Shamelessly plagiarized from The Diva. Complete the sentence, and play!
1. My partner... is far, far away.
2. Maybe I should... check on those lamb chops.
3. I love... my friends. I was just thinking about this today, that I am blessed to have such amazing, supportive, gorgeous, honest, real, witty, stylish, ummm, friends, who are all good cooks and have impeccable taste and babysit at a moment's notice and are going to come and visit me soon with wine and laughter! I really love them.
4. People would say that... my new haircut is sexay.
5. I don't understand... modern banking, at all.
6. When I wake up in the morning... I will hit "snooze".
7. I lost... my fear of large hairy tarantulas this week. Kinda.
8. Life is full of... Joy.
9. My past has taught me... how strong I can be.
10. I get annoyed when... I have to say the same thing OVER and OVER and OVER.
11. Parties are... for dancing!
12. I wish... there was no housework.
13. Dogs... have friends and owners.
14. Cats... have staff.
15. Tomorrow... is the last day at school for the boys.
16. I have a low tolerance for... people who have to use several lanes to turn.
17. If I had a million dollars... I would buy a house.
18. I'm totally terrified of... nothing.
19. I'd rather be... writing something AMAZING and thought-provoking!
20. My vice is... mmmmmm, dark chocolate.
Tuesday, 31 March 2009
Monday, 30 March 2009
Another Public Holiday In Paradise
I once heard that Trinidad and Tobago has one of the highest numbers of public holidays in the world. I just re-read that sentence and it sounds weird, I must need an editor. Anyway, whether it's true or not, we certainly seem to have plenty of days off. Good thing if you're nine years old or work in the bank. The week in brief:
* The 11+ Exam was "Easy!" according to most of the kids in Chas' class, and the parents and teachers are not sure if that's a good thing or not.
* Boris the tarantula is doing well, but Chas says he definitely loves snakes more. When we leave we will probably release him back into the wild... Far away from your house Mum!
* Spending time with my sister, who is visiting from England, has been the BEST!
* We should be leaving around the end of April or so. Sean is in charge of booking tickets.
* The boys and I will be homeschooling for a few weeks, as they will be missing some school before they settle in in Bournemouth.
* Homeschooling: Learning to type (I got a great program), Playing scales, doing housework, practising handwriting and letter writing, etc. And pottery and dissecting stuff if the whim takes us.
* No, my packing is not going well. What do you take? What do you ship later? What do you toss out/give away? Obviously, Lego is vital and cannot be left behind. Ailis has a suitcase full, and so did Laura, who left last week. Apparently clothes are not as important!
* Senior sports day is on Thursday. If it's anything like as exciting as last year's, we are in for an adventure!
* Thursday is also the last day of school. Rejoice! Holidays! But it will be sad too. We will miss our school.
* The 11+ Exam was "Easy!" according to most of the kids in Chas' class, and the parents and teachers are not sure if that's a good thing or not.
* Boris the tarantula is doing well, but Chas says he definitely loves snakes more. When we leave we will probably release him back into the wild... Far away from your house Mum!
* Spending time with my sister, who is visiting from England, has been the BEST!
* We should be leaving around the end of April or so. Sean is in charge of booking tickets.
* The boys and I will be homeschooling for a few weeks, as they will be missing some school before they settle in in Bournemouth.
* Homeschooling: Learning to type (I got a great program), Playing scales, doing housework, practising handwriting and letter writing, etc. And pottery and dissecting stuff if the whim takes us.
* No, my packing is not going well. What do you take? What do you ship later? What do you toss out/give away? Obviously, Lego is vital and cannot be left behind. Ailis has a suitcase full, and so did Laura, who left last week. Apparently clothes are not as important!
* Senior sports day is on Thursday. If it's anything like as exciting as last year's, we are in for an adventure!
* Thursday is also the last day of school. Rejoice! Holidays! But it will be sad too. We will miss our school.
Saturday, 28 March 2009
Wednesday, 25 March 2009
Fiendish 11+ Exam Tomorrow!
