Musical Meanderings

When we were first married, I asked my husband if, when we have some money, he would buy me a "real" piano (as opposed to the electric one I've got).. Yesterday we went into Irene Besse (a piano store in town) and saw an antique piano that matches our decor that was within our price range. So, he bought it for me. I'm quite pleased, it's excellent quality. We noticed that the new pianos a) are WAY out of our price range b) are all very shiney and plastic looking c) have laminated soundboards vs solid wood and d) are made in China. Don't get me wrong, I bear no malice towards things made in China, however, I have noticed a certain lack of quality in all items that I've purchased the last few years that have been made in China. I'd hate to drop $4000 on a piano and have it sound like crap or crack or something because of poor workmanship.

I'm not sure if I mentioned this earlier, but we're going to England for two weeks at Christmas. It will probably be freezing cold there (what with the excessive humidity).

It's off the the vet we go

Maya was at the vet's all day. We took her in to have her cyst removed from her eye and while she was under remove the tumours from her chest. Dr. Torrence (best vet in Calgary by the way) removed 5 tumours from her chest, all were just fatty tumours and not cancerous. So Maya's walking around looking like Frankenstein's monster.
I've been feeling like death warmed up all day. Nauseous and dizzy. It's been fun.

the long arm of the law

I spent the day in court today. Literally the whole day! I got a parking ticket in April and I felt that the "peace officer" was being a jerk about it. I got the the court house at 10 am and only just got home now, at 4:45. On the plus side, although the judge said that technically I deserved the ticket, there were mitigating circumstances and he lowered my fine from $40 to $5. SO I feel somewhat vindicated and am pleased that I got to have my say. Other than that nothing new to report.

No pain, no gain

I've been miserable for the last week. I've been in absolute agony with my back. A new trick its been playing on me is seizing up with no warning and no precipitating event. Also, this is fun, tingling and numbness in my legs and arms. Apparently the tingling and numbness are signs of nerve damage. Who knew? So, I've been fairly grumpy and had to miss some work because of it (not cool, especially since I've only been at the job a few weeks) I've bitten the bullet and am going to see a chiropractor over this spine of mine (hey, I'm a poet and I don't even know it). That should be fun, more X-rays. It's been especially hard on me because I've been having trouble sleeping. I wear my mouth splint at night (to stop me grinding and popping my jaw) and I'm sleeping with a special pillow between my legs to keep them apart and (supposedly) help keep my spine aligned (hey more rhymes!) Poor old Christopher has become my pack horse, he won't let me carry anything heavier than a lettuce leaf. However, the important thing is that I'm not doped to the gills with painkillers. No sir, I just lather myself in Ben Gay and try not to let Chris see me cry (or hear me scream).

No job yet for Chris, he was offered one job but it was unsuitable for him. The job consisted of mowing lawns. I've told him I'll screen any jobs he applies for in the future. I ask you, what made the man think he would enjoy mowing bloody lawns for a living?!?!?!?

So I'm in BC at the moment (I feel horrible being here as I missed Thursday and Friday from work with my back...it was legit, I was bedridden for two days!) If I'd backed out of the trip a) I'd be out +++ $$$ and b) (more importantly) I'd have missed the Titanic exhibition HELLO?!?!?!? THE TITANIC EXHIBITION! I've got OCD how the hell can I honestly be expected to miss and EXHIBITION of TITANIC artifacts?!?!?!?!?!?!? It was very nice and I'm glad I went, I made sure not to let Chris walk in front of me so that he wouldn't see me limping and grimacing with every step. I bought over $400 worth of books/DVDs/memorobilia. Yeah, I'm an addict what are you going to do about it? Everyone has a vice, this is mine. Besides it's not like I'm ever going to get an opportunity to go again. The sad thing was that I've got more books than they had there, also, my books were much better than the ones they had. They didn't have Walter Lord's "A Night to Remember" also missing were the disaster enquiry hearing transcripts. Sad. It wouldn't surprise me if a lot of the people who went to the exhibit were expecting to see pictures of Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, maybe some were hoping to get autographs. Oh well, I'm sure some people learned some things despite themselves. I learned that when I'm subjected to the body odour or a 300+ pound man who hasn't showered in about 6 years that I have difficulty not vomiting. Seriously people! If you're going to go out in public PLEASE BATHE! Cripes, some people should be shot.

