waiting

My thanks to everyone for their wishes of "hope they figure it out soon so you can get better". I really do appreciate it and normally I would respond to everyone individually but I'm not in that frame of thought at the moment. Some of you sent hugs, some made me laugh, some gave advice and I really am grateful for the support. The blogosphere rocks.

I'm waiting for the results from my labs. Doc said he would call today if something obvious and out of range came through. At some point today. So... I'm going to wait. Like waiting for the cable guy who'll be there between 7AM and 7PM but they don't tell you in what timezone.

Today's the last day of school for Chicklet before Christmas break - yup, it's not holiday break... It's Christmas break (just like when I was a kid). With a Christmas diner at lunch time (that I shall attend to get my mind off my worries and enjoy the kids), and presents, and kids receiving candy canes, and wearing Santa hats, and yummy smells of turkey and smashed potatoes mingled in that lovely wet snowsuit and wet snowboot smell... and chalk.

Oh... and we received three Christmas cards this week!

The ever luscious and sweet Lu sent a bunny themed card and it was first!

Then came Jay - cool dude extraordinaire with lovely wishes and snow in Arkansas?

And Bondbaby, who sent a picture of cutie-patootie Matt (humina humina!) *giggle*. Chicklet opened that one and said "that's my SP cousin".



I shared a video of these guys a few posts back and, well... there's nothing like a few of my favourite things (hi Jeff!) - Marines, Christmas songs, and a horn section to help me forget my worries...

maybe I should explain...

I've been feeling "meh" lately. I went for blood tests this morning. I've been dragging my cute tushie everywhere over the past month or so. I'm starting to think the diagnosis of influenza may have been wrong.

I'm generally a "hyper" kind of person... mind always racing, but not so much lately.

I'm still off work and I frankly don't expect I'll see my office until next year unless the blood tests identify something that a quick course of meds can fix.



I should be worried about the year-end stuff that has to be finalized, but I'm not and that's not like me. I answer emergency calls from work when I'm in cell phone range while I'm on vacation... my work cell has been turned off.

I can't concentrate as my thoughts are strewn every which way, like the wrapping paper on Christmas morn.

I'm tired.

I love my daughter, I have the most wonderful man in my life, but I'm tired.

I enjoy reading (although sometimes I end up reading the same page over again...) - plus I can do this lying down...

I enjoy cooking the foods my mother cooked when I was a child before the holidays (which included a really good "tourtière" or meat pie this weekend)- it's the cleaning up that wipes me out and then I need to lie down.

I enjoy snuggling with Sharkdog (except when she farts - ugh) - also done lying down!

I enjoy watching old movies I haven't seen in ages... like "Anastasia" with Yul Brynner and Ingrid Bergman - the chesterfield is dang comfy to lie down on...

I keep starting my sentences with "I"...

But I'm tired.

I have headaches, body pains... did I mention I'm tired?


I'm looking forward to the time I will get to spend with my daughter in the days leading up to Christmas and the precious few days I will have with the man that holds my heart over New Years. Their hugs make everything better.

So, Dianne, Slyde, Irish Gumbo, Lisa... no need to kick anyone's butt.

Except maybe the asshats that named their kids Adolf Hitler and Aryan Nation... cause they? Are asking for it.

Or maybe the nurse that took my blood and used a surgical tape that seems to go from my armpit to my wrist... man, that's going to sting when I rip it off.

Little moments...

Go on, shake me

Still feeling a bit yucky but I have hope...



unlike poor Chuck. *giggle* (You can click it to big it)

I'm a firm believer that for every one of life's dilemmas, there is a cartoon quote that can provide guidance.

I'm serious.

So, just ask away and I'll try my bestest to find the answer you are looking for... I'll be your own personal Magic 8 Ball.

Go ahead... ask. I'll be nicer than Lucy, I promise.

"It's too late to crawl back into the egg."
- Woodstock

ah yes, I remember it well

Remember that feeling you'd get as a kid when you would bust out running full speed and you were convinced that if you could ramp it up just a little more you would totally be able to fly?

