Letting the cat out of the bag

no, i'm not talking about taking Kris' new cat, stuffing it into a bag, and then releasing it... tho' that does sound like a good idea - without the letting it out thing... I hate cats. 

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Anyways, so for a while now, I've known I'm going to be a daddy.  It's a funny story.  Mandy was staying at her parent's place watching the dog.  And I'm not a big fan of going over to visit because I'm slightly allergic to Kasey.  So she called me to come over and visit.. and I said I'd get there.  She didn't believe me so at one point during the phone call she said "YOU HAVE TO COME OVER, BECAUSE I'M PREGNANT".

 

Man, that was a pretty fast drive over.

 

I get there and sure enough, there's that little line that says somebody's goign to have a life changing experience.  Being forever the chemist I had to read the instructions... over and over.  The little pamphlet said that "there could be the chance for a false negative, but only a VERY RARE chance of having a false positive".  A few websites later confirmed it.

 

Wow... (check the pics at the bottom).

 

So for the next little while it was pretty overwhelming.  You become pretty sensitive to any baby-talk for a time.  Especially as Rain has her baby... But anytime anybody said "oh, you're next" or "and when are you guys having kids?" you get super sensitive.   Geoff at my work, his gf is due, and Dawn and Stephen had Campbell, so it was driving me nuts.

 

We've been looking at houses lately a little more seriously... and we figured it's probably about time to tell.  Then Mandy gets sick, and she's concerned about being able to take medication, so we figure we HAVE to tell people now... just to allay our own fears, and possible get some advice where we can.

 

A few years back Mandy went to Churchley's when they were going out of business.  And they had a great sale on these little Precious Moment's figures that said "the good Lord always delivers" where it's a pregnant woman holding a baby names book.  Mandy said that when we want to announce, we'll just wrap that up, give it to the folks and let them figure it out.

 

So we give it to her parents.  Her mom opens it up and says "aww, Precious Moments, just like Barb collects" and puts it away.  We nudge her dad to say "I think you should look at it closer".  And even later, Mandy asks her mom "what did it say?"  And she couldn't answer, so I guess she didn't really look at it.  I guess these clues aren't normally given in gift form.  After much prodding her dad figures it out.

 

At my folks' place.  My mom opens it up, reads the label and just screams.  My dad was the one who had to take a few stabs in the dark to piece it together.

 

Pretty funny I thought.

 

Well,... t-7months...

 

any advice?  [i wonder how long it would take me to reach Mexico..?]

 

Pranking a prankster - happy bday Brandy

So, it's that time of year for Brandy... and we had celebrated her birthday already, which makes it prime time to prank her.  She wouldn't be suspecting it because we HAD the celebration already.  And, to top it off, she had a lousy day at work, so she was really distracted.

 

A couple of days ago, E and I had the idea to do this... and she had figured we could do something with an embarassing picture.  So some photoshopping later and I have the 4 pictures you'll see below.  I printed about 3 of each off, and then we set about trying to find a way to get Brandy out of the house.

 

Thanks to Deb and Brandy's love of strawberries, Deb coerced her out of the house to go pick some strawberries.  This gave E and I the time needed to go and get the zillion balloons (in her FW colours), ribbons to string about the car (in Con.College colours) and various other sundries (a pair of her own binoculars and great goggles).  We netted that car in the ribbons and then tied the pictures to the ribbons, and then tied balloons all over.  We made 2 posters that had the items taped to them.  It was quite the show.  Even Brandy's mom and sister had to come out and take a look.

 

When Brandy got back, she was stunned... she apparently didn't even suspect this.  Seeing as she's instigated all the other pranks thus far, it's hard to fathom that we pranked the prankster (zowie, kablooie).

 

Aah... it was fun.  enjoy the pics!

 

been a long week

So it really has been a long week... ever since my part last week I've just felt slowed down... and no, it's not because I'm now 30... I'm not old yet.

