Grad. It was a wonderful week yet, it was also a weird week, for me. There always feels like so much loss during the week of June 20-27. For me that was the day we lost my Mom and the week that followed, ending with the Celebration of Her Life. An Ending.
A couple of weeks ago I found out that my favourite English teacher died. Mrs. Lorna Rothwell. She was a teacher at Hedges Junior High and taught she me French and English. She was good friends with my other favourite teacher, Mr. Dion. Those two taught us to get up to, good trouble. My favourite memory of her was in French class when my friend Andy asked her how you could tell if the provinces were masculine or feminine and she said, “look under the map.“ Lol she was so funny, and adorable, she used to actually blush! After she retired, she moved to Kelowna. She contacted me and we planned to meet up for a glass of wine, and then I found out I was pregnant with SBean. We cancelled and said we would meet up after I had the baby… And then my Mom was diagnosed with cancer. We never ended up meeting up. But we kept in contact. Or I should say she kept in contact because she always messaged me about what I was up to, my Kids, grammatical errors in my blog lol, and especially about MS. Another one of her students that she had taught in the 80’s was also diagnosed with MS and she talked about her to me often. And now she’s gone. We’ll never get that glass of wine. Her Celebration was held this past Friday, June 26. Another Ending.
Last week, as I finished curling HBear’s hair, getting her ready for Prom and the Grad March, I received a call from an unknown number. My favourite elderly client was put into hospice and wouldn’t be needing me next week. My Mavis. I went to visit her in the Andy Moog Hospice and I felt my stomach plummet as I walked in. I had been back, delivering cookies and flowers to the nurses, but not in a room. Not in, my Mom’s room. Thankfully Mavis was in the other wing but the view into the garden was the same. It was sad to see her at the end of her life. She was not settled. She was not ready to go. She was in and out of memories but LOVED looking at all of HBear’s graduation pictures. I went through the entire week of Pomp and Circumstance! And then we said goodbye and as I held her had she said, “Don’t forget me”.
In the midst of all of that, HBear and her entire Graduating Class of 2026 are just beginning their adult lives. Some will go into post secondary education, some will start jobs, some will move away and some will stay… There are so many roads open to them. There’s literally nothing stopping them. It has been a rollercoaster of emotions for me this past week, as one door closes, another door opens and I am so excited to see what the future holds for all these Kids just teetering on the verge of a brand new adventure. My hope for them in the future is that they live it as well as my Mom, Mrs. Rothwell and Mavis did.
To celebrate HBear’s Grade 12 Graduation I read a book, because of course I did lol.
Today Tonight Tomorrow by Rachel Lynn Solomon Staff Shelves. My daughter graduated last week and her name is Rowyn so I knew this was the book that I wanted to read in honour of her graduation! Right away it gives me Lynn Painter vibes and that’s a very good thing! Rowan and Neil are as my daughter says, “ops”. For years, they have competed in debate, essay competitions, student council, and now on their final day of high school they compete to see who will be the valedictorian. When Neil takes the honour, Rowan decides that the senior Howl an assassin/scavenger hunt game is how she will take her revenge on her arch nemesis. When things go awry, Rowan and Neil join forces to get to the end of the Howl together and then all bets are off, winner take all. Along the way they find out more about each other. This is where it got strange for me, they text each other every morning, they’ve been rivals for years and know absolutely nothing about each other’s private lives? That seems odd. I liked Neil. When he opens up about his personal life, he surprises Rowan but she still has her defences up. Their conversation about being Jewish was awesome. Did not like driving after an edible but did like Rowan‘s point about good girls and sex. That is something I have always felt strongly about as well and loved how sex positive she is. I loved the game, the outcome and the fun feel of this last blast of high school. This was a cute book.
The sun is out and it is time for summer cocktails! Every time we podcast, Ninja makes us a seasonal cocktail to go with our podcast date and we enjoy them as we chat. Many moons ago, Ninja was a bartender and he still likes to use his tools to make us fancy drinks. I always joke that he makes a fine cocktail, but his presentation needs some work lol. For Father’s Day I bought him different cocktail paraphernalia to play with, so who knows what our fall cocktails may look like! Lol.
When the temperatures are skyrocketing out there, I like a cocktail that is refreshing and tart. This Summer Vodka Fizz is exactly those two things! Incredibly fresh, this drink is not overly sweet and is utterly perfect on a hot sunny afternoon!
This Basil Chambord Spritz was absolutely delicious! Raspberry, basil, and bubbles are an epic summer combination, and this spritz would be perfect by the pool, with a book, or by the pitcher lol.
If you’re looking for a sweet cocktail that packs a punch this Cuban Peach drink is a summer dream. Using fresh peaches and simple syrup, this drink is as sweet as sinking your teeth into an actual peach that you just plucked off the tree.
I am a big fan of tropical fruits. Pineapple is my favourite and goes great on pizza OR in a drink. This Pineapple Basil Smash was fresh, sweet, a little savory, and used up some of the basil that has been growing like crazy in our balcony garden. I loved this drink and can’t wait to have it again.
