Adventures in Mongo

Crazy is as crazy does

2009-10-28T22:27:00.002-04:00

Here it is 10:30 Wednesday night. My had hasn't hit the pillow before 11:45 p.m. (and that's early) for over six weeks now.

I'm currently rebuilding/reposting pictures to the Arts for Autism web site because of another denial of service attack on the hosting provider. FRACK!

And, lets not forget that Hallowe'en is in a couple of sleeps. CU-2 is going to be crowned the week of procrastination. We went through multiple costumes already - the only chick with a name from Astrisk, then it was James Bond, then ... Madonna when she painter herself silver (for an album cover). (Let's not forget that I started to pull these costume parts together for the silver-spoon princess!) Tonight she decided on a maid. She's French, so it will be a French Maid costume ... it's amazing what I can do with a curtain and a prayer. I'll be stitching something up tonight, and here's hoping a run to the local Dollarama is fruitful. (Where else am I going to find doillies, ribbon and a feather duster??!!)

And I'm still not done the cat costume for CU-3. Thank small gawds that CU-4 hasn't expressed an opinion this year. I'll break it to him Friday morning that he's going in Spiderman pjs.

Timing flies

2009-09-13T20:54:00.002-04:00

I really can't believe how quickly time flies between posts. Maybe it's that my life isn't that exciting. (Or maybe it is and I'm just distracted ;-)

This week was a lot of full ofs ...

My aunt passed away Tuesday and I've been communications manager for my mother, where possible. I wished I could have gotten away to the States and had accompanied her on the trip, to help out and run errands and what not for her. That was not possible. My brother drove the eight hour trip in and was very helpful I hear.

Back-to-back and stacked meetings had me on the treadmill. As Grandma C pointed out, with me, it doesn't rain, but floods a la Kanata. Backwash and all.

I did get the installation up Tuesday afternoon (it already feels like a million years ago that this was done). Now it's to let travelers know there is something to be seen at Gate 14!

Though my to do list is growing, I've been able to pull of some long days and scrape stuff off. The level of satisfaction is huge. HUGE I tell you. It makes feeling running on the spot so less mundane. (Packing four to six lunches a night is just nothing to write home about unless it's a box lunch for Julia Child's cook book.)

One thing that I have been able to squeeze in again is reading. I've got the regular pile by the bedside. Most of the titles are lurching towards the return date without a page being turned. There is one that I've been dragging around with me, just because. It's one of those books where I'd buy one for every woman friend and man friend if I could afford. It's "I'd trade my husband for a housekeeper: loving your marriage after the baby carriage". Run run run to the library and request a copy. I feel, frequently as I read this book, that I am talking to one of my girlfriends who's being straight-up with me. There are many OMG moments that may help me with other relationships I struggle with. I guess that's all to say - it's worth a look-see, if you are in any type of relationship, and if you care of my opinion of books.

I'm back

2009-09-07T21:42:00.002-04:00

After 28 hours in the car, I've touched the Eastern part of Canada. We crossed through four provinces and didn't once want to come to blows with one another.

That's not to say I'm going to do another trip with my compatriots. It was a learning experience.

Even before we left I had a dreaded feeling. Passive-aggressive comments. Whining. I thought I was leaving the kids behind for a three day road trip with The Divas. Well it was a trip.

To highlight some of the fun stuff:

Mrs. Dunster's Donuts - they haven't changed in 20+ years. Just as yummy.

Greco Pizza's donairs - we snuck out the first night there after tucking in The Diva's. I couldn't wait and had to get one into my system. OMG it was good. Beyond good. Excellent and I miss it already.

Louis' Excellent Used Clothing - a experience in and of itself and the whole reason for the trip. 10 full outfits later, plus a dozen t-shirts for Child Unit 4, a half-dozen pair of pants for the same child, six dresses and a pair of shoes for Child Unit 3, a hoody and dress for Child Unit 2 and a pile of clothes (including an Issac Mizrahi jacket) for the weekend caretaker goddess. I do believe it was a good haul and justified the trip.

Now, the hard part. Back to reality.

The Huz starts school tomorrow which should be the crowning glory for a "Better eat my Wheaties" day. Back-to-back-to-back meetings not just tomorrow but all week that extend to my evening time. I don't usually schedule my life this full. Things just sort of happened. I think I need to get some one else to arrange my dance card ...

Anyway. It's not bad. Just busy. And a bit busier then I'd hoped for. It's just that kind of September.

Here is one thing that is on top of the pile, and might be of interest to some of you in the area:
Autism Ontario Cycle of Autism is a fun fundraising event spent bicycling around the city. If nothing else, come by and say "hey". I'll be there, some where!!

Sigh

2009-09-02T23:09:00.002-04:00

I don't know what to call this post. I started off with "Phew" then switched to "On the road again" then "Fried".

I'm all of these things.

I just finished reframing about two dozen or so photographs for a solo show I'm mounting at the McDonald-Cartier International Airport next week. If you're passing my gate 14, drop in and take a look.

I haven't begun to pack for a weekend-long jaunt East. Earlier this summer a friend had again suggested taking a road trip East to shop at her favorite store, Margolians. Apparently it's like a Frenchies, but better??!! So, we made plans, which expanded to include another friend and The Huz as driver. The time has come to put things in motion. This time tomorrow we should be approaching Montreal, the children should be fast asleep under the watchful eye of a dear friend, and well, everything should be in it's place for the kids to line up and shoot out the door to their perspective places for the day and weekend. Here's hoping.

It's a crazy trip - 14 hours one way, not counting stops. We expect to be back Monday mid-day, I hope 'cause the show's installation is Tueday afternoon.

I'm not yet excited because, well, possibly because I'm too tired. I had to start in on Grade 7 home work tonight, review Grade 6 homework, and try to deflect a senior K melt down because some one keeps thinking she can stay up later then she should.

Anyway. I'm out here. I'm trying to get out there more often. If I survive this weekend, it's my goal to start posting twice a week so that at least grandma C gets some decent conversation fodder with her son ;-).

See y'all when I get back.

I once had a simplier life

2009-08-25T00:27:00.002-04:00

I consider myself a Luddite by persuasion.

I'd prefer not to have a cell phone (though it is handy when The Huz has gone off on a 7 a.m. grocery run and has left the list behind).

I like reading books made of paper. I don't own an iPod and wouldn't really know what to do with one. My five year old knows how to work the TV and time shifting better than me. The 2.5 year old knows how to program the VCR! Both my mother-in-law and mother are on Facebook now. I'm slipping farther and farther behind in my knowledge of technology.

The goofy thing is that I worked in hard core Technical Writing for over 12 years.

Today, well, tonight, I just figured out that I had yet another email address associated to an organization for which I am volunteering. I hadn't checked the email since it was established for me 2 months ago. There was/is a lot on my to do list now ... urg.

What really kicks my can though is that I now have collected no fewer then six email addresses. I really don't want that many and don't want to have to manage them. (The email function I looked at tonight didn't advise as to how to forward emails to my work address ...)

How do you all stay on top of your technology?

August

2009-08-19T23:14:00.009-04:00

So, it's like been almost the entire summer, like since I posted.

Like, I feel like such a dork.

Ok. I never was a Valley Girl (being from New Brunswick I wasn't sure what that meant. Since moving to Ottawa, I've got a better understanding ;-).

The throw back is possibly a result of a lot of flash backs I've been having of late. I found THE HORRIFIC PICTURE of me and my date, Doug (who was a bit of a big boy, though taller, dark and handsome at the time) and I at our Junior-Senior prom. Funny the coincidence of it all, I'd been talking to my senior daughter the previous week about boyfriends in high school, and that she'll have NOooo problem finding some one to like her for her looks, plus ...

When the subject turned to me, well, lets just say I was the ugly duckling. I brought swans into this world.

So, what a way to start a blog entry from being away for a while. It's been, well, been.

At the begining, I was suffering from flu-like symptoms and general malaise that just seemed to grow and grow into a big grey mass. I figure I might have been suffering from fatigue. Maybe a bit of burn out from a transitional June. Maybe grey-day syndrome, as I seem to have picked up again now that we've had a bit of sun.

During that time I survived two more reno projects - one is an extension of our kitchen into the former glorified hallway / study / computer space which involved three walls being some what removed, and a lot of fine wood working craftmanship (thank you Robert). The second reno that's coming to fruition is the replacement of windows that have been sealed for six years. Thanks to a timely pot of funds that I wasn't expecting, I was able to replace the windows with garden doors and screen in my porch to expand the living space. It's glorious to have air again.

