Our new family members....Nemo, Dorry and Bogie 

As I write this, my kids are watching Stuart Little for the hundredth time. I have all the dialogue memorized...parts one and two. It's raining outside. The perfect day to cook a "winter" meal. I'm thinking something with potatoes. Also makes me want to bake cookies.

We have suffered our first death in the family. "Dora" the goldfish passed away yesterday. She didn't even last 24 hours. We think she was sick when she came. She wouldn't eat or socialize with the others. Very sad. She is buried in our back yard. Abby doesn't understand death yet. Jason just told her to say goodbye to the fish and she said loudly, "Bye Bye fishy!". Jules was a little sad, but it was Samuel who cried his eyes out. He was ok until he seen Jason burying her and didn't want him to put her in the ground. Sad. I don't think we will ever buy a fish that is that much smaller than the others.

Feeling in a bit of a rut lately....Don't know why.

To celebrate Father's Day we had planned on taking the kids to Moncton to have a picnic in Centennial Park. Then the weather didn't co-operate so we took them into town to the mall instead. We bought our very first aquarium along with two fish. Jason was ten times more excited than the kids. Neither he nor I have ever had fish before. We both had always wanted them as children, but never got them. I have to say I am getting very attached to them, much to my surprise. I always thought I wouldn't because I knew how short a life span they had. But "Nemo" and "Dorrie" are very sweet. (how original?) Tonight, on his way home from work, Jason bought two more. One is very tiny. It's Abby's and is named what else.....but "Dora". The other one is supposed to be mine so I named it "Bogie". Jason had wanted to buy an algae eater, but was told he had to wait at least two weeks, as we have no algae for it to eat yet.

Switching to other animal news, there is a black cat that has started hanging out here all the time. I don't know if it is a stray or if he belongs to someone close by. I wouldn't mind, only he is killing things and leaving their dead carcass in my yard! One of the perks of having a house cat, which we do, is that you don't have to worry about the kids always finding dead mice in the yard. But now, thanks to this black visitor, my kids did exactly that. The other day, they came walking up the steps carrying a dead mole in a little shovel. Last night was the worst. It was late and I was getting ready to go to bed. I started closing the curtains and there in my back yard was that black cat tearing apart the body of what looked like a rabbit. It was quite disgusting to watch. He was literally eating it! Jason had to scare it away and then bury the remains, so it wouldn't attract any other animals. He thinks it was a rabbit but said that it was very hard to tell since there was almost nothing left....Yuck!

I actually took some time tonight to work on my store. It's been so hard lately to find the time to do anything on line...including blogging. Between the kids, the house, and doing things outside like gardening, etc... it is amazing that I find time to go online at all.

21 Days to PEI and counting!!!

Last night I went over to my Mom's. My sisters and I had planned a little get together to celebrate Mom being done work for the summer. She works in the cafeteria at the high school. We watched "Something's Gotta Give" starring my girl Diane Keaton. I have to buy the DVD. I guess there is a feature on the DVD that has Amanda Peet taking you through the house. Apparently she bought it after filming was over. I had five glasses of wine, which is a new record for me. I didn't come home until three o'clock in the morning. Needless to say I didn't feel too good this morning, but everyone needs to have a night out now and then.

The kids got their haircut today and for the first time Abby sat up in the chair all by herself. She looked so old. I think we are going to switch her to a toddler bed this week. I'm in this groove where I just can't seem to pull myself out of bed in the morning. Abby is too easy on me. She just plays forever in her crib and waits quietly for me to come and get her. I used to love the idea of sleeping in but now when I do, it's like the day is gone. If she were in a toddler bed I would have to get up as soon as she did. Plus I know she would love it. She loves anything that makes her feel as old as her brother and sister. We also have to bite the bullet with the potty training. I've been delaying the inevitable.... My baby isn't a baby anymore.

I planted the last of my garden today...tomato plants. Now everything is all up and growing. I am always amazed that something that I planted actually grew. I helped the kids plant a little marigold garden in front of their playhouse this morning. I let them do almost everything. They each planted four blooms. Abby's looked pretty torn up but she loved planting them. The only thing I have left to plant are some lilies that I am getting from Mom. I am trying to have all my outdoorsy stuff done before the party. Tonight after supper, I weaved some mini-lights through the lattice at the bottom of our deck. It looks cute. I'm going to string some around the kid's playhouse too. I am toying with the idea of making my paper bag lanterns. It's really not that fancy of a party, but I don't know when else I will get the chance to try it. Maybe I will, if I have the time. It's been so busy around here lately.

Our Richmont Christmas catalogue is out now http://www.richmont.net/classygal, I'll have to try and remember to order some. Totally have memory problems lately...surprised Bell Express Vu has not disconnected us yet....cannot seem to remember to write out the cheque.

I'm finding it hard to blog when the weather is this nice. You want to spend all day outside. Yesterday we had a picnic at the French Fort Cove. It was nice as long as the sun stayed out of the clouds, which unfortunately wasn't for too long at a time. Should have worn warmer clothes. After we were done eating, the kids played on the playground. Abby made a little friend...a little girl who was a year and a day older than her. She was really sweet. It was nice to see how Abby would play with someone new.

After, we went to the mall. Jason needed to buy some new workboots and Jules needed a new bathing suit. I found the sweetest suit on sale. The bottom was a skirt, and the top was very sporty. Jules would not even look at it because it wasn't pink. Anyone who knows me knows how bad I HATE pink!! Funny that it is my daughter's favorite color. She had her first changing room experience, and decided on a multi-colored tankini. I am so going to be in for it when she turns 13!

