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When life gives you lemons.... host your own quilt swap!
Anyone Can Join, All Skills-Level Welcomed, Might Be Used By An Actual Child, Doll Quilt Swap.
the details are all over at Ubercrafty. If you have a craft blog, or you quilt, or you like me, please pass along the link to anyone and everyone you think might be interested. And you should join. Yes, I mean YOU! and You!
I'm afraid to say I'm finding it very hard to let go of yesterday's incident. It shouldn't be so hard, but it is, and I'm trying to figure out why.
In the end, I know who the person is, I withdrew from the swap so has to not have to interact with her (can you imagine? she was going to send me her quilt?!? like I would have wanted it after that!) but it is still upsetting me. Here is what I have figured out thus far:
I blog because I enjoy it. I enjoy putting down the goings on in my life. I'm not a paper/pencil kind of journal girl, so electronic it is. I love that if I don't remember when something happened, I can just search my own archives and find it. So the obvious answer would be to password protect, right? Wrong, at least, not for me. Because I have met some really great people through blogging. Some are still only "in the computer" and some are real life friends. Heck, I'm just about to leave for Texas to meet up (for the second time) with one of my very very first on-line friends. We've known each other over 5 years.
So if I were to password protect, this would be it. The people that I know now would be the only people I would ever get to meet. And while I have met some terrific people thus far, I think there are still more great people to meet. Just this year, I found Funky and Delightful and we've been sharing a lot of DYI ideas. And A Girl's Gotta Blog and I plan to meet during Passover. (I am purposely not linking to anyone. This post is not about that)
Sure, some of these friendships didn't work out. Some people just moved on. Others just stopped replying to my emails, which I admit, stung quite a bit, especially when it was people that I thought I was actually good friends with. But people move on, and that's why I feel I need to keep meeting new ones.
Also, along with the Kellie Pickler Google searches, some people find my blog when they are desperately searching for answers after bringing home a little petrified child from China. And in the middle night, when they just can't figure out what to do and string along a Google search that goes something like "adopted child china won't sleep hurts mother throws-up" or any combination of those words, and they find my posts. And then they find the ones months later, when things have settled and life does in fact get better. I feel that those posts need to be public. I can't put a password on those.
So I remain unprotected. But does that mean I have to open myself up to a drive-by? Criticism is one thing. A pure slap in the face, kick in the groin is something else. Why do people do that? I can honestly say that while I may I left a few comments over the years that might have engaged in discussion, I have never just ripped someone for the heck of it. If I felt that I really, really needed to communicate my extreme displeasure with someone, I might have written to them personally, off their blog (most of the time, after writing the email, I just hit delete. Because writing it down made me feel better, so there was no point to actually send it). But I would never just rip someone in their comments section. I think that just goes too far. (over a quilt! A freaking toy blanket!)
The easy answer is to just delete Jayne's comment and forget about it. But that's also wrong to me. It happened. I can't pretend it didn't. I read it and it stung. And so it stays up. And for some reason, I keep rehashing it, rehashing the whole purpose of blogging. But at least I'm doing it while sewing.
Actually, I didn't. I started my Sunday morning with a very weary breakfast (something is up with my stomach. I spent all day Saturday lying on the couch in agony, but it seems to have passed during the night)
Then I got an email from Alisa, who apparently is also up at the crack of dawn on Sunday. Followed by an email from Tracie, who is REALLY up at the crack of dawn, because I'm pretty sure she's not even in the same time zone. So I was enjoying the little "pings" from gmail telling me I had new messages. It doesn't happen often on the weekends. The third ping wasn't so friendly though...
am a bit shocked that you are in a quilting swap. Isn't this a place where "quilters" swap their work? This is hardly an article of proficient quilting. Quirly & dorky for sure, but not anything anybody I know would want on their walls. Free-motion quilting should not be done by a novice with a plain background where EVERY mis-stitch will show. Consider a simpler approach & sew within your means.
I'm guessing that jayne@comcast.net is also a member of the 3rd round of the doll quilt swap, otherwise, it would be totally random for her to comment on my last quilt. But seeing as the new round was just announced and we all posted links to our blogs, she must be one of the swappers. So if you are the one sending to her, BEWARE: she expects a REAL quilt, from a REAL quilter. Novices need to apply. Also, to the person who is going to get my quilt, I'm sorry you got me. Apparently, I don't what I'm doing and I don't belong in the swap. so says jayne@comcast.net
EDITED TO ADD: I'm sure you'll all be SHOCKED that Jayne is in fact not her real name! But because people are idiots and don't understand the basics of IP tracing, I know who Jayne is. And she was even stupid enough to make a comment on her own blog about finding me "odd to be in a swap" and, this is the best part "reserving judgment for now" !!!! Way to reserve judgment there Jayne!
