the Impatient Patient: March Break Survival

Wednesday, March 23, 2016

March Break Survival

As usual March Break was a strangely busy week with various kiddos coming in and out of the house ...some family, some temporarily adopted, some small, some grown-up... ALL hungry. Or thirsty ;-)

Ahhhh March Break. You exhaust me. Thankfully Scott cooks a mean meatloaf dinner, and I'm handy at the consistent munchies and veggie trays and baking distractions during the day. Even the dog was tired afterward:

Last week was a mix of appointments and relax time, including THREE trips to Barrie. We had an appointment with our therapist at the cancer centre, the girls had a teen night event doing a special art project at Gilda's Club, and Friday night was the night the girls have been waiting for since Christmas... a rock concert.

Their bestie gave them tickets (Moms too, so five of us in total) to see Marianas Trench, which is a Canadian rock/punk band bordering on "emo." (Apparently teenagers assess emo by amount of black eyeliner is on the lead singer?) Opening band was Walk Off The Earth, whom I have wanted to see since the release of their acoustic 5-people-1-guitar rendition of Somebody that I used to know by Gotye.

I haven't been to a concert in a looooong time, and I feared I would be out of practice LOL but it seems we made out just fine (and the MOMS didn't EMBARRASS anybody).

The music was loud and great and the energy was so fun. I have been to many concerts, including seeing The Hip at Barrie Molson Centre also, but this was my first all-ages concert. It was strange but still good, I likely wouldn't have allowed my 10-11 year olds to attend such a show (the language is about as "EMO" as the eyeliner) but my almost 14-year olds handled it just fine.

Both bands were incredible, and I can say I emerged from the concert a new fan of Marianas Trench. Adding to the phenomenal volume and cool stage stunts, there is talent and real feeling that bursts out of the shirtless rocker.

Thankfully the other Mom played chauffeur so it was a lovely treat to be passenger and not have to focus on the road (through the scream-singing of three boisterous teenage girls to the music they had blaring). Thanks Z and C for the fun night, it wouldn't have happened without you!

After that raucous finale to the week I remained chill (and quiet!) for the weekend, catching up on random electronic/writing and house work I had neglected over the holiday week. For a stay-cation in which I worried I hadn't done enough for the kids, I ended up feeling satisfied that indeed I had.

We had started the week off with a sleepover and ladies' breakfast date with a couple of the girls' friends, and we slipped in some shopping as well as a doggie walk (mud) at the beach, plus a marathon or two of Cathedral World (the boardgame). We baked St. Patricks Day cupcakes - please know that I should NOT be in charge of the icing, I am a better chef than baker. Cass also invented a creative new dish that has quickly turned into a family favourite: Cassi's Cauliflower and Cheese Carnivore Casserole. The recipe is top secret, but I can tell you there is a pound of bacon in this thing!

(that icing was supposed to be shamrock green... yikes I would have been better off to just add cocoa to it and call it chocolate!!)

Scott and I celebrated our "anniversary" on St. Pats Day, we have been through thick and thin together for five years! That is the rose he got me and the clover/shamrock plant I got for him. :-)

Anyway, I will sign off for now as I have a bunch of thoughts to organize for a piece I have been asked to write for the melanoma awareness project I will be talking a LOT about next week. In the meantime I will leave you with these random items that reflect my thinking at this time...