Holy Holidays, Batman!

Well, here we are and it’s been over a months since I’ve posted. Can you believe that?!?

I’ve been hankerin’ to put together an update for days now, as I don’t like my blog getting so darn dusty. However, the time factor has been a bit tricky since we got back from holidays, what with the unpacking and the piles of laundry and shrapnel to deal with…and subsequent tidying up from that epic process! And the readjustment to an 8-hour time difference and just the general heat and humidity and day-to-day-ness (Daddy was already back at work before us gals came home)…

And of course I had to carry out a complete overhaul cleaning of the entire apartment!! (Doesn’t that happen to you when you get back from holidays?!?). Yep, you heard it right: I spent the entire first week cleaning…!! It’s that feeling of being disconnected from your house when you get back, like nothing is yours…and I just looked around and saw so much clutter and really needed to lighten the load just a wee bit! Feels much better now! :)

And of course, the day-to-day routines with my 4.5 year old, of: what to do all day, of who can we visit (her cousins and playmates are all away at the moment), and who has a pool...or waiting for later in the day to head to the beach. And me trying to avoid having to make meals…HAR HAR! (well, it’s summer holidays, right?).

Another factor was my needing to include visuals in whatever new post I create. And THAT meant going though and selecting photos from the thousands taken over the course of a month in Canada. And tweaking them (inevitable!) so they look all purdy!

So finally, last night, I put the mermaid to bed, said goodnight to Mr. Right...rolled up my invisible sleeves, cracked open the corresponding folder and whipped up an appropriate potpourri of visuals, which I share for your viewing titillation here below:

Our holidays in Canada (part 1…I am sure there will be more!).

I hope you enjoy it!

We spent a month (2 weeks of which was without Daddy as he had to come back to work after 12 days off, so as to save the rest of his holidays for the Fiesta Mayor in his hometown at the end of this month) in my hometown of Lumsden, Saskatchewan (Canada) in order to (among other priorities) attend the wedding of my 2nd youngest brother.

It had been a full 2 years since we had been back to my hometown, so you can imagine the excitement from both sides of the family equation! Annie was very pumped to see her Grandpa and Grandma and Auntie Kiera once again. And me, just plain ecstatic to be back home, back on the prairies, back to my roots, back with “my peeps”!

This gift of this trip for me was a great deal of renewal on many levels: the obvious presence of my immediate and now new political family, as well as cousins, aunts/uncles, dear friends and neighbours…and of course, bestest buddies! But it was also time with a few others with whom I hadn’t spend much time with in past visits...these unexpected meetings also rejuvenated and inspired me in many ways.

Thank you to Everyone, both Family and Friends...who made time for us while we were back!!

I carry you all in my heart-pocket.

Also important was the chance to spend time with the little ones (some of whom I hadn’t even met yet!) of relatives and friends and folks around my home-town. This was particularly important for me, as Annie really had the opportunity this time to experience what it feels like to be Canadian (i.e. Canada Day at the Burlocks!! ;). And I am so grateful that things came together for her to experience that!

So...much to be thankful for. And yes, I was homesick for it all after I got back. It’s hard to leave so much big sky...and that prairie breeze...and my gosh! a land so GREEN (from all the spring rain this year)! And all the people and things dear to my heart (and stomach!).

But I bring it all back with me (in the form of thousands of photos!!). This trip gave me a great amount of peace of mind and heart, much love and joy felt and shared…renewed friendships...inspiration, wonder…

And what with a whole TON of books from Chapters, and even more crap from a trip to Michael’s!!...I’m a happy camper!!

Life is good. And I am darn grateful for that.

I hope these summer months have brought you lots of sunshine (both external and internal), good times, rest and relaxation...Time to enjoy friends and family, and a few wonderful, unexpected suprises!

ps. I'll be updating the information on the Workshops with Nathalie Kalbach (there are still spaces open!) and a couple of new workshop events coming up for October!

 ...Talk to you soon!

Comments

[lisa mitchell]

Pam, Nat, thanks for sharing your reactions.
It's good to know that others related to how it is for me to live "split" between two sides of the world ;))

[lisa mitchell]

Hi, Julie, so glad you enjoyed it. Didn't think about that, but yes, we are all in such different looking places! Hmmmm, maybe there's a group project in there somewhere!! ;))

[lisa mitchell]

Hey, Wendy, thanks for the visit. Yes, we had such a great experience this year, and the landscape was a bit part of it. So much open space and sky and countryside. Hard to come back to a "condensed" environment, such as we have over here.

[julie thornton]

Oh wow Lisa...loved watching your slide show. It made me realise how we all come from such different environments...lovely!

[Wendy]

I can't believe how green the country side is.. it is very beautiful... so glad you had a terrific trip home!

[lisa mitchell]

Hi, Sue! Thanks so much for dropping by. I'm so glad you enjoyed them :)

[Nat]

I so love your blog post and your photos! I had some tears too - I know the feeling just as the wife of someone who experiences the same as you.

[Pam]

Oh I know those feelings all too well-I got almost teary looking at your home coming. I have missed every family wedding in the last 20 years!!

[sue brown]

oh wow Lisa, your home town looks awesome and the view!!!! How wonderful this trip must have been for you all, thanks for letting us have a little peek.