HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAUV!



Hope you are out celebrating and having fun!!!


Ellis-Still waiting for a sign? You need to get a big Sunday paper with lots of inserts in it. THAT will have a sign I bet!!! I agree with you about spraying down all the rooms. I used to do that in the back (laundry & cat litter) room of my old house. It was on a slab and had a drain in the middle of the floor. But now I have a basement, so THAT makes me happy too!!! Thanks for the compliment about the jewelry. I am so far behind at work right now it isn't funny. And today I slept until 11:30!! I haven't left the house yet. I got some done yesterday, but I'm going to have to get on a better schedule.

Soozie-Thanks for the input AND the encouragement! He had a few panic attacks at school, but has already found a way to calm himself down before they get out of hand. He found getting up and getting a drink of water helped, and luckily most of his teachers are good about letting him do that. He also still likes to cuddle, which is kind of unusual (but wonderful!) and that helps with closeness and starting conversations. Sometimes he also tries to "play" us, so I have to be careful about whether he is really anxious or he is angling for a way out of certain responsibilities. This past year was particularly bad. He started middle school, which is FULL of bullies, and after 9/11 in particular things got worse. His therapist says that 6th grade is always the worst, and that this year was particularly bad, so I'm hoping things will start improving. He has such a warm heart, and of course he is still my baby despite the fact that he is now almost as tall as me. It is really hard seeing your kids in pain of any kind. I'm hoping that by dealing with all this NOW he will have an easier adulthood. (I didn't start therapy until my thirties, which in my case was partly rebelling against my parents! Wish I had done it sooner like you!) Oh!! The ice creams were at Costco (the food court) They are WONDERFUL, but HUGE.

Ruthxxx-And you say you have a boring life? Yours seems more exciting than mine!!! It sounds like the family reunion was a lot of fun!! I would LOVE to be served a single malt scotch by a man in a kilt and no undies!!! I think DH would look GREAT in a kilt, and I've told him he could wear my tartan (my Mom is a Macpherson), but he refuses!!! They are pretty expensive though!!! We took the kids to the highland games a few years ago. What a blast! Actually, yesterday while we were at Costco, he said, "What do I have to do to get that Lemon Cheesecake into the cart?" ....hmmm...

Squeak-Hope you have a WONDERFUL time on your trip!! I know it will be good for you to get away for a while and see your friend.

Shel-How are you? Is everything still going okay?

Hey, Mauvais Rouge!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!

Hello everyone!

Thanks for all the birthday greetings! It feels great to be 29 again! I got a card and a song from work and taken out to lunch by my friend. A visit with my parents who got me a beautiful chinese urn and a swiffer wet jet kit When you get older you tend to get more practical gifts I guess.

When I got home there was a lovely bouquet of flowers waiting for me courtesy of DH (what a sweetie) and he has promised me a day of shopping on Saturday, what fun! I am so not looking at bathing suits though

Phew! I just spent forever trying to read all the posts from the last two days.

Soozie- the G-8 summit is a meeting of world leaders to discuss policies, economic trade, globalization, industry, etc,. It was held in Ottawa (where Ellis and I both live) last year and thousands of protesters marched on the city. There were some incidents of violence involving protesters and police, vandalism, a McDonalds had its windows smashed in. This year it was moved to a remote location in Calgary so that the same thing wouldn't happen again. The protesters decided to come to our city anyway since we are the nation's capital and the most logical place to protest if you can't get to where the world leaders are meeting out west, but the marches remained peaceful. We just had heightened security in the downtown core where I work and a prominent police presence, it was a little unsettling.

Ellis-there was a home decor supplement in the Saturday paper, it had ads for Sears, the Brick ect. That should have been your sign.
You should check out Futureshop they have some nice black ones and my stainless steel appliances that I swear I will own someday, I just visit them once in a while

My dream (and if I'm gonna dream, I'm gonna dream big) kitchen is painted a golden colour wash, old world Italian style meets modern convenience,with the slate tiles, stainless steel fridge with icemaker, dishwasher, professional cooktop with grill, double oven, wine fridge, double sink with high faucet, an island counter workspace with seating, a floor to ceiling corner cabinet for my exotic spices and hot sauce collection, and double doors that lead out to my herb garden...If I had this kitchen Martha Stewart would eat my dust! I like the idea of the drain for easy clean up.
Now if only I could find that winning lottery ticket!

Tiggerdiva-good luck with the papers! Just remember you will have a degree when it is all over.Your BF sounds like a sweetheart, my DH says things like that too he is very encouraging and supportive.

Ruthxxx-Wow! That sounds like a great weekend! Especially the part about the kilted man serving you single-malt scotch!

Squeeker- I am a city girl too, I don't mind hiking to the nearest coffee shop for a latte. Have a great time on your trip!

