Wednesday's Example of Domestic Backfire

Usually if I post on Wednesday, I call it Wednesday's Example of Domestic Bliss. Today however, I have a Domestic Backfire.

It is no secret that I have issues with plastic food storage. I have lids, I have containers, I have drawers and boxes of plastic convenience. Never mind that my lids don't match or fit the containers.... the point is that I have them!

Because I am challenged in the retention, compatibility and use of plastic storage, when things need storing I generally turn to this...

This solution is continually regenerated and I do not mourn the loss of container or lid.

I do however miss the butter when Michael accidentally mistakes it as part of his lunch and takes it to work.

Spend some moment everyday in reflection of gratitude and happiness. Even if the time found is standing in line for coffee...use is wisely.

Michelle


Did this post brighten your day? make you smile? If so I'd be ever so grateful if you shared it on Facebook or Twitter. Someone else might be in need of a smile - Thanks!

Cheers to a Man in a Mullet

Saturday we enjoyed an evening with friends in downtown Waterloo at the Busker Carnival, an annual festival of street performance art. I love the atmosphere, beyond the carnival lights and scents of deep fried fare and caramel corn there is something magical about spending time in the company of people brave enough to follow their dreams every morning rather than societal pressure. (If I weren't so afraid of hurling 4 other people into an abyss of instability, I would do it myself, abandoning the have toos for a food/personality/writing gig)

For me, the best part of any street theatre performance is the submersion of the audience. Spectators converge on an artist, surround him or her with a stage and become integral to the act. The audience becomes the supporting cast. My very favourite part, is the addition of the 'volun-selected' cast members from the audience. (as long as it's not me.) This element has the potential of turning a good show into a great show and if the 'volun-selected' audience member happens to be your husband... well, a great show turns into a fabulous show!

This happened for me when Ernest the Magnifico pointed to the guy in the red sweater (aka Mike) and asked him to hold his arm up to assist with an upcoming stunt. The upcoming stunt happened to be a backhanded way of getting Mike to volunteer himself for the act by raising his hand in a "pick me!" fashion. (yes, I am going to use this trick at home.) There must have been a kizmetic bond between mullet haired Ernest with his r/c car that drew his selection to Mike for I was instantly reminded of Mike's formative teen years when he sported a mullet and built r/c cars.

Setting up the stunt

Within 3 minutes of being lured from the crowd Mike found himself laying on the pavement, snuggling up with a complete 'volun-selected' stranger, surrounded by lighter fluid and waiting for a flaming remote controlled car to jump over him 'Evil Kanevil' style; while I and the rest of our party howled with laughter! (except E-man, he had a hint of genuine concern for Dad's safety.)

The show was a smashing success and I am pleased to announce that no one was injured beyond personal humiliation during the performance.

The 'hold your breath moment' before the big stunt

Street performance is a reciprocal art. Performers like Ernest give it their all and the audience demonstrates their appreciation for being entertained by monetary tokens of gratitude. The idea is that, the value of the token should be proportionate to your enjoyment of the performance. Ernest's show came to an end and I sent E-man into the pitch with our payment, which was anemic in comparison to our enjoyment. My sincerest gratitude to Ernest today for a performance above measure and to my husband for taking 20 minutes completely out of his comfort zone in great stride and good humor.

Thanks to my incredible ineptitude with a camera
Mike can always explain the video footage with 'enibriation'
(not true but completely believable given the look)

Spend some moment everyday in reflection of gratitude and happiness. Even if the time found is standing in line for coffee...use is wisely.

Michelle


Did this post brighten your day? make you smile? If so I'd be ever so grateful if you shared it on Facebook or Twitter. Someone else might be in need of a smile - Thanks!

My Late Night Date With Dr. Suess!

Oh, the wonderful things Mr. Brown can do!  

Blurp Blurp
Slurp Slurp

Cock-a-doodle-doo

Knock Knock Knock

and Hoo Hoo Hoo......