Also during the time away I've been working on boosting the bottom line for local businesses through a post card project. So far it's had mixed results. I'm thinking that unsolicited help and a gift to a business would be a good thing, however, every one is looking for a catch. Oh well. I did obtain a grant to continue the work, which will just about cover the costs of printing.

Then there's the arts show I coordinated at the begining of August over in Quebec. That was well received and I would hazard to suggest that it was a success with all the artists making a sale or two.

There was also the fun and fabulous 5k run through the neighborhood. I had two runners in the event this year. Both doing quite well for, well, for no training. Basically they walked out the door, to the starting line on race day and went at er. Senior girl ran the 5k in about 29 minutes. The Huz covered the same distance in a respectable 35 minutes. I've been told the expectation is for me to do it next year. I'm thinking I'll put Junior girl in the 1k and _maybe_ escort her. Though, there's always a need for barrier wardens ...

The last three weeks of my away time was part of my summer "staycation" holidays. I took first and third week of this period, while The Huz took the middle week. The first week was a bit bumpy, but not too bad. I had seven or eight in tow and they were able to mostly play well with each other. My second week was harder as, for the most of the week I just had "the twins". My 2.5 year old, and my neighbors 3+ year old. Man the threes are just not a kind year on responsbile adults! Let me tell you, going back to work IS my vacation. Kudos to those women and men who's calling is to stay at home and/or care for the wonderkins. I don't know how you do it.

I'm expecting to try to be around more, now that the weather is cooling off a bit and school starts (for my kids next week). The routine is going to change a bit with three kids in one school and the eldest starting at the high school (Grade 7 gets quarintined from the 9 through 12s, they share walls though.)

This fall should be interesting. I'm trying to cut back on some activities and sort out others, to get the time to read again, and maybe stop teasing PC that I'm going to take up drawing again. Maybe ...

I think what is really triggering that is a project that junior daughter and I are participating in at the locale community centre. It's working with clay, and it's about making our community ... for the last two Tuesdays we designed our house in clay. It will be dried and added to a larger, city-wide display. Kind of neat.

Also creatively, I'm currently working on organizing an event at the Patrick John Mills Contemporary Art Gallery for November - Arts for Autism is the name of the event. It's a fund raiser. I'll be putting out a call for arts on ArtEngine shortly. That being said, feel free to spread the word. There is a receipt-in-kind for artists who's work is accepted.

And, I may have another solo show in the making. I need to confirm with the currator of the space tomorrow.

I'm also not loosing hope of finding another space for a group show ... I figure that one will come together in good time.

Alas, it sounds like I'm dumping a lot of things on my plate again. I'm trying not to, unless, of course updating here is one of the things.

Which reminds me ... we got a dog. Jasper is his name. He helps me out a lot. Smart thing. Never had a dog before that could fetch. One of our rituals has been that before he's crated for the night I throw his dog toy and he watches while I go get it for him. It's highly entertaining for both of us.

On that note. It's later then I need it to be and it's time to sign off.

Happy reading.

I'm still here

2009-08-09T09:07:00.001-04:00

I just needed a break from technology.

Things I haven't been doing lately

2009-07-13T20:18:00.002-04:00

Blogging
Reading anything longer then three paragraphs
Going to the library
Thinking creatively
Feeling well
Not loosing things on a regular basis
Reading other people's blogs
Exercising patience
Cleaning the house
Taking care of the overgrown garden
Listening to the radio
Thinking
Under reacting
Eating appropriately
Laundry

And what do I have to say for myself?

2009-06-26T20:28:00.001-04:00

This will not be a Michael Jackson post. Nor a Farrah post. And yes, I'm still alive.

We had a wee bought of maladie at this end, folllowed by a larger bout of construction (three walls to be exact). Followed by end of school activities, a CPR assessment, more school (professional development for me), a weekend out of the province (not that big a deal, it was to get my fill of guilt visiting the mothership at the cottage).

I had been meaning to post about all those things, but I was a bit disconnected for a while (see second subject in second paragraph.) Kind of hard to do bloggy stuff when your computer is scattered across three rooms.

How have you all been?

You know you've got a bad case of insomnia when ...

2009-06-12T03:58:00.003-04:00

or, it's 4 o'clock and all is well ...

You know you've got a bad case of insomnia when ...

you willingly scoop the cat box at 3:30 in the morning, just to have something to do
you decide that 3:35 a.m. is a reasonable time to start tackling the mountain of laundry you've been eye balling for the past week
you're contemplating doing gardening work, but don't because a) you might wake up the neighbhors, and b) it seems a bit creepy poking around in the garden at 3:45 in the morning\
you make to do lists for the day that you know are going to be impossible to complete because of the fatigue that is bound to set in, ... and you do it any way
you've been absent from regularly posting to your blog and you're posting at 4 in the morning!

The end of the world as I know it

2009-06-08T21:57:00.002-04:00

Spent the weekend tending to Child Unit #1 who has a suspected case of pig flu. That part wasn't bad. The reintegration of food into a stomach that hadn't seen anything for the better part of a few days - now that was bad. Add divadom on top of that. I heart sleep, even in those stolen moments in the washroom, though the creases on my face are a bit hard to explain.

Though I'm not in full-blown panic (I might very well be in another hour or so), I write my French grammar exam for the third time tomorrow. This time I think things have stuck. Or something has shifted, (or it's the cold and flu medication,) 'cause I'm doing much better on my practice exams. Let's see if we can apply it tomorrow morning at 8:15 a.m.

Tomorrow is also Child Unit #2's birthday. She'll be 11. My baby. My former angry baby is 11. She's a lot less angry and is probably my favorite blue-eyed daughter. Lots of talent. Lots of patience. Lots of gerbils running upstairs. She's going to do something pretty darned interesting in this life time - write stories, help little old men cross the street, sing at the National Arts Centre (she's already done that one). You go girl.

So, her ice cream cake and gravy is ready to go for dessert. She's already received one of her birthday presents. (I think that makes it WebKinz #53 or #54 - hey she gets them from her friends for presents too!) She'll get a bit more attention at school tomorrow, then some more from us. It'll be a nice day. A good day for her. Maybe I'll stop by the liquor store after we get her birthday pictures for a bottle of Dan Acroyd's label. I'll freaking need it after the last couple of weeks I had.

For any of you who happen to be looking for an update to the Gallery side of things. It's coming; it's just really really really late. So late that it might be July by the time I get things up. In the mean time, swing by for tea or walk around the parameters of the house. Though the garden hasn't got any attention this year (no seeds have made it to ground yet), I am starting a public art display.

BTW - for any of you in my area that are looking for a cool way to volunteer, Nat is looking for some road supervisors for the upcoming race in July.

Apparently I am falling off the end of the world

2009-06-02T17:50:00.002-04:00

Or so it feels like.

I'd like to blame it on having to prepare and write for my third wack at French grammar exams. It's a deficit. It's my huge deficit. Alas, it's not the only one.

End of year stuff has got me a bit tied in knots. Three of my kids only have three weeks of school left. On one side, that's very good. On the other, I need to come up with a transition plan for the one who needs it to reduce anxiety. It's going to be a bad September. I'm just saying.

I also have the change of the month kind of things. I'm behind posting the new exhibition on the Kitchen Wall. Physically it's there, virtually (on-line) it isn't. Maybe I can get my act together tonight after the Arts Committee meeting. Though there's also getting ready for The 'Burg's Best Bargins sale this weekend. (An attempt, though albeit a bit of a weak one of trying to give the Great Glebe Garage Sale a run for its money.)

I think things would be a hell of a lot better if I could throw open the windows and not feel like I have to put a polar fleece on (thank small gawds for that invention though!).

Or maybe I just need a clone. I've got another friend working on that. She said she'd ordered hers. I'm waiting to find out where she got it, and if she likes the model. I might just request a clone of hers if everything works out.

It helps if you remember your password

2009-05-28T18:59:00.007-04:00

So life is in full swing. The last few weeks have been running, running, running. Few fatalities, except for reformatting a memory stick that had some information that's not replaceable. Ugh and oh well.

But things are going to get quieter, maybe.

All I need now is some sleep.

For the last couple of weeks, sleep has been fleeting. We made it past the wild weekend of people traffic.

Friday night was pizza night and we fed, oh, about 28 people. Fun. Entertaining. No biggy. Looking forward to the next one too.

Saturday was a bigger then life day though. Not one, but two birthday parties. Child Unit 3 was first up to bat with a handful of five year olds. A home based party was held. It was good. Easy. Incredibly easy. Too easy.

