Family Day

Ontario fêted its second Family Day yesterday. Stores were closed, provincial and municipal employees had the day off, kids stayed home from school. But federal employees had to punch their time card. So I took the day off to be with my girls.

As Derek toiled away at a book proposal, the girls helped me sort laundry. Then we played games and drew pictures. And we went to the movies.

Our local movie theatre, the Mayfair, is a landmark in our neighbourhood. For Family Day, they and a local real estate agent put on family day matinées. So Maïa and Solanne and I took in E.T. for free, complete with complimentary popcorn for all. The girls enjoyed the movie—scary parts and all.

After the movie, we visited Grandma and Poppy. We had dinner and played a round of Sorry!

I had a great day, and I hope the girls did, too. But I realise that I consider it to have been great because it brought me back to my childhood. I was about Maïa's age when I first saw E.T. with my own mother. And part of my childhood traditions was to visit my grandma and play board games. I know for Derek's family, the big ticket traditions are very important, like Christmas at Gramma's. But for me, whose big holiday events changed from year to year, it's the little things that tie me to my past: shopping with Mom and Grandma on Saturdays, playing board games at Grandma's house, watching the Smurfs on the weekend.

I try not to put too much emphasis on what we do together, but rather on the fact that we're doing it together. I hope they enjoy our family days, whether they're official holidays or not. The best I can hope for is that they remember the love and laughter we share.