Today is my mother's *mumblemumble*th birthday! She doesn't look a day over 30, good gravy I hope I inherit that! The kids and I called and sang Happy Birthday to her over the phone, which made her cry of course. It doesn't help that Dad is in Canada (!!!) right now getting their paperwork in order so they can FINALLY get their stuff moved down there to Mexico with them. Getting a call from Dad saying he would be over in a few minutes with chicken & buns from the Portuguese restaurant in London was like getting a Christmas present early.

I was so happy and I am so thankful I got to see him. Dad travels a lot, which is funny because he used to complain about how his Dad used to travel lots. I don't begrudge him for it - his kids are grown, the nest is empty, and the only thing to stop him from doing it is himself. But what this means to me is, all those hours and hours that most people take for granted when they get to see their fathers, are boiled down to precious minutes for me. He gave me a huge hug when he saw me and I breathed in his cologne and I was five all over again. He is the most important man in my life aside from my husband, and I cherish whatever time I get with him.

Last night I got to talk to my friend V via Skype. It was so fantastic - we both have webcams so we got to see each other while talking - for FREE. This may not seem like a big deal, but when you consider the fact that I would have paid a kazillion dollars for a 51 minute phone call to the UK, this is a HUGE deal. And you don't have to have a webcam to use it - just a microphone and speakers, or a headset. That's it. Calling from skype to skype is free, calling from skype to a phone is chargeable. But whatever. I'm not a paid advertisement for Skype, I am just happy I got to talk to her, on the internet's dime. That's two really important people in my life that I got to be in contact with in two days. My own little blue heaven.

That may not seem like much, but to me, the way things have been lately, it is everything. Which isn't to say I am not thankful for the people I have daily access to - they are every bit as important to me. All I am really saying here is, I miss the ones who are close to my heart but impossibly far by geographical standards.

Other items on the agenda: You might notice to the right there is a bunch of "Tweets" - that would be my gratuitous use of Twitter which really feeds the lazy in me - when all I want to say is one or two things without doing a whole dang journal entry.

Ok, that's probably enough for now. The pneumonia sucks and woke up this morning with a migraine for extra fun. If it weren't for all the happy I'd be pretty darn sad right now.

My boy is EIGHT today!

He was pretty surprised at his cake.



This morning I made him chocolate chip pancakes with hearts cut into them for breakfast, as per his request. Supper tonight will be sweet n sour meatballs & french fries (also his request. A weird combo but it is tradition that the birthday boy or girl gets to request their meal).



So the short term income people were fucking me over stating I had to start work today for 4 hours. My regular shift is only 5 hours. Huh? How does that equal half a shift, like my fucking doctor wrote on the forms? I talked to the medisys people on Friday and the woman was totally uncool about it - said there was no way that my company would allow for 2.5 hrs and it would HAVE to be four.

So of course I'm upset - I can barely do groceries without needing a nap afterward, whiskey tango foxtrot over.

I called my boss on Friday and he said there was "no way in hell I will allow you to come back in those conditions" and "sit tight, I will handle this" and "the medical insurance company is probably pissed that we are taking the business away from them and giving it to another company" and "DO NOT COME BACK UNTIL I CALL YOU".

I called today and left a message to see what was going on - he called back and said that he was looking into it, that HR agreed with him and said there was no way I should come back all at once, that they could even set it up that I only come back 1 hour and then work my way up slowly at my own pace. And that the medical ins co could suck it. Ha and HA. So he said even if I don't get a call back in enough time today, he would *winkwinknudgenudge* give me hours as if I had (knowing full well that I've on more than one occasion stayed an extra hour and never put it on my time sheet - this is strictly a quid pro quo move on his part).

The only reason he is being so cool about this is because he knows what I am usually like - I'm that person that comes in even though I'm dying, I'm the person that is cool about staying extra time when it's needed, and I'm the person that gets a METRIC FUCKTON of accolades from fellow employees, brokers, and lawyers that call in.

He said he would rather eat glass than see me come in before I am truly ready.

