Tulip's Tantrums

Written September 22nd... Posted October 14 Whiz.... weee...... zip........... zam ........... zooooooommmmmmmmmmmm....... time passing. 57 years. Had my mom not died, we would have celebrated her 57th birthday on September 13th. 57!!! What the hell would she have looked like? I don't think she would have resembled my nana because she didn't look like her before and grampa sort of always looked old to me but still not like mom. I really miss her a lot; there's so much happening that I would love to have her around to be part of. My babies are almost grown and are at the most incredible stage of life; I'm really enjoying it.

On vacation. That sounds so very nice. I'm going to enjoy time with family, friends, pets, my book and bathtub, maybe a little ice wine ... It seems like I have waited years for this break. Things are slowly starting settle at work; the kids are involved with friends and in sports and getting set to go back to school; I've traded some commitments to provide more time and less hassle; things are more calm than I can ever remember. This is great. butt life certainly can't be sunshine and roses all the time. Without pain there is no relief, without tears there is no joy, etc. There are highs and lows in everything. Hopefully you have some means of balancing everything and getting through, whatever that may be. Sometimes alone, sometimes with others. I think my lowest times have been during some sort of loss. My highest times always involve my loved ones. One of the best things in the world is sitting beside someone and knowing that s/he is there because. Just because. You don...

My current fave song... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHWw09QCq4Q Dadums' current fave song... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2v50iDyIpw

Okay, so I am horrible at starting a posting and then getting pulled away from the computer. This was written July 31st but is being posted August 22nd. Doodle! ******************** Once again the time is passing more quickly than I can fathom. My life has become increasingly busier, however I find myself with more time for my family and friends. Perhaps a changing of priorities? A settling of non-family business? Most likely a combination. Speaking with a young co-worker about setting up a blog for her upcoming travels the Europe (watch for the link), started me thinking about why some of us blog. Some to keep family and friends apprised of life happenings, others to journal, others to vent, so many variety of reasons. I like the fact that my blog is my own, but that others can leave comments as well. We picked up H yesterday and headed to Van's. It's sad that Jake is retiring and no one has been interested in taking over his business, however times do change. I bought a lot...

Change comes to us by choice or chance, but rest assured it is going to happen. Whether you believe it happened because you didn't say your prayers or because you should have taken the bus or because shit happens, change is inevitable. This change is not my choice, and while my emotions have run the gamut, in the end I am mostly happy. In spending time with O, I have learned so much about myself, and a couple things about him. I hope I challenged him with my endless questions but I'm sure my immaturity stood out much more. Even with some rash and childish behaviour on my part, I have always felt treated as an equal person. O has has taught, guided and led me to realizations about so many things, including many early life lessons. He has definitely played a part in shaping who I am, where I am, what I do and how I choose to live my life. He is one of very few people who has most impacted my life. I wish I had been more forthcoming and could go back; don't we all? If I had as...

This was written on June 11th but is being posted July 24th. Forgot to mention Happy B-day to the momums-in-law ... hope your day was happy. Wheels around and around, seeming to go no where sometimes. Wondering what is going on with others in this world. How they are all doing. What are things like right now in Dakur? Atrocious and with no one stopping it. What about Munich for the World Cup? Edmonton for Game 4? Hawaii? Learning new things is easy, applying them and getting them to become habit is the difficult part.

It is the May long weekend, two of my three kids are away from home, Dadums is working nights and we only see him when he pops over before leaving for work at 5PM, the pets are fine, I am fine, all is fine... if I say it enough times, maybe ... The days continue to pass quickly and it is difficult to keep up.

