The 'Oh Noes'!!

My Dad is flying back home today from Malaysia.

YAH!!

He's only home for a week.

BOO!!

At least I bought him a nice BBQ for Father's Day.

YAH!!

One re-trip to Rona and I still don't have all the parts for the BBQ and we think the lid is wrong.

BOO!!

The BBQ is sitting prominently in the kitchen sure to be the first thing he sees and I'm sure there is nothing like a 16 hour flight followed by an hour taxi ride home to find a partially assembled BBQ mocking you.

Wanna BBQ? Can't have it.

Lookit that, we have a BOOOO!!!

I've been up since 3am.

Uhm.

It's now 3:30pm and it's all I can do to keep my eyes open.

Uh, wh-

So in the end, I care about nothing except the fact that I need to lay my head on down.

Template remains the same.

Reading same.

TV boring.

But I got out this morning and saw my Mom, my brother and my best friend.

Now if only I can stay up until Bob gets home!

That's all.

Uh, NO!!

There is no way I can keep this template as I can't read the friggin' font!!

Pyzam I guess only works if you upgrade to the widget type blogger and OMG what a royal FUBAR that stuff is. I have no clue how to read the stupid HTML it gives you and I can only seem to change the size of the columns! Everything else is done by widgets.

NIGHTMARE!!

I couldn't leave the plain one up after deleting the last one and my fav. designer of templates has left the building (or is trying to find a new home).

So yeah.

Crying with me might make me feel better.

EDITED: AND I'VE LOST ALL MY BLOG BUDDY LINKS!!!

C-Rex roars to life.

EDITED: Phew - there was a button where I could revert back to my classic template. Basically I hate the widget stuff - I know how to manipulate this template and woohoo - my buddy blogs are back. Off to relax and visit with others cause this was BAD!!

Bad Way To Wake Up

I woke up so miserable this past evening that I burst into tears.

Oh, delightful.

Gotta hand it to my hubby though. Got me moving and out of the house for an hour before all the stores closed and then fed me.

Why miserable? It's raining. Which normally I'm all good with but it's also spring and the windows are open so I felt like I had slept in soup the whole time. I woke up saturated and upset that Cody hadn't even got up to eat yet (he normally gets up like clockwork for food). Cody can't handle humidity and boy, it was a friggin fog land I woke up to. So I was stressed about him.

Then I knew I was out of sleeping pills and needed to get my prescription over to my pharmacist only I read the sheet and I can't see where the sleeping pills are. Yep. I have no script for my sleeping pills. Talk about having a panic attack.

Bob brought up the dehumidifier and put it outside our bedroom door. I ended up crawling back into bed when Bob went to sleep and didn't crawl out again for 5 hours. Obviously, sleep is a necessity for me to stay even keeled.

The forcast is dire over the next week. The pool isn't close to finished and the weekend has temperatures that are feeling like over 30 degrees Celcius. That is so not going to fly for me. Grumpy probably won't cover my range of emotions.

Next?

Letter from WW Canada Online:

Dear Cindy,

Thank you for contacting WeightWatchers.ca.

Please be advised that the pricing of the Weight Watchers® Internet products sold in Canada has not changed. The cost of Weight Watchers Online in Canada is C$61.90 for the 1 month plan and C$84.95 for the 3 month plan (with each additional month at C$21.95). The cost of Weight Watchers eTools in Canada is C$39.95 for the first three months and C$17.95 for each additional month.

Due to changes in exchange rates the conversion of Canadian dollars to U.S. dollars will fluctuate over time, but this has no impact on the rates that we continue to offer on WeightWatchers.ca.

I won't sign the poor person's name because no one needs that kind of hate mail.

Basically a big 'Bite Us' . Bob told me to e-mail back with a Thanks, I'll be at Jenny Craig. Meh. I'm beginning to think that when I go to try and join the American one they'll know I'm Canadian and kick my butt out. We'll see. I'm going to sign up for their 7 day free trial. Where? On the US site cause Lord knows us Canadians can't get a deal.

(And why when I've made the decision it's time to stop playing around and get back at it am I constantly starving and shoving food in my mouth. It's like my brain has signaled the body that food is about to become scarce so it's driving me to eat everything in sight. Yetch)

Okay, enough with that.

Oh! Did want to mention to anyone who has seen the movie Sicko (and I'm sure I ranted about it before) we (Canadians) do not have free health care. Nope. We pay taxes. I'm very happy with our healthcare, I make no bones about it but if the guy from Sicko said 'free' one more time I was going to do my own movie that says 'Yo, not free numbnuts.'

Or, you know, something witty.

For those who follow LOST I was wondering why Jeremy Bentham sounded familiar and went to look it up. Found LOST wiki and started to read about John Locke. A question was asked and the answer the writers gave made me realize I have no clue what is going on on that island. I mean, I thought I had some valid theories but I can't figure out what they were getting at. Since I don't like spoilers and such I don't go on the LOST forums and reading how the writers responded made me realize I had been missing a few things. Or a million.

Will have to pay closer attention when the new season begins.

Finally I've been trying to find a new template for the blog. So far the one I'm working with hates me and my code so I may have to just move on and put up something for the sheer sake of not looking at snowflakes!

So things will look wonky for a bit.

Like me.

A Look in the Old Noggin'

Strap in, I'm thinking it's going to be a doozy!

First, I finally e-mailed Weight Watchers Canada Online because they are charging 20 bucks more for their program than their American counterpart. I can't wait for the response and it better not be filled with a bunch of crap about costs not being even. I don't care. It's online and the dollar is basically even so man up and give me a discount.

Why did I finally (and seriously I've been yakking about it for a while) e-mail them? I got on the scale and discovered I had gained a pound. I know, it's just a pound but there are 14 more fuckers waiting to pile in with it and it ain't happening! So back on a diet. I still have a battalion of weight to lose but I've decided maybe doing it 5 lbs at a time is fine. My first 5 lb loss just about killed me. It doesn't want to leave without a huge offensive. Soooo -

I started by going to the grocery store. Yep. I made some homemade burgers (not as much heading out for dinner with that side of fries if there is food in the house), got some chicken and I'm stocked with water. Now I just have to make it happen.

Pictures?

Sure I have pictures! I was beginning to think you weren't going to ask.

Here's a preview of the almost finished pool. I'll do up a before and after picture collage when it's all done but thought I would share the blue that is the pool. The paint has cured and now it's tile time. Course, rain has been in the forecast for every second of the past week. Has it rained? Nope. I swear the weather people are just as clueless as the rest of us. I'm starting to think they are just looking out their windows or, and I'm leaning more in this direction, if they call for crappy weather and it's gorgeous who's going to get mad at them? ME! I can't tile the friggin pool with rain in the forecast!!

Irony?

Yep, one order coming up!

I'm typing this while listening to the distant thunder as a storm is about to finally roll in.

With the threat of rain Bob can't tile as we need 24 hours dry time for the cement and stuff. So the pool is 1/4 of the way done and Bob's plan is to have the pool filled and ready by Monday of next week. I had the audacity of moving one of those little tiny tiles by a millimeter and got hollered at in a hackneyed French accent.

"I am an ar-tea-st!!"

So yeah, not going to be helping and thus, at his mercy.

Ugh.

Dangnabbit!

Just figured out the camera and computer didn't communicate nicely and I don't have the Cody picture downloaded.

