Thursday Thirteen

13 things about being home alone

1. No loud rap/hip hop music loud in the kitchen.
2. No food was left on the table rather than scraped and cleaned up.
3. No dishwasher has been appropriately empty and filled without squawks.
4. No ABC gum left on keyboard, on dishes on sink next to the stop.
5. No shoes all over the entrance way.
6. No clothes leading trails to second floor bedroom have been non existent.
7. No cries of 'where's my cell phone -Fill in name here - sent me a text and I need to see what she/he said!' have not echoed through the house.
8. My make up is where I left it.
9. Hair brush hair dryer- see #8.
10. A non communicative spouse stomping around the house in his old man moccasins have not been around.
11. Access to the computer when ever I wanted it. The Blonde will tell you not accessed often enough. we had no chat time!
12. No worries about where is that child.
13. Missing her anyway and glad to have her home! with or without her father.

Wordless Wednesday

What a peaceful weekend.

An acquaintance was over for dinner on Friday evening. And at the last minute another friend called and asked me to go see Mama Mia with her. I told her to come join us for dinner instead and she did! So I had a great time... except for the army of ants that had invaded my dining room. UGH! Bad bad timing! I found the ant powder and shot the stuff all over the place but I am kind of worried that it created a bad start to my evening. I have been watching the dining room and living room now and the ants seem to have disappeared since RAID appeared onsite. Shall see what happens once I take the poison off the floor. I don't like having this stuff inside my house.
So the acquaintance left around 9:30 and the last minute friend and I decided to go see the last show of the night of Mama Mia. LOVED it LOVE it. Except - I don't know - Remington Steele just didn't cut for me as a singer. Not so good. Good to look at uh-huh yum yum - but - he really can't sing. Meryl Streep - is there any thing she can't do?!?! I want to go see it again!

Blondie has inspired me and I started looking at houses. I found a very nice new community being built with houses that are quite affordable and looking really lovely. Nine foot ceilings with crown moldings,open concept with gorgeous kitchens and quite manageable in size. Laundry rooms on the second story - gotta have it!

http://www.mattamyhomes.com/ottawa/communities/kanata.asp?id=1691

It looks like most of the current houses have been sold but I am already seeing *for sale* signs so I may get lucky when the time is right. I am also looking in other areas, but buying new is very appealing to me right now.

I just picked up Rebel and her BF and drove them to his place. All she was worried about was her little puppy. She loves this puppy almost more than she loves the BF. I hope that continues. He is quite a cute little thing and it clearly loves her to pieces too from the way he was wagging his little tail. She will be back this week. As she has a follow up from last week's biopsy, a stress test and a run through of the presentation she will be doing at one of the local Rotary Clubs next week with the charge nurse who has taken her on as her personal case.

The rest of the weekend has been pretty quiet. I had plans to do stuff - but I can't make myself move too much or do too much yet. No doubt I will need to get in gear, but these lazy days of summer are just perfect for sitting around reading books, drinking cheap sangria and day dreaming.

Friday Four -

cuz I didn't get a 13 on Thursday and can't think of FIVE either!

1. I really hate agonizing all day over one email to she who believes she must be obeyed- the so called she boss who is doing her best to slag me and treat me as if I am incompetent at best and an imbecile at worst.But it got done and I have to admit it is a work of art how I wrote back quite professionally yet managed to insure the incompetent factor was turned around. Seduced the big boss into going with me on business trips to Europe in September. Boss you really need to come with me - this is important for you and you will meet people AND learn a whole lot. Of course she agreed. bwa ha ha ha ha

2. Rebel. She' s prepared a great presentation for her first speaking gig. I am impressed. On paper it looks great. Hope she delivers it as well. On the other hand she is staying over night at BF's dad place instead of at home. These people who think this is OK irritate the hell out of me. WHY can't they respect what I want for my daughter instead of assuming they are married! They are NOT!

3. Rebel Junior - continues to ask for stuff via text messages. She is relentless. I mostly read and delete these days.

4. Sis in law tells me that her brother the SU, continues to not speak to her about anything. He was supposed to be there to relieve her of parental responsibility for a week or so, but it hasn't happened. The two brothers treat her as dismissively as the SU treats me. She is more than hurt on top of being tired. She tells me I am lucky to be able to divorce him because he is stuck as her brother. She has told HER sons that they had better never behave that way to their sister. She is disheartened. Too bad she doesn't drink. I highly recommend a lovely light single malt for this sort of thing.

