Two more days of "work" work before I have six days off! Yeah! The only thing is that I am planning on doing a lot of work around the house in that time. I'm playing catch-up on my 'spring cleaning'. My list is long, but I've already begun chipping away at it, and I am hopeful. Here's my list so far (I am adding to it as stuff pops into my head):
-clean linen closet (done)
-dust living room, dining room, master bedroom, bathroom, computer desk (done), framed photos/art on the walls
-clean inside the fridge
-clean outside of fridge, top to bottom (done)
-wash the shower curtain
-mop kitchen, hall, stairs, bathroom, and all three bedrooms
-clean the tub and all the bathroom tiles
-wash light fixtures in all rooms
-wash fingerprints off of walls and door jambs in all rooms
-clean all the windows
-wash the futon cover
-mend my quilts
-if I get that mending done, wash the quilts
-re-organize/purge bookshelves
-wipe out inside of all kitchen and bathroom cupboards
-wash cupboard fronts in bathroom and kitchen
-clean, purge and organize kitchen & bathroom drawers
-dust cobwebs from all corners of ceilings (done)
-scrub bathroom ceiling with bleach to kill/remove mould
-take glass jars to recycling depot
-take empty beverage containers to bottle depot
-organize/purge storage room under the stairs
-clean, purge and sort laundry room cupboards
-clean outside of washer and dryer
-sort and organize pantry (done)
-pack summer clothes
-purge Abby's clothes
-clean the carpet
I've also done a couple of the kitchen drawers and one cupboard already. I find it easy to do that sort of thing when putting away dishes or groceries; there's just a lot of cupboards and drawers! The list is daunting and will most likely grow before it is completed, but I can't wait to get it done. The biggest challenge will be staying motivated next week when I have all that free time. Mind you, that free time is somewhat broken up into chunks. The kids only have a half day of school on Tuesday, I have a meeting at 1pm on Wednesday, and I'm hoping to go for coffee with a friend. Still lots of time and it helps that I've already begun tackling tasks.
Next week, the music will be blaring and I'll be working up a sweat doing housework. It's time to pull out The Temptations greatest hits! For some reason beyond comprehension, I keep turning to the Temptations whenever I am doing a big work project around the house. That's what got me through painting the hall and living room a couple of years ago. But who knows...Abby's ABBA cd might do the trick, too. Or both...I have room for five cds in my stereo...hmmm.
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Monday, August 27, 2007
I am looking forward to September and the return to school and regular routine. One more week! I have three more shifts this week; thankfully they are all 7-2 or 3pm, so I can sleep in until at least 6:15! ha ha. Then, I have six days off. Bliss.
The only thing is that I am hoping/planning on doing a lot of cleaning and organizing around the house that week. The kids will be at school and I'll be home getting everything in order after the chaos of baseball season and the rest of summer. I've already started making up my checklist, (I'm big on lists!) and I even started on the linen closet yesterday afternoon. Hopefully I get everything finished without running out of steam or time.
I'm exhausted. Maybe I'll just sleep that entire week...or not. I know I'll feel much better when my house is clean and organized. The older I get the more I hate clutter! We aren't big consumers. We do lots of grocery shopping, but we really don't buy a lot of things and clothes yet we always seem to have more stuff than we need. How does that happen?! Even though I am continuously purging, throwing away junk and sending goods to Big Brothers, we always have more.
The only thing is that I am hoping/planning on doing a lot of cleaning and organizing around the house that week. The kids will be at school and I'll be home getting everything in order after the chaos of baseball season and the rest of summer. I've already started making up my checklist, (I'm big on lists!) and I even started on the linen closet yesterday afternoon. Hopefully I get everything finished without running out of steam or time.
I'm exhausted. Maybe I'll just sleep that entire week...or not. I know I'll feel much better when my house is clean and organized. The older I get the more I hate clutter! We aren't big consumers. We do lots of grocery shopping, but we really don't buy a lot of things and clothes yet we always seem to have more stuff than we need. How does that happen?! Even though I am continuously purging, throwing away junk and sending goods to Big Brothers, we always have more.