With a one hour break, most of the kidlets were picked up except for one. Again, no biggy, except that this child was feeling the affects of not seeing his parental units for 24 hours.

The hour of respite passed quickly and the second wave of older kids came through. Eight girls were shuttled into the upper regions of the house, with their personal items and gifts for the birthday girl. Giggling ensued while they realized we'd kept the surprise party a secret from Child-Unit 2.

We all went off to the artistic activity. Coordinated the drop-off of Cu-2. And SURPRISE!

It was a beautiful thing.

We trucked back through the hood. Upon hitting the door, I was confronted by The Huz who's temple veins were throbbing. He was ready to skin some children.

As the lore that will be told in the future goes, one of the "little people" got into the guests' room and TRASHED it. And I mean trashed it. It was a neighbor who spotted one of the kids smearing something white (turned out to be yoghurt) on the window. Gifts were open, nothing was left untouched.

That wasn't pretty.

Funny though, it's like the universe was conspiring; I was totally calm, with a real laissez-faire attitude. What should have been a screaming match turned out to be manageable, no big deal, particularly in the face of nine potentially hysterical kids. We made it through. All was good.

It's got to be one of the weirdest events that's happened to me. I'm never calm, at least not like that.

Good stuff that I was back to normal my Monday!

Long weekends

2009-05-19T21:21:00.002-04:00

Long weekends are just opportunities for me to do a bit more work, but taking it in a different direction.

This weekend was good for that. First there was the intervention where two girl friends and I went for breakfast, followed by several hours of torture, but fun torture, if bra shopping can be called fun. I'd never been sized (apparently it's not much more then I dreamed about), and hadn't had that much attention given to my frontal apparitions EVER. It was interesting.

As the klingons were out at the cottage with The Huz, I had part of the afternoon to myself. So I goofed off, folded laundry, and watched home shows until my shift at the Great Canadian Theatre Company for a Third Wall production of Henry V. OMGoodness, what a fantastic production. Their use of lighting, sets and movement. Wow. If you're in the 'hood and get the chance ... GO! Fan-freaking-tastic.

I got a late late pick-up from The Huz and got trucked out to cottage country where life is slower and people are a lot more relaxed. Well, all except for me, which the mothership regularly pointed out. (Mind you my stress level may have been a bit high as she held back for a full 20 minutes before deciding to pick at me. Thanks Mom. That just might be a record!)

Sunday was spent on photographing other artist's work to get ready for a show I'm organizing for the long weekend in August. It was a working weekend, which, I have to say to some degree, I enjoy.

For fear of turning this blog entry too much into an itinerary (again, thanks to Mom for claiming all my conversations turn out like those with her ex-husband (my bio-father) - an itinerary, I'll say that Monday was not a day of running around after artists (just because they'd not shown up in the community yet to open their cottages ;-). Instead, I stormed out of the house a couple of times because, in trying to have a conversation with The Huz, I had to field getting advice about my body language and word choice from interested parties who shall remain nameless.

A funny anticdote for those who know of some of the trials we've been having with CU-4 ... the child who never sleeps: I took him out with me on a long long walk, to tire him out. The Huz decided he needed to follow me, for what ever reason (I think it has something to do with him watching A Street Car Named Desire one too many times). So we're walking along, with CU-4 between us who stopped chattering a long time ago. The kid is walking and sleeping at the same time. How do I know this? His eyes are closed, and, when we get back to the landing pad, and tuck him into a cozy bed, he's up 10 minutes later.

Man. I'm buying cheaper replacement batteries for this kid next time.

Happy birthday child unit three

2009-05-13T20:14:00.002-04:00

Yes baby girl. You're five!

I'm not dead yet

2009-05-11T21:07:00.002-04:00

I've got what feels like a crushing schedule of things to get done, sprinkled with last minute requests from the children. It's all ok though. A lot of one-of things. It's the long term stuff, like grocery shopping and folding of laundry that are such suck holes of time.

Happy belated M-day to the women of the world. In all capacities, I see all women as needing to be marked that day in that we all take care of the world and it's members. Don't be too concerned gents, your day comes next month, and you'll probably get better weather for it too.

So, on this end of things, I'm taking a break from the laundry (the mountain is heaped on the kitchen table), and I'm pseudo supervising Child Unit 2 who is making cookies for a after-school spa event, where the girls are going to do each others nails, and put yoghurt on their faces and eat cookies. Pretty empowering stuff. I wish I did that at my after school program. I roughly remember learning to do cross-titch unsupervised. Oh the thrills!

Once I get that unit off to la la land, I'll start in on the laundry, and maybe the French again. Yes, again. Though I passed 2/3rds of the exam, I keep missing the written part by just a few points. 4 points the first time for a pass, 3 points for the second time. I figure I just need to do the exam four more times and I'll get my B-levels ;-).

So, I'm around, just a bit buried. How are you doing?

Amuse you

2009-05-01T23:53:00.003-04:00

If you're in the area, the vernisage is May 2 from 2-5!

Delinquants are us

2009-04-23T19:05:00.003-04:00

Oh hell, it's been a whole week since I've last posted. It's not like I've been sitting around twittling my thumbs though.

The weather's been crap and I've been trying to work around that. My attitude has matched the weather, though, thanks to Xup I've finallly shaken the ridiculous Spring cold.

In between I've been wearing out my Keds.

In my part-time job, I've lined up three exhibitions of my photography. All for the month of May. Talk about raining and pouring.

I've also been trying to work through the issues of a neighbor who equates garden boxes with increased grade on the yard which might flood the basement when it rains ...

Then there are a couple of committee meetings that are having activities that are coming to fruition, for which I need to actually show up, and or do something, then there is making plans to check out the Women in Business trade show, the Parkdale Church Spring rummage sale (that's ALWAYS worth a trolling through), running kids to their perspective Saturday morning haunts and jaunts, as well as some tag-team kid care with a neighbor so that she can have some quality time with herself.

And I can't forget the ill fated French writing exam that I have to repeat. (Apparently trying to learn French makes me angry. Is that a surprise? I like to think so. I just thought it was the real me!)

Mix this all up in a big red bowl and add a tich of a job interview (for The Huz, not me, not yet), planning a couple of birthday parties (one is a surprise party for an 11 year old), a newly-teenaged boy who smells way to "spicy" for his own good, and winning tickets from J, life feels like it's headed for a worm hole! But in a good way.

I wouldn't be Canadian if

2009-04-16T22:02:00.005-04:00

I wouldn't be Canadian if I didn't complain about the weather.

I've had a freaking head/sinus/allergy attack for what feels like three months. Last weekend I was hoping to set out the hammock, wrap myself up in a blanket, and let the child-units go free range while I bake in the sun and burn off the infection and soak up some vitamin D.

But NooooOOOooooo. Freaking wind was drawing a cooler wind off the water and I had visions of pulling out the itchy red woolen underwear again.

It was only by 4:30 Monday afternoon that it had warmed up enough for me to pull out a plastic lawn chair and sit, facing the mud-trodden space of yard that I dream will some day be a romantic garden space lush with flowers and vegetables to watch as the child-units trudged and trampled and packed the earth down just a bit firmer. I love my garden elves. Pack away dear ones, the garden is there for you to enjoy too.

Sigh. Child hood. There are several days where I wish I could go back and do some things over again.

Things I learned Easter weekend

2009-04-13T10:34:00.005-04:00

We have rats.

Wine and laundry are an excellent combination.

If you can't find the youngest child unit, CHECK THE BEDS!

I also learned:

Helman's Salad Spritzers CAN be used as a pre-tanning application. It gives such a glorious yellow pre-glow to skin.
Bumps on the chest of an adolescent girl do not automatically mean she's got Cancer. (Yes, that was a pre-wine jump to conclusion when the said child mentioned it.)

Finally, happy Easter from Child Unit 4. (It was a busy day.)

Exactly

2009-04-07T20:02:00.000-04:00

Chicks with sticks

2009-04-02T22:24:00.007-04:00

That's my CU-2 there at our local community centre during the Spring opening of ball hockey!

She didn't know she could do it! I say "Tu veux, tu peux!"

You go girl!

Playing house

2009-03-31T22:01:00.003-04:00

Child Unit 2 and our surrogate son from down the street play nicely together, most of the time. As all things do, sometimes democratic relations break down, and feelings are hurt. Today wasn't one of them.

Today, something got into them and they decided that they wanted to clean. I found it rather odd, but went along with it as far as I could take it.

They started off by clearing supper dishes. (Horray!)

