Rodeo's, princesses and tennis hotlines...

Well I just arrived home in Stouffville because there are two things I want to go to around here tomorrow. First one is a concert in the Stouffville Baseball part to raise awareness for Africa, so I plan to be there (especially since its going to be 27 degrees). The other one is a RODEO!!! I can't wait! Cowboys and horse shows and country singers and bull riding...what a day it's going to be.

Anyway, enough of my excitement. I've had a wonderful week working with Emily. (We have been writing her blog every day so check it and leave a comment. http://emily.quist.ca )It's been really cool figuring out ways to really engage her and excite her. The best one I have come up with began in Starbucks the other day when we went for our weekly hot chocolate trip there. It takes her about an hour to drink it, so we were sitting there by the big window, and I started telling her a story. It was about a 13 year old girl called Emily, who was a princess. As I began to make it up, Emily started smiling, tipping back her head and laughing, and as the story began to develop, her eyes locked into mine as she listened intently to a world in which she was a princess who could run and dance and talk and sing. It was a wonderful time and now every time we go back there I give her the next chapter of the story. (If you think of any ideas for the adventures of princess Emily, let me know!) I'm certainly learning a lot from Emily, she has a serenity about her that is quite amazing, and it is true, as her Mom says, that no one who meets her is the same again. Her Mom was interviewed on 100 Huntley street on Wednesday and she told Emily's story. It was really powerful and if you're interested in seeing it, click here. and choose Wednesday's program with "Lindsey Hall Yeskoo."

Last night around 9:30pm, my friend Andrew and I went to play tennis, but the floodlights weren't on. After attempting to play in the darkness for a while (which in itself was very amusing), we found a phone number on the gate for a tennis "hotline". Upon calling it at 10:30pm it was answered by a girl who was still on call for all those tennis players like ourselves in emergency predicaments. Who would have thought?!?!

Um...that's all folks!

Baby Pandas

How cute are baby Pandas?! I was with Emily at the library yesterday looking at a book of them, and now I want to take her to the Zoo to see them. I want a pet one!

Meet the Fam!

I just wanted to thank some of you for your encouraging comments on my last blog. It's so nice to be surrounded by friends who care. I really appreciate it.

Here is my wonderful family! My Mum and sister Laura share the same birthday and this year it was a big one..Mum's 50th and Laura's 20th. For those of you who know us all and haven't seen us in a while, enjoy...!
The fam at The Keg
The SIBS: Me, Laura and Matt.
Dad, Hannah, Laura.
Can you believe she is 50?!

Hiding

I feel like recently I've spent a lot of time hiding, either behind my sunglasses, or by acting fine, because I don't want anyone to see inside. When I hide like this I feel untouchable and safe, yet also extremely dangerous.

Crap..I just somewhat gave myself away- In a very vague sense. Maybe that's a good thing though.

Here and there....

Today is Mother's day. My brother decided to make a special slide show for my Mum on the computer, but by the time he asked her to come and watch it, she wasn't in a good mood, due to a prank he had attempted to pull on my sister or me (vaseline smeared on the toilet seat) but which my MUM had been the unfortunate recipient to when she went to the bathroom.

HAHA Will Matt EVER learn the rules of appropriateness?!?! Reminds me of another time a few years ago, when we were having dinner with all my Grandparents in England, and Matt, not knowing what it meant, yelled across the table, "Laura you are a lesbian."

I think I would like to take up tennis more this summer. There are courts by my apartment. Anyone?

I have started working with Emily and look forward to spending every day with her. She has a blog. in which we write about what she does every day. So check it out, and comment if you like, because I will read her comments to her every day, and she loves it.

I've been really enjoying not having school and just having the opportunity to hang out with people and spend "quality time" talking and laughing and such. I've had several conversations this past week with very different people, yet a similiar theme has surfaced, and it has really made me think. I may post on it when I have processed more.

Summer is a whole different rhythm of life and I love it.
My pool opens next week!

Something that has been formulating in my mind a bit:
What happens when you have been given the answer before you've had chance to ask the question?

How to Spot a Billionaire.

Delectable

Today I went on a picnic with my friends Dylan and Tara. It was great, because I love sunshine. The best time to eat food is
1)Outside,
and 2)When you are really hungry.
We fulfilled both those criteria, so it was delicious.

I am back from England, and I enjoyed every minute of it. The only downside was that it was too short. The weather was even beautiful, and for those who have lived in the north of England, you know what a rarity that is! I will post some pictures soon, once my sister (who absentmindedly loses most things) finds the camera chord to upload pictures.

"We don't forget, thought Mma Ramotswe. Our heads may be small, but they are as full of memories as the sky may sometimes be full of swarming bees, thousands and thousands of memories, of smells, of places, of little things that happened to us and which come back, unexpectedly, to remind us who we are."

This quote is from a wonderful series I am reading, called "The No 1 Ladies' Detective Agency" by Alexander McCall Smith. It's set in Africa and its great light summer reading. Anyway, after just being home in England, I completely relate to it, so I thought I'd stick it in.

(Another great book I just finished: C S Lewis, "Till We Have Faces.")