Happy June Day!

It is nine oclock in the morning around these dusty walls... and there is no scurrying to deliver chicklets at any destination points before any bells ring. You have to love the very first day off of school. As I said.. the very first day, I'll consider these words carefully as the days wear on... and the chicklets grow into a cat and a dog everytime they are within 3000 feet of one another. I am beginning to feel fearful of the 1365 square foot rancher, I may not have any dusty walls left standing to write about by the time that summer is over.

In other things that will remain standing:

The contractorhusbandman has almost ALMOST completed the $5000.00 LAUNDRY ROOM. Everything is good and sturdy now, and not layers of sawdust and holes hidden behind the drywall and the siding. Well, he has almost finished the outside of the laundry room, which makes the place look like a sanitarium...all there is to do is repaint the blue trim, and build steps for the soon to be gone sliding doors. Since the husbandman had to rebuild the home from the foundation up because of that LITTLE ant problem we had.. in the event of any earth shattering news I will run to the $5000.00 laundryroom and hide in the wall unit... this includes fueding children too.

Woke up early to finish this...

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd.

Almost the last day...

It's the second to last day of school. You have to love the end of the year. Really and truly! It's the time of year, as like the beginning where there is no homework, and life is all frenzied, with the anticipation of activities and places to explore.

With this in mind... now it is my job to come up with a "slice from life" activity for these chicklets everyday from now until September. This should be exciting. Well, onto the farm field trip now..

But wait.... before I go... I have just spotted my first people watching event of the day... the Cowboy neighbour lady from two over is walking briskly... yes she is... she even motioned for her dog to hurry. This woman never never never hurries... she saunters, all the time... and not only her, but her troop of family members plus their dogs... everybody saunters, stops, and puffs on their cigarettes, well except for the furry beasts that is... it is quite an interesting sight to behold...

Duck!

I was trying to sleep last night. Yes, I believe the attempt was working. I had positioned my pillows so that the crazy jaw of mine wouldn't clamp down... and I wouldn't have to walk around feeling like zombie-jaw.... and look all freaky... and then people grab their children and run... yes, that sort of thing. Things were going along quite nicely, I believe I was busy sleeping... although when the boy came in my room.. I was wide awake to greet him. After I had him all settled into bed, I resumed my sleeping time myself... or at least I thought I was going to. I think my eyelids started to blink once... and then from the other side of the bed came a scrambling frenzy, then a whap. It was like a flitwhap really. Cheese and crackers man wake up! I hissed to the flitwhapping husbandman... wake up!!!!!!!!!! "What are you busy hitting me for?" I asked him. "Oh, I think it was because you deserved it..." (even in his half asleep state his dry sense of humour abounds...) The husbandman eventually told me that he was trying to get the silly catdog out of the way of the grizzly bear, even the PIP was standing in proximity to the bear.. but it was the dog he was going to save... well I am glad I wasn't in that dream... I think I might have been pushed!

A view from below.

We were at the aquarium the other day.. for a very short period of time... I grabbed this photo of the Pip and her group of girls watching the belugas. 

And it gets slower...

I mistakenly thought Thursday was not productive, although I did eventually get things accomplished, just a whole lot slower than I would have liked. Silly me...I failed to realize that "things" could have the possibility to continue to slide, or in my case catapult. I have to confess that Friday does not count... Friday was a continual act of "busyness". I think the day started at 5 AM, and didn't conclude until 10:30 PM. Some days are just like that.

Today... was again one of them. I once upon a time complained about a great jaw/face pain that plagued me for many weeks. There didn't seem to be enough Tylenol manufactured in the world to settle this pain. This morning started out all good... I was up at 6:00 to "not watch - but listen" to the husbandman painting the laundry room.... I was busily reading my book... when the pain overcame the face. The jaw/face pain continued throughout the entire day... and it seemed that no amount of Tylenol could settle it... and the weirdest/worst thing of all... is that it 'waxed & waned'... so it feel fine for a while, then wouldn't for quite a while... and then dissappear. I have herbaled up with my anti-inflammatories, since the body doesn't like the 'real deal' anti-inflammatories... so I wait... and wait... and wait... until things settle.

And in other things slow.... the husbandman is most not impressed with his purchases from the HOME DEPOT....things need to be returned, as they have not been packaged properly.. and now are dinged.. and you can't have dinged things with the Mastercontractorhusbandman. There goes the fineline of the timeline... oh well... we've waited this long.

At last...

A look at women from a lifetime ago.

Downward swing.

My productivity quotiant is down today. I have managed to successfully curl my hair. Beyond that, I haven't accomplished much. Although I have tried, and I did venture forth with great intentions and a huge amount of enthusiasm. I thought I had a laundryroom colour all picked out. Then, when I went to make the ultimate decision... I questioned my judgement. Now I am going to see what kind of input the husbandman has, although I am worried, (as he still had the suggestion of yellow for the laundry room, which is a nice colour.. if we hadn't bought a mottled green countertop).. if he isn't worthy of an opinion, I will set forth on my own.

I am currently on hold for any type of yard work. With the laundry room out of commission, it is making laundry difficult. Which really, is fine by me. Of course with the exception that I am running out of articles of clothing.. because why would I get changed out of everyday wear.. when I could change into junk clothing... that would have to take some extra thinking.. something of which I am not capable of...but I am good at doing laundry...so the yard work comes to a grinding halt... until after school today actually.. I have to be at some sort of story adventure in the PIP's class. So, while my hair is still on the side of being manageable and presentable, I will not make my way out to the yard.... and I can't say that many times in a year either...

I was going to buzz out and collect groceries.. but then I caught the thought that if I try and buy anything that needs freezer time, I probably wouldn't make it back in time to put it away.. and then of course I have the whole walking issue to contend with... it is nice out, so we walk. My tractor driving neighbour has been howling at my OCDish traits... he asked my what my repulsion was in driving to school. It's nice out.. I want to walk, and walking is good for us as it increases the blood flow through our bodies, which wakes us up, and helps us to think. AAANNNDDDDD..... we shouldn't have to drive, if I am not planning on going somewhere immediately after I drop the chicklets off.... so I will continue to let him laugh at me, it's all good.

