Last posting of the year

Well, where to start but at the ending.

It's been another year passing and I don't have a lot of insight into where everything fits into place.

I don't even have anything really thought provoking, inspiring, or maddening to close off this year.

DH is in bed with the cold I'd been manifesting over the last two weeks. He's more like a ghost, drifting in and out of the bedroom. You never know when he'll appear.

CU-1 and CU-2 are off to the DXH for 12 days. It was a tearful goodbye for all of us. CU-1 didn't start to loose it until CU-3 sunk against a wall and started to pout.

We've all got something to look forward to in 2007. We're hoping for the safe and healthy arrival of CU-4. We're hoping for quick, clean and inspired space from the renovation we've signed off on. We're hoping for health and enough of everything for people we love, influence, or brush up against. We're hoping for new beginings for those who need to change direction in his or her life. And we hope for continuity of the same for those who are right where they want to be.

I'd like to close out this year with a special thanks to a few of you who have been pivotal in acting as a spotter through some of the heavier parts of 2006. PC, Grandma C, and Motsa, without getting overly sentimental, thanks for caring for me. Without friends like you, my enemies would have had a bigger snack. I hope I can do and be the same for you in 2007.

;-)

It seemed like such a good idea at the time

Could this be the catch phrase for 2007?

Quand le pére noel vien nous visiter

What a surprise this morning. Not only did Pere Noel come over night, he made a personal visit this morning.

CU-2 was out playing with one of her toys, and saw him coming up the street! With a face splitting grin, she invited him in.

Aren't we lucky!

And CU-2s direct response to greeting Pere Noel? He smells good.

I saw Santa's dry cleaning!

Must have been getting ready for his flight tomorrow night. I heard from Transport Canada that he passed his medical examination and got his pilot license updated.

Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus!

I am gobsmacked.

I am just gobsmacked.

Within a span of 10 minutes I just spent a ton o'money, got a stollen item returned, and found my Christmas cards!

At 10 minutes to five, I found an article on the back pages of our local community paper that talked about a gymnastics club that was in our neighborhood. IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD! This one would allow CU-2 to climb and jump and learn how to use equipment that she wanted to learn how to use. The price isn't light, but, well, that's what they make credit cards for now, isn't it.

Right after, I'd no more then hung up the phone then I got a call from a food back in our neighborhood. CU-1's back pack had been turned in and a guy was offering to deliver it ...

Right after that, DH called to say we got 90% funding for our construction project and we were GREEN GREEN GREEN to go.

I'm gobsmacked, thrilled and so thankful to God for these blessings.

I figured the tide must have started to turn when we got our Christmas care package from out West, followed by Aunt J's from the warmer parts of North America.

Praises be.

Update: Just as I was posting this entry, CRASH! BOOM! landslide of stuff behind me. In that landslide, on top of everything that got turned over, are the Christmas cards I'd been thinking about and looking for and had planned to pull out a full search on over this weekend.

Thank you spirits of the season. You've blessed this house.

Winter poem

Winter, a poem by Abigail Elizabeth McIntyre

"SHIT its Cold!"

A sad day in Muddville

For any of you who read regularly, or have regular contact with my household, you'll know that the really great streaks of luck never last too too long. Thus, when this last one started, oh about six weeks ago, I found it very exciting, but also was left wondering when the pail of water would hit the fan and spray everything.

Well, today was that day.

It all started off early. CU-1 hadn't done his work in class, so it was sent home. We worked a bit on it last night, but he clearly needed to apply himself more. Sooo, at six this morning, I woke up with a rubber snake in my face, and started the day trying to coax out answers about primary numbers and which had multiple dividers.

Surviving that, and getting ready for work in seven minutes, and to work only 35 minutes late (and having stand on the bus because people are inconsiderate here, especially during the morning rush hour), I get in only to get a call from DH that CU-1s back pack's been stollen from the school grounds.

Apparently he'd left it at the door he regularly lines up for at school, and accompanied CU-3 to her day care. Upon his return, it was gone.

So, I cancelled my morning meeting, called my boss saying I had to go, and headed back towards home.

CU-1 was stirred, though not too terribly shaken (more upset that he lost his J'aime lire (including the new one) then loosing his lunch, home work, or text books). I talked to his support teacher and explained the situation, and tried to get the ball to replace stuff. (By the end of the day, it doesn't look like anything happened. We all have to wait for his grade teacher to get better and return to the classroom).

So I drop by home, pick-up a replacement back pack, lunch bag, and snack for after school to give him a sense of normalcy, call the bank to cancel the cheque that was in his agenda for his previously lost text book, and headed out the door.

At work, I rescheduled the missed meeting, attended a webinar, and then tried to concentrate on overdue workflow diagrams for another project when I get THE CALL.

It was DH saying that CMHC denied our request to extend our mortage to cover the addition we've been working towards for the last two months. A roller coaster of emotions tries to rush through me. I'm too ... numb? at this point. It's been a rough weekend/week (CU-1 had his winter hat stollen, DH lost his glasses, CU-2's Brownie pins went missing, CU-3s feet grew so now we have to get her new shoes).

Last call into DH earlier this evening, before he headed into his next-to-last class is that all may not be lost. Apparently the appraiser didn't inlcude some paperwork with our request for assessment. The mortgage broker is resubmitting to see if it makes a difference.

What's kind of funny about this all is that every time I see a bus going the opposite way that I'm going, I get an urge to get on board. :D

You can lead a horse to water

Tonight was a marathon night. Homework, crime and punishment (not homework related), and drop-offs in a 1 to 14 km radius. Thank small gawds DH borrowed the voiture from the Mothership. (Why is another story. He goofed and is trying to make ammends.)

So, drop-offs, 1, 2 and 3 go without a hitch. Drop-off 4 is at the end of the line, around a corner, turn East, turn West, kiss the one you love the best.

We had good directions for the most part. Got us right to the turn off, in the end. This wouldn't be a blog-worthy story if it weren't for the but now would it. DH, in his unusual forsight decided to look up directions on MapQuest.

MapQuest, in its infinite wisdom pointed the turn off as being on the left side of the road. Destinee's directions clearly stated make a right-hand turn. And there began the fun. Me yipping at DH that the school grounds are a marker, not the final destination. Him cranking back "MapQuest said ...".

Bah.

Now this is the proper way to fight :D.

CUs 1 and 2 (of "My three dads" fame), take note. I'm sure the alternative Dad (AD) 1 and 2 don't fight this way :D.

The good, the bad, the ugly

A lot of good has been happening lately. I feel like the universe has it in for me in a good way.

Plans for domestic redevelopment are moving along as quickly as possible, and in our favour. It's a short week because there's a PD day Friday, which means that CU-1 and CU-2 will be home tomorrow night! In celebration, I'm taking those two to Happy Feet. CU-3 will go to day care for the day.

The bad? I had to out myself today at a meeting. Hi my name is **** and I'm the President of the Chapter. Arg. And my boss was there. Kind of embarrassing. Now she wants to put it in the internal newsletter. Didn't help that the talk was about marketing self and services ;-)

The ugly. The Ex. Parent-teacher meetings that I can't confirm the times to (because the CUs aren't with me this week), multiple calls, and notes to the school to clear things up and find out that I'm one of their more active parents and don't need to come to the meeting. :D

Hurray and one for the good gals!

The poetry of the French language

In the last two days, I learned more about bodily functions and how to express them in the most poetic way.

CU-2 wrote in a science test a remark about the success and importants of "les dêchets de vache" for flowers and the earth.

CU-1 complained to me that there were "tracs de prunes" in the microwave and thus couldn't warm up his grain bag.

As much as I like the poetry in the language, I don't think these descriptions will help me pass my language tests.

Migration

Attention! Attention! Migration has begun! Winter can't be that far away with the influx of the North Chickens!

Lesser of two ills, or Lord of the Flies wasn't so bad

"Whose turn is it?" I mumble as I try to lift my cotton-filled head.

"Yours", he replies.

Agh. I take a roll-and-swing to lift my aching bodies out of the bed to attend to CU-3s request for a "bay-gil".

Yes, it's the lesser of two ills weekend again. Both DH and I (and to a much lesser extent CU-3 are sick again. Alas, when we finally get our flu shots at the end of the month, it may be for not.)

