Out Like A Lamb...

The last day of March was beautiful, warm and sunny in Petawawa. Completely opposite from the beginning of the month. We had another great day. I must say, I am so loving this new attitude of Connor's. He's been fantastic. We went off to the pool this morning for their final lesson of this session of swimming. Today was the fun day, so they got to go on the slides. Libby was bitterly disappointed that the rope was broken, which meant she couldn't swing off of it. Can't say I was that disappointed, she tends to be a bit of a wild woman in the water. We had an e-mail from Dan when we got home from swimming. Good news, he's back in KAF. Bad news, he has food poisoning. I feel so bad for him, he was up all night. The one night he could actually get a half decent rest, and sleep in a real bed, and he's up sick. Hopefully, he gets some rest tonight. As usual, I don't know how long he's in for, but let's hope it's a few days.

This afternoon we were off to the Sugar Bush at the Petawawa Forestry Centre. It was the first deployment activity they've had, specifically for families of deployed members. We went with Jen and her boys, and our friend Charlotte was also there (with her step daughters Nicole, who Connor like likes, and her sister Lauren, whom I believe he is fond of as well). The kids all had a blast, they got to run around in the woods, and tap a maple tree. They then got to watch maple syrup being made, and eat maple taffy, and drink hot chocolate. and it was even Timmie's hot chocolate, not the yucky watery stuff. They are obviously hot chocolate connoisseurs. I'd love to show you pictures of them, but wouldn't you know, I forgot the camera. Apparently, forgetfulness was going around, because both Jen and Charlotte forget theirs as well. We got some maple candies for a treat on the way home, and then they came back and played outside the rest of the day. They never came in until 8 pm. I'd forgotten how much I love spring.

“Spring is nature's way of saying, "Let's party!"”~~Robin Williams

One Less Thing...

Today we finally got a doctor right here in Petawawa. One less thing for me to worry about. We were actually quite lucky. We only had to wait nine months. Some people have had to wait two years or more. The health care system here is abysmal, much like it is in a lot of Canada. The doctor we had when we lived here before has long since retired, and many others have pulled up stakes for the glamour and pay in the big cities. Fortunately, Dan's health care is provided by the military, so we at least didn't have to worry about that. Us having a doctor here means no more trips to Ottawa to see the doctor. Well, truthfully, I haven't made any trips to Ottawa to the doctor. I've put off all my appointments. It was just one more hassle to deal with. So, now, I have no more excuses. Unfortunately, it's too late for me to get my allergy shots for this year. I was supposed to start them in January, and finish them in November. I have no one to blame for that but myself, and I know Dan will kick my butt for forgetting to get them. I could have had them done at the walk in clinic in Pembroke, but I legitimately forgot. Honest. There was just so much other stuff going on, and really, who thinks about allergies in December. And there was still the hassle of going to Ottawa to get the prescription, yada yada. You know what I am saying. Unfortunately, the long and short of my forgetfulness is that I will probably be suffering greatly in about 4 weeks. You'll know when my allergies start, I've no doubt I will be complaining about them frequently.

Connor had another great day at school. He even came home with a check mark. And wouldn't you know there were kids who did not pass in their book reports, and he wasn't one of them. First time for everything. Actually, he's having another great day at home as well. He's been outside with his buddies all afternoon, and only came in long enough to eat. The girls have been out too. No rock painting yet, Dad. Just chalk drawings on the driveway. Oh, and some kind of soup concoction in the back yard. I was too afraid to look at it, though. Katty is still a bit cranky. She was bored this afternoon, so when she came in she listened to the relaxation CD she got from the deployment counsellor. There are all kinds of great relaxation exercises on it. I'm here to tell you they work, because one minute I was listening to it with her, and the next I was asleep. Go figure. She was quite into jelly belly, and spaghetti toes. Me too, apparently. There is even an exercise to help her when she is feeling grumpy. I thought this was fantastic, as we all know Katty is a bit moody. She listened to the entire CD, and then promptly got up and had a temper tantrum when it was over. Stupid dumb boring relaxation. Indeed. I find the same thing, relaxation is so over rated. I can't stand it myself.

"Tension is who you think you should be. Relaxation is who you are."~~Chinese Proverb

Two Down, Five To Go...

Today we reached another milestone in this deployment. Two months finished. As of this moment, we have completed 27.3396% of this tour. That's 60 days, 1437 hours, 86,202 minutes, and 5,172,103 seconds. But whose counting. Alright, I am. And Dan too. Mike (he's almost a good brother in law) sent me a countdown, so I could keep track better. It also tells me how much time we have left until this tour is over. I'd give you the tally, but it's just too depressing. Dan said yesterday the time was going fast for him, and really it is for me too. I would like to say it is going fast because we are having fun, but that is not the case. More, it is going fast because we are both so busy. Though his busy is vastly different then my busy. And much more dangerous, but we shan't discuss that. Nine weeks almost over, and I have still not accomplished half of what I'd like to get done. It's not like I don't have time to get it done, but I don't have time to get it done, if you know what I mean. Most days, I feel as if I have been swept up with the tide, and can't quite make it too shore. There just seems no end to it, it goes on from the minute the kids get out of bed in the morning, until they get back in at night. Now, mind you, I do have the house to myself all day, for seven glorious, quiet hours, five days a week, but still, I get nothing done. Some days, I seem to spend more time wandering around making lists of the things I have to do, then I actually spend doing them. Of course, I might be like that even when Dan is home, but never mind. It's worse now. Take my walls, for instance. I have looked at the same wall in the stairway beside the computer desk every night while I write this blog, for weeks, and have thought, "I really need to clean that wall." Now, have I actually cleaned that wall? No, I have not. Everything else seems to need to be done first. Therefore, I have made the decision to have someone clean it for me. I mean, seriously, do I not have enough stress in my life as it is? The fact that I need to clean the walls should not be added to my stress load. I know you agree Dan, you're such a good husband. Just think, without the extra pressure of washing walls and windows, I'll be more relaxed, and better able to cope with things.

Speaking of relaxed, Connor has relaxed so much this week, I thought today he had been replaced by a pod. Seriously, he hasn't fought with me once this week. Not once. Hard to believe, I know. I think it's because it's been so nice, and he has been outside everyday after school. And because he has been outside so much, he has barely watched television at all. It's been fantastic. And his good mood has extended to school. He had a math test today, and thank the saints, he got 100%. He was so proud of himself, and so he should be! He even wrote his book report this evening, with hardly a complaint. Now, there were a few grumbles when he had to write the good copy (stupid cursive writing), enough that I knew it really was him, but all in all, he was great. It's just like having our regular Connor back. Today, out of the blue, he walked by and said, "I love you mom." You got to love it when your 11 year old son tells you he loves you. Maybe there's hope after all.

"Time is the longest distance between two places."~~Tennessee Williams

Good Morning Sunshine...