So yeah, basically, health wise, I'm better than I was say 2 months ago, but still not fabulous. I am more or less biting through the pain and trying to get my life back in order. The amitriptyline isn't doing shit for my sleeping, the doctor wants me to go up to 30mg by next week to see if that will work. And during the day I get to suck back the gravol for the dizziness and extra strength advil for the pain and just pray my vision/hearing doesn't go off on me. It isn't much of a solution but what can you do, right?

I've also been set up with "telephone counselling" that may/could eventually turn into "counselling in an actual counsellor's office", depending on my needs. The first call from them was kind of weird, it was this whole "please tell me your life story and the principal characters in it" and the lady on the other side was ok but also went into tangents about herself (which I totally expected to happen - next time you talk to me, ask me what I really think about counselling). It was ok in that I got to complain to a semi-neutral ear, but bad in that, here we go again, I do more listening than talking and feel like I've wasted my time because they aren't really listening, they are pausing until there is a gap and then talking talking talking. Ugh.

Ok, time to go pick out a movie to watch with the kids (read: fall asleep to).

Happy birthday!!!

Happy Birthday to my dear friend Hammer! Wish I could have afforded to purchase those for you, but tonight I will buy you one of these:

Also, this makes me wish I had a mac. Dammit.

Cheers

monkeying around

Happy 10th Birthday, my darling girl C. I can't believe a decade has passed already. She is growing more and more each day into a beautiful young lady. I wish her only the best, always. I hope she'll have fun tonight, we will do our best to make sure of it.

This photo was taken on our recent trip with my mom. I let her have a ride on the baggage carrier, because what the hell right? The weekend was about having fun and believe me - she thought being carted around on that thing was hilarious.

Medicating is helping keep me afloat for a few hours a day. I still get fatigued pretty damn easy. Doctor has faxed a case study to the MRI clinic in the hopes of fast-tracking me.

Adding insult to injury, God decided to play a practical joke on me and thus I now have... JURY DUTY. I'm supposed to show up on June 9th for the excruciating process of sitting and waiting to either be selected or sent home. Good news is, I'll still get paid at my job for it. Hah!

I switched my site back to the "Lost in Translation" scheme, because Spongebob was irritating me, and because I'm too tired to make a brand new one.

Ok, time for a power nap before the kids get home and this place turns into a monkey house.

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday, Stephen Colbert!

I'll have an update on what has been going on with me health-wise later on. It's too much to explain and frankly I don't have much energy for it, as I just got back from my doc's office and I'm feeling the meds finally start to kick in.

This Friday is C's 10th birthday. Where the hell did 10 years go? And who gave her permission to up and grow some curves? What happened to my baby? Dammit.

Something I need to be thankful for is all the support I've received, you know who you are. I owe you a million.

Oh, man. I can't even tell you how much this amused me.

New Kids On the Block Reuniting

I just want to know... why?

In other news, my whole family has been sick - S has pneumonia and has been off work for about a week and a half now, the man asked me to take him to the hospital TWICE that is how sick he is. We thought for sure C had gotten it when she fell ill last Saturday, carrying all the same symptoms as S, but she managed to bounce back the way kids do with plenty of bedrest. K is of course now home with similar symptoms but not as bad, however because he still has a fever (they've all had a fever of about 39-40 this whole time - that's 102-104 to ye Americans out there) he is staying home.

I am mentally physically emotionally exhausted, and all this taking care of sick people has finally caught up with me. Chest heavy, bones achey, I want to just sleep forever. But I can't, because I am the mom and I still have to get stuff done. The dad in this situation is busy resting and trying to get better. I don't have this luxury, although I did indulge and call in sick yesterday at work - only to stay home and care for K who is pretty demanding when he is ill - like papa like boy I suppose.

