Friday night grateful moment

riday night in Canada, what's not to be grateful for?

It's lovely spending time with Seth, my mom, aunt Bobbi and Grandma. Today we relaxed, and then relaxed some more. Finally dragging ourselves out after a bit of lunch, we went to see Grandma and sat out in the sunshine for a while before going to watch part of an accordian concert in one of the meeting spaces. Such a cute, sweet couple danced through many of the songs. Just the two of them, quite peaceful and unabashed. Everyone else sat around in their chairs and watched. I tried to talk Seth into a polka or two... no luck. :(

Then there was a Scrabble game, and since only four can play, I said I'd sit in the loungy chair and watch and read... and nap, apparently. Oops.

I'm looking forward to watching friends pledge love and fidelity on Sunday. A day of celebration in Canada anyway ('eh?), but doubly so for them. As these events are wont to do, I know I will remember happily back to 2005 when husband and I exchanged vows, and hopefully I'll be able to keep it together--Seth is my date to the wedding and I don't think he'll look very kindly on a blubbery (even if I keep it quiet) mom on his arm! But love is grand, and I'm grateful, ever so grateful, that we found each other.

Tomorrow there's the promise of sleeping in a bit again (Seth, this morning, had a hard time rousing before 10 a.m. Vacation is goooooood.), and then more time with Grandma. And picnic food. What's not to love about potato salad and baked beans in the summer?

The nostalgia of seeing places from my childhood and happy memories associated with the people and places always makes this trip special. Today, I pointed out to Seth the office where my orthodonist practiced when I was a kid. Every time we're visiting it's something else: This is where I... Oh, look they tore that place down... Oh man, I used to love going there!

Not surprisingly, we have a number of rituals associated with this place and our trips. Seth and I dragged Bobbi and my mom to Scandia for a round of mini-golf in the heat (and mosquitos! Yowsa on the mozzies, they were fierce!), and then he and I did our regular burn through on $ in the arcade. Silly but fun. And it's tradition, after all!

Also on the list is White Spot, an oldie from my childhood with their zucchini sticks and sweet potato fries...

Being here reminds me of what a great childhood I enjoyed, full of many great memories, lovely friends and family, in a beautiful setting. If where you're raised has any impact on being launched into life, this is the place to launch from! I adore the Okanagan Valley, very much (as I've mentioned on previous trips here, here, and here). (One downside: summer traffic. Wow, that was thick today...)

This song is an old favorite for me, and fits my Friday night mood:



Hope you have a lovely weekend ahead of you, and your grateful list is long.