I had the best wake-up call this morning from my hubby. Technically, I'd already been up for an hour already, but never mind. It was such an awesome way to start my day. Just hearing his voice makes me feel so much better. Although, today it was kind of hard to hear him. Oddly enough, satellite phones and running armoured vehicles aren't really conducive to intimate phone conversations. For part of the conversation, it sounded like he was standing inside a wind tunnel, and I was afraid we would be cut off. Luckily, that didn't happen, and we got to have a little bit of a chat. He is still outside the wire, somewhere in Kandahar province. No details given, none asked for. Except that he was no where near the ambush that took place on Monday, thank God. He's doing well, getting enough sleep, so he says, but then he would, so I wouldn't worry. He also said the heat has started, 30-35 degrees Celsius during the day. And the sun is brutal. Of course, all of the protective gear he has to wear is hot as well, but I'm okay with that. As usual, he wasn't sure how long they would be out, indefinitely I guess, or until they run out of coffee filters again. That actually happened last time they were out, his crew must have improvised, because Dan didn't even know they were out, until I asked him if he needed me to send some. Gotta love the wives net, one of the other wives had mentioned it to me a couple of weeks ago. Crisis averted though, his driver stocked up, so they are good to go. Wouldn't want them to run out of coffee when they are so far from Timmie's in KAF. That would make a tense situation worse. He was out of gum though. Apparently, gum is in short supply, so I sent off several packages this week in his latest parcel. It's always so bittersweet when our phone calls end. I love talking to him (shocking that), and hearing his voice, and knowing he is alright. But now I have to wait at least another 10 days to talk to him again. And that really, really, sucks.

"If the sun always shines, there's a desert below. It takes a little rain to make love grow."~~Unknown

Wonders Never Cease...

Connor had a good day at school today, finally. He actually got a check mark; all of his work was done, he didn't speak English in class and he payed attention, and stayed on task. Of course, this might have something to do with the conversation I had with him last night, when I told him I thought maybe we'd ought to get a tutor to help him bring up his grades. Funny how he had such a great day today. Great that is, until we discovered he brought home the wrong duo tang for homework. Right colour, wrong subject. Even he groaned over that one. He's even almost finished reading his book for his book report. I must say, his attitude at home has been markedly better, even since the weekend. He's been polite, and helpful, and even stopped bickering with his sisters. I'm sure the good mood won't last long, but we will make hay while the sun shines. Now if only Katty's mood would improve. She has been beyond miserable the last few days. I think it's because she is getting a new big girl front tooth, but the baby one still hasn't fallen out. It's driving her, and by extension me, crazy.

Speaking of crazy, the bloody mud and grass the kids keep dragging in on their boots is driving me mad. And don't even get me started on the rock collections. No Dad, they are not painting the rocks, yet. Give them time, I'm sure it's coming. I love spring, I really do, but not this muddy, dirty aspect of it. While I am glad the kids are finally playing outside more, it's exhausting keeping up with them. Not to mention the fights I have to get them to come in and do their homework, and to eat, and sleep. And when they do come in, it takes forever to tidy up after them. Honestly, I could vacuum the entry way ten times a day. And if I'm not vacuuming, I'm doing laundry. In the last week, they have gone through more coats and pairs of boots then I can count, its ridiculous. I know, I am not the only mother suffering this fate. Thank goodness we don't have a dog (sorry Annette), otherwise I'd really be losing it. Okay, losing it more then I already am.


"Children get smashed for hours on some strictly limited aspect of the Great Big Everything, the Universe, such as water or snow or mud or colors or rocks."~~Kurt Vonnegut

Frick and Frack....

We woke up this morning to a nasty thunderstorm, the first one this spring. It went on for hours. Of course, it couldn't start at 7 am, when we would be getting up, no, it had to start a 5 am. Somehow (cough, snoring, cough) Nana actually managed to sleep through it. Funny that. The kids went off to school, and then I sat back with my coffee and watched the spectacle that is Maureen and John packing. For those who've never had the pleasure (or the misfortune really) to witness this, it really is a sight to see. Last year, as they were packing to leave Ottawa after being away from home for months (we won't discuss the length of their visit), Dan actually thought he might have to go out and remind them we had neighbours. To say it was ugly, would be an understatement. Today, as John, gradually managed to drag all of their bags upstairs, I marvelled at how they were able to fit it all in Maureen's small car. I know it has a fairly spacious trunk, but I think the weight capacity of the vehicle might be exceeded. The best part of the whole event, besides watching John fit it all in like some Chinese puzzle, was listening to them snipe at each other. It starts slowly, with a few disgruntled sighs on John's part, and then Maureen gets her back up, and starts to get defensive. At one point in time, I think I even saw someone stick their tongue out, not saying who, of course. As amusing as this morning was, this was just a mere sample of what will happen next week, when they pack all of their possessions to go home to Nova Scotia. And yes, there is more, much, much more. I might just have to go out for coffee while that's happening. Finally, it was done and they were on their way. They actually weren't as bad this morning as they have been in the past, but I quickly locked the door, just in case. Maybe a week alone won't be so bad after all.

After the in laws left, I went out for coffee with my friend Joanne. Her husband just got home a few weeks ago. He was doing the same job as Dan is now. Hard to believe his 7 months are up, and that we have started week 9. It always makes me feel better to visit with Jo. She knows exactly what I'm going through, and can empathize completely. We are both looking forward to next year, when most of the guys are home, and things are semi-normal at the Regiment. We might even have social lives again, and get to go to events with our husbands, like real couples. Speaking of my husband, I got an e-mail from him, no news on the deodorant, though. It was just a brief one liner in my capacity as his personal assistant, and I'm okay with that. As long as I hear from him, and he's okay, I will gladly run his errands. Just until he gets home, that is. Then your on your own babyo.

"I love being married. It's so great to find that one special person you want to annoy for the rest of your life."~~Rita Rudner

Another Week Over...

We've finished another week. Eight down and thirteen to go until vacation. We had another uneventful, lazy day. The kids were pretty good, except for some minor bickering. It was cold and dreary again today, so they were in most of the day. The highlight of their day was Poppa's return. We've kept him busy since he got back. He's read a few stories, and helped Connor with the rat's, I mean Pine Cone's, nest. He's even danced around the kitchen a bit with Katty. Now him and Connor are ensconced on the couch watching a movie. I'm not sure who is more enthralled, him or Connor. Nana and Poppa had off to the cousins' tomorrow. We've had a great visit, but I must admit, it will be nice to get some work done this week. I have a brand new line of Canadiana signs to paint for my store, and it's much easier to paint when you don't have company. Not to mention I'm sure the disarray when I'm working drives Nana crazy.

I didn't hear from Dan again today. I really wasn't surprised. I'm afraid the times he will be in to e-mail me, will be few and far between. I'm sure he is out and about again, as there is a new operation underway. Of course, my nerves will be on edge again until I hear from him. He hasn't called in over a week, and I know the kids are as anxious as I am to talk to him again. We've been lucky so far, things have been relatively quiet. I'd like to believe it will stay that way, but I'm not that naive. As the temperature in Kandahar soars, so too will the amount of attacks. Every time my door bell rings, I jump. It's my automatic reaction. I don't suppose that will change any time soon.

"When we are afraid we ought not to occupy ourselves with endeavoring to prove that there is no danger, but in strengthening ourselves to go on in spite of the danger. "~~Mark Rutherford

Manic March...

Today was a cold and dreary spring day in Petawawa. It was ugly. Ugly, that is, until we had about 5 cms of big fluffy snow fall late this afternoon. It clung to the pine trees, like a scene straight out of a Hallmark Christmas card. Too bad it didn't look like this at Christmas. I prefer there not to be snow on the ground at Easter. I hate March, it's such a fickle month, one day it's beautiful and sunny, a promise of the warm months to come, the next cold and bleak, and depressing. Manic March. It can make up it's mind. Happy one minute, cranky the next. Oh, it sounds like Katty, who was very cranky again today. She's still tired from her late night, and she's got a loose tooth that is driving her crazy. Her mood did not help my mood at all. Of course, my foul mood may have also been influenced by the "no new messages" I got every time I checked our e-mail account, which means I couldn't buy any deodorant today, darn it. Obviously Dan was very busy today, or he has gone back out already. I hate that. I feel so bad for him. He must be so tired. Much as I complain about being alone for the last 8 weeks, it's far worse for him. He doesn't have any down time at all, and won't even have a day off until his leave in June. I really can't wait until June.