Yeah, yeah. You've seen him before. Got it.

Ah yes! A booklet showed up in the mail and I never read junk mail cause it burns my butt that I have to slog through this stuff just to get my bills out.

But, something caught my eye.

A full-page add for a hypno-therapy clinic where they are offering 50% off sessions.

I don't know about you but I feel like a window just opened. I wish they would put their prices up on the website. Then I would know if I was even close to going.

Finally, I've decided my brain can't relax.

Okay, so you probably figured that out ages ago but I keep telling myself how next week things will calm down and I'll have plenty of time to read and relax.

Yeah. I'm thinking hypno-therapy has to be in the equation.

My blind kitty is trying to get to the window behind me because she can smell the rain. Okay I have to go and knock on the window sill so she can figure out where it is.

More mind bending thoughts to come tonight.

I heard that.

Book Shopping!

I'm a glutton for punishment obviously.

I've read *glances at sidebar* yeah, that many books since January but Mama needed new books!

First three books are re-prints that for some reason I haven't seen or heard about.



I'm pretty sure I've read The Prince of Midnight but I only remember bits and pieces and it may be that I'm not remembering the right book. I haven't read Seize the Fire or Midsummer Moon. At least, I don't recall ever reading them.

These books were released in - Hey! It shows they aren't supposed to be released until October 2008. Huh. Chapters online shows them as Not Yet Published (I bought them at Chapters) and Amazon has stock but shows the release date as Oct 08 also.

So maybe I've brought some good news to Kinsale fans.

And then I bought:

I haven't read last month's release yet but I have that one in the TBR pile also. The great news is I have a boat load of great books to read when I get my mojo back!

I was over at JMC's and she didn't finish A Hunger Like No Other (which many of us who loved it totally understand). It still remains my favourite book of the series so I'm hoping these last two blow that book out of the water for me. I need something to grab on and not let go!

And of course.

Lover Enshrined. Just so happened Bob and I had to go to Burlington (20 minute highway drive) and hey, I knew the store there had 24 in stock so getting him to stop in was no hardship.

I'm not saying this book is going to be a keeper but thanks to two great reviews by Katie(babs) at Ramblings on Romance and Christine at The Happily Ever After... I couldn't let the series go. The good news is that they both made it clear this book isn't a romance. (Okay, that is totally my interpretation but I need to keep this mantra in my brain to read the book for what it is and not get grumpy because it's scant on romance.)

They gave me enough of a taste of characters like Rhev that I'm willing to slog through the book and pray I come out eager for the next installment. Although I hear it's a year before the next one comes out.

That there would be the silver lining of reading slumps - authors catch up.

For the Canadians out there this weekend you get 20% off your purchases - Nath reported on this already so head on over there for the details as I'm usually wrong about stuff. I was told by the staff that although I bought my books yesterday (Friday) I can bring my receipt in today (Saturday) and they will give me the discount. Since I wasn't leaving without my new pretties I accepted the promise of reimbursement. We'll see if I get that far.

It's 9:45am and I'm still up. I mean, my eyes are open. I'm not overly tired or anything. Just lethargic.

I woke Bob at 6am to take me to breakfast. There is a new restaurant called Cora's here and they opened at 6. Poor guy couldn't believe I was waking him up. Hey, I was lonely and hungry. The food wasn't so great. I learned I don't like crepes. It cost us 35 bucks including the tip so we won't be doing that again soon. I guess it's for people who enjoy fruit with their breakfast. I'm a meat and potatoes girl and fresh strawberry crepes with dollops of whip cream just didn't cut it.

Here, this was our breakfast:

Bob got the french toast while I was more adventuresome. I should mention I hate maple syrup so what you see is what I ate. I told Bob it was missing something but I couldn't figure it out. Bob commented that he was going to have to lock the camera up but hey, I've discovered some of my blog buddies are foodies, so I'm sharing!



Get this, Bob is sleeping in his chair.

I tell ya. All I hear is how you daywalkers are all get up and go but now that I'm here to witness it I have discovered napping is a daywalker trait also!

This is the last time I feel guilty for napping!

All right, if you made it this far you are extremely bored. Go rent a movie or bug someone you love and if that doesn't work, I say take a nap!

Too Funny

I just figured out that June is like, almost now and that Lover Enshrined by Ward might be out in bookstores.

So I went to Chapters website where you can check stock in a 50 km radius of where you live. Every single store has 24 copies except for the store 2 minutes from me! I actually laughed when I saw the results. Tells you how tired I am. I get loopy when I'm tired.

Thankfully C-Rex is still sleeping and can't harm anyone right now.

But then my closet fear is that I'll start Lover Enshrined and end up not finishing it. I swear if that happens I'm not picking up another book for a year. At least in the last hellish slump I still read auto buy authors. This slump is a whole other kind of evil.

My brain is just on overdrive lately so I can't seem to relax. Course if you could see the room I'm sitting in your neat freak side would birth up canaries.

Bob has killed my neat freak side.

Hell, you can't beat 'em, join 'em.

All That Jazz

For the record.

I miss the hell out of reading!

Tonight I was finishing up the AAR ballots for a current mini-poll and wishing that I was reading the over 200 titles that had come up in the polling process. Course, there are just as many titles that come up that I have read so I try and console myself with that thought.

Also, in case you are wondering, I'm saving my Anne Stuart book because I don't know what will be coming out next by her. When she was writing the series I knew another book would be coming out in 6 months. Now that the series is over I don't know when her next book will come out and she seems to keep her next release days close to the chest.

So I'm holding the book just a little too hard and trying to decide what kind of glass I need to make it's emergency case.

How's your reading going? Anything bright, shiny and new?

Amber and I Taking a Break

Shhhhhhh.

C-Rex and Amber are sleeping.

Sunday Update

Bob's a prince but then, you all knew that anyways.

Bob got up this morning and finished painting the pool. I had so many pain meds, sleeping meds, anxiety meds in me that sleeping was not happening when I needed it to. So of course, I was sound asleep when painting time came.

Ah well, I made up for it by taking Cody for a walk (he's been in a very bossy mood this past week and we thought maybe he needed some exercise. He didn't make it to the top of the street before wanting to turn back) and cutting the back yard. The front yard is such a disgrace I didn't bother. I need to get some dirt and rake it around and then seed the sonofabitch like it's the only patch of grass on the planet. Terrible.

I'm too tired to do it now and my back is sore (I guess I will always have back pain once a month now - that is just not fun!)

Here's the pretty part of the job. We're trying to figure out if we can get the tile up tomorrow or the next day. If not we're probably going to wait until sometime in late summer. At least the pool will look clean now.

Doing any kind of outdoor reno is like those warnings you hear about medications.

Don't tile if it's below 10 degrees or above 35 degrees, don't tile if it's going to rain any time in the next 365 days, don't tile in direct or indirect sunlight and keep the area dust free.

Yeah.

So August 14th at 11:34am for one hour is about the window of opportunity for staining, painting, tiling, bricking -

You get the picture.

Bob's off tomorrow and Tuesday yet. After that, the tile has to wait.

So far, hail is in the forecast for tomorrow and it's MAY!!!

Saturday Update

The white whale is now Big Blue. It's only the first coat but what a difference! I have pictures but they are on the other computer downstairs (of course).

The paint fumes alone should have had Bob and I higher than kites but we managed.

