I just bottled 31 bottles of a very nice Chiliean Merlot!
And so, I am inviting my close friends over to taste it, at least a bottle EACH!
Come on, lets celebrate our glorious friendship, the gift of grapes, and just being fabulous in every way!
1.31.2007
A toast to -- my friends!
I just bottled 31 bottles of a very nice Chiliean Merlot!
And so, I am inviting my close friends over to taste it, at least a bottle EACH!
Come on, lets celebrate our glorious friendship, the gift of grapes, and just being fabulous in every way!
1.28.2007
Fun day up the Mountain
We all went up to Mount Washington (near Courtenay) yesterday to go TUBING! They have this special area called "O-Zone" kind of like an amusement park ride actually. You buy a pass, you wait in line for a tube, you ride it up on the lift, and slide down one of three designated runs.
It goes REALLY fast and was super-fun.
It was exhilarating and the weather couldn't have been better. The only draw back to the whole thing was the crowd. We had to park in the overflow parking and hike a ways to get to the attraction (not easy to find for first-timer like us), and then wait in line quite a while each time we wanted a turn. But it wasn't like that all day, in fact after 5pm it was barely a wait at all. We got there at around noon and we left at 8pm, so we got our family pass's money's worth!!!!! It was totally worth it, and we will go again.
(I took most of the pictures on the lift up the hill.)
The kids liked playing in the snow, and I had fun watching whiskey jacks and squirrels.
Everyone had a great time, I am glad T thought of it and did all the research to get us there!!!!
1.25.2007
Hey! It's MOM!
I am out on the town today, meeting potentail clients, following up with existing ones, just schmoozing all over the place.... I am leaving my lunch meeting and up ahead of me is the cutest little white haired lady.
"hmmm, that looks a lot like mom" I think to myself (Tai's mom officially).
Sure enough as I get closer..... it IS mom!!! I give the back of her coat a little tug.
"EEEA!" she squeals with recognition! And we have a brief hug and a "happy-to-see-you" chit chat and she is off to lunch and I toodle on home.
(BTW Tai's father was there too, but he avoided eye contact and said absolutely nothing, so I returned the sentiment and said nothing to him -- was that rude, or just fair? I don't know.)
I was DELIGHTED to see mom anyways and she looked charming as always.
TEEHEE I am always in a happy place after seeing her.
"hmmm, that looks a lot like mom" I think to myself (Tai's mom officially).
Sure enough as I get closer..... it IS mom!!! I give the back of her coat a little tug.
"EEEA!" she squeals with recognition! And we have a brief hug and a "happy-to-see-you" chit chat and she is off to lunch and I toodle on home.
(BTW Tai's father was there too, but he avoided eye contact and said absolutely nothing, so I returned the sentiment and said nothing to him -- was that rude, or just fair? I don't know.)
I was DELIGHTED to see mom anyways and she looked charming as always.
TEEHEE I am always in a happy place after seeing her.
1.21.2007
Ey's got CULTURE matey!
I went to the 2nd annual Vancouver Island Short Film Festival with my darling Hubby last night!!!!
Since I had something to do with the graphics on bits and pieces (a client of mine is an organizer) we got 2 complimentary tickets.... good thing too, because it sold out quickly.
ANYWAYS...... the films were pretty darn good! They were short and entertaining, from absurdly funny, to seriously dramatic, to thought provoking.
Whoah, are you looking at the right blog? Yes, Pol got out and did something cultured. Here were the favourite films, in brief discription.
Android 207... **** Great one! Black and White Stop motion animation of an android that has to get through a rather nasty maze, his mettle is tested over and over, and a few jokes are tossed in.
How to talk like a Pirate ...********* FANTASTIC!!!! Set to look like a 60's style linguistics class instructional film, we are taught the basics of "Pirate" from proper vowel stresses to the subtle differences between "ARRR', YARRR", and "HARRR"!
Shut up and Listen.... silent B&W film that has a man SCREAMING madly at a dog "shut up and listen!" over and over again while the dog looks at him intently and sheepishly trying to comprehend. VERY disturbing and obsenely amusing.
Impulse.... well acted! Silly story of a man that wishes he could get over his shyness and for just one day be able to act on his impulses. Disasterous results... jabs knife in toaster, sticks finger in fan, steals take out from the drive thru, and "gooses" the girl he has been longing to ask out on a date. Laugh out loud stuff!
Gone.... very nicely done!!! You think its going to be a corporate espionage thing, and then the plot goes trippy.
Kamloops.... stupid name, but it was nicely shot, a hit man is hired to off someone (employer is wearing a paper bag) the chase is on and there is a twist. Great music, very exciting but I'm afraid I didn't QUITE get it, oh so close, but not quite.
As for the rest of them? Kim and Shawn could do better!!!! You guys should enter next year! www.visff.com
Since I had something to do with the graphics on bits and pieces (a client of mine is an organizer) we got 2 complimentary tickets.... good thing too, because it sold out quickly.
ANYWAYS...... the films were pretty darn good! They were short and entertaining, from absurdly funny, to seriously dramatic, to thought provoking.
Whoah, are you looking at the right blog? Yes, Pol got out and did something cultured. Here were the favourite films, in brief discription.
Android 207... **** Great one! Black and White Stop motion animation of an android that has to get through a rather nasty maze, his mettle is tested over and over, and a few jokes are tossed in.
How to talk like a Pirate ...********* FANTASTIC!!!! Set to look like a 60's style linguistics class instructional film, we are taught the basics of "Pirate" from proper vowel stresses to the subtle differences between "ARRR', YARRR", and "HARRR"!
Shut up and Listen.... silent B&W film that has a man SCREAMING madly at a dog "shut up and listen!" over and over again while the dog looks at him intently and sheepishly trying to comprehend. VERY disturbing and obsenely amusing.
Impulse.... well acted! Silly story of a man that wishes he could get over his shyness and for just one day be able to act on his impulses. Disasterous results... jabs knife in toaster, sticks finger in fan, steals take out from the drive thru, and "gooses" the girl he has been longing to ask out on a date. Laugh out loud stuff!
