CRACK!

I have to love that PIP of mine. She is one tough cracker....

The other day she showed me the inside of her mouth. Well, that is once I got her eyeballs to stop rolling into the back of her head, and opened her mouth at an angle that I could actually see into. She was trying to show me the stubborn tooth that would not come out, but now had decided that it was going to be little bit wiggly. Much to my wierdness, there was her other tooth, creeping up from depths of her jaw, and beginning to protrude SIDEWAYS. OH, freakmagnets, I kind of had a little spaz. Only a little spaz mind you... all because I have been watching her teeth carefully, and they have all managed to find enough space in her face that would lend her a healthy and straight smile... much to my relief. But then I saw the tooth. RATS! So I told her that she just needed to get that very much anchored tooth out of her head.. and she set to the task. For two days she worked at wiggling that thing whenever I mentioned it. She even took supplies to her camp, just in case it popped out while away from home. The silent husbandman and I were out on the patio when we heard this yell "OW!!" from within the home. The PIP walks to the new laundry room door and shows us her handfulls of tissues.. "have a look at all this blood... just look at it all" she says, and then walks down the steps to show me her new kind of empty space in her mouth... " and the blood just keeps on pouring out" she says, as she stuffs another wad of paper towel in her mouth... she turns to walk back up the steps and through the laundry door, but stops.. "and you know the worst part, is when it made the cracking sound when I pulled it out"... and she walks back in the house to find her newest lost tooth a home for the night, before the tooth fairy arrived.

The next morning I ransacked the silent husbandman jeans... and gave her five bucks for her handywork, plus another five bucks for the tooth that she lost a couple weeks ago, but the tooth fairy kept managing to forget to arrive..

CRACK!

Airmile Junkie

My stalker sister turned airmile junkie turned up on my doorstep in the early evening yesterday. The bonus airmiles coupons had arrived in the local paper which meant it was time to visit the expensive grocery store, and collect our miles. I have one problem though.. I am cheap. What a shock that is. I like to collect the one hundred bonus airmiles when I spend one hundred dollars. It keeps it simple for me, and, I do not feel that I am handing over a chunk of my plastic ( I pay with my airmile mastercard ), and spending that extra arm I do not have.. and how odd is that!? I did manage to collect on some bonus airmiles on some food items that I will use, but that is looking far into the future, when the rainy season hits.... although I could probably try and cook the extra food I have with the temperatures that are going to hit this weekend. Being an airmile junkie has paid off, I did manage to collect an extra 125 miles above my coupon airmiles, and see other airmile junkies at the check out... HI LUJZA!!

Midweek Madness!

Complete madness I say... as the husbandman pointed out to me this morning. He asked me what I was going to do with my day, and I told him that it needed to be top secret, even I wasn't going to find out until the time. In actuality I have been having a slight holiday this week, due to the lovely and TIRED chicklets that are attending their day camp. As luck would have it, the stalker sister also has this week off, and her two chicklets are attending the same daycamp... HOW ODD IS THAT!

In other things crazed....

We skipped over to my long time friends house the other day, and visited her family for the day. What an adventure... many tall children (and some almost not children, but young adults actually) lingered about, swam in the pool, or attempted to swim... (the bathing suits were applied but not used). It was a great day... I even heard the husbandman speak as well. He even ventured to be chatty amongst the friends. I probably should have brought a voice recorder. I turned truely impressed when my long time friend started up the BBQ, although I believe this to be wrong.. ((as the king usually does BBQing kingly things with it... and I just hunt and gather for the Kingly BBQing adventures))... I noticed her skill in lighting the BBQ, something that I never try and attempt, because why would I ... the King does it. I like that King. Anyways.. my friend and her purple skewered chicken, and additional protein sources like hamburgers and hotdogs (for the colour challenged... AKA Hamerston) were added to the great BBQing extravaganza. I stood back in awe... well, plus the fact that my friend had everything EVERYTHING done. I will have to learn her secrets... or not. In fact, I watched her style, and wish not to duplicate it... as that would make it challenging when the King likes to do everything...so why get in his way and complicate matters.... see, that's what I like simple solutions to lifes little trifles...

In other things ....

We did a quartet scrapping adventure last evening. It was a good evening... everybody accomplished great feats with their paper crafts, and went away with another page to add to the scrapbooks. Although I am believing that we will have to add some cash to the red wine fund & call it the "drink & scrap till you drop slush fund". That might be an idea.

Off I go... on the secret adventure of the day... I don't even know what I am doing yet...

