Birthday Week in Three, Two.....

So things are still the same.

The choking cough that never settles mixed with that heavy feeling in the chest ain't so fun but it's better than where I was last week.

This weekend is going to be BUSY!!

Tomorrow night we go see West and her potential new home here. I'm excited but I don't know how close she is to pulling the trigger. All the same, dinner out peeps!! I'm thinking fries and gravy - wonder if I can find a place that'll have a BLT without the LT - yum!

Saturday is super packed with my Godkids and every friend they have coming for swimming, food and fun. I figure Bob will need to take a nap half way through.

Now that would normally be where I pull the rip cord and call it quits but my Dad goes back to Malaysia on Monday.

Sunday is family day by the pool and of course, a BBQ. They don't eat beef in Malaysia so I'll be cooking up some home made burgs for my Dad. Sunday looks like a killer day to stay by the pool though so it's all good.

Except for the algae.

With us sick we didn't get near the pool for two weeks. It started to go green there last week but I shocked and killed it. But again, we were sick so we didn't vacuum out the dead stuff and well, more has grown. Tonight we shocked but I didn't get the algicide in. The key to killing algae is making sure you brush down the pool (including the sides) and well, I don't have the strength - takes an hour at least.

I did it when I was sick a week ago and my upper lip had sweat on it!!!!! That's not normal, right?

At the same time, my family wouldn't care because we swam in lakes as kids - a pool is downright glamorous!

Not so for Bob.

Wants it all vacuumed out.

Sounds like he has his marching plans for the weekend.

*looks around* All right, for those of you who made it this far, the rest is going to make you vera happy!

Bob is off next week! Yeah, baby! Birthday week will begin. I'm thinking we need a giveaway.

Ah, you caught that did ya?

I don't get ARCs unless I win them so I can't do anything like that.

I'm thinking gift certificate from your choice of Online Bookstore.

Yeah. That works.

You should have to do something though right?

What to do?

Maybe a blog hunt?

Do I hear moaning? Makes me think I'm on the right track.

To wet the appetite we'll do TWO winners of $25.00 gift certificates.

Huh - Who's birthday week is it, eh?

Birthday week peeps. You point to it, you get it.

Screw it, we're doing THREE winners for $25.00 each.

Yeah. Sometimes I roll like that.

AND we'll put up the questions tomorrow night and you all get a week cause I'm too excited to wait too long.

Check back tomorrow cause I'm too brain dead to go looking for questions right now.

And, We're Back

Thanks for all the Birthday Wishes!

We'll do birthday week next week because Bob will be off and well, he's been a bit of a downer with work things going on. Bob just hasn't had a good summer let me tell you. Hopefully it's another down turn we can get through. If not, change is on the horizon.

Still sick and Bob just looks exhausted. Poor guy. I'm hoping I can get him to chillax next week and get more than 6 hours of sleep a night.

My best bud from out West came today (finally - we were trying to keep my bad bugs from slaying her and child) and we went out shopping. Ohhhhh, I remember this.

I really miss my best buds cause we used to go shopping together and hang at the food court and stuff. Now, my best buds are not speaking to each other at all - these ladies have been best friends for 18 years and then a man came into West's life and her best friend decided to never speak to her again if she moved out West. Yikes! I know there is lots more to it but I try not to pry. I'm not sure what will happen when West moves back because she is. (makes me happy) I'm hoping they can find a way back to each other but there is a lot of pain there now.

These were the friends that started 'Friend Christmas' which was my favourite day of December and now, not so much. I created 'Friend Christmas' with my best friend and her family so we still have a nice night but I miss my best buds because they were the girls that went shopping and to dinner with me -their anxiety ridden friend who could drop plans like burnt toast and they still loved me.

It's been hard with these two half a country away to not cross anything with either of them. When West moves back it may prove even harder. West misses her best friend and will bring her up and ask how she is. I answer because I figure she wouldn't ask if she didn't want to know but I imagine this will only become harder when she moves back. Other best bud doesn't ask ever but that's her way and hey, if you are her friend you are well aware of what can send her running. Let's just say you'd never see her in a hospital if you were dying. Seriously. But I accept that so it's all good.

