Ooooo-ooh, FIRE!

Edited to include a few more photos.

Note: The following photos (with the exception of the last one) were taken from various media sources in our area. We did not take these pictures ourselves. In the interests of protecting our privacy as best we can, we have not linked back to the media sources in question. We have made a note of who took the original photos. If you are one of the photographers and would like for us to take down a photo, please contact us to request the photo's removal.

**********
They say it started with an explosion.


Apparently, it was initially in a garage. A beautiful garage of a beautiful house. The new owners had just recently moved in. H and I love that house. We have walked past many times. When we saw the for sale sign over summer, we called right away. But it was already pending.


Investigations are ongoing. Arson is suspected.


The winds were gusting at great speeds overnight, and the fire spread rapidly to neighbouring properties. Including the home of one of my childhood friends.


Her car was out back, in the detached garage.


I awoke in the wee small hours of the morning to the sounds of sirens. And then more sirens. And then even more sirens. Initially disoriented, it took some time before I realized the emergency vehicles were right out front. But then I rushed to the window to see what might be happening on our street.


Orange smoke was billowing. Flames leaped into the sky, as the sparks flew. This looked bad. Really bad. And it looked close. Really close. The hydrant on our stretch of road was being used to combat the flames. I awoke H, who left to see just how close the fire was to our home.


When he returned, it was with bad news. Three houses were already engulfed. Several garages were aflame. H had watched as the flames leaped from the third house to the fourth, and then saw another garage catch fire. No one was working on garages. Saving houses was the only priority. Just as it should have been. The fire was close. Too close. And the winds were pushing it toward us.


As firefighters worked to contain the blaze, neighbours fought to keep the flames from claiming their own homes. Garden hoses were employed, and houses and garages were hosed down. Neighbours woke one another, and assistance was offered as needed. No one wished to lose so much.


The winds continued to gust. The fires continued to blaze. And as the sparks flew and the flames spread, we began to worry for our safety. The fire continued to move toward our house. It was moving rapidly.


Even though firefighters were at work trying to contain the blaze, we did not feel secure in our home. At 5:30, we decided to evacuate. I think that was the safest choice.


The fire was contained in our absence. Our house is unaffected. Several of the neighbouring houses, cars, and garages are lost. Others have suffered significant damage. But no lives were lost. No residents were injured. And any emergency worker injuries are classed as minor non-life-threatening injuries.


Yesterday was Canadian Thanksgiving, and I have a great deal to be thankful for.


Today, I am thankful that all lives were preserved. I am thankful that everyone got out in time. I am thankful for the emergency workers, for their skill and their quick response time, which prevented the blaze from spreading any further. I am thankful that we had a place to go when we needed to evacuate. I am thankful for my home, which is still standing strong. I am thankful that the beautiful house that we had liked so much was already pending when we called about it. I am thankful that my friend, whose home was lost to the blaze, has family who will help her. I am thankful for the outpouring of concern and caring by my wonderful family and friends, and for all of the phone calls and emails from people who wanted to know that our family was okay. And I am thankful that we have something worth protecting and preserving, and that we can recognize exactly what that something is.


It's a good day to be thankful for stuff.

Money, money, money

The bills pour in. I hate bills. But they are usually the only thing in my mailbox. Bills and flyers.

The car broke down this week. It's an expensive repair job. And we've had a number of other expenses crop up lately. School registration and accommodation expenses spring readily to mind, but there are others. We're behind in payments. And while I'm on mat leave, our income is considerably reduced.

More pressing concerns exist. Family illnesses. The inevitable demise of the cat I have had for 17 years. Concerns surrounding J's poor eating. Time constraints. Weight issues. Not to mention ...

And yet, all other thoughts go on the backburner and my throat tightens every time I open my mailbox.

My mailbox is my nemesis.

"Wouldn't it be great to live in a world with no money", thinks the accountant. Illogically. Knowing that such a world is an impossibility and if one existed her skillset would be completely unnecessary. Knowing that without competitive greed, mankind's sole motivator would be survival. Such motivation results in desperation. Reversion to basic instincts. Desperate people do desperate things. I shudder at the thought.

I am wrong. Money is not the root of all evil. The root of all evil is quite clear. The root of all evil is my mailbox. It must be destroyed. And I must destroy it.

Or maybe I just need more sleep and some happy pills. Who can tell.

The first time ever I clawed your face

So, I figure we're going to have to put the cat down. We think she's in some pain now, and this may be in her best interests. Besides, with two young children, having a cat who incessantly pees outside of the litter box just seems ill-advised. We're looking into it.

I love this cat very much. Despite the fact that she is perhaps the bitchiest animal in history. She has been with me for 17 years. She has sought attention. Blatantly deceived me into allowing her to sleep in my bed, despite my allergies and asthma. She has had pouty fits, if you can believe that of an animal, but I swear it's true. She has a snarly, scratchy, angsty sounding meow. She is completely anti-social. And she never purrs. She has at times escaped the house and ran down the street, trying to attack other larger more fierce cats, who were actually terrified of her. She weighs about 5 pounds. But she is a terror. A force to be reckoned with, indeed.

At times, she has been hospitalized at the vet. They bear the scars. There are notes in her file - a record of her past bad behaviour. "VERY grumpy today!!!", for example. (Note: "VERY" was actually underlined three times!) And when small children came in and asked to pet the little kitty, they were tactlessly deflected from putting their little fingers anywhere near her kennel for fear that they may lose digits. At her annual check-ups, we and the vet have been able to see the wheels turning ... she is trying to figure out the best way to kill her doctor. She always looks totally pissed off and defiant, and she clearly thinks she could take him if she really wanted to. I know he feels it, too. He made a note about it in the file.

But she has been like a child to me. Despite her many moods. She is quite sweet to us, as long as there are no pills or needles involved. She loves to cuddle. And she gives us lots of kisses. Aside from the whole peeing thing, she's been great with the kids, too, and has never so much as hissed at J, who loves to torment her with too much loving.

It's a hard decision, and one that we have been struggling with for some time.

I called the vet today to find out about appointments and prices. It's damn near $200!! Nearly $100 to euthenize her, and about $90 more for cremation. And this ain't no fancy-shmancy cremation either. No coffin. No urn of ashes received by the family to ceremoniously sprinkle over her favourite spot. No kitty memorial service with a heartfelt eulogy. No, no. None of that. They just stuff your dearly departed in a pet furnace and light 'er up.

I told all of this to H. Who wanted to know how much it would be for the snazzier cremation, where you do get the urn of ashes.

T: I don't know. I didn't ask.
H: No?
T: I didn't think we needed it.
H: Oh ...
T: I'm not going to keep the ashes. It's morbid.
H: Well, yeah.
T: And I wouldn't know where to sprinkle them. She's a housecat, for crying out loud!
H: True.
T: I mean, her favourite spot is on our bed! But I ain't sprinkling no ashes there.
H: Well, no! Ok. So we don't need the ashes then.
T: No. I don't think so. I wouldn't know what to do with them.
H: You know what she'd want us to do with them, don't you?
T: Yes! Sprinkle them on our bed!
H: No. She'd want us to throw them forcefully back in the vet's face.

