I am SO going to heaven!

A cute little 112 year old (not looking a day over 80, I might add!) arrived at the pearly gates;

St. Peter: "Yes my dear, what makes you worthy of entrance?"

Cute Little 112 year old: "I lived in rural Georgia for five years, 11 months, 5 of those years under the Bush Administration..."

...and with that the bells rang, the choirs sang and the gates burst open...

St. Peter: "Come in, come in, my dear. You have served your time in hell!"

If I Want It, I Get It!!!!

This weekend past was pretty big back home!

Sir Paul McCartney played Halifax, in his only Canadian show!

Now my Father is an incredibly huge McCartney fan and believes that they have some kind of bond as they are both left handed (remember my bubble and that bubbles do not fall far from the sky). So, the 'children' (a.k.a. The boys, Callum, and I) got Dad tickets.

In the end it was the 3 MacKenzie Boys that went. **

They said that they had a great time.

Now, as I am in Georgia, I was not there. Of course this killed me. I actually have seen Paul McCartney in concert and he's amazing!!!! If you ever get the chance...GO!! So it wasn't entirely that, what bothered me is the fact that they were all doing something together and I wasn't there. Me?!?! Princess?!?! Seriously?!?! How can they have fun without me?!?!?

Yes, my friends I suffer from F.O.M.O. (Fear Of Missing out).
Unfortunately, I have passed this fear on to Geordie as well.

Since, in my bubble, I get everything I want...

WE HAD A GREAT TIME!!!!!!

**Nobody leaves Sissy out!

----------

Unclear & 'Misread-able'

So I received a comment the other day by anonymous. I did not take it as 'trolly', but I do feel that it is one for discussion.

In my post last week; 'Thoughts on moving...by Geordie'.

I wrote how I had told him, 'We are a lot different than most of the people here, we think and believe in different things and we want to be with other people who are more like us.'

I realize now that it was unclear and could be misread. I have also discussed this with Geordie.

My new friend Newt from the Tyler, Texas area pointed this out to me by commenting;

Anonymous said...

"we think and believe in different things and we want to be with other people who are more like us"

Are the "people who are more like us" those who are into diversity and who appreciate other people with different lifestyles, outlooks, etc.?

Newt

So, to answer your question Newt, and to expand on something I should have in the first place;

Yes, 'the people who are more like us' ARE into diversity and appreciate other people with different lifestyles, outlooks, etc... That is why we want to be surrounded by them.

Being here for almost 6 years we have taken in the culture, we now say grill instead of BBQ. We do not regret the move here as it has taught us a lot. Unfortunately, though, where we live there is not much diversity, different lifestyles and/or outlooks. There is also not a lot of appreciation of other cultures. As always, I will point out that this is not everyone. We have surrounded ourselves with some great people, who do think differently than us and yet, we still love them! ;)

So, I probably should have said something like '...we want to be surrounded by diversity and appreciation of many cultures...'

Does that sound right?!?
Have you ever been unclear and/or misread?

--------

Bang! Bang! Let's Play.

I have a few questions before I allow my child to come to your house;

#1 Do you own a gun?

#2 Is that gun under lock?

People might think that I'm crazy but in the first three weeks that we lived here there were at least 6 shootings where a child shot the gun. Yes, they were 'playing' with a gun that they had 'found' that was not under lock and key I'm not even going to mention the fact that it was loaded!

There have been 2 times that I have not asked. Luckily those households ended up fine. But it is something that I will not do again. I'm not chancing it!

Unfortunately we have neighbours who not only have a gun loaded in a shoebox, "but it's okay because it's up high in the closet" they also allow their 9 year old to play with a BB gun out in the middle of the street and yard. They have allowed this since he was 6. Now, please tell me, what do you think will happen when he comes across that 'real' gun?!?

I know people try and tell me that it's about freedom, that they have The Right to Bear Arms but due to my upbringing I fail to see the freedom in any of it.

One bloggie friend mentioned a little while back about how stores are running out of ammunition because people are buying it up like crazy for fear of the Obama administration putting a tax on it. Have I mentioned lately how much I love taxes?!?!

