Going Wonkers...

I went to Kaddywonkers today, and no, that's not a new term for "crazy", though as many of you know, I can be pretty crazy. No, Kaddywonkers is the name of the gift store here in Pembroke that sells my signs. Actually, I worked at Kaddywonkers today. They've asked me to lend a hand during the Holiday shopping season, so I started doing some training today. They only need me two days a week, 10 hours all together, which is perfect. I'll be working Thursday evenings, and Saturdays. I still get my Monday-Friday days too myself to work on my signs, which is fantastic. I might even do a little housework during those days as well, hard to say. My first day was great, very easy stuff really. Learning the ins and outs of the cash register, and debit machine. I also got to unpack and price some things and help out with some of the displays. Right up my alley. The store was actually pretty quiet, which was nice for training. It was crazy (or kaddywonkers) how many people came in looking for Christmas stuff, already. Some were actually annoyed when Lisa (one of the co-owners) told them we wouldn't have it out until after Halloween. Hello, it's OCTOBER.. Christmas isn't for another two whole months. Who's funnier than people? I think it will be a lot of fun working there, Lisa and Cathie are loads of fun, and I can't wait to see all of their Christmas goodies, but not until 1 November though. Actually, I got the sneak peek today, yummy, I can't wait until it's all out. I love Christmas. Although, I'm sure by Christmas I may be sick of it all.

"The secret of success in life is for a man to be ready for his opportunity when it comes."~~Benjamin Disraeli

The Homecoming Parade...

Well, you might have noticed I have been extremely tardy with the blog. And yes, I did read all of your complaints. And ignored them. We have had an extremely hectic two months since Dan came home. Two months, can you believe that? If only the time he was away had gone that fast, but never mind.

Today was the Homecoming parade for Roto3. It was also a PD day for the kids (groan), which worked out well as they got to come with me to the parade. Basically it was a parade welcoming the guys home from Afghanistan, and 525 guys were presented well deserved medals for their work in Afghanistan. Our good friend Derek, and one of the soldiers from the Battery received a Commendation for their work in Afghanistan. Again, very well deserved. There were many, many proud families there today, including ours. It was the first time the kids have seen Dan on parade with the Battery. Pretty cool stuff when you are a kid. Pretty cool stuff when you are a wife too, by the way. We even got reserved sitting (too bad the wankers who organized it put us on the completely opposite end from Dan's battery, hence the lack of photos of the parade itself). 122 of the 190 soldiers and officers in Dan's Battery were there today. The kids were amazed to see how many soldiers he commanded, especially Elizabeth. Her big question, "Mommy, how does Daddy look after all of those soldiers when he can't even keep track of his own wallet? " A good question as he has lost it no less than 4 times since he came home, I kid you not, but we won't go there as it makes me really cranky. After the medal ceremony, Dan's Battery had a smaller ceremony where guys were presented some other medals they have earned over the last year. After the ceremony was all over, there was a reception, where the kids filled up on brownies and juice. You might be able to tell that from the pictures. Oh, and after we got home, Katty went off to a Brownies sleepover for the night, where she was going to eat more candy and chocolate. She's going to be loads of fun tomorrow! I'm sorry I'm going to miss it, I'll be out all day (more on that tomorrow). Tomorrow will be daddy's first full day alone with the kids since he got home. I'm pretty sure the skittle king left some extra bags of skittles here Thanksgiving weekend. Think I'll pass those out right before I leave in the morning! Mwahahahahaha!

You might wonder where Connor was for the photos.. he took off into the house before I could catch him.. to get his "fancy" clothes off. Boys!

"Be humble for you are made of earth. Be noble for you are made of stars."~~Serbian Proverb.

The Most Wonderful Day Of The Year...

After much anticipation, the first day of school finally arrived. Katty was so excited she was up no less than 10 times last night. The girls were thrilled, they've had their outfits ready for days. Connor, not so much. He could barely keep his eyes open. He wasn't what you would call thrilled about going to school this morning, though surprisingly, he did not complain once. Poor bugger, he's in a 5/6 split and he is the only boy in grade 6. The girls were so excited, they were ready and out waiting for the bus 15 minutes early. And as luck would have it, the bus was 15 minutes late. They were so not impressed (me neither).. apparently the bus wouldn't start. Call me foolish, but I would think they would check all of the buses before the first day of school to make sure they were all good to go. I know, I'm foolish. We finally got them on the bus, and then met them at the school to help them find their classes. Connor has the same teacher as last year, and we're so hoping he'll have a better year this year. Actually, he will have a better year this year or he'll be going to boot camp faster than he can say Nintendo DS. Libby quite happily went off with her new teacher. Her best friend Melora is in her class again, so she was happy as Larry. Katty almost ended up with the same teacher as last year, as the Frau is teaching a grade 1/2 split, but luckily she ended up in the straight grade 2 class. She is quite happy her friend Melissa is in her class, and they are setting together. I'm reasonably sure by the end of the week that will change because they are both chatty Kathy's. In fact, I'd bet money on it. They all came home happy, in spite of the fact they all had homework. In fact, I'd say Libby was positively giddy about having homework to do (don't know where she gets that from) Katty actually had 6 work sheets to do! Even Connor had a good day, no marks from his teacher, and he did all of his homework without complaining once. Let's hope he keeps it up. I know, I'm not holding my breath.

"The roots of education are bitter, but the fruit is sweet."~~Aristotle

Home At Last...

After seven long months, Dan finally arrived home this morning at 3:35 am. The kids actually went to sleep fairly easily, maybe because they knew that when they woke up Daddy would be home. We left at 2:30 am and (of course) headed to Timmie's for coffee and hot chocolate. Holy freaking slow.. we were the only customers and it took her 10 minutes. Did she not know we were in a hurry? Hello, my husband is coming home from Afghanistan in 30 minutes, not the time for you to be chatting Missy! While we were in the drive through, two buses drove by and Jennifer was freaking behind me, thinking it was them. Luckily, it was not, they were Greyhound buses. When we got to the base, there were already tons of people there waiting, all just as anxious as we were. The kids were pretty sleepy at first, but that didn't last long. I thought there'd be some whining about waiting, but they didn't complain once. They actually amused themselves with a few games of tag. Dan's new CO was there, waiting to greet the guys. He's actually an old friend of ours, so we had a nice chat while we were waiting for the bus to arrive. I almost heard a story about something that happened to Dan while the new brigade commander was over visiting last spring, but he stopped himself before he spilled the beans. That's probably a good thing, I'd much rather hear about these things from Dan.

