He's back

Well, after 9 days apart, my boy is back with me again. The Chris-trail has replaced the once neat and tidy atmosphere surrounding me. I've caught the toilet seat up, and him drinking from the milk container. But, I couldn't be happier. He greeted me at the door yesterday with roses, with his hair freshly cut, and a clean-shaven face. We went out for dinner and then onward to Starbucks for a salted caramel hot chocolate for dessert. Once again, I had my "spot" back as I snuggled in on his shoulder, and suddenly, all was right with the world again.

Pffft....and you all thought it was hormones ;).

Make them disappear.

Seriously. I need the miniature Halloween chocolates to stay away from me. And my ass.

Really.

an apple a day, or something like that

Gentlemen, avert your eyes. This is a girlie post. Still reading? Oooookay...don't say that you haven't been warned...

So I had my yearly physical a while back. Way too much time had passed since my last one. I get to the appointment, and Sandra, the doctor's nurse says to me, 'Don't pee'. 'CRAP!', I thought to myself...seeing as I'd already evacuated my bladder not once, but twice already in anticipation of the upcoming appointment. I tried. I failed. Then she comes into the room to advise, 'Now Dr. G has a student with him today. He's a 3rd year intern and his name is Christopher. The doctor was wondering if you'd mind if Christopher did the exam while he observed?'. I did a sweepy motion 'round the girls down to the va-jay-jay and said, 'The whole exam?'. 'Well, yes', matter of factly. I replied that I didn't feel comfortable, and we left it at that.

So I sit on the rough paper on the patient bench, willing the back of the johnny shirt closed, feeling the breeze on parts I shouldn't feel a breeze, minutes felt like hours as I waited for my 'time' with the doctor. He finally enters the room, gets me into 'position' and starts the process. *Knock, knock*...."Doctor, there's a call for you". Apparently it was a rather important phone call because he ungloved and excused himself. So at this point I'm now still in "position" and the breeze is now blowing 'round other areas. I try to concentrate on the song playing on the loud speaker. I try to remember how old I was when I'd first heard it. It has a good beat. Yeah.

FINALLY he returns. Now the real reason for my visit to the doctor was my routine check me up, but since he was going to be all up in there anyway, I figured he may as well reach in and grab my interuterine device that had been up there for so long I'm sure there were cobwebs forming. Since this wasn't something the general practitioner sees on a daily basis, he looked almost gleeful at the prospect of it being a learning opportunity for Christopher, his intern. And with that look of glee, as I'm rocking out in the stirrups, he asked me if I'd mind if Christopher observed. Having zero humility left at that very moment, what else could I have done but agree in the name of medicine and education? So in waltzes Dr. Dougie "Christopher" Howser. He looks like he's 12. And he looks more embarrassed than I felt. We exchanged niceties and the procedure was complete in a matter of moments. The doctor ended the appointment with a story about a woman who had her device up inside since her kid was born. He asked her how old the kid was. 19. We all shared a little embarrassed laugh and called it a day. Lord knows how much inspiration that young little intern got out of that day. 'Least I had a clean bill of health.

Note: I had this post sitting in my drafts for months, unfinished. I had extended so much effort to write it, I figured why not post it? I mean, ya'll are here because you want regular posts to read, and to perhaps thank the sweet Baby Jesus that your life isn't like the one you read about. I haven't been posting as regularly as I'd like to, so now you've got my completed Drafts to look forward to :). And ladies, interns or no interns (unless they look like the hot guy on Greys), get your routine checks done.

"Few things are harder to put up with than the annoyance of a good example"*

I woke up 45 minutes late today. When I woke up the house was a cool 13 degrees Celcius. Having to hop into the shower when it's THAT cold in the house is near torture. Sooo, since I started my day off being annoyed, I figured it fitting to continue my list of annoyances for your reading pleasure. See also this, this, and even this, if you're so inclined. I really am a nice person despite the bitchiness that is a little apparent in the postings. Hey, it's good to get it out, wha? And without further ado, the list goes on...