Saturday, August 25, 2007
I Survived!
The one thing that I didn't want to happen did happen, but I still managed to have a good day at work.
Today was the day that I shouldered a lot more responsibility and power than I've ever had at this job before. The owners were off to Seattle early this morning and both managers were out of town, leaving myself and a junior supervisor to run the show; the first time "solo" for both of us. We had a good group of staff on and things were going smoothly despite being busy until about 10:30am.
Drive-thru was very busy and lined up when the till froze up! It took a half hour of scrambling and phone calls to Panasonic before we finally had the till working. Oh the joy! We ran into till problems again shortly before noon which required another phone call to Panasonic to fix. Of all the things that could go wrong, till problems were the most intimidating and troublesome. It was hectic and crazy for a while there, but I think we did a decent job of serving the customers and working through the problem until it was resolved. For that I am incredibly glad.
It was really a good day even though we had those problems. I enjoyed myself and had a good time at work. We even managed to keep up with our cleaning and stocking tasks and with breaks! However, I feel wiped out. My feet are throbbing, my back is sore, and my head hurts from the new, super-tight headsets, but I'm smiling.
I'm going out for dinner tonight and it won't cost us a thing. Kane has a generous gift certificate for a brand new restaurant. We're taking Sam along with us. Surprisingly, Sam seems eager to join mom and dad for a fancy dinner even though he is incredibly picky. I remember being taken out to a fancy restaurant with my parents for my sixteenth birthday. In general, it was a good memory except that they "made" me eat a stuffed mushroom cap which still sends shivers up and down my spine. I abhor mushrooms. There are things that I don't really care for but I will eat them anyway, but mushrooms are not even close to fitting in that category. I've had to eat mushrooms and I gag every single time. This is why I am a little lenient with my kids when I know that they absolutely do not like a particular item. For Sam, that would be scalloped potatoes. I do make them eat some things because not caring for them isn't enough, but I respect their intense dislikes. I have mine so they can have theirs.
But first, I need to shower and have a nap in whichever order I can take it.
Today was the day that I shouldered a lot more responsibility and power than I've ever had at this job before. The owners were off to Seattle early this morning and both managers were out of town, leaving myself and a junior supervisor to run the show; the first time "solo" for both of us. We had a good group of staff on and things were going smoothly despite being busy until about 10:30am.
Drive-thru was very busy and lined up when the till froze up! It took a half hour of scrambling and phone calls to Panasonic before we finally had the till working. Oh the joy! We ran into till problems again shortly before noon which required another phone call to Panasonic to fix. Of all the things that could go wrong, till problems were the most intimidating and troublesome. It was hectic and crazy for a while there, but I think we did a decent job of serving the customers and working through the problem until it was resolved. For that I am incredibly glad.
It was really a good day even though we had those problems. I enjoyed myself and had a good time at work. We even managed to keep up with our cleaning and stocking tasks and with breaks! However, I feel wiped out. My feet are throbbing, my back is sore, and my head hurts from the new, super-tight headsets, but I'm smiling.
I'm going out for dinner tonight and it won't cost us a thing. Kane has a generous gift certificate for a brand new restaurant. We're taking Sam along with us. Surprisingly, Sam seems eager to join mom and dad for a fancy dinner even though he is incredibly picky. I remember being taken out to a fancy restaurant with my parents for my sixteenth birthday. In general, it was a good memory except that they "made" me eat a stuffed mushroom cap which still sends shivers up and down my spine. I abhor mushrooms. There are things that I don't really care for but I will eat them anyway, but mushrooms are not even close to fitting in that category. I've had to eat mushrooms and I gag every single time. This is why I am a little lenient with my kids when I know that they absolutely do not like a particular item. For Sam, that would be scalloped potatoes. I do make them eat some things because not caring for them isn't enough, but I respect their intense dislikes. I have mine so they can have theirs.
