Chicken rolly up ---- for breakfast...

I was busy building the boy his lunch. He likes my lunches, or more so.. he likes having his lunch made for him. (He doesn't know any other way actually...) But it struck me... these rolly ups are looking so good. Mind you, they were pretty basic, as the boy only does basic food. Today was going out on a limb by packing his food with colour attached. Todays rolly up was a tomato basil wrap, hence the colour addition of red. He was quite willing to eat it up...so he told me. Things were looking so good that I thought about building one for myself.. right then and there... but do you have a chicken rolly up for breakfast or not? I am not entirely sure if "mayonnaise" is breakfast. I could eliminate it from the rolly up... but then... why have the rolly up at all. Hmmm.

In other thoughts that plagued me last night.... just before I closed my eyes for the night.... is living in the ocean at night any easier than in the day. I mean, I hate walking down the hall at night to the bathroom, let alone swimming in a big ocean for hours on end in darkness.

A good thing, or not a good thing

We have discovered lime wire. Well, I have known about it for quite some time, but I was ignoring the fact that it was around. The boy has jumped all over this like it was the ultimate in video games. So, apparently I am going to be down loading something that is going to take about three days to complete. That boy of mine has about two dozen items waiting in the wings to be slotted in. I don't believe I have enough internet time to make him happy. ... on that thought... I need to go and double check if I have umlimited time, or something silly like "150 hrs"... which I'm believing that to be the case. Oh where is my memory when I really need it.

Creature Feature

Current conditions: raining
Current conditions: raining
Current conditions: raining
Current conditions: afraid of the rain

 

Current Furniture conditions.....

The husbandman was busy moving around the furniture last night... with all his big talk. I asked him why he needs to move all the furniture around.. it is fine where it is. I just love to get him going... he flips out.. and he complained that things look awful... all these couches, and nowhere to put them. I think he might have flung his hands about, but I could be mistaken... and the fact that he talked about it for a whole 2 minutes was indication that he might be unhappy with all the extra furniture floating about. I believe that my chuckling most certainly got him frustrated. But, he is so much fun to watch "almost-kind of-maybe" have a hissy fit!!!

Tick tick tick goes the christmas clock...

Ok, it's time to start making a move in the Christmas Department. Even though I am not undertaking my currently kind of layed up by her knee friend and her 50 freaking home made christmas cards... I am undertaking other feats, that may be too much of a feat... I will know on the christmas eve when I am still up scurrying about doing things until the wee hours of the morning.... I can say that none of it will be baking adventures. I have no time to waste, there is too much to do.

In other things that might be exciting....

I have very bravely asked to have the 23rd and 24th of December off. I really didn't think that I would still be working at my current place of employment for the past 19 years, this year.. so I didn't book off any holiday time for the Saturday and Sunday before christmas. I have now decided that I most definitely would like the days off... as the husbandman is off as well... and he likes to talk when life gets busy... so I met get a whole years worth of talking in, in the five short days. This is truly a grand adventure. I hope the planets are in alignment with this request.

Other things on my mind....

I bought a brown sweater the other day. I don't own any brown. But I had to, because I bought a pair of brown pants. I am not sure why I did that either. I wore them both together, and then I felt like a piece of chocolate. I guess better feeling like chocolate than feeling like shit. Ha Ha.

I am thinking that I am going to use that link up there to advertise for The Stroke Recovery Association of BC. That just might be a good idea. It would be good for people to know that there is such a thing that exists out there.... as it really does help a lot of people. We are not part of the Heart & Stroke Foundation, as they are around for research and education. yes, I have made my mind up.

Life in the blue chair

Little Miss Milly busy pondering life from her blue chair. Well, pondering life on top of a beach towel that is. This is where she likes to stay, when she isn't busy sleeping on her green leather couch. This also would be another view of the currently very ugly kitchen, that will eventually be replaced... perhaps that is what the little miss milly is busy thinking about... "oh what a lovely chair... too bad that it has to be placed in a dumpy space...., oh well.. I will close my eyes and dream of pretty kitchens while I sleep in my blue chair..."

Anyways, she is a very patient little thinking dog, as I took about a dozen pictures of her in this chair... and she never moved for one of them... it didn't help that I was busy taking pictures of her in the dark, and the flash has temporarily blinded her... but she has remained faithful to her blue chair... This blue chair is suppposed to be in the new family room eventually... except that is only being built after the new kitchen... I think it may gather some dust in the process.

 

The King Despairs:

With all this winter weather the King has not had the chance to perform some of his Kingly duties. As luck would have it.. the King likes Christmas lights. Lots of them. The strings are lines up in the garage ready to go. Now all he needs is the the cooperation of the weather, and the time to perform this great task.

