Thanks for the memories. Both the bad, and the good.
And happy birthday big boy!
P.S. That top photo is a cake designed by CU-2 Pizza Birthday Cake, complete with: minty "olives", hot-lipped peppers, Starburst "ham", albino Tootsie "cheese", cola "mushrooms", Swedish fish "green peppers", and marshmellow strawberry "pepperoni". Poor boy got a sugar rush before he could finish what he'd served himself. Bon effort!
It's nice to have all the children home. I prefer when we are not all house bound as a result of freezing rain. The time off was pleasant, in general. Not a lot of rush. Not too much fussing. The down time was down for us all. A chance to get closer, close enough to argue and fight like regular families.
We had/have a few extra special visitors. We collected the school principal's bird for the duration of Christmas break, and a friends dog as she conducted her familial duty. We also collected a child-friend from down the street and added him to the fray. Our magic house expanded and enveloped everyone and everything (kind of like The Blob, but in a good way). Gifts were modest this year (where pajamas are equally appreciated as some of the more fun gifts).
All were heart felt. Our friends who are not present in our lives physically, are certainly present with their influence. (Thanks Alison for the Lego Table addition!)
Packages from away were explored, opened and enjoyed. And even the house hold "bosses" were considered. Ah, life is good. In so many, many ways.
There was something for every one, including at the Christmas feast!
Now I do look forward to 2009 and all the challenges and changes it brings. (And with potty training, it's going to be such a year of changes!)
And before I close, Happy Birthday to the the birthday people! The Boy over at Nat's and Grandma "C"/Tim. We're thinking of you and rooting for you today most of all!
Oh, and The Huz ... you'll get your just desserts tomorrow!
As I'm picking up, from some blog posts, there's a nasty thing going around. I've got it. It's either that, or symptoms of a heart attack. (The later I rule out because I'm mostly being a hypochondriac, and have just gone through a full check-up with my MD in November.)
Regrettably, or maybe lucky for him, The Huz is out all day. I've had a series of kids stream through the house, which is good, as I'm house bound trying to toilet train a toddler (though I don't think he can be called a toddler any more, marathon runner? That's more like him.)
At this moment, he's barricading himself and his sister in their shared room so that they can try to get an extra 15 minutes of play out of the day.
I've chased the other kids off to bed. It's been one of those days where I've really had just about everything I could/would want to take on. Then I picked up an email from the children's father. Oh that so was a big mistake. I'm trying to talk myself off the edge of that one. As a coping mechanism I've written myself a long email of stuff to do from work, on my lunch hour, when I return Monday morning. In one more week, everything will just be compounded as I return to French training for the month. When it rains, it pours.
I'm trying to live the serenity prayer. I'm trying to believe that all this strife makes me a better, more patient person.
Oh, this too shall pass.
Hey, PC, I'm reflecting on your new course of action on your blog. You've got a good idea there.
Connected, in one way or another, with those I need to connect with.
Even got a nap in.
Here's an attempt at my very second haiku:
Christmas is over. For another year. Fewfuf. Just wait for next year!
Considering that I don't have _any_ Christmas spirit this year (and I really mean none - even with all the baking I've done, which was most enjoyable), I'm actually looking more to some accomplishments that I hope take place in 2009. The WHOLE YEAR makes it feel like Christmas!
CU-2, the 10 year old, wanted to talk to him. I only got her half of the conversation. From what I can tell, it was Santa light. No yelling. No telling her she's got to get to bed. I think I was looking for the bad Santa ;-)
For the older child and the third child, the Portable North Pole has worked really well. They were sucked in AND felt pretty darned special. The grinning and shouting was worth it. I'm sure the deafness is only temporary.
There's also the health scare. Maybe that is over disasterizing things. CU-1 is on some pretty strong meds, and since the death of an artist-acquaintance's husband last week, I've been thinking about health a fair bit. Didn't help that the kid was complaining of gut pains again yesterday morning. So off to the MD we went, just to be sure. (Gawd I love Canada for trips like this.)
While there, I helped CU-1 adjust his clothes that were looking pretty gappy (NOT The Gap-py).( He lives in his head most of the time, and clothes seem to be a significant afterthought.) So, as I'm adjusting his trousers, I notice his underwear elastic looks like it's shot. You know, when the elastic looks ripply? For some reason, I decided to look at the label, possibly to try and identify the brand. There was the size tab. XXL. The kid is a boys small. He wasn't wearing his underwear. Eww. ;-)
Because of the emergency nature of getting the boy into the doctor, I had to reschedule a bunch of things. Like the drop-in French class commitment I'd made, and my employee performance review. Luckily the performance review could be slated for later in the day. I missed my open time for French tutoring. I *did* pick-up a telephone message on my return from the school director. When I called him back, explaining what was happening, I suggested I was planning on attending next weeks tutoring time, all things being considered (extreme cold, bus strike). At first, he suggested that it was a "nice walk" from my building to theirs (about 20 minutes). When I pointed out that'd I'd have already walked 40 minutes from home, he offered to pick me up. [Pregnant pause here.] Um, yah. Right.
Then there is the booty call. We've been having troubles getting CU-4 to sleep. (Doesn't help the addition of a dogglet for a few days, and the school bird decides to serenade us all.) Tonight seems to be a night of exceptional behavior. As I passed the stairs that runs through the centre of our house, there he was in all his blond and naked glory. The kid's learned to do zippers. Ahhh, isn't that cute.
Earlier that night, just as supper was winding down, and the children were dissipating, CU-4 crawled up into his chair for some last-minute noshing. Something smelled rotten, and we're not in Denmark.
As CU-1 cleared the table, I asked him to carry a message to The Huz who was in the kitchen monkeying about. This is what I heard "CU-4 has a present for you, and Mom says it's not going to wait for Christmas." Some days having a mocking bird for a kid is a good thing.
Seeing that we're going into training mode as of the 26. No more diapers except for naps and nights, I'm trying to come up with a few more witticisms to convey the message. Currently I've used up "ah, I'm still working. You've started your vacation." I'm holding back on the "But it's one of the last diapers you may ever change again!"
Oh Santa baby, all I want for Christmas is a good night sleep! ;)
And finally, to my friends who read about my goofy life, and to those who don't even know about it, may you find peace as this year draws to a close.