So yesterday.... was prune the plant/bush day. I filled our green waste container, which is also part of the reason why I can not move ahead with yard work.So now, I can see perfectly out of our living room window again. It's good, but scarey... only due to the fact that we have a rather high population of birds, who seem to like to duck and dive through open spaces, which my windows are not, but they do not know that, until they hit the wall of death. On that thought.... the pruning went well, I only found one bird skeleton lying in the bush that I was busy pruning. OK, it kind of grossed me out... but I am glad that I didn't have my electric trimmer thing clipping up bird carcases... at least I saw it first, and then quit clipping.

And finally... it's funny how things happened. Just yesterday in the morning, I think on our walk to school, the chicklets and I were talking about going to Playland amusement park. It's a fun place, to only visit maximum once a year. The PIP was pretty excited, but I told her to calm down... we wouldn't be going any day too soon. BUT.. as it turned out, I was highly incorrect... I was just sitting down to read my book for 30 minutes (YES 30 minutes!), and then start making dinner.. when the phone rang.. it was a friend of Hamstersons... and they had 3 free tickets for PLAYLAND... and wanted to know if we would like to go. Ka-klunk! It was very last minute... well, thirty minutes lead time actually.. but i can do short notice... especially when you can ride for free.. so away we went, on the longest day of the year... and had a great evening at playland....

Back here on the farm....

The world is swimmingly fine. The husbandman's bad chest has settled down, and so has the silly catdog's appetite for garbage.

In other news of from yesterday:

I cut the lawn yesterday, and I had to only take one pass at it. The husbandman filled me in that the lawnmover blade wasn't dull, but rather it was the grass catcher giving me all my grief. I said good-bye to the grass catcher. However; while busily cutting the lawn, I only found 3 ant hills this time, compared to the 6 from last time. So, being the cruel human that sometimes I have to be... I stomped on them. OK, not once but at least 10 times. Then I took a rake to their great formations, and flipped all kinds of sand, larva and ants everywhere. I should have about 2 dozen ant hills by next week, I am thinking.

I only cut the lawn eventually, when I had ran out of productive things to do indoors. You would have thought it was exam time.. I found many useless tasks to perform on the great indoors... before eventually making the trek to the shed.

Once I was outside I found another great many things to do. I found my misplaced spray bottle and started the deadly vinegar and dish soap concoction. I am not sure what it might be deadly on.. because the morning glory and the clover didn't seem to fussed by it (from last week), and are all sitting bolt upright being all tangled and green. I took matters into my own hands ... and eventually started ripping out the mass of mess. This lead me to moving a huge wall of wood cores, so I could get at the old bricks that were stacked up. I wanted the bricks so I could lay them in front of the doorway to the shed. The husbandman is going to have a bird when he sees what I have done... but, it's all good... I will tell him it's a temporary measure for the moment. This is to combat the the lawnmower being wheeled through the sand that now sits all around the front entry of the little shed. I wont even begin to tell anyone who did that... but, I will add that this method has now stopped the dirt from flicking up on the cute little house when it rains.

In other monumental tasks...

I went scrapbooking with the Debbie's last night. Well, I had full intentions of arriving early, and leaving early... as the mailman Debbie had to work too early to even mention in cold hard letters. But she is a troooper, and invites us over anyways. As usual ... something runs amuck in the little 1365 squarefoot homestead.. and I couldn't leave, OK, leave with a clear conscience that is. I could have left... but the husbandman wasn't home until 6:40... and I had already had one incident with a garbage eating dog... I didn't want to chance another episode of something happening while my back was turned. But, all was good... when I had made it down their, the Debbie's were still outside, enjoying the evening air. I have to say.... it becomes all production, production, production when the work actually starts... I guess to make up for lost time. I threw together four pages for the boys scrapbook, one Debbie did six, and the other Debbie ... I can't tell you.... he he he he he he.

Included in yesterdays events were:

One garbage can emptied, and the floor all around it and beyond washed.... (this was due to the illegal coffee grounds put in the garbage, there should be hell to pay for that misconduct.. by the non-composting husbandman himself) 3 loads of laundry, washed, folded and put away, dishes and counters cleaned off all shiny like..., the living room all cleaned and dusted, the plants watered, mirrors washed, bathroom tidied, television screens and cabinets washed, piano songs practiced, one garden weeded, and the highlight... I finally watered my flowers outdoors.. I am not sure who I was expecting to do that.. I was so used to rain, that I forgot to water, and last but not least, one psychotic event to the grocery store with the chicklets.. and interesting enough... the very second we all waltzed up to the till... everybody was normal again. You have to laugh at that. Yes, I am certain there should have been a huge final exam included in the very end of this....

At the end of the day.... I read my book for a while, with my bedside light that just doesn't cut it in the wattage department....I am glad to say that my light went out after the Hamsterson finally turned his light out.. I am not sure if that was before or after the 11:00 news... my crazy boy.

Ahhh... sweet memories of life.

Lucky for those that have memories of life, or a memory at all. I want to know where I have gone wrong, as I do not appear to have either.

Well, current memory issues of the day:

It is good that the Hamsterson is all practiced up for the talent show.. which is happening next week, not today, as I thought it was.

I can not remember if the Husbandman fed the crazy and currently still alive catdog this very morning, while I was up and in the kitchen.... I CAN NOT REMEMBER. So, as it stands now, I am not certain if she has been fed, but I am waiting to see how the catdog fares, as she got into the garbage while I was out... and I found pieces of broken glass all about... I am just hoping now that she didn't decide to taste broken glass bits. Now, the reason that I can not remember if the so far alive catdog has eaten was due to the fact that I was concerned about the Husbandman. He was standing quietly at the kitchen sink, feeling discomfort in his chest. I then was hashing through my head.. chest pain, or recurring chest infection pain..... which he did have last week. The clincher to this was he woke up with an upset stomach. I decided to not investigate further.... if the theory turns out to be the first one... we have ambulances and hospitals for those kinds of things.

In other fortunate memory stories... I did manage in the knick of time to come through with only one lunch building effort.. as the Hamsterson will be provided lunch today, for his monitoring ways at his currently very poorly run school... principally speaking actually. Kind I say, very kind.

Ah.... and also in the category of in the knick of time.. the lovely Pipster reminded me of her acting class today after school. I did remember this fact yesterday, but since that was yesterday.. I had already forgotten it for todays agenda. Now, I have recovered.. and will dutifully pick them up at the required 4:30. I am brilliant!

