I came across this photo tucked away in my desk drawer. The cool chickie on the left is my Mom and the lady on the far right is my Auntie Marie. Not too sure who the woman in the middle is though. My guess is my Auntie Freda from New Zealand.
This picture was taken in front of my childhood home - 25 Cloverdale Crescent. I don't know how many times I sat on the front steps, day dreaming away, probably about horses...
My uneducated guess is ladybugs gather in the fall. Why they gather I do not know. I do know that pretty much all the Transcona ladybugs were gathering in my front yard yesterday.
Ladybug, ladybug, fly away home (or wherever they need to go this time of year). But ouch do ya have to keep hitting me in the head!
and I wish I was anywhere but at work. Grand Forks keeps calling me. Anyone up for a road trip? My friends at Gordmans, JC Penny and Victoria's Secret keep sending me coupons, enticing me to come-on-down. I may not be able to resist much longer.
Oh and Happy Fall! Eddy loves this time of year as he gets to rub his back in all the goose poop left behind by those pesky migrating geese.
I have one secret pleasure which I enjoy on my daily drive into work. I love zooming around the traffic circle on waterfront drive. Zoom, zoom!
Not the greatest picture but just to give an idea of where this circle is (so you will stay away). Don't let me catch ya zooming around my circle! I have first dibs. Zoom, zoom.
Okay I admit it. It don't take much to confuse me. But buying yogurt lately just overwhelms me. What happened to it being a simple dairy product with some fruit and sugar added. Now some yogurts are fat-free while others have low calories or no added sugar. Other yogurts have added vitamins, omega-3s, probiotics and god knows what. What does it all mean and how does a crazy hockey mom choose?
This photo is of my Auntie Marie (left) and Auntie Anne. Both aunts have passed away. Our Auntie Marie was the family saint and had the kindest heart of anyone I have ever known (except maybe for my best bud Laurie). She helped raise us kids and was always there to help out. My Auntie Anne always was in the latest fashions and had a lot of gentlemen suitors. I am not too sure how she met and married my Uncle Harry (he was a little rough around the edges) but he seemed devoted to her.
Can it really be ending? Yikes can you believe it is September 1 today? Seems like our summer passed much too quickly. Last week was a blur. This week is full of everything I want to do before school begins. I feel panicky everytime I think about going back to work on September 3. And don't get me started on talking about AA hockey tryouts. I think I will be on prozac by September 13 (which is the first tryout date).
I am very dissapointed with Old Dutch. Ya think they would learn from Coke and not mess with their formulas. But no. They had to go and change their Bar-B-Q chips flavour and make them "bolder".
Grrh
I say start dumping these chips on the streets of Winnipeg. Forget the new coke fiasco. I think this issue will surmount the backlash Coke experienced with their formula messing.
I give an official "F" to this new taste. Shame on you Old Dutch!
N's new passion is football. It still takes second-fiddle to hockey but he loves to tackle, grunt and high-five his football teammates so. His first ever game was last Sunday. Three hours later, a sun-burn down one of my arms and a loss of the ability to even care about the game out come we were done.
Nobody told me 11-year-old kids football games could take THREE hours to play.
The refs were out of control. Every flag came with a five-minute ref huddle. I lost count of the flags thrown on the field after 25.
I have to admit I even lost control towards the game's end.
I am not proud but with about three minutes left in the fourth quarter I yelled out: "Put a fork in it we are done."
It is on a very short street
Ten houses on each side makes up the whole length of the street and no side walks. This makes for very little traffic and not having to shovel an extra side walk in the winter.
We have great neighbours
The neighbours on each side are wonderful women who put up with Nik and his friends playing hockey, football, soccer and more hockey. The women are drunk all the time (which helps, just joking!)
Close to lots of parks and the edge of the city
However being close to the floodway also means we get more than our fair share of skunks. Human and mammal wise.
The original hardwood floors
A little yellowy but with character. (Mmm come to think of it a bit like me.)
Really I am not much of a drinker. A beer, the occasionall mudslide cooler and I am good. But oh my (and I never imagined I would luv whiskey so) but us hockey Moms tried fireball whiskey while recently in the States. Ya either love it or hate it. Yummy. It tastes just like Big Red cinnamon gum. Warning: It is very lethal. It also doesn't help when you mix fireball, long island ice tea and a few beers. Ouch.
I was reading the label on my pants today (85% polyester, 10% rayon and 5% spandex) and thought: "Whew thank God I am not standing by an open flame cause I think my pants would catch on fire." This led me to question why you don't you hear about anyone spontaneously catching on fire anymore. Do they and we just don't care? Just wondering…
First nib
Why does it taste so good? I should eat these more often. Nibs are so my favorite candy. How come its been so long since I've had one of these? (last one was at a hockey game) Mmmm. The entire bag looks so enticing.