But first, I need to shower and have a nap in whichever order I can take it.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
15 Years
Tomorrow is my 15th wedding anniversary!
I am amazed, not that we've made it this far but that we've really been married that long! It doesn't quite seem possible, and I'm certainly not old enough to have lost that newlywed blush. Am I? Maybe so.
Despite his flaws and my own, I love my husband. It is easy to find reasons to grumble and complain about his power naps, his shoes under the computer desk, his snoring, his keys locked in the van...again, but how much sweeter is it to think upon all the things that I love about my husband!
I love holding his hand when we are walking. I love how he opens the door for me and pushes me out the door so that I can have some 'me' time. He might roll his eyes and moan, but he will watch a 'girlie' movie with me and enjoy it. He makes the best breakfast: hashbrowns, scrambled eggs or an omelet, bacon or sausage. Being someone who detests washing dishes, I am quite appreciative every time Kane washes dishes for me. He's a great dad who loves his kids and loves spending time with them. He's a hard worker. He listens to me ramble. (Betcha didn't know I could ramble on and on!) He makes me laugh even though I also often roll my eyes at the bad humour. I love how sappy he can be. I love how he loves me even when I'm not sure I love myself.
Tomorrow is my only day off for the rest of this week. We're going out for dinner Saturday night, so tomorrow I am making a rib roast with mashed potatoes, gravy and some as yet undetermined veggies.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike2.5 Canada License.
Monday, August 20, 2007
R.I.P.
I came home from work this afternoon to the news that Casey's hamster, Speedy had died. Time of death is undetermined. It could have been during the night or first thing in the morning before Casey woke up at 10:30! We can't quite pin down just how long Speedy has been part of our household, but we think that it must be close to three years. He had a good life! Casey teared up as he showed me Speedy laid out in an empty Kleenex box on the dining room table. To my surprise, he had already emptied and cleaned out the cage! Casey and Abby had also made a "tombstone" out of cardboard and paper. It read:
Will never
forget
SPEEDY
loved by everyone
he was
the best
You
were
an
awesome
hamster
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike2.5 Canada License.
Monday, August 13, 2007
Behind the Mask
I might be going out on a limb here, but I need to spill a little of what I am actually feeling rather than just rambling on about what I'm doing. Being busy is a given and it is much easier to talk about things than feelings, but if I want to be honest with myself and real to others then I need to be able to cast aside the cardboard masks from time to time.
Don't worry! In general, I am doing just fine. Yes, the carpal tunnel is flaring up, and Abby is sure she found a couple of grey hairs on my head last week, but life is basically good. Casey still has more attitude than common sense at times, but I wouldn't trade him for anyone.
I've lost a friendship that meant so much to me for a very long time. The past couple of years have been awful and very difficult. Maybe you already knew that, or maybe you didn't. Being vulnerable isn't a state I like to be in and so I'd much rather bite my tongue, cry into my pillow, and put on a brave face than let anyone see the storm raging inside of me. My paper journal has nearly been consumed by this storm, but this blog has been rather silent on that front. Not only am I afraid of showing the faltering me, but I have also been hesitant to say anything here for fear of hurting or offending this friend. In some ways that seems kind of silly to me now, but I hate conflict. But then again, perhaps the past two years would be completely different if I said nothing, done nothing but simply gone with the flow and behaved exactly as I was expected to behave. Or maybe not.
I am mourning a friendship lost, and I have been discovering that such grief does not come with an expiration date. Just when I think that my tears have dried up and the wounds have healed, something happens and I hurt just as much as I did at the beginning. Sometimes I hurt even more. This friend wasn't someone that I saw once in a while, blowing in and out of each other's lives. She was one of my bestest friends, closer to me than any of my sisters ever could be.