So today, was a very uneventful day in the Bobbitt homestead. The kids had swimming this morning, and then played outside until we finally went into town this afternoon. Nana thought it might be nice to take them into DQ for an ice cream. We were both feeling a little shack wacky., so it was something to do. Who knew we'd be driving home in blizzard like conditions?? The kids are now in bed, though Connor and Libby can't sleep. Connor is being kept awake by Pine Cone, who is chewing on his bars, and Libby is just wound up (might have been the smarties in the ice cream this afternoon). Of course, Nana is also watching Poseidon right now, and every time something happens, she yelps. No wonder the kids can't sleep. Come to mention it, Libby did say she was scared, and Nana does sound like some kind of wounded animal every time she yelps. Oh my, she's like a bad little kid. She'd better not have nightmares, cause she's not coming upstairs with me.


"Spring weather is life a child’s face, changing three times a day. "~~Anonymous

You've Got Mail....

It was painful getting the kids ready for school this morning. The morning after their big stage debut, and they were exhausted. I had to drag them out of bed. It probably would have been safer to leave them there, Katty especially. Holy heck, she was cranky. Scary cranky. So cranky that I almost felt sorry for her teacher, emphasis on the almost. I quite happily sent her off to school to wreak misery and havoc.

So, Dan is back in KAF, for a bit. Your guess is as good as mine as to how long a bit is, a day, or two, maybe more (I hope more). He e-mailed me yesterday, and again today. I realized just how much I miss his e-mails when he is outside the wire. I become an e-mail junky when he is in, I hate leaving the computer, lest I get an e-mail from him while I am gone. Sometimes, he actually e-mails me back rather quickly. That is the sweetest, almost as good as having a real conversation. I miss him so much. We are near the end of week 8, almost at the end of month 2. How I wish it was the end of month 7, but then, I have never been known for my patience. This week went a bit faster. It's been nice to have Nana here for company. I still have another weeks visit to look forward to at the beginning of April, and Gramma is coming in May. All great distractions to help break up the time. But I still really wish my husband were home. There are days when the time seems to drag on forever, and it feels like this deployment will never end. It doesn't help that there loads of guys who just came home still on leave, and they are out and about with their wives and families. I am so jealous. I know our turn will come, but sometimes if feels like forever away. As Libby would say, "No fair. Humph!" The worst days of all, are without a doubt, the days when Arlene and I go to the gym, and there are men there, all soldiers doing PT. Who ever would think you'd miss the smell of sweating men, but it is true. You can tell the minute we walk through the door that there is PT going on, and Arlene knows she's going to have to listen to me whine about it for 60 minutes. They smell like Dan, and is just not fair, damn it! I realized how badly off I was when I was smelling the men's deodorant in the drug store the other day, trying to remember what kind Dan bought the last time. Sad, isn't it? I really need to e-mail him and ask him, so I won't waste so much time the next time. I suppose the staff at Pharma Plus will begin to worry something is wrong with me if they see me in there sniffing it too often (well, duh), so maybe it would be better to buy a tube and bring it home. I'd better go check my mail, and find out what brand to buy.

"What is the opposite of two? A lonely me, a lonely you."~~Richard Wilbur

Life Is Like A Pony Ride...

Tonight was a big day for Elizabeth and Katherine. It was their grand stage debut. Their school choir, as well as one from Pembroke, was invited to perform at Festival Hall in Pembroke with Bobby Evans and the Cobblestones. Like me, you'd probably never heard of them before, but apparently, they are well known in Newfoundland. For years, Bobby Evans has performed on the Marine Atlantic Ferry from Nova Scotia to Newfoundland, and they tour many of the small towns across Canada every year. Festival Hall is not exactly Wembley Stadium. It probably holds 500 people. Tonight, most of them (which was not many) were filled by the parents of the kids in the choir, and the kids themselves. None the less, the kids had a great time. The band played a mixture of old country tunes, Newfoundland music, and bluegrass. The choir got to sing the chorus on 4 songs, The Island, Feet of A Dancer, Pony Ride, and the grand finale, Will the Circle Be Unbroken. The kids were so cute, and Libby and Katty got right into the songs. Of course, they were a bit distracted by the other choir. I wasn't sure what to expect from a choir from a Catholic school, but they have one swinging Nun as a choir director. Their choir was bopping all over the place, while ours just kind of stood their wondering why the hell the others were getting to have all the fun. During their second trip up on stage, Katty got to be in the very front by the drummer. Her eyes were as big as circles. They both did Mrs Mills proud, we could see them enunciating their words from where we were. In the car on the way home, Nana asked them if it was fun being on stage. Libby said it hurt her feet. Nana then asked if it was neat looking at all the people in the audience. Evidently, neither was all that impressed. Libby replied her shoes hurt her feet. And Katty said she'd have to think about it. When I was putting her to bed, I asked her what her favourite part was. There was none. She was much more concerned about her sharing day at school tomorrow. It's all about her family. She gets to talk about the members of her family, and take a favourite toy. She's taking our family picture, and her soldier teddy bear, Teddy Daddy, and she is telling her friends about our upcoming trip to the United Kingdom and Ireland. I suggested she talk about her concert tonight, but she was so not interested in that. "Duh, some of the kids in my class were at the concert, but none of them have ever been to Ireland. Well, one went to Mexico for March break, but Ireland is way cooler, there are leprechauns there, and Shamrocks, and castles, and green beer. And Daddy." She's right, that is much cooler then the concert. Way cooler!

"Take a trip without the plans. Make the best of what you've got at hand. Live for today, and you can't go wrong. Hold on tight, life is like a pony ride. Once around, you can do anything. In this life, a few words of advice; I hope you take the time to enjoy the ride. Remember, a second chance may never come again."~~Bobby Evans

The Tardy Blogger....

Who knew the blog would be so popular, or that a few skipped entries would cause such outrage. As many of you have noted (and yes I have read all of your harassing e-mails), I have been behind on my blog updates. You'll be happy to know I do have drafts of the last two days entries, but they have obviously not been published yet. There are many reasons for my tardiness, but I know these excuses will be viewed by many as unacceptable. I would like to say I have been behind because I have been busy cleaning the house, but alas this is not the case. Though as I look around I realize that should indeed be the case. But don't worry Dan, the garage and laundry room are nice and tidy. Honest. I would not lie about that. Despite Maureen being here (or because of it, I should say), the house is definitely a tip. Not that Maureen makes the house messy, although she does have an inordinate amount of baggage laying around for one person. But really, Maureen being here is the most obvious reason I have been behind on the blog. She does need to be entertained after all, and I can't very well leave her to roam unsupervised around the house whilst I write, Lord knows what mischief she would get in to! And of course, there is also the 20 signs I need to complete for a store order, but actually, I am behind on them as well. They were supposed to be delivered this afternoon, but won't actually be delivered until tomorrow morning. I could also say I was tardy because of single parenthood, but even that is not entirely accurate, especially with Nana here to take over cooking meals and dishes. However, the kids do still have me hopping, especially Mr Happy Pants. There is lunches, homework, and after school activities, bedtime, and laundry, always the laundry, unless Gramma or John are here, that is. It seems obvious really, that my tardiness was not caused by one single factor, but more by a combination of all of the above reasons. Those coupled with the fact that Dan is still not in to read the blog, are a recipe for procrastination my friends. However, now that I have been informed that you, my loyal readers are unhappy with these delays, I shall endeavour to catch up on my unfinished entries, and keep the blog updated more regularly. I'll get started on that tomorrow.