After waiting for about 45 minutes, the bus finally arrived. You could feel the excitement in the room as it pulled in. The kids and I were bouncing, we were so excited!! We didn't have to wait very long, Dan was the first guy off the bus. As soon as he grabbed his bags, all three kids threw themselves at him. I haven't seen them this happy in about 7 months. That's when it finally hit me, it really was over, and he really was home safe and sound. It was the best feeling ever, and totally indescribable. Overwhelming relief is as close as I can get. I know we are very lucky to have Dan home safe and sound with us. And I will be thankful for that for the rest of my life. For the first time in months, I'm actually looking forward to the weekend (and Dan fetching me a coffee tomorrow). Thank God it's Friday, and thank God it's over.

"Happiness pulses with every beat of my heart."~~Emily Logan Decens

An Interesting Day...

The kids had their last session of the Deployment Support Program this morning. There was a bit of grumbling from Connor, but he went anyway. I had to scramble a bit as it started while I was at my hair appointment. Thankfully, Arlene was free, so she dropped them off and picked them up. The kids all ended up having a great time, yes, even Connor. There were a few kids there whose Dad's were already home, and the kids were envious of that, but there were a lot more whose Dad's hadn't come yet. The highlight of the day was eating ration packs. All the kids got to try the ration packs like their Dad's have been eating in Afghanistan. Poor Daddy, some were disgusting, though Connor did like the "steaky one". They also watched a puppet show about how Daddy will feel when he gets home. Of course, I then got the lecture from Katty, "Mommy, daddy is not used to being at home, and it will be hard for him at first. We can't be too noisy (ha), and well, you shouldn't expect him to do any work like mowing the lawn ( no problem our grass is dead anyway) or taking out the garbage right away." Well, I'm thinking, reintegration or not, I'm pretty sure he can manage to take out a bag of garbage.

So, the last few days there's been a gaggle of older teenage boys hanging out at the park across the street. A couple of times, the kids have tried to go, and they couldn't get on the structures because these kids are sitting on them, cursing and swearing. The other day, they started hanging out there in their long goth like trench coats, and yesterday, Arelene intercepted them getting ready to fight with two kids who were on their bikes in front of our house. Today, Katty and her little friend Melissa came home from the park, terrified because these guys were back, and they were at it again, cursing, and swearing. This time, they had gone over the fence, and were inside the water tower, lurking around with their toy weapons. Now, they may have been up to something very harmless, but I certainly wasn't going over as there were about 10 of them, and they were all bigger than me. So, I called the Town Hall, and they asked me to call the OPP as they did not have permission to be in the water tower. I was surprised, the OPP sent two cars right away to see what they were up too. Turns out, one of their Dad's had got a friend who works for the town to let them in, and they were apparently filming an action film, and it was purely innocent. Right. And that so wasn't pot they were smoking behind the tower. Whatever. At any rate, they left, and might think twice about hanging out there again. And maybe the little kids can start playing at the park again without being scared.

If you haven't heard the news yet, two more soldiers were killed today in Afghanistan. I'm not sure my nerves can take much more of this. Jen and I were both walking around with a sick feeling in our stomachs all evening. They are so close to being out of there, but not close enough. We are so ready for this deployment to be over. Only a couple of more days, and they head out to Cyprus for Decompression, and we open the wine to celebrate it being over. Unfortunately, there are too many families out there who won't get to celebrate their loved ones coming home. How sad is that?

"As a rule, what is out of sight disturbs men's minds more seriously than what they see."~~Julius Caesar

Speaking of Friends...

The kids all had a great time on their sleepovers last night. The boys were good as gold, asleep by midnight. Mark stayed most of the day, he didn't want to go home. Katty stayed at Melissa's until 3, and Libby was out playing with her friend most of the day. The house was lovely and quiet, too damn quiet. I was so bored. There wasn't a soul around, everyone was gone for the weekend. Except for me, Nobby No Mates. I was actually excited when the bike shop called and said Dan's bike was ready because it gave me an excuse to get out of the house. Of course, that only took 15 minutes and I was left wandering around the house again. I can't believe I am actually complaining that I was in the house with no kids, and it was quiet, but there it is. How sad is that? Of course, the quiet was short lived. Katty was only home 5 minutes and she was complaining that she was bored, and having a tantrum over it. Why oh why didn't I enjoy it while it lasted? Stupid dumb quiet wasn't so stupid after all, was it? Just when I thought it was going to be, as Katty would say the "longest, most boreinest day of the summer", my buddy Melissa called, not once but twice!! I hadn't talked to her in months, and months, so we had lots of catching up to do. Melissa was in Gagetown for 3 of our 6 years there, and she is a wonderful friend. In fact, she was my rock during Dan's last deployment, watching my kids when I needed to get groceries, or pick Connor up from school, and when I needed to take a sick Libby to the hospital in the middle of the night. I've got to say, Melissa is one of the sweetest, kindest people I know. How she ended up friends with me is beyond me, but never mind. It's so funny, she's just moved back to Gagetown, and is not really happy about it, ( mostly because it's so far away from her mom and dad in Kentucky) and I can't wait to go back there. I'm so jealous. Of course, part of the reason I want to go is because she is there, and Jackie will be back there next year. I miss Gagetown, I miss the Superstore, I miss Frenchies, I miss my pharmacist (don't ask), I miss the fabric store, I miss it all. Mostly I miss all of the friends and good times we had there. Here's hoping we get posted back there next summer. Of course, knowing my luck, even if we do get posted back, Melissa and Jeffie will get posted out just as we arrive. Stupid, dumb army.