Which one doesn't seem like the other:

Which one just doesn't belong???

A dab of honey

It's Sunday morning.. and I am not at work. It has been very pleasant... just the thoughts of being at home, rather than at work, where people are workish.. of course...

I have now drank a second cup of Earl Grey tea with a dab of honey, and a splash of milk.. to round out the morning. Although, I am unable to do the Sunday morning Soduko as it arrives on our doorstep with five stars, which make that an impossibility for me.. I will have to search out my trusty side book that I keep in my bag.

Now, there is nothing finer to a Sunday morning at home without a lovely breakfast to come my way. This mornings fare has come freshly reheated from the microwave, piping hot. I believe that it has a genuine place next to a lovely cup of Earl, with it's dab of honey... yes it does.

Spaghetti Squash.

I kid you not.. happy Sundaying.

The dragon that came to light...

The other day on very short notice, the boy called up his friends an invited them out to a movie. There's nothing like a delayed birthday gathering of friends... only a mere 7 months later. It was the perfect day to see a movie, since it was drizzling out, and the outdoor pools would be closed, because we can't have the patrons heads getting wet while they bob in the pool. More importantly, they can't have the lifeguards getting wet as they sit and watch munchkins float about in the inclement weather... because those big umbrellas that they sit under, only come out in the middle of August, when the now wonderfully tanned lifeguards are sick of the sun.. but the umbrellas can not be used when it's raining, no way, no how. But of course, that is not what this story is about.

Away we go, down the highway to the movie theatre. We arrived a bit early so we could saunter across the parking lot to TIM HORTON'S, where I could buy myself a lovely cup of bresh brewed coffee, and have real cream in it.. ( I have been forgetting to buy cream.. which disables the coffee feature in the homestead )... I also bought the group of gangbusters a donut each, where we then sang the boy happy birthday.. because you can only sing happy birthday wishes with something gooey in front of you.. well, that's my rule in life!

I buy the tickets, and spend a fortune, and then we make our way to the drink and popcorn counter.... where I spend another fortune. Actually the fortunes were just about equal. We give the tickets to the guy that takes tickets.. where he points to my small cup of coffee and tells me that I can not take that into the theatre. I then point to the four others sporting large drinks and large popcorn bags and my one popcorn bag then say to him.. I have just spent eighty dollars in your movie theatre, and half of that was on popcorn and drinks, would you mind letting me sit and finish drinking my coffee in the theatre where I can smack myself and wonder what kind of idiot I am.. I think I would like that very much. He told me that was fine, and to go ahead. I think I might have scared him.

Trails of tales

This is the lookout..
Westminster Abbey
"Bearly There Temp Agency"

 

Oh! what do we have here...

There are such things that are called kitchen tables. We own one, although you wouldn't know it, well, except if you were here on Tuesday between the hours of 0900 and 10:15.. I think I saw the surface of it that day. Ever since then, something has happened:

The Pip has opened up for business.

Right in the smack dab centre of the kitchen table. She doesn't believe that a kitchen table can serve a purpose of remaining clear and free from clutter, especially when it's her clutter.

In inquired as to how come she couldn't open up her business in her very own room, where she actually has her very own desk.. that would long to be utilized in opening up a business. She said it already has it's own business, it's busy being messy. Enough said.

So this is what I have had to live with ... while we are at home and not busy being at the swimming pool... which I might say to all my laughing friends out there....HA!... this idea is working out great.... they swim until they sink, then I go get them... and then they are happy that I have saved them from the deep waters of Centenniel Pool, and they come home all quiet and lovely.. so scoff as you will... I am waiting to see just how much chlorine children can absorb before "things" start to happen to them..... because gills can just be stitched up again!

Anyways.. back to the PIP's new business.

She has now confiscated the kitchen table, and has filled, arranged and littered it with anything "officey" she can get her hands on... ( she even tried to sneak the stapler to the movie theatre the other day.. just in case she had to do some STAT stapling while we were watching the movie). OH brother.. and the best part... she has an answering service that she just presses a button, and a message plays, in some far off New York accent. "This is Mr.Kinkel's office, how may I direct you call?" Then of course, she has her "play" cell phone that rings off the hook AND non stop ( she has two lines going at all times)... (because it is a stand in for the other old phone we used to own). I have a rainbow of post-it's strewn across the table with encrypted messages that she can only decipher, and if we are not careful we crash into while she 'goes mobile'. She has managed to buck the boss for an extended lunch hour, which she then gets her HUGE teddy bear to sit in her spot... (A.K.A. "BEARLY there temp agencies"), which takes her calls while she is out for lunch, which at that point her cell phone is with her, and she continously presses the button to make it ring.

