The Wig that Was: 2017 Year in Review

Oh my gosh, I’ve never been this late on one of these before. make no mistake, it may say January in the header, but I wrote this from a hotel bed in Lima, where I was for a work trip, and that that’s where I found a chunk of time -in April for heaven’s sakes- is a testament to where my head was at in 2017 (and has continued well into 2018). 2017 was a year filled with travel, good food, good company, stressful moments, new experiences and relative calm. I wouldn’t say I got my desire for a year with no changes but that’s okay- I’ll take the adventure. 

2017 Year in Review 

1. What did you do in 2017 that you'd never done before? 

Dyed my hair purple, participated in a protest

2. Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year? 

Let’s take stock:  

• Take better care of my health

I’m gonna call this a half-win. As advised, we gave up juice/pop almost entirely. We don’t buy soda at all anymore, and have replaced it with flavoured sparkling water. We may have imbibed a handful of times while on vacation or whatever but I’m super proud of TB. Going from one pop a day to one pop a quarter is really impressive. We got some tests run, but the results didn’t give us any answers so we really should pursue that. Not to mention things like eye exams, neurology appointments, dermatologist visits etc. But we’ve been cooking at home more and subscribe to a monthly veggie/fruit box so I’m calling it a draw. 

•  Eat 12 new ingredients and add 12 new recipes to our arsenal.  

I’ll admit, I didn’t really count this one out, but I think we did well. TB’s perfection of grilled tofu has been a great addition to stirfrys lately, he makes a mean baked omelette/quiche thing that we’re into, we practically lived off of our stuffed zucchini boats and deconstructed cabbage rolls this winter and our deconstructed sushi bowls have been a winner as well. I don’t know if we succeeded with 12 new recipes, but I think the error there was numbering them- the spirit of the law was upheld. 

• Go on more social outings.  

I feel good about this one, too. We made our first outside-of-work friends and went drinking with them, dancing, to a haunted house, etc. We went dancing with colleagues, dinner parties, drag brunch. I even met some folks over the World Wide Web and we went for drinks. We definitely improved over last year and I hope we keep that momentum going. 

•  I’m going to try and do something Spanishy 3 times a week. 

Ay Dios mio! Come se dice “this was a bust”? 

•  Drink more water.  

I’m dry as a desert.  

• Use up more samples. 

All this travel has actually made this work. I’ve used up a bunch and I’m still going! 

•  Pay off our American credit card by September (coincidentally enough, when it starts collecting interest) 

Hahahhahahahah *dies deeply in debt* 

Okay, so, real talk. 2018’s resolutions 

1. 4 glasses of water a day 

2. 6 books read 

3. Pay down our debt by half 

4. Gym twice a week 

Short. Simple. Challenging. 

3.  Did anyone close to you give birth? 

Oh, I’m 35, one week in 2017 there were 5 pregnancy annoucements on my facebook feed. I don’t even keep track anymore. A coworker in February, Lots of 2018 babies a-comin’, too. 

4.  Did anyone close to you die? 

No, thank god, though we almost lost Lily in April (20 seizures in 24 hours, poor bunny). 

5.  What countries did you visit? 

Lots, actually. Besides the requisite visits back home, I went to Cancun, Mexico and Lima, Peru for work and the UK (England and Scotland) for our long-belated honeymoon. 

6.  What would you like to have in 2018 that you lacked in 2017? 

Would have loved a stronger Canadian dollar and a better eating plan. 

7.  What date from 2016 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? 

January 21: the Women’s march 

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? 

I was pretty pumped about completing my first big international work meeting in June. I also felt really good about planning our UK trip, which was a huge undertaking. 

9.  What was your biggest failure? 

I still feel badly about my poor Spanish skills when I’m faced with a situation that could have used stronger skills. I also really didn’t budget appropriately and now future Amanda is paying for past Amanda’s carelessness. 

10.  Did you suffer illness or injury? 

No, thank goodness! Fit as a fiddle. A bottom-heavy fiddle who doesn’t care for stairs. A cello, maybe

11.  What was the best thing you bought? 

I’ve given this a lot of thought, and I honestly think the best thing I bought was this clothing grab bag. It came with what I thought at the time were maternity jeans but, in actuality, were the most wonderful highwaisted elasticized jean the world has ever known. I’m wore them on the plane yesterday and I *never* wear pants on an airplane. Ive since bought 4 more pairs, 1 cropped, 3 regular. 2 are hanging out in their wrapping still, to preserve their perfection and so I’m never without them.  

12.  Whose behavior merited celebration? 

TB got a temp job at the embassy this year and I was really proud of him. He struggled at first because the idea of being in client services (he helped people with visas) made him feel like he was taking a step backwards, but he powered through it and really did well and made some much needed christmas cash, allowing us to fly home for the holidays.  

13.  Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? 

I had to stop watching the news around February, I was just getting filled with anger and despair and it was overtaking my daily life. The daily horrors of the #metoo revelations made me hate everyone and question everything. The world was a phenomenally depressing place at times in 2017. It still is, but I feel like we’ve licked our wounds and are fighting back.  

14.  Where did most of your money go? 

UUUUBBBBERRRRS. We don’t drive so the convenience and efficiency of ridesharing was a huge expenditure for me this year. I’m embarrassed to say what my “year end roundup” said my total number of Ubers was. So I won’t. Also online shopping and take-in. Even with a grocery store across the street, we still managed to decide what we felt most like making for dinner was a phone call to the pizza place. Ha ha, just kidding, we’re millennials, we never use the phone.   

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? 

Lots of stuff! Our honeymoon, the Yayoi  Kusama exhibit, seeing John Mulaney live, our various familial visitors, seeing Mean Girls the musical, having Matt Good play my dream concert, my first trip to Peru (now on trip #5… maybe not so into the traveling anymore) 

16.  What song(s) will always remind you of 2016? 

Gypsies Tramps and Thieves- Cher 

It Ain’t Me – Selena Gomez & Kygo 

17.  Compared to this time last year, are you: 

i. Happier or sadder? 

ii. Thinner or fatter? 

iii. Richer or poorer? 

i. About the same? Which is to say, content. 

ii. HOW DO I ALWAYS ANSWER THIS WITH FATTER?? WILL I SIMPLY GROW UNTIL I BURST MY HOUSE’S FOUNDATION?? (Fattest I’ve ever been, thanks for asking) 

iii. Ugh, sitting here in 2018, accounting for 2017’s mistakes, erring on the side of poorer.  

18. What do you wish you'd done more of? 

Reading, studying, knockin’ boots. <-- um, good job, 2016 Amanda. I’ma stick with that. Also, budgeting.  

19. What do you wish you'd done less of? 

Fuck you, Gardenscapes.  

