Worst Christmas on Record

I must be getting better, because I'm feeling less despondent and more irritated. This is the second Christmas in a row that I've been ill and unable to eat any chocolate.
To top things off this year, I'm not even drinking. Not a drop. Not that I would be able to anyhow.

I don't really miss the booze, but time does crawl when you're not well. You can't even sprawl around and watch tv because it's impossible to get comfortable. Plus the projectile vomiting adds an element of surprise to nearly everything.

Then there's the sick smell. I don't mean the obvious barf smell, but the sour one that comes from within that you can't seem to shake. I have been advised to "brush my tongue", but I'm well aware of dental hygiene, so I don't need any advice from someone that has been walking around with a temporary filling in their mouth for YEARS! COME ON!!!


See what I mean about irritable?


Total mouse count to date: 6

Merry Christmas

Last evening ended with barfing, and this morning began with barfing. I was the only one exempt from this activity.
I didn't let it stop me from making one killer Christmas feast. It was nice to have my brother back from America to celebrate with us.

The only glitch was that I had no idea the watch I bought my husband had "cougar bait" stamped on the back.....grrrrrrr

Merry Christmas everyone!!!

Have an Itchy Scratchy Christmas!

Unlike last year, when we were all gaunt and afflicted with some sort of flu, this year, we are harboring disgusting little pests in our hair. It's SO heinous and nasty, but a fact of life now I guess. I somehow managed to go my entire life without catching the wee little buggers, but having a husband that works for the school board, and a child in public daycare, our world has been rocked. So gross.

Tonight will be our 3'rd week of treatments. And it has been a nice excuse to avoid all the holiday mayhem by saying, "Oh, sorry, we can't make it tonight. We have to wash our hair".
Thankfully, there is a new treatment which is non-toxic, but trying to get a 3 year old to sit still for any length of time is still very much a challenge.
I guess everyone will get lice these days, but it still doesn't stop me from feeling total disgust and revulsion at the idea that these parasites are feasting on my scalp. All I have to do is think about it and I'm scratching like mad.


Hopefully after tonight's final treatment, all will be well.

I hope you and yours are not dealing with anything like this during the holidays.
Have a merry HO HO!!

Yes but he's OUR pain in the ass...

The other day our Homeopathic Vet showed up on her bike for a house call.
Yup, a Homeopathic Vet. And yes, she came to our house.

It was great, but really stressful as our 14 year old cat Chico was far from compliant.
She needed to take blood from him, so instructed us (the hubby and I) on how to hold him. I held the front legs with one hand, and with the other, tried to tilt his head back, but not too far, with the idea of keeping him motionless. My husband took care of those jack-rabbit back legs.
I wouldn't have thought that a 14 year old cat could have so much strength, but the guy was a force to be reckoned with. The vet would flinch, and remind me to hold him still. I was super stressed 'cause Chico would jerk and make this howling sound every time she tried to get a needle into his neck.

We tried several times to draw blood from his neck. A couple of times we tried to take from him back leg, but this too was difficult because you needed to press onto the vein to make sure it didn't move. Arrrgh. It was too much. I feel like I aged about 5 years, and the strain was evident on the other's face too. Even the vet was flustered by our stubborn and remarkably strong cat.

We eventually gave in and administered a sedative, but only after we were all sufficiently rattled. Poor Chico. He must have felt like a damn pin cushion. The remedies for both cat and dog were peculiar. Chico had 2 doses of a magic dust, that we were to sprinkle onto his gums. Yoshi had wee tiny pellets, but they must have worked, 'cause I do see an improvement in his kitten scratch gone bad.

It was an experience for all!
Thankfully, all balance has been restored. HA!

Remembering Women Murdered by Men

On December 6'th, 1989, at Montreal's Ecole Polytechnique, a man that will not be named here, separated the women from the men in an engineering class screaming "I hate feminists".
He then proceeded to shoot all the women in the class.
It was my second year university, and like many, I was shocked and disgusted by this man's actions. It opened my eyes to a whole new concept. Misogyny. What was most disturbing about this event was the fact that he deliberately separated the women from the men, allowing the men to leave the room and go free.
Even now, years later, some people challenge that this was a hate crime. Perhaps it's too painful to admit that not much has changed.

Out of respect to the victims, I have listed their names below.


Geneviève Bergeron
Hélène Colgan
Nathalie Croteau
Barbara Daigneault
Anne-Marie Edward
Maud Haviernick
Barbara Klucznik Widajewicz
Maryse Laganière
Maryse Leclair
Anne-Marie Lemay
Sonia Pelletier
Michèle Richard
Annie St-Arneault
Annie Turcotte "

Remembering Women Murdered by Men is the name of a new book written by a collective called The Cultural Memory Group. The group includes an English professor, a Director of a Women's Crisis Centre, a Human Rights and Equity Advisor, and a PhD candidate in Communications and Culture, among others. I heard an interview with them the other day on their attempts to establish public memorials to these victims of violence, and the resistance they face to bring attention to the plights of women who have been murdered by men. The women were great, and their ability to speak so clearly on the subject brought many knee jerk responses, which I was forced to listen to today. It was excruciating to listen to middle aged men deny deny deny. Deal with it! You are part of the problem.

Times have not really changed have they?
We are still reluctant to recognize the numbers of women on the news everynight who die at the hands of their spouses or other 'loved' ones. It is right in front of us, yet some still refuse to see. Prime time is full of crime dramas that begin every night with the bodies of dead women. Is this entertainment? I can only think of the 50 or so missing women that were collected from the streets surrounding my own home only to be murdered and forgotten until so many years later.

I can't think of too many people who can say that they are unaware of someone who has been a victim of violence against women. It is still tolerated.

I had a childhood babysitter, who was the only daughter of the Police Chief in my small town. She grew up surrounded by brothers, and they were a very nice family. She married a local fellow, and they soon moved away. Before too long, this man would murder his wife in front of thier children, then attempt to bury her in the back yard. This man is now out, and seeking custody of the kids. I hope he rots. Carole did not deserve it, and I often think of her with tears in my eyes.

Presently, our Conservative Government has withdrawn funding for women's centres. This with a surplus in their coffers. I can only think about how mean spirited this is. Stephen Harper and his Bush humping partners disgust me.

Let us not forget the events of December 6'th, 1989.
It will remain Canada's National Day of Remembrance

Right on Schedule

Everything is right on schedule.

It's scary how the universe clicks into order sometimes. I've learned not to even dwell on the idea, just go with it and enjoy.

Have decided to go into work this Sunday for double time and a half.
I always said that I would never do that. I guess the consumer season has got me thinking that it's better to buy in cash.
That's the way I roll now. Cash only for large, self indulgent items.

On the mouse front, our little killer got another one today with an assist from dad. He opened the pantry door and saw something scurry, so he got the kitten, pointed it into the direction of the pantry, and voila, one more mouse out of our house.

Total mouse count to date: 5