The kids made us dinner last night. JJ and I went to swim our laps because the kids asked us not to come in the house because they were doing some Christmas stuff. I found this out while grocery shopping because Patty called me and asked me to come over and see her, when I told her that, although I miss her and would love to see her, this was not in the schedule of the evening. She told me to stay away from home. Helene called Patty to get me out of the way.
At any rate, JJ and I went to the pool alone. When we came home the kids had transformed the sunroom by dimming all but the Christmas lights (the tree resides in the sunroom) and had about 10 candles adding to the ambiance. The table was set in good china, lots of good silverware, beautiful wine glasses complete with white wine to start, and a bottle of red for after. It was beautiful. They really know how to set the stage. We are going to work on the food in the new year... For dinner we were to start with cream of mushroom soup, but they didn't read the instructions and tried to serve it to us in the concentrated version, albeit warmed. We graciously told them that we really didn't need a soup course.
For the main course there were steamed vegetables, just a little lukewarm, due to the fact that Helene had prepared this repast for 7:15 and we didn't come home until after 8. The veggies were accompanied by morningstar farms sausage - not my favorite, not even something I would eat. I had a lot of veggies.
Then we had a cheese course, where there was some awesome saint Andre with beautiful whole grain bread. Can you tell that this was my favorite course? All of this was followed up by the three "servers" joining us for dessert. Dessert was a buche de noel provided by Chris (our babysitter) and his girlfriend, Chelsea (I am assuming the chef). Chris was heading home to the UK for Christmas and this was his gift to us. It was beautiful and good.
JJ and I felt truly blessed to have such an evening and we are going to encourage the kids to make this a regular event. We will help them with recipes and shopping (trying to get the actual cuisine part on par with the presentation and service) and we will enjoy our 'at home date nights'. It was awesome.
Happy thoughts.
Thursday, December 14, 2006
Cookies anyone?
No, I am not offering cookies. Unlike my idol Mlis, I do not have a wonderful kitchen full of scrumptious food and Helga waiting at the helm to clean. I have a problem and 156 cookies to make before Monday night. I am sure that I should also be looking to place each dozen in an attractive wrapper, making it totally appealing to both palate and eye. Oh God, what have I committed myself to?
I think that we have found the appropriate recipe and the kids are going to help. Fortunately, the tree is already up and decorated, and some Christmas cards have actually been written! So the family plan is to bake the cookies. This sounds good in theory, but I am oh so frightened of the actual outcome.
Now, I have simplified in other areas. I am no longer required to be driving to Toronto on Monday evening (after delivering said cookies), I have changed the meeting and made it local, so in effect calling the team members here and avoiding the inconvenience of having to drive. But I have thrown a little excitement in by booking my mother and myself on a trip to Paris for Thursday (12-21 for those who are paying attention) so I have to ensure that I am professionally up to date before then, and yes, I need to also ensure that all the holiday things are done, wrapped and properly labeled for my husband to know what to do, and to whom things go. Piece of cake, right?
OK, so getting my tookus moving and managing to work out at lunch time is not even a remote possibility at this time. I suppose that I could do it, but I have so little desire and lunching with JJ is so much more pleasant. The good news is that I do get to the pool often enough to not override me with guilt, except the guilt of paying for Curves and not actually going there - ah the promise of the new year resolution...
Gotta get an appointment with the hair dresser because I can't be seeing my chicks in Paris looking like a hag, although I have looked worse in the past and they loved me anyway. Wish me luck and keep me in your pleasant thoughts.
I think that we have found the appropriate recipe and the kids are going to help. Fortunately, the tree is already up and decorated, and some Christmas cards have actually been written! So the family plan is to bake the cookies. This sounds good in theory, but I am oh so frightened of the actual outcome.
Now, I have simplified in other areas. I am no longer required to be driving to Toronto on Monday evening (after delivering said cookies), I have changed the meeting and made it local, so in effect calling the team members here and avoiding the inconvenience of having to drive. But I have thrown a little excitement in by booking my mother and myself on a trip to Paris for Thursday (12-21 for those who are paying attention) so I have to ensure that I am professionally up to date before then, and yes, I need to also ensure that all the holiday things are done, wrapped and properly labeled for my husband to know what to do, and to whom things go. Piece of cake, right?