1. Christmas Eve or Christmas morning? When ever the jolly fellow in red has completed his visit, which children are home, and how tired they are. (When the older kids are at their fathers', we skip to the following morning.)
2. Donner or Donder? Donner. No question. I never even thought there was an option.
3. Turkey or ham? Always an debate. Usually it's a beef roast. This year The Huz relented and we're having lamb. We might have ham too, just because I can't remember the last time I've had lamb in the house and the kids might not have tried it before.
4. Gifts opened all at once, or one at a time? With a family of six, this is a royal pain. But, we pretty much do one at a time, though those who are impatient have pre-cut/ripped their items.
5. Christmas tree: live or artificial? Alas, I lost the war on that one. The Huz went out for a real one last year and came back with a plastic, already hardwired (LED) one. Saves $40 a year I guess. (Did I mention that he payed a hundred dollars for it?)
6. Cards: boxed cards, family photo cards, or e-cards? E-cards? Heavens no. Thanks to VistaPrint, I make up family photo cards now. Makes me feel rich.
7. Christmas lights: incandescent or LED? See number 5.
8. Re-gift or not? Maybe. I learned this one the hard way. My bio-father gave me a old-lady watch when I was 13 years old. I took it back to Consumers Distributor (before they went bankrupt). He got wind of it and got really pissed. My mother said he was never really great for picking out gifts in the first place.
9. Gift wrap or gift bags? I prefer gift wrap, though have been know to put a few things in brown paper bags. In past years I've done brown paper on all the packages and wrapped them up with string, because, of course, they are a few of my favorite things.
10. Best Christmas song? Hard one there. The entire Messiahby Handel? And in particular the line that goes "And we like sheep" which causes me to smirk and laugh.) That's only because I can remember the song title. I like Santa Baby which is very popular these days. Love love love the songs from Peanuts (Christmas Time is Here).
12. Favorite family tradition? I had some. Divorce. Twice. Once when I was 12. The second when I was 32. Kind of changes things a bit. Though, since moving to this neighborhood about six years ago, I've taken up to doing some Christmas baking that goes to the local tavern's Christmas dinner.
And one more just for show: 13. Evening mass, midnight mass, no mass? Evening because two of four are in the pageant. This year CU-1 was tapped as Joseph and bowed out at the rehearsal. CU-2 has been gunning for lead angel (Gabriel) role. That passed her by this year. Maybe next year (usually goes to a girl in grade six.
And, for the first time I can remember, they've got a boy angel. Now that's cool AND progressive.
This morning I packed up CUs 1, 2 and 3 and we headed to the basement of our local church to make cakes for Jesus.
Though this parish is dying a slow, and rather painful death (as a result of a dying population and a lot of low attendance except for the Cs and Es [Christmas and Easter attenders]. They have been trying to minster to the youth who come (unlike the English church I was attending, that's a lot closer to home.) It became a very adult-oriented parish). To this end, a couple of dedicated parishioners run a children's program during the mass, and, at Christmas, run a cake and craft decoration program which my children seem to enjoy.
Thankfully the morning went by quickly and child wrangling was held to a minimum.
Both The Huz and are are experiencing various levels of burn out. Me, I'm looking forward to having a couple of days AT work. He's looking for a couple of days OFF work.
IF the storm hits us, as is expected, and the dig out is nasty and falls into Monday, he's going to call in a work-from-home-day because he's car pooling with a buddy from New Edinburg. Me, I've told him to haul out my ski poles as I'm trudging in. It'll probably be easier for me as a side walk will have been cleared along my path. I really want to be there, rather then here.
Child Unit 3 has been having troubles sleeping lately. She wouldn't be coaxed to bed with the idea that she got to wear street clothes to work, or that she was going to Child Unit 4's care provider next week as a treat. So, we've done the next best thing and leveraged the seasonal spectator that is widely available, Santa.
The conversation kind of fell out like this:
Me: CU-3 if you don't go to bed, you won't be ready tomorrow and you'll be too tired to have fun with CU-4.
CU-3 continues to do distracting activities to keep herself from going to bed, like lamenting about the state of the economy.
Me: CU-3, do I have to call Santa to say not to stop by this year?
CU-3: You don't know Santa's number.
Well, to me, them's fighting words, and I respond in kind:
Me: You don't think so?!
So I go into the kitchen and ask The Huz for the hot line to 1-800-GRANDMA, dial it and have this conversation:
Me: Hi Mrs. Santa, this is Me. I have a little girl who doesn't want to go to bed. Would Santa be available to talk to her?
Mrs. Santa: Not going to bed is she. Sure. I'll see if he can come to the phone.
Santa comes to the phone and starts ho ho hoing. I have to pause him to get CU-3 on the phone, who's almost lost her air of cockiness. They have a chat where she puts in her order. I ask her to pass the phone to The Huz when she's done. And off to bed she tottles.
Hey, kind of late (but then I did just stumble on it while making my rounds), then again, there's always time for a party - I found a virtual Christmas party going on at Please pick up your socks.
It's day six of being held hostage in a tiff between Mayor Lex and the Bus Union.
The Union's point of sticking has been scheduling and they say to Mr. Mayor "take it off, and we'll be back at work".
Our esteemed municipal leader is basically doing a "nanner nanner" at them while he drives around in his Lexus, and down into his warm, underground garage, while postering all the more.
It's become a game of Chicken, or Blink. Which ever you prefer to play.
With no end in site, let me just say "I am not amused."
I've been very lucky to date, begging rides home from a work colleague. Mornings have been manageable as The Huz has a lift in and back (except when he has an audit, like this morning, or an interview, or has to go to Montréal). Then other arrangements are made, with me mostly in the fall-back position.
So far, I think I've racked up four sources for generic offers for rides. (All very helpful. Thank you all for your support. I'm not going to put any one out until I've excausted other options - mainly me!)
I just have a few more days to do the old push-pull, then The Huz is on Christmas shut-down. Better for him. No commute for 10 days. Me, I'll manage.
This post is mostly just a major gripe about the head-butting morons who are screwing around with not just my life, but a couple of aquantances who are going to loose their jobs because THEY CAN'T GET TO THEM.
If this was only summer, so many options would be available.
And, to add insult in injury, we will probably experience a rate hike before we see 2010.
