Name: Meghan Wolcott
Family: Married to Denver Carl with 2 boys, Forrest (5) and River (2) and Kit the dog
Profession: Stay at home mom
Years in Grenfell: 10
Age: 37
Have you ever lived in another country?
Yes, I lived in Mexico and Thailand. I was in Thailand in 2004 and lived in Mexico after that. I took my Divemaster course in Thailand, so I was there for six months on Ko Tao, which is a pretty big diving island in Thailand. And then I lived in Manzanillo, Mexico. I dived there for a bit, and I got dressed up in sequins and feathers pieces and danced. Yep. I did! I applied for a sports coordinator job, and they asked me if I could dance, and I said ya. I like to dance, but I've never done choreography or anything. So during the day I did water aerobics, and volleyball and stuff, and then at night you got put on stage. The first time I did my makeup, I thought I had tons on. I was thinking, ya. I've got my stage makeup on and they made me turn back two times to put more layers on. And I got yelled at in Spanish by the choreographer so many times. She probably called me a lot of bad names. I just couldn't get it. I had to look at someone. It was fun. I don't regret it. Especially since I had the pre-mom bod. It was hard to put the fishnet stocking on, and then put so much stuff with sequins on, because it would get caught on everything. And then I left that job and moved to Puerto Vallarta. I was the same thing there, sports coordinator and dancing. And then I hooked up with a guy that owned a diving shop. So I took people diving. And then I joined up as a time share rep. I was one of those annoying people! I was good at it, because I cared. A lot of people just would try to get people there, but I told them, this is how you get out. These are the things you have to say. But it was good, because I worked in the marina, so there were lots of sail ships, not cruise ships. I got to know some of the people that owned the boats, so I was able to tell people, you go to this time share and I'll get you your own boat and captain for the day. So it was a really good kick. I was honest. And some of them still bought. I would tell them, this is a bad investment. Don't do it! But they still bought, which is fine. And I got a kickback. So it was good. They were warned!
What do you do to spread joy?
Do I spread joy?? What would my friends say? This is a hard one. I don't even know if I spread joy. I think I spread joy...like I have friends, If I didn't spread joy, I wouldn't have friends, right? Is joy just making people laugh? I think things come out of my mouth that I don't think about, and I just spit them out. And sometimes they're awkward and not usually what people say. But they make people laugh. Because there's a truth to what I say. Just maybe I say them at an awkward time, or maybe when it's not appropriate.
What's the best advice you've ever been given?
I think it's been recently - I don't know the guy... he was on the internet. It wasn't wise words from my grandma or anything. But it was about happiness. About how no one is responsible for your happiness but yourself. I think that changed my view in my marriage. You can't rely on your spouse to make you happy, and i think I took that responsibility, and it frustrated me, and made me feel inadequate. But that definitely changed my perspective.
What the best thing about getting older?
I used to be scared of getting older, and now I'm 37 and I can't wait to be 40. I feel like women are so fabulous once they hit 40. They just don't give a *.....*. And the wisdom. I used to stress out a lot about success. I remember, even in high school, that I had some friends that were going to be a lawyer, and they were going to be a doctor and this is what they're doing for the rest of their life. And I stressed out, because I had no idea what I wanted to be when I grew up. But there's not just one thing you're going to be. Recently my perspective about success has changed too. I used to think success was you go to downtown, every day, in your pumps.. you know. And you earn this amount of money and you drive this type of car. Like really, it took me a long time, because I felt like failure. I was comparing myself to that. It's only in the last couple years that it's dawned on me that success is different for everyone. Now success to me is my home. Like how healthy and adapable my kids are. And if my garden grows well. That's success to me. And if I actually get my s**t together and harvest my garden. That's a bonus (laughter).
What is something you did with a grandparent that holds a special place in your heart?
So my mom's parents lived in Shebandowan, Ontario on a lake. Just outside of Thunder Bay. In the winter one year they held an olympics and all the grandchildren were there for Christmas. My grandpa and I, we won Gold in curling. I totally moved the rock when no one was looking. I cheated... I cheated! But me and my grandpa won, and I got to stand on the highest ottoman and get the Gold. And my grandpa was my partner. I'm still contemplating cheating... like was it worth it to cheat? Has that molded me?? It's funny that it's etched in my mind that I cheated... you know? I wasn't that old. Maybe 7. Am I more proud that I won, or am I more feeling guilty that I cheated??
If you had to get a tattoo, what and where would it be?
So I have the 'F' on my right wrist (for her son Forrest), and I was supposed to get an 'R' on my left for River, and I still haven't done it. And he's two years old. So when people say, "Oh! I really need to get a tattoo"... I say really? Do you NEED to get one? I NEED to get one, or else my tattoo just stands for 'Fun'. That's stupid. Or "Fabulous' (laughter)
Describe your dream home.
My dream house, we'll never be able to afford. So realistically it's a simple ranch, with a simple roof line. And obviously industrial rustic, because we're like that. And I know a guy.... I know a guy that could make our house look really awesome, with some good furniture and beams (referring to her husband, Denver, who's business is For Rest Furniture). Right now we have these big trees outside our kitchen window, and we watch birds. I'll catch my boys eating their breakfast, just staring out at the window at birds. And I feel soo blessed at that time. You know? That my children don't have any fear about stepping outside of their home. They step outside to song birds. So, stuff like that, going back to the success question, that's got to be success. Isn't it? It's completely free. I guess subconsciously I worked for it, but that's success to me.
What do you do to relax?
I just recently started doing yoga outside in the morning. I really really enjoy it. My kids are inside getting their brains rotted with t.v (laughter), but I'm outside with the birds chirping and I can face the sun. The semi trucks haven't started up yet. The train isn't going. It's just me, the sun, the clouds, the birds. That's probably the best way I relax. There's always that t.v. time at night, but that's not relaxing. It's not good for the soul. I find I can tolerate the terrorists a lot better after my yoga (laughter... the terrorists, referring to her kids. If you've never met Meghan in real life, she's got a very fun sense of humor)
Have you ever done anything dangerous?
I've skydived. When I was younger, I was really scared of heights. But one of my brother's friends offered to take me skydiving for my birthday present, so I took the plunge. It was so nice. It was scary, because before you open up and flatten yourself out, you're spinning wildly, but then you open up and it's soo quiet. And then you get close to the ground, and you're like, oh crap. There goes my ankles. I don't see scuba diving as dangerous though. 30 meters under the ocean, it doesn't seem dangerous to me. The Oceanic Manta Ray is so beautiful and sharks, the thresher shark, would have been the biggest shark I saw while diving. It's humbling. You get humbled right away. Because you're not supposed to be there. You realize how small and insignificant you really are, when you're down there. But I never felt that was dangerous.
If you were given $100,000 what would you spend it on?
You know, a really good person would say, like charity... and that's o.k.! And it's important to get to know yourself. And I'm getting to the point of getting to know myself, but me and my family would be out of here! Not forever, but a hundred grand?? We'd be out of here. I'd put $50, 000 towards my dream house, and then $50, 000.....we'd be out of here. We'd be travelling. Especially since we're home schooling. We would be taking a plane somewhere. I don't think we would drive. We'd get out, for like a year probably. Fifty grande?? That could take you for more than a year. Go somewhere to eat the mangos off the trees. We did that in Nicaragua. You have to get at them before the roosters.