I HAVE TO WRITE FAST

As per Shaw usual, the internet is going in and out. I pay 70 bucks a month for internet that doesn't work half the time.  Its just so aggravating.

I see I haven't posted for a couple of days.  I can't remember where I left off but really nothing notable has happened.  Except Aryn and Bradley are here and things are getting finished.  I have four full days to get the house completed to the point of having photos of it done for the listing.  I just don't think its going to happen in time.  There is so much arranging and cleaning to get done.  At least the outside is done.  I just have to arrange the deck furniture.

Aryn brought Sadie of course but she also brought Freckles, her 17 year old cat who had a stroke recently.  She is such a sweet cat (well most the time).  Its been a lot of fun watching three dogs, one cat and one rabbit interact.  Freckles nailed Molly at one point so now Molly is pretty shy around the cat!  Sadie promptly took over Parker's spot on the couch and Parker took over Sadie's dog bed.  I am beginning to sound like those old ladies that get way too involved with their animals.

Anywhoo I am going to hop off here and try to post.  The little wifi indicator up there is looking pretty weak.  I'm not sure if I have mentioned this before but I HATE SHAW!!!  I have a I Hate Shaw page on facebook you can join.  Top of my shovel list..(it seems I have a lot of things at the TOP of my shovel list)  Anyway I am going to go try.  TTYL  (if I can)

GEEZ! THAT WAS A LOT OF WHINING

I just reread part of the last post and that was a lot of whining.  I'm finding that since there is no Spod (read…moderator) around anymore, I am  pretty fast to irritation and annoyance.  I am actually finding myself throwing things in a most immature petulant tantrum.  If I thought for one second April was reading this I wouldn't be writing about the throwing part.  I have been lecturing her about losing one's temper and chucking things around in explosive rage.  Today I threw the tape out of the tape gun.  A brand new one too.  But loading that freaking gun then making it work right is  truly at the top of my shovel list.  Surely they can invent something more intelligent to deliver packing tape!!!!

I have covered a fair amount of territory in the last few days.  One thing, Robert, my most interesting gardener, spent all day here yesterday.  I couldn't believe how much work he did!!  The whole yard, front, side and back looks absolutely fantastic!!!  He needs to do one more bit in the ditch at the front and then he will be done the spring clean up part.

Dan, Big Dorothy's awesome boyfriend came by yesterday, bringing a lovely Tim Horton sandwich lunch, to pick up the four legged campstove.  (Yay!!!another thing gone!!)  He stayed a couple of hours and we swapped stories.  He is such an interesting guy.  He works in the oil patches all over the world so I pumped him (no pun intended)for all the info and opinions I could get.

Bit by bit I am getting the house ready for packers and listing.  I want the packers to pack the awkward stuff that Spod used to pack (tiffany lamp shades, glass shelving, art pieces etc) but I want to get everything else except the kitchen packed myself.  Every closet in the house will be full of packed and labelled boxes.

I have a guy coming from Salt Spring Island tomorrow to look at the sofa.  On Thursday the window/gutter people are coming and Thurs. night Bradley and Aryn are coming!!!  They are going to finish the kitchen and bathrooms. So, slowly but surely its all happening.

My only problem now is stinky Parker.  He just stinks.  Instead of 'Old Man Stink' he has 'Old Dog Stink'!  He has large hot spots that itch, get scratched, bleed then stink.  He smells like a musky swamp mixed with corn chips.  Its chokingly bad!  I can't afford to have him bathed every week and that probably isn't good for his skin anyway.   When Dane shows the house I am surely going to have to boil cinnamon in water for an hour before they come!

Well I got Purple Room all done.  That was without doubt the messiest room I have ever cleaned.  I have a big garbage bag full to the top with all the mail from this past year in it.  Its sensitive mail too…bank account numbers, social insurance numbers etc….and I hate shredding (its all those paper clips and staples that have to be removed).  So I have asked Monte to take the bag up to Port with him when he goes next time, go out into the bush and burn it all.  Thats what we did with all of Bob's stuff that his kids didn't want.  Seemed kind of sad but he wasn't my dad and I wasn't prepared to pack his stuff around indefinitely.  Burning is so fast and efficient, no putting ashes back together like you can with paper strips!!!

Now that the last 'bad' room is done, its time to go down those stairs, go to the very far end of the lower level and make beds, sweep dog hair (even though he is never ever ever down there, his hair manages to find its way down…so annoying)and stage rooms for photos next week.  I don't think the basement will take long.  Thanks to Joan's friend, its pretty empty! And laundry…always the laundry.  (shovel list)!!!!!

TTYL!!!

