Tightwad I am not?

So my cousin prides herself on being cheap. My mother and her (God bless them both) are like soul sisters divided at birth. We all (that would be the one side of the family) say it and agree with one another about these things! 

But before I get too high and mighty, there are significant signs that I am probably from the same gene pool even if sometimes they seem a bit weaker:

• At a family event last weekend complete with cousins and cutie patootie kids, my cousin was telling her sister-in-law about a great kids' consignment store and I offered my services to go to this store so close to my house to keep my eyes peeled for them on the clearance rack. I do not have children or anything resembling them in my house but I willingly offer to shop for other children (who happen to be the cutest in the whole wide world) so their mamas can save money.
• I was going to purchase a card for a coworker that is leaving because of cutbacks and I must admit that the final decision between two cards that would work was the dollar's difference. What are those card companies doing? Lining the envelopes with gold?
• I am leaving my house fifteen minutes earlier on Friday and Saturday so I can carpool with coworkers... Did I mention that we are talking about pre-6:30ish hours? Those 15 minutes count! And yet, think of the gas (and environmental footprint) I'll save one coworker and the other one will save me... as well as the agency for a lack of claimed mileage.
• I am the biggest skype fan ever... I tell all sorts of people about it. Free computer-to-computer calling (with ability to see your friends that have a webcam) and cheap, cheap, cheap computer to long distance phone calling. I was a fan WAY before Oprah (not that I watch her... but I read it on the internet and everything on the internet is true, right?)
• The most insulting of all... I was making mini chocolate chip cheesecakes tonight and they got dumped on the cupboard. Obviously not good enough to take to a party but good enough to scrap up and put back in their wrappers for a frozen albeit not so beautiful snack... yes, all you swine flu phobics, the counter was spotless and very much wiped down before I pulled these delights out of the oven. All the while saying out loud in a definite teacher voice, "no, no, no."

So... I guess that I need to recession proof myself more and more but I might be already on the right track.

Viva la difference!

So... a month has flown by. I went to Mexico to visit an old student and had a blast. I learnt about some differences between the two countries:

• In Canada, animals are kept behind fences and away from people in their proper places. In Mexico, you'll find animals everywhere. At a 'drive-up' bar on the beach, in the middle of a boulevard eating grass in traffic in a city of one million people, picking up garbage every morning... animals are used to earning their keep.
• In Canada, food is sold in proper places. In Mexico, one street will get turned into a market and all the sudden there is freshly cooked chicken, a roasting cow's head (seriously!) and people even hawking cds for way cheap.
• In Canada, when people say the times that they show up-these are proper times that are strictly observed. In Mexico, you tell your friends that the party starts 1-2 hours before you hope that they get there, meals are eaten in shifts as people show up and time is treated as way more relative.

We have the proper things all figured out ... but here's the confession: I want to go back! It is 30C there and it is snowing here. Warmth covers over a lot!

Spring is taunting me!

This has been a long week. Long work days that made it so that by the time I rushed home and made dinner, chatted with the student and got the next day's lunch made, it was time to head to bed and start all over again. The good news is that in one meeting, I was feeling antsy just sitting there without any knitting or something to do. Apparently I started fidgeting with a piece of paper too much and my new supervisor commented that I needed some knitting! (they have been sucked into my borg... they realize that knitting is not a bad thing!)

However, today was just an 8 hour day. It's amazing what you can do after work with a couple hours before dinner... 8 errands that have been hanging over my head and a walk. SOOOOOO good-no, I haven't been broken of all type A tendencies yet. 

The best part? Taking in my winter coat for dry cleaning hoping that I don't have to use it again and letting it be ready for next fall... crossing the fingers! Please spring, please stay. You are wanted... really wanted! 

 

Death of an era!

Pull out the tissues, hankies or whatever will be needed. There has been a death of an era. This is truly one of the saddest things ever:

Dollarama has gone away from their AMAZING philosophy of everything costing a loonie. They now charge $1, $1.25, $1.50 and $2 for some items. Slay me now. Upon some deep research (chatting to the friendly clerk) it appears that there are some new items that are significantly nicer than the loonie items. With some prodding (well, a friendly smile and a question) she admitted that there have been items that have gone up in price.