Wordless Wednesday

Kitchen at Ukrainian Camp

Conversations.

telephone conversation to Rebel's phone

Voice - Hello?

{Hmmm thinks I - that's not Rebel or a voice I know.}

Me - Hi. I am looking for Rebel. {Is that BFF mom?}

Voice - No. Rebel forgot to take her phone with her. It's her mother in law.

Me - ummmm she's NOT married.

Voice - Well she lives with my son

Me - no, you mean she stays with your son part time. She lives at home - with me - her family. If she doesn't live at home she loses her medical benefits and I don't believe your son can afford to pay for her drugs which cost over $!500 a month.

Voice - well Rebel isn't here.

Me - yes I gathered that.

Voice - who did you say you were again?

Me - It's her mother. I know where to reach her. I am going to have to remind her to keep her phone with her.

Voice - Well I thought I'd better answer because my son keeps waiting to hear from her.

Me - well, I am sure she will talk to him after I do.


***** Text messages with Rebel Junior

RJ - I lost all my makeup today. I have no idea where it is and I can't leave the house without something on my face. :-(

Me - How do you lose a whole bag of makeup?

RJ - I don't know. I looked in the bag it was there. Next time I went to use it - all gone. Dad said he would replace it for me.

Me - no doubt. Good excuse to go shopping isn't it.

RJ - I love shopping but it's too bad since there had to be at least $50 worth of stuff - some brand new. I don't even know if I remember what I had except my face is all red and I have these pimples that I don't want people to see.

Me - well tell dad thank you when he takes you and get the scaled down versions.

RJ - Dad knows I love to shop and he will buy me what I need to replace. No need to scale.

******************************

and that's the kind of day it has been.

I Love a Quiet Weekend.

It was a lovely quiet weekend. Whenever I left the house I came back and it was just as I had left it. Clean counter tops, swept up floor, no one's clothes lying on chairs. I love it! Well except for the fruit flies. I've been setting my traps and killing them by the dozens. I really hate fruit flies so I stopped buying fruit for a bit and see if I can rid my house of these pests.

Rebel came home today for a few days I guess. She and the BF seem to have found a stray pup from somewhere. I told her no dog in this house yet. I do NOT need a doggie around though I am thinking when she is home alone during the Fall I may break down and let her keep him here - it would probably be good company for her. As long as I don't have to get involved. She has no idea how old it is, whether it has shots or not. NOTHING. Of course the BF has no money for this stuff. They've done nothing about it. sigh,... one more thing that will end up costing me no doubt.

I started looking at the financial reports I have to fill out for the mediation. Have I mentioned I HATE dealing with anything to do my finances? I manage a healthy budget at work, I am treasurer of one of our local professional associations BUT my own money - man I hate this stuff. BUT I will bite the bullet and get this done. The SU left a lot of his stuff lying around in his lair in the basement - so I now have all the investments updates for him, his current salary and a fairly decent idea of his bank balance. Photo copies to be made and put away and I expect this will be useful to me somehow.

My local video store rents DS games so I rented a couple to try them out. OY! Guitar Jammin and I don't get along at all. Probably because the songs are of no interest to me. I am told I MUST get Guitar Hero for the DS. Then there will be a few of us all sitting around jamming on DS lites because none of us actually knows how to play a *real* guitar. How goofy is that!?!?! The other game - Gourmet Chef is going marginally better - I can't seem to fry the steak properly nor cook the potato croquettes well enough or fast enough - and I keep burning the creme fraiche sauce. Stuff like that NEVER happens in real life when I cook dammit! I might buy this one. I seem to be getting some kind of bizarre RSI in my right hand because of the DS.

I love a quiet weekend. When's the next one?

Until then - Happy Monday!

