Happy New Year!

It's New Year's Eve, and I'm sitting at home. :-P I don't normally do anything for New Year's, might watch a movie or something, but it's not a big deal. Last year at this time, Josh and I were celebrating New Year's with some of his friends -- we had such a great time. This year, he's playing video games and I'm 1,200 miles away drinking chai tea, answering emails and blogging. What a bummer!

I wish all my friends a wonderful 2007 -- may God bless you richly. Love you guys! :-)

Hope you had a Merry Christmas!

Yeah, so I've been a bit of a slacker and didn't get a "Merry Christmas" post up. I hope you all had a great day, however you spent it. :-)

December has been kind of a blah month for me -- up and down and all over the place. My Christmas Eve was very quiet. Sheldon worked until 4:00, and the boys spent the afternoon/evening with their dad. They had a good time. I went to church by myself at 9:30 p.m. That was a bit of a bummer. Church itself was good, but I missed having my kids there with me, and I missed having my close friend Lana and her girls there (the nasty flu bug hit their household). Christmas Eve is usually so "routine" for us, and I really missed the hugs and exchange of gifts and good wishes, etc.

I also was feeling pretty down when I left church and walked home. My mom left a gift for me (since we wouldn't see each other the next day). Didn't give it to me, but told my sister it was there for me as she left (catching a ride home with someone). That was fine... however, she is refusing to give gifts to my kids, because she says they didn't thank her previously. So that was hurtful. She had gifts for others, but not her grandchildren. (She gave to the other grandchildren, but not my kids.) My kids aren't little, and they brushed it off... but I was hurt, even if they weren't (or acted like they weren't). It feels like she is doing this -- in some weird way -- because she is still upset with me, and that instead of dealing with that, she's taking it out on my kids. It might not be that way, but that's how it feels. It's all very strange and dysfunctional. *sigh*

I talked to Chantelle a little while after I got home, very briefly, and that was good. I had a long chat with Josh, and that helped. It always does. :-)

On Christmas Day, Robbie, Sheldon & I went to Moose Jaw and spent the day with my aunt & uncle. We had a great time. It was the first Christmas that they (aunt & uncle)had spent without my grandma, and their daughter was home but left early Christmas morning, so that was really different and I think kind of tough for them. We had to agree that it was definitely an odd Christmas this year. But we did have fun with them. :-)

Chantelle called last night and we had time for a longer talk. That was really nice. She had a good Christmas with friends, and they will spend New Year's together as well before going their separate ways.

It's snowing lots here today... Brrrrr.....

Okay, back to work. ;-)

I need to buy the new Todd Agnew CD...

... "Do You See What I See?" I totally forgot when I was in Saskatoon. I think I'll have to order it on Amazon, but it won't be till after Christmas. That's okay, I just wish I would have remembered it before so I would have it for this season. His talent is so amazing....

I wrapped most of the Christmas presents today (not that there were alot). I need to do the ones for the boys yet, but that won't take long. I have a couple of things that I ordered online that haven't arrived yet -- I'm hoping they get here in time.

We had our Lessons & Carols service at church today. It was nice, but there were only a few of us there due to a nasty stomach flu that is going around here. Yuck...

I went to the high school's musical drama production on Friday night. It was really good, the kids did a great job. The school has done drama's for many years, but last year was the first time they attempted a musical, and they've done great. There is alot of talent there, especially when you consider how small our school is.

Loneliness....

I was feeling kind of lonely the past couple of days. It's something that comes and goes. Been missing Josh... been missing my girl... Christmas seems to make things worse.

Chantelle is talking of moving to Toronto when she gets back from Australia. *sigh* That's even farther away than Calgary. Sheldon is excited for graduation and talks about moving out. Which is a good thing, but tough for me at the same time. Josh is too stinking far away. (Toronto is actually farther... blah...)

Such is life...

I'm actually okay today. Or at least at the moment... lol.