We seem to be a very efficient lot, mostly getting sick on weekends, feeling ok enough to wander into work when Monday rolls around.

It's almost noon and the fuzzy headed huz is just rizing. He's insisting on getting up to insulate a little-used door. Oh no, I can't do it for the family, the he-man (who rarely got sick prior to this year) has a special way he wants to do it this year. Oh well. At least it will get done.

As for me, I'm getting caught up on laundry, sort of. Sitting folding socks doesn't take that much energy, though, watching Dora L'exporatrice and Max et Ruby for the fourth time in a row because I can't get up to find/wrestle the remote from the 2 year old is getting kind of trying.

CU-3 is in her glory. You want to eat halloween candy for breakfast and lunch? Go right ahead. Standing for the 2 minutes to wait for the bagel to toast has taken a lot out of me.

Lord of the Flies has nothing on me.

Hallowed weenies

Well, Halloween is over for another year. I found it to be a bit anti-climactic; a bit too rushed for my liking. It all started up at 5:15 p.m. and was over by 7:30 with all ghouls accounted for.

Doesn't help the spirits to know that CU-1 and 2 both have two tests each this week, and CU-1 and I usually spend a couple of hours doing the review (sounds excessive I know, but if you really knew and saw what was going on ... it really boils down to 1.75 hours telling CU-1 to stop playing with the cat, teasing CU-2 and 3, fiddling with this and that.)

DN (dear neighbor) came over to throw candy at the kids for us while DH and I prowled the neighborhood with "the spider", the red-and-black modern lady, and "the-visitor-from-the-spirit-world". They had a great time, though we didn't cover nearly as much ground in previous years, so the haul isn't as great. (That's just perfect with me. I'm looking for the children to have the experience of dressing up and running around with friends, then spending more time in the dentist's chair or on a treadmill later in life.)

We had about 100 revelers (98 but who's counting). Some without costumes, and well beyond their teenage years, though reports are that there were fewer then last year.

We also got some good feedback on the decorations. I figure it's just a warm-up to the winter installation. :D

All Saints Day followed with good, then bad, then good then bad, then neutral bits of news, a real roller coaster of stuff.

I found out that one of CU-3's teacher's has had a rough Fall with her FIL and her brother both passing away within two weeks of one another. She's holding it together very well. (I'd be a wreck.)

We also got the quick estimate from one of the contractors for a proposed rebuild of part of our modest house. Let me just say the price was immodest and a bit over the top. DH and I are going to start with pre-Christmas celebrations by trying to find places to trim the budget to make it more palatable to bankers from whom we need to seek a loan or new mortgage.

On the positive side of the register, for the first time this year, CU-1 got a red note in his agenda, and it wasn't berating his abilities, or lack there off. His teacher actually acknowledged that Georges was making a little effort to work in class and that she was pleased with that. Though, as backhanded complements go, the zing was that he still struggled during lecture time.

I guess I'm having an Oscar moment where I'm just grateful he was nominated.

But seriously, all things considering, it's swell that she tossed him, me, that bone. I appreciate the little enthusiasm she could muster. CU puts in the butt-in-chair-time that got him to this point and, reinforced by my not-so-idle threats (no books, no trips to the library, reduced computer time, and generally an unpleasant existence for the week he's home, and then there's the threat to go sit in class with him) are not falling on deaf ears.

CU2 and 3 are noticeably jealous of the time I spend with him, so I try to balance it out during weekends, and other times when it can be fit in. Time with CU1 isn't always fun and games and an whole lot of fighting goes on, so I can't see what there is to be jealous of. I *really would* like to watch Dora L'exploratrice or Sixteen with you, rather then reviewing geography or the multiplication tables.

But, that's the life I lead. With the exception of a few bumps along the way, it’s a good life.

Besides, it's just one more sleep to coffee night with Perpetual Chocoholic. Woo hoo.

Another Sally Field moment

Sally Field has nothing on me.

They like me, they really like me! My fist words in the door after coming back from an unplanned presentation where I feel like I pooped spray-painted golden nuggets (to be crass and graphic).

DH lifted his weary head off the sofa, blurry eyed from fatigue. “Oh, of course dear.”

Oh the enthusiasm.

I was high as a kite. Nothing bothered me. I had patience galore. Love and honey was running through my veins, even though CU3 was having night terrors and was being totally unreasonable, and other sheet storms were brewing.

Alas, thank small gawds for those rose-coloured glasses!

From the annals of the "Do I really want to know?" stories

So I'm working on this big report that is overdue, (It's for a volunteer group of which I am President, so it's really no biggy, except that the Newsletter Editor would hunt me down on Monday if I don't cough something up.) when I get the call: "Lovely, darling, mystical, amour of my life" (that's not really what DH said - it's what he meant though. Something gets lost in translation when he yells "X*X*!"

And so it goes ... he keeps yelling, followed by "You've got to come see this."

My typical response is "Do I really want to know?"

"Nope."

Ok, so that peaks my curiousity.

I follow his voice into our bedroom. There, sitting in the middle of our bed is my angelic CU-3 covered from neck-to-toe is sun tan lotion. Not only is she covered in blue lotion, so are our newly changed sheets, pillow cases, and heavier winter bedding ...

Now I wished I'd chosen Coppertone lotion ... at least I'd have enjoyed the fragrance all that much more.

Thanks for giving

It's the Canadian Thanksgiving weekend and I've spent the better part of it running around.

Relatives are in town, sort of (I hour outside the city at a centralized summer home to be exact). DH, CU3 and I spent Saturday barrelling out to spend a couple of hours with the sibs and cousins. Eight hours was pleasant, and seemed to be just the right amount of time before the pleasantries of a close-knit family started to break down and cross lines. (The topic of CU1 and 2's father, and divorce seem to be a no no at family gatherings. I will have to remember that if we attend the proposed week-long family reunion next August.)

Sunday again was running around. This time to attend to DH's winter covering needs. His very nice, and medium-expensive, one year old 3-in-1 coat gave up the ghost some time on Saturday. I coaxed him into foraging at one of our local malls (that I seem to go to once a year). We made it out with a cheaper version of the 3-in-1 (this being a 1 in 1). I don't have high hopes for this coat. I do hope it will last him the winter though. We came home before picking out a second, more rugged coat as he thinks CU3 decided to share the love, and her amazing head cold.

Short and sweet, we made it home on an express bus only to plunk CU3 in front of the visual child restraint so that we could catch a few zzzs before preparing for an early evening wedding.

The wedding was beautiful, tasteful and most of all entertaining. It was an intimate gathering of 50 of the bride and grooms mostly family, peppered with a few friends. Dinner wasn't rubber chicken or turkey as I'd feared, all because the groom is deathly allergic to birds (I'd forgotten this point and was dreading the reception).

Upon departing, I shared these sentiments with the bride and groom: "when I get married again, I'm having you plan the event".

The bus ride home was uneventful. CU3 crashed in her crash cart just before we got off the bus. Putting her to bed had to be one of the easier times this year.

Monday's here now, DH is spouting off that we have to get our a**es in gear because Halloween's almost here and there's not enough time in the day.

Ah, yah right. Ok.

More on that to follow.

*****

And to all those people who sneeze into their hands then touch all the support poles and door handles as they leave the bus, thanks for giving.

Just don't ask me how I'm doing.

WARNING: Rant ahead.

Don't ask me how I'm doing. Don't tell me to smile, especially if you have no idea what's going through my head or my life right now. These are just two mistakes people made today.

Since school started, CU-1's teacher has been adding notes to CU's agenda. Notes in red; usually about CUs comportment (or lack there of). This has become an almost daily occurance, though handily, I only get half the brunt of it as CUs father is supposed to pick up the slack at the other end.

Lately though, there's been a distrubing trend arising from the notes. CUs not completing his homework for the week ... half the time ... this I just don't get. It's not impossible to hold CU to task, it's merely difficult and requires a bit of effort on a parent's part. Yet the theme persists.

Ok. So, it's a given that there are different parenting styles.

In the end CU gets all the homework assigned for the week he's home, and any other stuff that is outstanding from the previous week.

What's more troubling are the comments coming from ex-DH that it's a school issue. Ahhhhhh. Can't quiet see that logic, however, I did have to be have crazy to go along with it before. So, back to it's a given that there are different parenting styles.

So, next issue - coordination of decision making.