P.S. Happy 45th anniversary Grandma and Grandpa C!
The children were SOOOOOO not helpful. Gawd, ignorance must be bliss, 'cause I'm loosing my mind.
And then there are the drivers ... this was my street as I started off this morning. What you don't see is the two other cars jammed in the street. and yes, that car in the front of the picture, it's parked on the wrong side of the street. (Note to driver, this is not Europe.)
I left at 7:20ish this morning. I got into work after only 40 minutes of trudging.
Guess I could have used some help.
Thank goodness for mostly cleared sidewalks. Well, mostly cleared.
There seems to be a fractious relationship between street snow plower drivers and side walk snow plow drivers. What one does well, the other has to undo. At least there were some routes that were well cleared. THAT helps those relegated to walking a whole lot.
Now, has any one heard if there were scheduled talks between the city and the union???
Or is this likely to go on for three freaking weeks? (Like the last one.)
So, CU-2 is back for the week, early, because tomorrow is another PD day.
She asked to play Scrabble tonight. I agreed. I'd never played Scrabble with her, and at 10, thought she could be a reasonable opponent.
She suggested it be a bilingual version, so that both our vocabulary proficiencies could be covered.
As she was putting letters on the board, I checked the sheet. She and I were an equal match. I had to do something to throw her off her game. As she lay down her tiles (P-I-N-E) I told her that the spelling was wrong. It was missing the silent "Q". She looked at me, not sure what to make of me and tried to challenge my authoritative spelling.
"Mais non, Maman. C'est PINE en français!"
I responded: "Nope. My teacher corrected me on that one too. There is a silent Q in the middle. You can't put down the letters without the Q. Just ask The Huz!"
That's when my cover got blown.
So I followed it up with "Hey, did you know if you say gullible fast enough it sounds like CHOCOLATE?"
Therapy. That's what this girl's going to need. Maybe I can get that her some for Christmas!
So tonight The Huz and I went head-to-head with dinner menus.
He in the right corner with his version of his mother's chicken and dumplings. Me in the opposite corner with canned beans and porch pork and buttered toast triangles.
Dinner unraveled a bit like this.
Me: "I'm not eating THAT." pointing to the chicken and dumplings. (*I* happen to have a major dumpling phobia that goes W-A-Y back.)
The Huz: "That's ok. CU-3 and 4 like it."
Me, spooning out some warmed up canned beans, looks around as CU-3 starts yelling "I want what she's having!"
Heh.
I arrive at the dinner table with now two servings of brown beans. CU-4 is already at the table with his chicken and dumplings before him, waiting to say grace. He takes one look at what CU-3 and I are having and starts making grabbing gestures towards our dinners.
I turn to The Huz "I guess he wants some ..." I say with just a bit too much glee. I get the look.
There you have it fashion lovers, Chicken and Dumplings, ZERO. Mom's specially canned baked beans 1!
Nat started something good, IMHO - I've not attended to my randomness, and like her approach.
Feel bored with myself. Hell yes. Though, right now I'm see-sawing between wanting to flat out weep and get mad. PMS swings or over tired, over-stressed, over-drawn, over-everything.
It's been a rough week. The Huz still hasn't recovered from his wisdom teeth being removed Monday afternoon. And we have a snow storm coming in Monday, which means I might have to drag 1/2 the family to their destinations AND pick them up again at the end of the day.
Saturday was a good but bad day running from event to event (volunteered at the artisan sale in the morning, the library event in the afternoon, and back to the artisan event for clean-up. In between child care, cake, music, groceries and a horse drawn trolley ride). I'm bagged.
Sunday it's the same thing, but different. Church, hardware store, drop-offs to vendors who loaned stuff, and a trip to pitch things to Chez Vincents. If there's still gas in my tank, I'll trot some photographs over to Patrick John Mills Contemporary Art Gallery for a show that's opening up this week.
Maybe, just maybe I'll get lucky, the road will stay clear, people will stay out of my way as I run frantically about, and I'll make it home with enough time to get the vacuum cleaner out and take care of the dust rhinos, push a couple of loads of bedding through, and find the outdoor Christmas decorations.
Barring that luck, maybe Monday's storm will be a doozy and I'll be told to stay at home!! Here's to wishing.
These days I'm easily distracted and, well, I'll confess, irritable.
It's not because I'm NOT out cavorting, making art and picking up mongo along the way. Well, I wish that was the reason because that would more easily explain my longer and longer absences from the blog as well as some of the long winded complaining I've been doing here.
The reality is sooo much less interesting. Full days of French training (for which I am sooo freaking frustrated because I STILL can't correctly conjugate various tenses), followed by house hold home work, school home work, blah blah blah. It just gets too boring to speak of.
When I get my free time, make that IF I get my free time, I cruise other people's blogs, as their lives and their stories and even sometimes their problems that they post about are much much more interesting then mine. And I'm way ok with that. Sure beats overindulging in other past-times. Besides, I don't know that I'd have the time to do any of that!
So, Monday I turn a corner. I'm back at work. I've lined up meeting with my clients (these are other departments) and I sure hope they're looking at December as a month to get things done, 'cause I am. I've eaten my Wheaties and I'm raring to get back to the old 8 to 4. Oh my life was so much less complicated then!
"Huh?" I replied. I just finished sprinting the route that normally takes The Huz about 30 minutes to complete (darned alarm clock didn't go off!) I had little clue about what she was saying.
"35 days until Christmas. Are you excited?" she prodded.
"Um, no."
Not sure if that was an acceptable answer. It's the only one I had at the moment. Now with 34 days, I'm still not excited. So far, in my French class, another student's wife already has their tree up and the house decorated. My ex has his orange-tinsel tree up (officially as of November 1!) Not us.
I've been taking a more laid back approach to the season for the last couple of years. Our tree has been going up later and later. In fact, I remember one year that The Huz had to do most of the decorating himself, as the kids and I had spent most of our energy making a paper-chain garland for the tree and then pooped out on the couch to watch cartoons.
Here we are November 20th with 34 days left (actually 33 days and 31 minutes to THE BIG DAY). There's no snow on the ground, I'm in a windowless classroom for eight hours a day, and with the rest of my "free time" I'm hitting the books (the kid's, not mine), or vaching a bit in front of the TV or radio. There's not a lot of external influences to point out that we're going through the seasonal change.
