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

Question 11.

If you could be an animal, any animal, what animal would you be and why?

Oh geez, these ones are getting a little tedious! Who created this list?! Oh yeah right I grabbed it off the internet and it was originally intended to help ASL students with their conversational skills. I get what I paid for I guess.
Okay well turtle are my favorite animal but I don't know that I would want to be one. All that cold water and and dirt doesn't appeal to me. Cats however have the life. I mean really, my cats are spoiled rotten. They find a warm spot and then they nap, they eat and they nap, they chase each other for a moment and then nap, they get snuggles and nap. Of yeah, I would be an indoor house cat for sure. With the proviso that I had a good human who took good care of me and cleaned my litter box a lot. Yup, I might trade it all in for that right now. But since I can't I am just going to go chase my tail for a while then have a nap.

Question 10... can you believe I made it to ten?

Okay so at the moment I am living the dream. Out on the deck, in the dark drinking a glass of wine, and my husband has done the dishes. Every day should be as good as today.

If you could be a super-hero, which one would you be?
Okay do you mean an existing Super hero or do I get to create my own? Because I could totally design my own. If I had to pick an existing on I would totally go old school Wonder Woman. She is the shit. I mean really, how could you not want to be Wonder Woman?
If I got to design myself... I would either be "The Green-Wave" and my special ability... turning traffic lights! or... "Magic Kisses" so I could really make boo-boo's better. Is that too boring? Am I boring you? Are you sleeping??

Question 9!

If you could be a plant, what would you choose to be?

Now this is more my style. Of course I love plants so it is easier for me then birds, I am little phobic about birds.
Anyway I am not going to pick anything fancy or crazy. I am more like a Black Eyed Susan. Beautiful, but common and down to earth. Strong and able to thrive just about anywhere.

Is that vane?

Question 8....

If you could be a bird, what would you choose to be?

Hmm I feel like I in a really bad job interview. I didn't know how to answer this so I turned to Mr.Google to see if I could find a bird that spoke to me. And the truth is I couldn't. I just can't see myself as a bird. So I pick Penguin because I don't think they see themselves as birds either.
Okay this was a boring one. sorry.

Question Seven...

If you could ask God any one question, what would it be?
Oh my! One question?! Well I guess that depends. Does this mean God is going to actually ANSWER one question? Because I ask questions all the time. If he/she/it is going to ANSWER the question then I guess I don't have to ask if he/she/it exists do I?! After that I everything seems small. I want to know if there is an after life. I want to know if I will go on in someway. My big fear about death is that I will be alone and it will be dark. Forever. I know it is unreasonable but that is how I feel.
Of course I probably would just totally blank and end up asking God if he/she/it likes stuff. Lame.

Question Six...

If you bumped your car into another car, but nobody saw you do it, would you leave your name and address?

oh dear. what can I tell you. I am so embarrassed to admit that the once I dinged a persons car and left no note or information. I was getting in the passenger side, it was a very windy day, the wind took the door and slammed it in to the car next to us. there was definitely some damage to the paint. I really feel bad about that. In retrospect I would not do the same thing. It is a dirt bag move. Now you know my secret. I hope you don't think that much less of me.

Question Five and more....

Sorry I dropped off the face of the earth. I got busy. You knew it would happen sooner or later. Frankly I was surprised I did it four days in a row. Anywho, lets look at question five.
If one song were to describe your life, what song would it be? Well this really requires some thought on my part. I believe people have sound tracks to their lives. I believe in theme songs. I certainly to believe in the power of music to speak to the human soul. But ONE song to define a whole life? One song keeps popping into my head and I think it is so trite but I examine the words and they just fit. The song is "I Will Survive" by Gloria Gaynor. Like I said it is trite but I can't help but feel the words. "As long as I know how to love I know I'll stay alive"

Question four....

If the whole world were listening, what would you say?

oh yet another easy one. "Be nice to each other!!"

Question three..

If someone's underwear was showing, would you tell them?

