tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88312463335369136502024-03-12T17:39:17.431-07:00Inadequate MaterialsWendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13635548083674337079noreply@blogger.comBlogger376125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831246333536913650.post-17796969474485899802019-06-01T07:44:00.000-07:002019-06-01T07:44:42.769-07:00Obama in OttawaLast night, we fought some crazy traffic and squeezed into the tiniest seats I've ever seen for a chance to hear Barack Obama speak.<br />
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As you can see, we weren't wealthy enough to afford the good seats up front.</div>
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Luckily, we had an excellent view of the Jumbotron!</div>
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Let it never be said that Major Dad and I have the skills to take a good selfie...</div>
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Those seats were seriously so tiny, the only thing that stopped me from getting up taking a walk to ease my back pain was the knowledge that the drop was so steep, jumping up might cause me to topple right off the balcony and be tackled by Obama's Secret Service detail. This is assuming I survived the fall. I truly don't know how Senators fans do it.<br />
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It was a fun (and incredibly expensive) evening. Obama is a smart and interesting man. He discussed (among other things) how the current state of the world is part of a pattern seen throughout history, and how many young people are doing the important work that needs to be done to bring about better times. In his usual dignified way, he didn't slag anyone off or say anything wildly controversial, but he has a great way of leaving you feeling some optimism in a truly depressing political climate.<br />
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So, we're broke but hopeful. Not a terrible way to start the weekend. Happy June!Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13635548083674337079noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831246333536913650.post-80111053546476858492019-05-06T10:05:00.000-07:002019-05-06T10:41:02.957-07:00Preparing for the Worst<div>
My youngest went for a long-awaited MRI on Friday. Because he's non-verbal and can't stay still, things like this require the poor guy to have a general anaesthetic, which turns a 45-minute scan into a day-long ordeal, complete with fasting. Tell any 13 year-old boy he can't have breakfast, or lunch, or even water, and see how well that goes over. </div>
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My zen-like commitment to meditation and mindfulness somehow went right out the window during the build-up to this event. By the time we were leaving the house at 6:30 AM, I'd already prepared myself for the following dramatic scenes:</div>
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<li>an early-morning wrestling match at the fridge</li>
<li>a tantrum all the way to the hospital</li>
<li>arriving late because of rush-hour traffic</li>
<li>more wrestling matches in the waiting room, during sedation, at gas-mask time, and after waking him up in recovery</li>
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For the record<b style="font-style: italic;">, not one of these things actually happened</b>. </div>
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As is often the case when you're married to the military, I was on my own for this, but my sister did come to the hospital just before lunchtime to help me get him out to the car in a wheelchair, which also did not turn out to be the wild fiasco I'd invented in my mind. The day went immediately from medical melodrama to buddy comedy. My only regret is forgetting to take a picture of us getting stuck in the elevator and pushing him out of there <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098627/" target="_blank">Weekend at Bernie's</a> style. </div>
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Here's a shot of my not-so-little monkey shortly after our arrival at the MRI department:</div>
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Not overjoyed with the backless gown, but certainly not in a state that would end with a heart monitor being thrown across the room (another scenario I mentally prepared for).</div>
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When we got home (completely beating the rush-hour traffic I assumed would plague us both ways), I found this waiting for me in the mailbox:</div>
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Thank you so much to <a href="http://shewhoseeks.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Debra She Who Seeks</a> for this absolutely lovely surprise. The universe was truly in alignment that day, as it couldn't have arrived at a better time! </div>
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And so, a day I dreaded for weeks turned out just fine, and then some. Apparently I'm not the zen master I like to think I am.</div>
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So, the obvious lesson here is that there are better ways to spend my energy than letting my mind go wild preparing for disaster when there's no sign any such thing is imminent. This week, I will listen to some podcasts, do a little crafting, eat some refined white carbs when no one is looking, and enjoy this amazing spring weather. </div>
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Unless, of course, the house catches fire. Or the car blows up. Or the cat eats a pack of silica gel...</div>
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Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13635548083674337079noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831246333536913650.post-81878514610235189022019-04-20T11:58:00.001-07:002019-04-21T07:29:10.997-07:00Week (or so) in ReviewLife continues to truck along around here. The snow is finally all gone, and has been promptly replaced with equal amounts of rain. But I'm British, so this is fine with me. I have an impressive collection of Wellington boots, and all my hobbies involve staying indoors until the weather looks better anyway.<br />
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Thanks to Debra at <a href="http://shewhoseeks.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">She Who Seeks</a> for the really fun Tin Foil Hat contest. Anakin thoroughly enjoyed participating.<br />
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If I'd planned this properly, I'd have pulled back a little and turned that Elizabethan Collar around the right way, but of course, I got two shots off in rapid succession before the entire get-up was shredded and lying on the floor. Like kids, cats don't appreciate a thing you do for them.<br />
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Most of what's on my TV these days is the NHL playoffs, so I decided to make old Hubs a pair of lucky socks. I've wanted to knit socks for years but wasn't confident I could pull it off. Any time I've ever seen anyone working on socks, I've had my head cocked to the side like a confused dog because I can't see how on earth you'd work something that looks like this:<br />
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Turns out, this isn't complicated at all, and I should have tried it years ago. I finished the last sock just as the Leafs scored their second goal last night, so it looks like they might already be working. Time will tell. The real miracle is that they actually fit.<br />
