Kitchen is happening!

I am getting a kitchen nook!




And there is beadboard as a backsplash! OOOOOO
We need to put the valance lighting back on.... and then I just need to choose colours!!!!



It was a total pain in the BUTT for Uncle E to install, but at least its done.

Next we get a cover for the back deck, and a closet door for the storage/laundry room.

Hooray for carpenters! They ROCK.

Our Weekend

It was a kaleidescope of colours and textures!





We were on Gabriola Island for T's sister's and neice's birthdays, and we thought we'd bring the tent trailer and spend the night on the farm by the water...... (why not eh?!).



Rides in the tractor, feeding cows, picking apples, riding bicycles, birthday cake and frolicking on a few beaches! The weather was great (fog in the background only) and we saw lots of wildlife.



Everyone had a great time, but I think the dog was in heaven not a leash in sight all weekend!

Grumpy old (Wo)man

Mooo-a-ha-ha!

I'm sure this is what they saw as I came stamping down the road towards them.

You see I went to get the mail, with my silly-big-dog leading the way, and I saw something that set my blood to boiling!

There were some young lads in the creek and on the bridge pelting blackberries at each other... that was funny and harmless fun (except maybe for the person having to launder their clothes)... but as I was heading back up my street I heard "SMASH!" and the biggest boy laughing and saying, "now I will kill you" in joking tone.

Grrr..... says I.

Since the Summer, we have endured flattened bicycle and stroller tires and cut doggy paws thanks to the glass that is on the road at the creek bridge, by the mailbox, at the end of our street and on the sidewalk up to the school. It is a horrible obstical course of glittery sharp bits everywhere! Here is my chance to get one!

So I stomped towards this KID (no more than 11 or 12)and demanded his name and address. (My -- he was a big kid, easily as heavy as me and almost as tall). He flatly refused. I Told him why I was angry and said that maybe I should just send him the repairs and vet bills if more damage happens as a result of his little joke. With a shrug and a bewildered look at my overreaction, he said "I can pick it up" at least a constructive answer.

So I said, "Fine! Let's see it, I'm in no hurry".

A little befuddled, he got a ziplock bag from a buddy's knapsack and proceeded to pick up his glass -- and the other glass! I picked up some of the older stuff too, and at the end of it I thanked them very much for their cooperation and took the bag of glass (in case they decided to just chuck it in the creek).

I am feeling very proud of myself right now.

And YET.... I am still a bit intimidated, they do know where I live... what if they are embarrassed and feel they need revenge with more broken glass?

Or worse?

What's a matter with kids these days!?!?!?!

cabinets chaos

I want some more doors for my kitchen

You wouldn't think it would be hard.... just call up the cabinet maker and say, "Remember me? Yes that address, I'd like 4 more doors for a built in I have being built to match the kitchen ones, these are the dimensions......"

HA!

The cabinet maker that did our kitchen 7 years ago is no more. Hard to find anyone willing to just do 4 doors (a whole kitchen? then yes).

I did find one. It will be a CLOSE match -- for $50 each and a 4 week wait!!!!!

GARRRRR!

So what now? Open cupboards with nice baskets are sounding okay now.

YODA!

This is nonsense entry.....

I like Yoda.

Not the new computer-animated (with a fierce scowl) fighting Count Dooku guy....



I like the soft spoken, old and limping retired Jedi Master living in the swamps.



I happily still own an original Yoda figuring that I got when I was a girl. He was my mascot, and since finding him recently amoung lost toys he is my mascot again. His friendly wrinky head, his wisen face. His green-ness.

(It's not easy being green)



And here is one for Tai

I want to post a wee profile picture

I look kind of silly, but it is a GENUINE smile -- I think I was laughing at the time it was taken -- so I guess that's okay.

I got tonnes done today!

A bit of work, a bit of cleaning, a bit of gardening, taking the kids to school. Thinning the kids bookshelves of the less-enjoyed books and taking them to my sister's. Taking the ones she wasn't interested in (and some other bric-a-brac) to the charity thrift store, returned over $9 of empty juice containers (and that's a whole CRAP LOAD of them!)and even posten my picture!~)

What fun for me!

school mayhem

Okay, maybe mayhem isn't the correct word.

I can't think of the word to describe what they are doing to Stevie's class.

He brought home a note that said there is a new division (read: classroom) being added. A 3/4 split class. There is no teacher for that class yet, so they are keeping that class in the multi-purose room (where hot lunches, afterschool events and craft materials are done) while they prepare the portables for the new class. They still have to post the job, interview and hire the teacher! These wandering students are being "taught" by the music teacher (who only works part time usually)untill things get settled.

I am exasperated. At least he knows who his classmates are, but they promised us it was easier on the kids if they waited those few days before setting the classes..... SO THEY WOULDN'T HAVE TO MOVE AROUND MORE THAN NECESSARY!

It is NOT easier this way!

I realize everyschool is having these same headaches, but the TEACHERS were the ones that voted for these new rules about class sizes. What a pain in the arse.

I guess I need to write a note to the principal.

first week down

Cami was in Kindergarten! 1/2 hour on Tuesday, an hour on Wed/Thurs/Fri....annoying having to go back up to the school so frequently, but oh well.

Stevie still doesn't know what classroom or teacher he will have for grade 4. They are waiting for the "district averages" to come in to designate maximum class sizes. Apparently there is a waiting list for almost every grade (poor dears). And with 180 new lots being developed in the neighbourhood, it will just get crazier.

