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Friday, June 30, 2006

stuff stuff 

Got stuffs at Reno, walmart and the very cool (club price like) Club Provigo

- Corner shelves for above the toilet (temporary till we find better)
- the towel rack for beside the kitchen sink
- balcony troughs for my beans... and dirt
- a cloth rach for the shower
- big garbage can with wheels
- new COMFY sandals for me (I should go get a second pair since shoe shopping fr me is a nightmare)
- nice drawer tacky paper
- litter box for the kitten
- big watering can for the garden

We are now home putting things together. M-SB installed a higher shelf inside his closet. We got the towel rack up in the kitchen, along with the spice rack and the marker/cork boards... and the calendar. The shelves, racks and laminate are up in the bathroom. Noogies are in the big snake shelf in my office with Timid (my ball python) now out of the closet and on the shelf where he belongs. AND M-SB got my internet cord set up in the office. Time to clean the office and set things up in there.

OH! Happy Canada Weekend! Ash gave us a big Canada Day flag which is now mounted on the front of our balcony. COOL! THANKS!!

The finished rooms are really starting to look like we live here and have a home. Need to get more rooms feeling this way.

Oh hey, Walmart gift certificates would be great too for housewarming gifts. I can the bins I want for the bedroom closet shelving. Those I am picky about... but gift certificates would allow us to get the things we can picture in our heads, know is there, but cannot remotely describe. Other gift certificates that would be helpful are ones from Reno Depot, Home Depot, Nature Pet Centre, and Best Buy.

If people are thinking birthday stuffs... I have lots of wish lists, so you need not ask me. Surprise me! *smile*

no old place to look at ever again! 

Well... almost. I have the mailbox key. I will check the mail today and then give the key to the tenant. Yesterday I got the shelf to its new home. WOW... Aurora & WW's place look great with the new livingroom arrangement! Thanks for having me over.

I almost forgot to mention... I got a new seive to replace the casualty I melted with the new stove. I also got the faucet head.

Today M-SB and I *BOTH* have the day off. We will got for yummy breakfast at the "greasy spoon" And then shop for some necessities. If folks are looking at my lists for house warming ideas... Be careful. many of the things are on my high priority mental list or are really inexpensive so we are picking them up here and there. Mom bought us a nice new whistling kettle.

Best ever house warming gifts: IKEA gift certificates! (there is MUCH we need to get there)

Bathroom ideas (the bathroom is white with some black and we are highlighting in royal to dark blue):
-Blue towels (bath and hand)
-Blue face cloths
-Blue towel-like bath mats

Kitchen ideas:
-white kitchen paint (1 gallon can should do)
- cat toys that are sturdy enough for a small dog (that they cannot be destroyed... no stuffies)

I have not thought of other things in the range of housewarming gifts. Like I said, be careful when I put up lists here. The above are things that are not too expensive, not in our fussy-I-must-choose-it-myself list, and not in the must get within the next 2 weeks list. As we get set up, I will post more self-reminder lists. Again be careful, as we might be getting things on those lists before the housewarming. I will try to keep in mind that folks are perusing my lists for ideas. Really, though, gifts are NOT necessary. We just want to have folks over to show off our wonderful place!

Hehe... I won't say no to gifts though! As the housewarming will be just before my birthday! My birthday is the 24th of July. The housewarming will be the Sunday just before. *GRIN* I will post more on that later.

Thursday, June 29, 2006

work... sweet calm work 

I have been at work for 2 days. It has been busy but blessedly calm. Dropped an employee and rearranged the schedules to work things more smoothly in the long run. There was no tension at work. Everything there is familiar, unlike home at the moment. Don't get me wrong... I LOVE the new place. I am just in boxes still there and can't find all my clothing, so it is stressful. Work had none of that stressfulness. YAY!

Today I give back keys and move out the last shelf to Aurora & WW with WW's help. I will hang onto the mailbox key as I am waiting for something crutial in the mail (my car insurance forms). Then I will go spend a peaceful evening at Aurora's & WW with tea. Ahhhh....

Today I picked up some of those "needed" items from my lists:
- dish rack & tray
- table cloths
- food/water dish for kitten
- in-shower shelves
Dollar stores are WONDERFUL!!!

Also bought a beta to keep the snail and cooli-loach (thatI rescued from when we cleaned M-SB's tank) company in the little bowl by my bed. And fed crickets to all the geckos.

Now I am off to do banking, get dinner (sushi I think), move shelf, give up old keys, and have tea with Aurora & WW. Later all! I will have proper internet and email after Sunday.

Wednesday, June 28, 2006

Not really up an running... 

I am using M-SB's computer. Mine will not be accessible till sometime on the weekend. So please do not email me.

We are fully moved in now. No more stuff at the old place, save for a shelf that is going to Aurora & WW on Thursday when I also give up the keys. It is a relief to no longer be responsible to that old place. The new place is still chaos... but getting better.

Thank you so very much to M-SB's Mom and step-dad for all their help with our move, as well as my Dad and Hobbes. Especially, Thanks to M-SB's Mom for the amazing brand new stove! M-SB installed it and the main appliances AND set up the bed in the tiny bedroom while we waited for dinner. Thanks to Autumn and Ash for letting us eat in their place that evening without boxes all around us.

