Looking Back on 2013

When I decided to write a final blog post for 2013, my
first thought was, nothing very remarkable happened in 2013. 

In retrospect, it was a quiet year…although some events (happy and sad) do stand out in my memories. 

Here are a few of the moments that come to mind!

January

It was with great sadness that we lost ma tante Jeannine, my godmother.  






This was very sad time for me and I have thought of her often in 2013.  I am happy that, thanks to Facebook, I am able to “follow” the lives of my cousins and their kids and also of my nieces and nephews and their little ones.  Through everyone’s posts and pictures, I feel that I am keeping in touch.

February

My beautiful godchild Gabrielle, turned 12 this year.  Her and I started texting between visits.  It keeps us close and I am able to be part of her life that much more.  I always look forward to the next message.  Although some of the text messages may seem insignificant, I still like to get them.  I thank my lucky star that we have such a nice relationship.  I love her dearly. 

March

Lots of weekends spent at the cottage.  We can’t seem to stay away...it's like a mini vacation every weekend!

­­April

I turned 50 in April.  I still can’t get over that I’m already 50.  Turns out, it’s not any different than 49….it’s only a number (who am I kidding J)…growing old is a little scary but unavoidable, so one must make the best of it.  I celebrated this marked occasion in New York.  It was a lot of fun and I got to take many many pictures.  It’s definitely a city like no other….so much to see.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

May

We celebrated our 29^th wedding anniversary…still happy and in love after all these years.  I could not imagine my life without Serge….even if some days he annoys me J  That’s what being married or being in a relationship is all about.  I’m no expert, but in my opinion, you have to pick your battles, don’t sweat the small stuff and be happy with the precious moments spent together.  As I’ve learned in 2009 when Serge had cancer, things can change in the blink of an eye, so I’m living as if today is my last day and not waiting for tomorrow to do the things I want to do.

June
My godchild Gabrielle and nephew André graduated from 6^th grade

and I attended their graduation at their school.  It was very special to be there and see the smile of my godchild Gabrielle when she saw me.  She was so pretty in the dress we went to pick out together.  The kids started 7^th Grade in September…they are growing up so fast.

July

We spent our 3 week holidays at the cottage.  This was the first year that we did not travel somewhere during our holidays.  We did enjoy our holidays even if the weather was not that nice and we had 3 days without electricity and were not able to go home because a huge tree was blocking the road.  This made me realize that I value my freedom.  It’s very difficult to be “trapped” even if you’re in a nice setting.  It also made me realize that we were not at all prepared…and after it was over, we went and got supplies for next time (hoping there is no next time). 

In July we also had a first Lacroix family gathering at the cottage.  It was a lot of fun even if I was very sick with a bad sore throat.  We definitely want to make this an annual event.
Véro came to the cottage with her boyfriend Justin.  He is very nice and friendly.  He is always looking to help her or provide whatever she needs…although Véro is an independent women and I know she can take care of herself, I’m sure she loves the attention.  They are a cute couple!!

August

We celebrated Gen’s and my dad’s birthday at the cottage.  I’ve been spending some very special moments with my dad at the cottage.  This has brought us even closer if that’s even possible.  He truly enjoys the cottage…and I enjoy spending time with him.  I’m very conscious that he is getting older (now 82) and that these moments are very precious.

September

My dad failed his driver's licenses (test required when your 82).  He sold his car and this has brought on many challenges to meet his needs.  I’m thankful that he lives at Manoir Héritage, that he loves it and has a lot of services which makes it easier on us.  He gets his meals, maid and laundry service, haircut and manicure.  His family doctor even goes to see him there.  We have also been able to take advantage of a volunteer service offered by the Centre Guigue.  He has a volunteer drive him to and from his medical and dental appointments.  This has been a great help and the service is courteous and very cheap.  We do groceries for him (and my mother-in-law) almost every week and do his shopping/banking as required.

