Early Happy New Year From Me!!

Tomorrow will be busy and then we're going to best buds on the New Year's Day so I won't be on the net in time to wish you all Merry.

So, have a Safe, Happy, Healthy, Wealthy, Loving New Year!!

I've made a decision on two fronts.

Side note: I don't do resolutions, it just seems that after the gluttony that is Christmas, I naturally turn around and think, 'did I just see my own ass with my peripheral vision!?' Not cool. End Side Note

So after the next few days of gluttony because Dude, we're so not done with holidays around here, I'll be hefting my largess onto a groaning treadmill and walking like I'm heading to Memphis.

I'm also thinking about looking on Kijiji to find an recumbent exercise bike but I'm not sure that's a cardio work out or not. I know I'll need something different every once in a while to keep me moving but I bet by the end of January, early February there'll be some fancy used ones up for sale!

I'm going to watch what I eat but not get obsessive about it. Counting points and having to know everything I put in my mouth is mind numbing and potentially an obsessive compulsive problem that I don't need.

Right. Liar. I need it but I don't want it!

And finally:

It's official. I'm going to crawl, slide, grapple, climb, sucker punch my way out of this damn slump.
So yes, I have rules. These rules helped me out of my last ginormous slump so I'm laying them on.

1. If I start a book I must finish it. Period. Don't care if the heroine is whiny or the hero is a pansy I have to finish the book.

2. Warning for you guys - be prepared for some bad reviews. If I have to suffer through a horrible book you poor bastards are going to hear about it.

3. There aren't any other rules. I should put a rule about how I need to read a certain amount but then I start to feel trapped and get antsy.

4. Oh, I can read any book I want. That means I don't concentrate on only 2009 books - I get to take a pick out of my well stocked TBR pile. I know there's gold 'in dem dare hills'

And on another note all together. I am highly motivated in getting my house in order so even though I'm going to slaughter my way out of this slump, don't expect to see double digit numbers before the end of 6 months. I'll be happy if I can read a book a month!

There you have it. Some 'non-resolutions' for the New Year.

Let's see how I do.

Bah!

I'm having one of my anxious moments.

I felt nauseous there about 3 hours ago and decided not to worry and eat something. Sometimes I feel sick to my stomach when I'm hungry. I also have a headache. So I'm sitting here getting all worked up about tomorrow.

We're going to Bob's best friends for a visit. It's a solid hour drive and since we don't get to see them as much as we used to I can get worried (cause my brain is a giant nut) that I won't feel good and we'll have to cancel.

Stupid.

The other thing I did was grab some tylenol and I *think* I took two. Problem is I can't remember if I took them our not. I've looked over the desk and I don't see them so I'm assuming I took them. But I still have a headache.

And I have a little twitch in my sinus.

If I have a cold I don't care - it's the other that scares me and thus, we will not speak it's name.

I have three days of back to back visits planned. No time to be under the weather.

So I'll say my special prayer - please let me be healthy for the rest of the week and if I have to be sick I'll be sick on Monday.

There I said it. I try and save those because He tends to take my word for it and I get layed out flat when I make a 'if this then that' kind of prayer.

Off to take one tylenol. If I've had two then no problems, if I've had none then maybe it'll take the edge off.

TV sounds like a plan also.

Hope you are all well and having a great week!

It's Over!

Not really but the hard part for me is done.

The family dinner. I didn't even need to take my anxiety meds this year. Last year I was a mess so I was prepared but nope, not even a twitch. Merry Christmas to me!

I still have too much going on.

Bob and I need to go visiting and by visiting I mean friends who are an hours drive away. Bob's usually pushing for me to get up way too early, I get stressed out and then I'm grumpy. I always get over it and am fine by the time I get to our friend's homes and I'm always glad to see them and would visit for hours but, Bob has time limits. He has to leave before dark because he has a hard time seeing at night while driving. I have offered many times to do the driving but in the end, he puts up with my stuff, I can handle his.

Then, out of the blue, I hear from my childhood friend - haven't heard from her in ages but all of a sudden she wants us to get together. I'm fine with us getting together but does it really have to be during this particular time? Can't we get together in the New Year on a weekend when things aren't so crazy?

I should say that my friend and I drop in and out of each others lives lots and we've been friends since we were 10. So I'm not upset about getting to see them, it's just the timing. I remember one year she showed up about 2 days before *her* birthday with a birthday gift for me. My birthday was three months before. I told her point blank I wasn't buying her anything. That's one thing with this friend, I can be very blunt.

What I am struggling with is that at this point she now has 2 kids (they are probably 10 and 12), one of whom is a Godchild of ours. They've never really involved us with their kids much and I can't believe they are 10 and 12! I'm worried she will expect us to have gifts for her kids. There is that part of me that wants to get them gift certificates but at the same time, it's ridiculous. I haven't seen these kids in a year and before that it was longer. I can hear her family now talking about how I'm not giving anything to their kids and one is even a God kid! But her family is well enough off and her kids aren't hurting for anything.

My best bud is without a job right now so I spent some money on her young boy to help with Christmas and when my Best friend and her hubby were in bad shape we did the same thing with their kids. These are children who are probably spoiled by yesteryear's standards but I don't begrudge them snow pants or jammas or winter coats and boots. It's what we can do to help and we do it willingly because Bob and I don't have kids and their parents have us involved with their kids all the time.

Geez, how did we get here? I was just going to say 'still alive' and all that and I'm bending your ear so far I about tore it off!

Don't worry, I'll try not to do anything silly like go out and buy them gift cards.

Crap.

Bob's going to have to restrain me.

Ooops, just a bit longer - Bob is the ultimate Christmas guy - he loves every thing to do with Christmas and you could not call him a Grinch at all. But on this, he has ruled and said 'no gifts for them' because we never see them.

He's right.

I know.

I'm just bendier than he is.

On that note, I hope you had a great Christmas or at the very least survived it. Hang tough, we're almost into the New Year (course that's when things for me go from bad to worse - but hey, this part isn't about me!) so Happy Almost New Year! Hopefully I'll be back to bend your ear before then.

Hey, Bobby got me a new computer chair for Christmas - which explains this lengthy post!

Merry, Merry!

The calm before the action storm.

My brain can't stop packing the car and it's still another day away. Meds are obviously at their limit.

With that in mind I wanted to quickly type up a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays post to you all!

It's snowing here like all get out and I'm loving every minute of it but I understand it wreaking havoc with travelers (which we will have to do also but only 30 minutes each way times 8 possible times - wow, that's 4 hours in the car over the next three days!)

So for those just hanging on, in 48 hours it will be 4am on Boxing Day and it will be over. Sure there's all that other stuff that happens after Christmas but hopefully the 'stress' day will be behind you.

It occurred to me tonight that Christmas day is like planning a wedding only we do it every friggin' year! I will admit I didn't do too much planning for my wedding cause I'm not that kind of person. Christmas though, it's a tough bugger to get through. I have a list of stuff Bob has to pick up at the grocery store when he gets up.

Poor Guy - at least he'll get there early.

The packing of the car though is really messing with my head. Since I'm not a traveler as a rule I don't have to worry about not having remembered something. This however, is like packing for a trip and I don't want to forget anything! Ugh.

I think I'll need some extra meds for the next few days.

Luckily my doc planned for that.



On that note, Merry Christmas! Take the meds or grab a drink, whatever you need to help you through. Just stay safe and I'll see you on the other side.

Brass Tacks and All That!

Hey, the shortest day of the year just went by and I didn't even notice!