Sunday I was ready to lose my mind. In fact... I think I did temporarily. We brought the cats over and locked them in the bedroom saturday night as I felt the huse was unsafe for the first night over. We got to bed around 2:00am. At 3:30am the cats woke me repeatedly for an hour. Bagheera got the first beating of his life. And i was so tired and angry that when M-SB tried to sooth me back to sleep, I threatened to kill him. I got out of bed and slept on a beanbag on the kitchen floor. Sunday I was so burnt that I could hardly function. Thankfully, despite all my stupid running around, Aurora & WW came over to help unpack a bit. You two saved my sanity!

The BBQ we had after was wonderful and relaxed. I brought each cat for a harnessed romp in the backyard grass. The ritual was lovely and fun. AND... I slept better that night.

Monday I was determined to have the bathroom Finished. I scrubbed and set things up, hunted for a couple milk crates to act as make-shift shelves and unpacked all the bathroom boxes. I even found the big Susan Seddon Boulet poster laminate that I want in the bathroom. With a short 1-hr nap, I was ready to start on the kitchen. I didn't get very far. I hauled out ALL the non-kitchen boxes and stuff OUT of the kitchen and found all but 2 kitchen boxes that needed to be IN the kitchen. I picked up M-SB from work and we did a run to the old place to get some stuff and tidy there a bit. I cooked the first meal on the new stove! Dinner was M-SB' yummy pasta sauce on pasta. I also had our first casualty with the stove. I melted my plastic seive. *sigh* Now I need a new one. Before bed, I made a Bathroom wishlist:

- Cabinet with closing doors for the floor under the towel rack (replace milk crates)
- Cabinet that mounts on wall in corner above toilet
- Toilet seat (yes... new one... ick ick ick to use the old one)
- set of blue shower hooks
- external solid blue decorative shower curtain
- 3 blue and 3 white towel-like bath mats
- blue towels, hand towels, and cloths
- blue window shower curtain (do those actually exist?)
- New weighing scale
- Hooks/shelves that mount IN the shower to hold our shower stuff

Some of these things might be on this week's paycheck.

Tuesday, I made the kitchen my goal. I did SO MANY loads of dishes. I scrubbed out all but the lower cupboards and reorganizes every single cupboard AND the pantry. This took me all bloody day! Met my Dad at the old place so he can take the bureau and a table. We also loaded the car with the last of the stuff we are taking and cleaned the place... roughly. Well, I swept. They are getting my old apartment in WAY WAY way WAY better condition than I received. M-SB had his turn cooking on the new stove. He made a stirfry. Shame it was not really to my liking. He also found the missing kitchen boxes! While I finished setting up the kitchen, he set up his computer. LAlalaLA! Functioning computer! Mopped the floor of the kitchen while he loaded Heroes of Might & Magic V... thanks Gab!!! We played a bit while I started laundry. I also started (and it is really NOT complete) a kitchen wishlist:

- shims for under everthing as the floor is not level
- dish rack & drainage tray
- swivel-head faucet
- white kitchen paint (I think we need only one can)
- warm shades of table cloths (yellows, sandy colours, oranges, reds)
- water for our water cooler
- big garbage can with wheels for outside (need somewhere to store trash till garbage day)
- Kitten supplies (hooded average sized litter box, food & water dish, Iams kitten food)
- 6 cupboard latches (the lower cupboards don't close solidly and Cloak thus opens them)
- step stool (good sturdy one... NOT a folding metal one)
- towel rack to hole dish towels beside the kitchen sink

Some of these might be on NEXT week's paycheck.

1:00am and I am now playing the game alone and STILL doing laundry. The dryer sucks. Have to sometimes dry things twice. Well... I know what my next BIG expense will be. New dryer so we can all dry our things in the first run. Running clothes twice through the dryer... KILLS the electric bill. I am still grateful that we can use Autumn & Ash's washer and dryer. Without this... I would have no clothes... as I am still looking for my packed clothes.

Ugh... I work in the morning. Not that I don't like work. I DO like work. I just wish I wasn't working so I can keep setting up the new home. But if I don't work... I can't pay things like bills. Ah well... Off to check the laundry...

**::EDIT 2:00am::**
Still doing laundry. I am having trouble breathing due to the humidity. This morning it was so bad that even after my pump, I could not shake the athsma attack. I was severely dizzy for over an hour. It is starting to get that bad again. And the weather and my joints... Damn... I feel old. I ache something fierce. Gods, I hope it eases before work tomorrow. I am running out of advil. Well, I am still doing laundry. I pulled the jeans out of this laod and hung them over chairs to dry overnight while the rest is in the dryer. I hope that helps. Then there is just one last load of sheets and towels (oh gods... clean towles for showers) that still need to go into the dryer. I might have M-SB do a laundry switch in the morning when he gets up. I am crashing and burning out FAST!

**::EDIT 3:00am::**
UGH!! Laundry STILL not dry! I give up. I set it to dry again. I moved my wet towels to on top of the dryer in case Autumn needed the washer. Ok... seriously going to look into getting a better dryer. I am going to bed. M-SB can finish the laundry after dinner after he gets home from work.

Saturday, June 24, 2006

Still packing... House Warming Questions 

Remember... call my cell 514-799-9412... no more landline phone OR internet till Tuesday!

Yes... it is nearly 1am and I am STILL packing stuff. I am fast running out of steam and the hip is killing me again. I guess round 3 of SuperAdvil is wearing off. I will pop another and chase it down with Energy drink in a minute. Half the kitchen is packed. One third of the bedroom... maybe half the bedroom is packed. There is but a few things in the livingroom to pack (like a small box of the PS2 stuffs). Also need to pack the hall closets.

Shit... forgot to return the movie. They called. Will do that tomorrow.

