I have been trying to grow my hair long. It is about15 cm. past my shoulders (6 inches) but it is driving me wonky!! I have to wear it in a french braid every day because my hair is so thick and I am so hot all the time. I was trying to wait until the end of the summer and then make the decision but I can't take it a day longer. I am cutting it to my shoulders.

I don't normally mention sites I like but I thought a lot of you busy moms would like this. It is a desktop calendar. You can type in what you need to do each day and it pops up each morning what needs to be done. It is free. Just click download.

I must say I really like all the people I work with. I have never felt so welcome at a place of employment.  Out of a staff of almost 30 people everyone has been super at welcoming me and helping me out. Everyone has gone out of their way to show me how things are done. Everyone except one.
Norma. Bossy bitch from hell. She started there 3 months before I did so it isn't like she knows fuck all. She kept informing me of every little mistake I made. For example, she came all the way downstairs from her office to tell me (very rudely I might add) that the palliative bed code is 970676 NOT 970767. She made me change it while she waited.  Another time she came down to make me change the lettering in a persons last name from "re" to "er". I admit fully that I was wrong both times. It isn't that I was bothered in the least that she was telling me of my mistakes. By all means, how else will I learn the right way to do things. It was the way she was telling me. That condescending bitchy voice. You know that way people talk to you and you feel like shit afterwards but they didn't actually say anything wrong?
Well one of the times she came to tell me a "company policy"  the General Manager overheard her. Another time the owner heard her. Another time another employee heard her. Apparently they all discussed it and Norma had a talking to. She was told that it was not up to her to inform me of  my mistakes. After all, she was still under her three month probation. (Oh, I forgot to say she had been doing my job but was transferred because she had a shitty attitude and that is why I was hired.)  Well about 3 days later Norma was fired! The owner assured me it had nothing to do with me but a build up of issues.  I hate to say I am happy that she is gone but... ROTFLMFAO!

Ahhhhh! Today was much cooler and I am one happy girl. We went to the beach. I slopped my kids and myself with oodles of sunscreen. Hats. T-shirts. I laid in the sun while the kids played in the ocean with . This is the life.

Please. Someone! Tell me why? My remote control broke for my garage door to my condo. There are 110 units with people coming and going all the time. I called the caretaker who was at church. I thought to myself, "How long can it be until someone comes along"? I figured someone would open the door and I would drive out. It was not to be so. The kids and I sat in the underground parking lot for an hour and not a damn soul came! Frustrated and angry I got the kids out of the car and came back upstairs. I called the caretaker and went to her place and she fixed my remote. I went to my car and 3 people drove out!!!!! Why is it that I sat there for almost an hour and not a single freaking person and as soon as the remote control is fixed and I can get out it is grand central station? Does anyone else have a life like this? Why didn't someone come along when I couldn't get out? Sometime I think my life is like that Jim Carey movie and everyone is watching me and laughing their asses off.

Another hot one today! Now I know I sound like the whiny one because I am sure in places in the southern parts of USA it is likely close to 40 C or higher. The thing is I am Canadian. I like the cool weather and that is why I choose to live here. If I liked weather that was above 28 C I would move elsewhere. But nay, I love rain and cool evenings. I love sweater weather! My favourite time of the year is around October. I love cool mornings when frost is on the ground and my breath comes out in little puffs in front of me. I think it is invigorating! I shall count the days until then and look forward to them!

We had more fireworks here again tonight. Whoooo hooooooooo! They were great as usual. Day of tomorrow. What to do? What to do?

It was so hot today I decided to give my cat Harriet a bath to cool down. She is a typical I hate water kind of cat. When I first put her under the sprayer she freaked out and tried to get away. After a few seconds she actually just sat there and enjoyed it! Poor kitty was so hot with all that fur on. You know it is hot when...your cat wants a bath!

I took the kids to the beach in spite of their bickering. It was just too hot to stay home. I don't ever remember it being 34 C here.

Kevin is watching football now. I hate football. I hate staying home on a nice sunny night to watch football. Blech!

I didn't go to work today as mentioned in yesterday's post. I said I didn't have daycare. Ha!

Fireworks here again tomorrow night. Yay!

This is the conversation I just overheard.

