It's A Wonderful Life

It's a wondrous thing to live vicariously through one's children. Especially when they get certain giftings that their mother only dreamt of as a teenager. Like coordination. And confidence.

So, what a thrill i t was for me to volunteer as a driver for my daughter's basketball team this past weekend. I think its healthy for parents to immerse themselves in their kids realities when possible. Like a duck out of water, the only thing I was fairly sure of was how to operate a Dodge Caravan on a winter highway in Manitoba winter. The rest of me was there to listen and learn.

It didn't hurt any that our nighttime destination was Brandon- our prior home city.

So, after a rousing afternoon of basketball where our girls slaughtered the opposing team, we headed off for the bright lights of Brandon for some pizza and shut-eye.

It was there, while shovelling spinach salad into my gaping face that I phoned my friend Lory to let her know approximately when I would arrive at her country estate. After I talked to her; she talked to her neighbour; who then spoke to her mother; who then phoned Lory to request my cell phone number. By no small miracle, my cell phone was turned on, and when it vibrated in my pocket I didn't make a metal note to get that weird sensation in my hip looked at by my doctor at next year's physical appointment. I actually recognized it as a vibrating phone and remembered how to answer it.

It was Boler Babe's Neighbor's Mother. Those of you who check comments in the Darfur blog may recognize that name. She said she had something for me, so would be right over to Boston Pizza for the hand-off. I had great fun telling my vanload of young ladies that they'd have to hang around for a few minutes because I had a "parking lot deal" to take care of.

She looked suspicious enough, and came through on her hand-off.

This marvelous wall quilt. Beautifully stitched by BBNM herself. I want to hang it up there on the side of my fabric cubby unit, just above the photo of my dad being a young man, and the wonky log cabin piece that BBNM sent me some time ago. I still like it too much to share, but one day I will and you'll see it over on the other blog. It'll make a million, I am sure.

We were lucky enough during the gap in the tournament to be hosted by someone in Carberry- a friend of the other mom driver. She had the most comfortable couches in the world, and if you look closely, you'll see that underneath that quilt of puppy shapes is yours truly- catching a much needed nap before the last two games and the long ride back home.

Other than staying up until 3:30 am the previous night catching up with Lory and stripping her fertile brain of creative ideas and inspirations.... I've no idea why I needed that nap.

Lory had a gift for me too. She is one of those people who reads about neat ideas on the computer (stumbleupon. if you don't do it; then you MUST) and then actually learns new skills and actually does these neat ideas. I think I almost have her convinced that she is an artist.

She got a serger for Christmas and made this bag out of a thrifted skirt, with a fused plastic front pocket. It's marvelous.

My daughter Jane immediately claimed it, and has toted it off to school all week.

So, maybe I get to live vicariously through my children.

Maybe they get somma dat too.

Oh. And the tournament? Our girls WON!! They were the champions, my friend.

All around, a wonderful life. Well, a wonderful weekend, at the very least.