The Threat From Above

I saw a piece in the news the other day about the health care 'debate' ongoing south of the 49th. Our creaky but wonderful health care system has been described by several concerned citizens of our neighbour for what it is. Canada's health care system is a "Marxist Threat". Presumably the threat is directed at the good old USA envisioned by these concerned citizens... a utopia of spacious green suburban lawns, bourbon, beltways, Ball Park Franks and Chuck Norris movies.

Some of our American readers, as in, those who can read, may respond to this accusation in a dismissive manner. They may apologize on behalf of their fellows... "We're sorry, Cletus is drunk again... his cousin is his mother... He fell on his head, see the flat bit?"

Dear friends, do not apologize. It isn't that we can take the slings and arrows of demagogic rhetoric. It isn't that we are willing to forgive simpletons their excited utterances. It isn't that at all.

This is to say the accusations are true! It is a fact, as I stand on this earth, that Canada's health care system is a Marxist threat, and it is the very lynch pin of Canada's design for global domination.

First we shall take over your health care. Then your national government. Then we will take all of your cars and replace them with Ladas. We shall place a professional hockey team in every state, including Arizona, so you'd better think of some good names. Everyone from Portland will be relocated to Juneau and everyone in Alaska will be sent to Guam. Any questions?

Consider yourselves warned.

PMO

Watch TV!

One of the joys of my job is helping children read sure.. but also watch tv! I prefer good tv. Say something like this:



Now free for home use anywhere and licensed for classroom use across BC. Next time they try and make them watch something airheaded at school remind them there is good kids video to choose... still. http://nfb.ca/playlist/kids-cartoons/

Watch for my playlist details.

Amusement

3 years ago the bundle we were gave way to a rattle of bones that would create me and ... him.


Happy Birthday boy-o. (I call this the 'Crazy Ludwig Hair')

And, if I do say so myself just the best birthday party ever: grotesque excess of cupcakes; 100 water balloons for ecstatic play for 90 seconds; wine by 1pm. Nothing but the joys of close friends to amuse all and each other. I should have gotten married this way... but no loot bags.

Blog on Blog Action

Hey did you know where I was last week? I used to shy away from the blog on blog action but now I'm a real tire biter! That's me eating it up at the Mom Road Trip Vancouver meet up:

It ain't just that splendid, fat, Morton's Steakhouse Martini makin' me smile. It's the earnestgirl and Left Coast, 5and1, n' MandyGratton. It was our royal guests from the East motherbumper and Her Bad Mother. The legendary redneckmommy was there putting the real wild west into this Easterners' journey to our parts as was her hostliness Mr. Lady.

And you know like not too long ago it seemed the only place I went and stayed up past 11 was effing Safeway! Thank-you mother-people.

Use a tissue

I feel today that -- despite what I have thought for years -- my children are NOT as I see them. While I enjoy the people we are together I must stop immediately thinking about translating that to others. The world will never see my babies as I do.

I can see as I ready for kindergarten and this major phase in my kid's public life that I could be that parent. The one who feels teacher doesn't understand, as a better blogger put it, my "widdle pwecious pumpkin". The nattering dufus trying to input 'at home they always' say please/thank you, eat, read Kant, use a tissue et cetera et cetera.

My children are who they are in the world full stop. No measure of their cozy, kind or brilliance at home will really serve their way to stability of identity 'out there'. The raising of my babies and the formation of a public person are two separate and important things.

It makes the intimacy of their specialness to me of more value to make this shift today. To really free their spirits and our relationship and all those relationships the days ahead will offer them.

Come and knock on my door! The Crunchy Carpets online Baby Shower

Last week I had the privilege to drop in on our beloved Crunchy Carpets. I couldn't help myself. I just HAD to know exactly how itchy her belly button was. Seems it wasn't too itchy but she was interested in having her baby soon. So I figured perfect time for a mo-wo Online Baby shower! Nothing says have your baby right now like a Mo-Wo Online Baby shower!

It has been no mean feat for me to come up with the best shower theme for my spectacular friend CC. Did you know we have been friends for more than 20 years? Yep back in the late 80's we met thanks to our kind and radiant shared best friend, we'll call her Nerka for her brief blogging fame. And from there came the nub of our theme today, the olden days -- 80's -- and one of its principal artifacts... Three's Company! Who can ever turn down a great Three's Company reference?

Since this baby will make three chillun's for the Crunchy one to wrangle, no brainer, right? In prep for this I asked a mother-of-three friend about how it went for her. She explained that once she had that third she really had to de-stress and learned that the children were their own pack. That was similar to where CC was at last week, too; trying to find the ease and unworry. I can tell you she is not bothered one jot by what the need for a baby wipes warmer or other long expired details of extreme baby-care. My lovely girl is looking for the breezy loose-fitting bell-bottomy motherhood of child 3. Scanning existence for a yoga and macrame approach to letting it all hang out and living the motherhood to the max! Let's help her.

So our Three's Company challenge for the CC baby shower is to tell a story of sane-making easy-going parenting. What can you remind CC to let up about and be sure to hang ten the baby phase? Is there a baby gadget or piece of advice to have or to ignore? Is there a great trick to get through baby wailing? What 'easy does it' can we share?



My own advice? Never forget you can run a dishwasher as many as 4 times in a single day! I've done it!

Good luck honey. We love you and wish you a speedy delivery of your precious new baby. Stay calm, be brave, wait for the signs.Cross posted at Wet Coast Women.