Well, she's gone... and we are back...

... Actually she is already there in warm beautiful Niagara Falls doing whatever you guys are doing there. Three people have already called for her, most surprised to find out that she is there and I am here... with the kids.


I know deep down she was concerned about leaving Stewie for the night without yummy mummy-milk, but I knew he would be ok. She had nothing to worry about... until she called before bed and spoke to Linus. My cute, very bright little boy told her that he ate, "Cookies, chocolate ones, and ice cream." Nice, eh? I'm sure UM is wondering if this trip was the right idea, leaving me here with the boys. Don't worry hun. He didn't eat that stuff. Just ice cream, coffee and a lot of sugar.


I so wanted to make sure they slept for me Friday night that I took them, and my sister to Pusateri's, for a walk after dinner and before bath to really tire them out. It worked. My sister was exhausted. We did, however enjoy finding bargains in the store like a $2500 jar of caviar, an $80 teeny-weeny box of truffle flour and $125 box of cocoa. The barbarian steaks looked super-yummy but I'll leave that adventure up to my in-laws. They usually BBQ some pretty wicked meat at the house.


Saturday - while UM was still partying with the ladies, and apparently Sci-Fi Dad - I walked the kids over to the Great Canadian Bagel for breakfast with Grandma, Grandpa and their long-time NY/Aussi/Texan friend. We had fun, but the coffee at the Second Cup is SHIT! I hate it! I keep trying it hoping that it will be good, but all I get is under-flavoured, bitter, old swill. Man, if CaraFoods wants to hire me to re-vamp their Second Cup division, I could turn it into the next Tim Horton's, well not really, but at least keep it in a solid third right after Tim's and Starbucks.


After breakfast, we went to see the hairdresser that started cutting my hair when I was really young, like 7 or 8, and I brought the boys to meet them. I figured it would be a nice touch. They appreciated it. We met Bubi and my sister there and then the 5 of us jetted up to the Promenade Mall in deepest darkest Thornhill for a walk through the mall, smoothies, toys, and lunch at the Pickle Barrel. On the way home the kids passed out in the car, and still slept as I carried them into the house and into their beds. By 3:30 we were almost all packed up and ready to surprise the kids by driving out to Niagara Falls to this BFF thing.


2 1/2 hours in the car, lots of heavy rain, being really tired and wondering why we have listened to Barenaked Ladies kids album 12 plus-times (nice touch Steven Page with the cocaine... NOT). We rolled into what appeared to be a very different Niagara Falls than the one I was in 10 years ago for a ball-hockey tournament. It was busy, really cheesy and the tourist area not well laid out at all. It seemed very hick. I was really disappointed. This tourist area should resemble Las Vegas, not Death Valley. Besides being really pricey, it was not fun to drive though, but we made it and the BFF-fun was soon to begin.


Sitting in the lobby with my two boys for a few minutes, looking around, I noticed a gentleman stop, look at us, then ponder whether to talk to us, or not. He did. He said, "Hey! Are you UrbanDaddy?" It was Sci-Fi Daddy! Yay. Of all the blogging events we've been to - both of them, LOL - the only blogger I did not get a chance to meet was him. I like the way he writes, but usually don't comment because I don't want to be that guy who posts a dumb-ass reply to either a serious topic or to something I may not fully understand. Yes, I'm that vain. lol.


We chatted for a few minutes, then more bloggers appeared, each one addressing me by name. I recognized almost all the faces and know almost all the names, but the problem is that a bunch of these gals usually sit together at these events and both UM and I are hesitant to walk over, plop our asses into the action and join the conversation. Kind of cliquey, as I'm sure some of the non-Torontonians must have thought too. Odd thing is that they are all SUPER-nice, but I never get a chance to talk to them.


Maybe next time! :)

So everyone was meeting at the Hard Rock cafe in the Elvis room for dinner and for some strange reason we decided to bring the kids and to drive. It would have been a 15 minute walk, but it would have saved us $15 and a ton of stress trying to find a parking spot, then find our way from the parking garage into the restaurant... Not easy. Another mistake, now the time is approaching 8:30 and over one hour past the kids bed time, was thinking that a place as noisy and busy as the Hard Rock would have food for a pre-schooler and a toddler that was either healthy or tasty. The food, in my opinion, was bland. Nothing special at all. So besides being over-tired, the kids were hungry and by 9:30 led to a major-meltdown by the baby so off we went. I was hoping the toys would keep the kids distracted or the attractions in the room, but all we came away with was that Linus could entertain himself for an hour on the nickel he found on the floor there, and that both kids can now say, "Elvis sucks", when they hear the name. He he he. What?!? He does!

Night-time was touch and go, lots of waking up in a not-so-cold room, inside a smoking hot hallway. The kids finally woke up at 7:10 starving, and me, the provider of food - who forgot to pack enough for Sunday - waiting until UM went into the shower, then I turned on the TV, opened a bag of popcorn and that was breakfast. Please don't judge me. :)

Deciding that we were going on the Maid of the Mist, we ran out of the hotel for a $6.99 buffet that was a nightmare. This shit-hole had ok food, no fruit or veggies, no tap-water (they charge you for bottled water) and if you sit there and don't eat... They ask you to leave. Can't take a seat at a table for 4 where the rest is your family unless you eat. Idiots. This place is called the Country Chalet. Avoid at all costs. I had to ask the waitress for syrup and if it was extra because after UM walked out with Stewie, the hostess said to the cashier that my wife was "crazy". Hmmm. Not nice.
I got the syrup, and the bill, and waltzed over to pay where the line was not about 20 people deep. I paid, then recommended in a loud voice that they post that they will not give you tap water, that you must buy a drink, and that if you sit with your family, but don't eat that you will be asked to leave and then called an idiot, because if I knew we would have never come in. The hostess came over and said, "Sir, I never called your wife crazy". I asked her if she was a mother, to which she said yes. I asked her if her kids had ever kept her up all night and if she just wanted her child to eat and they would not if she would be frustrated, again to which she said yes. Then I said, "So we come here for food and all we get is attitude and bullshit. I will never come here again, and, as part of a group of bloggers, will make sure that it gets posted on the net to keep others from making the same mistake". Well guess what bitchy woman... You suck!

So I met UM and Stewie back in the lobby - they found a Tim Horton's - and we waited for the group to jump on the Maid of the Mist. We were told by 2 Ottawa bloggers (whose blog I will find and post tonight) that they group decided to meet at 11:30 instead of 10:30, so the 6 of us walked over together. Really nice gals, we chatted the whole way and they helped us keep the kiddies in check on the boat and we all took pictures of the fun.
By the way, the way, the only person on this ship not in a rain poncho... Stewie. He refused. He spent most of the ride covering his eyes while getting soaked. He he he. Serves him right.

We left the ship under pouring rain, and headed to the car to go home. A fun filled weekend, tiring, and all with a super-sore shoulder blade I hurt Friday night. Didn't help carrying those heavy kids.

We are home. The kids just in bed by 8pm (1/2 hour after their bed-time) but my in-laws took Linus for a couple hours, fed him dinner and according to him, vanilla cake. He was wild! If it's true, I'll kill 'em. They know better. He goes crazy.

I'm tired, but ready to start another work week without a major thorn in my side, who is off on vacation. I'm hoping this week will be the end of the bullshit, or that I am able to move along to another section or department to get away from the BS. I'm ready. I'm done.

Did I say that I can't wait for next year?!? I'm going to that one so that Sci-Fi Dad isnt the only dude there and maybe we can prevent everyone from referring to the event as having a weekend away with the "girls". :)