Some quick updates

A week and a half until we move. I'm starting to get slightly stressed, although it probably has more to do with the insane amounts of computer issues we have been having. I finally ordered all our phone/cable, etc today, and now just have to finish packing (still throwing out tons of stuff each garbage day). Work has been pretty good- although one of our full-timers is leaving, we found a really great girl who we're really excited to be hiring. That's a load off, but there is still the training to do, which is always complicated. We'll get through it!

Computer-wise, after getting all the data recovered, we decided it was time to get a new computer. I can't say I was that upset with this outcome - I've been wanting to switch to a laptop since we bought the business. However, I was not that excited to get Windows Vista, and it turns out I was right.

This operating system bites the big one.

Not one of the programs we have loaded with it has been fully functional - MSOffice, Acrobat, Blackberry software, Simply Accounting. You know, just all the programs we need to be a functional small business. I have spent the last three days randomly testing different things and surfing the internet trying to find solutions. I'm ready to tear my hair out. Basically, Bill Gates isn't satisfied with ruling the universe, he now just wants to fuck with people and so has made an OS that will only work with like four programs, all of which were launched at the same time as Vista, and all of which cost about a billion dollars.

But it is very pretty.

A bit more calm, I guess

So, the idiot tech guy did nothing for me. Nothing! We dropped the computer off on Monday night at 5:30 and were told the tech guy would be there Tuesday at 10am. At 11am I called to get a progress report and was told the tech guy was on a service visit, and then would be taking lunch, and would be back at 1.

At 1, I tried to call to get an update. I got put on hold for 10 minutes. I hung up and drove over to the store. It took them 20 minutes to send someone to tell me that the tech guy still wasn't back yet. I asked if he had looked at the computer before he left. It took them 10 minutes to find my computer, bring it out, and tell me no one had looked at it yet. Where is the tech guy? I asked. "At lunch, he will be back in five minutes" It's 1:30, I was told he would be back from lunch at 1. "Yes, 1 is when he is usually back" Then how do you know he will be back in five minutes, when he is already half an hour late? "Five, maybe ten minutes, he will be back". Can you call him and see when he will really be back? "No. Five, ten minutes he will be back." Give me my computer.

So, then I'm stressed out AND pissed off.

I get home and SB says that maybe their work tech guy could take a look at it, but he can only come by late afternoon and we will maybe have the data back the next day. This is better than nothing, but my schedule is still not done and I don't know if I've forgotten any Tuesday appointments.

Then I get a facebook message from Ems's Brian: I hear you're having computer problems...

I call him up. He graciously offers to take a look at it, and at the very least he'll hopefully be able to retrieve our data.

Two hours later, I'm home and able to work from my mac. We've decided the old computer is pretty much a write off. I just don't trust it anymore, so don't feel like paying to fix whatever the problem is (it will now start up, run okay for like five minutes, then randomly shut down...) just to have it break down again in a month. So, while we save/figure out where to get money for a new one, we will use mine and SB's computers.

And for the record, Brian Williams is a data extraction guru.

So much stress

I haven't been this stressed in a while. I'm generally a very easy-going person, especially now that I'm back on my meds. But, last week we had some major work done on our Jetta, and then we had some work done on the work van. One of our full time girls gave her notice and will be leaving next month - we're sad. But, I'm glad she gave plenty of notice cause it makes finding someone a bit less stressful. And then our sale was finalized for the condo, which is not stressful, but very exciting - we have our closing in two weeks. Then yesterday our work computer wouldn't turn on and I hadn't done the schedules for this week yet, so I'm hoping that I didn't forget anyone. And I'm hoping that the stupid tech guy can fix it and have it back to me by this afternoon.

Other than that, things are great. We keep throwing out at least three bags full of garbage twice a week, just of stuff that's been sitting around that we're ready to chuck. Or shread. Phone bills from 2001 anyone?

The Sopranos had a GREAT first episode - there was just enough snippets to update us on some of the other characters, but also a good juicy plot.

