Cute Kids

There are a number of people I know with young children and I am thrilled to hear/read their cute kid stories.

I have one of my own, except my cute kid is 21 and shaves on occasion.

"I know Gavin is family and all but that guy really is the cutest kid around. Like even if he wasn't part of our family, I'd still think he was that cute."

Because Alisha asked me...

Two names you go by:
1. Linda
2. Mom

Two things you are wearing now:
1. Canker worms (yuk)
2. Feminine earrings because I think my new haircut makes me look like a man

Two of your favorite things to do:
1. Go out for dinner
2. Read

Two things you want very badly at the moment:
1. For my house to sell
2. For Dixie to learn a new trick

Two favorite pets you have had/have:
1. Dixie
2. A canary

Two things you did last night:
1. Went to the Bomber game. Go Blue!
2. Slept all night.

.Two things you ate/drank today:
1. Pizza
2. Wine

Two people you've talked to today:
1. Alisha
2. Tim,

Two things you're doing tomorrow:
1. Playing the piano
2. Going to the grand opening of Pollack's Hardware

Longest Car Rides you've been on:
1. Ontario to Winnipeg
2. Ontario to Florida

Two favorite holidays:
1. Thanksgiving
2. Victoria Day

Two favorite Beverages:
1. Coffee
2. Wine

Two people who will fill this out:
1. Tim
2. Joey

This Old House

It's been on the market now for about 6 weeks. We've had 7 or 8 showings but none of them have resulted in an offer.

I'm usually okay with that. I've always known that this is a unique house and that it will not sell as quickly as other smaller homes. And yet, all too often I find myself worrying and wondering.

A few weeks ago, Michele and I were talking with some friends and Michele said that she had a thought that popped into her head that was something like, "The timing will be just right." What was really neat is that I had almost the same thought the day before. The fact that we both had the same thought, almost word for word has been a real encouragement to me

So now, everytime I begin to worry and obsess, I remind myself that the timing will be right. I just hope that the right time will be sooner, rather than later.

I can always hope, can't I?

Well, it's dead. Totalled. Irreparable .

It's strange though. All I remember is being hit on the passenger side, which is where Michele was seated. But the worst damage is on the driver's side of the car.
I know it's only a car. I had no emotional attachment to it.

So why do I feel like crying?

Newest Member of our Expanding Family

Jaela Jacqueline Tena Smith.

You can read more about her on my niece's blog here.

And one photo of her adorable cousin Gavin. It's hard to choose which one to post but the cool dude one is one of my favourites. Gavin is about 5 months old now.

My Current Favourite Flower

Anemones. The white flowers look so cheerful, bouncing in the breeze.

And another thing...

When the police visited Michele in the hospital, they gave her information on Victim Services.

I guess because I was one of the drivers, I don't get the same treatment.

Right now, I'm feeling like a victim.

I Can't Believe It

I just spoke with my insurance adjuster and she told me that the guy who hit me is not claiming responsibility. What a jerk!

There were lots of witnesses but none of them gave me a name or phone number. I wanted to run across the intersection after it happened to get names and numbers of the people in the cars who were stopped at the red light but nobody would let me. I was in shock so I could not think clearly enough to ask someone else to do it.

So, now, it's my word against his.

I know how this will end. At the very best, I will be found 50% responsible, which is a likely scenario. At worst, I will be fully responsible. Most often the person turning left is the one charged because he/she has to make sure the intersection is clear. Well, I had the green left turn arrow and the intersection was clear until he blew through the red light.

And he seemed like such a nice young man.

A Much Too Eventful Day

On Wednesday, Michele and I were involved in a car accident. I think my car is totalled. We are mostly okay, except for Michele's broken ankle, my whiplash and a few assorted bruises.

We were on our way to drop off groceries for a rather large catering job on Thursday. Most of the groceries survived except for one litre of cream that exploded and the watermelon that was cracked and bruised. I was shocked when I saw the coffee tin with the huge dent in it too and realized that we were very fortunate to get away from there with only minor injuries.

The catering went very well as we had some excellent help-Joey and Chelsea who stayed home from school and Kim, who had a day with nothing planned. We couldn't have done it without them.

Michele is at home, resting with her foot up and learning how to use crutches. I am icing my shoulder and neck and today, I'll take it easy too.

And in case you're wondering, it wasn't my fault. I had the green left turn arrow and was proceeding into the intersection when someone in a small car (thankfully it was small) blew through a red light and hit my car.

Ouch.

And just a few more...

Taken from the 2nd floor.

Updates

Well, they decided they didn't want to buy the house.

Sigh.

There are 2 more showings on Monday and then Tuesday. All of us living here are finding this whole process a little unsettling and tiring. It is always on my mind. I do like the back to back showings though. Less work for me.

My computer has been unbearable slow so I finally deleted a HUGE virus protection program and installed one that doesn't require almost all of my RAM. It's going faster and today, I will be getting some more RAM installed. I won't know what to do with all that memory!

Took a few pictures of my gorgeous spring garden.

I think it's the garden that I will miss the most.

Had a showing last night and the same people want to come to see the house tomorrow morning. That's promising, isn't it?

Now I'm just not sure if I should go ahead and plant my vegetable garden.

New Blogger

Check out Eric's new blog:
http://theciviltwilight.blogspot.com/

Thursday Thirteen

Thirteen things to think about before you decide to make cherry jam with those sweetened Bing cherries that have been in the freezer for a couple of years...

1. They're sweetened. You need to change the amount of sugar even though, on the package, they always tell you NOT to mess with the amounts of sugar.