I have been told numerous times that there are laws about guns here and you do have to go through a screening...but I guess there is a loophole. One can buy a gun at a gun show without a background check. Now, how safe does that make you feel?!?!

Georgia also passed a law a couple of years a go allowing you to have a concealed weapon in your car. Again, it's freedom.

So, what do you need to know about a family/house before you allow your child, or yourself to visit?


Many friends were surprised when we allowed Geordie to have a gun with his costume this past Halloween.
It's a toy, he knows this. He also knows that real guns are extremely dangerous.

Work to Live, Live to Work!??!

A friend sent this to me recently. In her words, "Brilliant!"

It was made by a 20 year old and won second place at the 

American Association of Retired Persons. 

U @ 50

Guess what?!?! Your S#@T does stink!!

So there is a big commotion going on up in Canada, eh!?!?

Has anyone heard about it?!? Probably not!
Unless you go out of your way in this country you don't know about anything that happens outside of it!

This was a couple of days a go...



There is really not much to say. I am not surprised by this at all!! We've been dealt with numerous ignorant words from people. It's not all their fault. Seriously! There are not many opportunities to learn about other countries here... unless you take the time yourself! Hopefully the new government will change that!

A little over a month a go this email was going around down here;

"We have just found out that hidden in the so called stimulus package is the creation of Universal Healthcare including the rationing of care for certain age groups. This Universal Health care plan is a duplicate of the Canadian system and will destroy healthcare as we know it. Please contact your Senators, Chambliss and Isakson, and tell them to take Universal Healthcare OUT of the stimulus package!! "

I would make a bet that 95% of the people that forwarded this off have never been outside this country. Have never experienced anything outside this country...so how can they criticize another's ways?!?

There is way too much to say about how this country sees itself and those outside of it. It does need to wake up! Here's an example of how some things can be done!

Meanwhile, Bill Maher (who, before moving down here I thought was a little too over the top, I now think is spot on!) says it best...and this was 2 years a go when many things were not as bad as they are now!





* on a side note...not all Americans are like this. It's just unfortunate that there are so many that are.
Also, just asking but what flag are American backpackers told to wear when traveling around the world?!?!?!



--------

This is why I am (almost) starting to understand why people home school here!!

Dear Public School System,

Yesterday we 'registered' our son for grade primary (that's kindergarten down here!) where we filled out paper work and he was tested.

Now, before I begin, I understand the whole making the classes equal argument and everything... but really?!?! How equal can they be when they only test on certain things?!?! Or, what about the fact that my child is going off with someone new, to a place they have never been before and asked question?!? How comfortable do you think that made him?!?! Was he in the best frame of mind to be tested?!? I will refrain from talking about the fact that it was around noon and he was incredibly hungry.

During the interview with the head of that year. We were told that there are two tests that they do. The first one has to do with drawing shapes, alphabet, numbers, body parts and from what I got drawing a person. We were then told that on this first test the average mark is 70 - 85 and that Geordie received a 65.

Yes, we were told that our child was below average!!

The second test was more on reading and he was in the fourth of five levels. Above average!

Now, we know that when it comes to the alphabet Geordie sings K,K instead of J,K and B instead of V. He also, like all good Canadians, says ZED...which I have learned that people down here have no idea what that is. That being said he can tell you all the letters by sight.

As for body parts, I guess he was not sure on heel. He was not asked about the respiratory and/or digestive system. He can tell you all about that, including where 'parts' are!

We get to the drawing of a person that Geordie did. The 'interviewer' (because that was what she was! As we are outside the district and trying to get into this school she was 'interviewing' us to make sure that we were worthy) said that there wasn't enough detail in the drawing.

From what I could see there was a body, 2 legs, 2 arms, a head with eyes, nose and mouth with some hair. More details?!?! You more than understand that it is a person! Arts and crafts is not exactly Geordie's shtick! It is not a high priority for him! Believe me he has been encouraged and given every opportunity to do it, he would just rather go outside or play Lego.

