babyblog

Exclusively Women

Remember that episode of 'Friends' where they couldn't cancel their gym membership? I am having one of those moments (one of those weeks)

I joined a gym down the road shortly after moving here, paying by direct debit (confusion excuse: new bank account, new country, tons of new direct debits set up at the same time, plus generally crap at all things money related).

Soon afterwards, I became unable to go, cancelled membership.

Couple of years ago noticed a strange direct debit payment going out to
'Brampton II'. Phoned bank - bank couldn't tell me who it was, they suggested some kind of City Taxes. Left it.

More recently, it began to bother us again, phoned bank again. Bank said the only way to figure out who it is, crazily, is to freeze bank account. Bank can't stop payment nor trace payee because no info provided by this 'Brampton II', whoever it may be. Only thing we can do is freeze the account and see who gets in touch. Moved all banking into new accounts (hard work) and froze account.

Sure enough, quickly received a letter from this gym I've apparently been paying $25 a month to attend for the last 3 yrs. Letter detailed 'bounced' payment and also added another $25 on for 'service charge'.

Furiously called gym who said unless I could provide a copy of the cancellation form from 3 yrs ago (and of course, I chucked it), tough shit. Also that I should go into the gym and cancel (again) to ensure I don't get billed again the following month.

Went into gym next day, cancelled membership (again). Manager of gym told me that the direct debit thing was very odd as all other customers have the gym name on theirs (sneakily got that info out of her without explaining why).

Wrote shitty letter to gym.

No response to letter yet.

Today received ANOTHER invoice for now twice cancelled monthly payment, and another service charge...... apparently I now owe $100.

Phoned and was told by person in charge yes it IS crazy. Told her there MUST be some room for negotation here, they've had over 700 bucks out of me for nothing and now they're invoicing me again?? Said well the system works this way and you have to pay. Pleasantly referred to media and lawyers and she is now calling back in a half hour when she's 'investigated further'.

Bah!

Sheer Abandon - Penny Vincenzi

Cheesed Off

I'm feeling thoroughly cheesed off by several different events going on right now.

1. Passports. I applied for D & H's passports to the British Embassy in Ottawa a couple of weeks ago. The application included my birth certificate, G's birth certificate, our marriage certificate, D's passport and H's Canadian passport. THEY CANT FIND THE APPLICATION. Also, we're due to go to the US in a couple of weeks.. FUCK.

* Update, called Passport office again and they finally tracked down our applications and have apparently decided that the reason we need them quickly, which they had already verbally approved, is not good enough to expedite them and I have to wait for fucking ever before they come. May not be able to go to the US in a couple of weeks. May not be able to go to US Consulate for Visa appointment. Very Very Very Stressed.

2. The house hasn't sold yet.

3. I am sick of constantly tidying up.

4. Pissed off with Safety Superstore because after spending $250 on a baby monitor which didn't work, I got lumbered with a store credit due to their ludicrous policy of 'no refunds'. Then they told me I should try another one and pushed me into exchanging it and giving them ANOTHER $20. And? It doesn't work either. So now I'm $270 down and they have NOTHING worth spending that amount of money on in there. Oh, & I wrote to them to complain and didn't get a response. Fuckers.

I need a vacation

I was idly looking at flight prices to the UK today, and found a promise of $101 return (that's about 50p in English money) to Manchester. Following it through it turns out that although the fare is that little, the airport taxes are $190. RIP OFF.

I'm thoroughly exhausted today. We had a busy weekend with having to evacuate for prospective buyers (FREAK OUT FREAK OUT HOUSE HAS BEEN ON THE MARKET ALMOST A WEEK AND NOT SOLD FREAK OUT FREAK OUT FREAK OUT), and did alot of eating out, shopping, and socialising. I think the exhaustion, however, has more to do with coming down with a cold or something.... and the change in the weather to be absolutely bloody freezing again. So much so that the heat has had to go back on.