THIS IS A ' LITTLE THINGS THAT BUG THE HELL OUT OF ME' VENT

In the morning the first thing I do is grab my glasses to put them on.  And…my damned ears are so flat on the side of my head, its like they are suctioned onto my skull and the only way I can get my frigging glasses on is by pulling my ear away from my head…after forty tries to get the glasses leg between my head and my ear.  May seem petty by it drives me nuts.

Hearing a giant crash in the other room, running in there and there is ……   nothing.  You look here you look there and there is just nothing.  You KNOW you heard the crash and things potentially breaking but you can't find a single thing that made that noise.  It kind of leaves you hanging and a bit spooked.

Loose toilet seats.  I hate them.  You sit down, sigh in relaxation, maybe pick up your phone or a magazine, move slightly and THUNK! the seat slips off the edge of the bowl.  I know it only drops about 1-2 inches but its enough to jolt you right through.  And God forbid there be a crack in the seat.  BEWARE the crack.  Again, move the wrong way and the next thing you know that stupid seat has pinched a chunk of your ass and ain't letting go.  And it HURTS!!

People that don't clean the lint trap in the dryer.  I have a lot of different people using my dryer and even with the sign on it, when I go to use it there is always at least three dryer loads of layers of lint on the screen.  I have seen first hand the damage that that can do and how dangerous it can be.  Clean the lint traps peeps…you won't regret it!

Coats hung on the back of the dining room chairs, by people that live in the house, not temporary company.  I hate coats and sweaters draped over the chairs.  It instantly messes up the place.  This might seem super petty but I have had certain people living in my house (not you) that would leave their coat or sweater there for infinity.  I am always hanging up coats and sweaters.

TV show repeats.  Why?  Right in the middle of the show's season, on no particularly special day, you get all snugged in all ready and anticipatorily starting your show and…its a frigging repeat…for no reason whatsoever.  I can't even describe that specific feeling..but its not good.

Buying what seems like a really good interesting looking chicklit book and forty pages in it simply turns into a cheesy romance novel..which I refuse to read.  I absolutely hate romance novels.  When I was a really young and very very poor mother, the only books I could afford were really cheap boxes of Harlequin romances from the used book store.  They were marginally better than the backs of shampoo bottles and I am grateful I had at least something to read but at this stage of my life I simply do NOT have to read them.  So when my what appeared to be an interesting intelligent book turns into nothing more than a romance novel, I am very irritated.  It reminds me of the movie 'Titanic'.  To me, thats exactly what that potentially great movie turned into.  Huge disappointment.

One last one…there are dozens more but you might end up thinking I go through my life living in a constant state of irritation.  (Maybe I do!)

Hashtags.  I hate them.  And I try really hard not to judge people who, in my opinion, over use them or put them where there is no purpose for a hashtag.  If the tag actually links to more info on that subject then great…I actually appreciate that.  But if it leads to nothing then what the hell is the point?  Its so irritating.  The best example I can think of is people that put pictures of their babies or pets on facebook.  Above the pic they make a quick comment then add forty stupid hashtags like #babygirl, #mamasboy, #cuteclothes, #kittybabies, etc… and when you click on the tag it just takes you to another page with that exact same pic on it and nothing else.  Come on people…get over the hashtags or use em right!!!  (Hmmm..maybe I should take my own advice and get over it!)

Some things are not so petty or just annoying.  Some things make me so pissed off I do bad things.

One of them is vacuum cleaners.  OMG!!  You have no idea what kind of rage rushes through me when I flip the vacuum switch and it doesn't turn on.  You check the plug.  You check the electric panel.  You flip flip flip the switch…hard.  Next thing I know I am kicking the shit out of the damned thing (I am getting mad just writing about this) and next thing you know I have picked that inept piece of crap up and thrown it as hard as possible out the back door…hopefully hitting something and smashing it to pieces.  It wasn't so easy with the built in though!  Now, for years I have had a Meile.  Best vacuum ever.  Ever. Hands down.

Another instant rage maker that I actually did a very smart thing and eliminated it right out of my life forever…was PC computers and microshit.  Seriously, the few years I spent with crap computers and bad bad programs did permanent damage and long lasting effects to me.  Blue ghost.  I know people tell me now that pc's and microshit programs aren't like that anymore.  But even if they aren't I would go without a computer if they were the only choice.  And fortunately they aren't the only choice.  

In 2003 our house burnt down.  And when our family went into the burnt mess the next day, accompanied by firemen, and we rounded the corner into the family room and saw that last pc we ever owned all melted over the desk looking a lot like a Salvador Dali painting, we instantly cheered and high fived each other.  We then switched to Apple and have never looked back.  But if I go to hell when I die it will be because of #%$&@##ing pc's and microshit and all the terrible swearing I did.

