My mom was right, I am no longer in control. And I will not be in control ever again in my life. LOL

I was supposed to go on a trip yesterday, but Cheruby and I decided that I was in no shape to go anywhere so I must sleep. So I did.

Then I was supposed to go today, but logistics being what they are, it is better for me to go tomorrow. So I wait another day.

All the while, the quickening has been going on and feeling oh, so very strange.

Back at the ranch, things are great. We had a heated discussion about whether boobs are inherently sexy. I think our difference comes down to "inherently" and "sexy" definitions being off more than anything else. In the end, we understood each other. I think it was the first heated discussion we've ever had where I didn't end up getting emotionally involved which was bizarre in itself.

Did I mention that one of my best friends has a fashion show in September? I'm so happy for her. She's giddy and I'm ecstatic for her. This is her dream and here it comes. I've always taken her my sewing projects because I knew I didn't have time and from her being so excited about sewing something cool, she has actually started getting more commissions. She's making her dreams come true and I got some cool clothes. I don't think I can afford her anymore though. ::wink::

Life is truly what you make of it. Don't wait for change to happen - make it happen. We are the most powerful force in our own lives.

Well how about that, I saw my daughter today for the first time. The technician was 80% sure that's what the baby is.

I was almost overwhelmed with nervousness and excitement before the ultrasound. I didn't know what to expect, but knew that this was the first opportunity for us to see that our baby was normal or not. Worried about the latter, but trusting it would be the former. I was a ball of emotions waiting to burst.

We started out with Cheruby making some jokes and making me laugh and jiggle. That screwed up the ultrasound picture every time, but the tech was awesome and just went with it. She was great. Cheruby said, "Hey, it's got my femur!" That made the tech chuckle as she hadn't heard that one before. Throughout the whole routine, he was making jokes and we were both fascinated with the screen and watching every image and movement.

It took Cheruby a while to realize that he was seeing the baby move quite a bit. I figured out only a little bit sooner only because I knew when I was moving and when the tech was moving, leaving the only other option for movement on the screen to be baby. What a wonderful experience.

We got to see her feet and her kidneys and her little nose and her little lips. The spine was always alienesque whenever she moved by it. H.R. Giger had definitely seen an ultrasound of an unborn child. Like every other ultrasound, we have a very cute alien.

I hear a little bit of high pitched alien squealing with this image.

As my mother-in-law said, "I love her already."

To start, I haven't had that much fun LARPing in a long time. I finished the last of the hand sewing on my under dress in the car. I didn't even get started on the outer layer, but that's a project for this month before the next game. I also figured that the dress was mostly done, but didn't really have any definition anywhere so I made a chainmaille belt that had a long dangly bit in the front as was the fashion in medieval times. I hope that I get to see the pictures The Whole Show took soon. I also managed to do my hair in the car.

While the theme of the game is faeries, the costuming was all over the place. I am definitely in the group that wants power. And as such, I went with traditional medieval style dress. There were a few others, but there were some that were definitely not. Like a real cutie in red underwear and a long mesh dress. And I'm not talking subtle mesh. What an ass! ::insert knuckle biting here:: I liked the amount of PVC and the Boots. The Boots were definitely another drool factor.

All in all, I think the game went very well. Roleplaying in this particular system is so easy because you don't have to really break character to do a challenge. Unless you are a noob like me who had to read the rules through when doing a challenge with another rules noob. We still had a lot of fun. I failed at my original goal, but the intent of that goal (to gain more holdings) was met in another fashion. YAY! And now, I have another worthy goal. All in all, it's a ton of fun to make people think you are something you're not.

I have a lot more planning and thinking to do before the next game. It's very unfortunate for the storyteller that I really don't care about the dead character whose murder we are supposed to be trying to solve. I think my character is happier now that she's dead more than anyone, but no one else needs to know that. Of course, I don't think anyone should trust a "nice" sidhe.

The first thing I craved in this pregnancy was music. I typically listen to my bubblegum station, but it made me nauseated. I followed my instincts immediately because no one likes feeling nauseated, and flipped through the dial. Relief swept over me as I heard some Tea Party. I had found the city's "source for new rock, the best of the 90's, along with the biggest classic rock". Yep, those are the sounds of relief and relaxation for a pregnant me. Go figure.

