Every once in a while, I like to think I’m in control of my life. And every once in a while, life finds it necessary to put me firmly back in my place. The last couple of weeks have been such a while. 😛
I tend not to talk much about my personal life online…well, apart from Giant Dog and Itty Bitty Pretty Kitty, I mean, lol…so few people here know that my youngest daughter has ASD (autism spectrum disorder). She’s 21 now and, for the most part, is coping pretty well. Anxiety is a huge problem for most people on the spectrum, however, and she’s no exception…particularly when faced with a new situation. When that happens, she needs some extra support–and all my very best-laid plans go flying out the window.
In this instance, the new situation was a visit from an online gaming friend who hails from Scotland. He’s a sweet, soft-spoken young man who’s quite happy to follow along and see what he can of Canada, but daughter has never had to play host to anyone for more than a day or two, and he’s here for two weeks. Cue extreme anxiety for her over not meeting her hostessing duties–and for me over watching my deadlines slide further and further out of my grasp. (That laughter you hear? That’s life’s response to that whole thinking I was in control thing. 😛 )
Long story short, I’ve shelved writing for the moment–both for daughter’s sake and my own sanity–and hubby and I have stepped into tour-guide mode. Daughter’s anxiety is easing now that she knows she has back-up entertainment for her guest, guest is seeing many sights and gaining a wonderful impression of Canada, my stress levels have returned to (near) normal, and we’re all enjoying the bonus road trips we’re making. Because if you’re going to lose control realign your priorities, you might as well have fun doing it, right? Right. 😉
So, in the spirit of letting go and showing our guest a good time, on Tuesday we headed up to Parc Omega, a wildlife park near Montebello, Quebec, about an hour’s drive from us. We haven’t been there since our kids were still little, and it was fun showing our Scottish guest some North American critters he wouldn’t otherwise see. And because I took pictures (many, many pictures!), I thought you might like to see some of them, too. 🙂
Check back tomorrow for some pics from our next road trip – a day at the Upper Canada Village heritage park!
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