Lightning

Out of all types of weather the most enjoyable for me is a good lightning and thunder storm. Give me a lots of flashes of light and loud noises and I am a happy camper. A nice hot day is okay once and a while, and a snowstorm has it charms now and again. With a little rain falling there is nothing more soothing than that of a good thunderstorm…except having someone to watch it with you.

Questions

What does happiness mean?

Is it all right to be not completely happy or should you do everything in your power to make sure that you are happy?

We only, that we know of, have one go around do you rock the boat or let the waves just roll over you?

Is it fair to be happy if that makes someone else unhappy?

Do we have control over how someone reacts to what we do?

Can you make someone happy?

How do you know if the choice you make is the right one?

My microcosmic exsistance

There is something to be said about being close in geography to your family, especially when you have a close family like mine. The ability to visit and commune with each other at a drop of a hat and for out kids to be able to grow up with their cousins would have been nice. You can almost be in each others pockets if that is desired but still keep your distance since Edmonton is such a big city. You tend to know what the rest of your siblings are doing what is going on in their lives on a more daily basis. Sometimes I wish I was part of that, not to often cause you don’t know what your missing when you’ve never had it.

The flip side of this is that you don’t have the minor irritants that are part of any family dynamic. No one tells me what’s going on within the petty squabbles that tend to surface throughout the interactions of family life. Lets be realistic no family can go through life without conflicts with each other… not even the “Cosby’s” could do it.

It is nice every now and again to pull my head out of my ass and really take a look at what going on outside of the bubble that I live in. Not to often mind you, my eyes have gotten used to the rosy red view.

Its not all bad cause they all know that if they need me, they’ve got me.

Getting away

I just spent a wonderful week in Edmonton visiting with my family. It was a short visit, just one week but we were able to see all of my siblings, my Mom and step mom. We stayed with Allison and Scott, they were gracious hosts, even if we increased their house occupancy to ten from the usual five. It was noisier than since we brought our dog, who is still trying to catch up on his sleep (thanks Frankie for tuckering him out) . Fortunately the dogs got along well enough and Chantz got to see what it’s like to be the old dog of the group, poor baby all of three and a old man already (Frankie’s just 9 months).

We did something different this trip, something that was a long time in coming too. We went out for supper without our children and no parents, just the siblings and their significant others. We went out for Vietnamese food for the first time for Dar and me, it was excellent, what a good time.

Of course what trip to Edmonton would be complete without going to the WEM Dar and the boys wanted to shop, they all got what they wanted but that was not the place for me to do my shopping, I went to GolfTown and bought the important stuff. I finally got a new putter and placed the idea in my wife’s head that I need new shoes, soon enough soon enough.

As usual one of the best things about going somewhere is getting back home.