I laughed so hard tears came. I laughed because he's right. She's that crotchety senior who hates everyone. Especially her vet. And if cats could make wills, I swear that would be in hers.

I picture the vet, a look of complete shock on his face, as he stands there covered with the ashes of 5-pound dead kitty remains. And I picture H & I, standing solemnly before him, empty urn in hand. "That's the way she would have wanted it", H would say.

And then we'd probably be charged with assault, and our other cat would be permanently banned from the office, and ...

So yeah. The "bargain" $90 cremation thingy it will be, I figure. If we can manage to get it together enough to do this in the first place.

As an aside, this is one of the many reasons why I love H so much. I love him because he can always make me laugh. Even at those incredibly low times, when nothing else can make me smile. I can always rely on him. And for that, I am incredibly grateful.

Sonic youthful exuberance

Today, I am attempting the impossible, going where no man has gone before, and hitching my wagon to that proverbial star. In other words, I am trying to painstakingly and systematically clean every last inch of my house in a brazen effort to finally figure out why everything smells of cat pee.

Ah, the happy times to come. Times when I shall walk through my front door and be greeted by the pleasant scent of Lemon Pledge. Or perhaps Swiffer solution. Windex. Really, just something generally clean and fresh smelling instead of, as has too often been the case of late, the unmistakable smell of lime air freshener vainly attempting to cover over the horrible stench of cat urine coming from God only knows where.

The offending cat is 17 years old now. I think that's somewhere around 189 in cat years. So she is decidedly a senior cat. And she has had kidney failure for the past eight years. She has been maintained with a special diet, a hefty regimen of pills, and rehydrating fluid injections when required. Giving her pills is not a great deal of fun. We have been hissed at, scratched, and have nearly lost digits in the effort. You wouldn't think such a tiny cat could possibly be so feisty, but she just is. Crabby old thing! She makes senior abuse sound like really just a fabulous idea.

Anyway ...

Of late, her regimen is not working as well as it has in the past. She is regularly dehydrated. She is moving slower. She doesn't eat enough, and is losing weight. And she was already really tiny, so doesn't have a lot of wiggle room on that one. When she first got sick, we had to force-feed her to get enough food into her to keep her going. But once she turned the corner, she stopped needing that, and it has been years since we have had to wrap her up in a towel and sit beside her on the bathroom floor, H prying her mouth open and me putting my finger into the viciously stinky, sabre-toothed chasm and sticking wet protein-reduced catfood to the roof of her mouth.

Clearly, we love our cat and have been quite devoted to her through the years. We had thought about putting her down when she appeared to be suffering. But she pulled through, and has been quite comfortable for most of her eight-year illness.

But now, she has a slow, pained gait. She is reluctant to climb stairs. She vomits several times a day - sometimes on our bed, which I must confess that I do not appreciate. And she pees outside of the litter box. I thought it was only in the front entranceway, but after having swept, washed, scrubbed, and all but deep fried the entire front entranceway in a mixture of savoury herbs and seasonings, the house still reeks of cat pee. And I have thus far been unable to locate the offending source.

So today, with a 3-year old on one side and a 3-month old on the other, I search, cleaning as I go, attempting to find out where that blasted cat is peeing. If only I were Toucan Sam, I could just follow my nose. But sadly, I am only human, and the smell permeates everything and cannot be located.

And so I have not yet found today's source. And I wonder if I am going quite mad, and imagining that I smell cat urine everywhere. Seriously. H can never smell it. So maybe it's all in my mind. Maybe I'm about to have a stroke or something, and this is the warning sign. Or maybe it's just a special gift of mine - superhuman sense of smell - because H generally smells it once I have located a spot and have begun to move the furniture so that I can clean it. But that can't be it. Because with superhuman sense of smell, I would be able to just follow the smell to the appropriate spot, where it is at its strongest. To follow my nose, if you will. Like Toucan Sam. And I would then know where she was peeing. Oh, the cleanliness I could unleash upon my house if only I had the powers of the Toucan.

Anyway ...

I decided to clean the toilet. Please don't misunderstand. It's not that I'm insane. And I do not believe that the cat is peeing in the toilet. (But wouldn't it be great if she would?) It's just that, in my wanderings of looking for the source of offending odour, I encountered a bathroom. And since I was methodically cleaning everything in my path, it only made sense to continue. So the toilet needed to be cleaned, polished, and made all nice and lemon-fresh.

Now, throughout my chores, and throughout this post, I have been met with frequent interruptions. Interruptions such as: "I want Cars!"; "I don't want Cars - I want ... this one!" "No, not that one ... I want - Shrek!"; "I think there's pee in me"; "I don't want to go pee-pee"; "They're up like Grandpa-pants - I don't want that"; "I wanna watch Enchanted!"; "No! Not that, not that, not that!!"; and, my personal favourite, "The Bugs Bunny & Tweety Show freaks me out". But nothing could have prepared me for what was about to come.

Anyway ...

Proudly brandishing the toilet brush, I marched toward the offending bowl to do battle. And that is when it happened. That is when I heard it. The sound of utmost youthful exuberance, which will most certainly not last into his teen years. (But wouldn't it be great if it would?)

J: What's that? Is that a toilet brush? I want that! I want that thing!! I WANT TO CLEAN THE TOILET!!!

I said no. I tried desperately to keep the toilet brush away from J. I told J that the toilet bowl and toilet brush were both icky, germy things, and that I didn't want him to touch them. I sat him down and talked logically and rationally.

J: I WANT TO CLEAN THE TOILET!! I WANT TO CLEAN THE TOILET!! GIVE IT TO ME!! LET ME CLEAN THE TOILET!! WAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!

I thought his head would explode as he lay on the floor, kicking and screaming, having an out-and-out tantrum, demanding, sobbing, and pleading for the toilet brush by turn. Seriously? I'd love it if he would clean the toilets for me all the time. But I think that borders on child abuse.

Anyway ...

The toilet is now clean. Wonderfully shiny and polished. I cleaned it. J did not. I am no nearer to finding the source of the cat pee smell. And J is on to a new tantrum. He wants a drink of water. And he wants to drink it out of one of N's baby bottles. A specific baby bottle. Which he has misplaced. And which I am to find. Immediately. And if I don't, he will move his rocking chair into the kitchen and climb on top of it to look over the counter at his dinosaur eggs in their make-shift aquarium - but that's a topic for another time - and probably fall off and crack his head open. And what one of these things has to do with the other, I can't possibly understand. Because it's 3-year old logic, and I am ... well ... not 3.

Must go save child from cracking head open. Must find misplaced baby bottle for 3-year old. And must continue in search of offending cat pee stench.

It's going to be a fabulous day.

The times, they are a-changin'

Thirty or forty years ago, children were routinely formula fed. Medical professionals recommended they sleep on their stomachs. Carseats did not exist. Daddies earned the money while mommies stayed at home to care for the house and children. Solids were introduced early. Honey was soothing. Bumper pads were considered essential. Bike helmets did not exist.