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The most exciting thing that's happened to me lately is my order from <a href="http://bookoutlet.ca/">bookoutlet.ca</a>. Truly, there is little in life more thrilling than sitting down with a cup of tea and opening up a big box of books you got online at a deep discount. Here's a sample of my haul:<br />
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Knitting, vegetarian cooking, and meditation. I'm in for another good week!<br />
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I was also very excited to find a knitting book that turned my head a few times way back in the 90's, when book shopping still happened in an actual store:<br />
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"Classic" knitting patterns from Calvin Klein, Donna Karan and all sorts of other high-end designers. This will surely be the knitting book that turns me into the town fashion icon, right?<br />
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Uhhhh...perhaps not. Literally every 90's-style sweater in this book is wide enough to fit two of me, but short enough you'd have no choice but to look at my bare midriff. And at my age, this is not a place any of us wants to go. Still, a fun read at a great price. And now I know exactly what my superhero costume will look like as soon as I can find a radioactive gorilla to bite me.<br />
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Wishing everyone out there a happy and chocolate-soaked Easter weekend!<br />
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<br />Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13635548083674337079noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831246333536913650.post-7334822303103912532019-04-02T09:29:00.000-07:002019-04-02T09:29:01.789-07:00Autism AwarenessI've been active (if you could really call it that) with my local autism support group for a couple of years now. I am technically listed on the executive board as "Secretary". The fact that I had to type that word using two fingers is a little ironic. And I have done nothing remotely involving paperwork since I started with the group, nor do I dare touch any of the finances. My role has actually been a little closer to "Chief Crafter", occasionally dragging my eldest, <i>tech-iest</i> child along for some help with tasks that involve the computer.<br />
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As today is World Autism Awareness Day, and as I'm already starting to backslide on my blog, I thought I'd share a few of the crafts I've come up with to hopefully sell at our local fundraising walk this summer. Most of these can be made with less than a buck's worth of dollar store or ebay items. The most expensive item (the bookmark) still comes in at well under $2.<br />
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Faux suede cord and clasps from Dollar Tree. Puzzle charms purchased on ebay.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdEOWSI1zqsXr18NTeZYexYDtVvY5NoDrMptJyGP0tYc5e6SDkdwXukS0H3unO-jjnjL5gKHX2d2UkxdKRGb_qdYW9oZ7nxknzijoC57H2_ZNQdReyFCk-_hjNdupXzF1HBrSisz9P7p0/s1600/thumbnail_20190402_114323.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdEOWSI1zqsXr18NTeZYexYDtVvY5NoDrMptJyGP0tYc5e6SDkdwXukS0H3unO-jjnjL5gKHX2d2UkxdKRGb_qdYW9oZ7nxknzijoC57H2_ZNQdReyFCk-_hjNdupXzF1HBrSisz9P7p0/s320/thumbnail_20190402_114323.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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Ear wires, jump rings, cardboard puzzle and baggies all from Dollar Tree. The puzzle pieces are just painted metallic and then I stuck a pin through them!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8VGbTiJuzqoRc1O5pR29Exv-LXc3DmR_3TIqUAy8hgty5barZHs6MpdzwM-Wv0WHU6uOUXIKOyTkNrGZqFI-NHRft6PQFqfNDQaQ-R3v1u2pGaI9fW8eVye3iRZ8CWKnrh7xQ_GqYbdM/s1600/thumbnail_20190402_114256.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8VGbTiJuzqoRc1O5pR29Exv-LXc3DmR_3TIqUAy8hgty5barZHs6MpdzwM-Wv0WHU6uOUXIKOyTkNrGZqFI-NHRft6PQFqfNDQaQ-R3v1u2pGaI9fW8eVye3iRZ8CWKnrh7xQ_GqYbdM/s320/thumbnail_20190402_114256.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Bookmark, silver puzzle charm, beads, and round photo pendant charm are all from ebay. Everything else is, once again, Dollar Tree. The puzzle paper in that charm is a digital download from Etsy, printed on card stock at good old Staples, and finished with a little dab of <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Mod-Podge-Dimensional-2-Ounce-CS11215/dp/B008GNHNMQ/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_1?hvadid=232523802631&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9000707&hvnetw=g&hvpos=1t1&hvqmt=e&hvrand=15458040357823101511&hvtargid=kwd-319909585372&keywords=dimensional+magic+mod+podge&qid=1554221931&s=gateway&sr=8-1-fkmrnull" target="_blank">Mod Podge Dimensional Magic</a> (kind of expensive for glorified glue, but a little goes a long way).</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Happy World Autism Awareness Day!</div>
Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13635548083674337079noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831246333536913650.post-29240281371684065912019-03-24T10:42:00.000-07:002019-03-24T10:42:51.962-07:00Let Me Tell You How I Really Feel<br />
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<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Like everyone else trying to avoid the current state of the world, I
spend too much time on Pinterest. Whoever came up with this site is a genius.
It’s the perfect way for serial procrastinators to believe they’re doing
something productive. At this very moment I have 1879 projects pinned and
waiting to be completed. In the handful of years since I started pinning, I
have completed approximately 6 Pinterest projects. Perfect crime.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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On a related topic, if you are a procrastinator or
general scatterbrain, I highly recommend <a href="https://gretchenrubin.com/podcasts/" target="_blank">this podcast</a>. It will present you with
countless handy habit-changing strategies that you can tuck away in your brain to either try or ignore. It’s basically Pinterest for your ears.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Anyway, while pinning projects I know full well I'm never going to get around to, I've come across a few mugs that really speak to where I am in life. Case in point:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmRMRwmUL9fcn7xd9ujJsyxaFdN6IzB6b0td839sTFZI1kxLkhbV-WfT-X_CH5ebMbovXklCrPBB8viRdSKm-wgCscKy15F0B0OM3wEtKU61PuMXtzoVyKROnBbFLb3Y0NqW8meUcynFg/s1600/133bb391959427594b7d3a45867d9d21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="614" data-original-width="474" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmRMRwmUL9fcn7xd9ujJsyxaFdN6IzB6b0td839sTFZI1kxLkhbV-WfT-X_CH5ebMbovXklCrPBB8viRdSKm-wgCscKy15F0B0OM3wEtKU61PuMXtzoVyKROnBbFLb3Y0NqW8meUcynFg/s320/133bb391959427594b7d3a45867d9d21.jpg" width="247" /></a></div>
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If there's one thing that makes up for the wrinkles and chin hair that happen after 40, it's that I'm now also completely disinterested in everyone else's drama.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0yzWwlUDbnhkhLA9s3pIJSYz8mzEcThKvwRM4zxpJNhuHJzmgVWj9_kqmCpRQzZlH0drogsFCjfrBXMxL5qfkMxUIDmtifJ6lE_lq0z7W8QwEF0tj_wmL4VpFbSX6ceoZIEBSpzMXezA/s1600/7bc98819884008b9c0e5921af566f0b4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0yzWwlUDbnhkhLA9s3pIJSYz8mzEcThKvwRM4zxpJNhuHJzmgVWj9_kqmCpRQzZlH0drogsFCjfrBXMxL5qfkMxUIDmtifJ6lE_lq0z7W8QwEF0tj_wmL4VpFbSX6ceoZIEBSpzMXezA/s320/7bc98819884008b9c0e5921af566f0b4.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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You've been warned.</div>