 

Family - so, since last week, my sister's come into town to visit the folks with her 4 kids.  Man they are a handful!  They're jumping and climbing over EVERYTHING.  A few things broken already, a camera almost lost (charmane... tsk tsk).  Dad's goign crazy, and mom's just loving it.  In fact the other day I went over, to visit and drop off somethign for mom, and poor dad was left alone with the 4 wee'uns.  He was about ready to pull out his hair.  So I stayed and helped out.  Mom and Charm came back later than they planned and becasuse her van wasn't working hey missed the bus to take everybody to the Old Fort.  "That's ok, Ryan's here now, he can drive us out there."  Aaah, sis... just like my wife, automatically volunteering me for things I don't want to do.

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PTC - This is just been one slow week there.  There's been lots of absences and thus it's just felt slower.  Trying to find things for people to do and it's just felt harried.  Plus the whole reno thing is going to crap.  Ralph is being less helpful than normal.  Looks like we may NOT get the extra room we wanted, but Tony wants to go ahead with the same plans... with one or 2 changes that he 'changed his mind about' after the fact.  Ugh... the guy's about as clear as mud sometimes.  In fact we talked about getting more computers for the office when he was in town and he said he'd get us 2.  Monday morning 3 monitors and one refurb'd comp comes in.  A day later another computer comes in but it's entirely different that what we typically order... so I call Tony and ask himif I can go out and get the hardware needed.  He says "sure" and I send him back a list for approval and he replies with "you know I could just order this stuff myself for you?" which I send a note back saying "sure, but some things we need for monday" and his reply?  "just to be clear I AM ordering this stuff!"  Argh.

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School - Placement meetings have all gone through and... well it's time for me to contact Wendy and see if there's anything left for me.. hate this time of year... the grovelling, the pleading for a case... and it always ends up the same way, with maybe there being just 1 LTO for me.  I kinda just want to walk away from it all... this will be my 5th year with the board and I feel no ahead then when I started... and yet tehre are tons of people getting on after me.  I don't get it.  I want to just stick with PTC, but... as above I'm a little frustrated there as well.  What to do... banks don't give houses to the unemployed.

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Pipeband - We played for the Relay for life the other day, and that was a great show.  I got to call out, so it's good practice for me on teh parades.  A little bit of a curfuffle with some of the timing with teh event co-ordinator.  But, oh, well.  Last practic was a real snafu tho'.  We couldn't get into Westgate because of the exam schedule, and we were beign bumped from the Elks' because of the "Boot Scooters", so we scrambled last minute to find a place... deb's to be exact.  Members were to go to her place to practice while the students went to the Elk's for lessons.  Only it turns out that the boot scooters didn't show up, so we could have stayed there... grr.  Then there's teh whole issue of getting the Ad for the KEY out this week.  It has to be in by Friday, and I doubt it's going anywehere.  I have it all about ready several times, but people keep saying "change this, change that" and that's only after much prodding can I get them to come and do anything.  Stuipid thing is as soon as it's not done in time, they'll be coming yelling at me "why wasn't it ready".  Sometimes this band can be pretty aggrevating.

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Brandy / Hiro bday -

 

Purchases / Finding Time -

Pictures of my car's "pranking"

These are from Christopher's space:

 

http://christophertennant.spaces.live.com/PersonalSpace.aspx?_c11_PhotoAlbum_spaHandler=TWljcm9zb2Z0LlNwYWNlcy5XZWIuUGFydHMuUGhvdG9BbGJ1bS5GdWxsTW9kZUNvbnRyb2xsZXI%24&_c11_PhotoAlbum_spaFolderID=cns!B5F62C3CCFEFA256!262&_c=PhotoAlbum

 

hope it works out...

First paddle of the season

So, for the past few days Don's been in town.  I've been trying to hook up with the guy so we can do somethign.  I mean I only get to see him once a year or something like that.

 

So he suggested we put the canoe in the river by his house  (Kam) and paddle around a bit.  And let me tell you it was awesome!