Jason's party is creeping up on me. It is only three weeks away!! I'll have to start and pick up some things this week. And then the next week after the party is when we are going to the island! Funny how it works - you think the summer will never get here and then when it does it goes by so fast.

Mr. Demille.....I'm ready for my close-up! 

Tuesday night Kellie and I actually made it to Poetry night! We have been trying to get there for months, but something always prevented us from going. I was sick, one of my kids was sick, the weather was horrible,.... But last night we made it. It takes place at the Deux Maples Gallery located around the square. It is run by Ester Nye. Kellie and I had gone to an art show there, a few months back. Tuesday was poetry night, a night when local writers come and read their poems. Not to sound too corny, but I found it a life changing experience.

All the poets were very good. Doug Underhill was there and I loved his writing. I must try to buy one of his books. But I think the best part was at the end, when Doug Shanahan gave a lecture about the late great poets, Shelly, Byron and Keats. He spoke of life and the places he lived, the students he taught......it was really an inspiring moment for me. It made me want to write.

On another topic, our PEI plans have changed. Sherry and her family are not going, nor is Mom. We changed our reservations and are now staying in a cottage by ourselves. We got a great deal..$77 a night!! It is equipped with a full kitchen so we can save money by cooking a lot of our meals. It has a pool, BBQs, firepits, horseshoes, etc... I can't wait!!

I just finished watching the movie "Beautiful Girls" again. I love that movie. And it is one of the few movies, that my reason for loving it has absolutely nothing to do with any architecture, what-so-ever. Who ever wrote it did a good job. I love that whole Timothy Hutton/Natalie Portman storyline. And lets face it - the whole Matt Dillion/Lauren Holly thing is like happening next door to everyone. Whenever I watch this movie I feel like going out, finding friends, getting drunk and singing Neil Diamond. Note to self - must add Neil Diamond to my music list for Jason's birthday party.

We decided that we are going to PEI again this summer for vacation. So the last two days have been spent scouring the internet looking for a place to stay. My sister Sherry and her family, plus our mother are going as well. We had wanted to get a cottage by the water, but they were either too expensive or only rented by the week. So we went with a motel, which suits us fine. Last year we stayed at a motel in Charlottetown and had a wonderful time. This year we are staying right in Cavendish. It is Sherry's first time taking her family so she wanted to go to all of the attractions, Green Gables, Avonlea Village, etc... Maybe if we were going alone we would have stayed somewhere else, but there are still lots of things we didn't get to see last time. And I loved Green Gables! The smell!! Enough said. The air is thick with the smell of flowers. They are so beautiful. Anyone who has been there will understand what I mean. We are staying for three nights this time instead of two. I can't wait!

Tonight after supper we went for a family drive to get a cone of ice cream. We went to the new place in Blackville, alongside Fritou Chicken. Jason went in to order the ice cream while the kids and I waited in the car. Samuel says he has to pee. So of course Jules says she has to pee too. It's amazing how they always urinate at the same time. Coincidence?? So we all get our cones and Jason decides we should go for a little drive.....You know like a Sunday drive but not on Sunday. Then Samuel says again how he really has to pee. So Jason pulls the car into a deserted little lane on the side of the road and lets Samuel pee outside. Of course Jules says how she still has to pee. Then she says,

"I can't pee outside because I don't have a penis. I have a "agina" so I have to pee in the house"

I hid my laughter and said "That's right dear".

I find it so weird how the older generation is so embarrassed about children knowing the correct medical terms for their body parts. The other month I was over at my mother's with the kids when the Avon lady came. She is a lady who lives up the road and has been the Avon lady for as long as I can remember. Jules came out into the kitchen, for no apparent reason, and said, "Boys have penises and girls have "aginas" " My mother was so embarrassed that she had said this in front of company. She said I hope you don't say that when you go to school. And the Avon lady said oh she'll grow out of it by then. Grow out of what? I said to mom she is just saying the correct terminology. There's nothing to be ashamed about. I would be embarrassed if they were talking about "birds" and "pee pees" or my favorite "down below". Funny.

I was going to blog about a funny incident over at my mother's concerning her "foot corner" but was forbidden, so too bad. I'm sure I can hear mom and Kellie breathing a sigh of relief as they read this.

It is raining hard outside. I can hear it on the roof. That is one of the benefits in living in an older trailer - you can hear the rain. I love that sound. There is just something so relaxing about it. I'm rather partial to rainy days. Everyone always complains about them, that there is no sun, etc... But I much enjoy them. On sunny days there is such pressure to DO something. Some sort of productive outdoor activity. But on days like today, all expectations are gone.

On cold, rainy days like these, I close all my curtains, shutting myself off from the rest of the world. On days like this you can pretend that you live somewhere else. That if you drew open the drapes, a penthouse view of New York City would be there. Behind the curtains, you are living in your own little world. No one seems to want to drop in for a surprise visit on a rainy day. We're like ants that way...with the first drop of water we scatter into our holes, our homes.

My favorite days have always been where the door never opens and the phone never rings. These days are hard to come by so they must be savoured. Housework loses it's importance. Dishes can stay in the sink, beds can go unmade, laundry can be done tomorrow. Today, nothing is important. Not nothing as in not-a-thing, but nothing as in doing nothing. The most important thing is to DO nothing.