That is a small Christmas miracle in itself.

So basic update but I'm sure you are all doing exactly the same last minute shopping, wrapping and cooking that I'm doing.

I need to pick up Bob's final gift - I don't know whether to buy him a tool he hinted at or something completely different and fun. (Okay, I have the fun part covered but we saw something a while back that we both loved and well ... I'm wondering what he might think)

I need to figure out my Mom's 'big' gift but right now, it's looking like movie tickets (that's what we call them). My Mom's b-day is in January so I normally save the movie tickets for that but I'm grasping at straws right now and I didn't really know Christmas Eve was on Wednesday!!

And I think I have one friend gift left to buy.

Shit.

I just remembered another set of friends we need a gift for.

Sometimes I suck!

Okay, off to make a list of lists.

Yeah, you read that right. I need to figure out what has to happen each day of the next few weeks.

Now I can't wait for January!

And reading! I have to be out of the slump by now!

Who's Got It? I Do Baby!

I know!

I can't believe it either but hey, I've had the spirit this year so I'm keeping it.

The award that is. Who knows what happens to the spirit after that.


Here are the rules for the Christmas Spirit Award: (anything in Red after this is just me and should be deleted out)

"You must be a true Christmas lover" to receive this award. YIKES!! Shhhhh, don't tell.
The person to whom you give the award must also be in love with Christmas. Uh oh. Like in a 'french kiss' kind of way?
Link back to the person who gave you the award.
List 5 things that you love about Christmas. If you can't limit it to 5 things, then keep going till you run out of space! 5!? *whimper* Hush, I can make it.
Pass the award along to as many people as you like. That can be 1 or 50. It's up to you! But keep the Christmas cheer going!
Let your recipients know that you have tagged them by leaving them a comment.

Five Things I Love About Christmas:

(I think this is going to where my Christmas Spirit flag will be seen to droop)
1. Bob being off the holidays. Yeah, I said it out loud. I love my Bob and Bobby time is the epitome of Christmas for me.
2. Christmas Eve - cause you can't do anything else and it's almost over.
3. A White Christmas - by this I mean snow and I think we'll have it for this year - yay!!
4. Watching the children we know open their gifts.
5. Christmas Music - I'm into the Tabernacle Choir and rif guitar stuff right now but good old Burl Ives rocks. This year I was listening to Christmas music in June and wanted to have a June Christmas. So I shouldn't be too surprised that I have the spirit this year!

As to tagging:

C2 - I'm telling you, she IS Christmas! (I think she may be Santa but don't let on you know)

Here's where I'm twisting it up - if you have the spirit or if you want the spirit - grab it up and run with it.

Yeah, yeah, I'm lazy.

Hey, Where'd It Go!?

I should have listened to Nath and just embraced me unusual energy that had me shopping and hand sewing gift bags.

Energy is shot to hell and gone.

Ooops.

Tomorrow my best bud and her son are coming in the afternoon (yay, sleep for me) where we'll open gifts for the boy and then go out to dinner.

That's easy.

Sunday is the day Bob's family will descend on us.

And I asked for it!

You see, Bob's parents are no longer with us and there is no pressure to come and be together with his side of the family for Christmas. (This is a good thing because it's an hour drive and Bob grumbles about always being the one to drive on Christmas day) That being said, I do think it's important that the family still gets together and since the youngest son does *all* the cooking for the family I thought it would be nice if they came out our way so I could cook them all a nice dinner.

Thing is I have the PMS or maybe it's the Right Now PMS but it's dragging me down hard. I took some painkillers there over the last few days but I stop after day two so I don't get too far gone. It's something else when you finally come out of the funk and realize three days have gone by.

So I'm hanging by a thread tonight but I know I will be much better in the afternoon tomorrow. It's getting there that is hard for me. My anxiety likes to come out and play during the dark hours of the night so I'm trying to keep the brain busy, hence another blog post.

The other hitch in my giddy-up is there is another blast of snow forecast for Sunday.

This means the family might cancel.

I'm hoping if they do cancel they do it tomorrow because other than that, there is going to be a 8kg bird in the oven if they wait until Sunday.

And I still have gifts to wrap.

Okay, that's it for me. I'm going to see about veggin' in front of the TV. I rented Wanted and started the first few minutes. I'm intrigued but I have the laundry machines going and they are noisy so I have to wait until they stop to continue watching.

Hey, silver lining!

I'm still doing laundry.

Where's My Wife!?

This has been the refrain heard through our house in the mornings.

See, I have a confession to make.

I've been doing loads and loads and loads of laundry for days now and have been putting all the folded clothing away.

I know. I'm shocked also.

Poor Bob doesn't know where to look for his clothes. He normally paws through baskets of clean clothes to find what her needs.

This ain't so bad.

Alone.

But my new thing is freaking me and Bob out.

I'm hand (and by hand I mean there is not a machine in sight) stitching Christmas gift bags.

And not just easy peasy lemon breezy kind of bags where you fold and stitch up two sides.

Oh, hell no.

I'm creating linings so when you gather the bag at the top, another pretty fabric shows inside.



Who am I!?

What worse, is I can't stop thinking about the next fabric combo! I even have fake fur so I can make a two men's bags for my dad and Bob!!

Bob got up this morning and I was sewing away.

He was all 'lookit you sewing and making things'

And I was all 'call someone, I think I'm broken!'

Get this, I had run out of gifts to make gift bags for and didn't know what to do with myself.

Tonight we went and basically finished our shopping for everyone else. (Bob and my mom are still on my list)

All I could think about were the bags I was going to sew.



Seriously, I'm scaring myself.

What happens when I finally have to put that needle down?

Oh wait, I'm multi-tasking! I'm putting on Dateline or 48 Hour Mysteries while I'm sewing so I get to 'watch' TV and make a gift bag.

How sick is that!

*deep breath in and out*

Here's hoping it will lead to me reading in the New Year. At this rate, I may actually have free time coming at me.

Next time I post pics of our Living Room with the new fireplace my hubby has built. Let's not talk about the painting I've been doing (trim) or the fact that I'm cleaning like I think the plague has visited our home.

And no.

I'm not thinking about sewing smaller bags with the left over its and bits for smaller items.

Dammit!

You know I am.

Curses!

*in a tiny whisper voice*

And I want to buy more fabric.

Okay, that's it. No more confessions!

I'm ruining my lazy reputation and I won't have it.

Move along. Nothing to see here.

Git!

edited: The pictures are sideways. I don't know. My camera has been doing weird things lately. I should reset it to it's original format and see if it works again.

Christmas Cards

Colour me shocked when I read about people still doing their Christmas cards.

No, no. Not because I think they are lazy (hi, I'm lazy) but that there is still time.

Let me explain.

In Canada there is an early cut off date for sending Christmas cards. What that date is I don't know and I don't care to look it up because it mocks me.

Anyways, years and years ago I married this great man and when Christmas came around we received all these cards.

Huh.

I have to say, card writing was not something instilled in me as I was growing up.

So these cards continue to show up.

Huh.

OMG! I think I have to write Christmas cards!

So off I go and buy some cards and start writing.

That probably took a few days.

Then I had to address them - my hand cramped up.

So let's add a few more days.

And then I had to actually drive by a mail box.

Yep, more days.

I seriously don't know the date I mailed them but I'm thinking it was either the 17th of Dec or the 18th.

I was pleased.

*pats self on back*

I was baffled when I got a call from my friend who was killing herself laughing and thanking me for the card.

It was the 3rd week in January.