There is a lot that could be said about the last couple of years and how we arrived at this place, but it doesn't need to be said here. To make a long, complicated story incredibly short, she pulled away while steadily pushing me away. It was a gradual process which in some ways was probably more difficult to deal with than an outright amputation. Eventually, I realized that I needed to take a step back for my own good. It seems weird to say that I took a step back from a relationship where I was being pushed out, but I guess I simply realized that I had to physically let the relationship go. And so I have, I think. Most of the time, I feel incredible peace with that decision, but obviously I still have some emotional tethers or I wouldn't still be grieving. Would I? See, I still can't see this all clearly. It is a mess, a tangled, snarled and ugly mess. At least that is how I see and feel it.
One of the most tender areas is the knowledge, or at least the appearance that all this turmoil and strain is only being felt on my end. There have been so many instances which have given me reason to believe that this friend doesn't view this estrangement the same way. It confuses me, in all honesty. I don't know what to think. Is she truly blind to what has transpired over the past two years? Or does she simply not care? Is she simply living with her head in the clouds trying to sweep any issues under the carpet? I wish I knew.
In May, I worked up enough courage to call her, to ask her a "why" question. It seemed to take her by surprise. I had hoped and prayed that our brief conversation would have been enough to spark something, anything within her. I didn't expect a complete reversal of the past two years, but I hoped that someone who said she was glad that I had told her how I felt would be sincere enough to take that knowledge and do something with it.
That phone call was made because I had to make another difficult decision concerning this friend. Much to my surprise, I had been invited to a momentous occasion in her life. Despite how things turned out with the phone call, I had originally decided that I would attend, but I didn't. Baseball is my excuse and I fully recognize it as an excuse. I think I'm entitled to an excuse once in a while. However, I did mail a letter explaining my non-appearance and closed by putting the ball once again in her court. I honestly didn't expect a response, but I guess in a way I did.
A few weeks ago, while at the ballpark, this friend walked right past me, only inches away from my face, without so much as a turn of the head, a hello, or even a 'pardon me'. I was in the midst of Abby's team waiting for some final instructions, surrounded by strangers and nobody saw me take that mortal blow. I didn't even have time or space to allow myself to feel anything but numbness...until later. And yet, she sent out two bulk generic emails within the last couple of weeks and I was included in those mailings. I'm not a part of her life anymore and haven't been for at least a year. So then how should I feel when these little friend-like gestures are casually tossed my way? Do they even mean anything when there isn't a relationship behind them anymore? Really, they feel like tiny arrows piercing my skin and drawing blood or a slap in the face, and I am weary of walking wounded.
Where this post is going I don't really know. I just had to say something, hoping that in the telling there could be found some clarity. It's bad enough carrying all this stress and emotional baggage from this situation, but I've also got a boatload of self-doubt dragging behind me. Did I make enough of an effort? Did I say the wrong thing, do the wrong thing? Should I have taken that step back?
So yeah, I feel rather beat up and discarded. Thankfully, life is far too busy for me to be utterly consumed by this situation. I barely have the energy or motivation to think about what to make for supper let alone contemplate the intricacies of a failed relationship. At least too much. Obviously I do think about it. I really can't avoid it and I'm not sure that I would want to. Avoiding issues doesn't make them disappear; it just gives them room to grow and tangle.
I'll be okay. Really. Some things just hurt for a long, long time.
Don't worry! In general, I am doing just fine. Yes, the carpal tunnel is flaring up, and Abby is sure she found a couple of grey hairs on my head last week, but life is basically good. Casey still has more attitude than common sense at times, but I wouldn't trade him for anyone.
I've lost a friendship that meant so much to me for a very long time. The past couple of years have been awful and very difficult. Maybe you already knew that, or maybe you didn't. Being vulnerable isn't a state I like to be in and so I'd much rather bite my tongue, cry into my pillow, and put on a brave face than let anyone see the storm raging inside of me. My paper journal has nearly been consumed by this storm, but this blog has been rather silent on that front. Not only am I afraid of showing the faltering me, but I have also been hesitant to say anything here for fear of hurting or offending this friend. In some ways that seems kind of silly to me now, but I hate conflict. But then again, perhaps the past two years would be completely different if I said nothing, done nothing but simply gone with the flow and behaved exactly as I was expected to behave. Or maybe not.
