Dear Mr. Harper

Dear Mr. Harper,

Thank you for allowing an open vote in the House on whether or not the Senate should be elected or appointed. Thank you for assuming that the masses are so utterly stupid as to NOT read the rest of the bill - that being that even though Senators may be democratically elected, YOU, sir, taking the vote "under advisement" have final say as to who receives appointment to our Senate (NOT, I repeat NOT the people). Thank you, Mr. Harper, for wasting more of my money attempting to further your own agenda; that is, removing the rights of people: attempting to change yet again the definition of marriage by removing the rights of at least 10% of our population, and the rights of women by trying to bring the abortion issue to the table while denying that you are doing so.

Thank you, Mr. Harper, for the $100 a month you have given me, so that we may pay taxes on it and many will STILL not be able to cover ever increasing childcare. Thank you for the reduction in GST - something that I will never notice, but that undoubtedly has cost a great deal in administration and frustration for not only our government but for business owners large and small alike. Thank you sir, for supporting a tiered medical system so that care becomes even more difficult to get for those poor in dire need of attention.

Finally, sir, I thank you for continuing to send our brothers, sisters, fathers and mothers into war-torn areas to clean up what the administration of our neighbor country has created. Your southern counterpart obviously has a brilliant plan to return those countries to their rightful rulers and get us all out, without casualty. That will certainly be a comfort to the families of those most brave people.

Most Sincerely,

Urban

Happy Year

While we're about to bring in the New Year, I can't help but think about all of the things, good and bad, that have happened in the last year; Pre-school steps for my youngest; the completion of Grade one and onto 2 for my oldest - with all of its issues and drama; the sale of my childhood home and possibilities that my parents will once again be close enough to visit regularly; the busy-ness and confusion of completely remodeling my home (yay... it's nearly done!); bullying issues, psychiatry, friendships, birth and death.

Quite a year, when I look at it that way. However, if I simply look back without considering individual events, it very simply flew by. Mostly Happy. A Profound Loss. New Life. Exciting Change.

What about you? Are the individual considerations more than the sum of the whole?

It's a difficult question, really.

My family tradition dictates that everyone has the opportunity to make a wish for the New Year. My personal preference is use that wish for everyone. My wish for you is a Happy, Healthy New Year with change, joy, challenge and a never waining curiosity and sense of adventure. Use it well.

The day after the day after the day after Christmas!

Yes, it is in fact the day after the day after the day after Christmas. Did you fare well? We had a great time with friends (our first time hosting friends rather than family; and their first time away from the kitchen). Fortunately the last of the flu hit and left on Christmas Eve - I was SO worried that we'd (one or all) be sick for the BIG DAY.

Our friends moved away from here fairly recently (March), and we've all found it hard to find time to be together that didn't require too much PLANNING. That's where it falls down when friends move away, isn't it... friendships are far to important to allow something as inconsequential as distance (this IS the 21st century, people) get in the way. I can see it having been a hurdle in the past - particularly when my grandfather (who is about to be 101!... but is he the eldest? NO - his big sis just turned 103! AND they both live independently! Glad I get THOSE genes) was a boy - I mean, come on, walking 5 miles to school? Can you see your KIDS doing that? No, me neither.

AAAnyway. I had a fantastic Christmas - and Boxing Day. My hubby's parents came over and spent a couple of nights here to help us celebrate. Tonight we're on our own, then it's MY parents turn! I managed to get everything that I wanted to get for everyone, except my eldest daughter -- where DOES one find Electronic Battleship??? I got just a bit spoiled too... my favs? I got an IPOD (yay!) and a load of Body Shop stuff (I LOVE The Body Shop) - new discover is the satsuma body scrub followed with satsuma body butter. Do I ever smell good!

How was yours?

And counting.....

Ah yes, it's nearly here. With all of the things to do, parties to attend, presents to buy; I'm actually looking forward to Christmas this year! I HAVE found the perfect gift for my hubby - a rare and beautiful thing. I still have gifts to get for the kids, parents, etc., but I've found something perfect for someone.

This year, we're staying home for Christmas, and friends will be joining us for Dinner (YAY! I'm cooking!). I'm really looking forward to a celebration with Friends - all of the fun with none of the pigeon-holing or 10-year-old arguments that every family is subject to. What is YOUR holiday tradition?

Before I forget... HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY SISTER! (love ya, kid)

Terry Pratchett is my Hero.

I have thoroughly enjoyed reading what I have (so far) of the discworld series by Terry Pratchett. His unique outlook on humanity, death (personified), government and war, to name only a few of his touched-on subjects, has both entertained and amused my husband and I. All of this was put into new light the moment I picked up Darwin's Watch - another of his novels. The thoughtful intelligence that went into, particularly, Chapter 2 - his description of Science v. Theology/Religion amd the differences in method/thought principal was amazing. I was Amazed. That chapter alone has made me re-examine all of the novels that I have thusfar read - and the deeper understanding of this author's very intelligent point of view.

Thank you, Mr. Pratchett, for so eloquently arguing what has been such a hot subject for better than a century.

Christmas Tree

I've known for awhile that many of the origins of religious traditions came from hijacked pagan traditions originating long before those religions were developed. Here's what wiki (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_tree) has to say about the Christmas Tree. Did you know that it is likely Queen Victoria that brought us our current vision of the Christmas tree?

It MISSED us!

As friends on the mainland get hammered by yet another storm, we have, miraculously perhaps, been missed by the latest greatest. This is in fact wonderous because although we are reasonably sheltered here, over the last few weeks and countless storms, we have endured 3 1/2 feet of snow, flooding and fences falling over. Oh, yeah, the wonderous part? We're on the East Coast of Vancouver Island.... adjacent to BC's Mainland - AKA the mildest place on the PLANET. For those of you who haven't yet seen Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth"; GO. RENT IT. Do what you can, when you can. This is NOT fiction, folks!

On a lighter note... we've FINALLY put our tree up! There's one week left of school! Santa's coming (well, I've been MOSTLY good). I find that I always resist decorating for the holidays, at least until the last minute. Why? My sister's birthday is on December 20th and my Mom never decorated until after her birthday... so that she could experience a birthday. Her biggest pet peeve? People that give her birthday/christmas gifts COMBINED.

What about you? Do you like the holidays? What/how do you celebrate?

Who does the dishes in YOUR house?

There is an ongoing debate. If you cook, are you also responsible for cleaning? Technically speaking, the "rule" in our house is no. Not strictly, mind you, just technically.

I am a stay at home Mom. I work at home; I also raise my children, the youngest of which is 4 and will be entering Kindergarten next year which means that I also WORK at home. My work involves running a company, in my case from home; as well as writing a cookbook. WORK involves cleaning, cooking, dishes, laundry, pet care, chauffering children to activities and, apparently, picking up after everyone that enters the house.

So what is your opinion? If you cook, are you also responsible for the dishes?

Post Urban?

Hi. My name (for the purposes of this blog) is Urban. I am a 30-something semi-recovered Urbanite... meaning I don't live in the city anymore, but certainly miss its conveniences at times - as well as those people that made it what it is.

One of these days, I'm going to change my e-mail address. I still get funny looks from the folks here in suburbia. I tell ya, you can take a girl out of a small-town-gone big, but removing said town from said girl's psyche is at least a bit more challenging. Life here is certainly more relaxed. I enjoy it, but I think I still jones for the busy-ness that I had before. Finding new life in a new town isn't easy. People have their families, their friends. It has been challenging for me.