If you happen to be in the Doll Quilt Swap III, I seriously hope that you are not the person making the quilt for Jayne. But if you think you might be, email me, I have absolutely no qualms about confirming it. I have withdrawn from the swap, because you see, Jayne was going to make ME a quilt! I don't want it.
Next week at this time (Friday evening) I will be bunking with Shelba and Bobbi Jo somewhere in a room near Canton, Tx.
What started out as an order email from Shelba saying "Come to Canton in April" a few weeks ago, is turning into my first trip away from both of the kids. EVER. I have never left the kids with my husband. We have both left them with my parents, but I haven't managed to go away on my own anywhere. So as you can imagine, I am STOKED!
Shelba, aka Cruise Director Julie, has things planned from the minute I arrive on Texas soil:
But in her planning, I fear Shelba might have been taking her role as Cruise Director a little too seriously. Behold the link she forwarded us last week. She had thankfully highlighted special portions for us.
Tip #1 At first, it may seem difficult to consume the right amount of water, but your body will adjust and you will look and feel better when you consume the right amount of water. (And I do mean water, not sodas, tea, coffee, or other such beverages.) To see if you are getting enough water, check the color of your urine. It should be clear or a pale yellow. If it's dark, drink a pint (16 ounces) of water as soon as possible.
Tip #2. Wear light-colored, loose-fitting clothing. I recommend special synthetic fabrics such as CoolMax and DriFit which wick away sweat and moisture from the skin. When I bought my first CoolMax shirt, I noticed the difference immediately.
Somehow, we went from CoolMax shirts and monitoring our urine color to wearing matching vented hats and installing lady-bug flags on our carts to make each other easier to find. To be helpful, I did suggest drinking white wine instead of red so as to not stain our light-colored CoolMax shirts (we picked lilac I think). See, the article mentioned sodas, tea and coffee, but it didn't say we couldn't drink wine.
And when inquiring about what I should wear (my secret airport pick-up blogger was kind enough to send me a weather forecast, but no clothing suggestions), Shelba might have mentioned capris and crocs..... Can you imagine the pictures? Me, in capris, crocs, a lilac CoolMax shirt and a (p)leather vented biker hat...... There had better be a LOT of wine in Texas.
So, ketchup packets? Yeah or neah? I'm gonna skip the inflatable tub and tongs this time.
When it comes to crafting, I tend to be manic. Do nothing for months, then go completely gaga for a few days/weeks. The arrival of Gigi the Giraffe has launched me into an outfitting frenzy. Behold, Giraffe shoes and elmo-embroidered diaper.
OK, even I have to admit that "branding" the giraffe's diaper was a bit much, even for me!
And Gigi isn't the only beneficiary of my crafting prowess these days. BB had her first ever school picture today and everything in her closet is either ill-fitting or passed down from her sister. So last night, I let her have at the fabric stash from Super Buzzy, I picked a simple dress pattern from one of my Japanese craft books and here are the results:
I have to say, the Japanese kids clothing pattern are so simple and sweet, they always turn out stunning. The girls both wore their dresses today (what? You thought I could make BB a dress without making one for Dumpling? Please!)
I also just finished knitting Gigi a tiny giraffe sweater... i think I've lost my mind. Thankfully this time next week, I'll be in Texas, hanging with Shelba and Bobbi Jo and a bunch of other gals heading to Canton.
I love reading the comments people leave on my blog, specially because I know most of you and it feels like a conversation of some sort. I do get particularly excited when I get a comment from a new person (either a completely new reader or a de-lurker) because I look forward to getting to know who's out there reading my drivel.
Today, I got the following comment, from someone named Amber:
Yall just need to hush the only reason yall are talkin about her is because your jelous that she is probbaly 100 times prettyer than all of yall and why are yall talking about her boobs thats a little perverted and gay so stop and talk about yourself then about her next time.
She was commenting on a post I wrote last March (2007) after seeing Kellie Pickler's new "mom" haircut.
