Skip navigation.

snapshots

of a middle aged life

STICKY POST

welcome to my blog

Hi and welcome to Lenora's blog. A lot has happened since I started using this blog more regularly when we prepared to travel to pick up our daughter from China. To ease navigation for those dropping by more recently or wanting to catch up after an absence, here are some links of interest on this site:

  • Adoption of Risa - starting with receiving her referral on Sept. 11, 2005 in the September archive section. China starts from October 23, 2005.
  • Recent photos - of Risa and other things about the house. I'll try to keep the photos within the last couple months or so and cycle content through. Also accessible through the Photo tab above.

Enjoy!


public duty

All of us in our little family have now received H1N1 vaccinations. Risa received hers in the doctor's office last week, while Ray and I went to the public health unit today. We braced for a long line up since that was in the news in weeks past. The clinic did not take appointments. However, we were pleasantly surprised to discover the process took less than half an hour for the both of us. That included a 10 minute waiting period afterward to make sure we didn't have a serious reaction (was supposed to be a 15 minute wait but I truncated it). We were given a number at the door, and staff were calling out numbers approximately every 20-30 seconds. We barely had time to sign the paperwork. For a drop in service that was pretty darn efficient.

purple 3-eyed monster

As with previous years, Risa seems to always know exactly what she wants to be for Halloween. This year it's a "purple 3-eyed monster". Luckily she gave us a month's notice so we had time to figure out how to execute her concept. Not that we were able to make her look like an obvious 3-eyed monster, but at least we created a conversation starter. Some people felt compelled to give her 2 servings of candy so it did the trick! We ended up with enough candy to make her complain about carrying her bag! Risa wears a cut out milk carton on her head, to which is attached 3 googly eyes on straws. Long purple gloves and an old purple t-shirt top off the outfit. Raymond sports the luchadores Mexican wrestlers' mask that actually got a few screams from kids as he answered the door.

It was a beautiful evening, not too cold, full moon. I was quite impressed by the number of houses that went all out with decorations, and one house had someone lying still as a statue on their front steps in full mask, waiting to reach out and grab unsuspecting trick or treaters, while a 2nd person in very menacing costume dared kids to go up to the top step to get candy. Some kids had caught up with us at this house and Risa cowered with them at the bottom, refusing to go up until one brave person went up by himself. After that, Risa went up by herself and then the pack moved on. Now that was a scary Halloween.

brush with celebrity

Last night Raymond and I had our first "date" in a long while. We couldn't even remember the last time we went out for dinner and a show. The event was attending a talk given by cartoonist Seth, and author Douglas Coupland, for the Vancouver International Writers and Readers Festival. I was less familiar with Seth, but Raymond and I had just started reading Coupland's novels this year. I've become a big (albeit late - bad vancouverite!) fan and was eager to get an autograph on one of the 6 print books I have (I also have 1 e-book). I could've brought the whole collection. Other people did, in big shopping bags!

The talk was very entertaining. Seth told stories of his history and development as a cartoonist. Coupland acted as moderator and interviewer. The whole thing was very relaxed and intimate. Fantastic.

In the end was book signing time. Raymond bought one several books by Seth and stood in the Seth line-up while I stood in the Coupland line-up. "Ah! The new edition!" remarked Coupland as I handed him my new copy of City of Glass. He shook my hand and asked for my name as he wrote on the title page. I was nervous but I asked him a question I had thought of beforehand: "Mr. Coupland, why are your novels not more available electronically?". He seemed intrigued and said it was mainly a publisher thing, that they hadn't moved forward to electronic publication. He asked if I used Kindle? No, Palm based eReader. Did I like it? I love it. In fact, the City of Glass was the first time I've had to buy a print book in a while. He laughed and said he was honoured. I mumbled a thanks in my star-struck groupiness. No Mr. Coupland, I'm honoured!

rules

Risa: Are there any rules in this house?
Me: No jumping and no yelling.
Risa: (short pause) I can't not do that!