One of the CUs requires medicine on a regular basis. Certain attributes, when observed appearing in a percistent state, trigger a need for review of this CUs dosing. So, this state is present. Observations are communicated. Things become implied. A simple directive from the MD gets twisted and who knows where we are now, except to say the symptoms remain unattended at this time.

Next issue - pending CU 4's registration for the daycare across the street.

In the City's infinite wisdom, they've amalgamated a child care registry which provides parents with wider access to available child care resources. So, this means I have to register the unborn in order to try to communicate with my neighbors across the street to reserve a place for CU 4 10 months from now. I'm actually ok with the paperwork.

The problem comes from the message on my answering machine where someone decided to correct my due date and my return to work date ... they believed I did a typo when I put down 2007 for both dates. Er, no I didn't. The dates are indeed correct (no matter how absurd they appear to you.)

And on it goes and goes and blows.

I haven't even made it to the insurance snafu, cookie collection details that have gone AWOL, three hours of homework supervision (between two CUs while being interfered with by another CU), MDs message to call back and when I do the office is closed early, and a France-French teacher who's starting to bring back my nightmares of Grade 7-8 French with Madame Morris.

Oh the life I lead.

End of rant.

For a better reading time, I recommend this.

PS: PC if you're reading this. I may not be up to par, but I need a drink. Make mine a double (laté or tall, or what ever the thing is called now!)

That's when I knew

I've been reading a book by Po Bronson that I've found helpful. It's all about other family's stories.

I can't remember when or where I heard about the story. I do know that occassionally, I win the lottery in the library pool and it's my turn to read a book that I've put on request ages ago.

I like Mr. Bronson's style of writing. I like his approach to documenting other people's lives. I've seen bits of my life reflected in several of the stories that he recounts in this volume.

One thing that reading this book has done is provolk thoughts about my intuition, instincts and how things in my life have just happened ... usually good things ... Like the time I was pregant with CU-1. It was early Spring. I was heading into exams, panicked about money as my source of income was drying up and ex-DH's work was on rocky ground. I was talking down Elgin, near my home at the time, trying to hold back the sobs while talking to my walking companion.

I was on the verge of whailing when I almost screamed out "I just need a sign; a sign that everything is going to be ok."

As she offered sincerely felt "there theres" and "everything is going to work out", I happened to glace left. There, through the freezing rain, I saw what appeared to be a book in the bushes. (Being a former practicing librarian, I have a special place in my heart for orphaned information of varying media and have been know to stop for a free daily newspaper in distress.) I looked again. It was a book.

I just happened to have a bag in my pocket and fished the book out of the bushes into the bag. As I did so, I glanced at the title Chicken soup for the soul ... I knew then that as difficult as I was finding thesuggestion of the proposed transition, I was going to be ok.

***

Speed forward 10 years.

Earlier this summer, I had a scare after a regular pregnancy check-up. No fetal heart beat.

I had to trek half-way across town to get an ultrasound ... felt more like hell's half-acre by the time DH and I figured out that the road stopped and then started again at a different point.

While making the trek (getting panicked because the timing was close and this was an ultra sound ... think water, and lots of it), I started to slow down ... or maybe DH speeded up. He walks fast. As I stopped to get a rock out of my shoe. I saw something to my left ... a bib. A blue bib that had got caught up in the tall grasses. I fished it out, and tucked it in my back pack.

At that point, I found calmness. I found answers to many questions. I knew, once again, that everything would be ok.

Horoscope for the week

Concentrate. Focus. Think hard. Chocolate. Pay attention. Work. Detail. Diligence. Sex. Responsibility. Commitment. Dedication. Hippopotamus...' It is not always easy to keep our minds fixed on a single matter. We are bound to be distracted and it is inevitable that events will oblige us to divide our time. Do not be too hard on yourself if, this week, you cannot achieve all you want to. Just do your best.

Sounds about right ...

Last laugh

Looks like the last laugh is on me. The virus turned out to be our router that needed to be reset. Sigh.

A big week of running around is behind me. And a lot of paperwork. Announced the impending arrival of CU-4 through an early Christmas letter for those who don't already know, and, well, for whom I don't necessarily want to have to gauge their reactions through voice-to-voice contact.

The first day of Fall has arrived and we spent it out at the Motherships' cottage. Getting out of the city was terrific and I just about pulled off a cordial weekend, until I received a last minute dig which resulted in me turning an equality sharp retort. Oh well.

DH is in a pseudo-panic tonight as he's got a BIG MEETING at work later this week. (This is for a job he started only three weeks ago, and yet feels a huge amount of responsiblity for.) I'm looking at the week with mixed feelings ... kind of like a hamster on a treadmill.

Wah

Looks like there's a virus going around on the web. I've got denial of service to add pictures to here or to my photogallery. I can't access remote mail to get out a timely email for some volunteer stuff. I can't get confirmation that some one else is getting denial of service because of well-deserverved fatigue on my colleagues part. I'm feeling generally frustrated having just spent my evening with CU-1 completing homework he didn't do in school (and he still didn't touch this week's homework for the night).

Wah wah wah. Get the wah-mbulance! ;-)

Rolled up socks

I once heard/read that a marriage could withstand the loss of a child, but could not withstand the dirty, rolled up socks behind the sofa. Now I know what that insightful person was talking about.

Sharing the house with four other "room mates" life gets interesting when their standards of cleanliness don't match. Worst even is having to tidy up after these dust bunnies before actually doing any further tidying or arranging or finding stuff that's over due, needed for school, or required as result of a seasonal change.

I'm currently facing that frustration - three missing books, though down to two now (one registering a library fine as we speak, the second book starting to tick up the pennies in two days), a seasonal handbag change cannot take place as THAT is missing. New mitten clips will probably have to be purchased because I can't place my hands on last year's. On on it goes.

Doesn't help that we had the "help" of an extra house keeper last week who has her own sense of order. (Last time that happened, I found the library books mixed in with our books ...).

All this makes me wonder what's going to happen in, oh, about four months. Order out of chaos? I don't think so.

Rainy days and cold nights

I love rainy days.

I love curling up somewhere cozy with a mug o'tea, sitting in the partial darkness, listening to slow jazz.

Alas, I live in an expanding and contracting household where those values are not always shared, but that's beside the point.

The point is that it's not rainy tonight, but a bit cooler. Fantastic sleeping weather (when I don't nap the day away). And tonight I'm sitting in the glow of the computer, with a mug o'tea, listening to sloooooow jazz. What a luxury.

DH, who has started a new job that results in him being home by 6 p.m. EVERY NIGHT (wahoo!) which means that there's a bit more support (and gourmet hot dinners that I don't have to cook!) It also means that he's had the opportunity to play Ward Clever a bit more at home with the CUs.

Last week was a dry run with all three CUs. Not bad at a first attempts. This week, it's just CU-3. Being just over 2.5 years, it seems that it's her job to do QA on the household. What are the boundaries? What can she do to break the system? Every night it's a different stress test. She's going to be a very good software tester if she perceivers.

However, much to her shagrin, DH has written clean bed time code. Now it's a story, a song, a bit of back rubbing, and a kiss goodnight.

He's reduced his run time from two hours down to a reasonable 15 minutes. Wow. I actually get to see DH, and sometimes, if I'm very lucky, I get my own turn down service!

Long time, no type

It's been a while since I've been on. I chalk it all up to summer time.

Things just go in an entirely different direction when there are no schedules to follow. (Maybe retirement is like that?)

It's been hot, smoking hot where I am. It's made things a wee bit difficult. I probably should have spent my time blogging during those long, insomnia-filled nights. Oh well, instead, I spent the time fanticizing about house redesign.

Is this the nesting instinct coming through? Perhaps, though doubtful. I've been day dreaming about adding on and modifying our little cottage home since buying it. I love the neighborhood and neighbors. I even like the house very much. I think I'm a renovator at heart. (I LOVE Flip that house!)

We renegotiate the mortage next year, which may put some gas under DH to at least come up with a wish list, if not actually prompt him to start his wish list and look into what it takes to get the proper permits.

Dream on eh?

Not all that blooms is in the garden

CU-3, though just two, is imprinting heavily on me. I am finding her personality is a hybrid between those of CU-1 and CU-2.

