Sick day

As I predicted in my mind I have a sick kid.  And a Monday of course which is my busiest day of the week.  My rule when my kids were little was if you’re not throwing up or have a fever you’re going to school.  Well Cass threw up.  3 times.  I guess she’s staying home.  I was a stay at home mom and I was very lucky to do that, but my kids weren’t sick very often,  Now I’m a mom for a week and have a sick kid.  Calling in to work is hard but I know that they won’t think I am faking which is often what happens on a Monday.  So until tomorrow, (my 2^nd last day). Nette

Day 4 and David Cassidy

Day four I got some steam back in the morning but now it is 9:30 and its been a busy evening with games, crafts, movies (Barbie and ken movie), Nintendo DS, snacks, bedtime stories and now time to blog.  By now I am sure you are tired of my babysitting blog so I will give you a break and tell you about an old show I watched,                                I took this photo....

It was a repeat of “The Partridge Family”, and I could have thrown up.  Sooo lame. Where was the talent?  My favorite David Cassidy can’t act and is so scrawny.  They sure weren’t cut like the young guys these days  (oh I’m such a cougar).  I remember hurrying my homework and setting up my cassette player with a fresh tape in it so I could record the song of the week.  Finger on the record button and the microphone ready, waiting for them to  sing “I Think I Love You.” Of course it never came out very well because having 5 other kids in the house and at least 4 of them running around screaming they would be recorded onto my tape too. Erase!  Kids don’t know how good they have it.  We had to improvise on so many luxuries that our kids have nowadays. I would sit in front of the radio ready to record the hits.  Most of the announcers would yak well into the beginning of the song.  You would have to rewind then try to record again.  What a hassle.  If only Itunes were invented in my day.

My favorite actor and show in high school was the Mod Squad and I was so in love with Michal Cole.  I am afraid to watch an old episode of Mod Squad because I don’t want to lose my image of Michael Cole like I have David Cassidy. Speaking of David Cassidy I think he is on the show “The Apprentice”. I have never seen that show but I might tune in just to see him. A couple of years ago I dragged my friend to one of his concerts and made quite a fool of myself.  Just like the sister in Drew Barrymore’s Music and Lyrics. 

Ready for day 5, Nette 

Day 3

Day three was ditto to day one. Here ends the blog, i am running on a low battery time to recharge, nette

Day 2

First day is done now. Let me just get you up to speed on my bedtime ritual.  Kids were good and brushed their teeth and went right to bed.  Me, on the other hand had to figure out a new routine.  First of all the bed is on the wrong wall so that threw me off.  Fluff the pillows.   They were too full of fluff they were too high for my neck.  Turn on the TV, which was a challenge because of the different remotes in this house.  Nothing worth watching so I thought I would play a game of scrabble on my DS to help me fall asleep.   I had one game and the darn computer beat the pants of me.  Two bingos and they were both on two triple word scores.  Who does that.  Then I turned out the lights and tried to sleep.  Tick tick tick… blasted clock on the wall, what was I going to do about that.  Yep got up and took the batteries out.  Hung it back up and climbed back in bed.  Sheets were too hot so I fought with them for a while.  Snoring woke me up and I am embarrassed to say it was my own snoring.  Finally morning and I get up to start the lunches.  Make coffee and try to watch Breakfast television.  The kids were amazing, they got up and got dressed and made their bed and came down for breakfast, then the two older ones went upstairs to practice piano and guitar.  Everything is still fine except I didn’t get my timmies coffee in the morning which I desperately needed.  Work was busy and it was good to get out at noon.  I went home and got my own bed sheets and pillows.  All set for a good nights sleep tonight.  Right now the girls are playing nicely.  I think they are playing house.  Earlier I played snakes and ladders with them.  Did I tell you how much I hate that game.  No one likes going down the snakes which was true of Cassidy, then me and Vic is all smiles until it’s her turn and she was in the lead the whole time.  No second game of snakes and ladders for me.  Now it’s time for Cass to study her spelling again, I drilled her all last night until she finally got them all this morning and I told her she was going to ace the test today, and she informs me that the test isn’t until Friday.  Oh all that hard work.  So good night. Nette

