I have some fun news to share. I was interviewed by a journalist a few months ago who was writing an article on safety products and the way they are marketed to parents, and whether some of the alarms, tracking and surveillance software devices cross the line as far as privacy is concerned.
It is an interesting article. Take a read. You can click here to check it out. It was published at canada.com, the National Post, and the Vancouver Sun. DDM has gone national!
I was contacted by the journalist who was interested in hearing my thoughts on these products. I gladly obliged. In a nutshell, I told her that I feel some of the products have a place in some families; a family with a special needs child(ren), or if custody is an issue, but that it should not replace common sense. Parents should not rely on these products to parent for them, or to replace communication between family members. Kids eventually need to be able to show some sense of responsibility and independence and it is the family unit and family dynamics that will direct the child. I also told her that these products do not have a place in our family at this stage in our life.
These safety product companies use fear and anxiety as a tool to market to parents, no doubt. And it is not uncommon for parents to feel they have to have the best of many products to keep their children safe and well taken care of. Click here for one of the sites. And here for another, so you can see for yourself what is available out there and how it is marketed.
The question is whether or not parents cross the line by buying into these products when they aren't really necessary. Do parents cross the line in terms of their children's privacy? Is this marketing and accessibility perpetuating the so-called 'helicopter parenting', whereby parents hover over their child's every move and decision, allowing them to become increasingly dependent and needy?
This topic definitely makes for good discussion. If you read the article, please feel free to leave any comments or feedback.
I want to take a moment to thank everyone who has read and supported the blog this year. I am thrilled to have found something I love to do and also to have the opportunity to bring people together in some capacity. Thank you to all of you. I appreciate all of your continued support and hope you will return in 2009.
I will be taking tomorrow off as it is New Year's Day. I will also be offline Friday and Monday as we will have no access to the Internet. Perhaps Nenny with Twins can come to the rescue again. I will have to check with her first.
I wish everyone a safe and Happy New Year. May 2009 be good to you.
We are now in the throes of packing for our move. We are taking off in 4 days. I can't believe the time is here already.
Cruising along to satellite radio in our rented Hemi
We have a new truck. This is the pick up that we will use until Hubby's is fixed (see post below). You should see this thing. It is massive, it gets 'er done, and it has satellite radio.
We have a shiny, black, Dodge Hemi pick up that the insurance company is paying for. Three car seats fit comfortably along the back seat, just to give you an idea of how big this machine is. As I look out the front windshield I feel like a little old lady who has trouble seeing over the dashboard. The hood is even large. There is no way you can gauge where the front bumper is. I wonder if there are any scratches on it from other drivers. I should check and just in case I bang into something, like it looks like I did with our van, I can blame it on the person who drove it before me. That at least would give me room to maneuver.
I was overjoyed when Hubby told me that we have satellite radio in this Hemi. I have never played with satellite radio. It is so cool! I love that we can pick from a variety of genres. And I am especially excited about the 80's on 8 channel and the 90's on 9 channel.
While Hubby went to verify our 26 foot U-Haul for this weekend, I sat in the Hemi with the Wee Ladies. I was singing Sunglasses at Night by Corey Hart. Click here to see that video. EvieG looked at me with a look of disgust as I sang along and then she actually had the nerve to roll her eyes at me. I called her on this and asked her what her problem was. She just said that she didn't want to sing that song. I told her she didn't have to; that no one was making her sing. She was okay with that. Eye rolling already. At the age of 5.
I then changed the channel to the 90's on 9. It is here where we heard Mr. Wendal by Arrested Development. Does anyone remember that one? I completely forgot about that song. Click here for a reminder.
We listened to the comedy channel, I skimmed past crazy Dr. Laura, and contemplated Howard Stern for a minute but then decided it was obviously too inappropriate for the delicate ears sitting in the back.
So I will go out and sit in the Hemi. I will take a beer and sit in the truck in the driveway. I am going to play with the satellite radio and kill some time. I should set up my Coleman on the back tailgate and roast some hot dogs.
It's not like I have a lot of time though. But I am very good at procrastinating.
Maybe sitting in the truck in the driveway with a beer is not such a hot idea. I don't want to be plowed into like Hubby's truck was. And then the cops will come and they will charge me for having open alcohol in the vehicle and it will be bad.
I'll just insist on driving the Hemi to our new house. That way I can have 4 hours of satellite radio listening pleasure.
We're going out with a BANG and a case of pneumonia
Oh, the drama. The drama of our final week in this house. Christmas was fun and went off without a hitch, other than two of the three Wee Ladies getting sick. We got the tree down and out of the house on Boxing Day, the decorations put away. We are packing and moving furniture. And then the big bang came.
Last night, after Hubby came home with The Destroyer from an unsuccessful visit to our local hospital, we were working in the office. All of a sudden, a BANG! came from outside the front of our house. We ran to the living room window and looked out. I have never seen anything like it in real life; only in Made for TV movies. There was a minivan on our front lawn. And it t-boned Hubby's pick up truck, which in turn hit our van. And it was still running, the accelerator still down. ALL OF THIS ON OUR FRONT LAWN! I called 911 and we ran out to see if there was anyone inside. Sure enough, there was a guy in the driver's seat. And he was having a seizure.
I was on the phone with 911 giving them all of the details and Hubby came to the rescue. His van was locked, so Hubby took an ax and smashed the back window, climbed in and helped the guy through his seizure. He also talked with paramedics while they were en route to our house. Hubby kept the guy comfortable and calm. The guy could understand Hubby, but Hubby couldn't understand him. All he could get were the words, seizure and epilepsy. The paramedics showed up and took over. I am proud of Hubby for his brave and calm reaction. He just knew what to do. He is certainly a good Samaritan.
There were cops, firefighters, neighbours, passersby, lights, and two schmucked vehicles at our house. Oh, and the maple tree was run over as he drove by our front window.
The driver is okay. He had gone into a seizure driving westbound. We live on the south side of our street. He crossed the oncoming lane two doors down, came over the curb and sidewalk, skimmed our neighbours' two vehicles, caught some air over their rock garden, came across their lawn and ours at full speed, and was stopped by Hubby's truck.
Our van got hit on the back of the driver's side and the tail light was smashed. It totally looks like I don't know how to drive. I am going to be on the road and stopped at a light and I am going to get the stink-eye from all the other drivers around me. My fellow drivers are going to think I suck at driving and that I don't know how to back up properly. They are all going to think I hit things. And that I can't afford to get it fixed. I am going to own the road because everyone is going to avoid me. And I have to drive around like this for a few weeks because the van isn't going to be fixed until we are all moved. It might be a good thing- owning the road.
I am glad everyone is fine. I am glad no one else was hurt. I am glad that there was no one in the oncoming lane or walking on the sidewalk. I am glad my neighbour wasn't out taking down her Christmas lights, as she was about to do before the drama began.
