Wednesday, March 30, 2005
Bav's spa party
Last night I went to a spa party at Andrea's. It was nice to get together and do something relaxing and girly. I got some really lovely bath salts. Kyra and I like to soak our feet sometimes and I will be using the bath salts next time we do that.
Thanks for the fun evening, Dahling!
Thanks for the fun evening, Dahling!
Monday, March 28, 2005
Stitching again!
The kids have been having quiet time all afternoon and I was able to do almost an hour on "Stretch". I haven't picked up the floss since the end of January and it felt good to be doing it again. Naturally I goofed up by using the wrong colour on one area of the border ( it's really hard to tell the difference between 3822 and 3821 ) and now I will have to frog it out next time I work on him.
I made the switch from scrapbook work to stitching in order to not burn out on my cropping ideas. I got gung ho for a while and got lots done, but I don't want my pages to become automatic. That isn't really the idea I'm trying to convey but I don't know how else to describe it. If you do scrapbooking you will likely know what I mean.
I might get some more done at Lisa's workshop on Thursday night, but I will more likely be re-organizing my CM Accessory Binder. I got some paper and sticker protectors from Lisa and that is my next goal. I've already started and got rid of a bunch of stickers and die cuts I was never going to use. ( I gave them to Kyra ). What I really need to work on now is the paper. I will slowly accumulate paper protectors and organize as I go. My goal is to have one protector for each of CM's new "Shades of" series ( ie: Shades of Yellow, Shades of Green, etc. ) and one just for all the little scraps that are always left over from cutting out things. I find I use scraps all the time for little bits of page filler such as date boxes or something.
I made the switch from scrapbook work to stitching in order to not burn out on my cropping ideas. I got gung ho for a while and got lots done, but I don't want my pages to become automatic. That isn't really the idea I'm trying to convey but I don't know how else to describe it. If you do scrapbooking you will likely know what I mean.
I might get some more done at Lisa's workshop on Thursday night, but I will more likely be re-organizing my CM Accessory Binder. I got some paper and sticker protectors from Lisa and that is my next goal. I've already started and got rid of a bunch of stickers and die cuts I was never going to use. ( I gave them to Kyra ). What I really need to work on now is the paper. I will slowly accumulate paper protectors and organize as I go. My goal is to have one protector for each of CM's new "Shades of" series ( ie: Shades of Yellow, Shades of Green, etc. ) and one just for all the little scraps that are always left over from cutting out things. I find I use scraps all the time for little bits of page filler such as date boxes or something.
Sunday, March 27, 2005
Easter activities
We got back this afternoon from our weekend in Summerland, BC. We went to visit Toni's sister and BIL. It's about 400 km from here to Summerland. That's about a 3 to 3 1/2 hour drive depending on road conditions.
The kids had a great time and we all got a little break. Angus is totally exhausted though from playing with Sue's dog. Last night was the big 25 lb turkey feed. Tonight's dinner will be soup.
Off to rest, see you all tomorrow maybe if I can string together enough coherent sentences.
The kids had a great time and we all got a little break. Angus is totally exhausted though from playing with Sue's dog. Last night was the big 25 lb turkey feed. Tonight's dinner will be soup.
Off to rest, see you all tomorrow maybe if I can string together enough coherent sentences.
Monday, March 21, 2005
No clever title this time
Just have a few things to yack about:
-Got cool birthday stuff this weekend. T and kids gave me earrings, socks and a belt. A CM Premier album from the folks ( get ready Lisa! ) and a bunch of little bead containers and a shirt from my sister. And 36 years old isn't too bad so far!
-The kids are down for snoozed right now. They've had fun playing together all day. I have mostly just fed them and left them alone. They are being so good. Kyle misses Kyra when she's at school all day.
-Hubby says we are going to check out the office's FTP site tonight. Oh goodie, I need to get cracking on that and he has promised to help me since he is the one who set it up. After this I will be the one maintaining it.
-Strange weather today. I should have checked on my blog this morning to see how my weather pixie interprets hail. At the moment it's just cloudy. I hope tomorrow is dry, I want to do some weeding in the front garden.