OK, so getting my tookus moving and managing to work out at lunch time is not even a remote possibility at this time. I suppose that I could do it, but I have so little desire and lunching with JJ is so much more pleasant. The good news is that I do get to the pool often enough to not override me with guilt, except the guilt of paying for Curves and not actually going there - ah the promise of the new year resolution...
Gotta get an appointment with the hair dresser because I can't be seeing my chicks in Paris looking like a hag, although I have looked worse in the past and they loved me anyway. Wish me luck and keep me in your pleasant thoughts.
Thursday, December 07, 2006
Pearl Harbor Day
Wow, it has been forever since I have taken the time to update this. So here I am at the end of the calendar year, wondering when I will find the time to decorate the house, finish the holiday shopping, bake 13 dozen cooking (Mlis, where are you?) and oh yeah, work! So in order to be super productive what do I do, I start working on a new post to my blog... That will get things done.
Dad has started dialysis and although he does not want to go, has not been to difficult. I heard that today was not a good day getting him to his appointment on time, but I keep telling my mom and brother that we cannot accept the responsability. He owns the issue. We can only be there to transport him back and forth and to remind him that he needs to be ready at a certain time. It's all very easy for me to say that as I sit at my office or in my kitchen, I don't live with the issue 24/7.
He is just as depressed as ever, even more so since his sister passed away at the end of October. He really doesn't see the point in life and has on numerous occassions asked why we don't just let him die. He makes it sound so simple, like he'll lay down one night and just not wake up. It's all very confusing and way to much of a decision for any one person to have to deal with, and my mother is trying to deal with everything (a not so good situation for her heart).
Mom is still in recovery from her relapse of congestive heart failure this summer. She has not been back to her old self and tires very easily. Her spirit is much better, as long as we don't talk about dad...
As for me and mine, we are running through the weeks with school and swimming and work and wine. We remember our month at the vineyard and it seems like forever ago, but the thought keeps us motivated for next summer. Karantes is absolutely breath taking and I dream of spending more time there, but that is a far away dream because we have children to raise and obligations to fulfill. It is a nice dream though, and a good thing to keep us on track.
Today is a Philippe's birthday and Christine's birthday. I spoke with Philippe's family today and have wished him a great day, but I haven't talked to Chris in years, but I still think about her and pray that she is happy and healthy.
That is the update. Maybe with a little thought I can learn to be a little more reliable with the info, at least it will help me remember what I am doing.
Dad has started dialysis and although he does not want to go, has not been to difficult. I heard that today was not a good day getting him to his appointment on time, but I keep telling my mom and brother that we cannot accept the responsability. He owns the issue. We can only be there to transport him back and forth and to remind him that he needs to be ready at a certain time. It's all very easy for me to say that as I sit at my office or in my kitchen, I don't live with the issue 24/7.
He is just as depressed as ever, even more so since his sister passed away at the end of October. He really doesn't see the point in life and has on numerous occassions asked why we don't just let him die. He makes it sound so simple, like he'll lay down one night and just not wake up. It's all very confusing and way to much of a decision for any one person to have to deal with, and my mother is trying to deal with everything (a not so good situation for her heart).
Mom is still in recovery from her relapse of congestive heart failure this summer. She has not been back to her old self and tires very easily. Her spirit is much better, as long as we don't talk about dad...
As for me and mine, we are running through the weeks with school and swimming and work and wine. We remember our month at the vineyard and it seems like forever ago, but the thought keeps us motivated for next summer. Karantes is absolutely breath taking and I dream of spending more time there, but that is a far away dream because we have children to raise and obligations to fulfill. It is a nice dream though, and a good thing to keep us on track.
Today is a Philippe's birthday and Christine's birthday. I spoke with Philippe's family today and have wished him a great day, but I haven't talked to Chris in years, but I still think about her and pray that she is happy and healthy.
That is the update. Maybe with a little thought I can learn to be a little more reliable with the info, at least it will help me remember what I am doing.
Thursday, May 25, 2006
Memorial Day Weekend.
The holiday weekend is almost here and I am so looking forward to a little break, but am not totally sure how it will play out. JJ has been feeling ill and now I have gotten sympathy pains and feel like crawling into bed, but guess what, it's the holiday weekend with about a million things to do! So I need to put my game face on and get over it.