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And just in case those first two didn't get my point across:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5G7U8trWUs37vr1sdNDOnzf2Aig5DGm4Qz4SOYRFhky2K-FwJrbzWRCkSkJ6N9db9iO8ajV94z2T_RSmaXp8hc0w2noiPaQ55ZGHqpmI81ovoyQnVamc28JgFZXVQx1ECgEOSno_Uxb4/s1600/89afaea89bc5ef8b94d13007e96b5167.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="558" data-original-width="563" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5G7U8trWUs37vr1sdNDOnzf2Aig5DGm4Qz4SOYRFhky2K-FwJrbzWRCkSkJ6N9db9iO8ajV94z2T_RSmaXp8hc0w2noiPaQ55ZGHqpmI81ovoyQnVamc28JgFZXVQx1ECgEOSno_Uxb4/s320/89afaea89bc5ef8b94d13007e96b5167.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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In other bad news, mornings have not gotten better with age either:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgisPPJpAk2iYWAmBTFiqhRGzyea_1c4kdbdkx8do5MluuwxbJ5Lff5xps8Hn9OwobDdUfIOImoy70OoS7_jhZz68JKPyJcDNh5MUIAeEK6Nv39ZEQt3tnodfJfi8dzIwWK6oHBZ_vEMD0/s1600/744faf22bb3f4c8c58f8aea83ff0b086.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="224" data-original-width="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgisPPJpAk2iYWAmBTFiqhRGzyea_1c4kdbdkx8do5MluuwxbJ5Lff5xps8Hn9OwobDdUfIOImoy70OoS7_jhZz68JKPyJcDNh5MUIAeEK6Nv39ZEQt3tnodfJfi8dzIwWK6oHBZ_vEMD0/s1600/744faf22bb3f4c8c58f8aea83ff0b086.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaflw9lW9eYdsSpNQ4jrYy4d-ip0HSWr0x5VoIJ4sbSNebZdI0npyMZTCRfrQLizYF2uEEVjnMfTm-B4YfY5_KYB-UlZnda-LG0NX7QDNuKsbkSBdyjQI9sJTNKRmTPs2g3roPtjM2O1k/s1600/1272x920latte-mug_accessories_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="920" data-original-width="1272" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaflw9lW9eYdsSpNQ4jrYy4d-ip0HSWr0x5VoIJ4sbSNebZdI0npyMZTCRfrQLizYF2uEEVjnMfTm-B4YfY5_KYB-UlZnda-LG0NX7QDNuKsbkSBdyjQI9sJTNKRmTPs2g3roPtjM2O1k/s320/1272x920latte-mug_accessories_01.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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There's even a mug out there that illustrates the unspoken terror of attending yoga class:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN5SJg8V3NNR_oOr_cBhgxNzhZfCTH33KHfhvgmKKjgbnRHwY46lGjTgyJ9pVhY6BUm90ZUYoqKhKwTxX7MouDzh2K45_HYT2S_6B80oymMw7fUYeBiIUHgSKydAu_thHTXr5tJA7UhiA/s1600/mug1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="460" data-original-width="263" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN5SJg8V3NNR_oOr_cBhgxNzhZfCTH33KHfhvgmKKjgbnRHwY46lGjTgyJ9pVhY6BUm90ZUYoqKhKwTxX7MouDzh2K45_HYT2S_6B80oymMw7fUYeBiIUHgSKydAu_thHTXr5tJA7UhiA/s320/mug1.jpg" width="182" /></a></div>
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The struggle is real.</div>
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<br />Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13635548083674337079noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831246333536913650.post-14014927744041199412019-03-17T08:18:00.000-07:002019-03-17T08:18:08.222-07:00Spring Break Recap<br />
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<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">And poof! Just like that, spring break is over.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Don’t feel too badly for me. For reference,
this is what spring break looks like in my neck of the woods:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDOj1FRnQUXE4PdJKxSUwetUVpm5hVuU4M7Fgify17yolN2he-IdWZKDZdOqAKaE21ak7mWbLDQoyZPLODab2gMNE9PGUB8PRvx1aRpBYeJsn1mFFwsQJWo0eqlOPCMvWudopdxWuDZCk/s1600/20190314_111917.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDOj1FRnQUXE4PdJKxSUwetUVpm5hVuU4M7Fgify17yolN2he-IdWZKDZdOqAKaE21ak7mWbLDQoyZPLODab2gMNE9PGUB8PRvx1aRpBYeJsn1mFFwsQJWo0eqlOPCMvWudopdxWuDZCk/s320/20190314_111917.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Those snow banks are so high, it’s getting to a
point where I can’t see the neighbours anymore. Which, to be honest, is exactly
how I like it. But that’s not the point.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">My 13 year-old had three days at a fantastic
autism day camp where he had the time of his life, and spent the rest of the
break raiding the fridge. My 15 year-old spent the week alternatively holed up
in his pit of a bedroom writing code, hanging out with his friends, and raiding
the fridge. </span></div>
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<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">It has just dawned on me why there’s never anything in the fridge.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The other exciting event of spring break:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMTvfZEFAASIraZlqRVpMvYk5bSVA_qKCPe5cmiS96vIkUx2OwtwGWr-VHN1neq9rLVA20VMUW3gIHDE9LCjrCovvPI3hPoiwsRBn4-D213stOY1sPqIerVTqlex8CX5hfUIGXnpd8F6c/s1600/image_20190315_081130.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMTvfZEFAASIraZlqRVpMvYk5bSVA_qKCPe5cmiS96vIkUx2OwtwGWr-VHN1neq9rLVA20VMUW3gIHDE9LCjrCovvPI3hPoiwsRBn4-D213stOY1sPqIerVTqlex8CX5hfUIGXnpd8F6c/s320/image_20190315_081130.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span></div>
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That’s a full tub of homemade <a href="http://www.teamyogurt.com/posts/2016/3/30/making-yogurt-in-an-instant-pot-is-it-worth-it" target="_blank">Instant Pot Yogurt</a> splashed all the way from the kitchen to the plasma car (why do we still
have a plasma car?!). I won’t rat on who caused that calamity, but I <i>will</i> give
you a hint. He’s in the picture. That cat is a real ding-dong.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Realizing I kind of let “spring” break slip
through my fingers, I attempted to make the most of yesterday and used a
Pinterest recipe to make my own rose water, using some almost-dead roses I bought
at the grocery store. Now I have half a jar of what tastes like pink spinach
water in my fridge. Maybe one of the hungry teenagers will drink it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Steak and Guinness Pie tonight. Happy St.
Patrick’s Day!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13635548083674337079noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831246333536913650.post-64384736926093947442019-03-10T11:33:00.000-07:002019-03-10T11:33:36.169-07:00Round Two<br />
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<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Are blogs even a thing anymore? Let’s find out!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">A couple of times a week, I think about this
abandoned blog. I didn’t simply forget about it one day and leave it behind. I
just couldn’t quite get the posts right anymore. It took a while for me to
realize that the blog and my life have outgrown each other, and if things are
to ever move forward, one of us is going to have to change. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The bad news is that I can’t go back to having
toddlers. And there is not a sad enough emoji in existence to express how I
feel about that one.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Once I could talk about two year-olds smearing
poop on the walls, playing soccer naked, and generally being hilarious. Now I
have teenagers. And anyone who was ever a teenager knows that it’s not cool to
violate their privacy all over the internet, whether anyone’s reading or not.
