The Challenge of One

Having one child comes with its positives and its challenges for us poor ol' parents.

On the positive side, you can focus all your energies on one kid.  Whether its travelling, deciding on schooling options, or even planning bed time, you only have to think about one person, which just makes things easier.

On the challenge side, you do have to constantly think about stuff to do. Because without any siblings, the default play friend of a 7-year old girl is...you! Well, you or TV (i.e. netflix).

To be fair, Margot, does a decent job of occupying herself quietly (ahhh the dream of all busy parents). These days her favourite activities are Shopkins*, organizing pokemon cards, drawing, and reading French books. And while we have come to a decent understanding on the amount of TV she can watch a day, that still leaves a lot of hours a day to fill - especially in the summer.

It's a never ending challenge!. It's probably the reason our family is constantly going on walks, even in the dead of winter.

Sometimes we split up who plays with Margot based on what she wants to do. For example, Margot only wants Glosette Girl to read her stories in French and she only wants me when she wants to play board games or kick a soccer ball around our backyard (guilty tired parent secret: when Margot chooses an activity that only Glosette Girl can do I secretly smile inside and vice-versa!)

This past week we tried our hand at teaching Margot tennis at nearby Fairmont Park.  It went...really well.

Glosette Girl serving up some style

Better than well actually! Between lessons for Margot, Glosette Girl and I played a few games between ourselves while she read a book on the sidelines.

Basic physics tells you that the ball was not intercepted before it hit the photographer

 A good couple of hours of energy spent at the park.

"What's next dada?!"

* What mad genius came up with Shopkins? They are toys that are made up of a bunch of regular household items you buy from a store that talk for some reason. Like a talking donut. What am I missing here...?

Gelato-trification

How can you tell if a neighbourhood is in full gentrification mode? When a gelato store opens up!

Stella Luna recently (well, in May) opened up in Hintonburg. It's well known locally from another location in Ottawa and every time we walk by there is a line up to the door.

They've hit all the right notes with the decor: high ceilings; glass pendants; old-fashioned-sensibilities-meets-modern-chic vibe. I like the mini side courtyard too.

Y'know that random wierdo taking a photo of empty chairs? sigh. That's me.

While I can't say I was initially too impressed with the prices the first time I went - $17 for three "small" ice cream cones -  I suppose the "small" cones were actually quite large (two scoops!) and they were yummy...so I'll call it a wash.

This time though I just stopped in to pick up a gift certificate. It was off hours and the ambiance was more relaxed. Note to self: only eat in on off-peak times. 

There still are a few vacancies on Wellington Street (the main drag running through Hintonburg) so as much as gentrification can be a mixed blessing, I hope Stella Luna does well. On the one hand, I don't want these BOBO* stores to push out the shops providing local essentials, like Giant Tiger. On the other hand, having vacant stores doesn't help anyone.

* bohemian bourgeois

Hintonburg 5K

Our lil' corner of the world was a hive of activity this past Sunday. The event this time? A local street race known as the Hintonburg Centennial 5K.

I first got into running races just after Margot was born.  Before that I ran a bit for my own pleasure but I generally scoffed at those people with the fancy running shoes and kooky pants who got into the whole race "thing".

And make no mistake, it is a "thing". Thousands of people run dozens of races in Ottawa these days. Pretty much every week they'll be some running event somewhere around here raising money for something (there's usually a charitable connection). The closest comparison is yoga, which is also a "thing", but that's for another post!

Running: it's nice, and for a good cause, yada yada I get it!...well, I do now, now that I've decided to drink the kool-aid and buy my own pair of fancy running shoes.

Seriously though, it's fun. And the Hintonburg 5K was extra fun as Glosette Girl, Margot and I could walk to the start line and back from our house, which made participating super simple.

Glosette Girl and Margot did a quick 1K with some of Margot's friends.

Margot literally flew around the corner on the way back! I think this is her fourth race of her little life so far.

Elbow that little girl in blue out of the way sweets. She's slowing you down!

...and guess what! I didn't too shabby if I don't say so myself. I got my fastest time ever: 19:33!!! I finally beat the 20 minute time "barrier" that I've been trying to get under for years. Good enough for 14th place overall (out of 407).

Number 98! Number 98!

My legs feel like butter - but 19:33! It's worth it. Pass some more kool-aid!

Canada 150

Glosette Girl and I aren't in Ottawa very often for Canada Day. Often we're visiting friends or family or camping or doing...well really anything, other than being here.

Hurumph. That makes me sound like a bit jaded and cynical doesn't it?! But, for a local, there's actually a lot of downside to being in our nation's capital at this time of year. The restaurants are packed and offer special "Canada Day menus" (translation: limited and more expensive selections), the roads are jam packed and the events are hard to get to.

Still, this year we decided to make an exception. Us Canadians don't get too many opportunities to be patriotic and 150 years seemed a nice round number to celebrate. In the age of Trump where much ink is being spilled on the end of the American century, a lot of people it seems are looking fondly at this quiet corner of the world and with the spotlight on Ottawa decided to throw a crazy party.

My sister, N, and her family visited us this weekend and so we tried to create a nice tourist agenda for them.

• Visit to Parliament Hill area. Check. 

We skipped the main events (5 hour wait to get on Parliament Hill. No toilet breaks. Pass!) and checked out the local acts

• Wolf down some liquid grub at a local pub. Check.

Happy Canada Day Eh!

• Walk back home because the buses were too full. Check.

Poor Margot! She was wearing rubber boots. Those boots aren't made for walking!

• Catch a nap before waking up in the evening to watch the Fireworks. Check. (You can't tell from this photo but it was pouring rain about 30 minutes before this shot was taken - we didn't know if there was going to be any fireworks at all!)

We watched the show from Lemieux Island near Hintonburg

Kudos to N, and her family for all the walking and for putting up with the crazy weather. Seriously, it's felt like the UK around here lately - 3 or 4 showers a day with sunshine and everything else you can imagine in between. And also kudos to them for putting up with the crazy commute from Toronto: 7.5 hours instead of the regular 5.

Anyways, it was a great weekend and I'm glad we were able to catch a glimpse of the festivities. Guess I'm not a cynical ol' urbanite after all!