How Hot? Damn Hot!

There's a heatwave going on. Hot hot hot. I don't mind it, but it would be nice to have central air instead of fans and ceiling fans.

Greta has been sleeping in her bed since Wednesday. Well, kinda. Last night she moved into her crib, and she's in the crib again tonight. But for the most part, she spent the week in her toddler bed and we didn't have a single problem!

She's sitting on the potty too, but no go. It's a start at least.

Sailor called this week. It was great to hear him. He sends me emails every day and it's so nice to read his words. We're under the 30 day mark now! Wheee!

I said the Prayers of the People this week. When I got to the part I wrote about the military I nearly lost it. Three times. What a dork. Everyone said it was heartfelt, but I thought I was dumb.

This week's flex:

Mon: Exec meeting
Tues: Mammogram (yay. not). going to Hyundai to see if we can change cars.
Wed: work
Thurs: work
Fri: work
Sat: Dave's going to put our fence pickets on the deck! YAY!!!
Sun: Off to Church Camp for the week. HUZZAH!!!

Dog Days of Summer

I took Friday off, but didn't go up to Quadra (his timings were changed). Instead, I ran errands while the girls were at preschool. I managed to get a lot accomplished too! From the north end of one town, to the north end of another, including Costco and Canadian Tire!! An expensive, but productive day.

Sailor called on Friday night too and it was so great to hear his voice again! The girls weren't too chatty with him, but Greta did her best to talk to her dad and Ray was trying to show him a Barbie doll she has.

On Saturday, we got up early and did our grocery shopping. Then we went to a friend's consignment store where, for the price of a new two-wheeler at Canadian Tire, I managed to get:

~ a linen dress with little flowers on the skirt for Ray's birthday pictures
~ a Barbie colouring book for the girls
~ another floor puzzle for Greta
~ white fancy shoes for Ray
~ Cinderella Barbie and two outfits for her and her friends
~ and a two-wheeler with a helmet for Ray!!

Greta wore the helmet home and around the house for the next few hours.

Ray wants to surprise her dad and be riding the bike when he comes home in five weeks. I guess I need to figure out how to put those training wheels on!!

Then I went to Harry Potter's new movie (thanks to the soon-to-be-richest babysitter in the village). It was great! Another good one for the collection when it comes out on DVD.

Today we took the splash mat and some potato salad to my step-sister's place for a family bbq. We haven't seen the family in about a year or so. One step-sister is traveling to England to see their brother with my step-mum on Tuesday, so we took a family photo to send to him.

One of our assistant priests has asked me to lead the prayers of the people next week. I'm very excited. I get to write the prayers and he wants it to sound intimate, like I'm talking to friends around the kitchen table. I don't usually pray with friends around my kitchen table, but I guess I can fake it. Mostly. I'll be putting in more than just "bless the members of the Canadian Forces in Afghanistan and the crew of HMCS Winnipeg" too. I do need to follow a set route, but he doesn't want to take too long. I think no more than 10 minutes should do it. Ack! I'm excited and nervous... but also really honoured and happy. I just want to do well at this.

I've been carrying around a packet of salt lately. My feet seem to taste better with it. It seems that no matter who I talk to, my words come across condescending or rude, and that's not my intent. I think I need to zip it for a while until my synapses re-sychronize or something.

This week's flex:
Mon: work.
Tues: work.
Wed: work. I sense a trend.
Thurs: work.
Fri: work.
Sat: Ray's friend's birthday party at the local pool.
Sun: maybe a playdate with some of Greta's friends in the afternoon.

It's been beautiful weather. Too bad sailor's not here to enjoy it. Soon. Soon.

Back to Reality

What a week it's been! I've seen some amazing musical acts, met Jo Dee Messina, and met some amazing people. I've also worked alongside some great, not so great, and idiotic people, but that's the luck of the draw. I'm glad it's over and I think I'm good for another 8 years or so. Mind you, I'd come back to see the lovely people from the Walk of Stars again, as well as their friends.

The girls were run off their feet this week by their Aunty A. They went to beaches and parks, pony rides, Jumpin' Jiminies and played at home too.

I'm so happy for them. I'm happy for me too - CRA has seen fit to honour me with my money, finally!

I'm just on my way out to the highway and soon will be home with my babies once again. And then normal programming will resume.

Sailor is counting down the days - 39 give or take.

This week's flex:
Mon - home
Tues - work
Wed - work
Thurs - work
Fri - hopefully going to Quadra to see my friend's son graduate from his Two Weeky course

Shout it, shout it, Shout it out LOUD!!!

It's Saturday night. It's 23 degrees in my bedroom, and that's with the shade drawn all day to keep the sun out. So I have the AC in the window to keep me cool. But, it's late, so I've turned off the turbo fan and am listening to the hum of my new laptop (which is what I'm writing this on tonight! WooT!), and the giggles, laughter, and WHOOOP from our neighbours.

So my choices are: take out the AC vent thingys and close the window. PRO: no more (or muffled) Whoop-De-Doos. CON: Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot.