Okay, that was a bit drama-lish for ya. But hey, you know what happens around here. Dirty laundry and all.

I'm looking forward to sleeping like a 'normal' Cindy today. No alarms!!

And I'm sooo looking forward to everyone coming back from summer and getting back to blogging!! That's right, I'm missing you guys something fierce and it's time you were all taken to task for having a life.

Get it together people!!

Yep, It's That Time Again

Today's my birthday!!

Woohoo! So far I've raked in the loot. Okay, I don't think I'll be getting anything else because we did the birthday thing yesterday.

Chapters gift certificates from the kitties and Cody. (Amazingly they are the only ones that know me!)

Homesense gift certificates. (Okay, we do spend a lot of time over there and maybe that money will help me buy something really spiffy!)

Cineplex gift certificates. I think the last movie I saw at the theater was National Treasure II. Yeah, thank goodness these don't have expiry dates.

Oh! Got a lucky loonie. For those not in the know, it's a silver dollar with a red maple leaf that is for the Vancouver 2010 Olympics. Can't get pic but can go here to see it. Cool.

And ...

From Bob ....

An iPod Touch!!!!

I have a learning curve coming at me huge cause things are happening without me doing anything. Okay, I plugged it in and things 'synced' but after that the computer didn't know what to do. At the moment it won't connect to itunes so I'll have to wait and see.

Now, I would normally suggest that Birthday Week has begun but with Bob and I being sickies, I'm thinking of postponing it until next week which just happens to fall on Bob's week off. Thus, he will be at my beck and call.

Hmmmm.

Me likey.

And I'm 38 years young.

My SIL said 'You're 38!!!' and I was all, 'Yeah, but my hubby is 50 so I'm forever young.'

Still, it does give someone like me pause.

Uh, Oh

I am bored.

First time in months I think but wow, I'm so bored I can barely stand it. TV blah, reading blah, cleaning - well, you get it.

I'm sick which just amplifies everything. I keep breaking into the sweats every 15 minutes. I'm about to head down and tweak the a/c again. The animals have fur so I'm not too worried about them. Bob may want to stay under the duvet for the morning.

And I'm hungry.

Nothing in the house. Okay, there's stuff but nothing I want to eat. I'm all Peanut buttered out and it's 3am so no drive thrus.

Today my family is coming to help celebrate my Birthday (not until Monday but Sunday for celebration). Yep. I have a killer 'woopee' feeling about it all. When sick, I mope. Hopefully I can hold it together for the afternoon/evening.

Meh. That's the update from here.

Hungry, bored and sick.

I wonder if I could persuade a doc to put me in a medical coma until I'm all better.

My Preeeeecious

I knew it was only a matter of time but I caught the plague that's been going around. Stupid sicky.

My new strategy for sick (head cold) is to coddle myself for 2 days and then I get up and pretend I'm not sick anymore. I'm paying a bit for that gumption with an upset tummy but I'll take it over being sick for the next few weeks. Like I said, my dad is home for two weeks as is my best bud, so I don't have time to be sick!

Course, Bob had a great day in the middle of the hell but I'm hoping I'm different and I'm on the mend.

But in the end, who cares!!??

Why?

Cause I got mail!!!

And so I just have to say:





I can't believe she went out of her way to say 'hi' to Anne Stuart for me (and herself) and sent me an autographed copy of Fire and Ice signed to Cindy! I blame the sicky germs but I got all teary when I opened it and saw the signature and the note from Rosie. And I totally think it was the universe telling you that you are Anne Stuart's new bosom buddy.

Bob says we need to get a glass box to put the book in.

Yeah we do!!

I wish I had more than glitter text to say thanks.

Thanks Rosie for thinking of me while stalkin-uh-meeting authors at RWA. Cyber hugs!!

Book Help!!

I didn't want to bring this up but, ho-boy I need some help. Since I haven't read anything all year except one book I'm hoping there is something you all think I just have to read.

