I love my family, but we are so damn disfunctional. I try my best to do what i think is right and not model the behaviour of my parents.

I wonder if it is possible for the group of us to get together for any reason without there being some sort of drama. No wonder i get horrid stomach pains or end up being sick every year around this time.

I avoid the conflicts now, at almost any cost, even when i feel strongly about something. The rights of someone unable to speak for themselves is someone i should stand up for, yet i didn't, so i wouldn't be in the middle of something i had nothing to do with in the first place. I'm torn by having kept my mouth shut. Knowing it would have caused more drama, yet very displeased with the behaviour of so-called adults.

Yet this year, only 2 bits of drama... pretty good for our lot. But, there is always the second gathering of the year, on the 28th. Still time.

I described the 36 or so hours when my brother, his family, my parents, (e:Uncutsaniflush) and i were at my parent's house as "pleasant" to a few friends since we have been back home. Yet when telling of the 2 drama filled incidents, i was met with shock that a time in which both happened could still be described this way.

My friend Mark said it best, "sometimes i am grateful all my family does is talk about the weather and watch t.v."

Menstral cramps are the worst. So is getting up about every hour in the middle of the night to stumble into a cold bathroom to change one soggy bloody mess and change it out for something that will just be the same in another hour or so. I'm tired and drained (perhaps that pun was intended) today....

Well, i gone done did it. Last night, i went to my first GED pre class. Thanks again, (e:Ladycroft) for dropping off that brochure to me.

I called yesterday to see when classes start and i was told Mondays. And that i could come in that night, if i wanted to. I would have to have an orientation and do the prelim tests anyway, so why not do them now. OK, that makes sense.

So, last night, i did a short 50 question test. That was quickly graded and i was given the appropriate TABE test. That took the rest of the evening.

Tonight, i think i will get the TABE results and find out, more or less, where i need to concentrate my energies. I suspect maths will be the issue.. but i think i still need some social studies upgrades.

Having been school in another country, despite everyone here thinking "well, it's only right next door, Canada", we did learn different things. I have no idea, for example, what ANY of the amendments to the constitution are. Or how many ounces in a pound.... i learned metric! I think i only know inches because, for whatever reason, they are still the worldwide standard in hairdressing... wonder why that is?

Teach says i won't need to know some of those social studies things, that it is all in the test, you just need to read it to find it. But i had a math qestion last night i wouldn't have been able to figure out if i didn't know there are 16 ounces in a pound. How else could i know 8 ounces are 1/2 a pound?

As much as i would love to say that i could take that wonderful book you gave me, (e:Theecarey) (thanks once again for giving it to me!) and do it all, i have realized that after over 20 years away from schooling, i need more structure. Else, i think i would already have this damn GED.

So, for now, i will be satisfied by being the oldest one in the class. Perhaps even older than the teacher...

We ate at the Red Pepper on Maple today and i ordered off the menu -- Vegetarian Pho. Damn good. And here it is, after what (e:Uncutsaniflush) and i presume was about 10 minutes of eating.




I didn't realize it was going to be this kind of "tree hunt", but today i went to the sticks with Kirsten to cut down and drag a tree back to her place. It was chaotic and fun and i laughed so hard i could barely breathe.

We had both the dogs with us but saw a no pets sign. It would have been too muddy for them anyway. Thank goodness i had my wellies on.

We managed to tie the tree to the top of the car only to find out that our method left us unable to get into the car since we tied the twine through the open windows. I almost burst a lung laughing...

The dogs love the new tree tying on the top of the car method that involved some door opening. Gave them a chance to try to slip out. With me still recovering from the laughing, i wasn't much help, and Ava dashed out like... well, i guess a dog locked in a car. We got her back in by promising treats.

This morning, (e:Uncutsaniflush) and i went to an estate sale on Grand Island. I just don't understand the appeal of that particular suburb.... but what do i know, i live on the West Side!

So today, i had my usual city experiences, as well as a suburban one and a country one.....

Because it has pictures of your xmas gift.

Every year for well over 10 years i have been making my mom the same gift. The first year i did it, she opened it, gasped and told me i would never again be stuck for something to get her. Also in that first year, i did every single bit of it by hand. Now, done on CorelDraw (i swear, 2008 will be Open Source!!).

You would think a calendar would be boring. Or, that it would be easy to describe to people. Some might also wonder why it takes me so much time, even though nothing but my signature on the back of it and my instructions to Kinkos are done by hand anymore.

Here are pics of my Mom's 3 Month On A Page Calendar, 2007.