Life is busy. Home, family, friends, work ... they all take time, right? How do you balance your time? I often feel like I'm struggling with this - sometimes I'm a step ahead and other times a step behind. Right now at work I feel like I'm drowning, but I'm not the only one and in some ways that helps. I try to keep my spirits up as much as possible, so as not to be dragged down into the spiral of negativity that can happen when everyone has too much to do and not enough time. In my search for words of wisdom, I came across the lululemon site and their manifesto has some good advice. My favourites include: Your outlook on life is a direct reflection of how much you like yourself. Life is full of setbacks. Success is determined by how you handle setbacks. You ALWAYS have choice and the conscious brain can only hold one thought at a time. Choose a positive thought. Wake up and realize you are surrounded by amazing friends. Listen, listen, listen, and then ask strategi...

Today has been a good day. Spent time with the kidlets, then with BDJ driving again, then a while searching for the keys that he lost and then ran out for some supper and now just chillaxin' and enjoying the afternoon. Could take little Lucy for a walk - or could sit and relax. I'm more into the relaxing today. How have you spent your time? Do you have pets? Any crafts or hobbies? Housecleaning or cooking? Just a second ... littlest fat dog is eating something - one of the little pellets the boys have been shooting at each other of late. Active living and healthy eating? Thinking about running and looking at info about taking it up. I need something to reduce stress and that would most certainly help. O is always saying exercise will help and I can't imagine something more exercise-ey (is there such a term) as that. We'll see if I get started and then if I follow through. It's taken me a bit to write this - with surfing the net and snooping around. Have a great ni...

Congratulations to BDJ on obtaining his learner's permit! He's been driving a lot and rubbing his older brother's and sister's noses in it. He isn't too bad - frightens me a little with a couple things but for the most part he's doing a bang up ... er, smashing ... um, fantastic job! He had a little more trouble in the Beemer than in my Lucy II (yes, I named my car), but that's the way things go with a stick. He will get better with practice and will benefit from a driving course. I think KVS may be next, but I'm sure DBR won't be far behind. :-) You'll be some of the first to know. Editorial side vent - this is my opinion. In no way do I mean anything as a threat. While my anger may be expressed through words, my actions speak loudest as I calmly watch the world go round.: How does one not know what one's spouse is doing? Of course we are all individuals and there is potential to do anything when no one is around, but if your spouse had no...

To quote my dear friend B, "Suck it up girlfriend!" I prefer to use Buttercup, but it all means the same thing. Shit or get off the pot. Figure it out and move on, up or around. Do something. Anything! Just quit bitching about it! Everyone is tired of hearing it. Albert Einstein said, "Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." Why do some of us continue that way? Why do we do things in the same way and the same order and with the same intent, but expect things to come out differently? What's been taking your time of late? DBR and BDJ are in football again, together this year! Their first game is on Friday night. Dadums is coaching, so that is cool too! They will be wearing their new Cutters - very exciting!! KVS got her hair done today and it looks awesome. Kind of a bob with dark underneath and light on top. I'm sure she'll have some pictures done soon - she takes many! Critters are all well. A little friend f...

Still at home, still got a medicine head (along with approximately 20 lbs of snot), checking work at home (yeah - pretty dumb), and snoozing on and off. Sorry to hear our friends down south have been sick. Happy belated K! (You can forget mine in August - lol.) Hope your test goes well tomorrow C. Know you're in our thoughts often. Hope you're well. Love, hugs and kisses. Back to bed...

Do you ever google something (or whatever search engine you use) just to see what weird stuff will show up? It sure passes a feverish day! Canada cold flu led me to 'More Mad Cow' which I can kind of relate to. Kleenex is calling....

OMG! Britney's balding! Now don't get me wrong. There was a time, way, way, way long ago when the happenings of popstars would perhaps raise my eyebrow ... however I can't ever remember it being something as stupid as a young lady balding! More like the white gloved wonder catching his hair on fire during the Pepsi commercial filming ... or the gossip of did he actually 'do it' with the girl on the Thriller video? Can the media come up with nothing better to write about than balding !?! She's still a little chubby from having her baby but she obviously isn't reacting to that anymore so they have to try something new. Oh man, if that is being famous, I sure don't want it! The flu would seem to have left our house and migrated to the other parent's place. Poor Dadums who had to work while spewing goo in the loo! Sad when a large company doesn't have enough employees in certain areas to cover illnesses, overtime and vacation. Happy 4th birthda...

