"Since you've been gone..."

Old pictures but new to the blog! Hi to Ma and Pa Joad who are in Florida this weekend!! Love and miss you!

Thunder this summer. He's such an amazing baby.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CLEMMIE! (she is 4 today)
Buck driving the boat at Lake Sacandaga in August.

Well, the sickness seems to be passing - but RKZ and I are definitely feeling some pull back to the US. It's a phase, but it's also a question. How long do we stick with the good job that keeps us from living close to everyone we love? Some days, Calgary seems so far away from family and old friends. Is this just the holidays fast approaching? It's hard to know. I have these overwhelming feelings especially on days like today when RKZ is going to a Flames game and won't be home until late. It would be a great night to get together with family or friends - to have Grandma and Grandpa over for dinner (or to go there) or to meet at a "family friendly" restaurant for dinner; or in an ideal world to have a night time play date with cousins. This is all fantasy, of course, because all of these people also have lives. But we would happily go to a baseball or volleyball game and have a hot dog.

I feel badly posting melancholy things - but it's our definite head space right now.
Does the economy own us or do we own our lives? Are we a part of the "addicted to stuff" generation? Are you wishing I would just deal with it and not post about it?

Buck can read a lot of words now. Thunder can nearly walk - he's got massive constipation and we're treating it with prunes, peas, beans and exercise. Now at least you know what's up with us!