Music is very personal subject for my Cheruby. He hates pop music and cherishes his classical (and most other styles). He cringes when I call everything classical, but I don't know any better. And maybe it's kind of fun for me to push that button of his. :D He is impressed when he can tell that the music takes some talent to produce. The musically uneducated masses don't really have that criterion. We listen and pick music we like because it's pleasant or makes us feel a certain way or annoys our parents.

I believe I've mentioned my emotional filter previously and music is no exception. Cheruby would really love it if I would learn to love his classical music, but we don't know where to start. Most of it is boring to me (elicits no emotional response), some of it is perfectly awful (my shoulders tense within seconds and give me a headache within a minute), and a rare piece is glorious (fills me with whirling emotions that I get to figure out and enjoy). I truly love being able to describe my emotions and create similes and metaphors about where the music has taken me. Unfortunately, my emotional response to music rarely coincides with the technical expertise it takes to create that music.

The best part about musical craving is that I know the part that music plays in our lives will just get bigger. Now, to find someone who will tune the whole piano and not just two octaves around middle C.

I love looking at my new blog. It makes me quite happy and I know I still have some stuff to figure out with the layout.

Right now, I have Echo and Lazarus sleeping on the bed next to me while I write. There is some delectable chocolate chip banana bread for snacking and a Delirium Tremens glass filled with cream soda to quench my thirst. It is a moment of perfection.

The best thing that pregnancy has given me is forgiveness for little mistakes. Part of my on-going battle with depression is the little mistakes that I make that no one but me cares about. When left alone to think and be alone in my head, these are the clubs with which I beat myself. Time and again the odd person, who typically doesn't know me well, will say that I need to be kinder to myself. The look of concern they give me tells me that they know my secret. The anger at myself for making mistakes that fuels the beatings, can also be turned outward at those I love and care for. It turns outward when there is so much that I can't even think about how much I loathe my mistakes and I have to prove to myself that others aren't perfect either. I pick on them. Which is a self-fulfilling act of making mistakes which makes me angry with myself which turns outwards.

Without trying and without asking, the baby inside me has given me a reason to be forgiven for all those little mistakes. I am truly happier being me than I ever have been in my life. I'm not saying it has stopped entirely because that would be wishful thinking. And how do I stop doing something that I have been doing for the past 34 years?

I am still on my medication and I'm still actively working on staying this mentally healthy and not taking it for granted. I appreciate that this amnesty has occurred. It has brought me peace in so many ways.

My husband said to me today, "I'm glad I married you." I'm glad I married him too.

Yes, this is still me, the fabulous Suz. I just felt like a change to the look of my personal space on the interweb. I've been stagnant for a while, at least online, and the furniture is too heavy to move for me now.

Big weekend of Twilight Imperium. We have guests from Calgary and some from Saskatoon. It's going to be a great weekend!

The world is a full and amazing place.

Today, I confronted feelings of fear, sadness, and inadequacy about my knowledge of what I need to know to have a birth that I celebrate rather than survive. How did the confrontation go? I cried myself to sleep and waited for the hormonal imbalance to pass - for the WIN! It was a pretty decent afternoon nap.

I should also say that I asked friends for help and guidance, emailed knowledgeable experts for more information and had my husband relay to me his abstract expectation for labour and delivery. He thinks that he's going to be bored. ::grin:: I didn't bother to contradict him because how would I rightly know? I haven't done this before either.

I've also been sewing a costume and making plans to make some receiving blankets and roman blinds for the windows to help keep the cold out in the winter.

Business is going well, but I welcome any chance to talk about it that I can. I hate being pushy so it might take me a while to bring it up.

The furry kids are doing well.

We are 85% unpacked and 20% disorganized. Still can't find one of the leg bolts for one of our tables.

Cheruby and I finished quite a few of our co-op video games, watched the complete LOST series, and I finally have him watching Doctor Who. After that, we move onto Buffy the Vampire Slayer. YAY! Any suggestions for new series we should watch?

We took a family vacation on a houseboat for 7 days with my parents, brother and his kids. I hadn't slept for a couple nights before we left so the trip had a tremulous start, other than the constant rocking motion. We felt that rocking motion for a couple days after we got home and were laying down to sleep - quite surreal. I even have pictures and will show them to you!