Girl-N: Boyyyyyyyy-Wuuuuuuuuuuuuu! Quit it!........(a few moments later) Stooooooooop!......Donnnnnnnnnnnnnnn't!.......{screeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeam}

Comes out crying holding her arm and crying.

Girl-N: Mama Boy-W threw a necklace at me!

Boy-W: No I didn't!

Girl-N: Yes you did!

Boy-W: No!

Girl-N: Yessssssssssss!

Boy-W: You threw it at me first!

Girl-N: I did not!

Boy-W: Yes!

Me: We are not going to the water park if you are fighting.

Girl-N: But he threw a necklace at me!

Boy-W: I did not!

Girl-N: Yes you did!

Me: (sigh)

Boy-W: No!

Girl-N: You did too!

Me: Just go to your room please.

Kids now in bedroom...

Girl-N: Boy-Wuuuuuuuu! ........Quit it!.......Stop it!.......I'm telling!......

5 minutes later they are still screaming at the top of their lungs at each other. Funny thing is in 5 minutes they will be best friends again.

Bitch. Bitch. Bitch. Whine. Whine. Whine.

It is 32 C outside!  I am too HOT!  That is almost 90! The heat makes me crabby!

OK folks. I have been called to go into work tomorrow at my other job and I don't want to go. I need a good lie! I gave my two weeks notice there yesterday because I have been offered full time at my new job. I most definitely do not want to work on my day off. It is supposed to go up to 34 tomorrow and I intend to spend it at the beach with my kids!

Anyone have any good lies? I have pleurisy (cough).  My cat is having her other arm amputated. Root canal? 

I would love to tell the truth, really I would.

Hi. You called me about a shift on Friday? Yea well I am not going to do it. Number one your wages are for shit. Number two I was going to sleep in. Number three it is too fucking hot out! 

See why  can't tell the truth?

I posted a few months back on a girl that went missing. She was abducted from her home in the middle of the night.  Her parents did not know what happened to her for 5 months until her remains were found by a hiker.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/ceciliazhang/index.html

I am relieved that the suspect has been found and arrested.
http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national/2004/07/22/zhang_development040722.html

 

