Giving Thanks Part 3... A special wedding anniversary episode.

On this day three years ago I became his Mrs. I pledged my life to him and took his in return. We took our vows under a tree and we meant every word we said. I believe that as surly today as I did three years ago. Not once in 1096 days that we have been married has he given me one moment to doubt.
Of course there are moment, minutes even hours that we are cross or annoyed with each other. Sure there are times when we are frustrated and uncommunicative. We are real people not characters. Moreover there was nothing in our vows that said that every day has to be perfect. I am grateful that we are so comfortable in our relationship that we can have bad days. I am grateful that we know that an argument doesn’t mean there is something wrong with us.
I like thinking about our wedding, I like looking at the pictures and watching the video. I like celebrating the joint conquest of another year. But the wedding and the pictures and the music they are just symbols for the thing that I really love; our strong, beautiful marriage.
I am thankful for:
Every dish he has ever washed
Quiet conversations after the lights are off
The toothpaste on my brush every morning
The drive to work every day
The millions of in jokes
The random back scratches
Breakfast for dinner
Endlessly re-watching West Wing
Snuggles in bed with the cats
The compliments too numerous to count
Honey Curry Pasta!
Never letting me win at chess
Flipped laundry
Made up songs
Secret Squirrels
Hotel soaps and shampoo
Comfortable silences
Forgiveness
Dates at the book store
Him

Thanksgiving part 2....

Wow, I am a lucky girl. When I was getting ready to write this today I had a LIST of thing I might want to talk about. Imagine a whole list of the ways in which I am blessed.
I am sore today from my work out this morning and usually I would find that annoying but today I am kind of enjoying it. I did something to my body this morning, I used it for some other purpose then sitting like a lump. I don’t love going to the gym. I don’t love getting up at 6am and trying to fit it all in before work. I don’t love being sweaty and gross. I don’t love showering at the gym. I certainly don’t love the old lady ache that seems to set in to my spring chicken bones for the rest of the day (am I not stretching enough??) However I really do enjoy the “high” after the work out. And I love knowing that I am doing something for me, something that is going to make me better, stronger, faster. I am grateful to have the means and opportunity to do this. I am absolutely thankful for a gym buddy who encourages me, supports me, cheers me and comforts me. I unwaveringly pleased that I have a body that will allow me to do all these things. As I mentioned yesterday working in the hospital I see people all the time who would give anything to complain about spending 20 minutes on the elliptical trainer.

PS... I am also really thankful for extra strength Tylenol.

Thanksgiving...

Okay I really do want to talk about Thanksgiving but before I do there is something I have to get off my chest.
At least once a week for the past month or so my commute home has been hampered due to a bridge closure. Not the kind for repairs or maintenance. Not the kind for an unfortunate accident. But the kind for a bridge jumper. Asshole! I don't mean to sound like a heartless bitch however... Threatening to jump off bridge during rush hour traffic is not a suicide threat, it is a cry for attention. Trust me, I know from cry for attention. It is an expensive, ridiculous cry for attention. Yeah it frustrates me. Sorry. I so try and be compassionate but I have my limits.

Okay, back to Thanksgiving....

As we approach the Thanksgiving weekend I thought I would dedicate my little spec of blogosphere to that which I am grateful for. the

Today is a cold, rainy, dark Monday, a day which is, on the surface, difficult to be thankful for. I have a cold creeping in and I am tired. Waking up in the dark is starting to wear on me.

It would be very easy to get caught up in these details. Truth be told I spent the bulk of the morning being Ms. Cranky Pants. But I am making a conscience decision to cheer up. It is no fun being in a bad mood. It makes the day insufferable, it is no way to spend time which is really precious.

If you stop and look around the hospital you find lots of things to thankful for. Grateful for my health, my strong body (cold be damned). For universal health care (amen to being Canadian!). Gratified to be in a position to make the day brighter for someone who might need it. I don’t just have a job, I have a job that I enjoy. I have co-workers that I like. I have bosses who are kind and giving. Not everyday is perfect but who has a job that is? I am happier. Happier then I was last year.

It's cold, grey and raining today....

I love fall, I really do. But pictures like this make me realize how much I will miss summer.

