/RANT Start/

Don’t let me pick up a newspaper if you don’t want me to start ranting.  Every day I take the subway I’m being offered one or two free “newspaper”, but I will not take them.  I can’t believe the poor guy that hands out one of them doesn’t recognize me: I’m sure I show a sour face every single time.  I can’t help it: I always find something wrong, from grammar mistakes to straight news errors.  I once found that the hockey scores were wrong!  In Montreal, of all the places!

So I did pick one up today.  It was abandoned on a subway seat (don’t get me started on “abandoned” stuff in the subway).  I picked it up, not like I usually do, which is to stuff it in a recycle bin (don’t get me started on the waste of paper these “newspaper” are).  No, I picked it up because I didn’t have my reading book with me and was wondering if I’d won the lotto.

Well, I didn’t find the winning lottery numbers, but I found an article that got me ranting.  It appears that our prime minister doesn’t believe that we need more police on our roads to reduce this year’s record-breaking death toll.  In his comments, he says that “people have responsibilities, and they have to take their responsibility” (my translation).  He also recognizes that his government has already increased police presence as well as fines, without apparent effect.  Finally, he states that the problem is found in Quebec’s culture.

Ooookay.  First of all, it is obvious people do not take their responsibility behind the wheel: the death toll is only one of many things that proves it.  They do not take their responsibility, yet they do drive around and use their cars.  How then does our premier thinks people will take their responsibilities?

Of course, he does skip that part, politician that he is.  He points out what’s already been done, and singles out our culture as the core of the problem.  Culture!  He dropped the magic word through which every head bows down — but that’s starting another rant.  Alright, then, Mr.premier, how do you solve a cultural problem that leaves 32 persons dead in only 2 weeks?  On holiday too, where you can drive leisurely because, well, you’re not late to get to the office, or in a hurry to the bank before it closes.  You can’t even blame frustrations or road rage from traffic jams because there wasn’t any for those 2 weeks!  (If anybody out there *thinks* there was one, try driving through that same spot now that the holidays are over.)

“We’re not going to create a police state to discipline every driver”, Charest said.  That, while he’s in China for a few days this week.

Sorry for those who are trying to support Francois and cancer research by paying for this brave-ish action of his, the people from Leucan said they are still trying to ‘get everybody registered’ because of the large volume of work. It sure is LONG waiting, but we encourage you not to give up and give the money away. We’re still bugging them!

Other news from the Jazzy city of Montréal:

• Francois continues to study and works hard on balancing things so he won’t wear out during this difficult time to study. WHO wants to study in the summer with a daughter this cute???!!!
• All of us celebrated the fête de la St.Jean Baptiste; Québec’s “national holiday” on June 24th, with a great little barbecue and time around the campfire. It was great to see our friends, Merci d’être venu tous le monde!!! Sorry if Eloïse spit up on you, SaraLee…she DOES love you.
• Eloïse got her first vaccinations last week in her little tiny thigh. It was quite a cocktail to prick and pour in there, but she only fussed a little…what a tough little munchkin!
• François and Charity go to see the fireworks for South Korea yesterday as part of the International Fireworks Competition. They were so beautiful!!
• Charity and little Loï will be traveling to Washington D.C./Virginia to visit relatives for 6 days….ALONE! She’s a little nervous about the airport stuff, but Mimi and Poppi were kind enough to help her by getting a direct flight…now she’s excited! Eloïse will see her namesake: Grammie Lois Rowe, and her 2 aunts; Ruth and Debbie. It will be un vrai aventure!
• Charity and Eloïse (of course) are taking cardio-poussette ; Stroller Aerobics classes at the local park, two days a week. This is torture in disguise but Charity is trying to apply her stubborn strain to the idea of loosing that pregnancy, well, ‘bulge’ is a nice word for it. Did anyone go through this after their child at 30years old??!!
• Eloïse continues to “stop traffic” wherever we go, and here’s the proof with some cute new photos!

My uncle Pierre is actually at the origin of this idea.  He wrote us a while back to let us know that he was part of a group of coworkers that would participate.  So far, they have raised 911$, for 6 heads!  That’s pretty good, right?  Considering I only have less than a week, you’re lucky I set only 150$ for my head: had I been earlier, I’d ask for much more!

As I write these lines, I have pledges for 40$, which is about a third of what is needed.  Please consider contributing!  It’s for a good cause!  Or two: you’ll get to laugh at me!

Unfortunately for night-owl Mommy, it usually comes in the mornings, but sometimes she makes me smile too.

I’m all dressed in my great Aunt Madeleine’s gift outfit

and happy to go to the doctors! Dr. Beaudin told me I weigh 8 lbs 9 oz (3,89kg) now and my neck and body tone are growing very STRONG! Watch out baby Oliver Rowe, (born last weekend) I may not be chubby but I’m fit as a fiddle!

Tout a commencé dans la nuit de dimanche le 6 avril.  Vers 4h du matin, Charity s’est réveillée avec des contractions.  Lorsqu’elle s’est rendue compte qu’elles étaient régulières, elle m’a réveillé et j’ai constaté qu’elle était déjà aux 10 minutes, mais très rapidement, vers 5h30, elle est passée aux 5 minutes.  Il était temps pour un bain relaxant, et un petit temps allongé: le seul résultat a été de passer aux 2 minutes.  J’ai appelé l’hôpital et on est entré vers 7h30.

À l’hôpital, sous observation, Charity était à nouveau aux 5 minutes, elle était dilatée seulement à un petit 3 et son col était effacé à 75%.  Puisque ça risquait d’être long, on a pris la décision de retourner à la maison.  Charity a pu prendre un bon petit déjeuner et une bonne grande marche avec sa mère.  Moi, j’ai pu prendre un petit somme, pour être en bonne forme plus tard!  Après tout ça, on regardait une émission de télévision pour se changer les idées quand les contractions sont devenues assez intenses pour être dérangeantes.  Direction hôpital!

Il était près de 13h30 quand on est arrivé à l’hôpital pour la deuxième fois.  En observation, les contractions étaient effectivement plus intenses et Charity était dilatée à 3.5, mais son col était maintenant très mince.  Après l’admission formellement réglée, Charity a pu utiliser le bain tourbillon de la chambre d’accouchement.  Une demi-heure de bain plus tard, les contractions étaient très intenses: Charity était maintenant dilatée à 8!

On a demandé l’épidurale et Charity a été installée dans la chaise d’accouchement.  Pendant qu’on préparait tout pour l’accouchement, 15 minutes plus tard, Charity était à 9.5!  L’anasthésiste n’arrivait pas: il était en salle d’opération.  La gynécologue de service de notre clinique non plus: elle était partie dîner un peu plus tôt, mais elle avait été rejoint et était en route.  Elle n’a jamais eu le temps de se rendre.  Les infirmières ont attrapé une autre docteure dans le couloir: je ne sais même pas si elle était de service.  Mais elle était très compétente et a bien dirigé l’accouchement.  L’infirmière qui semblait en charge aussi avait fait du très bon travail avant.  On ne sait pas comment ça aurait tourné sans elles.

Charity a accouché complètement naturellement 10 minutes et 4 ou 5 contractions plus tard.  Elle a poussé comme une pro!

Et voilà!  C’est en gros comment ça s’est passé!

We’re both very eager to see our little baby!