I haven't updated in a while, have I?Well, baby Justin is two and a half weeks old now, and pictures of him can be seen here. I'm in one of them, but you already know what I look like, right? Unless you started reading this recently and haven't seen the currently on hiatus RipeCam, in which case, I'm the one in the olive green top. Although I'm sure you would've figured that out anyway.
We haven't seen a whole lot of Kevin and Krystle since the baby was born, for obvious reasons, but at least we've got baby pictures.
Last weekend we went to Sheree's aunt's cottage in Wasaga Beach, and Todd had a devious idea. A week before we went, we put everyone's name into a hat, and whomever's name each person drew, they had to spend around ten dollars or so on an outfit for them from Goodwill. Something incredibly tacky or embarrassing. The idea was that while we were in Wasaga Beach, we'd all wear our Goodwill outfits out to dinner (because at least we don't know anyone in Wasaga Beach). So we did just that. I drew Sheree's name, and I thought I was really being cruel when I got her a bright banana-yellow women's skirt suit from the 80s with giant shoulder pads, lace insets, and gold buttons, but it turns out I really underestimated the sadistic minds of the rest of the group. Todd drew my name, and seeing as the whole game was his idea, I was pretty nervous ... and rightly so. I'll save the details of all the outfits for a future entry in which I will post pictures (I need to get James to host them first), but I will say that my outfit involved a helmet. I looked like I was mentally handicapped.
So anyway, to change the subject ... typically I can't stand reality shows, but I've recently started watching The Simple Life, and I'm enjoying it. I'm not entirely sure why that is. At first I thought it was because I just found ditzy blondes funny, but then I realized that I absolutely HATE watching Newlyweds, which comes on right afterwards, so that can't be it. I think what I like about Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie is their complete shamelessness about being spoiled, shallow rich girls. Unlike Jessica "I don't eat buffalo" Simpson, they're not pretending they're not self-centered brats. I'm getting really sick of seeing articles about Jessica Simpson and how "although she may act like a ditz on TV, she's really smart and responsible and kind-hearted, and the dumb blonde thing, oh that's just an act, silly". Please. I saw her on That 70s Show. She's not that good an actress. And the whole virgin-until-her-wedding day thing? Don't even get me started. I'm not necessarily saying I don't believe it, but .. well anyway, let's not get into that. Oh, but before I leave the Jessica Simpson and Newlyweds topic entirely, I just have one question ... why the hell is Nick always concerned about how much money Jessica is spending? I've seen maybe three episodes in total, and in every one, the subject of Jessica's frivolous spending comes up. I'm sorry, did I miss something? Do they not have money to burn? I agree, seven hundred dollars is a bit pricey for lingerie, but what's seven hundred dollars when you have zillions? If not for their "singing careers", don't they get paid buckets of money for being on TV every week? I don't get it. Maybe this is just Nick's way of trying to make them seem like normal people, with "normal" financial issues. I don't know. Anyway, my point is, I much prefer to watch Paris and Nicole prance about trying to pump gas in miniskirts and stiletto heels, or watch them get a job at a nudist hotel as maids, only to pretend to be guests, run up a huge tab in someone else's room while they're on the job, and call up another, unknowing maid to do their work for them. Absolutely shameless. I love it.
So anyway, James and I leave for B.C. in a week. I'll be seeing relatives I haven't seen in ten years or more. I called my grandma the other day to tell her about my approaching visit (I thought my dad had already told her I was coming, but apparently he was vague and uncertain about it) and it went something like this:
"Hi, it's Lara, your granddaughter!"
"Who? Who is this??"
"Lara, your granddaughter."
*pause*
"Oh .. Lara?!"
"Yes."
"Oh my goodness, I didn't recognize your voice." (you would not believe how shocked she sounded .. I thought for a moment I'd given her a heart attack)
"Yeah, so how are you?"
"Is there a problem?" (She assumes automatically that if I'm calling her, someone must have died or something ... though my mom later told me that she always reacts that way when she gets a call from one of us)
"No, not at all, I just thought I should let you know that I'll be coming to B.C. to visit very soon .. from the 1st to the 18th."
"Oh I see. Will we be seeing you, then?" (The way she said it indicated to me that she thought I was planning on going to B.C. without paying her side of the family a visit)
"Well yeah that's what I was hoping. I'll be staying with my mom's brother's family, but I wanted to get in touch with you so I'd be able to see you ... I wasn't sure I'd be able to reach you at this number because I heard you were moving."
"Well Vincent and Violet and Amy [my uncle, his wife/girlfriend -- I'm not sure whether or not they're married -- and their daughter] are staying with us right now and we're moving on the 26th of July so .. it's very crowded here .. your dad mentioned you might be visiting so I told him to tell you you can't stay here becau--"
"I know, he told me, it's OK, I've got a place to st--"
"Because there are too many people here and we've got no room."
"I know, that's fine, I've got a place to stay."
"Your dad promised me he'd tell you that."
"Yep, he did, and it's fine, really." (For some reason she just wouldn't let it go.)
"Alright, well call us when you're here if you want to drop by and I'll be here .. just make sure you call me first though."
"Um .. OK."
So yeah. I guess I should've expected that kind of reaction, given that I've barely kept in touch with my dad's side of the family for years and years, but I was a moody teenager with all kinds of issues. But I guess they must have started to think I didn't like them. So now my grandma apparently thinks that visiting her and the rest of my dad's family was just an afterthought, when in reality the main purpose of my taking this trip was to get back in touch with them. Sure, I didn't want to stay with them, because I hadn't spoken to them in so long that I would have felt like I was imposing. I chose to stay with my mom's brother's family because they know and love me (erm, I hope anyway), and I happen to be more familiar with them. I would've called my grandma sooner if I'd known how little they knew about my visit. Oh well. Soon enough I'll be there, and hopefully I'll be able to mend a few fences. Not that I was ever on bad terms with any of them, just that I guess years of little contact with people can do strange things to your relationship.
Anyway, I've got a week to prepare for our vacation, so I'm off to do some shopping now.
Later.
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