-Got cool birthday stuff this weekend. T and kids gave me earrings, socks and a belt. A CM Premier album from the folks ( get ready Lisa! ) and a bunch of little bead containers and a shirt from my sister. And 36 years old isn't too bad so far!
-The kids are down for snoozed right now. They've had fun playing together all day. I have mostly just fed them and left them alone. They are being so good. Kyle misses Kyra when she's at school all day.
-Hubby says we are going to check out the office's FTP site tonight. Oh goodie, I need to get cracking on that and he has promised to help me since he is the one who set it up. After this I will be the one maintaining it.
-Strange weather today. I should have checked on my blog this morning to see how my weather pixie interprets hail. At the moment it's just cloudy. I hope tomorrow is dry, I want to do some weeding in the front garden.
Wednesday, March 16, 2005
Timing of Spring Break
Since Friday is the last day before Spring Break it has prompted me to do some thinking and remembering. Normally the kids would have this week off, but this year the break is tied in with Easter, so the kids don't go back until Wed. the 30th.
I seem to recall that when I was in elementary school in the '70s, spring break was always later, no matter when Easter fell. I know that for a fact because of 2 things: St. Patrick's Day and my birthday ( the 19th ). We had an Irish music teacher at my elementary school. Her name was Miss McDonald and she played the accordian. Every St. Patrick's Day she would put on her costume from Irish dance and play her accordian all around the school at recess. We would all follow her like she was the Pied Piper or something. Every year on my birthday I always got the bumps from my friends. Those 2 occurances on a yearly basis make me sure that I was in school the week of the 15th-19th or so. Fast forward to junior high and high school and I am sure I always had my birthday off since it was Spring Break that week. My dad taught high school math for 36 years and I remember having my birthday party ( or my friends over for dinner or whatever ) on like Tuesday the 19th or something since we all had no school. The difference has nothing to do with the grade level; all public schools in BC have more or less the same time off. Some districts change the timing of their school day to make an extra day or 2 off, but if they do that it is district wide and nothing to do with grade level.
So I assume that sometime in the early '80s when I was making the shift from elementary ( K-7 ) to Junior High ( 8-10 ) that the powers that be in Victoria, or at least the Richmond School District, bumped Spring Break back a week and there it stayed.
I seem to recall that when I was in elementary school in the '70s, spring break was always later, no matter when Easter fell. I know that for a fact because of 2 things: St. Patrick's Day and my birthday ( the 19th ). We had an Irish music teacher at my elementary school. Her name was Miss McDonald and she played the accordian. Every St. Patrick's Day she would put on her costume from Irish dance and play her accordian all around the school at recess. We would all follow her like she was the Pied Piper or something. Every year on my birthday I always got the bumps from my friends. Those 2 occurances on a yearly basis make me sure that I was in school the week of the 15th-19th or so. Fast forward to junior high and high school and I am sure I always had my birthday off since it was Spring Break that week. My dad taught high school math for 36 years and I remember having my birthday party ( or my friends over for dinner or whatever ) on like Tuesday the 19th or something since we all had no school. The difference has nothing to do with the grade level; all public schools in BC have more or less the same time off. Some districts change the timing of their school day to make an extra day or 2 off, but if they do that it is district wide and nothing to do with grade level.
So I assume that sometime in the early '80s when I was making the shift from elementary ( K-7 ) to Junior High ( 8-10 ) that the powers that be in Victoria, or at least the Richmond School District, bumped Spring Break back a week and there it stayed.
Tuesday, March 15, 2005
Helping at school
My friends and I have had this discussion before, but since I was at a carnival meeting this morning I thought I would blog about it.
We've got some cool ideas going for the carnival and I think it will turn out to be successful, but our chairperson, Nancy mentioned that they always have a hard time getting parents to help. I realize that people work and kids have activities, etc. but surely you can spare an hour to help out or help clean up or something? How many times have we heard from child psychologists, the media, the government, the school board, etc. that having you be a visible presence in your child's school shows that you think their education and what they do at school is important. If you believe school is important, they will too and be better students. I don't need a psychologist or politician to tell me that, it's common sense.
