athlete?

UK study found that "women with ring fingers longer than their index fingers - a train commonly seen in men - performed better at running and sports involving running, such as tennis and soccer."

Watch out girls... it looks like I need to really consider playing a sport because I happen to have a long ring finger... on both hands even :)

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ER - well it wasn't as fast paced as the first episode, but I was still happy with it. I think the whole 'sam' story will come back later on and I was quite pleased with the ending for abby and kovach. Did anyone understand what happened to Weaver? - was she demoted?

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Boys - Kyle is going to preschool three days a week and starts soccer on Tuesday. He has made a friend at preschool and has some friends from the gym. His nini (grandma) was just here for a visit and we had a great time. Michael has been sick most of this week. Cough/runny nose... I guess I should say most of this month - but the cough didn't start until a few days ago. He is down to three bottles a day (give or take one) and is eating most of the things we eat in some form. He is standing and seems to be interested in taking a step but hasn't officially tried. I was in Vancouver on Sunday night for a business meeting all day Monday. Paula and I hit the river rock casino to give our donation to the provincial government. The River Rock was fabulous. We had a good time - played roulette, slots and had an awesome dinner at the buffet. Paula was getting her bathroom and kitchen renovated so she camped with me in the hotel for the night - poor Paula had to listen to me snore... sorry about that - better than me throwing the cat at you though :) I had my meeting all day and then flew home on the 4:40. So we've had a busy week - oh I got an appointment with the orthopedic surgeon - they had a cancellation yesterday - so we went to PG for the day - nini had to fly back to Vancouver anyway - dr. figures it is something he can fix with an incision and a cut - I have surgery booked for oct 17 - so with any luck I will be back giving people the bird anytime I like.

season premiere week

Two kids = limited tv time that doesn't have an animated figure on it

I make time for ER. They didn't disappoint with their season opener. It was fast paced and super emotional. I had a good cry... let's face it - I cried through damn near the whole thing and I'm not an overly emotional person. I didn't get the wind-sucking cries - just the regular ones - there was an episode last season that I got the big cries from... of course I was pregnant.

Well I don't have a lot of time to blog about this tonight, but I wanted to see if anyone else watched it and what they thought of it? In case people didn't see I want ruin the end for you but I will ask - what did you think of the ending? Is that ok what happened? I won't say much else because I hate being the movie/tv wrecker.

I'm going to bed.

Wait - I want to ask one more thing - I've taken another blog name - actually quite a while ago - and I've been thinking of developing it into a fundraising project for alzheimers. What I would like to do is start a campaign to capture dreams. Why dreams? Well here is what I think - and I'm probably wrong - but what I hope is that even though my grandma's brain is deteriorating and she isn't the woman I've known my whole life, that maybe she is able to dream. I have this "polly anna" thought that she can remember her family in her dreams she can be the woman she was and have some release from the existence she has now.

I've been mulling this over for a few months, trying to figure out if it is a good idea, if it could work. I want to collect dreams on my blog and also request letters from some famous people, compile those dreams and publish them with the funds going to Alzheimers research.

What do you think? Would you buy a book to support alzheimers? Be frank with me - if it won't work - it won't work - I just wanted to do something.

My grandma is much worse. With the family feuding this past summer I didn't visit because I had the notion that maybe we weren't supposed to anymore. Not because I didn't want to visit but because my parents and their brothers are at war over how to handle the situation. We were asked to take my grandfather to a doctors appointment this weekend. So Andy took him while I watched grandma. It is just all bad. She doesn't know anyone around her, she has troubles forming sentences, she needs help with drinking, walking, washroom - everything. And when I say help I mean she needs someone to do it for her. She doesn't need to be hooked up to a machine but she needs 24 hour care that can lift, and support all of her needs. This is what is prompting me to again consider this idea. She can't be helped but maybe a little money can help someone find a cure and maybe then someone else we all know and love doesn't have to suffer.