20.  How did you spend Christmas? 

The novelty of “coming home” for christmas has not worn off. Lily had multiple outfit changes, a la Beyoncé, and looked fetching in all of them. We ate my dad’s classic cinnamon buns and I was incredibly spoiled by my family (to the point that I made them agree to tone it down next year). The turkey et al was aces, we did our annual dog walk in the snow, and my sister and I dressed exactly alike, which was kind of a dream. and while there was some annoying extended family antics, the day was genuinely nice and warm and fuzzy.  

We made some big decisions this year, starting with the declaration that this would be the last year that TB and I spent the day apart on purpose. This conclusion was made clear by the realization that the two extended family we do have over for christmas don’t really care if we do anything on Christmas Day per se. In addition, TB’s family has decided to stop traveling for christmas, too, which puts us all in the same place for the 25th without actually spending the day together. So, next year we’ll do extended family stuff on like the 23rd, do our immediate family thang in the morning of the 25th and then bring together TB’s and my clan for dinner, which I’m so looking forward to.  

21.  How did you spend New Years? 

I heard through the grapevine that my MIL isn’t all that keen about her birthday, whether it’s because it’s on New Year’s Day or it’s a “relentless march of time” thing or whatever so I decided we should do something nice. I made a reservation at Beckta and we all went out together on new year’s eve. Guys, it was so. Good. No use pretending that it’s not my least favourite day of the year, but it’s easy to bury one’s irritations in piles of duck tartare and sweetbreads. Afterwards, my extrovert SIL went to hang out with friends and the rest of us went back to my inlaws to play party games and watch the ball drop. Utterly delightful, and getting to be a tradition. 

22.  Did you fall in love in 2017? 

With the aforementioned jeans, yes. 

23.  How many one night stands? 

I could use a new night stand actually. <---- Never changing this answer. 

24.  What were your favorite TV programs? 

Since my sister gave it to me for my birthday, we’ve been steadily making our way through all of Roseanne, which really ages well (well, maybe not the mild trans/homo phobia, but it’s still pretty accepting, given the era), Better Call Saul is still amazing and it should be a felony that it’s only on for 10 lonely weeks of the year. For some reason, we eschewed the latest season of things we’d enjoyed (stranger things, orange is the new black, master of none) in favour of lighter fare like Great British Bake Off (which we ploughed through like we were Paul Hollywood in front of a Victoria sponge with lime curd) 

25.  Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year? 

Wouldn’t say hate, but there are people I “unfollowed” on instagram and facebook that has made my life a lot easier and happier (too canadian to just unfriend them on social media outright) 

26.  What was the best book you read? 

I haven’t been able to answer this question for so long! Okay, so it took me three tries to start, but We Were Liars was totally worth the initial struggle. Definitely the book that stayed with me the longest, and it’s been awhile since a book made my jaw literally drop. I was all about the thrillers this year – Gone Girl was the book that made me get back into reading and I’m forever grateful to it. I followed it up with the Girl on the Train, which, while not amazing, was super fun because I read it while in the UK, and ended up basically tracing her route some days, which was a nice immersive touch. And then there were none was faboo, too, and showed me why Aggie still sells so well, decades later. 

27.  What was your greatest musical discovery? 

I’m just going to accept that I stopped listening to new music after 2008 and I refuse to pretend anymore. I listen to singles, not albums anymore. And we’ve been making our way slowly through old and new vinyl. Actually, add that shit to the list of resolutions : listen to more records.  

28.  What did you want and get? 

A healthy dog (no full seizures since April 2017, no seizures at all since October!!) 

29.  What did you want and not get? 

A body that fits into the clothes I own. To get our damn art on the walls. 

30.  What was your favorite film of this year? 

Oh My Gaga you guys, I didn’t expect it to be so lovely but IT was wonderful. It’s TB’s and my favourite Stephen King book and the casting on the kids was just.. so good. It was also the first movie we saw in DC so it holds a special place in our date night history. Also, the Disaster Artist was as good as we hoped it would be. Shame about that Franco guy.  

31.  What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? 

All the fanfare around “Canada 150” meant that I went home for my birthday, which is funny because I ended up completely ignoring all the downtown foofahrah in favour of a litany of suburban/rural delights. We started the day with a artisan’s fair with my dad, sister, TB, my bff and one of her good friends who I hadn’t seen in forever. Then we got free cake, commemorative Canada coins and an annoying photo shoot with the statue of James Naismith. Then we had all you can eat sushi, followed by the best nap of all of our lives. Then my sister, bff and I met back up with our mutual pal in my bff’s van (the bangbus, RIP) where we went down to the river, watched fireworks with the most perfect view and got cheap drunk with community centre priced alcohol. When the uber home turned out to be $120, we called Stew-ber (my dad in a car) and got picked up in a random parking lot, to which we’d already ordered pizza. And then I was 35. 

32.  What would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? 

More sleep, more friends, less routine. 

33.  How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2016? 

Miss Frizzle goes to Washington. I really became known for my novelty prints this year, which was super fun. Ive tried to dress a bit more eclectic this year, employing my #sevendaysofspoopy to dress in something Halloween-themed for a week and #dressmas, where I wore christmas themed outfits throughout December and documented it on instagram. “Shopping my closet” has become a challenge, especially as my weight fluctuates, but ive enjoyed it.  

34.  What kept you sane? 

Fuck you, Gardenscapes. 

But seriously, my coworkers are amazing sounding boards and advice givers and being able to rant to them and unload on them has been a huge help. Online communities have been aces, too. 

35.  Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? 

18 years running: Paul Rudd. Also, maybe not the hottest men on earth but Johns Mulaney and Oliver are just great. 

36.  What political issue stirred you the most? 

God, is there even one “political issue” anymore? In DC it feels like a haunted house, where every day you just turn the corner and something else terrible pops up in your face, laughing maniacally. I honestly don’t even know what’s going on in Canadian politics because the US is so all-encompassing right now. It’s maddening. 

37.  Who did you miss? 

My mom and my grandparents until the end of days.  

38.  Who was the best new person you met? 

Oh Gosh, this is actually a hard one! I met Jay randomly outside the embassy one day, because she saw me watching a women’s day protest and just started talking to me. Turns out she and her husband Dee lived at the end of our street, coincidentally. We became fast friends, though they just moved to California last month. My colleague Alex is incredible and became my work wife pretty much instantly. My colleagues have become my friends, which is super lovely and I’m so incredibly lucky. And the folks I met IRL off the internet are all great, even if we’re introverts for whom organizing an outing is akin to planning an intricate military offensive. 

39.  Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2017. 

If something isn’t bringing you joy, you’re allowed to change how you interact with it. 

40.  Quote a song lyric that sums up your year. 

What am I gonna do? I can’t survive on my Amerika.  

If the worst is true, is it just a waste of time?  

What am I trying to find? Are you alive, oh my Amerika? 