I would list neighbour's barking dogs here but thats way way beyond even more serious things that bug me.  Barking dogs drive me into an instantaneous murderous rage…waaaay beyond what I am whining about in this post.  One day I am going to write a book anonymously and title it "101 WAYS TO KILL A BARKING DOG, AS SLOWLY AND PAINFULLY AS POSSIBLE, AND THEN ITS OWNER"  I don't want to ruin my day so thats all I am going to write about this one.

I would like to say that I am going to write a post about all the things I love and enjoy, there are lots.  But that would just be sweet and cheesy and that just isn't me.  TTYL

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CLARE!!!

I hope your birthday was an awesome one Clare!!!  Mainly I hope you got lots of cake!  It feels like its time to see you and Tish again.  The minute I know I am coming over I shall get in touch and see if we can have lunch!

I just had the most productive day today.  I got up and printed a million pages that needed signing and faxed to Aryn.  I then took Parker to Petsmart to be desmelled.  Popped into BCAA to find out that to take Bill off the house insurance policy I have to get a copy of the title, a notorized or original copy of the will, death certificate and Aryn, because she is the other executor.  Jesus Murphy!!!  Its easier to just sell the damned place and let it take care of itself.  I then went to the drugstore and faxed 27 pages to Arnie.  Went up to Costco and got deliciousness for dinner tonite (Fri night)  Em, Austin,Big Dorothy, Dan (her squeeze) and Monte will be here.  Its Em and Austin's last night in Victoria forever.  They will spend it here as she has cleaned and emptied her apartment.  Around 9:30 Myles and April will roll in.  I can't wait.  It's been forever since I saw M&A!!!  

I then went to End of the Roll and ordered the carpeting for the stairs.  It will be done next week. And as I was leaving their parking lot, right across the little side street was a storage place that had all the packing supplies I have been needing so I drove right across and loaded up!  Soooo easy.  Every single place I needed was right within a two block radius.  Then I went home and cleaned the rabbit cage and finished washing Parker's bedding and just as I finished they phoned so I went and got him.  He smells so much better!

When I got home I hopped onto the laptop and phone and arranged for the yard cleanup and weekly maintenance and I arranged for a final haul of garbage when I move.  So all in all very productive!  Also, I put an ad with pics for the sofa bed couch for 100 bucks on used victoria.  There has been endless requests for it.  So I have answered a couple of the requests.  No doubt it will go soon.  That will leave the rec room downstairs totally empty! Ahhh…I love that empty room echo!

  Now its late and I am not tired.  I'll tell you why! I got a call from Aryn telling me to finish watching season two of House of Cards and then when she is here we will watch whatever is available of season three.  I really like the show but I must be a little dense because half of it goes right over my head.  So I put episodes 6&7 on and basically slept, soundly I might add, through both of them.  But I have a feeling that even though I missed them, rewatching the episodes won't help.  Haha…I will have Arnie and Bradley explain it to me when they come.  In the meantime now I am not tired.  TTYL

ENDLESS EFFING DETAILS AND MONEY OUT THE DOOR & A WHINY VENT

I can't afford this life.  Jeez!  Every time I turn around another whack of money is needed.  I have car insurance due the end of the month, new carpet to put down on the stairs, counters final pmt, ridiculous hydro bills on 2 or 3 houses, final big garbage run, paint for the new house, gardeners to do the big spring clean up here getting ready to list the house, window washers, gutter cleaners and on and on.

  But….I have to admit, other than the money part, I enjoy getting the place ready.  This house has actually been easier than other ones I have done.  It might have something to do with no 'interference' from Spod.  Soooo many times as I am throwing things out, giving stuff away etc…I cringe a little and hope he isn't watching from up there.

I am going to vent here for a moment.  After all the name of this blog is 'Vents'.  I wanna know why it seems that some ignoramusses out there think they can down talk to fat people.  Its like they think because we pack extra weight we don't have a brain.  Again, yesterday, at the grocery store another little asshole made comments to me…out of the blue!  I wasn't doing anything to him, didn't even notice him till he talked, so I know it wasn't a reaction to anything I did.

I was in the dairy section looking for sour cream for our dinner tonight.  This section was near the end of the dairy aisle.  So each carton I picked up was fat free or lite.  I wanted the full fat sour cream.  I finally found it and grabbed it.  As I was about to place it in my buggy, I heard a man's voice beside me say, "You would probably be better off with the low fat one."  So I, thinking he was making an actual health statement, replied, 'no actually when they take the fat out they replace it with a lot crap I don't like…like cornstarch."  He then went on to say, 'but a big person like you would probably be better off with the low cal stuff don't you think?'