I feel terrible that S feels so bad but even he is getting on my last nerve - I told him I wasn't feeling well and he got all sarcastic in my face and said "gee I have no idea how that feels" and I snapped right back at him "Oh right, I forgot that all sympathy must be directed at you at all times." This made him laugh at least but I was fuming - I am tired and I have been up all hours and I have been making home made chicken soup (I mean from scratch people - I am badass like that) and running to 5 different stores because nobody seems to carry dayquil & nyquil anymore (and it had to be those items, nothing else would do) and brewing tea and still helping the kids out and making sure everyone is eating and has plenty of fluids. See what this does to me? It makes me write run-on sentences that is likely going to give more than one friend reading this the hives.

In between all this I have been helping mother-in-law with preparations for Sunday - it's father-in-law's dad's 80th and they are having an open house for him. Insert rant about ungrateful old men here. I don't even want to go there, ok? It's just going to wind me up. And on Saturday is a surprise 50th for my friend Mickey's dad, and I feel like a bag of hell but I really want to go because I haven't seen Mickey or his family in a long time, and I miss him so very much. He was my best friend all through high school and university and he is a chef in St. Catherine's now so I never get to see him really. Sigh.

Ok I think I've ranted enough for one day, the exercise has taken me about an hour to write all this when normally it would take a few minutes. My head is spinny and I need to lie down for a while (for ever if I had the opportunity) before driving C to school (because I'm still expected to do that in spite of the fact that I feel like I would really like to just die, because at least that way I'd be resting).

How have YOU been?

C is going through a funny stage in her life right now. She had finally started to get comfortable in her own skin, happy with friends, playful, good. Now puberty is hitting our little home fast and furious, and she's all a mess again. Singing along to Avril Lavigne (champion of the adolescent & teenage girl) and moping about. Crying at the drop of the hat one day, giddy as a 4 year old the next. Ah, me, I wasn't expecting this to happen so soon.

I can't say I'm surprised though. I've been anticipating this. It happened early to me as well, albeit in different ways and likely for different reasons.

K is such a little ham. FIL took me out with the kids last night for a belated birthday dinner for me, and K had to go to the bathroom. Against my inner hyperventilating "everyone is out to get my kids" self, I let him go on his own, with the proviso that he had "five minutes, and then I'm coming to get you if you aren't back". He took a little longer than that, so FIL went to see what was going on, and was back in 30 seconds with a proud little K. K said that there was a dude in the stall and that he told him that he only had 5 minutes or mom was coming in after him, so hurry up man. The dude apparently laughed and hurried up so that K would make it back in good time.

Tonight I'm going out with the wedding party as a pre-wedding bash of sorts, avoiding the whole bachelor/bachelorette regime. That's fine by me, and if it's fine by the bride and groom, it's all good. I feel kind of odd being invited out, since I'm only the MC for this thing, but I guess the bride and groom decided because I helped out a lot with things they wanted to include me and thank me for it. Who am I to disagree to a night out?

School is just around the corner. My good gravy. Where did the summer go???

Sunday I go out for dinner with Lola, I'm so excited!!!!

Ok, so there is a LOT to update on.

K's birthday was spent in Niagara Falls. We went and visited various places on Clifton St and had lunch at Ruby Tuesday's. My Dad has a friend who gave us a bunch of passes and gift certificates to go there, who was I to say no to free stuff??? Downside? K was sick in the car on the way up there, and when we got there a couple of times. No fever or anything, so he was probably just car sick, but still. Ew.

After that it was Marineland which K has been wanting to go to since he could speak. It's an expensive trip but what the heck - we always try to do cool stuff for K on his birthday since he's a July baby and it's tough to try and manage a birthday party, you know?

So a good time was had by all, and it topped our week off nicely.

The week we had off, we had an overnight kid swap with K & C's friends - Z came to our house and K went over to theirs. It was K's first time sleeping over at a friend's house, and he was in good form for it so hurrah. The girls had a good time but they always do - that's how girls operate.

Um, what else?