Wooo!

Tonight my totally amazing husband and I celebrated 3 wonderful years of marriage. Can I tell you how lucky I am?! How blessed I feel to be married to my very best friend?! I know that has become a cliche thing to say but it is so true. We had this beautiful relaxing day. We had an awesome meal with stellar conversation and then we came home to relax some more. We always enjoy our anniversary, it is always special because we make it that way but this year we deliberately made it low key and it was just what the doctor ordered. I love it when we go away and have grand adventures it is always loads of fun however this year we have been away so much we both need to recharge our batteries. This day we got to be ourselves and celebrate our marriage for what it is, a source of strength and comfort for both of us. The makes me happy. That makes me really happy. Yay us.

Food! A Vegas retrospective.

Do you know what we did the most in Vegas? Other then freak out over the heat? We ate. Oh man did we eat. And I love to take pictures of food. In fact I would give up my money counting career in a heart beat if I could take pictures of food and get paid for it....

Above is the Cobb salad I had for lunch at the Bellagio the first day we were there. It was a long hot walk but worth every second of it.

The breakfast buffet at Paris. I seriously could have stayed all day. I mean really, sausages with sweet potato in them? Are you trying to kill me with pleasure?

Lunch at The Rainforest Cafe. Homemade potato chips... *drool* It was loud and I was stressed out having been lost for some time in the Excelsior but this sandwich made it all worth while.

BEST STEAK EVER!
Say no more.
YUM.
(The Wynn)


One of the few times we had room for dessert.
Homemade S'mores at the Wynn.
OMFG!

My very first taste of grits. So strange, so yummy.

Baby Octopi.
'nuff said.

Dinner at Tao.
Sincerely one of the BEST dining experiences of my life.

Tomorrow...

Gil has a hot date with the social worker tomorrow morning. I am feeling pretty calm. The house is pretty clean and I am tired about stressing out so I have decided not to any more. There you go. We are getting some supplies from friends who have out grown their baby stuff to have on hand for when we start respite (god let it be soon!) I just want to see that we are ready for this. Yeah I guess I am still stressing. But have you met me? Stress is my thing. :)

Monday.

okay... Monday sucked. I mean really... SUCKED. I didn't sleep well I was tired all day even after two cups of tea. The new flake a work who I said had no longevity has quit, colour me shocked!
Anyway it looks like it is going to be a long week. Maybe I will be to busy and too tired to worry about the home study. Also went to see family doctor tonight my blood pressure was 130/85 which is pretty much perfect so basically we are saying that the scary numbers were an anomaly or the doc heard wrong. Either way I am a happy chicken!

Going to bed now. pray Tuesday is a better day.

Where the hell does the weekend go? I blinked and it is gone. I can't wait until the end of November/ first of December when we have a whole week off with nothing to do but sit in front of a fire place and read. I know it sounds sissy but I can't remember the last time I felt like my batteries were fully charged. Once we are parents I know there won't be much time for battery charging and I know that will take its toll but I am ready to make that sacrifice. Right now should be a time for us, for getting ready and for strengthening our bonds. Relationships change once you have children so let us for now enjoy being in the present with each other. Yeah that sounds good.

Another Saturday morning musing,

Well I/we had a very long week and I am pleased to report that it is over and for at least today we can settle back down into some kind of relaxation mode. Gil as it turned out had to go to Toronto this week, OF COURSE. I mean it is only logical right? We finally get a date for our home study and work has to whisk him away. But he put his foot down and said he needed to be here on Thursday and so he was. I love my man.
So of course Thursday came and as did the social worker. It went very well. It was just a first meeting, you know but faces to names, fill out more paper work, but we did talk a lot (did I talk too much??!!), she looked at pictures of our wedding which of course I love to show off. We talked for about an hour, it was good. Next on the docket Gil starts his individual sessions with her. This of course has my inner control freak on pins and needles but I am going to be totally cool. The time has come to deal with the fact that I can not control every situation.
Look at me learning and growing.
I know logically I can't control everything. I mean the weather seems well out of my grasp, but it is hard for me and I know that the social worker is going to see that about me. It is one of the things I worry about the most. You know that and the fact that my personal history sounds like a Danielle Steel novel only smuttier and more drug addled.
Okay off to slack. Have a great day!