For an added bit of business for her... I have tossled up her desk, permanently borrowed things and knock over her files... just to make it feel real enough for her for tomorrow morning...

Mr. Kinkel is not going to be happy...

It's Poison alright...

The Poisonwood Bible, by Barbara Kingsolver.
649 pages, and I am none the wiser, or far too shallow to absorb.

 

So, what did you do the other day?

Here is a note that I wrote to an acquaintance... I may not hear from him for a real long time, if ever again at all. ( I have highlighted some of my previous writing adventures about my cooking abilities... make that inabilities to him... but this next story.. is a bit out there... well, there's a NUT out there for everyone.....)

Well hello Allan....

I am well, I am very well actually at this exact moment, (despite the fact that at this moment I am sitting in the darkness of my kitchen, with only the computer screen glowing away, and all the bugs that have crept into our house throughout the evening have headed towards me... or shall I say THE LIGHT!. I am now defending my space, well actually my face, and slapping myself silly in order to rid them from flying in front of me)..so... back to other useless matters... I have endured 649 pages of a book that I really wanted to NOT read, but once you start something ...you finish... I couldn't stand it... almost as much as my cooking adventures! Oh the book, The Poisonwood Bible, save yourself 649 pages worth of reading, and attempt something else, (like dusting behind your computer desk)... and if you may have read it... I feel for you.

In other things as not as exciting as the first paragraph:

My cooking adventures have been tamed since BBQ season is here. The King cooks, and I just throw together "salady things", that I clearly can not ruin. Mind you, the children hate me... due to the colourful array of offerings that unfold infront of them.... BUT... here is something that I learned yesterday.. which made me chuckle..... SO YOU BETTER CHUCKLE ABOUT THIS......

After topping up my 16 year old white SUV with two litres of oil, and some power steering fluid which is not correct for this vehicle, but I pour it in anyways..... the chicklets and myself were off on an adventure.... yes we were!

I was confident in my "occassional occuring memory" that I could find our destination point... I was not going to look on a map.. when I surely was almost positive that I might remember that I knew how to get to "the place of anticipation"....I have my standards..

PAUSE: ( I need a moment.... I have to kill four, no make that five, the cousin has arrived, little tiny flying zippy bugs that somehow keep giving me whiplash....) ok, I'm back...hold onto your hat....

We make it to our first destination.... and instead of getting out of the vehicle.. I sit and stare up at the sky... it was quite a sight.. although I couldn't see much sky,but rather a huge apple tree.. with hundreds of apples bobbling above my head. As always, I have my trusty digital with me, and start to snap pictures.. when all of a sudden something snaps behind me.. oh, right.. it's the chicklets... snapping, sniping, hissing and swiping at each other... my moment of tranquility lost... so I embraced the moment and snarled/growled back at them to rejoice in the great wonders above their heads,( I had to tell the lovely and wonderful, but very blond daughter to actually look out the sunroof, as she was dazed by the Burgundy upholstery above her) and be thankful that it wasn't quite apple harvesting season... Eventually we enter and then exit the Matsqui produce place, with a real-live large brown paper bag full of things that would make a vegetarian drool, well except for the chocolate covered POKY sticks.. and off we go. But that wasn't for long... I believe that I had somehow picked up while I was at the produce store a boy crocodile and it's evil sibling, sister crocodile and they wouldn't shut up, actually it was the start of quite a psychotic event that started in the back seat, and ended up in the drivers seat.. I believe my head even popped off ...as I pulled (actually I whipped) over to the side of the road, and hissed at the two of them to exit my vehicle.. yes, I hissed quite a bit.((get out...!!!GET OUT!!!!!! GGGGGEEEETTTTT OOOOUUUTTTT!!!!!)).. when they both refused to get out, I got back in... and continued driving to our wonderful and tranquil place.... GOD.. did I need to get there fast..... they had already killed my sunroof apple adventures, and they had made my head pop off... I was worried for what they were capable of next!

We drove for a while.. because, as I stated before... I was relying on a memory that is ultimately vague at the best of times, and I had only been to this spot once in my life... I had an inkling as to where it was supposed to be.. but I believe I was just heading straight to the mountains, rather than looking up on the top of the mountain for the "point of interest"...