So we can safely say that a lot of things were different a lot of years ago.

Three years ago, children started solids at 4-6 months, and one new food was introduced every third day. Formula was generally frowned upon, and bottle feeding in general was kept to a minimum, as it was thought to cause nipple confusion.

And this year, pediatricians recommend exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months followed by the addition of a new solid every day. Formula may be used for supplementation, though this is not generally recommended; pumped breastmilk is better, and may be given by bottle, but not in the BPA-containing plastic variety. Other forms of plastic are fine, as are glass.

Today, we have carseats. Babies sleep on their backs. Bumper pads are considered dangerous. Honey is not allowed in the first year. And a stay-at-home parent is a luxury, while dual incomes are the norm.

Also, bike helmets are mandatory.

I turned out fine. And because of, or perhaps despite, the new standards, I expect my children will also turn out fine. All we can do is what is deemed best at the time. Armed only with current knowledge, we can do no more than what we have been taught is right. And it always seems to work.

Do you let them cry it out? Is co-sleeping safe? When should potty training be complete? How should time-out be structured? Are soothers a good thing? Cloth or disposable? Daycare, dayhome, nanny, or stay-at-home?

Everyone is happy to share their opinions. Whether asked, wanted, or otherwise. Unsolicited parenting advice abounds.

"But things have changed since then", I think. And I nod, knowing that if nothing else, at least the intent is good. I wonder, since the rules change so much and so often, how much of what I am doing will be considered ludicrous in another thirty or forty years. Will my children be amazed that they survived?

And ultimately, what happens if I start you on rice pablum at 4 months instead of 6? Or slip you a bottle of formula because it's more convenient? How much harm does it do if I fail to follow certain of the current guidelines?

I don't know.

But now, you lie in my lap. You chat with me, as I play with your tiny little feet. And you are sucking your fingers again, telling me that it is still your lunchtime and that I had better feed you immediately or else you will scream. And I love you and your big brother more than I'd ever dreamed possible.

I have held you and fed you all day long, because otherwise you have screamed. But I'm no good to you if I can't get time to eat or drink something myself. So I live on granola bars and pre-sliced cheese, and worry more about your dietary requirements than my own. I am Mom. It is what I do.

I put you on the breastfeeding pillow. You begin to nurse, and it pains me. But that dissipates as you continue to feed. And I kiss your tiny hands and caress your tiny feet, and wonder if one day the experts will say that we should neither touch nor kiss a baby's hands and feet, and that breastmilk is bad for a child's growth and development.

A natural beauty

T walks through the mall, past the kiosks. Young lady at cosmetics counter walks up to T and inquires: "Are you wearing make-up, or are you just a natural beauty?"

T is cautious. While not an ugly duckling, T is also not exceptionally beautiful. Particularly not at her current weight. Young lady is clearly trying to sell her something.

T replies: "I don't really wear make-up". And T then attempts a polite get-away. Young lady subtlely blocks T's path.

Young lady continues her pitch: "Well then, can I show you something?" She attempts to get T closer to kiosk.

Clearly, she thinks that she can get T to go over and sit in the kiosk's makeover chair. Clearly, she thinks that T can be persuaded to purchase make-up. Clearly, she is on commission.

Clearly, she is incorrect. Her powers of observation have failed her. She is looking at T's face, but she is not looking anywhere else. She does not know her audience.

T stands before her, holding the hand of a 3-year old who really wants to show T all of the wonders that he has seen in the mall. The happy and sad lady. The whale. The whale's tale. The fountains. And the games. Oooooh, the games. T's son is pulling on her hand. "Mommy, come!" he says forcefully, while mere inches away T's husband stands, slowly pushing an infant in a baby stroller.

T does not really wear make-up. It is not because she is a "natural beauty". She is simply too tired and busy to worry about make-up. So she does not wear it. T is a wife, mom, student, employee ... T wears a lot of hats and has to conserve time wherever possible. T has a clear complexion, and she doesn't really need a lot of make-up. So no make-up equals good time savings. It just makes sense.

But even if T wore make-up. Even if T loved make-up. Even if T had all the time in the world, and a poor complexion, and really needed to know how to apply make-up. Even if T really wanted to sit in young lady's kiosk chair and learn all the wonders that are proper make-up application. Even then. T is with her family. And she is obviously watching over a young child who may wander off if she takes her eyes off of him.

In short, T is busy with tasks far more important than learning all about make-up application, and there is nothing that young lady can do to change any of it.

T has neither the time nor the ability to sit in young lady's kiosk chair and accept a makeover at this point in time. And young lady really should have observed that.

T politely excuses herself and continues to walk with her family. And T's husband tells her that she does not need make-up anyway, since she is indeed a natural beauty.

T loves her husband, because he sincerely believes what he has said. He loves T. And he is not on commission.

You can't always get what you want - Part II

I've been trying to figure out N's fluctuating moods over the past couple of days. Sunday, he slept for most of the day and barely ate anything at all, which was somewhat uncharacteristic. Yesterday, he wouldn't sleep at all. He insisted on constant feedings and cuddles, and he screamed if he was ever put down, which was also uncharacteristic. Last night, it became apparent that N had come down with a bad cold. At least we know why he's been so testy lately.

Yesterday, J was very well-behaved, eating problems notwithstanding. Potty training went well. He watched cartoons and played happily. He napped for a while. Life was good in J's world.

It's a shame the two kids can't both have a good day at the same time. But hopefully, that will come in time.

**********

Yesterday, at lunch:

T: What do you want for lunch?
J: I don't want lunch.
T: You have to have lunch. Do you want ham?
J: No.
T: Well, then what do you want?
J: Nothing.
T: You can have ham, peanut butter, jam, banana, or cheese. What do you want?
J: Ummmm ... peanut butter and jam.

So I make J a PB&J sandwich. I cut it into quarters, and I give him two pieces. He won't eat more than half a sandwich.

J: Can I have some milk?
T: Eat this piece of sandwich; then you can have some milk.

J goofs around a lot, not eating, and testing his boundaries. When Mommy says "Sit on your chair", does she really mean it? What if I stand beside the chair? What if I put one foot on the chair support? Ok, well then, what if I put both feet on the chair support and balance precariously? WHAM! J falls off the chair support and smacks his chin on the table, biting his tongue. J's tongue is bleeding. I crush some ice for him to suck on. J feels better.

J: Can I have more ice?
T: No. Eat some sandwich.

And in the background, N screams.

J continues to goof around. Can he sit in my lap? No. Can I feed him like a baby? No. Ordinarily, I might have done either of these. But N is still screaming, and my hands are full dealing with that issue.

I become desperate. I tell J that, if he finishes his lunch, has an afternoon nap, and sits on the potty before and after naptime, I will make him a snowcone for afternoon snack. J is excited about the snowcone. I tell J that he can pick a flavour. We have orange (orange), cherry (red), or blue raspberry lemonade (blue). J would like ... green!

T: We don't have green.
J: Brown?
T: We don't have brown, J. Orange, red, or blue?
J: Orange!

I agree. I even take the orange mix out of the pantry and put it on the counter, so that J can see it.