The scale has been doing weird things to me lately, up three pounds, down three pound, all within a day. The solution you will say is to stay off of the darn thing and only weigh myself once a week. The problem is that when I do that, and I don't like what it says, well then I just have to jump back on and try again. Today however, it is the lowest it has read, and I only have 28 more pounds to go to hit my goal weight. My dream goal weight would add about 15 pounds onto that, but we shall see. It seems to take me six weeks to totally lose a pound or two now (that yo-yo scale thing) even though I am following the plan and following the four w's (write it down, water, work out and weigh in) and am staying within the points range. The hard part is avoiding the frustration and the feeling like I should just throw in the towel. The easy part is that I follow the plan, even when I think that I should throw in the towel, and I know that in the end, it will slowly come off and I will be happier and healthier. Sometimes it is just very difficult.
The kids are getting restless for vacation and they are back to swimming for the swim team. We are trying to keep an optimistic outlook and not worry over next year. In the fall, there is one daughter in high school, one daughter in middle school and the son in elementary school. Can anyone say logistical nightmare? So we are looking forward to the reprieve that summer is supposed to bring and we are getting very excited about our month in Karantes. It still seems like August is eons away, but I know that it will be here faster than I can imagine.
Enjoy the weekend.
The scale has been doing weird things to me lately, up three pounds, down three pound, all within a day. The solution you will say is to stay off of the darn thing and only weigh myself once a week. The problem is that when I do that, and I don't like what it says, well then I just have to jump back on and try again. Today however, it is the lowest it has read, and I only have 28 more pounds to go to hit my goal weight. My dream goal weight would add about 15 pounds onto that, but we shall see. It seems to take me six weeks to totally lose a pound or two now (that yo-yo scale thing) even though I am following the plan and following the four w's (write it down, water, work out and weigh in) and am staying within the points range. The hard part is avoiding the frustration and the feeling like I should just throw in the towel. The easy part is that I follow the plan, even when I think that I should throw in the towel, and I know that in the end, it will slowly come off and I will be happier and healthier. Sometimes it is just very difficult.
The kids are getting restless for vacation and they are back to swimming for the swim team. We are trying to keep an optimistic outlook and not worry over next year. In the fall, there is one daughter in high school, one daughter in middle school and the son in elementary school. Can anyone say logistical nightmare? So we are looking forward to the reprieve that summer is supposed to bring and we are getting very excited about our month in Karantes. It still seems like August is eons away, but I know that it will be here faster than I can imagine.
Enjoy the weekend.
Friday, May 05, 2006
So I am sitting in the back of church, watching as Luke practices for his class first communion and I don't know why, but I am crying! Now Luke made his first communion back at Christmas, we had a family mass last weekend and he will celebrate again, with his class, tomorrow, so I need to get a life! Maybe it's because my baby is making his first communion and that means that I really don't have any babies any more.
What is really totally weird is that I am looking forward to my life after babies. I mean, JJ and I are planning on doing a lot of things in the future. We are really enjoying our children now but we are also looking forward to the next stage. So why do I get weepy?
At any rate, it's Friday afternoon and I am looking forward to the weekend and getting some things accomplished on the home front. I am also looking forward to summer and all the perks of warmer weather. We managed to play tennis twice this week and that is only a promise of things to come. Swim team season starts next week, so the kids are psyched. We even managed to do yard work last night, and get the grass cut.
May wonders never cease.
What is really totally weird is that I am looking forward to my life after babies. I mean, JJ and I are planning on doing a lot of things in the future. We are really enjoying our children now but we are also looking forward to the next stage. So why do I get weepy?
At any rate, it's Friday afternoon and I am looking forward to the weekend and getting some things accomplished on the home front. I am also looking forward to summer and all the perks of warmer weather. We managed to play tennis twice this week and that is only a promise of things to come. Swim team season starts next week, so the kids are psyched. We even managed to do yard work last night, and get the grass cut.
May wonders never cease.
Monday, April 17, 2006
Home at last
Some of you may have noticed that it has been awhile since I have downloaded my mind... Well, it seems that some of the travel madness may be coming to a close and that I will actually be living out of my closet rather than a suitcase.
Let's see, JJ went to France in Jan, then he left again in February and the poop hit the proverbial fan at my place of employment. While JJ was gone for a week, we experienced a quality issue with one of our parts that became highly elevated at the customer. This resulted in most of our resources also being focused on the problem, and me included. I ended up in Montreal for almost a month. By the time the issue was winding down, and I was coming home for awhile, JJ was back out the door for a two week stint in France. He got back and I went back to Montreal for a few days, different program. Got home last Wednesday, then on Thursday the family (all of us together) went up north for a few days, but now we are home. Both my husband and I will be in the same bedroom for the next few weeks and that seems like such a luxury.
