Paying for Kids

  Omg I read the strangest, strangest thing this morning. A couple bought three plane tickets from Vancouver to Toronto on Air Canada. Two adults and a two year old. Now a two year old must have a seat and it's a full price ticket. 

   Here is the best part....parents you will appreciate this......there is no guarantee that your child will sit with you. In the same cabin yes but not beside you or even in the same row! Wouldn't that be awesome???!!! 

  Their only guarantee to sit with their child was to pay $40! Times three. An extra $120 so they can sit with their precious off spring. That's funny. Seriously I would never pay.

  Picture it...you get on your flight and sitting beside you is a four year old. Alone. No parent in sight. Would you stop the flight attendant and say "what the hell???"  Of course you would. 

  I am assuming, and I think it's a safe assumption, that every single flight attendant will move people around til the family sits together. They have done it for us on several occasions. Or we've been in an emergency exit row with the kids. You must be 16 to sit in that row.

  It sounds like another cash grab. Like paying for luggage...except if you take it to the gate where they will force you to check it. Most of the time for free. Which I must say irritates the hell out of me. But that's another discussion for another day.

  Next time you want to go on vacation, better plan on paying extra if you want your little angels sitting with you. If they are good travelers.....pay the fee. If they aren't.....well.

  Who am I to judge?

  Ang
  

Happy Birthday Mom!!!

  Today is my Mom's birthday! I'm the worst card sender on the planet so she didn't get one. Last year we sent flowers and she sneezed and coughed til they died. No flowers today either. 

  She wants no clothes or knick knacks. Mom lives in a small town so restaurant gift cards are out. There are no movie theaters or live theater close by so that's out too. What does that leave? Cash. She doesn't want that either.

  So here is your present....We promise to face time more often. Especially Alex and Riley will only be able to play you one song on the piano for you instead of his normal twenty. We promise Riley won't call you for money for whatever fundraiser he is involved in.  And finally we promise that the next time you come to visit you can sleep alone.....for one night at least.

  Happy birthday Mom! Oh and don't hold us to those gifts. You know it's not going to stick :)

  Ang

Little Blessings

  When you get up at such an early hour....5:15 this morning......you have more time to contemplate things. Or at least I do. In fact I've fixed most of the countries problems while still on my first cup of coffee. That's pretty amazing if I say so myself.

  So keeping to that positive note, here's a few things I'm thankful for today and every day. In no particular order.

  My kids are healthy. They are happy, except when together, and decent. Again decent to others but not each other. Brothers.

  The entryway drapes. They let in the early morning sun but keep the walkers from looking into my house. I've seen you. You know who you are. 

  Dollarama for selling cheap batteries for the remote so I'm not forced to use the Wii controller. Trying to figure out which wires I need to change would be torture this morning.

  Seat warmers. Even in late April. I'll never buy another car without them. Ever.

  And last, but certainly not least, the clothes dryer. Alex would have been leaving today in wet jeans, or worse yet, those sweat pants he loves with the hole in them. Oh wait...he packed those.

  Look for those little blessings. Some days that's all you've got.

  But not today!

  Ang

  

Teachers

   I spent the morning helping out Riley's class. They were having a science demonstration and needed some volunteers. Every time I walk into a classroom I am blown away but the amount of work a teacher does. Every single day.

  School is not like you remember it. Nor should it be. Every few years the system gets an over haul. Times change and our education system needs to keep up. The one thing that never changes is the teachers influence. And trust me, you should be glad of it.

  Take an average grade three class. Twenty one students. All eight or nine years old. One teacher. No EA's...education assistants. Commonly there is at least one child with either a learning disability or behavioral challenges. One teacher. One or two students are behind in reading while the same amount are struggling in math. Again only one teacher.

  The scene looks like something Picasso created. Many different colors, textures and situations all going on at once. At first glance it's chaos but when you take a few minutes to really study it, you see the chaos is controlled after all.....at least that's how I see both Picasso's art and the modern classroom.

