Just Jump In

Get your feet wet!

Friday, February 29, 2008

RBOC - the Holy Crap Edition

  • Until my music therapy practice builds up a bit more, I have started another part time job. I love working with Boss Lady doing decor, but it isn't consistent. I will still be doing that, but have added the job title of "Builder of Bears" to my resume. Yep, I'm working for that company which specializes in custom stuffed animals made at retail locations. It's flexible and they need more people for daytime, less for evenings and weekends which suits me fine. I've worked two shifts and even though the money isn't great, at least it's fun.
  • So speaking of the music therapy practice. I have a proposal to make to the school board for which I currently provide 1.5 contract hours/week. I e-mailed the correct person (after consulting with the education assistants at the two schools I go to), and have been waiting to hear from him. Well, he called today to say he is interested in hearing my proposal. We're in phone tag mode at the moment, but keep your fingers crossed!!!!!!!
  • My sister-in-law, Kat, suffered 3rd degree burns to her thighs and groin on Monday. She has no idea how it happened, but she managed to drop her entire cup of tea in her lap before she even had a sip. Frogman (her boyfriend/basically husband) was all ready to drive her to the hospital until they realized that she really couldn't put on pants, and really couldn't go out with a bare ass! They called the ambulance (smart move - it was rush hour, and they took her to the correct hospital with the burn unit). She's home, and will be at least until March 17th. I called her this morning to see if she wanted me to bring her some lunch, and she was really weepy. Turns out she had asked her parents to come over yesterday to help her (she can't move around very well and she's pretty sore), but they said they were too busy. They're fucking retired!!!!!!!! OMG!!!! Seriously, I have no idea what the hell is wrong with my in-laws. Anyway, her mom was going today. I did drop over and bring her some books and DVDs and the travel DVD player (in case she wants to stay in bed but is too tired to concentrate on a book). Also some tulips, which I put in her bedroom, and a little plant arrangement, as well as some homemade soup for dinner tonight or lunch tomorrow.
  • We're getting MORE snow overnight. Like we need it, right? Is it spring yet? Oh, and freezing rain is forecast for Monday - yay.

Thursday, February 21, 2008

Ten Things I Miss About Miami

If you look at my Weather Pixie and see the temperature (currently -20 Celsius), you'll understand why I'm doing this post!

1. The hot and sour soup from Lotus Garden on LeJeune. There is other hot and sour soup that I like, but none compares to this. It's especially sad when I get sick and crave it - I used to eat it every time I was sick with tonsillitis, which was about every 6 weeks in my second year of my master's.

2. Crandon Park on Key Biscayne.

3. The Venetian Pool, which was just around the corner from my apartment. Especially during the "winter" months, when very few native Floridians would be there.

4. My Monday night routine, which included chillin' in front of the tv and take out dinner from Pollo Tropical. I would always get the 1/4 chicken with black beans and rice (with the lime), and an order of maduros - fried plaintains. Mmmmmm.

5. The Car Wash, on South Dixie Highway. Seriously, I have never experienced anything like this anywhere else (even in other warm climates). People would even go here for first dates. Read the review.

6. The Biltmore Hotel. I only stayed there once, when I was defending my thesis, but I loved seeing it every day. It was also in my neighbourhood. I love the tower and the red tiled roof. After Hurricane Andrew, it was kind of a beacon at night, as they had power and my street was in a block of homes that did not.

7. South Beach. The whole art deco steetscape, the nightlife, the News Cafe, the hustle and bustle right next to the beach. And this little flower wholesaler that my friend Golden Boy introduced me to. I used to get huge ginger blossoms and birds of paradise, or lilies, or roses . . . dirt cheap.

8. Cocowalk in Coconut Grove. This was a favourite place to go to a movie. The best idea was to go to a double feature - we'd buy tickets for two movies, with a good chunk of time in between. Then we would go sit at Fat Tuesdays and drink slushy alcoholic beverages while overlooking the courtyard of Cocowalk. And we would be the "fashion police". Really, Miami has a mishmash of people, and there is always some sort of fashion disaster happening on a Friday night!

9. Sushi. There were several places I liked to go, and all of them had amazingly fresh fish!!!

10. Friends. Most have left Miami now - one in Germany, one in NY, one in NC, one in Chicago, several I have lost touch with. And Golden Boy, who died on June 4, 1994. The fact that none of them are there anymore makes me think that Miami would just be less than I remember without them there.

Monday, February 18, 2008

Yet Another Meme (stolen from a random blog)


60 Things You Possibly Didn't Know About Me

1. What is in the back seat of your car right now?
Two booster seats, and two striped polar fleece blankets

2. When was the last time you threw up?
In Meriden, CT at the New England Regional conference in March 2006. Corwin had a 24 hour flu before I left and I thought nothing of it. Until I was lying on the bathroom floor, feeling like death. Bonus? Hubby was back home, doing the same thing with the added joy of parenting 2 five year olds!


