's the original pin (Autumn Kale Apple & Quinoa Salad) and here's my own take on it:
I basically took the recipe and added Broccoli, Carrots, and Purple Cabbage. I omitted the Goat Cheese, Cranberries and Nuts. I made the dressing exactly as instructed and made sure to mar the dressing in the salad for at least 1/2 an hour before serving. Voila. A to-die-for salad that suits perfectly the tastes of my family!
I recently took this recipe to a friend's dinner party and received lots of compliments - it doesn't hurt that the kale was fresh grown from my dad's garden! Give the recipe a try with your own variations - I'm sure you'll love it as much as we did!
Y.C.
I discovered Pintrest this summer. I've tried 2 recipes so far - quite successfully I might add. It's INSPIRING! I say "inspiring" because I browsed a few similar recipes I liked and melded them together to make something of my own. The first one was this awesome Kale & Broccoli Salad I put together. Here's the original pin (Autumn Kale Apple & Quinoa Salad) and here's my own take on it:
I basically took the recipe and added Broccoli, Carrots, and Purple Cabbage. I omitted the Goat Cheese, Cranberries and Nuts. I made the dressing exactly as instructed and made sure to mar the dressing in the salad for at least 1/2 an hour before serving. Voila. A to-die-for salad that suits perfectly the tastes of my family!
I recently took this recipe to a friend's dinner party and received lots of compliments - it doesn't hurt that the kale was fresh grown from my dad's garden! Give the recipe a try with your own variations - I'm sure you'll love it as much as we did!
Y.C.
Monday, August 14, 2017
Yokohama Sushi
Yesterday night my family and I went to Yokohama Sushi for dinner.
The service wasn't great. First, we ordered dinner on the i Pad that they gave us. They didn't have a lot of selection on their menu and the i Pad stopped working a few times. After we ordered, it didn't take very long to come. Sometimes they would deliver food to us that we didn't ever order and they looked like they were bored out of their mind. Whenever we waved them down or wanted to ask them something, they would always ignore us or tell us to wait and they would never come back.
The first item that came was Miso soup. At every other Japanese restaurant they fill the Miso soup, but at this place they only gave us a half bowl!! Then, as our other food came we found that the portions were SO small!! The tempura shrimp was almost half the size of other tempura! As we were finishing off of dishes and ordering some more, we found that a lot of the food didn't taste that good.
On our second order of food, we decided to get some noodles. We got soup ramen, fried and soup udon. When the ramen came there was barely any ramen actually in the soup, it was just soup and mushrooms!! The soup udon had no flavour at all and the fried udon was small so we got another one. We also got beef ribs during our second order. The beef ribs tasted okay, but it was very chewy and it didn't look very cooked.
Overall the dinner was okay, but the dessert is a WHOLE different story. We saved the dessert menu for after we finished our dinner to look at. They didn't have a wide selection just like the main menu. They had 3 types of ice cream and they didn't have VANILLA! Like honestly, what kind of place doesn't have vanilla ice cream. I was angry that they didn't have vanilla ice cream so I went to look for my next favourite dessert, a crème brûlée. Guess what?? They didn't have that either! Which got me even angrier than I was before. I ended up getting a chocolate mousse and my sisters & parents got mango ice cream, mango tapioca, a tiramisu, durian ice cream and ginger milk. I jut have to say that the pictures are false advertising. All the desserts were miniature size. The tiramisu was the size of a finger and the ice cream looked like a bouncy ball. The mango tapioca barely had any tapioca and looked like yellow-ish water. Then we have my chocolate mousse...the chocolate mousse looked like a piece of TURD!! In the picture it looked like a cup full of yogurt, but in real life...it looks like a small piece of TURD!!!!! The ginger milk didn't even come, but the other dessert did. I was so disappointed at their lack in dessert...actually I was disappointed in their lack of everything.
I would recommend that you don't come and try their food. Thank you for letting me take out my anger on you.
M2
The service wasn't great. First, we ordered dinner on the i Pad that they gave us. They didn't have a lot of selection on their menu and the i Pad stopped working a few times. After we ordered, it didn't take very long to come. Sometimes they would deliver food to us that we didn't ever order and they looked like they were bored out of their mind. Whenever we waved them down or wanted to ask them something, they would always ignore us or tell us to wait and they would never come back.
The first item that came was Miso soup. At every other Japanese restaurant they fill the Miso soup, but at this place they only gave us a half bowl!! Then, as our other food came we found that the portions were SO small!! The tempura shrimp was almost half the size of other tempura! As we were finishing off of dishes and ordering some more, we found that a lot of the food didn't taste that good.
On our second order of food, we decided to get some noodles. We got soup ramen, fried and soup udon. When the ramen came there was barely any ramen actually in the soup, it was just soup and mushrooms!! The soup udon had no flavour at all and the fried udon was small so we got another one. We also got beef ribs during our second order. The beef ribs tasted okay, but it was very chewy and it didn't look very cooked.
Overall the dinner was okay, but the dessert is a WHOLE different story. We saved the dessert menu for after we finished our dinner to look at. They didn't have a wide selection just like the main menu. They had 3 types of ice cream and they didn't have VANILLA! Like honestly, what kind of place doesn't have vanilla ice cream. I was angry that they didn't have vanilla ice cream so I went to look for my next favourite dessert, a crème brûlée. Guess what?? They didn't have that either! Which got me even angrier than I was before. I ended up getting a chocolate mousse and my sisters & parents got mango ice cream, mango tapioca, a tiramisu, durian ice cream and ginger milk. I jut have to say that the pictures are false advertising. All the desserts were miniature size. The tiramisu was the size of a finger and the ice cream looked like a bouncy ball. The mango tapioca barely had any tapioca and looked like yellow-ish water. Then we have my chocolate mousse...the chocolate mousse looked like a piece of TURD!! In the picture it looked like a cup full of yogurt, but in real life...it looks like a small piece of TURD!!!!! The ginger milk didn't even come, but the other dessert did. I was so disappointed at their lack in dessert...actually I was disappointed in their lack of everything.
I would recommend that you don't come and try their food. Thank you for letting me take out my anger on you.
M2
This is the turd I was writing about.
Being Bored Is Good For You
It is already 2 weeks into August and the summer is winding down for us.
Our last 3 summers seemed to follow a similar pattern. July has been reserved for camps while August is our lazy month - a time for the kids to have nothing scheduled, to learn to amuse themselves and to be bored. Please don't ask me to do anything with you - go figure it out yourselves!
I am embracing the whole idea of kids needing to be bored. The kids are learning how to be bored and then figuring out how NOT to be bored ON THEIR OWN. M1 & M2 are getting the hang of it. They'll find TV shows to watch, they'll read, look up crafts on the internet to do, and go out to ride their bikes or play basketball. I've even allowed M1 to make her own plans with her friends to meet up at the neighbourhood park - and I have to admit I'm enjoying the freedom it gives me and the independence & responsibility it gives her. We're still working on M3 - she'll have her moments where she can play on her own, but of course she'd much rather have us play a board game with her, do crafts together, or just keep her company.
We haven't really "vacationed" during the last 3 summers. Other than last year when we spent 4 days in our nation's capital, we've been doing a lot of local day trips. This year is really no different, except that we have booked a local hotel for a few nights later this month; a true "staycation" - hopefully there will be a blog or two on that later in the month.
