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Tag: family time

Oh!, are we doing this again? Ok… um… let me think. Hmmm…

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We started off Domestic Duties Monday with a blitz! Had to rush into Markham for an oil change and get gas for this evenings extra curriculars with the kids. Lots of running around to do each evening from now until April or so. Then I hope we can cut back on something, for May & June. Though as the weather clears it isn’t so bad doing all this evening running about, playing chauffeur, papa coach, cheer leader, and equipment manager. So today includes, dishes, laundry (gotta keep all of these uniforms clean, and organized), vehicle maintenance, recycling gathering & sorting, and getting my day job projects off for approvals. This DDM is going to be chock a block with things to do. So much to do, so little time!

I’m super happy I don’t have to add commuting into the mix here, or a micro managing boss. The PA Day on Friday was a bit strange, as we couldn’t do much outside as there was little to no snow, but I hope that will change for the February 3rd PA Day now that we have snow on the ground, with an expectation of more to come. Hell, I even had to shovel the driveway, and paths to make way for all that should be coming later this week. Hopefully not 18 inches in one dumping, but eight to ten inches over three days wouldn’t be awful. The kids love making snowmen in the yard, or throwing tiny snowballs at the house as we mockingly shake our fists at them through the windows in faux outrage. Get some mileage out of their snow suits, and the yard too! Goes untouched for days or weeks if it’s cold but has no snow in it.

Took the kids for a walk at the mall to stretch our legs, look at stuff, then pick up lunch to bring home for all of us. We kept it together for about 90 minutes. And you know what? I’ll take it. No fights, no squabbling, no tantrums, and we all wore our masks, and got a warm comfortable stroll under our belts out in public. And, what’s better, about 80% of the people we saw, outside of the food court were masked up, so I was pretty happy about that. Lots of decorations up for the lunar new year, and we loved to see it all. Lots of red and gold accents. And lots of rabbit imagery which my kids enjoyed. A great lazy Sunday mooch about. I hope to one day be able to spend the whole day walking Square One in Mississauga, have lunch, watch a movie, wander around just looking at stuff. Perhaps shop for an item or two. Spend some quality time with my kids on our own, as my wife “HATES” to walk around a mall aimlessly or to go shop in person. I like it. I loved it as a kid, and I love it now. Beyond food, and maybe buying a new book it wasn’t to spend money, but get out, to walk in comfortable temperatures, watch people, and see what’s new in fashion and other things I don’t really keep tabs on anymore. Plus if we can work both a lunch, and a movie screening into the deal that will give my wife six to eight hours of alone time to nap, or work, or read uninterrupted for a change. I think the kids are still too young for an outing of that length, but over time we can build up to it. That would make me happy. Maybe in the late spring I’ll try for a day at Wonderland with the kids, see if an amusement park can bump up their daytime outing hours? Possibly. Depends on work, but I think I can swing it!

Breaking long held rules…

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Broke down after years of holding the line, and let the kids put up our Christmas tree before Remeberance Day. I figure with the looming CUPE strike, and then the possible teacher strike this holiday season could go sideways pretty quickly, so why not let them have it just this once. It took us a while to do it, and we listened to Michael Buble croon some holiday songs in the back ground, and a few of us have settled in to watch “Elf” with the tree lit up. I generally feel pretty strongly that we should give the Vets their due by waiting to observe Nov 11th prior to starting in on the holiday season. But we’ve had such unseasonably warm weather these last few weeks, so I put up the lights in warm sunshine, instead of freezing rain & high winds. And given that the kids are off school 2 days minimum (Friday & Monday) with the CUPE strike action, the thought of them being home 24/7 whining and asking me constantly to put up the tree was going to get on my nerves, so I nipped that in the bud, and we have it up for two months, instead of six weeks. Ha. The big red Christmas bow is on the front door, and there are a few other items still left to go, but that can wait. The tree was the big ticket item. And with the time change the kids were up ‘early’ jumping in place to get started.

Funnily enough we went to a big indoor park yesterday, full of trampolines, foam fits, dodgeball court and climbing equipment. And within 30bseconds of getting out into the park my eldest hurt her foot by landing half on a trampoline, and half on a line green padded surface. The very first thing the safety video tells you precisely not to do. So today she is limping a bit. No bruise, no swelling, no numb toes, but a limp and some tenderness. I could have called that happening to one or both of my kids. I just knew it. Glad it doesn’t seem to be permanent damage. Could have been much, much worse. Glad it wasn’t a neck, head or spinal injury. Not with how hospitals are as of late. The birthday party we attended was otherwise a good deal of fun. Both kids tried the leap of faith onto an air bag, and tried the trapeze over a foam pit. So I think they had fun regardless of the initial foot injury.