It's also exhausting trying to keep this place tidy. I swear I spend all day and all evening walking behind the boys picking up the crap they leave in their wake.

Dear Harry - 9 Months Old

9 Month Old


Originally uploaded by katybops.

Dear Haz Mat (so called due to the toxic waste found in your nappy this morning!).



Today you've officially been OUT the same amount of time you were IN. And how you've grown and changed!



This last month you've begun to babble alot. I'm so pleased! Yesterday I got up in the morning and came to you and you gave me a beautiful smile and said DADA. I can't have it all!! I'm just thrilled that you're talking and making lovely sounds like that :-)



You've also begun to get a bit more mobile. If we put you down on the floor you immediately flip onto your belly and try to reach for things. You'll roll over and over to get to them, or you'll manage to turn yourself around using your arms. You can push up pretty far on your arms. I suspect you'll crawl before too long and then we'll all have to watch out as you go haring around trying to pull poor Ruby's tail or steal your bro's toys!



Of course in other big news, you're finally sleeping really well! I don't know if it's a coincidence but I cut down your nursing and replaced most of them with bottles. You're now napping for 2 hours either side of lunch, and mostly sleeping through the night! Hurrah!



We also moved you into your own bedroom last weekend which was a big deal for me. I missed you alot when you'd gone, I have been so used to being in tune with your every little noise and breath, that not having you there meant several nights worth of lying awake listening for you on the monitor. However, it was time to get you sleeping in your room, especially as we're moving - we wanted you to at least have spent *some* time in it! You love it though, you love your little dragonfly mobile especially and you do seem to sleep better (probably because your dads snoring isn't waking you up!). What's also happening now is that if you do wake in the night DADDY is coming in to settle you and feed you. Hurrah for lots of sleep for mummy for the first time in 9 months!



I still need to work on getting you to nap in your crib, rather than in your swing (especially as you're officially too heavy for the swing). I suppose that issue will be forced when we move and the swing will be on the back of a truck and put into storage for a while! Hopefully you won't care about the move..... I suspect you'll notice things are a bit different, but you should be too young to be too bothered (unlike your big bro who is fairly pissed off about the whole idea).



Talking of your bro, boy do you LOVE him !! He only has to walk into the room and your face lights up. We fetch him from the school bus at lunchtime and as soon as you see it turn the corner you begin to get excited, and when he actually steps off it? You grin and chuckle and wave your arms and legs in excitement! And if he should give you a toy, especially one of his to play with?? Well it's a wonder we can keep you restrained with all the excitement that that entails! And of course you also have a huge fan following of GIRLS around the corner. More or less every day, we go outside so your brother can have some fun with his mates and so your mum can have a chat with hers. While the gang of kids tear up and down playing, you invariably end up surrounded by all the girls who absolutely love you. They get you out of your stroller and sit with you, entertaining you and cooing over you. And you love it, you big flirt :) I do hope we find something this good when we move.



Right now you're sleeping in your swing so it's time I went and snuck a shower in....love you little man!



Mummy xxxx

Dear Harry - 9 Months Old

9 Month Old


Originally uploaded by katybops.

Dear Haz Mat (so called due to the toxic waste found in your nappy this morning!).



Today you've officially been OUT the same amount of time you were IN. And how you've grown and changed!



This last month you've begun to babble alot. I'm so pleased! Yesterday I got up in the morning and came to you and you gave me a beautiful smile and said DADA. I can't have it all!! I'm just thrilled that you're talking and making lovely sounds like that :-)



You've also begun to get a bit more mobile. If we put you down on the floor you immediately flip onto your belly and try to reach for things. You'll roll over and over to get to them, or you'll manage to turn yourself around using your arms. You can push up pretty far on your arms. I suspect you'll crawl before too long and then we'll all have to watch out as you go haring around trying to pull poor Ruby's tail or steal your bro's toys!



Of course in other big news, you're finally sleeping really well! I don't know if it's a coincidence but I cut down your nursing and replaced most of them with bottles. You're now napping for 2 hours either side of lunch, and mostly sleeping through the night! Hurrah!