And me? I continue to focus on my weekly appointments & monthly check-ups. There are bad days, and worst days, but there are still goods days in between. My family, my support system, is stronger than ever. Even my best friends, some who have had their own family, health, & work challenges to deal with this year, continue to check in on me & my family, send thoughtful messages & texts, think of us, and pray for us - as I am doing for them. We really do need each other - in the best, healthiest, most positive way possible!
Y.C.
Our last 3 summers seemed to follow a similar pattern. July has been reserved for camps while August is our lazy month - a time for the kids to have nothing scheduled, to learn to amuse themselves and to be bored. Please don't ask me to do anything with you - go figure it out yourselves!
I am embracing the whole idea of kids needing to be bored. The kids are learning how to be bored and then figuring out how NOT to be bored ON THEIR OWN. M1 & M2 are getting the hang of it. They'll find TV shows to watch, they'll read, look up crafts on the internet to do, and go out to ride their bikes or play basketball. I've even allowed M1 to make her own plans with her friends to meet up at the neighbourhood park - and I have to admit I'm enjoying the freedom it gives me and the independence & responsibility it gives her. We're still working on M3 - she'll have her moments where she can play on her own, but of course she'd much rather have us play a board game with her, do crafts together, or just keep her company.
We haven't really "vacationed" during the last 3 summers. Other than last year when we spent 4 days in our nation's capital, we've been doing a lot of local day trips. This year is really no different, except that we have booked a local hotel for a few nights later this month; a true "staycation" - hopefully there will be a blog or two on that later in the month.
And me? I continue to focus on my weekly appointments & monthly check-ups. There are bad days, and worst days, but there are still goods days in between. My family, my support system, is stronger than ever. Even my best friends, some who have had their own family, health, & work challenges to deal with this year, continue to check in on me & my family, send thoughtful messages & texts, think of us, and pray for us - as I am doing for them. We really do need each other - in the best, healthiest, most positive way possible!
Y.C.
Friday, August 4, 2017
The Future Is Now
Today I read about "Harry Potter & The Cursed Child" opening on Broadway. Previews start March 2018. Hopefully it'll be a long run, and if London, England was any indication, anyone wanting tickets better be buying them months in advance. The same has been happening to the musical "Hamilton" over the last couple of years - tickets are sold out half a year in advance. Unfortunately I won't be buying tickets. I don't know what I'll be doing or where I'll be - I can't fathom planning anything that far out.
I get envious of friends who tell me about their vacation plans. Especially the ones who take months or years to plan for the big once-in-a-lifetime trips. Or booking fabulous cruises a year in advance to get the best deals.
Don't get me wrong, I do think about things. Sometimes I think about how I would celebrate milestone birthdays or anniversaries. And like all parents I picture my children graduating from high school or university. Of them getting married and having children of their own.
But I wouldn't DO any actual planning...
I hate not being able to plan anything.
I hate not being able to plan for the future.
I live day to day. Week to week. Right now the only things I'm planning for are these endless hospital visits & doctors' appointments - until when? I keep telling myself it's good that I'm still here. That it's good I've made it another month. That I can still be treated. That there's still something to keep me alive. But I don't just want to be alive. I want to LIVE.
I may get judged for not being grateful and for not appreciating what I already have; that there are so many people sicker and worse off than I, and what they would give to trade places with me. I know all this. I really do. I tell myself this everyday. I see what a wonderful life I have everyday. But today...I want to see a future.
Y.C.
P.S. I have to give credit to Uncle Pepe for the title "The Future Is Now". He used to have a T-shirt that the Big Oh made fun of all the time. I couldn't think of a title for this blog - and then this just popped in my head (I don't know why but it made me laugh).
I get envious of friends who tell me about their vacation plans. Especially the ones who take months or years to plan for the big once-in-a-lifetime trips. Or booking fabulous cruises a year in advance to get the best deals.
Don't get me wrong, I do think about things. Sometimes I think about how I would celebrate milestone birthdays or anniversaries. And like all parents I picture my children graduating from high school or university. Of them getting married and having children of their own.
But I wouldn't DO any actual planning...
I hate not being able to plan anything.
I hate not being able to plan for the future.
I live day to day. Week to week. Right now the only things I'm planning for are these endless hospital visits & doctors' appointments - until when? I keep telling myself it's good that I'm still here. That it's good I've made it another month. That I can still be treated. That there's still something to keep me alive. But I don't just want to be alive. I want to LIVE.
I may get judged for not being grateful and for not appreciating what I already have; that there are so many people sicker and worse off than I, and what they would give to trade places with me. I know all this. I really do. I tell myself this everyday. I see what a wonderful life I have everyday. But today...I want to see a future.
Y.C.
P.S. I have to give credit to Uncle Pepe for the title "The Future Is Now". He used to have a T-shirt that the Big Oh made fun of all the time. I couldn't think of a title for this blog - and then this just popped in my head (I don't know why but it made me laugh).
Thursday, July 27, 2017
My Frist Blue Jays Game
Yesterday after my sister and I went to summer school my mom took us downtown to pick up my dad. We went to have dinner at Jules Bistro it was my mom's birthday. My mom got tuna salad my dad got the same thing but in a sandwich. My sister got a Croque Monsieur. I got Saute du Poulet. For dessert we had Chocolate Mousse , Crème Brule and my dad brought a Tiramisu cake. We sang a Chinese song and we sang Happy Birthday.
After dinner we went to Rogers Centre to watch a baseball game. We took a picture in front of a Blue Jay. The Blue Jays played Oakland and we won 4-1. We also had ice cream. We left at the 8th inning. I fell asleep on the car ride home.
M3
Past
I received a text last Monday. It was from a high school friend. She lives halfway across the world now and she was in town. When she first left Canada we were in our twenties and we would email one another often. We managed to keep in touch for a few years sharing breakups, new jobs, new relationships, and when she returned for a visit 11 years ago she came to visit me & my new babies. But of course we got busy. Marriage, children, juggling work and family life - we had to be present for the relationships we were working on daily. And you know what? It's OK.
We met up. Had a really great lunch. Talked about some old times. Shared where we are now, and where we hope to be headed.
I'm always talking about making the most of today - reminding myself not to think too far ahead and enjoying every moment that I have with my family & friends. But she reminded me that I had a past. She reminded me that my past is just as important as the "now" and it is these past people, and experiences with them, that have shaped who I am today.
Thank you for a lovely afternoon E.C. I hope it won't be 11 years before we see each other again.
Y.C.
We met up. Had a really great lunch. Talked about some old times. Shared where we are now, and where we hope to be headed.
I'm always talking about making the most of today - reminding myself not to think too far ahead and enjoying every moment that I have with my family & friends. But she reminded me that I had a past. She reminded me that my past is just as important as the "now" and it is these past people, and experiences with them, that have shaped who I am today.
Thank you for a lovely afternoon E.C. I hope it won't be 11 years before we see each other again.
Y.C.
Thursday, June 29, 2017
Another Re-Charge
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Time again for another re-charge.
This time I didn't go far. Just a short drive out of the city.
Laughs, girly chatter, good food and some quiet time in between.
I would say it was just right.
Just what I needed after a busy spring and heading into another busy summer.
Missed you P.T & N.L. But we are saving you a room in October 2018 (hopefully back to Florida)!
Y.C.
Wednesday, June 28, 2017
They'll Be OK
June has been a busy month (which month isn't, really?)!
