The Post To Get Maggie Out Of Her Foul Mood

Since my comment agreeing with foul mood status made her laugh, I figured I'd go one step further and expand it into a whole post. Here is the comment that started it all:

My oven died right before Thanksgiving (and we need a new one - that's two grand I wasn't planning to spend). The vacuum broke (it has been fixed, but I would LOVE to get a new one - I refer you to the first part of this as to why that isn't happening right now). I have gained weight. Hubby and I had a huge and *lovely* argument - on the phone, right before choir. Oh, and in choir I sing second soprano. Which apparently means first fucking alto these days. So yeah, FOUL mood fits. AND I have an achy throat from singing too low for too long. (but I promised I wasn't going to bitch about the soprano thing this year - notice I haven't been blogging much? If you don't blog, you don't bitch).

And her subsequent response:

I love you guys. I especially love you, Canada, for detailing the many reasons for your own foul mood. Does it make me a bad person that this actually cheers me up?

I figured that if this slightly lengthy comment cheered Maggie up, then what the hell. In bullets, because it's one in the morning and I really should be sleeping!

• The oven died. On the Wednesday before Thanksgiving (that would be Canadian Thanksgiving, of course), I self-cleaned the oven. We have a single wall oven which was here when we moved in (it was put in around Aug 1997, but it was a model home at that time. The house was occupied sometime in 1999, and we moved in in 2002). I swear, it has never worked really well the whole time we have lived here, and we have spent more than $600 on repairs (one time for a faulty lock mechanism for self-clean, one to replace the entire keypad). So . . . . self-clean. No problem. Until the cycle was complete and I realized there was nothing at all in the display. And the door was still locked. And still is locked. We decided to get a new oven. It will be installed on Monday. That's one week and one day past Thanksgiving dinner for 12. The silver lining? The turkey (cooked in V's oven) was fabulous!! Which makes me feel better about the whole new oven thing - obviously it was time. And it could have been worse - it could have died WHILE cooking the bird, right? Still, that was a large chunk of cash that wasn't so much anticipated.
• So we were getting ready for the dinner, cleaning and such. And Hubby tells me that "by the way, the vacuum broke". Of course it did. Why wouldn't it? Anyway, it was just one of the plug prongs that broke off, so it was a cheap and quick repair. Bummer - I really, really want a Dyson pet vacuum. But that whole new oven purchase threw my ultimate plan out the window.
• This wasn't this week, but I think I'm still feeling the effects. I tripped and fell off my porch. Well, I was taking the dog out before meeting Nancycle for lunch and I'm still not quite sure how it happened, but I somehow caught the heel of my shoe and I couldn't stop myself from wiping out off the bottom step onto the path. My knee hit, and I actually skidded. It had been raining. Talk about loser. Two slight pluses here - no one saw me, and I only had to change my jeans (since it was wet) - I had my rain jacket zipped up so my shirt was unscathed.
• I need new speakers for my iPod. See reasons one and two for why this is annoying.
  
• The second soprano issue. About which I made the resolution to accept it and not bitch about it. So lately, blogging has been light, because Oh.My.God. ALL I want to do is bitch about it. I am just not an alto. And it is beyond pissing me off about the fact that the seconds are singing alto parts because they suck and can't hold it together when divided into first and seconds. So, after the first week, I took that particular piece to AVT and she was surprised, because the soprano part is easily something I can do without needing her help. I felt vindicated by her reaction to the fact that I was singing alto. And I learned it. And sang out on the Thursday, since really, only Raindrop and I were really able to get it (and Daisy was away). Well, it completely messed up my voice. My throat was achy, but not sore throat achy, just strained. And I sounded all raspy that evening - and the next day! But, I wouldn't complain, no no, not me. I did talk to Diva about it, in a rational manner. I told her that I had decided to talk to Gordon about compline, and that I will politely say that if I can't sing soprano, I will be choosing not to go, because I sing alto enough on Thursdays. She still thought I should discuss the other matter as well. I, of course, am a huge wuss who avoids confrontation so . . . uh uh, no way was my response. Until last Thursday when I had the realization that I used to love Thursdays, and choir, and singing. And now . . . I don't. Last week, there was one piece that I enjoyed singing. Everything else was all second soprano/alto-ish. So I have decided that I am going to talk to Gordon about it. Not to be demanding and say "I want to be a first NOW", but that if Newfie Post-Doc gets her dream job and moves, that I would like to be moved up - after Christmas. And at the latest, next September. Not because I think I am "better" than anyone else, but because it is messing with my voice to sing what I have been, and I truly fucking hate it. (small aside - Gordon's mother passed away last week, so he has been away in the States for the funeral last weekend, and then out West to bury her. So I have no idea when this talk is going to happen). And if anyone was taking bets, the resolution lasted slightly over a month. Apparently, I have no willpower.
• Which brings me to my next point - I have gained weight. Enough so that my pants are snug. I am seriously annoyed with myself. And will be climbing back on V's treadmill next week!
• We had our federal election. The wrong guy is still in, and still with a minority government. My fingers are crossed that my neighbours to the south manage to get the right guy in next month.
  
• My house is a disaster. It is appalling how much mess can be generated by two children who play outside as much as possible. And how much laundry I still have to fold!

I will give the highlight of my week, though. I talked to Beck last Friday night. She was going to call the kids on Thanksgiving Monday, and just wanted to see if we would be around. After staying up until 2 am on Saturday night moving furniture, setting up the second table, and ironing tablecloths for dinner the next day, I was actually thinking of skipping church. I didn't, and as I walked in early (we have ti be there by 9:30 to rehearse before the 10:15 service), I thought I had finally lost my mind and was hallucinating. Because there was Beck. And then she smiled and we did the goofy run and hug thing. She is on a reading week, and spent the afternoon with us on Monday, and I saw her Wed eve for the new priest's induction service, and she came to choir, and will be at church on Sunday before she flies back. Truly the best damn Thanksgiving surprise EVER!!!!