Tuesday, March 30, 2004
Jamie's in Kemptville with his grandparents, and I came to Toronto last night without him! Feels very strange; I went and stood in the nursery for a few minutes and felt quite forlorn. But with Exultate's St. John Passion this Friday night, I've got a lot to keep me occupied for the next four days, and it will be a relief not to have to worry about whether I'm short-changing Jamie when I spend so much time working.
The car behaved itself beautifully on the way up from New York on Sunday, and again yesterday on the 401. I'm very pleased with it. And it fit into the garage here without too much shoe-horning too. Better and better!
The car behaved itself beautifully on the way up from New York on Sunday, and again yesterday on the 401. I'm very pleased with it. And it fit into the garage here without too much shoe-horning too. Better and better!
Monday, March 22, 2004
We had a very enjoyable weekend, marred only by my energy level's not being as close to par as I'd like it to be. Tom and Anne were with us - another set of great guests. They had a number of things planned themselves, but we also got a nice visit: great conversation over supper on Friday night, breakfast Saturday morning, and order-in Thai food last night.
On Saturday afternoon Paul and Jamie went to the park for at least two hours and had a fine play together while I went to see the New York City Opera's production of Sondheim's dark piece Sweeney Todd. It was a very strong production; Elaine Paige as Mrs. Lovett was particularly fine. My only criticism - words sometimes not intelligible in the rear balcony - was mitigated by the use of surtitles, so nobody missed the clever bits of repartee in numbers like "A Little Priest". It's a monstrous story, but I found the show very good entertainment. I was almost as well entertained listening to the comments of the older opera patrons in the elevator on the way out; I don't think some of them had known what to expect, or could figure out what to make of it.
On Sunday morning I took the car and drove Tom and Anne to meet Tom's cousin Olga for brunch, and then Jamie and I went to St. Bart's. They have an arrangement with the Metropolitan Hotel for free Sunday parking - a huge asset! Jamie really loves the nursery at St. Bart's. Unlike daycare, when we arrive at the nursery he's out of the stroller and away to play. My conjecture is that it's the combination of a nice bright room and the presence of kids his age and a bit older that make it attractive to him. We're going to look into other daycare options for him for the fall.
Paul took the car out for a good run on Sunday afternoon to continue to familiarize himself with it. We're both well pleased with our choice! Among other things, it's very comfortable. The seats adjust many ways...which I'll appreciate increasingly in the next six months.
Tom and Anne flew out this morning, sharing a limo to La Guardia with Paul, who is off to Dallas for at least a couple of days for work. Jamie and I are having a comfortable morning of it, getting the guest room tidied up and the sheets on to wash in preparation for our next guest: Michael Kim, whom we believe we're to see tomorrow overnight.
Nearly forgot to mention: Tom and Anne left us a most excellent present, geared to cheer me in my solitude tonight and then some. They brought us the whole first season of The West Wing on DVD! At last: a chance to find out what the show's really about. Watching the season starter of the fourth season was only so informative...
On Saturday afternoon Paul and Jamie went to the park for at least two hours and had a fine play together while I went to see the New York City Opera's production of Sondheim's dark piece Sweeney Todd. It was a very strong production; Elaine Paige as Mrs. Lovett was particularly fine. My only criticism - words sometimes not intelligible in the rear balcony - was mitigated by the use of surtitles, so nobody missed the clever bits of repartee in numbers like "A Little Priest". It's a monstrous story, but I found the show very good entertainment. I was almost as well entertained listening to the comments of the older opera patrons in the elevator on the way out; I don't think some of them had known what to expect, or could figure out what to make of it.
On Sunday morning I took the car and drove Tom and Anne to meet Tom's cousin Olga for brunch, and then Jamie and I went to St. Bart's. They have an arrangement with the Metropolitan Hotel for free Sunday parking - a huge asset! Jamie really loves the nursery at St. Bart's. Unlike daycare, when we arrive at the nursery he's out of the stroller and away to play. My conjecture is that it's the combination of a nice bright room and the presence of kids his age and a bit older that make it attractive to him. We're going to look into other daycare options for him for the fall.
Paul took the car out for a good run on Sunday afternoon to continue to familiarize himself with it. We're both well pleased with our choice! Among other things, it's very comfortable. The seats adjust many ways...which I'll appreciate increasingly in the next six months.
Tom and Anne flew out this morning, sharing a limo to La Guardia with Paul, who is off to Dallas for at least a couple of days for work. Jamie and I are having a comfortable morning of it, getting the guest room tidied up and the sheets on to wash in preparation for our next guest: Michael Kim, whom we believe we're to see tomorrow overnight.
Nearly forgot to mention: Tom and Anne left us a most excellent present, geared to cheer me in my solitude tonight and then some. They brought us the whole first season of The West Wing on DVD! At last: a chance to find out what the show's really about. Watching the season starter of the fourth season was only so informative...
Thursday, March 18, 2004
Jamie's having a colossal nap today, so I've seized the opportunity to post.
Many new things!
We have a car! It's a red 2000 Volvo V40 wagon. We bought it two days ago, and I'm very happy with it. I expect I'll be driving up to Toronto a lot more often than flying in the near future; Jamie's getting too squirmy and big to travel on my lap for much longer, although he does fly free on a parent's lap until he's 2.