Then we picked my Mom up and went to the Christie Antique Show. It's held twice a year and is supposed to be one of the biggest in the area. It was much smaller than I remembered but we figured with gas prices where they are, those with smaller items to sell probably wouldn't bother with the trip.

We were looking for a piece to work as a kitchen island but I'm starting to think I should have one made. Even still, it was a great walk around with lots of fresh air and my Mom has now seen an antique show. She wasn't all that impressed and since there were many items that recalled her childhood she decided she was an antique also. Ah well, my mom likes new things (as do I) but I've seen interesting things done with salvage pieces. I think Bob was looking for something that could be purchased and put in place without any work. I was more realistic but until Bob sees the light I guess I'll be looking at some seriously wonky things.

After that we dropped Mom off and went to pick up the glass tiles.

Phew!

Nap time!

Got up and made up some dinner and then we watched some TV.

I then made the mistake of going to Tim Hortons and buying two chocolate donuts. Bad Cindy.

And I'm still hungry. Super Bad Cindy.

Ah well, soon to bed and up again to do more painting.

Pictures later.

Book Pimpage!! Jessica Andersen and Book Binge

Just in case, I wouldn't post something about a book that I don't plan to purchase myself.

After reading Jessica Andersen's interview and then Holly's review of this book I know I have to try the series. My only fear is that I can completely freak myself out with 'end of the world' stuff. May 6/2000 or 2001 - was my wedding anniversay but also the day that was to be the end of the world (learned about it in like '97 while watching an A&E documentary). I had nightmares about once every 3 months that it was 'the day' and how I couldn't get to Bob. Crazy stuff my brain throws at me.

All the same, tortured heroes and strong heroines? Colour me interested!

Just don't expect a review as I have about 5 books I need to read before it! And this was totally the way I discovered my auto-buy author Nalini Singh so yeah, I'm ready to purchase this one the minute it comes out.

So from Book Binge I give you the contest information:

To celebrate Jessica Andersen's interview today, we're going to giveaway two copies of her upcoming paranormal release, Nightkeepers.

Entering is simple. All you have to do is post about Nightkeepers and this contest on your website, encouraging your readers to do the same. Then come back and leave the link to your post in the comments section here.

The contest will end Friday, May 29th at 12:00 p.m. PST. So be sure to enter before then. The winners will be announced Saturday, May 30th and your prize will be shipped out on Wednesday, June 3rd.

As a Miami narcotics detective, Leah Daniels never knows how her day will turn out. But she certainly never expected to be strapped to a stone altar, the human sacrifice in an ancient Mayan ritual meant to coax up a demon from the underworld. Or that she’d be saved by a handsome warrior-priest king who claims to recognize her from his visions...

Jaguar Strike wishes he hadn’t made the mistake of reuniting his fellow warrior priests, or broken the law by saving their chosen human sacrifice. Now, he has no choice but to join forces with Leah and invoke dangerous magic in a death-defying race against the end of time.

Don't delay, enter now for your chance to win!!

I'm on my laptop and can't get the cursor to move where I need it to, so, go here for the contest, here for the interview and here for Holly's review.

This Weekend

By Wednesday of next week my brain block should be completely removed (squeeeee!!). Well, until I think of something else that needs to be done.

Here's my white whale:

30 year old concrete pool in our backyard. Bob opened the thing on May 6th and the minute I saw all the dirt and stuff I told him to empty it. The water there in the deep end is from the power washing we've done but we need the pump to be primed to get that out. That will happen tomorrow sometime.

So I've been waiting not so patiently for 3 weeks to paint the pool a turquoise colour AND then tile just the top foot with multi-colour glass tiles. (in the picture you can see it's grimier on the upper part of the walls. I think that's just from the enviroment. Think of those white plastic lawn chairs and how they would get all gucky. That's what it's like with this stuff.

With my brain I've mentally painted and tiled this pool about a thousand times so I'm ever so grateful the weather will be warm enough for us to get this big job out of the way.

Oh, this is a picture of the ladder in the shallow end that needed to be tied because my first day going in and then climbing out the damn thing fell in and about killed me. I landed on the cement edge there with my right wrist but I must have strong bones cause it only twinges now and again when I was sure my hundred and *mumble* pound body should have snapped it in two.

Ah, well, here's hoping Accident Prone Cindy doesn't show up this weekend.

And finally, Bob is taking Monday and Tuesday off from work. So I know I have four days of movement and activity going on. That is enough to have my anxiety ratchet up a notch but then my dear sweet cousin called and she has tomorrow off work so we're meeting here at 1pm to go shopping.

Yep. 1pm.

That would be your 2am.

I won't be taking any sleeping pills today so I might just end up laying down and drifting for a few hours but I think once I'm up and showered I'll be my perky self. For about 4 hours. After that, no guarantees.

So for the next five days I'm going to be up and about in Southern Ontario.

You have been warned.

Amber Getting Around

I'll try and take a better video of Amber getting around but here she is finding her way down from her food dish and then down the basement stairs. How cute is she!!

And yes, you can hear Bob in the back ground with the saw running ;)




Edited to Add:

Better lighting to see how Amber finds those pesky stairs. Notice Emma watching and probably wondering what the hell is going on. My ugly kitchen floors and wonderful plywood floors in the hallway are also highlighted and yep, that's Cody poking his head out as Amber makes her way towards the door.

I was told by the vet that animals adjust much better to going blind than losing their sense of smell. Once the sense of smell is gone, it's much harder for the animal to cope.

Tiny Tidbits

1. I loaned my digital camera to my brother on the weekend and I had no idea I would miss it like I do. I've had about 12 instances that I wanted my camera for. I never do anything with the pictures but for some reason I need that damn camera!

2. Amber, our beautiful orange kitty who is now 15 years old (did the math the other day and just about fell over) is completely blind. She sat in a chair for about three weeks but I thought she was just depressed about something. I think it was Bob who noticed her walking into walls. I took her to the vet and her eyes work but she sees nothing. Poor baby. So now we carry her up to bed at night (she always crawls in with us but had stopped probably because she couldn't find the bed), call to her if we see her struggling to get somewhere and tap on stairs to help her figure out elevations. It's now about three weeks since we found out and she's taken the house by storm. No longer afraid to go up and down stairs and growls at us when it's clear she wants to figure out something on her own. (seriously, she got annoyed with me when I tapped on the stairs near her food dish to let her know where they were. Nope, she wanted to reach down with her toes stretched out until she could find the step herself.)

3. Cody is still kicking ass and taking names. His back legs aren't as quick to follow his lead so I think the tumour is progressing. Biscuits seem to be manna from Heaven.

4. I have to take long haired Emma to the vet and have her shaved down in a lion cut. I'm sure the litter box will be sparkling clean for a week while she demonstrates her displeasure. Edited: I wussed out and am now shaving her myself in sections (they were going to put her under for the shaving and at her age I wasn't loving the idea). Bob has promised to help. Sorry, but 300 bucks for a lion cut was not burning a hole in my pocket. She just gets so feisty and the clippers don't go through her hair easily. Ah, well. I did shave her belly the other night by myself. She fought me but the next morning it was like I was catnip to her. I guess she went to clean herself and realized she could actually contact her skin.

5. I'm wondering if hypnotherapy would work for me. Yep. I watched Oprah but I don't think I'm easily susceptible to hypnosis. Still, being panic free forever would be worth trying.

And We're NOT Off!