Well, I thought had a touch of the flu on Monday or Tuesday, but now there is no doubt. I woke up and just made it, an urgency that hasn't hit for years. Lucy was standing beside me as I crouched over the loo to let loose the goo - trying to figure out what was going on. As I started to think thankfully it's done and started to blow my nose, nausea rose up and moved through my body flipping me around to empty the lower half and grab a pail for the upper half that decided it wasn't finished. This was at 8:12 AM. Up to the point of writing this, I have alternated between the biffy and my bed, and have slept on and off for the past 8 hours. My back aches, my head aches, my insides ache, my arse in on fire and there seems to be something stuck in my nose that just doesn't want to dislodge itself. I'm afraid to blow too hard and lose what little brain I have left, not to mention I think anything louder than the clicking of these keys will send me into orbit. Thank you s...

BDJ and I had the trots on Monday, now they've hit DBR and KVS. Life really is the shits in this house today. Interesting piece on Jason's blog . Please be sure to read his whole message with the little clip prior to firing off any hate mail. If you get offended then turn it off. I personally agree with Jason and can understand the troops needing to let off a little steam. More to come...

Okay, this should be the last of me. :-) I really hate having to get this online this way. It would be much nicer to be able to do it a different way. Such is life...

 

 

 

More IHB...

You know, sometimes you work really, really hard. You commit yourself, you try and try again. You give it all you've got and then you give it that little bit more. And then ... you get what you want. Sometimes that really sucks. Something about Jim Benton speaks to me like nothing else. Whether It's Happy Bunny or Dog of Glee or Sweetypuss, there's something for everyone! My favourite has to do with sculptures. Thanks to CH for that present! So, here are a bunch of IHB. Enjoy!

When you don't stay in contact with people, they don't tell you anything! What's up with that? LOL. I received an email from an aunt a couple weeks ago letting me know that a cousin got engaged at Christmas and another was getting married 5 days after the email. The latter was going to be very small - no aunts, uncles or cousins - and the former is happening in June but again a very small wedding (not sure if that means no cousins). Having news delivered this way really lets you know where you fall on the totem pole - but that is a choice I've made. Oh, the joys of family. Although my mom was moved away to Edmonton by my birth father when I was a wee girl, I understand now why my mom didn't move back. A wonderful continuation of family dysfunction where communication skills are practiced by ceasing to speak to one another rather than resolving anything. A few years later you start talking again, but you do not discuss anything from the past. The frightening thin...

Well, thank you to my friend KR. This link is a must for everyone - very serious stuff. And if you don't click on this link within 5 minutes you will grow a wart on the end of your baby toe and your nose will run for a week. Cow Abduction . It's been a while since I've been on. I went through a down spell for a bit after my last post. Just needed to spend some time reflecting on where I am and where I would like to be. Thinking of my mom helped; I can't believe how much I can relate now to the things she told me when I was a new mom and just before she died. Life is good, though. Our kids are growing and challenging and really are interesting people. They are outspoken, for some reason (must get it from their father) and they continue to amaze me with the questions they ask and the comments they make. Everything is gay right now and do African people have black ... ? OMG! Time to sign off and go have some fun. Toodles!

of Vivienne Anne Lemery Schapansky Kozakevich September 13, 1949 - February 13, 1991 My mother, mom, mommy, friend, confidante, mentor, cohart in crime, teacher, student, love of my life. I miss you so much sometimes and other times I forget about you. Is that horrible to say, or horrible to say out loud? Oh to be able to sit down and share a cup of tea with you. What would you think of me and my choices over the years? Would you have smiled on them or would you have hoped I would choose differently? What type of person would I have been if you had lived? I was (who am I fooling, I am ) very selfish and self-centered, spoiled and over-indulged. I lived for me and to hell with everyone else. Two sets of rules, right? I think I am finally starting to understand and am slowly seeing where my choices have led me. You've made your bed... comes to mind among other adages. I see the choices you made and didn't make, and I so much more understand where you were at and what you were th...

