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Metro MamaMetro MamaDowntown Toronto mama babbles about motherhood, books, and various nonsense. Articles
Thanksgiving at the Beach
2007-10-09 15:50:00 We’ve conquered another holiday weekend. Cakes had a blast with her cousin. She shared her toys (even Dirty Simon!) She taught him how to colour: The dinner turned out well. Cakes’ 11-month-old cousin sat patiently and ate everything on his plate, while Cakes ate her cranberries then chucked everything else. Everyone was gone by Monday morning and we had a nice quiet day alone. It was 32 More About: Beach , Thanksgiving
Easy Peasy Holiday Celebrations
2007-10-06 22:22:00 Frozen pre-stuffed 12-pound turkey. Check. Can of jellied cranberries. Check. 2 packages of gravy. Check. Bag of potatoes. Check. McHotty at work doing make-ahead cheesy vegetable casserole. Check. Parents reminded to bring pie. Check. House ostensibly clean. Check. Fridge and pantry stocked with all varieties of beer, wine and spirits. Ha, as if I’d miss this one. Bring it on. More About: Holiday , Celebrations , Easy
September Shat on my Keyboard Awards*
2007-10-05 14:16:00 * aka the Roll on Floor Laughing Awards It's time, once again, to have some laughs. Grab some coffee and a donut. If you're at home, pop in Dora for awhile, or if you're at work, remember alt-tab is your best friend. Enjoy! Mad Hatter awarded Julie Pippert Sober Briquette awarded Ewe Are Here Red Stapler awarded Kevin Charnas Elizabeth awarded I am Bossy Ali Martell awarded Sarah and More About: Keyboard , September
Preschool Blues
2007-10-03 18:45:00 Remember how smoothly Cakes’ first couple of days at preschool went? Well, I spoke a little too soon. The last several mornings, when we’re on our way, she starts saying “No school!” and when we get there the tears start and I have to leave her there, bawling at the top of her lungs. They tell me she settles down quickly, and she has a good time. She cries sometimes when I pick her up, but when More About: Blues
Metro Reco: Blood Meridian
2007-09-30 20:41:00 In my contemporary novel course, each week we’re comparing two novels, one American, one Canadian, with something in common, be it themes, style, form, genre. Our first two novels were Westerns: Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy and The Englishman's Boy by Guy Vanderhaeghe. First, Blood Meridian. Wow. I don’t have the words. First of all, I’ll warn you, this book is incredibly violent; it’s More About: Metro
The Better Way?
2007-09-27 18:37:00 I’ve been all self-congratulatory lately about taking the TTC most of the time, but in truth, the “better way” has been pissing me off a lot lately. Yesterday I left early so I’d have time to hit the library before class. I took the streetcar to University and the University line was down between Union and Spadina. I had to walk back to Yonge, transfer at Bloor, and transfer again at Spadina,
Nothing a Few Cocktails Can't Fix
2007-09-23 18:02:00 I’m feeling a little better about things after a little holiday from mothering this weekend. My mom’s been here for a few days, allowing me to hit the pub with my new classmates Thursday night. McHotty was even able to hook up with us later in the evening too. I had a really good time. And once a few beers loosened my tongue, I talked to a few people about feeling intimidated and it turns out I’m More About: Cocktails
Parenting Styles
2007-04-03 16:56:00 McHotty is awesome with Cakes, but he is a little more easygoing than I am. Case in point—he and Cakes returned from the grocery store today and we had the following conversation: “How’d you make out, was she good?” I ask. “Yeah, she was great!” McHotty answers. “How the hell do you get her to sit still the whole time!” I respond, enviously. “She doesn’t. She stands in the cart.” Silence. More About: Parenting , Style , Styles , Renting , Rent
Well, You Asked!