Chas and several of his friends and cousins are sitting the test. Best wishes to ALL of the kids! We'll be partying afterwards, happy that the months (YEARS) of crazy work are over. For now. Chas spent this afternoon feeding and petting his tarantula (who I THINK is named Bruno?) and shooting arrows into a drawing of a guy on the reverse side of the target.
I hope my boy does well tomorrow.
I hope my boy does well tomorrow.
Sunday, 22 March 2009
Our New Pet
Yesterday morning I opened my eyes, yawned, stretched, and noticed a tarantula on my ceiling. In a shaft of sunlight. But not sexy. An expert at tarantula removal, I prepared to remove it. My resident Biology Professor had other ideas.
Until recently, we have had some crayfish in an aquarium. When they got too big, Chas released them back into the exact same streams where he found them. They were educational, interesting and non-venomous. I liked them. Their aquarium has been lonely since then and obviously needed a tenant. So now we have a pet tarantula.
We (including me!) have touched his legs. They are hairy. Chas blogged about his new pet this morning, and even learned how to do links, and soon he will post pictures! Check it out. The video link is scary, by the way. Tarantula catching and eating a mouse. Not for arachnophobes!
Now, I will go back to cleaning my house, with an emphasis on dark spidery corners. Happy Sunday all!
Until recently, we have had some crayfish in an aquarium. When they got too big, Chas released them back into the exact same streams where he found them. They were educational, interesting and non-venomous. I liked them. Their aquarium has been lonely since then and obviously needed a tenant. So now we have a pet tarantula.
We (including me!) have touched his legs. They are hairy. Chas blogged about his new pet this morning, and even learned how to do links, and soon he will post pictures! Check it out. The video link is scary, by the way. Tarantula catching and eating a mouse. Not for arachnophobes!
Now, I will go back to cleaning my house, with an emphasis on dark spidery corners. Happy Sunday all!
Friday, 20 March 2009
Brad Pitt: Honeeeee, where's my....?
When "Troy" was released in the cinema Debs and I made a date and went to see it. Brad Pitt in a skirt! Whoooo!
It was good, and all was well until the scene where, JUST before his big fight, the dawn breaks and he is starting to get dressed. Putting on his armour. "Dudummmm" the music plays as he tightens his leg thingies. "Daaaaa!" as he straps on his secret knife. The camera angle shifts, and there's his hot babe lying asleep in a sexy shaft of sunlight. Asleep!
"Hmph. D'you think, if that was one of our fellahs, he would let us sleep like that?" We wondered.
"Nah, it would be 'Honeeeeee, have you seen my breastplate? The bronze one?' "
" 'I KNOW I put my scabbard right here. Someone has moved it! Where is my other helmet?' "
" 'Could you just polish these knives for me? I'm running late. Honeeee? Oh, were you asleep?' " We giggled, and a few women in the seats nearby laughed too.
"That armour sure clanks. How long do you think we could pretend to be asleep before they really made us get up? Oh, 'Honeeee, does my ass look big in this skirt?' Nah, I could sleep through that."
"How about 'Honeeeee, could you rub this olive oil into my muscles so that my armour doesn't chafe?' Now that would get me up."
And then some ladies in front turned round and said "shhhhhh!!!" so we shhhh'd.
Alas, life does not imitate art. I bet Brad Pitt doesn't let Angelina sleep in.
It was good, and all was well until the scene where, JUST before his big fight, the dawn breaks and he is starting to get dressed. Putting on his armour. "Dudummmm" the music plays as he tightens his leg thingies. "Daaaaa!" as he straps on his secret knife. The camera angle shifts, and there's his hot babe lying asleep in a sexy shaft of sunlight. Asleep!
"Hmph. D'you think, if that was one of our fellahs, he would let us sleep like that?" We wondered.
"Nah, it would be 'Honeeeeee, have you seen my breastplate? The bronze one?' "
" 'I KNOW I put my scabbard right here. Someone has moved it! Where is my other helmet?' "
" 'Could you just polish these knives for me? I'm running late. Honeeee? Oh, were you asleep?' " We giggled, and a few women in the seats nearby laughed too.