I return to civilian life for December. Maybe things will be different then. Goodness knows I need to get the lead out. I've got packages that have to be put together to go State side and out West and they need to put in the mandatory storage time with Canada Post!
Unlike Nat, I didn't get my hair cut today. Nor did I sign up for a half-marathon. I did listen to my husband torment some poor guy who was trying to sell us a Global Male (I was thinking of Jen's postings on the subject) and was hoping that maybe my husband was ordering one for my birthday, sigh.
The Huz finally hung up when he asked the guy at the other end of the telephone what kind of toothpaste he used, because he must have very good oral hygiene to be in his line of work.
Nevertheless it's Friday. I like Fridays, almost as much as I like Mondays. (And I usually love Mondays.)
This Friday CU-1 and all his troubles have migrated back with him to his other house. Regrettably CU-2 has gone with him. She's the most fun that can be packed in a 10 year old frame.
CU-1 has certainly given me a run for my money this week. Two notes from school, super shitty adolescent attitude and no NEW winter jacket or snow pants (his father claims they never came home with CU-1. Note: this is the third COAT since September that has gone missing.)
The end of this school year can't come soon enough.
Now it's Friday night. I've just synchronized the family calendar, complete with haircut appointments for 2/3 of the family, with my home/work agenda. Only two more calendars to synchronize. It's almost as good as cleaning out the junk drawer.
Also, I got notice that the big order for advertisement stuff for a December art show I'm participating in are on their way!
My discounted winter shoes arrived from LandsEnd this week.
CU-3 has an invitation to play with a neighbor down the street tomorrow.
And The Huz is virtually all mine for the weekend!
- join the circus - run away for up to 8 hours a day - sell the kids at a yard sale or rummage sale
None of these are working. My latest alternative is to set my hair on fire.
CU-1 + formula for area + formula for perimeter + preparation for a test on Thursday = the title of this entry.
I think I'm going to lose my mind. And no, I'm not smarter then a Sixth Grader!!
(I think the French training is successful. I've reread this post (and edited it) three times finding many errors in my basic sentence composition and spelling. I can't remember how to *say* certain words in English now and my spelling is ... worse then usual! I'm glad for those tiny steps forward! My prof is going to love hearing this.)
Today was a mixed bag, weather wise. On again, off again rain. Wind in the afternoon cooled off the nicer-then-average afternoon. Not that I noticed that much today. I spent much of it in front of the computer screen trying to catch-up on some very very overdue home-based work.
I had people coming and going all day. The Huz went to help a friend out with an electrical problem, Child Unit 1 went off for art class and boomeranged back two hours later (escorted by The Huz who checked the dungeon to see if there were any extra bits and bobs he could use at the site.) Out goes Huz, followed by CU-1 again, followed by CU-3 who was called over to a friends for a play date. CU-2 moped around for all of 12 minutes until HER friend showed up and then both of them went over to a neighbors to play with their child for part of the afternoon. Whew. That left me with CU-4. Alone with him is just different. He's a good kid most of the time (like when he poured Huz's cold coffee on MY office chair!) and having him to myself is just different. We did the usual Mom son stuff. Made lunch, changed diapers and danced in the kitchen. Just before things got really quiet (CU-4 still takes naps and hadn't gone down for his yet), I got the call of home coming dribble of people reentering the house.
I thought it would be cathartic writing about the conversation I had with my mother this evening. Alas, no, as it's provoked an argument with The Huz.
The light version of it goes like this:
. I disappointment mother because I don't keep house well . I disappointment mother because I am not tidy like her . I disappointment mother because ( fill in the blank here ) and because I do not exert enough influence on The Huz to be everything else that I am not.
Because of the last one, we got into an argument about how he's feeling inept whenever I get off the telephone after one of these "pick me up" conversations with the Mothership. (I'd mentioned to him that in my self defense I told Mom that once she got done fixing her husband up, she could come over and start on mine. I was trying to be sarcastic. Alas, I don't think either one heard it.)
And, just for fun, I got criticized by The Huz for doing too much for other people (like walking a neighbors son to and from the same hockey program in which our children participate, or for baking cookies for our son's care giver.)
To end this post on a happy note, here is what I think has to be the world's easiest cookie recipe:
Pumpkin cookies 1 box of spice cake mix 15 oz of pumpkin
1. Open box and place in bowl. 2. Add 15 oz of your favorite source of pumpkin (canned or fresh, but cooked) 3. Mix. 4. Spray/oil cookie sheets. 5. Spoon lumps of cookie dough onto cookie sheet. 6. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes. 7. Cool. 8. Eat.
This is also a sneaky way to get fruit and fibre into a kid's diet.
Hallowe'en's over, about 52 days until Christmas, but who's counting.
Really, I'm not.
Everything is just sliding together for me. The reprieve weekend after this weeks first snow had me outside working for pretty much all of the day getting yard work done. Then, I came in just in time for supper to start doing the inside work. (Mostly of wrapping prezzies for birthdays that are coming up this week.)
I feel like the last month galloped by. This month puts me back in the classroom for the whole month again. I'm not sure how I feel about that. A lot of students don't want to go back to work after the month away. I'm just the opposite. It's not like I'm super busy at work, or that I super love my job. I like some of the things I've been doing and things are in a good space now. I think the greatest perk is that I have the ability to structure the day the way I want to, and not be told "oh it's break time now" or time for dictée.
It's just a month, and doing this activity has it's benefits (I hope).
During a rambling conversation during breakfast that included the words muffin and top and then muffin top, I hiked up my shirt enough to show my daughter my permanent "tatoos" that she and her siblings gave me.
She looked up at me and said "Oh Maman. Those are sleep wrinkles."
I have to remember that one when I go for my physical next month.
It's now the day before the night of Hallows Eve. We've had snow. We've had pumpkins. We've had ... good weather? Go figure. I'm confused.
Just as I scrambled to clothes the four children, it starts to turn nice. Arg.
And, just for fun, The Huz and CUs decided to gut the pumpkins last night (thank small gods, 'cause I thought I was going to have to do them, and if I did, lets just say it wasn't going to be pretty).
But, all ended ... mostly well. (The ghost of children who should be sleeping!)
