Postcards from the minivan and other fragments

Why yes, I'm still here, and I present to you my first February Friday Fragments edition. Say that fast five times. Please do also visit my blog gal pal Mrs. 4444 at the home of Friday Fragments.

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Thanks for all the lovely comments on my last post. We did have a nice family get together - I can't say it's been exactly easy, but we are dealing. It's great to know that I have so many friends out there in the blogosphere - your support is a big part of my healing process.

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Do you know when you really start feeling old? It's when your 9 year old starts teasing you.

I've got a 9 year old going on 30.

I'll be the first to admit that I've got some issues once I'm behind the wheel. I've worked on it a lot over the years, and I actually consider myself a pretty good driver these days, a few four letter words notwithstanding. I'm not the most patient driver, to say the least. And often I'll forget that I've got minors with big ears in the back seat.

On one of my regular "why the heck am I always late even when I get started half an hour earlier" days of lessons and errands, I had the misfortune of being behind a car in the left lane, going at about 40 km/h in a 60 zone. I don't normally like to pass on the right, but this was getting a bit ridiculous, so I signalled to go to the right...only to have this car in front drift toward the right lane but not into it. Okay then, perfect, I could pass now. But wait, no, not just yet because this doofus has decided to drift back into the left lane. Straddling, I think is what you'd call it. Hmphhhhh!!!

"Pick a lane, any lane, and then get outta my life!" I muttered under my breath.

Eventually the driver did, but not until a couple of lights later when he made right turn. Geez. Finally.

While I breathed a sigh of relief, the boy behind me growled,

"GETOUTTAMAHLIFE, GETOUTTAMAHLIFE!!!!!!" with a giggle.

Great. Way to give your 9 year old a teenage primer.

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The other day as I was driving the kids (yes, again), I thought I'd make some conversation with the boy. (The girlie was sitting and humming along to the top 40 hits on the radio, not really in the mood to chat -unusual, yes, for a 5 year old).

" You've probably got the oldest mom of all your friends. I think a lot of them are just turning 40 this year, or a couple of years from now. What do you think of that?" I asked him.

He paused for a minute, and then said, "Think of it this way, Mom. It's good to have younger friends, because when you get old, they can take care of you!"

Good answer, but I had to clarify:

"Well, that's not exactly true. That's YOURS and your sister's job"

"Oh yeah you're right! Darn!"

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Have you seen Jersey Boys yet?

If not, you must. Just do it. Go.

This is coming from an alt-girl who used to dye her hair midnight blue and wear checkered skin tight leggings and Docs in university.

Yes, that was me hootin' and hollerin' during the standing ovation.

It's THAT good.

And I'm getting THAT old.

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I guess you've noticed that I haven't been around these parts very much lately. It's been hard to be as committed to this blog. The situation is so different for me now, with work travel not just for my husband but for me as well. Single parenting, to a certain extent. Some days I don't know if I'm coming or going. It's a good thing we already have our kids because with us two ships passing in the night as we have been for the past few weeks and for the foreseeable future ...well, it wouldn't be happening. Even if we were young enough to still contemplate it.

I've lost a bit of passion for this. It's not the same for me anymore. This time last year I was so looking forward to BlogHer Chicago, and after the fantastic July with my bloggy peeps, I was looking forward to summer 2010 in NYC with a major vengeance.

But today, I'm just not sure. I suppose it's because time with my family is so much more limited now. I no longer feel that I need the time for "just me"...although ironically I probably need it more than ever before. A girls' weekend (mind you with 1000 girlfriends) in Manhattan ... it is still attractive. That is, if there are any tickets left. Things that make you go "hmmm..."