Saturday, September 22, 2007

Bush Denies Low Income Children Health Care

I am not sure who is handling this fellow - but yikes!

Just the PR aspect of making such a stupid statement. It is like he is a Muppet being handled by a Democrat. Humorous if it were not such a tragic comment on his capacity to govern.

Maybe Bush figures that because he is in the swan song of his presidency he may as well make a legacy. And why not make that Legacy a smack to the best resource any country has - their children.

This man makes me sick. He is ignorant and painfully stupid. I could handle that right up the point that he started to get vicious. Someone better reign in that rabid lap dog. And slap his owners with a fine.

I trust that the bond of motherhood will prevail above the lines drawn by political parties. I expect that this statement makes every mother sick to her stomach - except maybe Elisabeth Hasselback.

I am grateful to live in the country that I do.

Go Hilary GO! It is about time a mother hit the Whitehouse.

Parental Responsibilities

I think that we can all agree (at least the mommies) that the division of labour in child rearing is not equal between the sexes. In fact to even have those words in the same sentence irks me.

And I think that it is a typical defense strategy of the male partners to portray and sometimes (taking their very lives into the path of danger) verbalise that they believe that they do most of the work.

An evening not long ago my partner in parenting thought that he ought to lament to fact that I had requested that he bath & story one child at bedtime (the other was asleep). I reminded said spouse that he had played hockey twice in the proceeding week and did not come home until well after bath time (although did hit end of story time one night). So I deserved a lay back with a bag of peanut butter M&Ms and Location, Location, Location.

Now I know that these discussions usually broil up into arguments which include pie charts, calendars and foot stomping. But what drives me mad isn't the actual division of labour (as I am well aware that I do more as I do the daycare drop off and pick up, most lunch packing, setting doctors appointments, organising birthday parties, doing laundry, etc) it is the sheer denial of level of work that I do with the added insult that I actually think that he believes that he does more!

There is a show here in Canada - in fact based in the Lower Mainland of BC- called Crash Test Mommy. It involves a typical mom challenging her husband, childless friends or family members who has critized her in the past - to live her life parenting for a weekend. The Mommy goes away for the weekend to the Spa and checks in and gives direction to the bug caught in the web. You get to watch the baby spiders close in on the prey. Great entertainment value.

Most times the show ends with Mommy coming home and the husband / friend/ family member crying that they never realised how hard it was the parent and get things done.

Colin does pitch in (he cooks dinner most night, we share bath & story duty, occasionally he makes a lunch) I just don't think that he recognises what I do on a regular basis. It is the denial and selling of the idea that he does more than I which makes me want to go on strike.

Maybe they are casting for Crash Test Mommy.....

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

I knew this was coming.....

It is September, but there were warning signs before hand.

Weird scratches on the calendar, odd smells coming from the bathroom, sheepish looks around and hockey pools being drafted. Emails from 8 Rinks. There were signs of this coming....

So hockey season is here and Colin is back in the swing of his own hockey team. They way these guys revere hockey above all else is a bit frightening. The state that they let their gear get into is an abomination to public health. The stories of goals lost and found. Trips to the emergency room for both minor and serious injury. The wicked smelling hands creeping under the covers at night. The assault of the senses as the kids and I make our way down the gauntlet of putrid gear airing out (above the kitty litter box no less - and still the gear smells worse) on our way to the car.

I feel a bit unprepared. My washing machine has been put into double duty washing hockey gear in anticipation of this blessed event. Which begs the question - where has the gear been sitting since the end of last season and why for the love of God did you not clean this stuff out back in April? The tears in my eyes are not from frustration but from the sheer FUNK of the gear hanging in my bathroom.

Another gift from the hockey Gods is that they sometimes schedule games at dinner time - which means that we don't see Colin until the next day (after you factor in game time, 'cool off', and trip to the pub and transit). If it were not for the rank smell of his entrance into the matrimonial room I would not wake up when he arrived back home.

So welcome hockey. I am going to sign my boys up for soccer as I can not bear the thought of dealing with 3 sets of RANK FUNKY gear hanging in the garage.

Serenity Now.

Monday, September 17, 2007

hellooooo Fall!