It's actually quite fun once you get past the first three levels. Give it a try.

Brittany Buttons Pickles Pierce September 24, 1998 - February 11, 2005

Good morning! Thought I'd get off a quick note while I'm reading the paper. All is well on the home front; the two oldest have been off school for what seems like forever and now BDJ is off today for Teacher's Convention. I can't remember how many instructional days we had as kids, but I know it's got to be more than the 170 our kids go! A person with a suspended license was driving and killed Sohail Ahmad this week. Yet another example of the need for us to toughen all of our laws, from the ground up. We provide minimal consequences for most actions and many seem to ignore the consequences they do face, which leads to tragedies such as this. My condolences to Mr. Ahmad's family and friends. Coretta Scott King passed away Tuesday. A wonderful lady who supported her husband and carried on his message after his death. Well, gotta run and get things together. Stay safe, have a great day and remember to smile! Toodles!

KVS discovered my 'oldies' in the basement. "Wow Mom! I didn't know you listened to such cool old school!!" She was referring to Styx, Oasis, The Cars The Raspberries, The Mamas and Papas, Neil Sedaka. Hell some of those were oldies when I was little! :-) I was going to throw in a list of songs I like and as I began putting them together, I was amazed at how many songs I like! The list here is very long... maybe you'll find one or two you like as well. Well, something happened and people's names have gone all wonky in my song list. It will be a while before it gets up - too much cleaning to do on it. Time for me to hit the tub. Toodles!

So many things have happened since last I wrote: My friend in need is doing better and I think everything is going to be okay. My other friend will most likely get a visit today - to catch up on all the happenings since last we spoke. Work flew by in a flash and flurry of activity, as always. It is incredible how many things have to happen to keep a major building running. Wow! I am allowed to get help, however none is available very often so that is difficult. There are so many little things that need to be handled. Our Brittany is going downhill quickly. Everyone is noticing it now. She gets to very depressed because she's running into things. We try to keep her spirits up with treats and such, but she still just mopes around. Her nose must be pretty sore and she had a major asthma attack this morning - so bad that she wouldn't go outside after that. We all know what is coming, and while that doesn't make it any easier, it does help us all prepare. Pretty soon. In regards...

Good morning! Did you sleep well? Are you ready to tackle the day? Or are you feeling run down and tired and yucky? Taking a couple aspirins and heading back to bed? I have recuperated from my late Sunday night ... well, a little. I should probably have gone to bed earlier last night, but one thing leads to another and it was almost 10 before I shut my eyes. This week is a busy one - tonight is a football meeting, tomorrow is a friend in need, Thursday I may get to bed early and then the weekend will be here! I am quickly running out of time this morning - not sure where it has all gone, but whoosh it has past. I hope you have a great day. Take care and try to remember to smile! Toodles!

Our day has begun... KVS got up for a brief moment and went back to bed. "I won't be getting up before 10:30!" SLAM! Lucy is chasing Raffi all over. BDJ came in and we had a nice chat about the benefits of reading more quickly and working on retention and understanding, and how you should be learning something new every day. DBR came in and isn't feeling that well; cold and flu symptoms. He laid down on the floor and started pitting Lucy against Raffi. Our pets torment each other (we really have to get this on video) and it is one of the most funny things. The boys don't help - they have all these sayings and taunts, and they encourage each of the pets to go after the other. For the most part it is fun and it helps wear off some of the energy that these two (or should that be four? ) have. Thinking about going to the motorcycle show today. I really want to get my license this year and buy a bike. Enough of this procrastinating! :-) It would be great to ride the w...