Then there was washing them by hand! (We do have a dish washer.) (Another horray!)

When that was all done, they were still looking for things to wash. Turning to my left, nothing great there. Turning to my right, I spied a cat. Well, not any cat. THE cat. THE bitchy one who's meow sounds painful, guttural. Like she's going to hork up her stomach with every cry. She's sitting there, just staring at me.

Remember the close up of the Principal's eyes in Feris Bueller's Day Off when he's on the bus? I had that moment.

"Um, you could wash the cat!"

The child units perk up. "What's that? We can wash the cat?"

"Yah. Take Purr. She's not been doing a good job on herself lately."

Ca-ching. Pay back time.

And off they trot with her, after negotiating what tub they can bathe her in.

-- insert evil grin here --

Time passes ... about seven whole minutes ... followed by children thumping down the stairs

A dry cat skips up and sits on the desk to my right.

"Hey. What's this. She's back already?"

"Yah. She wouldn't stay in the bath tub."

"Nice try kids. Let me know when you need her again to dress her up in doll clothes!"

Like I said - it's pay back.

I've dropped off the face of the earth

2009-03-30T21:32:00.005-04:00

"So, so long and thanks for all the fish" she said as she drifted over the side.

The way things are going, those might be the last words ever heard from me.

Between my exam-driven insomnia, which is resulting in a tremendously short fuse, I'm starting to fantasize in some of the scenarios that I get to discuss in my French class. If you were stranded on a desert island ... wouldn't that be wonderful right about now. Oh. Is that pause too long. I guess I drifted ... I kind of woke myself up when the drool puddled on my shirt. That lucid dreaming is going a bit too far.

Since I last checked in, I got a lot of ~~shit~~ stuff done. (CU-2 doesn't want me to be using language like that around the younger ones! Ooops.)

This last week was one of the quieter weeks I've had in the month of March. Looking ahead to April, it looks quiet on the week days. Stupid on the weekends though. (The Huz is co-teaching his final CPR classes before he can hang out his own shingle. I'm scheduled for not one, but two strategic meetings for two different organizations, plus a day-long workshop on kids on the ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) range, and to boot, it's in French.

Better be eating my Wheaties!

Then there's Spring. And I see the freaking mud in the yard and I think about sneaking out at 3 in the morning to go and play in the mud and build raised garden beds and prepare the earth for I don't know what, because, if anything is like last summer, I went to my parent's cottage for three weeks during the height of the season and the skunks got my vegetables.

I promise myself this year will be different. I'll be successful to raise peas and lettuces and tomatoes. I won't be taking three weeks off straight (I have that week in December where I am needed at home after all) and something will sort it self out for child care so everyone's needs are cared for.

And then, there's part of a conversation I've had with PC about going back to drawing, and I mean really going back to drawing - not just the sketches I've been trying to work on based on her tutorials.

And the triggers of pangs of needing my own work space after reading an article from Meg Ruffman, actress-come-carpenter and tv-based handiwoman. And the pile of cardboard that I saw destined for the landfile outside the Timmy's down town. I know I could do something with it. I just need a place to stash the stuff and a space to sit down and draw and design.

I'm holding onto that illusion for now, at least. Or, maybe I can squelsh the feelings I've got for a while longer. I've got stuff to do that pays the bills.

my letter is C

2009-03-24T00:11:00.002-04:00

Needing a kick in the back of my chair, I asked Jen to send me a letter for this meme from Small Town Mom. Name 10 things I like, all beginning with the letter she assigned me: C.

Maybe because it's been a rough week, (pre-teen kids can be soooooooooooo moody!), interrupted sleep, and general life in this nutty house, I'm feeling the need to wrap myself in cotton wool and think of a few of my favorite things. (This post was actually started sometime LAST weekend!)

1. Candy - actually sugar in it's nicest and refined sense. Like in cakes, and cookies and candy corn. But then, that's not a particularly interesting fact because I think most people share a similar love of sugar.

2. Carol - This happens to be the name (with variant spellings) of many important people in my life. My mother-in-law happens to top the list. I'm going public and outing myself with this news. I really like my mother-in-law. Man, am I lucky too. I know of a parcel of people who have mother-in-laws that are difficult. She's my go-to girl when things get difficult.

3. C-levels - what I'd actually like to obtain when I write my French exams next week. C = B+ to A range. An E means you're exempt from ever having to write the tests again. EVER. I've seen studying, since September, just to get my B levels! (That's the equivalent of a C to a B- in a university level course.)

4. Curls - I've got amazing curly hair. It's a cross between a Jew-fro and a poodle. As a kid, I kind of ignored my hair. As an adult, I've fought with it, wanted to divorce it, chemically straightened the life out of it, and have now come to accept that I need to get a Bishon Friezé when I'm older, just so that we're fashionable and match.

5. Cancun - or some where equally warm. My sister just came back from the Grand Cayman Islands and writes of a glorious week of scuba diving and lolling on the beach in 28 degree Celcius weather. I'm kind of jealous of that. Then again, she lives further North and deserves a break from the ice and snow jams she faces 10 months of the year.

6. Cripes! This exercise isn't as easy I thought it would be when I asked Jen for the letter for the meme. It's taken me the better part of a week to get this far. And, to support this entry, I like the word cripes. I don't say it out loud very often and seeing it written, it reminds me of my childhood when real swearing, like we hear these days, was less fashionable.

7. Contemporary - I've fallen in love with the home style. Growing up, I used to love Connecticut Loyalist for home styling. Now that I've hit my middle age (I'm assuming I'm at the top of the heap now and everything else is just headed for the great retreat), my tastes in food and in housing has changed considerably. I now love the sleek, monastic lines of contemporary houses like Jens, or those I find in Dwell magazine (I have such a crush on this mag!). It's not like I'm ever going to live in a house like that, or that mine will change. (The Huz likes country styling, so we've compromised somewhere in the middle, to 1970s-self-storage-unit chic.)

8. Cartoons - love 'em. The original Bugs Bunny show. Calvin & Hobbes. Archie. (I think I still have a speudo-crush on Jug Head.) I still buy Archies now and again for Child Unit 1 on the expressed condition that he lends them to me afterward.

9. Community - I heart mine in a BIG way. Could it be the walkability. The culturual centre? Not just. It's the people. There's just something about the people that live in and around this place. I like 'em and they make this a place worth living in.

10. To paraphrase the great Cookie Monster - C is for Cookie, that's good enough for me. And C is for oatmeal-raisin cookie dough that I'm too lazy to finish baking, so I've packed some raw dough in my lunch box for tomorrow. Maybe I'll get around to baking the last of the cookies tomorrow night. Or maybe I'll just make a new batch. The chocolate chips are calling to me!

Oh cookie, cookie, cookie starts with C.

Gone, but not forgotten

2009-03-23T23:47:00.003-04:00

That'd be my brain, not me.

I'm still here. In body. Mostly.

After surviving the ridiculously over-scheduled first three weeks of March (including March break madness), things are calming down a bit. I actually have nothing scheduled for any other evening this week until Friday night! Woo hoo. (Tonight The Huz did stand-on duty as parental supervision/bouncer/Girl Guide Cookie toughie, so I was the point person for child wrangling.)

I hope to get back to my regular rounds of lurking and occasionally posting on other people's blogs this week, as tonight I've cleared through almost all of my residual paperwork that comes with household and volunteering duties.

For those of you following the French training fracas, I'm down to one week before I write the comprehension and grammar exams. Nine days to the oral exam.

Over at Nat's place, her main squeeze goes for the poking and prodding tomorrow. This is possibly the only time in one's life where a person actually wants to get a "C" on their exam. J'envoie des pensées positives, en français !! (Merci babelfish!)

Dinner

2009-03-10T22:08:00.003-04:00

At one point in time I tried to make fudge. It didn't turn out well. (It got a bit rolled and then squeezed, so when I went to present it to the recipient, it kind of looked like a poo sample.)

Tonight, The Huz prepared dinner and topped fudgy attempts. He decided he wanted to take a Citizen's recipe that they'd showcased last week out for a test drive. He bought some unsuspecting round steak that he marinated and bundled overnight. It was in the oven, under covers before I ever got to see it.

When I did, it made a lasting impression on me. In the dish, I wasn't sure if it was an animal's penis or a rope of shit. Seriously. And be thankful that I didn't take a picture of it. (I had to have him mash it up for me before I sat down for dinner.)

And, even before eating it, I told him he was never to use the recipe again.

On a more funner note, The Huz teased me with a post about a 5-minute, microwavable cake.