Although I do believe that the books that say it is unfair to compare children have something, I may have found an exception, when done kindly. CU-3 is part of a "blended" familly (though I tend to think we are much more of a tossed salad). So I find it absolutely intriguing to see traits come through of her siblings, like her physicality, like CU-2, or love of books, like CU-1. Her humor outputs is very much like CU-1 which endears me to CU-3 even the more as she puts her own twist on things.

Comme je dit chaque chances que j'ai "Vous etes mes cadeaux."

Not such a slow news day

It's not for the lack of wanting to keep people up to date that I haven't been writing.

With stiffling heat, a CU-3 who doesn't want to go to bed until WELL after her bed time, and general fatigue (see first entry), trying to get to the computer has been a trick.

For those of you who subscribe to the picture is worth a thousand words department, head over to the picture posting area to catch up on July's entries.

X doesn't always mark the spot

I knew it was a winning streak that couldn't continue forever. Work life is going very well, and I'm getting positive attention. Home life is going well. I've been able to give CU-3 positive attention, until now.

For about a month now I've started to take this whole potty training thing in earnest, following CU-3 around, constantly nagging her if she has to pee. Success. I'd found the key. It was working so well. I took it up a knotch. I started having her go commando. More success. Until ... tonight ...

X (formerly known as CU-3) marks the spot, on one chair, on another chair, and .... IN MY BED! My bed!! What possessed this beautiful creature of my loins to pee in my bed! ON MY SIDE! I'd heard of cats and dogs taking it out on their owners when they were not happy. Is this the same not-so-subtle comment to something I've said and done?

So, I got a little mad ... called her rotten baby and kind of yelled at her telling her she should know better now that she's two! Oh well. A lot of water under the bridge (and sofa, and bed, and chair ...).

Now that the world knows, maybe I'll never have another visitor?! Or they'll all take to the floor. (But that's not safe either! ;-)

Why

I'm keeping the prospects of CU-4 slightly under wraps. I'm letting it be broadly know to hill and yon, with the exception of announcing this to a few who are very very close to me. I haven't told CU-1 or 2 yet for concern that they will, inturn, tell their Father.

My ex-DH and I do not have a good relationship, and, well, if how he took the coming and subsequent birth of CU-3 is any sign, I better be braced for the worst.

I don't write about X-DH frequently. There's not much of a point to do so. He's who he is, and, well, there are a whole lot more pleasant and fun news to pass along to friends and family. That being said, I throw out this question to the universe:

Why. Why would he act as he does in the name of love?

A Sally Field moment

They like me! They really like me!

About an hour after coming back from the cottage, surveying the damage of not tending to the garden now for about two weeks (between the nausea of stooping, big rain storms, and just general blahs), a familiar looking fellow redish brown hair, full beard, slight pot belly and black shorts came up to me. For a minute, I thought my DH had changed into something a lot more casual. It turns out that it was our super shy neighbor from across the street who came over to say that liked my unusal garden. Well, if truth be told, that made my day. (And sent me back in to override the blahs to pull 30 minutes work of quack grass.)

It was love at first sight

Today, during a very personal close up, I got to meet CU3.5, not due for a full number until early 2007.

I saw the heart beat. 141 beats per minute. I'm in complete and utter awe.

Fish food in the bath tub

"Why is there fish food in the bath tub" CU2 patiently asked her Papa tonight.

CU2 had strongly expressed her opinions of bathing with CU3 who now has a notable reputation for loosing control at inopportune times. Apparently this one was one of them.

I learned of this incident as I returned from a recon missing with CU1 - it was a bit of mother-child bonding that we'd not had in a long long time. (We found some good garden editions!)

Poor CU2. Scarred for life.

There's lots to write about

But I'm too tired.

Weather has been great, so great that the garden needs my attention.

The children have been great, so great that they don't need my attention, thus allowing me the opportunity to attend to my garden.

However, none of that is really happening. Instead I'm going out on regular walks around my hood taking photographs. It's become my new addiction.

For those of you who do read this blog and like a riddle, here's one for you.

He shoots, he scores.

Ureka! The age old question is answered

Which came first, the chicken or the egg?

http://edition.cnn.com/2006/TECH/science/05/26/chicken.egg/index.html

Has the Artistic Enhancer come out of retirement?

I asked myself this the other day when I was the recipient of an unexpected mental health day. (CU-3 was showing "flu symptoms" and was in quarintine for 24 hours. I still chalk it up to too much apple juice in the system.)

I was puttering through the garden while CU-3 puttered in her sand box and had the greatest of pleasures to find a few, unexplained treasures ...

To the anonymous contributor: Thank you for the good surprises. I usually don't like surprises. These are very very pleasant.

steamy situation

overheard on the bus today ...

"Oh yah, she had to go in for another ultrasound."

"Eh, really? Why?"

"They want to make sure she doesn't have a tropical pregnancy."

Moms

I just don't know how Mom's do it. They're always working. It doesn't matter where they work, or for whom, the bottom line is that usually they keep doing it until the job is done, especially when all others have abandoned the activity.

Hats off to you ladies!

What came in the e-mail ...

BEFORE I WAS A MOM

Before I was a Mom I slept as late as I wanted and never worried about how late I got into bed.
I brushed my hair and my teeth everyday.
Before I was a Mom
I cleaned my house each day.
I never tripped over toys or forgot words to a lullaby.
I didn't worry whether or not my plants were poisonous.
I never thought about immunizations.

Before I was a Mom I had never been puked on.
Pooped on. Spit on.
Chewed on.
Peed on.
I had complete control of my mind and my thoughts.
I slept all night.

Before I was a Mom
I never held down a screaming child so that doctors could do tests.
Or give shots.
I never looked into teary eyes and cried.
I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.
I never sat up late hours at night watching a baby sleep.

Before I was a Mom
I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn't want to put it down.
I never felt my heart break into a million pieces when I couldn't stop the hurt.
I never knew that something so small could affect my life so much.

I never knew that I could love someone so much.
I never knew I would love being a Mom.

Before I was a Mom
I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside my body.
I didn't know how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby.
I didn't know that bond between a mother and her child.
I didn't know that something so small could make me feel so important and happy.

Before I was a Mom
I had never gotten up in the middle of the night every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay.
I had never known the warmth, the joy, the love, the heartache, the wonderment or the satisfaction of being a Mom.
I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much before I was a Mom.

Starting off the week with a bang

Well, CU-2 had her first communion and I was there to witness it. With that event passing, it seemed that CU-2 didn't think that was enough of a bang for her. I got a call to come to her school this morning as her Father was not reachable. She'd had had an accident.

By the time I got there, her Father'd checked in and was on his way.

Turns out she'd fallen off a play structure (probably not using it as the structure was intended). Fractured her right wrist/arm area, as far as I can tell. (Information will not be forthcoming until Friday when the children cross over.)

CU-2 was one upset little girl. Worried about getting hurt more. I haven't been able to connect with her directly. I missed her call tonight. I did hear that she picked out a blue waterproof cast that's coming off later this month.

I'll get the low-down more, when she's home Friday.

Je t'aime my belle.

XX Maman

Reality - that is just for the rest of you all

I think I live in another world.

This weekend, my DH and I spent the weekend puttering around the house. I fitted a 1.5 ft pond in the front yard, complete with fairy lights. I moved the train and barn to the side of the yard where CU-3 might find them again. Nessy is still in the front yard and I am waiting for more yard sales or a few mongo adventurers to update and fresh the yard.

Je ne suis pas un écureuil

The other day I had to find CU-1. He was so deeply engrossed in his GameBoy game that I thought he'd have the bends coming back up.

"Repeat after me "Je ne suis pas un écureuil."

"Quoi maman?"

"Je ne suis pas un écureuil."

A slow gin grin crawls across his face. His dimple drills into his cheek as he shuffles to the bathroom and picks up his clothes behind the door.

When nagging a child, there is room for humor.

Bad chocolate? Never

Ever hear of bad chocolate? I haven't. That is until I got some "sale" chocolate. Left over stuff from Easter.

I decided to share it with my good friend who has a specialty in the subject area. Sharing the box over a cup of coffee and a heartly laugh, she carefully made her first choice.

"Tastes like mothballs."

What? I said as I crunched down on a particularly hard peach creme.

As she took another that looked a bit more promising, I surveyed the tray, trying to match up the legend.