  Every child is different. And teachers must teach all of them. They must make time to help Susie with her spelling while helping Andy with science and keeping Jimmy from eating the paste! Talk about multi-tasking.

  On top of everything else they are front line care givers. Making sure bruises or broken bones are from falling off a bike and not something more sinister. Reassuring children whose parents are getting divorced that they are still loved by everyone. Feeding those kids who don't have enough lunch. It's not a one dimensional job.

  And as if all that wasn't over whelming enough, they have to deal with parents. Adults who believe their children are perfect. Who are convinced that while a child's successes are their own, their failures fall squarely on the shoulders of the teacher.

  Next time you hear someone say, or you say, that teachers are only in it for the summers off and Christmas holiday, ask these questions. Could I do it? Every day? Without losing my mind? Not shouting at the kids? Giving them the tools for success? By the time you get to question three you already know you couldn't.

  Just like police officers, fire fighters and nurses, teaching is a calling. And it usually calls the best.

  Ang

  

Mike Duffy

  I waited a few days to talk about the Mike Duffy verdict. After waaaaay too long this is finally over. In the legal sense at least. But like many people, I'm not quite ready to be over it. For two very different reasons.

 The first is quite obvious, to anyone who knows me, I am angry. The amount of money spent. The amount of time dedicated to it. Not to mention the amount of work that didn't get accomplished during this time. That makes me angry.

  When the judge said Mr. Duffy was a credible witness I knew what the outcome was going to be. I wonder....if he wasn't a political figure, or wealthy, would the outcome have been the same? Would a less expensive lawyer have made the verdict different? We will never know.

  My second reason for waiting is I am disappointed. When then PM Harper made Mr. Duffy a Senator I was excited. Here was a man Canadians trusted. For years we had watched his political commentary without ever knowing his politics. He was smart, fair and had common sense. Something that seemed to be lacking at that time.

  Boy were we wrong. I was wrong. He became arrogant and entitled. As if there was no accountability at all. And he was right. He "wasn't sure" where his primary residence was. Unclear as to who should pay for his travel to speak at a Conservative fundraiser. Does this sound like someone intelligent enough to help run our country???

  Now the court has said he did nothing illegal. No jail time. Not one day. Not guilty on all counts.

  But you owe us Mr. Duffy. You owe the people of Canada something. You owe us an explanation as to why you quickly went from being a real person to being a politician. You owe us an apology for being arrogant when you were supposed to be one of the people who make, and change, the laws of our country that effect each and every one of us. 

  You owe us to resign. Quietly. With what little dignity we will allow you to have. To retire and go away to your  home in Prince Edward Island. Safe and secure in the knowledge now that it is indeed your primary residence. Live the rest of your life out of the spotlight. Reflecting on when and where you went wrong.

  And you owe us to not collect your large, government pension. Not one penny of it. If by law you must then donate it to a children's charity in P.E.I.......there is never enough government money.

  Because you did do wrong Mr. Duffy. No matter what the judge said. You did do wrong.

  Ang

Peace and Quiet

  Can you hear that? No? Well that's because it's quiet. Absolute peace and quiet. This house is never silent when there is more than me here. We are in a constant state of noise.

  Someone always has You Tube on. The television never seems to get turned off. And with a family of four, the washer and dryer never turns off. Never. Ever.

  This morning I'm enjoying my coffee listening to the uninterrupted quiet....except for the ticking of the keyboard. Knowing full well the dishwasher will be on in a few minutes. I'm going to turn on the weather to see whether I should wear shorts or not. Goodbye quiet.

  Once the family is together the volume goes through the roof. Or more honestly, the windows.  I can't imagine what the neighbors must hear. The kids yell to us and at each other. We yell back to them and to each other. Agggghhhh it's too much.

  Enjoy the quiet whenever and wherever you can get it. Me I'm enjoying it now. 