Nancy also mentioned that the PAC is viewed as "cliquey" which is unfortunate since it's not true. I met Nancy the first day of school and went to the first meeting a couple of weeks later. We are new at the school and the neighbourhood and I was instantly welcome, in spite of not knowing anyone at all at the beginning of the school year. Naturally of course the people that complain how things are done are never the ones to volunteer to do anything. I know that I will be running at least one activity at the carnival and people better keep their mouth shut about how I do it, or they will get an earful!
We've got some cool ideas going for the carnival and I think it will turn out to be successful, but our chairperson, Nancy mentioned that they always have a hard time getting parents to help. I realize that people work and kids have activities, etc. but surely you can spare an hour to help out or help clean up or something? How many times have we heard from child psychologists, the media, the government, the school board, etc. that having you be a visible presence in your child's school shows that you think their education and what they do at school is important. If you believe school is important, they will too and be better students. I don't need a psychologist or politician to tell me that, it's common sense.
Nancy also mentioned that the PAC is viewed as "cliquey" which is unfortunate since it's not true. I met Nancy the first day of school and went to the first meeting a couple of weeks later. We are new at the school and the neighbourhood and I was instantly welcome, in spite of not knowing anyone at all at the beginning of the school year. Naturally of course the people that complain how things are done are never the ones to volunteer to do anything. I know that I will be running at least one activity at the carnival and people better keep their mouth shut about how I do it, or they will get an earful!
Sunday, March 13, 2005
The great outdoors
Since it's been nice all weekend, Toni and I got some stuff done in the back yard. Actually mostly it was him, but I weeded around the grape vines and dug out a ton of rocks. Toni cut the lawn, started building the garden beds, and built the trellis for the grape vines. He also put Kyle's wall paper border up and tiled up above the shower in our bathroom. Go Honey! Man, when the guy gets off his butt and does something, he really goes all out! Not that I am about to complain or anything!
Wednesday, March 09, 2005
Ruminations on cough medicine
I have had a cold for a week and during that time I have taken Buckley's cold and cough mixture. Yes it tastes foul. My husband says it looks like melted Vick's Vaporub. Well it tastes like it too! However some of the other stuff I have taken over the last few years have been equally as foul and they are supposed to be "cherry flavour" or something. At least Buckley's is honest and warns you that it isn't going to taste good!
The only cough medicine I know tastes reasonably okay is Benyllin. My mom gave my sister and I that all the time when we were kids. I may be just thinking it tastes good because of a childhood memory, but I've had it within the last few years and I am pretty sure I remember it tasting okay. It's rather pricey though and I really don't think that cough syrup actually helps that much, no matter what brand you use. The prescription codeine stuff works not too bad, but you have to be pretty sick to get your doctor to prescribe it.
The only cough medicine I know tastes reasonably okay is Benyllin. My mom gave my sister and I that all the time when we were kids. I may be just thinking it tastes good because of a childhood memory, but I've had it within the last few years and I am pretty sure I remember it tasting okay. It's rather pricey though and I really don't think that cough syrup actually helps that much, no matter what brand you use. The prescription codeine stuff works not too bad, but you have to be pretty sick to get your doctor to prescribe it.
Monday, March 07, 2005
Coat? Sweater? Naked?
Fuck if I know! I just love March, NOT! This morning I went out in a fleece and my husband's nylon windbreaker. Almost died of heat stroke on the way to school. But loaded me Kyle on the bus to the library anyway. Got home and took off fleece and put on t-shirt. Fast forward to 2:00 and time to get Kyra. Took a look at the wind and put on my warm jacket over t-shirt. 2nd mistake of the day. Jacket was over my arm halfway to school. I am at this point walking north. The wind in my face is almost making my nose go numb, but the sun beating on my back is surely giving me second degree burns!
No wonder I have a cold right now. My body temperature has no idea what is going on!
No wonder I have a cold right now. My body temperature has no idea what is going on!