I'm going to Hungary in June with Robyn for Carrie's wedding. Our flights are booked, so it's actually going to happen. Jamie will stay with Grandma in Kemptville, just as he's doing at the end of this month for a few days while I'm in Toronto for Exultate's St. John Passion performance. I'm quite excited, and so is Robyn.
Larry Beckwith and Teri Dunn were here visiting us for about five days - well, actually, staying with us, but really visiting New York. It was great to have a bit of a visit with them. Jamie loved it. They left yesterday; Tom Leslie and Anne Macdonald arrive tomorrow night. (The sheets are in the dryer!) Then we'll be seeing Michael Kim mid-week next week, and my mother and sister over the weekend, and Patrick and Catharine as well. Must be a good time for travel...
And our latest big project, now well established, can be viewed here. Final results expected on September 29.
And there's my boy waking up!
Many new things!
We have a car! It's a red 2000 Volvo V40 wagon. We bought it two days ago, and I'm very happy with it. I expect I'll be driving up to Toronto a lot more often than flying in the near future; Jamie's getting too squirmy and big to travel on my lap for much longer, although he does fly free on a parent's lap until he's 2.
I'm going to Hungary in June with Robyn for Carrie's wedding. Our flights are booked, so it's actually going to happen. Jamie will stay with Grandma in Kemptville, just as he's doing at the end of this month for a few days while I'm in Toronto for Exultate's St. John Passion performance. I'm quite excited, and so is Robyn.
Larry Beckwith and Teri Dunn were here visiting us for about five days - well, actually, staying with us, but really visiting New York. It was great to have a bit of a visit with them. Jamie loved it. They left yesterday; Tom Leslie and Anne Macdonald arrive tomorrow night. (The sheets are in the dryer!) Then we'll be seeing Michael Kim mid-week next week, and my mother and sister over the weekend, and Patrick and Catharine as well. Must be a good time for travel...
And our latest big project, now well established, can be viewed here. Final results expected on September 29.
And there's my boy waking up!
Thursday, March 04, 2004
Well...and the only thing I hate more than when Jamie's sick and I can't help him get better is when Jamie's sick and so am I! I got the tummy bug the day after we arrived in Toronto. We've been two little recluses here at the house for Wednesday and Thursday. I think Jamie's on the mend, though; he was playing cheerfully in the bath earlier this evening, and has eaten a yoghurt, four helpings of dry Cheerios, and infinite handfulls of pomegranate. He's been off his feed - very worrisome in such a good eater!
Now if I can manage to feel better myself, we'll be getting somewhere. My mother arrives tomorrow afternoon, so if I'm still under the weather then, I'll have some relief from Jamie-care for the later part of the day. I bet I'm better, though.
Good news for me: Mum has generously agreed to take Jamie in Kemptville for about a week, so if I can get flights, I'm going to be able to go to Carrie's wedding near Budapest at the end of June! I know Jamie will have a great time, and I expect I will too. With luck, I'll be able to travel with Robyn; it will be like old times (sort of).
Now if I can manage to feel better myself, we'll be getting somewhere. My mother arrives tomorrow afternoon, so if I'm still under the weather then, I'll have some relief from Jamie-care for the later part of the day. I bet I'm better, though.
Good news for me: Mum has generously agreed to take Jamie in Kemptville for about a week, so if I can get flights, I'm going to be able to go to Carrie's wedding near Budapest at the end of June! I know Jamie will have a great time, and I expect I will too. With luck, I'll be able to travel with Robyn; it will be like old times (sort of).
Monday, March 01, 2004
It's a week for good news, it would appear. We heard today from Chris Jones in Boston that his wife Christine had delivered their son Sebastian on Sunday, a week ahead of schedule. Everyone is fine. We don't have other details yet. I'm looking forward to hearing the stories that spring from their adjustment to parenthood!
We also had some less joyful news today, however. My parents' cat Bug, who was at least 17 and probably older but was one of the world's truly great cats, had a stroke early Sunday and had to be put down this morning. For a 15-pound cat, he's going to leave a very large hole in the household in Kemptville. Although it came as a surprise to nobody, we're all quite sad about it - especially my parents.
Jamie and I are going to Toronto tomorrow. The house is still on the market, which should make staying there somewhat interesting - hard to keep it impeccable for showings while a 15-month-old lives there! And Jamie's had a fever for the past two days. It's a nasty cold with a tummy bug, I think. He's having a hard time sleeping and is quite whiny and needy. Poor little guy; I hate it when he gets sick and I can't help him feel better!
We also had some less joyful news today, however. My parents' cat Bug, who was at least 17 and probably older but was one of the world's truly great cats, had a stroke early Sunday and had to be put down this morning. For a 15-pound cat, he's going to leave a very large hole in the household in Kemptville. Although it came as a surprise to nobody, we're all quite sad about it - especially my parents.
Jamie and I are going to Toronto tomorrow. The house is still on the market, which should make staying there somewhat interesting - hard to keep it impeccable for showings while a 15-month-old lives there! And Jamie's had a fever for the past two days. It's a nasty cold with a tummy bug, I think. He's having a hard time sleeping and is quite whiny and needy. Poor little guy; I hate it when he gets sick and I can't help him feel better!