The day before.

Oh my brain! I am exploding with thoughts and worries and STUFF. I wish my hubby was home. I know I would still be going mental however at least I would have lots of hugs and reassurances. I hate that he is flying today. I mean I always hate it when he flies but I am more nervous today. It feels like there is so much at stake. I am watching some West Wing because that always chills be out, yeah tv is a bit like a drug but tonight I think it is the lesser of two evils. Actually I don't know what the other evil might be since I don't drink, smoke do drugs or ... I dunno other vices. Not true, food is my vice. I already ate some crappy dinner and now my guts feel icky. Weird, since cutting out so much crappy food now when I DO eat it it really upsets my delicate system. I had Kraft dinner and I am just feel awful. I know that part of it is my nerves but I honestly think that the bulk of it is that there is no nutritional value to KD, that I have had no good veggies today and that I ate chicken twice. Now that I hardly eat meat when I do I really feel it.
Anyway my brain is all over the place but the house is looking pretty good, certainly good enough. Tomorrow is going to happen no matter what I do at this point. It is a little bit like the night before a big exam, at a certain point studying more is not going to change a thing.
I have to work early so I guess I am just going to go to bed with an extra prayer in my heart.

Thoughts on Las Vegas - Part Two

I am trying to not focus too much on the home study (2 DAYS!!) So I am going back to reflecting on Vegas.
Las Vegas is a truly incredible and weird place. It was a lot like what I imagine Wonderland would be like for grown ups. I doubt highly that there is such a thing as a "normal" Las Vegas experience. I think it all depends on which little bottle you drink from or which cookie you bite. Every where I turned there were amazing, strange monuments and lights and sculptures. There were lights and fountains and even Elvis! I felt like I had crossed into some alternate reality dimension where things like work and responsibility were moot. Hours of the day ceased to have any true meaning. Food, drink and frivolity were pretty much a 24 hours free for all. Part of me wishes I had been able to stay out late and party with the stars, but as I mentioned I couldn't get off Atlantic time. I am betting that Vegas gets even wilder and weirder in the late night hours.
Okay. I know that isn't a big reflection but honestly I can't get my brain off the home study so I am going to scrub the toilet for the 15th time.

Thoughts on Las Vegas - Part One

As you may know Gil and I had a unique experience this summer which came in the form of a mostly free trip to Las Vegas Nevada. It was one of the weirdest experiences of my life and at the same time it was totally amazing. I have never in my life been any place warmer then summer in Nova Scotia. Well, that is not exactly true, I did spend some very hot summers in Ontario as a child but you get the picture, I have never been anywhere hot.
There was nothing on earth that could prepare me for the heat that we encountered in the desert of Nevada. Sure there is air conditioning all over the place but there was no avoiding being outside altogether. The coolest temperatures I saw while we were there were when I woke up each day at 4am (my awful inability to get off Atlantic time). At 4am most days it was roughly 25 degrees celsius. Yup before the sun rose it was was already a hot summer Halifax day.
The first day we were there we decided to walk to the Bellagio for lunch, it was about mid day and it was probably 45 degrees outside. We had no idea what we were in for. The Strip is not that long really but in that heat it felt like forever, by the time we got to our destination we were both hot, nauseous and cranky. It was a real learning experience. After that we never left the hotel without water, we always had hats and we learned pretty fast the best ways to get around without having to go outside. We also learned that the best thing you can do for yourself is to take some time to relax during the hottest parts of the day. Lots of people made use of the the many pools that litter the strip, I did go up to our pool but I could not bring myself to go in. The pool was the one place where the Vegas was just like the Vegas of TV. It was a spawning ground for incredibly beautiful people, a land of boob jobs and bikinis. I never felt so un in my whole life. However we did have a HUGE bath tub so when we needed to cool down we would go back fill the enormous tub with cool water and just chill out (pardon the pun) for half an hour or so. It sincerely made me feel like a new person.
People keep asking me how Vegas was and my first response is always about the heat. It made a serious impression on me. Next time I will talk about something else I promise.

