General ramblings and such

I guess it has been a while since I did a bit of an update on here.

Hubby and I had a lovely dinner on Thursday evening. It was actually a very nice date. The new Thai place we went to had quite a selection, and I think we both found it tough to decide what to have for dinner.
After dinner, we went shopping to buy Hubby some new clothes that actually fit him, then we came home a shared a nice bottle of wine. It wasn’t a big fan fare anniversary, but it was nice to just have some quite time together.

On Friday night we went and dismantled our new (to us…) swimming pool. I took pictures as the pool was taken down so that we would be sure to reassemble it properly. Saturday morning was sunny and beautiful, and by the end of the day, all of us were quite hot and tired. While Hubby and his friend did the tamping of the sand pad, and S the A-man and I shoveled the sand and took level measurements. Between having to do the level readings, I worked on yanking out some of the weeds in my badly neglected gardens. I am pleased to report that both S and the A-man helped quite a bit with the assembly, and by the time we called it a day, the pool walls were up.
Sunday was just as warm, and after a few fits, starts, adjustments and even a few curse words now and then (bad boy Hubby), we were able to start putting water in to the pool some time around 4 or 5, I guess. This morning Hubby started putting more water in to it shortly after 7. I will continue to fill it each evening when I return home from work. We aren’t going to actually fill the pool to a usable water level – we are more or less going to winterize it and then it will be ready for official opening some time in May. Bummer that we aren’t going to get to use it this year, but I know that the water simply won’t warm up enough to justify trying to get the chemical levels proper.

Throughout the day yesterday, I did laundry and also worked on cleaning up parts of the house. Hubby's parents stopped in after church to wish Hubby and I a happy anniversary. I felt a HUGE pang of guilt when my mother in law informed me that she hasn’t seen S & me since the end of June, and it has been since May when she last saw the A-man. I know we get up to the cottage a lot in the summer, so next year I am going to have to make a very conscious effort to stop and visit MIL more often. My Mom and Dad stopped in on their way home from the cottage to check out the new pool and to wish us a happy anniversary, also.

Overall, it was a very busy weekend. I have broken two nails, I’ve got dirt embedded in my skin, I actually ripped a chunk of skin out of one finger, and I feel like I actually got some things accomplished. :o)

I’m going to be calling S’s school this afternoon to make arrangements to meet with the new principal. I’ll admit it - I am VERY worried about having a new principal. Given the BS we went through the last time we had a new one…well, I guess my trepidation is somewhat understandable. At the end of the last school year, the acting principal told me that I have nothing to fear – he assured me that this new principal is very knowledgeable and understanding in respect to the special educational system. I’m hoping I can get a meeting on Wednesday; I really need to address the EA that S had working with him last year, and the possibility of a more suitable one for him this year.

Ughh… my belly hurts just thinking about the fact that we are starting all over again. The only silver lining I have is that I'm not as concerned about the A-man. His final report card from his second semester had him with two marks in the mid 80's and two in the mid 70's. He was a little disappointed in the 70's marks - figures he should have studied a bit more for the exams. I'm still thinking I can live with that. I don't have any concerns with respect to him anymore. Thankfully.

Ramblings and updates

Guess what I did last night?! I drove a front-load tractor! Yup… and I moved the bucket both up and down, I even dumped it. I DROVE the tractor – both forward and reverse – and I didn’t do too badly. Such a renaissance girl, I am… ;o)
(Hubby and I were trying to get the pool’s sand pad totally level, and it got to the point that Hubby was simply shoveling the sand into the low areas, so after he brought the tractor over and was starting to move around the pool area, someone had to bring the tractor to him. I was that someone.)

Yesterday morning I called Hubby at work and gave him heck for being so miserable with me when I got home the night before. He apologized, naturally, and then last night we were sort of having a follow up conversation about it and he confessed that he had planned on calling me about 10 minutes after I had called him. He didn’t know what time I got going in the morning and knew he didn’t want to wake me. All is forgiven.

Hubby and the boys are going to be away next week for Hubby’s final week of summer holidays. Oh, woe is me – whatever will I do with my entire family away for a whole week??
I’m sure I will working a bit later each night, and then spend my evenings getting the house whipped back in to shape. There is bound to be a night of back to school shopping/organizing, and I’m hoping to have at least one night that I can visit with friends. My bet is that next week is going to fly by on me.