This week is more packing and cleaning. People are starting to visit the apartment tonight, so we have to actually keep some semblance of normalcy to help our landlady get the place rented. She shouldn't have a problem, it's a pretty great place.

Probably my best discovery in a while - Simon would disagree

Have you ever gotten a little baby kitten, and he's so cute and puffy, and sweet. And then he grows up, and still so cute, and it's time to chop off his balls, and you're okay with that, but they also ask if you want him declawed, and you then face the eternal moral dilemma.

Yes, yes I would love to have him declawed. And my furniture would love it too. But I'm not sure I could live with myself knowing my kitty had been robbed of his claws and first knuckles forever. With no hope of defending himself if he ever escaped. Or for that matter, no hope of defending himself from an ever-grumpy Basset Hound who would later come into his life and become his eternal nemesis.

So you don't have him declawed, and you feel good about it. Until it's 4am and he's sharpening his claws on the wooden doors of your $500 wardrobe. Then you don't feel so good.

I have become increasingly anxious about the claw situation (and other situations too, but don't worry, I'm back on my meds) because we are moving soon (have ya heard?) and are probably getting a bunch of new furniture which we would prefer to not have scratched up. Then I found this.

Cue the angels singing and sunshine through the clouds from above.

These are the best things ever. Guilt-free. Easy to put on (although Simon doesn't love having them put on, it only takes about five minutes to apply them, and five minutes for them to set). And, if your cat is a boy and is really pissing you off, you can get back at him by buying the pink ones. I highly recommend them.

Things I hate about the Food Network

1 - Rachel Ray's accent - it's out of control. She moved from the midwest like ten million years ago - that accent should be fading out by now.

2 - Ina Garten's breathing - I know they keep the mikes really sensitive on these cooking shows, so you can hear all the fun food sounds (which also gross me out - especially when they are mixing up really gloppy foods), but I really could go without hearing the Barefoot Contessa's heavy breathing while still reaping the benefits of learning how to make a great rack of lamb.

3 - Giada DeLaurentis' giant cranium. Can that girl's head get any larger? really? She's like a Barbie doll, or no, one of those Bratz dolls that they have now. Tiny little mini-body, HUGE GIGANTIC HEAD.

A friend of ours

Things are moving into second gear in the whole "moving" thing. We picked up some boxes on the weekend, so I can start packing up (yay!), we did our home inspection on Saturday, which let us know that a) our place is too new to have any problems and b) our place was constructed well, so there are no foreseeable problems other than normal wear and tear. Last night SB met with our landlady to let her know we will not be renewing our lease - she was actually really sad and said that we are her best tenants.

Trying to decide now what furniture we will keep and what we will sell. Anybody wanna buy a Leksvik 7 drawer chest? $100.

I haven't had much time lately to think of things other than work and moving, and I know TV is not much more exciting to hear about, but YAY the Sopranos are coming back in two weeks! I've been watching the re-runs of part one of season six, and I know it didn't air that long ago, but I had totally forgotten all of the crazy stuff that happened at the end of Part I. I think I was so sad that we were left hanging that I had totally blocked out the good stuff.

- Phil Leotardo is in the hospital with a heart attack and Tony goes to him for a truce - SO HUGE
- AJ starts a relationship with a Puerto Rican who has a kid. And he's working in construction. Before he met the girl, I thought it was only a matter of time before he got mobbed up. Then when he started seeing her, I thought he was safe. Then at the end, when he's talking to them about buying her necklace at the mall and Christopher is like "you should have asked me, I know a guy" I was like - yikes, AJ is totally getting made!
- Meadow is in California - something bad has to happen, because she is altogether too happy, and Finn is the one who ratted on Vito and I think that will end up coming back somehow.
- Carmela's spec house is supposed to distract her from searching for Adriana, but I think she is going to find out that Tony had her whacked.
- I WANT FURIO TO COME BACK

So much stuff! anyway, if you've never watched before, then I guess it's kinda late to get into it, but I highly suggest getting all the DVDs and watching.