We also moved you into your own bedroom last weekend which was a big deal for me. I missed you alot when you'd gone, I have been so used to being in tune with your every little noise and breath, that not having you there meant several nights worth of lying awake listening for you on the monitor. However, it was time to get you sleeping in your room, especially as we're moving - we wanted you to at least have spent *some* time in it! You love it though, you love your little dragonfly mobile especially and you do seem to sleep better (probably because your dads snoring isn't waking you up!). What's also happening now is that if you do wake in the night DADDY is coming in to settle you and feed you. Hurrah for lots of sleep for mummy for the first time in 9 months!



I still need to work on getting you to nap in your crib, rather than in your swing (especially as you're officially too heavy for the swing). I suppose that issue will be forced when we move and the swing will be on the back of a truck and put into storage for a while! Hopefully you won't care about the move..... I suspect you'll notice things are a bit different, but you should be too young to be too bothered (unlike your big bro who is fairly pissed off about the whole idea).



Talking of your bro, boy do you LOVE him !! He only has to walk into the room and your face lights up. We fetch him from the school bus at lunchtime and as soon as you see it turn the corner you begin to get excited, and when he actually steps off it? You grin and chuckle and wave your arms and legs in excitement! And if he should give you a toy, especially one of his to play with?? Well it's a wonder we can keep you restrained with all the excitement that that entails! And of course you also have a huge fan following of GIRLS around the corner. More or less every day, we go outside so your brother can have some fun with his mates and so your mum can have a chat with hers. While the gang of kids tear up and down playing, you invariably end up surrounded by all the girls who absolutely love you. They get you out of your stroller and sit with you, entertaining you and cooing over you. And you love it, you big flirt :) I do hope we find something this good when we move.



Right now you're sleeping in your swing so it's time I went and snuck a shower in....love you little man!



Mummy xxxx

beaurocratic bitches with nothing better to do with their time than be rude to people

When the house will sell. PLEASE SELL SOON I AM FREAKING OUT

Intimate adventures of a London call girl - Belle De Jour

arghgh

After dropping D at school I fought traffic and rain to go back to a shop to pick up a new baby monitor. (Our old one broke, I ordered a funky new one, the new one suffered interference from something, I returned it, coudln't get a bloody refund due to crazy store policy, they volunteered to get another similar one in for me to try, it was there, I had to get it. NB: we have also fixed the old one - arghgh).

The new monitor turned out to be 20 bucks more than the original so I went back out to the car to find my wallet, and discovered it wasn't there. Journey a complete waste of time, I fought my way once more through traffic and rain back home, while H grizzled like mad in the back as he was long overdue for his afternoon nap. When I got home, I realised I couldn't find my handbag *anywhere*.

I hunted high and low, which wasn't too hard as the house barely has anything visible to hide it behind since we tidied up. I phoned G. We retraced my steps far enough that we knew I had it on Monday, but seeing as I hadn't been out of the house after using it to get cash out of the machine at the local store couldn't figure out where it might've been lost. Then we remembered that yesterday we had had to grab a quick lunch at McDonalds due to people looking around our house and having to vacate. I had a vague memory of being concerned about the bag in McD's, hanging in it's usual spot off the stroller, and wondered if I'd hidden it under the table or something and then walked out without it.

Karen was over so she helped me hunt the house, the garage and the car, and it was definitely nowhere to be found. Called McD's and obviously nobody had handed it in. Resigned myself to the fact that I'd lost it or it'd be nicked. Phoned OHIP and ordered some new health cards. Phoned the various banks and cancelled Visa's and ATM cards.

Then it was time to get D from school and I remembered i had no gas and was supposed to fill up on the way to fetch him. With no purse, this wasn't an option. Karen had a jerry can full of gas in her garage so we decided to attempt to fill my car up. Needless to say (0 males + 2 females +1 jerry can = recipe for disaster) this resulted in me being absolutely covered in gas.