I am mourning a friendship lost, and I have been discovering that such grief does not come with an expiration date. Just when I think that my tears have dried up and the wounds have healed, something happens and I hurt just as much as I did at the beginning. Sometimes I hurt even more. This friend wasn't someone that I saw once in a while, blowing in and out of each other's lives. She was one of my bestest friends, closer to me than any of my sisters ever could be.
There is a lot that could be said about the last couple of years and how we arrived at this place, but it doesn't need to be said here. To make a long, complicated story incredibly short, she pulled away while steadily pushing me away. It was a gradual process which in some ways was probably more difficult to deal with than an outright amputation. Eventually, I realized that I needed to take a step back for my own good. It seems weird to say that I took a step back from a relationship where I was being pushed out, but I guess I simply realized that I had to physically let the relationship go. And so I have, I think. Most of the time, I feel incredible peace with that decision, but obviously I still have some emotional tethers or I wouldn't still be grieving. Would I? See, I still can't see this all clearly. It is a mess, a tangled, snarled and ugly mess. At least that is how I see and feel it.
One of the most tender areas is the knowledge, or at least the appearance that all this turmoil and strain is only being felt on my end. There have been so many instances which have given me reason to believe that this friend doesn't view this estrangement the same way. It confuses me, in all honesty. I don't know what to think. Is she truly blind to what has transpired over the past two years? Or does she simply not care? Is she simply living with her head in the clouds trying to sweep any issues under the carpet? I wish I knew.
In May, I worked up enough courage to call her, to ask her a "why" question. It seemed to take her by surprise. I had hoped and prayed that our brief conversation would have been enough to spark something, anything within her. I didn't expect a complete reversal of the past two years, but I hoped that someone who said she was glad that I had told her how I felt would be sincere enough to take that knowledge and do something with it.
That phone call was made because I had to make another difficult decision concerning this friend. Much to my surprise, I had been invited to a momentous occasion in her life. Despite how things turned out with the phone call, I had originally decided that I would attend, but I didn't. Baseball is my excuse and I fully recognize it as an excuse. I think I'm entitled to an excuse once in a while. However, I did mail a letter explaining my non-appearance and closed by putting the ball once again in her court. I honestly didn't expect a response, but I guess in a way I did.
A few weeks ago, while at the ballpark, this friend walked right past me, only inches away from my face, without so much as a turn of the head, a hello, or even a 'pardon me'. I was in the midst of Abby's team waiting for some final instructions, surrounded by strangers and nobody saw me take that mortal blow. I didn't even have time or space to allow myself to feel anything but numbness...until later. And yet, she sent out two bulk generic emails within the last couple of weeks and I was included in those mailings. I'm not a part of her life anymore and haven't been for at least a year. So then how should I feel when these little friend-like gestures are casually tossed my way? Do they even mean anything when there isn't a relationship behind them anymore? Really, they feel like tiny arrows piercing my skin and drawing blood or a slap in the face, and I am weary of walking wounded.
Where this post is going I don't really know. I just had to say something, hoping that in the telling there could be found some clarity. It's bad enough carrying all this stress and emotional baggage from this situation, but I've also got a boatload of self-doubt dragging behind me. Did I make enough of an effort? Did I say the wrong thing, do the wrong thing? Should I have taken that step back?
So yeah, I feel rather beat up and discarded. Thankfully, life is far too busy for me to be utterly consumed by this situation. I barely have the energy or motivation to think about what to make for supper let alone contemplate the intricacies of a failed relationship. At least too much. Obviously I do think about it. I really can't avoid it and I'm not sure that I would want to. Avoiding issues doesn't make them disappear; it just gives them room to grow and tangle.
I'll be okay. Really. Some things just hurt for a long, long time.
Monday, August 06, 2007
It is Finished!
After 102 days and more than 400 hours of baseball, I am quite happy to say that baseball season is over. All that's left to do is hand in uniforms and equipment and clean out the van from the weekend.