Wahhhh... this store doesn't have the same deep loyalty that it has always garnered. I am now on the search for a store that has my undying loyalty! Dollarama, consider yourself warned!

March Madness!

Sorry I've been silent to all five of my family members! February kicked the stuffing out of me...

• car accident
• lack of energy
• paperwork
• lots of work at work 
• and to top it off... having one of the neighbor's dog leave me little treats on my lawn... it seemed like it was symbolic of February! Hah hah!

I've decided that I am a fan of March. Here's why:

• Many wardrobe options-you can choose to wear spring and winter within a 24 hour period and both will be needed. Be forewarned that you should NOT shave your head as one of my male coworkers did in celebration of spring... it will go down to-20 tomorrow! Oh joys
• Longer sunlight... it truly makes a difference in what you're able to do. The only downside is that now you have to wait until after 6:45 to have friends over so they don't see the dust.
• Inspiration to clean out closets, storage areas, freezers and everything just in case your life all the sudden turns cool and you are able to do something fun... then you'll have organized space at home. Call me Type A-a tidy house makes a girl happy!
  

March Madness-most would tell you that it is about the basketball but for this Canadian chiquita-it gives me hope that I'll be able to start my car without scraping it, not worry about the ice on the roads as I cross the street and come home while it is still sunshiney out there!

I'm the oldest!

To my brother...

You have always been my baby brother. No matter how much taller than me you get (as in one complete foot) or that you will hit 30 too no it won't avoid you totally, you will always be younger than me... yes, deal with it!

We just hung out for a whole week (around my crazy work week) and basement building and here is what I want to say to you...

• Taking pictures of my butt when I'm leaning over something... seriously! Do brothers always do these things?
• Patting my head when you hug me makes me wonder if we've left junior high
• Asking me to find you a Nail Bender is not cool... b/c it takes a while before I realize that you're talking about a hammer-hah, hah, KC takes a while to get that one
• But the biggest thing is that I want to say thank you! You worked your butt off on developing my basement-framing, drywalling, lifting heavy things, priming the walls, doing my ceiling at 6:30 in the morning... You are such a trooper and helping me with my basement... well, basically you were rocking the free world... or at least your sister's world

So... even though you'll always be my younger (but taller!) brother, I now know that you can work really hard and you have left your mark on my house. The house says thank you! 

Pre shower anticipation

I am going to a baby shower this afternoon-it is for a sweet family member-so I'd happy to so my support. Please repeat with me "We're so sorry Knittinchick. We know that those are the equivalent of having to watch hours of 17 Kids and Counting without common painkillers such as chocolate or coffee."

Here's what makes it painful:

• Birth Story Swap-a-thon. Yes, it doesn't feel like birth is a miracle when it is a very painful experience... but just like you don't want me to hear the retelling of painful stories such as horrid breakups or disgusting stomach flu stories-single girls all agree that they don't want to hear your stories. A nice little euphemism here and there isn't the worst thing ever.
• Baby Shower Un-Games in my mind games are fun... NO ONE wants to eat that nasty baby food, sniff baby 'diapers' or anything like that. Don't do them.
• Unqualified Advice Givers-people who got married at 22!!! give me advice such as, "When I was finally content, I found the man of my dreams." Sorry when you are 22, you are still a baby, you barely even know how to put one foot in front of the other... you haven't earned the right to give that speech. When I smile at you as you give that speech, I am showing you that God is doing good things in my heart... and that I have actually learned about patience... and you have no clue how annoying (if I'm having a good day) or hurtful (if it is a bad season) you are being.
• Unknown Gramma's Comments, "You look so natural holding a baby. You'll have to have one someday." Sorry but I'm a big believer in A+B=C. I've got the A (me!) part... but there is no part B... so I guess that C isn't happening! 

But the best part... taking a handknit and then getting to hang out with my cousin's kids afterwards being the Cool Single Auntie-bring on the Polly Pockets!