Where's That Lightswitch?

I know it's on this wall... or is is a pull cord?  It's got to be... ooh, here it is *CLICK*

Wait a second, this isn't the spare room.  What is this place?

Looks familiar.  Big mess, pictures, yarn... OH!

Holy crap, it's my blog!  Does this thing still work?

So yeah, been longer than a month.  I am proud to report that something will be entering my life that will encourage more blog activity.  Right now I have a very old desk top that's done good by me for about 7 years.  It's starting to show it's age.  7 is like 2,012 in computer years.  And its upstairs, and away from everything.  I feel like I'm avoiding house and husband when I'm blogging.  But not anymore.  Jim (Mr. Sereknity) has put together a lap top for me, and I can't contain myself.  I'm going to get an external hard drive of an indecent size, put all of the important stuff on there, and turn this beast into a network hub for the house.  And by "I" I mean "Chris or his brother", or someone else willing to work for baked goods.

And I have bloggable stuff!  Yesterday Chris, Donna, Heather and myself went down to Cambridge and saw Steph (Ms. Harlot).  It was a shot after work, back before bedtime, but I adore these things.  Half of it's Steph, and half is the company she keeps.  I love to see Kimberly, Guido, and the rest of the crowd (it was so quick, and we came in late.  Yeah, that was us.  The gimpy one coming in slow and last, that was me.  Hi!) 

Saturday we're going to Rhinebeck for the day (the group above plus Cyndi and Jerry from Yarn and Fiber).  I've never been and I'm wicked excited!  I can't think of any other qualifier.  Wicked.

And these weeks that I've been gone haven't been boring.  On Labor Day weekend we went to Canada for lunch.  Oh yeah.  That's blog worthy.  I feel it is, anyway.

I grew up a little less than an hour from the Canadian border.  I watched Mr. Dressup growing up.  We went to Canada on field trips.  Occasionally, my mother would get a craving for a Greco Donair and go to Canada for lunch.

Anyway, I was up visiting my family over the long weekend.  Got to meet Aila, my cousin's new puppy.

She and I are buddies.  And she owns Chris.  I had to explain to him why we can't have a puppy yet.

Back to lunch.

Actually, back to last time we were up.  My big sister and I were talking about these trips across the border for Donairs (including remembering what they were called).  They're like a gyro, and we remembered them being the most awesome thing ever.  Were they?  Or were they merely a sugar-coated memory from childhood?  The trips into New Brunswick with Mom were a treat, and it had been about 17 years since the last one.  We decided that Chris and I would make our next visit on the long weekend and set a day aside to answer this question.

We got about halfway there (I'd put the trip time at about an hour and 20 minutes, although if you drive like a Canadian I'm sure it's faster.  We got past Houlton and into Canada ("What are you coming into Canada for today?"  "Greco Donairs", that got us a smile, good sign.) and we all admited to eachother that we really had nothing in the way of directions outside of fuzzy, 17 year old memories.  We got off of the wrong exit, but headed in the right direction, and would have gone right past the place if we were only a block over.  We stopped at a hotel and asked for directions.  ("Grecos?  You're going for Donairs?" Another good sign.  They were charmed by the story of our quest, also, and assured us that the trip was still worth it)  and then we were there.  Things were familiar, and not.  Different, and the same.  It was almost like my last trip was shen I was 8. 

Once inside we explained our story to the girl behind the counter.  "You're really expecting a lot from me! she said.  Yeah, no pressure, but we're here so you can reaffirm our childhood and remind us of our mother.  Relax.

You know what?  Greco Donairs are so supremely awesome, and they remind me of my mother.  It's so silly that little things like that give you back a piece of what was, but it's true.  I think Chris, my sister, and myself had a sort of celebration lunch with my mother.  We celebrated an aspect that we loved her for, something that she shared with us, something that we smile when we think of.  Of course, this is all new for Chris, but I'd like to think that he understands her a little better.  She would have loved him, and she would have showed him the best way that she knew how.  She would have given him a hard time everytime he turned around.  Not malicious or evil, not a typical MIL, she would have gotten a kick out of him (I do, he's kinda fun to pick on.  Most people in my knitting group know this.  He's not an easy target, he's just fun to tease because he teases back.  Good sport).  They would have given eachother a hard time, and it all would have been done with affection.  Yeah, that's my mom.  See the resemblance? 

But anyway, there's a Greco's in Quebec about three and a half hours from where I sit.  I think it's worth a drive into Canada for lunch.  Mom would have done it :)

So, the next time we talk, I'll be portable.  Isn't Jim awesome?

Comments

[Laurin]

ooooh - a new pooter! Exciting. And don't fret about a network - you can set up a wireless router for less than 100 and about a half hour, tops. If I can do it, you definitely do not need to bribe anyone with baked goods.

[Marion]

Wonderful post. Makes me want to go to Canada just to have a Greco Donairs.And when I do, I'll think of you, Chris and your mother.