Thursday Thirteen

13 things said to /asked of me in the last 13 hours

1. Isn't it against the librarian code to have $18 worth of overdue books? (in the words of Alannis - isn't it ironic?)
2. We put her in the job because there wasn't anyone else. (I bit my tongue instead of talking)
3. We've been walking for almost a month now and I still haven't lost the 50 pounds! (did you gain it in a month?)
4. You need to sign the mediation agreement the mediator sent us. I filled it all out.(AS IF!)
5. Are we going to see Sex and the City finally? (no kidding! Am I the only one?)
6. How's the Rebel today?
7. Don't sign anything that jackbrat brother of mine gives you! (she doesn't swear- EvEr!)
8. Are you and dad getting a divorce? (WHERE did that come from?!?!)
9. Did you want extra value breakfast or just the mcmuffin? (self explanatory)
10. Does she really need $100 a week? (SU, of course)
11. When are you coming for a visit? (home town girls)
12. Dinner? at your place? great. What can I bring? (hello? Boone's Sangria!!!)
13. It's been ages - what at least five years. How ARE you? What's been exciting in your life lately? (Should I just hand him the book?)

Wordless Wednesday

What a day.

Last day before I go back to work. The kitchen is still a mess. I am still on strike. I fully expect they will leave on their trip and leave things as is. I don't even need to bet on it.

I have decided to get the last of the financials in order and sent over to the divorce financial specialist while the SU is gone. Then it's done and ready to roll. Though I don't plan on doing anything til summer is over.

RJ has been a brat all day.

Rebel is home today. I had a chat with her about letting her know that her sister is NOT her age and while its great that they are friends, she is not her sister's equal - in age in maturity or anything and not to treat her as such. She's a handful enough. Not sure whether it will make a difference or not, but RJ is not Rebel - yet! I am glad that she'll be out of my way for two blessed weeks.

And Rudy had good advice in yesterday's comments. AH yes indeed... meditate, peace and tranquility at home. I will revel in it!

It's always something!

Yes I am back from camp. Laundry is done. Most of the camp stuff is put away but I do have to finish off some paperwork from the kitchen so we will be ready for next year.

RebelJunior went home half way through the week. There were only a few girls her age this year. She knew them all and seemed to be having a pretty good time. Something went wrong though and after a full day at the water park where I was told she was having a lot of fun as well as being helpful with the little kids she decided she *had* to go home. She was relentless- as she always is. I told her to sleep on her. Wednesday she wrote a Ukrainian egg and coloured it and again helped the little kids on her team. And then it started - her relentless rude, loud blah blah blah. The director suggested she think long and hard before leaving. One of her good friends came from Toronto and when she left there would be no buddy for her. RJ was having none of it. And by late afternoon - I had had enough of her mouth and called the SU to come get her. It's only 75k away and it didn't take him long.

There was some girl drama going on involving the the two 15 yr old boys and something happened. But we could never discern what it was. Rebel got invo9lved and was going to get the BF to take her up to camp and get her. At one point I finally had to tell Rebel to butt out as she was the sister and not the parent. So her last year at camp ended on a rather sour note. I still don't know what the issue was. She claims she was bored and tired of doing the same thing that she has been doing for the last ten years, Well, she could have told me two days before we went instead of two days after. We parents who were there are quite sure something went on in the group. And once RJ digs into a position she becomes stubbornly stuck on it whether it is in her best interests or not.

Interestingly enough, the SU handed me a bottle of wine as he took RJ away saying I might need it! The first thoughtful thing he has done in years! As it was I had already been handed two frozen margaritas and was well on my way to burning dinner that evening!

The rest of camp went well. Sun, quiet for me between meals, not bad weather for the most part. A gazillion mosquitoes rather killed a lot of the night time activities - Deer flies and horse flies were also biting madly. We had conversations about whether it was inappropriate to place bets on the teams while they played Capture the Flag and Manhunt - but didn't let it stop us! My photo essay ( animoto video) of *my* week at camp - coming soon!

I arrived home to a disaster in the kitchen and have my back to it even as I type. RJ said as I walked in "do NOT say a word about the kitchen Mom. You should have seen it when I got home!" sigh. I am not going into clean up mode. I am disgusted but I refuse to clean up adults and those who believe they ARE adults.

SU leaves Wednesday night for the east coast to visit his parents. How did Lily and Rudy phrase it elsewhere - two sleeps and he goes! His mom is quite sick. Congestive heart failure and in her late 80s. She isn't a good patient though. She doesn't follow her rules and exacerbates her own condition much to the frustration of the sister in law and main caregiver. RJ is going with him and he does want Rebel to go too. She was at camp with me for a couple of days but had nightmares her first night. Lots of stuff she still has to process I am thinking. She is not yet ready to be too far from home. She knows her grandma isn't well, but she has her own stuff to deal with. I told her to not do anything she wasn't ready to do and not to allow her dad to put pressure on her in any way. She knows this.