Well, with this up swing in my memory status, I will quickly make a list of things to do, and to remember to do... before everything fails me.. and I left wondering and wandering. The jolt of caffeine currently pulsating through the veins has definitely had a positive impact as well... I'm off to gather memories.....

see you bye

On a not so late Friday night, I was talking to my friend. This friend intrigues me greatly... she could write a book or ten... although she hasn't yet. In the meantime, we exchange tales on MSN. As we were almost ending chatting, when the BF called her.... that's when I was dumped, dropped and forgotten. I KID YOU NOT!!!

BUT...............

I wish to thank the dump drop and forget friend for hanging up on me while on MSN. I started a new book, which has been borrowed from the DDFF, which I then started to read... and am loving it so far.

I have been in a non reading funk over the past number of months... and this was just the moment to take it back up again... well, that and the pile needs to be moved... and I am not sure where to put it.... other than away..

Friday Festival

OK, things have gone all bad.. I believe that I was supposed to be someplace tonight.. and I do not have a clue where that might be. I will not go out driving to go and look for the spot where I should be at.. I might get myself more lost than I already am.

In other anecdotes from the day:

The chicklets had sports day today... and it was all performed... in the great INDOORS. Yes people it really was... and the reason for that... because of the POSSIBILITY of rain. Once again, idiots in action.... please lead the way... I am just willing to follow. NOT! So, what kind of day was it on the lovely west coast... and wonderful warm cloudy day... and yes, there were big grey clouds threatening us from above, but nothing emerged from all their fierceness, except the decision to have an indoor sports day. ( I think I have been in contact with too much of my homemade (vinegar and dish soap) weed killer... I am gurgling with sourness on this one...)

I will not obscess over that one...

OH, and of course... the things I forgot to do list:

1. Return the library books back to the public library.. but.. I did remember to renew them... so YAY on that one... so now I can bring them back a little late, but with no fees.
2. I almost forgot the lovely Hamstersons prescription pick up... I remembered in the knick of time.
3. OOOPS... I forgot to make dinner.... but I didn't have too many complaints. I did not forget to feed the lovely and silly catdog... she just runs in circles endlessly if I do not feed her at her specified buffet spectacular hour.
4. I once again forgot to take the boy to TAEKWONDO. I believe that both him and I are on a bit of a hiatus with this one. OH well.
5. I never did remember to make a invoice and return it to my Stroke Club People... AAH!
6. However; I did remember to get an email invoice from the laughing yoga guy. One step forward, two steps back.
7. Oh, I forgot to call my friend.. when I said I would... so if you are out there reading this... ring ring... hello...!

It's best I stop here.... the list could go on endlessly... and then I would have to deem myself a real idiot.... so it's lucky number seven for me....

More fun facts that you would wish not to know

This very morning, the great kindness inside bubbled forth, and with the husbandmans slight suggestion... I built him a monster chicken sandwhich, that I lovingly wrapped up in saran that was far too loose, and bid him a good day at work. Of course I put the monster chicken sandwhich inside another container due to the fact that the bread was so soft, that it was barely holding it together, then the chicken pieces were kind of large inside the soft bread, although I am thinking the three inches of lettuces will help combat the unruly chicken, and the wobbly bread. As long as he doesn't take the saran wrap off all at once, his festival of chicken should taste good, well except for the slight fact that the dusting of pepper became almost a topper, rather than just a taster. But we don't need to talk about that...

In other things:

Myself and one of the Debbie's took off to see the bears... which we did see one... hanging about on the road. Quite cool actually... then we talked cameras... where it was quite hysterical too myself actually... I was busy touching buttons, and stuff on her camera... and saying to myself "oh, right on... you can change this.."... then she asked..."change what?"... , then I say "I don't what it is called that you can change, but it's a great feature....". ((this should be noted as the complete helpful camera person that I am....)) Upon returning home, I then consulted my trusty camera logic from the camera course that myself and Mr. Pickaspat took, and told her all the facts where in the 12 pages before her. I told her that it all makes perfect nonsense sense.. which it does, if you read it ten times over, or have a brain that retains information like that.

In other things that make good sense to someone like me.....

I have a curling iron that is slighlty broken. Well actually it works fine. The problem with it is the part where you press on the thingy that opens the clamp for the iron has broken. It is troubling only due to the fact that when the iron heats up, so does the latchy thing. So burning the fingers with the iron becames quite the problem, which hinders the usage of the iron. So one day when I was having a thoughtful moment, and was in the mood to tackle my curling iron issues, I came up with a great plan... A HA!!! It was time for the "Rubber Finger Rescue". Yes, I put a rubber finger on my index finger, and one on my thumb... and the truely painful burden of curling the crazy locks on top now became a battle of wills.. as in ... "will I find my rubber fingers"....

Action, Drama and Suspense.

There was quite a bit of action surrounding the events of the school trip today.. somebody was late.. and the buses left, and the STUDENT TEACHER finally showed, the parents were hysterical, the STUDENT TEACHER didn't have a clue where the ferry terminal was, and the dolt of a teacher didn't have her cell phone on, so the STUDENT TEACHER couldn't even contact her. Interesting I say, ... nice and interesting. I missed it all... as I was here brewing coffee, and busy doing morning things... just so I could be nice and almost late for the 09:00 bell with the PIPSTER.

I went to the boys piano recital, minus the boy. The piano teacher was kind of shocked at first, but I told her I was on my lonesome... I was only in the audience to watch all the other kids achievements. OK, she has some wickedly talented players.. I loved the "ho-hum I am still playing look" that some kids gave the audience. Three students sang, and sang incredibly. Then the piano teacher kind of cried, as she isn't sure whether she is going to be able to teach this September, as she has taken a new job someplace else. It made my eyes water... she is just an amazing teacher with the Hamsterson , and I am greatly thankful for two of my friends to have set me onto her.

After I left, it was time for the BOY to be picked up from his field trip.. the great suspense was whether or not he was going to make it home in one piece, or make it home at all.... and so we waited, and waited.. it looked like a regular day at school with cars parked everywhere.... but the people seemed a bit more jovial.. and whala... from through the cars, Mr. Hamsterson emerged from the greatly debated and well fought over field trip... with a lovely smirk and a sparkle in his eye... I believe he had a great time. OH YES, I found out just a few moments later... the two five dollar bills that I placed in his pockets never even made it off the ferry, but rather they were inputted into the video game machines on the boat... OOOOOPS... once again, my memory failed me... I forgot to ask him NOT to put money into the machines.

