My first born turns sixteen today.
Despite my previous post which focused on how parenthood shocks the hell out of your system , I love her to pieces and have no regrets about bringing her into the world.
From the time of birth, parents always look for physical and behavioural traits of themselves in their offspring. It's just a human trait as described by the genius of Desmond Morris.
At the same time, a centered parent wants their child to achieve beyond their own status, shunning the notion of creating a clone, and wishing nothing but success for their offspring.
I'm proud of the way that she has handled the inordinate stress and abuse of our former life and used her smarts to grow beyond and above .
Happy Birthday baby.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
I'm kind of excited.... but since I'm not ten I'm not jumping up and down...
I had the greatest intention to blog tonight .... but I have nothing to say.....not yet anyways ( not a real word but hey.... its not english it's blogish). News to come later....
Sunday, May 11, 2008
My mothers day recollection five days before I gave birth...
I read.
The man in the basement will quite readily tell you that I have read more than anyone else that he has ever met.
Sixteen years ago ,hugely pregnant and stuck in a sham of a marriage, I trusted books such as " What to expect when you are expecting " in expectation that was in fact reality. Perhaps in some sort of defense mechanism to grasp some semblence of normalacy, pregnancy books ( any books) was preferred to the disfunctionality of my own life ( married to a man who was abusive,alcholic, and an addict who preferred to place his relationship with me at the bottom of his priorities under his mother,his friends,beer, his uncontrollable dog, poker.... fer gawds sake ...he literally couldn't screw in a lightbulb in a fix er up post war house that I later called the shitbox). At that point, I suppose I had settled in my mind that I had made my proverbial bed and should make the best of it....
I was one and a half weeks overdue lying on a futon ( on the floor since the ex didn't want to spend money on a real bed) alone ( he was out of the country) on Mothers Day morn when reality hit.
I would never sleep in on another Sunday morning until my unborn daughter hit puberty and started to sleep in on weekends herself. The realization rolled over me like a cold rolling whitecap.
My pregnancy fog must have just lifted as I'm an educated woman, I have a post secondary education, I work,and used to spend my spare time volunteering on non profit boards...... at that very moment....
It just occured to me ,that I would not only be able to not sleep in on weekends and further I may be up every two hours to feed ,change and console this little person who was currently kicking my spleen. My life as a single Mother who just happened to have her name next to someone elses on a marriage certificate was about to begin.
Sixteen years later and one extra little person later , I sit typing on Mothers Day morning while my girls make breakfast . Peanut butter and banana toast.... mmmmmmm.
Is motherhood worth 1536 lost hours of weekend sleep ?
You betcha!
Happy Mothers Day !
The man in the basement will quite readily tell you that I have read more than anyone else that he has ever met.
Sixteen years ago ,hugely pregnant and stuck in a sham of a marriage, I trusted books such as " What to expect when you are expecting " in expectation that was in fact reality. Perhaps in some sort of defense mechanism to grasp some semblence of normalacy, pregnancy books ( any books) was preferred to the disfunctionality of my own life ( married to a man who was abusive,alcholic, and an addict who preferred to place his relationship with me at the bottom of his priorities under his mother,his friends,beer, his uncontrollable dog, poker.... fer gawds sake ...he literally couldn't screw in a lightbulb in a fix er up post war house that I later called the shitbox). At that point, I suppose I had settled in my mind that I had made my proverbial bed and should make the best of it....
I was one and a half weeks overdue lying on a futon ( on the floor since the ex didn't want to spend money on a real bed) alone ( he was out of the country) on Mothers Day morn when reality hit.
I would never sleep in on another Sunday morning until my unborn daughter hit puberty and started to sleep in on weekends herself. The realization rolled over me like a cold rolling whitecap.
My pregnancy fog must have just lifted as I'm an educated woman, I have a post secondary education, I work,and used to spend my spare time volunteering on non profit boards...... at that very moment....
It just occured to me ,that I would not only be able to not sleep in on weekends and further I may be up every two hours to feed ,change and console this little person who was currently kicking my spleen. My life as a single Mother who just happened to have her name next to someone elses on a marriage certificate was about to begin.