When I was a kid, my sister used to chew watermelon Hubba Bubba in the car. The smell was nauseating. I thought it would ruin my relationship with watermelon forever, but I was wrong. There’s nothing better on a hot summer day than a slice of watermelon, or this Watermelon Margarita! This tasted like watermelon in a glass. It was the perfect flavour for a poolside sipper. Very refreshing, very summery, and very delicious.
I am from Winnipeg, which is the Slurpee capital of the world. Seriously, it is lol. Even in the winter Winnipeggers drink Slurpees! I have never been a huge Slurpee fan, but on a hot summer day, I wouldn’t mind a little brain freeze once in a while lol. This Pineapple Rum Slush uses just three ingredients and maybe my new favourite drink of the summer! This was almost like Dole whip with rum flavouring. It was a dream in my mouth! If you’re not planning on taking a holiday this summer, bring the tropics to you by indulging in this easy pineapple treat!
Summer Vodka Fizz
2
servings5
minutesIngredients
4 oz vodka
2 oz elderflower liqueur
1 lemon, juiced
1 lime, juiced
Soda water
1 oz simple syrup
Garnish: lime wheel
Directions
In a shaker, combine the vodka, elderflower liqueur, lemon juice, lime juice, and simple syrup.
Fill the shaker with ice. Shake vigorously for about 15 seconds.
Fill each 2 highball glasses halfway with ice cubes. Strain the mixture into the prepared glasses. Top up the glasses with soda water and garnish with a slice of lime on each glass.
Basil Chambord Spritz
2
servings5
minutesIngredients
4 oz. Chambord
6-8 basil leaves, plus sprig for garnish
Prosecco, for topping
Soda water, for topping
Directions
Fill a cocktail shaker halfway with ice, add the Chambord and basil leaves and shake lightly to bruise the basil.
Strain into 2 wine glasses, fill each glass with more ice and top with prosecco and a splash of soda water. Garnish with basil.
Cuban Peach
2
servings5
minutesIngredients
3 oz white rum
3 oz peach schnapps
1 oz lime juice
1/2 oz simple syrup
2-3 peach slices
Garnish: peach wedge
Directions
Muddle the peach slices in the bottom of a cocktail shaker. Fill the cocktail shaker with ice.
Add white rum, peach schnapps, lime juice, and simple syrup to the shaker.
Shake well to combine. Fill rocks glass with ice. Strain mixture into each glass. Garnish with a peach wedge.
Pineapple Basil Smash
2
servings5
minutesIngredients
4 oz gin
2 oz pineapple juice
1 1/2 oz lime juice
1 oz simple syrup
4 basil leaves
Directions
In the base of cocktail shaker, muddle the basil leaves with the lime juice.
Add the gin, pineapple juice, and simple syrup. Fill the shaker with ice and shake vigorously for about 15 seconds.
Strain into rocks glasses filled with ice. Garnish with a basil sprig.
Watermelon Margarita
2
servings10
minutesIngredients
2 oz cointreau liqueur
2 oz lime juice
1 oz simple syrup
3 oz blanco tequila
4 cups watermelon cubes
Directions
Blend the fresh watermelon cubes until smooth, then strain to remove pulp and seeds.
Rim glasses with salt by rubbing a lime wedge around the rim and dipping into a plate of salt. Fill the glasses with ice cubes.
In a cocktail shaker, combine tequila, cointreau, lime juice, simple syrup, and watermelon juice. Shake vigorously for about 15-20 seconds.
Strain the mixture into the prepared glasses and garnish with a slice of watermelon.
Pineapple Rum Slush
2
servings5
minutesIngredients
16 oz cubed frozen pineapple
¾ cup pineapple juice
3 oz rum
Directions
Set aside two pineapple cubes to use as a garnish, slicing halfway through and placing on the rim of your glasses.
Pour pineapple juice and rum into a blender. Add pineapple cubes and blend until smooth. If mixture is too thick or difficult to blend, add another ¼ cup of juice.
Pour into glasses and garnish with set aside pineapple cubes.
Check out How Was Your Week, Honey? Episode #458 Happy Canada Day, T**t Waffle! This week, we get together on Canada Day, post-graduation, as we look forward to the summer.
Thank you to Crazy Little Lovebirds and The Cottage Market for featuring my Mom’s 13 Anniversary Birdfeeder & Canada Day post at their Crazy Little Lovebirds Link Party and A Morning Cup of Joe Weekly Inspiration Link Party last week.
Summer Holidays have officially begun!!!! The Kids went to Sunoka for a Sister Morning at the Beach, SBean spent Canada Day on her friend’s boat and HBear hung out with her BF and friends while Ninja and I made cocktails and podcasted.
Our balcony garden is starting to produce and the scent of tomato leaves is my new favourite obsession. HBear has been working a lot and SBean and her friends joined the summer library program. Ninja and I had a lovely afternoon date at Painted Rock and then Wild Goose Winery this weekend while SBean hung out at The Farmers Market with her friends, practiced piano and cuddled and HBear went thrifting and for a sleepover at her friends place! So far so GREAT!