Now, I have a few questions, after pondering this for a while....
PS: I think I just broke the spell check trying to get through her comment.
just for the record, that booby picture of me is from last year's party, when she was 4. This is what a 5 year old looks like with a princess-pink-castle cake, decorated as the guests were walking in the house! (mommy was VERY last minute this year)
The Friday night supper/party was strictly grand-parents for dinner, along with cousins for cake afterward. The one exception was Dumpling's friend Cara-Li, who is Journey To Mei-Mei's oldest daughter. They are from the same orphanage, born almost exactly 1 year apart, and by coincidence, living in a neighborhood just a few street over from ours. Susan was the first person to come see me in person when we were waiting for our referral and lent me her travel books when we finally went.
We tried having the girls play together when they were smaller, but Dumpling's French used to keep them from having a good time. This year, things started changing and after a few family get-togethers and an attempt at Mandarin classes, the girls seem really taken with each other. So Cara-Li was Dumpling's one friend at the house on Friday night, and though she was quite excited to play with her older cousins, she really only wanted to talk about Cara-Li afterward.
And the next day, she went to Cara-Li's own birthday party at the build-a-bear place in the old part of town. She had a ball! I think she liked it even better than her own carnival/Purim-themed birthday party at school.
Mostly though, she was so happy to see her 2 days in a row.
She made a pink bear (shocker!) and somehow conned me into making Gigi the Giraffe for BB. And then, she further conned me into buying one outfit per bear/giraffe, and a pair of shoes. I balked at the 20$ shoes, but relented on the ice-skates, because I knew I could never make bear ice-skates. But I have since made diapers, shoes (pink satin and brown fur!) and have a request to make them silk pajamas. If you want a license to print money, open a franchise of that place! The people who go there are GAGA over the concept. And most don't even have kids! Just couples, women..... apparently, Japanese women think nothing of dropping 200$ on bear clothes and accessories!
I'm happy to report that bday-related events are now OVER. She is attending 3 or 4 other parties in the next 2 weeks, but thankfully I don't have to attend any of them. Because I'm tired. It's very very tiring hanging out with 5 and 6 year olds!
Sometime between bedtime tonight and waking up tomorrow morning, my tiny little Dumpling will turn 5. We held a
party for her at school today after class. The obscene amounts of presents she came home with it totally embarrassing. That's the big drawback of inviting all 22 classmates. She has selected a few to go into the Give-A-Gift box at school, which will be distributed to needy children.
Yesterday she got to go to a movie with the amazing M. Just like a big girl. And tonight, after going to dinner and *eating everything on her plate*, we stopped at a gas station and bought her some gum. Because mommy, long long ago, picked 5 as the age you were allowed to chew gum. And so tonight, I relented and in fact did not make her wait til tomorrow. In solidarity, I chewed with her. Purple grape flavored juicy fruit...... just like chewing essence of grape cough syrup! (I am not a gum chewer, and I seriously hope she gets over this)
Tomorrow, her actual bday, there will be a grandparents' dinner, followed by a princess-themed cake at home with some people close and dear to us. And to prepare for the tiny-non-party, after going to school dressed like a bride for a Purim party, Daddy is taking her to his hairdresser to get a trim and maybe even have her hair "done".
In the meantime, here are her past birthdays, for the sake of the virtual archive.
(sorry to subject you to the boobalicious pic of me again, it's the only webready pic from that party!)
I'm in the middle of preparing the loot-bags for Dumpling's bday party on Thursday (5! FIVE!!!!!) and I want to attache a little paper ball to each. I found the pattern on Heather Bailey's fabulous website. And because I wanted this to go fast, since I have to make 20, I bought a circle hole punch.
She has a fabulous pattern all worked out for a 5inch or 6.5inch FINISHED ball, but I need to scale it to work with my 5 cm punch. I have no idea why size ball I`m going to end up with, but it`s going to be smaller, because my circle is smaller than hers, which is fine.
Here is the thing. I am a math moron. I know my circle is 5 cm in diameter. Which I can work out to have a radius of 2.5 cm, or a circumference of 15.7 cm because the only thing I remember from geometry is C= Pi*D
But now I need to calculate the sides of my triangle. I know it's an equilateral triangle. And I pretty much figured out that inside the big equilateral triangle there are 3 Isosceles triangles with 2 sides of 2.5 cm and an angle of 120...... but I'm stumped! How do I calculate the sides of the triangle, so that I get a perfect equilateral triangle inside my circle?