In other news.... :-P Sheldon got his car, a 2002 Cavalier, deep midnight blue. Very nice! He worked his tail off the past few months to pay off his other car and save for a down payment. He is quite pleased, and deserves to be. He's playing basketball this weekend, an out-of-town tournament. They won their first game last night so they were pretty excited. They are up against some even tougher teams today, so I hope they do good. It's just the start of the season, but they haven't lost a game yet -- an encouraging start. :-)

Chantelle has been fruit picking in Bundaberg for the past couple of weeks, with a German girl that she met at Surfer's Paradise. They worked 11 hour days, but made good money. I think they are heading back to Surfer's soon, where they will meet back up with a couple of other friends and spend Christmas and New Year's there. Then she'll be off to explore other parts of Australia.

My aunt and uncle invited the boys and I to spend Christmas Day with them -- my cousin and her friend Brent will be there, and my uncle's sister. I think it could be fun. Hopefully the weather will be good for traveling. It's only an hour away, but I don't like traveling when the weather is bad.

I got a start on my Christmas shopping, but am really stuck on what to get for a few people. It seems that buying gifts has become more stressful than fun for the most part. How did that happen? I'm becoming a Scrooge! Yikes!

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Currently playing: Far Away ~ Nickelback

Moving???

No, not me... :-P

But maybe the library. We are in an old building that has served many different purposes long before it was ever the library. It's okay, but needs work, and my biggest issue is that we've had flooding and water leaks in the past, and I am afraid of what is growing underneath the carpet!!! Seriously! We had a leak in the bathroom earlier this year, and water seeped outside the bathroom onto the carpeted area... and we had some really funky-looking fungus growing out of the carpet!!! REALLY GROSS! I mean, how healthy can that be?! :-S

We've been talking for awhile about the possibility of moving to another building, and now the opportunity has come up that might make that a reality. There is a recently vacant building that is currently up for tender, and the board chairperson and I are going to the Town Council meeting tonight to put forth a proposal for them to consider bidding on the building (they could get it for peanuts) for the library. (The Town is required to provide a building for us.)

The purchase of the building probably wouldn't be a big issue, but the necessary funds to do some renovations and to make it wheelchair accessible might be the stickler. But we're going to give it a shot!

I was a bit hesitant about this building before, not being very familiar with the layout, but I've had a good look at it now, and the assistant librarian and I spent some time today dreaming up possibilities for it.... lol. I'm kind of excited about it. We'll see what happens. :-)

42 Days Till Christmas!

Have you started shopping yet?!

Not.

But at least I'm starting to think about it... lol. I'm going to see if I can do quite a bit of my shopping online this year. I did a few things last year, and it was wonderful! Even if I could do half of it that way it would be great.

Randomness...

Today is a laundry/dishes/housework kind of day... I need to get caught up.

I'll be out of town the next two days, for a librarian workshop. They are sometimes kind of boring, but on the other hand it's a nice change from work, seeing other people, hotel room and meals all paid for... plus my regular pay for both days. So I really can't complain. :-P I hope to get a short visit in with my aunt and uncle tomorrow night -- I have a banquet at 6:30 and she teaches an anger management class till 8:30, but hopefully after that.

Been pondering my future alot. I hate change, and don't do well with decision making. The past couple of years have brought some big changes, but at the same time, other things remained the same... my job, my home, etc. Now with Sheldon graduating in the spring and planning to move out in the summer, more changes come into play, including the possibility of having to sell the house. I don't know where things will go from there... thoughts and possibilities, but no real direction... It's very scary.

My life is not like I had expected it to be, and that is okay... because although it's not like I expected, it is good. But it does mean letting go of the conception that I had had, and being able to embrace change. I think that God has -- for some time -- been preparing me for something different. Even positive changes can be hard...

We've been worried about my mom lately... some confusion, forgetting things (like what day it is, appointments, etc.), some other stuff. She attributes it to new medication she was taking, and it has been quite a bit better since she seems to have gotten that regulated, but not entirely better. Talked to my aunt, and to my sister. My sister doesn't think it's a real concern, but I don't know... I'll talk to my aunt about it tomorrow night.