"This one tasts like urine." "

Urine? How do you know what urine tastes like?" Wait. I don't want to know ...

Evidence

Exhibit A




















and Exhibit B















BUSTED!

This would explain why there's never toilet paper for me to use!

Luck

I think it's time to buy a lottery ticket as I figure I'm one of the most lucky people I know. Really, now, what are the chances that if the toilet paper roll is going to be empty, it'll be on my visit?!!

I am the very model of a modern major-general

I fell like I've been shaken, stirred and poured out of a Gilbert & Sullivan musical.

Things started off nicely this week, just as in their jingles, and then it speeds up and speeds up and speeds up.

With a short work and school week before me, I was sincerely hoping that the teachers would take pity on the children and given them a light load this week. Nooooooo. CU-1 has two tests, a book report and his regular word list search. CU-2 has one test, and comprehension questions, not to mention Brownies this week. Then there's my second-language homework to do.

Toss in CU-3's theme for the week "A girl's gotta have fun" and it makes for an interesting mix.

Wouldn't change it for the world. As CU-2s been saying to me "Da da da da da, I'm loving it."

P.S. I'm wondering when she's going to figure out that R-O-L-A-I-D-S spells relief.

Slow news day

It's not like things have been slow at this end. Actually they've been pretty much racing along as usual. Stuff just seems to ordinary to report.

The weekend was lovely. _A lot_ of park time for the children. I think we went every day but today.

Easter was fun. I was remarking to my DH that it's not the same as it was when I was a kid. It's not that my parents went out of their ways to do anything unusual. There just used to be more formalness to the weekend (not doing anything except sitting quietly Good Friday, reflecting on the crusifiction until 3:00 p.m.) and then, of course, the bunny droppings on Sunday.

CU1, 2 and 3 got to collect their bunny droppings. CU-3 really didn't get into it like the other to. Still to young I guess. Though shouts of "bun bun" and "booooonnniiiee" could be heard regularly when she found the fuzzy plastic ones around.

DH worked Easter Monday, as I did, sort of. Crunch for my current employer is a special thing and is considered quiet voluntary (union says so). Sure beats working 12 to 14 hours six days a week as I did for my first employer in my current profession.

So I put in a bunch of hours today to help out a colleage on her project and will head into work early to do some more work.

I'm hoping it's a light homework week as I'm trying to catch up on many things: sleep and laundry being the top two.

It's going to be a heavy week because I have to facilitate a group at the end of the week (for which I have to prepare) and I've got two volunteer activities that are starting to flare-up and require my attention. (This should be interesting).

I can also discount next weekend as DH has three finals to write. That leaves him out of the picture for most of the week as he prepares for those.

Maybe we'll be lucky again next weekend and have a bit of warmth and sun which will allow CU3 and me to play outside. (This weekend I got some peas, lettuce and beats in ... we'll see if they actually take.)

I also took a heap of new pictures for those who are tracking that sight.

simple words

Free your heart from hatred.
Free your mind from worries.
Live simply.
Give more.
Expect less.

Adventures in parenting

CU-3. With her around, one would do best to eat one's Wheaties.

She's started to address her father by his first name. She's taught herself how to get out of her bed. She's also taught herself how to exit the front door. And let's not forget that she knows how to use a chair, stool, pile books, boots, lids, coats, back packs and anything else she needs to get to where she needs to be.

Tonight she went to the library, selected her reading materials, and took out her borrowers card ... all by herself.

For a treat, we stopped in at the park on the way home. She decided she didn't have enough fun (following one of my house rules "don't come home until you've had enought fun") and decided to give her papa a hard time. This lead to her deciding to run away from home (to the porch of the home across from the park). Her papa deciding to see what she'd do, walk to the end of the block and hid behind the tree. CU-3 saw her chance and headed back for the park. Oh, we're going to have a harder time in about 12 years ...

There is something in the water

It's CU-3, and CAT-3 wants some of what he's got.

In the last year we've fostered a few overaged kitten wannabes. She's the latest and greatest. Purrnella does tricks and has us all trained. One of the very special things is that she likes the freshest of water.

When we go by the bathroom, Purr is usually there waiting for some one to put the tap on for a trickle. She's got us humans trained really well as I frequently walk into the water closet to find the tap providing a steady stream and no one around to blame.

Well, tonight everyone was doing his or her own thing and not giving her a nevermind. She decided that she'd better take matters into her own paws and gingerly mounted the side of the tub, balanced, and extended her neck and head towards CUs tub water.

"Maman Purr a bu mon l'eau!"

Oh Purr, better be careful 'cause it's not bathtub gin!

Short fuses

I think there must be something in the water.

I was talking to a good friend last week who suggested she and her significant other wasn't right as rain recently. Tempers flaring, gnashing of teeth, fueled by ... who knows.

There's just been a lot of short fuses lately. I'm suffering (and suffering is the word) with such. I can't claim that it has to do with the cycle of the moon this time as that event has come and passed. I do wonder though if it has to do with events that occurred five years ago and that haven't quiet worked themselves out of my psyche ...

April 1 is an anniversary of sorts for me. It's five years ago on April 1 that my first husband and I said adios (actually, he said nothing ... his actions spoke clearly enough). As with my parent's divorce, it took me many many years to get through the wild and (what I thought) unpredictable mood swings during the few days around that anniversary. Now, almost 25 years later, the date passes without any notice.

I really hope to small gods that those whom I love dearly do not have to withstand these unwelcome trade winds for that long.

Spring has sprung

The tulips are coming up in the garden, and, while snooping around, I found my first crocus. They seem slower to come up then those of my neighbor down the street.

Spring though definitely is here. The Spanish fellow on our block has removed the winter wrappings over his garden, and Perpetual Chocoholic and I have started up our spring wanderings and neighborhood beautification projects through some of our favorite neighborhoods.

Spring in my step

And a melody in my heart

What a weekend. It was beatuful. Sunny after several greyer days. Though the weekend had it's own shadows (CU1 and 2 were with their father), CU3 worked very hard to be sunny and busy.

This weekend we saw the award winning installation on the front garden moved to the back yard. CU3 watched the major move (complete with Maman singing the theme song of The Jefferson's (clue: we're moving on up to a de-luxe apartment in the ska-a-a-a-i) and put on a new foundation that was ice free. She's spent the better part of Saturday moving the kitchen supplies to the new location while Maman chopped ice from the driveway. Sunday, she spent the day moving kitchen supplies back to the previous location. I guess she doesn't like the new spot.

She also didn't like seeing some of the very early spring installations and decorations, robbing the yard of its train, and distrubing the dinosaur cemetary.

Maman's working on making a garden sea serpent for the yard for installation later in the spring when the ground thaws a bit more.

Speaking of which, the first tulip bulbs are coming through. How exciting. Within the next six weeks, they should be up and blooming. Pictures will be added to the gallery for viewing pleasure.

turnipy goodness

During the Fall Good Food Box allotment, I received not one, but two large turnips (one was a bonus from a friend’s food box).

As I could not possibly absorb both turnips into the household food cycle, I gave it to an artist with the challenge to do something creative (in addition to eating it).

Recently, during an open studio show where I got to see the fruits of her labour, I was rewarded with two creative outputs from the turnip challenge; she'd made cards from a turnip print, and, from the turnip top, she got a lovely plant to add some green to her studio this spring.

Stop cooking with cheese

CU-1's idea of a joke is to hide a snake in my lunch box.

He'll be home for April 1 and I've had a whole week to plan ...

Rule #1

Rule #1 is a very simple household rule that DH was told when he met me. I'm posting it more as a refresher to anyone reading, as it is probably THE MOST important rule ANYONE can learn.

Rule #1: Never wake a sleeping woman.

Codicil to Rule #1 ... if Maman's not happy, NO ONE is happy. (And the changes that Mama is happy after a night of broken sleep is pretty slim.)

Corned beef hash

I word. Eww.

Going back to my childhood days, I still feel a rush whenever I see the Bull's head from the Chilian version of the canned product.

My DH on the otherhand has much happier memories. His mom ran a deli for a number of years and this activity seems to have shaped his life in a profound and meaningful way that I have yet to comprehend. Many, many stories from the kitchen start with "when my Mom ran the deli" and his eyes glaze over while he's taken back in time ...