The 'interviewer' then goes on to tell us what we should do to help him along...

1) "set the table, 2 forks..."
-Geordie knows how to set the table correctly, he was not asked that?!?!

2) "when you're driving talk about the colours"
-Geordie knows the primary colours AND what colours make what!! Now I did ask if they had asked about colours. He was not!

3) "repeat the alphabet after him the correct way"
-Yeah, we do that...he's just too stubborn and a know it all to listen!

He was not asked about;

-the periodic table of elements, as he is learning that! Sure, he only knows 2 so far...but still!

- geography. He knows where many places are on the globe (or map) as well as most of his continents and he has an amazing sense of direction and can lead you anywhere!

- how to put air into a tire, or change a tire...that he could tell you!

-time on a clock as he's been working on that.

- how to work a computer

-athletic ability; where he could tell you that since the age of 3 he was swimming on his own (without a flotation device) and riding a 2-wheeler.
Not to mention his skateboarding and soccer skills!

-any type of problem solving; because he excels at that!

-how to work TiVO and a radio helicopter.

-the water cycle

These are all things that Geordie could have easily told you about...and more! Believe me I could go on as we are trying to bring up a very well rounded child.

But, instead we are told that our child is below average.

Do you not see something wrong with this?!?


Sincerely,

Another parent who thinks that their child is above average!



------

Much To Say About Nothing

It's been awhile since I really wrote. Even then, far in between each post. Just don't really feel like it. I think we are in a bit of a rut. We are at a stand still for moving. Callum is working hard on his studies for his PMP, I'm working on my class, plus checking out jobs which I then send off to Callum to put in for. Sometimes it just seems that the end is nowhere in sight.

We are signing Geordie up for school here. We figure it's a Murphy's Law thing and if we don't sign him up, we'll be here. We go in on Thursday, with Geordie to register. He goes in one room and is tested, we go in another and fill out paper work...or so we're told. As soon as I heard the word test I wanted to scream! I know this society is huge for it's testing but before you even start school?!?! I can sign Geordie up back home by faxing in a form...that's it.

The house has been up for over a month. We had one family come for a showing the other day. Just came up and knocked on the door. Unfortunately Callum was home sick so we couldn't show it. As the estate agent said, "we're not used to someone living in the house that is for sale". There are 14 foreclosures in our neighbourhood. Well, 11 and 3 you can tell are about to be foreclosed on due to all the notices on their door.

I know, I know, it could be worse!!
I could be in Bahrain without electricity or gas!! ;)

----------

25 Random Things About Me...

This is going around on facebook. I did it there, so I'm killing 2 birds with 1 stone and pasting it here as well...

1. I cannot stand the colour red! I would go so far as to say I HATE IT!

2. I do/say, then think. I have small frontal lobes!

3. For the first 12 years of my life I thought that there were only 3 religions. Catholic, Protestant and 'study'. Those were the only 3 classes that were offered at school so I totally thought that was it. Can you tell that I didn't pay that much attention in class?!? 

4. I would love to go to a psychiatrist/psychologist. Someone listening while you talk about yourself...how great is that?!?!?

5. I would like to live in Europe for a 'spell'!

6. My feet increased a whole size after pregnancy. 

7. I am NOT a finisher. Sometimes I wonder what would have happened if Geordie did not have to be delivered by c-section!

8. I thrive in chaos! Love it!

9. I do much better in a male dominated 'situation'. 

10. I love floorplans. Sometimes I think I should have gone into architecture.

11. Sometimes half way through a story I think, "why am I telling this"...and totally forget the point, as well as where I am in the story.

12. My nostrils flare when I drum. My mother thinks this is one of the funniest things. 
Thing is I cannot flare them on command...only when I drum!

13. If I do not like you, you know it. I'm not good at hiding that.

14. I secretly categorize people into 3 categories; knowledgeable, intelligent or both. A lot of people who you think are intelligent are actually just knowledgeable...they couldn't work themselves out of a cardboard box!

