One Other Thing

My eldest stepson is in Australia working on a project and is missing his son Owen terribly. He had been hoping to be shortlisted to head home early if the work went well. Lynda was talking to his wife last night and he has been asked to stay an additional WEEK. EEEKK!! Neither Owen or his Dad are happy at that prospect. Dad has also been offered a new job within the company in California. (Which would mean Lynda and I would HAVE to move there as well in order to be close to Owen.... lol) Discussion to follow on arriving home.

Family Times

It's been a busy weekend spent with Owen and his Mom, Mom's friend Lynn and then at Saturday night's dinner both of Lynda's other 2 sons, plus one of their g'friends. Owen's Dad will be in Australia for another week working on a project. He finally had a day off for sight-seeing Sunday after a solid week of 16 hour days.

Owen and I coloured and drew pictures, counted, read, played with cars, planes and helicopters. Between times I shovelled snow. He decided again to sleep with his Gramma and I, and once again made it through the night. Owen and Milo are best friends except when Owen decides to cuddle up to Freedom. Then Milo and Freedom put on a play wrestling demonstration that is hilarious to hear and see.

It started snowing late Saturday afternoon and didn't let up until tonight. In total we had about 14 inches and it had me leery about attempting the drive to work tonight. The roads were lousy but funnily the worst part was getting off our own street - the drive took double the usual amount of time. Then I got to work and found our plowing contractor hadn't been here to do the job and almost got stuck in the driveway. Oh joy!! I managed to slide the car into a spot and will be moving it if he ever gets here tonight. The plus side of this is that the very cold weather is over for awhile - the milder temps brought the snow. That cold snap was a trans-polar airflow straight out of Siberia, btw, and it felt like it, too.

Back at work here for another week of nights so I've organized myself and reviewed the new admission's files. Very unusual but we have three new guys straight out of jail so there is some posturing going on, lots of street talk and gangsta stuff. (Knock, knock, knock.) 'This isn't jail, so knock it off' is the general message. Good house, growing in numbers finally.

Although I'll be sleeping during the actual ceremony I'm very much looking forward to Obama's inauguration on Tuesday. (Is anyone truly disappointed McCain didn't get in?) I can catch the highlights on the news or CNN when I get up that afternoon. Lots of good wishes to my Obama backing friends south of the border. Cheers to a brand new era in American politics.

Shotgun!!

Just sayin' - this will likely be a mish-mash of everything, all depending on how long I can continue typing away here.

New Years..... a couple of people have asked. We were undecided about which option we might choose and it was the weather that eventually determined we would stay in to celebrate. Through the day I went food shopping and picked up a small roast of beef. I slow roasted it along with some onion, garlic and sweet potatoes in a simmering sauce I threw together; did up some beets for a side dish. Lynda was home by 4; we ate around 6. I kept popping outside with the dogs and the temperature kept on dropping through the evening until it was down to about -20C. If we had to park and walk to the arena we had planned to go to we would have frozen by the end of a couple of blocks. We decided quite happily to stay in. Lynda was asking me where all our games had gone. Neither of us could remember if we had thrown them out back when we split and I moved, or if I had taken them with me to the townhouse where they would be gathering dust in the basement. So no Yahtzee, no Boggle, no cards, nothing.... we watched a 2 hour show on TV, then headed to the basement for bed. Lynda found the event we were going to attend being broadcast on the local cable station so we got to see the festivities and music acts anyway. Unfortunately we were both so tired we didn't manage to stay awake until the countdown at midnight.

New Years Day was full with some housework, a bunch of phone calls to family spread across the country, and packing my gear for that overnight shift Friday. I tried to find time to post from work Friday but that idea didn't pan out. I was the guy on the bubble here that day; short staffed to boot. My workload was actually light as my admission didn't show and the guys due to be discharged had left a day early. I ran one afternoon meeting session and hosted the in-house evening meeting. After 17 hours on the floor I was burnt and ready for bed. Unfortunately, as often happens to me here on those shifts, I was unable to sleep with the details of the day swirling through my brain. Back up at 6; woke the clients at 7; ran the census meeting at 8:30 with the Saturday cousellors; home by 10.

As I was getting in Lynda was on her way out on a mission for a couple of hours. Within a half hour her eldest son J arrived with his son Owen for what we had expected was a day long visit. We were happy and surprised they had packed to stay overnight. Once Lynda had arrived back home and we all had a chance to visit together for a couple of hours I wound up crashing into bed for a while. The bunch of us had a late pizza dinner while we watched hockey. The moments leading into the game held one of those incredibly precious snapshots when Owen's dad told him that the anthem wouldn't be sung until the end of the game because it was a Juniors tournament. He promply stood up and sang the entire Canadian anthem with his hand over his heart. Lord, times you wished you had a video camera!! Following the game Owen decided he wanted to sleep with Gramma and Pops so all three of us headed down to climb into the king sized bed. When he has done this in the past he has lasted at best half an hour before heading back upstairs to sleep with his parents. This time he made it right through the night; Lynda on one edge of the bed, me on the other and Owen lying horizontally between us. His feet on Lynda's belly and his head firmly planted between my shoulder blades; so comfy. The child slays me.