"The world is full of people whose notion of a satisfactory future is, in fact, a return to the idealized past."~~Robertson Davies, A Voice from the Attic

Old Friends...

One of the best parts of our military lifestyle is the friends we have made. By necessity, our friends become our family. This has certainly been true for me the last year, there are times I don't know what I would have done without Jen and Arlene. They have been my rock. But it's not just my friends who are down the street who have been there for me, its all my wonderful friends all over the world that I know I can call any time I feeling blue, or just need to talk (which doesn't happen very often). Emma, Melissa, Jackie, Phil, Michelle, and so many more. I can call anyone of them on any given day, and know they understand because they've been there too. The beauty of military friends is you can go years without seeing each other, but the first time you are together, it's like you've never been apart. And if we're really lucky, we end up being posted together again. Emma and Jackie are together now in England. I'm not jealous, honest I'm not. OK, I am a little bit. I was so hoping this year Melissa and Phil would be here with me in Pet, but unfortunately that didn't happen. One went to Shilo, the other Gagetown. That is so not fair! However, we did get a pleasant surprise. Our old neighbours from Gagetown, Tim and Monia, were posted here this summer. They also have 3 children, 2 boys and a girl. Each of their children are just slightly older than each of ours. And it was the kids who found each other. The Bobbitt 3 were playing at the park one day when the Halfkenny kids came to play as well. Mark and Connor took one look at each other, and knew they knew each other from somewhere. In 5 minutes they figured it out. Gagetown. The Halfkenny's bought a house a few streets over from ours, so they are within walking distance. What great kids they are. When they were in Gagetown, they were a bit wild (like ours weren't), but they have really calmed down. And they all get along like a house on fire. I've got to say, they've been a God send to me this week. Melissa has kept Katty very happy. Finally, a friend who is around during the day for her to play with. And it turns out, her and Melissa will be in the same class next year, and they will be taking the same bus. Katty is thrilled by this, as her favourite classmate was posted to Germany this summer. Matthew, their middle child, will be in the grade 5 section of Connor's class, and Mark is a grade ahead of Connor, which is probably a good thing given how easily distracted Connor is. All this week, Monia and I have been trading off kids, and it's been fantastic. Melissa and Mark came over here to play yesterday. And this morning, all three of mine went to their house. And I got to go shopping, all by myself! Sweet!! Tonight, Katty went back to their house for a sleepover and Mark came here. It's been so peaceful and quiet. No bickering or arguing or "I'm boreds." I wonder if I can persuade them to keep Katty for the next 2 weeks?

"It takes a long time to grow an old friend."~~ John Leonard

Two Hundred Days...

We reached a milestone today, Dan has been gone 200 days. 200 long and painful days. Only 14 more to go, 8 more until he is out of Afghanistan. I so can't wait. Jennifer and I are going to drink a bottle of wine (or 2) the day Dan and Derek leave KAF. The closer it gets, the harder the waiting is. The kids are constantly counting the days on their calendar, and crossing them off. They really can't wait until Daddy gets home. Poor Libby is just about driven, not only is Daddy coming home, but a few days later its the first day of school. She loves school, the first month especially. We picked up school supplies this week, and she just can't leave them alone. She keeps taking them out of the bag, and making sure they are all there. She already has the straps on her new back pack adjusted perfectly. She asked me no less than 10 times today when we are going to pack her backpack. She's like a dog with a bone. Not sure where she gets that trait from. Her father, I think. And Katty is almost as excited. In fact, she slept with her backpack in her bed the first night she got it. Now Connor, on the other hand. Well, he's not so excited for the first day of school. Shocking that. Poor bugger though, he's so torn. He can't wait for the long weekend for Daddy to come home, but he knows that's the last weekend before school starts. Oh, the angst of it all. It really is hard to be a kid sometimes isn't it?

Dan brought the girls these outfits from Afghanistan. Katty had to wear her's today. How cute are they? And don't they just know it too!

"The bird of time has not far to fly, and the bird is on the wing!"~~Anon

Webkinz Mania...

If you haven't heard about Webkinz, you probably don't have any young children. They are all the rage these days, various stuffed animals that come with their own code so you can register them online. Of course, they are so popular they are difficult to find, especially here in Mayor Bobville, where everything is difficult to find. The kids all have a great time playing on the Webkinz website, and the stuffies really are cute. The only problem is, the Bobbitt 3 are addicted to them. The more they get, the more they want. Luckily for them, they have a Sugar Auntie who feeds their addiction. It has gotten so bad, they expect their weekly fix. They even know what time the UPS man arrives in the morning, and what time the FEDEX man comes in the afternoon. On Monday I was expecting a shipment of stencils, which they were convinced would also have Webkinz in it. When the UPS man did not come Monday, they were not impressed. Luckily for me (and him) he did arrive Tuesday morning with my parcel, and low and behold Ann Marie had sent them each a new Webkinz for their collection. This was their end of vacation Webkinz, to match their Webkinz they had to have as a travel surprise, to go with the Webkinz that was to cheer them up when we came back from England. You get the idea. Ann Marie really is a star, she has taken great care of us all this last 7 months. She has sent us all care packages throughout the deployment, including Dan. He loves her packages, they are always full of great goodies. I can tell you without a doubt, he gets better packages from her than he does from me. Anyway, I really had no idea how many of these things she had sent the kids, I just kind of hand them out when the kids are feeling down and missing Daddy. Obviously, I should have paid more attention. In my defense, its hard to keep track of all of their various toys. And I have told her before that she doesn't need to keep sending the kids things, but her response is "Their father has gone to war, they need cheering up." I do find it hard to argue with that one. Hell, I need cheering up! But they really don't need anymore Webkinz. They have more Webkinz than Carter has little liver pills. It's crazy. They actually piled them all together, and I could hardly see the kids for all of the stuffies! Holy spoiled rotten. I don't think there is a Webkinz that has been made that the kids don't have! I've had to put my foot down, and tell the Bobbitt 3 and Ann Marie, no more Webkinz. Enough Webkinz already. I was pleasantly surprised when Ann Marie (seemingly) agreed to this (she can be a bit stubborn). I really should have known better. Seems she has discovered there are Webkinz Charms! Oh my. I wonder what the UPS man will be bringing the Bobbitt 3 next week.