My birthday - well... It sucked in that I woke up with a headache, worked overtime spending most of the day being carped at by angry bankers, came home to my kids fighting the minute I walked in the door. My parents took us to the Portuguese restaurant in London and that was good - birthdays are always bittersweet since my grandfather died though - it's hard not to remember that when you bury them on your birthday. Dad and I had a drink in his name and then we came home because I was just exhausted. Saturday night I went out with my sisterinlaw and brotherinlaw and their friend and... yeah. I had a few too many sicilian kisses and beer. I think I would have been ok but then they brought out the tequila... needless to say I was a trainwreck.

This past weekend we went camping with the kids and some mutual friends. It was good in the way camping is always good, but tiring in the way that camping is always tiring. It really isn't a vacation for me - with the preparing and cooking and cleaning that happens even in the great outdoors - but the kids had fun. We ended up coming home early on Sunday because I was feeling under the weather and so was C. We stopped at a video store and rented a bunch of movies - hurrah for no late fees. Yesterday was spent with me feeling wretched and sickness coming out all ends, if you catch my meaning. So of course the house is still upside-down, kids feel fine though. S has today off, hoping he gets some things done but I won't hold my breath.

I woke up this morning groggy and still feeling unwell, but off to work I will go to spread my germs because that's what everyone else does to me, the bastards.

Back to work I went this week. I have a lot to write about but I've just been so busy and today is no different.

It's my birthday on Friday. I turn 31.

Busier than you could possibly imagine. Welcome to the end of the school year/beginning of summer sports.

Last council meeting was tonight - it was good and etc.

Buck and Doe went over well, everyone left happy and that's what matters right?

I still haven't found something to wear to the wedding.

Tomorrow is somebody's birthday. YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE!

I suck lately, I know. I'm sorry. Real post soon, PINKY SWEAR

Damien Rice is pretty good at just rending your heart into little bitty pieces.

Buck and Doe this weekend. I'm getting things ready for it. I've sent the response to the wedding invite out - it's on the same day as my Dad's birthday, and as they're invited too this should prove amusing.

I sort of have my speech planned in my head - it's a matter of getting it all down on paper and accosting a captive audience.

Brownies tonight - last one of the year, and because it's cruddy out they're having it at the hall again rather than the park. Oh well, c'est la guerre, right?

I've had a lot going on in my head lately. Things that I haven't thought about in years are surfacing, and begging me to write it all down. And I have, but not here. Probably never here. Some things just shouldn't be. It's almost cathartic, this process of releasing the little bones that make up one big skeleton.

K is loving soccer, and was all sad that it got cancelled last night due to the rainstorms. Mostly because S missed last week's first game due to work, and K was looking forward to his daddy being around for this one.

Summer is fast approaching, and I don't feel ready for it. I turn 31 this year, which is a pittance compared to some, but dinosaur-like in status to others. I haven't brought up my birthday with anyone close to me - I'm secretly hoping it just passes quietly.

Oh hell, I have a ton to say but I'm too tired to say it all, so here's some point form:

- K's class put on a Mother's Day tea for us, complete with squaredancing. It was awesome and funny and awesome.
- C's birthday went well with few issues.
- C turned NINE (NINE!!!) yesterday.
- I worked crazy hours this week, in between massive bouts of insomnia. I don' t know what might be subconsciously troubling me to the point that I am losing sleep - could just be biology. Who knows.
- Been corresponding with people I haven't spoken to in a while, which is good and fun but also weird. You know?
- I'm already running out of steam for this.
- THANK GOD IT'S A LONG WEEKEND THIS WEEKEND!

I always think of that Tracy Bonham song.

I spent my Mother's Day morning cooking waffles for C's friends. She had her slumber party last night - the little ladies were up till about 1:30 and then woke up at 7 am today. S & K managed to escape the madness by spending the night at my in-laws' place.

C had fun, and I'll elaborate more when I'm not a walking zombie.

Happy Mother's Day, all.

So C is having a sleepover for her birthday this weekend. All but one of the girls she invited can come, which makes her hella happy. S has already made an escape plan and is taking K with him, the bugger.