Cheruby, unfortunately, lost his wedding band in Tobin Lake. He was swimming and the waves were kind of big cuz there was lots of wind. Apparently, the coolness of the lake shrunk his finger enough for the ring to just slip right off. He felt it fall. With the not great weather, which lasted pretty much all night, the lake bottom had to have claimed its prize. That didn't stop him from trying to find for many hours. It had never even threatened to fall off before so it was completely unexpected. A reward has been offered on Nipawin's Kijiji site. Anyone got a good metal detector?

The kids were taught many new games like poker, black jack, liar's dice, and Small World. You might have noticed some heavy Red Dead Redemption influence there. Cheruby was doing most of the teaching. We all lazed about and did crafts or word puzzles or sudoku. Cheruby fell asleep in the sunshine on the top deck, had his face stuck to the vinyl and kind of burnt it a little from that. It's peeling now. Heh. And speaking of peeling, my mom accidentally flashed Cheruby with the new boob that used to be back flesh. Mom and I can't giggle enough over this while Cheruby just doesn't really know what to think because he had no idea what he saw. Next year, we're getting a newer boat with a hot tub and a slide into the lake - WOOT!

Cheruby's mom came to visit us for a bit and that was awesome. She was headed out to Vancouver then and will be back in September. She's so delightful and loved. I was struck by the oddity that was one of her going away parties at Amigo's - Cheruby's ex and her parents were there. Not even weird anymore, just one of those things that reinforces how special Cheruby's mom is to lots of people.

I had a fabulous trip to Calgary where I stayed with a dear friend. I felt that it was a really good visit. The first relaxed good visit we'd had in a very long time. It was overdue. So many wonderful people that I miss in Calgary and didn't have time to see due to the sleep day I took. Driving and peopling can be quite tiring.

There was an in and out trip to Edmonton for my auntie Cool's birthday. She's very wonderful and Cheruby had yet to meet the majority of my mom's family (being the youngest of 12 kids, that's a pretty easy feat). So with a compromise on my part, he was wrangled into coming. I enjoyed seeing everyone although I was feeling wretchedly ill so I wasn't a great conversationalist and wish I could have visited more. We also got to witness a great display of talent on the part of neuba's little one and his aim at his daddy. LOL That was at the end of May and feels like yesterday.

I keep thinking that I have more time before the baby gets here, but it's flying by in leaps and bounds. With the house being mostly unpacked, I'll be taking more pictures for dear TUO who really shouldn't visit in the winter - summer months and good days only so that we can sit on the lovely covered patio with beer. Next year, I can have beer. I miss it some days. Please everyone, have a drink for me when you are especially enjoying what you are drinking!

And that really can't be all, and probably isn't. I hope to see more of you sooner rather than later. I really do enjoy having a quiet life in the sticks.

Oh and one more thing - Cheruby is being published!!! One of his short stories was accepted with some glowing praise for his style. The magazine is called Dark Recesses and is mostly online, but you can get printed copies from Amazon.

Many years ago, I gave up on a friendship because I could not separate my need to fix my friend from actually being a friend. I gave so much of myself that I didn't know what was left anymore. I stopped calling and emailing. Unfortunately, I did not have the guts to tell my friend why which was very bad and not respectful of me. That decision and its consequences have stayed with me. At the time, it was the best choice I could make with the information I had and being too young to realize that I was not the centre of the universe.

Now, I'm in the other shoes with the difference being that I was told why. We were the best of friends. Movies, Coke, and Smarties until I was too wired to sleep for days with the partner in crime lolling off to dreamland at will. Baking soda biscuits being shipped across the country. Laughter, finishing each others' thoughts, telepathy only being broken once in a blue moon, crossword puzzles on the grass (on fabulous blankets, of course), drives with the car choosing the path, and so many other great times. Then I moved. When I moved back, I had expectations of myself that things would be just like they were - Saskatoon would be exactly as I left it and it would fit the same. It didn't. Change happened. The friendship was good, but different. I wanted to be perfect and couldn't. That's always a bad place to be so I took* from anyone who would give. I was awful to those I loved most and put on an exhausting show for everyone else that I could only keep up a quarter the time if that. Depression was hard to admit because it felt like failure. When I finally did realize how far down I was, it was too late. I'd taken too much. I was the one in need of fixing as I had thought of my other friend all those years before. The same choice has been made again because one can only give so much before there's nothing left.

