I might still be a little drunk from last weekend.
My friend Sara came to visit me in Montreal, with her lovely boychild, Will. Since it was Family Day weekend for everyone in Canada EXCEPT for Quebecers *ahem* and most people had an extra day off, Miss Sara decided to come and stay at our house. I’d been looking forward to it for weeks and weeks. (Winter can feel so bloody long, you know.)
We’ve met in person a only a few of times in the past couple of years, but thanks to this wonderful blogsphere here at Urban Moms, and through the copious amounts of email we send each other on a nearly daily basis, she’s become one of my peeps. *thumps heart with fist and throws gang signs* We’re cool like that. And we’re tight like that. And it’s become a bit of a sport to make each other snort coffee or coke out the other’s nose and onto each other’s computer screens from afar with our ridiculous antics and horrible, horrible language.
It’s kind of the best thing ever. I’m sorry we live so far away from each other.
And I explained to her in advance that I’m pretty crappy at planning “outings” and such for others, so if there was something in particular they wanted to see or visit or do, she’d be wise to speak up. She basically said, “Dude, I’m coming to see you, and that’s all I really need to do.” So I went to the liquor store, and got provisions and made NO PLANS AT ALL.
They arrived around supper time on Friday night, and after we hugged and clutched each other, the kids were all introduced, and we got right into Adult Girl Time. It was basically, Here kids, eat this… don’t like it? Don’t eat it, but there’s no dessert, and PLEASE just go hang out in the tv room for a while and be quiet because WE’RE TALKING, okay?
And we never stopped talking.
The children would come and go, and we’d listen to them for 2.5 seconds and then usher them out of the room again. Or we’d throw cookies at them to keep them quiet. Or slices of flourless chocolate cake. Or threaten them with NAPS ALL AROUND if they didn’t just git. It was rather glorious being with a like-minded mum for the weekend. This time around? It was all about us.
I’m being a tad facetious, of course. They all got along rather well together, (which made things easier for us) but we talked with the very funny and delightful children when they’d come to see us. And we played with them, and we read books, and answered a thousand questions. We tickled them and we cuddled them and we kissed them. And then we’d usher them out of the kitchen again, sit our asses back down on the couch, and just… dish. For hours. And we drank wine.
Wait. Was that when you lived in Toronto, or after you moved here… I’m confused.
And then we drank some more wine. I believe we went to bed at 3:30 in the morning.
After French toast and bacon for breakfast, we did do the fresh-air thing with everyone in tow, and went to the Atwater Market, not far from where we live. We got delicious pizza for everyone and ate at a table outside the resto, under the covered canopy of the market. (Martin ate a miniature container of cold, grilled marinated veggies. I’m thinking it wasn’t nearly as good as the pizza.) The kids laughed and kidded and hugged each other a lot…. lovely.
And then we bought more wine, and came back to the house to, um… drink it. And talk.
So, was that the guy before that other guy? Or the one after? How old was he? I’m confused…
In an effort to give the children some more fresh air, we had them put their snow pants on, and had them run around outside for a while, but that got cold old kinda fast, because they were so tired from staying up until after 10:30 PM the night before. Ava Scarlett had a massive tantrum, and I marched her into the house for some quiet time. I found her fast asleep ten minutes later. *shrugs* All parent’s can see those kinds of meltdowns coming from a mile away. I opened the wine.
And I put out a plate of munchies kinda like this one, so we wouldn’t become too drunk before mid-afternoon.
It didn’t work. We were kinda drunkled by 4 PM, I’m so sure. And then we opened the fancy-pants champagne in the orange box she brought as a gift, and drank that too. Yeaaaaah.
My camera battery was dying, but I took a couple of pics of this wee moment…
And for the record, that Will is the most adorable child – lovely, smart, very funny, and terribly cute. And I nearly ate him, since he was also totally full of bacon. Get. In. Mah. Belly. Wow, I love th
at kid.
at kid.
Though he sat with us and drank and ate with us, Martin was quietly in the periphery for most of weekend, allowing us the berth to have girl-time and just catch up in all the ways we needed to. He made snacks for us. He washed dishes and cleaned everything. And he even stayed behind with the children when I dragged Sara out to one of my favourite neighbourhood haunts later that evening, for some more eats and more drinks.