I sheepishly asked friends who were more Bob's friends than mine at the time if they also got a card in January. They nodded and quickly changed the topic.

Now my friends would totally expect this from me but I wondered if Bob's friends were horrified by my actions. (I actually think the people I asked were because they could be harsh - we don't see them anymore cause the relationship was too one-sided)

After that year it became a rule that I had to pull out the cards on Dec 1 and have them mailed before the end of the week.

I hear now that my cards are the first to show up.

I scared myself this year because I wasn't nearly as worried about it for some reason and didn't mail them until the 10th. Luckily I've been to some friends homes and I see the card so yay, for me, they arrived.

So for those of you still writing out your cards with the knowledge they will get there. You are lucky duckies!!

I love being Canadian but I swear this is just another reason why being Canadian can suck!

Where's over night delivery when you need it!

Happy Soon To Be Christmas

Hi there!

Today is my Advent Tour day hosted by the wonderful Marg and Kailana! Let me tell you, these ladies have posted every day of the month just telling us where to visit next or about their own traditions. How they do it at such a busy time of year, I just don't know, but their efforts are ever so much appreciated!

Enough kissing up.

When I signed up for the tour I had planned on a post about the silly gifts my family has started to buy each other. Since then other things have happened so if you are new to my blog - strap in.

No seriously, things go awry around here.

First thing to know is that my family has no young children anymore. Hey, I'm a young'un so don't get any notions but my hubby and I don't have any kids. Then my brother doesn't either and he ain't looking to. Then my 'baby' cousin just turned 23.

So we're a family of seven adults sitting around on Christmas morning.

Some of you may not know this but Santa doesn't have time to visit the adults what with all the children in the world so there isn't that crazy anticipation humming around our homes on the Eve.

This changed about 4 years ago. It turns out we're all just really big kids so we've been creating new traditions almost every year for the past 4 years.

It all started when my Aunt (who is over 50 so like Dude, why haven't you broached this topic with my parents before? (hint for the newbies - they scary!!)) and I approached my parents one January to say that maybe they didn't have to host Christmas EVERY year. It went over like a lead balloon but by Thanksgiving my mother was sold and the start of 'rotating' Christmas began.

Aunt hosts, We host (Bob and I) and then my Parents host.

My parents are very, very traditional and after umpteen years of watching Christmas Vacation (awesome movie but I could quote the thing from beginning to end) every year on CE, my Aunt decided to shake things up.

On her year to host we did Christmas puzzles and trivia on the Eve. She served cider and had a breakfast in the morning that was a one dish easy bake that everyone raved over. Dinner was a casual affair with lots of paper decorations and there was a relaxed easy going quality to the day.

The following year it was finally Bob's time (my hubby). (Bob is 12 years older than I and married once before. It was the first time in 25 years that he didn't have to drive on Christmas day!)

Bob and I created Pajama Christmas.

Everyone had to wear their jammies all day long EVEN during dinner (my mother about fainted). I have to say it was the best Christmas ever but my parents didn't wear their jammies. Nope, they don't play that way. My brother didn't get to our house until just before dinner and had his freshly bought jammies all ready and was in them in a flash.

I should mention we are also responsible for the new tradition of stockings (only us kids ever had stockings). Now, all the adults hang stockings knowing that everyone will drop a small gadget or gift in there.

What slays me though are the oldest 'kids' can't wait until Christmas morning to open them!

On no. They ask constantly 'did everyone fill the stockings? aren't you guys done yet!?'

We open them on Christmas Eve.

My parents had their go again last year and they kept the stocking tradition - everything else was fairly normal.

It's my Aunt's turn this year and she's upped the ante again.

She's making us decorate our stockings!!

I don't know how she figures we'll have time for that and then filling and then opening them all in one night but maybe she's trying to get my Dad to wait till the morning.

Cause he may be the oldest but he's the biggest kid of us all!

My only true concern is that dinner always be Turkey and all the fixings. After that, mixing up our traditions has brought in a fresh feeling to the holidays.

There is something to be said for tradition during the holidays but if they've been feeling like more of a chore lately or like the spirit hasn't quite found your house, try changing something up.

It doesn't have to cost you money - (the stockings are supposed to be filled with dollar store finds so for us it's seven dollars a person) like our PJ Christmas (true, my family had to go and buy all new jammas - Bob and I always have jammas though) or it could be as simple as finding some Christmas music trivia online and printing out a sheet and having a game with little chocolates for prizes.

Any 'new' traditions you would like to share? I'm already looking for some new ideas for our turn again next year.

Of course, the PJs will be mandatory!

Have a Very Merry Holiday and thanks for dropping by!

Great News!

My dad's test results show no cancer so far! I should have video taped the dance I did - would have been a Youtube hit.

I'm around just not finding time for the computer. Bob changed out the computer chair to a dining chair - so not good for the back. Laptop hasn't been convenient lately either.

All the same, painting is still happening.

I just finished my Christmas cards and have made a list of errands for tomorrow. I figure the only way I'm going to get everything done is to make lists for each day.

I have yet to find my Mom's 'big' gift while I have Dad's kinda 'big' gift and not the others.

I have an idea for Bob for Christmas but the logistics alone could sway me to not go through with it. I'll keep you posted.

I hope you are all enjoying the month of December - seriously can't figure out where the time went - and can find time for the things you love to do.

I've been reading Nalini Singh's short story for about three weeks now. Whenever the car stops and I don't have to get out I pick up and read. Dr. office - I read. Now, not so much down time but I'm hoping to finish it before the New Year.

Yep, I set those bars high people.

Pictures of the Living Room

Oh yeah.

We're that boring.

You know, I swear I have a camera in my hand all the time but when I went to get the before, OMG IT SUCKS!, and after pictures I couldn't find any. So we'll go with what I can find.

I picked two before pictures because seriously, neither one truly shows the hideousness of the colour. It's not a rich burgundy, a rowdy red or pleasing pink.

(I took this picture to write a complaint letter to the makers of the sofa. The thing wasn't even 2 years old and look at the back cushions all cock-eyed and misshaped. Sad!)

It's a sucky wimpy icky colour that I left on the walls because the rest of my house was (and still is) just as mind boggling and I didn't have the time.

(This picture was from Bob's 50th party)

So, do you think you have the scope of the horror of this colour?

Okay then, let's move on.
I'm using this picture (it's the final colour) but notice the hallway colour - notice how dark it is? The paint that I asked for for the living room was supposed to be 2 shades lighter.

2 shades.

Not 10 shades!




Okay, what's horrible about these pictures are that they don't show the change as much as in person.

Seriously.

The picture with Emma in it is the first colour choice. Look at the fireplace surround which is white. Now it was 3am when the picture was taken so you don't really see just how white the paint turned out to be. I put up a white cabinet door from our kitchen and was upset because the colour on the wall was so faint. In fact, it was like there was no colour on the wall at all.

Remember the hallway colour? Do the walls look like they are only 2 shades lighter?

Now you may be wondering why I painted two coats on the walls without stepping back and realizing that the colour was wrong? Well - did you see the original colour!? I think I was so happy to get the dungeon colour off the walls that I wasn't paying attention to how light the paint was. Not only that, I spent probably three days scraping the plaster and filling holes and cracks. I took my time because I wanted a nice finished result.

Imagine my internal upset when I looked at the walls in the light of day. Thank goodness I spoke up because I wasn't going to say anything but OMG it was wrong, wrong, wrong!!

I've learned the hard way now. I don't do wimpy colours. I can't do white and I can't do builders beige. I have white trim in my house for a reason. It's so I can see the trim against the paint colour on the walls!