Gone.... very nicely done!!! You think its going to be a corporate espionage thing, and then the plot goes trippy.
Kamloops.... stupid name, but it was nicely shot, a hit man is hired to off someone (employer is wearing a paper bag) the chase is on and there is a twist. Great music, very exciting but I'm afraid I didn't QUITE get it, oh so close, but not quite.
As for the rest of them? Kim and Shawn could do better!!!! You guys should enter next year! www.visff.com
1.19.2007
Pets
Well, there was another hatch in the stick bug tank. Hundreds of the little insects in there now!!!! Good thing I like them. But I think I will have to perform some population control shortly... a few can be fun, but hundreds are borderline creepy. I am the bugs' only caretaker, Steve doesn't even look at them. So I guess they are my pets.
Like I said, good thing I like them!!!!
***************
Jet has a bladder infection (explains the leaking) AND NOW I have to give her antibiotics twice a day. Wouldn't you know it, they are "mixed berry" flavour in a syringe.
I think Jet hates my guts now.
In 10 days the antibiotics will be done... hopefully she can learn to forgive me.(She still likes T.... he doesn't stick stuff in her mouth.)
I found out Jet's history!
She was born in either the end of June or early July 2000. She was found abandoned near a garbage dumpster in a McDonalds parking lot in Surrey (she hadn't fully weaned yet from her mom). She was found by a friend's daughter, and brought her home but they already had 3 cats and couldn't keep her.
So she was taken in by the Langley family that was moving to a farm.
The last time she had shots was in 2001 and that was also when she was fixed. She has never had a litter. Her life was pretty stable until the youngest son developed allergies, and that's how she came to live in July 2006 with the lady I got her from .
The reason why she was named Jet was because she hoped around like Jet Li the martial artist, and she would stand up on her hind legs and karate chop you.
She still stands up when she is nervous (looks like a large hare!).
And that is her life in a nutshell.
************************
Update on Dingo:
T and I assumed he had arthritis because he limps after laying around or vigourous excercise. Well it turns out "Sue" did not disclose all of his medical background. He has a defective knee, and she knew about it all along. I guess it has finally gotten bad enough to need surgery. It is a $2000 operation!
T and I have come to the realization that this lady took him back mostly for herself, not the daughter. That is fine with us. I hope he is happy to be back at his first home. We loved having him for the time he was ours.
Is it bad to say I am relieved?
The boys seem to have re-adjusted -- finally.
****************
Like I said, good thing I like them!!!!
***************
Jet has a bladder infection (explains the leaking) AND NOW I have to give her antibiotics twice a day. Wouldn't you know it, they are "mixed berry" flavour in a syringe.
I think Jet hates my guts now.
In 10 days the antibiotics will be done... hopefully she can learn to forgive me.(She still likes T.... he doesn't stick stuff in her mouth.)
I found out Jet's history!
She was born in either the end of June or early July 2000. She was found abandoned near a garbage dumpster in a McDonalds parking lot in Surrey (she hadn't fully weaned yet from her mom). She was found by a friend's daughter, and brought her home but they already had 3 cats and couldn't keep her.
So she was taken in by the Langley family that was moving to a farm.
The last time she had shots was in 2001 and that was also when she was fixed. She has never had a litter. Her life was pretty stable until the youngest son developed allergies, and that's how she came to live in July 2006 with the lady I got her from .
The reason why she was named Jet was because she hoped around like Jet Li the martial artist, and she would stand up on her hind legs and karate chop you.
She still stands up when she is nervous (looks like a large hare!).
And that is her life in a nutshell.
************************
Update on Dingo:
T and I assumed he had arthritis because he limps after laying around or vigourous excercise. Well it turns out "Sue" did not disclose all of his medical background. He has a defective knee, and she knew about it all along. I guess it has finally gotten bad enough to need surgery. It is a $2000 operation!
T and I have come to the realization that this lady took him back mostly for herself, not the daughter. That is fine with us. I hope he is happy to be back at his first home. We loved having him for the time he was ours.
Is it bad to say I am relieved?
The boys seem to have re-adjusted -- finally.
****************
1.17.2007
This is nuts!!!
I am a faithful reader of http://spiltmilkblog.blogspot.com
And her latest post has me a little alarmed as to what the US is trying to do to their kids!
At her school they're practice emergency preparedness, and this even includes hiding under desks if armed men come into the room. In theory, to teach them to go under the desks but they're actually going to practice it!
And they aren't giving even the teachers any warning, just like a fire drill!
They are going to have armed (unloaded I'd assume!), men come into the classrooms and start shouting, etc. They plan on doing this even to the Kindergartners!
I think that is a horrible, horrible thing to do.
I'm totally horrified.
These are going to be 5 and 6 year olds singing "Old MacDonald had a Farm" and big, scary men are going to throw their classroom door open and start shouting (they may even have the fake/unloaded guns, but I haven't confirmed this.) Does anyone else think this is too much?
Are you KIDDING?!
That is a horrible thing to do to kids! (Are they going to have a "nice" man try to touch them and take pictures to teach them not to fall prey to kiddie predators too?)
I repeat -- That is HORRIBLE!
(My mom was traumatized by the "duck and cover" school drills of the atomic war scare; she still remembers the nightmares she had and that isn't even in the same league as people running in to scare you!!!!). Besides, how can anyone possibly re-enact such a thing?
Charging around, yelling, etc... is this to be staged as a political terrorist scenerio with hostages? Or some creep that has simply "lost it"?
What is to be acheived?
Are the kids to get de-sensitized to the violent invasions -- like the bland, bored expressions around fire drills?
I am dumbfounded.
I say "good luck" to Tee from Spilled Milk, and all the poor American children that have to deal with this "war on terror" that has invaded their classroom so personally.
And her latest post has me a little alarmed as to what the US is trying to do to their kids!
At her school they're practice emergency preparedness, and this even includes hiding under desks if armed men come into the room. In theory, to teach them to go under the desks but they're actually going to practice it!