3. What's your favorite curse word?
Shit is popular.

4. Name 3 people who made you smile today?
Corwin, Clara, Lina (she commented on the previous post and her comment made me laugh!


5. What were you doing at 8 am this morning?
trying to get Corwin to brush his teeth and get dressed

6. What were you doing 30 minutes ago?
Getting the kids ready for the Beaver campfire.

7. What will you be doing 3 hours from now?
Hopefully, watching Restaurant Makeover (I am SO addicted!!)

8. Have you ever been to a strip club?
Nope

9. What is the last thing you said aloud?
Hurry up and get in the car! Buckle in or you'll be late!!


10. What is the best ice cream flavor?
By brand:
Ben & Jerry's - Chubby Hubby
Haagen Daz - Deep Chocolate Peanut Butter (which I don't think they even make anymore). Coffee.
Baskin Robbins - Jamocha Almond Fudge. Daiquiri Ice.
Piccolo Grande Gelato - Bacci
President's Choice - Candy Cane Crackle (only available at Christmas)

11. What was the last thing you had to drink?
Water. How un-exciting!

12. What are you wearing right now?
Pink flannel lounge pants, pink long sleeved t-shirt, bare feet

13. What was the last thing you ate?
Bowl of chili with a sprinkle of grated sharp cheddar and a dollop of sour cream. Oh, and a banana.


14. Have you bought any new clothing items this week?
Nope


15. When was the last time you ran?
When I was late for a flight.


16. What's the last sporting event you watched?
Some show jumping from Spruce Meadows (found while channel surfing). The kids' soccer games last summer.

18. Who is the last person you emailed?
Senate Woman and my dad.


19. Ever go camping?
Not if I can help it!!! Last time I slept in a tent was at the camp reunion in 2005. Before that, it was when I attended the camp - last year was when I was 16!


20. Do you have a tan?
Ummm, it's Feb. I live in Ottawa. I currently have the skin tone of the underside of a dead fish.


24. Do you drink your soda from a straw?
Not usually. And I don't often drink soda anyway.

25. What did your last IM say?
Beats me, I don't often IM.

26. Are you someone's best friend?
Yes.


27. What are you doing tomorrow?
Getting the kids off to school (yay!!!!!!!!! They were off today, and they have a PD Day on Friday so it's a short week for them, but a LONG one for me!). Getting a proposal off to another potential client. Voice lesson for me. Taking Clara to violin. Flute rehearsal in the evening. Oh, and Parish Council before flute (I may actually have to miss flute because it may be a crazy PC meeting)

28. Where is your mom right now?
At home, probably cleaning something!


29. Look to your left, what do you see?
A laundry rack with drying clothes. A wall.

30. What color is your watch?
Gold Gucci bracelet style. It has changeable bezels, which I haven't bothered to do in years. Hmmm, maybe I'll do that tomorrow and be exciting. (hmm, I wonder where the box with the bezels is?)


31. What do you think of when you think of Australia ?
Ayers Rock. It was the most amazing place I have ever been. And Nick Dowson ,the cutest concierge a girl could possibly hope to go clubbing with while in Cairns.


32. Would you consider plastic surgery?
Probably not


33. What is your birthstone?
Diamond


34. Do you go in at a fast food place or just hit the drive thru?
Depends.


35.How many kids do you want?
Sometimes the two I have are too much, so we'll just stop there!!!!

36. Do you have a dog?
Absolutely. Miss Jazz is getting more and more spoiled in her old age.

37. Last person you talked to on the phone?
Hubby.

38. Have you met anyone famous?
Ben Heppner, Jann Arden, Yo-Yo Ma (if you can count my squeaked out hello when he said hi to me as meeting!), several ballet dancers from the National Ballet of Canada, C David Johnson (who was on Street Legal, my fave Canadian show in the late 80's/early 90's). I also sat behind Gary Busey on a flight from LA to Toronto. He was a complete jackass.

39. Any plans today?
Well, it's almost 7 so . . . tidying up, getting the kids into bed when they come home, and chilling out with Hubby (hopefully watching the aforementioned Restaurant Makeover!)

40. How many states have you lived in?
Two. And Three provinces (I am Canadian!)

41. Ever go to college?
Yep. And grad school - got the Master's, decided to stop there.

42. Where are you right now?
In my sitting room off the master bedroom.

43. Biggest annoyance in your life right now?
Snow - too much of it. Followed by rain - too much of it!

44. Last song listened to?
Over You - Chris Daughtry

46. Are you allergic to anything?
Cigarette smoke, mould.
And penicillin, clindamycin, erythromycin. Yeah, it's really fun when I get sick and need antibiotics!