Owen turns 5 next month and he is as sharp as a whip. (Brag, brag, brag...) Counts past 100, knows the alphabet, recognizes letters and letter combinations and associated sounds, picks pictures that start with the appropriate letter, adds simple sums. He sat down with a couple of books Lynda had bought him for Xmas and was quite happy and interested to work away on them. Wait til he hits kindergarten.....

When we were up Sunday morning the bunch of us drove over to the townhouse for breakfast with stepson #3. He was foolish enough to ask us; we took him up on the offer. Bacon, eggs, sausage, home fries, toast, coffee and tea. It was all great. All it cost was Lynda's and my time doing up the dishes afterward while the two brothers had a visit and played with Owen. J and Owen split for home and Lynda and I had a full afternoon until I laid myself down for an hours rest in preparation for tonights shift. We had leftover turkey - hot turkey sandwiches - before I came to work.

More food - there is always a dinner left for me here; whatever the guys in-house eat, I also get. So, besides all that other food I've eaten since Sunday morning I also had a quarter chicken dinner a few hours ago along with dessert and a few sweet goodies along the way. I won't be losing these few extra pounds anytime soon if I keep this up.

What else?? I'm looking incredibly scruffy these days because I decided to change the line of my beard. Normally I keep it trimmed just above the jaw line but I've let it grow all up my cheeks until I figure out where I want to crop it. 10 days to 2 weeks growth now and I can't get over how much salt is in amongst the pepper. Grey, white and silver with the dark brown and black. Nice....

Mood wise I'm good. Lynda and I are really good. Much as I enjoy the holidays I'm happy and relieved they are over. It was a drag working nights through Christmas week again this year.

Thinking wise, these days, primarily I am grateful. That I have a wife, family and friends to care about and who care for me. Many people don't have that. That I have a home, and warmth, and a bed to sleep in. Many people don't have that. Back to food - can't forget food - I have a refrigerator and cupboards full of food and drink to quench my hunger and thirst. Many people don't have that. I enjoy good mental, emotional and physical health (I know; the mental part is debatable). Many people don't have that. That although I'm displeased with my job I am happy in these times to have meaningful work. Many people don't have that. That my addictions to alcohol and drugs have been relieved, my obsession has been removed. Many people don't have that. I don't have to search very far or deep to find reasons to be grateful today. T.G.

Hmmm.... about an hour and a half typing. That's enough, that'll do. All the news that fits.

Golden Slumbers

Owen would have been completely insulted had we suggested he have a nap because, 'naps are for babies, Pops. Big boys don't have naps.' "Okay, O." On this afternoon he climbed up on the windowseat with Milo and after chattering away for a few minutes, then daydreaming for a few more he promptly fell deeply asleep. On awakening he was one very surprised little guy. What happened?? 'I dunno!! I sleeped, I guess!!' A shrug of the shoulders and off he went again on another adventure.

In Unison - Stepping Out

While sorting through some prints I came across this one of Owen and I taken during his week long visit with us back in August. At first glance it didn't seem too special until I noticed we were in synch, completely in step with one another. Weight on the right foot, stepping forward with the left, hands in the same position, looking down and ahead - Pops and O enjoying a walk on the beach.

This shot includes a couple of rare sightings. I wear shorts maybe once a year because I don't like how my legs look - skinny, scarred, discoloured. And I rarely wear a hat - it must have been awfully bright and hot that day (and if it was where is Owen's sun protection?).

Photo credit to Lynda. Yes, that is Lake Ontario.

L'il Dancer

When I arrived yesterday afternoon Owen, his gramma and his mom had spent a couple of hours on the side patio - it was cool but sunny and shielded from the wind. Once again gramma was the focus of Owen's world and referred to her in everything he wished to do. Out of the blue he began to sing, then to dance and decided he needed a partner. Here, gramma gives him a whirl.

7 of us walked down the street, round the corner to the local pub for a belated birthday dinner for Lynda. As we ate a band was setting up equipment and doing sound checks and Owen was following what they were doing. He stopped a couple of the band members to ask questions as they worked. I watched him as they stepped up to the microphones to introduce themselves and then count themselves into the number. The expression on Owen's face was worth a million bucks as they quickly ran through the first few chords and began to sing. He was off his chair like a shot, running up to where he had the best vantage point and proceeded to stomp his foot, shake his leg, clap his hands and dance, dance, dance. When the applause died after the song was done the band members gave Owen a hand and high-fives all round. He was a hit to say the least. Such enthusiasm - what's the saying? dance like no one is watching? he did....