Adventures in psychopharmaceuticals

I have been taking meds for about 18 months. They keep me from crying in the pharmacy, in my car, and when I run out of Cheetohs. My doctor said we would try them for a year or so, and then wean me off slowly and see how it goes. When I got back from vacation, I had about 14 pills left, and then one refill.

I decided to wean off, convinced I am now happy, and well-adjusted, and fabulous, so why do I need this crutch? I started by taking half a pill a day, then every two days, then not at all. I haven't taken any meds for about a month now.

I thought it was going really great - not one phone commercial had made me cry, I wasn't feeling exhausted all the time (that was one of my major symptoms when I first went on meds - I was just constantly tired. I think I would have stayed in bed all day for a week if it had been allowed.) But then I noticed something.

Sometimes I would find myself acting like I was on speed. Things would blurt out of my mouth before they even popped into my head. All the time. I've been almost manic, just talking and talking and talking. I found myself at a client meeting wondering how I had gotten off on a tangent about dog diarrhea. The other night while watching TV with SB I kept cracking him up with all the random one-liners I kept throwing at him.

So, while I'm glad that I no longer want to crawl into my bed and sleep for a month, I don't think this new behavior is quite acceptable either. At least I am functional, but I don't trust myself to open my mouth, for fear of what will come out of it.

I'll go see the doctor next week and see what he thinks. Not sure if I will go back on my old meds or get something new, but in the meantime I'm thinking of taking my routine on the road.

A full closet be not a good closet

Before Christmas I did a closet clean-out and piled two garbage bags full of clothes that I haven't worn for...well some of them I've had since high school. It felt good, and a bit melancholic as well. My closet and drawers were jam-packed full, but a lot of the stuff that I was donating was just slightly too small for me (or a lot too small, depending what era of my life it originated in), and I couldn't help but thinking that I could get some use out of it if I would just lose that ten pounds (or 20, or 30...)

Now that we are moving (yay yay yay), it's time to do a full purge of all of our stuff. We have stuff that I haven't seen since we moved it from Lennoxville five years ago. That stuff has to go.

Yesterday was Closet Day, and I cleaned out mine and SB's closet, and all of our dressers. We ended up with three more garbage bags of clothes to donate, and one garbage bag of garbage - torn, ripped, gross clothes that no one would want. And underwear. Who wants 2nd hand underwear? Where did all this stuff come from?

Today is Magazine Day - I'm trying to go through all the magazines I have accumulated, pull out anything useful, and chuck the rest. Wedding mags stay. Cosmo from 1987 is garbage. New Yorker is a keeper. US magazine announcing Britney and Justin's break-up - although nostalgic - is getting recycled.

I feel good getting all these things done, and finally decluttering, but I also feel a bit overwhelmed. When did we accumulate all of this stuff? Where did it come from? And, though it may seem trivial, some things are hard to make the call on. What if in three months I think back and regret chucking something?

So much pressure.

Ours, ours, all ours

So, we will be moving on or before May 1st. On or before, meaning the current owners are already moved out, so as soon as all the inspections, document perusals (condo rules and agreements), and notary crap is done, we could theoretically pay up and move in. Could be done in as little as two weeks. Whoa.

Now it's time to start adding up all the moving expenses, of which there are many many many, and they add up. Especially hook up fees - pretty pissed that we have been Bell clients for ten years and we still have to pay $50 to get our account and number transferred.

Here are a couple of photos of the space, with the current owners' stuff, of course, but gives you a bit of an idea.

I can't wait to get in there!!!

Well, I know one thing for sure...

My digestive system does not enjoy stressful situations like condo buying.

I was finally able to get some sleep last night, after taking some allergy meds which put me out.

The problem I'm having today is stomach-burn (not even heart burn, just total gurgle belly). I went and got a hair cut to try to relax a bit (I find my hair turned out a bit weird - maybe it will just take a few days to get used to).