M2 had a lot going on. She started the month with her ballet exams. My girls love their jazz and acro routines but there is something special about ballet that I can't explain. They are so graceful yet their bodies are so strong. Their muscles defined and the power they have in their jumps and turns always puts a huge smile on me. I feel that the time and effort (and money) we put in this extra-curricular activity really does pay off in so many ways.
Next she switched focused to track & field finals. Last year she did high jump and did very well and she was looking forward to it again this year. She went to all the early morning practices and it paid off. She was first in her age group at school and got to represent it at Area finals which she also placed first in. Then it was off to Regional finals. Last year she placed third in Regionals and although she didn't fare as good this year she beat her own personal best.
Early in May we had sent in a video audition of her dance routine for a local talent contest. To our surprise she was one of 15 finalists invited to the live audition in mid-June. We only had a week's notice and so for that week we were busy scheduling in some practice time. I have to admit I was a nervous wreck. I hope my daughter didn't notice it. I was nervous for my child - I didn't know how she would handle the pressure of an open audition talent show. There were a lot of unexpected variables and I wasn't sure how my 10 year old would deal with them. For example, the stage was a lot smaller than what she was accustomed to, she was one of the last performers and didn't take the stage until 10pm, and her competitors were of all ages and vocalists & instrumentalists - a lot different from the dance competitions she's used to. But you know what? She held her own! She didn't win, but she gave an excellent performance. She was gracious, she was proud of her achievement, and she was happy! What more could I ask for?
Once again my children surprise me. I am so busy with our daily routines that I don't notice how much my children are growing up. Only when a special event, a new challenge or a new experience comes along do I notice that they can do a lot more than I thought or expected. It is those times I can reflex and bask in knowing that the Big Oh & I are doing a good job and our kids will be OK.
Y.C.
Thursday, May 11, 2017
Be Still
Oh so much I want to write! Where to begin? What to write? How much can you (all 8 of you) handle?
Let's start where I left off last. I hate social media. Currently my favorite one to hate on: Snapchat. I think it's stupid. Admittedly I'm a Facebook user and I also have an Instagram account - both of which I post on sparingly, maybe once a month or even less. I use social media to see what my friends and family are up to. Sometimes I'll "Like" a photo, or pass on a really interesting (legitimate) article, opinion, blog, etc... But Snapchat? What's the point? To show a group of people, you may or may not know, where you are, what you're doing, who you're with for that 20 seconds (not even sure if this is correct) in time. There is no background, no context, no time or space for anything helpful or descriptive! But hey, I'm 43 years old, so a lot of things seem stupid to me.
Next on my list: Home renovators/contractors. Ugh! I'm currently sitting at home waiting for a guy to start some ceiling work in my house. It all started a month ago. I got a good referral from my brother-in-law. This contractor finished his basement a few years ago and my BIL has since referred a few jobs to him. I was warned up front: He is honest, charges a good price, but he has his own concept of time. I met him and we agreed on the job and he said he could start "next week" and he would call me the day before he'd start. Well, a week came and went with no call from him. I guess in his alternate time-line next week could mean "next week", but it could also mean 3 weeks later. I accepted this and now, 3 weeks later, I am sitting here waiting for him to show up. Last Saturday I asked him if he was planning on starting work this week. He said "Thursday". Well he didn't say WHICH Thursday....
Yesterday, I used a Facebook Buy & Sell page for the first time. And I sold $43 worth of stuff in about 24 hours! Woohoo! I'm not sure what I'm more happy about: the $43 or the fact that I got rid of 8 board games/activity kits that my kids no longer play with (some of them with missing pieces - which I fully disclosed)! I sold items to 2 different people. Both live in my neighbourhood and I met them at a local mall. The encounters were pleasant, it was convenient and there was no haggling/negotiating on the spot - which I heard can be the case even when a price had been agreed upon in advance online. I'll definitely do it again.
I was still on my $43 high when I was blindsided by another meltdown by M3. I came home and she was already bawling about how her sisters wouldn't draw her a heart before they left for dance class. NO ONE was allowed to draw her a heart except her two sisters who weren't home, and she ABSOLUTELY could not wait until they got back. It was one of her tantrums that after 10 minutes she wasn't crying about the heart anymore but somehow had gone off on a tangent: I didn't understand her, no one wants to help her, she always gets left out, and no one loves her. I try. I really do try. I always start off calm and patient. Re-assuring her. Trying to talk her through her anger & frustrations. But once again, it ends with me yelling, screaming, threatening, begging, and finally crying with her.
That was yesterday. Today has just begun. And I'm still waiting for that contractor to show up...
Y.C.
P.S. The title doesn't mean anything. Couldn't think of a clever title for this blog - Be Still is M1's solo dance this year - check it out on my FB page if you haven't seen it yet!
Let's start where I left off last. I hate social media. Currently my favorite one to hate on: Snapchat. I think it's stupid. Admittedly I'm a Facebook user and I also have an Instagram account - both of which I post on sparingly, maybe once a month or even less. I use social media to see what my friends and family are up to. Sometimes I'll "Like" a photo, or pass on a really interesting (legitimate) article, opinion, blog, etc... But Snapchat? What's the point? To show a group of people, you may or may not know, where you are, what you're doing, who you're with for that 20 seconds (not even sure if this is correct) in time. There is no background, no context, no time or space for anything helpful or descriptive! But hey, I'm 43 years old, so a lot of things seem stupid to me.
Next on my list: Home renovators/contractors. Ugh! I'm currently sitting at home waiting for a guy to start some ceiling work in my house. It all started a month ago. I got a good referral from my brother-in-law. This contractor finished his basement a few years ago and my BIL has since referred a few jobs to him. I was warned up front: He is honest, charges a good price, but he has his own concept of time. I met him and we agreed on the job and he said he could start "next week" and he would call me the day before he'd start. Well, a week came and went with no call from him. I guess in his alternate time-line next week could mean "next week", but it could also mean 3 weeks later. I accepted this and now, 3 weeks later, I am sitting here waiting for him to show up. Last Saturday I asked him if he was planning on starting work this week. He said "Thursday". Well he didn't say WHICH Thursday....
Yesterday, I used a Facebook Buy & Sell page for the first time. And I sold $43 worth of stuff in about 24 hours! Woohoo! I'm not sure what I'm more happy about: the $43 or the fact that I got rid of 8 board games/activity kits that my kids no longer play with (some of them with missing pieces - which I fully disclosed)! I sold items to 2 different people. Both live in my neighbourhood and I met them at a local mall. The encounters were pleasant, it was convenient and there was no haggling/negotiating on the spot - which I heard can be the case even when a price had been agreed upon in advance online. I'll definitely do it again.
I was still on my $43 high when I was blindsided by another meltdown by M3. I came home and she was already bawling about how her sisters wouldn't draw her a heart before they left for dance class. NO ONE was allowed to draw her a heart except her two sisters who weren't home, and she ABSOLUTELY could not wait until they got back. It was one of her tantrums that after 10 minutes she wasn't crying about the heart anymore but somehow had gone off on a tangent: I didn't understand her, no one wants to help her, she always gets left out, and no one loves her. I try. I really do try. I always start off calm and patient. Re-assuring her. Trying to talk her through her anger & frustrations. But once again, it ends with me yelling, screaming, threatening, begging, and finally crying with her.
That was yesterday. Today has just begun. And I'm still waiting for that contractor to show up...
