Here we are in the final week of winter (or so says the calendar) and I understand that for some of the folks who join me here from Ontario, there’s a bit of a mild (albeit wet) spell settling in. Not good for those worried about flooding, but great for the soul and a reminder that even the crankiest winters can’t last forever! Here near Victoria, we still have smatterings of dark, dirty snow piled on the ground, but the blossoms are out on some of the trees and we’re heading for a cloudy high of 8 degrees today. Not bad, but not cycling weather (for us) just yet.
 
Of course, I remember March Breaks when it was so warm with temperatures up into the 20s that we’d joke on air about the poor folks who spent all of that money to go away and enjoy weather conditions just like we were experiencing at home! That might not be the case in all of Canada today (I know it snowed for hours in Ottawa yesterday), but it’s still better than minus-stupid degrees.
 
You probably know by now that I contribute to ideas.walmart.ca. I wrote this week’s Walmart piece about at-home March Break crafting with the kids after being inspired by colouring with Colin and watching him enjoy what seemed like hours of quiet art work.
 
My briefcase was open when we were at their house in Ottawa a couple of weeks ago and he was attracted like a magnet to the highlighter pens in pink, yellow and orange that were nestled inside the case’s lid. Of course, I gave them to him, but made him promise he’d only use these distinctly NON-washable markers in the safety of the kitchen and away from the living room furniture! Don’t want drama thanks to Grama Banana, if you know what I mean!
 
Speaking of which, Colin was off school yesterday for March Break and happened to be watching Cityline with Tracy Moore, because his Grama was going to be a guest. (Here’s a link.) Brooke and Phil sent a video of Colin losing his mind with excitement when his GRANDAD came on the TV. LOL! I mean, this is exactly what I was writing about yesterday: how life has a way of just keeping you grounded.
 
He looked up from his book when I was on and said, “Mommy, that’s my Grama on TV.” You know, like every kid’s is, right? And then when a shot of his Grandad came on, he just shrieked and pointed and got very excited: “That’s Grandad! He’s a boy! Robert! Robert! Grandad!” (Of course, he hears me call his grandad Robert, as sometimes with his hearing impairment, Rob doesn’t hear just the one syllable when I’m calling him – something Colin came to know and imitate loudly through the house.)
 
I love his reaction to the TV, though. I love everything about that. But do you know what I love most? The fact that Lauren would have done the exact. same. thing.
 
She would do stuff like that just to tease me, and always remind me that “Daddy’s the funny one.” The three of us would laugh together and it was just part of the dynamic of our relationship; although it was there and she certainly was warm and caring, she’d resist reciprocating the over-the-top love I would give to her and I got that. It seems Colin inherited that little trait too (which you see illustrated with humour in Mourning Has Broken).
 
Thanks for coming by today and for your kind comments about yesterday’s TV visits, including a very emotional one with Ben Mulroney. I was touched and surprised that they kept his tears in the segment; it never hurts people to see or hear that hosts are real just like them, right?
 
Have a gentle day and I’ll be back with you here tomorrow to wrap up the week on the Ides of March. I wonder if Clamato has considered building an ad campaign around March 15 and the Bloody Caesar? Hmmmm.