With another weekend upon us... I am thinking that The King will make it to the great outdoors and set his kingdom of christmas lights... we could be up and shining by the end of the weekend.

Some of the sights from yesterday:

Out our front door last night
A warm place among the snow
I was surpised to see the deer meandering about
I found this in the sky.

 

Perk me up...

Last night the stalker arrived on the doorstep to do some Costco shopping. Just because I am a good stalker sister, I went along for the ride, although I could have just as comfortably stayed at home, and accomplished some very small tasks... (like fixing the cushions on the extra couch in the living room, or removing the "folded" socks from the end of the bed.. you know, that kind of stuff). I didn't even take a cart with me inside the store. I went throught the cash out... with my debit card neatly tucked in my pocket. We left and headed out to a great little shopping plaza in Pitt Meadows.. once again, the card stayed in my pocket, and continued to keep me warm.

Yes... the Christmas season is quickly upon us.. and I am still in avoidance mode! I will get my thought processes together soon... as I have little time left to sit and ponder...

I got my first Christmas card today...........gah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Warm to the core.

My friend from up the hill will certainly attest to this next statement:

I have drank a glass of red wine, and am now warm to the core. It is time to start practicing my one christmas song... because one glass of red wine makes you an excellent performer.... especially with the ear phones plugged into the digital piano... I am a legend in my own mind.

In other things amazingly useless:

I believe that I accomplished not many things today. I even had the opportunity to, but I was not successful.

I did however shovel the drive at 8:00 in the morning, drove 3 children to 3 different schools all before 9:00 a.m. As I was dropping off the boy at his middle school, I thought to myself: he is one cute hunk of a child. It didn't help matters any that he was sporting a very lovely Canucks jacket with the colour blue enhancing those dazzling blue eyes that he owns. Then I hunted for winter pictures with the little digital. I made a bunch of phone calls that seemed pertinent to the current weather conditions, and thus continued to manage to cancel my Stroke Group today. I figured out that Windows XP does not burn onto DVD's. I was happy to finally figure this out. After that was done I stood in a hot shower for an extended period of time and shampood the currently fairly ugly locks. These locks of mine are fairly bizarro at the moment, and there seems to be no end in sight to the chaos that rides atop of this head. I eventually left the homestead, and sat in a very long line up at Tim Horton's. I decided that it wasn't worth wading through the mushy and icy parking lot for a cup of coffee, so I had to sit and wait patiently. Damn that patience! Amazingly I managed. I drove over to the mother's house, so that I could shovel her driveway. She had already had that accomplished. I believe that people were lining up at her door to help her out. I visited for a short while, and even managed to bring home 1/2 a dozen muffins that she had just made. I was going to stop at the most expensive grocery store but I didn't feel like battling bags, and icy parking lots and the cold, so I continued on home. I fuddled about with bits and pieces of laundry and dishes, and other boring such endeavours, and then eventually set out to collect the PIP. It was a beautiful day for a walk, but then I had to remind myself that I really hate walking in the snow. Well, it wasn't snow that I was walking on, but rather ice. Ice isn't fun to walk in. Once I was home I continued to do a final clean up of the driveway... as the king would not be happy if I didn't completely clean the driveway from white stuff. We don't want to make the king unhappy... not that he holds much clout, but rather he is a fixity sort of fellow.. and we would like very much for that habit to continue. The PIP was in a fowl mood as her playdate that she thought she had planned for after school didn't pan out. Somehow through the course of the afternoon plans had been changed.. so the PIP ended up playing with the fairly wonky child a couple of doors down. She politely excused herself after a while, so she could continue her fowl mood with me indoors. Me, being the loving caring mother only occasionally asked her to take her fowl mood into her bedroom, where she could reorganize it, and come out a new girl. During that time I fiddled with dishes and laundry, because you know.. I really wanted to feel complete. Her personality transformation eventually happened... but by that time I was going to collect the boy from his finswimming. When I arrived home the husbandman had appeared in the homestead, and was busy making dinner. You have to like that. Then the husbandman spoke to me. It was a most wierd experience. Which is why I am writing about it now. But I will stop.... as the piano is sitting waiting for my warmed up by red wine fingers to start plucking out tunes..... any minute.... any minute.... any minute...

If I was truly a good one.. I would start a scarf that I want to give to my mom....but that is only if I was truly good.....this red wine is giving me much false hope. It is best if I stick with the piano.. at least all the mistakes I make will be instantaneous.. and not gaping holes in a gift!

HA!

Bling bling.

The Chickster Pipster just gave me a chuckle.

I heard her hunting around her room, and I knew she was up to something. She has waltzed out here now with her "Reitman's commercial" walk, and has modelled her new fashionable belt. It has 3 cell phones hanging from it, and all in different locals.