2. Wear red.


3. It's not a good idea to try to make jam when your house is on the market and you want everything to look model home clean.


4. Keep the dog away from you when you're cleaning up the 5 pounds of sugar you dropped on the floor.


5. Don't tell the rest of the family that you managed to put 4 of the 5 pounds of sugar back into the sugar bin. They'll never notice the little bits in there anyway.


6. Cherry jam tastes delicious on a piece of toast.


7. When you decide that the pectin is not helping anyway, be sure you have 20-30 minutes to stand at the stove stirring the jam, for every batch.


8. Check your chin before you answer the door.


9. Make sure you have some Kirsch* to add.


10. Remember to put the little plates into the freezer so that you can check the consistency.


11. Be sure that you have at least 20 little plates available because you have to test often.


12. Check the glass jars and make sure that you haven't packed them all away.


13. Remember that you have a candy thermometer and use it for all 3 batches, not just the last one.

*I didn't have any but I will the next time, that's for sure.

The Way to a Man's Heart

For Mother's Day, Medardo and Gabriel, our 2 international students gave me some lovely scented lotions and creams from Vic*toria's Se*cret. It was a lovely gift and I must say, it all smells very expensive and lovely.

I had just put a little on before bed the other night when Wes came into the bedroom. I thought he'd find me irresistible, smelling so good. What man could refuse something as titillating as "Love Spell?"

He did notice something.
"Sniff, sniff. Hmmmm. "
"Sniff, sniff, sniff. Hmmmmmm."

"It smells like......

Froot loops in here.

Sus en So

Haven't posted in a while. My sisters and I just finished 4 days of catering this week and 2 days last week so we've been a little tied up. It was a great job. We'd start the day around 9:00 AM and be finished by 3:00, with enough leftovers to feed our families. Pretty sweet, I'd say. And it's always fun to hang out with my sisters.

Our lunches are usually buffet style and we serve. I just love doing that. And people are almost always appreciative-even the woman who didn't want to eat the Chickpea Curry because she didn't like curry. She happily ate more salad and took an extra roll. If she were my child, I'd tell her to try just a little bit because this chickpea curry is really good.

Had 3 showings for the house in the last couple of weeks. This house is clean! Before a showing, I get pretty anal about the house which is very much out of character for me. I like the clean and clutterfree look but we'll relax a bit once the house is sold. That will make everyone happy, I'm sure.

Tim moved out and has set his apartment up quite nicely. He has the important things a young adult needs, like a TV (no cable), computer, toaster and microwave. He also has a Playstation (and game chair) as well as a red and white Canadian lawn chair. I visited him today and was pleased to see him cooking Chicken Curry with Vegetables, one of his favourite dishes. He still could use a couch, kitchen table and some chairs but he seems very happy with what he has. I noiced that his bed was made too. That sure makes a mother proud.

Eric moved too. To Southern Ontario. There will be some adjusting to this by both Eric and me, that's for sure. I think he'll start a blog, just to let us all know how he's doing.

A week or so ago, Kristen found this note on the windshield of her car:

It says: I'm sorry, I did not mean to but your car. You did not leave me your phone number. How ever, my question is, are you perfect?

Do unto others as you want others to do unto you. I take that you are a Christian. I'll be praying 4 U

To say that this note is puzzling is an understatement. Kristen was afraid that she may have hit another car but did not notice it. She assured me that there was nothing on or in her car to show that she is a Christian. She was also worried that this person would take down her licence plate number and report this non incident to the police. I told her not to worry. All we noticed on her car is that there is a scratch on her brand new bumper, the one that was recently replaced.

What she should worry about is that someone as confused as this man or woman is, is out there, still driving.

A Few Pictures

These are a few pictures of our "model" home. They look so lovely!

One Lazy Dog

I thought dogs always stood while they ate their kibbles.

Perfection

By this time tomorrow, my house will be perfect. Every surface dusted, all light fixtures shining, every hole and chip filled and painted, no clutter, stove clean, fridge clean, laundry caught up...

This place has never looked this good, ever before.

I want to buy it all over again.

Changes Again

We spent a great weekend in Ontario at Easter. My parents in law were celebrating a 50th wedding anniversary and we all (that is, Wes, all our children and me) flew down for the festivities. There are things that need to be celebrated and this was one of them.

One of the things I loved best was seeing my children connect with their cousins, who they do not see much. Eric especially seemed to really enjoy the aunts, uncles and cousins. When he asked me, "Mom, why did you move away?" I think he was trying to understand what would possess us to move away from such great people and such a beautiful area.

Why did we move? We had pretty good relationships with our families and the Niagara area certainly is beautiful. I am reminded of that every time we go back. And now, our family bonds seem to be growing stronger. I think we moved because we, like so many young adults wanted to try it on our own. Start our own lives, away from what was familiar; have an adventure that included some risk but not too much. Besides, Wes was offered a great job here and we felt we could not turn it down. And, we were pretty sure that within a few years, we'd be back.

It's been 29 years since we first moved away from there, to here. With telephone, email and inexpensive air travel, it has been easy to stay connected.

But now, the tide has turned. Eric has been offered a position with Sun Media in St. Catharines and will be moving out there around the middle of May. I'm happy for him. The job sounds like it suits his talents and abilities well. The family will love to see him and I'm pretty sure they'll make sure to keep him connected.

People have been asking me how I feel about this. Sure, I'll miss him but I also know that this is a great opportunity for him, both professionally and personally.

And it's good for Westjet too. I just might have to take an extra trip or two now and then.