I could not believe my ears!!!  "What do you mean?" I asked, just to confirm.  "I am just saying, the low cal stuff is better than the full fat one when you are packing a few extra."  This got my full attention.  I looked at him.  He was a fortyish balding ugly little man trying to be a hipster, but missing it completely.  Thin styled hair, horn rimmed glasses, black jeans…tight in a weird way, plaid button down shirt, but the plaid pattern was way too big, shiny black shoes…a true hipster wannabe.

So I know that what assholes like this are after is the shock of what they are saying, and then the reaction of you. They LIKE this kind of confrontation.  So I decided to take a different tact than verbally responding.  I slowly turned and stared right at him, unwaveringly, just like Molly does to me.  Its unnerving.  And I didn't stop. I slowly advanced on him until he was cornered.  I kept staring.  He finally mumbled, 'Just sayin' " and picked up his little hand basket and brushed past me back down the dairy aisle.

And I followed.  Every where he went, I went.  I stared.  Every time he looked at me I was staring.  He went down the pickle aisle, I followed.  He stopped at hot sauce.  I stopped at hot sauce.  He went down to the freezer section.  So did I.  And I stayed really really close to him and stared.  He started to tell me to back off.  Leave him alone.  Alright alright I get the point, you can go now.  Okay okay I am sorry.  I didn't say a word, I just stared and stared and followed and followed, right on his ass.  He finally put his basket down, spit out the word "Bitch" and left the store.  I parked my buggy and followed him outside, right to his loser beat up car.  He yelled at me "Have you lost your f*cking mind?"  He got in his car and as he backed out he threw me one last look and I smiled a big smile and waved goodbye.  He tore out of there way too fast.  Asshole.

You wouldn't believe how often comments are thrown your way.  Usually I just ignore them but sometimes I take exception, like yesterday.

It is so beautiful out right now.  I think I might grab a moment and go sit in the glorious sunshine and soak up a little D.  TTYL

PARKER AND SUITCASES

Yesterday, I hauled out four large suitcases.  The moving guy told me I could fill them with clothes so I figure why not?  Saves on boxes.  So I went to the garage and picked out the first one.  I brought it into the house, set it down, pulled up the handle and started to pull it to the bedroom.  And Parker went crazy.  I completely forgot that he hates hates hates our suitcases.  He totally associates them with us leaving and he simply goes nuts.  He bashed into my legs, jumped up and clawed me, kept shoving himself between me and the suitcase.  I know he does this, I just forgot.  Its been quite a while since using the suitcases.  The poor guy.  And after packing four of them he almost had a nervous breakdown!

I have come to the conclusion that Parker is a bully.  When he wants out he comes in and bashes his head on me, puts his paw and leg up on me, whines and cries and talks and bashes some more until I finally either scream at him to leave me alone or get up and let him out.  He starts doing that around seven at night too.  I feed them at nine o'clock but he starts in at seven.  Bash bash, whine cry, paw and claw….makes me mad.  And Molly, she finds somewhere sneaky to sit and balefully stares, unblinkingly, at me.  When I spy her I yell at her to go lie down and don't stare at me!  (shovel list).  She scrambles off but a few minutes later I see hiding elsewhere, balefully staring at me.  Jeez!

Tonight I went out and 'did' the recycling.  There was tons tonight…four boxes full.  And the boxes were really loaded and heavy.  I hauled them one by one up to the top of the driveway.  And then, I look down the street and not one recycle box is out there.  Crap!!!  So I phoned Monte and he confirmed that its next week, not this week.  They come every second week.  Well they can flipping well stay there.  I will be the loser person on the street for a week.  We don't have crows and racoons here to make a mess out of it thank goodness.

The counter went in today and it was astounding what a mess it made.  Firstly everything had to come off the pretend counters…which completely covered my table.  And when he arrived he told me that all the drawers had to be removed and all the stuff in the lower cupboards.  God, by the time I did all that I was crawling.  But I have to say my hip is totally holding up through all this.  And, as he is about to start the sink installation, he asks if there are taps.  I had arranged for him to do the plumbing for the sink.  No.  There were no taps.  So after confirming it was a single hole sink, I tore off to Home Depot, flew down the kitchen aisle, grabbed the best looking cheapest one, back to the cashier and was home in under twenty minutes.  And they look awesome!

After he left I surveyed the scene and there was kitchen crap everywhere!  It took me all afternoon to restore order!  But it is beautiful.  Pics below.  I know that all my facebook friends have seen the pics, my apologies, but  I do have a few friends that read my blog but don't have facebook.

Wed. night Emily, Austin and Monte will be here for our final dinner.  Austin is off to Kelowna, Emily off to Germany and Monte off to Port.  I am going to make carmel apple pork chops, baked potatoes, jonny cake, broccoli impossible pie and gingerbread with applesauce and whipped cream for dessert.  Yummy!  Last winter dinner!