There's an article/email/blog/posting whatever going around about Emma Scarola. I'm not sure if it is legitimate or not, but as it is relatively new and I can't find anything to do with a hoax regarding it, I am assuming it is real. If you are interested, click on either Emma or Scarola to read the full stories. For those of you who hate link clicking, Emma has cancer and her sister has asked for people to send cards to Emma to show her how much people care. Bunny writes, "I want her [Emma] to see what online friends are really all about. I want her to get cards from across the world. I want to fill her room from wall to wall." Are you interested in sending Emma a card? Here is the address: Emma Scarola 2386 Black River Road Bethlehem, PA 18015 What else is new and exciting? My day was very busy - there is always so much to do. I know it's all just a matter of priorities, but when the volume is so high it is incredible! There are always so many things to be...

Good morning, How is your day? I was so very tired last night that I was in bed before 8! I slept soundly until I heard the furnace kick on before 5:00 AM, which means that it is cold outside, and woke up wondering what I would face today from the elements. Got up a few minutes early and let the girls out; it's chilly but not too bad yet. We would be naive to think it isn't going to happen: the frozen blanket settling over us and securing us under a schwack of snow with -40C temperatures. Okay, hopefully it won't get that bad, but I do hear we're going to be down to -20C. Yuck! Lucy sure has caught on to fetching. We finally found some little balls that she can play with and chew on, but not destroy, and that she can actually pick up in her mouth. It is hard to find things for the petite pooch. The manufacturers seem to think they have no teeth and so make cutesy wootsie things that she eats in under 5 minutes (she really is a Rottie in disguise). She is so much fun - ...

That's what I'm supposed to do. Shit or get off the pot. Quit procrastinating . Make a choice. Step up to a decision (or maybe even two). Sometimes much easier said than done, however other times done before it's said. Too tired for anymore tonight. Toodles!

Good morning! How is your day? Mine has started off well although I find I'm a wee bit tired and getting stopped up in the nasal department. Both of the ladies I work with are sick so it stands to reason ... Is it going to be a good day or a bad day? Make a choice. Yes, choice . If you have had a few shitty days, well, shit happens. However if you find yourself continually having bad days ... then you should try to figure out what is up. Is it your circumstance, mood, choice, what? There is always one common denominator - you! More later ...

Insight And Humour Fuel Burns' Latest By: Mark Weber - Red Deer Express mweber@reddeer.greatwest.ca Local writer/speaker Kevin Burns says there isn’t much startlingly unique about what he does. Yeah, right. The acclaimed writer and in-demand motivational speaker’s latest book firmly sets aside such notions. If It Takes a Village to Raise a Child, How Then, Do You Explain the Village Idiot…and Other Things I’ve Said is packed with Burns’ insightful, witty notions on everything from relationships to vision to customer service. And one of his clear favourites, accountability. “We’re so crammed for time with responsibilities and jobs, we don’t take those quiet moments, and it’s in those quiet moments the thoughts and ideas just fall out,” he says during a recent chat. “I just make my living from ideas, and in the process of writing, a lot of these things come out. “Sometimes, it happens right on stage.” There’s not a trace of self-doubt as he chats about topics we all can relate to, a...

New Years is always the time of resolutions. I didn't have any real resolutions this year as I've sort of been attempting to set expectations throughout the year. Resolutions are mostly things that we need to do regardless of the time of year, and we're just procrastinating (for whatever reasons) over getting started. I've found some info on this that's interesting, but as I was reading it the thought occurred to me that I was further procrastinating about doing some things by reading about and searching out links to do with procrastination. Too funny! Here's an interesting aside for all who experienced the 60's and 70's - Interview with inventor of LSD, Albert Hoffman, now 100. If you don't click the link today, then you will have to search out the article in their search bar. Alright, I'm going to put this post on hold so that I can go get dressed, do some wash, wake up the kidlets, get the one who stayed at Dadum's last night back home...

