At my in-laws’ place on the weekend, they put on Nana Mouskouri’s “Petit Garçon”, and lamented not having the English version “Old Toy Trains”, which they grow up listening to it at Christmas time on a reel-to-reel.

Here are lower quality recorders of both songs.

Nana is a singer who has recorded about 1,500 songs in 15 languages on 450 albums in a career spanning over five decades, making her one of the best-selling artists and highest selling female artist of all time. Incredible!

Nana Mouskouri’s singing feels familiar, but I can’t recall her being part of my family’s traditions growing up.

It took me a while to find the album with “Old Toy Train” on it. It’s “Christmas with Nana Mouskouri [IMPORT]“, not to be confused with “Nana Mouskouri – The Christmas Album“, which has Petit Garçon on it and about double the songs — though fewer of my wife’s favorites.

These songs are really enchanting. When I hear “old toy trains”, I think of new, but olden style wooden toy trains.

My wife’s mom recently got a used Brio train set for our 19 month old son. He is really enjoying it and continues to say “train” in excitement in his over pronounced way.

My co-worker Ryan, with two young boys of his own, shares in “Kid Gear”

Laying down wooden tracks and pushing wooden trains is favored over all of the electronic gizmos we’ve bought them.

Wooden trains bring back some of my oldest, fondest memories.

The weather has been gorgeous these last few days. Although, bike to work week isn’t till May 11–17, it’s awesome to see so many people biking to work. I do chuckle a little at the awkward commuter cyclist in their business attire and inappropriate shoes, but good on ‘em!

Now, when I think of Earth Day, I think of my son, and my son’s future children. I get an anxious energy to do my part for Earth every day.

I regularly think of child Canadian Severn Cullis-Suzuki in 1992 addressing the UN Earth Summit 1992:

“If you don’t know how to fix it, please stop breaking it. … You grownups say you love us, but I challenge you, please, make your actions reflect your words”

My brother living in Beijing was described in a Metro News article as “[sporting] a tall frame and sandy brown hair.” The article quotes his advice of tolerance:

“People yelling “hello” at you, asking to take their picture with you, staring, or commenting on the sharpness of your nose — they don’t mean any harm by it,” he said good naturedly.

J, W, and I all have head colds. J is just over her’s, W is hopefully just starting to recover, and I’m in the middle of mine.

It’s really hard to see little W sick, but it doesn’t phase him as he still wears a big smile most of the time.

I was recently at an event where part of a speech was the saying, “The family that prays together stays together”. There were a lot of non-religious people at the event so it was a little surreal.

Last night as I lay in bed I thought with a chuckle, “The family that is sick together sticks together.”

Two of the times when I feel closest to my family is when we are playing together or when we are working and accomplishing something together.

“The family that plays together stays together”

I can’t think of a good one for work? “The family that struggles together huddles together”?