It made me think about how fleeting and how quickly things happen. It made me think about the importance of always watching what is going on around me and paying attention to who is around me.
Now we are dealing with the insurance company, which has gone smoothly. We had furniture picked up today. We have a sick baby.
I took The Destroyer to the doctor today. She has had a fever on and off again since Christmas Eve. She has not been eating like she usually does, like a Hoover vacuum. She woke up with a dry diaper this morning. She is not herself, but not totally lethargic either. She is wheezing and coughing. The doctor ordered a chest x-ray today. I went to the hospital and we belted her into the x-ray chamber for babies. She freaked out. We waited for the results and sure enough she has a little bit of pneumonia. Great. So medication begins for her. And I smell from my sweating as I chased her around Digital Imaging for an hour.
Hubby and I both had premonitions about this drama. I had a thought yesterday about an accident occurring on our front lawn and didn't know where it came from-totally random. Hubby had a dream 2 nights ago about breaking into a car from the back and rescuing someone in the driver's seat. He told me about it the next morning. How-weird-is-that?
For someone who hates drama, why does it find its way into my life at the busiest time?
I know why. So I can blog about it.
We move in less than a week. There is nothing like going out with a bang. It certainly makes for a good story.
EvieG pulls all-nighters and does it without coffee
EvieG is already running on empty and it is not even Christmas yet. The worst part is that she refuses to have a nap. She is too excited. I mean, like really excited. So excited that I think she might pop like the Pop-o-matic bubble.
She has been busy making and wrapping gifts. This kid eats and breathes celebrations and loves decorating. She doesn't even really need an excuse to plan an event. She finds an occasion to party any day of the week. A party for her friends, a party to have with a fresh batch of muffins, a party for a good report card. Give her the chance and she can have everything ready to go in a jiffy. The best part is that not only does she organize, plan, bake, and decorate, but she serves as the in-house entertainment. She dims the lights, sets the mood with some tunes, and in her Cinderella dress she sings and dances.
I am telling you, she will give Martha some solid competition one day.
This Christmas has been especially awesome for EvieG. She is ready and waiting to start partying. She started asking a few days ago how much longer it would be until a) Santa comes, and b) her uncles and Aunt Nancy arrive. She counts down on the calendar and plans ahead. She sets a timeline for herself and works to get it all done in time.
Spark Plug is a crappy sleeper most nights. She cries out and it is almost guaranteed I have to go to her room and tuck her back in. Last night was another typical night.
It was 4:32 am and I woke to the sound of Spark Plug calling me. As I stumbled down the hall, stubbing my toe on the box of humidifiers that I packed and swore I would take to the garage, I noticed something peculiar. EvieG's door was open. As I peered into the room and was scanning her bed, I realized that she was not in her bed. My drowsy, heavy eyes suddenly popped open, my ears turned on and my third eye in the back of my head awakened from its slumber. My heart started to race as I felt panic bolt through my body. The adrenalin kicked in. I flew down the stairs, noticed no lights had been turned on and saw that no doors were wide open. I stood at the top of the stairs to the basement and stared down. A light was on. I called, "EvieG, where are you?"
She jumped into view and I felt immediate relief. She looked like she had been in a boxing match. With enormous black circles under her eyes she calmly said, "Oh hi Mum! I'm just busy cleaning up and wrapping presents!"
What? What? What?
I replied sharply with, "But it's 4:30 in the morning and everyone is asleep! I was worried about you when I saw that you weren't in your bed! That is dangerous to get up and wander around in the middle of the night. If you got hurt, no one would know because we are all asleep!"
EvieG defended herself with, "But I have so much to do to get ready for the big day!"
"Come on upstairs and go back to bed. I am glad you are thinking about and preparing for our Christmas. You can finish it tomorrow."
Up she came and I took her back to her bed and tucked her in.
How long had she been up? How long would she have stayed up if Spark Plug hadn't called out? How many times has she done this before without our knowing?
I fell back into bed thinking about how adorable she is and how she is going to burn the midnight oil 'working' on her stuff when she is older. She is totally going to be able to pull all-nighters. I never could. I only ever pulled one in university. It was in first year, the night before my sociology exam. It didn't do me any good because I only got a 60% or something. I even took Wake Up pills to get me through the night. EvieG can do it without any caffeine!
At 7:30 this morning, EvieG came barreling into our room. She shouted, "Merry Christmas, Mummy!" She was about 3 inches from my face. "I brought you your present! Open it up!"
I sat up and opened up the Cinderella gift bag. In it was an opened box of Kleenex, a stuffed animal, and my teddy bear from when I was a kid. She thought I would like to have that back.
This is what she was doing in the wee hours of the night. Getting my gift ready.
She is fabulous.
And she is dead tired today. If she is tired today, maybe she will sleep well and sleep in a bit tomorrow morning.
The odds of that happening are like 1 000 000 to 1. I bet we'll be up at like 5:00. And thank goodness Santa leaves a stocking in her room. That will keep her busy until at least 6:00.
All's I'm sayin's all.
PS Happy holidays to everyone! I am off until Monday, December 29. I will be back with some Christmas tales that will be sure to entertain. I hope you all have a fantastic holiday.
DDM:(packing a box) What do we have for dinner tonight?
Hubby: I don't know. (opens fridge) Oh, there are sausages in there.
DDM:(closing box, grabbing marker to label) Oh yeah, that's right. I thought about that and then I forgot. Sausages...okay. Great.
Hubby: So...you really want some of my sausage, do you (laughing)?
DDM:(labeling while clearly getting distracted by this silly humour of Hubby's) Nice. You are hilarious. You are so predictable.
Hubby: I know you want my sausage.
DDM:(pausing and looking at the labeled box and start guffawing) Come here and look at this. Check out what I wrote on the box. It was supposed to say Kitchen Cookbooks. But I wrote Sausage Cookbooks! Look at what you made me do!
Hubby:(laughing just as hard) I guess I know what's on your mind!
DDM: I guess a box full of sausage cookbooks means we have a whole lot of ways to cook up sausage. It's always good to have some variety.
All's I'm sayin's all.
PS There are some more reviews up in the DDM's Try Ons section. Feel free to take a peek.
PPS I will post tomorrow, but will be offline from Christmas Day until Monday, the 29th.
It is nice to have a boy in the house. And no, Hubby is not the boy I am talking about. We are looking after my pal's 8 year old son today and tomorrow. My pal is working and school is out. We love having him around. The Wee Ladies are having a ball and it adds a whole new dynamic to the house.
As I observe them all playing, there is no question that there is a different vibe; almost like a physical energy. There has been a whole lot of physical play, as they run, play hide and seek, make snow forts, and play the-running-away-from-the-giant-squid game (the giant squid is the dog). We have made and decorated gingerbread cookies too. And it is only noon. The energy this guy has!