Have you ever read Mr. Brown Can Moo! Can You? it's a classic Dr. Suess. I read it so many times when the kids were little that I almost had it memorized. It was a delightful book and I loved to put every ounce of my creative reading effort into delivering it. I would change the pitch and volume of my voice, I would make great faces and the kids would laugh. When they got old enough to begin reading to me they would attempt Mr. Brown with the same level of enthusiasm and try their best to out do my technique. All of them get highest marks for commendable effort, but I have to say, not one had truly committed themselves to delivering the content with the zeal intended by the great Dr. himself.

Not until 4 o'clock this morning.

We conceded to the girls each having mid week sleepover friends. That was fine, they were pretty quiet with only the odd giggle rising above acceptable sleeping volume. The dogs were happy in their respective bedrooms and the cat was completely exhausted from a busy day of 'kittening'.

This is how all great nights should begin.  Then...

Eventually the girls began needing drinks....
Open the bedroom door....Creeeek (note to Michael, we need hinge oil)
On goes the light... Flick.
Down the stairs...Clomp, Clomp, Clomp.
Get a cup, slam the cupboard... Blam
Back up the stairs... Clomp, Clomp, Clomp
Shut off the light... Flick.
Close the bedroom door.... Creeeeeek (again hinge oil)
Settle back down... Giggle, Giggle

Then snacks...Creeeeeeek, Flick, Clomp Clomp Clomp, Blam, Clomp Clomp Clomp, Flick, Creeeeeeeeek, Giggle Giggle.

Add one well refreshed nocturnal kitten with a bell on his neck. tinkle, tinkle, tinkle, tinkle, tinkle, tinkle tinkle, tinkle, TINKLE, TINKLE, TINKLE.

At 4 AM Lula's 24 hour allergy medication wears off (6 hours too early!)
Open the bedroom door....Creeeeeeeeeeek (really Michael... hinge oil, is it on the list?)
turn on the bathroom light... Flick
with kitten in tow...Tinkle, Tinkle, TINKLE
shut the bathroom door...Creek, Click (Michael, the bathroom door doesn't need oiling)
Lula, blow your nose...HONK, BLONK, HONK, Achoo, BAZONK, Honk!
Open the door...Creek
turn off the light... flick
tinkle, tinkle tinkle
close the bedroom door...Creeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek

and repeat.... Creeeeeeeeeeek, Flick, Tinkle Tinkle TINKLE, creek, Click, HONK, BLONK, HONK, Achoo, BAZONK, Honk, creek, Flick, Tinkle Tinkle Tinkle Creeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek! for another 45 minutes! Until the prematurely administered next dose of allergy meds kick in. (a note of reflection here; perhaps the addition of 2 dogs, a cat and the required state of the art air freshening system, duning the beginning of allergy season is not the best timing. Despite negative allergy tests for animals one can never really tell what is causing the problem)

At about 4:30 AM, around the same time I was laying in bed with the pillow over my head wondering if Dr. Suess did his best writing when he should have been sleeping, the dogs decided that the honking and flicking and tinkle tinkle tinkle was enough to get them in the mood for a pee.

Woof, WOOF, BARK!

Down the stairs...Clompity Clompity Clomp
out the backdoor.... shoosh
In the backdoor... Shoosh
Back up the stairs... Clompity Clompity Clomp

Back into bed... (Eman, move over or go back to your own bed, Dad needs to sleep)

5 AM the house goes silent. For a minute the lack of  Creeeeeek, Clomp, Tinkle, flick, HONK, blam, Woof is deafening. Momentarily I panic that I should not have given Lula an early allergy remedy. I sneak down the hallway.... CREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK (darn it Michael, OIL! we need some now!) A quick check and all is good. I tiptoe back to bed and snuggle under the covers; 5:05 AM.

5:15AM, wha Wha WHA WHAWHAWHAWHA
5:15AM, WHOMP! snooze-bar!

Can you do that, Mr. Brown? I can do it, upside down!

Gratitude today for a rhyming Doctor, who put some perspective on a noisy sleepless night. All those hours of training did come in handy!

Spend some moment everyday in reflection of gratitude and happiness. Even if the time found is standing in line for coffee...use is wisely.

Michelle


Did this post brighten your day? make you smile? If so I'd be ever so grateful if you shared it on Facebook or Twitter. Someone else might be in need of a smile - Thanks!