So, being the good experimentor I am, I let two of the kids loose in the kitchen while I tried to take another through the deep hells of homework.

It turned out rather ok, though the complaint was that it was too much and too dry. I picked at it afterwards. If you have a real hankering for cake and have some ice cream, or amazing coffee around, it might be worth a shot.

Here's the recipe:

5 minute cake

coffee mug

4 tablespoons flour

4 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa

1 egg

3 tablespoons milk

3 tablespoons oil

In the mug, mix all the dry ingredients, then add the egg, milk and oil.

Put in the microwave for 5 minutes.

Watch as the cake crests (oooh, ahhh). No need to panic. It will collapse after the heat is done.

Eat.

How to take care of a run away juvenile delinquent!

2009-03-10T19:03:00.001-04:00

Nightly, supervised walks!

That stops him in his tracks!

I am so behind

2009-03-08T22:05:00.003-04:00

I think I'm first. Especially with blogging about happy, sunny, fun subjects.

I went to an organized breakfast on Saturday, for local bloggers, and realized how much a whiner I really am. It seems that this spot actually becomes the last spot for me to just drop the bomb when everything else has already unraveled.

I am so sorry to my five (or fewer readers) that I've lost my whit or any ability to say anything remotely interesting.

It was during the breakfast, while whining to Zoom about my not liking my kids, that she asked me why I had them if I felt that way. My only answer was that it seemed like a good idea at the time.

I've given extensive further thought to this. I didn't ask for these kids. When I looked in the catalog, I asked for the well behaved, pre-molded, academically competent good ones that they showed on the cover. At least, that's what I thought I want. I didn't expect to get:

THE DIVA
A too soon to be teenager, who's got learning and social issues that put him in the range of maybe a ten year old. And that's a maybe. I don't know were his learning/social issues end and being a boy starts. (Grandma Tim suggests that a lot of what I'm going through is just boy shit.)

His choice to distance himself from the rest of the family doesn't help because I tend to leave him alone way to long (my opinion, not his) and he's falling between the cracks, 'cause he's not demonstrative they way his sibs are.

THE FAVORITE
This is my academically successful pre-teen who has everything - brains, beauty, can sing, can dance, can act, and is just the tiniest bit under-motivated. She expects things to just drop into her lap as she's capable of batting eye lashes and manipulating people into doing and getting things for her (kind of like her bio-dad). She pulls one hell of a huff when some one actually pushes back and says no. (Her tantrums are nothing compared to the next one though.)

This kid is the easy kid. Very very likeable. She gets elected to do the fun stuff with others (like when some one wants to go shopping) in place of me because she's fun and agreeable most of the time. She's got good social skills and is highly communicative. Everyone who meets her remembers her for good manners.

THING 3
When I'm mad, or irrasable, I refer to my children as Thing 1, 2, 3 and 4. We're having a bad night tonight with Thing 3. She had a fun day out at a birthday party. Came home. Got to have a TV dinner (dinner in front of the TV watching Ace of Cakes) and then went out for a walk. When we got to Bridgehead (near our original destination), she started spouting off about wanting one of their amazing cookies. Although I can sympathize with her, the answer was no. I'd baked today. Pretty freaking amazing chocolate chip cookies, I think, and she could have those at home. The tantrum starts. We get her home in one piece, thanks to my surrogate son (the kid who lives down the street and has almost moved in with us because of his regular prescence in our home). At home she starts up again. The Huz actually put his foot down. She decided to do what she does best, push the envelope. She took a cookie and stuffed it into her pie hole.

We had a similar issue last week where she decided to whine at me for the time it took for her to leave the school and hit Giant Tiger. I told her she had a choice between whining or eating her snack that we'd just got. (Chocolate is very cheap and very fresh at GT.) She whined her response. You can see where this is going.

At home, while putting away the groceries, I remarked to The Huz that I couldn't find the chocolate I'd paid for. He said that Thing 3 had asked if she could throw out the wrapper in our garbage can in our bathroom (hide the evidence). There was much shrieking and gnashing of teeth and all-in-all, it resulted in one of the toughest penalties I've handed out yet.

The Huz sends Thing 3 to bed. The cycle begins. Thowing herself into full physical tantrum and shrieking, The Huz tags off on me. (Thing 4 has already done damage to him - back strain.) The look of terror that comes across her face when I give her the look. "I want Daaaadddyyyyyy!" is repeated over and over and over again while I giver her options of walking or being hauled up the stairs over the shoulder, fireman style. She's no longer such a small thing and me getting pitched backwards down the stairs is becoming a reality. Doesn't help when she holds onto the railings. Daaaadddyyyyy comes up behind me for reinforcement and pries off her curled fingers from the railing.

Upstairs, she's deposited in her bedroom, where she kicks out her legs under her, doing a hell of a lot more harm then I could do. She's peeled from her day clothes, all the while screaming "I'll listen." (We actually do give her chances to change into her jammies by herself, or with help. It really doesn't help our side of things because she starts back into the broken record about wanting what ever got her into trouble in the first place.)

Teeth are brushed and fingers are pointed to the bed. That we've all suffered through the change of day light savings and it is her bedtime seem to be pointless.

Doors are closed as a period to end the sentence of the day. Eventually things do quite down. Not without a lot of reassurance that tomorrow is a clean slate and we'll start again then.

THING 4
AKA the juvenile delingent? How about the runaway? At just 2, I'm getting a taste for what to expect later on I guess.

Last night the mother-ship was over giving The Favorite a bit of one-on-one time. They spent part of the day cleaning up Favorite's room (what'd I tell you about the manipulative side of things?) and deciding that because she wasn't happy with her bedding, maybe she should get some new stuff. (Eyes rolling here. New? OMG, I can't remember the last time I bought brand new bedding! It's usually more of the new-to-me kind.)

Post-dinner hour, I was getting the tour of the After, being all too well familiar with the Before. I get a call from The Huz: is Thing 4 upstairs? A quick check. Nope. What's up? He's not downstairs either. WTF?!

The Huz runs onto the back porch and sees a 2 1/2 foot thing bobbing down the street. After assuring himself that it wasn't the racoon, he calls back up to me to say we've got a runner. I skim over the 11 stairs, body check The Huz as I get out the back door. He's still trying to pull on footwear. Silly man. Why do you think I'm always wearing some kind of appropriate for outdoors footwear?!

I run like a Clidesdale with bad bladder control issue down the street. It's dark and he's on the wrong side of the street, outside of the lamp range. I still reach Thing 4 before The Huz does, though he's not far behind. Unbelievably, Thing 4 is completely dressed for the occassion. Boots, polar fleece and a coat. (The polar fleece is overkill - it was still quiet warm out from the day.)

The Favorite has followed out of the house. Did I say before that she's also known as the responsible one? Diva is clueless. Thing 3 is already in bed, we hope asleep. The Huz carries Thing 4 home. I change.

Life goes back to its regular rythm.

Pick a day, any day and add to this mix anything something different. I don't know head licem, a municipal bus strike, general illnesses, weather, school issues, a non-responsive co-parenting household, aging parents, language training, day light saving time, Spring.

Hi. My name is Mirigo and I have a <> problem.

I feel that I could have managed three ok. Possibly with fewer problems. Four is what I've got now. When the older kids are more functional, it'll probably be ok. Right now it's rough. It's been a rough winter. And I'm a whiner. At least I've got my own blog ;-).

Self-doubt

2009-03-03T23:33:00.004-05:00

I think it comes with the territory, self-doubt does. Or, at least comes with the season.

I've been going through a rough patch between parenting, and work and pursuing my passion for photography. A lot of questions and few answers. Seems I'm not alone. I don't mind. I actually enjoy the company ;-)

Funny thing that - that self-doubt. While I was roaming around, void of adult company this past weekend, I was having a conversation in my head about canning my now multi-year initiative of showing my work through the display space I created in my home. I guess I'd stirred up enough of something that, that same day, not but an hour or two later, I got an unexpected visit from three septuagenarians who were looking for MY gallery space.

They were early (I usually have the house tidied for visitors, and baking in the oven by 2 o'clock). I had borscht on the boil. Not the cookies I'd been planning. They came. I babbled, at a loss this weekend for words. My head so far stuck in a pity-me hole that I wasn't prepared. We had a very short visit.

They weren't planning to by anything. We chatted about the February show that was about to be flipped. She pointed to the middle one.

How much? Hmm. Well. Framed ... yes, it's much more expensive. Let me show you what it looks like. Yes. Yes. I recommend their services. They do such a nice job.