Since the lovely and wonderful, but worry filled Hamsterson had been watching the gas gauge, I figured it was time to fill the SUV... as it was 15 cents a litre cheaper way out yonder, it seemed to make good sense to me. Little did I know, while my back was turned, the "destination point" was right behind me.. but I did not know that.. and off we went.. adventuring some more... the girl happy with her peas, the boy with an apple, and I was sipping on a sparkling rain, which I might add does happen to taste good with vodka.. but since it was 1:30 in the afternoon.. I didn't happen to have any on me. (he he he). Eventually we came to a bend in the road... and I clearly knew that I had gone to far, and turned around.

WHALA... right there, facing right back into the windshield in front of us...it was the WESTMINSTER ABBEY.. calling to us, from way up there on the mountaintop. Yes, easier said than done. My next step was getting to the top of the mountain.. and finding the entrance. I believe it would help if the signs were actually posted in the correct direction. I kid you not... one sign said "this way" and one sign said "that way"... this is worse than a good day in the kitchen with me... I ended up BACKING up on a hill... just because I saw this little road, that went way way up a big steep mountain... but as I found out.. the car ahead of me had a key to the gate.. which only let that one person in.. and not us... clearly I was feeling keyless, and clueless... not a good feeling...well, since I had probably used every possible swear word in front of the kids back at that little unfortunate incident where I whipped the doors open and demanded that they leave (I will add here, that I had the good sense to ask them to leave via the sidewalk side of the vehicle...) I decided that it was best to stay calm... and breathe deeply....I finally stopped exhaling after five minutes.. this surely couldn't be this challenging.... it was at this point that the little rusty and dusty trapdoor to the memory bank opened... and I ever so slightly remembered that I could get into our TRANQUIL SPOT IN THE SKY via Dewdney Trunk Road, and not the other DTR, or the other one, it's THAT Dewdey Trunk Road. And guess what... we made it! Oh yes we did....we wandered along the trails, and found the lookout that overlooked the Fraser River, and Matsqui, or whatever the hell else that was on the other side of that river, and we looked down into people's back yards, and watched the trains glide, and the sun dance through the breaks in the waves of clouds, and the river flow. It was all quite nice, it was a mind clearing event, and both of the kids enjoyed visiting the Westminster Abbey, mind you they were even happier when we got off the trails, which we appeared to get lost on for a short time only mind you..... well except for the fact that the lovely and blond Pippy girl was quite insistent that the Hamsterson should be allowed to go into the church.. and "who cares about wearing shorts in the church".. and "who are these people that think they can make rules".. yes, we couldn't quite talk her down over that rampage, and thus steered clear from entering the church, or going near it...

Eventually we left, it had been lovely.. well, it was lovely, until the PIP got tired of eating her peas, and refused to eat an apple, did not want any cherries, was not a rabbit so refused to eat lettuce.. she needed some food, and that food needed to come from McDonalds. NOW! Here we go.

Now I am not quite certain how this happened.. but once again.. I somehow managed to find myself driving in a different location than I had anticipated. Before I knew it, I was back out on the highway, and I had missed the downtown core of Mission altogether... where I had had the notion that I was going to purchase some coffee for the drive home.. and find find something for the chicklets.. but this didn't happen, and I didn't feel like back tracking.. MAN, Mission has traffic... The whole while the girl was stating her great need for something, of course failing to reach into her handy dandy pick a pea and feed for free bag.... NOOOOO, that just couldn't happen during this ride home.... Luckily through great skill and the power of a DVD, I talked her down, we even passed a McDonalds, as she is quite used to...