Meet the Four Leggers!

Kids are listening, always listening, and they will hold you to what they hear! In the spring we talked about bringing animals back into the house after losing our beloved Zipper over the winter. At the time, no one was ready for a new pet, our family commitments were not conducive and my nerves felt a little weak for the adventure. So I moved the issue to the 'parking lot' with one simple statement..."We won't be getting any animals until after we return from our summer holiday." This was a good choice of wording, it left everyone believing that their animal preference was still under consideration, it gave everyone a precise window of time before the topic would be re-addressed, and it stopped my ears bleeding from the incessant 'pet pitching'

We enjoyed a few months free of the pet discussion and a wonderful holiday. Driving on the return from our 10 days of glorious R&R the question was posed..."When can we get our pets?" uugghhhh! They heard me. I said after holidays and well, it's after holidays, time to pay the piper.

Computers began buzzing with pet searches and research. Conversations about when heated up. A cat was found and the search for dogs intensified.

Sometimes, you only have to desire something, and life finds away to bring you to it or rather it to you. A Friend at work needed a new home for 2 of her older puppies and well, that seems like a coincidental fit doesn't it?

So we landed here, a family of 5 increased by 2 dogs and 1 cat. Here they are....



"Cooper" the energetic



"Clara" the camera shy

"Mortimer" the terror. (Mike has nic-named him Morsel)

Funny things happen when you commit to adding a couple of dogs and a cat to your family. Your house smells funny. People space is crowded out by pet beds, toys and dishes. Your house smells funny. You have to keep the bathroom door shut all the time and your house smells funny.

Something else happens when the animals arrive; kids suddenly can't hear you anymore.

Family gratitude today for our new furry 4 legged members.

Spend some moment everyday in reflection of gratitude and happiness. Even if the time found is standing in line for coffee...use is wisely.

Michelle


Did this post brighten your day? make you smile? If so I'd be ever so grateful if you shared it on Facebook or Twitter. Someone else might be in need of a smile - Thanks!

Thursday...Your Turn @ The Table

Thursday. It's been a little quiet around The Space Between Raindrops, We have added 2 great dogs and an adorable kitten into our family this week; the air is slightly charged around here! There has not been much time for humans to write or think (or pee! for that matter.) However, the atmosphere is improving and soon I should be able to catch up. I have a purse full of napkins, covered in jot notes, I need to turn into something before they go stale.

Today, I am grateful that tomatoes ripen even if you ignore them, and that dogs don't care to pee on or eat tomatoes; they may be the only one of my luxuries that survive this experience.

Your Turn @ the table....What's your gratitude?

Boning Up on My Emotional Astronomy

I am quite happy to exist in relationship oblivion, a Utopian place where I am clueless to what I'm doing wrong and equally clueless about how to 'fix' it. I like my life "self-help free" and I'm positive that Michael is reaping all of the benefits of my position. Or not. I'm sure, I'll have a clearer view of his take once I finish reading my current page turner.

The job that pays my bills. (at least until I can figure out how to keep the lights on with my passion) requires a strong insight into what makes people tick. Anybody who knows me personally, knows that human psychology is not my strongest card to play. As a result I have to study. Enter 'the book'.

My mother has had a copy of Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus on her bookshelf for years and consistently offers to loan it to me. I've managed, successfully, to side step that read for a very long time! Then a couple of weeks ago, I'm heading out the door for holidays and my boss hands me Venus on Fire, Mars on Ice. Seriously! Can you say complex? I think I might be developing one! I took the book with a chuckle, promising to 'study', understanding that it was loaned in good humor and that some valuable insight probably exists within the dustcover. I'll be honest, there was a whisper of trepidation in that chuckle; fearful of any advise that might alter the screwed up way I've been navigating my 28 year relationship with my significant other thus far.

Venus on Fire, Mars on Ice sat on my beside chair with an uncracked spine for the first half of our holiday, but it nagged at me a bit. Besides lacking psychological insight I am also a hyper-curious person. (yes, I am the kid who wondered if the inside of the car pop out lighter was actually hot or just magical. For the record; hot, capable of causing instantaneous burns and and scaring.) So on day 6 I opened Pandora's box.

