Tuesday, August 16, 2005
Summer Vacation 2005!
we came, we saw, we camped, we rodeoed...you can see the slide show HERE and as HDL says, it's MUCH better with music...may I suggest "County Fair" by Chris Ledoux? or whatever rocks your wagon...
Friday, July 08, 2005
With Heartfelt Sympathy
my heart goes out to London and her people.
Thursday, June 30, 2005
SPD : Unique reflection (no mirrors!)
pardon the clutter, and YES my living room is red, yellow and green. like chili peppers. (this WILL be changing, the yellow and the pattern in the middle are going, replaced by cream colored paint and a chair rail...the red is staying)
A to Z about Meme
I got this from HDL's site...feel free to play along
A is for Age - *sigh* 30
B is for Booze - if I'm gonna drink, it'll be Singapore Slings or Bottlecaps
C is for Career - Domestic Goddess
D is for Dad's name - Don
E is for Essential Item to Bring to a Party - enough money for a cab ride home
F is for Favorite Song(s) of the Moment - it's been out for awhile, but "God's Will" by Martina McBride
G is for Goof Off Thing To Do - Read
H is for Hometown - Calgary, Alberta
I is for Instrument You Play - I can play the piano, as long as no one expects me to use both hands...I rock at chopsticks though
J is for Jam or Jelly You Like - mom's homemade strawberry rhubarb
K is for Kids - Two. Garrett and Shelby
L is for Living Arrangement - I am a country song. Ever heard "Queen of my doublewide trailer" ? That's me. I'm so proud.
M is for Mom's Name - Loralee
N is for Names of Best Friends - Kerri and Tami
O is for Overnight Hospital Stays - Four. 3 c-sections and one hysterectomy. Go Me.
P is for Phobias - Spiders. ICK ICK ICK.
Q is for Quote You Like - "Humans are the only animals who have children on purpose with the exception of guppies, who like to eat theirs"
R is for Relationship That Lasted the Longest - Nine years and counting
S is for Siblings - not even one
T is for Texas, ever been? - No. Tyler went to Corpus Christi this spring and loved it, so I don't imagine it will be long before we ALL go.
U is for Unique Trait - I am an awesome speller. And since that's the best I can come up with, I am also totally lame.
V is for Vegetable You Love - Green Beans
W is for Worst Trait - I yel (alot) when I'm mad.
X is for X-rays you've had - ummmm...just at the dentist I think
Y is for Yummy Food You Make - I am the master of the roast beast. And I can bake like nobody's business.
Z is for Zodiac Sign - Sagittarius
A is for Age - *sigh* 30
B is for Booze - if I'm gonna drink, it'll be Singapore Slings or Bottlecaps
C is for Career - Domestic Goddess
D is for Dad's name - Don
E is for Essential Item to Bring to a Party - enough money for a cab ride home
F is for Favorite Song(s) of the Moment - it's been out for awhile, but "God's Will" by Martina McBride
G is for Goof Off Thing To Do - Read
H is for Hometown - Calgary, Alberta
I is for Instrument You Play - I can play the piano, as long as no one expects me to use both hands...I rock at chopsticks though
J is for Jam or Jelly You Like - mom's homemade strawberry rhubarb
K is for Kids - Two. Garrett and Shelby
L is for Living Arrangement - I am a country song. Ever heard "Queen of my doublewide trailer" ? That's me. I'm so proud.
M is for Mom's Name - Loralee
N is for Names of Best Friends - Kerri and Tami
O is for Overnight Hospital Stays - Four. 3 c-sections and one hysterectomy. Go Me.
P is for Phobias - Spiders. ICK ICK ICK.
Q is for Quote You Like - "Humans are the only animals who have children on purpose with the exception of guppies, who like to eat theirs"
R is for Relationship That Lasted the Longest - Nine years and counting
S is for Siblings - not even one
T is for Texas, ever been? - No. Tyler went to Corpus Christi this spring and loved it, so I don't imagine it will be long before we ALL go.
U is for Unique Trait - I am an awesome speller. And since that's the best I can come up with, I am also totally lame.
V is for Vegetable You Love - Green Beans
W is for Worst Trait - I yel (alot) when I'm mad.
X is for X-rays you've had - ummmm...just at the dentist I think
Y is for Yummy Food You Make - I am the master of the roast beast. And I can bake like nobody's business.