Finally, J begins to eat. He eats one quarter of sandwich. But it has taken him 45 minutes to do this. He is rewarded with a glass of milk. He drinks the milk. He will not touch the other quarter of sandwich.

N continues to scream.

I become frustrated. I set the oven-timer for 10 minutes. I tell J that he has 10 minutes to finish his other quarter of sandwich. When the oven-timer goes off, lunch is over. And I leave the kitchen to try and console N in the living room.

J follows. He periodically goes back to check on his sandwich, but he does not eat it. When instructed to do so, he sits back at the kitchen table. But he does not eat.

Once N is reasonably calm again, I return to the kitchen. There are 2.5 minutes left on the oven timer. The quarter sandwich is completely whole. With considerable prompting and pleading, J has four bites of his second piece of sandwich before the timer goes off. I decide that this is probably good enough; I just give up in despair. It's been an hour, for crying out loud!

I take J up for potty and naptime. The process takes time. J dawdles. N lies in his bassinet and screams. J does not care that his baby brother is in distress. He continues to dawdle. But eventually, he settles. Promises of an orange snowcone continue to be effective.

While J has his nap, I feed N a lot. N squawks and snuggles, and refuses to settle. Finally, N has a quiet moment. And this is when J awakes and wants to get up. I get J. J sits on the potty, but only because I remind him that he will have his snowcone when he is done.

We come downstairs, and I begin to make J his snowcone. I remind him of his flavour choices. J still wants orange. Is he sure? Yes.

I make J his orange snowcone. I make one for me too, so that we can have snack together. We sit down together with our snowcones. I begin to eat my snowcone. J does not eat his. He plays with it instead. And after a period of time:

J: I don't want it. Can I have a red one instead?

I will not make snowcones in a variety of flavours!! If you eat the orange one, I'll make you a red one later.

J does not eat his snowcone. Instead, he runs into the living room and wakes up N. N returns to screaming.

**********

J asks for a hamburger for dinner. We make hamburgers. J eats his hamburger. (Score!) He won't eat the bun, but that is not unusual for J. We try, but we never really expect it.

J wants to go for a walk after dinner. We go for a walk with the boys. J wants to go and see the fountain and waterfall in the adjacent neighbourhood. So that is where we go. We return to the house.

J: Can we go to the playground?
H: It's too late to go to the playground.
J: Can we go to the playground?
H: No. It's too late.
J: Can we go to the playground?
H: Not tonight. When we go for our walk tomorrow night, we can go to the playground.
J: Can we go to the playground?
H: We can go tomorrow night!
J: No! Today!!
H: No! It's too late!!
J: I want a hotdog!!!

**********

Some days, it takes a lot of effort to keep from uttering expletives in front of our impressionable toddler.

**********

It was a rough night. N needed to be held upright and have his nose frequently suctioned. He is still sick and out of sorts. I got very little sleep. Fortunately, both H & J managed to sleep through it all. H has a sore throat this morning. I hope he manages to fight this off. J still appears okay. I have no symptoms yet. But I don't want to take a sick N out anywhere, for fear that he may get sicker. I have cancelled plans and appointments for today.

We will have a pleasant day in instead. I hope N feels better soon.

I should have seen it coming ...

... but I didn't.

We went out and bought special "big boy" underwear for J. We bought Spiderman and Hot Wheels underwear. J loves Spiderman. So it stood to reason that J would not want to get his new Spiderman underwear wet. We thought it would help with potty training.

J is protesting potty training with a vengeance. It is getting under my skin more than it probably should.

Today, I put J's new Spiderman underwear on him. I explained to him that he needed to tell me if he needed to go potty and that he couldn't just go. I told him that if he didn't go to the potty, he would get Spiderman wet or dirty. He didn't want to get Spiderman wet or dirty, did he?

J agreed that he did not want to get Spiderman wet or dirty.

J: "Spiderman would be sad if I peed on him?"

I agreed that Spiderman probably would be sad about that. J promised that he would tell me if he needed to go potty. He would not get Spiderman wet or dirty.

And then, he promptly and completely intentionally peed in his pants. Why did he do it, you may ask? Because he wanted to see if the Spiderman faces on his new underwear would change to sad faces if they got wet.

I should have seen it coming.

**********

It was a bad day. N was grumpy and didn't sleep well last night. The kids were on conflicting schedules, so I couldn't function or rest. So I was exhausted and short on patience. J was incredibly rebellious and uncooperative.

J insisted on being treated like a baby. He flatly refused to cooperate with potty training. He wouldn't eat, and he made me feed him. He actually dissected a granola bar, put the different parts into different piles, and then ate only the nuts.

At one point, a phone solicitor received the brunt of my rage. He phoned just as I was getting a breather and bugged me, in order to ask me how often I vacation. He is fortunate that he was at the other end of a phone line, or I might have become physically violent.

As a topper, I received a call from the doc. The CT scan on my kidneys is back, and it reveals that both kidneys are peppered with a bunch of small stones. I see a urologist in October to get assessed. In the meantime, I wait for the stones to pass on their own. And I follow a prescribed regime to try and encourage this. Passing stones hurts just like labour, so this should be a lot of fun.

**********

Friends came by tonight and brought us dinner. It's good to have good friends. I was ecstatic to be able to socialize with them. It was the highlight of my day.

**********

J is in bed. N is sleeping. I'm going to grab the opportunity to catch a few minutes of sleep, before N awakens for his customary nighttime ritual of repeated feedings.

I hope tomorrow will be a better day.

Wall Options

Many of you will know that we built a house some years ago. We selected a nice flat oversized pie lot on which to build. And then the area's developer dug down the front of the lot prior to building the house. The result of this is that we ended up with a six foot tall hill in our backyard. It eats up almost the entire yard. It slopes downward towards our house. And the garage sits atop it, with no footings. Over time, we have been advised that the slope can erode, and the garage can then slide down the hill into our house. Obviously, we would like to avoid this.

The way to avoid this is to build a retaining wall. Many of our neighbours have already had these walls installed. We have postponed it, contemplating different ways to do things. But the wall really has to be completed before the backyard can be completely fenced in. Otherwise, we lose the option of fitting a bobcat into our yard to do the digging. And excavating six feet of height by twenty feet of length of clay soil with shovels sounds rather unappealing, to say the least. Even if we were so inclined, once you've dug the hill out, try to get the excess dirt out of the yard. So ... no.

We need to fence the yard in soon, so that J will have a safe outdoor area in which to play. So this summer, we figure we need to get the wall in and finish the fence.

We checked with our neighbours. The walls that they have installed are made of pre-fabricated concrete blocks. Most of our neighbours have had engineered walls professionally installed, and have maximized the yard space by installing one single six foot tall wall. The effect is not entirely unattractive, but not at all natural looking. When you look at their yards, you can't help but notice that the wall was not a desired landscape feature. Rather, the wall appears to be a necessary evil. There is no fence at the top of the wall, so the neighbours' toddlers balance precariously atop a six foot tall concrete cliff, which they like to use as a balance beam. And the walls cost around $13,000 to install.

