Sigh ... I finally broke down and got a cell phone today!

The accident on the 102 last night, which held up traffic for hours, taught me (the hard way), the importance of having a cell phone. I'm 35 and never owned a cell phone. Until today.

I consider myself technologically inclined and 'in tune' with the world ... to a degree ;-) But owning a cell phone (or not owning one lol) has just been one of my personal 'quirks' that I didn't want to let go of. At first I didn't jump on the cell wagon because of the cost. Plain and simple :-) It was a luxury item. But then, as I watched literally EVERYONE around me begin to flip their phones, having to answer them, set them to silent/vibrate, having to turn them off, having to change their ring-tones regularly, answering them sometimes when they shouldn't ... but more importantly, it was another way to be 'reached'.

Yes, in general that's a good thing. However, as a workin' mom, there are so many demands on the time; kids, work, travel for work, travel with kids lol, dishes, laundry blah blah blah ;-) that it was kind of nice knowing that if I was out, I was out. Sorry, but I'll call you when I get home/in.

Yeah I know, 'you could get one just for emergencies'. And how long would that last .... really ... :-) Eventually it turns into an everyday phone and without even knowing it, I've morphed into one of the Cell-ford (ex)Wives :-)

But yesterday, I realized that one of these days, that 'emergency' just may come along ...

I actually left work a few mins early yesterday afternoon. I had to make a quick stop on the way home, and I was hoping to avoid the idiots who forget how to drive in the rain. Sometimes just 10-15 min is just enough to avoid that 'after work flood' of traffic out of not only downtown, but the entire city itself. I reached the Bayer's Lake exit heading home around 4:30, in time to get both kids at two different places, for 5:30. That's where I hit the standstill in traffic. And sat there for about an hour and didn't move more than 20-30ft past the exit .... but far enough there was no way to go backwards, the cars were already behind me in both lanes (and of course I was over in the other lane by then anyway lol).

Then the traffic just crawled at maybe 5km/h. Sometimes 10. It was painful. Absolutely painful! When it was after 5, and I still hadn't reached the next exit (which would have been a min or so away, but nowhere near getting me closer to home), I started to stress. It was frustrating, not being able to go anywhere, knowing I had to pick up the kids in about 20 min, and there's no way I'd be there on time, and no way to call them and let them know, because I don't have a cell phone. And no way to call anyone else to go pick them up, because I don't have a cell phone. Damn! Did anyone catch the make of that phone that just came back to bite me in the ass after all these years???? ;-)

We literally crawled along and there was absolutely nothing I could do. All the exits were backed up anyway, because there were 'problems' with both bridges, two other highways had issues, and another major road was closed and they were at a standstill also I believe. It was a nightmare everywhere. At 6pm I resigned myself to the fact that I wasn't going anywhere, and wasn't close to home. I hoped that the after-school workers had reached their dad or my good friend Kim, who I have as an Emergency contact ... then I just sat back and pulled out the magazine I had bought earlier in the day and checked out if Jen Aniston had gotten herself a boob job last month :-)

When I finally got past what was left of the truck, I reached the after-school care program just after 6:30. I went there first in case they hadn't been able to reach anyone and someone was still there with him. Nope. Drove by the ex's on the way to where Alec was and there were no lights on ... maybe he had the boys and had taken them out to dinner. When I got to the sitter's, I saw Alec's jacket and sneakers right away by the door. Damn. OK, so Alec's here ... where's Adam.

Leave the sitter's and head home. Voice mail, email and msn msg from Kim. Adam's with her :-) PHEW! Kim came to the rescue. And 'the boss' even drove him over there because her husband was gone with their vehicle, so she had no way to go get him. She dropped him off at 6, but I'm sure I definitely made the sh*t list for that one :-(

After we got home and Alec was fed (Adam had eaten at Kim's) and both boys were 'settled' for the night, I called and left a message at the 'after-school place' explaining what happened. I realized there wouldn't be anybody there, but I wanted them to hear it first thing in the am. I also sent 'the girls' down there flowers and Sorry/Thanks' note today :-) No, I don't like being on the sh*t list lol.

And also today, I got the cell phone. Even though I knew I had people down as 'back-ups', there was still the worry of whether or not the girls were able to reach them, and what did they do with Adam if they didn't and would they still be there and and and ... why hadn't I gotten a cell phone years ago so I could have just called both Paul and Kim myself when I hit the traffic at 4:30 and everything would have been fine ... I could have actually enjoyed those pics (of the guys ... not Jen's new boobs ;-p) and articles in that magazine ... instead of staring tensely through the paper, into red tail light space.