So DH's having a smack-his-lips fest this weekend as he's brought home not just one, but TWO corned beef briskets. He's been calling up extended family, and now is moving on into the neighborhood to see if he can find some one else to sit with him and keep him company. I've volunteered CU-3, whom I have affectionally nick-named "the goat" (that's for another day, another entry). We'll see if she's up for it.

For any other volunteers, show up at 18h Sunday night.

Maman, where are you?

I wake up in the morning to these words. Frequently, I'm hiding under the covers, in the shower, and occassionally in the broom closet. Such is life in this clownish house. Check your shoes for dinosaurs. Check your lunch box for migratory cows. Chech your pockets, you'll never know what you find.

McCartney's are gone

It's back to the ice flows with you!

The marks are in

For better or for worse, I remember being my children's ages. I can sympathize with them as they prepare for the combination of happiness and dread. Happiness because Spring break is at the end of the week. Dred because they first have to run the gauntlet of report cards.

CU2 came through with nice strong marks - two As and many Bs. She's done a nice turn around since first term where she got pretty close to the edge with a couple of dud marks on key tests.

CU1 continues his wrestling match with school. Smart enough to do be able to do the work. Smarter still to complain and whine so much that the adults get to a point where they want to through their hands up in the air because they don't know how to motivate this otherwise capable kid into doing something brilliant. He slides through with a solid row of mostly Cs.

I dread the three time a year these evaluations come out. So much can ride on the results of a single test that culminates into a letter on a report card.

Each year I join my children in the struggle to surmount difficulties in various subjects. It’s as if I’m their age again. How’d I do it when I was there age? That’s just it. I don’t think I did.

I see a lot of me in CU1. I’m not saying that I’m smart – at least not book smart. I had troubles with just about every subject they offered. I lacked motivation to study. I still distinctly remember a period during my 16^th year when I must have mouthed off to my mother something awful. She with held everything she could think of – the car – that was ok, I was on a learner’s permit at her insistence, the TV – that was ok, it was broken anyway, and the list went on. I remember how I thought “Woo hoo! Grounding! What a great excuse to get my history assignment done!”

When I wasn’t hammering at the boring assignment about Mesopotamia, I would lie on my bed and day dream, much like Anne Shirley did, up under my own gabled roofs.

It wasn’t until I hit university that I kind of caught myself. All that time, I plodded along. I remember being in grade 2, then in grade 3, counting off the years between me and the end of high school. Is this what CU1 has in store?

Spring back, Fall forward

We're getting a teaser day weather wise in my community. It's bright and sunny as I sit and glance out the window. The sky is blue, a real ozone friendly skyish kind of blue. No clouds anywhere. The sun is shining as hard as it can.

Then there's the wind. A wee bit breezy. Fresh. Brisk. Bracing. One of those days where you think It's a good day to fly a kite if I could just keep warm enough.

Thus the reason why I am inside and not outside playing in the sun. I did half-heartedly spend 15 or 20 minutes outside poking at the small hill of snow in the yard.

I know that I lecture the children about the importance of learning patience, and that different life activities are just exercises and opportunities to practice patience. When it comes to Spring, I become 5 years old again. It's like waiting for Christmas eve, after mass, when Santa would have made his first pass through the neighborhood to let the good girls and boys have their stuff first.

I want the smell of spring. I want to see natures surprises as each layer becomes unveiled as the sun melts away their winter sarcophaguses. I like squishing around in the mud.

I may get my wish soon too. The long range forcast is for 7 C on Friday.

Alas, I know we're going to get one more big snow fall before the end of the month. That's the reality of living in this environment.

Oh Canada.!

Happy trails to you, until we meet again

With this end of the winter season, it seem seems that it hasn't been without loss. Two friends lost faithful family friends (their well long lived companions of 13 and 14 years respectively). Good bye Pandora, good bye Blue - you were comforts to those who knew you.

Migration

The Partridges are back from their flight South. Could it mean that Spring is not that far?

Get down. Get back up again.

I had a few technical difficulties this week. With the cold snap I was starting to think that maybe I could get a jump on the Spring cleaning considering that I felt virtually trapped in my home. I decided to clean up some of the files on my computer and erradicated the cookie that remembered my password to Blogger. (Apparently the gnomes in my head decided to do some Spring cleaning of their own which is resulting in me forgetting most of my passwords.)

To add to the mayhem, my email address wasn't working either so I couldn't retrieve my password to the blog OR get any emails since Thursday last week. Now that all that's been sad, I'm back and hope to update you all with a few more family stories shortly.

A few of my favorite things

• My children
• Thursday night coffee date with Perpetual Chocoholic
• Sunday afternoon naps
• My homemade pizza
• Hearing CU1's Daffy Duck laugh
• Watching CU3 grow
• Hearing DH giggle
  
• Seeing CU2 feel pure joy
• My Lee Valley catalog
• Playing the "If I had a million dollars" game
• Summer sidewalk graffiti
• "mongo" shopping in the hood
• Connecting with the CUs
• Working together, on projects with DH
• Making popcycles for a receptive group

It's the start of a good week.

D'oh

I'm behind, so very behind. I still have "write Christmas thank you notes" on my list of things to do. That entry is second only to "write family Christmas letter".

Lately I've encountered a lot of regretable changes: rapid weight gain, loosing days, psoriasis flares, really stupid administrative errors (like typos that I usually see, transposing words (FAX for FAQ), loosing a day or days [misinterpreting calendars]). I'm wondering if I'm in the early stages of burn out ... who knows, I don't really have the time to appreciate the decline.

To this end, I just realized that I had received a gift of artwork from a chocolate loving friend of mine. My intention was to issue a Valentine's wish of my own on a personal level. That doesn't seem to be in the cards this year. So, to all of you reading - it's not for lack of trying, and in this case I'm hoping the thought does count as I think of each of you while I prepare this post.

Happy chocolates day!

Lost in translation

Last week I had to take a mandatory harassment prevent course. One of the examples we studied was about some one swearing in the work place. Does this constitute harassment?

Well, the discussion kind of slopped over into the break time. I brought up a discussion I had with CU2 a few months back. She asked me if what we commonly refer to as "the F word" was a bad word. I explained that in French, no, in English yes and that she couldn't think about using that word before she's 13. At 13 we'll discuss.

Which leads me to why she was confused. You see, at Christmas I gave CU1 a phoque en peluche.

Now there's a lesson in making something innocent sound, well, not very innocent!

Adventurers by day, slugs by night

That kind of sums up what we were like on that Saturday and Sunday on our wild weekend away.

Saturday we'd awakened to warm, but overcast weather. Not a bad start to the day we thought. We hiked down the hill and found DH a farmer's breakfast (ham, eggs, toast and tatters). Nothing to write home about. Not even worth a comment except that it set the tone of the day in food.

We decided to try our hand at shopping at what was self-identified as the largest shopping centre East of the West Edmonton Mall. DH was up for it and my knowledge of the bus routes held true, even 13 years later.

We crawled the mall for most of the day, dropping our meagre bucks on a fantabulous sale at Old Navy.

That night DH thought about going out for a really nice dinner some where. So we dressed up in our cleaner clothes and walked the brightly light strip of terraces that were loaded down with ice bars (walls of ice from which liquor was served on an open terrace) waiting for students and winter festival patrons to come by and drink their wares as they trucked up and down the street.

DH was on the prowl for some fresh seafood and was inticed by one restaurant's five-course meal.

We got a nice window seat next to two couples from the Carolina's (North and South were represented), and another couple who were from Montreal. (I know this because, instead of gazing into each others eyes romantically, as one would think a honeymooning couple would do, DH decided that he'd had enough conversation with me and that he'd strike one up with the neighbors!)

To summarize quickly, DH enjoyed his dinner. I found it discouraging. (It was like I had tapped an oil deralick :-(.

The regretably meal was topped off with a chat with the hostess stationed outside to encourage dinners to come in. She think she was surprised that I'd actually tell her of my disappointment instead of mumbling my thanks for a nice meal.

We wandered to the hotel, finding the famous imbedded canon ball along the way, and finished the night off with some jazz in the bar in our hotel and then some Overhaulin' and Myth Busters.