It has been difficult to make peace with my friend's choice, but I hope I get it now. I can't be sure and that's harder, I think. I cannot change the past and I did the best I could at the time. I am sorry that someone I care about and who cared about me enough to give too much was caused so much distress. I do wish things could have been different, but they aren't. Another great friendship has dwindled, but is certainly worthy of Valinor.

________________________________________
*I don't know how to define what I took.

So, this is pregnancy. Waking up at 5 hours of sleep to NEED to do something. Doing something and then sleeping for another 5 hours. Rambling thoughts that go everywhere, but when I try to remember where I've been, it's blank. No complete awareness of what's going on around me no matter how hard I concentrate at times. I don't trust myself driving. My memory is a sieve and I'm so not used to it - any of it. It consumed most of my waking thoughts - am I getting enough vitamins? have I already done irreversible damage? is it a boy or a girl? am I going to be strong enough when I need to be? will I remember the pain? will I resent my baby for the loss of time for me? can I trust myself?

I just realized that I missed some pretty major events in the lives of close friends of mine in the past few months. This seems to happen more frequently these days. I'll be the first to admit that I've been pretty caught up in my own life and not paying much mind to others. And by that, I mean on Facebook, because if I received a call or email from someone, I always made time to chat.

Facebook seems to have become too big for me. Yep, me - the woman who couldn't keep her computer off her lap for more than half an hour. I don't even know what over half my friends are doing even though statuses are being updated regularly, photos added, etc. I went through an exercise of looking through months of statuses on a few friends to find out how they've been and what they've been doing. Is it considered being a bad friend to not follow on Facebook? My friends are telling me (and all their other friends) exactly what they are up to all the time. There now seems to be a social obligation to find out through social networking - blogs, Facebook, Twitter, etc. rather than anything personal. Telling everyone means telling each individual even if the individual doesn't read it - bad non-reading friend. If it hadn't been for others, I wouldn't have known some friends were in Saskatoon from California and Calgary this weekend. I'm very grateful that I actually spoke to people who had noticed otherwise I might have missed the whole thing.

So in short, I think I was abducted by aliens for a while and had a pod person going through the motions for me. I have some sporadic memories, but mostly just boring stuff. Sorry everyone, I didn't mean to ignore you. Blame the aliens. ::grin::

Cheruby went to the Harris museum the other day and found more information than our plaque provides on our house. Mostly it is information about who owned our house since it was built in 1927, but that includes some interesting information itself. There is even a picture of the building when it was a C.N.R. Station at Crystal Beach. Most of the other information is about Crystal Beach which was a lake that dried up in the 50s. The government pitched in some money for a swimming pool to keep the resort alive (it had events held there which 4000 people attended), but then a fire took the pavilion, dance hall, and concession. That's what really killed it.

The lot is 100" wide by 120" deep so we have a lot of space. It makes the house look proportionally sized to lot, not the ginormous 1420 sq. ft. bungalow that it is.


The potatoes and corn haven't started growing yet so we haven't erected the fence around the garden yet. Asparagus, peas, and carrots are yet to be planted. The previous owner left behind some raspberries, rhubarb, chives, and poppies. There are a few too many chives, but they'll be pretty when they bloom.




Cheruby is putting together a bookshelf while I write this. And then he's going to ask me to move so he can rearrange the living room.

The bathroom is off the kitchen which is a little odd, but serviceable so it doesn't really matter. And the carpets, in my opinion, all need to be replaced as I can continue to smell the previous occupants and their smoke.

Wish list of renos includes all new floors, painted walls in all the bedrooms, flooring other than concrete in the basement, all new closet structures, making the walls in the living room match (three different wall treatments), upgrading the furnace and water heater, installing air conditioning, repairing and repainting the soffits, insulating the garage/workshop, etc. Of course, the first two priorities are a/c and a new bedroom floor. I'll sleep even better at night.

The garage has a new tin roof. We agreed to buy the place with the crappy falling apart roof on the garage - this was a very pleasant surprise. It has a new wood stove as of four years ago and is quite large. It's more likely that we'll use this space as a workshop than garage.


There is also a carport type structure in the yard which we've decided to use as a picnic type area. Here's our view from said structure.


As we get the rooms cleaned up, I'll post more. I bought a jigsaw today and installed the cat door to the basement. It was awesome. I think I need more saws.

Our house's plaque.