Anyway, so the seller gave us another counter-offer, which we are accepting, and will sign and send back to him tomorrow. Everything will be notarized at the end of April, and we will be good to go move in on the 1st of May. Holy crap, that's in like a month!

WE ARE MOVING IN A MONTH.

Barring any major catastrophes, of course. We have to get the place inspected, even though it's brand new, still a good idea to have an official reading on the state of the place when we get it. Also have to arrange for movers, and start thinking about things we need to buy/sell before moving.

I feel like starting to pack right now. I'm so excited!!!

Okay, now I'm going to go and try to sooth my stomach.

The waiting game

Yesterday we put in an offer for The Dream Condo. Now I am tearing my eyes out with the horror and the agony of the waiting.

The Dream Condo is literally that. We saw quite a few places, all of them built recently (since 2000), some around 1000 square feet (like Dream Condo) some giant ones over 1500 sq ft with mezzanines. But none of them felt like home. Dream Condo automatically gave me the feeling that I already lived there. There are only a handful of little projects I could foresee possibly undertaking to make it more our own (like a counter upgrade - gross green laminate countertop in the kitchen, and some other gross laminate in the bathroom. I dream of soapstone.) But even the paint colors are us. They even have the same furniture we do (albeit it is IKEA furniture, and half the city probably has it, but it just fits in the space.)

Dream Condo is in an apartment-style building, but doesn't feel like it. There is a little gate you enter instead of a doorway, and the stairwell leading up to our door is open. We would be on the second floor, so not too high up for the doggies, who are quite old and don't like stairs so much, but not on the ground floor, with people walking by and getting all up in our business. The walls and floors are all constructed of concrete, so there is practically no way to be bothered by neighbors, unless they are hanging out their windows screaming and you happen to be on your balcony. We would have a parking spot. I would be less than five minutes away from half of our clients. The Dream Condo is heated by blowing air, not baseboards, so feels more comfy. There is central air conditioning. A gas fireplace. A giant spa tub and separate shower. Hardwood floors. Cherry wood cabinets. Stone tile in the kitchen. His and her closets. A giant balcony. And no grass to mow.

Why would we choose a condo? It's next to impossible to find a free-standing house in the city that we could afford. Living outside of the city is not an option for us right now, as I need to be close to the business, and we can't afford to rent an office. Plus SB also works downtown. Some of the older condos are really charming and romantic-looking, but how romantic is it to hear your neighbors upstairs clomping around at 5am? And how charming are all the other problems that come along with a place built in 1920? We don't have time for that. Would it be nice to have a yard - theoretically yes. But our dogs are so old and dependent I don't think they'd really enjoy it, maintenance is annoying, and....maintenance is annoying. Our balcony is big enough for a bbq, lawnchairs, a nice furniture set, etc. We can hang out out there on a Saturday and drink beer, read the paper, let the dogs and cat sleep in the sun.

I don't know, maybe I'm being too idealistic. I'm sure once we (if we) move in we will find out what the downsides are to this place. But for now I just want all this offer-counteroffer-countercounteroffer bullshit to be done, and I want to know if and when we are moving. I can't sleep. I have a migraine. I hate negotiations. SB loves them, and is having a hard time understanding my grumpiness. But we should know by tonight. So I'm trying to keep busy and make the day go by fast fast fast.

Whirlwind

Wowie.

So, in the last week I have:
- worked two groups a day minimum as one of my girls was on vacation
- had a dog puke in the car every day for five days.
- started looking for a condo to buy
- met with an agent to help us find the perfect condo
- watched The Departed - awesome!!!
- got bit in the face by a puppy, very near my eye
-got snapped in the hand and arm by a giant elasticky leash one of my clients has when her dog got excited, chased a ball, and the clasp broke, subsequently snapping the leash back on me, narrowly missing my eyes.
- had a dog spray in the car to mark it (an un-neutered pug male - not a whole lot of stink or pee, but still very annoying and icky)
- found the perfect condo
- started looking at making an offer on that condo
- lost a dog for half an hour (found the little bastard, but he kept running from me. He was soooo sticky and dirty from the salty sidewalks. All the other dogs were pissed at him - because of him, their walk got cut short)
- had the time change totally fuck up my life.