Unframed? Yes. Ok. Take it now? Just a minute. Let me find an envelope.

I was buoyed for most of the rest of the day while I sat on my news that I'd closed the deal.

Photography is a hard sell in Ottawa. And I did it.

Maybe I should keep things going a little longer ...

WANTED! My sense of humor back

2009-02-26T21:46:00.002-05:00

OMG. I grew up with the expression "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all."

This is the 21st century though, and we've got People magazine and Perez Hilton. So we can through that adage out the window.

Which actually brings me to the point. I've been finding it much much easier to skulk around other people's blogs lately then to keep the whitisms up on that one 'cause I'm feeling a bit stressed, possibly a bit more then usual. Maybe. Or maybe this is just my natural state, and I'm actually up to date with all my paperwork for a change so now I've got time to look at the heaps of everything else that I've neglected, instead of using those activities to distract me from stuff I didn't want to do.

Maybe.

Reading Nat's, Allison's and PC's blogs have given me reason to pause and find solstice in the blogging sisterhood. Last week I had a dental incident that still runs under par to what PC experienced, though kind of mimics the tone.

Earlier this week, I was advised that my office would be moving (a la Allison) to an inside channel (no windows, no longer) and that it would be cut in size to about half, or smaller. (Really no big deal on that one, as I felt I had a bit too much space to begin with. There are other issues that go with it though, including being partnered to sit next to the same colleague for the last five years. I really would like a change.) And then there's the whole change anxiety that Nat speaks of. All my change is happening while on French training. I get to come backto a changed/smaller office, possibly different duties and FRENCH TESTS at the beinging of April.

Meanwhile, I have yet to find some one who's transitioning children in school (I've got one going into secondary school, and one transitioning to the pre-preschool program); toilet training woes; any one dealing with another bout of "faux amis" (aka head lice); ~~cabin fever~~ nope - sorry - Jen's got that one covered - I too am looking at garden porn and dreaming of fresh dirt; and general anxieties for the five with whom I share my abode.

I think I need a drink. Thank goodness Mike's got that one covered!

Spring must be around the corner!

2009-02-24T22:59:00.003-05:00

I saw the first really signs of Spring, and no it wasn't the red, red robin, who came bob, bob, bobbin along.

It was in Tony's Shoe Repair window!Tony's starting his tomato plans! Woo hoo! Spring can't be that far away now!!

No place is safe any more

2009-02-21T22:42:00.003-05:00

I should have known that there is now no place that is considered a safe zone in my house when Child Unit 4 piled into bed between The Huz and me with his bag of marshmallows. I guess he don't need no stink'n security blanket! He's going hard core.

The change

2009-02-16T20:02:00.002-05:00

I keep telling every one who will listen: "in six weeks everything will be better".

In six weeks we'll be in April. The weather should turn to be so much nicer. No winter shoes. No sneakers. No hats. All put away for another whole six months. Just long enough for me to start considering this paraphernalia is quaint.

In six weeks, the first of my four child units will officially become a teenager.

In six weeks, I might just put in my order for garden seeds.

In six weeks, I'll get a new haircut and go from looking like Lorne Elliot (the resemblance is uncanny sometimes) to more like Lyle Lovett.

In six weeks, I should be done my French language training. (I so hope to small gawds that I am. I'm so freaking overloaded, there are days I barely know my name.)

In six week, my soon-to-be-teenaged-child-unit's high school should be decided, and we should all be on the happy road to preparing a transition plan.

In six week, I will have a significantly lessened bout of cabin fever which is resulting in an extremely trigger happy fuse that goes off when there is any sort of vibration near me.

In six weeks, I'll be six weeks older, six weeks wiser.

Right now I'm trying to enjoy the minutes that are before me. I'm trying to be conscious of the my needs, even though it's soooooo much easier to help some one else out. It feels better and more fulfilling to project outwards, then inwards. It's a matter of course.

Valentine's SWAG

2009-02-13T09:56:00.004-05:00

I'm almost post Valentines.

The hand-offs went ok. (I only saw the results of one of the kids, because the other two drop off into the abiss.

The SWAG that CU-3 came home with! OMG, you'd have thought it was Hallowe'en or Christmas or something.

I only did the paper maché heart thingy because CU-2 asked. (I've learned my lesson about volunteering my "talents"!) And still, the exercise wasn't without it's pains.

I like the other ideas you came up with - like Bliss suggestion to take the offending child out for a coffee, and try the old bait and switch, though, every time I do this type of project I think of some of the things you've done ... does Goldilocks ring a bell?

Jen, I don't know. Sometimes I think it's bribary.

Nat, if I could have found Scoobie cards, I'd have gone that way. I've got a varied collection of past partially used boxes of Valentine's - Calliou, Blues Clues, general bi-lingual animal ones, and my all time favorites the ones that depict wrestling sensation The Rock. (And I quote "Roses are red, violets are blue, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH. Happy Valentine's Day.")

I'm trying to coax the children to choose from these cards. Funny that the 12 year old won't choose Calliou eh? But he picked them out when he was four!!

What I do for love

2009-02-11T21:05:00.006-05:00

I think I need an intervention ...

= Three nights of effort + paste encrusted fingers + wrecked "new" jeans + multiple grey hairs

to finally get this:

for 19. And that's for ONE of the kid's classes.

And I kept wondering why I wasn't sleeping well.

Weird

2009-02-09T21:23:00.004-05:00

Ok. First day on the buses. Very weird feeling. The buses are almost empty. Very weird feeling. The Huz is on his new schedule and gets home before I do. Very weird feeling. I'm beginning to feel frustrated in my job again. Also very weird feeling.

That last one might just be a result of looking at this ad, except I have yet to daydream about punching small animals:

A site for sore feet

2009-02-08T13:34:00.002-05:00

We have bus service! Finally.

I almost feel the same way when I get to put away my winter coat in Spring.

Influence

2009-02-02T22:51:00.002-05:00

It's kind of neat to realize when you have influence over your children.

Today two things happened with CU-3 of which she self-reported. The first is that another little girl at school was feeling sad and was missing her mother. CU-3 went up to her and said "Cry. It's good for you." (That's definitely a me-ism).

The second one was tonight, while I was chasing the Hell-child all over the house (as he run buck naked too!), I'd made a comment about how I was unhappy about their shared room. When I came back, the floor was clear. CLEAR! (I almost fell to my knees and wept with joy). I look over at CU-3 sitting on her bed. She looks back at me and say "The cleaning fairies did it."

It's not much. It sure helped my evening go better. Maybe five will be a good year for us all.

Stages

2009-02-01T21:01:00.003-05:00

The Huz reports that there are several distinct stages of putting Child Unit 4 to bed.

Stage 1: Denial
Includes massive bouts of denial, both verbal, and physical, including acts of wiggling and wriggling which, perhaps only a sumo wrestler could match.

Stage 2: Playing Possum
Includes closing his eyes, biding his time, waiting ... waiting for YOU to make the first move, usually out of bed.

Stage 3: Second wind
Includes crying to get you back for more attention, and attempts to break the sleep hold, but as a result of low coordination because he is tired, results are awkward and ends in a tightened grip of covers wrapped around him.

Stage 4: Submission
Includes marks of statue eyes (eyes rolling back into his head), and deeper breathing patterns, though, occasionally can be confused with Stage 2. Any attempts to leave at this stage results in Parental Whiplash, crying and throwing of covers.

Stage 5: Success
This stage is marked by regular deep breathing patterns and parental freedom. Any attempts to leave at this stage are successful.

Still working on that love list

2009-01-27T19:22:00.004-05:00

In the meantime, here's a pop quiz. Can you tell the difference?

My anti-love list

2009-01-26T21:54:00.003-05:00

Day 48 of the bus strike.

Balmy -25 degree weather.

French training.

Husband who pretends he's listening, then asks me a question directly related to what I just said to him.

Pre-adolescence.

Potty training.

Any time any one any where says "Oh oh."

Feeling that I'm in over my head. (I've joined a group and offered to be the Board Secretary. I've been getting a deluge of emails since. I'm wondering what the krunk I got myself into now!)

Maybe tomorrow I'll be in a better place and can post a love list. Any suggestions to get that one started?

Fall out

2009-01-25T08:44:00.003-05:00

The fall out from the Terror Child's activities have finally been noticed, though I don't know that I really can call it fall out, more like a like sprinkling Spring shower.

CU-1: "Heh, who took my candy box out."

Me: "I don't know CU-1. I found it downstairs."

CU-1: Looks at me suspiciously.