Sunday we felt a bit guilty for not seeing the sites so we moved around the historic part of the city looking at as much free stuff as we could, which meant a lot of restaurant menus. We also did a walk around the old city and ducked into the tourist traps looking and touching their wears (trying on some goofy hats, poking fun at what constitutes SWAG for this part of the world and compared it with our each other's other traveling experiences).

The wind was picking up, the weather was dropping so we quickly passed through the bits I thought we should see and returned to the hotel to change our socks and head out for our last supper. (Which WAS terrific. I recommend Le cote de frére!)

We returned to the hotel room. I to pack, deal with a plugged toilet, and then deal with an exploded luggage, DH to put his feet up and watch the sports channels.

Monday morning it was gross out. Gross isn't the word. Snowy, windy. Heavy heavy winds. So strong that it helped me stay upright on the steep hills. We ducked out for a last breakfast and a tour through a corner groccer (I have a fear of being stuck on the train without provisions) and for a hunt for duct tape with which to seal our exploded luggage (it was just a little mint, waffer thin).

With grocceries in hand, and, luckily some packing tape found completely by accident, we made our way back down the hill and onto the train to reverse our journey.

I think I've had enough of that type of vacation to last me a couple more years.

Adventures - day 1

We arrived in the historic old city on time. The weather was ... WARM?! Unusual for the best of times.

As we walked the train station platform, memories flooded back. I'd walked that platform so many times ... with some one else waiting for me at the end of the platform. That was history, this was now.

We exited the station and I quickly got my bearings. We headed for them thar hills and made our way up steep inclines that mountain goats would be proud to roam.

I played Julie, the cruise director, as I pointed out various sites of no real particular interest, recounting various bits of juicy sorted stories pulled out of my memory.

In no time we found the hotel we'd call home base for the weekend. We checked in, dumped our stuff and were out the door as fast as we could each exit the bathroom. We tramped up to the boardwalk near the more famous lodging and looked at some of the touristy sites such as the funicular and the ice slide choosing to by pass these items for a leisurely walk up the 312 stairs to the park and plains above. We emptied out to the park and tramped our way across snow-drifted paths. I chatted about my experiences of living there for 10 months filling the air with my history, leaving something of myself behind like the former inhabitants and defenders of this city had done too.

We passed through the makings of the winter carnival festival grounds (good thing to because we'd have had to pay $16 each to enter 24 hours later!)

We tramped to the main street and window shopped dinner menus as we walked back to the hotel to change damp socks and headed out again to walk the streets. We found a tiny tiny, well-known hole in the wall café and had supper before we did our rounds of the sites again before returning to our hotel to watch TLC.

Side bar note

Looks like Blogger's been doing some editing and I've lost my dotted backdrop that I'd liked so much. I'm going to try a couple different templates today and possibly unttil I see the return of the dots template as I knew and loved it. In the mean time, I hope I don't burn out too many retinas with my various attempts to capture a feeling for the page.

On the road again

We took the train to our honeymoon destination.

We'd got to the station in good time. It'd been over five years since I'd taken this mode of transportation and about the same since I'd been in the station. We spent our time milling about, I remarking how things have more stayed the same then changed. (That seemed to be a predominant theme that weekend.)

I thought I was being a smarty pants waiting on what I remembered to be the departure side of the station when DH, getting anxious that we were getting close to the departure time, asked one of the station personnel what time they were putting out the sign for our stop-over desination. The guy pointed to the very very long line that I'd mistaken for passengers departing for another desination. D'oh!

So we hustled to the back of this very very long line, all the while, me playing Julie the cruise director explaining what could be expected from this trip (for example, it'd be next to impossible to find two seats together).

We climbed aboard and low and behold we DID find two seats together. While etting settled in and regailing our good fortune, a well coiffed woman came up to our seats and said we were mistaken and were sitting in HER seats! What? My mind had moved into vacation mode by that point and really didn't get what she was saying. Apparently during my five year absence, delivery of train service had changed and they were now assigning seats! Woo hoo! That meant DH and I DID have a seat together.

We found those, settled in with our magazines and books (I think I took a nap) and had a comfortable and uneventful ride to the mid-way point at which time we got out, went above ground for an hour and prowled the streets of the city as much as our already over-stuffed luggage would allow us. Boy did we look like tourists ... slightly dishevelled and unstylish in bland winter gear in comparison to the above ground earth walkers!

We got some street food (roasted chestnuts!) and returned to below ground to catch the train for the final leg of our destination. We were running a wee bit slow and DH was getting antsy about missing the train. Having left his watch at home for this trip, I continued in the roll of Julie, advising him from time-to-time how much prowling time we had, hoping to calm his nerves as I ducked into a shop to search for provisions (after all we were travelling in a sardine can in the middle of winter with a specific supply of food stuffs - I didn't want to get caught in between switches for a few hours while getting the stomach grumblies).

We rolled onto the train with about 10 minutes to spare and settled in for another few hours of trip. Again, it was fairly uneventful. The universe and everything seemed to be cooperating with us, open its arms saying that it was ok to come after all.

Dirty week

I just got back from my honeymoon. Some people called it my dirty weekend. Little did they know how self-filling that prophecy was! As the previous weekend the washer when kablooie followed by two out of five family units going kablooie too. Going away with luggage filled with dirty laundry wasn’t quiet what I expected!

The Thursday night before, it was very much touch and go here as we tried to decide if the universe was actually trying to tell me/us something. DH and CU3 both were very sick during the week though started perking up Thursday evening. As I watched the clock tick closer and closer to our cut-off cancellation time, the pessimist in me kicked in big time thinking that I’d never get to go.

CU1 and 2 were off to their father’s. CU3 was the big question mark. Would our kind neighbors want to take in a possible source of contamination? Good Neighbor (GN) 1 stopped in to take a look at CU3 and though thing’s ‘d be ok. GN 2 came by for a look-see shortly there after and cleared the way. Exchange of goods occurred. Frantic packing occurred. The regular coffee date with PC occurred. (Ah, finally an event of civility in the course of a rough week!)

So off we went on our long weekend together. Our honeymoon. I only had to marry the guy twice and wait three years to get away. As the mothership has pointed out, I seem to have it all in the wrong order.

Same old same old

The start to the week started off pretty awful.

• CU1 had broken his glasses in two (irrepairable damage).
  
• The washing machine expired (not good when CU3s on cotton diapers).
  
• I forgot my wallet at home.
  
• CU3 is having unexplainable mouth pains for which I have to schedule an emergency dental appointment to fill in the black-hole of information that's left there from "co-parenting".
  
• There's a Federal election.
  
• Did I mention we have no washing machine and there are FIVE people in the house?
• A zillion complications at work which have to be cancelled and rescheduled because of dental emergencies.

Midweek though, it's improving.

• CU1's glasses are under warranty and have been replaced in record time.
• Thank small gods for credit cards - we've purchased a washer which will be delivered by the end of the week.
• I found/collected my wallet and it's with me again, allowing me access to all of 16 cents I currently have available to me.
• I met with the dentist who filled me in on what's been going on in CUs mouth for the last two months and what can be done to help him not have mouth pains.
• The Federal election happened, and it's a minority government. See you at the polls in 2008!
• Did I mention we got a new washer coming in by weeks end? (So it looks like I might not be having a dirty weekend after all.)
• I've rescheduled some of the zillion and one things ... February's looking to be a pretty hairy month.

Weeee.

Happy

The first two years of a child's life are so filled with wonder. They are such sponges. Language is the most interesting acquisition. Amongst the assorted words that CU3 has learned, shoes, all done, up, pomme, paper is the happy. What a word to learn. Happy. Heureux. A simple word. To be one of the first ten words is such an accomplishment.

For better or for worse

It's been a hell of a week.

CU3 is such a generous child that she decided to share her cold with me. Eight days later, we both are sharing a lot of quality time together, coughing, wheezing and hucking a few clams, usually between the hours of 1 and 4 in the morning.

My DH has been a dream through it all. Every morning he reports on the "running of the stairs" and how he's tended to the sick and unhappy, tirelessly and for little reward.

It looks like some of that might actually be rubbing off on CU1 as, exhausted, I decided to take advantage of CU3s nap-time and catch a few zzz while CU1 and 2 were off playing relatively quietly. CU3 was under. Snowplows shaking the house as they passed didn't wake her. I was lying near by. CU1 quietly made his way into the room. I peered conspiratorially beneath my covers, as the sandman began to overtake me. CU1 was rummaging through his sister's toys. Trying to muster strength for an intervention, I saw him take out ... a duck.