It has been a crazy week - we are going to see Dream Condo again tonight (our third visit - we've been to two open houses there, and now we're going back with our agent). And I LOVE LOVE LOVE it. We've seen a bunch of other places, but this place just gives me that feeling. You know the feeling. Like you already live there. I just love it so much. When we talk about it, it's all I can say. I just love it. So much. Ugh, I will really hate if we don't get it. Unless something better magically pops up out of nowhere. I hate the waiting. It really drags it out, having to make appointments all over the place to see it, finance it, blah blah blah. Poor SB is swamped at work as well, and is the primary responsible for doing the whole business part of it (I just participate in the selection, decoration, and general "putting togetheredness" of it all), so he's having a tough time balancing, I'm sure.

Anyway, I have a lot of anxiety right now. I can't wait until we settle on something (ie The Dream Condo) and the moving process begins. And ends. I can't wait.

I have a problem...

I'm addicted to Facebook!

What the hell is this thing, and where the hell did it come from? Who is the evil, evil person who came up with this bright idea?

I got an invite like a month ago, and signed up, but never went back. Then suddenly, this week I got like four more invites. So yesterday I officially got on there, and started looking for people. Actually, the most fun thing is browsing everyone else's friends and finding people that way, cause it turns out I'm not as great with names as I thought I was. Plus, people get married, and the crazy ladies who don't live in Quebec actually change their names when they get married. Crazy girls. (just kidding - it's so weird here, for those of you who don't live here, it is actually EXTREMELY difficult to change your name when you get married. People rarely do it officially.)

Anyway, so I've been stuck on Facebook all morning, even though I have to do my payroll.

Oh, also, yesterday I got bit in the face by a six month old lab. I was trying to grab her collar to give her back to her owner (she chased my group down the trail, and the owner hadn't even brought a leash with him - dumbass), and she just jumped right up and mouthed me in the face with her sharp little puppy teeth. My face was of course frozen, since it is minus one million degrees outside, so it really hurt, but she didn't break the skin, thank goodness. Nor did I lose an eye. This time.

I have no idea what "Meme" means, but I love this one

I found this on Jen's site, and think it is fantastic!!!!

Original Instructions: In the list of books below, bold the ones you’ve read, italicize the ones you want to read, cross out the ones you won’t touch with a ten-foot pole, put a cross (+) in front of the ones on your book shelf, and asterisk (*) the ones you’ve never heard of.

I left some books in just regular old font, these are the ones I am not sure I want to read or not.

Can't get strikethrough to work in blogger, so have made the ones I will not touch with a ten foot pole red.

Feel free to tell me I am totally wrong and should read something on this list (take note that I hate hate hate magic realism, fantasy, and anything that involves wizards. I will just never like these, ever, so don’t try to push them on me.)