However.....I figured that it had turned out to be quite a nice day, despite a couple of psychotic setbacks... but hey, that happens, so you just move on, and enjoy.. and let be what was.. there's no changing what there's no changing... so
I knew of a place... called DAIRYQUEEN. Of course there is this whole driving thing that get's in the way... and I drove straight past it, then had to turn around, but then turned into the wrong street, and had to find my way out.. but we eventually made it to DAIRYQUEEN. Things were looking up.. except for the fact that the place was desolate.. not a soul around, inside or out... I got worried... but.. it was open... well, there was girl at the counter counting money, and wanted nothing to do with helping us. She wouldn't even say HI!, but what she did say was 'WHERE IS THE HELP'.. and out from behind the counter shot three astute friendly smiling young employees, I could tell by their matching uniforms. I pulled out my coupon... because not only am I crazy, I am also very cheap. It's a sad mix... but someone had to end up with it! I ask for TWO Peanut Buster Parfaits. The boy goes into meltdown mode, and just stares at me... (I'm thinking in my head... it's a freaking fancy sundae... which is all you want anyways...!!!!) He doesn't say anything to me, but rather sulks heavily at me, it's a Sundae Hamsterson be happy...he continues to glare. I have to add, he can talk, but chooses to use his form of "magical method of silent conduction of communication" and just looks at me. We all watch as the two girls put together to PB Parfaits, and then one proceeds to dump one onto the ground... where one scoops off the bad ice cream, and puts a lid on it and walks away... ( I was kind of thinking.. is that for the "non-witnessing drive-through customers).. anyways, she disappears with the "bad" sundae, and the other girl continues to start making another sundae. In a matter of moments we have THREE brand new Peanut Buster Parfaits staring at us, from the till. The "bad" sundae girl made another sundae, as well as the first sundae girl made another sundae.... we all laughed. OH, I lied, everybody ... but the boy. He doesn't laugh, he proceeds to walk to the other side of this very big Dairyqueen. We find a place to sit... where he refuses to eat his special treat.... ( the girl, much to his shallowness, is finally quiet)... and this is where he informs me... HE DOESN'T LIKE NUTS.

WHAT????????

I didn't know he didn't like nuts..... what day did nuts enter the unlikable list I asked him.... WHAT DAY??????????????????

After all of this.. I just wanted him to be happy... and have some happy freaking icecream... with some hot fudge... nothing fancy...so I scrounged in my lovely bright pink wallet and found another three dollars and twenty nine cents in coins, and sent him to find his happiness....WHAT A NUT!

And there you have... even without cooking, I have food preparation problems.. well, and navigational problems, and psychotic problems.. but we aren't focused on those right now....

I am so lost!

I have tried Google Earthing my SIL & BIL... and they are not to be found on the google earth map. I have now emailed for more instructions on how to find them via the computer world. How useless am I ... that I can't even find them on the computer... I could just imagine trying to send them mail... way back when, when there weren't such things as instant messaging, and emails. Yikes. So now that I am completely frustrated with google earth, I will turn to my next source of frustration, ... my book. I hope to finish it tonight, now that I have wasted three quarters of an hour looking for someone that isn't lost... except me.

And today would be....

I have found the computer. How lucky for all of us. I just need to figure out where I have been for the last number of days, now that is a challenge. Although, if I work backwards .. I should be able to retell some events.