What else, well, while travelling like the insane, my washing machine went on a mysterious fritz. My mother started doing our laundry, which lasted a few weeks (and I am so grateful that she did that because I cannot imagine what my life would have been like without it, I would have been spending the 2 days a week that I got at home doing laundry at the laundramat!). Rod came over and looked at the machine and cured the problem, but we are not sure how. So that was a huge relief.
Charlotte got a report card that had her failing a subject, getting D's in two others (one of which was French) and generally a lousy report. I had a little breakdown here, but I digress. Helene and Luke also got reports, and conferences, which I attended solo, as JJ was tasting Bordeaux futures in France. Amazingly enough, after a few weeks and a lot of nagging, Charlie brought home progress reports and seems to have stabilized. We are on such an emotional roller coaster, I can only imagine how she must feel about it.
Let's see, JJ went to France in Jan, then he left again in February and the poop hit the proverbial fan at my place of employment. While JJ was gone for a week, we experienced a quality issue with one of our parts that became highly elevated at the customer. This resulted in most of our resources also being focused on the problem, and me included. I ended up in Montreal for almost a month. By the time the issue was winding down, and I was coming home for awhile, JJ was back out the door for a two week stint in France. He got back and I went back to Montreal for a few days, different program. Got home last Wednesday, then on Thursday the family (all of us together) went up north for a few days, but now we are home. Both my husband and I will be in the same bedroom for the next few weeks and that seems like such a luxury.
What else, well, while travelling like the insane, my washing machine went on a mysterious fritz. My mother started doing our laundry, which lasted a few weeks (and I am so grateful that she did that because I cannot imagine what my life would have been like without it, I would have been spending the 2 days a week that I got at home doing laundry at the laundramat!). Rod came over and looked at the machine and cured the problem, but we are not sure how. So that was a huge relief.
Charlotte got a report card that had her failing a subject, getting D's in two others (one of which was French) and generally a lousy report. I had a little breakdown here, but I digress. Helene and Luke also got reports, and conferences, which I attended solo, as JJ was tasting Bordeaux futures in France. Amazingly enough, after a few weeks and a lot of nagging, Charlie brought home progress reports and seems to have stabilized. We are on such an emotional roller coaster, I can only imagine how she must feel about it.
Sunday, January 22, 2006
All is well
When everyone is home and around me all things are so much better. Jean-Jacques is home and I feel so much better. Somehow, now, all is well and I feel so stupid about having over reacted and got so angry with JJ while he was gone. I am so glad he's home and so glad that I have him here. He makes me feel so alive and sexy. That is an awesome thing for a forty-year-old, dowdy mother of three. We have been married for 15 years, and he still makes me feel alive inside. I am pretty darn lucky, even if sometimes I think that it's the corniest thing, usually I just feel that it's pretty amazing.
OK, so now we go on with the normal things. Life as usual? Yep, now that JJ is home, I leave for Montreal, again.
Day before yesterday, Thursday, even though I took the afternoon off to go to an interview, I stupidly looked at my cell phone and saw that I was being urgently paged by our plant. Even more stupidly, I returned the call and got sent down to South Carolina for an urgent quality issue. Run, run, run... I called my mom to come and have a "sleep over" with the kids and hopped on a plane. Fortunately the meeting went well and we avoided disaster. The trip ended in time for me to attend a friends surprize 50th birthday party, just not in time to actually be part of the "SURPRIZE" part, but I did get there.
Saturday, JJ comes home, we went to Lou's birthday euchre party and now Sunday, lazy day. This week, JJ stays home, for the most part and I am back in Montreal. Ah life goes on. Hopefully, we'll get our swimming in this afternoon and then we can just curl up and enjoy a few loads of laundry (oh yeah, there is that crazy obsession / resolution thing with laundry) it never seems to go away. I can fantasize, I don't have a cook to bring me food, I have a permanent handmaiden, doing my bidding and taking care of everything so that I actually have time to cook - oh yeah, that sounds like an awesome fantasy (Mel, I think I'm getting used to this.).
Just keep swimming.
OK, so now we go on with the normal things. Life as usual? Yep, now that JJ is home, I leave for Montreal, again.
