This week included a funeral, a punk rock concert, a street hockey tournament for charity, a kick (or punch) and doing some woodwork. No wonder fall snuck up on us so fast!

he said

I can’t believe how fast time is flying by. One day I was knee deep in plaster and lath at the start of the summer, in the very early and equally scary stages of this pregnancy. And the next moment, I’m sitting at the new kitchen breakfast bar, with Danielle – closer to the birth than we’ve ever made it (5-1/2 months), pondering my favourite season which officially greeted us yesterday. And how very soon we will be three. Colour me quite content.

This week we had my Uncle Gord’s funeral which was both sad and happy all in the same breath. It was great to see all the people that he touched in his life, and in such positive, long-lasting ways. Tiny ripples in the pond becoming waves so-to-speak. And my Dad did the eulogy – if you have ever had the pleasure of hearing him tell a story, you know just how great it was. Bittersweet in the goodbye, but justice to a great brother, father, grandfather, uncle, son, friend, etc., etc., etc.

Then Thursday night, we went to see the Dropkick Murphys & Bad Relgion. Danielle got me the tickets for my birthday and it was a fantastic show. I have been a fan of Bad Religion since way back – I saw them back in ‘92 or ’93 in Detroit in the heyday of SoCal Punk and they are just as great live now as they were back then. Dropkick Murphys I had never seen but had heard some of their stuff and loved it – how can you go wrong with punk rock that has bagpipes? That’s right… you can’t. It was a really great show, even if the sound wasn’t the best. And the little one growing in Danielle’s belly seemed to be more of a fan of Dropkick Murphys. I’ll allow that as long as he/she respects Bad Religion for their lineage and contribution to punk is much deeper. 😉

And then Friday I spent the day playing street hockey in the Power Play for Easter Seals Kids charity fundraiser.  This was my 3rd or 4th year being involved, and it’s always a lot of fun, for a great cause. This year’s celebrity spokesperson wasformer Montreal Canadien, Guy Lafleur. We lost our usual 3 games in a row, but as always we had a great time doing so.

And Saturday. One thing happened. Well.. other things did, but they pale in comparison. You see, yesterday, I felt the baby kick, elbow or headbutt Danielle’s tummy. And that little movement, however brief it was, was every little bit of okay you can squeeze out of this world. I’ll meet you soon enough little one, but these little introductions, help this impatient papa-to-be get a tiny bit more patient.

This week I am going to make a real concerted effort to finish up all those nagging little trim jobs that I keep talking about doing. The biggest of all being the false beam that hides the plumbing pipes on the ceiling in the kitchen and dining room – I have started staining the wood. Once I get that done, the rest is much smaller and easier to tackle. And then, finally then, the “after pictures” I know. I know. ‘Bout fricken’ time.

With weeks like this, now I know why time is screaming by.

Oh… Man! this new Sloan album is fargin’ great!!!

she said

The baby is becoming more and more active and it is hard to believe that we are already past the half way point. It seems to be going by fast. We have done so little to get ready for this little one because there are so many small projects around the house that we want to have done first. We have been incredibly lucky with the generosity of people close to us. They are providing so much for this little one that we really do not need too much. A stroller, high chair, glider, breast pump, monitor and some other smaller items and this little one is ready for this world. We will get started soon enough.

We have decided as well that we have had enough with seeing the family at only sad occasions and are really looking forward to only happy memories that will begin in 2007. This has been such an incredibly hard year but we can only smile when we think of what is coming soon around the corner. The look on John’s face when I asked him if he felt the baby and the HUGE smile on his face as he said yes… what else could you ask for really?

Well off to our usual Sunday ritual of errands and grocery shopping. Happy Autumn everyone!!!!