OK, enough for one day.

For the love of.....

I want to know why my almost-kind-of-not OCD self doesn't work well for me sometimes. I had it in my head that the lovely Hamsterson was not going to Victoria this morning, until he had some good hot lemon poppy seed muffins to eat along the way. I absolutely knew that this was the pillar that was going to keep in him on course for the whole day. Why I had that idea... don't ask me... my brain came up with it, and I just went along with it. So last night.. something niggled away at me.. I had to do something... what is it... what is it.... it had something to do with today.... what is it that I had to do..... I thought and I thought and I thought, as I did my soduko puzzle, which I ended up crunching up, because I found that I stupidly put two sevens in one column....ah but... I finally remembered why at 11:40 PM. Nice, very nice... so I set my alarm for 5:30 this morning... and just as my OCD self needed to do, I made him lemon poppy seed muffins... mind you, they were from a package.. don't give me a freaking hard time... at least I had the good graces to look at the eggs before I put them in, and know that they were outdated.

What's behind door number one???

Yesterday, I was patiently waiting around the school for the chicklets, after I forgot it was "acting" day for them, and was prompt for the pickup at 3:01 on the almost dot... but didn't need to pick them until 4:30, so I waited. It seemed kind of useless to walk home again, and then turn around and walk back, let alone come back in an hour in the vehicle to get them. Life is complicated... HA!

So as I stood waiting.. I learned a couple of things. I learned that there are three classroom teacher options waiting for the PIPSTER, as she enters into grade four. The important thing to note of course, is that it's THE PIP that is in grade four, not I... and I have to come to grips with the fact that even if I DO NOT CARE FOR what's behind door number one, two or three, bottom line is, the PIP needs to feel "the love", not I. I need to keep telling myself that. OH yes freaking hell, I need to keep telling myself that.

Let's review the options currently at stake:

Door number one: Remember the reference I made about "the-probably-lovely-person-outside-of-school-life", but is a dolt as a teacher. Or, how about "mud on a rock", or my favourite, "receives a paycheck for taking up air space". Yes, I can not fathom any dealings with this teacher.. NONE NONE NONE. This was also the woman that I questioned as to how she could be tired from "poking holes in potatoes"?? Yes, that amount of energy fatigued her greatly... so I don't even begin to think about what a classroom full of boisterous busy body girls would do to her.

Door number two: The current psychotic, crazy and scornfilled teacher that the Hamsterson has. Yes people, this man has currently lost it. I got word yesterday from the mother herself that this "perhaps a while ago he might have been good" teacher told the mother that when she comes around "her indenpendent strong but non eating child turns into a sissy little mommy's girl". OK, I think this teacher is right.. but he has now lost all ability to speak with any form of tact, which makes me wonder where his head has actually gone to. (( I should back up here a moment and tell the readers that there is a field trip to Victoria today, and I kid you not.. there have been screaming matches, confrontations, inquisitions and now insults as to howcome some parents were not invited on this field trip. OH, and I wasn't picked either... but I am certain that riding on a bus for an hour, then chasing a group of kids around a ferry for 90 minutes, and then making sure one doesn't lose them in Victoria for a whole day, just to do it all over again is my idea of a good time... , I am not heartbroken...)) So currently that is where the Hamsterson is, and quite frankly I am hoping that the current psychotic teacher doesn't send a couple of the kids in the waters of the Straight of Georgia... or maybe he should have rethought the parent portion of travellers. At any rate, with his steady state of decline over the past number of weeks and months, I am not even certain what kind of call to make on this guy... other than PLEASE RETIRE.

Last but not least... I will call them the SCREAMTEAM. For me.. in my wildest dreams, this is not the team that I would like to see together. Both of them yell, a lot. One of them I have come to terms with.. she is who she is, and she has realized that the PIP is who she is.... and this teacher has to stop trying to make the PIP into someone that she can not mold, because it just isn't going to work. We had a conversation yesterday... and this teacher has actually resided to that fact. I very much wanted the PIP to be in her class for this year, because I believed that she would motivate the PIP to do things with her high pitched voice, and animated expressions, which she has, but she has also scared PIP into being terrified to make mistakes. I have claimed for most of the year, that this one half of the screamteam would be an excellent grade 5 teacher... ( I believe she was at one point )... she just would be, she has very high expectations, and sets out on big tasks, is very excited about all the work that she puts forward to the kids, and sees that the bottom line is success for all her people, but, she just can't seem to remove herself from marking and grading everything she gets her freaking hands on. This has been over the top, and quite frankly hugely annoying, from a parent perspective. It has been an unbelievable year, in respect to homework from this teacher... and sadly... all of this should have been saved for grade four and five.. not grade three. Grade three should be saved for that enjoyable year, where you know how to read, numbers do not scare you any longer, and you have made some friends. So this teacher is not bad, she is loud, and straight up, and shoots from the top of her head, which sometimes doesn't work. Unless of course, as the parent you just stop coming around.. and avoid all contact... and let the child go to school, and love that teacher in the highest form. OK, now for the other half of the screamteam... let me see, thinking back...she was cruel to my lovely Hamsterson, hurled insults which only she thought was funny, made him feel like he was one inch tall, and worthless of any sort of intelligence... I think it shall go unsaid as to how I feel about her....

And there are the options for the PIP's grade four year. It's an impressive selection... and it will all be unveiled to us in the second week of September.. boy I can't wait.

The amazing people that I know.

Earlier today I made the grand mistake of not understanding this from next. There are somedays that I just don't get things, well, most days I don't get things, despite my heavy usage of smart pills. Even though I have bumped up my dosage, the smartness thing still doesn't work for me. I will continue to wait patiently... that is ... if I remember...

Anyways, on to amazing...

I have had this long long long time friend, not that I am really old or anything, although it appears that way do to the whole piss poor memory thing... I digress....

I believe we are the masters of our own destinies. I really think that we have the ability to make things happen in our lives, with the steps that we take, or the choices that we make.

I think that the best choice I ever made in my life was the occasion of getting to know another girl that had decided that she (and so did I) needed to keep some rolled up pieces of paper from grade five, and drag them home for some unknown purpose. On our way home, we kept whapping one another with these rolled up tubes, and laughing our heads off. Yes, we laughed our heads off silly. For what reason I do not know.. but if there is one thing I do know, this was the beginnings of a very long and dear friendship.