Dam! Now I'm talking about man caves and feelings and thinking before I ask questions... "Is this the right approach to produce the right feel good hormones to masculate my husband, causing him to unknowingly replenish my oxytocin supply?"

Worse perhaps, than analysing my own potential faux pas, is some insight into behaviour of  strangers. For someone like myself with a psychology void, hyper-curiosity and a tendency towards opinionation, this is dangerous territory! (For the record, miserable lady who crossed my path yesterday, I think you could use a better diet, there by fueling your body with the nutrients it needs to produce the feel good oxytocin you so desperately require. Oh, and while you are at it, shut-up and stop trying to drag your husband off the couch. He'll love you more and you won't need to be so nasty to the rest of the world because you are not getting the genuine attention you need at home).

See how dangerous a little bit of knowledge is? Dear friends and family, you would be well advised to avoid direct interaction with me until the initial curiosity of this read has worn off.

I have to admit, even though I picked up the book determined to learn but not absorb, I can't resist testing it's content. Yesterday, I was going to say something to Michael who was plunked in a chair while I vacuumed and tidied the house, then I thought; "what should a good 'Venutian' wife do?" I carried on silently. I'm not endorsing the effectiveness of this tactic, I'm just saying that this morning my Martian Michael snuck out of bed, tucked me snugly under the covers, kissed my forehead and drove Lula to work while I slept in.

Could there be some validity in self-help that I have been underestimating?

I'm going to test the theory. I'll let you know after I finish the chapter Venus and Mars at Rest. If this book can return me to a place where I sleep all night I will be sold.

For now and at the very least, I'm grateful for the mental distraction, the insight on why women are crazy and an explanation for why men prefer silence. Oh, and some gratitude to my Martian boss who thought I would enjoy some humorous educational material and to my Martian Michael who plans the most amazing dates (chapter 4 @ work right there ;) purely scientific suggestion of course)

Spend some moment everyday in reflection of gratitude and happiness. Even if the time found is standing in line for coffee...use is wisely.

Michelle


Did this post brighten your day? make you smile? If so I'd be ever so grateful if you shared it on Facebook or Twitter. Someone else might be in need of a smile - Thanks!

Thursday...Your Turn @ The Table

The following story from our Lakeside week did not happen on a Thursday but it is speckled with little reasons to be grateful. That's the point of Thursday's...it's your turn @ the table and I love when you share your "little reason" (or big reason) to be grateful today! Enjoy...

Day 3 in heaven was spent, in part at least, at the local hospital. E-man the adventurer, having cut his foot rather severely on a lake clam. I think Michael’s “ahh he’ll be fine” has worn off on me a little too effectively.  When Lula pulled E out of the lake and the blood was flowing I directed her to plunk him in a  lawnchair while I sauntered off for the Poly Sporin and a band-aid. When I arrived back on scene there were the men folk looking at me, looking at my proposed first-aid treatment and shaking their heads sorrowfully. “You’re going to need more than that.” They advised “yup, this one’s going to need a stitch (or three or four).” When a dad says stitches, a mom’s internal panic alarm goes off.  Dads are usually the ones with the spit, shake-it off go again, medical sense.

When someone injures themselves in heaven there are unique logistical hurdles to jump. First there is the discussion about where medical treatment exists, then the discussion as to whether the facility is open or closed for business.  When you concur where to go, you have to establish if you should go. Okay, we already decided we had to go but it’s 6 pm on the beach in heaven, nobody’s been thinking “what if?” Now a gaggle of ‘relaxed’ vacationers are looking at one another wondering “Now what?” Each one running a self-sobriety test.  Fortunately E-man’s injury occurred just before I settled into my beach chair with a fresh beverage; this saved us appealing (like a 3 year old who just cut off the cat’s whiskers) to the camp abstainer for medical transportation.

I returned my untouched drink to the cottage fridge, threw on a cover-up, loaded my patient and his aid into the van and headed for stitches.  In the city this adventure would span 7 hours and end with a band-aid. In heaven, we were back to the beach with 2 follow-up visits booked before the ice had melted in my drink... A blip on the vacation radar screen.

