This Week

You know it’s been a long time since a place got a good cleaning when you use a product that can strip the very soul out of you and it still takes added effort to declare an area dirt free. I recently scrubbed and painted and organized our bedroom closet, our office closet and our pantry, all three a pain in the ass. Then a couple of days ago, the most amazing man in the world and I thoroughly cleaned our kitchen from ceiling to floor. Yesterday we began painting it. Today we continue. Can you say tired? That’s what defines this week.

Yesterday I realized that for an area with only 47,000 residents, our small city seems to have a lot of restaurants. Do people go out to eat a lot here? I don’t know. But they’d have to for all these places to stay in business. I personally prefer to eat homemade food but an occasional outing is fun. Although it’s always a challenge to find something reasonably healthy on most menus and something that doesn’t add up to a gazillion calories or have a truckload of sugar and/or salt in it.

According to the weather forecast, we are expecting some snow today. BOO. HISS. March is leaving the same way it came in: like a lion. It’s been a crappy month. I hope April is in a better mood.

There have been a lot of interesting questions asked in this year’s "Ask Me Anything” post. I’ll start putting together some answers sometime in April. I apologize for the delay but, you know, house stuff. And life. In the meantime, if you have anything to ask, there’s still time.

My blog was recently ditched (unfollowed) from a fellow blogger that I really liked. And who I thought really liked me. I guess I was wrong. She also ditched my Instagram account, so she really wants to have nothing to do with me. Has that ever happened to you? You feel like you've made a connection with someone and realize it's only been one-sided. Oh well, that's the blogging world for you. I wish her well either way.

That’s all for now. I hope everyone has a wonderful - snow-free - weekend.

Chuckles and Chortles

Happy new week, blogging pals. How is everyone? What did you do this weekend? We split our weekend in half. 50% hard work inside the house. 50% fun outside the house. Yesterday we took care of some chores but Saturday we were out and about. We drove to our hometown, stopped at IKEA to snoop around, surprised my mom with an unexpected visit and then went out for dinner before we headed back home. I tell you, we are just loving our new location with easy access to everyone we love most in this world.

Enough about me. Feel free to share your weekend stories below. And I will now share some funny stuff to get you chuckling and chortling.

Wishing you all a great week!

This Week

I woke up to snow this morning. Does anyone want it? I’d be happy to ship it over to you. And if you live in a warmer climate, maybe you can send over some real spring weather. Although the definition of ‘real spring weather’ differs from place to place.

This week’s word is balance. I worked really hard but also found time to relax and enjoy myself. For example, Monday and Tuesday I washed and painted. But on Wednesday I took the day off and ran away from home. I drove to my hometown in the morning to meet my best friend who I’ve known since we were both four years old. We spent the day together and had an amazing time. For almost eight years while I lived in Kingston we couldn’t do this. Now that I’m much closer we can get together whenever we want. This alone makes all the grunge and backbreaking work worth it.

Yesterday I spent the entire day again washing and painting. Today I will do nothing. Absolutely nothing. Balance.

I picked up the bowl in the image below last week and can’t believe how ridiculously happy it makes me. But how can it not with its fun pattern and bold colours? I mean, just look at it.

It has become my oatmeal bowl and whenever I use it I feel – you guessed it - ridiculously happy. It’s all about the little things, folks; that’s what brings us the most joy.

For those who are wondering, our two cats are doing fantastic. And not only are they completely over the moving trauma, they are also loving their new home. There is so much to enjoy and explore.

All is well in our little world.

And that’s it for this week. Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!

Question Of The Day

I love a good thunderstorm. All that lightning and thunder remind me of the awesome power of nature. I'm not particularly fond of getting stuck in a downpour but the sounds of it are very relaxing.

How about you?

Chuckles and Chortles

Happy new week, my friends. And happy spring. ? You wouldn't think so looking outside my window. It looks more like the month of January. Nevertheless, my favourite time of the year is here. What's your favourite season?

You know what I'm doing today? Painting. I'm finally painting. Only our bedroom closet, but still, it's a step forward. We picked up a few gallons of paint on the weekend and we will slowly put them all to use. I'd love for us to jump right in and paint the entire house but it's just not possible. We have to wash and prepare surfaces properly first. And that takes time. So we are moving forward. In baby steps.

Before I get to the funny stuff, I want to thank Jenny for recommending the product TSP (commonly used for cleaning, degreasing and deglossing walls prior to painting). We picked that up on the weekend, as well, and it works like a charm. Go visit her blog here and make a new blogging pal.

Now let's get to the funny stuff...

Have a great day!

This Week

Sluggishness would be this week’s word. Because I’ve done pretty much nothing worth mentioning for the past few days. That’s what happens when a) you hurt your back and b) lose interest in getting things done in the house you recently moved into. I think I was starting to feel a little burned out, so this break was very much needed. We are no further along than we were one week ago but I don’t care. Kind of.