We are not doing that.

So I've been calling around to landscapers lately, trying to get ideas. How can we remove the hill and maximize our yard space? How can we stabilize the ground in a cost-effective manner? How can we blend a wall into our existing landscape and make it look attractive? Is there any way to do this without the engineers? Without the drainage requirements? Without a foundation base? Can we use more natural materials and less concrete? Can we "plant" the wall, so that it looks like an attractive greenspace, rather than a necessary evil?

We have friends who own a landscaping company. But they only do commercial work. They did refer us to other landscaping companies who do residential projects. We called these landscapers. And in so doing, we have learned that these particular landscapers do not return phone calls. Important information, I suppose, but not helpful to us at this time.

Today, I called a trusted garden centre looking for a recommendation. I explained what we were looking for, and received a phone number to a delightful and highly recommended landscaper. We had a most pleasant chat.

I was told to contact a particular contractor for the bobcat work. He has two bobcats of different sizes, and apparently can get into all the little nooks and crannies. We should have him dig out the hill as two three foot tall steps, rather than one six foot tall step. This way, we avoid having to have the wall engineered at additional cost, and we also avoid the peril of a toddler balancing on top of the wall. Each step should be set slightly back from where we want each eventual wall, so that there will be room to backfill behind the walls. We should then cover the exposed dirt with tarps to protect it while we construct our wall. She recommended that we get wood wraps from Totem (which are free) for this purpose, and just weigh them down well so that they don't blow away.

For the wall construction, her recommendation was that we purchase "reclamation baskets" (also called "gaming baskets", which are just large wire bins) from another specified company, and fill them with pretty and reasonably large stones, purchased from a third source. And then we would sprinkle garden soil into the baskets between the stones, wet it down, and continue to sprinkle and soak until the baskets are well packed with dirt and rock. This is a cost-effective way of essentially making our own landscape blocks.

Then we would stagger the now heavy baskets on top of one another, setting back each row slightly so that each of the two walls leans back a touch into the hill as a support. The weight of the baskets combined with the slight lean back will hold the hill up. And then we would backfill behind each wall with some of the clay soil that was dug out earlier, tamp it down, and make it really sturdy. It will look like a stone wall. It will not need to be perfectly even. Therefore, no foundation base will be necessary.

As a final step, the two walls would be planted. We suggested pink panda strawberries, which the landscaper felt would be beautiful. She also suggested planting some ornamental grasses throughout, just to give the walls some visual interest. Both the strawberries and grasses are evergreen plants, so the wall would remain attractive year-round. And the pretty pink-flowering strawberries are very fragrant, flower from early spring to late fall, produce small fruits, and spread into low-lying mats that provide nice coverage. They're quite thick, too, so weeds have a tough time getting through.

And then we can plant shrubs and perennials on the ledges at the top of the two walls, to make nice garden beds.

This sounds beautiful. And cost-effective. And totally unique to our area. But it also sounds really labour-intensive. And if you know us, you will know that we tend to procrastinate. A lot. Labour-intensive options may not be practical to our personalities. So we shall discuss it and see how we feel about this option all around.

In any event, I think this particular landscaper has awesome ideas! And I sure was impressed.

The Basement

Well, the basement appears to be coming along nicely. The fireplace went in today. The installers needed me to go down and see it before they left, so I took an extra trip on the stairs today. One extra trip up and down every so often is alright, I guess. But I can't do it every day. So since I was down there anyway, I got to explore the space and see what's going on. Didn't take long; it's not a big house. I do wish people wouldn't comment on it, though. When my contractors point out that it's not a big room, or it's a pretty small house, it kind of makes me feel bad.

Anyway ...

The shower is in place, and the shower doors were installed today. It looks really nice. The bathroom and hall leading to it are drywalled. It seems the vent fan location needs to be changed slightly, so H will be attending to that. He's said he just needs to attach a bit of ducting. Seems he has a handle on it.

The framing is done, though there is now a bit more framing that needs to go around the fireplace before the mantel can be installed. I don't know how much of the framing we do and how much the installers do, so we will need to check on it and get the requirements for the next stage.

A gasline for the barbecue has been put in. This was done today, together with the fireplace install.

I think D has about completed the electrical, and we'll need to arrange for inspection before Klaus can continue with the drywalling.

Not much left now. Inspections. Installation of sink, toilet, mirror, and vent fan. Fireplace mantel and related framing. Drywall. Built-in bookshelf. Suspended ceiling. Light fixtures and outlet covers. Paint. Flooring installation. Doors, baseboards, and other finishing touches (like trim and the electrical panel cover). So really, aside from the ceiling, most of the bigger work is done.

The fireplace install did not go off without a hitch. A couple of parts were not in stock, and have to be ordered in. And someone failed to tell the installers that the mantel has a hearth. So when they learned of this (from me), they had to go and pick up a base for the fireplace to sit on. Also, the installers needed to core through the concrete to vent the fireplace out. They were supposed to do this with a special coring machine; however, because of the way our house is done, this proved to be impossible. They had to bore through the wall with a drill, which took longer. Really loud, too. And we didn't know that there was going to be additional framing required once the fireplace was in, since no one told us and we are not construction savvy folk. So we need to figure out what is needed and make necessary arrangements. And finally, we have now learned that we have a clearance problem in relation to the venting. So in the spring, we will need to dig down beside the house with shovels, add some gravel, and then put in a bigger window well to connect to the existing weeping tile system.

All in all, a total hassle. But it really does look sharp. And it comes with a convenient remote control for easy operation. And what's more: that blower fan sure does wonders for heating up a room in a big hurry.

I just wish it were easier. Oh, and cheaper too.

Beatrix Potter had really bad PMS

She must've. I see no other explanation.

I wanted to get J "The Peter Rabbit Library". I absolutely loved these books when I was a child. And my mom, remembering this, had thoughtfully bought the first 12 books back when I was in highschool and saved them for someday when I had children. She gave them to me when I was pregnant with J. But she didn't know that there are a total of 23 books. And I have spent some time trying to find volume 2 of the set that she bought back in the '80s. I've been close a couple of times, but things happened and through no fault of my own, I never got the books.

I finally found the correct set. From the correct publisher. From the correct year. In the correct little box. In excellent condition. In California. But it was over on the abebooks site, and the seller was happy to ship it here. I was so excited!

The books arrived today. J now has the complete set. Most of the books are quite delightful, but they do have their moments. And some of the books leave one wondering why Ms. Potter was such a cranky-pants.

Below is an excerpt. Each paragraph is a separate page in the book.

The Story of a Fierce Bad Rabbit

This is a fierce bad Rabbit; look at his savage whiskers, and his claws and his turned-up tail.

This is a nice gentle Rabbit. His mother has given him a carrot.

The bad Rabbit would like some carrot.

He doesn't say "Please." He takes it!

And he scratches the good Rabbit very badly.

The good Rabbit creeps away, and hides in a hole. It feels sad.

This is a man with a gun.

O ..... kay. That seems ... rather out of place, doesn't it? What are we learning here? That if we are impolite, bully nice peers, and take things that don't belong to us, someone will shoot us?