October

We celebrated 1 year of having the cottage…we planted a tree with our daughters to mark the occasion and celebrated Serge’s birthday. What a wonderful year we’ve had of family gatherings and of alone time, just the 2 of us.  I’ve come to love the simple life at the cottage and compared to our city home, I really enjoy how easy it is to maintain (smaller and less things to dust).  I know I’m ready to sell our home and move to a smaller place although Serge wants to wait until he retires in 2015.

November

Gen announced that she was looking for an apartment and would move out in the New Year.  I am so happy for her that she has found Zoey.  It’s obvious how much in love Zoey is with my daughter and vice versa.  I could not wish for a better partner for her to share her life.  As parents we always hope that our children will find love, and that is what Gen has found in Zoey.  They are a perfect match!

But no need to worry about the “empty house” blues that happens when the last child leaves the nest…since Véro is moving back home at the end of February for 1 year.  She has promised to help me purge my house in preparation for a move in 2015/2016.

I started my New Year’s resolution early this year….I joined Weight Watchers.  I’ve lost 12 pounds so far.  When I lost the first 10 pounds, my meeting leader asked me what was keeping me on track…I told her I see it as a voyage….I got onboard at the start and will not get off the ship until I reach my destination.  I figure I’ve done this before many years ago, so I can do it again.  Thanks to Véro for dragging me back, I’m now motivated and feeling great.

December

December has been very busy getting ready for Christmas, as it always is.  As I’ve said before, I love decorating for Christmas, at home and at the cottage.  

All this back and forth and too much walking/cleaning has not been good for my Achilles tendon and heel problem.  If I accomplish nothing else in 2014 but get this resolved, I will have had a successful year, as this is a major issue.­­­

Looking forward to 2014

As we embark on a new year, I look forward to the many challenges that life will bring me.   I know there will be ups and downs, that’s how it is, but as long as I have loving family, friends and colleagues to accompany me, I am assured that there will be love, happiness and I keep my fingers crossed….health.

Happy New Year my friends!


 

From Russia with Love

It all started with a talk with my colleague Elena.

Back in September, Elena told me she was planning to visit her best friend who lives in Moscow during the month of December.   She told me about growing up in Russia, of the wonderful times spent with her best friend and how excited she was to go visit her.   

I told her that one of my dreams is to visit Europe in December and go to see the many Christmas markets where they sell beautiful Christmas ornaments.  I explained to her that I love decorating for Christmas and that I decorate three Christmas trees every year; one in m­y front entrance, one in the living and dining room and one at the cottage.

 

Each tree is different and special to me in its own right.

The tree in the foyer holds my most cherished ornaments that I have collected over the years.  It also has some precious glass ornaments that I really love as they come from my mom and dad and have adorned the Christmas trees of my childhood.

 The tree in the living and dining room, I call my little jewel.  It sits in an urn and is decorated with copper, orange and gold balls and delicate ornaments.  I often say it’s going to be my retirement tree because it’s not a wide tree and would fit perfectly in a condo (which I plan to buy after I retire). 

Lastly, there is a tree at the cottage (it used to be in my family room).  I call that tree the children’s tree.  It is decorated with multi-coloured lights and holds the decorations made by my daughters when they were small and also decorations that I offer them every year.  It also has a nice village under it.

I guess you’ve already guessed that I am passionate about my Christmas traditions and décor.

But back to my story...

Elena told me that she was definitely going to visit a Christmas market and that she would bring me back an ornament.  I assured her that it was not necessary but she insisted that she would be glad to bring one back for me.
Unfortunately, her plans fell through.  I was disappointed for her as she was so looking forward to visiting with best friend.

The next day, she came to see me and was very excited.  She said that she had told her best friend about me and my passion for Christmas ornaments and that her best friend was going to send me ornaments from Russia.  I told her again that it was not necessary but she told me her friend would be pleased to send them to me because she had told her friend that I was special.

Elena is special herself…she is the nicest person you could ever know.  Generous to a fault, Elena is well known for her afternoon tea time where she offers a different kind of tea to her colleagues.  She is always trying to be helpful and is efficient and dedicated.  I really enjoy working with her.