Folks have been asking me what we want for house warming gifts. Um... dunno. They have also been asking about my coming birthday... Ummm... give me a sec... Ikea gift certificates are TOP of the list. Otherwise... um... um....... Rectangular garden troughs that hang of the railing of a balcony so I can plant hanging flowering plants to hide the view past the front railing (it scares me... too high). I think I would need like 8 boxes. Um... what else... um... a small airconditioner for my office... um... 2 or 3 small miracles in my back pocket would be really useful too! I could use those... cash them in for things like paying my car insurance and registration, or maybe finding the perfect bit of furniture, or maybe finding the extra funds for the lovely hutch or rocking chair I want... or miraculously manage to get the University stuff I need to do done this summer before classes start in September. Failing that... maybe Aurora could be convinced to help me cover my new place with photos. That would be excellent from her... HINT HINT!

Ok... I am truly out of steam. I need sleep. I set the alarm for 7am. Ugh...

I will be glad once everything is moved and I am gone from this place. No more annoying power outages from having too much plugged in on our sad one ciruit for the whole apartment. No more arguing about the plumbing. There is a leak... I SWEAR IT! I am NOT imagining a leak. Geez. OH... and no more little crawlies creeping out of the wall to hide in the furry dust kittens waiting to scare the crap out of me. Every spring... they come out of the walls. Freaks me out. I hate bugs within the confines of my home. HATE HATE HATE it. There are many of them thios year from the humidity. ARGH! None better be hitching rides! I tried telling the landlady and janitors here... but apparently I am a nutter and imagining them too. *sigh*

Goodnight everyone.
Remember... call my cell 514-799-9412... no more landline phone OR internet till Tuesday!

Friday, June 23, 2006

Losing my Mind !!! 

Ok... lots of already packed boxes got moved. After 4 trips, I called a lunch break... that was 3pm. Ikes! No wonder I was fuzzy and barely able to drive!! We ate at Angrignon. Then took a 4hour break to leisurely wander the mall. We picked up some things we needed... forgot a bunch of other things we need. Ooops. And M-SB spoiled me with some new clothes. I simple black skirt that was on special for $10 and a corset from Detox that was $30 from $100. Woohoo! He has been licking his lips in thought of me in it ever since we bought it. Hehe.

"Can you wear it for the BBQ on Sunday?" (M-SB)
Um... NO! I refuse to be the only one in a corset there AND that means I will be in much black on a HOT day. No.

After that, we went to the new place and moved some furniture about to make room for all the stuff yet to be moved. I also started cleaning a bit. ARGH! There is SO much to do!!!

Now I am home while M-SB is at a poker game with friends. This is his first personal break in like 2 weeks. I am home having dinner. Yes... at 11pm... with an Energy drink. I have more packing to do as the truck and moving help arrive tomorrow at 10am! I will sleep on Monday. Ugh...

If you have time and want to come help... help would be appreciated. Aurora & WW will be coming to help us with some cleaning and unpacking on Sunday before I have to go to a BBQ. Bless them! Thank you! So far the help we have had are from Mom and Dad Jory, M-SB's mom and step-dad, Hobbes, and of couse Ash and Autumn. Thank you Ash for all the renovation help. My gods! I have no idea how we would have managed without your help there!!

I need to survive 2 more days... just 2 more days... then I can pass out for a whole day.

Well... i am finished eating my dinner (which I was doing while blogging here... yes, multitasking). Now I have to go pack more. *groans and sips more Energy drink*

SHINY! *exhausted* 

Oh... and so sore I want to die.

Yesterday was CRAZY! I worked alone like a nutty trying to handle the store and set up for Wil Wheaton. What a dolt! I really should have scheduled another employee with me. Help arrived at 11am and again at noon. Everything was set up and the Wil Wheaton event went off smoothly! He is an incredible man, dinamic and passionate about what he does. He is a great speaker and very engaging with his audience! He had a great time and the Montreal Browncoats and Melange Magique staff took very good care of him and his wife. There really were not enough books of his, but we survived.

I split at 3pm to ensure Zyng was ready for us. They weren't. Good thing me and Prakash went over. They set up for 20 people... 30 showed. Hehe. We got our 10% discount. I must remember to add them to the thank you list. The Serenity event went off so well. I am shocked and please and so so PROUD of how everyone worked to make it such a success. We raised $880 for Equality Now. AWESOME!! Everyone seemed to have so much fun. Thank you to everyone who came out and showed us your support. Thank you to all the wonderful volunteers. Yhank you to the co-coordinators. Weehee... I got yummy teas as a gift! THANKS! Guess what I will be having when I take a moving break today?!

I got home late... exhausted... and nearly killed M-SB when he said to set the alarm for 9am.

I woke several times in the night. I hurt. Most especially the right knee and left ankle (which I had twisted a bit last week) and left hip. I really hurt.

My Dad called today and came to help us move some boxes. They (Dad and M-SB) have taken out 2 or 3 loads of boxes to the new place. I have been packing while they have been doing this. I think the next load will include loading my car. Then I call a break. We go eat.

I am charging my cell phone. I will no longer be able to be reached by the home number as of tomorrow... and that includes no internet till Monday/Tuesday. So if you need to reach myself or M-SB, call the cell: 514-799-9412.

Ugh... tired... sore...

Packed most of the antique cabinet, now I need more little boxes. I will bring some back from the new place. Packed some kitchen and bedroom stuff too. I am getting hungry.... and kinda ... fuzzy headed. need food.

