First off, I have no idea what has been going on with my bandwidth. My host provider seems to think I may be popular. I however, know that this is not true.

So so so very not true.

- and I'm not saying this in an annoying, "ooooh, I didn't study for this exam" and then get the bloody thing back and find an big honking A+ all over the place and then show it everyone and repeat my lack of preparation and obvious mental genius...

Yes, Tamara - that means you - you grade 7 exam fibber, you.

You know, this post was not meant to happen. In fact, I am supposed to be drinking horrible coffemate coffee in a hotel by the Vancouver airport while Franklin falls asleep/jumps on the bed.
We had intended to actually l-e-a-v-e the island and experience big city mainland life for the weekend. My parents were going to Vancouver and we were going to hop along for the free hotel room and visit.

Everyone was asking what we were going to do in Vancouver.
Last week, an uber-cool co-worker went over and came back looking all worn out and tired in an I-partied-all-night-and-I-don't-know-what-time-it-is sort of way. I believe she took part in some vintage shopping as well for she has been sporting some extra nice stuff ever since.

Ah, the life.

I started to tell all these single, unencumbered young'ins that we were planning a trip to
The Science Centre!
The Sky Train!
Stanley Park!

I watched their eyes start to glaze over at "Centre"...

Lame-o, Ada.
(Okay, don't tell me it's not lame. For parents yes, it's awesome when you see your child's mouth drop open and drool come out because he's so astounded that he's riding inside a REAL LIFE TRAIN, but to 26 year old uber-chicks, the skytrain isn't where it's at, okay?)

However, the trip was not meant to be.
Snow, and my father's instance on never flying unless he is required to traverse a large section of ocean water, got in the way. The Coquihalla highway was too dangerous.
I'm actually impressed with my parents. Usually, their sense of immortality is not unlike a teenager's. They will drive through anything, in any weather and with no sleep while blaring whatever's playing on the CBC.
(Okay, this is usually only my father's sense of immortality. My mother sits next to him because I think she thinks if she's there, when they crash and they are trapped in an upside down vehicle, she can punch him until the paramedics arrive.)

I was watching the web cam all morning until I got the thankful call that the trip was off.

So now all we had to do was tell Franklin.
All week long we had told Franklin about the beluga whale, the science centre, the sky train, Taita and Jido....
All week long he had asked us about the hotel room...

On Thursday night we turned off the TV, the computer and the stereo so that we could have his full attention. We sat him on a stool in the living room and began:

"Franklin, do you remember our plan for the weekend? Do you remember how we were going to go to Vancouver to visit Taita and Jido... in the hotel room?"

"Yes.... let's play with the Tonka puzzle!"

"Okay Franklin, but we need to tell you something. We are not going to Vancouver this weekend. There is too much snow over the mountains and it's not safe for Taita and Jido to travel on the roads to come and see us."

D and I were prepared to show him the web cam of the highway and get my parents on the phone so that he could deal with his expected disappointment. So, what did our child say to this?

"Okay... lets play logs with the crayons!"

"Yes we will play, Franklin. But, is there anything you want to ask us?"

"Yes"

What is it, honey"

"Can we play now?"

Such trauma.
Sometimes I think the only ones who have trouble with change in this house are the parents.