Brrr....

Autumn is definitely on its way. I actually had to shut the windows in the house today and I am contemplating turning the heater back on. Only 6C overnight tonight - gettin' pretty chilly.

On the other hand, autumn is my favorite season. So, a list of my 10 fave things about autumn to help me forget how cold I am:

1. Canning and Baking. Canned peaches, pumpkin pie, mmm....
2. Leaves turning colour. So pretty.
3. Back to school. Pirateboy can stop whining about how bored he is.
4. Quilts.
5. Dressing warmer: jackets, scarves, and cozy sweaters.
6. Soups, stews, roasts of beef.
7. Flannel jammies...and the window open just a little bit.
8. Pumpkins!!!!! I am obsessed.
9. Apples. Almost as good as pumpkins. Especially crab apples.
10. Curling up with a blanket, a book, and hot chocolate.

Theres probably a million more things, but those are uppermost in my mind right now. Anything you'd like to add?

Why is this?

Management often feels like an invitation to have people throw up their lives all over you. Sometimes I wonder how I got into this.

Cake

Me: Ninjababy, what do you want for your birthday?

Ninjababy: Cake!!

Me: Cake?

Ninjababy: Yes! A verrrryyyy special cake.

Me: I see.

Ninjababy: Cake, cake, cake.

Me: Okay.

Ninjababy (with sudden panic-stricken look on face): And [Ninjababy] needs presents!

Apparently, there was a worry that there would only be cake. LOL

Chicken Soup with Rice

And now I've gotten sick! Boo!

On the plus side, when I asked Ninjababy whether she wanted juice or water today, she said: Large coffee! Two cream!!

I laughed for a good two minutes.

I'm off for some Chicken Soup with Rice. Both the Lipton and Sendak varieties.

I Need New Sneakers

...or skids as Ninjababy calls them.

It's been a productive weekend. Saturday was Thammuz's family reunion, so we went and schmoozed with the relatives. It was pretty cool actually. They rented a bouncy castle and playset for all the kids AND they had treat bags for them. Ninjababy and Pirateboy were suitably impressed. You couldn't pry them away from the bouncy castle with a big stick. Luckily, you could pry them away with brownies or they might still be there. Thammuz's wonderful sister FrozenEyes was working her henna magic as a form of entertainment, so I also walked away with a very cool henna tattoo on my hand. People keep telling me that it looks awesome, so here's hoping I drum up some business for her.

Saturday night we drove into Calgary and FINALLY saw The Dark Knight. I have an obsession with comic book movies, so it was driving me nuts that I hadn't managed to watch it yet. I was impressed that even after the long wait, it was every bit as good as I was expecting. Excellent movie. I really don't know why Gary Oldman has yet to win an Oscar. The man is a chameleon. Seriously. Compare Commissioner Gordon to Sirus Black to his role on Friends. He's not even recognizable as the same person. Kudos.

Stayed overnight in Calgary with our good friends Mr. SuperHappyAura (Orange) and Darth Vader. Then got up obscenely early (at least, it was obscene after being up til 2am to watch Dark Knight) for the Ronald McDonald House Rock the House run. Darth Vader and Thammuz were running the thing and Mr. SuperHappyAura (Orange) and I were scheduled to walk it. Mr. SuperHappyAura (Orange) and I have no delusions about our fitness level and walking 5k seemed smarter for us. I have high hopes of being able to run it one day, but I can't do it right now. It was our second year participating though, and we all had a blast. However, if we run next year, I am defs going to need some new shoes. I have a blister on each foot the size of a dime. Apparently, my sneakers are shot and cannot protect my feet on a 5k walk in plus 30 weather. Bleah. I tried to assuage the situation with blister pads after the run, but this was the worst idea in the history of ideas as somehow the pad managed to graft itself to the blister and it was NO FUN AT ALL getting it off later.

Took today, Monday, off work and spend most of it either housecleaning or nursing my sore feet. Eventually gave it up to hide at my Mom's house where there is glorious air conditioning. That is definitely the next reno project - cold would be lovely right now.

I am actually looking forward to sitting in my air conditioned office tomorrow. Possibly with epsom salts hidden under my desk if these blisters don't start to heal!

Man, I hope it rains.

The humidity combined with the plus 30 degree weather is slowly killing me.

All Ninjababy wants to eat are freezies.

Ninjababy is brilliant.

I am not working today!

Instead, I watched my little girl at swimming lessons and am now watching her scarf down an entire can of ravioli followed by sliced pineapple. Ninjababy will eat nearly anything. Example: most kids will have a hissy fit at the grocery store about not buying cookies, chips, or candy. What will Ninjababy have a fit about if you don't buy it? Ninjababy screams at the top of her lungs if she doesn't get...

wait for it...

Broccoli. Yep. This is my daughter's essential food. My baby is gloriously odd. I can't believe she'll be three in a few weeks. She is currently considering changing her pseudonym to Samuraigirl (she is a huge fan of both Samurai Jack and the Backyardigans Samurai Pie episode). Three year olds are apparently too old to be ninjababies.

Pirateboy has ditched me this afternoon to go play at a friend's house. Then, he's off to his Mommy's house for the weekend.

I am contemplating doing some light housework or, since I am ver ver lazy, lying on the couch for the whole afternoon reading the new issue of In Style.

Also, should I buy a lottery ticket today? It is 08/08/08 - the luckiest day in the Chinese calendar. But, ostensibly, not everyone can win even if it is 08/08/08. Only those who are true believers. I believe! Plus, 10 million would really come in handy. Meh. For $3.00, I'll probably go for it.

And speaking of luck, my lucky new doorknocker:



I love etsy.

When life gives you lemons...

you take three day weekends.

I have not had a full staff since, oh I dunno, February? Maybe March. There is always something. Scheduling shifts is a nightmare. Based on the scheduling nightmare, I haven't really been able to take a vacation. Which sucks because I am stressed. You know you are stressed when you kind of sort of hope you get a critical illness because then you could take time off and not feel guilty about it. Yeah, sorry, I'd like to work, but it's that brain hemmorhage...the doctor says I have to stay home. And play nintendo. And read a little. And never do schedules again.

So, I am ignoring the fatalistic idea of poisoning myself with arsenic (damn you Agatha Christie) and taking some mini-breaks. So, for August, every weekend is a three day weekend.

Plus, the reno is mostly done except for organizing crap, so staying home won't be that stressful either. Hurrah!

I am spending most of tomorrow finding the exact perfect shade of nail polish for my toes. And probably doing a tiny bit of laundry since it is once again reaching critical mass. Potty training your two year old = lots of sketchy laundry.