Well it seems that today showing ones underwear is part of a fashion statement, not one I agree with or follow but a statement nonetheless. I can't help but thing of great the Simpson's quote "Your epidermis is showing!" I don't think I would point out to many people that there undergarments were disable to the public. My husbands manties certainly. My closest friends, sure with a little good natured mocking. Other wise I am keeping my trap shut .
For what it is worth I do ofter see the dainties of perfect strangers. At the hospital is is totally normal to walk around in all manner of disrobed splendor. It is like walking through the doors gives you a license to leave your modesty at the curbside. In someways I find it very funny, comforting and relaxing. In other ways I don't like seeing strangers asses. What can you do when you live in a zoo? Or shoe? or flu?
Okay I must be getting punchy now. Time to say bye-bye.
See you tomorrow.

Question two..

If a classmate asked you for the answer to a question during an exam while the teacher was not looking, what would you do?

This one is easy. I would ignore the classmate in question. Nothing and no one is worth risking my academic career. End of story. If the asking continued I would ask to be moved. I know that sounds so black and white but in my advancing years my feelings about these things get stronger and clearer.

Question One...

If you had only 24 hours to live, what would you do?

Okay this is a pretty tough one for me because I have such an overwhelming fear of death to begin with. Maybe it would be easier if You knew for sure it was going to happen in 24 hours and there was nothing you could do about it. Anyway,I digress. I would not sleep for 24 hours. I would want to squeeze as much time in as possible. I would want to touch base with all the people who mean the most to me, tell them that I love them. Ask forgiveness from those I feel I need it from. And then I would spend time with my husband. We would kiss and hug and talk about everything. We would have a wonderful meal and take a long walk holding hands. I would ask him to have a shower with me and wash my hair. I would put on something clean and comfortable and then I would ask him to hold me until the end.

Now I am crying. Great thought exercise. Now I have to go kiss my husband.

A question a day ....

Because my blog has been a bit boring lately here is a little thought exercise for myself.

1.If you had only 24 hours to live, what would you do?
2.If a classmate asked you for the answer to a question during an exam while the teacher was not looking, what would you do?
3.If someone's underwear was showing, would you tell them?
4. If the whole world were listening, what would you say?
5. If one song were to describe your life, what song would it be?
6. If you bumped your car into another car, but nobody saw you do it, would you leave your name and address?
7. If you could ask God any one question, what would it be?
8. If you could be a bird, what would you choose to be?
9. If you could be a plant, what would you choose to be?
10. If you could be a super-hero, which one would you be?
11. If you could be an animal, any animal, what animal would you be and why?