I can just see the author. She has a deadline to meet. She has a case of writer's block. She is grumpy. She goes to a nice park to get inspiration. She sees two children playing. One child takes the other child's ball without asking. The other child starts crying. And it occurs to the very angry author: "If I had a gun, I'd shoot you myself, you horrible little imp!"

Thus, a children's book is borne!

The man does not actually kill either Rabbit. He is apparently blind. He mistakes the bad Rabbit for a funny looking bird. And he shoots at him, but ... well ... being blind and everything, he misses. But he scares the bad Rabbit very badly, and his tail and whiskers fall off. The good Rabbit watches the bad Rabbit run off. And that is the end of the story.

So it is something of an unusual story. Probably not a suitable bedtime tale for J. But I feel certain that H and I will laugh heartily at it for quite some time!!

Shopping with a J

I always knew work would need their laptop back. I had hoped that it would be after the baby was born, but I kind of knew that was wishful thinking. The timeframe is just too long. The office has expanded, and new people require the equipment. My laptop needs to be updated with some new software so that it can be reassigned and returned back into circulation.

In my absence, I've been using the laptop primarily for school. My schooling is work-related, but not as work-related as actual billable work. Billable work takes precedence. And so, my employer has contacted me and asked for return of the company laptop. It's more than fair. They've actually been really good to let me keep it for this long. It needs to be returned ASAP, as their supplier has had some delivery delays and the situation is fairly desperate. They're good to me. We'll get the laptop back to them right away.

Unfortunately, we now need to make some alternate arrangements for my own sanity. I'm on bed rest, as you all know, so I can't sit up at my primary computer. I can't imagine what I would do with no computer access for the next several months, but the only access I'm permitted consists of using the laptop while lying down. And I can't adequately prepare for my exam with no computer.

H and I discussed it, and we decided that we needed to get a personal-use laptop computer. We'll need one in the next year or so anyway. And for the time being, I desperately need it to preserve my sanity for the next few months. Fortunately, they're on sale right now.

H was outfitted with a list of requirements, straight from the accounting association's website. And after work today, H picked up J from daycare, and off they went to the store to pick out a laptop computer.

They arrived at the store before 6:00. H found a knowledgable staff member to help him. A reasonably priced, appropriately discounted, completely suitable laptop was selected quickly. Score! H and J would be home in plenty of time for dinner, and J would make his regular bedtime.

And then, it was time to pay for our new computer.

H decided to use a credit card.

And that's when the shopping expedition turned. It went something like this:

**********

The security code on the back of a credit card is an added security feature for telephone and online purchases. But the store has a rather silly policy of requiring entry of the security code on the back of the card, even for in-person purchases. Sadly, the code is worn off of the card. So the cashier spends some time unsuccessfully trying to guess it.

After trying to ring it up seven times and receiving seven consecutive "declined" messages, he gives up.

H calls the bank to try to get the code. Runs through a million and one security questions, and eventually gets the code. The bank then advises that all of the "declined" attempts were actually put through as "preauthorized holds" by the bank, and the card is now maxed out. So now, even though H has the security code, he still can't pay for the computer. The bank advises that, unless this is remedied, there will be a hold on our account for 5 business days. That will put us past the "sale" date, will cost us a significant amount of coin, will prevent us from using the card in the interim, and is obviously completely unacceptable.

The store spends the next two plus hours trying to resolve the situation with the bank.

The bank requests a letter on the store's letterhead stating what happened. The store has no letterhead. Will a letter signed by the store manager do? The bank will check and call back. Yes. Yes that will do.

What does the letter need to say? The letter needs to list off the charges and the authorization numbers. But the store has no authorization numbers, since the transactions all showed up as "declined". Will the bank release the numbers to the store? No. The bank will not release the numbers, but requires them nonetheless. The store calls its own bank, hoping to get the authorization numbers. But the store's bank obviously has no authorization numbers, since the transactions were "declined". The store calls our bank again and begs on bended knee. Can our bank, please oh please, just release the numbers? Please? Yes. Yes they will.

The letter is drafted. The letter is faxed. The bank spends about half an hour fixing the problem. The bank calls back. The situation has been remedied. The card will work now.

The laptop is finally paid for.

Throughout this 2-hour ordeal, J behaves like an absolute angel. He drinks some orange juice. He plays with an inactivated debit machine. He plays nicely with some other children. He converses with other customers, and tells them all about his bears, and his rocks, and his racecar bed, and everything else he can think of. He almost makes up for the fact that he "hit his friends" at daycare today, and had to "spend some time thinking about what his hands are for" as a result. *Sigh!*

**********

After the situation was resolved and the computer appropriately paid for, H loaded J back into the van and started to drive home. That's when J decided to be especially entertaining.

J: Look!

H looked back at J. And he saw that J had pulled off his boots and socks, and was now wearing his mittens on his feet - a difficult feat, considering that his mittens are attached to his coat sleeves.

They got home. J trudged right through a puddle and got his pants all wet. He came in, and H promptly removed the wet pants. J ran into the living room to see me.

J: Look! I'm naked!

J had a nice, albeit late, dinner. And he had some chocolate as a reward for being such a good boy at the store. H also bought J a Backyardigans DVD, which he will get to watch tomorrow.

But for now, it is time for J to sleep. It is well past his bedtime.

Night night, little man. Sleep well.

Once Upon A Time

J has an activity book. It was given to him by Memaw when he was a baby. He still quite likes it. It's filled with animal pictures and different pull-tabs, and it plays music and makes a variety of noises.

J got home from daycare today. He ate a nice dinner of lasagna ... bribed with promises of chocolate. After his dessert was done, he ran into the living room, activity book in hand:

J: It's bedtime. For you. (Points at Mommy) And you. (Points at Daddy) But not for me! Time for story. (Opens activity book) Once upon a time, there was an elephant and a panda and stars. The end. (Closes book) Now go to sleep.

H: Can we snuggle for a little bit?

J: Yes. (Climbs up on couch and lies down next to H) Oh wait! Time to get a sippy cup of milk! (Climbs down and runs into the kitchen)

**********

Yesterday, H and J went to Ikea to try to catch a doorcatcher special. I am impressed that they managed to get it, and they returned home with the much sought-after table and chair set for J. Now he has his very own place where he can sit and colour, paint, play with play-doh, etc. It's a very nice table and comes with 4 chairs. J helped H to assemble it. Took much longer that way, but I think H enjoyed spending quality time with his son.

Yesterday evening, K&K came by with D. L&P braved the cat dander and came over with I&G for a visit. Dinner was provided by our good friends, and much fun was had by all. J, D, I, & G all played together, and J's new table was put to good use. Life is good. I'm glad we have good support from our friends and family.

We had intended to show K&K and L&P the progress in our basement. But by the end of the evening, we had forgotten. We'll have to show them another time.

**********

Basement development is coming along nicely. But it is astounding how much things cost! I was sure we budgeted high when we set our basement budget, but it appears that we actually budgeted low on most things. Every time a bill arrives, I hyperventilate a little bit. I'm sure we'll be okay. I just hate spending money. I'm not used to it, and it makes me panic and shudder.