Well last week made me a bit nervous - what with all the warmth and air conditioning. I had actually packed up all the summer toys from outside, laid out the pools to be sun dried prior to being packed away, watered the petunias one last time and said farewell to the sand table. Only to be met with scorching hot sun for most of last week. And kids demanding Spiderman slip and slide.

But now we are into fall (technically not until the 23rd of September). The smells in the air, Halloween around the corner (yes I have bought the boys their costumes already 25% off at Old Navy!), birthdays and more birthdays (all those Christmas party babies) and the obsessive compulsive thoughts that come with Christmas planning. I LOVE this time of year!

There are practical things that I like about the fall. Hockey season starts and a social void is filled with exciting games (instead of the usual summer rerun fodder). I can wear sweaters and bundle up in the office - and there will always be the question of whether or not I am chubby or just cozy. Playdates inside (although i did really like the ones outside - but this way there can be more coffee and hot chocolate). I also like putting away all the summer clothes and pulling out the winter finds. Especially chuffed when I check the box and find a special Gap shirt or Gymboree item that I bought during a wicked sale... and put away for the fall / winter season. Ahhhh! The joy!

But my birthday is coming up - I have shared it with my nephew for the past 4 years. This means that his party tends to trump mine (which is okay because I do not love my own birthday parties). I think that it is a sign of getting older that I am not at all fazed by this - in fact I enjoy not having to come up with some amazing story about what I did for my birthday.


I am making this list for Colin and other families members in the event that they are wondering what to get me this year:

- Precious Memories gift certificates (already got one from work - THANKS!:)
- Reitmans gift certificate (plus pants for my bulbous behind and large shirts for the ample bosom)
- Chapters gift certificate
- Matt and Nat bag from the Satchel shop - groovy vegan brand.
- pedicure gift certificate - I will go this time. I go down a shoe size every time!

So that is it. Not as caustic as usual - but maybe that is because I am mellow because of the fall.....

Sunday, September 9, 2007

Fun Facts About Slime!

I have a bit of a naturalist on my hands in the form of a 3.8 year old boy. Linden loves all bugs, animals and spiders.

Today he found a slug which he had to bring back home. In the process of transporting the treasure, the slug experienced some anxiety and slimed Linden's hands. Linden shows me his find, which we convince him to put outside so that it can go home. Between trying to save the slug from his plant stomping bug squashing brother (run Sluggy, RUN) and trying not to step on Sluggy, Linden gets slimed again.

We march into the bathroom to clean the slime off. Not only does the slime not react to water and soap - it appears to multiply at the thought of water. So now we have double the slime with the adhesive properties of rubber cement. We graduate to the dish soap (for some reason I thought that slime was related to grease - it is not). Not happy with the copious amounts of slime replicating in the bathroom we move to the kitchen for the larger sink. Where Nana produces a tooth brush and OVEN cleaner.

Time for mommy to stop the madness and check the internet for help. Before someone losses an eye.

Sure enough, confirmed on the internet (because clearly someone else has asked Jeeves this) Slime loves water. In fact that is one of the properties that scientists are studying. That and its amazing ability to withstand and adhere during the more vigorous scrubbing with all sorts of caustic agents.

Stopped the toothbrush / granulated cleaner (which had been located close to the oven cleaner - not really sure what it was) and dried the hands.

The rapidly rubbed hands back and forth together in manner of removing rubber cement (close cousin of slug slime). Voila - slug slime be gone.

Please print this out and put it on your fridge. One day you will need it.

The good news is that the flesh under the slime is protected by the slime to every agent you put on it. So child will not get chemical burn.

In all the hygiene drama Sluggy booked it back to the wild. Be free Sluggy.

Tuesday, September 4, 2007

Ebay Addiction

Well it is official - although many have speculated - I am addicted to buying crap on Ebay.
Mostly scrapbooking crap - but the occasional car seat or Thomas item has been know to be bought.

And it really does not make too much sense - except for the fact that I am able to get the scrapbooking stuff cheap compared to the scrapbook nazis. But it mostly gets shipped to my friends cabin in Blaine. Which means a 2 hour drive (in the event I want to go during daylight). To get my cheap stuff. And it causes me great concern when it rains as I am never really sure if the metal embellishments will rust....

But I am addicted to the drama of the buy. Beating someone out for some ribbon. Triumphant over the greedy hordes by my cleaver math skills.

One day I hope to actually complete an album. Until then endless entertainment on ebay......