Friday, January 13, 2012. Sometime in the mid-1970s, before moving to Canada, my mother bought Boerenbonten dishes at the Albertcuypmarkt in Amsterdam. Boerenbont is a type of traditional pottery from the Netherlands, handpainted in a blue, red, green and yellow floral pattern, originally made more than a century ago. Still popular in the Netherlands, Royal Boch out of Belgium continues to make and sell it. Whenever we set the table with them. Christmas dinner being served by my mom back in 1979.

Comedy writer Kristin Newman shares her funny, sexy, and ultimately poignant journey in her new book WHAT I WAS DOING WHILE YOU WERE BREEDING, chronicling the time she spent traveling the world and falling madly in love with attractive locals. while her friends at home were settling down with husbands and children. Kristin Newman reminds me of David Sedaris, but with more joy. Available wherever books are sold.

I taught all my classes about Canada today, told them about poutine and played some of them the national anthem.

I remember few details, but I woke up this morning with the weighty realization that the grasp I thought I had on what dreams are is shaky at best. The work I still have ahead of me is staggering. And she gave me bright-eyed hug.