A Quiet Milestone...

Yesterday was a quiet milestone for us as a family. For the very first time we celebrated Thanksgiving alone. No extended family nor hullabaloo, just five adults (and two salivating dogs) hanging around in the kitchen table yammering. All while the oven cooked our bird, and the stovetop prepared the rest.

Twenty four hours later, I loved how relaxed our day was. I loved how intimately our evening evolved, I loved that it was eerily familiar. Yesterday was one of those out of body experiences for me. Even though razor sharp sarcasm filled the air, it was like there was an unacknowledged angst among us. You know, that undesirable feeling you have when you're waiting for the other shoe to drop!

A couple of hours in, Jukebox admitted he thought I would immediately try to ruffle his feathers by telling him to “get a haircut”... but the truth of the matter is I love his hair. It’s the first thing I noticed when he arrived. He’s finally embracing all the beautiful curls he was born with.

Each great day is exactly that... GREAT!
Taken: August 22nd, 2007

It’s been a long time since I had that much anticipation (about a specific day) the way I did yesterday.

It was right up there with the day I discovered my oldest son had officially outgrown his need for me as a parent. 

Oh, how I'd looked forward to spending that day with him. I hadn't spent any time with him all summer, and I knew our day trip would give us a chance to spend time together. 

I remember I made him sit next to me on the bus down to Canada's Wonderland, and his dad and I enjoyed his exclusive company for the entire day. Yup, by the time we headed home, I most certainly understood that I'd been given job description reality check.

Hard to believe the very day I am describing was Saturday August 22nd, 2007.

GREAT day just the same!

Thanks for yesterday Jukebox. I know you don't need me anymore, but I really do love you very much!

A Reflective Muskoka Monday

The hardest thing in life to learn is which bridge to burn & which to cross.

 ~ David Russell

With a hectic Monday behind me, I feel the business environment at work unexpectedly brisk for this early in the season. With the Bossman headed back to Florida this afternoon, we had scads to accomplish during his very short visit home this time around.

Why am I reflective? I love my job but I truly have had the pleasure of being a Consultant on a number of very successful teams over the past ten years. The work/contracts awarded came primarily by referral; which is why it’s always been a core business philosophy to never burn a bridge.

I may say it’s a core "philosophy" but I am sad to admit that I'm not perfect. I hate that my stupidity burnt one of my most important "bridges" ever. It happened in 2005.

Let me backup. Personally, there are bridges that I have burned that I am totally OK with.  (Actually, the only problem with some of those in particular was that the person wasn’t standing in the middle of freakin' thing when I torched the son of a gun!)

That said, my 2005 bridge was definitely not THAT kind of bridge. It was the foundation for a lifelong relationship that I completely obliterated; all these years later, my behaviour still harbours regret for me.

Two reasons for my post; I called him out of the blue today to ask how business was and to discuss the Lakes opening. He took my call. Secondly, I am posting because I wanted to apologize and move forward.

I am so very sorry for the phone call I made all those years ago that started with “I usually pride myself on taking a 24 hour cooling down period and I’m just not going to do that today!”

You really did deserve this long before today..

.

I have missed you. I've missed you since the moment I hung up the phone that fateful day.

You've deserved my apology many years ago but it is arriving today. I am so very sorry.

I know we can't go back. Let's go forward.

PS: To answer the question before it’s asked; he does not read my blog...