And besides, teenagers aren’t hilarious. They’re horrifying.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">So, just like in real life, I’m going to have
to switch gears here and focus on me. I’m burning this thing to the ground and
rising back up, like the phoenix from the ashes. Or, if I’m being honest, more
like a confused pigeon covered in soot.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Let’s start again. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Firstly, there are no dogs anymore. Within a
five-month period in 2017, they were both gone, leaving me with a big hole in
my soul, and only an obsessive-compulsive cat to fill the pet void. My main
take-away from this is that cats are not dogs. Even sweet cats with brains the
size of a peanut.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">A few things are less different. Working continues
to not be an option for me, so I stumble around trying to find ways to add
meaning to my existence, and this move to the National Capital Region has been
really helpful in expanding my options. Yoga has become a very solid feature in
my day-to-day existence, and my New Year’s Resolution this year was to master
Crow Pose. For those of you not familiar, this is what Crow Pose looks like:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">photo via <a href="https://www.pinterest.ca/" target="_blank">pinterest</a></span></div>
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<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">If weekly photos of a middle-aged woman falling
on her butt and suffering a concussion sound like something you’d enjoy, do
stay tuned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I am now also active with my local autism
support group, and I will never, ever give up crafting. Cards, jewellery,
sewing and knitting projects call to me all day long, which is why I own three
floor-cleaning robots and I still can’t keep my house clean.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My obituary will likely read : “Died trying
to finish one more row.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Frankly, I don't think it's such a bad way to go.</div>
<br />Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13635548083674337079noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831246333536913650.post-48785038052621630792017-07-01T04:37:00.002-07:002017-07-01T04:42:14.766-07:00Happy Canada Day!Well, I've already started to backslide on my blog. But what can I say? Those last couple of weeks of school are CRAZY! I have an iron or two in the fire that I'm hoping to share in the coming weeks. In the meantime, Canada celebrates its 150th birthday today!<br />
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We contemplated celebrating our first Canada Day in the area by going downtown and checking out the festivities, but as it's such a big one, and as we'd be dragging along an autistic tween with crowd and noise issues, and a surly teenager with embarrassing parent issues, it seemed like more of a punishment for us than a celebration. So we decided to stick to the activities available to us in the immediate vicinity, which are actually plentiful and impressive.<br />
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You know what else is plentiful and impressive? The RAIN we're getting this grey, miserable Canada Day! Here's a look at an hour-by-hour forecast of what we're in for today:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoy_LFyPq1jg59vB6AgeKkWvH5s_Z4hofaG4sBkCY6gtWeTFgIP7kvPQXVHbRqbF9VTJk8W1KSdKYV0cPnP5m-0SGw4EhvDRyBGyFjZ_7ypq_4I24_JD3u7llffnCjJw3iEaPz5i_EsiY/s1600/rain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="923" data-original-width="488" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoy_LFyPq1jg59vB6AgeKkWvH5s_Z4hofaG4sBkCY6gtWeTFgIP7kvPQXVHbRqbF9VTJk8W1KSdKYV0cPnP5m-0SGw4EhvDRyBGyFjZ_7ypq_4I24_JD3u7llffnCjJw3iEaPz5i_EsiY/s640/rain.jpg" width="338" /></a></div>
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Universe, strike me down now! It's Canada's 150th birthday, and I'm not sure we're going to be getting any fireworks tonight! How exactly am I supposed to blow my hand off and take advantage of our amazing access to universal health care?!<br />
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In addition to this fun, my youngest gets air pressure-related migraines, so it's going to be a memorable Sesquicentennial all round!<br />
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I hope all my other Canadian friends are having better weather today than we are. Watching your fireworks on TV might be the best we can hope for! But take heart! Rain or shine, there is always one important thing to be thankful for on July 1st, perhaps this year more than any other: WE ARE CANADIAN!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Vd0sbe-Tpcn41jVsx7Twb6S9bd0rBYWvsecOOlEjKY9yFGSAGmBz65qZK5hjOEsPkCTrhSe1NL3sndoLpnDArCdvLUsG8P_aec_yQh-7jYFuzCpqBDWqPGmRuK0aeK3ERgOBwb9_IoU/s1600/Canada+Day.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="416" data-original-width="1020" height="161" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Vd0sbe-Tpcn41jVsx7Twb6S9bd0rBYWvsecOOlEjKY9yFGSAGmBz65qZK5hjOEsPkCTrhSe1NL3sndoLpnDArCdvLUsG8P_aec_yQh-7jYFuzCpqBDWqPGmRuK0aeK3ERgOBwb9_IoU/s400/Canada+Day.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Have a great day, and a wonderful long weekend, my fellow Canadians!Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13635548083674337079noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831246333536913650.post-19645340639267613192017-06-14T08:19:00.002-07:002017-06-14T08:19:50.085-07:00That Darned CatAfter we had to let Finnegan go (and I swear I'll stop talking about this soon. Every time I start a new blog post, it seems to come out again. This is cheaper than therapy.), I must have been suffering from some residual guilt or something, because I got into this mode where I was obsessed with making life more luxurious for my remaining two pets. So, off to the sewing machine I went and made new beds for them. Then I went a step further and decided that the cat needed me to convert an old IKEA table into an activity station for him, with his new bed underneath. Here is what that looked like:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy51HFHoLcNTVaLV6iL6Q2fUOAtDfTDun5Noy-eIOBsOmTAkVfj6iLzO52Ajf8gkCr0aQT-p9_B5PL4TvnnnGDJeqJSAFkSddH5SKgeD4c99hScxmKaimH_fvOwrt_zv9UkoPDVZgfo4s/s1600/2017+-+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy51HFHoLcNTVaLV6iL6Q2fUOAtDfTDun5Noy-eIOBsOmTAkVfj6iLzO52Ajf8gkCr0aQT-p9_B5PL4TvnnnGDJeqJSAFkSddH5SKgeD4c99hScxmKaimH_fvOwrt_zv9UkoPDVZgfo4s/s640/2017+-+1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Note that there is no sign of the cat anywhere in this picture. That is the normal state of his activity station/bed.<br />
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Instead, this is where the cat can generally be found at any given time of the day or night:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheuQVsb18psZXh33AFRxuenFAdaxeDFFqqmJVXyoTV677bKb1j0nft3ddyuLiUUMOsKQ6PfsZc3fQRXicMEV9NzFTeJx-S6_8ZCn1neQjjdQXdFC8hROOuCe12Tub3H4dzsljXWvt63uQ/s1600/20170612_145114.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheuQVsb18psZXh33AFRxuenFAdaxeDFFqqmJVXyoTV677bKb1j0nft3ddyuLiUUMOsKQ6PfsZc3fQRXicMEV9NzFTeJx-S6_8ZCn1neQjjdQXdFC8hROOuCe12Tub3H4dzsljXWvt63uQ/s400/20170612_145114.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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On someone else's bed.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9HTXrYidxv8ur15RKNUtTOEnUO0y_bb2_qgtzsTyC84m2Lr8M-Xmmbvj6YUbLgXE0hH0zrTJhX6Ju-rsc9IjBHFgvCBsvxLrNk5VIYI1uiNq51mfgsOVrn7tw9qqja3j7i6d0pJHf99Q/s1600/20170611_105550.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9HTXrYidxv8ur15RKNUtTOEnUO0y_bb2_qgtzsTyC84m2Lr8M-Xmmbvj6YUbLgXE0hH0zrTJhX6Ju-rsc9IjBHFgvCBsvxLrNk5VIYI1uiNq51mfgsOVrn7tw9qqja3j7i6d0pJHf99Q/s320/20170611_105550.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Under a completely different table, surrounded by clutter.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUHtxe_vPRJ2uCVtBvfisSQYwqe1aNk7LxyZqmD82OnKm6ciixAiKjFF9cfmzaloq0s79V3dZUsplIBkaVHHOkbDdVf9bVhfau6BI-ObnsxunWpwH7Jj5K30qvWBvGC-JAFrR_dWFSzWc/s1600/20170410_101840.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUHtxe_vPRJ2uCVtBvfisSQYwqe1aNk7LxyZqmD82OnKm6ciixAiKjFF9cfmzaloq0s79V3dZUsplIBkaVHHOkbDdVf9bVhfau6BI-ObnsxunWpwH7Jj5K30qvWBvGC-JAFrR_dWFSzWc/s320/20170410_101840.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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On the floor, in Finnegan's old spot.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3A39k0_lVooxFXmT46isCHIrijWwmiD9goa8ZW1lAfBxjGLHcpw5EwsFC06S8yr2LSYB_BVd9lbRFKhpwj22-3rzfUCyJnIhHUo2suzuEmIP5vpIAWfNXrQqc_3OT1fhjiPUQEiYRsqc/s1600/20170611_155421.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3A39k0_lVooxFXmT46isCHIrijWwmiD9goa8ZW1lAfBxjGLHcpw5EwsFC06S8yr2LSYB_BVd9lbRFKhpwj22-3rzfUCyJnIhHUo2suzuEmIP5vpIAWfNXrQqc_3OT1fhjiPUQEiYRsqc/s320/20170611_155421.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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In the laundry basket.</div>
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So I think it's safe to say the cat station can be converted back to an IKEA table. And someone really needs to remind me of this the next time I decide the animals don't have it quite cushy enough.<br />
