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Not a rock to be found

Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Suburbs give you the illusion of not being city-dwelling folk. Why there are trees and grassy knolls, parks and playgrounds ... seemingly open spaces. How can that be city living?

Ahhh ... but it's all an illusion for there's not a rock to be found!

Stefani's class is studying rock formations. Her homework assignment was to bring a rock to school.

"That should be easy," I said without thinking. So out the door we went and into the open field ... and walked along the shores of this tiny creek ... well that might be exaggerating somewhat ... so let's call it a creeklet.

Sure there were big slabs of granite ... bedrock ... but as for rocks or stones ... nothing but erosion polished bricks and cement globs leftover from some construction project. Pebbles - sure. But not a rock to be found!

So after 30 minutes of fruitless but adventurous searching (Stefani did get to walk through the muck and splash in the creeklet with her galoshes) ... I tried to think of somewhere within a 5 - 10 minute drive from here that might harbour some fist-sized rocks.

Believe it or not ... outside of people's rock gardens ... I couldn't think of any!

That's when our next door neighbour came to the rescue ... and offered up one of their rocks from their garden. Mission accomplished!

You may be wondering how the neighbour had rocks and we couldn't find any? Simple. We live in the suburbs remember? They bought their rocks!

Now that blows my mind!!

Mid-week wonderings

So it's Wednesday ... the week's half done. Or I guess if I use the half-empty, half-full analogy ... the week's still got lots of "oomph" left.

Seems to me there's a lot of focus on getting to the end of the week ... as though a pot of gold lays in wait. Sure, there's pay-checks and a few days respite from the working world. But don't most of us continue to work over the weekend? Whether it be business or house-work or family chores ... there's really no rest for the wicked.

Nevertheless, Friday waves its checkered flag and most of us breath a sigh of relief once we've crossed that finish line. We've mastered another marathon!

That's probably why I've got a soft spot for Wednesday or "hump day ... it's a day where you can stand on its hump and peer ahead and behind ... giving the week a once over. It's like a stop at the control station ... you can adjust as needed ... maybe let up on the productivity a little or adjust the work-play levels ... correct your route if you've strayed a little off path.

I don't know about you ... but that's what I'm up to today.




Catching up

Tuesday, March 30, 2010



















It's been a few days ... let's see what have I been up to?
Stef had a movie shoot ... that went well though it was sooo cold (minus 10 with the windchill) and poor thing had to film in a flimsy dress. But I was there as chief blanket holder ... and the rest of the cast and crew were gracious and great people so it was all fun! Should be an interesting short to see ... as it was filmed in B & W ... and the only color will be the red of her ribbons.

We're off again after school to do some post sound editing on a project she did last November.

Thankfully, her schedule is clear for the next couple of weeks ... and she can focus on other things!



waiting ...

Friday, March 26, 2010
Seems I do an awful lot of waiting ...
waiting for the weather to get warmer ...
waiting for the phone to ring ...
waiting for the water to boil ...
waiting for the world to change ...

Today I'm waiting on all kinds of things ... but mostly waiting for Dave to call or come home. He's getting two cancerous (apparently basal) lesions removed from his forehead.
He already called once to say that the lesions are deeper than anticipated and that he's waiting on the biopsies ... since they may have to cut out even more.

I don't think there's any terrible news awaiting us ... but it's certainly given Dave a scare.

And I, selfishly, just want to stop waiting ...

Cold and loud

Monday, March 22, 2010
It's cold today ... we've been spoiled by the almost 20 degree weather the last week or so ... so it feels even colder, if that's possible.

And if that weren't bad enough ... there's a bulldozer in the lot behind this house demolishing what's left of a house. And that means ... the bulldozer will be followed by the sounds of builders building.

Have you ever noticed how loud progress or change can be?

Fridaze

Friday, March 19, 2010
I've been up for a few hours now ... taking care of business and now updating blogs. I can hear the birds chirping outside ... guess they're getting ready for another beautiful day (which will be three in a row with temperatures above a15 degrees ... Celsius, that is).

Dave's golfing ... Stef's just waking up ... and I've got no idea what today will bring. Guess we'll go with the flow ...


workshop

Monday, March 15, 2010
Stefani went to one of those "celebrity workshops" yesterday ... she was invited so we didn't have to pay the big bucks. Can't remember the guy's name ... but he was the boyfriend on Wizards of Waverly Place.

Usually she doesn't get much out of those workshops ... but something he said clicked ... and "eureka" she can cry on cue. She was doing it all afternoon!!

Going to Fallsview for a March Break overnight with one of her school friends, Victoria. Should be fun!

It's raining ... it's pouring

Friday, March 12, 2010
but there's no "old man" snoring. I could stand in of course, because this is just the kind of day made for hopping back into bed and taking long naps. And I've been told I snore.

It's been a good week ... Mel seems to be as stable as she's been for awhile. J's socializing and maintaining a schedule ...

Dave's week hasn't been all that great ... finally went to have some cancerous spots looked at on his head ... one was removed, the other biopsied. During physical, doctor found protein in his urine ... did more tests and then sent him for an ultra-sound yesterday. I can tell he's worried.

As for me ... I just keep rowing my boat gently down the stream.

Reality check

Thursday, March 11, 2010
Sometimes I feel like my life has become so wrapped up in Stefani's dream that I may not be seeing the forest for the trees.

Until recently I could never really understand hockey moms who synched their lives with the arena schedule. Boy do I ever understand now!

