Do your kids behave when they have a babysitter?

We were away for 10 days on a trip that took us to New Brunswick, Quebec and Ottawa. While we were away, our young neighbour Ashley, her little brother Patrick and their dad, Rob... took care of the house and the cats.

Now Meet Tonks...

Scared of her own shadow. She is just starting to enjoy sitting on the deck, while we are with her and while the door stays OPEN... at all times. She sits for quite a while in the door before she ventures out.

She often checks for the door while she is sitting in the grass, or on the deck (to make sure its open in case there is an emergency)

We were gone for 10 days and we have never been away from the house for that long so I was worried about the kitties. I had Ashley over and explained about each cat (over protective Mother, you know) and how they like this, or that, and about Tonks being shy (which she already knew). I asked that she make sure that Paralax was in before dark every night, and Pika could stay out for the night, since he seems to like to cause trouble in the middle of the night, trying to get out (usually knocking stuff off the dressers or ripping up toilet paper). Ashley had all her instructions typed out on the fridge... Tonks stays in always, Paralax can go out anytime but in before dark.. and Pika out all night..

After we got back and I talked to Ashley.. she explained that the black cat kept getting out of the house.. by the window... and I knew she was mixed up and meant Paralax or Pika, so we giggled over how bad they were.. and I left... wondering how they got out.

That evening Terry comes home after visiting Ashley's dad... with a real tale. Rob reminded Ashley to go and put the cats in or out each day and evening. One night he told Ashley to go feed them and make sure they were all in for the evening. Rob went out and came home 2 hours later and one of our cats was sitting on the door step, outside. He asked Ashley if she had put them in.. and she said she did.. but somehow one of the cats got out. He went over and put the BLACK cat back in. We only have one black cat... and that would be TONKS!!!

Same thing happened 2 more times..... but it wasn't just Tonks getting out, it was Paralax too. After the third time, Rob walked all through the house and couldn't figure out how they were getting out.. until he went to the back yard to water our garden.

That's is when he saw.... the screen that is in the window off the deck was pulled over... and with the lawn chair perfectly positioned... any cat, brave or otherwise, had a soft landing spot! What Terry had to verify was that it was TONKS who was out in the front yard for probably an hour each time... with no door open... quite happy to sit there... Now, we are not sure who actually opened the screen..... but we do know who took advantage of the situation~

You know.. you just get use to them... right?

We put things up at Christmas... and decide, they are "wintery" and leave them up after Xmas. Then.. you just get use to them....

Guess what I just took down last weekend....

Winter garland...

Well, at least its not Christmas lights on the outside of the house... right?

Glad that's over

I am really glad that I got all my cleaning done in the morning yesterday. By the afternoon I was feeling pretty nauseous and light headed. Of course, I have been known to dream "symptoms" up when my mind gets going. Some day I will tell you about my varicose vein story!

I am sort of thankful for the nausea because I certainly wasn't hungry.. which is mostly what I was worried about. I was shocked and dismayed at how fast the Pico-Salax worked and for how long. It certainly was gentle, as described by many, but man oh man... it lasted forever. My second dose was not really necessary but I had to take it... and it worked all night.. although it produced no extra product from my bowels... just the urge to try...... every half hour through the night.

5:30am came pretty early and we were at the hospital by 7 and I was comfortably settled into my Day Surgery Chair by 7:30... dressed in my cutsie paper slippers, my lovely nightgown and wedge wood blue hospital housecoat. One by one the other chairs filled up over the next half hour.. and by 8:00 all 6 chairs were filled with ladies, dressed the same, waiting for different procedures. As we all sat in silence, I expected to be called at any moment.. since I was first in line... but by 8:15 when nothing happened, I started to wonder if there was a problem. No, not really said our friendly nurse... "the Doctor doesn't start til 9:00am".

At this news we all sat in silence for a moment until she left... then I commented... Well if she doesn't start til 9:00, why did I have to be here at 7am. At this, we all chimed in, chatting about our lack of coffee, how cold it was in the hospital and hot outside... We laughed and giggled, sharing miseries and stories, and we became fast friends sharing in an unpleasant situation. I was first, and the only one to be getting a full colonoscopy... the others were all getting some other thing that only takes 10 minutes and no drugs... I was first and I had the longest procedure.. which I felt bad about since they would have to all wait for me to be done to get their 10 minutes of discomfort over. When the surgery nurse came to collect me.... I was sent off with well wishes and jokes!