Well I am off to bed now.  TTYL

SEE THE TAPS?  THEY LOOK GREAT AND THAT END PART IS A HOSE SO I CAN FILL THE KEURIG

MY KITCHEN AID LOOKS TINY!  THAT SUCKER WEIGHS A TON 

I TOOK THESE LAST TWO WITH MY IPHONE 6PLUS

PACK PACK PACK

I packed up my walk in closet today.  It was interesting.  There was a number of baskets of Spod's stuff.  Its kind of amazing that your whole life is reduced to a couple of little baskets of the dregs of your life.  I felt the same way about Mom's stuff.

One of the things I found was a Waterman's fountain pen, an old one, still in the original box.  There was also an antique cut glass ink well.  I have no idea where he got that.

I also accumulated three full garbage bags of my clothes for the sally ann.  Holy cow!  they are going to be so stoked to get a crap load of fat lady, like truly fat lady, not those 1x or 2x stuff that doesn't fit any of us true fat broads, clothes for once.  They never have anything that fits us big ones.  And they are really nice clothes.  Now that I am not cruising like before I just don't need them.  My clothes have been literally reduced to two jeans, three tights, four cropped pants, four shorts, five tshirts, two blouses, and one going to meeting outfit.  I got rid of the funeral clothes too.  I can fit all my clothes now into two rubbermaids…including my coats.  Tomorrow I am tackling the final purple room clean out.  Such a great great feeling!!

Holy crap!!!!!!!!  I just remembered that the counter people are coming tomorrow!!!  Its really late right now and I have to go and completely clean off the counters and put away all the stuff I brought out.  EEEEEK!!!!  I'm outta here!  TTYL

BESTEST VALENTINES EVER

Valentine's Day was never a big deal to me.  Spod certainly didn't buy into it, often.  Sometimes he gave me flowers and sometimes a vacuum cleaner.  You never knew.

As planned Em showed up in the morning and we immediately started making our brunch.  We got into some pretty heavy convo as we chopped and fried.  Then the doorbell rang.  Dogs barking and total chaos erupted.  I figured it was our neighbour bring valentine goodness…she always does that.  And she talks.  And talks.  So I asked Em to get the door but clearly she didn't want to (don't blame her and if some bad guy had been there and shot her I would never ever be able to live with myself).  So I answered.

And it wasn't the neighbour.  In fact it took me a few seconds to believe my eyes.  It was Austin!!!  I was sooooo happy to see him!!!  Apparently he came down a couple of days before and they kept it secret from me just to surprise me for Valentines.  What an awesome wonderful gift.  I have really missed him.  

So Em and I kept cooking and Austin cleaned up the table on the deck and set the table.  It was truly beautiful outside and we had the most delicious brunch.  Then we moved into the living room and lounged around, caught up on news and listened to records…INXS/Talking Heads/Perfume Genius etc….

At one point we were outside on the deck again when we heard a knock at the door.  It was a flower delivery.  As I carried them from the door to the deck I had a little shiver of "Bill" essence.  It was kind of strange.  Of course that wouldn't be possible.  Then I read the card.  It was from Myles and April on Bill's behalf.  I started crying immediately of course.  They were beautiful.  What a wonderful surprise and immensely thoughtful gift.

Austin and Em left around four and I spent the rest of the day in my awesome chair, dogs at my feet, on and off the phone with kidlets, laptop on my lap and tv on.  Perfect perfect valentine's day!  TTYL

THERE IS AUSTIN….A WONDERFUL VALENTINE SURPRISE

THERE IS THE AWESOME BRUNCH … FIRST MEAL OF THE SEASON ON THE DECK

THESE ARE THE BEAUTIFUL FLOWERS FROM MYLES AND APRIL

VALENTINE BRUNCH

When you don't have a sweetheart, as Emily says, you find a compatible human and eat. (On re reading this it sounds like you eat that human.  That is not what I meant but I don't feel like rewriting it the right way.  You know what I mean)

  So she and I are making a brunch tomorrow morning and we are going to watch many episodes of Downton Abbey….all in our fuzzies!  Seriously!!  This is way better than romantic candlelit dinners.  Our menu:  eggs Benedict with bacon, hash browns, seafood quiche (with hollandaise if we so wish), fruit with chocolate dip, platter of cake pops, heart cookies, valentines cupcakes and sugar crystal sticks.  AND a box of Turtles!!!!!  To start we have true blue mimosas…with real champagne.  All with Timothy's Rainforest Espresso coffee.  My pancreas is cringing as I write this.