He takes good care of the Wee Ladies. He keeps a watchful eye over them and makes sure The Destroyer doesn't take marker to the walls, furniture, and carpet in the basement. He tried to take Spark Plug for a ride on the sled, but she wouldn't have any of it. It was adorable watching him try to pick her up to put her on the toboggan.
It is a nice change, not to say I don't love having the three Wee Ladies all the time. I'm just saying it is nice to mix it up a bit sometimes. I love that they have kept each other amused all morning inventing games and making each other guffaw as they try and interpret what The Destroyer is saying.
I say it is awesome having a boy around. This boy in particular is like a big brother to the Wee Ladies. He is the perfect guy to have hanging around the girls.
It is the other guys that will be hanging around later on. I am not sure I will feel the same way about those ones.
Hubby will for sure not feel the same way about those ones.
We'll just have to keep this one around for a while longer.
Spark Plug is like a crow....and a future reality TV star
Spark Plug should fly around the house flapping her arms and squawking, "Caaawww, caaawwww!" Because she is like a crow. And she sneaks and eats what is not hers.
She swoops in when no one is watching and rips things open and apart completely. She pecks at it until she gets what she wants. She is subtle in this process. She does this quietly and unsuspectingly. And finally, when she is properly satisfied, she flies away and moves onto the next best thing.
Spark Plug was a crow in fine form this morning. While The Destroyer and I went out to buy baking supplies and then visit the doctor for her immunization, Hubby was shoveling the front walkway. We are being pelted with snow right now. EvieG was outside with him and Spark Plug was in the house. He was popping his head in every couple of minutes to make sure she was not burning the place down. He made contact with her, but from what I can gather, it was only auditory contact. I do not think that there were any physical sightings of Spark Plug. She clearly responded to him and wasn't far away. But it is what she was doing that Hubby did not catch.
Exhibit A: The Demise of the Advent Calendar
As you can see the blue part that holds the chocolate is empty. It is only the 19th today. This means that 6 sweets have gone missing. All while Hubby was shoveling.
She must have pushed the ottoman over to the shelf, taken the calendar down, and torn it apart while consuming today's and all other remaining chocolates. Even the big 24th treat.
You can see the large empty window. That was the 24th. Below it is where Spark Plug tore it apart. What I find fascinating is that either she is MENSA and counted from 19 to 24, or she just found all the closed windows and in no particular order pulled it all apart. Without any assistance, she took the wrappers off and ate every last chocolate. And in her words, she declares proudly, "I ate it all by a-self." Well done, sweetie. Well done. I am happy to see that you can be resourceful and that you can go after what you want. That shows real initiative.
It's like survival of the fittest. Spark Plug finds the sustenance and consumes it alone. She thinks of no one but herself and her own well-being. EvieG comes in and throws a rangy, complaining how inconsiderate she was. She then proceeds to show her own survival skills by heading over to the Christmas tree to take and eat a candy cane. She can take care of herself. It is The Destroyer who has a problem. Being the baby, she depends on her elders. She sits on top of the empty advent calendar, pining away at it like a lost puppy, whining, "Suck-e-air, suck-e-ah!" She keeps it up until someone gives in and hands a cookie her way. She could not survive on her own.
Spark Plug would for sure kick some serious reality TV butt. She would definitely make it to the finals.
Spark Plug, aka, The Crow- future reality TV star.
All's I'm sayin's all.
PS Have a fun weekend! We are going to play in the snow.
In the squalor that I am so used to, I never thought this would ever be possible. It was always just a distant dream. Here are the before and after pictures of our toy cupboard, as we prepare to move. You will all be envious, I know.
Before:
After:
Did your jaw drop? Mine is still on the floor.
As we pack up, we de-clutter. I have packed many of the toys away. Some are still accessible, especially the arts and crafts supplies. Those still remain in the cupboard.
We move in less than three weeks.
I will relish the fact that I will not be picking up and tripping over toys for the next few weeks. I am happy that I will move without any sprained or broken body parts.
I am procrastinating. And the pile gets bigger and bigger by the day. I speak of laundry. With three Wee Ladies, Hubby, our Wee Westie Basil, and myself, some days the laundry is never-ending. Today is one of those days.
We have our laundry area upstairs which is very convenient. It is about three steps from our bedroom, so it is very easy. I pile the dirty clothes in the hall in front of the machines (in the basket when people come over), and then pile it up on our bed to be folded. No laundry baskets or lugging for me. It is nice. Right now the pile is growing in area and in height.
This pile is almost as tall as the headboard.
There are towels, sheets, and clothes of all sorts in here.
We had an accident that led to the bedding being washed-again, for the second time in a few days. The blankets had to all be washed too. They are hanging to dry right now.
This is our laundry area. You see the blankets on the bi-folds, the pile of dirty clothes at the bottom left, and the sexy beige bra that is a guaranteed turn-on. What you don't see is the floor mat from in front of the sliding door in the kitchen and the drapes that were barfed on by the dog.
I am telling you, it is one load after another and it can easily be argued that one can break a sweat during the laundering process. I am making it worse for myself too, as I leave the to-be-folded pile to get larger and larger. I make more work this way.
And when do I find time to fold it? I wait until before bed time, when the Wee Ladies settle in to watch TV in our bed. Spark Plug gets ticked off as she snuggles in and then complains that she can't see over the pile of fabrics in front of her. So I throw a few cloths her way and tell her to help me.
EvieG, Spark Plug, and I fold the laundry together. They do all the towels and cloths and I do the rest. It is such a nice family activity!
And then The Destroyer enters the scene and tosses all of the newly folded piles across the bed.
I then break another sweat as I look at the strewn about clothes and think about re-folding. Then I gather it all up, throw it in a clean-laundry pile on the floor, and wait for a better day to tackle it.
I usually wait until the day when the underwear are all gone.
EvieG is growing up and her tastes are changing. She is evolving from the 'little kids' programming' to the 'bigger kids' programming'. She likes watching some of the shows on Teletoon, but only if we see it first. This new exposure not only opens up her world in terms of TV shows, but also to commercials. And the STUFF that is advertised.
We don't have a lot of the latest 'stuff'. And the kids are not ones to say, "I want, I want," regularly, except for when it comes to demanding cookies and sweets. I am curious to see what kind of impact advertising may have on the Wee Ladies. Because they make the 'stuff' look really good on TV. EvieG's eyes were like saucers when the Barbie Diamond Castle commercial came on and the Polly Pockets Hot Wheels Racing Trip to the Mall track, which apparently she had seen before at a friend's house. She never mentioned it, so at this point I am glad she doesn't pay much attention to the 'stuff'.
I however paid attention to one of the commercials. I was in the bathroom and all of a sudden I heard, "K-Tel presents Mini Pops 5! 22 of today's greatest hits!" I was all like, what was that? Did my retro loving ears just hear the word K-tel? And Mini Pops? MY Mini Pops? I ran out to the TV and was overcome with disbelief. I thought K-tel went under years ago! And then to have resurrected the Mini Pops! For a fifth time too! Where have I been? How come I did not know this? I will tell you why. Because I have been too busy watching non-commercial children's programming and also because the Mini Pops of the 80's were marketed better. I have heard nothing of these new Mini Pops. I don't even know if they are British, like the originals, or if this is an Americanized version.