-videos buffering. It's.like.I.lose.extra.years.off.of.my.life.while.I.wait.for.the.g.d.thing.to.load.
-large lettuce leaves in my caesar salad (and why is it only caesar? Perhaps it's something I just don't know about. Is that particular form of rabbit food intended to be consumed with a knife and fork and not just a fork?)
-incessant nose whistles! I hate, hate, hate, hate that. I mean, seriously, can't you HEAR yourself? I instantly start sucking back imaginary snot myself trying to WILL the person to suck their own back to squelch the whistle. It never works, either.

-candid photos. I know, I know, they're "fun". Why always be 'posed'? Well, when you have more than one chin and a baker's dozen (rolls, that is) down your front it's very important to be strategically posed to try to cut down on the obvious. Standing in behind a large tree also helps.

-when people say, "for all intensive purposes". It's FOR ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES, people! You try to sound intelligent, but you just end up failing. Miserably.
-Since I'm on the topic of the English language, some major annoyances -- when people don't get the difference between your and you're, than and then or even they're/there/their. I've taken the liberty to link a few handy reference guides if you find yourself amongst them. I won't judge. Well, maybe I will. If you're a FB friend and you're (see what I just did there?) amongst those who are perpetually guilty of said offenses, I may have hidden you from view.

I could probably ramble on ad nauseam, but the morning comes early and since I already overslept today, and I've consumed a cup of Sleepytime Tea, methinks it's time I call it a night. This has been fun though. Feel free to add to the list in the comments ;). I just know I can't be the only one thinking these thoughts...

**EDIT: Because it's too important to not include and at the risk of sounding pompous and rude: 'IRREGARDLESS' IS NOT A WORD, PEOPLE! (Thanks Trudy ;) -- I totally meant to include that one).

*Mark Twain.

absence makes the heart grow fonder?

Chris and I have been together for a long time. Due to a roommate situation, we were actually pushed into cohabitation a little sooner than most new couples would decide on. We made do, and we've lasted through so I guess it wasn't such a bad thing :). He's very busy - working a full-time day job, and in the hours in-between that, busying himself pursuing his photography career. A lot of his time is spent holed away in his office, editing. I'm okay with him doing his own thing, because I like to do my own thing, too. The constant, though we may not spend a whole lot of time doing things together, however, is the fact that he's here.

On Thursday evening Chris left for Ottawa. His day job workplace is opening up a new store in Ottawa, and he is needed up there to help set up shop. I would have loved to have been able to coordinate some vacation days to join him, but that wasn't do-able, and really, he's likely going to be stuck working long hours so it wouldn't have been any sort of vacation for us. We do plan to go back on our own someday soon (maybe next year's vacation?). So as it stands, we're now apart for just over a week, and though he'd traveled for work before, this time I was left with an empty, sad feeling upon his leaving.

I blame my reaction on being utterly hormonal, but I was close to tears all day in anticipation of his departure, and though I'd planned to stay strong until he closed the door, I ended up in tears about 45 minutes before he left. When he did close the door, I ended up in a puddle of emotion on the couch, filling the rest of the evening watching Dr. Hook songs on Youtube and reading old email correspondence from when we first started dating. That night, I put his sweater overtop his pillow, and hugged it til I fell asleep.

I guess I miss him. And, I guess I kinda love him.

Or it may be the hormones.

“There is more to life than increasing its speed.”**

We're waiting on the construction of a new flue cover/rain cap and piping for our furnace. Because of this, the furnace now has a big plastic bag strapped to it to keep rainwater out. And, because of this temporary plastic covering, that means our furnace is out of commission until it's properly covered. No furnace, of course = no heat. The crispness that is the fall air has reduced the outside temperatures, with a light covering of frost already a few mornings. That means it's frickin COLD in the 'hood for us! The coldest, so far, upon wake up has been 12 degrees (Celcius), with the norm anywhere between 14 and 16. Which isn't toooo bad, provided you always have a sweater and slippers donned, and are covered with a blanket. We also have a tiny electric space heater that packs an amazing punch for its size -- and in a few hours, our living room has even reached a crispy 20 degrees C! Today, I am thankful for the inventor of portable electric space heaters. Thank you very much!