The interesting thing is... although we have remained in close proximity to one another, it was where we were in our lives that kept a great distance between us. Between raising families, working, and other obligations, there is little time to spare for "others" who are not "in the moment" with you. It's an acceptable fact, friendships are work, and if they are not easily accessible, they have to shelved, while the priorities of life takeover.

So earlier today, I took it upon my confused self to go and visit my longtime paper whapping friend. Fortunately for her, I called her on my cellphone to ask her if in fact if this was supposed to be this Tuesday, or if today was next Tuesday..... luckily for her, I gave her the heads up that I was going to arrive in her homestead in about 20 minutes. Unluckily for her, I had used mapquest, so I knew exactly where I was going... so there were precious minutes to be made the most of in the speed clean process. Now, I can appreciate her amazing abilities... as I know that I would have tried to conquer the same feat, and I would have also prayed to the heavens above that if she was arriving on my doorstep, that she wouldn't need to use the bathroom... because I would have had to excuse myself to use it first... these are the fine details to a long term solid friendship, and also that we can laugh hysterically at ourselves.

Regardless of what she had on the go today, she met me at the front door laughing, as I fell out of my truck laughing... "I'm here!" I yelled from the rusting 16 year old SUV... "am I too late for this Tuesday or early for next week Tuesday?"... was the question of the moment... of course I was to early, but she made it clear that it was absolutely fine that I had crashed her quiet morning. Besides... she had managed to hide the hide laundry somewhere, before I had arrived.

It was so many moons ago that I met up with a ten year old girl, and I am certainly glad that I let destiny take over that part of my life, in knowing her.

Before I knew it, I had to go, not that I had to get home for 3:00, because as luck would have it today... I didn't have to pick the chicklets up until 4:30, but of course I didn't remember that... so I was off, and I got kinda lost going home, because I didn't want to go back the way I came... and I drove around the country side thinking about our friendship, and how I was very thankful that I have had such a long term friend, and how much the same we are. I was clearly thankful to note how similar we are.. even down to the memory loss issue... but she is something way way more than I could ever imagine to be... she is the rock that holds many lives together. Not that we all can't be a rock now and then, but I see her more as the foundation for those that rely on her to keep their lives in check, or to carry on. That, is truely amazing.. well, plus the fact that I can arrive at the doorstep.. and her kitchen countertops kind of glisten, and has cream for coffee... now that would certainly not happen in my home, well, when I'm home alone that is.

When is next Tuesday?

I have issues with this and next. If this hasn't happened yet, does it make it next? Is there a time period between this and next? How do you distinguish this time frame, if that is so? I am all for talking about this week being taken up, but next week is open. That to me spells out the context of this and next. I am however slightly confused about next Tuesday, if this Tuesday hasn't happened yet, does that make it next, because it kind does make sense in a timeframe sort of way.

I am very happy to report that even though this Tuesday happened, and it turned out to be a great day, it was actually supposed to happen next Tuesday.

Monday sunshine report.

It's sunny outside.
I can see blue sky above the tree tops, but I am not certain if clouds are laying in wait just behind them, giving me a false sense of blueness from above. I do see a small smattering of clouds, but I am not fearful.... yet.

I was just giving the current home on the range time status some thought. WE have lived in this 1365 square foot rancher for 13 years. I think the trees do look taller out there.... which is impeeding my weather forecasting abilities. WOW.

AND... in other thoughtfilled moments:

Thirteen years ago when we moved in, I thought the kitchen was rather dated, and needed some sprucing up. Well, thirteen years later... we have moved forward with that idea. The contractorman's tools.... I am not sure what the torch is for.

Sunday soundoff....

I was going to word this as the Sunday round-up, but I think I do not have many words in me... well, at least not as many as the three trillion word post from the other day. I mean... I could really come up with some stuff, if I felt so inclined.. but I kinda do, and kinda don't. Then again, once I start clicking and clacking, who knows what can come spilling out.

These are kind of shower thoughts actually, you know the endless streams of thoughts that pierce your brain, as the water hits your body?

Some things that I have been thinking about lately, but failed to find any importance to write it down until now, and yes, since it is coming from me, it won't be earth shattering show stopping news, come on people.. it's me for crap sake.

My friend asked me a couple of weeks ago, if I wanted to finish my degree. I would like to very much, but I am not going to. This bothers me, I feel that I haven't completed something I started, but then, the college didn't offer a degree program, when I completed my program... which was an eternity ago now... but it doesn't bother me enough to finish. I am not certain that I am going to reap the economic benefits that a degree would offer me. I am not prepared to write papers for professerly people, and pay an institution to do it. It isn't going to make me who I already am in life. Besides, I am kind of very nuts now, I can't imagine tackling the personalities involved in higher eduation. However; that doesn't mean that I do not want to learn. I am very much willing to fulfill desires in an artistic form, like figuring out how my camera works some days, and throwing paint on a big canvas, or hauling out my pencil set. I think I would like that very much.

In other exciting news....

I went for a walk after dinner tonight... I kind of snuck away. Everybody was caught up in their Sunday evening activities... I went ahead and did something on my own... but now I am glad... as I got to see the three bears... I should be glad that I didn't have a bowl of porridge with me, I might have been in trouble. I was thinking though... I miss crazy bear very much. Last year, as I made my trek up to Minnekhada, I looked very forward to seeing crazy bear blazing about the fields, roads and forests... I am wondering if he is still in this life, or now that he is a year older, he is also a year slower, at any rate I miss the big black blob of a crazy running bear.

Ahh... I have made it past the 8000 airmile mark. I should be closer to 9000 in a short while, as Safeway just had a coupon book out this past month, and I made good work with that little baby. I racked up on the airmiles. I am still a little stunned on the fact that I did spend fourteen dollars on four bags of salad... but it was a "supreme bonus" special, and you ended up with an extra 50 airmiles.. so I figured .. it might have been worth it.... now I just have to remember to use up the bags of salad. It's fun being an idiot!

The vinegar and dishsoap weed/ant deterent seems to have been a bit of a success. The weeds are not looking too healthy now, with that lovely dose of vinegar drained down their stems, everything has gone a good "say hello to death brown", almost over night! Evil in all it's finery.