Do you read the paper or do you listen to or watch the news or do you skip everything and live without any desire to know of things happening outside your immediate circle? I typically begin my day with the online Sun (still haven't approached that damn elliptical-as you've heard time and again ) and a cup of tea or coffee. Here are a few highlights from this morning: In my search for links and information, I've run across an article that talks about Military Fitness . Interesting concept but not for me. Do you ever read Sally Sez ? Sally is one of my favourite people! She says the things I want to (or sometimes do) say and she has the most awesome attitude! In case you aren't a "link clicker" (not sure such a term actually exists) here is a bit of what Sally wrote this week... DINGLE DANGLE A British TV presenter says she wants a boob job. Davina McCall, who hosts the U.K. version of Big Brother reckons having two kids has taken its toll on her breasts. ...

It's been 3 whole days without a post - I feel so full! Time to empty my thoughts and allow the rants to flow... Have you ever noticed how some people just don't get it? You try to give subtle hints about something that your friend/lover/mother/sibling/whomever really needs to figure out, but the person can't see past the nose on his own face? It is so difficult when that person snaps at you and doesn't even realize it so can't apologize. Or brushes you off with a p.o.'d expression or roll of the eyes. You just get to the point where you don't want anything to do with him/her and you pull completely away, allowing him/her to wallow in his misery while seeking company with those more like-minded. What you really want to say is, "Smarten up and get your act together! It's going to affect more than just you in the near future!" Will he/she get it? Probably not. Onto other things - do you do any online shopping or do you just snoop out the good p...

I think I'm starting to look more like my Auntie D every day. I wonder how she's doing? Hellooo Onti Daubi!! (I'll bet she could hear me saying that if she read it.) While I would love to hear all the things that have been happening in her life, I don't anticipate her contacting me any time soon. When we women of me mum's clan get pissed we can stay pissed for an indeterminate amount of time. I ruffled some feathers back in '99 and will remain her only niece forever disowned. KVS thinks it's funny that I'm disowned. She would love to go to Saskabusch and visit the relashuns! Oh, now she's on the phone with someone - it's a girl ... someone talking about Ryan and why are you there? until what time? how are you getting home? so if i get a ride there, then can I get a ride back? Mom, can you drive me to the DCC, Maikki is having ex-boyfriend problems, No I won't drive you there, Mu-ummm! it's tragic - stay put, it's okay - hey daddy, ho...

Aren't personal ads the most interesting thing? Everyone is perfect seeking perfection, no one has any hangups or quirks or kinks, they are all loving and caring and giving, they have lots to offer and love all life has to offer ... if you're all that then why aren't you with who you were with or why aren't you at least taken? Because you're broken! (I learned that from a girl I worked with for a while ... man I miss her sense of humour.) Seriously, the whole personals ads thing is just weird. You're trying to describe what you believe yourself to be, when in fact we should probably have our ex's write our ads for us. Wouldn't that be scary! All of our skeletons and secrets revealed - scratches while channel surfing from the couch ... LOL. People are trying to meet other people by putting out their information in the hopes that that combined with a picture or two will get them the results they're looking for. I don't think most of people have an...

Tomorrow is coming so quickly! There are a bunch of things I was supposed to get done, but didn't. That's always the way isn't it? Did you get everything done you wanted to this weekend? If not, I'm sure it will be waiting for you still tomorrow. I've got to take Britt to the beauty parlor today, if I can find one that's open. Littlest fat dog will probably want to come and I would like to get her nails trimmed - I always screw up when I do them. I've got to get some of those little stick things for when I take a wee bit too much off. She is going to have a bath at home rather than the salon - it's not like she's got a lot of hair or anything. Dadums called and is going to take Britt somewhere in town here later this week, so that will be nice. She looks so cute with her face, paws and bum tidied up. She'll also get freshened up nails (she's so darn good when we do hers) and brushed teeth and just an overall pampering. I'm sure she'll...