One way to stay warm in a cold house? Clean! I've done a clean sweep of the house, minus the bedroom (why, oh why do I always stop short at the bedroom?). The laundry has been laundered, and it's only Saturday. I am looking forward to a relaxing weekend before it's time to return to work on Monday. Today I'm having a girlie day with Lanners. We're going to hang out for a bit, go grab a quick (ie, cheap) bite for supper, and then if the weather cooperates (it's windy and rainy now), we're going to meet up at her Dad's and join more of her family to then head onward to Summerside for the haunted corn maze*. The original plan was for her to come back here and we'd have an old fashioned sleepover, but due to my aforementioned heating situation, she's opted to just come back for a movie (we'll likely have to leave the space heater on), some popcorn, and a girlie movie to help us get over our fright. I've rented "Letters to Juliet". It should be a good day!

*Update: Well, the weather did not cooperate for any haunting in a corn field, but it turned out to be the perfect evening for a girlie night of chick flicks. We dined on spaghetti that I put together (how's that for cheap?), and then settled in for a viewing of The Perfect Man, Letters to Juliet, and P.S. I Love You. It was a perfectly relaxing evening. Thanks Lana!! :) xo.

**A perfect 'relaxing' quote by Ghandi.

Purple

We, the collective 'we', between you and I may be only one person to ourselves, but we can combine with a nation of you, I's and we's to show our support to help banish hate crimes, one person at a time. Bullying is wrong on any level. Bullying due to someone's sexual orientation is abhorring on every possible level. My heart goes out to all the families affected by the recent tragedies involving the young men who committed suicide after having suffered countless hours, days, or even years of menacing and relentless torment.

GLAAD has proposed that we make Oct 20 Spirit Day and that we wear purple as a symbol that we are not ok with bullying, and we're taking a stand for what we believe in. Purple will become a symbol for peace, just as wearing pink is a symbol for our support for those who are battling, and a memorial to those that have lost their battle with breast cancer.

Today is Spirit Day. Are you wearing purple to show your support today? I am.

http://www.helium.com/items/1986120-spirit-day-why-wearing-purple-on-october-20-will-help-to-end-hate-crimes

Money in, money out

It's payday. You know, the day that comes 'round on a bi-weekly basis where you feel super flush first thing in the morning, and then feel like a beggar by the afternoon?

Least that's payday for me.

Jeesh.

I may not eat for the next two weeks, but all the bills are paid.

That bites.

Probably one of my least happy places on earth is standing outside my cold car, in the cold, grasping the cold scraper in my bare hands, scraping my cold frosty windows for the first time of a new season.

BRRR.

Stay warm! xo

For the hard to buy for lady on your shopping list...

...or for those who just want to try doing an old thing a completely new way, may I suggest The Fenis? It's phonetically pronounced as you would guess - like "penis" with an 'f'. And, it's purpose is for the ladies of the world to have the freedom and option to pee like a man. They are "inspired by nature's own design". You simply just attach it to your...er...nether region, whilst standing, and allow the pooling action to then flow through the tiny pee hole. I would dare say the sound effects would be hauntingly the same as our male counterparts'. They're made of silicone, and at just $15 bones* a pop, they're a virtual bargain. Oh, and they come in a rainbow of colours, too! That would come in so handy for those households with more than one female so you wouldn't mix them up, kinda like wine glass charms.

