a few thoughts from Canada

Dearest Greg,

We are so sorry to hear that you have been ill.  We have thought of you and Frankie so often since our visit with you last year. Our vacation there was wonderful.  Remember, we brought you some of your favourite cookies - President's Choice something or other!  When I'm out shopping and pass the cookie section, I often smile and think of you and Frankie.

We are well here.  I don't know if you know, but we are adopting another little girl. Her name is Mariah. She is ten months old and we have had her since she was six months old.  She is not a private adoption like Maggie was.  We are working with the Children's Aid Society. Her birth mother is mentally ill and a drug user; Mariah is her fourth child that has been taken away.  We are hopeful that the courts will work quickly and make Mariah ours permanently soon, as we are only fostering right now, with a view to adoption.  She is an absolute gem and fits into our lives so well.  Maggie is both nasty and lovely (sometimes in the same breath) as only siblings can be.

Bryan is still teaching grade three and loves it. He and his class have recently visited a sugar bush and gathered sap to make their own maple syrup.  They have been boiling it for days on end and should each get a teaspoon of a taste by the time it has boiled down to real maple syrup. I told him Aunt Jemima makes a good syrup, but he is persistent in doing it the hard way!

How is Jake/Puff Daddy? The first time Bryan and I met Jake was when Frances was living with that chick on College Ave. (What was that girl's name? She was very pretty in a sleek, Audrey Hepburn meets Mary Tyler Moore kind of way) Anyway, back to Jake. Frankie started to tell us that she was looking after a friend's cat and dragged, literally dragged this thing out from under her bed. We couldn't see a face at first, just a gianormous fuzzy caterpillar body. She turned him around and we were sort of silent for a moment. Then Bryan said, "Frankie, you aren't babysitting a cat, someone's left you an owl." Enter Jake/Puff Daddy.  Frankie must have really brought the best out of Jake, because the next time we saw him, he came slinking (very timidly and quietly, mind you) out to us!!!

Frankie, remember when you lived there you were addicted to that great computer game, "Titanic"?  Did you know I bought it later and STILL drag it out now and again to play it? (Okay, I haven't done it since we've had kids - as I would just like to sleep and well, really just sleep when we have spare time now) I loved that game.  

Our girls are very busy. Maggie will turn three this month. She is stunningly beautiful but can be a real buggar. Her vocabulary is immense, she's precocious, and she wears clothing for a five year old, so people are always guessing she is older than she is.  She has just had her first ballet lesson.  She was the youngest little girl there and clung to me for the first half, but then managed to go over to where, "Miss Alee", the teacher was standing. Miss Alee wanted them to listen to the music and dance however they wanted. The music was from Beauty and The Beast (of course - a room full of bloody pre-school princesses, what do you expect?) Well, Maggie just stood there, clutching her bunny, Michael (he goes everywhere Maggie does) and watched other little girls dance like little fairies and princesses, in awe. In fairness to Maggie, she had never seen ballerinas dance. So when, half way through the song, she started to gyrate like something out of Saturday Night Fever, with her eyes closed mind you, who could keep a straight face??? All of the other parents started to look at me and giggle. I have NO IDEA where she picked up this kind of dancing, with her shoulders dipping and diving to the the beat and her hips moving alternately! It wouldn't have been so bad if she had done it faster, (and with her eyes open) but she did is slowly! I was mortified. She, however, loved it and is dying to go back next Wednesday. Bryan will be taking her.

Listen Greg, we miss you and look forward to another visit soon. Please, please take care of yourself. Bryan told me after our last visit, that he has never seen Frankie looking so great/happy/content. Between you and I, I don't think it's Jake. 

Much love and talk to you soon,

Lynn, Bryan

Maggie and (for her debut to the bibby smith family) Mariah