1. +The Da Vinci Code (Dan Brown)
2. Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen)
3. To Kill A Mockingbird (Harper Lee) (I can’t believe I don’t own this one!)
4. Gone With The Wind (Margaret Mitchell)
5. The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (Tolkien)
6. The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring (Tolkien)
7. The Lord of the Rings: Two Towers (Tolkien)
8. Anne of Green Gables (L.M. Montgomery)
9. +Outlander (Diana Gabaldon)
10. A Fine Balance (Rohinton Mistry)
11. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Rowling)
12. +Angels and Demons (Dan Brown)
13. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Rowling)
14. A Prayer for Owen Meany (John Irving) (I love John Irving – slowly working my way through all of his stuff)
15. +Memoirs of a Geisha (Arthur Golden)
16. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (Rowling)
17. +Fall on Your Knees(Ann-Marie MacDonald)
18. The Stand (Stephen King)
19. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban(Rowling)
20. Jane Eyre (Charlotte Bronte)
21. The Hobbit (Tolkien)
22. +The Catcher in the Rye (J.D. Salinger)
23. Little Women (Louisa May Alcott)
24. The Lovely Bones (Alice Sebold)
25. +Life of Pi (Yann Martel) (hated this book. Hated.)
26. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (Douglas Adams)
27. +Wuthering Heights (Emily Bronte)
28. The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe (C. S. Lewis)
29. East of Eden (John Steinbeck)
30. Tuesdays with Morrie(Mitch Albom)
31. Dune (Frank Herbert)
32. The Notebook (Nicholas Sparks)
33. Atlas Shrugged (Ayn Rand)
34. +1984 (Orwell)
35. The Mists of Avalon (Marion Zimmer Bradley)
36. The Pillars of the Earth (Ken Follett)
37. *The Power of One (Bryce Courtenay)
38. +I Know This Much is True(Wally Lamb) (probably my favorite book ever)
39. *The Red Tent (Anita Diamant)
40. The Alchemist (Paulo Coelho)
41. The Clan of the Cave Bear (Jean M. Auel)
42. +The Kite Runner (Khaled Hosseini)
43. +Confessions of a Shopaholic (Sophie Kinsella)
44. The Five People You Meet In Heaven (Mitch Albom)
45. Bible
46. +Anna Karenina (Tolstoy)
47. The Count of Monte Cristo (Alexandre Dumas)
48.+ Angela’s Ashes (Frank McCourt)
49. The Grapes of Wrath (John Steinbeck)
50. +She’s Come Undone (Wally Lamb)
51. The Poisonwood Bible (Barbara Kingsolver)
52. A Tale of Two Cities (Dickens)
53. *Ender’s Game (Orson Scott Card)
54. Great Expectations (Dickens)
55. +The Great Gatsby (Fitzgerald)
56. The Stone Angel (Margaret Laurence)
57. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Rowling)
58. The Thorn Birds (Colleen McCullough)
59. +The Handmaid’s Tale (Margaret Atwood)
60. *The Time Traveller’s Wife (Audrew Niffenegger)
61. Crime and Punishment (Fyodor Dostoyevsky)
62. The Fountainhead (Ayn Rand)
63. War and Peace (Tolstoy)
64. Interview With The Vampire (Anne Rice)
65. Fifth Business (Robertson Davis)
66. One Hundred Years Of Solitude (Gabriel Garcia Marquez)
67. The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants (Ann Brashares)
68. Catch-22 (Joseph Heller) -
69. Les Miserables (Hugo)
70. The Little Prince (Antoine de Saint-Exupery)
71. +Bridget Jones’ Diary (Fielding)
72. Love in the Time of Cholera (Marquez)
73. Shogun (James Clavell)
74. The English Patient (Michael Ondaatje)
75. The Secret Garden (Frances Hodgson Burnett)
76. *The Summer Tree (Guy Gavriel Kay)
77. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (Betty Smith)
78. The World According To Garp (John Irving)
79. +The Diviners (Margaret Laurence)
80. +Charlotte’s Web (E.B. White)
81. +Not Wanted On The Voyage (Timothy Findley)
82. Of Mice And Men (Steinbeck)
83. *Rebecca (Daphne DuMaurier)
84. *Wizard’s First Rule (Terry Goodkind)
85. Emma (Jane Austen)
86. Watership Down(Richard Adams)
87. Brave New World (Aldous Huxley)
88. +The Stone Diaries (Carol Shields)
89. *Blindness (Jose Saramago)
90. *Kane and Abel (Jeffrey Archer)
91. In The Skin Of A Lion (Ondaatje)
92. Lord of the Flies (Golding)
93. *The Good Earth(Pearl S. Buck)
94. The Secret Life of Bees (Sue Monk Kidd)
95. The Bourne Identity (Robert Ludlum)
96. The Outsiders (S.E. Hinton)
97. +White Oleander (Janet Fitch)
98. A Woman of Substance (Barbara Taylor Bradford)
99. The Celestine Prophecy (James Redfield)
100. Ulysses (James Joyce) (I love James Joyce’s short work, just not sure if I’m ready to commit to this one)

I recommend meme'ing this too - if you do, leave it in my comments!

