Guest Post by: The Surburban Psychologist
The first thing to know when making a trip to Canada is bring more than one laptop for four people. This is critically true when two are teens who live and breathe for time on Facebook. The second thing to know is how to make frozen pizza and chicken fingers in less than familiar ovens. Other than these basics, a Canadian trip can be a welcome break from the hustle and bustle of a coastline megalopolis that is some 100 miles from Cuba. The PS3 is hundreds of miles away, so no background warfare sounds as you walk through the TV room. Kids are actually driven to pick up their guitars, read books, and consider some outdoor activity on the lake.
The last activity is a little harder to encourage. After a week without the screens, it actually starts to look like their neurons have settled down, and my teen boys can really live without the frantic Call of Duty soundtrack to their lives. But no doubt a single game session will get the dopamine churning and the screen wars will break out again in our home. There is a boarding school up here. I'll keep that in mind, more fantasy than reality no doubt.
So my dear SK friend, you may be soaking up that Parisian culture, but I am enjoying life up here in the Great North. You may get to the Louvre, but does that really compare with perusing local shops and galleries with their 1001 ways to represent moose and loons on endless key chains, tee shirts, mugs, wine glasses (I'll refrain from going on)? And what about the shoe selection here? You can't beat moccasins for comfort! Really all kidding aside, I also got to spend a wonderful day with my sick son in the local emergency room. The cost: a flat, reasonable hospital fee and a whopping $73.00 bill from the ER physician. Ah... family vacations.
Now I really want a set of moose wine glasses. You know my birthday is coming up. Sorry to hear about the ER. We have so far managed to avoid injury despite the combination of alcohol, fabulous shoes and medieval stair climbing that is de rigeur for tourists in these parts. Medieval men must have had fabulous asses. But I digress...
SK
Posted by: Suburban Kamikaze | August 19, 2011 at 11:20 AM
That's right, your birthday is September 13. You were born on Friday the 13th. How could I forget?
Posted by: Audubon Ron | August 19, 2011 at 11:59 AM
Remind me, why is it we don't want health insurance like Canada's? Looking forward to your homecoming SPsy. Maybe we can do some book shopping. SK, missed you too. We can Kindle shop when you get home. Unless you want to detour through Ft. Lauderdale?
Posted by: nthnglsts | August 19, 2011 at 05:59 PM