  Ang

Goodbye Mr. Nelson

  Boy the music business is taking an ass kicking in 2016. Glenn Frey, David Bowie, Maurice White and Merle Haggard. And now Prince. So many great talents gone. 

  Almost all of us can say we have driven down the road, in the summer, windows open, with a Prince song blaring. Just a few days ago my kids were laughing because I did just that to Raspberry Beret.

  I think we are so shocked when a celebrity dies because we imagine they are larger than life. Somehow they will live forever. This is most evident in Elvis and Michael Jackson fans. Graceland is sacred ground and I'm sure Neverland Ranch would have been the same had the Jackson estate kept it.  

  The outpouring of love yesterday for Prince shows just how much music and movies can affect us. These artists are strangers to us. And yet their passing fills us with sadness and a sense of real loss. 

  So in his own immortal words........

Dearly beloved,

we are gathered here today

to get through this thing

called life.

-Prince

  Ang

  

  

  

Happy Birthday Elizabeth!

  Today the Queen turns 90! And boy does she look great! Better than some of her kids in fact. She has had an incredible life and seen more changes than I can comprehend.

  Watch her get out of the car. No one helps her. She gets out, in a dress, with grace and without showing her undies. Lots of 20 somethings could use that skill. No cane or walker. Not even taking her husbands arm...although he's about to turn 95 so I'm not sure how much help he would be.

  During WW2 she worked as a mechanic and military truck driver. She was 18 years old. Since that time, she loves to drive and even tinkers under the hood if something isn't working. 

  One weird fact I heard about today is that she doesn't have a passport. British passports are issued in the Queen's name so she doesn't need one. The same goes for a driver's licence. Not standing in line at the passport office or DMV is a perk.

  Imagine it....when she was born there were no tv's. Airplane travel was in it's infancy. No computers, internet or cell phones. Many homes didn't have telephones or electricity. Even indoor bathrooms weren't common place.

 Queen Elizabeth has seen the world do a complete 360. Changes that only the very old can genuinely comprehend. She truly seems to take everything in stride and enjoys the life she has been given.

  Happy birthday Elizabeth. Here's to many more healthy, happy years. Longevity seems to run in your family.

  I bet that irritates Prince Charles as he waits to become King.

  Ang

  

Immunization

  Alex is getting an immunization today. While I had reservations about him receiving it in school and not from our doctor, I relented. It is, after all, administered by a nurse. And he's growing up and doesn't need his "mommy" around when he's getting a shot.

  This brings up the whole conversation about immunizations. It is the same as politics and religion...don't discuss it. People have very adamant opinions on the subject. There are those who are fanatical....on both sides. 

  I have friends who are on-the-verge of being called fanatics. They cannot even imagine a parent not doing it. And some are even to the point where they believe immunizations should be the law.

  Others I know have done their own research and decided against. All have taken the risks into consideration and made their own choice. They are ready and willing to live with the consequences. Most have had heated conversations defending their choices. 

  As parents, John and I do believe in immunizations. Both boys are fully inoculated. But I don't believe it should be the law.  I'm sure more children suffer ill health from obesity or concussions than lack of immunization. I'm always leery of the government controlling our health. We can't make everything illegal.

  There are so many decisions we need to make as parents. No matter what the issue, do your homework. Talk to doctors and nurses. Read published papers.... if you can understand them. Stay away from Wikipedia and take the well meaning advice from friends with a grain of salt. 

  Oh and register the immunization records with your local health department. In our case twice. Or three times.

  Ang

  

Organic or Bust

   Every day I see articles on the need to eat organic. Fruit. Vegetables. Eggs and milk. It's better for us they say. Better for our children. As if we don't know that. In fact one piece said we are bad parents if we don't! Great one more reason to feel guilty as a parent.

  The harsh reality is that organic is expensive. And most people can't afford it. Period. Does that make them bad parents? Of course not. 

  In fact a lot of people who can afford, and do eat organic, try to make others feel inferior because they don't. As if we are not as caring or wasting our money on frivolous things. They couldn't be farther from the truth.

