Monthly Archives: September 2013

Dear God! What is that thing?

Posted on September 28, 2013 | 10 comments

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This is a Sphynx kitten.

Thanks to Geoff at pretty awful things for bring it to my attention this morning. Now I can’t stop thinking about it.

He’s kinda cute in a helpless-baby-animal sort of way, but he’s also slightly hideous in a brain-carved-into-the-shape-of-a-cat sort of way. I’m feeling very conflicted.

This picture has totally got me wondering if all kitten skin is like this but they are covered with so much fur we can’t tell. It’s like they have all of their skin at birth but need to grow into it. Can you imagine if we were born this way? That would be a lot of extra skin to be carting around…

prettyawfulthings is definitely worth a follow. Geoff posts about strange and odd and pretty and awful things. Recent post have featured incredible art made from table salt, Roman nanotechnology, a sheep herding bunny, and a bicycle powered treehouse elevator. All incredibly amazing and new to me.

Please excuse me now, I’ve got to go find a furry kitten to shave.

Seriously, do you think all kittens have this much skin under their fur?

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More than physical therapy

Posted on September 27, 2013 | Leave a comment
I'm bringing sexy back!

I’m bringing sexy back!

I had a physiotherapy appointment this morning. My sprained ankle from the beginning of August continues to be sprained. Everything is still swollen and is somehow both too loose and too tight at the same time.

The major issue is that I continue to injure it on a daily basis. I’ll take a step and my foot lands a little off kilter, or I’ll pivot and my foot stays in place. A couple of weeks ago, the doctor told me to “stay off it”‘ but then we both had a good laugh knowing that wasn’t going to happen.

Considering I have full insurance coverage, and I can see the physio clinic down the street from my front porch, there is no excuse for me not going for treatment before today. I just kept forgetting to make an appointment.

This clinic happens to be owned by someone I met through my work with ALS. Her best friend and business partner was a patient and they always came to the clinic appointments together. Today she was my physiotherapist. Continue reading →

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Funny things my kids say #10

Posted on September 24, 2013 | 12 comments
1-year-old ET asleep in the living room. I wonder what he was dreaming about then.

1-year-old ET asleep in the living room. I wonder what he was dreaming about then.

As usual this morning, The Husband was up very early, well before the rest of us, getting himself ready for his bike to work.

He was in the kitchen when he heard ET shout out, “Mommy… mumble, mumble, mumble… hangnail!”

He raced upstairs to quiet him down, saying, “Shhhh… It’s too early, Mommy and CJ are still sleeping.”

Still more than half-asleep himself, the 6-year-old muttered back,

“Sorry… that was supposed to be in my dream.”

Previous: Funny things my kids say #9

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I’m a hockey mom!

Posted on September 21, 2013 | 2 comments
6 year-old ET, waiting for a pass

6 year-old ET, waiting for a pass

I spent half of today at the rink.

I’m not complaining (mainly because The Husband usually shoulders most of the duty) but, once hockey season starts, our weekends are dictated by practice times and game schedules.

When the boys were babies and toddlers, I joked that they were only allowed to get involved in activities to which they could find their own way. I really didn’t want to be one of those moms, driving a minivan with a “Mom’s taxi” bumper sticker.

Well, it’s not a minivan and there’s no bumper sticker, but between soccer, swimming, Beavers, and now hockey it sure feels like a taxi. Continue reading →

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The Ice Cream Social blues

Posted on September 19, 2013 | 12 comments
King of Kensington, CBC Television 1975 to 1980

King of Kensington, CBC Television 1975 to 1980

Last night was the Ice Cream Social. Do all schools have one of these at the beginning of the year, or is it just around here?

Ostensibly it is for new and returning families to mingle and for the kids to have fun at school outside of the usual routine. In reality, it is a forum for the Home and School (fancy term for PTA) to recruit volunteers and for the kids to get high on sugar right before bed on a school night. Continue reading →

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Posted in General

Parenting awards

Posted on September 18, 2013 | 6 comments
Photograph: Gary Hershorn/Reuters

Photograph: Gary Hershorn/Reuters

Why aren’t there parenting achievement awards for extraordinary performances, just as there are in the entertainment business?