Life in Harris is full of small town cliches. I wouldn't have imagined any of them to be true, but they are.

The post office lady is Sheila and she was at the bank when Cheruby was there so he came home for 15 minutes before heading to the post office to pick up a package. The local hotel doesn't actually let any rooms, it's just the bar. Our neighbour, Lila, brought us a cake and a dahlia yesterday. She went through the trouble of putting the cake on her own plate, but then immediately had to tell me that she didn't make the cake. She just tried to make it look like she made the cake. I was highly amused.


So one of our other neighbours is Norman. He just got back from the sunny, warm south somewhere. Apparently, quite a few folks just spend their summers here. And there is an old catholic church in town that's boarded up - it is occupied for one week a year when the owner and family/friends come up to go hunting.

We do need a restaurant in town. There's a story about the Harris Grill which is for sale, but it's asking price is too high so it just sits. Anyone interested in moving to Harris to open a restaurant? There are a few other properties for sale here. ::grin::

Janelle at the credit union is almost due so has just started training her replacement. It won't be long now.

The birds at 4 a.m. can be a bit raucous, but then, I'd rather have that than sirens or yelling people in the apartment building across the alley.

We have to protect our garden from the deer. Cheruby is learning to be a handyman and gardener. We bought a book called, "Back to Basics - A Complete Guide to Traditional Skills". Somebody's going to have to know these things especially how to craft a dulcimer.


There are few photos of inside the house yet because it still looks like a box storage place.

An mostly acceptable picture of the kitchen.

I just wanted to tell the world that I feel like doing a happy dance.

No reason.

Just happy dancing.

So it turns out that it's probably a good idea to keep these project posts on their own blog. And here it is: 33x365 by Suzi

It's been a crazy couple of weeks, but nice. We've been spending our money on things we haven't been able to afford since the wedding like this fabulous new game. We've played it many times with Kevy-poo and my brother and niece and nephew and just each other. It really is a great game for many different reasons. I can't wait to play it with some other game-lovin' folks.

No, I wasn't house hunting in Vegas, but I was in Las Vegas after house hunting. And there may have been some forgery involved to get what we wanted.

I was in Las Vegas for the Arbonne National Training Conference. I was not pleased to be in Las Vegas when there was so much to do at home, but I was promised that this was the conference to be at. And that was very true. I am incredibly happy that I was there for the conference and launch of the new products. It was really great training and I'm incredibly glad that I went.

And house hunting was exhausting some days and the realtors certainly had to get a sense of humour quick with us. For some reason, murder rooms were a hot topic. Heh. At least Cheruby and I had fun with it. And at the mention of moving to a small town, Clark teased me about needing to get some dead animals for the walls. I'm always a little sad when stereotypes are fulfilled, but this one made me laugh too hard to make it noteworthy. Complete with old beer fridge.

Today is the first day of my just do it campaign. My husband and I are in midst of creating the life we want and why would I stop with just what we want! There is so much time in every day that I can be doing and creating my life so that I love every moment.

And my first command decision is a blog project that has been intriguing me for a long while now. I've been putting it off because I've always thought, "Not now, I know I won't keep it up." So here it is: 33x365. I don't want to wait until my birthday so it'll change to 34x365 when the time comes.

I couldn't think of a better, non-mushy, title. I'm happier than I've ever been in my life. I'll break it down as best as I can remember.

1. I love my business. I'm still passionate about it after months. Still scared, but still have the freedom to be me and be happy.
2. I love my husband. This should go without saying, but the past few months being at home with him have been amazing - more in love than ever.
3. Having twice as many animals as humans in the house is fabulous and furry. Josie has grown quite a bit.

4. Cheruby and I are fixing up the house to sell it so that we can buy a place just outside the city. And we don't like painting. We had quite a few reno angels who will forever be in my praises. The bathroom looks better than it has is a bazillion years. I'm very pleased with it.
5. ::wink::
6. My new hobby is making hats. I'll be taking requests soon. There are a few things that I have to work out first like moving. I'm incredibly excited. I even had a job offer in Alberta to make hats even though I'm not experienced. I had to say no because it's in Alberta, but I fantasized for a while about making hats for a living.
7. Have been catching up with so many old friends, it's unbelievable. I have time to spend on the things that matter - the people in my life. And I've been making new friends galore. Did I mention that I love my business?

