No, sorry, (e:Mike), this isn't about Britney or any celebrity gossip. This one is about me....

Ever have one of those days that turns into something you never thought it would? How something meant as silly turns out to be a big deal? No? I do.

Looks as though i might be job hunting again....

I wanted to come to the party this weekend. I really did. I was even going to bring the rice cooker for you, (e:Libertad). I totally need to call you so i can give it to you!

I probably would have dressed up as Eeyore, a bit of a copout since we have a full sized fuzzy costume. Last year i went to gay bingo with Kirsten in it... (e:LeeTee,25685).

But alas, my day, particularly my morning was one of hell that found me wandering Elmwood at 6.30am, with over 30 minutes to wait for a bus and the new information that Spot does NOT open at 6am on the weekend, despite what the giant sign says and what the moron on the phone told me the night before when i called. Sorry, venting there...

My boss was late so i was not only 40 minutes early (damn buses, i was only that early so i wouldn't be 5 minutes late!), but i waited 45 minutes for her to show up. Then, she asked me to work until 6. With someone that i might as well be working alone. Some people will never grow up.

Instead of working 5 hours as scheduled, i worked 11... and then there was the bus ride ((e:Uncutsaniflush) was working, so it would have been me only anyway, folks) home so at 7.45pm, i was finally home, 13 hours or more after my day began and exhausted.

It's been a weird series of events that has kept me from being at an (e:strip) party these days... mostly just timing. I won't let that jerk that told me i wasn't welcome from going... if i could get my shit together enough to get there, that is.

In the meantime, here's some Rowan... and one of my favorite not Mr. Bean skits... "welcome to hell".

Returning from a vacation is exhausting. I need a vacation from my vacation.

Being able to do laundry before leaving, while chillaxing on the last night makes the unpacking process so much more simple.

A guest suite in a generous friend's house is such a pleasant and far more homey way to be in a city you once lived in. A hotel would make it all seem so wrong, so foreign, as though it is and always be a place to visit, not somewhere once lived. Thank you once again, Linda.

The obsessiveness of not being without something has turned my purse/backpack into an old lady purse that can make multitudes of everyday things appear from it. Except dental floss. And that was only a test. Thanks, Kim, for proving my purse does not hold everything, but now has a mini dental floss in it.

Cemetaries are beautiful places. Even when someone you love is in one.

Often, it is those that are humble in their skills have the sharpest. Thank you, Brandon, for what you added to my vacation and my life. Not sure you will ever understand how much the simplicity of what you do when you are brave enough to face it does for me. Thanks for getting up there a few more times and allowing me to get it.

Some people never change. It's amusing to rely on the insanity of a select few.

There are times when people come into our lives and we think that we regret our time with them. Sometimes, they leave things with us that teach us. Often, what not to look for in a friend. Sometimes, they leave us with the connections of people we cannot imagine being without.

It's so mindblowingly amazing to have friendships that can pick up where they left off no matter how long it has been since last contact.

Brunch is a good meal. Sunday brunch is even better.

I miss where i used to live. But up here will always be home. It's good to be home.

I know you are missing the colours, so i thought this would be nice for you. Let me know if you want me to mail you some... ha ha ha.

Anyone want a rice cooker? We have an extra one.

My sister in law gave us one for xmas a few years back. Then, two years later, gave us another one. I think she forgot she already got us one. The second one has been sitting in a box for a while until the other day when i decided to get it out and try it. It's a bit bigger than the first one she gave us... so we are going to keep number two.

Anyone want the number one? Free. Email me and we can arrange a drop off or pick up.

Today is mine and (e:Uncutsaniflush)'s 6th wedding anniversary. We met, in person, for the first time on Friday, 6 October, 2000 and were married exactly one year later. We were married on the deck of the house we lived in the first 3 years of our marriage, and most importantly to me, the place i realized i love this crazy bald head of a man. He rocks. I wouldn't trade him for anything in the whole wide world.

I've been using the nickname LeeTee since i got married. Thing is, my real full name is Leette and so few people can pronouce it when they read it and i get called LeeTee when they do, so why not just go with it. Most people call me Lee, since i hate hate hate the name Leette. And, now that my last name starts with a T, i figure, LeeTee is even more appropriate.

Today, however, i got myself a new nickname. Last night, two of my co-workers were sitting in the backroom, doing the closing stuff. One had met me and the other hadn't. The one that hadn't looked up at the schedule and asked the other, "Who is this Lettuce person?" When they told me that shortly after arriving and introducing myself to the co-worker i hadn't met yet, i almost burst a lung laughing. So far, it is my favourite nickname. I want them to call me that. I want a name tag that says that. But the manager said no, my name tag has to stay boring -- "Lee".