There's a catch of course.

See, I didn't want to look like I was bragging so I didn't mention that at the end of Hostage of Pleasure there was a preview of Singh's next book called Angel's Blood.

Yowza.

Now I have to think there are books out there with something similar but how exactly do I talk about it?

Okay, the next book by Singh has Changelings as H/H and well, these two are not each other's friend.

And they go at each other.

Uh, yum!

So anyone have recommendations for a romance or romantica where there is more of an edge to the romance? Where the sex scenes might be more physical in nature than just the usual.

Ah yes. Crazy sexual tension. That's exactly it.

Anyone?

I Know You Didn't Mean It

I was getting worried but then LinnieGayl finally asked the question I had been waiting for - PICTURES!! - I knew you all still loved me.

Course a few things have happened since the dust up over the kitchen.

1. My Dad is home from Malaysia and family time is prime time right now. So not so much Cindy time.

2. My best bud is home for two weeks (moved out west earlier this year and missing her HUGE) so friend time is prime time.

3. Bob has come down with evil cold (man I hope it's not the one Kristie had because she was suffering!) which would be okay in that life goes on but my best bud's Mom is very ill and has low immunity. Now I'm stressing that I'll get it next and then Bob and I will be too sick for a visit. My best bud has already said it's not a problem but I've asked for a few days before a visit so if we're contagious it will pass before she comes over.

4. I'm exhausted.

Okay, 4 might not seem like a new situation but I get out of sorts when my routine gets tossed and man, it's been tossed for about 3 weeks now. So sleep has been hard to come by and when I finally do fall asleep someone needs me to get up. I'm thinking of calling the health department and having the house declared a quarantine zone with me in it. Maybe then I'll have a full 10 hours of sleep!

That leads to

5. Bob got bad news his first day back at work. Since Bob is sick he's not taking it well but I know in a few weeks he'll be able to face the challenge. I just feel bad for him because he works so hard and then gets the rug pulled out from under him. Then they tap him with their magic wand and ask him to fix it all again. Thus he was home early, woke me up and needed to vent.

That's that for now but I know you all wanted to ask for pictures of the offending window in the kitchen but were too worried about my mental health.

The pictures didn't turn out fantastic because the sun was super bright.

I have to tell you! Bob was really grumbly while I took the pictures.

He was all : 'This isn't fair! The kitchen isn't even finished yet so it won't show nice! I'm taking that white thing out of the window because it'll be granite'

Me: It won't be granite, I've told you that!

Bob: Whatever! The white won't be there and if you take a picture with the white your friends will think it's all wrong!

Me: They'll be right!

Bob: *huff* Fine. Be that way. I'm just trying to create the kitchen of your dreams. *raises nose in the air*

Me: *voice almost at screech level* My dream kitchen doesn't have a bay window that's not the right size!!

Bob: Well, I'm building the dream kitchen we can afford.

Me: *smoke shooting out ears*

Bob: Guess you better get on that lottery ticket.

Me: I'm taking my pictures!

Bob: Fine!

Me: Fine!

*snort* Good thing we love each other or that window would have had a pot thrown through it. There's more than one way to get what I want and C-Rex may be the answer.


Here is the bay window with the counter that will go in front. This will be where the sink will be.

Okay, the second picture - you have to really look because of the reflections but yeah, those are the back of the cabinets. Bob's suggesting putting granite up the back and into the bay window. There is a rule (by this I mean Bob has promised me) that NOTHING will ever be put in that bay window. I hate clutter and dust. My dad was giving me the gears and was telling me how great plants would look in there. Uh, no. They'd be dead because I have no green thumb.

Now my brother came up with a real unique solution. He suggested we get stained glass panels along the bottom of the windows. Course, that would probably eat up that 4 grand savings Bob thinks we pocketed.

Ooops.