Full of it...

Yeah I am full of it at the moment...creative, nervous energy that is. The cats had me up at 7:30 demanding food. I guess a child won't be much different then that. I don't mind being up so early. I have definitely found in the last year or so that I am increasingly one of those morning people. Specifically I really enjoy the days when Gil and I get up extra early and go to the gym before work. It is so much easier then trying to muster the energy in the evening. The is an added bonus here, at 7am the only people in the gym are senior citizens so I don't feel quite to compelled to compare myself or feel judged. I suppose we may have to change our routine when we finally have a child but I trust that we will eventually find equilibrium.
I am fighting the urge to clean to the extent that I feel I should, I don't want to make our house look or feel like a show home. I want to look like what it is, a home where real people live but at the same time I am worried about the strangest things. I have a bottle of wine on the counter, it is unopened. It has been there since July when Shannon was home. I have always wanted to live in a home with a wine rack, good cheese and books, it is part of my pretension, but now I feel the need to hide my wine away. I want to be myself and I want to be exactly what they want. I guess I really won't know until the social worker is here in our home. I feel so on display and I know it is a part of what we signed up for but I can't help but resent it a tiny bit. I mean if I got pregnant no one would becoming into our home to judge if we were fit to bring the child home, not unless we had already had dealings with child welfare. Anyway, mostly I am excited because I think we are getting closer. I hope fervently the the social worker sees Gil and I for the unique, wonderful, quirky couple that we are and helps us to find the child that is out there waiting for us. Some days it is hard for me to imagine there being more then just he and I because it has been just the two of us for almost 8 years, but I feel in my heart of hearts that we are meant to be a bigger family. I look at Gil and I can see that he is meant to be a father. And with all my strangeness, with all my struggles and all my experience I have no doubt that I want to be a mother, that I can pass on the amazing love my mother gave to me those first 9 years. She saved my life with that love, I don't think I would have survived all that came later if I hadn't had her. I want the chance to give that back into the universe.
Okay I am going clean just a little more... nothing obsessive or anything I swear.

Weird things that happen in my house...

Okay, I have a great many friends. They are all unique and special to me. They are a veritable rainbow of weird and wonderful however some of them are weirder then others. For example this weekend we played host to our friend T. who is a bonafide hippy. I am very fond of T. and we have been friends for a LONG time. As a bonus he also clicked perfectly with my darling husband so we are all amused when T. comes for a visit. Along with food that is entirely to healthy, as we always insist that T. cooks, we also have the most bizarre conversations like the one that follows...

Me:places empty pop bottle in green bin
T : "oh I was saving that in case I need to poop."
Me: " Oh it was empty."
T: "yeah, I was saving it because I don't use toilet paper."
M: stunned silence...
M again: "OH!"

Yup weird and only in my house. I love my friends and I love my life.

News!

Houston we have a date for our home study!! Okay so that doesn't roll off the tongue so easy but it is true. We have a new social worker and we are going to meet her next Thursday at 3:30 here in our home and we are going to start. I am terribly nervous because I don't get to be in control in this situation but more then nervous I am just plain excited. I know that given the chance Gil and I will be great parents, especially as a team. We really are a good team. I love him so much. I love that he makes me a better person. I am feeling very gushy about him today but I won't make you all gag by running on and on about the depth and breadth of my love.
Of course there is a huge part of me that wants to clean this house until every surface gleams but there is a part of me that just wants her to see us for who we really are, and let's face it. Neat freaks we are not. Our house is nice, it is comfortable, it is not usually "dirty" but it is often untidy. I don't think that would make us better or worse parents. I try to follow the fly lady and one of these days I might even get get good at it but in the mean time I don't think many people have gone to their grave wishing that their house had been cleaner. Unless of course their dirty house killed them, that would be awful.
Well I am off to run errands because I am officially turned into my mother, I am dropping winter coats off to be dry cleaned. Have mercy on me.

Where to start?

It is not that I have had nothing to write about, it’s that I am lazy. I have sat down to write every evening but I get distracted by the evil that is the internet. My current obsession, vegetarian recipes! Sounds a little lame but hey that is me. Today I walk out of the ladies washroom at work, into a busy foyer, with my skirt tucked into my panties. My life IS a sitcom. I suppose it could be worse, it could be a daytime soap!