"Procrastination is the art of keeping up with yesterday."~~ Don Marquis

Spring Has Sprung....

Spring started tonight but you wouldn't know it by the temperature in Petawawa today. Holy crow (not what I said when I went outside this morning), it's cold here today. It was -29 Celsius with the wind chill. That is just wrong on so many levels. I really hate March. It and November are my least favourite months. It is colder today then it was in early January. I so don't get this weather. The other day, Katty was outside playing in the driveway with no coat on. And today, she won't play outside at all because it is too cold. It's almost too cold to go to Timmie's. Wait, it's never too cold to go to Timmie's. But that's as far as I went. The heck with that. Groan. Won't you just be glad when it's June? I know I will.

"Indoors or out, no one relaxes in March, that month of wind and taxes, the wind will presently disappear, the taxes last us all the year."~~Ogden Nash

Murphy's Law....

After all my excitement yesterday about the kids going back to school today, wouldn't you know, the bloody bus broke down. I kid you not. I was poisoned. I even had them out the door early, just in case. I happily sent them out the door, and sat down to enjoy my first coffee in peace and quiet in over a week, and then, the kids came in to say they thought they missed the bus. I checked the clock, and sure enough, the bus was over 10 minutes late. I wasn't too long getting dressed and warming up the van, let me tell you. I had them there 5 minutes before the bell rang. And of course, as luck would have it, about 5 minutes after I left, the bus went by. Urgh. The only good thing about the bus not showing up, was Connor's sisters had an opportunity to rat him out. For some crazy reason, he thought it would be a good idea to take his Nintendo DS to school. I quickly set him straight on that one. I then had to return to the school this afternoon for a joint meeting with Connor and his teacher. He of course, was thrilled by this. Not. And wouldn't you know we waited for his teacher for 20 minutes. She had forgotten about our meeting. It is so going to be one of those weeks, I can tell. Any way, we've come up with a new system to try to keep him on track, and to help him complete his work. Fingers crossed it works. I'm not sure my nerves can handle another week like the one we had before March break.

"If something can go wrong, it will."~~Murphy's Law

The Last Day of Vacation...

Today was the last day of March Break (and the end of week 7), and I can barely contain my excitement. I will be very happy to see the bus come in the morning. The kids have been really good for the most part, so I shouldn't complain, but I will anyway. I think the hardest part was being with them 24/7 until Maureen and John got here, and I good actually have a few minutes to myself. Today was spent helping Connor finish his math homework. He of course, was not pleased with this at all, how dare the teachers expect him to work on March break, it's just so wrong. He was even less pleased when I pointed out that if he'd done it when he was supposed too, he wouldn't be doing it now. Once that fun filled activity was completed, Nana and I took the kids out to Kelsey's for supper. After that, it was home for baths and bed. Surprisingly, not one of them complained about going back to school tomorrow. And for the first time in weeks, I am actually happy to get the lunch bags out. I can't wait for tomorrow morning.

"The most effective form of birth control I know is spending the day with my kids."~~Jill Bensley

When Irish Eyes Are Smiling....

It was another exciting day in the Bobbitt household. Saint Patrick's day is a big day around here. Another one of those days the kids believe should be a national holiday. I think Elizabeth was the most excited, no surprise there. Before she went to bed last night, she told me she had been waiting for Saint Patrick's Day ALL year. Such a long wait. Of course, this is the same girl who realized 2 days ago that we had neglected to celebrate Ground Hog Day this year. Whatever were we thinking?? How could we ever forget to observe such an important holiday? They were even more excited when they got to talk to Daddy this morning. Definitely the highlight of their day (mine too!), as they hadn't talked to him for 2 weeks. The first words out of Elizabeth's mouth were, "Happy Saint Patrick's Day Daddy." They are still quite indignant that Daddy doesn't get to have any green beer today (I'm sure he is too.) We all got to have a chat with him, even his mom and dad, who hadn't talked to him since he left. He's doing well, still outside the wire (have I mentioned lately that I really hate that, because I do.) Not sure when he will be back in KAF (I hope soon), but he sounds good, and actually managed to get more then a few hours sleep last night.

After we talked to Daddy, Poppa made the kids green pancakes, and we cut shamrocks out of them, they thought they were pretty cool. I thought they looked disgusting. Poppa headed off to Kingston mid morning, and poor Nana was left to entertain the masses. They wore the poor woman out. We made the mistake of giving them green pop at supper as well as a Saint Paddy's cake with lots of green icing, so they were pretty wild for a while. We managed to get them outside to play, until the girls became convinced there was a wolf (some one's dog was barking) in the woods. I tried to convince Katty the walrus would take care of it, but she was having none of that. So after we calmed them down from that, they decided it was time to break out the Irish music, and do some dancing. They finally wore themselves out, none to soon for me or the china being shaken in the cabinet. They are now watching Scooby Doo, and eating popcorn (not green). And poor Nana, who is worn to a nub, is laying on her bed, trying unsuccessfully to stay awake. I would really like a Bailey's right now, but I'm afraid one might not be enough, so instead I am dreaming longingly of all of the places we are going to visit in Ireland this summer. Only 97 more days until our big vacation with Dan!! Not that I'm counting or anything!


"May your troubles be less And your blessings be more. And nothing but happiness Come through your door."~~Irish Blessing

The Day After....

God help us, John and I went shopping with Nana and the kids today. Needless to say, it was a very painful experience. A quick trip to Walmart (ha, what were we thinking, there is no such thing as a quick trip to the store when Nana is involved) ended up lasting for a few hours. John and I grew weary and went to Home Depot. My dad will be proud. I'd rather go to a hardware store then Walmart. Imagine it. By the time we got back to Walmart, Nana had taken the kids into McDonald's for lunch. Go figure. It was so not my plan, they'd already had lunch out once this week already with the cousins. After we finally managed to drag Nana, the children and all of their various sundry bags out of Walmart, we stopped at Blockbuster to drop off movies. While Connor and I ran in, Nana and Poppa and the girls waited in the van. Imagine my surprise when we came out five minutes later, and Nana was no where to be seen. Apparently, she had gone in to purchase batteries for the toys she had bought the kids. Imagine my surprise again, when 20 minutes later, Nana returned with a cart full of groceries. That woman, she's been here a day, and already I'm exhausted. No wonder John needs a nap every afternoon.

“The quickest way to know a woman is to go shopping with her.”~~Marcelene Cox

The Ides Of March...

I've been going around all day thinking, "Beware the Ides of March." I'm sure there is absolutely no correlation between that and the fact that the in laws arrived today. Absolutely none. From lunchtime on, I was asked repeatedly, "When are Nana and Poppa here? How much longer? Where do you think they are?" Over and over and over again. I'm not sure who was more relieved when they finally pulled in, me or the kids! Of course, they weren't here 15 minutes and John had the car completely unloaded, and Maureen had the candy passed out. And she wondered why Katty didn't eat much supper. Somehow, during all of the madness, I managed to escape by myself for a trip to the grocery store. And I even managed to get Connor to do some math tonight. Of course, he wasn't pleased about this, and even had the nerve to complain about doing homework during March break. This didn't last very long, I think even he knew better then to push that one too much.