So the kids got away Wed. morning early.  I cleaned up the house and put things away, getting ready for the housekeeper.  After she left I went out and cleaned the deck.  Before Monte left for Port yesterday I had him do a few things for me that I can't do.  Slowly but surely everything is getting packed or organized or taken away.  Makes me happy.  I think the plan is to get the house on the market the end of Feb. and on March 15th, when my house renters vacate my Kamloops house, I shall fill the truck with camp stuff and head up there.

Kevin and Tandy will come and stay a while up there, bringing their camp stuff.  Apparently Tandy likes to paint!!!  There is a lot of painting to do and it would be good to get it done before I move.  I hope the house sells fast.

Its almost tomorrow.  And when it is I can then say the counter is coming the day after tomorrow!!  I cannot wait.  It seems a long time coming.  Then other than painting and some trim, my kitchen will be done!!!  I am going to miss it.  This kitchen is the perfect size for easy cooking and cleaning.  I love it.  But I am going to love my new one more. I will put a couple pics at the bottom.  I probably already have done that but don't remember.  I think I am in early dementia.  Its okay if I am.  Its the perfect absolution of all responsibility I say!

Its now six pm Friday evening.  I shall now go and clean my lovely kitchen and get organized for morning brunch making.  I will take pics and share…like you all want to see us in our fuzzies cooking!  TTYL

THIS IS THE LIVING ROOM…I AM THINKING OF KEEPING THIS COLOUR.  ITS A LITTLE PALER THAN THIS LOOKS.  BUT THAT FAR ROOM ON THE RIGHT IS BURGUNDY.  I HATE BURGUNDY SO I FOR SURE WILL BE PAINTING THAT ROOM

THE KITCHEN….BUT I WILL HAVE TO PAINT THAT SHITTY BROWN.  I DON'T LIKE THAT COLOUR AT ALL

THE COLOUR IS MORE REALISTIC IN THIS PIC

THE DOWNSTAIRS REC ROOM…I LOVE THIS COLOUR SO WILL BE LEAVING IT.

A HORRIBLE THING HAPPENED TO ME (WHY ME? WHY NOT THE NEIGHBOUR? (I WHINE)

Jesus!! What a couple of days its been.  I have had the absolute best time with my sister's children.  Jocelyn and Ainsley (7 mths) have been a joy.  The baby has been teething and is a little unhappy at times but she is a wonder!  So much fun.  Yesterday the three girls played a very complicated in depth board game over a six hour period…something you should do on family day!  I made a roast beef dinner and while I was cooking is was so awesome to have the girls and the baby sitting at the table laughing and enjoying the day.  Felt so good.

But, at night the worry metre starts up.  And yesterday afternoon a horrible thing happened to me.  I am not sure why this upset me to the point of tears, but it did.

I went to the bank to deposit a cheque.  It was closed and totally deserted.  So I went into the atm part, did my thing and after I read the receipt I put it in the little slot hole on the counter for garbage.  It wouldn't go down because the garbage was pretty full.  So I pushed it right down with my fingers and when I did this my ring on my finger went sideways and allowed my whole bunch of fingers through, but when I tried to pull my hand out, my ring went back to normal and trapped my fingers in the slot. Totally and fully trapped.  I could not pull my hand out.  Period.

Well, I almost panicked.  Anybody could have come in and robbed me blind and there would have been nothing I could do about it.  I had left my phone in the car.  But really, I wasn't too worried about that.  This is Langford.  Things like that don't happen here.  But I was feeling pretty claustrophobic I must say….and stupid.  Seriously why the hell does stuff like this happen to me?  Obviously I need to slow down and think more.

After quite a while a man about my age came in and I immediately apologized and asked if he could help me.  He was so awesome.  He took a good look and talked me down and went out to his truck and came back in with a knife and his wife.  She made jokes whilst he wiggled the knife just so and POP!!  out came my fingers!  I gave them big hugs and thank yous and more hugs and went out to my car and burst into ridiculous over reaction tears.  I just can't seem to handle anything at all these days.  What a tool.

This morning (Tues.) Monte phoned ICBC and they told him that it was their error.  So now we drive all the way out to the MVB and get him another one.  And then we have to figure out how to get them to pay for his auto tow.  They did reverse the ticket.

And I phoned Ikea and there is a new part winging its way to us and will be here in one week.  So all in all a good day.  Now I am about to drive Monte out yonder.  And here are a few pics!!  TTYL

SHE ACTUALLY DOES FEED HERSELF…SHE GETS ENOUGH IN TO MAKE HERSELF HAPPY

THIS IS WHERE SHE IS HAPPIEST OF ALL…ON THE FLOOR WITH TOYS

PLAYING GAMES ON FAMILY DAY

HIT THAT GROUND RUNNNG!!!

