I've written about Pretty Colour Lakes State Park on my blog so many times that when a blogging friend was in town yesterday, it seemed entirely appropriate to take him there for a walk.
Normally in January, we'd be putting on snowshoes or cross-country skis to follow the trail around the lake. But the weather has been unseasonably warm. We didn't even need mittens or hats, and I wore my winter coat mostly out of habit. Our conversation began, of course, with some depressing thoughts of global warming as we followed the cedar-lined trail. In keeping with that mood, the lake was not showing off its lovely deep green colour, but the darker blue grey that it looks on cloudy days with a wind.
Of course, this was not my friend's first time at Pretty Colour Lakes. He grew up here in Snowstorm Region, and he can remember taking swimming lessons at the lake. Although we met through blogging, he and I went to the same elementary school, the same high school. We are practically related.
We circled both lakes, talking intently. Since Practically Related and I have kids the same age, our conversation soon shifted to parenting, the joys and frustrations of raising teenagers. These kind of conversations usually lead to the eternal questions parents of teens ask each other. How come our kids can't learn from our mistakes? Why must they do the same stupid things we did? How is it they don't see how cool and progressive their parents are?
Over lunch we talked about writing and blogging, about work and family, about finding a balance in life. We've both made choices that give us time to spend with our kids and spouses, time for reading and writing, time for hikes and picnics and friendship. The restaurant we ate in was still decorated for Christmas, with white lights and fake pine boughs, and we sat for a few minutes even after we were done with our veggie burgers, talking about the twists and turns our lives had taken, and how lucky we were.
9 comments:
Oh, I'm so jealous--two of my favorite bloggers having lunch! I wish I could have been a fly on the wall.
Sounds like a great day!
I love this post. (I think I say that too often, but I always mean it!) It was neat to watch the evolution of his name. :)
Apart from the lack of snow and ice it was a nice walk (I really like normal winters!). And it's also great talking to a parent who has survived teenage years and has reassuring things to say...
I find the idea of having gone to the same school/ district for elementary through High school fasinating. Though I must say I've learned a lot from living in many, many states (from Ohio, New Jersey, Missouri to Wisconsin, Iowa and Washington State...)from childhood through now. Still!
I wanted to mention, Jo(e), that my URL address is wrong on your list. I had to change it because my old URL had something wrong and wouldn't open my blog. The correct addy is:
http://joysthinkingoutloud.blogspot.com/
Where is spell check when needed?! I find it fascinating...not as it's spelled above. Geeessh! Ah, well, my ONE mistake had to be posted. hahaaha (one, right, right!)
Joy: I just checked and the link on the blogroll brought me to your blog. Maybe I've got both the old and the new URL on there? I'll doublecheck that ....
Ahhh, yes, I see you have two for me. The old one was THE end of the road. The new one leaves off THE. LoL I found the old one near the bottom.
Thanks for checking it!
How is it they don't see how cool and progressive their parents are?
I think it's part of the nature of the beast. Wait a few years. I know I appreciated my parents a lot more after I got through college. (I wasn't a hugely rebellious teen, but for a while there I just wanted to do my own thing, on my own, and agreeing with my parents got in the way.) Now I _know_ how cool they are. :)
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