15. I am bossy. My brothers call it something else though...

16. I will NEVER own a mini van. Callum knows this and he respects it! Grew up with one when they first came out. Needless to say, I only ONCE EVER drove the 'downtown route' in Hali. Christmas Day of grade 10  JP talked me into it. I think we were the only vehicle on the road, or people for that matter.

17. Speaking of JP, I "taught" him how to drive in the van...my father still doesn't know this. ;)

18. Callum has described my personality as, "it would wear bright pink to a funeral".

19. It freaks me out when people speak in Christianesse. I cringe when I am told to, 'have a blessed day!'. It just weirds me out...so not used to it! 

20. When I first met Callum I used to get him and his best friend mixed up. They were both cute with 'not-so-perfect' teeth. ;)

21. Along with a couple of friends (I will leave out your name Leslie); we used to put googly-eyes on leaves and try and sell them for a quarter. Nobody ever bought them, one older man gave us money but refused to take one.

22. I would prefer to think, "I wish I HAD NOT done that" then, "I wish I HAD done that". 
I have some of both.

23. I cannot get over how thick the eas'coast Canadian accent is. 

24. Sometimes I forget that I have to give a little and not just take!

25. The smell of pot reminds me of St. Pat's dances.

32 Candles - complete with underpants fiasco!

Today I am living Sixteen Candles + sixteen

Like Sam I have yet to receive a birthday wish!

Unlike Sam;

-who slept on the sofa so that her grandparents could have her bed.
I moved to the sofa in the middle of the night because a 4 year old was in ours!

- who gave her underpants to a 15 year old (who then made people pay a dollar to see them in the boys washroom).
I was rudely awaken by someone going on about not having any clean ones (my fault; but still...) and believe me...it went on, and on, and on! It's possibly still going on in his head!

The extra sixteen years made a little bit of a difference.

I thought I was about to get a 'Happy Birthday' when Callum came back upstairs. I was smile ready and this is what I got, "where's my lunch?!" (please use gruff, annoyed voice).

So! Seriously! Who wants to pay a dollar to see Callum's underpants?

Please don't hate me because of my socialist ways...

Been here for 5 years!

All under the Bush administration.

The first year, I'll forgive you for!

The last four...not so much.

As most of you know, this place is not exactly the best fit for us. Before moving here, we realized it was 'the belt' and that culturally we are very different but we didn't think that it would matter that much!

It does.

People thought I would move to the right in my beliefs living here.

I didn't, I moved more to the left!

Politically and religiously we are worlds apart from most of the people who surround us.
The democrats are too right for us!

Luckily we have made some great friends.

Not all Americans are loud and obnoxious... nor are all closed minded and ignorant.

We have tried to surround ourselves with these people. Kept the others out!

We have had people on many occasions say in our presence, "they're not Christian so they don't have good morals" -that's word for word

Callum met someone once and the first thing they said to him was, "if it wasn't for us you would be speaking German!".

I have had an educated woman ask me, "well, if you have gun laws in Canada how do you protect yourself if your government turns against you?"

Then there are the people who have argued with me about universal healthcare and what it's "really" like and how bad taxes are. Even though they have never lived outside their county or visited outside their country!

My son is American. He is also Canadian and Scottish!
I think of him as Canadian first. It wasn't his fault he was born here. ;)

Last night was great and I'm glad that we are here to be a part of it.

Last night I was proud of you, my son's country.

You're taking the steps to becoming more like Canada!! ;)


-------

It's my body and I'll cry if I want too!

Haven't felt much like writing anything recently.

Haven't been around much either.

The other day I read someone's blog and it mentioned some bad news. As she wrote, "if one wishes to share the ups in one's life, then one must also share the downs".

I have told of some things. Such as the house situation, my southern BFF moving away, being in 'lockdown', to name a few.

But this time, it's a little more personal.

...and for some it might be Too Much Information!!

So, here goes...

I'm not ovulating.

Due to all the stress that happened with the house last year, I stopped ovulating.

We found this out back in March. We had been 'trying' since November.

