Happy Birthday Monica

It's my sister Monica's (Mucca) birthday today. She is turning 30somethingish.

In a large family she holds a special place as she was the closest in age to me. When I was younger I would always be following her around looking to get attention from her. I don't think she liked that much. I remember many beatings and I probably forget even more then I can remember (concussions...).

One of my favourite activities with Monica was taking the trike (Big Red) out for rides in the land behind our house in Humboldt.  She would drive, I would sit on the back racks. The one rule was that I was never allowed to touch her. Even if we were climbing a hill or taking a hard corner. Often on the hills I would fall off backwards or on the turns I would get my leg stuck under the wheel and it would run over me. I would end up crying for a bit and then jump back on the bike usually wrapping my arms around Mucca and receiving a sharp elbow to keep my hands off.

As I got older Monica became one of my best friends and often my confidante to help me with the hard decisions or to just be a sounding board. She picked a stellar husband in Paul and I'm lucky to have a pretty much open invitation to visit them anytime here in Edmonton.

Monica still has silly hangups and orders for me today; before it was not touching her ever, today it's no pictures of her online. So I'm stealing an older picture she posted of her and her family. Happy Birthday.