Melissa McLean Montgomery

Memories of Dysfunction and Xmas Drama past: It's family time. For some this means joy, for most it means returning home and dealing with the devil. Below are some choice examples. ( I have left out names to protect both the innocent and their divilgers ) 1. A sister who left a restaurant and sat in the car because she wasn't consulted that she and her siblings would be picking up the Xmas dinner cheque for her parents. She pouted for 3 days. 2. A father who greeted his son ( who hadn't been home for Xmas in 7 years ) at the door with , " You idiot! Why did you cross the front lawn? There's snow on your shoes ! " 3. A mother, who, still in her nightie at 3pm, screamed at her daughter ( in front of company ), " I told you too keep the goddamn cat off the turkey! " 4. A sister who screamed at the table, " Mom! Give me my food so I can get out of here!" 5. A cousin put her new china nativity set on the mantle piece. As the Catholic family me...

Well I haven't done my Christmas shopping in July like I planned. Oh well. I am going away this year, so my shopping scenario has changed - I am now buying for relative strangers. My sister's in-laws. It'll be a Polish Christmas in Comox. I hope to get through the 12 meatless dishes without wishing I was at home having steak and lobster. I hope I don't have to cook or get up early. I'm a dream houseguest!

That's not my line, it belongs to Christopher Small- designer and advocate for proper colour and architecture everywhere. While standing in the rain today, we discussed the lack of " good " architectural design in our fair city. Both of us are native Vancouverites. We abhor the recent tauping of Vancouver. My personal un-favourite is the salmon peachy pink cement home. Since when is that a pretty colour in a city where it rains and rains and the peachy pink inevitably turns to.....something not- so- peachy- keen. We bemoan the faux gingerbread architecture that has found its way into Steveston - a rip off of New England architecture..... which by the way, is on the other coast, people! I guess it comes down to a matter of personal taste, or as Christopher said so diplomatically those colours/styles, " belong elsewhere."

I love poutine! When in Rome, or Montreal it's best to do what the Romans (or Montrealers ) do. Tommorrow I'm going to Schwartz's! Double YUM. Is it any wonder I feel the need to periodically blog about food? There is a great middle eastern market near my mom's and we shop there often. There are so many varieties of food and people here. Not just Western and Asian like in Vancouver. Montreal is TRULY multi-cultural. In my opinion. So look at the photo and drool! Anyone who says they don't like poutine is a big liar!

I'm in Montreal. Helping Mom clean her house. It's funny how everything is different between us , yet the same. She gives me shit for eating a chocolate bar before dinner and I give her shit for dropping her coat on the floor. Montreal is busy and messy. My mom is busy and messy. I fluctuate between wanting to walk out the door and never come back and stay home forever. But I do not live there anymore. My home is elsewhere. We laugh and fight, cry and yell, laugh, insult each other, drink coffee and drag the dog on errands. It's so cold here. And lively. Montreal has a flavour all it's own. I am trying my best to help my mom organize. It is natural for me, unnatural for her, hence the chaos. The house is looking better- at least she is willing to let stuff go and realize that people are the most important thing.

It's Thanksgiving...the time of year when it is traditional to be thankful for what we have. So here goes.... I am thankful for my full belly. I am thankful for my clean, warm home. I am thankful for leftovers. I am thankful I get to sleep in Sunday, Monday AND Tuesday. I am thankful for my health. I am thankful for my clean clothes and linen. I am thankful for the rain. All 30-50 millimeters of it. I am thankful for this laptop that enables me to be creative. I am thankful for everything that has happened and for everything that is yet to come. I am thankful I have 2 followers for my blog. HAPPY THANKSGIVING

I have been working in an office for the last 3 weeks. It would appear on the surface that outside of the office, I have no life. There is plenty of life inside the office : phones, faxes, emails, voicemails, families, doctors, nurses, aides, plants, residents, cigarettes, handidarts, appointments, companions, complaints, coffee and cheezies for dinner tonight. I honestly do not know how the average person works for 40 years , 9-5, five days a week with 2, maybey 3 weeks off a year. I cannot imagine living that way. It is too regimented and would take up too much of my time. I have stuff to do during the day! It's not normal. Unless, one really enjoyed having to be somewhere by 9am every day. Then I could envision them doing it and not being burnt out, depressed and embittered. Having to be at the same place at 9am every day seriously goes against my flow.