Casey's team didn't do so well at their Provincials finishing 0-4. Kane has said that the team won "half" their games; unfortunately, they only won half of each game. There were a few moments of glory and a whole lot of fizzle. Casey played well and picked up his game, or so I have been told. I wasn't there to see it. He did earn an MVP award though and had a good time. Despite their string of losses, the team had a great time and would have liked to keep the season going, which is a good thing, I guess. What a difference from Casey's all-star team last year compared to this team! Last year, everyone couldn't wait for the season to end. There was no team unity, no joy, and no success. This year's team has been great even if they didn't perform well at Provincials. Good kids with good parents and mostly good attitudes. We did well at our own tournament and at Zones. It would be awesome to have this group of kids together on the same team again next year, but I know that is nothing more than wishful thinking.
Kane was glad that he decided to take Abby along with him to Provincials. She was the team's bat-girl; not the kind that wears a cape and fights crime but the kind that wears a baseball uniform and collects baseball bats off the field. She also had fun playing at the campground with some of the siblings. Everyone was eaten alive by mosquitoes and bug spray was hard to find in the local stores!
Sam and I had a long, busy, hot, but quiet weekend. We had long hours at the ballpark as Sam was umping and I did some scorekeeping. We were at the ballpark for 10+ hours on Friday, about 8 hours on Saturday and another 8 hours yesterday. Sam made himself $200 and was treated to free food and drink at the concession. In the evenings, we simply hung out at home watching TV or movies, staying up late and not much else. We watched Bladerunner, and I watched half of the Godfather until I was no longer able to focus. Mansfield Park was on TV late one night, and quite enjoying that movie, I tried to stay up to watch it. I made it until 11:30pm, but there was still another hour left to go and I could barely keep my eyes open. Last night, I watched In Her Shoes which I've been wanting to watch for a long time. Loved it and knew that I would. I quite enjoyed the book and the movie was more than acceptable for an adaptation. Kane watched 300 last night, but I couldn't get into that after a weekend of baseball. He liked it though.
I have to work early tomorrow morning. Blech. I'm going out to spend time with my girlfriends tonight and tomorrow night is a staff party. I might be catatonic by then. I feel like a zombie already. My left eyelid is puffy from the weekend. I don't know what the problem is, but frequently when I am at the ballpark for an extended time, my eye(s) tear constantly. My body feels weighted, my eyelids seem unable to open more than halfway, and a nap would not be wasted. I fear that I am on the verge of getting sick. I have noticed a dryness and scratchiness in my throat for the past day or two. It wouldn't surprise me really. Undoubtedly, I am run down and run over!
But baseball is over! Done. Finished. No more. At least until April 2008 but that is many months from now. In the meantime, I can actually cook meals that don't need to be eaten on the run or prepared and consumed by mid-afternoon. There will be no need to rush out the door after consuming said meals. The renovations can progress and yardwork can be done. I can return Abby's overdue magazine which was just found last night! Housework can be caught up on; the deep cleaning kind of stuff that hasn't been done for the past four months! I can breathe. Maybe we'll even make it to the beach once this summer...
Casey's team didn't do so well at their Provincials finishing 0-4. Kane has said that the team won "half" their games; unfortunately, they only won half of each game. There were a few moments of glory and a whole lot of fizzle. Casey played well and picked up his game, or so I have been told. I wasn't there to see it. He did earn an MVP award though and had a good time. Despite their string of losses, the team had a great time and would have liked to keep the season going, which is a good thing, I guess. What a difference from Casey's all-star team last year compared to this team! Last year, everyone couldn't wait for the season to end. There was no team unity, no joy, and no success. This year's team has been great even if they didn't perform well at Provincials. Good kids with good parents and mostly good attitudes. We did well at our own tournament and at Zones. It would be awesome to have this group of kids together on the same team again next year, but I know that is nothing more than wishful thinking.
Kane was glad that he decided to take Abby along with him to Provincials. She was the team's bat-girl; not the kind that wears a cape and fights crime but the kind that wears a baseball uniform and collects baseball bats off the field. She also had fun playing at the campground with some of the siblings. Everyone was eaten alive by mosquitoes and bug spray was hard to find in the local stores!