Second, third and fourth nib
This is starting to not be so delicious. Ok, I lied, it still is delicious. They are tasting too sweet. My tongue is turning red.
Nib numbers five to eleven
Too much sugar and red colouring.
Nib #12
Do I really want this? I think I feel sick. I... can't... finish... ah, hell, of course I can finish it. Ick. I never want to eat a nib again.
Sweating the small things
Not growing up to be a horse
Overpacking
Overpacking and packing the wrong things
Working too much
Not working hard enough
Caring too much about what people think
Not taking more pregnancy photos
Crying at work
My previous blog post
No pun intended but it has been so 'uplifting' to treat myself to some new undies. I can't believe how having new matching underwear can really 'lift' an aging girl's....spirits!
until N's last day of school.
Yikes.
No more blogging until I figure out what to do with N over the summer holidays.
I may have to take the rest of the summer off just to figure it out! :)
I am busy this weekend. If you call or send email I won't respond. Why? Cause my boyfriend is in town.
Yes, Joe Sakic is here for a hockey tournament.
Oh be still my beating heart.
Ta heck with N's hockey games. (sorry N!)
I will be hanging out at the rink Joe's at.
I went for a nice run this morning around 6 a.m. The weather was perfect, not too warm and sunny.
The only bad thing was the worms. I had to be careful not to have my mouth open too wide. The worms were swinging away in the wind. On some streets it was like an obstacle course.
I wonder if there are any worms in Wildewood? This may be one more reason to move there.
Transcona (at least with a three mile radius of our house) seems to have more than their fair share.
A homemade version of a toy I have seen online before. It is a pop bottle stuffed with colored rice and small items. The trick is try and find all the contents. Kinda of like 'I spy in a bottle'. I think it would fun not only to make but having one might help to pass time on those long road trips to hockey arenas...
Here is the link:
http://tentenspot.blogspot.com/2006/09/lookie-loos.html
I did something today that I have been a little hesitate to do after having a previous bad experience (it was at work too boot). I clicked on the "Next blog" link on my blog page.
I was pleasently surprised to find this blog. It's a diary of a family building a hugh home in Texas. I sooo love to snoop!
Here is the link:
Texas home blog
Hello to the city of bridges.
We are coming to see you this weekend. We will be arriving on Friday and staying until Sunday/Monday. Our length of stay depends on how the hockey goes.
I hear gas prices are higher in Saskatoon than Winnipeg. While talking about gas prices is A's current passion, I just broke my rule of never talking/writing about gas prices. Gas to me is like milk, bread etc. They are essentials so why complain about the cost.
We have been told to stop in Moosomin at the Dairy Queen on our way to Saskatoon. Apparently this will be the highlight of our trip.
My hope is to get in some running to burn off some caleries/frustrations on the wonderful running paths I hear Saskatoon has. Especially if we stop at DQ on the way in.
See ya soon, Saskatoon.
L
I never really was fan of cinnamon buns. They were something I could easily say no to.
That is until I had my first taste of the habit-forming Headingly hutterite colony cinnamon buns.
Hot out of the oven, with their heavenly cream cheese icing, it doesn't get much better.
Also maybe because these tasty treats are only available maybe two, three, four times a year makes them all the more irresistible.
I have converted many a non-cinnamon bun hater into a bun-lover. My sister C converted me.
Last Saturday we made the trip out to Headingley to pick-up chickens. The chickens are very tasty too.
We usually split-up. One person stands in the chicken line, the other person gets the cinnamon buns and all the other goodies. We trade-off until we can no longer carry any more buns, jams etc to our car.
I got to go first to get the goodies.
As I walked down the hallway from the chicken killing floor to the other side of the building I noticed no people, no goodies and NO CINNAMON BUNS!
Where are the cinnamon buns I asked?
Our minister is sick so there are no buns today was the reply.
I selfishly said, "Oh no, no cinnamon buns. How can that be?" and thought to my self "What the minister doesn't make them. Where are the buns?"
The nice man, hoping to be helpful replied, "We also have pork chops."
It would be so un-Christian for me to post what I thought of his pork chop offer.
We bought a steam mop on Sunday.
I've been steaming up a storm, cleaning my vinyl floors and my hardwoods.
I think I even dreamed about steaming my floors last nite.
I be a little obsessed about my steam mop, but I believe I currently have the cleanest floors in Winnipeg today.
I now really, really want a hand-held steamer to use on my counter tops.
And I have had my eye on a clothes steamer. And we are renovating the bathroom, hmmmm a steam shower would be wonderful.
Snow, gale force winds and the carnival comes to town.