Y.C.
P.S. The title doesn't mean anything. Couldn't think of a clever title for this blog - Be Still is M1's solo dance this year - check it out on my FB page if you haven't seen it yet!
Sunday, May 7, 2017
12 Year Old Problems
Yesterday one of my daughters saw a picture on social media of a group of her friends having dinner. The dinner turned out to be a birthday party. My daughter and the group are all on the same "team" of an extra-curricular activity. It turns out that along with my daughter, two other members of the team were also not invited. So most of the evening consisted of the 3 of them lamenting on why they weren't invited. After her initial outburst from being left out had cooled down, I had a chance to talk to my daughter about it. I am not at all upset that my child wasn't invited. I explained to my daughter that the birthday girl had invited friends that she felt close to - there were other invitees who were from different social groups as well. I'd like to think that the criteria for who to invite or not to invite was not "I don't like her so I'm not going to invite her", but rather, "Who are my closest friends." I think my daughter understands, but it's still a hard pill to swallow nonetheless (especially for a 12 year old).
Today the same daughter was at another party. Shortly after she got home she got a text message from a friend who was not invited to the party asking her where she was today and if she went ****. Obviously someone must have posted a picture of the party on social media.
Our daughter was distressed and wanted advice on how to respond. She just experienced how it felt to be left out less than 24 hours ago so she can empathize how her friend must be feeling. She also feels guilty about going to the party. Our advice to her was to tell the truth, but to also acknowledge that she felt sorry that the friend wasn't there.
And THIS is why I hate social media!
I did have a fleeting impulse to confront the parents involved however I have decided that this is not something parents need to get involved in. Parents should remain a healthy distance from their children's friendships. Children need to learn how to navigate through tough situations, and how to identify, establish and nurture different types of friendships and relationships - especially during these teenage years. I am here to provide a source of reference and advice & a safe place for them to return to whenever they need.
Y.C.
Today the same daughter was at another party. Shortly after she got home she got a text message from a friend who was not invited to the party asking her where she was today and if she went ****. Obviously someone must have posted a picture of the party on social media.
Our daughter was distressed and wanted advice on how to respond. She just experienced how it felt to be left out less than 24 hours ago so she can empathize how her friend must be feeling. She also feels guilty about going to the party. Our advice to her was to tell the truth, but to also acknowledge that she felt sorry that the friend wasn't there.
And THIS is why I hate social media!
I did have a fleeting impulse to confront the parents involved however I have decided that this is not something parents need to get involved in. Parents should remain a healthy distance from their children's friendships. Children need to learn how to navigate through tough situations, and how to identify, establish and nurture different types of friendships and relationships - especially during these teenage years. I am here to provide a source of reference and advice & a safe place for them to return to whenever they need.
Y.C.
Sunday, April 16, 2017
Where Have All The Manners Gone
On a recent P.A. Day I took my children out to a popular buffet restaurant for lunch. Their grandparents & cousins joined us so we had 4 adults and 5 children ages 6-12 in our group. Because it was a P.A. Day there were a lot of children in the restaurant along with the regular work crowd. As we were eating, a large party came in and were seated near us. Their party also had children that outnumbered the adults. A couple of the children in the party were excited and werenrunning around the table trying to find the "best" seat so they could sit beside their favourite friend/sibling/cousin. Their server (who was also serving our table) started to take their drink orders and said in a polite and concerned voice "Don't run, please". When he was ignored by the children (and also the adults at the table) he raised his voice slightly and said again, "Don't run, please - it is dangerous". One of the ladies, looking incredulously at him snapped back: "They are just children". The server then went on to apologize saying "Sorry, but it is dangerous to run because there are a lot of people walking around". The children seeing this rather embarrassing encounter unfold quickly took their seats while their parents were still giving the server evil eyes and muttering under their breaths.
Really? Where have all the manners gone? What are the adults teaching these children? Not only did they not reprimand their own children but had the nerve to feel offended by the server and defend their children! It is no wonder that a lot of people complain we are raising a bunch of entitled, spoiled, dependent children that are rude and have no respect for authority!
A few years ago we were having dinner with a group of friends at our local Swiss Chalet. We decided to have a "children's table" and an "adult's table". At the end of our meal our server complimented our children for being so well behaved. Not only did they order on their own, and helped each other out, they sat and talked and entertained themselves while the adults finished their meals. Yes, Swiss Chalet is a family restaurant that had colouring/activity papers to keep them busy. And yes, the meal only lasted a little over an hour, but we are talking about a bunch of 3 - 8 year olds. So a pat on the back to our group of friends.
Fast forward to this past Chinese New Year when my husband's family of 24 went to Dragon Legend Buffet to have dinner. It was a busy evening, the place was crowded, the wait staff were hustling, clearing tables, and getting drinks. As the evening ended, our server came by the "adults" table and mentioned how well behaved our children were - there were 12 of them ranging from ages 6 - 22 sitting together. She said they were so polite and weren't wasteful - they only got enough food that they could finish. They were having good conversation and weren't on their devices. They were truly enjoying each others company. I thanked her for the compliment and felt quite proud that my children were showing such good behaviour.
Is this what our social skills/etiquette is coming to? Are expectations so low that it is shocking when children are polite to servers, not wasteful, or not on electronic devices during a meal? Do parents not teach children to be engaging and enjoy the company they are with - and do they not set examples for their kids to follow? After thinking about it, I've decided that my children's behaviour isn't particularly outstanding - it is what I expect and it is the norm for us.
Y.C.
Really? Where have all the manners gone? What are the adults teaching these children? Not only did they not reprimand their own children but had the nerve to feel offended by the server and defend their children! It is no wonder that a lot of people complain we are raising a bunch of entitled, spoiled, dependent children that are rude and have no respect for authority!
A few years ago we were having dinner with a group of friends at our local Swiss Chalet. We decided to have a "children's table" and an "adult's table". At the end of our meal our server complimented our children for being so well behaved. Not only did they order on their own, and helped each other out, they sat and talked and entertained themselves while the adults finished their meals. Yes, Swiss Chalet is a family restaurant that had colouring/activity papers to keep them busy. And yes, the meal only lasted a little over an hour, but we are talking about a bunch of 3 - 8 year olds. So a pat on the back to our group of friends.
Fast forward to this past Chinese New Year when my husband's family of 24 went to Dragon Legend Buffet to have dinner. It was a busy evening, the place was crowded, the wait staff were hustling, clearing tables, and getting drinks. As the evening ended, our server came by the "adults" table and mentioned how well behaved our children were - there were 12 of them ranging from ages 6 - 22 sitting together. She said they were so polite and weren't wasteful - they only got enough food that they could finish. They were having good conversation and weren't on their devices. They were truly enjoying each others company. I thanked her for the compliment and felt quite proud that my children were showing such good behaviour.
Is this what our social skills/etiquette is coming to? Are expectations so low that it is shocking when children are polite to servers, not wasteful, or not on electronic devices during a meal? Do parents not teach children to be engaging and enjoy the company they are with - and do they not set examples for their kids to follow? After thinking about it, I've decided that my children's behaviour isn't particularly outstanding - it is what I expect and it is the norm for us.
Y.C.
Wednesday, March 22, 2017
Maple Yip Seafood Chinese Restaurant - Old School Cantonese
Looks like a normal Crispy Chicken from the outside...but it is completely deboned & stuffed with sticky rice (糯米飯)!