So here is the final wall colour. Now you can see it's sunny out so it may look light but it's not. It's an earthy grey-brown.

In this picture you should clearly see the difference from the white fireplace and the wall colour.

I'm glad that Bob told me to re-paint. I thought for sure he was going to say 'suck it up' but he admitted that although he liked the colour I was right about the room feeling too cold.

Also, Bob is tickled pink that I bought the colour he picked out of the fan deck. The man is colour blind but I decided 'what the hell' and used his choice. Mine had more of a purple hue to it and it wouldn't have worked. But I'm going to love it in my bedroom!

All I have to do now is decide if I'm going to paint the dining room before Christmas. Honestly, it's keeping me busy and maybe it'll keep me from losing my sanity.

Oh, get this.

This morning our upstairs toilet overflowed.

How did we figure this out?

The hallway ceiling began dripping water.

Yep, we have to take the hallway ceiling down at some point.

At this rate my house won't be complete until 2025.

Bob got all revved up by my painting and hence, the new trim (not white yet) and the tearing down of the mantle. Let's not even mention the fact that the floors need to be sanded and stained dark.

I need TV.

Bye.

All's Well?

Got the call tonight that Dad went through surgery fine and now stays in the hospital for the next few days. My mom is the one who is talking to him so I can't play the 'Spanish Inquisition' on the guy. So I'm taking things as good news until I hear otherwise.

The living room has now been re-painted to an earthier shade - much better. I'm thinking the dining room is next but I learned all my mistakes on the L/R so hopefully there won't be buckets of trauma.

Today is my Aunt's B-day so I'm going to my Mom's tonight for dinner. I was exhausted last night when I got up so went back to bed at 9:30pm and got up at 3:30am. Have no clue what that is going to do to the ol' sleep clock.

Other than that, I'm hanging on my by toes.

So, you know, situation normal

Not Well Over All

Got a call from my mom tonight.

My father, who is working a half a world away has to go in for surgery. My mom called it Dad's waterworks. Apparently hasn't been doing well for a year (first we hear of it) and his prostrate is huge.

I tried for calm while talking to my mom but inside I'm flailing all over. Stones and urinary tracts I can handle with a steel fortitude. Sure I'd be worried but I'd also know that after the operation every thing would be fine.

It's the word Prostrate that's giving me nightmares (tried to sleep with Bob and had nightmares for 4 hours). I don't imagine the prostrate just swells when irritated but it's what I'm hoping for.

So any extra thoughts or prayers would be so greatly appreciated.

My dad is just a pup yet.

Half Way?

The ceiling is finished in the living room! We didn't have to tear the damn thing down so all is fine.

Tonight I filled holes in the wall - plaster walls don't get tiny holes, they get gaping wounds that make you want to cry. You pull a nail out of the wall and a 3 inch round crater is staring you in the face.

So I filled holes, did my 'paid' job (I forget so many things when I have a project and I remember last night that I should get my spread sheets for work up to date! And I forgot my Doc's appointment. That's going to cost me.) and just finished putting up the first coat of primer. Since the walls were a burgundy colour the coat of primer has a halo of red peeking through.

This will come as a shock but I have a pristine view of paint and I'm fighting the urge to put up another coat of primer so that the walls will be pure white before finishing with my two coats of grey paint.

You all know I'm lazy so even I'm flummoxed by my odd behaviour.

And fumes?

Holy stinky headache ville!!

So I cranked a few windows open on this -3 degree night. Brrr. All the same, I don't think we should be closing the house up with this kind of stench. I don't remember paint fumes being so bad!

What else? *drums fingers on keyboard*

Oh! So just before I go to bed (in the early dawn) and when I first get up (it gets dark early now!) my first thought is Emma.

Ah, Emma. My hard done by kitty. I shove a pill down her throat twice a day (I think it's over in a few days) and then the needle.

Now, you would think with all this medicine stuff I would remember I have things I need to take also.

Dumb Cindy. Might explain some of the headaches I've been getting.

And finally!

I got THE book today.

I called Chapters to ask if the book had arrived at their store (whole schmaz about shipping fees to home and crap so I had them sent to the store) and no, it hadn't arrived. I was told they were very good at calling people when books arrive in their store. That it's a daily event.

So I head off to my BF's house and the phone rings.

It's Bob, Chapters called to tell me the book arrived.

10 minutes people!

Oh, well. At least I have the book. Problem is I started Nalini Singh's short story in between painting and all the other stuff so it'll be a bit yet.

Wow, That's Leaving Lots Of Marks!!!

I pride myself on my painting skills (seriously, just go with it, I don't have much) but tonight I may have just created a nightmare that I can't fix by myself.

This means Bob will have to get involved.

This means there may be some serious grumbling when Bob gets up in the morning. Since I will super anxious and sleepy I'm bound to unleash a bitchy C-Rex.

In the spirit of the holidays I wanted to get my living room painted top to bottom.

I moved all the furniture last night (except for the 2 large sofas and a hutch because I had nowhere to put them) and put all my plastic down, found the tools and in general had everything ready to go for when I started tonight.

Except tonight I wanted to buy an extra gallon of that ceiling paint that goes on pink and goes to white. I didn't think my 3 partial gallons were enough. Bob remembered that we should have had another couple buckets so I went without. Turns out we didn't but he did find a 5 gallon pail of Zinzer primer - this stuff can cover nuclear waste it's so friggin' tough.

Blah, blah, blah - I'm getting there!

Tonight I mix the three partial gallons together and decide that it should be plenty to cover my 25' by 15' plastered ceiling.

Perfect.

I start only the pink is going white so fast I can't keep track of where I am. So I end up over doing some areas which immediately brings my attention to the fact that the ceiling is now bubbling and peeling.

Okay, it's not a huge problem. It's only doing it in one spot.

But my brain is already working (Yeah, not a minute too late) and I have a vision of the previous owner of the home painting the ceiling say 40 years ago. What kind of paint would that person have been using?

OIL!!

Holy friggin' ------

I've finished the entire ceiling because I figure, why get nailed for a little mistake when I can get in trouble for a GI-NORMOUS mistake.


more animals

Ugh.

I went back in and noticed more spots bubbling. I'm trying to remember if this happened once before and Bob said not to worry that once the paint dried the bubbles would recede. I mean, I've done a few reno houses and I'm pretty sure this came up before.

So I'm kicking myself because if I had only used that damn Super Primer I would have been in the clear.

Now I'm just hoping it all dries out cause if not, poor Bob will have to put up a whole new ceiling. And he doesn't have that kind of time before Christmas and hell, who needs to spend a whack of cash on drywall and mouldings right now.

I suck.

Wish me well.

UPDATE!! Hooray!! Those bubbles are starting to dry and flatten out. Oh Happy Day!!!

No seriously, I was a wee bit scared of the morning.

I'll leave it tonight and put on the second coat tomorrow instead of doing it again tonight. I normally have rooms painted in a day or two but I'm going to let this paint cure completely before I put on the next coat. The good news is the next coat will go on smoother.

LOL Cat to celebrate!


more animals

This Was Way Too Hard!!

As you can see, the spirit found me!

I don't know what is different about this year from the previous 3 but I'm so ready to decorate and go shopping and find neat-o gifts and stuff.

Of course, the odds of 'neat-o' gifts is slim because we all shop in the same hemisphere so, not sure how we can surprise each other.