I was a member of the Mini Pops fan club in 1983. I wanted to be a Mini Pop. In my head, I was a Mini Pop. I had most of their albums, even the Christmas one. I used to blast the cassettes and vinyls and dance around singing all of the latest hits. Hits like Video Killed the Radio Star and Eye of the Tiger. I remember writing to them, pleading with my everything to become one of them. I could totally see myself on the cover of an album.
And then I got the letter. I remember coming home from another typical rat tail-bad perm day in grade 3 to find a huge envelope on the counter waiting for me. I was trembling with excitement and tore it open, being careful not to rip the gigantic, fluorescent yellow Mini Pops sticker on the front. My mom stood beside me as I read the letter out loud. By the time I was finished, I was in tears. And these were not tears of happiness. I was devastated. Crushed. The Mini Pops were from foreign soil and it was too far away for me to be one. But I was most honourably declared a member of their fan club. I remember saying, "That's it? A member of the fan club? But they didn't even give me a chance! They didn't even invite me to try out!"
They promised to send me updates. They never did. I ordered a t-shirt and poster and pin. And I continued singing and dancing along with some of Britain's hottest acts.
I hit puberty and then forgot all about them. I moved on to Wham! and Culture Club, Madonna, and Cyndi Lauper. Oh, and in TV it was all about the 2 Coreys, Chad Allen, and my all time favourite, Mackenzie Astin. He was so cute! C. Thomas Howell never really did it for me. I would thumb through Teen Bop, Bop, and other magazines with 8 X 10 glossy shots of the hottest boys when I wasn't writing pen pal letters all over the world.
EvieG didn't seem overly interested by the new version of the Mini Pops. She wasn't tempted by their advertising and it didn't seem to faze her. I guess it is just 'stuff' to her. This is okay by me. She is a little bit young for it anyway. I am happy that she is interested in all day, every day Christmas tunes on the radio.
I however am tempted to check them out as I fall for the kids' 'stuff'. And EvieG knows it. Because everytime Teletoon is on and that Mini Pops commercial comes on, she yells, "Mom! Your commercial is on again! Come and see!"
A friend sent us the coolest link for your kids, or any kid you know. It is a personalized message from Santa Claus. This not only will send them over the moon, but it can also be used for good leverage.
There was a message to all three Wee Ladies sent over the e-mail from Santa. It was personalized for each of them. When EvieG got her message, she almost burst with excitement. We thought she was going to explode. When Santa makes a connection with the kids, it's like I am sent back to childhood because I remember that same feeling. And so this particular experience was a memorable one for the Wee Ladies. I highly recommend using this Santa message for any kid you may know. Thanks to my friend for sending it our way.
At this time of year, the whole, 'Santa is watching you, so you better be good', thing is used as good leverage when it comes to proper behaviour. I know we have pulled it out and used it ourselves. Now that they have actually witnessed a personalized message from the old guy himself, it makes the leverage that much more powerful. So when Spark Plug gets sassy, or The Destroyer spits out her beans, and EvieG gives her sisters that extra push, we can say, "Remember what Santa said? You better make sure you listen because his eyes are on you!" The weeks before Christmas are pretty much guaranteed to be a little smoother in terms of sibling and potential parental conflict.
Click here for the link to the site to personalize your message from Santa. And have fun with it.
He's watching! I guess I better make sure I pay back EvieG the money I owe her piggy bank. I said I would. If I don't, I might not get any presents from Santa.
I am so glad we have three different advent calendars. We have the Lindt chocolate one, a Christmas tree where you add an ornament each day, and a snowman where you move the snowflake each day. The Wee Ladies are far too young to have the patience for just one calendar, as I learned when I tried to use just the Lindt calendar.
I love the real chocolate advent calendars. I am not a fan of the ones with the thin, flimsy chocolates that taste like plastic. I refused to get three separate chocolate calendars. They can get pretty pricey. I wanted to teach the Wee Ladies patience and perseverance as they had to wait their turn for their calendar day. There are 24 days on it which is perfect, each getting 8 chocolates. I quickly learned that a 1 and 2 year old cannot grasp the concept of, "I am sorry, honey, but today is not your day. You must wait for another day." Foot stomping, crying, whining, reaching for the sweet, lay on the floor and kicking about was the result of my attempt at turn taking.
What did I do?
We have 2 other advent calendars. EvieG found them downstairs and hauled them out. We now have the Christmas tree calendar and snowman for the Wee Ladies. This way each one gets a turn everyday and they rotate from calendar to calendar. This is working much better, although they still want the chocolate calendar everyday.
There was one other issue with the chocolate advent calendar. Do they get the chocolate as soon as they open the window, or do we follow the house policy of, no sweets until after lunch?
I tried sticking to the rule, and I just barely made it out alive after suffering the wrath of the vulture-like antics of Spark Plug and The Destroyer. It was like this was our only source of sustenance. They were reaching and hollering at me, waiting for their ration, behaving like they were never going to eat again.
I then figured what the heck, just give it to them. It is only a few days. And it is more fun anyway to have a special sweet first thing in the morning. At 7:45 am. We just have to make sure their teeth get properly brushed. Again.
Spark Plug and The Destroyer are like Gargamel and Azrael.
They communicate with similar sounds and laughs. They plot and scheme together to win. Once I gave in and allowed them to eat the chocolate upon opening the day's window, it was like they started cackling. With widened bloodshot eyes, they got all hunched over like snickering evil schemers, put their fingers to their mouths, and their lips split as they stare into the sky saying, "We won! We won! 2 against 1! It doesn't work this easily with a village of Smurfs! Ha! Ha! Ha! We did it!"
Every morning it is the first thing they go for. And so I roll with it. They still learn patience and perseverance as they go through the advent cycle, waiting for their day to open the chocolate window. This way we keep them occupied each day and lessen the crankiness of not participating. It works. I do not want a battle every day in December. And I want it to be fun for them. I want them to be excited for the advent calendars.
Three Wee Ladies and three different calendars= minimized squawking.
Will the advent cycle at all resemble the menstrual cycle?
EvieG Consistently Demonstrates Good Taste in Candy
EvieG brought her report card home. This is always a big deal. As parents, we like to see our kids excel and so there is a feeling of both excitement and anxiety as we tear open the envelope. We like to learn how our Wee Lady is doing on her own, without us at school. Once we have read and digested the information on the page, we call to meet the teacher.