Well, I guess I should get to that laundry and those dishes, shouldn't I? :-P

My girl's birthday

It's her birthday tomorrow... but since it's already tomorrow in Australia, it's her birthday today. ;-) I scanned her birthday card and emailed it to her. It was the easiest, since she's moving around and doesn't have a fixed address to receive snail mail (except at the SWAP Australia office in Sydney, but since she's not there and won't be back for awhile.....). I'll give her a call a little later -- evening for us, morning for her. She's 22... hard to believe...

I know that I say about each of the kids on their birthdays, but really... the time has gone by so fast, and they are adults (or near-adult in Sheldon's case), and it blows my mind sometimes... lol. (Funny how that works, cuz I don't feel older! :-P )

Chantelle sent pictures from Australia...

She emailed a few pictures the other night... very cool. Surfer girl... lol. There is a great one of her surfing, and a group one from the last night of surf camp. Also a few others, including a nice shot of the beach at Surfer's Paradise and a beautiful sunset. (I'm not posting them here, though. Just telling ya 'bout them! :-P )

I'm so jealous -- she's hanging on the beach, and we've got cold and snow. Not fair. :-P Oh well, she's earned it.

This week has been rather busy, both at work and in the evenings. It's one of those weeks where I have something to go to almost every night. I don't get those too often anymore, and I'm glad! I've mellowed in my old age and so much prefer staying at home and for things to be relatively quiet. I'm spoilt... or lazy! Hahaha....

Well, back to work...

We got snow yesterday....

... okay, so it was only for 5 minutes, and it melted right away, but the point is we got snow! Yuck! Too soon, too soon...

It's nice and sunny today, but cold. *Brrrrrrr* I really hope that the snow holds off until at least November. I can wish, can't I? :P

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Currently reading: A Heretic's Guide to Eternity ~ Spencer Burke
Currently playing: Hyperventilation ~ Just

Happy Thanksgiving!

I'm not sure who still reads here, but Joyce and Susanna, if you see this.... Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you have a great weekend!

Tired....

Blah... have had a bad cold this week. At times I don't feel too bad, but today I'm really tired again, and coughing. At least the headache, sore ears and sore throat are gone. It's a slow day at work -- which on the one hand is okay, because I don't have the energy to do much. But on the other hand, without much to do, I get dopey and just want to curl up and have a nap... lol. I've had a couple of very chatty patrons today, though... that keeps me from falling asleep. :P

I don't really have much to update, I'm afraid. Life is pretty quiet (which is okay).

Chantelle has been in Australia for a couple of weeks now, and she's having a great time. She went to "surfer camp" this week for 4 days. After spending a couple more days in Sydney, she's going to jump on a Greyhound bus and head to the Gold Coast and Surfer's Paradise. She hopes to find a job and spend some time there. I'm looking forward to her calling this weekend to see how surfer camp went. :)

Sheldon's been working a second part-time job to save up money for a downpayment on a car. He's been going crazy without one, but has been using his dad's truck for the past couple of months, so he hasn't been totally without.

It's Thanksgiving this weekend, but we don't have any specific plans. I think Sheldon is working, not sure about Robbie's schedule. It'll be quiet for us, though.
Happy Thanksgiving to my Canadian friends! :)

Today's adventure...

(Those of you on the Ship will have read this already...)

As previously posted, I got my nose pierced a few weeks ago, right nostril. Well, sometime during the night, I somehow managed to catch my fingernail on the little stone on the end of the nostril screw, and totally ripped it off! Not pulling out the nostril screw, but yanking off the stone! Weird, I tell ya..... I thought I'd dreamt it, but sure enough, I got up this morning and checked, and it was gone. :rolleyes:

I actually was able to find it, which is pretty miraculous in itself, because it is tiny. It looks really ugly without it (kind of a greenish lining in the spot where the stone goes), so I went and bought some crazy glue and thought I'd glue it back on. Now, my piercing is only a few weeks old, so I didn't want to take the nostril screw out. However, I realized that there is no way I could crazy-glue it back in (being so tiny) without ending up with the stone stuck to my face. :P

So I decided to take the nostril screw out, glue the stone on, and put it back in. Yeah....... right...... :rolleyes:

Got the stone glued on, but couldn't get the nostril screw back in -- tricky little things they are, curved and difficult to manage. So there I am, struggling to get it in, my nose is hurting, and I'm running out of time and have to get to work. I never did get it in... I ended up finding a small earring stud and putting that in temporarily so that it doesn't close up (feels terrible... lol). Blah.....

