"I would rather go to heaven than go to purgatory"

I can't believe it has only been two days. I'm so relaxed that it's like I'm in a different world. This reprieve has been absolutely lovely so far. Sometimes you just have to get out of your carrel and breathe the fresh (or smoky, Grandma, but I still want to be here) air.


I took the bus Friday afternoon to Peterborough, then, as soon as I got out, piled into the car with my mom and her friend Bev to spend a few days visiting my family in Ottawa.


I spent yesterday at my aunt Dee’s house (in the country) and attended my first Pampered Chef party. It was pretty sweet. Mainly women in attendance:
~Lyn (the PC rep)
~Auntie Dee
~Mom
~Bev
~Grandma
~Auntie Jan
~Aunt Mags
~Carol
~my cousin Samantha
~her friend Kristen
~me
But my cousin Erik valiantly sat through the whole thing as well, and it was so much more fun having him there to swap sarcastic comments with me. Plus he was interested in purchasing some of the cooking knives:





There some delicious payoffs when we sampled the food demos. ("Chicken Broccoli Braid" and "Mocha Brownie Trifle" . Also these chocolate chip cookies baked with a Rolo in the middle.)


Those were just appetizers for the family dinner after the party: surf (crab) and turf (steak) with mashed potatoes and Caesar salad. I know I’m describing a lot of food here, but honestly sometimes I can’t decide whether my family members are gourmets or gourmands. Dinner was accompanied by a rousing debate over the veracity of An Inconvenient Truth and whether the environment is really as bad as "they say" (I kind of think it's worse). Then I went back with Grandma and Grampa’s to their apartment (in the city), where I spent today, which has pictures to go with it, so I’ll blog it above.


I love being with them, hearing family stories that I hope to remember well enough to tell my children some day. Of course, G&G are spoiling me to compost. And now they’re asleep, I suppose, and I’m in my bedroom with my laptop taking advantage of the wireless internet from nearby hotels, and (see above) supremely relaxed.


It helps that the women in my family know how to decorate a house. Seriously, whatever their resources are, they make the most of them to create such peaceful environments. I hope I carry that tradition on someday. After spending two days enjoying well-chosen art, hardwood floors, cozy couches, roaring fireplaces, soft green walls, shimmery cream-coloured duvets, how can I help but feel relaxed?


I have been given such a beautiful, loving family. I don’t really understand why I should be so blessed.


And by God's grace, this weekend I have been able to let all the worries that I’m ever winding and unwinding like a ball of yarn just roll away.