Okay, for those of you not in the know, up here in Can-eh-da we have a long weekend in May that we (and maybe it's just us Ontarians) call the May Two Four weekend.

And just in case, (cause I'm no beer drinker) beer is packed in 24 - so the long weekend is kind of synonymous with partying and camping and well, stuff that makes most mothers curl in a ball and pray for it all to be over and that all their kids get home safe.

For me, it's more about the start of summer and pool season and maybe some gardening.

Right, you've met me.

For Bob it's about gardening. I'm way too lazy and have killed too many beautiful green things to pass as a gardener.

Two Four also coincidentally refers to the date the weekend falls on.

*okay, I should know why we have a holiday in May - somebody's birthday I'm sure but really, when you were a kid you didn't care cause Dude, long weekend and now that I'm an adult, well, Dude it's a long weekend.*

Why am I regaling you with this wonderful knowledge?

This weekend turns out to be the May Two Four long weekend. I've known it's this weekend for some time now and I have planned the painting and tiling of the pool accordingly and trust me, it's a harrowing job! Tonight I was beside myself because it was calling for rain for the next week and then the temperatures at night are below 10 degrees celcius which means the pool can't be worked on. No painting, no tiling AND futhermore, we have to wait 7 days after painting the pool to fill it again. (Curing process or whatever). How in the world would we get this pool done by June!!

Have you done the math?

Yeah.

Bob got me to settle down when he realized I had no clue that May Two Four weekend was actually a week earlier this year.

You know, May One Seven.

I swear the world is out to kill me.

So I don't get to paint the pool or put pretty tile up until possibly next weekend which actually falls on May 24th (thank God!) and then I'll have to wait 7 more days to fill the darn thing.

I mean really.

Killin' me.

When the Cat is Gone -

Bob has to go away for business from Wednesday to Friday (late) or Saturday.

I know.

I'm wondering what kind of damage I can do while he's gone too!

Well, there is the pool thing. The old paint is peeling in places and needs to be scraped off. I might start that later today. And I mean later cause I'm writing this before heading to bed. Then the pool needs to be power washed with TSP cause I want to do this right. Huh. That might cut into paint time on Thursday (Wednesday is calling for rain and I'm not going to be out cleaning the pool while it pours on me - okay, I need to think positive thoughts and maybe it will only rain for a few hours and then WOOHOO the sun. There, all better) And then I will paint.

Unless I stumble upon that one thing that makes my head explode.

Then it will still be here waiting for Bob.

The other evil plan of mine is to tear up the remaining carpet in the house. I'm not entirely convinced that Emma isn't showing her mean side when I'm not home and then there is the stuff from Cody's wound. Basically, the stuff needs to leave. I have to leave the carpet on the stairs so Cody can get up and down without falling but other than that, it's outta here! At least I know that there is hardwood under the carpet.

Not like my hubby who tore up perfectly good hardwood in the hallway and left me with plywood.

Right. Already mentioned that.

Also, because Bob will have the work computer with him I won't be working the next three nights. Look out blog world here I come!

You'll probably see more of me because I will need many breaks. Being lazy does have a price - huffing and puffing while doing basic stuff. Ugh.

Finally, on the reading front, I really just want to bust out my Anne Stuart but I don't want to reward myself for nothing. I have a book half read, a book that I didn't finish and a few others that I have glanced through.

The only good news about a slump is that I have more time to kill - uh, I mean, do chores and other such rot.

Yeah. You know, accomplish stuff.

Or in my case, fail miserably with a half torn up carpet, a pool that is only half scraped, maybe TSP'd and not a stitch of paint to be found.

Bad Cindy.

Over Stimulated

If only is a good way.

The past few weeks have been so busy and yet, I'm behind in everything!

The biggest thing on my plate now is the pool. Bob opened it on Tuesday (we celebrated 13 years married!) and I took one look and said 'drain it'. Bob was thrilled. I've fought draining the pool and doing work on it because I hate losing swimming time but OMG, it's a disgrace!

I'll take before and after pictures of it as we go. Basically it's a huge ass concrete pool that is 30 years old and painted white. The white shows everything and the top portion of the pool has a grey hue as it's exposed to the elements. So it looks filthy and tardy.

We've drained it, we'll power wash and prep the surface and paint the pool blue. Tonight we went to look at glass tiles (similar to picture) to put around the top edge of the pool. It will be fairly easy to do but it's expensive. I just want the pool to look as welcoming as our old pool used to. I was just glad we had a pool when we moved in but now it's time to work on it.

So I have to keep Bob on target as I want the pool open again by the first weekend in June. Bob has so many projects on the go that I have given up even trying to keep the house clean. Not a good idea but even when I clean the room has no baseboard or maybe no carpet or cabinets have been ripped out and now the flooring is wrong. OH! He tore up perfectly good flooring in our downstairs hall because he didn't like it. So now our hallway is just plain plywood and uh, you need money to put new stuff down! So even when I clean I don't feel like I've accomplished anything.

I've never been embarrassed to have people in my home but I can honestly say that I think most of our friends would be shocked at the state of our house and I'm now officially embarrassed. There isn't a room in the house that is up to snuff or finished!

Then I have a dog with an open wound that's oozing constantly which means carpet (that will be torn up eventually) is covered in blood spots or something. Even animal lovers are having a hard time looking at Cody which might be a sign and yet, that puppy will run around the back yard like his tail is on fire. Crazy dog. I'm thinking he'll outlast me at this point.

Also, the past few weeks have ratcheted up my anxiety to where I have started to notice I'm not breathing properly. Huge problem when you have anxiety. I now catch myself hourly holding my breath or breathing way too shallow. The holding my breath thing is crazy and I've only started to notice it again recently. Normally I only do that when I'm in pain but the past two weeks I've been holding my breath like I'm waiting for the final shoe to drop. Weird. But obviously I need to do some retraining of the brain and start my breathing exercises again. (I'm naturally a chest breather - short and shallow breathing doesn't regulate the oxygen supply well enough. Have to breath into the stomach to keep centered and all that. May sound hokey but it works like gangbusters and that's what is important)

Stupid brain.

The book I am currently reading and quite enjoying is If You Dare by Kresley Cole. The book started with the horrid 'I hate you' type of relationship but it's starting to change. I'm interested in seeing where Cole will take it as I enjoyed her first two paranormals. I have the other two in the TBR pile.

My only problem is I'm having a heck of a time finding time to read. I'm hoping after this weekend (which is jam packed with way too much action) things will calm back down and I'll get a week to myself where all I have to worry about is sleep, food and reading.

Okay, some cleaning also.

Lots of Work

This week is busy for work which I'm grateful for but I lost steam at the end of last night and couldn't blog. Bad Cindy.

I don't have much to offer in the book department EXCEPT that I stepped out of my box and bought a couple of category romances. The ones that Kristie was having fun with a few posts ago (I can't seem to link to a specific post at Kristie's and can only send you to her blog. I think it could be 5 posts down or so).

Bedded By The Billionaire by Leanne Banks and Marrying For King's Millions by Maureen Child. I tried to ignore the titles of all the Desire titles and just browse the back blurbs.

It also came down to author names. I recognized Banks and Child so I leaned more towards these two.

Basically I used to read Desire and another type years ago (I can't find the name at the site so I think it's been changed). These stories could be powerful and wonderfully sexy.

