Things that go Trump in the night

I can honestly say I have very little interest in politics. I'm not saying I dislike the democratic process, I just really do not have any interest who is running for mayor, school board, premier, president, prime minister or whatever.

I do think my vote counts and I do make every attempt to be part of the democratic process. At times I even take interest in the issues at hand, but I really don't care over all. Is any one leader going to be better than another? Maybe, maybe not. Are they really going to carry through on what they promise? Maybe, maybe not.

Perhaps its skepticism on my part about how much one government can really do over the course of a term that leads me to this apathy, I really don't know. But I just don't really care or have any interest in following campaigns or platforms or running races or whatever you want to call it.

In all honesty, I usually pick a candidate on the likelihood that I would like to sit down and have a beer with them. Are their values parallel to mine, would they be able to talk about normal things like family and recreation and have a few laughs or would they always be "political"?

Right now we have a prime minister that I think I could possibly kick back on a Saturday afternoon and have something to talk about for a few hours over some munchies and beverages. Same goes for Obama in the USA. He seems like a pretty down to earth guy that would be interesting to hang out with. I'm not sure how much we have in common, but he seems like a person I would pick chat with if I had the chance.

There have been others over time that would have been interesting to hang with right from the local or club level on through to leaders of nations.

Where am I going with this? All eyes are on the USA right now and the race for nominations in the republican party, with a certain billion dollar mogul reality tv personality leading the way.

Scary stuff.

As a Canadian I always hate the US just a little bit, they're the bigger, stronger, more powerful neighbour that you just cannot match in so many ways so you resent them a little bit.

I've always said that there are a lot of Americans who are ignorant purely because they are American. They don't think they need to know anything about anyone else and are entitled to do what they want  and think the way they do because they are American.

I'm not saying everyone that resides in the US is this way, in fact it is probably a minority, but just as in elementary school there are a few bad apples that give the whole class a bad name.

American's get a bad rap in a lot of countries for this attitude of "my shit don't stink and there is nothing you can do about it"

They're going to be walking a fine line if a certain fellow named Trump gets the Republican nod for president.

He is exactly the pompous (and I don't mean his hair), arrogant, misogynistic asshole personality that everyone hates.

He is trying to preserve America he says. 

I haven't seen him speak, I haven't heard his message first hand, I know I shouldn't judge without "the seeing is believing" aspect. But how can anyone get behind this man?

The fear mongering and verbal assaults of anyone and everything should be a turn off for any reasonable person.

I just don't understand it. Are there Americans that are really that naive or dumb to think this man is the saving grace for the good old US of A. Dear Lord I hope not.

Being a neighbouring nation to the States I liken it to your neighbour having a tank or cannon in their back yard. They say you will be safe but who's to say when that weapon might get aimed your way and take you and your family out without warning.

I think Canada and Mexico feel this way, what is our neighbour going to be like if this guy gets into power. Should we just build a wall and keep the whole damn lot of them out at all times?

It's a weird scenario, one I hope never happens here. Politicians are not usually well liked, but there hasn't been one in a long time that I've disliked as much as this one. I definitely don't want to sit down and have beer and wings with him

All I can say is Go Hillary…:-)

Proud parenting moments

If you have read things here before you know that we've had our battles with Miss K and her swimming lessons. She loves the water and likes to be in the pool but is perplexed sometimes as to why she should need to take swimming lessons.

She uses the argument that when we're in the boat she's wearing a life jacket so that will keep her afloat. There is always the plea that she does not like or does not want to go to swimming lessons.

Our response is suck it up buttercup, you're going. We will not make you take a dance/karate/golf/ski/violin/chess/basket weaving lesson in your entire life. We will make you take swimming lessons.

It's a life skill and when you are around water as much as we are, absolutely 100% necessary. It's no wonder they've decided that "swim to survive" programs are a good thing in elementary school. You need to know what to do when faced with deep water.

I think we had a break through this weekend though. It was the final day of Miss K's swim class and she actually tried to do all the things the teacher asked by herself, which involved some very basic skills but she had to have her head/face in the water all the time and she did it.

She did not pass the level as there were about 3 things on the list that she had not done well enough to be moved on but she really really tried.

I was so proud of her, so was Big C and most important she was proud of herself.

We bought her goggles this session as she said the water bothered her eyes. With such a healthy dose of chlorine usually in the pool I could see her point. But we hoped it would boost her confidence to get her noggin in the water the way she needed to.

It took a bit but I think it might have been a stepping stone to what we saw this weekend.

She wasn't even too bummed that she didn't pass. She was impressed that she did so many things by herself and knew that she did better that day than most of the other days combined.

So much so we had to go swimming again on Sunday at the family swim. I would have much preferred to stay home and have a nap or do other things, but she was keen and wanted us all to go. She was fantastic. Instead of being whiny and negative when we wanted her to try things she threw herself into it wholeheartedly and did the best she could each and every time. 

I was frozen and had to go pee after about 5 minutes in the pool, but she was having so much fun and really doing well it was heartwarming to see, even if my teeth were chattering.

She has a long way to go before she can swim independently, but I think we just crossed the first big hurdle and from here on in, perhaps going to swimming lessons will be less " I don't want to go" and more "I wonder what I will be able to do this week"

Miss K is always a little anxious over new things and situations, but her confidence is building and it is such a treat to see. 

Til next time…I hope someone in your life can get over something that makes them anxious