Much gratitude today for timing, theories on milkbag and duct-tape waterproofing of injuries, Doctors who like to fish and surgical tool medical waste that rounds out a kid's tackle box nicely.

Your turn….What’s your gratitude this Thursday?

Sing It...or Something Like It

On Monday, I starred out at the lake and thought "I'd love to capture this in a sketch." Just as quickly I dismissed the thought. Ordinary life does not allow for indulgence, It's likely been about 18 years since I picked up a pencil and allowed myself some freedom of expression.

On Tuesday, I starred out at the lake and thought "I'd love to capture this in a sketch." This time I picked up Lula's sketch pad and her pouch of pencils and plopped myself down in a lawn chair, with a plan to sketch just until my coffee went cold and the kids crawled out of bed.

On Wednesday I starred out at the lake and thought "I'm not sure I captured it in this sketch." Immediately I began singing that song from Sesame Street....you know the one 'Sing, sing a song,... sing it loud, sing it strong. It really doesn't matter if it's not good enough... for anyone else to hear... just sing...sing your song....nahnahnahanahananahahannahahanan' (you're singing it aren't you?)

The point was not the final product really, it was the act of indulging a whim, singing my song and being grateful with granting myself permission to indulge a long suppressed creative energy.  It felt great, I should be good for another 18 years.

Spend some moment everyday in reflection of gratitude and happiness. Even if the time found is standing in line for coffee...use is wisely.

Michelle


Did this post brighten your day? make you smile? If so I'd be ever so grateful if you shared it on Facebook or Twitter. Someone else might be in need of a smile - Thanks!

Lakeside Gratitude from the Laundry Room

I've been away, 10 days unplugged and off-line. This morning I am incredibly grateful for my own bed; you never really appreciate your own bed quite as much as that very first night back in it...aaahhhhh!

We had some fabulous adventure and while I may have been off-line, I was still writing. This week, while I'm washing all of our worldly possessions, I'm going to share those posts; written lakeside from my lawn chair. Enjoy!

Day 1

On an ordinary day I wake up in paradise. The alarm clock rings and I find myself once again immersed in making coffee, lunches and beds, keeping my children happy and my husband content. I juggle schedules and meet commitments usually with a smile on my face and a song in my heart (sometimes the song is “Take this job and Shove it!” but there is a song.)

Yesterday I woke up, made coffee and lunch, made the bed and kept my children relatively happy, while I prodded them at the break of dawn, into our cram packed van in time to depart only 1 hour behind schedule (a personal best!)  I tried to do it all and still keep my husband content enough to handle the 5 hours of open road ahead of us.

In 5 hours with 3 kids in a highly confined space, there will be 2 stops to pee, 1 stop for gas, 4 radio station changes, 12 arguments, a bag of chips, 3 coffees, a rolling picnic, and a stop at the bank. My family tries to squeeze it all in before we reach the on ramp to the highway, 18 minutes from our front door. I can hardly impress upon you how glad I am that our youngest has out grown his car sickness.

If I had to choose my favourite part of any road trip it has to be those first 18 minutes. They remind me that despite our ever increasing time away from one another, we are, and still remain, a family. Those 18 minutes are the ones that tune everyone back into their roles. For the remaining 4 hours and 42 minutes the kids can attempt to over throw one another while Michael and I fake oblivion.

As the minutes and the Kilometers fall behind us we shed the burdens of everyday as well. Travel time, a mental decompression chamber.

It all gets us here…

Heaven (or the very closest a person can get without actually departing their container).

For 10 days we will soak in the scenery, swim in the water, terrorize the wildlife, fish and the balance of nature. We will toast marshmallows, squabble, play games, ‘partake’ and complain. These 10 days when Paradise meets heaven are my favourite of all the year, submersed in gratitude.

Spend some moment everyday in reflection of gratitude and happiness. Even if the time found is standing in line for coffee...use is wisely.

Michelle


Did this post brighten your day? make you smile? If so I'd be ever so grateful if you shared it on Facebook or Twitter. Someone else might be in need of a smile - Thanks!