Today was my first official day at work "on the floor". All i had done before that were training exercises and a bit of re-stocking. And would you believe it, my very first official customer ever was one of our own. An (e:peep). Oh, (e:Enknot), you lucky, lucky man...

As i mentioned in a previous post (see below or (e:LeeTee,41260)), i am now in possession of my late maternal grandmother's rings. I have been trying to get a decent picture of them... but this will have to do.



And, for our overseas contingent who says she misses rain, i tried my best to take a good picture for you. I think it just looks like a wet street even though it was pissing down rain. Maybe i should have timed it to take just when the lightning was flashing?

Here you go, (e:Ladycroft).

This weekend, my parents came to visit. Of course they did, there were (e:peep) happenings....

I decided, earlier in the week, since it had been getting colder, i would make some cabbage rolls for them.

They would be bringing Ralphie the dog (their dog sitter is getting old and not well, and the dog himself is getting old and not well as i mentioned in a previous post, (e:LeeTee,40897)), so i knew that my dad would not want to arrive and leave "poor Ralphie" alone in a strange house so we could go eat out.

I have made cabbage rolls once in the past before (e:LeeTee,25631) and i tried to remember all the lessons i learned from that time, even though it was over a year ago. I think have the seasonings better and the fake meat i used was a better blend. But, during the process, i ran out of cabbage. Too much filling, not enough cabbage.

So, i put my shoes on to walk to Guercio's. Forgetting that i had taken the string out of my yoga pants to try to makeshift leash the beagle i sorta rescued the other day, (e:LeeTee,41203), the fast pace i was walking made my pants fall down. OK, now, our 'hood of Grant and Bird isn't the best, but i reckon i might get mistaken for one of the many tradeswomen if i kept that up. So, i had to hold my pants up... which, in a very odd way, made me fit in a tiny bit better with a certain segment of the population here. Either that or i looked like some crazy lady wannabe.

The end result of my second attempt at cabbage rolls (oh, please, do not ask me to spell the polish word i know how to say that translates to pigs in a blanket!) was good. No one complained or got sick. My dad loved them, my mom even liked them, the meat eater that she is. Of course, one could never mistake my version for one with meat, but it has it's own charms.

The rest of our weekend with them was nice... low key. I helped my parents give Ralphie his Subcutaneous injection for his kidney disease. My dad claims things are more calm when i jab him with the needle. Once again, being a former i.v. drug user finally comes in handy.

The biggest surprise... no, shock, of the weekend is that i am now in possession of my late maternal grandmother's wedding and engagement rings.

I have always loved these rings. I have no idea of their monetary value. I just think now, as have i always, that they are pretty.

When my grandmother died, my grandfather gave them to my mother.

Before (e:Uncutsaniflush) and i got married, i asked my mom if i could have grandma's rings. She said no.. grandpa might be offended if he saw that i was wearing them and not her.

My mom rarely wears them, not being a fan of them. When she does, as when my grandmother wore them, i would try and take them off and put them on my finger.

While sitting on our front porch this weekend, i did that very same thing. I reached over to my mom's hand, and took off the rings and put them on my finger.

She said, "You can have them" to which i replied, "Yeah, i know, when you kick it, i will get them" and she said, "No, now, you can have them. You love them. You keep them."

Shock and tears came next... grandma's rings. I have grandma's rings. Even now, thinking that they are on my finger as i type this, makes me well up a bit.

Turns out my mom had been thinking of giving them to me recently. When she was visiting her brother and sister in law over labour day weekend, she was wearing them and mentioned to my Aunt Pat that she might give them to me. Soon... before she died. That she would like to see me happy to have them, not wait until she died to have them.

The stipulation of me having these rings, as writen in my mom's will, is that since i cannot have children of my own, is that i pass them onto my neice, my brother's daughter. I promise.

Wow... grandma's rings...

So, yesterday one of the reasons i went with (e:Uncutsaniflush) to Lockport is that i needed a distraction.

Sure, i could have occupied myself around the house, but i had already done most of the tasks that would take up the time i had.

Mostly, it was because i was a bit nervous.

See, i got myself a real job. Sure, i could have kept on with the occasional odd jobs i have been getting, but it doesn't fit in with my grand plan.

Today, i worked 4 hours. Next week, i also work 4 hours. The following week, i will work the amount of hours i was hired to work -- 20. A nice way to ease back into working, after over 7 years being a housewife.

Plus, the manager was supercool about me needing time off (yeah, already!) next month when (e:Uncutsaniflush) and i will be heading to Knoxville to visit his mother's grave on the anniversary of her death.

So far, all i have really done is fill out papers and start training... watching dvd's, reading manuals and answering questions in a work book. So no sore feet on the first day... woo hoo.

I think i will like this job. So far, i can't see why i wouldn't... but like all jobs, ya never know until you get in there and get dirty.