Today is my last day of leave. I am back at work tomorrow and just learned that the horrible woman who was my so-called manager last year has returned. I am in the process of booking an appointment with her boss our big cheese director to discuss this situation. I am not walking out of the stress of home into the stress of a bad work situation. I ended up walking out the stress last night and my poor walking partner was seriously over winded because of my need to pump it out! I am either going to have to start before her or take a longer walk when she is done.

It's always something!

Marie has gone to camp. See you in a week!

Camp. Cahoots. Chinks.

I wrote the job test on Thursday - four questions - two hours. Who knows how I did. I really have no clue. I have also applied for a different position at my current workplace. Time for a change. But it's not more money- just a change of scenery at my current level. I'll think about it.

I asked SU to please have a word about the danger of a young girl sneaking out in the middle of the night. I have no idea if he did or not. He's so preoccupied wanting to be her *friend* he doesn't do the discipline dad well at all. It's frustrating. I tell his sister this stuff and hopefully she can say something to him, however he doesn't have a good relationship with her either so not sure if that will be worth the effort or not.

We go to Camp this weekend. I'm not sure if I'll go up Saturday or Sunday yet. SU took RJ out to buy a stash of snacks for herself at camp This is totally unnecessary and I told him this as we have a canteen where the kids *earn* a bazillion points for all kinds of candy and crap during camp. He also bought her pop and breakfast cereal. When I saw the stuff I told both of them that this stuff was superfluous, unnecessary and wouldn't be going with her. I mean really! There is PLENTEE of stuff at camp no need for this stuff at all, and in fact it will probably be confiscated and returned on the last day.

SU thinks he is in cahoots with his daughter. The reality is - he's acting like a dorky 14 year old.

Rebel wants to come to the camp for a few days as well. Our adult cottage, fondly known as Shangri-La - no children allowed - is full up this year so I am not sure where she is going to sleep except in the bunks with the girls. I don't think she'll have a problem with that. SU will have to come and pick her up. The BF's having car problems and it has put a cramp in her style. There are starting to be some chinks in the love and romance side of this relationship.

I've noticed that the BF has occasionally called our phone in the middle of the night. I suspect he is trying to reach the Rebel on her phone and hits the wrong number. The last few times all I got was hang ups. I don't have caller ID but I hit *69 and got his number. I am trying to think of a good payback. I am thinking of setting my alarm for 5 ish , doing a *67 and calling his phone what a jack ass. Yes I am an adult but I mean REALLY!:!?!

I've been and gone to the dentist early this morning already. The little flipper false tooth is being repaired. I have a gap like a middle aged hockey player in the front of my mouth. I debated taking a picture and posting it - but I am not that brave - nor don't intend on getting that drunk either. Tooth will be returned later today!

Thursday Thirteen...

Update via 13!

1. SU went to a Canada Party hosted by his friend "the kid" and didn't come home til after 7 AM.
2. RJ had a friend sleep over on Canada Day and woke up at 3 AM turned the lights on and the two of them chatted away til they woke me up!
3. At 4:15 AM I finally had to go tell them to turn the lights out and go back to sleep.
4. At 4:45 I could hear the girls snoring and I was still wide awake.
5. Woke up at 10:35 AM and decided a trip to the water park with the girls was now out of the question.
6. Ate a toaster waffle that was over toasted to the point of crunchiness and felt a little hair line fracture in my "flipper" the false front tooth.
7. Finished the grocery lists for all the families for camp.
8. Strained the brain trying to find something else for a meal at camp besides fish sticks and fries.
9. Paid $18 for overdue library books.
10. Saw the dentist and have to give over the "flipper" for the day for either repair or a new one. I am going no where on Friday without a tooth at the front of my face!
11. RJ has a babysitting gig at the Eastern Rite Institute during a special study week for those interested in learning more about the rite.. 6 families - ( 3 families 17 children) 6 families 24 children. And that's where I stopped counting.
12. Towel bar fell off the wall in the powder room at the Rebel's birthday party. It's still not fixed. Neither are the printer cartridges loaded into the printer. I can't figure out WHERE the dang cartridges go! ARGH!
13. SU didn't move much out of his lair. As the place falls apart around him!

Wordle(less)

Happy Canada Day!!