I was snooping around another Twyla's site and found the following: Resolution Delusion Today I resolve to open wide my heart my soul my eyes To give myself the power to Take my own side Today I resolve to not let My heart be broken apart And I will take within me The power to forget Today I resolve to help myself To learn from my mistakes I will not be looked over Or put on the top shelf Today I resolve to let go of All the wrongs done And I'll be the bigger person When push comes to shove Today I resolve to push aside All the resolutions past I will listen to my heart I will be my own guide Last year and years before I resolved to change for you Quit smoking, lose weight stop swearing, get a new hair do I just couldn't see past your own eyes Turned upside down Became all your lies But Year after year I slowly understood That changing for you Did me no good So now I live for me For this year will be mine You are in the past Now it's my turn to shine. Interesting littl...

If you're reading this it means you made it through another year! It means that something you've been doing is right. It means you have something to do today - it's just a matter of figuring out what that is. So, what are you going to do? What do I want to do this year? A couple of posts ago I listed the top 10 things that people want to do. Let's see where I fit in with those ... 1) Spend More Time with Family & Friends There are a lot of friends I didn't get to see this year. Is that something I can rectify in '06? Well, things are very busy with my own family and happenings and my friends are busy with their families and happenings, so I don't think it is anything done intentionally. Pretty soon the year has flown by and we haven't seen each other except to read the jokes we email around and maybe a we bit of each other's blogs. I think when all of our kids are grown, then we'll have more time to visit and see each other. As for the family...

In the process of adding KVS's picture to my last post I somehow pressed publish. Although I can go back and change that one, I've decided to start a new one because ... oh, just because. Talking with KVS about what she's doing tonight and what everyone else is doing. There are a couple of places I would like to be, so it's really just a matter of deciding what I'm doing - but I haven't figured that out yet. Another aside - did I mention KVS and I got haircuts last night? Mine is a little wonky, kind of sideways cut bangs that lean if I blowdry them one way or look like they're straight cut if I blowdry the other way. Kind of kewl. KVS got a schwack of hair taken off - she's got so damn much of it! [Such a beautiful girl, with an intelligence she doesn't even realize she possesses yet. So much potential and I'm sure she will be successful at whatever she chooses. She just needs to get her butt in gear so far as school and priorities and such.] So...

KVS did some playing with one of my pictures ... I think it looks very good. This blog was started yesterday, so I'm just going to add on to this at the bottom... I got off work a little early today, which is a very nice thing. It won't be happening again for a while, so I'm going to really enjoy it. The next stat after New Year's is Family Day (for those Albertans in the room) and then Easter - although I believe the kids get spring break before then. I won't get holidays until this summer - and then I'm not sure what I will get. I'll have to start thinking about that in March-ish. I forgot to write about my incredible jewelry find! I was at The General Store in Kingsway and they have a display of Vicky's jewelry. Everything is hand-made and incredible to look at - then you see the price ... $3.90 for a pair of earrings! $1.50 for another set and $4.90 for the most expensive ones. There were rings, bracelets and necklaces there too - you should all re...

Is it a good morning for you? Did you wake up with a purpose or are you still trying to get the sleep out of your eyes and start the coffee pot? My day began quietly - it's really nice that Lucy sleeps through the night now (for the most part). Now she and Raffi are chasing each other all around, and all without caffeine too! Go figure. The second last day of the year. What are your plans for New Years Eve? I have got a few offers of things to do and people to see. It's difficult with the city offers though, because you've eventually got to get home. I will most likely crash at my friend's house if I go that route so that there are no worries. We'll see. 2005 in review. I saw a blog where the person did a wrap-up just by listing the titles of their posts from the past year. I'm not going to do that because you can just scroll down the side to see them - it's not like I've done scads of writing! If you can't follow along, just look at the pictures and...