The kids are pretty excited Nana and Poppa are here. It will help break up the time for them. Maureen will be staying here for the week while John works in Kingston , and then they will be off to Ottawa for a week, before coming back for Easter. I must admit I'm pretty excited too have some company too. John is a fantastic laundress, after all. And we have a big project planned for when he comes back. Speaking of projects, apparently, Nana and the kids have a trip to the store planned for tomorrow. Each of the kids got to add one thing to their shopping list. Elizabeth's was, "candy, candy, and more candy." Lord help us all.

"When grandparents enter the door, discipline flies out the window. "~~Ogden Nash

Sunshine and Mud Puddles....

It was a beautiful, warm sunny day again today. The promise of spring is in the air. You can feel it in the sun as it kisses your cheek. There is only one problem with spring, its the mess it brings with it. I know I am not alone in my dislike of the mess of the March and April thaw. Mothers everywhere curse it, as they constantly mop up the mud brought in by little feet. Today, I was one of those mothers. Not only did the kids go through several pairs of footwear, they also changed clothes several times. Today, I also discovered, as luck would have it, that the ditch in front of our house turns into one giant pool during spring thaw. It was just like a magnet for the kids, no matter how many times I told them to stay out of it, every time I turned around they were back in it! What is it about mud puddles and kids? Despite the muddy water, it was a beautiful day today, and the kids were off on their bikes again. Katty even drew some pictures on the driveway with the sidewalk chalk.

The kids had another great day, and I am getting nervous. Very nervous! There was only some minor squabbling this evening, but nothing too major. They were even pretty good for Stu, while Arlene and I went for a walk. Poor Stu, I don't pay him enough. Come to think of it, I don't pay him at all, unless you count Pepsi and Easter candy as payment. Man, I hope he doesn't ask for a raise. Its supposed to be nice again tomorrow, so hopefully the kids will play outside again. If only I can get them to stay away from the puddle.

"It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade."~~Charles Dickens

The Morning After...

Surprisingly, the kids went to bed fairly easily last night. I only had to speak to Libby and Sarah once. I think they were all asleep by 11:30, which is pretty early for them on sleepovers. They were all up by 8 (I think) this morning, and were in good spirits. I think Annette and I were both waiting for the other shoe to drop, but it went great. They each took turns telling each other about their "dreams". Dreams that somehow grew from simple dreams to outright stories. It was too funny listening to them discuss these dreams in elaborate detail. After that, they all came down stairs, and played. And despite their late night, there was no fighting or bickering. Annette, bless her, went off to Timmie's for our morning coffees, extra large, by the way. We actually got to laze around and enjoy our coffee. It was quite relaxing. It was also quite nice not to have to talk to myself while I had my coffee.

Annette left with the kids around lunch time, and then we just had a quiet day. The kids were really happy after having the cousins visit. For the rest of the day, they just hung out and played, watched some television. They got along great all day. We went out to mail a sign and get a few groceries. And still there was no complaining. After we got back, they played outside (it was quite warm), and rode their bikes for the first time. Of course, they were completely wet when they came in, but I didn't care. They had a great time, and that was the main thing. After supper, Connor actually voluntarily did some of his homework! I could hardly believe it. I had to check twice, just to make sure I didn't imagine it (I do have an over active imagination after all). The best part was, there was no whining or complaining once today. Not once! It was so refreshing. I'm not sure if the good will was because they were still on a high from the cousins visiting, or because they were exhausted. Either way, I like it! Now, what can I do to wear them out tomorrow??

"Today was good. Today was fun. Tomorrow is another one."~~Dr Seuss

Just Breathe....

Dan called today, and I can breath easily again. For another day, at least. He is doing okay, very busy, and tired. He is still outside the wire. I really hate that. I'm not sure where, but have somewhat of an idea. He did tell me not to worry, he always does. I always tell him I will stop worrying when he gets home in September. Of course, I hadn't talked to him at all since all of the stressful events of last week, so had a thousand things to talk to him about, most of which I forgot all about, I was just so relieved to hear his voice. Until the damn phone cut us off! I was not pleased! But he is alright, and I will sleep a little better tonight having talked to him. I must admit, I had been extremely anxious all weekend. Just knowing he is outside the wire makes me anxious, and I always know when I hear about an "incident" it could involve him. But thinking it might and knowing it did are two separate things. Thankfully, I already knew everyone was okay by the time I found out Dan was involved, otherwise I would have been a basket case. But the what ifs got me, what if the bomb had exploded a few minutes earlier or later. What if, what if, what if. Rationally, I know that what ifs are a waste of time. But sometimes a stressed, emotional, over active imagination takes over. Dan assured me everything was fine, and it happened really fast. Funny thing explosions, good or bad outcome, they tend to be over quickly. Of course, it didn't help that Stuie rang my doorbell at 7:30 in the morning Friday. Nobody ever rings my bell that early. And when I went to the door, I could see him through the glass in uniform, but couldn't tell that it was him. It scared the bejesus out of me. He was just dropping off papers the girls had left at his house the day before. Needless to say, he is going to give me a heads up before he comes over that early again. Or else!

Today has been a good day. Not only did I get to talk to Dan, but Annette is here with the kids for a sleepover. We had a great, if somewhat hectic day with the 6 kids. My kids were thrilled the cousins were coming. They were pretty crazy a few times, but hey, I've seen a lot worse. They all got along great, with the exception of Mr Happy Pants, who had a few meltdowns when things didn't go the way he wanted them too. He spent sometime in his room, before he finally settled down. The rest of the evening was great. It was so nice to have Annette here. She was very patient with us all, and a star to listen to me vent 6 weeks worth of frustrations. I'm sure her poor ears are still ringing!


"Grief has limits, whereas apprehension has none. For we grieve only for what we know has happened, but we fear all that possibly may happen."~~Pliny the Younger

Patience Is A Virtue....

Hard to believe another week is over, and Dan has now been gone for 6 weeks. I think (I know) this is part of the reason the kids have been a bit cranky. Even though Daddy has been gone much of the last year, this is the longest period in a row they have gone without seeing him. The day started off with them asking when Daddy was going to call again. I wish I knew the answer to that one. And then the bickering began. Katty and Libby had a fight about the Guess Who game, and Katty had a massive tantrum. I have resolved not to argue with her, or try to force her to her room, but too ignore her instead. And it actually worked. She screamed and yelled for quite some time, but eventually gave it up. I did the same thing again later when she had a tantrum, and it only took her about 5 minutes to figure out it wasn't going to work. Of course, it didn't stop her from harassing her brother. They were at each other like rabid dogs, and I finally had to put them on separate chairs in the living room, and they had to stay there until they could be quiet for exactly one minute. Connor ended up being there for a good 20 minutes before he could finally do it. Surprisingly, it only took Katty about 15 minutes. The best part was, they didn't fight again for the rest of the day! I'm definitely doing that again. Not only that, but they actually got along well, and played outside for a few hours. Together. Can you believe it?? I hardly can. They were so good, we went to Blockbuster and rented some movies for tonight. The good will lasted the rest of the day, and they actually earned 30 extra minutes at bedtime. When the 30 minutes was up, off they went, put away all of their stuff, brushed their teeth, and gave me kisses and hugs goodnight, and that was that. Not one argument. I sure hope we have more bedtimes like that in the coming weeks.