1. For starters.. I woke up this morning. A good start to any day really. I hunted for my book on the nightstand (where I put it last night after reading it)... I absolutely have to finish this book, I am not feeling very connected to it, so therefore am having a "long" read time with it... but I will perservere.
2. Yesterday was a bit tediuous, I had another date at the dentist.. but this time it was the "cleaning girl", following that the boy needed his braces adjusted, so we had to make it to the orthodontist as well. I did not take the chicklets for their allotted chlorine time, hence the constant "chitter chatter let's attack one another" syndrome that most brothers and sisters are afflicted with in the summer time. Plus, we were at the mall.. where the boy believes that we should stand at attention for 3 1/2 solid hours, so he can stare at games. The girl on the other hand is following the good lead of her mother, and needs to own every single pair of shoes ever created. It turned out to be the boys turn to collect on the shoe gathering option.. and I bought him a new pair of runners, for the second time this year. Yes, this may seem a bit over the top and the generosity scale, compared to the girls "everything under the rainbow" footwear.. but she is a girl, with colourful outfits... so she must have the ensemble. I should note here that I however have gotten over the "shoe" thing for myself... I think the husbandman should count his lucky stars that I have two different size feet, and a foot that doesn't bend, which makes wearing high heels, open toes, sling backs, summer sandals, boots, slides, and flip flops a complete and total non-entity for me... hence the girls growing collection... I must live through somebody, since the boy only get's one pair of shoes on the "occasional" side. It should be noted also that the boy is the king of "pain in the ass" when buying runners. Believe it or not, he considers this type of shopping a valuable waste of time... where he could actually be playing his games. I did have to spell out to him, that he would not be playing his games today, in an effort to concentrate on the "ONE LOUSY PAIR OF RUNNERS" task. The last item on the list was then requested of him... to attempt to show his appreciation for buying him a second pair of runners this year, I asked him to walk around the store to make sure they felt right, and the ultimate request... he had to do it with a smile on his face, and not that disgusting sneer I had been staring at for the past hour and a bit. He managed... and the smile wasn't even crazy glued into place.
3. The day before was not so challenging, and yet interesting... I was the designated walking woman (the originators movie madness mother had hurt her foot, so I was the stand in) for the boy and his haram of girls, if that makes any sense at all. In reality this was a movie party, where other boys were invited, but jammed out due to their inability to feel confident with a group of crazy girls. The Hamsterson mind you, didn't care... it was his dream day come true, a date with just himself and the television. OH, plus a group of girls, which seemed to have no impact on him. I came to be the walking woman, as I was to collect this gaggle of girls, which took about two hours.. plus stop at the store to gather junk food. When the day was done and over, myself and the actual girls mother walked everybody home.. which took another two hours, as everyone had to hug and say good-bye.... except with the boy. He had managed to connect with another 12 year old boy that was staying at the movie madness mother's house... so he was along for the walk, even though we live the closest to the movie event. Now the girl was cured from her boredom as she went to the pool for her daily dose of chlorine... with her friend.. which she was inflicted with chlorine for many hours.. including that they also had to go to their favourite swimming event "swimfin"... where the girl overcomes her challenges remaining vertical on this earth.
4. The day before that brought no excitement...I spent the day at work, then came home in the knick of time to take the girl to the pool for a couple of hours where she had to endure the crazy and obnoxious girl from two doors down. I then watched the PIP endure this crazy chick tip her out of her pink inner tube, splash her continously in the face, dive down in front of her whenever the PIP attempted her handstands, and followed her like a bag of catnip when the PIP went to jump off the diving board. It was quite peculiar from my perspective.. so I finally motioned to the PIP to go into the deep water section, in the middle, and the crazy girl from two doors over wouldn't be able to torment her from there. I watched this the whole while I sat on the bleachers, trying to connect with my book. My impossible Soduko puzzle called to me louder than the unconnectable book.
5. I wont talk about Saturday... I spent the day at work.. doing workish things, funny how that happens.
6. Friday evening the King made some slushy pink girlie drinks... and there were actual grown up girls here to drink them. Even the census girl came knocking on my door... but I had to turn her and her census away from the pink fru-fru-ness... her and her census were intruders.. in a space where the census had already been filled out, but somehow the "snailmail" people were unable to deliver it....

Things I need to do today:

1. The dentist and I have a date. I wish I liked him. This is troubling...
2. Dry the towels from last nights swimming adventure.
3. Colour the interestingly faded and yet still dark but not dark enough hair.
4. Do not forget to bring the children to the dentist... they will be going on their swimming adventure after my dentist excursion.
5. Pack some snacks for the crazy children... that way they do not call home, while they are supposed to be happily swimming and wearing themselves out in the pool for four hours. Of course this limits the fighting time between them... which is ultimately my goal. .. my happiness... I still haven't gotten over being self centered... despite children.
6. Surprise the husbandman, and have some Friday food in the refridgerator.. he is so loved!
7. I will have to retrieve the chicklets from the public swimming pool in time to bring the girl to her finswim lessons.
8. Today would be a good day for chocolate for her!
9. Right, colour my hair.
10. I better write number nine on my hand, oh and my vitamins that cure stupidness.

Life on a Thursday

Little did I know that the cop friend of mine really disliked me.... he tried to off me... and not off a cliff, but rather crawling up the mountain to get to the cliff. I kid you not. But he didn't break me... I made it to the top of the cliff... with my walking stick and my heart kerchunking along... but I wouldn't say give... well I almost said give when the hill got so steep I wasn't entirely sure I could get back down again... again, I kid you not. Thank god for insight on the walking stick situation.... man oh man. Then... once we reached the very top of the cliff.. I wanted to chuck my lovely and handsome Hamsterson over the edge... as he did not put the camera in the bag, when I handed it to him, and said... "PUT THE CAMERA IN THE BAG". I was choked... choked and choked again.. mostly because I knew that I was not going to be making this trek probably ever again... and I missed out on a trillion pictures. It was a nice view while we were there. I kind of dreaded falling back down the mountain... but I managed to hold onto that fear... because it seemed that I was the only one with that fear. Well actually... what I really had going on was the visual of me falling into some obscure location, and unable to get up, covered in bear crap and leaves.. and some poor scrawny rescuer person in navy blue would be given the ultimate task of rescuing the high strung crazy lady with really bad hair... all the way back along the trail. Yes, that colourful image played continuously through my head, until I had safely made it through the forest. Yae Me.

And then....while I was out....

I was sitting in my 16 year old white rusting SUV reading another book that I am not sold on, and watching the chicklets swim in the public swimming pool that they had all to themselves.

