Since you're staying home from camp today, I've left you a few chores to do, should take 15-20 minutes.

Changing Brain: Oh ... what.

Nothing much, unload the dishwasher, load the dirty dishes and then wash whatever doesn't go in the dishwasher.

CB: What do you mean wash.

Ummm...fill the sink with hot water, not so hot you burn yourself, add dish soap...

CB: What do you mean dish soap?

The soap you wash the dishes with.

CB: Yeah, I don't know what that is. Okay, I better let you go because this is going to take a lot longer than 15 minutes.

Oh wait, I also want you to put all your dirty clothes into the baskets in my room, and then carry them down to the basement.

CB: What? Oh....(groan)....okay, I've gotta go.

Changing brain is turning 13 tomorrow - how can he not know what dish soap is?

Ohhhhh...the PARTY, the front porch...the flu.

Where does a girl even start?

The party was a great success even though my mom is getting a bit...nutty...in her old age. And I say that with great fondness as she is my mother after all. And if she wanted to sit inside the club while 40+ people sat outside on the deck, in the shade, over looking the water - well that's her prerogative.

And the front porch - we're stuck on stain colours right now, with none really doing the cedar justice. We have purchased quart and gallon of every colour imaginable only to come home, try it out on a test piece, shake our heads and drive back to the stain store. We're beyond frustrated and I think the next step is to try something more opaque - with colour sampling beginning again tomorrow since the shop is open until 8pm.

And the flu...I've been sick at home for the past 2 days, sleeping so much my hip hurts. But I think I've finally beaten it, except that the smell of coffee makes me feel ill - and I have to be in pretty dire shape to not drink my coffee in the morning.

One positive this past week was that Arthur lost his voice Thursday (he somehow managed to get a sore throat which I didn't realize even happened to cats) and has been following me around silently yelling for wet food. I love Arthur but the constant yelling comes close to pushing me over the edge. Sadly his voice is starting to return and because I have been coddling old Artie this past week, he wants nothing to do with that nasty dry food I keep trying to ply him with ... where's the steak? the chicken? even the remains of that crappy beef soup that was eaten for lunch today. And how about a nice pinot noir to wash it all down with! Tap water and bagged food? Don't think so.

The reason for my being turned 80 today. 80 YEARS OLD! How can I continue to lie about my age if I have a mother who is 80? I did call myself a medical mystery to a colleague when he professed surprise - though I'm sure he just wanted something.

We had an interesting conversation, talking about the passing of time and how we are constantly shocked at our age when it doesn't feel like that much time has gone by, or that we feel younger than we are. In my head I'm 30, maybe 32 on a tired morning. My Mom said she doesn't feel 80, she feels so much younger...that is until her body betrays her. And the absence of those she loved in her life who have passed before her is upsetting. She's very nostalgic.

The birthday girl (looking pretty darn good!):


Mom around 1955, 26 years old.


Even though she doesn't read my blog, I have to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM, may you be surrounded by much love - and you will because I'm throwing a massive birthday party on Sunday. God help me.

I'm back from my trip to Niagara Falls/St. Thomas/London with my boys and we had a fabulous time but there is nothing like crawling back into your own king size bed surrounded by purring felines. Though the waterpark, Skywheel, glow in the dark mini-putt, hotel movie (Night at the Museum 2) and dinner on the outdoor patio at the Hard Rock Cafe was all pretty fabulous! And Jakob did enjoy driving Bill's boat...

So today, the last day of my vacation before returning to work tomorrow, we have been hit by a wicked thunderstorm. But because this is standard 2009 summer weather, Paul is outside on the porch sanding the cedar frames he has created while both my boys play their electronic games and I drink coffee while catching up on laundry, dishes, cleaning, blogging...



And wouldn't you know that I have invited friends over for an outdoor bbq and mother nature has ONCE AGAIN crushed my dinner plans and we will be stuck inside, children and all.

The upside is that it is Feed Ember a Rat-sicle day so I can at least provide some entertainment for the kids.

5 weeks of garbage...GONE!
I am deliriously happy!

And my guitar instructor was suspiciously sweet to me this evening, has he suspected his days are numbered?

BEFORE:


AFTER:


If only they took the hideous van too.