Thursday, June 22, 2006

gave up 

I packed the baskets in the car and tried to work on one of the basket booklets. It was just going to take too too long... so I gave up on that project. Shame... would have been fun. We will just have to add little tags here and there in the baskets. I did write the quote into Simon's journal that needed it. I made one of the massage oils for Inara's basket. I also painted the "leaf on the wind". I am burnt now... so so so very tired.

I gave up on the poster pictures for Wil Wheaton too. I will try to do that tomorrow morning before work. As well, I will save files onto the USB key I have and email them to myself at work (just in case).

I don't know what to wear!?! I want to look pretty. Yet, I want to be practical and stand out at crew for the charity. I cannot seem to do both. Either I am prettyish or I am easily reconizable as a coordinator.

Ok... too tired to care anymore. I am going to bed. I will think about it tomorrow.

Wednesday, June 21, 2006

update 

Today was hectic. I did a quick drive to meet a Serenity Coordinator at a film shooting in LaSalle to drop something off that he needs for the program designs for our screening... while my friend Rafael was shuttling from downtown to my apartment. I arrived just as he did and we had sushi for lunch. Then did a quick drive over to my mom's to get leaves. I was surprised by my dad... I had forgotten he no longer works. He is retired. Lucky him! Dashed back to the apartment with Rafael and we baked 3 batches of muffins while neatly assembling and photographing the charity baskets. Then off I dashed to get M-SB from work, get gas, and head out to the final planning meeting for tomorrow's events. The meeting went well, if a bit hectic.

Now I am home for a quick drink and to pick up cleaning supplies. I am heading over to the new place to clean stuff. When we come home, I have to paint a leaf. Then I have to make the booklets for the baskets, then I have to back everything I will need for tomorrow into the car. And then... then load any files I need onto a USB key.

I work the store tomorrow. As soon as someone can get to the store, I will be running out to make photocopies. Then the FUN begins.

Gods... I am SOOOOOOo tired. I need an energy drink and no one has any *pout*

still up... working 

I got online with the Serenity volunteers and started working on the basket stuffs. I was confirming items to go in and quotes for the booklets for each basket. This is a ton of fun! But now it is late. And I am exhausted. A friend is coming over tomorrow to help me with all this. Bless him. I will have to send him home with some muffins.

Off to bed now! Alarm goes off at 7am. Friend arrive at 10:30am.

Tuesday, June 20, 2006

migraine 

Love this weather....

It was blessedly not too muggy. The store was steadily busy and the sudden on and off torrential downpours didn't seem to upset anyone. KnickKnack decided no more wet food. So I had to force feed her her meds. She does not like me today. Otherwise, she is doing well. The itching is still happening but somewhat less. Her ears are healing. No more siesures and the thyroid pills are working great. She is being mellow and lazy, but that is expected for an old cat on meds that induce laziness. By mid-day, the air pressure induced a migraine for me. I endured it till the end of the day.

I managed to work the schedule so I have tomorrow off. I have lots to do tomorrow: calling hydro/bell/gaz, etc about moving; calling A1Savannahs about date to get my kitten; packing; making Serenity baskets and their programs; printing Serenity passes and Wil Wheaton posters. Then a meeting. Well... that is tomorrow.
Came home with crates to make the Serenity baskets. Then ate out with M-SB. Eating and taking some advil has helped a bit. The migraine is still there, but less debilitating. We unpacked a load fromt he car and inspected the new place. The kitchen is completely finished! YAY! The bathroom is almost done too. YAY! It is really starting to look like a real home. Our home. It was a wonderful feeling standing in our new kitchen wrapped in M-SB's arms proudly looking at the new place. Ash has done an incredble job on the renovations. Thank you so very much.

Tomorrow, while I am at my meeting, M-SB will finish the painting of my office. When I am done the meeting, I will head out and clean all the finished rooms.

Thursday, I have Serenity stuffs all day. M-SB will rewire the outlets and light switches in the evening. I am anxious to be moved.

Monday, June 19, 2006

Moving progresses onward 

I managed to pack a couple more kitchen boxes and make a batch of breakfast muffins. We... well M-SB... stuffed the car full of book boxes and we headed out to the new place.

YAY! The kitchen counters are in. Cocking is still needed on them and in the bathroom and the bathroom window needs finishing. Then the quarter-rounds need to be nailed into place and the shelving made for the bedroom closet. M-SB started painting my office while I unpacked books. The first coat of melon/peach paint is done on the edging. It is an odd colour for me. I will definately need to highlight with dark green or something. It is a lovely colour that I can highlight with green, or blue, or burgundy. And the kitchen counters look less blue now that they are in. We will spend some time thinking about what colours to paint the kitchen... but it NOT the priority.

I didn't get my Serenity stuff done today. *pout* That means more work for me tomorrow. If not tomorrow then definately Wednesday as the charity screening is on Thursday. IKES! I will see if my dad can help move boxes with M-SB Wednesday or Thursday while I am unavailable. Friday will be a packing madness day. We move Saturday... while I am at a ritual.

knocked flat day 3 

Well, We stopped doing moving stuffs around 9pm last night and ate a late dinner and watched a movie. I slept decebtly. I even slept in. I am so exhausted.

I did get up and wash some dishes. Then I packed 2 boxes of kitchen stuff. Now I am cramping... yet again. I started some pasta for food. I am going to lie down. This is crazy. I still have Serenity stuff to do. Maybe I will feel better after I eat something. I am having breathing trouble again. I am not sure if it is athsma, the intense bloody cramping or the humidity. Probably all three.