Sixteen years later and one extra little person later , I sit typing on Mothers Day morning while my girls make breakfast . Peanut butter and banana toast.... mmmmmmm.
Is motherhood worth 1536 lost hours of weekend sleep ?
You betcha!
Happy Mothers Day !
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Now in Hindi....
Ooooh transliteration..... shades of the tower of babel.
I don't speak or write hindi... I actually wonder how awful I translate.
I found stainless steel waterbottles at North by Northwest, a Canadian sports clothing store... finally!
BHA forced me to seek out alternatives for storing liquids for kids lunches. I'm pleased to say that the drink of choice is kept nice and frosty.... Five thumbs up !!!!
I don't speak or write hindi... I actually wonder how awful I translate.
I found stainless steel waterbottles at North by Northwest, a Canadian sports clothing store... finally!
BHA forced me to seek out alternatives for storing liquids for kids lunches. I'm pleased to say that the drink of choice is kept nice and frosty.... Five thumbs up !!!!
इ फिनाल्ली हुन्तेद दोवं स्तैन्लेस स्टील...
आफ्टर मोंथ्स ऑफ़ लूकिंग फॉर स्तैन्लेस स्टील वातेर्बोत्त्लेस, इ त्रच्केद दोवं फौर स्पेसिमेंस अत अ लोकल "स्पोर्टिंग स्टोर" भा और बिसेफ्य्नोल अ वार्निंग्स सेट मी ऑफ़ मोंथ्स अगो, इ नो लोंगेर उसे प्लास्तिच्स टू स्टोर माय चिल्ड्रेन्स लुन्चेस। इन सौथ्वेस्तेर्ण ओंटारियो यू कैन फंड अ लार्गे (लीटर) वातेर्बोत्तले अत नॉर्थ बी नोर्थवेस्ट।
नोट ओनली इस आईटी साफे, आईटी कीप्स कोल्ड ड्रिंक्स निस एंड फ्रोस्टी!
नोट ओनली इस आईटी साफे, आईटी कीप्स कोल्ड ड्रिंक्स निस एंड फ्रोस्टी!
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Just keeping my fingers nimble...
After swearing off community forums , I found myself drifting back to the place where I hung out in virtual reality for four years. Not the same site, but the same people.
Why oh why do I need to add my two cents worth or debate morons , sometimes at the same time....
It could be worse, I could be a frequent talk radio contributor...
Why oh why do I need to add my two cents worth or debate morons , sometimes at the same time....
It could be worse, I could be a frequent talk radio contributor...
Monday, April 28, 2008
The long sleep....
It wasn't writers block but a mean virus that felled both of the kidlets and us big people too.
Despite the three of us undergoing that painful annual rite of passage known as the flu shot, all of us came down with the virus. The younguns fought back successfully but the man and I took four weeks to start to feel back to normal. Mid march , katiekins was feeling under the weather , had a headache, vaguestomachissues, ( sounds like Idon'twanttogotoschoolitis) so I took her to the medical centre with the idea that it may just be a UTI. The on call physician took the urine sample and asked me if she could swab her throat for strep... even though the girl did not have a sore throat . She swabbed her non aching throat for.... strep.... and it came back positive. I'm grateful for the good doctor using her intuition and not writing her off ,
According to the DHPE...
Signs and symptoms depend on the type of illness caused by group A strep. Strep throat causes fever, sore throat, and swollen lymph glands. Strep skin infection causes red, weeping skin sores. Scarlet fever causes all the symptoms of strep throat plus a characteristic rash on the neck, chest, skin folds, and inner thighs. The rash can often be felt easier than seen.
Early signs and symptoms of necrotizing fasciitis are fever and severe pain, swelling, heat, and redness at a wound site. Necrotizing fasciitis is known for the speed with which it attacks and destroys muscle and flesh.
Early signs and symptoms of streptococcal toxic shock syndrome often include fever, dizziness, and confusion. Streptococcal toxic shock syndrome has no sign or symptom that distinguishes it from other illnesses.
Some people are natural carriers for strep, when activated , antibiotics need to be administered pronto. Of course her older sister got it a week later , and I was swabbed twice just to make sure that I wasn't typoid marying it too.