Back on track

Wow, so it has taken me a week to get back into the swing of things after vacation. My tan is fading. It's depressing.

SB ran the business alone while I was away, and I must say he did a pretty fantastic job considering a few weird things popped up. He handled them well, especially since he was in the middle of one of his busiest weeks at his real job.

My second day back on the job, I took my mommy with me to visit some cats. They were fun and sweet, and I think my mom actually liked playing with them while I did all the dirty chores. The apartment was on the second floor, with an interior stairwell with about 15 stairs. You see where this is going, right? We took our shoes off at the top of the stairs, and then when we left, obviously, we put our shoes back on at the top of the stairs. But the stairs were painted with a very glossy paint. And our boots were wet.

Yup, I fell down the stairs.

My mom went down first, and was unlocking the door when I fell down like 10 stairs. She turned and said "What are you doing?" Seriously?

So for like three days last week my ass and right arm were killing me. My ass hurt when I ran. My arm hurt when I buckled my seatbelt.

Welcome back from vacation.

Looky looky who's back!!!

Hey there all! Did you miss me? I sure didn't miss you, cause I was on a beach for a week, but now sadly I am back at home.

Cuba was amazing, as always. We had lots of sun, great beach days, the food was reasonably okay (I could never say it was great, no matter where we stayed - buffet is buffet), and all was very relaxing. Except for one thing.

THE RASH CAME BACK!!!!!

I couldn't even believe it - it showed up on the third day, and is still coming on strong. I thought maybe it was the sun, or the salt water, or something the hotel washed their sheets and towels in. Then I thought maybe it was the rum, so I only drank beer and wine for a whole day. Then it got worse, so I thought maybe it was the beer, so drank only rum all day. But I just kept itching and itching. And am still itching. I took some photos of it one day, so once I upload I will post them. I cannot be allergic to Cuba. I will not. I refuse.

So, drugged up on Benedryl, I was unfortunately not very exciting as far as travelling companions go, but I think my mom had a very fun trip, and finally got to relaxing by the end of it.

Our return travel was a bit tiring - we left Cuba Friday night/Saturday morning at 4:20am, so got to Montreal around 8am Saturday, then I had a hundred million things to start working on for the business, which is still in operation after my week away thanks to SB's valiant efforts. Then we went out for dinner to my mom's favorite restaurant here, then it was time for my Mommy's Christmas/birthday gift, the Rod Stewart concert. I am not a huge Rod Stewart fan, but my mom has loved him forever. It was actually a really great show, he played mostly old songs, and I knew most of the words. We had loads of fun, and took lots of photos and some video.

Then we went home and I finally got to have some sleep.

So that's what's been going on. I have tons of little stories from vacation, I'm sure, so once my photos are up, I will start posting about that. For now, it's time for some Benedryl, and the good awards are starting on the Oscars.

Deja vu

Remember last year, when I went on a lovely Cuban holiday, and the night before we left I got a ticket for running a red light?

And the year before that, when I went on a lovely Cuban holiday and came back with severe bronchitis from a cold I caught on the plane on the way there?

I just got a ticket for speeding. Three days before my departure, but I think within the same week is enough to prove that the fates are not happy when I am happy and going on vacation.

While you were having a wonderful weekend...

I WAS DYING!

Dying, I say.

Or at least had a very, very bad cold. Which I still have, but am fighting raucously whilst trying to prepare for air travel on Friday. I have flown with a head full of snot before, and it sucked hard.