In all seriousness, this is a real product (click the link above -- you know you wanna). It's Canadian, and invented by a fellow in Nova Scotia. His idea was featured on tonight's episode of the Dragon's Den. I have to admit, the idea of having the option to not even risk a hover in those questionable washrooms we sometimes find ourselves in is slightly attractive. But man, slip it in my pocket or in a baggie for later cleansing? That's just nasty. Perhaps they oughta come up with a disposable prototype? Then they can possibly take it that next step entirely and come up with a plan for women and men alike for a disposable poop sac or human doggie bag when the urge to number 2 creeps on us. Now that's something to be invented.

I'm just getting silly now. As you were.

*Err...pardon the pun...:)

Monday dressed up like a Tuesday

You all know that I LOVE days off; you all likely also know that I take full advantage of days off, and have been known to hone my loafing skills with each and every opportunity. This weekend was no different. I did have to work on Saturday so unlike the rest of the country, I did not have myself a 3 day weekend. I had Friday off as my scheduled day off for working the Saturday, and as I felt slightly like poo, the majority of that day was spent sleeping (I, did, however go to the garage and have my oil changed in my car and had them look at my tire. Turns out the tire is a write-off - repairable only to serve as a spare. Fortunately my little plastic car was equipped with a full-sized spare). Saturday night I fell asleep on the couch after supper; upon waking, I drug my dreary arse to bed for the night. Pure excitement.

Sunday, we celebrated Thanksgiving at Chris' parents home -- turkey with alllll the fixins, and Rose was kind enough to invite my momma along, too. The only bad part about not cooking your own holiday turkey is the fact that you have no leftovers.

And that brings us to yesterday - Chris & I took a drive out to Kensington, in hopes that the Frosty Treat would be open to have an anniversary milkshake. Sadly, it was closed for the season, so we moved on to Summerside and stopped into the Cold Stone Creamery for an ice cream treat instead. It had been our first time there, and let me just say that I think it's a wonderful thing that we don't have one of those devilish delights in Charlottetown yet (especially after my experience on the scale at the W homestead on Sunday --but that's an entirely different blog post altogether...). On our travels, we ran into Marco & Krissy and Krissy's brand new Suburu Impreza (wow what a car), so we chatted with them for a bit. After heading back into town, we hit Jumbo Video to grab a movie (Orphan (Halloween season is upon us!)), and a pizza, and headed back home to relax. We even shared the same couch! (It was a special occasion ;)).

And now it's back to work again... SO freaking busy at work. While my calendar told me it was Tuesday today, it sure as heck felt like a Monday to me.

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend, filled with togetherness and love :).

Another year stronger...

It was an unusually warm start to the Fall season. I agreed to finally meet you after 4 years of knowing you only electronically. You picked me up at my townhouse and off we went, with the top down on the Tracker, to Kensington, for face-to-face conversation over a chocolate milkshake at the Frosty Treat.

It sometimes feels like forever ago. It sometimes feels like it was only yesterday. We've seen our share of ups and downs, and through it all, what has always been a constant was the love between us. You've been my rock. You make me laugh even when all I want to do is hold onto the frown. You push me to higher levels. You catch me when I fall. You take care of me. You're the cream to my coffee; the peas to my carrots; the PB to my jelly; the cherry to my sundae. Thank you for always being a constant in my life. The future doesn't scare me, because I know I have you by my side.

Happy Anniversary, hunny.....ELEPHANT SHOES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! XOXOXOXOXO

Happy Birthday, Superman!

Craig is a co-worker, and friend. Today, he's another year wiser, so in true blog fashion, I am celebrating him today. He's confident, generous with his time, and never backs down to a challenge. He listens without judgement, and offers up his advice whenever it's needed. He has a great sense of humour, and I think possibly, deep down, is a little shy underneath that confident outer layer. He prides himself on being the best he can be -- a true "Super" man*. Happy Birthday Craig - wishing you much happiness, much friendship, love, kindness and prosperity!

*I tease him about his "Superman" pose with hands on his hips. He was really excited to show me his new Superman t-shirt and I convinced him I had to get a picture. He agreed, and he approved the posting of the pic. Thanks for being such a great sport, Craig :).