You see, Geordie was a 'first try'. Our second pregnancy was also a 'first try' but we miscarried (Nov/06) at what we thought was 8 weeks but it was actually 6. By the time we could try again we had decided to put it 'on hold' and move back to Canada.

Then everything with the house happened.

Once we figured out that we would be stuck here for a bit we decided to start trying again.

No go.

Went to the doctor and found that I was not ovulating.

I just finished up five cycles of clomid (2 to figure out the dose and then 3 with the 'correct' dose), where the medication only worked once. We found out on Thursday that my last cycle of it did not work. The office quickly put us in for an appointment Friday morning.

So now I'm on other medication AND another 3 cycles of clomid. If this does not work the next step is a fertility specialist. Which really, right now is NOT an option.

I was all for three years between my children, we are now working on five... or more!

I also wanted to be finished by 30! I'm turning 32 next month!

Geordie can not be an only child!! His personality is so in need of a sibling!!

In my bubble...none of this would have happened!!


-----

Thursday Thirteen #8

My first degree is in music and I have an Advanced Graduate Diploma in Early Childhood Music Education (first of all my M.I.L. makes me say the whole thing! AND early childhood in Canada is from birth, not age 5 like it is down here!). I had also started my MMusEd. at UofT but felt that it wasn't for me.

There have been over 30 bands, orchestras, groups that I have had my name on the roster (in other words, played more that once). Many others where I just stepped in for a bit.

A friend from University recently wrote about this topic, and I thought I would today...

The Prime Minister of Canada has really put his foot in his mouth lately concerning the arts, where he wants to make cuts;

"I think when ordinary, working people come home, turn on the TV and see … a bunch of people at a rich gala all subsidized by the taxpayers, claiming their subsidies aren't high enough when they know the subsidies have actually gone up, I'm not sure that's something that resonates with ordinary people."

So...today I will list 13 things that ordinary people do daily that have to do with the Arts!

1) Watch a television program

2) Listen to the radio

3) read a book, the paper

4) hum

5) whistle

6) tap your foot

7) doodle

8) use furniture

9) go to a website

10) take a picture

11) go to a movie

12) clothes

13) the design of the house you live, the building you work in, the car you drive

All these things have to do with THE ARTS! Do they not?!?

So, really, how is it that 'ordinary people' do not have a connection to the arts?


- goodness, I didn't mean to be 'ranty' this week.

Can you righfully criticize another countries health care system?

I can!

Why?

Because I have lived in two countries that have two totally different health care systems!

Which one do I prefer?

USA
Where we have now lived for 4 years, 11 months and 1 day

-or-

Canada
Our home and native land, where we were born and raised

We work for a Canadian company and we have one of the best health care programs in the US. Well, that's what we are told!

When we arrived we were a little over five months pregnant. Let me tell you...a little stressful changing doctors as well as systems!

We would pay out so much money each paycheck (on top of the insurance payments) to go towards the hospital bills; a lot like a layaway plan or one might say, just like TAXES!

Anyway, what was great was that I went to the doctors office, I had three doctors looking after me. It was for sure that I would have one of MY doctors, that I had been seeing, delivering my baby.

What was also great was everything was done in that one office. Blood tests, in one room, ultrasound in another. I remember, a week before Geordie was born asking the doctor if he was in the right position. She looked at me and said, "let's go check!". To the ultrasound room we went (ten steps away...tops!).

Since then for the most part things have been okay. We were having some problems with bills being paid from the provider but that was due to Callum's HR department not knowing how to do their job.

Then, back in the spring, this happened?!?


Do you know how much this cost us?!?!

FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS

yes, $500.00

In Canada, we would have left the hospital and never had to deal with it again! Here, we have to come up with $400 (we had already paid the $100 co-pay) right now to pay it!
As we're trying to get the hell out of dodge (ie. sell the house, leave this country owing nothing as well as money to leave it with)...$400 is quite a sum! Well, really, it's quite a bit at any time!