It is not that we expect straight A's, or in the Kindergarten lingo, straight 'Consistently Demonstrates'. But when we open the report card and see a few, 'Usually Demonstrates', we can't help but feel defensive, just a little. EvieG did well on her report card. We are so proud of her. There was only one part that Hubby questioned- it said she only 'Usually Demonstrates' skill in identifying and recognizing her colours. This kid lives, eats, and breathes colouring. I told him that I have seen her unsure about colours like gray, teal, and beige. We know she knows the basics, she just hasn't expanded her palette yet. He understood. The point is, he initially disagreed. He got defensive. He likes seeing all the 'Consistently Demonstrates'. Who doesn't? No one would like to see a 'Rarely Demonstrates'.
We made an appointment to see the teacher, just so we could find out how she goes through her days in the classroom. We were told about what she has been working on, what level she is reading at, and what she is doing with her letters and numbers. She told us about how she interacts socially, how she behaves, and how she focuses. We were impressed by the teacher's thoroughness. She told us a lot and we learned about how our EvieG carries on without us.
At our house, we celebrate report cards and hard work. We encourage EvieG to do her best. And when she works well and tries hard, we acknowledge that success. We took her to the Dollar Store to pick out a treat. She could pick anything she wanted. We went through the whole store, covering a range of different possible rewards. We discussed toys, Christmas decorations, art supplies, pretties for her room, and then plain old sugary treats. She could pick one thing.
What did she ultimately decide on? A package of red Swedish Berries. That's it. And she was perfectly happy with that.
I am a proud mom. Proud that things are so simple in her world and that EvieG is not overly demanding. Proud that she works hard, has fun, and likes the simple things.
I thought she would go for the triple pack of Ring Pops. I could have easily gotten in on that action.
All's I'm sayin's all.
PS Sorry for the late post. It was a busy day as we try and organize for the holidays and the big move.....
Eating Holiday Goodies Requires a Scratch Test First
I find it hard not to get carried away with holiday baking. Since my teenage years, I have been in charge of providing the family with a plethora of holiday goodies. Squares and cookies ranging in flavours have found homes in the many Tupperware containers and tummies in our family.
For the past few years I have hosted a cookie exchange party. A few moms would come over with a few dozen of one treat and then we would exchange them and end up with a wide variety of holiday goodies. We only had to make one thing and end up with several different sweet treats. I didn't do it this year because of our move and because we wouldn't be able to get through it all. So I am back to selecting a few different recipes for this year.
A good girlfriend of mine lent me her Mrs. Fields Cookbook from 1992. It has one hundred cookie recipes in it. I have had it in safe-keeping in our cupboard since last Christmas when we made Christmas sugar cookies and gingerbread cookies. She needs it again for this year's batch and has asked for it back. Sure, no problem. I have decided I need to get myself a copy of this book because there are some recipes in there that we must have for the holiday baking.
I decided to go through my recipe file and select this year's festive goodie line-up. I sat with EvieG and we went through one at a time. She got bored after about the third recipe and left me to finish this task alone. No hard feelings. It took me about a half hour to decide what to make. There are so many good recipes to pick from!
I chose a selected assortment. Ten bucks says I will continue to find any excuse to use the old classic Nestle Tollhouse chocolate chip recipe that Nenny With Twins e-mailed me.
I have decided on the following goodies for this year's festivities:
1. Cookie Cutter Sugar Cookies 2. Gingerbread Cookies 3. Classic Shortbread 4. Cranberry-White Chocolate Shortbread 5. Chocolate Cookies (using cake mix) 6. Peanut Butter Balls (with Rice Krispies) 7. Peanut Butter Cup Tarts (you stick a PB cup in the Nestle Tollhouse chocolate chip cookie dough and bake it) 8. Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies for Uncle Jeff
And here is what I am debating with myself- do I make Confetti Squares? The peanut butter squares with the multi-coloured marshmallows? You know the ones that were served at every bake sale, church bazaar, and holiday party or dinner?
I should have just hosted the cookie exchange party. As I look at my list, I am realizing that I may have too much stuff. It would have been easier to make one thing and then exchange with everyone else. Maybe I just need to do a short-list and ax a few of these things, like one of the shortbread recipes.
And one of the peanut butter recipes.
The kids don't even eat peanut butter.
I think that they have to experience the Confetti Squares at least once. That taste never dies.
I just hope they don't have some sort of reaction. Maybe I should do a scratch test on them first. On their forearms.
I wouldn't want to them to have ill-feelings towards the Confetti Square experience.
All's I'm sayin's all.
PS DDM's Try Ons is up and running! Head on over to check it out! More reviews are coming, so stay tuned...thanks to Brian for setting it all up!
I have noticed something about traveling in a car with the Wee Ladies. It's like they get into their seats and expect full in-flight service. And they expect full, complete, attentive, service. If their demands do not meet their expectations, well, then the flight attendant gets an ear full.
Before we even get into the car, Spark Plug and The Destroyer argue over which seat they want- aisle or window? They try and wait to board at the last minute and the flight staff ends up calling and chasing them over and over, around and around in order to get them on board before the gate closes.
They finally get into their seats only to whine about the seat belt. It's too tight, or not adjusted correctly. And the whining doesn't end there.
They want in-flight movies, in-flight music and beverages. They want in-flight snacks. Every two seconds the button is pressed and the flight attendant ends up turning around and addressing needs. Oh, so many needs....
Along with the many demands comes the passenger conflict. Those passengers sitting next to one another fight over the arm rest. They get breathed on and looked at. They put up with their neighbours humming, or their outer-monologues. They are forced to participate in jovial discussion and do not always enjoy it.
And so how exactly does the in-flight staff deal with these demanding passengers? Calmly, coolly, and professionally- until the passengers really get under their skin. Then the tone changes and the staff, backed up by the captain, come over the speaker system, loud and clear. Tales have been told about in-flight staff firmly setting the boundaries. Safety comes first. There are certain rules and policies that passengers must abide by. The staff have to maintain a balanced and comfortable environment for all on board. If the equilibrium is thrown off, they must take matters into their own hands. For everyone's sake.
While the emergency exits are not always used and sometimes the staff feels like they need to take a few good deep breaths from the oxygen mask, the passengers are always put in their place. And they stay there.
It is here, in the car, that the rule, the customer is always right, does not always apply.
All's I'm sayin's all.
PS DDM's Try Ons should be up and running later today! Come and check it out!
U-Cut At Your Own Risk...Watch Out for Stumps and Wildlife
Yesterday was our annual trip to the U-Cut tree farm. We don't go to the well known tree farm/theme park, but rather to another farm run by the same people. It is a couple of concessions Southeast. It is the same place we have gone for years. Which means there aren't many trees left for the taking. There are a lot of stumps.
Here is the tree EvieG thought we should take home-
She thought it was perfect. I laughed so hard, I almost peed my pants. I told her it was indeed lovely and that we should look for one with a few more branches to hang our bubble lights.
We ended up tripping over tree trunks as we meandered through the clear cut forest. I know it doesn't sound too environmentally friendly, but just so you know there is tremendous regrowth surrounding this particular lot of trees.