Perennial with the Earth And freedom, love, and law, and life 

-“Amerika” Wintersleep 

2016: The Wig That Was

2016 was one of those strange years where I knew it was going to be full from tip to tail in advance; it didn’t disappoint. Almost every aspect of my life changed, and almost all for the better. That doesn’t mean it was easy – god, no – but it was rewarding. And, like my friend Kait asked for after 2008 brought her a marriage, a move, and a new job – I just want a year where nothing changes. Here’s to the year that made me crazy and crazy excited.

2016 Year in Review

1. What did you do in 2016 that you'd never done before?

Wore a wedding ring, spoke on behalf of my country in an international forum, hired a financial planner.

2. Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

I made them, but didn’t really expect to keep them, given the chaos that lay ahead. Some were, as always, more successful than others. I casually kept my classics:

• Read 6 books
• Visit 12 new restaurants
• Make 12 new dishes

And I failed on all but the second one because, fatty.  For the first time in forever I didn’t read a single book last year. Not one. I started some, sure. I half-heartedly picked up a couple and leafed through them and made a pile of “books to bring with me” and “books to store” when the movers came, but nothing came of it. I was disgusted with that revelation so I’m reading a book now and… I’m finding it hard to get back into the habit. I skim too much, get distracted. My smart phone has really eaten my brain, I’m afraid. So the new resolution is one book a quarter, 4 books in all. Just to train myself again. Just to say I can.

New restaurants back in Ottawa didn’t materialize because we wanted so badly to visit old favourites before we moved. We did, however, enjoy the clever, tasty food at MeNa but the portions were laughably small and unsatisfying, even for us and the sister who are used to delightfully whimsical small plates. Like, 6 courses means I should not be craving a McDouble at the end of the meal. Unfortunately, it’s a common complaint, apparently. We went to Heirloom Café in Almonte a few times this year and they are truly wonderful. Local, fresh tasting food; cozy, rustic atmosphere, and a menu that consistently presents too many options. This was the last restaurant I visited as an unmarried gal and it was an excellent choice for a last meal (get it? Because marriage is like a death sentence? So fun. ) Over the holidays we tried Bar Laurel, which replaced our beloved Back Lane Café (will always be the restaurant we went to the night my mom died, but also the restaurant my sister introduced us to for her birthday, so good memories, really). It’s another small plate place but innovative and good quality food. Not cheap but I came away absolutely stuffed and there were tonnes of things we wanted to try on the menu, which is always a nice surprise.

Here in DC we were blown away by fancy-pants Jaleo, whose $25 lunch is a staggeringly good deal. We also fell in love with Mi Cuba Café which is as unpretentious as it is delicious. I have actual deep in my bones cravings for their food from time to time.

Other favourites:

• Busboys and Poets
• Tryst
• The Diner

But honestly? My favourite foodie discoveries (other than being near a Trader Joe’s – thank god!) have been at the Dupont Circle Farmers Market. So much creativity and deliciousness, we can’t get away from there without a full bag of something new for us to make (TB) or eat (me.)

In fact, I think the reason I’ve “failed” at making 12 new dishes this year is because TB is really coming into his own as a cook. And I’m happy to let him, tbh.

2017 feels like a new beginning, like a chance to really settle in so I’m really going to try and make some resolutions:

1. Take better care of my health. Free access to the American medical system and a new doctor means we are trying to pay more attention to our bodies. TB’s cholesterol /sugar is not good so we’re undertaking to give up pop/juice (harder for him than me, to be sure), eat less sugar in general, and join a gym. I’d also like to be better about flossing. I love that our new doctor didn’t make any comments about weight, just said “try to move 3 times a week, eat less sugar and buy clothes that fit. I’ve been doing this for over 40 years and I’ve never seen anyone  have sustained weight loss. Just keep your numbers decent” I love him.
2. Eat 12 new ingredients and add 12 new recipes to our arsenal. TB’s been really good about preparing dinners and I’d like to see what we can throw into the weekly mix. Man cannot live by meatloaf alone (though we try)
3. Go on more social outings. Our social circle here shrunk down to each other and the dog, which has been an adjustment. We’ve been trying to go out to brunch and events and such with folks here, but even if we just go out together among strangers, it’s the being around people that feels social, so I’m going to advocate for more of that.
4.   Keep up with Spanish. I have accepted that I am just horrible with languages and need more maintenance than most to keep up. I’m going to try and do something Spanishy – whether that’s my weekly hour long Spanish class, listening to news or telenovelas, or practising online – 3 times a week.
5.    Drink more water. Because why not?
6. Use up more samples. I have so much makeup and toiletry samples lying about that I really need to start pairing them down. I don’t want to be a stockpiler like on “Extreme Couponing”
7.  Pay off our American credit card by September (coincidentally enough, when it starts collecting interest)

3.  Did anyone close to you give birth?

My friend Kait, mentioned above, gave birth to her third son, who seems just as adorable and feisty as the first two. A few people I used to work with gave birth. I mean, I’m 34. This is basically just life now.

4.  Did anyone close to you die?

My dad’s sister died, which was weird because no one really knew how to react. I didn’t see my dad cry, he didn’t go to her funeral (it was across the country and 2 weeks before our wedding) and he and his sister had not lived in the same city or been very close in years. She was a loud, bright personality, whose ways often clashed with her clan’s, leading to a lot of extended familial stress. I was able to offer some help to her daughter, my cousin, which made me feel useful, although that girl has her head on better about this stuff then I did 2 years ago, that’s for sure.

Also, I cried when leonard cohen died, which surprised me. I think it was the final straw in what had been a really difficult couple of weeks.

5.  What countries did you visit?

I went to Costa Rica for three weeks in March where I lived with a family which was an introvert’s nightmare but they were kind and giving. We visited Washington DC in June and liked it so much we moved there in August. Well, not exactly, but how cool would we have seemed if that’s how it happened?

6.  What would you like to have in 2017 that you lacked in 2016?

A dog without seizures and a bladder stone. Clothes that don’t cling to my ampler-than-usual butt and tummy. A budget. Better sleeping habits.

7.  What date from 2016 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

May 21: we done got hitched.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Gosh, there were so many. I think, honestly, the Costa Rica trip feels like it was the least like me. Going to a country where I don’t speak the language well, to live in the house of a family I don’t know, going on trips to beaches and climbing volcanoes and hiking to waterfalls? The most anti-me trip I can think of. But I did it.

Also, sticking to my guns and not inviting people to my wedding that I didn’t want there made me really proud.

9.  What was your biggest failure?

I left Costa Rica early, which I don’t regret but it makes me feel like a bit of a failure. My therapist and I worked on how to silence those voices, but on bad days they still get me. Also, I bombed my Spanish final and that has really affected how I see myself in my job so… I wish I was one of those people who was just good at languages, instead of having to fight for it. I also wish I’d saved our personal inventory before 1am 2 days before we moved when the whole thing fucked up. That was… not my best moment.

10.  Did you suffer illness or injury?

For the first time in forever I was sick over Christmas. Just a cold, but it was a doozy. Couldn’t taste a thing, and didn’t really feel like myself again until the 3^rd. Other than that, I was pretty healthy this year.

