I Waited So I Wouldn't Be A Single Parent

Well, Sailor's in Ottawa this week. He passed his re-write with flying colours (thankfully) and I dropped him at the airport just before 5am on Saturday morning. Our wicked neighbour came over in her pink fuzzy slippers, carrying her pillow, and she crashed on the couch for the kids. It took me about 90 minutes round trip, and the traffic was non-existent. Brilliant!

I don't MIND him not being here... but I distinctly remember being a 20-something and saying, "I don't want to be a single mother. I'm going to wait til I have a husband." Well... THAT worked out wonderfully, didn't it? ha!

I'm flying out on the 11th of January at 1000. This gives us enough time to have a 'normal' morning - dropping Greta off at preschool, Ray off on the bus, and then Sailor can drive me to the airport and not be too late to work that day. I'll have a bit of a wait, but an early check-in is okay by me.

Ray's pageant was great! My shy, retiring girlie pranced across that stage, waving her arms like mad, sending the audience laughing. She did so wonderful. I taped both her performances. The church pageant went well too - two of the cutest angels ever standing there looking adorable. Greta's is on Wednesday after Breakfast with Santa.

It sprinkled a little snow here today. Supposed to dump tomorrow, but really, I don't care. The Pathfinder will get us out and about no problem. Tomorrow after reading with Ray I'll be talking to the kindy kids about Channukah. I have packed a driedle, our menorah, some candles and I just have to print out a few things to say about the holiday.

It's strange. This time around, the girls aren't all that upset about their Daddy being away. Greta didn't ask for him once yesterday, but did expect him to be home when we got back from church today. I told her he was at work, and she seemed fine with it. They like talking to him on the phone now, so that's nice.

Ray's been pushing her bedtime earlier and earlier. Last night, bath at 6, bed before 7 for her. Greta lasted til just after 8. Tonight, bath at 7, and we read stories and she was asleep before 8. Greta hung in there til about 8:30, but finally gave up and there's been blessed silence in the house since then.

My MK open house wasn't a raging success. Two customers, each spending under $40, but it's okay - they came, they got what they wanted, and it's a few less things for me to count this week. Everything's in the dining room and I'll be starting on that tomorrow.

Here's this week's revised flex:

Monday: Drop Greta, pick up school chum of Ray's, read to the girls, talk about Channukah to the class, drop off toddler bed and crib mattress to consignment store (do a bit of shopping perhaps!?), banking, bottle depot, check out the Strawberry Shortcake Cafe at Walmart and/or Canadian Tire (Ray wants this for Christmas). Get some smoke detector batteries at Canadian Tire. Do a bit of grocery shopping. Pick up girls, make supper. Candlelight service at Ray's school at 1830. She wants to go. Late night I fear (7:30/8pm)

Tuesday: Drop off Greta, pick up school chum of Ray's, drop them at school. Chiro @ 0900 (and get Ray's insoles!). Car into shop after (get loaner). Passport office (hmmm... where'd I put that envelope with my new info?), Mall #1: Sears, Lush, banking. Mall #2: Toys R Us (that Cafe probably). Pier 1, Sleep Country, Organic Market (to make bath bombs for gifts). Check into work - email etc. Pick up some moose meat. Find out if car's ready. Costco for a small list. Home. Pick up girls. Early night!

Wednesday: Take girls to Breakfast with Santa @ 0730 (leave a little earlier than usual). Leave and take Greta to her pageant at Preschool. Leave and return home to start/finish inventory. Start some baking (fudge? Meat pies? Gingerbread?). Get girls. Early night.

Thursday: Drop off Greta, pick up school chum of Ray's, read to girls. After, go home and keep at the inventory. Start baking meat pies. Get girls. Early night.

Friday: Drop off Greta, pick up school chum of Ray's, read to girls. Hang out in town if I still haven't found that Cafe for Ray. Ray has early dismissal, so we'll spend the afternoon baking. Get Greta. Early night.

Saturday: Pick up Sailor at airport at 11:25 with girls. Hair appointment at 1600 for me!

Life at the Speed of... Life!

