Phew...and Happy Easter

cloudy, cool, scattered flurries

A cool, damp day, but the sun pops out every now and then. Perfect day to curl up by the fire, read, have a bath and watch the Masters on TV.

Happy Easter.

Feels a bit like a resurrection here... our life is back! But what a blast we had. Loads of fun with the family. And a wonderful birthday party for Michael. It was especially moving when the cake came out and everyone stood and clapped and sang. And belautiful, robust, heartfelt voices. It just felt like something special was in the room with us. Affection, belonging, even love.

The funniest moment was shortly after Doug, Mary and their kids arrived. with Buttercup. It's always wise to check out BC dropping because you never know what you might find. That missing sock. A glove. The dishwasher. The dog is prodigious. But this time the hilarily wasn't centred on Buttercup, but on Brian. As we walked the dogs around the pond, and I was describing the ice going out of the pond a few days earlier, Brian, who is 13 and thinks with the brain of a 13 year old, which is about on par with Buttercup...well Brian asked if he could go swimming. We, of course, said, fine. Then I said I'd give him 5 dollars to jump into the pond. Well, he stripped down to his boxers (it's practically snowing out) hemmed and hawed for 30 seconds, then ran and dove in.

And came up shrieking.

doug, his father, took the dog's chuck-it (a bit like a rod) and leaned into the pond trying to get him to take it. Between shrieks and swimming for shore Brian yelled that his underwear had come off. So I turned around, knowing he (with his 13 year old brain) was trying to decide what was worse...his aunt seeing him naked, or freezing to death. Happily his underwear was found around his ankles, he got out of the pond and ran all the way home, screaming.

Charlie, a very sanguine younger brother, watched this and commented: I've never seen Brian run so fast.

I went home, put him in the big tub in our bathroom in a hot bath and put an action flick on the TV. And gave him 10 dollars for the swim, and the entertainment. We didn't see him again for an hour and half but all agreed it was worth the money.

Dinner that night was sublime, with our good friend Nancy having made a DVD of Michael's life, from photos I supplied her. Happily Michael can be oblivious to his surroundings and didn't seem to notice pictures coming off the walls, the bookcases, the piano. The place was stripped.

And all appeared on this amazing video...from birth, to nutty 60's hair, to his kids, to our wedding, to our life together. about 15 minutes, and three songs he loves... Josh Groban's When You Say You Love Me, KD Lang singing Cohen's Hallelujah, and Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers 'Islands in the Stream'. It was gorgeous. And very moving.

The food was fab. Only two children cried. Michael cried. I cried. I suspect others cried. There was only a little blood. (I'm not kidding - one of the children fell and scraped her knee quite badly - there were two doctors and two emergency technicians there...and all it took was a mother's kiss.)

Mary and the kids left yesterday morning - but neighbors and friends came by for Easter dinner last night of wood smoked ham (called a Mechoui in Quebec), eggplant parmessan, salads, baguette and chocolate mousse. It was very relaxed. And fun.

But wow, were we tired last night. Today we feel we're creeping back to normal. Making calls, writing letters. Doug and I will drive in to Montreal early tomorrow morning so he can pick up a truck and take some of our furniture back to Toronto with him.

Snowing again here. I wonder if this is how people who've run marathons feel? Exhausted, but very good.

Happy Easter...happy holidays. Happy Michael. Happy me.