I flew out of chair this morning and started cleaning.  A baby was coming!!!  Jocelyn, Dorothy and baby Ainsley were on the eleven ferry.  So I whipped around and vacuumed and dusted and dishes and bathrooms and kicked Monte out the big bedroom and made a bed, put stuff away etc….I had Monte move vehicles, vacuum, move stuff etc…and before you knew it the place was ready.

We visited and passed the baby and nibbled on soup and crackers (found out that there was a ton of sugar in tomato soup so no more of that for me {shovel list}).  Later Dorothy and I hit the market and drug store for a little grocery shopping and back home.  Monte and Emily, who had arrived a little earlier, headed down to get sushi for dinner.  We then sat around and gossiped and watched the grammys.

Monte was stopped by the police last night and was told he was driving on a suspended license, since Dec.  The cop wrote out a 276.00 ticket and made him have his car towed home for 185 bucks. And the thing is….there is no way his license is suspended …  unless….back in the end of Octoberish he got notice from ICBC he had forty days to go to his doctor, get a bunch of forms signed saying he was capable of driving with the drugs he was taking, and the doctor had to send them in.  He immediately went up to Port and took care of it.  I find it somewhat coincidental  that his license was suspended around the forty day mark.  Methinks the doc didn't send in the paperwork, or ICBC didn't get it done properly.  Either way Monte is going to have to figure this out and see whats up.  What a pain in the ass!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yesterday Emily came out and gave Monte and me a hand in the garage.  Soon after she left Monte headed downtown too.  So I went into the garage and fine tuned the cleaning.  I am so happy.  There is still lots to do but its pretty clear sailing.  I have finally got just the right corner/spot to put packed ready to move labelled boxes.  I will do quite a bit of the packing, but I will let Beakins pack up the kitchen and all the knick knacks and closets and drawers.  I am feeling a bit better.  I will feel much better when the kitchen and bathrooms are finished. 

Now, a word about Ainsley.  She is the cutest little thing.  She is seven months old, totally looks like Daddy and today she really started to do pat a cake.  When I first started clapping and singing, she kind of clapped and then stopped.  A few hours later she was totally clapping all the way through the song right to the end.  I didn't even have to clap.  As soon as I started to sing the song she would start clapping!  Tomorrow night I will post a bunch of pics here.  I hope this is making her Omy (my sister) very very jealous!!!  TTYL 

THREE TRUCK LOADS TO SALLY ANN AND ONE TO THE DUMP

What a great feeling! Stuff after stuff got loaded into the back of the truck and driven off to the Sally Ann or the dump.  There is still a long long way to go but there is daylight out there in that garage now!!!  Monte is so handy…being six eight with arms like a gorilla he can lift anything and reach right across the garage for stuff!  I have come to the conclusion that shelves are a bad bad thing.  The more shelves you have, the more crap you accumulate.

Monte got a call from his doctor with an appointment for him tomorrow at three.  So after the last load to the dump he headed off to Port.  He will come back down tomorrow  to finish up in the garage.  At least finish his part.

Andrew came for dinner tonight and there were two very very happy doggies.  They love Andrew more than anything in the world.  What a great surprise for them!

We had a delicious dinner of rib steak, cream corn, perogies in bacon and onion, home baked buns and apple crisp.  It was a delicious dinner that took us about three hours to eat because we were talking so much.  We had so many stories and catchup and conversation and laughter!  What a great time tonight!  We are going to meet again soon before I move.  Its highly unlikely I will see him much after I move and that makes me sad.  

I am just a little pissed off with something that happened on Wed.  Appliance guy came, set up in the kitchen, got out all his tools etc…and proceeded to take out a tool and open up the corner cupboard to the right of the dishwasher and pop the bottom shelf off and out.  This shelf is a super specialty shelf built for corners by Ikea.  It took Aryn and April three hours to figure out how to install it.  I warned the guy to pay attention how it works because its techity.

So for the next two hours he drilled and screwed and hammered and installed the dishwasher and the above the stove microwave.  He was in a hurry because of the next appointment (I overheard him on his phone)  Next thing I know, he packed up his tools and then tells me he can't find the gizmo that attaches that shelf in the cupboard.  So he looks, I look, he looks more, I look and it just can't be found.  It is simply gone!

So I say 'well I need that thing.  The shelf is useless without it!"  And he says 'take a picture and take it to Ikea and see if they can give you another one"  I go "What??!!  Thats in Vancouver…a two hundred dollar trip and I don't have the time to do that!"  So he just kept looking but finally said he had to go.  He is coming back on Tuesday to put a plug in to plug in the microwave.  Apparently he will be bringing the invoice for me to pay at that time.