It must be April in Winnipeg.
Wonder Shows has been set-up in a Forks parking lot over the last few days.
I am sure Wonder Shows is wondering what they did to deserve this.
I'm officially blaming the cold weather on them.
Get out of town I say and bring on the warm, spring weather. May long-weekend is only three weeks away!
The Ks spent most of weekend outside.
On Saturday we took down all the Christmas decorations, picked up the last remenants of Eddy's winter 'markings' and just enjoyed the warm, sunny weather. N, his friends and I went for a nice long bike ride in the evening and topped off the nite with a round of slurpies.
I was asleep in bed by 10 p.m. and slept right until 6 a.m.
After spending a couple of hours at work, we were outside again, cleaning out over 20years of stuff (mostly A's stuff) out of our garage. Three visits to the local dumpster and a A hadn't changed his mind about throwing out anything. At least he didn't admit to it.
It is now around 8:30 p.m. on Sunday and I can barely walk or sit for that matter.
I thought I was in good shape.
My sore muscles tell me differently.
I worry cause I am getting old and I just can't do the things I used to.
It kinda of snuck up on me.
Slowly but surely I came to the realization last nite that I was in love.
I have those new love sensations – happiness, excitement, a desire which is all consuming.
I have to come clean.
There is just no denying it.
I am in love with Wildewood.
Wow.
What a wonderful neighbourhood.
It is a hidden gem that I have come to appreciate and gulp, just love.
You can have your River Heights, Tuxedo.
Give me Wildewood anytime.
It has sooo much charm. Old houses, new houses, big and small houses, big trees, houses with no front streets only sidewalks and back lanes. Streets with almost a 'cottagy' feel.
Where has Wildewood been all my life?
N’s summer hockey team has been practicing at Dutton arena, which is in the heart of Wildewood.
I have been spending time jogging/walking the streets of Wildewood while he takes to the ice.
I can hardly wait for the sun to stay out longer so I can spend more time exploring the streets of Wildewood.
Oh be still my beating heart!
My man Joe Sakic scored his 8th playoff OT winning goal last nite.
It is all the more amazing cause he is 38 years-old and missed a good part of the regular season due to an injury.
Lots of people had written him off.
Not me though.
I have been a fan for a long time.
Joe rocks.
I think I would be horrified if I actually figured out how many Tims' extra-large black coffees I had during N's hockey season. I am sure it is 100+.
Probably more than half of these coffees were roll-up the rim to win cups.
Did I win anything you ask.
Nope.
Not a thing.
Lots of invites to play again though.
Okay.
A was nice and washed my car today as I sat inside talking to my girlfriend on my mobile.
My car was very dirty. It took 10 loonies to wash away all the grime.
After spending ten loonies and feeling so grand in my nicely washed car...yes I turned into one of those drivers who serves around puddles and into on-coming traffic.
I am not proud. It isn't pretty. But hey I still have a nicely washed car.
I do love spring. Don't get me wrong, tulips blooming, planning a new garden. I love starting anew.
However.
One of the top things I dislike about spring is how some car drivers feel the need to serve into my lane cause they don't want to go through a puddle and get their car dirty.
Grrrh...
I found about 20 used dryer sheets, six unmatched pairs of socks (including one of N's baby socks), one milkbone (Eddy tried to eat it), lots of dead sow bugs (which Eddy tried to eat as well) and I am embarrassed to say how many pairs of underwear behind our dryer today.
Not good.
I am feeling really bad. I bought Eddy a purnia beneful prepared dog food last nite cause we ran out of his regular brand of dog food and Safeway didn't have his brand. This chicken beneful was to tie him over until I could get to the pet store today.
On opening this chicken meal, I was shocked to see how well prepared it was. I couldn't help but think that my dog was eating a much better breakfast today than a lot of kids in our city.
Kinda of shameful that we put so much effort into dog food.
A follow-up on the the leg shaving
After two weeks of not shaving my legs (all for hockey playoffs) I did the deed on the weekend. I bought/treated myself to a venus shaver. Oh my I will be shaving everyday (at least until I fall out of love with my venus.)
A and I were at the mall today and stopped at the Shaw store to watch the women's curling finals.
I just need someone to explain the logo on the Chinese womens' team t-shirts. In my uneducated curling opinion it just seemed a little odd. 
The Ks and the Ts were together last night during earth hour.
We lit some candles and tried to keep the lights off. But I am afraid we probably spent more energy turning the lights off and on (the boys were running in and out of the rain). A for effort I guess.
Again I am loving the way the google page changes with different events. It was wierd to see their page all in black. Wouldn't it be a fun career to just work on the google main page graphics?
Hockey is over (winter hockey that is) and I am feeling a little out of sorts. I have all this extra time on my hands.