And they aren't giving even the teachers any warning, just like a fire drill!
They are going to have armed (unloaded I'd assume!), men come into the classrooms and start shouting, etc. They plan on doing this even to the Kindergartners!
I think that is a horrible, horrible thing to do.
I'm totally horrified.
These are going to be 5 and 6 year olds singing "Old MacDonald had a Farm" and big, scary men are going to throw their classroom door open and start shouting (they may even have the fake/unloaded guns, but I haven't confirmed this.) Does anyone else think this is too much?
Are you KIDDING?!
That is a horrible thing to do to kids! (Are they going to have a "nice" man try to touch them and take pictures to teach them not to fall prey to kiddie predators too?)
I repeat -- That is HORRIBLE!
(My mom was traumatized by the "duck and cover" school drills of the atomic war scare; she still remembers the nightmares she had and that isn't even in the same league as people running in to scare you!!!!). Besides, how can anyone possibly re-enact such a thing?
Charging around, yelling, etc... is this to be staged as a political terrorist scenerio with hostages? Or some creep that has simply "lost it"?
What is to be acheived?
Are the kids to get de-sensitized to the violent invasions -- like the bland, bored expressions around fire drills?
I am dumbfounded.
I say "good luck" to Tee from Spilled Milk, and all the poor American children that have to deal with this "war on terror" that has invaded their classroom so personally.
1.15.2007
Three things going on
Three main things today:
#1
I had the world's crappiest sleep last night. The same stressful, meaningless dream over and over and over after I finally did manage to slip into a shallow semblence of sleep... but very punctuated by Steve crying out and shining and moaning that his ear hurt and Cami coughing. T wasn't sleeping either, I could tell because he wasn't snoring rhythmically at my side ( I found out I NEED that noise to sleep well myself, kind of like the sound of ocean waves?).
So at 3AM when Steve called for me for the bizzillionth time and woke me out of the dreadful loop I was in...................... I LOST it! I went into his room and said between clenched teeth that he HAD to let me sleep, I couldn't help him, he HAD to let everyone else sleep! Then I stomped out of his room. (I had to be careful to keep my distance.... in my sleep-haze-fury I was lible to grab him too gruffly and I wanted to avoid that). I climbed back into bed, heart thumping wildly and T says "Take it easy, he's not trying to be difficult. I know how he feels, it hurts like hell". Just then Steve starts to call for me again, simpering and whining. Bad combo, I bolted up from the bed and T says "Whoah! Where you going?!"
"Somewhere that I can get some f#*^ing sleep!" and I grabbed my pillow and the throw blanket and left the room for the basement couch.
I felt crappy about my temper tantrum before I had even gotten out of Steve's room, but I carried it through all the way to the couch. So I laid down sobbing quietly hoping to calm enough to fall asleep. I felt angry, tired, guilty and even tried a little self-righteous in an attempt to not feel so guilty. (After all T had stormed out of our bed more than once when the boys were babies and needed frequent feedings per night) Why was I the one that had to get up almost every night with our children's issues? Why me exclusively? Especially when I don't ever remember ear infections, nor growing pains that seem to afflict our boys and T seems to sympathise with! If he knows how they feel, HE should be their nursemaids now!!!! After almost 10 years of it I feel DONE!
Alas, the guilt at my rude reaction outweighed my self-righteous arguement. I yucked my tail between my legs and went back upstairs. T was helping Steve and I crept between the sheets timidly. When T returned to the room, I appologized. He said it was okay, "your tired" he says.
Well I still didn't sleep much for what remained of the night. Neither did T.
#2
My cat is ill. At least I think she is.... it's hard to say.
She has been moping during the day, though I am not sure if thats normal for her, the worst part is --- She is "leaking" (for lack of a better word). Being a female of unknown origin, I was concerned and took her to the vet Saturday. I agreed she should have her booster shot too.
Lets just say Jet has a "fiesty" disposition (she actually reminds me of you Tai). She is loving, gentle and intelligent and alert, but don't freakin' piss her off! She has boundaries and don't dare cross em! I guess the vet crossed them, and Jet had to be "gently restrained".... which pissed her off more!!!! We all got hurt -- Jet still got her temperature taken, and her booster, and a brief Poking and Prodding around the tummy. She was the devil -- with fur!!!!!!!!! But once we took our hands off her she was okay immediately again (with a stern "don't you DARE do that again" look in her eye.)
Nothing conclusive.
So I took her home with some sample cups (somehow I am supposed to get pee from this cat). Since I brought her back, she has been hiding almost non stop, lethergic and grumpy. I am hoping it is just a combination of a reaction to the shot and being vexed at her ill treatment.
I did manage to get pee into the cups by reading the instructions about using the funny black beads in her clean, empty litterbox, and gave the cups to the vet's office this morning.
I'm not sure what I am hoping it is.....
Feline Urinary Syndrome?
Bladder Infection?
"girl trouble"?
Whatever it is, I hope she snaps out of it soon. She hides in the most obscure places, and I want a lap warmer!!!!!
#3
I am so excited I can hardly contain myself, here is is 2007 and already half way through January..... tick tick tick we are getting closer to lift off, but it can't seem to come fast enough.
I got a map to the little leather stationery store in Venice that I "must" see (according to my favourite client). He copied a map from his Venice street book and gave me directions.... "its close to Rialto bridge, but easy to miss because it is so small". I will find it simply because Jay's eyes light up when he talks of it.
I wish my passport would hurry up though.
#1
I had the world's crappiest sleep last night. The same stressful, meaningless dream over and over and over after I finally did manage to slip into a shallow semblence of sleep... but very punctuated by Steve crying out and shining and moaning that his ear hurt and Cami coughing. T wasn't sleeping either, I could tell because he wasn't snoring rhythmically at my side ( I found out I NEED that noise to sleep well myself, kind of like the sound of ocean waves?).