I had a bit of a lapse here, so all the brainwaves have stopped momentarily.. although I got to talk to my friend for a bit! I am going to have to wrap up the Sunday soundoff for tonight.. it's getting close to late, and the snoring man has made his way to the bedroom... now people might think I would be looking for action here, at my swift departure.. but really it's to get in while the getting is good, and the earplugs still have a chance to battle the snoring king... but not that I am complaining....

Guess what time of year it is!!!

For those that know me.... just guess what this lovely black image is ????? I saw three of them tonight... and even though this is a poor shot, all of the lovely black bears I saw tonight were all walking at a swift pace.

Cheese and crackers!

Cheese n crackers got all muddy...... where the hell have I been the past couple of days?! I have been here all the time.... with the exception that I have been busy doing junk. Just junk, and nothing more than anything than junk. JUNK. JUNK. JUNK. OK.. and the saddest note... I have not accomplished anything worth speaking or computering about... I have learned some things though:

1. A long time friend has a new love interest. Very exciting I must say!
2. I scrapbooked almost a million pages for the Hamsterson's scrapbook, OK, it seemed like a million.....
3. I drove a whole heck of a long distance to deliver a friend a wedding shower gift, when in actuality this friend lives about 3 1/2 minutes away... it's just that the wedding shower was way out in the middle of nowhere.
4. It's the stalkers sisters 16th wedding anniversary today...... when I called to wish them a happy day... she stated "oh lucky me... he's not talking to me today....". Yes, wedded bliss.
5. The Hamsterson has grown too much all of a sudden... our eyes meet one anothers now.
6. I did play the piano for the stroke group this week... I named the game... "Name that tune..... if you can". Meaning that.. if it was recognizable to them. That was a brave moment!
7. I bought the girl a pink baseball cap... and she has somehow become a backwards cap rapper chick. Now the little lefty is outside chucking and throwing the nerf football back and forth.
8. I realized that the Hamstersons piano recital is on the sameday as his big field trip to Victoria. I then quite psychotically told him that he had to put his name in to be in the school's talent show. (In reality... he has been learning the same song since October... and he must share it with someone, if he can't share it with the piano recital people).
9. I think the Hamsterson teacher should retire, he is tired and crotchedy and unapproachable and unreasonable and more words that I dare not type out any longer.
10. I went out antkilling today. I filled my trusty spray bottle with dishsoap and vinegar. I don't think some colonies will be too pleased at breakfast time tomorrow. I used this same concoction to kill other transient weeds and morning glory as well.
11. My lawn mower blade is in desperate need of sharpening... which is why it took me three passes with the lawn mower to pick up the clippings. Mind you, along the way, I did find another five spots where I had ant hills developing. I have never ever seen this amount of ants around here... it's a good thing that the husband has rebuilt the back of our home.. it should give them something to munch on for the next number of years.
12. The Hamsterson's braces will be leaving his mouth fairly soon. I took him today to have them maneuvered.. and they have started filing them all nice... and even. He looked even more handsome today... with his hair cut just around his ears.
13. At the end of the day the Hamsterson was not so handsome... he was heartbroken. Yes, clearly heartbroken.. and when I inquired about the day... (since he only spent 2 actual hours in class... since him and I went shopping after the orthodontist... he he he he he....), the poor sensitive guy broke down into tears... momentary tears that is... and it had everything to do with the fact that the teacher is tired of teaching this noisy, chatty, ultra-social, loud grade 5 class. Now they do not get to have a year end BBQ, or something fun to do with the marionettes they have been busy building for the past number of weeks. The Hamsterson was heartbroken, and clearly confused as to howcome the actual trouble causers can not be punished, rather than the whole class. This has been going on all year... with the same trouble squad, and then all the kids suffer... I am thinking that this message clearly isn't working, after all it is June, and there is only two weeks left of school.
14. I think my mom and I have it figured out as to howcome her television doesn't work... it's not that she needs a new TV, it's the fact that she needs a new cable guy to come and install new cable at her house. OK, that only saved her 2000.00.... now that we are all into HDTV... and all.
15. I can not believe how hard it PISSED with rain yesterday. The most unbelievable part about yesterday was the fact that I believe that I was having a good hair day.... yes, I, the ultimate in owning 556 bad hair do's in one year... was actually having a good hair day... well, that was until I went to go and get some gas, and then saw the Hamsterson's piano teacher.. and talked with her while not pumping gas... and when I did eventually get back to the task at hand... I looked in the window of the truck, and was frightened by the fuzzy mass whirling above my head. SHIT! I haven't owned a good hair day in about 14 years... and this one was gone in about 15 minutes.
16. A day isn't complete without having to worry about the lovely and silly catdog.. she started squeaking the other day.. like the time when she squeaked when she had a bulging disk that cut off the feeling to her back legs, and it took many dollars to repair her.
17. All is quiet out in the back yard... they have been playing badminton up until now.. and kicking around soccer balls.... up until this very second.... when someone kicked the ball at the husbands face... and bent his glasses. I am glad that the dog has quit squeaking now.
18. The silly catdog is tired for the day... she keeps running to me, and checking to see if she can come in and lay down in her basket yet. But, since she is a silly german shepherd catdog afterall, she will not come in... as the husbandman is still outside.
19. I left a note in the girls planner this week about music. The girl was refusing play a song on her much hated recorder. The teacher insisted on retesting her on this "magical" song. The girl continued to refuse. The teacher then left me another note in the planner, about RE-RE testing... which I ignored. ((OK... the recorder should not be in the musical instrument category, but rather, a musical annoyance)).... anyways... I proceeded to tell the tale that music is a gift, some people have it, some people don't. Also, that I wasn't surprised that the PIP had no interest in her recorder song, as it wasn't coming from inside, but was continually being asked of her, which the PIP had no interest in. I suggested that the teacher test her on small parts of the music, to keep the fear level down, and I did wish her good luck. (There was a big thick checkmark through the note). I am really thinking that the teachers are sick of me...... although I have worked hard at trying to be kind.
20. The gas oven fixer fellow came over the other day. I handed him a cheque for one hundred and thirteen dollars, and he was gone in 23 minutes. He had a big smile on his face when he left. I had more of a deer in the head lights sort of deal going on.... I even got to wave at the neighbour guy, who was busy doing home repairs and giving me the thumbs up as the guy walked to his van..... and speaking of neighbours... Mr. Vancouvercop was busy riding around on his 1945 Massey Ferguson red tractor the other day... after his wife helped him start the thing... he needed to take it for a cruise... around the crescent.... you see, you never know when you might need the use of a tractor in a residential neighbourhood, or, more importantly... for the copman, he needs it for a lawn decoration...
21. Here it is Friday night... and I am out of vanilla syrup that is used for my London Fogs... well, I will start the list over again... for next week...