So, I decided to list the stuff I have been trying to get to this winter, in hopes of achieving a few of them this spring.
1. Clean out my laundry room. (I'm sure I will find a whole box worth of used dryer sheets hidden behind the dryer.)
2. Paint my spare room.
3. I don't even want to talk about our work in the bathroom. I am afraid I will curse this renovation project.
4. Firm my upper-arms before we need to wear short sleeves.
I think they are achievable, maybe not doable but definitely achievable! (I don't know what this means...I just felt like this post needed one last sentence.)
N, Eddy and I spent some time in the backyard Easter Sunday hunting down all the 'eggs' Eddy left in the snow this winter. Two heavy garbage bags later we were almost done. We just need some warmer weather in order for the rest of the hidden 'eggs' to appear. I took a picture of Eddy giving N a little thank-you kiss. 
that I have given up shaving my legs during the playoffs.
I have also learned it's so much harder to put moisturizer on hairy legs.
Mind ya, my showers are now much shorter so I am saving water and not going through as many shavers.
And I guess it could always be worse.
At least I didn't decide not to change my underwear during the playoffs.
No really they are. The South Transcona Vikings 10A1 hockey team that is.
They are on a winning streak. Their smokin' hot winning streak has landed them in the 10A1 city finals.
Forget the Winnipeg Thrashers. Come see our kids thrash the other 10A1 finalists (we still don't know who we play yet - but it ain't that lousy Selkirk team) on Saturday, high noon at Southdale arena.
There will be parents and kids dressed in various Vikings attire. Yippee!
And yes, you may catch me screaming like a little girl.
Go Vikings Go!
Yippee.
I just wanted to say yippee.
No real reason it just felt good.
Go ahead. Try it. Just say yippee.
I told ya it would feel good.
What a better place the world would be if everyone just said yippee every once in awhile.
Yippee.
Oops I said it again.
I am also lovin' today's google graphic. Very nice..
Canada's first top model update
Andrea was mugged in St. Lucia last week. She said her friend was also punched in the head and had a knife held to her throat. Andrea suffered a cut to her upper arm and some bruises.
The trip was the latest in a series of tough breaks for Andrea.
She said Canada's Next Top Model gave her a $100,000 contract that turned out to be subject to income tax, her former modelling agency sued her and she never did land any major shoots.
She's now studying business at a Toronto college.
I wonder if she has said "Yippee" lately?
Screaming like a little girl at N's hockey game was fun.
Pulling a muscle while screaming wasn't fun.
It hurts to laugh and take deep breaths.
I'm scared to do both at the same time.
The South Transcona Vikings are 3 and 0 in the playoffs.
Their third-playoff game went into OT yesterday.
We scored with 5 minutes left in the overtime period.
And yes I screamed like a little girl.
My girlfriend Lisa (also a crazy hockey mom) has this strange effect on street lamps. I didn't quite understand it until I experienced it for the first time with her last night.
We were driving from Tims (and of course to our sons' hockey game) when the street lights went off. This continued for two blocks. Lisa circled back and when she ran under the lights again, they turned back on.
Apparently this happens to her quite frequently. I'm not too sure what it means and if this can be used for any monetary gain, but it is freaky I tell ya.
By the way our boys' tied their hockey game. On to the playoffs…
N and Andrea, Canada's first top model. This photo was taken in summer of 2005 at St. Vital mall. N was very excited to meet Andrea. I was excited cause there was a Tim's at the mall.
Driving to work this week I spotted the following flooring company signs:
1. Easy Lay flooring company
2. Wood floor clearence
3. Vinel flooring on sale
N's hockey team are in Grand Forks this weekend for a hockey tournament.
Trip highlites:
Shopping
Swimming
did I already say shopping...
oh and of course the hockey.
Kids are having fun and winning. We are in the gold medal round at 1 on Sunday. The parents are getting along and there are some good shopping bargains.
Now if I could only sleep. I think I am just worried about getting all our goodies in the van. It will be pretty 'tight' on the trip home.
Go Vikings Go!
Listed below are three things (from the top of my head) which I want/need to do:
1. Get my photos off my home computer
Especially since my work hard drive crashed and died this week. I'm still recovering files/myself and all my browser links.
2. Challenge myself
Hmmm...maybe to be a better skater (in boys skates)/person/blog updater
3. Make one day a week "I will not mock day"
Can I make it through one work day and not mock anything...
N's hockey team, the South Transcona Vikings 10A1 team recently won a CBC/Scotiabank hockey contest. The team will be on HNIC this Saturday. The local media coverage has been awesome.
Check out the photo in today's Wpg. Sun...
Have a good weekend! Go Vikings Go!