So, Friday I woke up pretty much blown down, with a runny nose and zero energy. I had no walks, so that was a blessing, but it just kept getting worse and worse. I NyQuilled. I DayQuilled. I moaned about how I was on Death's doorstep. Sexy Boyfriend seemed indifferent.

Today I woke up feeling slightly better than I have been, meaning I wasn't leaking anymore. But then while I was dropping off the doggies from my group I was sucking on a cough drop (the menthol gets the sinuses moving), and I had one of those moments when you inhale at the exact moment that a bit of saliva is there, and then you feel like you are drowning, and then I had a coughing fit. The dogs thought it was very fun. Almost as fun as when I turn on the rear windshield wiper and scare them.

So, now I can't talk without squeaking. I will be taking more NyQuil in about twenty minutes and climbing into bed.

Which, by the way, is extra comfy because SB and I bought new pillows this weekend!!! I thought it might be good to get out of the house on Saturday (which, by the way, was so not a good idea and left me in a clammy sweat), and we had been meaning to use our Bay gift cards. They had a pillow sale, and bam, here we are with four new pillows and a whole lot of great sleep. I have been a goose down girl for a very long time, but recently began thinking that they may be contributing to my allergies, (probably not to down, but maybe the dust mites that like to live in there), so the new pillows are poly-fill and hypoallergenic. I love them.

Ya, way more then you needed to know about my bedroom, but how often does something this exciting happen?

Cuba in one week - WooHooo!!!!

So, ya, one week til vacation. I was kinda not thinking about vacation a lot, and wasn't really excited cause I never thought about it. But the last two weeks have been crazy burning hell. So now I'm VERY excited that next week is vacation. Very.

Charlie is still not showing signs of rabies since his showdown with the squirrel last week. Hard to tell since the vet said to watch for "A weird smell from the bite site" (his mouth - which always reeks) and "aggressive behavior". Hello, this dog has bit me at least five separate times. Anyway, so far no paralysis, and no foaming from the mouth. Awesome.

We've taken on like five million new clients in the last two weeks! Actually, probably like five new dogs, but whatever, I feel like I'm always running around town meeting them. I think that this sudden rush has been spurned by the ungodly frigid weather we've had lately and the fact that no one actually wants to be outside except for dogs. I hope they stay on through the spring and summer.

I went to yoga the other night for the first time with Nazi yoga guy (I have been avoiding him and taking classes with the other instructors instead). It was sooooooo hard. I'm pretty sure he pumps the heat higher than he's supposed to. Anyway, I thought I was going to die. But I didn't. I'm pretty sure I'll be ready for yoga again tomorrow. With one of the normal instructors.

The funniest/saddest thing I've seen in a while

The other day on the group walk I brought my two mutts with me, and we met up with the other group walker and all walked together. We were having a lovely time, and everyone was happy, until we noticed that one of the doggies run towards something in the woods. Maria screamed "Aaaah - he's got a squirrel!!!!"

At first I thought it was a dead squirrel, which happens all too often, but then the dog dropped the squirrel, and it was moving around and stuff. Yuck. A bunch of dogs had converged on the area, so I ran in to get them away and shoo them back onto the trail. Then my genius dog, Charlie, tried to sniff Dying Squirrel, got a little too close, and the Dying Squirrel latched onto his lip.

Picture, if you will, a high-strung Basset Hound (I know, that in itself is difficult to imagine) flopping his head back and forth with the most worried look I've ever seen, trying to shake free Dying Squirrel who has a death grip on his face. After a few seconds Dying Squirrel finally let loose, and I was able to grab Charlie by the collar and drag him away.

I feel bad that we had to leave the squirrel there suffering (I'm pretty sure it was already sick or dying to be on the ground in the first place for the first dog to catch hold of it), but I thought it was more important to get the dogs out of there so it didn't die while being ripped to pieces. However, as sad as that is, I would pay anyone at least $100 for a video of that 10 seconds Charlie had the squirrel stuck to his face.