Since I'm one of those boring moms, it's going to be a pretty laid-back type thing. They are making their own little pizzas on greek pitas for supper, that will waste about an hour's worth of time. Then there will be snacks, I think I'm going to set up Scene-It for them, and of course the typical movies-popcorn-craziness that goes on. Girls are pretty easy - they can entertain themselves for hours. I've started on their grab bags - those will be nifty at least. The decorations are the bomb (thanks Jackie). I think I'm going to set up the movies in C's room after a certain point, so they can do that whole giggle giggle let's stay up all night and talk talk talk and not sleep until morning stuff that girls are wont to do.

I had forgotten the next day was Mother's Day though. D'oh! I think most of the moms who agreed to let their daughters stay over also forgot. Either that or they remembered, and thought "Woo! I just bought myself an extra hour or so of sleep!"


Bah, I had more to say but I'm running out of time so to be brief:

- Toronto Star can lick my nads. I told them to cancel my damn subscription and they go and charge it on my card anyway.
- I can't believe C will be nine.
- C had to write a paragraph on why it isn't cool to mutter mean things to oneself under one's breath because god forbid she do that instead of lashing out (don't get me started).
- K's rash type thing is almost all gone - woo!
- I keep forgetting to call someone and I need to. Memo to self: call.
- I still haven't picked up Ysabel (Sir T, hush. I already told you why)
- I need sleep and it yet again evades me.
- I keep forgetting about my own breakfast and it's making me ravenous at work. Note to self: pack a damn lunch already.

So Operation: Crazy Go Nuts was this weekend. It was fun but I wasn't feeling well, and didn't get much sleep on Friday night because K was sick and I wasn't even going to go but he managed to bounce back the next day so I went.

Drove to my cousin Lola's house first, had a bit of lunch and then the two of us drove the rest of the way. There were drinks and games and the usual craziness, and a Fantasia party somewhere in the mix. Yeah. Because nothing says family gathering quite like fondling sex toys.

There was fun to be had, but I'm too tired to jot it all down here.

Sunday morning we took our time driving back to Lola's then I stayed and soaked in the sun for about an hour before making the rest of the trip home. Got home and lay like a lump on the couch until S dragged me over to his folks' house for leftovers from his supper the night before. His parents had a birthday dinner for him Saturday night while I was away. That was fine by me.

I still feel like crap and I was wide awake at 6 am, ugh ugh ugh.

I think I hear the shower calling.

My dear S turned 29 yesterday. I got him the Tiger Woods golf game for the Wii - he's hooked already. The kids and I took him out to King Buffet for dinner at their insistence - just so he would get the paper crown, balloon, song and picture that they do there. He was a good sport about it.

Then we went to my parents' house for a quick visit. My mom apologised over and over for not having his gift with her - they didn't anticipate we'd come over until the weekend.

Speaking of weekend - it's Operation: Crazy Go Nuts this weekend and I'm pretty excited about it. I haven't seen the girls in Barrie in FOREVER at least. I would promise to behave my best but I know better.

Work has been hectic and crazy - welcome to summer. Suddenly everyone's buying a house?

I got a new Wonder Woman t-shirt. Those of you who were unlucky enough to be subjected to my cell phone photo taunting have seen evidence of this glorious shirt.

Facebook (which I affectionately call Facecrack) has made life pretty interesting of late. I'm communicating with people I literally haven't seen in over a decade. It's interesting how much they've either changed or stayed the same. Mostly location changes; otherwise they're much as they were before.

C is having a slumber party for her birthday in a couple of weeks. She's pretty excited about it although a bit bummed that I put a cap on the invite limit - only 4 invited. I'm just not up to more than that at this point (my health is still not 100 per cent) and she understands that and is pumped anyway because she knows I'll set up something cool for them.

I've been a slacker in the blogging department which I have promised myself to get back on track - believe it or not writing in this thing gets my creative brainjuice flowing a little better. Probably because I'm dumping all the stuff on my mind in here, leaving my mind free to go where it wants to.

Sir T, did you get your package yet?

Ok.