  Most families are dealing with the increased costs of food, electricity and heat. Not to mention insurance, health care and keeping their kids in shoes and clothes. Braces can break a families finances quicker than anything. Organic doesn't have a spot in their big picture.

  Take a look at your local grocer. A bag of "regular" apples can be as pricey as $7.99. For organic you can easily add another two dollars to that. For a bag of apples. With maybe ten or twelve in the bag. Grapes are out of most shoppers range even before they look at organic.

  Organic milk is amazing. But few can afford it. I bought some last week. One liter, in a glass bottle, was $3.99 with a $1.50 deposit on the bottle. $5.50 for one liter of milk. We are a family of four. We drink two liters at breakfast! It's a treat for us. Only when we are having desert.

  Try your best. Feed your kids as many fruits, veggies and wholesome foods as you can.  Ignore the articles. You are doing well by your children. Ignore the haters too.

  Wash your fruit and vegetables well.  And cross your fingers.

  Ang

Football

  Alex is trying out for football this morning. It's at school and only for grade sevens. He isn't much of a team sport kid. He had no interest in hockey or soccer but he likes the idea of football. Me...I'm not so sure.

  I'm happy to say it's touch not tackle. That makes a difference...in my head not my heart. Both Alex and John assure me it's safe. Or as safe as any sport can be. That is true.... again in my head.

  However Alex almost broke his wrist last week wrestling. He broke a finger in volleyball a few years back. And we can't forget the broken collarbone falling out of bed. I'm not saying he is accident prone, he isn't. Just that if it's going to happen to someone it will be him.

  Since he really wants to do this I'm keeping my fingers crossed for him. I'm just not sure what I'm hoping for.

  Ang

Just Looking

  Yesterday we went looking at houses. New houses. Pretty, clean and fully finished houses. Painted, decorated and ready to move into houses. I could hear my heart beating in my ears I was so excited. Then reality set in.

  We have lived in this house for seven years. The longest we have lived anywhere. And the list of things that need to be done is longer than my arm. The idea of walking into a brand spanking new place and calling it home appeals to me more than I can say.

  There is a catch though. The price tag. We saw a "small" two-story that had the best mud room ever. With a base price of $385K it's more than reasonable til they inform you that the model has $140K of upgrades. You know, the model you just fell in love with. No one wants the plain base model. Including us.

  The one both John and I liked was a whopping 3460 square feet. Five bedrooms....four of which had ensuites......and laundry upstairs. Main floor living included an office, mud room, formal dining room, formal living room, family room and huge, huge kitchen. This one started at $550K not including the  probably $250K of upgrades.

  Crazy enough no one, other than us, thought that was too much. Not too much house or too much debt. Add in probably eight hundred a month in taxes and you have a mortgage payment from hell my friends. 

  Walking downstairs this morning my house looked prettier than normal. The old, dated bathroom seemed less dingy than yesterday. My ugly wood fireplace seemed to shine in the morning sunshine. Everything looked.....nicer.

  Amazing what perspective will do. 

  Ang

Welcome Spring

  Spring has sprung!!! Finally! The first really nice day has hit the nation's capital. Not only sunshine but double digit temps. People were out in full force in t-shirts and capris. I even saw some shorts. What a great day.

  Snow shovels went into the garage and rakes took their place. Hoses and grass seeds saw their debuts as well. And most everyone I saw in their front yards were removing Christmas lights. Us included.

  After a few cold weeks we are all ready for planting some flowers and opening up pools. John put the planters out and the new stones we bought are now in the front garden.  Even the worm made it successfully through the winter although it really needs a paint job this year. 

  When we were driving around today looking at houses, more on that another time, you could smell bbq's everywhere. Sadly we are still out of propane. But that will be fixed tomorrow guaranteed.

  All that fresh air has made me sleepy. I'll need my energy to be able to do it all again tomorrow. 

  Welcome spring. We missed you. Terribly.