"That armour sure clanks. How long do you think we could pretend to be asleep before they really made us get up? Oh, 'Honeeee, does my ass look big in this skirt?' Nah, I could sleep through that."
"How about 'Honeeeee, could you rub this olive oil into my muscles so that my armour doesn't chafe?' Now that would get me up."
And then some ladies in front turned round and said "shhhhhh!!!" so we shhhh'd.
Alas, life does not imitate art. I bet Brad Pitt doesn't let Angelina sleep in.
Wednesday, 18 March 2009
Music Makes Pictures
"Music makes pictures and often tells stories, all of them magic and all of them true...."
(James Taylor)
We are a musical family. Both my parents, my brother Jimbo, Sean, his parents; someone is ALWAYS singing. Usually, withing minutes, they are accompanied. I grew up with some of Trinidad's local musical greats (and some foreign ones too) coming and going through our house. Jam sessions just happened. My brother and I would work for hours on harmonies to get them just SO. I practiced guitar till my fingers were numb. Every single family gathering, on both sides of the family, includes performed music. Fun, excellent, and often hilarious renditions. Uncle Dougie's Scottish version of "I've got a loverly bunch of coconuts", "Mi yellow viva" which commemorates the theft of someone's car and is sung to the tune of "Siempre Viva", "Que sera, sera" with feeling, every Beatles' song, Simon and Garfunkel....
We own over 20 guitars, that I can think of. Not counting other stringed instruments, flutes, harmonicas, recorders, drums, percussion, and odd collectibles for tooting, twanging, bongling and dongling. We have a basket of assorted stuff that was a toybox for the kids: Maracas of varying tones, triangles, manjeeras, things that go "crrrrrrr" or "wooopiwooopiwoop" or "wheeeeeee!" Oh, and a Yamaha synthesizer. Which does everything.
When I met Sean, I fell in love with his music first. When in the past we have fought, some of our friends didn't say "What about the children?" but "What about the music?" and it IS a big question. Sean is my accompaniment. We seldom perform now, but our fans go wild when we do. They tolerate whatever we have on our set list, and then demand Joni Mitchell and Jefferson Airplane tunes that they have already heard a dozen times. But we love it. I love to perform. Sean loves to perform. Jimbo loves to perform. We are a bunch of divas when we get the chance.
Jimbo writes excellent lyrics, and his tunes are good too. Sean writes gorgeous guitar pieces. I no longer play flamenco guitar the way I used to: those stretches are beyond me now, because what Mom has hours to practice every day? But I can teach.
So, our boys have been immersed in and surrounded by music since the womb. They were singing before they spoke. Is it any wonder they turn every raised surface into a stage? Would anyone be surprised at their comfort with guitars? We have been gently nudging them since they could reason: Move that thumb. Sit up straight. Alternate picking! Fourth fret. That's a minor. Use your little finger. Niiiiice. Sometimes, we think we should push them to practice harder, stop farting around. Do SCALES! ("They could be REALLY GOOD!") But then we remember that soon, they will realise that chicks dig guys who can play guitar. They will get serious soon enough! And right now, they are kids. Music is play. If I sometimes say "Would you PUT that guitar DOWN? NO MORE practicing! Go and play outside!" I can blame it all on Sean for turning them into Ozzy Ozbourne and Rush and Metallica fans. A Mom can only take so many power-chords.
But I will be interested to see what my little musicians end up doing. Will they, like their families, keep music as a hobby or an occasional added income? Or will they "Get serious", any of them? What kind of music will they play? Will Max's arms ever be long enough to play the half-size fiddle? Will they always play together, as Jimbo and I still do? Will their harmonies and their "rounds" always make me melt? Their music is so special to me.
Sometimes it's so amazing I just can't believe it's real.