47. Favorite pair of shoes you wear all the time?
Black short boots with 3" heels.

48. Are you jealous of anyone?
Pretty much anyone who can get up and sing or perform with confidence and without feeling that they may die of terror.

50. Is anyone jealous of you?
I doubt it!

51. What time is it?
6:54 pm


52. Do any of your friends have children?
Lots


53. Do you eat healthy?
I try to. However, if you refer back to question 10 you'll see that I have tendencies to slip!


54. What do you usually do during the day?
Depends on the day! Take care of the kids, laundry (I think I do this every day!), vacuum (I usually try to do this every day), see clients, practice flute and singing, have rehearsals, do decor work, cook . . . and the list goes on. Oh, there's also the blogging, the blog-reading, and the Facebooking!

55. Do you hate anyone right now?
No. I'm not even really annoyed at anyone at the moment.


56. Do you use the word 'hello' daily?
I think so.

58. How old will you be turning on your next birthday?
39. Which I will gloat over for the next year as Hubby turns the big Four-Oh in June!!!

59. Have you ever been to Six Flags?
Yes, in Georgia.

60. How did you get one of your scars?
The c-section is kinda boring so I'll go with the one on my right bicep. I was 8 or 9 and was climbing a fence into a paddock to see a horse. I wasn't supposed to be there. When I saw someone coming, I climbed up partway and vaulted over the fence. It was one of those green-coated chain link fences and one of the ends was apparently sticking out.

I Am A Terrible Mother

Clara came to see me this morning, saying in a sad voice "the tooth fairy forgot to come. There's no money and the tooth is still there". Oh Crap!!!!!!!!!

She lost her fifth tooth yesterday, a really big deal because Corwin has been first to lose every other tooth so far. We got it all ready and of course the tooth fairy had the money ready, but since she worked doing decor on Saturday, including takedown until 4:20 am, and had 2.5 hours of sleep before singing a solo at church, and then went to bed early, it's not surprising that the tooth fairy forgot. Clara said "I guess she forgot", but I reminded her that we were having really wicked rain and freezing rain last night, and that it would be really hard for her to fly in that. Clara brightened up at that and said "She'll just come tonight". Whew! Future therapy avoided :)

Friday, February 15, 2008

Oh Look!

It's snowing again. These pictures aren't grainy - those are flurries swirling around. Because obviously we haven't had enough snow. I guess I'll be doing some shovelling.


Thursday, February 14, 2008

Happy Valentine's Day!

Did I mention that I decorate for most holidays and events? So, here's a little snapshot into the life and times of Canada at Valentine's. Bonus shot of the insane amount of snow is included.




Sunny Valentine's Day.
Can't see the red front door because of the snow!!!



Flowers from Hubby (awww!) and Webkinz "Love Frogs"
for Corwin and Clara from my parents




The little lump behind the vase?
One of about a dozen red glass hearts.




View of flowers from above



The sideboard in the dining room,
with heart garlands in the glass jars




The kitchen table. Glass heart hanging from the chandelier,
cinnamon hearts in the bottom of the candleholders.


Kitchen sideboard, with lots of cinnamon hearts
in glass hurricane jars



Valentine's mantel, complete with kissing cherubs.

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Is It Spring Yet?

I can't get warm. Monday was a -37 windchill. Tuesday wasn't much better. And today? Today we got more flippin' snow. My back hurts because I twisted funny trying to shovel my way out and the snowbanks are too high. Hubby does the snowblower stuff (the best hand-me-down EVER from my parents), and he was obviously at work at the time. I gave up and just shovelled half the driveway onto the other side for Hubby to do when he got home. And guess what? More snow forecast for tomorrow night and Friday. I will take and post pictures of the insane amount of white stuff. So far this winter, we have gotten 283.9 cm of snow (that's 111.8 inches). Can I go hibernate now?

Saturday, February 09, 2008

Mmm Hmmm





Your time of day has a split personality -- sometimes it's sweat-streaked and loud, and you're on the dance floor, getting your third wind, and shouting lyrics like you'll never run out of energy. You are the time of night that carves itself into your memory forever, because you'll never forget how much you love these people and this moment and this song. It's not always about unforgettable parties, though. Sometimes your late night (err… early morning) burst of energy happens when you're home alone. Those are the times when you say, "I flat out refuse to go to sleep until I finish reading this book, or typing this page, or reorganizing my entire closet." In either case, you are the time of night when it feels sort of forbidden to be awake, but you love accomplishing something special long after everyone else went to bed. And hey -- you can always catch up on sleep tomorrow, right?

From both Luckybuzz and Maggie May , who are both much later in the morning than I am.