But screw it, I'm feeling the spirit. Even wanted to put up our tree (we have a fake blue spruce with snow on it) but then remembered I really, really, really want to paint the living room before I spend another Christmas in an off burgundy room. It's hideous and I've been living with it for 3 years.

Thing is, Bob wants me to remove all trim since one day (ONE DAY) we'll be replacing it all.

Did I mention the house has been trimless in areas for 3 years?

Like I said, screw it. I'll take the damn trim off as long as I don't have to have bing cherry walls anymore.

On another note, this template was a bitch to put on. Would I love to have my widgets back? Yeah. But then I can't really make out how the template is created and changes are terrifically bad.

Why are there not more clean line Christmas Layouts (that's the new term)?

Anyways, let's just say doing this template almost sucked the spirit right out of me!

I wanted to put up a countdown ticker like C2 does but I'm not sure I'm up to fiddling with the damn template again.

You know, I swear a lot for a person donning the Christmas Spirit.

But then, you all wouldn't recognize me if I was all pussified.

It's a word.

Update on Emma - she's huge, her fur is glorious and she's one happy kitty. Bad news is she has to go to the vet for the day tomorrow so they can create a baseline on her diabetes. (then she comes home for another week and then back in for a day and so on)

She's so going to hate me tomorrow.

Course, I think the vet may have to create a stress baseline for me. I'm not willing to lose another limb just before Christmas!

I'm figuring 200 bucks just for tomorrow.

Ow.

Ow.

*deep breath in*

Feeling the Spirit dangit!

Yay!!!

After an hour of fuming I've decided to let Bob live.

Luckily it's 1am and he's sound asleep so when I discovered some mail under stacks of crap and came across a package that looked like a book, I didn't holler or scream.

I'm a great wife!

I have no clue when it showed up but I'm betting Bob's response will be 'I told you!'

Lately Bob has been telling me things either as I'm going to bed, at noon if he comes home (seriously, I wake up hours later and wonder if I dreamed it) or as I'm waking up.

Things don't compute during those times people!

All the same, I swear he said not a word cause I would have torn that package open and danced with glee.

Instead I wiggled with glee because I was still working on not pounding up the stairs and giving Bob a good shove off the bed.

Like I said. I'm a great wife.

So HUGE THANK YOU TO NATH!!!!

I had no idea it was a trade size book so I lucked out huge!

Also, I haven't seen a copy of it at either of the local bookstores cause I might have bought it if I had and another contest would have ensued.

But I'm lucky.

Phew!

I'm very excited to read the Singh short story but I think I'll wait until Monday.

This weekend is busy. Bob's family having dinner at their place on Saturday and then my best bud is coming for dinner on Sunday.

So Monday sounds perfect!

Seduce Me At Sunrise Lisa Kleypas

The good news, I liked it.

The bad news, I had me some problems.

Cindy Blurb:

Oh, wait! Pet Peeves or Silly Cindy Thingies

1. I'm not much on books where the H/H have known each other most of their lives.
2. Especially if they grew up like siblings.
3. Ages of the H/H would have been helpful in the beginning of the story so I didn't have to do awkward math to figure out just how long these two people lived in the same house *like* siblings. I never really figured it out.

Maybe I should have saved those for the 'awkward review' section of this post.

Oh, well. You've been here and seen worse with my brain.

Cindy Blurb (for real this time) :

Dammit, wait.

I have no writing steam, so this will be morbidly more awkward than normal.

Fun.

Cindy Blurb (shut up) : We have Kev Merripen, a gypsy boy that was raised by a brutal Uncle who used him as a fighting machine. His childhood isn't played out long in this book which is nice because I'm not much for flashbacks but it was enough to know Merripen never had it easy. His tribe was attacked at some point and he was left for dead.

Win Hathaway's father found the boy near death and brought him home to his family. The boy was almost feral and wouldn't let anyone near him until the day Win came into his room. An immediate connection was made.

Lord knows how old there were cause I sure don't. Maybe it was revealed in the previous book which I haven't read. Bad Cindy.

So, there is some growing up where Kev stays on the outer lining of the family, learning about trust and what it's like to be cared for. Then Win's father dies and her mother shortly follows. While reeling from this the Scarlet fever hits the family and Leo Hathaway, Win's brother and Win are close to death. Kev remembers an herb that could cure or kill and both are given the dose.

Win and her brother survive but Win is not the same and lives the life of an invalid unable to do normal tasks without being winded. She decides she must go away to get better because she wants a life with Kev (even though he wouldn't think of touching her).

Years later - again, can't remember and still don't know how old anyone is - Win comes back stronger and with a fresh need to get on with her life. She also comes back with a suitor but it's Kev she wants.

Kev wants Win to have everything but him and believes she must be kept in a glass case to be safe.

Romance ensues.

Well, romance to a point.

There is a scene where I didn't think much of Kev Merripen and I didn't think he was acting at all like a hero. The scene made me cranky and if I had been Win I'm not sure I would have forgiven it as fast as she did but then, she knew what she wanted and that was Kev.

All the same, I liked Kev because he was extremely rough around the edges. Even at the end of the book I got the impression that he wouldn't become this huggy lovey dovey kind of person with his family. With his kids and wife sure but not with the rest of the people he had grown up with.

I liked that Win's family knew about her love for Kev and always supported it even when Kev was being an ass.

Yeah, that's right, I said ass.

But I do so love men who can be asses.

Just sayin.

There is a mystery to be solved about the origins of Kev that the new Brother in
Law Cam goes after with vigor even though Kev could care less about his past. There's the suitor issue. There's tension between Win's need of a normal life and Kev's need to protect her life at all costs.

Oh, I should mention that I found the family quite fresh. I liked the intelligence of the siblings, that no matter how the older kids try and protect the younger ones, they know exactly what's going on.

Though once again, I found confusion in what the house was like that they lived in. For some reason as kids I thought it was like a small cottage but when it's mentioned that Kev is re-building it after a fire (from the first book in the series I would imagine), it sounds like a much bigger and regal home.

All the same I'm keeping this book because I do love the way that Kleypas does sexual tension.

That said, I'm going with a straight B for those things I found confusing and for that one scene that got me a bit riled up.

Okay, that's it.

Not sure if this helps you or makes it more confusing for you.

Glad I could help.

I'm So Behind!

I haven't been able to do my blog rounds for like 2 weeks!

I blame my mom.

Tomorrow night I have some work to do and a call in to the best bud and then I plan to plant my butt in the chair and read all your blogs. If not tomorrow then Monday. Expect comments on posts from weeks ago.

Bad Cindy.

And since I've been up since 6am - yes, you read that right - I was able to get to the bookstore near our home. (We had my family over for a turkey dinner so that my Dad could enjoy it before heading back across the world). They didn't have Demon Bound by Meljean Brook (even though the computer said they had 3) or Broken Wings by, uh, crap.

Anyways, I was talking about how the brand new store had these awesome futuristic computers and tada! my old store has them too!! So all I did was order the two books at their kiosk and they will ship to the store for free. (I've been worried I'll get nailed for shipping since they changed their policy)

If I had had more time I would have placed a huge order but Bob was waiting in the car and I had to get to the LCBO before heading home and cleaning the main floor of the house. Stress was the order of the day.

But it's over and tomorrow we go to see my Dad off.

Monday I plan on the beginnings of my yearly hibernation ritual.

Sleep, sleep, sleep!

Tuggin' on my Too Funny Bone

1.) I went to the bookstore tonight to track down 'The Book' that Kristie (J) is so excited about.

I got there and stood staring at the books.

Uhmmmmmm, huh.