Day 1

First day on babysitting duty.  As I was driving to the house I was worried that Angie had turned on the alarm system,  I don’t remember the pass code.  So when I put the key in the door I was expecting to hear the screech of the alarm but that didn’t happen. The door was unlocked.  I opened the door and thought I was alone in the house, when I heard a noise.  Have they not left for the airport yet?  I holler out “Is anyone here” not expecting to hear anyone.  Then I hear this foreign voice.  Yes or rather “Si.”  Shit!  From the kitchen comes this tiny women.  “I’m da cleaning lady.”  Oh I thought she was coming on Friday.  Any way all was good. She left about an hour later leaving the house smelling of cleaning fumes.  Pheww. I made dinner and went on my road trip, school, gymnastic, school, home, cheerleading, home, wait for Ryans ride to hockey, back to cheerleading, home, wait ½ hour then back to gymnastics, watch the last half hour.  Home at 7:45. Reheat the dinner for the girls.  Study for spelling test, brush teeth and bed.  Smmmoooooth.  Now time for dishes and my bedtime.  I can do this.  Nette

One More Sleep

One more sleep and I am a mother of three little ones.  I got my agenda yesterday.  OMG!  Busy family.  Not only will there be after school activities to drive back and forth too. Gymnastics, Cheerleading, and Hockey, they have regular piano and guitar lessons after breakfast. Study for their spelling test of the day.  I don’t think I will get a chance to have my coffee with Breakfast television in the morning, this will break my routine and my bowel movements.  There will be no time for a glass of wine after dinner and a TV show.  I hope there will be time for a shower or else my co-workers might get a little annoyed.  (I promise to squeeze it in.) Lunches too.  They will have a lunch that consists of something hot like zoodooles or soup, some snacks, and bagels, water, juice, fruit.  I hope I have time to pick up a timmies before work too, but I don’t think that will happen. I might be cranky at work. This is just a little bit of their day.  I will give you updates as the week goes on.  Here is my before picture.  By the end of the week I will see if I still look like this.

My Alarm

I go to bed week nights and dread the thought of waking up the next day.  Not because I want to sleep in but because waking up with a scare is not fun.  Yes my alarm clock scares the crap out of me in the mornings. It is one that has a buzzer that simply scares the living daylights out of me.  When I wake up from a good dream with a loud shrill, my whole day goes to pot.  If I wake up about an hour before the alarm is about to go off, I’m scared to fall back to sleep because I dread the buzz.  If I wake up about ½ an hour before the alarm I simply get up because I know what is about to happen.  Heaven help me if I accidentally hit the snooze button.  That is worse because you are just on the verge of falling back to sleep and the damn thing goes off again, and so on and so on. The other day I finally got the bright idea of changing it to the radio.  It doesn’t scare me nor does it wake me up.  So that problem isn’t solved. So how can I avoid that buzz and still wake up every morning without being late for work?  I guess I can buy a new one that is not so loud that it scare me, but loud enough to wake me.  Can I actually go into a store and ask to hear the alarm.  I don’t think so.  So I must think of an alternative.  I could get someone to give me a wakeup call like in hotels.  I could let my cat sleep with me again, (he would put his paw on my face when it was time for his breakfast.) but he is a night owl and gets into stuff at night, so I will eliminate that idea.  What about a blinking alarm like the hearing impaired use. Not sure that will work because I sleep under the blankey.  I live for weekends for many reasons but to go to bed without turning on the alarm is heaven.  Goodnight friends, (and John boy), Nette