So at 3AM when Steve called for me for the bizzillionth time and woke me out of the dreadful loop I was in...................... I LOST it! I went into his room and said between clenched teeth that he HAD to let me sleep, I couldn't help him, he HAD to let everyone else sleep! Then I stomped out of his room. (I had to be careful to keep my distance.... in my sleep-haze-fury I was lible to grab him too gruffly and I wanted to avoid that). I climbed back into bed, heart thumping wildly and T says "Take it easy, he's not trying to be difficult. I know how he feels, it hurts like hell". Just then Steve starts to call for me again, simpering and whining. Bad combo, I bolted up from the bed and T says "Whoah! Where you going?!"
"Somewhere that I can get some f#*^ing sleep!" and I grabbed my pillow and the throw blanket and left the room for the basement couch.
I felt crappy about my temper tantrum before I had even gotten out of Steve's room, but I carried it through all the way to the couch. So I laid down sobbing quietly hoping to calm enough to fall asleep. I felt angry, tired, guilty and even tried a little self-righteous in an attempt to not feel so guilty. (After all T had stormed out of our bed more than once when the boys were babies and needed frequent feedings per night) Why was I the one that had to get up almost every night with our children's issues? Why me exclusively? Especially when I don't ever remember ear infections, nor growing pains that seem to afflict our boys and T seems to sympathise with! If he knows how they feel, HE should be their nursemaids now!!!! After almost 10 years of it I feel DONE!
Alas, the guilt at my rude reaction outweighed my self-righteous arguement. I yucked my tail between my legs and went back upstairs. T was helping Steve and I crept between the sheets timidly. When T returned to the room, I appologized. He said it was okay, "your tired" he says.
Well I still didn't sleep much for what remained of the night. Neither did T.
#2
My cat is ill. At least I think she is.... it's hard to say.
She has been moping during the day, though I am not sure if thats normal for her, the worst part is --- She is "leaking" (for lack of a better word). Being a female of unknown origin, I was concerned and took her to the vet Saturday. I agreed she should have her booster shot too.
Lets just say Jet has a "fiesty" disposition (she actually reminds me of you Tai). She is loving, gentle and intelligent and alert, but don't freakin' piss her off! She has boundaries and don't dare cross em! I guess the vet crossed them, and Jet had to be "gently restrained".... which pissed her off more!!!! We all got hurt -- Jet still got her temperature taken, and her booster, and a brief Poking and Prodding around the tummy. She was the devil -- with fur!!!!!!!!! But once we took our hands off her she was okay immediately again (with a stern "don't you DARE do that again" look in her eye.)
Nothing conclusive.
So I took her home with some sample cups (somehow I am supposed to get pee from this cat). Since I brought her back, she has been hiding almost non stop, lethergic and grumpy. I am hoping it is just a combination of a reaction to the shot and being vexed at her ill treatment.
I did manage to get pee into the cups by reading the instructions about using the funny black beads in her clean, empty litterbox, and gave the cups to the vet's office this morning.
I'm not sure what I am hoping it is.....
Feline Urinary Syndrome?
Bladder Infection?
"girl trouble"?
Whatever it is, I hope she snaps out of it soon. She hides in the most obscure places, and I want a lap warmer!!!!!
#3
I am so excited I can hardly contain myself, here is is 2007 and already half way through January..... tick tick tick we are getting closer to lift off, but it can't seem to come fast enough.
I got a map to the little leather stationery store in Venice that I "must" see (according to my favourite client). He copied a map from his Venice street book and gave me directions.... "its close to Rialto bridge, but easy to miss because it is so small". I will find it simply because Jay's eyes light up when he talks of it.
I wish my passport would hurry up though.
Three things going on
Three main things today:
#1
I had the world's crappiest sleep last night. The same stressful, meaningless dream over and over and over after I finally did manage to slip into a shallow semblence of sleep... but very punctuated by Steve crying out and shining and moaning that his ear hurt and Cami coughing. T wasn't sleeping either, I could tell because he wasn't snoring rhythmically at my side ( I found out I NEED that noise to sleep well myself, kind of like the sound of ocean waves?).
So at 3AM when Steve called for me for the bizzillionth time and woke me out of the dreadful loop I was in...................... I LOST it! I went into his room and said between clenched teeth that he HAD to let me sleep, I couldn't help him, he HAD to let everyone else sleep! Then I stomped out of his room. (I had to be careful to keep my distance.... in my sleep-haze-fury I was lible to grab him too gruffly and I wanted to avoid that). I climbed back into bed, heart thumping wildly and T says "Take it easy, he's not trying to be difficult. I know how he feels, it hurts like hell". Just then Steve starts to call for me again, simpering and whining. Bad combo, I bolted up from the bed and T says "Whoah! Where you going?!"
"Somewhere that I can get some f#*^ing sleep!" and I grabbed my pillow and the throw blanket and left the room for the basement couch.
I felt crappy about my temper tantrum before I had even gotten out of Steve's room, but I carried it through all the way to the couch. So I laid down sobbing quietly hoping to calm enough to fall asleep. I felt angry, tired, guilty and even tried a little self-righteous in an attempt to not feel so guilty. (After all T had stormed out of our bed more than once when the boys were babies and needed frequent feedings per night) Why was I the one that had to get up almost every night with our children's issues? Why me exclusively? Especially when I don't ever remember ear infections, nor growing pains that seem to afflict our boys and T seems to sympathise with! If he knows how they feel, HE should be their nursemaids now!!!! After almost 10 years of it I feel DONE!
Alas, the guilt at my rude reaction outweighed my self-righteous arguement. I yucked my tail between my legs and went back upstairs. T was helping Steve and I crept between the sheets timidly. When T returned to the room, I appologized. He said it was okay, "your tired" he says.
Well I still didn't sleep much for what remained of the night. Neither did T.
#2
My cat is ill. At least I think she is.... it's hard to say.
She has been moping during the day, though I am not sure if thats normal for her, the worst part is --- She is "leaking" (for lack of a better word). Being a female of unknown origin, I was concerned and took her to the vet Saturday. I agreed she should have her booster shot too.