She excuses herself, as the fake cell rings a bling bling...."talk to me" she answers.... and wanders away with her Reitmans' commercial walk and strikes up a conversation with a phantom cell phone person.

I fear her. She is one that would give a nut tree a run for it's money.

A HA!

At last I know... I have had this question pondering around in my brain... but it couldn't be answered until... NOW!

Yes, really and truly... I could not answer this question until this time of year. It is a rather silly question.. but it is something that I didn't take notice of, or even thought of until earlier this summer. I am even impressed that I remembered the question. Cheers to using that other 90 % of that brain that we supposedly do not even remotely use.

Ok... and the plaguing question is....

Do the stars come out at dinner time?

Yes, it is a silly question.. but I really didn't know, until now.

And yes... yes they do...

Holy freaking fridgemagnets!!

It's a deepfreeze out there!

I walked to pick up the PIP, and whew who... was it ever cold! WE did enjoy the fridgid walk mind you, and soaked up the beautiful white scenery along the way. I was having a good hair day until the walk.. but now it is just it's usual wild woman looking head of hair now.

Tomorrow it will be a drivable day to school... I wont be doing the walking thing again!

Aaaaah, the beauty of white!

 

Get it all here...

Real snow happening right here.. right now.
Pictures at eleven... or later, as it is currently dark outside, and cold, and that's just ick!!
There is something definitely to be said about "yesterday's news!".

 

Feeling Blue?

Blue... in his favourite spot, right at the counter, waiting for crumbs to drop.

 

Just another day...

This week has been a bit tortuous on the tear ducts. Even though the events didn't directly affect me, they affected me in a very large way.

My Mom had a very special dog which landed on her doorstep about 2 1/2 years ago. His name was Blue. He was a beautiful yellow/blond lab, with big brown eyes. He not only sported an unbelievabley soft fur coat, but a beautiful disposition. He wasn't a pup when she got him, and when he arrived he had all kinds of issues that needed doctoring and care. My mom was just the person for the job. When he arrived, he couldn't hear, due to the badly infected ears that he had. Over time my mom dealt with all of his ailments, and eventually when you called his name, he could hear you calling him. He became her shadow, anywhere she was, he was. Blue was the guy that kept my mom and dad connected during the final months of my dad's life, when there was nothing left to talk about... there was always something to talk about, with Blue. He was the soft head that she patted during those long hours before my dad passed away. He was the four legged friend that eased her into a new life, on her own, without a human companion any longer.

It had come to light about two months ago that he had some new troubles, and it seemed that human intervention wouldn't fix him, or they could try, but they weren't certain it would work. It didn't seem right to extend the life of a companion that had shown more love & devotion in the short 2 1/2 years that my mom had him, all for the sake of not having to feel the pain of his loss before she wanted.

I just saw Blue on Tuesday, bounding about on one of his many cushions, and then to the next. Happy to be a part of this home, where extreme comfort was his only complaint. Unfortunately that very night, he had a turn for the worse, and my mom was faced with taking her best friend and have him put down. Nothing has been the same since. She had to say good-bye to the one thing that had kept her connected to her last best friend, my dad.

My mom claimed that she wasn't sure if she could do this again, but then my cousin called, and told her of a 6 month old chocolate lab that needed a good home..... and you just can't say NO to chocolate...

Clarification on the miles

I was talking to my friend the other day about the airmiles problem that I have. I told her that I was most disappointed in the airmiles for dollars amount that one would receive. Even the bonus coupons weren't really bonus coupons. Things weren't looking all bonussy for me, but I still went shopping anyways. I went looking for some sort of deals. I had made it to the freezer section and spotted all kinds of blue airmiles tags. This is what I found:

Buy ten participating products and get 100 airmiles. ( OK, I will admit... I do like the Stouffer's Lean Quisine, they were 3 for nine bucks...!!)

Then I bought 5 bags of perogies with 50 bonus airmiles, and it was the same thing for the frozen stir-fry vegetables. I made it to the bread section, and found that they had tortilla wraps, or what are those things called... some kind of round wrap flat thingys... anyways... I bought five packages of those, which earned me another 50 airmiles.

I made it up to the checkout counter and as I was in line I realized that I wasn't going to hit the minimum $200.00 for the 250 airmile coupon... I made it to $186.00.... so I had to quickly look around to find something to buy, to round up the figure to two hundred. Fortunately for me, I spotted batteries. The bill came to $202.00.

Ahhhhh..... a sigh as I handed over the coupon for the 250 bonus airmiles.

I'm flying somewhere...

But not today!