14. If you could be another man or woman for a day, who would you choose?
15. If you could be another person for a day, who would you be?
16. If you could be invisible for a day what would you do and why?
17. If you could change one thing about your spouse or significant other, what would it be?
18. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
19 If you could change one thing in the world, what would it be?
20. If you could choose how you were going to die, what would you choose your death to be?
21. If you could choose to live on a different planet, which one would you choose?
22. If you could commit any crime and get away with it, what would you do?
23. If you could date a celebrity, who would you choose?
24. If you could have only one food for the rest of your life (assuming that this strange situation would not affect your health), which food would you choose?
25. If you could hear what someone is thinking for a day, who would you choose?
26. If you could live anywhere, where would you live?
27. If you could meet any famous person, dead or alive, who would it be and why?
28. If you could speak any other language (besides English) which language would you like to speak?
29. If you could spend a day with any celebrity, who would it be and what questions would you ask that person?
30. If you could take a vacation anywhere in the world for any length of time, where would you go?
31.If you could travel back in time, where would you go?
32. If you didn't have enough money to get the bus home what would you do?
33. If you discovered a new island, what would you name it and why?
34. If you got arrested for murder, whom would you call with your telephone call from prison? And why?
35. If you had an accident and you had to be at home to recover for a long time, what would you do to relieve the boredom?
36. What would you do if you were at home at night, alone, and you heard a noise in your flat/house that seemed to be footsteps? Would you stay calm or would you panic?
37. What would you do if you found the wallet of your next-door neighbor who you hated?
38. If you could have any car you wanted, which car would you choose? Would it be practical or flashy?
39.If your car broke down on the motorway, what would you do? Would you try to fix it yourself?
40. If you could solve the problem of hunger in the third world or repair the ozone, which would you do?
41.If you could stop a bad habit that you have, what would you stop?
42. If you could go back to any moment in history, where would you go?
43. If you could be famous (a household name), what would you like to be famous for?
44. If you were on holiday and you lost your passport, would you know what to do?
45. If you were offered a job in another part of the country, would you be willing to take the job, assuming that the pay is very good?
46. If your partner were offered a job in another part of the country, which was well paid, would you be willing to change places?
47. If you were in the bank and somebody started to hold up the bank, what would you do? How would you react?If you had one wish, what would you wish for?
48. If you could only listen to one song for the rest of your life, which song would you choose?
49. If only one book existed, which book would you like it to be?
50. If you could do any job, what would you like to do?
51. If you could move anywhere, where would you like to live?
52. If you found a suitcase full of $1,000,000, what would you do?
53. If you found a wallet with £1,000 in it, what would you do?
54. If you had 25-hour days (while everyone else continued to have 24-hour days), what would you do with the extra time?
55.If you had one wish, what would it be?
56. If you had the opportunity to be different, what would you change?
57. If you had time machine, where would you go and why?
58. If you had to choose between a wonderful romantic relationship that would end after only a year, or a so-so relationship that would last your entire life, which one would you choose?
59. If you had to choose between love and no money or money and no love for the rest of your life, which would you choose?
60. If you had to choose, would you give up your sight or your hearing?
61. If you received lottery tickets as a gift at the office party, and you won $30,000.00, would you share the winnings with the person that gave you the gift?
62. If you saw a robbery, would you report it?
63. If you saw your zipper was down and people had noticed, what would you do?
64. If you speak two languages and your spouse (husband or wife) speaks only one, will you raise your children to be bilingual?
65. If you were a candy, what candy would you be?
66. If you were a monster, what monster would you be?
67. If you were a toy, what toy would you be?
68. If you were abducted by aliens, would you tell anybody? Why or why not?
69. If you were American/Chinese/Mexican, how would your life be different?
70. If you were asked to choose which time you would like to live in, which century would you choose?
71. If you were asked to speak to a graduating class, what would you say?
72. If you were given a chance to go to the moon, would you go? Why or why not?
73. If you were given a choice between being given great wisdom or great wealth, which would you choose?
74. If you were given an opportunity to be born again, in which country would you like to be born?
75. If you were given an opportunity to be born again, what kind of person would you choose to be?
76. If you were given one million dollars, what would you buy?
77. If you were given the opportunity to be born again, how would you change how you lived?
78. If you were given the opportunity to mold your partner the way you wanted, how would you mold your partner?
79. If you were given three wishes, what would you wish for?
80. If you were God, how would you transmit or let people know your message?
81. If you were going to a deserted island and could only take three things with you, what would you take? Why?
82. If you were marooned on a desert island with one other person how would you survive?
83. If you were invited to have tea with the Queen of England, what would say?
84. if you were the leader of your country, what would you change?
85. If you were the President, what problem or concern would you work on first?
86. If you were to be stranded on an island, which three things would you bring with you?
87. If you were told that you were going to die tomorrow, what would you do today?
88. If you were walking through the forest and you suddenly saw a tiger, what would you do?
89. If you woke up suddenly because your house was on fire, which three things would you save as you ran outside?
90. If you worked for a store and you saw another employee steal something, would you tell the manager?
91. If your friend could not have a child, would you carry her child for her?
92. If you saw someone in public with toilet paper stuck to their shoe, would you tell them?
93. If you could change one thing that you did that was bad,perhaps a crime or some wrong you did to another person,what would it be?
94. What kinds of problems would you have if you had to always tell the truth?
95. You were told you had a terminal illness and had six months to live. What three things would be most important for you to do
96.If your doctor told you that you had only one month to live, how would you use the time left?
97. What if you have to sacrifice yourself for the sake of saving your mother? What would you do?
98. If you could live perfectly well without sleeping, if you had no need to sleep at all, how would you spend all your nights?
99. If you could be married with a foreign (man/woman), how do you think your life would change?
100. If you had a chance to choose a poor (man/woman) as a (husband/wife) from your culture or a rich (man/woman) from another culture, which would you choose?
101. If you got into traffic accident, what would you do at first?
102. If you could be God, what would you do for humanity?
103. If you could receive praise from a person, what person would it be?