Lets just say Jet has a "fiesty" disposition (she actually reminds me of you Tai). She is loving, gentle and intelligent and alert, but don't freakin' piss her off! She has boundaries and don't dare cross em! I guess the vet crossed them, and Jet had to be "gently restrained".... which pissed her off more!!!! We all got hurt -- Jet still got her temperature taken, and her booster, and a brief Poking and Prodding around the tummy. She was the devil -- with fur!!!!!!!!! But once we took our hands off her she was okay immediately again (with a stern "don't you DARE do that again" look in her eye.)
Nothing conclusive.
So I took her home with some sample cups (somehow I am supposed to get pee from this cat). Since I brought her back, she has been hiding almost non stop, lethergic and grumpy. I am hoping it is just a combination of a reaction to the shot and being vexed at her ill treatment.
I did manage to get pee into the cups by reading the instructions about using the funny black beads in her clean, empty litterbox, and gave the cups to the vet's office this morning.
I'm not sure what I am hoping it is.....
Feline Urinary Syndrome?
Bladder Infection?
"girl trouble"?
Whatever it is, I hope she snaps out of it soon. She hides in the most obscure places, and I want a lap warmer!!!!!
#3
I am so excited I can hardly contain myself, here is is 2007 and already half way through January..... tick tick tick we are getting closer to lift off, but it can't seem to come fast enough.
I got a map to the little leather stationery store in Venice that I "must" see (according to my favourite client). He copied a map from his Venice street book and gave me directions.... "its close to Rialto bridge, but easy to miss because it is so small". I will find it simply because Jay's eyes light up when he talks of it.
I wish my passport would hurry up though.
#1
I had the world's crappiest sleep last night. The same stressful, meaningless dream over and over and over after I finally did manage to slip into a shallow semblence of sleep... but very punctuated by Steve crying out and shining and moaning that his ear hurt and Cami coughing. T wasn't sleeping either, I could tell because he wasn't snoring rhythmically at my side ( I found out I NEED that noise to sleep well myself, kind of like the sound of ocean waves?).
So at 3AM when Steve called for me for the bizzillionth time and woke me out of the dreadful loop I was in...................... I LOST it! I went into his room and said between clenched teeth that he HAD to let me sleep, I couldn't help him, he HAD to let everyone else sleep! Then I stomped out of his room. (I had to be careful to keep my distance.... in my sleep-haze-fury I was lible to grab him too gruffly and I wanted to avoid that). I climbed back into bed, heart thumping wildly and T says "Take it easy, he's not trying to be difficult. I know how he feels, it hurts like hell". Just then Steve starts to call for me again, simpering and whining. Bad combo, I bolted up from the bed and T says "Whoah! Where you going?!"
"Somewhere that I can get some f#*^ing sleep!" and I grabbed my pillow and the throw blanket and left the room for the basement couch.
I felt crappy about my temper tantrum before I had even gotten out of Steve's room, but I carried it through all the way to the couch. So I laid down sobbing quietly hoping to calm enough to fall asleep. I felt angry, tired, guilty and even tried a little self-righteous in an attempt to not feel so guilty. (After all T had stormed out of our bed more than once when the boys were babies and needed frequent feedings per night) Why was I the one that had to get up almost every night with our children's issues? Why me exclusively? Especially when I don't ever remember ear infections, nor growing pains that seem to afflict our boys and T seems to sympathise with! If he knows how they feel, HE should be their nursemaids now!!!! After almost 10 years of it I feel DONE!
Alas, the guilt at my rude reaction outweighed my self-righteous arguement. I yucked my tail between my legs and went back upstairs. T was helping Steve and I crept between the sheets timidly. When T returned to the room, I appologized. He said it was okay, "your tired" he says.
Well I still didn't sleep much for what remained of the night. Neither did T.
#2
My cat is ill. At least I think she is.... it's hard to say.
She has been moping during the day, though I am not sure if thats normal for her, the worst part is --- She is "leaking" (for lack of a better word). Being a female of unknown origin, I was concerned and took her to the vet Saturday. I agreed she should have her booster shot too.
Lets just say Jet has a "fiesty" disposition (she actually reminds me of you Tai). She is loving, gentle and intelligent and alert, but don't freakin' piss her off! She has boundaries and don't dare cross em! I guess the vet crossed them, and Jet had to be "gently restrained".... which pissed her off more!!!! We all got hurt -- Jet still got her temperature taken, and her booster, and a brief Poking and Prodding around the tummy. She was the devil -- with fur!!!!!!!!! But once we took our hands off her she was okay immediately again (with a stern "don't you DARE do that again" look in her eye.)
Nothing conclusive.
So I took her home with some sample cups (somehow I am supposed to get pee from this cat). Since I brought her back, she has been hiding almost non stop, lethergic and grumpy. I am hoping it is just a combination of a reaction to the shot and being vexed at her ill treatment.
I did manage to get pee into the cups by reading the instructions about using the funny black beads in her clean, empty litterbox, and gave the cups to the vet's office this morning.
I'm not sure what I am hoping it is.....
Feline Urinary Syndrome?
Bladder Infection?
"girl trouble"?
Whatever it is, I hope she snaps out of it soon. She hides in the most obscure places, and I want a lap warmer!!!!!
#3
I am so excited I can hardly contain myself, here is is 2007 and already half way through January..... tick tick tick we are getting closer to lift off, but it can't seem to come fast enough.
I got a map to the little leather stationery store in Venice that I "must" see (according to my favourite client). He copied a map from his Venice street book and gave me directions.... "its close to Rialto bridge, but easy to miss because it is so small". I will find it simply because Jay's eyes light up when he talks of it.
I wish my passport would hurry up though.
1.10.2007
Idleness is rather good.
I remember Gerome K Gerome's "Idle thoughts of an Idle fellow" was a really great book full of great observations about life.
Now I come across this post on Alistair's Blog: http://www.alistairappleton.com/blog/
“Far from idleness being the root of all evil, it is rather the only true good.” by alistair
He had just read Tom Hodgkinson’s wonderful book "How to be Free". And I have coppied from his post liberally because I really agree with it!!!!