We did not stop talking.
She: And so I’m in this bar… blabitty-blah-blah… and my friend, Johnny Rainbow…
Me: Wait. You know a guy called Johnny Rainbow? That is an EXCELLENT name.
She: Johnny Rainbow? Yeah, I know. God, I’ve known that guy for, like, twenty years…
We talked our fool heads off. And it still wasn’t enough. It take ages to explain your whole life to another person. Especially when you’ve not been life-long friends, like in Jen’s case.
And before we knew it, it was post eggs-and-bacon-and-fruit-and-toast breakfast, and they were packing up to leave. And there were still so many conversations we still didn’t get to have, or to finish. It’s kind of amazing, since it’s really all we did. I keep remembering all kinds of things I forgot to ask her… but they’ll keep for the next time.
It was kind of the best thing ever. I’m sorry we live so far away from each other.
Getting together with your people is never an underrated thing, in my books. I can’t wait to do it again.
Ever have a marathon talk-session with one of your peeps?
Oh my dear,
1. JUST COME!
2. It was delicious… I’ll get more if you JUST COME!
3. The child hardly ever sat still – it was too adorable – and you could see for yourself next time if you JUST COME!
😉
ok three things
1. Why wasn’t I invited? Is it because my people are not little?
2. You drank the WIDOW Cliquot without moi?This is hurtful.
3. I love the way Sara is STILL in the photos like in a champagne haze and Will is not so STILL.
ROAD TRIP!! Hells to the YES… 😉
I’m so happy you came to visit… and yes, summertime will be even MORE fun. Come baaaaack!
Word, Julie. Hear that, Jen?! Smells like an EXCELLENT party idea. I LOVE IT! Yes, please!!
They are SO much fun when they can happen so effortlessly like this… you’ll have days like this again sooner than you think, Lisa! In the mean time, enjoy your belly, and love your peeps via Facebook, or ride the Twitter train with your peeps – it’s ALL good!!
You were – I think you had peas on your nuts that day…
Um….Road trip!!!!! Ditto what Jason said. 😉
It was the BEST weekend….truly. Decadent. And people – her kids are just as cute as you think…and Martin is yummy. Can’t wait to go back in the summer so we can just ship the kids to the park across the street and never be bothered!!!
And Julie…I like this plan….
okay, you bloggers…you should get on jen and ask her to do another “launch party”. years ago she had a party to introduce people to her website and i was lucky enough to go and meet some people. it was so much fun! make her do it again…then jason can go, too 🙂
So envious! It’s been such a long time since I have had one of those kindred experiences … or been able to drink a glass of wine (prego). I’m longing for that kind of experience, and a city to hang out in. sounds absolutely amazingly wonderful. Thank you for sharing.
I can’t believe I was not invited.
It IS pretty amazing who a person can find out here on the internets… come back to Montreal, Jen!! xoxoxox
That sounds like it was SUPER fun, Alice!! I feel fortunate to have found some really excellent people on this planet – and NEW friends often lead to all kinds of conversations that never end, since there’s so much “esplaining” to do, as you fill in all the nooks and crannies about your life to another person… chatting your fool head off with someone you like is just plain fun.
We will hang one day, Alice… get ready. 😉
Indeed, another time, with better weather… could get dangerous!! 😉
What an amazing time! I am in awe of the real and true connections made online and proud that this friendship of yours started here at UrbanMoms. Must have been a blast!!
Gah, I’m such a freaking sap about things like this, I’m sniffly, because I have a friend like this, this pretty much describes my Sunday this weekend, except shorter and without the wine because, well, less time and so on. But we could talk forever like that, and we’ve been friends since we were 13, and those times when we get to hang out are just PERFECT except for never being long enough. I think she’s the only person I could live with aside from my actual husband. Some people, it just clicks and it’s always right. Love that you guys have that – it’s so special and everyone should have one of those people!
that must have been so cool! i think martin was probably staying away as a form of self preservation 🙂 and, maybe you didn’t fit it all in but that just means you’ll have to do it again SOON! and maybe in the warmer weather, too.
funny, i have a friend with the last name of rainbow, too. i didn’t realize it when my daughter came home one day and said what her new friend’s last name was and i’m like…yahhh…riiiiight! 🙂