I visited the most expensive grocery store in the world earlier this evening... and I racked up a good solid 500 airmiles. It made me smile...I'm still smiling...one day I will be smiling when I'm flying.. with all these airmiles. In the meantime.. I think I am going to purchase the PIP some super magnified binoculars with a built in digital camera, all with airmiles!

People, people, people....

Today was my Stroke Group day. I am getting quite nervous about this fine group of people. I am nervous because I am never quite sure who is going to show up, and how many people I may or may not have. I plan, organize & hunt for new activity ideas every week, just so that each person can be met with some level of success to take away from the group. I am beginning to find this rather challenging, as I only have had myself to bounce ideas off of, and my thought processes are beginning to dry up. The whole bucket over the head for sound effects just doesn't seem to be working for me any longer.

A number of weeks back, when I was completely puzzling over what we were going to be doing for the month of November.. I came up with cake day. Cake day was today... November 20th, for whatever reason. It seemed a reasonable sort of "fun idea" at the time. It really did. Luckily I was scanning the flyers last night, and the most expensive grocery store in the world was having a sale on cakes... they always have a good assortment of cakes. I was in luck. Although I would have had better luck if they would have had all the cakes that they had in the flyer. I felt a bit "dogged" when it came to missing the airmiles on the cake sale, especially when more than half the case was empty. I wondered if the cake pigs had already come and gone before 11:00 in the morning. I managed to pick up a chocolate pudding ring thing, a lemon delight, and the standard carrot cake, with the thickly added carrot icing on top.

I haul my bags into the community centre, and I am ready to roll with my jokes, and my word games for the men and woman. I had to do men and woman word games today due to the fact that I had to due some BC Lions trivia since they won the grey cup yesterday. ( I admitted on the scale of 1 - 10 my love for football sat somewhere in the NEGATIVE 275 mark). Since it was cake day, I managed to find some trivia games about baking and stuff. This was hugely funny on a much larger scale, since the majority of food that I speak of are the things that the King creates in the decrepit kitchen. The members of my group fear my stories of cooking creations that actually come from me, I end up being a huge source of entertainment when it comes to me in the cooking department. (( Although I should point out... for dinner tonight I did manage to put together a mean batch of pumpkin soup.. which the PIP and I loved...., and the husband who didn't want to eat the leftovers from last night suddenly was interested after all.... now talk about a score!)) Eventually when I get all my crap together... I start cutting up cake.. of course this was after I told everybody that I had made them... and the people that have known me for a long time knew that I was the queen of BS!! We all enjoyed the cake... people may have enjoyed the fact that it was not direct from my kitchen...

Anyways... this story is nothing to do with any of this business, well kind of not really...it kind of something to do with this:

I was a rather bit emotional last week as I had got word that one of our group members had become terminally ill. The granddaughter of the lady called me the other night to inform me that she had passed away. It was sad to hear, of course it was, but that is life. We all die. This lady would have been 84 on Wednesday. She volunteered at my group because she liked everyone in it, and, at the time that she wanted to volunteer for us, she needed an excuse to leave the group that she was volunteering at.. she didn't care for them anylonger. "They weren't right for her", she had said to me. She had started volunteering 5 years ago at our group, and her kindness, charm and warm smile made the day even nicer. She had the wicked-ess Bocce Ball arm anyone could imagine.. as she just considered it to be a bowling ball, and the carpet was her alley. This always sent everyone into hysterics, including herself. She instilled the thought in me that it is always the little things that you can do for people that can make the biggest impact. I have sometimes heard the saying of: "the world is a nicer place, just because you are in it". This speaks volumes for our friend. Now that she has departed it is up to the people that she met along the way, to carry on with the same kindness and consideration for the many others that mark our path. It was a privilage for me to meet such a fine teacher.

I brought a card to the group for everyone to sign. I was a bit teary eyed when I asked for people to sign a card, that this wasn't a very happy one. Two of the members asked me if it was a card for another person. To my absolute shock, I had been fretting over telling people about the loss of one person, when I was lambasted with the news of another loss. I just stood for a moment, and then walked out of the building. (( OK, and this is where the story was supposed to start... you know, with the title.... )).

It was grand central station outside all of a sudden... so there I am, kind of double teary eyed over the news of someone else... and every single TOM, DICK, & HARRY was outside waving at me, stopping to talk with me, striking up conversation, and calling at me. I am chatting and wiping with the right hand, and then with the left hand, and waving with the left, and wiping with the right... so I walked away from the chaos, just to have a moment... and along comes super psycho motor mouth talking man... he was wailing and talking to someone upstairs I think.. I decided at that very moment the safest bet was to go back inside where the group was, and we could talk about what ever it was we were going to talk about... because after all.... on a day which you would wish not to celebrate... we did have cake!

People, people, people......