Well I will leave you with that for tonight - I need to do some reading and then sleep. I have a meeting in Barkerville all day tomorrow. Night.

challenge - know you better

My dear friend Paula emailed me this little quiz and I thought I would share my answers here. I would like to challenge all my readers to try this out so I can learn more about you.

1. IF YOU COULD BUILD A HOUSE ANYWHERE, WERE WOULD IT BE?
Hawaii

2. WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE ARTICLE OF CLOTHING?
mittens

3. THE LAST CD YOU BOUGHT? (and/or last itunes song)
Dixie Chicks - CD, itunes - London Bridge - Fergie and Christina Agulera Ain't No Other Man

4. WHAT TIME DO YOU WAKE UP IN THE MORNING?
Whatever time it is when Michael decides it is time to get up - anytime between 4am and 6:45am

5. WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE KITCHEN APPLIANCE?
Oven - I don't have one right now - I'm operating with a toaster oven and anyone that knows will understand that I do a far bit of cooking and I've come to realize that this is my favorite.

6. IF YOU COULD PLAY AN INSTRUMENT, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
Too many to chose from - definitely guitar and I wouldn't mind learning violin and piano

7. WHICH DO YOU PREFER, SPORTS CAR OR SUV?
car - four door

8 DO YOU BELIEVE IN THE AFTER LIFE?
right now I don't

9. FAVORITE CHILDREN'S BOOK?
Hmmmm... this is a hard one - we go through soo many - I think it would be The Paper Bag princess, Munsch

10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SEASON?
spring

11. IF YOU COULD HAVE ONE SUPER POWER, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
Would it be a super power to make money grow on trees...? If not, then I would pick wolverine's power - to heal

12. IF YOU COULD HAVE A TATTOO, WHAT WOULD IT BE AND WHERE WOULD YOU PUT IT?
As Paula said, been there, done that - but I will add - that I would get another - I would like to get my son's chinese character names inside or beside my maple leaf

13. CAN YOU JUGGLE?
balls - no, work and life - yes

14. THE ONE PERSON/PEOPLE FROM YOUR PAST YOU WISH YOU COULD GO BACK AND TALK TO?
my grandpa

15. WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE DAY?
Saturday

16. WHAT'S IN THE TRUNK OF YOUR CAR?
a stroller, a blanket, a box of paper for work, dirt

17. WHICH DO YOU PREFER, SUSHI OR HAMBURGER?
helllooo - SUSHI all the way baby!

18. FROM THE PEOPLE YOU EMAIL THIS TO, WHO'S MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND?
from my bloggers - well I think Mel might - if she has time

19. WHO'S LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND?
The rest of you are busy - so I'm sure if any of you will find the time for this.

20. WHO DID YOU RECEIVE THIS FROM?
Paula

21. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE FLOWER?
Lily of the valley

22. FAVORITE ICE CREAM?
Black forest

23. BUTTER, PLAIN, OR SALTED POPCORN?
how about caramel popcorn

24. FAVORITE COLOR?
blue

25. WHAT KIND OF CAR DO YOU DRIVE?
Honda CRV

26. FAVORITE SANDWICH?
Tuna and avocado or BLT

27. ON VACATION WHERE WOULD YOU GO?
Hawaii or Vancouver

28. WHERE WERE YOU BORN?
Quesnel

29. FAVORITE SPORT?
Hockey

31. ARE YOU A MORNING PERSON OR A NIGHT OWL?
I'm a little bit of both - I have to be a morning person and I wish I was a night owl again

32. WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE SINGER?
Tough tough - Kevin Hearn - Hidden Sun - BNL

33. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE RESTAURANT?
Does IKEA count? - In Quesnel my fav is Bistro Duo - on the coast I would have to go with many of the vendors at the Granville Island food court

34. DO YOU ATTEND CHURCH? IF SO, WHAT IS THE NAME?
no

35. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE FAST FOOD?
None

36. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE TV SHOW?
ER

37. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PASTIME?
Spending time with family and friends - maybe that isn't a pastime - I like scrapbooking, photography, astronomy and masochism :)