I bought willy nilly for years and found many authors in these lines. I don't remember getting burned by these books but I did start to find authors I loved in these lines and instead of just buying any story I would hunt down back lists and buy specific authors.

These authors then moved on to greater things and I followed and for some reason I forgot all about category romances.

WAIT!!

I remember now.

BLAZE happened. I had never read such drek in my life and I think it broke my will to read categories. Bad Cindy. Anyways, I'm still not going to read Blaze titles but I am curious about the Desire line.

Also, being in the middle of a hellacious slump means I need to turn some stuff up and about. I *think* these books will be faster to read and easier on my need to finish books.

ETA: It's now hours after starting this post. Work hurt and then I had to look at our bills. Not enough tylenol right now! Off to bed for me!

Feeling Good Again!

Me thinks we are back and I come bearing great news - at least for me!

I am currently reading a book and enjoying it. I started it two days before Keishon's TBR Challenge was due (was that a week ago or two now?). I figure I'll have it done by the next due date and thankfully it was from the TBR pile. I'll have to take a picture of it for you because Cody decided it was a great book too. Yes, I bought another copy.

What brings me back to blogdom?

ROSIE!!

Rosie posted that she had nothing to post (been there) but she managed to sneak in some titles of books I've been waiting for for like EONS!

THEN, Nath mentioned that Kresley Cole's latest book was spotted at her local bookstore which had me wondering if maybe my bookstore had said books in stock.

Me: Woohoo!! Gotta go!!

Bob: (in jammies after getting home from being out and about) Where ya going now? It's late!

Me: To the bookstore *doing butt dance in chair*

Bob: You can go tomorrow morning.

Me: ANNE ST--

Bob: Drive carefully.

Didn't even have to finish the sentence this time around. Smart man he is.

So I forced the sales clerk to head into the back dungeon of the stock room to get me my Anne Stuart. I swear they think their customers are dumb as dirt.

Clerk: It says it's in the romance section.

Me: Yep, I looked.

Clerk: Did you look it up alphabetically?

(I have to be honest here and say I was too focused on getting my book to shoot back a snotty answer but, dude, are you serious?)

Me: You can re-check.

Which she did. I even helped her out and showed her where the books should have been. Hell, I even looked around the piles they put on the floor. (and when did that become a good marketing strategy? Guy in meeting: No, wait, I got it! We'll put new releases all over the store! We'll put them in piles at the bottom of the book stacks. We'll look all funky and shit! AND, we can charge the publishers extra because we are 'highlighting' their authors. Meanwhile I can't find any rhyme or reason to how they are stacked. I swear you really have to get lucky to find a book nowadays.)

Me: These books are recently released, they'll probably be out back.

The clerk disappears for a minute and I figure she's gone to look for the books. Uh, wrong. She's at the computer figuring out when the books came in.

Clerk: *put upon sigh* Maybe they are in the back.

At this point I'm getting worried that this little chickie isn't feeling lucky or in any way interested in helping me get my books.

So I start to wander around and on a table near the stock room doors, no where near anything even related to what the book could be about I find -

Kresley Cole's Dark Needs at Night's Edge. In the middle of nowhere. Now mind you I'm killer pleased with myself but heads would still be rolling if the 22 books they showed in stock hadn't been found by the unlucky clerk and the battalion of staff I would have rounded up to search for the book. How hard is it to put in that fancy-fan-dangled-computer-thingie 'in stock on table 12'? I guess customer service nowadays prefers the fumbling around approach to stock management.

Good news is I didn't have to make the clerk cry when she came out only carrying one book because I had found the other. Lucky for her it was:

Fire and Ice by Anne Stuart! How crazy happy am I? I didn't even have to wait for Kristie to do a check and send me an e-mail after store hours claiming said book was all locked up tight until the next business day! The bad news is this. I won't start Annie until I have finished the book I am currently reading. Okay, don't hold me to that but, could happen.

Few more goodies purchased just because I was there:

Jane Fallon's Getting Rid of Matthew. The cover sold me. I know. Pathetic but true. And the back blurb sounded, hmmmmm, cute I guess. We'll see. I may just put the book on my bookshelves facing out for the pretty.

One Foot in the Grave by Jeaniene Frost. I have the first book but haven't read it yet. Katiebabs over at Ramblings on Romance has been very happy with the two book by this author and her enthusiasm is catching. But that's it for this author until I read one of them. Two book rule and all that.

If You Deceive by Kresley Cole. Cause I couldn't remember if I owned it already or not. This is the third book in a trilogy and the second one was there but again, I didn't know if I owned it or not. I guess I have some checking to do.

OH!! Can we have a moment to appreciate the episode of LOST that aired this week?

Could Sawyer be any hotter? Why yes, yes he can! Especially when he told Locke if he harmed one curly hair on Hurly's head he'd kill him.

Perfection.

Okay, you can go on about your day now.

Uh, Did I Do That?

At this time I'm on daywalker hours. Or better known as 'normal people' hours.

I'm always intrigued by those who stay up all day and have normal sleep cycles. I wonder what it's like and if I will ever fit into the 'normal' way of life.

Well.

I HATE IT!!!

I'm never truly awake except for those first 3 or 4 hours. After that it's a battle to stay awake and boredom is a constant companion. I have tons of stuff I need to get done but I can't seem to get up the energy to do anything about it. It's like I'm a zombie!

With this concrete scientific evidence I've decided normal people are zombies.

Hey, we can't all be wacky nocturnal-ites.

Get this, whenever I turn to day hours Bob's sleep cycle gets all bent out of shape. It's nine PM and the poor guy just crawled into bed after falling asleep on the couch around 7pm. The problem comes when he wakes up at 2am and has to get up for a few hours because he's wide awake.

So basically, Bob has stolen my nap mojo and staying awake for all hours of a day are killer boring.

I truly am meant to be nocturnal. I get so much more done and napping is such a glorious sensation. When I'm daywalking I don't dare nap or I will throw it all out again. Blergh.

I'm trying to stay on zombie hours because Bob wants to do some day trips over the next week and I would rather be muggy headed than out right screaming bitch tired.

I think.

I'll let you know if casualties abound.

Until then I hope you are enjoying a great book and eating some chocolate.

Just Blasting In

I'm using the word 'blasting' because it's going to rain here for the next three days and it's miserable. Of course, I'm awake now during the day and I am bored out of my skull. My body went around too early - Bob has a week off starting this coming Wednesday so I'm hoping I will still be on daylight hours.

Never fails, I'm up in the morning and Bob has committed to something somewhere else tomorrow. I don't begrudge that because I'm not usually awake in the early mornings on a weekend but then he's not usually elsewhere either. Funny how those things always meet when we least expect it.

Lots of world events have been twitching in my brain but I'm blaming my chain like fixation to my TV for most of it. I need to get out!

My brain is constantly jumping around and I have a few fairly funny stories for ya and yeah, they deal with all the animals in my home. I swear they have declared a revolution. Thank God they don't have opposable thumbs or we'd be cooked.

Then there is my hubby. He's always good for a laugh. I either laugh or I'll go nutty.

Okay, I'm already nutty but he'd put me in the padded cell realm.

Hey! Only one wall is padded!

I've really missed you guys. I woke up crying yesterday which had me wondering when exactly I became that person. Crying? While waking up? My one very best bud is 3000 miles away living her new life and I'm so happy for her but I miss her like crazy. Then my best friend has been decidedly absent of late which had me waking up feeling like the only person who cared about me was Bob. Poor guy was home when I woke up and ran from the room to get the phone so I could hear the message my friend left while I was sleeping.

