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Home from the 2 day whirlwind visit to Powell River. Enjoyed seeing everyone and getting to hang with Riley on his 1st birthday...pretty cute. 

Maggie and I went hard the night before making pirate/boat cake pops and all sorts of treats - labor intensive and delicious = cake pops. haha

Went and had a nice visit with Mike as well...very weird being in that house with Deanna gone. It looks exactly the same. Her things still everywhere. Cannot imagine what it is like for him day in and day out. The one year anniversary of her death approaches...not easy for him, her folks, her daughter, sister or niece. A gift I gave her 13 years ago has made it's way back to me...my brother had a Lilith Fair poster signed by Sarah McLachlan that I brought home with me after his passing in Oct 2000...I had Uncle Jim frame it pretty and gave it to her for xmas that year. She loved Sarah McLachlan and was very fond of my brother so it seemed a fitting gift for such a great friend. Very bitter sweet getting it back...Mike really wanted me to take something of hers with me - as you can imagine it is a bit awkward, not wanting to rifle through someones things but this was something he was insistent about...and a piece of her Cranberry Pottery...really nice of him honestly, all awkwardness aside...I will display both and find them heartwarming to see each day.

A's travel drama as blown over - hoping that is the end of that business. They visited waterfalls and elephants today...sounds like a lovely place (Koh Samui) with lots to do. Weird that her birthday was almost over where she was by the time it was her birthday here...

I have settled down a bit...going to PR was a good distraction though...there is nothing louder than the roar of silence that rushes your ears when you walk into your house and your only child has vacated the nest. I find that to be really strange and I am not sure I will get used to that.

I now have zero fingernails...sigh...

Great road trip with Sarah to PR...have told her that anytime she is going to please contact me if she wants a travel buddy...much easier getting to and from in a car. Maggie's new place is quite nice...lovely view and good location. Glad to have finally seen it. Did not have time for a fancy bath in the tub but next time for sure!

Back to work tomorrow...should be a nice little nightmare of ppl frantic for lickitysplit service b/c they are in a mad rush.

Today I think I will tidy up, make a stew to eat all week...yeah.

Ughhh

I do not feel well. It's been a weekend of blah feeling not quite well enough to go do something but not sick enough to wave the sick flag. I am hoping I should take this as a sign my body is fighting off whatever disgusting cooties I probably picked up on the bus.

The Golden Globes were interesting...I was cringing at the layout of the tables...seeing skinny ppl struggling to move their way through the maze of tables and chairs to get on stage as a big fail in my opinion...do these organizers not know better by now? People felt rushed to get on stage so they were running in heels and dresses ffs b/c it took so long to reach the stage. And the Woody Allen tribute. Blechh. I am not a fan of Woody Allen movies or Woody Allen's weirdness. Taking nudie pictures of your wife's adopted daughter that you were a step father to for 12 years is gross. It is even grosser when you marry her, making your biological son your brother in law. Gross. All of these bizarre boundary issues make it very believable that he also allegedly molested a younger adopted daughter...so yeah. Gross. Diane Keaton's acceptance speech was something else...I was distracted by her amazing gray hair....I FUCKING LOVED HER HAIR...but that speech....save it sister...not interested. Her hair reminds me of my Aunty Pam's....all perfectly gray and shimmery, thick and long....if you ever go shorter Aunty Pam - this is your haircut!!

I spent an hour looking through apartment ads yesterday. That is how I sooth myself sometimes, looking at new apartments and imagining how all my shit would fit into one and how it would be awesome to have laundry in my apartment again....and no assholes above me. Sigh.

Heading to Powell River the weekend of Feb 1st. Miss A will be gone for her b'day (hmmmf) so I thought since my friend Sarah was heading up there I would go along and spend the day with Riley on his 1st birthday that she shares with Miss A. I will only be there a day and a half so he probably wont have enough time to warm up to me but that is ok...I am sure Mags will have a little party planned and it will give me a nice visit with the whole family :)

Political unrest in Thailand....seriously...stop it already. Do not shoot my kid!

I want to order pizza extremely bad right now. I would except with my half sick-belly that would be a terrible idea. Terrible....terribly tasty nasty........mmmmm.
It is already 740 pm ffs. Ok I just ordered a pizza. Idiot. Online ordering is the shit. For real. Maggie would be in her glory to never have to call and talk to order pizza...

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

Weekend with the family in town...

Best PC wallpaper ever! (Riley Jay you are so cute)

Funniest book title ever...saw it at Bolen Books today...bahahahha!

OMG Maggie got me these Heinkels with her airmiles....they cut like a dreammmmm!!

ha ha ha Sidney makes the best crazy faces....run Riley run!

Riley and his mama Maggie...WalMart fun time!

Death by cuteness!

I hear this guy talking away forever and look up (at work) and he's up there talking to himself like there is no tomorrow.

Madelyn....growing up so fast xo

Riley Jay...Aunty Jen misses you!

this cracked me up on the treadmill today