11.  What was the best thing you bought?

Oh man.. how do you pick? I mean, if a wedding can be “bought” I pick that one- I was literally happy with every vendor and every purchase made. If that doesn’t count, the doggie diapers we bought saved my sanity. Don’t you wish you’d stuck with the wedding answer now?

12.  Whose behavior merited celebration?

We refer to my wedding day as “our” wedding day – i.e. my sisters, Jax, TB and I  - because it felt like that. No matter what I threw at our team- they rallied and made it better than I could have dreamed. I never was made to feel like a burden or a Bridezilla and I was just so amazingly grateful. They made our day so magical. I can’t even answer this question, really, because everyone – our parents, our friends, our coworkers – so many people reached out in love to us and we just felt so lucky to have attracted as many wonderful people as we have.

13.  Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

That being said – I’d be lying if I said my feelings weren’t hurt by a family member who seemed to go out of his way to be annoying and obtuse about the whole affair. But I’m mostly over that now.

Also, the 2016 election was not a highlight for most people’s behaviour.

14.  Where did most of your money go?

Wedding stuff, Clothing, eating out, and taxis. <---  this answer isn’t that far off for this year, either. However, the added expenses of moving house and fixing up a house to rent were far beyond what I was expecting. Especially when you don’t have an SSN and everyone wants money upfront.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

Aw, come on – I gotta answer wedding for this one! I never once had cold feet about any of it – I’ve never felt so good about a day in my whole life.

 Also seeing a play at Ford’s Theatre, seeing David Cross live, meeting Alex Trebek, and our big move to Washington were highlights.

16.  What song(s) will always remind you of 2016?

Take me Home, Country Roads – John Denver

Africa – Toto

Closer- chainsmokers (I heard this song EVERYWHERE when we first moved to DC)

17.  Compared to this time last year, are you:

i. Happier or sadder?

ii. Thinner or fatter?

iii. Richer or poorer?

i. Happier, absolutely.

ii. I think about the same, which is still the fattest I’ve ever been haha

iii. More in debt, but with more in investments and savings so..maybe even?

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?

Reading, studying, knockin’ boots.

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?

Ugh, officially addicted to my phone. It’s my number one way to relax and pass the time and I hatelove it.

20.  How did you spend Christmas?

This was my first time “coming home” for Christmas, and I finally get all the clichés. It was really really nice. The aforementioned sickness meant that I was a bit slow and plodding most of the day. However,  that was okay since it was our first ever Christmas with no visitors in the morning, which was actually great. We made devilled eggs and cinnamon buns and smoked salmon dip and gorged while taking our time opening presents. My family was far too generous yet again, and we laughed lots. Due to a last minute change in plans, my cousin was able to make it up for dinner with my uncle so we had dinner together. Still the usual amount of family irritation, but it was made up for by a healthy dose of family gossip, which gave me life. The snow was plentiful, we walked the dog in the snow, the turkey was cooked perfectly for once (since my mom died, my dad has not got the hang of turkey making. This was his first absolute success after two Christmas attempts and a thanksgiving) and everyone liked their gifts. A total success.

21.  How did you spend New Years?

We had rented a hotel room just in case, since TB’s sister had mentioned her friends would be partying together downtown and we were invited. However, the illness that felled me, got all four of us in the end, so I cancelled the room last minute (saving myself a bundle, honestly) and we all hunkered down at my in-laws (I have in-laws!) where we drank cheap sparkling wine, watched the ball drop, played games and nibbled at food. It turned out to be quite nice, even amongst our Kleenex towers.

22.  Did you fall in love in 2016?

Legally, yes.

23.  How many one night stands?

I could use a new night stand actually. <---- Never changing this answer.

24.  What were your favorite TV programs?

Another year for good TV. Bloodline, Stranger Things (which inspired our Christmas card!), Better Call Saul, plus this amazing channel we get with our basic cable that only shows classic game shows from the 80s and earlier. I’m in love.

25.  Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?

Nah, perpetually annoyed, of course, but no one I really hate. Some of the things said by certain people who will be taking over a certain high-powered position however, pushed me to my limits…

26.  What was the best book you read?

We've talked about this.

27.  What was your greatest musical discovery?

I got the Hamilton LP and that’s been a fun discovery, though we’re only now starting to get into it. We got our record player set up this year so I’m looking forward to actually having to listen to the vinyl we’ve been amassing lately.

28.  What did you want and get?

A beautiful , hilarious, love-filled day with almost all of my favourite people, a house in a lovely neighbourhood in DC, renters for our house back in Canada

29.  What did you want and not get?

The first female president of the United States. All my international folks at the wedding.

30.  What was your favorite film of this year?

Ghostbusters made me cry, because I would have loved it so hard when I was a little girl. Really fun, funny movie. Fantastic Beasts and where to find them I technically saw January 2^nd but I loved it, too. Was not expecting much, but was so pleasantly surprised. Totally beautiful, engaging movie.

31.  What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

The actual day we had *just* gotten back from Washington hours earlier, so we were basically braindead. My dad and sister came over, they made me a flaming dessert, we put the dog in a Canada onesie-  it was lovely. The next day, we threw a party at the house, and we drank flaming shots and had such a lovely time that I remember nearly none of it. And then I was 34.

32.  What would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

A bigger kitchen or a basement in this place (our house is bigger and has two washrooms but the downgrades in some respects are irritating), more sleep, if I had the ability to concentrate on anything ever.

33.  How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2016?

You really have to split the year in two: from January – August (and on weekends now), it was a continuation of what I called “business grunge”. I had to pick it up starting in September so now I’ll call it “professional  funk”. Basically a lot of booties, some sequins, and pants that are probably just leggings with a button.

34.  What kept you sane?

My therapist and I parted ways in August when I moved, but the work we did over those 18 months was some of the hardest, best stuff I’ve done for myself. My wedding party/tribe made me believe everything was possible and had fun while we got it done. They sacrificed time and money to make sure things went smoothly and I love them for it forever.

35.  Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

16 years running: Paul Rudd. Also, lame duck Obama is my everything.

36.  What political issue stirred you the most?

It’s hard to pick one aspect of the American election, but it feels incorrect to say the election as a whole was just one issue. I believe in the innate goodness of the American people and I was admittedly shaken by the result. Seeing that 3 million more people did not vote for trump than voted for him made me feel marginally better, but the level of discourse around the whole event… it’s so depressing. I’m still not really over it. And I feel so badly for my American loved ones.

37.  Who did you miss?

My mom and my grandparents until the end of days. <--- why change what’s true?

Time with Jax just made me ache when she left. I love that girl. Having everyone around for the wedding actually made me feel their absence more acutely right after.

38.  Who was the best new person you met?

Probably Jen, a girl I went on training with but then became a friend once we both moved here. My colleagues are really nice people, too. It’s hard making friends as an adult – you feel so vulnerable.