Day before yesterday, Thursday, even though I took the afternoon off to go to an interview, I stupidly looked at my cell phone and saw that I was being urgently paged by our plant. Even more stupidly, I returned the call and got sent down to South Carolina for an urgent quality issue. Run, run, run... I called my mom to come and have a "sleep over" with the kids and hopped on a plane. Fortunately the meeting went well and we avoided disaster. The trip ended in time for me to attend a friends surprize 50th birthday party, just not in time to actually be part of the "SURPRIZE" part, but I did get there.
Saturday, JJ comes home, we went to Lou's birthday euchre party and now Sunday, lazy day. This week, JJ stays home, for the most part and I am back in Montreal. Ah life goes on. Hopefully, we'll get our swimming in this afternoon and then we can just curl up and enjoy a few loads of laundry (oh yeah, there is that crazy obsession / resolution thing with laundry) it never seems to go away. I can fantasize, I don't have a cook to bring me food, I have a permanent handmaiden, doing my bidding and taking care of everything so that I actually have time to cook - oh yeah, that sounds like an awesome fantasy (Mel, I think I'm getting used to this.).
Just keep swimming.
Wednesday, January 18, 2006
What is stressed again? Something about desserts?
Ok, well I have given into my stress. I blew up at the kids last night, who all looked at me like this was no big deal, which ofcourse, caused me to lose it even more. So we spent from 5 to 7 just feeling lousy. Helene packed her bag and said good-bye because she was intent on running away. I told her to knock it off because the last thing we needed was for her to spend a cold, wet night outdoors. The police would find out and I would be arrested. This is not an option, she was ordered to unpack, put things away and get real.
We did manage to go swimming last night, despite this turmoil. Helene chose to stay behind and dramatize her troubles to her friend on the phone. Ofcourse, while we were swimming, the her special ed coordinator called at 8:30, only to be told that we were all out of the house. She, all alone in the house, took the message, then called my cell phone. So we all went to bed. I feeling really lousy. I don't know about the kids. They were playing cards and then went upstairs together. They didn't seem to be too bothered by my outburst.
This morning, it was like a bad re-run of last night. Charlotte helped me shovel the driveway and then she went to school. All was well there. Helene had taken a shower and was ready to go by the time I got back inside from shoveling and Luke had finished his shower (although still wet, in a towel, lounging in the bathroom). OK, we were still pretty on schedule, with 40 minutes to go. I hopped in the shower and when I got out told Luke to finish getting dressed and get downstairs and make sure his backpack and lunch were ready. Twenty minutes later, they were still not in their coats. I just exploded again. I want to run away.
OK, so I dropped them off at school and cried myself to work. Why does this happen? Where is my calgon moment? I am sooooo ashamed that I lost my cool. I am not ashamed that I let them know that they were not behaving in an appropriate way. They CANNOT continue to do this, ignore me until I use my Sybil voice. I am going to have a heart attack right in front of them!
Well I am done venting. A lot of good that did me. I still don't have a solution. I would love to not think about any of the consequences, become someone I am not, strut into a bar and have a few drinks while I meet up with a stranger. I would have no homework to check, no laundry to do, no calories to count, no kitchen to clean, or dinnner to serve. I would even have perfect hair and be dressed to kill. I would have had the time to go to Victoria Secrets and by that wonderbra I have been dreaming about. I would walk into that bar looking hot and graceful in three inch heels. But none of that is me, even if I fantasize about it. Even in my fantasies, I want to be able to solve all the problems and make my children happy, responsible and aware people (although I wouldn't mind turning a few heads while I do that).
And so it goes...
We did manage to go swimming last night, despite this turmoil. Helene chose to stay behind and dramatize her troubles to her friend on the phone. Ofcourse, while we were swimming, the her special ed coordinator called at 8:30, only to be told that we were all out of the house. She, all alone in the house, took the message, then called my cell phone. So we all went to bed. I feeling really lousy. I don't know about the kids. They were playing cards and then went upstairs together. They didn't seem to be too bothered by my outburst.
This morning, it was like a bad re-run of last night. Charlotte helped me shovel the driveway and then she went to school. All was well there. Helene had taken a shower and was ready to go by the time I got back inside from shoveling and Luke had finished his shower (although still wet, in a towel, lounging in the bathroom). OK, we were still pretty on schedule, with 40 minutes to go. I hopped in the shower and when I got out told Luke to finish getting dressed and get downstairs and make sure his backpack and lunch were ready. Twenty minutes later, they were still not in their coats. I just exploded again. I want to run away.