11 years ago, when I had this procedure done, I was filled with fear of the unknown, not only of how this whole thing would go down (or up, for that matter) but also wondering if I had bowel cancer like my mom did... 11 years ago, the procedure was truly a piece of cake, not hard, only a little discomfort and with wonderful results ... perfectly healthy bowels. So, as I walked into the room today, I wasn't nervous one bit, and when I was explained to about the procedure, I could picture everything that was going to happen. The nurses were funny and helpful and after getting my Blood Pressure checked, my needle thing put in and a clippy thing attached to my finger, we waited for the Doctor. We laughed about my cupboard cleaning event yesterday, and they shared stories of 3 and 10 year old food items in their own cupboards.

I must say, once the doctor came it, things moved pretty quickly... happy drugs administered, moved into the proper position and then she began. Well, let me tell you... I have not experienced pain like that in a very long time.. if ever. I was shocked and scared. I did a lot of deep breathing, let me tell you.. and one of the nurses was right there at my head keeping me focused on my breathing. I really didn't think I was going to get through it. They even had to give me more happy juice... which I thanked God for... right there and then. Once she got to where she was going... all things were better, and smooth sailing after that... and as soon as she was done.. the pain was gone... sort of like childbirth. She pronounced that everything looked clean and healthy and it made it all worth it... I guess.

The best part of the day was after the 40 minute procedure, getting back to my room full of my ladies, to recover for an hour. The nurse brought me a carrot muffin, cheese and a coffee... and I was heckled and harassed by my cell mates and I noisily slurped my yummy coffee! Each one of these ladies went in and came out of their procedure.. got dressed and left... while I lay there "recovering". I was the first to arrive and the last to leave. Terry picked me up at a 11:00 and I was home and sleeping by 12 in my own bed. Lunch was a juicy tomato sandwich with ham... and cherries for dessert.. I actually nibbled all afternoon, making up for lost time.

The peace of my garden, was wonderful company for me this afternoon, while I read outside on the deck.

It's a start!

So, how do you start blogging again after you haven't blogged in almost 2 months. I think I will just start.

Today... my first day of official vacation time. Its actually my last day of work, but I am taking a "sick" day and I am not sick. But I am home today preparing for a routine colonoscopy which will take place tomorrow morning at 7 AM. When I booked my appt 3 months ago, I chose the first day of my vacation so that it would be done and I wouldn't have to think about it the rest of the summer. BUT, I didn't realize I had a whole day of fasting and "cleansing", the day BEFORE! Well, no harm done, I worked longer days to get everything done in 4 days instead of 5 and I am not only ready for vacation, but I am all ready for the start of the new school year, as well!

So, in honor of my "Cleansing" day, I dedicate today to cleansing my house. Not the normal dusting, cleaning, laundry stuff... this is the deep depths cleaning. I have cleaned out my pantry, my food cupboards and I am moving onto my linen closet and Tupperware and dish cupboards next.

I have FILLED a blue recycle bag with boxes from old crackers, cake mixes, rices & garbage bag boxes. I have discovered that I must have an addiction to buying crackers... using half the box and then leave the rest to get stale and old. But while I have this weakness, I think Terry has the same sort of addiction but for garbage bags. We have several opened, half used boxes of blue, clear and black garbage bags!!!! The other thing I have a lot of is dusting supplies. I have swiffer hand dusting thingies, I have floor swiffer sheets, I have "Endust" dust sheets... geesh! I think I better start using them. I threw out several popcorn flavorings.... I don't remember ever buying... and when you need a knife to get the "powder" out of the jar... its time to throw it out... I threw out sprinkles from Home Sense... dip mixes and flavored tea powders... YEAH!!! And the best part about today is that its GARBAGE day... and all my composted "old and Stales" as well as my blue bag of boxes is out at the street.... waiting for the next stage of their existence!

So while I suffer the trials of Jello, Gatorade and gas bubbles, my cupboards are feeling the refreshing results of a good cleanse (a lot sooner than I do)!