We found a perfect tree. It was standing alone- full, straight, strong. It was like it saw us coming and puffed out its chest a little more, to say, 'Pick me! I can be beautiful! Especially with bubble lights on me!' Hubby and I both saw it at the same time, stopped in our tracks and it was like I heard the angels singing around us, 'Ahhhhhhhh!' There it was!
I found myself saying to Hubby, "Quick, get it! Cut it down before someone else does!" There was no one else around. It was -10 degrees and windy. The guy minding the premises was sitting in his warm pick up truck, listening to the radio, and drinking a hot coffee.
Hubby and I looked at each other. We discussed and questioned why this tree was still sitting pretty and wondered why it hadn't been cut down long ago?
We shrugged it off and Hubby got down on the ground to start cutting.
Then I heard the, "Oh. Uh oh. Oh, I see! This tree doesn't have just one trunk! It's like, 4 trees in one! It's a mutant!"
I questioned him. "What? What are you talking about? A mutant? How can a tree be mutated? Let me see!"
I got down on the ground and peered in at the trunk. Sure enough, it was 4 trunks in one and couldn't be cut down because it was so close to the ground. A mutant indeed.
Disappointed, we kept moving. The Wee Ladies were handling the cold alright. I was carrying The Destroyer and Spark Plug was being carried by Hubby. She doesn't like walking through the snow. EvieG was having a great time trail blazing her way around the property.
In the far back left corner, we finally found our tree. And it was very similar to our first, failed attempt. Only this new one was fatter. Surprisingly, or not, there were clusters of uncut trees along the very back fenceline. I guess only the real daring folks like us make it back that far and make it out alive.
Hubby cut. And we all yelled, Timber! He ended up dragging it all the way from the back 40 to the parking lot with Spark Plug in the other arm, where he threw it in the back of the pick up truck. By this point, the Wee Ladies were freezing, whining, and waiting to go.
The whole expedition lasted about 10 minutes. The drive was an hour total. Had it been a little warmer, we might have lasted longer. But it was brisk.
We were so excited about our tree. And Hubby and I agreed that every year our tree seems to grow in height and in girth. We got it home and dragged it into the living room.
Before bringing it in, we decided we should change some furniture around to accommodate the tree. We are hosting Christmas and Hubby thought it would be a good idea to make our living room into the dining room and vice versa. We are moving anyway, so we got rid of some furniture and put it in the garage. It worked and looks pretty good.
When Hubby brought the tree in, we ended up putting it beside the fireplace. This tree ended up filling that space and then some. It is so big that it covers part of the fireplace. Good thing we ran out of wood because there will be no more fires. Too risky. The tree protrudes in all directions.
We made sure we checked for squirrels and chipmunks first. Hubby did find something though. A big bird's nest. In the middle of the tree. EvieG was so excited. It was massive! I thought that for sure a flock of birds was going to come flying out and start crapping all over my living room floor.
We vacuumed and decorated and vacuumed some more. And every year, without fail, the vacuum gets clogged with needles, twigs, and tree, even though I always make sure I get rid of the bigger pieces.
The Wee Ladies had a blast decorating. We only had one casualty. Only one broken ornament. And it was my fault. I dropped it. Not the 5 or 2 or 1 year old. Here is a picture of our tree in its completed state-
Notice the bubble lights about two thirds of the way up. I have to keep them away from The Destroyer.
EvieG says they are her favourite lights.
She has such great taste. With the exception of her first choice in trees.
Culinary Learning from Magazines with Ads for Cigarettes that Advised Against Inhaling
For the trip away this week, my MIL handed me a little light reading. She gave me 6 magazines from years past. 4 of them are holiday baking collections and 2 are the Canadian Living Entertaining and Everyday Cookbook Special, from 1983. These magazines kept me occupied for the majority of the trip there.
After reading these, I felt inadequate as a cook. I questioned myself, my time, and my abilities to be creative and efficient in the kitchen. They made everything look so easy, but complicated. And for the record, I do not think that my MIL did this on purpose. She and I like reading through magazines. Above all, I was highly entertained and I even called Nenny with Twins for a laugh, as I shared my retro findings.
To sum up this reading experience, there are three words that come to mind:
1. titles 2. garnish 2. microwave
The titles of the recipes are hilarious, descriptive, and slightly misleading. They use words like casual, appealing, soothing, elegant, easy (clearly not in some cases), goodies, fashionable, and my personal favourite, the slightly Italian dinner. And it's not just the recipe titles themselves, but the introductory titles! A few doozies are:
Easy-on-the-hostess-menus: -Circassian chicken -lemon sponge squares -sausage casserole and orange juice with cognac -and more
I would feel no pressure with these menus...
Bridge Luncheon -gratin of scallops and shrimp -pears poached in red wine with mint OR orange gateau breton (they even put in the accent circumflex) -and more
I need to learn to play bridge. Maybe I could host a card party centering around the game, Asshole.
Easy Dinner for Six -smoked trout with capers and mayonnaise -chicken breasts with leeks and watercress and sabayon sauce -mixed wild and white rice -stir fry of snow peas and red pepper strips -tossed green salad -french pastries
Easy should translate to, 'go to the specialty store and pick up some fresh smoked trout and then head on down to the bakery for some croissants.' They give you the sample menu, but a recipe for only one dish. I need it all! You can't just leave me hanging with only one recipe for an easy dinner for 6!
And who knew a casual supper consisted of such fare as, pate with crackers, cacciucco with parsley pesto sauce, tossed green salad, and fresh pears with gorgonzola?
This gives you an idea of what and how food was served back in the day. There are menus for before the opera, bridal showers, and progressive dinners. 'They can be fun!'
The pictures make it look so easy too. One thing I noticed was that pretty much every dish is garnished to the gills with parsley, or mint, and sometimes dill. The garnish is sometimes accompanied by flowered radishes. They use parsley to separate dishes, top dishes, and they even use it on the side. They put it in leaf form as well as sprinkle it across the top in flake form. No wonder tooth picks were so big back in the day. People were probably walking around with parsley stuck in their teeth all the time!
This was an era where microwaves were new and at their peak as far as novelty was concerned. They have special sections in the magazines specifically devoted to microwave cooking. My favourite was the, 'Give Your Party an African Theme: Put your microwave to the test at your next party. You can cook an entire meal in the microwave, even a multi-course party menu. Here are two menus guaranteed to please your guests and leave you with lots of time to enjoy your own party.' I never thought to make a banana pie, fish and groundnut stew, or bobtie in the nuker.
In these times, they always found a way to sneak a bit of booze into the recipes. Brandy, rum, cognac, and red wine were not uncommon in the titles. I bet the party tricks back then were far from few and far between. They never had to justify spiking the punch.
There were sections for bake sale recipes and skiers. There was a section devoted to organ meats. This was a journey to a time when people put their blood, sweat, and tears into making a splendid menu for guests. I wish I had some skill to replicate some of these dishes.
