Mom & Duncan Visits

Three weeks ago, my mom came over to visit our place for the first time since I moved a year ago. Her and Duncan were going to come over the week after Thanksgiving, but me and Lee-Anne both got sick with that thing that wasn't COVID. After that, we were going to do a Halloween visit, but scheduling didn't line up and so we wound up having a visit at this nondescript time.

She'd been over to my last place, so she'd already met Kieran, but she got to meet Finnegan. Kieran quickly ran up to her and started meowing so it seemed like he remembered her, but he's a very social cat so it's hard to tell.

Lee-Anne wanted to make sure we had stuff to do while she visited, but I knew that just having cats was probably enough. Even if they just napped all weekend, Mom would be happy to be around them. My mother really likes cats.

Finn was very affectionate and spent a lot of time sitting on Mom's lap and purring. Before Finn, I thought that lap cats were just a myth, crafted by the cliché of a villain petting a fluffy white cat on his lap. In reality, they might sit with you or lay against you, but they're unlikely to sit directly on your lap, and if they do, they won't stay for long. But Finn will sit on your lap for hours if you let him.

We went for a walk on the Iron Horse Trail, which we live right next to. Mom is even more into Pokemon Go than I am, and the section of the Iron Horse that I usually walk has 10 Pokemon Gyms neatly lined in a row. It feels like being on a real-world Pokemon Route. Mom likened the experience to being on Victory Road, which is an area you have to cross before challenging the Elite 4 and the Champion near the end of the games.

We got donuts from the Munch Box, which is a bakery in Belmont Village, a strip of small businesses near where we live. The brother of a close friend owns this bakery. There are like three others including a Lady Glaze, which is one of the two most recognized donut shops in Kitchener, but honestly, since they've opened up branches in several other cities including Guelph, they feel a little mainstream lately. Rather go for the place owned by someone I know, which is only available in Belmont Village.

We went to Central Fresh Market, which is an independently owned grocery and the one closest to us. We got some spinach and feta twisters in filo pastry. Central makes a lot of stuff fresh daily, and the spinach twisters might be the best thing they make. Mom also found some ramen there. Like, the stuff you get in the international section that's a little more advanced than cup ramen. It was lobster, which she's apparently not seen before, so she got a couple bowls.

While we were out there, I was able to show her the building where I work.

Lee-Anne made homemade Mac & Cheese for dinner

Except she used cavatappi instead of macaroni noodles, so it's technically Cav & Cheese.

Mom brought home some donuts, a spinach twister, and the lobster ramen bowls for Duncan.

He came the following week. We had to stagger the visits because of scheduling. I showed him the Iron Horse too, even though he doesn't play Pokemon Go anymore (a reminder that you don't have to play Pokemon to go for a walk) and we got Thai food from a place in Belmont Village.

The cats were similarly welcoming to Duncan, and he described them as "angels"

The weather was miserable for both their visits. Lots of rain halfway formed to snow, but we persevered.