38 HOW MANY CLOSE FRIENDS DO YOU HAVE?
Hmmm, define close :) - Four

39. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE DRINK?
Cranberry and seven

40. WHAT IS YOUR WORST FEAR?
Don't get me started - under this category I could go on and on - I will say spiders even though I don't really fear them - but let's just leave it at that

41. WHAT IS YOUR BEST CHILDHOOD MEMORY?
Very tough - that one that came to mind was my grandpa making me remove thorns and prickle bushes from the front lawn - he would give me a nickel for the small ones and a dime for the big ones - then we'd walk to Frank's and get an ice cream sandwich -

42. IF YOU HAD TO DO ONE THING OVER AGAIN, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
I would have completed my projects in metal work and wood work rather than getting my bud to finish them for me.

43. WHAT IS YOUR DREAM?
Um, can you say lotto! I dream of living comfortable and having loads of time for my kids and husband, friends and family.

44. ARE YOU ATTACHED/MARRIED?
Yes

45. WHAT DO YOU FIND ATTRACTIVE IN A PERSON?
kidneys? - oh - not literally - spontaneity

46. WHAT THING(S) TURN YOU OFF THE MOST IN A PERSON?
Poor fashion sense - ha -

47. ARE YOU A DOG OR A CAT PERSON?
Dog

48.WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU WERE IN YOUR PAST LIFE?
A lamp - if the question was supposed to be who - I would say Johnny Appleseed

49. WHAT ARE YOUR PET PEEVES?
people who can't say excuse me after they fart - you know who you are :)

50. SAY ONE NICE THING ABOUT THE PERSON THAT SENT THIS TO YOU.
You are a kind hearted person who is able to forgive a friend who sleep walks and rants. You also smell good.

Thank you to Carmen for completing the questions.

summer fire pictures

I finally scanned my mom's photos of the Nazko fire. She has quite a few more - I thought I would show you some of my favorites.







The cars pulled over by the cops are two 'tards who decided to disregard the fire barrier and drive through. They found out the hard way that the signs really really meant they shouldn't proceed. Both vehicles paint had bubbled and peeled.

what's new?

Today my mom took Kyle for most of the day, freeing us up to make a donation to the special olympics (local team) and also letting us enjoy some time with Michael. We donated all of our left over garage sale stuff - including my wedding dress and a large variety of other things. The back of our pick up was full (double stacked in some spots) and then a few more things in the car.

It felt great to give the stuff and I would suggest to everyone that this is a great way to help recycle and also clean your house. Most of the stuff we've been packing for more than four years without any use. It was surprising the number of textbooks that we had. I kept some of andy's textbooks because they are relevant to my current work.

Since we had some Kyle free time we took Michael to weigh in - he is now 29 inches tall and 21 lbs 5 oz. I definitely feel the 21 lbs. I'm surprised that I'm able to carry him for the length of time that I do.

Kyle had a great time with Grandma. They spent the day with the puppies, playing and having a lot of fun. They met us for dinner (half way point Sylvia's Cafe - best home style cookin') and then we came home.

Trying to get stuff done now because Andy's departure date keeps getting closer. He will be taking a course in Vancouver starting in mid October and we have quite a few tasks that need to be completed before then.

Babies cryin' and I need to finish some paper work. Nighty night... pictures soon.

pluto

SAT scores are getting lower and lower in the US. The educational issues facing them is a major challenge to the future of America. Wrongly educated or uneducated students can not ruin the planet and create wars.

In an effort to assist the ever growing ranks of youth who are not fulfilling their educational requirements the government has managed to sweet talk the astronomy gurus of our planet into dropping pluto from our planetary solar system.

Why drop pluto? Well it is one less thing for a student to remember and it means that scientists can not add the additional smaller (dwarf) planets to the list and making the poor students have to remember more than nine.

teeth

The cries began at 4am. A break, then more, a break, then more. This little moaning and crying concert went on for two and half hours. I figured his body was trying to push another tooth out but my brain didn't flick the light on until I had endured two and half hours. I bought some natural teething tablets at a health food store months ago and at 6:30 my brain went... hey why don't you give him some.