Okay, I want to share pictures of the current state of the kitchen. What we're doing is putting everything where we plan to put new cabinets and an island and see how it's going to work. So far, I'm having problems with 'center'. That's usually an Aries trait (Bob) but he says it won't bother him. I'm hoping it's just the mish-mash of horrible cabinets, criss-crossed floors and different wall surfaces that's messing with me.

The new cabinet cupboards are in the right hand picture on the left hand size. I think they'll end up being all solid doors.

In the first picture we're thinking of a feature wall behind where Bob is standing. Oh and there'll be no uppers on the bay window side. Where the upper is between the windows will be where the 6 burner oven with fancy hood will be.

And the floors will be a med stained oak hardwood.

Yeah. I got plans ;)

C-Rex Kind Of Day

Poor Bob didn't know what hit him when I got up this morning.

That's right. MORNING!!

My gorgeous cousin stayed over night so I made myself get up at 11:30am thinking I could dope myself up by 2am and get lots of rest. Ah, no. My cousin stayed up until 3:30 in the morning!! Then my stupid drugs didn't kick in and shazam, 5 hours of sleep.

C-Rex rolled out of bed, grumbled about how people just don't understand and fell into the shower. After 15 minutes under heat Rex decided to keep moving.

20 minutes later I go downstairs to see my cousin and Bob.

Now you think Bob would know better than to come at me the minute I wake up. Or you know, the first few hours after I wake up.

So Bob is all excited because he thinks he's solved this problem we're having in the kitchen only it's the same solution he's been trying to get me to agree to since the beginning of time!

Let's just say there is a bay window in our kitchen that needs to be removed because we're re-designing the whole thing. Only Bob has decided his original idea of leaving the damn thing in and just putting the counter in front is brilliant.

Just so you know. IT'S NOT!!!

He just kept saying it would save us 4000 dollars (can you believe taking out a huge window and replacing it with a smaller version would cost so much!!??).

C-Rex roared to life when he wouldn't hear my HELL NO!!

So then he got pissy with C-Rex.

Doesn't bode well for most people but C-Rex also loves Bob (luckily) and although there were lots of teeth snapping and horror filled growling moments Bob survived.

We compromised cause if I had to talk about it one second longer I swear 'divorce' would have come out of my mouth. I turned to my cousin and told her to relax cause we weren't fighting. Bob agrees and says yes, we're just debating.

Debating? It sounds like someone is being a whiny bitch and this time it ain't me!!!

Nah. I'm okay. I'm still not happy with the solution because design wise it's just wrong. Wrong I tell you!

But screw it, I'll live to fight another day.

And there may come a time when Bob goes on a business trip only to come home and find that very window missing.

Cause C-Rex never forgets.

As to the rest of the day, it was great. I'm just exhausted and ready to start winding down. My nerves are shot cause I'm worrying about stupid stuff but I'll survive just like I always do.

I just might take out a few people along the way cause C-Rex is ready to play.

Go Now!!! Or Maybe Later.

Cause of timing and having my beautiful cousin over for a couple overnighters, I can't stay up and blog my usual stuff.

So head's up for my guest review over at the Book Binge for Nalini Singh's Hostage to Pleasure - it's not up yet but hopefully today or tomorrow (second link down on the sidebar). It's a non-spoiler review and it's probably got less information than the back blurb but hopefully I hit on what is so great about this story.

I loved Judd (Caressed by Ice) but there was a scene that I didn't enjoy because it made things too easy so I had to skim some points off in the final grading. HTP, however, had no miss steps and Dorian was a wonderful and sexy hero. I'm actually considering immediately re-reading my favourite parts and I rarely do that just after finishing a book!

I just can't wait to see what Ms. Singh brings us next! But I'll need to calm down and just move onto another book to keep my reading mojo ticking.

Sorry, I have to get to bed or I'll be too tired tomorrow and well, that's never good. Let's not even mention that fact that C-Rex will make an appearance this weekend sometime because my sleep clock is being messed with.

You've been warned.

Now I just have to remember to remind Bob.

He doesn't like C-Rex surprise attacks.

Oh, remind me to post about the books I've been buying over the past little bit - I think I have bought enough here and there to do a post now.