So a lovely four day weekend, unexpected, but nice nonetheless. I have one more bout with the leaves left to go, and then we can think about putting up the second half of the Christmas lights, ornaments and displays on the lawn, trees. Who knows how long any of this will last. So best to take advantage of the dryness and warmth to get those pesky chores out of the way before the weather eventually turns, and we get that icy rain and snow. Ciao Bella!

Engineered Hardwood: or plywood as I like to call it.

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Plywood tongue and groove boards with a one ply hardwood face that is slightly thicker and can have that “hand scraped” texture. Not really hardwood, more of a fancy veneer on your laminate board flooring. People look down on laminate floors in favour of the exact same thing, but with a slightly nicer (and a whole lot more expensive) veneered top face. Ludicrous. Pure malarkey. The best con perpetrated by the flooring industry upon us all. Here have the same thing, but more expensive, just use a nicer more posh sounding moniker for it. Insanity. You want to know how I know that engineered hardwood isn’t real, nobody reclaims it to build furniture with it. We’ll scavenge pallet wood, boxes, other old furniture, rotten trees and old building materials like barn boards. But there’s no craze for building furniture with engineered hardwood, and that should tell you something. As us cheap wood workers will build out of just about anything we can get our hands on. Even 2×4’s. So, yeah. Think on that for a second or two.

So Friday, yeah? Yes it is. Week eight closing out with some loud cracks of thunder in the early a.m. Summer is most definitely drawing to a close. Sad to see it go, but bring on autumn and Halloween ! Decorations, costume building, lights, smoke machines, music and scary movies! It really is a whole thing if you lean into it hard enough, and have the funds to do so. I see how privileged it is to be able to go all out during any season or holiday that you really love. I hope to one day help my kids make elaborate costumes, like ring wraiths, or Master Chief, or Ironman or something like a Transformer or Gundam Robot. A chance to build all summer long, paint and fabricate parts in foam, cloth and cardboard. It could be awesome! I choose to believe it would be awesome.

Still a few weeks away from pumpkin carving. Can’t start too early or else they rot before the big night! Gotta time it just right, so you’re not rushed, but it doesn’t turn to mush with rounded soggy edges! Carving shows will be on tv very soon! I for one am very excited. Ciao Bella!

Chomping at the bit to go sleep in my own bed…

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For the first time in nearly a months time. Summer break is beautiful up at the cottage, but being at home, in my full time bed, with my own pillows is where it’s at. I’m certain there will be several days of outdoor maintenance to do once we get home. No rain has fallen so my pumpkins and tomatoes are likely hanging by a thread, and my grass will most definitely be dead, and some trees will have dropped leaves on the scrub brush lawn. Weeds in the interlocking will be knee high by now. The beds with all have thistles and creeping weeds embedded in them. Oh lord. It’ll look horrendous regardless of how much work I had put in pre-vacation time. I swapped out home maintenance for cottage chores instead. And boat rides, tubing and day trips out and about.

I am looking forward to eating and sleeping on a normalized schedule at home. I have more projects likely to come in for edits this week, or to start new stuff.

Soon the pivotal tetris game to load the vehicle will commence. Plus the massive clean up effort here. Laundry & toy search for missing items. Today will have all the emotions from the kids to look forward to.

Day 75! Woah. That’s like a milestone or somethin’.

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Early start on this weeks paid work project. Hoping to get through the first forty or so pages before Monday morning. Still going to be a challenging week even with a forty page head start! That’s pretty insane. But it pays well, and I’ll have two more after this one is done coming to round out my spring.

So Day 75! I’m happy to report I had a tiny spurt of creativity last night while watching Hacksaw Ridge on tv. I worked hard in the morning, and went skating (where I fell on my left elbow) ouch! But had a great time in the blustery icy winds. I dressed accordingly and was thus richly rewarded. A hard fall on my elbow and shoulder when I caught an edge, but, as I said, well padded in warm winter clothes, so beyond the pain of the bump, no real damage done. But these forties, they keep on coming with the physical disadvantages! For real. Makes me question my desire to down hill ski or snowboard any more. Perhaps a shift to only cross country skiing could save me from potential calamity! Plus – exercise and loud music!

Ten pages left to reach today’s goal, so I’ll leave you all to what’s left of your Sunday.