Recently, I wanted to find a Chinese seafood restaurant to try with 7 friends and decided on Maple Yip because of all the positive reviews on TripAdvisor and other review sites. We made 7:30 reservations for a Friday night and we were promptly seated when we arrived. Based on the reviews, we had pre-ordered the Winter Melon Soup ($45) and Chicken Stuffed With Rice ($42). The waitress was friendly, and when we told her we wanted seafood she gave us some suggestions on the fresh seafood they had. We decided on live Vancouver Crab With Ginger & Onion ($16/lb), steamed fresh Red Snapper ($23/lb), fresh Scallop With Garlic & Vermicelli ($9 each), Clams In Black Bean Sauce, and 2 veggie dishes. The seafood was fresh, the cooking method was perfect, and the taste was authentic Cantonese style - exactly what we were looking for. The bill was $461 (with tax & tip already included). This was a bit expensive, however the waitress had told us the prices at the time of ordering so we knew what to expect.
We live in an area that has hundreds of Chinese/Asian restaurants within a 20 minute drive and there haven't been any that I've tried in recent memory that I've wanted to recommend to my family until this one. So a week later I made another reservation for 7:30 on a Saturday night for my family. There were 18 of us so we had a table of 10 and a table of 8 - once again I pre-ordered 2 Winter Melon Soups, a Chicken Stuffed With Rice, and a "Eight Treasured Braised Duck" ($48) which is also one of their specialities that must be pre-ordered.
On this Saturday night we had to wait 20 minutes before we were seated but the staff were very apologetic and we were prepared that there may be wait. This evening's dinner we ordered 2 Black Pepper Tenderloin, 2 Sweet & Sour Pork, 2 Scallop In Taro Birds Nest, Braised Pork Belly With Preserved Vegetables, a Cantonese Chow Mein, and a tofu/veggie dish. The bill was $387 (tax & tip already included). Reasonable for the size of our party and the amount of food we ordered. My family was happy with the recommendation and were generally pleased with the quality and taste of the food, the service and the prices.
This restaurant reminds me of the Cantonese style restaurants in Toronto Chinatown (Spadina/Dundas) in the 80's before they started migrating to Scarborough & Markham and before the "fancier" Chinese restaurants of the last 10-15 years. If you don't mind the tables close together, waiting a bit even with a reservation, and the old-school décor (or lack of), and just want some good Chinese food definitely give this place a try.
Here's a tip: Opt for the 7:00 or 7:30 reservation even though you may not get your table on time. The early reservations get "rushed" out even if you want to sit and chat or are slow eaters because the parties have arrived for the next reservation.
We live in an area that has hundreds of Chinese/Asian restaurants within a 20 minute drive and there haven't been any that I've tried in recent memory that I've wanted to recommend to my family until this one. So a week later I made another reservation for 7:30 on a Saturday night for my family. There were 18 of us so we had a table of 10 and a table of 8 - once again I pre-ordered 2 Winter Melon Soups, a Chicken Stuffed With Rice, and a "Eight Treasured Braised Duck" ($48) which is also one of their specialities that must be pre-ordered.
On this Saturday night we had to wait 20 minutes before we were seated but the staff were very apologetic and we were prepared that there may be wait. This evening's dinner we ordered 2 Black Pepper Tenderloin, 2 Sweet & Sour Pork, 2 Scallop In Taro Birds Nest, Braised Pork Belly With Preserved Vegetables, a Cantonese Chow Mein, and a tofu/veggie dish. The bill was $387 (tax & tip already included). Reasonable for the size of our party and the amount of food we ordered. My family was happy with the recommendation and were generally pleased with the quality and taste of the food, the service and the prices.
This restaurant reminds me of the Cantonese style restaurants in Toronto Chinatown (Spadina/Dundas) in the 80's before they started migrating to Scarborough & Markham and before the "fancier" Chinese restaurants of the last 10-15 years. If you don't mind the tables close together, waiting a bit even with a reservation, and the old-school décor (or lack of), and just want some good Chinese food definitely give this place a try.
Here's a tip: Opt for the 7:00 or 7:30 reservation even though you may not get your table on time. The early reservations get "rushed" out even if you want to sit and chat or are slow eaters because the parties have arrived for the next reservation.
Y.C.
Wednesday, March 15, 2017
Safe
I am at my monthly doctor's appointment today. On good days it is just another minor inconvenience, but on others, it turns me into a nervous wreck - heart palpitations all day, insomnia for the proceeding week, and all the worst possible scenarios playing out in my mind over & over until I almost cannot tell the real from the imagined.
It is also March Break. So along with having to deal with these appointments and the wave of emotions & feelings that come with it, I have 3 school age children at home who have been trying to "play nicely" with each other - yesterday they made slime by themselves (without too much yelling & screaming) and they even cleaned up the mess they made on their own - definitely a successful day!
Today they are bowling with their cousins & they'll be with them again on Friday when I am back to do part 2 of my appointment. My kids are close to all their cousins, but are particularly so with this family. They are close in age and they go to the same school. They have lots to talk about & will play board games, video games, watch movies, and we'll even go on vacation with them. Besides the obvious help of taking care of my children when I am at my appointments, my extended family provides something even more important. For me, it is knowing that my kids are taken care of, they are having fun & are distracted, when I am not able to do that for them.
My children know why I have these monthly appointments at the hospital. Our family schedule & their social activities must be planned around me. It could be a very stressful time for them too but I think we do a good job at creating as much normalcy as possible. I think my children know that outside of our immediate family, there is always going to be another place for them, with their aunts & uncles, cousins & grandparents, where they can feel safe & loved.
Y.C.
It is also March Break. So along with having to deal with these appointments and the wave of emotions & feelings that come with it, I have 3 school age children at home who have been trying to "play nicely" with each other - yesterday they made slime by themselves (without too much yelling & screaming) and they even cleaned up the mess they made on their own - definitely a successful day!
Today they are bowling with their cousins & they'll be with them again on Friday when I am back to do part 2 of my appointment. My kids are close to all their cousins, but are particularly so with this family. They are close in age and they go to the same school. They have lots to talk about & will play board games, video games, watch movies, and we'll even go on vacation with them. Besides the obvious help of taking care of my children when I am at my appointments, my extended family provides something even more important. For me, it is knowing that my kids are taken care of, they are having fun & are distracted, when I am not able to do that for them.
My children know why I have these monthly appointments at the hospital. Our family schedule & their social activities must be planned around me. It could be a very stressful time for them too but I think we do a good job at creating as much normalcy as possible. I think my children know that outside of our immediate family, there is always going to be another place for them, with their aunts & uncles, cousins & grandparents, where they can feel safe & loved.
Y.C.