Z is for Zodiac Sign - Sagittarius
Friday, June 10, 2005
It's a good thing no one reads this blog...
I know when I go to do my daily blog reading, I wanna see new posts...EVERY DAY. I'm a picky bitch that way. I look at the date on the last post and think "geeeez, so and so hasn't posted in DAYS...how not cool" So, like I said, it's a good thing no one reads this blog...no posts since April 29th...how not cool. From April 29th to May 24th, I have absolutely no excuse, except that I am a lazy ass and just didn't post. But on May 25th, my hubby came home and told me that my dad had passed away. (more about why he knew first later) So from May 25th till now, I've been with my mom and dealing with my shit.
Let me tell you a bit about my dad. He was a cop in a major city for 29 years. He was 6'4" and 270...and he was a mean looking mother, so you didn't mess with him. I am an only child and I am a girl, so you can just imagine what my life was like growing up. You know how hard it is to get a date when the most common phrase I heard was " he's got a gun and he's big and I am SO not coming over to your house!" Little did they know that he only drew his weapon ONCE in 29 years as a cop, and even then he didn't have to fire it...and he had SEVERAL guns at home, but the only things that got shot were gophers and the occasional coyote in the garden.
Dad and I fought ALOT when I was growing up...it's how we communicated, and I was okay with that. My mom was the referee, and we did alot of yelling at each other, me and my dad. When I was 20, I got pregnant and I moved back home when I was 7 and 1/2 months along. I chose to give the baby up for adoption, and I think that was when dad realized I wasn't 12 anymore and we began to actually TALK. About everything. Without yelling. WEIRD. We haven't yelled at each other or had a fight since then, and that was 10 years ago. I am SO thankful for the 10 years I got to be my dad's friend, and he, mine.
Okay, back to why Tyler knew before I did...
My dad had a heart attack in his sleep. It was very sudden and he looked (so my mom tells me) for all the world like he was sleeping. It was the color of his arm that tipped mom off. She called 911 and then she called work and told them why she wouldn't be in that day. Her boss came to the house to make all her phone calls for her. (don't ask me why or i'll bitch slap you) Mom asked him NOT to call me at home, as she knew that I would lose my mind and probably scar my daughter emotionally for life with my freaking out if he did, so he called Tyler at work, told him and had him come home and tell me. I will forever be grateful that my mom had the presence of mind to do that for me.
Dad died on Wednesday, but the weekend before, which was a long weekend here, we went camping with my parents. This may not seem like a big deal, but it's WEIRD. See, we have NEVER gone camping with my parents. In fact, for that weekend, Tyler and I had planned to drop the kids off at HIS parent's house and go camping with some friends in Southern Alberta. On the Wednesday before the long weekend, Ty and I decided we didn't want to spend the money it would have cost us in gas to go so far south, and so we begged off and called mom at work. "Wanna go camping this weekend with us and the kids?" Mom said she was on board if dad was, so I called him at home and ran it by him. He said "sure, if we can find somewhere that has room, let's do it" And we did. We got there late friday night, mom and dad were already there, we got set up and began our first (and last as it were) camping trip together. We has an AWESOME weekend...the weather was good, the food was aplenty, and the company, while sarcastic (my dad's like that you see) was great. We had a really good time, and if not for the fact that Ty and I are so broke, that weekend would have NEVER happened. Yet another thing for which I am grateful...my kids got to spend that last weekend with Grandpa.
I also have to say this... I AM SO GODDAMN MAD. He was only 60 (JUST...his birthday was in February) I am also mad because I am only 30. We didn't have nearly enough time together. I am also mad because my kids are so damn young...they are 5 and 7 and that is WAY too young to lose a grandparent. I am mad because he won't see them graduate or get married or have kids of their own. THAT IS NOT FUCKING FAIR. And I'm mad because my mom lost her best friend. They would have been married 38 years this September. THIRTY EIGHT! In this day and age when so many marriages fall apart, or drift apart, my parents were still going strong. And would have kept going strong. That really pisses me off.
I feel better for getting that off my chest. I dont' have any friends who have been through this, so while people can say "I'm so sorry" they can't say "I understand" and that kinda sucks.