There has been so much going on I don't even know where to start. Adoption, the switch to flexetarian, joining the gym. Our trip to Las Vegas, my insane cats, my insane job. My life is so interesting I am just overwhelmed by it. I suppose there could be worse things. ;)

Family

Well this has been a very strange and busy couple of weeks. Our home has become a place where we come to drop off dirty laundry and re-pack before hitting the road. The pace has been frantic. I think this may have been the busiest summer of my life. I can feel fall creeping in and I am so excited to greet it at a more leisurely pace. I have some more stuff I want to say about things that have gone on over the summer but it is late and I am more then ready to sleep in my own bed. Tomorrow I promise!

Words Fail Me

I had a seriously rough day at work. Sometimes working at a hospital can be very hard. I came home to cry but looked at this picture I took at the family reunion and laughed instead. I hope this makes you crack a smile.

A little "splash" of colour.

I love this picture. I took it "down the shore" this July while we were visiting Cap Pele. I scooped the seaweed out of the surf because the colour was so amazing. The texture was pretty amazing too but that is pretty hard to convey in a photo. There is something about this lime ricky green always makes me feel energized and zesty. Hmmm zesty, what a weird adjective. But nonetheless that is how I feel. I would like to go right now and dip my toes in the cool Northumberland waters where this lovely piece of seaweed originated.

Saturday morning musing.

Looking at the weather forecast for Las Vegas this coming week, all high 30's low 40's which makes it even more absurd that this morning it was so cold here that the heat in the house automatically came on. It hasn't come on since March that I am aware of. I heard the familiar melody of the pipes tinkling and I thought that I was dreaming... Then they got louder. Environment Canada says it is currents 13 degrees Celsius outside. This is madness, I should be planing where to cool down with a swim not looking for my slippers... come to think of it I think I might go grab a sweater too...

okay, I am all kitted up. Slippers, hoodie, tea. It certainly would be a lovely fall day if it weren't August. Actually I might as well confess it now, I love this weather. The sky is blue, the air is crisp. If I could have this weather 10 months of the year I would be thrilled.
Plans continue to chug along for Vegas. I think it is actually easier when you doing something in a short time like this. Of course I would have liked to have more time to save some money but lets face it, I am not good with anticipation. When I have too long to think about things I stress out. Two weeks seems to be the perfect amount of time. It was extra good this past week because it gave me something to fixate on while Gil was out of town...again. Although the bad thing is that I have been spending money. This is turning into an expensive summer for the both of us. I have to hit Gil up for some cash again today. I swear one of these days I am going to get better with money. Likely when I am dead. Unless I win really big in Vegas, which is not totally 100% out of the realm of possibility. I mean, weirder thing HAVE happened. If that DOES happen then I am going to buy myself a pair of Jimmy Choo's and be very smart with the rest of my money. LOL, Jimmy Choo's. What would I do with a thousand dollar pair of shoes? I would be too scared to wear them out of the house. *sigh* A girl can dream.
Well, my in-laws are coming today, my father-in-law is going to lay me a new kitchen floor so I better start getting this house clean. As it turns out I really am a slob, when Gil is away the whole house goes to pot!
Have a great Saturday.

Rhéal - July 2009

I am deep in my bones tired tonight because I was up at 4am with Gil who was heading back out on the road. Believe it or not it gets easier with each trip away. I suppose that our impending trip to Las Vegas makes me more agreeable. Anyway I am off to have my blessed 8 hour coma but I wanted to share this picture before I start to drool on my pillow (or Gil's pillow as the case may be). This is my father in law. Okay so it is his toes but it tells you everything you need to know about the man and I why I love him so much. Sturdy, solid, fun, adventurous. This is by no stretch one of my best pictures but it elicits such strong feelings in me I just had to share.
Nighty night

Tulips, Spring 2009

I love tulips so much. There is something so magical about them. These ones were in the public gardens this spring. I had never seen anything like them with their double petals. They are beautiful!

My awesome news!