We are so far away from the age of reason. On a more constructive note, Risa's culinary skills have progressed to being able to pat out a ball of biscuit dough and cut out rounds. All by herself. This dough was just the right consistency and very little mess was left in the handling. We made biscuits with just cream cheese, flour, baking powder, and milk. Simplicity rules.

my lifedrive


I like gadgets and go through them like shoes. However, I have used the same pda, the Palm LifeDrive, for just over 3 years. Every single day for just over 3 years. It's my calendar, address book, notebook, drawing book, mp3 player, voice recorder, wifi browser, and ebook reader. I've read 1000 page books on it. I can also create and edit Word, Excel, and Powerpoint documents with it. I also have a few games on it. If it had a phone, I would throw away my phone, but instead I can go through phones like shoes.

Risa has even become quite adept at the drawing program and quite happily occupies herself with it when we're at restaurants. I have a growing file of her artwork in my LifeDrive.

I used a Blackberry last year and it was disappointing. It didn't handle documents well (read only) and webpages didn't display half as well in the browser. Not enough to make me give up my LifeDrive.

Unfortunately, the LifeDrive is dying. The product is long discontinued and it's losing some functionality (wifi) because there are no longer updates for it. It can be updated, Palm just doesn't want to. After 3 years, it's still a trusted work horse for me and I haven't seen anything else I would consider an adequate replacement, a rare thing in consumer technology these days. From some of the forums I've read, it seems there are a few others who feel the same.

lessons in money and money suckers

Why don't they just say they want our money?


Ah, the frankness of 5 year olds. Risa wanted to know what a "fee" was and how was it different from a "fine". I was looking over the notices she brought home from school, and was muttering about the fees, at about the same time my mother was complaining about receiving a parking fine. But it's all about handing over money, isn't it?

And this might as well be a picture of a money sucker. Vancouver had a doozy of a rainstorm this week and we had a suspected sump pump failure which resulted in water backing up into our catch basin. There is about 3 inches (8 cm) of water down there. Luckily the water did not enter the house, but we spent 2 frantic hours scooping and shopvacuuming it all out. Our sump pump, on which we are now taking a crash course, is at the end of its life of 13 years and is now being upgraded. It's going to leave quite the hole in our pocketbook. With global warming, we might expect more of this weather.

Here is Risa in essential Vancouver gear: the waterproof raincoat and gum boots. She's holding a snail caught from our garden to bring for show and tell at school. The class is learning about snails and slugs. Her backpack is almost as long as she is. We were informed that children are "expected" to carry a backpack that can hold one 8.5x11 inch folder, one library book, and snacks and supplies needed for the day. I was astounded at what 5 year olds are expected to carry, but Risa seems to be holding up without complaint.

on the way to school

In case you can't make out what Risa is saying, here's a transcript:

Risa goes to school today. I'm just on the swing, and I'm swinging. Although I'm swinging really slow, you know, cause mommy gave me one push and I'm slowing down. I'll get off... Bye bye I'm going to school.


This is week 2 of kindergarten and Risa is enjoying school very much. We walk 6 blocks to school and back, rain or shine. Along our way is this swing hanging from a large acorn tree and is Risa's favorite stop. Even if we skip playground time after school, she still has to sit on this swing for a few moments.

birthday soup

Inspired by a tv episode of Little Bear this morning Risa decided to make soup for her daddy's birthday. It was a little while before I realized what all the focused activity in the kitchen was all about. I should mention that I've joked before about having Risa cook us dinner by the time she's 5. I guess that time has arrived.

When I arrived in the kitchen, Risa had gathered a pot, a plate for cutting, a butter knife, and various vegetables from our refridgerator. She had used the butter knife to cut off small pieces of broccoli and cauliflower, and cut a tomato in half. She then threw in 2 mushrooms and a few sections of onion which had already been cut. She used a measuring cup to get water from the dispenser in our fridge and poured it into the pot. My only intervention was to advise adding salt and pepper, which I let her scoop in with an appropriate measuring spoon. The only help she asked for was to put the pot on the stove to cook. This dish will be her contribution to tonight's family dinner party for her daddy's and grandpa's birthdays.