"Never fear spoiling children by making them too happy. Happiness is the atmosphere in which all good affections grow."~~Thomas Bray

Happy Anniversary...

Today is our 14th anniversary, our Star anniversary as Nana, and our girls say, 14 years on the 14th. I can't believe it's been 14 years already. Fourteen years gone in the blink of an eye. Time flies when you're having fun (and it has been fun, right Dan?) Even more unbelievable is the fact that we have been together for exactly half of our lives. We were 18 when we started dating, how scary is that? Of the 14 years we've been married, Dan has been deployed for 18 months ( 3 tours in total). I certainly can't complain about that ( but I do occasionally) as that is equivalent to one tour for our American friends these days. He's also been gone on exercise or course for many more months, but I won't add them up, it's too depressing. The old adage, absence makes the heart grow fonder, is definitely true in our case. I've got to say I am married to a most wonderful man, he always makes me laugh, and he really does have the patience of a saint (my dad would say he has too, to be married to me). Everyday I know how very lucky I am to be married to such a great guy. And I am very proud to be his wife. Did I mention the beautiful diamond earrings he gave me while we were in England? I told you he was an amazing guy. He even called me today from somewhere in the middle of the Afghan desert. I was at Home Depot when he called. It is very sad that I have spent more time this year with the boys in the lumber yard than I have with my husband, but never mind. Next year, we might actually be together for our 15h anniversary, and we can have a big celebration. Unless, of course, he has to go back to Afghanistan next August, but we won't talk about that until after he gets home from this tour. In two weeks, we'll be able to celebrate Dan's homecoming. Have I mentioned I can't wait? Because I really can't. The closer it gets, the more anxious I get. Maybe if somebody would just stay in KAF, I would be a little less anxious, but no he can't do that, he'd be bored. Heaven forbid. Like I haven't been bored for the last 7 months. Get over it mister. Here's hoping the next 9 days are very boring. Happy Anniversary. I love you!

This is one of my favourite weddings pictures. The guys hated every minute of it. I can still hear them grumbling! Of course, I loved it because I actually got to be the Princess my brothers always knew I was!

"We are all a little weird and life's a little weird, and when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall in mutual weirdness and call it love."~~Author Unknown

That Book...

Today we made a trip to the Petawawa Public Library. Connor had asked to go on the weekend, but we never had a chance. If Connor wants to go to the library, it means he has a specific topic in mind, or a particular book he would like to read again. In this case, it was a specific book. The only problem was, he couldn't remember the book title or even what it was about. How he knew he wanted to read this nameless book again is beyond me. All he knew was that he wanted that book. You know, that book. No, I didn't know that book, but anyway, off we went to the library, searching for a nameless book on an unknown topic. Once we got to the library, he remembered what physical area of the library the book came from (how he can remember that but not the subject is beyond me, but never mind). Turns out, the book was one Daddy had found for him, in the nonfiction section of the library. Surprisingly, it's not that easy to find a nameless, subject less book in the nonfiction section. Shocking, I know. Was it about quilting? That got me a very strange look. How about cooking? Not so much. Taxes? Pleeasse. Connor obviously did not share my amusement of the situation. As we looked at the various subjects in the nonfiction section, Connor remembered it was soft covered. Lots of those in the nonfiction section. And it was green. Turns out there are lots of green soft covered books, particularly in the gardening section. I got another dirty look for that one. By this point in time, I was starting to lose my sense of humour. He was adamant he had to have that book, even though he didn't even know what the bloody book was about. It was time to get serious, so I went through the list of Connor's favourite topics. Prehistoric mammals. No. Dinosaurs. No. The Loch Ness Monster. No. Big foot. Bingo. The light went on. It was about monsters like Big Foot, and it happened in North America. Off we went to the computer, and low and behold, there it was, Monsters of North America. Imagine. We actually managed to find out the topic, and the name. Not only did we find it, but it was in. Just as I wrote down the call number, Connor remembered exactly what wall Daddy had found it on (bizarre). Sure enough, there it was. The nameless, subject less book, had unbelievably been found. The day was saved. Although, I've got to say, I kind of wish we hadn't found it. He's been talking about it incessantly, all afternoon. Did you know there's been monster sightings in Nova Scotia? Yes, actually, I had. In fact, I believe three monsters were spotted in Coldbrook last week. If only they'd hadn't followed me home to Petawawa.


"I think, at a child's birth, if a mother could ask a fairy godmother to endow it with the most useful gift, that gift should be curiosity."~~Eleanor Roosevelt

When Are The Cousins Here....

As soon as their feet hit the floor, it started. "Are the cousins coming, are the cousins coming?" Unfortunately, it was overcast this morning, so we weren't sure if a trip to the beach would work out. Fortunately, Mike and Annette decided to come anyway. Of course, that meant I had to listen to, "When are the cousins going to be here?" for the next 2 hours. Luckily for all of us, it was actually quite muggy, and the rain held off, in spite of Mike's predictions it would start any minute. We decided to head to the beach after all, and the kids had a great time. It was still quite cloudy, so the water wasn't quite as warm as yesterday, but the kids didn't seem to mind. Of course, they managed to drop a few chips here and there, which the seagulls loved. Annette, not so much. In fact, I think Mike's sandal may have been thrown at them a couple of times. I think. They really are filthy, disgusting animals, and I'm still amazed no one got shat on, but never mind. The kids did have great fun chasing them down the beach, though.

It was quite amusing listening to the kids chatting with each other. The best was listening to Libby and Sarah. Poor things, they really do have a hard go of it. Sarah was lamenting on how her parents never let her eat what she wants, she hardly ever has pop, or chips. I found this particularly amusing as she was drinking pop and eating chips as she was saying this. It was Libby's response that really cracked me up though. She sighed a little bit, and then said very seriously, "Well Sarah, when you are a grown up, you will be able to eat as much of it as you want, whenever you want." Oh, the injustice of it all. Speaking of injustice, there was also much lamenting on the fact that they don't live closer together. It would be so much better if they lived beside each other. I don't think they realize the novelty of that might wear off rather quickly. It's just not fair. Funny how life is like that. There was much angst when it was time for them to go home. Of course, their van wasn't even out of sight when it started. "When are we going to see the cousins again?" Doh!

