Wide awake at 4 am....

Why not? 2 hours ahead of a proper work wake up time...what could go wrong...?

Kim - TC10K 1 hour 8 mins

Just had Pam & Jim here for the weekend, always fun. Pam never stops singing or delighting us with her enormous amount of gas. It really is phenomenal. I have no idea how 1 person produces so much excess gas...I almost feel like she has a defective valve that the rest of us have. Though she at least is all hot air while Jim drops bombs that you taste for an hour afterwards so...take your pick. haha

Kim ran the Times Colonist 10K Marathon this weekend and kicked its butt pretty awesomely...1 hour and 8 mins....pretty good! She is rather proud of herself and is not too crippled either...great prep for her 40K marathon in a few months from Tofino to Ucluelet. Scary business, that one!

Miss A and Jaime, Mui Ne, Vietnam

Miss A is enjoying Vietnam much more than her travels though Cambodia so that is good...they went to this fantastic water resort the other day: VINPEARL 27.00 for the day included EVERYTHING. Fun!

Connie is waiting to hear if she got a job in Campbell River so her and her family can pick up and leave Red Deer and move to the island...crossing my fingers!! Would love having them closer even if it is shitty CR and 4 hours away by car...beats the shit out of Red Deer, a million and 3 miles away.

I am teetering on the edge of insanity at the moment, hormones are a delicate matter...I have a full on rant that I have been wanting to spew forth for some time but just cannot muster up the effort and in all honesty....some things are just not worth the energy it takes to spew them forth. It is disheartening that even into your 40's people can be such disappointing creatures...just when you think you finally have a circle of the right people the ol' monkey wrench gets tossed into the mix and you are left reeling over the complete and utter degree of asshole dysfunction some ppl practice in life. On the upside...these moments remind you who you can count on in life and the importance of nurturing familial and friend relations. I am pretty fortunate.

Hearing Ryan McMahon's "I'll Be Damned" song on Californication S07E03 was AWESOME. Seriously amazing use of that song....I sure hope it gets him some extra exposure he deserves.
Listen here: I'll Be Damned

Xmas Eve, etc.

The Parkside Hotel...scene of Xmas Eve

Xmas morning breakfast...rootbeer float goodness

Hotel lobby that our suite looked down on

Hotel lobby that our suite looked down on

Hotel lobby that our suite looked down on

Pie, chips, spring rolls, brownies, chocolates, shortbread, cookies, fudge, cheese, crackers, meat, rice krispie squares, pop, chicken balls...this all equals amazing epic heartburn!

hahaha they were damn hot

my gift from Kate....awesome old mason jar made into a dish soap dispenser...awesome!

Kim & Shawn...we played Settlers of Catan and Sequence most of the night after swimming

And a jig of happiness I did when it was all over!
Funny that when you have a child to focus on for 20 years you forget how weird xmas is and how much you don't really like it that much. This being the 1st year without Miss A in 20 years was kinda blah...and I was well aware this was just the 1st of it's kind....b/c she won't be home next year either :(
Not to say it was not a nice time in the hotel with Shawn and Kim, it was....it was just weird anyhow. Plus I ate too much (imagine that) and felt ill b/c I was also on the verge of menstruation and that is never a pleasant experience. It also explained my 3 hour crying jag on the 23rd where I just stood in the kitchen bawling while making 4 batches of rice krispie squares...bawled and bawled with full logical awareness that I was completely crying over nothing...my kid is fine, my moved ones are fine...nothing to cry over...yes...wah.wah.wah. 

On boxing day I promptly took everything down...lights, tree, cards...not a trace left of xmas in this house...back to normal...that is typically how I roll though...I put everything up early b/c I know that once xmas is done I feel ZERO christmas-ness...the season is dead to me.

Sounds like Miss A had a fun time with the family...especially the kids...she helped get Sidney all riled up and into the xmas groove. Riley looked like he was his usual handful self but stupidly cute...he really is a character. Madelyn looked to be her usual lovely self, loved having Miss A around.