It was that kind of weekend. Mixed with so many things to do, I satisfyingly struck one thing off after another, with a few hick-ups in between.
I've criss-crossed my neighborhood a couple of times this weekend. Art classes, hair cuts, and photo ops. Even had time to getting sick at Loblaws, rush home for a pick-me-up nap, and recover sufficiently to go out to the movies with CUs 2 and 3 (High School Musical is in the theatres, ugh. What I'll do for love.) All of this through a pouring rain.
Came home, watched High School Musical one that was on TV (hadn't seen that one yet) and called it a day, a very late day.
Sunday morning. Apparently I missed a visit from the Latter Day Saints. Too bad I was in church. I guess they were looking for the Pagan. He was helping a friend refurbish his newly purchased crack house.
The day was much more pleasant that its predecessor, so I made hay while the sun shined. Farmed out a couple of kids, brayed at CU-1 for not bringing home his duo-tang that had his study materials (the kid only has a test Tuesday), helped a friend with her marketing materials, and sent the fourth child unit to bed (he napped for three hours, I guess he needed it).
I hit the panic button when, around 4 this afternoon, a neighborhood kid was sent scouting to see if I was going to the Diwali Festival. Here I was up to my knees in Cedar Tree (I took one out last week. It was less then a foot from the house, leaning and dying. I want to replace it with a Magnolia within two years.)
Crap-and-a-half. Yes. I wanted to. Oh ratz. I guess he's never seen me loose it, as I heard from his Mom that he reported "I was having a bad day". Um, that's putting it lightly.
I did go. I didn't take all my kids. The Huz kind of got dumped on for that one. I did collect another neighborhood kid and we did truck off for a lovely walk, great food (I heard Indian Express), and a fun time.
Oh, and I'm still not done the Foghorn costume. I'm saving that panic attack for Monday night.
So this is my last week of freedom to work. As October turns to November, I'll be returning to the gulag that I fondly call my French class. Though it's something I wished on for years and years (to get enough intensive language classes to finally *get it*), I'm not looking forward to the change of schedule, the smallish classroom, and the inability to structure my day as I see fit.
The Huz just hit that one home as he said to his daughter "Bienvenue" in return of her "Merci". In this province, "Bienvenue" means a couple of things, mostly "Welcome", though, over there, in Québec it is used as "thank you" too. (Thus where I must have picked it up.)
I've been trying to deprogram myself for the last six weeks. Habits are hard to break.
Regrettably it doesn't get much clearer then this. It was bed time. It was late. They were busy.
The "Road Runner" is having a few problems in that she wants Wile E. to actually get her and have her for lunch. Knowing this Wile E.'s appetite, I'm sure she'd start as a snack.
I'll post Foghorn when he's done. I just didn't get to it tonight and tomorrow's not looking so good now either.
So I finally uploaded the pictures from my camera (all 174 of them) and found a bit of evidence of last weekend's activities that pass muster for posting here: and, before the sewing machine died ...
I've been doing hand sewing ever since. (Though I've been able to secure a back-up sewing machine tonight from my yoga instructor!)
(She's still missing a tail, and then there's the matter of velcro to close up the suit ... details, just minor details).
In the previous post Grandma C recommends that instead of baby cakes, which ARE too much work (I only made four), that I switch gears and go for pumpkin cakes. I think we fair-haired maidens think alike, 'cause after four of the infinks or by the time it was 10:30 p.m. , I'd gotten fed up enough trying to make suitable "sleeping eyes" that I gave up and called it quits on that side of the project.
That last one has a baby bottle in/near it's mouth. The others are screaming. Right, I did make a bunch of baby pumpkins (having bought orange food coloring at Bulk Barn this past week for the impending pumpkin patch CU-2 and I are making for the after church coffee half-hour), so I thought I'd try it out. They worked out loverly. Though I still have a bunch more cakes to spread, it's just going to be easier, at least until we do the super deluxe version with the sparkly orange sugar this weekend.
Perpetual Chocoholic asks when I find time to make cakes, well, I'm just not making the Hallowe'en costumes right now, so I've got time.
Seriously though, I've been trying to avoid French homework, and the Ikea bag stuffed with socks that need to be paired (I might take the sock bag with me on the three day vacation ...). It's amazing the amount of time I can free not doing either of these activities!
Sounds like the starts of a bad joke. On me that is ...
My neighbor (whom, I will admit, I don't know well) is now three days over due to have her home birth. (Ugh and ugh.)
Her son sometimes comes over to play with my brood, so I feel like I know her, at least in sympathy.
So, as a way to say "welcome to the neighborhood" to her and her soon-to-be-born, I've been working on a scheme to decorate her house with a couple of balloons, a banner and a pair of baby socks (hey we're in a recession here).
I've also planned to make "baby cakes" for her from the Hello cupcake recipe book I've previously mentioned (see owl picture below).
Holey F. are those things complicated to make. Well, not complicated, a bit picky and I don't have the patience to try and tweeze ON eyebrows on a dozen of these, er babies. Instead, I did four. (Picture to follow during daylight, pictures taking is just better then.)
When I gave up on the babies, I did two Yorkies. I think they look kind of messed up, The Huz thinks they do look like a Yorkie we know (not mine. I don't do dogs at the moment. Isn't three cats, a hamster and four kids enough ;-).
So, they'll go to the Yorkie owner tomorrow. We'll see if they get giggled to death or make it there kind of sort of looking like something.
Then there was the left over frosting that I tinted. Canadian Thanksgiving is coming up this weekend and I needed to do a test run to see what the pumpkins might look like. Desperate is a word I'd use to describe them. Though, once they got the stem in, they kind of looked cute.
If I have time to bake and frost a dozen baby cupcakes later this week, I just might send them with CU-3 for the after-school program ... That's a pretty bit IF.
Walking home from Guides tonight, I had the following conversation with CU-2:
"Mom, I have something to tell you."
"Yes dear?"
"When I grow-up I'm not going to be a Lesbian."
Hmmm ... "Ah, ok. That's nice dear."
She also offered the following:
She doesn't want a cigarette.
She doesn't think she wants to do drugs.
Does she want to have a baby before she finishes high school? ... no
Does she want to get married? ... maybe
Does she want to have a baby before or after she's married ... maybe, but she doesn't have to be married to have a baby
Then the conversation moved on to more important things like when we're baking the next batch of cup cakes, and could she have a cookie when she gets home.