I told her I would gladly pay for the ornaments.  She would not hear of it and said it was making both of them happy.  She told me her friend had sent her pictures of the ornaments which included one Christmas ball for each of my tree and a special ornament from Elena herself.  

She said she would not show me the pics, because she wanted to surprise me.  I have to admit that I was looking forward to getting the ornaments and a month ago, Elena received them and gave them to me.  They are all beautiful.  The Christmas balls are from Elena's friend. 

I am told this is Santa's grand-daughter

The little blue and yellow bird is very beautiful and is a gift from Elena.  It was made in a small village 60 km from Moscow called Gzhel.  The blue ceramic is hand blown and hand painted using a special process they’ve been doing since 1802 and is signed and dated by the artist.  It reminds me of the blue and white dishes my grandmother use to have although hers had more of an Asian influence.
The ornaments are special to me as they come from Russia but more specifically because they come from Elena and her best friend who collaborated together to send them to me to make me happy.

I asked Elena to give me her friends email address so I could thank her.  I asked her what her friends name was and I was told she is named Olga…just as I would expect from someone living in Russia. 

I took some pictures of my three trees and sent them to Olga so she could see where her beautiful ornaments would hang.  She said she loved my pictures and my trees and that she would send me another ornament next year to add to my collection.

I find this way too generous but realize that there is no way to dissuade them as these two women have a big heart.

Until I myself get to visit a Christmas market in Europe, I will definitely enjoy looking at the ornaments sent to me from Russia with love.

Riding OC Transpo Route 12

Today I took the OC Transpo bus after leaving the hospital.  I took Route 12…that runs down Montreal Road and Rideau Street to Bank Street in front of my office building.  I rarely take the bus as Serge and I drive in to work each morning.

I was inspired to write this blog post and share my thoughts on this very interesting trip and the people who came along for the ride.

It all started at the bus stop, where a witch with a pointy hat and green hair, stood holding a huge bag...which is easily explained, this being Halloween and all.  There was also a 20 year old guy waiting for the bus.  He was wearing a hoodie which was not helping keep him dry from the rain.   I debated whether to offer him to join me under my umbrella.  He probably would have thought I was weird, so I decided not to ask.  Too bad that I did not feel I could “pay it forward” freely.  Maybe next time I’ll take a chance.

When I got on the bus, I paid my fare and smiled at the bus driver.  Unfortunately, the smile was not returned.  I’m not saying that all bus drivers are the same by any means, but this particular one was not receptive.  Maybe he was having a bad day...but one thing is certain, it's not an easy job. 

There were already a lot of people on the bus, I walked further back and debated who to sit with.  It’s funny how we choose our seat partners instead of choosing our seat location…at least it was the case for me.  I sat beside a friendly looking lady as I usually do whenever I take the bus. 

Soon after an old gentleman with a cane got on the bus and he had to hold on to dear life to get to his seat as the bus was on the move the moment he paid his fare.  No one got up to offer his/her seat so he sat across from me in the empty seat near the door in the middle of the bus.  He kept smiling my way.   He talked about the weather, the subject most people talk about when talking to a stranger. We had a bit of back and forth but mostly smiling.  I wondered if I would be the only person he would have a conversation with during his day, thinking maybe he was lonely and possibly living alone.  I hoped that I was bringing him a bit of happiness with the attention I was giving him.

An older lady (70+) dressed as a zombie was sitting at the front and commenting on everything that was happening and everyone that was getting on the bus.  Most people were doing their best to ignore her which was difficult because she was quite loud.  She was obviously fond of Halloween and I admired her spirit and spunk for dressing up even if she was way past the age to trick or treat.

Then a young mother got on the bus and everyone at the front had to move to make space for her baby carriage.  Most people moved graciously, except this one gentleman who decided he wanted to keep his spot and waited for others to give up their seat.  This earned him a few nasty stares from the others.  Perhaps he had a bad knee which would explain why his seat was so precious to him.