Sidney & Riley....look at Riley's face hahahahahahaha He slays me with cuteness lol

Miss A at home having out mini xmas...loving having her photo taken...ugh

Miss A & Madelyn Xmas 2013 in Powell River BC

Miss A has been letting the bird fly since she was a kid...love this collage HAHAHA

Miss A in Powell River over Xmas....my pretty girl.

Kim's phoenix tattoo...turned out really nice I think!

Kim xmas morning at the hotel....camo onesie jammies and troll hair hahaha

Happy Fartmas & the gift of all gifts...

CEDAR aka SANTA

Christmas is a weird time of year. I always have this odd level of anticipation leftover from childhood. This year is my 1^st Xmas without Miss A. She is up with the family in Powell River…I am staying in Victoria with my sister. Kim (sister) and I are renting a fancy hotel suite Xmas eve, should be fun…food, swimming pool and hot tub. Last night Miss A told me that she was going to The Zoo (PR's scumbag watering hole) with her friend Tayla who is also home for xmas...they were little bastards together as children...looking forward to the stories about the shenanigans though I had a missed call on my cell from Miss A at about 1230 am...not sure what that is about...

This year I got a package in the mail that kind of messed with my head a little…mostly in a nice way. My good friend Deanna passed away earlier this year and she was always quite thoughtful and lovely around the holidays or birthdays. I could always count on a little parcel of goodies from her, personalized and clearly of things she had been collecting with me in mind. This year I received a package from Mike and Jordyn, her husband and daughter…inside was a note from Jordyn saying Deanna’s gift cupboard had a bunch of things that were clearly for me so they wrapped them up and mailed them down. As you can imagine, this gift from the grave was beyond emotional…gnome soap, bottles of Amber Glow incense, a sock monkey in PJs, a book about neurosis’ (haha), etc…you get the picture. It was a lovely scene, Miss A and I blubbering like big dumb babies at the kitchen table. Even the Xmas card was a handpicked gem. Such a wonderful thing for Mike and Jordyn to do…I know the whole family is still drowning in grief, she was the pillar of that family, keeping everything together and her being gone is devastating to every one of them. For them to be able to do this for ME while they still struggle with the loss of her was incredible. It really blew my mind. Feeling extra bad for them all over the holidays. Deanna was the driving force behind xmas in their family, this 1st xmas without her is sure to be extremely difficult.

CEDAR the FART KILLER

It has been a tough year on old Powell River friends…Deanna passed…then Mark Hamilton. He had been battling an evil bastard of a brain tumor for many, many years so his death was almost a bit of a relief in ways…it could not have been pleasant to see him in the condition he was in and I would imagine he was a little battle weary. They made this [CLICK HERE] amazing video tribute to him that sucked me right in, felt like I was watching a movie about his life, did not want it to end. I was a beautiful tribute.

Last week Paul Fairclough died. Like I said, I think my Powell River friends should be a bit worried because it seems a bit epidemic. 43 is not old enough for all this death and carnage.

Things at home are settling in. Mary is still staying here, Cedar arrived yesterday and I can see him being here with her just improved her mood and decreased her stress level immensely. Someone will be bringing her son Austin down xmas eve so they will be having xmas eve and xmas morning here...

Shawn should be here at some point over the next few days...

Xmas will be a pile o' weirdness this year...with Miss A being away and the nasty atom bomb farts that we all have nightmares about that Cedar drops on the regular. ha.

Good morning soldiers...

It is a quiet, Sunday here in the land of gray, moistness aka Vancouver Island...don't think Ms A. came home last night...the moment she started paying her token rent amount she instantly stopped letting me know she was ok when she was out. She was getting poorer and poorer at it as she got older anyway so I guess it was a gradual thing but I still find it incredibly nerve racking despite her being a week or so from being 19. I still have to consciously make myself 'not go there' and avoid thinking about it...b/c if I do I will hyperventilate and get hysterical...yes I am that neurotic.