(James Taylor)
We are a musical family. Both my parents, my brother Jimbo, Sean, his parents; someone is ALWAYS singing. Usually, withing minutes, they are accompanied. I grew up with some of Trinidad's local musical greats (and some foreign ones too) coming and going through our house. Jam sessions just happened. My brother and I would work for hours on harmonies to get them just SO. I practiced guitar till my fingers were numb. Every single family gathering, on both sides of the family, includes performed music. Fun, excellent, and often hilarious renditions. Uncle Dougie's Scottish version of "I've got a loverly bunch of coconuts", "Mi yellow viva" which commemorates the theft of someone's car and is sung to the tune of "Siempre Viva", "Que sera, sera" with feeling, every Beatles' song, Simon and Garfunkel....
We own over 20 guitars, that I can think of. Not counting other stringed instruments, flutes, harmonicas, recorders, drums, percussion, and odd collectibles for tooting, twanging, bongling and dongling. We have a basket of assorted stuff that was a toybox for the kids: Maracas of varying tones, triangles, manjeeras, things that go "crrrrrrr" or "wooopiwooopiwoop" or "wheeeeeee!" Oh, and a Yamaha synthesizer. Which does everything.
When I met Sean, I fell in love with his music first. When in the past we have fought, some of our friends didn't say "What about the children?" but "What about the music?" and it IS a big question. Sean is my accompaniment. We seldom perform now, but our fans go wild when we do. They tolerate whatever we have on our set list, and then demand Joni Mitchell and Jefferson Airplane tunes that they have already heard a dozen times. But we love it. I love to perform. Sean loves to perform. Jimbo loves to perform. We are a bunch of divas when we get the chance.
Jimbo writes excellent lyrics, and his tunes are good too. Sean writes gorgeous guitar pieces. I no longer play flamenco guitar the way I used to: those stretches are beyond me now, because what Mom has hours to practice every day? But I can teach.
So, our boys have been immersed in and surrounded by music since the womb. They were singing before they spoke. Is it any wonder they turn every raised surface into a stage? Would anyone be surprised at their comfort with guitars? We have been gently nudging them since they could reason: Move that thumb. Sit up straight. Alternate picking! Fourth fret. That's a minor. Use your little finger. Niiiiice. Sometimes, we think we should push them to practice harder, stop farting around. Do SCALES! ("They could be REALLY GOOD!") But then we remember that soon, they will realise that chicks dig guys who can play guitar. They will get serious soon enough! And right now, they are kids. Music is play. If I sometimes say "Would you PUT that guitar DOWN? NO MORE practicing! Go and play outside!" I can blame it all on Sean for turning them into Ozzy Ozbourne and Rush and Metallica fans. A Mom can only take so many power-chords.
But I will be interested to see what my little musicians end up doing. Will they, like their families, keep music as a hobby or an occasional added income? Or will they "Get serious", any of them? What kind of music will they play? Will Max's arms ever be long enough to play the half-size fiddle? Will they always play together, as Jimbo and I still do? Will their harmonies and their "rounds" always make me melt? Their music is so special to me.
Sometimes it's so amazing I just can't believe it's real.
Monday, 16 March 2009
Awesome Birthday Update
Ms. Awesome and I share a birthday week, and hers sucked. You can read about her lack of birthday awesomeness and commiserate with her if you have a moment.
Meanwhile, back on the ranch, us grownups went out and drank a whole lotta wine on Friday night and cackled happily and ate cheese. Thank you my friends, I love you so much! And then on Saturday the boys and I had one of those very very busy FUN days where you begin at dawn baking cookies and drive all over the place doing jolly things and supervising water balloon games and hearing noisy children having FUN and then everyone gets overexcited and overtired ESPECIALLY MOTHER WHO WAS OUT DRINKING THE NIGHT BEFORE.
But it WAS fun. And we went home sensibly early and slept like innocents and were all happy on Sunday morning, which was my actual birthday DAY. I did laundry and stuff but let's not mention that, okay? Sharon came over and we did NOT open a bottle of wine as we were still recovering. In the evening my sister arrived! She is here (with future sister-in-law who seems very nice) to plan her wedding and *I* am chief person in charge of decorating, so we have been having lengthy discussions about pale yellow and burgundy, and would bee orchids do, and have we remembered to invite Aunt Whatshername, and we must get a trial facial this week, and so on.