Next came a portly black man with a duffle bag.  He told the bus driver that he was going to look in his bag for change to pay his fare.  He looked… and looked… and looked and still was not finding his money.  The bus driver had decided he was not going to move until the guy paid.  He rummaged through his bag some more and still…no change.  It was several long minutes and you could see people getting annoyed.   I was tempted to just get up and give him the money…anything to get moving… but I was farther back and the isle was full of people.  The young mother took out 2 tickets and gave them to the man.  I wanted to applaud her, thinking she's young, has a baby to take care of and still was willing to give up 2 tickets.  The gentleman thanked her with a smile and walked to the back of the bus.  I wondered if maybe he did this often or if it was just a matter of not finding his change today.

Two older women got on the bus.  They were dressed to a “T”….with nice hats, gloves and purses…the kind of ladies you would see going to Sunday church.  What struck me was that one of the women sat in a seat that was empty and instead of sitting near the window, she sat near the isle and put her bag and purse on the empty seat.  I was dumbfounded that she would be so selfish.  I then wondered what her story was and why she would think that she could take 2 seats…especially since there were others standing.  When people walked past her, she never offered to move staring straight ahead.  Surprisingly, not one asked her to move.  She got off at the Rideau Center and went on her merry way.

A guy and a girl, both wearing Halloween costumes, got on next.  The girl was wearing grungy clothes and had fake bloody cuts everywhere on her face and neck.  The guy was wearing a red form fitting body suit that completely covered his face, mouth and nose (he only had small holes for his eyes).  The bus driver did not say anything and let him on.  He somehow seemed threatening to me.  Funny enough, once he moved to the back, a message came over the loud speaker that said:  If anyone notices any illegal activity please let the bus driver know as we value the safety of our riders.  Coincidence, maybe…or was it the bus driver’s subtle way of pointing out that he was watching and so should we.

As I was sitting there, looking at society and all these peoples who are part of it, I thought to myself, how interesting and diverse we are.  Each one of us has a story to tell and a life to live.  In most cases, we can only guess what the people around us are thinking and going through.

I think it’s good to get me out of my comfort zone or glass bubble, as it reminds me that although we are all different, at the same time, we are all the same.  We are running against time most of us trying to mind our own business and get to our destination with all our quarkiness and individuality.

Although we take different paths throughout our lives, and may never get to share but a fleeting moment with a stranger here and there, in the end, we are all going to dissembark at the same stop.

That is indeed, food for thought!

 

Happiness is...

I looked up the "official" definition of the word "happiness" in the Webster dictionary: "a state of well-being and contentment: joy" also "a pleasurable or satisfying experience".

To me, happiness is:

- fun times with my family
- watching a movie with my girls
- spending alone time with Serge at the cottage
- discovering a new flower in the garden
- eating chocolate cake
- watching my two girls grow up
- a nice dinner with good friends
- being outside in winter when big snowflakes fall on my eye lids
- watching Hoffie do his tricks
- knowing Serge still loves me after all these years and loving him back
- spending time with my niece Gabrielle and nephew André
- getting a great pic by being at the right place at the right time
- making people around me happy
- thinking of my childhood with my mom
- sitting on a patio or on my deck...ah...summer
- laughing until you cry
- travelling...anywhere and as often as possible
- weekends and summer holidays
- making ketchup with my dad
- getting a good bargain
- mobility/health  
- planning a new home decor project
- dry roads
- eating homemade apple crisp with ice cream
- listening to Queen, Styx, any great music full blast with my headphones on
- cooking a nice meal with my daughter Véro
- a weekend in Montreal with my friend Fran
- reading a good book
- feeling appreciated at work, having great colleagues
- freedom post-hysterectomy
- a nice relaxing bubble bath
- technology (I can't live without it and don't want to ;)
- watching squirrels play in the backyard
- meeting up with childhood friends
- a hug from my dad
- being in the homestretch towards retirement
- loosing a few pounds
- eating Belgian chocolates (which prevents me from loosing a few pounds :)
- being called "mom" – should be one of the first on my list
- photoshopping and “playing” my pics
- decorating the house for Christmas and listening to Christmas music
- a phone call from my BFF
- reading a poem or story written by my daughter Geneviève
- watching babies be babies (Jeanne, Éliza, Luka, Rosalie and Tristan) because everything is a discovery to them
- laughing when doing the Christmas gift exchange with my in-laws (always fun)
- holding hands with Serge
- looking at nature, especially mountains and lakes/rivers/the ocean
- a clean and organized house (wishful thinking)
- exchanging with friends on Facebook
- spending the last 30 years with Serge
- being alive to turn 50

 ....and I could go on and on.