I've loved this winter but I need to get out now. I'm ready for spring. I've been sleeping like crazy the last few days because I opened the windows in our bedroom and the fresh air clocked me out.

Ooops.

ATTENTION!!

All About Romance is polling for Favourite Books by Favourite Authors and Lee, LinnieGayl and I would love for you to jump over and send in a ballot. Go here. We have some heavy hitters like Lisa Kleypas (oops, we just lost Kristie), Patricia Gaffney and Madeline Hunter mixed with some great new comers like Hope Tarr, Cindy Holby/Colby Hodge and Gena Showalter. The poll ends April 20th so if you need to look at that keeper pile you have some time.

Have fun!

Yet another piece of evidence that my brain is one wacky place to be.

So I might be around or I might be gone just a few more weeks. Yesterday Bob pulled something and I yelled down, 'I'm going to blog about that!'.

Sunny

I decided to post a pic of Sunny. The too cute puppy that Cody went to play with. (I think I hear Ames squeeeing)

Also, I forgot to mention that Bob only had an extra long weekend as something came up at work. Right now we are hoping the week of April 7th will be a great time to take a break. We did go to Niagara on the Lake (where we got engaged) and saw most of the shops. It was Easter Monday so some of the stores were closed but we were just glad to be out and about together.

The new job is kicking my butt. Since I want to make a good impression I am gluing my butt to the computer chair and working until my eyes cross. Since there is a lot of repetition and it is a bit monotonous I tend to notice when my legs have fallen asleep after not moving for 2 solid hours. Ooops. Now I'm taking a break at the mid point and walking on the treadmill to keep my legs from seizing up on me. I know it's just because it's all new but I want to help my body adapt as soon as possible.

The thing is I am creating database so accuracy is the main concern. You know how you have been doing a task for so long that you can't really remember how to do it without overthinking it and then making keypunch errors?

Just me again?

I swear tonight my fingers were working independently of my brain. Bob calls me fast fingers cause no only can I type fairly well, I can do numbers like a sonofabitch. I'm just saying. I kick some serious ass if I have a numerical keypad. My fingers just naturally pick out the numbers without my brain haveing to over tax itself. Well. Until I start overthinking things and then my fingers get slower so my brain can catch up.

Hey! I heard that!

Okay, I need to wind down so I can sleep better today. Yesterday was a sleepy monkey's worst nightmare. Yes. I'm the sleepy monkey. Lots of drama but I'll save that for another post. I swear though, if the phone rings today I'm ignoring it!!

And finally, some cute pics of a wonderfully well behaved puppy named Sunny. (My Godkids new puppy and the great news is Josh isn't even remotely afraid of dogs - still will kiss them right on the mouth. Hmmm, wonder if I can find that picture for ya)

Yep, this is Joshua kissing his puppy square on the mouth. The breeder laughed and said, 'I think you found your puppy.' That's my other guy Zachary in the background (he's eleven and his voice is changing and I've noticed he is losing his baby fat - makes me want to cry to see my first baby growing up!)









Awww, I helped create a rule that if the puppy was on his bed the kids couldn't touch him. That way he would know it's a safe place. Lookit Sunny keeping an eagle eye on his new playmate. I almost wanted to say, 'okay, go ahead and play with him' but apparently it's a rule they have kept up with and now the puppy will take everything you give him to his bed. I saw him drag a blanket off the couch and onto his bed.

Okay, I really have to go but I have to post this on video. It's the song that plays in my head every time I think of the puppy.

Just Letting Go

I'm letting my anxiety go over not reading. I have about 12 books out and about in the house but my life at this time isn't even remotely conducive to reading. I miss it but I have to stop with the guilt or fear or anxiety. It will come back. I've lost it before but I thought I wouldn't have to go through that again. Ah, well.

Screw it! Let's celebrate the stuff that worked out in the past few weeks.

I GOT A JOB!!

Yeah, I did! I get to work from home during the night! Hello!

Basically I always ask Bob about projects that happen at his work. A few weeks ago he was telling me about how he couldn't get any accurate numbers for - well, anything. His boss made an off handed comment about hiring temporary help and I pounced on it. I think Bob was surprised that I wanted a job that didn't even exist. I wrote a letter to Bob's boss (I've met him a few times and is a great person) explaining why I was asking for the job and what I could do for the company.

Two weeks later Bob mentioned that his boss was worried about how 'others' would take him hiring someone to do a job that basically, should already be being done. So I decided that was a no and let it go.

A week later the boss is scrambling for data and none of it's accurate so I was hired and I started this past Tuesday night. Once I'm caught up it will probably be only a few hours a week but I'm dedicated to doing a great job and it sounds like there is a lot of opportunity to do reports for many different people if I do well.

So, yeah for me!!

Then - Cody is out of quarantine and my Godson's wounds look like they are healing properly. I went on hiatus after my Cody bear bit my Godson in the face - thank God for friends who know it was an accident and who supported us. We're thinking Josh may have accidentally covered his snout while kissing and hugging him (I wasn't paying attention which just kills me) and Cody bit out to breathe.

I went to the ER with Josh and Sue and we waited for hours but we were told stitches would be needed. So just under his eye he got 5 stitches and I forced myself to stand by him and watch each one go into his tender skin. He then needed 2 more under his chin. Once Josh was through with the stitches he was all ready to show off to all his friends. I was ready to curl into a ball and sob for a few hours.

Everyone who was there told me to stop apologizing and that it was an accident. I'm truly blessed by wonderful friends.

I figured Cody would have to be investigated and sure enough Public Health showed up the next day. Poor Sue tried to tell them she wasn't worried and that Cody was a good dog and that it was an accident. Even still, they have to follow up. So Cody was in quarantine for 10 days - basically had to stay in the house and be on a leash when outside.

(Ah yes, should mention I had taken Cody to Sue's after a vet visit because they have a new puppy and Cody loves puppies. Cody has been to another person's house maybe 10 times in his life. I had an eagle eye on him the whole time but after an hour I got distracted and BAM, it happened. So, that didn't help with not feeling horribly responsible as I don't take Cody places usually)

Anyways, Cody is out of quarantine, Joshua's cuts are healing nicely and hopefully the scars will be barely noticeable. *please God, please God, please God*

As for other stuff, I've been painting, hanging out with the family (my mom before my dad got home and then Easter weekend) and watching the odd TV show.

Oh, turns out I have to get the cats rabbi shots in the next few weeks. I keep joking with Bob that Cody managed to stick it to the cats yet again.

I hope all is well with you guys. I think the next few weeks will be too busy to get around but hopefully I'll find the time soon. Bob was supposed to be off this week but like usually things get swished around. Right now we're looking at the second week of April as a week off.

One can hope.

Hoppy Easter!!

We're having a castle full tomorrow so I thought I would jump in here and wish you all a Happy Easter.

I also decided to add some cuteness.

I love this little bunny. I made him into a background for a while so I'm surprised I can't get the picture bigger.

Ah well.

Reading mojo has left the building and didn't leave a forwarding address.

Chocolate should help.

Hiatus

It's time for my first hiatus.

I haven't been near the computer for a while as I'm painting and moving furniture and my sleep is all over the place. Then this Thursday Bob will be on a week and a half vacation so I doubt I'll get on the computer much.