"Are we not like two volumes of one book?~~Marceline Desbordes-Valmore

Beach Days...

It was a beautiful sunny day today, so you know where we had to go. Those poor kids, it had been a whole week since they'd been swimming. I don't know how they made it through the week!! It was pretty cloudy when we woke up, and I was worried we'd have to cancel. God help me, I'd have had a mutiny on my hands! Eventually the sun came out, and we packed a picnic and went off to meet Jen and the boys at Black Bear Beach. We went early enough, so the beach wasn't crowded at all. It was quite nice actually, the water was super warm, and the sand was not too hot to walk on (it was, however, bloody hot by the time we left to come home). The kids had a great time, and everyone was happy (for a change). Happy that is, until Katherine decided she needed the turtle floaty from Connor, and she wasn't going to stop until she got it. She is so feisty, and determined. So much like her father!! I've got to say, the highlight of our trip to the beach was talking to Dan. He called just after Derek called Jen, too funny. The kids are getting so impatient for him to come home (um, me too), and I think it will be a challenge to keep them busy everyday until he does get here.

After we were done at the beach, it was home to housework. It just does not get anymore exciting than that. On the upside, Mike and Annette may bring the kids up to go to the beach tomorrow, so the kids were almost eager to clean their rooms! Except for Connor, of course, he is never eager to do anything that might be construed as work.

"You can never appreciate the shade of a tree unless you sweat in the sun"~~ Author Unknown

Farewell To Nova Scotia..

We're home, again!! Time flies when you are having fun. Too bad it doesn't go that fast when we are at home in Petawawa by ourselves! We left Grandma and Grumpy's early this morning to catch our flight back to Ottawa. Nana and Poppa drove us to the Airport, which was nice as the kids got to say goodbye to both sets of grandparents. It was bittersweet leaving this morning. The kids love being in Nova Scotia, but they were ready to come home. After all, the sooner we get home, the sooner Daddy gets home. We had an awesome time in Nova Scotia, but it's never the same without Dan there. Especially at the lake, we miss him so much more there. It just doesn't seem right without him.

We had an uneventful flight home. Finally, after all of their flights this summer, we got a plane with TVs. They were positively bouncing with excitement. The excitement quickly faded when we realized that Connor and Katty's were broken. Duh!! I switched places with Katty so she could watch, and wouldn't you know, that one died partway through the flight. Double duh. She was not amused. Stupid dumb TV.

After landing in Ottawa, and a super long wait for our luggage, we headed off to Mike and Annette's for the afternoon. The kids had a great time. It was just what they needed. It sure made coming home a lot easier. Of course, we weren't in the van 5 minutes and they started asking when they could see the cousins again. I'm surprised I haven't heard I'm bored yet. It must be because they are so tired. I figure boredom will start tomorrow as soon as their feet hit the floor!!

"So farewell, farewell to Nova Scotia's charms, for it's early in the morning I am far, far away."~~Traditional

On The Road Again...

We're off again, this time to Nova Scotia for two weeks. I'm finally all packed and ready to go tomorrow. Only 2 big suitcases this time, I learned my lesson. I just finished unpacking from the last trip, but never mind. Thank goodness the kids are great travelers, they've seen the inside of a lot of airports this summer. I've got to say, I'm glad we are flying and not driving. I just could not wrap my head around 2 days trapped inside the van. The kids and I are all happy to go, but as Elizabeth pointed out, "We'd be a lot happier if Daddy was coming with us." Ain't that the truth. It's been a long two weeks for all of us. It seems so much harder to be alone this time than the first half. I know I'm not the only one who feels this way. Only 5 more weeks to go, but it might as well be 5 months, it seems so far away. That's why this trip home will definitely break up the time. The kids are very anxious to get to Nana and Poppa's cottage, and to get to Gramma and Grumpy's house (apparently there is a pie waiting for them there).

So, I've been very slack with the blog, as Dan pointed out to me the other day. There just doesn't seem to be enough hours in the day to get everything done, especially now that the kids are off school. I promise to be much more regular with the blog from now on. Honest. I even have a blog written for everyday of our UK vacation. And yes Shawn, there are lots of pictures to go with them. Once I get to Mom and Dad's, I'll hopefully have time to go back and post them all, photos included. Oh, and Shawn, I am bringing home all of the pictures with me. Bring me a coffee, and I might let you look at them.

There was an article in the Globe and Mail today in which Dan was interviewed. As my friend Ann Marie told me, "You gotta love how Dan makes a missile launch sound like a late subway." Oh my, is it September yet??

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070725.wxafghan25/BNStory/International/?page=rss&id=RTGAM.20070725.wxafghan25

"Travel and change of place impart new vigor to the mind."~~Seneca

Sunny Saturday...

For the first time since we got home, it actually feels like summer. So, what better way to spend a sunny Saturday afternoon, then at the beach. The poor kids, it was the first time their skin had actually felt sun in 4 weeks, they were starting to get pasty. Even Elizabeth was starting to lose her tan. A trip to the beach was just what they needed to distract them, although there was lots of whining because Daddy wasn't there to swim with them. At any rate, they had a good time. We met Jen and the boys there, and Jen and I got to sit and chat while the kids played. We've both decided that the last half of the tour sucks, and we are so counting the days until its over. I'm so glad I'm not the only one who feels that way. It just feels like it's never ending. Thank goodness we have such a wonderful beach so close by. It's a great way to distract the kids (and it's cheap). It's supposed to be nice all week, so I'll bring them everyday for a few hours. I may be sick of all the sand by the end of the week, but it will be worth it for a few hours of peace and quiet everyday.

"Summer afternoon - summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language."~~Henry James

Harry Potter Mania....