Here's the thing...the whole ER experience was just as long as it would have been in Canada, possibly a bit longer because we had to deal with the whole money thing.

That blows that whole 'you wait forever with universal health care'!

When going to the doctor, you also wait just as long here in the States as you do in Canada.

Yes, there are waiting lists in Canada for various tests and operations but there are also openings left for emergency cases.

Here, in the US, money is taken out of our paycheck by Callum's employer and goes to the insurance company. The insurance company then only pays for a percentage of the bills, we have to pay the rest. I'm not even going to go into the fine print of things...I have heard people in the medical field have problems understanding the system. Now, the 'rest' that we pay, only is so much per year. It's something like after $2000 the insurance company steps in and takes over 100% of the bill.

In Canada, taxes are taken from your paycheck. You do not have to 'top off' any medical bills after that.

What I think people do not understand is that in this country you are paying out, just as much (sometimes I think more) as what Canadians do with Universal Health Care. Difference being... everyone has health care in Canada! AND you don't have surprise bills popping up!

So, I do believe in Universal Health Care?!? Yes, maybe for the most part because that's what I grew up with but it's also because I think it makes sense!

With that being said, I do think that there are some things that Canada can do to make it better. I'm all for a two tier system (basic health care for all, and a private sector for those who want to pay more). I also like the idea of the co-pay. Paying $5 dollars when you go to the doctor is not much to ask. Maybe $25 when you go to the ER. Might make people think about if they really have to go!

Sorry, I am going to get a little hypocritical here as I am a firm believer in the separation of church and state! But one thing that I really do not understand, specifically down here in south (a.k.a. The Bible Belt) where they are all wild about WWJD and they seem to be the most against Universal Health Care!

Seriously...What Would Jesus Do?!?

I think that Jesus would be all for Universal Health Care...don't you?

-----

I forgot...global warming isn't really happening!

How is it acceptable in this day and age to sit in your ford truck for well over an hour with it running?!?!? This was yesterday!

Every time we go to the skate park there is at least one vehicle that stays running for the entire time we are there. One day it was over 2 hours! It was one of those Redneck trucks.

It's always a truck, SUV, or van.

Meanwhile...I sweat my bells off!!

It's so hot there; no shade and with it being the summer in the south and all. I roll down all the windows AND once in awhile I will turn the key a bit so that some incredibly hot air can blow on me.

It drives me bananas!!! See, it's making me go back to my old ways with exclamation points!
Sorry Rachel!

At first I thought that it was the children, teenagers who were hanging out. Then the door opens and out comes middle aged men and women.

When we moved down here, almost five years a go, we couldn't get over the lack of recycling that was done...NONE! Beer bottles are thrown out!
Every time we see that happen we think how my family would react!

In public there are only garbage cans with one hole for garbage...no paper, no bottles.

Unfortunately, over time, we have come to the ways of the land. Yesterday, I threw a wine bottle in the garbage.

I apologize!

Today, I opened 8 cans... they are in a bag waiting to be recycled.

We are changing our ways.

We use reusable bags and organic cleaners. I'm a bleach nut but luckily our grocery store sells chlorine free bleach so I still get my bleach! We try and eat organic as much as we can. Although I find it hard to do here. There isn't that much of a selection and what is here isn't always in stock! We are eating meals without meat and the meat we do eat is organic.

Our air conditioning is not on high. AT ALL! Believe me...I would be sleeping a hell of a lot better if it was!

I map out where we are going and what we are doing so that we use the least amount of gas. Callum has become a little bit of a Hypermiler, minus the speed limit rule.

I do have a problem with water. I try! My showers are cut down, I only put on the dishwasher when it is full. We have a front load washer and we don't water our grass. But I still find that the water is on too much and for too long. That's something that I need to work on.

Trying to teach Geordie about these things is working well in our house, but outside of it it's hard. We discuss how there are choices to make, good and bad, and for us good choices are reduce/reuse/recycle.

Funny thing is...many times we have overheard people here saying;

Global Warming is not real.

