Cup 52 - Me!

January 2015

Cheers and HAPPY NEW YEAR!  Here we are....Cup 52! I'm not sure I have ever kept a resolution for a full year. Or if I ever will again!  While I will admit to cheating a little bit by including myself as one of my "visits" I know there are many who would say a person should spend time with themselves more often.  And, given the amount of time I have spent with myself and my memories as I tried to blog regularly I think I qualify.  So this final (for awhile) post serves in reflection to this past year and the project...

As I believe I have mentioned within a few of the pages, the resolution evolved over the year.  As I was reconnecting with friends I had perhaps not seen in some time, and then celebrating them with a few words, so too did I think I ought to be celebrating all of the important people in my life, even if I do see them more often.  So thus began the shift to this being a blog where readers get to learn about lots of the people I love, whether they be near or far, whether we see each other frequently or seldom. I promise that the weeks I wrote about each person were weeks when we did truly spend time together though.

When I began the journey I imagined who some of my "cups" might be with.  Fifty-two seemed like a lot although there were (and still is) no shortage of important people in my life.  I figured I would for sure see and get to write about people like Helen, Stacey, Lara, Casey, Courtney, Jen F., Jennifer B., Mandi, Abbie, Theresa or ???.  But none of those names will appear as I did not see them in 2014. There are other names of people who I did see, possibly only briefly and who also deserve to know I think the world of them.  People like:  Simon, JL, Darlyne, Josy, Gayla, Lindsay and Meghan. There are even more, who live great distances and some who messaged me to say they would love to be a part of this.  Thanks to Nancy, Carrie, Andrea, Diane and Andrew.   It has all been an interesting process.

I genuinely loved every get together.  Sometimes I worried, though, that people might think I was only inviting us out because I needed "material".  Other times, I'd be out with people who'd bring up the blog and I'd internally think "Oh yeah!  This is one of those opportunities!"  In retrospect I have wondered if I should have just done this privately, and then unveiled the whole thing all at once when it was done.  But then I worried I mightn't have finished as the accountability piece was big for me.  It also occurred to me, around July, I should have been inviting each of YOU to write comments under each entry, about any of the people we mutually know because people have loved seeing themselves in print and I don't think we tell each other often enough how we feel or what we remember.  I will admit that sometimes the writing was hard and seemed like an "assignment" (I guess it was, in a way.)  I didn't ever mind the writing, just sometimes making the time to do it and/or getting caught up.  Hence, today is January 10th! However, because of the joy and value I found in all of it,  and because of all of the aforementioned people (and more) who I didn't get to see or blog about in 2014, I plan to keep the blog "alive" and will sit down with it organically.  There will be no deadlines.

That is all.  For now!! Thanks for everyone's encouragement and compliments.  I wasn't doing this for any sort of congratulation but knowing people were checking in and reading was motivating.

Now, my 2015 resolution?  I think I'll drink more wine.

Cup 51 - Lori

December 28, 2014

My immediate family is a pretty typical family of four.  But extended beyond that,  I think I have a uniquely small extended family.  Being that my mom is an only child and my dad's brother passed when I was only a year old, I have zero aunts and uncles.  My one uncle did have children before his passing and so I have exactly TWO first cousins.  Lori is one of these two cousins.

Lori is (I think) 8 years older than me.  She was a flower girl in my parents' wedding.  We didn't spend a ton of time together, growing up, but I remember being a little girl and really looking up to her.  (Her brother, on the other hand, would always pick me up and drop me in the rain barrel!) There are photos of us together, on my grandparents' farm, making mud pies.  She was clearly a very good sport!  Lori's is the only wedding I have ever been a bridesmaid in - back when I was 17.  (I still have the bottle of wine, with the commemorative wedding label, they gave us....wonder if it's extra delicious or valuable now?!)  And in common, today, is the fact we are both educators.  She teaches Kindergarten and is married to a Principal.  We might only see each other once a year now if our schedules coincide during the times she comes to Calgary to visit our Grandma Glen.  Sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn't.  But travel to another country and then maybe we can connect!...

Lori and her family (of 5) have a condo in Scottsdale, only a few blocks from where my parents' new condo is and where Derek and I are staying this week.  The five of them invited us over for dinner tonight.   Together we enjoyed a wonderful home cooked meal, told lots of stories and just generally had a nice evening.  Their three adult "kids" are each successful and well-spoken people.  Truth be told, I would have just as much liked to have been on the couches watching football with Ben and Matt but, seeing as I'm married to an "untraditional" sports fan, I stayed at the adult table!  

It was great to have this intentional opportunity to connect with family, something I don't often get to do given there are so few members to do it with!

Cups 49 & 50 - "Brother Bear" and My Daddy

December 21, 2014

Hey!  Why have all the moms and grandmas and nieces and sisters-in-law ranked for a blog entry so far this resolution year, but none of the relatives with a Y-chromosome?  (Other than my Dog.....oh yeah, and Derek - but they are a different sort of family...)  While this blog site has evolved to be more of a celebration of the many great people in my life (versus ONLY a place where I recount reconnections) I cannot run out of "cups" without highlighting my wonderful brother, Mike and dad, Ray.

We have a close, warm family, but somehow it seems harder to gush about the guys...