Sunday, February 19, 2017
The Land of Stories: A Grimm Warning
I know it’s been a long time since I last blogged. Recently, I was assigned a project at school in which I had to read a fantasy novel and do a response for. Therefore, I have decided to do a blog on “The Land of Stories: A Grimm Warning” (WARNING! If you have yet to read this book, and you do not wish to have anything spoiled, DO NOT read on)
Before I start, I’d like to give you a quick summary so you don’t get lost or confused. The Land of Stories: A Grimm Warning is the third book in the Land of Stories series, written by Chris Colfer. The two main characters are Alex and Conner Bailey, twins who are from another realm, called The Land of Stories. At first, they didn’t know another realm existed, when they did find out they learned that the fairy godmother was their grandmother. In each book, there is a huge problem that usually, Conner and Alex help settle, facing a series of obstacles in their way. In this book, there is a French army that had been put in a portal from Earth to the Land of Stories by the fairy godmother, and they were not to emerge until two hundred years later. Fast forward two hundred years later and the French army arrives in the Land of Stories. Seeing that the fairy godmother has fallen ill, the fate of the fairy tale world rests on Alex and Conner’s shoulders as they are the grandchildren of the fairy godmother. Some other characters I may be mentioning in this blog are Bree, Conner’s friend and love interest, Emmerich, a boy who helps Conner and Bree find the portal to the Land of Stories, and Mother Goose, one of the fairy godmother’s oldest friends. That is just an outline of what happens in this book, I really enjoyed it, and I think many other fantasy readers would enjoy it too.
In my opinion this book is very detailed and well thought out, it was showed in chapter eleven where Conner and his friend Bree had to use a special poker chip that he got from Mother Goose to access her vault in the Lumiere de Etoiles (Starlight) Casino. She said in her vault there was a panpipe that could open the portal to the Land of Stories. The poker chip they had used to access the vault was given to Conner in a previous book in the series, meaning that the author had his story well thought out from the beginning, or it was simply just a coincidence. I think this book can also give the reader courage, and teach the reader how to persevere through tough problems. An example of this in the text is in chapter two when Alex is training to be fairy godmother, and her goal is to grant three wishes each day. One day, it seems as though everyone who she helps, is snotty about it, and instead of thanking her, they insult her. Even though she did not get the respect she deserved on her first and second try, she persevered and completed her goal of three wishes.
My favourite part was when the Grande Armee was approaching the fairy palace and everyone was panicking since Alex and Conner hadn’t returned. Then, they all saw a blast of light, almost like an oversized comet shoot through the sky. It came bolting towards the fairy palace, just before the Grande Armee were about to strike, and in front of the fairy palace appeared Alex, Conner, and the remaining armies from all the kingdoms. This was my favourite part because the battle was about to begin, and as it was so exciting it was also so nerve racking, because it was their first battle they’d have to fight without the fairy godmother. But, they were very brave, and confident in fighting the Grande Armee and (SPOILERS) they won the battle. My least favourite part was when the fairy godmother (MORE SPOILERS) dies. She came back to fight the dragon that the Masked Man had brought at the end of the war, when the fairies thought they won. As it was approaching the fairy palace, Alex ran up to her grandmother’s chambers, kneeling at the side of her bed begging for her to wake up and help her. When she looked up, the fairy godmother and her wand were gone. The fairy godmother had come back to fight the dragon and defeated it. This part was my least favourite because once she had diminished the dragon she stumbled to the ground, feeling satisfied, and ready to leave. This part actually made me cry. It was amazing to read this because the description was so in depth and I could understand how they felt, almost as if I was losing the fairy godmother too, even though I knew she was a fictional character.
As you can see, The Land of Stories: A Grimm Warning is a great book to read, if you want a book to read for pleasure, or even for a project. I hope that if you do read this book, you’ll enjoy it as much as I did.
Wednesday, February 15, 2017
Basketball
It's past 3:00 am and I can't sleep. I have a lot on my mind. I have medication to help me sleep but lately that hasn't been working - nothing seems to be working. I'm trying to find some distraction yet keep focused...
* * * * *
Today was M1's last basketball tournament. This marked the end of her first basketball season on her school's team - the very first one she's ever tried out for. Although she lost more games than she won and her basketball "skills" need a lot of work, I know she loved the experience and is looking forward to doing it again next year & is even talking about trying out for other school teams.
There are so many things I see my daughter has taken out of this experience: the camaraderie with her team mates, the sense of school pride, losing with grace, and a strong, athletic body. She is also setting a great example for her younger sisters. I'm so glad I went to watch some of her games and I know she was happy to see me (even at the ugly losses - and I'm talking about 47-4 ugly). Because in the big picture of things, there's only a small window of time, or a handful of opportunities, when your children will truly NEED you, when your presence is a source of encouragement and not embarrassment, and when you will matter the MOST.
This is what I am focusing on now.
Y.C.
* * * * *
Today was M1's last basketball tournament. This marked the end of her first basketball season on her school's team - the very first one she's ever tried out for. Although she lost more games than she won and her basketball "skills" need a lot of work, I know she loved the experience and is looking forward to doing it again next year & is even talking about trying out for other school teams.
There are so many things I see my daughter has taken out of this experience: the camaraderie with her team mates, the sense of school pride, losing with grace, and a strong, athletic body. She is also setting a great example for her younger sisters. I'm so glad I went to watch some of her games and I know she was happy to see me (even at the ugly losses - and I'm talking about 47-4 ugly). Because in the big picture of things, there's only a small window of time, or a handful of opportunities, when your children will truly NEED you, when your presence is a source of encouragement and not embarrassment, and when you will matter the MOST.
This is what I am focusing on now.
Y.C.
Thursday, February 9, 2017
The Exception Or The Norm?
I've written about our large extended family before. My home is a central hub for aunts, uncles & cousins - coming and going at all hours (because we live with our in-laws but mostly because Uncle Pepe lives next door). And although it can be overwhelming at times, I wouldn't have it any other way! For every time where I've felt I needed my space and wanted to complain, there are 100 times that I've felt so happy to be a part of this crazy (some may says dysfunctional) family.
This week my FIL was sick and had to be admitted to the hospital for some unexpected surgery. Thank goodness, he is fine and recovering well. It is times like these that I think what a wonderful family I have. It reminded me when I was sick 3 years ago and everyone took shifts at the hospital as they are doing this week.
This week's experience also reminded me what an amazing health care system we have - one that is practically 100% funded by our government. There are a lot of horror stories of how inefficient our health care system is. We read about people having to wait days to see their family doctor (and some not even having one). There are numerous reports about long wait times for specialists and hospital tests. My family has been very lucky. I was, and continue to be very well cared for by our health care system and by our hospitals. This week my FIL was able to get an appointment with his family doctor, had an x-ray in a neighbourhood clinic, got the results of the x-ray, was sent to the ER, had a CT Scan, was admitted to the hospital, saw a specialist and had surgery all within 48 hours. I'm not sure if our experiences are the exception - I really hope it is the norm.
So today I am feeling very grateful for all the nurses, doctors, hospitals, and all the health care providers we have in our community.
Y.C.
This week my FIL was sick and had to be admitted to the hospital for some unexpected surgery. Thank goodness, he is fine and recovering well. It is times like these that I think what a wonderful family I have. It reminded me when I was sick 3 years ago and everyone took shifts at the hospital as they are doing this week.
This week's experience also reminded me what an amazing health care system we have - one that is practically 100% funded by our government. There are a lot of horror stories of how inefficient our health care system is. We read about people having to wait days to see their family doctor (and some not even having one). There are numerous reports about long wait times for specialists and hospital tests. My family has been very lucky. I was, and continue to be very well cared for by our health care system and by our hospitals. This week my FIL was able to get an appointment with his family doctor, had an x-ray in a neighbourhood clinic, got the results of the x-ray, was sent to the ER, had a CT Scan, was admitted to the hospital, saw a specialist and had surgery all within 48 hours. I'm not sure if our experiences are the exception - I really hope it is the norm.
