A few things.....

Toronto was great. Is it a bad thing that I didn't really miss my kids? I think if I had stayed one more day, there may have been some pining on my part, but it was the perfect amount of time to get away. I don't think they missed me much either. I guess sometimes everyone needs a break from each other.

Thursday night I went to a fab party, put on my $3 Value Village find (a belted pinstripe tunic dress that is just wonderful) and my awesome booties with zippers all over them. I met Ashley McIsaak (is that how you spell his name) and some really great artists; dined a great restaurant called Lee (yum) and had a great evening with co-workers but with no shop-talk. So fun to the social side of people you usually just talk about work with.

The next day, my wonderful Jo mapped out all my prime destinations for me on Google maps (seriously, how many husbands to that?) and I be-bopped my way downtown, down Queen St. stopping in lots of places, buying little but inspired by much. I met my sister-in- law for a beer in the late afternoon. With the sun shining, it was bliss. I then met up with a girl friend who I don't think I have seen for 20 years. It was a facebook reunion. So crazy. Last time we saw each other we were in kilts, docs and donning mohawks or shaved heads or whatever and likely drunk or high. And there we were, both sane, responsible adults. It was nice to see her again.

The next day I got to stroll with my 17 month old nephew, whom I have never really been able to enjoy without the distraction of my own kids. It was heaven, listening to him babble, pointing with his chubby little fingers at everything that amazed him on a beautiful spring morning. So nice. It was also nice hanging with Jo's brothers and their wives, without the distraction of my brood, and getting to talk, really talk, about life and such.

It was a fantastic weekend, but I have to balance my report with a few shitty happenings:

1) Thanks for the book recommendations. I ordered them all but they hadn't been delivered by the time I left on Wednesday, so no great literature was to be read. I did pick up the latest Vanity Fair and Nylon magazines though, but left them in my Dad's van when he dropped me off at the train station. I only had an Ottawa Sun (ewww!) to read on a 41/2 hour train ride to Toronto. This left me with wayyyy to much time trapped in my own head and I am now rethinking my whole career path and thinking that change is imminent. Stay tuned.

2) The first night I sleep away from home, I rarely sleep unless I bring my mommy's little helper pills (mlhp's). I forgot my mlhp's so what should have been a respite from Edie walking me 2x a night with reports on her hangnail/status of her art project at daycare/the fact that her friend likes ladybugs ALOT, was a night with hardly any sleep.

3) The second night, the great dinner I had with my long lost friend must have been just riddled with MSG because I was up until about 3:30 in the morning with a racing heart and the shakes. That how I roll with MSG, it sucks.

However, to end on a positive note, I had a window seat to myself on the train ride home, with the sun shining in, a book that my brother lent me, and the rocking of the train lulled me to sleep on more than one occasion.



And I was happy to see my little brood when I arrived home.