The framing is almost completely done now. Most of the plumbing work is done, as is most of the electrical. The shower is installed (shower head, tap, and doors are still to come). The first batch of drywall has been delivered. Flooring is already paid for and just needs to be picked up. The fireplace goes in on March 11.

There's still a little bit of framing to do (a closet and some work around ducting). The sink, cabinet, toilet, vent fan, and mirror still need to be installed in the bathroom. And then we have the remaining electric, drywall work, a suspended ceiling, a built-in bookshelf, the trim and finishing work, instalation of flooring, painting. I think that's about it. I hope so, anyway. With me unexpectedly on disability, our finances have taken a slight downward turn, and it's harder to cope.

All temporary. I'm aware. But it's still not a lot of fun to deal with.

**********

On the subject of my ongoing disability, we had an ultrasound and obstetrician's appointment today. Things are good with Baby. I must continue on bed rest, of course. I'm 26 weeks along now. Baby would not cooperate for ultrasound pictures ... he was busy sucking on his toes and covering his face with his hands. No cute pictures of Baby's face this go-round. But that's ok.

The goal is just to make it as close to term as possible. Thus far, things are looking good, as long as I continue with the bed rest. We do what we have to do. As things stand right now, I may be able to write my exam on March 10. I hope so ... deferring it is a bit of a headache. And I don't really want to prepare for an exam in the next sitting, when I'll have a newborn baby. Not convenient.

**********

The course I'm currently taking isn't going too bad. Thankfully it's distance ed - I wouldn't be able to go to class in my current condition. Even as it is, I'm behind on readings. But I got 99% on my midterm assignment. Woot! And I've done well enough on the quizzes too. I need something in the realm of a 53% on my final exam in order to pass the course. Aside from the business case assignment, which I hope to complete this summer, this is my last foundation level course. Still a long way to go, though.

I wonder how we'll manage once we add baby #2 into the mix. I'm sure we'll find a way to make this work. Someday, when I get my designation, there will be much rejoicing.

**********

Anyway, that's enough typing. Nighty-night. It's bedtime. J says so.

A minor pregnancy annoyance

Cravings.

I get cravings daily now. Generally, around noon. I crave different things each day. None of the things I crave are in our regular diet, so we never have them in the house. And since I'm still on bedrest, I can't go out and get what I want when I want it. Nothing else sounds appetizing until the cravings have passed.

I still have morning sickness, but it is inaptly named, since it becomes worse in the evenings. So by the time H is off work and could pick up food for me, not only are the cravings gone, but the nausea is so pronounced that I can no longer eat anything at all. And since the cravings vary from day to day, I can't even anticipate them for the next day.

It would be infinitely better if the cravings occurred in the evening. But I have no say in the timing of this little annoyance.

Things have been quiet here lately

I am aware. Time for a few updates.

I'm about 16 weeks pregnant with #2 now. Already on bed rest, and have been for over a month now. I'm bed resting until at least 20 weeks, and we'll see from there. There are complications and, if they do not resolve, I'll likely be on bed rest until delivery. I'm due end of May. Bed rest is boring. There's not much that I can do. I miss work. It's hard to get to the computer. It's tough to blog. The worst part is that I can't pick up J. I miss cuddling my little boy. Thankfully, I have a supportive husband who has been taking good care of me and J. I just wish I could contribute. But I can't.

We went to Maui for a week in September. That's where we learned that we were expecting #2. It was a fantastic trip! Thankfully, the morning sickness didn't start until we returned. It's been pretty bad, though. I can't keep down even my prenatal vitamins. I'm concerned about proper nutrition for baby. But I'm doing my best.

On the J front, potty training is going well. J is rewarded with a sticker for sitting on the potty, and he receives an extra sticker for peeing. He usually gets two stickers. But he's not yet telling us when he needs to go, so he's generally wet between trips. I hope he will be trained soon. It would be helpful.

Also, we have managed to wean J from his "Ne-naw" (aka soother). He was only having it during naps and night. But we explained to him on Monday that Ne-naws are only for little tiny babies, and he's a little boy now and much too grown-up for a Ne-naw. He barely even squawked about it. Honestly, it was more tragic for me - my baby is growing up!!! But it needed to go, so it is gone.

J likes all kinds of books and toys now. He will often play with things that aren't really his toys. We have to monitor for safety. He has claimed one of our Halloween decorations - a silver skull - as one of his new toys. Apparently, J does not find this gross-looking thing particularly scary. We are having trouble getting it back into storage, since J keeps hiding it among his other toys. J also loves the design that is on the back of one of our rocking chairs. He thinks Design looks rather like a face, and he has conversations with it, shares toys with it, etc. Ah well, a couple of imaginary or inanimate friends never hurt anyone.

J enjoys singing. His favorite song is still "Mighty Machines", but he also enjoys "Jingle Bells" and "Mister Golden Sun", among other little tunes. He prefers to sing in a gruff and grumbly voice rather than his usual sweet little voice. He sounds rather like a Sesame Street monster when he starts up, I swear. But it's very cute.

Now, onto the school front: I'm almost through my stats class. Thankfully, when I was put on bed rest, the teacher turned it into a distance ed class for me, and I have managed to get good grades while lying still on my couch. It has not been a really tough class. I've got enough marks to pass the class already, and a couple more projects to complete still. Hopefully I'll be able to complete them. I've gotten doctor permission to take a winter class also, provided it too is distance ed and can be completed while I lie down. So I'll be taking Finance next. It's a long process to get my designation, but I'm sure it will be worth it once it's all done.

I'm tired. I'm bored. Send emails. Phone me. Whatever you've got to do. I'm relying on others for entertainment now. So go on ... entertain me!

I will now end this post with a things you never thought you'd hear your child say:

J: Kitty is eating my skull!!

After a rather long absence

I'm back!

My computer crashed out for a while. Then it returned to almost normal. Now, after some minor tinkering by me, it is back up to near full capacity, and I can blog again! Not only that, but I can return to work on the magical mystical picture CD for my fantastically lovely sister-in-law. Assuming no more crashes, she should get it ... soon.

Highlights while I've been gone:

About a week and a half ago, J peed in the potty for the very first time! He has yet to repeat his feat. But he has peed on the floor twice, while pushing the potty around in the nude. And he has tried several times to use the potty as a hat, a step, and (if you'll believe it) a bed.

J now requires two soothers - a blue one, and a yellow one. He must suck on one and hold the other. If one is missing, he becomes quite irate. I have no idea how to wean him from the soothers.

I passed my Economics course with a 92!!

I'm still hurt from the car accident. I have a couple of slipped discs in the low back, which make all activity (sitting, walking, etc.) really painful. I'm seeing physio twice a week and chiro 2-3 times a week to try and remedy this situation. There is some nerve damage that has resulted from this, and I need to go for an MRI and nerve conduction studies to see the extent and also what can be done to fix it. I don't know when the tests will be just yet.