It's great fun, and very girly. Makes me want to clean my toenails, almost.
Meanwhile, back on the ranch, us grownups went out and drank a whole lotta wine on Friday night and cackled happily and ate cheese. Thank you my friends, I love you so much! And then on Saturday the boys and I had one of those very very busy FUN days where you begin at dawn baking cookies and drive all over the place doing jolly things and supervising water balloon games and hearing noisy children having FUN and then everyone gets overexcited and overtired ESPECIALLY MOTHER WHO WAS OUT DRINKING THE NIGHT BEFORE.
But it WAS fun. And we went home sensibly early and slept like innocents and were all happy on Sunday morning, which was my actual birthday DAY. I did laundry and stuff but let's not mention that, okay? Sharon came over and we did NOT open a bottle of wine as we were still recovering. In the evening my sister arrived! She is here (with future sister-in-law who seems very nice) to plan her wedding and *I* am chief person in charge of decorating, so we have been having lengthy discussions about pale yellow and burgundy, and would bee orchids do, and have we remembered to invite Aunt Whatshername, and we must get a trial facial this week, and so on.
It's great fun, and very girly. Makes me want to clean my toenails, almost.
Tuesday, 10 March 2009
Don't Panic!
No, this isn't a Douglas Adams related post. Though maybe it should be! All is well here, just very busy in a million different ways. With eddies in the space-time continuum. ("Is he, is he?" said Arthur...)
But my birthday is on Sunday don't forget! Thinking of maybe doing something somewhere sometime (not Brasso Seco, cancelled that plan. Too much planning). It's not every day you get to be one year older and wiser and more awesome, hmm? Friday night looks good.
I have never understood why women don't like to get older. I say, "YOU SEE THESE WRINKLES??? I WORKED DAMN HARD FOR THESE WRINKLES BABY!!! OH AND THE GREY HAIRS TOO! EVERY SINGLE ONE IS A LESSON LEARNED, A SORROW SURVIVED AND A ...... " nother cool alliteration which I can't think of at short notice. So there. I will be... (mumblemumble, carry the one...) THIRTY-SIX!
And a damn hot thirty-six it is too. I have done a lot of stuff in that many years, and it looks like the next thirty-six are going to be just as action-packed. I look forward to them. At the end of them I intend to be twice as droopy and wrinkled, and twice as wise and awesome. But if I have the same friends, I will consider myself twice as blessed.
EDITED: Wait! stop the presses! I just heard on the radio that TODAY (March 11th) would have been Douglas Adam's birthday. I just hope that, wherever he is, he's got his towel.
But my birthday is on Sunday don't forget! Thinking of maybe doing something somewhere sometime (not Brasso Seco, cancelled that plan. Too much planning). It's not every day you get to be one year older and wiser and more awesome, hmm? Friday night looks good.
I have never understood why women don't like to get older. I say, "YOU SEE THESE WRINKLES??? I WORKED DAMN HARD FOR THESE WRINKLES BABY!!! OH AND THE GREY HAIRS TOO! EVERY SINGLE ONE IS A LESSON LEARNED, A SORROW SURVIVED AND A ...... " nother cool alliteration which I can't think of at short notice. So there. I will be... (mumblemumble, carry the one...) THIRTY-SIX!
And a damn hot thirty-six it is too. I have done a lot of stuff in that many years, and it looks like the next thirty-six are going to be just as action-packed. I look forward to them. At the end of them I intend to be twice as droopy and wrinkled, and twice as wise and awesome. But if I have the same friends, I will consider myself twice as blessed.
EDITED: Wait! stop the presses! I just heard on the radio that TODAY (March 11th) would have been Douglas Adam's birthday. I just hope that, wherever he is, he's got his towel.
Friday, 6 March 2009
It's Friday! It's Friday!
Oh Boyohboyohboy! It's Friday! I bet I'm not the only one who's happy. Busy people everywhere are breathing a sigh of relief and letting it all hang out. Anyone doing anything fun this weekend? Catching up on housework? Studying? Answering emails? Sleeping in? Having a nap? Reading a good book?