Ok... eat, lie down, then fix up Serenity baskets.

I am supposed to take a trip to my mom's. Not sure if I can.

Sunday, June 18, 2006

Not even on my worst enemy... 

Yesterday I was dying with cramps. I did too much moving which really did not help. The curled up with the hot water bottle and meds for pain helped fot a few hours... but then I was awake till 3am when sleep finally claimed me.

The alarm went off at 6am.

We had to get out to wait for the new stove to arrive. We tried to go for breakfast, but nothing was open at that hour and resigned ourselves to McD's... which that morning staff couldn't even get right THREE times trying! Ugh. As the day wore on and we waited, M-SB started to put together his shelves for his office. I went to get shelves for the bedroom closet (which still need to be cut down a bit) and replace my office paint with a darker shade of peach. That took longer than anticipated. When I got back... still no stove. The cramps got worse with the heat. I thought I was going to die. I have not had them this bad in all the time I have been with M-SB. This was so bad it was just shy of hospital. I was really scared. I tried distracting myself by organizing some books till I could do no more than lie down and pray the pain would either stop or kill me so I could have peace from it. The stove finally arrived at 3pm (ish). I ordered us home to the apartment so I could lay down in bed. I think I cried from the pain for the entire 2 hours I lay there. I could barely breathe. 2 f-ing hours. This torture I would not wish on my worst enemy. I would take fractures and just about any other type of torture to this any day. I am dead serious. I was lucky I was able to get into a bed before I passed out. There is nothing more frightening than wondering if you are going to die from the pain, blacking out and waking in a hospital.

It passed. Left me weak and moody and nauseous. But it passed. I am still alive. What about next time? Will it kill me next time? I used to suffer it like that every month in my late teens and early twenties. I hate the hospital. ANd people never seem to believe me when I say I have to go because I am menstruating. Like I am making a stupid excuse to get out of working. I have lost jobs over it. And people have been pissed off at me inconveniencing their plans or feeling like I am not pulling my weight in some activity. "Geez... it is just your period. Stop making a big deal of it." *sigh*

This was my day.

It did pass. It made this weekend's moving hellish. I couldn't really help. I felt frustrated and useless, especially when people got frustrated with me.

It passed. Thank the gods.

We did not get done nearly as much as we needed to this weekend because of me.

Tomorrow, now, I have double duty. I have to finish the baskets for the Serenity Charity, make posters, make program booklets for each basket, clean the apartment, pack the apartment, and move stuff to the new place. I will be making a trip out to my parents' place during the hottest part of the day. My dad may even come out in the evening to help us move stuff. I hope to get a couple car loads put and my office painted.

Tuesday I work, then we move more stuff and I place the furniture that is there and clean the new place. The counter had better be finished along with the bathroom real soon. Wednesday I work day and night. Thursday I host Wil Wheaton then set up for the charity dinner and screening and finish things up with that. Friday is our last day. We are supposed to me completely packed. Guess what I am doing ALL DAY FRIDAY! Truck arrives Saturday and we move everything. EVERYTHING. Oh... and I have a ritual to ward. Sunday I do a last minute check and exchange keys and a breakfast and BBQ dinner to be at in 2 different places (thankfully two different times). Shit... I also have to handle the Post Office for changing mailing address.

There is SO much to do. I have no idea how we will do it. I might see about arranging a couple days off next week just to recover.

On the plus side, M-SB found our big kennel cage. So I will not bother strugging to order a new one. As soon as M-SB finds out which day he has off for Canada Weekend, I will call A1Savannahs to arrange for my kitten to be flown in. I have to get him in Toronto, the only airport with the proper facilities and legal reps to receive him.

This has truly been a hellish week.
I need a shower to wash away the f-ed-uppedness of the day.
Then bed.
G'nite all....

Saturday, June 17, 2006

So it begins... 

We have officially begun to move. I should have called in some folks to help with this... we sure could have used a few more hands shlepping stuff up and down stairs. The first load of shelving units and boxes are in Mark's step-dad's truck and my car.

I am in cramp hell, got the monthly early from stressing.

Thursday, June 15, 2006

freaking out 

We have been non-stop for the past three days. I feel exhausted and stressed out of my mind. I feel like I am trying to coordinate 5 jobs at once. Oh... I am. Melange, CMS, Serenity Charity, Teaching at Elementary, and MOVING! M-SB has been rennovating and working. I have not had a chance to sit and blog.

Although, last night I should have. I couldn't get to sleep till 5:30am.

Today was psychotic. Worked 10am-3pm, rushed out with KnickKnack to the vet to drop her off, dashed to Home Depot to get my paint and then back to the vet for the actual appointment.

KnickKnack is doing somewhat better. As it turns out, we did not need to do a blood test. She is looking a bit better but is still scratching herself bald all over. Vet concluded she is not allergic to her meds for her thyroid. YAY! She can continue to give those to her and not stress about the $1200+ procedure. She is no longer vomiting and is off the anti-vomit meds. She also has not had a single siezure since she went on the anti-siezure meds. EXCELLENT! She is eating and itching more. The eating is good. The itching is bad. She is allergic to something. I asked the vet if it could be herbs, oils, or bugs. Herbs and oils we have PLENTY of at the store, including one I am allergic to. Bugs... well, a client could have come in with fleas, maybe? Except then Tiquela would also be scratching and he ain't. The vet checked for bugs. Nope. All clear. As for herbs and oils, the vet said that external allergies usually show up by the age of three where as internal allergies show up much later in life, like around 10-ish. KnikcKnack is 12-ish, not that she REMOTELY looks or behaves that old! So she is eating something she is allergic to. OR, she has a brain tumor. I prefer the former possibility. We will work on ruling things out a little at a time before freaking out about big stuff. So, now she is back on the thyroid meds and on anti-siezure meds. We now have meds for her itching, too, along with hypoallergenic food. So we switch both cats to hypoallergenic food and watch to see if the itching reduces. Cross your fingers. Older cats are so difficult sometimes to manage, especially in a store environment. But we lover her so very dearly!!