I had always heard that there were people who didn't believe in it, I had just not come in to contact with one. Now, I know of many. One of my favourites that is said is how the Democrat's have used Global Warming as their religion.



Since when does a political party need a religion?!? ;)

-----

Wallowing ended; First day of the rest of your life, Yada...Yada... Yada...

Here ends all wallowing in loneliness!!!

We still miss The Gray's but on with life!!! Meanwhile...checking for seat sales to Washington.

Our friends leaving has given us even more of a push for us to go back to The Motherland. It's no secret that we are unhappy here.

I am now on a mission. To make our last year fly by. Well, specifically MY year fly by!!! For the most part, I've realized that when I'm happy...things in our family run a lot smoother! Funny, that?!?!?!

So, here is what I am doing or about to do to make that happen...

Get back into running!

I have actually started this...so far no one has had to come looking for me. I was up to 4 miles before everything happened with the house. Plan on a 5K in the beginning of fall!!!!

Keeping things simple.

More organizing / de-cluttering / down-grading and slowing down to actually enjoy ourselves.

Opening up my own Etsy store.

I have been making jewelry for a while now and have a great stash to sell.

Going (even more) Green!

I have, little by little, been switching all our cleaning products to earth-friendly ones. We have also changed to organic meats and eating meals without meat (okay, sometimes just less!). Organic fruits and veggies when possible. It's a little hard to do all this here, but I'm trying!!

I am going to calm down with the exclamation points.

A friend informed me that I have a problem;
"you need to ease up on the caffeine. too many exclamation points. Seriously, I love you, but all those exclamation points make you seem like a 15 yr old cheerleader after 12 Red Bulls. I thought it was an e-mail thing like sometimes periods turn into question marks, I thought your periods were turning into "!!!". "

Check out various charities and/or volunteer work I can do in the fall.

I've always wanted to help out, so why not now?!?!?

For now, I'm going to work on these things.

What is on your list?!?!????

Y'all, I just need some time to wallow in loneliness...

Well, yesterday the day I was dreading came...

My (Southern) BFF moved away.

Today I had to drive by while the moving truck was packing up.

I had to have Geordie, once again, console me.

As soon as we saw the truck he said, "It's okay Mummy, remember we're going to visit them and when we move back to Canada they'll visit us!"

We all had a great day together on Tuesday. In the afternoon Nora Jane came down to play with Geordie, then Alaina came down to play with me.

When the time came for them to leave it looked like it was going to rain so we drove them up...
then we had to come into the house to get some of their fridge stuff...then we just had to stay for a little bit longer...then Kevin said that we had go out for supper with them...Alaina and I piled into our car with one child, Kevin & Callum and the rest in their car...we ate supper...then Alaina and I had to get gas...then we had to come into the house for a couple more minutes.

A fine way to prolong the inevitable!!

Finally we all said goodbye.


NJ: "Goodbye Geordie, I'm never going to see you again"

Geordie:"Yes, you will! We will be visiting you at your new house!"

NJ: "Geordie, you and I are always going to be best friends, always! You're my best friend!"

Geordie: "Okay!"


That night Geordie woke up just after 10:00p.m. calling out, "Nora Jane?!? Nora Jane?!? Where are you?"


We said goodbye to...

our emergency contact people on EVERYTHING we fill out

our great friends

our family

I am incredibly excited for them and can't wait to go and visit.

For now, I just need a day or two to wallow in loneliness...

Since when is it acceptable to spit?!?!?!?

I can't stand spitting!!!

To me it is one of the most disgusting things you could EVER do!!!

As far as I'm concerned you only spit when you brush your teeth!!!

Today at Geordie swimming lesson there was a man spitting. It seemed like he didn't swallow, just spit!!! It was horrible!!!! Once in awhile you would even hear him 'coughing' something up and then spitting it out.

I looked over at him... he kept on doing it.

I gave a dirty look...he kept on doing it.

I then got up and moved while walking in front of him AND giving him a dirty look... I still don't think he got it!

Moving on to smoking...