Me: "Did you check out your locker? Do you see what was there?*"

CU-1 paddles off.

The end.

*At Christmas, CUs-3 and 4 got into his other Christmas candy, which I said I'd replace, which I did, finally.

Terror child update

2009-01-20T21:47:00.003-05:00

These are of the Terror Child, in better times.

Funny, the side effects of the chocolate. It was the easiest evening in over two weeks that he went to bed with much less of a fuss.

Tonight it's back to the usual shenanigans and the running of the stairs. (The Huz is going to have a back side that can crack walnuts by the end of this.)

Living in this house should come with a WARNING

2009-01-19T21:47:00.006-05:00

I've repeatedly told my children that they signed a contract at birth. They claim they don't remember. I tell them, that's their problem, not mine.

For example, when one child provokes the other, and I'm in my did-I-really-sign-up-for-this-I-can't-recall-doing-so moods, I'll tell the warring children that it's in their contract to annoy one another. Usually that brings a break in the proceeding, long enough for them to get distracted and leave one another alone.

Apparently my contract says that I'll have a steel-trap mind for stuff that lies around our home. Not a particularly useful super power until you get the desperate call at work from The Huz who's channeling an equally desperate kid who can't find his or her mittens-lunch-box-home-work-glasses-socks-shoe-favorite-lucky pencil.

I have to say I think it's really sad that I've got a response for him like "check the laundry room shelf on the right hand side, left side of that shelf, in the green bin, at the back, under the cotton wads). It's very sad.

Alas, it's not these common place occurrences that have triggered today's entry. No. I wish it were. It has more to do with siblings getting into places they're probably not supposed to be going into.

Take this evidence, for example:
When The Huz went upstairs for the eighth time this evening to try to put the Terror Child to bed, The Huz found chocolates, partially consumed, apparently not being of the liking of the immediate consumer.

This was never his box of chocolates to consume. The greater problem isn't trying to scrape the child off the wall after having consumed sugar, it's having to deal with the sibling to whom the box of chocolates belongs who isn't here to deal with the immediate disappointment.

Even more regrettable is that the child on the loosing end already had another candy stash broken into.

So here's my problem. Do I try to guess the number of chocolates post-consumed and replace those? Do I hide the box and pray to small gawds that he doesn't notice the box is missing? Do I even confess what the sibling did? Oh the choices.

That's minus honey!

2009-01-16T07:27:00.001-05:00

Taken from inside the kitchen this morning at about 7:30 a.m.

A short post on anti-social vegetables

2009-01-14T21:55:00.003-05:00

Perpetual Chocoholic (who's running a very good tutorial on drawing) guessed correctly about my reference to anti-social vegetables in the previous post. So here's the short version of the back story.

I've been working very hard to try to reduce, reuse and recycle (mostly ME). So that means many more vegetables and the like. For some, vegetables are a great thing. In our house, they're the anti-social element of the house and it kind of goes like this:

I make a modified version of the cabbage salad (aka known as a party salad or a chinese salad or the like). It's pretty good. Feeling peckish, and watching the Food Network (not a great combination), I serve myself a serving ... then another ... and then The Huz joins me. He's the one that kind of started the conversation. After he finished his serving, he said "oh, my body's not going to like me in the morning" to which I corrected him "No. Your colleagues at work won't like you."

So, the next day it was Pizza night in our house, and we've put on a ban of potty talk at the table (at my mother's request). I was talking about the great salad, that kind of had miserable side effects and refered to them as "the anti-social vegetables".

And dang, they sure are yummy.

Monday love list

2009-01-12T21:20:00.003-05:00

Oh so many good things happen when so many bad things are going on. In a week we'll have an Obama-nation (and I consider that a good thing)!

Stealing the idea from Meg, here's today's love list:

snow
snow storms
music I can sing too (AND remember the lyrics to)
having a light bulb moment
hair after it's been outside in the cold
surprise rebate cheques
boxes that come in the mail
French class, especially when it's heavy with boy humor
anti-social vegetables

Things I love a bit less

hypocrites
head lice
dirtied diapers
people parking haphazardly
endless house cleaning

I guess locuses are next

2009-01-06T22:43:00.002-05:00

As if I don't have enough to do, I was greeted by two members of the after-school staff asking me if I received the telephone call they'd apparently placed to me this afternoon.

It all started with itching.

Itching and small children are NOT a good thing.

I am so thankful for sympathetic teachers too, and heavy chemical shampoos, that don't do that much good, except possibly let me sleep tonight thinking that I've got a start on things.

Yes. We've got a wild case of head lice in at least two of the kids. I'll be checking the other two Friday, when they come home, because their father is usually in complete denial about things.

Hey PC, just to let you know, you've trained me well.

Nights like this, I ask "why me".

I so wish I was talking about the bear

2009-01-05T21:05:00.002-05:00

Poo, not Pooh.

There. I said it.

A result of popular demand (yes, can you imagine I have had people say I should blog about this?) I'm am writing about Child-Unit 4's toilet training successes and failures. And, no, there won't be any pictures to go along with this story (only because they came out too blurry to post).

So, from this point on be warned. This is not a cutsie post about fluffy kittens and puppies. You probably want that anyway, then the stories that follow. Back track and click the link now, unless of course, you're a Mom, a former Mom, or a maybe a recovering Mom that needs to get over a baby sniffing addiction! ;-)

Toilet training the last of the family lineage has been, um, a treat. I'm told these stories I will be able to look back on and laugh off in a few years.

I don't think I can wait that long.

Toilet training, in earnest, started December 26.

After CU-4 received training underpants for Christmas (he was VERY excited Christmas morning when he opened the box, pulled them out and started jumping up and down saying "Bunny! Bunny! Bunny!") we warned him his diapering days were almost over.

Hour upon hour we trotted him back and forth to the toilet. For the most part, mostly misses. Occasionally he'd tease us, or our timing would be good enough and he'd relax and dribble into the toilet. Yeh! One for us. But those stories don't make for an interesting read. Oh no. I'm about to tell you three true stories:

#1 - the near miss
CU-4 was put on the toilet and The Huz got distracted, mumbled something to me about "boy" and "toilet" as he passed. I didn't think much of it until CU-3 started howling for me to come and see what CU-4 did. And there it was in all it's glory. About three feet from where it's final resting place should have been. That's when I got the camera out and throughly lost my "good parenting" points.

#2 - making the rounds
Since construction of the new part of the house last year, we've been re-blessed with having an extra two commodes added to our formerly humble abode. We'd started the training in the powder room (also know as A----a's bathroom - named after a former neighbour-child who used the facilities at g-r-e-a-t length). However, because of a hockey play-off with Canada and the Russians, CU-4 and his equipment was moved to the en suite, which was closer to the front room and the TV. It was at this location that the second story takes place.

While folding laundry, CU-4 was playing nicely with others, and occasionally amusing himself, though generally staying out of trouble until I see him skip past me for the third time.

After the first two times it didn't really click in that he'd been coming out of my bedroom, on the back loop, empty handed. (On my behalf I'll say I've been very under the weather during the holiday season.) The second pass I *think* he had a wooden toy figurine of a giraffe. The third pass through was with a Duplo block square. (I'd missed the original foray, it turns out. THAT was a piece of train track.) My gut suspicions were triggered. I'd followed him into the bathroom, yelling for support just in case I had to have a confrontation or an intervention.

Sigh. I caught him just after he'd flushed.

Oh, I probably shouldn't mention that earlier that day The Huz had caught him, em, testing the waters in that facility for potability. Ew ew ew ew ew. (Grandma Tim tells me that most children have done this at one time or another. Still, ew.)

#3 - the sink incident
The Huz is doing his regular rounds putting the CUs to bed. I get the bellow to hurry and hurry hard (I love curling terms, they're so cute!) The Huz was upset because it looked like CU-4 had done something to clog the toilet and it had backed-up into the sink.

Upon closer investigation, The Huz concluded that CU-4 had taken a sample and decided to wash his hands of it in the sink. (Update: Upon further reflection, The Huz believes that it may have just been a soil sample taken from one of the resident bathroom cacti, though the jury is still out on that one.)

#4 - the bonus story
First day back on our regular schedule, the CU fairs ok, not leaving anything behind when trying out his care giver's toilet, and sliding things in on the sly, during nap time. She instructs me to put him right on the toilet when we get home, which I do. Too late. The cold weather has already triggered a response. Ok, so we start again.

Every hour CU-4 is coaxed to park. Nothing as far as I can tell.

