Meet Mathilda...She's a Hippo, and a Comfort

Mathilda and Zoey chillin' in the living room at the beach house...

Mathilda has become Zoey's best friend. Forget "Target" her first BFF...and "Cowraffe" has since been retired, even "Rarrrr" only garners Zoey's occasional attention these days. It's all about her stuffed Hippo, Mathilda, and justifiably so. Mathilda is softer than Zo's butt, which is pretty damn soft. Mathilda is a good listener, which Zo demands from all her friends, and Mathilda goes to sleep with Zo every night. She's perched right there in the corner of Zed's crib, and like Rarrrr, she keeps a good watch on her buddy, Zo. She's become the friend we can't get rid of...you know, the one that always comes over unannounced and eats straight from the fridge? Naturally, she doesn't do all that but if she could she surely would.

Even I'm comforted by Mathilda. That's why tonight when I discovered that I'd been shortlisted for a pretty heavy job in Crescent Beach, British Columbia, I had to seek Mathilda's counsel. A few minutes in Mathilda's soothing plush presence is enough to ease whatever burden you might be afflicted with. She certainly puts me at ease.

The opportunity sits at the core of a pretty phenomenal community initiative out in Vancouver. The city has a number of neighborhood houses that deliver community, social and recreational services to residents balancing real grass roots efforts with pretty innovative community supports. I'd been eying the work these neighborhood houses do for a few years now, and always thought that the work was so absolutely grounded in local activism and community work that I would never have the opportunity to get involved...plus it's on the other side of the country. I was wrong...well, not about the other side of the country stuff...that's still very much true. I was wrong to imagine that I was somehow unable to play in that world. Apparently, I was the only one who thought that. The people running the show think that I'd do just fine...at least enough so to short list me for consideration to fill the position. It was a bit of a surprise that they got in touch so out of the blue.

So now I need to complete some screening work, and submit that, then I need to evaluate the life change, then I need to talk to some people...then I need to either get it and say, "yes," or get it and say, "no," or blow the whole thing. Where's Mathilda?

The things we need to consider...

Are we ready to leave the area?

Can we afford the new scenario?

Can June transfer or find work?

Can we realistically steal a granddaughter away from new grandparents?

Is this what we want?

What the hell do we actually want?


That's a lot to consider. Some other random things to chuck in the mix...


We had always planned on heading West and just didn't.

June's sister Anette is living in Vancouver.

Brian's Uncle Marvin and Aunt Shirley are living in Victoria.

Brian's cousin Steven is living in Vic as well.

June's cousin Scott is in the Vancouver area too.

Brian's good friend Gail Armstrong and her awesome family is also in the area.

The position sounds as though it starts as early as December.

It's funny, a long time ago when we looked at a map of the West coast and imagined where we'd want to live we decided that White Rock was the place...right on the Washington border, right on the ocean, part of a major metropolitan area but feels like a small town...and now, however many years distant, this job opportunity is in Crescent Beach, a beachside village on the northern edge of White Rock. Hmmm, can you say, "crazy? We can.

I'm supposed to try and sleep tonight...yeah, right. Now all I can think of is, "are we ready for this if it were to happen?" and, "could we drag Zo away from people that love her beyond comprehension?" It's some heavy stuff, isn't it?

I might just sneak into Zo's room and abduct Mathilda for the night, either that or snuggle real close to June and hope for clarity.