In essence, Hodgkinson says that we have been blinded and beaten into a crazy life where we work slavish hours to earn money which we are then hypnotized into giving back to the people who enslave us. So we work in for 50 hours a week, and then spend all our money buying food and living and landing ourselves with massive mortgages which chain us to a property for 25 years. With rhetorically rose-tinted specs Hodgkinson looks back at Merry England, pre-Reformation Britain, where work was done communally, profit was seen as suspicious and usury was the devils work. Any fines and taxes went into funding feasts and communal projects. Hodgkinson gives the example of a serf, a medieval peasant in the town of Foxton in the 1200s.
Now most people don’t think much of being a peasant.
But back then John Aubrey, for example, worked 1 days a week for his feudal overlord, in return he had a house and 18 acres of land. Plus a wage of 9s 8d a year and a handful of chickens.
Think about that in terms of 2006: you work 10 hours a week for someone else and they give you a £650.000 property in the country (leasehold) and a salary equivalent to £30,000 and you have 6 days a week free to work on your garden, raise your animals and play with your children.
Compare that with our typical 50 hour week slaving for someone else with no money left over after paying massive mortgages on property that the banks own.
It’s a colossal con to think that we’re freer now that they were back then.
Hodgkinson is my age and the editor of the Idler magazine. His answer to this back-breaking cycle of covert feudalism that the puritan work ethic has loaded us with is idleness. Express non-action.
Laziness.
Loafing.
Taking the time to lie in bed and not stress about ‘getting things done’.
Catching the bus and staring out the window.
Growing your own vegetables.
Not throwing things away all the time - being thrifty, because not spending so much money mean you don’t have to work so much.
He doesn’t mention it but meditation is a form of purposeful idleness.
(He’s big on a jolly sort of existentialism - the tag line of the book is: ‘Life is Absurd. Be merry. Be free.’)
Interesting to step back from what we assume is the correct way to live and acually ask: does this way of living really make me and the people around me happy?
Does keeping up with the Joneses keep me smiling?
Does the insatiable desire for new things, different things - the radical discontent which fuels capitalism - does that ever lead to permanent peace and happiness?
Clearly not.
Sitting crosslegged and just breathing is a much more radical thing that it looks.
We don’t need to spend any money.
We don’t need to be discontent.
We can be happy with so little.
Radical idleness will dissolve everything.
Interestingly, That’s the core of the Buddha’s teaching. Finding peace means disentangling yourself from those inherited, brainwashed patterns that we swallow wholesale from everyone around us.
Perhaps it seems mad/selfish/irresponsible to be idle.
But perhaps it’s mad/selfish/irresponsible to spend your whole human life doing something that harms you, the people around you and the environment!
What’s altruistic about heart-corroding stress, no time for your children and a scorching hole in the Ozone layer?
Just allowing ourselves a 20 minute breather twice a day is the cold-shower of reality that stops us walking sleepy-eyed into a hypnotic life of believing the hype.
Do a double-take every time the sudden urge to buy something comes up.
I feel happy to have beaten the brainwashing and go back to enjoying the winter sunshine or whatever else is happening around me.
Studied idleness is the answer to the terrible stress we all live under; the stress that the world around us generates deliberately (stressed people buy more: because they’re out-of-control and because they need comforting). Disentangling from the web of the Puritan Work Ethic and sunning ourselves in the simple pleasure of the idle moment sounds like freedom to me!
Of course there are the limitations of the planet and society that we are a part of, but with the shift in attitude -- life can be about living, instead of aquiring stuff.
!!
Now I come across this post on Alistair's Blog: http://www.alistairappleton.com/blog/
“Far from idleness being the root of all evil, it is rather the only true good.” by alistair
He had just read Tom Hodgkinson’s wonderful book "How to be Free". And I have coppied from his post liberally because I really agree with it!!!!
In essence, Hodgkinson says that we have been blinded and beaten into a crazy life where we work slavish hours to earn money which we are then hypnotized into giving back to the people who enslave us. So we work in for 50 hours a week, and then spend all our money buying food and living and landing ourselves with massive mortgages which chain us to a property for 25 years. With rhetorically rose-tinted specs Hodgkinson looks back at Merry England, pre-Reformation Britain, where work was done communally, profit was seen as suspicious and usury was the devils work. Any fines and taxes went into funding feasts and communal projects. Hodgkinson gives the example of a serf, a medieval peasant in the town of Foxton in the 1200s.
Now most people don’t think much of being a peasant.
But back then John Aubrey, for example, worked 1 days a week for his feudal overlord, in return he had a house and 18 acres of land. Plus a wage of 9s 8d a year and a handful of chickens.
Think about that in terms of 2006: you work 10 hours a week for someone else and they give you a £650.000 property in the country (leasehold) and a salary equivalent to £30,000 and you have 6 days a week free to work on your garden, raise your animals and play with your children.
Compare that with our typical 50 hour week slaving for someone else with no money left over after paying massive mortgages on property that the banks own.
It’s a colossal con to think that we’re freer now that they were back then.
Hodgkinson is my age and the editor of the Idler magazine. His answer to this back-breaking cycle of covert feudalism that the puritan work ethic has loaded us with is idleness. Express non-action.
Laziness.
Loafing.
Taking the time to lie in bed and not stress about ‘getting things done’.
Catching the bus and staring out the window.
Growing your own vegetables.
Not throwing things away all the time - being thrifty, because not spending so much money mean you don’t have to work so much.
He doesn’t mention it but meditation is a form of purposeful idleness.
(He’s big on a jolly sort of existentialism - the tag line of the book is: ‘Life is Absurd. Be merry. Be free.’)
Interesting to step back from what we assume is the correct way to live and acually ask: does this way of living really make me and the people around me happy?
Does keeping up with the Joneses keep me smiling?
Does the insatiable desire for new things, different things - the radical discontent which fuels capitalism - does that ever lead to permanent peace and happiness?
Clearly not.
Sitting crosslegged and just breathing is a much more radical thing that it looks.
We don’t need to spend any money.
We don’t need to be discontent.
We can be happy with so little.