During the last park-and-ride, I'm trying to multitask and verify I've got sufficient ingredients to run a batch of cookies through when I hear the scream of the howler monkey. The last time CU-4 had reacted this way, I found him with one foot in the toilet bowl, and on point, kind of like a ballerina warming up at the bar. (Apparently he was trying to get off.) No such luck this time. For either of us.

No, this time he'd took care of business and all the formalities. He'd peed on his business twice. TWICE!

Cripes. Now how do I end a blog entry like this eh? Perhaps with a grateful sigh that we're done for today and with a big thank you to small gods that I got into a Mr. Clean 2-for-1 sale!

Just in case I don't get around to it

2008-12-30T21:05:00.005-05:00

2008, it's been a slice.

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!

Routine is good

2008-12-29T21:22:00.015-05:00

Ah, it's good to be back. To routine that is.

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!

<<<< Consider that a preview.

The night after the morning after

2008-12-27T20:55:00.003-05:00

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.

Whew

2008-12-25T22:37:00.003-05:00

Made it through the rip-fest.

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!

Randomness

2008-12-23T20:37:00.003-05:00

Ok. Lots of little stuff is rolling about in my head. Most of it is pretty fun/funny.

There was the call to Santa today. (Thanks Nat.)

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.

The great Christmas debate

2008-12-21T19:23:00.006-05:00

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 Messiah by 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).

11. Best Christmas movie? A Charlie Brown Christmas

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.

Thanks Jen, that was fun.

Cakes for Jesus

2008-12-19T21:38:00.010-05:00

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.

You don't know Santa

2008-12-19T21:29:00.002-05:00

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.

Mission accomplished.

Are you feeling it?

2008-12-17T09:21:00.002-05:00

For those of you who are not feeling the Christmas spirit, here's some for you courtesy of a home in my neighborhood.

Christmas Parties - virtually

2008-12-16T19:27:00.002-05:00

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.

They've got a butler and everything.

Day six and all is not well

2008-12-15T13:37:00.004-05:00

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!

My first haiku, ever

2008-12-11T20:13:00.001-05:00

CU-1 was tasked with writing a haiku. He gave the teacher too much grief so it was sent home as an assignment. I learned first, then taught him.

Here's my first haiku I've ever written.

Jacques, mon chien est beau.
Henry, mon frère est peuant.
Je prefère mon chien.

Day 2 - oh what fun it is to ride ...

2008-12-11T08:38:00.010-05:00

NOT.

Day 2 of the bus strike.

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.)

today

2008-12-10T09:29:00.002-05:00

Snow storm fall out, bus strike. One hell of a commute.

Today's quote

2008-12-09T18:23:00.002-05:00

From CU-3

"Mom stop giving me weggies or I'm going to stop loving you."

That CU-3. She's always good for a quote.

Need I say

2008-12-05T20:51:00.002-05:00

more?

No. I don't think so.

The silent "Q"

2008-12-04T21:53:00.002-05:00

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!

Dinner wars

2008-11-30T22:25:00.003-05:00

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!

In response to Nat

2008-11-29T21:23:00.004-05:00

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.

Oh so punny

2008-11-26T21:53:00.001-05:00

I wish I could lay claim to these puns, alas, I'm not that funny.

So, to the original authors, I tip my hat to you all.

1.The roundest knight at King Arthur's round table was Sir Cumference. He acquired his size from too much pi.

2. I thought I saw an eye doctor on an Alaskan island, but it turned out to be an optical Aleutian.

3. She was only a whisky maker, but he loved her still.

4. A rubber band pistol was confiscated from algebra class because it was a weapon of math disruption.

5. The butcher backed into the meat grinder and got a little behind in his work.

6. No matter how much you push the envelope, it'll still be stationery.

7. A dog gave birth to puppies near the road and was cited for littering.

8. A grenade thrown into a kitchen in France would result in Linoleum Blownapart.

9. Two silk worms had a race. They ended up in a tie.

10. Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.

11. A hole has been found in the nudist camp wall. The police are looking into it.

12. Atheism is a non-prophet organization.

13. Two hats were hanging on a hat rack in the hallway. One hat said to the other, 'You stay here, I'll go on a-head.'

14. I wondered why the baseball kept getting bigger. Then it hit me.

15. A sign on the lawn at a drug rehab center said: 'Keep off the Grass.'

16. A small boy swallowed some coins and was taken to a hospital. When his grandmother telephoned to ask how he was, a nurse said, 'No change yet.'

17. A chicken crossing the road is poultry in motion.

18. It's not that the man did not know how to juggle, he just didn't have the balls to do it.

19. The short fortune-teller who escaped from prison was a small medium, at large.

20. The man who survived mustard gas and pepper spray is now a seasoned veteran.

21. A backward poet writes in-verse.

22. In democracy it's your vote that counts. In feudalism it's your count that votes.

23. When cannibals ate a missionary, they got a taste of religion.

24. Don't join dangerous cults, practice safe sects!

Slow news day

2008-11-25T21:05:00.002-05:00

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!

34 days left

2008-11-20T23:23:00.002-05:00

Yesterday I met up with CU-2 on the play ground.

"35 days left until the big day" she said.

"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!

And this is how it starts ...

2008-11-18T21:51:00.002-05:00

No. This is not cute. How he snuck his girlfriend in with him, I just don't know.They start so young now days!

It's Friday

2008-11-14T19:14:00.003-05:00

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!

Wahoo and hip horray!

I'd like to set my hair on fire

2008-11-11T21:58:00.002-05:00

I've previously threatened to:

- 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.)

Thank goodness for rainy days

2008-11-08T22:35:00.003-05:00

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.

It was a most pleasant way to spend the day.

Critics, line up behind my mother

2008-11-05T21:41:00.003-05:00

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.

November

2008-11-01T20:40:00.002-04:00

Whew. Made it.

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).

Happy November.

Out of the mouths of babes Post No #485

2008-10-30T21:45:00.002-04:00

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.

The morning after and the night before

2008-10-30T08:32:00.009-04:00

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!)

Diwali this

2008-10-26T23:50:00.007-04:00

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.

Can't say that

2008-10-25T19:57:00.001-04:00

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.

Maybe I should take up smoking ...

They were busy

2008-10-22T00:07:00.002-04:00

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.

Thanksgiving day fall-out

2008-10-16T22:35:00.007-04:00

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).

Out of the mouths of babes

2008-10-15T20:36:00.004-04:00

CU-3 on the topic of birthdays and age:

"39 is, like, not a lot. Then you turn 40, and BAM, you're old."

Questions and answers

2008-10-08T19:55:00.009-04:00

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!

4 babies, two terries and half a dozen pumpkins later

2008-10-07T23:21:00.002-04:00

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.

We'll always have Paris

2008-09-29T20:52:00.002-04:00

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.

Legacies

2008-09-29T19:00:00.002-04:00

From the desk of ...

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.

What I did to avoid my French home work tonight!

2008-09-27T21:45:00.007-04:00

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.

Monday night and all is well

2008-09-22T20:51:00.003-04:00

Well sort of.

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?

Frack

2008-09-18T20:54:00.005-04:00

I think I'm having a Josie day.

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).

Frack.

Oh, and then there's the cat:

And I found myself envious

2008-09-15T21:10:00.003-04:00

I'd asked for other's to do lists. I looked at them in envy. They seemed to offer some relief from mine ...

Who knew that the universe would punish for coveting thy neighbor's to do list.

The mountain of laundry was conquered this weekend. Dirt was shifted and hauled and placed. Visions of the Garden of 2009 began to form. Kids played well with one another. It was a glorious weekend. Then Monday hit.

Do you feel it too?

To do

2008-09-07T10:03:00.002-04:00

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.

Laborious Labor Day

2008-09-01T21:41:00.002-04:00

Happy first day of September.

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! ;-)

School daze

2008-08-27T23:39:00.004-04:00

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.

So much for joining the circus

2008-08-20T18:25:00.003-04:00

"Where's Mom?" child unit three cries out two rooms away.

"She's gone" replies The Huz looking at me as I put my head on the table. (So much for a quiet post-dinner chat.)

"Where'd she go?" whines CU3.

"She's run away to join the circus" The Huz replies.

"Can I go too?" is the nasal-based question from CU3.

"Sure."

"But I don't know how to go there."

um, that's the point isn't it?

Crabasses unite

2008-08-17T09:21:00.003-04:00

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.)

Summer vacation, the good and the bad

2008-08-14T21:35:00.004-04:00

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.

Mata Hari goes back to school in 11 days.

On the road soon

2008-07-18T14:34:00.002-04:00

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!