Have I mentioned that the A-man, S and I are going to be participants in an educational DVD about ADHD? I was contacted via email a few weeks back, asking if I would consider helping this marketing company produce a DVD that would educate both doctors and teachers about ADHD. A pharmaceutical company has hired the marketing firm - not to push their particular medication – but to be an information tool. They are going to interview parents, adults with ADHD, adolescents with ADHD and children with ADHD. I got a phone call this morning from the producer of the DVD and they are going to come to our home to do the interviews. Should be interesting to see how the boys behave in front of the camera.

Tonight is the night Hubby and I go on our anniversary date! We are celebrating our 18th anniversary (which is on Monday, when he is away), and also the changes at work that will happen for Hubby when he returns from holidays. I have a new dress that I am going to wear, and I think I may even leave work a little early so that I can primp myself for the night. I’m looking forward to it! Thai food... alone with Hubby... being big people on a date.

And again I am left wondering - when did I suddenly become a grown up?

Who's that girl?

Today I felt like I was almost WATCHING my life - similar to watching television - and was wondering, "Who IS that person?" It was almost surreal, to tell the truth. Most days just run in to each other, but with the change in location today, it just seemed to affect my entire perception or something.

I had to attend a trade show today - but it was a corporate show, not a consumer one. (I have only ever worked consumer shows for our clients before.) My day started with my having to do a commute to the big city for the show. Downtown, even.
The actual drive to the city took me an hour and a half, which wasn't too bad, I guess. I was so glad that I was able to start the drive after morning rush hour. As I was heading in to the big smoke, I was thinking, "You know, this wouldn't be too bad. I could do this if I had to.... The money would be much better..." that sort of thing. I have only ever actually driven to the downtown core by myself one other time, but I still managed to do it without even having to really think about where I needed to go - I just knew where the exits were, where the underground parking was, how to get to the convention centre, everything!

I arrived about half an hour before the show began, which then gave me a bit of chance to look around at some of the other exhibitors, to get a 'feel' for the show, that sort of thing. Again, it was very different from the typical show I have ever visited, co-ordinated, or worked at. This was a meeting/travel planner show. Much different, indeed.
Boss reviewed a few key things I would need to know for this type of show, and before long, I was a pro. Corporate shows are much slower... and feel so much longer.

At 5, when the show was done for the day, I was informed that our group had been invited to a reception being hosted by the Barbados Tourism people. I've always dealt with one particular gentleman with this country, and was thrilled that he had extended the invitation to our group.
While we were snacking on canapes and chatting with others at the reception, I was introduced to the new Consulate General for Barbados. He actually stayed with our small group for quite a long time - we had a lovely chat.
Here is where things really started to feel surreal to me. I'm standing there, chatting away with the flipping Consulate General for Barbados, and not one single person in that room was yelling at me, "Impostor!! Get her out of here!" In fact, I was introduced to a number of people attending the reception, and treated like I was supposed to be there!

When the reception was over, we headed off to a dinner meeting. Here is where it got funny again... We were discussing the magazine cover concepts for the Fall issue, and everyone was actually taking my thoughts into consideration. As I was speaking, and giving my opinions on the various mock-ups of the magazine, I looked up, and realized I completely had the floor, and my ideas/suggestions were being carefully considered. Mine! (Wow.)

I'm still not used to this...

After dinner, and a few other subjects were touched upon, I realized I had better start getting out of the city before the major league baseball game let out. Again, I was completely comfortable with knowing where I needed to go, which directions I had to take, everything. There was some construction that slowed my progress a bit, but about 2 hours after heading out of the city, I was home again. I don't think living with a commute would be something I would want to do very often.
I could do it on occasion, but it certainly wouldn't be something I could do daily.

I got home to a majorly grumpy husband. I figured it had something to do with work, but apparently we need another load of sand. From the way he was grouching at me, obviously it's MY fault the full tandem load (ie. 13 tonnes) I had ordered wasn't enough for the swimming pool area. I was glad he was heading off to bed when I got home. I will discuss the grouchy attitude with him tomorrow night.

Hey - when did I suddenly become a grown up? When did I start having a real job, that requires cocktail receptions and dinner meetings? Do you think they will figure out I'm an impostor??