2007-04-01 18:21:00 When the witty and outspoken Redneck Mommy asked for interviewees, I was quick to volunteer. Here goes... Congratulations!!! You just won the lottery!! A million smackers. What is the very first thing you do? Pee my pants. Then, send McHotty out for a bottle of bubbly and get on the phone with a travel agent before he can talk me into investing it all in something sensible. If you could swap More About: Well
All Done
2007-03-30 19:34:00 Last night was my final undergrad class. It was a lovely finish to the year. We all brought wine to class—we sipped and chatted, and the brave folks read some of their own poems (no, I wasn’t one of them). I’m feeling a little bittersweet today though. I’m happy because after seven long years I’m finally (FINALLY!) finished. The champagne is chilling in the fridge and we’re going to More About: Done
A Relaxing Day in the Country
2007-03-28 21:00:00 Yeah, right. Today we took Cakes on her first field trip. We, along with about 40 other kids, hopped on a bus and went to the Sugarbush maple syrup festival, at the Kortright Centre, a conservation area north of Toronto. The day started out well. It was gorgeous and sunny. Cakes was great during the 45 minute bus ride and all the kids were well behaved. The setting was lovely and Cakes More About: Country , Relaxing , Count , Relax , Xing
Things to See and Do
2007-03-26 20:45:00 I’m getting free tickets in exchange for telling you about the stage adaptation of Edward Scissorhands, in town next week at the Hummingbird Centre. The show, based on the Tim Burton movie, is directed and choreographed by Matthew Bourne (Swan Lake, Mary Poppins). It looks pretty cool. I read that they needed three dancers to play the lead because of the weight of the scissor gloves, and the More About: Things , Thing
Real Moms
2007-03-26 14:00:00 I've been tagged by No Mother Earth to do Kristen's Real Moms Meme. Real moms like to get together for a good, stiff cocktail... Real Moms. Slugging 'em back, one ounce at a time. ...and, sometimes we like to go home to a good stiff c*ck. I tag Sunshine, Blue, K-girl, Jen, and Kittenpie.
100 Books (Only About Half Worth Reading)
2007-03-24 18:19:00 Bub and Pie invited us to help ourselves to the book meme going around based on the 100 favourite books of all time, voted by the public. I have to warn you, I’m not endorsing this list—it’s a piece of crap. DaVinci Code beats Pride and Prejudice? WTF people? However, I can’t resist a book meme. I had to steal Bub and Pie’s categories too, with slight modifications. Bold denotes books I’ve More About: Books , Reading , Book , Read , About
And They Say Mommy Bloggers Are Boring
2007-03-22 14:34:00 I read an article in Backbone magazine (no, this isn’t something I buy, it fell out of one of the newspapers) about the new trend of CEO bloggers. High-level execs like Mark Cuban and Jonathon Schwartz are “offering insight into the daily travails of a CEO, a world most will likely never see first-hand”. Sounds exciting, doesn’t it! Jim Estill, CEO of Synnex, has blogging down to a science: More About: Blogger , Blog , Mommy , Bloggers , They
There's a Facking Moat in My Backyard
2007-03-21 14:00:00 Last summer you watched my garden grow from this: To this: As you know, I planted many bulbs last fall. I anticipated the pay-off: I planned to spend the spring with my feet up and my glass full. The only time I'd planned to spend on my knees this summer was when McHotty was extra sweet. Well dudes, check out the latest development: The basement flooded during the storm last week. More About: Back , King , Here , Backyard , Yard
Metro Reco: Shopaholic and Baby
2007-03-20 14:19:00 Of course, the latest Shop aholic book would have to arrive from Random House during the busiest time of the school year. And of course, I would have to take a day off to read it greedily and speedily. What a lovely diversion. I even gave up my Wednesday night sex because I couldn’t put it down. Becky Bloomwood is back and better than ever as an expectant mother. What better excuse to shop More About: Baby , Metro , Shopaholic
No Shame
2007-03-18 16:41:00 The morning after the condom incident, McHotty went to the drugstore to stock up. He returned with two-dozen condoms, as well as toothpaste, the newspaper and some shampoo. He is embarrassed to buy just condoms! This is bizarre to me. I could go to the drugstore and buy condoms, Monistat and haemorrhoid cream and not give a shit. They could ask for a fucking price check on lubricant over More About: Sham , Shame
Hot and Stymied
2007-03-15 13:35:00 A couple of nights ago, McHotty and I were getting it on. We’d greased the wheels, and were about to get in gear. McHotty, naked, runs to my dresser drawer to grab a condom: Drawer opened, scramble, scramble, drawer closed. Flummoxed pause. I don’t like the sound of that. “Maybe the condoms are in your drawer,” I offer, hopefully. Open, scramble, sigh, close. “Shit.” “Did you look under
Metro Reco: Inside
2007-03-14 02:39:00 I read Inside , Kenneth J. Harvey’s newest novel, in a 24-hour period. I felt like I’d been punched in the gut when I was finished. Wrongfully convicted Myrden has just been released after spending 14 years in prison. He returns to his tough neighbourhood in St. John’s, Newfoundland; awaiting him is an unfaithful, money-hungry wife, a daughter in an abusive relationship, a grandchild he has More About: Metro , Side
Mega Meta
2007-03-12 14:32:00 Some very thoughtful and articulate bloggers have put together some discussion questions to try and answer the who, what, where, etc of mommy blogging. Here are a few of the questions and my thoughts: Why are we writing? What is our purpose? I started blogging mainly to work through my conflicting feelings about becoming a stay-at-home-mom, but I continue to blog for so many reasons: · For a More About: Meta , Mega
My. Head. Hurts.