Okay I didn't take this picture, I confess. However in 12 days I will be able to take something like it for myself!! On Friday Gil was finally home from his extended trip to the States. Okay, it was only 4 days, but I swear it felt like an eternity. I was having a seriously great day anyway have good morning snuggles AND a drive to work. I knew I was going to see friends I have been missing that evening.We were heading into a long weekend. I was pretty as happy as I thought I could get. Then I got a call from Gil at work. He says, can you talk to my boss about getting a few days off?? He says his boss if feeling bad about all the time we are missing each other, his boss feels bad because he is sending him away again, this time to Las Vegas for a trade show. His boss says if I am free to go they will send me with him. On their dime! Oh yes you heard me correctly. I am going to Vegas for 5 days for FREE! I let him know I have to talk to my boss. The schedule has been pretty tricky lately, I don't want to leave her in a pinch. If she says she needs me, I can't go. So I page her... oh god, what if she says no? She calls me back, I explain the situation from her. Of course she says yes. She is s cool about it, how could she stand between me and a free trip tp Vegas. A FREE TRIP TO VEGAS! I call Gil back. I am elated, I can't breath. Within the hour plans are arranged to get me an expedited passport. The flight is booked. The hotel (Trump International!) is booked. I am on top of the world!! My hubby and I are going to Vegas together. We have never flown anywhere together. I know he is going to have to work some but who cares!? We are going to VEGAS!!

By Candle Light, July 2009

I know that it is a little "Amnesty International" but I like it. I feel a pervasive sense of calm when I look at it. Again I am playing with the macro but here I have started playing with some other settings like apertures and colour. The colour of this candle is so welcoming and warm just like where we were that night, Mo and Kevin's place. Although it was taken in the summer it feels like autumn to me.

Me and my shadow...

Here is a great example of one problem I encounter over and over again, I just can't get away from it, my shadow.
Craig told me early on to position myself so that I am not casting a shadow across my subject but time after time I ruin a great shot the same way.

Paw Paw March 2009

Oh my heart sings when I see this. I love this little paw. I love it's warm, dry Dorito smell. I love the way it prods at me when I am trying to sleep. I have such a warm feeling in my heart when I look at this picture. It makes me want to grab a kitty and snuggle. I think I will do that right now.

Boats August 2007

There is water in my blood and when I make a picture like this it is hard for my to deny. I don't know the first thing about sailing but boats and water are some of my favorite subjects. When I look at this picture I feel like the moment is bursting with possible adventure. This is just the calm before, this is the delicious anticipation. This means business.

Red Wine - October 2006

This was the beginning of my playing with macro phase, which of course I have not get out grown. The wine we are drinking is left over from our wedding as it is only a few weeks later. When I look at this picture I feel warm and nostalgic. It is certainly not my best shot ever but it was when I started to feel like I could really make a picture. Also it makes me crave Sunday afternoon, good cheese and red wine.

Public Gardens May 2009

Way back in May we had a stretch of fine weather. It was awesome. One day after work I wandered over to the Public Gardens with my trusting little Canon PowerShot A560 and started snap some pictures. There were lots of flowers, I love flowers. But on my way out of the gate I snapped this one and it turned out to be my favorite of the day I think. I love the colours, they make me feel energized. What do you think?

Cap Pele July 2008

It is hard for me to explain how I feel when I see this.
Breathless, graceful, proud, certain of my faith and relaxed all at the same time. Until I met Gil, until we began our routine treks to to the Acadian heartland, until I came to this shore I never had a place that truly felt like family, like home. It doesn't matter that half the time I don't understand a lick of what is being said to me. It doesn't matter that I can't trace a drop of my own heritage to these warm Northumberland shores. Here in this easy place with it's easy pace and profound beauty my soul has found a resting place.

I love today

Today was a good day. I have a headache now and the kitchen is a mess but I am still very happy.

Random...