My friend called me on my cell phone... she just called to let me know that there was a big black bear waffling about the trail right by our house. Lucky me... lucky me, that the only thing that I was watching at that moment were some "dial-a-dopers" doing transactions in their big black mercury car. Nice... very nice....and some really ugly skinny women busy being their customers. I think I am going to write a letter to the city... something to do with the fact that we need to dig up this pool, and place it in a spot that is much more suitable of a location... yes, I will get on that first thing in the morning...

I couldn't do this...

Yesterday we ventured downtown to see "Storyeum". The show itself was very good, although for the price (being the super cheap/thrifty person that I am), I am not convinced that I would be happy being a tourist and seeing this... and as I have just finished reading the book below...(and with a certain amount of insight as well).. I know that money doesn't buy happiness. Anyways... but this isn't what this is about... this is about PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION. Yes, I know ... there was no lead up...

Anyways....

The three of us find our way to the skytrain, and find three seats. The Hamsterson is temporarily happy, as he gets to complete view the ride from the back window. But the grass is always greener somewhere.... and he ends up sitting next to me, and then looking out the side window. Little did we know when we sat down that we had sat behind the monster with the cell phone. For thirty five minutes we sat and listened to the same story over and over and over again.... as she scrolled through her numbers, and kept calling people. I looked up at one stop and this man that had similar features of the devil glared at her.. I am sure that I saw horns peeping out of his thick dark mass of coiffed locks on top of his head, and a spike tail twitching behind him. I do not know how they treat a devil for a stroke... but I am certain his blood pressure was almost beyond the height of the pearly gates... after listening to this woman prattle on and on.

Two stops before our train exit, she bolts... leaving us in the billowing smoke from the overuse of her cellphone. Another reason why I do not commute... except in my vehicle.

Not what I expected:

Boy was I mistaken when I thought that this was to be DIABOLICALLY FUNNY... it was more like DIABOLICAL IDIOCY...

Visiting the city

Here is the boy... posing at the piano..


We were in Gastown earlier today...


This would be the moment of happiness... yes, and this is the end of that story

 

In her favourite location...

 

The garden girls...

We couldn't handle the PIP having bangs, "they" scared her brother, plus that included a new knickname... "BANGSY", so she is growing out her brand new bangs in an effort to keep things a little simpler in the home...

 

Life as we live it...

At this moment in time the skies have gone cloudy, which immediately changes the aura around us and the space we inhabit. It's an interesting feeling, with the exception that the crows are still noisy.

In other things interesting:

The BIL, SIL, nephew and niece are heading off to Australia . It also sounds easier than 11 simple words. Since they will be gone a year, they have had to pretend they are leaving for good, but really, will be coming back in a years time. They have also had to temporarily "give" their dog away. Interesting fact though... (I can never remember the name... how odd), but I believe they have an Australian cattle dog.. named TAZ. She's quite cute and they would have taken her, had she not had to spend half of the year in quarantine... We would have taken her, if we could have trusted what our "crazy, silly and very scared which equals unpredictable catdog" would have done with TAZ. Even still, if the home that they have leant her to doesn't work out... we will take her... and live the life of two dogs again... we would just make it work with the silly catdog.. I really think once the catdog were to realize that she doesn't need to fear other dogs she would be fine... it's the "what if" that keeps us separated from other dogs... and a huge vet bill.... yes, that sort of small things.. I will miss all of these guys greatly... even though I/we do not see them all the time, and they live about 10 minutes away... (that's counting waiting at lights to cross town).

... The known idiot parents on the crescent both yelled and raged at a bunch of the girls from the crescent on Sunday. The PIP was called a liar by these parents as well. Yes, it was quite interesting, and I missed it all. It was just as well.. I would probably have gone psychotic with these people. I can say they are nothing short of morons with social skills the level of moles. They have one child.. a girl... who is taking after them quite nicely.. and very unfortunately for her. I am a bleeding heart at the best of times, and I am trying to figure out for the life of me how I am going to encourage that the PIP try and play with "that" girl, without the fear of her parents screaming down her throat if she says something wrong to their girl. This is the same girl that PIP refers to her as playing with her is the same as "living in a torture chamber"... so the ideas of how to play with this menace (unfortunately) are coming slowly and painfully...