Now, if I didn't live an hour from the city and my piercer, I'd just go get them to put a new one in, but that isn't feasible at the moment (or for at least several days).

I'll try it again tonight.

*~*~*
UPDATE: Finally got it back in tonight. My nose is red, swollen, and hurts like crazy. More than the initial piercing. I won't be messing with that again until it's well healed! (Never had a problem with any of my piercings before, and I wouldn't have this time if I hadn't decided to glue that stupid stone back on.)

Off to Australia

Chantelle leaves in just a few hours -- first to L.A., then Singapore, and then to Australia. I'm excited for her, but a little nervous, too. I'm certain she is going to have an amazing experience, but still, you know.....

I miss her already...

I talked to her last night. It still hasn't really sunk in for her that she is actually leaving. Jerry is flying to L.A. with her (and then going to visit his sister), so I think that it's not really going to hit her until she's on that plane to Singapore, alone. She's had alot of difficult good-byes, but I think she'll be okay after the initial separation. Fortunately her friend Johnny is in Australia right now and will meet her and be with her for a bit. It will be great for her to see a familiar and friendly face.

I'm very proud of her. :) (I just miss her.)

I guess autumn has arrived...

We had great summer weather -- some would say it was too hot, but I thought it was great. I think it's the nicest summer we've had in a long time. Today when I went outside, though, it was a little cooler -- crispier (but not cold), and had that "fall" kind of smell. The leaves are only just starting to turn color, but the little apples are falling off my tree like crazy... if you're outside you can hear them constantly hitting the ground. It really is a nice time of year... I hope it lasts for a good long while, cuz I really hate winter... lol.

Sheldon started back to school last week... this year is going to go by so fast, I know it already...

We had a great long weekend with Chantelle home. :-) We hung out and talked lots, and enjoyed our time together. The kids went to the lake with their dad on Sunday, and on Sunday evening Chantelle's best friend from Winnipeg (Megan) and Megan's boyfriend (Daniel) arrived and stayed the night with us. They had taken a trip out to B.C. and were returning to Winnipeg. It was a fun night, and the first time I'd met Megan, so that was cool.

Chantelle flew back to Calgary on Tuesday evening. That was kinda tough... There was a time when it was really hard for me when she left, but I got better over time and it didn't bother me the same way. This time is different, though. Not so much because she'll be gone longer, but the fact that she's going to be so far away... on the other side of the world. I am so happy for her, and I have every confidence that she will be fine... but there is always that "mom" concern, you know? Anyway, I had my sad moments by myself the night before, because I needed to be strong when she left. She is wanting to be really positive and not have a bunch of teary farewells. I did good. ;)

Now that it's fall, all the usual meetings (library board, church council, etc.) will be starting up again. Not nearly as many as I used to have, but I still kind of dread them. *Must think positive, must think positive*. ;)

Enough slacking, back to work....

Blogthings: How Do You Live Your Life?

Just one of those silly questionnaire thingys....

How You Life Your Life

You have a good sense of self control and hate to show weakness. You're laid back and chill, but sometimes you care too much about what others think. You tend to have one best friend you hang with, as opposed to many aquaintences. You tend to dream big, but you worry that your dreams aren't attainable.

How Do You Live Your Life?

Chantelle is home tomorrow! w00t!

Chantelle will get home tomorrow morning, and will be here until Tuesday. She flies back to Calgary Tuesday night, and then just a couple of weeks later she leaves for Australia. Yikes, it has come so quickly! She is super excited. :-) I work tomorrow, but took Tuesday off so that I could have a bit more time with her.