So there ya go. Get yourselves a cell phone. Accidents happen. Not necessarily TO you, but they may still affect you. You may need to just 'let someone know ....'.


Nite all! I'm going to play with my ringtones now :-D

K

The Dog lost his mind yesterday .... and it hasn't returned yet!

I originally sent this out as an email over the weekend. Thought I'd share here for the dog lovers in the crowd
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Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!!!!

I woke up to unexpected home repairs this morning ... but I'm thankful it wasn't worse ;-)

It was just after 1pm yesterday when Alec started banging on the living room window. It was such a beautiful day that Adam and I were outside. I was cleaning out the vehicle, and Adam was sitting on the walkway, glue gun in hand, keeping himself busy doing crafts. Next thing I know, I hear the banging and Alec motioning for me to come inside.

I walk into the living room to find Alec leaning over the couch looking at the dog. He said "Something's wrong with Hershey Mom! He's shaking and won't stop staring at this spot in the wall!". Sure enough, *something* had gotten the dog's attention.

I have never seen him do anything like that before. He was just beside himself. Staring at one particular spot in the wall right under the window. He'd paw at it, sniff, whine, paw again and just stare. Trembling the whole time. When you'd say "What's there boy? What is it?" He's start to shake even more!" Now ... keep in mind, there were no holes in the wall or anything. Sure, a few scuff marks from the kids and pets (the maid wasn't in this week lol) but NO HOLES!!! No cracks in the wall. Nothing for any type of 'creature' to have crawled through. Just a plain old wall. And I've never seen the dog react that way to a bug of any kind. Heck ... I've never seen him react that way (so ultimately fixated on something, before) at all!!!!!!!!

So, since he wasn't about to move for any of us, and he wasn't really doing anything 'wrong', we left him staring at the wall and went about our business of the day. I figured he'd move on to chasing the cat again once he got bored staring at the wall.

Not so.

When we returned home from running errands about an hour and a half later, the dog was in the same spot. He was in the SAME spot when I went to bed after midnight also!!!! He stayed in the SAME spot for over 12 hrs yesterday. By this time, he had gotten more aggressive with his 'wall watch' and had started clawing the wall.



He went out once to pee last night, then took up his spot at the wall the minute he came in again.

Then, this morning, I woke up to "MOM!!! Wake up!!! Hershey chewed a hole through the wall!!!!!

This is what my wall looks like now.

Yup. He did that while we slept. And even after moving the couch so the dog can't get to it anymore (did that last night too!!) the freakin' dog is STILL sitting there!!!!!!!!! The shaking has stopped, but he's STILL fixated on that wall!!!!!!!!! Where the heck has his mind gone!!!! And what the heck is in my wall that's got him sooooooo freaked out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anyone know anybody who does exorcisms on Dogs ... on a Sunday?!?!?!??!

Have a great day everyone! I'm off to try and deal with my now demonic dog!!!! :-)

K

P.S. The good news in all this is .... I had already invited the ex over for Thanksgiving dinner tonight. He's now offered to fix my wall for me while he's here, so at least I don't have to worry about whatever might be in there, crawling out while we're asleep tonight!!!! I told him to dress for dinner as Indiana Jones and bring a weapon!!!! LOL

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Update: The ex fixed the wall. There was absolutely nothing in that particular panel. Go figure. The dog has since regained his senses, and is no longer eating the house. Due to the fact this was the first time he committed an offense of such .... destruction ... the kiddie jury has demanded leniancy, and therefore the pooch is no longer a candidate for exile, but is on the list for psychological examination.

Ahhhh the joys of traveling ... then moving!!!

On Monday I left for Montreal. Business trip. Spent the week in a meeting room(s), discussing requirements, schedules, plans, swimlanes ... and all that other fun 'stuff' business analysts do lol. Topic of conversation being the internal systems of helicopters. Interesting yes, stressful yes, fun at times ... did I mention stressful ;-)

Anyway, to decompress, a couple of evenings after dinner, I ventured down to the spa area of the hotel, and enjoyed the jacuzzi for awhile :-) I had the whole place to myself the first night, tried out the jacuzzi first, then the steam bath, then back to the tub again :-) absolutely AWESOME! Definitely my favourite part of traveling. Then, the second night I went to the spa, after I'd been soaking for about an hour, enjoying the bubbles, total quiet and Cosmo, the timer on the jets turned off, and I was getting out just as a couple came in. They were mid thirties I'd say, french, both on the Plus size side. I don't say that to be rude, simply trying to give you an accurate visual of their overall appearance. They walked over to the Gym area first, and I noticed they were checking it out as I went into the change area to get out of the bikini and into some sweats for the trip back up to the room.