Since our infestation, I have been bleaching all counters,surfaces, laundering towels daily ( each person has their own towel) and enforcing the frequent handwashing policy.
Adding to the sick family robinson scenario, my beloved has been tested for mercury poisoning due to handling the stuff when he was a teenager and swallowing amalgam in a dental chair accident a month and a half ago. My research has sent me to the iaomt.org ( smokingtooth video on You Tube )and I urge everyone to take a look at a deadly poison that is classified toxic waste yet placed in millions of peoples heads daily.
Spring has sprung, I have a new camera ( a newbie SLR), the girls are excited about getting out on the bikes and hope springs eternal.
Despite the three of us undergoing that painful annual rite of passage known as the flu shot, all of us came down with the virus. The younguns fought back successfully but the man and I took four weeks to start to feel back to normal. Mid march , katiekins was feeling under the weather , had a headache, vaguestomachissues, ( sounds like Idon'twanttogotoschoolitis) so I took her to the medical centre with the idea that it may just be a UTI. The on call physician took the urine sample and asked me if she could swab her throat for strep... even though the girl did not have a sore throat . She swabbed her non aching throat for.... strep.... and it came back positive. I'm grateful for the good doctor using her intuition and not writing her off ,
According to the DHPE...
Signs and symptoms depend on the type of illness caused by group A strep. Strep throat causes fever, sore throat, and swollen lymph glands. Strep skin infection causes red, weeping skin sores. Scarlet fever causes all the symptoms of strep throat plus a characteristic rash on the neck, chest, skin folds, and inner thighs. The rash can often be felt easier than seen.
Early signs and symptoms of necrotizing fasciitis are fever and severe pain, swelling, heat, and redness at a wound site. Necrotizing fasciitis is known for the speed with which it attacks and destroys muscle and flesh.
Early signs and symptoms of streptococcal toxic shock syndrome often include fever, dizziness, and confusion. Streptococcal toxic shock syndrome has no sign or symptom that distinguishes it from other illnesses.
Some people are natural carriers for strep, when activated , antibiotics need to be administered pronto. Of course her older sister got it a week later , and I was swabbed twice just to make sure that I wasn't typoid marying it too.
Since our infestation, I have been bleaching all counters,surfaces, laundering towels daily ( each person has their own towel) and enforcing the frequent handwashing policy.
Adding to the sick family robinson scenario, my beloved has been tested for mercury poisoning due to handling the stuff when he was a teenager and swallowing amalgam in a dental chair accident a month and a half ago. My research has sent me to the iaomt.org ( smokingtooth video on You Tube )and I urge everyone to take a look at a deadly poison that is classified toxic waste yet placed in millions of peoples heads daily.
Spring has sprung, I have a new camera ( a newbie SLR), the girls are excited about getting out on the bikes and hope springs eternal.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Can She bake a cherry pie... maybe but not a fricking cake...
The crew and I decided to go egg free when the man in the basement became a permanent fixture in our lives. Despite the fact that he used to cook everyone else eggs in his previous life(before us) , the mere thought that we could somehow kill him through some weird cross contamination was too much too bear. If you think about it, eggs naturally has hormones and most likely contains antibiotics from the chicken feed. We haven't died from not eating eggs and the man has stayed alive from abstaining from the ovum.
An egg allergy is deadly.
The man in the basement is the type of guy who would be typecast as the absent minded professor if he still acted ( yes , you can see him on the silver screen in a couple of international films that were shot here in the 1980's). If and when we go out to eat, I'm usually quizzing the restaurant staff about the ingredients and how the food is prepared while the man sits there and states , " I'm sure it will be okay". Yes, I turn into Kate, from Jon and Kate plus eight, warning the staff of dire consequences if their verbal assurances go bad.
I hate being a biatch so we usually go out to the usual trusted spots , eschewing the unknown.
The allergy also means , no commercial pies, cakes , anything gooooood .
Birthdays are celebrated with ice cream cakes which are on the whole good but not the same thing.
For Valentines Day, I thought I would experiment and make him an egg free cake from http://www.allergicliving.com/forum/. I read the recipe, mixed the ingredients , and voila, the cake was a flop, it fell. It did taste good with icecream but was not a visual success. If anyone has any suggestions, I'm willing to give it the old school try. I'm going to try the recipe again with a few modifications tomorrow and if that fails , I'll give up baking for life !