Oh, BTW Grandma C, CU-3 told CU-2 that she asked a boy in her class to be her boy friend. (She's four.) I told Papa to register for a gun license and pick-up some pork rinds and rock salt.
When asked about involving BOTH households in the discussion regarding an activity impacting CU#1.
The reality is CU-1 had a major breakdown at the possibility of travelling with the class. We talked about scenarios but in the end we assured him no one would pressure him to change his mind. << That'd be me.
When suggesting that the other house may want to collect the children for planned activities on their time, or, heaven forbid, coordinate activities
The children activities are all private lessons with professional coaches, they are scheduled on a regular basis. We would not want to creat a conflict with events that you might plan for them. thanks for the openness.
When asked for the return of three different fall coats
We haven't seen CU-1's coats.
And finally, the cherry. This comment was thrown in for good measure
This is the second time that the drugstore cannot fill the whole prescription, that bothers me and demonstrates poor customer service, next time we will fill it in at a drugstore that maintains enough inventory to satisfy client demand.
10 years of this boys and girls. 10 freaking years. I want a do over. I want those years back, and I want the anxiety this guy is causing if not to my kids, then selfishly to me, to freaking stop.
From my own experience with my own father, and seeing what he did for the last 27 years, some how I just don't think it's going to be possible, because even once the kids are grown-up, or he's dead and gone, the legacy continues.
Time well spent I say. (These are cup cake owls and bats. I supervised the construction of these beings, as seen in Hello Cupcake a book that is as interesting to read as it is to use.)
I did eventually load the disk and got a start on the review. Sigh.
CU-3 and 4 are in their beds, thankfully sleeping at this hour.
The Huz is out at some company meeting thingy. When I asked him what time he was coming home, he cheerly announced, "oh midnight". Huh? What? That resulted in an immediate call to his cell phone and a tiny tongue lashing as I told him that 1) he's expected to put in a full, long day again tomorrow coordinating this monstrous event for yet another day, 2) he's leaving early in the morning (which means he gets up before 5:45 in the morning, which means I don't get enough support in the morning to get the kids to their respective drop-off points AND get to my French class that starts at 8:15); 3) this stupid event lasts another day, only to be followed by his first volunteer shift at ball hockey at the community centre, followed by another late night while he gets his CPR Train-the-trainer certification.
If I was a single mother I could do this. Really I could. I used to do this. I used to be a competent, all together type of a person. I've grown lazy and soft (not just around the middle either) relying on some one else to help out. I wasn't ready for the amount of work that comes with another kid in school. I thought it would be easier.
I'd take up drinking seriously if it'd help me get the laundry folded, the permission forms filled in and my French homework done. (I've been trying to get to the liquor store for three weeks now. This is not good.)
I do expect things to shift next week when I'm back at work more or less full time. (I have only four hours of French per week for the month of October, and I'll get to pick-up the projects that I've let slack off for the last week and a half.)
With October I have to really start looking at the Hallowe'en costumes. So far #3 has backed off of a Dora-esque costume and is digging in for Roadrunner. Meep. Meep. Any suggestions on how to pull that one off?
There's a whole list of things I haven't had to make a successful day. Unlike Nat I've not been working my passion (Photography) for oh about two weeks now. As barometers go means that there's something pretty shitty sliding around. And there's the rub. It's been a rough day.
7:30 a.m. meeting with CU-1's teacher: 30 minutes of him telling me of problems that my Grade 6er is having and asking for tricks and suggestions he can use in the classroom. (The kid already has a modified program (read: individualize learning plan).)
8:30 a.m. finally role into French class - late. So far the teacher hasn't been a stickler about MY attendance (I stared in the middle of week 3 of the program and am still trying to figure out the ropes).
After explaining to my classmates that though I wasn't there at the start of the day, that I did start the day in French, I was asked to conjugate a verb example in all the forms (present, past, conditional, imperfect, yada yada). Ashen faced, I turned to the teacher and said - "mais ca c'est le raison que je suis ici". <<>> I ducted that one _for today_.
12:19 p.m. Start the across business district (read eight block) hike to the restaurant where my colleague is having a good by lunch. Reach there just in time to give a handshake and a hug and turn around and head back. We only have an hour and the walk took 25 minutes. (They're long blocks and I had a colleague in tow.)
1:40 p.m. Excuse myself to return to my office for a meeting that'd been scheduled two weeks prior to the last minute announcement that I was to begin French training.
This was a highlight. The sun was shining. The birds were no where to be seen (last time I felt like this, I got pooped on), and construction was in full swing. (Must get new shoes. The soles are pretty thin on these!)
2:00 p.m. Where is the meeting chair? Where is any one? Did I get the date wrong?
2:05 p.m. Meeting begins. I'm in my element until I get confused and point us all South for a few minutes. Adjust direction. Meeting continues tickiety boo until colleague realizes no one is looking at the same document.
2:50 p.m. Meeting breaks for a bio-break and I slip back to my desk to print out the correct documents.
2:52 p.m. Meeting organizer offers his regrets that he has to excuse himself from the meeting because he has a personal matter to attend to. I suggest we rejoin in about 20 minutes, to his agreement.
2:55 p.m. Unsuccessfully I flip through my cell phone options trying to find my cell phone number (it's not regular that I call myself). I have to add time. I ask a colleague for help.
3:13 p.m. My colleague finds my number and I'm able to add time to the phone.
3:15 p.m. Other meeting attendee says he can't return to the meeting, he's got another meeting to go to in the pub downstairs (the good-bye luncheon, liquid after dessert party ...).
3:20 p.m. The chair returns and we agree to pack it in for the day.
4:00 p.m. After a final visit I take my leave and try to determine which bus I can take home/to the caregivers. My regular route is SNAFU as a result of road work that's been going on since Spring.
4:35 p.m. Finally get to the farthest point for the first child. He's in a bad mood. Needs food. I forgot the piece of fruit I was saving for him on the table in class. Frack.
5:00 p.m. Competed debriefing with care giver and push on to collect the next bunch.
5:20 p.m. I'm really cutting the pick-up close these days. Frack. Ok I've got 3/4th le gang. Where's the other one?