Radical idleness will dissolve everything.
Interestingly, That’s the core of the Buddha’s teaching. Finding peace means disentangling yourself from those inherited, brainwashed patterns that we swallow wholesale from everyone around us.
Perhaps it seems mad/selfish/irresponsible to be idle.
But perhaps it’s mad/selfish/irresponsible to spend your whole human life doing something that harms you, the people around you and the environment!
What’s altruistic about heart-corroding stress, no time for your children and a scorching hole in the Ozone layer?
Just allowing ourselves a 20 minute breather twice a day is the cold-shower of reality that stops us walking sleepy-eyed into a hypnotic life of believing the hype.
Do a double-take every time the sudden urge to buy something comes up.
I feel happy to have beaten the brainwashing and go back to enjoying the winter sunshine or whatever else is happening around me.
Studied idleness is the answer to the terrible stress we all live under; the stress that the world around us generates deliberately (stressed people buy more: because they’re out-of-control and because they need comforting). Disentangling from the web of the Puritan Work Ethic and sunning ourselves in the simple pleasure of the idle moment sounds like freedom to me!
Of course there are the limitations of the planet and society that we are a part of, but with the shift in attitude -- life can be about living, instead of aquiring stuff.
!!
What?! More snow?
Now this is surprising, I thought we had already filled our annual quota for the white frozen stuff this season.
I thought maybe a sprinkling in February, but not January!
I had to cancel a lunch meeting that I was really looking forward to! (Yes I am a "snow-whimp" when it comes to driving. I hold my own, indeed I was taught by T to drive respectably in it, but I figure it's best to avoid it -- if at all possible).
I even went up to the school early to pluck the boys out of their classrooms! I figured why wait for the parking lot to be a mess of driving mayhem? Steve's teacher was very organized and gave him a pile of worksheets so he wouldn't fall behind.
Ah- well. I will just reschedule the lunch, and enjoy looking at the snow from afar. It is very pretty...
* * *
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I thought maybe a sprinkling in February, but not January!
I had to cancel a lunch meeting that I was really looking forward to! (Yes I am a "snow-whimp" when it comes to driving. I hold my own, indeed I was taught by T to drive respectably in it, but I figure it's best to avoid it -- if at all possible).
I even went up to the school early to pluck the boys out of their classrooms! I figured why wait for the parking lot to be a mess of driving mayhem? Steve's teacher was very organized and gave him a pile of worksheets so he wouldn't fall behind.
Ah- well. I will just reschedule the lunch, and enjoy looking at the snow from afar. It is very pretty...
* * *
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1.09.2007
home bliss
What joy!!!!!
While mucking out my bookshelf a little bit, I found a binder of mine full of snipped out pictures from home decorating magazines. I often cut of images that I find soothing, inspiring or beautiful. So I am happily leafing through this binder and seeing all these beautiful rooms, gardens and other lovely things and realize --- HEY!!!! --- I've done it! Within the confines of my space I have been gently (and not so gently) been working towards the feelings that these images represent! From our choice of hearth, to the effect of my built in bookshelf, to the beadboard and nook in the kitchen -- ALL of these ideas are represented in even subtle, and bold levels in this binder! I have acheived my home's desire in SO MANY WAYS!
sigh....
So now that that glorious state is acheived, maintaining it and finishing the lost corners like the front foyer, and laundry room will put the house in a state of "done". I actually bought a few more bits to make my laundryroom less of a "hole". It will mean repainting the floor in the colour I really wanted in the first place. I have great plans for that room -- craftzone/playroom/laundry/storage.... can it be done? I'm certainly going to try.
The garden pictures aren't even CLOSE yet, but hey, I keep trying.
While mucking out my bookshelf a little bit, I found a binder of mine full of snipped out pictures from home decorating magazines. I often cut of images that I find soothing, inspiring or beautiful. So I am happily leafing through this binder and seeing all these beautiful rooms, gardens and other lovely things and realize --- HEY!!!! --- I've done it! Within the confines of my space I have been gently (and not so gently) been working towards the feelings that these images represent! From our choice of hearth, to the effect of my built in bookshelf, to the beadboard and nook in the kitchen -- ALL of these ideas are represented in even subtle, and bold levels in this binder! I have acheived my home's desire in SO MANY WAYS!
sigh....
So now that that glorious state is acheived, maintaining it and finishing the lost corners like the front foyer, and laundry room will put the house in a state of "done". I actually bought a few more bits to make my laundryroom less of a "hole". It will mean repainting the floor in the colour I really wanted in the first place. I have great plans for that room -- craftzone/playroom/laundry/storage.... can it be done? I'm certainly going to try.
The garden pictures aren't even CLOSE yet, but hey, I keep trying.
1.06.2007
Call me Crazy
Call me crazy, but I have accepted another pet into our home so soon after the double heartbreak of last month.
New Years Eve we were at a neighbour's party and I was petting their 2 enormous cats whining about how much I missed Moe. One lady that was there (a bit liquored by this point) whipped out her cellphone to show me pictures of her beloved felines.... then her boyfriend piped up "Tell her about Jet!".
New Years Eve we were at a neighbour's party and I was petting their 2 enormous cats whining about how much I missed Moe. One lady that was there (a bit liquored by this point) whipped out her cellphone to show me pictures of her beloved felines.... then her boyfriend piped up "Tell her about Jet!".
So she showed me the photos of a rather large, long haired tabby named after "Jet Li" when she was a kitten with kung-fu-moves. Apparently her family (for her entire six years) had a son that developed a cat allergy. A really sweet, cuddly cat -- and this lady at the party took her because she couldn't bear the thought of her going to the SPCA. The lady said she was really only allowed 2 cats in her place, and she was moving in with her boyfriend next month that also had made concessions for her 2 cats, but wouldn't allow 3. So she asked if we would be interested in adopting her.
I asked our hostess of the party if she had ever met the cat, and she blubbered on happily about what a NICE cat she was, and she would take her in a heartbeat if she thought her female would tolerate another cat.... pretty good referral, since she had met Moe and knew what I would be expecting from a cat.