Tellmetellme! I want to know. I will be taking Chas to school for an SEA class, which he says is FUN because they can wear anything and break a lot of rules. I believe they get plenty of work done too. Sam and Max have Taekwondo. I will do groceries. And I'll take Sam to buy clothes as he has grown out of everything very suddenly. Sam is only 1.5 inches shorter than Chas, alas, so no hand-me-downs. They are like twins now. Then on Sunday we MIGHT visit my brother and his wife and their two gorgeous children. Alex is at that nearly-two age which is so completely wonderful in other people's children. I adore him. And best of all, he likes me too.
Chas and I had our Yellow Fever Booster Shots today. I can give blood, with the big needle and all the BLOOD, but for some reason I am a terrible coward when it comes to the little jabs. Why is that? I was such a wuss. Chas and Sam held my hands, although I was actually trying really hard to act brave and set a good example. They said I was a real Girl. Well, I am!
Tellmetellme! I want to know. I will be taking Chas to school for an SEA class, which he says is FUN because they can wear anything and break a lot of rules. I believe they get plenty of work done too. Sam and Max have Taekwondo. I will do groceries. And I'll take Sam to buy clothes as he has grown out of everything very suddenly. Sam is only 1.5 inches shorter than Chas, alas, so no hand-me-downs. They are like twins now. Then on Sunday we MIGHT visit my brother and his wife and their two gorgeous children. Alex is at that nearly-two age which is so completely wonderful in other people's children. I adore him. And best of all, he likes me too.
Chas and I had our Yellow Fever Booster Shots today. I can give blood, with the big needle and all the BLOOD, but for some reason I am a terrible coward when it comes to the little jabs. Why is that? I was such a wuss. Chas and Sam held my hands, although I was actually trying really hard to act brave and set a good example. They said I was a real Girl. Well, I am!
Tuesday, 3 March 2009
Mother Of The Year
Max: "Chas and Sam won't let me PLAY! They say I'm a SPOILED BRAT! You go over there and tell them (stamps foot) to LET ME PLAY and (tears pour forth) I'm NOT spoiled!!!"
MOTY: "Well. Frankly, you do sound a bit like a spoiled brat, to me."
Max: Stamps off.
There will be no award for me this year, alas. Again.
**********
My commenters, who are my reason for blogging and who make the sun shine and birds sing in my bloggy world, have been ignored for LONG ENOUGH! You make me laugh, and I love you. Several questions have been asked in comments lately, and I will try to remember them and answer them now.
Ahem.
I live in the Twin Island Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. I am migrating (returning?) to Bournemouth, England. (The kids have to come too). Sean will be heading back to Mauritania in a few weeks, and then it looks like he's off to Libya. Livin' on the edge!
I'm an artist. I paint and stuff, and I have a business making framed tile "Trivets" which are very pretty but business sucks nowadays, yes siree.
I will most certainly continue blogging when we move, of course! I need to take SOME friends with me! I'm going to seriously need you guys!
Chas sits the dreaded 11+ exam on the 26th March, even though we are leaving. He might as well. We leave at the end of April, hopefully! The boys should be able to get right into a school in Bournemouth. Fingers crossed.
Theresa, I know Mikael is you!
No, we never did find out where they sold the weed.
*************
In other news, The desktop computer has crashed (Sean says NO IT HASN'T, it's somethingorother needs re-thingying. You'll have to ask him) and there seems to be a voltage problem in our house which the computer doesn't like. Sean is getting it fixed, which is good because ALL of our photos are on there and I am having a crisis about that. I know, I bought CDs to copy everything, but haven't had the TIME to get that done yet. Anyway. The point of this story is, what photo program would you recommend for me to download on to my laptop, (Dell, Windows Vista) (Yes I like Vista) for editing pictures for email and internet? The camera is Olympus, but I find the Olympus editing thingies way too complicated and annoying. The Desktop has Microsoft Digital Photo Something, which is no longer available. Dang.
If it's a free downloadable program, that will be a plus, but I don't mind paying. What do you think?