SQUEEEEEEE!!

Set off the fireworks!!

Cue the marching bands!!

I HAVE JUST FINISHED MY FIRST BOOK SINCE DECEMBER!!!!!!!!!!

*falls to knees sobbing*

It's OVER!!!

THE SLUMP FROM HELL IS FINALLY OVER!!!!!!

*deep gulping intake of air*

I'd like to thank Nalini Singh for writing THE book that finally cracked through the wall of slump steel!!

*throws arms up triumphantly*

In the words of the American Male Gymnastic's team "THAT'S HOW WE ROLL!!!!"

Time

With the passing of Bob's mom last week, Bob gets bereavement time.

This means that he will probably be off for all this coming week. I'm just not up during the day right now so I feel bad or guilty which is never good.

I know there is a saying about life happening when you are making other plans but August is now looking all stress filled instead of relaxing.

Also, Bob was put on a Home Depot diet before this past week and to say he's at his wits end is an understatement. I have told him to do what he needs to help him cope. What do I mean about this? Last year when Bob's father passed he built a shed. Not just any old shed, no, it's a one of a kind, totally bitching piece of handy work. (I'll get a picture up later)

Thing is, I put the fear of God in him last month with a realistic look at his over spending at Home Depot. Now, bless him, he refuses to go to HD. Oh sure, he has asked if he can spend about a hundred and fifty bucks (my answer was HELL YES!! Whatever you need!) but he hasn't gone yet. I'm tickled proud but I also know my man and he needs to keep his mind active to help cope.

Eg. When the Twin Towers were destroyed on 9/11 Bob saw the footage once, got up and renovated for about 14 days straight (I couldn't tell you what he did because I was glued to the TV hoping and praying for survivors). He would work until his body just gave up and fell into bed.

Right now, I have little odd jobs that he is working on but he needs more.

On that note, he saw something at Costco that he thought would be a perfect feature for our kitchen.

Our future kitchen.

Our future kitchen that's going to take a huge wad of cash to build.

Huge.

And since I'm the financier, I know we really can't get into that right now.

*sigh*

I just can't say no.

So I'll let him run with it this week but then I'll have to reign him in again once he gets back to work.

And hey, if he's busy building something, I'll have time to READ!!!

If I'm lucky that is.

Hey, anyone need help spending money? Cause I have this great guy ... but he's only for building and spending money nothing else!! *evil eye*

Thanks To Everyone

Thank you all so much for letting me remember Mama Smith and for all your thoughts and prayers. It means everything at time like this.

Today (Thursday) will be visitation and Friday will be the service. The next few days will be exhausting but I hope we do Mom justice in her final farewell.

As to other things, I am reading again and I'm counting many of my blessings. I woke up last night with a pressure on one side of my body like someone was shoving me to wake up. That was about 1am so I got up and waited for the phone call. I then told myself I was being silly but sat up and read the first half of Nalini Singh's ARC (FABOOO!!! by the way ;) - hopefully will find more time to read over the next few days and get a review up). The call came around 5am after I had convinced myself it was just my reading mojo waking me to tell me the slump was over.

Ah, well.

I'm still saying the slump is OVER!!!

Long live romance books!

A New Angel

It's early morning Wednesday and we just got the news that Bob's mom Doreen passed away.

Two weeks prior to this she was in the hospital although the doctors couldn't seem to peg down what the problem was. Last Thursday is one of the memories I will always carry with me of her smiling and crossing her fingers in hopes that the doctors would let her go home. She looked so fantastic and well that we were sure she had found her way back. Friday afternoon they released her but no one in the family had had contact with her doctors and were somewhat surprised to find her home when they got home from work.

Saturday brought on a whole new set of syptoms and by Monday morning she was sicker than she had been before entering the hospital the first time. We got the call Tuesday afternoon that we needed to get to the hospital immediately. Again, Bob and I don't have the answers as to what was going on or why she had taken such a turn. She was on life support although her heart was beating on it's own and we were told she was sedated and not unconscious. We sat with her and talked to her for a few hours and sat in the family room with the brothers. The youngest brother explained that the doctors had had a three day plan but after a few hours told him to get the family together.