Okay so I planted the herbs. They grew. In fact they are huge. Now what?
I am guessing there is some process to harvesting them. I know I should use them for cooking. Hmmm cooking, there is a good idea; we have been doing so little lately. Let’s face it we are lazy. Because we don’t do prep work, like say taking something out of the freezer to thaw the night before, we end up after work with no plan, a frozen hunk of chicken thighs and too hungry mean peoples. So we end up ordering in or running out and grabbing something. Which in the long run has to cost a lot more money, plus we end up throwing out a load of food every week. AND it is not as good for us. I would really like to change this behaviour. I think it can be done. I think that we both need to learn a little more self discipline, me especially since I often think that Gil is just going along to stop my bitchy hungry whinging. And the truth is I always feel better, happier, and healthier when we are eating at home. AND I actually enjoying being in the kitchen which is something I never thought I would say. I have a ton of recipes book marked on the computer that I am dying to try, really at the end of the day it is just a matter of motivation, why is that part so hard?
Why does living a healthy life seem so much like work to me? I mean it is not like this means I can never have a nice meal out, nor does it mean I can never have a glass of pop or some chips, it just means these things need to be done in moderation. Actually the pop thing is going pretty good. I am pleased on the account. We are both drinking a LOT more water. One of the 18 litre bottles for the cooler is averaging two weeks. That is 9 litres a week between the two of us or roughly 1.3 litres a day each, not counting what we drink out and about. Yay us! Actually back to the herbs for a moment I have read about people who make their own flavoured water by adding herbs to it, I might try that. With the mint, not the chives, ‘cause that just sounds gross.
Okay so what I need is a plan of action that doesn’t make my inner spoiled princess stomp her feet until she takes over. A plan that means we are using the groceries we buy but not waiting until 7:30 to eat when everyone has gotten cranky and mean. This is going to HAVE to include some meal planning. Flying by the seat of your pants is fun but usually where things tend to go awry. It also means I have to set aside some time each evening, half an hour or so where I do meal prep for the next day. LOTS of things can be done in advance. Things can be defrosted, chopped, boiled... you get the picture. Heck I have a great slow cooker, I really should be using that more.
Of course another part of this whole plan need to be having a clean kitchen to work in. A dirty kitchen is a huge deterrent and a convenient excuse for not getting down to business. In order to have a nice clean kitchen I have to stop fluttering and really start FLYing again (www.flylady.net) I was doing good for a long time but as so often happens with me I fell off and could not/would not pick myself up again. I don’t know why. It is such a good system and I am SOOOOOO happy when my house is clean. And I don’t mean pass a white glove test clean, I just mean things put away, not tripping over things, not embarrassed when people come over, not hunting for my underwear at 5:30am clean. And it is so easy when I follow the FLYlady. I know I will never live in a Martha Stewart house, that is just not me, and I probably wouldn’t want to, you would have to walk around on egg shells being careful not to disturb anything, but I would like a little Martha, a lot of FLYlady and a dose of Rachel Ray thrown in there. I think if I can find the right routine I can do this. Nix that if I can find the right routine and not get thrown off at the first bump. Because that is my real problem. I will be chugging along working a routine like a champ but when something disruptive comes along, like a cold or a new job or a house guest... ZAP! Bye bye routine. And then I just ... well I just don’t get back up. Who knows why?! Because god knows I am happier and easier to live with when I am on a routine, a schedule . Bumps come along, I have to learn to roll with them. That goes for my whole darn life. If you asked my loving husband what upsets me the very most he would tell you “the plan changing” then he would probably shudder and weep a lone tear. Because folks, the plan changes ALL THE TIME!!! Which means on a very regular basis I am totally thrown and don’t deal well. And poor Gil is often the focus of my frustration when that happens. It is so unfair to him. I know I am never going to be totally laid back and cool, I am just not made that way. I look at my eldest brother and I know that it is something that I must come by naturally because he hates it when the plan changes too. Of course he deals with it so much better. I need to take lessons from him. Geesh, talk about things I never thought I would say. I should point out at this point that this is also a man whose house is ALWAYS spotless. Always. I mean it. It is kind of sickening. Hey has stopped just shy of covering his furniture with plastic. (can you say OCD?) Yup I wish I could be more like him in lots of ways.
So where do I start? Well today I go back to the baby steps that the FLYlady taught me. That is best place to go back to. Also when the vegetable fairy comes I am going to harangue my awesome husband into making a meal plan with me. I can do this. I just need to take one baby step at a time. Wish me luck!