OK, so I dropped them off at school and cried myself to work. Why does this happen? Where is my calgon moment? I am sooooo ashamed that I lost my cool. I am not ashamed that I let them know that they were not behaving in an appropriate way. They CANNOT continue to do this, ignore me until I use my Sybil voice. I am going to have a heart attack right in front of them!
Well I am done venting. A lot of good that did me. I still don't have a solution. I would love to not think about any of the consequences, become someone I am not, strut into a bar and have a few drinks while I meet up with a stranger. I would have no homework to check, no laundry to do, no calories to count, no kitchen to clean, or dinnner to serve. I would even have perfect hair and be dressed to kill. I would have had the time to go to Victoria Secrets and by that wonderbra I have been dreaming about. I would walk into that bar looking hot and graceful in three inch heels. But none of that is me, even if I fantasize about it. Even in my fantasies, I want to be able to solve all the problems and make my children happy, responsible and aware people (although I wouldn't mind turning a few heads while I do that).
And so it goes...
Sunday, January 15, 2006
A new week begins
My mom is home and so dad has gone home. Wierd because mom thanked me, like I did something. Dad really is low maintenance, except for the fact that he doesn't take anyone elses schedule into consideration. He really was not a burden in any way, but ofcourse, by having him here made me accutely aware of just how unhealthy his lifestyle is. I don't mean that he's drinking, or eating candy bars all day, or anything. That being said, he just sits around the house, he's not high maintenance.
So there is some return to normalcy because we went to church today. Now I am in front of the tv, getting ready to pick Helene up from her over nighter. I know that I have tons of laundry to do. I have some walking, groceries and hopefully swimming to do. Then another week of craziness goes on.
The interview went well yesterday. Now the waiting begins. I need to stay focused on my current job. I need to stay motivated on the task on hand. I need to not think about "what if" I get a new opportunity. That is extremely difficult because there are so many things that flood my mind. And despite enjoying the coasting that my current position affords me, the thought of new challenges, using my skills in a different way, well that is pretty exciting. But goodness knows, I am not a patient person and this waiting thing is NO GOOD.
So keep me in your prayers.
So there is some return to normalcy because we went to church today. Now I am in front of the tv, getting ready to pick Helene up from her over nighter. I know that I have tons of laundry to do. I have some walking, groceries and hopefully swimming to do. Then another week of craziness goes on.
The interview went well yesterday. Now the waiting begins. I need to stay focused on my current job. I need to stay motivated on the task on hand. I need to not think about "what if" I get a new opportunity. That is extremely difficult because there are so many things that flood my mind. And despite enjoying the coasting that my current position affords me, the thought of new challenges, using my skills in a different way, well that is pretty exciting. But goodness knows, I am not a patient person and this waiting thing is NO GOOD.
So keep me in your prayers.
Thursday, January 12, 2006
50 Degrees in January
So I am totally geaked! It is spring time out there and I am counting the minutes until 4 so that I can get the heck out of dodge, go home and take the kids out for a bike ride. A bike ride, in Michigan, in January! I realize that this is not the mountain that I am making it out to be, but with the warm weather and sunshine, I just can't surpress my joy.
This week has been good. My father and I have not fought, but I have spent a lot of time praying for patience and understanding. God, in His infinite wisdom, has decided to grant me some perspective during this week and I have not blown up once. I did ask him (about five times in a row) to stop talking about death in the mines. Having worked in the mines in France when he was young, he has been very empathetic to what happened in Virginia. The kids prayed for the families at dinner, and my father felt it necessary to go into certain aspects of the tragedy. The kids, being kids, had to start asking detailed questions, and my father decided to respond. I would change the conversation and then dad would go right back to the mines. I asked him to stop. He told me that it was important for the kids to understand what that type of life was like. I agreed, but I countered that it probably wasn't necessary to go into details and stay on the same topic all evening, because he is not the one who would get up in the night when they had nightmares, nor would he have to reassure the kids every time JJ or I travel for business, because they sometimes worry that we won't return.
Luke had three nights of nightmares regarding floods over the Christmas break. There was a lot of footage of the tsunami, being the one-year anniversary. There was also a look back on the hurricanes. When we were in Chicago, he saw the lake and started freaking out. This is where my hesitation about discussing tragedy comes in.
At any rate, my father didn't disagree and let me steer the conversation in a different direction. He ofcourse returned to the subject several times during the evening, but I kept calm and just reminded him that we were done talking about that.