I luuuuurve my laptop. Sean spent some time last week doing all kinds of stuff to it, while I hung over his shoulder and asked questions, and now it is even faster and cooler and has stopped making that "beedoop? beedoop!" noise it was making. Sean is a super sexy computer whiz dude.
Thank you. And now, I am going to sleep. Cuz my alarm is going to start carrying on at 4:30am and I neeeed some sleep!
MOTY: "Well. Frankly, you do sound a bit like a spoiled brat, to me."
Max: Stamps off.
There will be no award for me this year, alas. Again.
**********
My commenters, who are my reason for blogging and who make the sun shine and birds sing in my bloggy world, have been ignored for LONG ENOUGH! You make me laugh, and I love you. Several questions have been asked in comments lately, and I will try to remember them and answer them now.
Ahem.
I live in the Twin Island Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. I am migrating (returning?) to Bournemouth, England. (The kids have to come too). Sean will be heading back to Mauritania in a few weeks, and then it looks like he's off to Libya. Livin' on the edge!
I'm an artist. I paint and stuff, and I have a business making framed tile "Trivets" which are very pretty but business sucks nowadays, yes siree.
I will most certainly continue blogging when we move, of course! I need to take SOME friends with me! I'm going to seriously need you guys!
Chas sits the dreaded 11+ exam on the 26th March, even though we are leaving. He might as well. We leave at the end of April, hopefully! The boys should be able to get right into a school in Bournemouth. Fingers crossed.
Theresa, I know Mikael is you!
No, we never did find out where they sold the weed.
*************
In other news, The desktop computer has crashed (Sean says NO IT HASN'T, it's somethingorother needs re-thingying. You'll have to ask him) and there seems to be a voltage problem in our house which the computer doesn't like. Sean is getting it fixed, which is good because ALL of our photos are on there and I am having a crisis about that. I know, I bought CDs to copy everything, but haven't had the TIME to get that done yet. Anyway. The point of this story is, what photo program would you recommend for me to download on to my laptop, (Dell, Windows Vista) (Yes I like Vista) for editing pictures for email and internet? The camera is Olympus, but I find the Olympus editing thingies way too complicated and annoying. The Desktop has Microsoft Digital Photo Something, which is no longer available. Dang.
If it's a free downloadable program, that will be a plus, but I don't mind paying. What do you think?
I luuuuurve my laptop. Sean spent some time last week doing all kinds of stuff to it, while I hung over his shoulder and asked questions, and now it is even faster and cooler and has stopped making that "beedoop? beedoop!" noise it was making. Sean is a super sexy computer whiz dude.
Thank you. And now, I am going to sleep. Cuz my alarm is going to start carrying on at 4:30am and I neeeed some sleep!
Sunday, 1 March 2009
Wrapping It Up...
We've given away so much STUFF in preparation for our big Move, and so far we haven't missed anything. (I lie: Chas said "Where's the Big Book Of Animals? You WHAT?") How come we have so much stuff in our lives? The more we get rid of, the easier it is.
So y'all are thinking "Gosh, there's probably NO clutter at all in Nan's house!" and you are WRONG! There is still clutter. But it's easy to get rid of now, see above. We have given away HUNDREDS of books, for one thing, but there are hundreds more. How can one family have so many books? I have enjoyed going through them and re-reading some One More Time before I give them away. The boys, too. (Reading books, not giving away boys.) (Hmmmm...)
I have also pretty much packed up my Studio, which was weird. My small business is a big part of who I am. It's not easy for an artist to make a business out of her work but I did it. I supported myself and my boys during some very hard years, and while I haven't worked as hard as that lately, at least I know it's there to fall back on if necessary. It's a little scary to let go of my safety net and have nothing to fall back on. Okay, it's really scary. Two people asked if they could buy the business from me: The good name and the idea. I am letting it go to the beautiful and talented Hazel who has been working for me for the last few years. Getting paid for the business is a great pat on the back for me. I may also sell designs to Hazel, which could be an ongoing source of income BUT Hazel is an artist in her own right and I have taught her as much as I can. I don't think she will be needing me for very long.