Sam and I had a long, busy, hot, but quiet weekend. We had long hours at the ballpark as Sam was umping and I did some scorekeeping. We were at the ballpark for 10+ hours on Friday, about 8 hours on Saturday and another 8 hours yesterday. Sam made himself $200 and was treated to free food and drink at the concession. In the evenings, we simply hung out at home watching TV or movies, staying up late and not much else. We watched Bladerunner, and I watched half of the Godfather until I was no longer able to focus. Mansfield Park was on TV late one night, and quite enjoying that movie, I tried to stay up to watch it. I made it until 11:30pm, but there was still another hour left to go and I could barely keep my eyes open. Last night, I watched In Her Shoes which I've been wanting to watch for a long time. Loved it and knew that I would. I quite enjoyed the book and the movie was more than acceptable for an adaptation. Kane watched 300 last night, but I couldn't get into that after a weekend of baseball. He liked it though.
I have to work early tomorrow morning. Blech. I'm going out to spend time with my girlfriends tonight and tomorrow night is a staff party. I might be catatonic by then. I feel like a zombie already. My left eyelid is puffy from the weekend. I don't know what the problem is, but frequently when I am at the ballpark for an extended time, my eye(s) tear constantly. My body feels weighted, my eyelids seem unable to open more than halfway, and a nap would not be wasted. I fear that I am on the verge of getting sick. I have noticed a dryness and scratchiness in my throat for the past day or two. It wouldn't surprise me really. Undoubtedly, I am run down and run over!
But baseball is over! Done. Finished. No more. At least until April 2008 but that is many months from now. In the meantime, I can actually cook meals that don't need to be eaten on the run or prepared and consumed by mid-afternoon. There will be no need to rush out the door after consuming said meals. The renovations can progress and yardwork can be done. I can return Abby's overdue magazine which was just found last night! Housework can be caught up on; the deep cleaning kind of stuff that hasn't been done for the past four months! I can breathe. Maybe we'll even make it to the beach once this summer...
Thursday, August 02, 2007
 |
As I had to be up by 5:45am today, I tried to go to sleep last night at a reasonable time. Seldom am I successful at finding sleep when I most desperately need it, especially when I am facing such an early start to the next day. While I tried to fall asleep, I let my mind wander across snapshots of memories of my grandpa's farm. 1. The farm was located near Shellbrook, Saskatchewan which, if I'm not mistaken, is somewhere near Prince Albert. Regardless, it was a long drive from our home in Estevan. I don't know how long my grandparents operated the farm, but my memories take place when I was about five or six years old, maybe a little younger or older. Links to other Thursday Thirteens! 1. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!) |
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Wednesday, August 01, 2007
And they're off...
They're gone, and Sam and I are home. Alone.
Sam woke up this morning feeling better. Part of me was hoping to call in sick for work tomorrow, but I'm glad that he is back to normal.
It was a crazy morning. Maggie killed a mouse sometime last night, early this morning. I didn't hear her, but she woke Kane up around 5:30am meowing over her trophy. I was dragged from my sleep at 6:40am by the doorbell. The first ring woke me up instantly, but I wasn't sure that I had actually heard the doorbell. I took a glance at the clock, saw the time and figured that there wouldn't be anyone at my door at that time of morning. Also, Kane wasn't in bed, so I thought that he could take care of anyone that was that insane. No sooner had I settled back into bed than the doorbell rang again. By the time I got to the door, I could hear Kane calling outside Abby's window. Somehow, he went to Tim Horton's this morning and locked himself out of the house; I don't think I even want to know how that was possible! I let him in. He showed me the mouse that he had "bagged", and I went back to bed until my alarm rang at 8:00.