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And while we're on the subject, what is going on with this situation?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDlQcSMuFTd8ACqcAI-0BI3UFpev8ZtrCbXglk5rkfLUUXPtO0NQQnEp4vUsCC6g1wOEmL9mdak3iL2SGTy8JvfCJNeNou0z1c3PB4c54eL5-8Zr4pzTlBlYgAQHP0lrwToiDItnz3OJQ/s1600/20170614_062802.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDlQcSMuFTd8ACqcAI-0BI3UFpev8ZtrCbXglk5rkfLUUXPtO0NQQnEp4vUsCC6g1wOEmL9mdak3iL2SGTy8JvfCJNeNou0z1c3PB4c54eL5-8Zr4pzTlBlYgAQHP0lrwToiDItnz3OJQ/s320/20170614_062802.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Ingrates.</div>
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<br />Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13635548083674337079noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831246333536913650.post-34096055796908521012017-06-11T07:33:00.000-07:002017-06-11T07:40:03.120-07:00A Sunday Before and AfterWith a big cross-country move comes some big changes. I spent my last three years in Manitoba substitute teaching at the kids' school. Returning to work on a part-time basis was literally the best thing I could have done for my mental health, and I miss it a great deal. Unfortunately, there are factors that make getting onto a sub list here difficult. We'd need a second car, I'd need some kind of backup child care plan for my youngest, and not being bilingual here really limits me, to name just a few. So it looks like that goal will have to wait a while. But fear not! You know me. I roll with the punches!<br />
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To keep myself busy, I have been working VERY slowly on getting our boring newly-build house looking like humans actually live in it (the kids and pets have been doing their part by systematically demolishing the finish on the hardwood floors). And what I've lost in hireability here, I've gained tenfold in thrifting opportunities. This area of the country is an absolute treasure trove!<br />
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I'm trying to keep focused (a <i>minor</i> issue with me) on one room at a time, so as to keep the momentum going. So I've been working on my dining room. Last fall, I found a sideboard at a used furniture store one town over for $30 and brought it home to see what could be done with it. It took me a while to get around to it, but here's the before-and-after:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_7CBvBpG9t2Ndrf2Mq4Hu4pOnkEw7AOm-GROjJKjEvym1XlzD4B7Y-5ODzWwHXmHevB5ljCPwVy59gFKsR6N3dEeUtmJ8dhRWoLQ2mqhQmm2K6LxyHJyr33beUk7V8fYD5jdreaAx3mA/s1600/Sideboard+Redo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="760" data-original-width="727" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_7CBvBpG9t2Ndrf2Mq4Hu4pOnkEw7AOm-GROjJKjEvym1XlzD4B7Y-5ODzWwHXmHevB5ljCPwVy59gFKsR6N3dEeUtmJ8dhRWoLQ2mqhQmm2K6LxyHJyr33beUk7V8fYD5jdreaAx3mA/s640/Sideboard+Redo.jpg" width="612" /></a></div>
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Now, I will never pretend to be a professional refinisher, but for our purposes I think I've taken a yucky old brown thing from the 70's and breathed some new life life into it. I'm not a fan of spray-painting, so I just got a regular old can of semi-gloss from Canadian Tire and had at 'er! I did spray the hardware silver, but am debating replacing it with something a little more plain at some point. We'll see. This sideboard turned out to be the perfect size to house my large collection of cookbooks, and that big window is very sunny, so Finnegan's ashes sit right on top (surrounded by a <a href="http://www.thedoctorwhosite.co.uk/tardis/" target="_blank">TARDIS</a> or two for extra protection) where I can say hi to him every morning.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF3Un7n6KraP42-motYm39IOGhdU69BUct_UTxJN2zCoQ24fFoFvgDpg__XubVq9VkkPVz9NiyBSCaCeoAlC5kE6DslgDTM8sSLTrdycbgoqGgTaPoDDuTW3Gk8ZXEzqJ3AFWZhxRsENo/s1600/20170611_101247.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF3Un7n6KraP42-motYm39IOGhdU69BUct_UTxJN2zCoQ24fFoFvgDpg__XubVq9VkkPVz9NiyBSCaCeoAlC5kE6DslgDTM8sSLTrdycbgoqGgTaPoDDuTW3Gk8ZXEzqJ3AFWZhxRsENo/s640/20170611_101247.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Yes, it's wildly off-centre. And yes, that IS a random yoga ball sitting to the side of it. Did you really expect any less from us?<br />
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Due to the nature of thrifting, I've collected up a LOT of old wood furniture pieces to play with, but due to the nature of my scatterbrained existence, I'm currently overrun with <i>befores</i>, and a little short on <i>afters</i>. More to come as I get my act together. What?! It'll happen!<br />
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Enjoy your Sunday!!Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13635548083674337079noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831246333536913650.post-79303169498941771282017-06-07T10:10:00.001-07:002017-06-07T10:28:53.655-07:00Here We Go Again!This blog is like the abandoned amusement park at the edge of town. Most of the time it sits around collecting dust and looking sad, leaving passers-by to wonder if anyone has died there. And then, just when you think someone's going to come along, bulldoze the whole thing and build a new cookie-cutter neighbourhood, the old ferris wheel slowly lurches back to life in the middle of the night. Maybe if I had a van load of teenagers and a talking dog to sort things out, I'd have a working operation on my hands.<br />
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So, I left you more than a year ago in buggy Manitoba. We are now back in good old Upper Canada, where life is rather different. I like to start with the bad news and then finish up on a high note, so here's the update:<br />
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The title of my blog is no longer entirely accurate. Back in March, we had to have our 16 year-old dog Finnegan put down. Despite having the blood work of a puppy right to the bitter end, he'd been suffering with increasingly severe arthritis since the age of 12, and he wasn't enjoying his life anymore. It's an experience that has clarified a lot for me about issues like assisted death, quality of life, and the importance of listening to my gut. Finnegan's ashes now sit in the sunniest spot in the house, just as he always did. This is how I like to remember him-- a shot from happier times:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmRoGzbNf4ec7uCd0c_P-ZQJ3fQHa9Tc-3oPysBy42kclD6TcW75xOeFecsKrIxPysSEpmN8o_T7Iizoms0lCt8sE8r2iyH3kfP6mCVdBbDq32vCnotCt-NnUiM9dKBgrTTqX4akWfNok/s1600/P9150346.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1065" data-original-width="1600" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmRoGzbNf4ec7uCd0c_P-ZQJ3fQHa9Tc-3oPysBy42kclD6TcW75xOeFecsKrIxPysSEpmN8o_T7Iizoms0lCt8sE8r2iyH3kfP6mCVdBbDq32vCnotCt-NnUiM9dKBgrTTqX4akWfNok/s320/P9150346.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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To be honest, I'm still not over it, so let's not dwell. Onward and upward!<br />
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Relocating from a secluded old farm house in rural Manitoba to a newly-built bungalow in a neighbourhood just outside our nation's capital has definitely taken some getting used to. I love that just about everything is now within walking and biking distance, and that we're so much closer to family. The kids have really gotten to know their cousins, and both have made very smooth transitions to their new schools. The autism funding here is flabbergasting, and we've been keeping very busy running to and from activities, and even when we do need to drive to a nearby town, the scenery alone is worth the price of gas. That said, town living is SO loud! Lawnmowers, chainsaws, sirens--I forgot all about this stuff living in the middle of nowhere! We miss our wonderful neighbours and friends too, but I'd say overall we're very happy where we've landed.<br />
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Rather than regale you with paragraph after paragraph about the past year, I'll leave you with a few photos.<br />
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The perfect shot detailing the drive from Manitoba to Eastern Ontario. Case of beer wedged between children, cat wandering with impunity all over the car. I'm pretty sure that disposable cup is still on the floor somewhere.<br />
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This was our first family selfie after crossing back into Canada. A bit fuzzy--my only excuse is that we were delirious to be back on Canadian soil. Sadly, I did not think to get a photo of the drunk woman asleep in the bread aisle at a Northern Michigan Wal Mart, or the hefty police presence prompted by her afternoon nap. Next time.<br />
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No furniture for the first four days in our new home. Luckily, Firstborn inherited my talent for creativity.<br />
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Naturally, when you move to the National Capital Region, you high-tail it right over to Parliament for an obnoxious, braggy Facebook photo op.<br />
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Therapeutic Riding is one of the many wonderful activities available here for kids with special needs. You can tell by the look on his face, RB is tired of being embarrassed by his mother and her camera.<br />