So I agreed to see if she would fit into our family! T saw the picture and agreed too.
I got an email a couple days later from the lady asking if she could come by this weekend with the pudders, and we arranged a time. And last night Jet came into our lives! Considering she she was just transported in the back of a pick-up truck across the Straight, in the noisy car deck on a 2 hour ferry ride, to be unloaded into a place that was strange with two very excited boys, she did very well!
Wide eyed, she checked out every nook and cranny of the familyroom, and found her litterbox int he downstairs bathroom (that she used within 1/2 hour of being here -- thank heavens!) and I put out some food and water and her favourite blanket... within 2 hours of being here, she had totally claimed T's chest as a great place to sit and purr, and she seems really fond of Steve as well. She is not timid with Cammy, not myself, but she isn't sure about going upstairs yet.... a life of apartment living probably has her a little confused by them?!?!
She is alert, cuddly and opinionated. She is so young and vibrant after poor old Moe. She has bit the boys and myself and T already, but more to define her boundaries of touch than being in any way mean. T really seems to like her friendly, but quirky temperament, and that is very cool!
So here she is..... Jet (Steve calls her Jumbo Jet on account of her huge bottom).
The pictures don't do her justice, she has huge feathered paws, fuzzy "bloomers" on her backside and a huge set of alert eyes. .... well never mind then! Apparently I am not permitted pictures today DU_OH!
I asked our hostess of the party if she had ever met the cat, and she blubbered on happily about what a NICE cat she was, and she would take her in a heartbeat if she thought her female would tolerate another cat.... pretty good referral, since she had met Moe and knew what I would be expecting from a cat.
So I agreed to see if she would fit into our family! T saw the picture and agreed too.
I got an email a couple days later from the lady asking if she could come by this weekend with the pudders, and we arranged a time. And last night Jet came into our lives! Considering she she was just transported in the back of a pick-up truck across the Straight, in the noisy car deck on a 2 hour ferry ride, to be unloaded into a place that was strange with two very excited boys, she did very well!
Wide eyed, she checked out every nook and cranny of the familyroom, and found her litterbox int he downstairs bathroom (that she used within 1/2 hour of being here -- thank heavens!) and I put out some food and water and her favourite blanket... within 2 hours of being here, she had totally claimed T's chest as a great place to sit and purr, and she seems really fond of Steve as well. She is not timid with Cammy, not myself, but she isn't sure about going upstairs yet.... a life of apartment living probably has her a little confused by them?!?!
She is alert, cuddly and opinionated. She is so young and vibrant after poor old Moe. She has bit the boys and myself and T already, but more to define her boundaries of touch than being in any way mean. T really seems to like her friendly, but quirky temperament, and that is very cool!
So here she is..... Jet (Steve calls her Jumbo Jet on account of her huge bottom).
The pictures don't do her justice, she has huge feathered paws, fuzzy "bloomers" on her backside and a huge set of alert eyes. .... well never mind then! Apparently I am not permitted pictures today DU_OH!
1.04.2007
Perspective
I WAS going to write a post about how T is glum and hard to reach the last 2 days, I WAS going to wallow in self pity about the petless house and difficult challenges that come with parenting...
THEN I read Spider's last post. I drank in the moonlight with her, heard the distant water and felt my hair caught up in the teasing breeze, I could almost smell the damp leaves and salty spray..... it was lovely.
So now I am going to just savour that fabulous moment while I enjoy my cup of coffee, listen to the boys playing upstairs and maybe even bake a cake!
THEN I read Spider's last post. I drank in the moonlight with her, heard the distant water and felt my hair caught up in the teasing breeze, I could almost smell the damp leaves and salty spray..... it was lovely.
So now I am going to just savour that fabulous moment while I enjoy my cup of coffee, listen to the boys playing upstairs and maybe even bake a cake!
1.03.2007
Thats all she wrote.
T's grandma passed Christmas Eve, she was the last of her generation in his family, and though no one was surprised at her passing, they were sad for the loss none-the-less.
In Loving memory Of Muriel Grace Watson
Born
Born
September 2 1916, Vancouver, British Columbia
Passed Away Peacefully
Passed Away Peacefully
December 24, 2006, Nanaimo British Columbia
Gathering of Family and Friends to Celebrate Her Life
Tuesday January 2 2007 at 2:00 p.m.
Gabriola Fellowship Church
90 years is a pretty good haul really. She was a devout Christian, so really, she should not have been afraid of death. In her heart she should have believed she was "going home" to heaven to be with her sisters, her husband and the rest of her family passed. The poor dear had been losing her mind to Alzeimers and her body to the ravages of arthritis and other aging ailments for years... she had to have been tired of her mortal prison.
We trekked over to Gabriola to pay our last respects, and as usual the STRESS levels were monumental catching the ferry over. Poor T, he is broken up about gran. He feels like she never trusted him and that he didn't make peace with her. She was a funny old bird in that she was always concerned about appearances, not warm or cuddly, but very civil and friendly! I think she just plain didn't trust grown men after her mind started to go. T didn't see it that way, and he was uncomfortable around her pretty, delicate things that he wasn't allowed to touch as a kid. Her prayer calender, prominant bible and ever-present porcelain pot of tea.... all these things are in stark contrast to the rough-and-tumble day to day life of his family growing up. It probably didn't help that he grew up to be a big, hairy, stern mechanic.
Grandma had a love of scrabble, crosswords and prayer. In other words, they had no common ground.... T has regrets that that major part of his family is something he doesn't understand.
The service was quiet and nice. The boys were fidgity but good enough. Steve guffawed at the times to sing hyms and be quiet for prayer.... so I gave him the evil eye and told him to be nice. Cameron was listening more than I would have thought! At one point when the pastor asked a rhetorical question "When we die, can we still live?" Cami answered "no!" loud enough for everyone to here, just as the pastor said "Yes! In heaven, that is the promise of Jesus....." T clamped a hand over Cam's mouth and I was actually too impressed that he had been listening to be embarassed.
Anyway, that is how I spent yesterday.
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