Kane was off to do a bit of work by then. I went to IGA for the last few items I needed to pick up. The kids cleaned out the van while I finished packing up clothes, camping gear, and baseball equipment. I loaded up everything but the cooler, sleeping bags, and such. I filled the washer fluid, brake fluid, and checked the oil. Said my good-byes to Casey and Abby and tried not to cry. I think I succeeded. Any leakage could be attributed to allergies; that's my story...
Sam and I left for the dentist at noon. Kane and the other two kids were going to leave between 1-1:30, so they were gone by the time we got home.
I'm left to drive in our "old" van, the one that has been demoted for Kane's usage rather than family usage. The brakes rumble and shake. A headlight is burned out. There is an annoying beep from some oil sensor thingamajig. The light which illuminates the gas gauge is burned out, so you can only tell how much fuel you have in bright sunlight. As Sam and I drove to the dentist, I discovered that there was no windshield fluid in his van and the signal lights weren't flashing! Lovely.
Intelligent and motivated girl that I am, I stopped at Canadian Tire after we were finished at the dentist. In the parking lot, I opened up the fuse box, located the signal light fuse and pulled it out. After waiting five minutes in line at the automotive desk, I was "helped" by not so helpful clerk. Fine. I prefer to do things myself anyway. As we were walking down an aisle to leave, I saw a matching fuse, and right beside it, new signal light things. I don't know what it is called, but I recognize it from the last time we had to replace something more significant for the signal lights. Both items were relatively inexpensive, so I purchased both, along with some windshield washer fluid. Back in the parking lot, I opened the new fuse and popped it in; it worked! I'd try to replace the headlight, but I think we had some difficulty removing the cover from that one before...the last time I tried to replace a headlight, in fact. I don't anticipate doing any night driving this weekend, so I'm not panicking.
I am tired and a little bored. There is much that could be done. If I wasn't so tired, I would rant about that stupid mouse in my house but that might be better saved for another day. At least our cat is doing her job...
Sam woke up this morning feeling better. Part of me was hoping to call in sick for work tomorrow, but I'm glad that he is back to normal.
It was a crazy morning. Maggie killed a mouse sometime last night, early this morning. I didn't hear her, but she woke Kane up around 5:30am meowing over her trophy.
Kane was off to do a bit of work by then. I went to IGA for the last few items I needed to pick up. The kids cleaned out the van while I finished packing up clothes, camping gear, and baseball equipment. I loaded up everything but the cooler, sleeping bags, and such. I filled the washer fluid, brake fluid, and checked the oil. Said my good-byes to Casey and Abby and tried not to cry. I think I succeeded. Any leakage could be attributed to allergies; that's my story...
Sam and I left for the dentist at noon. Kane and the other two kids were going to leave between 1-1:30, so they were gone by the time we got home.
I'm left to drive in our "old" van, the one that has been demoted for Kane's usage rather than family usage. The brakes rumble and shake. A headlight is burned out. There is an annoying beep from some oil sensor thingamajig. The light which illuminates the gas gauge is burned out, so you can only tell how much fuel you have in bright sunlight. As Sam and I drove to the dentist, I discovered that there was no windshield fluid in his van and the signal lights weren't flashing! Lovely.
Intelligent and motivated girl that I am, I stopped at Canadian Tire after we were finished at the dentist. In the parking lot, I opened up the fuse box, located the signal light fuse and pulled it out. After waiting five minutes in line at the automotive desk, I was "helped" by not so helpful clerk. Fine. I prefer to do things myself anyway. As we were walking down an aisle to leave, I saw a matching fuse, and right beside it, new signal light things. I don't know what it is called, but I recognize it from the last time we had to replace something more significant for the signal lights. Both items were relatively inexpensive, so I purchased both, along with some windshield washer fluid. Back in the parking lot, I opened the new fuse and popped it in; it worked! I'd try to replace the headlight, but I think we had some difficulty removing the cover from that one before...the last time I tried to replace a headlight, in fact. I don't anticipate doing any night driving this weekend, so I'm not panicking.
I am tired and a little bored. There is much that could be done. If I wasn't so tired, I would rant about that stupid mouse in my house but that might be better saved for another day. At least our cat is doing her job...
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