In retrospect, happiness is a mixture of everyday happenings; it’s the little things and rarely has anything to do with money. There is a certain measure of luck, but if you look beyond the bumps in the road...happiness is always waiting at the next turn.

 May your life be filled with the little things that fill your heart with happiness.

 

Ode to SuzyQ

Once you were my friend...

Sue and I met at l'École St-Paul.  I remember when you first came to my school in the 7^th grade.  Although we were in the same class, we did not hang out together at first.  I already had my “gang” of friends…the ones I had grown up with since Kindergarten. 

I have fleeting memories of grade 7 and of grade 8 and of you in class; but I do remember the pretty girl...I thought was so “cool”.  Our class trip in 8th grade was a visit to Granby zoo...I don’t remember seeing the animals but I recall we had a lot of fun with the “gang”.

 
We said farewell to our beloved École St-Paul and started high school full of hopes and dreams….hopes of meeting new boys and dreams of 4 years of fun.  Our grades would be proof that we indeed did have a lot of fun :)

In 9^th grade, you and I had a few classes together, at least, I think we did…I seem to have a lot of memory lapses…I wonder why :) One thing's for sure, we at least had one class together because this is how we started “hanging out" together.  I invited you over to do homework and of course, we did more chatting then homework.  Then one Friday night we went to the movies to see Star Wars.  The rest is history as they say. 

then you became my best friend...

After that, we were inseparable.  We spent every moment together and went everywhere together.  We loved the same things (sometimes the same boys :) we had the same dreams, we were true best friends.  During the summer, you were always at my house….sometimes for two weeks on end.  We went to concerts (Supertramp, April Wine, Styx, Black Sabbath, Village People, Donna Summer, etc), you slept over every weekend… that is, when we actually slept…most nights we would talk until the sun would come up and eat spaghetti from Lorenzo's in the middle of the night.  We always had something or someone to talk about.  You became my confident, my partner in crime, you shared my secrets, my tears and my laughter.  You were the most important person in my life…my sister from another mother. 

 

We took the same classes, read together (Amityville Horror, etc.), went shopping at St-Laurent and went to the movies (Grease, Saturday Night Fever, etc).   Friends who know us would surely say that back then, if someone was looking for me, they simply needed to find you and vice versa.  We were not very hard to find….always sitting in front of École St-Paul waiting for the “gang” to come or be invited to the next party or get together.  We smoked, and drank, but most of all we laughed; laughed until we cried sometimes. We went out to bars (Barrymores, Arnolds, Molly McGuires, Globe, Le Papillon, etc) with borrowed IDs, we danced until the last minute when we had to leave to take the last bus home or walked, when it was too late or during the bus strike. 

What fun we had in my basement with our friends when my dad and sister were at my aunt's cottage.  We raided the freezer that my dad kept well stocked, we listened to music and always had the house top shape for Sunday afternoon when he would return.  You know me....the good girl :)

We spent 4 incredible years, being carefree and having the most wonderful time together, we even went to Algonquin College together…even if only for 2 weeks before we quit (in time to get our money back and attend a Doucette concert at the college).  I remember it like it was yesterday.   

We promised each other that when we would be old, we would live in the same retirement home...that story remains to be written. 

and you will remain my best friend forever

The years have been busy ones for both of us with work, family and obligations.  Although we do not get to spend as much time together as I would like (living so far from each other), you’re still part of my life and there is rarely a day or week when I do not think of you fondly. 

 

You hold that special place in my heart.  I always know that you are only a phone call away if I need to talk, rant or simply need a pick-me-up.   I hope that you also know that I am always there for you too.  When we do go out for dinner or get to spend the day together on those rare occasions, we can pick up where we left off just like we did all those years ago.