St. Valentines Day

Today is Valentines Day, it’s about showing affection for the love in your life.  I have been single now for many years and feel cheated on this day, my Ex always got me some lovely jewellery but I now know that as much as I loved Valentine’s Day it is sad to me that this holiday has become so over-the-top and stressful to so many.  For many it would be nice to scale things back and keep it simple.  Like when we were kids.  You would cut out the valentine card and give it to the kids in your class. This big one is for Janey, I don’t like Joey quite so much so he gets this little one. Etc.  Now it is that you have to give to all the kids or to none.  I understand that, but it has become so commercial that it has lost its meaning.  Words on a card mean more than a box of chocolate or a rose ever will.  This day should not be about having a significant other or about gifts and everything over-the-top. This day should be about telling and demonstrating to the ones in your life whom you love and making sure they know how much you love them. I think of all my friends and family who have supported me through thick and thin and those are the ones I need to say something sweet to or do something out of the ordinary for. It could be a little card or a phone call, or a glass of wine and a game of scrabble, a movie together, spending quality time and being kind. There are so many I hope I don’t forget anyone.  So remember this holiday doesn’t have to be only for couples. I say this year just treat yourself and your friends and family and enjoy life

Insanity has struck?

Okay, I know I am crazy but I have done something quite insane.  I have agreed to babysit 3 kids for 10 days.  I hear you say “WHAAAT”. Yes what was I thinking….. I was thinking I love this little family, and am actually happy to do it.  I am quite nervous about the everyday routines of these little kids.  I am going to be wht I’ve heard about “hockey moms” but I am going beyond the call of duty and am going to be called “Gymnastic mom, Cheerleading mom and hockey mom.”  Then there is homework duty, lunch duty, bedtime rituals.  I’ve been a mom of grown up children too long.  This is extra good practice for my upcoming “gramma days”. (less than a month from now.) On top of babysitting I am still going to work.  Will I survive this?  Time will tell.  Maybe next time I will go to Jamaica and they can babysit David and his reptiles.  Say a prayer for sanity for me. Love Nette

Placentophagy

·      OMG.  When I read Laura’s facebook status I had never heard of Placentophagy,  She says: “Please admit me to the psych ward if I ever decide to eat my placenta.”  Some of her friends came up with some recipes” - Raspberry smoothies, - marinated and salt and pepper, - It would be great in a pasta sauce...like ground beef, need to take off the membranes though. - I think people like to cure them like sausages. These are just a few of the 14 responses she got.  Well I had to do some research on it. Here’s what I found.      

·    More and more women who suffer from postpartum depression are considering placenta eating as a natural remedy for the condition. The placenta can be consumed in a variety of ways, and has many health benefits.

·    Women who choose to eat their placenta often dehydrate and encapsulate it. The dried, crushed placenta is placed into pill-like capsules and consumed daily until it's gone. Consuming the placenta helps to regulate hormone levels after birth, evening out the emotional roller coaster that many women experience post partum.

·    If you're pregnant and interested in placenta eating to cure postpartum depression, consult your midwife. Many midwives or doulas will encapsulate the placenta for you for a small fee.

·    Placenta eating is traditionally practiced in many cultures, including Mexico, China, and the Pacific Islands. Many of these countries revere the placenta and see it as a crucial part of the birth process. However, in the US, the placenta is frequently discarded as medical waste.

·    More and more women, however, are learning about the benefits of placenta eating. These women often choose to birth at home, allowing them to maintain control over what happens to this important organ. The placenta is then frozen or dried until it can be consumed.

We all know that dogs eat the placenta and we say : “Gross”  well I think I will say that to this article. Hope you have all had your dinner before reading this.  The things we learn from facebook

"Leonitus" aka snake number one

 Well as promised, here I am with
Leonitus. It took about 15 shots before we got one where i wasn't looking terrified.  They call it a Boa Constrictor for a reason.  When it was around my neck it was quite tight and David said, "Don't worry it won't constrict."  I'd hate to feel it constrict.  Scary, but don't let that scare you, they won't contrict.  One more thing about this snake, apparently it has mites and I had it around my neck,
OMG, David didn't tell me until after the "photo shoot." They don't live on humans,

Well guess who's hopping in the shower,
moi....!
Ahh I feel better, No more snake stories for a while.