  Ang

Sorry Mickey

   This morning I started looking at our summer vacation 2017. As a family we decided on a final Disney cruise while the kids were still young enough to enjoy all the Mickey things. The itineraries were released today and I was going to be one of the first people booking. That was until I started looking.

  Since it is the summer we wanted to go for a little bit longer than normal. Lucky for us they now have both a ten and eleven day cruise. Sounds heavenly. As a bonus, both were going to new ports we were interested in. Sign us up.

  Disney's website is easy for planning. Within seconds I knew the Kernick family was not going on a 10 or 11 day cruise in August 2017! Not unless we win the lottery.

  With a starting price of $12,780 for our family, it's a little out of our budget. That's in US dollars which makes it just over $16,000 Canadian based on today's exchange rate. That's a new car! Or a pool! 

  Listen I'm a huge Disney fan. Their cruises are amazing and I highly recommend taking at least one in your lifetime. We have been lucky to go four times and enjoyed every second of each one. The level of service, food, cleanliness and entertainment is excellent. They are worth every penny.

  This is just too much money. Way too much. Even I can't justify it. But maybe you can.

  Perhaps we can get our Mickey fix at a theme park instead......

  Ang
  

What's For Dinner?

  I'm not very "domestic". No one would ever mistake me for Martha Stewart. Or Rachael Ray for that matter. While I love Pintrest I'm not making any of the recipes I see there. However I am available to go to your house if you wish to make me something fancy.

  Sometimes I wish I liked cooking. It would be wonderful to have delicious aromas wafting through the house. The smell would be acceptable even for a good curry. 

  That's one reason we enjoy cruising so much. An opportunity to try new salads and soups. Let Alex sample lamb, tuna tartar and every kind of sushi imaginable. All included in the price so if anyone doesn't like it.....well they can order something else.

  Tonight chicken is on the menu. Perhaps I should find something adventurous to do with it. Shock the entire family. And myself. But the sun is shining and I'm itching to get the bbq up and running for the season.

  
  Maybe adventure can wait. Unless someone wants to invite us for dinner?

  Ang

  
  

Happy Happy

   I am the parent of an extremely happy 12, almost 13, year old. Yes he has a new phone and he couldn't be happier. Alex woke up humming this morning. Jumped out of bed and into the shower. Not one harsh word. A joy to be around so early in the morning. Maybe we should have bought this months ago!

  The snow is almost gone. I can see grass again. Or the weeds we refer to as grass. Birds are chirping non-stop now. And I must admit it is a nice sound to wake up to. That will pass I'm sure.

  With sunshine pouring in the windows, the furnace is turned down low. Perfect timing since we now have to pay for another cell phone. It's nice to be able to open the windows a crack to air out all the winter germs. The house smells "fresh" for lack of a better word.

  Something about the change in temperature has changed my mood. Things seem brighter and easier. There is a new happiness in the house. Brought in by the sunshine or the warm breeze I'm not sure. But we will take it.

  I think I'll take my coffee on the deck. Sit in the sunshine. Enjoy the sun. Maybe read a book.

 Wouldn't that shock my book club!

  Ang

Singing the Cell Phone Blues

  We are an Apple family. The iPad, iPod's, and iPhone's are all joined together. I can see what the kids are up to without them knowing I am watching. The security is fantastic. Not to mention the games. However......

  The down side of being an Apple snob is the price. It's not cheap. And they come out with new models on a yearly basis. Which makes us want to upgrade constantly. And the gadgets. I'm in awe and scared at the same time when I step into an Apple Store.

  Yesterday I decided to get Alex a cell phone. And of course I wanted an iPhone. We checked Rogers and Bell. There was very little difference in price. A few dollars. Rogers made us a better offer since we are Bell customers, trying to get us to switch.

  I was having sticker shock though when I realized we would be paying almost $250 a month for three phones. That's crazy! That's with us all sharing 500MB of data. And Alex only being able to call locally.