Helping Stefani out is like having another job ... manager, coach, stylist, chaperone and driver. Check emails daily, liaise with agent, self-submit, accept offers, refuse others, send thank-you notes, chase after footage, maintain the schedule, practice lines ... Stefani, the actor, is a business I manage.

But I'm also a mother ... to Stef ... and to a handful of others. It's a balancing act that is difficult at times to maintain.

I'm always reminding myself that even when the others ask about Stefani ... I have to tone it down a bit or brush things off ... because they can't help but compare and feel "neglected". I'm sure each of them has wondered why I wasn't committed to the business of them in the same way. Not that any of them really ever wanted to be an actor ... though Nicole did want to be a model ... I even took her to a few agencies ... but she was too short, and still is too short. But try and tell that to raw emotional sibling rivalry.

Blogging has helped because I can toot Stefani's horn or fret and wonder what I should do ... without it upsetting the apple carts around me.





usually

Monday, March 8, 2010
usually I don't want the day to end ... because that means that one more day has passed. Today, I just wish that all the responsibilities would be done with so that I could crawl under the covers, read a chapter or two and then fall into a hopefully restorative sleep.

Stef's over at Victoria's house until 8 pm ... and if I get my wish, I'll be in bed, all snuggled up by 8:15 pm. Ahhhh that'll be soooooo nice.

You know, it's hard for mothers to find time to take care of themselves. It's like Murphy's Law waits for any sign of weakness or fatigue ... and "blammo" everyone else wants or needs something. Melanie needed to talk today, Nicole just barely passed a mid-term, Dave's being a douche-bag (hmmm ... that word makes me feel better) and J had his girlfriend over ... oh yes, and I mustn't forget the hamster that is still on the loose, driving Peanut Butter absolutely crazy!

Tomorrow will be a better day ... it has to!

Good morning!

Sunday, March 7, 2010
Just prepared my cup of coffee ... without which the morning wouldn't really start. I've got a large Starbucks transparent mug filled to the brim with delicious caffeine, a sprinkle of sugar and a splash of cream. Yum.

Tiny sips is the secret to truly appreciating my morning coffee. Some days I've made a better cup than others. This morning's is especially tasty. Brings me back to slurping coffee out of a saucer with my Grandpa M ... couldn't have been older than three cause he died before I was four.

It's a sensory memory ... I can taste Gramma M's coffee, hot and creamy. I can feel the bone chain handle in my fingers as well as the saucer. And ... I can hear the slurping sound that Grandpa M had me convinced was necessary to be a real "caffetta" lover. But I don't "see" anything. I don't have to ... this love affair I have with my morning coffee is a taste thing.

Rarely do I have more than one cup ... choosing to sip away at my large mug until there's nothing left which usually is mid-afternoon or later. Seems my addiction, my habit is appeased with that first sip.

Am I a slave to my morning coffee? In some ways I am. If I'm at home, with all the makings of the perfect cup ... I have to have my coffee. If I'm elsewhere, dependent on Timmie's or someone else's brew ... I could take it or leave it. My love of coffee has less to do with coffee as it has to do with recreating that taste, reliving that memory.

Today's cup was just right ... let's hope it' forebodes the rest of the day!

Another day on set

Saturday, March 6, 2010
Up at 6 ... out the door by 7:15 ... quick stop at Timmie's for a double-double ... at base camp by 7:45 ... and into hair & makeup for Stef by 8:00.

Filming was a frat house today ... gotta' say that movie depictions are fairly accurate!

Tomorrow should be a wrap on this project ... and perhaps a break for Stef as there's nothing lined up for awhile except for a quick video shoot this week for a "parody" type web-based " project.

Stef's sights are set on a March-break overnight to Fallsview WaterPark with Victoria.


48 Hours

Friday, March 5, 2010
Can't even begin to imagine what this must feel like for a 9 year old!! To use a much over-worked word ... it was "surreal".

Movie was good ... would have been great if the female lead had the same level of talent as the male lead (he was amazing). Stefani's scenes were wonderful ...

I'm kinda' speechless really. It's one thing to be the stage mother sitting in the holding room on set, adjusting mike packs, taking care of little details and reading to pass the time away ... and quite another to see your child on the BIG screen and realize that she's actually good!

Ah yes, yesterday was a glorious day!

Hump Day

Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Wednesday ... otherwise known as hump day.

The day should go by rather quickly ... Stefani's got that shoot and I've got two new library books - Smash Cut by Sandra Brown and Hide by Lisa Gardner ... yup, you've got it right "junk reads" ... mindless fiction for the masses.

I'm actually still in my pj's ... will get dressed soon enough! Stef's dressed and ready ... chilling out watching some TV.

Have a good one!

Photos & Film

Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Saw the most amazing sunset yesterday ... but of course, didn't have my camera handy. So I've put the camera in its case with a handful of fresh batteries and I'm not going anywhere without it again. Naturally that doesn't mean I'm going to take pictures every time I see something that's incredibly beauty or raw ... but it certainly ups the odds!

Trying to get things off the "to-do" list today ... Stefani's got a commercial shoot all day tomorrow - a promo for Sheridan College. It'll be her first experience on green screen. Should be fun.

Thursday is the premiere of "48 Hours in Purgatory" ... the screening is being done at SilverCity with a meet n greet prior at Milestones. This will be the first time Stef (or any of us) get to see her on the BIG screen. Mind you, she's only in this movie for a grand total of about 3 minutes ... but still!!

Enough yammering ... time to get some work done!