Time to go beta test LOTR online. For serious!

Crazy-Go-Nuts is this weekend. As an added bonus my cousins are throwing a Fantasia party as well. Interesting times? Hells yes.

Tonight sisterinlaw is coming over so we can watch Miami Ink because we're dorks like that.

I woke up the other day with my left shin just aching, and the ache hasn't gone away, so my walking is a little stilted. Guh.

It's S's birthday on Wednesday. For his birthday I got him bbq type accessories because the man loves his bbq and because he wouldn't give me any other ideas and because I already gave the idea of a new fishing rod to sisterinlaw. He's a simple man and has a tendency not to want presents and such on his birthday or Father's day or any other day for that matter. He feels if he really wants something he'll just buy it. And he does. So it sucks for me when I'm trying to come up with imaginative gifting ideas. I have other things planned for him but that's not for public consumption.

The kids want to take him to King Buffet for his birthday - mostly they want to see him wear the crown thing they make you wear and get the little dessert and happy birthday song.

My flat iron is dying so my hair is all over the damn place. I ordered a new one through my workplace incentive program but that wasted all my points so goodbye new wok. I'm not near as vain and shallow as this blog indicates but when you are short on things to write about, there isn't much left you know?

I need to write more because my brain feels frazzled. I have written some more elsewhere but I certainly am not going to divulge that information.

Time to submit this puppy and get the kids to school.

Went and got my hair cut last night. Took my sisterinlaw along and convinced her to cut hers as well. It looks so cute! Seriously.

Saw M's baby last night for a little bit - gosh she is so tiny. And cute. And was being all social with me, yay!

Friday is the buck and doe meeting for a friend's wedding, I have to think up some ideas for it between now and then. My thinking cap is a little askew due to the cold meds, but I'm sure I'll pull through somehow.

S's birthday is next week. I asked him what he wanted and he said a fishing pole. So you know what he's getting? A fishing pole. He has it in his noggin to start fishing again - who am I to argue?

C's birthday is coming up, I'm going to have to speed up the boa-making process.

Tired and don't wanna go to work. But hafta. Have a good day

Been a while since I've heard a Depeche Mode song. Hrm.

So I overslept and was in a mad rush this morning to get the kids off to school. I managed to do so, thank goodness. Then I went out and got them some Easter goodies. I actually found a skip-it with a bona fide strawberry full of beads at the end of it. God bless the Dollarama. C is going to have kittens when she sees it. They also had nerf-like rocket launchers so I got one for K.

Sped home, took a shower, cursed because blowdryer is dead and I had to tie my hair up in a bun because it was still wet. Air conditioning was on at the office, so I froze my bitties off. Funny thing - took the bun out of my hair just now, and there are still wet parts. Hair smells like Johnson's no more tears shampoo. This is not by accident.

It snowed a little today which is completely depressing, but I'll get over it.

MIL's birthday is on Saturday and FIL is planning a surprise dinner for her. I'm glad for FIL's thoughtfulness but also think what the hell - she bitched for us not to have a dinner for her last year, then bitched about it afterward that we never held one. Um. You can't have it both ways lady. Anyway. S has bought her a card and not much else - I have no idea what to do but I can't afford to go out and buy her anything. It's his effing mother, I'm tired of doing all the gift shopping for his family, but what really burns my ass is that if he neglects to pick something up, somehow it is going to be my fault. Le sigh.

I still can't believe it's almost Easter.

Sometimes my job really irritates me. Or rather, the people I deal with on the phone irritate me. I'm sorry that you fucked up. I'm sorry that I refuse to take the blame for it. I'm sorry that you aren't willing to try at least one of the 3 resolutions I suggest and provide for you on a platter. Click. Bang.

But the nice thing is, I come home, and it's forgotten, and I don't care.

I was never able to say that about my previous job, as anyone who's kept up with this blog or spoken to me can attest. I was a shadow of a person there, completely lost. Completely.

I've felt the itch to write more things of late. This is good, and something I haven't felt in a long while.