Life lessons and accidental thoughts - the holiday edition

I could go into the “I’ve been a bad blogger so spank me because I’m not visiting or posting regularly” spiel. But seriously, aren’t we all tired of people saying/writing that? Just being honest here, folks.
So, if you’re reading this, either:
1) you are new or,
2) you really do like me (at the very least tolerate me) or what I write about.
Whatever the reason, thank you and I really do appreciate it.

This was going to be titled “What I learned over the Christmas Holiday” but I expect that’s been done to death as well. So I'm leaving it in my accidental thoughts and life lessons category.

Let’s get the “first real post of the year” housekeeping stuff out of the way first.
Chicklet and I had a lovely time over her school break. Santa was most generous to her, you know. And I was fortunate enough to have some lovely meals with people that are dear to my heart over Christmas and New Year’s. There... that sums it up nicely, no?
And it was my first Christmas as “an orphan”. But I survived it thanks to Chicklet, my cousin and aunt, a great deal of silliness on Facebook, many hours of movie watching and a lot of cooking (that's for a later post).
What else... Um, I don’t do New Year’s resolutions. I just live to learn and grow... and change (some, not all of me). Maybe it’s all the stuff that has happened to me (both good and monumentally bad) in the last few years or my reaching the age of forty -or both. But I’ve spent a whole lot of time with myself, been through a lot (that’s an understatement) and decided that it’s best for everyone involved if I just be myself. And if people don’t like it, tough noogies.

Most passport pictures are good likenesses, and it is time we faced it.” 

~Katharine Brush

OH... speaking of harsh, honest reality. Yesterday, I drove through the snow-laden and irritating side streets of Montreal, with Chicklet as my passenger and co-pilot. We were on our way to see "Sherlock Holmes" and to engage in some book perusing at Indigo, and during that ride I got a reality check.
Before Chicklet dives into her latest book and becomes silent and absorbed, she starts looking through the sports center’s brochure that I picked up at town hall. I ask her what kind of classes they have.
I just set myself up.
So she starts telling me about a “healthy living and exercise class” – something about combining dieting and exercise. I manage a glance sideways at her while dodging opening car doors, mounds of snow that are spilling over from the sidewalk and the occasional hapless and absent-minded pedestrian foolishly darting out and assuming my snow tires and reflexes are uncompromised. If you think Sully is a hero, ha! Let’s see how he navigates the wintery streets of Montreal! I bet you he mows at least one pedestrian down (or at the very least takes someone’s open car door off).

After she tells me what the course curriculum is, the following ensues:

“Are you saying I need to go on a diet?”

“Mom, are you kidding? You’re tiny.” says my astute and brilliant child.

“I think I do need to firm up a little, though.”

“Start with your butt, Mom. It jiggles.” says my suddenly not so astute and brilliant child.

Sigh and harumpfffff!

“Cloquet hated reality but realized it was still the only place to get a good steak.”

 ~Woody Allen

So... here’s what I was meaning to post about. This past week, in one morning, I was reminded of two very important things to stay upwind of:
1) A pooing dog, and
2) Snow being removed from the top of the car.
In both cases you get smacked in the face by either a harsh noxious foul smell or the harsh freezing reality that is winter. And either of them will literally take your breath away, and NOT in the good “heaven that is a flambéed liquored-up banana dancing on your tongue” way.

Life lessons. I don't have all the answers, but I'll share what I find out as much as is possible

That’s it, for now.

“I am always ready to learn although I do not always like being taught.”

 ~Winston Churchill