part 2 What kind of praise would you like to receive?

104. If you were a color, what color would you be and why?
105. If you could be a crayon, What color and Why?
106. If you were a fruit, what fruit would you be and why?
107. If you had time machine and you could be transported to any time, the past or the future. What time would you choose?
108. If you could ask an All-Knowing Being one question about life, what would it be?
109. If you could have dinner with anyone (dead OR alive), who would you choose, and why?
110. If you could live forever on earth as it is now, would you? Why or why not?
111. If you could have a free chip put in your brain so that you would automatically be able to speak and understand another language besides English, which language would it be and why?
112. If you were the Queen or King of Britain for a day, what would you do?
113. If you were the President of the USA for a day, what would you do?
114. If you had to spend 100 days on a desert island, what five things would you take with you and why?
115. If you were down on your luck, would you seek the advice of a palm reader,
116. What would you do if you lost your bathing suit while you were swimming?
117. Imagine you woke up one morning to find you had switched bodies with someone you know. What would you do?
118. If you could have any one supernatural power (flying, being invisible), which would you choose and why?
119. If your spouse cheated on you, what would you do?
120. If you were given a choice to live as long as you want, how long would you like to live? If we could live for 300 years, what would the life be like?
121. If you could not differentiate beautiful from ugly, how would choose your spouse? (Perhaps not an appropriate questions, but it was submitted.)
122. What if your cell phone fell in the toilet, what would you do?

Thank you for being a friend...

I am so tired tonight but it is such a good kind of tired. I had a long and somewhat difficult week at work. I feel like have earned my fatigue. And today I hosted what I think was a very successful tea party. I guess this is the year that I am doing all the things I never did in my childhood. For my birthday I had a slumber party and today I had the tea party, and not just with Grover and Holly Hobby. It was so nice to have so many of the women that I love here and just enjoying each others company. I can't say enough how much I have some to appreciate the love and support I get from my girl friends. I hope that when I am old I have I have my own little crew of Golden Girls. (RIP Bea) I love Gil so much but there is stuff you can only talk to about with your girls. Gil doesn't want to talk about my period or the best way to clean a bath tub. Not that we only talk about that stuff. I mean today we talked about cooking and the swine flu and work and gay rights. We talked about religion and our parents and our children and husbands. It was so relaxing. I am exhausted but still mentally renewed.
Now I have had a bath and a glass of wine and I am off today bed to read. What a perfect day.

PST

Do you know about the FLYlady? If you don't and you need a way to combat some of the chaos in your home I highly recommend this system. You can visit her here... http://www.flylady.net
I have found her a remarkable help in our home. I mean I am far from out of the chaos but I am getting there. My favorite thing about it is that it isn't taking any money from my pocket. I always get into things that cost a bunch of money and never see them through which makes me feel guilty and stupid. Anyway. All this does have a point I swear...
So I have restarted the baby steps because I really fell off track when I started the new job and I REALLY feel the need some order in my life right now. So I don't do a new Baby step every day. I do one until I get the hang of it for a few days until I feel like I have the hang of it then I move on to the next. Another beautiful thing about this system is the ability to tailor it to fit YOUR life. Anyway today I was looking at baby step number five...
"Are you hearing any of those nagging negative voices popping into your head? I want you to take a piece of paper and write down what you hear then I want you to turn those ugly words around and say something nice to yourself to negate the ugly words that they said."
Now can I say that this is actually really easy for me. I am a very vocal proponent of PST... Positive Self Talk. I learned this in therapy. (Yeah I was in therapy. Welcome to the 21st century who hasn't?) Sometimes I hear the way I talk to or about myself and I think "If someone ELSE said that to me I would punch them!!" If we don't talk nice to ourselves how can we expect others to?
I try very hard to remember to talk nice to myself as often as possible. When I am stressed out at work you can often find me giving myself a pep talk "You can do this, you are a smart girl, you just need to focus."