39.  Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2016.

That you can’t control everything – only your reaction to it.

40.  Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

God only knows what I’d be without you

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The grieving girl's guide to life: the girl plans a wedding

The little app on my phone tells me we have 12 days to go, which seems impossible. The big decisions, some exciting (food) some boring (polyester tablecloths) have already been made and we're now looking down the barrel of something that's actually happening and somehow involves doilies. 

If we're being honest, 2016 hasn't been that crazy yet. We've been busy but there have been no wedding planning related tears, no days when I've felt incapable. When we got engaged last year I was still having a fair amount of "bad days" every month so I front-ended as much of the work as possible, using my good days to make progress wherever I could. By the end of the year we had our caterer, our venue, my dress, bridesmaids dresses, music provider, and photographer. I'm really glad we did it that way because I won't lie- there have been days since where I've just lain there, listlessly wondering if we shouldn't have organized something simpler, an elegant walk into traffic, perhaps.

I can admit we are not "wedding people". I have had no dreams of bridal dresses and fancy meals and first dances, not even when I was little, not even when I've been in love. So when it came time to make decisions, there was no master scrapbook Pinterest board I could instantly turn to, Originally, we'd assumed we'd have an incredibly simple affair- just some close friends and family, a delicious meal at a beloved restaurant and a city hall ceremony. But then TB wanted to invite family from out west and I kind of frowned at the idea of inviting folks to come all this way for a quick "I do" and a lunch. This wedding is, after all, a bit of a goodbye party, a one and only chance to get many of our favourite people in one place. The least we could do is give them a free drink or 8.

And so it ballooned - oh, let's say "blossomed" it sounds so much nicer- piece by piece into this party for 80, a fully catered event with DJs and flowers and a photobooth and burlap and mason jars and I don't even care if those last two jumped the shark in 2013, i fucking love the work we've put into our decor. All told, it's way past what I thought we'd spend but still manageable and, against all odds, even with the spectre of grief demanding its invite to the festivities, I am so excited.

I'm excited to share the dozen of things we've worked on - the ceremony we're writing ourselves, the photos we've printed, the outfits we've picked plus a bunch of other stupid little things that make us laugh- and watch people's reactions. I'm excited to watch people who have no shared connection but us talking and laughing together. I'm so damn excited for the barbecue meal. And, cheesy as it is, I'm excited to stand up in front of those I hold dear and say "with all the uncertainty that lies ahead, We still choose us."

Now, let's hope the remaining etsy orders come in...

The rich coast

Im sitting here in a twin bed, in my "llamame" shirt (it has a llama on the phone. It's a spanish pun) thinking on the last few weeks. That twin bed, and me, are both currently situated in Costa Rica, where I've been on immersion Spanish training since the end of February. It's been one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences of my life and I'm still trying to process it all.

3 weeks away can be a long time, It's especially long when you're planning a wedding. It's even longer when your dog has seven seizures in 24 hours the day after you leave. Lily's health has been up and down lately. She had her first seizure in September, then nothing until January, then 3 in 3 days, then we put her on medication and she was fine. Until the night before I left. The next day, when I called home, TB sounded exhausted, worn down by the worrying, the valium administering, the cleaning, and the comforting that comes with Lily's seizures. And I felt awful for leaving him to handle it alone. The low point came when she had a seizure while we were on skype together. Well, actually, the low point came a few days later, when I was in a lovely B&B on the coast of Uvita, sobbing my eyes out because I was miserable in the most beautiful place on Earth.

But I gamely posted photos of sunsets on Instagram and smiled at my colleague and swam in the pool, all the while feeling an utter failure for feeling homesick (let this be a lesson: you might envy the woman posting travel shots from exotic locales, but know there's a distinct possibility she was choosing that filter through a veil of tears). Before I left, my therapist asked me why I was going. I'm a homebody, always have been, and travel on my own or with strangers/ near strangers has never been my favourite way to see the world. I told her a story of a play I was in, where the director asked me late in the rehearsal process to do a scene topless. I thought about it for a day or so, going back and forth, and eventually said no. the scene had me in a lacy bustier instead. After one performance, a fellow theatre student came up and asked me why I hadn't done the scene topless. I muttered some reason or other (I had to run at the end of the play and doing it without a bra would have been uncomfortable, the director introduced the concept late in the rehearsal process,etc.) and she relented but the doubt was placed in my mind. Looking back, I have some feelings of regret looking back in that performancd because I did feel like I could have done it and it might have made the moment more powerful. I don't like that feeling much.

So, why did I go to Costa Rica? Because I felt I had a better chance of avoiding regret if I went than if I didnt. 

And I think I made the right choice. I've swum in the carribean, hiked 4 km in the rain, had a cliff side pool all to myself, seen a poisonous frog up close, been on a highway so high the clouds were below us, heard a howler monkey, all while trying to master this language in a country that demands it. But that first weekend, as I choked back tears that I dried with mosquito netting, was definitely not a highlight. In the end, I decided to make a compromise: I'm coming back tomorrow instead of Saturday and taking the financial penalty to do so. I'm trying really hard not to view this as a failure. I won't get to go to San jose to buy souvenirs with the other students, but I don't really need more stuff, to be honest. I just feel like I took the easy road out, even if the minute I made the decision I started enjoying the visit so much more.

I know I'm unnecessarily hard on myself when it comes to things like this. 3 weeks away from my family and friends, in a country where I have to speak spanish all day to get by, living with a family in an unfamiliar house was a concept that made me anxious. Add to this the idea that this is my first work trip where I haven't been able to call my mom and tell her about my day, my fears, my anxiety, and have her tell me I'm fine, I'll be all right and she can't wait to see me. And yes, in case you wondered, everything seems to come back to that eventually.

But I've been determined to say yes to things I wouldn't normally (see 4km rain hike), put myself in situations I usually avoid, and the payout has been really great. I've really had an excellent time here and I'm grateful and amazed the opportunity came my way at all.

Now it's time to take my sunburnt, bug-bitten (84 at my highest count!) body back home to a tall skinny boy, a woozy pug and the place im happy to call home. 

Thanks for everything, Costa Rica. It's been a trip.

2015: The Wig That Was

I debated whether to do the year end survey this year. It was too late, it was too boring a year, etc. etc. But this year's review ended up feeling more important than usual, if only because I've talked so little about this year, in person or online. Taking stock of one of the quietest years of my life makes sense to me, especially as I begin to embark on one of the loudest.

2015 Year in Review

1. What did you do in 2015 that you'd never done before?

Saw a psychologist, submitted and had a report published in Parliament, went to a bridal show.

2. Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

I did, but halfheartedly as I honestly didn't know how this year was going to go. They were:

• Read 12 books
• Visit 12 new restaurants
• Make 12 new dishes
• Try to become at least a shadow of who I once was

The reading resolution didn't fall apart so much as it never got started at all. Something no one tells you about grieving is that it really robs you of your ability to concentrate. I was desperate to lose myself in a story or a movie, but I was so sleepy, so fitful, that I could never stay with anything. I read exactly one book, the Offbeat Bride book, and it was cute, but more a book of anecdotes rather than a useful "how-to". I liked it, though, and it helped sort of give me a snapshot of what I could expect from the Wedding Industrial Complex. I do want to try reading again, and I feel like I'm in a better place now. I think I'll aim for 6 rather than 12 next year, just to encourage myself. 

The "new restaurants" resolution is never a challenge and even in this slow and plodding year I crushed it. I'll probably make a separate entry on them, because we really had some stellar meals this year.

The other side of this of course is that I cooked almost nothing this year. I relied a lot on ready made meals and local take-in, and my waistline paid for it.

And finally... I'd like to think I'm still me. It took me a long time to look in the mirror again, to sing to myself as I put on my makeup, to wake up and feel like the world was my fucking oyster because it was Saturday. But I do those things now. I make jokes easily, I saute kale, I buy cute clothes, I am something approaching myself. Sometimes. Sometimes I just sit and stare and wonder what it would feel like to be carried away by the wind or, on bad days, the front of a Chevy.

My buddy Sarah told me something that helped: you're not missing anything, you just carry something extra now. I'm trying to think that way when I feel detached from who I was before. Sarah is super smart and makes a lot of sense.

3.  Did anyone close to you give birth?

Another few acquaintances from University and old workplaces, TB's cousin- you know, my Facebook timeline basically gave birth. Welcome to your 30s.

4.  Did anyone close to you die?

No,  thank whatever you wish. My mom's good friend died in April and my grandfather's brother died in December, but I wasn't very close to either of them and didn't attend either funeral. Though the thought of my mom having to lose another friend gutted me. The thought that she wasn't around to be gutted in the first place broke me again.

5.  What countries did you visit?

The idea of moving forward, physically or mentally seemed absolutely impossible when the year began. In the end, I only visited one place, but I visited there three times. I went where my heart beats: Montreal. TB bought me tickets to Postmodern Jukebox as a pick-me-up in May and we actually had a really fun time. It went so well, in fact, that I went back in July to see some comedy shows with my sister and it was a fantastic trip. Then we all went back in October for more comedy and good food and shopping and laughing at stupid things and being dorks. They were all pretty great, honestly.

6.  What would you like to have in 2016 that you lacked in 2015?

A dog that didn't have occasional seizures. Clothes that fit better. A good night's sleep. Access to a Target. Good god I miss Target Canada.

7.  What date from 2015 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

June 30th: when my favourite guy asked if I wanted to hang out forever.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

In mid-January, I went back to work and that day felt so heavy, so impossible that I couldn't think how I'd ever get to 5:30, never mind how I'd continue to get up, day after day for the next 20 years. But I did it, and then I did it again, and I still keep doing it, and that's really good.

9.  What was your biggest failure?

So the other side of that achievement is that my bar has been reset really, really low. I used to be kind of late for work. Now I'm really late. Like.. 30-45 minutes late. And I take off at least one day a month to just breathe. And that feels like a failure to me. And it makes my already crippling impostor syndrome go into overdrive ("I don't deserve a job"/"I'm letting every one down"/"anyone could do this job better than me"). But I'm working on beating myself up less. And on getting more sleep, which I hope leads to less late mornings.

10.  Did you suffer illness or injury?

I was really violently ill this Fall with some really gross stomach bug that I kindly shared with Owen. What really boiled my potatoes was that it made me break a 7-year no-vomit streak. Emetophobia is a cruel master.

11.  What was the best thing you bought?

Gosh, that's a hard one. The motto "treat yo self" became a battle cry as my sister and I justified every purchase with a "you deserve it!" I probably have already forgotten a thousand things that I pronounced "necessary" minutes before buying them.

However, I bought the most amazing pair of boots this year, whose existence in my closet makes me happy. Paired with this new sweatshirt it's the closest thing I've got to a uniform.

12.  Whose behavior merited celebration?

My trio of sisters from various misters really took care of me this year. Jax,C, and Sarah kept me laughing, let me cry, kept me present and lifted me up. My sister made me feel less alone and TB tried his very best to roll with my punches and still decided to hitch his wagon to this falling star. My dad really did try hard to be a better man, and even though that still weirds me out like crazy some days, I appreciate the drive behind it. My fu

13.  Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

Cleaning out a familial home doesn't bring out the best in anyone, I'm just going to leave that as-is.

Also, the niqab hail-mary attempt to incite xenophobia to win the election. And most men on the internet.

14.  Where did most of your money go?

Wedding stuff, Clothing, eating out, and taxis. There are worse problems to have, I know. My decadent lifestyle is simply too much.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

Seeing John Mulaney live. Celebrating my birthday with Jax for the first time in yonks. Getting to see some of my favourite folks at our big shindig. The return of Wet Hot American Summer and Mr. Show!

16.  What song(s) will always remind you of 2015?

Uptown Funk - Bruno Mars
Shut Up And Dance - Walk the Moon

17.  Compared to this time last year, are you:

i. Happier or sadder?
ii. Thinner or fatter?
iii. Richer or poorer?

Happier, but it would be hard not to be.
Fatter. Probably the fattest I've ever been? Soak it in.
About the same, probably. Actually.. wedding stuff... poorer. Definitely poorer.

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?

Reading, staying in touch, cooking.

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?

It would be easy to say "crying" but actually, the crying I did felt terrible in the moment and satisfying afterwards so screw that. Up with crying!

 I do wish I'd spent less here and there. And it would be great to get some of my crippling fears under control.

20.  How did you spend Christmas?

Christmas was good. Christmas Eve was 20 degrees so everyone was on patios and leaving their coats at home. So so strange. Went to school in the morning then to my folks' place that night with Lily. We ate too much food, left a letter for Santa (couldn't manage it last year), wrapped a few gifts and headed to bed. Christmas Day the family friend who usually comes by came by, then my uncle and cousin came by for dinner. My family hit it out of the park on presents this year, just really, really well done. There were a couple of annoying family moments but ultimately, it was really nice. Solid Christmas, that.

21.  How did you spend New Years?

Lowkey. We had considered going to a friend's house but there had been a huge snowstorm a few days prior and we decided against it. Just me and TB, ordered sushi and walked around the neighbourhood. Listened to our neighbours countdown and kissed by the streetlamp. Aww *puke*

22.  Did you fall in love in 2015?

Further in, yeah :)

23.  How many one night stands?

I could use a new night stand actually. <---- Never changing this answer.

24.  What were your favorite TV programs?

So much good tv. Got back into Mad Men for the last season, loved Bojack Horseman, Portlandia, Better Call Saul,

25.  Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?