2007-03-10 18:24:00 So, I went to the pub last night with several Toronto mommy bloggers (sorry, I’m too tired for linky love right now), full of intentions to have only one or two drinks and head home at a reasonable hour, because I knew McHotty was working today and I would be on solo duty for 24 hours. Yeah, right. I’ve been out with these bad ladies before, and that hasn’t happened yet. I would share the gory More About: Hurt , Head
February ROFL Awards
2007-03-09 13:00:00 As you know, Mommy Off the Record, creator of the ROFL (Roll On the Floor Laughing) Award s , has passed the torch to Mrs. Chicky, Izzy and I (thanks for the button, Izzy!). I am pleased to present February 's awardees. Congrats! Sit back and have a laugh, it's Friday. Hopefully the boss isn't looking. Oh, The Joys awarded Kevin Charnas Kevin Charnas awarded Moobs One Plus Two awarded More About: War , Ward
The Skinny on School
2007-03-08 02:00:00 Last week I attended a seminar at our drop-in about choosing a school (this stuff is all new to me, so I’m learning all I can and I’ll pass it along). We had parent council members from two of the local public schools and a member of the executive of a new alternative school that may be opening. Though this is still a couple of years away for Cakes, I’m keen to have a clear sense of what I want More About: Skin , School , Skinny
Sweet Sleep
2007-03-05 22:54:00 The only worse thing than being a mother who isn’t sleeping is being a mother who lies awake while her baby is snoozing peacefully. I am a long-time sufferer of insomnia. It always strikes when I’m worried or upset about something: when something heavy’s on my mind I will toss and turn all night. It also hits me when good stuff is happening. I didn’t sleep for two nights after my good news More About: Sweet , Sleep
Good Enough After All
2007-03-02 18:07:00 Thank-you for all your supportive comments yesterday. You really made me feel better. I felt even better when I received an email from York a short time later offering me a full-time spot with a research and graduate assistantship and a scholarship! I hadn’t really thought about doing it full-time, but this changes everything. The scholarship will cover the tuition and the assistantships will More About: Enough , After , Good
Never Enough
2007-03-01 19:46:00 As you know, I’m hoping to start working on an MA in English next year and had applied to U of T and York. I just received a letter from U of T telling me I’m on the reserve list and will find out if I’m accepted in April. I can’t believe it. I have an A average and strong references. I honestly wasn’t worried about being accepted. I just called them and learned this is the double cohort More About: Enough , Ever , Never
She Loves Me, She Really Loves Me
2007-02-27 23:11:00 Friends, you’ve heard me whine many times about how cold Cakes is. Well, I’m excited to tell you, she is finally starting to show me some affection. We were sitting on the couch watching the news the other night and she voluntarily came and sat in my lap. She rested her head against my chest and snuggled in and my heart swelled. You're not so bad mama. *** I am always amazed at how More About: Love , Real , Really , Ally
Uma-Oprah
2007-02-26 15:54:00 There are many theories about what makes us laugh. There’s the theory of incongruity; for example, when Olive breaks into a stripper routine during the beauty pageant. There's the position of safety theory: busting a gut while Johnny Knoxville writhes in pain. Then there is the theory of superiority: laughing at Elaine making an ass of herself dancing at the company Christmas party. There are More About: Oprah
A Perfect Date
More articles from this author:2007-02-24 20:07:00 My extraordinary in-laws were here for a couple of days. Cakes’ Grandma arrived on the train Thursday, with her backpack. She walked from Union Station to St. Lawrence Market to buy some nice cheeses for us, then hopped on the streetcar to our place. She took Cakes for the entire day yesterday allowing us to catch up on errands (Ikea, Home Depot, Loblaws) and have a blissfully uninterrupted More About: Perfect 1, 2, 3, 4 |