All in all, today was a much better day then any last week. Arlene came over this afternoon, and started patching the holes in Libby's wall so we can paint this week. She is a woman on a mission. I wouldn't get half as much accomplished without her to keep me motivated. And then we went to see Music and Lyrics at the base theatre. Yes, I'd already seen it, but its got Hugh freaking Grant in it. Enough said. It was definitely a yummy way to start a new week!

"When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on."~~Franklin D. Roosevelt

The Monkey's Are Running The Zoo...

Scratch my prediction yesterday that is was going to be a good week. Day one over, and my hopes are crushed already. I am more convinced then ever that March Break is some nefarious plan perpetuated by teachers as revenge for having to deal with our children for 10 months of the year. Seriously, think about it. When was there ever nice weather at March Break, so you could go out and do stuff? None, that I can remember. I'm sure meteorologists are consulted to find the one week in March guaranteed to have crappy weather, so that we will be stuck indoors with the kids as they slowly go mad of boredom. They were bang on again this year. The first day of March break, and we wake up (at 5:30 am courtesy of Katherine, I might add) to freezing rain. It rained most of the morning, and then was wet and slippery all afternoon. So the kids were trapped in the house all day. The end result, by the time Jen, and Stu and Arlene showed up with their kids for dinner, they were all shack whacky. Madness soon prevailed, and the monkey's were ruling the zoo! Of course, they all fed off of each other, but I'm sure everyone can guess who the ring leader was. King Louie, aka, Mr Happy Pants was up to some of his usual antics, and ended up losing another half hour off of his bedtime. Pavlov's dog got it faster then Connor! Bless Jen, Stu, and Arlene, I'm not quite sure why the put up with us, but I sure am glad! Honestly, I can't believe how any of them would be crazy enough to want to come back to the Bobbitt's for dinner, it was hardly what I would call a relaxing meal. And poor Stu, he's our token husband. I told him it's like being a polygamist, 3 nagging wives with none of the perks. I think he just comes for the gossip, although, I notice he has way more then the rest of us put together. So, while it might not have been a stress free meal, it was yummy, Maple Curry Chicken. Although, the only downside is my house now smells like a Pakistani Brothel, not that I would know first hand how one would smell, mind you.

"Raising kids is part joy and part guerrilla warfare."~~Ed Asner

What A Week...

I am so glad this week is over with. Done. Finished. It was by far, the worst week since Dan has left. I guess it's too be expected, good days, and bad days. I'd rather the bad days don't come all at once. Between Connor's rough week at school, and things heating up in Afghanistan, my already frayed nerves are a little more tattered. And to add insult to injury, I now have a raging head cold, just in time for March break. Lovely. Just what I need.

I haven't heard from Dan since Tuesday, and even that was just a brief line to nag me about my tardiness with the blog (I'm sorry, I won't slack off anymore). I have heard via the wives net where he has been, and what was going on. Sometimes the wives net can be a very annoying thing. Lets put it this way, the information provided, did nothing but increase my stress load. Sometimes there is such a thing as too much information. I will be very glad to get the real story straight from the horses mouth. Enough said.

Connor actually had a much better day at school today. I was shocked to see him come through the door with everything needed to complete all of his late assignments. He even remembered his book for his book report! Will wonders never cease?? Now, to get him to complete it all!

So, the week is over, and the kids are looking forward to March break. I find myself, strangely, looking forward to it as well. It will be a relief not to have to scurry around in the mornings, making lunches, and packing bags. And I am definitely looking forward to a break from all of the extra curricular activities. I'm sure by Monday morning I will have changed my mind, but for now I can pretend it's going to be a nice week. It's got to be a better week then this one. One can hope anyway.

"Hope is medicine for a soul that's sick and tired."~~ Eric Swensson.

Like A Dog With A Bone...

Oh my, today after school, I had the pleasure of meeting with Connor's teacher for over an hour (and poor Arlene had the pleasure of the Bobbitt 3's company whilst I was there, bless her.) Turns out the little bugger has been telling me he's finished his homework at school, and telling her he can't find it. I suppose that is partially true, you can't find it to pass in if you haven't done it. We came up with a whole new system to get him to complete his work, and he has reams of work to do over March Break. That ought to make him really happy. Do you suppose he'll have learned a lesson? Somehow, I doubt it. When I talked to him about it after school, he admitted all of his bad deeds, and agreed to the new way of doing things, and was quite apologetic. Of course, you know that lasted all of 5 seconds, or basically until it was time to do his work. He just doesn't get it sometimes (most of the time). He was up until 8:45 completing homework that was supposed to have been passed in weeks ago. He was not amused. Apparently, other things were going on, mostly television. And yes, he actually was foolish enough to use watching television as an excuse for not completing his homework. But they were new episodes. Oh the humanity, homework interfering with watching a new episode of Ghost Trackers. So, new house rule, television doesn't go on unless homework is completed; homework doesn't come home, no television at all. He doesn't like that rule very much. Oh well, sucks to be him. So maybe the solution would be to do your work. Urgh!! That boy just doesn't know when to give it up. He already stayed up 15 minutes past bedtime doing homework, and then actually had the nerve to ask to stay up until 9:30!! He's got to be as stunned as his arse. Honestly, what part of no does he not get?? I love him too bits, but that boy is making me crazy (alright crazier)!!! At least he gave it up sooner tonight, and after a few more half hearted attempts to gain my sympathy, Mr Happy Pants went off to bed. And I had a drink!

Finally today, the Deployment Support Program started at school. Not a minute too soon, obviously. They each met with 2 counsellors, and spent some time talking about where their Dad is, what he is doing, why he is there, and how they feel about him being away. I think it will be a really great outlet for them to deal with all of the stress this deployment has caused them. They brought home a ton of info for me to read over, and a journal for each of them to keep, as well as some exercises to help them relax. If the week keeps up like this, I just might try Spaghetti Toes out myself!

“Procrastination is the bad habit of putting of until the day after tomorrow what should have been done the day before yesterday.”~~Napoleon Hill

What a Pain...

I have decide single parenthood is a pain in the ass. I know this is a shocking revelation, but there it is. Nobody ever said life would be easy, and I certainly knew this deployment would be very difficult. Factor in one prepubescent 11 year old boy, and you've passed difficult and arrived at level 3 of hell. Connor went off to school with a 3 page note for his teacher. Of course, you know he was thrilled by this. It didn't help that we started off the day with the discovery of 5 missing math pages at the bottom of his back pack. That boy is going to drive me over the edge, I know it. Surprisingly, he had a good day at school, 3 smiley faces from his teacher. You wouldn't know it though, he was cranky the minute he got off the bus. The bad mood might have something to do with the meeting I have tomorrow afternoon with his teacher. I know he is worried he will have a lot of extra work to do. Too quote Libby, "Well, Duh!" I'm not quite sure what he expected to happen after he brought home his report card, but it sure as hell is not going to be a ticker tape parade. The last time I checked, we don't celebrate mediocre results. His fowl mood continued when I told him he had to go to cubs. Of course, that resulted in another, "Cubs is boring" argument. Funny how he had a great time once he got there. The mother of all arguments came at bedtime, though. He didn't get home from cubs until 8:35 pm, so I let him have a snack before bed. The proverbial shit hit the fan at 9 pm when I told him it was bedtime. You would have thought I'd cut off his arm. The screaming and yelling that ensued could be heard down the street, I'm sure. He is one lucky little boy that his daddy was not home. Of course, once he calmed down, he felt terrible and was very apologetic. In the end, he still ended up going to bed, and he still didn't get to watch that ever so important, brand new episode of Mystery Hunters. Oh, and he gets to go to bed an extra 30 minutes early tomorrow night. If he keeps the attitude up, he might end up having his bedtime at 3:30 pm, as soon as he gets off the bus. You know, I can't believe people actually choose to be single parents. Seriously, they must be masochistic, or smoking crack at the very least. There is no way in hell I'd ever volunteer to do this alone. This is so not my idea of a fun way to spend a year, but there it is. Endure it we must. We don't have to like it, we just have to get on with it. Five weeks in and I already need a vacation. On the bright side, I have seriously earned me some honking bling this week.