Snakes

Here’s a note to my friends that know my son has snakes, yes snakes, more than one. At first you would think them to be unusual pets.  In fact they can be wonderful pets that involve little care, they are hypoallergenic. They are clean and very quiet.  My son’s favorite is the Ball Pythons and the Boas.  They are actually very pretty and have nice coloring.  Some myths about snakes are:

1.      They are slimy.  No the boa has a skin texture that feels very much like silk. Very soft and very dry.  The python’s skin feels like leather and is also dry.

2.      They are poisonous.  Not true or they would be out of my basement faster than you can say “Jack Robinson.”

3.      They bite a lot.  Pythons are reluctant to bite, and will only bite if they are cornered. As for Boas may bite only if taken by surprise but that is the same for cats and dogs.  They hurt a bit. (trust me if one bites me I wouldn’t hold them again)

4.      These snakes are stupid.  Again not true.  They know their handlers and are very comfortable with them.  So far they are not afraid of me although one did pee on me and I freaked. Like really freaked. There was lots of pee.

5.      Other pets are not safe in the house.  Well this could be true if you don’t have good locks on the cages.  I know my cat sits beside their tanks because they are well lite and warm.  If one of them gets loose I would rather it eats the bird rather than my cat.  (Bird “Chico” is quite noisy.)

Now that you know that snakes are not something to fear but something to respect you can come to my house and not freak out.  David loves to show them off.

Stay tuned picture of me holding the big one. 

Guilty Pleasures

Here is my top 10 list of my guilty pleasures:

Wikipedia defines a "guilty pleasure" as "something one enjoys and considers pleasurable despite feeling guilt for enjoying it. Often, the "guilt" involved is simply fear of others discovering one's embarrassing tastes, rather than actual moral guilt."

1.      Chocolate, this has to be on at least 80 % of women’s top pleasures.

2.      Macdonalds French Fries, although I don’t have them very often but when I do mmm, salty

3.      Pasta with meatballs

4.      My Kuerig coffee maker, coffee in 30 seconds.  Wonderful

5.      Hugh Jackman, Ryan Reynolds, Taylor Lautner (Jacob from Twilight) Just to name a few that I would like to ….. let’s just say, rub their chest.

6.      Do I dare confess this one,,,,sleeping in the nude

7.      I love my Kindle (ebook reader). I can bring it in my purse and never worry that I don’t have anything to read while waiting in the doctor’s office now that magazines are banned due to spreading germs.

8.      The sitcom Modern Family, Two and a half Men, and King of Queens

9.      Old Barry Manilow songs.  Michelle don’t tease me.  I loved him as a teenager.  No I wasn’t a nerd. (maybe I was)

10.   I guess my last one (for this list) (I may have another list later) would be Jackson Triggs white Wine.

I feel naked now, so I hope my readers will share their top secret pleasures.  Nette

 

The night before the storm.

 I sit here hunkered down in my den warm and cozy just waiting for the 35 to 40 cm of snow to begin.  Rumor has it we may get a phone call in the morning that work is cancelled. My first snow day ever.  When we were little and in school I don’t ever remember school closing because of snow.  That just didn’t happen.  My mom with 6 kids would have made us go no matter what.  (can you blame her)

So what do I plan for tomorrow.  First I will stay in my PJ’s for sure. I’ll have my laptop handy, and play a few games of scrabble.  (did I tell you I hate the 2 minute countdown.  It’s like playing perfection. The game you have to put various shapes into holes until the timer runs out and then POP, they all fly out and scare the hell out of me.) Same thing goes for the 2 minute scrabble.  I keep looking at the time running out and then I freeze and don’t get a word in time. I will read on my kindle, Ken Foletts “Fall of the Giants”  I might watch a movie, play my Nintendo DS.  What else.  Uck laundry and shovel driveway.  But I won’t think about that now.  I’ll just daydream about the fun stuff I will do.  Lets hope we have a huge storm and that everyone stays safe at home.  I’ll let you know what happens.  Bummer if I have to go to work then all this daydreaming is for nothing.