Allyson has been a total Godsend this week. I had to unexpectedly fly to Montreal on Tuesday, returning Wednesday. The kids needed an adult and my father needed an assistant and Allyson totally stepped up to the plate. Truly her being home has made all the difference for me, and the kids, because as a result, I have been less stressed.
Claude is stopping by to pick up Rogers mail tomorrow. Gosh I wish I could go down to Florida for a few days and see my brother. Maybe I can convince mom that we NEED to get to warmth. I don't know if I can do it though. We'll see.
JJ is in Italy, or maybe by now he is driving back towards the Rhone. Mom is having a wonderful time and called me today to make sure that I am surviving. Richards' car was robbed whilst he was dining in Mexico city. His passport was in the bag that was taken. He is NOT a happy camper, but he IS unharmed. All's well that is going well, I won't question it.
Just keep swimming.
This week has been good. My father and I have not fought, but I have spent a lot of time praying for patience and understanding. God, in His infinite wisdom, has decided to grant me some perspective during this week and I have not blown up once. I did ask him (about five times in a row) to stop talking about death in the mines. Having worked in the mines in France when he was young, he has been very empathetic to what happened in Virginia. The kids prayed for the families at dinner, and my father felt it necessary to go into certain aspects of the tragedy. The kids, being kids, had to start asking detailed questions, and my father decided to respond. I would change the conversation and then dad would go right back to the mines. I asked him to stop. He told me that it was important for the kids to understand what that type of life was like. I agreed, but I countered that it probably wasn't necessary to go into details and stay on the same topic all evening, because he is not the one who would get up in the night when they had nightmares, nor would he have to reassure the kids every time JJ or I travel for business, because they sometimes worry that we won't return.
Luke had three nights of nightmares regarding floods over the Christmas break. There was a lot of footage of the tsunami, being the one-year anniversary. There was also a look back on the hurricanes. When we were in Chicago, he saw the lake and started freaking out. This is where my hesitation about discussing tragedy comes in.
At any rate, my father didn't disagree and let me steer the conversation in a different direction. He ofcourse returned to the subject several times during the evening, but I kept calm and just reminded him that we were done talking about that.
Allyson has been a total Godsend this week. I had to unexpectedly fly to Montreal on Tuesday, returning Wednesday. The kids needed an adult and my father needed an assistant and Allyson totally stepped up to the plate. Truly her being home has made all the difference for me, and the kids, because as a result, I have been less stressed.
Claude is stopping by to pick up Rogers mail tomorrow. Gosh I wish I could go down to Florida for a few days and see my brother. Maybe I can convince mom that we NEED to get to warmth. I don't know if I can do it though. We'll see.
JJ is in Italy, or maybe by now he is driving back towards the Rhone. Mom is having a wonderful time and called me today to make sure that I am surviving. Richards' car was robbed whilst he was dining in Mexico city. His passport was in the bag that was taken. He is NOT a happy camper, but he IS unharmed. All's well that is going well, I won't question it.
Just keep swimming.
Saturday, January 07, 2006
New Year
Wow, I have thought about posting, and thought about posting... Several times I have even sat down to try and do just that, but guess what, I got really busy. Now the holidays are over and I am determined to get caught up on the mountains of laundry and ironing that have sprung up in my house. This laundry battle has been a slow burn and has been gaining advantage since Beaujolais Nouveau. Now, I am determined to defeat and tame the beast. This has become such an obsession with me that I have made this part of my resolution. Too freaky.
Christmas was really nice, pretty quiet and wonderful. We were just home alone, my parents and us, it was really neat. We were totally spoiled and it was pretty decadent with the gifts and lounging (could this have contributed to the laundry beasts advantage?) At any rate, we certainly enjoyed it. Then we went to Chicago for a couple of days because my husband had to work. Helene is the one who enjoyed this the most because she got an American Girl doll (please no snide remarks) early in December as a reward for her reading progress (she went from K level two years ago to 4.5 grade level this year, it's been quite cool). We got the doll used, from a colleague's daughter who no longer plays with her. So Chicago, the American Girl mecca, was a dream location for my middle child. We took her Samantha doll to the store, where for a mere $15 she got a pony tail put in her head (I am sick!). We also managed to spend an additional $100 on other accessories, but since it was her birthday, it was ok.
