Hello, I'm sorry, I lost myself...

I think I thought you were going somewhere else...

David was at his conference in Vermont for two days which means it's me, the kids and the rental car all on our own. For those of you who've been following my blog since last November, when I attempted to navigate the NYC subway system in order to take my kids to Central Park Zoo but ended up in a Korean inhabited neighborhood of Brooklyn, you know I'm directionally "challenged".
The goal: to take the kids to the Ben & Jerry's ice cream factory in Waterbury. How tricky can that be?
I start by turning onto a road in downtown Burlington (how and why I chose this road seems trivial at this point) and Jett says, "Mommy I don't think this road is meant for cars." Because my six year old has been helping me find places since he was in a four point harness car seat, my heart drops as I realize he's right. Looking at my park surroundings, my best guess is that I'm on some sort of bike/jog trail. Continuing down the one way, windy path, my heart sinks even deeper: it is barricaded at the end with "wet paint" signs on the road. PANIC!!! There is no way I can reverse this car down the entire path. I'm pretty sure this Elantra doesn't have 4WD so I can't drive through the picnic area. What's a girl to do? I scan the area and see two city workers on their lunch break. Quick, Jeanine! Time to take on a half charming, half damsel in distress persona. It worked and next thing I know he's taking down "wet paint" signs (everything dry now), is standing in the middle of downtown traffic stopping cars so I can gracefully exit my rental car off the bike path.
Gathering myself together I find the highway and go about my way. People are zipping past me-one even honked as if I was the problem! These Vermonters are speed demons! Where are the cops? But, it does feel like we're kind of going slow. Then I remember...the rental was picked up in Toronto. The speedometer is marked for kilometers per hour, NOT MILES. So, using the tiny, idiot American mile markings, I pick up the pace. Now, I'm white knuckling it and I see a sign that warns me of impending moose in the next two miles. REALLY?!?! I just want a scoop of Ben & Jerry's!!!

Nothing Compares 2 U

So, after Niagara Falls it was pretty hard to impress me.
David: "Isn't Toronto a fun city?"
Me: "Not as fun as taking a boat ride under the falls."
David: "Isn't Ottawa beautiful?"
Me: "Not as beautiful as the falls."

...then I met poutine...
Poutine is Canada's answer to nachos...French fries and cheese curds smothered in gravy, cheese and various options. The one I had at Elgin St. Diner was covered in several cheeses and came freshly covered in gravy so hot the cheese melted shortly after I snapped this shot.
Oh Canada!

Freefalling!

I'm outside the U.S.
Can you guess where I am?
I'll give you three hints:

1. Celine Dion.
2. A self proclaimed form of bacon that suspiciously looks and tastes just like ham.
3. "eh?"

If you said "Canada" you are correct and very smart. Now, can you guess where in Canada I am? I'll give you three hints:

1. Superman 2
2. Pam and Jim (The Office)
3. Nik Wallenda

If you said "Niagara Falls" you are correct and probably watch too much television.

When I was a little girl, I watched Superman 2 (before we judged a film by its quality of special effects, but rather on characters and plot line) and was amazed by Niagara Falls and thought to myself, someday I'm going there! And I'll stay in a hotel with a fire pit in the bedroom! Too cool!
Fast forward to my adulthood, watching my favorite show "The Office" and lo and behold Pam and Jim get on a boat, donning garbage bag style slickers and get married while being sprayed by the falls. Too romantic!
So about a month or so ago I'm sitting at work and get an email from David informing me he booked a whirlwind trip to Niagara Falls and we needed to renew our passports. No problem!!! He looked into the hotel with a fire pit, but it's just a welcome center now. Bummer because I was going to throw David's glasses in the fire pit to confirm some suspicions I've had about him recently. Like when the dishes need washing he's nowhere to be found. Or when our kids were in diapers he was always MIA when they needed changing (only #2). Where is David, I wondered? Saving children falling from buildings? Or taking out bad guys?
So we get to my beloved Niagara Falls and by coincidence we picked the one weekend in over one hundred years that some tightrope walking maniac is crossing the falls. Really? What some considered a bonus I considered the equivalent to going to Disneyland in July: long lines and crowds. Oh well it was one night and mildly interesting.

The falls are even more beautiful than I imagined and the amount of water is mind boggling. I may not have gotten the fire pit, but I got the garbage bag, water drenching experience with my family; what's better than that?