I don’t know about where you live but this month came in like a rabid lion where we are. Up until the end of February we’d been enjoying a fairly mild and dry winter and then March comes along and BOOM the weather goes nuts. Frigid temperatures were bad enough but then this week we got a huge storm that dumped a crap load of snow on us. I don’t know who pissed off Old Man Winter but whoever it is, cut it out! It’s supposed to be spring in a few days.

Earlier this week I invited my blogging pals to ask whatever random, weird, serious, creepy, silly, personal, absurd and crazy questions they have about me in my annual “Ask Me Anything Post”. This will run for awhile before I upload some answers, so if there’s something you are curious about, there’s still time to participate. Click here and be as nosy curious as you’d like.

Today is St. Patrick’s day. Any of my blogging pals have Irish roots/ancestry? Anyone ever been to Ireland? Please share in the comments. I would love to visit Ireland one day. I’m so fascinated by it. Along with a few dozen other places. Sigh...

And that’s all I have to say. Have a great weekend, everyone!

Ask Me Anything

For the third year in a row, I'm inviting you, my blogging pals, to go ahead and...

I meant to do this in February like I've done in the past two years but for obvious reasons I postponed it. But here I am opening up the doors to whatever random, weird, serious, creepy, silly, personal, absurd, crazy...whatever...questions you may have about me. I'll answer everything you throw at me but I also reserve the right to tell you to mind your own flippin' business give vague responses to something that is very private or uncomfortable.

So fire away with as many questions as you want. I can take it! I'll let this run for at least a couple of weeks and then begin posting answers soon after.

On your mark, get set, go...

Chuckles and Chortles

Happy Monday, my friends. How's everyone? What did you do this weekend? In house stuff, I did absolutely nothing. Zip. Zero. I took some time off and it was wonderful. I'd like to say it was all voluntary but that would be a lie. I actually hurt my back Friday morning and that was the end of my household adventures. That's what you get when you forget that you're not 25 anymore and push yourself a little too hard. But Friday wasn't all that bad because in the evening we were here:

If anyone guessed that we drove to Ottawa to see baby girl playing on stage at a university-based pub with her band - DING DING DING - you are right! Here is another photo of her singing as she plays her bass guitar:

Isn't she adorable? She and her two bandmates have done a few shows around the city and they are having a blast. We decided to go and see them play and like a proud mama I took photos and shot some videos. I was the only one doing that and after the show my daughter said "You were acting like such a mom." I was. It's my job. The other thing is that the most amazing man in the world and I were the only 'old' folks in a pub full of young'uns. Did we care? No. The most amazing man in the world said that "you reach a certain age where you're not intimidated by anything anymore." Oh, yeah.

Now, let's get to the funny stuff, shall we?

Have a good one!

This Week

I have visited blogs. I have enjoyed those blogs. I have commented on some of them. But I haven't had any motivation to post on my own blog all week long. Well, except for Monday. 'Cause I have to share those funnies with my blogging pals. Who else is going to get you chuckling and chortling?

I've got nothing to say and at the same time I've got plenty to say. Does that make sense? My mind is a jumble of thoughts lately and they're all tangled up. Maybe I'm tired. Maybe I'm distracted. Maybe I'm just too busy. And maybe I'm all of the above. Probably all of the above.

It's been two weeks since we moved into our new home and our new city, and the list of things to do is still much longer than the list of things done. We have set ourselves up to be comfortable and completely functional but most of our stuff is still in boxes piled up around the house. Not one room in the house is completely ready. There's been a lot of scrubbing and dusting and vacuuming and purging, but not one wall has been painted yet. We cannot start painting until this house is clean. And sometimes it feels like it never will be. It is so dirty. Every inch of it. It's not a gross type of dirty, thank goodness, but rather the type of dirty where areas of the home were never deep cleaned or even cleaned at all. I get the impression that for years this house was surface-cleaned but that's about it. So layers of dirt and dust have accumulated throughout and it is a lot of work to get rid of them. And until we do, no paint will stick to that, not even primer. I know we will get this done eventually but in the meantime it is challenging and sometimes discouraging. I have to remind myself to breathe.

Earlier this week it was International Women's Day and I meant to blog about that but didn't. I have amazing women in my life, including all of my female blogging pals. But most important of all, I have raised two amazing women. I am so proud of my two beautiful daughters who continue to fight the good fight and pave the road for their generation and the generations that will arrive after them. We've come a long way, ladies, but we haven't reached the promised land yet, so onwards and upwards.

I am going to end this post with the tune "Play That Song" by Train that I've been enjoying immensely lately. It's really catchy, so don't click on it unless you're prepared to be stuck with an earworm for the day. Don't say I didn't warn you!

And that's a wrap. Happy weekend, everyone!