School started for Sheldon yesterday -- his last year. Speaking of it coming so quickly!! He'll be 18 in 5 months... wow...

He and I were going to borrow Robbie's car to go to the city on Monday to do some shopping, but -- wouldn't you know it -- the alternator in Robbie's car died on Sunday. ::rolleyes:: Seems to be some kind of curse on vehicles around our house.... lol. At least it died beforehand -- and not while we were gone.

Okay, back to work.... (slow day).

I got my nose pierced... :-)

I've been thinking about this for about a year, I finally decided to go for it. Cute little stone in the right nostril. :)
(Kathy, I chuckled when I read your 360° post about not liking nose piercings... lol.)

There's another ear piercing (a rook) that I also considered. Maybe another time. ;)

Vacation report

Yeah, I'm a little slow at getting to this, I know.... lol.

I had such a great time in Arizona. Josh and I had SO much fun! I even survived the heat! :P Well, the day we went to the zoo was kind of tough -- and after three hours in temps around 110-112°F, I finally had to call it quits... I was suffering. But the rest of the time I did okay.

It was great to have the two weeks, because it gave us a little more time to do things. We took a road trip to the Grand Canyon and had a blast. It poured rain on the way up (with some pretty intense lightning), but was okay while we were there. Unfortunately it was cloudy so the pictures aren't as good as they could have been, but it was still great. The Grand Canyon is amazing... just amazing.

We had a fun adventure in the little town of Williams, searching for a long-sleeved t-shirt. (It was chilly, and Josh had a hoodie with him, but really only needed something light.) Josh asked at a gas station if there was a WalMart, and they laughed... lil town of 3,000... no WalMart. They directed us to the Family Dollar store. Umm... some very "interesting" clothing, but no long-sleeved t-shirt. From there to the Sportsway -- guns, fishing equipment and large amounts of alcohol, but no shirt. Next was the Western store, but cowboy shirts weren't quite what Josh was looking for. Finally I spotted Gracie's, and she was able to hook Josh up with a John Deere shirt..... haha. We were dying laughing through this whole little adventure (and I was immensely enjoying Josh's experience of a small town!), and took pictures so that I could scrapbook it.

Arizona Vacation Pictures

We didn't ride the Grand Canyon Railway, but we spent some time at the train depot on Saturday morning, waiting for the trains and taking pictures, etc. I think it would be cool to ride the train up to the Grand Canyon. Maybe another time. ;)

Much of our two weeks was just hangin' out.... we went to a couple of movies (saw Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest), visited Josh's parents, went to a birthday celebration, went out with friends to a great Japanese restaurant where they cook the food at your table, went swimming, had Mexican food and Josh's delicious homemade soup.... Had a wonderful and relaxing time. It was really, really hard to leave...... :( *sigh*

~~~~~

Sheldon had an accident after I left (that night) -- he hit a deer and wrecked his car. Thankfully no one was hurt. But he's now without a vehicle, and insurance didn't give him enough to cover what he still owed on the loan. So he still has to pay that off, then look for another vehicle. Poor kid... that car was nothing but problems from the day he got it.

Chantelle's coming home Labour Day weekend -- YES! I'm excited. She'll be home about 5 days, so that will be wonderful. Then she goes back to Calgary for a bit, and leaves for Australia on Sept. 17. She was originally talking about going for 9 months to a year... but now she thinks it will probably be just the 9 months. We'll see what happens. :-)

My mom and I finally had a chat... I have mixed feelings about it. That's about all I'll say... lol.

That's about it for now. I hope everyone has had a great summer.... it's gone by much too fast!

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Currently playing: Iris ~ Goo Goo Dolls :)

Back from vacation

I had the BEST time in Arizona! So much fun... :) Sad to leave.... :(
I'll maybe post more later (spent the morning editing pics, etc.... I need to shower, upack and all that...). For now, here's a link to some pictures -- I'll be adding to it, but this is a start.

Arizona Vacation Photos