"Friendship is a single soul dwellin in two bodies" Aristotle

My dearest Sue, on the occasion of your 50^th birthday (is it even possible that we are turning 50 already), I wanted to take the opportunity to tell you, my true best friend, how much I appreciate our friendship and how much I love you. 
 
And since they say that 50 is the new 40 (it must have been a 50 year old women who said this :), there is really nothing to worry about, were just getting that much closer to retirement. 

Rest assured, I am already planning our 80^th birthday and it promises to be a doozy of a party, after all, I plan to invite the “old” gang…no pun intended!  

Your BFF, Lison le lion
xx

 

 

These are a few of my favourite things

I've always had an attraction for antiques, vintage finds and pieces that have belonged to someone else.

Most of these items have little monetary value, but to me, they are priceless. It’s as if somehow, by having belonged to someone I love, they take on another form. I love to scatter items from my past and my childhood throughout my home.

I've always been a collector of things and souvenirs. When I got my first job at 17, working for the Ottawa General Hospital, I decided to redo my bedroom and visited a few antique stores and the Stittsville fleamarket where I bought a small antique table (which I still have) and a mirror for my dresser. I remember being excited that these items were so old and had a history.

As a child and after I first got married, I loved going to my grandmother Bigras who lived with my uncles, Edgar and Roger, in the country. They were so welcoming and always seemed so happy to see us, and as a bonus, they had things from the past in their home.  I would ask questions about each item and I remember how they looked upon these items as old things. They gifted me with a door stopper, well, they used it as a door stopper, but it is in fact a small flat iron painted silver. When I look at it, I can picture my grandmother ironing the clothes of her 8 boys and ironing everything from bed sheets to underwear because that's what they did back then. This is no ordinary iron, she had to warm it on the wood stove before using it, because she used it before there was even electricity. Just imagine living without electricity...I would not be writing this blog post on my iPad tablet and sharing this with you on the Internet through Facebook, that's for certain :)

I also have a tablecloth and pillow cases my grandmother embroidered for me which I cherish. They are beautiful just as she was...I miss her very much. I also loved visiting her sister, my aunt Gracia, who lived close by in an old house that she grew up in. I will leave this for another post as my wonderful aunt deserves a blog post of her own to be written in the near future.

Every time I would visit my grandmother Viau (my mom's mother), I would go and get the doll she kept on her bed and play with it. One day, she gave it to me...the doll's smiling face reminds me of her and how she loved to laugh. I have broaches and cuff links I've collected from loved ones (see photo above)...nothing expensive, but beautiful treasures none the less.

I have dishes and candy bowls that gather dust in my cupboards and I only use once in a while. I leave out the ones that are most precious to me so I can see them every day.  Each item is special to me and each holds a memory to be treasured.

Looking at items from my childhood, brings back memories and souvenirs of happy times. A chair that's in my living room brings back souvenirs of my dad and I laughing until we cried trying to get it in the car! A bookcases in my living, that I refer to as "la bibliothèque" reminds me that my mom loved books (some of her books are still in it) and that my dad used to leave loose change on it for me and my sister when we were young.

I love the paint-by-number paintings my parents painted together and the wool blanket my mom crocheted that now decorates our cottage. I love to look at my mom's trophy from her school days and at an old bottle that use to be in our basement in my dad's bar. What fun I had with my friends around that bar when I was a teenager. I'll leave that for another post also or maybe not :)


Over the years, I've accumulated souvenirs of my childhood, my school years, family members that are no longer with us and of my children (cards, drawing, etc.). Some would say that I keep things that are mundane or trivial, and that I'm somewhat of a packrat, but they are part of me, they follow me from home to home and from year to year.


They are part of my life baggage and I love them and the souvenirs that are attached to them. Just like my dad's old family portraits and 8mm movies, my own photos are souvenirs in the making.

Whenever my niece and nephew visit, I take lots of photos and my daughters often tell me to stop already, but my nephew once said that it was ok for me to take all these pictures as I'm making memories for them for the future. Children are so wise.