Lynda and I took Owen back to the house to give the kids a couple of hours to themselves and the chance to sit and talk over a couple of beers. Lynda and I still haven't told Owen we live apart - whenever I arrive at the house I'm coming from work; if I have to leave I'm going back to work. Simple; it works and doesn't upset his view of the world. I had a couple of additional hours with him before leaving for work - big hugs and squeezes and a kiss on the cheek; he doesn't like my whiskers. Got a couple of hugs and kisses from Lynda , too. Woo-hoo!!

Last night was exceedingly quiet; downright boring. I caught up on a couple of important emails, considered watching a movie but then surfed and followed links on friends blogs. Found lots and lots of good creative writing and excellent photography. I'm looking to update those I link with and want to add a few. I'm not really sure of the etiquette involved - should I tell them I intend to link and give them the opportunity to veto the idea? Input people???

BTW - the time spent at the house and bar were the worst I've had for craving a smoke. Neither are 'smoking' places but both were loud, confusing and loaded with stress (for a few reasons). I used some of the 'tools' I'd been told of and they worked in the short term. I kept fantisizing about that '1' smoke all night and was glad to get home to bed. hmmm.... 11 days now. Best regroup, review, renew or ... relapse.

Recent pictures

Lynda took this one at Owen's birthday party Saturday. It was well attended and Owen had fun dragging Gramma around playing with all his toys.

This is Milo's reaction to Lynda whimpering and whining behind the camera. While Lynda was in the pet food store she ran into someone who is familiar with Milo from before his adoption. Speculation continues as to daddy's identity and breed; the groomer came out and said he's a dead ringer for another pup she had seen recently that was the offspring of a Rhodesian Ridgeback. Could just be with that confirmation and colouring; we'll see.

Yesterday was a lazy day - I slept in, got cleaned up, dropped in on Lynda to see if she needed any groceries to hold her through the week, and then enjoyed a couple of quiet Sunday night shopping hours at the 'evil empire'. It was glorious just putzing around the store checking out the merchandise with no one wanting or needing anything from me. (It's amazing when you hit the checkout just how much money you can run through though.) For a change I didn't run into anyone I know during the outing and didn't have to do anything but occupy myself with my thoughts. I dropped a couple of items off to Lynda at the house, beat it home and started to eat, ate some more, continued eating and then had some dessert. Mea culpa, I couldn't stop and that might have had something to do with why I was unable to sleep. I had a lot of plans for today and I'm way behind but have made a couple of arrangements by phone for tomorrow's appointments.

My home group meeting is tonight and we're having elections for a variety of positions prior to the actual meeting for our group members. It doesn't involve me as my term is 2 years and it'll be nice to see more involvement from other members on a regular basis to ensure things run smoothly.

Time to get cleaned up and get on with the day..... what's left of it.

experiment

A Real Quick One

I ain't dead yet; I've just been feeling rough which has prevented me from doing much of anything this past week. Managed to get it together just in time to come back to work. Very strange week tho! If you're enjoying good health, you are truly blessed.

So what's up??

*I'm still doing the night gig here but I've taken on a new area of responsibilty in order to help out and earn a few brownie points.

*I did get out for a while one day last week to apply for a job elsewhere. Closer to home, better pay, great benefits, a couple of people on staff that I know slightly.

*It's Canada! In winter!! It's incredibly cold!!! Not surprising but very 'in your face' -40 with the wind chill sort of cold. I broke down yesterday and got out 'Big Red', my down-filled coat. What a difference it makes. So much for style.

*Lynda and I have hit a rough spot; there are things being left unsaid so as to avoid a major blow-out. Cooler heads need to prevail - let some of the steam ease off before some sensible confrontation. Ever notice that men and women perceive the world and our relationships very differently?? Too true.

*Grandson Owen was out with his parents for the day Saturday and he continues to develop into a very bright and entertaining little character. He'll be 3 in a couple of weeks and we'll be headed off to his party.

*My quit date has passed and although my smoking is drastically reduced I continue to smoke. 10 a day is better than 30 to 40, but it certainly isn't as good as none.

*Last week I managed to get my camera and computer talking again (or was it before last week - it's a big blur to me now) so I'm really hoping to figure out how to start posting some pictures. Possibly this week. Don't hold your breathe tho.

That wasn't as quick as I was planning but I do carry on a bit now and then. There's some work to finish just now though. Later.