I then drove to school stinking of petrol with the windows down (poor H) - fetched D - came home - immediately stinking the whole house out with gas which it still smells of now despite washing everything including the shoes I was wearing. Had a shower, G came home, went to get my hair done with his wallet after confessing I didn't really like the bag (which he had bought me last birthday at enormous expense and I had pretended to like ever since) anyway.

Came home, and G went into the garage to take out the rubbish and lo and behold there was my stinking bag! Hiding amongst a pile of stuff we have put out for a garage sale.

ARGHGH.

Keeping it tidy is hard

The way things seem to be done here, is that you make your house look as though nobody lives here, and then every time someone is shown around you go out.

With 2 small people in the house, it's extremely difficult to make it look neat and tidy and keep it that way. My solution is to be out as much as possible - last night we went out immediately after school and didn't return until bedtime.

We've already had two lots of people around to view the place. I have this unrealistic attitude that it ought to sell *immediately*. When we sold up in London, the first people to view offered us the asking price. When we bought this place it was on the market for half an hour before we bought it. Therefore I feel it ought to happen again and am increasingly stressed by the day as it fails to sell (even though it's only been two days!). I suppose the main issue is time, we have to have it sold and be out by the end of June, not a great deal of time to do it.

Anyway - if you're interested in having a nosey (or want a house in suburban toronto) - here it is.

Here we go

Here we go


Originally uploaded by katybops.

Here we go!

Reclaiming our space

Part of the declutteration taking place this weekend involved moving Harry, finally, into his own room. He's never slept there before and we felt that seeing as he's now more or less sleeping through the night (give or take the odd 6am wake for a feed) it was time for him to do so. The only reason we'd kept him in with us was really due to the amount of times he was waking throughout the night, I didn't fancy having to wake up fully to walk the corridoor to feed him 4 times a night, much easier to just grab him and chuck him back in in a semi concious state.

Anyway, he loved it. He's got this gorgeous LED Dragonfly mobile hanging over his crib, which when we put him to bed he lay and smiled at & chatted to for ages before falling asleep.

I, of course, didn't do too well. I missed him, for one thing. I'm so tuned in to listening for his breathing and having him beside me in his crib, that it was very odd without him there. Also the stupid baby monitor isn't working very well.... it kept crackling and making loud noises (I think there's a loose connection in it) so every time I was finally reaching the point of dropping off to sleep it would emit a loud tone that woke me up again. I think I finally dropped off around 2am.

And then, of course, at 6am I woke to hear murmurings from the monitor. I looked over and G wasn't there. Established his location to be in H's room. When he returned he told me apparently H had woken, not gone back to sleep, he'd been downstairs and made a bottle, heated it, brought it back, fed him, and he was now asleep again. And I'd slept through the entire thing. Stupid baby monitor - makes loads of annoying noise which prevents sleep, and then clearly isn't loud enough when I am required! Good job G heard him.

Task List

Tidy and declutter office: CHECK
Tidy and declutter kitchen: CHECK
Remove toys from ground floor into basement: CHECK
Tidy Harrys room: CHECK
Tidy Dylans room: CHECK
Tidy front garden: CHECK (Thanks Alex)
Clean & tidy garage: CHECK (Thanks Alex #2)
Book Molly Maid for Monday: CHECK
Book Carpet Steam Cleaner for Monday: CHECK

Finish tidying and decluttering ground floor: STILL NEEDS DOING (big task)
Tidy up back garden: STILL NEEDS DOING (big task)
De-DogPoo back garden: STILL NEEDS DOING (job for someone else)
Tidy and declutter my bedroom: STILL NEEDS DOING (big task)
Tidy and declutter basement: STILL NEEDS DOING (GIANT task)
Clear out Pantry (BAH)

All remaining tasks must be completed by end of tomorrow (Sunday 17th).