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It turns out that January in Eastern Ontario is no better than January in Manitoba. So we went to Florida!<br />
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The Brevard Zoo is a great stop if you're ever in the Orlando area. Peaceful and lovely, and you can pet the giraffes!<br />
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Best of all, we have family in Florida, so no staying in hotels. My sister in-law is a photographer, and despite being 36 weeks pregnant during our stay, ran around the beach with her camera to grab us the very first professional family photo we've ever had done. I am so thrilled with it! Getting my youngest looking at the camera AND smiling is nothing short of impossible, but look at that toothy grin!<br />
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And that's our year. You're all caught up! The amusement park is back in business!Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13635548083674337079noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831246333536913650.post-32735093738283573102016-04-08T09:25:00.001-07:002016-04-08T09:35:09.164-07:00Quarterly UpdateMaybe if I make it sound all official and business-like, I'll be more inclined not to neglect my blog. So here is my update for the first quarter of 2016!<br />
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First up, have a look at <a href="http://www.donorschoose.org/project/wobble-chairs-to-keep-students-engaged-w/1961233/?rf=email-system-2016-04-proposal_approve-teacher_3564238&challengeid=20744269&utm_source=dc&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=proposal_approve&utm_swu=4258" target="_blank">this awesome project</a> spearheaded by my sister in-law, who is a 6th grade math teacher in Tennessee. I love this project for so many reasons. I am old enough to remember a time when every child in class was expected to sit still and shut up for hours on end, and got the strap and a reputation for being a troublemaker if they couldn't comply. We've come a long way in education since then, thank goodness. At our school here in rural MB, it is not unusual to see kids (my own included) sitting on yoga balls and squishy cushions right at their desks, and in some cases it is literally all they need to go from mentally scattered to focused and ready to learn. Research shows over and over that <b>implementing sensory strategies to regulate a child's nervous system for learning is significantly more effective than expecting them to regulate themselves and using punishment to motivate that</b>. So, if you're in a position to help out by donating or sharing this with your friends, do consider it. If you know any billionaires, that would be even better! Either way though, check it out. It's a pretty cool idea!<br />
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In other news, our posting to Ottawa seems to be going ahead this time, and things are in full swing around here. Our crazy house was listed last week, and we hope to find an eccentric millionaire who wants to buy it in the next month or so. We are excited for this next chapter in our lives, and a little light-headed at the housing prices in the National Capital Region, but this will pass once we get used to the crippling mortgage payments. The kids are alternately excited and a little nervous, but as always we will get through the next few months together and do what we have to to have everyone end up happy and well-adjusted. Firstborn feels that this will be best accomplished by us buying a house with a hot tub.<br />
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And now for the bad news. Look at what my dog did this morning:<br />
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That is my favorite mug. I got it as a 40th birthday gift. It is the perfect size for my morning gallon of coffee, and it has just the right amount of personality to let people know I am not to be trifled with. My dog is lucky I love her, because this was a euthanasia-level act of naughtiness. At 14, she really should know not to be up on the counters, scrounging around for food. But at 14, she is also daft and deaf, so I suppose cutting her a little slack won't kill me. In the meantime, the hunt is on for a new coffee mug.<br />
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Happy spring, blog buddies! Surely it's going to warm up soon!Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13635548083674337079noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831246333536913650.post-88373492120544935202015-12-31T03:00:00.000-08:002015-12-31T03:00:00.602-08:00Happy New Year!Look, it's my second post of 2015! Pathetic. My blog is officially all but abandoned. If it was a dog, the SPCA would have seized it by now.<br />
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I've changed how I make resolutions. Saying hippie-dippy things like "I will simplify my life!" while staring into space and raising my right hand ever-so-slightly like I'm Hamlet doing a soliloquy is all very dramatic, but there's no point to it if I'm crying into my massive pile of clutter and lamenting the futility of my existence by the first week of February.<br />
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Nope, daily goals. Daily goals are the new fad. If there's anything I'm really good at, it's jumping on the latest fad!<br />
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So, here it is: I will spend 15 minutes decluttering every day. I suppose I will also spend 30 minutes a day exercising. I'm not so enthusiastic about that second one, but I guess I can set aside 30 minutes a day to work towards something that (like it or not) is kind of necessary.<br />
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So, that's 45 minutes a day spent trying to better myself. Maybe I can round things up to an hour with 15 minutes spent working on my blog. I kind of miss it, and I think I will eventually have those extra 15 minutes a day that have been lost since I started working again.<br />
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Which brings me to some exciting news. We're told we'll be posted to Ottawa this summer--land of no teaching jobs whatsoever! So, we will triple our cost of living and I will have no income! It's the perfect storm! I won't be able to afford to do anything <i>but</i> declutter, work out, and blog!<br />
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I really can't expect that anyone will think to check in here at this point, but just in case you're all still out there, wondering what's become of me, I hope 2016 is your best year yet. I could go on and on with my well-wishes for all my old blog pals, but the incomparable Neil Gaiman will always say it a million times better than I ever could.<br />
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Happy New Year! Bring on 2016!Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13635548083674337079noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831246333536913650.post-60886630677956087032015-03-21T15:01:00.000-07:002015-03-21T15:22:15.459-07:00Extra! Extra!<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
As I'm about 50 posts behind, having
not blogged since last JULY (Yeesh!), I imagine there's no one left
out there who is still checking in to read this. But I am a former
student of journalism, so when I find myself privy to a scoop, my journalistic
instinct kicks in and I simply must put it out there. So, if anyone
stumbles across this post, just remember, you read it here first!</div>
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Today, my little sister Mel was the
only Canadian to run the <a href="http://www.chicagoultra.org/" target="_blank">Chicago Lakefront Ultra Marathon</a>. For those
not familiar, that is FIFTY FREAKING KILOMETERS! I complain if I have
to <i>drive</i> that far! So, while she <i>has</i> shamelessly
shirked the proud family tradition of sitting in front of the TV
eating chips and complaining about being fat, she's made up for it in
other ways.</div>
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But that's not all. She finished this
feat of madness in the ridiculous time of 4:19, and was the 4<sup>th</sup>
female finisher, missing third place by less than 20 seconds! And she
placed 13<sup>th</sup> overall! That's not just an exciting Facebook
brag for her friends and family. In my (completely unbiased) opinion,
here in Canada, that is NEWS!</div>
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Here's a picture of Mel at the starting
line. I dread to think what she must have looked like at the
finish...</div>
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I've harassed her local paper to ensure
she gets some real media recognition for this, as she's humble enough to just
quietly go back home and carry on as normal. Because this event does
not get the same media attention as something like Boston, this could
easily get brushed under the carpet. Frankly, it is my journalistic
<i>duty</i> to see that that does not happen.</div>
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And now that I've beaten the
competition and gotten this hot story out there (I can't confirm
anything <i>officially,</i> but it is rumored that I was the
inspiration for Kate Mara's character on <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1856010/" target="_blank">House of Cards</a>), I'm hoping
tonight she will take a break from her grueling training schedule to
eat a large bag of Doritos in front of the TV.