I head over to the computer thinking something will shake loose but see if you can figure out my problem.

I stood over that damn computer and all I could think of was THE QUEST.

*shakes fist at Kristie for naming these events!!*

I figured it out when I got home and went to Kristie's blog. I'll be honest and tell ya I figured the horrible cover would have drawn my eye. Course, it's not out till November 8th so that would be one, two, ah-ha, a triple UGH!

2.) I have made myself 3 (baked) chicken fingers with sweet and sour sauce and fresh boiled potatoes with butter, salt and pepper 6 out of the last 7 nights for my nightly dinner (that's between 2 and 3am for those of you wondering). I'm not obsessive compulsive although I'm sure I could have the tendency if I let it get out of control (hand sanitizer anyone?) but I get into food phases that can last months to years on end. I have taught myself to break out of them but it's usually to do with laziness. This year it was discovering a local potato grower and I'm telling you, I have never had such wonderful potatoes in my life! They are even great mashed up which I was worried about but I have them with Thanksgiving turkey and about rolled on the floor in complete ecstasy (yes, I know it's sad)

Aside: I wrote the above 2 about a week or two ago and I have eaten all the chicken fingers in the house. My jeans all feel too tight now. Back to WW for me!

3.) This isn't funny as much as sublime. A new Indigo store opened up (the grand opening isn't until next weekend) and Bob took me there tonight even though his back is out. Poor guy. But OMG!! What a beautiful store. There is an aisle that is a room unto itself that is brightly lit and its where all the magazines are - it's so pretty. The journal section almost made me weep. Romance section didn't knock my socks off because they didn't have Meljean Brook's Demon Bound out, of course, The Quest book wasn't there or the newest Nalini Singh Christmas Cat book.

OH! The computers were fancy, futuristic bright white orbs that had touch screens.

I spent 108 bucks on books. I bought their 25 dollar card even though it chapped my behind. So I've decided to keep track of the money I save over the next year and we'll see if it pays to buy the card. So that will be on the sidebar under the books read.

4.) My sleep is so messed up that I can't think straight. It's funny in a way but I'm shocked at how lost I am. And Bob has been underfoot for the past few weeks because of a project he's on. I know I mentioned it before but I'm missing my routine.

5.) My dad is home and on Saturday I'm doing up a nice turkey dinner with all the fixings. My favourite dinner. I know. It's very funny.

I'll end on that note. I hope you are doing well and reading lots. I will hopefully had a review up of a book in the next week.

You know I mean one of my 'Cindy' reviews.

Just warning ya.

Woohoo - Yikes!!

Love the change I woke up to today!

Congrats to my American Friends with their new President - I hope he will help us all find our way!

And Bob's off and we're going to go to Toronto.

Hence the YIKES in the title.

I'm taking my anxiety meds with us but I'm silly excited. I just hope I'm awake enough when we get there. We went to an appliance store yesterday and by the time we got there I didn't care cause I was so tired. I went to bed at 8pm last night and got up at 4am.

Time change, general enui, I just don't know. I can't figure myself out so I've decided 'Fuck it' and I'm going to go shopping with my hubby in Toronto.

I'll take positive vibes if you have any left after all the energy from yesterday.

With that all in mind, this is the song that keeps playing through my head:

100 Bucks? Yes, Please!

The Book Binge ladies have done it again!

Another awesome contest where you not only get to buy a great book by an extraordinary author, you get the chance to win 100 dollars to spend in a bookstore of your choice!!

Excited?

I am!

What's the deal?

If you buy Demon Bound sometime in the next two weeks and send us proof of your purchase - either a picture of you with the book or a copy of your receipt - we'll enter you to win a $100 gift certificate to the book store of your choice.

That's all you have to do: Buy one book and you'll be entered to win $100!!

If you want to double your chances of winning, announce this contest on your own website and/or blog and after you send us your proof of purchase we'll throw your name in the hat twice.




Remember, you have until Sunday, November 15th to enter!! Don't delay, buy your copy today!!!

To read more go here and see how you can enter to win and get an extra chance of winning by posting on your blog!

They've managed to bring together two of my favourite things. Money and Books.

Perfection.

Swinging In

Father is home for the next week.

Check.

The next week will be family 24/7.

Chee-e-e-eck.

I will need lots of naps afterwords.

F*ck Yeah!

Oh and it's month end for work. Good news is I've been keeping pace better and not getting behind.

Also, things are afoot.

This has Bob underfoot and messing with my routine.

Finally called Best Friend last night and she was all upset and wondering what she had done to make me mad. She had been leaving messages but it's been 2 weeks since we talked.

1. My mom - enough said. (have I told you all about the reno of her den and the two straight weeks of mom time? Just checking)
2. My sleep and BF's new work schedule.
3. Bob's underfoot.

Went to see the Godkids for 1/2 hour tonight - two gloomier gusses I have yet to see. Where is the Halloween Spirit?

Wasn't here. I had to go back to bed when we got home. Bob answered the door and maybe 12 kids. Boo!

Finally - I have no 'ME' time.

OH, Best Bud moving back home so more time with her also.

Bye-bye 'ME' time.

My Best Bud

I got this on my Facebook page from my best bud with the line 'A Nice Cheery Halloween Hello'.

Somebody help me get her back!!

Weekend Update

If only it was a funny SNL skit.

Sorry, run now before you get sucked in!

Basically you may remember my dad is in Malaysia working and while he's been gone on this stint my mother has decided to re-model the den without any input from my dad (in fact, he knows nothing about it and won't until he comes in the door).

Bob's only comment was 'I'm not painting his trim'. Like most men, my father loves stained wood. Period. I have painted white trim and I sure as hell wouldn't let Bob tell me something was 'not paintable'. Anyways, we're respecting his ways.

My mother, bless her heart is even trying to make the den something dad would like. I mean seriously, if Bob was gone for 8 weeks at a time I would be doing designer chic things everywhere just so he would get mad and not leave again. My mother must be trying the 'get more with honey' approach.

So, the 24 year old carpet was torn up (this room is 10 x 11) and Bob installed new hardwood floors.

Something you need to know before the rest of the story can be told. Buckle in!

Bob and I have sanded and stained a few floors in our time. The very first time we did it was in our own house and it was the really old kind of floor. It took us a solid week of sanding, staining and varathaning. (We also got extreme chest colds because we didn't wear masks!) We are at the finishing stages and Bob had to hammer something in and WHAM, he dropped the hammer on the floor and a dent appeared in our lovingly restored hardwood floors. Bob swore and I knew he was going to get all worked up and without a beat I said 'Oh, a character mark! Perfect!'

I must have shocked Bob because his reaction stopped. Then he kind of grumbled and I told him there was no point getting upset and the floors were 50 years old and they looked like brand new with some character added in.

After that, anything that got dented without meaning or slopped on you immediately heard 'character mark!'.

My father was floored on our first reno project when he did something that he thought was atrocious (he let the sander stand in one place and created a 12" long divet a golf ball would lean in to). He went pale in the face and I yelled out (cause the machine was still on) 'character mark!'. He looked at me like I was crazy. Bob wasn't there and I think dad was worried he was going to get blasted. So that night I tell Bob what happened but I told him not to try and joke with my dad about it like 'OMG, WTF!!'

Sure enough my dad goes to point it out to Bob expecting a 'carpet call' and Bob looks at it and says 'just a character mark, no problem'. My father fell in love with the term after that.

The next reno house my father yelled out 'character mark' with glee whenever Bob or I went to have a fit about something we did wrong.