The wonderful Barb B. in Calgary decided to venture into the land of cellphones finally....she held out a long while I will give her that. My last Koodo phone was an awesome little slider keyboard phone, basic and handy as hell and I have always felt bad b/c I upgraded to a smart phone and it still worked fine - this is not something I am proud of as I am of the mindset that if it is not busted ppl should not REALLY upgrade or get new stuff...I kept it as backup in case I ever lost or busted my smartphone...but then when I read Barb was looking for one I managed to convince her to take mine so I would be alleviated of guilt and she could really have a great 1st phone which I am sure they don't even make anymore...my guild alleviation was not good enough for her and she sent me a goodie package with a new book by Mary Roach, 3 cds, a funny card with a monkey with a penis on it and shipping cash. IT WAS LIKE XMAS! Books and cds are the only things I accept gleefully anymore - they have allotted space in my little apartment...it's like Barb is right in my head! Thanks Barb...

Speaking of Barb's....Barb A. in Toronto with the brain tumor is all over Facebook these days...she can sort of communicate via typing but it is often gibberishy and you really have to concentrate to get the gist of what she thinks she is saying...she is unable to read though so that is a drag. I cannot really get a good sense of wtf is going on with her for real b/c her family has ceased updating....it sounds like Barb is taking chemo drugs...shes mentioned hair falling out...and that the drugs make her feel like a little kid. Her personality is very child-like...no idea if it is the drugs or tumor or both causing this...all I know is [and I am sharing this as a sort of public service announcement] Barb told me the last time I spoke to her that her brain cancer surgeon peeps told her after her surgery that she is to NOT talk on a cellphone anymore... ACKKKKK!!! I have always felt this way about cellphones....I do not talk on them except fast 1 minute calls...I really want to cut off my land-line but then I am fugged b/c I don't like talking on a cellphone...they sound shitty often and I am always mindful of the fact I am probably growing a brain tumor. I thought this before Barb A's info...so it really freaked me out...I can use my headphones in it as they have a mic but for around the house....I decided to try out a bluetooth headset so I can be hands free at home...a bluetooth headset has gotta be far less badness than a cellphone stuck next to your head - RIGHT??? RIGHT????

I made the mistake of starting the Breaking Bad series.....omgggggg Walter White...you are rocking my world! Interesting show. I feel like I am a meth expert now. Pretty good series...interesting psychology....

Today is soup cooking day...and clean up day...my house is a shithole and if I died right now and anyone saw how messy it was I would die again of embarrassment.
Next week is the scheduled induction for Maggie to have little Riley Jay finally....Jan 24. I am zipping up to Nanaimo with Kelly Jean who has agreed to come fetch me Wed night after work to hang with the family for the grand event...my only goal is to not get effing sick before then which will fuck up the whole plan entirely. Pretty exciting...it has been a pretty stressful pregnancy with all of the craziness at Maggie's work and medically speaking...pretty glad it is over...and will not be willing her infertile in my mind b/c it stresses me out. LOL A. will not be coming this time...she cannot get time off at her job and b/c she has already missed work due to her trip to Calif. and her wisdom teeth nightmare it is not a good idea to push it...she is hoping to get extended in April. If not she will be taking off to meet Niamh in Ecuador or Peru or somewhere (insert nauseousness here)...needless to say I am praying to the goddess of fearful mothers that she will get extended and she can travel later....

My sister Kim is moving here next month...around the 12th I think....she is going to move in and bunk with us until she gets work and is all good to rent her own little bachelor pad close by. This is cool!! I am sad about her break up with Rob but...this is going to be a huge time of change in her life....1st time on her own...at 31 she is more than capable of doing it on her own...as a veteran of the art of solo living & independence I am sure I can teach her some tricks about self preservation and practical city life tools...it will be a good thing. Looking fwd to having her here! (EDIT: ROB IS A TURD)

Super foggy this morning...I love fog. (Says the non-driver, non-plane traveler etc)

I made this yesterday and it is fantastic!!! RECIPE So good I am making another batch to freeze at work for lunches. Mmmmmm so good.