I’m not throwing this question out there because I think I should be getting a nomination. If I put aside my humility for a moment, I can admit that I’m a darn good mom, but I also have to admit that I’m not anything special. I know a legion of great parents.

I’m talking about an award for those amazing parents I sometimes stumble across during my travels in The Interweb. The people who are superhero parents in some seriously difficult situations.

Today, I need to share one of these parents with you. Continue reading →

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What was I thinking?

Posted on September 17, 2013 | 6 comments
Laughing Men, sculpture by Yue Minjun, Today Art Museum, Beijing

Laughing Men sculpture by Yue Minjun, Today Art Museum, Beijing

When The Husband and I were in Italy, we did a walking tour of Florence that included the major churches and museums. It was a jam-packed day with only a short break for lunch.

The tour ended with us at the Uffizi and, after being shown the “must-sees”, we still had some time before closing. Even though our feet were throbbing and our brains were mush, we decided to stick around to quickly go through the areas that weren’t part of the tour itinerary.

When I reach a certain point of extreme fatigue, I start to look like the guys in the sculpture above. I get silly. I think it’s a survival instinct that kicks in to delay the next stage of my fatigue, which is a rage that might result in me looking for a place to dispose of a body. (FYI, I would have dumped it in the Arno.) Continue reading →

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Awwww… you guys!

Posted on September 14, 2013 | 3 comments

If you are not overly familiar with blogging, you might not understand the sense of community that can develop. I have been very fortunate to find some amazing writers to follow and, in turn, some amazing writers have followed me.

Over the past few months, I’ve been honoured with some kudos but it has taken me a while to feel confident enough in my blog to have the audacity to formally accept them. I don’t need to receive awards (I’m just happy you are reading) but it sure does feel nice!

Please take the time to click on the links of those who have passed on the awards. Each and every one of them is worth it!

(I’ve also set this post up to be one of my permanent pages so that their links will always be readily available.)

The Amazing World of Science – Tilly writes incredible articles that are easy to understand and are always interesting. She appeals to my inner wondering child and my grown-up scientist reality. Thanks for the Shine On award, Tilly.

shineon1

Whimsical Eclecticist – EJ is inspired by whimsy and eclecticism (hence the name). And he’s Australian… does it get any better than that? He often makes me laugh and always makes me think. Over that past few months, EJ has awarded me The Versatile Blogger award and the WordPress Family award. I’m overwhelmed!

versatilebloggeraward      wordpressfamilyaward

the mmmmm family –  Michaela is a  mother to three children aged 5 and under. She is the caregiver to her husband who is relearning to walk after traumatic spinal surgery. As if that wasn’t enough, she is also profoundly deaf. Michaela always makes me smile with her unending positivity that is firmly grounded in reality. She has passed FOUR awards my way;  wow, I’m speechless.

wordpressfamilyaward     semperfid-award     reader-app-award  liebster-award

Thanks guys! I feel very proud to have you all in my corner… now I feel all warm and fuzzy.

(A couple of these awards come along with some personal questions, etc. I’m saving those for a future post.)

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Funny things my kids say #9

Posted on September 11, 2013 | 3 comments
We use a lot of Crazy Glue!

We use a lot of Crazy Glue!

One of ET’s first nicknames was Destructor (said in a super-hero voice). When he could talk well enough to say, “Stop calling me that!” we did… to his face.

This weekend, ET was sent inside by his big brother to report the latest breakage (just a pair of nail clippers they were using to cut pipe-cleaners).

On his way back out, just before the door slammed shut, I heard the 8-year-old ask,

“Did she say ‘Okay’ or ‘Uuugghh*’?”

*huge sigh of disgust

I guess predictable isn’t the worst thing I could be.

Previous: Funny things my kids say #8

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Should’ve talked about this a long time ago…

Posted on September 10, 2013 | 45 comments

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One day, when I was in my final year, I was swimming laps in the university pool. I paused to catch my breath at the end of a set.

“Did you hear about _________?” The lifeguard had strolled over for a chat. We’d gone to high school together.

“No.” I replied, willing him to go away. I only had an hour until my next class.

“He killed himself.”

I lost my breath again and had to be helped out of the water. Continue reading →

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Posted in General, Mental Health

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