ARGH

Strep Throat - BAH

We never had "Strep Throat" in the UK. It wasn't an acknowledged illness. It must've existed, but maybe just not so prevalant as here where it seems to go around like wildfire. Strep Throat is not just a sore throat, it's accompanied by a total loss of energy, swollen glands, feeling completely drained, feeling sick, dizzy, and generally bloody horrible. And very contagious... the DR diagnoses it from sitting on the other side of the room and poking a long stick toward your mouth.

The antibiotics do, at least, work fairly quickly. I feel better today than I did yesterday already.

The bad news is though, that poor little Harry is now coming down with it, or something nasty anyway. He had a very bad night - at midnight I had to change him into something cooler as he had a fever & was boiling hot. Also had to give him medicine to bring the fever down. He woke fairly regularly during the night, crying out, and had to be soothed back to sleep. Today he's not in the best of spirits. I hope he doens't have the throat thing because he can't even tell me about it and he probably feels absolutely dreadful.

GrapesNet

The fact that my neighbour chose now to dig up a trench between our two gardens at the front. IT LOOKS BAD!!

Why I agreed to give up two weekends to play rehearsals / gig for some band, when my weekends are seriously overbooked as it is and there is SO much to do

Oddly, for me, nothing really. Previous book sitting half read on the side, too tired to read.

Sick

Yesterday I felt dreadful, dizzy and weird, falling all over the place, spinny head, etc. Figured it was still due to this Zoloft withdrawal, but also had a swollen and hurty throat too.

This morning went to see my Doc - the one who prescribes either Antibiotics or Narcotics and not much else. Came away with both. Apparently I have 'strep throat' and the infection is most likely affecting my balance and making me feel crappy.

G's had to take a day off today because yesterday I didn't even feel capable of lifting Harry up without danger of losing my balance. Also driving = tricky.

Thinking of giving up nursing

Not 100% positive what to do, but I'm feeling maybe the time has come that I will stop breastfeeding Harry. Then again, when I say that, I feel sad that I will no longer have that with him. So I'm torn, very torn.

I've managed to cut down to last thing at night and first thing in the morning (plus any time he happens to wake for food during the night). I've replaced the daytime feeds with formula, he's having a bottle before his morning nap, and a bottle before his afternoon nap. And one before going upstairs to bed (to ensure he gets a nice full tummy as opposed to trying to feed him after his bath when he's far too sleepy to drink enough).

It may be a coincidence but since I started this new routine, his sleeping has improved dramatically. He's napping for up to 2 hours at a time during the day, and he's sleeping through the night more or less. He does wake occasionally, but not often.

On top of that he BITES. ALOT. And it HURTS. He's teething and obviously in some discomfort, so he's gnawing on everything in sight and let me tell you when that is your delicate body parts, it's *not* pleasant. Another reason I have stopped during the day is that he's also prone to wriggling and looking all around him, and if I have occasion to feed him while out, it gives the entire world opportunity to view my boob (not good).

Anyway, this coincidence was sort of proven last night because I forgot to give him a bottle in the evening. I bf'd him before bed but he went to sleep very quickly. Then he woke up at 3am for an hour, wouldn't be settled despite offering to nurse him, he wasn't that interested and didn't drink much. G ended up giving him a bottle and then he went back off until 8am.

But I do feel sad about it. And bottles are alot more faff (not to mention more expensive). When Joanna (cousin) comes in a few weeks, we're planning to go away for a week somewhere, and the idea of lugging a ton of bottles and formula cans with me isn't attractive. Not to mention how tricky it'll be to warm the stuff.

What to do?

Reasons I am a bad parent

1. On Sunday H was outside in the sun all day and got sunburned.

2. Yesterday he bit me, while in a 'gnawing everything in sight' mood. I screamed out in pain, he sobbed in fear.

3. I left both boys in the car while I went into the (scummy) post office because I'd forgotten the stroller. Returned to find D crying his little heart out because H was screaming and he couldn't handle it.

4. Leaving the bedroom window open last night, the temperature dropping to minus 7, and H waking up freezing cold at 3am.