An egg allergy is deadly.
The man in the basement is the type of guy who would be typecast as the absent minded professor if he still acted ( yes , you can see him on the silver screen in a couple of international films that were shot here in the 1980's). If and when we go out to eat, I'm usually quizzing the restaurant staff about the ingredients and how the food is prepared while the man sits there and states , " I'm sure it will be okay". Yes, I turn into Kate, from Jon and Kate plus eight, warning the staff of dire consequences if their verbal assurances go bad.
I hate being a biatch so we usually go out to the usual trusted spots , eschewing the unknown.
The allergy also means , no commercial pies, cakes , anything gooooood .
Birthdays are celebrated with ice cream cakes which are on the whole good but not the same thing.
For Valentines Day, I thought I would experiment and make him an egg free cake from http://www.allergicliving.com/forum/. I read the recipe, mixed the ingredients , and voila, the cake was a flop, it fell. It did taste good with icecream but was not a visual success. If anyone has any suggestions, I'm willing to give it the old school try. I'm going to try the recipe again with a few modifications tomorrow and if that fails , I'll give up baking for life !
Monday, February 11, 2008
Hibernation
Is a great idea.... who needs -18 c frigid weather ?
As a energy cheapskate I hate having my thermostat above 20 , I would rather spend that extra dough on a sweater. However..... I gave in and turned the usually set heat up two whole notches.
It was so cold that the school called it an indoor recess day and the teenager was home within 15 minutes post dismissal time.
I can't believe we're descended from hardy empire loyalist stock......
As a energy cheapskate I hate having my thermostat above 20 , I would rather spend that extra dough on a sweater. However..... I gave in and turned the usually set heat up two whole notches.
It was so cold that the school called it an indoor recess day and the teenager was home within 15 minutes post dismissal time.
I can't believe we're descended from hardy empire loyalist stock......
Sunday, February 10, 2008
We love Grandma Hardcore
I love Sunday mornings simply for the ability to be able to sleep in and wake up to the smell of freshly brewed coffee and bacon. The man in the basement makes the most decadent sandwich for Sunday brunch, the bacon ,onion and grilled cheese.
I'm such a lucky girl.
My children are old enough to fend for themselves so I can sleep in and I'm spoiled to have a man who not only loves me but feeds me and my crew decadent delights.
What does this have to do with a senior citizen who can kick my ass and yours each and every time on every gaming console ?
Not much ... but bear with me on this.
The girls lack the kind of grandparents who are fun,kind,understanding or civil. It's a complicated situation and I'm not delving into it but they have serious grandparent envy.
They both moan on about how their friends Grandparents take them places,don't play weird mindgames, are never critical and have a mutual admiration fan club with each other.
We always comment on and envy cool Grandparents.
Grandma hardcore is the ultimate awesome grandparent, not just for her wicked gaming skills but for her great relationship with her grandson Tim and even the other grandson who wipes out her memory card ( also know as Josh)
You can read and watch Grandma Hardcore @ http://oghc.blogspot.com
We are a gaming family due to the man in the basements career choice. The girls rip into a game and the man coaches. Katie and the man sit there for hours while he guides her through each level and shows her her every hidden easter egg. He is truly a Jedi warrior and makes great grilled cheese.
What more can a girl ask for ?
I'm such a lucky girl.
My children are old enough to fend for themselves so I can sleep in and I'm spoiled to have a man who not only loves me but feeds me and my crew decadent delights.
What does this have to do with a senior citizen who can kick my ass and yours each and every time on every gaming console ?
Not much ... but bear with me on this.
The girls lack the kind of grandparents who are fun,kind,understanding or civil. It's a complicated situation and I'm not delving into it but they have serious grandparent envy.
They both moan on about how their friends Grandparents take them places,don't play weird mindgames, are never critical and have a mutual admiration fan club with each other.
We always comment on and envy cool Grandparents.