A duck?

He tucks the duck in with the sleeping baby. Then makes his way around to me and tucks a lovey in with me. My tender boy. You make me so proud.

Voting in Canada

Dear friends and readers, as we lead up to another Federal election in less then a week, it reminds me of a t-shirt that I saw my uncle wear, oh so many years ago:

Friends don't let friends vote Republican.

Mind you, with the nutty weather we have been having (I'm suspecting the locuses are on their way), I wouldn't be surprised if hell begins to freeze and life becomes miserable for four years on Monday.

Sour grapes

In my opinion, one of the top five peevish things that bugs me are adults who act horribly, especially like two years old, when they don't get their way.

Some one's grandma named it correctly: sour grapes. As parents of children, we are frequently bombarded with messages about how to raise our children. This particular message seems to have fallen on deaf ears with a particular "parent" I know.

Look buster, life isn't equal. There may be some rough justice in this world. If so, it's not been doled out in my time yet, that doesn't mean it ain't comin'. So, in the mean time, when some one climbs in YOUR box, cowboy up, act your age, and be a better roll model for your children.

Family lore

Subtitled: "My kids will be in therapy for years".

Oh yah. My poor, poor children. Not only do they have to deal multiple households, multiple rules, multiple father figures, they have to deal with ME, and well DH! WE the "original" parents.

DH has a quirky side that really to know is to love. He's the kind of guy I wish I had as a dad. On the face of it, he seems a bit gruff, a bit scary to little things - kind of like Santa, or clowns. He's kind of round, and loyal, loyal, loyal ... like a Labradoodle. He's quiet, for the most part, and has a sly sense of humor that sneaks out and grabs you, usually at the most unexpected times. He's a fantastic storyteller. When he's on a roll, get as many free breaths in as you can 'cause you'll be asking for oxygen there after. He'll have you on the floor with your legs in the air bicycling for breath.

Which brings me to why there's an advert for Catmilk on this site.

One morning, CU2 was acting a little cross, crotchety, ornery, so DH thought this was the perfect opportunity to give her the gears.

DH: CU2, can you please feed the animals (bad cats and bad dog)? Oh, and while you're at it, milk the cats.
CU: What?
DH: Can you please feed the animals and when you're done, before school, milk the cats.
CU: What? You can't milk cats.
DH: Sure you can. Where do you think milk comes from?
CU: Cows?
DH to me as I walk into the kitchen, rubbing sleep from my eyes: What do you say?
Me: Huh?
DH to me: Where does milk come from?
Me: Depends on the animal.
DH to CU: See. So, please milk the cats before you go to school.
CU: They're boy cats!
DH: Oh, that may take a little longer. Maybe you can do it after school.

...

A couple of days later at breakfast time ...

CU2: Can I have some milk?
DH: I dunno can you?
CU2: Can I please have some milk?
DH: What kind? [BC1 (bad cat 1) walks through the kitchen)] Catmilk?
CU2: What?
DH: Do you want some catmilk?
CU2: No.

So the whole catmilk thing went away until just over the Christmas holidays when CUs 1 and 2 were away and DH had more time on his hands then ways he could entertain himself. He decided it would be a good idea that we packed up the rest of the family and went out to the local mall to see what was going on on Boxing Day. I'm always up for an adventure in odd things, and seeing that I've never done any of the crazy shopping on Boxing Day I said I was game. We went, we saw nothing out of the ordinary, but we were able to pick-up some Catmilk for CU2 and her breakfast cereal ... proving that yes Virginia there is a Santa Clause ... and there is such a thing as catmilk.

Original parenting

Today, while speaking with an aquantance, we were discussing parenting problem solving ideas. At the end of the conversation, this person turned to me and said "My you and your DH are original parents."

Um ....

What the hell??

I think it was meant to be a complement and a bit of recognition to our, er, ahem, unique style and approach to parenting.

I think the description is growing on me ... I think I like it.

CU gets Lucky

Thursday's are usually a rough day around our household. We're either preparing for an influx or an outflow of CUs. I have to say I always prefer the influx preparations. For me, it's like Christmas every other week as "my presents" come home.

This week, though is an outbound week. After two weeks of normalcy and ordinariness as a family unit, CUs 1 and 2 are preparing to say their goodbyes for a week and re-enter the stupid, rotating world not of their making. (Excuse me while I go brush my teeth for writing the S-word. It's a newer house rule that I came up with because CU3 was using it a bit too often and in a manner not becoming. So, I've fallen into my own trap!)

...

Ok. So, gentle readers, to satisfy any outstanding curiosity, I recommend Baby's Own over any liquid anti-bacterial hand soap. Much much cleaner taste and fewer residues!

But I digress further from the main story, which is the chaos that frequents this house. For the most part Thursdays are like any other day, except punishment is a lot lighter. In this case though, CU1 looses out for something CU3 - the latest edition to the family unit - did. CU3 was left to reckless abandon tonight while I directed CU1 and 2 through their paces (math and language tests Friday morning). I had paused to do some redirect with CU2 when CU1 starts screaming "bad baby" over and over and over again. As this is a semi-regular occurrence within these four walls, I have kind of learned to ignore it, unless accompanied by the smell of singed hair or some other odoriferous calamity.

In this case, curiosity got the better of me - "bad baby" had got Lucky. Lucky Charms that is. Mr. Charms had spread his wealth of magic deliciousness across the kitchen floor and was being carefully picked over by both "bad baby" (BB) and "bad dog". It didn't help that BC 1 and 2 (bad cats 1 and 2) were making matters worse by batting petrified, space-ready pink hearts, green clovers, stars, horse shoes, and whatever nonsense they now stuff in the box across the floor.

Hey baby! Would you like your milk with that?

bad hair days and dresses stuck in tights

I've been walking around, for a couple of weeks now, maybe longer, feeling angry, grouchy, brittle. Wintertime is a period of me usually of hibernation, contemplation and a lot of self-work. And small gawds know (any any one who has seen me recently) knows that I could an Extreme Makeover!

The New Year ended and started with a "poof" - kind of like something one would see on Bugs Bunny after one of Wiley E. Coyote's failed stunts. I keep telling myself that that's ok, but the reality is that I'm not ok with it. I want 2006 to be different, more joyful, more joy filled. Maybe it's my realizing that this year, this winter is a bit different, as I start to sever long-term relationships and close the door on life changing events that initiated a historic chain of actions that lead me to the path I'm walking today.

January 2000 was a very troubling, actually horrible time in my life, one that I shall never, ever repeat. By the first of April, I was starting a new life that was more thrust upon me, though a welcome relief at that point, as I tried to battle something that was bigger than me, that was out side of me, that really was and wasn't about me.

The impact and outcome has been far far ranging resulting in groups and regrouping of entities into what now are more solid units. (CUs, I'm so sorry this happened.)

I think I'm having troubles realizing that there is an end to this part of my journey.

I'm feeling lost, a drift. The only way to provide a sufficient comparison to some one who hasn't experienced it is that it's like when you loose your job. Part of you gets left behind, willingly or less willingly.

So much of one's identity is attached to a job, a place, or a relationship that to shift it, unexpectedly is to jar something loose. And there it rattles around until it something snags it.

As this piece gets fitted in, maybe the Universe is saying that now is the time to take the steps to the rest of my life and further identify myself: a mother, a sister, a daughter, a creative problem solver, a friend, a schooled person, a reader, a fat chick, an accidental gardener, a Jill-of-all-trades, a wannabe photographer... what's next?

January 2006

Oh, this year is not getting off to a good start, from the writing perspective. Part of it is that there are just so many thank yous to write, as so many people have been so generous this Holiday season, part of it has just been a feeling of burnout. Perhpas it's the after season burnout or let down. Perhaps it's a winter light issue. My creativity has taken a wee bit of a hit - showed up in the things I didn't do with the CUs during their week off. All that said and done, everyone begins the regular grind tomorrow. All CUs return to their perspective schools, and all parental units, if they've not been working through, get the joy of returning to the chaos they left behind.

On the home front, I've got more pictures up in the photogallery - I'm hoping to do a more simple grouping to follow this year - by month. Newer pictures first. I'm hoping a few pictures will hold you until their stories can be told.