“Boys are beyond the range of anybody's sure understanding, at least when they are between the ages of 18 months and 90 years.”~~James Thurber

Boys Will Be Boys....

So, today was report card day in the Bobbitt house. As expected, the girls both brought home excellent report cards, especially Libby, who was actually congratulated on her superlative writing by Madame on her report card. She is doing very well, her comprehension is phenomenal, her math skills great, etc etc... Katty's report card was much the same. I was shocked however, that there was no mention of her penchant for talking. And then there was Connor. Connor, Connor, Connor. A very smart young man, but he's got the ambition of a slug. Seriously, the poor boy is so lazy, I'm not sure he'd move out of the way of a truck if it came at him in the road.. I love that boy to bits, but he's driving me crazy. I think perhaps it would be easier to accept poor grades if he were a stupid child, but far from it. He's quite smart, and he has no problem with the language at all. His problem is just school in general. If he's not interested in it, forget, he won't bother. And disorganized and forgetful. There are times he has 4, count them 4, lunch bags in school! He has absolutely no problem doing the work, if he can actually remember to bring it home. He just does not see the point in showing his work, this is especially true in math. Neatness is not one of his stronger suits, either. His work is barely legible. Poor bugger, he was most upset when he saw his report card, and after lots of tears, yelling, and door slamming, finally sat down to do his math homework and to study for his 2 tests tomorrow. Of course, we went through the litany of excuses, and trying to blame the other kids for distracting him, before he finally fessed up and admitted he'd been slacking off. He is not looking forward to his father finding out. Oddly, though, he was much more scared of Gramma's reaction. Seems he heard Grumpy and I talking about the time Gramma chased me around the house with a hardcover book because I only got 99% on a test. As luck would have it, I have 2 bookshelves full of such books, and Gramma is coming to visit in May. I think he might do okay that month. But for now, as a result of his slacking off, his bed time is 30 minutes earlier, he has to practice cursive writing and verb conjugation everyday, he has a series of math work sheets to do, and he will be rewriting every test he goofed off on over his March break. Sounds like fun, don't it?? I can hardly wait!!

And to think, I used to love Tuesday, they were my favourite day of the week. I should have known this one was going to be crappy when I woke up to the news the spring Offensive had begun in Afghanistan. This would be one of those days where I had 2 cups of coffee. I fear there will be many more of those in the next few months.


“Laziness erodes a person of his enthusiasm and energy. As a result, the person loses all opportunities, and finally becomes dejected and frustrated. The worst thing is that he stops believing in himself."~~Sam Veda

Another Week Begins...

Here we are at the start of another week. Five weeks over with already. It seems to have flown by, but then at other times, it feels as if it is still January. This might have something to do with how bitter cold it is outside today. This is the kids last week of school before March break. The count down is on. They are looking forward to having a week off of school. Me, not so much. On the bright side, Nana and Poppa arrive at the end of next week, just in time for
St Patrick's Day. Libby is thrilled, as it just wouldn't be a holiday without family here to celebrate. She is concerned however, that Daddy won't be getting any green beer. Little does she know, Daddy won't be getting any beer, green or otherwise for another 4 months. She felt marginally better when I told her we could celebrate St Patrick's Day in July in Ireland with Daddy. Though the beer won't be green, I'm sure Daddy could probably force himself to gag down a Guinness or too as part of our belated celebrations. For now, she's making do planning our little celebration. She's already planning the wardrobes, decorations (apparently I've got some signs to paint this week), and food. I'm just planning on the Bailey's, lots and lots of Bailey's.

So Katherine was up at 6 am combing her own hair. I am pleased to report there were no tangles or screaming. Hallelujah! Everyone noticed the new hair do at school today. And they were all suitably impressed. Even the teacher noticed, and complimented her on it. She was chuffed as chips when she got home today. She most enjoyed being the star of the show. Don't know where she gets that from.

“Time is too slow for those who wait, too swift for those who fear, too long for those who grieve, too short for those who rejoice, but for those who love, time is eternity.”~~Henry Van Dyke

The Rats Nest.....

Well, Libby survived her sleepover. She had a blast actually, they went tobogganing on the big hill, played outside, had a trip to Timmie's (no sleepover is complete without at least one trip to Timmie's), did some crafts, and got little sleep. Oh, and they had lots of snacks. Sounds like a perfect weekend to me. She was pretty tuckered out the rest of the day.

Katty and Connor had a pretty quiet day too. Of course, Katty woke me up at 6am asking me to comb her hair, just so we could see if it was tangled or not. Ask me how impressed I was by that. Apparently, it was a success as she skipped around the house singing "no more tangles" for the next hour. We had to check her hair in the mirror several times, and admire how short it is. She also spent a lot of timing wandering if the kids at school are going to recognize her tomorrow or not.

I have to say, the highlight of my day (before I spoke to my hubby, who is good, but tired) was cleaning the rat's, I mean Pine Cones, nest. Seriously, not my rat. Why was I in there wrestling its cage back together?? Because I'm a mother, and that's what we do, whether we like it or not. I was so not impressed. Now to give Connor credit, he took it all apart and cleaned it all up, but had difficulty getting the slide on. Never having done it myself, I was unaware just how complex this whole cage is. Dan told me on the phone tonight, its a bugger to get back together. No kidding, thanks for the heads up, you. Of course, it really helped that all three of the kids were quite sure they knew the right way to put it together (each on different of course), and had to tell me all at the same time. By this point I'm losing patience (no kidding), and told Connor he'd better sort it out. He obviously knew I was not amused, and had that thing back together faster then I could say Hamster Haven. Of course the, "This will be the last bloody pet we ever get," might also have something to do with the ease at which the remainder of the cage went together. He even vacuumed up all the pine chips by himself. There was just one fatal flaw in his plan, though. When he was done, he informed me how much he enjoyed vacuuming (he is so his Nana's boy). Three guesses as to what Connor is doing after school tomorrow. And oh yeah, the first two don't count.

“My favorite animal is steak.”~~ Fran Leibowitz

Hair, Hair, Hair....

We had a super busy day today. I love it when the weekends are busy, it's much better then setting home mopping. Libby went off to her sleepover, she was most excited. There were big brownie plans for the day. When we got to the Rec Plex, there were 17 over excited girls swarming around like bees looking for honey. Poor Connor looked rather petrified, there was way too much estrogen in the room for him. We beat a hasty retreat, lest he get stung, and headed for the mall. Thankfully there was power this time, though I was rather disappointed my buddies form last week weren't in their perch in front of Timmie's. No worries though, they had been replaced by two other equally as charming old men. They didn't call me a dynamo though, oh well. We spent some time in the book store, and did my errands from last week, before we had our lunch date at Burger King. For such a skinny little fellow, Connor sure loves to pack away the red meat. He was in hog heaven, or should I say cow heaven, as he had hamburgers again for supper when we went to Stu and Arlene's.