If I haven't lost you yet and you know how to help me, PLEASE!!!! I tried Google but either the formulas don't work or I'm too dumb to figure it out....
AND THE ANSWER IS:
4.4 cm, which you can figure out by either:
Law of cosines= c*squared = a*squared plus b*squared - 2abCOS(C) so, Equilateral Triangle Side = 2.5*squared + 2.5*squared - 2(2.5)(2.5)Cosine(120degrees)
OR: scale the damned .jpg to 5cm and print it!!!!! thanks OmegaMom for coming up with a solution that was staring me in the face!
Clearly, Mila didn't read the last sentence when I wrote that I was too dumb to follow the formula!!! (also, how cool is that? mila is a former staffer who is sorely missed now that she is busy doing some fancypants graduate degree in an other town, but still keeps up by reading my blog!)
When Mrs. Figby blogged about signing up for bootcamp, a light-bulb went off in my head.... I'd like to officially announce the opening of Mortimer's Mom Winter Fitness Camp and Spa.
Need to get in shape? Tired of the city-smog you've been breathing and want to fill your lungs with some fresh Canadian air? Have a pasty green teenager in your basement that needs to see some sunshine? Whatever the reason, my Winter Fitness Camp has it all.
But fear not! It's not all exercise and work! Dumpling and Beach Ball will be more than happy to school you in the fine winter arts of Snowpeople building, Snow-angel making and walking to the car without falling on your rear!
Accommodations include the orange guest room previously used by the Urbans and myself after knee surgery. Daily wine and cheese while watching horrible reality TV illicitly downloaded from the internet. Don't worry about getting plenty of sleep: the guest room is like a dark cave, since we haven't gotten to shoveling the windows and you can't see a damned thing!
Book now! We anticipate the snow remaining til late May, early June. Should you wish to travel at a later date, please note that work-out activities will be switched to:
So, who's it gonna be? Sign up, I promise yummy balanced Kosher meals, constant entertainment courtesy of Mortimer's Dad (can you say "Man Alive!"???) and the overwhelming cuteness of Dumpling and Beach Ball, all the while working out, sweating and building muscle, while never getting hot!
Email on the go, sent by TELUS
it's the the word you are thinking...... S - N - O - W..... it's snowing again. It snowed all day yesterday. It's been snowing all day today. Not only did I have to do my usual Friday-afternoon path shoveling, but i also had to shovel the roof.... yep, because it's not enough we have to be worried about getting into the house and emergency escapes, we now have to be seriously concerned about roof collapses (there was a horrible tragedy around these parts last week). So I spent the better part of the afternoon removing snow from the low-slooping parts of the roof and the shed.
it's hard to tell, but I'm on the left, waist deep in powder behind the shed, trying to get the 1 meter of snow on top down to a manageable height... I cannot imagine what is going to happen when this all starts to melt. I see months of mud ahead. And possibly basement flooding.... yeah!
In crafty news, tomorrow is the girls last week of ski-school. They like to end with a carnival, where the kids show up in costumes. Last year, I missed the boat, what with a new kid at home and all. So this year, I bought some pink flannel and spent 3 hours making them bunny outfits. Because you see, the ski-instructors dress up as bunnies.... Also, with all the easter supplies in the store, bunny ears were readily available. I needed 4 pairs, 2 for playing in the house and 2 for attaching to the helmets. I promise ski-bunny pictures tomorrow, but for now, behold the bunny-goodness that was all over the house today.
the dogs weren't exactely willing participants....
Well well, after signing up what seems like months ago, I was just picked to be a Top Momma (insert your own dirty joke here).
I need your clicks people! come on! just a little click for me... please!
And by the way, carpool-free life is fantastic! We have an extra 15 minutes in the morning and the ride the school has been so quiet and pleasant.... sure, Dumpling is sort of wondering what happened, and we have been very discreet and she seems ok with the vague reason we gave her. Man, I should have done this weeks/months ago!!!
Thanks for the multitude of takes on the car pool situation. I'm sure you are all DYING to know what happened..... Turns out I'm a big chicken. After reading all your comments yesterday and weighing the pros and cons with Hubs, we sort of decided that because of the size of the school/the 2 rides we really needed covered but mostly because I'm a big woos, we were going to stick with it but gently pass the message that we expected her to do the agreed-to days or to give us a weeks notice.