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You know, for old times' sake.</div>
Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13635548083674337079noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831246333536913650.post-47902886761112063292014-07-11T05:56:00.001-07:002014-07-11T05:56:07.144-07:00Confusion at the Fair<div style="text-align: center;">
Major Dad is off fighting the floods, so the kids and I are on our own for the time being. Yesterday, we decided to drive an hour down the road to the big town fair. A good time was had by all, but I found myself a little confused at the signs they had posted on all the rides. </div>
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It has always been my assumption that symbols posted in public places should be the kinds of things you can glance at and immediately recognize the meaning of. Like the universal symbols for men and women outside public restrooms (though to be honest, I messed that one up recently too). But apparently it's good to have a super-visual type with you at the fair these days, because Firstborn figured all of these out while I was still standing there like a dog with my head cocked sideways trying to make sense of them.<div>
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There are a LOT of rules for riding the teacups these days!</div>
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Me: "No love? No heartbreak?"</div>
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Firstborn: (rolling eyes) "No heart problems, mom."</div>
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I thought maybe this one was banning bionic men, but Firstborn said it meant no one with injuries should ride, and that bionic men would most likely be fine. That <i>probably</i> makes more sense.</div>
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No one attached to a blood bag?? Because it <i>would</i> be kind of awkward to hit a bump on the roller coaster and have your bag of O-negative go flying across the midway. But I was wrong here too. No blood pressure problems. Does having my blood pressure skyrocket trying to figure out these symbols count?</div>
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This one was a real head-scratcher. Even Firstborn took a long time to figure it out. Standing in line for the ride with the sun in our eyes, we couldn't make out that that was a bird, so all we could see was a bag with an arm coming out of it, and wondered what on earth we were being told not to do on the carousel! Okay, fine. So a stork with a baby bag means no pregnant women. Would a silhouette of a woman with a baby bump not be a little more clear?!</div>
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These are at least self-explanatory. And while I'd like to believe that they're just there as a precaution, I've lived on this planet way too long not to know in my heart that that last one had to be put there because at some point some jackass tried to sue the town fair after he spilled his martini while riding the Zipper.</div>
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Today we will instead go swimming at my good friend <a href="http://bitofheaveninthemiddleofnowhere.blogspot.ca/" target="_blank">Granny Bob</a>'s house. There are no confusing signs there, and bionic men are welcome. My brain needs a break...</div>
Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13635548083674337079noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831246333536913650.post-83953433685049523152014-06-15T05:23:00.000-07:002014-06-15T05:23:26.124-07:00The Captain is No More!!Don't panic, I didn't hit him with a frying pan. <br />
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This change is of a completely different kind. It comes with more responsibility (read: irritation) for him, and more money to spend at Michael's for me. <br />
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That's right! The Captain has been promoted!<br />
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In army terms, this momentous event looks like the difference between this:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoWf146SY_NvgkI2MSUukuIBiliEfn4Kht4kRXamLYBiTMuRJ0wls6Hw5BsFwl0-2ekIBzg5_1A-Q2SvRklQVu3oAL6XVk4Uz8JbWkEo6Rh0N0eLIR4beKiPJxqGoxO8-_LU4uiCXGF2Q/s1600/capt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoWf146SY_NvgkI2MSUukuIBiliEfn4Kht4kRXamLYBiTMuRJ0wls6Hw5BsFwl0-2ekIBzg5_1A-Q2SvRklQVu3oAL6XVk4Uz8JbWkEo6Rh0N0eLIR4beKiPJxqGoxO8-_LU4uiCXGF2Q/s1600/capt.jpg" height="320" width="187" /></a></div>
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And this:</div>
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Is anyone else feeling like they've been asked to solve one of those spot-the-difference pictures from the kids' magazines?! <br />
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In any case, let's bid a fond farewell to the Captain, and say hello instead to <strong>Major Dad</strong>!Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13635548083674337079noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831246333536913650.post-7819172601021864262014-06-02T09:40:00.002-07:002014-06-02T09:40:56.642-07:00Happy June!I thought I'd better check in again, as the last time I posted I think I may have sounded a <em>tad</em> cranky, and I don't want anyone worrying that I've been wallowing in misery since that curveball the military threw at us a month or so back!<br />
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Life has happily carried on, and my house is now back to its original <strike>filthy</strike> state. Though it does turn out that unpacking is a much slower process than packing was.<br />
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Last week we had a bit of a wind storm, and a couple of our old rotten trees out back finally met a tragic end:<br />
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Right on top of my gorgeous chain-link fence!</div>
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The Captain kindly went out there this weekend with a chain saw and took care of the mess, and I propped my poor old fence back up. So no real harm done there, but I'm now on the hunt for a new location for my laundry line. As you can see from the picture, there's no shortage of trees. It's really just a guessing game as to which one's going to fall down next!</div>
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In other news, I have a long-overdue missing persons report. Has anyone seen this dog?</div>
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We lost him somewhere in Florida back in January, and have been hoping he'd turn up behind my brother's washing machine, or in a forgotten pocket of one of our bags, but now that it's June and he hasn't resurfaced (the hotel, airline and rental car company had no luck locating him either) it does seem that Doggie might be gone for good. Firstborn has taken it <em>far</em> better than I have.</div>
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And finally, the countdown is on! 18 more school days to go before summer vacation, thus ending my year of substitute teaching (another reason you haven't heard much from me). More importantly, I only have 3 weeks left to figure out how I'm going to keep my kids occupied this summer! Better get on that--yikes!</div>
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Happy Monday!</div>
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Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13635548083674337079noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831246333536913650.post-51037176127567019782014-05-01T20:04:00.000-07:002014-05-01T20:12:56.015-07:00Alrighty Then...As some of you know, we've been preparing for a big move some 2200 kms away from here. <br />
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A move of that nature with kids, dogs, a cat and a whole lot of stuff is not something you can get done in a weekend, so I've been working like a busy little beaver trying to get the house ready to be appraised and sold, as well as looking at places in our new town, trying to plan a house-hunting trip and keeping in contact with the new school board to ensure my special needs child doesn't get lost in the shuffle. RB has been wildly unsettled by this whole experience, so there's been a lot to deal with at this end too. This week alone, I made 7 trips to the dump and took one full carload to Value Village. I discovered that the best way to clean baseboards and white moldings is with a Magic Eraser (I can be environmentally conscious once I'm settled in my new home!), and that there really is no particularly effective way to get the smell of old cat pee out of things like carpet or unfinished wood (groan!). In short, I have kept myself very, very busy these past few weeks. I haven't eaten or slept enough, and frankly I miss TV and wine!<br />
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So you can imagine my surprise when, after losing hours and hours and hours of my life trying to make this crazy house a place someone might want to buy, the Captain called me from his course in New Brunswick and broke some rather disconcerting news. <strong>His posting has been cancelled!</strong> He is apparently needed for the same general position he was taking in Petawawa right here at home. <br />