Backyard changes

I came home from my annual “Girl’s Weekend” at the cottage to a very different looking back yard. Three trees that had been there on Friday morning we gone, as were the stumps and any evidence that they had ever been there! Each of these trees were dead, and I have been bugging Hubby for the better part of two years to get rid of them before one of them fell on the house.
The wooden swing that was incorporated in to one section of my garden had been moved, and a tractor was digging up that section of my garden when I arrived. The stump, roots, etc. from that particular tree was very big and had been giving the guys a bit of grief. I could almost FEEL the satisfaction come from both men when they were finally able to chain that stump and haul it out of there.

A very large circle – about 30 feet in diameter – has been dug out of the lawn, and somewhat graded to a level area. The circle was a bit closer to the garden area than I had originally requested, but I guess the grade of the property was such that a retaining wall would have been necessary, so they made an executive decision. Retaining walls are not exactly in the budget right now.

The only thing I was unhappy to see was where the fallen trees had been moved. The cucumbers, zucchini, and about half of my tomatoes plants are now covered with cut up trees. >:o(
I guess they didn’t realize how close they were getting to the garden? I can hardly even get IN to that one section of the veggie plants now! I am going to see if I can salvage my poor little plants tonight, but I am not holding out much hope. I guess the sacrifice of some veggie plants is a small price to pay for the assistance of a very good friend and his digger/tractor thing.

I asked what the boys had thought about the tractor, and Hubby was telling me that S actually drove it, and did a little bit of digging. During dinner, S was sure to regale me with the great stories of him “taming the beast!” It was nice to see the excitement in his eyes.

I think both boys realize that they won’t likely get to use the pool this season as it won’t be warm enough for them, but I have assured them that if they want to get in, I will let them give it a go. Our friend that was helping with the digging said that they rarely use their pool after Labour Day because the nights get too cool and the pool doesn’t warm up much. I guess we will just have to wait and see what happens.

Interesting

Just finished reading an article about how technology can impede upon your personal life and actually cause a person to work more during their personal time.

I thought I'd share...

This just STINKS!

On the work front - assistant, pick number 1 gets offered a full time position when he attempts to tender his resignation. Pick number 2 takes two days to "think about it" and then decides that the commute is too much for the rate of pay!
So that leaves us - with no one. With the work of three people being done by 2...and these 2 being stretched to the breaking point! I don't know how much longer we can do this. Boss has a couple of ideas on how we can find someone, but we needed someone last month, not "in the next little while."

Then, to add insult to injury, my girl's weekend has fallen to pot! Well, I will have a couple of ladies joining me at the cottage, but it certainly isn't going to be the crowd we had last year. Cuz has even bowed out! I haven't got the full story on that as of yet, but you can be rest assured I will be finding out what is going on there!
I know we are going to have fun, but I just love it when we have a full house...the entertainment is always better that way. At least we are supposed to have a good weekend.

Hubby is planning on taking down a couple of dead trees this weekend, and then he going to start clearing the area for the new pool. He would like to have it all in place by the end of next weekend so that he and the boys can get to the cottage. I'm hoping he can do it! I am also hoping we get some warmer weather in September so that the kids can enjoy this thing THIS year!

Salt & Tequila

When I finally got back in to the office, this email was in my inbox. Made me feel good, and I thought I would share:

This should probably be taped to your bathroom mirror where one could read it everyday:

1. There are at least two people in this world that you would die for.
2. At least 15 people in this world love you in some way.
3. The only reason anyone would ever hate you is because they want to be just like you.
4. A smile from you can bring happiness to anyone, even if they don't like you.
5. Every night, SOMEONE thinks about you before they go to sleep.
6. You mean the world to someone.
7. You are special and unique.
8. Someone that you don't even know exists loves you.
9. When you make the biggest mistake ever, something good comes from it.
10. When you think the world has turned its back on you, take another look.
11. Always remember the compliments you received. Forget about the rude remarks.


And always remember...
When life hands you lemons,
Ask for Tequila and Salt and call me over!!

Good friends are like stars...
You don't always see them,
But you know they are always there.

I would rather have one rose and a kind word from a friend while I'm here than a whole truckload when I'm gone.