But!!! And there is a But! This morning, I brought BB to her class, which is in a different school in the same building, at 9 am, a full 40 minutes after Dumpling's start time. Then I went up to Dumpling's class to take some pictures of the kids for the teacher (look at me, budding photographer!), only to find out that Dumpling was just arriving...... Even though we had dropped her off at the carpool before 8 am. (yeah, she doesn't actually pick her up. We have to bring her to their house because their sitter doesn't get there til 8 am..... I can hear you screaming at me, I really can.) There was a whole big mix up because they got there very late and Dumpling was put on the absentee list, but the mother didn't go to the office to correct it when she got there (which is what we are supposed to do)
I was pissed. Royally pissed. So after taking portraits of all the kids and calling Hubs to let off some steam, I called her and left a message on her voice mail, expressing my displeasure and wondering why on earth Dumpling got to school at 9. To her credit, she called me back... She told me her sitter didn't get to her house til 8:30, hence the late arrival at school, and that her daughter's teacher hadn't done attendance yet, so that's why she didn't go to the office. I explained, calmly, that I didn't understand why she didn't check with Dumpling's teacher if her own attendance was done, and I also expressed my displeasure at Dumpling being so late.
But because I'm a big chicken, I left it at that.... UNTIL! (yes, it's not over!) Until I picked up Dumpling from class today (because remember, she canceled on me) and Dumpling was upset because she didn't pick out a book at the library today. When I asked her why, she told me it's because she didn't return her book from last week. Again, I was puzzled, since I know for a fact that I sent her to school with the book this morning...... Come to check her backpack in her cubby: the mom never took it out to give it to her!!!!! OK, maybe Dumpling should have said something to her, but she's 5 and she was probably totally flustered because she was late, so I'm pretty sure this is the mom's fault...... This time I was LIVID. So I called her house again, without the benefit of calming down, and her babysitter answered the phone and told me she was sleeping. At 1:30 pm, instead of picking up MY kid from school....
So yeah, I'm waiting for the call back. And telling her that I will happily drive her kid to school for the rest of the week. And that gives her until Monday to come up with new arrangements. Because I am DONE.
EDITED TO ADD: She called. And she was totally nutty. That I should be more understanding and that it's not her fault and that it's only a book.... totally unapologetic and not understanding of how upsetting the whole thing was for Dumpling..... So it's over. I am carpool free.
OK, so I hate my carpool situation, but I don't know what to do about it. Hubs and I keep going around and around the question and can't come up with a good way to deal with it, so I thought of asking the Internets!
Quick background info: Dumpling's school is a private Jewish School, so we have no buses. Parents bring their kids to school and arrange carpools whenever possible. Because most families around here have 3 or 4 kids, some families are their own carpool as soon as all the kids are in Kindergarden (pre-K has shorter hours).
When Dumpling started, we made some calls and looked for someone to do carpool with us. The people in our neighborhood mostly have older kids along with their pre-K kids, so they already had established carpools. There was one other new family who live very close by and have a child in the other pre-K class.
Since we go to work every day, we originally offered to do all morning dropoffs and in exchange, the mother would bring Dumpling home in the afternoon. Right away, it was uneven because she signed her daughter up for activities after school 2 afternoons, so we were getting 3 rides back and had to do our own pick up 2 days a week. Then when winter rolled around, we started picking Dumpling up on our own on Friday afternoons because we head straight to the country, so she brings her home 2 days and we bring her to school 5 days.
In addition to the uneven-ness of the number of rides, the mornings have been difficult because the girls don't particularly like each other. We've had issues with High School Musical and other types of oneupmanship that have made Dumpling really unhappy. It got to the point where in January after the break, we tried to politely get out of the carpool. But seing as she as a good thing going (not needing to drive in the morning) she promised to have her daughter be nicer and even agreed, though relunctantly, to do one morning a week.
This morning, there is a crap load of snow anywhere and the drive is going to be a pain, so I call her promptly at 7 to tell her we are going to be leaving 15 min early. I can tell right away she is pissed. She probably wasn't even up yet. But it's going to take extra time to get there, so we are going to be early and that's that. She then mentions, in passing, that her daughter has a bday party after school TOMORROW so she can't bring Dumpling home, 1 of the two days that she does...... ARGHH! We count on that ride. Hubs is taking his car to the shop tomorrow because Tuesday is the one day when we don't have to do carpool at all (she does morning and afternoon).