Grandma hardcore is the ultimate awesome grandparent, not just for her wicked gaming skills but for her great relationship with her grandson Tim and even the other grandson who wipes out her memory card ( also know as Josh)
You can read and watch Grandma Hardcore @ http://oghc.blogspot.com
We are a gaming family due to the man in the basements career choice. The girls rip into a game and the man coaches. Katie and the man sit there for hours while he guides her through each level and shows her her every hidden easter egg. He is truly a Jedi warrior and makes great grilled cheese.
What more can a girl ask for ?
Saturday, February 9, 2008
I don't recycle .... wait let me paraphrase that
We don't use the bluebox system.
My past business experience in the recycling world has taught me that only recyclers get rich off of selling the commodity ... the planet really doesn't win through this pseudo green gesture.
Lets say that you wash out all of your cans , tie up your newspapers , fold your cardboard ,sort your paper, clean out the plastic containers. How much time does it take for you to bluebox in the specified manner ?
What you don't know is this, the paper, cardboard , metal and plastic is taken back to the recycling plant and dumped and sorted. The company doesn't care if you have cleaned it out or not....it doesn't matter. Each type is baled and graded before reselling it to a company , usually based in China or India. How much pollution is generated sending tonnes of recyclables to the far east ? Take a look for yourself at http://www.recycle.net/
If a commodity such as newspaper is a loss leader.... that is the recycling company can't sell it... guess where it goes .... the landfill.
Many recycling companys own landfills , GreenLane , a local company sold their landfill to the City of Toronto for millions of dollars ensuring a convoy of inefficient diesal trucks transporting Toronto's trash 24/7. http://www.greenlanegroup.com/
I'm not saying that waste diversion is evil or that a business shouldn't make a dollar off of our waste.
Recycling in this manner only encourages the consumer to generate more garbage.... that big screen box just has to be folded and tied , before being tossed beside the cans for recycling.It's all lipservice to saving the environment.
Our family went through mass change in the last four years and part of the reorganization and team building included evaluating every facet of our household organization.
We decided to simplify ,declutter and find solutions to ensuring that we stopped generating four bags of garbage plus recycling a week.
We no longer....
Buy newspapers .... we read online
Any magazines are sent off to the local medical clinic for homegrown recycling and I only buy one magazine a month down from 5.
I use cloth bags at the grocery store and usually buy all locally produced "food" from the local market .
We refuse to take home any product that comes in a large box. I'll buy the item if the retailer keeps the box.
We reduced our dependence on packaged food by 80% thereby saving not only the world but hopefully our health. That means no softdrinks,junkfood,hamburger helper.... you get the gist.
We evaluate all consumer purchases carefully and refuse to give into impulse buying in order to avoid junking that same product into the garbage in future years.
On a side note, my reorganization included a complete "purge" of all of our family goods prior to moving . I sent off unwanted furniture to an auction house, gave clothes,household items and books to local charities in order to downsize and cleanse before our move. Each child participated in the same exercise and gave away old clothes,old and unused toys.
It was similar to cleaning out your parents house as part of the closure of an estate. Every piece of "treasure" ends up in the garbage,your attic or as part of the junk seen at any auction house.
Our precious items do not consist of of plastic,glass or paper . It's in the spoken word , gesture or touch to the people we love.
That was the truth which we discovered.
Take that Oprah.
My past business experience in the recycling world has taught me that only recyclers get rich off of selling the commodity ... the planet really doesn't win through this pseudo green gesture.
Lets say that you wash out all of your cans , tie up your newspapers , fold your cardboard ,sort your paper, clean out the plastic containers. How much time does it take for you to bluebox in the specified manner ?
What you don't know is this, the paper, cardboard , metal and plastic is taken back to the recycling plant and dumped and sorted. The company doesn't care if you have cleaned it out or not....it doesn't matter. Each type is baled and graded before reselling it to a company , usually based in China or India. How much pollution is generated sending tonnes of recyclables to the far east ? Take a look for yourself at http://www.recycle.net/
If a commodity such as newspaper is a loss leader.... that is the recycling company can't sell it... guess where it goes .... the landfill.
Many recycling companys own landfills , GreenLane , a local company sold their landfill to the City of Toronto for millions of dollars ensuring a convoy of inefficient diesal trucks transporting Toronto's trash 24/7. http://www.greenlanegroup.com/
I'm not saying that waste diversion is evil or that a business shouldn't make a dollar off of our waste.