I did - the crying stopped and he went to sleep until 7:45. Michael is now the proud owner of two lovely teeth. One is about half way exposed and the other has just broken through the skin. Kyle must have a huge pain tolerance - he didn't make a peep when he was teething - ok - maybe there was some crying but nothing like this. At 8 months Kyle was sleeping through the night and I was pretty well rested. Michael is still getting up in the night and I have no idea why.

So I took the rest of the year off. I won't be returning to full time work until the new year. So cheers to that!

Kyle went back to preschool yesterday. He is having a great time. There are lots of kids (full session). He is enrolled in soccer for October and I'm really looking forward to that.

Well there is a bit of an update. I need to print some pictures and scrapbook. I keep saying I'm going to do it and then I don't... I will try and get something acomplished this afternoon on the scrapbook front.

CBS

Katie Couric = intelligent?

I wasn't a die hard viewer of the Today show, but I did watch. I remember Katie dressing up as Sponge Bob Square pants and I was kind of hooked after that. She is so many things to very wide cross section of people.

Tonight she began her new career as the host of CBS Evening News. I made sure I tuned in for a while to see how she was doing. Wonderful, as anticipated - that is until she was signing off... or didn't. As some ploy to get more people looking at the CBS website and probably pitch to a younger crowd she asked the viewers to create her sign off. The Katie I've watched does not need the assistance of the viewing public with this.

All that said, I encourage you to go to the CBS website and make up your own sign off - 'good night america and remember to get your colon checked' or remind them that Katie can just as easily come up with a great way to sign off. She doesn't really need to say anything at all - we, the apparently stupid', viewing public get that the show ends at 7pm and that things wind down on there own.

Ahhhh, I ranted. I have another... I will see if I can get it out tonight.

steve

I will admit it, I loved the crocodile hunter. I watched his smiling face on the discovery channel pretty often over the past few years. His sometimes crazy antics made me crave more of his "Jack Ass" meets Lorne Greene style. If you loved the "crikey" man as much as I did I hope you will feel compelled to leave your favorite moment that you saw on his show.

Some of my favorite moments were when he was trying to hold onto a snake and the comments he would make after a massive snake would try and nip him.

He brought nature to everyone and made millions of people more aware of the creepy, crawly, bump-in-the-night beasts that we fear. I've been trying to find a way to make a contribution to some of Steve's work. The best thing I can think of right now is to donate to the Australian Zoo that employed Steve and continue to support the Discovery Channel. There website is pretty hard to get into right now because half world is trying to look at it but you can visit www.crocodilehunter.com if you get a chance.

where did I go?

So you might have wondered if I jumped off the planet for a few weeks there and well I did. We went away. Off to the coast to run away from it all. I did some work on the island and feel like I learned a few things. Spent some time with family in Vancouver but really just lounged and tried to regain my spirit to spend another winter in the north. The winters are much milder than they were when I was a kid but... being on the coast made me really think about the possibility of moving down. I could take this opportunity to rant about drivers, limited family activities, family activities that don't cost me a days work, rude people, mean people, racist people... but I won't (tonight). I will leave you with some photos from our vacation and will write again soon. Happy belated birthday to my beautiful 27 year old aunti jenni and my daddy... I love you both very much!



Aquatic life at the aquarium... of all places... shocking :)



The men in my life enjoying the view



My little family enjoying a sunset



Another family pic

quiz for the beginning of september

Welcome to September folks! That's right we are one step closer to the end of the year. I actually saw a sign a few weeks ago reminding me that christmas was getting closer - to which I say - blow it out your you-know-what... lord - like we don't have enough to worry about... like gift giving is what life is all about! Better buy that sweater or else someone won't like me anymore - well if your friends and family are like that it is probably best to tell them where to go now before spending that $40 on something that person won't likely care about anyway... and now with my rant out of the way - here is your new quiz