130-O Reunion Weekend

This past weekend, I reunited with 5 of my besties for a long overdue 130-O Reunion weekend. I am still grinning ear to ear thinking about this weekend. We had such a great time, and while I could detail every moment, you might not find it as amusing as we did - there were a lot of 'had to be there' moments for us, and while you really did have to be there, you can still appreciate the fun we had sharing old memories and making some new ones too!

Needless to say, we laughed a lot this weekend (howled at times)... and renewed our faith in the fact that living at 130-O and experiencing University was indeed some of the best times in our lives! We obviously thought this because we headed back to scene of the crime for a reminiscent tour of the hot spots!

Its hard to put into words what these ladies mean to me, its like being sisters - only a glorified sisterhood - we love each other, we rely on each other, we share the same opinions on some things, and oppose each other on others, but all around, we stick together, we support each other, we embrace each other - no matter how long its been, no matter what the distance between us... we are there for each other, and truly soak up the laughs and time we have together, because we all lead busy lives, and we know that the next time we get to do this, might not be for a while.

I really do love these ladies... and this weekend only reminded me how important these girls are to me! I can't wait for our next 130-O Reunion... it may be hard to top this one, but I look forward to trying!

 

Good Great Friends

What would life be like without great friends?

On Thursday night, I was out for dinner with three of my besties who I haven't seen in quite some time. It was a belated birthday dinner celebration for me (but really just a good excuse to get out for dinner for all of us), and it could not have come at a better time.

I have been in a bit of a funk lately, the "I have two kids" reality has sunk in, and while its going well, its also a reality check that this is MY life. The ups and down of parenthood have hit me this week... newborn baby, sick toddler, and sleep deprived parents, makes for a *lovely* combination of 'joy and happiness' in this household.  I did not leave the house since the Friday before, so was finding it hard to be energetic and cheerful when I can't pay for two minutes of downtime, but yet I do my best to pick my battles and hope for a better combo of everything next week (although it grand scheme of things, I know its not. that. bad.).

Now... where was I going with this (Mommy brain)... oh yes, great friends.  I had a long overdue scheduled outting with the girls and we spent two hours laughing (and at times laughing so hard I was almost crying). Nothing lightens my mood like some good girlfriend banter... I can't even begin to share what we were talking about, because I don't remember half of it, but I do know that leaving the restaurant I had a permanent smile on my face the entire drive home. Seriously, these ladies make me laugh and smile, and it was a great break from a trying week.

Girlfriends are the best medicine... and I am so thankful to have so many great girlfriends ... even those that I don't see very often or live miles away, but I know that when I do get a chance to catch up with them, they brighten my life!

Thanks ladies for a great night! It made Friday's outing of lugging two kids to the doctor with me that much more bearable (which is a whole other blog post for another day).

10 years ... for 130-O!

This week I have been doing a bit of reminiscing ... as it has been 10 years since I started University, and 10 years since I met some of my best friends.

My University crew, who I refer to as 130-O, are some pretty terrific friends. We have shared so many funny and memorable moments, I don't know where to start... I am so thankful for this group of girls. The thing about these ladies is that no matter where we go, or what we do, we always can reunite every so often and share stories from our Ottawa U years all over again.

I really believe that University was some of the best years of my life. I feel old saying that... I think every phase of your life has good things about it, but University was one of the most care-free, life-changing periods of my life. I didn't realize it at the time, but it was the chapter in my life where I had a lot of fun, learned a lot about myself, yet was careless about some things while learning responsibility about others.

Yes, I got an education out of the deal, but I wouldn't say it was the book education that I learned the most from, it was the social aspect that taught me more than any book ever could. I learned that good friends are for life, and these are the friends that will be standing over my casket in 80 years saying, 'damn, she's still got it', with a chuckle!

I thought, on our 10 year anniversary it would only appropriate to share how we all met... so below you have the story how 130-O came to be (from my perspective).

When I think back to starting University... I think of my, now, good friend Erin (aka Boyder). At the time, she and I did not know each other, but we were both enrolled in the Communications program at Ottawa U. She had taken French in high school, I had not. We sat next to each other the first day of orientation, and when the prof started speaking French, I sat there for 3 minutes pretending I was understanding, and then looked at her and said 'Do you speak French?'... to which she nodded yes, with a sympathetic smile. She helped me out that day, translating to me what I missed out on, and from the point forward our first day interaction was the beginning of a beautiful friendship... and so much more.

Boyder, roomed with a girl named Erica (aka Clapper) who both lived in the same residence as me. Clapper was enrolled in the Business Administration program and in that program Clapper met Krista (aka KL). KL was roommates with a girl named Amber (aka Bee), and Bee and Clapper actually went to high school together for a few years, back in Whitby - so they already knew one another.

Through these mini connections, we started all hanging out together in a group, going to eat at the cafeteria, walking to classes together, and by Christmas time, we were each others allies in Thompson residence. When the 3 am fire alarm was pulled, we would call each other and wait for one another in the stairwells so we didn't have to be stuck out in the cold alone... instead we would hang out, laugh, make fun of each other, and get to know one another even better.

Shortly after Christmas of that year, we decided we wanted to cohabitate off-campus the following year. So we set out searching for a house close to campus, and we stumbled upon a run-down 3 story house with 6 bedrooms and one (yes I said ONE) bathroom - in a prime location. It had major potential, but when we showed our parents... their faces pretty much screamed 'I am not leaving my daughter in that death trap'. It took some convincing, and a game plan, but of course we all stuck together, everyone pitched in, and by the following September, we were happily moving into 130 Osgoode Street... which would be home to us for the next 3 years. Having that address, we became known as the girls of 130-O.

We did have 6th roommate that first year, who we don't speak to anymore... she moved out after our first year together in 130-O and in moved our 6th and final member of the house... April (aka Baby). Baby was a year younger than us, but fit in well... and in no time was up to speed with the 130-O lifestyle! She completed our group... and together as a group of 6 we made some great memories.

We still talk about the random streaker who showed up at our front window one rainy night, whipped open his trench coat and was naked - he stood there laughing and staring until we shut the blinds. There was also Pita Pit delivery guy who rolled up on his bike with our order. The crazy creepo men who lived next door and shouted things like 'I want to gauge your eyes out with a spoon'... and let's not forget the thief who PC caught red handed in our living room, stealing our booze and my Palm Pilot! We had our drunken pub crawls, street parties on Spark's Street, birthday theme parties, our famous trip to Dominican, movies nights, flash light dance parties, our crook of a landlord Ivan, burning the three-wick candle, our crazy 130-O keg parties, Sunday dinners, the good luck song, and many late night conversations in each other's rooms talking about random events, relationship issues, and school stress.

Yes... 10 years has come and gone, but in that decade, so much has happened in my life, and these ladies (Boyder, Clapper, KL, Bee, and Baby) have been there to share in all of the highs and lows. My girls have become sisters to me, they are my family and my best friends.

10 years is a long time, but in the grand scheme of life, I think our friendship is only the start of beautiful things to come.

Happy 10th Anniversary 13o-O Ladies!