We spent New Year's Eve with our great friends Errol and Patty. The kids came and watched tv, and were totally spoiled by Patty. JJ and I were also spoiled and had a wonderful evening talking with friends and drinking some amazing wines and admiring beautiful baby Sabrina. We couldn't have asked for a more perfect new years eve. Seriouslyit was awesome.
The next day my family came to the house to celebrate Christmas (ok so we were a week late) and it was nice. We all got together and broke bread, exchanged gifts and played cards. Could life get any better? Then ofcourse, it was back to work on Tuesday.
JJ and my mom left for France on the 5th. My father is staying with the kids and i until mom returns on the 14th. It has been ok so far, but we are only day two. I remain optimistic, but we'll see. He has not really been keeping to schedule, but that is partly my fault because I have been insisting that the kids and I swim. The mornings are a test of patience, as I am sure my mother knows. The man gets up and it takes him approximately an hour to get his little things done and is ready to prick his finger and then another ten minutes to actually take his shot! Tomorrow I have told Charlotte that she needs to make sure that her grandfather is out of bed a lot earlier than 9:15.
I have to get to work on the New Years cards for my family in France. I did manage to get Christmas cards out to the US side, but I still have about 40 more cards to send across the ocean. Today however, the plans revolve around going to the pool with the kids, taking my nephews (Jon and Dan) with us and enjoying a couple of hours of water fun. Then tonight, well nothing planned. I am sure that Dad will want to watch some hockey, but the kids and I will probably watch a movie. Tomorrow, hopefully the same story. Ofcourse this will be sprinkled with laundry.
JJ's plans today are much more interesting. He is at Karantes with Walt and Jan, Christophe and the consultant, and they are doing the blending for the first vintages. That really is much more exciting and sexier than my lame plans. That's ok, all good things come to those who wait.
more soon I hope
Christmas was really nice, pretty quiet and wonderful. We were just home alone, my parents and us, it was really neat. We were totally spoiled and it was pretty decadent with the gifts and lounging (could this have contributed to the laundry beasts advantage?) At any rate, we certainly enjoyed it. Then we went to Chicago for a couple of days because my husband had to work. Helene is the one who enjoyed this the most because she got an American Girl doll (please no snide remarks) early in December as a reward for her reading progress (she went from K level two years ago to 4.5 grade level this year, it's been quite cool). We got the doll used, from a colleague's daughter who no longer plays with her. So Chicago, the American Girl mecca, was a dream location for my middle child. We took her Samantha doll to the store, where for a mere $15 she got a pony tail put in her head (I am sick!). We also managed to spend an additional $100 on other accessories, but since it was her birthday, it was ok.
We spent New Year's Eve with our great friends Errol and Patty. The kids came and watched tv, and were totally spoiled by Patty. JJ and I were also spoiled and had a wonderful evening talking with friends and drinking some amazing wines and admiring beautiful baby Sabrina. We couldn't have asked for a more perfect new years eve. Seriouslyit was awesome.
The next day my family came to the house to celebrate Christmas (ok so we were a week late) and it was nice. We all got together and broke bread, exchanged gifts and played cards. Could life get any better? Then ofcourse, it was back to work on Tuesday.
JJ and my mom left for France on the 5th. My father is staying with the kids and i until mom returns on the 14th. It has been ok so far, but we are only day two. I remain optimistic, but we'll see. He has not really been keeping to schedule, but that is partly my fault because I have been insisting that the kids and I swim. The mornings are a test of patience, as I am sure my mother knows. The man gets up and it takes him approximately an hour to get his little things done and is ready to prick his finger and then another ten minutes to actually take his shot! Tomorrow I have told Charlotte that she needs to make sure that her grandfather is out of bed a lot earlier than 9:15.
I have to get to work on the New Years cards for my family in France. I did manage to get Christmas cards out to the US side, but I still have about 40 more cards to send across the ocean. Today however, the plans revolve around going to the pool with the kids, taking my nephews (Jon and Dan) with us and enjoying a couple of hours of water fun. Then tonight, well nothing planned. I am sure that Dad will want to watch some hockey, but the kids and I will probably watch a movie. Tomorrow, hopefully the same story. Ofcourse this will be sprinkled with laundry.
JJ's plans today are much more interesting. He is at Karantes with Walt and Jan, Christophe and the consultant, and they are doing the blending for the first vintages. That really is much more exciting and sexier than my lame plans. That's ok, all good things come to those who wait.
more soon I hope
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