Nah. My shit list is pretty short. Okay, maybe Martin Shkreli. But he doesn't deserve even my disdain.

26.  What was the best book you read?

We've talked about this.

27.  What was your greatest musical discovery?

Didn't listen to any music at all for most of the year, tbh. Mostly Songza playlists (RIP)

28.  What did you want and get?

A lot of wedding plans front-ended, a level 1 in Spanish on my first test, a carpool to school.

29.  What did you want and not get?

A vacation on a beach somewhere, a budget I can follow.

30.  What was your favorite film of this year?

I actually quite liked Mad Max: Fury Road. And seeing a movie in VIP cinemas has changed me forever.

31.  What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

We threw a little party here at the house. Barbecued, entertained 3 dogs at once, had some stellar chats. Broke up at 10:00 to go watch the fireworks, then Jax, my sister and Owen and I played Cards Against Humanity. And then I was 33.

32.  What would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

Regular access to a computer during the day (ugh. I'm dying being away from my internet addiction during class time), a wedding planner, having more friends nearby.

33.  How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2015?

January/February were basically a write-off, but I pulled it together just in time for it all to fall apart again in September when I traded in blazers for oversized sweaters and rolled up hipster jeans. I'ma call this year "Business Grunge"

34.  What kept you sane?

Legitimately my therapist. I don't know what I would have done without her. Having friends who'd been where I was and come through the worst of it while remaining awesome helped me see it was possible.

35.  Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

Jon Hamm still looks fantastic and I have to admit, our new PM is what the Spanish call 'muy guapo' And of course, for the 15th year in a row: Paul Rudd.

36.  What political issue stirred you the most?

I felt really really feminist this year. Whether it's because i started feeling more comfortable stating my feelings on subjects close to my heart or what, but I felt like I was always debating feminism with people this year. The Canadian election and the American election both held my attention for sure. It was a fascinating year for politics, actually.

37.  Who did you miss?

My mom and my grandparents until the end of days.

Various colleagues I used to pal around with in jobs of yore. It's a bit lonely at school, to be honest.

38.  Who was the best new person you met?

One of my fellow students is this awesome, foodie chick with a dry sense of humour and attitude for days. i really like her, but she's pregnant so I won't see her much in 2016, as she'll leave school soon. Un Bummer grande, as they say.

39.  Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2015.

Two, seemingly opposed statements are my takeaways from 2015.

Some things in life cannot be fixed, they can only be carried

and

Life is a shipwreck, but we must not forget to sing in the lifeboats.

You know when you read something really true and you have to go back and read it again, even if it's only a line, even if it's only a few words? That's me with that first quote. It's so fucking spot on. I know I'll never get past my grief, never get over it, never be the me I was before. But I am getting to a place where I like the me that carries that grief; I am starting to love the complicated story that weaves its way through me, even if it breaks my heart in certain chapters. I know, in my brain, in my most logical centre, that I cannot fix what's happened. My heart allows me a few moments of wallowing every few days - "just think of how easy your life would be right now if she was here" - and I even give myself a few minutes to just dreamily think of how perfect it would all be with her here. But I cannot change the past, I cannot fix what is. I can only carry it with me, and give it its proper weight.

I have that second quote on my living room wall. I probably look at it every day, but rarely ever think about it anymore. But really, it is so apt. There is no escaping heartache. There is no charmed life. There is no perfect love. All there is, is what we have, what we make, what we carry, and how we act.

But there is so much good out there, that, if you allow yourself to think about even part of it, it seems a shame to leave it all behind.

Most days.

40.  Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

"I am going to make it through this year, if it kills me"

-The Mountain Goats "This Year"
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2015 was so quiet, a flat prairie of a year between two mountains. I am grateful for the time it gave me. And I can only hope I'll survive what's next.

The Grieving Girl's Guide to Life

About 5 years ago, the guy I was replacing at work had a hell of a year. He had fallen in love the year before with a co-worker in his language classes and had just proposed to her. Shortly after the ring was on her finger, she became pregnant. They sold their condos, bought a big house in the country, bought a car, had a wedding, had a kid, then found out they were going to have to move to India in a few months.

"You know," I remarked, "you can space out this adulting thing. You don't have to do it all at once."

"I know," he chuckled, “But sometimes all the adulting just happens at the same time."

Truth.

To catch up:

When my mom died last December it was one of those things where when people ask “was it unexpected? Was it sudden?” my only answer was “kind of? But also not?” Basically, what I could say was “Five days in the hospital and she was gone”.

And that's that. It was, and continues to be, the hardest thing I’ve ever gone through, but life kept going, almost immediately. Two weeks after she died, I found out I got a job in the U.S. and would have to move in 2016. Two weeks after that, my maternal grandfather died. Two months after that, I found out that getting a visa for TB to work in the U.S. would be superfun! (note: it would actually be the opposite of superfun) and it would be  much easier if we just got married. But he insisted that he wanted to ask me, so I agreed. And on June 30th, under a sky full of stars, TB proposed to me with a story worthy of any Simpsons fan (more on that in a later entry)

Since that moment I've been running. In order to keep my upcoming job I have to become fluent in Spanish before next summer, which, when you're starting with a half-level above "dos cervezas, por favor" is a challenge, to say the least. The second half of 2015 has been full of getting my grandfather’s house ready to sell, planning a wedding, and conjugating verbs like it's my job (it is).

In 2016, language gods willing, I'll pack up my house, rent it to someone who won't destroy it,  find and rent a house in the U.S, and start a new job, all while grieving the two best people I ever knew.
I have no idea how I’m going to do it all, or if it’s even possible.

But adulting doesn’t wait until you’re ready – it just happens and expects you to catch up.

Thanks for running with me.


*Adapted from an earlier post on Offbeat Bride's forum before they closed in November 2015

One year.

This blog has remained so quiet, not because I've had nothing to say, but rather because I've had too much. Every time I looked at an open page the weight of the white felt like a burden, so I quietly closed the window and moved on. But I wanted to mark today because, of course I do. I won't try to sum up how things have been, but suffice it to say, 2016 has the potential to be the weirdest year of my life to date. But we're not there yet; we're still here. It's difficult to capture this year which has been, simultaneously, disquieting and quiet. Quiet is good, though. Quiet is welcome here.

If you'd asked me a year ago where I thought I'd be now the answer is where I currently am; in bed. It was hard to foresee a time when I would be able to push the covers off myself, put on clothes and head out into the world. But about a month later, I did. And then two weeks after that, I did it every day for a week. Then I just kept going, because you basically are left with two choices in this life: wither or tumble. So I tumbled back to work, through deadlines and meetings, through birthdays and wine in cheap paper cups, through lunch dates and portfolio changes and everything else that was thrown at me. And yes, sometimes it felt hollow and hard, but other times it felt normal and fine, and good, and sometimes even great. And the world unfolded as it does, leaving me more afraid and worried than I've ever been, but also so surrounded by love.