Front Page



January



February (those dots are hearts)



March



April



May



June



July and a close up to see the cute lil maple leafs




August



September



October



November



December with another closeup

Yesterday, we headed into Canada. Our main purpose was to return a birthday gift my parents got (e:Uncutsaniflush) and since they still had the reciept, we had to go all the way into Hamilton, not just to the nearest Future Shop. There's a lesson in that for us...

After the dastardly deed of returning said gift, getting a gift card for the value of it and purchasing something more appropriate was acheived, we decided to head downtown to the worst neighbourhood in town.

The corner of Barton Street East and Sherman Avenue North used to be that 'hood that i would ignore when apartment hunting, no matter how cheap the rents were.

It is also the Polish neighbourhood. And we were in search of a Polish treat i haven't had in a long time. (And yeah, folks, if i could spell it, i would; the fact that i can pronounce it is a feat in and of itself! Maybe (e:Uncutsaniflush) will be kind enough to tell us in the comments)

We went to a deli that (e:Uncutsaniflush) vaguely remembered when he and my dad walked by after they parked on a side street to go eat dinner at a Polish restaurant before going to Ivor Wynne to see the Ti-Cats play... probably over a year ago.

Didn't get the treat i wanted, but we got lots of other yummy sweets, even by the same company, E.Wedel, including a beautiful tin wiht very very good chocolates inside!

We had fun wandering the two short blocks.

We went out to dinner with my parents.

And, we found out the cedar chest i have always loved did fit into the back seats of our lil Toyota Prius! My mom offered it to us once she got a small chest of drawers to put her stuff into. She found one at Ikea, put it together and emptied the chest out. The customs officer looked slightly perplexed and wanted to look inside... which of course we had made sure was possible.

I am thrilled to have it. It's my late maternal grandmother's. Someone i was very close with. It was her hope chest when she got married. She gave it to my mom. And now, finally, my mom gave it to me.

I admit it. I love going to the mailbox and finding a letter or a card. I like paper, stationery, fancy pens and cards.

I know i am a dying breed... no one cares much for anything as slow as snailmail anymore. But i do. I just finished my holiday cards.

I mailed off the ones that need to go overseas to England and Australia yesterday. Hope they won't be late.

The Canadian and US ones are mostly ready, save 2 of my cousins that moved last year. Rob, from Michigan to Texas for a better accounting job. Mike and his wife, Nicole moved away from Toronto to get a house in Oakville, i think (shocked the hell out of me; both are total Toronto snobs). Waiting for emails to tell me their addresses. Interesting twist there...

I also updated my user sound, since i was getting all holidayish. Kate Bush's Decemember Will Be Magic Again. Not her best, but hey, it's very holiday-y sounding...

Not that it is his fault my filling cracked and crumbled in my mouth today. It's actually the fault of a previous dentist, i am sure; he knew i was totally broke and only patched up my teeth, instead of giving me a more expensive crown. Looks like i have to call my dentist in the morning. (e:Mike) , you should get a finders fee from them... they are making a few bucks off me and you recommended them!

What actually happens to socks that get lost in the laundry process? I used to loose socks in the dryer. I thought those coin op ones had it in for me and my manly black socks. Then, one here and there would disappear in the washer. Today, it disappeared before getting to either -- in the sorting process. Is this a sign i am supposed to be a barefoot hippie?!?

(e:Uncutsaniflush) and i decided to eat lunch off our usual beaten path today. Since it was a nice day, we thought eating on the strip and a stroll would be a good thing.

My only request was anywhere but Globe Market, since the few times i was there, they couldn't get their heads out of their asses. And i think my only 2 choices there are cheese related....

We thought about Solid Grouds, but the menu online had me aghast -- 7 bucks for a peanut butter sandwich? No thanks.

We ended up at Off The Wall, having had a decent dinner there many moons ago and we vaguely recalled something about lunch specials.

I reckon we should have run when the server told us what they had run out of. I think, too, the cook (no way i would call him a chef) ran out of something as well, but i am way to polite to say. Suffice it to say that any cook that can't make french fries that are cooked all the way through and actually warm (forget about hot), perhaps needs a refresher in cookery. Even i know that warming up a plate really helps keep food warm to bring out to customers. Sheesh.

My veg burger was moderately good, if barely warm. The salad dressing (my second choice, they ran out of the one i asked for) was very good, though. Best thing i can say about the meal. 'Cause i can bitch about the price... not worth it, peeps, not worth it.

On a sweeter note...

I changed my user sound. Title track to the album Car Wheels On a Gravel Road by Lucinda Williams.