The Legendary Paper Ken

When I left University I spent a year 'opting out' and playing in a band, inexplicably calling ourselves 'Paper Ken'.

We used to play every day up at Dave Illsley (guitar)'s house. His parents had a very nice place in the middle of nowhere and we converted their gym into our "studio". When we wanted a break we'd go and play tennis on their tennis courts. Quite.

Brad Heyward played drums. I played Keyboards. Ade played bass and sang (sort of).

We had one or two gigs. One was at someones house. The other was at someones party. We were going to have one at The Grapes but Ade bottled it and we split up amid much acrimony and so lost the chance to be rich and famous -sigh.

Mad busy day

Early this morning I decided to take D out to learn to ride his bike without training wheels. Bumped into Alex and the day turned into a huge social-fest for the kids (who multiplied), the adults (who also multiplied) , and a shed load of nasty giant chores getting done - cheers Alex!

Our front garden is now (instead of an untidy messy disaster) neat and tidy with nice edges and no leaves, no weeds and no dead things that might've been alive once upon a time. The garage is no longer full of gross dirt and salt sludge that the car trekked in during the snowy months, and is no longer full of crap but instead also very neat and tidy.

Ditto the porch and driveway which got pressurewashered :-)

I had to nip out to play this gig, unfortunately, so I missed a ton of the afternoon action but everyone had a great time and they were still there when I got home so I was able to hang and then we ended up getting take-out and sitting up till all hours (on a school night - gasp!).

I'm absolutely shattered now & trying to deal with a ton of paperwork that just landed in my inbox - argh.

British TV

North American TV shows all follow a very similar format.

Lead in
Credits
Ad break
15 mins to get you interested in the story
Ad break
Middle Section of storyline
Ad Break
End

(Or thereabouts)

The rhythm of each show is very similar... you pretty much know exactly where you are at all times, it's very easy to watch and there's not a great deal of concentration required.

On the odd occasion that G and I watch some British drama these days we always comment that you have to concentrate that bit harder in order to follow the programme. The pace is much faster, there is more happening on more levels, the storyline is deeper, it tends to be unpredictable rather than completely predictable, and if you do half gaze at it while half gazing at your laptop, or half gaze at it while doing something else, you will soon be completely lost.

Also on the subject of British TV, I had PVR'd the first episode of the new DR Who last week. It's on here in Canada as CBC are in cahoots with the Beeb on it, but it's a couple of weeks behind the UK. Anyway, G and I watched it last night and thoroughly enjoyed it. True to the original format, retro TV at it's best.

Of course one of the best things about Dr Who was watching it on a Saturday afternoon at my grandmothers house from behind the sofa. I decided, therefore, that Dylan ought to watch it to ensure the continuation of family tradition. I put it on this morning for him and he *loved* it, despite watching much of it behind a cushion!

Win! Win! Win!

I won my first RRRoll Up The Rim thingie from Tim Hortons today. Considering I buy one ever day I am not very lucky when it comes to Timmy's. D had 1 hot chocolate from there this entire winter and won something. G has won loads, and me ZILCH. NADA. Well, today I won a coffee, so ner.

Busy Busy

This week has been busy. What with DURAN DURAN on Tuesday (did I mention I went to DURAN DURAN?) and subbing at band on Wednesday, I was exhausted last night and looking forward to crashing infront of the TV. Instead, however, our friend & neighbour came over to help fix our fridge which had been pissing out water all over the place ... and we ended up chatting & drinking until 1am, which was v funny but today I am dead on my feet.

Yesterday G & I also went down to the hospital for his Endocrinologist appointment (only overdue by 6 months tsk tsk). I went along to grass him up for bad habits and to make sure I knew what the Doc said. All is well, except he has to go onto cholesterol lowering medication. Hopefully we can adjust it with diet too. We both need to go on one, in a big way.

My house decluttering isn't going too well either. I am still stuck after doing 1 room, which is rapidly accumulating more clutter. And all the crap I took out of here is on the floor in the other room which looks dreadful.

