The title is an old Arab proverb. I’ll be singing Happy Birthday so here’s hoping it’s true.

The family from Brockvegas, The United Kingdom of England, Cowtown and Our Nations Crapital descend upon Toronto this friday to celebrate Mom’s B-day. You gotta love a woman of simple tastes, she’ll be wearing the Chanel suit but all she’s indicated for a gift is the DVD of House, Season 3.

In our family, get togethers are rare, due to the travel expanse. This will be like all the holidays rolled into a 48 hr period – compressing emotions into a pressure cooker of family fun. Expect emotions to be high. Expect someone to blurt out the family secret that we all avoid (who’s attic does it live in these days? I lost count). Expect sibling-produced complements lain like wet towels in a frat house: hap hazardously and without thought (“Are you still renting? Well! Hum! How nice!”). Expect knees to be kicked under tables.

In all seriousness, I am looking forward to this. Been too long since I’ve seen The CowTown Queen, Rhino, The Professor and Mary Ann (his beayoutiful husband). You all know who you are.