Grandmothering

As a Grandmother I am a flop! I've just sent my two grandchildren packing. It's 10:30pm. They were supposed to stay all night. I was kind. We had pizza. We had treats. We looked at Tony Hawk on YouTube. We watched two movies. They didn't want to stay. they insisted on calling their parents to come for them.
They stay at their paternal grandparent's all the time. Perhaps they are kinder , more fun. younger. There's two of them and one of me.
When my eldest daughter announced she was pregnant, she sent me a copy of a "How to be a Grandmother" I was a little offended. I really thought it came natural. My grandmother never read a book on how to be a grandmother. Now I'm thinking perhaps I should have read the book. I think I put it in a yards sale.
I never liked 'sleep-overs' when my kids were small I dreaded them. There were lots. It meant a night of no sleep and not showing your best side.I am a patient person , I think.However squealing girls at 2 am set the devil in me. I would turn into a witch , yelling and threatening: "if I hear one more peep.....".
When my eldest daughter came home the summer her baby was six months old, she decided to have a romantic night away with her husband. I was apprehensive, but volunteered to keep the 18 month old and the baby for the night. The deal was I would bring them to her first thing in the morning. The baby must have sensed she was not near. Possibly because she was breast feeding. He slept about 20 minutes at a time. I would pick him up and walk with him till he fell asleep again. Then like clockwork, he'd start crying again. He was inconsoleable and so was I.........
Morning couldn't come soon enough. I remember being out on the deck with him in my arms , pleading with God to let him sleep, so I could sleep.
I am traumatized by sleepovers. I dont' want any more. I don't want people sleeping over at my house and I don't want to sleep at theirs . I am just no fun. I don't think I ever was.

Easter Egg Hunt in Dark Cove

Happy Easter!
These Photos are from yesterday. We went to Dark Cove and had an Easter egg hunt. You can see how spring like it is in the Bay of Islands. Not a peck of green to be seen.
We did have a good time. My grandson copied (hopped from ice pan to ice pan), we had lots of chocolate and a nice walk on the beach.
It's not any more like spring today. I went over to my daughter's for breakfast . We had a artichoke fritata and ham and lots of chocolate of course!
The news is : I've re-retired! Finished my job on Thursday. It feels even better than the last time. This time it was really my choice. I've enjoyed the ten months I've been working, but my spirit was shrinking while my waist was growing. I've gained 3 pounds a month since I started working.
I really want to focus on my health. I joined weight watchers again ( for the 100th time!) but at least when I'm going , I tend to be more accountableand eat more consciously.I intend to try to be more physical and walk , run , ski or swim every day. My goal is to include at least one hour of physical activity everyday.
I am so looking forward to gardening. I missed out on it last year. My garden went wild last summer. It needs to be thinned out. I have the Lee Valley and Vesy's seed catalog in my bathroom. Can't wait to start. Not with seedlings though. They tend to get out of control and I get frustrated because my garden isn't big enough .
I've had sad news too. my niece died last week. I only found out about it 3 days after she died. She had been ill for some time and was living in a seniors home. When she was little we were very close. I loved her very much. She had a difficult life. And yet she was one of the most open and pleasant people I ever knew. She never held a grudge. She was always loving and generous of spirit. I hope wherever she is, she is among those who love her and she is happy at last.
The good news is that I am spending my birthday in New York City with my daughter. She informed me yesterday that she would be there the same weekend. My sister in law and I were meeting there to celebrate our auspicious birthdays. I am so excited. The last and only time I was in NYC was in 1968! My husband ,his brother and wife and I drove down from Montreal for the weekend. It so happened the day we arrived Martin Luther King was assassinated. We were visiting a friend who lived in the only "all white " apartment building in the neighbourhood in the Bronx. They were anticipating race riots all over the states. We had a wonderful weekend. People were so friendly. We went to Greenwich Village went to a "love in " in Central Park, ate the most delicous pizza ever from a street vendor. I love new York. It will be such a great trip to be there with my sister in law and our daughter.
My other daughter and her husband are going to Mexico. I am anxious about it. We've heard such horible stories of bad things happening to Canadian tourist in Mexico. I wish they were going some where else.
As I look out my window the snow is coming down sideways, the bay is white, a ship is stuck in the ice. The poor little birds are huddled at the feeder for shelter. We're two days in to spring and yet it feels like Christmas.