Bob is taking the news as well as can be expected.

It's a year and 6 days since his father passed and Bob's first words when I told him the news were that Magoo's stint in Heaven just got a little noisier with the arrival of his wife. I told him Magoo was fine, it's Frank Sinatra that is entertaining a new guest.

Doreen was a month shy of her 86th birthday, was married to Kenneth (Magoo) for 59 years, had 7 boys and 4 grandkids. She never spent a day in a nursing home and was always surrounded by her family. Magoo may have thought he wore the pants in the family and everyone let him think it but it was Mama Smith who ruled the roost. The boys will be lost without her and there are many people whose lives she touched that will miss her always.

As a mother in law she was perfect. The wedding band I wear on my finger is the first one Magoo gave her and is almost 61 years old. She told me how she always wanted a daughter but in the end, it was her sons who gave them to her. She spoiled us women rotten and loved us as if we were her own and for someone like me, who wasn't raised in an affectionate or overly accepting family, she was a balm to my soul.

She will be sorely missed. Love you Mama.

Fllllll-ash!

Yikes! I was super MIA over the past 5 days.

I have been flashing in to the San Fran bloggers and authors blogs to try and keep up. Twitter is also eating away some time. Best Bud and I are on the phone all hours for the past few days (I've decided her boyfriend is a complete asshole and she needs to leave him now. Course, it's not my life. Ugh - may be a few rant post coming up), free time with Bobby and then end of the month numbers were fast and furious not to mention a long weekend.

At this moment my back is in so much pain I won't be able to type much longer. I have no clue what I've done. I swam tonight for exercise (I've been asking Bob to walk me - yes, I'm lame but I've been walking farther and farther in the past week but we didn't find time tonight) also, my right leg feels like it's got a pinched nerve. If I didn't know better I would say severe PMS but I can't remember.

Stupid Cindy.

Let's see if I can pull up a short version of the week.

Thursday I was so relaxed I had to double check myself. We went to Magoo's grave which is in Toronto (my Achilles heel when it comes to anxiety) then we went to a restaurant called Magoo's in honor of his dad. Bob loved the food. I only had fries because I was a tad nervous but it passed fast.

Then we went to the hospital to see Bob's mom and she looked fantastic. We thought for sure she had turned the bend and was sent home. Sadly tonight we got the call that she was taken back and now we're hearing pneumonia as a possible culprit although her chest X-ray was clear. Two weeks in the hospital and nothing. Send her back and I guess the docs realize they need to do their friggin' jobs.

Friday I think I had a normal sleep but then got stressed when we invited my mother over for dinner. Her reaction was that we should go out for dinner. Uh, yeah. Achilles' heel. Two anxiety pills later and I was only slightly anxious. Made it through dinner and my cousin came to stay over night to help Bob with a garage sale.

I don't really remember Saturday although I remember being tired.

Sunday my hubby's best friend and wife were coming up but we were told they were only going to stay for a few hours. I had maybe 5 hours of sleep before they arrived. They came at noon, stayed through dinner and left around 8pm. Meanwhile, Bob had invited my family over for a BBQ not knowing our friends would stay (there's a story there - let me know if you're curious) so I started to get way anxious when they stayed later and later. I then started to get mad at Bob because he knows how tired I get and how stressed I get so by dinner I wasn't miserable but Bob knew he was maybe in a tough spot. Thankfully my family had other plans so it was only 4 of us but my bed was beckoning. I didn't get to bed until 4am. Ouch.

Today was a Bob and Cindy day. I think Bob realized he'd be cooking if he invited anyone over today.

And that was the long weekend.

Tomorrow is sleep and reading.

Guess what I'm reading?

Yeah I am!!!

(Singh's ARC of Hostage of Pleasure - review to follow hosted by the Book Binge ladies who took pity on me when I asked if I could have the review posted there. I'll post when it's finally done.)

And I have to come and visit you all!