After we left the mall, we headed back to Petawawa to the hair salon. It was a big day. Katherine had finally decided she could not stand her hair any more and wanted it all cut off!! I had to restrain myself from doing a dance of joy. Katherine's hair has been a bone of contention for months. She wanted to have it long, but refused to have it combed. Her hair has been the cause of many morning arguments since school started. And also a lot of tears, and yelling. You'd think the child was being tortured in a Chinese prison. I am not exaggerating. She starts crying before I've even taken the comb out of the drawer. But she refused to allow me to get it cut. We had it trimmed last month, hoping that would help, to no avail. I'm not sure why she had the sudden change of heart, but I wasted no time in getting her in. Of course, I'm sure that's just how Connor wanted to spend his Saturday afternoon, but there was not one word of complaint. I think even he is sick and tired of her yelling about it. So off she marched to the chair. She'd obviously put a lot of thought into what she wanted, because as I told the hairdresser I thought maybe a bob, Katherine piped up and said, "Yes, and I'd like it shorter in the back and longer in the front." Well, alright then. So off came her long (I'd like to say silken, but no, matted and tangled, would be more appropriate), locks. As the bulk if it fell to the floor, she had this stricken, "What have I done?" look on her face, but it quickly went away. And when it was all said and done, she was thrilled. She absolutely loves it. She immediately showed it to her brother, who was, of course,totally not impressed. And then she had to show Stu and Arlene, and their boys, who all were much better at feigning excitement then Connor was. She has already combed it several times, and in typical Katty fashion, is talking about it insistently (not sure where she gets that habit from). We have looked at it in every different mirror in the house, and she has combed it several times. I even found her, on the couch, combing her dress up Dora doll's hair, and telling her how much easier her hair would be to take care of now. As I watched her play, it suddenly occured to me where she got the inspiration for her hair cut. Katherine's haircut looks suPISSciously like Dora's. In fact, I'd say their hair cuts are identical. Whatever the inspiration, I am looking forward to Monday morning, and fingers crossed, there will be no screaming and yelling. And I'm also hoping that, by then, I will no longer be singing, "Hair, hair, hair, hair, hair, hair, hair, flow it, show it, long as God can grow it, My hair!" Freaking hair!

"Life is an endless struggle full of frustrations and challenges, but eventually you find a hair stylist you like."~~Author Unknown

In Like A Lion.....

Well, it finally happened. Despite my misgivings yesterday, the forecast was right for once, and though the snow did not start until around 3am, we got our storm. Joy of joys! And yes, the bloody buses were cancelled. The screams of elation could be heard up and down the Ottawa Valley. They were over the moon ecstatic. Me, not so much! Of course, the day started off exactly as one would expect. Connor was bored by 7:30 am and Katty had been sent to her room by 8 am. I figured we were in for a day from hell, so I casually pointed out the storm hadn't really started in earnest yet, and I could still drive them to school. Funny, they were both good as gold the rest of the day. There were, however, two other major concerns. The first was that Libby would miss her math test. Apparently, this was a big deal, as she felt it was necessary to do the practice test in her book first thing this morning, before she did anything else. So seriously did she take this practice test, that at one point in time, Katty and I were dancing in front of her room, when we were basically told to get lost, "Hello, doing a test here." The second concern was the cancellation of Brownie Camp. Libby had been looking forward to this for weeks, but the camp was about one hour away from here, so they decided to cancel. She was so disappointed. But we made plans for lunch and shopping tomorrow, and that cheered her up (she is such a girl). Then this afternoon her Brownie leader called, and they are going to have a sleep over at the Rec Plex on the base tomorrow. They are also going sledding, so she is pleased as chips.

After the testing was done, they all headed out to play. As they were going out the door, the decision was made to go to the woods. Katty instantly panicked. What about the walrus?" (That darn Walrus!! ) To which Connor and Libby replied in unison, "There is no walrus." So Katty put on her brave face and went off to play. They had a blast and were out for hours. They finally got to make their snow angels. What a relief! A winter without snow angels, what a travesty that would have been. Mommy was really happy, because when they came back, they asked me to take them to Tim Horton's for hot chocolate. It's all about the Roll Up the Rim. So off we went in the snow storm to get our red Timmie's Cups. Luckily it was before the storm got really bad. Of course, none of them won, and they were poisoned when I won a donut, til they figured out one of them would get to eat it. We were just getting set to go back out and shovel, when our wonderful neighbour across the street came over with his snow blower and did our driveway. We have the best neighbours! We gave him a plate of chocolate chip cookies in return. I'm not sure who was happier, him or me.

"The stormy March is come at last, With wind, and cloud, and changing skies; I hear the rushing of the blast, That through the snowy valley flies."~~William Cullen Bryant

A Pinch and A Punch, Round Two....

And this round goes to? You guessed it, moi! Poor John, he doesn't even try any more. He says it's because I'm fragile. I say it's because he's senile. He just can't keep track of the days, even after all those reminders I left him. It's just like taking candy from a kid. I'm sure it's wrong that I enjoy it so much, but in the immortal words of Sponge Bob, "Sweet sweet victory!"

So, the first day of our second month was very exciting. First off all, there is a storm warning for tomorrow. We are supposed to get 25 cms, but we've been down that road before. The kids of course are revved. Tomorrow just might be bus cancellation day, fingers crossed. Theirs, not mine. Unfortunately, it is brownie camp tomorrow, so that might be cancelled as well. Libby will be so disappointed. I have promised her dinner out and a trip to the book store on Saturday to make up for it. It's after 10 pm, and Connor is still awake, he can't stop checking to see if it is snowing yet. It's not. Oh my, they will be so not happy if this storm misses us too.

The main excitement of our day, besides the impending storm, was the visit from our friends Heather and Henry and their four children. They were our back yard neighbours in Ottawa. Heather and I shared many coffee mornings (I know, how shocking is that?) And the kids were great buddies. Hannah was Katherine's best friend in Senior Kindergarten last year, they were inseparable during and after school. The kids were so excited, they couldn't wait to see their buddies. Katherine even cleaned her room for Hannah. Lydia, who is not a baby, thank you very much (she's two), is absolutely smitten with Connor. The kids practically ran off of the bus, they were so excited. Hannah and Katty had the expected love in. And Lydia was all over Connor the minute he walked through the door. The kids haven't seen each other in eight months, but the bond between them all is as strong ever. Henry had to come to Pet to do his deployment administration. Figures both Dan and Henry would deploy at the same time, just not when we were neighbours and able to help each other out. They only recently found out about his deployment so he missed out on most of the work-up training, which was nice for them, as it meant he wasn't away as much. Heather is doing well, taking it all in stride, just like she does everything else. Tomorrow will be her hardest day. Just think, that was us almost five weeks ago now. It's so different for her in Ottawa. Even though they are in PMQ's, there isn't as many people gone from there, so she doesn't get the same level of support. It's the same for the kids in school. I guess the good side of that is, the kids won't hear as much about it from other kids, like my kids do. It was so great to see them. I just wish it wasn't Afghanistan that brought us together again. Always Afghanistan, the elephant in the room.

Tomorrow, another friend will kiss her husband goodbye, and send him off to war. And another friend will kiss her husband as he arrives home safely. And the circle continues. It seems that's the constant theme these days. Hello, goodbye.

"Don't be dismayed by good-byes. A farewell is necessary before you can meet again. And meeting again, after moments or lifetimes, is certain for those who are friends."~~Richard Bach