Me either. I've been a slug for over a week now and the doc confirmed I have influenza DESPITE my getting the vaccine for it earlier this month.



So be warned, I expect you all on the interwebz to keep me entertained as I'm bored out of my skull.

One good thing about being awake in the middle of the night is watching movies completely uninterrupted by A) a child, or B) snoring dogs (but just wait til you've been sleeping for 30 minutes and they'll be all up in your face licking it and wanting out to pee).

So... I watched (again) one of the most brilliant comedy teams around these days...

I didn't think cops could be as funny as zombies but damn it all if they are!

Hump days...

Should I do a Wordless Wednesday? It's not like I have much to say.

Thanks for the wishes for health... at least I don't have pneumonia. Phew!

I can report that inhalers suck... yuck. And that I have renewed appreciation for healthy lungs. If you've been blessed with them also, please take a moment and visit my friend Desert Songbird. She lives with Pulmonary Hypertension and does so gracefully.

I got a CD in the mail! Yay! Thanks Vince... Chicklet was doing some car dancing (well bopping and swaying really) to WOODFISH on our way home from school yesterday. I tried... but it made me feel woosy, so I stopped.

Sometimes it's good to just wander the interwebs. Lookie what I found:

I'd never heard this guy before today and I was missing out. His name is Sean Hayes (no, not the actor), please give him a listen. I really enjoy his voice and the bare simplicity of the music. I've included more than one song on the mixtape (I am seriously digging this new toy). The sun was shining in through the patio door, I had a nice cup of Chai and this music on... almost forgot I was feeling puny.

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to make myself some French Onion soup from scratch... maybe it'll scare the germies away!

Edited 1:50 PM: This? Is why God invented onions. YUM!

I'm off!

No, not off my rocker...

or off to the races...

I'm off to the clinic because this bug that got me keeps me from being able to function in the manner I should be able to. I can't walk up or down the stairs without needing a nap. Don't get me wrong, naps are good, but geez!

So... I'm bringing:

• a book -"Never Suck a Dead Man's Hand" - cause you never know who you might come across in a urgent care waiting room and it's excellent advice but really? Someone needs to be told this?;
  
• my iPod - which does NOT contain songs by The Carpenters;
  
• my work cell - in case something explodes or someone needs to reach me pronto;
  
• hand sanitizer - because really... there will be sick people there and all manner of germies! and maybe a dead man and I might need to sanitize his hand as I might feel compelled to suck... nah!;
  
• a bunch of tissues - so I may continue depleating the small bit of rainforest that's left;
• a banana - I hear potassium is good for you;
  
• and gum - I like gum plus if I chew open-mouthed and crack my gum I may get rid of some people ahead of me.

Ugh! This is going to take hours... Think people will leave if I sing a medley of my favourite things? If I thought it would work I would totally do it.

life at home... with the nutjobs

I have some miscellany to post, bear with me people. Oh... and yeah, I'm still home but the Chicklet has returned to school. Yay!

I know barfing sucks donkey arse... but seriously? Why my monster beagle Sharkdog felt the need to keep on walking as she barfed, leaving a slimy yellow trail as she went (like snail cooties), is beyond me. It was as if she trying to get away from the unpleasantness as it occurred. I ? Was not amused.

She's okay BTW, see?



Yeah and um, that snort you heard? Totally not me.

Oh, I have a question. Is there any one else out there like me? You see, I can't have fruit in the fruit bowl that still has a sticker on it. It bothers me and I don't know why. Apart from the apples, I take the skin of everything so really it shouldn't matter... but it does. Compulsive much?

Also, does anyone else dread the day when it's time to change the oil in the deep fryer? Do you have a coping mechanism? Or do you just move?