I don't know that these souvenirs will be important to someone else once I'm gone.

I can picture myself, a little old lady sitting in a retirement home with all my souvenirs and my laptop on my knees looking at my photos.

Until then, I will continue gathering souvenirs, visiting flea markets and taking photos.  

And who knows, perhaps someday, my children or grand-children will also share my love of things old.

If not, maybe someone, somewhere will look at my things in a flea market or garage sale and imagine the lady who lovingly collected them and get a glimpse of who I was.

 

My Endless Love

Although Valentine’s day is meant to be a celebration for couples, to me, it’s always been more of a family celebration.  I have fond memories of family dinners with Serge and my girls over the years.  I recall decorating the table with garlands of cardboard hearts cut out of pink and red file folders.  I always baked and decorated a heart-shaped Duncan Hines cake (it had to be pink cerisette) and we would eat dinner in the dining room with a red tablecloth and candles.  It may seem tacky, but it was great fun.   I also liked helping the girls write valentine cards for their class mates.  I remember writting and receiving valentines in my class and how much I loved the images depicted on the cards....I thought they were so beautiful. 

Some will say that Valentine’s day has become very commercial, just like Christmas and Easter.  But one can look beyond this and take advantage of the opportunity to slow down, show your love and appreciation to the special people in your life.  

I learned early on that it’s important to express one’s love, not just on Valentines day, but every day of the year, as life is short and can be taken away in the blink of an eye. 

I remember my mom telling me, when I was 11 or 12, “you’re never too old to tell your dad that you love him”.  This has stayed with me and I always make a point to tell him often that I love him.  It’s not always easy to actually say the words, especially for older men like my dad, but since my daughters tell their pépère they love him every time they see him, he also freely expresses his love for his grand-daughters and for me.  I am always touched when he writes little messages of love in our birthday cards, he is a very sentimental man.

Of course, saying “I love you” is but one of the ways to share your love.  Showing someone you love them is also just as important, if not more.  This is done in small gestures, which may sometimes seem trivial but can mean a lot to the person on the receiving end.

How do I love thee, let me count the ways!

My most memorable Valentine’s Day has to be the year before Serge and I got married.  I remember coming over to his apartment after work and he had prepared a nice meal for me.  He had followed a recipe and made baked chicken in a wine sauce and even made devilled eggs as an entrée J  His gift to me that year was a record (45 rpm): “My endless love” and he asked me to dance.  That song became our wedding song.  He did not have to give me expensive jewelry; his gesture was priceless to me and much more memorable!  On a funny note, I also remember the doorbell ringing and a delivery guy handing me flowers.  Serge had to explain to me that it was a mistake and that he had not ordered flowers.  The flowers were intended for someone else in another apartment. 

After 30 years of being together, I have come to realize that the things I love and appreciate most about my dear Serge, are the everyday things and gestures he does.

He takes care of me and is always looking out for my wellbeing.  He opens doors, drives me everywhere, spends hours going from store to store looking for décor items for our home and does not complain.  He willingly carries all our luggage when we travel, brings in the grocery bags and does all the laundry (which I hate to do).  He wakes me up every morning, often with a song and he forever tries to seduce me…he’s like a guppy, he never gives up J

In the last few years, he has become my faithful assistant and carries my camera gear.  He rarely complains when I have him stop so I can take a photo (even after the 100^th photo) and readily agrees to be my model when I ask.

He is more than my love, he is my friend!  He supports me in my projects, helps me fulfill my dreams and most important, he takes care of my girls and he loves and cares for my dad.  He is a kind soul, and I am lucky to have him. 

I truly think that I had a guardian angel looking out for me when I met him.  Je t’aime à la folie mon beau chou!

Out of our love came two beautiful cherubs…our wonderful daughters.  You both are my life and I love you to the moon and back my darlings.  I cannot imagine my life without you.

In closing, I would like to wish all my readers a Happy Valentine’s day and would like to thank you for your support.

And if by chance, your loved one forgets that it’s Valentine’s day, don’t despair, tomorrow you can go out and buy your own chocolates…half price J

xoxo