new book

In the vancouver sun the other day, they reviewed a book written by two british brothers called "The Dangerous Book for Boys". It deals with the condition of the "new" boyhood. In the old days, boys (and girls) played outside in the dirt until the street lights came on. Childhood freedoms are long lost to housing density, absentee working parents, latch key kids and parlaysing parental paranoia. There are too many strangers next door, too many allergies and too little time (to paraphrase the Sun). This book claims boys have lost the art of boyhood, and damn it, he is going to re-introduce it. This is a guide to: making a tree fort, writting with invisible ink, making a real bow and arrow. A list of books for boys to read from Winnie the Pooh to James Bond. I thought it sounded fantastic. As for girls, the author advises avoiding being vulgar around them, as girls think differently to boys, but without them, life would be a bloody long haul....ain't that the truth!!!!
I know all this is sexist and old fashioned, but I found the concept of it to be refreshing...and should apply to the females as well!!!

I am ready for summer...

Yes, I am ready for school to finish! The kids in my son's class definately are! It seems that everyday, there is a little crisis at school. Today, three little girls in his class came up behind me and started calling me names as I was telling them not to vandalize the bikes. Boy, did they pick the wrong parent to mess with this morning....What disrespect! I would never do that as a child. These girls get dropped off by the bus and have NO supervision until the bell rings. They are 6 years old and NO ONE is looking out for them. They were so much trouble this morning, I was informed that the school will be calling their parents. I have a sinking feeling that the parents are not going to be too bothered. They have been trouble for the whole year, and feel bad about that. There never seems to be anyone around to help them go in the right direction. No wonder my boy is scared of them....
There is my rant....we both need a break from the routine until September.

Everyone loves a parade...

Well, not everyone, and especially not me. I never really liked them as a child, and have paid little attention to them since...until now. My oldest son is in our local May Days parade tomorrow. He is so excited! He is on his lacrosse team float, and now I am a parade convert! I have helped to decorate it, we plotted our spot to watch my boy go by and throw some candy to his younger brother...I look at myself and I cannot believe I am at this place right now. My boys are growing up and it is such a pleasure to witness.
So I will be there tomorrow, rain or shine, BEAMING with my boy....any maybe he will throw me a lollipop!!!

i have been tagged..I kinda like this..

OK, Clowngirl tagged me. I like this tagging thing...
Any, the question is "if you had one wish, what would it be"
Well, you know...it goes back to a wish I had about 20 years ago that still holds true. I wish that I was smarter. Don't get me wrong, I am smart. But going through universities, I met people that just had that sense of enlightenment..things came to them just that little bit easier. There was less struggle. I worked damn hard for my degrees, and I am proud of that, but some people I encountered....Man, they just HAD it. I have thought of this wish many times over the years, and the same answer always rings true. I just wish that I was smarter. Funny, figures that I pick a wish that I cannot achieve. Sure, I try to keep learning, keep my mind going...But I am talking about that gifted intelligence that only a few people I have met have. That is what I want....
What do you think????

one on one...

This weekend, M and my eldest son have gone to Scout camp together. They get the cherished father/son time together that in today's world is soooo important. I was so focused on them and their plans for the weekend, that I really did not think about how my youngest son and I would spend our time together. Well, we had a GREAT weekend! Nothing too fancy. No aquarium, Science World, Children's festival or anything like that. We just hung out together and it was perfect. We went to lunch, went shopping, played Bionicles for ages, bubbles in the backyard, and had pancakes for dinner...because that is what he wanted. It was nice to bend the rules and only think about the two of us for a change. Don't get me wrong, we missed the boys, but it was special weekend for us, too.
And for my time, once R had gone to bed....that was great, too. Nice bottle of red wine, a chick-flick...perfect.

Cheers everyone.

A freak????

The other night M and I went to the pub with some of the parents from my son's class. Just a little get together that I organized to watch some playoff hockey and get aquainted. All was well, until one of the dads had a little too much to drink. It was only the second time that I had met him, and he proceded to call me a "control freak". I laughed it off at first, but he went on and on about it and it has been sitting with me for a couple of weeks now. It really bugged me!!! I think adding the word "freak" is what has set me off. If someone had commented " Hey, you are the type of person who likes to be in control", then it possibly would not have been so bad. But saying " Hey, you are a freak" just pissed me off. Yeah, I like to be organized, I am the one who arranges social events, keep things together with my various groups of friends. Do I sound like I am trying to convince myself? Who knows? I have shocked myself that at the age of 40, someone I hardly know hit this nerve. I am who I am, and my character has gotten me this far in life!!!!
I feel like I am back in the shoolyard again. Who are the parents and who are the children here!

I must make time...

I love doing this...but I just have not yet carved out the time yet. Currently, my eldest it practically wrestling me for the computer to visit the Ben 10 website!!! We are almost finished the new home office, so the boys will get the old computer and our times will not collide. I have just introduced "screen time" to my boys. They have to chose which screen they are going to use for the day, whether it be TV, Playstation, computer, and the time has to be limited. Otherwise, my oldest can just get sucked in...How times have changed since I was kid.
Hope all is well in everyone's world.
I will write tomorrow.
Glad Clowngirl had a fab vacation.
Good to read M's blogs as well...I love them!!

Good night.