5:21 p.m. Oh yah, she's started dance class today (hey - it's free at the community centre! Swing and Meringué who wouldn't want to go?)
5:30 p.m. Look in at the class. Wave to CU-2. She doesn't understand my pantomime. Must play Sheraids more often.
5:45 p.m. Am reminded that CU-2 needs a two litre pop bottle for school tomorrow. Rush the children through Giant Tiger to buy cheap pop and ice cream (might as well make this fun).
CU-4 decides he's hungry and becomes difficult to manage. Leave him in the care of Big Brother (CU-1) who wanders off to look at a pile of games in a discount pile.
5:52 p.m. Thank small gawds there are no lines. Make it through and push on.
CU-1 and CU-4 were told to "start walking" when I hit the check out. They're headed for the library as CU-1 had received a call regarding a pile of holds he ordered. (I swear, he's keeping the branch circulation rates high by his efforts alone!)
6:03 p.m. Make it to and through the library. New staff on duty. They're not amused by the children.
6:23 p.m. Home again, home again, jiggity jig. Searching the cupboards for something fast, and is a reasonable facsimile of nutrition. We eat buffet style as things get cooked.
7:30 p.m. Made it through homework wars relatively unscathed. I think the schedule CU-1 has been asked to follow might be working!
7:35 p.m. Asked CU-2 to bath herself and help bath CU-3 and 4. Moderate success after interductions between soap and child is made.
7:45 p.m. Screaming CU-4 finds me wearing a towel and his pride. Not bad. He made it through bath hour without pooping in the tub.
7:49 p.m. While scavenging for his pajamas, diaper already in hand, CU-4, a room away, starts schreiking. CU-2 reports "OOooooeewww. Gross!" which translates - get a buck, hot water, a pile of clothes and possibly bleach.
CU-4 has "expressed himself" (no no not that one, the other one) on the floor and the new chair.
7:51 p.m.Triage.
7:58 p.m. Things are much more under control. Now the cat herding begins.
8:30 p.m. CU-2 asks me about my homework that I still have to do (conjugate verbs). I tell her I'm too tired, then I back track. She's right. What kind of example am I setting?
It's now 9:27 p.m. and I still have the verbs to do, plus lunches for five, plus clean up the kitchen and at least haul the clean laundry out of the dryer and transfer the wet stuff. I really just want to go to bed. (The last three, maybe four nights, CU-3 has been piling into my bed between 4 and 5 in the morning, complaining of bad dreams. The Huz wakes at 5:45 a.m. and rattles around for an hour before I get up. I'm tired.)
Oh, and where is The Huz while all of this is happening? He's on a course. Looking at his schedule and how it's shifted, it looks like I won't see him for the next week (between work obligations and getting his CPR teacher's certificate training).
I need some one else's to do list. Mine is daunting.
It's the change of seasons. In with the summer clothes, out with the fall and winter stuff. Meanwhile, there has a to be a sort to determine which close will never fit the child again, which are ok to pass on down, and which need to be passed on.
That's the top of my list. Then there's the painting, unpacking from summer (which, six weeks later is still yet to be done), sorting through and catching up on all the school forms, preparing the yard for the cooler weather (putting away the toddler pool, and tidying up some of the toys), washing windows and tidying gutters. (Those last too are perpetually on my list and just don't seem to get done.) Then there's the regular stuff like sweeping floors, laundry, bringing in groceries, attending to emails, preparing proposals for photography shows, library run.
Those are some of the reasons I want some one else's list. It might be more interesting.
As I finally reach the computer, I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who's been having troubles getting posts out.
With a whole week of nice weather, I've been using what I've been given as wisely as I can.
I got 8 square metres of dirt delivered Friday night (a gift to myself that I've been thinking about since New Years) and have been playing in it most of the weekend, hauling it too and fro. It felt good to be working the muscles again. It's also a good child care device, as long as you don't really mind the extra laundry and kid scrubbing that accompanies it.
After hours I've been doing the interior work. The Huz has been working on doing some fix-ups of the place, and I'm responsible for the finishing work (priming and painting). It's been going fast, so it's not been so bothersome this time. (I still immensely dislike painting walls though.) The painting resulted in a funny episode this morning with CU-2 wondering if I'd dyed parts of my hair white after she'd gone to bed. I told her that it was because of CU-1 and his actions, that my hair turned! (It was just paint.)
Schools in for my kids. Second week and all. CU-2 lamented to me that she wished she had homework. CU-1, when asked his teacher's name (I know what it is ...), didn't know. Sigh. And he's supposed to go into grade 7 next year. CU-3 would like to be wearing her school clothes to bed. She'll got three of the four days this week and will get to meet up with a chum she hasn't seen since the end of June.
I'm glad to get back to some routine. The Huz is packing five lunches tonight. Not his favorite thing to do, though he does it so well. (It's like getting a super surprise for lunch.)
I'm trying to catch up on who's up to what and maybe some paperwork that really needs to be attended to, now that it's September! Cripes! September! I've got only eight weeks to work on the Hallowe'en costumes now! ;-)
1, 2, 3. That's how many kids I have in the same school at one time. Gawd help the teachers!
I don't have much of a report on CUs 1 and 2 yet except to say I've seen them and have been able to complete two intrepid shoe exchanges (apparently they didn't like their father's or their father's partner's choices [I've seen the underwear they picked out for CU-2 - can we say "grannie pants" for a 10 year old?!]. Who can blame them.)
CU-3 does a staggered intake. Today was her first day. The feed back that I got back was that she'd done spectacularly. She herself reported that she listened and didn't end up in the time-out chair for not listening. So far so good.
There is one rather amazing development I can post about. That's about CU-1's choice hair. As one comedic friend commented "oooh a sunrise!". It's now three toned. Yellow, orange and a flaming, flaming red on top. (Great for first day of school. I think he'll fit right in don't you?) Though, I have to think that I've broken the code. My dear-EXH didn't want CU-1 to wear glasses because he thought he'd get laughed at and picked on. I figure the hair is to distract any one from seeing that CU-1 is actually wearing glasses! That's got to be it.
Right now I'm saying silent prayers that he doesn't do the same thing to this kid when he's in high school. He's going to get the snot beaten out of him for sure.
Summer is supposed to be a time of relaxation, and good spirits, or so *I* thought.