~100 things~ updated

1. I am 34.
2. I am a nurse.
3. I am a teacher's aide.
4. My son is 9.
5. My daughter is 7
6. I am afraid of the dark.
7. I get along with everyone in my family.
8. My favourite colour (this week) is pink. Sometimes it is purple. Sometimes it is green.
9. I was diagnosed with "depression" several years back. Everyday I take an anti-depressant.
10. I wish I didn't have depression and didn't have to take a pill.
11. I am glad that I can help others out there that do suffer from depression.
12. I graduated at the top of my class in college.
13. I used to think I was stupid.
14. Until last week I hadn't rode a bike in over 25 years.
15. I love Hershey's Kisses!
16. My mom had a near-death experience and heard a voice telling her it wasn't her time because her daughter would be a humanitarian.
17. I am a humanitarian. My heart aches to see the injustice that goes on in the world and I do all I can to make it better.
18. I have never once been purposely mean to someone.
19. I have a cat named Angus.
20. I am a klutz but I have never broken a bone.
21. I found out about blogging quite by accident while looking up the lyrics to a Gordon Lightfoot song.
22. I made a quilt using all the leftover scraps of fabric from my kids baby clothes. It is my most prized possession.
23. I was named after my Great Grandmother.
24. I met my boyfriend through Lavalife.
25. My daughter still sleep with me some nights.
26. I love having my little chick-a-dees in my bed. It feels so right.
27. Sometimes I have panic attacks. I used to have very bad ones all the time but I have learned how to control them for the most part.
28. I was the champion at hanging from a bar at eye level in primary school. Over 2 minutes!
29. I wet the bed until was way older than I care to admit. I think it had something to do with the panic attacks.
30. I like walking in the rain.
31. One of my favourite shows is "I Love Lucy".
32. I have seen every Seinfeld episode at least 5 times. I can answer almost any piece of triva thrown at me!
33. I don't like anything on my feet; especially socks.
34. I am a member of Al-Anon. (for relatives of alcoholics)
35. I am allergic to codeine and wear a medic-alert bracelet.
36. I colour my hair with Clairol Nice & Easy 106A (previously known as 106.5).
37. My kids have never been baby-sat by anyone other than family.
38. I want another baby. Very badly.
39. I believe any fear (ex-heights, snakes, spiders, malls, the dark etc.) can be overcome because I am living proof. I still am working on overcoming several fears but I have overcome many!
40. I have a Snoopy and Woodstock tattoo on my ankle.
41. My kids are my best friends.
42. I cried when Princess Diana died. I still get choked up when I think about her.
43. I remember my mom telling me that she remembers where she was when J.F.K was shot. I remember not understanding how you could remember something like that.
44. I remember where I was when I heard the news of the Twin Towers. I wish I could forget.
45. I lost 60 pounds 3 years ago.
46. My favourite food is Mexican.
47. I don't like watching TV. After 30 minutes I get all antsy and jumpy and have to turn it off.
48. I had morning sickness so bad with my son and daughter I lost weight (25 and 20 pounds) but I still managed to produce a healthy boy weighing in at 8 pounds 9 1/2 ounces and a girl a 7 pounds 12 ounces. After they were born I looked like a skeleton with skin on.
49. I want to own a hobby farm someday.
50. I like being single.
51. I breastfed my daughter until she was 2 1/2.
52. I buy all my clothes second-hand. (Except bras, panties and socks.)
53. I like the sound of a train in the distance.
54. I have a bath every night before bed.
55. I can't watch scary movies or I have nightmares for months.
56. I am not afraid of snakes.
57. I dream a lot about having telekinesis.
58. I had never "made love" until I met
59. .
60. When I took my kids hand and feet prints when they were babies I also took their bum prints. Very cute!
61. My hands look just like my mom's.
62. I have asthma.
63. I want to have a house with an indoor swimming pool someday.
64. My family all gets along with each other.
65. I hate doing the dishes.
66. I can't wear high heels anymore.
67. I have never experienced weather below -12 C.
68. I am Canadian and I love my home very much.
69. I am a night owl.
70. When I worked in nursing homes I sang to the residents while getting them ready in the morning.
71. I used to be a preschool teacher.
72. I take two of my kids chewable vitamins everyday because adult vitamins make me gag.
73. I love milk and drink it right out of the jug late at night. I drink skim milk.
74. My mom, daughter and I all have the same middle name.
75. My dad was going to invest $ 10,000 (Cdn.) in Microsoft when it was in it's infancy but my mom talked him out of it. (sob)
76. I think bald men are very s#xy!
77. I love spinach and brussell sprouts.
78. I hate cooked carrots.
79. I have an aunt who puts gravy on her salad.
80. I remember the first and last names of all my elementary school teachers.
81. My daughter is obsessed with envelopes. When I buy them she writes letters to everyone she knows and puts them in envelopes. I was going to buy her a box for Christmas.
82. My family has lived in the same city for 151 years.
83. I got whiplash from slipping on orange juice that my son had spilled on the floor.
84. I have stood on the glass floor at the C.N. tower.
85. I was interviewed on the news when I was 16.
86. I have only ever had one cavity.
87. I can't yell. I try but I just am not capable.
88. I have such a quiet voice I often get interrupted. This used to bother me a lot. It still does sometimes.
89. I have a learning disability in math.
90. I got 100% on my college entrance exam in English.
91. I used to be so allergic to cigarette smoke that I would end up in the hospital. I just avoid smoke now.
92. I taught myself to french braid my own hair.
93. In Canada a sofa is sometimes called a "chesterfield". When I was little I called a sofa a "chesterloaf". I called a bed spread a "breadspread". I called a ottoman an "essastool".
94. I don't bite my nails but I can't grow them because they are so thin.
95. I am terrible at cutting with scissors. I cut all jaggedy.
96. I have no patience for people who make fun of people with mental or physical challenges. I believe people that do that are just insecure.
97. I was almost abducted by 3 men when I was 15. I believe the only reason I wasn't is because I had a guardian angel.
98. I don't like name brands and trendy things.
99. I love wind chimes. I even have some in my house so I can hear them chime when I have a fan on.
100. The theme song to "Bear in the Big Blue House" makes me cry.
101. I can't believe how hard it was to think up 100 things!
     
     
     

Damn, damn, damn! I stumbled across this site this morning and now I have another 10 or so blogs added to my list!
 