Ok, after the KnickKnack run, I had to get her back to the store and explain everything to the staff and arrange for competant people to be there tomorrow to ensure everything goes well. Then race BACK to the vet to meet M-SB there with our two boyz for their vaccines.

At home at last where my energy, patience and coping abilities were reaching their limit. I still had not really eaten. One jamaican patty at noon does not count as food. I had to try to assemble some form of coherance and call my mom to find out what the teacher for Friday wanted of me. Her explanation sounded too complex for me at that moment and I started to lose it with her. Sorry mom... stressed au but! And then the moving bomb was dropped on me. We lost the pick and help for Saturday the 24th, meaning that we had to pack the WHOLE HOUSE tomorrow and move it THIS Saturday. I lost my mind. Lost it. Completely. Still kinda losing it... but slowly going numb. The impossible is supposed to happen. Do the Gods think this is funny? I am not laughing. So M-SB loaded up the car with some boxes I had already packed while I packed more boxes.

After a quick stop at McD's, we stopped into Breault & Martineau. We now have a stove! It will be paid for on Saturday and delivered on Sunday. We unloaded the car with help from Ash. THANK YOU ASH!!! M-SB moved the two shelves, that Hobbes helped move, into the livingroom. I then UNPACKED book boxes onto the shelves (very helter-skelter) while he and Ash filled the car with more empty boxes from the garage and the empties that I made. Ash gave us good news. We will FINALLY have kitchen counters tomorrow. Hopefully the bathroom window will get finished and the tub cocked, too, before the weekend is over.

I have left the 'Scarlet is coherant and nice" stage several hours ago. I am way WAY way beyond BURNT. I somehow still handles some of the Serenity stuff I had to do. One more email to send out... but I will do that tomorrow after I get back from teaching.

No more moving stuff tonight.

I am going to bed.

Monday, June 12, 2006

Progress? 

Ahhhhh... hot tea... Creme Earl Grey (Bergamot & Vanille).

Today was busy from start to finish! M-SB was off to work by 9am and I was up at 10 having oatmeal. I packed some boxes in the library and tossed out a bag of crap. Then sat down for email and phone calls and internet verifications. My insurance reject my request for refund for my $100 epipen. Apparently I am supposed to be on RAMQ since I am a Quebec resident. The insurance I get with school covers everything else. So, I have to go to the pharmacy and see if I can get the financial stuff corrected. My car insurance was next. I needed the insurance in the new address. Apparently LaSalle is suburbia and not considered Downtown Montreal like NDG is. That mean that with the address change came a reduced rate too ($32 less). YAY! But still $313 to pay by the end of the month. Ouch. They would not break it up into part payment. I can request that next year if I wish. My car registration is due end of the month too. $255. Grrrr... and i can't correct the address of that by phone. I have to go to the auto registration place thingy that takes bloody forever! That will not happen today.

On my way out to start the errands, I was 14min late for the car and got a ticket. The day was not going as planned thus far. Got to the Jean Coutou (sp?) and asked about the RAMQ stuff. She corrected my file with RAMQ but told me I had to go to the actual pharmacy where the epipen was bought and request my refund there. Damn. That will happen Friday on my way home from teaching the grade 3's. Over to the Access Montreal to get rid of the speading ticket. HUZZAH! The first time I went they told me I had to pay it at the bank, but I could never make it to the bank during open hours. I passed by a little while ago and spoke to a different person who said I could come in today and do it there. YAY! Done and gone. Then home to call Wil Wheaton and deal with preperations for him coming to Montreal. YAY! That dealt with too. I need to make posters now. Ugh.

Back home to packing and more packing. I used up all the book-sized boxes. I then got rid of crap in my milk crates and used them for books. The library is completely packed. Not as well sorted as I wanted, but packed. Dinner was glosh which I put into containers for me and M-SB. Picked him up from work. He ate in the car while I drove him to the new place where he continued to paint. We ran out of the lovely cream as he did yet a 3rd coat on the livingroom and the first and second coat in the first 1/2 of the hall. We will need a 3rd can. But the hall can wait till we move.

Hobbes came over and we moved 2 shelving units and a bunch of the boxes. Thank you!!! I then waited for M-SB to finish the edging of the nice sage green in his office. It is freezing! The air is much more chill by the water!

Ahhhh... hot tea.

Tomorrow we put up the curtains and do preliminary rites in the new home. You know, the usual laying in of new wards and shield, banishing lingering entities, filling with positive growth energy... oh and LOTS of tranquility energy! This year has been way too busy. Then a ritual in the evening. I am looking forward to the ritual and the slow relaxations after ritual. This will be the downtime day.

Not as planned 

Never as planned.