Though he may never see this, thanks Tyler, for being my rock through all this, for understanding when I freak out for no apparent reason, and for knowing when I need a hug and when I don't. Also, thanks for all the kleenex you've handed me and for knowing when to make a smart ass comment JUST LIKE MY DAD WOULD HAVE. They say you marry a man like your father, and like it or not Tyler, they were right and damn, am I a lucky one.
Have a great weekend everyone...tell the people you love how you feel. You really might not get another chance...
Don Nichols
1945-2005
Love you dad...
Let me tell you a bit about my dad. He was a cop in a major city for 29 years. He was 6'4" and 270...and he was a mean looking mother, so you didn't mess with him. I am an only child and I am a girl, so you can just imagine what my life was like growing up. You know how hard it is to get a date when the most common phrase I heard was " he's got a gun and he's big and I am SO not coming over to your house!" Little did they know that he only drew his weapon ONCE in 29 years as a cop, and even then he didn't have to fire it...and he had SEVERAL guns at home, but the only things that got shot were gophers and the occasional coyote in the garden.
Dad and I fought ALOT when I was growing up...it's how we communicated, and I was okay with that. My mom was the referee, and we did alot of yelling at each other, me and my dad. When I was 20, I got pregnant and I moved back home when I was 7 and 1/2 months along. I chose to give the baby up for adoption, and I think that was when dad realized I wasn't 12 anymore and we began to actually TALK. About everything. Without yelling. WEIRD. We haven't yelled at each other or had a fight since then, and that was 10 years ago. I am SO thankful for the 10 years I got to be my dad's friend, and he, mine.
Okay, back to why Tyler knew before I did...
My dad had a heart attack in his sleep. It was very sudden and he looked (so my mom tells me) for all the world like he was sleeping. It was the color of his arm that tipped mom off. She called 911 and then she called work and told them why she wouldn't be in that day. Her boss came to the house to make all her phone calls for her. (don't ask me why or i'll bitch slap you) Mom asked him NOT to call me at home, as she knew that I would lose my mind and probably scar my daughter emotionally for life with my freaking out if he did, so he called Tyler at work, told him and had him come home and tell me. I will forever be grateful that my mom had the presence of mind to do that for me.
Dad died on Wednesday, but the weekend before, which was a long weekend here, we went camping with my parents. This may not seem like a big deal, but it's WEIRD. See, we have NEVER gone camping with my parents. In fact, for that weekend, Tyler and I had planned to drop the kids off at HIS parent's house and go camping with some friends in Southern Alberta. On the Wednesday before the long weekend, Ty and I decided we didn't want to spend the money it would have cost us in gas to go so far south, and so we begged off and called mom at work. "Wanna go camping this weekend with us and the kids?" Mom said she was on board if dad was, so I called him at home and ran it by him. He said "sure, if we can find somewhere that has room, let's do it" And we did. We got there late friday night, mom and dad were already there, we got set up and began our first (and last as it were) camping trip together. We has an AWESOME weekend...the weather was good, the food was aplenty, and the company, while sarcastic (my dad's like that you see) was great. We had a really good time, and if not for the fact that Ty and I are so broke, that weekend would have NEVER happened. Yet another thing for which I am grateful...my kids got to spend that last weekend with Grandpa.
I also have to say this... I AM SO GODDAMN MAD. He was only 60 (JUST...his birthday was in February) I am also mad because I am only 30. We didn't have nearly enough time together. I am also mad because my kids are so damn young...they are 5 and 7 and that is WAY too young to lose a grandparent. I am mad because he won't see them graduate or get married or have kids of their own. THAT IS NOT FUCKING FAIR. And I'm mad because my mom lost her best friend. They would have been married 38 years this September. THIRTY EIGHT! In this day and age when so many marriages fall apart, or drift apart, my parents were still going strong. And would have kept going strong. That really pisses me off.
I feel better for getting that off my chest. I dont' have any friends who have been through this, so while people can say "I'm so sorry" they can't say "I understand" and that kinda sucks.
Though he may never see this, thanks Tyler, for being my rock through all this, for understanding when I freak out for no apparent reason, and for knowing when I need a hug and when I don't. Also, thanks for all the kleenex you've handed me and for knowing when to make a smart ass comment JUST LIKE MY DAD WOULD HAVE. They say you marry a man like your father, and like it or not Tyler, they were right and damn, am I a lucky one.
Have a great weekend everyone...tell the people you love how you feel. You really might not get another chance...
Don Nichols
1945-2005
Love you dad...