I am mad because she knew the party was coming at least a week, probably 2 weeks ago, why couldn't she give me warning? Also, it's sort of unwritten policy that if you don't need to pick up your own kid, you don't cancel the carpool, you still go to get the other kid (like when Dumpling stayed home from school last week, I still went to her house and drove her kid to school).
Clearly, we don't want to do carpool with this family anymore. But how do we politely end it without being "those people who canceled that carpool"? It's a small school, if we want to set up a new carpool next year with other families (which would be possible because once she's in kindergarden, there are more families to pick from) we don't want to be marked as the people who couldn't get along. Also, since there are only 2 classes per grade, this kid will end up in Dumpling's class at least 3 times until she graduates...... On the one end, I don't see the point of continuing, we get no benefit out of this carpool. On the other hand, I think of the long run and wonder if we shouldn't just suck it up for the next 3.5 months and call it a learning experience.
Assvice?
I know what you are thinking... that was I was exaggerating for effect.... let me show you!
This is Mortimer's Dad trying to get the kids into the house after skiing......
Notice that the snow bank is as tall as he is. Also, the balcony? it's on the FIRST floor!!!! yes, there is an entire level BELOW the balcony, at the front of the house. Normally, in the summer, we go up the right side and enter through the "front" door, which in fact is behind the house. But don't shovel it in the winter because the path is a good 40 feet longer than the path to the "back" door, which is actually in the front, under the balcony.
And this is what happens if you don't shovel the door for the entire winter:
that's right.... there is snow ALL THE WAY to the top of the door!
And the door we do use? This is what it looks like when we open it:
Trying to figure out just how high that is? Well, let me give you a little perspective........ That horizontal wood thing? That's the swing set...
But as much as we hate having to shovel ourselves in and out, we get rewarded with things like BB, who knows skies from the top to the bottom of the hill ALL BY HERSELF! one winter! Go Beach Ball! We're going to have to call you Snow Ball from now on!
Some nitwit government official decided to harmonize Daylights Saving Time and now we are going to Spring Forward sometime tonight..... sure! Except I live in CANADA, and we just got a fresh foot of snow, bringing this year's total to 3.5 meters (Google says that's 11.4 feet). Think about that for a second..... a fresh foot of snow on top of the 10.4 feet we already had. And somehow this is Spring?
The weather-people says that we are within a few centimeters of a record, which was set in the winter of 70-71. That was my first winter, and thus I have heard over the years about how much snow there was the year I was a baby and how impossible it was to get around. Coincidentally, that year most of the snow came in March and some people are saying what we got this weekend might not be the last of it for this year.... Seriously? I love winter, I'm a winter gal, my kids have learned to love winter, we play outside, we don't complain when it's cold.
But enough already! We got to the country house and had to shovel our way in, only to have to shovel our way back out this morning because it snowed all night! Luckily, BB loves to shovel, so we put her to work! The thing is, there is nowhere to put the snow. Because now the snowbanks on either side of the walkway are too high to throw the snow over, so you have to push the snow ALL THE WAY down to path into the driveway. Thankfully the snow-clearing guy came to take that away, but unless the sun starts shining non-stop for weeks, there will be a pile of snow on the lawn until late June. 11.5 feet of snow takes a while to melt!
When the kids come home with a cold and then pass it on to hubs (or me), we don't blame them, it's what happens with little kids....
But when Mommy gets a big bad cold because she listened to Daddy and didn't wear a warm coat, and then passes it on to the kiddos.... Oy! The Guilt! Dumpling was coughing a bit last night. I thought it was for attention... But this morning, she was burning hot. So I didn't send her to school, and because I had to conduct more interviews, instead she is being pampered and coddled by her grandmother.
BB seems to be safe from the germs for now, but who knows.... I guess once it's in the house, it's pretty much a done deal that everyone is going to get it.
To try to make up for making her sick, I printed up Dumpling's 5th Birthday party invites.... 5! Can you believe it??? The invites turned out pretty well, especially since they were free!
I hate hiring people.... It usually works out better for me if applicants are friends or acquaintances of current staff members (actually, I say usually, but this last time, it was a disaster!). This time, no one knew anyone looking for work, so we did the facebook/craigslist thing. Surprisingly few weirdos applied, there were no major red flags, almost everyone wrote a legible introduction note, so we had to actually read the resumes to find a dozen people to interview (we have 2 posts to fill).