While she's out at the playground with dad, I snuck a taste. It's mighty fine, indeed.

go directly to whale, do not pass go

Risa looks alarmingly comfortable in her new gi, or karate uniform. I think I need to be afraid.

It's a huge time of transition: end of summer, end of one set of programs and beginnings of another, and of, course, kindergarten and a new school. Risa has finished Level 2 Salamander in her swim lessons. The Red Cross preschool swim program comprises 5 levels (Sea Turtle, Salamander, Sunfish, Crocodile, Whale) where kids begin with games in Level 1 Sea Turtle and progress to independent swimming in Level 5 Whale. Even though I used to be an avid swimmer, I know nothing about swimming instruction for little kids. I don't drill her in any particular exercise and have mainly left teaching to the teachers. Risa loves the water so much that we have gone swimming outside of her lessons during the past month. On this day, her last day, her teacher has said that she's ready to enroll in Whale, which means she skyrocketed from a Level 1 swimmer to a Level 5 in only 7 months. However, due to her young age, her teacher agreed that it would be good to take a break from lessons and just swim for fun for a few months. I didn't tell him she's now busy with karate.

five and fighting

Risa's dream has come true and we took her to a free trial martial arts class. She attended a tot session which had 4-6 year olds, in a dojo that seemed to have good word of mouth reviews from the few friends I've spoken with. It's one of a number of new dojos in Vancouver, practicing a hybrid style of martial art.

A few thoughts as I watched and looked around:

"I am a lion. I refuse to lie down with the sheep"
- hmmm

"I will respect the value of all living things"
- nicely Buddhist, but how does that jive with lions and sheep?

"Yesterday is history, tomorrow's a mystery..."
- heeyyyyy, I know where that came from

Then out came the punching dummy, a life sized upper half rubber manequin stoicly taking it on the kisser from a 5 year old. Which stirred up the conflicting feelings I have about martial arts in general. The big questions/thoughts that came to my mind following this were:

  1. What kind of world do we live in where a 5 year old is being taught to punch someone in the throat?
  2. Given all the positive arguements for discipline, fitness, and confidence building, doesn't it all boil down to fighting? "It's not just about punching and kicking" is a common comment. Well, it's just about 50% of it.
  3. I guess the world hasn't changed much from ancient times, when a 5 year old could be doing the same thing in China.
  4. I guess I was only partially joking when I said I could send Risa to Shaolin Temple for 7 years.
  5. Would the sensei from this dojo be able to stand up to a butt kicking from a Shaolin monk?

I admit I hope that through this class Risa will actually eventually learn that punching and kicking hurts. She will never learn that from our hands, and she is entering the point where she'll listen to others rather than us (at least on the surface). Defying us has begun.

The instructors were very good with the kids and, most importantly, Risa enjoyed the class and wants to carry on. She even participated in her first "tournament". The kids paired up for a one-on-one contest where an object was placed on the floor and each child had to try to grab it first. The first child to grab it then had to run and touch the wall because the second child could still score a "point" if he could tag the first child. Risa won her round.

She now has a uniform and will begin her training. I'll just wait and see.

high five

Our baby has hit the big five! The best thing I like about Risa's birthday is that it happens during the Pacific National Exhibition, the big city country fair. This is her 4th PNE, and she already has strong memories and associations with the dizzying rides and cotton candy. Her favorite ride is still The Scrambler, the biggest g-force ride a 42 inch kid can get on. We learned from past experience concerning Risa's extremely short attention span in the Market Place building where vendors hawk everything from chop-o-matic kitchen gadgets to roof tiles. We "hired" one of my younger, more energetic cousins to take her on the rides while we enjoyed a leisurely shopping spree. In this picture we're having the famous bbq chicken lunch (it cost an arm and a leg for, literally, an arm and a leg).
Raymond checks out this year's new food group: wiggle chips. I had my grease quota for the day after eating just a few of these! Not something I'd want again. This year's household gadget purchase is the Steam Mop. And we may get a few quotes for gutter filters and screen doors. Gotta take advantage of the home improvement tax credit this year.
November 2009
S M T W T F S
October 2009December 2009
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8 9 10 11 12 13 14
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
29 30