It all starts with small talk

A few days ago I made plans with my friend Kandice To meet up with another mom and Her Kids. I had never spent any time with the one mom and was interested to see what she was like. Kandice mentioned that it would be nice to have me there to make small talk. I agreed that it does make it easy to have someone your familiar with in a situation like that.

But later on that day I got thinking about my earlier conversation with Kandice. I looked over at Grace who was babbling away to her toys. I would hear the occasional word, Daddy...Mommy...ok... Babble Babble Babble. When she caught me watching her (which she often does) She gurgled out a sentence. (I have no idea she said, but I knew she was asking some sorta of question. Baby whisperer I am not.) And than I smiled. It all starts with small talk, doesn't it?

When we're babies, we work so hard to get out the simplest of sentences. We start out with small words first, than smaller sentences. Small Talk. But one thing you gotta give babies, they try and try and never worry about being embarrassed. And its funny, you know, we have to continue to make small talk for the rest of our lives. Sure we know bigger words and even bigger sentences but we have to work just as hard to come up with SOMETHING, anything, to say.

But How come when we "get bigger" it gets harder to make small talk. As a teenager, I could talk all day, to anyone who would listen (believe me, it was hard to find people who would want to listen). And mind you, I can still do that with people I know well. But when I have to introduce myself to someone, or be around someone I barely know, I get So awkward. The small talk seems impossible. And certainly not desirable. ha. My sentences get choppy. I forget what I was gonna say. I cut them off mid sentence. And than eventually wander away. My bravery as a baby went out the window with my pride. Humph.

But than all of my friends I have made since living in Alberta, all started with small talk. I didn't wow them with any impressive job. I didn't woo them with impressive things. I'm not overly good looking and I'm not even really funny. But I used what I had. Small talk. Small words and small sentences. Over time, I guess, somewhere along the way, My words got bigger and my sentences longer.

So today We took our kids on our play date. I put Grace down and she was off and running amongst all the other kids. And before I knew it Kandice and I were making small talk with the other moms. Nothing big. But than again, It all starts with small talk!

"friend 1st, boss 2nd, entertainer 3rd"

I wanted to start off by saying thank-you to all 11 followers! And Geoff for attempting to follow but failing to be smarter than the google machine. I'm happy to have you 11 (sorta 12), and a good friend once told me, for every one follower, there is 4 lurkers. And I do love a lurker.

Have you laughed today? Have you laughed much this week? Laughing for me is a necessity. If you cant laugh, life just isn't good. My best days usually are counted by how happy I was! Did I laugh till it hurt? Did I make anyone else laugh? Is there a way I can find to do both?

There are people that you can always count on for a good laugh. The best people in life are the ones that can see the humour in almost any situation. They can BE the joke once in a while. Most of my good friends are hilarious. I'm drawn to them. And I like all kinds of funny. Funny sarcastic. Funny stupid. Even funny sad. Funny sad? Things are so sad and just so pathetic that you gotta laugh. Did your baby really just poop in the tub? sigh... Did your car tire just go flat for the 5th time? (This is usually where all my humor stems from) If you can laugh and not take things too seriously, your ok by me (for what that's worth to you, ha)

A show I can watch over and over is the Office. Michael Scott(Steve Carell) comes out with these truly great lines, and he doesn't even know he's funny. I like people like that. I KNOW people like that. They entertain me. They say the most horribly funny things, its almost appalling. It makes you cringe and leaves you wanting to hear more. Michael Scott is the Pro at this... My favorite line, and perfect example of sad funny is this: "I love inside jokes. I'd love to be a part of one some day." -Michael Scott. If you haven't seen it before, check it out. You might thank me.

If you haven't been laughing, I sure hope you find something, or someone, to help. Maybe your looking too hard, or maybe your not looking hard enough... Dr Seuss has always been a favorite writer of mine. He's a classic. He knows how to say things so simply and yet, poetically. No Its not deep, not if you don't want it to be anyhow. But I will leave you with a quote that I found from the good Dr,

"I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living, It's a way of looking at life through the wrong end of a telescope. Which is what I do, And that enables you to laugh at life's realities.”

And remember, there not laughing at you....

Fine China

Well Gracie Wanted up a few minutes before 8 today, so we have a long day ahead of us. On the RARE days she sleeps until 9, our day flys by. However, up before 8 and the day drags. So this morning, I brewed a cup and here I am. Gracie is watching Franklin, which I hate, because He is one bad turtle. Never listens to his mom.

This week we are house sitting for some friends, Dave and Trina. Watching there shitzu doggie, Purdy. Well If you have ever house sat, you know there is only so much to do at someone elses home. Yesterday, I had put Grace down for a nap, checked my e mail for the millionth time, and nothing good was on tv. I was so antsy.

I really dont know why I like to clean things up. And dont think for a minute I'm organized at home. I blame it on shows like clean sweep, or how clean is your house. I'm a firm believer in clearing out your closet every 3 months of clothes you dont wear. Sometimes I keep them stored in a bag until the next clear out. If i dont miss something, that bag goes out. A couple months ago, geoff was working a 13 hr shift, So i had put grace to bed and was watching tv and I thought, I should use my fancy china I had Inherited. That led into-- Hey I should clean out my cutlery drawer, oh and then theres that Junk drawer, op, and that Other Junk drawer. Hmmm, this cupboard is...awkward... and If i moved this here and that there... Well needless to say, making the life changing descion to use my country rose(never used before) royal albert china led into a 2 day organizing project... How did that happen?

So yesterday, I decided to organize the Brosseau Pantry. I had wanted to do a few things for them because I knew Trina would be laid up for a few days and she has a young family and they are BUSY. So I organized their pantry. Yes, it did cross my mind that Trina might be a little irratated that her stuff is now put where i think it should go, but i pushed that outta my mind and continued on. Two days ago I did there laundry and organized their tuperware drawer. I crossed a line a long time ago. No looking back now. Damage is done.

Did i mention Geoff has been taking the trailblazer everyday? And also that Grace as broke or torn apart more things than I can keep track of. Maybe my organizing can make up for... something.. anything. I dunno.

Well... thats all for now, I'll see what today turns out to be... If I'm lucky, someone will stop by for Tea and Grace and I can stop seeing double!