I am not a smoker, and really I don't care if you smoke. I just don't want to smell it or have my son seeing you do it!!!

But one thing that really gets me is workers outside their place of employment smoking. Especially in their uniform.

We went to Hobby Lobby and there were some Hobby Lobby employees a little to the left of the door smoking...in their HOBBY LOBBY APRONS!!!

I just think it looks horrible!!! It's even worse when you walk into a restaurant and see the staff outside smoking!!! Now that one just kills me!!!

Maybe today I just woke up on the wrong side of the bed and...

EVERYTHING IS ANNOYING ME!!!

Ever have one of those days?!?!?

You don't really need your right arm...can I have it?!?!?

Last night Callum and I were about to sit down and watch a show on the boob-tube together. He got up, walked into the kitchen. I heard some rustling of a bag and the opening and closing of a cupboard and the fridge.



In he walks with ONE drink and ONE single serving of something for himself.

"You didn't get anything for me?"

Callum: "you heard me! you knew I was getting something you could have asked."

Do you believe this?!?!?! Every time I go to get a snack I always ask him if he would like something. Half the time he says no. When he says no I make sure that I include more than what I want because I know that he is going to want some of whatever I have...
Because Callum ALWAYS wants what ever I have!!!!

On top of that he always asks for the last piece!!!

He still has not yet learned that golden rule...

YOU NEVER ASK FOR ANYONE'S LAST PIECE especially WHEN CHOCOLATE IS INVOLVED!!!

-----

Why can't I act like I'm 4?!?!?!

Okay, I am usually quite a talker and can talk to anyone. I do not have any problems in that department. I also am usually pretty good on a social level. I "try" and stay away from talking politics and religion (down in these here parts) and I keep a smile on my face.

Some might find me a little loud...once in awhile a little obnoxious. I do not need to be carried (as my mother always used to say) and for the most part I do think that I am approachable.

Then...why is it so hard sometimes to make friends?!?!?!

Geordie makes friends everywhere he goes. The other day I finally figured out his secret!

We were at the skate park and Geordie was skating around with a little boy (who was about 6/7) for a bit and then he says, "hey, you want to be friends". The other boy agreed and off they went.

Geordie and his friends! He just calls them all Dude!
(Geordie is the small one in the blue helmet)

This week Geordie was in soccer camp. I highly recommend it!!!! It's great!!! If you have one in your area put your child in it. If you don't talk to your rec dept. This was Geordie's second year.


Day 1; we get there and I put my seat next to a group of mothers, ALL with syrupy southern accents. Tried to add to the conversation here and there. Conversation was around people at church. Someone asked what church we go too. I said we didn't.

Usually this is where I put in the bit of how we are 'associated' with a certain church and throw out a couple of names as we have found (and felt) that we need to do this to be accepted. But I'm tired of doing that!

Got a couple of weird looks and that ended conversation with me!

Day 2; mothers are sitting in a new place I sit a bit away from them, but smile a greeting. Totally ignored. Truthfully, I'm a Princess and not used to being ignored!!!!

Day 3; don't even bother sitting by them especially since their chairs are put in a semi-circle 'keep out' way. Are we thirteen?!?!?!

Day 4; start up a conversation with another mother with 'blue states' plates on the way out. Plan on putting my chair next to her the next day.

Day 5; 'blue states' mother is not sitting with "the syrupy church crew" but is talking to a few as they just met the night before as her family recently joined the country club. Invitations were being passed out for something...I didn't get one!

Now, I do have some friends here and they have accepted me AS I AM (I think anyway!). When they start the church talk I do feel a little bit left out but I've gotten used to it!!

When we first moved down here and Callum's work had just opened everyone was making friends with each other as most were transplants. Unfortunately we were stuck in the middle of groups. There were those who were just married or just about to be married and then those with older children. We were six months pregnant, not fitting in with either.

It wasn't this hard when we moved to Toronto. Sure, we had a lot of friends from back home that were also living there but we also made a bunch of friends that we met there.

How do you make friends?!?!?

Do you ever feel left out?!?!

--------