Jun
2013

Father’s Day and a Wedding?

IMG_3407On Friday I graduated from Kindergarten! We had a garden party at my school. And today, for Father’s Day, I took the training wheels off my bike and rode it without them!!! I was very excited to do that.

 

He said

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This weekend was the return to what up until last year and the new job, was my annual pilgrimage to the North by Northeast Music Festival in Toronto. It’s quite the music-lover’s event that features 1000 bands, 30 Films, 150 Comedians, 65 Interactive Sessions, and 60 Artists that pretty much overtakes the downtown core for the better part of the week. The highlight for me is of course the music. But, the far better part is the CBC Radio 3 friends that use the festival as a gathering point to celebrate the thing that brought us all together: Music.

Admittedly, even though I was making my triumphant return after having to miss last year because  we were opening the Apple Store.

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The musical highlight for me was Mikal Cronin – a band that buzz was boiling over about all week such that the only time we could see them was their absolute last showcase spot because every other one we’d tried to catch him at was at capacity by the time we got to the venue.

And having now seen his band, I can see exactly what the hype was about! I love coming home with a completely new band to me.that same weekend, I wasn’t overly excited about the music lineup. Nothing was jumping out of the schedule for me. One thing I was very excited about was a special surprise that I happened to be privy to but more on that later.

Now to speak about the special surprise… A few weeks ahead of the festival I received an email from one of the first friends I made face-to-face through CBC Radio 3, Russ Gordon. He needed my help with something secret he was planning for the picnic that we have been doing now for four years on the Saturday of NxNE in the beautiful Trinity Bellwoods Park. The event has grown each year with more Radio 3 fans attending as well as bands playing intimate, acoustic shows.

A few years back Russ had met a friend through Radio 3 that he very quickly became connected to for more than just the musical tastes that they shared. They have been in a happy, budding relationship over the course of the past few years, and now — poetically so – Russ wanted to take their relationship to the next level by marrying Cathleen at the picnic that brings us all together each year. The same community that brought them together was now the audience to their union. And, Russ had asked me to stand up with him being that I was the first person he had met in this tight-knit community. I was both flattered and over the moon excited to be part of this.

IMG_0208IMG_3341Saturday was the day of our picnic and surprise wedding, and everything went beautifully, The weather was perfect, the park and picnic were too. And there was a large gathering of friends to take in the event unaware of the special ceremony. And when it came time, it couldn’t have been more a delight to have witness — especially seeing the surprise in everyone who didn’t know it was happening. And it has to be the first time there was a wedding that was part of the NxNE festival.

So, as much as the musical side of the festival was kind of  dud for me this year — especially with all the delays we had in getting around the city (and into it), it still is going to be a very fond memory for a long time! Congratulations Cathleen and Russ!!

IMG_3351I got home today just in time to join the Teeter family that could make it out, to celebrate Father’s Day. And it wasn’t soon enough. I really had missed my two girls and was very excited to see them when I got back home. I returned to a beautiful framed picture of Emelia and Danielle as well as a piece of art for my wall that Danielle and Emelia made for me for Father’s Day that are now hanging up in my office.

As much as the weekend away is fun and all, and it was great to be part of a very special event, I am most happy to be home!

 

She said.

ImageThis was quite a week and not surprising I am pretty exhausted and happy to be done with it. It was a good news week all around but tiring none the less.

After Sunday’s disappointment of not having Doug released from the hospital we receive the sudden and relieving news Tuesday morning that they were finally releasing Doug. Thankfully Matthew had the day off from work and was able to quickly moving things around and go over to pick Doug up and get him happily home.

Needless to say he is more than relieved to be home, to eat meals at home, to have the quiet of the house and more important sleep in his own bed without the constant distractions and noises of 3 roommates and the nurses coming in and out at all hours.

So we have a healthier and happier man at home, the recovery will take some time but we have all been taking turns going over and helping with the cleaning, getting groceries, tending to the gardens since neither Helen or Doug are able to at this time.

We are all relieved that he is home, Emelia was over the moon that Poppa was home, not only could she visit him at home but she was told that he was likely going to be able to come to her kindergarten graduation which was set for Friday afternoon.

Image 2The weather was perfect, it had been rain leading up to but Friday the skies were clear, it was sunny and warm but not hot – a perfect day. I closed the daycare early for the day so I could come see my baby celebrate finishing kindergarten and move on to the big world of grade one. I just cannot believe how fast time is going, I cannot believe she is in grade one already. It seems like yesterday she was starting school and now we are here nearly two years later and she is off to school every day and in grade one.

The celebration was well lacklustre, there was no real ceremony, no recognition that the children were graduating just parents bringing a potluck of food and the kids playing the their playground for 40 minutes. I felt terrible that Helen and Doug who are both having trouble getting around made the trip. I know they would do anything for Emelia it was just a disappointment. Add into that John got away from Toronto later than originally planned as a result. None of us would have missed the celebration for the world, it was just not what we had hoped for her graduation.

Friday John was off, Emelia and I then made our way over to Poppa and Grandma’s house to bring them home, help around the house as we could and after dinner we made our way home. Emelia who was overstimulated and up way past her bedtime had a terrible time getting to sleep. It was a long night.

Saturday morning she did sleep in (well for her which was 7:30) and man did I need that extra little sleep. Once she and I had breakfast and woke the sleep off we did our usual groceries and then swim class. She is such a fish, she is learning by leaps and bounds and is such a natural in the water. She is going to be one strong swimmer.

Image 1After swim and lunch I let Emelia know what surprise I had in place for her for the afternoon. With John away for the three days we needed something to celebrate our time together, each weekend on Father’s Day weekend downtown puts on the Kids Expo – basically a carnival. It is my personal hell of carnie rides but Emelia loves it so it is worth it all. She even convinced her heights-hating mother to go on the Ferris Wheel. Yeah what we do for love.

After about 4 hours there we made our way back to Poppa and Grandma’s to bring some things over I promised to pick up for them, see if there was anything they needed done, checked on the garden, after dinner we made our way home for the night. Another later night – really need to get this girl back to her normal sleep patterns.

Finally we come to today. Father’s Day. It was just Emelia and I for most of the day but we still celebrated Father’s Day this morning by working through the crafts that she had planned for her daddy, Poppa and Gramps. So the morning and early afternoon there was paint, glitter, glue and a whole lot of crafting going on.

Once she was done with that and we relaxed she wanted to go for a bike ride. Off we went and eventually made our way to the school. For the last few months Emelia has been asking over and over again to take her training wheels off. We told her once we got home from the trip we would start working on it. It took a fair bit of convincing but we agreed we would take her bike over to Poppa and Grandma’s and wait for daddy to come back from Toronto so he could be there to see this last real big ‘first’.

Needless to say she was more than ready. Off the training wheels went and off went our girl. She took off without us needing to do that run behind and hold the seat manoeuvre you always see. She had a couple wobbles but for the most part you would never know she just had them taken off.

It was a wonderful end of an otherwise chaotic week and weekend. I am glad John had his music geek weekend but were so happy to get him home.

Happy Father’s Day to all the dads out there, especially to the important men in my life – to John, Dad, Doug, Greg and David!!! Happy Daddy’s Day to all of you.

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