And why is it that even though I leave to go grocery shopping with a list and remember to bring our enviro-friendly bags I always end up buying exactly enough stuff to fill all the bags. Always. I bring 3 bags, that's all I fill. If I happen to bring in the 7 bags that are in the trunk of the car (like on Sunday) I manage to fill them all. I could have sworn that list I had needed 5 bags, MAX! We have 8 bags in total... why? Because I buy more when I forget them (yes, Brian... I too forget them), it's guilt. I should just leave them in the trunk all the time so I won't have to buy more. Unless they come up with winter ones, what?! On the plus side, I may not have to leave the house for a month. (7 bags of groceries... oy!)

Speaking of enviro-friendly... I'm afraid my Chicklet and I may be responsible for wiping out a small portion of the rain forest. For those of you that own stock in the tissue manufacturing companies... you're welcome. Now how about sending some of your windfall earnings our way. Chicklet wants a Wii. And no, the tissues didn't fill any of the enviro-friendly bags. Also, do NOT sick Al Gore on us. I don't have room in the freezer (I repeat, 7 bags full people!!!).



I have to send Captain Dumbass (go ahead, click on his name... only when you're done here though) a toque (pronounced took-eh!) or he'll freeze his brains.

I'm going to riffle through a box here, and even shop for it because if I have to knit it, he'll never get one.





I've also been wondering, why do birds suddenly appear... wait, why are the Carpenters on my iPod?

So Captain Dumbass, if you're game I'll totally send you a toque, just send me your snail mail.

I'm sorry, Raven. Truly I am.

After a long hiatus (it probably should have continued, but what else am I going to do while I'm sick), I return to Wordzzle. Life has been running me ragged but when the germies slow me down I have to keep my brain busy (or I'll turn into a zombie and that ain't pretty). Now, don't sound the trumpets yet. When it's all over you may want to grab that Gong Show hook and drag me away.

If you click on the graphic up there (that square thingy that says Raven's Saturday Wordzzle Challenge), you'll find the Wordzzle headquarters. From there, you're just a clickity click away from leaving a comment and being able to visit other Wordzzlers (I think that's a word...).

So...

The words for this week's ten word challenge were: palace, hypocrite, canned air, telephone, biscuit, pinball, acorn, customary, fruit juice, waterfall

Valiant Knight Toby sat on the small chair, afraid to breathe. It creaked every time he shifted and it was as comfortable as sitting on a bowl of acorns. He was in Princess Ruby’s elfin palace for a very special celebration in his honour.
A plate of fresh biscuits was placed on a lovely doily in the center of the round table. As Princess Ruby started to pour the fruit juice into delicate flowery china cups, his mobile telephone rang. Her shoulders slumped a bit, but she didn’t look up and kept pouring the amber liquid. He rose gingerly and walked to the corner of the room, bent at the waist.

“My fair princess, I’m afraid I have to leave. The wizard summoned me, there’s a situation I have to attend to.”
“That’s all right.” she sighed. “I understand, you have some very important work to do.”
“I shall return as soon as I’ve dealt with the problem, I promise.”, he bowed as is customary when leaving a princess’s company.

He felt like a hypocrite and a cad, but the pinball factory paid him a great deal of money to keep things running smoothly.
He turned and noticed the banner that wished him a Happy Father’s Day and the waterfall of tears coming down his little princess’s cheeks. At that moment, you could have knocked him down with one small burst of canned air.

They got me...

Disclaimer: if this post makes no sense I blame the confused red germ.

Ugh! I hope the purple one got me because that blue one looks just plain mean and prickly. The red one looks so confused it might get lost and end up somewhere germs aren't supposed to go and stick around, like my big toe. And the green one.... well, it's green and that's cruel. Nuff said.

On the positive side, Sharkdog does not have tuna butt and Chicklet is well on her way to being healthy.
Oh.. and there's jello in the fridge... except that the fridge is downstairs and I'M not.

Right, so Dumdum seems to be getting his own health issue as well. He's been shaking that big empty head of his a lot and I suspect something's amiss with his ear. So last night, I decided to put a little doggie ear cleaner in there. He comes easily enough until he notices the bottle in my hand, doggie instinct kicks in and he runs off in the other direction (he can't get far, the house isn't that big). Well... all my years of schooling in psychology are put to the test. How easy is it to fool this dog? I just squeal and run in the opposite direction. It was a lot like grammar school when you'd either run away and play coy or smack the boy you liked on the head. Mission accomplished. He was as confused as the red germ.