Well the renovations and the moving are really not going as I had hoped they would. Our bathroom is still not finished. The kitchen still has no kitchen counters. The painting is barely half done. The packing is going abysmally. M-SB has been out to do painting all weekend and will be every night this week, thus pulling 14+ hr work days as he works all day then will be painting all night. His office is 1/2 packed. He does have new furniture for his new office. My library almost packed. I am running out of boxes for books. We were supposed to start moving, serious moving, this Wednesday. It won't happen. I can't arrange days off work to pack. How would I pay the bills when I don't get a paycheck. I asked if he could take time of work. He can't either or rent won't get paid. It is tight because of the extra expenses of painting and moving. Expensive both financially and especially timewise.

So here is a warning. If anyone is going to ask me if i can do something sometime between now and July 1st...

DON'T!

I cannot add to this plate. We have to work during the days and then renovate and pack and move in the evenings and weekends. Gods help us.

Actually, Hobbes is coming to help this evening. I will pack dinner, get M-SB from work and drop him off to eat and paint at the new place. Then I will head home and meet Hobbes to put shelves into his bigger car and boxes into mine and start shuttling stuff back and forth.

Tomorrow is a ritual in the evening.
Wednesday is more painting while I am stuck at the store.
Thursday is unpacking so I can pack more (I need the boxes). ANd with luck move the big snake tank and stand with help from Ash and M-SB.
Friday is more painting. and hopefully more packing and moving. With luck the construction things will be done by then.
We want the bulk of the easily moveable things moved by the end of the weekend. Till the 24th, we will be kinda between 2 homes. This makes for a very pissy Scarlet. Please try not to cross me or M-SB. He ain't happy with all this either. We are excited to move but the moving itself is... is... well... I don't have a word for it at the moment.

Saturday, June 10, 2006

Ikea Mania 

Last night was day 2 at Ikea. We were making plans as to furnishings for the new place. We found a great side hutch and cabinet for the antique dish set and to serve for dining ware, as well as the dining table and chairs we want. We also found the desk and shelving M-SB wants for his office. And many more things. Even a colour for the kitchen walls to paint! That was due to a set of teacups we found and likesd at Ikea whose colour looked good with the counter swatch I had. We came home with practically all the shelves M-SB would need for his office, as well as the curtains for the livingroom. Everything else will have to wait now as we are broke from that set of expenses.

I might change the idea I have for my office colours. i think i want a very warm desert dand colour in my office. Hmmm... I am not sure.

We will get the paint for the kitchen and M-SB's office first and my office last.

Our next 3 big Ikea expenses when we can make them will be a desk for M-SB and a sofa ($579) for the livingroom and the tall hutch cabinet ($329) for the anitique dishes.

But before those expense, I must pay car insurance, car registration, vet bills, get the big cat cage, Concordia fees, Equiterre, and pay off the house bills (hydro, bell, gas) before moving. *sigh* So much to do and so much $$ going out. But the new place will be amazing. As much as we are exhausted and stressed, we are also excited.

Thursday, June 08, 2006

Kitten Evolution 








More busy and new pictures of Tsuki 
















































































He is no longer looking like a fluffy fuzzy kitten with kitten fat. He is looking like a slender desert hunter. Wow! I can hardly wait to get him.

On other fronts...
Story was busy with lots of work. KnickKnack is not doing as well as hoped. She is allergic to her meds for her hyperthyroidism. She has 5 days of new meds and special food to ease her poor tummy after 2 days of much vomiting. Her small siezures are still happening. So, she also has siezure meds. So, she can't take her meds for the hyperthyroidism and can't have the cure of surgery because of the siezures (anesthesia is dangerous for pets with siezure problems). Her only cure for the hyperthyroidism is a $1200+ radiated iodine treatment. I know someone who had it done for her cat with great results. But ouch! that is expensive. At the moment... nothing can be done. She needs to settle her tummy and lower the frequency of the siezures. It is a shame she is allergic to the thyroid meds. They were working so well. She gained 1/2 LB of weight and the heart murmur is now gone, but the vomiting and face itching from the allergy is the new problem. She falls into the 12% bracket of cats allergic to that med. She has always been special, but for one, not special would have been nice. Keep her in your prayers. We all love her.

So the vet took up my late afternoon. Much running around instead of packing and doing other things that needed doing. I did manage to get some herbs for my new herb garden and the 2 cans of paint for the livingroom and hall. M-SB and I headed to Ikea for the evening to get curtains for the livingroom and look at furniture.

Tomorrow I pack up a snake to take for Snake Day in grade 5. Yup, teaching grade 5 again. Then drop off paint and herbs at the new place and pick up M-SB to go to the Ikea on the South Shore for his office shelves. Then home to finish up writing a ritual and researching for my classes to teach.

Over the weekend:
Teaching Saturday while M-SB paints the new place. Sunday finding baskets and assembling Serenity door prizes while M-SB paints and installs curtains. Any spare time will be devoted to packing. Packing is going SLOWER than expected.

And due to that and the need to go get my kitten, I have resigned from being on the Awakening Isis crew this year. It is just one stress too many. I wish them the best of luck.

More Busy 

Been too busy to write.

Monday I was teaching Grade 5 with my Mom, then doing laundry at her place.
Tuesday I was working and running around.
Wednesday I was working and working more and stressing over KnickKnack. She ate a plant and vomited it up. But then she just kept vomiting about every hour. I am taking her to the vet tomorrow.

Breathing and eating and sleeping and packing... um... not much of any of that happened.

Now I am up stressing about umpteen things and can't sleep.
Bills
Packing
work
teaching grade 5 on Friday
teaching CMS (2 different courses) Saturday
packing
... oh I said that already...

:(

Tired.....so very tired and burnt...