So, I do believe before I pay him we are going to have to have a conversation about that cupboard and how HE plans to rectify the problem before I pay. AND..you should have seen the mess he left.  There is sawdust EVERY WHERE!!!  Its down in the cupboards, all over the stove, all over my pots and pans he took out of the cupboard, all over my kitchen aid.  The floor was filthy, right to the front door.  And when he took the microwave out of the box he shredded the styrofoam and it was everywhere.  I am not a happy camper.

Anyway, its time for bed.  Another busy day tomorrow,cleaning and packing.  The truck is sitting right there, backed up to the garage door and empty!!!  TTYL

I'M TIRED AND MY HORSE IS TIRED

This was my favourite kind of day.  Cooking and planning!  But tonight I am so tired I can hardly see!

I got up really really early.  I didn't sleep all that well last night.  I wasn't that happy to wake up and see it was only 6:30.  It means I will be so tired by…well right now!  Its only 11 pm but I am bagged.

I made an apple crisp first thing this morning…and it turned out perfectly!  I washed my hair (shovel list) then cooked the rest of the dinner..bit by bit until it was done.

Okay this is a stupid post.  I am going to bed TTTYL

AND SO IT STARTS…I LIKE TO DO THIS IN THE MORNING…THAT WAY THE TABLE DOESN'T HAVE TO BE CLEARED OFF UMPTEEN TIMES DURING THE DAY!!!

COLESLAW DRESSING IN THE MAKING

SCALLOPED POTATOES

LAMB GRAVY

Add caption

AUNTY ORMA AND UNCLE GORDON

MY DINNER…NOTE THE GREEN MINT JELLY

BIG DOROTHY

MONTE

VERY SUCCESSFUL DAY

I got errands done today!!!  I have been procrastinating forever on some of them.  Monte got back from Kamloops yesterday and he is staying until Thursday.  So I booted him out of bed early this morning and he drove me all over the place.

Most importantly the counter is ordered!!!  We went downtown to the counter place and they sent someone around here at three to do the fine tune measuring.  There should be a new counter in by the end of two weeks!!!

I also managed to get to Service Canada..a place I basically had no idea about before Bill died.  I do remember going to Service Can with my sister last year but she was driving that bus on that one and I didn't pay much attention.  So now I am going to get a widow's pension.  I actually had to phone Kathy in Maui to get the name of the fellow who married us.  He married my brother, my sister, myself and officiated at dad's funeral.  And I couldn't remember his name.

Speaking of which….twenty five years ago Bill and I got married.  I wrote a poem (you know, one of my stellar talents heeheehee) for that minister to read during the ceremony.  Which he did.  Not well but he did read it out.  I remember he was so nervous he was shaking.  And immediately after the wedding that poem disappeared.  It was in triplicate on connected copy paper…old school type.  I never saw that poem again and it has made me quite sad over the years.

A couple of days ago I was clearing out one of my many junk boxes in purple room.  They are all current, created in the last year.  So as I was going through one of them, separating pictures from toothbrushes, I saw a piece of letter size paper.  And guess what?  It was the wedding poem.  If you held a gun to my head I would not be able to explain how that very recognizable piece of writing just suddenly showed up in my current junk box.  Blew my mind I must say.

After service Can. we hit Fairway and I found mint jelly…the cheap lime green kind, the only kind in my book.  I was so happy!  I bought four jars, just in case.  We then went to Costco and I bought dog food and leg of lamb.  Two of them.  Mmmmmmmm.  I want left overs to go with all that jelly.  Tomorrow night they are all coming so tomorrow will be a cooking day….my favourite.  Scalloped potatoes, paula deen coleslaw, broccoli, apple/pineapple crisp and icecream.  Mmmmmm.

I rushed home and cleared every single thing off the counters in the kitchen, except the keurig.  I told the measure guy that I didn't want to unplug it…I would have to reprogram it and thats damned near impossible.  Then I cleaned and watched some Downton Abbey (sorry Em).  Such a good day.  And I am really enjoying Monte's piano playing.  His ability to  write songs amazes me.  Now its time to hit the hay.  Up early tomorrow!  TTYL

FRIED EGG SAMMICHES

Its going to be really short tonight.  Its not been a bouncy day today.  I am going through all my keepsakes and bits and pieces and I keep coming across unexpected notes and things that were so 'Spod'.  It hurts.  I feel like its been long enough now and its time for him to come home…only he isn't.

And I found something so amazing it blew my mind.  But I just don't feel like relaying tonight.  Tomorrow night I will.  Today is what I have always called a fried egg sandwich day.  And that is what I ate…a fried egg sandwich.  Sorry about this post…my heart aint in it tonight.  TTYL