From the Weekend: More Painting

The room went from a pink close to all that stuff on the left to that intense blue you see behind them. Emma, my daughter, is on the right.

A true descendant of Tom Sawyer, my daughter invited a friend over to help her paint her room.  But they painted more in the style of Lucy and Ethel--and it went beyond mere head gear. Fortunately, they used Marquee --and got one coat coverage. I don't think the room would have survived a second coat! It cleaned up beautifully, too, thank gawd. (That poor hardwood floor.)

Everyone is happy.

When you turn thirteen...

You may learn that perfectionism is over rated:



Especially when your ten year old sister made the cake!



It doesn't matter though, cause it is the wish that counts.



and family.



Happy Birthday, dude.

Warning: There is now a teenager in the house!

Oh, Finally....

Look, it's warming up for a few days:!!!

Sun
-9°C
-10°C

Mon
-2°C
-10°C

Tue
-7°C
-16°C

Wed
-18°C
-21°C

I CANNOT tell you how frustrated I am. It's not just the cold, but the fact that with this weight, I have NO CLOTHES! I'm wearing four layers on top--four very snug layers which won't stay put--and I cannot handle this discomfort anymore.

Did you know that fat people can't put their arms in front of their bodies? It's true. Never mind airplane seats--computer keyboards are too small.

If it weren't for the fact that
1) it hasn't been warmer than -20 since I don't know when, (the dog is even refusing to go outside!)
and
2) the kids have been sick during the holidays,
and
3) I hate walking alone in the dark,
and
4) I hate driving in the dark,
and
5) the sun doesn't rise until 9 am (long after the husband has gone to work), and
6) the sun sets at about 4 (before the husband gets home)

I would be out there excercising!

WHAT am I going to do?
**********************

In other news: my sister plans to begin the process of signing custody of her son over to my mother on Monday. (We'll see if that actually happens. She's been spending the last week pretty depressed and unhappy, not surprisingly. Pray she can screw her courage to the sticking place to do this extremely difficult and selfless thing.)

He will be coming to us while my Mom works during either the morning or afternoon, Monday to Friday, Saturday afternoons and Monday evenings.

In the settling Dust

Thank you all so much for your support and commiseration. I have not "kept up" with the day to day drama of my sister and my mother since the fall when my sister decided to go back to school and take "Asian Studies." I knew she wouldn't be able to complete the program. She didn't last the semester.

So, I wasn't too sure of all the details, either. I was being careful as I was typing them up.

The facts are these: she left abruptly, without discussion, to live with someone we barely know. She left no phone number and no address.

It seems she and Mom have talked some more. Mom is going to try and convince my sister to leave her son with her. If that happens, I have told my mom to leave my nephew with me during the day so my Mom can continue to work (though without my sister at home, Mom will not have to work as much). I had made the offer to my sister (We have a shortage of daycare spaces, here) when she was pregnant--so I'm comfortable extending it. We'll see what happens. Honestly, I'm not sure what's best right now.

Thanks Lorijo. I was able to repeat your words about keeping the door open earlier this evening to my Mom. I will extend an invite to them, somehow, for Christmas Eve. (I'm hosting the Traditional French Canadian Tortiere meal after Christmas Eve service).