I am fascinated by the blogging phenomena. I ask myself why I am so interested in the lives of others. Perhaps in our fast paced world it is the new way to socialize. Many of you, as I have struggle with finding "girlfriends". When I was growing up my mom had a girlfriend in every other house in our neighborhood. She was usually friends with my friends mothers. Kids ran free until dusk and only checked in at home for a meal! Times have changed haven't they? I won't even let my kids go into our neighbors house alone! I just don't have the desire to get to know my neighbors.
It seems many choose to isolate in this day in age. As a way of protecting ourselves I suppose. I know I have my carefully ordered world and it scares me at times to let people into it. Maybe I watch the news too much but there are so many wackos around.
So why do I continue to read? Is it  a deep desire to have what my mom had? To listen to the stories of others? To hear that their children are just as funny, crazy, silly, maddening and messy as mine? To hear that they also sleep best when their partner is not in the bed but miss him/her like crazy when gone.  To hear the stories of car sickness, report cards, first (and last) days of school. To identify with being "snubbed" at play group.  Quite frankly I rejoice with so many of you when your children reach a milestone and I laugh when your children say things like "Well you are pretty on the inside. And that's what counts"!
Whatever the reason I will continue to read. I look forward to your postings and like knowing there are actually people out there that look forward to reading mine!

 

Thank you to all the new people that have been reading my blog and leaving comments! Blogger's comment system leaves a lot to be desired so I am going to switch to a new program. Until then please leave your URL so I can visit your site and know who you are!
 

 
We went to the beach the day before yesterday. See why I say I live in Paradise!

There is always going to be day at work that I wish I could forget. I guess I don't want to forget the day but perhaps the moment.
A little old man came in to tell us that his wife had passed away and we could pick up the (palliative) equipment he had rented. He was trying to be so brave and smile but he had tears in his eyes and was trying desperately to hold it together. He is of the day when men did not cry. To cry showed weakness. To cry meant you were a wimp, a sissy or "gay". Where does this backward thinking come from? Why would a man think for a moment he can not openly grieve the passing of his life partner? All I could do is nod understandingly and tell him our thoughts are with him.
Speaking of death. Those of you have been reading with me know my Nana passed away in May. The night before last the grief rolled over me again. I wanted to see her so bad. I wanted to call her on the phone.  I wanted to hear her voice. I wanted to tell her how much I love her and how much I miss her.
I find as time passes the grief is not as intense but in many ways it is more bitter. I don't want to feel "o.k" about not being able to see her again! I see so many things around my home that were gifts that she had given me. I touch them as though I am in some way touching her. It feels so empty though.

• Holy shit what happened to Blogger?!
• Apparently they have been working on it!

1. I can number and bullet!
2. and change colours!

I can centre my post!

 

and change my font.

 

I can also change the Size of my font!

Way to go Blogger! Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

I am all caught up on reading blogs! Yay! This working business is seriously cutting into my blog reading time. We have the Internet at work. I wonder if my boss would mind if I blogged at work?

I am off to take Girl-N to the Child Development Centre. The C.D.C is where I take her for her physio/occupational therapy. For those of you that don't know Girl-N was born with a genetic illness. Lately I have noticed she tires easily because of the low muscle tone associated with it. She didn't crawl until she was a year old and didn't walk until she was 2. She is doing great now but she does seem to get tired quickly some days. She is just a wee little thing. At 6 1/2 she weighs 40 pounds. How that is possible I don't know because she outeats me! It was an exciting day a few months back because she finally graduated to a booster seat in the car. So today she will go and get assessed and given exercises to strengthen her muscles.

Some days I feel like a bad mom. Yesterday Girl-N had a nose bleed and I threw up. I am a nurse fergodsake! I can handle blood when it is in small amounts. Something about blood coming out of a nose with long strands of who-knows-what is too much. Her nose is bleeding all over the place and I am pinching her nose with one hand and holding a bag to throw-up in with the other. So much for the post on knowing how to not vomit. So there I am about a second away from fainting and I am thinking I need to get her to the hospital if it continues. 20 minutes later I am in the car with her on my way to the hospital. The nurse asked me if I was o.k.! How embarrassing! Anyway...Girl-N is o.k. The doctor said it was because she had a cold and it may start again but it would stop if I pinched it. Incidentally, the way to pinch a bleeding nose is to grab the middle of your nose with your middle knuckles and roll up so your top knuckles are near your eyes. Does that make any sense?
Any other mom's out there just feel like ya don't quite measure up some days?