I have been trying to renew Sam and Max's Trini passports, which is a bit like beating myself up with a sack of bricks. The less said about that the better. HOW can it possibly be so PAINFUL to renew a passport? How? Sean is going in this week to beg sweetly, and then I will get UK Visas organized for those two boys. Eventually, it will come together.
Chas is working on his S.E.A. Exam, which happens soon! I hope he does really well, as it will be a good ego boost for him. It's hard to have a little brother who's a bloody off-the-scale genius, and if Chas can say "I got a first-choice school" it will be so good for him. So I've been really trying to help him, and his attitude has been great. He's rising to the challenge. He can do it.
Samba Doggie knows we're going, and has been clingy. She got a sudden chest infection the other day, and I had to call out the Splendid Vet who rushed over and prescribed Expensive Drugs. Samba is all better now and back to her sprightly old self, but it was a worry. She's thirteen! That's pretty old for a doggy.
The cats couldn't care less.
I have my very last SERVOL lecture in a few weeks. They say they will miss me and whatever will they do? They gave me a really nice letter for my resume. My last lecture's in Beetham Estate, so I'm going out with style. The Beetham boys offered to steal the pardon-my-french car once, and couldn't understand why I wouldn't go for it.
My dear friends have been weeping and gnashing their teeth and pouring ashes upon their heads. Me too. My FRIENDS! I must be mad to leave you. But I am going. Expect many phone calls.
We're saying goodbye to so many things. And so many people. Yikes.
So y'all are thinking "Gosh, there's probably NO clutter at all in Nan's house!" and you are WRONG! There is still clutter. But it's easy to get rid of now, see above. We have given away HUNDREDS of books, for one thing, but there are hundreds more. How can one family have so many books? I have enjoyed going through them and re-reading some One More Time before I give them away. The boys, too. (Reading books, not giving away boys.) (Hmmmm...)
I have also pretty much packed up my Studio, which was weird. My small business is a big part of who I am. It's not easy for an artist to make a business out of her work but I did it. I supported myself and my boys during some very hard years, and while I haven't worked as hard as that lately, at least I know it's there to fall back on if necessary. It's a little scary to let go of my safety net and have nothing to fall back on. Okay, it's really scary. Two people asked if they could buy the business from me: The good name and the idea. I am letting it go to the beautiful and talented Hazel who has been working for me for the last few years. Getting paid for the business is a great pat on the back for me. I may also sell designs to Hazel, which could be an ongoing source of income BUT Hazel is an artist in her own right and I have taught her as much as I can. I don't think she will be needing me for very long.
I have been trying to renew Sam and Max's Trini passports, which is a bit like beating myself up with a sack of bricks. The less said about that the better. HOW can it possibly be so PAINFUL to renew a passport? How? Sean is going in this week to beg sweetly, and then I will get UK Visas organized for those two boys. Eventually, it will come together.
Chas is working on his S.E.A. Exam, which happens soon! I hope he does really well, as it will be a good ego boost for him. It's hard to have a little brother who's a bloody off-the-scale genius, and if Chas can say "I got a first-choice school" it will be so good for him. So I've been really trying to help him, and his attitude has been great. He's rising to the challenge. He can do it.
Samba Doggie knows we're going, and has been clingy. She got a sudden chest infection the other day, and I had to call out the Splendid Vet who rushed over and prescribed Expensive Drugs. Samba is all better now and back to her sprightly old self, but it was a worry. She's thirteen! That's pretty old for a doggy.
The cats couldn't care less.
I have my very last SERVOL lecture in a few weeks. They say they will miss me and whatever will they do? They gave me a really nice letter for my resume. My last lecture's in Beetham Estate, so I'm going out with style. The Beetham boys offered to steal the pardon-my-french car once, and couldn't understand why I wouldn't go for it.
My dear friends have been weeping and gnashing their teeth and pouring ashes upon their heads. Me too. My FRIENDS! I must be mad to leave you. But I am going. Expect many phone calls.
We're saying goodbye to so many things. And so many people. Yikes.
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