Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Crazy in Flin Flon, or, could I have some wine with my Whine?

2008 could end up being my most challenging, exciting, frightening, and creative year ever. This year I decided to tweak the design of my babyTrekker carrier, and manufacture it here in Canada, in organic cotton. Well, why not add a few other products, like the stirrups that will be coming out at the end of June? Of course, that means new packaging to be designed, new tags, instructions, new photos, and so on. One doesn't realize that an idea is the edge of a toe on a long row of dominoes. Run with that idea, and everything spills over. Add to that Michelle's graduation from University in May, Mari-Anne's graduation from high school in June, her 18th birthday in early July,and Hilary's wedding in August and I think we can safely say that we have a full agenda for the next few months. But wait! Its also homecoming in Flin Flon, at the end of June. Lots of family are coming to town, as well as three or four thousand acquaintances. Of course, our community choir will be performing on the last night of the celebrations. I'm sure that I'm leaving something out, because it doesn't sound half as busy as we're all feeling.
The problem with being so busy is that each of these things is wonderful in and of itself, and deserves my full attention. Mari-Anne, our baby, is graduating! Thirteen years of "Get up, its time for school, have you done your homework, where is your science fair project!" are coming to a close, and I have to admit...its mostly a relief. There are precious memories involved here, even if its a little harder the third time around. We have (mostly) loved the Christmas and piano concerts, the soccer and basketball games, the birthday parties, sleepovers, and working well into the night on strange popsicle stick projects. We have faithfully attended parent teacher nights, and cheered ourselves hoarse at various events. We have read literally thousands of bedtime stories, in fact I think Hilary was 17 when I stopped reading to her at bedtime. Bedtime stories are my favorite memories of all.
So I want to focus on one thing at a time, if I may. I will leave Mari's birthday for July's blog, so there's one item off the list. I'll consign Hilary's wedding to the August blog, again, lightening up the page. Homecoming...well, its a wonderful thing, and once I clean my house, I'll be more than ready for my 400 relatives. But my life as the mother of a child at school is coming to a close, and that needs to be honored, and pondered over for a time. I'm feeling so... so... yeehaaaaaaa! No more pencils, no more books, no more teachers...well my husband is a teacher, and poor Mari has received a few dirty looks from both of us over the years. Yes, I have fond memories from all the years at Parkdale school, and then Hapnot High, but to never have to bug her again about her schoolwork! Well, we'll be so close now, it'll frighten the both of us. I know she'll move on to higher education, after a year of work and travel, but frankly, that will be her problem. Now, I know that the experts would tell me that it was always her problem, but that's not how it felt. Somehow, I always felt the weight of her essays and math exams far more than she did. Well, its over now, and I've passed. I think.
On June 25th, I will walk out of The Whitney Forum, (which, sadly, is where our ceremonies take place) and be all grown up. Yet without gray hair and a hump on my back. "Its all good", to quote my niece, Heather. So here's looking at you, Mari. Have a wonderful grad...we're behind you all the way...really. I won't say any more, because I'll be torturingyou in July's blog about your birthday.