u/Curious-Piglet-1792

Im so in love with this route, and looking for a good mix of challenge and some down time. Intermediate experience, though this will be my longest trip. I'm planning for 12 (up to 14) nights solo in August. Double carrying at the beginning of trip and on more technical portages (realistically most portages)

Day 1: Canoe - Big Trout
Day 2: Big Trout
Day 3: Big Trout - Burtnroot
4: Burntroot - Whiskeyjack
5: Whiskeyjack
6: Whiskeyjack - Perley / the Pet
7: Perley - Hogan (this will be a grind..)
8: Hogan
9: Hogan - Merchant
10: Merchant
11: Merchant - Otterslide Lake
12: Otterslide Lake
13: Otterslide - Canoe

Is this realistic as is, or should I throw in an extra night or two somewhere? I've tried to space out my rest days to account for anything unforeseen that I won't get behind more than a day.

I've been VLC with my mother for about a year and half - two years now. (I stopped being the one to maintain / make an effort for communication, and it just happened... easily).

I've noticed the past few months that even if she has something to say to me directly, she'll still message in our family group chat, which consists of myself, her, and my aunt. Maybe I'm just looking for any reason, but this annoys me to no end. I've muted the fb chat bc my opinion is that if she has something to say to me, she can get ahold of me. My number hasn't changed in 10+ years.

Today is my sons 9th birthday. Cue a text to the group, "wish so and so a happy birthday from us!" I thumbed up the message. Not a call to her only grandchild, not even a message sent directly to me to pass on to him. FWIW, I've never kept her from having a relationship with him, she's just never made ANY effort. At all. She's a stranger to him and it's by way of her own actions, or lack thereof. She's a professional in self-victimization, so I'm sure in her mind it is my fault that my son doesn't "come around more often and don't be a stranger". (Favourite thing to say to him at the obligatory family holiday dinners).

I've already been thinking that this year we will not be attending any of the holiday celebrations, and the fact that she cannot pick up the phone to call her only grandchild on his birthday was almost freeing to me. If you can't even do that, I sure as shit can't be bothered to truck him around to spend holidays with someone who is less familiar to him than his dentist. I am losing the feeling of obligation, and she's made it easy.

AIO by sending this text to my child's classmate's parent?

Some context: Three 3rd graders coming to our place for my sons birthday party after school. I met all the kids at school to walk home as we're only a few minutes away. I hadn't previously met the other parents until today. While chit chatting waiting for the kids, a couple of the mothers asked which laneway at my apartment building to use when coming for pickup. This indicated to me they'd done a prior "drive by" (totally cool, I would do the same). Yes, my apartment building is old. Yes, it's frankly pretty ugly. But my yard area (and home, child, and self!) is well kept and cared for. Kids attend a Catholic school. The other parents are "hockey moms" while I am a single mother.

Hi (Kids Mom),

We hope Your Kid enjoyed himself at the party yesterday. I’m reaching out because there was a situation during the afternoon that I’m not quite sure how to address but I feel I need to bring to your attention.

As we were arriving at our home, Your Kid started asking, "Is this a crackhouse? It looks like a crackhouse." He even asked My Kid directly if he lived in one. I told them immediately that it was not nice and to stop, but 10–15 minutes later I overheard the same talk. When I corrected him again, he insisted that I "didn't know what it meant." However seeing as he used the term in such perfect context it was quite clear to me he understood exactly what he was saying.

To be honest I am quite upset about this. I'm well aware our home is older, but it is a safe, clean, and loving environment for My Kid that I work hard to provide by myself. Since the boys attend a school that teaches them to "do unto others" and to act without judgment, I was shocked to hear such a targeted observation, especially since during our walk home I noticed how kind and thoughtful all of the kids were towards each other. It’s a very specific sentiment to be used so confidently without having heard it elsewhere.

I wanted to share this with you because if it were My Kid, I'd like to be aware of how he is speaking to his friends and where he might be picking up this kind of language. With all this being said, if you, or Your Kid, have any actual concerns about my home or My Kid's environment, I am more than happy to invite you in. I hope we can help the boys understand that a home’s value is about the people and the love inside it, rather than what it looks like from the street.