Not to be or to be? That's the Question.

*Mila* and I have been reading the Barefoot Book titled 'Shakespeare's Storybook: Folk Tales that Inspired the Bard'. To be completely honest with you, if you have never gotten into Shakespeare and you don't have anyone young to read to, don't fret. We took this out from our local urban library and I've been enjoying it so much that I've decided we need to own our own copy. It's Shakespeare without the "doths" and the "me thinks". What *Mila* got out of the "Ashboy" aka Hamlet story was "Not to be or to be? That's the question." that she reiterated to her dad when he arrived home.

A DOOCE FAN note: Dooce will be on ABC Nightline tonight at 11:35 pm according to her blog and the ABC website. If this was somehow misinterpreted by me I will officially take myself to the optometrist and get some damn glasses!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (see Dooce's affinity for exaggerated exclamation marks) Personally, I always dreamed I would be on Letterman. I hope she doesn't get on Letterman, then my days are over of ever getting on his show for having a yodeling dog that can spit noodles from her nostrils whilst I balance on her head.

For Mother's Day I was sort of expecting the IKEA teapot that I've been hinting at for several weeks. Since it's only $9.99 I thought I'd see it stuffed into a Zellers bag on the kitchen table in the morning. But, instead when *Steve* got out of bed he whispered in *Mila's* ear the words she was supposed to utter 3 hours earlier when she woke me up from my slumber at 6:30: "Happy Mother's Day! We're going to Niagara Falls today!" I guess she was pumped to go and I have to say she kept her secret safe from me for the first time. We get there at least once a year, as it's just a short little drive for us. In fact, I think we clocked in at 40 minutes this time due to good traffic on the way there and about an hour and 45 minutes on the QEW coming home. *Mila* wasn't too interested in getting out in Niagara-On-The-Lake (which happened to be Ontario's prettiest town at one time, I believe...if you've ever been there you'll know what I'm talking about) and I can't say I blamed her as it was super busy with several of sweater-over-the-shoulder dudes. As *Steve* said "Your Dad would never live here because he doesn't tie his sweater around his shoulders." For one second of my life I actually remembered thinking how wonderful it would be if I met some guy named Brad, Chad, or Tad who would wear his preppy sweater tied over his shoulders like that. It was 1984. Okay, okay, enough of that talk. We got out and a kind young lady offered to take our picture at the Floral Clock. *Mila* and *Steve* played Hide-and-Go-Seek for 30 minutes (something she'll remember for the rest of her life.

Here is *Steve* stuffing himself between two cedars.

And here is *Steve* grabbing our four-year-old by the scruff of her neck to hold still for 10 seconds so I can take her photo.

Down the Niagara Parkway we went and we finally found a parking spot after driving thru the Clifton Hill strip 10 times and seeing what lurks on the streets behind the tourist traps. Advice to visitors who have never been to Niagara Falls before: Spend the $12 and park close to the Falls on the Parkway unless you clearly look like a thug and want to buy some illegal drugs down a back alley and only pay for the $5 spot.

There they are being blown away by the wind and *Mila* had given up eating her Dipping Dots by this point.

She must have stood there (along side another 4-year-old girl) watching this water fountain for 5 minutes until we dragged her away. We never did get to see the largest tourist trap in North America after this time-waster.

Since the weekend was all about the women of the family, today I've got a little secret recipe from our family that the men do love: BEER BREAD

You heard me right brother, BEER BREAD. It has real beer in it. Or you can add the non-alcoholic variety if you so choose. It goes great with your other BBQ fare or it always goes really really really well with pickerel if you are fortunate enough to catch some fresh from Minnitaki Lake.

2 & 3/4 cups flour

2 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp thyme

1 tsp dill

1 can of beer (or bottle - you do the math)

Mix all ingredients together well, pour into a loaf pan and bake in a 375 degree oven for 45-50 minutes. Serve warm with butter.

signed, the willow