The Furry Family that Lives with Us

We have 3 puppies that live with us.  Well they aren't really puppies, they are all fully grown dogs, but they are little so I like to think of them as puppies.  And when I say they live with us, I mean I don't feel that I "own" them, we live together in a happy house.  Dust and I work, and they live the sweet life (yes, I do get jealous sometimes). 

We bought Ninja from a pet store when he was almost 3 months old.  I didn't really want a puppy, but Dustin was in LOVE with this one.  On a random day, Dust just stopped in the pet store (because I like to see all the baby animals) and right away the girl at the counter said "Hi, yes he's still here".  Part of me just went "Oh no".  The last little puppy of a litter was sitting by himself in a pen.  Dustin went over and picked him up, held him out to me and just said "Can I please come home with you guys?"  After a rather brief discussion with the girl working the counter and my husband, who desperately wanted this puppy, I found out that he had been in the store almost every day for two weeks visiting this specific puppy.  How on earth was I supposed to say no?  So, Ninjitsu Magoo (aka Monster) officially became a Hyatt.  

Ninjitsu Magoo

We both work full time and I have always been a firm believer in puppies should have friends too, so after living with us for 2 months Ninjitsu needed a girlfriend.  Well, it wasn't really that thought out of a decision.  What actually happened was: We went to the pet store to buy bird treats and dog toys and there was a rolly, polly little girl puppy and I immediately fell in love with her.  Mimzicola Muffet (aka The Phat) came home with us about an hour later. 

Mimzicola Muffet

Ninja and Mimzy fell in love and had 6 babies.  5 boys and 1 girl.  The girl was the last one born and was actually a bit of a surprise in the morning.  I went to bed and there were 5 black little boys snuggling their mommy, and when I woke up in the morning there was an extra puppy and it was white.  Dustin was convinced that we needed to keep the one white girl puppy and after a rather hard time getting rid of all of the boys, she was the only one left.  Panda Bear had her collar and name tag randomly brought home by Dustin one day after work and eventually when people asked if we were getting rid of her the answer changed from "Yes, do you know someone who wants her?" to "Nope".

Panda Bear

So there you have it.  Our puppy family was complete.  Mom, Dad, and Baby Girl.  Ironically it's exactly how our human family worked out too.  Mom, Dad and Baby Girl.

Excursion Imagination

I started going for early morning/nightly walks/runs in my neighborhood over a year ago, in a successful attempt to lose my post-pregnancy weight.  I quickly found that I found it quite enjoyable to walk my dog or push my baby in her stroller, listen to my iPod and let my mind wander.  My excursions started as small walks, as I was extremely out of shape (6 months of bedrest will do that to a person), but I eventually made it to the point where I could run instead of walk (very proud of myself).  It was a long trek but I made it, blah, blah, blah.  No one wants to hear another weight loss story, and I don't like to remember how miserable I was.

I live in a "modular home park" and I say "modular home" because the people in my neighborhood do not live in your average double-wide trailers.  They live in these huge and elaborate double-wide trailers with basements and balconies and attics and double-car garages, etc (you get my point, they are mansion trailers).  I think ours is the smallest house on the block, but it's a nice neighborhood to live in and we actually know each and every one of our 30 neighbors.  The walk around my block is actually quite a work out if you want it to be.  It's short enough that you can run it and it's got enough hill to make a walk a little more than a stroll.

Anyway...

Recently, I've found a new marvelous source of enjoyment on my daily excursions: I make up stories about my neighbors.  Strange elaborate stories.  Remember I said I know all of them.  I know what they look like, I know where lots of them work, I know who belong to which house and I know which ones are Canuck fans, but it ends there.  The rest of the details that I like to make up as I walk past their houses and I don't care if it makes me sound crazy.  I like to pretend.  There are lots of days where I'll thow in an extra lap around the block because I wasn't quite finished with the imaginary story going on with number 12.

Most of my neighbors are "old" people, though there are a few younger people mixed in as well.  The neighbors that I talk to on a regular basis have quite interesting stories and I wonder what else they may have done and the ones that I don't talk to regularly are the ones that my brain picks on the most.  I'm pretty sure of several crazies and I know there's a few recreational drug users and I know one of the widows is getting married this summer, but the made up stuff is so much more interesting.  Like the man who only eats cabbage and that's why he smells the way he does.  Or the couple that attends every church function but sacrifices a lamb to the Devil every full moon.  Or the girl that I am pretty sure is some sort of non-human entity with supernatural powers. 

So, now that I've said this, I'm starting to wonder what my neighbors think of me... 

Rick Mercer and Snowdays

So I was watching the Rick Mercer report on TV a little while ago and I had this epiphany that I thought I should share.  Lately I've noticed that people in general are seemingly  more crabby than usual.  Even the normally overly cheerful people are looking as though they have a few rough edges.  I've noticed that more people are trying their hardest just to get through another monotonous day at work/home/wherever, And it wasn't until Mr. Mercer gave his rant on snowdays that I had a clue why. 