Maybe I will pick a few to try over the holidays. My MIL says that a lot are easy to do. I am intimidated just by reading the titles.
I am going to make a list for the grocery store. I will make sure parsley is at the top of the list. I can make a bowl of whipped potatoes in the microwave and sprinkle some parsley on top. Maybe I can have a pickle plate with parsley around the perimeter of the plate. Or maybe I should have a big bouquet of parsley as a centre piece. And then give some to everyone after dinner to refresh the palate instead of After Eights.
All's I'm sayin's all.
PS I will return on Monday! Stay tuned for more....
PPS The site has been under construction today. I apologize if you had trouble getting on.
We are home and getting over being away most of this week. We were in our new town for a couple of days and sorted out some stuff.
In a span of 48 hours we managed to see our new place, register EvieG for school, check out Hubby's office a couple of times, play in the snow, among other things, and meet some new friends.
I befriended a few people. Besides our lovely landlord, I met and chatted with the lady at the wine store at Loblaws, the manager at a local sporting goods store, a local organic farmer, a naturopathic doctor, and a couple of local business owners. Oh, and an artist.
I went for a coffee with an old friend who runs a cool shop in town. With her, I was introduced to a few people and learned some more about the area. I learned where to get my hair done, get waxed, and where you can buy really tasty chicken pot pies. I also learned that some of the young entrepreneurs hang out and do fun stuff together.
One of her friends is having a pot luck this weekend. As we were walking into the coffee shop, the girl who runs one of the hip stores was outside and greeted us on the way in. She asked my friend what she is up to this weekend. My friend replied with, "Nothing much that I can think of," and was then immediately invited to a pot luck dinner.
The community is friendly, warm, and hospitable. We have been welcomed with open arms and we haven't even officially moved yet. The young people are very involved in their community and eager for newcomers. This invitation to become a part of the local happenings has made us that much more excited.
We can't wait.
All's I'm sayin's all.
PS Thanks to Nenny with Twins for blogsitting. As always, I thank her. And I always make sure I tell her I love her.
PPS Back to real time blogging tomorrow.....
PPPS December's Who's DDM is done, but I haven't been able to get in touch with my web site administrator. I will keep you posted on that front.
Nenny with Twins here again with another great post from the archives for you. DDM is away meeting with her new landlord, Mr. Roper (I assume), and has left me at the helm. I hope you enjoy this one - it is one of my favourites.
I also want to wish everyone a happy holiday season and I hope that you are enjoying yourselves and your loved ones. I would also like to reach out to those of you who are maybe not enjoying things so much - those of you huffing and puffing on the treadmill of November, as I am. And yes, I realize it's now December, but that's how far behind I am on my holiday preparations.
Enjoy!
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Disciplining Through Mime
When the phone rings or a visitor comes over, a switch is turned on automatically in children. It's like the spontaneous combustion of constant nattering, sputtering, and clinging, combined with increased decibel levels. It is rare that moms can have a quiet, decent, uninterrupted conversation when kids are around. In fact, I will argue that it is almost impossible.
When is the last time you spoke either on the phone, or directly to a mom who had a kid in her presence, without at least one interruption? Never? Probably.
Ring, ring...
DDM: Hello?
Mom: Oh, hey! How's it going?
DDM: Pretty good. You?
Mom: We're ok. What are you and the kids up to this week?
DDM: Ummmm, not much- Hey! Hands to yourself!
Mom: I'm sorry?
DDM: Oh, sorry. The Destroyer is not liking Spark Plug taking her toy. Anyway, did you ask me something? Oh, what are we up to, right. We are pretty clear.
Mom: Ok, do you wanna get together- will you get off of her please- like one morning this week?
DDM: You got a battle going on over there?
Mom: Yep, they are tackling each other- did you hear what I said?
DDM: Yes, I did.
Mom: Oh, not you-sorry, I'm talking to my kids.
DDM: No worries. Why don't you just come over on Tuesday and we will chat while the kids play- HEY! That's enough!!
Mom: Ok, I'll let you go so you can deal with the kids. See you then. Can't wait.....sigh.
DDM: Me too. Oh, yep, better let you go. The Destroyer is on the table again eating the paint. Bye!
Mom: Bye!
This is a typical scenario for me. Conversations are full of the constant buzzing of kids, shuffling around, removing things from mouths, removing kids from high surfaces, and all while trying to concentrate on what is being said. It is annoying for all parties, no question.
It is the times when I am on the phone that the Wee Ladies like to squeal loudly more often. They come and crawl on me or tug at my pants while staring up at me with the pick-me-up-now-or-I-will-really-let-it-all-hang-out look. And so I scuffle throughout the conversations. Scuffle from room to room. I move myself to a quieter place, and they follow me. I have even tried going into the bathroom, but they just come in behind me and start flushing the toilet.
They also pester more when I am on the phone. They will whine and ask me to get things or do things for them. This is when jaw gridlock and the hand gestures break out. It doesn't matter how many times I say, "Don't interrupt me while I am on the phone," they never fail to fail on this policy.
Sometimes I become an airport runway guide. Like the people who get the plane safely to the gate with their light sabers and ear muffs, I wave my arms frantically as I attempt to guide the children away from me. I motion with flexed biceps, gritted teeth, and bulging eyes, Go that way! Yes, get out! Leave this area now! Evacuate immediately! OR ELSE! And then if they don't respond to the arm gestures and the don't-mess-with-me-look, I pull out the index finger. I shove my index finger in their face and purse my lips, while holding the bulging eyes firmly in place. This means, Just one friggin' minute! JUST ONE!
At least we have portable phones now. Back in the days when the phones were attached to the cord, our moms were confined. They did not have the luxury of mobility. They could not relocate. So what did they do? They swatted. Like a pissed off cat. We would interrupt their phone conversations and we would be bouncing around yelling at the top of our lungs. But if we came into the vicinity of the angry mother trying to carry on a conversation with the banker, or the local representative at Consumer's Distributing, we would often fall prey to the swat. We were either slightly brushed by with the swipe of a few finger tips, or we would fall victim to the Grab and Squeeze. We would look at their pursed lips, flaring nostrils, and whiter-than-usual eyes, as we were pushed into the general direction of the couch. This Grab and Squeeze turned into the Squeeze and Shove towards the living room Lazy Boy with salmon and teal squares, where we then proceeded to sit quietly for a few moments only to get up and keep doing what we were doing. Diverted for a second? Yes. But were we stopped completely? No. And when the conversation was over....to the fringes we were sent!
We can discipline successfully through mime. It does work. And discipline is always directly linked to mom's phone conversations and visits in some form or another. We can communicate through many facial expressions and gestures. I would love to have a portrait artist come in and capture my face at the height of one of my bull-like-gesturing-moments.