Anyway we're going home tomorrow (here less than 48 hours) so that's sad. I think when we come up for Mark's funeral...er, wedding reception. We'll stay a few days and enjoy a bit.

Jobs and sobs

Chris had an interview today at a hotel, actually the same hotel that I worked at a few months ago (small world and all). He was offered the job but didn't accept because it was stupid hours. He's got his name down at a few placement agencies so it shouldn't be too long. He's only been looking two days.

Poor thing had a root canal on that nasty tooth today, he's a bit achy but not complaining too much.

I've got the funny numbness in the back of my throat again. I'm not sure what that's all about, probably bloody cancer or something.

I'm going to talk to the diabetes and pregnancy clinic. I'm very ticked off about the whole conception thing. They promised they'd get my A1C down to 7 in three months. Well, in 5 months they didn't manage to move it one iota. I'm going to ask Dr. Edwards if I can see a reproductive endocrinologist concurrently with the diabetes clinic. That way, I can work on getting the A1C down while at the same time seeing what else may or may not be wrong with me. It would suck to spend all that time, energy and money getting my A1C down only to find out that I've got blocked fallopian tubes and can't conceive anyway. We'll see what he says.

"Silly Questionaire"

Received this from a friend on facebook I usually find these things silly but will fill it out anyway 'cause I'm like that.

What are 5 things that you cannot live without for under $10 each
1. chap stick (usually the mint kind)
2. diet coke
3. Beer (Chris)
4. ....
5. ....

What are your 5 favourite movies?
1. Schindler's List
2. Marvin's Room
3. Beaches
4. The Bird Cage
5. Das Boot (Chris and me)

5 Favourite BOY baby names
1. David
2. William
3. Rhys
4. Ewan
5. Johnathan

5 Favourite GIRL baby names
1. Hazel
2. Anne
3. Marie
4. Lucy
5. Eleanor

5 favourite songs
1. The Best Man - Blaine Larson
2. He Didn't Have to Be - Brad Paisley
3. The Broken Road - Rascall Flatts (our wedding song)
4. The Theme from "Driving Miss Daisy"
5. The Theme from "The Mission"

5 People who have influenced my life in a positive way
1. Heather (the rec lady from the Bev) the kindest, most altruistic woman I've ever met in my life
2. Kristy - who always was and always will be there.
3. Chris - who loves me just as I am, and taught me how to love myself
4. Anne-Marie Clavelle who taught me how a mother is supposed to be treated/loved
5. Moe - who taught me the meaning of "never give up"

5 Items that I keep in my purse at all times
Well, I don't carry a purse, but if I did it would probably contain
1. my wallet
2. chapstick
3. my blood testing kit
4. random pens
5. wads of kleenex (used or otherwise...hey, you asked!)

5 life changing moments
1. when I finally realized my biological father didn't love me and I was able to let go
2. when I met my husband
3. when I FINALLY got rid of Malcolm for good
4. when I received my certificate for graduation form the DBT program
5. when I buried my grandmother's ashes

5 obsessions
1. installing a new patio door!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
2. Dr. Who (more specifically, David Tennant)
3. growing my hair out (at the in between stage, it's KILLING ME!)
4. getting the house squared away
5. getting a "real" job instead of working for a temp agency

This wasn't on the list so I'm adding it myself (WAY deeper than bloody movies!)
5 Favourite books
1. When Rabbit Howls (Truddi Chase)
2. Oryx and Crake (Margaret Atwood)
3. Any and all of my Titanic books
4. The Ancestor's Tale (Richard Dawkins)
5. The God Delusion (Richard Dawkins)

All quiet on the western front....NOT

Well, Mr. Rean has quit his job in a fit of temper. Although when he told me the circumstances behind his walking out I agree that he made a decent choice.
Of course, this comes less than 24 hours after we've spent almost $2000 on two separate trips to BC. We're going down to see the Titanic exhibition (which ends on Oct. 14) then we have to go down on the 27th of October for Mark's wedding. Yes, he's finally tying the knot.
Chris going to work his little fingers to the bone writing up cover letters and getting his resume out tomorrow. Until he gets another job I'll look forward to coming home to find a nice clean house and a hot meal.