About 5 min later when I came out, there's the couple, standing next to the tub, right in the middle of the 'family spa' area, him preparing to strip and she was already stripped naked to the waist, in front of the video surveillance camera! People! There are change rooms designed for this!!! I don't consider myself a prude by any means ... but it sort of took me by surprise, seeing the naked chick just standing there lol. Being the polite Maritimer that I am, I look her in the eyes and smile and try not to notice the fact her boobs 'n all were ... well ... right THERE as I walk on out of the room and try not to sprint to the elevator lol. I'm really kind of glad I got out when I did ... It's one thing to be naked in a hot tub with someone you know ... it's something entirely different being in the bubbles with naked strangers lol.

That would have to be one incident I'd offer up for 'interesting highlight' of the trip :-) Well, that and the image of the new employees at the facility we were visiting, forced to do a karaoke version of My Cubicle as their initiation welcome in front of the rest of the entire staff , using bananas as microphones lol.

Friday night, after being up at 6am, a full day of meetings, dinner at the airport, delayed on the runway, my plane finally landed home in Halifax at midnight. I had promised my best friend that I'd help her move yesterday. She is moving out of her house into an apartment with her son after a separation, so before I left, we made plans that I'd go there instead of home when I arrived back in town. By the time got my luggage, got out of the airport etc, stopped for coffee and had to wait for a passing train (yes, at 12:45am!!) it was 1am right on when I arrived at her house.

Unfortunately, she had just started a new job this week, and hadn't been able to get much packing done before I got there (and we're talking packing up an entire 3 bedroom house!). So ... we chatted and caught up on the week's events until 2, then started packing up the house and did so until 6:30 am slept for 3 hrs, then continued to pack for the rest of the day, while others loaded the truck as boxes were ready. I finally dropped her off at her new apartment at 5pm, was running entirely on fumes at this point, drove an hour home again, and crawled in the door last night shortly after 6:30pm. Exhausted!!! My body ached, and naked strangers or not, I'd have given anything for that jacuzzi right then ;-)

One interesting side note about Fri night ... On my way to her place, I was debating on whether or not I should have just gone home and started out fresh for her house the next day, but I decided to keep going anyway. I got to Tim's and ordered a couple coffee's for us each, figuring it would be a late night, the total of the order came to 666 (Damn! I knew I should have thrown in the timbits!!). Uh oh ...maybe that's a sign I should have just gone home LOL. About 30 seconds after I left the coffee shop, I came upon the "Stop" "Stop" "Stop" flashing red lights of the train crossing warning. Which at 1am, with an overtired imagination, looked eerily like flashing red eyes after just paying 666 for the coffee lol. I had to wait about 10 min for that freakin' train, so of course the imagination kicks in ... "666 ... red eyes flashing at me ... maybe I SHOULD just go home" LOL. Then last night, when I dropped my gf off at her new place, I got out of the truck, turned around and there's this black cat sitting there looking at me. Wasn't there when we pulled in. That third creepy 'event' was enough for me that I pet the little sucker for a few minutes, and on the way home, stopped at the corner store and picked up a lottery ticket on the 24 million LOL.

Hmmmm ... that reminds me ... must go check those tickets now and see if I get to retire from further business trips :-)

P.S. and one of my biggest peeves of traveling .... those pretentious little snots that you get stuck sitting next to on the plane, who can't help but discuss in loud voices with their travel companions all the important work (NOT!) they're doing on their blackberries, and the important meetings they have .... give it up a-holes ... it's really not that impressive and we, the passengers stuck sitting around you having to listen to your frivolous bragging, don't give a crap about what you're doing ... you only annoy us, you really don't impress us .....so perhaps the next time the pilot tells everyone to turn the electronic devices off ... perhaps you'll include your mouths along with that too and let the rest of us travel in peace! (yes, I used headphones to tune them out for the most part ... but unfortunately you have to have those off for periods of time too ... and can't block out the 'noise' at all times).

Sure, I could have shut them up in a heartbeat discussing what I do .... building and supporting information systems for military helicopters is a pretty cool job ... but I don't feel the need to brag about my work .... I'd just rather travel in peace!

And now ... I'm going back to bed until my kids get home! I'll unpack later .... :-)