The garage has electrical, thanks to our very kind friend Darren. He rocks! Now it just has to pass City inspection, and then we can cover over the trench in the backyard. In the meantime, watch your step!

We have picked flooring for the house and have hired someone to install it. We have no time and wouldn't know where to start if we had to do it ourselves. Work should commence mid-June.

Our new furniture came in early. Now, we are really crowded, with way too much furniture in the living room. But the new TV is out of this world! I never thought we'd own anything like it. It's very cool!

Saw Spiderman 3 at the IMAX. I liked it a lot! Of course, I was a bit disappointed at the whole Venom thing. But a movie night out together, just me and H? Oh yes ... the movie was fantastic!

J's vocabulary is really picking up. He has realized that H and I have voice dialing on our cell phones, so he thinks life just works that way. Now, he grabs the main phone in our house and just gives it instructions - "Call Grannie" - and waits for a response. When we phone someone, he insists that he must talk to them. His conversations consist of "Hi", and then a quick survey of the room, explaining everything that he sees in very excited tones - "Panda; Wagon; Sippy; Thomas ..." You get the gist.

Tonight, however, J decided that he would only speak in gibberish. H tried to understand and decipher. The discussion went something like this:

J: Shee shu shooda ba da wah.
H: What?
J: Shee shu shooda ba da wah.
H: What's by the wall?
J: Shee shu shooda ba da wah.
H: A satellite dish?
J: Shee shu shooda ba da wah.
H: On the siding by the wall?
J: Shee shu shooda ba da wah.
H: I have no idea what you're saying.
J: Shee shu shooda ba da wah.
H: When did you learn to speak Korean?
J: Shee shu shooda ba da wah.
H: She sells seashells by the seashore?
J: Yah!

Um ... no ... I don't think so ...

Seriously annoyed

I have concluded that both Home Depot and the manufacturers of their special order blinds are equally useless. Tonight was so ridiculous I had to laugh. I couldn't stop. It was just so incredibly stupid! H is angry. He cannot laugh just yet. I'm sure someday the sheer insanity of the situation will win, and he will see the humor. Really, there is no option.

Seven blinds ordered, paid for, and picked up. So far, we have tried to install five of them. One of the five is okay. The others have glaring defects.

One is over an inch shorter on one side than the other and hangs at a bizarre lopsided angle. Two have controls mounted too far to each side, so they cannot be hung with the brackets supplied (the controls are in the way of the brackets), and one of those has a broken cord. And one doesn't come down at all; the cord simply does not work.

We still have to check the other two. But we took back the four with known problems and asked that they be re-ordered in correct form. And I can't even begin to describe the series of incompetent blunders that we encountered in the next two hours while we tried, desperately, to get this done. It was so ridiculous I broke down into hysterical laughter and just couldn't stop. H is still not laughing. I hope that he will see the humour in the situation ... someday. Just now, he doesn't see it.

I won't detail the evening here. It would be too long. But just know it was probably the dumbest and most ridiculous thing I've ever experienced. (And yes, that includes the guy who once told me that towels were too heavy for a towel bar.)

Toward the end of my two hour experience at the Home Depot, some poor sot came up to customer service and said: "I'm here to pick up my blinds". And I just started yelling "Don't do it! Whatever you do, don't buy your blinds here! Just run! RUN!!!" (I'm not even kidding; I actually did this. And the people working on my situation actually understood my frustration and laughed outright. It was that bad.)

It's still not all done. It's only half done. The return has been processed. The re-order will need to be done tomorrow. Apparently, the only person who knows how to do this works days. Convenient for us, no?

No.

I've got the power

Lights are on.
Heat works.
Good.

Observations for the evening:

We have a lot of candles.
You should always know where your candles are.
And your lighters.
And your flashlights.
And batteries.
We know where all of these things are.
Thankfully, they are all very conveniently located.
Candles do not give off a lot of heat.
Forced candlelight does not provide romantic ambience.
And you can't study with the lights off.
Houses without furnaces cool off rather quickly in winter.
Noses and toes get cold quickly.
Many quilts and blankets are helpful.
Use all of them to keep your children toasty warm.
Time estimates are wildly inaccurate.
Inaccurate time estimates really annoy us.
Annoyance further dampens any potential romantic ambience.
The power company is really quite useless.

And cold computers make horrible noises!

Weekend in reverse (more or less)

Because the most important thing mentioned in this post just happened, I'll start there.

One of my best friends talked to me tonight. Her dad is in the hospital with chest pains. I want to go over and offer comfort, but she has assured me that she is being well looked after. There are some friends who live nearby, and they should already be there. And my friend's husband is also on his way home. I wish I lived closer to her, but I'm on the opposite end of town and she needs someone who can get there quickly. I will pray tonight, that everything will be okay. I hope to hear that he is just fine.

We have a family funeral tomorrow. H's cousin passed away earlier this month. So it's a sad weekend.

We have begun to make the large purchases that relate to our basement development project. We bought a stackable washer/dryer unit yesterday, and today we bought the furniture that will go downstairs (it's back-ordered, so we should get it in 6 months). I am thankful that we were able to get enough cash to look after all of this. Also, I am thankful that there are sales going on. We got much nicer furniture than we had anticipated, because we happened across a half-price leather sale at a store that was throwing in a Samsung big screen TV on certain clearance items. (And accommodations for 4 days in Cancun as well, though the flight may be a stretch.) We have a few more big-ticket items in our basement budget (bathroom fixtures and such), but will continue to look for sales. So far, we are managing to stay under budget. But of course, we've only just begun to shop. A couple more purchases like we made today could start to push the envelope; we'll have to be more careful in the future.

Today, J was feeling better at last. So we met my birth-mom in Red Deer. She gave J an early birthday present - a Tickle Me Elmo. He really loves his new toy.

Yesterday, we got our new van back. Certain repairs had been necessary. It is in good form now, and we are happy with our purchase.

My voice has returned. I can sing again, though I still have a bit of a rasp. But I'm still really tired.

Behind in Economics. Still. I don't know if I'm going to catch up in enough time to write the final exam. I'll do my best, though. Hopefully I'll get through it all. I'm taking next term off from school; I need the break.

I had a very happy day today. But I am sad just now. I am worried about my friend and her family. She is very special to me, and I want her dad to be okay.

He will be okay.

Feel the heat

Oh fudge!

I'll never get through everything I need to get through this weekend. We have appointments tomorrow. One that I forgot about until this very minute, and one which is repayment of a large favor that was given us. I am looking forward to both appointments (the afternoon one moreso than the morning, but whatever), and I have absolutely no desire to give up either of them. And I won't. But somehow, I need to get through a module and a half of really dry Economics readings by Tuesday evening so I can complete my quiz. And I'm just not sure I can do it with the time that is left.

H has been functioning alone at work all week, and will be by himself for much of next week again. He is very stressed out, and could really use a bit of a break. But he's going to need to be J's primary caregiver for most of the weekend while I try to do some homework, and he's not terribly pleased.

And to add to our current attitude problems, we're having some sort of furnace-motor problem. At least it's stll working. Trying to stay positive. Some days, it ain't easy.