Creeker crash at Chick's

I was so happy with my last post that I've had a bit of writer's block for the past week. It's like I set a bar for myself and now can't think of anything that would match it! But now I've relented to the fact that a blog strike is benefiting no one and I have to get over myself. Back to mediocre writing it is.

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Last night I hosted a party dubbed "Creeker crash at Chicks" for some very special people. Back in my dubious teenage years, I spent two semesters of High School enrolled in an outdoor education program called The Bronte Creek Project. This amazing program takes a select few teenagers from various high schools and quietly transforms their lives. As we learned and then shared the Earthkeepers curriculum with elementary children, we learned how to work as a community. We cooked together, cleaned together, slept together, went on week long adventure camping trips and gradually became a cohesive functional group (no small task for a bunch of hot-headed, hormone-driven kids). This unique learning experience gave me a new respect for the planet we live on and left me with some pretty special friendships.

They were my Creeker Crew, and last night, some of that crew gathered at Big Blue for dinner. Seeing these girls again (some with gorgeous families in tow) was such a blast from the past. It felt as if no time had passed since I saw them last and we slipped into easy conversation as the children laughed and monkeyed around in the yard. These friends have all grown and all have amazing life stories that fill the gap that lies between our visits. What struck me was the odd feeling that they had changed so much and yet fundamentally, they were the same people I had taught with 15 years ago.

I always find it funny when you get together with people from your past. It's like going to a reunion. Most people are quick to posture and boast about their achievements, wealth and accolades. They don their most expensive clothes, squish themselves into girdles and carefully apply makeup to cover any signs of aging. What's refreshing about my creeker crowd is that there's none of this false face attitude. When everyone showed up, I was wearing my big ugly gardening hat and some old shorts with Hayden boogeys smeared across the thigh. Never once did I worry about how my appearance would jade their perceptions of who I am now. This crowd is more likely to examine your eyes and soul than your bling.

As we told stories of our highs and lows, our triumphs and troubles, the years just melted away. I was transported back to those nights around the fireplace in the main cabin when the whole world was just stretched before us. Strangely, as we waved everyone off at the end of the night, I felt full of the same feelings of optimism and harmony that coloured my world back at BCP. I think maybe a little bit of Earthkeeper magic had been conjured up last night. Em would be proud!

Warm and gooey about my girls

You know, in all the hullaballoo of the heartsong hand incident, I never did blog about why we went to Ottawa in the first place.

Adam and I lived in Ottawa for about eight years. It was in this beautiful capital city that I met my very best friends. These were the friends I had longed for all my life. The kind of friends I could count on through thick and thin and back again. They never judged me, never made me feel insecure and always made me feel loved and supported. These women helped me to grow and stretch my wings in a strange city. They were there for me through a break-up, my marriage, my pregnancy and the birth of my heartsong.

It was visiting these wonderful friends that drew us to Ottawa last weekend. And on the Friday we arrived, I was enveloped in the delicious giddiness this circle of friends always brings me. We had a girly night with strawberry daiquiris, gales of laughter and lots of love.

It made me long for the closeness I had with these friends. As much as I love them all, 500kms makes it hard to keep in close contact. I'm often torn between the desire to live close to these girls in an absolutely beautiful city and living in Southern Ontario where I'm close to my entire family. I wish I could just pick up my family and move them to Ottawa - that would be ideal. But we'd have to win a big lottery to make that happen. (Remind me to buy a ticket.)

And so despite the fact that our weekend ended in disaster, it did begin exactly as I had dreamed. And I do have those warm, gooey memories to carry me through these tough times.

To my favourite girls - Dana, Josie, and Krista, thank you for being such wonderful friends. You are always quick with a smile and a hug and being with you just makes me feel a special kind of love. I think that friendship love is unique because it's a chosen love. At any time, you could check out of the relationship, but you chose to stay. And that just makes me feel priviledged that you chose me. I love you girls!