Before my very eyes people have been falling victim to the Winter Blues.  That's right.  People around me hate this time of year and instead of taking it in stride or thinking the best or even trying to use this time of year as a recharge session, they decide to use the fluffy snow and the cold air as an excuse to sit around and mope about everything in their lives that they aren't happy about. 

We live in Canada.  This means that every year for at least two months it is cold, snowy, windy, icy, and just plain shitty outside.  So why not use this time to do those things that are so often put aside.  Catch up on some TV, read a good book, use crayons to make elaborate To Do lists, do something that makes you smile.  Find something to humor yourself with.  Or find something constructive to do.  But please, for the love of "God", please stop whining about it.  Waaaa it snowed...  Darn it, I guess I don't have to go mow the lawn and pull weeds, and pick up the dog shit out in the yard.  I am free to play a video game, go sledding, have a bubble bath, and wonder what the gnomes on the windowsill are thinking.  SMILE dammit!

Anyways, I digress.  This is my favorite time of year.  I like the cold, I like the snow, I even like shoveling the snow.  Tobogganing is fun, snowboarding is fun, watching my puppies play in the snow is fun.  That nice white blanket hides everyone's lawns that are always brown and overgrown by by about August, and I don't have to look at flowerbeds that are overtaken by dandelions.  I know my yard a whole lot less work to maintain in the middle of January than it is in July, I am assuming that this is the case for everyone elses yard as well.

There is no need for that greasy layer of sunscreen and the extra layer of pit-stick because you don't want to burn to death and it's so hot outside that you start sweating before your body even meets the air.  There are days when I can't even go barefoot outside because it burns my feet!  No lie.  I fail to see the logic surrounding how that can possibly make people happy?!!?  How is that better than watching the snowfall and drinking hot chocolate?

Adventures in Wonderland: Found in a Random Binder Somewhere:

Adventures in Wonderland: Found in a Random Binder Somewhere:: "Twelve Thoughts for Today 1) Life is a sexually transmitted disease. 2) Health is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die. 3)..."

Found in a Random Binder Somewhere:

Twelve Thoughts for Today

1) Life is a sexually transmitted disease.

2)  Health is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die.

3)  Men have two emotions:  Hungry and Horny.  If you see him without an erection, make him a sandwich.

4)  Give a person a fish and you feed them for a day:  teach a person to use the Internet and they won't bother you for weeks.

5)  Some people are like Slinkies.  Not really good for anything, but you still can't help but smile when you see one tumble down the stairs.

6) Health nuts are going to feel stupid someday, lying in hospitals dying of nothing.

7)  Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again.

8)  All of us could take a lesson from the weather.  It pays no attention to criticism.  

9)  Why does a slight tax increase cost you two hundred dollars and a substantial tax cut saves you thirty cents?

10)  In the 60's people took acid to make the world weird.  Now the world is weird and people take Prozac  to make it normal.

11)  Politics is supposed to be the second oldest profession.  I have come to realize that it bears a very close resemblance to the first.

12)  You read about all these terrorists.  Most of them come here legally, but they hung around on these expired visas, some for as long as 10-15 years.  Now, compare that to Blockbuster; you are two days late with a video and those people are all over you.  I think we should put Blockbuster in charge of immigration :)

I am thankful for ME :)

So, I have been left all alone for this thanksgiving and I am oh so grateful.  It's not that I don't like my family, in fact I am rather fond of them.  It's just that there is someone that I rarely get to spend time with that I love and I miss terribly.  That person is ME.  Since the Muk Muk was born I have spent a grand total of 20 minutes with ME in our home.  20 minutes in almost a year.  That is no where near enough time to form a stable relationship.  The last time Me and I got to spend any time together was when I traveled to Surrey to visit my Tanya back in May.  I read a whole, rather large, book on that trip and came home feeling refreshed and ready for the return to life.  But, unfortunately life runs me down sometimes and I need a break, and I am not one of those people to shy away and say "I don't deserve it".  I work hard.  I definitely deserve a good "break" now and again.  

Dust spent a LOT of weekends this summer "away" (gone from morning till night) playing baseball, so he felt I deserved a break.  Friday he packed up the Muk Muk and took her to visit Gramma & Grampa H for thanksgiving and was gracious enough to tell me that I wasn't invited (oh, and he even remembered to buy a turkey so that he could have leftovers when he got back).  So even though he sounds kind of like an ass here, he's definitely not.  He knows me better than I know myself, and he knows I need this time for me.  He even gave me something that I enjoy doing to do (that would be the turkey, cooking and me are also very good friends). 