Geesh who thought wondering what to do with my herbs would lead here? Gotta love my train of thought. Have a great day.

Yay!

Sitting here at 5pm on Friday afternoon, lapping up the sun, enjoying a beer and playing on my new laptop. Seriously, does life get any better than this?? Gilly is going to BBQ us some dinner. I have nothing on the go tonight except maybe putting some laundry away. I am a happy duckling. Actually I have basically nothing going on all weekend. Really this is the kind of weekend I live for. I will garden, I will putter around the house, I will play with my new toy guilt free. No one expects me to be anywhere at any given time. Yup. This is the life.

Shannon is home!

It has been a long busy week in my universe. Preparing for Shannon to arrive, waiting for Shannon to arrive, jumping up and down while Shannon arrived on a very late flight, on a week night. Getting by on 4 hours of sleep and then hosting a party for our new arrived guest. Of course we stayed up way late and imbibed much libation. I was feisty and tipsy. Then today we had a day packed with friends, brunching and shopping. We tried to stay awake tonight to watch a movie but I think Shannon was asleep before the opening credits were done rolling, poor darling, it must be rough to be all disjointed in time. Me, I am over tired of course, up much too late several nights in a row but I am so happy. Today we had brunch at the Celtic. It was me, Gil, Shannon, Aimee and John Boy and I felt total contentment.

Sugar High

Have you ever had so much sugar that you felt drunk? How about had a hangover from it the next day? This is basically where I am at the moment. Minus the spins thank god. But I am certainly feeling like there were foreign invaders in my blood steam last night. We had SO much fun. We hosted a S'mores night. A few weeks ago Aimee and I were making S'mores on the BBQ and we started thinking off all the silly and creative ways we could make S'more other then the traditional method. And thus the idea was born. We invited a bunch of friends and every one brought something to contribute. I have never seen more forms of sugar in one place out side of a candy store in my life. People got really creative and fun. The little kids had a blast and then ran in circles around the yard which was a good thing. Only two ate until they felt ill. The adults also had a ton of fun. Everyone got so creative with this. And the rain held off so we sat outside most of the night. We saw lots of people who we don't get to see nearly often enough including DOUG! who moved home to Hamilton six months ago but I haven't seen in a decade! (it is is very reassuring to know fyi that awesome people don't change in their awesomeness, they just get better)
The whole thing only lasted about six hours but I feel like we have great memories for a life time.
We loved it so much we are thinking about doing it again in August. Too bad I won't be able to eat sugar again until then...urg... the sugar hangover ....
Have a wonderful day every one.

Saturday chill out...

Someone asked me if I have big plans for the weekend and I said no and they said that is too bad. and I said NO WAY! It is awesome. I love that the plans for this weekend are totally minimal. Why are plans on the weekend so darned important? My week is spent running like a wild child from one important task to the next, I pretty much fall into a coma every night at 9:30 because I am exhausted. Why oh why do I need to do that to my weekend? Today I have talked on the phone for darn near two hours with a friend I haven't talked to in ages, drank two cup of tea, caught up on a blog I love to read, cleaned my belly button and been browbeaten into giving my cats gooshy food. Oh and I threw in a load of laundry, but that is not work, that is me totally gaga in love with my new washer and dryer. The laundry was pure hedonistic pleasure, clean laundry was just gravy. Why would I want to change anything about today?

Creep

Well I have been absent too long yet again. And I couldn't keep up the question thing. Raise your hand if you are surprised. Wait, hey you in the back...yeah you with your hand raised! You must not know me very well. I am the Queen. The Queen of not following through. There is so little in my life that I have actually started and finished. I my wake lay dozens of gym memberships, craft projects, health kicks, and a university degree, even a previous blog!
I would like to change this about myself. I would like to be the follow through girl. But I don' think it is in my cards. But I will try because it is the right thing to do.
You know I have been sitting here for more then an hour now I have been completely distracted... I hope you don't mind but I am going to make a cup of tea to ease my sore throat, and then I am going to lay on the sofa and have a nap. I'll be back