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I'm not entirely sure why it took our military this long to figure that out, but it sounds like this year, there are a whole lot of other families going through the same thing. So apparently messing us around like this wasn't personal. But frankly, I'd still like to kick someone's ass.<br />
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So my spring cleaning is done, and I'm settling in for another two or three Manitoba winters at least. Ontario friends, we will get there eventually! In the meantime, I'm putting on my sweats and catching up on some TV. With a <strong>large</strong> glass of wine.Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13635548083674337079noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831246333536913650.post-5404900159549446492014-04-26T06:10:00.001-07:002014-04-26T06:10:50.160-07:00The Race is On!For those who have asked and not received a reply from me (sorry!), we have not moved yet. But the scramble to get this crazy house ready to be listed has begun, and as usual, the Captain is elsewhere so I'm doing it alone. It turns out that 8 years is way too long for us to stay in one place, because we are terrible, terrible pack-rats! I think we need to be featured on an episode of Hoarders. It might shame us into decluttering and trashing things that are clearly garbage. I mean honestly, is the Captain ever going to fix up that broken, vintage toaster he bought off of ebay in 1999?!<br />
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Bear with me, I'll be back soon!Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13635548083674337079noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831246333536913650.post-41863574835889606352014-04-03T09:26:00.004-07:002014-04-03T10:49:09.941-07:00Wild Turkeys Couldn't Drag Me Away...Well, actually, these ones probably could. They turned up in my front yard last weekend, and they were as big as my dogs! Dumb as lampposts too. They let me walk right up and do a photo shoot!<br />
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I hope this is a sign that spring is actually coming soon because after rejoicing that the snow had finally all melted off my driveway yesterday, this morning I woke up to this nonsense:<br />
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And in other wildlife news, here's my latest shot of poor Anakin:<br />
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He started losing hair above his eyes in mid-August and was diagnosed with ringworm, but didn't respond to any treatment. Nearly eight months and $550 in vet bills later, we have finally gotten to the bottom of it. As it turns out, the mangy little barn cat that I took in almost four years ago is actually a Hollywood-style designer cat. He has a food allergy! Unfortunately, after all these months of scratching himself raw, he seems to have also developed a habit we can't break, so it's last-resort time, and the poor guy has to wear a cone of shame until his face, tail and front paws have healed up. He's taking things well, in that he hasn't <strong>yet</strong> peed anywhere he shouldn't.<br />
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Friends down south, I beg you, send us some of your sunshine and above-zero temperatures. Things here are getting desperate!Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13635548083674337079noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831246333536913650.post-10477897327432802262014-03-07T12:38:00.002-08:002014-03-07T12:38:29.703-08:00Buried in SnowI know my last post was about my New Year's resolutions (they're coming along swimmingly, by the way). So it's probably widely assumed by now that I fell in a snow drift in mid-January and died, but I am actually alive and well. And sick to the back teeth of winter.<br />
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Today I have two sick little boys home from school, and my driveway is covered with a fresh dumping of the white stuff. We're promised warmer temperatures and the beginnings of a spring thaw next week. I'm so terrified of getting my hopes up, I'll believe it when I see it.<br />
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This winter I learned that late January is far too early for a warm-weather vacation (too much winter to still live through when I get home) and one week is nowhere near long enough. But as we are not yet millionaires, it's too late to rectify the situation now. Here are some shots of our trip to Florida:<br />
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Saying hello to the giraffes at the <a href="https://brevardzoo.org/" target="_blank">Brevard Zoo</a>.</div>
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We're not big Disney fans so we opted for the lower-key <a href="http://florida.legoland.com/" target="_blank">LEGOLAND</a> experience instead. The kids had a great day, and Firstborn was one of the snappiest dressers there. Obviously.</div>
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No matter how hard we tried, getting a shot where everyone had their eyes open was a bit of a challenge.</div>
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And here we are at the Kennedy Space Center. RB went through about four <a href="http://chewytubes.com/" target="_blank">Chewy Tubes</a> on this trip.<br />
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We actually did a whole lot of other things that I failed to photograph (it might be time to ditch the enormous SLR and invest in a phone that takes pictures!). My brother lives in the Orlando area, and we had a mini-reunion with a few family members who were able to come down at the same time. All in all, it was a fantastic break from this most miserable of winters. Just <em>way</em> too short.<br />
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Keep warm this weekend, everyone. It has to end soon!Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13635548083674337079noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831246333536913650.post-53152658373353818122014-01-01T07:34:00.000-08:002014-01-01T07:34:56.162-08:00It's Resolution Time!Happy New Year! 2014 promises to be a big one for us, so I'm easing into the new year with a large cup of coffee.<br />
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As I'm going to be picking up my entire life and moving it to Ontario this year, it seems fitting that I should finally just bite the bullet and tackle my lifelong problem with clutter before the moving truck pulls up this summer. So my New Year's Resolution is to make 2014 the year of Making Do. No shopping as a form of entertainment, no buying things I simply do not need just because they're 80% off, and (most importantly) not checking the online sales as part of my morning routine. I have enough fabric and craft supplies to keep me crafting until ten years after I die, and my closet reached maximum capacity at least five Old Navy sales ago. It's time to curb a bad habit.<br />
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My regular online shopping sites kindly obliged me today by having the crappiest New Year's sales ever. Does anyone actually wake up on January 1st wanting to buy athletic wear?! <br />
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This morning I started my clutter-busting journey by deleting a bunch of craft pins on my Pinterest boards that I know I'll never actually get around to trying. Baby steps, people.<br />
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Wishing all of my blog friends happiness and prosperity in 2014!Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13635548083674337079noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831246333536913650.post-81474831684604688202013-12-24T07:38:00.003-08:002013-12-24T07:38:46.013-08:00Merry Christmas!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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From our (crazy) house to yours, a very Merry Christmas!</div>
Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13635548083674337079noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831246333536913650.post-68971448772557892672013-12-14T08:05:00.002-08:002013-12-14T08:05:15.515-08:00Look What the Cat Dragged In...The Captain is back!<br />
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After about 48 hours of travel and delays, he got home and immediately dropped unconscious into bed. And I had to <i>seriously</i> hold myself back from taking a pair of scissors to those horrific handlebars...Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13635548083674337079noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831246333536913650.post-88727161568261092732013-12-12T06:45:00.001-08:002013-12-12T06:45:12.112-08:00More Big News!After yesterday's whine-fest, I thought I'd follow up today with something a little more <i>positive</i>.<br />
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For security reasons, I can't give exact details, but take a look at this picture of my front window and see if you can guess what's happening here this week:<br />
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Yes, it's true! The Captain is coming home--and just in time for Christmas! It's been a looooong six months!Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13635548083674337079noreply@blogger.com4