Hi Shel! Thanks for the Fly-By greetings! Your neice is a total cutie!

Christina- Yay! see I told you that you would drop those few pounds! Don't feel guilty about enjoying your time alone, it doesn't mean you love them any less and hey, absence makes the heart grow fonder.

Dentrassi-the BBQ went great! We sat around talking and eating and drinking beer, then we all walked up to Parliament Hill and
watched the fireworks. It was great!

Well gotta go- can hear a popsicle calling my name from the freezer, slightly muffled, somewhat anxious sounding but I can still hear it

Mauvais

Hi ladies I'm experimenting with this feature. I was jealous of your spiffy birthday greetings to Mauvais. So, I thought I check out the options. Okay, I'm over that, on to news of the day.
Den, I know what you mean about seeing your child in pain...today was incredibly hot here and I was racing my daughter into the babysitters house joking that we had to get out of the heat and into the air conditioning...she ran full force into the rear view mirror of my car. unfortunately her head was right at the height of the mirror. she smashed her head and fell down to her knees. I felt awful. She is a very low-key kid and very rarely gets hurt and she was bawling. I just scooped her up and carried her into the sitters to check out the damages. She settled down quickly because there was no blood. She was bruised more than she has been with other boo-boos but because there was no blood she was calm more quickly. She freaks when she sees even the tiniest droplet of blood.

She hit her eyebrow close to the bridge of her nose and it looked like she might get a shiner. We'll see what tomorrow morning brings. Anyway to make matters worse, I was dropping her at the sitter's house at about three o'clock and heading to work my partner was due to pick her up there at about four-thirty and dd would be asleep when I got home tonight. .. gosh, I know that i'm tired and mixing tenses and stuff but I hope you can understand this...my spelling also goes when I'm tired...

so, my little DD didn't want me to go to work...I said I really have to go now honey and she said, I just have to tell you one thing...that went on for awhile, with her having to tell me, "one more thing" and "one more thing" the last "one more thing" was, "Mommy, I really love you and when I'M home I want YOU to be home." I knew that she was just feeling like she needed me because of the boo-boo but she definitely tugged at my heart strings the little bugger.

I told her I'd come in and give her hugs and kisses when I got home and she said, "when I wake up in the morning will I see you in my bed?" so guess where I'm sleeping tonight???? Well, she'll only be my baby for so long. Though like you said about your son, Den, he'll always be your baby and he still likes to cuddle, but, I know someday she'll be too big for all this snuggling so I'm going to enjoy it while it lasts!!!!!

Den do you make jewelry as a profession or a hobby?? tell me more.... My undergrad degree is a bachelor of fine arts in printmaking...what was i thinking that i'd do with that degree?? I've gotten into quilting of late but have put my project on hold because of focusing on our renovations here.

Mauvais, your parents gave you a chinese urn and a swiffer??? what a combination... Though I have to say I have some friends who get really excited about swiffers. Talk about a normal life, Ruth. Can you imagine getting hot for a swiffer? Uh-oh, I suspect at least one of you out there is passionate about her swiffer and its intense cleaning ability and convenience of design. If so, please excuse my ignorant judgemental attitude!!!

and I do remember that whole rioting in the street in Canada thing from last year, I just didn't remember the name of the conference

Ellis you said Chris lives in Ottawa also...just her vacation cottage, right???
I'm clueless when it comes to converting C to F. When I was in high school they told us that we needed to learn the metric system because the US would be converting to it so we could be in step with the rest of the world. Hello, never happened....??????? good thing too because I never really learned it.

All this talk about kitchens....did I mention that we're getting our kitchen remodeled???? They start the renovations on July 15th. My partner is very stressed about all the prep work and clean up we'll have to do. In addition to the kitchen we have to have some structural work done to the foundation in one part of the house. The house will be jacked up because a support beam is over-spanned and failing...so, in addition to emptying the entire kitchen we have to take down pictures and empty the china cabinet in the dining room and basically secure anything that might fall and break when they jack up the house a few inches and everything shakes, rattles, and rolls.

we decided to start packing things up on the fourth of July since we're both off. We're also invited to a bbq. and our daughter's sitter asked if we could check in on her animals that day...can you say "over extended" ?? Our sitter
has two cute little dogs,(combo of dachshund and chihuahua) one is about a year and one is four months old. She has six cats and currently five kittens. The kittens are eight weeks old and totally adorable. They are chinchilla silver persians.

anyway, I'm sleepy and feel that i'm beginning to ramble. Wanted to tell you more about my kitchen, another day...didn't go for the dream kitchen tho, too expensive, but its going to be really beautiful and clean and new and functional, can't wait.....

Soozie

ps. Shel got to see your little neice today. What a total cutie she is...