OR
Leave the AC vent thingys in the windows and run the fan again. PRO: the noise will cancel out the yahoos in the back 40 and it'll be cold in here. CON: I'd have to run it all night, I wouldn't hear if the kids are in trouble, and it takes up a lot of energy.

What to do... what to DO!?

I'll give it 10 minutes. If it's still going on at 11:30, then I'm turning the fan on. I have thick blankets and can sleep through the noise of the fan if I need to.

So tomorrow is A&H's annual country party at their place. REALLY looking forward to going and seeing everyone I haven't seen in a year. The girls are going to keep me busy though - no sitting on my laurels this year. Sailor won't be there watching them and making sure they don't klonk themselves on the head. SIL can't come - maybe. Friends I invited aren't coming either, bummer. Still gotta make some potato salad and think of something for the 'table'.

Today we went to see the Lippizzaners in town. I thought it started at 2:30. Nope. 2:00. We were 30 minutes late (I suck). Greta started crying when she saw the horses, but soon settled in enough to wander towards the ring between acts. Ray sat there with her fingers in her ears nearly the whole time. So classy.

This week's flex:
Sun: Church, laundry, party
Mon: BUSY day at work plus mess meeting.
Tue: prep for Merritt - dry cleaning, tidy, hair appt, meetings maybe, try to make some spaghetti sauce and jar it too. Hopefully my friend A will be over that night to get a head start on things. I have to arrange pick-up with my partner in crime for the drive. I have tons of packing to do too.
Wed: drive to Merritt
Thurs: Meeting at 0900 to find out the schedule. According to a rumour, the promoter might get me a backstage pass because he found out I'm a country musician!! WHEEEEEEEE!
Fri: do navy things. sing.
Sat: more of that.
Sun: still more of that (what a hard life).
Mon: come home.

Sailor called on Friday night while I was at my Mary Kay awards night dinner. He's going to try again. He's hanging out with my mum on Sunday. I'd be interested to hear how that goes.

The guy who was supposed to pick up my slide on Friday didn't. Piss me off. I did get the glass panels though, finally. Made me late to get the girls on Thursday, but at least we have them now.

Well, I have to shut this thing down and go to bed. The girls still get up early on weekends.

And... it's quiet outside! YAY!

Waiting For The Other Shoe

On Thursday, at work, an email awaited me. Asking if I'd like to go to Merritt to wave the flag for the Navy. The exact-ish wording was, "for the Merritt Mountain Music Festival scheduled for 9-12 Jul. Minimum of two Navy personnel are required. Optimally it would be two personnel with a country music interest and who are comfortable in public. Individuals should be confident and well spoken. They will be required to interact with the public throughout the day and will be on stage periodically during the national anthem, raising of the flag and during airing of the CF "Fight with Us" videos."

It took me but minutes to cry that I couldn't go because of a lack of sitter for the girls. At the end of the day I was driving home and decided to call my friend A, who lives on the mainland and is also a big Merritt person and have her commiserate with me. She then volunteered to come over and stay with the girls while I go!!

I called my friend back (who had sent me the original email) and said, "Sign me up!!" I then tried to get a hold of my VPMC because he'd be PERFECT for it too! Couldn't find his home number... did later, but that has no bearing really.

At any rate, Sailor kinda gave me the hinky eye when I told him that A would come over (either with or without her daughter who is Greta's age!) and watch the girls while I go to the Fest, but he agrees it's a great opportunity for me, both professionally and musically.

Upon talking to the girl sending out the email on Friday (at a super successful Boss's Afternoon! YAY), I told her that the VPMC was cleared to go too. Then she told me of another girl has put her name forward. I know T, and she's a great person, so I said that either person would do great. With my luck, those two will go (VPMC and T) and I'd end up staying behind.

Anyway, until I'm actually on the road to Merritt, with TD $$ in hand and an RV (we hope) to stay in... I'm not counting on anything. But once I'm there... hooo BOY I'm gonna have fun! I love my job, so that'll be the fun and easy part. Then I'm bringing my guitar and a song book and gonna hit a few sing-alongs I hope!

The rest of the week went pretty much as planned - Sailor put up the swing set/play thingy, and did a great job. He's fixed the front hose and planned the front patio/garden area. He is gone, and has told me of his craptastic flight back to Oz (two delays, one hard port/hard starboard landing, and one bouncy landing). They're now at sea, on their way easterly.

This week's flex is:
Mon: pick up stuff from Canadian Rona Depot Mart for us (my money), the mess and a mess member (club money). Mary Kay product launch night so the babysitter will be called in for a while.
Tues: taking the truck into town to pick up some second hand glass panels for the deck after the chiro. Then coming home, switching the car seats into the car and getting the girls.
Wed: HAPPY CANADA DAY!! It's going to be a busy one - I have to make some more spaghetti sauce and jar it.
Thurs: Normal work day.
Fri: Working, then Mary Kay awards night at the Club. Again, the future richest 12 year-old in the area will be watching the girls and having supper here with them.
Sat: Groceries, then we see the Lippizzanner horses right on the floor!
Sun: Church and then our friend's annual country party for the afternoon.