  Maybe I am out of the loop. The people working at both places seemed shocked when I said it was crazy. But they were both in their early 20's so they are only paying for one phone not three. They might even still be on their parents plan for all I know.

  The sad reality is if I want to be able to get in touch with him I need to shut up and pay the bill. Period. 

  Which is exactly what I will do.

  Ang

  

Early Mornings

  Waking up at 5am this morning was hard. Monday mornings are always more difficult than all the others combined for me. I've never been a morning person but for the past nine years I've been forced to be. Kids in school will do that to you.

  I don't have to get up that early. But if I don't I will fall back to sleep, we will be rushing and I will be driving at least one to school. That means getting dressed to some degree. And since it snowed AGAIN last night I would not be happy with getting into a cold car that needs to have snow brushed off.

  As I type this, I'm enjoying my second cup of coffee. I've unloaded the dishwasher. I've turned on an episode of Downton Abbey for noise in the background. All weekend I want some quiet and now what's the first thing I do? Funny.

  Enjoy your morning wherever you are. At work, home or school. Keep your coffee cup full. And your mood happy.

  If you can.

  Ang

Taxi

  Like many of you out there, I am a taxi service to my children. And sometimes their friends as well. Most of the time I don't mind...except when the weather is crappy. But this weekend it seems like I never got out of the car.

  My kids are busy. But not too busy. We aren't running non-stop from thing to thing. This weekend though was full of "extras". Groceries, hair cuts, school projects with classmates. It seemed busier.

  We are now in that bizarre timing schedule where nothing on the weekend is at the same time for both kids. Even when they are in the same activity! Different ages. Different times. 

  The worst part, for me, was I really wanted a nap. Both days. And I never got one. To make matters worse, Riley was sick last night so I'm sleep deprived to start with!

  My friend Janet tells me I will miss these days of chauffeuring the kids around. The noise of five almost teenage boys in the living room. Tripping over Lego's and picking crayons out of the dishwasher. 

  She says there will be lots of time for a clean house and sleeping in. Mom's taxi will be replaced by the words "Can I borrow the car?".  Maybe she's right but I can't see it today through my grainy eyes.

  It's time to hang up my cabby hat. Oh and Janet is right. She's always right.

  Ang

  

My Favorites

  We all have our favorites. TV shows. Movies. Singers and actors. Favorite aunts, teachers and designers. Vacation spots, food and purses. Even shampoo and laundry detergent. Things that make us happy just by being in our lives.

   Now I'm not saying if you have to use a different shampoo it will ruin your day. No but if you are having a crappy day maybe The Birdcage will change your mood and make everything better after a good laugh. Just maybe.

  A Coach purse or a Michael Kors watch makes me smile. As does lobster in the shell on the beach in PEI. And if there is some Celtic music playing in the background all the better.

  I can't seem to pass by an episode of MASH. And no matter which part of the movie it's at, I'm always going to finish watching The Shawshank Redemption. Even if it's only a few minutes. I believe there is no such thing as too much Lord of the Rings either.

  Surround yourself with your favorite things. Use the "good" dishes. Drink the wine and eat the desert. Fill your life and your home with the things that make you happy.

  But most importantly, fill your life with your favorite people. Keep them close. Talk to them. Laugh with them. Be with them. 

  Now how do I get James Spader to hang out with me?

  Ang

  

  

  

  

Hilary

  I saw an interview with Hilary Clinton today and I wonder how anyone can say she isn't "presidential". She has more experience than most candidates. Certainly more than Donald Trump. She comes across as sincere and really I found her very trust worthy. But the press does give her a harder time than other candidates.

  Is it because she is a woman? I think so. But she also takes a lot of criticism from other women. She took so much flack for staying with her husband after his affair. As if anyone has a say in anyone else's marriage. She probably would have taken as much had she left.

  She knows about the world and it's issues. Years of dealing with the Putin's, Harper's, and Blair's of the world, makes her a force to be reckoned with in my opinion. How often does that happen? A candidate with experience.