BYE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am off to a half a day of work (which is probably going to be more then I can handle ). But by 11am I will be on the road. But because it is a 7 hour drive I am treating myself to a small pk of Tims. (For the rest of the US chicks that would be Timbits - The most amazing donut holes ever that also originated in Canada and are named for a hockey player. It is good to live close to the border. )

Take care of yourselves, you wonderful women.


And soozie - I have a Clorox Ready Mop and I *love* that thing but don't quite have the hots for it.


squeak

have fun squeakie!!
xo
ellis

good morning darlings

another alternachick is off to vacation wonderland. Timbits, Squeak? I'm glad to hear that Canada has SOMETHING to be proud of.

Listen, it's cooled right down to 80 F in here.

Soozie, your poor little girl! How's her eye today? Oh, and isn't it devastating when they don't want you to leave them? I don't blame you for sleeping with her last night... you're right, that's not going to last forever. My six-year old still seems like such a baby to me. (compared to his almost 13 year old sister) I was visiting my parents last night with my sister and daughter. I got a phone call from my DH and son. Had a lengthy conversation with my son. He's recently discovered a love for talking on the phone. He was asking when we were coming home, and suddenly he said, "I'm going to pee now mommy." I said, okay... hang up, you go and pee and I'll talk to you later. "No mommy, I'm going to pee NOW!" Suddenly I hear this tinkling noise! "I peed mommy, and now I'm going to POO!!" geez. What a treat... talking to your child while he's taking care of his bodily functions.
Soozie, Mauvais lives in Ottawa... I think that Chris has a cottage around Kingston. Is that right, Chris? Kingston is BEAUTIFUL!!

Mauvais, I'm glad you had a good birthday. A swiffer. heh heh. I don't have one, but I've heard they're fantastic.
I think I'd better check out those fridges.. thanks. We'll probably end up down at Leon's for some "Don't pay a cent" event. My biggest concern now is, what the heck do we do with the old fridge?
I love the sound of your dream kitchen. Just one thing you left out... The live-in maid to clean up after you cook your gourmet meals.

Den, I'm sorry you're getting behind at work. This heat doesn't help. Listen, there's got to be a faster way to earn some quick cash. I mean, keep your cool jewelry job, but what do you say we do a bank heist or something? A couple of chubby ladies with big straw bags and a couple of plastic guns. Do you have access to any guns? We don't have any in Canada. (oh, that was very low... pardon me, PLEASE!) No one would ever suspect you and I of doing anything bad. We look so innocent.
Did I tell you it's 80 in here? I think my brain is fried. Am I the only one without air conditioning?!

I'm going to sit in front of my fan. Darn, I thought it was supposed to cool down a bit today... we've still got a humidex warning and it's going up to 33 today. damn.

Hi everyone else! Kat, Ruthie, Shel, Chris.

Evening all!

Phew! It is so hot here, all I could think of on my walk home was the air conditioner better be on when I get there! BTW, I managed to walk up to the 5th floor today and I took the 14 flights down when I was leaving, Huzzah! I should have calfs( calves?) of steel in no time at this rate!

Soozie- your poor daughter! Hope she is better today and doesn't have a shiner. I am not that passionate about swiffers but hey if they make cleaner easier, then I am all for it. DH put the thing together and took it for a test drive, I said" well now that you know how to use it...." He just gave me a dirty look

Ellis-gee thanks for sharing that anecdote, glad I wasn't eating while I was reading it BTW-Timbits rule and Tim Horton's has the best fast food coffee ever! Canada also can be proud of the culinary delights known as buttertarts and Nanaimo bars

Den- I would help you with the bank robbery but they would suspect me in a minute, unlike you and Ellis who are the innocent looking ones I am the quiet aloof looking one and we all know you have to watch out for those quiet types

Ruthxxx-maybe you could lend your chicken purse to Ellis and Den for the bank Job!

Shel- are you hiding out on us again? Please check in so we know you are okay.

Tiggerdiva- did you get your papers done yet?

Squeek-I know you are away but you will read all the posts when you get back-so at least you will know that you are not forgotten!

Must dash-I am cooking dinner and I think I smell something burning

Talk to you all later!

hey all. am here, not hiding out. crazy couple of days. thanks for all the nice things you've said about Niece Hayley. Kind of a drive by again today.... OFF TOMORROW!!! HURRAH!

Mauv- sounds like you had a great birthday.

Soozie - *hugs* for you and your little one.

happy 4th to all the US chicks.

MMMMMMMMMMMMM Timbits............... love Timbits. love Tim Horton for opening a shop and selling timbits. love them enough to drive crosstown to get them.

did i mention that i love that smiley?

okay. off to be productive. (brand new box of Swiffers*weg*) *hugs* to everyone. more tomorrow.