I did something this evening I haven't done in over 25 years. I rode a bike! I decided I was way too out of shape and needed to do something about it so last week I bought a bike. Holy shit am I out of shape. After about 10 minutes my flabby thighs were burning! I am sweating and having an asthma attack. I decided to go a little further and in all I biked for 30 minutes. I must say it is a good exhausted but exhausted still the same. Will try again tomorrow if my thighs haven't turned to cement in the night.

I came home from work sick yesterday. I was feeling rather gross in the morning before I left but I didn't want to call in sick because I just started working there. But alas, the puke bug came upon me and I had to leave. One good thing, if it can be called that is I have learned how to not puke. I had hyperemesis gravidarum aka morning sickness so bad with both kids I lost weight. (25 pounds and 20 pounds) I spent 4 months in the hospital with both kids. It was awful! However, I did learn how to not vomit! Anyway, I came home, took 2 anti-nausea pills and slept the rest of the day. I woke up this morning feeling fine. Good thing because I didn't want to call in sick.
Girl-N is sick. I took her to daycare. She sat on the front step and barfed. The daycare lady said she couldn't stay so n looked after both kids.
We decided on a name for the 3-legged cat. Ilean.

Sunday. Sunday. Sunday. A day off. Yay!

I do have something to post about today. A new addition has been added to my home. A cat! A three-legged cat that may possibly lose it's eye. How pray tell did I acquire this pathetic thing? I went cat shopping at the local shelter. I am not big on the whole kitten thing but because I have a cat that is epitome of meanness when it comes to another cat I thought she may be accepting of a kitten. So, off and I go to the shelter to just look. The first bad idea. has the world's biggest heart. His Harley-Davidson biker look with huge German Shepherd to boot is merely a ruse. The guy doesn't have a mean bone in his body so I think he wants to at least look the part. But I digress. n and I go to look for a cat for me. We talk to the shelter lady who mentions this poor cat that had just lost it's leg. n was asking to look at her and I knew right then it was all over. I knew even before we looked at her she was ours.
About 10 seconds later we are looking at this poor cat that lost it's leg last week. The shelter lady goes on to tell us of this horrific story about her eye and she will probably have to lose it as well. who had no intention of getting a cat 2 minutes earlier lets the lady know we will take her.
n wants to call her, get this...IHOP! (sigh) I suppose it is a step up from his first choice. Tricyle. I told him that we need to call her a nice name because those one's may hurt her feelings. He told me she doesn't know what they mean but I think she may know she is being made fun if even if she doesn't know. I want to call her Helen. She looks like a Helen.

I think I am in a blogging slump. I have attempted to post the last few days but keep coming up with nada.

I finally watched Finding Nemo last night. It was so cute! Will be buying this one for sure!

See, that is all I have in me today. I hope this doesn't last long and I will have more to write.

I arrived home from Ontario yesterday. Everyone said this would make or break my relationship with . I am happy to say we came back more in love. (sigh):-)

s family liked me. Niagara Falls was unbelievably spectacular. I missed my kids so much that I was ready to go home by day 5. Day 9 I missed them so much I cried. Arriving home on day 10 I saw there little faces waiting for me at the ferry terminal. I ran to them; scooped them both into my arms and cried again. I will never be able to go that long again without them. I have no idea why I thought I could do it. There is no place like home and that it is because of a certain Boy-W and Girl-N.

I arrived home to my place and my mom, dad and brother had painted my entire place. It looks so great! What a fantastic surprise!. It hadn't been painted in 9 years so you can imagine how badly it needed it. It had survived 2 toddlers! I must say it makes me a wee bit sad that their "drawings" are gone. Their growth chart is too. I measured them both before they were a week old against the wall and it is gone. I don't think they would have painted there if they knew how much it meant. In addition Girl-N and Boy-W planted planters full of flowers for me all by themselves. Perfectly beautiful!

Back at work today. They are impressed with my work and have offered me full-time. I said I would consider it after my kids go back to school in September.

And now I am off to bed. I am too tired to check this blog for spelling and grammatical errors. Jet lag is a drag.