So today I am feeling very grateful for all the nurses, doctors, hospitals, and all the health care providers we have in our community.
Y.C.
Tuesday, February 7, 2017
Exhausted - In A Good Way
I'm exhausted - and it's only 12 noon. Sometimes exhaustion is good. Right now it feels good. I feel like I have accomplished a lot. Today I felt like I needed to keep moving - I wish I had energy like this everyday. If my body was up to it I'd channel all this energy into cleaning my house. It would be spotless! But right now the best I can do is putter around in the kitchen on days like today.
This morning I was able to make my kids a hot breakfast AND a hot lunch (pat on the back) got them out the door on time (barely) and whipped up my morning green juice, Chinese herbal tea (blah), a salad for lunch (enough for 3 meals), banana muffins (for afterschool snack) and my special Chinese sweet potato dessert soup (also enough to last a couple of days). Whew!
A lot of times it's the little things that add up and before you know it - voila! It becomes a big deal - or like today, I end up with a kitchen full of food!
Tuesday, January 24, 2017
It's Not About The Money Money Money
This Saturday is Chinese New Year Day. I've written about how our family celebrates Chinese New Year in the past (mostly by eating) and I must admit I truly love the traditions The Big Oh's family have. However, there is one tradition in particular that has been of some discussion in the last couple of weeks - that of giving out red pocket money - "lai see".
When I was child a highlight was when my family would meet my uncles & aunts for dim sum or dinner during Chinese New Year and upon us hollering "Gung Hei Fat Choy" we would be given our lai see. By the time I reached my early twenties Chinese New Year gatherings with extended family were less frequent - and when we did have a chance to meet up during this time of year, aside from my own parents, we no longer received red envelopes. Hence I thought lai see was something fun & special for children.
So when I started spending Chinese New Year's with The Big Oh's family I learned that every family has their own traditions when it comes to giving lai see. What I thought was suppose to be just a token amount ($1, $2 or $5) inside the red envelope turned out to be significantly more in his family. I grew up with the notion that at some point you would be too old to receive lai see. Not so in The Big Oh's family - around here you can get lai see until you have children of your own even if you are married and 50 years old! I always assumed that lai see money was given to a "generation below". For example, I would receive lai see from my uncles and aunts. When I got married I would give it to my nieces & nephews. Again different in The Big Oh's family. Their family rule is that you would give lai see out as soon as you were married - even to family members in the same generation (it wouldn't matter whether they were older or younger than you, and even married) as long as they didn't have children.
I don't know what the majority thinks, but to me, these rules just don't sit well. Here are a couple of examples why: (1) The Big Oh and I were married before his older sister was, so there was a few years where we gave her and her boyfriend/fiancé/husband lai see until they had children of their own. (2) The Big Oh has a cousin close to 40 years old who is in a co-habitating long-term relationship and assuming that they never get married or have children they will continue to receive lai see forever (and never have to give any out themselves). I just think these scenarios are stupid - they kind of take away the fun out of what I thought giving/receiving lai see was about - that it's something special for the children. If you know me you'll know it's not about the money - in this case, it's about silly rules (traditions, if you like) which people are too afraid/lazy to suggest a logical change to.
A couple of years ago someone in the Big Oh's extended family suggested scrapping giving out lai see altogether. I can only guess to the reasoning behind this because no consultation, no vote, no real explanation was given - just a couple of aunts & uncles said "Let's stop giving lai see" and then our family was told not to give it out anymore.
Well this year I'm starting a mutiny. I am going to give lai see - under MY rules. I will be giving out lai see to children because I remember what fun it was to receive pockets of money once a year. I remember counting the crisp bills or shiny coins and thinking what a fortune I had and what treats I could buy with it! And when I think you're too old to receive it I'll stop giving it to you - and I'll tell you so too! I won't be afraid to say, "Aren't you a little too old? It's really for children, and besides you make more money than my husband & I combined!". And if I get asked why I'm giving out red pockets because it was decided that the family would not, I won't be afraid to say, "I like giving out lai see to children. It's my tradition."
So there....now I'm off to the bank to get some brand new crisp $5 bills to put in our red envelopes.
Y.C.
When I was child a highlight was when my family would meet my uncles & aunts for dim sum or dinner during Chinese New Year and upon us hollering "Gung Hei Fat Choy" we would be given our lai see. By the time I reached my early twenties Chinese New Year gatherings with extended family were less frequent - and when we did have a chance to meet up during this time of year, aside from my own parents, we no longer received red envelopes. Hence I thought lai see was something fun & special for children.
So when I started spending Chinese New Year's with The Big Oh's family I learned that every family has their own traditions when it comes to giving lai see. What I thought was suppose to be just a token amount ($1, $2 or $5) inside the red envelope turned out to be significantly more in his family. I grew up with the notion that at some point you would be too old to receive lai see. Not so in The Big Oh's family - around here you can get lai see until you have children of your own even if you are married and 50 years old! I always assumed that lai see money was given to a "generation below". For example, I would receive lai see from my uncles and aunts. When I got married I would give it to my nieces & nephews. Again different in The Big Oh's family. Their family rule is that you would give lai see out as soon as you were married - even to family members in the same generation (it wouldn't matter whether they were older or younger than you, and even married) as long as they didn't have children.
I don't know what the majority thinks, but to me, these rules just don't sit well. Here are a couple of examples why: (1) The Big Oh and I were married before his older sister was, so there was a few years where we gave her and her boyfriend/fiancé/husband lai see until they had children of their own. (2) The Big Oh has a cousin close to 40 years old who is in a co-habitating long-term relationship and assuming that they never get married or have children they will continue to receive lai see forever (and never have to give any out themselves). I just think these scenarios are stupid - they kind of take away the fun out of what I thought giving/receiving lai see was about - that it's something special for the children. If you know me you'll know it's not about the money - in this case, it's about silly rules (traditions, if you like) which people are too afraid/lazy to suggest a logical change to.
A couple of years ago someone in the Big Oh's extended family suggested scrapping giving out lai see altogether. I can only guess to the reasoning behind this because no consultation, no vote, no real explanation was given - just a couple of aunts & uncles said "Let's stop giving lai see" and then our family was told not to give it out anymore.
Well this year I'm starting a mutiny. I am going to give lai see - under MY rules. I will be giving out lai see to children because I remember what fun it was to receive pockets of money once a year. I remember counting the crisp bills or shiny coins and thinking what a fortune I had and what treats I could buy with it! And when I think you're too old to receive it I'll stop giving it to you - and I'll tell you so too! I won't be afraid to say, "Aren't you a little too old? It's really for children, and besides you make more money than my husband & I combined!". And if I get asked why I'm giving out red pockets because it was decided that the family would not, I won't be afraid to say, "I like giving out lai see to children. It's my tradition."
So there....now I'm off to the bank to get some brand new crisp $5 bills to put in our red envelopes.
Y.C.
Friday, January 20, 2017
The Crash Of My Life
This month is turning out to be a pretty crappy month. I have been feeling a bit "down" since the beginning of the year. And I lost my e-reader yesterday!
Perhaps it's the short days & long nights.
Maybe it's the awful weather - gone is the beautiful white snow & crisp winter air that we had around Christmas, lately it has been dreary drizzle and overcast skies which just makes the roads wet and slushy on good days, or a dangerous sheet of black ice on bad ones.
The feelings I'm having could be an emotional/mental "crash" from the "highs" that come with Christmas holidays, feasting with family & friends, and just spending some quality time with the people I love.