And there is, of course, always her. I remember realizing one day that she wasn't the first thought I had when I woke up in the morning and a small part of me was relieved. But every day, she's there. Just under the daily routine, waiting. I haven't figured out what to do with her yet. But for now, we can share the same space in silence, like sitting next to her on a church pew or park bench.

I wanted to share the words I wrote a year or so ago for her funeral. It would be easy to say these were the hardest words I ever had to write, but that would be a lie. They were the hardest words I ever had to read aloud, but writing them came quickly, all at once in a late night cascade. I withered while they tumbled.

I still have no idea what I'm doing and Im still scared every single day of my life. But I've made it one year. It's possible. And that's enough for today.

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Friends, family, well wishers, in the interest of honesty, I would like to begin with a confession: I didn’t finish this speech until hours before we all gathered here. This is not unusual – since I was 8 years old and had to complete a report on the rather vague topic of “Canada”, I have never started a paper, project or presentation more than 2 days before it was due. I’ve had book reports where I haven’t even taken the book out of the library until the weekend before. And throughout my school years, primary through to University, I could always count on my night owl mother, rolling her eyes, exasperatedly sighing “Oh ______” and then rolling up her sleeves, sitting down at our electric typewriter, then our monochrome computer, then our PC and using her rapid-fire typing skills to commit to paper whatever drivel I’d managed to coax out of my beleaguered brain at 1 in the morning. I only tell you this rather embarrassing fact about myself, because it’s a really good example of what kind of mom my mom was. She would admonish you, encourage you to do better next time, and then sit down and bail you out. Every time. Not because she wanted to protect you, but because she knew you better than you knew yourself. And she knew you were trying. And she loved you.

My mother had more love in her than should have been possible for a mere mortal. So many of you have mentioned her kindness, her smile, the way she never had a bad word to say about anyone. And yes, yes that’s how she was in public, but let me tell you, in private? She was exactly the same. She was kinder than anyone I’ve ever known. Almost infuriatingly so. You could rant and rave about something or someone to her and she’d nod and listen and agree with you, but even then, you could tell just by the look in her eyes that she thought you could do better. And begrudgingly, you’d try to, without even realizing she’d tricked you into being a better person.

It was a joy to know my mother. She made friends easily, and couldn’t have chosen a better part-time job than Avon representative. Customers became companions within a few campaigns, and every time she thought of giving the business up, she always came back to it, because it gave her a chance to chat and laugh with the people she’d grown so close to. And also because she got her mascara for 40% off.

My mother’s tastes were not easily defined. She was as at home at the Chateau Laurier for Afternoon Tea as she was at Miller’s Oven in Manotick, enjoying a piece of blueberry shortcake. She loved classical music and world travel, but also enjoyed bargain-hunting in Syracuse and, inexplicably, the Big Bang Theory. She was game for just about anything, and we always shrieked in delight when she’d deign to do something silly, like take a goofy Christmas card photo, or make a face for the camera, because she always left the monkey business up to the three of us. But sometimes she would cave, giving us a little glimpse of the goofball she could be, if the scenery wasn’t always being chewed by her hammy family.

She was the first person I wanted to tell something to because she always had the perfect reaction. She was overjoyed, bursting at the seams with pride when it was good, and aghast at the world we live in when it was bad.

Music was one of my mother’s great loves. A talent that she and my father shared, and which has bypassed my and my sister’s generation entirely. And yet she bore our failings with good humour, of course, telling us our ear-piercing, godawful version of A-Ha’s Take On Me, was not the worst thing she’d ever heard, which is a lie. She introduced us to her love of musicals early in life, and loved to plunk away at her keyboard whenever new music came in for her choirs. I actually think my sister and I may be her choir’s longest-standing audience members, always there for a Christmas concert or a Family and Friends event, though we fully accept we are not their target audience.

My mom always enjoyed a good glass of wine. Or a bad glass of wine. Just wine, really. She was great at a party, always the mingler. My sister and I loved going to events with her because she always got the really good gossip from people without even trying. And, even better, she was willing to share the best stuff. I have inherited many things from my mother – my eyes, my empathy, my inability to watch sappy Tim Hortons commercials without crying– but her ability to drink consistently throughout an evening and still carry on in-depth conversations with all those around her is not one of them. I’m sorry mom, I know this continues to be one of my great failings.

My mother instilled in us a deep love of family. She loved hers with all her heart and I can’t count how many of my friends became “Honourary ” with a wave of her hand. Her brother Ron was a treasure to her, her closest friend and constant confidante. They were two peas in a pod, more alike than any non-twin siblings have any right to be. She started a craft business with her sister, Deb. She never let us leave a trip to the ‘States without making sure that there was scores of cheap pipe tobacco for her father in the glove box. She loved my sister fiercely, and it was a delight to watch them work together, whether it was perfecting a parallel park, or mastering a particularly tricky cross-stitch pattern. She used to play non-competitive combined-score Scrabble with her mother for hours at our dining room table, and I like to think they have now taken up the habit again.

I’m 32 years old, and I have never missed a birthday, a mother’s day, a Christmas, a Thanksgiving, or an Easter. Because family was love, family was everything. And we did so much loving in the 64 years we had her. But it still feels like we could have done so much more.

And should you need to know further proof of her love, recall that she was with my dear father for 38 years. I love my father completely, but sometimes 38 minutes can feel like I’ve run a marathon. But she still listened to him, and even though she rolled her eyes and sighed more often than you might think humanly possible, she loved him, whether they were travelling through Europe or just sitting in front of the fireplace on a wintery night.

I feel like I could sit here for hours, sharing memories, telling you about a Christmas Eve spent eating oranges and coffee cake in an aging hotel room, about the way weeding her garden felt like church to her, about an unfinished Christmas stocking, about morning puppet shows, about how she’d once wanted to teach music to children in Northern communities, about how the only things as good as her hugs were her strawberry pies. But frankly, there are sandwiches to be eaten, and wine to be drunk, and if I told you everything to love about her, we’d be here for another 64 years.

In times like these, it’s normal to feel helpless, to feel like you want to do something to ease the heartache, to make this terrible journey that we must all make, just a little easier. It’s become almost a cliché - “If there’s anything I can do, let me know.” And already so many of you have gone ahead and done so much. We deeply appreciate every meal cooked, every kindness extended, every trip made to be with us. But what more can we do, you ask. Well, okay, since you asked so nicely, I’ll tell you. If you knew her,tell us about her. Tell us about the stories she’d tell when she was with you. Tell us about how she was when she was younger. Tell us what she loved, and what made her laugh, so we can add to the long list of memories we’re cloaking ourselves in like a blanket. And most of all, tell us the things that she wouldn’t tell us herself, because I bet she was hiding some really righteous gossip.

Talk about her, think about her, laugh about her. Because I have to believe a love like hers doesn’t just disappear. It has to go on, in all of us. It’s too powerful not to.