You might have heard by now (how could you not), the latest Harry Potter book comes out tonight at midnight. Since we came back from England, the kids have been Harry Potter obsessed. Connor has all of the books, and had seen most of the movies before, but was not overly interested. Not so now. He can't get enough of Harry. He's even got Libby in on it, she's started reading all of the books as well. We went out and rented the first 3 movies (the 4th wasn't in), and they have watched them over and over and over again. They were so excited when Harry was in London, just like they were. Pretty cool stuff when you are 11 and 9. They talk about it incessantly. Now, I must admit, I've read all of the books, and enjoyed them, but I can hardly remember all of the details. Me bad. Obviously, I'm supposed to remember everything, because as they watch the movies, they ask me questions repeatedly. Why did Dumbledore do this? Why is Hagrid such a softy even though he's a giant? Is Snape evil? Why didn't Harry die? The questions never stop, they are relentless. They even follow me to the bathroom to ask me questions. Harry Potter talk starts the minute their feet hit the floor. It's driving me crazy! After a week of this, I now answer their question with, "Read the bloody book." I think it is finally starting to sink in. Tonight, Connor started to ask me a question, and then stopped and said, "I'll go look it up in the book." About time. I don't think this obsession is going to end anytime soon, especially with the latest movie in theatres, and the new book due out tonight. And of course, the two of them are already arguing over who is going to get to read it first. Boy are they ever going to be miffed when they find out Mommy is going to read it first. And if they keep annoying me about it, I might just tell them how it ends. I'll show them. So there.

"We are almost there! As launch night looms, let's all, please, ignore the misinformation popping up on the web and in the press on the plot of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I'd like to ask everyone who calls themselves a Potter fan to help preserve the secrecy of the plot for all those who are looking forward to reading the book at the same time on publication day. In a very short time you will know EVERYTHING!"~~ JK Rowling

Home Again..

We're home. The time went so fast, but then, it always does when you're on vacation. Close your eyes and blink and 3 weeks is over. We were up early again today, which means it was an extremely long day. It's 10 pm here, but 3 am in London, so I've been up for 23 hours. Our "People Carrier" arrived at 9 am. It only cost 50 pounds ($118 Canadian), as opposed to the 100 pounds we paid to get from the airport the day we arrived. Our driver was a retired British Army officer, and was quite amusing. He complained bitterly about the cost of living in London the entire way. After glimpsing our credit card balance yesterday, I can certainly sympathize with him. We made it to Heathrow in about 45 minutes, and then unloaded all of our luggage. Dan helped me check it all in, and then it was time to say goodbye to him. His flight was an hour and a half before ours, from another terminal. Saying goodbye was awful. I cried, the kids cried, I cried some more. It was far worse than saying goodbye in January. I think the events of last week made it much more difficult. After many hugs and tears, he went off, and we went through security. I've got to say, Heathrow was much easier to get through then Stansted. How shocking is that? We were in and out of security in about 5 minutes. Then we went off to buy souvenirs. T-shirts for the kids, booze for me (I had a feeling I might need a drink later). Despite the extra long wait in the airport, the kids were great. Only 5 or 6 trips to the bathroom, which might have had something to do with the pop I let them get in an emotional moment of weakness. We were the first on board the plane. The flight was fine, just very long. It was an hour longer then going over, but felt 5 hours longer. The kids were awesome, despite being bored. The flight attendants even complimented me on how polite and well behaved they were. I thought for a few minutes they had the wrong parent, but no. They even brought the kids cookies and chocolate for being so well behaved. The other kids on the plane were not so well behaved, and did not get any treats. After landing in Ottawa, it was time to clear customs. Of all the passport checks I've gone through in the last 3 weeks, this was by far the worst. Of course, it didn't help that there were 3 Muslim ladies who kept trying to get ahead of us. One had a burhka on, and was actually pushing the kids. You can imagine my reaction to that. After shooting her the look of death several times, she finally backed off. It was a good thing for her, because I was just about to lose it on her. You can imagine what kind of mood I was in by the time it was my turn. And of course, the customs agent asked me for my letter of permission to take the kids out of the country. Hello, coming back INTO Canada. Not once was I asked for it leaving the country. And as luck would have it, I had left the letter in my purse, which was in my suit case. I did however have my power of attorney with me, so he very graciously let me through. Big of him. Next time, I must provide the proper documentation. Sure, I'll do that. As I'm not planning on leaving the country any time in the near future, I'm thinking, it won't be an issue. By the time I left customs and collected all of our luggage, I was in desperate need of a Timmie's. And what do you suppose my buddy Charlotte had waiting for me when I came out? Ding, ding, ding. You guessed it, a large double double. Sweet glorious Tim Horton's coffee. Imust say, I really missed my Timmie's. We finally made it home shortly before 8. It will definitely be nice to sleep in our own beds tonight, but the house seems even lonelier than before we left. I've got to say, coming home alone sucked big time. It's definitely going to be a long 7 weeks.

“The bigger the summer vacation the harder the fall”~~Author Unknown

Reunion in London..

We landed in London, bight and early. Our plane was a few minutes late, but that was okay because Dan had to take the train from his terminal to ours. We made it through customs with no problems, other than Katherine had to use the bathroom, and was not impressed she had to wait. The line was fairly long. I even heard one frequent flyer say it was the longest he'd ever seen, which did not bode well. Even though the line was long, we were in and out in 20 minutes. We then had to collect the luggage and find Dan. We got the luggage no problem, and did one walk around, and spotted him. It was so amazing to see him (I cried). The kids just kept hugging him, they were so excited. I did however manage to get in there finally and get a kiss and hug for myself.

We took the Heathrow Express train into London, and then a taxi from Piccadilly to our hotel. The only problem we had was I brought way to much luggage. I freely admit this. I don't know what I was thinking, I should have doubled up suitcases, but instead I brought one for each of us. Duh!! We ended up needing two taxis because all of our luggage wouldn't fit. And yes, I heard about it. I'm sure I'll still be hearing about it in 20 years. We did finally make it to our hotel ($218 later). We stayed at the Union Jack Club, a hotel for serving and ex military personal. It was in a great location, opposite Waterloo Station, and within walking distance of all the main tourist highlights.