Chuckles and Chortles

Happy Monday, my friends. How are you all doing? Ready for a new week? Today's funny stuff is very late because we've been on and off the internet since Friday. Mostly off. I'd be able to get online for one hour or two and then POOF the connection would be broken for the next 12. This was not fun at all because not only would we lose the ability to use the internet but we'd also lose our telephone connection because our home phone is VOIP service. So no internet, no emails, no telephone.

We called twice from my cell phone to complain and were told someone would be out here Monday (today). Anywhere from 8 AM to 5 PM. Yeah. Companies still have you waiting around. All. Day. Long. Anyhow, here I am. And hopefully this is the end of the connection problems.

Now let's laugh a little...

Have a great week ahead!

This Week

Exhaustion. That is the word of the week. But although we have been keeping very busy, we’ve also made it a point to take the time to unwind. Every night we microwave some popcorn and watch a little TV. And we’ve even gone out for dinner and for coffee. Yesterday evening when we went out for coffee, I was joking with the most amazing man in the world that our neighbours must think we’re vampires since we only seem to leave the house when it’s dark out. Well, we do need to feed, right? *snort*

Remember when I started cleaning my kitchen and it was so bad that at one point I wanted to stand in the middle of the room and howl with frustration? Well, that’s all over and done with. I scrubbed that baby until it gleamed. In fact, it’s so clean and shiny that you have to wear sunglasses when you walk in there. Yeah.

Our cats are both doing great now, even Nacho who was severely impacted by our move. They’re back to doing what cats do best: sleep about 18 hours a day! They’re also having fun exploring their surroundings and following me around while I work. Unless it’s nap time. Then I’m on my own.

I’ve been keeping up with most blogs but have fallen behind on the news. Which isn’t a bad thing if you ask me. I’ve been unplugged from the world for a few days and I feel so much more relaxed. Ignorance truly can be bliss, can’t it?

Well, that’s it for now. I wish you all a great day and I hope you have a fantastic weekend.

Moving With The Cats

Victim #1:
Seven year old Nacho; adopted from the Kingston Humane Society on January 2, 2010.

Victim #2
Six year old Mocha; adopted from the same humane society on September 11, 2010.

Up until recently, they’d only known one home and their lives were calm, predictable and uneventful.

That changed last Friday.

When it was time to start loading up the truck, I locked them up in a room along with cushions to lie on, food and water bowls, and their two litter boxes to keep them safe and secure. The room was very familiar to them, so at most they were annoyed. They complained incessantly and attempted to escape every time I visited.

Several hours later, I entered the room carefully, scruffed them, placed them in their carriers and took them out to the car. They were both settled in the front seat, side by side facing me, and off we went. For the next two hours I spoke soothingly and stuck my fingers in the carriers from time to time to pet them. Mocha complained on and off the entire time, meowing and whining and clawing at the front of the carrier. But Nacho, who is typically very vocal and always howls on car rides, was eerily quiet. This was quite alarming. And in addition to all the complaining and eerie silence, a horrible smell was emitted into the air from one of the two. Or both.

We finally got to the new house and I placed the cats along with all of their necessities in the laundry room. I opened up the carriers to set them free and Mocha jumped out right away. Free at last! But Nacho wouldn’t budge. With some gentle coaxing she finally came out, took a look around with big, round eyes and immediately went back in. I checked both carriers and only Nacho’s was slightly damp. I thought it was a tiny bit of pee at first but later discovered that it was fear based (Click here for explanation.). I left them locked up in that space to go help with our stuff. Not a peep was heard from the room.

On my first visit to the cats, I was shocked because I couldn’t see them. This was crazy because it’s a tiny room without closets or hidden spaces, so unless they had magically vanished, they had to be in there. Turns out that Nacho was hiding in one litter box and Mocha had sandwiched herself between the two litter boxes. It was a heartbreaking sight. They were both frightened but Nacho was utterly terrified. And the room reeked! I’d never smelled this horrid smell before.

Anyhow, when I finally opened up the laundry room door for good, Mocha went into survival mode and bravely exited the room to investigate her surroundings. If she was being hunted, she wasn't going down easy! She walked the perimeter, checked behind doors, went over, behind and around boxes, and basically scanned every nook and cranny. Satisfied that there were no hidden dangers or predators, she happily explored her new home. Her resilience was quite surprising.

But Nacho, oh poor Nacho, was so terrified that she would not come out of the laundry room for the longest time. When she finally did, she tracked down a safe place to hide (we couldn’t find her) and we didn’t see her until the morning. By then, she was feeling a little bit better and that horrid smell had dissipated. She is doing quite well now but she’s still not entirely her old self. I imagine it’ll take some time. As for Mocha, she bounced back immediately, loves her new space and I swear this move has made her more confident.

It was a very stressful period for both of them, but particularly so for Nacho who took it the hardest. Eventually she’ll recover. And thankfully, she’ll never have to worry about this again because this will be our last home!

Have a great day, all!