It's the little victories that make life meaningful, you know? HOOOOOOOORAH!



Last night we watched the elimination show for SYTYCD Canada and I think Canada got this one wrong. We had to say goodbye to Kaitlin and Danny. Although I haven't been a fan of Kaitlin's throughout the season so far, I've never had a bad thing to say about her dancing (she did fall a bit flat this week mind you). I just think she was a victim of youth and inexperience. What really has my underwear in a twist (I, unlike Jeremy - Jen's hubby from Steenky Bee- who likes to go commando and came out of the closet, was wearing underwear yesterday) is that Danny was "voted off" in favour of lesser dancers (IMHO).
This guy has some of the best partnering abilities I've seen on a dance show and I just hope Chicklet and I will be able to get tickets to see him during the SYTYCD Canada tour.

Ah crap! It just dawned on me... Kaitlin was WEARING THE RED GERM! Yup... confused. My point exactly.

I feel lightheaded now... back to bed.

Need I say more?

what's a zombie to do?

*sigh*

I'm still home from work.

This morning, after I stumbled into Chicklet's bedroom to wake her for school (still delusional about the magical powers of a shower) she sat up, looked at me and said: "Mom, you're not going to work are you? Cause you look like a zombie."

Nice. I got dressed and drove her to school. I had to sit on my way back from her locker before heading out the door. Man, I'm tired.

I drove home and resisted the urge to run over a jaywalker who was walking in the middle of the street, no where near an intersection and had the nerve to look at me like she was Queen of the World and I was one of the subjects that had escaped National Beheading Day. Maybe she's never seen a zombie before.

I got home and went inside. The dogs whimpered. "What?! Haven't you ever seen a zombie before?"
I called into work and spoke to my nurse and she gave me a few tips on how to rebuild the levee in my colon. She then gave me the "don't you dare come to the office and start contaminating everyone" speech.

"Not even if I bring my antibacterial wipes?"

"No."

"But..."

"NO!"

*sigh*

Although I rather enjoy a good argument, the nurse wins this one because she's the one who'll be conducting my yearly respirator fit-test and if she's anything like me, she'll remember the argument and get revenge when I am most vulnerable.... cause that's how we roll.

So... what do zombies do all day? Research the internets for propaganda against zombies... such as:

All I have to say about that is... "That's pwepostewous!"

more holidays - or starvation leads to odd posts

Still home, solids are seemingly not my friend at the moment.

Since yesterday, I've been curious about alternative holidays so I've decided to do some research on the subject.

Today's holiday is "Skyscraper Day". I wonder what people in Nebraska do to celebrate this holiday.


I was struck by the irony that we have "Be Late For Something Day" on Friday and Saturday is "Fight Procrastination Day". You have one guess as to what I'll be late for *evil grin*.

The next holiday I wish to highlight is an important one:

On September 8th, we celebrate "International Literacy Day". That awareness day should be a day where we all go about visiting other bloggers, reading their contributions and learning a thing or two (or you could just be thoroughly entertained and get a good chuckle). In that spirit, I strongly encourage you to visit Chris Wood. And this entry will prepare you for the other notable holiday that also happens to fall on the 8th of September: "National Boss/Employee Exchange Day". So... the boss takes your place and does your job. This is all well and good, but odds are your boss supervises more than one person. How is he/she supposed to do everyone's job in a... wait, I see the value of this. *smirk*

So you have enough time to prepare, I thought I'd also give you a heads up about a couple upcoming October holidays:

There's "Fire Pup Day" on October 1st. Sparky here is still in training I'm afraid.



Then we have "Leif Erickson Day" which falls on October 9th. Have you polished your Viking helmet lately?

Do you have a holiday you'd like to celebrate?

Disclaimer: some of these holidays and this post are an illustration of what happens when you have too much time on your hands.