Still having the best time of my life and am working very hard to keep it that way.

Coolest new find from David A. Carter. Thanks, LW!


All the books in the series are One Red Dot, Blue 2, 600 Black Spots, Yellow Square, and White Noise. I got overwhelmed at the beginning of 600 Black Spots and couldn't continue. I was so happily overwhelmed with the books. They are such a special bit of wonder. And what's really cool is that he even co-wrote a book, Elements Of Pop Up -
A Pop Up Book For Aspiring Paper Engineers, to help other people create such wonder!

Last Friday, we introduced a little puppy named Josie to our household. We now have a band of animals who we appreciate a lot and are getting along very nicely.

Her tail has already grown an inch. Her body length and leg length have also increased incredibly in the past week. She's already so much more coordinated. It's hard to believe my eyes!

The Pussycats are, in descending order of age, Smeagol (grey stripey coloured), Echo Six (melange stripey coloured), and Lazarus (black).






















Their first album should be out in 2011 as Josie still has some vocal training to take her to the top!

And in memory of the band member who died of a drug overdose this summer, Misha. He taught the other Pussycats a lot including how to get into trouble and not get caught. That talent got out of hand. He is still dearly missed.

I helped a friend warm his new house by baking chocolate chip cookies. I really, really, really enjoyed these cookies that I yoinked from here.

*********
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
(from The Frog Commissary Cookbook)
1 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 tbsp milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups oats (rolled or "quick," but not "instant")
2 cups chocolate chips (about 12-oz.)

Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and the sugars until mixture is light in color. Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by the milk and the vanilla extract.
In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Either by hand or with the mixer on low speed, gradually beat the flour in to the sugar mixture until just incorporated.
Stir in the oats and chocolate chips by hand.
Drop 1-inch balls of dough onto the cookie sheet, placing about 1 1/2 inches apart so they have room to spread.
Bake at 350F for 10-13 minutes, until golden brown at the edges and light golden at the center.
Cool on baking sheet for at least 1-2 minutes before transfering to a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes 4 dozen.

Notes:
- If you chill the dough for about 30 minutes before baking, you will have a slightly puffier cookie.
- You can substitute raisins for the chocolate chips.
- You can add up to 1 1/2 cups chopped nuts in addition to raisins or chocolate chips. You might want to make the cookies slightly larger if this is the case.
*********

Fortunately or unfortunately, I ate a lot of them myself. They were sooo good. Of course, part of that could be that I haven't had homemade chocolate chip cookies in too long. Mmmm... cookies...

We played a couple games of Agricola which we were awesome. The host won the second game which lasted too long and I didn't explain well enough to our new players. I completely enjoyed the company though. And everyone else wasn't drinking enough as far as I was concerned. ::grin::

Our host also fed us very, very well. He made chili and stew for us and had all kinds of cheese and crackers. It was very yummy. And then we got apple banana pancakes for breakfast on Sunday. So very good, indeed.

These two made good company this weekend.

That's right! I'm off to the sunny metropolis of Humboldt tomorrow. For this little expedition, I have planned to take my current chainmaille project now that my hands no longer start swelling after putting 3 rings together, my list of letters to write, and the third book in a series of seven that we got for a wedding present.

The only key now is that I successfully get up in 3 hours to do this drive. I am going to avoid Tim Horton's even though I really want an Iced Cappuccino. I will have some water bottles with me.

And for my lovely driving companion, I will be bringing pillows and blankets just in case she's not feeling well after her appointment. Don't worry, it's no one you know.

The best part about the trip tomorrow is that I have something planned. Having things planned in the day seems to help me keep busy these days and not just be a layabout, although that occupation would keep me from having to feed my family at Harvest.*

The best part about going for this drive tomorrow is that I get to help someone who needs it. I'm very pleased with this because it feels like it has been a while since I've been helpful. Probably not true, but it kind of feels that way. Probably just my high expectations for myself though.

In other news, I am applying for a job this week. Not because I really want it, but because I want to see if I can get it. I'm headed to Calgary this weekend to see friends whom I miss dearly. I miss a friend that lives just blocks away. It was my dad's birthday today. The cats are all starting to like me better than Jeremy since I'm home and available for attention more than he is.
_________________
*Agricola is a fantastic game that we have played many, many, many times and still have a ton of fun. I recommend it to everyone.