Ho-kay, we're all caught up.

So, Bob goes last Saturday to install brand new floors at my mom's house. I'm sleeping and I heard my brother was going to show up so I didn't worry. When I get up Bob's home and all finished and just excited to have me go and see the floor.

We go over and I look. Gorgeous. Only, wait. What's that over there?

Bob and Mom continue to look at the threshold and wax poetic and I decide that maybe I shouldn't point out that one of the floor boards was not properly placed and that there was a 1/4" gap on the other side of the room.

I'm not sure what happened after that but Bob must have got my goat or something because I suddenly said 'What's up with this?' and pointed out the gap.

Bob sees it and gasps. 'Oh, I can fix that no problem'

Two crowbars later and lots of 'how did I miss that!?' and upset followed. My mother was glaring at me and telling Bob everything was fine but Bob's all 'this is a major deal!' followed by 'Cindy, why weren't you here earlier to supervise!!'

Seeing the hash about to be thrown my way I start saying 'what a wonderful character mark. I mean, really, the floor needed a little character.'

After much time Bob's feathers settle back down.

Then we start.

I swear my mother has a new impression of Bob's and my marriage.

Bob's in the room calling to me and I walk in.

Me: Where are you?
Bob: What?
Me: I can't see you.
Bob: *catching on* I'm down in the ginormous hole, come help me out!

While shopping for a sofa:

Me: I'm worried about the weight of this sofa.
Bob: You can suck it up for all of 10 feet.
Me: Yes I could but, it's the Grand Canyon in the middle of the floor I'm worried about, we may need to get some pack mules.
Bob: *glares*

While deciding on the depth of the sofa:

Bob: The deeper the better.
Mom: Meh, not into deep couches.
Bob: A deeper couch will cover the cliff in the floor while a smaller one might disappear.

Bob and I in the car with Mom:

Bob: You know, a big screen TV would be great in that room.
Me: Bob! Mom has a budget and you don't need to be egging her on to buy more stuff.
Mom: No, I was thinking about buying a new flat screen for in there.
Bob: Great idea, it'll draw Bill's eye and he won't notice the gaping hole in the floor.

The good news is we're having fun with it and my mother has been laughing. Bob said the other day that my mother seems happier whether it's because she's doing stuff to keep busy or because she's seeing her daughter more.

I laughed.

It's so not because of me!

I've definitely grown though. The other night Bob was talking about wiring and stuff he was going to do in the morning. And I said 'whatever, I'll be sleeping' and my mother pipes up 'useless as usual' to which she got a huge 'Excuse me!' And then I just laughed.

I do lots of stuff, it just so happens I do it while everyone is asleep and leaving me alone!

Trust me, it's best for everyone.

It's just everyone (my mother) doesn't realize it.

Okay, this is lengthy so I'll do this as part one of my new epic novel:

HOLY CRAP WHEN WILL IT END!? (I'm looking at mid November people! That kind of sustained energy and planning freaks me the hell out!)

Subtitled:

Cindy Loses Her Mind.

Course, that would be no biggie as I'm not really sane to begin with.

I'm Late, I'm Late!

With the week being woefully overbooked I haven't had a chance to post the covers of the gorgeous books I won over at C2s!

What did I win?

Glad you asked!I'm very excited. Must be kismet because I had just asked on Twitter if anyone could suggest a great series with at least 7 or 8 books in it already. I know there was a response but it wasn't the above series so I was tickled when I won this contest by C2!

Why?

1. Cause there are three more AFTER these.
2. C2 says the world building rocks - awesome!
3. Which means to me they are my favourite kind of series books - an otherworld with powers. Squeeeeeee!

And then, there is this:

Holm’s a fighter; Lark a Healer, their Families are at war. Holm knows one thing bone deep. Nothing will prevent him from claiming Lark. Not the feud. Not his Family’s condemnation. Not his own flaws. And not Lark herself.

Heart Duel

This is the blurb on Owen's site.

I love those 'feuding family' kind of stories! Would it be wrong if I read the third book first?

Thanks C2! I'm looking forward to Emma settling in, my work to be more routine, and then there will be that American Election and Thanksgiving thing that will probably mess with my TV viewing.

So maybe I have some free time coming up!

Really Quick

Just beeping in so you know I haven't disappeared.

Emma had an ultrasound today (yeah, I know) and she has pancreatitis (don't know), fatty liver (I understand that one) and *horns blare* diabetes.

Bob and I have to learn how to give shots.

Bob said to me just a minute ago that he can't do it. He gets squicked out when his brothers prepped their needles (yep, three of his brothers have diabetes and they have had it since childhood) - you would think that would make it easier for him.

So guess who's going to be the bad guy?

Me.

Did I not do enough with Cody and the open head wound? Do I have to be the one the cat runs from when the needle comes out twice a day?

Yep.

My vet loves me so I'm going to get her to give him crap and make him learn also.

I mean really, his friggin leg was torn open and he handled the 13 needle shots into the open wound to numb and the 13 stitches it took to close it. Hell, he fell asleep!!

Anyways, we're off to see our 'Arm & Leg' kitty in a bit so she knows she isn't abandoned.

Great Start

It's 8:30am and I'm just getting ready to wind down.

Tonight was tough in that I had to stay awake and transfer Emma from the Emerg vet to her regular vet. I went down there are 4:30am and picked her up. Hey, I was awake and wanted to avoid lines or traffic.

Emma is not quite as yellow and the Emerg vet said she did really well under their care. In the three hours she was home she tried and tried to eat. She got some down but I think her tooth or something is really bothering her.

I'm frustrated with the vets at this point. The E-vet didn't give me her appetite stimulants and only gave me a few pain pills.

Uh, hello!!

She's going to need more pain pills than what I got and if the appetite stimulant is helping then why take her off it when there is still just a small cast of yellow on her skin. Can we get her up to fighting power before we stop the successful treatment.

Then I pulled a stupid move.

I was exhausted - I have been going to bed around 4:30am and I wake up around 1 or 2pm. It's been working out great because I am spending more time with Bob and hey, Bobby time is precious.

They (E-vet) sent her home with her IV tap still in. I should have had them take it out but they did want Em to go to the reg vet.

For some reason the tape looked tight and I know it's been on since Friday so I cut it off. Em was thrilled. Then I thought maybe I could take the shunt out and not have to take Emma to the reg vet until the afternoon.

Meanwhile, Bob was up for work, got blasted for something (Lord knows because I was just bitchy and cranky and tired) and told me he would call in sick and take Emma in. I insisted he not do so because well, it wasn't a gracious offer by any means. It was more like 'just go to bed!! I'll call in sick'.

In our honeymoon period I would have had a gentle man by my side stroking my face and telling me I needed to go to bed and that he would take care of everything.

HONEYMOON IS OVER!!

We ended up sniping at each other for the next hour. Hey, if he really cared he would have called in sick period. He didn't which means he wasn't all that worried.

Crap. Whiny Cindy just showed up. I hate that bitch.

So he leaves the house all grumpy and grouching about how I should have just let him do what he wanted because my eyes were barely open. I managed to keep from saying 'BITE ME'.

Aren't I precious?

Side Trip!

Just in care you are wondering why I didn't just lay down for a few hours let me see if I can explain. Bob got it immediately when I, ahem, told him in a soft sweet voice (bitch please, I sounded like a friggin' bear) that it's the same thing as going to bed at your normal time. Would you want to wake up and drive 2 hours afterwards? Could you?

Yeah, he got it. Poor guy. I'm still not sure he can hear properly now, hours later.