 

It was good hanging out with a good friend that I really can connect with.  Don and I go WAAY back.  So just the time to chat was good.

 

However, I'm as burnt as an ant under a magnifying lens.  It's hilarious actually.  I'm all red and blotchy on the tops of my palms, the tops of my arms are just RED!, and I've got a wicked case of 'canoe knees' (where the inside of your knees are just burnt).

 

I enjoyed it nonetheless.  thanks don!

 

It also gave my friends the opportunity to 'prank' my car.  I knew it was coming - it wasf airly obvious after brandy kept calling asking me where i'd be and what time - but still, I play by the rules. 

 

Thanks guys (when I get the pictures I'll put them on here).

 

the newest 30 year old

-ry

Tony's visit

So we got a visitor this past week at PTC.  "Big Cheese" I call him.  So the whole idea of "WHAT ARE WE DOIGN WITH THE OFFICE"? is being settled.  At first I was a little put off by his saying that the office looked like crap... but then you really look at it and... yup, it looked like crap.  Everything we've done int he past 6 months has been band-aid fixing.

 

So we've gone over the plans for the renovations.  At first I couldn't see the plans finalized... i guess i have that sort of vision problem.  LIke when we look at a house that's unfinished, i can't envision what it would look like finished.  Anyways, so after some sketching and mre talking I think I see it.  It'll look pretty cool.

 

• We'll have a T-room (not a tea-room) where we can store our stuff, saving space in the office
  
• we're getting 2 new computers
  
• separating the place into 1 office, 3 classrooms and 2 small meeting rooms
  
• the walls separating are not going to be to the ceiling so i get to look into WHITE NOISE generators

just looks very interesting.

Now we used this opportunity to let people know about how we felt when they're pushing the envelope on the breaks issue.  Mary gave us the idea to put up some memos around the office saying that "official times are ..., you must put in y our 3 full hours.  Any less and it will go on your attendance reports that go to the case managers.  Breaks are allowed 1x a day, for 15 minutes."  Someting to that effect.  Man were people PISSED OFF today.  It was kinda funny.

The one guy in particular we wanted this 'pointed at' did a COMPLETE 180 turn.  He started defending us to the others.  "you know, in a job, if you work less than 4 hours you're only allowed one break!"  Hilarious!!

Oh, well...

Party this weekend here.  Play some poker, enjoy some friends.

My sister's in town to surprise my parents (ugh, 4 li'l neices and nephews).

l8r all

New respect for Rory

Okay, so I haven't been on here in a while.  Reason being:  Rory's a daddy! 

Congratulations Rory & Rain on your little baby girl!

Now they just have to name the little cutie.

 

So, yeah.  Sunday Mandy & I went to Boulevard for her "walk for leukemia".  Which was fun.  We went with Shawna and Ryan and Shaun.  Shaun was pretty fun, watching him playing with all the free toys he got.

[We also got a bunch of free stuff too]

 

On the way back I figured I'd give Ror a shout about what he wanted me to teach on Monday.  Didn't reach him on the house line... or the cell phone... hmm...

Turns out Rain went into labour around midnight on Saturday [which is good, otherwise they would have induced her on Monday].  It was a harrowing moment for them (actually like 25hours worth of moments).  But the little girl is in the world.

 

...And I've got Rory's job this week.  Man, he's got some brutal kids.  Not just some, but ALL.  Imagine the worst kids you could deal with.  Now do that for a full class, and then do that for 3 periods a day!  Brutal... fun... but it's really draining.

 

So here I am, going on the 4th day of covering, and I'm still making stuff up for  him... I'm brutal at History.  Making it up as I go along.  Which is ok, Rory's been really 'phased' this past week, so I don't mind stepping up.

 

Thursday's a shortened day I think... and then Friday I'm gonna let them do their projects.  Should be good.  Apparently we have a movie to watch... just haven't pre-watched it yet... *irk*  So i should find something as a backup... hrmm... maybe some knockout gas!  :)