The music is back

One of the things I've noticed since coming off the Zoloft is that my world seems to be filled with music again. .

I've always been immersed in music. Playing it and listening to it. As a teenager I spent HOURS in my bedroom recording songs from the top 40 on Radio 1. And more hours making thousands of compilation tapes, all called VARIOUS (and yet all somehow distinguishable from each other).

If things were getting me down (boys, school, etc) I'd often make a tape [all of which were] called 'DEPRESSING TAPE' full of sad mopey songs. The compiling of which was cathartic in many ways, and as soon as it was done I invariably felt better and would rarely listen to it, if ever. And of course I also played alot of music... bands, orchestra's, etc. But whatever my mood, there was always music to affirm it, blaring it out in the car, in the house, on a walkman, etc.

Essentially, my entire life, my head has been filled with music all of the time. There's always been one song or another playing up there. Until these wretched pills that is. I swear for the last 4 yrs I've done nothing but listen to the most dire 680 News radio in my car, not finding myself moved by anything musical whatsoever.

I'm finding, at last, that it's coming back though. The last few days I've done nothing but listen to music - old tapes that I'd discovered in the basement mostly, from Duran Duran (natch) to the Wonderstuff, to The Smiths, to all kinds. Dylan is quite impressed and I have been educating him in classic britpop and songs he really ought to know. He asked me for a CD player for his room. And so the cycle continues :-)

If I'm ever going to get this place decluttered (it doesn't look likely right now, 1 room down 13 to go)

Duran Duran!

More on that Gig

They've still got it, Duran Duran. They still have all the energy they had back then, and they still put on a bloody good show which is updated to suit today's sound....and they manage to pull it off very well without looking like a bunch of old hasbeens.

I love the opening number at these big gigs (Air Canada Centre - massive venue, massive audience) where the crowd is going mad & the band always comes out very theatrically with a bang to get you going. Duran Duran was no exception, but they did it just right ... the venue went black, strobes went on, dry ice got sprayed, and suddenly there they were, the 5 of them, standing in a line on the edge of the front of the stage. Obviously the crowd went wild..... and they just stood there for a minute or two, like statues. We are Duran Duran. We're back.. Simple, yet very effective.

The programme was brilliant too, all the old classics (complete with lighters in the air 'Save a Prayer') and a bunch of their new stuff which is surprisingly very good.

Everyone in the audience was my in their 30's, it seemed. Everyone also seemed to be British. It didn't stop everyone from screaming and dancing like teenagers though.

And Simon Le Bon still has that hip thing going on, and he's still the complete showman. Tons of energy, lots of swearing to prove they're still rock n roll, and still looks great. John Taylor also v sexy. The others looked a bit old mind you!

Anyway, it was fab.

Duran Duran

Back in the 80's you were either a Duranny or a Whammy (this of course prior to being a U2y). I was a hardcore Duranny, with posters of John Taylor covering my bedroom wall. Those cheekbones! That sultry gaze! And Simon Le Bon, ahhhhh.

They were of course, huge, in those days. The sound of their day with their distinctive New Wave slash Pop slash Rock n Roll synth driven hit after hit.

I remember always wanting to be asked to slow dance at school disco's to 'Save a Prayer'. Sadly it never happened, but it was *the* tune of heartbreak for my generation at the time.

I remember my dad taping over a cherished VCR collection of band appearances on various TV shows with some sport nonsense. I still haven't forgiven you for that pop!

And 'View To a Kill' - THE Bond theme, for me.

Dylan was rather unimpressed with my blaring the Greatest Hits tape out in the car earlier but tonight I get to see them live - yay! They're playing here in Toronto so me and all the other 30 something housewives will be there, cigarette lighters held high, dancing in the aisles and wearing comfy shoes.

Thank you for calling

Due to the unexpectedly high volume of callers, the expected wait time is 0 seconds.