Our school is 6 years old this year. It has grown at a phenominal rate from it's modest opening size, they had to put in portables over the summer (ugly old things too) even while some schools threaten to close in nearby areas from low enrollment! A school just south of here has 79 students, and 3 closed last year. It's strange as there seems to be new homes going up all over the place, but the boomers are done having their kids and the boomer's kid's kids are getting out of elementary school for the most part so here we are. Are all the homes are for retired people moving to the beautiful Island? And just MY neighbourhood is stuffed to bursting with young families?

Not complaining. My boys have TONNES of playmates. The older part of the valley is getting teenagers now.... I have to admit, in the last year or so compared to when we moved here, it has gotten noisier after 11pm (drunk fighting teens, squealing tires and the like) and the cases of petty vandalism are apparent more frequently. It is inevitable though, I was one of those mad, hormone-driven youths not so long ago...

Back to school though... it will be nice to settle into a routine and I have been a good girl and walked every day up there, sometimes continuing up the hill to my sister's to visit during the measely hour of freedom. I will keep you all posted.

Out of Character

Interesting thing today.....

It was T's grandma's 90th Birthday today, and her daughter (T's mom) worked hard to arrange something of a party at the old folk's home for her. I anguished over what would be appropriate to bring, and after much thought picked out a lovely card that wasn't sappy, nor was it demeaning to her getting older -- cute -- is probably the best word. Anyway, the card was tough for me and the price of it almost made me choke (Hallmark). I brought it home and T guffawed my efforts and didn't even read the freaking thing let alone sign it.

Then I made the huge Greek Salad for the party that his mommy asked we bring. I had asked T to bring home some feta for it yesterday, but I suppose he forgot. So on the way to the party I asked him to make a side-trip to the store, and in the parking lot I added the missing ingredient. T made an exasperated sound at the feta crumbles in the trunk (really not that bad!).

We get to the "extended care facility" and as I am unloading I realize the card didn't make it into the car with the food. By this point it is too much for me. I put effort into this thing! The salad, the card, getting the kids presentable, too much effort considering it's not even officially my gran. I say how much effort the card was and T makes a comment about that's why he never bothers to get them, I mumble about the price of it compounding the situation and he says I shouldn't worry about it. I am exasperated! I am ready to burst into a flying rage or tears because he doesn't HEAR what I am SAYING. We get the food and the kids into the party room (very nice and it didn't even smell funny). I can feel something growing inside me and I know that my usual thing to do with this feeling is to have a slightly cold shoulder to my hubby, be a little too strict with the kids verbally, laugh too loud at others jokes and fume miserably while pretending to have a good time -- apologizing about the card when the time comes. I do one lap around the room and make a decision.

I come up to T and say "can I have your keys please". He passes them to me without even a meaningful glance and I bolt for the door.

After all it is HIS GRANDMA's birthday, not mine. The kids are happy and safe and everyone is occupied..... I made it out to the car started it up and drove for home.

Instantly I feel better and though I still want to cry, I am no longer angry. I am fixing the problem so there is no reason to be bitter, nothing to hold a grudge about!

I remember that we needed Uncle Evan to sign some transfer papers for a van he wants us to sell for him so I stop at the Insurance place on the way by. I get home feeling in control, get the card off the table and decide I want to have a coffee while I am here. Sigh..... good coffee!

I pack up my mug, my own keys, the card and the papers and I head back to the party. NOW I can relax!

It worked wonderfully. I was not the martyr, I did not place blame, I took my problem and solved it.

T was very concerned about my disappearing act, he looked very releived that I came back actually. I said not too much to him at the party, I let it all happen around me. When we finally got home and was cleaning up, T actually asked if he did anything wrong to make me go. (!) That was an interesting side effect. I told him how it was important to ME to have the card, and since he didn't seem to care too much about it, that it was MY problem so I went and fixed it. He mentioned that I didn't say anything that I just left, and I explained that I was very upset, and for once I held my tongue and thought before I spoke. I also said not to worry about it because it really wasn't a big deal.

It really wasn't.

The BIG deal is that I did something out of character for me and it was much more effective!

This means WAR

I opened my eyes to my home the other day, and this is what I saw......



Scary, but this is what my home is like right now! These photos are NOT staged!!!!!

A couple of nights ago Steve had an absolute breakdown because Cameron had a toy that he didn't. It didn't seem to matter that he had 20 St.ar.Wa.rs. tiny toys to his brother's 4, he just obsessed about the one he didn't have! (It was like we drowned his puppy the way he carried on!!!) Can you believe that in a room of so MUCH that he can be upset about something so tiny? So T set out an ultimatum. The greed and gluttony has to stop. There will be NO new toys until Christmas from us. NONE. Absolutely no exceptions. No garage sales, dollar stores, thrift shop finds, online auction purchases -- N-O-T-H-I-N-G --!!!!!

Seriously.

At first I was horrified at the severity of the sentence, and then I looked around my home and nearly puked. It is full, it has more than enough to keep them occupied and they really have been trained that everyday deserves a new toy. It's gross. I have literally 2 large totes of toys waiting for Christmas already!!!!

This isn't a "let's see how long I can hold out" sort of arrangement. This isn't something I want to ignore and maybe T will forget. I am not looking for loopholes here. If any toy comes into this home that I paid for, it will HAVE to wait for Christmas. I have printed out a copy of the above photo to keep in my purse (around my cards).

It's been only a couple days, but I already feel lighter somehow.

My mother's blood runs thick in me.... I only hope I am strong enough! I will miss the thrill of the hunt, the joy of finding that special thing, really though, .....Enough is Enough.