Oh yes, last week..

I am very glad that last week is over. Very glad indeed. I am certain that I couldn't have got much stupider. Yes, I think I completely bottomed out last week. I was kind of similar to a walking zombie, except that I came out during the day, and I still wore lipstick. Other than that... I was completely, profoundly and utterly stupid. I could barely form words, let alone string them together to make sentences. I. AM. NOT. KIDDING. But I am better now.... which is why I am back here... chatting up a storm... about nothing,.... which is something I am completely very good at....(smile, smile).

In other news about last week...

The Hamsterson's teacher took all of the grade 5's out on a 3 day camping trip. I like the Hamsterson's teacher, he's a good guy, and very big on building up kids to be the best that they can be. He inspires them to believe in themselves. Although I also have my reservations about him as well. I have not been able to figure out why the Hamsterson son is so lax in his ability to organize himself. Well, he has always been kinda like that anyways... but after watching "the great leader" last week.....even the husbandman commented on now he knows why the "Hamsterson doesn't quite know what is going on...".

This teacher had to orchestrate 55 kids, and 10 adults for three days. That's a load for one to carry. I stood back and watched the day to unveil.. and then it kind of hit me... what is it that makes a good leader... well, you need to be organized, and beyond that, you need to have the ability to deligate, plus the ability to have faith in the people that you deligate to. I think the teacher had it all going on with the thought process of organizing... but this fellow failed to delegate. I feel bad for the fellow, he had heaping amounts of parents that were capable of hands on help with little direction available to him for this camping trip, and he missed using his resources. Mind you, that was just the starting process of getting the camping going, and the completion of the camping trip.... this teacher had everyting nailed down to a tee during the whole 2 1/2 days they were there, with those 55 crazy grade fivers.

That poor teacher was so exhausted last week, he couldn't even speak when unloading the camping gear out of the back of his truck. I felt for the guy. He had to do this "camping" thing pretty much on his own, although there was another grade 5 teacher, who was about as useful as mud on a rock. Not that I am saying she is a bad person... she just doesn't "do" any of this sort of stuff... I am still wondering why this woman is actually a teacher... she might have made a good piano teacher mind you. Anyways.... after all was said and done, it looks like he recovered, as he was back in class with the mother of the son that fell of the cliff in his classroom after school. Things didn't look pretty there either...

In other things courageous....

The very brave and slightly unorganized teacher had left his truck at the site where the start of the hike was for the kids. (if that makes sense)... anyways, after he got the kids to the endpoint of the hike, he then had to turn around and run back along the trail, where all the cars were parked, and then drive to the gate of the lodge where they were going to be camping. The lodge guy was going to open the magic yellow gate. Makes good sense to me... but here's the clincher... the brave teacher had to run all the way back the hiking trail, to meet up with the gate keeper, when... a perfectly good teacher was available to meet the gate keeper, who just happened to be sitting with 3 of the 55 of crazy grade fivers wrapping potatoes. But that is the way he is.... BUT ... somewhere along the line he must have realized that he couldn't drive his truck back to the gatekeeper lodge man, because all the crazy parents parked behind his truck, so he took the student teachers car... to meet the gatekeeper man. All is good... until the "kind of useless grade 5 teacher" finally pipes up and says... "someone needs to drive Harold's truck".... The husbandman looked at me... "you can drive his truck"... he says to me. (this is the courageous part of the story... after all, it is all about me!) OK, I can drive the big blue ugly truck.. "I think I can I think I can I think I can"... I say to myself... frightened for my future as a truck driver, as I am a TOYOTA SUV driver... and barely at that! Then everybody drives off.. and leaves me, with the crazy and kind of unorganzied teachers beast of a vehicle... and that was only looking on the outside... I then had to make it to the great indoors. To my shock and horror... I see what I had not intended on seeing..... A STICK SHIFT. Oh great... this teachers truck is a standard... now luckily ... I drive a standard... but not this kind of a standard... where it's parked in the bushes, kind of on a hill... with no possibility for the clutch to engage anytime soon.... OH MY GOD... WHAT HAVE I GOTTEN MYSELF INTO.... I kind of had a little spaz, but since I was by myself... I looked on the inside of his vehicle, and pointed and laughed at myself throught the window.... Fortunately.. ((ok, a little secret here... I had to organize an extra eight kids back to the lodge... because the "kind of useless potatoe wrapper teacher drove off with her designated three kids"... and she never offered to come back...., so I had to ask a van mom to make two extra trips to collect all the left over hiking children... )) On the van moms last trip I had asked her to "hang on" while I tried to figure out driving this beast... no sooner was I in, with the door shut... did the black ball of the stick shift go flying... inside his CRAMMED WITH EVERYTHING vehicle. I can't drive without the magic black ball...NOPE, not me.. I need the magic black ball, even though I had already noticed that it was just there for decoration... but I needed it to drive. I eventually found it amidst his big bottles of Tylenol, and other assorted "things".... I couldn't help but howl at my predicament... I couldn't really go back to camp, minus his vehicle... what kind of complete dipshit queen would I look like!!!! Eventually I got the power rig running, and I managed down the dusty road in first gear, for as long as I could go... then... I had to eventually put it into second, but I didn't find second, I found fourth.... and so the truck chugged along for a while, even though it didn't really like being fourth, but I liked it being in forth... just as long as I didn't have to touch the clutch again...and besides, the black ball flew off again, so I couldn't change gears until I had successfully popped the ball back on... eventually we made it back to camp... I felt like there was a welcoming party... because everybody was standing and running around, watching the big blue beast pull into the campsite/lodge... with the crazy and disorganized teacher waiting patiently for his beloved beast. I think he had kind of a look of worry on his face... which he was correct about that one. I was happy to hand him his keys.

I dare not remember any more about last week... other than I was in complete brainwave failer.... except for the notations from above.....

Home sweet home...