Saturday, June 03, 2006

More Box Chaos 

Started packing the library. I think the cats are handling this better than I am. I have 12 packed boxes and am only 1/2 way through the library shelves for just CMS. The library is hot and stuffy and dusty. i am excited to move and nervous at the same time. I am more nervous about the unpacking. It takes less time to shove stuff into boxes than to take stuff out of boxes. Packing is stuffing boxes and labeling them. Unpacking is taking stuff out and thinking of intelligent ways to set it up and making it all fit nicely, functionally AND so it looks good too. I wish I could do like Autumn and leave for a few days and let the men handle it... come home to the place already mostly set up save for my personal effect in my office. But I don't think I will get that.

I am taking a packing break. Autumn is leading the Level 4 students through an astral temple meditation. I am sitting in front of my fan cooling off. Soon I will have to talk about Trance work.

I am tired too. *pout* Stress uses up so much energy.

Box Chaos 

Well, it was nice to sleep in. This time I did. Only to wake to cool rain... which is also nice after sweltering heat. M-SB brought up boxes from the car last night. Now the kitchen is a massive pile of made up boxes. And there are a bunch of collapsed boxes still in the hall. Time to start packing. But first... breakfast and prep for class. Then off to a meetup for coffee.

Oh... I am assisting teaching grade 5 math on Monday. Ikes.

Friday, June 02, 2006

Busy run-around! 

Today I had too many plans for the one day. I know I know... how is that different from any other day of mine. I slept in a bit sorta. I was sick to my stomache since 5am and refused to get out of bed. Does that count as sleeping in? I guess not.

After sorting through emails, I drove over to Home Depot. They have NICE plants. Much better quality than anywhere else I have seen. I wasn't there for plants. Nope. I was there for BERH paint. I was hoping to get 2 gallons of the cream we were to paint the new livingroom and hallway. But they were $30 per gallon. I tried to find something to match the new kitchen counters. After an hour of comparing the counter swatch to paint chips... I was ready to scream. There is always one thing we hate about a new place. Fpr me... it will be the kitchen counters. I give up!!! I pass the buck! I will ask M-SB to try to do the kitchen. So I got a nice pale blue for the bedroom which only needed one gallon. That left me with a bit extra money, though not enough for a second can of paint. I bought a BIG bushy feathery soft wormwood plant. Then headed to Reno Depot to compare paint prices. I found the SICO there for 1/2 the price but the SICO was all latex while the BERH is acrylic. So I am glad I took the BERH. Reno had plants too. I got a little bleeding hearts bush. I have wanted one ALL MY LIFE! Now YAY I have one. Hopped to Provigo to get pasta for dinner then home to check some things before heading out.

Off I went to the new place. I brought over the plants. Ash planted the bleeding hearts right away on the side of the house. Weehee! It is right at the end so I can tippytoe down the back stairs and peek around the corner and see it! The wormwood will go in a new corner section of garden in the back yard. Both are perennial. Excellent. Under my back stairs, I will put in an herb garden. I started with a silver thyme. I want to get one of each kind of thyme. I will also get mini bush basils from the chinese shop near home later when I have more money. I also left Ash with the new bedroom paint. His housewarming gift to us is that he is painting our new place. I love him. I means I know it will be done right and look gorgeous.

Headed out to the Tea shop for sponsorship for the Serenity screening. He gave me 2 teas to add to Inara's basket. He is a huge fan of the series and film. He will be at the screening. Yay! I left him with a poster too. Then headed to KMO Army Surplus shop where I left him with posters too as he already sponsored us.

Picked up M-SB from work and got home to clean the kitchen. He made pasta with his yummy sauce. Then he sorted through the new paint chips I brount home and chose one for his office. He was ruffled by my passing the buck to him over the kitchen. The stupid counters completely mess up our initial ideas. We both drew blanks. Maybe Ash can help. He has a much better eye and I think more patients for this sort of thing than either me or M-SB.

M-SB made up some boxes to start filling. Yes... thus begins the packing. The house is full of folded boxes now. Prakash from the Serenity Charity will stop by tonight to pick up mini posters to cut up.

Tomorrow I get to sleep in as the morning class is cancelled. Then I do a clean up and plan the afternoon class. Then rush out to a Meetup at Second Cup for Montreal Browncoats at 6:30pm. Distribute posters to put up. Things are really rolling now for this screening!

Thursday, June 01, 2006

world starting over... 

I survived the small collapse of my world. Today was a great day. My feet hurt so bad I want to cry, but the day was truly amazing. Work was great... busy! Busy is good. The Serenity tickets are selling well. I got to run some errands and get stuff done today. Managed to get the posters sponsored for very low cost of printing. YAY! Go me! AND... and I got Zyng to host us for our prescreening diner. The details will be worked out tomorrow. I also got the bank draft for my kitten's final payment. EEK! SQUEE! I will mail that tomorrow. I am broke now... but so very excited!!!

I did so much walking around and standing. OWEY! Feet hurt from the heeled sandals. But it was a BEAUTIFUL day. Now hot and muggy. Just right!

And tonight... WEEEHEEEE!
M-SB and I go sign our lease for our new place!!

End of the World... part 2 

Funny how the End of the World makes people do wierd things they would never normally do. It is hot and muggy and unbearable. And what have I done? I attempted painting my toe nails. Yup. I picked up a pearlescent peach nailpolish on an errand to the Jean Coutu earlier. ANd while Angel played, I painted my toe nails. It is not nearly as easy as I thought it would be. And I definately can't do this with any grace whatsoever. But, the toe nails... they be painted.

If I "giggle"... someone shoot me.