So I fight to keep my eyes open for the next hour and finally scoop Emma back up with her torn up shunt and put her in the laundry hamper ( totally different story about why a hamper).

She begged me not to take her back. Why do I say this? She was stretched out and putting her toes through the slits of the laundry basket and also trying to show me her belly. Meanwhile, she purred her throat raw I'm sure. Poor monkey.

We get to the vet and I do the drop off.

I managed not to throttle the woman at the front desk
Her response to everything was 'I'm not a vet so I can't even begin to understand what you are telling me'.

I'm not a vet either but even I know what I'm talking about dumbass.

I said something about the pain meds from the emerg and again I got shut down so fast with 'the vet will have to make those decisions'.

I was such a good woman. Let me tell you, I at no point said to her 'Listen up, I just want you to know that she hasn't had her 8am pain pill and since it's 8:05 it might be one of those things you would like to take care of. Her IV bags are in there - I tampered with her shunt so you'll have to re-tape (OMG the 'tude I got for that one made me want to grab the woman by the hair) Furthermore I think she should be on appetite stimulants for a few more days.

But no.

Not allowed an opinion or a message to the vet.

Just drop your cat here please.

Damn, they should just have a drop in slot.

Okay, I think I'm done bitching.

End of story, Em is on the mend and as long as the vet stays on this course of treatment until she's strong enough to have a tooth removed, then I think all may be well. There was a note in the file about an ultra-sound of the liver. Waiting on a price for that puppy.

Oh, and great news, the Emerg bill was half exactly of what they quoted. 750 back in our pockets for now.

Must go to bed. Hopefully some of this makes sense.

Wait!

I started reading LK's Seduce Me and I'm loving it. I would try to stay up and continue reading but I don't think the world is ready for the results of such an endeavour.

Fork Me

I'm sorry I've been so absent.

I'm normally such a chatty Cathy I'm shocked but hey, I hope you are all well rested cause I'm back.

I think.

You're going to think I'm just a harbinger of bad news and I'm starting to wonder.

Emmy, my baby girl, whose video is down below is in the Kitty Emergency.

I'm on a high in the roller coaster road of life right now so if I sound flippant it's because I'm trying not to depress people.

Em went off her food the day, I'm talking THE DAY, Cody didn't come home. Me, being the dumb monkey I am thought she was upset or depressed. Bob mentioned (and seriously he just mentioned) that Em wasn't eating and that we should call the vet.

I should have called the vet.

I did today at 3pm thinking I would appease Bob. I'll mention here that when petting her last night I wondered why her skin was yellow.

Yeah. Jaundice.

Basically the vet (who was Cody's vet and knows we just put him down) was trying to be super positive and not tell me that my cat was dying.

She was.

After hours of negotiations (blood tests, x-rays, stay at reg vet where Em would be alone over night or at the emergency vet under 24 hr care?) we finally got her settled at the emergency vet.

400 bucks at regular vet.

1500 at emergency vet for now. Could be more or less but I don't care. I know. But remember we don't have kids and we don't go away on vacations and our pets are so very much a part of our lives.

Good news is I called and they had gotten Emma to eat without having to put a tube in through her nose and down her throat.

What's going on? The vet found a rotten tooth. WTF? I just didn't think to look in her mouth. So we're thinking the pain was too much for her to eat but why she couldn't eat her wet food is beyond me. I'm hoping that's not the bad news.

Both vets (my reg and the emerg) have said they think there is an underlying cause which means we're not out of the woods and Bob and I are on an emotional roller coaster that's making me crazy.

I will admit here that when the vet left the room Emma got a stern lecture on how she is strong and way too young (12yrs) to head into any white lights. I needed her and she needed to get better immediately. And then I smothered her in kisses - I swear the only cat in the world that will let you kiss and curl around her. Amber hates getting kisses.

Renee mentioned that she could hear Emma purring in the video. I swear she purrs like that the minute you look at her. She purrs and purrs and purrs. The vet couldn't hear her heart or lungs because she was purring so much. She does love the spot light.

My reg vet told me she's a happy cat. Yeah, I know. All my pets are happy so how am I supposed to know when they are sick!?

Bad Cindy.

I'm feeling a little paranoid. Losing Bob's Mom in August, Cody in Sept and now Em is sick. Meanwhile Amber is 15 years old.

You're right. Forget being a 'little' paranoid I'm in full mode paranoia.

I'm hopeful though. I really think she can pull through this and with the 24 hour care I'm hoping that it's a 'fatty liver' and not something completely different. Basically a cat can rebound from a fatty liver and it's quite common in cats. Who knew?

Okay, I'm going to see if I can wind down a bit.

I haven't been doing blog hopping but I'm hoping I'll find time this week. I think of you all and wonder how you guys are doing. I have to stop relying on Twitter to check on people because you aren't all on it!

Happy Gobble Day!

I'm thankful for so many things but everyone is about to show up so I leave you with this.

I *just* bought the throw to carry more 'light' across the room (room is entirely too dark but I haven't painted it yet - have to start at ceiling, yada, yada, yada.

Hope you are all having a great weekend!

Giveth and Receiveth

I WON AGAIN!!!

I am on some sort of winning streak I tell ya. First I won books over at C2's and now I won over at Nath's.

And there was some serious competition!

As soon as my books arrive from C2 I'll put the covers all up.

I'm thinking I might have to do a Thanksgiving Contest to keep all the good things comin'.

Thing is, I mentioned that whole paycheck problem right?

So maybe we'll have a 'MY MONEY IS HERE' contest.

I wish I could get ARCs to give away. Then more people would enter my contests. But then I would want everyone to win so maybe it's better this way.

And how you guys put up with me I'll never know. I was obviously feeling sorry for myself and thought everyone else had already received the 'I Love Your Blog' Award and when I looked over Nath's list I realized I had a few blog buddies who weren't on the list! And since I love all my blog buddies I need to send the love along!

The rules for this award are that you need to: 1) Add the logo of the award to your blog 2) Add a link to the person who awarded it to you 3) Nominate at least 7 other blogs 4) Add links to those blogs on your blog 5) Leave a message for your nominees on their blogs!

So here is my nominations:

Renee at Renee Reads Romance - she is my book twin and I love her blog. Blog more says I. But I know she is busy, busy, busy, so go share some love and tell her I sent you.

Megan at Megan Frampton - I love all the different blog topics - you just never know what will be on her mind but it has me laughing or thinking either way. Blog more says I.

JMC at Very Occasional Book Reviews - Again, you never know what you'll get which is why I love this blog! Blog more says I - are you seeing a theme?

Kat O+ at Menage a Kat - love it! You know what I'm about to say but she has three beauties under the age of 3 so she gets a pass. Although there are a few new posts. Squeeee!

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! Biblioharlot's Bookshelf with Mollie is going good-bye. Mollie will still post at other blogs but, I has a sad.

C2 at Csquared's All Around Blog - totally crushin' and yes, Blog more!

Marg - Reading Adventures - believe it or not, I can't keep up with her blog! Award nominated books, reading challenges, I get panicky at just the thought but I love her blog!

Suisan - Suisan - back to my original refrain - blog more!

Okay, I'm done. I need a nap, I have to eat, I need to do some grocery shopping - okay, more like a major grocery shop and people are coming for dinner tomorrow night!

And you should see my desk! I do so love my label maker though, maybe I'll have this thing cleared off by tomorrow.

Or I could just shut the door to this room.

Pesky guests with opposible thumbs. They are so going to want on the computer.

Crap.