Thanks for Facebook, we were able to "see" almost everyone beforehand. Not that I would hire someone based on their looks... But if I had seen a picture of the first guy before he showed up, he wouldn't have gotten an interview.... Dude looked like he had just come from a 3-day Dungeon and Dragon marathon, complete with unruly curly ponytail down his back and 2 totally black teeth...... thanks for coming!
If your Facebook states that in your current job you are somebody's b**ch..... I'm probably not going hire you.
One girl looked really promising on paper and was eclectic and arsty in a cute way in person.... But her Facebook pictures show her with KLEPTO written across her chest in black marker.... What you do on your own time is your business, but I'm a tad worried you might be too hung over to open on Saturday mornings.
One girl was clearly high. Which is too bad, because she was very talented and participated in a craft book that I own and would have been a great asset to the store... but drugs are bad. Especially DURING A JOB INTERVIEW!!!!! (Full Disclosure: I was sort of a little high for the interviews too, a nice combination of Extra Strength Tylenol Cold and a Triple Grande Non Fat Latte.... nice buzz! But at least my pupils weren't pinned!)
============
Still sick, though at least able to leave the house and conduct aforementioned interviews. But now have resumed side-ways TV watching from the couch and am doing my best not to infect anyone else in the house. The pressure in my ears is making me feel like I've been stuck in a plane descending for the last 12 hours..... no amount of popping can relieve it....
Let me start by saying that there was no way Super-Grandpa was going to let BB sleep in a room overflowing with furniture boxes and a mattress blocking the hallway.....
We kept the crib in there, just in case she didn't like the bed.... yeah, we might as well have packed it up while the tools were out, because she was so beyond excited to sleep in there, she climbed right up and slept through the night and even waited for Daddy to get her out in the morning (I was majorly worried about her walking around)
Now, you know those super-moms who get sick and still somehow manage to do all their stuff and be cheery.... I am not one of those! I am majorly sick right now and dragged my sorry behind to the doctor's office this morning, only to be laughed right out of there.... it hasn't been long enough, and I just need to take some Tylenol Cold, drink fluids, rest and be a big girl. Instead, I am lying on the couch, watching TV sideways, drinking tea with lemon-honey sticks from Trader Joes and making piles and piles of tissues all around me. Because when I get sick, I cannot function. At All.
I hope Dumpling feels like watching a movie after school because that's about all I'm going to manage.
well, fuck me, I'm having a terrible day!
Some of my peeps are taking a sudden online-hiatus, which is making me totally freaked out, because a) it's all about me! and b) I have few real life friends, when the online friends take a break, I get lonely (because, see a), it's all about me)
Last night, we went to see Bruce Springsteen (in case you couldn't make out that cell phone photo) and I made the mistake of listening to my husband when we left and he said that I didn't need a coat because it was nice outside.... it was FRIGID outside and by the time we got from the car to the restaurant and from the restaurant to the arena, I could feel my glands swelling. And on the way out of the arena, my scratchy throat from singing encountered the cloud of smoke from the people insisting on lighting up the millisecond they stepped outside..... so this morning: throat on fire, ears throbbing, no voice.... I am not feeling great.
THEN! (because it's not over people, not by a long shot) Hubs went to work, only to find out that that 2 people "working" at that store were resigning..... i put working in quotation, because we had been having issues and were seriously considering replacing them, but not this morning at 10 am...... Needless to say, we will be working A LOT in the next few weeks until we can find new staff and get them up to speed....
And finally, BB's big girl bed is supposed to be delivered today. It's past 1 pm and there is no sign of it. She won't take a nap because she was expecting to take her first nap in her big girl bed.... WHICH IS NOT HERE!!!!
1 pm is too early for wine, right? What about Gluwine, or whatever they call it... we use to drink it in Austria, some sort of mixture of wine, honey, tea... it's hot, it's gotta be good for my throat....
UPDATE: the bed is here.... or I should say, the boxes for the bed are here and clogging up the entire upstairs. Because apparently, Delivery does not includ Assembly..... which we did not know...... And I do not feel like assembling a bed today. I know I could, but I don't want to. So Hubs is giving them an ear full and I am off to search for throat medicine, or morphine.... whichever I can get my hands on.
Bruuuuuuuuuuuuuce!
Email on the go, sent by TELUS