And Now , The Seven SHORTEST Days Ever

Sailor is home on Home Leave Travel Assistance... HLT-YAY! However, he arrived at 9am on Thursday and is leaving at 9pm this Thursday. 7 days, 12 hours. Yuck-o.

We've been hanging out, having dinner in nice places, getting stuff for the girls, hanging with the girls together... it's lovely. Absence really DOES make the heart grow fonder. It's nice to reconnect again too. It was getting to the point where one of us HAD to go back to sea.

The money has come in handy, I must say. The girls are getting a new play set (I'll be putting up the old slide/climber thingy for sale) and the old rickety swing set is going to be a thing of the past. As is their play house. It's served its purpose, but it's time to put something safer in its place.

The bills that needed paying off are paid off, and there'll be enough left over to finish the deck (which is tax credit-able!) with a coating of something and some rails.

He's doing all that today, and his mum, sister and mum's boyfriend are up visiting and staying for supper. I'm at work, then gonna get the girls. BBQ for supper tonight!

This week's flex is:
Mon: work - Sailor picks up swing set and gets back yard ready for construction
Tue: work: luncheon then Greta has an ENT appointment at 4:30. Sailor starts on swing set construction.
Wed: work - Sailor finishes his 'honey do' list with special emphasis on the front hose *sigh*
Thurs: work: off early to take girls to the dentist. Sailor puts Greta to bed, then we leave for airport while babysitter watches the girls.
Fri: work: Boss's Afternoon at the club.
Sat: pay house insurance off, groceries, and Formation Family Fun Day in town (pony rides!!!!)
Sun: Church and then church picnic.

Our summer is heating up (har har) with things to do. I'm hoping that if we keep busy enough, the next 8 weeks will FLY by and we won't notice the time. At least it's 2 months, not 4 1/2 this time around.

The Four Longest Days EVER

I hate it when payday's on a Monday. Being broke bites. Mind you, it means we need to be more creative when it comes to doing stuff. So yesterday after groceries, I packed our pic-i-nic basket up and a diaper bag, and we took off around the lake to the provincial park. I'd never been there, but we'll go again for sure.

The path down to the water is nice and wide (next time, stroller) and there's a large grassy meadow once you come out of the woods. We chose a shaded spot under a huge maple tree and set up our blanket and stuff. We stripped down to our suits, Greta got into her swim suit and top, and off we went. Ray wore her sandals, I wore mine, and because I forgot Greta's, she was carried. The lake was cold, but eventually it got warm and it was really nice. It's quite rocky where we were, so Ray held my hand. She nearly toppled over, but had a great time splashing. I was swinging Greta through the water.

Ray took a step back from me (so she was in water about waist high on her) and lost her balance. Then she couldn't stand up. Her eyes were wide, she went under three times, and then grasped my hand. She quickly regained her balance... and took off for the towels. She's now scarred apparently. Refuses to go into the lake any more. Pools - yes. Ocean even (?), but not the lake. Next time, I'll take Sailor and we can deal with this properly - one child per parent.

Greta, on the other hand, didn't want to leave the water, but we did. And warmed up in a towel, we ate our chicken cheese buns and water wa-wa-men (melon). With Bear Paws for dessert... it was splendid. We watched the motor boats, water skiiers and the sea-do go back and forth to.

Less than an hour after arriving, we left and got home in time for Greta to get changed and a decent nap! There were two other groups of two/three just arriving as we left. Perfect timing.

We had church today, and one of our friends and her son from the preschool came for a visit and supper, along with Gramma and SIL. We had a feast of baked spaghetti, corn on the cob, and ciabbatta buns. With carrot cake for dessert. It was nice to have a full table again.

Greta has come down with a cold - hoarse voice, bit of a sniffle, feeling warm. Still happy and all, but more clingy than usual. At least her appetite hasn't diminished at all. Ray's sniffly, but I think she wants the Motrin just like her sister so she's playing it up a little.

This is the exciting week! The flex reads:

Mon: payday - bills, etc. Mary Kay product night - babysitter gets rich.
Tues: insure the truck for tomorrow.
Wed: OFF - car goes to detailer, hand in recycling, clean out the truck (and put gas in it), wash all the linens and sofa cover, along with emptying compost bucket, and maybe getting brows waxed. Bachman/Cummings concert - babysitter gets richer.
Thurs: OFF - Pick up Sailor at the airport. He lands at about 9:30, so we're going to have breakfast at the airport as a treat before he arrives.
Fri: Back to work.
Sat: MFRC thing at a local Park/Campground in the afternoon. We'll see how Sailor feels about going to it.
Sun: Church then my club's St-Jean-Baptiste party for families. We're going. There'll be poutine.

Four more sleeps, then Sailor's home for a visit. We can do the 8 weeks after that easily.

I'm going to call it HLT-YAY!