Shel

Ok, now you girls have done it! When Hubby & kids call home tomorrow I am telling them "BRING HOME NANIMO BARS, MACINTOSH TOFFEE, ALL GOOD THINGS CANADIAN!!!!" YOu know I have never stopped into one of the Tim's. I should have known that they must be very good, since there seems to be one on every corner! Hubby always jokes that there are more doughnut places than Gas stations!

I just got home from helping my girlfriend & her partner painting some of their new house. Hardly seems fair that these 2 women have a larger home than my family of 4!

I hope that everyone is doing better than I have this week on this blessed diet!!!!!!!!!!! Not counting the 2 pounds that I went up & then came back down, I have lost less than a pound in the last week! I am OK with that if I am not being careful, but I have been! Not eating poorly or too much of anything! I can keep at this as long as there is some sort of progress, but it gets tougher each time I see no budge on that scale!

I actually live in PA, our cottage is in Kingston, Ontario. I would love to live there year around, except for 1 thing....WINTER!!!!!!!!! I hate the cold! PA is cold enough for me, but if I had my way, I would live somewhere that would not dip below 60! Course today's heat of 101 was just a bit much! On the news tonight they were talking about the heat in Canada too. I bet hubby is having a ball with 2 kids, his parents, Grandma, Brother, Sister & Sister in Law, at a cottage that is really only made for 4 adults max, & No air conditioning! Boy I really feel bad, not only do I not miss them, but I am sitting here chuckling just thinking about it. (Actually I am starting to miss them a little now....Not a lot, just a little tad!)

Well the WInsor Pilate tapes came today, guess that I will go try one of those tonight since it was entirely too hot to do any other form of exercise & my hips & calves hurt too much from dance class to try anything anyway!

Have a happy 4th everyone!

Oh BTW, I have a Swiffer, best $25 I ever spent! No more nasty buckets of water to mop the tile floor!

Sorry ladies!

I tried posting on Tuesday to wish Mauvais a HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY. Unfortunately, my computer at work wasn't agreeing with me! I can't talk long now, so this is a quickie! I'm leaving out of town tomorrow, and I won't be back until the 16th. My support and warm hugs are with all of you, and I'll post when I get home. Until then, take care!

Kat

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY !

HI!!!

Okay, last night I tried to post TWICE. And I hit the wrong button on my computer and erased it TWICE. At that point I gave up, but HERE I AM< BACK TO TRY AGAIN. (Don't TRY, DOOOO........as Yoda would say.)

Thanks for the good 4th wishes!!! I hear a bunch of BANGS outside, and I just hope they are fireworks and not guns. YES!! To all you Canadians, some people think the best way to celebrate the 4th (or ANY holiday for that matter!) in th US is to go outside and shoot their guns in the air. No thought for where the bullets come DOWN though!!!

Shel-FINALLY got to see your neice! She is a cutie-pie!!! That is one thing about c-sections, BEAUTIFUL HEADS!! (I had both mine by c-section, and all the doctors kept telling me how beautiful their heads were. It drove me crazy.) But she really is a sweetheart.

Mauv and Ellis-Here is the plan. Ellis and I go into the bank (since we are so innocent looking.) We wear chicken bun warmers on our heads as a disguise, and put the loot in Ruth's chicken purse. We use rubber chickens instead of guns, and throw rotten eggs if anyone gives us a hard time. Mauv, you drive the get-away-car, which should be some kind of Chickenmobile. I mean, if we are going to do this, it should be done in style!!

Soozie-I cringed just reading your post!! Your poor daughter. Is she okay now? I hope she didn't get a black eye. I can't sleep with my kids. Not only are they too old, but they have loft beds, and I'm afraid I would break 'em!! They are cool though! It is interesting that your BA was in printmaking. Mine was in Psychology!! Never got an advanced degree, and when I got out of school the state was busy laying off everyone with 10 years or less experience!! So I picked the wrong thing too!! I am making jewelry with a friend. She started the business (Pa Pa Mo Ju, named after her grandfathers papa Moshe and papa Julius), and I "helped out" one day and have been doing it ever since!! She pays me, so I am doing it professionally, but let's just say it is a good thing I'm not a single parent!! I have a lot of fun doing it though, and after all the **** jobs I worked over the years, this has really helped me regain some feeling of self-esteem and worth. We work mostly with copper and silver sheets, which we cut, mold, stamp, pierce, drill, solder, shape and VOILA!!! JEWELRY!!! At some point when we have the money I would like to take a welding class, since I have a few ideas for sculptures too.

Christina-Wish I could have alone time too!! I stay up on the computer to get mine!!!

Squeak-Hope you have a great vacation!!!

Ruthxxx-Still drinking that scotch? After you've had a few more tell us how you know they don't wear anything under their kilts.

Tigger-Hope you have a great time also!!!

Okay, I'm signing off before I delete this one too!!