Stuffing the space with pink stuff.
Hey... this is what things look like from the outside... minus the ants.
Working drywall man
Working drywall man's dog... resting in her favourite spot.

 

Build husbandman build!

It's a race against time. The husbandman is back to work on Wednesday, and therefore he must build and construct as much as he can in the laundryroom before that date. Well, he doesn't really have to.... I am just trying to keep him pointed in the right direction. My contribution to this endeavour has been all camera related, and a couple of shopping trips to collect things like cold meat, buns and water. Yes, only water. I'm also very stingy on what my contributions are. In the meantime... I am just happy that he is building away.... build husbandman build!!

As noted below... what's a laundryroom, without a pile of laundry to go with it... even when it's out of commission, it isn't out of commission.

Thank the Lord, again.

Once upon a time I was going to be a nurse. Fortunately for me, someone was guiding me in another direction, although I didn't realize it at the time. The signs were there... but I didn't think of them of signs at the time.... or perhaps I read too much into the instances that occured to help cement the decision to NOT continue with post secondary education, at least not in the nursing field.

There are a couple of instances that come to mind....

My art teacher asked me what art school I was going to, because I would have gotten some scholarship award. ( I wasn't going to art school, and besides I saw many great artists emerging from our class). Hmmmmm.

I took a bunch of "junk" courses (including algebra twice) and of course art in high school... so I had to go back to night school to get my pre-req's for the "nursing school" that I was planning on attending.....

Like the fact that I repeatedly enrolled myself into Algebra 11. I believe I was on my fifth kick of the cat of Algebra, when one night we were writing our final exam... and there was a massive snowstorm. WE had three hours to write the exam, and all I could think about was how was I going to make it home alive, and conquer all the hills in between the school and home. After about an hour into the exam, and another two inches of snow, I called it quits. I told him I didn't think I had had much success with this exam, so it's best to go home and cry now, before I crash, then I would really have to cry.

Then there was the occasion that the stalker sister-that-hadn't-turned-stalker-yet and I were completing our Biology 12 in the same night school class. Things were hustling along quite nicely. The lovely and crazy biology teacher separated everybody in the class, so that not one person could see another person's paper. He even double checked as he wondered through the class. To his satisfaction he gave us the exam, and off we went. The "not-yet-stalker" sister and I were the first out of the class. WE whipped through the exam in 45 minutes, she was out first, and I followed her moments behind. The trouble was we had 2 hours to write the exam. The stalker sister and I were both very perplexed. We thought we had missed pages, but we had gone through the exam twice, both of us. So then, we had to wait around for the rest of the people to finish, because we needed to ask if we had missed something. WE hadn't.. WHEW. But wait... I whewed too soon. The following week, we recieved our marks. I think I had two wrong, but what is this I see, but a line scratched through my mark, and a fail written on the exam. The sister got the same thing, she even got the same two wrong as I did. To our surprise the biology teacher thought the "not-yet-turned-stalker" sister and I had cheated. He told us just that "you cheated". We then had to recreate the events of the exam, and show the biology teacher the impossibilities of our non-cheating ways. He did point out the fact that we left at the exact same time, way to early to boot, and had the same two answers wrong. Well, call it what you will, we didn't cheat we told the guy, and we were offended that he thought we had. We had to spell out to him that we think alike, sound alike, although now adays... we don't act alike... (in stalker terms).

There was another sordid affair with the chemistry teacher. Things were going well in that class, we were making our attempts at chemistry, and even passing the exams that they passed around without any finger pointing episodes.... then one day.... I didn't feel well. I thought it was all in my head, and I was just being lazy. "Buck up little camper, things will get better". (Silly fool was I!). I ended up contracting the chicken pocks. FOREVER. ... well it seemed to me that is. But I missed many many days of chemistry nightschool class, and many assignments that (you needed to be in class to complete them, curse that attendance factor!!). I had just made it back to class, still sporting some of my spots, when something began to go awry in my mouth. ( Little did I know that was the beginning of a very long road living in the denstists chair... to this very day). For days and weeks this carried on, ... I would be fine, then my jaw would hurt, then my tongue would hurt, then the roof of my mouth would hurt, then nothing would hurt, and then I would be fine again. I not only missed many chemistry classes, I also missed many days from work. I was actually did visit the dentist and the doctor... neither of them could find an immediate cure to my predicament. (OK, later it became apparent that it was actually my tooth that needed a root canal...but the symptoms didn't present themselves in the normal way, hence the "dentist-on-call" tapping my very NOW sorry tooth with her upside down mirror). OK... holy super f_______ screaming hell did that hurt.. but I didn't say that....I only wished I did.... ( and I can say that because I have given birth without drugs...., .... not that I didn't want drugs... they refused to give them to me......) anyways.... between the chicken pocks and the axe caving through my face that I was now going through, the husbandman and I were also in the process of buying our very first house. Somehow in the midst of everything, the chemistry class was way beyond my grasp of recouping, and I cut my losses.

I actually cut my losses on the whole nursing profession and said "POOF" begone! ( My sister carried on to become a nurse, and she is an excellent nurse... beyond excellent.. in fact just today I remarked to her that she is ultimately the best "death nurse" I have ever heard of.... seriously really folks... yes, I called her a "death nurse".... because she makes it so freaking easy to die, and honestly welcomes people into the afterlife, and frees them from burden, despair and any pain that they have, and sets their spirits free to roam in peace and tranquility, and holds 90 year olds mothers hands, when a freaking high maintenance family all get up and leave, when mom is just about to make the grand exit, she tells people that their job is done now, and it's time for them to go, she washes and shaves lovely old gentlemen so they can meet their loved ones at the pearly gates all smelling lovely, brisk and clean... I kid you not... she does all that)..... which brings me to the very point of the title of this post......

Last night, I had a really crappy sleep, really crappy... I wasn't awake enough to get up and wander around the semi-renovation home zone, and yet I wasn't asleep enough to stay asleep.... and my eyes kept popping open. So by this morning... I was just so glad that it was morning, and even happier that I wasn't a nurse, that wayI am not continually juggling my days and nights. I can't do this "sleeping" on a regular day. Oh, and another afterthought... I am even more thankful that didn't become a nurse... because there is nothing I enjoy more, than sitting around a circle of older folks discussing hamburgers, and a debate about whether or not onions should be served raw or cooked, on the inside of the bun, or on the side.....

Yes, I thank the lord again....