After we checked into our hotel, we all ended up having a nap. All except Elizabeth that is. She was just too excited to sleep. She kept trying to wake us up, without much success I'm afraid. Eventually we got up, and went out and explored some of the sites. We walked to the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, and the London Eye. I've got to say the whole thing was amazing. I couldn't believe we were really there. After exploring for a bit, we took the kids to McDonald's for supper. As we were waiting in line, a gang fight erupted. It was a little scary. Luckily it ended quickly, and with no serious injuries. The kids didn't know what to think, nor did I. That kind of stuff just doesn't happen in Pet. So after a hasty meal, we went back to our hotel, and relaxed for a bit. It was so nice to be together again. And it was even nicer to watch Dan sorting the kids out for bed. I think I can get used to that.

“Nothing is certain in London but expense.”~~William Shenstone

Black Bear Beach...

We made our first trip to the beach today. It was a perfect day for it, not too humid, but still nice and warm for the kids to play in the water. The kids had a blast. It was a great way to break up our last weekend. They were a bit down this morning because it was Father's Day, and Daddy wasn't here, so I thought they could use a distraction. And I certainly needed the break. I spent the morning cleaning and doing laundry, getting ready to pack for vacation. Boy, were they ever helpful when I told them we would go to the beach. The three of them worked together to pack up. They even blew the floaties up all by themselves. Can you believe Katherine had a great day today?? She didn't utter the words stupid dumb once. Hard to believe I know. She would have happily stayed there all day, I think. While Connor and Libby were off exploring on the rocks, she played quietly in the sand. Quietly! Imagine it! And all three of them went in swimming several times, even Connor, the boy who is always reluctant to get wet. He certainly didn't have a problem with that today. We stayed at the beach for a few hours. I thought there might be some complaining when it was time to leave, but there was none at all. They even helped me pack up! Their helpfulness even carried on after we got home. They all tidied up their rooms, without any arguing or whining. Connor even cleaned out under his bed, and vacuumed! I'm still shocked. I'm not sure what is in the water at the beach, but I like it. If they are going to be like this every time we go to the beach, we'll be going everyday! I know, it won't last that long, but I'll enjoy it while it lasts.

"If you're lucky enough to be at the beach...then you're lucky enough! "~~Unknown

Stupid Dumb....

Katherine is driving me crazy. She is as moody as all get out. One minute, she's happy as Larry, the next, ready to claw somebodies eyes out (usually mine). I think that she needs anger management courses. Either that or a dose of lithium. Seriously, I have never seen a child change her mood on a drop of a dime like she does, with the possible exception of me when I was little. To say she has been a little temperamental this week would be an understatement. Stupid dumb skipping rope, stupid dumb bug bites, stupid dumb bedtime, stupid dumb bath, stupid dumb homework, stupid dumb library book, and so on and so on. I hear the words "stupid dumb" in my sleep. I even found myself referring to a slow driver as a "stupid dumb driver." My personal favourite was, "stupid dumb idiot." (that was directed at her sister) followed by, "stupid dumb booby," (her favourite blanket in the whole wide world). Of course, I was hard pressed to keep a straight face as the stupid dumb booby was followed by, "I'm so so sorry booby, I didn't mean it, you're not stupid and dumb, you're the best booby ever." As if any of us would ever get an apology from her like that. I wish. Last week, I was the stupidest and dumbest mommy ever, and she was going to go find a better one. My response to that? "Have a good trip, and don't forget to look for cars when you cross the road," which earned my quite the look if indignation. Obviously, I was not supposed to support this idea. Shortly after that, I was the best mommy ever, and she promised never to be angry at me again. Right. I'm sure she really means that. At least, until I piss her off again. I'm wondering how many times she will call something (or someone) stupid and dumb while we are on holidays. I'm guessing not once. She'll be daddy's little angel. And then, mark my words, we will get off the plane in Ottawa, and it will be "stupid dumb airport". Just you wait and see.

"Do not teach your children never to be angry; teach them how to be angry."~~Lyman Abbott

The Tilt A....

The Fair is in town this weekend, and the kids couldn't wait to go. Today was opening day, it was Loonie Twoonie Day, so all the rides were $1 or $2. It should have been just twoonie day, as almost everything cost $2, but never mind. We had supper with Arlene and the boys, and then off we went to beat the crowds. I can only say this Fair made the Bill Lynch Fair at Apple Blossom seem gargantuan. There wasn't even a Ferris Wheel. What the hell? What kind of Fair doesn't have a Ferris Wheel? The kids were pretty keen to go on it. Even Katty was disappointed there wasn't one, though I'm not so sure she wouldn't have wussed out if there had been one there. I'm wondering if we will manage to get them on the London Eye next weekend or not, they all think they want to go on it. There was a Zipper, but there was no way in hell they were getting on that one. They did manage to get on the Tea Cups, but Connor would not get on the Tilt a Whirl. Now as far as I'm concerned, the Tilt a Whirl is the only reason to go to the Fair, it's always been my favourite ride. Not so much for Dan, the last time we went on one together, he was green afterwards. Connor went off with Arlene and the boys, and the girls and I went for a ride. Wow, it was whirly alright. Libby absolutely loved it. Katty, like her Daddy, not so much. Part way through, her tummy got upset, and she started crying to get off. I was scared she was going to be sick all over me, but she managed to hold onto her stomach. As we were getting off, she informed me she was never ever going on that "Stupid Dumb ride ever again in her entire life." And of course, Libby was begging to go on it again. On the way home, Katty told me they should change the name of that stupid dumb ride to the Tilt A Hurl. Libby can't wait to go to the Fair with Daddy next year, so they can go on the Tilt A Hurl together. I'm thinking that's probably as likely to happen as getting him on the Ferris Wheel that they didn't have. Not likely.

"I see nothing in space as promising as the view from a Ferris wheel.”~~ E.B. White

Week 20...