And I haven't read a book in forever.

Just not myself but I'm all good, no worries. Just didn't want to drop off and have you guys worry.

(The last time I decided I needed a break I started blogging up a storm so who knows what will happen next)

At Least I'm Doing Something!

I've been painting but I just ran out of the paint I need for the den/office. I remember when a gallon of paint would have been way too much for a room this big. Now the stuff sucks into the walls on the first coat!

So I need another gallon for the second coat on two walls. Ugh.

Also, I have pulled a Nora Roberts book from my collection. It's going to be my TBR Challenge book and I really feel I can read it and get it done. At this point it's all baby steps when it comes to reading. I have way too much on my brain which when you think about my life is ridiculous but I guess it can happen.

Cody's laceration (yep, I'm getting technical) is a disaster and no matter how many times I try and clean it it continues to bleed. If it was just a bloody smell then I know I could get him a neck collar and keep him from digging at it but OMG it smells of badness. I called the vet today and my vet is off for the March break. YIKES!! I know another doctor could advise and possible clean the wound but I don't think they would get everything that is going on. The past few days the bump grew again which had me freaking out until Cody decided to scratch it. It's back down but the blood is everywhere. I took Suisan's advice and have been cleaning it with Betadine but whenever I start with it he digs at it. Now, if he sees me with a facecloth he heads in the other direction.

So we're concerned that this will be something that will become part of his life. We think there is something bleeding and when the wound seals it starts to puff up until Cody breaks it and get's it back down. Vet is definitely on the list of things to get done. Hard to sleep when you are worried about the guy.

Poor Puppy.

So, that's on my mind.

Bob won't go and see his Godchildren's new puppy which has my best friend in a snotty mood. Bob isn't over them putting their dog down and thought it was inappropriate for them to get a dog again so soon. I have to be honest and say 'me too' but I don't have kids. Also, I keep forgetting the dog's name and I know I'm going to call him Gracie.

So, that's on my mind.

I love the snow. I really, really love the snow. So for the most part it's been a great winter for me except for the fact that I don't play in the snow. I'm a couch potato. Actually I'm probably a fungus-ie potato with long straggly eyes. Yeah, that's about it.

I've also been on the phone a lot with my 'western' best bud. I miss her like crazy but it sounds like things are starting to fall into place out there. Phew! There have been nights where we are on the phone for hours talking through stuff. She got a job offer today and wanted to run it by me. Where she is, I think she could easily get another job if the one that has been offered isn't 'the one'.

So that's on my mind.

OH! My favourite. Bob's put us on a spending freeze.

Of course I laughed my ass off and asked for his Home Depot card and almost cried when he gave it to me.

Uh, oh. Somebody has some serious in him.

I don't actually spend a lot of money on my own but put me with Bob and it's over. That man can shop! We bought a dining room hutch which is dee-lish for a killer price BUT, we still have to pay for it, right? And then we bought a fantab loveseat (apparently it's a chair and a half but we both fit in it) that had people circling waiting for us to leave it but uh, uh, we snapped that puppy up! We have a matching ottoman on order and when it comes in and I have the upstairs loft almost done I'll take a picture for you all. Again, though, that little tag on the item means they want some cold hard cash. Oooops.

So, that's on my mind.

And finally, we're having Easter which makes me happy except for the fact that Cody might look like he's gone through the windshield of a car. Right now he's happily watching me while looking like Carrie from that movie of the same title. On that note, I'm going to go clean him up and see if I can get him to leave the wound alone for at least a few hours.

Poor thing is going to end up with a head set and I'm not sure his ego can take it!

So, that's on my mind.

Wonder what is on Cody's mind?

Besides biscuits.

Yep, I'm This Boring

My very happy news is that the tumour on Cody's nose that was almost 3" tall on his nose - turned out most of it was a huge infection. So he looks almost normal again but he stinks of sickness. We have been wiping his snout down but I've stopped only because we were making the skin raw. I'm about to Google how to clean an open wound for pets. I think our vet thought it was just a small boil when we called about it but after 4 days of oozing and cleaning I want to get the rest of the poison out. If I can't get it to stop oozing or heal over I'll take him to see his vet on Monday.

Still, that coppery sick smell has been making me crazy but I don't want to soap it up in case it stings. I will get his one leg cleaned up as he's been using it to scratch and rub his nose. Poor pooch.

Smells are exaggerated right now and my gag reflex is on hyper aware so I can't seem to look at the wound. Then there is the thought that it must hurt like a sonofabitch.

After that, I've just been a huge bore.

I'm feeling horribly lazy so I've decided to indulge it.

Oh, I did write a letter and asked for a job which as you know is waaaaaay out of my comfort zone but Bob was talking about some data problems they were having at work and I was all - Uh, I can fix that!! I wrote a letter to Bob's boss asking for the job of data entry so I can work from home. Also, the reports that I would have to work off come in around midnight so I can work at night. I'm not getting my hopes up but the fact that I went for it makes me very happy with myself.

I've noticed that when AAR isn't polling I have extra time on my hands (yes, I could read) and I miss the feeling of accomplishment. So if you have some spare 'luck' thoughts hanging about I wouldn't mind if you sent them my way. I'll find out next week if the company is interested.

And finally, the umpteenth snow storm of the year is heading our way over the weekend.

Makes Bob and I curl up and hibernate.

When You Realize

I was over at Jenster's where she let us in on an embarrassing tale of doing something she shouldn't have and paying the consequences. It reminded me of a time when I listened to all my senses and thankfully did the right thing.

I should find a picture of myself when I was a 12 year old. I had reached my full height of 5'6", weighed maybe 100 lbs and was all legs. I was that young girl that looked like a newborn colt, all limbs and small body.

We lived in a small town and I walked to school with my best friend and usually had younger kids with us that we 'escorted'.

Now you all know I'm a nervous kind of person anyways. I have those infamous panic attacks and such and I'll go out on a limb and say I'm an extra cautious person and many of my friends would mock me by calling me 'mom'.

Also, we lived on the edge of town - we were in a newer subdivision and just outside the subdivision if you turned left you would end up on one of those rural highways. Since it was a new subdivision, I would often run through the open fields to get to my best friend's house which wasn't far away at all.

So it's lunch hour, spring or fall, I can't remember and I've left my house and am making my way to my friend's house where we may be getting a ride to school. Rides were awesome and we rarely turned them down. I once took a ride with a parent who told me she was picking up my best friend but she then drove by her house. I panicked but the mother told me there was no time to pick her up. My friend was furious with me cause she waited for me and was late for school. She told me I should have asked to be dropped off.

Uh, hi! Kid. Most parents wouldn't listen to a kid anyways. I think this happened before the story and maybe knowing my best friend would be mad also helped me to make the right decision.

So there I am, on the street in front of my house, I'm starting to run because I did so love to when was young and this car pulls up right in front of me and the passenger window is down.

I screech to a halt and stand there.

A man's voice comes out and asks if I'm heading to the high school.

Me: No, I'm heading to Elgin (name of the grade school that went to grade 8)

Man: Get in, I'll give you a ride.

Me: No thanks.

Man: I'm the principal at the high school and since I'm driving right past your school I'll drop you off.

I think I took a step back at this point. I didn't recognize the man or the car and I had the real sense that he was mad at me for making him explain himself.

Me: No thanks, my friend is waiting.