So, now I've spent the last 24 hours catching up on sleep, playing with my puppies (who I think also miss ME), conversing with my Penguin, watching hockey, reading books, taking bubble baths, roasting turkey, and drinking coffee, the "good" kind.  As you can see, I am not taking this time lightly, I am doing some serious relaxing here.  There is no BS house-cleaning, or errands, or crap like that.  I am being ME, I am loving every second, and I am definitely trying not to waste any time "missing" anyone.

But, despite my best efforts, I do miss the baby snores through the monitor at night, and the big boy snores in the bed beside me.  I got up last night to pee and was confused that there was no diaper to change, or sleepy baby to cuddle.  This morning I could leave my brightly colored coffee cup on the coffee table with no worries that it would get thrown on the floor and broken (FYI I have an emotional attachment to each and every one of my coffee mugs).  I also didn't HAVE to watch Sesame Street first thing this morning (I did anyways, I like Cookie Monster).  After I had a shower, I put on a nice clean pair of PJ's and they have stayed nice and clean all day, there is no drool, food crumbs or snot stuck to them (not my drool, food crumbs, or snot...  Missy B's). 

Mimzy dog is good and keeps "checking" on the baby that isn't here.  She wanders into Muk Muk's room and looks in the crib every couple of hours, and then whines cause there's no one there.  Ninja is sucking up as much love as he can get as he has no competition, and Panda is really just the same.  Penguin on the other hand, is a total HAM!  He's been talking more than normal, and has learned some very bad words (*Thank-you very much Mr. Hyatt*).  He's been molting so he's super itchy, which means I get extra snuggles from him (mostly because I pick at his feathers for him, but extra snuggles are extra snuggles).  ME is doing well.  Same old ME.  ME still likes the same things and pretty much hasn't changed much since the last time we got to spend any time together.  So, if you'll excuse us there is a fresh, ice cold beer waiting, and we need to go and cheer for LA (if you don't know me, I'm not an LA fan, I'm just a Canuck hater).

Sleep... Or lack there of.

I had these wonderful intentions of going to bed early last night and for once I actually followed through.  I was in bed and asleep by 9:30!  But, of course, it was the worst sleep that I think I have ever had and coming from me (the master of horrible sleep) that really says something.  Dustin is like a sleep ninja.  He just goes to bed and says "time for sleep" and his entire body just shuts down and off to dreamland he goes for the night.  Once asleep he rarely wakes up until his alarm clock goes off for the first time.  After 9 years I'm still trying to figure out what his trick is.  He tells me he "just goes to sleep".  Yeah must be nice.

I've had trouble sleeping since I can remember.  It's not that my mind wanders, though I do get bored and start thinking about stuff.  It's not that I don't tire myself out during the day.  It's not that I am not tired when I go to bed.  It's not that I don't have a bed time routine, as I do work so I have to stay on somewhat of a schedule.  And once I am asleep I have no trouble staying asleep.  It's the actual getting to sleep part that I have problems with.  

I have tried everything: doctors, sleeping pills, magic teas, lavender baths, etc.  Nothing seems to work, unless you call making me even more tired and cranky working.  I was always told that a human bean needs 8 hours of sleep to function normally.  So I must not be functioning properly if I was only getting 3-5 hours?  Doctors were mildly concerned about my lack of sleep, as like I said, you need 8 hours to function properly, so there must be something wrong with me.  I had blood test after blood test, answered many many questions and there was nothing wrong with me.  I was doing everything right, but most importantly, I wasn't overly tired all the time.  Lots of times I actually feel more rested after 4 hours of sleep than I do when I actually got 8 hours.

Eventually I just gave up fighting my inability to get to sleep.  I have embraced it, come to terms with it, and even worked with it.  Instead of getting mad that I can't get to sleep, I started using that time for more useful things.  I think this worked out slightly in my favor because now, when I have to get up in the middle of the night with the Muk Muk, it isn't that big of a deal.  I am fully functional on 3 solid hours of sleep, though many days in a row of this makes me a little tired-cranky.  I have also started to make sure that I stay in bed for as long as I can to "rest".  Even though I'm not actually sleeping, I still lay in bed which lets my body rest up for the next day.  This might sound a little weird, but it's been working for me for the last 3-4 years.  I let my mind wander, I work out the worlds problems, I plan my week, and all the while my body is resting and rejuvenating itself.  This leaves me feeling like I got more rest than I actually did as opposed to when I would get up and pace the house and get angry that I was missing precious, valuable, platinum sleep (it also let's me organize my life at the mental level).

Despite my history of "bad" sleep habits, last night was terrible.  I actually got a fair amount of sleep and this morning I am so TIRED!  After three cups of coffee I feel like I was hit by a bus and am still squished on the pavement trying to get up.  My head is foggy, my body is still asleep, and my eyes keep drooping.  This better quit soon, because I have to go to work today and use my brain to make some money :)  Stupid, stupid me thinking going to bed early and getting lots of sleep would work out in my favor.