Mike - Boy. Tall. Handsome. Dad. Landman. Sports. Goofy. Strong. Truck. Beer. Big Feet.

Ray - Boy. Dad. Grandpa. Smart. Thoughtful. Generous. Patient. Funny. Retired. Golfer.

So, that about sums them up!  ;)  No, of course not REALLY!...

Because Derek and I are going away on the 25th we had an early Christmas this morning and so the whole family (all 10 of us) were together for breakfast and to open stockings and a few gifts.  We were at mom and dad's house.  Dad is always quick with the coffee pot (or glass of wine or a beer if it's later in the day) and keen to help anybody with anything.  He is sincerely interested in things we have to say and has valued opinions to contribute.  Dad is a "do-er".  I admire the way he makes decisions about what to do, how to do it and then does it!  He likes a project.  Nothing grandiose or overly challenging, just keeping busy.  In the summer he has the nickname of "Everyday Ray" at his golf club for his consistent routine and tee times.  His golf game moves to Scottsdale for part of each winter and the condo projects earn his focus during those months.  This is now.

Back "then",  dad was a teacher and a school bus driver who worked hard, coached sports and took us on lots of fun, memorable holidays.  While I was growing up he'd let me "mark" his high school kids' Math 30 exams ("Put a checkmark beside question ten if they've written x=8").  Later, during my sabbatical, he let me work for him "for real" in the landman office where the whole rest of my family already was at that time.  We used to have the tradition of always peeking at each other if someone was saying grace.  I wonder what ever happened to that habit?  I do regret that we didn't dance at my wedding but his back was so severely sore on that date it is truly amazing he could even BE at the event, grinning and bearing it as well as he did.  Wow! My favourite "date" has always been going to a Flames or Stampeders Game together.  I could go on and on (and probably should because he deserves it) but suffice it to say I think he's wonderful and I love him a ton.

Now Mike on the other hand.....(just kidding!).  Even though our secret term of endearment is to give each other the finger and our anthem - that we would sing the "NaNa" chorus to - is Centrefold by the J. Geils Band. (Weird - and kind of disturbing!!  I have NO idea how or why either of those things started) there is plenty of unspoken affection between us.  Mike and I had a great relationship growing up and shared lots of laughs and experiences.  Normal sibling stuff, generally, but overall we have always gotten along so well and enjoy spending time together, even though we don't do it very often anymore.  Mike is my "little brother" who, at 6'4" now, hasn't been littler than me for a very long time!  I suppose it was actually HE who "let" me work at the land office as the timing coincided with dad's retirement and Mike's takeover (not hostile!) of the company.  Mike is a successful business guy now, an "old-timer" athlete at 41, he still maintains a large circle of friends (he has always had great friends) and is an attentive, joking, laughing, happy, active dad of two amazing girls.  And I'm pretty sure his wife still likes him a lot too!  Like his dad (and my dad), Mike is glad to help anyone out and is interested in people's lives and stories.  He has an awesome sense of humour but a wonderful head on his shoulders too.  I feel so fortunate, both to have an amazing brother but also to live so close to him and get to still be sharing in each others' lives.

There.  That wasn't so hard to brag about the boys!  Not when they're these two boys anyway.

xxxooo

Cup 48 - Shauna

December 19, 2014

Shauna is my Birthday Buddy and she has a sister named Andrea who was the first "other Andrea" I ever met.  We lived next door to each other when we were 3 years old.  In Springbank. But before you start thinking we're all "fancy", you should know that we lived on a teacherage while both our dads taught at the High School. My house was about 800 square feet and hers was a tiny log cabin with a dirt floor in the basement. A structure flattened LONG ago! I remember watching Mr. Dress-Up at her house and then running over to my house while it was on, only to discover THE SAME EPISODE was playing on my TV!!  But, I digress...

Shauna and I were neighbours in Springbank for a few years and, down the road, both our families also ended up in Cochrane.  We only went to school together through grade five but kept in touch, sometimes sporadically, along the way.  Married in her early twenties, she and Craig moved to Saskatchewan and Ontario for periods of time before settling back in Alberta - first Medicine Hat and now in Okotoks.  (In my whole life I've had seven postal codes but all have been within 35 km of each other, Cochrane to Sunnyside!)

Shauna is one of those people who excels at whatever she attempts.  She has re-invented herself several times already and will undoubtedly endeavour this again and again.  She pursued post-secondary in Criminal Justice, has received her Education Degree and is now also a certified yoga instructor.  She is raising two beautiful, successful daughters and maintains influence with large and loving step and extended families.  She and Craig already have their eye on exciting retirement plans and purchases which, may seem like a practical and common idea but I only barely realized we were even all grown-ups!  Shauna is so positive, and I love her self-proclaimed and unabashed hippy-ness. She is goofy but also wise, very open and also reflective.  She loves giving to other people but has done an excellent job of taking care of her own spirit along the way.

Shauna joined Allison (Cup 47) and I for dinner tonight.  The three of us were elementary buddies but since elementary school we have possibly only ALL been together three or four times in thirty five years.  Interesting, isn't it, how easy it always still is with good friends though?  It's cliche to say that the passing of time just doesn't matter but, it just doesn't matter!