LIKE HELL (20 mins on hold so far)

Blue Eyed Boy

Harry


Originally uploaded by katybops.

Photoshop is a beast but I'm slowly learning what all the various bits & bobs do... I like this as I replaced the colour in his eyes

My name is Harry

I quite like this one


Originally uploaded by katybops.

Harry from yesterday

Emotion returns

Today, while driving back from the birth certificate office downtown, D decided to watch the first Harry Potter movie in the car. Obviously, as I was driving, I couldn't see the movie.... but due to the headphones going AWOL I had no choice but to listen to it. As Hagrid dropped off baby Harry to the Dursleys after his parents were killed I found myself tearing up at the thought of this poor parentless baby. Then I had to laugh at myself for being such a dickhead!

Later, G and I watched 'Extreme Makeover - Home Edition' and I cried about 10 times as they rebuilt a house for a woman with 3 kids, whose husband and eldest son had died in a car crash the previous year.

It's weird, after being a bit of an emotional abyss , to suddenly FEEL again. I like it. Even if I am being a bit of a spud.

*bangs head in frustration*

It is absolutely typical of Canadian Government that in order to obtain a birth certificate for Harry, I must provide eleventy thousand forms filled out in triplicate, and also have a form signed by a 'Guarantor of Professional Standing' who has known me for 2 yrs or more. Wtf??? It's a copy of his birth certificate, not a document relating to National Security, not his medical secrets, not even a passport FFS!

Maple Syrup

Yesterday, despite nasty winter snow storms, we went to the Elmira Maple Syrup Festival.

Out in the boonies, it was an interesting experience. G has always wanted to go to one of these since we moved here, and usually we realise we missed it sometime mid April, so it was good to actually chalk this off our list of things to do.

To get into the bush you had to go on a school bus. Tried getting a stroller on a school bus? They are not designed this way. Then walk through copious amounts of MUD on to a wagon pulled by a tractor. Tried getting a stroller onto a wagon? They are not designed this way.

Said wagon has seats made of dirty wet bales of hay, cue DIRTY WET BUM. Tractor pulls you through even more MUD to this shack in the woods where the Maple Syrup is processed. Get out into EVEN MORE MUD. Tried getting a stroller off a wagon into giant mud floor? You get the picture. And my UGG boots were ruined, darling.

Then into the sugar shack where we actually learned quite a bit from the Farmer who explained the process. For example, did you know that you can only harvest Maple Syrup for 3 weeks in the year - and even that depends on the weather? And from 40 gallons of Sap extracted from the tree, you get 1 gallon of actual Maple Syrup? Mad work.

Anyway, we got back onto the wagon through the MUD and got DIRTY WET BUMS again, struggled with the stroller, walked back through more MUD to the school bus, struggled to get the stroller on board again, and went back to town.

All in all , it was good and interesting.

Last night we had dinner with some friends and we had the best salad ever in the history of salads. I've asked for the recipe.

wtf is going on with the weather? we are apparently getting 15cm of snow tomorrow!

Still a bit wobbly, off and on

Felt quite dire last night and first thing this morning in terms of dizziness and general oddness. I also got very cross with G for having a shower (LUXURY!). Hopefully all this will wear off soon, I'm fed up with it already! Still, overall very positive and looking forward to things.

We went to Aquafit class this morning, which is fun. Class attendees consist mostly of old ladies in their 80's, and a teacher who spends 80% of the time chatting about her life to the 80% of ladies who spend the duration of the class chatting to each other. Got that?

This morning was particularly amusing as the teacher twanged herself in the eye with one of the stretchy implements used in the class and then proceeded to go on about it for 40 mins as if she'd lost a limb. We spent the time, as usual, giggling and being uncoordinated. Not entirely sure why we go to the class as it probably has zero physical benefit... must be for the amusement value and the fact that compared to everyone else in the class we are young attractive and svelte!

My back, however, is very sore and has been since Tuesday's torture class of 'On The Ball'. Need to revisit the Chiropractor.