Recycling in this manner only encourages the consumer to generate more garbage.... that big screen box just has to be folded and tied , before being tossed beside the cans for recycling.It's all lipservice to saving the environment.
Our family went through mass change in the last four years and part of the reorganization and team building included evaluating every facet of our household organization.
We decided to simplify ,declutter and find solutions to ensuring that we stopped generating four bags of garbage plus recycling a week.
We no longer....
Buy newspapers .... we read online
Any magazines are sent off to the local medical clinic for homegrown recycling and I only buy one magazine a month down from 5.
I use cloth bags at the grocery store and usually buy all locally produced "food" from the local market .
We refuse to take home any product that comes in a large box. I'll buy the item if the retailer keeps the box.
We reduced our dependence on packaged food by 80% thereby saving not only the world but hopefully our health. That means no softdrinks,junkfood,hamburger helper.... you get the gist.
We evaluate all consumer purchases carefully and refuse to give into impulse buying in order to avoid junking that same product into the garbage in future years.
On a side note, my reorganization included a complete "purge" of all of our family goods prior to moving . I sent off unwanted furniture to an auction house, gave clothes,household items and books to local charities in order to downsize and cleanse before our move. Each child participated in the same exercise and gave away old clothes,old and unused toys.
It was similar to cleaning out your parents house as part of the closure of an estate. Every piece of "treasure" ends up in the garbage,your attic or as part of the junk seen at any auction house.
Our precious items do not consist of of plastic,glass or paper . It's in the spoken word , gesture or touch to the people we love.
That was the truth which we discovered.
Take that Oprah.
Friday, February 8, 2008
Holy S#%^t !
What did I do last night.
I wasn't even sipping a glass of Wolf Blass.... no excuses.
I started BLOGGING.... yep I'm now officially insane... will post pics and restraining orders later today.
The youngest critter ( age 10 and will be taller than her older sister) bounced down the stairs at 8.00 a.m. dressed in what I would call casual/christmas.
Gap turtleneck with plaid shiny xmas like paper mini skirt. No , the outfit wasn't sycronized.
I looked over at her while she was slurping down a healthy breakfast of vanilla Rice Crispies and juice and commented ,"Your Mother dress you "?
Katie replied ," No... I like this , it reflects my Scottish heritage". (we're not Scottish)
I have given up on forcing her to change her clothes before she goes to school or for that fact anywhere. Last year she insisted on going for a neighbourhood walk with me wearing her white bike helmet.
Shrug, yes I let her wear it. It took a quarter of a mile of weird looks and laughter for her to turn to me and say, " This looks stupid , can I take it off" ?
I did make her carry it for the rest of the walk . I decided long ago , if it's not dangerous , a little community shaming can't hurt.
Besides, add the slip on the indoor school pirate shoes and she might just start some weird grade five girl trend ...or be scarred for life.
What did I do last night.
I wasn't even sipping a glass of Wolf Blass.... no excuses.
I started BLOGGING.... yep I'm now officially insane... will post pics and restraining orders later today.
The youngest critter ( age 10 and will be taller than her older sister) bounced down the stairs at 8.00 a.m. dressed in what I would call casual/christmas.
Gap turtleneck with plaid shiny xmas like paper mini skirt. No , the outfit wasn't sycronized.
I looked over at her while she was slurping down a healthy breakfast of vanilla Rice Crispies and juice and commented ,"Your Mother dress you "?
Katie replied ," No... I like this , it reflects my Scottish heritage". (we're not Scottish)
I have given up on forcing her to change her clothes before she goes to school or for that fact anywhere. Last year she insisted on going for a neighbourhood walk with me wearing her white bike helmet.
Shrug, yes I let her wear it. It took a quarter of a mile of weird looks and laughter for her to turn to me and say, " This looks stupid , can I take it off" ?
I did make her carry it for the rest of the walk . I decided long ago , if it's not dangerous , a little community shaming can't hurt.
Besides, add the slip on the indoor school pirate shoes and she might just start some weird grade five girl trend ...or be scarred for life.
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