The best thing I ever did.

The man mumbled something and then drove off in a rush. My heart was racing because I had made an adult mad but I continued on to my friends' house. I never mentioned this to my mom or dad because I thought I would get in trouble for making 'my elder' mad. It was only as the years passed that I looked at the whole thing with new eyes.

I knew when he told me he was the principal of the high school that it wasn't true. I just didn't believe it and I think when I did finally meet the high school principal on a tour my brain protected itself even though it acknowledged that I had never met the man before.

It wasn't until years later that I told my mother the story and I know she was shocked (it occurs to me now that my mother would have known if the principal of the high school lived near us - they knew who everyone was). It is only in the past few years that the reality of what might have happened has really hit me. I think I've known for years that if I had got in that car I would never have been seen again but it wasn't as profound in my brain as it becomes as I get older.

After all, it was just a moment in time. Just a few minutes if even that many.

Who knows, maybe he really was the principal of the high school and was just offering a young girl a ride to school but I have to say I'm thankful for not getting in the car to find out.

Looking For The Passion

So you know I'm in a rut (I've decided to not call it a slump today) but I seem to get my 'romance' fix from TV lately. That said, there aren't too many shows with crazy sexual tension (X-Files) or enough romance. Heck, even LOST has 'lost' some of the romance.

Anyways, I've been watching Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles.

I loved the Terminator movie except for the gory parts where I hid behind my hand - hey, I was young at the time. Even though it was an action movie, for me it was a great romance and no, it doesn't end HEA (just in case you've never seen it and you're thinking 'cool! Gotta See!!'). There is a scene in the movie that was so beautiful and then, kapow, some seriously hot kissing followed by really hot sex.

Since, for me, Terminator started with a love story (and with the show, it is clear that years later Sarah still loves the father of her son) I decided I should go on YouTube and see if I can find the scene that has always stayed with me in my mind.

Now, I should say, the ones I found have edited out an important moment in the film where Reese is packing up his gear and avoiding Sarah's eyes after admitting that he didn't travel through time to save the human race, he traveled through time for her. I'm telling you, heart pounding, sigh inducing it was.

Even though I can't find a clean cut of the scene I thought I would post some that I thought were good. Oh, and in case you don't know, the movie was done in the late 80's so that's what's up with the hair.




Of course, the only full version of the scene I can find is in French. Grrr. At about 2:48 start to watch and you can see what I mean about him getting up and walking away. Wish I could find the full English version!



I'm thinking I can thank Kristie for my new Youtube obsession.

It's All Good

Made it through the weekend but then who was worried.

Cody seems much better now that he is on more powerful pain meds. We doped him up yesterday only to worry we had given him a stroke. He was all droopy eyed and dragging his butt around. He perked up again in the afternoon so we figured that the pain meds were making him tired. Today we gave him 1/2 dose at night and then we'll do 1/2 dose in morning and night. Tonight he wasn't as affected but he wasn't in pain either.

Perfect!

Then my best bud out west was having a hell of a day so we ended up on the phone about once an hour - today was much, much better for her. Phew!

My mom came over for dinner tonight which meant we had to clean. Bless Bob cause he was on his hands and knees washing the floors - this with a back that's not quite right. We managed to get the house as de-furred as possible (and got most of the blood from Cody up off the hardwood).

Now I'm trying to relax and I am getting tired which is great but I figured I'd come and bore you all.

Gah. My face is making me crazy! The doc gave me this cream and I use next to none of the stuff on my chin and on my nose. Well. My chin is a friggin mess. I can't tell if I've burned the skin or if I have a billion pimples that are trying to break through to the surface. I told myself I would give it a full month but I worry. Needlessly probably, but when it looks like you have water blisters under your skin, well, I get antsy. I'm hoping it's just pulling a bunch of crap from below and dragging it out.

Fun, eh?

And quickly, I've watched 3 movies this weekend.

Margot Goes To The Wedding - a more worthless piece of crap I have yet to see. If this was a 'day in the life' thing or whatever then I don't get it. Pick a better day.

Eastern Promises - meh. I was expecting more and instead it was all predicable and boring.

Feast of Love - Yeah, check please. I'm done. Another movie that was just 'blah'

Where's the passion? Where's the drama? Where's the cohesive plot with plausible twists and an ending that is surprising? I'm not asking for much.

And that's what's brewing around this side of the park.

How's it in your area?

Strap In, It's a Doozy

The past couple of days have been stressful and I'm thinking I missed some meds - bad combo.

Higher stress, bad headaches and my brain never shuts off.

Our friends had a 3 year old beagle mix that could barely walk. Finally got X-rays to discover the knee was blown, arthritis had set in and the ligaments were all torn. Operation would have been 3500 and of course, no guarantees that the next leg wouldn't have the same problem some point in the future. Then there was the hip dysplasia and the knowledge that the dog would live a life of chronic pain. The decision was made and as much as her people struggled over it I did too. I kept thinking the dog was too young and in reality my brain is still playing it over and over even though he passed yesterday.

Then there was the new puppy for the kids. The cutest little golden retriever puppy that is a heart breaker if ever I saw one. The logic was that the kids couldn't be without a dog - lots of crying when the news broke and thus, a puppy was found immediately. Another thing that runs through my brain.

Anyways, yesterday was much more painful in that the tumor over Cody's nose has gone over his eye. His eyelid was a half mast all day Thursday and he looked so sad. He was in pain as he would duck your hand when you went to pet him and his back leg is now tripping him up.

So Friday morning I wake up and Cody is breathing so fast I can't keep track. I watch him sleep for a bit and decide to call the vet. I knew Bob was coming home for half a days holiday and that it might be time for Cody to go to the puppy park in the sky.

Now I'm never allowed to be the crying one. It's Bob who gets to be all upset and teary eyed on the way to the vet. I'm like a rock cause really, I think you should be. Bob seems to think Cody knows (what, he can read minds?) what's about to happen. I have no such delusions.

So we get there and I have a wonderful vet who has been treating Cody for the past year and a half. We show her all the new issues and yes, there are some neurological signs that things are progressing. She also notes the tumor has grown since the last visit a month and a half ago. So after all the testing and looking I look at her and say 'it's what you tell us' and she says 'I think he has more life to go'. That's when I started crying. Poor vet got a bear hug from me. She started to laugh and said she was now tearing up (which she was). Bob was quietly happy while I had my moment. She then took Cody back to show an intern the tumor and how it was progressing.

I was so happy when we left with some stronger pain meds for him. I get in the car and Bob's saying to Cody, 'Mom was going to send you away today'. He's lucky I didn't punch him! He said he was just joking but I didn't find it funny.

I just believe as a protector of my pets it is my job to make sure they don't suffer one second. Cody is in some pain but the vet said he is clearly a happy dog. And yes, he is definitely one happy puppy. She said the hope is he will pass in his sleep at home. Here's hoping.

So that has been my past few days of drama. Too many things running through my brain and the relief yesterday was so great that when I went to lay down for a nap I couldn't sleep. I got up an hour later completely wrecked and tired only to go back an hour later. I think I fell asleep at 6pm and woke up this morning at 5am.

Some nap, eh?

The current pictures I have of Cody are on the laptop and I'm on the PC. What a pain in the arse. But if you have ever watched Star Trek then you know what a Klingon looks like.

That's our Cody bear and his mama thinks he's handsome still.