It has been a while since I have had the time or energy to update. To be honest I don't have either right now but for you I will take a few moments. The last few weeks have been crazy. The new job is good but it is tasking. After resting on my laurels for 3 years I am just not used to working so hard. Sad but true. I got very used to being lazy. There have been a few moments in the past week where I have thought I made a mistake, that I am not cut out for this gig. I hate not being perfect at something. I am terrible at asking for help because I want my boss to think I am competent. But I just keep reminding myself that you can't get to great with out passing through ok. Someday I will be better. Some day I will kick ass.
In the mean time I will try and keep up with everything. The days are getting longer and sunnier and that makes me so happy. I have been able to hang clothes on the line which is wonderful. Tomorrow is supposed to be extra warm and sunny. Maybe I will come back and give you more of an update while I have my tea in the morning. For now I wish you sweet dreams.

A ramble about house stuff...

Snuggled up in bed tonight a bit early, taking care of this darn chest cold. I am actually feeling much better except the coughing part. I sound like a 90 year old, pack a day smoker. Sexy stuff kids!
We had a really nice, low key day being old married people. We wandered around Kent looking for new lighting fixtures and we thought that was a hot time. Seriously, break out the Jell-O and the Shuffle Board, Gil and I are ready for retirement! No seriously though I do love anything that has to do with redecorating the house. This dinning room is so close to done, I think it might even be the room that is 100% complete first. We just need to throw up a few more feet of trim, pick a new lighting fixture and hem the drapes. I am jittery with excitement to have it done. I thought the living room would be done first but we are still batting around the idea of putting in a bay window or some french doors there. I now have a just feeling that is one room that will always be in flux.
Tomorrow we are going to work on clearing out the work shop so that I can start to refinish my cabinet. I am excited for that project as well. I think I must just excite easily! :)
My next BIG project with be the computer room and finishing the bathroom. I was checking out prices of pedestal sinks when we were at Kent today and they really are not very expensive. Of course I haven't told Gil that I also want to re-tile the floor but it is such a small room I think I will be able to do it myself without much effort. The paint will also have to be touched up when I put in the pedestal sink, which is fine, I need to fix where I got the hair dye on the wall anyway, that damn stuff just won't come off.
Anyway once the main level is mostly completed I can turn all my attention up stairs! I am so excited for that!! (Yup there I go being excited again, what can I say?!) Hopefully in the near future David will start on the mural at the top of the stairs. That is so thrilling to me. To have a wall of ART in our home. I mean I love colour and part of the joy of owning a house is getting to paint, but even solid colours get a little boring after a while but this art project is going to be amazing, especially since the artist in question is so talented. Plus it means so much more to have art made by people you know, people you love. I know I could find something in one of those big poster books at the paint shop that I could live with but seeing a painting done by some one I love, each time I go in and out of my bedroom, that will mean the world.
The bedroom it's self is still a bit of a problem. I have idea but no inspiration. We would really love to incorporate our collection of Asian art and Buddha's in here, ideally we would like the colour scheme to be red and black with out being too dark (How do you do that??) but I have yet to find anything that ties it all together for me. I wish we could do one of those home renovation shows where they read your mind and give you the room you always wanted but just couldn't pull together. It will all come in time. I know this. I am just excited and impatient.
One last note before I run away. I was going out to the car this afternoon and I notice spring flowers peeping through in my garden!! I am over the friggin' moon. I am going out to play for a moment if the rain will hold off just a little while. YAY!! Spring is VERY welcome this year. Winter felt VERY VERY long!