Today we started week 20 of the deployment that never ends. I can't believe 19 weeks are over already, although, there are times it seems the end will never get here. We only have one more weekend to get through, thank God. The weekends are really starting to get to me. There are only so many things you can do in Petawawa on the weekends, and we've done both of them several times. It doesn't help that all of the other families are off doing family things, camping etc, and we are here alone, Nobby No Mates. I know the kids find the weekends lonely too. Oh well, enough whining. Like I said, we only have one more to get through. And this weekend, the kids have their final swimming lesson for the year, and we are going to see Shrek 3. They are all looking forward to that. And there is a Midway here this week as well, so we are going to that Thursday night. And the sun is supposed to be out all week. It was gorgeous here today, in the low 30s, and it's supposed to get hotter as the week goes on. I've got the sprinkler hooked up, the Popsicles in the freezer, and the AC on. Maybe this week won't be so bad after all.


“Life is all about timing... the unreachable becomes reachable, the unavailable become available, the unattainable... attainable. Have the patience, wait it out. It's all about timing.”~~Stacey Charter

Mowing the Lawn...

You know there is something wrong when the highlight of your Saturday is mowing the lawn. Seriously, I kid you not, it was the highlight of my day! How sad is that? I should probably point out, it was the first time I had to mow this year. Our lawn can only be described as pathetic, a fact we were sadly unaware of when we purchased the house. At the time, the lawn was covered in a few feet of snow, so we couldn't see the lawn. Needless to say, we were unpleasantly surprised last summer when we got here, and the lawn was a disaster. Our lawn is the worst on the street. All of the others are nice and green and lush, ours, not so lush really. More patchy, and well, brown. As I'm getting ready to go away, it will be woefully neglected again for most of this summer. It took a week of steady rain, but the weeds and clover actually grew enough a mowing was in order. I must say, I was apprehensive I would not get the mower started. Seems my beloved husband abandoned the poor thing in the fall, and it was still full of last years gas, and oil; a fact that made my father in law audibly cringe when I told him. Too give our mower credit, it's a tough little thing. After a few pumps of the primer, she started up with just a little puff of black smoke. My neighbour across the street was amazed. Evidently, he didn't think I'd get it started. Really. Well, I showed him. Not only did I start it, but I mowed the entire lawn, dirty gas and all. I even took out some plastic animals along the way. Obviously, my neighbour felt guilty because his lawn was far more in need of a mowing then ours. I wasn't in the house 5 minutes, and I heard him out trying to start his mower. It took him a good 10-15 minutes. I was on my way out to offer to start it for him, when he finally got it going. Next time, I'll show him how it's done.

“A good wife is one who can mow the lawn in the summer and put up the storm windows in the winter.”~~W.C Fields

Tornado Warning, Again.

Well, I had a lovely day today. Arlene had another appointment in Ottawa, so I just had to tag along. And as if that was not exciting enough, Dan called this morning right before we left. Twice in one week, unheard of! It was great, the kids all got to talk to him right before they went off to the bus stop with Stu and the boys. They all went to school happy after talking to Daddy. Arlene and I had enough time to squeeze in a trip to Chapters, and two real malls today. Sweet!!! I was happy to find some nice Canada t-shirts for our Canada Day in England with our dear friends the Armstrong's. We had a lovely day shopping, and then got home just before the storm hit, thank goodness. The kids and I walked home from Stu and Arlene's and the skies opened up about five minutes later. We had a supper date with Stu and Arlene at McDonald's and we were treated to a fantastic lightning show on the way there. And yes, Connor was thrilled. Of course, he was full of information about the various types of lightning. Apparently, we had seen forked lightning. Who knew? So as we speak, he is thrilled because there is a tornado warning. It occurs to me, that I should probably have the computer turned off, but I figure, if a tornado does hit Petawawa, whether or not the computer is on, is really the least of my worries. Connor, of course, can't help himself, he keeps getting up in the window to check it out, although he remains skeptical that a tornado will actually hit us. Let's hope he's right.

On a gloomy, rainy morning, it came little eight-year-old Tommy's turn to say the blessing at breakfast. "We thank Thee for this beautiful day," he prayed. His mother asked him why he said that when the day was anything but beautiful. "Mother," said he, with rare wisdom, "never judge a day by its weather."~~Unknown

I Saw The Signs...

Do any of you remember that bloody song? I've had it in my head for the last 3 days. That might have something to do with all of the signs spread out over my kitchen and dining room. I've been painting my new Canada sign collection for the store in Pembroke. I had a bunch of new signs and blocks to do. Of course, I've known about this order for months, but took a page out of Connor's book, and procrastinated a bit. Just a little bit. They were due this afternoon at 1 pm, and this morning when I got up, I still had to stencil the blocks, and antique and varnish them all. Piece of cake. Actually, it's amazing how much I can get down when I set my mind to it. Funny that. Well, anyway, I managed to get them all done. Luckily it's been raining all week, so I've been stuck in the house. I didn't even have to stop to go get a coffee this morning, my wonderful friend Arlene took pity on me. She went out in the pissing down rain, and drove to Timmie's to get me a coffee. And she doesn't even drink coffee! Now, that's a great friend for you. She even offered to help me out with the signs, but I wouldn't let her. She's been tired out lately (no wonder, taking care of me is exhausting work, I'm sure), and she needs to be rested up for our shopping trip, I mean her doctor's appointment, in Ottawa on Friday. Well, I did manage to get the signs down, and I was really happy with how they turned out. Even better, the girls at the store loved them. They are going to build a whole Canada display around them. They also placed a huge order of Fall signs, that they want delivered the third week of August. I'm sure I'll be much more organized for that order, really. Actually, there are a ton of new Fall and Halloween signs I wanted to add to my portfolio, and this order will pay for them, and new Christmas ones as well. Oh, and they offered me a job in their store again. They're really keen for me to come work with them in October, they even have an area set aside for me to paint my signs in their craft room. So, they would actually be paying me a salary, while I painted signs that they are going to pay me for. Sweet. I might have to seriously consider this one.

"I saw the sign and it opened up my eyes, I saw the sign. Life is demanding without understanding. I saw the sign and it opened up my eyes. I saw the sign."~~ Ace of Base