  Another big question is whether the U.S. is ready for a female president. How is that even a question? Does a person's gender matter when it comes to running a country? A business? A household? Of course it doesn't! Or at least it shouldn't. To quote our PM....."because it's 2016".

  Like every other democratic election in the world I say vote. People fought and died for you to vote. Just do it. 

  Ang

  

  

  

Aghhhhhh

  Yesterday afternoon it started snowing. On April 6. It kept snowing. And snowing. And snowing. On April 6. Ugh.

  When it finally finished we got 15 cms. We didn't get that much before Christmas! In fact it was 17 or 18 degrees on Christmas Eve!

  I love living in Canada. It is the best country in the world. However.....this late snow storm makes me want to move to an island somewhere where snow is only seen on the internet. 

  Even then I doubt I would goggle it!

  Ang

Pay Day

  My kids are always asking me when is payday. It seems every time they ask me for something I say I have no money and to ask me on payday. Guess what today is? Let the requests begin.

  Alex has already asked for two video games. Neither of which he will get. After all there are the infamous book reports still to be completed. I do believe I've said he could get one when they were finished. All of them.

  Riley wants more things from the dollar store than you can imagine. None of which he is getting either. His room is filed with odds and ends crap as it is.

  Maybe, just maybe, there will be some "extra cash" this time. Of course there are still bills to be paid. Groceries to buy. Hmmm maybe there won't.

  A girl can always dream!

  Ang

PVR

   Sunday afternoon I was looking for a tv show to watch when I noticed that the PVR was 67% full.  Do you have any idea how many shows that is? And I say shows because there are no movies recorded. Scary.

  There are 132 episodes of Coronation Street! I guess I'm quite far behind. At least they are only half hour shows. That's what I tell myself. But the math doesn't lie. It's 61 hours of watching to "catch up". I better get used to be being behind.

  I also found 28 episodes of Death In Paradise. It's a great show. The only problem is I've seen the first two seasons and have no idea where to begin watching the new ones. 

  I'm going to take this as a good sign. We aren't sitting around watching television. We are out living our lives. Being active and involved. That's a positive thing.

  But the next rainy day.....it's a Corrie marathon!

  Ang



  

Zzzzzzzz

  Not for the first time, last night Alex was mad at me. Very mad. The "I'm never speaking to you again" mad. While it lasted it was awful. But it will happen again and again I'm sure over the next few years. Ask anyone the teenage years are a challenge.

  But for the first time ever I was exhausted. Physically exhausted. The proverbial stuffing was kicked out of me. Strange how fighting with someone you love will do that to you.

  As long as we keep talking....or shouting....it will be ok. Just like the old saying "It will be alright in the end. If it's not alright it's not the end."

  Let's hope they were right!

  Ang

Water Water Everywhere

  Owning a house isn't only about paying the mortgage and mowing the lawn. There is an endless amount of work that needs to be done to it. Whether it's brand new or it's seen a family or two.

  Each age of a house brings new challenges. Ones that can be fixed and others you must learn to live with. But the one thing no one, especially me, wants to live with is water. 

  There is nothing worse for a home owners wallet then water in the basement. Worse, there can be numerous causes. You fix one with your fingers crossed that it's the problem. Water again? Well now it's time to fix the next one on the "most common reasons" list. This time both fingers and toes are crossed.

  But when water comes in the third time you just want to put a for sale sign on the lawn and walk away. Especially if you have fixed the two most expensive options with only limited success.

  That's where my day began. Who ever said third times the charm better not come anywhere near me today. On a positive note...and boy am I stretching to find a positive note...the amount was tiny. And one spot we have left open for future plumbing so that's really not an issue. But there is, obviously, something else that is needed to be done or we will never, ever be able to finish that area.

  I'm hoping it's a heavy rain/melting snow thing. Or a city pipe problem. I'm not sure my bank account can handle another round of basement repairs.

  Sniff, sniff....I guess the pool is no longer in the picture this year. Unless it's in the basement!

  Ang