Or it could be just because it's January. It was a day 3 years ago in January that brought me to who & where I am today. It was horrible devastating news that was delivered to me on a January day, similar to the ones we've been having lately, that changed my life.
I was driving my shiny red car on a familiar highway cruising at 100 km/hr and all the other cars driving with me were keeping a safe distance. I knew where I was going. I had a clear destination in sight. I knew this road like it was the back of my hand, I had driven it thousands of times. It was a beautiful day. The skies were clear and the sun was out but not blinding - just right. The trees, houses & building, and scenery alongside the highway was enough to keep my drive interesting but not distracting. I'm smiling and singing along to a favorite song playing on the radio. Then without notice, without reason, without any cause at all I lose control and my car is spinning out of control in the middle of the road. The brakes don't work, the steering wheel has a mind of it's own, and all I can do is sit there and watch out the windshield of all the cars I'm hitting knocking out of the way, meanwhile my car is still spinning, still accelerating at 100 km/hr. My heart is beating so hard I feel pain in my chest, my mind is racing & my head is pounding, and I am screaming for everything to stop. I don't know how long this went on for but I am still inside my bashed up, broken car. It's all scratched up, dented, pieces of it left behind in the carnage. It's no longer shiny, but rusty & scratched up and it'll never go fast again - my beloved shiny red car!
I'm still driving, though the conditions are all different now. I'm not on that familiar highway and I'm not cruising anymore, no never again. It's stop and go, slowly ploughing through foreign roads in places where I don't recognize. It is a rough, bumpy road, full of sudden turns and dead ends, there are no signs or directions. There will be moments of deja vu - that I've driven this road before and maybe I can let my guard down but it never lasts long before I am back to unfamiliar territory. The skies are cloudy, but I know there is a sun behind those clouds and sometimes a ray of light will sneak out for a brief moment to remind me it's there. The radio still works and music still plays but I can't seem to tune into my favorite radio station anymore - the one that plays all the songs I love and know all the words to. Sometimes I will still try to sing along. I DON'T know where I am going but I can't get out of my car. I HAVE to keep driving. There is no other choice.
Y.C.
Perhaps it's the short days & long nights.
Maybe it's the awful weather - gone is the beautiful white snow & crisp winter air that we had around Christmas, lately it has been dreary drizzle and overcast skies which just makes the roads wet and slushy on good days, or a dangerous sheet of black ice on bad ones.
The feelings I'm having could be an emotional/mental "crash" from the "highs" that come with Christmas holidays, feasting with family & friends, and just spending some quality time with the people I love.
Or it could be just because it's January. It was a day 3 years ago in January that brought me to who & where I am today. It was horrible devastating news that was delivered to me on a January day, similar to the ones we've been having lately, that changed my life.
I was driving my shiny red car on a familiar highway cruising at 100 km/hr and all the other cars driving with me were keeping a safe distance. I knew where I was going. I had a clear destination in sight. I knew this road like it was the back of my hand, I had driven it thousands of times. It was a beautiful day. The skies were clear and the sun was out but not blinding - just right. The trees, houses & building, and scenery alongside the highway was enough to keep my drive interesting but not distracting. I'm smiling and singing along to a favorite song playing on the radio. Then without notice, without reason, without any cause at all I lose control and my car is spinning out of control in the middle of the road. The brakes don't work, the steering wheel has a mind of it's own, and all I can do is sit there and watch out the windshield of all the cars I'm hitting knocking out of the way, meanwhile my car is still spinning, still accelerating at 100 km/hr. My heart is beating so hard I feel pain in my chest, my mind is racing & my head is pounding, and I am screaming for everything to stop. I don't know how long this went on for but I am still inside my bashed up, broken car. It's all scratched up, dented, pieces of it left behind in the carnage. It's no longer shiny, but rusty & scratched up and it'll never go fast again - my beloved shiny red car!
I'm still driving, though the conditions are all different now. I'm not on that familiar highway and I'm not cruising anymore, no never again. It's stop and go, slowly ploughing through foreign roads in places where I don't recognize. It is a rough, bumpy road, full of sudden turns and dead ends, there are no signs or directions. There will be moments of deja vu - that I've driven this road before and maybe I can let my guard down but it never lasts long before I am back to unfamiliar territory. The skies are cloudy, but I know there is a sun behind those clouds and sometimes a ray of light will sneak out for a brief moment to remind me it's there. The radio still works and music still plays but I can't seem to tune into my favorite radio station anymore - the one that plays all the songs I love and know all the words to. Sometimes I will still try to sing along. I DON'T know where I am going but I can't get out of my car. I HAVE to keep driving. There is no other choice.
Y.C.
Monday, January 2, 2017
Big Oh's Top Ten List of 2016
10) Auston Matthews
9) Summer trips to Wonderland
8) Wifey's ladies only trip to Tampa and stories about Uncle Rich
7) Watching Legend of the Condor Heroes with my daughters and seeing that they understand it and are enjoying it
6) Going to dance competitions and watching my daughters
5) M3 learns to ride a bike
4) Canada Day trip to Ottawa - witnessed a lot of "true patriot love" and it was educational for my daughters
3) March Break cruise - first vacation requiring a plane ride since M3 was born
2) My three daughters
1) My beautiful wife - a true inspiration
Big Oh
Sunday, January 1, 2017
Top Ten List Of 2016
I made it! WE made it through 2016!
My family spent New Year's eve with some of our dearest friends, something I haven't done in a few years. It was a tiring evening but I am so glad we did it.
Here is my top ten list for this year:
10) Dance Dance & More Dance
9) Netflix & Chinese Cable boxes
8) Watching D & A's first year - 100th Day Party, First Birthday
7) This year's summer holidays when we watched Legend Of The Condor Hereos with our girls AND taught them how to play MJ
6) March Break Cruise with our "Pals" - our first major family vacation since M3 has been born and her first time on an airplane
5) My first "Girlfriend's Trip" in November to Tampa, Florida - could not have imagined it without these 4 amazing women: L.L, H.H, P.T, and N.L.
4) Spending Canada Day in our nation's capital with our beautiful daughters: watching fireworks, learning some Canadian history, trying different restaurants
3) Once again, I could not have made it through this year without my family & friends who laugh & cry with me & remind me everyday how lucky I am to have them in my life.
2) My Beautiful daughters
1) The Big Oh
Y.C.
My family spent New Year's eve with some of our dearest friends, something I haven't done in a few years. It was a tiring evening but I am so glad we did it.
Here is my top ten list for this year:
10) Dance Dance & More Dance
9) Netflix & Chinese Cable boxes
8) Watching D & A's first year - 100th Day Party, First Birthday
7) This year's summer holidays when we watched Legend Of The Condor Hereos with our girls AND taught them how to play MJ
6) March Break Cruise with our "Pals" - our first major family vacation since M3 has been born and her first time on an airplane
5) My first "Girlfriend's Trip" in November to Tampa, Florida - could not have imagined it without these 4 amazing women: L.L, H.H, P.T, and N.L.
4) Spending Canada Day in our nation's capital with our beautiful daughters: watching fireworks, learning some Canadian history, trying different restaurants
3) Once again, I could not have made it through this year without my family & friends who laugh & cry with me & remind me everyday how lucky I am to have them in my life.
2) My Beautiful daughters
1) The Big Oh
Y.C.
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