The new school is great! Ray is having a blast. She's so tired at the end of the day, it's a miracle if she makes it to the city limits before she's asleep in the car! She's learning so much, and making great friends. It's sometimes easier days that others, but for the most part, she's having a really great time.

She decided to cut her hair short like me the other week. I think it's to be more like her girlfriend, but it's sweet to hear her say, "Do I look like you?" Her school pageant is on Wednesday - a matinee which we can't attend, and an evening show which we all will. Then the church pageant is on Saturday at 4, and then a potluck supper. The preschool's pageant is the following Wednesday, following a breakfast with Santa at Ray's school. The Silly Season is upon us! I think she's coming down with a cold, but I dope her up in the morning and she gets through the day.

Greta is doing well - she's still in her tantrum mode, but is getting better at peeing on the potty. If only she'd be more consistent, but she's so stubborn, it's hard to get her to buy into the whole thing. At a family dinner on the weekend she was saying "no!" and my step-mum said to Sailor, "I guess you can relate to her as you're both the baby of the family," and then Greta started slamming her chopsticks on the table and my step-mum continued with, "But I see some of Mary in there too..." Gee... thanks! Ha ha.

I was at Ray's school for their Bazaar the other weekend and for giggles I saw the psychic. She told me stuff that she could not have known. Suffice it to say, it looks like I'll be taking that medical release in 3 years or so and teaching. Then Dad showed up. How do I know this? Because she said he showed her his engineer's cap and mimed blowing a train whistle. There's no way in hell she'd know that he was an engineer. No. Way. So, we 'chatted' and said we loved each other and I cried, and blah blah blah. I miss him so much, every day.

Sailor's course is nearly over. He tanked his physics exam and has a re-write on Wednesday morning. He's nervous about this. I really hope he passes. He's supposed to go to Ottawa next week, and I think it depends on if he passes the re-write or not. He wants to go, just so he can use the leftover TD money to get a scope for his gun for Christmas.

I'm on leave that week, so we're going to be busy while he's gone.

I've also been loaded onto my 6A course out in Borden (north of Barrie) starting the 12th of Jan. I'll be flying out probably the 10th and leaving around the 18th of Feb. There'll be me and one other Master Seaman. The rest are P2's, so they'll be in one building for quarters, and we'll be in another. No worries though. I usually have a good time in Borden, but I've never been in winter. I'm going to freeze, I can tell. My extra TD money will either go toward the car rental... or school fees for the girls so we don't have to suffer in the spring with it. I'm so thoughtful :-P

We haven't told the girls yet. After the New Year we will for sure. Gotta get them through next week, then Christmas first.

I'm looking forward to seeing friends and family again, for sure. I'll be able to get my MIL's cross-stitch finished for her birthday in March and maybe even a couple more done. I'll be able to write up the lessons for the course I'm supposed to be teaching in the new year (ha, that won't happen now), and will be back in time to hopefully run a course at the church over Lent. I'm also searching for an adult tap class to keep my skilz up while I'm away.

Sailor has to take time off while the ship's at sea in Feb, but that works out great because Ray has a week off for mid-term break during that time.

So... this week's flex:

Tues: work/school. Tap class.

Wed: work/school. School pageant.

Thurs: work/school.

Fri: work/school. Potluck supper for a friend. First night of Channukah!

Sat: Sailor leaves for Ottawa. Dance class, groceries, laundry, prep for Sunday's MK Open House, and Church Pageant!

Sun: Church, MK Open house

Next week's flex:

Mon: Drop off Greta, read to Ray, do MK stocktaking, pick up girls, candle light service at Ray's School.

Tues: drop off girls, go into town: chiro, passport, Pier 1, Lifestyles Market (gotta find the bathbomb recipe!), Sleep Country, Lush & Sears, pick up girls. Dance? Only if I can find a sitter.

Wed: Breakfast with Santa for the girls at the School, then take Greta to her pageant performance! Do more MK stocktaking and inputting. Bake some stuff too.

Thurs: Drop off Greta, Read to Ray, finish inputting. More baking.

Fri: Sailor comes home! Drop off Greta, read to Ray. Early dismissal. More baking before getting Greta.

Sat: Hair cut & colour!! Wheeee!