I have a friend who was in the throes of miming discipline when all of a sudden she shouted at the kind Sears representative on the other end of the line. The Sears lady said calmly, "I am sorry ma'am, but I do not like, or need to be shouted at." To which my friend replied, "I am sooo sorry! I am trying to get my kids to cooperate with me by leaving me alone so I can talk to you, and they just are not listening." I bet the freak flag fully flew after that conversation was over.
Kids love our attention. They need it and they crave it. So when our attention is diverted for a few minutes, they have to let us know that are not having any of it. And they react. And then we react. Big time. They are the ones who lose. You'd think they would figure it out. But they don't. And so we continue to discipline through mime while always coming up with new moves and signals, and they continue to suffer our wrath.
It won't be long until they are the ones having the conversations and we are the ones shouting in the background! "Hey! It's supper! I am not asking again! Did you hear me? Can you get down here, please? I asked nicely!" To which we will get the door opening, the rolling eyes, and the finger in our face. Only it's not the index finger.
Leave it to me and the bubble lights will live on- Forever
I am on a mission this month. I need to find replacement lights for our tree. These are lights that I have had on many Christmas trees throughout my life. The worst part is that they have been discontinued. Probably because they are a safety hazard.
Hubby thinks I am ridiculous. He does not understand why I love these lights so much.
Here is a photo of the lights that I cannot and will not do without-
These are Bubble Lights. They were made by NOMA. These lights are long glass tubes filled with coloured liquid. When they are turned on, they warm up and start bubbling, just like a lava lamp; only the bubbles are smaller and faster. I could sit and stare at these lights for hours. I did too, I think. I would turn out all the lights in the house, except the tree, and I would sit and stare at the bubbling. Sometimes I would have the Disney Christmas record on in the background, or Alvin and the Chipmunks.
You did have to make sure that they were upright because they could get pretty hot. You didn’t want the tree to get too heated and sparky, if you know what I mean…
These lights were available at Canadian Tire up until recently when all of a sudden they were discontinued. I went for a few years without bubble lights, but would yearn for them. I would go to CT, stand in the aisle gawking at them and then with my head hanging, I would sadly turn and walk away empty-handed. They were always a bit out of my price range. It was something like $15.00 for 7 bubble lights.
Finally, I bit the bullet and decided to splurge. I bought 2 boxes. So that’s 2 strands of bubble lights, 14 lights in total, for $30.00. I was ecstatic. I couldn’t wait to get them up.
They lasted well the first year. And I had so many people tell me how cool they looked. Even Uncle Jeff was taken back to the late 70’s. He didn’t know they still existed. I gleamed with pride as I happily declared Canadian Tire my new favourite store.
The next year was a bit of a different story.
I got the 2 strands out to put on the tree and noticed that 3 bubble lights had dried up over the past year. I didn’t think much of it. I knew that Canadian Tire sold the lights and their replacements. You could buy singles. I went on over and ended up scouring the holiday aisles over and over again. I couldn’t find them anywhere.
I asked a smiling employee where he was hiding the NOMA bubble lights. His happy face turned into a frown instantly as he foresaw a potential disgruntled customer. His response was, “I am sorry ma’am. They were discontinued.”
What? What? What?
I stood staring at him in silence. My face fell. I asked, “I’m sorry, but could you repeat that please?”
“They have been discontinued. We don’t carry that line anymore. They were declared unsafe.”
I scoffed. “Huh. Unsafe? They have been around forever! Those lights are the best! Canadian Tire doesn’t know! They don’t know how cool those lights are! You don’t just go around discontinuing cool looking retro bubble lights! Who does that?”
“I am sorry. I don’t know what to tell you.”
“I know what you can tell me. You can tell me where I can find more bubble lights. Because I have 3 that are dried up and all I need are some replacements.”
“I don’t know. I don’t think anyone carries those lights at all anymore.”
“This sucks…Thanks.”
And off I went. Out the store at quite a fast pace. I felt cheated and betrayed. I was let down. Destroyed and hurt that Canadian Tire took them off the shelves, I rode home thinking about where to get them. I went through that Christmas with a few dried up bubble lights. I hid them in the branches so no one could see them. The working ones were front and center for all to enjoy.
That was last year. And here we are another year later.
I am at a crossroads.
I need the replacement bubble lights. If my Canadian Tire can’t help me out, where do I turn?
I think I have the answer. eBay.
This is how I am going to get my bubble lights.
All’s I’m sayin’s all.
PS We are going away for a couple of days. I am going to try and get to a computer for tomorrow. If I cannot, we will try and post a doozy from the archives.
PPS If you are in town this Friday night, go on down to Eve's Chocolatier on King Street. She is hosting, 'Mingle Bells', a cocktail party and open house. It starts at 7:00. This place has bar none some of the best chocolate I have ever tasted. It is the perfect place for PMS or hormonal, or even pregnant people. Or anyone really. Her sweets can solve any problem.
PPPS Hubby wants you all to read his comments in reaction to this post. He felt no one would go to the comments to read it. I guess he feels strongly about this. I say, whatever. He should feel lucky that I am keeping us young.
Hubby's 2 Cents
The 80’s and 90's were cool….right?Because I just realized that my children will all be products of these decades.I originally thought DDM’s love of Madonna was cute, and then I found the collection of jean jackets consuming most of our basement closet.DDM continues to keep an assortment of circa 1992 sports garb, just in case her girls would like to see how much of an athlete their mom was (is). Then there is that damn grey Patagonia fleece pullover that she refuses to part with, the one with the burn holes in the shoulder from some gravel pit party in 1993.Recently, I walked in on a conversation DDM was having with one of her best friends.They had been debating who was the coolest musician in the band BandAid…..Was it Phil Collins, George Michael or maybe Boy George? The Tupperware, the bubble lights, the Glamour Gals? What’s next?
This is me sitting in my PMS chair in front of the fire with some of my new mom swag that I received by courier today.
As you can see, it didn't take me long to tear the packages open and dive into the goods. It was like Christmas. I received a basket of house goodies from Proctor and Gamble and a bag of food products from President's Choice.
My PMS chair is a perfect place to cozy up when I am feeling tired, hormonal, and need to relax. It is a perfect place to snack. You can see that I am already into a box of salted covered caramel chocolates from President's Choice. I got through most of the first tray. I am surrounded by the bubble wrap that EvieG and I were playing with and a few other products that I received.
I will be trying out some of these products and will be talking about them on the blog. I can't wait to take some of these things for a test drive.
I think I will hold out and try some of it with friends and family. That way, it is more fun and will make for interesting discussions.
Stay tuned to find out what we sample....
All's I'm sayin's all.
PS Sorry for the late blog. I was out of town today.
PPS I am out of town until Thursday and will do my best to get to a computer. If I can't I hope Nenny with Twins can babysit for a couple of days. I guess I'd better e-mail her to find out what she is up to...
PPPS I am working on December's Who's DDM? Stay tuned for that as well.