I was true to my word in regards to the chicklets and swimming. I told them that everyday that we were not doing something during the day... they would be at the public pool to swim... which is why yesterday... I dropped them off, with snacks, towels and brand new brightly coloured tubes to float on.... and with the added threat of "they were not allowed to exit the gates of the pool"... until they see my smiling face... OH, and in lessons learned by the "oh great-one" Hamsterson... I said to him that he needed sunscreen, he sneered at me, and told me he could do it himself.... well, you know the rest of the story....

Also.... last evening I said to the Hamsterson... "let's walk to Roger's"... (it's a video store). The boy couldn't get his shoes on fast enough... and this is a boy that doesn't like walking to school. On that notion.. away we went... to the video store (where he was desperate to buy a game), and then onto Save-on-Foods, to pick up our Storyeum tickets that I got with the points I had collected. We were gone for two hours out walking, but it was a beautiful night... and I told him that this is what summers were made of... I think he grew another 2 inches while walking, and a couple more degrees of handsomeness as well.

I am currently reading a (I think) funny book at the moment... the last two were rather serious... and I need something light and fluffy to rekindle the funny side of me.... On that thought... the catdog is outside in her favourite location at the moment... she is pining away for the husbandman to return.

As promised

Here I am with my cup of coffee.

The things that I know so far in this day:

1. I went to bed after 1:00 AM
2. I was awake again at 4:00 AM
3. I have listened to the morning birds sing, and the idiot crows do their noise thing.
4. I completed the Soduko puzzle that I couldn't do last night before 1:00 AM.
5. I took a handful of vitamins last night at 12:30 AM... so am I catching up, or being extra early??? (Well, since they do not seem to be working, I will overdose on them later today.... in great hopes that they will help with my every failing memory)
6. I have watered the flowers out in the front (to get a head start on the takeover husbandman gardening man).
7. I have checked my neighbours flowers that I have been in charge of since they went away.
8. I wandered down the street to the open field and took a bunch of sunrise pictures.... although if I wanted real sunrise, I should have left earlier.. while I was busy watering flowers... now the pictures that I have taken all have trees strategically placed in them, due to the yellow orb in the pictures...
9. I have spied: the Vancouver cop leaving for work, the running paperman delivering our paper, and "Leo" and his dad out for a walk... (Leo is a beautiful golden retriever... and I don't have a clue what the owners name is.. other than he makes red wine, and he walks his dog....)
10. AND....I am drinking a lovely cup of java....

This is what happened...

Only moments ago...... I was trying to clean up after our dinner from earlier with the people traveling/working in Australia for a year. I was very capably tidying up the dishes, and cleaning out the sink... all on my very own... when the contractorman turned housekeeper tells me that the dishwasher is almost empty. On that tip alone... away I went and started emptying the dishwasher... still, I was not having any great difficulties with this. Without a moment to spare, the contractorman turned housekeeper swoops in and takes my spot in the dishwasher location. He moves at the speed of light, and travels in silence..... in mind and body... and completes the task.

I had to explain to the traveling BIL that this is the way it is in this house... I am incapable of doing things because when the contractorman turned housekeeper is around... he is the one that does stuff.... and I am only underfoot. This isn't a complaint, but the actual truth.... plus he does it in silence. I am not complaining, rather explaining.... the only deal that I complain about is the watering of the flowers...

Now, back to my Soduko puzzles and vitamins, which are really not working on my logic or memory at the present time.

Things I am currently thrilled about:

... I will be drinking a cup of coffee in the morning... with cream. I have been out of coffee this past week, and had to finally stop and get some today. I should invite my friend Susan over.... (I once made her stop and pick up cream.. OK, and to come clean on the cream... I even made the people that are leaving for Australia do the same...(but not today.. on an occasion previous to this, and the cream event wasn't the event that made them leave the country either)...... I am just not the dream cream queen that I would hopefully seem.

I don't work enough

The king is idle. Now that the king is temporarily idle from his contractorman chores, he has taken it upon himself to start the housely tidying duties. He has managed quite nicely I have to admit. The whole house was tidied by the time I made it home yesterday. You have to love that. Of course I had planned on this very course of action, for the next week... and he managed it in one day. I can't figure it out.

BUT.... I was traumatized to see him happily talking on the phone, and watering my plants earlier this morning. Now that is not allowed.. under any circumstances. I water my flowers... only me! Yes, ME ME ME!!!! I should reveal the awful truth about it... it is only because I love to water, it's as simple as that. Now he has gone and found out my secret.... I must make him hate it somehow... I must I must I must.....

Today's other duties accomplished by him is another long list, including the making of some potato salad. Oh brother...

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...