Celebrating Tanya

On October 2, Tanya turned another year on the calendar. This year marks a special year for her as it's her first birthday as a mother. She was already blessed with the greatest birthday gift when Ryder entered her world, but I still hope that she was able to take time for herself, to celebrate herself on her special day. Tanya has been a dear friend to me for years. She's seen me through good times and bad, and I know that if I ever need anything, I can depend on her at a moment's notice. She's a loving wife and momma, sister, daughter, niece, and friend to so many, and she's truly a treasure to all who know her.

Happy Birthday Tanya! I sincerely hope that the year ahead of you brings you never-ending joy, happiness and boundless love and affection. Thank you for always being a special part of my life. Love you...xoxoxox.

What's goin' on??

I have a long list of bookmarked blogs that I try to get to read on a regular basis. I'll be the first to admit that I am a bit behind in some of my reading, but there are a few that I make myself read in a timely manner. I know how it feels to go to these pages every day and not see a recent update. It's at these times that I may feel a bit of disappointment that I don't have something new to read over coffee and my All-bran bar during my morning break. This feeling, I dare say, must be how you all feel when you search out My Happy Place* looking for a new witty post only to see the same old post that you've already read a week ago. I'm truly sorry to all my devoteds. These past few months seem to have passed in time warp speed. When the heck did it get to be October, anyway???!?? Couple that with the most recent seasons of Big Brother and the Bachelorette being over, I'm lucky Blogger hasn't shut me down completely.

Ok, now I've reduced myself to point-form to try to get as much written in my short breaktime. So in the most recent past this has happened....

• In addition to my previously mentioned birthday girlies, there's another lovely to add to my list, and that is the lovely Nicole, who also celebrated a birthday last week. Chris & I were invited over to their place for some pizza and cake. It was delightful to open the front door to see a ceiling full of balloons with flowing ribbons and streamers. So pretty :). The unicorn-pooping-rainbows-themed cake was the icing on the sundae ;). Happy Birthday Nicole!!!! xoxo
• Saturday was my bestie Tanya's birthday -- she gets her own post dedicated to just her because she's so special. That may have to wait for another breaktime though. We're also going out to supper tonight to celebrate her, so I will also try to include a picture :).
• Saturday was also a very special day for other great friends of mine, namely Rosanne and Craig who got married! The wedding was super-fabulous with a touching service at Stanhope Resort, followed by reception/delicious homemade goodies/(including Rosanne's momma's homemade wine - oh my!)/chance to see their brand-new beautiful home, and then onward to Fishbones for an all-out dance party. It was an amazing time for two amazing people -- and I wish them nothing but happiness from now on to eternity. Congratulations guys!! Love you both!! xoxox.
• I'm still keeping up with my weekly momma & me nights, though, it had been 2 weeks since our last night out on account of the last few weeks being as busy as they were. We hit the city last evening and she got a lot of her Christmas shopping accomplished, and we ended off with a delicious BP supper. Love you, momma!!! xoxo
• I'm still kind of out of the scrapbooking loop on account of my wrist issues. Though, with several new babies & birthdays in my circle I'm still able to use some of my product with a few gifts and cards. I do still want to give out homemade Christmas cards this year, so I will have to try to get a start on them pronto so that I can pick away at them a few at a time. (Supposing to do that I really should clean up that freaking craft room, eh? Aaaannnyway....). Speaking of scrapping, and as it's now official news, I want to formally congratulate my scrapping mentor, Angela, on her newest endeavor. Coming soon to Charlottetown, The Scrapbook Studio! It's set to open mid-November, so do check it out! Tell Ang I sent ya! This has really been a long-time dream of Angela's, and I do wish her every success. Congratulations, Ang!! All the best!

I'm due for a few days off work in the coming weeks - I'll be sure to post a bunch more, including pictures of the goings-on!! :)

*And I'm so sure that there are dozens and dozens of faithful readers and lurkers. Riiiiiiight. Thanks to the handful of you that really do tune in on your own regular basis....xoxox.