Not this year.
Yesterday night I had a bad parenting moment 101 where I blew-up at one of my children based on their father's behavior (not the one I live with - the other one). I wanted to just stop being a parent/adult and have my feelings considered. I wanted some one to stand up to this guy who just continues to be mean to me. I have to be an adult though.
* * *
Friday, as I was walking homeward to collect children, I stared at the railroad tracks at my transfer point and wondered what would happen if I just didn't go home for a few hours ... It has never happened, except in my head. (I've been doing this since I was little. It's a version of the fight or flight mechanism.)
Well, I survived the three weeks internment with the Mothership and four kids. I wouldn't call it a vacation (making all lunches, dinners and snacks for six for 21 days straight is not a vacation. Vacation, in my opinion, involves eating out a bad restaurants at least twice).
The kids were unhappy when the three weeks were up. I was thrilled to be returning to work. FINALLY, there was some down time. Except. Sigh, there's always an exception.
At the beginning of the summer we got the school rabbit. While I'd carefully interviewed my son regarding the rabbit's drinking habits (he assured me she was no party animal), cleanliness, and level of rabble rousing-ness, (he assured me she'd pass any and all tests I could think of) I'd forgot to tell him that she was not allowed to have friends over.
While I was away, and The Huz was left behind to fend because he only gets two weeks of vacation a year (and one is always used at Christmas time because his company has a mandatory shut down at Christmas where the employees don't get paid ...), apparently Bibi (the bunny) threw a party and invited, oh about 500 of her closest friends. Dear readers, we had a flea infestation.
It was bad, very very bad. I kept getting 911 calls from The Huz who would sneak to the phone while being held captive by Bibi and her roudies. Whispered telephone conversations would ensue so that they wouldn't know where he was.
He did eventually escape and came back with eco-chemical war fare to try to get his home back.
Fast forward to my return.
My house has never been so clean. Ever.
The enemy has been routed. The last of the stragglers are suffering.
Oh, the lecturing has already begun! CU-1 hasn't been home more then 35 minutes and it's been non stop chattering. (Anyone who knows this child and has been left alone with him for more then an hour has a good idea of what I'm talking about.)
I'm debating whether to send him out in the first car load or the second.
All in all, the kids are glad to be home, and I'm glad to have them. We'll collect the reinforcements shortly, stop by the library to get our fill of books, and run the last of the errands.
The blog will be quiet until August, unless I find my way home earlier!
In Alice in Wonderland's story, the only one I've seen a Disneyfied version of too, there's the dumb rabbit running around creating some kind of chaos (as you can see, I don't recall all of the story).
Bumpy segway.
I headed over to Josie's blog to check in with her while I procrastinated and was relieved to see she had a list. I'm soooo borrowing it, though I don't know what I'm going to do with a dress for a wedding.
I've got a weeks worth of laundry that I need to take with me for the three week "vacation". (I'm still debating whether packing/showing up at the cottage with dirty laundry is gauche.)
My pants need to be let out. So, there's another conflict. (I'll just pack the one's with a bit of stretch to them. So what that they've been on the bottom of the laundry pile for a week +_.)
Make-up? What's that. I guess I'll replace that with find the first aid kit.
Don't need my passport to go to Québec. Wait a minute. I better check the current political climate.
Laundry ... maybe I can get Rhino to finish it before I leave ... hmmmm
Colour hair. Frig. I'll just toss the box in with everything else and maybe get around to doing it at the laundromat.
Money. Fewf. I don't have any, so that'll be no problem!
I'm going through a bout of insomnia again, or maybe it's just a bout of anxiety. Having just given birth to a large personal project, having to prepare for two presentations (one two-hour presentation in front of ALL my peers at work, the other is before a client Friday morning, a mere few hours before I start my "vacation"), and having to pull my shit together for a three-week indoor camping extravaganza for five (aka vacation with the Mothership at her cottage), I can't sleep.
I've tried. Lord knows how I have tried. While The Huz rumbles and snorks next to me, I lie there in a lucid state, visions of toothbrushes and small person's underwear going through my head.
So, instead of trying to calm my concerns, and write lists, l-o-n-g, detailed lists, I start new projects (yes, it's a good time to start cleaning cupboards at 3 in the morning!) until I get distracted ... Oooh shiny things! Other's blogs! Time to catch up! Webkinz. Gawd knows I haven't watered the garden for weeks.
Ok. Ok. It's been a rough week. I'm not a person used to getting a lot of attention (despite what I look like!)
I just finished a project for which the idea has apparently has been kicking around my 'hood for quite a while - an arts map identifying all the interesting places that support the arts in our immediate corner of the city.
A friend of mine was pushing me hard to get it up and out. I guess he knows I'm a great three-quarter person. That is, get three-quarter of the work done, then just forget to pass it in. (Not that I ever did that kind of thing in school. I just didn't have to. I wasn't scholastically hot shit until I hit graduate school.)
So, it's out now. Made free. Go out and multiply!
***
On a "where the hell is this all coming from" kind of note, as I think I've ceased to have a hold on much of my reasoning abilities, I just finished The Adventures of Johnny Bunko a book that's fast, easy to read, and makes reasonable career sense, coming from a comic book. (It's worth the wait from the library, or, if you go to the website - he posts a couple of pages a day.)
To summarize the lessons learned:
1. There is no plan. 2. Think strengths, not weaknesses 3. It's not about you 4. Persistence trumps talent. 5. Make excellent mistakes. 6. Leave an imprint.
I feel that the release of the map, and quite a few things I've done recently, hits quite a few of those lessons.
P.S. That top photo is a cake designed by CU-2 Pizza Birthday Cake, complete with: minty "olives", hot-lipped peppers, Starburst "ham", albino Tootsie "cheese", cola "mushrooms", Swedish fish "green peppers", and marshmellow strawberry "pepperoni". Poor boy got a sugar rush before he could finish what he'd served himself. Bon effort!
P.S. That top photo is a cake designed by CU-2 Pizza Birthday Cake, complete with: minty "olives", hot-lipped peppers, Starburst "ham", albino Tootsie "cheese", cola "mushrooms", Swedish fish "green peppers", and marshmellow strawberry "pepperoni". Poor boy got a sugar rush before he could finish what he'd served himself. Bon effort!
